Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

“ If this be true, then when the United States issues an order upon itself it has notice of the amount and when it comes to pay to an innocent holder making a claim as of right it is at arm's length and takes the risk. We are of opinion that the United States is not excepted from the general rule by the largeness of its dealings and its having to employ agents to do what if done by a principal in person would leave no room for doubt. ”

“ But the Chief Justice used that language only to fortify his conclusion that the United States could recover money paid upon a forged endorsement of a pension check. He cannot be understood to mean that great business houses are held to less responsibility than small ones. The United States does business on business terms. ”

“ It has been suggested that the ground of recovery for a judgment under a mistake of fact is that the fact supposed was the conventional basis or tacit condition of the transaction. Dedham National Bank v. ”