What's What—About Coolidge?/Chapter 1
CHAPTER I.
President Coolidge—The Hundred Percenter
IN his book, "Washington Close Ups" Edward G. Lowry has called "Silent" Cal Coolidge "a politician who does not, who will not, who seemingly cannot talk."
It is a hot day in January when Coolidge talks clearly and distinctly about the problems confronting the country. Yet, Coolidge's whole history—his meteoric political rise from a local figurehead to a national figure and international importance—has been marked by one hundred per cent loyal service to the employing class and uninterrupted hostility to the working and farming masses. Despite President Coolidge's much overadvertised silence and oppressive generalizations and vagaries—such as "a plan to strive for perfection" and "our platform"—every thread of his political record is a chain forged against the city and rural workers.
Having had fortune and greatness thrust upon him thru the death of Harding, Coolidge has become the thirtieth President of the United States at a time when the country is on the eve of giant class conflicts. The rise of Coolidge, who has ridden into national infamy thru outright strikebreaking activities, portrays with painful clarity the unbridled domination of the employing class over the working masses. Nothing can clinch this truth as forcefully as an examination of the President's record.
His Service to Capital
When the capitalists were laying their plans to drive the American workers and farmers into the infernal slaughter in Europe, the Massachusetts employers did more than their bit. And in the Bay State's preparedness drive and other activities to insure the maximum force to save Dollar-Democracy, Coolidge was more than there. Says the Republican Campaign Text Book for 1920: "He was actively instrumental in the lead, in preparation and later in the execution of plans which resulted in the big part Massachusetts played in the World War."
Already the army and navy leaders have announced that they are pleased with Coolidge in the Presidency. These war lords point with joy to such declarations of our new President as follow:
"The only hope for peace lies in the protection of the arts of war."
"One of our first duties is military training."
"We must never neglect military preparedness again."
"The great problem which our present experience has brought is the development of man power."
"To a free people the most reactionary experience, short of revolution, is war. In order to organize and conduct military operations a reversion to an autocratic form of Government is absolutely necessary."
After he helped smash the Boston police strike he ran for re-election as Governor under the slogan of "Law and Order." In this super-patriotic campaign of his, Coolidge was supported by the powerful capitalist spokesmen of both parties. Congratulations and promises of support poured in on him from Governors, newspapers, labor-hating agencies and Chambers of Commerce the country over.
Tho the Democratic Party was about to face a national election Woodrow Wilson, then President, thus wired Coolidge on his gubernatorial re-election: "I congratulate you upon your election as a victory of law and order. When that is the issue all Americans stand together."
The New York Times of November 4,1919, said editorially: "The one vital election, the one in which the whole country takes a keen interest, is in Massachusetts. Governor Coolidge's energy and courageous action in the Boston police strike gave him a national reputation and won him national respect. He is the candidate of order, of law …"
And the notorious New England Red-baiter Henry M. Whitney chimed in with this chorus of hate against the workers in this fashion: "The principles for which Governor Coolidge stands are vital to the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the United States and over the whole world."
Big Business Always with Him
When Coolidge was running for a second term as Governor the big Boston bankers did their all to secure a victory for him in recognition of his strikebreaking services.
Even tho Coolidge was not yet considered marketable presidential timber in 1920, yet the big capitalists openly invested, according to the Senate investigation committee, from $60,000 to $100,000 to sell Coolidge to the Republican voters in the primaries prior to the Chicago National Convention of 1920.
From the San Francisco Chronicle of August 12, 1923, we learn that Coolidge was nominated for the Vice-Presidency mainly through the manipulations of the California delegates. In this delegation, according to a speech delivered by Mr. Chas. Stetson-Wheeler of California at the 1920 Republican National Convention, there were men representing "practically every big business interest on the Pacific Coast." There were "among them the men who dominate great electric light and power interests and the presidents of three of San Francisco's largest banks—banks whose deposits aggregate more than $240,000,000."
Coolidge's nomination as Vice-President was applauded by the powerful financiers of the country. Typical of such whole-hearted indorsement of Coolidge is the following statement made by Mr. Francis L. Hine, President of the First National Bank, 2 Wall St., New York, and a director and officer of the American Can Co., American Cotton Oil Co., United States Rubber Co., and at least a dozen other banks, insurance, trust, and 'public utility corporations
"As for Coolidge, I think also the choice is excellent. He lends great strength to the ticket, and I think it a pity that a greater responsibility does not fall to the office of the Vice-Presidency with such a man nominated."
Alvin W. Krech, President of the Equitable Turst Co., 37 Wall Street, New York, and a director or officer of a least twenty-eight more banking, ice, coal, railway, lumber, iron, cotton oil, and power lighting corporations; and Mr. Walter E. Frew, President of the Corn Exchange Bank, 13 William Street, New York, and a director or officer of at least eleven more banking, land, soap and insurance corporations, were among the first to express great pleasure at Coolidge's being on the Republican ticket.
Closely associated with these men in business are such finance and industrial magnates as Walter C. Teagle, President of the Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, Paul D. Cravath, Otto H. Kahn, Fredrick R. Coudert, Edward R. Stettinius, T. W. Lamont, Frank A. Vanderlip, and J. Pierpont Morgan.
Now that Coolidge is President, the big bankers and industrial magnates are lauding him to the heavens. The Wall Street Journal has recently said that "Calvin Coolidge is considered a sound and conservative man." Chairman Robert S. Lovell of the Union Pacific Railroad and director of at least twenty-five more banking, railway, and steamship corporations has said: "The country is extremely fortunate in having such a clear-thinking, level-headed man as Mr. Coolidge, who stepped into the office in such a great emergency." Also, Elbert H. Gary has rushed in to pat Coolidge on the back with a statement the the new President "has demonstrated on many conspicuous occasions that he is alive to the financial, commercial, and industrial needs of the country, and that he stands for protection of property and welfare of individuals alike."
And when he was less than three weeks in office, President Coolidge had an official tete-a-tete with such overlords of industry and finance as: Julius H. Barnes, President of the United States Chamber of Commerce. A. C. Bedford of the Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey, Lewis E. Pierson, President of the Irving Bank, Columbia Trust Co. of New York, Chas. E. Weed, Vice-President of the First National Bank of Boston, Willis H. Booth, Vice-President of the Guarantee Trust Co. of New York and F. J. Kent, President of the Bankers Trust Co. of New York.
Dyed-in-the-Wool Reactionary
That Coolidge is a dyed-in-the-wool out and out reactionary evident from his following words and deeds:
Delivering an address on Founders Day at the Carnegie Technical Institute in Pittsburgh on April 28, 1921, Coolidge spoke of Andrew Carnegie as "a man who represented American ideals."
How closely President Coolidge is living up to the late Steel King's "ideals" is seen from the following portion of his address to the Massachusetts State Legislature inaugurating his second term as Governor: "It is fundamental that freedom is not to be secured thru disobedience to law. Government must govern. To obey is life. To disobey is death.
"We need to change our standards, not of property but of thought. If we put all the emphasis on our prosperity, that prosperity will perish, and with it will perish our civiliation. Employer and employed must find their satisfaction not in a money return but in a service rendered."
In answer to the vice-presidency notification speech of Gov. Edwin P. Morrow of Kentucky, in 1920, Pres. Coolidge further said: "No one in public life can be oblivious to the organized efforts to undermine the faith of our people in their Government, foment discord, aggravate industrial strife, stifle production, and ultimately stir up revolution. These efforts are a great public menace, not thru danger of success, but the great amount of harm they can do if ignored. The first duty of the government is to repress them, punishing wilful violations of law, turning the full light of publicity on all abuses of the right of assembly and free speech."
What the Government's proper functions are in the eyes of Coolidge was made clear in a speech he delivered at the commencement exercises at the Holy Cross College, on June 16, 1920; President Coolidge said in part: "Unless property owners had proper safeguards of constituted authority, transportation would clash, industry would shrivel up, all property be destroyed, and all incentive to effort perish. All our freedom comes from the support of the constituted authority."
Doesn't Want Woman Suffrage
When Coolidge was approached by advocates of woman suffrage to aid their cause by using his influence to have other States act favorably on the ballot for women, Coolidge replied, June 25, 1920, that he "will not interfere with other States" on the suffrage issue.
Furthermore, in one of his campaign speeches, delivered on October 20, 1920, at New Castle, Tennessee, Coolidge went on to say: "I don't know how you folks up here in Tennessee feel about suffrage, but I know how it was in my own family. My wife originally didn't want suffrage. Something far back in her New England ancestry perhaps revolted against it. But when it came, like the rest of the women, she was strongly for it."
Bitter Foe of Soviet Russia
Where our new President stands in so far as Soviet Russia is concerned can be seen from this gem culled from his speech delivered before the Vermont Historical Society on January 18, 1921: "Russia is under a despotism more despotic than ever was administered by a Czar."
Exposes Himself in Red-Hunt
So energetic a "Red-baiter" was Coolidge that he even took it upon himself to write a series of articles captioned "Enemies of the Republic" in that well-known barbershop and kitchenette journal the "Delineator." This was supposed to be a series of articles, commencing June, 1921, and exposing the "Reds" in the American colleges and universities.
Little need be said in reply to or quoted from this excursion of our President into such noble efforts at saving the Republic. The best characterization of this series in behalf of the "Fatherland" is found in the following telegram sent to Coolidge by the State Board of Administation of North Dakota on July 9, 1921: "We are surprised that a man of your exalted position should give currency to a story which has been proven false."
President Coolidge had quoted Congressman O. B. Burtress regarding the placing of radical books in circulation in school libraries.
Hastens to Free Rum Thieves
There are many representatives and champions of Labor imprisoned today because of their loyalty to the working class. President Coolidge has not raised a finger towards releasing these innocent workers. Coolidge has now announced that he will follow the policy pursued by Harding of not granting amnesty to all of them, but of examining each of the cases separately.
In the meanwhile, in less than two weeks after his taking over the Presidency, Coolidge has already hastened to pardon criminals. On August 16, he gave freedom to "John J. Walsh and James McLane, sentenced to from five to seven years in Atlanta Prison in connection with the theft of a $1,000,000 consignment of liquor from the Black Rock Yards of the New York Central Railroad. Walsh was a Sergeant and McLane a Lieutenant in the New York Central Police Force."