Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-06-19

rfes did not come as much into the
public notice as they do today The
change Is not due in any way to push
ing" qualities on the part of the mod
ern secretaries, but it is due to the
fact that their duties are SO much
more onerous and that they are COM
PEELED to stand between the president
and an ever pressing and sometimes
importunate public.
When Joseph P Tumulty first came
to Washington as secretary to the
president, the wonder of stranger Wis
itors to the White House was how
Tumulty knew their names. Now of
course a good many cards were pre-
scented, and at times il was possible
for the secretary to know the card
corresponding to the caller. but not
always. TumuEy, however, invariably
called each man by his right name,
and saw eyebrow after eyebrow arch
in surprise
It is a great thing to know a mans
name, for it goes some distance along
the self-esteem route to help man
bear up against a final, If gently ad-
ministered, disappointment. How did
Tumulty know the names at the out
set?
Do They Use an Eye Code?
The suspicion has been that the
secretary, and the assistant secretary,
Rudolph Forster, who knows the
name Of every living man between
East Cape and Mendocino, had a
Morse alphabet which they dotted and
dashed out by means of rapid
winking.
Tumulty's desk is at the south side
of a goodly sized reception room.
Forster's desk is at the west side of
room adjoining, but there is an
open doorway between the Offices,
and the line Of vision from Tumulty's
desk to Forster's is as straight and
unclouded as the daily walk Of the
upright man. Tumulty knew every
bOdy's name before he spoke TO him.
and il the information was not con-
yeyed by an eye code it was conveyed
in some subtle, Elusive manner which
was past the discovery of the curious
If Forster did the telegraphing and
was himself at loss for a name
which hardly seems possible, by the
wayne had only to call up a base
station at his immediate left, where
sits Thomas Brahaney, who knows
the sur Christian and middle name of
nine-tenths of the men born Amer
i0ano Today TnGonh d T11r
rotary to the president, knows every
body's name, and pretty nearly ev-
erybody's personality. Joseph is as
wise a man as his namesake of the
Old Testament, although his name
probably was given him in honor of
one of the two Josephs of the gospel.
Some people say that, of course,
Washington correspondents write
nice things about presidents secreta-
ries. 1t might be suggested that the
files be searched in order that it may
be known that some things not alto
gether nice have been written about
some of them.
Tumulty's Great Success.
Joseph P, Tumulty is a good fellow,
and. moreover, he has been astound-
ingly successful with a new and try
ing job. He has to send away men
who are bent on seeing Mr.. Wilson,
but he knows how to send them away
with their heads up and a pleased
light in their eyes. Senators, mem
bers. department officials and stranger
visitors drop in and drop down into
seats of the chaired circle. Tumulty
swings round the circle, calls every
body by name, asks what he can do
for him, and makes a lightning differ
entiatiOn. Some men see the presi-
dent and some do not, but all of them
get satisfaction cut Of their visits
New Jersey must have a good pre-
paratOry school for the District Of
Columbia.
William Loeb, Jr., talked for Theo-
dore Roosevelt on many occasions.
Loeb and Tumulty are absolutely diff
ferent temperamentally, but they are
very much alike in method. Tumulty
is not afraid to speak for his chief.
and in being unafraid, he shows that
he knows his ground, that no rebuke
is in store, and that he has added just
so much to the time which Woodrow
Wilson can give to the contemplation
of the tariff and the currency.
Joseph P. Tumulty is a hard work
er. If he were not a willing worker
he would not be secretary to the pres
ident. There are millions of roses in
Washington at all seasons of the year,
out of doors or in the hothouses, but
none of them has ever been plucked
TO help make a bed of roses for the
man who acts as secretary to the
president of the United States.