The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-09-28
Nv FREpERICK J. HAsIxIN

WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. Is
Americans are sometimes inclined to-
make fun of foreign princes who sign
their documents merely with one
name. The King of England, for IN
stance, signs George r., the r stand
ing for Rex, Latin for King. If those
who scott at this system had the jobs
would look at the matter in differ
ent light. For the man, whether he be
a king or the OCCUPANT of some other
important executive position, who has
to sign his name frequently, soon dis
covers that the shorter the signature,
the lighter the task.
In the old monarchies, members of
reigning families have held high posi-
lions 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 a an
average of 10000 times year or near
ly So times day. If Sundays and
: holidays are excluded he must sign at
the rate of more than &C times a day
+ to keep up with his work. AS a mat
ter of fact presidents frequently spend
holidays, when other business is light
/ in catching up on accumulated papers
/. requiring signature.
The initials ST. r." will always
stand for the name of a great man in
the annals of the United States. The
popularity of those initials arose in
part from this burden of presidential
a long name The president who bore
that name was an unusually busy one
Consequently, whenever possible, he
used the initials T. r. instead of the
name, with the result that they be-
came well known throughout the codn-
try.
There are many papers, however,
which no president may sign with his
initials. They must be signed formal
w and with the full signature. Take
Tor instance the commissions of post
masters 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 presi-
dent and from As to so proclalnations.
The public acts of congress must bear
the presidents signature and each
pear produces about 200 of these. Par
dons are written on a form which re
duires two presidential signatures.
The commissions of all notaries public
in the District of Columbia must be
signed by the president and these num-
Der some 800 a pear. Commissions OF
officers in the army and navy must
be signed by the president and also
retirements. Whenever an officer is
promoted, he receives a new commits
sion so there is 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 infor
NAL notes and memoranda which be
initials or signs in addition.
Many a schoolboy who cherishes the
hope of being president may perhaps
feel he is being imposed on If he is
kept in after school and required tc
write his name or some other exercise
hundred times. Not at all; it is the
best practice in the world for the job.
The biggest signature writing jot