The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-23

While she and her husband were travelling through Europe on their recent honeymoon, MT. Ickes' bu- reau chiefs congratulated them- selves and gloated over the fact that hereafter their telephones would not ring as early as 8 a. rn., or as late as 6 p. m., with the operators curt warning, "Secre- tary Ickes calling"
 Mrs. Ickes, they felt sure, would now see to it that their boss and her husband would lead a more leisurely life.
 Mrs. Ickes, however, has failed them. The Secretary of the In- terior, long known as the hardest working member of the Cabinet, still comes down at exactly 8 a. m. and expects others to be there at the same time. Because they start an hour early, they are supposed to get off an hour early, but since the boss remains at his of- flee until or 6, most of his bu- reau chiefs have to do likewise.
 Mrs. Ickes has achieved one thing, however. She has suc- ceeded in getting her husband to go out to lunch. It used to be a glass of milk and a sandwich at his desk. But now he takes an hour off at noon.
 Occasionally also she stops at the Inetrior Department on the way to shopping tour, peeks through side door, and inter- rupts the Secretary of the In- terior for a moment. Many of his subordinates would not dare beard the lion in his den. She not only gets away with it, but the Secretary of the Interior seems to like it.
 Married Bliss
 In other respects Mrs. Ickes has been no disappointment. In fact, at a picnic given by Interior De- partment officials for the Ickes shortly after their return, she proved just the opposite.
 Jane (her husband pronounccs 1t "Jcan') has auburn hair, deli cate skin, an inclination toward freckles, a contagious smile and charming sense of proprietor ship over her husband.
 Because Ickes looks far younger than he is, and because Jane acts someWhaht older than she is, no one who had not read the papers would consider their ages very far out of line.
 Mrs. Ickes seems to take real delight in mingling with people, and her husband, who never was very social, now is more com- panionable, better humored, and seems to get real kick out of life.
 Hectic Honeymoon
 When you hear the inside story of the Ices honeymoon, you re- alize that Mrs. Ickes is no in- experienced manager.
 She managed to get over to Dublin in advance of the bride groom, and found 8 Presbyterian preacher in that Catholic city.
 The marriage, incidentally, was set for much earlier date, but ran afoul of the Recovery Bill and the delay of Congress in passing it. Since Ickes was to spend most of the Recovery money, he had to stick around until the bill was whipped into final shape.
 Meanwhile his prospective bride was marking time in Dublin, and saying a lot of uncomplimentary things about Congress, government spending and the New Deal in general.
 Finally the bridegroom got away, and his incognito trip across the Atlantic has aroused the admira- tion of other famel travellers such as Montague Norman, head off the Bank of England. who love to voy- age under assumed names but never get away with 1t.
 Ickes travelled under the name of Williams. And only two men. the Captain and purser of the Normandie, which was crowded with tourists, knew who he was. Thousands of peo- pie have visited Ickes to seek PWA funds, millions have seen his picture. But no one on that large ship recognized him.
 President Roosevelt personally arranged for an American vice consul to come to Southampton to handle Ickes' passport. And with the luck that smiles on lovers and bridegrooms, he got by the British newspaper reporters across to Ireland and aboard the train to Dublin.
 He got married the day of his arrival. Even the preacher who performed the ceremony did no know until if waS all ovpr tha f.