The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-29

vania. was appointed to the position OF
laborer in this department September Z.
1907. at a salary Of $66a per annum. hav-
ing been certified by the Civil Service
Commission from the bookbinders regis
fer. II Mr.. Underwood had secured al.
appointment in the Government Printing
once from this register II would have
heen with a compensation of n per diem.
on February /. 1907, he was promoted 20
his present position OF assistant messen-
ger at $40
..Mr. Underwood has become an ex-
mart In work of the accounting section
Of the division Of stamps. ABOUT a mill
lion entries OF stamps charged to post
masters are made yearly. and while the
SYSTEM Is an excellent one, errors in
40 vast a number of transactions are
inevitable. Mr.. Underwood has developed
I'm a remarkable degree the faculty OF
locating and adjusting these errors,
which requires great patience In going
over the posted entries and especially
knowledge of the figure combinations
characteristic of the work and keen
sense Of their meaning and application
..ITnder the civil service rules. Mr.
Underwood is not eligible for promotion
to the clerical grades without passing
the first grade examination, which he Is
unable 10 do because Of his failure to
receive in boyhood the usual educational
advantages. Notwithstanding his lin
tied education. he has become extraor-
dinarily expert in the line Of work he Is
doing and IL now rendering service that
Is much more valuable to the govern
ment than the return made to him at
his present compensation. In view Of
the fact that the government Is accept
ing from him a service that could not
be readily replaced. and the value of
which is far In excess of his present
salary, II would seem to be proper TO
waive the civil service rule that stands
in his way and authorize. by Executive
order, the payment of an appropriate
salary"
Reward Next Tuesday.
President Taft acted favorably upon
the recommendation. and on July q, 1872.
issued an Executive order placing Mr..
Underwood on the classified civil service
list Postmaster General Burleson has
become extremely interested in the case
and has issued an, order providing for
the promotion of the expert to a salary
Of s1.0oo per annum, to become effective
next Tuesday. the beginning Of the new
fiscal year.
MANY a ptrcOu mas WoflucICu INV L
managed to exist with such a large fam
lily On such a pitifully small salary"
said Mr. Underwood last night. There
Is nothing astonishing about IT. The Sc
cret OF the whole matter Is contained in
the one word. love. Deep-founded love
is the one requisite for domestic happi-
ness. II II is present. no matter how
hard the times. no matter how small
the salary, no matter how large the
family, comfortable and happy existence
is possible.
MY wife and / have learned how to
cooperate. We have learned that fric-
ton Is destructive force. and that do
nestle happiness depends upon both hus-
band and wife bearing and forbearing.
OF course. We have our little household
difficulties now and then. but they are
just passing clouds.
81 have learned not to interfere with
my wife's business. I have Entrusted the
household matters to her. and / know
We would never have succeeded in get
ting along unless this policy had been
adhered to. When leave the house for
ONCE in the morning. take my mind
from household affairs and prepare to
concentrate my entire attention upon
my work.
Fight Shy of Debt.
Although we saw many hard days, we
never went a cent into debt. Borrowing
isy extremely dangerous II We did not
have the money to purchase things. we
went without them rather than get them
on credit or borrow the money from
some one. Most of the household trou-
bles OF the present day are due to the
mourning Of debts. Men who owe money