Evening star., 1941-07-13
Cove Washington a Turn

1ove VoShln9fon IUSn
0UT after the war the old turtle philosophy
cropped up again. Pa was assigned as military
attaChe to Belgium, the Netherlands and
Luxenburg. 1t was an awful Chore to attend
the military maneuvers that were always be-
ing held by these countries and having to
report his observations to the Washington
government Such waste of energy outraged
Pas nature So he worked out an arrangement
with tbs British military observer whereby
they would alternate on observing and give
each Other duplicate report The eyes of the
military intelligence in Washington almost
popped out one day when they got report
literally sprinkled with references to Your
Majesty
Before Pa got to be one of the Presidential
secretariat - when he was just the Pres-
dent s military aide - he ran into the late
Secretary of the Navy Claude A. Swanson at
social gathering A mutual friend attempted
to introduce them.
MIR. Secretary" he said. do you know
Pa Watson"
Il ought to-" replied Swanson. Il had to
appoint him to the Military Academy three
times
That was stretching it bit. but it is
fact that Swanson, who roomed with Pas
father at college. had to appoint him twice.
Pa resigned in the first year when he realized
he couldn't make the grade in mathematics.
Like many another youngster he had never
been able to see the need of higher mathe-
matiCs. and the study of it required plenty of
mental effort Yet if mathematics had to be
learned, he supposed he might as well do it.
He went to Boston Tech to bone up and then
went back to the academy.
1t was at West Point that Pa acquired his
nickname. There was another big and physi-
cally powerful Watson in his class, and the
cadets decided to call one Pa and the other
Ma.
\ Il got the break that time" Pa chuckles
Aide to Wilson
STRANGELy enough, it was Admiral Cary T.
GraysOn. another storytelling Virginia gen.
teman, favorite companion of President
wilson, who got Pa on at the White House.
Grayson brought Pa to serve as junior aide
to Wilson at the Paris Peace Conference and
I'd COItlNueU 10 serve WlIn wilson awhile
after the latter's return to Washington.
In 1888 Grayson had charge of Roosevelt's
first inaugural celebration. The President
Elect called Pa down from his assignment in
New York as an artillery instructor to assist
in the inaugural program. In few weeks he
was assigned as the Presidents military aide
1t was Steve Early. though, who was re-
sponsi BILE for Pas present position The Presi-
dent started out with Louis Howe, Mcintyre
and EARLY as his secretaries. Howe died.
leaving Mcintyre and Early to carry the load
Jimmy Roosevelt came in for while, then
left for the movies McIntyre's health broke
leaving Early alone to carry on the tremen
dously increased secretarial work. This was
the situation in the middle of 1889. The White
House was looking for somebody else, but the
President wants only intimate friends in posi-
tons Of this character, friends before whom
he can think out loud, friends whom he can
receive in his bedroom. He wants them to be
like members of the family Steve hit upon
Pa, who with his good fellowship and gay
lightheartedness had worked his way into
the intimate circle.
He's around here all day telling stories
and doing nothing. Steve insisted. The only
(Confinvsd on poss -