The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-09-03
ADM|N|ST RATION |S TO ENTER SECOND
 PHASE THIS WEEK
Coolidge To Break 30- Day Mourning Period By At-
 tending Benefit Game
By RAYMOND CHAPTER Leased Wire to The Age-HernId)


 WASHINGTON, Sept. 2.-The Cool idge administration enters new phase with the ending of the period of official mourning.
 Out of a sense of propriety, Presi- dent Coolidge has remained as in- conspicuous as possible during the month which has elapsed since he took the oath of office at his fath- CTS home in Vermont a few hours after the death of President Hard irg. He has purposely avoided the limelight which usually beats down on the nations President. He has held only one meeting of the cabi- net. He has kept the Harding per sonnel intact, except in two in- stances where resignations were dic- tated by personal considerations.
 He has refrained from making public appearances of any kind. ex- cept those involved in his usual Sabbath church going. He has an nounced no new policies, and has taken no ffficial action which would center 1uDlic attcntioix upon him. His administration thus far has amounted to little moro than an inter-regnum conducted, as if pur- posely designed to keep the new President out of the public eye.
 To Enter Second Phase.
 But the decreed S0-day period of official mourning Is over, and Mon day morning the flag over the White House goes to full mast again. At the same time, the new administra- ton will pass into it's second phase.
 Coolidge's new secretary Bascom Slemp. comes on the scene, replacing George B. Christian. This marks a departure in that Slemp. unlike Christian, will be an assistant presi- dent rather than secretary. He will decide upon many appointments himself, he will act as the Presi- dents representative in dealing with members of Congress in many mat ters and he will dispose of much hitting it to get through the door into the Presidents office.
 Coolidge also will break the mourning period Labor Day by at tending the poHcemen's and fire mems benefit baseball game at American League park. This will be lis first formal public appearance as President, except for participa- ton in the funeral ceremonies a month ago.
 Activities To Increase.
 Gradually there will follow in- creasing activities and, in time, number of public addresses. These will come slowly, however, for Cool idRe seeks to avoid any appearance of political activity He believes that the wisest course is to blow straight into the duties of the execu- tive office and permit political H- fairs to take care of themselyes. Most of his advisers agree with him in this. feeling that if he can show satisfactory record when the repub- lican national convention meets next June, the nomiration will gravitate to him as a max CT of course. It IS 11fs rnY. at z good -sized volunteer squad VII, un- solicited, begin the preliminary po- litical work that precedes a national nominating convention.
 Soon, also. the program for the coming session of Congress must be considered. Coolidge nas indicated desire to keep entirely out of the coming fracas on Capitol hill. His personal inclination now is not to discuss questions that will come be- fore Congress and not to attempt pressure latsr in obtaining desired legislation. That. too, was Harding's oesire, but the necessities of practi- cal procedure were too much and he was obliged time after time to exert White House influence to strengthen the administration group in Con gress.
 Difficult To Keep Aloof.
 With the next Congress somewhat at the mercy of the insurgents, ex- ecutive assistance would be in even greater demand by administration leaders on the hill. and Coolidge will find it more difficult than did liar ding to keep aloof.
 The resumption of diplomatic re- lations with Mexico and the hand ing over of the anthracite strike problem to Governor Pinchot are the only incidents of the first month of the Coolidge administration. The Mexican settlement was arranged just before President Harding died, although formal announcement was delayed until last week. The Cool idge administration has been marked by a period of calm unknown in the capital since the war.