San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-16

Roosevelt overnight, but there is q
forcefulness about the quiet dignity
of Calvin Coolidge which was unmis.
taxable.
The new President gave the cabi.
net more of glimpse of the kind OF
an executive he intends to be than
he did the press. He is systematic 10
fault. He does not intend to DC
bothered with detail. He will give his
cabinet officers all the latitude in the
world. but he will hold them strictly
accountable for their acts. There is a
severity about Mr.. Coolidge which is
in direct contrast to the manner OF
his predecessor. Not that Mr.. Hard
ing's geniality wasn't inspiring for
il was one of the finest evidences OF
comradeship in public office ever seen.
But Mr.. Coolidge is different--that's
all. At this point it may be worth
while to say that Washington CORE.
spondents who may be writing OF the
outstanding characteristics of the new
President do so with the idea of ad-
vising the American people about a
relatively unknown quantity in the
White House and not with any pur-
pose of making invidious comparisons
between the late President and hn
successor.
Not the Political Type.
It remains for the next six months
to tell the story of whether the Cool
idge method is more effective than the
Harding method. But at the outset
it is interesting to observe that the
new President operates in an entirely
different way. For one thing, Mr..
Harding grew up in a newspaper Of
flee. Mr.. Coolidge is a lawyer. The
late President was a good mixer. He
was on intimate terms with almost
everybody. The new Executive has a
kind of magnetism that peers out of
friendly eyes. but he is not the politi-
cal type at all. That's one reason why
he wisely chose former Representative
Bascom Slemp of Virginia, Republi-
can. to be his private secretary.
Mr.. Coolidge didn't know Mr..
Slemp. Nor daes he know many men,
bers of Congress very well. SO lie
consulted the leaders of both houses
and asked them to suggest the nance
of men. who did know Congress and
who did know official Washington
That's how Bascom Slemp came to
be chosen and it gives an interesting
insight into the workings of the Cool
| idge mind.
Another thing be did in the first q
hours which is indicative of the new
Presidents attitude toward his job
He was advised by Secretary George
Christian that one of the things that
took up Mr.. Harding's time and wor.
ried him constantly was pardon cases.
Mr.. Christian said he thought it woup
be a good plan if these cases were left
almost wholly to the Attorney Gen
eral to decide and recommend. Mr.
Coolidge adopted the suggestion inn
mediately and as consequence his
desk was cleared of one Of the noun
tains of documents which in every ad-
ministration as far back as this cor
respondent can remember alwayr
plagued the Chief Executive.
Help Without Entanglements.
Perhaps the information given out
about Europe was the most vital thing
that came from the White House.
Here is the exact thought: The
United States government under the
Coolidge administration is ready TO
help and cooperate in every way
without involving itself; America is
very hesitant about making offers, but
the President will be responsive to any
requests for HELM that may be ad-
ministered in the interest of tt,
American people.
Read the foregoing sentence care
fully for it's a clue to the foreign pol
icy of Calvin Coolidge. He doesn't
want to interfere in Europe. He
doesn't want TO involve America in
anything disastrous. but he will not
turn q deaf ear or a cold shoulder
to proposals emanating from Euro
Dean governments which. when exam
ined seem TO be to the economic benc
fit Of the American people as well
as the peace of the world. He knows
that the world situation encompasses
America and if he does take any strl
in foreign policy ii will be with the
idea Of saving the United States from
the i'll effects of a collapse in Europe,
The Coolidge statement is sym
pathetic expression of American pur'
pose and the only unfortunate thins
! about it is that the exact words
weren't put out in formal fashion
above the signature of the President
so that Europe might take heart and
apply for American mediation. 1t is
not impossible TO conceive however
that the thought will be conveyed by
American ambassadors and ministers
abroad in even more explicit Ian
guage. if necessary. Calvin. Coolidge
has started out to tackle the prob.
lens of his office without delay. He
will be n celebrating President "a
the point Of getting the facts hut HI
will act quickly and decisively. That's
the first impression which the new
President has made and it does no,
take long as rule for people in Off
cial life to size up the man in the
White House.