Evening star., 1934-01-19
Roosevelt Keeps F. c. Walker
As Trusted sinner CrcIe'' aide
Resignation From Party
Post Submitted to
Push Recovery.
Suffers Business Losses
to Stay at Request
of President.
BY J. RUSSELL YOUNG.

When President Roosevelt two days
ago announced his dtsapproval OF men
high in the councils of the Democratic
party who earn a livelihood In a way
that implied influence at the back door
of the White House. he did not lncluoe
in this category one member OF the
national committee, who two months
ago had seen fit to resign quietly as
national treasurer Of the Democratic
party because of the pressure OF hls
duties as one Of the Presidents rlgnt-
hand men in the Nationwide emer-
gency program.
lawyer and business man, one OF the
real. honest = to goodness, original
Roosevelt for President" men, who
handled the party's finances during the
last campaign, and who has been serv-
ing the President as executive Secre-
tary of the Executive Council, in addi-
ton to being executive director OF the
National Emergency Council.
When Mr Walkers resignation was
announced it was not known that he
had completely abandoned his private
affairs, so as to give his entire time,
unhampered, to his presidential assign
ment. and that during all these months
he had been working in Washington ne
had received not one cent OF pay and
had dug into his own pocket to pay ms
own personal expenses.
Not only has he not received a penny
from the Government, either in the
form of salary or expense money. but
he has at the same time been COM
pelled to see his own private business In
New York suffer by his prolonged alb
sence.
Confidence Retained.
This revelation serves to make 1t
quite plain Just why Franklin Roosevelt
it SO strongly attached to Mr.. Walker
and why he has reposed such un-
bounded confidence in him.
Without ballyhoo, Frank Walker has
been doing what the President person.
ally has described as gigantic Joo ana
one Of the most important in the pres
ent emergency set-up. Walker has
plugged away quietly and effectively:
glorification. He has had no press
agents, nor has he sought the lime
light
His Job really has been trouble man
for the President in connection with
the functioning of the various emer-
gency agencies and chief co-ordinator
of these agencies It has been his deli
cate task to iron out all the differ
ences of opinion among the emergency
and cabinet heads, to bring about CO.
operation. better organization and TO
prevent overlapping Of authority ana
duplication Of effort.
Frank Walker took over this trouble
shooter Job at the insistence OF Presl-
dent Roosevelt very soon after the lat
ter took Office last March and was put
ting his huge emergency program IN
motion.
Task Well Done.
He Joined the Presidents admins
trative forces only with the under
washington for a limited period and
that within the year he might be per-
>mitted to return to his personal affairs.
But, as such things 60. Frank Walker
did his first task. that of trouble
shooter" and co-ordinator. just little
bit too we'll to permit his abandoning
Washington.
When the conflicts and troubles OF
the various emergency agencies hao
been ironed out through the diplomatic
work of this presidential aide, Frank
Walker was then persuaded by the
President to remain on and continue
to help him, by becoming executive sec
retary of the Executive Council. This
council, composed of the President and
his cabinet and the heads of the large
group of emergency agencies, was at
first referred to as the super cabinet
walker was made the executive officer.
with the President as the presiding
ofncer.
there were soon very apparent signs OF
the results of coordination among these
agencies. Then came the need for CO.
ordination of the work being done by
the thousands of local emergency COM
nlittees set up throughout the country
by the Federal emergency agencies.
This resulted In the creation OF the Ma
tional Emergency Council, composed
of certain members of the cabinet and
the heads Of some OF the emergency
agencies, with Walker as executive d.
rector.
Vital Factor in Success.
This latter organization has resulted
in bringing all the State and local COM
mittees under one organization and one
head instead of many organizations and
many heads. This has been looked
upon as one Of the most vital organiza-
ton steps taken by the administration
in its emergency program, and much OF
the credit for the success OF the organ1-
zation work has been given to the
personal brilliancy and tireless efforts
Of Mr.. Walker.
Mr.. walker Is a native Of Pennsyl-
vania, having been born in Plymouth,
May 80, 1886, but he is really product
of the West. His family moved to
Montana when he was only years
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