President's Typewriter Wri!txs Likxe Th?is
Title
President's Typewriter Wri!txs Likxe Th?is
Creator
Washington Times Company
Identifier
WWP15036
Date
1915 November 2
Description
An article from The Washington Times claims the President uses a faulty typewriter.
Source
Gilder Lehrman Collection, New York Historical Society, New York
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Typewriters
Relation
WWP15037
Language
English
Text
When Presidnet Wixlson wriets a mexsagxe to congRexs it looks somethixng liKe thiX?s
In addition to which the machine’s alphabet is badly chewed as to legs and shoulders. The space bar suffers from intermittent paralysis. Some of the letters are virtually mute. Others have bold, black faces. The ribbon is about as fresh and whole as a battle flag in a museum. The mechanism generally is decrepit, and limps heavily through the affairs of state only under the severest Presidential goading. Mr. Wilson admits it is far from faultless, but he likes it, and he is very proud of the fact that it has no hyphen.
You couldn’t get a typewritten line out of the President on any machine but this one- not even with a dark-lantern and a jimmie. White House humorists say he has hand-raised the poor old thing so long he has developed a personal attachment for it. If so, that is the only valuable attachment it has.
For years and years the ancient machine has endured professional, authorial and Presidential pecking. And pecking is right, for Mr. Wilson is a disciple of the Hunt system, or forefinger hesitation. Wherefore it may be said that this is the only typewriter that ever had the distinction of having hesitated with a President. It might be added that this couple is getting ready to lead Congress a merry dance this winter while the orchestra plays "O You Preparedness."
The low, rakish form of this ancient, rusty friend of the President’s reposes in his library. They understand each other’s idosyncracies and eccentricities and they stand ready together at any time to battle submarines, blockades of neutral ports, or-oh, any damned thing.
In addition to which the machine’s alphabet is badly chewed as to legs and shoulders. The space bar suffers from intermittent paralysis. Some of the letters are virtually mute. Others have bold, black faces. The ribbon is about as fresh and whole as a battle flag in a museum. The mechanism generally is decrepit, and limps heavily through the affairs of state only under the severest Presidential goading. Mr. Wilson admits it is far from faultless, but he likes it, and he is very proud of the fact that it has no hyphen.
You couldn’t get a typewritten line out of the President on any machine but this one- not even with a dark-lantern and a jimmie. White House humorists say he has hand-raised the poor old thing so long he has developed a personal attachment for it. If so, that is the only valuable attachment it has.
For years and years the ancient machine has endured professional, authorial and Presidential pecking. And pecking is right, for Mr. Wilson is a disciple of the Hunt system, or forefinger hesitation. Wherefore it may be said that this is the only typewriter that ever had the distinction of having hesitated with a President. It might be added that this couple is getting ready to lead Congress a merry dance this winter while the orchestra plays "O You Preparedness."
The low, rakish form of this ancient, rusty friend of the President’s reposes in his library. They understand each other’s idosyncracies and eccentricities and they stand ready together at any time to battle submarines, blockades of neutral ports, or-oh, any damned thing.
Original Format
Article
Files
Citation
Washington Times Company, “President's Typewriter Wri!txs Likxe Th?is,” 1915 November 2, WWP15036, Gilder-Lehrman Institute for American History Woodrow Wilson Documents, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.