FIGHTING THE INSECTS 



the first meeting of the bureau chiefs of the government, I was 

 enormously impressed. There on the platform were the Presi- 

 dent and his Cabinet, and General Dawes, the first director of 

 the Budget. But the audience was composed of some six hundred 

 of the men who had charge of the details of administration of 

 our great country. I realized then as never before that Presidents 

 and Cabinets come and go, but that these six hundred men go 

 on year after year and that the successful administration of the 

 country is largely in their hands. President Harding made the 

 opening speech. He was not a very impressive speaker. His voice 

 was monotonous, and his choice of words was far from scholastic. 

 His gestures were rather awkward, but his benevolent face and 

 fine presence carried it all ofiF. 



One more little personal incident. In the thousands of pages 

 that have been printed about President Harding it has always 

 been said that not only was he a small-town man, but that, like 

 the small-town man, he was promiscuous in his friendships. He 

 had not only a genius for friendships, but an obvious desire to 

 be friends with every one. One day, a little after half-past four, 

 I was at the Cosmos Club, having just gone there from my office, 

 when I was called to the telephone. After I had said, "Hello," a 

 voice replied, "Is that Dr. Howard.? The President wishes to 

 speak to you." I said to myself, "The President of what?" when 

 Mr. Harding's fine voice said, "Good afternoon, Dr. Howard. A 

 friend of mine from Atlanta, Georgia, has just told me that you 

 refused to investigate an admirable remedy for the Cotton Boll 

 Weevil that he is just beginning to exploit in a business way. 

 Now I don't think you ought to refuse a request of this 

 kind." 



"Why, Mr. President," I answered, "I have done nothing of 

 the sort. I shall be glad to have it investigated at the first oppor- 

 tunity. But I can't endorse it without investigation, and as it is 



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