Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-24

There was a downpour OF rain at
Paramount. w Va. four years ago when
John w. Davis delivered his speech OF
acceptance. 1t poured rain In Albany
wednesday night. and blotted out the
great outdoor show arranged for Gov.
Smith. Al Smith luck was for the
nonce missing. The vendors of brown
derbies and other carnival gewgaws had
a sad time. The glee club opened Up
with How Dry AM" but did not
complete the rendition Of this tune.
But nothing dampened the enthusiasm
with which the Smith acceptance ad-
dress was received within the narrow
confines OF the assembly chamber of
the Albany Capitol Building and through
the broad reaches OF the land from
coast to coast and border TO border
where listening millions heard the ring
ing announcements Of the happy war
rior" The idol Of New York Democ-
racy did not draw his punches. There
was plenty OF steam" both In his
voice and In his words. He undertook.
among other things. to riddle the
myth" Of Coolidge economy and Re-
publican prosperity preachments AS in
the case of the Hoover acceptance adj
dress press comment was colored by
opposing political viewpoints, but the
opinion at Washington was that the
Democratic standard-bearer had deliv-
cred great Smith speech" and laid
firm foundation for campaign along
the lines he has personally laid out
William r. whiting, the new Score
tary Of Commerce. Is a rock ribbed
Republican OF the old western Massa :
chusetts type. He shares with Frank
W. Stearns OF Boston the title of the
original Coolidge man. His home
In Holyoke, Mass. Is not far from
Northampton. Amherst is his alma
mater. His friendship and admiration
for the President goes back a great
many years. At Chicago In 1920 he
voted for Coolidge for President on
every ballot from first TO last, When
he arrived at Kansas City this year he
| declared that his convention vote would
be cast for no one but Coolidge. But
In the end he joined to make the Bay
State ballot unanimous for Hoover. MIR
| whiting Is head of the old established
| paper company which bears the Whit
| Ing name. He is a man Of wealth who
never before has held public ONCE.
| " u u
Mr. Coolidge's selection OF Herbert
H0oyer'S successor In his cabinet as
Commerce Department head was obvi-
ously motivated by personal. rather than
| political. considerations. The President
| has not been given to passing out
| political piums TO his friends. But In
| inviting the Massachusetts paper manu-
| facturer to place In his ofiicial family
| he has rewarded stanch supporter.
accorded somewhat beiated political
| recognition" to his home State, and
| AT the same time found n man who
measures up to the high standards OF
! capability which the President demands
when he fills important posts In the
| Government service. On Mr.. whiting s
/ part In accepting the post 1t can hardly
| be anything else than friendship that
! induces him 10 leave his great busi-
| ness 10 wear so short lived an honor
Secretary Of Commerce Writings in.
Inmates call him Bill" He Is not much
given To sports. He does not drink and
| he does not smoke. He is a prodigious
reader. his reading taste running
strongly TO history. The stock of books
one of the largest private libraries In
New England But he Is a regular
fellow" none the less, and democratic
with the small ID" His one great
hobby is cattle raising His stock farm
is one Of the show places Of the nerk
shires He spends almost as much time
watching over his farm Az he does over
the great paper mills which he owns.
! n n
The selection OF the mai prize win
| nj tar lat .N.a s.f la
tomb of the Unknown Soldier al Ar
| lington National Cemetery viii be made
soon, from the nve first picked by the
| jury OF award from the rs ar more sub
mitted In the original competition
Whoever the architect may he who Ia
finally honored with the task Of com
plotting the Unknown Soldier memorial