National Affairs: It is Not

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"Isn't it true that you both smoke and drink?"

It was a startling, perhaps a rude question to fire at a lady as she entered a hall to conduct a political rally. But U. S. Representative Louis T. McFadden, of branch-banking law fame, saw fit to fire it at Mrs. Gifford Pinchot, who is contesting his seat in Pennsylvania's 14th District. The meeting was in Canton, Pa., Mr. McFadden's home town, last fortnight. The Cantonese are not very particular about liquor and smoking, even for women, but Mrs. Pinchot is running Dry, like her militant husband who used to govern Pennsylvania (1923-27). Mrs. Pinchot is running as a thoroughgoing lady.

Thin, electric, reddish of hair she faced him.

"It is not!" she retorted.

Representative McFadden was rather hotly hissed by his fellow-townsmen. Last week, observers said that the episode had redounded greatly to Mr. McFadden's discredit and might well result in another lady member of Congress.

Mrs. Pinchot, who lives at Milford, on the east edge of Pennsylvania, lately had a more trying experience than Mr. McFadden's question. She was being motored home from Towanda by William F. Hinkle, her chauffeur. Near Susquehanna, Hinkle collapsed at the wheel. The car dashed off the road, grazed a pole, stopped itself. Examining Hinkle, Mrs. Pinchot found he had come down with the measles. She got him in the back seat, wrapped him in a blanket, took the wheel herself.