Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-12

fourteen years Of work Mr.. Award has
never been absent a day when the House
was In session. and never more than
thirty minutes away from the reading
desk at any time.
Hour after hour they have called the
roll while republicans or democrats car
ried on f1libusters: night after night they
have driven their voices through the up
roar of turbulent House, but on no oc-
casion have both broken down completely
so as to deprive the House Of their serv
ices.
The roll call is the hardest work of the
reading clerk, when it comes with regu-
larity," says Mr.. Award. 1T is like the
stroke of a blacksmith. hour after hour,
with a single set of muscles"
The filibuSter that deliberate attempt
to delay legislation, is always picturesque
to the country at large: but 1t is torture
to the men who have to call the roll and
carry out the flibustering plans devised
by the party leaders. In the filibuster
led by John Sharp Williams two years
ago the reading clerks called the roll
more times in six days than they had In
the previous two years.
In another historic filiblBter several
years ago the two men called the roll
21o times in six weeks What this means
to the man intrusted with the roll call
can hardly be appreciated by one not
familiar with the proceedings Of the low
er house of Congress.
\ X
There are 391 names on the roll. The
moment the call begins the House dis
solves into a friendly gathering some
what like a sewing bee or a church So
ciable. and the voice of the clerk mus,
carry above 1t with a clear enunciation
of the names. so that the attention Of the
member will be attracted.
The roll is called through twice to give
absent ones a chance to answer: and then
the names Of members who have come
in later are again called. To every an
swer made the clerk repeats the answe!
for the tally clerk, who sits beside him
1t goes like this:
Mr.. Adair!'
Aye"
Aye: Mr.. Adamson.'
Aye
AYE; Mr.. Aiken
And SO one through the list. To call
the roll takes about twenty-five minutes
under ordinary circumstances 1t ma,
take thirty or thirty-five minutes. In a
filibuster. as soon as 1t is over, the fill
clustering leaders have the machinery al
set for another; and the poor reading
clerk goes at it again with his black
smith voice, which grows daily huskiel
as the filibuster lengthens out
To save their Threats in these trying
times, Award and Lampson have resort.
ed to some heroic measures. During the
last Williams flibuster the two men took
turns sitting in the bathroom in the
hot cloths wrapped around their threats
to keep the Inflammation down
X X
AS soon as one of them had completed
a short period of work the other would
relieve him: and the relieved man would
hurry down to the bathroom to be
swathed in bandages by the attendant
and prepare for his service a short time
later. In this way the two reading clerks
managed to come through the filibuster
in good shape and with practically nc
assistance.
my voice has been so completely used
I'D at times" says Mr.. Award. that
have opened my mouth and been unable
to say word. The spirit and strength
were there. but the chords 1 used were
completely frayed out
At such times a member OF Congress
or some one outside the House occasion
ally comes in and tries to relieve the
clerks. The instant change in procedure
is so evident as to emphasize the Pc
culiar demands Of the places. The average
member of Congress who has tried to
call the roll has failed signally, because
OF his inability to keep up the pitch OF
his voice, and his unfamiliarity with the
technique OF the job.
In one filibuster the clerks became SO
worn out that a hurried search was made
for some big-vOiced man around the Cap
itol who could undertake the work A,
the Senate end was a giant policeman
who had been an auctioneer, and whose
voice was believed to be strong enough
for at least a days work. He was brought
into the House and thrust into the work
Of calling the roll. The names were
strange to him, and the confusion Of the