Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-03
ASHINGTON, D. c., March 3O.-If +
the senate chamber contains the
seats Of the mighty, the senate gal

NV the senate cnamD6r contains the
seats Of the mighty, the senate gal
leries are certainly the seats of the motion
You can travel pretty generally around the
United States and not have your liberties
seriously interfered with. You may not go
wadng in Niagara Falls or climb the outside
of the Washington monument without a per-
nit, but aside from few restrictions Of this
sort you can be your natural self almost any
where.
In the galleries of the senate. however, the
American for once ceases to be the nearest
human approximate to perpetual motion, and
becomes rival Of the cigar store Indian
While listening to senator make speech
you may not laugh, eat anything, talk lex
cept in unintelligible whispers), use your in
dex finger to point out your favorite celeb
rty, put anything on the rail, use opera
glasses, take snapshots, read, write, address
the senate, whistle, applaud, or wave your
handkerchief. This is only partial list made
up from the writer's personal observation and
experience, of how far a galleryite can go
without being stopped by guard So far,
we have rarely found anybody who got any
where.
One young man recently arose to make a
speech to the senate He had just opened
his mouth and put his hand in his vest, when
guard leaped down three steps at time and
shut him off. In another second the young
man was out in the corridor with four door
to make his speech in a gentle whisper. 1t
turned out that he thought the ghost of JEFF
ferson had picked him out to show the world
the way to peace. He had an American flag
in his breast pocket to wave at the climax
of his address, and he was quite broken
hearted that the guards would not let him
go back and show the senate how to be peace
full.
The list of gallery 'shall nots' has grad
ually accumulated to its present size There
is no complete printed copy in existence. None
is needed. Every guard knows intuitively
that the minute visitor begins to HVen up
it is time to squelch him.
The present man in charge Of the galleries.
Mr.. J. B. Dufault has been in oft1ce only
since last June but already he has added
lot of new restrictions to supposedly COM
plete assortment. For instance guides con-
Quoting parties of visitors through the capitol
used to trail them down the corridors out
side the senate galleries. Sometimes 1t took
ten minutes for big party to pass given
point, and while it clattered by, the people
inside would miss ten minutes of senatorial
procedure. Mr.. Dufault achieved perpetual
quietude simply by having the guides go
around another way during senate sessions.
Another institution of Mr.. Dufaults is
series of cards informing visitors in polite
language that the gallery rails are not coat
racks or elbow rests. 1t used to keep two
guards busy rushing up and down the aisles
to tell people about this unwritten law. Even
then a hat or poWderpuff would occasionally
sail down and hit some portly and dignified
lawmaker on the nose Some of the senators
became quite nervous about it. But now,
with an abundance of printed notices, the
danger is minimized.
The senate, Mr.. Dufault says is much more
jealous of its traditions and of propriety than
the house, and any sign of disrespect on
the part of visitors is quickly resented.
One of the few times on record when the
senate gallery ever got away from the door
keepers was during the recent discussions
of the peace treaty. When Senator Lodge
was making his eloquent attack on the League
of Nations, certain groups of onlookers burst
again and again into loud applause. Guards
suppressed the offenders twice, and the third
time informed them that they would have to
calm down or get out. Vice President Mar
shall, referring to the incident, smilingly said
that he would not object to the applause ex-
cept that none of it was for him. At this,
Alice Roosevelt ,Longworth, who was
in the gallery, started to clap and the specta-
tors broke into applause for the fourth time
that afternoon. Later, however, Mr.. Marshall
decreed absolute silence.
Visiting the senate in action is a formal
rite carefully prearranged to avoid any dis
turbances. No one is allowed on the floor of
the chamber except the lawmakers, en-
ployes, the president and his cabinet, mem
bers of the house of representatives, and dig
nitaries such as kings and princes, when espe-
cially invited.
The loft space around the senate chamber