Evening star., 1933-09-03
BY MARK SULLIVAN.

~ NCE early in June, when they
began, have attended every cne
of the conferences Gen. johnson
~ holds, at which some fifty to
hundred newspaper men ask him
questions. The sessions last half an
hour-but at the end of each one
the newspaper men are still shooting
questions. Just one more question.
general" half dozen cry at once, as
the lowering, rather mothering little
secretary tries tactfully to get the gen.
eral away to where some group of i'm
portant industrial leaders wait to argue
with him about a code.
Let no one pity me for this twice-a
week Summer chore in hot weather
Washington. If the conferences were
work alone, I think I should have
passed up some of them. But the
truth is, as look back upon the Sum-
mer, those Gen. johnson conferences
have been the most enjoyable enter
tainment I have had. I don't say EN-
tertainment" merely because Gen. John
son has been good Snowman. The
man has a superior mind and an ex-
traordinary personality. First and last
have sat in conferences like these with
good many statesmen of various coun
tries and would rather be at Gen.
Johnson's than at any others can
recall. You find yourself watching him
every second, following every word
every shade of expression in his eX-
ceptionally expressive countenance. He
has enormous force, acute intelligence
and rich humor. He is absolutely with
out pose. Like Cromwell, he would
bawl out the painter who makes him
prettier than he is. Paint in the wart, !"
he would order
The last conference came on an ex-
tremely hot day. The general strobe
in without coat, wearing suspenders,
and with his collar open at the front.
The little secretary seemed vicariously
self conscious about her very neglige
charge. But there was no self-con-
sciousness about the general. Nor did
ne excite any among the adequately
tailored newspaper men.
In the presence of so much person.
ality as Gen. johnson has you forget
about clothes. The general sat down
and the questions began to fly. He has
learned to practice some caution in his
answers. The complete candor that is
natural with him got him in some
trouble, did some injustice to him with
the public. Now. on occasion, he adopts
the device which I think Gov. "Al'
N1AA11 41tcIltcu dIlU WlllCu IACoAOCAI
Roosevelt habitually practices. To an
occasional newspaper question he re-
plies. I'LL answer that, but this part
Of it Is of the record" The caution
is not natural to him, his instinct is
to blurt out the answer with perfect
candor. (The general, incidentally, re-
minds one strongly of CAP Smith; he
has Smiths forthrightness and strong
common sense, and penetrating intelli-
gence, and Smiths humor and pungency
Of language.)
Learns Tricks Of Caution.
Gen. johnson has learned other
tricks Of caution. He knows now how
to use his hand holding his cigarette
in such way as to conceal his ex-
preston. That is his first lesson
learned by association with politicians.
He does it awkwardly-conceal Is
not natural to the general.
He Is terribly tired. He is little
over so, but at the last conference he
looked 70-his big lion-like head and
features and heavy shoulders stopped
and weary. The outlines Of his skull
stood out like an old mans. He, a