Evening star., 1936-10-31
By Lucy Salamanca.

-
THE old quip that no man is
hero to his valet does not ap-
ply to serving-men, if one
i may judge by the opinion Of
John Brooks, colored Pullman car
waiter, to President Roosevelt.
For % years Brooks has served on
that line of the Southern Railroad
which makes regular runs between
Washington and Atlanta, Ga, and
Washington and Spartanburg, S. C.
Moreover, ever since Franklin D.
Roosevelt was Governor of New York
State it has been Brooks pride and
pleasure to wait upon" him in his
drawing room. He knows the Presi-
dents likes and dislikes with regard
to food; he is familiar with his hours
of eating, waking and retiring; he
can tell you certain idiosyncrasies that
distinguish the Presidents PERSONAL
ity while travelling, and he will sum
it all up with gentle, appreciative
smile and say in his slow, Southern
drawl, "Mr. President surely is one
fine man, yesSir, he surely is about
the incest man 1 ever waited on, an
I've known him from way back!'
In the tidy little parlor of his mod
est Washington home in M street,
where he is recovering from a railway
accident, John Brooks reminisced.
You know, waited on Mr.. Roose-
velt many times during the campaign
and one time when we was all return
ing from somewheres in Virginia,
where he'd been making a speech, he
called me into his drawing room and
he said, You know, John, you've
treated me awfully nice on this trip,
and if I'm fortunate enough to be
elected President, I want you to come
and call on me at the White House
Yes, ma'am. Mr.. Roosevelt invited me
to the White House. just like that"
Brooks face beamed with pleasure.
Il went, too," he added simply.
Did you see the President?"
wanted to know.
Nom, I didn't see him. He was
busy with some important people that
day, but saw McDuffey. McDuffey's
lilc FdlCVt yOu hliOW, dllo = OoW AAAAll
without no trouble at all. just went
up to the White House and said I'd
like to see McDuffey and they took me
right round to the kitchen and I
declare I had a chat there for about
half an hour right there in that White
fine kitchen, too."
BROOKS is 49 years old, but his
- thin, agile figure and unlined face
give him the appearance of man of
35. His accent is that of Virginia
colored man-gentle, considerably
attentive in its pauses, gracious,
friendly and respectful. He is mark
edly courteous in manner and there is
decided evidence of his long associa-
ton with important personages. Not
once, in an hours conversation with
him, was his voice lifted above the
tone of well-trained servitor's. even
when his dark eyes lit and animation
broke through his speech in speaking
Of the President.
nc WdS ulCooCu FCly lChtAy dliu al
excellent taste in dark, well-pressed
business suit and dark tie. with we'll
polished black shoes. He was freshly
shaven in anticipation of my visit.
"I waited on Mr.. Roosevelt two
years ago when he went to Virginia,
and also when he went to Warm
Springs, Ca, on his last trip there.
received a mighty nice letter from
the White House, too, after we got
back from that trip. Not many
Presidents take the trouble to notice
when a colored man tries to please in
everything and serve him we'll.
O. course" he interrupted himself
gently, mot all Presidents, like not
all men, are alike"
He leaned forward. his hands
folded: Nov you take Mr.. Hoover.
waited on him, too. remember
once in particular when he and Mrs.
Hoover went to Asheville when their
son was sick. Mr.. Hoover never said
word the whole trip. Course, not
all men are alike and Mr.. Hoover was
Just like that, not noticing any one