Evening star., 1925-08-30
LAWSON MADE PAPERS STAFF
HAPPY, HARMONIOUS FAMILY
Publishers Genius Bound Men of Widely Varied
Temperament Into Close Knit Group; Man
ner Warm and Unaffected.

well written" But how stunning it
was to get one of these notes, perhaps
| merely a clipping with one word in
blue pencil on the margin. leave to
the men of greater distinction than
myself to testify.
And what surprise met these fell
lows, Independent, reckless, world-pot-
ted as they might be, when they
would be summoned to the inner office.
or perhaps go in there to "see what
the boss was like"
I've spent hours urging some popu-
lar hero of the writing world to brave
that severe-looking glass door and
Just have chat with Mr.. Lawson" I"
| The popular hero would hang fire,
pleading that the chief would be too
busy. or that neither of them would
know what to say, or--"what's the
use?' Then I've seen the we'll known
writer come out of the inner office
jubilant, confident and inspired some
how or other with loyalty to that
man in there" which would outlast
many d storm.
Lack Of Affectation Won.
What did he say to these men?
Nothing. I am sure, of the sort that
they would hear at tea parties or even
in the offices of their publishers.
suspect that Mr.. Lawson won them
simply by being unaffectedly interested
in their work, by letting them talk,
by making them feel that he. with
his unquestioned power and his aspect
of a man of large practical affairs, un-
bent temporarily from all that his
name implied-and wanted to know
them. Then, too, he told a good funny
story, and his laugh while telling it
was very infectious. But this amiable
practice was by no means reserved
fer the stars"
One can hardly complete this ac-
count of one of the manifold sides of
Mr.. Lawson's activity as editor with
cult problems that could come up 'in
holding a staff together" That was
the question OF salaries.
Many and many such a question is
bound to arise in a newspaper office.
large or small, and 1t is usually a
good deal more involved in personal
complexities than it is in the average
business office. Mr.. Lawson liked to
have these problems brought to him.
He considered this an essential part Of
his task. And he would give each
case careful study; then when con-
vinced would say, We'll. so-and-so
is "a good man. We, must keep him. -
Had to Curb Generosity.
Going step beyond this customary
remark one day, he said:
TN tell you how It is about this
matter of salaries; l have to be more
than careful about it; / have to be
judicial. My natural tendency would
be to give every one what he asks, as
soon as he asks II. But my judg-
ment tells me, as it--would anybody
that that would be folly Sol
watch myself" And he smiled.
Sometimes people have regretted
that this most amiable gentleman,
with his eager interest In the human
being, could not have more often
and more generally revealed himself
to the rank and file. The things that
held him back were a deeply ground
ed difidence, making it hard for him
to begin the overtures. and his i'm
mersion in tasks which he deemed
his job, primarily. 1t was a terrific
lob" too.
Whatever the cause, he could not
be conspicuously social being under
the Daily News family roof But. in
spite of 1t all. even If only by glimpses
OF him in the elevator or elsewhere.
by the conception of him that comes
out through his fntimates, or by other
indirect routes, the family knew what
he was really like. So the famil .
remained close knit and as content
as a newspaper crowd can be. l
believe 1t will so remain, through
memory of him and for other rea-
sons. Tor long. long time