The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-24
Jimmy Walker Uses His Head;
ThatS Why He Stays on Top
Mayor Is "a Grea. Little
Guy With the Masses,
Though He's Far From
Great Executive.
BY PAUL HARRISON
MA Service Writer

NEW YORK, March 24-How
does Jimmy Walker get away with
it? Why does the breath Of civic
scandal, so frequently directed
against his administration, leave his
own popularity so little furnished?
Nominally he is the mayor Of a
city Of some 100000 persons, many
Of whom are clamoring for a sweep
ing inquiry into the conduct Of his
office Officially he is the head Of
vast corporation spending nearly
S600,000,000 annually, and allegedly
not all of it wisely.
Actually he is a part-tine execu-
tive with a genius for delegating his
responsibilities to subordinates.
But practically, so far as the
masses are concerned, James J.
Walker is a great little guy" and
as much a part Of the metropolitan
picture as Times square and the
skyscrapers and the night clubs.
Keeps Broadway Flavor
His clothes and his manner never
have lost their Broadway flavor.
There are few who criticise his ex-
travagances Or his social activities.
His top hat is not a "high hat"
He has to keep moving. Confer
ences bore him; routine work seems
utterly impossible Receptions to
celebrities, publicity stunts with
plenty Of cameras, all kinds Of pub
lie speeches and corner stone lay
ings are stimulating.
1t is this same excessive nervous
energy that keeps him from reading.
He seldom more than scans the
headlines in the newspapers. and
often has been quoted as saying
that he never read a dozen books
from cover to cover in his life, in
Guiding even the texts he used in
school.
Grasps Problems Quickly
The path to the mayors brain is
through is ears. Colleagues in the
legislature said he never heard a
bill through; he simply asked some
one to tell him about it.
When there is important city
business to be considered he sum-
mons an expert, lights another Gig
aret, PAGES up and down, and lis
tens. He grasps the heart of each
problem in an amazingly short time.
Whatever his penchant for public
night life, he INDUCES it less than
generally is supposed. True, he
still may 60 to four or five dinners
and parties in a single night, but
only to shake a few hands, make
few wisecracks, and be off to another
function.
1t is his inability to decline invi-
tations that is largely responsible for
his habitual hardness.
Jimmy's Nearly so
After all, though he looks to be
in his 30'S, Jimmy Walker is near
ly so. 1t has been years since he
climbed over the fooGlights on an
opening night at the theater to
exchange gags with comedians and
pose with the chorus.
He still keeps abreast Of the cur
rent drama, and seldom misses a
prize fight at the Garden. But few
of the Broadway "hot-spots" ever
seee "Hizzoner" any more. He pre-
fers to dance and play the piano
at the apartments of his friends.
Mrs. Walker, plump, smiling and
silent, even when she accompanies
her husband about tOuT17 ic q IY17oct
totally eclipsed by his popularity.
The mayor is the best Travelled
official in the history of New York.
He LAS jaunted over most of this
country, through Canada, and has
summed himself in Havana, Bermu-
ia, Florida and now in California.
Rough and ready old Tammany-
ties shuddered when he sailed for
Europe in the royal suite previously