South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-12
REPORTER TELLS
ABOUT HARDING'S
QUESTION BOX
Presidents Semi-W eekly Con-
ference With Newspaper
men Interesting.
RY Ill LrDLoW.
wAsHINGToN. D. c. -. =

Box" has become a regular institu-
iiou in washington No doubt per-
sons who have never seen a presi-
dent interviewed would be highly in
tsrested 10 they could peep .n NJ the
eenli-weehly conferences which the
nations chief has with the Washing
ton Newspaper cOrrespo
The conference takes place In
large circular room. which has been
the workshop OF presidents ever
since the low fiat Office building was
constructed by order Of Pres't
Roosevelt. The walls Of the room are
tinted olive green. The sun streams
ga from a green bay window, looking
south across a beautiful lawn.
Everybody. including the presi-
dent. stands at these conferences.
In the middle OF the room % a mas
sive hat-top mahogany desk-just
such a desk az might be found in
any weIl-furnlshed business office in
the country. The most conspicuous
ornament on the desk is a picture.
neatly framed, OF the presidents
mother
Standing behind the desk is a tall.
slightly stopped. handsome man.
whitening hair covers his large well
shaped head Black. bulging eye
brows shade his blue-gray eyes. This
man IS the president Of the United
STATES. In front and at the sides Of
tho desk are massed one hundred or
5, more correspondents, including a
sprinkhng Of women writer's. Two
etaiwart, square, awed secret service
men stand close to the big man be-
hind the desk, for even on these
friendly and confidential occasions
the president must not be without
protection.
Most Correspondents Young.
Most OF the correspondents who
stand before the president are young
in appearance. Theirs is a young
mans job. calling for constant alert
ness and activity Correspondents
become Oslerized early. However,
there are some .-ray-halred persons
in ;he crowd and some who are as
bald as the egg Of a . ostrich. The
women keep on their hats. All listen
.ntently leaning forward.
The president starts the bail roll
ing by producing a question from his
famous question box" I'm former
years these presidential seances with
the correspondents were conducted
H. a different way. The president
offered himself aS "a target and the
correspondents had carte blanche 10
fire when they were ready and as
often as they desired. The result
was a fusillade Of questions some
irrelevant and others contrived rOr
the deliberate purpose of getting the
president i'm a hole. I'm this of-hand
exchange of questions and replies
the answers were not always as
well considered as they should be,
when II is remem bered that immense
Significance attaches 10 every word
OF the president in the time OF
crisis and the whole proceeding 10
say the least, was undignified. For
these reasons Pres't Wilson abandon
ed the conference with cOrrespOn-
dents during the war.
Pres't Harding established a new
plan. which preserves the presiden-
tial contact with the press admira-
bly,, and at the same time gets
around the objections 20 the old sys-
tenn. Correspondents submit their
questions in advance in writing. The
president considers them at his leis-
ure and has his answers formulated
IN his mind when the conferences
are held Correspondents are no.
entirely prohibited from asking ques-
lions at the open conferences and
frequently the president Is requested
10 further elucidate his answers,
+ 4 lou he
tral theory OF the new arrangement
In the question box, and irrelevant
side questions are not INDUCED.
Here are some samples Of the way
the plan works:
The big man. adjusting his nose
glasses. reads:
VIII the presiden. please express
his attitude toward the appointment
OF a person TO represent the United
States government at the meeting OF
the allied PREPARATIONS commission"
The president looks up. takes or
his nose glasses and hesitates for
moment There is a trace OF impa-
;ience IN his voice as he begins TO
speak. He has answered the same
or a similar question at least half n
dozen times before. But he smiles
There Is a responsive litter and
grinning.
Never Quoted.
IL IS the strict understanding that
the president is never 20 be quoted.
However. Il IS perfectly proper for
the reporters and press correspond
ents 70 write. ct was learned at the
white house today" or TT is stated
or the highest authority" etc. In
this particular case the highest au-
thority" made known that the presi-
dent will positively take no steps
toward appointing an American rep
resentative on the allied PREPARATIONS
commission unless congress first
sanctions a.. that the president has
no authority TO act alone and tnat
IL - useless 10 discuss the matter
further until and unless congress
does act
win Am bassador Warren remain
AZ Toxic or VIII ne return shortly
and be replaced p" This Is the nexr
question.
The president has no inumation
that the ambassador intends 10 re-
turn and there certainly is no idea
OF replacing him. Then the pres!-
dent picks UP other questions in
succession as follws;
Has the president decided whom
re will name 20 MI the vacancy on
the federal reserve board ."
Has the president received any