Treasury Department, Sept. 20, 1905.
To the Civil Service Commission:
Gentlemen:
I wish you would hold an examination for special agents at the earliest possible moment. As I explained to your Mr. —— the other day, the Department needs some special agents with legal training. Not all special agents need legal training, but there are many times when cases have to be prepared for presentation to the Board of General Appraisers, or to the Court, where legal experience is almost essential. I will give you an illustration: Not long ago I needed to send a man to Europe to investigate alleged undervaluations in crockery and chinaware. I had the matter investigated by three special agents and special employees with no satisfactory results. They did not know what was essential, and did not seem to know evidence when they saw it. I then appointed an experienced lawyer as special employee and sent him over. The evidence he collected ought to secure a fifty percent advance on these goods.
I want to urge that in this instance you prepare the questions so as to exclude everyone who is not an experienced lawyer. I also desire to see the questions before the examination is held. I want to cooperate with the Commission, and I urge the Commission to cooperate with me in getting material absolutely necessary to good administration.
Very truly yours,
Leslie M. Shaw,
Secretary of the Treasury.
SECOND LETTER
Treasury Department, October 14, 1905.