Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23

right and what Is wrong. His instinct
tells him what is right.
In the instance Of the mayoralty offer,
he wrote to those who had endeavored
to persuade him:
In this dilemma I have simply to do
my duty as I see it. In my Judgment, /
have no right to accept the nomination
Is not necessary to enlarge upon the
Importance Of the insurance investiga-
ton. That is undisputed. It is dealing
with questions vital to the interests OF
millions of our fellow citizens through
out the land. 1t presents an opportu-
nifty for public service second to none
and involves q correlative responsibility
I have devoted myself unreservedly to
this work. It commands all my ener-
gies. 1t Is imperative that must con-
tinue unembarrassed and with unim-
to me that this cannot be if ! accept
the nomination"
If he could be fair to the people, he
could also be fair to the corporations,
even though his whole political future
might be imperiled. AS Governor of
New York, in vetoing a bill limiting
railroad fares to cents mile, he said
But injustice on the part of railroad
corporations toward the public does not
justify injustice on the part of the State
toward the railroad corporations. We
shall make matters not better, but
worse, II to cure one wrong we establish
another. The fact that those In control
of railroad corporations have been guilty
Of grossly improper financiering. and of
illegal and injurious determinations in
charges, points clearly to the necessity
of effective State action, but does not
require or warrant arbitrary reprisals.
In dealing with these questions, de-
mocracy must demonstrate its capacity
to act upon elaboration and to deal
justly"
Highly Praised by Labor Paper.
"Pro-corporationl" shouted his critics
Of IS years ago, just as they are shout
ing the same thing today. Yet in the
few years he sat as governor in the
State House at Albany one-third OF all
the labor laws ever enacted in New York
were placed on the statute books. or
him the Legislative Labor News, recog-
nized organ of the State Federation OF
Labor, said after his resignation IN
1910:
Nov that Gov. Hughes has retired
from politics and assembled to a place
on the highest judicial tribunal in the
world, the fact can be acknowledged
that he was the greatest friend
of labor laws that ever occupied the
governors chair at Albany. With
such a record of approval and sugges-
ton Of progressive legislation in the in
terest of humanity to his credit, 1t is
easy to believe that human rights will
have q steadfast and sympathetic up
holder in the new justice Of the Su-
preme Court of the United States"
And so there comes to preside over
the highest court of the land man
who is human enough to confess that
he likes best to read "a good blood-and-
thunder swashbuckling romance or good
old-faS11ioned detective story" and d.
vine enough to wire the convention
which nominated him for governor: Il
shall accept the nomination without
pledge other than to do my duty ac-
rigidly adhered to, to the amaZement
and discontinue of the politicians.
There will now again be associated
with the other great lawyers on the
court q man who has an unequaled
record of accomplishment in public af-
fairs: successful negotiation of the
Washington naval agreement Of 1921
with the other great powers; useful
service on the World Court useful and
invaluable service at the Pan-American
Conference at Havana when the peace
full relations of the nations Of two con-
tinents were imperiled, negotiation OF
settlement of the troublesome Mexican
problem, constructive investigation OF
our military aircraft situation-to men,
ton only few of many brilliant
achievements Of public benefit.
Noted for Dispatching Business.
Hughes brings back to the court his
great ability to dispatch business-as
important in the proper administration
of justice as in the conduct Of COM
mercial affairs. And he brings back to
the court the guiding principle ex-
pressed in his address to newspaper mer
in 1922, when he was Secretary Of
| State:
"a public oficer has always got to re-
mind himself and he ought to say every
morning as he approaches his task: I"
am a servant and 1t is my business tt
see what can do for the American
people. am not boss, and my little
authority or great authority that hap.
pen to have for day is not a persona
perquisite.'"
Through his term as Chief Justice o.
the United States Judge Hughes viii
give to his clients-now al the people
! Of the Nation-splendid character, great
ability, wide experience and tireleSS In.