The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-08-07

BEGINS TO
KNOW CAL
President Energies From Shell
and Reveals Self as
Regular Fellow
BY FRASER EDWARDS

United Press Staff Correspondent
IT EMPORARY WHITE HOUSE,
IL WILLARD HOTEL, WASH
- INGTON, Aug. AFTER a cas-
ual acquaintance with Calvin Coolidge
as Vice President for two and a half
years, Washington today began 70
really know" the man who has be-
come President.
Generally regarded as cold and 81
lent, Mr.. Coolidge, in the four days
he has occupied the presidential chair,
has begun TO emerge from his shell
and reveal himself as a regular fell
low"
He's not hail fellow, we'll met"
he's not boisterous; far from it. But
once you do meet him, you find a cor
dial friendliness all his own.
The United Press correspondent
ducked under that barrier Of reserve.
by acting as a photographers assist
ant and penetrating the presidential
suite In the temporary White House
set up in the New Willard Hotel
! Photographer Is Tardy
| A photographer who had been tardy
in getting picture Of the new Presi.
dent, sent in a plea through TED
/ Clark, the Presidents secretary. De-
spite the press Of official business, Mr..
Coolidge showed his human side by
agreeing to sit for the late arrival.
The reporter was to hold a newspaper
opened wide on the Swallowed side of
the Presidents face as a light
kicker"
Lets get busy. young men" said
| the President with severity as the
photographer and his drafted assist
! ant entered. I'll do anything If you
! do it quickly" he added. and a twin.
kle was noticeable in his clear. blue
eyes.
Taking courage, the photographer
said he wanted to shoot the Presi.
dent seated at a desk. The President
| glanced around the colonial pancled
living-room Of the suite. There was
70 desk in sight.
Come on" he said. wen get the
desk from the next room an6 drag
It in here"
President Lifts Desk
Without hesitation. the President
Of the United States took a grip on
the corner OF the desk. Mr.. Sheriff..
his military aide. grasped another,
while the photographer and reporter
took the other end
Hey, look out for that glass door"
cautioned the President as the strange
quartette of furniture movers passed
between the rooms
For half a dozen poses the Presi.
dent sat at the desk while the pho
tographer shot" him from every
angle and the assistant kicked" the
light upon Mr.. Coolidge's stern New
England features. When It was neces-
sary to move the desk to get a better
light. the President always took a
hand or moved It alone without wait
ing for help.
''I'd like to get you on the tele.
phone now" said the photographer.
But there is no telephone IN the
room"
Quick Decisions
We've got too many telephones
around here anyhow" said the Presi-
dent. Just cut one Of them off the
wire in another Of the rooms" It
was done. The Presidents voice and
tone are gentle. but he does not say
please" when he asks for something
he wants. Apparently he is going
to get It.
Then the photographer wanted to
get g picture of the President stand
| ing with the American flag, the Presi-
dents flag and the flag Of the Gov
ernor Of Massachusetts, as a back.
ground. But the staff on the presi-
Dental flag which had just been pre-
scented to Mr. Coolidge was too long.
| 1t could not be stood erect in the room
without doing damage to the ceiling.
After a glance at the staff the Presi-
dent said:
Take that brass cap off the bottom
Of the staff Then 1t will stand UP
without knocking down the plaster"
A single screw held the brass cap
in place. There was no screwdriver
in the suite. There was not time to
wait for the house carpenter to come
up.
Offers Penlnife
Here" said the President, drawing
little gold handled knife from his
pocket. "use this as a screwdriver"
You'd break that. Mr.. President"
said the reporter, and produced an
old bone handled knife that had seen
all sorts of service. But when the
screw came out the brass stuck. The
reporter tried TO pull it off and so did
the photographer.
Give it here" ordered the Presi-
dent reaching a strong. slender hand
that had been recently toughened by
pitching hay on a Vermont farm.
One tug and off came the cap.
Send my wife in here" said Mr..
Coolidge when the photographer
wanted to take the President and the
first lady together
The President explained gently to
Mrs. Coolidge the photographer was
UP against it" and must have their
pictures. Mrs. Coolidge smiled and
readily consented to sit.
Throughout his ordeal the Presi-
dent "kidded' the photographer when
he stumbled over chairs and rugs in
his nervous haste to get the various
nosAa