Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-06
HEADLINE PERSONALITY '-sasp -
Meyner Now Eyed
! For the White House

Robert Baumle Meyner who
stood up to the massed
strength of the Republican ad-
ministration to renew his lease
on Morven, the New Jersey
Executive Mansion at Prince
ton, is being scrutinized this
morning as a possible tenant of
the White House.
Executive mansions have Of
ten served as launching plat
forms for presidential candi-
dacies, and in Gov. Meyner's
case, the auguries are particu-
larly favorable, because New
Jersey is a traditionally Repub-
lican State.
In addition, his first term
established him as a crack adj
ministrator, one who found
use for the academic brains at
Princeton and business experts
from out of State. He also has
welcomed Republican talents
into his cabinet.
AS a matter of fact, so much
Of his support comes from
members of the other party,
and Independents. that his
campaign billboards and pos
tiers for a long time made nc
mention of his own political
loyalties.
Expanded Social Security
During his first four years
as Governor. he expanded the
social services of the State and
tripled State aid to education,
He is regarded at the Demo-
cratic National Committee as a
progressive.
He has steadily courted the
business interests of New Jer-
Sey and encouraged industries
to come into the State.
Captains of his party noted
with approval his steady, I'M
spectacular, completely ortho-
dox campaign. One observer
called him a 'low-pressure
gladhander at BEST" one who
did all the handshaking ex-
pected of a man in his position
but who seemed at his best
chatting genially with small
groups.
No Expert as Speaker
On the speakers platform,
the Governor is counted as no
ball of fire, no oratorical kin,
for instance, of Adlai Steven
son, whoses beautiful distant
cousin, Helen Day Stevenson,
he married last January. Mrs.
Meyner, 20 years her husbands
junior. has been rated as a
first-rate campaigner, as zest-
full and friendly as the Gov
ernor.
From now on, friends say,
the Governor will strike out
a great deal more on national
issues. He has been holding
fire, according to them, until
he had won his victory in New
Jersey. Now he will speak his
liberal convictions, they be-
lieve.
An ebullient, wavy-haired,
good-looking man, almost six
feet tall and weighing a trim
$50 pounds, the Governor has
so far proven himself to be
adroit, cautious and pragmatic
in his political career. His
long suits are persistence and
efficiency.
Entered Politics Late
He came to politics relatively
late in life, and his first bid
for public Office was unsuc-
cessful. He was defeated for
State Senator in 1941 by sc
votes, and soon afterward en-
listed in the Navy, in which
he served for three years as
commander of gun crews on
merchant vessels.
Gov. Meyner was born Of
Swiss emigrant parents, both
silk weavers, in Easton Pa.
on July 3. 1908. The family
moved to New Jersey when he
was 8 years old. Young Robert
was a paper boy as a student in
primary school. Working hi:
way through Lafayette College
he was successfully a grocery
clerk, a garage mechanic, q
foundryman and a tutor. He
was graduated from Columbia
Law School and was admitted
to the New Jersey bar in 1894
Brought up as a Catholic, hi