Detroit evening times., 1945-04-30
BRIGHTER
SIDE
BY Damon
Runyon

AM one Of a large number OF
persons who feel that they
have lost dear good friend
with the passing OF Joe Con-
molly.
Only those who have. worked
for him and with him IN the
departments OF the great Hearst
service that he headed. King
Features Syndicate. lnterna-
tional News Service and Inter-
national News Photos, can tell
you what grand man he was.
never saw an executive who
had such close personal touch
with the members of his Organl-
zatlon, over thousand IN num-
Der. His smile and the CHEEKY
Hello. Turkey" that was his
usual greeting to one and all
made every man and woman
who worked for him feel that he
had singled him or her for spe-
cial attention.
He was Joe" to nearly all OF
them He was the social COM
panion of most He liked his
people. He liked 10 mingle with
them. The now famous ban
shee" luncheons that bring King
eatures and International
News crowds together At inter
walls along with distinguished
guests were an expression OF
Joe's innate sociablllty but with
a Shrewd thought OF organlza-
ton morale thrown IN.
WHEN big news story was
w afoot and his International
News crew was buZZing. Joe
liked TO be on the ground par
taking Of the excitement but
also assisting with his counsel
and guidance. National conVcn-
tlons and other events that ius-
titled the feature CoVeragc OF
his star writers always found
Joe In the role Of advance man,
setting up headquarters and
making other arrangements for
the convenience and comfort az
his delegation He liked 10 be
where his people could turn ~
him for help # they desired {
and for a word of authority,
though ! suspect nc particularly
enjoyed trE- opportunity OF t6Iz-
gathering with them in tho off,
hours
He Mas The type We used -
call hal-tellow-wcll-n,ei lie
was a natural born grcctor, tie
kind that makes YOU feel YOU
are Just the guy hc has be- n
waiting 30 meet all has lte 10
had plenty Of that old Ir>h
hlarney az the 10 of his tongae
but he appreciated iob we'll
done moro than any other exec
utive ! have ever lnown lis
praise when ho thought n was
coming was something 20 warm
the cookies Il Your heart.
I THINK Joes greatest trait
L aS boss was his rcadinc
~ battle for his people II
YOU went 10 Joe With a COM
plant that ne fell was justified.
he was always willing 10 serve
aS your attorney before tre
higher courts. so 20 speak. al
lowing that II Was something
over which hC had no iurSdlc-
ton But he would not Sidc,tpp
and give you tho hruShoN.
The Joe Connolly first knew
was A slim, dapper cookbook
ing young fellow who seemed 10
have a poslilXcl2- alarming
amount OF energy penncd up n
him He WIS always In A rush.
That was years ago when the
King Features Syndicate was
housed in an elderly building At
5Sth and Broadway since re-
placed by ornate apartments,
with Jimmy Duranic'S first
night club across the street
making the carly morning hours
hideous with noise
"WHO IL that new guy who
IL charging through this
place every few minutes kick-
tng everything out ~ his way ="
some one tmaybe II was Frank
Menke) asked ono day. "And
where Is he going all the time ."
II don't know who he il vet"
some one else tmaNbe N was
Jack Lait) answered "and I
don't know vet where he u
going. hut I can tell YOU one
thing. from the way he acts he
is sure going somcw here"
TO his last hours Joc'S energy
remained his most striking char
actcnstlc, and yct his Intimate.
friends knew that he had been
= very sick man for a long time.
He was afflicted for years with
an organic disorder that. from
what he once told me. often
produced the most dreadful
pain, thon heart ailment
added to his physical troubles.
RUT never by word or sign did
- Joe let on that hc vas Suf-
fcrIng. even TO those around
him. He came and went about
his duties. not with all his old
energy perhaps. but still with
more spark left than most men
AT his age possess. He was a
game follow, make no error
there. The last time | saw him
he came 10 tell me to 60 10