The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-01-15
The Men Behind the Guns

ne wen bcHlHu tnc 0uHS
If the secretary of the treasury had
a few days ago resigned his position
we would now be reading newspap-
ers flied with comment OF the event
and of the man himself Yet this
week there left the service of the
government at Washington a man
who has been the real secretary for
many u year But Of this fact there
is no comment and no notice beyond
a brief item in the local press Of the
capital.
The man is 4. r. Huntington, and
he held position with the modest
title of CHIEF of the division of loans
and currency. In this background
and under this disguise he has long
been the dominating though silent
force in the big treasury building.
Secretaries came and went political
parties came into power and went
out again, financial policies changed
and methods with them. But all of
the time at the wheel of the ship
stccd Huntington, the helmsman.
He was the one who kept the YES
sci straight upon its course, who
knew the chart, who steered clear
of rocks and shoals, who kept the
treasury moving ever on even keel.
His judgment was always sound, his
motives clean, his experience Of
priceless value. His knowledge oi
financial matters would have been
worth enormous price in the world
of banking. Yet for pitiably small
salary he continued TO serve the gov
eminent and serve it wen.
To him fell the actual carrying out
of all treasury plans No bond issue
has taken place for many years that
was not under his supervision. sec
retaries OF the treasury leaned upon
him and took his counsel. IN all
the everyday fiscal matters OF the
department he was the real head and
the living. moving force Now al
the age of three score and 10, failing
health compels him to give up the
duties that have been his life work
He has given all Of his time and
energy and thought to serving his
government Through many years
of tremendous responsibility. with
temptations all about, his integrity
was never called in question. Al the
close OF such a service there is moth
Ing left for him but resignation.
There is no halo. for the world
knows him not. There is no well-de-
served pension, for Uncle Sam
makes no such provision for the
men who have worn themselves ont
in his service. There is not a ripple
Of applause for the man and for the
work he has done. There is a brief
note OF appreciation from the secre,
tary now in office; younger man is
promoted to the vacant place. and
the waters flow on again with hardly
e ripple
The case Of Huntington is but
typical one There are many like
him in The Official life of Washing
ton. The world knows nothing OF
them. To the man at the head goes
the praise and the recognition. To
the man In the background there is
nothing but his own consciousness of
duty well performed. His promotion
can 20 to only certain point
There it stops Across that line he
is never asked to 80. The high
prices are all for those who swim
strong on the political tide And il
is because of men Ike Huntington
that the places OF power in our GOV.
eminent. can be filed with men who
are withou, experience or training,
and whose appointment is dictated
by politics or by personal friendship
II is because OF The Huntingtons ia
our service that things do not go
awry.
Let us hope that some day our sov
eminent will see its duty toward
those who have given it much steady
and valuable service and have CARR.
ed on tho work OF ac,ual adminisTa-
tion for many years. 1t should dis.
card the dead wall that prevents ex.
perience being fairly utilized and
denies faithful and efficient service
the steady promotion and high goals
that ought to be within its reach.
When il does this the men behind
the guns upon whose inteligen. and
careful work depends in reality the
governments prestige and success
viii not go unrewarded. APhiladel-
phia Press.