The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-02
HUSTLED SWAY TOCONGRESS
HARRY u. WOLF BEGAN LIFE As
4 NEWSBOY.

Then lie Took 10 Building Fires and
Finally became a rimlna Lawyer
In BnItImore-He IL just NJ and He
Believes In Hustllng a. Schooling.
BALTIMORE, Dec. The youngest msm-
Der of the next Congress will be Harry B.
Wolf of the Third Maryland district. He
ia tall, smooth faced, with raven black hair
and a taste for flowing neckties and baggy
trousers. He is just 2e-one year beyond
the Constitutional minimum.
Wolf was born in what is known as Old
Town. and his parents were orthodox Jews,
He had a few years Of schooling and then
he set out as a newsboy. He proved to bea
hustler. Hehad many regular customers.
One day during a winter storm he hap
pened into the Office of one Of his customers
and found the customer on his hands n
knees, trying to build n fire in the once
stove. Wolf, like the familiar hero Of the
story books, offered 10 build the fire and
was rewarded with IS cents. This started I.
him in a new line. Before the winter was
over he was fire builder in ordinary to two
thirds Of CORTLAND street. a.,
Later another story book experience
came TO him. To the lawyer whose painful
frigidity he had first relieved he expressed
a desire to read. TIE lawyer gave him a.
couple OF books. He read hem and asked
for more The lawyer sent him to tho
Enooh Pratt Library, and he read and read.
One day his friend cross-exsmined him
-What do you want to make of yourselffs
he asked.
Wolf said he didn't quite know.
How would you like to be q lawyerf'
demanded his friend.
Wolf fairly leaped for joy.
You're a pretty bright boy continued
the legal person. 81 need a boy here in my
Office. Suppose you come around Monday
morning and see how you like il. III give
you whatever you are making now and a
dollar more"
At 8 O'Clock on the following Monday
morning Wolf appeared and became a
lawyers clerk. Less than ten years later
he was the best known criminal lawyer in
Baltimore and part owner of the building
in which he first read Blackstone.
But the years between were by no means
years of ease. From 8 until S Wolf worked
for his friend. From 5 until s he heard
lectures at the law school. From 8 until II
he studied. Thus he lived three years.
Having Eeen admitted to practice, there
ensued for him a period of trial and tribu-
lation. He graduated broke. His friends
advised him to seek q good Job in an older
lawyers off ce.
"In that way they said, you can work
your way up"
81 nave been a law yer's clerk" replied
WOLF. Now / m going TO he "A law yer"
But where are you g2ing to get clients?'
demanded the doubters.
Leave that TO me, y said Harry.
II wasn't long before every lounger
around the court house and every police
man in the central district was converted
into a sort Of Harry Is. Wolf advertising
agency. When he boarded a street car
he made it his business TO inform the con-
ductor that he was n lawyer and that his
name was Wolf.
He stopped people on the street and told
them that the law business was booming.
He dashed in and out Of the court house
like a corporation attorney in a great hurry.
He encouraged his friends to call at his Office
and bring their friends and their friends
friends.
He made an organized Ell ort to widen hia
circle of acquaintance and he succeeded
beyond his most sanguine hopes. Before
long he won his first case. Soon. he had q
client a day.
OF course, there are lawyers who profess
20 look down upon Wolf because be is a
criminal lawyer, but that sort OF prejudice
doesn't worry him.
When he began to make money many OF
his old friends thought that he would move
ont Of the ghetto and seek a home on Eutaw
place, where all the wealthy Jews Of Balti-
more abide But when he took himself q
bride he set all such doubts at rest by buy
ing an old house in the heart OF Old Town.
There he now dwells.
His canvass for Congress was marked by
the same kind OF hustling as his career as n
newsboy, fire builder ard lawyer. The
voters In his district are OF twenty-three
Municipalities, mostly eastern European.
He invaded their back yards and kitchens
and whispered into their ears. He organ
lied a corps of Interpreters. He smiled and
shook hands. He kissed babies; he ave
Eve cent cigars TO the soils and grand :
fathers. he promised good times TO the
heads Of families. On election night IL was
found thai he had wiped out the old Repub-
lican majority in the district and rolled up
a Democratic plurality Of nearly 1000.
Wolf is exceedingly practical and has no
hopes of setting the Potomac on fire after
he takes his seat next March. The other
day a reporter asked him what he pro-
posed to do.
Keep my eyes and ears open and try TO
avoid making a fool Of myself, ' said Harry.
Don't get the idea that I am going to WASH
inRton to make speeches and pose as the
boy statesman. No., sir; not a bit OF it'll
I've got a whole lot TO learn and I'm going TO
sit tight and learn H..
-Proud? Certainly l am-but not half as
proud as my wife. She seems to think
that a Congressman, after a year or two OF
service, naturally graduates into the White
House. realize that I've made good
progress for a youngster, but that has been
because | had to get out as a boy and
hustle.
+Hustling is mighty good schooling. Il
makes you value friends and seize oppor-
t~unities. But 1t doesn't necessarily make
you the wisest man in creation.
No, | have no new theories OF govern
ment to Offer. | believe that the United
States is the greatest country the world
ever knew. and that it will continue 10 grow
greater and greater. There is a chance
here for every man.