Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-09
George Wharton Pepper
Man of Many Interests


mental strength and physical stamina
are shown in the wide range Of his in
terests.
Tall. somewhat spare. deliberate
without slowness. Il master Of repair
tee. his qualities fuse into glow of
enthusiasm that is without heat. yet
lights up the subject engaging his mind
and tongue.
First of all. Senator Pepper is law
yer of fine attainments. Years ago
he could have exercised his legal tai
ents on the Federal bench had he said
the word of acceptance. according 10
generally accepted reports.
In recent years his name has been
coupled with various public Offices.
now Federal judgeship. then the
mayoralty OF Philadelphia. and more
recently. the Office of Solicitor General
of the United States.
His record indicates he IS not Il
seeker of Office. Rather his forte has
been the many legal problems of his
private practice or the side activities
that in themselves are enough to I'LL
busy life.
Mr.. Pepper. it may be said. is a
national figure among lawyers not only
for his association with numerous big
cases and for his work as special assist :
ant Attorney General, but for the lcga
scholarship displayed in his Collabora
tive digest of the laws of PennSy! vania
He became national figure when hs
campaigned against the League of Ma
tionS covenant.
Led Independence League
Mr.. Pepper was a leader Of th'
League for the Preservation of Ameri'
can Independence and debated th
league with Senator Hitchcock in thi
city in April. 1919. and with Senate,
Pomerene in Indianapolis in the sam
month.
1t would De appropriate to mention
that Mr.. Pepper has long been 4 con
spicuous figure in the laity OF the Enis
Copal Church. Year after year he hH
been chosen as delegate to the diocesa
convention and he has served as dtoCeS
J can delegates to the general convention
This leads to view which Mr.. Pep
per expressed as 10 the ChrlStla
church and world peace.
There is only one league 10 en-
force. peace which deserves 10 bear tina
| name and that is the Christian church
he wrote in November, 1919.
Secular and political organization
NAV or may not succeed in placing oh
: STACKS in the path OF war. Peace
$ however. is an inward thing and can b
! promoted only by that which acts di
rectly upon the heart OF the individual.
That is one view on world peace hel
by Mr.. Pepper, who. as the new Senate
' from Pennsylvania, will have part
: the Senate's action on the four Powe
treaty of Washington.
a Mr.. Peppers own inSistenCe on Clea
= thinking and lucid statement was re
focted in an address in May. 1920. be
;, fore the Boston City Club. in which !
+ pilloried what he called "tho tyranny I
half truths
. In that address be presented opinion
n on foreign affairs, the industrial cor
!, hict and national education. In it
:. defined the leader IL national life
i the man who beckons the crowd to Il
= highest firm ground which they are ca!
II abls OF occupying SuTeSsullF. ]
~ point them TO the moon is silly,
= leave them in the bog is wicked.
n feed Them with half truths is Vi
IL worthy
'e On the many issues hat Mr.. Pepper
mind and heart have touched one is I
i proposal for a revised constitution I
l. Pennylvania. Presumably Mr.. Pei
e per. in the Senate. viii have an a
thoritatiye word to say some time
the future on the subject. even thoui
u il is outside the domain OF FEEDER
" legislation.
~ Mr.. Pepper wss a member OF
xt Governors commission on constitution
In revision and amendment which suggest
be many important changes for the Sta
constitution. lie believes PennsylvaI
nd needs new constitution and there ne'
ut was a time in the history of the ST.
o. when people were better qualified to q
II. eide a constitution revision.
an He has not hesitated to express
at views on local conditions and problem
e. In June OF last year, addressing an a
n semblage of Republican women, he 81
II their right Of suffrage entailed on tn
Ii. the duty of investigating three gre
est problems.
th Ihese proplehs' ne naIS' "enu
effectiveness of the work of the mag
IN trates. the system by which the Bot
~ of Education is appointed, and co
nv procedure with reference to the p
n obtaining justice.
u The Lord only knows why iud
" OF Education" he said Of the s"cC
m Of the problems he named. II II
eI! upOn YOU the duty Of intelligent Cr
lul sidcrntion Of the system under VIII
its we live.
to As for Mr. Peppers success. q
vas in early manhood, 1t can be recalled /
IN he handled the difficult task iHtrus
le' TO him in 1908, when he was made
the ceiyer of the Bay State Gas Compa
As lawyer who knows the law
all can marshal fact and statute with co
,ad pelling force, he showed also in t
arr famous case that he has business a
be men Of a high degree. a requisite il
the SENATOR representing the greatest ind