The Elk Mountain pilot., 1918-02-21
e5ec,@t@>r M,,m1lfr 1t HIS Aesk

the president should memorandum is sent
reading something like this:
"The president may be interested In this edl-
torial from the -. I invite your attention
particularly to the underscored paragraph"
Or a delegation may call at the executive
Offices seeking the presidents aid in some project
such the adjustment of a labor dispute. The
story is heard by Tumulty and briefed by him In
a note for the president. Sometimes the memo
randum is merely one of recital again the sec
retary will suggest that the earnestness Of the
delegation and the story presented might JUSTIFY
a statement of the administrations attitude.
The memorandum system. used whenever pos
sible. illustrates the departure from the peace
time routine Of the White House, and the ex-
traordinary methods used to save the president
time, worry and strength. 1t is found absolutely
essential.
The wartime days work of the president is
one of mOmentous performances embodied In
program which reads like routine. Here Is
sample day:
Arises a. m.
Eats breakfast at a. m.
Goes horseback riding with Dr. Cary T. Gray
son, now a rear admiral by the presidents ap-
pointment, or golfng with Mrs Wilson or Doctor
Grayson
Dictates to Charles Swem his personal stenog-
rapher, until Sven has boOkful.
Fills an appointment two before lunch
Takes lunch at l p.
Fills other engagements and dictates again.
Goes automObiling late In the afternoon.
Attends theater once or twice week
That might seem like easy day to man
who plows from sunrise to sunset. But it's the
p-between worries that count and cause the
president to need every minute of rest he can
take.
For instance, there a time recently when
the president had before him all these major
troubles at once:
The Goethals-Denman shipping board row that
was hating the construction Of ships to combat
the German submarine menace and to feed the
allied armies the battlefelds of Europe
reorganization of the purchasing and con-
tracing system of the council of national de-
fense In this war the contracts of this govern
ment will run into billions of dollars. and the
president is directly Indirectly responsible for
the wise expenditure of enormous sums.
Insurrection in congress against the food con-
troll BILL which the president regarded as legis-
lation absolutely essential for the successful
duct of the war.
The determination of policy regarding the
exemption of government clerks and others
drafted for service in France
Price fixing on STEEL coal and other articles to
be used in great quantities by the United States
while at war.
Appointments to fill vacancies in the interstate
commerce commission.
Complaints of questionable utterances OF GER
tain German American and other publications
concerning the raising of an army, conscription
and other governmental policies.
Add to these troublesome questions of major
importance the thousand and one little things
that skin across the desk of president of the
United States-patronage rows. applications for
executive clemency requests for interviews. pro-
tests against pending legislation, factional wran-
giles within the party demands for action con-
cerning race riots and industrial troubles, the