Ax for Chip?

Ax for Chip

Lawrence Wood Robert Jr. was a Monticello, Ga. boy who studied at Georgia Tech, became a construction engineer. Always known as "Chip" Robert (because his father was "Wood" Robert), he set up his own firm in 1917, devoted himself to the task of industrializing the South. In the 23 years since then, Robert & Co. has done over $500,000,000 worth of business, designing textile mills and schools, putting up public buildings.

In 1924 Chip Robert met Franklin Roosevelt at Warm Springs, Ga. In 1932, Chip Robert met Jim Farley at the Dem ocratic Convention in Chicago. In 1933, when Franklin Roosevelt went to Washington, Chip Robert got a job as assistant to Secretary of the Treasury William Woodin in charge of public works.

Soon Honest Harold Ickes, Public Works Administrator, got the idea that too many fat contracts were going to Robert & Co., and Henry Morgenthau (who succeeded Woodin) relieved Assist ant Robert of all but a few routine duties. Then newshawks caught Chip Robert and his wife-to-be, Evelyn Walker Robinson, at a dinner party given by a lobbyist for Utilityman Howard Hopson. Five months later Chip resigned.

No small part of Chip's success is due to Evie Robert, his second wife, a stun ning blonde, tall, blue-eyed and smart. She loves parties, horses and publicity. After their marriage in 1935 they became the glamor boy & girl of the New Deal. Chip became secretary of the Democratic National Committee, a job which pays no salary, involves no duties. But there were some people in Washington who thought that even this phantom post might be useful to Chip Robert. One day last week a fellow Georgian, Representative Carl Vinson, chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee, read into the Congressional Record a statement showing that Robert & Co. had lately snared eight out of 66 Navy building contracts, with a total of $931,560 in fees.

Chairman Vinson got his figures from Rear Admiral Ben Moreell, chief of the Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks, who added up the total cost of the projects (in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico), found they came to $26,859,081. Robert & Co.'s cut in that, for "engineering and architectural services," was close to 3 1/2%. Representatives Beverly Vincent of Kentucky, Colgate Darden of Virginia both wondered out loud whether the secretary of the Democratic National Committee should have let his firm bid on Government contracts. Said Mr. Darden: "It doesn't look good to the man in the street. . . ."

Up popped New Hampshire's Senator Styles Bridges next day to demand that Chip Robert resign at once, that the Attorney General investigate the contracts.

Chip Robert, in Des Moines, listening to Vice-Presidential Candidate Henry Wallace (see p. 73), jumped a plane and returned, with a debonair statement on arrival. Said Chip: "I have always been taught to cross my 'Bridges' when I get to them. ... I have been investigated all my life--and by professionals. . . ."

While Chip's plane roared on toward Washington, Franklin Roosevelt was holding a press conference. A reporter wanted to know what about those Navy contracts. Mr. Roosevelt said that he had heard of a good deal of smoke and had seen a good deal of smoke, and that if there were any improper fire behind it he hoped that Congress would go right after it. Newsmen took this to mean that the ax was being sharpened up at last for Chip Robert.

New Dealers, who have been gunning for the Boss's Georgia friend for years, figured this time they might have him. Chip Robert is first of all a businessman. If he were given to understand that there will be no more Government contracts until he quits his job on the Committee, he might resign.

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