Decalog

The most inveterate public speaker in the Department of State is Assistant Secretary Harry Franklin Payer. Son of an Austrian Army officer, he was born in Cleveland 58 years ago. went to Western Reserve, became a lawyer. He teamed up politically with Cleveland's Tom Johnson and Newton Baker. His particular interest was judicial reform. He affects 19th Century attire and speech, wears old-fashioned stiff collars, voluminous cravats, striped trousers, heavy black coats. His round, Pickwickian cheeks dimple with smiles and he trains his frizzy grey hair to stand out in Dickensian tufts at the sides of his bald head. But his tongue is his greatest member. Trial juries melt before him. At Prague three years ago he reduced 7,000 Czechoslovakians to tears. On the platform he grows warmly evangelical about anything from the psychology of prison reform to the beauties of rare glass. A good though less vociferous friend of his is Professor Raymond Moley, another "Ohio boy" interested in crime and justice. Assistant Secretary of State Moley was largely responsible for Harry Payer's appointment to a neighboring berth in the department.

One month in office. Assistant Secretary of State Payer made news last week with a fervent speech at Washington's University Club. With many an oratorical flourish he discussed the New Deal, laid down its "Ten Commandments." Excerpts:

First--Thou shalt not live, my dear country, beyond thy means. . . .

Second--Thou shalt not lose confidence in thyself or thy great strength. . . .

Third--Thou shalt not make Mammon thy god but neither shalt thou be unmindful of thy monetary system, lest it destroy thee. . . .

Fifth--Thou shalt not make gold thy god but thy servant. . . .

Sixth--Thou shalt not permit the unemployment of thy people, well beloved; this is the first and greatest commandment. . . .

Seventh--Thou shalt not fail to manage well and rationalize thy industry. . . .

Eighth--Thou shalt not suffer the paradox of poverty amid plenty else thou sinnest grievously. . . .

Ninth--Thou shalt not indulge the fallacy of neglecting thy own domestic economy. . . .

Tenth--Thou shalt not oversimplify nor complicate thy problems; do thou but keep the faith.

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