Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-01
PRESIDENTS AGES VARY
WIDELY ON TAKING OFFICE
Roosevelt Was Youngest, at AZ, and Har'
rison Oldest, at 68-Coolidge Was
52-Prospects in 1928 Compared.


or over when they were first inaugu-
rated. These were John Adams, 81:
Andrew Jackson. 65; William Henry
Harrison. IS; Zachary Taylor Ga, and
James Buchanan, IS. Taylor died
after he had been in office little more
than year. On the other hand, John
Adams lived to the ripe old age of go.
Andrew Jackson was IS when he
died and James Buchanan n.
Roosevelt Was Youngest.
six of the Presidents were between
40 and so years of age when they
entered upon their duties. They were
James Knox Polk, who was 40 when
he was inaugurated: Franklin Pierce,
4S: u. S. Grant, 46; James A. Garfield,
40; Grover Cleveland, Al, and Theo-
dore Roosevelt, AZ, the youngest
President of them all.
Compare the ages of these older
Presidents and younger with some of
the potential candidates for nomina-
ton and election in 1928. On the Re-
publican side. in addition to Mr..
Lowden, are Senator William e. Bo-
rah of Idaho, Speaker Longworth of
Ohio, Herbert Hoover of California,
Secretary of Commerce: Charles E,
Hughes of New York Vice President
Charles G. Dawes of Illinois and Sen.
ator James w. Wadsworth of New
York.
The Democrats are discussing
William Gibbs McAdoo of Califor-
mia. Gov. Alfred Smith of New York,
Gov. Albert Cabell Richie OF Mary
land. former Senator Atlee Pomerene
of Ohio. Gov. A. Vic Donahey of Ohio,
Senator Carter Glass OF Virginia, SEN
ator Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas
and Edwin Thomas Meredith of Iowa,
former Secretary of Agriculture.
Senator Borah was born in Illinois
June 20. 1865. and would be So years
old on March 4, 1929. Speaker Long
worth, although not yet "Old Nick"
is yet no longer Young Nick" He
was born in Ohio November 5, 1853.
and would be SO at the time of the
next presidential Inauguration Sec
rotary Hoover was born in Iowa
August 10, 1874, and would be "a
years old; Senator Wadsworth was
born in New York August IL, 1877,
and would be 81 years old; Mr..
Hughes was born in New York April
IL, 1862, and would be nearing 81, and
Vice President Dawes was born in
Ohio August 81. 1865, and would be So.
Smith SIS in 1929.
OF the Democratic possibilities. Gov.
AL Smith first saw the light of
day December 80, 1873, in New York
City. He would be SIS on Inauguration
day in 1929. Mr.. McAdoo was born
October 81. 1868, and would be SIS:
Gov. Richie was born in Virginia
August 20. 1876, and would be
So: Mr.. Pomerene was born in Ohio
December 6. 1868, and would be 65;
Gov. Donahey was born In Ohio
July T. 1873, and would be So; Senator
Glass was born in Virginia January 4.
1858, and would be II; Mr.. Meredith
was born in Iowa December %. 1876,
and would be So, and Senator Robin
son was born in Arkansas August rs,
1872, and would be Sc.
All of these possible candidates are
today apparently In excellent health.
Some of them look far younger than
their years.
But the job of being President to-
day is strenuous. Vigor, both mental
and bodily, is the need of any man
who essays 1t for four long years.
This is the age of hustle. In large
measure it is the young mans age.
1t is fact that not since the days of
President Buchanan has a President
been inaugurated who when he first
entered the White House was so
years old or more.
John W.. Davis, the Democratic
standard bearer in 1924, was 81 years
old when he was nominated at the
New York convention.
Age Not Only Factor.
Age and physical condition must
enter into the availability of any can
didate for the presidential nomina-
ton. Ability. common sense and
yigor are not always to be gagged ac-
cording to age, however. A great
leader in a crisis doubtless would be
chosen, irrespective of his age-ex-
cept for the constitutional limitation
that President must be IS years old
or more.
Discussion of the age of a presiden-
tial candidate may appear somewhat
indicate and unkind, much as the
discussion of the age of a woman.
So far no women have been seriously
discussed as presidential possibilities.
That may come in the future, and If
it does the woman in the case will be
compelled to give her age. 1t may be
true that "a man is as old as he feels
and a woman as old as she looks"
The voters will want to know the
truth of the matter.