Evening star., 1951-08-12
Stephen 7. Ear|y's
Death Mourned by
Leaders Of Nation
Continued From First Page.)

due to domestic depression, ma
tional preparedness or the prose-
cution of the most devastating war
in human annals, he was always
at the side of President Roosevelt
as secretary, friend and sagacious
advisor.
when the responsibilities of
the Presidency suddenly and with
out warning came to me with
awesome impact, Steve Early,
from an impulse of selfleSS pa
triotism, consented to stand by aSI
confidant and counselor. Because
of all that he did to tighten the
burden of the executive during
those momentouS days, I shall
hold his memory in lasting graft
tude and appreciation.
Valued as Defense Aide.
Not less valued was his tenueI
as Deputy Secretary of DefenSe|
In an interlude of public service
after he had once returned to-
private business
Honest. honorable, fortnight
-iraScible sometimes, but never
vindictive and always just he
had vision as well as courage and
a rare faculty of seeing all things
in due proportion and through to
their logical sequence.
In his untimely passing We
mourn true patroit who, no mat
ter what the odds, always hewedI
straight to the line and followed
the course where duty lay"
Honored by Man.
Defense Secretary Marshall said
the country owes Mr.. Early a.
debt of gratitude for his contri-I
button toward the uniflcation of
the armed services"
1--WE here at the Department of
Defense" Gen. Marshall's state
ment said. ARE very distressed to.
learn of the untimely death of
Stephen T. Early. I personally
have lost a warm friend of many
years and one whom I saw fire..
quently, particularly during the
critical war years when he served
as press secretary to President
Roosevelt.
He served his country faith
fully for many years and he will
be missed greatly by his friends.
We extend our deepest sympathy
to his family
Former Defense Secretary Louis
johnson, to whom Mr.. Early was
deputy, learned of Mr.. Early'sI
death while attending an Amer
ican Legion convention at Charles
ton, w. Va. He recalled that he
and Mr.. Early had returned to-
Washington July 81 after playing
golf together for 10 days in Cali
fornia.
Shocked and Grieved."
Il didn't have a closer friend in
the world" Mr.. johnson said.
I'm deeply shocked and grieved.
He, was a loyal friend-a great
American. We shall all miss him
Similar sentiments we're ex-I
pressed by other friends-working
neWspapermen as well as Govern
ment leaders who had penetrs ted
Mr.. Early's gruff exterior and
found him warm-hearted, Coop
eratiye and efficient. He loved tol
hunt and fish, play poker and golf
and watch horse races.
He had been planning to play
golf at the Burning Tree Country
Club on the day he was stricken.
He was member of the Board of
Directors of the Laurel Race Track
and was enthusiastic over plans
for Improvements there.
Destroys His Notes.
Although he knew as much
of the inside" of Washington as
any man, he steadfastly refused
to write book on his experiences.
He regarded his knowledge as
something that should be kept
confidential because it came to
him that way.
Before he left the White House,
Mr.. Early conf1ded to friends that
he had destroyed all of his notes
and papers because he never in
tended to use the information
they contained and he did not
want them to fall into other
hands.
Born August 27, 1889 in Crozet,
Va, Mr.. Early came to Washing
ton with his family while small
child and grew up here. In 1908,
at the age of 10, he Joined the
Washington Staff of the United
Press and few years later moved
to the Associated Press where he
remained until 1927
Beat" On Harding Death.
One of his notable news beats"
was on the death of President
Harding in San Francisco in 1923.
Not fully accepting greassuring bull
letinS on the Presidents condition
he was one of the few persons on
watch when Mrs. Harding's sud-
den cry for a physician disclosed
that the Presidents condition had
taken a sudden turn for the worst.
He reported this development and
a few minutes later was well ahead
of his competitors with a flash
telling of the Presidents death.
Mr.. Early met Mr.. Roosevelt
when the latter came to Wash
tngton as Assistant Secretary of
the Navy. The friendship devel-
oped then never Wavered over the
years. He handled publicity for
MI. Roosevelt when he Waged an
unsuccessful campaign for the vice
presidency in 1920.
Mr.. Early was the first Wash
ington correspondent to enlist
after the outbreak of war in 1917.
He entered the Army as a ma
chine-gunner and rose to captain.
He served for a time on the staff
off Gen. John j. Pershing and
helped edit the Army newspaper
Star and Stripes.
Announced Major Events.
In 1927. Mr.. Early became