The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-17
WOMEN EMPLOYED
 BY UNCLE SAM London View of Female Experts
 at Washington EARNEST AND CAPABLE How They Have Made Places for Themselves in Helping to Ad- minister the Nations Af-
 falrs-some Types.

From the Pail Mall Gazette.
 Most people are aware that women are a great power in the United States, par tcularly from a social standpoint Then again in some of the states and territor- ies women have votes just like the men, and are appointed to many important public offices. But 1t Is by no means so generally known that at the headquarters of the American government in Wash ington there are number of very highly paid ladies who are a standing contra diction of the old gibe that women can never keep a secret.
 At any rate, the services of these wo- men are so highly appreciated that 1t is unlikely their male brethren will ever oust them from these highly paid offices. To us youthful and pretty woman dlp- lomat, recognized as such by the govern- ment, is unthinkable. Yet such q per- son Is Miss Margaret Hanna. who IS permanent assistant to the permanent under secretary of state. This latter or ficial carries on all the delicate negoua- tions between the United States and for eign powers, and so conducts an lhl- mense correspondence.
 All this most secret and sacred corre- spondence Is under the charge or MISS Hanna. who is so well versed in uncle Sams relations with the outsire worlo that she could undoubtedly act as per manent under secretary or slale heiseiA if the occasion arose.
 A still more remarkable position IS thae held by Miss Clara Graecen, legal ao- visor to the treasury department. Here again we find a young blonde, not yet twenty-fiye. who a few years ago came nrdi in the comptroller's office. At that time her work was taking down dictation re- latinp to legal "opinions" about claims against the treasury. Miss Graecen grad ually developed taste for law, so tha. on one occasion the comptroller asked her to prepare an "opinlon or her o"h on minor case.
 Girl Studied Hard.
 Thereafter the clever and ambitious glri studied law with feverish energy at night school in the diplomatic capital, and so brilliant were her talents tnae when the position of law clerk of the treasury fell vacant she applied for It and got it. even against number or capable male lawyers.
 You might think that these American blue stockings were frumpish and dowdy in appearance. Vastly otherwise Wouio be your opinion in the presence of Miss Estele Reel superintendent of all the Indian schools throughout America. Miss Reel is a strilxingly handsome woman or distinguished mien and not much over thirty. Her headquarters Is at the lh- dian bureau in Washington, but for the most part she spends her time in travel ing throughout the states inspecting edu- cational methods adopted in day and boarding schools, lindergartens and otn- CT institutions kept up by the federal government for the little aborigines. n her own department Ms Reels power Is absolute, and her pay IS Sooo year besides her travelling expenses.
 Thousands of women are employed in the treasury department, for 1t is found they are quicker and more accurate than men in counting money. Nor must one omit to say they are found far more honest Out from among the ruck or these women stands Mrs. Villa Leonard, probably the fastest teller of money alive. as well as the most astonishingly accurate. Mrs. Leonard Is besides wondrous expert in detecting counterfeit notes One must bear in mind that prac71 tically the whole currency of America except small change, Is paper money. On one occasion Mrs. Leonard rejected as spurious a note which the bureau Of engraving declared perfectly good. And vet this bureau contains great experts of it's own. and makes all the paper mon ey for the American government.
 Most Interesting Department.
 We now come to what is, perhaps, the most interesting of all the treasury de- partments and that Is the bureau where paper money is returned for redemption. Here you will see thousands and thou sands of "greenbacks" rather, the remains of them-that have been chewed by animals gnawed fin pieces by rats and mice. sent to the laundry in pajama pockets, partially burned, etc.
 Now, most of the officials, naturally enough, are expert, but Mrs. Brown of the treasury redemption department Is looked upon with awe as almost work CT of miracles in this way. She will take a few pulpy fragments. or a few pinches of charred and ashy paper, positively un- recognizable as money. and will piece these together in such a way that they become remains of bank bills whose de- nominations are known, and thereupon the owner gets his money.
 "Of course the work is interesting v said Mrs Brown to the present writer, "but often I have cases that are both unpleasant and repugnant. Do you see this bundle of sodden notes? Well. 1t was found in the pocket of a drowned man. and that strange mass on the shelf there is All that is left of several hundred dol lars fin national bank notes taken from the stomach of greedy goat. whose fool ishness cost him his life. since, of course, the money was far more valuable than he.'
 Another Woman Expert.
 Another woman expert of the treasury of ashiputop Is Mrs Fitzepra Id E