Evening star., 1936-10-11
BY BLAIR MOODY.


EN- ROUTE WITH PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT. October 1o.-As Presi-
dent Roosevelt. with dozen or two
secretaries, Secret Service men,
stenographers and other aides, travels
through the West on his drive for
farm votes, who is paying the ex-
penses?
When, on his recent tour Of the
drought region, the President took
another swing around the same gen.
eral area. who paid the bills?
Well, not as you might suspect,
either Mr.. Roosevelt or the Demo-
cratic National Committee, but the
taxpaying public.
1t would be unfair to imply that
this stumping of the country at pub
lie expense to collect votes is a SYM
boil of what the Republicans call
Roosevelt extravaganza"
It's just an old presidential custom,
which has been followed by the last
seven Presidents and probably will
be followed by the next seventeen.
All Of the expense of Mr.. Roosevelt's S
current tour may not come from the
taxpayers. It may not because, while
the fact is a closely guarded secret,
the Presidents $4,000 expense al
lowance for this year is insufficient to
cover all his expenses. The chances
are that the Democratic party's
treasury will have to pay a fraction
of the cost Of this trip.
Acting as Chief Executive.
White House attaches explain that,
even while he Is campaigning, MIR.
Roosevelt is still acting as the Gov
ernment's Chief Executive, directing
its departments and answering his
presidential mail. This "oficiaP job
OF the President, his attaches say,
would justify the major part Of the
trips cost coming out of the s25, 900,
if he had to justify it, which he
doesn't. The money is his to use as
he wishes-so much so that, instead
OF getting two checks monthly, one
on the basis of $4,000 salary a year
and the other on a $25 ZOO basis. he
gets one check. And keeps it all.
The very thought OF hiring special
train would doubtless give the man
on the street a sharp quiver in the
region of his pocketbook. But If
you are President. it isn't so expen-
sive. Most of the cost of the trains
of both candidates is paid by news
papers. Photographic services, broad
casting chains and other corporations
which find it necessary to have per-
sonal representatives along to report
and picture the doings and sayings OF
the President and would-be President.
These correspondents, with the itin-
Grant politicians who board the train
to ride few miles through their own
State, basking in reflected presidential
glory, foot their own bills. In fact,
they make it profitable for the rail-
road companies to run the trains.
Even the chartering of the two cars
reserved for the President and his
immediate party does not impose
much of a strain on the Treasury.
There is no charge for the car, as
such. The President pays for precise
ly the number of people in his party
at regular rates. for the space they
occupy. All but the Secret Service
men. who submit their own expense
accounts to the Treasury. The usual
minimum number Of fares required
for a private car is Is; for special
train, 100.
Train Rental Once Charged.
The "straight-fare' basis for the
hire of a special train did not always
exist. In the old days. Presidents paid
full fare for every one on the train
and, in addition, the equivalent Of &C
tickets for rental" Of the special train
For the abolition of this charge, sub
sequent Presidents can thank Calvin
Coolidge. He tipped well, but he
baked at paying premium on 3
train ride.
There was nothing. the railroads
said, that could be done about it.
But they didn't know Mr.. Coolidge
On his next trip, he bought drawing
room, the same as any other citizen