Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-03
Hannegan 10 Succeed
Walker in Cabinet
Post on July |


old st. Louisan. who directed the
successful fourth-t term campaign
of Franklin D. Roosevelt, will be-
come Postmaster General on July
/ l, succeeding Frank G. Walk
err, long one of the trouble
shooters" of the late President.
This initial break in the cabinet
Of his predecessor was disclosed at
news conference late yesterday by
President Truman, who read Mr..
Walkers letter of resignation, his
own acceptance of reluctantly
and grudgingly"-and then followed
with the announcement that Mr..
Hannegan's nomination was going
to the Senate. In response to a
question the President said Mr..
Hannegan would retain the chair
manship of the Democratic National
Committee.
Speculation Immediately was re-
neWed concerning further changes
in the official family of the Presi-
dent, as reports have been current
that Secretary of Labor Perkins and
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard
likewise are planning to retire.
Comes as Anticlimax.
Formal announcement that Mr..
Walker was leaving and that Mr.
Hannegan would succeed him came
vas something of an anticlimax, as
this shift has been rumored in the
making ever since the November
election. Before Mr. Roosevelt s
death, however, Mr.. Walker had let
it be known that he intended to
remain on the job while the war
was in progress and in January
after the Roosevelt Inauguration, he
was reappointed for another four
year term, the Postmaster General
being the only member of the cab
met whose tenure is limited by law.
Mr.. flanagan, son of a ST. Louis
police captain, was born on June 30,
1903. and educated at st. Louis Uni
versity, where he attained fame as
an athlete. Early interesting him
self in politics, he became chairman
of the st. Louis Democratic City
Committee in 1884 A lawyer, he
was appointed collector of Internal
Revenue in St. Louis in l943, with
the supports of the then Senator
Truman and Senator Clark of Mis-
souri,, and late in that year was
named commissioner of internal
revenue following the resignation
of Guy T. Helvering.
Party Chairman in 1914.
When Mr. Walker resigned as
chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee in January, 1914,
MI. Hannegan was chosen unex-
pectedly to succeed him.
He Immediately resigned from the
Internal Revenue post and since
that time has devoted his entire
attention to the party chairman
ship.
Mr.. flanagan is a Catholic-as
is Mr.. WalAr-is married and has
four children: Patricia, Robert
Emmett, jr: William and Sally Ann.
Mr.. Walker, SO. was successful
lawyer and businessman before he
came to the cabinet in September.
1910, as successor to James A. Far
ley. Pennsylvania by birth and
New Yorker by adoption, he was a
friend of the late President Roose-
welt for many years, and early in the
New Deal was executive director of
the National Emergency Council and
also served in other capacities. He
was treasurer of the Democratic
National Committee for several
years and took over the chairman
ship when Mr.. Farleys successor,
Edward J. Flynn, resigned.
Skilled Administrator.
Quiet and retiring, Mr.. Walker
has been regarded in the Post Of
flee Department as an exceptionally
skilled administrator, and in his
letter of resignation, submitted the
day after MI. Roosevelts funeral.
he disclosed that he had in prepa-
ration a reorganization program for
the postal service.
Asking to be relieved in 80 days,
Mr.. Walker announced his willing
ness to serve again whenever called
upon, and coupled a tribute to Mr.
Roosevelt with a declaration of full
confidence" in the leadership of
President Truman.
Declining to permit the resigna-
ton to be effective until June 30,
President Truman said he must
warn the retiring official that I
confidently expect to take advan-
tage of your offer to return to me
whenever there is need of your serv-
ices in the future
Mr.. Walker said he plans to re-
f,,rr, tn Do RI roc,,r,e