Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-28

iected Mr.. Mann: 1.-THE fellow who wroi.
it is crazy'-and other documents o
like character. all having a. potential
bearing on some matter of legisl;.-
ton pending or yet TO come up. All
that are read are marked and under
scored and filed.
On the table was a particular bundle
of papers-a bulky bundle. too
THAT is today's grfst Of publications
affecting the currency bill" explained
Mr.. Mann. TT all has been read and
it now goes into the currency bill file.
But can you remember all that IL
in it,"
"Oh. yes. remember in what particu-
lar document is every fact l have read.
] have no trouble about that at all Il
is an old theory that one can remember
better that which he has made some note
about. even IL he never reads the note
and find this Is true. Hence ] mark or
make notations as an aid to memory. fol
I dislike to trust TO memory any more
than can help. But still one has 70
trust a great deal. find. however. thai
I can remember where all the facts
want are. and I never have any trouble
in laying my fingers on the particular
paper wanted
But don't you get burdened remember
ing even that much about such a divers
fled mass of matter
l can unload my memory Of facts and
figures after they have served their pur-
pose. / can simply wipe them out. |
suppose some trace of them remains. Tot
II has happened that months after one OF
those unloading periods matters affecting
some Of them have come up again, and
by searching back in my memory l have
found the supposedly forgotten facts stu
there ready for use.
But that is no great feat Why, 1
bal slfnr lnyk her
really wonderful memory. l have mall
ing list here of 1900 names-a cad In
dex. you know-and after she had beef
with me about two years she had mem
orized practically every one OF those &c
dresses. I could start debating lettel
to any one Of the 1890. and she would
know. instantly and without reference
the address OF the person.
Parenthetically. this list OF l2.ooO con-
stituents In Mr.. Mann's Chicago district
IS another instance Of his lack of sys'
tem," and also throws light on mass
Of work he does that the public does not
see although il sees enough TO give him
the reputation of being the hardest
worked man in Congress.
when do you get time 10 do all tlis
reading comparing and analyz.ng
why. I don't know-any time. Ire
ouently | take n good deal ~ il ioILe
with me and read il II night:
But does that give you any tim" ~
general reading?"
"Oh. yes. have plenty Of time To-
Oh. Mrs Donnelley''-calling TO the outer
room-.please ring up the library and
ask why my books were not sent owe
yesterday"
nelley developed the fact that six OF the
newest books. including fiction. travel,
biography. autobiography and history.
are sent 70 Mr.. Mann every week. and
that all have been read and returned by
the end OF the week
And he remembers what he reads.
How does he do II? Here is material
for a student of mnemonics.
do other members of Congress read
the bills and reports and government
publications as carefully AS you do? was
a question put TO Mr. Mann more for
drawing-out purposes than anything
else.
Il don't think they do said he. grin
Ming ..s, - .,,.,, -, r,,dsrn con-
gresham Is any less industrious than
mo, I do not"-gTowing serious. lf
anything he IL more industrious. He has
more to do. The demands OF his own
district are more numerous. IL Is I'M
possible for him to do all the things In
the House. I'm committee, I'm the depart
ments and elsewhere that he Is expected
to do"
What advice would you give TO a new
member Of ambition and desire to serve?
ITO study the business of the House.
to be patient and TO keep cool. Keeping
cool Is great thing. And, further. let
ME tell you what / told a young member
not long ago. put him on committee
dealing with subjects more or less tech
nical and I advised him to make him.
self a master Of those subjects. Pos
sibly no one ever will find out that you
know what you know when you have
acquired all that information. told him.
and yet some time the bills affecting
those subjects may come up and the
House will want the Information. II you
have ii you can give IL to them and they
viii listen. for you will be the only man
who knows
TO specialize then. is Mr.. Manns ad
vice to the new member: 10 specialize.
lust as In all lines of modern endeavor
one must specialize TO command ste
cess
And meanwhile Mr.. Mann continues
his own specialty-beins the
memory of the House
ASHMUN BROWN.