Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-02
The Coolidge Administration.


History may not record that the Cool.
idge administration is entitled to ranl
with the greatest Of our presidential
epochs. but no considered review of it,
achievements can fail to award it dis.
dnguished place. It took Office, a.
events soon after were to demonstrate
at critical juncture. Perhaps its chief
claim to fame rests upon the calm anc
cautious manner in which it grapplec
with a situation that would have lent
itself to precipitate and spectacular
methods had President addicted te
such practices happened to be in the
White House. Calvin Coolidge's COO
head during the year following the de.
mise Of President Harding was a ma
uonal asset of inestimable value.
Mr.. Coolidge told his farewell press
conference on Friday that he eonsid-
cred the "minding of my own bust
ness the principal accomplishment OF
his five and half years in the presi-
dency. The Vermonter is characteris-
tically modest BY Systematically ref,,s-
Ing to rush in where the Chief
Executive had no warrant for treading
Mr.. Coolidge very directly and very eff
1ectively minded" the Nations "busi-
ness" He was looking most construc-
lively after Uncle Sans knitting when
he hoasted Coolidge economy" to the
mainnlast of his administration and
kept that signal flying every solitary
nninuts. of. the tinAe he was skipper of
the ship of state.
The steady and substantial reduction
b6 the national debt became an early
Coolidge policy, and it was adhered to
with eminently successful results. Co.
incident with that program was the
plan for systematic tax reduction, Every
citizen who wades through the maze
OF income tax forms this month has
cause to be grateful to Coolidge econ
onay'' for the moderated stipends he is
now called upon to contribute to the
Treasury.
p upon Congress and the executive de-
partments President Coolidge, day In
and day out, impressed the urgent ne.
cessity OF living within the budget. Pc.
htical opponents accuse the retiring
President of leaving the country with
bigger annual expense account than
he found 1t with. But that is a school,
boys plant. The United States is
growing, and with its growth the cost
OF national living goes up. The answer
20 his critics Is that but for Calvin
Coolidge's unrelenting grip on the Re-
public's pursestrings the cost undoubt-
edIy would have gone up very much
more.
1t Is In the realm of our International
relations that the outgoing adrninistra-
ton achieved possibly its most enduring
tiumphs. The multilateral pact to out
law war will give President Coolidge,
and especially Secretary Kellogg. a
shining place In world history. Their
Joint efforts to bring about further
naval limitation were not vouchsafed
success, but the annals Of their time
will applaud at least their aggressive
attempt to obtain success.
The Coolidge administration brought
Arder out of the chronic chaos of our
relations with Mexico. 1t stabilized
conditions in Nicaragua. 1t ably con-
Quoted the United States case at the
sixth Pan-American Conference in
Cuba In 1928. 1t perpetuated Americas
traditional friendship for the Chinese
people by taking the lead in recognition
OF the new Nationalist government at
Marking. It has consistently main
tanned the United States unreadiness to
deal with Soviet Russia until the Com
rnunist autocrats at Moscow accord a
decent respect TO the rights of nations,
as We view them
In the burning question of European
politics-German reparations-the Cool
idge administration has revealed an in
terest that corresponds to our position
rs the Old Worlds creditor. At this
moment distinguished American citi-
zens. acting in tacit cooperation with
Washington, are participating in the
unraveling OF the reparations knot. Not
the least Of the Coolidge regimes merits
was its uncompromising refusal to per-
NIT German reparations to be confused
with EuTopes war debts to the United
States Treasury.
Calvin Coolidge and his cabinet leave
the country safe, solid and sound Pros
perity has been widespread, If not uni
versal. Agriculture clamored in vain at
the White House door for farm relief"
even after Congress twice voted aid OF
the McNary Haugen brand, but the
people as a whole look back upon the
Coolidge era as cycle Of contentment
snd national welfare
It was never pyrotechnical era, for
at its head was a man In whose lexicon
there Is no such word as fireworks. But
1t was five and half years In which
the American people felt themselves
peculiarly able to sleep Soundly at night
secure In the confidence that all was
well on the Potomac with Calvin Cool.
tdge at the helm.
The gratitude and the prayers of the
Nation he served SO faithfully, so un-
Dstentatiously, accompany him and his
gracious consort into private life.