Evening star., 1948-01-15

| ing about much better relations be-
tween the two countries than had
existed before his appointment.
After resigning the post at Mexico
city late In 1941, Mr.. Daniels re-
turned to Raleigh early In 1912 and
took over active management Of the
News and Observer. He wrote his
editorials with q short, Stubby pencil
since he never learned to use the
typewriter.
He wrote dozen books on his
torical subjects, most OF them en-
llivened by his own personal recol-
lection Of peoples and incidents
mentioned. A number had to DO
with the Wilson era. He also made
numerous speeches and kept up his
lifelong fight for prohibition.
Held Only One State Office.
| His only State Office was that OF
State printer, which he held In early
manhood. In addition to serving In
the Wilson and Roosevelt admin
istrations, he was clerk OF the In
terror Department during Grover
Cleveland's second administration
He was an intimate OF President
Truman and loyal supporter OF
the administration policies.
AS a matter of fact, Mr.. Daniels
campaigned ardently for about
every Democratic presidential can
didate who entered the lists after
the editor reached maturity.
During his first stay In Washing
ton he met william Jennings Bryan,
then a young member of the House
from Nebraska, and was strongly
for him in 1896, having thrilled to
the brilliant Gross Of Gold" speech
in Chicago.
Early Wilson Man.
| Mr.. Daniels was an early Wilson
man and organized his State Tor
the then New Jersey Governor and
gave him great support elsewhere
in the three cornered campaign OF
1912. ;,
James M. Cox and John w. Davis
received his support after Their
nominations, and he supported Al
fred E. Smith, although his State
deserted the 1928 Democratic stand
ard bearer and gave its electoral
votes to Herbert Hoover.
Mr.. Daniels scoffed at age and re-
fused to lay down his editorial PEN
Gil when he was 80 years old.
| Philosophy Of Life.
Shortly after he had relinquisheo
his post as Ambassador to Mexico
he revealed his philosophy OF life In
q commencement address just after
his 80th birthday.
'The proof of the worth OF educa-
ton, of Christianity, and OF civiliza-
tion," he said, "is seen in doing the
everyday tasks with q song on the
lips, performing the hard tasks while
you play the f1fe."
He took time out from his edi-
torial labors, on the day he became
80, to give an interview pooh-pooh-
ing talk of "the good old days"
"The so-called good old days never
WERE" Mr.. Daniels said. "They were
a myth. What did Thomas Jefferson
and Benjamin Franklin have that
we do not have? How Jefferson and
Franklin would have enjoyed oui
lgadgets! The things we take foi
granted would have made life much
more enjoyable for those great
men,"
SAYS Boys Fooled Him.
Mr.. Daniels resumed direction Of
all the operations Of his newspaper
when three Of his sons, who hao
been running it during his absence
lin Mexico, became active IN Ma.
tional defense a few months after
the Japanese attacked Pearl Har'
Dor.
II thought it would be quite 9
chore, in my S0th year, to do three
mems work, he commented. lne
boys had me fooled. I do not have
any trouble at all doing the wofi
they were doing"
The octogenarian editor begar
again to turn out copy, editorials
that still had q bite in them, ever
though they may have lacked some
of the sulphur and birthstone OF a
years before when, according to MI
own biography:
"It was period Of personal jour
nalism and practiced it to tn
Nth degree. Quarter was neithe
,. given nor taken. I made enem1e
and sarnered friends, and my We
hener,ce of denunciation OF oppo
nents was not always tempered witt
charity"
Became Publisher In 1876.
, Mr.. Daniels became a newspape
publisher in 1876 when, as an anna
teur, he issued a weekly paper a
Wilson. He graduated to profes
sional work when he became ed1to
of the Wilson Advance at the ag
of 18. In 1885 he moved to Ralelgl
and bought a controlling interes
in the State Chronicle. Previousf
he had published small papers a
Rocky Mount and Kinston, aban
doning the latter venture to stud,
> law at the University of North Car
olina-not with the intent OF prac
ticing law but to broaden himsei