The Washington herald., 1917-09-09
No Weak-Kneed Men in the
Government at Washington
Now Is the Time to Get Votes While They
Count Two for One-Frank c. Rupp and
Thomas R. Morris Tie for First Place

aid from others-in fact. many times
quite the reverse. Now through free
and frank conversation with these
men. not one of them talking of him
SELF but rather of others, one can
not help seeing that each has known
and appreciated what the other fell
low had to bear. There has not been
nearly enough cooperation. but that
was because there is no machinery
for such cooperation. These break
fasts have, in fact, been almost the
only chance for half of these men to
meet the other half
But to return. There is not a weak
knced man in the lot. Some of them,
who were at least no aggressive in
their stands before this trouble came
upon us. have turned into the real
steel, and tempered at that. In cases
where any one OF these men was the
sole last obstacle to some movement
that, while perhaps not serious, might
lead to unusual expense, and where
the thing seemed sure to so through,
that man would prove adamant. 80, .
YOU will say, "he should be-" Yes,
but you don't know how many hun
dreds of questions, how many decis-
icns, how many problems. are pre-
scented every twenty-four hours 10
these men! Their factory has expand
ed, not as the ordinary plant, but a
hundred-fold. Branches which for
merly were shut down" are rushed
into operation, and in the case of the
government everybody is a stock
holder in that concern and privileged
to criticise, whether he has a balance
sheet or not, as well as to demand
instant action" How would you like,
Mr.. Manufacturer. to face all these
things in your own plant, and, in ad-
dition. to be counted upon as a pub
lie servant who must be ready to an
swer all why's" and turn out for
inspection by the newspapers and the
entire community almost daily.
Courtesy shown.
It has chanced that l have been
much in Washington at the times of
the sessions of the Committee on
Ways and Means. and have seen the
hundreds and thousands of those
whose interests required that they
should come down and endeavor in a
humble way to show their side. The
contrast between the attitude of the
whole government staff in those days
and now is most remarkable. The
man who came to Washington in
those former days was a rank out
slider and he was well deviled by every
one-even by the office boy. Today,
while the servants of the government
are full of appointments every mo-
ment of the day, yet up to the very
door of the Secretary himself in every
department there is courtesy-I was
about to say welcome. You may have
to wait, you may have to come again;
but you are always regarded as a
citizen and one whose presence is not
unwelcome.
Just a word as to the personal
characteristics of these men who
mean so much to us. These are cutie
as varied as in any such picked men
in your own home community, but
there is one trait that stands out
clear as the sun at MONDAY. These
men are. not "wobblers." They may
decide wrong, but they get all the
facts they can and then go ahead.
They know. in other words, that the
job is theirs to do. and they are
going at it patiently. perseveringly,
and courageously. The forms of our
government are not adapted to such
situation. Hence, because they do
admit of certain extraordinary pow
ers IL conferred upon the President.
we have the condition of which some
are so critical. namely. everybody
running to the President. Very well;
but this is all right where there is
power, and man with no disposi-
ton to shrink, but with a will to
accomplish. And the President, a
wonderful man, is far better known
through his public utterances than
are most men. He keeps most re-
ligiously to himself in physical train
ing. He exercises regularly and plays
golf. If the Germans were at the
gates demanding tribute or surren-
der and would give the President
three hours for a decision, he would
prepare himself on the golf course; (;
and every one is now ready to admit
that that method has brought some
wonderfully sound decisions. If you
have something to say to the Presi-
dent, and YOU can give the reasons
thereforf. you can almost always re-
eeivs definite appointment These