Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-15

| House and 1Uho made many long
trips NTH Mr. TAFT. This Is the last
of sir tDeekly articles in Which Mr..
Hoster has oiDen many interesting
ciose-ups OF TAFT and his admins
trGtion.
! have said that William Howard
Taft was never completely happy in the
| White House. His happieSt hours there,
think, we're on those nights when the
halls of the Executive Mansion echoed
the inspiring music of the Marine Bano
and the exhilarating medley Of laugh
ter and conversation at the series OF
formal functions which enliven the So
cial season in Washington.
Despite the presence of brilliant dip
| lomatS from the worlds great capitals
statesmen, Army and Navy officers and
other high Government functionarieS
and the elite of the Nation, with lib
eral Sprinkling of the mob, and not
withStanding exotic toiletteS, gold lace
and military trappings, Mr.. Taft con-
trived to infuse into these gatherings
the real spirit of democracy. He loved
| to meet his friends and naingle with the
crowd.
He patiently went through the rigor-
Gus procedure of receiving formally the
several thousand guests who attended
each of these affairs, but when the last
| hand been shaken Mr.. Taft, unlike Col
Roosevelt, who retired to his private
apartments and was seen no more for
the evening. measurably ceased to be
President and became one Of the throng.
Mingled With Guests.
At one time you would find him in
the center Of a group of high-spirited
young folk in the east room-perhaps
taking a turn on the dance floor with
one OF them; five minutes later he
would be discovered in the blue room
in earnest conversation with an AM
bassador. His hearty laughter would next
echo from the main hall, or he would
be busying himself in the state dining
room. where the refreshments were
served.
He had hearty greetings for Jim,
Fred and Charley warming smile, an
exchange of pleasantries. My wife and
met him on one of these occasions
it was either the reception to Admiral
Togo or his silver anniversaries he
emerged from the neao usher's once, on
the main corridor.
"Hello!" he cried. "Are you having a
good time at my party?"
Splendid, MIR President! And you?'
He jerked his head sidewise and
chuckled; then pointing to his neck ne
exclaimed:
This is my fourth collar!"
A supply of neckwear had been parked
in the ushers Office, and at intervals Mr.;
Taft slipped in and changed wtlted
collar for a fresh one.
These informal sallies cropped out
most unexpectedly In the lobby of the
Palace Hotel, San Francisco, one night,
Mr.. Taft halted the procession Of re-
ception committee which was escortlng
him TO banquet when he caught sight
of a New York lady in crowd.
This is a long way from Broadway"
he cried. Look out! I just saw your
husband at the other end Of the lobby
talking to pretty girl"
Met Old Sweetheart.
At North Yakima, Wash, a great
crowd had assembled to listen to a for
NAL declaration from the President, and
/ he began his address, after the custo-
mary chuckle, thus:
I'm particularly glad that stopped
in North Yakima on this trip, because
on my arrival here while ago came
face to face with an old sweetheart"
Mr. Taft had especial fondness for
travel. He liked TO get away from the
surcharged political atmosphere of
Washington and meet people. and his
face beamed when they called him
from the cares Of Office in the flight OF
q train over the rails. He was at home
in a big armchair recalling reminiS-
cences of his diversified career.
At overnight stops he would have q
few Of US in for midnight lunch, on
which occasions he would don a gor-
geous silk kimono, the gift of the En-
peror of Japan. In this Mr.. Taft bore
q striking resemblance 70 an Indian po-
tentate. The kimono recalled by COM
parison q suit Of red and white striped
pajamas Roosevelt wore once when two
of us sat with him in q Chicago hotel
until am
Mr. Taft frequently picked these &C.
cssions to drop valuable bits Of news.
Thus one night, riding out OF San
Francisco, at the time when New Or
leans was contesting with San Francisco
for the exposition to celebrate the COM
pletion of the Panama Canal, he said
casually:
Before long we shall have to negoti-
ate a new general treaty with Japan
I believe that If San Francisco has
something to keep her occupied for q
time there will be less danger of any
anti-Japanese agitation to make our
task of negotiating q satisfactory treaty
more dif1cult. You may use the fact
that I favor San Francisco for the eX
position when it will do the most good"
Behind the pomp and circumstance
Of Mr.. Taft's receptions at the various
stops there was the welcome relief of
amusing. If trivial, incidents which &C.
CURED behind the scenes. During a
trip through the Yosemite Valley we
" liked one morning with John Muir,
the naturalist from the Summit House
down the narrow, winding, precipitous
trail To the town Of Yosemite, 1000
feet below on the floor of the valley.
Waited for Suit to Dry.
When we arrived there Mr. Taft was
wet TO the skin from the exertion
OF the effort and the President, because
our baggage had been sent on ahead
TO the train, had TO 60 10 bed at mid
day in the little mountain inn while
his garments were hung in the sun to
dry.
Homely traits drew Mr.. Taft close to
the mass of the people. On long trips
we used to send our laundry ahead and
pick it up several days later after a
dozen short stops. One day the rail-
road official in charge OF the Presidents
train found in his laundry package a
white linen shirt too large by far for
him. Examining it. he found on the
neckband the initials w. H. T, The
shirt was neatly patched in q dozen
places.
Much has been written about Mr..
Taft's great bulk. 1t was responsible
for a diverting incident in San Antonio
on the swing around the circle in 1909.
Mr. Taft took on weight TO an alarm
ing extent on that trip and half way
. through his poundage had increased 10
$40. DR.. Richardson thereupon advised
q strict diet. The correspondents
broadcast the story A few days before
we were due at San Antonio Maj Butt
received a dispatch from the reception
committee there. 1t read
| 'NeWspapers say President on diet.