The Washington times., 1915-12-06
Marked Modesty Seen
Among: Mem Solons
Congressional Directory Shows Less Effusiveness
Park of Georgia Most Brief, While Senator du
Pont Is Chief Space Consumer.

We have with us today the new is
sue of the Congressional Directory, q
biennial Government publication used
by members OF Congress, new and
old, to tell all about themselves.
The directory contains other infor-
nation. most of it valuable. but when
the book first comes from the Gov
eminent printcry chief interest i'm
mediately attaches to the biographies.
These biographies put the reverse
English" on the wish OF Bobbie Burns
the desire that one might see himself
as others see him.
In the Congressional Directory tho
legislator Is required, with such Incl
dental editing as the Joint COMMITTEES
on Printing may undertake. to speak
frankly of himself, to tell Of early
struggles and the rise to more or less
fame and public Office.
1t Is to get these first-hand impress
sions OF the fellow who knows him.
self best that the veteran legislators
and newspaper men always await the
issues of the Directory.
Not Entirely Prosaic.
However. the crop Of biographies
from the standpoint OF ediflcation and
entertainment. isn't up to the mark this
session. The average new member ap-
pears more modest and retiring than
heretofore. One looks in vain for the
old-time effusions whereby the public
was informed that back home the Hon.
Joshua Bings was easily the leading
citizen OF those parts and the entire
nation would watch his career Win
unstinted interest.
Nevertheless. the new Congressional
Directory is not an entirely uninterest.
bits Of life-history here and there that
make one want to know more about
the new men on the Hill.
n no toS dull iasSon WiSs
the directory retains its grip on the
public fancy and whets interest in the
national lawmakers, most OF whom
rose from the ranks OF everyday life,
of it.
Senator Henry Algernon du Pont. OF
the powder-making Delaware family
remains the principal space consumer
enviable war record. was rewarded for
bravery and fought constantly through.
out the civil war. Later he was in the
regular army. 1t requires fifty-siS
record Of the Delaware solon and this
exceeds a bit the space record of the
venerable Congressman Isaac Sherwood
of Ohio, surviving Union general in the
House, who also has a great war his.
tory.
Park Is Brief.
Congressman Frank Park OF Georgia
has one Of the briefest biographies fr
the book. He states merely that he 4,
a Democrat. from Sylvester. Ga.
Congressman Charles A. Lindbergf
Of Minnesota, and Thaddeus Carawa,
OF Arkansas are equally modest. They
use less than n limo each. evealine
only their politics and the names oil
their home towns.
Senator James Phelan Of Californis
qualities as the member OF many clubs
and asserts also that he belongs to the
Society OF California Pioneers, and 1.
! president Of the hall association Of the
Native Sons Of the Golden West.
/ With national defense as an issue ir
this Congress. Congressman i. Davi.
Oakley OF Connecticut II one OF many
| members to record that he served will
the National Guard.
Congressman William Baker Oliver.
new Democrat from Alabama. admit
that as a prosecuting attorney he at
| tanned the highest percentage OF con
victions in the state
| Charles Hiram Randall Prohibition
list. OF Los Angeles, calls attention I.
| the fact that a member of the Randall
family wrote Maryland. My Mary
| land"
Robert NJ. McCracken. now mernbc
from Idaho. says he went West IRON