Evening star., 1925-03-30
PRESIDENT FREED
OF CONGRESS CURB
Has Opportunity to Act With
out Interference Until
Next December.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Coolidge has entered upon
what some Of his friends character
ize as his golden opportunity" He
has the stage to himself. He has
economy and efficiency as his slogans.
And he has a willing cabinet to help
h M.
Ever since Congress adjourned the
President has been trying to catch up
with the many tasks that were neces-
sarily sidetracked when he was busy
with pending legislation Some of his
well wishers thought he was making
a big mistake by failing to announce
a call for an extra session to begin
at once program OF tax reform as
well reduction.
Mr.. Coolidge took the view that
the country wanted "a rest from
legislation" and he intends TO call
no extra session unless some un-
foreseen emergency arises, though
there still is talk of bringing Con-
Sress here month or so earlier
than December simply to get started.
Holds Opposite View.
Having been told that few Presi-
dents have succeeded in holding
their party in power in the con-
Sressional elections in recent years
unless they called an extra session
Immediately after inauguration, Mr..
Coolidge adopted the opposite view
namely, that he could strengthen
his hold on public opinion and keep
his party majority in the Senate and
House by demonstration of efficien-
cy and economy in the executive
branch of the government
congress is away-so there is no
interference from that quarter by
way of pestiferous joint resolutions
asking for information or sudden
calls to cabinet officers for testimony
before committees. In other words,
controversy has in large part been in
the very nature of things swept from
the decks and Mr.. Coolidge has ahead
clear view of the country and its
problems.
Time of Progress.
The President made his greatest
strides with public opinion, his cham
pions argue, when he did not have
Congress here-from the time he took
rhe oath in August, 1923, until the
following December. He Will en-
deavor now, they say. to put into ef-
feet his ideas of executive operation
independent Of the legislative bur
dens that weigh heavily on the White
House when Congress is here.
So far as publicity is concerned,
the President now shares the lime
light with no one. No speeches in
Congress can burst on the first
pages. The aircraft controversy and
sundry problems are for the moment
slumbering till Congress meets
again. Mr. Coolidge is aware that
he is not spectacular President and
that he cannot do things and talk
about them at the same time. Yet
he is hoping that progress will be
made by the executive branch of the
Government in performing the multi
tude of functions prescribed by the
recent appropriation bills and that
when Summer comes a fairly COM
prehensive tax plan will have been
worked out and that a detailed anal
ysis of the present revenue act will be
aVaila Bile.
Works With Kellogg.
Mr.. Coolidge is working in close
co-operation with the new Secretary
of State. Mr.. Kellogg, believing that
some way can be found to hold an
other conference at Washington on
limitation of armaments. This may
take place in the Autumn il the dip
lomatic interchanges now going on
prove favorable.
Whether 1t is foreign policy or agri-
culture or new tax plan or SYM
pathetic development of projects that
are designed to help American busi-
ness expand at home and aboard, the
President is in charge OF the ship
Of state and from now untfl next
Autumn at least he has the golden
opportunity" to show what kind of a
President he really is in his own
right and with his own advisers and
without the interference of the
modern legislative body. And il may
have some bearing on whether he is
candidate in 1928
Copyright 1921