Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-12-01
JULES JUSSERAND
WAS GREAT PAL OF
THEO. ROOSEVELT
Tennis, Hiking and Even a Dip
In Old Swimming Hole
Were Theirs
BY HARRY B. HUNT
NEA Service Writer

NEA Service Writer
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The ap
preaching departure of Jules jus
serand as ambassador from France
has revived "reminiscences of the old
days when the strenuous 7. R. and
the doughty French diplomat set
new high marks for athletic activi-
ty in the Washington o. iicial set.
Probably no other foreign diplo-
mat ever was on such intimate
terms with an American president
as Jusserand was with Roosevelt.
They played tennis together on
the White House courts. They
spent hours on long cross-country
hikes. Between times they talked
natural history, literature and the
comparative merits of boxing
versus fencing.
Jusserand was always bobbing
up around the White House, and
always was welcome He had the
run Of the place. Some said he
had a White House latchkey.
+ = =
One of the stories recalled of
the Roosevelt-Jusserand exploits is
Of a cross-country hike they took on
a sweltering July day. They had
been hitting it up with characteristic
Rooseveltian vigor, up hill and
down dale, when they came to a
stream winding down toward the Pc
tomac at point where there seem
ed to be a good swimming hole.
"Ah! The Old Swimming Holew
Roosevelt exclaimed, Glow about
dip?"
No sooner said than done. With
the abandon of three school boys
playing hockey, Roosevelt, Jusse-
rand and Archibald Putt, wh, was
the third member of the expedi-
ton, shed their hiking dads.
Roosevelt and Butt plunged in
in good American fashion, but
Jusserand waded in rather eau
tiously. He had got in about knee
deep when T. R. noticed that he
was sta wearing gioves-nice
black ones, like an undertaker's.
Whats the idea?" Roosevelt
asked. why the gloves?'
"Jussey" shrugged his shoulders
and turned up his palms in a
deprecatory French gesture.
"Who knows; there might, per-
haps, some ladies come by" he
said.
On another one Of these hikes
Henry Lodge was q participant.
Lodge wasn't the ardent athlete
that T. R. and Jusserard were, and
the fast pace set by tire president
and the ambassador soon had him
winded. They had reached a stretch
of rough uphill going when Lodge
called a halt.
Theodore, Theodore he called,
painting, breathless. "Sow up
bit. You must think Pm a damned
kangaroo"
The intimate palshir between
Roosevelt and Jusserard at this
period is said to have caused
change in the British ambassador
to Washington.
Sir Mortimer Durand, Graat
Britain's envoy, never achieved
any personal relationship with the
president. Their contacts 'Sere al
ways formal. He was always "Mr.
Ambassador" to T. r. and Teddy
was "Mr. President" TO him.
Sir James Bryce, afterward
Lord Bryce, was sent over to re-
place Sir Mortimer. AS a write"
and historian, familiar with Amer
Iican affairs and institutions, Bryce
fitted much better into the Roose-
welt scheme of things.
They found themselves tn COM
mon ground in historical and liter
airy discussions. Also, Bryce cut
in on some of the presidents
rough cross-country hikes. But no
other diplomat ever achieved the
camarderie with Roosevelt that
was held by Jusserand.
His departure marks the passing
of the last of the strenuous
brotherhood" which flourishcd at
the capital in the days of the big
stick" the "Ananias ClIh" and the
reign of Roosevelt.