Evening star., 1924-11-04

northampton. served two years, and
then decided to run for the State Sen
ate. He was elected in 1912 and re-
turned to Boston. After years serv-
ice he was elevated to the presi
dency of the State Senate. That was
in the days when the late w. Murray
Crane was in the saddle in Massachu-
setts politics. Crane liked Coolidge.
They were both quiet men.
Accepted Prefer.
In 1916 he was asked whether he
would not like to go on the State
ticket. as lieutenant governor. There
was a hint that if things went well
il might mean the governorship later
on. Coolidge accepted. He had not
asked for the nomination, but he was
not turning anything down that
meant political advancement.
He served two years as lieutenant
governor. things went well with the
Republican party, and in 1918 he sue
ceeded to the nomination governor
quietly and naturally. His election
followed. Massachusetts is "a Republi-
can State.
His career as governor was un-
marked by any outstanding event
save one. and that ultimately put him
in line for the presidency.
1t was time for la Dor unrest The
poii'tileH Ol Boston organized
union under the American Federation
of Labor, and. their requests for in
creased pay having been declined.
they struck
National attention was at once fo-
cused on Boston. The spectacle
OF a great city left defenseless and
unpoiiced was a strange one. Big
newspapers sent reporters to describe
the city. Something had to be done,
COOLIDGE II n
Mayor Peters of Boston. and sub
sequently the State troops were or
dered out to police the city. They
broke the strike.
Brought LimeHght.
The publicity attendant upon this
strike put Coolidge in the National
limelight. Because it was cam
paiGn year and there was yeritable
scramble for the Republican nomina-
ton, with no candidate appearing TO
have it cinched, CooIdge's friends
started boom for him.
II ended in Chicago with his be-
ing nominated for the vice presi-
dency with but little opposition. The
vice presidency was not so highly
regarded in Chicago in 1920 as il will
be hereafter for many years at po-
litical conventions.
He had been Vice President but
little more than two years when the
death of Harding automatically |
carried him into the White House
MT. Coolidge came into the presi-
dency under circumstances that were
unprecedented in American history
ihere have been other Vice Presidents
who succeeded to the White House
upon the death of their chiefs-six
of them all told--but always there
has been varying period of prepar-
atloh Tor the event, a lingering fatal |
illness of the executive to prepare !
the public mind for the transition.
Drama Without sequel.
In Coolidge's case there was none !
On the night of August = 1928. he |
was enjoying a brief vacation on his |
fathers little hilly farm in the rural |
fastness of Vermont He retired a. |
usual about 10 o'clock At midnight |
the Jangling of the telephone bell |
awakened him. 1t was the only tele- |
phone Tor miles around. 1t bore him |
the message that Warren q. Harding |
had died with dramatic suddenness |
in hotel on the Pacific coast 1000 !
miles away after a brief illness that
no one considered serious. and he was
President of the United States-or
would be as soon as he could take |
the oath
The drama of that night has no |
sequel in American history.
While still unaware of the circum-
stances of President Harding's sud |
den death, while still benumbed by |
the shocking surprise of it all, Calvin |
Coolidge took the oath of office in /!
that lonely Vermont farmhouse by |
the fickerins light of a Kerosene |
lamp at 2:57 am. scarcely three |
hours after he had awakened from a |
sound sleep as Vice President
Father AdminiSters Oath.
The oath of Office that made CoIvin |
Coolidge the thirtieth President of !
the United States was administered |
to him by his father; the Bible that |
the father handed to the son to kiss |
was the family Bible: the scene of |
this simple ritual was the sitting |
room. of small Vermont farmhouse !
situated on the farm on which the |
son was born, on which he lived and |
worked as boy and from which !
he went away to college 1t is a |
small and unpretentious home. not j
unlike hundreds of others that stand /
upon the hillsides or in the valleys |
that makes up so large part of |
the beauty of the Green Mountain |
State. Its dignity and simplicity |
and quietness, the rewards of toll !
and the hallmark of the honor and |
seii-respect that independence brings |
all these serve to make it truly |
home, sweet home" to father and |
to son.
President Coolidge believes with his |
Wholt heart that the destiny of |
America, the greatness of America. |
lies around the heartstone." He holds |
that IF thrift and industry are !
taught there, and the example of |
sell -sacrlhce oft appears. if honor |
abide there, and high ideals if there
the building of fortune be subordi- |
nate to the building of character. |
America will live in security, rejoic-
ing in an abundant prosperity and !
good government at home. and in |
peace, respect and confidence abroad"
To lose these virtues as he believes |
Is to lose these blessings To the
committee that notified him of the
nomination of his party to the vice |
presidency he addressed reply thai
closed with this message to his
countrymen: Look we'll to the heart |
stone; therein all hope for America |
lies"
Calvin Coolidge in all of his pub- |
lie career has shown an unsweryinp
sense of justice and steadfast re-
fusal to deal with political insin-
cerities.
In his personal life simplicity and
sincerity has ruled. He has been a
member of the CONGREGATIONAL Church
since boyhood. He has never had
riches and has regulated his life ac-
cordingly. Mrs. Coolidge the First
Lady of the Land" is a charming and
attractive woman and is very popular
in Washington.