The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1933-07-20
ROOSEVELTS VALET
(contInred from Page one)

sident. | did SO. IN few mo
meats a bell lang giving the
guard notice Of the Presidents
approach. lie, IN tu.n, opened
the door and rang another bell
notifying the guard At the next
door Of the Presidents approach
and so on It was done until the
president reached his office.
In A Wheel Chair
The President came through
IN wheel chair Gas he had of
his hraces) preceded by guard.
his wife walking beside the chair
and two secret service men In
the rear. He was in his shirt
sleeves, with gray pants. white
shirt. a fonr-in-hand tie on. and
wearing spetacles. AS he was
being wheeled he was chatting
and laughing freely with HIS es-
corts.
About two minutes later Mr.
McDuffie came and invited me
to his room on the second floor
OF the White House. was mn
pressed with this fact as very.
few servants live under the same
roof with their employer wheth-
ef they be an ordinary business
man or the President of the I'm
tied States.
But IL you had listened to Nc
Dnffle's conversation you would
understand why the President
has given him and his other EN-
rloyees such fine quarters. The
room is next to the maids room.
Is consists of bedroom suite.
desk, comfortable rugs and
excellent drapery. A telephone
Is In the room for his use and
he has the privilege of living
with his wife. This was denied
him while he was the valet iIfn
New York.
IN Helndon Shop
McDuffie was born in Elber-
ton, Ga, March IA. 1882. Seven
years ago he was a barber In a
shop in Atlanta known as the
McDuffie- Herndon Barber Shop"
which catered to white custom
ere. McDuffie was manager and
barber In the shop and Herndon
Of the Atlanta Life Insurance
Co., a stockholder. While active
~ engaged in the barbering pro-
fesslon. MeDuffie sprained his
leg, making 1t difficult to stand
on il all day to cut hair, and
incidentally while waiting on a
customer he mentioned to him
that he was planning on quitting
the barber business and wanted
a job as valet.
Heaas Of II. d.
mcDaffle had been a valet for
DR.. zoepffel, white, consul for
the German Empire of the
Southeast division containing six
Southern states. 1t was while
in this capacity that he got a
liking for valet work. The Gus
toner expressed regret Of his
proposed departure but informed
him that he would look out for
such a job and would let him
know II he knew of anything. II
happened that az that time this
same customer was selling some
building material to Mr.. Roose-
welt for his home in Warm
Springs Ca, and was informed
a few days later that he was
without a valet. Securing this
information he returned to the
shop.
Il had forgot l had spoken to
him aout work" said McDuffie,
when he told me he thought
he had hit on the job l wanted.
He asked me how l would like
to work for Franklin Roosevelt.
replied Fine
THE next Thursday / got a
telegram from Mr.. Roosevelt to
come to Warm Springs and 1
would be met at the station. l
left, and after ten minutes con-
versation we had closed the deal.
] went back to the barber shop
and got a leave of absence for
year, because l didn't know
just how would like the job.
After l had been with him ten
days l knew l would like him
and sent in my resignation to
the barber shop
No Change In President
When asked If his work was
difficult his reply was: 1T is as
simple as it was before he was
Governor and after he became
Governor. Mr.. Roosevelt's lab
its are the same. Nothing at az
runs to his head"
McDuffie's duties include shin
Ing the Presidents shoes, clean
ing and pressing his clothes,
keeping his hair cut and prepar-
Ing and waking him up each
morning for his breakfast. Other
than that he has nothing 10 do
with the Presidents meals.
After eating his breakfast the
President reads the morning pa
pers, including the leading Negro
Meeklies. ;, stated the valet. "He
does lots of work before he gets
up. He can work five men to-