The Washington herald., 1911-03-06

Formal announcement that Charles
Dewey HilIes. at present an Assistant
Secretary OF the Treasury, is to be the
| next secretary to President Taft was
J made at a luncheon given yesterday by
the retiring secretary. c. D. Norton. to
| Mr. Hiles, and more than a score OF
! newspaper friends. Mr.. Norton will leave
the White House some time during the
present month, and on April will be-
come vice president OF the First National
| Bank OF New York. The exact date at
which Mr.. Hilles will go to the White
House has not been determined, but both
he and Mr.. Norton desire short vacations
before assuming their new duties.
The luncheon at which the announce
ment was made was given by Mr.. Nor
ton at his home, at 1925 street. After
the dishes were cleared away there were
few frank speeches. and then several
score more of the newspaper CORE
spondents of Washington dropped in to
meet the new secretary. President Taft
himself. looking cheerful and happy over
the finish of a session that has been
quite trying, came in to shake the hand
Of his new secretary, and Of the news
paper correspondents.
Letter from q Woman.
During the luncheon Mr.. Hilles created
a good deal of amusement by reading
letter, which he received several days
ago, from a woman in Hampton, Va
The letter thanked the incoming secre-
tary for his selection, as Assistant Sec
rotary Of the Treasury, OF a public
building site in Hampton. but warned
him. when he assumed his new office,
to read and ponder Leyiticus, Xvi:20-22
The reading of these verses, which refer
to the manner in which the high priest
Of Gods chosen people should offer up
goat" as a sacrifice, caused a great deal
of laughter Here is the letter and the
quotation from the Bible:
Honorable Charles d. Hilles, the ser
retary, the President, White House,
Washington.
h"Sir: Genuine pleasure was mine when
the press dispatches announced that you
had been selected by the President as
his secretary, and my congratulations are
due to you.
The Attorney General, Mr.. Wicker
sham, in his speech of Saturday evening
last, before the Pewter Platter Club of
Norfolk, Va, deplored the lack of interest
in and the scarcity of Virginians in shar-
ing the burdens of national affairs. Next
to seeing a willing Virginia patriot receive
this high and responsible position, know
of no other selection that would be so
suitable to me- for your prompt attention
and personally written reply to my let
ted to you indorsing the ]. v. Bickford
site, for the new post-office in Hampton,
Va, insures me that neither the nations,
the Presidents, nor the public's affairs
will suffer in your keeping.
Told to Read Leviticus.
However, one good turn deserves an
other. and In order to obtain the consola- |
tions Of philosophy, please allow me to |
suggest that after you have taken the |
oath of ofice, have been introduced to
your duties. that you quietly read and
ponder Leviticus, xvi:2O-22- If you have |
difficulty in finding such book as the |
Bible around the White House. possibly \
one could be secured for you at the
Library, where one copy, /
1T least, must be fled to comply with the
copyright law. You viii have no diff
Guilty in securing the use of this copy, |
for no Congressman ever calls for the |
book.
'.I hope that your duties may be pleas
ant; that the disappointed patriots who
did not succeed to your position as secre-
tary may. not be able to exciaim. as did Il
the third Richard. England's woes In
France WIN make me smiler /