The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-02

! the President. is never seen without his
neat blackthorn. any more than Franklin
Lane, the Secretary Of the Interior. can
be found upon the street without his
malaccs.
The Secretary Of State doubtless has
walking sticks-he has been too much In
the public eye to be overlooked, even If
they were not a personal prediction. but
no one remembers seeing him wear one
on any occasion whatever.
Both the Assistant Secretary OF
State, Mr.. Osborne. and the Third KS
| sistant Secretary of State, Mr.. Phil
| lips. have sticks, but not the habit.
! while the Second Assistant Secretary
| of State, Mr.. Adee. is identified with
no other concomitant than his bicycle.
with which he has toured the high
ways and byways of Europe every
summer for man yeyars, until the war
made 1t impossible.
The Secretary Of the Treasury wears
| a slim. snakewood stick. gift from
one of his sons at Christmas. and it is
not unusual to meet Secretary MoAdoo
on the street, with the Comptroller OF
the Currency, John SHELTON Williams.
both of them swinging their sticks as
vigorously as they walk only-wiph
difference.
Secretary McAdoo holds his exactly
at the top, in the hollow of his hand.
and brings II down to the pavement,
tapping each step; Mr.. Williams takes
his stick half way between the crook
and the end. and swings it horizon
tally.
Neither the Secretary of War. nor
the Secretary Of the Navy wears" a
cane from choice or custom, and there
Is no one in tho world who would
venture to suggest to the Postmaster
General that he give up the umbrella
habit and asquire that of the walking
stick.
Whatever may have been the orig
inal use Of the walking stick, it is
today the fad, friend or frill OF the
man who wears" 1t in Washington.
But to Postmaster General Burleson
his umbrella is all three; he Is de-
voted to that accessory of his ward
robe. rolled or unfurled. rich or palm
purchas ed or presented; it is the best
rolled into slim sickness II is quite
as smart as the dapper stick.
Thomas Watts Gregory. the Attorney
General, puts walking sticks, Indifferent
ly, among the incidentally OF a mans
wardrobe, while the Secretary OF Labor,
William Bauchop Wilson, assigns them
to the dandy or to old age. As he Is not
dandy. and has yet very many years
to live before he needs the support OF
makes no use whatever of a walking
stick.
Both Secretary Houston and Secretary
Redfeld are tall men and eminently dig
nifed. Neither one gives the impression
of swinging a stick just for the smart
ness Of it, but it Is safe to assume that
the Secretary of Agriculture might dress
with one on formal occasions, and it is
impossible to think of a man of Secre
tary Redfeld's type-side whiskers.
spectacles. silk hat. long coat-and not
put a proper. gold-headed cane in his
hand on Sunday morning.
Senator James Hamilton Lewis. Of 1lli-
nois. wears the malacca stick from
choice. and has the habit of walking with
it held across his back with his two
hands. It is also most popular with the
attaches of the embassies and legations,
no one of whom is to be seen upon the
street without his stick.
Both the Ambassador from Italy and
the Ambassador from Argentina wear"
handsome. highly polished sticks,
whether they are driving or walking, and
II was the women of the Diplomatic
Corps who made popular few years ago
the swagger stick for the smart young
persons addicted to tramping.
Upon one occasion when a young per-
son was discussing the use of the stick
with a secretary OF one of the embassies
she asked pertinently:
Just what is the good OF one. any
way? l like to swing it, of course. but
what is the use of it?''
"Oh, don't you know" the attache ex- |
planned. Its something to do