A Crowded Desk

President Harding completed his month's vacation in the South and returned to Washington to find his blotter covered with a mass of executive work. Nothing except matters of extremely pressing nature was brought to his attention during his vacation. A month's accumulation of business awaited him, and, on April 10, the first Cabinet meeting since March 3.

Besides the routine of office, his calendar calls for consideration of a number of important matters. He must appoint a " dirt farmer " member to the Federal Reserve Board because of the death of Milo D. Campbell three weeks ago.

He must also appoint several members of the Railroad Labor Board, and several new Federal Judgeships.

He must consider a liquidation plan for the Shipping Board. [Chairman A. D. Lasker will retire next June and is anxious to see the plan completed before that time.]

He is expected to call the conference of State Governors--determined on last January--to consider prohibition enforcement.

He must prepare the 20 speeches to deliver on his tour of the country next summer.

Accounts from "authoritative sources" continue to contradict one another as to what part the proposal for participation in the League of Nation's International Court of Justice will play in the President's " 20 speeches" next summer. Lately the reports are that it will be made the major topic of discussion. It is declared in some quarters that Mr. Harding is determined to press his proposal "even if it splits the party." None of these reports accord well with the statement which the President made last week at Augusta, that our foreign relations have never been more satisfactory and that they are not as urgently in need of attention as many matters purely domestic.