Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-11-24
PRESIDENT KEEPING
POLITICIANS AT SEA
Executive FroWnS on Moves
to Have Him Reconsider,
and Holds Peace.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Coolidge manages to keep
the politicians guessing because most
OF them are so accustomed to politi'
cal artifice that they think his state
ment about not choosing to run, ana
everything else since. is part OF
shrewd bit of political strategy.
And Mr.. Coolidge is as anxious as
he was last August to make II clear
that he does not wish to use his pow
er or influence with his own party 10
bring about denomination. Inc people
of Boston who circulated the chain
petition are known to be among Mf.
Coolidge's political friends. Anything
that emanates from Boston would be
presumed to have Mr.. Coolidge's sane
ton. ,,>
So the first time he saw a dispatch
in a local newspaper telling or now
the chain petitions were being circu-
lated. he took cognizance OF them-at
least he did not lay them aside as ne
could a newspaper inquiry on the sub
1ect. Even before the President acted,
there were political leaders in Con-
centicut. who took the same view
namely, that the circulation of the Pc
tition would do more harm than good.
And these leaders are themselves
friendly to the idea of drafting Mr..
Coolidge.
DiSlikes Movement.
What the President particularly dis
likes Is the idea of an organized move
ment in his behalf. He doesn't think
that it argues well for presidential
aloofness from pre-convention politics
If political leaders, some of whom are
under obligation to the administration,
undertake to draft" Mr.. Coolidge. The
Democrats would only need to point
accuSingly at such activity to prove
that the drafting" if it did occur,
was not spontaneous movement on
the part of the people but a we'll or.
ganized piece of canvasSing.
That Mr.. Coolidge is not going to
close his mind on the subject of accept
ing a nomination until the question is
actually before him for decision in the
shape of action by convention seems,
on the other hand, more assured than
ever. Mr.. Coolidge knows that the
most effective way to stop all talk of
drafting him is to announce definitely
that he will not accept the nomination
If offered. He reads the newspapers
closely and knows Of the activities of
various administration leaders, and he
knows, too. that stronger and
stronger sentiment is being developed
daily for his denomination. But so
long as this is spontaneous senti-
ment and does not take the form of
anything requiring his decision he will
lot take cognizance of it.
Left Choice to Party.
Perhaps when convention time
comes, If the demand is apparent, he
will subordinate his personal prefer
ence and accept, but it is doubtful
whether he has ever communicated
such a possibility to any one, as he
felt that when he wrote his statement
on not choosing to run it ended the
matter SO far as he was concerned
and left the question Of who should
be the nominee to the party conven-
ton. What he'has resented most was
the saying that President in Office
could dictate a nomination. So he Is
discouraging any activity by his
friends, who would appear to be act.
ing with his knowledge and authority,
as was the presumption naturally
about his own home town folks and
associates, who started a Nationwide
system of circulating petitions asking
him to reconsider his unwillingness to
run.
incidentally, this is not the way
nominations are usually made for the
presidency, and even if $4,000, 900 sig
natures were obtained this might only
serve to embarrass the delegates
chosen to make a nomination. Mr..
Coolidge wants all the other candi-
dates to have a free chance and
wants the convention to pick some
body else If it can. AS to what he
world do if finally nominated. this is
something on which he is keeping
silent, for it is bridge he doesn't
have to cross as yet.
Copyright 1927