Number One Man

Great was the commotion in San Francisco harbor last week as the Dollar liner President Pierce glided in through the Golden Gate from the Orient. Whistles screamed. Bands blared. Flags flew. Warped into Pier 44, she was quickly boarded by octogenarian Shipowner Robert Dollar who hurried about looking for an erect, spare, tropic-tanned man. He found him on deck, carrying a tightly rolled silk umbrella, and gave him a tremendous handshake which carried with it the welcome of the whole U.S. The browned voyager was none other than Henry Lewis Stimson, returning from the post of Governor-General of the Philippines to become number one man in President Hoover's Cabinet.

With him was Mrs. Stimson, quiet, self-effacing, always loyal to her husband's ascending career. As Mabel Wellington White of New Haven, Conn., the new second lady of the land married Statesman Stimson in 1893 when he was just entering Elihu Root's law firm and long before he became a statesman. In Manila last year she appeared at a state function in Balin-tawak (native costume). Being second lady holds no social terrors for her. She was well-schooled in official society as the wife of President Taft's Secretary of War.

About Statesman Stimson pressed newsgatherers. Said he with startling informal ity: "I absolutely refuse to shoot off my mouth about my new job until I see my new chief." But he was by no means silent, for he had plenty to say about the Philippines. The proposition to impose duties upon sugar and other products from the Islands to the U. S. vexed him greatly.

He declaimed: "To place a tariff on such products would be following the steps of George III whose stamp tax on tea resulted in the American revolution!"

He had escaped dengue fever, he said, and superstitiously rapped the wooden handle of his umbrella. Yes, his rheumatism was better, thanks to the tropic heat and tennis. Did he have apprehensions or misgivings about his high post? Statesman Stimson drew in his chin and replied :

"Apprehensions but no misgivings. . . .

I shall put on my rubber boots and wade through as well as I can."

Toward dusk, the Stimsons boarded a Pullman to cross the continent. ... At Chicago they paused to breakfast at the Blackstone Hotel with Silas Strawn.

Statesman Stimson gave a second talk on the peace and contentment of the Philip pines. Some rude soul asked him about their independence. Ever diplomatic, Statesman Stimson replied: "Mr. Hoover's election was received with great enthusiasm."

In Manhattan, he paused briefly at his house and private office to arrange personal affairs and discuss the Philippine situation for a third time before pushing on to Washington where President Hoover waited to welcome him as a White Houseguest. The State Department was on its toes to greet its new Secretary. Nobody was more excited than "Eddie" Savoy, 74, the messenger who has sat outside the door of more Secretaries of State than he cares to remember. He was appointed to his post in 1873 by Secretary of State Hamilton Fish, a son of whose butler and maid he was.

Under the head of "problems" President Hoover had a neat stack of subjects awaiting the consideration of Statesman Stimson. Among them were: 1) Diplomatic appointments; 2) Policies on Mexico, China, Russia, disarmament, prohibition (the I'm Alone [see p. 12] etc.); 3) A new Governor-General of the Philippines.

Frank Billings Kellogg planned to remain over three days at the State Department to help Statesman Stimson pull on his rubber boots.