The Hartford republican., 1913-10-31
JAMES HANDS
POLITICAL PIE
He and Secretary Tumulty
Chief Cooks.
''Kitchen Cabinet" Flourishes
Now Greater than In any
Other Administration.


Washington, Oct. 26.-It was freely
predicted when President Wilson tool
his office that he would have nc
"kikhen cabinet"
Former Presidents for many years
have had Kitchen cabinets" but Mr.
Wilson was to be an exception. He
was to run his office without any
little circle OF favorite advisers.
How completely this prediction has
gone to smash is shown by the fact
that President Wilson now has o
Kitchen cabinet" par excellence. 1t
has forty times as much influence
In shaping the executive acts and
legislative policies of the President
IA his regular cabinet, consisintg OF
the heads Of the ten executive de-
partments. The regular cabinet, In
fact, came nearly being wiped off the
map q time back. altho II Is now
showing signs Of returning anima-
tion. For about three months 1t was
not called together-a most unpreced-
ented situation-but the President
would consult from time to time with
its individual members.
The head and front of the Presi-
dents Kitchen cabinet" fs Joe Tu-
multy, his private secretary. Tumu.-
80, han I'd In
thirties, has an old and wise head on
- shoulders. And, speaking by and
large. he "cuts more ice" than any
other Presidential private secretary
that ever lived in this country. whi,h
is saying a good deal. as there have
bc Presidents secretaries, Lamont.
Cortelyou. Loeb and others. who have
been big political factors In their
times.
Tumulty is the practical politician
of the White House firm. The Pres
ident's mind is ON big things and
more and more he is adopting the
motto: Leave that to Joe." Joe
just loves politics and without a
hand In the political game he would
be like a fish out Of water. l'
There never was q president who
embraced SUGGESTIONS from his private
secretary with that complete conf
dence with which President Wilson
receives tips from Joe. Especially in
all matters Of patronage Joe comes
pretty nearly forming the states for
confirmation. II there Is anything
the President despises most Of all
1t il cutting the pie. Joe Is never
happier than when he is presiding
at the pie counter. dispensing slices
to good fellows here and there.
The kitchen cabinet" revolves ar
ound Joe more than around the Pres
ident. Many an important matter is
"fixsi up" at the sessions of the
kitchen cabinet that later comes be-
fore the public I'm the form OF a
White House announcement. The per
sonnel OF the Kitchen cabinet" con-
s.su largely of four persons. 1t will
be Interesting and gratifying to news
paper men to know that a member OF
their profession is also star menu
ber OF the "kitchen cabinet"
This interesting and versatile per-
sonage is Thomas j. Pence. formerly
Washington correspondent of the Ra-
eigh News and Observer. Secretary
OF the Navy Josephus Daniels paper.
Mr.. Pence is an old-umer ON News
paper Row. He is a good-loolking. lik-
able bachelor. He Is In charge of the
Democratic national headquarters In
the Hibbs Building and when he Is
not there he is very likely to be
found In Joe Tumulty's room at the
White House. Along with Tom Pence
and occupying an equal station OF
prominence In the kitchen cabinet"
IL Senator 0Eis. N. James of Ken
lucky. The pull which that Kentucky
solon, James. has at the White
House IL something fierce. James
win be remembered for many things.
including his masterul oratory At
Democratic national conventions. He
was che permanent presiding officer
of the Baltimore convention last
year.
But he VAS not Wilson man. which
makes his present position OF favor
at the White House rather inexph-
cable. He helped to organize
Champ Clark delegation In Kentucky.
He threw his whole soul into the
fight and Kentucky lined up for