Evening star., 1923-12-01
COOLIDGE IGNORES
JOHNSON DEFIANCE.
president Won't Be Lured
Into Stand.Up Fight. OBJ.
servers Assert.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

M FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE
calvin Coolidge's closest friends
and political associates are convinced
ne VIII not be stampeded into any
sland-up and knock down fight for
tue presidential nomination. They
say such tactics are utterly foreign
10 mis- nature. They are confident he
VIII not react to contrary pressure.
no matter how much OF II Is brought
to bear.
MT. Coolidge's friends are inclined
10 discern the hands of Hiram John
sons supporters In preseat-hour at
.empts to coerce the president into
declaring himself. What the Germans
curing the war called "Schrecklich-
acknowledgements already being
lnxoked to scare Mr.. Coolidge into ac-
IN. From the midwest. thus, come
Solorous tidings as to the meteoric
Sress destined. runs the tale. to sweep
Mr.. Coolidge off his feet II he does
not promptly move TO check it.
:, one OF the Presidents most trusted
calls attention to the public manifes-
70 issued by Calvin Coolidge early in
1920, while governor OF Massachu-
setts. 1t was issued to put stop to
boom him for the republican nom
inatton for the presidency. IF you
VIII substitute the words president
or the United States for Governor Of
said the authority quoted, you will
get an accurate idea Of Calvin Cool
ldge's emotions toward events of the
moment"
Had Headquarters Here.
The Coolidge manifesto. put forth
after his intimate friends. headed by
Frank w. Stearns, had opened head
quarters at Washington, engaged
James B. Reynolds. former secretary
Of the republican national committee.
as campaign manager. and otherwise
launched the Coolidge boom. read as
follows::>
The times require of men charged
with public responsibility a singleness
OF purpose. The curse Of the present
is the almost universal graSping for
power in high places and In low, to
the exclusion of the discharge Of
obligations. 1t is always well for
men to walk humbly.
The great Office OF governor Of
the commonwealth Of Massachusetts
mas twice been conferred upon me.
There is only one higher honor in the
gtft OF the people of the nation. For
posed by men whose judgment en-
titles their decisions to a great re-
spect, and their proposal has not been
unsupported by a most respectable
public approval.
For all this l am deeply apprecia-
i've. with an appreciation which
words alone cannot express
nave never said / will become a
candidate for President I have never
accepted. unless by silence. efforts
made by statesmen OF more than ma
tlonai reputation to present my name
10 tne convention. ! have made 1t
pain 1 could not seek this Office.
Denied Candidacy.
Il have great desire to walk
humbly and discharge my obligations.
My paramount obligation is not to
expose the great office of governor.
but to guard and protect it. The
people are entitled to know that their
ONCE Is to be administered not for my
benefit, but for their benefit, and that
am not placing myself in any posi-
tion where any other object could be
inferred. There must be no imputa-
tion. however unfounded. that / per-
init their office to be used anywhere
for manipulated purposes / cannot
consent to have their office taken
into any contest for delegates in my
own state. I have not been and L
diu not d CdnulQate Tor PRESIDENT.
What some OF Hiram Johnson's
fellow Californians and San Francisco
neighbors think of his inclination to
fight"-a quotation. from one of the
senator's recent manifesteea-is- -indi-
Gated by striking editorial in the
Argonaut Of San Francisco. In
whitening comment on Senator
johnson and His Fight" the editor CT
the Argonaut, Alfred Holman, writes:
Word comes from Washington that
Mr.. Johnson has challenged Presi-
dent Coolidge to come into the open
and enter into Eai STRAIGHTFORWARD
fight 1t is further declared in the
same dispatch that Mr.. Johnson will
make a figth' in various other
states. Men and brethren. is this the
spirit or the manner in which can
didacy for the presidency of the
United States should be offered and
urged? Is the presidency OF the
United States. the most potential post
in the world. an office calling for
serious dedication of the powers Of
mind and heart. a thing to be fought
for? In Gods name. have We. in the
selection of our Presidents, descend
ed to the level of the prizering and
to a competition only to be defined
in the vulgar argot?"
Copyright, 1soa.)