Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26

Current Literature. So he isn't q man
of one idea by any manner Of means ).
In appearance he is a cultured man OF
affairs. Heavily built. he has strong,
earnest face, lighted frequently by an al
fable smile. Suave, polished, courteous
in his dealings with those who have bust
ness with him. there is yet about him an
atmosphere of unbending purpose. he
easily swerved from a course on which he
has determined. As they tell II in and
about the patent office. he can't be.
Students of affairs in Washington know
very well that when a new high public
official takes office he Is subjected at
once to a trying-out process. All sorts
of influences are brought to bear on him.
social, political. congressional. to mold
his action in this or that matter. A new
official is fair game ever II he is amen
able to influence in a minor matter the
successful intiuencer tries more i'm
portant one next time.
Now. Mr. Ewing has been about WASH
ington somewhat himself. Furthermore.
ne has natural taste for accepting his
own Judgment in preference to that of
some one else So when the numerous
highly respectable gentlemen who wanted
embarked on their trying-out process
they met with no success. They bumped
up against man as polite as a Japanese
diplomat, but equally as ''sot In his way"
They got perfectly charming treatment
and conversation, but no material re-
suits. They haven't been around since.
Lots of other people have. however
They find him accessible when their err
rand Is real BUSINESSMAN intent listener
and one quick in decision. He cap say
no. OF tnG1 k,x.o raSs'
perhaps a bit quicker.
Patent ofnce visitors. by the way. are
in class by themselves 1t has been
said that enough cranks to turn the en-
tire machinery of the government visit
the patent office daily. and yet no man
can say onhand which one OF these may
not be the mechanical genius of the age.
The illiterate. with what they think are
brilliant new ideas in mechanics. the
poor seeking help to expedite patent
before their funds give out; the crack
Drained. with demands. entreaties and
tales of oppresson--these daily come and
go. Patiently, kindly the commissioner
deals with such of these as might be
really helped by a talk with him.
Commissioner Ewing works in large
room on the second floor of the west
front of the famous old patent office
poi'uihSt Oh street Lawyer line. he
has the room to himself. his secretary
and stenographers being in outer rooms.
1t is handsome. stately apartment.
with buff-tinted walls and the floor COW
cred by thick green rug Back of the
commissioners desk hangs the one pic
ture in the room-a Gilbert Stuart por-
trait of DR.. William Thornton, the first
superintendent of patents, appointed
by James Madison, Secretary OF State. in
1902
Madison. by the way. may be said to
be the father of the patent office. 1t
was he who. in the constitutional con-
rention, drafted the provisions regard
ing patents. who ever gave serious
thought to the work. and who. in 1876
when President, urged the creation of
the patent office as distinct bureau
under director. To that time 1t had
been but division in the Department
of State.
Mental alertness characterizes Commits
sioner Ewing as he sits at that desk. He
quickly gets at the essential facts of
matter laid before him. and hence he
handles visitors with rapidity, though
always courteously
Three days of the week the commits
sioner sits In quasi judicial capacity.
hearing appeals from the decisions OF