National Affairs: Curtisies

Last week Vice President Charles Curtis was 70. The Senate celebrated with speeches. Secretary of the Treasury Mellon gave him a birthday dinner party. The Senate festivities started when New York's Senator Copeland, a physician, predicted that the Vice President was still physically good for many another year of service. South Carolina's Senator Blease hoped he would become President. Alabama's Senator Heflin called the Curtis career an "inspiration to youth" while Indiana's Senator Watson likened him to a "veritable Gibraltar."

Replied Vice President Curtis from the rostrum: "I love each and every one of you. I assure each and every one of you of my best wishes for these kindnesses."

In addition to presiding over the Senate, a Vice President's duties require him to substitute for the President as a speechmaker throughout the land. By tradition he must say nothing new or important but rather spreads goodwill and nice sentiments. As Vice President, Calvin Coolidge used to charge a fee, plus expenses, for such speeches. In May 1923, he asked and received $250 for a Memorial Day address to the United Patriotic Societies, Inc., at Bridgeport, Conn. This fee rose to plague him in the 1924 presidential campaign when Democrats denounced it as "cheap stuff," when Republicans insisted it was a "customary charge."

Vice President Curtis's favorite audience is young people, to whom he delivers a set speech. He used it upon the Senate pages at their Christmas dinner. Last fortnight he wrote it out for publication in the Yale News. Excerpts: "Never have opportunities so crowded themselves upon youth. . . . Youth is at a high premium; its courage and zest is its priceless asset. . . . National prosperity rests upon the quality of leadership developed and sponsored in youth—the leaders of tomorrow."

Last week Vice President Curtis made his speech to the graduating class of the Peirce School of Business Administration in Philadelphia. Excerpts: "The leaders of today must give way to those of tomorrow. . . . We live in a choice age—there never was a better period than that which awaits the young man of today. . . . You are what the business world is waiting for. . . . Business needs and has room for all of your type."