The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-06-29
WASHINGTON LETTER
[speelal Corregpondence.1

"Armed Liberty" the magnificent
statue that crowns the dome Of the
capitol, is by far the most symbolic OF
all the statues in Washington. Beau
tiful and reposefuI, yet with an air Of
vigilance, it is perhaps the least appre-
ciated of the city's statues, possibly
because Of its being placed at such al,
altitude that it cannot easily be
Isudied The original plans of the cap
itol called for statue to surmount the
DOME but no title was then given 1t,
and, although more than half a cen.
fury has elapsed since its erection.
comparatively few people know the
real name of the statue,
The Statue on the Dome.
The statue was modelled by Thomas
Crawford, father Of the novelist, the
late f. Marion Crawford. 1t was cast
at Maryland foundry. Jefferson Da-
Wis was secretary Of war when the
model was first presented in the war
department. The statue then wore
liberty cap and carried bundle Of
rods. Davis objected to the liberty
cap as being emblematic of enamel
pated slaves. while Americans were
freeborn He also thought the bun
die of rods, suggesting the functions
Of the Roman lictor, had lost its sym.
bolic character. Because of these crit
icisms of Secretary Davis the model
was changed, and ARMED Liberty"
was evolved.
The statue is nine feet six inches
tall and weighs 14,9S5 pounds. 1t was
put in place on Dec. 2, 1868. The head
Is thrown back and adorned with ca
giles beak and plumes The right hand
rests on a sword and the left holds an
olive branch and shield. The mantle
is gracefully draped and is held by
brooch bearing ~. s. on its face.
The helmet is encircled with stars.
The supporting globe bears the legend
'.E Pluribus Unum"
Mrs. Taft's Secretary.
Each morning just at O'Clock
slender person wearing a neat tailor
made bustles into the White House
for the days work Miss Alice Blech,
who comes tripping so daintily at 8
a. M, is the private secretary or ''spe-
ciap secretary of Mrs. Taft
Miss Blech is a German by birth and
was born in Dresden. Uptil four years
ago her home was abroad She is an
expert stenographer and an accom-
plished linguist. She is master of
French. German, Spanish and Eng
fish. When she came to Washington
she secured a place in the bureau of
American republics, where her versa
tile abilities soon attracted attention
Miss 6Iech's Duties.
Miss Blech attends to the CORE
spondence which comes to the wife of
the president in vast quantity She re-
lieves Mrs. Taft of all routine work
in replying to letters, preparing invi-
tations, programs and so on. Each day
scores of letters come to the wife of
the president from all parts of the
United States making all sorts of re-
quests in the name Of charity. These
Miss Blech answers, frequently reliey-
ing Mrs. Taft of the entire burden
and asking her advice about only the
most important. Mrs. Taft herself di-
reefs the social affairs Of the White
House, although she avails herself dai-
Iy of the services of Miss Blech in her
capacity as a stenographer debating
to her letters, answers to invitations,
dinner lists and matters of that kind.
Usually Miss Blech's work is COM
pleted in the morning, so that she has
the afternoons to herself.
Unfortunates Grateful.
Out of $4,000 paid in the past eight
years for railroad fares, fines, tele-
grams and to aid them toward a new
start in life $4,000 has been returned
to the Prisoners Aid society of Wash
ihgton by the men and women, boys
and girls who might have gone to the
or jail but for the interven-
ton of Charles Alfred Massie, known
throughout the District of Columbia
as 1.-THE prisoners friend"
This is the embodiment of yearly
report recently read at the annual
and election of officers of the
which has done incalcula-
bic good and was chiefly instrumental
in the establishment of a juvenile
court and a house Of detention, where
young boys and girls and women who
fall into the clutches of the law for
the first time may be sent instead of
to the hard iron benches in the station
house cells of the city.
Record of Good Work.
A bare statement or report Of what
has been accomplished by this society
In the past eight years viii be interest
ing. The repayment of money loaned
is but single instance of many which
prove the manner in which recipients
of benefits at the hand of the society
have been lifted up to a higher level
and become honored citizens of char
acter and principle. Twenty-six thou
sand persons have been helped to po-
sitions Of trust, and of this number
5000 have been sent home instead OF
being left to serve terms in the work
house or jail or to be thrown on the
streets.
Lawmakers Hard to Find.
One might suppose the homeless
congressman in Washington to be an
anomaly, but he is not. Many con-
stituent could come to town and search
the city directory, the congressional
directory, the telephone directory and
all other volumes in which the resi-
dences of citizens are inscribed and
find that his search has been in vain.