South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-03
Statesmen Real
and Near.
BY Fred c. Kelly

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-If you did
not know that Tommy Hardwick is
now a United States senator from
Georgia, and were TO see him in a
crowd you might guess him TO be any
one Of a number OF things. But
United States senator would be about
your last guess.
Hardwick perhaps looks less the.
part than any other senator. unless
il would be Lawrence y. Sherman of
Illinois, who almost had TO fetch af-
fidavits and witnesses before the oper4
ators of the private elevators in the
capitol would believe that he is really
Il senator.
To start with, Hardwick is below.
average height and looks youthful.
Just as his colleague, Hoke Smith, is
one of the largest senators, Hardwickl
is the smallest. He became a member
OF the house at the age of 80 and
remained there for l. years until just
now, but he doesn't look much older
today than when he struck Washing
ton as the boy congressman. And hes
has never made any effort to look old
or dignified by means Of wearing high,
hats, long coats or any of the other
symbols of true greatness. To the
contrary, he has gone about his tasks
without much thought of mere out
ward appearances, and sometimes gives
one the impression of having got his
clothes from mail order catalogue.
He might be an earnest young shoe
salesman, so far as looks go, or "a
garage keeper Not until he starts to
talk do you appreciate that Tommy
Hardwick is a young person out of
the ordinary.
He is one of those eat-'em-up de-
baters and is at his best when he
gets into a legislative controversy
uneXpe -tedly and without prepaTa-
ton. 1t is no trouble at all for him
TO think up plenty of good come
backs just as he goes along.
During his campaign for the sean
of the late Sen. Bacon in the senate.
Hardwick remarked in public
speech that he is u man of small
means and could not possibly buy
his way into high office: whereupon
an old time popuist in the audience
inquired:
''whatta YOU been doing with your
money? You draw a big salary"
To which Tommy Hardwick replied !
I've been spending il TO suppress
just such d-n fools as you"
Hardwick's small stature and boy
ish appearance have been a big asset
10 him in the dozen years he has
been in public life. Whenever he
makes a speech people are so sur
prised at the things he has 10 say.
coming from so unpretentious look
ing a chap. that the impression he
makes is all the deeper.
Occasionally Sen. Hardwick finds
recreation in a friendly game of poker
and he plays poker like no. one elsa
does. one might write an entire
brochure about Tommy Hardwick' $
methods of figuring out what tho
other fellow A. thinking at a poker
table. And il would be a brochure
that should be in every household.
Associate Justice Day OF the SUI
preme court presented to two Of his
sons number of years ago. a large.
handsome, expensive and highly in
structive set OF books devoted TO the
life and works OF Abraham Lincoln
The two boys were 20 own the Sc in
partnership, share and share alike.
One lay the older OF the two sons
went 20 his brother in a burst OF
generosity and said:
II have decided 10 give you my
half OF the Lincoln set-just as a
slight token of my genuine brotherly
esteem"
The other one, not 10 be outdone
in magnanimity, came right back
with this:
That's certainly mighty nice OF
YOU and ! appreciate it, I'd like 20
do something for You. You can have
{ my half OF the Lincoln set