Evening star., 1953-01-08

ceed himself in 1918 the direct
election of Senators had been
established. He was defeated by
David Ignatius Walsh. He might
have made it but for two of his
votes. He voted against the pro-
hibition and women's suffrage
amendments. He voted for one
important change, one of the
few Republicans to do so. That
was the Federal Reserve Bank
system. AS a financial man he
understood the desirability of
central banking. He was out of
the Senate when the League of
Nations debate was on. But in
a speech in Boston he made his
position clear. He was against
joining it.
Born in Newton in 1893.
Sinclair Weeks was born in
Newton June IS, 1898. He was
one of two children. His sister
is Mrs. John w. Davidge OF
Washington.
Although he was the son of
one of the wealthiest men in
Massachusetts,, he went to New
ton High School instead Of one
of the famous prep schools
thought to be so important to
the careers Of sons of great
families.
He was graduated from Har-
ward in the class of 1914. James
Bryant Conant, now president of
Harvard; Sumner Welles. Lever
EFT Saltonstall, Junius Spencer
Morgan, Vinton Freedley and
Laurence Schwab were in the
same class. The last two made
names for themselves in the
New York theater.
II just got passing grades" Mr..
Weeks said when asked about
his scholarship.
Despite his good New Hamp-
shire ancestry and his fathers
wealth. Mr.. Weeks is not of the
same social caste as the possess
sors of the Old Colony names
such as Bradford, Saltonstall,
Aspinwall, Cabot, Goldman and
Lodge. At Harvard he was a
member of the Institute of 1776
and Hasty' Pudding but not of
the exclusive final" clubs like
the AID or Porcelain.
He went to the Mexican border
with his National Guard outfit
and to France in 1917. He was
with the 26th (Yankee) Divi-
sion, which claims more front
line service than any OF the
AEF outfits, starting in Febru-
ary. 1913, and ending In the
Armistice in November.
He was promoted to captain
during the st. Mihiel advance.
Didn't Like Banking.
Back in Boston Mr.. Weeks
started his banking apprentice
ship as a messenger with the
First National Bank, which his
father helped found.
BY 1923 he was assistant
cashier and had decided he
didn't like banking-no career
at First National or Hornblower
& Weeks for him. He wanted
to be a manufacturer. So he
bought an interest in the silver
company and the fastener cor
poration.
In the same year he started
to follow his fathers political
footsteps by standing for alder
man of Newton. In 1929 he
took the second step by run
ming for mayor. The retiring
Mayor came out against him
and things looked tough. but he
won as a result of the women's
vote. The women of Newton, it
seems. were addicted to bridge.
Mr.. Weeks workers called on all
the bridge parties and took the
players to the polls in automo-
bileS.
II used to be against women's
suffrage" he was to say later.
"but now I think they are good
influence in politics.
The Board of Aldermen had
increased the salary of the Mayor
from $4,000 to $4,000 over his
opposition. Mayor Weeks an
nounced he was going to turn
the $4,000 back. He gave New
ton it's lowest tax rate.
There were times when he
really enjoyed himself as Mayor.
One of them was when the car
of Gov. James Michael Curley
roared through the town on the
Worcester turnpike and the
State trooper riding motorcycle
escort was seriously injured in
a crash. The Newton policeman
investigating the accident said
the Governor was in the car.
The Governor said he was else
where. Mayor Weeks conducted
a hearing. The honor of the
Newton police force was at stake.
At the end of it he vindicated
his policeman by announcing he
was convinced the Governor was
in the car.
His Political Philosophy.
In 1896 Mr.. Weeks offered
himself to the Republicans of
Massachusetts, as their candidate