Evening star., 1926-09-23
BARTON INTERVIEW
HELD SIGNIFICANT
Presidents Answers to Per-
sonaI Queries May Strength
en- Public Opinion.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Considerable political Significance Is
attached here to the fact that Presi-
dent Coolidge departed from prece-
dent and authorized Bruce Barton,
magazine writer, to distribute through
the Associated Press d sketch Of his
personality.
The interview is regarded here as
one of the best presentations of the
Presidents personality and gives
clearer picture than has ever been
given of the human side of Mr.. Cool
ldge. SO far as is known here, the
interview was not preSlrranged. Mr..
Barton visited the President at White
Pine Camp and was so impressed with
the Presidents personality and his In
tereSting manner of self-reveiation
that he sought and obtained perm1s-
sion to publish his notes.
Wilson and Harding Precedents.
Although the interview provoked
much discussion among newspaper
men I'm Washington, and some com
mented that this probably meant the
end of the anonymous official spokes-
man" and the beginning of new
policy on the part of the White House
with reference TO publicity, the con
census was that Mr.. Coolidge was
well supported by acts of his predeces
sorS in granting exclusive interviews.
President Wilson gave two exclusive
interviews TO Samuel G.. Blythe of the
Saturday Evening Post. and President
Harding did likewise. Mr.. Wilson also
gave an interview on public affairs
to Louis Seibold of the New York
World, which won for Mr.. Seibold
Pulitzer prize.
1t was noted that Mr.. Coolidge did
not give expression to any views on
current affairs, but merely answered
questions about his personality. Early
In his administration he gave the
same privilege to French Strother or
Worlds Work.
This. however. so far as is knp&n.
is the first time any President~ mas
given an exclusive interview 10
news association, and there were com
ments on every side here today on
the enterprise of Mr.. Barton in hav-
ing been the first to obtain the right
to quote President Coolidge directly.
May Aid Politically.
So far as the political phases of
the incident are concerned. IL was In
terpreted as having this importance
For several months the political lead
ers friendly to the President have
been convinced that Mr.. Coolidge
alone could strengthen the opportu-
nifty of the Republican party TO re-
tain control of both houses of Con-
gress this Autumn. Throughout the
Summer at Paul Smiths the Presi-
dents callers gave out a series OF
interviews emphasizing the prosperity
of the country, but critics have been
saving that while the Coolidge ad
ministration was strong, the Presi-
dents personality was not well enough
known and was not as big an asset
as IL should be.
The impression that Mr.. Coolidge
was a cold and detached individual.
who maintained a seCretiveness and
silence that kept him from human CON
facts, Is rNefuted by Mr.. BartOn's in
terview, which reveals the President
as possessed OF the same human
characteristics and instincts as his
fellow citizens.
The President is, of course. man
of a few words, but he Is, on the
other hand. by no means uncommuni-
cative. When ne is being visited by
public men and his Views on public
questions are sought, he is naturally
on his guard, for ii is true that every
hint or intimation of a Presidents
viewpoint is considered significant
when repeated. Mr.. Coolidge does
not object to revealing the personal
side of the Presidency, and in the
Barton interview he has justified the
statements of so many of his friends
who have insisted that the true Calvin
Coolidge is a man of hkeable per-
sonality.
(CopyriEht. 1926)