Evening star., 1925-07-05
COOLIDGE SPENDS
BIRTHDAY QUIETLY;
DIMES ON MAYFLOWER

DHNES UN WA
Continued from First PageD
stood, were from Mrs Coolidge, who
had picked them herself.
Standing up against this vase was
a small, neat envelope, in which was
contained few words of congratula-
ton and wishes for many more" from
the first lady.
Among other reminders of his birth
day were the large cake baked by the
White House cook. a very elaborate
affair, by the way, and a cake from
Mrs. Harriet McAdoo, who lives in
suburb Of Lynn and who has never
met either the President or his wife.
Real Homemade Article.
Mrs. McAdoo Is said TO have some
little reputation In her community for
cake making, and being a member of
the so-called strong Coolidge family,
she baked this one specially for the
President. 1t weighed pounds and
was covered with an inviting, smooth
white icing. While 1t was not quite
as picturesque as the one from the
White Court kitchen, It had all the
outward earmarks of being out of the
ordinary. A cake baked by the pastry
formerly baked pastry for the King
Of Belgium was received.
Mr.. Coolidge did not take his Gus.
tomary 2-mile walk this morning. He
walked about the grounds and through
the flower garden and went for a few
minutes to the rocks on the cliff to
look out to sea. On his return to the
house he stopped for q while to watch
a MISUNDERSTANDING contest down be-
hind the garage between two secret
service men and two or the chauffeurs.
The President looked on without MAX
ing any comment.
Among the birthday presents re-
ceived today was a set of plated
horseshoes. The President is known
to have thrown mean shoe during
his early life at Plymouth Notch.
During the quiet moments he spent
today on the broad veranda OF White
Court with Mrs. Coolidge, President
Coolidge's mind must have ranbled
over his span of life and wandered back
to the little white farmhouse at Ply
mouth Notch in which he was born,
July 4, 1872. His has been an event
full life, full of great events, but the
bitter has been mixed with the sweet.
and, like most OF his fellow Amer
leans, Calvin Coolidge has had his
sorrows and dfsappointments.
Is Sad Anniversary.
A year ago today his youngest son
Calvin was taken sick and died of
septic poisoning three days later. 1t
was the first break in his family but
the President OF the United States
cannot carry his private woes into
public affairs, and the Coolidges have
had to appear happy when oftentimes
their hearts were sad for the loss of
their bright and promising boy.
For a man SO Iaciturn, Calvin Cool
idge is full of sentiment, but he does
not carry his heart on his sleeve, and
only those who know him intimately
and are privileged to come into close
contact with him have ever seen him
grieve, but grteve he does In his quiet,
transformations way. The deep love and
veneration for his mother, who died
when he was of tender age, is pretty
generally known among his intimates.
He has carried with him these many
years a little old-fashioned daguerreo-
type of his mother. When ne was
Governor of Massachusetts II stood on
his desk in the executive chamber.
He carried It with him to Washington
when he became Vice President and
when he moved into the White House
he placed It on the dresser OF his
chamber.
In some Of his state papers and in
several of his public speeches he has
referred to a mothers love. His only
sister died when she was Is, while he
was going to Black River Academy
at Ludlow. His schoolmates recall
his sorrow over this great loss.
His Boyheod Typical.
The life Of Calvin Coolidge was
similar to that of other Plymouth
boys. He worked early and late help
ing his father about the little farm
and fitting himself at the district
school not far away from his home.
When his mother died he spent much
OF his time with his grandmother and
grandfather on the ancestral farm not
far from the place Of his birth. He
showed early inclinations for higher
education, and while his father had
hoped that he would succeed him on
the farm and the village store, he
readily assented to his sons plan OF
going to college and becoming a
lawyer.
Thirty-four years ago today Calvin
Coolidge made his first public speech.
He wrote out his Grafton and read 1t
from the manuscript. His father
carefully preserved the document, fill
ing it away In the old d-fashioned sec.
y
years before and which is still pre-
served. There 1t remained until the
young orator became President OF the
United States, when Col. Coolidge
took it out and displayed 1T with par
donable pride as Calvin's first attempt
at public speaking.
The grafton was of the schoeIboy
type, but 1t showed that the embry-
onic statesman had the stuT In him
that makes Presidents. What a con-
trast with his speeches today, tenn
age and reading.
Davis Tried for Weeks Post.
The story has been revived that
John w. Weeks has formally resigned
as Secretary of War. Mr.. Weeks is
now on the North shore recovering
from an operation performed on him
some weeks ago. 1t Is known that he
never will return to his duties. Presi.
dent Coolidge knows the wishes OF
the War Secretary to retire and has
requested him to nominally remain as
Secretary Of War until a successor
has been selected. The feeling exists
that Dwight L. Davis, Assistant Sec
retary Of War, who has been acting
In the absence OF Mr.. Weeks, is being
cabinet when the time comes. There
is strong drive on by the American
Legion members to influence the Pres
ident to select one of their own num-
Der as Secretary Weeks successor.
Support for Past National Commander
Alvin Owsley exists and 1t Is probable
that If Mr.. Davis is promoted Ows-
ley or another legion man VIII be
named as Assistant Secretary Of War.