THE PRESIDENCY: Mr. Coolidge's Week: Sep. 17, 1923

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THE PRESIDENCY

Mr. Coolidge's Week

Much of the President's time was taken up with consideration of relief work for Japan. The Secretaries of War and of Navy brought him reports. He conferred also with Secretary Hoover (a member of the Executive Committee of the American Red Cross) and with Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Eliot Wadsworth (Treasurer of the Red Cross).

Other events centering around the White House:

¶ Bascom Slemp, former Congressman from Virginia, was sworn in (on his 53rd birthday) as Secretary to the President. A few days later the Democratic National Committee made public several letters (chiefly written by Mr. Slemp's secretary) purporting to give additional evidence that Mr. Slemp as Congressman trafficked with Government patronage. Excerpts: " The question is: Can we get the one we appoint to put up some cash? ... Be sure and destroy this letter. . . . Give it to the one that will give you the most. ..."

¶A committee from the Civil Service Reform League asked the President to issue an executive order whereby the men who had the highest rating in examinations for postmasterships would automatically take office. The present method is to choose from the top of the list. The committee claimed that this would greatly lessen the President's work.

Shortly afterwards a delegation of post-office clerks, called at the White House and the President said: " You are a picked body, holding your postion not by favor, not by the good graces of any man or any set of men, but by reason of an examination. ..."

¶I Henry Ford and Edsel called on the President with reference to Muscle Shoals. If Mr. Ford should make a contract with the Government for this fertilizer plant, it would eliminate him as a Presidential aspirant.

A man cannot hold a contract from the Government and a Government office as well. It is believed, however, that Edsel Ford will sign the contract, if it is made. It is understood that Mr. Coolidge will let Congress decide the question. If the contract were refused to Mr. Ford through the President's intervention, the farmers might demand to know why they were denied Henry Ford and fertilizer. ¶ President Coolidge accepted an offer, made by Mrs. A. B. Calhoun of Atlanta, of a White House dog, an Airedale, half brother of Laddie Boy. ¶ To the National Council of Traveling Salesmen assembled at Atlantic City, Mr. Coolidge telegraphed: " The evidence of continuing good business conditions and the indications of further improvement from this time forward are such as must be gratifying to your members, representing, as they always do, the best informed and most understanding business optimism of the country . . ." President Coolidge made his second excursion on the Potomac aboard the Mayflower. He was accompanied by Mrs. Coolidge, their two sons and by C. Bascom Slemp and Dwight W. Morrow. Mr. Morrow is a classmate of the President from Amherst, a partner in J. P. Morgan & Co., Chairman of the New York Red Cross Committee on Japanese Relief.