Evening star., 1926-05-24
PRESIDENTS PLANS
PUZZLE LEADERS
Opinion About Evenly Divided
on Whether Coolidge Will
Seek New Term.
BY ROBERT T. SMALL.

After a tour of the Middle Western
States one returns to washington
with the impression that the outStahd'
ing political issue of the day is moth
ing more nor less than the question as
to whether or not President Coolidge
will stand for denomination.
OF course, there is d lot of talk
about the wet and dry fight, but no
one believes any real progress can be
made toward modification OF the Vol
stead act at any time in the near
future. The elimination of the wet
and dry battle is far ahead. Mr. Cool
idge, on the other hand, must make
up his mind in the next ~ or ~
months.
A great many leaders OF the Re-
publican party are confidently OF the
opinion that Mr.. Coolidge VIII not run
again. They explain that that is why
the President is not bothering himself
about the results of the senatorial
elections in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsyl-
xania and other States. They say the
President is not going to ask any
favors in 1928 and therefore is not
worrying about granting any favors
in 1926 To the political mind tins
must he the one explanation of the
Presidents course in failing to extend
help to Senators Mckinley and Pep
per both OF whom were defeated after
steadfastly standing by the Presi-
dent"
Seeks to Avoid Embarrassment.
Virtually the first maxim Of the old
line political leader is You pat me
and I'll pat YOU" II is easy for them
10 argue that as Mr.. Coolidge is doing
no patting this year, he does not eX-
pect to be patted two years hence.
Yet an entirely different motive is
ascribed to the White House by those
who insist Mr.. Coolidge would hold
on to the presidency as long as he
can. They simply say he is making
no alliances this year which might
embarrass him in 1925. 1t is easier, in
other words, for the President to treat
with those who are in power two
years from now than to cast his lot
definitely at this time and run the
risk of his man being defeated.
The likelihood Of the President run
ming for office again is Il subject upon
which you can always call forth wide
range of discussion. and sentiment on
the subject would seem to be about
evenly divided. If the President
should run again and be successful at
the polls, he would serve approx
mately 10 years in the White House.
longer than any other President. and
longer, some of the political leaders
say, than the people ever intended Tor
one President to serve.
Enjoys Being President.
It is admitted everywhere that no
man has ever liked the presidency
more than Mr.. Coolidge. In his own
quiet, calm. cool way he is having just
as bully" q time as Roosevelt, when
the latter frankly admitted he was
enjoying his experiences in Washing
ton to the full limit of an almost un-
limited capacity.
Mr.. Coolidge likes his position of
power. He likes the environs of the
White House. He gets real pleasure
out of his almost daily window shop
ping tours Of the business section of
Washington. He likes the Seclusion
and the restfulness of MS endless sails
down the Potomac on the Mayf1ower.
Some of his friends have estimated
that if the President should retire at
the end of his present term he would
be independently rich for the re-
mainder of his life They estimate he
will have saved by March 4, 1929, at
least a quarter of a million dollars out
of his yearly salary of $4,000. With
his inborn thrift and inexpensive
tastes 1t is figured the President could
live handsomely on the income from
this cash fortune which has come to
him as chief magistrate of a nation
which is regarded As none too generous
In its treatment Of its public servants.
Mr. Coolidge is a comparatively
young man, however. In 1928 he Will
be only 56 years Of age. He is not
al ,1i
public life. With the exception Of
about two years. Mr.. Coolidge has
been in public life and public Office
ever since he grew to mans estate. 1t
would seem strange to him to be idle.
Maybe this will be the controlling
factor in any decision he will have to
make. Political eyes are on Mr.. Cool
idge at the moment and the traveller
from Washington has the question Of
the Coolidge intentions put to him
more often than any other.
(Copyright 1926.)