The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-07
THE NATION LISTENS IN ON MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT
Ideal Radio Conditions Make Every World Clear As He Outlines His Precepts


 WASHINGTON. Dec. 6.--The un- seen audience, extending to even the remotest country cross roads, which listened to President Coolidge as he read his first message to Congress, probably exceeded any that a speak CT ever, before addressed
 From the tiny microphone on the reading desk in front of him, the Presidents voice was carried out over the wires and. broadcast from eight powerful stations at various points in the country.
 While the message was being read, tclegrams were received in the House press gallery from Kansas City, St. Louis and, Dallas reporting . that every syllable was being heard by great crowds gathered around loud speakers. St. Eouis asked about the peculiar scratching noise that was heard every few minutes. It was found to be the turning of the stiff parchment sheets on which the message was printed.
 Coolidge read in a slow. deliberate voice, which could be heard easily all over the large hall of the House. His voice was pitched in a monotone. His enunciation was precise and when he desired to emphasize a phrase he slowed down, instead of raising his voice.
 It was as a business man. laying series of propositions before his board of directors that~Coolidge went before Congress. There was none of the appeal for party loyalty and government by parties which was so prevalent in President Harding's messages. Neither was there the lofty appeal to high statesmanshp, which Wilson made so eloquently. Coolidge was all business.
 AppIause Is Mild
 This attitude accounts in part for the comparative mildness of the ap- plause. His rejection of the League or Nations brought q good hand But his indorsement of the world court evoked only scattered applause and scarcely any Of that from the sena- tors. The same was true of his re- jection of the bonus. His recom- mendations on prohibition and rail- road legislation went by without any recognition.
 Because of the interest with which Coolidge's first utterance was await ed, the House chamber was packed to the roof. The overflow poured in on the floor of the House, ignor- ing the rule which reserves the seats there for members and their fami- lies, so that few minutes before. the President appeared, a typical bit of House comedy was enacted Tapping for order, Speaker Gfllett announced that members were com plaining they could not occupy their seats because unauthorized visitors had taken possession.
 Representative Clark of .Florida protested in an earnest speech that wives of members were compelled to stand in the galleries because other visitors had crowded them from the House floor.
 Trys To Eject Visitors.
 It seems to me that this condi- tion ought not to be permitted" he said. With d flourish. and made motion to order the sergeant at arms to clear the floor. viva voce vote was taken and Gillett declared the motion had carried, but chorus of protest forced a count. So the mem- bers favoring election of the visitors stood up to be counted and then those opposed did likewise.
 After some delay the motion was declared carried and the sergeant at arms was directed to clear the floor of visitors. But this gentleman, be- ing man Of discretion, found that something else needed his attention at the moment
 Not visitor left the floor. The protesting congressmen, pock eting their pride, stood at the rear. Es -So1ne-who were.not too fat doubled d up in the small seats.
 ,Irs. Coolidge Vivacious. 2 Q S Mrs. Coolidge was unusually viva cious and chatted energetieally with Mrs. Charles D. Hughes during the wait. Mrs. Alice Roosevelt Long worth, wife of the majority leader, held court in the opposite gallery, where sine sat in bright colored dress hat off as usual, and utterly indifferent to the pomp of the occa- sion.
 Brigadier General Sawyer got into the diplomatic gallery by mistake. but sat it through
 Probably the number of Amer jeans who heard President Cooldge's S message by radio. as it was carried from Capitol Hill to every state, can not be guessed within several hun dred thousands. possibly not within million or more.
 So excellent, however, were condi- tions for broadcasting, with a com plete absence of static. and so admi- rably suited to wide Assimilation was MT. Coolidge's resonant voice that it is likely more listened to him