West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-10-21
TUMULTY IS ALWAYS FOUND :
ON THE JOB At WHITE HOUSE
Capable Secretary to the President
Is Well Qualified for Responsible
Position He Holds-Knows How
to Handle People with the Least
Possible Friction

Joseph l.. Tumulty pronounce,
'rum-ul-ty.' the first u as I'm sun
and the accent on the flrst syllable)
an experienced correspondent re
marked. lis the biggest asset OF thl
administration.
| Tumulty is the secretary To tn,
President. That means that no Il
much more than n clerk. Ho Ia tn,
| Presidents confidential man and ad
wiser. The secretary To the Presi
dent. as William Loeb demonstrated
may be really the assistant TO tn,
| President. The secretary has plent,
OF assistants TO do the clerical work
IL is up to him TO be the eyes and
ears of the administration. to see that
1t gets its views properly presented
through the newspapers and To guard
against political mistakes.
Tumulty Ia lively, light-hairod
genial young Irishman. He is popu-
lar. tells good stories, is n natural mix
er, and the newspaper men call him
Joe"
III you go up TO the executive Of
fees at 10 o'clock you will find him
holding his morning conference with
the correspondents. He stands by
his chair Mt the big desk His visi-
tors stand about or sit on the edge
OF the desk.
joe" says one. what's the
President going 20 do about that last
arms shipment to Mexico?"
Not crossing that bridge vet.
Waiting for fuller information. Here.
Gus I've been saving this Cincin-
natl paper for you. Thought you'd
be Interested in what it says about
the G. o. p"
Gus" and "Joe" charr each other
a bit. ana then somebody inquiries
about n postoiIice appointment. Moth
ing doing on IL yet, he ia told. SO it
goes. with informal questions and an
swers. for 10 or 20 minutes. The
President isn't accessible to newspa-
per men and doesn't know what to do
with them when he sees them. SO
Secretary Tumulty works the harder
on the job to see that they get what
news they are Interested in. and to
make sure that they understand the
administrations position--in so far
as the head OF the administration de-
sires ii understood
ia unru A.. a.
secretary has, and IL is made more
80 by the Presidents isolation. Neces-
sarily he must depend to a consider
able extent on Tumulty's judgment as
to what he learns OF sentiment
through the country
IL Is up to Tumulty to be enough of
a mind reader to let only those per-
sons get to the President whom the
President wants to see. He must
know Of the relative importance OF
people from out of town. He must
understand that there are certain i'm
portant people whom Mr.. Wilson
doesn't care to see.
There are times when the Presl-
dent doesn't want to be disturbed even
by n Cabinet officer or a Congress-
ional leader. The delicate task de-
wolves on the Presidents secretary to
stall off the distinguished visitor
with explanations that won't hurt his
feelings. by virtue of much exercise
of this faculty Tumulty has become
exceedingly proficient i'm it
As the Presidents political mana
ger the secretary must smooth out
political differences. II a Senator is
obstreperous. Tumulty soothes his
runled feelings. Or IL the pleasant
treatment doesn't get results, then
he secs that the Senator has patron
age difficulties and gets into trouble
at home. until he is ready TO listen TO
reason
The secretary's job is made easier
by the personal affection that exists
between him and his chief. lie re-
CARDS Woodrow Wilson as the great
est man ia the world, and the Presi-
dent recognizes in Joseph Tumulty
the incarnation OF loyalty, combined
with excellent political judgment. At
times when the Tumulty family is
away the secretary lives at the
White House. He is the one man in
whom Mr. Wilson confdes and TO
whom he seems 10 open his heart.
How they came TO know each 9th
or is indicated I'm the brief biography
in the Congressional Directory. here
reproduced:
Joseph y. Tumully. secretary 10 the
President (2311 Calvert street,. was
born in Jeresy city on May 3. 1879
attended ST, BrldgeCs Parochial
School and subsequently entered st
Peters College. Jersey City, from
which he was graduated i'm 1899 with
the degree Of b. A.; admitted to the
bar Of Jersey City IN 1902; practiced
law in Jersey City. lie was married
In 1904 to Miss Mary Byrne of Jer-
sey City; they have six children. four
girls and two boys. lie served as a
member OF the New Jersey House Of
Assembly l9O7-1O; was appointed prl-
vate secretary 20 Governor Wilson.
and In 1912 clerk OF the Supreme
Court Of New Jersey. lie continued.
however TO act as secretary 10 the
Governor until the Governor resigned
TO become President On March