National Affairs: In Massachusetts

Caesar was ambitious. Every politician since Caesar has been ambitious. The revelation of ambition in a politician is far from being a startling matter. But there are times when the form of a politician’s ambition is a matter of surprise. This was the case of Frederick H. Gillett, of Massachusetts, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Next November Massachusetts will select a Senator. David Ignatius Walsh, Democrat, is the present occupant of that post. He will stand for reelection. Meanwhile the Republicans are planning to oppose him. One of the aspirants for the Republican nomination was William M. Butler. But he withdrew two weeks ago when President Coolidge chose him to head the Republican campaign next Fall. In withdrawing, Mr. Butler expressed the hope that Governor Channing Cox of Massachusetts would be the Republican nominee. Last week Mr. Cox announced that he planned to retire, would not run.

Then it was that Mr. Gillett sprang his surprise, by announcing his aspirations for the post. Aged 72, Speaker of the last three Congresses, he is the oldest member of the House in point of service, having been continuously a member since 1892. By turning to the Senatorial field he will lose his place in the House, whether or not elected Senator, whether or not he secures even the Republican nomination. He has cast his all upon the throw and if he loses probably will not care to try again. At any rate he has made certain that there will be a contest over the Speakership in the next Congress.

Two of his opponents for the Republican nomination are almost equally picturesque figures. One is Louis Arthur Coolidge (no relative of the President). Louis A. Coolidge is 62. He is distinguished by being the man who wrote the article on the Republican Party for the Encyclopedia Brittanica. He was at one time President of the Coolidge Family Association. He began his career on the staff of the Springfield Republican. Following that, he spent five years as private secretary to Henry Cabot Lodge. He emulated his chief, who wrote the Life of George Washington for the Statesman’s Series by himself writing the Life of Ulysses S. Grant for the same series. Later he became a Washington correspondent, an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (1908-09), then went into business, in which he has many interests. In 1904, under Roosevelt, he was director of the “Literary Bureau” of the Republican National Committee.

A third Republican aspirant is Frederick William Dallinger, 52, Representative from the Eighth Massachusetts District. He deserves consideration if for no other reason than that he is author of Nominations for Elective Office in the United States.