Evening star., 1957-04-27
George RubIee, Attorney,
Was Active in Government

Was Active in
George Rublee, a widely known
former Washington attorney,
who directed the Intergovern-
mental Refugee Committee which
sought new homes for those OPP
pressed by Hitler, died yesterday
in New York Hospital after a
brief illness. He was SO.
Mr.. Rublee had recently re-
turned from three-month trip
to Hawaii. returning via Mexico,
and had taken a trip to Europe
last summer. Since leaving
Washington he had made his
home in Cornish. N. H., and New
York.
Mr.. Rublee took on the job as
director of the refugee commit
tee at the age of 10. He deyel-
Ioped a plan which he hoped
would alleviate the condition of
Jews in Germany and make pos
isible an orderly emigration of
refugees to other lands. In con-
ferences with Nazi officials, he
sought to determine what ar
arrangements the German authori-
ties would be willing to make to
facilitate the exodus of the un-
happy minorities from Germany
His negotiations, concluded early
lin 1899. brought a promise from
Hitler of conditional truce with
the Jews, but the outbreak of
war that fall prevented further
working out of the arrangements.
Was New Deal Figure
The lawyer played an i'm
portant role on the American
political scene for many years
and his contributions were con-
sidered a large factor in the
development Of the political
science practiced by the New
Deal.
During the Wilson era he
wrote what became article 5
of the Federal Trade Commits
sion Act. declaring unfair
methods of competition in COM
merce to be unlawful and en-
Ipowering the commission to
prevent the use of such methods
through "ceast and desist" or
ders after public hearings. In
its day such a procedure was
unheard Of. The delegation of
such authority became the hub
ion which the Federal Power
Commission, the NLRB and 9TH
Iers turned.
His part in writing the Trade
Commission Act was a prelude
to a spectacular struggle be-
tween President Wilson and
Congress. when, in February.
1915. Wilson named him to the
commission. Jacob Gallinger.
Republican Senator from New
Hampshire. opposed Mr.. Ru-
blee's appointment. President
Wilson gave Mr.. Rublee a re-
cess appointment, but because
Iof Gallinger,s opposition never
succeeded in getting con1rma-
ton after a long battle. He left
the commission without drawing
a cent of pay for his years work.
Lived Here It'll 1947
Mr. Rublee made his home in
Washington from 1914 to about
.l947. He was an original part
Iner in the Covington and Bur-
ling law firm.
The late Dwight Morrow, Am
bassador to Mexico With whom
he served in the late l920s,
once said he valued Mr.. Rub
lees judgment above that
Iof any person he knew. For
80 years he was an important
figure in a long list of historic
events. but his name was rela-
lively unknown to the public at
large.
Quiet and modest, he liked to
read Greek dramatists and play
golf at his home in Cornish, N.
H. He stood 6-foot-4 inches tall.
He retired from a good law prac-
tice in his early 30s and Travelled,
and once he was the tennis part
ner for almost year of King,
then, Crown Prince. Gustav. of
Sweden.
Was Wisconsin Native
Born in Madison. Wis, he was
the son of Horace Rublee, one
of the founders of the Republi-
can Party. and President Grants
minister to Switzerland. After
living there. his father entered
him in a new school just estab-
liShed at Groton. Mass. by DR..
Endicott Peabody. He was the