Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-02-10
BEING PRESIDENT
The Strain and Isolation That
Come With the Office.
UNDER GUARD ALL THE TIME.
When the Chief Executive 10 In the
White House the Regular Police Are
on Watch, and When He Goes Abroad
Secret Service Men Shadow Him.

1t is Il fierce light that beats upon the
White House-quite as fierce as any
that beats upon u throne. Until he Is
relieved from ii president never real
ICES the unconscious strain that he has
to undergo The joyousness that comes
after he has laid down the burden and
the contrast between the life succeed
Ing that in the White House and the
life passed In It reveal TO him the ma
turc of what he has gone through.
or course II Is pleasant to he treated
with consideration by every one; II Is
human nature for the incumbent to en-
joy the respect that is rendered to the
Office. But there is an isolation for the
president that 1t Is impossible to avoid.
lie is the only person In the govern
ment service who has that kind OF $50
lation. Few see him except by specia
appointment The office sepG rates him
from society. There Is no neighborly
dropping in; there Is curtain between
him and that body OF men with whom
he WAS accustomed to associate.
1t is not true that that keeps him
from knowing what Is going on or that
Il saves him from feeling the shafts Of
criticism. The suggestion that he hears
only the kindly view OF what be does
from his cabinet and from those who
are near to him does not cover the
whole ground. lie has candid friends.
and he reads the newspapers.
From congressman and from visitors
who frequently turn their steps 10
Washington the president hears the
news from all over the country. He
sees the newspaper men every few
days. aud unless he is always using
them 10 give the public his view Of
pending questions he can learn much
from them. If he is open To lnf0rma
tion al all he can exercise very excel
lent Judgment as to the state OF the
public pulse
Ii IL pleasant to dispense the hospi-
tality Of the White House. because you
know that most or your guests will re
member all their lives all the circum,
stances OF their visit The government
Is generous with the president ia sal
AIRY and la paying mis- expenses OF llv-
ing He can save a substantial sum
each year aud still not he nigga rNily In
his hospitality
Three presidents Of the United States
have been assaSslnated aud congress
IN consequence has thought It wise u
enjoin ulNn the chief of the secret
service of The treasury department the
duty Of guarding the president against
assault. Three or more experienced
men are assigned 10 that duty, aud
they attend him wherever he goes.
OF course when he Is IN the White
House the regular District policemen
who watch the approaches. make the
presence of the secret service men uu-
necessary. Whenever the president
goes abroad, however. the secret serv-
Ice men are expected 10 ne In his imme-
date neighborhood- In the vehicle In
which he Is riding or IN another that
follows, whenever he makes a railway
Journey they are In his private car.
These secret service men become
very skIllful In detecting the presence
of persons who are demented aud who
In their excitement may become dan.
ferrous. or course II man wished to
Kill the president and sacrifice his own
life for II the secret service precautions
MIGHT not prevent him from carrying
out his purpose. but there is greater
danger from dementcd persons than
from deliberate murderers My own
IN a. 10 Baf Z Ia
great precsution taken when President
Mckinley was at the exposition In Bur
falo as Is taken today that ira gedy
would not have occurred
The assassin in that case had his
hand ia his pocket. where he had con
cealed n revolver wrapped Ia Il hand
kcNhlet II 1t had happened today II
sevrrt service man would have seized
the aSsaNSiu'S hand In his pocket. found
the revolver and arrested him long be
fore the man had reached point
where he could carry out his purpose
Although I recognize tile necessity OF
such precautions. | am bound - say
that they are often irkSome 10 the pres
idrut The secret service men are as
cunSIdcrate rs possible and are we'll
trained men. who mind their business
hut that constant logging OF the pres
iden! steps arouSes in him the uucou-
scious feeling OF being under suryen
lauce ana guard himself rather than
of being protected
An impression has gone abroad that
tbe president may BOT leave the couu-
Try. There IS no law that prevents his
doing su. aud there Is no provision Ia
ihe constitution that he would violate
IN leaving the national jurisdiction.
There is constitutional direction that
the vice president shall act for the
president In case he is disabled II
Lee Went abroad IA such n way as to
pre- emf his dipctmg affairs he might
Wei be held - have disabled himself,
ami the vice president might act for
him IN his abSeuce William Howard
Taft IN Youths Companion.