Judge — May 19, 1928 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

How I Found the President of the U.S.A. An agonizingly personal revelation by the highest- paid political journalist in the universe— as told in an authorized interview \ to Ricnaro J. Warsi — <_ WAS requested by my old friend, the . j I Editor of this magazine, to “Go forth eo and find the President of these United ° States.” I was, to be candid, puzzled. I “You don’t mean this—this—what name—Coolidge?” I remembered that I had already written seven articles, at $2,000 each, about the one occasion on which this Coolidge had the privilege of meeting me. I was, to be frank, relieved when my Editor said, “No, my dear chap. I mean, find the nezt President—the one who is going to be elected next year, or whenever it is that the great American citizenry gathers in smoky hotel bedrooms and flunks its examinations for the Electoral Col- lege.” I knew he was joking, for he knew as well as I that the election comes some time in the Fall. I watched his smile fade as he thumped his Louis Quinze desk until the very jade ornaments jumped and paled, and he thundered, “TELL THE TRUTH!" I knew what those orders meant. I SHALL tell the truth—even though it tear my modesty to tatters. I am the highest-paid and least-criticized political jour- Governor Smith was out playing golf nalist in the, if I may say so, universe. I know that I am expected never to bore my readers with big bare facts or to strain their brains by making them stop and think, or to shock them with opinions with which they can not automatically agree. I, therefore, never write about the man whom I go to see, but always about my own experiences in getting to see him. I quote what I said to him, but take no chance on quoting what he said to me. I hate this constant publicity, but I have to en- dure it. I went straight to Al Smith. I shall have to describe myself, so that you, my dear, dumb readers, can picture me as Al would | seen me if he had seen me. I am five foot one, with a goatee, gray spats. a stick with five knobs on it, and a two-foot bamboo cigarette holder. I have been, to be honest, called Sar torial. I shuddered a bit to think that Smith might be wearing his brown derby I was d 1 because my chauffeur mis- took the Albany road and when I reached the capitol the governor was out playing golf. I was, to be blunt, not sorry, for thus i was avoided an interview w best could . = have been only embarrassing to us both. | nar nrrncmaatirnaianiteanrer~emte do find it impossible to picture this Smith I turned on my heel with a sneer in the White House. [ cannot but feel that 18 comicbooks.com