Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-13
Hoover's Right Hand Man

| the radicalism Of Townley, Akerson was
one of the first men In washington TO
understand this phenomenon and to tell
the Republican leaders of troublous
times ahead. His information brought
invitations to very important places, and
when the campaign of 1924 rolled
around he was asked to become q men,
Der of the advisory committee Of the
Republican national committee, with
lar concern.
At the outset of the campaign those
States seemed ~irrevocably lost to the
Coolidge Dawes ticket. At one time
there was a disposition at Chicago
headquarters to write some Of them OF
the slate as sure to go for La Toilette,
but Akerson never shared this view.
! He had an abiding confidence in his
own State of Minnesota, and he had
valuable contacts in the Dakotas and
other sections where the La Toilette
tide was running high. And so the
Republicans fought 1t out to the bitter
end, and they were rewarded when all
the doubtful States except Wisconsin
fell into the Coolidge column on election
day.
In that campaign Akerson came In
direct contact with Herbert Hoover and
the Secretary of Commerce was in
stantly drawn to this tall, blond Viking.
Their friendship ripened after the cam
paign, while Akerson was forging to the
front among the Washington corre-
spondents. Early in 1926 Mr.. Hoover
and Secretary Of State Kellogg were
named as the Federal commission for
the SeSquicentennial Exposition at Phil
adelphia. The commission needed a
secretary, and both thought of Aker-
son. Back in 1916 he had played q
small part in the election of Kellogg to
the Senate from Minnesota, and the two
were warm friends.
That Sesquicentenniai Exposition
arouses no fond memories today among
Philadelphia taxpayers, but there has
always been agreement that the Federal
Governments exhibit was one of the
striking features of the show. Hoover's
organizing ability and Akerson's devo-
ton to detail formed q very happy
working combination. Out of their as
ISOLATION came the suggestion early that
Autumn that Akerson drop all his
newspaper activities and devote himself
to Hoover's interests. The younger
man, already impressed with Hoover's
great stature among the statesmen Of
the world, accepted without much hesi-
tation. If they thought of the presi-
dency then, it vas as some remote pos
SlDlllLy, certainty not De1Ore 1857.
Their first big task together was the
Mississippi flood of 1927. In which
Hoover won the undying gratitude Of
the stricken peoples along the valley OF
the great river. The two men worked
together, day after day, night after
night, bringing relief to devastated sec
tons. It was a campaign, even though
no political Office was at stake, for
there were innumerable things to be
done. State and local governments
must be met. Diplomacy was q requi-
site. and Secretary Hoover found that
his new assistant was q diplomat.
Perhaps it Is a mere reflection Of
George Akersonis popularity among his
newspaper colleagues in Washington,
but the corps of correspondents at the
Capital have long held the view that
Hoover began to improve in his political
contacts. that he began to grow articu-
late from the time he selected Akerson
as his chief assistant. The true expla-
nation probably Is that the extremely
critical writers were just a trifle more
friendly to the Secretary of Commerce
because their access to the chief" was
made easier.
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