Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-10
ROBERTS PICTURED
BEAR FOR WORK"
Appointee to Supreme Court
Wanted to Be School Teach
er, Not Lawyer.
BY THOMAS E. LEWIS.

PHILADELPHIA, May 10 (N.ANA).-
A bear for work. A man so punctua
and regular that employees tell time b.
his arrivals and departures. At home
"a jolly, fun-loving companion"
That, in the words of his employe!
and his wife, is Owen Josephus Roberts
who didn't want to be lawyer be
cause lawyers aren't honest" but whc
finds himself today, at SIS, named b!
President Hoover for a place in the
highest tribunal in the land.
Owen j. Roberts, the boy, wanted tx
be school teacher. His father, Josephu!
Roberts, former Councilman, believed
he was good at arguments and ough
to be lawyer" But Owen was also
good at arguments" with his father
and he stood pat on being a schoo
teacher.
So owens father said they'd ask
Owens schoolmaSter, DR.. William Ker-
| shaw, head master of the Germantown
| Academy, If a man could be both q
lawyer and honest. Owen himself put
the question. And here it was that The
| wise old schoolmaSter uttered a leply
| that gave America one Of its finest
! lawyers.
Follows Teachers Advice.
"Owen," the schoolmaster replied
4 Ks
and the die was cast.
| Mr.. Roberts reply when asked If he
would accept the place offered by the
President is typical of the man. With
out an instant's hesitation, although he
himself had recommended Chief Justice
Robert Won Moschzisker of the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania. a lifelong
| friend, for the post, he replied:
ct consider 1t both a duty and q
l y1Iao GIRO IN appant II lie q fraynan
surprise"
That is owen Roberts, always driving
straight to the point. The fact that
| he will sacrifice a lucrative income
| which it is understood runs into hun
dred of thousands of dollars annually
| meant nothing to him-the fact that
duty had called was the only considera-
| ton.
Mr.. Roberts was graduated from the
| University of Pennsylvania Law School
| in 1898. with highest honors Soon
afterwards he was admitted to the Bar
and devoted much of his attention to
| corporation law. at the same time reach
| ing out into criminal and other
branches of the legal profession.
Taught Law at U. of p.
In 1901 Mr.. Roberts saw his ambi-
ton to become teacher fulfilled In
that year he was appointed an assist
ant professor in the University Law
School, and, as his father often re-
marks in retelling the story, both
Owen and myself were satisfied" Later
he was named to a full professorship.
In 1908. when John C. Bell, later
attorney general of Pennsylvania, was
district attorney, Mr.. Roberts was
made his assistant. Many of the men
who served in the same office as col
loo nrac ~ ~ pohorfS havo ciyora
achieved places of distinction in public
life, including Chief Justice Won Mo-
schzisker, William A. Gray, noted
criminal lawyer, and Judge Joseph H.
Taulane of the Common Pleas Court
here.
AS an assistant district attorney Mr..
Roberts picked up world Of experience
as a prosecutor which was invaluable
when the Government selected him as
special prosecutor in the Teapot Dome
case. Meanwhile his private practice
was expanding, and he came to be
known as a lawyers lawyer" or coun-
seIlor for other lawyers who had steered
their cases into troubled waters.
Public Life Open Book.
His public life has been an open
book. When anybody in Philadelphia
thinks of the legal profession at ltS
best they think of Owen j. Roberts
An approachable, likeable man, who
can converse on wide range OF SUB
iects, he can always find time 70 be
courteous, however busy.
Widespread acclaim for President
IIoover,s choice came from scores OF
prominent lawyers and jurists here, re-
eardless of politics. The justices OF
the State Supreme and Superior Court
who could be reached were unanimous
in approving the selection. Judge Will
liam B. Linn of the Superior Court
said:
mo better appointment from the
American bar could have been made:
Although Mr. Roberts would not dis
cuss his views on the wet and dry
question, prominent lawyer, who Is
close friend of the nominee, said:
Nobody ever thinks of owen j. Rob-
erts as either a wet or a dry. They
think of him only as a great lawyer"
Six feet tall, with bluish-gray eyes
and hair which is CRAVING at the tenn
piles, Mr.. Roberts has finely chiseled
countenance. Severe when he is driv-
ing home a point of law, he has an
infectious smile. Orator as well as law
yer, he has never lost a case before the
United States Supreme Court, although
he has appeared before that tribunal
more than 200 times. This is believed
to be a record. If he has hobby
besides his work, 1t is nature study
His spare time Is spent at his 800-acre
farm near Kimberton, Chester County,
where he takes personal charge and
supervises the raising of his poultry
and live stock. He does not play golf.
Office Reflects Traditions.
Mr.. Roberts private Office reflects the
most cherished traditions of the law.
Inside one seems to live with the greats
of past and present as one gazes at the
bronze and steel engravings on the wall.
Daniel Webster, former Chief Justice
Taft, former Chief Justice Rice of the
Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Calvin
Coolidge, the late Chief Justice White
of the United States Supreme Court,
Abraham Lincoln-these and other
| great men have looked down from the
| walls at Owen j. Roberts as he was
hewing that brilliant career which In
all probability will lead to the highest
| court in the land.
At home there is another picture
Owen j. Roberts coming home to a
smiling woman, with curly, dark hair
and a reserved manner, which seems
almost shy, and reading detective
story.
yes said Mrs. Roberts, che grabs
lurid detective story the minute he
comes into the house."
And then the person who knows him
best told what Owen j. Roberts is like
around the house.
Hes the best companion in the
world" she said. so jolly and fun
loving. This news is like bolt from
the blue. We really didn't think owen
would be asked to serve"