PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 56, 9 March 1929, Page 20

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Jt is a curious fact that the newlyelected President of the United States is, by ancient custom, shut out of the White House and tho exerciso of supreme authority for four full months, even after 120,000,000 citizens have formally chosen him as their chief executive.

How could this four-months' interregnum bo filled in? (asys a contributor to the "Landmark,' 1 the organ of the English Speaking Union). There is the new Cabinet to "got together and instruct. • .There are Ambassadors and Ministers to appoint abroad, as well as domestic jots by 'the thousand to give out in roturn for' services rendered in the orgiastic battle that has been won. In his first five months of office, that austere Chief Executive, Wopdrow Wilson, found himself obliged "to add no less than 17,000 places to the administrative army, at a "cost of £6,000,000 a yoar! In all there were no fewer than 30,000 of "the faithful" to be provided for by tho famous Democrat, at a total cost to Ihe Treasury of nearly £10,000,000 a year. No wonder Mr. Coolidge has throughout preached "Economy"! I heard Senator Robert La. Follette, of Wisconsin, give the following review of "tho political power which the Chief Executive now wields.

, . ." "There are," Mr. La Folletto pursued, "60,000 first, second, and third class postmasters, collectors of internal revenue, marshals and deputy-marshals, collectors of Custom, and similar officers, appointed by the President in person." ■The mere clerical labour of signing the warrants is enormous, and modern Presidents have again and again rebelled at it. But, high or low, those who serve must be rewarded on the Petrarchan principle: "The requests of a friend are always chains upon me.'' Not until 4th March does the new President drive in state to the portico of the Capitol, there to take the oath in the open air before a throng of perhaps 200,000 citizens from all parts of this vast land. The ex-President always accompanies tho new Executive. And surely no inoro tragic "ex" was ever seen than tho broken Wilson—even then a dying man—who rode with the genial, handsonio Warren Harding to celebrate tho swing-back to America's "normalcy" in the political reaction of 1920. A private ceromony of the morning of inauguration is a visit to the White House, where the retiring President and his "first lady" are taking leavo of tho househeld Staff. It is then, one may say, that the key of the classic mansion is handed over. Then the new chief turns in earnest to tho tremendous duties of what President Coolidge reminded Mr. Hoover is "the most important prsition-in tho world"!