The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-12

I 2-line board in front of her, passe. cvalls on to whoever happens to bt free at the moment. Into this board come all the telephone calls to the War Department that nobody knows what else to do with.
 The lone male in this show is Major Clyde B. Leasure, a broad shouldered, big fella who has a sense of humor and can take it. He needs the broad shoulders and the sense of humor, for when the ques- ton gets too tough or too silly if his IS gals to handle, the major takes 1t. He hailed from Los Angeles originally, and put in 14 years in banks, two years with the Los An- geles city administration, six years in the first World War, plus assign ments in this war at recreation area, on administrative duty with the Quartermaster Generals office, finally in charge of seeing that all letters from congressman to the Army were properly and duly ans wered. It was from this last job that he was moved in to take charge of this expanded special information office of the Services of Supply. QUIZZED
 BY CONGRESS
 AS for the type of question that comes in, everything under the sun is asked about and good many of teh questions come from other branches of the government. Con- gressmen ask more questions of the Army than almost any other group, and some of them are dandies be- cause the congressman have to re- lay questions that are asked by their constituents.
 For instance, one congressman wrote in that he had a constituent 78 years old who wanted to teach telegraphy, and didn't the Army have school that could give him a job?
 Another called up to ask for a copy of letter he had written to the Corps of Engineers. The congressman admitted he should have copy of it, and then the congressman came back and de- manded an answer to the letter he had lost.
 Major Leasure's prize job for a congressman, however, was the tracing of letter to the files of the Navy Department, although the official said it had been writ ten to the Army. After fruit less search in Army files, the major pjlayed hunch and called the Navy, and there, sure enough, was the letter.
 QUESTION
 OF CREDIT
 This business of taking care of congressman leads to a lot of tick fish complications. To give them credit for full assists in getting credit for new Army contracts go- ing into any congressional district, news of every contract award is an- nounced first through the office of the congressman from that district. however, the home folks will see a surveying party going over some ground. They start lombard the congressman with inquiries as to what it's all about. A lot of fast work has to be done in check ing the project, seeing what can be given out, and protecting the so he can pretend to know all about it, even when he doesn't.
 The Army itself can ask Its own quiz gals some dandies. Like somebody in the Signal Corps call ing up and asking what USO stood for. Or whether letter signed with an Indian name was from a man or woman. Or how an ex candy and tobacco salesman could get job in post exchange.
 Biggest problem the office has to guard against is when 1t knows the answer, but can't give 1t out, for reasons of military secrecy
 Biggest nuisance the office has is answering questions for people too lazy to lok up the answers themselves. AS when inquiries are received from one officer for some other officers telephone number
 But Major Leasure says he sleeps nights at that.