South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-04-28
STATESMEN GREAT AND
NEAR-GREAT
BY Fred Kelly.

WASHINGTON, April 27.-The
private secretary to Sec'y Of state
Lansing is Richard Crane, son of
Charles r. Crane, the Chicago
ulti-millionaire. Young Cranes
salary is $4,000 a year. or barely
enough to cover the upkeep Of three
large automobiles he maintains in
Washington. The point is that
Crane does not need to be secre-
tary 70 the secretary of state and
keep office hours unless he wants
to. He might foregO his modest
salary and devote himself solely to
afternoon teas or polo, if his in
clinations ran in that direction. But
Crane is endeavoring to overcome
the handicap of great wealth. He
reaches his office promptly at
o'clock each morning, takes time
only for a hasty bite Of lunch at
noon, and is on the job right up to
the blow of the whistle at night. In
every way he depOrts himself just
as if he were dependent on making
good in order TO carry home a pay
envelope on Saturday night.
All Of which leads one to the
conclusion that young Richard
I Crane must have some real mate
rial in him. and that the wealth be-
hind him Will do him only the
scantiest amount of harm.
A while ago there was another
IL ulti- millionaire's son connected
with the state department, a young
| chap by the name of Kirke, son
\ of a Chicago multi millionaire soap
| only $1,000 a year. and he was oc-
/ cupying his job in order to qualify
| for diplomatic appointment
/ abroad
For several weeks Kirke drew
no salary. He did not even learn
where he had To 90 TO get his
money. Then one day be overheard
/ somebody in the office mention
something about getting paid off
Kirke slapped himself on the thigh
and exclaimed:
Salary? Sure enough! 1 had
forgot all about that"
Charles r. Crane, by the way. is
one of the oldest multi-millionaires
we have. He spends more money
in funny ways than anybody you
can think Of Once, so the story
is, he was travelling in Russia and
happened TO stay overnight in a
town where there was being built
an elaborate monument to some
hero long deceased. Crane noticed
that the interior Of the memorial
was not any too artistic in its style
of decoration. Being a patron Of
art, Crane was greatly distressed
over this. And the story has il
that he hunted up the committee
in charge and told them he would
pay for all the interior work on the
memorial if they would just kindly
let him see TO il that il was car
ried out along strictly artistic lines
He was afraid that after ne had
returned home. the thought of al
that poor art would haunt him and
depress him, and he preferred to
pay for the project rather than have
the recollection Of it disturb his
peace OF mind.
A young man with mbitions "a
be "A poet once went TO Crane with
g. sad story Of how he was obliged
10 devote himself 10 mere CONNER
cal pursuits. when if he only had
an assured income he could write
really great poem and hand il
down 10 posterity. Crane was tell
ing a friend about the incident
And did YOU stake him?" the
j friend inquired.
Certainly replied Crane, he
? didn't want much-only $50 or $50
? a month and I was afraid 10 turr
T him down for fear he really NIGH
? have a good poem in him"
! OF all the money spent by Crane
however. the chances are that h,
has never placed any in circulation
S with such glee as when ne contrib
- uted 10 the funds OF the progress
D i've party in 1912 I'm order 70 in
]. sure the defeat Of William II. Taft
e Crane had been appointed ministe
a 20 China. but Taft recalled him jus
r as he was about 10 sail for his pos
n from san Francisco. From tina
q time on Crane cared almost moth
INK for TAFT