Evening star., 1939-03-21
BY JAMES L. WRIGHT.

A former law student and q for
mer dean of the law school he at
tended, who said "good-bT' a few
years ago when the boy was kicked
out as pupil because he could not
pay his board and room, may soon
be sitting together as black-robed
associate justices of the United
States Supreme Court.
The brick topped, tousle- headed
boy of yesteryear, now 40 but still
possessed of an unruly mop of hair.
is Chairman William o. Douglas of
the Securities and Exchange Com
mission. whose nomination to sue
ceed Justice Louis D. Brandeis was
submitted to the Senate yesterday
by President Roosevelt The former
dean of the law school is Associate
Justice Harlan Fiske Stone. who was
in Columbia University in 1922 when
Bill Douglas called at his Office to say
"good-by" because the bursar of the
university told him he had looked
over the rules and regulations and
decided he would be breaking none
of them" If he kicked Mr. Douglas
out. His dormitory and other OBJ
legations then amounted to 5000.
In the span of years stretching
from Mr. Douglas decision to leave
the State of Washington after his
graduation from Whitman College
and to go to New York City for a
law course, down to and including
the present when he holds the leash
over Wall Street, this colorful man
has been living ever-changing thrills
and adventures
Bummed Way to Chicago.
To make his way from the Pacific
Coast to the Atlantic Bill Douglas
started out as sheep-tender, rid
ing with the animals in a cattle
car. destined for the Chicago stock
yards. But, due to labor difficult
ties and threatened railroad strike,
he found himself. after IL days on
the road, still west of Chicago. Get
ting release from the owner Of
the sheep. he lit out on his own
and bummed his way to Chicago.
Il landed in New York with ex-
actly cents in my pocket" said
Mr.. Douglas, as he sat at his fiat
topped desk in corner suite OF the
Securities and Exchange Building
the other day.
Those who know anything at all
about him, and they are few in
number, know of him as a former
instructor in Columbia and Yale
Universities. He was brought here
originally by Joseph P. Kennedy
the first chairman of the S. E. c..
to do a research job. but, when
Mr.. Kennedy resigned and later be-
came Ambassador to Great Britain
Mr.. Douglas found himself in the
Craftsmanship.
Family Moves to Coast.
The son of a Presbyterian min
lister, he was born in Ottertail
County. MINI.
When he was 2 years old. the
family moved to Estrella, Wash.
and in 1902. they moved on to Cleve-
land, Wash, where he and his
mother lived for the next Is years
His father died soon after they
went to Washington.
while was teaching in Yakima, ,
said Mr.. Douglas, Il decided to &c
through law school. But, after
teaching for two years, I realized ]
would be there 20 years If I wa.
going to save enough to carry me
through law. was then supporting
my mother and brother. So I de-
cided to start for Columbia
Wasn't the going pretty tough?'
Mr.. Douglas was asked
yes, the first six months. I sold
newspapers. waited on tables ane
washed dishes, but I couldn't pay
my rent at the dormitory or my
tuition he replied. Finally, thu
bursar called me over and said
Douglas, I have looked over thu
rules and regulations of the uni.
versity and have decided that IC
be breaking none of them II kicked
you out I then owed 5000.
II went over to Plainfield, N. ].
and got job teaching at $1,000 8