The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-09-26
COOLIDGE GIVES
USUAL PLEDGES
PUBLIC SEEMS TO EXPECT THE
PROMISE OF A "GENERAL
WELFARE" POLICY.
ASKS PUBLIC COOPERATION
President Also Follows Precedent by
lntimating That He Win Not In
terfere With Congress, a Promise
Not Always Easy to Keep.
BY EDWARD 3. A

oJ Ell .. OERhh
Washington.-The great policy" of
President Coolidge is the great pol
icy" of every other president of the
United States since George Washing
ton took the oath of office. The great
policy" is a general welfare policy.
1t may seem curious that a presi-
dent of the United States on entering
office finds it necessary to tell the peo-
pie that he is going to try to give
them a good administration. 1t would
seem that there Is much which should
be taken for granted, but nevertheless
every president Is called upon to out
line a general welfare policy and a
policy of promise of an attempt at
well doing. President Coolidge Is no
exception. The President has per-
mitted it to be known that he is
earnestly DESTROYS of obtaining pub
lie cooperation in furthering the well
fare of the United States. The word
cooperation here means, of course.
that the President will do his part.
Now some of the flippant ones say
that President Coolidge might have
established a precedent by r%efrainlng
from making any promise Of intended
good behavior further than that en-
bodied In the oath of office, which was
administered to him as soon as It was
known that he was to succeed TO the
presidency. However. the public ex-
pect the pledge of proper endeavor
and therefore each incoming president
seemingly feels called upon to declare,
"Ill do my level best"
Freedom for Congress Promised.
So far as the record runs, every
president of the United States has
made another promise, either directly
or indirectly. This promise has been
that he will in no wise attempt as
the head of the executive department
to force the hand or override the will
of the legislative department of gov
eminent. This. in brief, e that
the White House will not interfere
with congress.
II Is ldIulA hCNCSSulSy pea BSp ~
go back far into the past to point out
instances of this specific promise max
ing, although in every inaugural adj
dress the pledge has been made by sug-
gestion. Former President Wilson
was emphatic in his declaration that
congress must be unimpeded in what
it thought was its duty. President
Harding said the same thing. but he
said 1t between his election and his
Inauguration in a speech delivered in
the United States senate, membership
In which he held until the V of his
entrance into the White House.
Within a week the present admins
tration has let it be known that con-
gress can be depended upon or ought
to be depended upon to do the things
proper in the sight of the people.
There was the sharp suggestion of a
policy of non-interference by the ex-
ecutive.
What are the facts in these various
cases? 1t is not at all likely that any
president from Washington's time
down would have admitted that he had
attempted to interfere with the will
of congress, except in the form of a
legitimate veto of legislation. The
fact is, however, that detailed history
Of the administrations shows that
every president has attempted in a
way to move a sometimes reluctant
congress to do his will Ii probably
always will be so. because the ten
dency of congress on some legislative
matters is TO break up into factions.
each faction perhaps being willing that
certain laws should be enacted, but
each desiring that 1t shall be put into
the form that it wishes. The result
of this is that a president. as the
head of an administration. and also as
the head of a political p>rty, finds that
the legislation which he mas recon-
mended Is meeting with all kinds of
obstacles which are created sometimes
for the purpose of pleasing a small
section of the people, while displeas-
ing the rest of them.
Big stick Sometimes Needed.
II is in times like this that the
president finds he must use the big
stick. OF course. he does not call
II a big stick nor do his friends so
call 1t; but he makes appeal to party
LOYALTY and sometimes points out
sharply what he considers TO be the
loyal duty of his party men who have
divided into factional fields
If President Harding had lived it
was regarded as probable that he
would be compelled to use all his per-
suasive powers and, perhaps, his punt
tive powers in an endeavor to secure
sanction for his plan for American
in the world court. He
was accused of using the big stick in
.bio subsidy matters and with one or