Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-08
COOLIDGE EXPECTED
To ASSUME F|RMER
GRIP ON CONGRESS
Victor at Polls, He Will Not
Repeat Errors of Pas
sive Leadership
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Leased Wire to The Journal-Cop
right. 1924.)


right, 1920
WASHINGTON, Nov. Calvin
Coolidge of the campaign, silent, eau
tious disciple of the political faith
which utters no superfluous word or
undertakes no unnecessary task, and
Calvin Coolidge of tomorrow, with
the barrier of a third term giving
him the strength to be an independ-
elt executive, may develop the con-
trast which for many months his
Closest friends have been privately
predicting.
There is no question but that the
personality OF Calvin Coolidge is to
a Ja1ge extent unknown. AS COVER
nor of Massachusetts, he showed at
times qualities Of leadership which
were not asserted in the past year
here as president of the United
States, especially in dealing with
congress. The explanation usually
made was that in political year
much must be forgiven which ordi.
arily would not countenanced.
Defeats in Congress
Enough of the presidents attitude
toward public questions has been re-
vealed TO show that he moves along
conservative lines and that once he
takes his position, he is not given
to reversals or Wdvering. But in
dealing with congress-, the president
has not been particularly fortunate.
His own leaders have not been able
to work out a laison that was salts
factory. The fact that the balance
OF power was held by the La Toilette
Republicans in the two houses of
congress has usually been accepted
as an excuse for what happened, but
those who follow the nlaneuverS Of
congress can not but CCnceGe that
many of the advantages obtained by
the radicals in the last session Of
congress were due 20 The mistakes
in tactics by the conservative lead.
ers.
With the house III control of the
be a better opportunity for the adj
ministratioll to get its legislation
through than yee0ce. III the senate,
however, the moderate progressives
still can swing away from the adj
ministration. the senate Will prove
the stumbling block for rnanV pieces
OF legislation which should go
through the house rather easily.
The Fighting Conservatives
The psychological effects of the
presidents victory will be felt all
along the line. The conservatives
will dare to be holder and the radi-
Gals will not have the same aggres
siveness as heretofore. The readi
ness Of conservative Republicans to
bolt their own ticket and support a
Democrat as they did in Iowa in an
effort to beat Senator Brookhart is
almost the outstanding feature of
the whole election result. Official
returns may prove Brookhart the
victor, but by such narrow squeeze
that he will be a sadder and wiser
man when he enters the Republican
cloakroom.
In Minnesota, too, the downfall of
Magnus Johnson is significant of
conservative Republican tactics.
There a regular Republican was
nominated who was by no means as
radical as Johnson, but who has
been identified with the progressive
group. 1t was a case of fighting
fire with fire and though one wing
of the Republican organization didn't
like the nomination of Thomas d.
Schall, they did admit that Schall
was safer and more reasonable
man to represent Republican voters
than was Magnus Johnson.
Schall is very friendly to the rail-
road brotherhoods and union labor
and can be expected to support the
labor side of legislative issues. But,
at that, the Republicans themselves
put him up and while he won with
the very support which ordinarily
would so to Il La Toilette type of
senator, he was given the whole
hearted vote of the regular Repub-
leans. Schall, like others elected
this time, will not be so much In
clined to the radical or insurgent
side as to lose the support of the
regular Republicans in his state.
Men like Schall will follow Presi-
dent Coolidge on measures that are
OF national benefit, but Mr.. Coolidge
will find Schall, as well as others.
inclined to join with the Democrats
whenever any measure sectional in
character is proposed. Unless the
administration, for instance, takes
the 1nlative in a constructive pro-
Continued on Page 10, Column 81
gram for agriculture, these western
senator's will be found reviving the
farm bloc again.
To Lead Congress
Mr.. Coolidge has not tried to drive
congress. The development Of new
leaders in both houses of congress
may make that unnecessary, but it
liz no reflection on the presidents
careful policy of the past to say
that congress will ask him more and
more for guidance, especially in ad.
vance OF the passage of legislation.
For while technically speaking the
legislative and executive are two
separate branches of the govern.
ment. they get along most effective
ly when the leader Of the partv in
the White House speaks his mind
before his colleagues in the senate
and house commit themselves TO a
course OF action.
There is little doubt that il Mr..
Coolidge had sent a message threat.
ening 10 veto the soldier bill that
1t might have had harder shedding
than it had when the measure
came up for re-passage. The execu-
tive also acted too late to prevent
senators from lining up on the Jap
anese issue.
We would stultfy ourselves, 5"
said New England senator the
other day, IF we reversed our posi-
ton after veto came to us. What
we need is enlightenment ahead of
time, before we have committed our
Selves"
Probably nobody realizes this par.
tlcular phase of executive leadership
more keenly now than the president