Evening star., 1938-07-10
~ the Associated Press.

Wnen fTcSlQcIlL ktOOScVcIC SAIA6o tAAae
70 . crowd iammed about the rear
platform of his train, the engine Of
the presidential special puffs and the
cars 70 rolling along. It's like the
regular conductors hoard, a-a-all
aboard"
Only this time there are cheers, a
band strikes up Happy Days Are Here
Again." policemen with Joined hands
get red-faced against the shove OF the
crowd that might get tangled in the
trains wheels.
A local politician looks back and
waves-maybe calls to friend-as he
swings on the car up the train ways
He's riding to the next stop.
Secret Service Jumps Aboard.
Railroad police and the Secret Serv-
ice scamper along the moving cars.
not to be left Telegraph boys grab
reporters last-minute dispatches on
what has just happened.
The President of the United States
has just been to town!
The scene now is being re-enacted
daily as the President winds his way
across the country.
Rear-platform speeches give the
President the peoples reaction to what
he is doing. He talks about crops, and
what the administration is doing about
them; about peace and war and neu-
trality; about labor-the control of
wages and hours and the settlement
Of disputes; about the way the Govern
ment is moving on many fronts.
The local political leaders who come
aboard supply information on what
is popular and unpopular in their
States, how tough the next election is
going to be-and ask longingly for
money for pet projects.
Through those station crowds and
those aboard-train conferences the
President sees the country and the
people. A lot of things that happen
aren't on the schedule.
Office Seekers Elbow On.
For instance, there always is the
problem of the of6ce-seeker up for
election who wants presidential favor.
Perhaps the President doesn't like that
man for that particular job; sometimes
he just doesn't want to be mixed up
in local fight in which there is no
White House interest
There is little that presidential Sec
retaries can do about keeping a prom
inent Democrat of the train if he asks
for ride, but there are several ways
to keep passenger from being too
closely identified with the Chief"
Even If the ambitious gentleman
jockeys himself into a place on the
train platform when the President
speaks, the Chief Executive can make
it plain that he's asking nothing in,
behalf Of that particular person
The snub is occasionally used. The
President will mention every one on
the platform except one man. MY
good friend Charley just hounds me
to death trying to get money for your
DAM" Mr.. Roosevelt will say: or. smil-
ingly turning to another, I'm always
glad to see Tom"
No Warm Remarks for Him.
John, standing close b., may get
In the picture the crowd Sees but he's
left in the cold as far as the Presi-
dents remarks are concerned. There's
no smile, no grab of the arm, no
word.
Some politicians get no farther than
a White House secretary. They get
polite run-around, and If they hear
the President talk, it's from the
ground, not the train.
Once in q long while there is
presidential train rider who sees no
secretary and who has little hope
Of seeing the President. One was
pulled of Mr.. Roosevelt's special in
the Pacific Northwest last fall. Rail-
road detectives found him stretched
on board laid across the car rods.
His publicity sense was good-he got
his name in the papers-but if he ex-
pected ride he didn't know much
about presidential specials.
Every move this train makes is
watched, timed, planned The rail-
roads and the Pullman company have
extra men aboard Mechanics are
ready for any emergency The Presi-
dents train never runs out Of Ice or
hot water.
Police Extra Alert.
Railroad police snoop up and down
tho cars. When the train stops they
60 outside and watch for hoboes. If
there are any around the detectives
seldom miss them, and into the BLACK
Maria" they 60.
Trackwalkers patrol the roadbed in
advance Of the train to see that there
are no absent spikes. no twisted rails,
no debris. Bridges are carefully
checked.
Every so-many- miles, the train
makes an operating stop" Me-
chanics bound over the train like a
swarm Of monkeys. They tap and test,
flll grease cups, check brakes, load on
supplies.
II the President leaves the train
overnight, he comes back the next
day to md it shined like a bright,
new dollar.
Inside, while the train rolls along,
the President may be debating a
speech, reading the papers, or talking.
He works a great deal of the time.
The rolling White House has a corps
Of stenographers. telephones that can
be hooked up the minute the train
stops, typewriters. and all the equip
ment of modern Office.
Mail Planes on Trail.
Mail is rushed to the President by
plane every day and sometimes twice
It must be opened and answered.
The President dictates and signs let
tiers. If one goes out with wobbly
signature-that's because the train
lurched