The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-26

This Is the last Of three articles on
Robert Jackson. spokesman for the Treas
ury Department on the tax program
against concentrated wealth
By ripps-Hoicard Newspaper Alliance
WASHINGTON. Aug. 26.-When
confirmation Of the nomination of
Robert H. Jackson as general
counsel TO the Internal Revenue
Bureau was held up temporarily in
the Senate early last year Robert
F. Wagner. United States Senator
from New York. said ne did not
know Mr.. Jackson.
Great throngs throughout the
country found themselves lacking
this same privilege last week. and
regretting it when Mr.. Jackson
came into sudden and full promi-
nence as public expounder Of the
Administrations tax policies against
the wealthy.
President Roosevelt. who named
Mr. Jackson 20 the State Commits
sion on the Administration of JUS
tice when he was Governor, and
Governor Herbert Lehman are
among those who know and appre-
ciate the young attorneys capabili-
ties and who think highly Of him.
When 1t was reported on May
that Mr.. Lehman would retire in
1886, Mr.. Jackson was among the
few mentioned by the informed as
a possible Democratic candidate 10
make the fight to succeed him.
That's a 1886 bridge" Mr.. jack
son said with flnahty when he was
told in Washington OF the report.
Robert Jackson, born Feb. 13,
1892. in Sugar Creek Township,
Warren County, Pa. and taken at
an early age to a new home in
Frewsburg, followed the political
faith of his father. the late William
Eldred Jackson, lumberman, and be-
came a Democrat.
Independent" Democrat
From the start he classified his
political allegiance as an ''independ-
ent Democrat" He has not been
known to bolt his party IN any seri-
Gus way, but he was never content
to conhne himself to routine party
boundaries.
His Democratic tendencies in the
Overwhelmingly Republican terri
tory of his home county, Chautau-
qua. were bolstered by Frank H.
Mott. his legal associate and Demo-
cratic candidate for Secretary Of
New York state during the turbu-
lent days OF David B. Gill, bitter
rival of Grover Cleveland.
In one early Democratic cam
paign Mr.. Jackson was accompanied
on the stump by a black-haired
yound lady with flashing eyes, Irene
Alice Gerhardt of Albany, who
CHANGED to be visiting friends in
jamestown, Mr.. Jackson's home
community. She found his elo-
quence convincing. They were mar
RED April "a, 1916
Clubs Bar Closed
During prohibition the question
whether the practice Of serving
LIQUOR in the rooms Of a club OF
which Mr.. jackson was a member
became an issue in an annual preSl-
dental election.
Believing easy-going Mr.. Jackson
would wink and look the other way,
he was drafted as a candidate by
a majority Of the members. This
despite his constant warning that
the bar would be closed tight II
he were elected. He would serve
drink in his own home, but when
it came to a public place, they were
advised. he would be forced to OBJ
serve the existing law. They
chuckled at his wit, elected him.
The bar was closed tight.
A leader in the state and local
bar associations, Mr.. Jackson once
was elected president of the James
town group to succeed a genial gen.
tIeman who had held the Office for
u consecutive years.
Breaks Precedent
In each Of these u years the
president had given a dinner and
after the dinner, when the smoke
of good cigars cleared away, he
was reelected. Mr.. Jackson changed
this custom. announcing that in the
future every one would buy his own
dinner and the presidency would
turn over every year. 1t still goes.
His home town Of jamestown has
a sewage disposal plant, indirectly
because Of his sagacity. He once
took one Of his favorite cases, the
defense of a citizen without lnf1u-
ence and facing powerful antago-
nism. An epidemic Of typhoid broke
out in the city. The city forbade
a small dairyman TO bring his milk
into the community, holding the
typhoid germs had come from the
COWS.
Mr.. Jackson found that the farm
er's herd watered at Cassaoaga
Greek. He had hunted along the
stream for years and knew that the
citv empted its sewage into 1t. He
BROUGHT suit against the city for
noIrItion of the CaSsadaga, charg-
ing that the COWS had been injected
with the typhoid germs through
the direct fault of the city.
CITY experts swore typhoid germs
Germs coul6. not be transmitted IN
Could not be transmitted n this
wav. Mr.. Jacgson's client got
poSal plant.