Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-11-21
Wh0'c Milo At the Arms
AAO - w In Conference
I-Charles Evans Hughes.
YHO's HUGHEsf
~ Sixteen years aSo-dn 1905.

NM Sixteen years RI0-3n 1S00,
" to be more exact - when
Charles Evans Hughes took
took up the work Of investigating the
gas trust In New York city the world
and his wife were asking each other
this question.
Today there isn't an American old
enough to know something OF his
country's history who could not an
swer 1t. In those sixteen short years
Mr.. Hughes has been twice governor
of the Empire state, an associate jus
tice of the Supreme Court Of the
United States during Six years.
nominee of the republican party for
the presidency and finally secretary
Of State in the Harding administra-
ton. Quite q record.
And now Mr.. Hughes is the head of
the American deiegation to the great
international conference on the nm
itation Of armament and Pacific and
far-eastern questions. and as such
presides at the sessions OF the con-
ference. As Secretary OF State he con-
Quoted the negotiations which finally
ference.
Prior to becoming Secretary Of State
Americas head diplomat-Secre-
tary Hughes had not mixed In the
game of diplomacy: as II Is played IN
terna tionally. But II is a hundred-to-
one shot that there are no wrinkles Of
this pastime with which he is not
conversant now. He has always made
it practice to know all about every
job he has ever tackled. and his pro-
digious capacity for work and his no
less prodigious memory have enabled
him to do so.- As q matter OF tact, he
rode to fame on two Investigations in
New York: first, the gas trust, ana,
second, the life insurance companies.
When he examined witnesses 1t was
business than they did themselves
One Of the insurance company pfest-
dents. bewildered by Mr.. Hughes, ex-
claimed:
"why. Mr.. Hughes. you know more
about the company than do"
A methodist scheme Of living has
enabled him to accomplish the vast
amount of work which he has behind
him. At eleven years Of age the future
Secretary of State had completed
his father because he was too young
to enter college.
Mr.. Hughes impresses every one
with whom he comes in contract with
confidence in his integrity and ability.
Not infrequently he has been dubbed
the men who went to him for some
thing they wanted. and didn't get:
netting that Mr.. Hughes believed
1t was to the benefit of the public
generally not to grant, When his
mind is made up-and that happens
quickly-no man can say NO" moro
readily than the Secretary Of State.
But to his intimates. and in fact to
great circle of acquaintance. Mr..
Hughes IL known as genial. kindly
man. Some who have followed his
career say that he has mellow ed with
age-he is only fifty nine today. how
ever. He is always courteous to those
about him and to those serving under
him. While he was on tt. Supreme
bench, Mr.. Hughes not infrequently
took his case out of the hands OF an
attorney. fioundering under tn. az
saults Of opposing council. stated it con-
cisely and asked the attorney if that
was not the argument he intended to
make, to which the attorney gladly
assented. His questions from the bench
were always directed to clarifying
and aiding in developing an argument.
rather than to merely confuse couns sci.