Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-14
SITUATION IN c. O.P.
BECOMING URGENT
Statement for Hughes, At
trlbuted to Mellon, Further
UnsettIes Outlook.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Although there are literally dozens
OF problems on the doorstep of the
White House, there IS no escaping the
fact that the most urgent OF all Is the
political situation In the Republican
party.
Mr.. Coolidge has met the Washing.
ton correspondents in his first confer.
ence, has revealed his usual keen IN.
terest in the many legislative prof.
ects being brought forward. but has
not shown any perceptible change in
attitude either toward his work or tho
question of accepting denomination.
Some Of the correspondents who
have been travelling with him have
protested to see a change in manner.
a sort OF loosening up from the
rigidity Of previous years. a sort of
manifestation of freedom as il a load
had been lifted from the Presidents
mind. Mr.. Coolidge has picked I'D in
weight and looks healthier than ever.
Ills responsibilities have by no means
ceased even IL he does feel that he
has only little more than Is months
to serve on his present term.
Mellon Report UnsettlIng.
The very fact that efforts are being
made to draw from him some u.tis
encouragement for some of the can.
didates mentioned as successors Ia
enough to keep Mr.. Coolidge con.
cerned. For instance, today's pub.
lished reports speak of Secretary Mel.
Ions determination to back former
Secretary Hughes.
Mr.. Hughes himself has said he
still favored Mr.. Coolidge's renomi-
nation. The inference is that Mr..
Mellon, who will control the Penn
sylvania delegation, and who viii
have big influence on the New
York and New Jersey delegations, is
as anxious for Mr.. Coolidge to run
again as is Mr.. Hughes. Herbert
Hoover, Secretary of Commerce,
feels the same way.
Yet If the published reports Of
Mr.. Melons plans were to be aC-
cepted as an indication of what's
coming. it means dissension immedi-
ately in the Presidents own cabinet.
a situation that hardly can make
for harmonious development OF the
plans of the Executive in the next
several months.
Hughes Is Popular.
Mr.. Hughes is popular with the
members Of the cabinet, as Is Mr.. Hoo
yer. 1t is going to be a difficult thing
for cabinet members, directly or indi-
rectly, to espOuse the cause Of any,
body except Mr.. Coolidge, anyhow.
No member of the cabinet thus far
has derived any further informal ton
from the President than was con-
tanned in his own statement that ne
did not choose to run, and the likeli-
hood is that no further information
will be forthcoming. The President has
expressed his personal preference. but
the Republican party has not. Under
the circumstances the prevailing i'm.
preston now is that unless Mr.. Coo
lidge in some striking way stops the
movement, the effort to have him re-
nominated will soon supersede every.
thing else political.
Business men are indicating their
desire to have uncertainty removed
and Republican leaders in all parts Of
the country are asking cabinet men,
bers and others here for guidance.
They will not get it from the White
House. They may get it from cabinet
members, who, so far as can be ascer-
tanned, are unanimous for the renomi-
nation Of Mr.. Coolidge, despite his re-
cent statement.
Copyright. 1927