Dallas Hinton to Anton Shepelev:

AS>>
AS>> Mabel Chiltern:  But it is for an excellent charity: in
AS>>    aid of the Undeserving, the only people I am  really
AS>>    interested  in.   I  am  the  secretary,  and  Tommy
AS>>    Trafford is treasurer.
AS>>
AS>> Mrs. Cheveley:  And what is Lord Goring?
AS>>
AS>> Mabel Chiltern:  Oh! Lord Goring is president.
AS>>
AS>> How can you explain "the secretary",  "treasurer",  and
AS>> "president"?

DH> It  would  seem that they have formed a society (whether
DH> formal or  informal)  that  requires  an  executive -- a
DH> president, secretary, and treasurer.

Indeed, a charity.  But I was asking why in the dialog above
"secretary" is modifed  by  the  definite  article,  whereas
"treasurer" and "president" are not.

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