Evening star., 1934-03-04

EN-.
minute they are kidding each other,
seemingly without care in the
world; the next minute they are with
the President and minute later they
are debating cryptic sentences over
the telephone about the latest mo-
mentous happening in this troubled
world Of ours.
Strange as 1t may seem, presiden-
tial press contacts have been made only
in comparatively recent years. Prior
to the second Cleveland administra-
ton the correspondents got what news
they could about the President and
happenings at the Executive Mansion
by talking with politicians and states
men at the Capitol or at their hotels.
Blu in 1895 the city editor of The
Washington Star directed a cub re-
porter, the late William E. Price, ito
run up to the Executive Mansion and
pick up some live news" Little did
that editor suspect what he was start
ing!
Price took the assignment seriously.
He marched upon the White House
and. to the surprise of the attaches,
stood guard outside the portico. He
talked with the callers as they left
the President. Some of them told him
the nature of their errands 1t made
live news" He scored many beats
which we're printed in a daily column
under the prosaic caption, "At the
White House"-spare the mark in
these days of screaming headlines!
Force Increases.
Anyway, Price was given the as
signment permanently. 1t was not
long before one or two other writer's
followed his example Thus began
the extensive coverage Of today, with
a score of reporters regularly sta
toned at the executive Offices to fash
important news literally around the
world the instant It is made public.
Their force, Of course, is augmented
by the others who drop in and out.
During the Cleveland and Mckinley
administrations Price and his few
colleagues stood outside the White
House But President Theodore
Roosevelt issued orders that space be
found near the entrance. This was
the beginning Of the press room of
today, with its rows of desks and
filing cabinets and batteries of type
writer's and telephones. not to men
tion a radio and a table for cards and
chess to while away the long hours
while on the "dog watch" at night
waiting for some conference to
break up.
1t was T. R., too, who first estab-
lished personal relations with the
press. Some Of these contacts, not
infrequently made while he was being
shaved in the morning, were to his
benefit, but occasionally, it must be
admitted, they were to his sorrow
History will be made one of these
days when these writers reveal GER
tain instances which. because of their
gravity, compelled the President to
ask his newspaper confidants not to
reveal him as the source of their in
formation or he would catch hades.
("Hades" is literary license; T. r.
used a much stronger word) But 1t
paper men then, as now, do not
divulge the names of their informants.
Taft went T. r. one better by in
itiating the so-called town meetings,
sitting down with the correspondents
in the cabinet room. These sessions,
however, were held at irregular inter-
walls. There was no thought then of
biweekly meetings, one in the morning
for afternoon newspaper men and
one in the afternoon to give the morn
ing writer's an even break.
BOSS" to Reporter.
Taft had his intimates among the
members Of the corps, as did Roose-
velt, including the same Mr.. Price,
who was Bill" to the President, as
the President was boss" to him.
And there fingers a story Of this re-
lationship that still brings q laugh
for It was to Price, grown corpulent
with the years, that even the more
corpulent Taft once said, with his IA
nous chuckle:
"Guts beat brains any day, Bill"
Wilson tried to make the press
conferences regular affairs. He also
honored the correspondents by receiv-
ing them in his private Office. He
got away to a magnificent start. But
with the threat Of American partici-
patton in the World War cooperation
and confidence became necessary. On
one historic occasion he assembled
the writer's In the east room for q
heart-to-heart talk, the most notable
conversation any President ever had
with the press. It has had . distinct
bearing on press relations to this day.
The purpose Of this conference was
to make for understanding, but it had
only q measure Of success. However,
Wilson's intentions were the best
War threatened this country. He was
trying to bulwark the Nation; he
was seeking to establish a construc-
tive relationship. He was an ex-
ponent of the open-door policy and
/ he liked to talk with the press, but
his personal inclinations had to give
way before prime necessity when the
United States became . participant
In tho hostihties. Secrecy became e.
71l--zS-.,.I - V11tih UaOo