Evening star., 1921-07-24
A WESTERN SENATOR WHO STARTED HIS
CAREER AS BUS BOY IN A RESTAURANT

the opportunities presented by New
Mexico. 1t appealed to me as being
a field where, if man was willing
to work and play the game on thu
square. he could succeed. ! had beer
there but a short time when ! found
that the people were the sort that
you could depend upon il they could
depend upon you. Their outlook was
both broad and human. They were
ever willing to. help the less fortu-
nate brother. There is no higher
type of manhood or womanhood in
the world than the people of the
state which have the honor. in
part. to represent in the Senate
Touching on the qualities pos
sessed by the citizens of the state
whose ancestors were of Mexican
origin. he said:
THE native Mexicans of New Mex
leo are as good Americans as you Will
find anywhere in this country. They
have always come forward when the
country needed them"
If there is one thing of which the
senator is prouder than another, it is
the fact that the youth of Arizona re-
sponjed to the call to arms with a
rush and that they acquitted them
selves nobly during the great conflict
In his Office the other day he spoke
of a native Mexican who had gone
through the battle of the Argonne.
and who. when they found him. had
both legs shot off and was calml,
smoking a cigarette. The young man
afterward died While the senator
is essentially in favor of peace. 1t
must be an honorable peace.
Despite the fact that Bursum has
been in the Senate only since the l1th
of March of this year, he has been
able to put through the war risk in
surance bureau many claims for the
men of his state. This has been ac-
complished by keeping everlastingly at
1t and instructing his office force to see
that claims were promptly followed
up. Another instance of his desire TO
see fair play given to the 'citizen
soldiers" is the bill he introduced
giving disabled emergency officers the
same right in the matter of retire
ment compensation as is given ofn-
GERS of the Regular Army. and at the
time this story was written the OIL
had been reported favorably to the
senate by the military affairs COM
mittee 1t is more than likely that
the measure will pass the Senate ana
House some time during the present
the SiXty-seventh = Congress aH
is another evidence of the senator
desire not only to help the veterans
of the late war but also to see that
Justice is given to the civilian as wen
as the professional soldier.
The senator is tall. of athletic huiln'
smooth face. gray hair and has clear
gray eyes. He gives one the impress,
sion that he is a strong. reSourcetui
and a determined fighter. When he
talks to you, he looks YOU straight IN
the eve. He is the kind of man VINO
would not carry an ace uD his sleeve,
and he is also the kind of man VINO
wouldn't permit you to carry one IN
ursleeve. He appears to take much
delight in smoking pipe: He carries
his tobacco in a pouch that is remi-
niscent of his cowboy DAYS He wads
down the tobacco so that IL does not
splutter out. another trick OF the
plainsman. He possesses rather a
unique position in the Senate, as ne
is one of the few members of that
body who do not play golf. but he
In the councils of his party he is
locked upon as one of the "dependa-
bles," because his judgment is always
sound. He dislikes to make a speech.
but those who heard him during the
campaigns in New Mexico say that
when he gets started he is extremely
forceful.
Senator Bursum is one of the men
who has continually fought for the in,
terest Of the cattle men. rancher ana
miner, and he believes that money
advanced by the government for the
aid of the people Of these industries
should be administered by the citizens
of New Mexico who are familiar Win
the needs and conditions there.
If you want to hear about the won
ders of New Mexico and the high
qualities of the people there. Visit
him in his office, chat with him Tor
half an hour. and il you don't go
straight to the railroad office to pur-
chase a ticket for New Mexico II is
because you have other affairs that
Eneed attention. He is twenty-four-
tcur booster for his state.