Evening star., 1916-04-27
Proposed Congress Directory
Feature Popular, But Is
Voted Down.
FAIR EASTER VISITORS
GIVE FORCE TO DEBATE
School and College Girls, Flocking
to Capitol, Chain House
Members to Seats.

Every spring the girls come focking
schools and colleges, and every spring
they crowd into the galleries Of the House
Of Representatives. And what differ
ence it makes in the attendance of the
House. Great Heck! Whereas Bob Cor
don, the eminent and always imminent
sergeant at arms can't get a quorum to
save his life when the excursion trains
are not running, he just can't keep 'em
off the place when the Easter trippers
flock in.
All Of which goes to introduce the sub
ject In hand. which is connected with tho
portraits of members of the House. If
the Capitol hadn't been filed to over
flowing for the last week with the pref
tiest and rosiest sightseers on earth, the
House probably would not have debated
much of yesterday the vital and personal
topic Of whether the Congressional Di-
rectory should contain portraits of the
members of the House. Not the Senate.
Nay, perish the thought Nor yet the
Supreme Court. Just pictures of the gay
and gallant members of the House, who
for week have been sitting surrounded
by bevies of young women. all of whom
have pointed down into the arena to ask
the one question:
who is that handsome one?"
Having no photographs and no means
of Identification, why naturally the girls
couldn't tell who anybody in the House is
except Uncle Joe Cannon and Champ
Clark
Brilliant Idea Offered.
The brilliant idea of inserting por-
trait Of each member by his (auto)-
biogra ply in the Congressional Direc-
tory was suggested by Representative
Edwards of Georgia. who is said to
take a most wonderful photograph"
In fact, he offered an amendment to
the printing bill, then under discus
sion, which would make this matter
of law. Instantly every member of
the House seemed to pull his coat col
lar around and make other motions as
il mentally posing before the camera
Two or three members seemed to think
that the law should be broad enough
to allow members to insert the por-
traits of themselves when they were
about tWenty-one years of age. This
would have the effect of printing
would also be of great satisfaction to
the members. Representative Miller
of Delaware, himself scarcely more
than twenty-one. and the youngest
man in Congress, showed he had
heart by telling Representative Ed
wards that the striking and handsome
Prince Cupid, as they call Prince
Kalanianaole. delegate from Hawaii,
would not be in the gallery of mem
bers under the proposed amendment.
and they thereupon changed the
amendment to include the delegates
and resident commissioners.
Representative Addison T.. Smith of
Idaho made a long and heavy speech
about the necessity for this thing. He
based it on the academic and lofty
ground of convenience for members,
who sometimes don't know their fell
lows on the floor, reminding the press
gallery of the member who asked Bill
SulZer from what state he came.
Suggests Film Effect.
After Representative Smith had con-
cluded Representative Ragsdale who
is recognized far and wide by his hand
some face and splendid form, made the
suggestion that the Congressional Di-