Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1913-03-21
Mr.. WILSON FINDS THAT NEW
PRESIDENT is BUSIEST MAN
IN THE COUNTRY
OFFICE SEEKERS BEsET HIM
Civil Service Employees Fear Demo-
ton More Than DlsmlssaI--Few
Changes Are Expected In the
White House staff.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

administration than into any succeed
ing ten weeks. The offices Of the
White House resemble the ante-rooms
of convention halls when the conven.
ton is about to assemble. If Presi-
dent Wilson is to get the nine hours
sleep which he has said that he needs,
he probably will sleep heavily because
Of the WEAKNESS of the crowded day.
Nine men out Of every ten who
surge in and out Of the executive
mansions office rooms, overlooking
occasionally by sheer force OF the
surge behind them, are seeking pre-
ferment for themselves or for others.
There has not been in years, perhaps
never before, such crowd of Office
seekers in the city Of Washington as
there is here today, and, in fact, as
has been here for two or three weeks
waiting for the incoming of the new
administration.
In addition to listening to the pleas
of the men who seek office, the new
president has some hundreds Of other
principal things to do to say nothing
of some thousands Of odds and ends
of work. Moreover, he is compelled
to adjust himself to his new position
and to his new home and his new sur
roundings. He Is the hardest worked
man In the country at all times II he
attempts to live up to all his duties,
and during the first few months of his
administration he probably works
harder than any two other men in the
United States. If people think the
president does not earn his salary,
they must think again in order to get
the seat OF knowledge well balanced.
Demotlng In Civil Service.
The civil service employees in the
city OF Washington, and doubtless
elsewhere through the country, very
likely need not shake in their shoes
for fear that under the direction Of
the new president they are to be GUST
ed. Civil service Is supposed to pro
tect, and Mr.. Wilson has said that it
will protect while he has the direc
ton of national affairs Most of the
shaking, therefore, which civil service
workers are doing is due to the fear
not that they will be discharged, but
that they may be denoted, or, In 9TH
er words, be kept in the service, but
given inferior positions at smaller pay.
1t is not likely that much OF this
demoting will be done, although it is
possible, as is true in some cases
where men have been given the high
est places in the civil service at a
late hour simply to provide them with
good places under the civil service
blanket it may be that they will be
denoted and the places which they
have occupied briefly will be given to
others recommended by influential
Democrats and approved by the pres.
ident None Of the civil service posi-
lions pays more than $4,000 or $4,000 |
a year.
White House staff May Remain.
The White House STAFF of secre-
taries and clerks is busy these days.
How many changes there will be no
one knows yet, but with the outgoing
of Private Secretary Charles D. Hilles
and the incoming of Private Secretary
Joseph P. Tumulty, the under secre-
taries and the clerks naturally fear
that an earthquake may follow. The
White House force, however, has re-
duced things SO to system that a
new force could not do the work until
after months Of practice. It is under
stood that Mr.. Wilson intends to keep
the White House force pretty nearly
intact for the reason that business
must be expedited, and for the further
reason that there are about rs many
under secretaries and clerks who be-
long to the dominent political party
as to the outgoing political party, or
the other one which came into ex-
istence at the Progressive convention
in Chicago last summer 1t is said
that Mr.. Taft did not know the po-
litical afiiliations Of half dozen
members OF the White House staff,
and 1t is possible that Mr.. Wilson
likewise will elect to remain in ig-
norance OF the parties to which his
unior workers belong.
The only change which has been
made physically" in the White
House to suit the convenience of the
new administration is the dividing of
the attic of the main structure into
several rooms for use as bedrooms
for guests when all the other sleep
ing apartments are In use Four
years ago the entire Office part of the
building was remodeled, the old cab
met room having been turned into
clerical quarters while the presidents
private office was turned into cab
met room, another private office be-
Ing added for the use Of the president.
changes necessitated the de
struction Of the old tennis court
where Colonel Roosevelt, when he
was president exercised himself and
his friends strenuously two or three
times a day. The White House, as
Mr.. Wilson takes 1t, is said to have
come as close to the point of conven-