Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-12
CASTS PRECEDENT ASIDE
IN CONDUCT OF OFFICE
President Wilson Takes Many Ideas
OF His Own Into White
House.
iN PERSON BEFORE CONGRESS-
Unlike Some Predecessors, Has No
Superstitions and No Fear Of
"HoOdoos"-Takes Lots of Sleep
and Plenty Outdoor Exercise.

WASH lNGTON. November ll.-I'resi-
dent Wilson brought with him to the
executive chair some ideals Of his own
as 10 the conduct Of the office. He cast
h precedent aside in man" things and
played the official game az he thought
best.
For more than 100 wears Presidents
Of the United States had transmitted
\ their recommendations to Congress
concerning legislation ~ means or
j messages. and had kept away from
4 the halls OF Congress To avoid charges
N That they were trying TO influence ::
| separate branch OF the government
| Mr.. Wilson. instead OF writing mes
| saScs jumped into his automobile and
went directly to Congress with his
| views. reading what he had TO say from
q prepared document. During his term
| OF office he has sent few written com
municat!ons 20 that body, and on all
important matters he has appeared be-
| fore the two bodies in jont session
and told the assembled congressman
y what he thought best for the country
The most dramatic appearance he made
before this Joint session was when he
told the national legislators Of the
crisis with Germany and the cxhauS.
ton OF the official patience that had
been shown that country This vnS
April 10 last. II was last resort to
bring Germany TO tho American view
point as TO the use az submarines and
y succeeded TO the satisfaction az MIR
Wilson and his official advisers
Frequently during his term m.
President availcd himself Of his privi-
lego OF using the presidential room in
the Senate chamber for conferences on
important subjects, foreign and do
nestle with Democratic and Repub-
lean Senators. Before that Presidents
only went TO the Capitol in the closing
hours 10 sign bills They did no, go
TO press upon tho legislators their
views as TO Whnt should bc dom For
doing this he has been charged with
tamperinG with separate and indc-
pendent body that should not to in
hucnccd from tn" White House or any
where else except by public opinion
The President. however has taken tn.
position that he is sponsor for tn. pub
lie thought Of tn" country as 10 lcris-
lation and that IL Is his duty to trans
init the opinions of the voters Ia CON
gross in any proper manner II" never
considered II improper t. personally
and directly deal with Senators and
Representatives.
WILSON ENTIRELY
WITHOUT SUPERSTITION
In fact, Mr.. Wilson has been so dis
rcEardful OF prcccd.nts and prcjudices
that Fridays and the 18th of tn. month
even when they fell upon the same day
have been looked upon as his lucky
days. There have been no .hootooS"
for him. His intellectual attainrncnts
frown upon supcrstitions. and he has
fneTcr hesitatcd 10 start any large un-
dertak!ng on Fridays or the 18th He
signs his name with thirteen letters
and he often has stopped after doing
il thirteen times. one President Of
recent years shared tho superstition
that II he spoke of his health being
unusually good he must touch wood or
illness might ovcrtakc him. II was
about his only superstition Not so
Mr.. Wilson.
President Wilson smashe the long
existent idea that the White House
should be Mecca for patronage dis
;ribution and quarreis When he came
into office he turned over to his Cahi-
net officers the duties OF going through
all applications for Office and making
recommendations to him. He has beer.
consistent in following these recon-
mendations. In this way he has kept
out OF the dissensions over jobs. and
the Cabinet officers have had 10 stand
the cussing Of those who became
sore. Mr.. Wilson has given personal
attention only to important diplomats
appointments. making his own selcc-
,!ons In the majority OF cases He had
that understanding with William j
Bryan the Nebraskan becoming
Secretary OF Stale. Mr.. Bryan attended
to the smaller appointments in the
diplomatic and consular service hut the
President chose the men for the big
posts.
While Mr.. Wilson's responsibilities
have been enormous. no has carried
them with ease. and has not let them
follow him into his private life lie
has. under the direction OF his ply
stefan and friend. DR.. Cary Grayson
taken plenty OF time for recreation and
the maintenance of his health. When
ne was Governor OF New Jersey he cs-
tablished the rule that Saturdays would
re holidays with him, and he brought
this rule .'e White House lie fol-
lows the rui,, too. During his nearly
four years few Saturdays have found
him considering official matters and
visitors have never been allowed to
reach him on that day. He plays golf
saturday morning and taking long
automobile ride In the afternoon
since his marriage to Mrs. Gait his
Saturday automobile rides have been
extensive. covering all parts of tho
country adjacent to Washington. Golf
IS the favorite outdoor recreation OF
Mr. Wilson. and when he is not pressed
with official business he plays the game
almost every afternoon that the wealth
CT permits. His companions are Mrs
Wilson and Dr. Grayson. lie shuns the
golf courses that are crowded. and goes
where there are the fewest humber OF
players. He does not ask or expect
privileges on the golf courses not en-
ioyed by other players, insisting that
The rules OF the game be followed us
20 rights Of players. positions. ctc
BELIEvF:s IN PLENTY OF SLEEP
AND REASONABLE EXERCISE
Mr.. Wilson has not taken up any Of