The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-10
STRONG MAY WRITE A BOOK
He Knows Something About
Democrat Junket Trips.
Sending BOurbOns to France Is
Great Pastime.

Memoirs of a Freshman Congress-
man" might make a very interesting
book il Congressman James C. Strong
OF the Fifth Kansas district should
later decide to enter the writing game.
Congressman Strong has gathered a
lot of information in the short time
he has held his job-information
about junketing trips and garden
seeds 'n'everything.
In the state house today Strong
told his friends some of the thrills
mat come to a man When he first
goes to Washington to represent the
pe-epul. One thing has strongly inn
pressed the new member. He is sure
there are several Democrats who have
not as yet been to France at govern
ment expense. \ new system. tho,
ought to give everyone a chance.
Sometime ago Congressman Strong
had a request from the mother of
two sons who wanted her boys sent
home. They were with units in
France and the mother was dying of
cancer Strong sent the claim to
Washington.
Got n Prompt Reply.
4 got very prompt reply" said
Congressman Strong.s which assured
me that the Justice of the claim
seemed very apparent. 1t was neces-
sary, was told, to present the matter
to the commanding officer. Because
\the cables were burdened-probabl bly,
with stories of Mrs Wilson's gowns
and various receptions and social
functions abroad-it was impossible to
submit the claims by wine.
The letter assured me, however,
that the matter was to have prompt
attention. In fact, that very day, the
letter said special messengers had
been sent to Europe-each messenger
bearing the claim of one of the boys
who were to come to their dying
mother. l don't know whether they
simply couldn't sandwich those mes
sages between a couple of society
items or whether there were a couple
of worthy Democrats who hadn't been
to France"
That wasn't the only thing Strong
has learned. He has learned that the
freshman congressman doesn't get
"in" on the spring distribution of
garden seeds. The usual allotment
for the Fifth district is about $4,000
individual packages of seeds each
year.
Had to Buy Seed.
The new congressman had many re-
quests for -seed-a number of demands
from school children who We're rails
ing liberty gardens. But a letter to
Washington brought the information
that all seeds had been disposed of.
IL simply couldn't let my people do
without garden Seeds" Strong said.
$50 L decided to buy sole. l began to
look around and to shop a little. A
friend of mine who was a bit wiser
about things in Washington suggested
/ could buy them from the allotment
to some Tammany leader whose con-
stituents didn't use garden seeds. Sure
enough l found that 1 could buy all
the seeds l wanted at IS per sack. /
bought two mail sacks full to take
care of Immediate demands The
seeds came in due time-with the
ranking stamp carefully removed"
Now Strong is wondering if there
will be enough claims for release of
soldiers in France to send all the
Democrats abroad. And of almost
equal concern is the question in the
new members mind as to the name of
the defeated Democrat congressman
whose garden seeds he was able to buy
ut bargain counter prices.