The White House Week

The White House Week

P: Learning that further delay invited probable disaster and certainly increased repair expenditures, President Coolidge gave his consent to having the White House roof rebuilt during the summer of 1927. Cost, $350,000.

P: In the first Congregational Church one day last week a patch of plaster dropped on the head of a woman near the President's pew, knocked her unconscious. On Sunday, services were held in Loew's Palace theatre. Again plaster gave way over one of the boxes,--fortunately such small pieces that the service was not interrupted.

P: Mrs. Coolidge turned the first spadeful of earth for the new Washington City Orphan Asylum; little children sang, handed her a bouquet. The asylum's first president was Dolly Madison, wife of the fourth U. S. President.

P: Eunice Stockert, three-year-old Brooklynite, dropped a dainty curtsy before the President. When she and her parents had passed on about three feet and the President had turned to greet another visitor, the little girl piped in a moment of silence: "Mother, is that Cal?" The President heard, smiled. At home Eunice announced that of all the things she saw in Washington, she liked best the goldfish in the pond in front of the Congressional Library.

P: The President authorized payment of $2,000 indemnity to Great Britain on account of the death of a British subject mistakenly killed by East St. Louis plain-clothes men.

P: A dozen handsome Hoosiers, the Republican leaders of Indiana, with Senator James E. Watson, Senator Arthur R. Robinson, called on the President. Recently in support of these two Senators, the Republican state committee adopted a platform opposing the World Court (which the Ku Klux Klan opposes) and favoring the Haugen farm relief bill (which the Indiana corn belt likes). In both cases, of course, the Indiana Republicans had taken the opposite stand from Mr. Coolidge. Why then did they call on the President? To invite him to campaign in Indiana. Able Correspondent Clinton W. Gilbert remarked: "The last thing the delegates wish him to do would be to come to the state and speak...." As it happened, the President had already announced that he would do no campaigning this season--except possibly in Massachusetts.