Evening star., 1926-11-27
The "Mouthpiece" Fiction.

President Coolidge has denied
firmly that Senator Simeon d. Fess
Of Ohio is to be his personal mouth
piece In the Senate. He has denied
this report, not because he does not
like and admire Mr.. Fess. but be-
cause he does not believe in or prac-
tice a system Of dealing through
personal representatives in Congress.
He prefers to deal with the leaders
of his party when he has business
10 transact and to speak for himself
when he has any policy to enunciate.
In this the President shows wis
dom. Nothing could be more harmful
TO party harmony and to co-opera-
ton between the administration and
the Republican organizations In Sen
ate and House than a presidential
spokesman at the Capitol other than
the recognized party leaders. 1t
could only cause a feeling of an
tagonism on the part OF the recog-
nized Senatorial and House leaders.
1t could be regarded only as an at
party to undermine the leadership
set up by the Republican organiza-
tions Of the two houses.
Nor does President Coolidge relish,
apparently, being held responsible
for utterances which an alleged per-
sonal representative of the White
House might voice. The statement
made at the White House denying that
Senator Fess is or will be personal
representative of the President IN
the Senate comes on the heels OF
a vigorous interview given by the
Ohio Senator, in which he attacked
the McNary- Haugen farm relief Dill
and declared that 1t could never pass.
The President at this time is seeking
to settle the controversy over farm
relief legislation. 1t is the hope OF
those seriously desiring farm reilef
legislation that 1t will be possible
TO bring the warning groups together
In favor of a really helpful measure.
The attack made by Senator Fess
on the supporters of the McNary-
Iaugen bill, if it accomplished any
thing. could only drive the groups
farther apart. While no mention has
been made at the White House OF
the Fess interview on the farm RELIEF
bill and nothing has been said to
Indicate that the President will &C
cept the bill In its present form, 1t
seems not unlikely that the President
objects to having the voice OF Fess
held to be the voice of Coolidge In
this matter.
The President took cognizance OF
nuhlished reports that Senator t'ess
was TO succeed Senator William M.
Butler of Massachusetts as the Presl-
dents mouthpiece in the Senate. IL
was further reported that Fess even
tually would supplant Senator Butler
as chairman of the Republican ma
tional committee. The first report has
been denied emphatically by the Pres
jdent. So far there has been nothing
to bolster up the second.
Pains were taken at the White
House 10 IilLhC IL NlCsLt eAAsAS NNAAN~>N
Butler had not been personal repre-
sentative Of the President in the Sen
ate, any more than Senator Fess Is
10 have such an unofficial office In
the future The President consulted
freely with Senator Butler. manager
of his campaign in 1924, head of the
national organization Of the Republl-
can party and a Senator from his own
State. But he made it a practice to
consult many Republican Senators.
The present Republican leader OF
the Senate is from Kansas, an i'm
portant link IN the corn belt. The
statement that the President will rely
unon Senator Curtis in the coming
session cannot fail to be gratifying TO
the West as we'll as to Senator Curtis.
1t has become traditional to ascr1be
70 a. member OF the Senate particu-
larly close to the Chief Executive.
because Of either personal friendship
or geograp aphical location, the Office of
unofficial personal representative OF
the President President Coolidge does
not relish the idea.
-S-010~S -------~----