Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-04
WHITE HOUSE REAL HOME
Typca American Residence Has Been Inspiration for Past
Presidents and Declared One of Most Genuine
Thrills Associated With Office.

there that the bedrooms. the sitting
rooms and the library are located. 1t is
on this floor that intimates are received
informally and where the presidential
families foregather in the evening for
reading and conversation.
The rooms on the top floor are used
principally by the servants and for
storage purposes. This part of the
house was rebuilt. two years ago, when
an entire new roof was put on the
White House.
In the basement are the kitchens,
pantries, storage and refrigeration
rooms as we'll as the laundry. Several
of the rooms in the basement have been
converted into a sort of art gallery. At
least oil paintings and busts, mostly Of
former occupants of the White House.
for which a display place in the upper
part of the house could not be found.
have been put on exhibition.
There is huge furnace room, with
space for fuel, but these are no longer
used, as the heat for the White House
Is piped from a central heating plant
operated by the War Department.
The big house is completely and we'll
furnished. 1t Is not at all necessary
for any incoming President to bring
anything in the way of furniture, dra-
peries. linen, china, or the many other
articles that go toward making a large
house presentable and comfortable.
Personal Belongings.
OF course, each new occupant brings
some personal belongings. 1t has been
a custom for each succeeding First
Lady personally to select the design
of the china to be used during her term
as mistress of the White House. After
ward pieces from the china of each
administration are placed In the Ma
tional Museum.
There are IS servants employed to
keep the White House in order and TO
cater to the wants Of the presidential
family. These do not include house.
keeper and a head usher. Also there
are a head gardener and assistant and
about IL laborers employed throughout
the year to care for the grounds; a
carpenter, an electrician, a mechanic,
valet to the President, maid for the
mistress, four social clerks and two
messengers.
For the purpose of protecting the
White House. the executive office and
patrolling the grounds surrounding
them, the Government has provided a
police force of 40 men. The 10 secret
service men detailed to the White
House do no patrol duty. Nxne OF
them are assigned to protect the Presi
dent and one to protect the Presidents
wife.
The house itself and all that has
been mentioned in connection with il
are furnished by the Nation. The
President is called upon neither to
pay any salaries, nor to pay for the
heat and light. His only expense is for
what he and his family and the house
and kitchen servants eat. The food
and other costs incident to state func-
lions are paid for out of the Presi-
dents travelling expense fund, for
which Congress appropriates $4,000
annually.
Until the administration of Presi-
dent Roosevelt all of the business of
the Executive was transacted in the
White House itself, but he had an
executive Office built onto the west
wing of the residence and there are
the Presidents Office, and the offices
Of those engaged in assisting him. as
we'll as the room in which the cabinet
meetings and other conferences are
held.