The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-04-14
WHO'S
. NEWS
THIS

By LEMUEL F. PARTON

NJ EW YOHk.-JuSt year ago,
~ Will H. Hays noted a possibly
regrettable tendency Of the movies
toward "escapism." This led to
Billy Hays Now f he was sue.
"A Matter of cumbing to the
Ec.s E,,J.c,or:.x verbal enchant-
49, ments of the
Hollywood intelligentsia. That all
blew over, but here is Mr.. Hays
today frankly proclaiming himself
eudemonist. Our somewhat con-
sentative dictionary is bit vague
about it, but, in his rough outlines,
eudemonist seems to be one who
believes in fairies.
In his annual report as president
of the Motion Picture Producers &
Distributors Of America, Mr.. Hays
cites with satisfaction the record
box-office success of Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs," and is hap
py that s'there are still a number Of
eudemonists left in the world"
There is no disparaging or invidious
reference to non-eudemonists, but,
since Mr.. Hays also reports with
qualification that there are no
'isms" and no social significance"
in "Snow White" it is perhaps
fair inference that such black witch
cry is the dramatic antithesis.
Practicing law in Sullivan,
Ind.,' the hOmespun, sagaciOus
MIR. Hays was no rising young
eudemonist. That came later. He
was, however, a rising young
Republican politician and
Presbyterian elder, one of the
deftest inner-circle technicians
of the Indiana party tourna-
ments, where professional stand
ards and scoring are high. That
led him inevitably to what
statesmen of his earlier day
used to call political prefer
ment," and, as postmaster gen.
eraI in President Harding's
cabinet, he exercised political
power of wide range and pene-
trati0n.
For seventeen years now, he has
headed the moving picture industry.
A round Of eight
Car IS CUT "silents," when
Prefers sBilP he left his cab
A. His Handle met post, and
now about %
companies putting out highly vo-
ciferous films-no wonder he be-
lieves in fairies. He doesn't like to
be called ''czar," preferring just
plain "Bill," if there is any call for
an informal salutation. Hearing
him wind up in an address, or even
in casual talk, one could understand
how he could be a eudemonist, as
he invokes the founding fathers or
the palladium of our liberties,
against this or that, but he usually
coppers such oratorical bets with a
remark like this: Sand, after all, it
probably wouldn't work" Thus he
is revealed as what might be called
a pragmatic eudemonist.
In his county seat town, he
inherited his fathers land-law
business. A fragile man, with
a slight limp and outstanding
ears, he has the mannerisms Of
the country lawyer, and he wins
over opposition, as he used to
win juries, with a winsome and
disarming smile. He is at times
a euphemist, as well as eu-
misunderstanding, for in
stance, that censorship is mere
ly "seIf-regulati0n." Several
years ago, he was worrying be-
cause the movies were going
''masochist."
Sullivan, Indiana, is still home
base for Mr.. Hays and he is the
towns favorite son, in spite of his
pathological fare-up.
1T WOULD be fine if we had a.
cash register which would ring
up a true prophecy when it was
turned in. About year and half
- ~ ago, George
Messersnalfh Messersmith,
Called Hitler's assistant secre-
Names Early tary of state,
former consul
general at Berlin, called Adolf Hit
ler's next moves as clearly and ac-
curately as spieler for an old-fash-
toned barn dance. He turned in to
the state department precise state
ment Of what der fuehrer had on
his mind, now fully validated and
certified. Naturally, it got little at
tention because it was obviously in
credible.
The Nazis can't say it was
prejudiccd opinion. When Hitler
was emerging, Mr. Messersmith
thought "evoIution would follow
revolution" and everything
would work out nicely. He
changed his mind. When DR..
Albert Einstein suffered certain
indignities in getting his pass
port, Mr.. Messersmith was UNI
iusfly accused of responsibility.