Evening star., 1946-04-14
Capital Sidelights
By Will P. Kennedy.

oy w III 7. hcHHeuy.
Here's a success and service story, of
native Washingtonian" whose FAM
lily owned much of the land surrounding
the Capital, who had his ups and downs,
knew his Washington from high society
to the underworld, travelled far afield
in the foreign service of the Govern
ment, did extraordinarily important
wartime duties, and now is back home
to hear well done!" and receive pro-
motion.
William Warwick Corcoran now owns
not foot of the broad acres and valu-
able building sites near the Capitol
that his uncle and father intended he
should have. In his youth he possessed
one of the swankiest automobiles of
those days and a power boat on the
Potomac. He was a playboy in society,
a familiar figure on the bride paths, a
Beau Brummel. Then suddenly he
found himself broke" But while play
ing around he had had a good head
and q good heart. Any damsel in dis
tress found in him valiant cavalier,
any underdog had a champion ready to
fight. When an heiress was in danger
because her spirited team of horses ran
away. it was Billy Corcoran who threw
himself at their heads and halted them.
He often had made news. Now he de-
cided to cover news. Thus it hap
pened that he was on a police assign
ment reporting the life of the under
world when the late Police Supt. Ed
ward Kelley was breaking in as a de-
tective. He became a close friend and
fellow worker of some of the most noted
Washington correspondents, including
William D. Hassett, one of the best of
Capital Associated Press writers before
he accepted, with q passion for an
onymity," post in the White House
secretariat.
1t was the late Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge, in the heyday of his power in
international relations, who gave Mr.,
Corcoran his big opportunity. His
whole life of play and work qualified
Billy for the foreign service. Especially
his familiarity with social customs, his
acquaintance with the diplomatic
corps, his knowledge of news, his pa
triotism and his innate zeal to right
wrong that needs resistance made him
useful in that field. Crossing the Eng
lish Channel child fell overheard and
Billy dived into the icy waters, rescued
the youngster and hid himself from
recognition. When an American girl
swan the English Channel and was
toasted in champagne during prohibi-
tion days, and senior officer shirked
responsibility for a wisecrack about
American laws, it was Mr.. Corcoran
who took the rap"
Meanwhile, he progressed by sincere,
earnest devotion to his job and to his
country'S interests, winning promotion
after promotion. Then came World
War II and he found himself at post
where he could and did perform an
extraordinary job of espionage and in
tenigence. So outstanding was Mr..
Corcoran's work that he was desig-
mated by Hitler's high command as one
of three to be kidnapped and "elim-
mated" But Billy mysteriously absented
himself. And now he turns up in Wash
ington, the same nonchalant Billy as
of old, still ready to fit into any situa-
tion. When the State Department has
had its private conferences with him
and given him whatever commendation
Is in store for him, his buddies of the
press will give him royal welcome.
Consider another native Washing
tonian, former member of the Cap
itol press galleries, Joseph Rider Far
rington, delegate from Hawaii. He is
desirous of having Hawaii become the
49th State. After serving as a lieu
tenant of field artillery in World War
I and as Washington correspondent of
a Philadelphia newspaper for four
years, he NOW is president and general
manager of several Hawaiian news
papers and internationally known as
a sports promoter. Mr.. Harrington re-
Gently placed in the Congressional Rec
ord a digest of editorials from news
papers in l9 States urging that Hawaii
be admitted to the Union. He has the
support Of M H. Thatcher, a former
member OF the House from Kentucky,