Evening star., 1938-02-15

almost rs familiar in Washington a.
the lean countenance Of his chief.
Rules Sick Room.
Through the years after the wa,
Admiral Graysons influence enlarged
A. the President broke with one after
another of his advisers. During the his.
toric days Of 1919 and 1920. when Viii.
son lay so gravely i'll, the decisions Of
his physician carried national signifi.
canoe. With Mrs. Wilson, he alone de.
termined what questions were of sum.
cient import to be carried into the
presidential sick room. He stayed with
the President through the Peace Con.
ference in Paris In 1919. perhaps the
most intense strain of all Wilson
works, and when the administration
changed in 1921 President Harding ar
ranged for Admiral Grayson to remain
on duty in Washington in order that
he might give his services to the for
mer President. He attended Wilson
until his death in 1924, and four years
later retired voluntarily from the
Navy.
Admiral Grayson was the central
figure in two controversies precipitated
by members of Congress When 1t was
proposed to advance him directly from
the rank of junior officer to the high
post of medical director and rear sd-
miral, Senators Lodge and Weeks OF
Massachusetts raised violent protest to
list Of senior officers.
President Wilson had made the ap-
pointment in 1916, but confirmation
was delayed until 1917, when q strictly
partisan vote made 1t of1icial
The story is told that the first Mrs
Wilson during her fatal illness. asked
Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels
to give Grayson, then q lieutenant
commander, rank commensurate
with his responsibilities. Daniels sought
the opinion of the Judge advocate
general, who said the move would be
legal. and the recommendation for
appointment as a rear admiral conse-
quently was forwarded to the Presi-
dent.
Criticized for Censorship"
The second squabble arose in 1915
and 1920, when Admiral Grayson was
criticized for not revealing more infor-
nation about the condition of the
President. to whom he had given hi,
promise he would not let the Nation
know Wilson was paralyzed and nea;
death
After his retirement from the Navy
Admiral Grayson devoted the ajor
portion Of his time to the work OF vari-
GUS institutions he served as an officel
and in developing his hobby of breed
ing race horses. There was. seldom q
big stake day at the tracks when he
was not on hand unless pressing bust.
ness interfered.
At one time Admiral Grayson had
sizeable stable, but none OF his
horses ever reached the prominence
attained by My Own, which, as q
3-year-old in 1923 won the Saratoga
Cup, and had turf followers split into
two camps when the time came to
choose q rival for the British invader,
Papyrus, one faction strongly sup
porting the Grsyson-owned colt and
the other Zev, Harry Sinclairs Ken
lucky Derby Winner. Zev was selected.
The breeding side had particular
appeal to the admiral, and this it was
that drew his interest at his country
place in the Virginia horse country.
Admiral Grayson disliked reckless
betting and distrusted tips. Once
when he was asked about the former
he remarked: There Is enough ex-
citement in getting a horse ready for
race, in seeing him get away from
the barrier and in winning or losing
the purse without riSking additional
money In regard to track tips, he
has told the story of visit he made to
the track with Senator Ollie James OF