Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-26

II path to q small room hidden
in the Controller Generals
1 buzztng Office. the old Pension
Building, Fifth and F streets
the bureau Of dead mems shoes"
Efficiency experts call it the per
sonal effects room A reporter called
1t a repository for dead mems shoes
Another called 1t the haven Of heav-
emily hearts Combining sentiment
efficiency and journalism gives the EFF
fects of dead hearts room"
Not clubbing over titles, this room
may be described as storage vault
for strictly personal property that once
belonged to American citizens. soldiers
and sailors who died in foreign lands
or on the high seas. and whose legal
heirs have not been found or made
themselves known. The collection also
includes effects Of warriors who died
In old soldiers homes, as well as lega-
e4es of German spies caught in this
country during the World War.
Examine this room. Fifteen steel
eases crammed full Of sealed packages
a there must be I0.000-all marked. Ia
peled and catalogued. Government ell
fciency asserts itself here. This stun
belonged TO men who died incognito
and agents of q vast Official machinery
are busily engaged in finding relatives.
brothers. sisters, wives and children.
Here are rings-but no fingers;
vatches-no wrists: SpscVacleS-no
eyes Nothing but silence and index
cards. A sad travesty on life. The
owners are now the dust. Consumed
by sharks, shattered to crumbs by
shrapnel, or claimed by the long, curved
stiletto in the hand Of Time.
Some left real estate, bank notes and
stocks. Such property has been con-
verted into dollars and deposited in the
United States Treasury IN the name
Of the legal heirs, If there be such.
But letter from sweetheart, locket.
o bracelet, photograph-these transcend
money and barter. Their vaiue Is
boundleSs.
The vault lined with ghostly treas
ure. Uncle Sam, turnkey TO the
morgue. pacing up and down. holding
locked in his heart the travail and Sor-
row that go with death.
These silent packages must inspire
more respect and compassion than even
paper corpSeS In Uncle Sans Dead
Letter sOffce. A letter gives voice TO
O mood, a reflection or the history OF
day. But dead mems legacies. their
cherished personal belongings, tell OF
whole lives and careers.
See this package Official inventory
reveals watch, pride of the owner.
His initials are engraved on It's BACK.
Inside the case lid a face sEliles--a
photograph Of the dead mans wife.
Around the wifes picture are grouped
little faces-the children. Then letters
to the man while he was living In
trenches on the Scissors front A sig
net ring. well worn. probably gift from
his parents A poeketknife, a childE
head carved in ivory. Some locks OF
chestnut hair wrapped IN soft tissue.
AT auction these effects would perish
under the hammer TO wife they
would be priceless treasure.
II is amazing. Think OF 1t! the
worlds greatest government spending
the energies and time of its employees
IA combing the globe for rightful heirs
to property that has trivial economic
value.
r w. ROBBINS commands the af-
Js affairs Of this strange chamber.
He is solicitor. detective, Government
administrator and judge. II ordinary
letters won't serve his ends, be has
power 10 enlist the aid of co3ntless
workers Every postmaster Is his agent.
The flies of all Government depart
rnents are open to his official wand.
His decisions are needed. His tudg-
rnent Is law. As keeper of the effects
Of dead hearts he concocts justice
from the elements that make life itself.
One day when this agent of Uncle
Sam looked up from his desk there
stood in the doorway a lady, gray
haired, benign and sweet. Her name
call her Mrs. Smith
You have here the effects Of John
Doe, who died last month in the old
soldiers homer" she asked.
''Yes."
An" she sighed. MAY I have them,
Are you his wife?" asked Uncle Sam,
cor his sister,"
''Why--ao. Ill
Then you are some relatiYe?"
"Oh. no, no. Not a relative"
"A dear friend, perhaps?" said the
cfhcer
That neither she responded, her
reserve breaking under this croSs-fire
81 am Just an ole sweetheart" she con-
feSse6. An old sweetheart. That's
all"
A puzzle The Law must be enforced
Now what rights has sweetheart? The
statute books forget that men have
Eweethearts; they are not mentioned.
II have no right To give John Does
effects to-~a sweetheart" Uncle Sam
said ofscially.
But there are no claimants other
than l." she protested.
Suppose a sister or brother should