The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-13
Soldier, Lawyer, Manufacturer and
Now COlumnist-That'S Gen. johnson

DACK in the days when the
II NRA was a-borning. Gen.
Hugh Samuel Johnson rode the
vhirlwind He tore through
masses Of red tape to leave them
in ribbons. His booming voice,
jutting jaw. military figure, made
him a striking parsonage. He was
the dominating. fighting. inspiring
National Recovery Administrator.
He worked steadily 10 hours a
day. leaped from city to city in
airplanes. threatened 70 crack
down on business men who would
not fall in line. He was as en-
ergetic as a dynamo and he
brought frightened and weary
people who long had taken the de-
preston lying down suddenly to
their feet.
They stared in amazement at
this astounding person with the
wind-tanned face and the power
ful shoulders who seemed ready TO
lift them bodily out Of their
troubles.
Gen. johnson is listed in Who's
Who as soldier, lawyer. manu-
facturer. Now he becomes a
newspaper man, writing a daily
column on top Of the news. The
column will appear exclusively in
The Indianapolis Times beginning
tomorrow. He is 53-born in Fort
Scott. Kans., on Aug. 5. 1882. In
his army days they called him
fluffy" He wore his hat cooked
to one side, spoke from the corner
of his mouth, roared his orders.
And when he wrote books for
boys, principally about soldiers
and adventures, ne showed the
sentimental side of his character,
for his heroes were gallant young
Galahads talking in slang.
THE General was born Of old
II pioneering stock on an Amer
lean frontier amid Indians and
buffaloes. Fl. Scott moved in an
atmosphere of bugle calls to boots
and saddles when blue-clad cav
airy riders were summoned to
chase redskins.
His father, Of North Irish stock,
was named Johnston. He went to
Kansas from Illinois, where he
had practiced law without success.
Eventually he dropped the 1t"
from his name. From Kansas the
elder johnson moved to Oklahoma
Territory where he had been ap-
pointed postmaster in the town of
Alva. The General clearly remem-
bers journeying by covered wagon
the area he now often spans in
airplanes.
The boy lived among Cherokees,
Choctaws and Comanches. He
rode horseback and hunted on the
prairies. During the Spanish War
he ran away to enlist with the
Rough Riders, but his father col
Jared the 16-year-old truant and
brought him home. After a while
he entered West Point and, a
stocky. pugnacious fellow, he was
singled out for special hazing. He
terrorized his tormentors instead.
Graduating from the military
college, he was assigned to the
First Cavalry at Fl. Clark, Tex.
The post was monotonous for
him. At West Point he had met
Helen. daughter of Col. H. S. Kill
bourne. Early in 1905 he married
her and one son was born to them,
named Kilbourne. At the time of
the San Francisco earthquake his
troop was rushed to the scene to
care for refugees. Early in 1907
he went to the Philippines for
further duty.
THEY tell an interesting story
Il about the Generals way Of
dealing with his men. Once, an
gry at a private brought before
him. he walked up and down his
Office, his eyes blazing, his voice
roaring. Suddenly he stopped.
Out of the corner of his mouth
he said: You got the right idea
but the wrong methods. Go on
back and I'll make a good soldier
out of you vet"
And all this while he wrote sto-
ries for sentimental, heroic
stories that boys loved. Month by
month his writings appeared in
such magazines as Scribner's,
Everybody's. Century. Golfers,
Hampton's and Sunset.
Returning from the Philippines
to the United States in 1909 he
had various army posts. but Gen.
Crowder advised him in 1914 to
enter the legal department of the
Army. where young men with
brains were in demand. Young
johnson got an appointment to
study law at the University OF
California and applied himself
vigorously. In Is months he COM
pleted with highest honors a
course normally taking three years,
gaining both an A. B. and j. d.
degrees.
Later that year. 1916, Gen. John
j. PerShing started into Mexico
after Villa and First Lieut.. john
son went along as judge advocate