The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-08-04
Coolidge Withdrawal
Gives Field Over to
Many Candidates
81 GEORGE b. HOIlALEA

NE A~N--A-A-aNAll
Nearly 4S hours Of debate and
hectic speculation left the practical
politicians Of washington still fam
ming themselves today and wonder
ing whether Calvin Coolidge Is or II
not "a receptive candidate for the
Presidency next year.
Confusion Becomes : Fog
If Mr.. Coolidge had set up night
trying to find an exact formula for
dumbfounding his friends and con.
founding his opponents he could
by saying II do not choose to run
Ample evidence Of this confusion
Is shown by q survey Of comment
from political friend and foe, and In
the digest Of editorials printed since
he electrified the nation by his
cryptic utterance. There Is little
unanimity Of opinion even among
his friends-exce on the lone point
that Mr.. Coolidge has served notice
he win not wage q fight for the
nomination.
Nothing Comes Of Research
Mr.. Coolidge's state papers have
been combed In vain for evidence
Of his previous use of the word
choose" to indicate q fixed policy.
So far as his messages to Con-
gress reveal, he has never EN-.
ployed that word to show his de-
termination in q given matter.
In dealing with the soldiers
bonus several years ago he said in
one message:
II do not favor the bonus" He
later vetoed It, and some Of his
friends were pointing to this today
to show how he follows laconic com
ment with positive action. This
failed to impress many politicians
as q criterion, however.
Doubt ANY AmpIificatiOn
Both his supporters and his OBJ
ponents in the Capital are hopeful
that Mr.. Coolidge viii see fit to
give some further Qualification Of
his position, Knowing his pen.
chant for taciturnity, however, they
doubt II It win be forthcoming.
The impression among the prac
teal politicians here Is that all d
the White House aspirants viii
mark time for some weeks In this
puzzling situation, while continuing
their under-cover efforts at organic
ing for the fight, and seeking
further light on the state Of Mr..
Coolidge's mind.
Strange Tension Holds
The Republican possibles Frank
o. Lowden, Herbert Hoover, Charles
@. Dawes, Charles Evans Hughes.
Nicholas Longworth. and others
have thus far observed the arneni
ties by polite expressions OF regret
and complete silence concerning
their own plans.
Governor Lowden was q con
spicuous exception.
He almost matched Mr.. Coolidge
in cryptic utterances by merely
saying that he had never heard d
anyone who IRAN away from this
Presidency.
He voiced no regret at Mr.. Cool
idge's decision. -
II Mr.. Coolidge does not choose
to eiucidate further his own posi-
tion. the politicians here believe
that this period Of inactivity on
the part OF his rivals viii be fol
lowed before many weeks by the
gradual development Of full-fledged,
tn-the-open candidates..
Lowden already 10 IA the open
with his, ana Herbert Hoover's, q
not far behind.
Support Is Now Question
Proceeding apace with the 'speCu.
lati0n as to Mr.. CoOlidge'S own
intentions, is speculation 81 almost
equal range concerning where and
to whom the President could throw
his support, II at all.
The general belief here b that q
VIII go, IL e goes at all, to either
Hughes or Hoover.
There il no love lost between
Mr.. Coolidge and Vice President