Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-28

Washington, D. c., Sept. 25.-Ameri-
cans are sometimes inclined to make
fun of the foreign princes who sign
their documents merely with one name.
The king of England. for instance, signs
George r., the "R" standing for Rex,
Latin for king. If those who scott at
this system had the jobs of some
Washington officials they would look
at the matter in a different light. For
the man, whether he be a king or the
occupant of some other important ex-
ecutive position, who has to sign his
name frequently, soon discovers that
the shorter the signature, the lighter
the task.
In the old monarchies, members of
reigning families have held high posi-
tons for generations and have formed
the habit Of using single names or
otherwise abbreviated signatures. In
our republic, where the great offices
are held by men often having no adj
vance experience, the lesson has not
been learned.
The president of the United States is
required to sign his name on an av-
erage of 10000 times a year, or nearly
So times a day. If Sundays and holi-
days are excluded he must sign at the
rate of more than Sc times a day to
keep up with his wsrk. As a matter
of fact presidents frequently spend
holidays, when other business is light,
in catching up on accumulated papers
requiring signature.
The initials at. r." will always stand
for the name of a great man in the
annals of the United States. The pop
ularity Of those initials arose in part
! from EhSc ~ r1nn nt prnCtHnnfIGI GIU-
natures. Theodore Roosevelt is q long
name. The president who bore that
name was an unusually busy one. Con-
sequently, whenever possible, he used
the initials T. r. instead of the name,
with the result that they became well
known throughout the country. There
are many papers, however, which no
President may sign with his initials.
They must be signed formally and with
the full signature. Take, for instance,
the commissions of postmasters. Five
thousand of these a year must be
signed by the president, or 10000
during an administration. There is an
average of $50 executive orders a year
to be signed by the president and from
45 to so proclamatiOns. The public
acts of congress must bear the presl-
dents signature and each year pro-
duces about 200 Of these. Pardons are
written on a form which requires W
presidential signatures. The commits
sions of all notaries public In the Dis
trict of Columbia must be signed by
the president and these number some
800 a wear. Commissions of officers
in the Army and Navy must be signed
bv the president and also retirements.
Whenever an officer is promoted, be
receives a new commission, so there
is a constant flow of this work.
When President Wilson was i'll dur
ing the last portion of his administra-
ton. there were periods in which he
was unable to sign his name. A great
amount Of important business accumu-
lated, especially Army and Navy com
missions.
Many Letters to Be Signed.
In addition to these formal papers,
the president signs an average OF 81
letters a day. There are many informal
notes and memoranda which he Initials
or signs in addition.
Many a schooIboy who cherishes the
hope of being president may perhaps
feel he is being imposed on II ne IS
kent in after school and required to
write his name or some other exercise
a hundred times. Not at all; it is the
best practice in the world for the loo.
The biggest signature writing 1oo
which the president has he delegates IN
a curious ann Forgery is a Sc
rious crime and the statutes PROVIDE
severe penalties for those who initiate
the signatures of others. A consplc--
uous exception is made in the case OF
the presidents signature for a SPECIAL
purpose. Under the law, the president
is required to sign land patents. The
lob is too big for him. so by executive
order he specially appoints a substitute
who is authorized to sign his name to
land patents. The appointee studies
the presidential signature and learns
to copy it exactly. The signature
placed on the patents is a perfect legal
lied forgery. There are about 10000
of these land patents to be signed each
year.
Mrs. Viola p. Pugh of Washington
ia the person now authorized to affix
the presidential signature. She has
been doing so during the present ad-
ministration.
The presidents signature writing job
is not the biggest in the government,
by any means. The man who signs
the most checks is William A. Holmes,
~disbursing officer of the veterans bu-