The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-09-19
DAILY NEWS LETTER
General News and Gossip From Staff Members at Home and Abroad.
By GEORGE R. HOLMES International News Service Stan Cor.
 respondent

Washington, Sept. 19.-The White House is the hub of the capital. All the rest of Washington constitutes merely the spokes in the wheel of government. When the White House functions Washington functions, and
 when the White House stops Wash ington stops.
 This has frequently been illustrated in the past, but never more striking ly than in Mrs. Hardfng's recent and nearly 1e fatal illness; The entire capi- stood still and marked time for sew eral suspense-filled days while the
 mistress of the White House lowered between life and death at No. 1900 Pennsylvania avenue. 1t Is difficult for anyone outside Washington to realize how completely
 the White House dominates Wasiuc- ton in a social way. Most of the dinners and the ban quets and the parties that are arrang- 1 ed in diplomatic and official circles are arranged with eye to what the White House is doing on that particu- | lar night. Guest lists have to be ar
 ranged with the White House in view -else there would be conflicts Not only socially does Washington | suspend activities, but off tally, also,
 to a great degree. Senators.-~and
 not hesitate to take their troubles | to the Executives office stay away
 and refrain from bothering the Pres | lu0Hl WlleH l0 IS SuDJeSed 10 person. l al cares. Cabinet officers refrain from
 sending to the White House their
 usual flow of official papers for Ex- ecutive perusal
 slows down.
 l Mrs. Harding's steady improve
 ment, after being at deaths door, Washington, for seldom has there been a mistress of the White House | who enjoyed more personal popular | ity than Mrs. Harding. | It is no uncommon sight for her
 to stroll unconcernedly out into the
 grounds and talk to the dozens of l tourists and visitors who pass daily | through the spacious grounds that surround the mansion. l Sometimes they recognize her,
 sometimes they do not. | How do you do, I'm Mrs. Hard | ing?" is her usual greeting, and l then:
 | Where at1e you from? ?" l If the answer happens to be s'Ohio'' las it frequently is-the chances are | that within five minutes some mutual
 acquaintances have been mentioned,
 for Mrs. Warren G. Harding knows
 senator from Ohio for some years,
 and she didn't campaign the state | with her husband, for nothing. She | knows Ohio.
 | Mrs. Harding has an aversion to
 publicity so far as herself is concern- ed.
 During the campaign at the front porch some of the Republican man
 agers wanted to write her up" as
 she expressed it, for publicity use by 1 the National Committee. She would 1 have none of it.
 | 'No. sir.'' she said firmly. "You
 can write all you want about Warren, | but leave me out of it, please 1 This aversion to personal publicity | has been carried into the White 1 House. She has been besieged by people who want to write the story of her life. etc., but she has turned them
 all down.
 | Recently a Washington correspond
 eft who had covered the Marion 1 headquarters was ordered by his l home office to rush an obituary of l Mrs. Harding to be filed in the news paper "morgue,'' for emergency use. | The correspondent was somewhat 1 nonp1ussed. There wasn't one extant | that he knew of, so dne went direct to | Thea dquarters'' and asked Mrs Hard ing for the material out of which one | might be written.
 No you don't,'' she said. laughing "I know that in all well regulated
 newspaper offices there are 'morgues.' but I never had any desire to appear there.
 "When am dead it won't be in- teresting. and while Pm alive it IdOesn't make any differencef"