Evening star., 1916-11-10
PRESIDENT WILSON BROUGHT TO
WHITE HOUSE MANY IDEAS OF HIS
OWN WNAST0C0NDUCT OF THE OFFICE

| started as to serious ailments affecting
him and threatening to end his life.
| The Presidents medical adviser finds
| his patient an unusually sound man Tor
| his age.
President Wilson Is a good stenogra-
pher and typewriter. He prepares all
| important speeches and messages him
I self. He first puts down his ideas In
| shorthand and then transcribes the
| notes, with corrections and additions,
upon his own typewriter. Several
years ago a fanciful newspaper writer
| represented the Presidents typewriting
machine as old and dilapidated, fire.
quently missing letters and doing many
| things that would be Objectionable to
others than the President. Mr.. Wilson
| didn't like the story. because he has q
| new machine, and he knows how to
write upon 1t, too. The President Is
! his own stenographer and typewriter
i when he wants to be careful what he
says to the world. In answering the
letters of friends and attending to a
| large amount Of official correspondence
and communications he avails himself
OF the services of his stenographer,
| CHARLES Sven. one of the fastest men
| In the business. He dictates to Sven
each morning before going to his Office
and often in the evening.
Punctuality a Characteristic.
| The Presidents punctuality in his ap-
poIntments at the executive offices often
has been &C mmented upon. He does not
see many visitors and to each is allotted
a certain time for calling The President
thinks that any man ought to be able to
state his business In fifteen minutes and
Few callers are given more than that
time II they try to stay longer the Presi-
dent finds some polite way Of intimaung
that he thinks he understands what Is
desired and is through with the confer
ence. This plan enables the President to
see each visitor practically on schedule
| time. The Presidents doorkeeper and
secretaries all old and experienced White
who kept so closely to his schedule. Mr.
| wilson finishes his days work In his Of
nee at o'clock each afternoon and goes
to his luncheon. He seldom is late, and
minute The number of his callers makes
no difference. as a rule. The President
likes above everything else in a visitor,
nrev1ty and directness. He appreciates
the man or woman who launches directly
into what Is to be said and wastes no
time with inconseQuential details
Visitors allotted over fifteen minutes
are those calling in groups, with several
speakers among them wishing to make
speeches and arguments.
Appointments with the President also
must be made many days ahead Tues
days and Fridays are cabinet days and
rev appointments are made for those
days. Thursdays the President GENERALLY
takes for catching up with correspon-
dence and studying papers that have ac-
cumulated. Visitors on that day are in
v1ted by the President. Mondays and
Wednesdays, therefore, are the two tlays
OF the week when the President receives
Congressional and other callers and it is
weii to make application in time His
nours for receiving visitors who have ap-
I pm.
The tariff was the first legislative
matter to engage President Wilson's
attention. He summoned Congress in
extraordinary session about a month
tarin and put customs duties on a
purely revenue basis At the opening
OF that session President Wilson re-
newed custom which had been dead
the United states-that Of appearing In
person before Congress to read his
message. Since that time he has gone
to the Capitol to read in person all Of
his important messages to Congress.
When the tariff law had been signed
President Wilson Immediately urged
upon Congress the enactment of cur
rency legislation that would unity the
banking and currency systems of the
nation and flt them to meet emergen-
cies in times of special stress. Presi-
dent Wilson's insistence resulted in the
passage Of the law creating the federal
reserve system, headed by the federal
reserve board. with headquarters in
federal reserve banks in twelve dis
tricts. into which the country was
divided.
President Wilson kept Congress at
work after the currency question had
been disposed of by insisting upon
trust legislation, and at the Presidents
urging Congress enacted into law the
Newlands bill, creating a federal trade
commission, and the Clayton bill, de-
fining and enlarging the scope of the
Sherman antitrust law.
Filibuster Spoiled Plans.
At the third session of the Sixty
third Congress President Wilson en-
deavored to have Congress put through
a bill providing for the purchase and
operation of merchant vessels by the
government. A determined flibuster
on the part of nearly all of the repub-
lican members of the Senate, aided by
| seven democratic senators, prevented
the enactment of this law. although the
bill passed the House by an over
Whelming majority.
During the first two years of bis ad-
ministration President Wilson firmly
refused to permit the United States to
intervene in Mexico to settle the strife
existing between various factions in
that country. When insult was offered
to the American flag and to American
sailors in Vera Cruz by officers of the
de facto government. headed by Cen
Huerta, President Wilson sent a force
of naval vessels and United States ma
rines TO that city and took it, For
several months the United States forces
were kept at Vera Cruz and did not
retire until after Gen. Huerta had fed
from Mexico.
When the war in Europe broke out in
August, 1914, President Wilson eau
toned all American citizens to main
tain the strictest kind of neutrality
and SO successful was his administra-
ton in maintaining a position of neu-
, tralty that il was criticised by both
sides in the conflict. President Wilson.
In his communications with both Ger
many and the allies. was always in
sistent that the rights of the United
| states and its citizens as neutrals
should be observed.
Born at Staunton, Va.
woodrow Wilson was born at Staun-