The Washington times., 1929-04-29
LONG TALKS on
COOLIDGE AS
WRITER
BY DAVID p. SENTNER
Copyright. 1879. BY international
News servicel

NCOVyAtBAhs AS~~s -
News servicel
NEW YORK. April 29.-"Ive writ.
ten a piece" quietly said President
Calvin Coolidge.
He handed the manuscript to Ray
Long. magazine editor.
This was on January rs, 1929.
about one year and one half after
Long first suggested to Mr.. Coolidge
that he write the story. Of his six
years in the White House.
New refractions Of the Coolidge
character are revealed intthe negolia-
tions which resulted in an important
contribution to national az well as
publishing history
Tells Story
Long was prevailed upon to tell
the story Of the negotiations IN en-
exclusive interview with 1nt9rnA.
tional News Service today.
Upon receiving the manuscript
from President Coolidge, the fiscal
agreement was signed The Incl.
dent took place in the White H11se
executive office.
"You go Il, and read this" said
President Coolidge, tapping his
manuscript. "And II you are not
satisfied. there Is nothing that binds
you to take it."
"I glanced at the manuscript" re-
lated Long. And then / knew It
was one of those pieces which an
editor dreams Of running across
some day.
''Mr.. Coolidge insisted upon pro-
tecting his successor. He said, TT Is
must not be published until after
Mr.. Hoover Is inaugurated.'
"Do you care to reveal how much
Mr.. Coolidge received from your
magazine for his wrftings?" asked.
"I am sorry but / cannot" an.
swered Long. "Only three people
know"
Long asserted that, in his opin.
ion, Mr.. Coolidge was normally In
terested in the financial returns to
accrue from his writings but he
was more interested in getting his
story before the public.
"Mr. Coolidge was interested in
a fair price," said Long. But my
guess is that he wanted to talk to
the people as human being aItef
having been President six years. "
Curiously enough. Long received
his inspiration to urge President
Coolidge to write his autobiogra ply
following the information via Her.
bert Hoover, then Secretary OF
Commerce. that the President was
not a candidate for reelection.
Start On Trial
"a group gathered with Mr..
Hoover at Bohemian Grove. outside
Of San Francisco, on August q,
1927" said Long. "In addition to
Mr.. Hoover and myself. there were
George Barr Baker. Pete Kyne. G.
G. Norris and George Erickson.
Following a telephone can to
Mr. Hoover from the Summer
White House. Mr.. Erickson thia
secretary. announced to US:
He does not want to run
again."
''That started me on the trait Of
President Coolidge" said Long.
"As soon as he returned to Wash.
ington broached the writing SUBJ
ject at an appointment.
81 won't publish anything until
/ am out of office. Mr.. Coolidge
told me. visited him every two
months or so thereafter but he
would never say yes or mo- but
simply repeat his first statement.
But we. became excellent friends
and l found out that the President
was a real human being
"And until Mr.. Coolidge handed
me the finished manuscript last
January. never knew what he was
going to do"
Long is the editor of Cosmopol.
itan in which Calvin COOlidge's own
story ''On Entering and Leaving
the Presidency" is appearing In In.
sfaI1manfS