Evening star., 1935-03-24
Tales of Well-KnOwn Folk
In Literature, Art, Politics
Three Craces in u. S. Treasury, Miss Roche In
Lead-Some Interesting Books-Repre-
sentative Sirovich Play Writer.
BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.

BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.
DO ye ken there are three Graces
in the United States Treasury Depart
ment at Washington? Faith, Hope
and Charity-and the greatest OF
these is Charity-meaning Miss Jo-
sephine L. Roche, Assistant Secretary
Of Treasury because she outrankS the
other two-at least Mr.. James Clement
Dunn, director of protocol Of the De-
partment of State, might say so-and
also because she has the mint and
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
under her office, and both OF these
bureaus turn out the money. One
the silver and gold, and the other
greenbacks.
OF course, Mrs. Blair Banister-
Marion Glass Banister-reared in the
Fourth Estate and from a family dis
tinguished in the annals Of American
craftsmanship, signs more checks or
drafts than Miss Roche, because that's
part of her business; and without
Gov. Nellie Tayloe Ross mint, the
Secretary would be without silver and
gold. Each of the three, however.
possess faith and hope because they
believe in the policies of the admin
istration and hope for their ultimate
success in putting the country on its
feet again.
Lamartine, the French poet, being
asked by a beloved friend why the
second edition of his "MeditationS
Poetiques" were not received with
enthusiasm of the first, answered
Because the first was the first and
the second was the second" First
editions are always the most valuable,
and the three Graces In the Treasury
are all premiereS in their several
Jobs. President Roosevelt knew this
when he handpicked them. He knew
they were all woman of wide and
practical experience in the business
and professional world. It was we'll
earned tribute to the women of the
country and nice compliment, too,
to Mrs. Roosevelt, his wife, who has
been living example to him Of what
women could do to advance social
welfare and the betterment of. man
kind.
In a national poll recently in which
500 American business executives
were asked their opinions, Secretary
Roche won out and was given the
title of Americas most prominent
business woman" On first meeting
Miss Roche one would say she was a
charming hostess and devoted to the
domestic side of life. There Is nothing
hurried or buSineSSy in her move
mentS and as she comes forward to
greet a visitor she impresses one as
having many of the 10 points of
personality - energy, efficiency, tact,
carry-through, and yet her disarming
smile puts one at his ease. While
she chats she attends to business,
answers the telephone and now and
then looks out of her Office window
at the statue Of Alexander Hamilton,
or across the way into the Presi-
dents back yard. BY the way, MIR.
Hamilton was first" too.
Unlike the other two Graces Miss
Roche is college bred-Vassar and Co
lumbia University. She has long hair
and they-Mrs. Banister and Mrs.
Ross-have short. This owner OF
coal mines and friend of miners is
very feminine in dress and appear
ance. She has always had money
always done things because she was
interested. One might say social well
fare is her hobby and running coal
mines her vocation. In her social re-
forms she has been wholly unafraid,
became police woman, as that was
H4r% %r fof 1c
lived in her mining camps to better
observe the daily life of the miners
and their families. Some time ago
she had a little setto with Mr. John
Rockefeller, jr. AS an industrialist
she helped the unions to organize,
she has helped the workingman out
there and he has helped her. Her
employees live in the mining camps
or in the nearby towns-as they may
choose. It is not compulsory for
them to buy at the company stores
and their politics are their own busi-
ness. The United States Public
Health Service comes under Secretary
Roche's Office and the welfare of the
Treasury Department personnel
d
to be appointed Assistant Treasurer of
the United States, is not me too"
because she is the sister of the
scholarly senior Senator from Vir-
ginia. who was invited to take the
Treasury portfolio, and who, for rea-
sons best known to himself, declined
the honor. He does not seem to be
wholly in accord with President
Roosevelt, but the latter Is evidently
very fond of him and calls him the
'unreconstructed rebel" Mr.. Glass
was Secretary of Treasury under
President Wilson.
This story, however, is about Mrs.
Banister, who looks good deal like
her brother and has rather a search
ing way of looking into ones face.
She impresses one as knowing what
she is doing, and doing what she
knows-shades of Gertrude Stein
for on the q. t. its common knowl-
edge in the department that from
the time she was sworn in she has
industriously made herself familiar
with the duties of her Office and where
necessary has made changes. Her
office is plainly furnished-has one
of those blue velvet carpets the
Treasury must have bought yards and
yards of-and looks out onto one of
the busiest thoroughfares of the Cap
ital. She does not speak with a
Southern drawl, but in rather a
quick, precise way.
Mrs. Banister is not only the first
woman to be Assistant Treasurer, but