The Washington times., 1934-09-21

gift for useful
social service, Helen EHsary
and an enthusiasm for people.
Not a bad combination, when
you think the matter over.
In Southern California. where
she was Lucretia del Vale, her
family was of the old Spanish
aristocracy and lived, as they
still do, at the Camulos Rancho.
This was the romantic place
Helen Hunt Jackson, the novel;
list, used as a setting for "Ra-
mona"
In its early days when suffrage
wasn't generally regarded as be
coming to women" Mrs. Grady
was quite earnest about the
cause. An amateur actress OF
ability. she risked an environ
ment in which acting was re-
Rarded as daring, and created
the leading role in John Stevens
McGroarty's famous mission
play.
Naturally, with such a person
atty, she married a college pro-
fessor. Just as they do in story
books. Her husband, the dignl-
fled Dean Grady of the College
of Commerce of the University
of California, recently brought
her to washington, where he
will be working this winter in his
new role of special adviser to
the Secretary of State on foreign
trade agreements. The four
Grady children have come along
too, and are settled with their
interesting parents in wesley
Heights.
Mrs. Grady is not only an
exciting person. She is serious
and practical. Last year in Cali
fornia she was on tWenty-slx
boards. (She thinks now that
twenty7six were probably too
many.) Her particular achieve
ment was the Inauguration OF
the barter system in her home
town Of Berkeley in the early
days of the business slump.
The barter system was a
revival of the ancient custom of
barter and trade. People traded
abilities and such supplies as
they had the. most of, instead
Of money. For instance, dress
maker made clothes for the
family of an orange orchardist.
A grocer exchanged his stock
for shoes.
So successful was the expert
ment brought on by tragic
necessity that it is now COM
mercially recognized and is be-
ing developed into permanent
method of exchange.
Did forget to say that Mrs.
Grady is original and indie
pendent and very charming.
Il mean the last word this
time) and that she will be one
Of the most interesting figures
in Washington life? Or that
she has lived in strange foreign
places-in Mexico, where her
father was ambassador under
Woodrow Wilson: in France,
England, and Denmark, where
her husband was foreign trade
advisor? Or that in Southern
California Mrs. Grady is known
everywhere and spoken of in
public and among her friends as
"Lucretia"?
A powerful Southern cotton
manufacturer who is standing
firm against strikers really
shouldn't be coy. Unless he is
just naturally born that way.
Strike Leader German, who
has set up textile strike head
quarters in Washington, has a
letter sent out by an important
Southern manufacturer to his
workers, which he regards as a
pretty swell indication of what
q mill hand has to endure.
Each letter states that those
who do not sign and return in
closed post card by Wednesday
will be regarded "aS having quit
the mill" However, any worker
wishing medical aid should come
to the owner personally for
help. AS the finishing note of
patriarchal interest, the manu-
facturer signs himself in every
letter,
"AffectiOnateIy yours"
Avery Coonley (very NRA),
who is to have an important
part in advising the manufac-
turers of dresses, millinery and
trimmings how to deal with
such elusive villains as style
pirates, at a hearing on August
26, is descended from the gen.
tleman named avery" whom
MaXfield Parrish put at the
head Of his fascinating book on
"Pirates."