The Washington times., 1921-03-06
WHITE HOUSE
GROUNDSOPEN
Great Crowd Pours Through
ates-President and Wife
Enjoy Rush Of Visitors.
By JACK ROYLE.

An invading army OF visitors In
wave formation swept over the White
House grounds yesterday. The ma
jority rolled back from the sturdy
chests. OF policemen and doorkeepers.
but hundreds penetrated even TO the
presence OF the President himself
! The members OF this army ranged
from Cabinet members, national
compitteemen and members Of Con-
gress to frankly curious sightseers
-TMOUsANDs PoUR IN.
When the news spread that the
White House gatss once again had
been thrown open to the public. thou
sands of the curious poured through
and explored every available nook and
corner. The large. impressive and
members OF the Washington police
force, withstood with Difficulty tho
announcement that the gates behind
which they had paced for many
months were to be swung back, Some
still wore panied look today a.
though they had not yet fully -ecov'
cred.
Low moans came from .groundkssp-
ers and gardeners as playful groups
of Boy Scouts and the high heels Of
the feminine visitors dug into the
soft turf of the carefully nurtured
lawns. But the public as we'll A.
President and Mrs. Harding enjoyed
every minute Of It. The President and
his wife had become 80 used to hav-
Ing the front yard At Marion full of
delegations, bands. and curious visit
ors that the Impression was homeliko
rather than annoying, to them.
AS was the custom In former Re-
publican Administrations q part OF
the White House itself, including the
lower corridors and the blue room.
was opened to visitors. Thousands
took advantage Of the permission and
hurled themselves In q body At the
sturdy guardians Of the doors. The
crowd became 30 great at noon. how
ever, that II was necessary to close
the building except to those who had
appointments. o. '-
PRESS NOSES AGAINsT PANES.
The curious who could not get in
side crowded about the windows and
the glass doors, their noses pressed
against the panes. examining every
detail of the Furnishings and occu-
pants which they could view. They
freely on the appearance
and probable capabilities Of. the
cooks, maids and footmen as. these
members Of the entourage came into
view. and shifted appreciatively q,
the odors from the Kitchen and specu-
lated as to the probable menu they
foretold. ... ...
George B. Christian, jr... secretary to
the President, had his baptism Of ,Are
yesterday and withstood. the attack
bravely. ,t... .
His callers included Cabinet msm-;
bers, prospective jusfices of the Su-
preme Court, old friends of himself
and Of the President, Indian chiefs,
Job hunters seeking appointments
ranging from ambassador to Capitol
guides. and q goodly proportion of
the weIl-known and justly famous
Washington boil weevils." BOIL
weevil," As it Is. applied At the White
House. is . term e9ined, 1t 10 alleged,
to President Wilson, who had to with
stand their assaults for eight. long
years. 1t Is arplied to q certain type
of visitor because they are pests and
extremely hard to get rid of.
Secretary Christian met them all.
those of importance and Of no i'm
portance, those to whom he talked
and those who talked insfstently to
him. He grayped the brown hands Of
Willie Ottogary. . Ute chief OF the
Wasbaleie reservation in Utah, and
Of GARFIELD Pocatello. of the St. Hall
reservation Of idaho, and got them An.
opportunity to shake the hand Of the
Great White Father" also. And he
ended up the day with . smf1e, which
may be assumed to be q. record for
the frst day Of . new Adnnnisnation-
The White House executive Offices
are not opened To- visitors except such
as have cards from Senators or Con-
grsssmen. bu. that did not deter the
swarm of visitors from entering.
Doorkeepers grew hoarse telling the
throng that the Offices were not open
to the public. Those same doorkeep-
ers are rapidly compiling . new
who's Who II the new administra-
tion,. as they discover those individu-
ais whose positions or business en-
titIe them t, right of way and those
who are to be gently but firmly de-
Elected from uepass on valuable time.
| Among the visitors received BY the
President himself yesterday were the
Secretaries, of War. Navy. Agricul-
ture. Commerce and TreGsury and the
Postmaster General, members of the
national committee, Senator Lodge
and Representative Mondell, and a
half-hundred acquaintances who had
appointments to shake his hand and
wish him Wen. .-,