Headstrong Publisher

E. Stuart James is a redheaded, green-eyed, hot-tempered, plump debutante from Danville, Va. This week Stuart is 21, and she inherits two newspapers. They are the Danville Bee (evening; circulation 11,891) and Register (morning except Monday circulation 11.343). What is more, she aims to run them herself.

Her great-grandfather was famed, hotheaded Confederate Cavalryman Jeb Stuart. Her initial E stands for Elizabeth; she dropped the name to spite her twice-divorced mother. With 20 Ib. less, Stuart might be called a Scarlett O'Hara type. She traveled in Europe and Mexico, attended two private schools, knows the Greenwich Village nightclubs, drives two big cars furiously and admits she has turned down ten marriage proposals. Once she gave a house party that lasted six weeks. Boss of a 1,200-acre estate, Axton Lodge, Stuart lives alone with an old colored mammy and an adopted brother, his wife and baby.

Stuart has been looking forward to running her two papers since her father died. Left to her in trust, the Bee and Register have kept to a middle course under able, greying General Manager Andrew Alfred Farley and troubleshooting, middle-aged Secretary Sarah Colleen Powell, who stands guard during press interviews to curb Stuart's impulsiveness.

A few weeks ago Stuart told the bank trustees that the 75 Bee and Register staffmen deserved a 10% raise. The bank balked. Stuart said it would look better for the bank if paid now because otherwise she would give the raise the minute she took over. She won. Headstrong as they come, she says: "I'm doing all right with the farm and I intend to run the papers the same way. ... My dad once said that if you want to do a thing, you can, and that's my motto."

First day at work, Stuart laid down the law. "I'm the big boss now. They will know I'm here, but I won't be running around like a nagging woman."

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