Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-15


ernment with the object of bringing to
maximum efficiency all efforts and methods
in the detection of crimes growing directly or
indirectly out of the in Europe. Gov
ernment agents have rendered splendid ser
vice IN this regard already. May their sue
cess increase,
Frank l. Polk is "a fighting man" You
would know it from his jaw, which is a bit
suggestive of President Wilson'S Polk in
his younger days fought many athletic
battles, and athletics brings out and de-
velops many qualities of strength beside the
physical. At Yale he rowed in his class
shell and was a substitute on the varsity
football team, The soldier blood in the fam
lily manifested itself when the Spanish
American War broke out, Polk was a mem
ber of Troop a, Cavalry New York Naticn-
al Guard, and went to the front when that
organization was mustered into the Federal
service. He was made assistant quarter
master with the rank of captain, in the vol
unteer army, and went through the Porto
Rico campaign.
His father was DR., William Mecklenburg
Polk dean of the medical school of Cornell
University DIR. Polk and the Doctors faith
er, General Leonidas PoIk,-"the fighting
bishop''-saw service under the Confederate
flag during the war between North and
South. The family is Southern, Frank L.
Polk is a grandnephew of President James
X, Polk
Rapid Rise as Lawyer
Counselor Polk-he is Secretary Lansing's
successor as Counselor of the State Depart
ment and before that was Corporation Coun-
sci of the city of New York-is A
years old. He is, therefore, young man,
and, by the way, a close friend OF Mayor
Mitchell and Franklin d. Roosevelt, He
was born in New York city and in 1894 was
graduated from Yale. After completing his
course in the Columbia Law School he went
to the war such as it was, and returning
to New York began the practice of law, In
ten years he won high rank at the bar
In politics Polk is an independent Demo-
crat In Mayor McClellan's administration
he was appointed a member of the Board
Of Education of New York city, also a mem
Der OF the Municipal Civil Service Commits
SION of which ne became president. For
a time he was treasurer of the Bureau of
Municipal Research. In the spring of 1912
he was regarded as President Wilson's
choice for Collector of the Port of New York,
though the appointment fell TO John Purroy
Mitchell. When the Mayoralty campaign of
1918 opened in New York he became one of
the most enthusiastic supporters of Mitchell,
allying himself, as always with what is
known as the Independent branch Of New
York Democracy AS one of the close ad-
yisers Of Mr.. Mitchell he became treasurer
Of tine personal campaign. Following the
election he was appointed Corporation
Counsel 1t was in his term as Corporation
Counsel that one day. as he was sitting
with Mayor Mitchell in an automobile In
front Of he city hall crazed old man shot
at the Mayor. the bullet striking Mr.. Polk
in the left cheek. The injury kept him con-
fined in a hospital for a week
Shortly after Robert Lansing was made
Secretary OF State Mr.. Polk was appointed
Counselor OF the State Department He had
been .cramming'' for this very position for
more than a year. Not that he had II in
mind that he would some day be at the
State Departnent-f from IT, But he