Evening star., 1927-10-31
Fess Talk With President
Revives Debate on "ChoOse"

Talk and differences of opinion
about the do not choose" statement
persist. notwithstanding the belief of
great many observers that what
President Coolidge said to Senator
F'ess the other day ought to settle the
matter once for all. The President, as
Mr.. Fess explained to the newspaper
correspondents after a White House
interview, was angry because his
friend. the Senator, had been saying
that the Republican party would re-
nominate Mr.. Coolidge even if he did
not choose to run.
Even some of the newspapers which
had been doubtful about the meaning
of the Presidents original statement
now seem convinced that he intended
definitely to end the movement to give
him another term. Others think there
was no excuse for the attitude Of Sen.
ator Fess and his associates in the
first place. AS the Detroit News Tin
dependenO sees it, certainly the as
sumption on which Mr.. Fess pro-
ceeded was no compliment to the
President of the United States" The
Lincoln Star independently condemns
the thought that the President is
manufacturing a popular demand"
and the Allentown Morning Call de-
clares that the Senator mot only mis-
interpreted the word choose but also
his closest friend"
''Was ever a man so insulted in the
house of his friends?" asks the Column
bus Ohio State Journal Republican,.
while the Springfield Illinois State Jour-
nal Republican) says the Fess inter
view should settle ''those few Zealots"
who would imply that the President
did not really mean all that he said"
To the Butte Daily Post Republican)
it seems manifest that, instead of
conniving for another term, he is reso-
lutelv at work giving excellence to the
second half of his present term" The
Springfield (Mass.) Union Republican)
adds that "the only way President
Coolidge can be safely taken is at his
word
OF the suggestion that Mr.. Coolidge
may become the nominee by draft"
whatever may be his present inten-
ton. the Rochester Times Union Gnde-
pendent) remarks that "to pretend to
put away the crown and then yield to
the clamor of ones friends would be
profoundly undignified and unworthy
Of President of the United States"
X X X
And yet there still are some en-
phatic doubters. THE only final an
swer lies with Calvin Coolidge" in
sists the New York Evening Post.
Our hope is that he will see the ad-
visibility of making it before the
country comes to feel that he is plac-
ing himself in a controversial, can
tankerous, or even ridiculous, posi-
tion."
Calling the Coolidge position one
that "leaves him in complete control
of the situation up to the very mo-
ment of the nomination" the Charles
ton Evening Post independent Demo-
cratic) argues: IF he Is able to hold
it at that. he need not determine until
the last moment whether or not he
will run. and if he finally yields to the
call of the party, he will be able to
point out that he did not SO much as
lift his finger to get the nomination"
The Asheville Times independent
Democratic) finds it difficult to resist
the conclusion that, despite his sim
cere statement of his preference not
to run. despite the fact that he is
making no effort to secure the nomi-
nation. Mr.. Coolidge is receptive"
Conceding that the President has
not answered one question, the Bing-
hamton Press independent Republi-
CAM thinks his attitude entirely
proper. "If," asks the Press, "the Re
publican national convention were
unanimously to demand of MIR. Cool
idge that he accept a denomination,
would he consult his personal desires
to retire to private life or respond to
his public and party duty? That
seems to be about the only question
that Mr.. Coolidge has left unanswered,
and he cannot reasonably be expected
to answer that question until it is put
to him by the convention"
Talk of drafting him Is rather alb
surd." in the opinion of the Chicago
Daily News. There are too many /,
independent and self.respecting men in |
the Republican party to warrant such
a gratuitous assumption of its help |
lessness or it's intellectual bank.
ruptcy." And the Nashville Banner