Evening star., 1939-03-26

A sandy-haired 6-footer of 40 is named
an associate justice of the Supreme
Court, and 1t is the biggest story in the
paper showing Hitler aside and putting
Congress on page 3.
What is the reason?
Look how young he is" says one.
He had such tough time as a kid"
chimes in another
And didn't he raise So-and-so with
Wall Street," adds satisfied third, who
probably never had had dime invested
in the market.
And all are right, so far as they 60.
But probably better explanation is
that William Orville Douglas possesses
that hardto-define human interest"
attribute that is boon to biographers
and feature writer's, that catapults him
onto the front pages whether he likes
publicity or not-and the lack of which
in person provides dreary reading for
biography fans. He is the ideal subject
for reporters in quest Of personality"
material.
Sports Writers Call It Color.
1t is the quality that causes people who
don't know the difference between a
racing form and a railroad time table to
become partisans when Seabiscuit tan
giles with War Admiral; 1t made Babe
Ruth's celebrated stomache ache cause
for international concern; 1t draws more
attention even at this day to 70 by
Bobby Jones than 68 by some of the
new crop of op-t1ight linksmen.
Sports writer's call it color and let 1t
go at that But color usually connotes
ability; 1t Is the recognizable hallmark of
the individual who at least thinks he
knows where he is headed, and on the
record thus far Douglas has always had
pretty good idea of direction, even
though his widest dreams hardly could
have envisaged the heights to which
he has attained within IA years of leav-
ing law school,
There was, for instance, his associa-
ton with the law firm of Cravath, de
Gersdorff, Swaine and Wood, in New
York, after graduation from Columbia
| NOW, for a newcomer in the legal pro-
fession to get tieup like that is akin
to an apprentice in the financial world
locating with the House of Morgan.
The positions are not unique, but they
are excellent insurance against the
bread line, and such security would
seem to have been decidedly attractive
| against the background of desperate
| poverty Douglas had known. But the
| youngster who had made his way across
country by chaperoning a carload OF
sheep, and had been faced with dis
missal from Columbia because of a
$500 tuition bill he could not meet, ap-
parently did not hesitate to leave pri-
vate practice with all its possibilities for
| quicker reward.
Met Kennedy Somewhere.
| In very short order he was back at
Columbia, where previously he had lee
tured, as assistant professor of law.
And, In that capacity, he began to
build the reputation as a specialist In
the intricacies of bankruptcy procedure
that later was to propel him into prom
inence.
As early as 1929 young Douglas emf
nence IN this field was recognized, for,
by that time, when he had transferred
to Yale, he was appointed special ad-
wiser to William J. Donovan in the
bankruptcy investigation in New York
City; collaborated with the Department
OF Commerce in bankruptcy studies;
was director of bankruptcy studies of
the Institute OF Human Relations of
Yale. and also was serving as secretary
to the Wickersham Commission COM
mittee on the study of business of the
| Federal courts.
Somewhere along the line Douglas at
tracted the attention of joseph P. Ken
nedy. He doesn't know how. but a
friend here, who shall be nameless.
thinks he has the answer.
| "Wny' Joe Just met Bill somsplacs.