The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-08
THE MESSAGE IN RETROSPECT

THE MESSAGE IN RETROSPECT As an aftermath of the presidents s message to congress there has arisen over the country storm of comment ranging from warm praise to sharp criticism. The press for the most part has been inclined to regard the docu- ment with considerable indulgence, be- cause it is the voice of the president, it is Coolidge's first statement, because l it recognizes his feeling of stewardship for the policies of his predecessor, and because, in the latter half of an ad- ministration, highly constructive and aggressive policy would hardly be likely to receive congressional support. Of course, in following out such 8 principle, the press recognizes that Coolidge has merely shown average intelligence and commonsense, instead of those highly intellectual and states manlike qualities Americans like to perceive in their presidents. While the presidents recommendations are in the main good and constructive, yet there are many who feel that his de- tailed knowledge of many of the sub- jects on which he touches is super ficial.
 Chairman Cordell Hull of the Demo- cratic national committee declares out right that Coolidge's speech is po- litical document aimed directly at the Republican nomination. There can be no doubt that the president has the nomination in mind as one of the chief objectives during the period of his administration yet remaining. But he has few predecessors who denied themselves this right. Says MT. Hull: 'Instead of dealing with the nations ills, the causes and the remedies in a comprehensive and enlightening way, the message treats only of symptoms, and those in a most perfunctory way. It is stand-pat, reactionary message, didactically asserting what he favors and what he opposes without support ing the positive or negative measure with any line of reasoning or argu- ment or remedial suggestion" Some of this, no doubt, Is due to certain degree of stage fright, for Coolidge knew beforehand that his message would be mercilessly scrutinized by his enemies in both parties, and perhaps this accounts for the close reefing of his sails and his uncompromising steer ing sternly and straightly to the goal of his peroration. Perhaps it also re- veals certain granite-bound and unde- niable limitations of our president, such as not all his efforts could over. pass.
 k The outline of attitude on Muscle Shoals must be in measure anbigu- ous, for otherwise there could not be such opposing opinions regarding irs actual meaning. Some friends of the Shoals development find it inimical to Henry Ford, while others take the op- posite view. It may be that the presi- dent desired to reveal an impartial pur- pose of dealing promptly with the project in whatever manner shall ap- pear to congress to be wisest. He might have been more specific, but a careful reading suggests that he is favorably inclined to experimentation for the production of fertilizer at a lower cost than now prevails. Inas- much as Henry Ford is the only bid der who specifics this program for the Shoals, he at least is apparently more favored in the message than any other. Perhaps the president knows that Henry Ford is already success ful producer of ammonium sulphate and other fertilizer materials. Hence, 1 it is inferred that Ford knows some what whereof he speaks when he de- clares that he can make cheaper fer tilizer than is now for sale.
 Undoubtedly the friends of Muscle Shoals would be wiser if they sought to conciliate the president to their views, than if they forthwith read him into the category of the projects en- emies. The president is doubtless human, in spite of gossip to the con trary, and responds to friendly over- lures in the same degree that he would be repelled by unfriendly criticism based in large measure on conjecture. The South wants Muscle Shoals devel- oped, preferably by Henry Ford, and the way to win that desire is to win friends for it, anywhere and every where, from the president down. Ger 'tainly the message does not prove Cool idge to be unfriendly to the Shoals fullest utilization.
 | OBREGON FACES REVOLT
 The present attempt to overthrow