Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-07-11

positions. One Of these men went
rom my Office directly home and
didnt get out Of his bed and he died
the second day thereafter Of nothing
IN the world but modification.
Another of these men went from
my of1ce to an undertaker's place on
pennsylvania avenue and blew out his
brains. Fifty per cen of these cases
are proud men They have been car.
able men. 1t was one of the harsh
things I had to do. Perhaps, 1t was
q mistake, but none the less I thought
it best"
TSen, the reporter will take you
down to Potomac Park where a mas
sive marble memorial to Abraham Lin.
coin Is nearing the day Of it's dedi.
cation. He will inquire If you believe
the Great Emancipator, standing again
IN the White House grounds, would
prefer to see that Greek temple for
the perpetuation Of his memory, whilef
DID men and women, having outlived
their usefulness in the public service,
are cast aside like clothes.
Their are men and women still in the
service who worked in Washington
during Lincoln's administration.
He may ask you to 10 out Connect.
cut avenue where a new million.dollar
bridge gives smooth passage over
Rock Creek to motorists, and point
u the massive granite lions which
guard he approaches, and demand to
know if the lions could not have
waited until the clerks retirement bill
became a law.
Come Over to Georgetown!
But, let us leave the sobs to your
newspaper friend. Perhaps, after all,
his epic is just press agent stuf'' for
the retirement bill for superannuated
Federal employees, which the recent
congress, like many others before 1t,
was too busy to consider.
Let us look to the brighter side.
Come with me to an old-fashioned
house in Georgetown. It stands in q
sid street, built flush with the pave.
ment, shaped like a box, painted white
n It's door bell reached by n of
those ancient iron stairways topped by
an iron balcony.
49, -"t= ..a4,=S ~
There, Il we are lucky, we will meet
Thomas Harrison, the Oldest employe
in the service Of this, or, doubtless,
any other government. He is 81 Year,
DID, has been a federal employee for
II years, but still is cheerful. No,
the printer made no mistake, the ng-
ures 81 and II are correctly
Mr.. Harrison, far from harborin,
any resentment against an employer
who permits a faithful employee to
work for three score and ten years
which alone is the length of life do.
sired by most people - still thinks
this is q mighty fine old country to
live in.
As you win see. Mr.. Harrison still
has q twinkle in his ye. 1t may
not be so luminous perhaps as when
he entered the service of your grand.
father when James K. Polk was PresL
dent Of the United States, but It be-
speaks the same unfailing loyalty to
you Of the days Of Woodrow Wilson.
the sixteenth President since Polk.
MI. Harrison was born here IA
Washington when John Quincy Adams
was President. He has served thu
government during the administrn-
tons Of seventeen Of the twenty.eiRht
Presidents ana has known nearly nj
Of the Chief Executives since Van Bu.
rem, the seventh In this respect Nj,
Harrison IL not 10 fortunate as Henry
Watterson. who is happy in the bpa6t
fhat he has known or seen every Pre-
dent except tho nrst I'VE. Mr.. Wat.
tstson. - - boy; Journeyed 70 IT,
Hermitage to - 'old Hickory.
Mr.. Harrison cherishes many Int.
esting memories Of oficial life and ~
work and organisation Of the federal
Departments under the various -
cupants Of the White House. His woff
has baan with o6s departnsnt-thS
United States Naval Observatory
.bsGanaA tsoeS 8 var ii 1915 ana aetSes
rising to higher grades Il hack II
80 9 ysaf . 1911. ana csnsrs1s 40