Evening star., 1918-03-28

ELECTS cAWASSER .
OF WAR STAMPS
Manager Acts at Request Of
a Tenant in
Apartment.
DETAILS OF INCIDENT

| Washingtonians may ind It incredible
| that any person in the National Capital:
would request the election from an
apartment house Of an authorized can
| vasser for the war savings stamps
| campaign. Yet this actually happened
| day or two. ago, and the manager
| of the house complied without the
slightest compunction.
Two Washington women. one OF them
the wife of an Army oficer. were
visiting Northwest Washington apart
| ment houses lying in the ninth of those
districts into which the city has been
subdivided for the purpose OF pledging
citizens to purchase within the year
a certain amount in these stamps. Gill
bert H. Grosvenor, editor of the Ma
tional Geographic Magazine. is In
charge of this district.
Knowing the strict rules in force in
some houses concerning canvasSers, one
Of the women, after some vexatious de-
| lay on her first visit to the building
found it necessary to enlist Mr.. Gros-
venors cooperation in calling TO the
attention of the manager the fact that
these calls could not be considered In
the light of ordinary canvassfng, ana
| in obtaining permission for the desig-
mated representative, who Is In reality
a Temporary employe Of the United
States Treasury Department, to make
the necessary calls.
Had Forms and Wore Badge.
Equipped with printed forms and
wearing on her arm the authorised
badge, she reached an apartment on one
OF the lower floors of a structure which
shall be nameless. but which commands
an especially good view Of the Gen.
Mcclellan statue.
She rang the bell, was met by the
| mistress of the apartment and. after
her brief opening explanation of who
she was and what she was doing, was
greeted with the cordial remark:
who. let you in here? Canvassers
and peddlers are not permitted to visit
these apartments"
She mentioned her authorization and
made her plea The mistress of the
apartment waxed highly indignant at
being approached on such = matter.
referred feelingly to liberty loan bur-
dens and pointed to q pile of bsnefit
tickets that had been sent her. She
ended somewhat as follows:
ITS nothing but give, give, give!
want me to put my rent money into
these Stamps?'
mo, 1 hardly think he would go that
far" was the reply. The interviewer
started to write something on the list
opposite the apartment number.
What are you wrfting?" was the
next question.
Refused" was the answer, Il must
keep my records straight" And the
volunteer worker gladly made her
escape.
Shortly thereafter she visited the
apartment Of the house manager and
was talking war stamps with his wife.
when the manager came in On learn
ing her name he remarked that he had
been searching for her.
Yes. And know Wl1v think - fhA
reply. "A complaint has been made
against me and I know where 1t comes
from But you gave my district chairman
authority for me to mako these visits"
Untn Tenant Complains.
might be made" the manager Informed
her. "and this has been done.''
This is the first / have heard Of any
such proviso." said the woman, who had
| Il will, Of course. have to defer to you, but
before go cannot I get your pledge for
the purchase Of some Of these stamps?''
NO. madam" said the executive
The solicitor then wrote Refused"
after his name, which instantly inter
| ested him and called forth a question
As to what was to be done with the
list.
'"The chairman Of my district, who
nrst obtained your permission for these
visits. Will doubtless be glad to tell
you I myself do not know" said the
visitor.
Now the Startling Angle!
| Now comes the most startling angle
to the occurrence. The tenant who
complained so quickly and so bitterly,
has been known in governmental
circles here for many years and bears
| q name not unknown to close followers
Of previous cabinet ofnciaI matters.
She rallied from the shuddering con-
temptation Of having to use her rent
money for . patriotic purpose sum-
ciently to give a luncheon Of eighteen
covers at q prominent hotel here next