Evening star., 1915-06-27

Church was the best guess that was
forthcoming. No one present connected
the Mather who had been appointed
sistant to the Secretary of the Interior
with Mather, former Sun reporter. mill
Nonaire. chemist, manufacturer. noun
tain climber and social uplfter.
"AW, gwan," was the general COM
ment when DR. Williams sprung the
news on the banqueters. Even Repre-
sentative Ned Townsend, who wrote mis-
"Chimmie Fadden" stories at the desk
next to Nathers those many years ago.
did not believe at first. DR.. Williams
and Mr.. Mather had to prove that the
latter was really, truly assistant to a
ca binet officer.
The fact is that this job At which Mr..
Mather is now working is a very much
more important Job than the salary at
tsched to il would indicate. Every one
of the ten executive departments of the
government has one or more assistant
secretaries" The Department of the
Interior is the only one that has a n as
sistant TO the Secretary There is no
law specifying exactly what as
sistant to the Secretary" shall do.
When the position was created by the
language of an appropriation bill. It
was to provide the Secretary with what
would amount to an additional private
secretary. Hence the low salary Of
$3.50, for assistant secretaries draw
si.500 and $4,000.
Secretary Lane, however. on taking
over the department. realized the pos
sibillties in the position. lie could put
any duties he wanted TO on IT, provided
he could get the right kind of a man
to work for the money, He could make
the work rank in importance with that
Of an assistant secretary.
Adolph c. Miller. professor OF pollti-
cal economy at the University Of cali
forrlIa. a man OF large private fortune
nd Of intellectual distinction, was his
first appoiutee. AS adviser. assistant
and representative of the Secretary in
large matters. Mr. Miller attracted SO
much attention in the administration
that President Wilson selected him for
membership on the federal reserve
board.
Thercupon Secretary Lane reached
out for Mr.. Mather. who had been a
student in the University of California
when the Secretary also was d student
there, and offered him the position. The
Secretary could not offer high rank
nor fame nor large salary. All he could
offer was q chance to do good work in
the public service. Political considera-
tons there were none, for Mr.. Mather
was not known as j democrat or as
politician.
Exactly the sort Of work you should
take up said Charles r. Crane, when
Mr. Mather consulted him about IL
julius Rosewood and others OF the
group that has Iabored so long for the
betterment of social conditions In chi
Cago. gave similar counsel And so Mr.
Mather came to Washington.
By this time Secretary Lanes plans
for comprehensive and scientIhc
treatment of the national parks OF the
country had progressed SC far that an
immense amount OF work was required
in dealing with the new problems con
stantly presenting themselves. Mark
Daniels, highly capable engineer and
n specialist in the work, had been ap-
pointed general superintendent of
parks. but he was to be in the field An
administrative head to take the bur-
den off the Secretary, was needed, but
no money was available to pay for one.
Now, Mr.. Mather happens to know all