The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-04-16
BY RODNEY BUTCHER NEA Service Writer

Washington.-John Quillin Tilson found quarter on the sidewalk one morning about 70 years ago and he regards that as the turning point in | a life which has led him along the path of politics and power until he lis now the man most likely to be speaker of the house of representa- ltives.
 The republican floor leader was 1then a student at Yale, trying to work his way through. He had no job on which to keep going and not even money for breakfast. So | he was hungry, discouraged and
 about ready to give up. But he found that quarter and bought himself a breakfast, after which
 he felt able to cope with the prob
 lems of life, and did. 1 To-day Tilson is out in front m lthe contest to succeed the late
 Speaker Nicholas Longworth, but
 he is far from assured of that ex- | Administration's Choice
 | Nevertheless, Tilson will be the administration choice and will be supported by a majority of repub- ilcan congressman. And the in-
 surgents are likely to vote for him in exchange for liberalization of 'lthe house rules and better com- lmittee assignments, as they have after bitter contests in the past.
 Tilson is one of President Hoov- Ier's most loyal and closest friends distinctly conservative, invariably regular and thus we'll qualified to represent the administration in the speakers chair. He is technically l qualified because he is one of the
 most able parliamentarians in congress.
 Whoever the next speaker may jbe, he will not equal Longworth in Ipersonal popularity, and so Tilsor will not have as strong personal support for the job. As majority leader, however, he has been in a position to make many friends and flew enemies; he was always sym pathetic to well-behaved republ1-
 can congressman who sought Ia Ivors and he always kept his word
 He is much more popular Tor in- Istance, than Chairman Bert Sne! of the rles committee, who may Ibe a candidate for speaker.
 l Born in a log house-not a cabir Jon a farm in the mountains of eas Tennessee, Tilson broke away from home at 20 years of age, earned hi j leducation at university and law g|school and held his first major poll ltical post as speaker in the Connect cut legislature.
 month and has always worked
 pretty hard. But he has a strong :. lwirv frame and bulks more thai
 six feet tall. He stands straign land walks with military stride
 HIS moustache is closely cropped, hi Ihair beginning to gray, and his eye
 brows bushy.
 q. The pockets of his trousers arr tailored in front instead of on tn Isides. He likes to stand with bot . hands in them or, if speaking, Witl
 lone hand in and the other holding
 out a paper. His other favorlt
 Ioratorical gesture is to throw botl
 arms into the air as If he wer about to turn a back-handspring He isn't much of an orator: Ill voice although good for radlo pur : poses is high-pitched and when becomes excited it is likely 10 g , hadly off key. He has a terrlh temper when aroused.
 Three Children
 Mrs Marguerite Tilson, his wife . Iapparently untempted by capita isnciaI life, remains most Of tn | lime in Connecticut with the thre children-Don, who is now vale: Peggy, at Smith college. an Katharine. who recently obtained amateur radio license. one of Tilson's favorite haplf in washington is to have breakfas with Mrs Florence P. Kahn, con cresswoman from California. a fhe house restaurant in the Capi fol Both live at the May1owe hotel and they usually journey | the Capitol in Mrs Kahn's car Q cab. The friendship does bac! many years to the time when III son and Mrs Kahn's husDan' were fellow enthusiasts on tn house military affairs committee. Tilson is, also very friendly wltl Congressman Sol Bloom Of Net York and is devoted to his brotnei William J. Tilson, although ne na Ia denied that he goth the latter th job of customs judge in New 1ork' Close to Hoover.
 His friendship with Preslden Hoover is most significant. noWevsl He has managed the eastern speak X
 ers' bureau for the repuDncans . the last two presidential campaign
 and was one of the Hoover pre- on yention leaders. Hoover is said ! have relied upon him as the req eastern leader in 1928. When III son was laid up with a cold In m hotel, Hoover had him moved int the White House for recuperatior n the last congress he depende more on Tilson than on LongwortiI
 Tilson was Hoover's spokesman Il lthe drought relief fight and stoo