Evening star., 1952-04-09
Truman Praises
Young, Accepts
His Resignation
Commissioner Has
Right to Be Proud
President Declares

NL. 4OuIlS SuDAIllIICO 1llo ICSlS -
nation to the President yesterday,
effective May 81. just two weeks
before the end of his fourth term
of Office. The will end IL years
service at the District Building for
Mr.. Young.
The President told the retiring
president of the Board of Com
missioners that he has "a right to
be proud" of this service.
With the Presidents letter to-
day. Mr.. Young's letter of resig-
nation also was made public.
The 70-year-old Commissioner,
who has held the job longer than
any of his predecessors, conferred
with the President for nearly half
an hour yesterday.
Field Wide Open.
It was understood that the field
for Mr.. Young's successor is wide
open, since President Truman re-
portedly has not yet made up his
mind. Two of a swarm of candi-
dates whose names are promi-
nently mentioned for the job are
Renah F. Camalier. Washington
attorney and grand master of the
District Masons, and Francis j.
Kane, owner of large local trans
fer and storage company.
Mr.. Young had little to say
on leaving the White House
except that he has found his IL
years in Office very interesting"
Mr.. Young has summer place
near Galesville, Md, which he has
been fixing up for the season and
where he probably will spend
much of his leisure time. I1e also
expects to devote lot of effort
on his hobby, painting.
The Commissioner has been
planning to retire for many
months, and much speculation
arose over the date. It was under
stood that congressional testimony
over alleged corruption in the
Metropolitan Police Department
one of the departments assigned to
him as CommiSsioner-delayed his
decision to quit once he had set
q record for tenure in Office a few
weeks ago. .
Used to Rumpuses.
AS president of the three-man
Board of Commissioners for nearly
IL years. Mr.. Young recently said
he has grown used to rumpuses
around here"
! During 1851, he announced he
would retire before his fourth
term expired in June, 1852, but
later said he would reconsider this
plan in response to requests from
some business leaders, more than
one member of Congress, repre-
sentatives of civic groups and al
few personal friends"
The late Mr.. Roosevelt, an
nouncing Mr.. Young's nomination
to be city head, drew out sus-
pense among reporters with al
build-up in which he jokingly con-
eluded he had picked "the first
white child born in the District of
Columbia"-a facetious reference
to an expression denoting long ex-
perience at the White House.
Noting the appointee was pres
ident of great institute of learn
ing" Mr.. Roosevelt referred to the
famous ~, Russell Young School
Of Expression.
Ribbed on Speech.
That institution had its start
among newSmen covering the
White House, who at various times
had displayed their oratorical ap-
titude as speakers during the Pres
j. sts' trips around the country.
The good-natured ribbing over
what his friends conceded was a
wholly undeserved reputation for
public speaking took a caustic
turn in some quarters, after a
rambling address to new men,
bers of Congress at a Board of
Trade dinner in 1949.
The address, in which Mr..
Young outspokenly lectured mem
bers of Congress about District
problems, figured in some opposi-
ton voiced to his confirmation for
O fourth term later IN the year.
Mr.. Young was born in WASH
ington on April 2, 1882, a son of
James Rankin Young, one-time
Representative from Pennsylvania,
and Mary Barclay Young. Both
Mr.. Young's father and his uncle,
the late John Russell Young, who
was once Librarian of Congress,
were well-known neWspapcrmen.
Mr.. Young attended Washing
ton public schools, Central Manual
Training School and the Indus
trial Art School of Philadelphia.
He entered newspaper work as a
reporter for the Philadelphia Eve
ming Star in 1901, worked on the
Philadelphia Inquirer from 1902
to 1904 and joined the Washing
ton Post in 1905.
JOlncU Stdr IN 1SV7.
In 1907, he became a reporter
for The Star. He was assistant
city editor in 1918 and 1919 and
in 1920 became the papers White
House correspondent. He was
president of the White House Cor
respondents Association in 1922
and 1928.
Among the honors which came
to him during his tour as Com
missioner were membership in
the Honorable Order of Kentucky
ColonelS and designation as an
admiral in the Nebraska Navy.
He was married to the former
Miss Nettie Griffith in 1926, and
they make their home at 1884
Jefferson place NV. He has two
children, Mrs. Carl Shepherd and
John Russell Young. jr., by q
previous marriage.
Mr.. Young has held membership
In the Board of Trade, the Society
of Natives, the Association of the
Oldest Inhabitants, Columbia His
'torical Society, Friendly Sons of
St. Patrick, Kiwanis, Masons,
Knights of PvthiaS Alfalfa Ellie