Evening star., 1936-05-23
Headline Foil,
and What
They Do
Swagar Sherley to Have
Big Role in Fashioning
Democrat Planks.
BY LEMUEL y. PARTON,


,THE elang Of the platform ham.
mers u heard In the land.
Swagar Sherley, one of the best
at this seasonal trade, is ex.
pected to head the Democratic Journey
men. Four years ago, he was dragged
from political retirement to fashion a
few pla1ks He was Kentucky Rep
resentative for 10 years, studious, fluent,
skilled In Strengthening out tangles Of
law and policy. He was known as q
great reconciler and dove taller, good
at mortising and joining.
Mr.. Swagar's views 80 years ago may
or may not be pertinent TO what he
will work into the Democratic platform.
but they do accentuate the shift Of
party doctrine on States rights. Here's
Mr.. Sherley. the Democrat. making IN
eloquent speech in Congress, April 10,
1906:
u believe it was intended that the
individual States of America should be
sovereign States. keeping at home
among the people 90 per cent of the
things that affect life, liberty and
property. believe that the safety of
the country lies In keeping such things
at home"
That. OF course. would At L.. better
at Cleveland than Philadelphia. But,
a. the old German pyoverb puts 1t. we
learn to skate in the Summer time and
swim IN the Winter time and perhaps
In the years Of his retirement-iels
to l932-Mr. Sherley changed his
views. 1t would be easy. of course. to
cite many similar turn-abouts among
Republican orators.
Big, tall, reddish haired svapsr
Sherley probably dog whipped more
great appropriations through the
House than any other Representative
as chairman Of the Appropriations
Committee in the war years. His
career was sharply In the ascendant
when ne was swept out In the back
wash of the war, In 1918.
During the Wilson administratjc,
ne formed warm friendship VI,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, young Ascis
ant Secretary of the Navy, and Mr.
Roosevelt, as President, lost no time
IN summoning Mr.. Sherley to his
councils. He was mentioned for .
haf dozen cabinet posts and sever
Amhassadorships, but, possibly frc
MS own choosing, none of the pre6i,.
TONS came through and he retur,,
10 his law practice at Louisville al
Washington
When Mr.. Roosevelt rediscoyere l
him, most of the papers misspelJ,d
nus name-such is fame. Now 81, he
was born Joseph Swagar Sherley, br,
ne dropped the Joseph. to string il
wlth such attention-getting Southe- a
names as South Trimble, Ollie jaime
Ruby Lafioon and Crepps Beckmsp.
Southern political nomenclature il
interesting, by the way, diselosiry
something like genius in its fashion.
ing.
Before this gets into print Gov.
Lehman may be persuaded to chan,
his mind about retiring, but whi'c
the pot is still boiling there is muc.l
talk OF Representative James M. Me-.
as an ideal andidate-possibly b.
cause he lives at 70 Ideal street. Buff
talo. Several times in the past II
has been considered as q candidate.
out refused to consider the nom
nation SO long as Gov. Lehman va
in the field.
Mr.. Mead, at So, Is the best bate
ball player in Congress, and a resulsy
member of the Congressional ball
club. In his youth he advanced fron,
sano-iotter to semi-pro and, finally,
professional, status, with the Niagara
rails club OF the International Leazu.
and with other clubs. He was and
still Is q crack outfielder and fir
baseman. He was a Capitol police
man in Washington before going to
Congress In 1873 As chairman of
the Post Once Committee he was on.
OF the leaders in the drive again
former Postmaster General Walter /.
Brown two years ago and was tie
author OF the later airmail bill.
Tristan Bernard, leading Frent,
playwright, known as the Mark Twain
of France" is here for q few days
visit. M. Bernard. president of the
French Society OF Dramatists, authors
and composers. used to enjoy the dis-
tinction of having produced the big.
gest beard and the shortest play in
France. The beard was 10 inches
long Tor thereaboutsD and the play
had exactly 10 words Of dialogue.
He started his career rs the editor
Of q bicycle journal. branching cut
In other trade publications. His first
play, produced Al years ago, was a
hit and he has since written abou.
40 more. He lists his recreations al
poker, philanthropy and book collect.
ing. he Is the town wit of Paris
Copyright. 1884