The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-12-04
CLEANING Up
FOR CONGRESS
Busy Scene at the Capitol
Building.
PLENTY OF PIE on The MENU
PLENTY OF PIE ON The MENU
Things Made Spick and Span
for Nations Lawmakers.

Washington, Nov. 28.-Piled many
feet high around the doors of senate
and house members in the two office
buildings near the capitol and with
halls and corridors blocked on all
sides, big express wagons have been
unloading the burdens of the national
lawmakers in the shape of books, re-
cords and papers for the past week.
No better sign than this is needed to
show that congress is about to begin
again, that the busy wheels of legis-
lation are to be set moving and that
for the next eight months Washington
will again be on the political map.
A visit to the senate office build
ing today shows the white marble
palace which the government built
four or five years ago at a cost of
something like $4,000, 900 for the
convenience of the members of the
senate, to be a place of unusual ac-
tivity. Returning members with their
big cedar chests are busy as bees
getting things to rights for the long
siege of work ahead. Clerks are
scurrying here and there, elevators
are rapidly going up and down, car
rying their loads of human freight
and on every hand there are signs
that congress is about to open.
Preparing for War
Down in the marble bath rooms
where the members get their mas
sage, baths and manicure work done
gratis and where a force of employees
is on duty at all times to see that the
senator's are properly cleaned and
made fit to work, the last finishing
touches are being put to the place.
Steam pipes were being tested, soap
boxes were being brought from near
by closets, and big towels a yard wide
taken out of the presses where they
had lain since last summer.
Over in the house office building
much the same thing is going on ey-
cept on a larger scale. While there
are only 6S senators there are, it must
be remembered, nearly 400 mon in
the house, and ever this large num-
Der will be increased after the extra
session begins in March. Typewriters
are clicking here and telenhone bells
are ringing, doors are banging along
the big marble halls and everything is
indicating a return to life and activ-
ity again.
In the capitol proper, carpenters
have been busy for many days put
ting things to rights. The speakers
desk has received q brand new sound
ing board to replace the one worn out
by constant hammering, carpets have
heen taken up and cleaned, the chairs
If the members have heen thoroughly
fixed and all the committee rooms
have been overhauled from bottom to
top.
Cleaning Tp
The cleaning up process has even
invaded the house and senate cafes.
"~ockroaches. bugs and flies have
heen driven from their summer haunts
md started on toward winter quar-
tiers in order that everything may be-
members. attaches. ratfar oiSameoinn
clean and attractive for returning
members, attaches. newspaper men
md the public generally. And. in adj
1ition to this managers of these eat
ing places on both sides Of the canitn'
declare that they have contracted for
an unusual supply Of MES for the
coming winter. Not much IF this com-
modify, it is exnected, will he dishnT
out from the white house for several
months to come. and in order to salts
ev +hn anpetites Of tho hunerv horde
of office seekers provision has heer
made in advance.
Put nin is not all these places will
afford tn the hungry one. Attractive
bills of fare are heinr made ND and
it is intended to feed tho inner No"
when CONGRESS hegins. whether or nnf
the hungry ones attach their namee
n the government payroll and oat
with regularity from the federal ia
HE.
Newt Monday It is eXnectnd thu
whom Snnetor Pacon. rs president mr."
tom Of the senate. and Sneaker C'2r!-
~ Tho house. ran their roSrn"t1re
Lo1in. II nrdnr q record breaklno
l1.