The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-02

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Washington, for whatever reason
has one stock question which in
variabiy is asked, and the answer
i sought with great eagerness and
interest. What does woodrow Will
son do now? How does he spend
his days since his retirement from
public life?
Questions of this sort come from
casual visitors, political friends and
foes, foreign officials, even from
Washingtonians themselves. OF
this last class, about the only Incl
dent in Mr.. Wilson's present life
of which all are aware is his almost
invariabie custom of attending a
local vaudeville theatre on Satur-
day night, a custom which origina-
ted when Mr.. Wilson occupied the
White house. Despite his enfee-
bled condition, the ex-preisdent
manages to get great enjoyment out
of entertainments of this sort.
Since the day IA months ago
when his second term as president
of the United States expired, Mr..
Wilson has led a life of seclusion.
The last part of his career in the
White house was marked by a long
illness due to the collapse he suf-
fered when campaigning across the
whole country in support of his
League of Nations plan. Mr.. Will
son has never fully recovered ply
sically, and probably never will.
The presidents active interest in
politics necessarily has waned. He
has neither the strength nor the
inclination to keep actively in the
political limelight. Although his
voluminous correspondence of a
private nature sometimes deals
with present day situations and
events, it is said to show a marked
preference for viewing and COM
menting upon events of the past.
The former chief executive seems
to prefer to look forward, rather
than keep a sharp eye on today
and its happenings.
Political Visitors Rare.
The political friends and lieuten-
ants who surrounded Mr.. Wilson in
the days of his occupancy of the
White house rarely, if ever, gain
access to his presence now. One or
two of them have been in the habit
Of seeing him, possibly at inter
walls of months. These, though,
would come under the head of per-
sona1 friends also. Joseph P. Tu-
multy, his secretary for eight years,
has been more closely in touch with
him than any of his former asso-
ciates of political kind, and
breach between these two has come
since Mr.. Wilson denied a state
ment attributed to him by Mr.. Tu-
nudity at the recent New York
Democratic dinner.
The two people most constantly
with the ex-president are Mrs Will
son and her brother, John Ran
dolph Boiling, who acts as Mr.. Will
sons secretary. Admiral Cary T.
Grayson, Mr.. Wilson's physician in
White house days, continues in that
capa city and is a close friend.
These three make up the intimate
circle surrounding the former pres
ident-a circle which is enlarged
on few occasions.
Despite the physical condition of
Mr.. Wilson, he sticks rigidly to his
lifetime habit of rising at o'clock.
If the weather is fine. the former
president sits out Of doors until s
o'clock, when breakfast is served.
If the weather is Indictment, Mr..
Wilson spends the time before
breakfast at his desk
The morning meal past, Mr.. Will
son begins work promptly at 9
o'clock. His mail is enormous, and
the greater part, if not all of the
is taken up with it. The
thousands of admirers Mr. Will
son had and has throughout the !
country have not forgotten him, |
and his mail has reached really !
huge proportions. The old-fash- |
toned dyed-in-the-wool Wilson DEM |
ocrats throughout the land write to
him continually, seeking his views