Evening star., 1953-01-15

ready preparing for his new
elect EiSenhOwer'S adminiStrat
where writer's for the farm jour-
mails and magazines were watt
ing for him, plus radio reporters
and TV technicians.
He went to Chicago where he
saw farm leaders Of Illinois, In
diana, Michigan, Ohio. Iowa.
Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Then Sees Brannan.
Next he came to Washington
where he had a one-hour visit
with the man he is to succeed,
Charles F. Brannan. Then he
went to Atlanta. He avoided
talking to regional officials of
the department on the trip,
which made for some difficult
ties. Some of them did not un-
derstand that it was a matter
Of protocol. He was not Secre-
tary of Agriculture yet.
He returned to Salt Lake and
then came back to Washington.
He arrived here on January 5.
An apartment had been obtained
for him at the Westchester and
an Office set up for him in the
World Center Building, the mod
ern structure housing the Pan
American Anyways ticket Office
at Sixteenth and K streets N. W.,
diagonally across from the Stat
Ter Hotel.
It was there he was inter-
viewed at 9 pm. He had been
arriving at the Office at 8 am.
and leaving about 1890 pm.
That temporary Office was q
striking indication of how he is
going about his job. There was
a room with a long directors
table with ashtrays filled by
conferees at meetings during the
day. Mr.. Benson does not smoke;
but he provides for those who do.
There was a reception room and
three offices. Two young women
were working in the open Office.
One was handling long-distance
calls, the other was tipping. DR..
Karl D. Butler of Ithaca, N. Y,
former research director of the
American Institute of Co-opera-
ton, was at the telephone in the
Office at the lefts While the
interviewer waited he gathered
that Mr.. Benson was confering
with some one in the Office
at the right.
Former Aide Arrives.
Every desk had a dictaphone
and numerous filing cabinets
were already in use. A young
man named Babel arrived. He
had just driven from Salt Lake
City. He had been with MIR. Ben
son on his postwar mission to
Europe for the church in 1946,
and is going to assist him again.
There were 5000 Mormons in
Great Britain, he said, and about
$4,000 on the continent. MIR.
Benson's tour had taken him to
Poland and other countries now
behind the Iron Curtain. In
every country, the young man
said, Mr.. Benson had found out
all he could about the conditions
OF agriculture. The church kept
sending over considerable
amounts Of food. Mr.. Benson had
done his best to distribute them
in a manner which would help
people help themselves.
He was able to distribute guam
titles Of seed and suggest un-
usual paintings during the crisis.
For instance, members of the
church in Holland used the shoul-
ders Of the highways to grow
potatoes with great success.
When it was suggested that the
Germans had greater need for
the potatoes they were reluctant
at first. They had suffered much
from the Germans. But, If that
was what should be done. they
would do it. They sent Is tons
OF potatoes to Germany. The
next year, without any sugges-
ton, they sent the Germans q
larger quantity of potatoes and
some pork products.
The conference in Mr.. Ben
sons Office ended and the inter-
viewer was uShered in. Ezra Ben
son is tall man. His frequent
smile relieves what would other
wise be a somewhat severe ap-
pearance. His thinning straight
hair is combed sleekly back and
his brow is evidently higher than
it was in his youth. His per-
sonality seems to combine a lot
OF qualities. seriousness, sim
plicity. sincerity, and impressive
maturity. He Is So, but he
seemed to be a generation older.
What q Mission Means.
The reporter soon found out
what embarking on q mission
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