Evening star., 1937-03-25
FOURTH
IN A
SERIES.

G o m m or er Of
ilver-tongued magnetism to millions
Of admirers.
Demanding White House permission
to raise combat division of his own
for service in France before the con-
script army could be made ready was
Rough-riding Teddy Roosevelt.
Jovial William Howard Taft, more
popular and much happier as an ex-
President than as a Chief Executive,
did his bit on various boards, Labors
doughty old warrior, Samuel Gompers,
enlisted the legions Of union working
men for national service.
AL Smith Was Sheriff.
Sheriff Alfred E. Smith was COM
| ing up fast in New York State poll
tics, but the happy warrior with the
brown derby was at yet unknown to
! the Nation al large. Charles Evans
Hughes, who a few months before
had lost his race for the presidency
by a nose, was Americas most dis
tinguished lawyer in private practice.
The mystery man" of that period
was Col. Edward M. House, Wilson's
confidential adviser. Preserving in
scrutable silence, the little gray man
from Texas moved from the White
House to the inner Offices of poten-
tates and statesmen in Europe as the
super ambassador of the President
Newton Baker, little giant of the
Wilson cabinet" was working Is to
18 hours day as Secretary of War.
He rose at all hours of the night to
answer calls of bedside telephone.
William G. McAdoo suave Secretary
Of the Treasury, was directing the
mobilization of billions of dollars for
Uncle Sans war chest.
The name of Herbert Hoover be-
came known in every household be-
cause of his food administration
meatless Tuesdays, wheatless Wednes-
days and war bread. Warren Harding
OF Ohio was just another patriotic
Senator. neither he nor the Nation
dreaming that he would be in the
presidential race in 1920.
Americas Napoleon Of oil, John D.
Rockefeller, sr., was already an old
man, playing golf in Florida. Peace
advocating Henry Ford offered the use
of his plant to the Government with
out profit.
Lodge Fought Pacifist.
Robert M. La Toilette thundered
against war and the munitions makers
who had amassed millions selling
death-dealing instruments to the
allies. Henry Cabot Lodge, Boston
blue blood and aristocrat of the Sen
ates old guard. traded punches with a
pacifist In a corridor of the Capitol
on the day Wilson asked Congress to
declare war.
Calvin Coolidge, as lieutenant gov
ernor of Massachusetts,, was still in
tie minor league Nor were there any
indications then that boyish. aristo-
cratic-born Franklin D. Roosevelt
Assistant Secretary of the Navy,
would become the political thunder
bolt of the 30s.
In the Senate also were hard-boiled
Old Guardsman Boies penrose of
Pennsylvania, -whiskered James
Hamilton Lewis, lustrous in lavender
vest; e-eating "Pitchfolk Ben"
Tillman Of South Carolina, Borah of
Idaho, johnson of California, Norris
Of Nebraska and the young former
cowboy, Ashurst of Arizona.
Ruth Played for Boston.
Fiorello La Guardia was one Of sew
eral members of Congress who enlisted
Tor military service.
Babe Ruth was smoking them over
the plate for the Boston Red Sox and
just beginning to show his prowess as
batter.
Christy MatheWson, his palmy days
as pitcher over, was managing the
Cincinnati Reds, and hardly anybody
had heard Of young fellow just out
OF Notre Dame named Knute Rockne.
Eddie Rickenbacker was a famed
flying ace on the Western front, but
Charles A. Lindbergh was only one
Of thousands of schoolboys who en-
joyed tinkering with the motors of
dilapidated "flivvers"
Will Rogers, an Oklahoma cowboy,
was doing gum chewing, lariat-
throwing act in the MIDNIGHT
Frolics," but Fatty Arbuckle, with his
pie-throwing stunts in the cinema,
was the popular comedian of the day.
Another movie hero, Douglas Fair
banks, sr., demonstrated his patriotism
by selling Liberty bonds from a balus-
trade In Wall street.
Tomorrow-War Machines Then