The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1927-08-12
COOLIDGE. THE. BIJFFOON


There was time when the Roman Emperors
put on games in the Circus, for the entertainment
Oh the public, In which they the leading char
acters IN the dramatizaton of the exploits of the
pagan gods and heroes and thus created an heroic
impression of themselves on the mass mind
Some of these performances were as pathetic as
they were ridiculous For instance one Emperor
with spiked club, actually attacked large men.
acting giants attacking him, armed with huge
sponges portraying stone. The emperor attacked
by these giant men, actually murdered them with
his spiked club, running no risk himself. This was
the popuace entertained and the hero illusion ere
ated-eXcept that it was not created, the people
realized just what it was and the Emperor be-
came a fool. The people, however, were enter
tanned
Later kings employed clown or witty per
son known as the Kings Fool to entertain the
public and his Court. He was given great liberty.
and was the life of the Court He was the kings
foolish side by proxy, saying the things to the
courtiers that the king did not care to saw him
self, and doing the things beneath the kings dip-
nifty to do The fool dressed in fantastic cos
tunes, with bells on his shoes and his can and
danced and giggled and smirked. and fisbed for
whales in water pails-much to the entertainment
of the Court and the people
But now the president combines the office of
hlng and Kings fool into one big job-or maybe
morgan Is KING and Coolidge is the fool Coolidge
is poor king and miserable failure as fool
Inc stuff that he pulls in schaps and Indian
Ieatners' and angle worm fishing, would not win
ripple in cheap circus
Surely the nation is coming to dire mass wbon
the president beats it back into the sticls ono
tries to play the fool for the entertainments of n.
puDhc--and the public is being entertained
doubt of it, and diverted also but such entertain
ment such diversion.
Inc Nation speaking of this latest function of
the president, had the following to say last week.
President Coolidge it seems to rs. de-
sends to lower and lower levels in his
western antcs Now he has been photo
elap.eu ana LImed as placer-miner
washing for gold in a stream to which
years ago there was a wild rush IF for
tme-seekers, and as a fisherman 1w;th
out wOrm)..- To show how his publ;citv
technique mas grown, the dispatches re-
port Ihat when he fOuled his line on a
Dusn ne called to the camera men to cut
tnat out. Even some of his greatest IA
mlrers admit that he has not heen m
holding the dignity of his high office since
ne went 10 the Black Hills and began his
circus performances in the hope that he
the western farmers
forgetting their woes The press foo
continues quite OutspOken. Thus the New
FORK Evening Post, mouthpiece of Cv-
rus d. Il. Curtis of Saturday Evening Post
Iame declares that neither East nor West
really liked or approved the cowbov
STUNT this after quoting with approva1
some sarcastic remarks by the Racine
JOurnal-News. 1t then adds "there Oupbt
to be warning signal hoisted in the RIacL
Hllls when East and West are at one in
declaring that they do not at all like the
particular brand of publicity being used
there" We cannot however. feel anv
real surprise at the Presidents Derform,
ances. From the day when he stole tha
credit for stopping the Boston nol;ce
strike he has known that you can mt anv-
thing over on the American public of 70
day. Why should he stop at public NAV
acting, not to say buffoOnery? We notice
with interest, however, that a Washington
news service entirely devoted To him. has
sent out the tip that official Washing ton ;s
now not so sure after all that Mr. Cool
ldge will be renominated."