Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-02
COOLIDGE, STANDING
ON HIS OWN RECORD.
LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Leased Wire to The Journal-Co
rignt. 1924


WASHINGTON. Aug. 3O,-Presi-
. dent Coolidges home coming means
the beginning of his active campaign
% retain the office to which he sue
ceeded a year ago.
The strategy of the president is
settled To all the Democratic cry
of corruption and irregularity. his
answer is simple-ne was not respon-
sible for what happened before he
took the oath of office He stands
on his own record OF year DO his
opponents claim he tolerates irregu-
larity or connives on it? They must
prove that in the last year he has
identified himself in any way with the
scandals exposed by senate inVes
tigating committees. That's the back
bone of his defense against criticism.
AS for his policies, they too have
been unfolded in addresses to con-
gress and the country. In what re-
spect have they failed? Do they
represent a constructive purpose or
a disturbing influence in the nations
life? Has the country gone to rack
and ruin under his administration?
Is the past not an indication of what
can be expected for the future?
Thus does the Coolidge campaign
make its place for its continuance
in power. Little new may be locked
for. The present policies Of the
Coolidge administration are well
known. If successful they will be
developed as circumstances permit.
Problem of Congress
There are no commitments one
way or the other except on a few
issues like the protective tariff. Prac,
tically everything is in the hands of
congress anyway. The executive has
done a good deal of proposing but
congress has done d good deal of
diSposing.
Mr.. Coolidge is not worrying just
now about legislative programs. Ii
he wins the election he thinks con-
gress will be more obedient. His OPP
more truculent as the La Toilette
ticket will bring in a large number
of radical Republicans who will be
looking toward 1926 and 1928 to i'm
prove the political strength of their
movement
Resentment against congress when
1t adjourned was intense in many
parts of the country. Even the Re
lo1
demned. Privately even the parti-
sans of Mr. Coolidge are compelled
to admit that their real worry is
about congress for with Republican
executive and rebellious senate and
house the nation may encounter I'M
certainty far more disturbing than
anything any of the candidates for
the presidency could bring about
alone. 1t is the weakness in the
Republican armor. Mr.. Coolidge is
safe and sane, but is a Republican
congress? The Democrats have yet
to prove that they will be any bet
ter though they insist they will have
southern conservatives plus eastern
conservatives if they win a major
1ty this time, for they do not antici-
pate the acquisition of many south
ern or western radicals.
Importance of Question
Mr.. Coolidge has not yet disclosed
ho- he will handle the question of
getting a Republican congress to exc
cute his policies. He has entered no
primary fights to prevent the renom-
rination of men who opposed him
So far as is known, the Republican
national organization is not entering
candidates of the prO-Coolidge type
to wrest seats from the Republicans
who blocked Mr.. Coolidges attempts
at leadership In another month
most of the men who are to run for
congress will have been nominated
Many of them ere reluctantly indoors
ing the national ticket for their own
political advantage and thus may es-
cape punishment from Republican
voters who wanted them in the past
to uphold President Coolidge's poll
cies. Other congressional nominees
are saying little about the national
ticket
AS a general thing, very little is
being done to make the Republican
tarty in congress bow to- the Coolidge
leadership. Whenever this question
Ia asked in Republican circles it is
usually answered with the statement
that once Coolidge is elected Re-
publican congress will follow him
{ Before the campaign is another
Month old this phase of 1t will grow
constantly in Importance for bust
ness, big and little, will be worried
less about Davis and Coolidge than
it will be about congress-