The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-06
Arch M. Catlir, Topeka;s
"War Treasurer, Handled
.S38l, 900 in Local Pledges
Special Credit Due to One Who Has Not Shared
Glory But Took Real Responsibility of Drives
He Worked Day and Night.

The going away of 'BilP' Biby, and
the farewell parties and au revoir
speeches commencing "Bill" for the
record which he made in Topeka in
the wartime period. brings to close.
in way the work of the captains
and different teams who did SO much
in those trying days.
Topeka has a right to be proud of
the record which she made for all of
these wartime funds. She has right
to be proud of the record which "Bill''
Biby and the captains and teams made
the wonderful results which they
accomplished. She has a right to be
proud of the chairman of the Red
Cross, Horace L. Hall, who devoted
all of his time for the period of the
war, and practically ever since. to the
Red Cross work, and who has not
only been active but has been one of
Topeka's heaviest subscribers to these
funds.
There is one man in Topeka who
has not been given the public credit
for the work which he did, and he,
without a doubt. gave more of his
time to this work than any other of
Topeka's workers with the exception
of Mr.. Hall. That man is Arch M.
Catlin, the secretary and treasurer of
the Pioneer Mortgage company of this
city.
Not only is Arch NJ. Catlin entitled
TO all the credit que HlIIiy Dut al VI
his assistants in his office took part
in helping to carry on the work which
he assumed
When the first campaign was put
over, it was easily discovered that one
of the most important, one OF the
hardest jobssto fill in order to carry
on this work successfully, was that of
a cashier and treasurer. The team
captains and iieutenants would go out
on their thigh pressure" campaigns
and get subscriptions. and would come
in to the big enthusiasm luncheons"
at the Chamber of Commerce-anx-
ious to unload all of their dope and
get back to their regular work.
Subscriptions n "Mess."
But. many of these subscriptions
were Just signed up to get rid of the
campaign workers; then again some
of them were paid in check, part OF
them by cash, and these reports which
were turned in by inexperienced COM
mittees could only be described by the
one expression "a mess The cam
paign lea 1ers realized they must find
some one who had executive ability,
some one who had system ability.
some one who had financial ability
and who could give the time necessary
to properly compile these reports
turned in by the committees and make
up a complete card system ledger ac-
count vita each subscriber. 1t was
necessary to have some one who would
accept the partial payments from each
subscriber as they became due, bank
these subscriptions and turn them
over to the proper authorities and at
all times have complete ledger &C
count with each subscriber.
A System Expert.
Arch" (as he is Familiarity known
IN n &c aScnOiafaSl q m In 10 act
to bring order out of chaos. and give
the time necessary to handle this
work. Probably no one in Topeka was
so well able to handle this work sys-
tematically and as it should be
handled as was Mr.. Catlin who, for
fifteen years prior 70 coming to To-
pekA was connected with the Baker
York, and was well trained and able
to handle this work properly.
Catlin came to Topeka in February
1909, to take the position of secretary
and treasurer of the Pioneer Mort
gage company Probably no man ever
friends in a shorter length of time. He
was elected president of the Country
club. served for two years. and now is
one of its directors. He was appoint
ed by the directors of the Country club
to act with one member of the Shaw
nee Golf club, and had full charge of
the spending of $4,000 of the Coun-
try clubs money to improve the Shaw
nee Golf club grounds. which they
own.
Catlin a Sportsman.
Arch is a true sportsman. and a
great lover of golf. baseball. fishing.
etc, and was one of the men who
financed and Operated" the old To-
peka baseball club for two seasons,
and was elected president of the To-
peka baseball club for that period. He
also served as a director of the Topeka