New-York tribune., 1921-11-06

NsSn careless glance through
IT'S pages tells us that il is voiced ir
KINDLY spirit. There werc sarcs SIN
ana expressions Of political bias in the
anonymous cvaluations. The author OF
washington Close-Ups" seeks nc
Fefuae In anonymity. He views the
men of whom he writes as human he
ings possessed Of passions of prejudice
and peculiaritiss OF personality. but al
ways evfncing iovah1e traits and moved
oy Ideals Of upper or lower strata. 1t
IS real relief to get into the pages
OF censiderate study of men in the
tFons row at Washington.
There Is chapter of prelude on no
iitical Washington in its general as
/ poets, survey of superfcial crusts, q
painting OF atmospheres in which the
twenty and moro protagenists OF the
book walk, talk and rct We discover.
through the clear vision of the re-
niarkabie Henry Adams, borrowed with
just thanks by Lowry, that there is a
Senatorial species with q tradition. and
that Is has not altered In dignities and
sega-elements since days that antedate
the Civil War. Many spokes Of the
vast wheel Of the republic converge in
the Capital, and stream Of partisans
come and go along these radii, arriv-
ing with faces calm with awe in the
presence OF their representatives of the
upper chamber. yet not forgetting to
refer to letters already written "pro~
testing that hawks devour their Pelin
ducks and that rabbits come after their
corn
Surely we are a democrats folk,
curious in our bashful adulation of
our crowned citizens and our conf
dsncs that they have powers that ex-
tend from the creation of armaments
to frighteD Europe to the protection
| of our hencoops and fences. After all,
is not this plucking at the sleeves of
our ambassadors at Washington sym
boil of our kinship in family where
+! the nohodies consort with the some
bodies of their fsshiening?
Quite properly, President Harding is
/ the first to go under Lewry's micro
/ scope, followed by Vice president Cool
idge. Politically, Mr.. Harding belongs
to the same age, era, epoch or period
as the wooden IpSisn who used to
stand so massively, SO passively and
so innocuously in front OF cigar shops.
/ He is IS old-fashioned as that." So
writes Lowry, to continue with
elaboration Of the return of the White
| House TO regime Of open doors aad
in the front door the figure Of genial,
kindly, generous big fellow who loves
his fellow men, who is without auster-
ity or bitterness" Such president
readily dresses for the role Of great
emollient needed TO soothe, to heal and
to relax the angry, inaamed, tangled
querulous local condition and situa-
ton
Coolidge ia type new to Washing
ton. He is as silent IS June meadow
when no zephyr fits over it, and as
sweet in his pure AInericanism as the
fairest blossom in the field. He Is as
regular as clock, as methodical as
the calendar. 1t will take time to place
him in the motley of men who encom-
pass him. A disciple OF the obvious,
he, as inspired moments, gives forth
a phrase containing words unusual;
but the moments arc rare. Coolidge,
bit Of e sphinx, may, IL Crisis,
utter the silver dawn notes OF Memnon.
Here are few charaeterizations and
views from Lowry's paragraphs on
other Washington headliners--
Bryan-'.In Office Mr.. Bryan is
Gagged bird and can't sing For he is
true troubadour and not a double
entry beokkseper,"
Postmaster General Hays-"Submit
him to any test and you get perfect
reaction. He doesn't even stain the
litmus paper. Apply any motive or
domestic standard and he complies
with it to a hair-iine. He is as IN
digenous as sassafras root"
Secretary Hoover--"fhe interesting
and Che speculative thing about him
at this juncturs, in his new field as
participant III the administration OF
government, is. what will he do next
how far will he gos" He has made
himself springboard for a tremen-
dous leap. Will he take it? 7, for one,
intend to stick around and see what
happens"
Senator Borah--"He has not IN him
the making Of 81 great popular leader,
because ho lacks q certain daring,
certain imaginative quality that in
hibits him in time Of crisis from TAX
ing his political life in his hands and
jumping OF into the void with his
eyes opan. Hs always keeps one foot
on the ground"
1t will be seen that there is no at
sesnpt in this book TO juggle with words
r toss phrases ints the air. Fhs text
u the American chat Of our towns
"a :her than that OF our cities, with
the tang Of native wit and honest ap-
preciatian. Il is book that Republi-
cans and Democrats can read without
fear Of getting wrathiul; tor 1t Is
manly in it's criticism, close to fact in