Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-17
AS WOMAN SEES IT
Edna Ferber Tells of Ante
Convention Excitement.
TRYING ON THE NERVES
Many of the Fair Sex as Deeply In
terested as the Men.
DIFFERENT FROM OTHER YEARS
Scenes Around Big Hotel-Leaders
Show Effects of the Ter
rible Strain.
TRYING ON THE NERVES
DIFFERENT FROM OTHER YEARS
BY EDNA FERBER.

tCopyright. 1917. the Associated Newspapers
CHICAGO, June 11.-Mollie rested one
plump red arm this isn't fiction) on the
handle of her carpet sweeper, passed a
weary hand across her moist brow and
heaved a sigh that imperiled the shoulder
straps of her white bib apron She then
reached up. langour in her movements.
and Strengthened her white cap that sat
rakishly atilt over her left ear.
My said Mollie. "ain't this simply
fierce. If 1t was only over I amt tenn
peramental but. honest, it's getting on
my nerves." And in saying just that
Mollie, the Congress Hotel housemaid. on
duty just outside the Congress Hotel gold
room and the corridors of that floor, gave
expression to the sentiments that are be-
ing entertained by every one connected
with the republican national convention.
It's getting on every ones nerves. being
with Mollie. who has weathered two pre-
vious conventions (but never anything
like this one. she will tell you) and work
ing right up through reporters, special
writer's, delegates, committeeman, conf
Dental advisers. campaign managers.
senator's. governors (were getting warm)
to the very presidential candidates them
selves, and we ought to know, having
one right on the ground.
Michigan avenue is main street this
week. Not that alone. it's main street
on a busy day. With Roosevelt in
town. a sprinkling of ex-Vice Presi-
dents. including Fairbanks. to help fill
out (Which he does altitudinally) and
with governors. statesmen, bands and
marching clubs galore. 1T was poor
kind of a shoe clerk who could not give
his girl a dizzy Sunday afternoon.
Once inside the Congress Hotel it was
impossible to get out Once outside 1t
was suicide to try to force a way in.
1t was nothing like those sane and sim
pie gone days when you could tell re-
publican from a democrat within shoot
ing distance because every man was
either a republican or a democrat and
Dragged about It,
Not Bit Like Sunday.
In one of the elevators that crawled
to various political headquarters up
stairs was a tiny gray-haired old lady
of the black silk and lavender knitted
shawl type. Her hair was crinkled
primIy away from the forehead, and her
more fittingly in its element than in
that crowded. blatant. blaring hotel
crowd. The crowd pushed it's way into
the elevator. The door was shut; the
l11t began ltS ascent.
A constant roar came up from the
crowd below. The second floor reached,
the swarming mob that crowded the
F1orentine room, Roosevelt headquarters,
took up the roar. until the sound swelled
and doomed and deafened. The little lady
peered out with a sort of delicious terror
and half-wicked. half-delighted CLEAN
came into her eyes. She chung to the
arm of the stalwart young man at her
side. and My she piped. excitedly,
-, t. = a.
it was not.
Starting with the Cummins headquar-
ters twhere 1t did not look like Sunday.
the crowd surged its way to Taft head
quarters. where 1t looked. well like Thurs
day evening prayer meeting. say then to
the Roosevelt stamping grounds, where II
looked like the middle Of the week. Curl
osity was written large upon the features
of the visitors. They passed up one cor
ridor and down the other for all the
world like a procession viewing the re-
mains. The ferns and cut flowers that
made bower-like various state headquar-
tiers lent something to the effect.
Reception to Roosevelt.
Oh. 1t was big day. A sort of mixture
OF circus day. Fourth of July, Elks' con-
vention and aero meet. only with more
thrills in it. The men who ought to know
are still saying that nobody knows. There
is no doubling that the crowd has gone
mad for Roosevelt Every time it calls
him Teddy it does SO as though it were
figuratively stamping him on the back.
1t wouldn't dream of calling Taft Bill"
Yesterday there was enthusiasm, today
there Is something that can only be called
confidence.
But Mollie's nerves are not the only set
that begin to feel the strain of it, 1t
shows on the faces Of the men Their
beginning IN
They look wilted, frazzled, and that be-
fore the convention proper has even be-
gun. 1t is not to be seen SO plainly on
the faces Of the men one sees down
stairs, on the streets, or the hotel lobby,
but is stamped Enthusiastically on the fea-
lures OF those others who have stuck close
to the Taft and Roosevelt headquarters.
arranged interviews, pulled wires, man.
aged and marshaled the forces that are
to meet in battle Tuesday. Meantime,
those who hold press badges are actually
wearing them inside their coats for the
perfectly good and Chicago-bred reason
that If they did not they would run a
very grave chance OF having these pre-
torn from them, SO hungry is the crowd
for sight of the convention hall proper.
All Others Surpassed.
Two weeks ago the men with memories
were predicting that this would be the
greatest national convention held since
the family fracas OF "a. Viewing the
present republican national convention inn
partially, and with the thermometer at
20. any delegate will tell you that it
has all other political gatherings in his
tory looking about as exciting and nerve
racking as a meeting of the Five Cor
nerS school trustees on a rainy night,
with the roads bad and the schoolhouse
stove refusing to draw