New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-23

Mlffln), Samuel Hopkins Adams devel-
ops the theory that by regular and per-
sistent exercise one may become beauti-
full. Most of US will be satisfied if we
can only get thin.
AS matter of fact, we are rather
skeptical about any direct relationship
between beauty and exercise. Babe
Ruth hit twenty-nine home runs last
season and Frank Adams plays tennis
every clear day.
presidents and Pies" (Houghton Milf
fin, by Isabel Anderson, affords one or
two amusing gllmpses into Washington
life, though it is in general decidedly
fluffy book. Thus we iind "Secretarv of
the Interior Lane is the only man in the
Cabinet kept over from the Republican
administration; some say that he has
been obliged to swallow 81 number of
bitter pills, but nevertheless he sticks
to his job. Rumors also declare him to
be more or less socialistic. At any rate.
he is jolly and nice and very we'll liked"
We like our information spread lit
tie more thickly than that For instance.
we hardly feel that we know Houston
any better than we did before after
reading: Secretary of Agriculture
Houston is big and serious minded. For
years before coming to Washington he
was in college work, first as professor
and then as administrator, so that he
knew his subject in its broader phases.
One heard less Of him than of some of
the others, perhaps, but believe he
makes an excellent executive"
Such system, to be sure, makes
biography easy. Julius Cesar is thin
and little bald. Before coming to
Rome he was engaged in military mat
tiers. He is said to be ambitious, but is
delightfully."- witty"
Still, Mrs. Anderson has made one
contribution to the study of American
politics in her story of the rural Con-
gresham at a White House dinner "who
rebelled at taking a designated lady out
to dinner, saying stoutly, I've never
taken in anybody but my wife yet, and
guess I won't change now!'"
The book makes us little regretful
that Nick Longworth has not yet been
mentioned by anybody as a Presidential
candidate, for Mrs. Anderson records of
one informal dinner to King Albert that
mick Longworth sang some of his
amusing songs, among them THE
Funeral of an Austrian General in
which he initiates the savos of artillery
by sitting on the lower end of the kew
board of the piano and putting out
smoke"
Most Of our Presidents have been
singularly deficient as parlor enter
tainers. President Wilson, to be sure.
can Juggle with words, but we are told
that he doesn't know any card tricks.
1t is reported that at Versailles ho told
amusing anecdotes to Lloyd George and
Clemenceau in lulls during the confer
ence. Unfortunately, these were the
only points which he could make them
see. If he had been able to move George
and Clemenceau to convulsive mirth
with some turn such as "The Funeral of
an Austrian General" it might have
been better treaty.
We asked Randolph T. Weaver, of
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc, to ascertain from
the anonymous author Of "The Book of
Marjorie" just how reporter ever
found time to write hook, and the au-
thor has replied as follows:
II am sometimes asked how . re-
porter ever found time to write book.
TO be SURE, 1t Ia not = great achievement
to turn up with 4 thin volume crammcd