Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07
PRESIDENT TO HOLD
ALOOF FROM FIGHT
Let's Party Leaders Know
He Will Not Try to Sc
Iect Successor.
BY j. RUSSELL YOUNG.
staff Correspondence OF The Star.

STATE GAME LODGE, BLACK
HILLS, S. Oak, August 6.-President
Coolidge is represented as not having
the faintest idea of becoming involved
in the fight for the Republican nomi-
nation to succeed him in the White
House
1t is known that he Is determined
to hold aloof from the pre-convention
struggle in his party and that in the
meantime he will not indicate a pref
erence for any one candidate. He has
no desire to emulate President Roose-
velt, who selected William Howard
Taft as his successor and who virtual,
ly made him President in 1908. What
he will do to bring about the election
of his party's candidate remains to be
seen.
This information comes from an as
sociate OF the President and from cer.
tain Republican leaders, high in the
party's councils. This intimate as
sociate expressed. himself to this ex-
tent not as a result of anything re-
lating to the subject the President has
divulged to him, but from a thorough
the Coolidge methods acquired through
friendship and association of many
years.
Has Told Party Leaders.
1t is known authoritatively that a
number of the party chieftains have
been in communication with the Presi-
dent since he staggered them with his
decision last Tuesday, and that the
President chose some very plain lam
guage to impress upon them that he
meant exactly what he said in that
announcement and that he has no am
bitions along the line of selecting his
successor or debating the next Re-
publican nomination.
Former Senator William NJ. Butler
of Massachusetts, chairman of the
Republican national committee, is un-
derstood to have been among these
leaders who have been in communica-
tiOn with the President since he
spoiled a perfectly quiet and peaceful
Summer for the Republicans by SO
unexpectedly renouncing the 1928
nomination. Mr.. Butler is said to
have been on the long g-distance tele
phone several times. and each time
he was more disheartened than the
time previous.
Mr.. Butler. who is not only one of
the Presidents intimate friends. and
who has been more or less his
political field marshal. was about as
surprised, IL not more ~ than the
average person throughout the coun-
try when he received the report of
the Presidents decision last Tuesday.
Despite their intimacy and their
political connections he had not been
| taken into the Presidents confidence.
He has been since represented as
hoping the President would reconsider
| the proposition.
Keeping Preference to Himself.
There has been a feeling during the
past day or so by those who had
anticipations that the President would
take a hand in the nomination of his
successor, that il he did not care to
figure personally, he would indicate
his preference through his old friend
and political manager, Senator Butler.
But there appears TO be not the
/ slightest foundation for this feeling or
| expectancy. According TO information
| received here today, the President Is
! counted on to keep his preference, If
/ he has any. to himself. and TO guard
! the secret just as closely and re-
! lieiously as he did his decision to
retire TO private life when his present
| term expires.
Another one OF the party leaders
! to whom he has made his intentions.
| it is understood, is William V. Hodges
| Of Montana, treasurer of the Repub-
lcan national committee, who with
his wife is a house guest at the Sum
mer White House over the week end.
! Whether Mr.. Coolidge will take any
! real part in the general election ca m
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