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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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{begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}(Article checked for correction.){end handwritten}{end inserted text}

George Harvey's article entitled, "Calvin Coolidge,", as published in THE WASHINGTON POST of June 8, 1924, is indeed interesting and informative. There are points that I feel are timely to which to give reference and touch upon in my memoirs because of my relation and knowlegeableness of President Calvin Coolidge. When as Vice President Mr. Coolidge addressed the American Legion, he reiterated his patriotic assertion at greater length in these memorable words, Harvey states, and then quotes what Vice President Coolidge said, a part of which address to the American Legion I shall quote:

"When the great war broke out on an unsuspecting world, few people in Europe, and fewer e still on this side of the Atlantic, understood it. Stunned by its reported atrocities, we were principally interested in keeping out of what we believed was no concern of ours. There were those who recognized that it was an attack on all that was presented by our civilization, who declared from the outset that it was an American war, and urged an immediate preparation for a vicious victorious defense. An {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}De{end handwritten}{end inserted text} nounced in official quarters, looked on as jeopardizers of peace, they went, for the most part, unheeded. But there came a day when the violation of our rights, the loss of our property, the destruction of the lives of our citizens, and the assertion that these were to continue, left no choice but {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}to{end handwritten}{end inserted text} declare that all this constituted the making of war upon our country, and that force must be resisted with force.

"To meet the requirements of that situation {begin inserted text}it{end inserted text} is scarcely too much to say that the American people presented themselves at the altar of {ILLEGIBLE}

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their country with the offering of their every doubt dollar and their every life. The flame of pat {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}r{end handwritten}{end inserted text} iotism swept over the whole land, consuming away the dross of all past differences, and fusing the entire people into one common unity. The A {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}a{end handwritten}{end inserted text} rmy , the N avy, {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}and navy{end handwritten}{end inserted text} forever unmatched among men {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten},{end handwritten}{end inserted text} born of this new spirit; the money with which it filled the treasury; the gigantic charities which it supported; the stupendous and unending flood of all kinds of supplies there {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}that it{end handwritten}{end inserted text} created; the victory that it made {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}possible--{end handwritten}{end inserted text} --these are now known to all the world. All this gave a new meaning to the life of our country, a new meaning which found its finest expression in a new nationalism, deeper and more fervid than ever before, summed up in one wor l {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}d{end handwritten}{end inserted text} , America. {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}As the{end handwritten}{end inserted text} months have passed, as public opinion, has found expression, it is more and more evident that the people fought in self-defense; they fought to preserve America, and in that sacrifice found a new life."

George Harvey goes on to state, as published in THE WASHINGTON POST:

"Like Washington, like Madison, like Lin ? {begin inserted text}c{end inserted text} oln, like Roosevelt, Coolidge is Naturalist {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}Nationalist{end handwritten}{end inserted text} ."

Then Mr. Harvey personality of President Coolidge and I shall excerpt some phrases of his analysis:

"None of the early statesmen could be depicted with any degree of accuracy as the prototype of one now living, but as between the relative {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}ly{end handwritten}{end inserted text} ancient and modern Presidents, Madison appears clearly as at least the most like to Coolidge yet developed by the respective periods. Both entered public service early in life, one at 25, the other at 27; both held office in the State {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}and{end handwritten}{end inserted text} N {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}n{end handwritten}{end inserted text} ation continuously, but

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with {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}but{end handwritten}{end inserted text} two voluntary intermissions and at great personal sacrifice; and each became President, Mr. Madison finally retiring at the end of two terms and Mr. Coolidge showing no disposition thus far to hasten emulation of his example. "

"In thought, in deed, in prudence and painstaking, in philosophy and patience, in temperament, in studious application, in method of argument . in {begin inserted text}and{end inserted text} manner in {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}of{end handwritten}{end inserted text} frugal living, even in demeanor and somewhat in appearance, they discover a truly remarkable similarity."

To continue from the article, quoting Mr. Harvey:

"But if pleasing (capass ?) {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}comparison{end handwritten}{end inserted text} may serve as an antidote for discredible {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}discreditable{end handwritten}{end inserted text} contrast, one may happily reflect that if the essential needs of the early days were the requirements of today, Calvin Coolidge were to {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}would{end handwritten}{end inserted text} be the equal of James Madison in constructing the {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}a{end handwritten}{end inserted text} Constitution, pre ? {begin inserted text}c{end inserted text} isely as William E. Borah would be unsurpassed by Thomas Jefferson in producing a Declaration of Independence--and each would be the natural choice of the people for his allotted task."

At another point Harvey quotes Mr. Coolidge as follows: {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}(from an earlier part of the article){end handwritten}{end inserted text}

"Our country has one cardinal principle to maintain in its foreign policy. It is an American principle. It must be an American policy. We attend to our own affairs, conserve our own strength, and protect the interests of our citizens; but we recognize thoroughly our obligation to help others, p reserving to the decision of our own judgment the time, the place, and the method. We realize the common bond of humanity. We know the inescapable law of service."

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{begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}(last column, another place){end handwritten}{end inserted text}

Continuing to quote Harvey:

"Mr. Coolidge's transition from second place to C {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}c{end handwritten}{end inserted text} hief M {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}m{end handwritten}{end inserted text} gistrat e {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}ry{end handwritten}{end inserted text} was marked by an absence of public anxiety such as had never before accompanied a like happening and by a refreshing simplicity unparalleled in national history. The implicit confidence thus manifested in his intelligence, his judgment and his fidelity constituted a testimonial from the American people hardly ever equal {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}l{end handwritten}{end inserted text} ed and never surpassed in our {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}their{end handwritten}{end inserted text} annals.

"Even more impressive in a personal sense was the public perception and appreciation of the perfect naturalness of his every act in a circumstance {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}s{end handwritten}{end inserted text} s so beset with difficulties and so distressing. Another might have been suspected of unworthy motives in taking the great oath from the lips of his father by a dim light in the farmer's cottage and in pausing for a moment at his mother's grave in silent gratefulness and prayer; but not Calvin Coolidge, who had been taught to honor his father and mother, had never failed to respect the one nor {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}and{end handwritten}{end inserted text} to love the other, and in his most fateful hour turned to them for guidance and inspiration with childlike simplicity and faith. This man, it was felt, would always do {ILLEGIBLE} {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}a{end handwritten}{end inserted text} part, but could never play one. His developed character was illumin ? ed by his undoubted sincerity. Such was the instinct of the people {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten},{end handwritten}{end inserted text} and subsequent events afford ample proof s that it was true."

Harvey states that Mr. Coolidge was the first Congregationalist to become President, that Jefferson and Johnson were "believers in Christianity" but were nonsectarian, adding, "Calvin Coolidge was a faithful attendant from his childhood, but he did not assume full

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membership. . . .

It was not until he had been President several months that Mr. Coolidge, to his complete surprise, was notified by the constituted authorities that he had been elected a member in full and regular standing of the First Congregational C {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}c{end handwritten}{end inserted text} hurch of Washington. {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}His{end handwritten}{end inserted text} k nown devotion to the ideals of Christ, supplemented by the purity of his own life, was held {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten},{end handwritten}{end inserted text} in lieu of any testimony or profession from his lips, as fully justifying the rare, if not indeed unique, distinction thus bestowed. He was elected for what the independent church kn e {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}o{end handwritten}{end inserted text} w him to be."

{ILLEGIBLE} (End of all the quotations from George Harvey's article.)

Saturday, November 29, 1924, President and Mrs. Coolidge attended the Army-Navy game which was held in Baltimore, Maryland, with the Army winning 12-0. It was my pleasure to have my Uncle George and Aunt Nell Boone, visiting us from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and with us taking them to see the game in Baltimore. We had a great deal of fun together. In returning to Washington with us to spend Sunday, I drove them around Washington such a long time and showed them so many sights, pointing out great and important places of interest, finally my Uncle George said to me: "Joel, let's turn around and go home. I can't hear what you're saying any more, and you're losing your voice, and I've got big holes in my socks for where my tows in them as I am trying to retain my seat in the car as you are swinging around through the various and sundry streets of this great city."

It made me ever cautious of not trying to show visitors too much in too short a time and describe too many places of interest

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of which they have very little comprehension; however, I have not always succeeded in adhering to the practice which should be followed to not try to entertain guests {begin inserted text}too{end inserted text} extensively and not try to cover too much territory in doing so.

Early in December President Coolidge with a party made a trip to Chicago and traveled on a regular train, but with some extra cars attached to it. He was trying to demonstrate the application of economy. Did not use an all special train.

December 7th a trip was made on the MAYFLOWER with President and Mrs. Coolidge having as their guests Mr s . and Mrs. Frank Stearns, Congressman and Mrs. Allen Treadway of Massachusetts, Senator and Mrs. Underwood of Alabama, Secretary of Interior Work, Mr. Waterman of Denver. Some difficulty in acceptances from guests because the invitations went out so late. So often they were made by telephone by "Ike" Hoover. The President didn't always give enough time to process of reaching people and having them accept or decline.

The following week the President made another trip on the MAYFLOWER, having with him Justice and Mrs. Harlan d F. Stone, Secretary of Commerce and Mrs. Hoover, Senator and Mrs. Robertson, Senator and Mrs. Capper, Senator Butler, Congressman Madden, Congressman and Mrs. Winslow, Mr. and Mrs. Stearns, and a Mr. Tom White.

Mrs. Coolidge developed a pinkeye which needed considerable attention when we cruised.

After our most recent cruise on the MAYFLOWER, Captain Andrews, the Commanding Officer, told me of a talk he had had with Miss Bar (?) Harland who was Secretary to Mrs. Coolidge. She insisted that

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Colonel Sherrill by virtue of his office was senior to Captain Andrews. Andrews observed that only "an act of Congress can affect that situation" and Andrews held firm to his official record that he was the senior to Sherrill , . Wasn't the service he represented, the Army being the senior service to the Navy, but the rank of seniority that the officers held in relation of one to the other.

Helen and I were guests for the musicale at the White House following the Cabinet dinner on the 18th of December and later going to the Army ball.

The following day Captain Andrews told me of his "run-in" with Colonel Sherrill last evening over who was to make the introductions, the Captain telling me he asserted his position as the senior Aide to the President. Andrews stated that Sherrill became angry, took issue to Secretary of War Weeks in the Blue Room. The altercation delayed "Ike" Hoover from going up in the elevator to announce to President and Mrs. Coolidge the time had arrived for the reception. Captain Andrews won out in his altercation with Sherrill and made the presentations. This affair was the peak of a smoldering fire. Sherrill well knew that Andrews was senior but would not acknowledge that fact. Andrews was a very positive and determined person and well able to stand his ground in any altercation.

December 20th there was another trip down in the MAYFLOWER down the river on the MAYFLOWER, President and Mrs. Coolidge having as their guests Secretary of Agriculture Gore, the George Harveys, Mr. and Mrs. Allen Whites, the Eugene Meyers, David Lawrences, and Logan Paines.

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Captain Andrews asked me to suggest to the Coolidges that he have dinner with them. Mrs. Coolidge had already told me to invite Captain Andrews. If because of his duties on the bridge he could not come to the dinner, that they would like to have me as a guest to make up 14 guests. That time Mrs. Coolidge told me about the clash that Captain Andrews and Colonel Sherrill had had. And way down the river o on Sunday, the day after we left the Navy Yard, John Coolidge was picked up at Hains Point, John having returned from Amherst for the holidays. It was a very cold trip and clear most of the afternoon, and the party sat aft well bundled up in steamer rugs and coats.

Lovely daughter, Frances Andrews, of Captain and Mrs. Andrews threw a dinner party aboard the MAYFLOWER just before the Christmas holidays. She was a most charming girl, and I had cared for her professionally from the time they came to Washington when Captain Andrews reported as Commanding Officer of the MAYFLOWER and the senior Naval Aide to the President. Later in life she became Mrs. Benjamin Dillingham of Honolulu. She has always been a very, very charming lady.

Christmas Eve my wife and I attended the carol singing at the White House, together with the Ted Clarkes, the Jimmy Coupals, Miss Harlan, and Miss Randolph. We were quite of an inner circle of the staff membership, as it were.

I was pleased when the noted writer, David Lawrence, called to see me at our apartment that evening.

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President and Mrs. Coolidge liked to have their Christmases as a very intimate family group, and on this particular Christmas in 1924, the first one after the death of Calvin, President and Mrs. Coolidge and John kept very much to themselves on that Christmas Day.

During the holidays Helen and I accompanied Mrs. Coolidge, John, and Mrs. Stearns to Keith's Theatre.

New Year's Eve we attended the fabulous party as the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. McLean in their huge home at the corner of Vermont Avenue and I Street, N. W. We had our supper during the regular evening's party sitting with the Graysons, the Andrews, and the Mays, {begin inserted text}Meigs{end inserted text} , having lots of fun. Admiral Grayson, as has been stated, was the physician to President Wilson. Captain Andrews was the senior Naval Aide to the President and Commanding Officer of the MAYFLOWER. Commander Meigs was Executive Officer of the MAYFLOWER, so we knew one another intimately. We never left the McLean party until 3:45 in the morning, and I suspect even what seemed to be a very late hour for us, there were many who attended the party who left a long time after we did.

New Years was a most pleasant and a most busy one social ly nature, for the most part. There was the White House reception. There were many thousands received by President and Mrs. Coolidge. The Secretary of State's breakfast at the Pan American Union building. I {begin inserted text}We{end inserted text} made many calls on Cabinet officials and others in the afternoon. When I say "we", I am referring to Mrs. Boone and myself.

I was summoned in the late morning while I was at the White House reception to go to the British Embassy. On the telephone I learned

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that the British military attache's son, Wingate Charlton, while coasting had been seriously injured. His father was Colonel C. Graham C. Charlton. Both Colonel and Mrs. Charlton were very attractive Britishers. I could not help but be complimented that they sent for me to take care of their son when he was injured, cut right through his patella tendon. It required 19 stitches for me to suture the wound, both in the deep and superficial structures, tissues. The boy never complained. Kept saying to me: "It's quite all right" in his British way. I could only use a local anesthetic which seemed to be adequate for this sturdy and courageous little fellow. [???] was taken home and I had left, I was informed later by his parents that Wingate cried out in pain and said to his parents: "I could not let the Americans see my feelings." Truly, I felt, British, exemplified this fine young boy. Happily, the would healed well, although I was afraid it would be badly infected and a very excellent result was obtained. Wingate years later when he grew to manhood became a British Naval officer who served with great distinction in World War II. I believe his last duty was as a colonel and the British attache in Damascus. The latest information about Wingate is that he is now retired, married, and has a family. I long to see him. I have not seen him since he left Washington many years ago. I will narrate that I, together with Mrs. Boone, went out into the country when we were in London in 1956 to see the Char irons and have lunch with them in their country home. It was one of the most heartwarming experiences of my life. Colonel Charlton met us at the train. He had aged a great deal. He drove us to their country house where we were most

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warmly welcomed by sweet and lovely Mrs. Charlton who prepared a delicious luncheon for us. I was so pleased that she had her daughter Mo i {begin inserted text}y{end inserted text} ra and Moyra's children there to see us. This was one of the most pleasant and most delightful experiences that Mrs. Boone and I had when we were in Europe for four months in 1956. I was very chagrined, as we missed the train on which we were supposed to travel from London and arrived late at our destination and Colonel Charlton had come to the early train to meet us and then stood by to greet us again. I felt very badly about the circumstance. Also, the fact that we had missed one train, we had lost about an hour of a too brief visit with the Charltons. Sadly, Colonel Charlton had a protracted illness and has since died as I am writing this in 1964. Dear Mrs. Charlton is showing signs of invalidism as she advances in years. Mrs. Boone and I long to return to England for many reasons, but one is particularly to see our British friends,among whom we love dearly are the Charltons. Now only Mrs. Charlton left, Wingate, and the daughter. How I long to see my young patient as he was then in 1924, this very splendid young man now Wingate. It is hard to believe that he has reached a period in life to be retired from the Army British Army.

January 2nd the President and Mrs. Coolidge attended a charity ball. Helen and I, as we say, passed this one up, but I felt that I had made a mistake in not attending, since the President and Mrs. Coolidge were there, and it would have been wise for me to have been on the scene in the event of anything happening to them. I was always concerned when Presidents and the First Ladies were in crowds

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away from the White House.

General {ILLEGIBLE} Colonel and Mrs. Robert Patterson gave a very lovely party at the Chevy Chase Club the following day and with the Surgeon General Ireland as the guest of honor. I was complimented by being placed on the hostess' left. I shall have more to say about Colonel Patterson and his appointment as Surgeon General of the Army in a later date in 1925.

January 8 m , 1925, Diplomatic Reception was held at the White House. It was a very, very beautiful affair. On this occasion Colonel Sherrill made the introductions. He made an error when he introduced the Ambassador of Germany as the "Minister from Germany". No diplomat likes to be downgraded when being introduced. Very embarrassing to a native when he makes such a faux pas.

A couple of days later while waiting for the President in Secretary Slemp's office I had a very pleasant chat with Secretary of State Hughes. He was a man I greatly admired. Always inspiring to be in his presence. He was a man of tremendous dignity and refinement. In any crowd he was most impressive.

Inquired that day whether the President intended to use the MAYFLOWER that weekend and he said no with positiveness, but then granted my request for me to go home to see my father in a very pleasant manner.

When I was talking to Secretary Hughes on the 10th of January in Secretary Slemp's office, I did not know that he was waiting to see the President and he was tendering his resignation and that the Ambassador to the Court of St. James, former United States Senator Kellogg, was being named as the new Secretary of State. That day there was a very large dinner tendered to the former Ambassador

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Jusserand, who was in Washington at the time. He was Ambassador of France to the United States for a great many years and a very, very intimate friend of President Theodore Roosevelt's. There is a monument to him in Rock Creek Park, stone bench, very beautiful and plain with his name carved on it, to the north of the road not far from Rock Creek. It's really very attractive and relaxing area of the park.

Middle of January Mrs. Stearns said one day we were pleasantly chatting she thought it was a good idea for me to make a break from my exacting duties in Washington. She hoped that sometime I might consider making a European trip, really get a change of scene, due to the great strain that I had been under, and was most sympathetic to having periodic releases from it.

January 14 Helen and Mrs. Adolphus Andrews and I accompanied Mrs. Coolidge to a concert to hear Rachmaninoff in a very, very beautiful concert, piano concert.

The next day I was fortunate to be a guest of Miss Laura Harlan's in the White House box to hear John Charles Thomas in a concert.

That night Helen and I attended a concert at the White House following the Diplomatic Dinner, which was very lovely indeed, with Gigli as soloist.

Assistant Secretary of State Butler Wright complimented me highly on my professional care of the Charlton boy. Thought it was very splendid of me to be willing to give up my New Year calls and official functions to look after young Wingate.

At the reception Secretary of State Hughes and his wife and daughter

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were most cordial to Helen and me.

Neither Captain Andrews nor Colonel Sherrill performed duties as aides at the White House, being away, no doubt, or for some reason not present, so two of the junior,but senior of the junior aides, Major Solbert and Lieutenant Commander Wilson {begin inserted text}Wiltse{end inserted text} , officiated as senior aides.

A One of the foreign diplomats and his wife arrived for a dinner at 8:40, thinking the dinner was scheduled for 9:00, when the dinner was scheduled for 8:00. The President was very displeased and after waiting but a very few minutes for them did not wait longer. He had the foreign diplomat and his wife wait in one of the drawing rooms of the White House until the dinner was over. This was President Coolidge's way of disciplining this foreign minister for not being exact in noting the hour of a Presidential dinner at the White House. The foreign minister and his wife were very upset over the incident.

The 16th of January Secretary to the President Bascom Slemp said to me: "Nothing else for me to do but resign", adding that he had protected the President as much as possible. Felt the {begin inserted text}(inference?){end inserted text} efforts he made that he was saving the President much embarrassment. He Slemp were not having an open break. Felt that he was not in harmony with some of President Coolidge's advisers. I regretted these circumstances, but I could not help but sense that something was happening between the President and Bascom Slemp for some time. If there were disagreements of any moment, they were well kept under cover. As I was physician in attendance to both President Coolidge and Secretary

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Slemp, I could sense that all was not well in their relationships--not of a personal, but of an official nature because Slemp had been evidencing criticism of the President from time to time to me and showing signs of irritation. Slemp did not like a number of the President's friends and advisers.

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