Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-03-30
WdSnlngI0n Full
U correspondent
BY w. S. MANN.
DI y - NI-E-N-Fs
Copyright, 1929 by the Washing

WASHINGTON. March 30-While
the actual work of the preliminar4es
to the great impending national cam
paiSn Is being done in the states, 1t
falls out that the national capital Is a
clearing house of information as to
progress and results, as well as a CEN
ter of interest. This is true, naturally
because the administration OF the gov
eminent is located In Washington and
furthermore because every senator
and representative in congress is q
potential political leader.
Washington is the distributing point
for news about politics II politicians
largely through the medium of the
corps of Washington correspondents.
recognized as a semi-oficial body,
with g. standing before congress n
the executive departments that is
unique. There are some W hundred
odd of them whose names are borne
in h Congressional Directory n
whose professional conduct comes
under scrutiny of the committee on
rules of the senate and the speaker
of the House Of Representatives.
To obtain enrolment In the list of
correspondents entitled TO admission
to the press galleries of the House
and the senate, the writers must con-
form to specified rules of professional
conduct, infraction of which entails
ousting from the galleries and drop
ping from the published list. which
is available to oil departments of the
government.
Correspondents must be engaged in.
the work of sending daily Geographic
dispatches to newspapers In the first
place. They must agree not to take
part in any attempt to Influence legis-
lation nor to be connected with fur
nishing news to corporations having
business before congress or to stock
dealing concerns. They are held ac-
countable for the accuracy of their
dispatches and may be criticised
from the floor of the House or senate
without ecour except through their
own writings, and may be hailed for
contempt before the bar of either
house.
Fol the most part the correspond
ents on the list are men sent from
their home offices. who have gained
experience in the politics OF their
states and are familiar with men and
measures.
Both the great political parties
maintain national headquarters in
Washington. The custom has OBJ
tanned curing the past four years. the
practice heretofore having been to
establish branch headquarters here
during the presidential campaign
only. But when the Democrats
came into power for the second time
in 1916 and realized hat they would
have to fight to retain power in 1920,
the national committee moved to
Washington and settled down in per-
manent organization with q publicity
department on duty.
The Republican national commit
tee Immediately followed suit and
both committees ire housed in the
same Office building. The secretaries
and publicity staffs are constantly on
duty and the chairman are in and
out Of the city, but available all the
time.
The advantage of having head
quarters here is more readily to keep
in ouch with national affairs and
legislation and with the men in con-
gress who represent the going o n
Germs of politics in their own states.
The party power in the national adj
ministratIon must keep elbow to ell
bow always with the workers in the
field and the executives in office.
Both great parties have branch
headquarters in Chicago and in New
York. 1t Is often remarked that the
chairman of the two national COM
mittees spend the greater part of
their time committing between New
York and Washington and Chicago
and q cartoonist one pictured a ma
f~tional chairman passing himself on
the New York-Chicago trip"
At this time all the candidates,
avowed and prospective, for the pres
idential nomination In each party,
maintain headquarters in Washington
to which come reports from the work
ers In the field. The publicity agents
of the candidates are diligent to give
cut information concerning the pro-
gress of the campaign, which receives
| 70 -. n nd Qnrotnl1. t.Aatr1onnf f~an, The
correspondents.
1t Is a notable fact that the news
paper men on duty at the national
capital are called upon. as the general
rule, to maintain a more ~non-parttsan
attitude toward candidates and pulic
attitude toward candidates and public
who are in the thick of the battle and
the heat and passion of the hour.
At this time, especially, there seems
a disposition to give all the candi-
dates "a square deal" although news-
papers may have individual prefer
ences.
The topic of most general political
interest in Washington just now
overshadowing the discussion of the
merits or handicaps OF individual AN
didates for the presidential nomina-
ton, is whether President Wilson Is
to be a candidate for denomination
and reelection. The subject is rem
dered debatSble by the fact that the
President has refrained from an
nouncing, as he could at any time. hi:
positive determination not to be 9
candidate. Because he has not done
so, the political gossips have con
tinued to talk about possibility o.
another term.
Everybody who IS in any way close
to White House circles is agreed upoI
the individual opinion, without au'
thorty = ~ that the Pres
Eident win 49, accept a third nomina
ton. 1t Is a fixed belief. a conviction
and nothing to the contrary will
change the feeling of those who holt
it.
They realize that the President /
~debarred by circumstances from max
ing an announcement of his declina
ton at this time. 1t would, they say
serve to throw the Democratic or
! ganization into chaos and hamper
the national management which nov
operates under the titular Leadership
: of the President.
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