The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-03-29
FAME-M MAKERS PLY
TRADE AT CAPITOL
Reap Harvest from GuileIess
New Members.
PUBLICITY IS THE BAIT USED
Would-be Biographies Already Busy
with Offers to Print Newcomers
Photo, Accompanied by Para
graphs of Praise for Monetary Con-
sideration-CIark DeplOrcs Evil.

AS a harbinger of the coming extra
session of Congress it was noted yes
tcIday that newly elected Senators and
Representatives were receiving the Gus
tomary calls from wouldbe bioSraphers
and fame-makers, who spring up like
mushrooms with the arrival of a new
Congress.
To approach a new member with a
proposition to print a beautiful half
tone OF himself. accompanied by many
paragraphs of fulsomc praise. in some
periodical heretofore unknown to the
Congressman. is the game which in
variab'y seems to yield fair picking at
the opening session. For a consideration
OF anywhere from 81 so 500 the ohliGinG
gentleman. who insists upon seeing the
Senator or Representative privately in
his rwim 1t the Capitol. guarantees -
produce wonderful results in the line
Of publicity. II the new member ycarns
not for the fame thus offered. and sue
Gods in steering clear of the blandish-
mcntS of tho agent. he stands a chance
Of becoming the subject OF pointed
T2ragrap hs.' which ne may never see
until MS home paper reprints them and
MS friends call them to his attention.
.Pubfirity" Men Busy.
and Representa- tives had reached Wash
inGtCu Yesterday. but the publicity
nr"n We" busy cndcavorinG to reap their
harvest from those on hand.
certain publication. free in its biting
comment on those whose shekels do not
fan into the basket of its prophet ors,
las out a Prospectus Of the first issue
in many months that any one has seen.
Ii.
ton were busy Yesterday warning their
Colleagucs that t'lis hoId-up system was
not a part of Washington journalism:
that monetary consideration is neither
requested nor accepted by reputable
Journals, winch seek to print the lives
and oNncrcnccS Of those who appear in
legislative halls :Or the first time.
hamp CLARK. who is to be elected
Sn'ak,r IF tho House. yesterday de
piCr"d tho fact that i seemed impossible
10 approhoud persons rINinc their leech-
Ike operations about the Capitol. owing
Z" Tho tendency Of the average victim
NJ u nlGrmUr. but 10 charge his CON
trhItion 10 contingent expenses OF par
ti'ITation IN the liz" Of Washington.
Have Varied Propositions
''Th"y arc always here. and apparently
They will never fail to appear at the
opening of d Congress and reap their
harvest as the nov m"mhers arrive" said
Mr.. Clark. in speaking Of the experiences
which public men occasionally are frank
enough to confide to their Collea CUES.
''Th" grating is not always confined to
publicity. The snl"othest game ever
worked ~ the Capitol. in my opinion,
WAS tho offer of an individual to have
certain political club in a nearby city
named after Senator or Representa-
tive. for u consideration of So on the
part Of the Senator and $40 for the Rep
TeSrntailVe. The man circulated freely
aUcut the Capitol. and actually gathered
a round dozen or SO of guileless mem
hers into his net before notes were COM
pared and tn" discovery was made that
the club Was a myth. and that members
Of Congress who paid a fee to an agent
to have their names fastened to il were
more or less on the order OF genuine
suckers