Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-04-07
WASHINGTON cnITCHAT
President Roosevelt's Strenuous
Plan to Reduce His Flesh.
FAKES LESSONS IN REAL J1U J1Tsu

Training the President - w. A
Smith to Be Cannon's John Hay.
Representative Sibley's Fastest
Automobile Ride-An Embnrrassed
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 man
up in agony with gentle punch of the
thumb or breaking an arm with the
twist of the wrist.
They are thin little fellows with frail
booking 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 jiu
jitsu from Professor O'Brien two years
ago and they asked him to let them
show him what they could do.
The president told Captain Loefler,
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
ed 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
1ness has to be dropped.
There are seven degrees in jiu jitsu.
The presidents instructors have it up
to the fifth degree and Mr.. Roosevelt
intends to have all five of them. Jiu
jitsu really is the science Of anatomy,
wonderfully developed. 1t brings into
play unheard Of muscles and turns
them all into steel, while superduous
flesh melts under the exercise like
snow in 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
y
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 strange hold, which is the ter
TOT of all wrestlers, was allowed in
the contest. The Jap waited for the
wrestler to get him into 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 bit
and in minute the wrestler rolled
over in 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 few lightning twists.
With the two Japs is japanese
woman, who is also an expert in the
art, and she is teaching jiu jitsu to a
large class of Washington society wo.
men, whose husbands are in panic.
"William," said Speaker Cannon to
William Alden Smith of Michigan the
day after Smith nominated Cannon
for president in q speech in the house.
''that was very kind of you to nomi-
nate me for president"
"1'm glad you liked it, smiled
Smith.
eyes, William, and when I get to be
president you can have John Hays
job. You needn't bring any testimo.
malls or use any influence. Just go
right up to the state department and
take your seat"
Representative Sibley of Pennsylva-
MIA, who owns several automobiles,
was telling some members of the house
Of his fastest automobile ride.
II was out trying new car when it
got away from me and started through
a cornfield." Mr.. Sibley said. "In the
same field, twining about the corn
stalks, were growing lima beans. The
machine Travelled so fast thought
was going through sea of succotash."
Archie Roosevelt is not old enough to
pose as a lover and to appreciate i'm
passioned love songs directed at him.