The sun., 1919-06-29
Traits Surprisingly in Contrast to Men
tai Pictures Conjured Up by Prohi-
bition Mark Personality of Young
est Man to Hold Government
Post of Such Responsibility
By ALBERT WHITING FOX

to the st. James and the public
schools, where he proved himself a
good mixer. a good scrapper and
natural born leader among the boys
OF his age. His first Job was in an
undertaker's establishment, where he
served as apprentice at the big SAL
airy OF SO n week.
And I had more money then than
I have now" Mr.. Mayer says jok-
ingly. "in view of the present cost Of
living"
This would seem like a dull lob,
but as matter OF fact 1t provided
plenty OF excitement. The morgue
was at Twenty-fifth street and Cot
tage Grove avenue, and seldom q day
went by that something did not hap
pen in the burial line. The Illinois
Central killed at least one man a week
and often averaged more. The pub
lie bath near by contributed several
per week from drowning, and this was
without counting the persons who
chose this spot to commit suicide.
There were plenty OF thrills and
young Mayer had great deal of
coroner's experience early in life. He
saw much of the seamy side of things
and he did not forget some OF the OBJ
ject lessons he learned. II he had
needed anything to strikingly prove
that the ways Of the transgressor
are hard" he would have had 1t dur
Ing these days of his early career.
He Enters Politics.
But local politics, which absorbed
energetic young men in those days,
reached out and took young Mayer
away from this line Of work and
planted him down town as secretary
to the chairman of the county COM
mittee, who was John Mccarthy.
Here he remained for two years until
on Dec. 1. 1914. he was given a Job
as deputy collector in the revenue
service. He was assigned to income
tax work In the field under Dan ].
Chaplin. who was the revenue agent
in charge.
This income tax work was brand
new. so to speak, and some of the men
under Chaplin had no idea Of how to go
about it. Mayer didn't know either,
but he figured out that IL a man used
good American horsesense and stuck
to the job he would soon get his bear
ings. He started in visiting taxpay-
ers, examining their books, verifying
the accuracy Of their returns as filed
and otherwise checking up on infor-
nation which the Government desired.
He got such data as he desired, but,
! more important still. he won the re-
spect and friendship Of the very men
who were required to give him the
data. They helped him and some went
out OF their way to give him valuable
advice. AS result, Chaplin summoned
him to headquarters after he had been
in the field about a year and said in
effect:
| Mayer, you seem to know how to
deliver the goods In this new line OF
work. We want you to take charge
OF the entire State OF Illinois with the
exception of thirteen districts) and
show the hundred or so men under you
how to get results"
Attracts washinston's Attention.
1t was not long before Mayer began
to make good. His men reported more
delinQuents than all the other d.
Visions. Tax evaders were ferreted
out with a neatness and despatch that
| opened the eyes of the officials in
Washington. and 1t was this more than
anything else that brought about
Mayors present appointment. On May
1. 1918. he was made Assistant Chief
Of Revenue Agents and his appoint
ment as chief to supervise the ad-
ministration Of the liquor and narcotic
laws has followed. His friends believe
that IL he follows the same methods
now which he used In Illinois he will
not only enforce the law. but eliminate
much of the friction which would in
evitably result from tactless handling
Of this big problem.
Mr.. Mayer has a general idea of how
he is going to start his work after July
/. though he will not have anything to
do with the activities of the Depart
ment OF Justice along the same line.
Indications are that the revenue
agents and the agents of the Depart
ment OF Justice will pursue their own