The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1924-12-25
A FIRMER COOLIDGE NOW
President More Determined and
Aggressive, and He Feels
Greater Responsibility

observed before the huge vote of con-
fidence November 4. He hasn't ac-
quired any inflated notions about him
self, they say. Quite the contrary,
he is more serious than ever. He
feels the responsibility of the ire
mendous confidence voted in him.
The first thing senators and repre-
sentatives do on reaching Washing
ton these days is to go to the White
House and pay their respects to the
President. The next thing is to meet
on Capitol Hill and swap gossip.
Nearly all the callers on the Presi-
dent comment on the new note of
frmness in Mr.. Coolidge. AS one SEN
ator described it to another today, the
President appears surer of himself"
The President insists there is no
"new Coolidge" He went out of his
way to ridicule such suggestions the
other day, pointing out he always had
tried to be just himself and nothing
else, and always would be just that
thing, because he couldn't be other
wise if he tried. But the senators
and house members catch the new
note of increased confidence and ag-
gressiveness. 1t comes forth in their
discussion of the legislative situation,
in comments on the election, in talks
on the future.
The President appears to have de-
tailed information On the political
situation in each state, and almost
every district. The senators and
house members start in to explain
how things went in their states only
to find the President familiar with
the background of the whole situa-
ton. That's another thing on which
the visitors comment when they COM
pare notes on Capitol Hill.
1t cannot be said Mr.. Coolidge has
become garrulous. He talks no more
than formerly. He invites sugges-
tons as before. In fact, before COM
pleting his message, the President did
an unusual thing. He sent word to
chairmen Of important committees of
congress and bureau chiefs to come
forward promptly with suggestions
if they had any subject they wished
discussed in his message. That show
ed he desired to co-operate-not just
give orders.
But once all the suggestions were
in, the President took them in hand.
He has been keeping himself free
from callers sereval hours each after
noon and deciding for himself what
| the administration recommendations
should and should not be, and he is
writing and phrasing all of the mes
sage himself. Often in the past
Presidents have incorporated bodily in
| their messages the material sent in
by the various departments.
Not few of the returning leaders
have some mighty positive ideas as
to what should be done about the
Republican senators and representa-
tives who bolted Mr.. Coolidge to sup
port Senator La Toilette. The Presi-
dent makes no comment on such adj
vice. 1t is a matter for the house
and senate Republicans to decide.
But certain callers have a very dis
tinct view of what Mr.. Coolidge's own
attitude toward the boilers will be.
He won't go out of his way to punish
them or anyone else, for that isn't
becoming to the dignity of the Office
of President, but, so far as the White
House is concerned, the boilers are
not Republicans.
There is no suggestion of whip
cracking, by the President over the
heads of the leaders of Congress. Mr..
Coolidge doesn't do business that way.
In fact, this is no time for it. The
President is going ahead on the as
sumption his party will cooperate
with him and sustain his program on
Capitol Hill in view of the large vote
given him. All the conferences are
on that basis. But in view of the
very evident note of confidence and
frmness his callers say Mr.. Coolidge
shows, Capitol Hill is getting the
very distinct impression that if the
Republicans should attempt to run
rough shod over the Presidents wish
es or treat his vetoes with contempt,
as they did in the last congress, they
will not have such a complacent Pres
ident with whom to deal. They ex-
pect to see Mr.. Coolidge go to grips
with congress if necessary, but first
to try every possible means for bust
ness-like cooperation.