Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-23
Jeremiah Smiths Refusal
Of Pay Brings Him Fame

jeremiah Smith, American lawyer
and financial expert, who refused TO
live in a palace while restoring the
solvency of Hungary, and then de-
clined to accept his pay Of 100000.
instantaneously becomes a national
figure. Working under commission
from the League of Nations, he has
successfully concluded his two years
task. When the check was offered to
him, he said: your poor need it
more than do"
Mr.. Smith is reported in dis
patches" remarks the Worcester
Telegram, "as mot rich He is very
rich. He is almost the richest man
we can think Of; rich in selflessness,
rich in usefulness, rich in greatness of
spirit. He does more than help the
poor of Hungary. He inspires the
development of a finer and broader
humanity. He gives the world the
helpful spectacle of brilliant intel.
lect serving the ends Of kindly and
generous heart. Rich, we said he
was. He Is opulent. He is surcharged
with those riches Of the mind and
spirit which the world never envies
and would be a better world did it
more covet. Mr.. Smith has given
Hungary 100000 and the United
States something to be proud of. And
the prouder we are of him, the more
approving will be the eyes of those
who look upon u.s." The Albany
Evening News also expresses the
view that while he is not a rich man,
che knows what real riches are.
There was opportunity to serve" con-
tinues the News, land he served. He
has done other great service for
America and for other nations with
out compensation. He is the kind of
man that is rare. And because hui
mankind usually serves for pay, men
who, like Mr.. Smith, serve for nothing
surprise the world"
I'VE might assemble a colony OF
statesmen" says the Charlotte Oh.
server, land be able to pick out only
one or two of the same of Commits
sioner Smith. No doubt he needed
the money, for he had even refused
to allow the people of Hungary to pay
his expenses, covering residence
among them for period of two years;
but when the tender was MADE of
paw for the services he had rendered,
came the instant response that the
poor of Hungary needed 1t more than
he did. And then note: He did not
dispose of the money in his own name
He turned it back as a gift from the
American people, The unselfish Com
missioner Smith, by his simple act OF
establishing a condition Of better un
derstanding and good fellowship
profited his own country a million
times more than he would have profit
ed If he had received hundred thou
sand dollars"
4 X y *
"The story is being ended in Hun
gary on precisely the right note" &C
cording to the Richmond News
Leader, which finds cause for salts
faction in ''the prestige that comes
to the League Of Nations from the
termination of the financial control
of Austria and Hungary" The De-
| troit News reviews the incident IN
Budapest, concluding: "And so, with
] q noble gesture. closed a nobly per
formed task The Indianapolis
| News offers the tribute: "Mr. Smith
| has given an example Of what the
spirit of service can be made to mean.
Such instances of unselfish devotion
| to the rehabilitation of a nation and
| a people are landmarks not to be for.
| gotten in appraising the present.
| The Providence Journal states, SINH
lar vein: "Mr. Smiths philosophy is
so wholesome that he deserves recos'
milton and approval. He has empha'
sized the need of unselfish service In
| our day and generation. He is not
a rich man, but he Is unwilling to
| spoil, in his own mind, the quality OF
| his service. America welcomes him.
| not merely as a successful flnancier
| who has lifted nation out Of finan.
| cial slough, but as q man on whose
/ notable achievement the stamp OF
| high-minded disinterestedness rests
| The Knoxville Sentinel suggests fur
| Their that ''the man who sends his dol
| lars out into the highways end by
WAYS is the man who is really chart
| table,"
''The donation Of his two years sal