Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-04-03
PRESS MEN REJOICE
CORRESPONDENT FIND THE
WHITE HOUSE CONDITIONS
TO THEIR LIKING.
TUMULTY EASY OF APPROACH
Access to President Wilson Is Not Diff
ficult and His Appointments for the
Day Are Posted Where ALI May
See Them
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-TheTe has been such
a complete change in the conditions in
and about the White House Offices
since the new administration came in
to power that the through-the-year
observers have difficulty in recogniz-
ing the place. 1t might he said that
seemingly the change is grateful to
nearly everybody except him who
seeks an Office Newspaper CORE
them, are worrying a little lest some
mishap shall come TO set back the
clock and to restore affairs 10 the old
time system of procedure.
Much has been written about the
open door at the White House. AS
soon as the intimation came that the
door was to be open, direct notice
came that it was to be closed to men
who wanted Office. This means a real
open door, however, for nobody today
seemingly misses the Office seeker,
and does not feel particularly sorry
for him, because his pokesman. and
himself if he chooses, can get the ear
Of the president by way of the cab
met officers, who are willing to listen
the White House
The White House doors are open
not only to Democrats but to Pro
gressives and Republicans. There are
at the White House two doors, one
open all the time, while the other
swings easily upon oiled hinges. The
open door leads into the Office of 10
seph P Tumulty, the easy-going and
yet forcefuI secretary Of the president.
The closed door hanging upon its we'll
creased hinges, is that which leads
from Mr. Tumulty's office into the
round room of Mr. Wilson
Fer the first time since McKinley's
early days in the White House, it. is
possible today to go unannounced to
the desk of the presidents private sec
rotary, and there to ask a question,
with certainty of getting a ready an
5wer. When Mr.. Loeb was private
secretary one always got the ready an
swer to a question, for Loeb spoke on
many occasions for his chief, and if
nc SOuI0 lOI opSdh IO1 HIl1i, Tue mega
tive answer was ready, but even in
Loeb's day the private secretary had
to be approached either by the card
route or by the way of previous ap-
pointment
Private secretaries to Presidents al
ways have held that they must abide
by precedent. When president
smashes a precedent the private sec
rotary does not always follow suit.
Mr.. Tumulty is very much like Mr..
Loeb in his perfect willingness to
speak for the president with seeming
certainty that he is to speak right.
Mr.. Tumulty's advantage from the out
side viewpoint, and perhaps from the
inside one also, is that with easy &C
cess to him he can move among the
numerous callers aid get through with
ten men in less than ten minutes, and
do it to the satisfaction of the ten.
Through four years certainly there
has always been great secrecy OBJ
served at the White House concerning
the appointments which the president
has made for the day Mr.. Roosevelt
did not make any secret matter Of his
appointments to see people, but even
in the colonels day the list of ap-
pointments was kept under blotter
on the secretary's desk. He showed
it or not, as he saw fit. Today three
lists of the names of visitors are pre-
pared, with the hour set for the call
ing of each. One list is on the pres
ident's desk, another is on the secre-
tary's desk and another is in an out
side office, resting on a little easel
like affair placed where all men may
see it.