Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-24
spseial Dispatch to The Star.

epecial Dispatch to The Star.
NORTHAMPTON, Mass, Februar,
ga great deal of speculation ha
arisen concerning the future of JOIN
Calvin Coolidge, citizen of the UniteC
States and Northampton. who vii
shortly succeed Calvin Coolidge, thu
30th President of the United States.
Where, with his gracious wife, Mrs
Grace Goodhue Coolidge, he will maks
his future abode and what he vii
choose as his future vocation has beer
discussed at length by press and citizen
ry alike. The President, Mrs. Coondge
and those closest to him have beer
asked the question and the answers in
variably have added to the mystery
In the SNUG little city of North
amrton. with its cross cuts Of culture
old New EnglandiSm, farming instincts
and limited industrialiStic aspects
where some Is or 16 years ago this
same John c. Coolidge grew in po-
litical acumen and became for time
!, Calvin Coolidge, and finally just
Calvin Coolidge; the future OF Its most
prominent citizen is very vital cues
zion.
Vetoes Reception Plans.
Northampton learned with delight
mat the President and Mrs. Coolidge
would leave Washington Immediately at
the conclusion of the inauguration OF
Herbert Hoover, his successor, Tor the
Northamoton home Plans for their
reception were formulated tentatively
and the greeting to be extended to the
retiring occupants OF the White House
was TO be nothing If not elaborate.
The staid little city, under the lead
ership of its mayor, Jesse A. Q. Andre,
~ 20
extraction. set to work at once. 1t
bubhled over with elation and, so to
sneak. started "to tell the world how 1t
would welcome home its eminent son
with fanfare of trumpets and flQWery
TIE "SiIent Man" of the White House
read of the coming events and vetoed
There is no gainsaying the point that
Northampton and Mr.. Coolidge's for-
mer associates, all counselors ana
guides at the outset Of his steady al
vance across the political stage to the
pinnacle of achievement, regret the
countermanding order i.
Ralph w. Hemenway, law partner Of
Calvin Coolidge, read with distinct
catch In his voice before the Chamber OF
Commerce the communication received
from the President requesting that he be
allowed to return to Northampton with
Mrs. Coolidge unostentatiouSly. Thus
was swept away the little hour OF tri-
Hnaph that Northampton and its leading
ettizens had hoped to enjoy.
Always Silent Man.
Old friends of the President are not
SURPRISED at his reaction to the pro-
posed program They recalled that the
former Lieut.. Gov. Coolidge rode from
Boston to Springfield, Mass, in day
coach each week end and paced the ex-
tremities of the former Union Station
platform in Springfield alone. while ne
waited for connections to Northampton.
They tell of his silent entry to the
modest home in the double house az
Massasoit street in Northampton and
how he made his way to q quiet pary
of the dwelling without, If perchance
Mrs. Coolidge was entertaining friends,
disturbing the guests by his presence.
Popularity the President is summed up
by the citizenry of Northampton as
soweWl1at reserved and cold. His closer
associates. feeling they understand his
manner better, call him shy and embar-
raised.
The President is unchanged in this
trait after his years of. prominence Is
the belief of those who. claim to know
him best.
The President has tabooed any of
fetal demonstration upon his arrival.
so far as can be discovered, he has
made no special provisions for his re-
ceptipn at his home on MassaSoit
street.
Home Remains Unchanged.
The six-room dwelling in his half Of
the "up-and-down" double house,
which has been his legal home for
more than Is years, remains just
about as 1t was when he left it to take
I'M his abode in the governors mansion
At Boston. Il is coy and friendly, but
must be inspected to realize how un-
pretentious its furnishings.
Here and there have been added
Ri1ts and collected treasures, but the
furnishings are the same.
The President and Mrs Coolidge VIII
O. greeted by Alice Reckhan, who has
taken over the duties of h0uSekeeper,
the task which she has Allied for the
greater part Of Mr.. Coolidge's political
she predicts that the President viii
take up his old role as q private citizen
without affectation. Mrs. ReckhAn has
nothing to offer that will prove satisfac-
tory to an interested public concerning
the future course of the Presidents
career. It is gathered from converse
tions with this pleasant-faced and
agreeable mistress of the Coolidge resi-
d0nce in Northampton that the PrfSi-
dent himself has made no other. decision
6f importance but one.
Close to Mrs. Coolidge's Mother.
Both he and Mrs. Coolidge viii remain
in or in close proximity to Northanap-
ton, where they may keep In constant
touch with Mrs Lemira Goodhue, Mrs
CooIidge's mother, who is confined to
the Cooley-Dickinson Hospital. That
IS plainly indicated by the plans for re-
ceiving President and Mrs. Coolidge.
The four United States Army trucks
which left Washington Monday for
Northampton loaded with the gifts to
and the personal effects Of the Presi-
dent and First Lady arrived without IN
toward event.
The feet was driven direct to the
Hampshire County Trust Co. in North.
ampton upon arrival and two barrels
and two boxes, one of the latter marked
glass" were unloaded and stored In
the banks vault. Capt. Paul Rutten ir
command of the Army detail driving
the trucks, was met by Attorney Hemen-
way, the Presidents former law partner
and Gordon L. Willis the president d
the bank.
Questions were laid down with thu
precision of barrages on the detail o.
Army men, but they professed igno-
rance concerning the contents. Ont
insistent individual was finally informes
by q khaki clad youth that "Them's'
hsllin' tackle in them boxes" TIL
sally raised mild cheer from thos
who heard it.
The balance of the Shinnnent nackel