Evening star., 1943-08-27
BY FRANK 1. WELLER,
Associated Press Stan Writer.

me W0lte mouse SeCTeL DIX
aren't so secret. They're just silent.
They quietly whittle away at war
time complaints, misunderstanding,
mistakes.
These SIC, ,O00-a-year (apiece) men,
hired to assemble and analyze" the
mass of information Mr.. Roosevelt
needs for his many decisions, are:
David K. Niles (trouble- -shooter),
Jonathan Daniels fact-f1nder),
Lauchlin Currie (economist), Lowell
Mellett (adviser), William H. Nc
Reynolds (civil service monitoD
and James M. Barnes white House.
Congress conciliator).
They were chosen for the roles
OF the men of high competence,
great physical vigor and a pas
sion for anonymity" recommended
six years ago by the Presidents
Committee on Administrative Man.
agemente to help him work with the
executive departments and Con-
gress.
Work From Dawn to Dusk.
Some congressional critics will
give you an argument about their
high competence" but no one ques-
tions their physical vigor. They
work from dawn until dusk with
only one secretary and one stenog-
rapher each, and most of the time
fight their way from home to office
and back on overcrowded Washing
ton strestcars and buses.
And, for anonomity, whether or
rot they have a passion for it, just
try to get one of them to .alk!
This is the reason they are called
the Secret Six" mystery men and
number of other things Mr.. Roose-
velt's less ardent admirers dislike
about the silence which stirs sus-
picion.
Representatives Bradley, Repub-
lican, of Michigan and Taber, Re-
publican, of New York declare that
Mr.. Niles is spear-heading an un-
dercover fourth-term campaign for
Mr.. Roosevelt. Mr.. Niles denies it,
says rumors that he has been writ
ing around the country sounding
out people is lot of bug juice.
But the Secret Six" know poll
tics.
There is no Boss" of the crew.
Each runs his own show, sees the
President personally about twice
week and they gang up on him
after regular press conferences each
Tuesday and Friday.
They 20 over President-reporter
questions and answers. Sometimes
they suggest Mr.. Roosevelt back up
a little bit-or go further next
time-in something he has said.
Safe To Bet on Hiles.
There is a feeling around here,
however, that if there is a secret
understanding. about who. is head
man, you can put your chips on Mr..
Niles.
Some say Mr.. Niles wangled that
$500, 900 from John L. Lewis to help
finance the Roosevelt, 1895 CAM
paign. -v.7
This short, dark, 54-year -oAd
bachelor, who is getting a little
thick in. the middle, lives in a IsWank
downtown hotel and reads himself
to sleep, was born Neyhus, the son
of Russian tailor in Boston. He
was close friend of the great jew
ish liberal, the late Associate JUS
tice Louis Brandeis of the United
States Supreme Court, and is pal
of the Jewish liberal, Associate JUS
tice Felix Frankfurter.
He is a veteran of Massachusetts
politics, Harvard graduate and
former director of Ford Hall Forum,
Boston sounding board for "ad-
vanced ideas" The latter connec-
tion has led to some talk that he
is trying to pin socialism on the
country, but Mr.. Niles calmly asks
how could he if he wanted to.
Does Feats Over Phone.
He is strictly background worker
who knows almost everyone and can
get almost any job done for the
President simply by calling on the
telephone.
The youngest of the batch is
"Jonna" Daniels, 40, son of Josephus
Daniels-that patriarch of Demo-
cratic politics who was President
Wilson'S Navy secretary, President
Roosevelt's recent Ambassador to
Mexico and is president of the Ra-
leigh IN. c. News and Observer.
Some will tell you that young Mr..
Daniels secret job is to report to
Mr.. Roosevelt on Southern politics.
Suppose. they say. some big-shot
Democrat gets out of line in Atlanta
or Mobile-they say it wouldn't be
long before Jonathan got there to
take the heat off The Boss"
This reporter can vouch, however,
that Mr.. Daniels big job recently