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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
9&10DEC64)

The head usher, "Ike" Hoover, in his book, Forty-two Years in the White House , narrated his duties, particularly as Chief Usher. He gives an interesting account as the difficulty in executing the plans for Mrs. Lindbergh's visit with President and Mrs. Coolidge in the temporary White House. Hoover states:

"A telegram had been sent asking her to let us know the time of her arrival, that she might be met by a White House car and conveyed to the temporary residence of the President on Dupont Circle. This message, however, did not reach her. As the time drew near for the arrival of the MEMPHIS, the papers published the story that Mrs. Lindbergh had left Detroit on a certain train for Washington. No preparations had been made to meet her, for we had had no word from her. The next morning (this was June 10) again through newspapers we learned at the White House that Mrs. Lindbergh had left the train on the outskirts of Baltimore, planning to go to the city by trolle r ycar; that she had been recognized by some official and had accepted a motor ride to Baltimore. We telephoned several hotels and finally found her. We told her that the President and Mrs. Coolidge desired her to be their guest, that one of the White House automobiles was ready to go for her. She accepted the invitation. Accordingly, the car, with driver, footman, and one of the President's junior aides, proceeded to Baltimore for the lady and returned with her to the temporary home of the President. This was late in the afternoon of Friday, June 10, the day previous to the scheduled arrival of her famous son.

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"Mrs. Lindbergh appeared to me a very agreeable person. She was self-possessed and seemingly unspoiled by the excitement of that her son was causing. She had a very pleasing personality and showed every evidence of a proper sense of propo s rtion. She certainly made an excellent impression with everyone with whom she came in contact and conducted herself perfectly under {begin inserted text}a{end inserted text} most trying circumstance."

"Ike" Hoover goes on to explain how and where she was first introduced to President and Mrs. Coolidge and her first hours in the temporary White House as their guest. Great deal of discussion where and how she should initially meet her famous son. Then Hoover says:

"After considerable discussion it was decided that she should go to the Navy Yard to meet him at the boat (that's the MEMPHIS). This she was willing to do, but she did not wish to have this first meeting between them a mother and her son take the form of public demonst a {begin inserted text}r{end inserted text} ation. Later it was arranged that, when the boat docked, Mrs. Lindbergh should be the first to go aboard and that she should be taken to a private room furnished by the captain, where she could meet her son undisturbed by the public."

"Ike" Hoover records that, while the President and Mrs. Coolidge rode in the first car and Lindbergh and his mother rode in the second, "the cheers were for Lindbergh. For once the President and his wife were playing second fiddle."

Before entering the temporary White House after the ceremonies across from the Washington Monument along avenues of Washington, the Coolidges took their very famous guest and his mother to the temporary White House. Before entering the White House,

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they had a photograph taken in front of it of the President and Mrs. Coolidge and Lindbergh and his mother with the two se r nior aides, Captain Brown of the Navy and Colonel Winship of the Army standing behind them in the doorway into the Dupont Circle temporary White House.

The crowds continued to cheer and cheer and make Lindbergh reappear. While lunch was scheduled, M President and Mrs. Coolidge delayed it so that Lindbergh and his mother could respond to the applause of the crowd and go out on the veranda {begin inserted text}or{end inserted text} over the front entrance so the people might have another look at their hero. Hoover said at his appearance they went into a frenzy of excitement and all t th g {begin inserted text}r{end inserted text} rough lunch they could be plainly heard calling for him. In fact, quoting Hoover, "There never seemed to an hour while he was the guest of the President that {begin inserted text}but{end inserted text} there were cries for him from the people assembled outside."

Very modestly Hoover narrates how he helped to advise Lindbergh as to procedures in the White House and what might be expected of him. Lindbergh accepted t it with graciousness, saying that he was "anxious to do 'what is right', as he put it." Hoover said that Lindbergh {begin inserted text}was in agreement{end inserted text} would agree with everything that Hoover suggested. In his aviation way with whatever "Ike" suggested, Lindbergh would reply, "Check!", meaning 'yes!'

Mail received at the temporary White House was tremendous, just sacks and sacks of it. There were all kind of gifts people from any {ILLEGIBLE} parts of the United States, every walks of life, it seemed to be. Didn't know what to do with these gifts. They almost filled

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a solid room in the temporary White House.

"Ike" Hoover has said that when he was alone in the quiet of Lindbergh's room, it was easy to form an opinion of him, adding:

"He was just a plain, sweet character. He seemed rather bewildered, and unable to realize what it was all about. A very natural young man, only child in the family, Lindbergh sought while he was at the White House every opportunity to be alone with his mother. There were a great many people clamoring to see him. Some he knew very well and President and Mrs. Coolidge was permitted to have them call at the White House. His most immediate friends called him 'Slim'. Lindbergh's baggage arrived at the temporary White House consisted one lone suitcase. Fortunately, he had in it dress suit, since there was to be a formal dinner at the White House the evening of his arrival. As stated, it was composed of President and Mrs. Coolidge, Colonel Lindbergh and his mother, cabinet officers with the exception of Mr. Hoover, as explained, for his absence very vital and urgent business of relief in the Mississippi Valley , . {begin inserted text}The{end inserted text} only three, four non-Cabinet peoplewere other than the Lindberghs were Mr. and Mrs. John Hays Hammond, he having been stated as chairman of the reception committee, and the President's two senior aides, Colonel Winship and Captain Brown.

(quote ended?)

As strange coincidence, as history moved on till later years, the luncheon of the day that Lindbergh arrived in Washington, President and Mrs. Coolidge had no guests other than the Lindberghs except Mrs. Dwight Morrow of New Yo a {begin inserted text}r{end inserted text} k and Mr. Morrow had been a classmate

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of President Coolidge at Amherst, I believe I have stated heretofore. Some years later Lindbergh met and fell in love with Anne Morrow and the love affair consummated in marriage. This brou {begin inserted text}g{end inserted text} ht Mr. Morrow into close relationship with Colonel Lindbergh as his father-in-law.

The day after Lindbergh arrived in Washington was Sunday. I called at the White House to see e President and Mrs. Coolidge before they went to church, taking the Lindberghs with them. Before they did, mother and son had a chance to sit quietly alone o in one of the reception rooms waiting for the Coolidges to come to escort them to church. I went into the room and was about to speak to them and I knew it would be a favorable opportunity to nave a little close-up visit with them, but I quickly recognized that this was a period that mother and son should have unto themselves and it would be an infringement on my part, as pleasurable as it would have been to even have tarried to enter into a conversation with them, so I quickly moved into another part of the White House. Of course, I was disappointed not to have such a favorable opportunity to talk wi {begin inserted text}t{end inserted text} h them, but know that I had done the considerate and the right thing in moving along and away from their presence.

Plans had already been made after church luncheon at the temporary White House was served early for the convenience of Colonel Lindbergh so that he could keep a multitude of engagements that afternoon.

"Ike" Hoover narrates that it after a very busy day Lindbergh did not desire to go out in the evening and canceled an engagement, that {ILLEGIBLE} disappointed a lot of people. He was very solicitous about

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having his plane at Bolling Field, Hoover says, ready in the morning for his hasty departure. Twice did he telephone there to give instructions to the handling of it. The officers at the field wanted permission to start the e engine and tune it up but Lindbergh objected to this and told them not to attempt to do so until his arrival. Unfortunately, the next morning he could not get his engine functioning properly and had to drive (Hoover referred to "drive" when he should have said "pilot") another plane to New York. Lindbergh {begin inserted text}(man){end inserted text} took all the blame himself like a man and went out of his way to make it understood that it was entirely his fault he could not fly his own plane to New York.

After the President had decided to go to the Black Hills for the summer of 1927, and {begin inserted text}it was{end inserted text} further decided that the MAYFLOWER should go to Boston Navy Yard for extensive overhaul and repairs that would take a considerable period of time, after which there would be cruising in New England waters for {begin inserted text}before{end inserted text} the presidential yacht would return to the Washington Navy Yard dock.

The President and First Lady and a party of {begin inserted text}80{end inserted text} left for South Dakota at 9 p.m. on June 13th. They boarded a very sleek new train of the B & O Railway. President and Mrs. B Coolidge said goodbye most pleasantly. Many in the presidential party who were friends of mine expressed a number of times their regret at the fact that I was not going along. One of the party said it did not seem proper for me not to be in the party, and as I knew and understood the President and Mrs. Coolidge and others who were accompanying them so well.

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I recorded that I was delighted not to be leaving at this t {begin inserted text}i{end inserted text} me for the Black Hills. I much preferred to accompany the MAYFLOWER on her trip to New England and her cruising aboard with my Navy shipmates.

Beside myself seeing the Presidential party off, were former Ambassador and Mrs. {begin inserted text}Crew{end inserted text} ; Mrs. New, the wife of the Postmaster General; Mrs. Jardine, the wife of the Secretary of Agriculture, and her daughter Ruth; Secretary of the Navy and Mrs. Wilbur; and Captain Brown. As the train pulled out from Union Station, Secretary Wilbur turned to Captain Brown and me and said: "Now you boys have taken the Navy off the front page."

The next day I went to the temporary White House and also the Executive Offices put away and in order all the medical supplies and provisions until such time as the President and the First Lady returned and there would be use there for them.

The first two days it seemed very strange to be free of a great deal of strain and responsibility incident to the presidential absence from Washington. I sensed a very {begin inserted text}(quoiant?){end inserted text} feeling and I found myself enjoying the new experience of being once more completely Navy man without other duties and responsibilities, various and sundry missions not related to the Navy per se. My friends seemed to note apparent relief and a relaxed manner. I was surely very weary of the officialdom and the strain related to it. When one has White House duty, he is in constant on the alert, must live for the emergency, never knowing what next will happen, what will be
with so many people related to the White House and

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and with so many crosscurrents ever flowing.

As Mrs. Wilbur was in Washington, not well, I was required at the Secretary of the Navy's request to keep a very close touch on her and give her all the necessary professional attention that she required. Until the ship sailed, I was quite busy {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}with{end handwritten}{end inserted text} visitations to the Wilbur home.

The Surgeon General was having some personnel problems he wished me to look into. One dealt with an officer he had ordered as a Force staff officer, fe {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}F{end handwritten} l{end inserted text} eet unit, who misbehaved so badly that the admiral of that Force tried to "pass the buck", as it were, to the Surgeon General who he felt was in a way responsible for the situation, and should not have ordered this officer to such staff duty. I {begin inserted text}He{end inserted text} felt the Surgeon General must have known of some previous conduct of a serious nature. The admiral of the Force was aware of it when this officer was named to his staff and he tried to deal with it on a promissory basis of good conduct, which did not eventuate. As a result, the Surgeon General nominated another officer for the staff duty who was much junior to the one previously assigned, but he was one in whom the Surgeon General had much confidence, even though of his junior rank for the billet.

June 21, {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}1927{end handwritten}{end inserted text} the MAYFLOWER sailed from Washington Navy Yard at 8 o'clock in the morning, much to my delight with my wife and daughter aboard, as was Mrs. Brown, the wife of the Commanding Officer. Little Suzanne said it did not seem real to be cruising aboard a ship and particularly on her beloved MAYFLOWER on which she had had so very many happy days as experiences. She was a great little sailor. Everyone made a great

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deal of fuss over her and we watched that she was not spoiled by too much attention. During our trip to the Boston Navy Yard, she started to {MISSING} charge by one of the very attractive boatswain's mates. He would find a place in the lee of the main deck for Suzanne and him to play cards, which she quickly learned. She felt very much at home on the ship and everybody contributed to making her feel that way. She was never the slightest bit of trouble on the entire cruise. As far as I have been able to ascertain, Suzanne was the only child that ever, in the long history of the MAYFLOWER, and it was in active service over 50 years, {begin inserted text}to have{end inserted text} sailed aboard her. {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}*{end handwritten}{end inserted text} Mrs. Boone and I are very proud for our daughter to have had this very unique experience. {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}*Subsequent to this stated assumption a correction needs to be supplied, which correction was only ascertained in mid-april 1965 after my investigation.{end handwritten}{end inserted text}

Hav e ing my wife and daughter on this delightful cruise north of Washington early convinced me that I would not change this experience for a summer in the Black Hills, and I certainly preferred to be with my own dear family. Part of the cruise we had considerable fog. At one period we had to anchor for four hours on the way north. We arrived in New London, Connecticut, at noon of June 23, days after leaving Washington. I thought the New London air {begin inserted text}area{end inserted text} presented a beautiful harbor. It was fascinating to see the ships and boats and watching on the Thames there the shell boat races. All the boats in the harbor and the [???]ing craft, the oarsmen, it was a most unique sight for us Boones to behold.

Nighttime was perfectly lovely in that harbor and we had many visitors to the MAYFLOWER and we were invited to visit on private yachts

Febuary 27, 1965.

Daer Ethel:-

Not knowing whether the Emersons had sent you a recent report on Tom, I had one they sent me copied for you. What a ghastly vigil they have had and are having. Now some encouragement but a long dim road ahead. It would be hard to foresee full recovery and no one could prognosticate what type of residues might eventuate. It is gratifying that they are having some encouragement and I hope indeed that there will continue to be.

Please let me know whether you have knowledge of a trip your Mother made on the Presidential {begin inserted text}Yacht{end inserted text} Mayflower with some lady guests from Fernandina, Florida, Havana in March 1905. I read something to

MEMO from JOEL T. BOONE

{begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}?{end handwritten}{end inserted text} MEMO

{begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}yes → Received - {ILLEGIBLE} - {ILLEGIBLE} will talk about it in July!{end handwritten}{end inserted text}

that effect in my studies of the Mayflower. I am informed that I served on her longer than anyother officer in her fifty years of active duty as a U.S. Naval ship. I have a letter to that effect from the last Commanding Officer of her. Do you know whether any of you children ever made over-night cruises on her. Suzanne made two from Washington to New England with Helen with President Coolidge's permission. We had many parties aboard her for Suzanne when a tot. She and Helen were much loved by each of the Presidents and their wives whom I served.

There is no favorable word from Denver for us as to Helen's brother. There is no hope but the length of life of course is not predictable.

Betsy telephoned to us from California {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}{ILLEGIBLE}{end handwritten}{end inserted text} last night that she will have a baby this year. We are thrilled to anticipate being great grandparents.

(INSERT)

Theodore Roosevelt) {begin inserted text}{begin handwritten},{end handwritten}{end inserted text} and he remembers the trip on the Mayflower vividly despite the fact that he was about eleven years old. He says that those on the trip were Mrs. Roosevelt, Miss Carow, Belle Hagner, John Elliott, Kermit, Ethel, and Archie. He remembers that they were in Cuba on 'April Fool's Day'--and many more bits. Mrs. Derby now remembers it perfectly, which Mr. Archie said she would when certain things were recalled to her.

"It should be 1905 because on March 14, 1904, T.R. wrote a lengthy letter to Lawrence Abbott about certain newspaper criticisms of the President's expensive yacht, the Mayflower. T.R. wrote that he had used it about three times--and only for official functions. He commented that it was used by the Admiral or the Secretary of the Navy. These criticisms were undoubtedly political, leading up to the November 1904 elections."

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