The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-11

For four years he was the main- stay of the Labor Department and the Presidents ace trouble shooter. In that role he travelled 185,000 miles by plane, and settled labor disputes in every line of ins dustry from the making of needles to the building of battleships. He worked nights, Sundays and holi- days. His only vacation was 8 five-day ocean cruise that he took with a grandson as reward for the youngsters winning of @ scholarship.
 Quite as remarkable as this extraordinary record of unstinting labor and notable achievement was McGardy's modesty, and his loyalty ito his nominal superior, Secretary Frances Perkins.
 Miss Perkins is far from the easiest person in the world to get along with. Secretive and suspicious, she Is very jealous of her official eminence. When she took office she baked for months at accepting Mc0rady, for fear he would overshadow her. It was only after General Johnson made him labor adviser of the NRA and McGrady demonstrated his remarkable talents as concilia- tor that she asked the President to transfer him to her depart ment.
 Perkins vs. McGrady
 Weeks often went by without direct communication between Miss Perkins and McGrady. On the several occasions that she personally attempted to cope with a labor conflict, she carefully kept him out of the picture-to her sorrow. In no instance has she settled a strike by herself.
 Yet, never by a word or act did McGrady show impatience or re- sentiment or seek the credit due him. Once, after Miss Perkins had haughtily rejected a sugges- ton by McGrady-which he made ct the request of @ White House adviser--a colleague rennonstrated with him at his forhearance.
 q wouldn't stand for such treatment, Ed," he said, "every- body knows you are carrying the load of the department"
 T am working for Franklin Roosevelt" McGrady replied quietly. "He has to stand for . lot and I guess I can too" FDR DevOtee.
 Only e few of McGrady's clos- est friends know 1t, but he was all set to quit last December.
 He received an extremely at- tractive business offer last sum- mer, but he would not leave in the midst of bitter election fight. The proposal was renewed after the election, and McGrady informed the President he felt he owed 1t to his family to acc cept.
 "I can't make any argument against that, Ed," Roosevelt said, "but I need you badly. I wish you would stay until Che coming session of Congress Is over. I have . number of things that have to be done, and you are the only one who can do them"
 Without hesitation Mc0rady turned down the job, which would have paid him more than twice his salary from the government, and remained until Congress ad- journed.
 Poverty to Fame.
 McGrady began life 65 years ago in a slum section of Boston. His father was Q day laborer, and the family of six lived in three small tenement rooms that lacked light and running water.
 At the age of 9 McGrady went to work as a newsboy. There fol- lowed a variety of jobs-pinboy in Q bowling alley, telegraph mes- senger, bellhop, mill hand. Then he became an apprentice press- man on 6OSVOn HeWSpdpSE' Simultaneously, he joined the pressmen's union and began his long career in the labor move- ment.
 He also took a lively interest in politics, served several terms on the Boston city council and in the Massachusett legislature When he was 40 years old, Me- Grady was elected president of the Web Pressmens Union and held this post until 1919. Tn that year the late Samuel Gompers summoned him to Washington to become head of the legislative bu- reau of the American Federation of Labor.
 In this job he began his work as a conciliator. His experiences would fill a large volume with exciting stories.
 On one occasion, while at-