The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-19
NOT AN EASY MATTER
 TO CALL UPON TAFT
Few People May Enter With
 out a Long Wait
DOORS ARE WATCHED
Every Door to the White House and Watch All Strangers
 at All Times
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD

BY JONATHAN WINFIELD
 Washington, December 1S.-(Special.)
 It is no easy matter to call upon Pres ident Taft at the White House, even though the caller Is a senator, repre- sentative, holds a high position on the
 Judicial bench, Is a member of the diplomatic corps. or is "big" in the busi- ness or political life of the nation It is a hard journey, a troublesome one that the caller must make before he IS finally. if he be successful ushered into the Presidents private office and is given word or two by the Presi- dent himself.
 To this number. and 1t includes all of the people of the United States and elsewhere, there are only nine excep- tions; President Tafts brother, c. r. Taft of Cincinnati and the eight mem bers of his cabinet. Of course, Secretary Norton, Assistant Secretary Foster and Chief Clerk Latta, of the White House staff, have access to the President at all times.
 Every day brings changes that make it harder for the caller to see the Pres ident. The day of the "open door, at the executive mansion is thing of the past. If a senator wants to see the President he arranges for an interview several days in advance. The same Is true of representatives. Sometimes they get weary of trying to see the President, and give up the task. If representative has a delegation of the big men from back home coming to the nations capital to ask the President to visit them, he must go to the White House, send in his name to Secretary Norton and wait After a while. per haps an hour or more, Secretary Nor ton or Assistant Secretary Foster sees the caller. He states his mission. They make a note of his request, and advise him later when he may come. If he has very big delegation he must stand at the main door of the White House office on the day the delegation is to be received and 70. K" every man who enters as one of the dele gation.
 Watched at the Door The secret service operatives and the White House police are particular as to the identity of those who enter the White House offices. The stranger at the door explains his mission to Detec- tive Sergeant Dalrimple. 'Dar' has been at the main door of the White House offices, during working hours, for 12 years. He knows by sight ev- cry member of Congress, every senator, every government official, all the rail- road presidents, and 1000 or more ex senators and ex-representatives He is also expert on picking out cranks. If the stranger has mission that seems reasonable he Is passed on by 'Dal' to one of the secretary's doorkeepers. If he is a crank Dalrimple escorts him to the basement. where he is examined closely.
 Up to this session of Congress it was not so difficult to see President Taft, | if you were a member of Congress or a high government official. In the old | days there was a separate reception room for the congressional callers They had a doorkeeper who ushered them into the Presidents presence through private door. They entered for the presidential talk in the order in which they arrived at the White House Government officials and prom inent visitors had a reception room, and they got in to see the President | through the secretary's office. Then all of the doors leading to corridors and into the reception rooms had been taffen off their hinges. and the White l House offices were truly "opened up" Reforms of Norton
 Since Secretary Nortons reforms for n iGfr of feet there have been many changes. All of the missing doors have been re- set and closed. There is a doork keeper for nearly every one of them. The con- gressional waiting room has been abol- ished. The room Is now used by the clerks of President Taft's economy board. The door through which the congressman used to enter directly to the Presidents study is closed. and the key thrown away, after the door was locked. Now congressman, with off cials and distin guished guests, assem- ble in the public reception room To make room for the overflow, for on busy days there are many callers, especial ly when the legislative mill is grind ing on Capitol Hill. the corridor lead ing to Secretary Norton's office has been screened of, and has been turned ] over to the congressman who have time | to wait for an audience. The corridor has been named Lame Duck Alley Senator Depew, waiting to see the President, took a seat in Lame Duck Alley the other day, and said he en- joyed the experience. Vice President Sherman remarked to the White House attendants that the alley was not large enough to accommodate the defeated senators and representatives who are to be dropped from the payrolis of the Senate and House at noon on March
 1, 1911.
 | Secret Service Men Busy | While congressman and other call
 CTS are given chairs in the Alley" in
 the main corridor or in the public re-
 ception room, they are Hooked over" by secret service operatives
 ] The secret service guards are on
 hand, too. when the President begins to
 receive his guests. If there Is big delegation the guards stand beside the President. When there are a number
 of congressional callers 15 or 20 see the
 President at time. The President
 goes from one to another, and no one
 caller is allowed to monopolize his at-
 tention for a considerable time. When
 the President finishes with the batch
 another Is sent in, and the ushering In and out of the caller continues unti luncheon is announced and the waiting
 ones dismissed till the number of call
 CTS Is sufficient to get them all in ani answer the call of the golf links a Chevy Chase.
 l
 Monument to Hanson Planned Macon, Ga, December TIA movemen