Evening star., 1934-09-09

at breakfast, lunCn ana Qlnner. Ana,
of course, he was invariably invited
to make a few remarks at all these
affairs.
Speaking Offhand Natural.
Speaking comes easy to him. He
never feels nervous before beginning
his talks, and he would rather speak
extemporaneously than read his
speeches. He reads the most impor-
tant ones, however, for he feels that
in his position-regarded as Spokes-
man for the administration-hem must
be careful what he says. There is al
ways the chance. when he mentions
the good work of Bill LONESOME of
the leading local party workers or
officials-that he may forget to men
ton what John Brown has been do
ing for his country and his party.
And. in addition to this, he wishes
to be quoted correctly in what he
says about the Roosevelt New Deal
and political situations.
So he reads a great many of his
speeches. Usually they are localized,
dealing with the past history of the
State and city which he is visiting.
He goes carefully over all his ad-
dresses before he makes them. Of
course, no Postmaster General or any
one else could write all the details of
all these speeches. He wouldn't have
time to do anything else. But as
chairman of the Democratic National
Committee he is in a position to
get help when he needs it in prepar-
ing the substance of some, of these
speeches.
BY no means all of his speeches
are political. Many of them are on
the occasion of dedicating new post
offices. Others are to postal employees.
Some are made to business and COM
mercial organizations. But the great
majority of them have political
| flavor.
One Of his great troubles is In de-
clining invitations to speak. He is
good -natured, and, like the girl who
was frequently kissed, doesn't know
how to say no" But he does manage
to refuse many of the invitations that
come to him, for the very good reason
that there is no time left on his
schedule.
Another of Chairman Farley's jobs
which goes along with his travelling
| and his speech-making is writing let
tiers. He has probably written more
personal letters to more thousands
of men and women i'll this country
than any one in history, although he
has been at it only two or three years.
All the leading party workers in all
the States have heard from him by
letter, and hundreds who do not claim
to be leaders.
Wide Personal Acquaintance.
The upshot of all this travelling and
talking and meeting people and writ
ing to them is that Mr.. Farley is
known personally to more thousands
of persons than any other man CT
women in the country, not excepting
the President or Mrs. Roosevelt. He
remembers faces and names. Now
and then when he meets in Kansas
City a man he has known in Chicago
he is momentarily at a loss. But he
! usually gets back on the right track
in few seconds.
This personal contact with all these
people-many of them the leaders of
the Democratic party-and the fact
that he likes them and they like him
is a great asset to the chairman of
the National Committee. And be-
cause of that, great asset to the
Democratic national organization.
There is little wonder that the Presi-
dent has kept Mr.. Farley on the
job of national chairman despite the
fact so many members of the National
Committee, who also hold public Office,
have been made to understand that the
administration believes they should quit
membership in the National Commit
tee or their governmental Office. No
other national chairman who might
be appointed would have the knowl-
edge or the contacts that Mr.. Farley
has acquired. When the question of
Mr.. Farley's stepping out of the
Craftsmanship has been agitated in
the newspapers, members of the COM
mittee have protested vigorously. He
happens to be also chairman of the
State Democratic Committee and he
said that he will take himself out
of that job, at least. But, notwith-
standing this statement, the chances
are that he will be compelled to hold
as State chairman during the present
gubernatorial campaign.
Some Embarrassment.
It's a bit embarrassing for Mr..
Farley when other cabinet officers,
Secretary Morgenthau, for example,
insist that members of the Demo-
cratic National Committee and State
chairmen, who hold Federal office un-
der their departments, shall give up
their political jobs. But this is a mat
ter which Mr.. Farley believes is en-
tirely within the pleasure of President
Roosevelt. If and when the Presi-
dent believes that Mr.. Farley can be
spared from running the Democratic
organization, then he will step out.
Certainly there has been no sign of
any such move.
There is one thing that makes it
lot easier for Mr.. Farley to lead
the strenuous life and to jump from
city to city. He never takes a drink
This fact has become generally known
to his thousands of friends and they
don't press him to have cocktail
or a highball any more
81 like people" said Mr.. Farley.
He might have added that the
liking isn't all one-sided.
People like him.