Evening star., 1941-08-25

MeLemors. ma t orr q ].
Slumped behind his desk or walk
ing around his large executive once,
he gives one the impression that he
is waiting for a cue to walk on a
stage and start playing "Jeeter
Lester" in a road show, that is, not
the main show.
He is perhaps the first Governor
Of State to make an art Of sus-
pender-snapping and tobacco chew
ing. His suspenders, or galluses, as
he likes to call them, are flaming
red and a lesser man could not take
the punishment he inficts on him.
self by pulling them out about q
yard and letting them fly back
against his chest.
But as accomplished as he is with
his suspenders, Gov. Talmadge has
ever greater talent with a plug of
tobacco. He carries his plug in his
right hip pocket and no sheriff Of
the Old West was ever quicker on
the draw with his gun than the
Governor Is with his tobacco. In
one motion, and with the grace Of
q gull swooping on crumb, he can
whip the plug from its resting place.
fan it into position before his mouth,
take bite and start chewing.
The Governor is what is known
as a "free-style talker." Just name
q subject and he will exhaust 1t and
you before he is through. One Of
his favorite topics is newspapers.
He owns one himself, distinguished
four-page weekly, the Statesman.
1t has circulation of around 5000
now, but the Governors aim Is
$4,000, and he has hit on an unusual
plan to start the circulation rolling
toward this figure. He has advised
the heads of his departments to
take out six subscriptions each and
requested" the colonels of his staff
to take 25 subscriptions apiece.
The Governor admitted that 1t
was powerful trying" to write an
editorial a week.
That's the trouble with them big
newspapers" he said, swinging his
feet up on his desk. They try to
write editorials every day. Dad
gummit, a man just naturally can't
do that. On the important issues
of the day, fellow needs a whole
week of thinking. Anything less
than a week and he Is bound to 60
of half-cocked, use snap Judgment.
Sometimes I feel as If I could use
even moren a week on my editorials
for the Statesman"
Gov. Talmadge has definite -for-
eign" policy. He is against the
"furriners" in Georgia. BY fur
riners" he means emigrants from
such faraway. remote places as
Maine, New Hampshire, Iowa, Min
HeSOLa ana new YORK.
Now I amt saying all furriners
are bad" the Governor explained,
punctuating his remarks with beau
tiful bull's-eye shot at the spittoon,
which was placed In such a position
that premium was put on marks
manship. But most of our trouble
down here has been caused by EN-.
Ninety per cent of the trouble, I'd
say. weed 'em out whenever 7
can"
The Governor is not without
charity or understanding, however,
Only recently he defended, and
stoutly, the presence of two wardens
in the State Prison Department
who earlier in their careers had
been convicts.
The Governor does his best to
protect the citizens of the State
from the dangers of a free press,
too. Last week he banned the press
from the investigation of the sweat
box death of convict. He had a
sound explanation for this action.
The reporters are just like their
newspapers. They're always looking
for row. If had let them in on
the investigation they would have
snooped around and caused trouble.
They would have created sympathy
for the prisoners and this woulda
been bad. Played the devil with
the wardens, too"
Gov. Talmadge doesn't mind what
the newspapers say about him per-
sonally. They can lambaste him
with all their type and the blows
fail to penetrate the thickness of
the mantle that fell from Huey
Longs shoulders onto his.
AS a native Georgian, told him
Of the banging around he was taking
in editorials from coast to coast.
Let 'em roast me. brother" he
cackled, "all they want to. When I
can't get 'em mad, I'll know I'm
slipping"
Hiya, Dude. Come right in and
rest yuh hat. The dogs tied and
yuh shan't be hurt. Wen shave yuh
soon's the watah gifts hot. The
Guv'nuh1l see yuh in jes' a minute.
Distributed BY McNaught Syndicate. rns)