Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-11-12
WILSON DOES NOT
ENJOY MAKING TALKS
President Has Not Reached Stage Where
Facing Crowds is Great Pleasure
For Him.
AIRY PERsIFLAGE NOT IN
HIS PARTICULAR LINE
Once In While He Actually Gets Some
Enjoyment in Exchange of Wit
With Less Fortunate.
BY BURTON x. sTANDIsH
(Written for the United Press)


Washington. Nov. l2.--Up to the
present time President Wilson hash t
learned to enjoy addressing crowds.
Which, in these days of persistent pres
idential travel and insistent inhabita-
tants, is somewhat amazing. President
Wilson, if he followed absolutely his
own wishes and desires in the matter
which he doesn 't--would very rarely,
if ever, give rear-platform talks or make
campaign speeches. What he d like to
do, would be to tackle his job of being
president, and with the exception of a
game Of golf now and then, let nothing
else interfere or draw him away from
his desk. He would much prefer to be,
as some local newspaper said some days
ago, Confidential president" and
let his work and results do the talking
for him.
President Wilson actually quivers
when delighted constituency in overalls
and coal dust, leers up at him and cries
out, "What, ho, Woody, Old Scout, :"
or "Hooray for Woody" He's ready
and willing always to shake hands, par
ticularly with the ladies, for the pres
ident probably is the greatest example
of courtesy extant today, and many
times the chief executive has sent
shivers of apprehension cavorting cold
ly up and down the spines Of the secret
service guards who accompany him on
all trips, by insisting on leaving the
platform TO wade into a crowd to
shake hands with some woman who is
waving an index finger in the air and
exclaiming that she wants to grasp the
president S hand. Crowds and and bon
homie which all presidents must assume
bother him. His mind, as he once wrote
to Col. House, his friend, is g single
track mind" that loves to grapple
with great problems but hates to de-
tach itself and come downstairs, where
airy persiflage holds forth.
Some Exchanges of Wit.
Once in while though the president
actually enjoys these exchanges of wit
that come whenever a chief executive
or any great man mingles with the rest
of the world. One example of this oc-
cured on the recent trip to Washington
from Mobile. At Salisbury, N G. there
was a great crowd waiting for speech.
The president had ordered the train to
stop but minute so he could avoid
making it. A man clambered up the
brass rail of the observation end and
cried out:
''Come on out Mr., President and
show yourself, anyhow We want to
look at you" The president, grinning,
stepped to the doorway of his ear,
"I'm not much to look at, )" he said.
wen, dHyHoMi gVu loVh ualH BVVu w
me-" yelled the man waving his hat.
"That S why voted for you, and I'm
going to do it again when ] have a
chance On the same trip at Ewing
ton, Va, way station where the pres.
ident had the train halted so he could
take little constitutional, some women
grabbed him Historically by the arm.
''Oh, Mr.. President, y cried one. "Give
us a flower" pointing to one of the
floral displays with which his enthu'
,siastic admirers had showered him all
along the line of the route. The presi
dent directed that the whole affair, q
most elaborate basket Of yellow chrys
anthumums and roses, be divided among
the women. One of them got the whole
affair and started off as fast as she
could go. The others got her on the
ten yard stretch and there was a mad
scramble.
Girl Grabs Him.
''Mr. President" cried girl, grab
he'd him as he was ascending to his
car, and pulling him clear off the steps