Evening star., 1951-04-19


m Connecticut, i'm a procession
gan Law School before he had
to go to work.
college is the only job I never
finished" he once commented.
He married Elizabeth Watson
at Grand Rapids in 1907, and
they had three children, Mrs.
barbara Knight, Mrs. Edward
1Pfeiffer and Arthur Vandenberg,
ljr. Mrs. Vandenberg died in 1916.
He married Hazel Whitaker. Of
Fort Wayne, Ind, IN 1918,
Political Fervor Cost Job.
Senator Vandenberg liked to
recall how his enthusiasm for
President Theodore Roosevelt cost
him his job as billing clerk in a
biscuit factory and resulted in his
becoming newspaperman. He
had left his desk at the factory
| to attend-and finally march in
the parade for ''T r." being held
in Grand Rapids that noon.
When he returned, late, he was
fred. He Immediately applied for
a job on The Herald and went to
work that same night alongside
another new reporter - Frank
|Knox-who later was to become
Ia famous publisher, Republican
candidate for Vice President in
1886 and Secretary of the Navy.
He got his preliminary political
training as a member of the
Michigan State Republican COM
mittee in 1912 and r1918 and as
chairman of the State Republi-
can conventions of 1915 and 1923.
In 1923. Woodbridge N. Ferris,
Democratic Senator from Michi-
gan, died and Gov. Fred Green
appointed Mr.. vandenberg to fill
the unexpired term, beginning
March 81. The following Novem-
Der Senator Vandenberg was
elected to serve the remainder Of
the term as well as the full sue
Iceeding six-year term, ending in
1884.
He was reelected in 1894 and
again in 1910 and 1946.
In 1916 he passed up campaign
ling to devote his time to inter
national problems. His re-elec-
tion by a plurality of 100000 votes
was hailed by him as an "unmis-
taxable Endorsement" Of the
United States bipartisan policy.
which he had helped to shape.
Admirer of Hamilton.
His initial taste for political life
came when he was assigned to the
City Hall beat" in Grand Rapids.
On March IT. 1906, Senator
William Alden Smith. owner Of
The Herald, called the young re-
porter to his Office and said:
you are now editor-in-chief and
general manager. Go and kick
your feet under the mahogany"
He did that for the next %
years, during which he became a
powerful editorial voice in West
ern Michigan.
While editing The Herald he
wrote such books as ''The Trail of
ia Tradition" IF Hamilton Were
Here Today" and alexander
Hamilton, the Greatest Ameri-
can" as well as many short
stories. He also wrote some fiction
stories. mostly about crooked poll
'ticians. While ins the Senate he
contributed to magazines. &
His refusal to cast a uniformly
partisan vote was made an issue
in his campaign for fe-election in
1894. He was called a yes and
mo" man because he had sup
ported some and opposed other
measures advanced by President
Roosevelt. Senator Vandenberg re-
torted that he sought reelection
neither as friend nor foe of the
New Deal. -
ITO say that all in the New
Deal is bad would be silly" he
said in one speech that year. ITO
Isay that all is good would be ri
diculous."
Blocked Florida Canal.
During the administration of
President Roosevelt, he had a
major part in blocking the Florida
ship canal and the Passama--
Iquoddy (Maine) power project.
HE also was one of the group Of
Senators who prevented passage
Iof the administrations bill to re-
Iorganize the Supreme Court.
He fought against devaluation
of the dollar and opposed the
National Industrial Recovery Act,
the Tennessee Valley Authority
and projects of the Resettlement
Administration.
As a member of the Senate Dis.
trict Committee during his first
years in Congress, he was par
ticularly interested in moves that
led eventually to establishment OF
the National Airport.
Among the things he favored
were railway pensions, Social
Security, the Securities and Ex-
change Act, bank deposit insur-
ance and the Great Lakes-S
Lawrence waterway.
Senator Vandenberg belonged
to the Sons Of the American
Revolution. the Congregational
Church and the Masonic Order.
being 32d Degree Mason and a /
Shfinnr n IN