Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-12-06
COOLIDGE STUDIES
NEW ENGLAND IDEA
coNFERs MUCH WITH LEADING
MEN FROM HIS SECTION
OF THE COUNTRY.
LABOR, RAILWAYS DISCUSSED
Rv EDWARD B. CLARK

i
| ticians, statesmen and near statesmen
of his party. He has put In much
| time in conference with New England
leaders of Republican thought, notably
/ William M. Butler, Republican national
committeeman from Massachusetts,
and Frank w. Stearns, also Of Massa-
chusetts, who sometimes is called "the
Colonel House" of the present admin
istration.
The President is a New Highlander,
and naturally enough may be given
to the belief that New England idea
is the right idea. It is admitted in
Washington that American history
shows that on a number of occasions
the idea of New England has been
the right one, although in the early
stages of its development on several
occasions it has met with strong OPP
position
One or two of the Presidents friends
have said that he is getting the New
England thought for the purpose of
finding out whether it fits in with the
national thought, but that if it does
not he will be willing to admit for
practical legislative purposes that the
New England idea is not the nations
idea.
Backs Him for Nomination.
Day after day it seemingly becomes
palmer that all of the New England
states are to array themselves back
of the President in the Republican
national convention His views on
some things it is known, are not those
of the majority Of his party in the
home land, but the New Englanders,
apparently because of pride in ma
tive son and his achievements, are
willing to overlook some differences
Of opinion hoping that. enlightenment
may come to the "erring one" before
he has run his administrative course.
That part Of New England which
loaned many of its distinguished
spokesman to the so-called cause Of
anti-imperialism is today staunchly in
favor of the adoption of some Ameri-
can legislative or state department
plan to help Europe. A great major
ity of New Englanders, however, hold
Ing membership in either great politi-
cal party, stand opposed to what they
call intervention in foreign affairs.
There are some men here. and Re-
publicans among them, who still be-
lieve that at heart Mr. Coolidge stands
with that small New England phalanx
which thinks that America has quick
duty to perform abroad.
William M. Butler, the Republican
chusetts, is said to be good political
adviser. Mr.. Butler knows the ms
and outs of labor matters in Massa-
chusetts where some great concerns
have accepted unionism and some great
and even greater concerns have refused
to accept it in the form that its lead
ers insist upon.
Comforting on Labor Affairs.
New England is a manufacturing
community. Also it is a community
where transportation subjects con-
stantly are salient and constantly are
troubling. On the same days that
President Coolidge has been consulting
Committeeman Butler he has been con-
sulting also the most prominent labor
leaders of the country, notably the
representatives of the railroad broth
erhoods. A Massachusetts man who is
| In daily communication with the Elm
ner outposts" of the White House re-
calls the fact that President Coolidge
was party to the conferences which
the late President Harding had with
the officials Of the American Fedora
ton of Labor.
Transportation matters possibly may
be given the attention of the incoming
congress. President Coolidge is try
ing that kind Of best usually called
level, to placate some of the countrys
elements which have in their heads leg
islative plans running all the way
from tearing up the rails to turning
all the transportation companies over
to the paternalistic care of the govern
ment.
New England is conservative on rail-
roads as it is on labor. The President
temperamentally and presumably by
conviction is conservative. 1t is said
that his attempt will be to do what
he can to appease labor and "progres-
sive radicalism" and yet not lose the
affections of conservatism. It will be
rather a hard job. Seemingly he is
getting opinions from both sides of
troublesome controversy in order to
find way of striking the happy mean
between the extremes, and it is GER
tain that they are extremes.
The President still is at work on his
message. Labor, transportation and
foreign affairs are. not the only things
which he must discuss. The taxation
subject at present is worrisome and it
will continue to be until the echo of
the last voice on the subject in the
next congress has died away, and
there will be many voices and neces-
sarily many echoes. 1t may be, how
ever that taxation will be given no leg
lslative thought this winter.
World Court to Be PigeonhoIed.
Developments make it appear vir-
tually certain that it is needless furth-
er to speculate on the probable fate
Of President Harding's recommends
Geysers Furnish Power