Evening star., 1923-12-06
PRESIDENT BREAKS
SILENCE CONC|SELY
Politicians Call Message
Economically Sound and
Politically UnWise.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


tive statements, written more in the
style of a national political platform
than In the form of a speech or brief,
the document read in person by CAL
win Coolidge to both houses Of Con-
gress today breaks a silence of four
months and discloses tho program
OF the new President on which he
Will seek another four-year term.
For several days the message has
been in the hands Of the leaders,
whose comment is. therefore. we'll
known. What they will say for pub
lication does not always coincide
with how they feel In private. But
the differences Of opinion are not,
curiously enough. on the merit Of Mr..
Coolidge's arguments. but on the po-
litical wisdom thereof. One OF the
most interesting comments. fer in
stance, comes from prominent inde-
pendent who speaks of the message
as economically sound, but political
ly unsound."
Disnpproves Of BonuA
This observation is due to the fact
that the President. first of all. makes
1t clear that he does not favor grant
service men. Members Of Congress
have been committing themselves in
personal pledges to vote for a bonus
To do SO now means to break with
the President, and the members now
must choose between that or the hos
tility Of the American Legion. The
politician thinks. naturally. that the
bonus is more important than any
thing else just now. Mr. Coolidge be-
lieves that tax reduction cannot be
accomplished IL bonus is to be paid.
The President uses the words "un-
qualified approval in referring to the
plan of Secretary OF the Treasury
Mellon to reduce taxes. This means
that he will throw the support OF the
administration to that plan and fight
against efforts to emasculate 1t. He
has no hesitancy in saying that "a
revision of surtaxes will not only
provide additional money for capital
investment, thus stimulating industry
and employing more labor, but will
not greatly reduce the revenue from
that source. but may in the future
actually increase It,"
Considered Economically Sound.
The struggle will not be over the
reduction of lower incomes. but over
the surtax rates. Mr.. Coolidge's In
dorsement is considered economically
politicians is whether the people Will
understand 1t, and whether 1t will
not be the basis for attacks on the
ground that the President favors the
relief of the burdens Of the higher
incomes.
Mr.. Coolidge tried hard to satisfy
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge In writ
ing the planks on foreign relations
and finally used the following SEN
tence. which probably will open po-
littcal sores anew:
Our country has definitely refused
to adopt and ratify the covenant of
the league of nations. The incident
so far as we are concerned is closed"
Refers to 1920 Election.
In answer to that, the critics are
already saying that Mr.. Coolidge must
be referring to the election of 1920.
which was the last time the league
was under discussion in a national
one leading republicans, including
Charles Evans Hughes. now Secretary
OF state, announced that a vote for
Harding was vote for the league Of
nations with proper reservations and
that a vote for Cox was a vote that
would not lead to American entry
into the league. because his party
was committed to reservations that
would not be acceptable to the Senate
-, The There els is no. no way Of telling how
the belief that Mr.. Harding would
draft program of American partict-
patton in the league, with reserva.
tions. That element in the republican
since and has been instrumental in
committing the republican adminis-
tration to the support of the interna-
tional court created by the league.
This, Mr.. Coolidge speaks of as pre-
senting the only practical plan on
ha
though II may not meet every de.
sire, therefore commend it to the
favorable consideration Of the Senate,
with the proposed reservations clearly
indicating our refusal to adhere TO
the league of nations"
Plank Preserves support.
This plank is int6nded to preserve
the support Of the groups in the re-
publican party who favor the league
and are inclined to be satisfied at
present with membership in the world
court. for they believe that once this
action Is taken the same argument
will apply to the league proper. for
of 1t they say too that Il represents
the only practical plan on which 90
many nations have ever agreed-all
whole world. They point also to the
votes In the Senate, which always
were more than two-thirds for the
League with reservations. Had Mr..
Wilson accepted the reservations the
United States would now be In the
league. The point is that the record
OF the Senate on all votes fayors the
league with reservations.
On this ground there will be ample
controversy and some political wise
have Jared Just as well had he omitted
to define the countrys view on the
league OF nations.
There are others, on the other hand,
who think Mr.. Coolidge 10 really In
straight-out issue OF the league as
he feels his position would prove 4
winner In the next elections and at
the same time tend to draw the "ir-
reconcilable" wing Of the republican
months.
Favors Ford Oner.s
Looking at the message still further
from political viewpoint, the topics
relating to- the transportation act and
Muscle Shoals have In them the ca
pactty for much argument and contro.
versy mT Gooliage .h comes . out In favor
clause Of the transportation act,
whereby the railroads are permitted
to earn fixed per cent on their in.
yestment The western republicans,
this changed. as they think i tends TO
keep freight rates at high levels and
ties the hands of the Interstate Com.
merce Commission In fixing rates.
AS for Muscle Shoals. Mr.. Coolidge
is aware that the making Of cheaper
fertilizer Is a paramount issue with
the farmers and has been one of the
main sources of Henry Fords
strength. The administration stands
ready to work out a plan for the
farmer whereby Muscle Shoals may
be operated.
Almost in the same breath, how.
ever, the President strikes out against
the radicals OF the. west who have
been clamoring for government aid.
He says: mo complicated scheme OF