Evening star., 1939-12-03
Marshall Field III, Ex:Playb0y
Heir Takes His Mutillons Into Problems of Sociology
By John


Jokes tnat Marshall Field III was hob
nobbing with neglected Negro waits when
he was supposed to be hiding from pub
licity occasioned by his receipt Of the
latest instalment on his fortune, the
biggest personal fortune in America ex-
cept for Henry Ford's.
1t was on September %, 1898, that Mr.
Field reached his 45th birthday and au-
tomatically became entitled to the ac-
crued interest on the estate of his grand
father, which usually is estimated at
$500,000,000, but actually is worth
100000, 900.
1t was in October of that year that he
set out to study conditions of homeless
children in New York to see what he
could do about them-and proceeded to
amaze old-timers in social work by doing
the things they always had told them
selves they would do If they had mil
lion"
Thus he would have been fair game for
any inquiring reporter when he visited
the Home for Negro Problem Children
near Kingston, N. Y, in company with
attractive young Judge Justine Wise Po-
her of the Children's Court.
Made Playhouse Possible.
AS they grow up these colored children
may learn that the square -shouldered.
CRAVING, steel-eyed Mr. Field who visited
them was Marshall Field III, grandson
of the Chicago merchant prince and one
of the richest men in the world, and that
it was he who made their playhouse pos
sible.
No reporter thought of looking for Mr..
Field at the farm. The Marshall Field
the reporters we're looking for was rich
playboy who wouldn't bother with the
problems of poor kids. His career, as
they had seen it, had been made up
chiefly of three marriages and two di-
vorces, . lot of money, horses and race
tracks, polo games, airplanes and hunt
ing parties.
That was natural enough. It's hard
to keep track of fellow when he hasn't
been interviewed for more than 80 years.
The last time Mr.. Field was quoted in an
interview was at the age of IL.
That was few years after his father
died and left him as heir to the major
part of the money Grandfather Field had
accumulated from the Marshall Field De-
partment Store and the Lake Michigan
shore mud on which Chicago's business
district stands.
Didn't Want it Then.
Il don't want it," the lad said when
reporter asked him about the fortune
then. I'D rather not have it,"
Whether he wanted it or not, the
money was his. He didn't need to worry
about earning his living for the rest of his
life, so he spent the income lavishly as
he grew up.
He Travelled in Europe, and kept
hunting box in England. He bought
expensive race horses, and rode often
to the hounds on less expensive ones,
falling off on an average of twice week.
He played polo. He cracked up an air
plane or two. He flew to Africa to hunt
lions as a honeymoon stunt. He sailed
costly boats and Travelled on luxury ex-
petitions into the jungles. He gave
each of his first two wives a breath
taking cash settlement at the time of
his divorces. Wife No. also kept his
$4,000 900 home on Park avenue.
His grandfather's philanthropies had
been comparatively small. His father
died too early to develop program of
benef1cences. People began to wonder
whether the third Marshall Field was
going to follow the precedent and make
the fortune sterile thing as far as COM
munity benefit was concerned.
Dared to Fight.
Carl Sandburg expressed the feeling of
a large part of the country when he said,
the World War:
HE is physically and mentally sort
of nobody who travels on his grand
fathers name and money"
The feeling was not limited to Amer
ica The German cracked:
If one is born Marshall Field, one
has a certain obligation. And also a
chance of becoming field marshal. ANY,
way, he is not likely to have to bleed
anything but money"
Mr.. Field fooled them all. He enlisted
in the Illinois Cavalry just squeaking
by the physical exams because of rheu-
matte fever that almost killed him when
he was younger. He went into action
with the 33rd Field Artillery. Guns he
commanded played critical role in
turning back a German counter attack
at Verdun in 1918. He came out Of the
war a captain, decorated for gallantry.
After that, there was no longer reason
to question Mr.. Fields courage. But he
continued to be criticized for his pre-
occupation with horses and hunting.
Even today some of the more serious
minded of his friends complain he can't
be found in his office the latter half Of
the week during the opening weeks of
pheasant shooting season.
They DON'T Of course, complain to him.
Enjoys Life.
If they did, it would make no differ
ence, for Field makes no effort to min
imize the enjoyment he gets from watch
ing the races, flushing game birds, or
tipping over Long Island Sound in his
speedy S-boat.
As q matter of fact, he would rather
have people know about the time and
money he spends On sport than about