Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-13
CONCRESsMEN MUST
BE GOOD LISTENERS
Making Promises is Different Under
wood, Champ Clark and Mann Are
Adopts at Evading Callers Pleas, But
Their Methods Differ Greatly.
nn EDWARD W. rowNsENp

had not answered them, 'and that's a
blessed relief, because one so seldom gets
an answer here in Washington that isn't
er--cut the bias"
Now that surely was naughty comment
by the second speaker; nevertheless, one
experienced has more than an inltng of
what was peeving her. The President had
received delegation of suffraglsts-the sixth
one, believe that he has received-and had
told them with Wilsonian preciseness that
he did not agree with them in the way they
sought their coveted end. The second
speaker quoted above plainly intimated that
the Washington official conversation is not
distinctly marked by precision.
But, bless her heart, IL she only knew what
weird questions involving problems OF state
craft, morals manners, religion and taste
in art, landscape gardening and mixed drinks
we are bthely called upon to decide ofhand
she would not have been darned sarcastic.
Old and successful members cultivate
science the ability to evade conclusions on
the unimportant things AS to important
things they must decide quickly and firmly
and cleave thereunto.
A Religious Listener
| Majority Leader Underwood has most skill
in this matter of evading precise promises
| in unmportant things and the secret of his
success is his prodigious capacity for listen
! ing He is called upon by more people de-
voted to more trihes than any other member
of Congress. He has office in the Capt.
tol-besides his big suite in the House office
buding-whch he devotes to the business
of personal callers
One would have to be in comedy mood to
tell even half the truth about the requests,
protests and advice Underwood received from
callers, to all of whom he listens with polite
patience.
Stick pin in that word 'listens" please,
for I'm coming back to 1t in a moment. One
day 1 went to that conference office to see
tho leader about legislative matter, and
although one woman talking to him
and another woman and man were waiting,
he nodded 10 me to wait
The woman by his side was saying, 80,
If you will use your influence with the Ii
brary Committee to give her the commission
to paint the portrait, it will please her friends
so much! She has painted yard of red
clover blossoms which hangs in the pastors
study right now and the $500 she would get
for painting the portrait would give her
a year at the New York art school, and she
does want to learn to paint so much!" and
on, and so on.
He Was Pleased That's All
uninterested. Finally the womans talk ran
down, she rose, pleased Punch. Under
wood rose and shook hands with her, saying,
and they were the only words he said to her,
ut has been a great pleasure to meet you,
madam"
The man was next He protested against
a tariff discrimination duty on sweetened
biscuits while the unsweetened kind were
on the free list. He preferred the imported
sweetened biscuit and wanted to know, you
know, and so on. He finally departed wear
ing the proud smile of victory. All that
Underwood had said was "It has been a |
great pleasure to meet you, sir"
When it came my turn said, 1--WE got |
you Oscar"
Eyes, I guess you have" he answered,
smiling "It took me 10 years of experience
to prove the rule. If you don't say n word
to people who call on unimportant matters
you gain two desirable results: First you |
save time, for If you let caller run on with |
out saying a word they pretty finish |
what they have rehearsed to say to you; II |
you reply you start them off again. Next, |
you send them away pleased, for they don't |
wake up until the next day to the fact that |
you haven't promised them anything"
Speaker Clark is always a surprise to |
callers meeting him for the first time. Per-
is from Missouri people generally suppose
he is finished mixer" He doesn't "mix' |
a little bit. He doesn't even shake hands |
with one, but let's you shake his hand; he |
doesn't smile in greeting, but gravey waits |
for t'other fellow to make an unbid advance |
If, however, caller is not abashed by his |
gravity, his bulk. and has anything but plati- |
tudes to offer, he soon finds that Speaker |
Clark is interested. He likes to meet men
who have ideas and can express them; with |
such he will talk with lively interest about |
odes. oats. Shakespeare, farm wages. Henry |
Clay or early Irish literature. But-and |
here is where he is unlike Underwood-ir
you come with protest or request he'll have |
1t out with you roundly.
The assistant secretaries OF Cabinet de-
partments who have to go to Chairman Fitz-
priations will tell you with a shiver that
'Fitz" can bite fellows head off with less
effort than any other man in Congress- Well.
Doctor Guillotine's little safety razor hasn't |
much on "Fitz," I'll admit, but Minority |
a race at head biting. Mann. of course, has |
an army of callers with requests for his
entirely respectable pull
He does not listen in deluding silence like |
Underwood, nor talk II out as does Clark. |
With Mann it's ''well2"
Village Raphsels
CBrief explanation. them;
mo, I won't!"
Good EVENING""
Yet OF the three men, Mann, fancy, has |
the most nG tural affability.
There are others, but what I'VE said sug- |