The Detroit times., 1910-06-08
TAFT REALIZES He
MUST GET NEARER
TO THE PUBLIC
Charles D. Norton, His New Private
Secretary, Breaks Down Exclusive
Barrier That Had Been Main.
tanned by Fred w. Carpenter.
Will Let People Know President as
Friends Know Him and Hopes To
Make Him Very Popular.

WASHlNGION, June o.-Cnarles H.
Norton, OF Chicago. who has assumed
the duties OF secretary 20 the prcsi-
dent, crossing the street fiom the
treasury department, where he mas
made an erviable record, at the very
start had opportunity to show his met
tie In another and wholly different
field. says, special TO the Chicago
Tribune.
There was a changed atmosphere
abou, the White House, decidedV
noticeable 10 all who have had daily
or even semloccasional call 10 Visit
the workshop OF the nations chiel.
end the comment thereat was FAVOR
able. The railroad conference, at
tracing the attention OF the wnoie
country as II did, brought newspaper
correspondents TO the executive omces
In droves, and, as a result. one OF the
things that has aroused greatest COM
plant heretofore during the Tart re-
gime-the embargo on Information
was subjected TO comparison with the
new order OF internal affairs.
All Mystery Discarded.
Information on matters which the
ing OF which Is an aid TO the admin
istration In a popular sense foiioweu
without the agency OF pumps or ex-
ternal force. Mystery was discarded.
The change was so sudden and pro
nounced that everyone talked about ".
Moreover, IL was possible for political
visitors 10 penetrate to the outer sane
tum, where the assistant to the pres
ident" has his desk. without having
to tell the story OF their lives or have
permits after the manner OF the Rus
sian police system. The new incum-
bent met callers with a smile, heard
requests, saw that those who should
have an audience with the executive
got II, and at the close OF the day II
was declared that all appointments
had been kept on time for the first
time since the doorkeepers could re-
call.
On Mr.. Norton's desk when he re-
ported for duty at 8 o'clock was an
immense bunch OF American Beauty
roses sent by his former associates
In the Chicago Offices OF the North
western Mutual Life Insurance COM
pany. Mr.. Norton received also many
letters and kilograms wishing him
success. He had no time 10 read them
until evening and was SO busy, In fact.
that he did not get around to swear
ing to the usual form for federal
employe until midafternoon.
Newspaper Man Pleased.
Just to show that local pride and
good wherever you put them are not
al In tfstO
the debut OF the new secretary to the
president in a dispatch to a Chicago
newspaper, listen to what the bright
young man on the Washington Times
one whose daily task through differ
ent administrations has been TO
cover" the White House-says about
It:
Charles Dyer Norton. former as
sstant secretary OF the treasury, is
On the job today as secretary to the
president, and things are looking up.
Above the executice Offices there
ripples and rumples In the June
breeze the gonfalon OF publicity, and
through the rooms where grim silence
took HIS gloomy pleasure In the dear.
dead past there rings the merry echo
OF candid laughter and happy speech.
I'm other words, the executive
Offices are to me run in a manner
radically different from the manage
ment of Fred w. Carpenter. News is
10 be given out as 1t happens. Mys-
terry inscrutable as the night will no
longer hold its sable court within the
house that IL white.
The ceremonies and shrouds which
were wont to cloak the official live
things have been discarded. and the
uuietest thing heard about the grounds
today was the dull thud OF CASTOR
gum shoes as they hurtled through
the windows and fell to the asphalt
about mile away.
Statesmen who used to think they
had to be able to do the 220-yard
hurdles In a minute in order TO run
through the guardians who kept them
away from the presidential ear can
now give up their athletic training
For Charles Dyer Norton Is on the
jol. and things are looking up.
viii Make Taft Popular.
Mr. Norton has as one OF his
prime duties the work OF letting the
public know the president as his
friends know him. for the friends
know that II this is done Mr.. Taft
will be one OF the most popular pres
idents of modern times.
The new secretary will, 80 to
speak, hold the mirror up to Taft and
let the general public learn his char
aoteristics and methods of work.
Things which need no concealment
will not be concealed. The country
will be told what is going on and how
the going on 10 done. Instead OF 20
announcements from the White House
Offices. there will be bulletins and con-
versation from time TO time.
For Charles Dyer Norton is on the
iob-and things are on the rise"
One Of the first things Secretary
Norton did upon meeting the newspa-
per men In the forenoon was to tell
them that the conference with the
railroad presidents would be at 3
O'Clock, that when IL had concluded
a statement would be issued and that
he was going to see that the CORE
spondents then met the president per.
sonally. And 1t happened just that
way.
one little incident furthermore. EVIL