National Affairs: Rewards

Opposition to a President may be a friendly thing, productive of large and pleasant rewards. Such a reward last week came to Representative Finis James Garrett of Tennessee, onetime printer, editor, teacher, lawyer, and now leader of the Democracy in the House. President Coolidge appointed him to the U. S. Court of Customs Appeals. Mr. Garrett had reached up for a Senate rung in the Tennessee political ladder last year, missed his grip.

For minority leader Mr. Garrett is young, comparatively. Of his 53 years, 24 have been spent in the House, in laborious ascent through his party organization. A tall stooping man with hollow eyes, a face almost cadaverous, a melancholy voice, he is a devoted lover of the past.

In leading his party against the G. O. P., Mr. Garrett exhibited a delicacy of manner, a restraint of language that caused his more bellicose followers to ask if he were “pulling his punches” (gentling). His attack was on broad principles. He never ridiculed the White House, never called the President names. Small wonder that the many potent Republicans who recommended his appointment to a $12,500 job found the President responsive.

But from the White House to the Senate with Mr. Garrett’s went two other names that caused much less elation. One was Irvine Luther Lenroot, onetime (1918-27) Wisconsin Senator, to sit also on the Customs Appeals bench; the other, Henry H. Classic, Maryland Democrat and once a very much abused U. S. Tariff Commissioner, to the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia.

For two years, since his fall from politics, Mr. Lenroot has been flitting about Washington, Micawber-like. He had captained many a Coolidge Senate fight; he never lost faith in the ultimate bigheartedness of the White House. For $10,000 he successfully out-lobbied the Walsh Senate resolution for investigating interstate public utilities, transforming it into a toothless inquiry by the Federal Trade Commission. He distinguished himself last month by winning the so-called Mayflower Marathon: when Herbert Hoover, returning from South America, arrived the first morning at his hotel headquarters, it was Mr. Lenroot who, first of all comers, rushed in upon him, wrung his hand, wished him well.

Mr. Classic’s wife and brothers owned Louisiana cane sugar mills. The sugar duty came before the Tariff Commission. Commissioner Glassie voted against reduction of the sugar rate, tied the Commission, blocked action, helped Calvin Coolidge out of a 1924 campaign hole. In the Senate he was denounced, his pay cut off.