Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-04
COOLIDGE SILENCE
LAID TO CAUTION
Presidents lnscrutability
Credited to Consciousness
of His Big Responsibilities.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although the country has had three
years in which to get acquainted with
Calvin Coolidge, few of those who
have seen him closeup will concede
that they understand his inscrutable
personality.
II it is suggested, for instance, that
Mr.. Coolidge is uncommunicative,
there are dozens of callers who have
spent a half hour or more with him
who can testify that he has monopo-
liked the conversation. If it is con-
tended that he is cold and seclusiVe,
then may it be recorded that more
persons have been invited to break
bread with Mr.. Coolidge than with
any President possibly since the days
Of William Howard Taft.
Mr.. Coolidge has not shut himself
in. He has had many people along
with him on week ends on the May
flower and he keeps q constant round
of invitations going for breakfast,
luncheon and dinner at the White
House. More members of the Senate
and House, it is safe to conjecture,
have breakfasted with Mr.. Coolidge
than with any other President in our
times. If there is any thrill in a
White House invitation, Mr.. Coolidge
has bestowed it literally on members
of Congress, industrial captains, news
paper editors and publishers, CORE
Spondents, political leaders and dis
tinguished visitors from foreign coun-
tries.
White House Democracy.
Certainly there has been every
aspect of democracy at the White
House and to no small extent the
spirit Of ease and equality has been
inspired by the First Lady of the
Ill -, ha, ick, sV,c
stiffness from social functions.
Why, then, is Mr.. Coolidge inscrut-
able? 1t is because he does not think
out loud. He doesn't, in ordinary
conversation, forget the necessity for
caution and deliberate statement. He
is the last word in carefulness of ex-
preston. Possibly it is his long train
ing in politics, where the first rule is
never to utter a superfiuouS word.
Possibly it is a conservatism developed
. by his study of the law. But in any
event, many persons who have talked
with Mr.. Coolidge will concede that
after they have heard him express
himself, they have learned merely at
first hand what he has been saying
or preaching in public speeches or
in conferences with public men as re-
ported in the press.
In other words, Mr.. Coolidge never
throws off the business aspect of his
life, and in this respect there probably
are thousands of men in private life
who parallel him-they eat, think and
dream their business affairs.
Likes to Play Lone Hand.
1t has been said Of Mr.. Coolidge
that he does not play. Yet there are
forms of relaxation which he does
eniOy, He likes to see motion pic
lures. He likes to walk. He has late
~ shown an enthusiasm for fishing.
1t is not surprising. For Mr.. Cool
idge likes the kind Of thing that does
not require that he participate with
others, as in games. He likes to see
pictures because he doesn't have to
talk If he doesn't want to. He likes
fishing because It is carried on in
solitude. For the art of companion
ship is not one of Mr.. Coolidge's
strong points. >
He likes to have people about him
and yet does not like to feel a re-
sponsibility for entertaining them or
unfolding his mind. People like to
hear Presidents gossip. They like to
see Presidents off their guard. Many
indiscreet statements have been
uttered in unguarded moments at the
White House in the past.
Mr.. Coolidge is inscrutable because
he is never off his guard. He is al
ways mindful that he is In politics
and that he is vested with an incom-
parable responsibility.
Copyright. 1920