The Triumphant Life of Theodore Roosevelt edited by J. Martin Miller

70
THE HOME OF THE PRESIDENT
this during a session of this greatest and most dignified of all
deliberative bodies. I state this to indicate how unexpectedly
at times persons will visit the White House and attempt to do
those things that are not permissible in a civilized country.
As a matter of fact, President Roosevelt does not drink,
and is one of the most exemplary men in his personal habits
who have ever occupied the White House. This is not stated
because it is necessary to give the dignity of a denial to any
insinuation that an excitable woman like Carrie Nation, how-
ever well-meaning she may be, could make.
SECRET SERVICE MEN ON THE WATCH
It is plain that the visitor, when entering the reception
room, is well inspected before he approaches the doorkeeper
at the private secretary's door immediately in front of him, or
the doorkeeper on the extreme left, in the corner, which leads
into the President's reception room. If the doorkeeper is a
bit puzzled, Captain LoefiHer approaches to discover for him-
self what the visitor desires. The secret service men, mean-
while, are closely watching, and if Captain Loeffler discovers
that he has encountered a crank, one or more of the secret
service men may become a listener, and if the visitor becomes
unreasonable or boisterous the secret service men may take
him or her to one side and quietly try to engage them in
pleasant conversation, in order to discover just what manner
of person they have to deal with.
THE PERCENTAGE OF CRANKS SMALL
Of course these cases do not come along very often. The
percentage of such is very small indeed, for the number of
visitors at the White House office will average hundreds each
day; and while the percentage of dangerous persons and cranks