Evening star., 1953-01-08

each afternoon to talk over
teacupS.
Mr.. Weeks guide in life Is
the letter his father wrote him
when he was about to run for
alderman of Newton. It shows
the purposefulness of the Weeks
family to do a good job; to merit
the respect of associates. Sim
clair Weeks career shows he has
followed it to the letter.
There are two or three things
I want to impress upon you,"
the father wrote, "as it is your
first experience in legislative
body. Success in such a place.
more than in almost any other,
depends on knowledge. A man
is a leader, legislatively, when he
knows more than those who are
serving with him. He does not
have to be an orator. have
wealth or any other qualif1ca-
ton, than to have the facts, and
therefore you ought to take some
part of the week, perhaps all of
it if you have time. and know
all about what is going on. Study
the rules which are used. so that
you will be entirely familiar with
them. Attend committee meet
ings, so that you will be entirely
familiar with the work of the
committee, and above all things
do not attempt to speak unless
you know exactly what you are
talking about.
There is no place in the world
where you get sized up quicker
than you do in a legislative body.
If you are on your feet every few
minutes talking about something
which all the others know as
much about as you do. you do
not acquire but lose influence.
If you get the reputation Of
knowing what you are talking
about, then every one will listen
and will be likely to accept your
views. Do not get into the habit
Of quarreling with men who do
not agree with you. They are
entitled to their opinions as
much as you are to yours. The
thing to do is to convince them
that they are wrong, and that
will apply in general politics as
well as in the Newton Board of
Aldermen"
Many Asked for Copies.
Senator Millikin asked Sinclair
Weeks for a copy of that letter
and framed 1t on his Office wall.
Since then a dozen callers have
asked for copies of it, Mr.. Weeks
said with evident pride.
The Weeks, father and son,
were moved to add public serv-
ice to their successful business
careers by strong feelings of pa
Notwithstanding they acted
on but did not talk about. This
urge to do something for their
country brought to the seats of
power two ultra conservatives.
The patriotism goes back
many generations. The first
Weeks. whose name was Leon
ard. came to Portsmouth in 1850.
His great-grandson, Capt. John
Weeks, fought in the Revolution.
The captains son, John w.
Weeks. a great-great-uncle of
the Secretary of Commerce
designate. was promoted to
major on the battlefield of Chip
pewa in the War of 1912. The
Weeks family lived at Lancaster,
N. H., where they still have a
summer home, from 1876 on.
They were selectmen, represent
atives in the General Court
Oegislature) of the State, a
school teacher, a doctor, two
were members of Congress, one
was a local banker and all were
farmers New Hampshire farm
ing was tight economy. which
bred a conservativeness in the
family that great wealth could
not change.
John w. Weeks left the farm
to accept an appointment to the
Naval Academy at Annapolis. He
was graduated in the class of
1881, took his two-year cruise
as a midshipman and then was
released along with most of his
classmates. The Navy kept only
the first 10 in the class. He did
some surveying in Florida and
then came to Boston where he
went into partnership with
Henry Hornblower in the private
banking firm of Hornblower &
Weeks. The firm grew into one
of the great financial establish
ments of the Nation, helping to
finance railroad building, the
automobile and the electric in
duStries.
John w. Weeks became Mayor
of Newton in 1902, was elected
to Congress in 1904 and in 1912
he was elected by the State
Legil ature to the United States
Senate. the last Massachusetts,
Senator to be elected by that
process. He opposed Theodore
Roosevelt's Bull Moose move
ment, which had great appeal
to the younger Republicans of
Massachusetts,. In 1916 he went
out for the presidency himself.
He got los delegate votes on the
first ballot from all over the
country-23 States in all.
When Mr.. Weeks tried to sic.