Evening star., 1936-07-26
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Wnen Representative William j. Gran
field of Springfield, Mass, was sworn in
as District Court justice on Wednesday
after unanimous confirmation by the
executive council, it automatically re-
moved from Congress one of the ableSt
and best regarded young Democratic
members, and probably means election
OF Republican successor. Granfield
was the only Democrat ever elected from
that district, which was represented in
Congress for 38 years by Frederick H.
Gillett, part of that time Speaker and
then Senator.
Granfield worked his way up from
waterboy in the local railroad shops He
was base ball star at Notre Dame Uni
versity and later played in the big
league. When he won advancement in
politics he remembered" his boyhood
playmates and was always jealous to get
them good positions. In recent years he
has been interested in show horses and
maintained stable that won many sill
yer cups and blue ribbons. These horses
were shown by his daughter and son,
Billy, jr'
The new Judge is admired among
those who know him best, especially on
account of his devotion to his three
motherless children. 1t was largely on
account Of them that he sought release
from congressional duties When Con-
gress was in session he made the trip
to Springfield to be with them over
each week end, and when on duty here
telephoned them Good might" regularly.
Granf1eld was member Of the Ap-
propriations Committee and chairman
of the Special Committee to Investigate
Campaign Expenditures.
Washington has a female Young
Democrat, who is going to fly her own
plane to New York to vote for the re-
election of President Roosevelt. This
is Mrs. Mary Ford Murray, 78 years of
age. who, with her son, DR.. Vance
Murray of the Public Health Service,
has been awaiting around for years in
her own plane into Alaska and across
Japan and other far places.
She is a direct descendant Of the
widow Ford" who with her four chill
dren landed in the country from the ship
Fortuna in 1921, and settled at Marsh
field, Mass She is an aunt of Capt.
James DOrsay Murray. late of the Royal
Artillery. Staff Field Marshal Allenby,
Palestine.
The first resident commissioner to the
United States, under the Tydings-
McDuffle law, appointed by Manuel L.
Quezon, first President of the Common
wealth of the Philippines. is Quintin
ParedeS-a nationalist. jurist, professor,
criminologist, political leader, legislator
and the father of 10 children, all liv-
ing. His early education was received
in school founded and directed by his
father. He was admitted to the bar in
1907 before he graduated from law
school. He is an outstanding example of
the progressive development of the young
men in political life in these islands.
He was first appointed fourth prosecut-
ing attorney and in five years worked
up to first Filipino prosecuting attorney,
professor Of law, criminologiSt, dean of
the law school from which he graduated,
solicitor general, attorney general, secre-
tary Of justice, nominated by President
Wilson associate justice of the Supreme
Court, major and later colonel of the
Philippine National Guard, Judge advo-
cate general, member of the first par
liamentary mission to the United States,
admitted to practice before the Supreme
Court Of the United States, and the
United States District Court in China,
twice elected Speaker of the Philippine
House of Representatives. holding that
position until Inauguration of the new
Commonwealth.
Recall the famous old poem, "The
Calf Path?
Thirty-five years ago. in the Colorado
General Assembly, a young legislator
John A. Martin-introduced the first
bill Of its kind, containing small begin
nings Of security for the aged and the
sick and dependent mothers and chill
dren. He made q speech based on the
old poem-the moral being that while
thoroughfare we still had only q calf
path civilization through the woods In
the matter Of caring for those who could
not provide for themselves. The bill
was defeated, because, as the author ex-
plains today, "Old-age pensions were
not then. as now. a popular political fad,
q springboard into public Office for per-
sons who have never in their lives raised
their hands for any underprivileged
class"
The young legislator later served in
two Congresses, retired voluntarily. but
Is back again after a 20year legislative
vacation. During the interim he prac-
ticed law and recruited volunteer bat
talon in the World War. As member
of the last two Congresses he has helped
TO enact social security legislation. "And
still we are only in the dawn" he says,
"of the movement to remove the shadow
Of the greatest fear in the heart OF
humanity-the fear Of an Impoverished
old age"