Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21
COL. BAMS FITTED
FOR VETERANS JOB
New Director Among Bureaus
Oldest Employes-Ex-
plains His Name.
pronounce it 1iams. >

pronounce It Iians"
Thus spoke Col George E. Ijanls, new
director Of the United States Veterans
Bureau, when asked about his name,
which is Inexperienced by nine out
len persons. The RI" is silent.
AS Z matter Of fact, said the colonel
d originally was spelled "Iiams"-an
old WEIGH name. And the story OF
how the So got changed 70 a 81 is
"a interesting yarn in itself.
The new director Of the United States
Veterans Bureau is the eighth genera
ton OF the family in America. which
came over from Wales in the early
days Of this country, and has been rep
resented in every military engagement
except the Spanish War, when there
were no men of the family Of military
TAe name was first spelled "Iianls,
hut when the old-fashioned spelling
used IFS" with a tail which hung be-
low the line, the second letter Of the
family name accidentally got changed
from an 81" to a Il The .pronuncia-
ton continued to carry through as il
always had, however, and the j Is
never pronounced.
Not Colonel I-jams.
So don't call him Colonel I-janns."
The question of his name was ROT
raised BY the smiling director of The
Veterans Bureau, who is the soul Of
courtesy and tact, the last person tc
take offense at a mistake, which must
BIZ now be an old story to him
Popular anncng the ofhcisls and en-
rloyes of the bureau and also among
the veterans organizations, Col. Ijams
Il an af
wnen he was appointed acting director
Of the bureau sometime ago But yes
terday there appeared on his desk an
other handsome basket of flowers in
tribute and congratulations from Q
veterans organization in Baltimore, his
home city.
one of the old-timers in the Veterans
Bureau, Col Ijanis has been assistant
director and acting director for Sc
many different times that 1t seems
natural for him finally to take over
the reins of this great Government bu-
reau on his own responsibility, AS as
sistant director he has had at one time
or another direction of every depart
ment Of the bureau with the single ex-
ceptien Of the general counsels ONCE.
Has Military Bearing.
Tall, straight, and with a distinct
011QlaIY Dealing, WIllCl sECl1lo " ldfO
caught some Of the snap" from his
long line Of military forebears, Col
Ijaras speaks directly He clips on his
words with incisiveness which is courte-
GUS. but clear-cut.
AS head Of the bureau he directs the
Government unit spending more money
for its own activities than any other
single department or establishment
The bureau has $s,o41 600 900 Insurance
Col. Ijanas' recreation is his work
Since the war he says he has seen one
base ball game, when Walter johnson
pitched his team to the unforgettablt
victory III the World Series here, The
colonel has played two rounds Of golf
and been fishing twice since the war
His main interests in life are insurance
which has always been his main respon-
sibiIity In the Veterans Bureau, and
his family In Baltimore. Heretofore
Col. Ijans has been committing from.
his henae at 1901 Carlisle avenue, Balti.
AAore, and the National Capital, but tht
added duties Of the directorship have
raised the question of whether hl
should now move to Washington.