Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-11-11

Continued From Page ID
ter qualifications than in the fic
tional story.
"Peaceable Lane" appeared In {
condensed version in the October
issue Of Ladies' Home Journal.
thought when read the story foi
the first time. that Keith Wheeler
might be a new Negro writer who
had cracked the tough fiction fielC
of the slick" magazines. I chang
ed my mind on second reading
This only piqued my curiosity
about the man behind the writer
word: I decided to try and track
down Mr.. Wheeler although I didn't
have too much hope Of success
Authors sometimes lurk in strangt
habitats. He could have been hib,
ernating in an igloo in the ArtiC
for all I knew.
A cooperative young public re,
lations woman at Ladies' Home
Journal suggested that I contact
Mr.. Wheeler's agent, Sidney Sat.
enstein. A telephone call to Mr.
Satenstein's office put me in touch
with his secretary, Edith Brett
Miss Brett promptly and efficient
ly expedited matters once she be,
came convinced I had legitimate
business and wasn't out to crack
Mr.. Wheelers skull. (''Peaceable
Lane" has had peculiar reactions
on some people,.
A few days later I received q
call from author Wheeler in per,
son. His voice on the telephone
gave the impression that he was
not one Of the professional charm
boys, all laughs, teeth and man
neriSns tailored for the ladies
club circuit. After an interval dur.
ing which he was on jury duty, we
set an appointment to meet in his
office on the 10Th floor of the
Time-ife building at Rockefeller
Plaza.
Keith Wheeler's photograph or
the jacket of ''Peaceable Lane" /.
I think, a good likeness except
that his coloring is lighter. He
bears a startling resemblance t.
an English instructor I once haC
at University Of Minnesota, a no.
nonsense type Of gentleman very
adept at pulling the scholastic rug
from under students who thought
they were in for a breeze course
He was born in Darlington, Norti
Dakota, entered newspaper bust
ness in Huron, South Dakota
where he served as SPORTS and
state editor, daily columnist and
copy boy for $50 a week. He mar
ried the sweetheart Of his $20-a
week days. They now live in Scars
dale, Westchester County, witt
their two daughters.
I didn't know what to expect o
Mr.. Wheeler. He was courteous
when I entered his office, helpe,
me off with my coat and saw tina
I was properly seated. He is {
serious-looking man, gives the i'm
pression of being almost dour, bu
a wry sense of humor is allowe,
to show through after a little in
terval during which he appraise
one.
Keith Wheeler has been a Lif
editor, reporter, writer, foreig
correspondent since 1851. Prior :
that, after he got off the rewrit
desk of the Chicago Times, h
covered World War II as a wa
correspondent for the Times. H
covered us. naval and land opeI
atoms all the way from the ALEU-
tians to the Coral Sea. There
a story about Mr.. Wheeler on tn
second day Of the Marine invasio
of Tarawa. He had landed wit
an early assault wave, survive
the night on the beach You
have to admit" Mr.. Wheeler
biography credits him with obser,
ing, that this IL a he'll Of q poo
way to dodge the draft"
He observed rather giumly
me that his biography has bee
'glamorized". He didn't mentio
the "glamorous" part Of his wa
correspondents career that OF
CURED when a Japanese bullet yer
nearly blew off his jaw, putin
him in the hospital for long week
He has received many awards, II
GLIDING Overseas Press Club citl
tons, but I had to go to his biol
raphy for the information. III
= man Just doesn't want to tai
about himself.
When he discussed "Peaceabl
Lane, it was with an obJectivit
that one rarely finds in author
He talked well but it was as
he were routing his thoughts vel
bally into a tape recorder or did
tating machine.
Mr.. Wheeler says that he ha