The Washington herald., 1918-09-01


there's been q whole gist Of Demo-
Gratis who have resigned. and put
their districts to the expense Of
special elections, and every one Of
them has resigned to take a better
job-a bunch of them for GOOD berths
under q new democratic mayor In
New York; Fitzgerald to take up a
law practice which the reputation he
had gained in Congress would make
more profitable than his 1880 a year
Congressman's JOB; and several for
federal jobs Of one sore or another.
I don't know of a single Republican
who nae resigned fol a better job
elsewhere" To which. her adversary
responded with q scornfll laugh: "Of
course not! There are no better
jobs elsewhere for Republicans Just
now. Won kno%"' And they parted
in mutual sco-1.
We all knew the former Republicans
who went into the army-Augustus
Gardner, of Massachusetts,. who was
commissioned colonel in the quarter
masters corps and asked for a majors )
commission in some more active ser
vice and died of pneumonia at one OF
the half-baked cantonments last win
ter; LaGuardia Of New York, who
went in for aviation. trained and won
his spurs, yes, indeed, spurs are a
part of the aviator's uniform for
some occult reason! and Is now flying
In Italy; Royal Johnson OF South
Dakota, who enlisted. and only won
his lieutenancy recently after months
Of training. and is now overseas; and
Victor Neinta of Cincinnati. who had
several years with the Ohio National
Guard and when America entered the
war desired to rejoin his old COM
rades, and is, believe. also over
seas by now.
OF Democrats who resigned for bet
ter-paying jobs, there were Fftzger-
aid, a veteran, and chairman Of the
appropriations committee who re-
signed to resume a law practice
which would insure better provision
for his children: Grifin. Hubert and
Bruekner, and. believe. one or two
others who resigned to share the
spoils of q new Democratic admins
tration in New York City; Adamson
Of Georgia, who resigned to accept
the $4,000 Federal job of collector OF
the port of New York, from which
Dudley Field Malone had retired; and
II seems to me there were one or two
other Southerners who resigned for
circuit Judgeships, etc. And as a
staBnch Republican remarked apropos
OF the action last week, TT was a
Democratic House, please observe
that when II offered, in the first place
a new draft bill that might have In
cluded some of Its membership, care
fully exempted them; then having
amended 1t to include them, recon-
sidered this reckless risking Of their
own skins. and rescinded the amend
ment. II reminds one Of Alice in
Wonderlands White Queen with her
Heads of all around-except me- "
1t was rather interesting to con-
slider Just how many and who might
have been caught In the draft, had
not Congress thought better of Rep
resentative Greggs amendment in
Guiding its own membership Gregg
himself. by the way. Is a Southern
Democrat from Texas, and while the
Congressional Directory does not give
any data as to his age, II is my
impression that he himself would
have been liable to service had his
amendment taken"
There have of course been yeterans
OF both the civil and the Spanish
wars in both House and Senate, but
this is the first time that they have
been in a position to consider them.
selves as material out Of which vet
Grams might be made. And thev
baked. As matter Of fact, nearly
one-quarter of the membership OF
/ the House would have come within
Ah-vaaE mi
mean, of course, that one-Quarter OF
them would have been called-proba
bly, OF this one-quarter, fully 1oc
members would have been exempted
after registration.
Even In the Senate, where naturally
the age average Is considered higher
than in the House there are half a
dozen who have been caught in the
draft. For instance, there's Peter
Gerry Of Rhode Island, whose thirty
ninth birthday is even now Imminent
He won't even be forty five when his
present term expires five years hence.
He Is wealthy and maintains a hand
some home up on Meridian Hill-the
residence of former U. 8. Ambassador
to France. Mr.. Henry White. His
wife Is the only child OF Mrs. Richard
| Townsend, widow Of a Pennsylvan-
ian Congressman; from Easton. I be
lieve originally. but so long a resi-
dent Of the Capital that 1t quite for
gave her that. in view OF the fact
that she is one of the wealthiest wo-
men in Washington. a leader in its
| most exclusive circles, and mother
Of Mathilde Townsend Gerry. from the
day Of her debut an acknowledged
belle.
Just consider II Rep. Greggs incon-
siderate-not to say Ill considered
amendment had stuck, We might have
seen Peter Gerry marching away In
khaki, drawing $31 a month, while his
wife went home to mother on Massa-
chusetts avenue.
OF course he might have been ex-
empted-but there are no children
certainly Mrs. Gerry does not need
his support; and, while no physical
giant. he Is at least Of average
physique, and something OF an ath-
lete In a gentlemanly way"