Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-09-25
By MARIE M. MELONEY.

lTHERE are two ways to rise In
politics. One Is to stand by the
Old Guard-right or wrong, to
/ accept the oldtime rules Of the
game without noticeable protest.
The ether Is to make new rules and
live and die by them. There are a
good>many casualties.
Up in New Hampshire there Is
young Governor who bears a marked
resemblance to the young Abraham
Lincoln. He has been setting up new
rules and living by them, suffering for
them. winning with them since his
boyhood. He Is the only man who has
ever been twice elected Governor Of his
State And he has just been nominated
for = his third term by majority of
7 to /. But not until the world de-
preston put its blighting weight upon
America and called to the Republic for
new thought and new leadership did
the Nation come to know much about
Gov John Gilbert Winant.
In meeting the economic crisis in his
State he projected, among a number OF
other plans, a program to meet the
throughout the Nation as the New
Hampshire plan This plan has been
accepted by both capital and labor.
Studying the successful progreS Of
the reduction of the 10-hour day to
an eight-hour day. Gov. Winant has
gene one step further and, In an effort
to meet not only the present emergency,
but also to define a permanent policy,
has advocated a flexible work week with
a division of costs falling on owners and
officials as well as employees. It was a
program to build up job security
method that would reduce hours rather
than discharge men.
After he had decided for himself that
the idea was sound he called confer
ence of New England Governors to con-
slider his plan, He then took 1t to the
President of the United States. He had
already discussed the principle involved
with labor leaders and important In
dustrialists. Realizing that the prin-
ciple was not universally applicable. but
was practicable in the majority Of occu-
pations, he put statisticians to work on
selected groups and was able to prove
to the satisfaction Of both labor and
capital that this policy would put 3000,-
900 men back to work.
He recognized from the beginning
that loss of private pay rolls could not
be taken over by simply charging pub
lie pay rolls without endangerlng the
solvency Of the State and local COM
its share. He inaugurated a program In
which the State Joined with the towns
in cooperative saving; and, by taking
over maintenance of the primary and
secondary read systems of the State in
all communities that were willing to
help themselves by cutting costs, the
taxes in local communities were mate
rally reduced throughout the State
The cost of State government had been
his administration without reducing
services or lowering wages.
In addition to his advocacy Of the
New Hampshire plan, this young Gov
ernor-he is only 43-has introduced a
number of progressive and scientifi-
callv worked out innova tions and re-
forms in the economic government of
his State.
A Repugnance for Debt.
Having a repugnance for debt. he has
insisted that wherever money was Dor
rowed against the future It's repayment
be guaranteed by ALLEGATION of specific
taxes. In endeavoring to help rural
people through the long Winters he
has helped to restore some of the
ancient home and community crafts.
such as weaving, woodworking, pottery
making and the glassware for which
New Hampshire was famous.
Looking over the record of Gov.
Winants life We see living proof of
the old adage that opportunity comes
to him who is prepared Here is a
man who from his twentieth year has
been definitely. though not always con-
sciously. preparing himself for public
service.
Probably the most important day in
his life was in the Midsummer of his
fourteenth year, when his family in
New York decided to send him to st.
Paul's School at Concord. N H. Shy. |
almost i'll at ease, he felt at home in
the New Hampshire hills. Later he
bought home for himself on that very