The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-01-29

For six months, which he has described as
six eVentful months" he the editor Of a
newspaper in a southern town, whose locality
1 shall not give here because of certain circum-
stances connected with the case. There it was
another crusade against a municipal ring and
another case of being compelled to edit with a
revolver in the hand and also to walk with a gun
exceedingly handy. The ring eventually was
broken into bits. but meanwhile Mr.. Woolley had
lost his newspaper.
For short time thereafter Mr.. Wcolley was
the editor of the San Antonio Light in Texas
Then he went back to New York and entered
upon a really notable career as magazine writer.
He was sent many assignments throughout
the country for some of the best magazines IN
the United States. and then he became one OF
the Washington correspondents OF the New 1ork
World a position which he held for about two
years Then again Mr. Woolley turned to maya
zine work. and in the year 1911 he became the
chief investigator of the congressional commit
tee appointed to look into the affairs OF the Unit
ed States Steel corporation. This committee was
known as the Stanley committee
BECAUSE of its wide-reaching effects. it is prob
able that a magazine article entitled The PUN
derers of Washington" was the most notaOie
contribution to the news and information OF the
day." which Mr.. Woolley ever wrote This article
was preceded by an intimation that anyone men
toned and who chose so to do might kno" tnaC
he had recourse in the courts. In other words
the information upon which the article was based
was tested in advance This article was called
by the press of the time fearless 1t dealt with
OF WaSh1ngtOnS Dig pankeTS anu Ieai Co
tate men and with a good many onc1aIs
Woolley was writing just he wrote when he
was attacking municipal rings in smaller towns
of the country. It is not too much to say. per-
haps, that the article largely was responsible
for a complete change IN the manner or men ap-
pointed to positions of high trust in the NUM-
cipaI government of the city OF Washington tor
Washington in a way has municipal government
being under the rule, of course, of congress, but
having board Of District commissioners as
responsible heads.
In the year 1912 Mr. Woolley was the editor and
compiler of the Democratic Text Book" and was
chief of the campaign of publicity bureau OF the
Democratic national committee He also COM
piled the text book of 1914 His political afdlia-
lions at this time, however, newspaper men De-
Iieve did not have anything to do with his ap-
pointment to Office His efforts along liberal and
progressive lines had attracted the attention Of
Woodrow Wilson Mr.. Woolley was appointed
first as auditor for the interior department, an
Office which, despite its name, is under the control
of the treasury department Then he was given
his present position as director OF the mint He
is filing it.
1 am writing this article with feelings OF per-
sonai admiration and liking, perhaps even OF az
lection, for have known Woolley for years He
is a tried man. He is one of the newspaper fra
ternity and after nearly quarter of a century OF
close acquaintance know that can say that he
is an honor to it. Robert Wicklife Woolley lives
just outside of Washington in Fairfax, Va. 1t is
this little town which has possession Of the wills
of George and Martha Washington. and some
parts of the bill of rights OF George Mason It
is q good place for a Democrat Of strongly pro-
gressive tendencies to live
Mr. woolIey married Marguerite Trehom of
Winchester Virginia. They have four children,
all girls The family life is Of the kind &C
counted ideal In the books Mr.. Woolley is put
down as Robert WickIiffe Woo1ley, but newspaper
men from coast to coast and from the Canada line
to the Gulf know him much better as Bob.