Evening star., 1932-12-18
BY CARTY RANCK.

~ - YHO is this man Howe that
IS n Franklin Roosevelt is 60
wv ing to take to the White
House with him as his
chief adviser? Never
heard Of him. Did you?"
That is the way many American
voters have been talking since election
night, when President-elect Roosevelt
at his headquarters in the Hotel Bilt-
more stated that the Democratic vic
tory was made possible by two men
Louis McHenry Howe and Big Jim"
Farley. Everybody had heard OF Far
lev. chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee, but mighty few had
heard of Howe. Even when interested
persons looked him up in who's Who"
| they couldn't find his name.
| Louis McHenry Howe is the mystery
man of the last Democratic national
| compaign He is President maker
extraordinary; man OF quiet, simple
ways who gets important things done in
an unspectacular manner; man who
avoids the spotlight as assiduously as
prima donna seeks it; 'half-pint"
man in stature but big enough to push
his friend. Franklin Roosevelt. into the
White House. That's the sort of little
guy Louis Howe is.
Not since Col Edward NJ House
entered the arena as the close friend
and adviser of Woodrow Wilson has
there appeared in national politics such
all aStute little man as this level
headed Louis Howe.
Long Acquaintance.
More than 20 years ago Howe. as
Albany correspondent for the New
York Herald, met fedgling State
E>r-cr Fl n
who was trying his political wings for
the first time. They became as mag
net and STEEL and soon it was Frank
lin" and Louis" 1t is still Franklin"
and Louis" and it will be that way
when Mr. Roosevelt is addressed as
Mr.. President"
you are awfully familiar with the
next President of the United States"
friend recently said to Howe, after the
little man had disagreed with some
thing that Gov. Roosevelt had stated.
The small man grinned rather impishly.
Well" he said quietly, IN talk that
way when he's President and he'll
like it."
This was not said boastfully, but as
one understanding friend would speak
o. another. And, as matter OF fact,
when Howe talks that way" President
flOOSeNelG OOeS lAhc H. 1eoOSC'eAt h1iO"o
that Howe is the soul of sincerity.
Better be a thorn in the side of your
friend than his echo,' said Emerson.
Louis Howe is neither thorn in the
side of his friend nor has he ever been
an echo. During his long friendship
with the President-elect Howe has
never invaded the yes" mans terri
tory: frequently he has been found in
no" mans land. Like Mark Antony,
he is plain. blunt man and loves his
friend too we'll to truckle to him. NO
is a little word but it takes big man
to say it, and it is one of Louis Howes
favorite words.
Opposed to Titles.
He may be small in stature. but he is
big in friendship. He dislikes titles and
merely smiles when he is referred to as
Franklin Roosevelt'S alter ego. But he
is proud to be called Roosevelts closest
friend, because in Howes lexicon
friend" Is the best title man can
wear.
Howe makes a wry face when any
one calls him Colonel Howe. with the
unctuous intonation that professional
politicians employ when they use this
title. The Colonel" was wished on Mr..
Howe last spring by Governor Laffoon
of Kentucky-and Colonel" it has been
ever since.
4 don't think that any one has a
right to military title unless he has
earned it as a real soldier" said Mis-
ter Howe. struggling his shoulders
wearily. but what is one to do about
il? The darned thing sticks like burr
and I can't shake it off,
Governor Roosevelt called you
Colonel the night of the election" I
reminded him.
Franklin was kidding me-" replied
Mr.. Howe. "I don't mind friends josh
ing me and calling me Colonel but I
don't like it said pontifically by persons
who sound as if they were pronouncing
benediction.'
Hard Boiled Idealist.
That remark is typical of the humor
that bubbles up in this little man who
is as full of surprises as a stage ma
gician. His face is thin and leathery
looking, but it is constantly breaking
into crinkles of mirth, from which peer
a big nose and friendly brown eyes, His
eyebrows are shaggy and his ears are
large and faun-like. The mans chin
and jaw show resolution and force of
character which are not belied by
single weak line in the smooth-shaven
face. Louis Howe could play the role
of cynical newspaper man in a Broad
many seasoned newspaper men, he Is a
hard boiled idealist and his cynicism is
largely a protective covering.
At first glance one might think that
here was a ruthlessly efficient mana
sort of cold-blooded thinking machine
the master mind type. When I first
stepped into his Office and met his steely
stare found myself thinking of G. w.
Stevens description of British gen.
eral at the Battle of Modder River:
"One could see that his brain was work.
ing as if packed in ice." Howe's brain
works that way when he is concentrat-
ing upon a problem. but once the prob
lem is solved the ice is soon thawed by
natural geniality that makes the man
warmly human.
Sense of Humor.
Probably Louis Howe'S keen sense OF
humor has made him avoid many of
the pitfalls that beset the feet of king
makers and president makers. This
humor frequently leavenS his conversa-
ton. For instance, in a recent maga-
zine article it was stated that when
Franklin Roosevelt was installed in the
White House Mr.. Howe probably would
be found IN cuDDy mole 'eXerClng a
wholesome influence over the Presi-
dent" This tickled Howe's visibility.
II called Franklin's attention to this
alarming suggestion" he said with his
quiet smile, "and warned him that he
might expect me to be his chloride OF
lime man after March 4. We had a
good laugh over that.
"The first requisite for health and
happiness in public life is sense Of
humor," he says. mo man can have
successful personal relations with other
men unless he has humor. 1t does not
pay to take either yourself or the other
man too seriously"
LoatheS Bunk.
Some of Mr.. Howe's pet hates are
dispensers of bunk, blah and soft soap
and woe betide the Uriah Heeps Of the
political game who try to put anything