South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-30
STATESMEN
REAL AND NEAR
BY FRED c. KELLY.
by FRED c. KELLY.

iii BY FRIED u. AEASLHs
WASHINGTON. March 3O.-Im-
agine the sad plight of a boy who
has set his heart on being the cham
pion kite flyer Of his neighborhood,
but hasn't a ball of Irvine to his back.
That was the situation of Charles
f. Marvin, now chief OF the United
States weather bureau.
When Marvin was a lad OF ten,
back in Columbus. Ohio he was
morally certain that all he needed
was simply a lot of good, fine Irvine
to sail kite so high and so far that
he would ha e the whole town inquir-
ing his name.
And in the face of that vaulting
ambition he was Obliged TO content
himself with little kites that he flew
with thread taken from his. mothers
work basket.
Other boys who had more spending
money than little Charlie Marvin
built big kites and sailed them with
gay abandon, Unreeling yard after
yard of Irvine that they had gone and
bought in the marts. All the time
Marvin knew that he could build big
ger and better kites than any Of them
But what was the use of building big
kites when he had nothing TO hitch
them to but thread. He simply had
to fly his little infant-size kites and
get what fun out of life he could. He
put up with the jeers and rude jests
of his playmates-and bided his
time.
That brings us down to the real
point OF our story. All this language
up to now has been simply prelimin-
airy. The fact that Marvin was not
discouraged but hopefully bided his
time is the essential thing 10 keep in
mind. Today Charles f. Marvin not
only provides our weather and
never-failing conversational toe-hold,
but is also about the most conspicu-
Gus example one can think Of right
Offhand, TO show what can be done
with deferred hopes. 1t was a great
many years before Marvin finally pat
1t all over those other boys who had
jeered at him and made sport OF his
little kites sailed with thread. But
he did it. His case should be a great
source Of encouragement, comfort
and inspiration to us all.
Marvin outgrew the regulation
kite-fiying age and got into the United
States weather service. Then he re-
called his thrOttled ambition to sail
kites higher than anybody else. This
time he had a government back of
him and he did not have TO bother
with thread; instead. he got plenty
Of fine highpriced wire and he sailed
kites TO height and distance that
would have made those boys back in
Columbus heartily ashamed Of them
selves. Marvin not only got the
laugh on those Columbus smart
alexis bnt made more progress and
broke more height records in the use
of kites for government forecasting
work than has ever been done before
or since in the whole big wide world.
You see 1t was mere matter of
waiting and keeping up hope.
Weatherman Marvin was always
different from other youngsters
When the average boy of his age was
utilizing a holiday To go fishing Mar
vim would disappear from his usual
haunts and get permission TO go
through some manufacturing plant
About the happiest day OF his life
was the first time he got inside of a
big glass works. By the time he was
1 3 he had been through almost every
big shop and factory in his home city
AS a boy, too. Marvin used TO de-
light in getting hold OF the works OF
an old clock and, taking the wheels
all apart, after which he would make
them do things they were never IN
tended TO do.
When he got into the instrument
I division OF the weather bureau ne
went right along in the same way
I got lot OF wheels and cOgs and Jig
/ gers and made them do things they
I had never done before
| In consequence of doing exactly
what he likes To do ali these years
| Weather Chief Marvin is so vouns
/ for his age as to be almost a freak
1 The records show him TO be 55 year!
I OF age, but no one would take hin
for more than about SO.
One thing that has helped him I,
keep his youthful look is our ole
/ friend. the Simple Life Marvin
doesn't smoke, drink tango. over
eat. or sit up half the night talkinl
about the high cost OF tires
one OF the rules adopted an,
4 strictly adhered 10 by Representative
Tess OF Ohio is never TO bother tn
president. lie and Mr.. Wilson hav'
met frequently AT educational gath
erings when both were college presi
dents, but they have never met fac
10 face since Wilson entered tn
white house.
The president is too busy 20 b
bothered with congressman abou
postoffices or anything not or the III
most importance" says Fess AN
have never vet had anything i'm
portant enough 10 say 10 him 10 fee
like taking up time so valuable a
his"
Occasionally prominent con