Life  is  one  round  of  greetings — morning,  noon,
and  night  have  their  salutations — which  mark
"the  manner  of  the  man."  Now  the  insistent
telephone  bell  makes  one  continuous  merry
chime  of  intermittent  greeting.  The  cheery
"hello"  of  the  Republican  candidate  was  in-
dexed in  his  speech  of  acceptance  as  a  grand
hailing  sign  to  America.  It  has  inspired  the
people  to  "call"  again.  The  voters  will  "put  in
a  call"  November  2  for  Warren  G.  Harding  that
will  secure  a  clear  line  for  Uncle  Sam  to  tell  him
that  it  was —

"America  first!"


HIS  RELATIONS  WITH  THEODORE
ROOSEVELT


XIV

HIS  RELATIONS  WITH  THEODORE
ROOSEVELT

THE  fact  that  Theodore  Roosevelt  in  1916
turned  to  Senator  Harding  to  prepare  an
amendment  to  the  Selective  Draft  Law
indicated    his    faith   in   Warren   G.  Harding's
capacity  to  direct  the  most  vital  war  matters
before  Congress.
The  legal  and  legislative  ability  that  secured
the  passage  of  the  bill  through  both  houses  of
a  Congress  which  was  politically  hostile,  was  an
early  triumph  for  Senator  Harding  as  a  national
leader  in  the  Senate.  It  remained  for  President
Wilson's  veto  to  keep  Theodore  Roosevelt  "out
of  the  war,"  with  four  sons  as  volunteers,  and
France  calling  for  his  help.  There  was  perfect
personal  and  political  accord  between  Colonel
Roosevelt  and  Senator  Harding,  lasting  until
the  death  of  the  intrepid  leader,  who  aroused
the  United  States  to  the  full  consciousness  of
its  duty.     The  Colonel  conferred  with  Senator

(.95)


96  Warren  G.  Harding—The  Man

Harding  many  times,  and  the  firm  friendship
remained  unbroken  until  his  untimely  death.
Associates  and  the  family  of  Theodore  Roose-
velt regarded  Harding  as  a  friend  true-blue.
