On January 24th, 1927, Swami Yogananda, accompanied by Mr. John Balfour, second secretary of the British Embassy, had the pleasure of an interview with President Coolidge at the White House.

The Washington Herald for January 25th reported the event in the following words:

"Swami Yogananda, East Indian educator and philosopher, was presented to President Coolidge yesterday at 12:30 by J. Balfour, second secretary of the British Embassy.

"He was greeted with evident pleasure by Mr. Coolidge, who told him he had been reading a great deal about him. This is the first time in the history of India that a Swami has been received officially by the President.

"Questioned as to his impression of the President after the interview the Swami said: ‘I found him looking much healthier than his pictures would indicate. He was very calm and quiet, and I felt that he required health and calmness in order to discharge his many duties.’

"During the interview, which lasted several minutes, the Swami said: ‘Mr. President, it is only spiritual understanding between all nations that can bring lasting peace. If the Navy is scrapped and the machine guns are destroyed, that will not stop war, for the people still would fight, if their weapons were but stones.’

"Continuing, the Swami declared that he was interested in America because it is a very powerful factor in the world.

"To this the President replied: ‘That is very true. It is only the spiritual understanding between nations that can bring lasting peace.’ "

The Washington Post for January 15, 1927, printed the following paragraphs about Swami Yogananda’s suggested ideal diet for the nation’s Chief Executive.

"Ice Water Barred From Regimen of

President in Diet

....Advocated by Swami—Be ‘Actively Calm’ and ‘Calmly Active’

"Swami Yogananda, Hindu lecturer, yesterday prescribed a daily regimen for President Coolidge.

"No meat would be allowed the President under the daily menu prescribed by the Swami, who told the President that he must do no worrying, but be calmly active and actively calm. Drinking of ice water was disapproved because it chilled the stomach. Partial fasting is extremely good—not eating because the dinner bell rings, but eating only with the signal of strong hunger, was another precept.

"Other laws by which the chief executive should live, according to the Swami, were:

"Morning and evening sit in introspective silence, thinking of your most important engagement with the Soul within.

"He had noticed in the newspapers that the President’s physicians were changing his menu and was prompted to send a balanced food and health menu because of his admiration for America which gave him a deep concern in the health of the President, the Swami explained. The daily menu called for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as follows:

"Breakfast—Orange juice, with pulp and seeds, mixed with a tablespoonful of thoroughly ground pecan or pistachio nuts; thick grape fruit juice with two raw eggs beaten into it; toasted bran muffins buttered.

"Lunch—Fruit salad of five dates, handful of seedless raisins, thoroughly mixed with dressing of three tablespoons thick cream and tablespoonful of thoroughly ground almonds or peanut butter. For variety from day to day different fruits or an uncooked vegetable salad or dessert may be eaten, the approved list being Avocado pears, fresh pineapple, apples, oranges, grapefruit, tips of new cauliflowers, shelled green peas, chopped lettuce or spinach, pineapple with whipped cream and nuts.

"Dinner—Fruit salad; a cooked vegetable salad with fresh-made mayonnaise or Thousand Island dressing; nut-meat loaf, made of whole wheat and ground nuts; half a glass of milk with boiled prunes or two tablespoonfuls of raisins or six seeded dates, or thick creamed or boiled rice and chopped dates."