Young Blood

Without even a sidelong political glance, Franklin Roosevelt nominated for Secretary of the Navy the brisk and efficient Under Secretary, James Vincent Forrestal (TIME, May 15). Not since 1941, when he elevated Harlan Fiske Stone to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was there such unanimous approval of a Presidential appointment. Press, public and the Navy cheered. The President had infused his official family with able young blood. The addition of Jimmy Forrestal, 52, lowers the average age of the Roosevelt Cabinet from 63.7 to 61.9 years.*

*Average age of chairmen of top committees in the Senate, 69; in the House, 71.