Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-03
The Political Mill
By G. Could Lincoln.

Newton D. Baker, Secretary Of Wa,
in the Wilson administration, has clearly
demonstrated again his views regarding
international cooperation time
speaking at the institute Of Politics a,
williams College. II Mr.. Baker Is t.
become the Democratic nominee 70,
President In 1882. the country viii have
an opportunity to vote for q man who
takes q Numerically opposite position
so far as international relations are
concerned, to the position of the ire
concilable isolattonists who, though
mated the situation In this country fol
more than q decade, made Americas
participation in the. League Of Nations
impossible and prevented effectual en-
try OF this country into the Worlc
Court up to the present time.
Mr.. Bakers address will be widely
read. In his opinion the American
people are far more willing to see
greater cooperation with the nations
than the politicians In the main realize
Undoubtedly the Democrats win weigh
carefully this statement by the former
Secretary Of War, one Of President VIII
sons warmest supporters and q de-
fender in 1924 OF the League OF Nations
proposal at the Democratic National
Convention IN that year.
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In all probability the Republican
leaders would welcome campaign next
year in which the Democratic standard
bearer took the side Of greater CO.
operation by this country with the rest
nf tho VxnVld ~ thu
haps, of final entry into the League of
Nations. Many Of these Republican
leaders, while they have given their ap-
proval to the Hoover intergovernmental
debt suspension plan, have done so
only on the theory that the plan Is G
temporary measure of relief and on the
insistence by the President that there
Is to be no shaving down or cancella-
ton of the war debts owed this country
by its former allies. Several of these
gentlemen have gone to the White
House to talk with the President and
to receive personal assurances from him
that there is nothing back OF the pres
ent effort of the United States Govern
mert to help. economic recovery in Ger
many and other European countries
which would indicate that this country
is to be permanently involved or that
there Is to be q lessening OF the debt
payments to this country.
Senator Moses of New Hampshire Is
one of these irreconcilable Republicans,
along with Senator Watson of Indiana,
the Republican leader Of the Senate.
They have given their assent and ap-
proyal to Pc Presidents plan on the
understanding that there Is to be no
debt cancellation or forward movement
into the Political affairs Of the Euro
peaE nations.
NO less distinguished a Republican
than the Vice President, Mr.. Curtis.
has expressed the opinion that any
move toward the cancellation of the
war debts owed this country would find
80 per cent of the voters in opposition
to such cancellation. He and other
Republican leaders are deploring the
fact that Immediately after the publ
cation of President Hoover's intergov-
ernmental debt suspension plan there
appeared here and there statements
the first step looking to debt cancella-
ton.
Former President Coolidge's White
House physician, Col James F. Coupal
is quoted in st. Paul as saying that he
has no doubt Mr.. Coolidge would be a
candidate for President next year If the
people express decisively a desire to
draft him Ito meet the situation" Col
Coupal probably is right. No American
has yet declined to be President under
such circumstances, and probably none
would. But just how the people are to
express such desire to draft Mr.. Cool
idge or any one else remains to be seen
Undoubtedly the Democrats would not
join in any such move to draft Mr.
Coolidge. which, after all, leaves the
matter up to the Republicans alone
The Republicans nominate their candi-
dates for President in national conven-
tons after preferential primaries are
held in many States. Mr.. Coolidge
would have to run the gauntlet Of such
a convention. He may be able to hear
the voice of the people calling him-oY
OF the Republcans-before next June
and become receptive candidate
Other candidates have been less hard
Of hearing than Mr.. Coolidge.
Col. Coupals suggestion that Mr..
Coolidge would be glad to run for Presi-
dent next year, coming as it does from
the former White House physician, who
has continued to remain a consultant Of
Mr.. Coolidge, may be regarded in some
quarters as trial balloon. It may
bring in its wake demands from old
supporters Of Mr.. Coolidge that he en-
ter the lists for the Republican nomi-
nation. The late Col. Theodore RooSe-
welt. after he had yielded the White
House to his Secretary of War, the late
William Howard Taft, for four years
under conditions almost identical with
the manner In which Mr.. Coolidge
stepped aside to give way to the nomi-
nation and election of Herbert Hoover
then Secretary Of Commerce in Mr.,
Coolidge's cabinet, heard, or thought
ne heard, the call Of the people for his
return to the White House. The result
was the election Of Woodrow Wilson, a
Democrat, in 1912. There does not seem
to be the slightest doubt that If Mr.
Coolidge and his friends should under
take to bring about the nomination
next year of Mr.. Coolidge in place of
President Hoover there would be a
strenuous fight within the ranks of the
Republican party. All Of which would
cause the Democrats a great deal of
Joy.
Col. Coupal also Is quoted as saving
that Mr.. Coolidge would have loved
70 be reelected President in 1928,
despite his now famous at do not
choose to run" statement. If the
colonel is correct, Mr.. Coolidge prob
ably is thanking his stars that the
people" did not 60 ahead insisting at
that time that he be renominated.
Furthermore, Col. Coupal,s statement is
considerably at variance with the re-
port of a member of Congress who
talked with Mr.. Coolidge shortly after
he had issued that statement. That
member of Congress said Mr.. Coolidge
had insisted that If he held on to the
White House job after March 4, 1929,
the chances were that he would lose
his standing with the people and be-
come a very unpopular President. Mr..
Coolidge's theory, according to this
member Of Congress, was that no man
could hold the presidency beyond eight
years and continue to be highly re-
garded by the American people.
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