The Washington times., 1923-10-24
President Helps to
Mend Party
Fences.
By JEAN ELIOT.


4 LTHOUGH sticking closely
"a to their announced intention
IA Of having no formal enter
tanning at the White House until
the close of the period Of official
mourning for the late President
Harding, the President and Mrs.
Coolidge have inaugurated a most
friendly and sOciable regime and
1t would seem probable that by
the end Of their first year in the
White House they win have en-
tertained as many guests under
the hospitable roof Of the White
House as did the President and
Mrs. Harding when they were
first in residence.
Some semblance of formality
there must be, of course, to such
festivities as the. luncheon for the
Rt. Hon David Llody George, to
be given by President Coolidge
tomorrow. But perhaps even
more interest attaches to the
steady stream OF luncheon and
dinner guests who have been en-
tertained at the White House,
two or three at a time, since
President and Mrs. Coolidge took
possession because most of Mr..
Coolidge's efforts at party reor-
ganization would seem to be TAX
ing place over the coffee cups.
Yesterday, for example, there
was a luncheon party at which
there were assembled a round
dozen Republican stalwarts, in,
Guiding John T. Adams, chairman,
and Fred w. Upham, treasurer Of
the Republican National Commit
tee; c.. H. Huston, chairman of the
ways and means committee of the
Republican National Committee;
William Wrigley, of Chicago, a
multi-mill ionaire chewing-gum man.
ufacturer; e. T.. Stotesbury, Phila-
delphia banker and railroad mag
nate, and William G. Sproul, for
mer governor Of Pennsylvania;
James H. Stanley, Denver million
aife; Col Frank W. Stearns. Bos-
ton merchant prince. and James
E. Davidson, National Committee
man from Michigan
1t was announced the lunch was
purely social and informal. There
was no discussion Of politics.
Chairman Adams plan to set the
Republican house in order before
the next Presidential campaign is
taking form. And Mr., Coolidge,
working hand in gIove-or maybe
1t is the other way around-is
making long strides in his policy.
Of good VIII. He is inviting to
break bread with him men of
power and influence with whom he
wants to get acquainted, men who
are just as eager to meet a new
President at close range.
Thus writes Robert Barry. one
Of the shrewdest OF the younger
political writers, and goes on to
say:
His interests are those of a party
leader. His concern is for party
success. His own particular hopes
Tor 1924 are in seIf-arranged
eclipse. He seeks views of others.
not urging his own ambitions. He
Is much more skiilfua than Mr..
Harding; he wants to- know man.
ne wishes them to know him.
Yet, all the time Mr.. Coolidge is
q candidate for a nomination. lie
INDUCES in no pretense on that
score. But his primary concern
- ON~AA ~ LA ReA4 ~ ACAOC0p All
stead of building personal ones.
And thus far comment by Repub-
Ican leaders, who have often been
in the, know" is that he is the
shrewdest politician they have en-
countered in a long time. And,
furthermore, some who have come
out of the West in the last few
days are saying he is the ''surest
bet" they have seen in quite a
while of years.
-
Drank KNOX, Manchester, N.
H. newspaper publisher, was
q guest of the President and Mrs.
Coolidge at dinner last night, and
Z. Coleman DUPONT, sometime
Senator from Delaware, had
there the day before. Mr..
Upham, Mr.. Wriggley and M.
Stearns have beer sleeping under
the White House roof for several
days, but the first two have