South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-07-04
STATESME N REAL
AND NEAR
BY FRED G. KELLY.

Vice Pres. Marshall has a theory
that the average man, when you look
him right in the eye, and pin him
down to a given proposition, will tell
approximately the truth.
A vice president has comparatively
little TO do, and ordinarily 1t doesn't
matter whether a man tells him the
truth or not; still, once in a while It
is desirable to know, and Marshall
has ssytem that he perfected when
he was governor of Indiana.
In the first place, to get the whole
truth out of mar, 7: is best to be
closeted with him alone. At first
thought one might have an idea that
a man would be more likely to shrink
from telling a lie when there are
others about to hear him, but that is
not the W9y it works out. A man
who lies at all thinks 1t smart and
cute to tell lees and he will do so
all the more likely when he has a
good audience, especially If most of
the audience is in sympathy with
him. 1t is when he Is alone with the
man he is trying to fool, and has
thing put up to him, on his honor,
that the off-hand liar is apt to quail.
For example, when Marshall was
governor, a committee of ten came
to the executive office one day to urge
the appointment of a certain ponder
Ouslygirthed politician to an import
ant place. Marshall had supposed
that of all the applicants for the
place none was quite so incompetent
as this one that the dele cation was
recommending with such great enthu-
siasm and plausibility. He asked all
manner of questions first of one
member of the delegation and then of
! another, but he could get no, one 10
admit that there was the slightest
/ flaw in the candidates character or
entitlements.
Then Marshal called one of the
delegation aside. took him into his
/ private office, and told him he wished
TO have a chat. Looking the visitor
! straight in the eye. the governor
! asked:
Tell me. now. man to man, if you
were governor would you appoint
we'll" faltered the man. "of
course-oh-h. l think so-that is, 1
might
Marshall called the others in one
at time and each faItered. and n
I nally told the truth when the thing
was put up to them in that form.
The two senators from New Hamp-
| shire show promise of disagreeing
about things often enough TO add a
touch OF light comedy to senatorial
/ debates As a rule, senator's from the
| Of the propositions that come up or
| if they are not in accord they aim not
TO show it. Until the death of Sen.
| Hepburn, the two senators from Idaho
! were a striking exception 10 this rule.
| They never agreed on anything or on
any part or phase of anything. If
Sen. BOrah was for a proposition, his
/ colleague was certain not only to OPP
pose it. but TO do so openly, in full
view Of the audience and in loud
voice. Each seemed to serve as a
foil for the other, like Weber and
Field used TO be.
One recalls this sample dialogue
that took place on the senate floor
between Borah and Hepburn:
Hepburn: 1 have never been partial
TO caucuses, and 1 should like TO
eliminate them.
Borah: 1 am glad the senator is
coming TO disclose that much prog
ress.
Hepburn: I am not coming. L have
always been there.
Borah I am sure that II my col
league was ever there. he is there
still
Hepburn: The right of today is the
right OF all times. The right does moi
change with every season.
BOrah: That is true, but / would
rather have my face 10 the dawn thar
always TO the sunset.
Hepburn: That IS a very pretty
sentiment. but a man who never
looked at a sunset has missed a whole
lot in my judgment.
Borah: / have seen the sun SCI
more often than / have seen IL rise
But my remarks about the caucus
were not personal. I know my col
league would not have anything TO do
with so corrupting an influence in
politics as the ordinary caucus.
Hepburn: oh, yes 1 would.
Borah: I was really inclined 10 be-
lieve IL I stated the opposite OF IL my
colleague would take the opposite
side.
And SO on.
/
So far the New Hampshire senator:
have been fairly mild in their re-
| marks about one another, but they