Evening star., 1926-11-29
ATTEMPT TO line
. UP PSH|PSTEAD SEEN
Invitation to White House
Breakfast Viewed as
Political Maneuver.

Including Senator Shipstead Of Min
nesota in a small company of Sen
ators who were his guests at break
fast this morning. President Coolidge
has given the impression that he ap-
proves of the movement on the part
of some of the Republican leaders of
the Senate to induce this lone Farm
Labor Senator to cast his lot with
the Republicans.
In fact, there are some who look
upon the Presidents invitation to
Senator Shipstead to breakfast with
him and. incidentally, to sit-in on an
informal discussion of matters of leg
islation as direct and formal over
ture to the Minnesotan to come into
the Republican fold. This is taken
as more than a mere gesture on the
part of the administration to make
sure of Shipstead's vote in the next
Congress.
The political complexion of the
company in which Senator Shipstead
found himself was exclusively Repub-
lican. The others about the boar1
were Senators Curtis and Capper of
Kansas. Shortridge, California; Bing-
ham. Connecticut; Gooding Idaho;
Couzens, Michigan Dale. Vermont;
Sackett. Kentucky, and Stewart, who
was elected early this month to fill
out the unexpired term of the late
Senator Cun1mins of Iowa.
Discusses Topics In Message.
According to several Of the Presi-
dents guests, he discussed with them
several Of the more important sub.
jects he is including in the message
he is to submit to Congress when it
assemblies next month. and sought
their views on a variety of legislative
subjects as we'll as upon certain fea-
lures Of the budget of estimates.
Buckwheat cakes and country sau-
sage. for which these White House
breakfast conferences have become
so famous. featured the meal. The
formality usually associated with a
presidential conference was entirely
absent and the affair was decidedly
informal. There was general discus
sion of the more important subjects
of the moment. as we'll as a frank
and free exchange of views upon all
the subjects that We're brought up.
Senator Shipstead later conferred
privately with the President in the
latter's office.
Senator Shipstead afterward de.
clined to make any comment about
the political aspect of the conference.
The Senator said that his confer.
ence with the President was to sug-
gest use of the Treasury surplus in
the erection of public buildings
throughout the country rather than
turning the money back to the jndi-
vidual taxpayers or applying it to a
Wants Expenses Cut.
He said he reminded the President
that the Federal Government is now
paying more than $23 900 900 annually
in rentals for buildings throughout
the country and that in his opinion
it is vitality important in the interests
of economy to reduce this great ex-
penditure. He pointed out that in
Minnesota alone more than S740 900 is
being paid out each year by the Gov.
ernnent for buildings to house it's &C.
tivities in that State and, according
to his information most Of the build
ings in Minnesota are being rented at
excessive rates. He thought this was
no doubt true generally throughout
the country.
The proposal of the Minnesota Sen.
ator Is to amend the present public
buildings act. which authorizes the
expenditure Of $165 900 900 for a pe-
r1Od of five years in the erection of
new Federal buildings. so as to be
broadened in its scope by including
the Treasury surplus, which at pres