Evening star., 1926-11-28
PRESIDENT EAGER
TO KEEP HARMONY
Executive HaIts Fess Talk,
Seeking to Hold Favor
of Party Leaders.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Coolidge is just now more
anxious than ever to preserve har-
nlonious relations with the leaders Of
the Republican party in Congress.
That's why he nipped in the bud
something that was innocently calcu-
lated to become the subject of much
gossip on Capitol Hill and possibly to
cause ill-feeling.
The President let it be known that
he had not changed his spokesmen
in Congress and that these were the
leaders in both the Senate and House.
1t had been suggested in a newspaper
article that Senator Fess Oh ONO,
would become a special representative
Of the President now that Senator
Butler of Massachusetts, leaves the
Senate. The White House was care
fuf to point out that while every re-
spect was entertained for the judg-
ment and abilities Of the Ohio Senator.
nevertheless it was as unfair TO hlm
as to the Chief Executive to cast him
in a role that he was not to play.
Mr.. Coolidge used the same occa-
sion to make it clear that ne had
never regarded Senator Butler or
Massachusetts as his spokesman In
Massachusetts Senator in that capac-
ity would have been to concede a
lack of confidence in Senator curtis
of Kansas, majority leader of the
Senate. and Speaker Longworth ana
RepresentatiVe TilSon, majority lead
er of the House.
Seeks Stronger Hold.
The President knows that the Re-
bic one and that it is hard enough
to coax a few insurgents into line
every now and then, let alone the
regulars who ought to be consistent
supporters of the administration. Mr..
Coolidge is endeaVoring to strengthen
his hold on Congress, and 1t may be
said that few Presidents in the last
generation have been as deterentlal
10 the wishes of Congress. The
change came Immediately after the
Wilson administration, when mem
Der of the Senate became President
of the United States. And Mr.. Cool
idge. who sat as Vice President in
the Senate chamber, became thorough
Iy familiar with the viewpoint OF
Senators on their perOgatlVeS.
Mr.. Coolidge has been careful to
invite the chairnen Of important
committees TO the White House Tor
breakfast or luncheon and for con-
stant conference whenever matters
directly in their charge were up Tor
consideration. The suggestion, there
fore. that he was about to discard that
venerable member of the old guard,
Senator Curtis, would have caused
much damage politically had the
report been permitted to go un'
challenged.
May Need Other Aid.
Once in a while the administratIE E
will have to look to some other man
besides the chairman of a committee
to fight it's battles. When Mr.. Norris
of Nebraska was chairman of the
agricultural committee he could
hardly be expected to champion the
administrations farm policy. So
Senator Fess Of Ohio took up the
cudgels for the President. So also
with the World Court fight, which
Senator Borah, as chairman Of the
foreign relations committee, would
ordinarily have led, but since he OPP
posed American entry. the admins
tration turned to Senator Lenroot of
Wisconsin.
Mr.. Fess' prominence in the agri.
cultural fight and his active support
of the administration led to the report
that he would become the Coolidge
representative in the upper house of
Congress, but while he will be an
active supporter of the administration
policies he will not supplant Senator
Curtis.
Incidentally the White House de-
NAL and comment is calculated to give
Mr.. Curtis a clear-cut prestige that
he has not enjoyed since Mr.. Cool
idges campaign manager and per-
sonal friend. William NJ. Butler, en-
tered the Senate and retained his
chairmanship Of the Republican ma
tional committee.