Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-21
NEW U. S. LAW PUTS END
TO LEGISLATORS ABUSES
congressman May No Longer Use
Money Provided for Hire
OF Clerks.
GOES TO ACTUAL EMPLOYEES
ohcc Common Practice for Members
to Pocket Large Part of Secrc-
taries' Pay Is Prohibited Under
Measure Approved.
BY ]. FRED EssARY.

amount Of money which representa-
I've In Congress may expend for clerk
yssr G TRere sNs is no,Sns te ssseq
o. course. in the fact that Congress
should raise the pay OF their secre-
taries and stenographers in these high
cost-of-livng times, but 1t Is rather
amazing TO lind in the paragraph maxi
III. the appropriation. this proviso,
froV!ded that no part thereof shall
De paid to any member COT the House).
oe!es gate or resident commissioner"
'hs s 2ns IS
which Involves teud Of years; : stand SlDd
ing between Congressman and their
own private and confidential employees
TO result In strike the par. OF
these congressional secretaries.
Common Practice In Old Days.
II was common practice in the old
days for representatives to draw their
e!erH hire money and pay on their
Their own way. This was done in the
same manner that money for station
finding that they could get clerk
Tor $1,000 year instead OF $4,000 or
who could get along without any clerk
at all. who saw no Improperly in
hecketins the balance.
Nor was there anybody to insist pon
on en-, aecount:ng The .;s,esm"n na.ur.
h the details OF such transactions. The
\ clerks ran the risk OF losing their
/ and the House itself. although aware
\ OF the practice. w!nked al g. pretend
\ ing that the matter was solely the
\ man.
Clerkn become holder.
/ an, ~, IN me course OF ti'he me cie Tx:
\ ing IN Washington became more ex-
4 lens!ve. ETc!en, Office assistants be-
make higher salaries elsewhere in the
Il government became more inviting. AS
result these employees made up their
\ minds to fight FOR what was coming
\ "shor,-changc by Their own bosses
/ They we're ,!red OF being silent par
mems salaries. and they revoked.
They went before the Approximations
m n7nd me In oP Sn sG issssG
for their rights. and a few Of them, it
Is intitnated. threatened scandal. II he
House as a body d.d not act THIS
IN the last Congress when The pro.
iosal 20 raise the pay OF concessions!
| acted and when the House voted un-
| own members from prohteer!ns az the
4 Left With Much Good Money.
/ II Is said Of certain Maryland
Il Congressman who served single term
/ IN the House many years ago that he
le!, his seat at the end OF the two
year period with more good govern
men, money In his wallet than any
other who ever leEislatcd In the name
OF an American constituency.
In the first place. he was elected as
sort Of accident and without personal
expense to himself. In the second place
he did not seek reelection and there
fore had no expense there 20 meet. In
the next place he did not live in Wash
| inpton. and only came over about once
q week His lunch on such occasions
| consisted of one sandwich md one
| slice o. pie. He engaged no private
| secretary or clerk or messenger or
| other cmpioyee-in TACT. he neves
| Cflco Building He drew his full! sta
| tionery allowance. but had little or no
use for stationery. His salary vas
sl5.o 900 for TWO years: his clerk hire
tionerv allowance 20 $1,000. a grand
total Of $500 There is no record OF
any OF this money having been 'uFhea
Soldier Seeks Help.
A stoop- shouldered man leaning on
crutches visited the Offices Of the Fed
eral Board for Vocational Edusation
around the room asked II that was the
place where the soldiers who had neen
hurt in the war could hnd sometning
10 do The agent OF the board asked
him TO sit down, and told him OF the
plan the government mad for helping
the handicapped men Of the army. navy
and marine corps VINO mad peen o's-
abled IN the service.
II reckon II was In the service, all
right" the manned visitor said laying
his clutches BY his chair. AT BsUeau
wood. Lord. what day HIS hands
fell lietlessly between his knees. and
trun!ng 10 the adviser said - -
help me? have lost my left leg. and
have about 81 in my pocket. and lno
where TO ge; more. G 1eyer k mad b ne
10 do anything special, and don't care
what it is you give me to do, just so
rs something"
Not Fitted for Any job.
The adviser talked with the man a
odd jobs here and there. but none led
to anything definite. He wasn't any
in street sweeping. or in gardening
than in clerknS. He sat there in more
or less helplessness. leaving 1t to the
now and then ne turned. SLOWLY. n
strange ring he had on his finger. The
adviser was a good deal at sea He
silence, and to start something he asked
to see the ring. The man took 1t off
and handed i to him, His Il face be so
that" he said. Hammered It out of
silver myself and engraved those hg.
ures on the outside. Nothing but
some playing OF niue" he added, de-
preciatingly The adviser looked at
the ring carefully. 1t was we'll done.
with certain look about the engrav-
ing that gave him idea.
How would you like to learn "a! n, en-
"Doin' this? Say, this amt work
IT'S just play. and nobody pays you
FOR havin' a good time"
Lets have try at it," suggested
the adviser. and see what happens"
The Federal board sent the man to
Alearn engraving. and in few months
r he was the best OF all the workers In
the jewelry store where he was en-
ploved The ring was the key that
. opened the door OF success to him.
That's the kind OF thing the Federal
board Is doing for the disabled SOL
derE.
Spelling Of Simple Name.
How many ways can YOU spell the
name Johnson?
This is a question which is fixed in
the minds OF the research. workers
among the huge files. containing 1885,
1913 names of soldiers. sailors and ma
rines and army and navy nurses. In the
insurance section, Bureau of War Risk
Insurance.
So far, the count has reached 1856,
and it Is growing so rapidly that the
name stands out among the nearly