St. Tammany farmer., 1906-10-27
in HIGH POSITION!
WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT sERv.
ICE AT WASHINGTON.

Il - ( : tisss1 g
WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT sERv
ICE AT WASHINGTON.
English Newspaper Somewhat Aston
ished by the Confidence Placed In
| the Fair Sex by Authorities at
the National Capital.
| Most people are aware that women
are great power in the United States,
particularly from a social standpoint,
says the Pail Mall Gazette Of London.
| But it is by no means SO generally
known that at the headquarters of the
| American government in Washington
there are number of highly paid
women who are q standing contradic-
ton of the old gibe that women can
never keep a secret.
At any rate, the services Of these
women are so highly appreciated that
1t Is unlikely their brethren will ever
oust them from these nightly paid Of
fees. To us a youthful and pretty
woman diplomat, recognized as such
by the government, Is unthinkable.
Yet such person is Miss Margaret
Hanna, who is permanent assistant to
the permanent secretary of state. This
latter official carries on all the delicate
negotiations between the United
States and foreign powers and SO con.
ducts an immense correspondence.
All this most secret and sacred cor
respondence Is under the charge of
Miss Hanna. who is so well versed in
Uncle Sans relations with the outside
world that she could undoubtedly act
as assistant secretary Of state herself
If the occasion arose. n
A still more remarkable position is
that held by Miss Clara Graecen, legal
adviser to the treasury department.
Here again we find young blonde not
yet 25,. who few years ago came to
Washington as an ordinary typewriter
in the comptroller's office. At that
time her work was taking down dicta-
ton relating to legal Opinions" about
claims against the treasury. Miss
Graecen gradually developed a taste
for law So that on one occasion the
comptroller asked her to prepare an
opinion" Of her own on a minor case
Thereafter the clever and ambitious
girl studied law with feverish energy
at a night school in the diplomatic
capital, and so brilliant were her tai
ents that when the position Of law
clerk of the treasury fell vacant she
applied for it and got it; even against
a number of capable lawyers.
You might think that these Ameri-
can blue stockings were frumpish and
dowdy in appearance. Vastly other
wise would be your, opinion in the
presence of Miss Estelle Reel, SUPER
ntendent of all the Indian schools
throughout America. Miss Reel is a
;trikingly handsome woman of distin-
suished mien and not much over 80.
Her headquarters is at the Indian bu-
eau in Washington, but for the most
part she spends her time in travelling
throughout the states inspecting the
educational methods adopted in day
md boarding schools, kindergartens
Ind other institutions kept up by the
ederal government for the little
In her own department
diss Reefs power is absolute and her
'ay is 5000 year besides her travel
ng expenses.
Thousands of women are employed
4 the treasury department, for it is
ound that they are quicker and more
ccurate than men in counting money.
Tor must one omit to say they are .
ound far more honest. Out from ,
mong the ruck of these women stands :
Irs. Villa Leonard, probably the fast
st teller" of money alive as well as +,
ne most astonishingly accurate Mrs. .
eonard is besides wondroust expert :
l detecting counterfeit notes. One /,
lust bear in mind that practically the 9
hole currency of America except :
mall change is paper money.
Another woman expert of the treas :
~ at Washington is Mrs. S. F. Fitz- :
erald, who for nearly a quarter of a =
entury has been mending mutilated :.
ank bills and also identifying money :.
lat has beer partially destroyed. So =
xpert is she that often when nothing y
,mains Of the money but a scrap of q q
aper smaller than a sixpence and ;
lat containing no name of bank, de- s
or number, Mrs. Fitzgerald y
Ill fasten upon scrap of engraved
esign and then pour forth a volume
information about the destroyed
,te which would surely give points to