The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-04
WILSON GREAT
 MAN TO CAPITAL
Crowds Gathered Around Him As He Went To
 Theatre

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-(By As- sociated Press. )--Wilson, the sick man, was a greater object of friendly in terest in Washington than the Wilson of war days.
 The national capital never lost its head or it's balance when big men came along; it was used to that type. But after he had been stricken when broken in health he sought to get back the strength he had given to his task even that part of Washington which hated his policies and his powers, felt a softening around the heart as it saw him bent low. s. Harding, as a new President never dazzled Washington. It had known him as senator and there was no wild rush for the windows as he drove through the streets.
 In the picture theatres or Washing ton when Harding's likeness was shown there was ascattering handclap. But when Wilson's picture was shown there always was a deafened burst of real applause. The thing was so pro- noupced that the president and former president were never shown on the same screen.
 "Oh, Washington is a southern com munity," was the stock answer people got when they asked about the greater applause for Wilson.
 Liked Theatre
 Mir. Wilson liked the theatre. He liked vaudeville especially. In the early years of his administration he went frequently to the theatre without at tracting undue attention. People ap- plauded respectively, but not loudly when he entered. The same was true of Harding.
 After he left the White House, how ever, there was changed attitude on the part of the Washington public to- ward Mir. Wilson. Nearly every SAtur- day night when the condition of his failing health would permit, he at- tended vaudeville theatre. His weekly event. By 8 o'clock the streets around were packed with men and women.
 Mir. Wilson's car always drove into an alley into which a sidedoor of the theatre opened. The crowd around the corner always. was so dense that extra traffic policemen were detailed reg ularly flor Wilson night" Street car traffic was halted.
 The Wilson party always remained seated in the theatre until the audience had left. He occupied an obscure cor ner near the alley entrance. The la- porous effort to enter the car, which he could not do without assistance-was the most pathetic sight Washington ever beheld. It touched the. hearts of cold-blooded town.
 Crowd Stood In Street
 Week after week the crowds stood in the streets often in a pouring rain, simply to get fleeting glimpse of the old wartime President. Some of the biggest men in national life used to stand in the shadows across the street from the theatre to see how Wilson looked. They had read of his affiiction they had seen a picture of him now and then, but they wanted to see for themselves.
 Washington never saw Wilson with out his wife. Harding, not particular lover of vaudeville, never went to that same theatre, on Saturday nights. When he did go his car stopped at the main entrance, without interfering with street traffic.
 Much of this show of affection for the former President unquestionably was due to his broken condition. And Washington always wanted to lift it's voice in praise of the faithful wife. No woman ever was more devoted, more attentive, more sympathetic. That was the universal verdict --.. '5- .s