Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-03


nation service Is a veteran of rec
lamation, coming into the depart
ment when it was organized as
chief engineer, and so conducting
his office that today he is a director
of the service with worldwide
reputation, and his advice Is sought
by the nations OF the world when
ever problems OF reclamation arc
presented to them.
Besides these, a congressman or
two, with their constituents are
awaiting an audience, curiosity
seekers and the inevitable and
rather-to- -be-pitied claim seekers
are patiently waiting for an oppor.
tunity to present themselves.
Charley Stafford has Just glanced
over the days calendar OF appoint
ments and remarked that this will
probably not be a very busy day.
when Joe, the messenger OF the
secretary announces his arrival.
The business OF the day has COM
meneed:
Snatching a pile of correspond
ence and files and the calendar of
appointments the administrative
secretary hurries into the big inner
office where the secretary has just
seated himself at his desk. A hur-
ried glance over the correspond
ence and the quick perusal of such
communication as appear to be
urgent, glance at the concise
briefs with must accompany each
file of the cases waiting action that
day and the secretary is ready for
conference with the visitors await
Ing him, Colonel Mlers enters and
in short snappy sentences unfolds
the particular problem then occu-
pying his attention. His recon-
mendation is delivered and he re-
ceives instructions TO go. ahead
upon the lines which he has al
ready suggested. A congressman
from a far western state is next.
Two of his constituents have come
on for a conference with the secre-
tary as to problems of irrigation in
which they are vitality interested
They present a new phase of the
situation and are requested to take
the matter up with the service and
IL 1t Is impossible to iron out
their difficulty to again appear be-
fore him. They leave, feeling chat
they have friend, for the few
words which they have heard con-
vinces them that they have been
talking to a man who understands
the peculiar difficulty of the irriGa-
tionists.
Another congressman desires to
present two or three OF his constit-
uents, anxious to shake hands with
the man who so largely controls
the destintes Of the west
A Woman Caller
The solicitor with quizzical
smile upon his face tells of a lady
engaged In strenuous litigation with
a neighbor over some more or less
worthless tract of the public do
main, who insists that before she
can feel that she has had proper
hearing or that justice is to pc
done, must speak to the secretary
in person. The solicitor ads that
apparently she believes that this ID
the only case in the world OF any
Importance. With a slow smile
lighting up his face the secretary
remarks that without doubt to
her it is the onlycase Of import
ance and requests him to have
placed upon the engagement cal
ender an appointment as soon as
possible so that the harassed lady
may accomplish her desires.
The hour has now arrived for a
hearing of an appeal from the war
minerals board and the representa-
tives of the board and the appe.-
lants are about to enter when a
senator walks into the office. 1t
is an unwritten law in the depart
ment that a senator has the right
OF way and is allowed to see CAB
met officers at the first moment
that he is disengaged, The parties to
| the appeal case then wait until this
| business has been transacted, and
| file in to present their case to the
| final Judge in the matter. Secre-
! tary Fall at one tine was a judge
of a district In New Mexico, noted
| for the great volume of its busi'
ness, yet the matters purely judicial
upon which he is required to pass
exceed in volume those Of the en-
tire district over which he presided
| The hearing continues, but has not
| proceeded far until it'appears that
the appeal is based upon expedi-
! lures of money in and about the
production of chromium used in
making steel for war purposes. The
| secretary breaks in upon the state
/ ment being made, and few ques
/ tions fix the point in the controv-
ersy and elicit the facts upon which
/ the appeal is based. Glancing to
| the files upon his desk, he turns
/ to the representatives OF the war
mineral board and inquiries why
these facts have not been briefcd,
Upon being answered that they did
not believe that these facts would
! justify payment under the law, they
are quietly informed that the sec
retary will be the judge of what
/ the law is and what he desires be-
fore him are the facts and If these
facts are admitted the claimants
must be recompensei. Being ad-
mitted by the bureau tho hearing
comes to an abrupt end, and the
award is ordered.
The first assistant secretary pre-
sents for signatures opinions that
have been written up by him in ac-
cordance with the decisions here
tofore made. These decisions are
models of clarity and brevity. These
are signed, with the exception of
one or two, which do not adequate
lg convey an exposition Of the law
as the secretary sees it and they
are returned for revision.
A Caller From Home
AS Judge Finney turns to leave
Mr.. Stafford enters and announces
that q friend of the seeretarys
from out home is in the outer Of
flee. The secretary goes out and
greets him with the warm hand
clasp of the yest, and receives the
invariable greeting; ~ know you're
very busy, but I didn't feel like ]
could leave for the west until / saw
you" II am very busy answers
"The Judge" as he is known to
homefollis, "but / want you to come
back about o'clock and have
lunch with me and we can have a
few minutes together"
In the meantime the commits.
/ lc{n Df I,adfa, , Fgo To-,