helvering was a banker in salina, kansas from 1919 to 1926. he was the mayor of salina from 1926 to 1930. he was the chairman of the kansas democratic party from 1930 to 1934. he was the highway director for the state of kansas from 1931 to 1932. he was the commissioner of internal revenue of the bureau of internal revenue (now the internal revenue service) in the united states department of the treasury from 1933 to 1943.