The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-03-21
BAKER FOOLS THE
NEWSPAPER MEN
Secretary Pulls Anti-CIimax
When Writers Are Expecting
War Announcement.

Innocently enough, it is presumed,
Secretary Baker put one over" on
the newspaper correspondents after
the Cabinet meeting yesterday after
noon. About forty correspondents
awaited some announcement regard
ing the unusually important meeting.
Would there be an extra Session Of
Congress Immediately? Was a dec
laration of war planned? Was con-
flict regarded as inevitable?
These and other questions ran
through the minds of the news writ
ers, while the country awaited the
story of the Cabinet session, which
lasted for two hours.
The door of the Cabinet room open
ed, The epochal session was over.
The correspondents flocked to that
end of the White House corridor.
Secretary Lansing emerged. Not
q word" said he, gravely. Secretary
Daniels came out. Not word re-
peated he, gravely.
1t looked serious, both from an IN
ternational and q news writing view
point.
Tense Moment For Correspondents.
Then the. Secretary OF War stepped
into the corridor. He held a sheet OF
paper in his hand. Secretary Baker
beckoned toward the correspondents
and a score responded. The impress
sion passed along that the Secretary
of War would make the announcement
about the extra session of Congress
and the possibility of war.
1t was a tense moment, as they say
in the melodramas, and the press as
sociation men made ready to Flash"
their offices.
Il have here" said the Secretary Of
War
Fast and deep breathing by the
correspondents. Perhaps the nation
stood on the brink of war, so the
writers crowded closer about the
brink, the same being. for the mo
ment, the Secretary Of War.
Then The AntI-CIInax.
81 have here" said the Secretary,
"a copy of e resolution adopted by
the Council of National Defense thank
ing the railroads and the employees
for getting together and preventing q
strike"
There was q shuffling of feet on
the outskirts OF the crowd. Certain
gentlemen seemed on the verge of
leaving-as respectfully as possible
Certain gentlemen were forced to
leave in order to pursue other Cabi-
net officers who were passing rapid
Iy out of the doors of the Executive
Offices and about to get away without
being interviewed" on the Cabinet
meeting.
II will read the resolution IL you
care to hear it," said Secretary Baker,
but some of you seem to be leaving"
Forty-eight hours ago the resolu-
tion of thanks might have been good
news. But, it stood about as high as
a trey spot in the international
game yesterday afternoon, while
everybody waited for war announce
ment.
Fooled The Newspaper Men.
One of the news writers took the
resolution of thanks, thanked the
Secretary for it and hoped he would
understand that the breakaway Of
his audience was due to the necessity
of. finding some member of the Cab
met who might give a hint about the
real STORY" OF the day.
1t is not believed Secretary Baker
deliberately planned the anti-climax
of the Cabinet meeting, but his beck
oning hand, holding a thin sheet of
paper, and his grave demeanor, GER
tainly fooled the correspondents for a
moment.
Nobody found out anything in par
ticular from other members of the
Cabinet, but they didn't all get away
while Secretary Baker held the spot
light with the resolution OF thanks.