The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-03-09

It's a romance as colorful as the eventful career of the curly haired bridegroom.
 In Washington, Peggy Dowd is always associated with the brain- trust. But long before there was 8 brain-trust or the world had ever heard of Tommy Cor coran, Peggy Dowd was holding down an important job. She was the personal secretary of one of the big men of the Hoover Administration, Gardiner Cowles, owner of The Des Moines Regis ter and Tribune and Director of the REC.
 It was a very pleasant job and Peggy thought her boss was a grand man. But her only inter- est in government was prom hopping with dashing Annapolis midshipmen.
 About this time there came to the REC a young lawyer as Irish as herself. Peggy would see him now and then rushing along the corridors, but she never talked to him, for it was rumored in REQ feminine circles thaht he thought they had been put on earth only to get in the way of mems work. DEATH ON SECRETARIES
 Girls frankly were afraid to work for Tom Corcoran. He had come down to Washington from a big Wall Street law firm, and just could not get used to the deliber- ate civil service ways of govern ment. He considered dictating to a shorthand book a waste of time, insisted that his secretary take 1t down" on the typewriter as he talked - and he talked a blue streak.
 He also had 8 lot of crazy ideas about shortcuts thruogh the telephone. He didn't care now big his phone bills were so long as they saved time. And around him he had crowd of young fel- lows out of Harvard Law school who were just as wild as he was and who, like him, telephoned all day and dictated all night.
 Secretaries came to his office and departed like the days. None ever stayed longer than 8 week. There was 8 ladies' room legend which persisted though Corcoran denied 1t. that he had once jerked a phone right out of its socke: and tossed it at a secretary who insisted on going home at 3 o. clock in the morning. His con- stant cry to the head stenographer was for 8 male secretary.
 The morning after Director Cowles, Peggy's boss. resigned and left for Iowa, the head stenogra- pher, faced with her daily head ache of finding a secretary for Corcoran (she caleld 1t the suicide asisgnment") summoned Peggy Dowd and said gently, Report please, to MT. COrcoran."
 "Oh, mo-" said Peggy, mot me. There are other jobs in this world"
 For my sake. please try It for a few days," pleaded the
 head stenographer. "After all,
 he's Irish and you're Irish and you can handle him # anyone can. Just don't argue with him. Let hi md0 things the way he wants to. even if they do seem crazy. Who knows, perhaps there is . method in his mad. ness." BOY MEETS GIRL
 So Peggy went up to the Hons den. In . short while CoFcoran's buzzer rang and Peggy went in.
 "det thls telegram off right away" he ordered, without lock- ing up or giving her time 10 slL down, Then for two minutes he reeled efl q long wire 90 fast that Peggy didn't even get the start Of it. For Q few moments she stood there helpless. then, with a Jerk Of her head. she started l0r the door t6 tell the head sten0graphs CT it was "ne ge'.
 Az Peggy turned. there burst Into the room one Of tho IIaFs ward LAw School b0yA, 4. IlAbnEn l.Fea1"D Monroe, nov a Rlleeess. fiil New Orleans lawyer and a power 70 tlle ileW Anllsisoilg gFoup, wA0 flashed . telegram before CeIeofan,
 eYhai shaas.s s..-.1a.l..s