Chaffee was hired as the Republican Reading Clerk in 1919 by then
Speaker of the House of Representatives Frederick H. Gillett, where he served in this capacity until 1957, when he retired and was replaced by
Joe Bartlett. Notably, during Chaffee's tenure as one of two House Reading Clerks, he was responsible for reading the
United States declaration of war on Japan and the
United States declaration of war on Italy to the House of Representatives. == References ==