South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-17
Yarns From
Washington
By Fred G. Kelly.

WASHINGTON. March II. - The
president of the United States is a
lonely man-an extremely lonely man.
To start with, the position itself car
ries with it a certain inevitable lone
liness because Of its dignity. A pres
ident must necessarily have a few con-
fidants. And added TO this is the fact
that since he became president. Wood
row Wilson has seen his family circle
broken by the marriage OF two daugh-
teTs and the death OF Mrs. Wilson.
But even aside from these cOndi-
tiOns, which make for loneliness is
the fact that Woodrow Wilson is not
type to have many intimates. His
disposition is TO play a lone game. He
Is human enough, but one Of his traits
Is to keep a great many things TO him.
self Mrs Wilson was one of the few
to whom the president talked freely.
There are probably not more than
three living persons toward whom the
president feels such an intimacy that
he can sit down with them and I'M
bosom himself And the president be-
came acquainted with these three
since he entered public life The trio
consists of Col. House Of Texas, Sec'y
Tumulty, and DR.. Grayson, the white
house physician. To any one of these
Woodrow Wilson would probably say
exactly what is in his mind on almost
any subject. But TO these three only.
Or. Grayson has the gift Of silence.
He has little TO say and yet has
wonderful knack of sensing anothers
mood. If the president wants his
companion to talk TO him, Grayson
knows it. And if, on the other hand,
the president desires TO let his mind
wander where it will as he looks over
the country from the seat Of an auto
mobile. il is not necessary for Gray
son TO undertake any exchange of
small talk TO find this out. He falls
into the same mood.
When Franklin X. Lane became sec
rotary of the interior he issued an
order that all letters of complaint
against any work of the department
should be brought right to him. Be
fore that such letters had always been
sent TO the branch of the department
that the complaint involved. Handling
all these letters personally and giving
personal attention to tightening loose
places that they showed up meant a
great deal of toll for Lane and his as
sistants. But he stuck by his new sys-
tenn The other day, after nearly two
years of this, il suddenly occurred to
Lane that ne was not finding many
complaint letters on his desk
Where are they all going?" he
asked 81 asked that such letters be
brought right to me. Isn't that order
being followed"
The fact is" one of mis- clerks ex-
planned, there aren't many complaints
any more. You've got a lot of the
troubles remedied."
We'll, we'll" commented Lane.
thoughtfully. lit never struck me be-
fore that there was so much relation
between cause and effect"
Whenever he is at his home in Mil
waukee, between sessions of congress
Rep. w. r. Stafford has an odd little
scheme OF obtaining recreation. One
OF Stafford's friends is a successful pill
doctor. with large country practice
StaffOrd's scheme consists simply in
accompanying his doctor friend on
long rides into the country. The beau
" of the plan. Stafford says. is that
il takes him back to his bOyhOOd days
when he sought recreation by riding
about with a young friend who acted
rs guiding spirit of "A grOcer's delivery
wagon. If the doctor tarries with d
patient until Stafford grows restless,
he has an understanding with the doc
tor as 10 where he may be found. He
Will be at the nearest country school
house making a speech.