Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-02
The Personality of Secretary Mellon
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN

Walking quietly along the shaded
streets Of Washington Of an early eve
ming, usually with a portfolio under his
arm, a slight, wiry gentleman with a
gray mustache returns home from his
days work. He was for years the man
of mystery. the unknown quantity in
national politics, the rich banker from
Pittsburgh who talked in a whisper and
seldom said yes. Looking considerably
. less than his "a years. dressing without
ostentation. never seeking the limelight
for which many public men struggle so
vigorously, Andrew w. Mellon, Secre-
tary of the Treasury. was for long an
unfathomable puzzle to political WASH
ington. and something of puzzle to
the Nation.
After eight years he is cS.ninS to be
better understood. In the roar Of pub
lie affairs. his quiet voice has been
heard. 1t has come to be realized that
amid the swirl of politics and state
craft. this man is neither timid. subtle,
crafty, nor mysterious. He speaks lit
tie because that is his nature. He
speaks softly because he has that sort
literally and positively means. What
he starts to do. he consistently and
persistently keeps doing. but he does
it without shouting of voice or shaking
of fist. In city full Of talk and sound,
all quiet men acquire the reputation of
mystery. Mr.. Mellon is very quiet, and
he is very effective. In the dash for
fame. many men forget the customs of
simple courtesy. Mr.. Mellon Is extreme
ly courteous, and he has become very
famous. In the struggle for power
H. r,,.. L. A.
Of plain hard work at the days tasks
Mr.. Mellon is a very hard worker, and
he Yields great power.
President Harding appointed Secre-
tary Mellon to the Treasury portfolio
without knowing him personally. Sem
ator Philander c. Knox Is said to have
been chiefly responsible for the selec-
ton. When Mr.. Mellon reached Wash
ington the public, represented by the
washington newspaper correspondents.
soon discovered that this man would
not talk for publication on any sub
ject which was not directly the public
He would not talk on public affairs
generally, and he would not talk on
private affairs. With infinite courtesy
he would meet the gentlemen of the
press. The public business of his de-
partment he would accurately, pains
takingly explain. But he had no desire
for personal publicity. He enjoyed be-
ing a public servant, but he did not
care to be public character.
Members of Congress and public Of
f1cials found Mr.. Mellon difficult. He
had never been in politics. He had
never run for office, and never expected
to. He saw no occasion for doing the
public business in a different manner
than he had done private business. APP
peals to give jobs to political hench-
men found him cold. He would not
even do the public's business with the
customary political gestures. He never
pointed with pride, nor viewed with
alarm. He never spoke about the dear
people, nor did he denounce the powers
of Wall Street.
Attends Quietly to PubIic's Business.
On various occasions when he has
found those powers in disagreement
with the public interest on financial
policies, he has seen to it that the pub
lie interest prevailed, but he has never
bothered to tell the public that he had
beaten the powers of money into SUBJ
mission. The man simply did not think
In terms OF votes or of popularity. TAX
ing hold Of the big tasks of postwar
Government finance. he had no, time to
remodel himself into a public man. He
remained quiet business man, doing
the public business.
Mellon was born March "a, 1855, the
son Of Judge Thomas Mellon, who had
come to this country from County Ty-
rome, Ireland, at the age of 5 and set
tied with his pioneer parents In a log