davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1921-12-18

hole in the wall This is for ready
reference OH any matter under dis
cussion III the House. The librarian
is George W. sabine. connoisseur
on old furniture. v no has served Tor
tweEty-cight yrars-the longest on
one job OF all the men on the pay roll
of the House. He came here origi-
nally for six months with Representa-
tive Dave Mercer. and never dreamed
of staying any longer. lie took To
the work and it seemed as second ma
ture. IL is his job t. give the men
bers right off. quick. any reference
they want. In the heat of debate
they often want to prove what they
say and to fortify their position.
Judge Gibson, formerly of Ten
nessee. now eighty-four years of age,
called on Sabine last week and re-
called an incident when he first took
charge Of the library. Sabine at once
realized that if he was going to re-
main in that office and make a sue
cess of it he must be able to memoir
ize the different questions and make
mental photographs of where to find
what the members might want. His
predecessor had kept. few of these
references in a notebook. When he
was going out he sought to sell this
to Mr.. Sabine. who couldn't afford to
buy it. But in Elancing at that mem
orandum hook he had made Il mental
photograph of II couple of items it
contained. There We're notes about
the Bouman. Tucker. Harrison, Carey
and other a6is. His glance told him
that the Bouman act was to be found
i'm Statutes at Large, volume -, page
S5, and that the Tucker act was a
supplement to that and to be found in
volume "a. page sos. y day or two
later he was standing in the door of
his library, looking in ON the House.
and heard a speaker mention the Bou-
man act Here. he thought. was an
opportunity to test his memory, so he
went to the volume to see. Just as he
had opened it at the right page, in
popped page calling for the Bou-
man act, and he thrust it into his
ndHu anu lHe pdSt IetS' 'rtiN.
The next morning Judge Gibson
called on him. explaining that he had
heard the Bouman act mentioned, and
thought he'd like to see il. The judge
said that he watched the page go to
the "hole in the WALL and immedi-
ately come racing back with the cor
rect reference. He did not under
stand such quick service. and wanted
to come and express his appreciation.
This incident impressed upon Mr.. sa-
bine that he must train his memory
for such things in order to give
prompt service. To that he owes his
long uninterrupted term as librarian,
Notwithstanding many changes in
party control.
His library measures only twelve
by fourteen feet, but 1T contains
all the speeches ever made in
Congress that were printed-the
journals OF the Continental Con-
gress, all laws that were ever en-
acted by Congress, all the Supreme
Court reports (Which are the last
word in law). the messages of all the
Presidents. all the Congressional di-
rectories, all reports ever made to
Evening star., 1921-12-18
Behind the Scenes With the Worlds Greatest Legislative Body

wires strung first into the folding
room and from there gradually ex-
tended through the whole building.
That was the beginning of the great
Capitol power plant of today.
Mr.. Mckee came as Il page. and has
met on friendly terms all Of the big
men of Congress in the last thirty
eight years. AT one time there was IL
miN-up in speeches by Champ Clark
and Tom Reed. The title page for
Champ Clarks speech got onto Tom
Reeds by mistake. Mckee expected
the most dire retribution. He called
on Reed to explain. 81 expected him
to eat my head off he now recalls.
Instead of that, what Tom Reed
really said was: IF Champ Clark can
stand it, I guess ] can" He was a
very delightful man, Mr.. Mckee rumi-
mates, and former Speaker Crisp he
recalls as 81: warm hearted. joviaI.
thoughtful person"
:: :: y :;
THE House has library de luxe,
housed III Il small closet off the
House chamber, usually called the
Evening star., 1921-12-18

forty-six years. Up to twenty years
ago he had his desk on the Senate
side.
The first telephone commercially
used between government depart
ments in Washington was one Of the
old wall-box variety. and used by Mr..
Smith at the Capitol to communicate
with the government printing office.
That same instrument is being used
by him today-so it has been in con-
tinuous service since 1879.
Mr.. Smith has charge of the Con-
gressional Record, of receiving all
speeches to be printed in the Record
under leave to extend remarks. He
receives all orders for the mailing
list. He makes corrections in the
Record and frequently receives mat
ter from the members for insertion
in the Record. He receives all pri-
vate orders for extra prints of bills
and documents, and for speeches, the
ccst of which is estimated and paid
for. He receives all orders for frank
slips (Which pasted on mail matter
makes it postage free) and for en-
velopes in which documents are sent
out. Each member is entitled to a
quota of fifty-nine copies of the Con-
gressional Record and each senator
to eighty-seven. They can send
those to any one they want to. If
they don't send out all of these. they
can have the remainder in bound
form. If they want extra copies. they
must pay for them. Each member of
the House and Senate, in addition 20
his quota of Records, has one delfv-
cred at his seat in the House and one
at his city residence and one bound
in a green cover every two weeks.
Mr.. Smith takes in every year about
$4,000 or $4,000. and in campaign
year as much as $4,000 for speeches
that the members want printed. He
estimates that 55,000,0O0 speeches
have been printed in presidential
campaign year.
'Andy" Smith came to take UP his
job at the Capitol in 1876, when he
was transferred from the govern
ment printing Office. He was assist
ant for one year to A. A. Post of
Pennsylvania. In all those fortysix
years Mr.. Smith has not lost any
time Off on account Of sickness. In
showing the expeditions way in which
Evening star., 1921-12-18

OF the House. He directs the dis
bursting clerks and is ex-officio- clerk
of the patronage committee.
The clerk disburses the salaries of
all employees of the House and the
contingent fund. He has general su-
pervision over all the Housekeeping
accounts of the House. He handles
all printing and binding acquisitions
and orders. All of the office equip
ment from members and their clerks.
including typewriters, must be ar
ranged for through his Office. He
executes all orders of the House.
transmits messages to the Senate.
prepares the roll of members elected
to Congress and presides over the
House at the beginning of a Congress
All contested election cases are re-
auired under the law to be presented
to the clerk of the House, who sits
as arbiter before they are presented
to the House, and then reports to the
Speaker He receives all statements
filed by candidates and by organiza-
tions under the campaign contribu-
tions law. Mr.. Page received $500
such reports last year, and is custo-
dian of these for fifteen months after
the election. His office is the clear
ins, house for hundreds of inquiries
daily regarding legislation. its status.
personnel and customs and practices.
Every member entering the House
must file his credentials with Mr..
Page.
NOW in marches Joseph G. Rodgers
= of Pennsylvania carrying the
mace. which is the insignia of his
authority This mace consists of a
bundle of ebony rods. one for each
state, laced together with solid silver
straps and surmounted by a silver
ball and spread eagle. The mace has
been in use since 1883. 1t was at first
tipped with spear. but this was re-
moved in 1Si9 and replaced with the
eagle. The significance of the mace
dates back to the Roman senate. 1t
is never without guard day or night.
On the floor it's authority is supreme.
If members become obstreperous or un-
ruly and the Speaker orders the mace
to be presented, it means that great
hush must Immediately follow. The
mace is carried onto the floor every
day five minutes before the time for
opening the session. 1t occupies a
special place by the Speakers desk.
When the Speaker is in the chair the
mace is always up. and when some one
else is called to the chair to preside
over the committee of the whole
House it is taken down from its
pedestal.
Mr.. Rodgers always signs his checks
u. G. Rodgers and this is impor-
tant, because he runs a bank in the
Capitol, paying off the salaries and
mileage of all members. and out of
courtesy cashing the checks of the
employees.
Joe" Rogers came to give Congress
his help in doing business about thirty
years ago. He has been employed
from time to time since in the file
room, as doorkeeper, as file clerk, mi
nority clerk. and now as sergeant-at-
arms. He was assistant sergeant-at-
arms at the last republican national
convention, and has been doorkeeper
at every republican national conven-
ton since 1888, in Minneapolis.
The sergeant-at-arm has charge of
all committees making trips any,
where, and Of all funeral parties. The
Evening star., 1921-12-18

a year OF all equipment, furniture,
rugs. etc. He keeps all this property
in repair. including something like
1.9eh typcwriters. As one part of his
job he runs a furniture repair shop
which has actually saved Congress
upward of 100000. He also serves
as moving man for members ami
committees, and when you consia"r
that means for about 700 office roonl~
its some job.
There is Il new crop of Congress
helpers just coming along, some Of
whom already have won important po-
sitions. and every one of whom is civ
ing exceptionally good service. Con
Evening star., 1921-12-18

presiding genius of the House docu-
ment room, who came in 1875 as a
page with John T. Harris, represent
ing the Seventh Virginia district. He
has the distinction of being the only
man in the whole government service
whose pay is appropriated from the
Treasury in his own name. The others
continues to whoever takes their
places. but for thirty years the act
has read "for the employment of Joel
Grayson in the House document
room.'' This was put through by
Judge Sayers of Texas, then chairman
of the appropriations committee. be-
cause incoming majorities of either
party. hunting for patronage berths.
had been shunting Joel from post to
pillar, giving his job other titles
while he always did the same work.
AS it is now fixed, the job dies with
him.
Joel is an invaluable employe, and
his pay is not at all in the nature of
a pension. There is no one else who
can find old documents but himself.
He is supposed to serve the House,
but is just as frequently called upon
by members of tho Senate. For ex-
ample, southern senator has just
asked Mr.. Grayson to get together
for him all the bills and documents
referring to tombstones for Confed-
crate veterans. in United States ceme-
teries.
!. Joel Grayson has conceived the idea
of getting together three books
which he recommends to all members
of Congress as constituting a library
in themselves, in which they can find
pretty nearly everything they need to
know to do business efficiently. These
are "a the book Of estimates, which
carries all the expenses Of the gov
ernment; (2) the statistical abstract,
which carries all sorts of authorita-
tive information regarding the gov
ernment and it's work, and (S) the
receipts and expenditures of the gov
ernment, which is an audit balance
sheet.
Mr.. Grayson was born at Luray. Va.
March 23. 1858. He has model farm
near Vienna. Va.
Speaker Gillett and Mr.. Grayson
are the only two men who have pri-
vate 1unchrooms in the Capitol The
Evening star., 1921-12-18

rlerk, Sergeant-at-arms. doorkeeper
e,nd postmaster, all of whom are vet
eran employees. 1t covers group OF
men who have grown old on their
jobs and whose places it would be
impossible to fill. 1T covers new
crop of young men who have chosen
to serve the Congress as a life's voca-
Sien.
Let's call the roll of these men
ON whom the House depends to get It's
work done. and there is Il human in
1erest story behind every name
William Tyler Page. clerk; Joseph G-
Rodgers, sergeant-at-arms; Bert W.
Kennedy. doorkeeper; Frank w. Col
l;er, postmaster; Joel Grayson. genius
Of the document room; William An
drew Smith. in charge of the Con-
Eressional Record: J. NJ. Mckee. fore
Evening star., 1921-12-18

Congress by committees. n great num-
ber of law books. a misce llaneous To-
of books containing information fire.
quently used on the floor, all land
decisions. opinions Of the Attorneys
General. etc.
!; :: :: y
NUiENEvEH anything is needed
for the convenience or comfor:
of the House, anywhere in the entire
House epd of the Capitol or in the 500
rooms in the House office building.
John II. Holling gsworth is the man on
the job. He is general utility man
for the housekeeping end Of Con
Grcss His title on the pay roll iS
chief clerk. and he is executive officer
for the clerk of the House. The prin-
cipal part of his work is as purchas-
ing officer.
Hollingsworth has been employed
about the Capitol since August =.
1899. or Il matter of twenty eight
years. lie makes all purchases Of
supplies for the House and commit
tees. He fixes up the members offices.
He makes complete inventory twice
Evening star., 1921-12-18

lier's job to see that they all reach
their goal The heavy mail from his
ofiice-books, packages of seeds.
pamphlets, etc. amounts to from
twelve to fifteen tons 4 day. The
letter mail. by actual count. averages
about half million letters 4 month.
on top of that are tons upon tons of
what is called Junk" mail. circular
letters, such as business houses send
to each and every member.
Mr.. Collier has 4 force of thirty-s six
clerks. not one of whom is under
civil service, but all are patronage
jobs.
:: x :; ::
COME ..old wheel horses" have been
in the service. Of Congress for
nearly half a century and still going
strong. There is Joel Grayson, the
Evening star., 1921-12-18

the requirements of members are met.
Mr.. Smith says that a big job of-say.
4 fOrty-eight-page pamphlet and 20
900 to $4,000 copies-can be done in
three or four days. He is on the
government printing Office payroll,
and SO not subject to the whims of
party changes or the political COM
pleXfOn of Congress. In the old days
he sent orders by messenger and telc-
graph to the government printing
office. but now mostly by telephone.
The first telephone was between the
government printing office. the pat
ent Office and the Capitol. The Record
post office, which is now the Senate
postofficc, which is now the Senate
District committee room. He now
has a private line, but uses the same
old wall instrument.
The daily edition of the Congress
sional Record is about $4,000 copies.
About 500 are subscribed for at SIS
for the long session and 81 for /,
short session, or $50 a month.
x x :: :;
A.
~ of the man responsible for cleo
trio lights being put into the Capitol?
Then meet ]. VI. Mckee, foreman Of
the folding room, thirty-eight years
in service. lie is another answer I"
the question, what becomes of the
pages" Mr.. Mckee came as page
with Sunset" Cox. then a member
from New York city, formerly a men,
Der from Ohio, late minister to Tur-
key. and who was candidate for
Speaker when Carlisle won out.
The folding room is. in fact. u whole
chain Of catacombs under the Capt.
tol. Here Mr.. Mckee now has in
stock 100000 books. The printing
law calls for about 100000 books an
nually, independent of annual spe-
cial reports ordered by Congress. so
that in all he is responsible for more
than Il million books and reports an
nually. Each member is credited
with an equal number OF documents
and books. The record is kept just as
in 4 bank. The member draws an
order on his account, and when his
quota is exhausted he can't get any
more except from some other member
or by purchasing them. which is fire.
quently done.
/ During his regime "96, 6,000
speeches have been folded and mailed
out for members of Congress from
1890 to, 1921. The folding room re-
ceives books and documents from the
government printing office. puts on
wrapper carrying the title of the
document, and stores them away, sub
ject to orders from members of Con-
gress.
But about the introduction of cleo
trio lights: In many years there has
been no fire in the folding room, but
years ago there was what might have
been 4 very serious and destructive
blaze. There were then about one
hundred gas jets in the folding room
under the old Capitol building. One
of these fell down, and, fortunately,
struck pile Of books instead Of
light papers, go it smoldered rather
than blazed up. John De Witt War
ner of New York was then chairman
of the public buildings committee
and he had an investigation. Mr.. Nc
Kee was called before the committee
and asked IL he had any suggestion to
Evening star., 1921-12-18

Speaker uses his only when giving
luncheons. but Mr.. Grayson uses his
daily. 1t was fitted up for him be-
cause he couldn't be spared from his
post of duty long enough at the noon
hour to go elsewhere for luncheon.
There he frequently has as guests
"Cncle Joe" Cannon and other vet
eran members, who like to take a
bite with him, sampling the good
things lie brings in from his farm.
!: =: * x
IN Il corner of Statuary Hall, where
the greatest heroes of the various
states are assembled. there is u dap
per little man at Il bird's-eye maple
desk He is William Andrew Smith
commonly called ANDY who has
charge of the Congressional Record
and who has been on the job fol
Evening star., 1921-12-18
ny WILL T.. Kennedy.

- ONGRESSMEN may come and
go, an entire Congress may
hold its brief period on the
Legislative stage and pass
away-as have siXty-siX of them-but
the work of Congress goes on because
it is Il great American institution,
ana because there are men dcvoting
their lives and peculiar talents to
carrying on the behind -the-scenes"
work of this great Legislative body.
This is the human. personality story
of these men, some of whom have
been in continuous service for nearly
half century. And at the same time
it is story of some of the routine.
eNacting work-work that requires
1nost careful research. extraordinary
endurance Or special knowledge that
is absolutely essential that Congress
may functior.
This covers the four elective officers
OF the HouSe-tho only officers other
than the Speaker and chaplair-
Evening star., 1921-12-18

biggest funeral party which Mr.. Rod
gers conducted was that of the late
Champ Clark. He serves all sum-
monses for committees or for investi-
cations by the House.
Bert W. Kennedy. the doorkeeper.
has served for thirty-three years con-
tinuously on the floor of the House,
which is unmatched by any man in
the history of the American Congress.
He saw service under Speakers
Thomas 3. Reed, Charles F. Crisp,
David B. Henderson, Joseph G. Can
non, Champ Clark and Frederick H.
Gillett. He came here as page in the
Fifty-tirst Congress. He had been
page for two sessions of the state
legislature in Lansing, Mich. Then
the members of the state legislature.
both house and senate, the governor
of the state and members of the
supreme court all signed 4 letter to
the Michigan delegation in Congress
asking the appointment of Bert Ken
nedy as page in the national Con-
gress. Now. more than thirty-three
years later. Mr.. Kennedy treasures the
document. That he did his work
well in the Fifty-frst Congress is
shown by gold watch presented to
him by Congress.
He was the first minority employe
of the House. and the custom of
recognizing the minority with some
patronage has grown from that By
request of the republican caucus,
with Burrows and Reed as spokes-
men, the democratic majority was
solicited to retain the services of
Kennedy.
0NE of the most interesting events
which Mr.. Kennedy observed in
Congress was the fight which Tom
Reed made to keep the House from
recognition of the insurgents in Caba
to bring on the war with Spain pre-
maturely. The hot blood in the House
held secret conferences in the old
library space. and all but succeeded
i'll riding over Speaker Reed. Mr..
Kennedy was on guard at these con-
ferences. and says that Representa-
tive Ebenezer J. Hill of Connecticut
and William Lorimer of Illinois saved
the day by their wise counsels.
Mr.. Kennedy was assistant door
keeper for sixteen years, and came
within four votes of being elected
doorkeeper when the democrats were
in control of the Sixty-fifth Congress.
AS doorkeeper he has charge of many
employes-men who guard the doors.
the page force of the House. the fold
ing room Of the House. the document
room of the House, the janitor force
Of the House and the BARRIERS. He re-
ceives all messages and announces
them to the House-those from the
President, from the Senate and else
where.
Frank W. Collier has been post
master of the House for three years,
since the republicans came into
power, taking over the job on May
10, 1919. He is another illustration
of working his way up, for Collier
started in as messenger in the post
office fourteen years ago. After two
wears he was appointed chief Of the
page force on the floor of the House.
When the democrats came into power
he was retained as one of the five
minority employees, all of whom have
important jobs under the present
Congress-Page. Rodgers, Kennedy.
Collier and Hollingsworth.
1t was Representative John ]. Esch
Of Wisconsin. joint author of the
Cummins-E railroad act, who
brought Mr.. Collier to Washington.
Mr.. Collier is a graduate in phar-
macy, started in the drug business
Evening star., 1921-12-18

HE Men Who Make Session Of Congress Possible by Dvo Their Peculiar
Talentst Work Are Little Known by the Average Anerican Interest
Stories of the Men Hidden Away in Little Rooms the Capitol Of Read
CerkCr of Congress Handles About $0O00O0a Year the Docu
RoomOne Emp poye Who Has His Own LuchTh Man Who Carries
the Mc-A Human the Catacombs Under the Capitol
Evening star., 1921-12-18

j. NJ. MCKEE. IN CHARGE OF THE
HOUSE FOLDING ROOM, WHERE
THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS. HE IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST
ELECTRIC LIGHTS IN THE
CAPITOL.
offer as to how precautions could be
taken against the possibility Of other
fires in the future. That was in 1892.
and, more as joke, without any idea
that 1t would be taken seriously. he
suggested. You might put in electric
lights" AS a result of this. a small
dynamo, which looked like barrel,
was installed in a basement room on
the west terrace of the Capitol. and
Evening star., 1921-12-18

snan of the folding room: George w.
Sabine. librarian: John II. Hollings-
worth. chief clerk and executive Off
rer: Lehr Fess, parliamentarian: Ed
Martin, journal clerk; Alney E.. Chat
fee and 2. J. Haltigan, reading
clerks; John w. McCabe, chief of the
pages; Marcellus Shield, chief clerk
of the appropriations committee;
Fred Jrland, chief of the official re-
porters; W. II. Overdue. engrossing
and enrolling clerk, and Kenneth
Eomney, cashier.
* X x !:
WILLIAM TYLER PAGE. great
wv eat-grandson of Carter Brax-
fon, a. signer of the Declaration of
Independence and collateral des-
:c.ndant Of John Tyler. on December
Evening star., 1921-12-18

spicuous in this rising generation is
Lehr Fess, the youngest man ever TO
be parliamentarian to the Speaker.
He took the job when he was only
twenty-seven years old. He has been
on the job for two years.
The main portion of his work is To
study up in advance what the parlia
mentary procedure will be under the
rules themselves. He occupies a very
confidential relationship to the Speaker
and looks up precedents for him. He
keeps the House precedents up ~
date, because oftentimes one precc-
dent will be based on another imme-
diately preceding it.
Mr.. Fess has had several very diff
tCon,iruod on Fifth Page.)