Evening star., 1945-07-08
By Joseph Fl. Baird

BY Joseph III. Baird
politically may find IL difficult to select
just the right tag. The late President
Roosevelt once described his own point
on the conservative-radical arc of the
pendulum as "just left of center" It
might be roughly accurate to assign the
new Secretary position "just right of
Mr.. Roosevelt"
At the Chicago convention last sum-
mer. Sidney Hillman's Political Action
Committee regarded Mr.. Byrnes as an
"antilabor" conservative, which proved
to be one of his weaknesses as a candi-
date. Yet some conservatives consider
him liberal New Dealer He supported
virtually all the early New Deal legis-
lation. His voting record in the Senate
was conditioned partly by his personal
loyalty to the President and partly by
the predictions of his South Carolina
constituency on such questions as the
antilynching bill, which he strongly OPP
posed. But his votes on legislation
germane to his present job always
showed that he stood for liberal, CO.
operative approach to foreign policy.
AS early as 1885, he lined up with
the "co-operationists in the Senate
by voting for American adherence to
the World Court. In the prewar period,
he went down the line for every piece
Of legislation designed to help Great
Britain and France in their struggle
against the Axis powers.
On the outbreak of war, he voted
to end the mandatory arms embargo.
Although this repeal made it legal for
an American to sell to either side on
"cash and carry" basis, those who
voted for 1t knew that it would be of
aid only to Great Britain and France,
because they controlled the seas. SUBJ
Sequently the South Carolinian sup
ported legislation to turn surplus war
supplies over to the Allies, and voted
for lease-lend, the Conscription Act of
1910 and the reciprocal tariff treaties.
State Atmosphere Changes.
Today the Secretary of State no longer
lives as of old in a rarefied atmosphere
of what members of Congress call dis
dainfully pink tea diplomacy" In
the Europe that is arising out of the
war, many of the national leaders will
be-like Joseph Stain - proletarians
who have been routed to the seats of
the mighty via the school of hard
knocks" Our State Department must
deal with these men as well as with
the soft-handed gentlemen of the
Chamberlain school. More, the State
Department must coordinate the work
OF other Government agencies in the
great humanitarian task ahead-that
of helping to restore to health a sick
and starving world. 1t is important
that Jimmy" Byrnes' own background
has nurtured in him warm human
sympathy.
He was born in Charleston, S. c., on
May 2, 1879. His father died before
his birth, and his mother was left with
the care of him. an elder sister, Leonore,
and an invalid mother incidentally,
Mrs. Byrnes' sister, also a widow, who
came TO live with her in Charleston,
was the mother of the late Frank j.
Hogan. well-known Washington attor-
ney and one-time president of the
American Bar Association. 1t is inter-
esting to note that these sisters, who
struggled to keep their home going,
sent out into the world two sons who
distinguished themselves so highly in
their chosen professions.
When Jimmy" was IA he left school
so that he could contribute to the
family's support. His first job was that
as messenger boy in a law office.
One of the partners. Judge Benjamin
j. Rutledge, took an interest in the
youngster, obtained for him card in
the Charleston Library Association and
helped to guide his reading.
Buys Newspaper.
At the same time, young Byrnes
studied shorthand at night and SO pre-
pared himself for better job which
opened presently as clerk of the second
South Carolina judicial circuit. In his
new post, he had an access to law
books and so readied himself for a
bar examination, which he passed
creditably in 1908.
But, to the surprise of many of his
friends, Mr.. Byrnes turned suddenly
from law to journalism. With $500 he
had saved and $4,500 more borrowed
from an Aiken, s. c., bank, he bought
the Journal and Review there. After
four years in the editors chair, his old
interest in law revived. and he ran
successfully for the office Of solicitor in
the same court he once had served
as clerk.
In 1910, Mr.. Byrnes entered national
politics. BY the slimmest of margins
t57 votes) he was elected to the House.
Once there. he apparently nailed down
his plaee firmly, for he continued to