Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-13
AS ONE WOMAN SEES 1T
George Pepper Once Found Trail by
Using Ordinary Common Sense, and
the Event May Prove Symbolic
Of His Future In the Senate
HN SARAH ID InNNRIE

10y ShNAh -. IDNhtb
T 1FE certainly makes some of us turn
~ sudden corners! There is George Whar-
ton Pepper, for instance. A few months ago.
after Senator Knox's death, happened TO
be in n group of up and doing men and
couple of women who know their PhiladcI-
phia better than most, and the comment that
went the rounds of the group and gathered
momentum as It went wns, "What n pity
George Wharton Pepper isn't somehow
available for the scnatorship!"
And what II further pity It was, they
said, that with all his talents he was drift
ing pnst the point where he could be n ma
tional figure and slowly but surely drifting
toward the point-if he did not CXtricate
himself from his cnvironmcnt-of being an
impassioncd orator for philnnthropic and
locally heroic occasions and a kind of Prince
Of Wales for the opening of bazaars.
No one in that group doubted that ne
had the stuff in him and the experience OF
men and affairs and the driving quality of
hghting blood to fit him to make good as
political leader of very high order, Of the
hrst order, but every one of the group feared
that his very success as dear George
would finish him for bigger and stcrncr
issues where he might have to take arms
against sea Of troubles and. by opposing
end thcm,' not SO much by nicely fitted ar
gumcntS or even cloQuencc and heroic SEN
tlmcnt as by Il determined finger on the
hair trigger and curt order to the powers
OF outiawry to hold up their hands.
OUCH was the verdict of obscrvant and
~ friendly critics n few weeks ago. and 10
and bChold, George Wharton Pepper has by
ono act justified all our desires for him and
scattered TO the four winds all our doubts.
lie is no longer just n great lawyer and
notable Republican of the dress clothes
variety: he is no longer only n very we'll
known l'hilnnplnhinn Hyit ,.ifn
ancc of a superior sort.
lie has stepped out of the provincial into
the national; he stands for n great Com
monwealth and is for the moment the only
spokesman in national assembly for
country larger than most European States
and richer and more potential.
lie Is not only representing the citizens of
one political party, but he is the spokesman
for the citizens of all the minority parties,
great or small, of Pennsylvania.
pUT he is no longer even just Penn
- Sylvanian in his political status or Just
an American. AS II Senator he viii have TO
stand for America in her relationship to the
world, and that, too, at the most momcntoUS
hour Of her international policy.
And if at the autumn elections he stands
ready 10 accept rcHppointmCnt or defeat
from his fellow prnnSylvanuns. it will not
he the first time, but 1t will be In" plucliicSt
time that lie has displayed his good sporting
blood.
lie has got to offend tho rcrormcrs by not
accepting the bulk Of their reform, and he
is bound 10 offend the machine rank and file
by overlooking their signals. lie has got TO.
reform the ranks of a party that Is threaten
ing to break into two parties, aud he has to
modornZn an organization that has lost
touch with the march Of progress even in its
technical workings, not to speak of its ideals.
I'VE CAN do it, but it will be at great
L L cost Ilc knows enough of all the ins
and outs Of IN" situation to gauge that cost
better than most men, SO that his acceptance
of the task WAS in rcHl sense his first vie
tory--a victory over himself and over the
very manifest temptations of his environ
mCnt.
lie is not rich man. in spite Of his great
law pracir" and his brilliant successes and
mech -taIkrh about foes. lie has been widely
generous and Hcccptrl without question
great personal burdens in the matter Of
yearly support "f persons and institutions
whom he gladly considered had claims upon
him. lie inherited no money aud he married
very young and made for himself by hard and
c"nr"ntrai"d labor the carly recognition that
he got at the bar
If he had continued his great practice
UnintCrruptcdly hero in Philadelphia. hN
must soon, in spit" Of his big yearly budget
Of generous expenses, have become a rich
man. it Is doubtful If he ever can now
Nv - II Si'Hl ldlIlN man, lno more inc
mcrr!cr Of children and grandchildren every
hour Of IL" cav, from the ceremonies rur-
rounding morning shaving to nursery sup
pCr@. tu an apartment in Washington is
not Conducy" 10 family happenings in. He
hns undor hi, business care whplc mutitudos
of friends with whom his frequent contacts
have been Interesting and worth while. In
tn" public life which he has accepted there
can he very little Of such familiar inter-
course.
0NE Hhcs his dwelling on the honor and
" a"r"p'iug tho congratulations with Il
|. huoyHnt air and fnring the whole trough
Ncck' situation h" is m against in thc State
with serene srlf-control. lie has, besides his
n"urncu and hs humor and his genuine good
ncSS. n gr"Hi deal 0f common sense and II
power "f whiting for thc right moment.
II" uuc" told me @n interesting story Of
| being l"~t in tIc forest in the Adrondncks
which illustrates nearly all those traits, with
| others thrown in.
| lie Wa, coming down tho steep side Of
| MHm} tho highest Of the Adironfark peaks
! - and with hIm was u man who knew IT,"
| Who," rrgi"u Ills" the ha"; or his hand. Thcy
| were lat" and it wru,d take fast going tp
! get "nl ui H." forest before durk Thry had
no proy.eony for Il night out in tho open
| and tlc family Of each was expecting his ar
! rival by cyCuing.
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