As father himself has indicated, he possessed little or no mechanical
sense and as a result had no patience with mechanical devices. This was
typified by his attitude toward the automobile.
In the early days of automobile development he continued to use the horse
and buggy . . . said he always knew when he started out that he would get
to where he was going and back again. Gradually, however, he was obliged
to make use of the automobile, but he never learned to drive nor could he
be induced to even try. Whenever a car stopped, even if it were due to a
simple tire puncture, he would state in no uncertain terms what he thought
about motor transport. When there was any appreciable delay on the road
he became very impatient and threatened to get out and walk. Later on when
the automobile had been greatly improved and as a consequence became more
reliable, he lost his antipathy to motor transport and readily recognized
the asset value of this mode of transportation. While he was not in the
least mechanically inclined, he marveled at and admired the remarkable ingenuity
of the creators of mechanical devices. He always stressed the point that
the products of inventive genius were the children of the mind and had to
be developed there before they could exist in concrete form.
While he was distinctly socially minded . . . thoroughly enjoyed social
contact with people of all classes . . . he disliked
social functions tinged with conventionality and accompanied by display.
He entertained a suspicion in such instances that the element of social
intercourse was eclipsed by the opportunities these functions offered for
what he termed "show."
Nevertheless, his innate prejudice against ostentatious display was compensated
for by the opportunities which were a subject which held for him an all-consuming
interest. Naturally, when he became Governor and later a member of the Senate
of the United States, he was obliged to attend many formal affairs, and
regardless of the objections he would raise I have always harbored the belief
that when he was actually on the scene of action he thoroughly enjoyed himself,
but mainly because in the process he could enlarge upon his knowledge of
human nature. The following quotations from his correspondence with me with
reference to formal functions are typical.
January 9, 1925 "Last night Mary and I attended the President's
reception at the White House. I don't care to waste Burlew's time or my
time in telling you how much I enjoyed the reception. As I walked through
the White House my mind went back to Abraham Lincoln. Insomuch as the Civil
War was on during his entire term, I presume receptions in those days were
rare. For some reason I have never given that feature of his life any attention.
After attending one of these receptions, I find it easy to be reconciled
to having no further aspirations for the presidency. The President, to my
mind, is the most pathetic figure in American life. I doubt if Coolidge
has a sense of humor anything
like that possessed by Lincoln. Of course, that would help him amazingly."
February 2, 1928 "Before I forget it, permit me to say that I have
just come from the White House where I had breakfast this morning at eight
with the senators who were about half and half Republicans and Democrats.
My main object in accepting the President's invitation was to get some pancakes
and Vermont maple syrup."
January 3, 1925 "Last night Mary and I attended the Charity Ball
at the New Willard. I did it solely to please Mary. I presume you have lived
long enough to know to what extent women enjoy the glitter and show of a
ball. President and Mrs. Coolidge were present, a considerable number of
senators and a very large number of the "uppy-ups" of the city
of Washington. It furnished me another opportunity to study human nature
when it is on exhibition. I can't say that I enjoyed it except for the human
nature element."
January 27, 1937 [sic 1927] "The society woman has a hell
of a time in this city (Washington). There isn't a city on the globe, except
Paris, where a woman can cultivate so largely her vanity."
So far as I can recall, father had practically no bad habits in the common
acceptance of the meaning of that term. He was a moderate cigar smoker but
had little use for cigarettes and very seldom smoked a pipe, but entertained
no prejudice against pipe smoking. His antipathy toward cigarette smoking
was undoubtedly due to prejudice
based on his personal opinion that they offered nothing adequate in the
way of smoking satisfaction.
At one time, his old friend and fellow classmate in the Medical Department
of the University of Michigan, Dr. John H. Kellogg, told him that if he
would give up smoking it would probably add ten years to his life. Father
replied that while he recognized the probable truth of that statement he
was not going to live the life of an ascetic merely to prolong his life
but that he would continue his smoking for considerable periods during his
lifetime. He had an iron will and undoubtedly could have abandoned smoking
entirely had he so desired.
With reference to habit, father possessed some very definite opinions of
even so-called harmless habits. I can well recall his aversion to gum chewing,
and, for some reason I cannot now remember, he looked upon the custom of
men parting their hair in the middle with disapproval.
During morning exercises he could not abide needless sound interruptions
while he was reading, such as a student rattling an ink well; scraping the
feet or the making of any unnecessary commotion. At such times he would
stop his reading and in unmistakable terms vigorously comment on the situation.
He was a master in the use of sarcasm and I have no doubt that many an old
student can remember a number of caustic dressings down that he administered
when he felt them justified.
His marked aversion to the use of liquor is easy to understand. He had observed
the devastating effects of it on
all sides, but certain experiences in his own family which caused him untold
sorrow and many sleepless nights constituted an argument which demonstrated
to his satisfaction that mankind would be better off without it.
As a result, he was bitterly opposed to the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment.
One of the few addresses he prepared for use in the Senate comprehended
his views on this subject. Many of his own party confreres in the Senate
disagreed with him on this matter, but it was characteristic of him that
when he believed in a principle he would adhere to his convictions regardless
of party policy or anything else.
Having been brought up in an atmosphere that demanded obedience, and being
subjected at all times to rigid discipline, he naturally believed these
things were essential in the building of character. In our home and elsewhere
he taught the value of obedience, parental respect, discipline, punctuality
and all of the so-called homely virtues. While he left the management of
the home largely to mother, he did not hesitate to step into any emergency
involving either by brother or myself, and we knew what to expect if we
had infringed upon the rules of decent conduct.
If there was any one trait in human nature that he... (the narrative is
here interupted due to the loss of one of the original manuscript pages)