Evening star., 1924-12-23
HALL TAKESP0ST t
AS BUREAU HEAD
Flower : Bedecked Desk
Awaits New Director. When
He Assumes Office.

years.
Alvin w. Hall, So years old, who
has been busily engaged within the
bureau as an. investigator and expert
on efficiency and planning since
shortly after the sudden dismissal of
% Chiefs including the director,
March 81, 1922, sat down at the di-
rector's desk this morning, faced an
array of floral tributes from his
friends, and took up the reins. which
have changed hands so often since
James l.. Wilmeth dropped them that
sensational April Fools day morning,
more than two-and -one-half years ago.
Appointed yesterday afternoon by
Secretary Mellon, Mr.. Hall was sworn
in Immediately thereafter. He sue
ceeds Mai. Wallace w. Kirby, who
has returned to his Army post at
the Engineer Reproduction Plant at
Washington Barracks, after serving
temporarily loft and on" since Feb
ruary Is, 1924.
Caused National Sensation.
The period of unsettled conditions
at the bureau, which Treasury ofi-
cialS now hope and believe has come
10 an end. dates back to the Will
meth dismissdls, which raised d ma
tional sensation. James l.. Wilmeth
ecutive order on the night of March
81, 1898, for the good of the serv-
ice," and the next morning a new re-
gime. headed by Louis a. Hill. as di-
rector, took charge. \ movement
was started to reinstate the ousted
officials and eXonerate them from
the cloud of suspicion. They were all
invited back, Mr.. Wilmeth declining.
The Treasury on February Is, 1924,
L -1,
merly connected with the bureau, TO
reorganize the plant and to take back
all those oVsted officials who cared
to return. Seventeen of the % re-
turned
Maj Kirbys regime, however, was
interrupted when Controller General
McCarl ruled he as an Army officer
could mot hold the post. In the In
terim. Paul +. .Twyman was acting
director. Congress passed a JOIN.
resolution, however, which placed
Maj. Kirby back for six months, from
June 16 TO December Is. 1924. 1t
had been hoped to retain Maj. Kirby
for a while longer, but Congress
failed to extend his time.
Ineniciency Still Continues.
Charges made by Charles b. Brew
ar of the Department of Justice, about
the time of the dismissals by Prcsi-
dent Harding, that there was wide
spread duplication of bonds and
other irregularities in the bureau
are still under investigation by a
special House committee. Treasury
officials have always stoutly denied
Brewers charges.
There are at present three assistant
directors at the bureau, under Mr..
Hall-Paul r. Twvman, Clark r. Long
and John J. Deviny. The House ap-
propriations committee has recon-
mended in its report on the 1876 bud
get that there be only one director.
Alterations in the system now in ef-
feet can be easily made, Treasury
officials indicated, without neces-
sity of dropping from the bureau any
of the three men who are serving as
assistant directors.
In announcing Mr.. Halls appoint
ment yesterday. Mr.. Mellon issued the
following statement:
sorry to Lose Mai. Kirby.
Congress did not renew the per-
mission given by the joint resolution
Of the last session to Maj. Wallace
w. Kirby to. act as director OF the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
without resigning his commission as
major in the United States Army
Maj. Kirby, whose father before him
had been in the Army. was unwilling
to give up his profession and the
dictatorship became vacant.
Mr.. Hall has been head of the
planning unit of the bureau and
knows its. operation, having been as
signed to this position by the United
States Bureau of Efficiency some two
years ago. Maj. Kirby, with Mr..
Halls assistance. has helped to COM
NIL he in
made possible by the legislation
sponsored by Chairman Madden of
the appropriations committee and to
restore the former good morale in
the organization. The Treasury is
sorry to part with Maj. Kirby. but
believes that Mr.. Hall will prove
capable successor.
Born in Pennsylvania.
The new director was born in Har-
leigh, Pa, August %, 1888, his grand
parents having been born in Eng
land and settled in the keystone
State Receiving his early education
in the public schools there, he later
was graduated in law by National
University. Mr.. Hall entered the en-
ploy of Pardee Bros G. Co, an in
dustrial concern. of Pennsylvania, en-
gagged In coal mining and public
utility operations. He was connected
with this company or its subsidiaries
until 1918, when .he Joined the Gov
ernment service here, as a senior cost
accountant, in the .cost-accounting
section, Ordnance Bureau, War De-
partment. He was made chief of the
statistical unit, in which capacity he
was in supervision over the activities
of about 5000 clerks and account
ants engaged on Government ac-
counts in many parts OF the country.
From the War Department MIR. Hall
was transferred in July, 1920, to the
Bureau of Efficiency, where he has been
an expert accountant, taking up various
problems presented to that bureau from
different branches Of the Government.
1t was about two years ago, shortly
after the sensa tional dismissal by
President Harding of Director james
l.. Wilmeth, and 2S other chiefs of the
bureau overnight. that Mr.. Hall first
came in direct touch with the Bureau
Of Engraving and Printing.
He was assigned to service with the
so-called Long committee" headed by
Clark r Long, now assistant. director
Of the bureau, which was appointed by