The Washington times., 1917-09-07
CABINET OFFICERS
END SEVEN WEEKS
ATHLETIC TRAINING

walk that way"
This was the parting injunction of
Walter Camp, famous Yale coach and
athletic director. TO a group of Cabi-
net officers, assistant secretaries, and
other war officials in closing a seven
weeks course OF physical training to-
day.
And that isn't all Mr.. Camp told
his Cabinet pupils. He gave them
some home exercises to tackle before
breakfast, fifteen minutes OF work
that he guarantees will bring a farm
hands appetite.
"You don't look like the same men
I started at this work seven weeks
ago." Camp assured them. You have
more chest and less waist. How do
you feel?"
"BuIIy,, Shout Pupils.
Bully" the pupils shouted.
And it was another Roosevelt,
Franklin Roosevelt, Assistant secre-
tary of the Navy, that led the shout.
Four mornings q week for the last
seven weeks this Cabinet class has
put in two hours OF hard work. There
were four members OF the Cabinet IN
the class, Secretaries McAdoo, Lane.
and Wilson. and Attorney-General
Gregory.
Then there were four assistant sec
retaries. several members of import
ant commissions, and other officials,
thirty all told.
Four mornings a week this class
has assembled on the trellis-inclosed
lawn at the home of William Kent,
member of the tariff commission, 1925
street northwest.
At the outset, Walter Camp directed
their physical exercises in person.
Then he turned the work over to c.
E. Beckett, physical director Of the
Washington Y. NJ. G. A, and famous
as an athletic director and conditioner
of men "fat and forty"
Change Street Clothes.
After reaching the Kent house the
Cabinet class members changed their
street clothes for an outdoor athletic
suit. This morning with Walter Camp
on the job. most of them didn't take
time for this, but just doffed coats.
vests, and collars and rolled up their
sleeves
For thirty minutes every recreation
morning, beginning at 7:30, the class
has been put through a hard calls
themes drill. There followed a walk
OF twenty minutes at a brick pace,
finishing at double quick. A cold
shower and breakfast finished the
morning work, and breakfast was
served in the Kent home as part of
the course of training. At o o'clock
the men were on the way to their Of
fees.
Before Mr.. Camp lined the class
up for exercises today, John Skelton
Williams and w. W. Warwick, the
two comptrollers, were bending stiff
legged and making their fingers
touch the ground; Postmaster Mer-
ritt o. Chance, was "chinning him.
self'' on a tree limb: Franklin Roose-
welt, Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
and one of the real athletes OF the
Cabinet circle, was shadow boxing.
d.. Reduces waIstband.
How much have you reduced your
waistband, -wiIliams?" Mr.. Roosevelt
asked the Comptroller Of the Cur
rency.
my old clothes don't touch me-"
the comptroller replied.
The reporter and the staff photo
grapher came up smoking cigarettes
and barely escaped going over the
fence until they threw their smokes"
away.
mot until after breakfast" sew
eral of the class insisted. And be-
sides, you have no right to tempt US
that way"
Then Physical Director Beckett
lined up his class, and put them
through thirty minutes OF work that
left them all sweating, but not puff
ing. They got past the putting stage
the first month.
The walk was eliminated today be-
cause Mr.. Camp wanted to talk to his
class.
There was no talking until after
the breakfast, for the Cabinet men
were frankly hungry. But the dis
cussion later resulted in the appoint
ment of an executive committee,
headed by Daniel c. Roper. of the
Tariff Commission. which will formu-
late a plan to organize branches OF
the Senior Service Corps in every
Government department in an en-
deavor to interest all official Wash
ington in keeping At for wars work.
Camp Gives Advice.
'If, in these days of preparation"
Mr.. Camp asked his class at break
fast, "you had an ordnance officer
who fired a gun that was tested for
200 rounds without heating 500 times
and thus cracked IT, what would you
say of him?
And IL you had a superintendent
in a factory who doubled the number
of hours he was running his auto
matte machinery. and instead OF
doubling the amount OF oil. actually
cut il in half and thus ruined the
machines. what would you say OF
him?
"Are men at the head of the Gov
ernment less valuable in this emer-
gency than machines and guns that
we should burn them out for lack OF
lubricant and rest or physical con-
servatIon?"
The Cabinet class agreed that they
were not.
"Why, I came here with a paunch
which is now almost a cavity" As
sistant Secretary of Labor Louis F.