Evening Star Newspaper, June 20, 1929, Page 21

+HAF EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1929. SIMPLICITY CHIEF TRAIT OF MELLON Treasury Head Cares Noth- ing for Pomp and Dis- likes Politicians. BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. VIIL—A Close-Up of Secretary Mellon. | At heart the American people are fond of myths. They delight to attach almost fabulous attributes to favorite figures in public life. Just as it has | pleased the American people to believe | that former President Coolidge was a | man of few words, 50 a popular notion | has arisen that Andrew W. Mellon fs | some sort of magiclan, who is capable of performing miraculous feats by waving a wand Secretary of the! Treasury Mellon does perform well nigh | miraculous feats, but the magic he em- ploys is compounded in chief of hard | common sense, based on an active life | filled with the sort of experience whick comes to one who has worked his way upward through the competitive maze of American business. The reason for the very limited pop- | ular knowledge of Mr, Mellon’s real | personality is probably the fact that it is so unusual in a public official. Its keynote is simplicity, and because it is 50 obvious the public has overlooked it in search of something more compli- cated. Members of the cabinet almost in- variably are chosen from among leading which Mr. Mellon was unfamiliar. He never succeeded. Mr, Harding was cer- tain he had him one day at a cAbinet meeting, held about the time of the disarmament conference, when Far Eastern matters were under discus- sion in connection with the four-power treaty. He casually asked Mr. Mellon some question about the Chinese East- ern Railroad—a property of which some of the other cabinet members had never heard. With equal casualness, and un- aware that the President was trying to trip him, Mr. Mellon replied explicitly to the amazement and delight of the President and every one else. He had been for some years a director of the Chinese Eastern. Indeed, at the time he entered the cabinet and divorced himself from active business it was sald that he held more directorships than any man in the Nation. The idea of the myth is fed, doubt- less, by the lack of ostentation on the part of this man, reputed to be the third richest in the United States. Men capable of great feats of fiscal and governmental management are expect- ed by the public to make a louder noise and more display. Mr. Mellon simply is not that type of a man; therefore, he is a mystery. Since the marriage of his daughter Ailsa to David H. K. Bruce of Balti- | more a few years ago, Mr, Mellon has gone about socially very little. But any one who desires may see him every evening, walking home through the streets of Washington to his apart- ment. Even in bad weather he trudges homeward in the twilight, indistin- guishable from the crowd of Govern- ment_clerks—save for the fact that he usually works until a much later hour than the clerks of his department and frequently carries a brief case full of Government papers home to work on at_night. In both the Harding and Coolidge cabinets Mr. Mellon and Secretary of Commerce Hoover were the closest friends among cabinet members. Both men are characterized by extreme sim- eye and giving a hint of rapier strength. He takes no exercise but walking, but his health is excellent. Aside from his collections, he spends far less money than many a junior partner, not because he is niggardly, but because his tastes are simple. He collects early American rtraits and is an expert in judging mbrandt Peales and Gilbert Stuarts and Sullys. He has some splendid Gainsboroughs, too, and a fine collec- tion of Hawthorne ware and Chinese porceiain. His only noticable idiosyncrasy, if it could be called that, is his preference for little cigars, so tiny that the ordi- nary cigar smoker would fined them dif- ficult to handle. But they rather typify in their delicacy his own personality. Mr. Mellon takes great pride in the efficiency of the Treasury. He has now been Secretary under three Presidents e o policiant - Asmpis e | Lichigh Professor to Seek Defects In Steel, Using Radium and X-ray ticians to bring pressure tain appointments for their henchmen. It doesn’t work with Mr. Mellon. If a man is efficient, Mr. Mellon does not care whether he has ?olltll pull. If he is not efficient, all the influence in the world cannot get him a job in the complicated Treasury machine. William A. McCabe Dies. POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y., June 20 (#). —William A. McCabe, 69, formerly con- fidential adviser to Gene Tunney while the latter was heavyweight champion of the world, died here yesterday. He was police commissioner of this and has brought the Treasury as near | city. - Philipsborn 606 - 614 ELEVENTH ST, An Underpriced Purchase and Sale of 360 Fine Fur Felt ‘The use of radium and X-rays for determining defects in the steel will be the basis of a series of experiments to be conducted at the Naval Research Laboratory at Bellevue, D. C, by Dr. G. E. Doan of Lehigh University, a specialist in the industrial application of X-ray technique. Dr. Doan has just reported to the laboratory and will be engaged in this work for about a month. efficacy of radium in certain cases of | | He was chosert for this task by the, Navy Department recently. Dr. Doan, in co-operation with the naval officials, will seel through steel, and if the series of experi- ments now going forward prove success- {ul the welding of steel will be inquired | The scope of the new investigation was thus explained by Dr. Doan: “The e e e s < Crepe de Chine hili 606 -614 “cancer 1s now Tather well esubmhzd.i This same radium, due to its penetra- | tion of solid objects, also offers attrac- | ject | tive possibilities for testing steel objec of all kinds. | gamma rays of radium directly through the entire steel object and onto a pho- piste behind the object. A light spot found on the photograph may The Star yesterda reveal an internal form in the steel.” | . Dr. Doan pointed out that the X-ray to determine the | is one of man’s most useful servani power of penetration of the X-rays|both in medicine and scientific research. phic ‘The plan is to shine th psborn ELEVENTH ST.. 21 NEW AIR-RAIL LINE. '»: Pittsburgh-Toronto Schedule Is Being Arranged. TORONTO, Ontario, June 20 (#).— : y said Toronto _and | Pittsburgh, Pa., are to be the termini of a new air-rail line being organized by a Rochester, N. Y., aviation concern in conjunction with the Buffalo, Rochester - & Pittsburgh Railroad. ; s arra The only clty in Europe in which all | yon4 eomge foF senpiane 56 the telephones are now automatic is| Roche: Milan, The subscribers number. 20,000, | b ey Cronio And St South Africa plans to have & pu | food and drugs regulation. L nged which ”rvlce be- connect- ing with train service to Pittsburgh. Capt. Merrill K. Riddick of Buffalo, N. Y., will head the new company. statesmen and politicians whose names already are known to the reading pub- lic. Mr. Mellon was known to scarcely any one outside his home town of Pitts- burgh, and known personally to only a few persons there. In fact, President Harding had never met him when, on the suggestion of the late Senator Philander C. Knox. he invited him to become Secretary of the Treasury. plicity and directness. His Personal Appearance. Mr. Mellon is not striking in personal appearance. He is of medium height and quite slender. His hair, his mus- tache and, usually, his clotles are pale gray. This slight, unobtrusive figure seems almost to merge into its surround- ings. The widest stretch of !h;;gm:gl- & nation cannot visualize upon retary Naturally Modest. Mellon the white-vest, frock-coat cos- Tt is not that Mr. Mellon recoils from | tume of the typical politiclan. But a the public eye. It is merely that he scrutiny Teveals a man keen of naturally is a modest man and quite —— - the reverse from the pushing type of politician or even business man. He talks. in a quiet tone of voice because it is his natural voice, and with that voice he says little because there i little which he desires to say. always found that any business in hand can he dispatched with very few words. The Secretary no more believes in wasting words than in wasting public funds. | He was born at Pittsburgh, March 24, | || 1855, in a generation when children were supposed to be seen and not heard. Although his father, Judge Thomas Mel- lon, who had come to this country from County Tyrone, Ireland, when but 5 years of age, was a rich man for those times, young Andrew was expected to fight his own battle of life. His father's influence helped him to get a job—as & mechanic in a wheel factory. Had he not made good there, it is by no means certdin that he would have been suc- wessful in getting his next job, that of railway brakeman. But the young Mel- lon had the germs of success in him and Tose to the responsible position of con- , ductor. Later he went into his father’s banking office and has been in the banking business ever since. His father, as head of T. Mellon & | Bons, turned over to him the smaller | * business of the bank. Petty loans to | unimportant people were his first bank- | ing. responsibility. But Mr. Mellon sensed that unimportant young men might grow up to be important later on. He helped struggling youngsters trying to get started in business by ad- vancing money, often taking an inter- est in infant enterprises. A typical ex- ample of such a young man was Henry C. Frick, founder of one of America’s greatest fortunes. At the time Mr. Mel- lon gave up direction of the Mellon National Bank to become Secretary of the Treasury he continued the policy of helping the little fellow. The lead- ing bank of his city, clealing in millions, still did not scorn $1 deposits from newsboys, bootblacks or any one else. - * Schelarly Man. Andrew Mellon graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and may prop- erly be regarded as a scholarly man, although it is not his custom nor desire to display his scholarship in public speeches. But any one desiring instruc- tion in how to employ forceful lan- guage should peruse his reports to Con- Costume Slips $ 2 95 TRIMMED with lovely laces or simply tailored. Shadow- proof .. . in peach, white and pastel shades. (First Floor.) HATS Specially Priced 55 . W hite and pastel shades. New brimmed and close-fitting styles. LOOK! LISTEN! Gtored with us, you can be assured your rugs and carpets are safe from moths, theft, fire and water dam- age; that they will be expertly cared for, and that they are insured from e time our Tepresentative receives them until they are safely delivered. Our storage charges are reasonable. Call Mr. Pyle A tremendous offering of extraordinary values, made possible only through a most fortunate purchase from several high-class makers. Hats of real Imported Fur Felt of fine quality. They were made to sell for much more than this special sale price. These are the most wanted Hats of the moment. All head sizes in many styles. THIS IS A GREAT MILLINERY EVENT! Millinery, Fourth Floor Below: Two- piece wash- Printed chif- able crepe, fon,sleeve- contrasting 1 less frock, scarf, $10. 1 $10. Georgette 3 Ay Sanitary Carpet Jrock, $10. c & Rug Cleaning Co. 106 Indiana Ave. N.W. | M 27 3257 Washable crepe with sun-tan back, . $10. 3291 3291 FIRE-PROOF s TORAGE LOCAL 8 LONG DISTANCE MOVING AGENTS ALLIED VAN LINES Now! The Hosiery Event that spells real economy cee Our Annwal Summer Sale of Silk Top Chiffons Over 600 Newest Frocks in Our Greatest Mid-Summer DLRLESS JALEKE!? OUTSTANDING IN THIS EVENT ARE SUMMER’S MOST DESIRED SILKS Flowered Chiffons, Polka Dot Crepes, Washable Silks in White and Pastels 10 DO you need a new frock for bridge or garden parties? A little silk suit for afterncons? Sometimes both smart smart and practical for tennis? A cool dress for downtown wear? “Something light and airy” for dining on the roof? Check over your wardrobe . . . then supply what’s lacking, with complete smartness and emphatic thrift from this sur- prising collection. Slight irregulars of our regu- lar higher - priced qualities. Values that will be amazing. gress on such matters as taxation and mew and small businesses in the earl: days resulted in his investigating and banker utterly astounded his louder- voiced colleagues in the cabinet with | s-,?oo gt the breadth of his knowledge. After | RAGES President Harding had become better 1313 YOU STREET, D Zforeign debts. s =i ¥ The young Mellon's policy of aiding - e of a great R NI K gt cquainted with him, he used to e ying to bring up some matter PHONE NORTH 33 ith | Every pair silk to the top and full fashioned. Majority have picot edge. hilipsborn 606 -614 ELEVENTH ST. Tomorrow—The Final Day of Our f Great “Once-a-Month” n : : i Five Dollar Shoe Sale 1,600 pairs of broken lots from our higher-priced lines drastically reduced to ALL SIZES Juniors, 11 to 15 Misses, 14 to 20 Women, 36 to 40 Plenty of Larger _Sizes, 40 to 50 Every want- edSummer shade. Sun- tan shades are ‘especially featured. 68 of the season’s most popular styles in TIES?! PUMPS! STRAPS! OX. FORDS! SANDALS! Beautifully Flowered Chiffon Frocks Beautiful White and Pastel Wash Crepes in One and Two Piece Effects, Some With Suntan Backs Frilly Georgettes With Bertha Collars Fashionable Tailored Georgettes Printed and Dotted Pique Frocks Those Fashionable Polka Dot Frocks (Philipsborn’s Dress Shops—Second Floor.) Polka dot crepe with georgetite White Kid Red Kid Blue Kid Sunburn Kid §atin Champagne Colared Cloths > tent Buy your Stockings NOW for VACATION Time and all Summer long in this great sell- ing event, but don’t stop at one pair or three pairs. Purchase at lcast six to a dozen pairs, because values such as these are RARELY OFFERED. All sizes 2; to 8, AA to C in the lot, but not in all styles. Spike and Cuban Heels. Sleeveless en- semble with hand-blocked printed coat, $10. FIRST FLOOR