Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-03

ment yesterday the first message
from a man Of prominence in Texas
was received. 1t appealed to the
President TO not make his decision
final
Nothing could have been more dra-
matte than the scene in his private
office in the Rapid City High School
yesterday when those slips of paper
with II typewriter words setting
forth his attitude were given one by
one to the assembled correspondents.
Mr.. Coolidge announced in the most
casual sort of way at the conclusion
of his bi-weekly conference with the
newspaper men at . o'clock in the
morning that he would like to have
them return to his office at noon, add
ing that he would have something to
announce. He had just been asked
some questions about the possibility of
his visiting Yellowstone Park and his
home in Plymouth, VT, before return
ing to Washington, and if he had any
idea when he would depart from the
Black Hills. He answered in an indef.
mite way and the general feeling was
that probably he would have some
thing more definite to say at noon,
Calmly Summons Stenographer.
The entire office force was astir
as the noon hour approached. They
knew something important was in the
air but they wSre in the dark Finally
a few minutes before the noon hour
the President summoned Erwin
Geiser, his personal stenogra pher, and
handed him sheet of paper upon
which he had written in lead pencil
his 12-word announcement He told
Mr.. Geiser he wanted 30 carbon copies
made. He was not in the least excited
and sat calmly by as Mr.. Geiser exc.
cuted his order.
This faithful young man, who has
been with President Coolidge since
he was Vice President and who like
his chief is native of New England,
while stunned when he read the words
the President had written upon the
sheet of paper, made no comment and
conducted himself in manner CORE
spending to the Presidents calm and
indifference, and with just as much
unconcern as the President banged
off the message and handed the type
written slips to the President, who
carefully adjusted his glasses and
studied the II words as they appeared
before him in black and white. lie
arranged the copies in neat pile
and then folded them over with the
typewriter words on the inside. This
may have been accidental, but it was
strongly suggestive of being further
evidence of the Presidents caution.
There was no one else i'm the room
at the time but Mr.. Geiser, but he
took this extra precaution just the
same.
The President Is especially good at
figuring his time, and by this time
the hands of the clock in his. room
pointed to l minute before IL. the
hour he had appointed for the news
paper men to be present. He sent
for Mr.. Sanders, his secretary. and
Edward T. Clark, his personal secre-
tary. and requested them to remain
in the room during his distribution
of the slips and to see that the one
door leading to his office was closed
until he gave word to open it. He
explained that he did not want a
stampede toward the door when the
newspaper men read his statement.
Announcement Not Anticipated.
Completing this detail of the dra-
matte setting. the President saw that
the noon hour had arrived and he at
once gave word to admit the CORE
spondents. These men. a few of
whom have been covering" Dir. Cool
idge since the day he became Presi-
dent. already had sensed something
big in the way of news. but it can be
said truthfully that not one Of them
had the slightest suspicion Of what
the announcement was actually to ne.
AS they entered, the President was
seated at the long mahogany table
which with the exception of the chair
in which the President was so calmly
sitting-and two or three other chairs.
IS the only piece of office furniture
in this schoolroom with its three
walls of blackhoards. The President
was seated in about the same fashion
AS when the correspondents file into
his presence during their regular con-
ferences. Secretary Sanders stood
near one end of the desk with ms
hack leaning against the black board.
Mr.. Clark was stationed near the door.
In the wake of the line OF GORE
spondents were Senator Capper, Coi.
Blanton Winship, the PRESIDENT
military aide. and Maj. James r.
Colpal, the Presidents personal pty'
stefan. They had heard something
imnortant was to be given to the press
and they wanted to be on mana oui'hs
it's first announcement.
The President showed no nervous
ness or agitation as he sat pufllhs
AWAY on his long cigar waiting Tor
the closing Of his Offices door. TO lhose
who have been associated win MI.
Coolidge for a long time. there was
noticeable "A certain intensity apoue
his face as he sat watching these men
assemble before his desk. HIS eyes
fell quickly upon each man as ne TOOK
his position. When the last man was
| in. the President arose from ms chaii
| and saw that the door was closed, anu
r. II
| head as though to make sure what
was behind him. One of the Secret
| Service men stood at some distance
| behind the President.
President Breaks Stiffness.
| There was a certain stiffness about
! the room This tenseness was only
made greater when the President, in
| his usual monotone, asked, rs every
| one here?"
| AS he asked this he raised his hand,
and it was then seen that he was
| claspng the little stack of paper slips.
| Following an affirmative reply to his
] inquiry, the newspaper men were
| asked to file past the corner of his
desk and receive a statement he had
| prepared. They did so. and In good
order, too. AS each man reached him
! the President placed I'm his out
stretched hand the little folded slip of
paper. And. as might be suspected,
each man opened the folded paper
when he had taken a step or two past
! the President. There was real surprise
! registered on every face as 1t lifted
( after the reading of the Presidents
| announcement.
! The door remained closed until the
last man had received his slip and
| passed around the table The dunn
founded correspondents, assthey stood
! awaiting the completion III the silent
bit - drama. dred q quick yolley Of