Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-08
Ia Toilette on Coolidge.

Senator Robert NJ. La Toilette, jr..
of Wisconsin. says that the picture
of President Coolidge, disguised as
a strong, silent man. which the
newspapers built up in the public
mind. is beginning to fade"
OF course, no such picture was ever
built up in Senator La Follette's
mind. Perish the thought! Senator
La Toilette is a sincere and constant
opponent of President Coolidge. Moth
ing that Mr.. Coolidge has done or
cou,d do Is likely to win encomiums
from the Wisconsin Senator.
But Senator La Toilette speaks with
assumption of complete knowledge OF
the public mind. He sees the popu'
larity of President Coolidge waning
fast. But this is Senator La Toilette $
personal opinion. 1t is contrary to
the expressions of many men and
women in public and private life, so
contrary, in fact, that one may VEN
ture to doubt the eXactness Of the
La Toilette statement.
What has President Coolidge done
or not done which loses him the
great popularity which he has en-
loved? For surely not even MIR. La
Toilette will deny that the President
has been popular in the general &C.
ceptance of that term. The huge
vote which he rolled UP in 1924
throughout the country Is In itself a
sufficient answer to any question as
to the Presidents popularity. Has
the President faltered in the admin
istration of the affairs of the Nation?
Has he failed to deal adequately
with important questions which have
arisen?
1t is true that Mr.. La Toilette and
several other members of the Senate
did not like the manner in which the
President handled the Nicaraguan
situation and were displeased by his
veto of the McNary-Haugen farm re.
lief bill. But the Presidents policy
In Nicaragua has justified itself. Civil
war there has ceased. American lives
and property have been protected,
along with the lives and property OF
the Nicaraguans themselves. There
is to be an election with the United
States seeing fair play. Perhaps. after
all, the President was right in his
Nicaraguan policy and Mr.. La Fol
lette was wrong.
So far as the McNary.Haugen farm
relief bill veto is concerned, there are
many farmers who believe now and
believed at the time that the President
did the right thing in vetoing the meas
ure. The Presidents veto message,
showing the measure to be hopelessly
unavoidable. did much to correct the
impression which had been manu-
featured by political farmers that the
bill was a panacea.
Senator La Toilette sees In the
Presidents visit to the Black Hills
sure sign that he will be candidate
for denomination next year. Prob
ably Mr.. La Toilette would have been
Just as certain of the Presidents
candidacy for reelection IL he had
gone to New England or had re-
manned in the White House here. For
Mr.. La Toilette has been certain for
long time that the President would
be a candidate for the Republican
presidential nomination next year.
The Wisconsin Senator attacks this
candidacy as a violation of the third
term tradition" and as being inimical
to the best interests of the American
people. In the first place, another
term for President Coolidge will not
be third term" in the accepted
meaning of that phrase. And If 1t
be not third term, then the second
argument against his reelection falls
to the ground.
In his attack upon President Cool
idge Senator La Toilette has taken no
new course. Perhaps the Presidents
popularity throughout the country
will be able to withstand this blister
tering. Who knows?