William Hartman Woodin, in
dustrialist, banker, collector of
coins and art, composer of sym
phonic music and a Republican In
politics, was little known to the
general public when he was select
ed as Secretary of the Treasury at
the start of the Democratic Ad
ministration of Franklin D, Roose
velt.
But while listing himself as a
Republican, he had given staunch
support to the Democratic National
tickets of 1928 and 1932, contrib
uting $25,000 to Alfred E Smith’s
campaign and later being treasurer
of a special committee set up to
wipe out a deficit of $783,000 in
the P rty treasury.
Before becoming Secret-ary of the
Treasury his only public post had
been State Fuel Director of New
York. He was appointed to that
place by Gov. Nathan A. Miller
and controlled the price and dis
tribution of fuel in the entire state
throughout the shortage that pre
vailed in the winter of 1922.
Job at 90 Cents a Day
His business career began with a
job at 90 cents a day in the foun
dry of Jackson and Woodin, a rail
road equipment firm which his
grandfather helped to found and
of which his father was President.
Later this concern was absorbed
by the American Car and Foun
dary company and in 1922 he be
came president of the big corpor
ation.
On Many Directorates
He also served as president of
the American Car and Foundry
Securities corporation and of the
same concern’s export company. He
was chairman of the board of the
American Locomotive company, the'
American Car and Foundry Motors I
company, the J. B. Brill company,
the Railway Steel Spring company |
and the Montreal Locomotive'
Works.
