The new era., 1910-01-13
CXHRZf3 M4GZL, 5EcRENRY Of
AND LABOR

be b,s ono of the keenest and most analytical
minds known to the profession. Mr.. Wickersham
cares very little for the outdoor life and perhaps ne
is a man who by temperament would not nave ap-
pealed in the least to a president ike lheodore
Roosevelt but the attorney general has diversions
which occupy his leisure hours. and they are di-
versions of which unquestionably the country
will approye He is interested in the welfare or
at least dozen charitable organizations and one
of his beliefs is that "He gives twice who gives
quickly" Mr.. Wickersham is immensely interested
in the welfare of the blind. He is director OF
great New York institution which cares for and edu
Gates children who have lost their sight
Frank H. Hitchcock who is Mr.. Tafts postmas-
ter general. is a bachelor. devoted to the outdoor
life a lover of birds and beasts and student OF
nearly every branch of natural history. Not only
is the postmaster general student of nature but
he has done immense amount of work along SCI
entifc lines.
Three years ago last summer the writer of this
article went to Oyster Bay. the home of President
Roosevelt. Mr. Hitchcock there also and sew
eral hours spent in his company In the
grounds outlying the former presidents home.
There is deep wood just beyond the Roosevelt
lawn and garden, and from the wood on that sum
mer day there came constantly songs of birds.
many different species singing one after the 9TH
er. Many of the notes that were heard were those
of different members of the little warbler family.
birds whose notes similar that 1t is mpos-
sbe for any except the most sensitive ear to differ
entiate between them Mr.. Hitchcock identified one
bird after another simply by hearing its song Once
on time the postmaster general classified 10000
birds for museum of natural history with which
he was connected. One of the ties between the
present postmaster general and former President
Roosevelt was their common love of nature.
Secretary of the Interior Richard A. Ballinger
has diversions except that of golf. Mr.. Ballin
ger was born in Iowa SO years ago. and nearly all
his life has been spent in part of the west
When James Wilson, secretary of agriculture.
was asked once what his diversion he
swered farming" This idea of diversion is
that is held largely by men who combine the love
of nature with agricultural instinct
One of Mr.. Wilson's diversions is story telling
They say in Washington that if his homely sayings
could be gathered and put into book. the reader
would get a fund of humor and wisdom combined.
When Charles Nagel. Mr. Taft's secretary of
his department he is thinking matters of edu-
votee of the outdoor life. but he is prone giving
ing to the schools.
Taking Mr. Tafts cabinet all in all 1t is Just about
human a body of men be gathered togeth
There Is an impression prevalent that the
bers OF this Washington official family are rather
of what Walter Scott calls, "thedry- mate
RIAL but there has been misunderstanding appar
entity concerning the nature of these advisers of
president. They know their law and they know
their agriculture and their finance but while they
know how study they also know how to play but
not of them knows how to play whit bet
ter than does their chief. who is about as Jolly a
personally as the United States has yet pro-
duced