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Prosperity and Thrift: The Coolidge Era and the Consumer Economy, 1921-1929

Boone Papers. Chapter on President Coolidge from the Memoirs of His Physician, Joel T. Boone.

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(Taped
22JAN65)

The President was having some intestinal upset and feeling uncomfortable so I felt it necessary to visit him three times at the White House this date, October 16th, 1928. {begin inserted text}Para.{end inserted text} I insisted on emphasis to Mrs. Coolidge that she must not defer having a checkup on her electrocardiograph tracings put it off until she had completed some dental work.

The next evening , while visiting with the President after I had treated his throat, he and I listened on the radio . {begin inserted text}to{end inserted text} Governor Al Smith who was making an attack on the President's economy program. The President was so irrit e ated that he broke out in a sweat.

The next day Mrs. Hoover telephoned me and asked me if I would come to her home to treat her throat. While I was there she asked me to discuss with Allan matters pertaining to his health.

Coupal returned to Washington after three weeks' absence, so I discussed all the professional problems that had come up during while he was away so that he could be brought up-to-date pertaining to the health of the President and Mrs. Coolidge. He was not given to reciprocate in reviewing professional matters . when I was absent. I was very careful to do so to narrate d occurrences of a professional nature whenever he was absent.

It was necessary to return to the Hoover home again the next day to provide treatment for Mrs. Hoover.

President and Mrs. Coolidge went on October 19th to Fredericksburg, Virginia, so that the President could make a speech there.

October 20th I again made a professional call to the Hoovers

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just as Secretary and Mrs. Hoover had finished breakfast. I saw noted columnist, Bill Hard, as they were going over certain papers with Mr. Hoover. I was invited to come back to lunch. I had taken Allan Hoover and Del Large to Annapolis where we saw the football game between Navy and Duke, Navy winning 6-0.

The next day was Sunday. I was called to make a professional visit on Secretary of the Navy Wilbur. Necessity to return, giving further treatment that evening. He gave me a note for me to take to Secretary Hoover. Since I had reasons to make another professional call on this occasion , {begin inserted text}.{end inserted text} had a very pleasant chat with Secretary Hoover . A {begin inserted text}a{end inserted text} fter I had treated Mrs. Hoover, Allan Hoover, and Del Large. {begin inserted text}Para.{end inserted text} That day I had a long talk with Secretary Wilbur in regard to the appointment of a new Surgeon General. He said: "You're interested in Oman." I said: "Yes, but most of all I am interested in a principle s , more principles being applied." day that he be appointed for four-year term, that he be a pre-eminently a professional man, national reputation. I said Oman was very splendidly equipped, certainly needed to take a very high place for consider[???] in his favor, telling the Secretary that when General Ireland was appointed he was much junior to many other officers in his Corps. I praised Admiral Stitt very, very highly, as a man and for his accomplishments.

That evening Mrs. Boone and I were invited to the Omans for dinner. They were a very attractive couple. Oman had a very rounded out career, outstanding surgeon, had much sea duty, Fleet Medical Officer. He had many attributes in his favor. I recognized he was not the

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only one to whom very serious con d {begin inserted text}s{end inserted text} ideration should be given for appointment as Surgeon General points I had made in my discussions with the Secretary of the Navy earlier that day.

The next day I had luncheon with French officers from French cruiser DUQUESNE, which was given by Captain Brown on the MAYFLOWER, and I was invited to the [???] for "tea" in the afternoon.

I listened with the Browns to Mr. Hoover's speech in New York on the radio on the relation of government to business. Vice President Dawes, General {begin inserted text}(Parver){end inserted text} , and Mr. Sheffield spoke at that same affair in New York.

I talked with Admiral Grayson that day about his retirement from active duty and also the subject of the appointment of a new Surgeon General. From what he said I believed he favored Oman for the appointment. He was complimentary enough to say: "Some day I will be working for you for Surgeon General." Of course, I only took that as a pleasantry, for I was but 39 years of age and a Lieutenant Commander. I had no illusions.

The next day I had a long chat with Rear Admiral Stitt in regard to who might be named Surgeon General, with him reviewing the different possibilities. He was very highly complimentary of Oman. I thought he was fair in his appraisement of different aspirants. Mrs. Boone and I wished to dinner for Admiral Stitt upon his retirement, but he was so modest that he did not wish us to plan any such attention for him upon his retirement.

I learned that same day that Doctor Work had been sick in New York. [???] me to come and see him after he got back to

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Washington. He said he would have had me come on to New York to see him, but it was too expensive a trip.

The next evening, August {begin inserted text}October{end inserted text} 24th, I was again at Doctor Work's. This time he was not ailing, from what I observed, but he said he just wanted to have me come and chat with him,as he was "idle".? listened to Secretary of Labor, Jimmy Davis, making a speech on the radio. Later listened with Captain and Mrs. Brown in our apartment to Governor Smith speaking from Boston. The campaign was warming up and we spent a good deal of time listening to the radios whenever we could.

On the 25th I was asked to the Hoovers again on a professional mission, later taking Mrs. Coolidge to the dentist, which I did periodically and quite frequently. She was very faithful to attentions to her teeth.

The next day Mrs. Hoover sent for me again, and she and I had about three-quarters of an hour's interesting chat, later taking Mrs. Coolidge to the dentist. She told me that Coupal had told her that Mrs. Coupal said she could not find proper clothes to wear in the city of Washington. Mrs. Coolidge said it was ridiculous, adding that she herself was able to find plenty of very fine clothes to wear and that shops were adequate for her requirements, as a s rule. I felt it was ridiculous for Army and Navy people to get such ideas as Mrs. Coupal was supposed to have voiced in regard to wearing apparel.

That evening I was sent to call at the Jardines' apartment Mayflower Hotel and render professional services. The Secretary

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of Agriculture asked me to stay and listen on the radio to former Secretary of State Hughes' speech. Of course, he was not to be excelled as a speaker during the 1928 campaign and he was in tremendous demand. As a speaker he appealed to me more than anybody else. Of course, I had tremendous admiration for him.

October 27th was the anniversary of President Theodore Roosevelt's birthday and decreed as Navy Day. Tremendous crowds visited the MAYFLOWER. I remained aboard all day. I wanted to entertain the influx of visitors.

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Full page

POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT in THE WASHINGTON HERALD of Saturday, October 27, 1928:

" Let the Record Speak

"In 1920 the Republican Party, recalled to power by a tidal-wave vote, inherited war-expanded industries, prostrated railroads, agricultural confusion , financial paronia^* and diplomatic bedlam .

"National food acreage had been extended to fill international larders, foreign exchange was headed for the madhouse , capital and labor were girding for conflict, red flags waving , soap boxes raving , and investment funds en route to the cyclone cellar .

"Some $8,000,000,000 of dubious European debts stood on the Treasury books without tangible sec i {begin inserted text}u{end inserted text} rity, fixed interests of due dates.

"War-time over-production had jammed warehouses with leather, sugar, cotton and provisions. Cattle, sheep and horses weren't worth their fodder.

"Demobilization and the substitution of women in men's positions, found 5,000,000 factory and office workers jobless.

"European markets were closed by political chaos, inflation and undetermined indemnities. Export outlets had vanished .

"Shipyards were filled with worthless hulls, harbors littered with abandoned bottoms.

"Airship, munition and explosives plants rus h {begin inserted text}t{end inserted text} ed in idleness; contractors thronged Washington with unadjusted claims.

"Housing shortage preyed upon wage and income alike. Car, truck and tire outputs had dwindled to trickles . And dollar buying power

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lost forty cents on the trip from pocket to store .

"In eight years, Republican efficiency has absorbed industrial slacks and market gluts, carried consumption to new peaks, restored railroad service and earnings, laid the foundations of agricultural solvency, panic-proofed finance--and re-established diplomatic prestige without impairing America's traditional independence of diplomatic action .

"Republican administration has regularized foreign indebtedness and substituted interest-bearing notes for hazy memoranda .

"Republican prosperity has erased discontent, sugar, cotton and packing deficits; conciliated labor and capital and organized those 5,000,000 men back into jobs. Without dislodging their substitutes, either.

"It has restored and increased export outlet, cleaned up the shipping mess, reincarnated our merchant marine, adjusted war claims, democratized credit, cheapened rural money rates, retired Liberty Bonds, raised tariffs, cut taxes and brought security values over the top.

"It has fostered and financed the greatest housing and building program in history.

"It has taken government out of business and put business into government .

"It has covered the continent with roads and filled the roads with traffic .

"It has sent wages higher--living costs lower--and made a dollar feel like a hundred cents again.

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"Republican prosperity is wearing silk stockings every day , buying a better car every year , carrying a bank balance , running a radio, a washing machine, and hot and cold water in its tiled bathroom.

"Republican prosperity has modernized transportation, shop and business practice, changed waste piles to dividends, stabilized merchandising and nursed the wireless trades through infancy to gianthood.

"Republican platform and candidate guarantee locked gates against foreign labor, pauper products, and European entanglements--pledge feasible and Constitutional farm relief--declare for the Eighteenth Amendment, the Volstead Act and law enforcement.

"The Republican Party makes its stand on high earnings, high protection and high achievement-- on its stewardship of common opportunity and national assets --on its immigration and conservation record. And on its record of tolerance, justice and fair play.

"It offers a sound, progressive program and it offers--

" America's most competent and distinguished citizen

HERBERT HOOVER
for President of the United States"

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The next evening, Sunday, Mrs. Boone and I had dinner as guests of Postmaster General and Mrs. New.? became ill later that evening and I was required to return to the News' home at 2 a.m.

The next day Mrs. Hoover phoned to me to please come over to see her early that morning. She was very much concerned about Doctor Work's physical condition. She said he had dinner with them the night before, looked very badly, mental processe d {begin inserted text}s{end inserted text} seemed retarded. He lacked appreciation of serious and vital problems and showed an indifference to very serious problems. Also Secretary and Mrs. Hoover were disturbed that Doctor Work had notified the staff of the Republican National Committee that their services would be terminated after election. Having done so was a very demoralizing factor accomplishment of their final weeks of their hard labor. She stated that I should try to get Doctor Work to go out West to vote and resign as Chairman of the National Republican Committee after election, as Mr. Hoover stated he does not want to hurt Doctor Work's feelings for anything, just cannot keep him on as Chairman, because people were very critical of him, did not like him personally, it was reported to me, and that they lacked confidence in him.

That night I listened to speeches by Secretary of the Treasury Mellon, Doctor Work, and Governor Smith on the radio.

The next day, October 30th, I met with Doctor Work at the home of General Cummings who was Surgeon General of Public Health Service, then accompanying him to his the Mayflower Hotel where he lived, remaining with him for about an hour. He predicted the election

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would be "very close or a landslide" and he "doubted the South would be broken even though Mr. Mann says it would. (")

The next day Mrs. Hoover again telephoned me and requested me to see her in the afternoon at her home. She discussed Doctor Work with me and said she hoped he could be brought to see it was not wise for his remaining as National Chairman. Certainly her husband was aware how subordinates at headquarters felt toward Doctor Work, but even so, Secretary Hoover did not like to have to tell "the old man that he must give up his position" She asked me to talk to Doctor Ray Lyman Wilbur about Doctor Work and to impart to him the Hoovers' feelings as to his health, that is, Doctor Work's health. Mrs. Hoover kindly invited Helen for tea that afternoon.

November 1st I went to see Mr. Stearns off at 8 o'clock in the for morning aboard {begin inserted text}for{end inserted text} Boston. I also took Suzanne to Union Station to see the Hoovers off for California. Suzanne wanted to meet Mr. Hoover. In his car he shook hands with her and said: "You have on an elephant and everything." The Hoovers were pleased that Helen, Suzanne, and I had come to the station to see them off.

In the evening my wife and I had dinner with Mrs. Irvine at Chevy Chase . and had another opportunity to discuss Mercersburg affairs.

(End of reel.)

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