Evening star., 1941-08-10

niIil u mo III tItin tWt1ty-lOui hOutS
in advanc of appointments $50 that
they coul d pretend they had been in
the know and agreeable) he declined.
When, in 1887, they threatened not to
renomin ate him because 'IaGuardia
had not one anything for the Repub-
lican Par ty." he shot back:
Than ks for the compliment"
The ep ithets - "grafters, Crooks
and burglars" - come easily to his
lips as he condemns interests scheming
to profit off the city. But he has saved
millions in contract costs, bankers in
terest rates, excessive salaries of pay
roll patriots.
When he entered City Hall, New
York was so broke from Tammany
misrule that it was paying 6 per cent
on short-time borrowings LaGuardia
summoned the bankers to his Office.
demanded a reduction. When they
refused. he bowed and said
Then shall have to see the biggest
banker in the United States"
Theyasked what and whomhe meant,
Jesse Holman Jones" he replied.
He happens to be chairman Of the
Reconstruction Finance Corporation"
The rate is now | per cent.
He has obtained millions to build
new schools. parks, subways, slum-
clearance apartments. etc. He has re-
made the FACADE of New York City.
made it finer place to live in - and
he also has balanced the budget
He is an imperious boss With three
stenographers lined before him. he
rifles his mail and machine-guns his
answers. All day long he rants and
scolds and swears at his aides. He
pounds and frowns. He struts. He
waves his dark, horned spectacles like
a baton or sword. Yet his staff adore
him. And they work almost as hard as
he does. If they don't, they're out. He
is the autocrat of City Hall.
With his new defense assignment. he
performs the work of three men.
Frequently, he holds before-break-
fast conference in New York, flies to
Washington on the 10 o'clock plane,
confers with Army, Navy and O.PM.
officials in the afternoon, delivers an
evening address at Philadelphia, Bal
timore or Richmond, and climbs into
bed at AM. There are times when the
Home Defender does not appear to
have a home to defend.
How does he keep up this nervous
pace?
He frequently pretends that the job
is killing him. Actually he has put on
weight, and has had to abandon his
favorite dishes of macaroni and spag-
hetti. He thrills and thrives on work
Reloxss ot Home
lie is a naturally buoyant person
He says that he cannot remember
when he was unhappy or disheartened,
despite more ups and downs than have
befallen most men in politics today
He is blessed with a rich sense of
humor and a fair for self-dramatiza-
ton. He never fails to see the odd, the
human, the whimsical aspects of events
and individuals. He entertains his
family and friends with re-enactment
of his day - and himself. With his
strange mingling of small-boy egotism,
his childlike charm, his initiative abil-
ity. and realistic insight, he would
have starred on the stage,
He is fortunate. too, in that neither
he nor Mrs. LaGuard;a possess social
ambitions. Though the great and
wealthy now seek his presence, he
rarely breaks his rule against dining
out. Leaving his office late in the after
noon, he shuts the door on his head
aches once he walks into his modest
apartment.
On nights at home, he listens to
music on the radio or plays Russian
Bank with Mrs. LaGuardia. With
Mrs. LaGuardia and their two adopt
ed children - Jean and Eric - and a