That White Man's Burden

A man admired by all yet envied by few is Richard J. White Jr. '14 of Lynn, Mass., Governor Herter's special counsel, whose arduous task it is to read every bill passed by the Legislature before it is sent to the Governor to be signed into law. Last year White studied 690 Acts and 126 Resolves.

In a recent write-up in Edward Devin's column "Scene and Heard on Beacon Hill," in the Boston Sunday Herald, Mr. White is described as "the tall, pleasant white-haired gentleman of distinction you may have seen walking out of the governor's office with an armful of what looked like high school diplomas. These scrolls are the engrossed bills he has to scan.' He checks them to ascertain what effect they might have on present laws, and for flaws, which are usually minor. This is just as well, for after a bill is engrossed - printed in script type on parchment paper - no person can change one word of it. The Governor may ask the Senate to recall a bill from his desk for amendment. Last year about fifty bills were recalled.

White, 'who is absolutely the most pleasant, amiable gentleman on Beacon Hill," writes Devin, attended Suffolk Law School and planned to be a teacher. This he gave up after a year "so I wouldn't starve to death." He served two terms in the House, in 1941-42 and 1951-52. Before that he was deputy sheriff for Essex County; director of corporations in the office of the late Secretary of State, Frederick J. Cook; register of probate for Essex County; and, following his last election to the House, counsel to the House committee on rules.

"But the mass of bills he has to read! that is known as 'the White man's burden,' " concludes the Boston Herald's columnist.

Richard J. White Jr. '14