Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-03-29
Washington Letter
By C. PLUNIMER

WASHINGTON, March 29-It frets Secretary of
the Treasury Andrew w. Mellon to be considered a
hereditary northumberland.
He inherited a paltry few hundreds of thousands
.only-less than a million all told. His heritage in
cluded a bank, but by no means the largest one in
the Pittsburgh of that day. AS the worlds third
richest man Mr.. Mellon is his own handiwork.
He has roughed it in his time.
Once he and his brother spent several nights in
their blankets on the Dakota prairie-when it was a
territory-unde the stars. They were looking over
some land.
Parting from them. 81 fu,st thought you two ga
loots was q coupla eastern dudes" said their guide,
but yer regular guys, after all"
Mr.. Mellon could have plenty of such yarns in
circulation concerning him if he would loosen up and
tell a few more.
Unfortunately he cannot-too shy.
Half a dozen cabinet members already have a
wider acquaintance in Washington than he, after two
or three weeks in office-and Mr.. Mellon is entering
on his ninth year.
Nevertheless, the secretary of the treasury is not
of the aloof, naughty type. True, he is dignified. No
caller with any sense of the fitness Of things would
slap him On the back. Still, he is perfectly approach
able. Only somebody else must make the approach.
In matters of human contact it simply is not in Mr..
Mellon to take the initiative.
Very well, then. Let's introduce ourselves. The
greatest secretary Of the treasury since Alexander
Hamilton"-aS some say he is and others emphatic
ally deny-iS worth meeting, at any rate.
# course, it must be done automatically.
However, the occasion is suspicious. On March
"a Mr.. Mellon celebrates his 74th birthday. We will
congratulate him on his anniversary.
He sits behind his desk in the treasury building.
smoking a cigaret-the portrait of some long past
secretary, in wig and r%uffles, on the wall back of him.
Usually described as a little man, he is no mid
.get-5 feet 8 or 9. Thin, to be sure.
Acknowledging our congratulations, we notice that
he stamners slightly.
He looks his age-but healthy.
Formerly he played golf. Now the only exercise
he gets is walking, but he does a good deal Of that.
He can walk rapidly and far.
On a recent trip he took to Europe. as he was trav-
cling through Switzerland, his auto broke down. The
spot was Il miles from anywhere. There was a small
mountain to cross. too. Mr.. Mellon liked it, noun
tain and all-said he enjoyed it and showed no signs
of WEAKNESS. Pretty good for 7O-odd.
His assistants evidently like him. So do other
folk, who have succeeded in establishing relations
with him.
His assistants evidently like him. So do other
folk, who have succeeded in establishing relations
with him.
All accounts indicate that he is particularly &C
.commodating.
Every public man Of much consequence gets stacks
of requests in every mail for weird favors of all sorts
-trifles, generally, but a pest. They go into the dis
card in most government offices, as impossible to
bother with. MI. Mellon makes a point of examining
his-and complying with them if he can.
One little girl, cast for the role of secretary Of
the treasury in a masquerade asked him for a pair
of gloves, to give the stunt verisimiitude. Secretary
Mellon sent her quite a complete outfit Of haber-
dashery.