Evening star., 1925-08-12
WEEKS WILL RETIRE
COOLIDGE IS TOLD;
SUCCESSOR SOUGHT
War Secretary Informs Pres
ident of Step to Be
Taken Soon.
NEEDS COMPLETE REST
TO RECOVER HEALTH
Leaves War Department in Ell
fcient Condition, With Ex-
penditures Cut.
BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG,
staff Correspondent of The Star.

SUMMER w ii L L II ~ u - L,
SWAMPSCOTT, Mass, August IL
According TO representations made In
official circles here today President
Coolidge is giving serious study TO
the selection of q successor to John
w. Weeks as Secretary of War.
The latter is known to have told
the President that he must retire be-
cause of ill-health. 1t is the opinion
of those close to the President that
the latter is ready to announce the
appointment of the new Secretary OF
War when Secretary Weeks publicly
announces his resignation.
President Coolidge received a
rather definite hint from Mr.. Weeks
that he was going to retire shortly
when he motored to Coles-1sland,
near Gloucester several weeks ago to
call upon Mr. Weeks. He has in the
meantime been able to study the
field for the right man to head the
War Department.
Secretary Weeks has gone through
a very serious illness and his recov-
cry thus far is looked upon as Won
derful. but he is far from well. He
also knows that he cannot expect
complete recovery unless he gives up
public life.
Told President of Plan.
Before departing from his retreat
at Coles Island, where he went after
his operation in Boston nearly two
months ago, Secretary Weeks yester-
day made a motor trip of 40 miles to
return the Presidents call. At this
time it is known that he told the
President in a more definite way of
his intention to leave public life for
ever. Mr.. Weeks will leave tomor-
row for his farm at Lancaster, n. H.
AS he left White Court yesterday
afternoon SMr. Weeks declined to dis
cuSS in a definite way what he mad
told the President respecting his
resignation. "Tll be back in Wash
ington in September if l go back at
ALL Mr.. Weeks said. This cryptic
statement is accepted here as mean
ing that Mr.. Weeks has determined
to retire.
Those in his confidence expect him
to announce his formal resignation
shortly. In fact, they believe he
is merely awaiting the pleasure or
convenience of the President.
Secretary Weeks will leave the War
Department with the expenditure for
the military establishment cut to the
bone. Under his administration, and
following the Coolidge economy pro-
gram the civilian personnel in the
War Department has been reduced to
the pre-war status. OF course, the en-
ployes in Washington are greatly in
excess of the period before the eXpan-
sion brought about by the World War
The employees in other sections OF the
country in depots, barracks and divl-
sional and regional headquarters and
elsewhere are greatly below the pre-
.g11 Nv
War Department in an efficient condi-
ton.
No Further Cut Seen.
Army experts have come to the con-
clusion that the only way further re-
ductions can be made in the War De-
partment is by cutting the size of the
American Army. This question, it is
understood, will come before Congress
as the only solution in bringing about
a scaling down of War Department eX-
penditures.
The standing Army is now $4,000,
with authorized strength of l20, 1000.
1t is the smallest standing Army OF
any large world power, and merely
represents an effective police force and
a nucleus for expansion in war times.
1t is not believed that, President
Coolidge will consent to a further re-
duCtion in the size of the Army.
If there are smiling skies tomorrow
President Coolidge, it is expected, will
leave by train or motor to visit his
father, at Plymouth, VT, his birth
place, in the foothills of the Green
Mountains. Mr.. Coolidge intends to
make this trip to his tather, recover
ing from his recent operation, an alb
solute vacation. During his stay there
he will free himself as much as possi-
BILE from the duties of his high office
Mrs. Coolidge is most anxious to
make the trip. She wants to return
to the graveyard on the hillside at
Plymouth Notch where her younger
son lies buried. Every week she sent
flowers from White Court to be
placed on the grave. While there last
year she and the President visited
the cemetery daily, and when they
went to the bedside Of the Presidents
father the first week of their present
vacation they We're drawn to the lit
tie cemetery as soon as they learned
that Col. Coolidge was out of danger.
Goes Home Annually.
In the 36 years representing the
period of President Coolidge's active
public life he has spent his vacation
at the Coolidge home in Plymouth, eX-
cept during the first years of his prac-
tice of law at Northampton, and then
he took no vacation.
President Coolidge, in explaining
why he returns annually to the home
of his birthplace, said that he found
that it was good for his health to an
nually breathe the air in the altitude
in which he was born. He has seemed
to thrive on the vacation spent in that
quaint, restful place, where the only
recreation possible is walking and sit
ting up on the porch overlooking the
valley and the mountain slopes in the
distance.
If the weather is forbidding tomor-
row the trip to Vermont viii be made
by the President and his party the day
following. The President plans to re-
main away from White Court three
or four days.
President Coolidge today spent the
morning in a final pose for the oil
portrait being painted of him by E. c.
Tarbelle of Boston.
Luncheon guests at White Court
were DR.. Charles w. Richardson, the
Presidents throat and nose specialist.
His coming here was partly social.
The President has had no recurrence