The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-21
WASHINGTON, April 2

y
 1. If Democratic Chairman Bob Hannegan hadn't come back from political swing around the country last spring and reported to FDR that no one he met was for Henry Wallace, Truman today mgiht not be President.
 ?. And if, on that eventfIl July night in Chicago when the galleries were roaring for Wallace and the delegates were shouting for Wallace, Bob Hannegan hadn't Insisted on adjourning the con vention, again Truman today might not be President. That ad- journment gave the bosses time to reorganize, and next day p.n across Truman.
 Naturally, the man who turned these "if's" from defeat to victor, is bound to sit at the right hand of the man whom he makes PreSi- dent. That is long way to come for an Irish boy who was a Fist Ward, St. Louis committee man at the time FDR was first elected President. But Bob Han negan is sitting there today. SON OF POLICEMAN
 Hannegan was born in St. Louis 42 years ago, son of St. Louis policeman. He went to school in St. Louis, coached the swim ming team at St. Louis univer- sity, practiced law in St. Louis and eventually became city boss of St. Louis. To Bob Hannegan there is nothing about St. Louis or Missouri that can be wrong, which perhaps explains why he left no stone unturned, includ- ing strong arm tactics at Chicago, to nominate his fellow MLssourian, Harry Truman.
 However, it was not until Han negan was 29 years old and the same year Franklin Roosevelt was elected President, that he actual ly got into politics. That was through fate, as 1t usually has been with Hannegan.
 There was five-way split in his ward, and Democratic leaders wanted one man who could weld all factions together. Popular Bob Hannegan, son of
 an Irish policeman, was the
 man they chose as city cOm- mitteeman to do it.
 It was in 1882, the Hateful year FDR was elected President, that Hannegan first met Harry Tru- man, then a city judge at the other end of the State. He helped Truman with his senatorial cam paign year later. After that he became city boss at St. Louis and got his first big break in 1922 when Truman and Senator Ben- nett Clark were engaged in & battle over Missouri patronage.
 Unknown to each other, both Truman and Clark had selected Hannegan to be Collector of In- ternal Revenue for St. Louis. Finally Clark called up Truman and said he wanted to get to- gether to discuss the appointment.
 Before we meet" said Tru- man, 'T want you to know that am for Hannegan."
 TAX CHAR FLANAGAN
 So it was unanimous and Han negan got the job. He turned out to be crackerjack Collector of Internal Revenue. One reason he worked so hard was because of the way the newspapers at tackled his appointmnet. He was first on the job in the morning and last to leave at night.
 All this time he was telling gra- cious, graying Mrs. Hannegan that he would get out of poli- tics soon. But in 1943, when Guy Helvering wanted to step out as Commissioner of Internal Rev. enue, Secretary Morgenthau asked Helvering. together with tax sleuth Elmer Trey and Assistant Commissioner George Schoene- man, to recommend 8 man to take his place. Hannegan's name head ed all three lists. By that time flanagan had pulled his St. Louis