Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23
Grave Conversation and Dig
nifty of Method Mark
Callers.
PRESS HARD AT WORK
Sages and Strategists Seen
in Numbers at Offices of
National Chiefs.
BY REX COLLIER.

BY REX COLLIER.
The big political show is on, bu
back stage in the wings, out of view
enacted a SideshoW that for downright
comedy drama effects is without riva
| on Broadway.
Step behind the scenes of the cam
| paign into the inner Sanctum of {
party's national committee headquarters
/ if you crave real diversion.
| Take the headquarters in our oWr
| Barr Building, up on Seventeenth street
| for example. One can spend. there al
| hour brimful of entertainment, instruc'
| ton and education and then one CAL
return for another hour and find q
complete change of program-an gratis
Conversation Instructive.
A ride in a crowded elevator to the
| fourth floor brings the visitor to the
very hub of the Republican campaign
Here is to be found what makes the
wheels of a great political machine re-
volve. Here one may solve the mysteries
of the art of making Presidents.
Aha! Those three distinguished
looking gentlemen over in the corner OF
the corridor, outside Chairman Works
Office, look interesting. Their heads
are together and a monotone of con-
verSation in lowered tones arouses
curiosity right off the bat. Perhaps
this is the whispering campaign itself
Let us move nearer and strain our ears
for a snatch of the choicy gossip.
II always change my oil every 500
miles," one of the politicians confides
to his friends.
Are YOU troubled with carbon knocks
on a hill?" asks another.
Well" says the first, "etc, etc"
Open-Door Policy a Gyp.
A happy thought We will look into
this famous open-door policy of Dr.
Work and secure a glimpse of the
sacred portals of the campaign chair
man. Under this policy all one has to
do is find Dr. Works door and walk
right in without even rapping or any
thing. The door is shut as tight as a
drum. Well, nothing like opening it
and walking in. What? We've got to
state our business and find out if the
chairman will see us? And then wait
our turn? It's gyp, that's what this
open-door business is.
Hm-m-m. Nice lot of Offices down
that long corridor. We run our eye
down the succession of doors and note
the names thereon: Mr.. Mutt, Treas
urer," MFR. Fort, Secretary" Mr.. Allen,
Publicity" Etc, etc. Publicity, Ell?
Here's our chance to learn exactly how
newspaper men manage to get all those
lengthy interviews with political lead
ers, business men, farmers, bank pres
idents, automobile manufacturers and
the like. Maybe some dignitary is be-
ing interviewed right now on why he Is
fr0i,arr fo xyofo for Mr. E10OVaF
rs this where the press gets its news
of the campaign" we inquire OF Ste
nographer in the publicity office.
mo, the press room is on the first
floor, at the back end of the hall" she
replies.
Senator Has Statement.
To the press room on the first floor
at the back end of the hall We HE our
selves, post haste. The din of mimeo-
graph machines and typewriterS arises
from behind the partitions. Something
really must be doing. The press room,
further inquiry diScloses, is at the far
end of the corridor and the information
is added that Senator Blankety- Blank
has statement there.
A cautious peer into the room dis
arms our fears that our approach will
IA1C AA41POA boAAb 4AAOSA FAN" "AS~A
Senator Blankety- Blank. There is not
soul IN the room. On long table
are several piles of mimeographed mat
ter, which we venture to investigate
The first document conveys the en-
tightening knowledge that Senator
Blankety-Blank today issued the fol-
lowing statement for immediate release.
The other handouts are similar ''in-
terviews" and statements. A messen-
ger boy comes in, gathers up one OF
each and hurries out-en route to some
hard working journalist in an arm
chair at the Press Club, no doubt.
Don't newspaper men ever actually
interview campaign leaders face to
face?" we ask of the man at the in
formation desk beside the elevators.
Sure" he responds. "All the news
paper men are stationed up at MIR.
Hoover's headquarters on Massachu-
sets avenue They do their interview
ing there. Nearly everything is given
out here in the form of written state
ments. We don't hold any press con-
ferences here at all"
New Car Parked at Curb.
To Mr.. Hoover's headquarters it is,
then. This is palatial Ito use press
phraseology) residence at 2315 MasSa-
chusetts avenue, owned by a Demo-
cratic lady of some renown. The inn
posing stone building occupies more
than hall of the short block from De-
catur place to r street, just around the
corner from fashionable Sheridan Cir
Gle.
The house is readily found, for in
front of it are parked many automo-
bileS and a group of news photogra-
pliers is roosting on the coping of
the front steps, in listless array. One
of the automobiles, parked in a re-
Stricted zone, stands out in Respondent
elegance above the others. It is a
brand-new limousine of expensive
make with the license number 5000 ~
It is the car Mr.. Hoover bought on CIV
ing up the official Department of Com
, merce car of similar appearance.
There seem to be some bona f1de
| open-door regulations in force at the
Hoover headquarters. The great iron
| grill-work doors are tied back and nc
austere butler or bouncer stands beside
them. The big center reception hall
done in marble, has been turned into
an office. To the right of the doorway
sits the candidates personal secretary
Bradley Nash, shielded only by a brass
rail. Directly in front is an information
desk presided over by an intelligent
| young man. To the left
Yes, there they are, at last; the
gentlemen of the press! A screen shuts
oFF f,,lI viz af int k1.,f l.,