The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-14
BY RAYMOND CLAPPER

tCDpYrlgnt. 1881. DIV united PreSsl
NORTHAMPTON, Mass, Nov. IA
Calvin Coolidge apparently is the
only man left in America who re-
fused to volunteer advice for curing
the depression.
He is devoting himself energet-
ically to Winding his own business
in his characteristic silent way
If there were a shortage of advice,
Coolidge undoubtedly would do his
bit. But as with other commodities
the market on advice is gorged
So this man who guided the ma
ton through its richest years is
content to let those who have re-
Sponsibility exercise it while he sits
quietly in his country town law Of
fee here, philosophical and conf
dent that the common sense of the
average hard-headed man will make
the best of what there is and even
tually restore things to rights.
Shuns the Spotlight
Citizen Coolidge is one national
figure making a determined effort
to efface himself. Most public men,
after retiring from office, insist up
on resuming their amateur standing
which includes the prerogative of
telling the world often and long
what ought to be done
Coolidge learned in the White
House that it sometimes causes
trouble when a man, no longer in
a place of responsibility. cut off
from intimate facts, undertakes as
volunteer, to run the country.
Therefore this is no interview but
a closeup view of a man who after
playing a powerful role on the pub
lie stage, has gone back to his
normal life as private citizen to
make heroic effort to mind his
own business.
That is not easy for an EXPIRES
ident, especially one who voluntarily
retired at the height of his
popularity. He is asked almost
daily to attend a large dinner. But
if he. goes, he is pressed to speak.
Rejected Fat Salaries
He never has been abroad and
probably won't be able to go now.
Such a tour would involve honors
from foreign governments which it
would be ungracious not to accept.
Once he thought of becoming a
business executive. But he looked
into many offers he received and
found usually that they we're from
businesses which had some relation
to the federal government, or had
competitors who would suffer from
the mere fact of his connection with
rival company.
His position and prominence had
been given him by the people of the
nation. Tt is not something which
a man Of fine Sensibilities would feel
free to trade off for fat salary.
So. at 9 a. m. daily he goes to his
small law office up one flight in
the old Masonic. building here in
Northampton, which still retains
the small town flavor.
Has Tiny Law Office
The law office sign Coolidge and
Hemenway" has been erased partly
by years of window washing. The
sign on the door says walk in
You walk into Coolidge's Office
through a small ante-roon.
While we were talking a woman
client wandered into the room ask
ing, ''how do you get out of this
placer"
Coolidge told her to try the other
door.
The office is small with two desks.
Coolidge sits IN a corner in an old
fashioned golden oak chair appar-
emily there IN his early law days.
He leans back, puts one foot on IKE
desk, strikes an old fashioned wood
en- match on the sole of his shoe
and lights his cigar deliberately. He
still uses the white paper cigar
holders. the only visible relic of his
White House days.
There is a small faded picture Of
Lincoln on the wall, yellowed
facsimile of the Declaration of In
dependence, and a case of old law
books.
Coolidge had just received sad
news. Edward j. Blanchard, his
neighbor in Plymouth, and boyhood
playmate, had died. He decided at
once to attend the funeral,
Coolidge spent several weeks on
his farm recently. He worked on
the fences and barns, and tramped
the woods hunting. He reduced his
waistline and loked to be in the
best of health.
There appear to be no more gray
hairs than when he was President.
Business was not pressing and he
was IN mood to hear about events
IN Washington, old friends and new
buildings, as a former resident who
had moved away, not only PHYSICAL
ly, but mentally.