The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-01-03
Frederic Haskin'. Letter
Washington Business Made Ea,y.
special cofsespondencs Of tn A,xu, /

Washington, d. c., Dec. ST.
Seeing Washington on business has
Ut last been reduced to q scientific
formula by one Wall street firm.
No longer does one Of its repre-
sentatives DRIFT into. the national
capital. spend IN afternoon in pur-
suit OF = satisfactory hotel room,
take the next morning or SO to To-
cate the government building and
ofacial he il to do business with, and
then make. an appointment for Tues
day. and hang around until Tuesday
comes. This, with variations, was
the old system, and the case sug-
gested does not represent an ex-
IRENE collection of difficulties.
Most government officials are
more elusive than the flea Yes, the
chief was just here" you are told.
But he has left for New York. Yes,
he'll be here tomorrow at 2, but the
secr etary will probably want to see
,, him when he comes in, and he has
conference at 3. Next week? Well,
he has to appear at several hear
ings Of the mysterious claims COM
mittee Of the senate. And he's
working on his report. Yes, he is
quite busy now"
The statement that II often takes
some hours for the uninitiated to
locate q government bureau is like
wise no eyaggeration. A firm rep
resentative may know only that he
is to obtain certain Information re-
garding the naturalization status of
some wOrkmen in the c0mpany's
employ. lie finds that nataraliza-
ton is under the control of the
labor department, and he goes there,
only to be told that his question re-
lates more specifically to citizen
ship. In the state war and navy
building he is cheerfully informed
that the citizenship bureau is in a
rented building somewhere else.
As for hotel accommodations, a
lack of them was the original rea-
son for the revolt of the Wall street
firm mentioned--Henry L. Doherty
and Company against existing
conditions. When Washington was
packed to the limit with war work
ers and war missions, asking for a
hotel loom without d few months
advance notice was like asking for
IN immediate interview with the
president
| Joys Of Room Hunting.
Representatives of this particular
firm walked the streets hunting for
q hall bedroom. and would joyfully
lave accepted shelter for the night
in tent Finally visiting Washing
ton became SC wild an adventure
tia: the firm decided to start its Own
hotel. 1t managed to rent a digni-
fed CID residence facing Franklin
park, convenient to the business
district. The house was quickly
furnished, secretary installed, and
the Doherty Mems club was ready
for use whenever Doherty employees
came to Washington.
Now, vacant hotel rooms are less
phenomenal. and the house is
wanted by its owner. The natural
thing would re for the club to pass
ont with other war emergency in
situations. it costs the firm Just as
much or more to keep the cluu
house going as to pay hotel bills 70,
its travelling employees.
| Put the club is going to move a
few doors down the street AM
continue as usual, for it's serves a
valuable purpose 1t does for the
travelling firm representative what
the sight seeing companies hav.
long been doing for the tourist. VIZ
have explained the troubles that q
stranger doing business wiil ,hs
government may. and usually does
encounter. Well, the Doherty clut
with its efficient secretary, manages
to make its visitors transact theil
business in Washington without
hitch or worry.
| In . small company, this sort o.
club would be impossible. But thu
Doherty. organization is nearly
10000 strong, and its wide interest.
therefore, bring it into touch witt
NEARLY every government depart
meEt at Washington.
Biologists employed by the firm
have to consult the geological sur
} ,.yey and the land Office about oil lant
questions. The company's paten
experts have 10 keep in touch will
the government patent Office. Their,
are times when it is necessary fol
! for the financial department Il