The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-01-05

! terially easing the tax burden from
which the country was suffering, Mr..
Coolidge In carrying out his economy
program, vetoed the soldiers bonus
bill and the measure to increase the
pay of postal employees. The bonus
was passed over his veto and subse-
quently the postal pay measurement
went through with his approval after
means Of providing the revenue had
been incorporated.
Opposed in the campaign by John
w. Davis, as the Democratic nominee,
and Senator LaFolette. running as an
Independent, the president remained
IN Washington. making but few
speeches and left active campaigning
to his running mate. The November
election swept MFR. Coolidge back in
to office, the popular vote for the
Coolidge-Dawes ticket exceeding 49,
OOO, OOO-nearly twice that given the
Democratic nominees and more than
three times as great as Senator La
Folette's total.
In his inaugural address, delivered
from the east portico Of the Capitol
on March I, 1925, the president pledg-
ed himself to continuance Of his
effort to bring about greater economy
IN government with q view to less
entng the tax burden and to the
promotion of peace through mutual
understanding with the nations Of the
world.
AS to his foreign policies. he had
already helped Europe extricate it.
self from the postwar muddle by
designating Mr.. Dawes, then a pri-
vate citizen, as the American to work
out a settlement Of the vexing rep
arations problem-an achievement
! which won the acclaim Of the world.
Like his predecessor, he advocated
adherence to the World Court proto-
col with reservations designed to pre-
vent American involvement in the
League OF Nations. Repeatedly he
urged senate action to this end.
Mr.. Coolidge had long felt that adj
ministration should be given chance
to catch up with legislation, in view
OF the great mass Of state and federal
statutes that had been placed on the
books annually for many years, and
the program he announced after an
intensive survey of conditions upon
entering the white house was not as
extensive as some laid down by other
presidents. Yet he regarded 1t as
covering all essential points, and as q
result of his management or the
Soundness of the policies enunciated,
he could say by the summer Of 1926
that his program had been In a large
part achieved.
Set Up Credit Banks
Under his leadership congress had
set up intermediate banks for ex-
tending credits to farmers and had
encouraged the cooperative market
ing movement but this was held en-
tirely inadequate by many in states
Of the middle and northwest.
Another issue which arose In inten-
sive form during the 1926 session was
that Of prohibition. It was almost
continually under discussion in COM
mitteeS and on the floors Of the house
and senate for months, but Mr.. Cool
idge took no part In 1t. His policy
from the first was of enforcing the
law, and SO long as the prohibition
amendment and act stood it was his
intention to support them.
The aviation question also arose as
a result of dissatisfaction expressed
within the army air service. Colonel
William Mitchell, former assistant
chief OF that service, was the out
spoken critic of conditions, and al
though he was convicted by court
martial of conduct to the prejudice
of good order and discipline and re-
signed from the army, President Cool
idge met the attacks on the prepared
ness of the country in aviation and
aeronautics by appointing board,
headed by Dwight Morrow, the New
York banker, to investigate the entire
question.
The report of that board. recon-
mending expansion Of the air services
of the army, navy and marine corps,
and encouragement Of civil aviation.
was adopted by congress in legisla-
ton substantially carrying out its
chief points and the agitation In the
country on that issue subsidized.
Aside from any element of luck.
there had been personal factors of
first Importance in the rise Of Mr..
Coolidge on the political ladder. The
distinction achieved In legislative
halls and his administrative ability
as governor were not accidental. One
of his outstanding characteristics was
sound judgment. which his friends
said was reflected in his marked abil-
ity to see through o given situation to
the fundamental basis.
Mr.. Coolidge also was man Of re-
markable poise, poise that was UNI
disturbed when he was aroused In the
middle of an August night In his
fathers little Vermont farm house to
be told that he was president Of the
United States. He was unruffled
through that experience, walking
lquietly down the stairs, greeting news
paper correspondents, carefully OBJ
tanning an official copy Of the presi-
dental oath, being sworn in by the
dim lamp light by his aged father, a
notary, and then leaving quietly for
Washington. where for many days he
was to 60 through q most trying ex-
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