The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-07
WILSON GETTING
ALONG WELL FOR
ILLNESS NATURE
Callers Kept Away From Pres
ident, But Hope Is Ex-
pressed That Elective Will
Be Back at Desk in Spring.
~ DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Correspondent OF The New
SclmtaFl

ScimtaF.l
WASHINGTON. FEB. President
Wilson seems 10 getting along about as
We'll as could be expected for a man
who has had a severe nervous break
down
Interest in his condition appears much
more acute outside Of the national CAPT
tal than inside. where official folk. busy
with multitude Of things, have come
70 q methodtcal system OF handling the
business which ordinarily would have
attention Of MIR. Wilson
Inquiry at the White House reveals
mat the president walks about his bed
room and the upper apartments Of tn"
house with the aid Of a cane but that
he is wheeled outdoors to avoid slip
ping on the snow covered porjico and
steps. He seems TO enjoy his daily eN-
posture to the winter weather which,
for Washington. Is rather extreme now
adays, and more like that OF city along
the great lakes than one south of
Mason and plxon's line
The president leads more or less
mohotonous life-closed in from all
friends and official colleagues.
Keeps Callers Out.
Or. Cary T. Grayson. his physician,
managers to keep senator's cabinet
members and ambassadors from seeing
preferred, anyway that official matters
preferred, anyway, that Official matters
hour 10 three hours day reading mem
oranda and the newspapers and feels in
fairly close touch with what is going
on outside Of the executive mansion.
As for a description OF the presidents
condition, | was told that the president
was progressing" and that each week
saw some Improvement
lnquiring whether his rate of reCuV-
cry was slower than expected, the an
swer was that Mr.. Wilson's GONZALES
cence was "encouragingly' good There
stu seems to be need for mental and
physical rest, with nobody able to guess
accurately Just how long Mfr, Wilson
VIII have to remain In seclusion
Desk in Spring?
II Is fact. however. that peonle
around the white House would be dis
appointed II the president were not
hack nj his desk during the spring
months.
No specialists have lately visited the
White House, Two OF them happened
TO be in town-each on a different err
rand. about three weeks ago--and they
dropped In for social call and not a
medical examination
That means the presidents case Is no
longer regarded as complicated or
i doubtful but that course has been
prescribed, in which medical attention
Is not such an important factor,
The president Is naturally restless
He wants to do more work than he
should. He keeps In close touch with
Secretary Tumulty, either by telephone
or personal conference.
To relieve the montony Of the White
House, the presidents household in
stalled a moving picture machine and
screen in the big east room. the hand
some salon OF crystal chandeliers, pol
ished floors, gided piano and ornament
al vases, in which room ceremonies such
a 40 ny "a ~ OF fFr
eigners and official receptions and other
functions OF social brilianca have been
held In the past
There sits the president nowadays,
surrounded by members OF his family,
watching the antics Of the slapstick co.
median as well as the dramatic episodes
OF film life-a diversion which the
American public enjoys in crowded the
aters 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 had to he very care
full about bundling Mr.. Wilson up when
he went outdoors. The White House
IL not such an easy place to keep In an
even temperature. which is one, reason
why the president has had TO he kept
on the upper floors of the executive
mansion most of the time before an
open fireplace.
II can hardly be said that official
business does not reach Mr. Wilson
when II should, There are numerous
questions which must necessarily be
resolved by cabinet officers on their
own responsibility, but when II comes
20 the treaty controversy and matters
OF appointment TO high offices, Mr. Will
son Is personally occupied with them.
He gets daily reports from Senator
Hitchcock and a resume OF what Is
happening In the political world from
his private secretary. so he manages to
keep informed. II is distressing con.
finement TO Woodrow Wilson, who has
kept Washington on the jump for the
last seven years in pace reminiscent
Of his arch political foe, Theodore
Roosevelt.
But while II 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 1912, where
in he remarked, in another connection.
but with a forcefulness equally true t.
day, that there is no Indispensable
man"
Copyright. 1920. by David Lawrence)