Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-31

eral service Presently he WAS COM
misSlone9 a captain aid assistant quar-
tcrmaster in the volunteer army and
assigned to the STAFF Of Gen. Ernest. ia
which capacity he served during tine
campaign in Porto Rico.
Some statements have been made th%r
Frank l.. Polk is a granddaughter OF TIL
late President Polk. but these are in
error Though there is a marked PIN g
zeal resemblance between the new
counselor of the state Department and
the late President, the latter belonged
TO a different branch of ;he family.
From preparatory studies at cutlei'
and Groton schools. Frank l.. Polk en-
tered Yale twenty-five years ago aud
graduated in the class OF 1894.
His is class that ranks among the
big" classes of Yale. for d mum Der of
its members have won fame. Hamilton
Holt, the famous editor. publicist pa
cifst and sociologist; Ralph d. Paine.
the author of stirring stories of Yale:
Thomas Frederick Davies. now Epis-
copsl Bishop of Western Massachusetts.
and Harry Payne Whitney, the mill
lionaire, all were classmates of Mr..
Polk.
During his college career Mr.. Polk
was famous in athletics. He rowed Ia
his class shell and, for a period. was a
substitute on the foot ball team. On
graduation he entered Columbia, taking
the law course, from which he was grad
uated in 1897.
Following graduation Mr.. Polk be-
gan practice in New York city. In ten
years he had won to high rank at the
bar That was an accomplishment.
While an active democrat and while
taking a larger interest in public af-
fairs than is taken by the average
young lawyer. Mr.. Polk was not in any
sense a politician. Always allied with
reform movements. he never became u
part of the more theoretical "uplift'
movement, which has so many follow
ers. For example, his social work was
more in the direction of hospital bet
terment, Improvement of the educa-
tional system of the city, and in prac-
teal charities. For a long time he was
secretary and treasurer of the Hos
pital Saturday and Sunday Associa-
lions and contributed literally to this
movement in which he was leader.
At another time he was chairman OF
the municipal civil service commission,
and, under Mayor Mcclellan, he was a
mem Der of the board OF education. In
all of these positions he won repu-
tation for efficiency and hard work.
With his growing practice his interest
in financial matters increased. natural
ly. AS a director in the Hartman Ma
tional Bank and in other institutions
he became known in financial circles.
When the mayoralty campaign of
1913 opened in New York he became one
of the most enthusiastic supporters of
John Purroy Mitchell. allying himself.
independent branch of New York
democracy. He, one of the close ad-
visers of Mr.. Mitchell. became treasurer
of the personal campaign
Following the election he was APP
pointed corporation counsel on Feb
ruary l, 1914, and last month he came
to Washington to lend his services to
the national government.
Both Mr. Polk and his wife-the
daughter of Mr.. James Potter of Phil
adelphia-have the social instinct.
They have taken in Washington a
handsome home on 10th street. near
several of the embassies and lega-
tions, and it is expected that during
the winter social season in the CAPT.
tai they will entertain great deal.
ASHMUN BROWN.