The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-04-05
WASHINGTON CHlTCHAT
President Roosevelt's Strenuous
Plan to Reduce His Flesh.
TAKES LESSONS IN REAL JIU J1TsU

Remarkable Feat Of strength of One
Of the Japanese Wrestlers Who Are
Training the President w. A.
Smith 10 he Cannon's John Hay
Representative Sibley's Fastest
Automobile Ride-An Embarrassed
Romeo.
President Roosevelt has again taken
up iiu jitsu, and this time it is the real
thing. says the Washington CORE
spondent Of the New York World. His
instructors are two Japanese who are
masters in the art of doubling a man
up in agony with a gentle punch of the
thumb or breaking an arm with the
twist Of the wrist.
They are thin little fellows with frail
looking bodies, but they are bundles OF
steel. They were brought over from
Japan by Samuel Hill, son-in-law OF
James j. Hill. who introduced them to
the president. They had heard that
Mr.. Roosevelt took some lessons In j1u
titsu from Professor O'Brien two years
ago and they asked him to let them
show him what they could do.
The president told Captain Loefder,
his doorkeeper, to admit no callers, not
even senators or cabinet members, and
turned his Office over to the Japs.
Their exhibition caused Mr.. Roosevelt
to stop winking and gasp. They show
cd him what jiu jitsu really is and they
were engaged on the spot. The presi-
dent is now spending an exceedingly
strenuous hour with them on two aft
ernoons a week and he always Is
promptly on hand. no matter what bus
mess has to be dropped.
There are seven degrees in jiu titsu.
The presidents instructors have it up
to the fifth degree and Mr.. Roosevelt
intends to have all five of them. Jlu
jitsu really is the science Of anatomy,
wonderfully developed. It brings into
play unheard Of muscles and turns
them all into steel, while superfuous
flesh melts under the exercise like
snow in a blast furnace. That is the
feature that especially appeals to the
president just now, as he weighs more
than 200.
When the two Japs reached San
Francisco one Of them was matched
against the champion heavyweight
wrestler Of the Pacific coast, who STIR
red up the Japs by publicly declaring
that jiu jitsu was a useless fad and
that the strength it was supposed to
develop was theoretical or imaginary.
The strangle hold, which is the ter
TOR Of all wrestlers, was flowed In
the contest. The Jap waited for the
wrestler to get him into a good stran-
gle hold. Then the Jap pressed his
chin into the arms that clinched his
neck, grasped his antagonist around
the chest, frightened his muscles q bit
and in a minute the wrestler rolled
over in a faint, with the blood pouring
from his nose and mouth. Then the
Jap took on two big prize fighters and
quickly rendered both of them help
less with a few lightning twists.
With the two Japs is a japanese
woman who is also an expert In the
art, and she is teaching jiu jitsu to
large class Of Washington society wo
men, whose husbands are in a panic.
"William," said Speaker Cannon tt
William Alden Smith Of Michigan tn
day after Smith nominated Cannon
for president in a speech in the house
''that was very kind of you to nomi
nate me for president"
I'm glad you liked it." smiled
Smith.
eyes, William, and when l get to b.
president you can have JOhn Hay
job. You needn't bring any testimo
malls or use any influence. Just g
right up to the state department ant
take your seat"
Representative Sibley of Pennsylva
MIA, who owns several automobiles
was telling some members of the hous
Of his fastest automobile
II was out trying a new car when
got away from me and started throug
a cornfield," Mr.. Sibley said. "1n tn
same field, twining about the corr
stalks, were growing lima beans. Tn
machine travelled SO fast | thought
was going through a sea of succotash.
Archie Roosevelt is not old enough t
pose as a lover and to appreciate In
passioned love songs directed at hin
A few days ago Mrs. Roosevelt went t
a matinee performance in Washingto
Of 1.-THE Wizard Of or" with her youn
Sons Archie and Quentin and sever.
of their playmates. The party Of lit
folk occupied a box next to the pro
cenium arch. When Lolita Faust san
Ter famous Sammy song she selecte
Archie as her young Romeo and cel
tered the attention of the great aud
ence of children on the little fellow
he moved uneaslly in his embarras
ment and tried to look unconcerne
but the more endearing the song b
came the more he blushed. Miss Fau
was recalled repeatedly, and each tin