| Show mobile white house hits the trail again veteran staff runs it like clockwork V x I 1 f t SNAP TALK arriving at los ein geles oil one of his cross coun iry tours president roosevelt I 1 steps to the back platform to greet an estimated him at central station presidents as near to washinton washington 0 ton as nearest telephone pole on his cross country journeys work proceeds as usual by JAMES HAMMOND released by western newspaper union this summer a 6 plain looking train is pulling out of washington bound for the west coast along the rails it travels at every hamlet crowds stand five deep to shout hail bail and farewell some places it stops and the band plays while a gentleman steps to the observation platform and waves his hat bat in hand as only franklin delano roosevelt can the chiefs traveling again this time from washington to san francisco and up to alaska on the houston for a sailing Roosevel ts vacation would not be complete without ocean and salt air nothing unusual about this trip though calvin coolidge or herbert hoover might have thought so white house is mobile so used to being packed in an overnight bag and whisked across the country that need merely press the button and away we go his years in the harness have put to shame william howard tafts record for miles by the time president deit roosevlt roosevelt returns from alaska hell have established a white house travel total of some miles nor is the end in in sight close as a telephone pole in six years of gad aborting the nations nerve center has evolved such a letter perfect system of communication muni cation that efficiency has suffered not one whit the white house hous e on wheels is no farther from washington than the nearest telephone pole along the railroad track to which a line may be plugged in one minute the presidents signature and great seal is no farther away than the nearest airline where transcontinental planes will swoop down at any time to pick up the presidential pouch and rush it to washington why travel theres so something methin g to be said for critics who point out that the president cant get a very accurate picture of a nation which dresses up to meet him yet who can deny that the presidency carries something akin to a moral obligation the man in the white house should go on parade for his public every now nov and then one other reason less legitimate is that the presidential visit may turn an election tide overnight when in doubt its good politics for the big boss to visit a doubtful bailiwick and shake hands on the observation platform with its local party leader trips not expensive presidential junkets are not a great expense to the taxpayer contrary to popular belief TI the ie C hief chief executive can easily stay within his a year travel and entertainment tain ment allowance because the railroads whose legislation is being tabled this year to get congress out of washington in time for the presidents vacation absorb the loss there are usually about 20 in i the official white house party parly each of these including the president is assessed one first class fair plus pullman and oil all except for small extra charges for foi special newspaper correspondents and political hangers on who ride from one end of the state to the other in hope of seeing the chief must also pay regor regular first class fare ordinarily a private pay 75 a day lor for exclusive use of a car such ps as the presidents old pioneer on a 10 car train this would mean and in addition the railroads usually charge a minimum of fares for the special train but the white house is exempted from such regulations which amounts to a neat saving tor for john public old stuff for the staff in his private car the president is just as comfortable yet works just as hard as if he were seated behind his desk in washington As described by eugene warner in a recent issue of colliers magazine the presidential junket has evolved into such a simple formula of efficiency that every member of the staff knows his post the instant a trip is announced E M smithers sometimes lm es white house telegrapher and at other times time chief of transportation picks routes arranges the train and prepares an intricate mimeographed schedule which keeps the special running not on the minute but on the second throughout its journey from coast to coast this facilitates contact between washington and the train permitting the white house to ascertain exactly where the president can be reached by phone at any given moment up front is a baggage car where secret service men guard files mimeograph machines boxed typewriters and all other office paraphernalia pher nalia which the presidents start staff may need en route just behind this is the club car for newspaper men photographers newsreel men and radio announcers followed by compartmented pullmans in which the visiting firemen lobbyists hobbyists politicians and favor seekers will ride the diner is always supervised by stew steward rd joseph whose orders are always transmitted to chef richard hardaway permanent fixtures mac rules the office next comes the office where secretary marvin mcintyre bosses a staff which usually consists of five people first theres henry kannee McInty res secretary who himself has a secretary in miss roberta barrows since the president can often keep three stenographers busy miss barrows often supplements miss aliss marguerite cehand confidential secretary to the president and a good friend of his wife throughout the trip the president seldom budges from his ancient pioneer parlor car a special job containing bedrooms offices pantry a dining room and an observation room fitted with comfortable furniture it is here mr roosevelt does most of his work en route dictating reading reports checking up on local history or just looking at the scenery with an occasional wave of the hand at a farmer |
