Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-18
BOIL WEEv|L NEW NAME
FOR PESKY lob HUNTERS
President Harding Cites Some
Experiences With the Per-
sistent Place Seekers.

In tricks that are vain and ways that
mre devious Bret Hartes heathen
Chinee might get some professional in
struction from the moro clever in
dividuais among the treless office seek
er.5 who have been laying seige To a
gentleman who until recently was the
editor of The Marion (Ohiol Daily Star
Each day as Mr.. Harding played over
the golf links at st. Augustine he was
preceded by a lean. alert secret service
man. This individual would cross and
recross the course ahead of the then
President -elect. scanning the brush and
shrubhery for human parasites that
members of the Harding party learned
TO refer to as boil weevils. after that
devastating blight OF the cotton plant.
Roll weevil. in the vocabularies of those
about the President means office seek
few days before Mr.. Harding left
St Augustine for the Capital. the Sc
cret service golf course scout spied
paunchy. perspiring man in a derby
hat approaching the Harding foursome
as IL approached the tenth green.
Telling about the incident after
wards, the secret service man said he
intercepted the stranger and demanded
TO know his purpose. On the honor Of
the service the guard vouched for this
reply:
Il merely desired to give this four
leaf clover TO the President (when
they called him president" before in
auguration il was the surest tipof TO
office seeking motivCs) to bring him
good fortune" With scientific cunning
the bodyguarl examined the good luck
token and found il spurious The fourth
leaf had been skillfully tied TO ardi-
nary three-leaf clover.
4 bit of sharp questioning III a stern
voice then uncovered the real purpose
of this particular boil weevil. What he
wanted was an opportunity TO ask for
a postofiice appointment The secret
service man said that he had forgotten
whether il was the postma stership in
Arizona or Pennsylvania that was
coveted in this instance.
Il is unimportant, anyway. for in the
words of President Harding himself.
there have been thousands Of em after
postoffices.'
Seated in the green upholstered arm
chair that was his favorite place for
mediation aboard the private car in
whICh he made most of his campaign
arG post election vacation trip. Presi
d,rt Harding. on his way from his
nome town of Marion told OF some of
MS difficulties with Office seekers.
II 5 the fellow who says he is en-
titled to a place who is the most
pestiferous seeker. unused Mr.. Harding
As ne contemplated the Cumberland
mountains that the speed OF the train
hurled past his car windows in endless
panorama
There was q hap-just say he
comes from West Virginia because be
doesn't-who wanted me TO make him
a United States marshal. He Is a hope
less invalid. He Hsminded me that he
had voted for me; that his wife had
voted for me and that he had worked
for my election.
Il was prepared to thank him for
that. but he was insistent about the
maFshalship. So 1 said
Now look here. You want me 10
perform my duties honestly, I'm sure. /
You realize my responsibilities. Now
in all frankness you know your health I
is such that you are unfit TO perform all !
Of the duties that sometimes confront
Federal marshals. he interrupted me
10 say:
But I'm entitled 10 it.
Now. / simply can't appoint that !
man. II would be gross breach Of
faith with the people Of the United /
states To give him responsibilities that /
NJ isn't equal TO shoulder. I'm not go |
Ing 10 do il. OF course. and this man
probably will convince himself that I've /
cheaIed him
Mr.. Harding ohewed reflectively on |
an unlit stogie for a few moments and !
then ne said:
There was one man who came 10 ,
see ms at Marion. He vas a workman I
mad known for long time He IS
one Of those people who are wholly /
dmmitted 10 the ranks Of mediocrfty.
II you get my meaning. a well inten- 1
toned person. He had come 800 miles /
"a see me. He said that he had voted .
for me. that his wife had voted for me.
They all say that now. In this case I'm I
sure 1t was true, however. He stressed
the interest ne had taken in the cam
paign and finally came 10 the point BY
ssylng that he would like 10 have a /
JOB that would better his condition.
asked MIN what he would like TO
have. Remember. this man had never
demonstrated any sort Of unusual abii-
ity. He said lie would like to be made
Director Of the Census. He had with
him the government blue book that
shows what positions there are in all
departments. and what they pay.
Il took this book and ran my finger
down the list Of former holders of his
place. l didn't want 10 offend him
Other directors Of the census have been
ex-Governors and ex-Senators. / then
said 70 my caller:
I'm afraid you are shooting pretty
nigh. This job pays $4,000 a wear
The duties are light and II is aIvavs
given 70 q man who has had a dis
tinKuished career