Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-03-20
WILSON'S WIFE
SHOWS ABILITY
OF STATESMAN
Attendance on President Dur
ing Illness Gives Her Touch
Upon Affairs.
HANDLES GREAT DUTIES

WASHINGTON, March 2O.-One OF the
foremost statesmen in Washington is a
voman-Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, wife Of
he president of the United States.
When history comes to be written, and
the true facts of the Wilson administra-
ton are finally set in the proper shades,
people here in a position to know declare
the First Lady of the Land" will be
seen to have been in deed, as well as in
name, all the exalted title implies.
During the presidents Illness, and,
what is less generally known, long be-
we the president took to his bed, Mrs.
Wilson has bHen to her eminent husband
what a soft pedal is to a piano. She
has been the buffer if you like the smile
better, between the chief executive and
a very exigent world, pitiless in it's de-
mands and limitless in It's expectations.
When Mrs. Wilson says mo" those
about the whitehouse do not insist She
is one person of feminine gender whose
negative does not mean "Yes." Mrs.
Wilson is looking out for the health Of
ner husband first and for the political
advantages Of the president afterward.
Many stories are told of the devotion
of the presidents wife.
On more thal one occasion, It Is said
she has refused to allow distinguished
statesmen to carry worrysome commu-
nications into the slckroom With strics
orders from Admiral Grayson. the white
house physician, not to allow ay one to
disturb the presidents rest. she held her
ground and carried out her point In.
stead Of the callers seeing the chier
executive in person, 1t was Mrs. Wilson
Tho took the messages, delivered them
20 the president, got his replies ana
transmitted them. in person. to those
Interested
II is said that when John Barton
Payne, now secretary OF the interior,
called at the whltehouse In connection
with his appointment to that post, he
uid not see President Wilson IN person.
He saw Mrs. Wilson. and II was at her
tea table that he accepted the portfolio.
TUMyLTY PUBLIC"
PRIVATE SECRETARY.
Rear Admiral Benson, in a similar
way, accepted the Job Payne left va
cant when he became secretary OF the
interior The Craftsmanship OF the ship
ping board was offered to the Admirai
and accepted, Il Is said, through Mrs.
Wilson who is the real private score
tary TO the president. The we'll known
"Spe" Tumulty IS In fact, the public
private secretary.
Every day Mrs. Wilson helps the
president over the jolts Of the ply
steal details Of his office. She writes
at his dictation sometimes. and other
wise helps out The now famous jack
son day dinner message from the white
boUsn was first entirely penned in long.
han by Mrs Wilson before Il went to
the usual stenoErapber 10 be typewrltteu.
This does not mean, OF course. that
Mrs. Wilson is doing the work OF the
president. Far from IL. He has never
reiinquished for a minute the task OF
formulating and putting over his own
Ideas IN all important matters. But Il
does mean that az all times the "hrst
lady OF the land has been present TO
take every possible particle Of physical
burden OF bis shoulders.
AFFAIRS OF STATE
NOT HER CHOICE.
Fate seems 20 have had hand in all
this. TO begin with Mrs. Wilson was
known 70 have q positive distaste for,
rather than a penchant toward, Affairs Of
state. She never inquired nor interfered
In such things. Circumstances, however,
forced her to do what she had never
terest in her husband was her guide,
and she followed IL, without wavering.
night and day.
when the president went abroad aud,
later on, took the swing round the coun-
try speaking for the league Of nations
which ended with his physical break
down. Mrs. Wilson even then, Il II said
with womanly intuition, scented danger
and tried TO tighten the load which her
husband had taken upon himself. II
nything happened 10 te president. she
'rould be present And when IL came.
inexpected by most people. che was
here.
Secretary to the President Tumulty
loaded down with work since the presi-
dents illness, says he doesn't now what
he would have done without Mrs. VII
sons aid and uuderstRndlng