The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-09
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM TION
Blu REAU
CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT
C ]. HASKIN, Director
Washington, d. c.

CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT
Washington, D. c., May 6.-The
White House in war time is not the
place of generous accessibility that it
was Newly wed couples no longer
stroll about its shady grounds, marvel
at the impressive elegance of the blue
room, or wait about the door for a
glimpse of the president. Informal
receptions are no longer held for the
benefit of the troops OF school children
who used to visit the capital every
spring, and always stopped in to shake
hands with Mr.. Wilson.
Necessary precautions, and heavy
demands upon the presidents time
have DESTROYED this atmosphere of
long associated with the executive
mansion. Entrances now are barred
and the grounds are guarded by SOL
diers and policemen. But there is one
gate, on the western side OF the
grounds near the executive offices,
where anyone who can give a good
reason for his desire may enter: he
will be passed by the guard and
promptly received by the officials VINO
have charge of the presidents appoint
ment list.
The statement is made by those who
are familiar with the presidents daily
routine that any citizen of the United
States who has legitimate business
with the chief executive can obtain an
interview with him, and with less
formality and waste of time than is
involved in approaching some OF MS
cabinet officers. The president SPENDS
four or five hours each day in seeing
callers, and this time is divided among
all applicants as fairly as. may De.
Naturally, these hours are very mucn
and a certain amount of delay IN
reaching the president is inevitable.
But when the appointment has been
made, it is nearly always kept by the
president with perfect punctuality. II
the caller is not equally punctuaI ne
simply loses his turn. Each visltor
is asked how much of the president
time he requires. and is expected 10
finish his interview in that time. When
the end of it has been reached the TACT
is indicated by Mr.. Patrick Mckenna'
doorkeeper of the executive offices, VINO
onens the door, whereupon the presi-
dent rises, unless he wishes to proions
the interview.
The president sometimes finds 1t
necessary to prolong interviews far
beyond the stated time. and in that
case, of course, it is necessary to DIS
appoint other callers. For example
not long ago Samuel Gompers, presl-
dent of the American Federation or
Labor, called with fifteen representa-
tiyes of trade unions from the Chicago
stockyards district. The gist OF what
the labor men had to say was that un-
less the Chicago packers granted them
certain demands they would strike.
The president, having heard this mes
sage, and realizing the gravity OF the
impending situation, at once sent for
Mr.. McKenna, and to the astonishment
of that official, who has served as
doorkeeper to three presidents, active
ly aided him in fetching chairs for the
visitors. The interview, which was to
have lasted fifteen minutes, then went
forward for three hours and a half.
AS every one now knows, there was no
strike.
Mr. Wilson's time for receiving Wis
itorS is curtailed on one afternoon q
week by his meetings with his war
cabinet, which consists of Director
General of Railroads| McAdoo. Fuel
Administrator Garfield, Chairman Ba-
ruch of the war industries board,
Chairman Hurley of the shipping
board. Chairman Mccormick of the
war trade board, and Food Admins
traitor Herbert Hoover. In addition to
this he has two meetings week with
his regular cabinet.
Ordinarily, the president does all Of
his private desk work in the morning,
but sometimes he finds it necessary to
spend a part of his afternoons in the
study of matters in which he must
make decision. This was true. for
example, when the federal trade COM
mission was studying the question of
fair price for steel. The commission
was in its new and then unfinished
quarters, where plasterers and car
penters were still at work. The pres
ident nevertheless attended its sessions
for several days, and with his coat off
and a handkerchief stuffed into his
collar, plowed thru the mass of evil
dence upon which this important de-
ciSion was based.
attending to details of the executive
business which might be left to sub
crdinates, and it is admitted by all
that he has a passion for being in
touch with all parts OF his great task
Perhaps the best answer which can
be offered to the charge that he I'M
dertakes too much is to point out that
be shows none of the symptoms of an
overtaXed man. On the contrary, his
health is notably better than 1t was
when he entered the White House.
and his physical condition has been
described as practically perfect: In
asmuch as more depends upon Presi-
dent Wilson than upon any other one
man in the world, this may in itself
be regarded as something of an
achievement, ana an end for which
some sacrifices in the way of de-
r1ands upon the presidents time ought
willingly to be made.
The presidents excellent health is
ascribed to the rigid regularity of his
ha bits II to the exercises which he
takes 'Inder the supervision of Ad-
niral Grayson. He rises at o'clock
breakfasts at 1880, and whenever the
weather permits is on the golf links,
generally with Mrs. Wilson, at 8.
He plays for a, hour, takes a cold
shower bath upon his return, and is
at his desk in the White House at 10
there he remains until 1 o'clock, and
these are the hours in which his crea-
tive work of planning and writing
are done. But even during this
PERIOD. ne is by no means out of
touch with things. There is q tele-
phone switchboard in the White