In the Public Eye

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 57, 4 September 1937, Page 21

In the Public Eye

Mr. Justice Charles who was' associated with the' management of recent big polo. tourneys in England, was born in 1871 arid is a son of the late Hon. Sir Arthur Charles, P.C. He was educated at Clifton and at New College, Oxford, arid became a Barrister at the Inner Temple in 1396 and a Bencher in 1922. In 1913 he took silk and he had been Recorder of Bournemouth and Southampton before his appointment to the bench. He was also Commissary-General of the Diocese of Canterbury and Chancellor or the Dioceses of Wakefield, Hereford, and Chelmsford. His father was a Lord Justice of Appeal. Mr. Justice Charles (then Mr. Ernest Bruce Charles, C.8.E., K.C.) was appointed a justice of the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in 1928. His name was announced in company with, that of Sir Travers Humphreys to fill vacancies created by the death of Sir Hugh Fraser and the promotion of Mr. Justice Greer to the Court of Appeal. He is unmarried, and at the time of his appointment was the fourth bachelor judge.on the bench.

Mr. George S. Kaufman.

George S. Kaufman, the modern American theatre's best-known collaborator, who was awarded *J« Pu^toer Prize this year for "You Cant Take It With You," which he wrote with Moss Hart, won a Pulitzer Prize once 'before. With Morrie Ryskind, hewas the author of the book for "Of Thee I 'sing/" which in 1931 satirised politics land has since become almost a part of the country's folk-lore. . "You Can't Take It With You" is Moss Hart's first experience of the prize, although not his first as a collaborator with Mr. Kaufman. Together they wrote ;;Once in a Lifetime," in 1930, and "Merrily We Roll Along," in 1934. At the moment they are on the Coast working on a musical ShMr.' Kaufman was born in Pittsburgh and in his earlier career worked on newspapers in Washington and New Yorkf at one time being the drama editor of the "New York Times." His first success, written with Marc Corfnelly, was "Dulcy," in 1921. Since that year he has had at least one new show on Broadway every year, his collaborators including .Mr. Connelly, Mr. Ryskind, Ring Lardner,. Edna Ferber, Alexander Wpolcott, and others. The list of his plays is a history of theatrical success, some of the names being "To the Ladies," "Merton ofc the Movies," "Beggar: on Horseback," "Animal Crackers," "June Moon," ''Minick "The Royal Family," "Dinner at Eight, "The Coconuts," "Strike Up the Band," "Once in' a Lifetime," "The Bandwagon," "Of Thee,11 Sing," "Let 'Em Eat Cake," "Merrily We Roll Along," "First Lady," and this year's "Stage Door." .■ .1

Mr. Kaufman also, is'well known as a director. ' . ' Mr; Hart is a New-Yorker, who entered the theatre as a stenographer in the office of Augustus Pitou. His first success was the Kaufman collaboration, "Once in a Lifetime." Since ithen he has written the books for "Face the Music," "As Thousands Cheer," and "Jubilee," as well as adapting the book for "The Great Waltz." Mr. Hart'is 32 years old and Mr. Kaufman is 48. In giving its, award to "You Can't Take It With You," the committee has followed the public—the play has been the most popular one of ithe season. Opening on December 14 of last year, to date it has had not one empty seat, and at each performance there usually are between ten and thirty persons standing. The play is the story of a mad family living up near the seat of the p^ize —Columbia University. The grandfather, a part played by Henry Travers, attends college commencements and collects snakes; the father makes fireworks in the cellar;" the mother writes plays because some years before a typewriter v,*as delivered to the house by mistake; the children all have their hobbies and ride them through the three acts. Two years ago, the New York drama reviewers, dissatisfied with the Pulitzer awards, formed their own circle to pick the "bejt play" of the year. Last season, their first, | they chose Maxwell Anderson's "Winterset," while the Pulitzer Prize went to Robert E. Sherwood's "Idiot's Delight." This year the critics chose "High Tor," also by Mr. Anderson. Dr. Thomas C. Poulter. A special gold medal of the American National Geographic Society was awarded at Washington recently to Dr. Thomas C. Poulter, senior natural scientist and, second in command of the Byrd Antarctic expedition of 1933----35. The presentation was made by Dr. Gilbert Grosvenor, president of the National Geographic Society, in the presence of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, distinguished scientists, officers of the society, and ranking officers of the army, navy, and marine corps. On the Byrd expedition, Dr. Poulter's work included geophysical investigations, studies of ice conditions and movement, the making of magnetic soundings, and observations of meteors and auroral phenomena.

"The most dramatic and most revealing demonstration of the unusual ability of Dr. Poulter was, the extraordinary journey he led to the advance base where Admiral Byrd had decided to.pass the winter alone to make important meteorological observations that he was unwilling to ask anyone else to risk making," Dr. Grosvenor said. He paid tribute to Dr. Poulter's "dogged persistence and final success in traversing the ice in the blackness of polar night and storm, for the first time in polar exploration to save his leader and our beloved associate."

Dr. Poulter is now director of the Armour Institute of Technology,

By a majority of one vote, Senator Alben W. Barkley' (Democrat), , of Kentucky, was chosen over Senator Pat Harrison (Democrat), of Mississippi, as the majority leader in the Senate to succeed Senator Joseph. T. Robinson. The vote was 38 to 37, all 75 Democratic Senators participating, either by direct ballot or proxy. ' .

President Roosevelt took a hands-off position between the two candidates, but many supporters of the Roosevelt judiciary plan threw their support to Mr. Barkley, while Old Guard opponents, of the measure supported Senator Harrison. On the other hand, personal friendships cut across the sharp line of the judiciary issue. The effect of the decision, though important, is largely negative, and the edge is taken off any major claim of significance by the extreme closeness of the vote. No bitterness could be detected as the result of the ballot and both men emphasised party harmony as the announcement was made. Senator Harrison, congratulating Senator Barkley, said:— "We've got to fight together in the future as we have in the past for the progress of the party and the success of the Democratic Party." In reply, Senator Barkley said: "Thanks very much for your congratulations, Pat. We've been fighting together since the start of the" Wilson Administration and we'll continue to fight together in the future. This is the first time our interests have been apart and I hope it will De the last time." The Supreme Court issue was not discussed in the Democratic caucus. The secret ballot waSjtised, and even nominating i speeches' were avoided. The majority leadership is a key position in Washington. Upon the leader a President must depend in large measure for the success of his legislative programme. In Senator Barkley, President Roosevelt has an equally loyal and probably more sympathetic New Dealer than even Senator Robinson. As observers sized up the" fight, Senator Harrison was the^shrewder, more experienced, but less forceful man of the two. It has tbeen thought; also that Senator Harrison would have, been more inclined to keep, the Senate independent of White House influence. Senator Barkley has1 been an enthusiastic and convinced New Dealer, and was selected as keynoter at the Democratic convention last year by1 Mr. Roosevelt. Senator Harrison moved to make the election unanimous and the motion was adopted. Senator John, H. Bankhead (Democrat), of Alabama, voted by proxy, all other Senators being present, The election was one of the most dramatic in history. Both sides were confident,, arid as votes were counted the lead swung from one side to another. ' . Senator Barkley Is' approaching his sixtieth birthday and has been in the Senate since 1927. He was born in Graves County, and now lives in Paducah, Kentucky. He got his education in common schools, graduating from Marvin College, Kentucky, in 1897, and later studying law at Emory College, Georgia, and the University of Virginia Law School.

Like many others in American public life, he entered politics through the route of prosecuting attorney office, elected for a four-year term in 1905. After that he was elected Judge of a County Court and was then elected to Congress. He came into national prominence at the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1932, which nominated Mr. Hoosevelt, where he served as Democratic key-noter. He comes .up for re-election next year. Senator Barkley, a rugged, genial figure, is noted for his personal appeal rather than eloquence in debate.: He is a hard; conscientious worker, who has made few enemies and worked closely with the Administration. Mr. W. Gallacber. The Commons lobbies have been laughing over an episode between the Conservative M.P., Mr. W. L. Everard, and Parliament's solitary Communist, Mr. Willie Gallacher, which may result in the Communist Party becoming land-owners. Speaking on the Finance Bill, Mr. Gallacher had a long complaint about landlords, and; related how a landlord had told him about the heavy burden on landowners and said that his land was of no use to him. "I said," remarked.. the M.P., "then I will take your land. But did he give it to me? No." (Laughter.) Mr. Everard then jumped up and said he had some land which he would be very glad to give to Mr. Oallacher. It was heavily rated and wias under water most of the year. Mr. Gallacher1 was somewhat nonplussed, but, nevertheless, accepted the oiler, suspecting that Mr. Everard was merely joking, and said: "I am ready to make arrangements to take over the land and will be very glad to accept the services of the Government, in connection with the land drainage." : But Mr. Everard means every word he said, and confirmed this later. "The land is about 13 acres in Norfolk. Although waterlogged most of the time it is rated, at £I^s yearly. It is just a liability. . I haye never had anything from it, • and, if Mr. Gallacher thinks he can,make use of it, he can have it with pleasure. .The Communist Party may like to divide it and have'an acre each." ; : * Mr. Gallacher also apparently meant what he said; He told a correspondent: "I shall ask for Government assistance in drainage, and get unemployed to put the land in good shape." What the Government may have to say in the matter remains unrecorded.