The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-06-03
NOW
Johnson Home
May Be Shrine
MORE DUELS?
BY HELEN ESSARY

The Tennessee homestead OF
Andrew johnson, who rose from
o tailor's apprenticeship to the
Presidency Of the United States,
may some day soon become a
national shrine.
Representative B. Carroll
Reece OF Tennessee has intro
duced in Congress a bill asking
the Government to buy the
homestead at Greeneville, to re-
store it and make it a national
memorial.
Margaret johnson Patterson,
great-granddaughter of Presi.
dent johnson, and her mother,
Mrs. Andrew johnson Patter.
son, are in Washington now,
answering the questions of An
drew johnson enthusiasts.
The house is a friendly old
house, rambling with turrets
and porches under big trees.
The tailor shop where Andrew
johnson sewed his fine seams
and dreamed of a future has
been enclosed in a brick build
ing by the State of Tennessee.
For most of the years since
the Civil War, Andrew John
son, the Reconstruction Presi-
dent, has been criticized more
often than praised.
Recently, however, his career
has been studied with judgment
free of sectional prejudice, and
he has been given place among
the great Presidents.
His career makes the story of
the Rover Boys uneventful and
stupid. AS a runaway tailor ap-
prentice from South Carolina,
Andrew johnson travelled across
the Blue Ridge Mountains in a
covered wagon drawn by a blind
pony and asked for work in
Greeneville. Ambitious. perse-
vering, he somehow got a job.
He never went to school for
even one day. After his wife
had taught him to read and
write, he studied like a beaver
and became a lawyer, an alder
man, mayor of Greeneville, gov.
erpor of Tennessee, brigadier
general in the Union Army, and
Vice President of the United
States. At the homestead An
drew johnson expected one day
to establish a second West Point.
Andrew johnson Patterson,
father of the pretty Miss Pat
terson who is so interested in
making the homestead a ma
tional shrine, lived in the White
House. His mother was Presi-
dent Johnson's daughter and
hostess.
It was for his childish enter
tainment that the Easter egg
rolling was started in the White
House gardens. Andrew John
son Patterson rolled the first
egg in White House history!
Perhaps it was "the horse
and buggy days" of Andrew
johnson that President Roose-
welt was thinking of when he
spoke Of the Supreme Courts
NRA decision.
Now that we are on our
national way backwards we
might even revert to duelism.
Just across the Chain Bridge is
the famous dueling ground
where John Randolph (his
birthday was Sunday and
Henry Clay fought.
We know of several public
gentlemen who might like to
take, at least, a pot shot at
each other.
Soon Mariner Eccles, governor
of the Federal Reserve Board,
will have to travel as far as
Utah when he wants to see for
himself how his family is get
ting along.
Mrs. Eccles is returning to
her Western home within a few
days. The Washington climate
has not agreed with her. In
Utah she lives in Ogden, a de-
lightful mountain town.
Mr.. and Mrs. Eccles have
lived quietly in Washington.
They have taken practically
no part in social washington.
Mrs. Eccles. who is quite pretty
and awfully nice. has avoided
most of the daShing about that
many official women feel i'm
portant.
Father and son professional
and business associations are
common. Here's a new idea-a
father and daughter combina-
ton in the practice of law.
Beatrice A. Clephane is di-
rector of the legal aide bureau
of Clephane and Latimer. She
provides counsel for those with
out funds.
Senator Arthur Vandenberg,
Republican presidential hopeful,
and Senator Harry Byrd, prickly
anti-New Dealer, celebrated the
death Of the NRA by appearing
in the Senate'S first al-white
suits of the season. :. John
Ra f.r1rHonra annur aalan co "A t1Ir re-.