The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-06

by CHARLOTTE NJ CONOEH'
The piebs at Annapolis and West Point
the freshmen at the little and big col
leges and universities are regarded as
the legitimate prey of the upper class
men. and for the first few months after
the entrance OF these poor youngsters
into their various schools of learning
their lives are filled with misery and
wretchedness through the Vaccinations
Of their seniors.
But hazing Is a time-honored institu-
ton. The callow freshmen and the unso-
phisticated plebs have been taught 10 ex-
peet it. and they do so with a fairly good
grace, buoyed up by the knowledge that
a time will come later on when they can
revenge themselves on their successors
There IS no system of hazing for the new
Congressman, but, none the less, he suf-
fers similar. If unintentioual, persecution
the first few weeks after he takes his
seat I'm the Lower House less. If he is
modest and retiring more, If he is bump
tiOus and aggressive: but whether modest
and retiring or bumptious and aggressive,
until he is broken TO the traces and finds
his gait. his life IS not happy one.
When Representative first enters
Congress ne Is animated by much the
same spirit as that which inspires the
confident freshman and enthusiastic
pleb. They have passed their dreaded
examinations; he has come successfully
through his first campaign The world
is his oyster. and ne will open It. But
the difficult oyster does not always yield
to his unskIllful manipulation. He had
not counted on the sympathetic attitude
Of his seniors; the difficulty IN adjusting
himself 10 new conditions: the teasing
and hadgering 10 which he would be sub
jected: the honor and glory he had at
tanned; the recently fought battle. dearly
won. blinded him 10 all consideration,
and he imagined hiraself taking a ranking
place among his colleagues the moment
the oath of Office had been administered
TO him.
He pictured himself as a leader. point
ing out new ways. and holding the gal
leries speIl-bound by his eloquence and
with good reason. for he had always
taken himself seriously and been taken
seriously by his adoring family and de-
voted following. who SO insisted upon his
greatness that ne had come 10 believe IN
IL. And why not?
Has "A High standard.
He belongs. perhaps 10 one Of the best
families in the town from which he halls
is its leading lawyer. mayhap the presi-
dent Of the bank looked upon as a solid
and substantial citizen. His wife a leader
Of its social circle" noted throughout
the countryside for her marvellous pies
and cakes. and. like as not. president Of
the Browning Society or the Culture Club
so he comes 20 Congress, feeling that
while some of his colleagues may not
measure up 20 the same standard. and
have still scattering Of hay seed about
them. he is A great man and metropolI-
tan.
He has 50 come 10 regard himself in this
light. so convinced himself that he is an
important parsonage that when he arrives
in Washington and finds no one at the
station TO meet him, no brass band or
delegation Of citizens he feels his first real
pang of disappointment. His second pang
comes when he scrawls his name on the
hotel register and pushes the book around
for the clerk to see. expecting some efIu-
sion from that worthy, some excitement
at the arrival Of the noted parsonage he
is 20 entertain.
But the clerk has seen many Congress
men come and go, SO, without the CULVER
of an eyelash at the greatness before him
he calls. Boy" and sends the newly ar
rived statesman up to the modest rooms
that have been engaged for him. BY this
time the new NJ c. has shrunk, percept-
IDLY shrunk He can feel himself growing
smaller and smaller every moment, and is
at a loss how to stop the process. Home
and the admiring friends there seem 70
him a long way off, and he thinks Of