National Affairs: The Boys

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On the day of his first Cabinet meeting President Coolidge had also his first group meeting with newspaper correspondents. These meetings are a regular component of a President's life, and they are of no little importance. The President may act in a multitude of ways, but for the public what the President does is what the press representatives write that he does.

The procedure of one of these press conferences at the present time is about as follows: The correspondents send to the President in advance and in writing the questions which they wish him to answer. At the proper time twice a week the correspondents assemble, 50 or 100 of them, in the President's office. He exercises the privilege of answering only such questions as he cares to. Much of what he says is confidential and never printed. He gives the correspondents more information than they are allowed to print, in order that they may draw no mistaken conclusions in writing such matter as is to become public knowledge. As a rule it is also not permissible to quote the President directly. Information promulgated by correspondents as "from an authoritative source " may well be an indirect quotation of the President. On the other hand " a spokesman at the White House" who ordinarily gives out the official version of what happens at Cabinet meetings, is usually Secretary Hughes. In the first meeting with the President the correspondents had a surprise. Instead of being reticent Mr. Coolidge was frank and outspoken— full of humor. He spoke with self-confidence. He discussed the questions brought up directly, succinctly. His tone of voice if not commanding was at least full of assurance. He ended with a few humorous remarks and the correspondents ("hard-boiled news gatherers") applauded. It was a distinct success for the new President.