The Washington herald., 1920-06-27


birds.
The small boy, twelve years old, was John
Barton Payne, who, now a man of nifty -nve'
has become the secretary of the interior
in President Wilson'S cabinet.
The day he herded turkeys was the occa-
sion of his first visit to Washington, ana
the few dollars he earned by driving those
turkeys all the way from the village Oh
Orleans, Va, were spent for q shotgun
possession of which was his earliest amoi-
tion. The young man whom he accom-
panied on the drive was his school teacher
and the turkeys were the property OF an
Orleans merchant.
But the first money ever earned BY the
boy was gained by chickens. His father
was the village doctor and incidentally Q
farmer. BE gave to little John, when the
latter was ten years old, a rooster and two
pullets with which to start a fock of his
own. The youngster had a separate chicken
house Of his own and sold to the local mer-
chant his eggs and brolers.
John was one of a big family; he had
four brothers and five sisters. When his
school days at Orleans were over he studied
law and later practiced that profession in
Chicago, where he became Judge Of the
Superior Court. During the late war he
was general counsel to the United States
shipping board and the railroad admin
istration. He became chairman of the ship
ping board nearly a year ago and held that
job until appointed secretary of the inte-
rior.
Judge Payne has brought into the cabinet
new and very breezy element. Lacking
the whiskers, he is otherwise a reminder
of Uncle Jerry Rusk, erstwhile secretary
Of agriculture, full to the brim with the
same sort of dry humor and a chronic rebel
against conventions. He calls a spade a
spade, and about him there is no dog
ORDINARILY the sanctum Of a member
~ of the cabinet is rigorou-ly guarded
against intruders, and to obtain admission
LII
vate, like a brooding Buddha, while his
anteroom presents a melancholy scene, the
waits" being usually content to obtain,
each in his turn, a word with his private
secretary.
With the new secretary of the interior it
Is different. The door of his private Office
is wide open all the time. Anybody can
walk right in. Groups Of people 60 in and
out, gathering about his desk while he talks
to them. He says that he can do business
much quicker that way.
A couple of days after he was indicted
into his new Office the judge happened to
notice a couple of negro messengers in the
hall outside his anteroom. What do you
do?' he asked.
''Us, subj" replied one of the startled
negroes, stammering. 1--WE is here for
emergencies sub"
''Tbere aren't any emergencies around
here" said the secretary. Go to Mr..
Harvey, my private secretary, and tell him
to get yop some work to do"
One day a high official of the department.
speaking Of an expected visitor who had
made an appointment by phone, said to the
Judge, 81 don't think you want to see that
man. He is crook"
Crook, eh?" wss the reply. 81 don't
give a damn. II he's the crookedest crook
this side of Hades he can see me-"
When he gathers his chief men together
for conference he does not attempt to DOM
mate, but tries to get at the real views
of each one. "What do you think about
this?" he will ssy. Recently much con-
sideration has had 10 be given to the land
leasing law, which governs coal lands, oil
lands. etc., on the public domain, mostly in
the West. He mas asked the governors OF
the states to pick out representative men
acquainted with these matters and send
them to Washington to talk to him and
thresh the business out. Practical work
ing regulations are needed. The West hith-
erto has thought itself regulated to death;
It Is suspicious of federal interference.
Judge Payne deals frankly with the western
men. He says to them, What Is fair?
Let us find out and do that
A PHRASE that often passes his lips is,
n Lets get this thing done, let's get it
working''
When a decision is wanted, he gives il
quickly. Says he: Its a damn sight
better to decide wrong than not to decide
at ALL"
These few sketchy remarks will give q
notion of the kind of man the new secre-
tary of the interior is. To talk to him
is joy.
I'm rather worried about Alaska he
said the other day. Can you blame me?
Its population is hardly more than half what
Il was five year ago. The war drew the
people out of Alaska, and they are not
going back in any such numbers as they
ought.
'I've been pounding away at the prob
lem. Soon after / came in here, I ap-
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