Ohio's Locher

Solid, serious, black-haired, middle-aged Lawyer Cyrus Locher of Cleveland, a Democrat, last week became Senator Locher of Ohio. Governor Donahey named him to fill the unexpired term of the late Frank Bartlette Willis, rapt last fortnight by cerebral hemorrhage (TIME, April 9). It was an appointment of the "political friend" variety. Senator Locher backed Governor Donahey's campaign against the Democratic state organization in 1922. The campaign was successful. Thereafter Lawyer Locher was one of those quietly powerful figures in politics--"adviser" to a major office holder. He held the official position of Director of Commerce in Governor Donahey's cabinet.

In the early 1900's, having arrived at membership in the Cleveland bar over the school-teacher law-student route, Senator Locher took a fling with the brilliant and radical group of Clevelanders who gravitated about magnetic Mayor Tom Johnson. Newton Diehl Baker, Frederic Clemson Howe, William Byron Colver were among the young reformers who with Tom Johnson fought the battle of the single tax in Cleveland. Opposed to private ownership of public utilities, they were denounced and feared as the Bolshevists of their day. Cyrus Locher assisted City Solicitor Newton D. Baker. Then he was elected Prosecuting Attorney.

Tom Johnson died. His group of young "radicals" scattered, many of them to advance to more influential, less "radical" positions.* Cyrus Locher, like Newton D. Baker, stayed in Cleveland.

Today, he has "no hobby but work"; a wife, but no children. Real estate investments and legal fees have made him a man of independent means. On Prohibition, on questions of party politics, he is a cautious, middle-of-the-road man. On farm relief he is expected to vote with the McNary-Haugenites.

*Mr. Baker to be Secretary of War, 1916-21; Mr. Howe, to be Commissioner of Immigration, 1914-19; Mr. Colver to be a Federal Trade Commissioner, 1917-20. Other "youngsters" who dined frequently with Tom Johnson were Brand Whitlock, Clarence Darrow, Lincoln Steffens.