THE PRESIDENCY: The Coolidge Week: Jan. 21, 1929

¶Upon the President devolved, last week, perhaps the last world-great decision of his administration. He must choose two men of the U. S. to sit on the new Reparations Committee destined to revise the Dawes Plan (TIME. Jan. 14). These men will not sit for the U. S. since officially the administration is not concerned. Technically, the European Powers will revise the Dawes Plan of their own motion and volition. The two U. S. citizens will merely advise, and the U. S. public will merely buy some millions of dollars’ worth of reparations bonds, if they are issued.

Therefore the President must choose two men so potent that their personal prestige alone will cause their opinions to prevail. Sources of the highest authenticity affirmed, last week, that Calvin Coolidge had chosen John Pierpont Morgan and Owen D. Young, after obtaining assurance of their cooperation.

¶ In the wall of the north portion of the White House is a bell. On a recent afternoon. President Coolidge pressed this bell repeatedly, scampered quickly away. To the north portico rushed a detail of Secret Service men, to whom the bell’s ringing was a summons to come at once. From a distance, the President watched their confusion, heard them ask the Secret Service man on patrol duty why he had rung the bell, heard the patrolman’s denial of any bell-ringing. After the guards had dispersed, the President stole back, again pressed the button, again trotted away, chuckled as the previous scene repeated itself. Pleased, the President several times repeated his little prank. Eventually the Secret Service detail discovered the source of the false alarms, put in another bell in a spot unknown to the President. When this story became public, persons who question the existence of a presidential sense of humor flouted its accuracy. Yet Richard Jervis, head of the Executive Secret Service detail, vouched solemnly for it.

¶ So much has President Coolidge en- joyed being Huntsman Coolidge that a hunting license has been taken out for him in Maryland. Licenses were secured also for Col. E. M. Starling, the President’s Secret Service companion, and for Col. Osman Latrobe. the President’s military aide.

¶. President Coolidge authorized Washington Community Chest official to solicit contributions from Federal employes. Hitherto this privilege has been extended only to the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.

¶President and Mrs. Coolidge were guests of honor at a cabinet dinner given by Attorney General and Mrs. Sargent.

¶Among other guests were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ford of Dearborn, Mich., and Frank W. Stearns, of Boston. C. The President received Barren Collier, Manhattan advertising man. was told that a business survey of 3.500 U. S. communities pointed to a prosperous 1929. ¶The President received President-Elect Herbert Hoover, welcomed him back from South America. What the President said, what the President-Elect said, was not made public. A later conference between outgoing and incoming Administrations was held behind closed doors from which only silence emanated. Correspondents maintained that President and President-Elect had decided that an extra congressional session would certainly be called.