The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-16
WASHINGTON GOSSIP Lame Duck Row" and its Seek CTS For Government
 Emp oy

Washington, Dec. 15-They have changed the interior appointments of the White House-the internal archi- lecture, so to speak-so as to pro- vide nice. comfortable substitute for the t.me-honored navigation of Salt River by politicians who didn't come ! back on Nov. 8. One of the spacious corridors of the Executive Officers has ! been converted into an additional l waiting room, to accommodate an as- toniShingly increased number of call CTS since the Presidents return from Panama
 Some astute individual discovered that about 90 per cent of this daily presence were 'lame ducks" seeking some nice, soft berth to occupy after March 4. Although th's is the open season for jobs. so many are the huntsmen and so keen the fervor of the chase. that the poor hunted berths are nearly all run to cover.
 Naturally the White House Is the preserve where the game is thickest. Energetic huntsmen frequent the Ex ecutive Offices faithfully. They do not intend to be far away when the President lets job loose.
 And so it hapens that the list of wa ting callers has been extraordi-
 
 few weeks. A hundred or so job hunters make brave showing. but they have overcrowded the spacious reception rooms at the Execut we of& fees so that the patriots who have other bus ness. at the White House Government payroll get lost fin the shuffle. The "jobbed" ones didn't like to rub elbows with the tentative
 So Secretary charle. D. Norton de- cided on the architectural arrange arate the sheep from the goats Those who call to point out to President Taft their fitness for such-and such a job. and to recall to his mind their varied services for the party are herded into the new reception room. which is merely a corridor screened off from the vestibule. nicely decor- ated with chairs and green palms. Th's new room has come to be known de rinitely as Lame Duck Alley."
 Senator Thomas Carter Of Montana. was the first of the clan of the soon- to-he-jobless to occupv the corridor. Senator Derew of New York. who another "lame duck" among the first to warm the leather on a chair in the alley.
 Rep Kennedy. of Ohio. who was sw rled out of place hy that tidal wave of Nnvemher 8 has been almost cumhed with Stinson in New York. has been on the job. Many other in- 'ured members have been much in evidence.
 If some young man. the son of poor but honest parents has the qualifi- cations for a .plomatic job and wants ohoh nv plying to Secretary of State Knox and givin~ the necessary references. Secretary Knox has no objections to the rich. He himself can afford to ma ntain a city home. country ~lace and choose the livery of his color of his horses. But one must keep up appearances. Things have cone to such pass that the State Department is rap'dly developing into a target for hostile criticism as a plntncratic institution not merely tinted. but smeared all over. with af- fluence like MT. M das. To balance things 1t is necessary to have a few young gentlemen who can consistent lv take up the h'~h cost of livine cry and give the touch of healthy Demo- cracy to this executive department. which is on the verge of being en- gulfed with luxury. The strain of trying to look poor 's rapidly hecom- 'ng too great for the State Depart ment officials to bear.
 As things now stand-not mention ing the diplomats in the foreign ser vice. who are guilty of being enor- nrouslv wealthv-there are a goodly nurrher of enders of this character. r.eht here at home. The Secretary himself can afford to choose between the automobile and the horse. Assis- tent secretary Wilson. when in need of relaxation can run over to New York and iun,p on the Lus 'tania. Third Assistant rhanler Hale is not psnched with. penury either.
 Put listen how things have chang ed even In the lower ranks
 Fu~h Gibson secretary 10 the as- s.start secretary who ranks as a secreta~v of erobaesv on the dplo- metic list works e'ohteen hours out of twentv-four. When anything Is wanted Gibson gets It. If t Is ne. cessary to do some overtime work. the poor government clerk, who gets down at nine o'clocl< goes home and C,hson. who is usually on the job at 7.2O stave and does 1t. When he gets twenty minutes off for luncneon Gib- son rushes over to the Metropolitan club and bolts wretched pheasant. or bit of uual, and hurries back to the grind again.
 force 's Arthur Orr. of evanston, who was secretary at inc London embassy hefnre he caroe to wash ngton as assistant to the chief of the bureau of information. nrr tries hard to hide hts in'ruity. Tor months he was not even suspect- ad except by hts Russian cigarettes.