Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25

respondent, ,oas assigned to the
White House, and tDho made many
long trips Nth Mr.. TAFT. This is the
third of sir aDeekly articles. in mitch
Mr.. Hoster is oivinc many interest
ing ciose-ups OF TAFT and his ad-
mintstrdtion.
A T Sycamore Hill one afternoon
| ~ when the historic break in the
| "A friendship between Mr.. Taft
IL 4 and Col Roosevelt had become
definite, an indiscreet caller
asked bluntly:
"Col. Roosevelt, after all, just what
was the real trouble between you and
Taft?"
Roosevelt's eyes narrowed and his
Jaw snapped. The matter was one that
he rarely discussed, even with his init
mate friends. looked for sharp re-
buff for the imprudent visitor. Instead
T. r. flashed sardonic smile and re-
| piled;
"Mr. -, the real trouble between
Mr.. Taft and myself was fundamental
f, My game is tennis. Mr.. Taft Is addicted
! to golf
upon the addicted was irresistibly
funny. But who that ever saw the VI
brant and dynamic Roosevelt in action
on the tennis court and then marked
| the contrast Of Mr.. Taft's slow, leisurely
progress over the links cannot find in
the Rooseveltian irony a possible key
note to the careers of both?
| Politics Reflected Games.
| Mr.. Taft played golf, as Col. Roosevelt
played tennis, through his career. The
| pugnacious and aggressive spirit which
| characterized the turbulent seven and
one-haf years of Roosevelt In the White
House was a carrying over into politics
of his style of play on the tennis court,
| in the game Of politics were surely q re-
fiex of his play on the links. Again,
Col. Roosevelt hadn't the patience to
engage in card games, while Mr.. Taft
| was also addicted to bridge.
Mr.. Taft's devotion to golf led to d.
| verting incident in the Fall of 1909,
while he was in Seattle on his flrst
Swing around the circle" as President.
He had entered foursome with some
seventh hole when Maj. Archie Butt,
| his military aide, interviewed.
"You have only enough time Tor one
more hole" said the major. 1.-THE COM
mittee at Tacoma are anxious to have
you arrive before dark that the people
may see you in daylight"
Mr.. Taft finished the eighth hole,
| whereupon Maj. Butt again approached
pardon me, Mr.. President, but we
| barely have time now to reach Tacoma.
Continued His Golf.
The President turned a cold stare
upon the military aide and went on with
| his game. He played the ninth and the
! tenth holes, and was on his way to the
eleventh when Maj. Butt: in despera-
ton, once more interviewed.
"Butt," interrupted the President
sharply, but with lively twinkle In his
eye, IT am President Of the United
States and don't propose to take or
ders from a mere major In my army.
Please don't bother me-"
He finished the eighteen holes. and
when we reached Tacoma night had
fallen and the populace were obliged to
"see" the President through the glare
Of the Bengal lights they burned IN MS
| honor.
Such an incident would have been i'm
possible in the routine Of Col. Roosevelt
while he was on the road. One imagines.
l,toe, that If Roosevelt had ever permitted
himself TO get tangled up in the tarin
| problem he would have adopted tennis
court tactics in dealing with Aldricn
and Cannon, instead Of the golf pro-
ceQure OF Mr. IaIC.
The sagacious Roosevelt warned Mr.
Taft against the tariff.
IF you will look over my record, he
said one day on westbound train, you
| will find that I let the tariff severely
alone during my administration. l
warned Mr.. Taft that 1t was full OF pit
| falls because 1t is thing in which 1t
is practically impossible to please any
body"
Accepted by President.
Nevertheless, the tariff was the FIRST
thing Mr.. Taft tackled. Dictated largely
by Senator Aldrich and Speaker Can
non, amid the violent protests OF the
men who dater organized the Progress.
sive movement, the bill was accepted
| by the President, who cheerfully as
! sured me that "Aldrich and Cannon are
not the villains you would have me be-
lieve they are"
Mr.. TAFT signed the bill and early
| the ensuing September, 1909, departed
on a long speaking tour which carried
him into practically every State In the
Union. And 1t was in the early stages
of that journey that he delivered. In
Winona. Mimi, the address IN which m. ne
said the Payne-Aldrich act was the
best tariff bill the Republican party
| ever passed" "a statement which,
though he had been in office only six
months. put his administration under
handicap from which 1t never recov-
cred It was the entering wedge under
which the Republican party three years
later split in two.
1 am striving to record facts here,
with no purpose to draw contrasts or
pass Judgment. But cannot resist the
conviction that his particular phrase,
! unnecessary and in a. manner jerked
! into a set speech, was bit OF pure po-
litical chivalry on MFR. Taft's part, com
bined with a certain dilatoriness-a
] tendency he showed at times to put
things off until the last minute. II he
had had time to consider and reflect,
do not believe he would have phrased
his speech in fiat terms from which
there was no retreat or escape.
There was this additional fact also in
connection with the Winona speech:
Mr. Taft had been travelling all that
day and had made half n dozen ad-
dresses at as many stops before reach
ing Winona that evening at the dinner
hour. On other occasions the CORE
spondents on the train received ad,
vance copies OF his addresses several
hours. sometimes full day. in advance
of their delivery. This night address
was not ready upon our arrival II,
| Winone, and when, at o'clock, went
into MIR. Taft's Car looking for 1t Maj
! Butt informed me that the President
had halted the preparation OF his ad-
dress while he had dinner.
Finished at S:15.
1t was not until Is minutes past g.
the meeting which he was to address
was scheduled for the kour--that the
address was finished and copies handed
to the correspondents as the President
was leaving for the opera house.
1t is a reasonable inference, therefore
that the address was hastily prepared
and did not receive the thoughtful con-