The Monticellonian., 1916-12-28
PRESIDENT RESUMES WEEKLY
CONFERENCES WITH THE
RESPONDENTS.
THUS GIVES OUT HIS VIEWS
Chief Executive Is Careful to Avoid
the Possibility of Being Misguided
Big Stories Sometimes Come From
These Talks.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

day 10 or 81 Washington correspond
ents assemble at the White House to
talk things over with the president and
to publish some of the things that he
says, provided he will let them.
1t was a good while ago that Mr. Will
son called off the meetings with the
newspaper men promising to resume
them when it was possible so to do.
The reason for the stopping of the in
terchanges between the president and
the news gathprers was That Mr.. Will
son felt he could not discuss foreign
affairs and as they We're uppermost in
the peoples minds the conversation
naturally would drift to them and
It would be difficult to avoid reference
thereto.
1t is entirely probable now that the
newspaper men will avoid asking any
questions about foreign affairs which
are in their nature too delicate for the
president to answer. other subjects,
however, will be discussed thoroughly
and even If the president does not wish
his views on certain matters to be
given out, his words will be Il guide to
the newspaper men and will prevent
them from making possible errors of
judgment when writing on the sup
posed attitude of the administration
toward this question or that.
Careful About Being Quoted.
When the president is willing that
his views on certain subjects shall be
put on the wires at once he so signi-
ties, but he frequently says he prefers
1t shall be said that the president views
certain matter in certain light,
rather than to put his words in quota
ton marks.
Occasionally, however Mr.. Wilson
agrees to be quoted and then it is al
most his invariable custom to ask the
steHographer who is always at his
elbow to take down what he has to
say, TO make manifold copies of it on
the typewriter aud to submit copy
to him for approval. In this way he
avoids possible misquotation, although
1T can be said that rarely has the pres
ident of the United States had occa-
sion to say that any of the correspond
entS have misconstrued his words or
mistaken his meaning.
Sometimes Il big story comes out of
these newspaper conferences About
three and half years ago the presi-
dent in the middle of one of the talks
with the newspaper men said: There
is an insidious lobby working in this
city" It is proper to quote what he
said because he allowed himself to be
quoted at the time.
Instantly newspaper men said almost
in chorus, There is big story in this,
Mr.. President, if you will allow us to
quote you" He called in a stenog-
rapher and made the statement CON
corning lobbying methods in congress.
Il statement which resulted in the great
lobby investigation IN which the doings
of some men were SHOWN up in rather
an unpleasant light.
These talks with the president are
interesting affairs. The round office
room of Mr.. Wilson when the talks are
on looks like the setting of an old
fashioned spelling bee. The CORE
spondents, shoulder to shoulder, are
lined in a semicircle about the presi-
dent, who stands In what would be
the center of the circle If 1t were COM
plete. and answers questions or parties
them as he sees fit. More than occa-
sionally he puts the question himself.
National Press Club FIourishes.
President Wilson, cabinet officers
and prominent men from all parts of
the world will address the National
Press club of this city before the win
cation of newspaper men, ii is a pleas
ure to chronicle, is in a flourishing
condition.
Once in a while man likes to talk
shop, and if those who have to listen
may be believed the once in a while
comes often. The Press club of this
town Is Just what its name signifies.
a national organization.
Years ago there was press club in
Washington which went the way of
death before ii had attained many
years Of aye and, it may be said with
out acrimony, before it could attain
the age of entire discretion. 1t was
succeeded after lapse of considerable
time by the present National Press
club, which has been success since
its inception
When it is said that the Washington
organization is national press club,
the proof can be addueed by glance
at the list of active members and ut
that of the papers they represent. 1t
is almost unnecessary to say that most
of the Washington correspondents
come from the towns in which are To-
Gated The papers which they repre-
sent In other words here in Wash
ington are gathered newspaper men
who have done rePortorial work in
most of the big cities apd 10 many of
the smaller towns of the United
States.
Looking at the list of active mem
bers and the papers represented we
jump within the space of a line or two