Show W N I IJ J I I POLITICAL EXPERTS STILL CON CON- CONFUSED CONFUSED CONFUSED FUSED BY Y COOLIDGE THIRD TitlED TERM TIR STAND STANDBy STANDBy By RODNEY RODNEl DUTCHER BUTChER WASHINGTON Aug 11 The n.-The The net result of President Coolidge's remark remark- remarkable remarkable remarkable able announcement at Rapid City has been to throw a whole crop of po- po po political political experts into utmost 10 on The he president didn't say that he wasn't a candidate to succeed him hIm- hImself self If It he had th thre re might be a little less Jess confusion He said I do not choose to run for president president president dent in 1928 That meant something but it might mean anything and everyone in Washington whose opinion was worth seeking suggested a different tion If It one mans man's guess is as good as another's then the suggestion Is pre pre- presented presented presented herewith that the president meant to say in effect The president will not oot participate In n any doc doi fight f h If his kennel cant can't can t ed en of lick c the other oCher kennels n l he Is not go- go goIng going Ing to step in and dictate the re re- re sult Ono One reason is that he doesn't care to risk being chewed up and the other reason is that such a course would be regarded as poor sports sports- sportsmanship manship STATEMENT STATE CAREFULLY C WORDED So carefully worded a statement as the he one Mr Coolidge actually gave ga and the fact that he refused to am am- amplify amplify it in any way are strong In Indications In- In Indications indications that the president hardly meant that he was definitely refusing re If It he had meant that there was little to restrain him from Irons saying just that Your correspondent corr having ha observed ed the president on numerous occasions occasions ions ons once suggested to one who knew Coolidge well that the president was wasa a nervous man manNot manNot manNot Not that replied this prominent person But he never seems at case ease One gets the tho impression that he isn't sure of himself He is very easily embarrassed by conditions Immediate Immediate- Immediately ly y affecting himself although he has found from experience that a policy of waiting and doing nothing is the safest when it comes to issues which are arc his official rather than his per per- personal personal lional concern SHOWDOWN NOW IMMINENT UI Did the situation in which Cool- Cool Coolidge CoolIdge Coolidge idge recently found himself finally become intolerable to him Is he hethe hethe hethe the sort of man who must have full fulland fulland fulland and whole-hearted whole support of his party or none at all Did he feel that the continued third term tei dis dis- discussion discussion dis- dis discussion the dissatisfaction of the west est and the flood Hood areas and the obvious fact fact- that many Important men in his own party would be glad to get rid of him that him that all these things placed In hi an uncertain position position tion against which he ought to rebel and demand a showdown If It so the Coolidge dignity has been maintained and the showdown is imminent Either a majority of the party lead lead- leaders leadens ers ens will break or they will stand by the tho president At this writing it is probable that most of them are arc com- com completely completely flabbergasted They may have been hoping with all their hearts that Coolidge would decline to run for re-election re but the way in which he did to so 0 could hardly inspire a cau- cau cautious cautious politician with his eye on the feed box to let out an immediate whoop for another candidate At this writing they continue to express di divergent dl- dl divergent opinions as IlS to Just hat what the president resident means MOVE STRENGTHENS COOLIDGE It will be much easier for politic politic- politicIans lana Ians ans on the fence to express regret at the Coolidge withdrawal and go goon goon goon on their ways was rejoicing but the pres- pres presIdents presIdent's presidents president's Ident's stroke may actually strength strength- strengthen en his position It Is much harder to o shoot at a n candidate who wise insists that the office must seek the man and if Coolidge is not nominated the disappointment will be less embar embar- embarrassing embarrassing rassing than the crushing rebuff of going after a nomination openly and falling failing to get It It Is unlikely that Coolidge acted without advice It may even be that he ho received cd strong hints from the powerful forces behind the Republican party that there were stronger candi candi- candidates candidates candidates dates than he and that If the party were to win in 1928 it must be sure liure I Its ts standard-bearer standard could hold the great electoral vote of New York against a candidate like Al AI Smith There have been rumors that the forces referred to had decided as much uch several months ago |