The Washington herald., 1914-04-23
Statesmen, Real and Near.
BY FRED C. KELLY.

BY FRED C. KELLY.
As he was walking about the streets
of Chicago one day in jocular mood,
Samuel @. Blythe found himself face to
face with the big Marshall Field depart
ment store. He entered the place, and
being in jocular mood. he was greatly
impressed by the appearance OF a floor
walker whom ne regarded as unneces-
sarily dignified. Desiring to ascertain II
II were possible to ruffle the mans am-
bassadorial dignity. Sam walked ur to
him and said:
Beg pardon. Can you tell me how to
get to the Marshall Field store7'
The scheme worked nicely, for the man
nearly threw fit right there
Ever since he became the Youngest
Assistant Secretary Of War on Record
he was just twenty-six when appointed
Henry s. Breckinridge has felt that the
Fates have at last let up on him and
permitted him to have a little sport out
Of life. Heretofore Breckinridge has
constantly been shunted on from doing
what he desired to do. He has always
had hankering after military affairs.
When he was a small boy every male
member Of his family older than himself
was entitled to wear a uniform, and IL
was little wonder that he, too, yearned
TO tote a gun. He had a father who was
maor general in the regular army, two
brothers also in the army, another broth
er at West Point, and another In the
navy.
So one day Breckinridge announced
that he was going to bend his young
energies from then on toward preparing
for West Point and becoming a mill
tary man like the rest of the folks.
But all his relatives Immediately
jumped on him, saying in substance:
Henry. you know very well that the
military business has been done to death
in our family here Of late. II We keep
on at this rate we'll be in a rut Do not,
oh. do not, become a soldier
Being an obedient young man, Henry
yielded to this urgent persuasion and iI.-
stead Of going to West Point he went to
Princeton. From there he went to Har-
ward law school and presently became a
regular lawyer. Imagine the plight Of a
young man whose soul thirsts to mix up
with the soldiery. having 10 retire to a
law Office in Lexington, Ky, and set him
self to hunting for the flaws in musty old
deeds. II would be almost as bad as the
case of a small boy called in from the
hack lot right at the critical inning of a
ball game to take lesson on the violin.
Every little while Breckinridge chafed
under the legal yoke and once, while he
was still in law school il was all 1r-
ranged that President Taft should give
him a civilian appointment to the army
But his wife was taken i'll just when thu
proposition was up and he changed his
plans.
When he was offered the chance 10 be
Assistant Secretary of War. Breckenridge
recognized that at last his lifetime OF
hard luck was taking a turn for the bet
ter and he grabbed the place like a man
leaping for the tail end OF 7:l5 train.
Won't your law practice suffer while
you're in Washington a friend asked
young Breckenridge.
It's time something was suffering be-
sides me-" Breckenridge replied. He was
too busy chuckling over having a Cen
genial occupation TO be fretting himself
about the status of a mere law prac-
tice.
II we should ever be plunged into
war with any foreign power, the first
thing to 90 will be to have Henry S
Breckenridge go and shake hands with
each member of the opposing army.
After that every one will be too Grip
pied to handle a gun. For he has
grip like a quick-action, self-cocking
monkey wrench, and shakes hands
about the way we imagine a lion
would like to shake hands. He isn't
one of those smart alecks, understand.
who love to hear the low crunch of
bones in the hands of a stranger: he
simply has a hearty shake-extremely
hearty. 1t is such a hearty shake, in
fact. that his victim half-unconsciOusly
looks down to see If his shoes aren't
being shaken OF.
It was while at Princeton Univer-
sity that young Breckinridge i'm
pressed himself on Woodrow Wilson in
a manner that led to his present place.
Wilson was trying to democratiZe
Princeton. and Rreckinridge, though
born with At least a Rogers Brothers
silver spoon in his mouth. the child
of aristocraCy. was the student leader
OF Wilson's efforts toward the COM
plete stamping out of college caste.
II" made a great hit with Wilson, and
when the former Princeton head got
into the REORGANIZATION night for the
Presidency, BreckinridCe was placed
in charge Of the Kentucky campaign.
He mad been out of law school then
only year or two. and about the only
comments he brought forth when he
first stepped TO the bat as a political
leader was:
which one of. the Breckenridge
boys is it?" Or
Well. the lad has his nerve with
him."
Close friends of the President say
that Mr.. Wilson would as soon have
Breckinridge's view on certain kinds
of things as anybody's.
Il must ask Henry Breckinridge
about that" is a remark frequently
heard at the White House.
Ard having been asked for an hon
est opinion. young Breckenridge would
just as soon disagree with the Presi.
dent as he would with his barber.
Though he is now only twenty-seven.
after being the youngest Assistant
Secretary Of War for more than a
year, Breckenridge would not be sus-
pected at first glance of quite such
precocity. This is because of prema-
ture streaks of gray in his hair. which
make him look like a person well
along toward thirty-four.
Copyright. 1914. by Fred G. Kelly. All rights re-
scrvei.)