The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-05-15
SECRETARY HAS
FORMED A CLUB
FOR employees
Lane Promoted Good Fellowship
Among Those In His
Department
GIVES MUSICALES, TALKS,
PARTIES AND DANCES
Has Rented Old Mansion Near
White House and He and
Wife Often Attend

WASHINGTON, May 15.--Secretary
Of the Interior Franklin X. Lane mas
converted his department into one
vast club-the Home club, lie IL
characterized as "the business man
OF the cabinet" lie proceeds on the
theory that cooperation means EN-
cheney.
The Home clubs membership Is
limited strictly 10 employees OF the
interior department. Its home Is an
old mansion In Jackson place, across
the street from the White House.
There Is a dance or a musicale nearly
every night In the week. The pro
gram for the past week included TWO
musicales, one card party, one slhul'
taneous chess contest and one lecture
All followed by the "maHixe, the
'hesitation" and Washington's own
terpsichorean product the "hsh walk.
When Secretary Lane took charge
OF the department last spring the
very name OF the department sug-
Rasted TO Washingtonians grouchy
old men, sour, middle-aged men and
bored young men languidly porting
over their work, while at adjacent
desks sat gossipy old ladies, tired,
middle-aged women and girls, all OBJ
sessed with the idea OF Fastening the
clock toward 4:SO, quitting time, as
fast as possible.
In one year all this has changed.
The department, with its hundreds
Itunnunrnh
there Is enough talent In Its midst
20 enable every one to enjoy lie
strictly among themselves. Inc
grouchiness, the sourness and the
boredom is disappearing fast; the
gossips, the weary and the petulant
have cast of their burdens, and the
whole department has been turned
into one big family.
Secretary Lane was a newspaper
man and railway expert before he
became secretary OF the interior, and
one of the lessons he has learned Is
that q cheerful employer communi-
Gates cheerfulness to those about him.
He and Mrs. Lane rarely allow
week to pass without attending one
OF the nightly frolics OF the Home
club In the old mansion clubhouse
on Jackson place.
Secretary Lane discovered not long
ago that one OF the men in his de-
partment. a disbursing officer, was
about to complete his fiftieth year in
the service. The men about the de-
partment had heard the officers boast
that he had paid out more money
than the present cost OF the Panama
canal during the fifty years. Mr.. Lane
sent for the veteran, took him by the
hand, and thanked him in the name
OF the department for his long and
faithful service.
Before the end OF the day the story
had been telephoned TO the Washing
ton papers, and George Miller, the
veteran employe, was well on the
road to fame.
AZ the instance OF the secretary the
disbursing officer told the reporters
that he would tell his recollections OF
other secretaries OF the interior be-
fore the Home club the next evening
When the time came the members OF
the Home club found Secretary and
Mrs. Lane sitting In the front row
Thereafter IL became quite the thing
10 be a member OF the Home club.
All the employees have found that
they can learn something from their
fellow workers. They have discoy.
cred that the government does not
frown on gayety among the employees,
particularly in the department or the
interior.
Secretary Lane confided 20
friend something OF the plan which
was In his mind when he formed the
Home club.
Il am anxious" he said, ''to see tho
efficiency reports OF this department
for 1916 compared to the efficiency
reports OF 1912"
Those who are In touch with the
department are convinced that the AZ
.ures are going 10 show something
worth seeing on the credit side OF the
ledger.