The Colorado statesman., 1923-09-22
COOLIDGE SHOWS
POLITICAL SENSE
APPOINTMENT OF SLEMP AS HIS
SECRETARY GIVES HIM AN
ASTUTE ASSISTANT.
CABINET DECLARES FEAlTY
Republican National Committee Mem
bers Seem Privately Determined
That the President Shall Be Noml'
mated Next Year for Another Term.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK

WaShingtOn.-C. BuScom oleiup VI
Virginia. one-tlme representative III
congress and all-time nstufe RepuD'
licnn politician, has taken up his du-
ties as secretary to President Coolidge
Virtually all of the cabinet "ihcers
of the President have declared their
fealty to him not only as members OF
his ofciai family but indirectly as sup
porters of any progressive ahbi'lon
which he may have. Several assistant
secretaries in the various departments
sub chiefs of the cabinet. likewise
have declared allegiance.
The Republican nntional committee
seems to be all set in its private de-
termination that Coolidge this year
shall be Coolidge next year. Of course
the members of the national committee
cannot declare themselves officially as
favorable to the nomination OF tne
present chief executive. but II their
hearts are right, other things probably
will be right. The politicians say no
president ever had brighter OUTDOOR
for denomination than Mr. Coolidge
has today. OF course. clouds can come
into the political sky as well as into
natures sky and there may be thun-
ders and lightnings ahead. but there
is no Washington forecaster today
who is willing to take any other than
a fair-weather view of the future.
What the Politicians See.
The politicians here seem TO think
that they see signs from the Middle
West of a change of heart among the
followers of the greater radical leaders
In their sections of the country. They
see also, they say, a disposition on the
part of the america First" leaders to
accept the President as one of their
own. Some of the Republicans who
do not look favorably upon the "splen-
did isolation" of the isolatiOnists seem
to be content with the thought that If
the President shall press the world
court membership proposal, he may
later be willing to go further afield In
international affairs, especially as one
year from next November he may be
given the voters leave to go it on his
own" for four years.
Mr.. Coolidge seems to be something
of politician. Apparently he real
tying unto himself the cabinet officers
who came to him by inheritance from
President Harding. Several of these
officers are politicians of the true type
Three of them are especially valuable
I'm campaigns in their respective parts
of the country-Weeks, Daugherty and
New. although the latter's influence In
his home state in Indiana is perhaps
not what it was Harry New, however.
is politician who knows the pollti-
clans and whose activities in the past
have given him the experience which
aid in the present and may continue
to aid in the future.
Weeks Supports Coolidge.
John w. Weeks is from Massachu-
sets, and Massachusetts like the rest
of New England today seems to be
back of President Coolidge in any am
bition which he may be nurturing.
Once upon a time John w. Weeks had
ambitions on his own account but he
has them no longer. He is a sincere
Coolidge supporter and it will take
something like n misdemeanor on the
part of the President to shake the war
secretary from his allegiance.
Attorney General Daugherty is from
Ohio. He was all-in-all politically to
President Harding. He can be of serv-
ice to President Coolidge in pQliti-
cal way. for sentiment in Ohio will
have something to do with the coming
nomination campaign. If Daugherty
stays staunch in hi support of Presi-
dent Coolidge, there are Ohio politi-
clans who will say. This is as Hard
ing would have it."
Secretary Slemp knows the ins and
outs of Republican politics everywhere
in the United States. In addition to
this he is thoroughly well versed in
delegate matters south of Mason and
Dixon's line, which in way is the
Democratic-R Republican line. Slemp is
almost as much given to talk as is his
chief President Coolidge. therefore,
has reticent man to help a reticent
man. Secretary Slemp is a thinker
One knows this from a somewhat in
innate knowledge of the Virginian's ca
reer in politics and Legislation. He is
cultivated man, one to whom schol-
arship has had its appeal, an appeal
to which he listened and which he
answered. Belief is strong in WASH
ington that men who desire a nomina-
tion for President Coolidge were those
who recommended that C. Bascom
Slemp should he made his secretary
Foreign Policy Not Changed.
Conviction strengthens daily in
Washington that President Coolidge
intends to frame no new policy in Re-
publican affairs. 1t seems likely from
what one hears from the students of
the situation that the plan for Amer
lean membership in the International
Court of Justice advocated by Presi-