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A _Analyzing Governor Herbert H. Lehmans Phenomenal Success in American Politics n of Destiny ERBERT H. LEHMAN is a stern realist. His training as a banker has influenced his outlook on life. He studies men and things I im the point of view of assets and liabilities. lc bases his evaluations on the final balance sheet if his appraisal. He has the gift to remain un prejudiced and to suppress his subjective reactions. Hi' decision is irrevocable. Former associates of .ehman the banker and present colleagues of Gov ernor Lehman know that only too well. Once pis mind is made up, he cannot be swayed by emo- h'ont. He is that rare phenomenon in American lite: a man of decision. (jovernor Lehman is not removed from the lustle and bustle of every-day life. He does not |.*>k at humanity from an ivory tower, stuffing lis ears against the cries of the great anonymous He is very much interested in movements, nasses. i>cial experiments and economic problems affect ing the small man. But he never loses sight of [he whole problem. He differentiates between the 'sential and secondary, and will not be influenced hv ephemeral changes. He thinks in pecades and universal scope. When, not so long ago, in his ca pacity as Acting Governor, Colonel I.ehman handled a prison outbreak jkvith an iron fist, the country real ized that this rather small-statured Jnan with the soft Southern drawl, lias an unbending will of steel. To phe large circle of his friends, Col. Lehman’s determination to see through this revolt against organ ized law and order, regardless of personal sacrifices, unswayed by •motion (which, in this instance, in- olved the life of the warden) was in no way a surprise. They knew that Col. Lehman, when put to test, would come through with fly ing colors. (Governor Herbert H. Lehman en tered the political arena when a im pure man of fifty, fully equipped by *ducation, training and experience to peal with every phase of govern mental problems. His associations with some of the largest industrial Undertakings in this country, in the textile, automobile manufacturing, hnd even retail merchandising field fiave provided him with that ex- utive and organization talent which government natters require. There is nothing startling in the fact that Col. Lehman adjusted himself so bril liantly to the handling of State problems and in- rtnluced so efficient a modus operandi in his mani fold duties at the Executive Mansion at Albany. ^Modern statesmanship is merely business on a Huge scale, and Governor Lehman is eminently fitted for it. What amazed even his closest friends his success in the purely political field. It was feared that Herbert Lehman was too straightfor ward, too frank; in other words, too ethical a per- onality to avoid the many pitfalls besetting the areer of a politician. The politician who depends ! ,n a majority of votes to keep him in the running belongs, generally, to the species who say “Y'es” when they mean “Perhaps” and “I’ll do everything NrfMc ’ when they mean “no.” Lehman uses i and “No” without regard to the rules of ie Political game. A rather dangerous habit in By Robert Stone H'hen Herbert II, Lehman, Lieutenant-Gover nor of the State of New York, announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination of the Governorship, political leaders of both par ties realized that his nomination and subsequent election was inevitable. The writer of this ar ticle analyzes the Lehman personality—and presents us with an interesting X-Ray chart of the man who became New York’s first Jewish Governor-. . . The Editor. public life. It is foreign to his nature to paint rosy pictures of the future and to use the reper toire of the candidate who revels in promises, intent on making pre-election friends. Either Leh man had to transform himself, overnight, into a man alien to his real self or he had to pay the penalty. This was the view of those who watched "Jews should be proud Jews, or no Jews at all." Governor Herbert Henry Lehman, Mrs. Lehman, Hilda Jane, John R. and Peter G. the newly-elected Lieutenant Governor after his success at the polls in 1928. But, strange to say, Lieutenant Governor Lehman made no compro mises when he entered the political ring. He re mained the punctual, efficient and thoroughly re sponsibility-conscious man of affairs with this ex ception, however. The morrow after his election he had divested himself of all active business in terests, believing that a public servant should have no business affiliations whatsoever and be entirely free from all personal, practical considerations. Lehman’s re-election two years ago with a larger plurality than any other candidate on the Demo cratic ticket in the state of New York proved con clusively that the people had taken to this new type of public servant. His very unorthodox out look in regard to traditions of the politician’s game brought him support. The intelligent citizen interested in the smooth and efficient administra tion of state affairs and sick of shallow and mean ingless prosperity slogans took enthusiastically to Colonel Lehman’s realistic and honest personality. He was impressed by the earnestness of the man and his concentration of fundamentals. It is as a negotiator that Colonel Lehman has triumphed time and again in the political field. He has averted several strikes by bringing employers and employees together and exposing to them lucidly the prospective advantages and disad vantages of their contemplated action. His talent to maintain a strictly impartial attitude, coupled with his straight-from-the-shoulder argumentation, makes him the trusted leader of any conference he participates in. To Jewish affairs, Lehman has transferred his same outlook. No futile emotionalism. No shallow dramatization. Before giving his support to any Jewish movement he studies it on its intrinsic merit, He is not a Zionist but be lieves in the reconstruction work carried on in Palestine. He is ac tively interested in the work of the Agro-Joint in the Soviet Union, although he is an irreconcilable op ponent of the Communist doctrine. For many years he has given of him self and his means to domestic and foreign Jewish charities, in accord ance with his fortune. The younger generation problem attracts him more than any other. He believes in the plastic possibil ities of the human character, through example, and through a proud esprit de race. Jews should be proud Jews or no Jews at alt, according to the Lehman viewpoint. ITus, the pri mary problem is to make our youth proud of their racial and religious heritage by teaching them our his tory and pointing out to them con temporary examples of Jewish genius and achievement. These are the dominant character traits of the man who was destined to become the first Jew to hold the Governorship of the State of New York. When he announced his in tention to be a candidate for the nomination of the Democratic Party in the Empire State, he broke political traditions by refusing to open headquarters, declaring he stood on his record as Lieutenant Governor. It is characteristic for the man that he enjoys the friendships of President elect Franklin Delano Roosevelt and ex-Govcrnor Smith. This can be explained by Governor Lehman’s extraordinary gift to steer clear of all personal en tanglements. In his book, “Government—Not Politics,” President-elect Roosevelt says the fol lowing about politics as a career: “I think we can lay down a rule covering a political career entered into with the highest pur pose of serving one’s community or one’s country. Either the individual should have enough money of his own safely invested to take care of him when not holding office, or else he should have business connections, a profession or a job to which he can return from time (Please turn to page 18) THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE [9]