The Washington herald., 1920-06-14
Folks and Things
Around Washington
Labert s. Clais.

A couple Of years ago. during the
Congressional campaigns. q man who
said he used to be an actor but had
reformed. walked into the office of
Homer Cummings. chairman of the
Democratic National Committee. ana
announced that his name was Flood
and he could make q whale of a
speech without half trying.
"All right" Cummings said, Sec
retary Baker Is making a speech
out here in the suburbs tonight.
Suppose that you 60 out there and
see IL upon your return you can
make his speech for me-"
Flood went out to the Baker meet
ing and returned to Cummings Of
flee with proof that he was q cork
Ing good speaker. He even was able
to press Baker for honors. which is
going some.
Very WELL" Cummings said, "go
up to Gosling, N. Y. and make that
speech"
Flood started for Gosling. Cum
mings wired the local committee
that Flood" was coming to talk and
forgot II.
Not for long did he forget It, how
ever. Flood went up there and was
received and dined as Representative
Flood. Of Virginia. Nor did he think
1t worth while to state that he was
not the Representative. Furthermore,
he made very satisfactory address.
but, week later. when the town
folk learned that II was not Flood
who addressed them, they emitted
loud shrieks and assailed Cummings
by wire and letter. Thus was a
good orator lost to the Democratic
committee merely because his name
was not Smith, Jones or Brown.
A new Hoosier author who seems
destined to make his mark is John
Mallett, formerly Washington
writer. who is contributing q series
OF racing stories to a national maga-
zine under the name of Jonathan
Brooks" The yarns are done in a
style that appeals to everyone who
ever has been around the trotters
and PAGERS, particularly, and to any
one who loves a horse.
More interesting than the stories.
I
broke in" to print. For many years
he played the big town newspaper
game and then, a year ago, he left
Washington declaring that he was
going to buy a small paper and
settle down. what he really did
was go back to Indiana and start
writing fiction.
Meantime, Johns brother. Lowell,
became managing editor of a large
magazine which John previously
had picked out as his target for the
stories. Knowing that II never
would do for his brother to know
ingly buy a story from him. John
changed his name to Brooks" and
sent the stories along to the maga-
! zine.
The yarns simply knocked the
magazines paid readers out of their
chairs and. when they reached the
managing editor. Lowell. he decided
that he had made a find. Where
upon he advised Brooks" that his
stories were great and would he
please send on some more, and so
forth. Then John wrote his brother
that he was the mysterious
Brooks"
|
! Secretary OF War, has a way of
speaking right out in company.
Accompanying his father to a re-
cent aeroplane meet here. he heard
the Secretary say to several gen.
erals, after some time. We'll. l be-
lieve l shall have to be going"
You're not going up are you,
fathery Jack asked.
! mo. son." the Secretary repIiec.
Il thought not" Jack continued,
| you know you promised mother
| that you never would go up in an
acroplane again"
I The Secretary laughingly admit
| ted that Jack was speaking gospel
| truth.
Representative Marvin Jones, or
| Texas, was telling a bunch of COL
leagues about the great difficulty
folks down in the oil region have IN
| finding the offices of oil companies
in which they are interested.
There was a woman walking
down street in Wichita Falls
looking for an oil company office
when she encountered an angular
native Texan who did not appear
to have any place in particular to
CO." he said. Gould you tell me-
she asked. where the office of Skin
| mum & Bunkem Oil Company is To-
| cated~"
Gosh Almighty. no." the
! stranger replied. 1--WE been a
wanderin' around this here town
three days myself tryin' to find my
! own Office"