Evening star., 1932-10-12
Mr.. Coolidge Does His Bit.

Mr.. Coolidge Does His Bit.
There are, of course, two recognized
methods of fighting a spreading fire.
One is to start fire in the opposite
direction, to fight fire with fire.
Another is to throw water on the flames
and thoroughly wet down the area
toward which the fire is spreading. or
the two methods the former is far more
colorful. 1t is being used extensively
at this stage of the campaign. A Demo-
cratic orator who starts a fire is fol-
lowed by Republican who throws his
torch in the same general vicinity and
sets counter-flre, and the poor voter
whose lungs are not filled with smoke
Is singed by the flames. Issues and
counter-is issues merely furnish the tinder
for the all-enveloping conflagration OF
these final weeks of the campaign.
But in New York last night, sharply
outlined against the haze OF smoke,
stepped cool Calvin Coolidge. He left
his box of matches at home and brought,
instead, a bucket of what appeared to
be cold water. which he proceeded with
traditional calm to spread over some
of the more hazardous spots that were
already smoking from the heat and apt
at any moment to burst into bright,
red flame. He drenched these spots
with a flood of that particular brand
of extinguisher known as Coolidge
philosophy.
Whether, at this stage of the game,
the treatment will be effective is, OF
course, a matter of doubt. Sometimes
a fire will burn itself out regardless
Of what is done to stop it. There may
have been those in the sympathetic and
demonstrative audience which heard
him last night who believe that If Mr..
Coolidge was not inclined to fight fire
with fire, he might at least have tried
dynamite But that is not Mr.. Cool
idge's method The picture of the state
of things right now is perfectly clear
to him; the remedies for what is wrong
are nicely and concisely arranged.
Those who exercise the privilege of
voting in November should regard that
privilege as judicial function" The
candidate for office should be carefully
examined as to his records in the past,
the policies he has espoused in the
past and those which he proposes for
the future" For mo other attitude
in approaching an election is worthy
of a free people" Although the de-
preston is laid at the door Of the
administration, study of the facts
will show how erroneous it is to do this.
If wisdom in government could have
prevented the depression, would not
some government, somewhere, have
shown wisdom? Yet no government
escaped the depression. IF no such
remedy anywhere has been found, the
inference is practically certain that the
present economic condition was brought
about by forces no government could
foresee and prevent" 1t is not GER
tain, Of course. Nothing is certain.
1.-THE inference is practically certain"
The tariff? About two-thirds Of
our enormous imports and all our ex-
ports are free of duty" There is moth
ing new in the idea of competitive
tariff. Did not President Cleveland
"a wise statesman and so sound on
most economic questions that his party
deserted him. dispose Of the theory of
tariff through treaty? Reciprocity on
a wide scale is not practical"
Leadership? Mr.. Coolidge asks to be
pardoned "for a slight reference to
what appears to be offered in its place"
and states the record of the House of
Representatives on economy and taxes
under Democratic leadership. Mean
time, the comparison is invited between
this record and that of the President.
Is it true that the Republican party
does not show any "solicitude for the
common run of people? This charge
Is made against the party of Lincoln
and Roosevelt. Lincoln and Roosevelt
are both dead. No one has any personal
W oPCoh III tiiCn lioAiiS, coS
the Republican party has never failed
to strive for the principles with which
they were identified. always the end
has been to improve the wellbeing Of
the ordinary run of people" THE Re-
publican party believes in encouraging
business in order that the benefits from
such business may minister to the well
fare of the ordinary run of people,"
Not as an impassioned spellbinder, but
as conservative advocate addressing
the judicious voter, Mr.. Coolidge pre-
sents my opinion of him president
Hoover to my fellow countrymen for
such consideration as they may believe
It merits"
The heat and the roar of the flames
are nothing to make one lose ones
head. Cold water quickly reduces them
to vaporous steam.