Evening star., 1922-08-20
BY JAMES A. BUCHANAN.

unusual
People from all parts of the nation
travel to Washington in order that
they may visit the home Of and per-
haps meet the President of the United
States. Mnay of them talk for years
afterward about having met the Presi-
dent. just what the President said to
them and just what they said to the
President. If the speaker Is a poll
tician. his story loses nothing in the
telling; in fact. each time he tells the
one would imagine, when hearing the
recital. that the President had become
sorely perplexed. and sent for the
local political boss in order to get his
Views on many important questions.
THERE are many other types of
visitors that pass through the
swinging doors of the addition to the
White House. that portion of the Ex
ecutive Mansion which houses the
cabinet room. the Presidents personal
Office. the place where Secretary
Christian holds forth and the quar-
ters where Assistant Secretaries
Forster and Hard do their work.
Occasionally one Of these visitors.
before coming to the capital of the
nation, conceives what is, to him. a
brilliant idea. He turns it over in
his mind for a few days or a week.
then dashes madly down to the local
ticket office and grabs a train whose
destination is Washington. On the
journey the idea grows better and
more brilliant, and he can find no rea-
son why the thought should not meet
with the instant and hearty approval
Of the head Of the nation.
Upon his arrival he can hardly wait
for the opening of the executive Of
fees at 9 o'clock. and he sleeps but
little that night. Long before the
city is astir he is up and about He
trusts not to the self f-shaving ap-
paratus that has been his standby at
home. and owing to the fact that his
hour of rising is computed not in
the terms of the barber shops locally,
he proceeds to order breakfast. but
remembering the old saying that the
SAtho 10 oHe pOS-
sesses an empty stomach. he eats
lightly. consuming but about 25 per
cent of the vitamines that are his
usual morning portion.
Next he purchases a paper and pro-
ceeds to scan the colemns of the news
sheet. more particularly that port tion
that relates to the President, for he
hopes that this, his day, will find the
President with some leisure time on
his hands.
The barber shops are now open and
he proceeds to get a close shave and
the latest Washington haircut. for in
the back of his head turks the idea
that a man must look prosperous il
he wishes to succeed. This line of
reasoning carries him a step farther,
q double tip to the bootblack for an
extra brilliant shine with a good
brush-down OF clothing. He then
goes to his temporary abode and gives
final survey in the matter of sar-
torial perfection, rearranging the
cravat. He glances at his watch,
only to hnd that there remains an
hour before the executive offices are
open for business. Never before in
his life has an hour passed on such
leaden wings. The second hand of
the watch. consulted frequently, ap-
pears to have been thrown in low |
gear and to be doing everything it |
can to delay the minute hand. The |
latter. in turn, appears to have be-
come afflicted with locomotor ataxia.
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"A r last 1t is ten minutes of opening
time. Not being familiar with |
the street car systems of Washing
ton and not desiring to create too
much of sensation by going to the
White House in taxicab, he starts |
on foot for the Office of the Presi-
dent. Despite the fact that he had |
intended to walk leisurely, his nerve |
centers have involuntarily quickened |
their cadence and he arrives at the |
entrance to the grounds at least five
minutes ahead Of time. This SEEM
ingly interminable period is passed |
BY gazing at the beautiful structure |
known as the White House, and by |
speculating as to whether or not he |
will ever be able to occupy that |
mansion
Down the winding roadway to the
entrance of the offices, where he Is |
met by, omcers Dalrymple and Sea-
man, who give him the "once over"
and question him as to just whom he |
wants to see and why. If the re-
quest is at all reasonable. AID more |
especially II he has brought a letter
Of Introduction from his senator or |
representative, he is passed on to our
friend, Pat McKenna, who sits at a
little desk just outside Secretary
Christians room. McKenna scanst T
whatever credentials he may have.
talks with him for moment until |
he mentally classihes him, and If he /
passes this argus-eyed officer he Is
ushered into the rooms to meet
Rudolph Forster, who is Secretary
Christians assistant Here he under
goes another examination, and If his |
requests are at all plausible and will |
not take up too much of Christians |
time, he il ushered into his room, and |
rs soon as possible Is interviewed by |
the man who for many years has |
been the close friend of Warren g. |
Harding. -a-
Secretary George B. Christian. jr, |
Il, by nature. . kindly person who |
desires to do the most he can to help
somebody get this. that or the other
thing, but his time is so occupied
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