St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-11-11
Nell Russell On
PeoeeobIe Lone &
It's Author

lSI ldIlllAASdNOlAp SAioLA III NAAS an
tional story.
"Peaceable Lane" appeared in a
condensed version in the October
issue of Ladies Home Journal I
thought when I read the story for
the first time, that Keith Wheeler
might be a new Negro writer who
had cracked the tough fiction field
of the slick" magazines. chang
ed my mind on second reading.
This only piqued my curiosity
about the man behind the written
word. l decided to try and track
down Mr.. Wheeler although I didn't
have too much hope Of success.
Authors sometimes Turk in strange
habitats. He could have been hib-
ernating in an igloo in the Attic
for all 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 1 had legitimate
business and wasn't out to crack
Mr.. Wheeler's skull. c'Peaceable
Lane" has had peculiar reactions
on some people).
A few days later received a
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.
nerisms 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 goth floor of the
Time-Life building at Rockefeller
Plaza.
Keith Wheeler's photograph on
the jacket of "Peaceable Lane" is
I think, a good likeness except
that his coloring is lighter. He
bears a startling resemblance to
an English instructor once had
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, North
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, with
their two daughters.
I didn't know what to expect of
Mr.. Wheeler. He was courteous
when l entered his office, helped
me off with my coat and saw that
was properly seated. He is a
serious-looking man, gives the i'm
preston of being almost dour, but
a wry sense of humor is allowed
to show through after a little in
terval during which he appraises
one.
Keith Wheeler has been a Life
editor, reporter, writer, foreign
correspondent since 1851. Prior to
that, after he got off the rewrite
desk of the Chicago Times, he
covered World War II as a wal
correspondent for the Times. He
covered us. naval and land oper.
atoms all the way from the Aleu-.
uans to the Coral Sea. There is
a story about Mr. Wheeler on the
second day Of the Marine invasion
of Tarawa. He had landed witt
an early assault wave, survived
the night on the beach. You'll
have to admit" Mr.. Wheeler'!
biography credits him with observ
ing, that this is a hell of poo
way to dodge the draft"
He observed rather glumly t
me that his biography has beer
"glamorized" He didn't mention
the "glamorous" part Of his wal
correspondents career that oc
CURED when a Japanese bullet yer,
nearly blew off his jaw, putting
him in the hospital for long weeks
He has received many awards, in
Guiding Overseas Press Club cita
: tions, but had to go to his biog
raphy for the information. Tn,
e. man just doesn't want to tall
r about himself
When he discussed "Peaceabl
l Lane, it was with an objectivit,
l that one rarely finds in authors
5 He talked well but it was as i
he were routing his thoughts yer
bally into a tape recorder or die
E tating machine.
Mr. Wheeler says that he ha