Evening star., 1951-12-04
Edwin James, Managing Editor
|OfNew York Times, Dies at 81
Native of Virginia
Joined Stuff in 1915;
Served in Europe
BY the Associated Press

/
was taken to Columbia -Presbyter-
ian Hospital last Sunday following
an intestinal hemorrhage. He hao
been severely weakened last June
by condition diagnosed as coro-
nary thrombosis. and also by g
kidney operation last August.
Born in Irvington. Va. on June
Is, 1890, Mr.. James went to work
as a reporter for the Baltimore
Sun in 1910. After two years as
assistant news editor of the Pitts
burgh Dispatch and another two
as copy editor on the Knicker-
booker Press in Albany, he joined
the Times.
Exposes Imp0ster.
His first day as an accredited
reporter for the Times brought ar
exclusive story. He exposed an
Elmira Reformatory escaped con-
vict who posed as the new Consul
General for Rumania and staged
an elaborate dinner party at the
Astor Hotel.
Thus Mr.. James launched a
career which carried him to the
position of the fourth managing
editor which the Times has had
since it was taken over by the
late Adolph S. Ochs.
But before he became manag-
ing editor he had made an inter-
national reputation as a journal
ist, news-gatherer and news exec
utive. His record as foreign cor
respondent in Europe between
1918 and 1881 not only established
a greater breadth and scope tt
the foreign news coverage Of his
newspaper, but it also had been
credited with having been i'm
mensely helpful to his country.
Digger for Facts.
! Early in reportorlal activity
both on general assignments in
New York City and in the Times
bureau in Albany, Mr.. James
showed qualities that eventually
were to bring him to a top place
in his profession. He was tire
less and thorough digger for facts
he was described by his associates
as one of the quickest reporters
they knew and he had an abso-
lutte passion for objectivity.
His introduction to Europe
early in 1918 was as the papers
chief correspondent with the
American Army. He followed the
Army through major battles and
he was praised by the late Damon
Runyon las probably one of the
greatest war correspondents or
the American front"
Immediate postwar work in
lcluded reporting of the German
revolt and occupation and of the
last months of the Peace Confer
ence in Paris. His ability and
Industry won assignment for him
as Paris correspondent and he
made the most of the opportunity
in what then was the listening
post of Europe.
| Used FrOck Coat to Advantage.
| During the next few years he
gathered information about such
varied events and conditions as
European problems. the League OF
Nations, maneuvers for control OF
the Dardanelles, war debts, the
German economic situation and
political unrest in Spain.
/ He meanwhile broadened and
deepened his acquaintance with
political personages throughout
Europe. This-as we'll as his
nickname as the Beau Brummel
| of foreign correspondents-stooo
him in good stead later at the
Washington Conference on Naval
Disarmament. To the dismay OF
fellow reporters. he appeared in a
frock coat, mingled with diplomats
on the conference floor and scored
several major beats.
From 1919 to 1880 Mr.. James
went from one economic or polit-
ical conference to another. He
made a strict point of avoiding
personal opinion or undue color
in his dispatches. Yet, as writer
his powers of description and his
ability to state the facts clearly
and in proper perspective were
unusually effective in letting read
ers judge matters for themselves
and judge intelligently and cor
rectly.
No Armchair Pundit.
Mr.. James, his associates recall
never was an armchair pundit o.
a swivel-chair correspondent o.
Executive. Nor did he devote 81
much time and thought to worle
affairs that he disregarded or ne
elected such interesting matter
as the Lindbergh arrival in Paris
the gambling at Deauville, the
French reaction to the Dempsey
carpenter fight, and the high
ways. byways and eating ways O.
France and other countries.
One of his most celebrated
stories concerned the reception o.
Lindbergh and the reasons why
the Times correspondent on tn.
field could not follow the home of
flee order to isolate" Lindbergl
as soon as he landed.
Returns to Europe.
His experience at the Versatile!
peace treaty sessions and his latel
observations of internationa
trends and dangers made him {
grim opponent of unreasonabl,
secrecy and determined advo.
cate Of the role he believed thu
United States should take in in.
ternational cooperation.
During brief sojourn in New
York in 1924 he wrote a serie.
Iof articles on the unhappy result.
! 1tt Mrntnrtattt
BRIDGET. tribute Of devotion /,
| the memory of our beloved mother AM