The Washington times., 1916-01-03
Director General John Barrett,
Its Moving Genius, Assisted
by Army Of Aides.
VISITORS WELL CARED FOR
Everything Done for Their Com
fort, Convenience, and En-
tertainment.

OF hemisphere Is the way one ueles9 %
described the organization that has
been perfected under the direction OF
Secretary General John Barrett for
handling the machinery Of the second
Pan-American Scientific Congress.
This delegate had just returned. OPEN
mouthed, from an inspection OF the Off
ces of the congress that occupy practi-
cally the entire f street end OF the
Willard on both the first and second
floors. Every room and all the corri-
dors appeared to be filled with the
busiest sort Of people. clerks. steno-
graphers, secretaries, editors, trans
lators, aides, committeeman. to the
number Of $50, and all as busy as possi-
Bile, and yet everything was being done
in the most systematic way and without
the slightest confusion.
Barrett the Moving Genius.
The great mass of scientific papers
dumped into the OFFICES on the last two
days before the congress met caused
the only symptom of congestion that
has been noticed. This congestion was
relieved by hard work on the part OF
clerks and translators.
Mr.. Barrett Is the directing genius
OF the machine, which requires almost
a. many carefully fitted cogS as nne
swiss watch and which moves as
smoothly as does one Of those excellent
mechanical specimens. Mr.. Barrett
having been the instigator of the con-
gTess, the main force that brought II
to the United States, has likewise made
IL a personal matter to SEE that every
arrangement on the program IS cSrried
out.
lie has be IN In constant attendance
at the office OF the secr5Iary-Seneral
in the blue -arlor and his doors are
open to everyone. A constant stream
of visitors has poured III upon MIN,
ranging from messenger boys to am
bassadors, and he appears to have time
to give them all just what they want
and never seems to be hurried.
Prof. Glen Levin Swiggett, who was
made assistant secretary-generai OF the
congress last summer. and as such had
charge of a larger part OF the organi-
cation of the forces and the prepa-
ration of the program, broke down un-
der the strain of the work required
of him and, last Sunday night. when
most OF the arrangements had been
completed, was forced to give up and
place himself under the care or physi-
clan. He was succeeded by John Va
Vasour Noel, former editor of maga-
zine published in Pima. Peru. and one
of the best-known newspaper editors
and publishers of South America. al
though he is a native of North America
and q most patriotic and devoted citi-
ECH vi CihNCu SNotNS'
Seven Heads of Divisions.
Mr.. Noel has boon the right-hand man
Of Secretary General Barrett since the
retirement Of Prof. swiggett from the
management of affairs, and upon him
has fallen the executive work OF carry
lng out all the arrangements. He is
also editor-in-chief of the daily news
paper published for the congress.
While Mr. Noel is the chief aide OF
the secretary general and occupies
desk beside him. there are seven other
heads OF divisions and departments that
have shown the same sort ot efficiency
and loyalty ond have attracted the
same kind of praise from the delegates.
DR.. Harry Erwin Bard secretary of the
Pan-American Society Of the United
States, is in direct charge of the work
Of co-crdinating the business of the
various sections. arranging the pro-
grams for the section meetings. supply
ing substitutes where persons who
promised to read papers, failed to MAKE
good their promises, securing trans
lators for the section meetlnSs. supply
ing the press bureau with news of the
meetings and abstracts Of important
papers read before them in advance OF
their actual delivery. and acting as the
general representative OF the secretary
general and the executive committee to
the sections.
Prof. j. d. Fitzgerald, OF the Cnivar-
Sity OF Wisconsin. has had charge Ut the
working force so far as 1t related TO the
stenogrAphers. tranSlators. and inter
prefers. One of the most dirlcult Jobs
of the congress was supplying all the
sectional meetings with competent inter-
prefers and stenoGraphers. This has
been Prof. Fitzgerald's duty, in addition
to sharing some of the responsibilities
of DR.. Bard.
Has Charge of Social End.
Stedman Hanks, lent to the congress
by the State Department, has had one OF
the most difficult of all jobs connected
with the congress-the social features.
The social department of any interna-
tional gathering js usually one of vital
importance. The people OF other
on the social side Of conventions of this
sort than do the people of the United
States, and IL was necessary, in view
of the nature of the congress, to de-
veIop this end to the highest point of
For the first time in the history of
a gathering of any sort the private
homes of the society leaders Of WASH
the disposal of Secretary General Bar
rett. At many OF the private enter
tainments given during the past week
such as teas. dinners, luncheons, etc,
the host ana nOSIesSS the guests OF
honor, an dthe guests invited to meet
the guests of honor, were strangers 10
to each other Upon Mr.. Hanks and
his assistants the social aides fell the
duty of making all these people ac.
quainted. Also he has superintended
the sending of invitations to the dele
gates and to distinguished people in
Yited to meet them at the formal func-
tions.
Madden Summers, consul general OF
the United States at Sac Paulo. Brazil
was recalled to this country to act az
assistant secretary in charge of the
comfort of the delegates and their
families. Mr.. Summers entered whole
heartedly into his duties and placed
himself and his committee of aides
both men and women, entirely at the
disposal OF the visitors
Benito Perez Nerdia, a Latin Amerl-
can, who has made himself indispen-
sable 10 the Pan-Amerlcan Union, Is
in charge of the personal comfort and
convenience of the Latin-American del
| egates. Senior Verdia also has charge
oS the lists of the personnel of the con
TO cuFO q cOIa O. OaS Day