The Washington times., 1915-12-06

We have with us today the new is
sue OF the Congressional Directory, =
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
tho book FIRST comes from the Gov
ernment printcry chief interest inn
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 the
legislator IL required, with such inci.
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.
It 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 edihcation 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-tlme 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 with
unstinted interest.
Nevertheless. the new Congressional
Directory Is not an entirely uninteTest-
ing and prosaic edition. There are
bits OF life-history here and there thar
make one want to know more about
the new men on the Hill.
Old members, too, sometimes record
themselves in no dull fashion. Withal
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,
and have no reason to be ashamed
of It.
Senator Henry AIgernon du Pont, Of
the powder-making Delaware family,
IN the diTeetoPy RS fSe SSa Senator S0Rsen hsS Sn
enviable war record. was rewarded for
bravery and fought constantly through
out the civil war. Later he was in the
cioseiy-printed lines to review the war war
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 in
the book. He states merely that he Is
n Democrat. from Sylvester, Ga.
Congressman Charles A. Lindbergh
Of Minnesota, and Thaddeus Caraway
OF Arkansas are equally modest. They
use less than a line each. revealing
only their politics and the names OF
their home towns.
Senator James Phelan Of California
qualities as tho member OF many clubs,
and asserts also that he belongs to the
Society OF California Pioneers, and is
president OF the hall association Of the
With national defense as an issue in
this Congress. Congressman Z. Davis
Oakley OF Connecticut II one OF many
members to record that he served with
the National Guard.
Congressman William Baker Oliver. q
new Democrat from Alabama. admits
that as a prosecuting attorney he at
tanned the highest percentage OF CON
Victions in the State
Charles Hiram Randall, Prohibition
ist, Of Los Angeles, calls attention e
the fact that a member Of the Randall
family wrote Maryland, MY Mary
Robert NJ. McCracken. now member
from Idaho. says he went West from