Evening star., 1915-03-07

the Senate. but Of the House as wen.
and they must be absolutely familiar
itoi. the House and md Senate ONCE build
lngs and the Library OF Congress.
Legislators and employees at the Capi.
to1 may get confused and turned
building. but the page boys. never!
Work After Senate Adjourns.
when the Senate adjourns there are
many duties yet to be performed by the
boys, and 1t will be seen that they earn
every penny Of the SIS a month paid
them by their good Uncle Sam. The
hours, of course, are long, and the boys
miss day school. Some of them attend
night school: others have tutors: still
others are coached by their parents.
An alert. bright. energetic boy will
learn many things during the four
years he may serve as a page, because
he comes in contact with the best and
broadest minds in the nation: he hears
affairs of national Importance discuss
ed. The senators, as a rule. are de-
voted to the pages. and will often pa
tfently explain a matter in which q boy
is interested. The page who will stop.
look. listen and learn has an immense
advantage over other boys.
That many of them have profited by
the association and the environment is
shown by the fact that a large number
of them have turned out to be men of
prominence and affairs. Some who
started as pages return in after years
real. live, honest to goodness senators.
For instance. the late and eminent Sen
ator Arthur Pue German was once a
page. Senator Ollie James of Kentucky
used to answer handclaps; now he claps
his own hands for a page.
Stuart Robson, the actor. was once
numbered among the Senate pages: SO
was Edward B. Moore, the present COM
missioner of patents. So were Admiral
Fraily, Gen. John w. Wilson, David I.
Walsh, former Governor of Massachu-
sets; Charles s. Sloan. geographer of
the census: William Delaney Hunter.
consul at Nice. France: George P. Fos-
ter, director Of the bureau Of engrav-
ing and printing in Cuba and host OF
other notable, successful men. In a
book written by Christian Ecklof, tho
Oldest living page. it is stated that
there are nearly 800 former pages in
state legislatures today, and most OF
them are aspiring to return to Con-
gress as members. The House OF Rep- @
pages. but they are young men instead
of boys. and, therefore. not nearly so
interesting!
"The first record of pages dates back
to 1909. and since then there nave oeen
s.o29 employed in this capacity. George
B. Cortelyou, private secretary of both
President Mckinley and President
Roosevelt. was one of the s.02s. So
was Augustus Thomas, one of the most
noted and successful of American play
wrights.
Applicants Are Plentiful.
Always there are more applicants for
the coveted places than openings to be
filled Whenever possible a vacant posi-
ton is given to boy whose family or
education will be assisted by the monthly
amount earned. The pages. who are ap-
pointed by the sergeant-at of the
Senate, Charles p Higgins. upon the
recommendation of senators. may begin
service at the age of twelve. Carl Loef-
fer, who at present holds the importa mt
position Of assistant doorkeeper. was
made a page In 1889. and has worked his
way steadily upward.
Sometimes. when the Senate adjourns
early or unexpectedly, the pages have
possession of the Senate chamber, they
proceed to elect and solemnly induct into
office vice president. The rest of them
scurry into the seats just vacated by
dignif1ed and mighty senators, and each
proceeds to initiate the pose and charac-
happens to occupy. Copying their elders
with care, the first bill invariably intro
duced is one to shorten the hours and
lengthen the pay Of the honorable pages
Needless to state. the bill goes through
without dissenting page-vote. and amid
much acclaim. All work and no play
would make even Senate page a dull
boy: SO the officers Of the upper branch of
Congress indulgently let the lads have
their own good time once In while.
senator's have secreted themselves in
cloakroom or lobby and watched with
amusement their own dignity burlesqued
by the daring youngsters"