Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28
THE BENEVOLENT SECRETARY

IN reminiscent vein an old former en-
ployee of the War Department narrates
a story of a Secretary of War, a true story
of unusual kindness.
Seldom does a member of the Cabinet see
or know anything concerning the personnel
of the department.; nor does he have the
time to look into the rights and wrongs of
the subordinate individuals who carry on the
clerical work.
Once clerk was assigned to the Adjutant
Generals Office, where he proved to be an
efficient and gentlemanly worker, man of
unusual refinement. He made friends of all
who came his way, and his immediate SUI
periors were glad to have such man in the
service.
To the surprise of everyone there came
from the Adjutant General an order dis
missing this clerk The chief clerk learned
that the Adjutant General had discovered
that the clerk had formerly been employed
in the service, and had been convicted of
secreting, purloining, and destroying official
papers. There was no doubt about it. be-
cause there were two old employees of the
Office who recognized the man and informed
the Adjutant General about his past.
The order of dismissal, with many other
papers, was laid on the desk of the Secretary
of War. He carefully examined all papers
that came before him, and when he read
that discharge order, he asked, as this clerk
married man9 Has he wife? Has he
children? Is this discharge absolutely neces-
sary?"
The Secretary was informed that the man
had wife, three children, and a mother de-
pending upon him for support, also that he
L. LOO H. -. 4
brave one; but that his one official mis-
deed made him undesirable as clerk, and
that the Adjutant General required his i'm
mediate dismissal.
"This is the ninth of December" unused
the Secretary. Il wonder if it has occurred to
the Adjutant General that Christmas comes
on the twenty-ffth of this month. If sign
this order, there will be gloomy Christmas
at his home. There may be no presents for
the children, and there may be no glad
Christmas dinner, no Christmas tree, no
Santa Claus, no merriment, and in his family
there will be no semblance of the coming of
the Christ with Peace on earth.
Moreover, | see," continued the Secre-
tary, "that fourteen years have elapsed since
this misdeed was done. In the meantime,
as the record shows, this man has been living
honestly, acquired the esteem of those who
| III eapPolhtiiSiI, eiid IDS
entered the state of matrimony and become
father. Cannot man live down fault,
or misdeed, or a crime, in this land of
Christianity? | cannot sign this order which
wi Il send him out into the world without any
income, and again blackening his reputation,
after all these years of endeavor to redeem
the past by right living. l cannot do it. and
remain on speaking terms with myself, dur
ing this Christmas tide!'
On the following morning, when informed
that the Secretary had declined to sign the
order, the Adjutant General called upon him
and discussed the case officially, with the
result that he convinced the Secretary that
unless the clerk should be dismissed there
| could not be maintained that high order of
efficiency and discipline for which the Office
had always been distinguished.
The Secretary finally asked that the clerk
be sent to him. The unfortunate man was
received with great courtesy, and asked to
narrate his story.
The man told the story of his fourteen