San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-30
Is Averse to political
Speculation" Where He
Is Concerned.
1T IS PREMATURE NOW
Time to Discuss Candidacy
After Next Session of
Congress. Z
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


Copyrght. by the San Antonio Light.
Washington. ID. c., Aug. 30.-Presi-
dent Coolidge would like to have "po-
litical speculation tabooed so far MS
he is concerned. This information d.
vulged in the last "A hours was not
specifically related to the many utter
anccs of men in the administration it.
self who have been publicly booming
Mr.. Coolidge for the 1924 presidential
nomination. but the inference being
drown is that Mr.. Coolidge would like
it just as well il he were not made the
center of political discussion at the
moment. He feels there is time enough
for that later.
Nothing, OF course. has come from
the White house TO indicate that Mr..
Coolidge is averse TO winning the nom-
nation. But there are embarrass-
ments to the presidential job if ten
months before the national conven-
tions, the chief executive is even pas.
sively a candidate, especially while his
own appointees issue public statements
predicting his active candidacy.
Mr.. Coolidge has in all probability
been advised that the best politics he
could possibly play with reference to
1924 is to play no politics at all. Since
he has taken the oath of Office there
has been no concrete evidence that he
is playing the political game. Many of
the federal office holders, however.
have declared themselves for Coolidge
and the organization of Coolidge-for-
President clubs is forming just as il
the man in the White House had given
his consent.
Must Prove Capacity.
The word direct from the admins
tration therefore that the President
would like to be spared political specu-
lation is as much bit of advice to
The press as it is to the well-inten-
TONED friends who have been -xtolling
the virtues of the President. Old
political observers are rather amused
by the spectacle of federal appointees
rushing to the band wagon Of the in
cumbent especially when the latter
Z hasn't been in the White House long
enough TO demonstrate whether he is
the best candidate the party can offer.
The coming session OF Congress will
answer the whole business particularly
when it is seen Nheth =. the executive
can exercise any iNf,uence with leg
islative body in which the balance of
power is held By the so-called radical
wing of the Republican party. Mr..
Coolidge has taken occas;c" to init
mate what his policy toward Congress
will be. He will hesitate to express an
opinion about bill while it is pending.
He will not threaten veto or prom
Use his approval to anything il he can
help it. preferring t. let Congress act
in its wisdom and permit him to excr-
else his constitutional prerogative of
signing or vetoing at the proper time.
This theory of the executive precludes
welding the big stick OF Roosevelt or
exercising the moral suasion of Will
son. IT means a free hand to the exec
utive till the bill actually reaches him.
While this method is unquestionably
the most desirable that could be fol-
lowed. it doesn't always work out that
an executive can remain silent in the
face of inquiries from members of Con-
gress as to what his attitude would be
toward a bill il passed. Many meas
ures are sidetracked at the slightest
gesture of executive disapproval and
time is saved that way.
In all probability the President
means to apply his policy to major
questions such as for instance, the SOL
diers' bonus. Mr.. Coolidge will not
follow the precedent of President
Harding who announced that he would
veto a bonus bill unless the sales tax
we're enacted TO finance it. Mr.. Cool
idge will wait for Congress to pass the
bill and if the means of financing the
bonus have been devised he will sign
the measure. Advocates OF the bonus