The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-12-11
THE COOLIDGE MANAGER

If the statement by Frank w.
Stearns of Boston is to be taken as the
official announcement of Mr.. Cool
idge's candidacy for the Republican
nomination, the act is sufficiently UNI
obtrusive even for one of the presl-
dents retiring disposition. 1t has
long been rumored that Mr.. Stearns IS
the man deepest in the presidents
confidence and his political as well as
personal friend of long standing. This
man is a leading and wealthy merchant
of Boston, son of the man who founded
the business of which he is now the
head. There is nothing in the pub
lished summary of his life that indi-
Gates any unusual interest in politics.
His connections with financial institu-
tions in Boston are not such as 20
give him much freedom for political
diversions, while his position as di-
rector of half dozen or more charlt-
able institutions in Boston and Massa-
chusetts indicate an avocation not con-
nected with politics. Yet he has long
been one of Coolidge's political adj
visers, perhaps the one who has con-
tributed the executive knowledge and
experience in previous campaigns.
1t is probable that Mr.. Searns in
tends to occupy position in the back
ground of the campaign, and will pass
the field citizenship on to another,
presumably Mr.. William B.. Butler,
national committeeman from Massa-
chusetts. Mr.. Butler is said not to be
man deeply experienced in practical
politics, although he has served in both
branches of the state legislature, and
is said to be slated as the senatorial
candidate to oppose the Democratic
Senator Walsh at the next election. If
so, doubtless his leadership of the
presidential campaign will be largely
nominal. Indeed, one report names
him merely as the financial director.
Success for Coolidge means general
ship of the wisest and most skillful
W.
ties with half his mind on something
else. Therefore, if it be true that
there is a senatorship in the offing,
the prominent mention of Mr.. Butler
may be only by way of advertising
him more forcibly to the people of his
state.
There is, however, a figure in the
background that is dimly perceived
as pulling the wires that make the
dummies dance. Whoever is named
leader of the Coolidge campaign, or
whoever is in the public eye, it is very
doubtful indeed if he will do anything
or say anything unless he has first
consulted and received the approval
of one C. Bascom Slemp of Virginia,
whom some regard as the presidents
private secretary. Presidents private
secretaries have before this been the
quiet but effective agents of presi-
Dental booms, and there is good rea-
son to suspect that this man Slemp
will be that and then some to Cool
ldge. When he was appointed secre-
tary to the president, it was at once
understood by those wise in the ways
of candidates that his fitness as a
campaign manager was far more of
recommendation than any gifts of sec
retarial nature. In other words, C.
Bascom Slemp is most adroit politi-
clan who knows what he knows and
why he knows it, but without any
great urge to tell others, unless
thereby he can serve the purpose ne
has in mind. The presidents private
secretary is G. Bascom Slemp; but #
you want to know anything about
Coolidge's campaign manager, See
Bascom Slemp.