Evening star., 1951-08-11
Early
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L
vate life. He entered the produc-
ton and selling fields as vice
president for Pullman, Inc.
But before he could get away,
President Truman called him to
the Rose Garden and pinned on
Ia Distinguished Service Medal.
BY remaining at his post at
great personal sacrifice during
World War II, Mr.. Early had,
"in many ways, helped create
among his fellow citizens sense
of great urgency in arming and
preparing the United States for
war :" the citation read.
Called Back in 1949.
Mr.. Early's brush with private
life was comparatively short, for
in the spring of 1949 President
Truman called him to fill the new
position of Undersecretary of De-
fenSe.
This sacrifice entailed a salary
of $4,000, far less than his Pull
man figure. Later he was made
Deputy Secretary, and his salary
increased to S14,500, and then to
$4,000.
As No. 2 man at the Pentagon,
he outranked the Army, Navy and
Air Force Secretaries and was Is
effect general manager of the
Military Establishment.
Mr.. Early was about to return
to Pullman after a years leave but
was persuaded to remain another
three months. The Korean war
caused him to stay another three
months.
Even after he resigned, Presi-
dent Truman sent out another
sos after three months, asking
him to serve briefly in the place
of the late. press secretary. Charles
G. Ross.
AS President Roosevelt's press
secretary, Mr.. Early released such
important news as the attack on
Pearl Harbor, the formal orders
that sent America to war, Winston
Churchill's arrival here in 1941
after a dramatic secret trip and,
finally President Roosevelt's death.
Scored News Beats.
AS a newsman, he scored notable
beats. One was the death of
President Harding at San Fran
cisco in 1923. Mr.. Early continued
to keep lookout at the Presi-
dents door, even after he was he
lieved out of danger.
When Mrs. Harding appeared at
the door one evening her face
white, he guessed the truth. After
verifying the Presidents death, he
rushed to a telephone and became
the first to inform the world.
In Washington, he covered the
White House and the State, War
and Navy Departments. One of
his better stories was the famed
general court-martial of Brig
Gen. William Mitchell of the Army
Air Service.
In his years with the newSreels
lhe produced the first "talkie" OF
Gen. John L. Pershing, and
obtained the only exclusive sound
Interview with a President, Her
bert Hoover.
Kinsman of Jubal Early.
Born on August 27, 1889. ir
Crozet, Va, Mr.. Early was a dis
tant kinsman of Jubal A. Early
famed Confederate general.
At the outbreak of World War l
he was one of the first in Wash
ington to join the Army, serving
as an instructor at Camp Lee, Va.
later with the 317th Machine Cur
Company, and going overseas with
the Both Division.
After service in the Argonns
Forest, he was promoted and as
signed to duty with Gen. Perish
Iing'S headquarters. Later III
helped reorganize the Stars anl
Stripes, official Army publication
in Paris.
After returning to Washington
he headed the publicity depart
ment of the United States Cham
ber of Commerce for a time be
i fore returning to newspaper work
In 1921, he married Miss Heller
:, Wrenn. They had three chill
|dren, Stephen T., Helen Virgins