The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-09
Observations
Passport Head
Calm in Face of
Difficult Job
BY Helen Essary

When the excitement about the
recent visit OF the Reverend Stanis-
lsus Orlemanski pastor Of Polish
Catholic Church in Massachusetts,
to Russian Premier Joseph Stain,
was boiling over onto the front
pages Of newspapers throughout
the country. President Roosevelt
was asked az a press conference
MI President do you wish To
comment on the fact that Father
Orlemanski was issued a passport
10 Russia when so many people
are refused one?'
The President replied with no.
ticeable calmness. He did NOT
wish to comment on this interest,"
ing fact except 10 say that Mrs.
Ruth Shipley. chief OF the division
OF passport in the Cnited States
Department OF State was cap
able and wise woman. II She
thought Father Orlemanski should
be given passport TO Russia,
then, he. the President, knew It
was a passport that should have
been issued
You couldn't possibly find higher
praise for any woman in public OIL
nee than this. Everyone present
and everyone who read Of the
query and its answer wondered
What sort Of a woman is this
Ruth Shipley? is she a grim, sup
erWoman? Is she a routine per
son without imagination? Is she
old or young? Does she take her
self too seriously?
How in the world did she hold
this important post for IA years
and then keep holding II in the
midst OF a world war? How has
she the responsibility OF issuing
hundreds of thousands OF pass-
ports for L. $. citizens who ask
10 travel and have right to 20?
Plus the responsibility OF turning
down the requests OF other hun
dreds OF thousands who have no
right TO 20 touring about across
borders now or before the far
III tell you the sort OF woman
Ruth Shipley is. At the beginning
il will be a personal recital. one
noon last August when the asphalt
on PENNSYLVANIA Ave. was melting
down with the heat and the foot
prints OF its rushing population.
went to the State Department for
a suddenly needed passport to
Nassau.
/ was tired and q little nervous
at the prospect OF rushing TO the
tropics to write about that Harry
Cakes murder. Inside the solemn
State Department the air was cool
and the mood unhurried In the
ofices OF the passport division sew
eral pleasant people were behind
desks in an outer room. | told an
obligtng gentleman my story and
added that Id like to see Yrs.
ghipley II she were not too busy.
Mrs. Shipley was busy but would
I 70 into her ONCE and sit down
q moment CT two until the passport
transaction had been got under
way!
Mrs. shiplsy. as handsome and
poised as she was years ago. was
alone In a square. high-ceilinged
room. She rose from an orderly
desk and said a cheerful: I'm glad
to see you. You look a little hot,
nv dear. Won't YOU have a glass
OF iced coffee We always have
II in the middle Of the morning
when that awful let-down feeling
comes
From a thermos bottle on near
BY table | was poured cool en-
couraging drink. And how ] en-
ioyed II, Meanwhile several long
distance calls came through for
Mrs. Shipley
I tried not to listen. but I need
not have. For the conversation
was uninyolved and matter OF fact.
Somebody in San Francisco wanted
70 get a passport TO North Africa
for a friend Somebody in Kansas
City wanted 10 go 10 England.
Mrs. shipley replied 10 both re-
quests with friendly, unhurried de-
tachment. Suggested certain roh-
tine steps that had TO be made.
Between calls Sne TetuTubu W INV
letters she was reading and chat
ted here and there with me.
Yesterday. telephoned Mrs.
Shipley. She answered the can
herself. She said everyone elso
In the ONCE seemed occupied. She
was reluctant. she said. to be writ
ten about All that she was doing
now in issuing passports was under
the control OF the water trav.i
legislation passed by Congress
This meant cooperating particular
ly with those whose departure
from the country was vital TO the
war effort
About Father orlemanski-" I
inquired
Certainly. We issued Father Or
lemanski passport" she said
His wish TO leave the United
States was the result OF an inv.
tation from the head OF a govern
ment An invitation from Stain?
Yes. that is what mean
Therefore, we moved with as mucn
ouickness as possible to accommo-
date the Russian premier. Stain
provided the transportation for