The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-06-25
JOHNSON, NEW WAR OFFICIAL,
BELIEVER IN PREPAREDNESS
BY T. A. HUNTLEY
"A strong man well armed

keepeth his palace in peace"
Washington and the country at
large may expect to hear that
Biblical quotation often in the
next few years.
From the Gospel Of Luke, it is
a favorite of the new Assistant
Secretary of War, Louis A. John
son, of Clarksburg, w. Va.
Although he will not be sworn
In until Monday morning, his ut
terances as a private citizen and
as national commander of the
American Legion from 1882 to
1888 show him to be one of the
most persistent protagonists of
preparedness in the country - a
man who, having seen war as an
overseas soldier with the A. E. F.,
wants the United States to be SO
strong and so we'll prepared it
will not be drawn into another.
No "SmalI Town" Man
A small-town lawyer, as towns
go, the new Assistant Secretary is
not of small caliber mentally,
physically, professionally, polit-
ically or as soldier.
Mentally and professionally he
rates high, being known as one
of the best lawyers in West Vir-
GINA, and a member of one of its
leading law firms - Steptoe and
johnson.
Physically he stands we'll over
six feet. He is built proportion
ately.
His political stature is sug
geSted by his record: He was a
former commander of the Legion,
one-time floor leader of the West
Virginia House of Representatives
at the age of Ozone of the young.
est men ever to occupy that post.
Was With A. E..
He gave up what appeared to be
a promising political career at that
time, in 1917, to go to France with
the A. E. F. Had he stayed behind,
he might have gone straight on to
the governorShip or United
States Senatorship. But--Such are
the ways of politics and politicians
he may, on the other hand, have
lost nothing by going, for he is in
a better position now to step from
his new post into one of the two
highest offices in the gift of his
State, if he should choose to run.
In 1924 he was one of the man
ayers of the pre-convention cam
paign which made John w. Davis,
of West Virginia, the Democratic
presidential nominee of that year
in the longest political convention
in history-on the 103d ballot of
the Madison Square Garden con-
vention in which the friends Of Al
Smith and William G.. McAdoo be-
came so embittered.
Year in Trenches
A captain of infantry overseas,
the new Assistant Secretary of
War was made a commander of
the French Legion of Honor. After
a year in the trenches, he returned
to the United States to resume the
practice of law.
Louis johnson is a Virginia
gentleman, born in Roanoke,
graduate of the University of Vir-
ginia, a Delta Chi, Delta Sigma
Rho, a Raven. Mason, Elk, EpiSco-
palian, Rotarian, and member of
the Metropolitan and Army and
Navy Clubs of washington, among
others.
The young law graduate from
Roanoke found himself in familiar
and homelike surroundings and in
a hospitable atmosphere when he
settled in ClakSburg.
Business came to Clarksburg-
the railroad, the utilities, coal, oil,
gas, manufacturing. The indus
tries needed good lawyers to look
after their local interests. In John
sons firm they found the best.
He has been successful beyond the
dreams of most lawyers in the
smaller communities of the coun-
try.
Strong for Defense
AS for his views, as far back as
1882, he was saying such things
as this, from an address delivered
at the Tomb of the Unknown Sol.
der:
Greed is as old as humanity.
II allowed to expand, its might
assumes the cloak of right. Its
control demands alertnesS. The