Evening star., 1934-12-30

law He saved all the money he could
from his farm wages and from work.
| ing in q store one Summer and
showed up at Vanderbilt Law School
that Fall He was tall, lanky, awk-
ward and shy.
Would they let him into law school?
Sure, they'd let him in. But it would
be up to him to show he could learn
enough to stay there He stayed there,
all right Got his diploma with the
class of 1890, and somewhat anxiously
hung up his shingle in Nashville.
Nothing much happened, he recalls.
Most all the law business seemed to
be well taken care Of in the town
Andrew Jackson had helped to found
a century before.
One day he was resting from his
labors in the comfortable chair of
the lobby Of the old Maxwell House,
he remembers, when he was accosted
by an old soldier friend of his fathers.
For 20 years this friend had been COL
lector of the county and political boss
as well.
How are you getting along, Joe?"
mot so we'll"
How would you like to go to the
Legislature?"
Begins In Politics.
"Never thought Of it," Joe answered.
Il couldn't make it. I haven't the
contacts"
His veteran friend promised plenty
Of contacts, and when the convention
OF that district met, nominated him.
So he was selected and served in the
sessions Of 1895, 1897 and 1899: dur
ing the last session he was Speaker
Of the House. Next he went to the
, State Senate, 1901 to 1904. and then
declined a denomination SO he could
go back to the interrupted practice
of law. In the meantime, he was
married, on August %, 1898, to Julia
Woodward Of Nashville. They have
one son.
Byrns had his heart so set on re-
firing from politics that he refused
to attend the party convention in his
district in 1904.
The old wall phone In his Office
rang one Spring afternoon.
Joe" a voice said, we've nominated
you to be presidential elector."
Wont have It'll" responded Joe
Jaw, you've got it anyhow. We
done adjourned"
So Joe went and cast a hopeless
vote for Alton B. Parker 1t gave
him an interest in national politics
he couldn't shake off. In 1908 he
plunged into the congressional race
and won after a hot fight
When he got to Washington he
wrote out a list Of important COM
mittees he wanted to be on, and went
to see Speaker Joe Cannon about it.
Cannon looked at the list of i'm
portant committees and grinned.
Young man, I see you want to
keep busy!"
Yes, sir, Mr.. Speaker"
Cannon Decides No.
When the committee appointments
were made. Byrns found his name
on the Indian Affairs Committee.
Il reckon Speaker Cannon figured
since there wasn't an Indian in the
whole State of Tennessee, I could ap-
proach the problem with an unbiased
attitude" he says
Whereupon he proceeded to learn all
there was to know about Indian
affairs.
Champ Clark came in as Speaker
with the Democratic majority of the
next session and promptly gave Joe
Byrns his wish-a place on the Appro-
priations Committee. Also a place
on the Committee on Executive and
Judicial Expenditures. He moved up
to be chairman of the Expenditures
Committee in 1917 and acting chair
man OF the Appropriations Committee.
The war was on. Cabinet members,
representatives of the War and Navy
Departments and officials of every
agency of the Government were rush.
ing into his office and excitedly wav-
ing lists of figures.
I'VE need this!' Eve must have
that"
"Yes, sub! I'll see about it!'
He always saw about it, and as
chairman of the subcommittee that
handled the huge appropriations for
war expenditures-guns, ships camps
and all the rest-the weight of paying
Tor the war rested on his shoulders.
Advised Longworth.
The end of the war and Repub-
lican victory in 1918 eased the load
bit, but Byrns kept right on work.
ing. Speaker Longworth used to send
for him regularly and give attentive
ear to his advice His fellow Tennes-
see Representative, Finis Garrett.
leaned heavily upon him when Garrett
was minority leader, as did Garner
when the Texan succeeded to lead
ership Of the minority in 1929.
Craftsmanship of the Appropriations
Committee came as a matter of course
in 1881, as did floor leadership of that
big majority in the hectic sessions Of
the last Congress.
Being floor leader under the gavel-
poundings of the late Speaker Rainey
wasn't exactly play, Byrns asserts. A
lot of legislation went through the
mill in the first two years of the
Roosevelt administration.
And what do you expect to do as
Speaker, Mr.. Byrns?"
He reflects moment.
well, sub, I'll try to keep the boys
workin' as hard as possible!"
And "the boys" who know Joe Byrns
say he'll not only keep them working,
but show them how.