The Washington times., 1932-11-09
JACK AND WIFE
: NOT SLAVES
. To SOCIETY
Capital SpeCuIates on How
Couple Will Take to Their
New Official Duties

New Official Duties
1t is difficult to imagine
Mrs. John Nance Garner, wife
Of the Vice President-elect, in
the role occupied by Mrs. Ed
ward Gam these past years.
As difficult as to picture
Jack" Garner himself as the
administrations chief "diner-
OUT.
Vice President Curtis and his
sister-hostess, Mrs. Gam, have
loved society. The Garners &C.
lively dislike it. They hold the
record in Washington for non
attendance at elaborate official
functions. When Jack" became
Speaker of the House last year
he could recall only one White
House reception he and Mrs.
Garner had attended in all their
years in Washington.
Just a Painful Duty
AS Speaker he was called upon
to stand in line at the annual
reception for the House. He
and the gentle little black haired
woman at his side did their duty
nobly. But it was evident that
the new Speaker and his wife
had no intention of emulating
the Longworths and that the old
feud between his office and that
of the Vice President over the
precedence (the Longworth-Dolly
Gam rumpus was not the first
of its kind in history, would be
forgotten.
AS the wife of the Vice Presi-
dent, Mrs. Garner, it is under
stood, will resign her role as her
husbands personal secretary. She
announced some time ago that
she meant to continue in the
post "as long as Jack was in
the House Of Representatives"
What Will Jack Do?
Now that he is out of the
House her office staff expects
her to relinquish her 30-year job.
But, they wonder, however in the
world is the Speaker" to get
along without her? And how
will Mrs. Garner resign herself
to being merely. wife and not
an office helpmate as well. They
darkly predict that the boss is
going to have a hard time find
ing q substitute.
Thirty years ago when Mrs.
Garner FIST took over the job OF
handling her husbands office
routine she little dreamed that
her job was to last so long. She
herself tells how it happened.
Garner was campaigning for Con-
gress, his first tenn, and:
1--WE had no money so I de-
cided to brush up on my short
hand to help him. By the
time the campaign was over
had acquired a lot of assurance
in my ability to help him. BY
the time he was reelected
had become accustomed to act
ing as his secretary. l liked
the work and hated to put
someone in my place. So we
nut it off. The idea Of a new
secretary grew less attractive
each election. Finally it ceased
to concern us. had become a
fixture"
How Romance Began
Mrs. Garner first studied
shorthand, then new and some
what doubtful craft, as a lark.
She and her brother owned a
3O,OOO-acre ranch % miles from
the present Garner homestead in
Uvalde, Texas. Her brother
couldn't understand where she
got such a "crazy idea," but he
let her have her way and on the
way to San Antonio to begin
these very shorthand lessons she
met John Garner, then prom
Using but poor young lawyer from
the Red River Country"
Soon after her course was fin
iShed they were married and
started housekeeping. For the
next five years the young wife
was fully occupied with her do
mestic duties. A son, Tully, was
born to them. She almost for
got "the little chicken scratches"
she had learned.
Their boy was five years old
when Garner decided to go in
for politics. He is now a grown
man with a little daughter tthe
Garner's beloved grandchild,
Genevieve, and is in charge of, his
fathers business interests in
Uvalde.
Travel Long Distance
The mother and father have
come a long distance since those
early days on the Texas range.
But in Uvalde and "the Red
River Country" the wife of the
Vice PreSident-elect is still little
Etty Rheiner whose "Spunk'' was
the glory of the countryside.
She still has the "Spunk." And
If she does not exactly like the
idea of being the Second Lady
of the Land it will carry her
safely through any difficulties she
may encounter in her new role.
FLYING FIELDS PLANNED
OTTAWA-A chain of aviation