The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-28
ny JOHN IsLFnEru WATKINS.

washington, ID. T..
HAY and night. night ard day. they
arc ut it, the publicity men OF
II tho government. The recent ex-
pansion OF the Federal executive
departments has brought this new
coterie Of officials into being. and to-
day the question foremost In the mind
OF caoh Cabinet officer is whether he
has in his department an official en-
dowed with genius for caring for news
and newspaper men. so that what he
has done, Is doing and hopes to do
may be intelligently set before the
people.
Thus. giving out the news Is becom-
ing specialized line of work in the
government departments. or course.
Uncle Sans publicity men themselves
are inclined TO be bitter when 1t Is
suggested that they are publicity men.
Few OF them like the subconscious as
ISOLATION of the term with theatrical
advance men, ETC. etc
Chief OF the capitals publicity corps
is Joseph Patrick Tumulty, secretary
to the President
In recent years II has become more
secretary has much to do with the
molding OF the public's opinion OF his
chief He must be able to know just
what he can tell the correspondents.
and above all he must explain his
Shiers position on matters where pub
Lefty Is desired. so that there can be
no loopholc for mistake.
White House Publicity.
;. Secretary Tumulty. with a large fam
lily. came TO Washington with The ad-
ministration last March. after having
paper men OF the State Of New Jersey.
He had developed one working rule.
soGlidly established. which has been
man riEh, he win treat ~ you right
As soon as he arrived he made an
announcement which brought hearty
cheers from the news gatherers. He
stated that whenever he was in his
Office he was TO be accessible 10 news
paper men. That was more than six
months ago. and he hasn't changed
his policy since.
The other day visited Secretary
Tumulty during one OF his afternoon
conferences with the corps Of CORE
spondents. He sat at his desk, a
large cigar IN his hand. which lie used
with eloquent effect in empha sizing
his points. The chairman OF the
standing committee OF correspondents
of the capital. sat on sofa. Grouped
about the desk and sofa. We're the
other scribcs who had come 10 call.
The subject under discussion was
Governor Lind's possible activity in
In his first attempt TO persuade Mex
leo To accede 10 President wilson's
requests.
There was present one correspond
ent who had received a private tip"
from the outside. that President VIII
son had authorized Mir Lind 10 treat
with the Mexican rebels. This man
began the questioning.
Cross Examining TumuIty
Governor Lind will leave Vera
Cruz soon, Will he notr' asked the
correspondent.
lie will" replied Secretary Tun-
ulty. He's got 10 leave. you know.
II he's going 10 come back TO the
United States"
The spondent digested this fact,
Hes going into the interior. isn't
he?' inquired the ncwsGatherer at
ter a pause
Here was where the secretary to the
President showed his value as publ
city man for the administration 4
moro nervous man would have tried
TO avoid this question y less we'll
informed man would not have seen
the point and might inadvertently
have given a reply which would have
warranted the publishing OF "a false
story OF Lind's nilsson. But Secretary
Tumu!ty is neither nervous nor poor
~ informed.
There has been a rumor," he said,
tina, Mr. Lind intends TO treat with
the rebels trust that you gentle
men viii deny that"
The correspondent who had begun
the questioning sank into dreary
thought as he saw his inside tip ex-
ploded. OF course. nobody intended
printing denial. as tho original sto-
~ had not been printed But this
correspondent had not oopholc
left through which he might crawl
and drag along his inside tip.
That gives a notion OF the quick