Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-15
MIR. Taft in His Shirt Sleeves
Informal Sideights From Reporters Notebook.
A Corned Beef and Cabbage President
BY WILLIAM HOSTER.

informed that the President would
ride horseback that day with the other
cowpuncherS" This was at the time
when his weight had approached $40. A
little later we narrowly escaped being
run down by half a dozen of the 40
600 cattle, and our concern was awak-
ened as to the safety of the President
under the arranged program.
When we arrived at the spot assigned
TO us, the most conspicuous thing in
sight was fight of three steps leading
to small platform which stood sharply
defined at the edge of the roped in
closure. Presently, Mr.. Taft came into
view. The cowboys in the outfit had
given him a silver mounted saddle,
which one of them dragged along. In
puttees, riding habit and sombrero, Mr..
Taft was magnificent. Mr.. Coolidge,
even in his Indian war bonnet, would
have been envious.
Horse Staggered Under Weight.
At length, saddled and ready, the
mount was brought to the platform. He
was a handsome bay, fire in his eyes.
He pranced and paved and was aglow
with excitement. Apprehensively we
gathered about. The situation was full
OF potentialities. Resolutely the Presi-
dent stepped forward, and then we knew
what the flight of steps was for. Nimbly
mounting them to the platform, Mr..
Taft took one stride forward and slid
into the broad saddle as a group of cow
punchers pulled the platform away.
That was the critical moment. Would
the horse shy, buck, dash madly away?
He did none of these. AS the President
took flrm seat in the saddle the ami
NAL settled slowly at all four corners
under the weight of the rider. A SILVER
Cd To
saw him deliberately twist his neck
with a surprised stare at the man who
was astride him. Then. with a deep
sigh Of resignation. he Strengthened up
and strolled slowly, Off The late Bob
Small, then with the Associated Press,
broke the silence.
The old mans perfectly safe" he
cried. What I'm afraid of is what's
going to happen to that horse"
l like to dwell finally on the deep
spiritual side of Mr.. Taft's nature, which
lay beneath that good fellowship that
was one of his marked traits and was
part of the broad human quality which
made him beloved of all his countrymen.
He was man of high ideals, which he
strove constantly to uphold, not fam
boyantly, but with quiet insistence when
he felt that his lofty position required
him to set a standard
For instance, there was a man Of
wealth and standing in Washington who
mad been the central figure In an I'M
savcry affair aired in the divorce court
Later this man married the woman
whose name had been linked with his.
she was socially ambitious, and a quiet
campaign was instituted to win her en-
tree TO the White House set.
l was approached by friend of the
couple and asked if I could learn why
the doors OF the White House were ap-
parently closed to them. I told the
President Of this request when 1 next
saw him, relating it as a diverting in
cloent. He smiled, but at the same time
brought his fist down hard upon his
desk
Neither - nor any other partici-
pant in divorce scandal will ever enter
the White House while Mrs Taft and I
are occupants Of it," he said.
Endorses Church Campaign.
And then this closing note: Following
the war the services of this writer were
enlisted in the promotion of a nation
wide church movement. and in a letter
TO Mr.. Taft I referred to this campaign
In an answer, dated New Haven, No
vember rs, 1919, he wrote, in part, the
following:
1 am very glad to hear of the Every
Name campaign. 1t is, as understand
IT, an organized effort of the Episconal
Church in this country to enlarge its
influence and usefulness and gather
into dynamic form the spirit and les
sons lnculcated by the late war. In that
war we faced God. We approached
the Judgment seat. We came to realize
mat nothing was good but service. The
pomp, the vanity, the comforts and the
ambitions of material life lost their
glitter and became the dross they are
IN comparison with the virtue and the
Christian spirit and the character that
these develop.
The reaction from the war to ma
terial things has been natural. but dis
couraging. The hopes of many were
raised by the many evidences individ-
uals gave OF being reused to a love of
mankind, a sense of responsibility IN
society for ones brother and a o,Iick.
enlng OF the religious spirit. The reac-
tlon has been natural, but he would he
a pessimlst indeed who concluded that
the lessons Of the war and the spirit
engendered by it did not furnish an
opportunity for the church and a foun-
dation on which to build.
For that reason I welcome In every
church the effort to extend its infiu
ence, TO bring within its organization
tne holnerent and the inert laity and
al associated with them, and to Stir In
a consciousness Of the good thew car
to do" 0Ne"'
II Mr. Taft had been called upon tn
leave a parting message to his fellow
countrymen, I do not believe he would
nave preferred any to this.
NCopgright' 1880, by North American Nevs-
paper Alliance