The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-02-07
Rest Treatment
For Mr.. Wilson
Copyright BY The Intelligsneer)
ny DAVID LAWRENCE,

WASHINGTON, D. C. Feb. S.-Presi-
dent Wilson seems to be getting along
about as we'll as could be expected TOT
u man who has had severe nervous
breakdown. Interest in his conulttoh
appears much more acute outside or the
national capital than inside where otti-
cial folk busy with a multitude OF Things
have come to mCthodlcal system OF
handling the business which ordinarily
Mould have the attention Of Mr.. WILSON.
Inquiry at the White House reveals
that the President walks about his bed
room and the upper apartments or the
house with the aid OF a cane. but that
he is wheeled outdoors to avoid sIipp!ng
on the snow-covered portico and steps
He seems TO enjoy his daily exposure 10
the winter weather which Tor "aSh'hS
ton is rather extreme nowadays and
more like that Of a city along the Great
Lakes than one south OF Mason and
DiNonS line.
The President leads more or less a
monotonuus life-closed in from all
friends and official colleagues. DR.. Cary
r. Grayson. his physician. manages to
keep senators. cabinet members and am
bassadors from seeing the President as
the latter has always preferred anyway
that official matters be put IN writing.
He spends from an hour TO three hours
a day reading memoranda and the news
papers and feels in fairly close touch
with what IS going on OUTSIDE or the
Executive Mansion.
As for a description OF the Prest-
dents condition. l was told that the
President was progressing and that
each week saw some Improvement. IN
curing whether his rate Of recovery
was slower than expected. the answer
was that Mr.. Wilson's conralesence was
"encouragingly" good. There stu
seems to he need for mental and physl-
cal rest with nobody able 10 guess &C
curately just how long Mr.. Wilson Will
have to remain in secluS!on. But II Is
a fact however. that people around the
White House would be disappointed II
the President were not back at his desk
during the Spring months.
No specialists have lately visited the
White House. Two Of them happened
to be in town-each on different er-
rand about three weeks ago-and they
dropped in for a social call and not
medical examination. That means the
Presidents case is no longer regarded
as complicated or doubtful. but that
course OF rest treatment has been pre-
scribed in which medical attention Is
not such an important factor.
The President is naturally restless.
He wants 70 do moro work than he
should He keeps in close touch with
Secretary Tumulty. either by telephone
or personal conference. To relieve the
monotony OF the White House, the
Presidents household have installed n
moving picture machine and screen in
the big Fast Room. the handsome salon
Of crystal chandeliers. polished floors.
gilded piano. and ornamental vases. in
which room ceremonies such as the pre-
sentation OF distinguished foreigners
and official receptions and other
functions OF sociA brllance have been
held in the past.
There sits the President nowadays
surrounded by members of his family
watching the antics Of the Slap-stick
comedian as we'll "a the dramatic cpl
sodes OF film lite--a diversions which
the American public enjoys in crowded
theatres but which Mr.. Wilson in the
solitude OF the White House can have
at any time he waves the presidential
wand. The President is susceptible to
colds and his physician has had to be
very careful about bundling Mr.. Wilson
m when he went outdoors. The White
House Is not such an easy place 10 keep
IN An even temperature which IS one
reason why the President has had to be
kept on the upper floors OF the EXecu-
tive Mansion, most OF the time oetore
An open fireplace. II can hardly be
said that official business doesn't reach
Mr.. Wilson when il should. There are
numerous questions which must neces-
sarily be resolved by Cabinet officers on
their own responsibility but when il
comes 10 treaty controversy ana matters
OF appointment 70 high Offices Mr.. Will
son is personally occupied with Thorn.
He gets daily reports from Senator
Hitchcock and resume OF what Is hap
pening in the political world from his
private secretary so ne manages 10 Keep
in FORMED. II Is distressing connnc-
ment to Woodrow Wilson. who has kept
Washington on the jump for the last
seven years in q pace reminiscent OF his
arch political foe Theodore Roosevelt.
But while Il is true OF Washington
always that the pace Of the government
Is set by It's Chief Executive. the extra
ordinary nature Of the problems con-
fronting the government has impressed
upon observers the truth Of that phrase
in Mr.. Wilson's speech accepting the
Democratic nomination in 1911" wherein
he remarked in another connection. hut
with a forcefuln"Ss equally true today
that there "a no indispensable man"
n