The Washington times., 1906-01-14
OPIE READ TALKS
WITH PRESIDENT
His Impressions of TheO-
dOre Roosevelt.
LIKES WASHlNGT0N'S STYLE
May Find Enough Material Here for
Book or Play-Misses Female
Lobbyist.
LIKES WASHINGT0N'S STYLE

Onie Read. author and play wright,
has made democratic social call on
Theodore Roosevelt at the White
House. In the face of threatened leg
islation and threatened Ron-legislation
by Congress, the turmoil over Panama
canal AFFAIRS, and other important
matters that are occupying the Presi-
dents attention at present. he laid
aside his work for a chat with the
famous author Of Southern dialect
novels and plays.
Politics and affairs of state were
cast to the winds
Just a sort of social call-arranged
over the Democratic telephone don't
mean the wire leading from John Sharp
Williams minority room, but through
the channels Of hap-hazard hello" ex-
planned the author. in answer TO in
quiries, after leaving the Executive
Office.
Talked Freely.
What did we talk abouto Men and
measures - measures OF men. As
there were no axes. nor even hatchets,
TO be ground. the talk was free. knew
that the President wouldn't print any
thing that / said, and he was willing
10 take his chances. lie always has
been. lie took his chances WIKI the
publishers. years ago, and the fact
that he is alive now and doing well
proves him TO be man OF remarkable
constitution.
He does not talk book; any man Of
intellectual industry can do that. He
talks in sentences of vibrant surprises
adventurous. hazardous. IL would
seem. lie expresses his opinions as
freely as if he were a private citizen
a citizen with convictions, and with an
almost reckless holiness. But as quick
as il is, every sentence he utters Is
strong, shapely. So to speak-gTacefu
An athlete, a wrestler.
Mr.. Read for years has been the
most prominent figure in the Chicasc
Press Club. which made the President
an honorary member when he visited
the club during his campaign for the
Nice Presidency. When that cruz
passed through Washington last ran
ON its annual junket. visiting the cities
of the East. the members were re
ceived by the President at ms earnest
solicitation. Mr. Read introduced the
roemher5 of the club to the President
On trat occasion, making a notable, ep-
;grammatic Introductory speech Of
scarcely ZOE words.
Read STANDS ALONE
NJ. Rcad stands quite aione in his own
1lnioue field of entirely original htefa-
ture. long ago having won the reputa-
ton of successfully portrayins the rurai
character Of the South. who is common
place in the society that surrounds him.
but. who. with his Southern dialect, is
gifted with a wit and sense of humor
that is wholesome when spread out In
a book
Although for a decade he has lived in
Chicago. the South is still his faVorite
field his most notable wandering from
it being his recent book. The Son OF
Swordmaker." the story of the cruel
fixion as told by a Roman sailor
Mr. Read has come TO Washington 10
take his 6rst look at the National Con-
gress and the workings of the American
Government. In a number Of his books
the author has dealt with the Southern
Senator and with politics and intrigue
in State Legislatures. cad now he has
come to study the methods of the great
e. national body-''an overgrown State
LEGISLATURE" as he expresses II. Mr..
Read is not d politician, but book
maker. and he has the faculty of wading
into the atmosphere from the viewpoint
of a man in either profession.
As a Politician.
That the author is not an oficehold-
er. or at least a politician, Is not the
fault of his neighbors in the Jackson
Park section of Chicago. Several years
ago. at a mass meeting. they drew up
a petition asking that he stand for the
aldermanic nomination.
Mr. Read was then writing special lit
for
can. and the enterprising editor at once
assigned the author To interview him
self as a possible candidate for the Of
flee that came along seeking him. II
Mr. Reads name had been unknown 10
the public before. that interview alone
would have made iIlFa famous. It was
telegraphed to Washington and New
York papers and copied throughout the
country No humOr in any OF his books
was ever richer than that in the char
acJeristically pungent paragraphs of his
interview.
Many propositions had come 20 Mr..