Evening star., 1934-12-30

ONT bother ABOUT the
- mister Just call me Joe.
There's no frills about
IL me-"
For . quarter Of CEN
tury now, Joseph Wellington Byrns,
the tall Tennessean who's going to be
the next Speaker Of the House, has
been saying that to congressional col
leagues who attempted to go stylish
on him"
So they've been calling him Joe.
From the day, in 1909, when the OBJ
scure Democrat from Nashville, newly
come to the Sixty-first Congress, re-
ceived a freshman place on the OBJ
scure Indian Affairs Committee. to
the day, in 1884, when the nationally
important Democratic floor leader was
doomed for Speaker in the Seventy
third Congress.
Choice Believed Certain.
And it's q safe bet they'll keep on
calling him Joe when he becomes
Speaker, which he's sure to do Just
as soon as Congress is convened next
week.
For he mill continue to be
man of trills. A plain person OF
simple ,Oants, simple ,Cays. this 1ie,D,
near Speaker has long legs, long
arms. Tremendous brows half
hide large, dark eyes.
The angular lines of his frame seem
i'll suited to the soft curves Of his
Southern, drawly voice. He has fire
in his blood, and enjoys q good fight.
But there is no venom in his veins;
he hates a grudge.
well, now, it seems to me-" he
muses. during an interview, that
there's not q bit Of sense in staying
mad. A lot Of the boys here on the
Hill can't 60 along with me on every
thing. And when they can't, I don't
write it down in the little book. No,
sir, I Just tell 'em I'm awful sorry
they can't 60 along. but maybe we
can get together the next time. Seems
sorta sensible to me-"
Easy to talk to- but a little difficult
to interview because his life is no
drama made up of a series Of smash
ing third acts. 1t Is, rather, a pag-
cant, with each scene a bit bigger,
more Colorful.
Born on a farm in Robertson Coun-
ty, Tenn, July 20. 1869, young Joe
went to country school, plowed his
fathers fields; knew neither luxury
nor want. His parents wanted their
six children to get the best schooling
possible That's why they moved on
to Nashville. The farm boy finished
high school in the big city at the age
of II: went on to Vanderbilt Univer-
sity. Joined the Beta Theta Pi Fra
ternity. Which makes him a fra
ternity brother of @. o. P. Minority
Leader Bert Smell.
Got Law Degree.
Because he didn't have much
money he took a short cut to Law
after two years at college. and got his
law degree q month or so before he
was 81.
He started to practice law and had
a devil of a time at first"
When he ,pds z6 he Uent to the
Tennessee Legislature When he
tcds 80 he pas elected speaker OF
the lower house, and he married
Julia Woodward. hometown girl.
He's been defeated but once-in
1902, when he ran for prosecuting at
torney of Nashville a.
Il hate an alibi. especially in poll
tics" he will tell you. Then he'll add:
But ran on a law-enforcement plat
form and I'll always maintain that the
liquor interests and the gambling in
terests Just had me counted out"
! For years his Tennessee district had
been represented at Washington by
John Wesley Gaines, an oratorical
gadfly, who skittered about Congress,
making speeches about anything and
everything. But he was always. re-
elected.
Came q Fateful Day.
Until one turbulent day when Re-
publican got so irritated by his COL