Evening star., 1925-03-04

States in recent times was as little
| known personally throughout the
country as Calvin Coolidge when he
| became Executive by the sudden and
untimely death of Warren G.. Hard
ing.
President for a little over two years
| had been Governor and Lieutenant
Governor of Massachusetts,. and had
| been holding minor elective Offices
| for nearly two decades. Mr.. Coolidge
| today is still somewhat the enigma
he was when he presented himself in
Washington in the Summer of 1928
to assume the burdens of the presi-
dency.
But a large majority of voters OF
the United States evidently thought
they knew enough about him last No
vember to keep him in the White
House and to intrust the future well
fare and safety of the Nation In his
keeping. To be exact, there were
just 15.71S,7S9 men and women Of
this frame of mind on that eventful
day, and as result this quiet, col
orless, shy stranger" as he is often
| described. received the largest vote
and the largest plurality ever given a
presidential candidate - 1885
This had tho distinction of being
| nearly a halt million votes greater
than President Harding's record plu-
rality four years previous.
Public Took His Measure.
While the electorate of the Nation
knew little in detail of their Presi-
dent, II knew enough about his char
acteristics and his ability to have un-
bounded faith and confidence in him
There was no riistaking the out
spoken evidence OF the desire to have
him at the head of the Government
for the next four years.
| There are many of those millions
who voted for Coolidge last Novem-
Der who did so because he was a Re-
publican. There were just as many
who cast their vote for him because
he seemed safe and sane and because
his election promised four more years
Of prosperity. Then there were 9TH
ers. regardless of party, who voted
to keep him at the head of the Gov
ernment because they had every con-
fdence In him and his ability and
deemed II unwise to change an ad-
ministration which from all appear
ances was securing peace and plenty
and was ruling the Nation In a man
ner that seemed intelligent and
sound.
Few men can say they really know
Calvin Coolidge. Yet there is no
mystery about him. At least he does
not try to veil himself or his move
ments, He is plain and simple. He is
by no means a superman. He Is
friendly and human. and this has
been demonstrated many times since
he has occupied the White House.
Can Talk Much, II Needed.
He is frequently referred to as
Silent Cal" He IS wonderfully sue
cessful at keeping things to himself
and rarely tells any one what he is
going to do before he does 1t. He
might be described as taciturn. And
there is no disputing the fact that
he has an aversion to public speak
ing and to Indulgence in what Is
known as small talk. He has mani
tested these traits many, many times
since he has occupied the White
House, much to the disappointment
and frequently the discontinue OF
his guests. However. It may surprise
name, "Silent Cai.'' is really inappro-
pirate. II he has anything to say,
Calvin Coolidge will say 1t. He viii
say II plainly, and will say lots OF 1t,
II he thinks the occasion demands It
The vast majority of those who
have called on him in his office have
gone away with an entirely dinerent
Impression than when they entered.
Most of those who call on him for
the first time leave his office In
amazement First of all, they found
him far more genial and cordial than
they had pictured. They were sur
prised to find him doing the talking.
And. more important, they discovered
that he Is a man of wide knowledge
and more than likely knew as much
IL not more about the subject brought
up by his caller, than the latter him
self.
Yes, President Coolidge can talk.
and he does talk. But he must have
something worth while, or concrete, to
talk about. Naturally enough, be-
cause of this trait, the President does
not shine at social functions. He Is
not what one would describe as an
ideal neighbor at banquet table
or at a parlor gathering where the
talk is general and light.
Nothing to Say at Times.
This conversational trait OF the
Presidents has been evinced on nu-
merous occasions. Those times the
writer has gone to the President res
garding some matter of the moment
he found him easy to converse with,
and he found that the President was
anything but silent. On each occasion
the President prolonged the inter-
view. At least, he continued IL con-
siderably past the point where 1t
could have been politely terminated.
On the other hand there have been
occasions when 1t was difficult to
get him to talk. On such occasions
there was nothing specific to discuss
and 1t is not exaggerating the sit
uation to say that 1t was truly pain
full trying to make conversation with