Healdsburg Tribune, Number 278, 3 October 1927 — AT THE STATE CAPITAL __ [ARTICLE]

AT THE STATE CAPITAL __

By HOMER L. ROBERTS (United Press Staff Correspondent)

SACRAMENTO. Cal., Oct. 3. Will J. French of Oakland will become director of industrial relations and a member of Governor Young’s council after January 1, 1928. Here’s how', and why He will be appointed by the governor as chairman of the industrial accident commission, when John W. Carrigan’s term expires. That will automatically make French director of the department, and the governor in reality will be naming a new "cabinet” member. Mystery—deep, dark and impenetrable, hung over the governor's office recently when a strange letter in Chinese was received. No one could decipher it. Not even the erudite department of education. A Chinese restaurant man gave it up. saying. “He Shanghai Chinee. I Pekingese. No can savvee.” After going the rounds of chop suey palaces and Chinese stores on the river front, the missive fell into the hands of a grizzled old Oriental in a hand laundry. His eyes lighted up as he read. “We are sending you a package of noodles,” he translated, puffing away at his long bamboo pipe. “We would like you to try them, and tell us how good they are.” In due time the noodles arrived, but it isn't on record that Governor Young has sampled them yet. Court Eaton of Los Angeles, engineer of the Los Angeles flood control district, is leading the field of those receiving consideration for appointment as state engineer, succeeding Paul Bailey. It is considered likely the new engineer will be selected by the time the California legislative water commission meets aga n in Sacramento on October 17. Eaton, it will be remembered, was an assistant to the late State Engineer W. F. McClure for more than 8 years. As the state engineer's post pays but $5OOO a year, and Eaton is receiving $lO,OOO now. it’ll represent considerable sacrifice if he accepts. B. B. Meek, director of public works, is rolling up his sleeves to take an active part in state water development activities. Meek is placing himself at the disposal of the legislative water commission and has some ideas of his own to present when the commission meeting is called. Moreover, he will personally make the junket trip through northern California from October 18 to 25, taking various technicians from his staff to aid the legislators. Edward Hyatt Jr., present acting state engineer, will also make the trip. Last week we mentioned nine California editors in state positions. Add to that list George C. Mansfield, former editor of the Oroville Register, and Carroll E. Smith, coowner of a string of weeklies in San Diego county. Mansfield will become chief of the

bureau of publicaUons and editor of the Public Works Bulletin in the department of public works. Smith will become state printer. Appo ntment of a new state printer was made necessary when State Printer Charles A. Whitmore was elevated to the post of private secretary to the governor, succeed ng Homer R. Spence, appointed superior judge of Alameda county. The new officials take their posts October 1. As private secretary, Whitmore becomes the “contact man” between Governor Young and the newspaper correspondents and press association men at the capital. His appointment drew a round of applause from the newspaper group, who are in touch with the governor’s office daily.