Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-08-04
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

There is a somper silence in Wash
inston which fttingly betokens the
capitals grief over the loss of it's
first citizen.-~Fhe District of Colum-
bia feels a proprietary interest in
the presidents of the republic. In the
loss of sc" incomparably a human"
President as Warren G. Harding, the
capitals sorrow is more than ordi-
narily poignant. He was Washing
ton householder for six years before
he became Chief Executive. and was.
therefore. long identified with local
interests. Most of his friends felt
assured the Hardings' would make
their home in or adjacent to the Dis
trict after leaving the White House
| The sale of the Marion Daily Star
seemed TO presage such an intention.
Addressing the Society of American
Newspaper Editors in April of this
year, Mr.. Harding expressed the hope
estate. Had he retained the owner
ship only a few weeks longer that
aspiration would have been realized.
President Coolidge. like a good
: d
for taciturnity and icy reserve, really
does not deserve it, He's not a man
who will ever learn to slap a friend
on the back, and mixing" is not in
his line. Yet the fact that he has
been in political office necessarily for
half his life-the recipient of honor
after honor at the hands of his own
~ ri
cannot be wholly devoid of the
human" qualities that endear man
to his fellow beings. This observer
on two well-remembered occasions
found the President almost Ioaua-
clous. Once II was among the blankets
and pillows of his bad at the Willard.
where Mrs. Coolidge had propped him
up during battle with a cold. AL
though little hoarse. Mr.. Coolidge
conversed freely, wittily and without
any sign of the strong and SILENT
manner. At another time he was
encountered in a chair car, en- route
from IRON Washington to Wilmington.
just occurred. Mr.. Coolidge discussed
them avidly and seldom had to be
prodded into an expression of his
views. 1t is on formal social oc-
casions that the President maintains
demeanor that amounts to shyness.
Mrs. Coolidge will speedily achieve
the reputation of being One of the
most beloved of a long line of ami
able first ladies OF the land She is
bound to remind many of Mrs Grover
Cleveland in the heyday of that
beauteous and charming lady's career
at the White House. Mrs. Coolidge
has frankly enjoyed public life at
Washington. and entered into it
with q buoyant zest that was refresh
ing and all-captivating She is
passionately devoted to dancing.
When the memories of the present
hour have faded far enough into his
tory to permit a renewealSof festiv-
tiles at the White House, Mrs. Cool
idge is sure to restore dancing to a
regular place on its program. She
is proud of her reputation of being
graces. The President. though with
out inclinations of his own in that
direction, enjoys the undiluted pleas
ure Mrs. Coolidge derives from social
activities.
Senator Burton X. Wheeler of
Montana, who calls himself a demo-
crat. but who campaigned for Magnus
Johnson. farmer-laborite, in Mime
sofa, bears a considerable physical
resemblance to President Coolidge
They are about the same height and
build, and have heads and faces that
look alike. Wheeler is a few years
the Presidents junior, but, If ever he
is called temporarily to preside over
the Senate, II will not require much
stretch of the ina gination to believe
that the former Vice President is
back in the chair.
X X X y
Massachusetts has less cause than
ever to complain. There she stands"
with a sheaf Of the mightiest posi-
tons Ia the nation held by her sons.