Show Merry Round Merry Merry Merry-Go- Go Rou Round nd By DREW PEARSON and ROBERT ROBERT S. S ALLEN LLEN WASHINGTON WASHINGTON-On On March 20 1917 a tall hus husky y young man from Perth Amboy N. N J. J heard Theodore Roosevelt speak at a rally in Madison Square Garden New York When the youngster left the meeting he was so fired with patriotism that he stopped at the first recruiting recruiting recruiting recruit recruit- ing station and enlisted in the navy He rose quickly quickly- Because of his knowledge of seamanship ga gained ned as a kid on the Jersey coast he b began gan his servi service e as a in command command command com com- mand of a coast patrol boat A little later he was commissioned an ensign Insign and ordered to a transport which carried thousands of troops to France Today this youthful patriot sits at a desk in ina in ina a second floor office of the great sprawling white stuccoed Navy building on upper Constitution Constitution Constitution avenue the acting boss of the navy That Lewis Compton is acting boss of the navy is known to few even in Washington He Heis Heis Heis is not a politician He is is' a business man who believes in running public affairs in a businesslike businesslike businesslike business business- like manner He didn't seek out the job It sought him out and was offered to him str strictly because of his qualification It happened this way In the fall o of ot 1936 when Roosevelt persuaded Charles Edison son of the famed inventor to take the post of as assistant assistant assistant as- as secretary the first man to congratulate him in his office in East Orange was Lewis Thanks Luke said Edison but I have no business business' taking this job I dont don't know the bow of a ship snip from the stern You dont don't need to said Compton In the navy there are re plenty of men men who do All you need i is a good assistant Count me in Won Von Edison's Admiration The two men had become acquainted only the year before when Compton was state director director director tor of relief in New Jersey Edison president of Thomas A. A Edison Industries Inc was also starting a a. a laboratory experiment in federal housing in New Jersey and needed some white- white collar relief workers to staff the I prole ct t. t He asked for an appointment with Compton Compton Compton Comp Comp- ton and when he entered the office Compton was dictating into a machine I see said Edison you are an executive who values his time He smiled and pointed to the machine It was an product of Edison Industries Compton assigned relief workers to the housing housing housing hous hous- ing project in a way that evoked Edison's ad ad- Instead of handing him a lot of butchers and bakers he allowed Edison free range range to select skilled m men m regardless of politics politics poli- poli poll poli tics with the result that the New Jersey had the most efficient rec record rd in the country This was the beginning of a mutual admiration admiration admiration admira- admira tion between the two men They are entirely unlike however Compton is a tall six-feet- six three rugged two fisted type of executive with the picturesque profanity of a Masefield sailor He supplements the quiet whimsical music- music loving Joving secretary of the navy Edison has boundless boundless bound bound- less patience Compton until his riding accident last summer had none But lying four months on his back after a severely crippling fall from froma a horse hors gave gaye him a measure of calmness he never had known before Compton is not a brilliant man His teachers despaired of him at Exeter academy in New Hampshire where he and his two brothers were in turn known as Buck Compton When the youngest Billy entered the academy Lewis led led him on the opening day to the registrar famed James A. A T Tuffy Tufts As the line moved past Tuffy desk that oldster without looking up said Name please Billy replied Compton W W. W. A. fA New Jersey Tuffy raise raised his pen b but t not his eyes Compton Compon C Compton Perth v-Perth P rth Amboy Brother of the BUCK Comptons I suppose suppose suppose sup sup- pose With pride Billy replied Yes sir and the theold theold theold old man with his most cutting sarcasm said Well still they come in spite of the difficulties difficulties ties they encounter Businessmen Rule Shipyards It may not be brilliance but it is a clear clear clear- sighted p perseverance which lies behind Comptons Compton's Comptons Comp Comp- j tons ton's work today in reorganizing the navy de de- de- de t He and Edison both with the background background background back back- ground of business men insist that the shore establishments of f the navy which employ civilians civilian w workmen riveters workmen riveters steam-fitters steam electricians electricians- electricians designers designers cannot be well directed by an officer trained only in commanding a ship In others other words you cant can't build submarines by throwing a steam-fitter steam into the brig if he doesn't salute and say Aye aye sir The navys navy's shore establishments constitute one of the largest industrial enterprises in the country and aId Compton and Edison hold that they should be directed by men trained in industrial man man- These and other administrative reforms of Edison and Compton are regarded as heresy by the thc brass hats but they have the support of or Roosevelt and they are being put through Compton has held his new job only a few weeks b but t he has the handled-the rop ropes s for months When Edison was laid up with intestinal influenza influenza influenza enza last spring and the late Secretary Swanson Swanson Swanson Swan- Swan son was inactive at the same time Compton pinch hit for both Distributed by United f Feature Syndicate t |