THE CABINET: Postman’s Holiday

A postman who takes a walk on his holiday is a joke. Last week the nation chuckled when it was revealed that Postmaster General James’ Aloysius Farley had been granted a payless leave of absence from his Cabinet post, would spend his new leisure at politics. Beginning Aug. 1, announced President Roosevelt, “General” Farley would give his time for three months to his duties as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Acting Postmaster General for August, September and October will be First Assistant Postmaster General William Washington Howes, a rotund, nervous man who bounces when he walks, smokes cigarets continuously and is South Dakota’s No. 1 Democrat. Wisconsin-born, he studied law at the University of South Dakota, landed in Wolsey to begin practice with $40 in his pocket. He spent $5 for a shingle, collected a $5 fee from a cowman client a few moments later. So popular was Bill Howes as a State Senator some 20 years ago that when a daughter was born to him the Legislature passed a special act naming her Mary Senate. Convivial among friends, the temporary head of the Post Office Department likes poker, horse races, prize fights, football and dancing with attractive Mary Senate.