Evening star., 1933-07-09
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.

BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.
Since March 4 thousands of people
have visited the reception room of
Postmaster General James A Farley
and have become acquainted with its
capaciouS lounges and armchairs. its
expansive green carpet. its gallery of
portraits of the new chiefs Democratic
predecessors. it's genial clerks at work
at sufficient number of mahogany
desks, its atmosphere of action. But
not many of the callers have passed
through the narrow door in the south
wall to the inner sanctum which lies
beyond, the private office of the head
OF the national postal system. Presi-
dent Roosevelts intimate friend and
campaign manager. 1t is sanctuary
not commonly penetrated by the pub
lie. A legend Of mystery prevails
about it.
However. the invisible bars were let
down Friday afternoon. and a group
of philatelists, newspaper reporters,
photographers and others invited for
the occasion were admitted to the
room Mr.. Farley had consented to
receive Capt j. Enroll Boyd, transat-
lantic flyer. pilot Of the Balanca mono
plane Columbia, and Robert G. Lyon
former Navy aviator his companion
and co-pilot on thrilling flight from
Haiti to Washington, July As. With
them came DR.. Dantes Bellegarde. Min
lister of Haiti to the United States, a
tall. Outstanding monument of man
of the Postmaster Generals own size;
DR.. Clarence W. Herman of Chicago.
president of the American Philatelic
Society, of approximately the same pro-
portions, and Michael L. Eidsness, jr..
superintendent of the Division OF
Stamps. chief Of the Philatelic Agency,
known as the American stamp collec-
tors best friend" also a fine specimen
of physical strength and prowess. It
was an assembly of giants. AS the
company gathered about Mr. Farley,
waited the tripods of their cameras.
Capt. Boyd's call had for its purpose
the delivery to the Postmaster General
OF three covers, his only postal burden
on the trip from Port Au Prince. One
of these was from Stenio Vincent, the
president of Haiti, addressed from the
National Palace to President Roosevelt.
One was for William Phillips. under
secretary Of State, and one was for Mr..
Farley himself. The ceremony was
brief Mr. Farley inquired about the
record Of the flight, the time required,
the weather conditions encountered.
Capt Boyd answered each question, and
Mr.. Lyon supplemented his replies with
observa tons of his own. Mr.. Eidsness
offered additional details which the
f1iers appeared to be too modest to
mention.
Meanwhile the flashlights blazed and
the cameras clicked. The battery was
led by Samuel K. Miller. ofdcial pho
tographer of the Post Office Depart
ment who is accustomed ~ making por-
traits of celebrities and goes about his
business unperturbed regardless of the
formalities.
One of Mr.. Farley's staff had at
piles of papers scattered over it, but the
camera men told him to desist. Let
the public see how busy the Postmaster
General is was the verdict, announced
amid sympathetic laughter.
At last the aviators took their de-
parture. Mr. Farley accompanying them
to the door, wishing them happy land
ings.' The party broke up. and the
Postmaster General went back to work.
Fifty or more visitors still waited for
q chance for a brief interview with him.
But what of that inner sanctum
where the postal chief labors? What is
to be seen there by the rare outsider
who is admitted to it? In a phrase. the
answer is: Just such an environment as
might be expected, the Office of man OF
large and generous heart.
The furniture Of the apartment is un-
exceptional. It is adequate, but not
rich. A huge desk, with swivel chair
behind it, armchairS. several heavily
burdened tables. a bookcase and a
globe. all placed for use rather than
decoration, make up the list. It is the
walls that tell the story. They are the
background of a gallery throug gh which
it is possible to look into the core of
the mind of the man.
A large painting of Benjamin Frank
lin hangs on the west side Of the room.
Near it is a photograph of the Post
master Generals ANAL son, James A.
Farley. jr.. vainly trying to put let
ter into a box too high for him to
reach. the mat around the print bear
ing the caption: I'll take this up with
Dad" Also on the same wall there
hangs a portrait of Mr.. Farley's
mother. a sweet-faced woman with
happy eyes
picture collection which fills the whole
OF the available space. Others are
photographs Of the chiefs wife and
daughters. Of the President and other
friends of events and occasions in
which Mr. Farley has participated.
There are number of original drawings
of cartoons in which he figures. the
work of Clifford K Bergman. dean of
The Star staff of artists. One huge
frame contains 400 of the Newburgh
stamps, autographed with crayon by the
Postmaster General. April TO- A little
frame contains an old and faded Con-
federate banknote. signed by a James
A. Farley of another day, no relation"
so far as its present owner is aware.
Leaving the Office, the visitor could
not avoid the feeling that compre-