New Britain herald., 1928-11-03
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Washington. Nov. ,. (UP)-Politi- cal SortuneA electoral returnA and administrative changes play only . meagar role in the lives of . large number of White Houss employees who year after year continue in their faithful service.
 These employees include . half dozen who began their service as far back as the Mckinley regime. Two entered the White House un- der President Harrison.
 Their loyalty to the chief execu- tive. regardless of his party affilia- tionA is unquestioned: the conff- dence placed in them Is never broken. Both the executive staff and the servant body has deep.rooted re- spect for this type of loyalty.
 A negro servant who has seen several first ladies come and go recently was questioned about the likes and dislikes of one of her White House mattresses.
 Cant say word" she replied, and added naively, that's why I've been here so loEg.
 Thorough Knowledge
 Through usage and the experi- ences of five or more administra- tions, the older employees are equipped with a concise knowledge of both official and sociat routines at the White House. and they are prepared to offer useful suggestions to . new chief executive and first lady.
 I. H. Hoover. the White Houses chief usher. and William Wilkins. one of the general housemen. are the two whose service antedates President Mckinley.
 Hoover is charged with the re- caption of persons visiting the White House. as well as the direc- ton of the daily White House schedule. One minute he receives the suave ambassador of Euro- pHan government; the next he dt- rects delivery of flowers to the first lady's boudoir. The servants are under his experienced super- vision, and he thus saves the mis- tress of the White House much of the general bother entailed in man. egement of the large household.
 In all Hoover has under his di- rection more than 35 servants at tached directly to the executive mansion. Of these. more than 70 have seen continuous service since the Roosevelt administration. With tho exception of the kitchen staff, ali came to the White House be- fore President Harding. Each first lady, 1t seems, has her individual preferences for her table, and she generally brings her own trusted servants to prepare her dinners as she likes them.
 Seven members of the executive staff have served under six presi- dents, or back as far as Mckinley.
 Rudolph Foster, assistant to the President's personal secretary, came to the White House in 1897. E. w. Smithers, telegraph opera tor, also began work under McKin- ley. as did I. R. T. Smith. c. E. Insling, N. P. Webster. and c. J. Pusey of the office staff.
 Owns Historic Key
 smithers owns one of the most historic of White House memen- toes-the solid gold telegraph key with which President Taft opened the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposi- ton June 1, 1909. The key. mount ed on a block of Alaskan marble. is surrounded by the first P gold nuggets taken from the Klondike by its discoverer, George W. Car mack. in August of 1s96. The key has been used by four presi- dents in opening projects through ouE the United statea and was pressed by Taft to open the Pan- anna Canal.
 Patrick McKenna, known to diplo- mstA newspaper correspondents. politicians and statesmen the worlc over as the guardian of the door leading in the private executive office, first took his post in 1903.
 Richard Jervis, head of the ex- ecutive secret service staff, also has been on duty since the early 1So0's. He first was assigned to the White House in Roosevelt's administration, but special assign lnShts allowed him little time at the executive mansion.
 Besides guarding the lives of presidents since then, Jervis has acted n golf caddy for three-Taft, Wilson. and Harding.
 Often during summer months Jervis would accompany Wilson to the links as early as 4:30 a. m. Al | rule, golf courses are not pop ulated with caddies at 4:3O in the morning. That explains a large part of Jervis' caddyship.