Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03


~ Chatter clatter, haiti Atten-
ton! Caisson stops. Prick
cared horses stop, cavalry pennons nut
tering. Infantry stops, khaki spic and
span.
Drubbing muttering comes near. comes
near, comes low; airplanes in the sky.
Human walls along the street. Flags
from windows, flags from streets. Muir.
muir of thousands, handclapp1ng OF
thousands, now and then cheer.
Two plain black motors. eagle seals
upon their doors. One goes up through
iron gates to the white portico. The
other goes under high stone arches to
the waiting train.
The man who has welded the greatest
power of any man on earth departs
under the stone arches-a plain Ameri-
can citizen. The man who will WELD
that power walks under the portico, now
thirty-flrst President OF the United
States.
1t is a phenomenon the like Of which
exists nowhere else in the world. 1t Is
q political fact which should make the
heart of every American citizen beat
faster with reasonable pride.
For In the symbolism of his surround
ings are represented the wishes and the
power of mighty people. AT the same
time never for a moment Is he to feel
that power as personally his, but that 1t
Is his only for time.
It is Washington's moving day-a
moving day which exists In no other
American city and no other city any
where else in the world.
The throngs of visitors in the streets,
crowding the barrack-like bleachers up
and down the Avenue" jamming Po-
tomac Park and Massachusetts, avenue
with their motors, surging up to the
steps of the Capitol, whose trees bloom
with a strange fruit Of sound devices;
dancing at an inaugural BALI; filling
hotel rooms, overflowing into private
houses; getting together by States; sing
ing In great festival-theSe crowds are
like wide waters through which thread
the banks Of nationally and Of interna-
tionally known dignitaries who are max
ing their farewells and moving on.
Weeks before the White House NOV
ing had taken place. The lower hail.
Offices, the basement between the aides
Offices and the shining White House
kitchen, the attic up above 1t all, had
Hung for days to the sound Of hammers
mailing up packing cases to carry away
the personal possessions of the depart
ing President.
He had come into that house a few
years ago with the few belongings Of a
simple person. He Is taking away With
him the hundreds Of gifts by which
other simple citizens tried to express
their personal regard for him or their
sentimental regard for his ONCE.
7 EFT us put it on its highest plane.
IL If some of these offerings were
prompted by less worthy motives-the
desire for advertising or the hope of
recognition by the great-it Is not for
us to identify them. At any rate, there
they are, and something must be done
about them. So Mr.. Coolidge has had
them all packed up. Don't try to get
them all into the house." he Is said
to have adjured mover" his minds
eye upon the little house in Northamp-
ton. Don't try to put them all into the
house, or they'll stick out through the
windows"
What he will do with them all Is a
thing for you to wonder about. Some
Of them viii grow in added meaning
with the years. Such, for example, as
the beautiful set of silver service plates
presented to him by the cabinet. And
such, by a more real picture OF the
Coolidge personality, as the 10-gallon
hat.
The hundreds of pairs Of shoes ought
to last for the rest of his lifetime. For
he appreciates good shoes and knows
how to use them. Just as Napoleon,
when he saw the linen warder putting
away the sheets, instructed her always
to put the clean ones on the bottom
of the pile so that all would wear even
~, so Mr.. Coolidge wears his shoes in
rotation.
But canes are something else again
Canes Of malacca and thorn and ebony
ard jacaranda, headed canes, hooked
canes, straight canes, canes of all known
lengths and canes Of special makes
and all Of them called canes" and not
walking sticks There had to be q
special case for them alone.
And cigars. More fieeting In the use
but nearly as lasting in the memory.