Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-05

Out of the maze Of conflicting inter-
pretations put upon the president
statement, Il do not choose to run for
President in 1925" and as the varied
emotions of his friends and Toes
which this bombshell precipitated be-
gin to get under control, the opinion
of those in the best position to know
his mind and to judge his words is
approaching unanimity on two points
~ Mr.. Coolidge made his statement IN
good faith and Is genuinely desirous OF
quitting the presidency at the expira-
ton of his present term. IN olnei
words, Mr.. Coolidge does not employ
schoose" as the equivalent OF seek,
hut in the sense "having my choice of
accepting or declining, l decline ~
Despite his statement and despite ms
own desire, he can be drafted ana VIII
accent the nomination If his party OF
its own yolition and with unanlmlty
tenders 1t. The basis Of the OPINION
that nevertheless he can be drafted
which is being asserted tenaclously by
those who have known him longest
ond hest cannot be satisfactorily eluc1-
dated in a. paragraph. 1t Is merely re-
corded here that such opinion Wldely
prevails.
IT Ia much too soon to prophesy
whether or not Mr.. Coolidge Will oe
drafted in the face Of his statement
and in the face of the political up
heaval in his party which Will tran
spire during the next nine months III
consequence of it. plausible arsu
ments can be and are being advanced
to sunport whichever conclusion SUITS
the individual desires. The Presi-
dents friends believe he Will accepl
with equanimity whatever the rates
have in store. There is one Iurthei
certainty, and that Is that MT. Cooi'
idge will select no one to be MS poiiti'
cal legatee. No man in pubic ne
has ever displayed greater aptitude
for keeping clear Of entangling al
liances and holding himself aloof from
nolitical controversy. Any asplraht
for the nomination who hopes TO Sc
c11re a Coolidge Endorsement Is des-
tined to be sadly disappointed.
The indications now seem pretty
clear that William M. Butler or Mas
sachusetts. chairman Of the Republl-
can national committee, will seek 10
return to the Senate next year. All
reports from the Bay State are pltcned
in the same key to the effect that
Chairman Butler can have the RepuD-
lican senatorial nomination II he wants
it. that if he consults his own desires
he will make the fight, and that ne
is supremely confident that ne can
win and defeat Senator David /.
Walsh, who will come up next year Ior
reelection. Last years Massachusetts
senatorial contest, when Walsn I'll
umphed over Butler, is regarded by
the Republicans as "huke, "hlch
will not happen again. The prize then
was only the two years remaining OF
| the unexpired term Of the late Sena-
| tor Lodge.
IF II finally eventuates that MIR.
| Coolidge is definitely out or the presl-
dental race, then it becomes certain
| that Mr.. Butler will relinquish the
craftsmanship Of the Republican ma
| tional committee next year. 10 GATE
there has been great uncertainty and
much speculations as to the committee
Craftsmanship in the 1928 campaign.
| Upon the assumption that Mr.. Cool
| idge will be the Republican nominee.
| it was asserted with much logic that
| the President would be 1nsistent tnal
Mr.. Butler remain as chairman. Upon
the assumption that Mr.. Butler in
| tended to run again for the senate
it was argued that this would necessl'
| ta., his resignation as chairman, since
he could scarcely manage the national
campaign and his own senatorial cam
paign concurrently. Mr.. Butler did
this last year, but there was no presi'
Dental contest then. The politicians
with keen eye on the Craftsmanship
have been unable to decide to their
own satisfaction which of these two
contradictory factors would prevail
when the time came. AS matters now
stand, in the light Of Mr.. Coolidge
statement as to his own intentions
the only obstacle which stood in the
way of Mr.. Buffers senatorial candi
dacy-his duty to stand by the Presi