The Washington times., 1920-06-09
by WILLIAM G. SHEPHERD.
International News Service Special
Stnn COrresponden

Stnn Correspondent.
| CHICAGO, June 0.-Id rather spend
my time these days in a certain little
! room in the Congress Hotel than in
the big Coliseum. because in this
room the real news is being made. Its
number is Ell.
Reporters aren't welcome there, but
today | got in and spent half an hour
within it's walls, then | had to 60
J because other visitors-polticians
who are helping to make political his
tory--wanted to talk with John T.
| King, who occupies the room.
| Phone To Bedroom.
Here in this room are the ends of
the telephone and telegraph wires
that lead to the bedside of Boise Pen.
4 rose in Philadelphia. Ask the man
in this room whether VIII Hays was
right when he told the convention
that it was Embossed. l did and they
laughed loudly, and told me that Hays
must have been only joking.
On a little table beside Kings bed
is telephone, not with an ordinary
telephone receiver, but with head
piece attached for long conversations.
On the hook was hung a heavy lead
weight Between the bed OF John
1 King, in Chicago. and the house OF
Boise Penrose--S0O miles away
these two men talk, day and night,
| about the latest convention news.
| There was q wild scene in this room
| at o'clock Thursday morning. Wood
managers came to Kings suite and
said to him. we've got the news that
Penrosc is dead. How about it?'
| Rumor OF Death.
~ haven't heard it and l don't be-
lieve it," said King. He might have
lifted the lead weight off the hook
and been in communication with Pen.
roses bedside. If Penrose had been
dead. the bell that would havo rung
in Philadelphia would not have awak-
ened him. And If he hadn't been dead,
it might have disturbed the slumbers
of "a sick man. SO King didn't make
1.-THE move. And the Wood d'men depart
ed without any information.
| But early in the morning, King did
lift the weight and Pcnrose himself
answered. They say youi are dead
here in Chicago" said King.
I'm not dead" said Penrose. who
said ] was?"
"Well. only a few say you are dead
but a lot of them say you are pretty
sick, and they are all worrying about
you" said King.
/ well, who's worrying about me?"
asked Penrosc. Name EN- Name
emf
Penrose Wants To Go.
"welI, your brother Spencer, for in
l,stance." said King.
| Hes always worrying said PEN
rose. "If il had not been that my
brother in Philadelphia was doctor
and told me to stay here at home. I'd
Ibe in Chicago now. 1t wasn't med
icsl advice he gave me. 1t was fras
ternal advice, and stll think he's all
wrong"
That was only one Of the many con-
vcrsations that have taken place over
this wire. In another corner of the
room-and 1t is little room-are
two telegraph instruments When
the sick man in Philadelphia doesn't
feel like talking over the telephone
he can dictate messages which come
to Ell by Morse. Part of the time
while was in the room a husky tcle-
graph operator was sitting at an in
strument sending off reports to Phila-
dclphia. d.. .
| All of the Pennsylvania leaders
who come to this room will tell you
if you are lucky enough to encounter
them, because most of them don't be-
lievc in reporters and publicity that
| Penrose can boss over the wire Just
as well as In Chicago. Indeed, King
tells me that he thinks Pcnrose rs
more powerful absent than present.
| source or Real News.
And SO. at last, 7 have at least seen
some of the, machinery of the party's
masters at work. DO. you doubt that
n reporter looking for news would
rather spend week In this room
than in the crowds at tho convention.
what we will hear at tho Coliseum
will be only faint echoes Of what
passes through. modest little chamber
Ell.
But in spite of this rolic of the old
bossed days. times are changing In
politics.: fashions are changing. For
instance. tomorrow ! am going to
carry blue glass goggles into the
press stand and when the new fan
rled headlights arc turned on for tho
moving picture men. ! am going TO
nut them on " isn't tho lights that
hurt your eyes. IT'S the reflection
from the bald heads. ..
/ These ncw-fanRled lights yestcrday y
laid bare discovery. Perhaps no
lone ever before in a political convcn.