The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-09-05
COOLIDGE ISNOT
HUNTINGDON
DELEGATES
Presidents Political Stand Is
Causing Anguish in Ranks
of His Rivals.
BY WILLIAM HARD.

He does not know that he ever
will, he does know that at this time
he will not.
Such is< the explicit declaration
which he has made to gentlemen
who have gone to him with cam
paigning plans. He has declined to
enter those plans. If their origi-
majors carry them forward, they
will have to do 80 without him.
AS this policy Of his has become
known, it has added a further
shade of darkness to the dark
puzzle which his prospective rivals
have been trying to solve.
They have not wanted to move
until the President had moved. The
| country had clearly shown that Il
wanted the new Chief Executive to
be given his chance" Word to
that effect kept coming-and still
keeps coming-to Washington from
every part OF, the country.
Anguish for Rivals.
It was felt accordingly by his
rivals that they must remain quiet
until Calvin Coolidge has COM
mitted some overt acts. They now
perceive with anguish that one OF
his most distinguishing character.
istics is precisely his ability to. re.
frain from overt acts.
| They feel that they have been
| deceived by certain Of Mr.. COOLIDGE
admirers. These admirers let it
be widely put forth in newspapers
and in club corners that Mr..
Coolidge was a man Of hair-trigger
action who ate strikers alive and
ate them instantly and who no
sooner saw a problem on the hori-
ION than he rushed forward to 1t
\ and hit IL. on the head with a
| solution.
Mr.. Coolidge, according to this
theory Of him, which was widely
printed, was a drastic character
who would stand no nonsense from
anybody or anything and who
therefore presently would commit
overt acts by the hundred.
| His rivals awaited these overt
acts with Joy. They awaited them
as the signals and justifications for
a general fracas.
Gradually 1t has been dawning
upon them that Mr.. Coolidge seems
to prefer to have no general fracas.
Adopts Waiting Game.
They now suspect that he IL well
on his way toward playing one OF
the greatest waiting games that
was ever played in the White
| House.
They note with unfeigned regret
that by playing that game he has
already escaped two enormous HUI
Mutations.
They had hoped hat he would
at once set out to solve Europe.
They did not know that some Of
his closest friends had advised Kim
that Europe was in no mood to be
solved by outsiders. He refrained
from trying to solve It.; and he
| escaped being present In the coun.
sells OF Europe when Mussolini OF
italy defied those counsels.
His rivals hoped similarly that he
would try to solve this anthracite
region Of Pennsylvania. He disap.
pointed them. He left that solution
| to the one man who has any actual
police powers over the people and
over the properties Of that region
namely. the Governor Of the State
Of Pennsylvania.
| Attitude Toward Lewis.
Legal research here has shown
that John Lewis. of the United
Mine Workers, II given any orders
by the White House. could defy
Calvin Coolidge. just exactly as he
defied Warren Gamaliel Harding
Calvin Coolidge has not given him
the chance.
It is beginning to be suspected
that under Calvin Coolidge the
White House will not move unless
1t sees and knows that 1t can move
successfully.
1t Is beginning to be feared by
Mr. Coolidge's rivals that II they
wait until he moves irAo Gn ex.
posed position they may have to
wait till the next Republican ma.
tional convention has come and
gone.
They had hoped that with Bias
com Slemp. of Virginia. becoming
his secretary he would at least
start out on a Southern delegate
hunt. If he would start then they
could start.
Now they fear that the people
were right who said that Mr..
Slemp's occupation was not to be
the getting of delegates but the
keeping of the President in touch
with Congress.
See SIemp as Watchdog.
They fear that Mr.. Slemp will be
the Presidential watchdog for Cap
itol Hill and not the Presidential
pointer for delegates in the South
ern swamps.
The President is not going to
start the delegate scramble. He
apparently further is not going to
start any solutions for any prob
lens unless he perceives that he
can finish them. He is just simply
standing still behind the normal
daily duties Of his office and wait
ing.
He waits; and with every hour
of waiting. as long as he does his
normal duties, and as long as the
country suffers no catastrophe, he
becomes more and more the nor
NAL automatic candidate for 1924.
He waits, and his rivals wait for
him to stop waiting and start
something, and he still waits.
That Is the situation, and 1t
leaves him calm and them fren.
zied.
Copyright. 1929. Washington Press
Service.)