The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-25
Frederick Hask1n's Letter
The Senate Pages.

and two for the telephones IT,.
outles IN the mornings before II.
senate meets consist Of taSl,s = -
are light, varied and divided -
boys are assigned to duties A. - =
beginning of the session a. = =
not 4 change their tasks n =
must be a copy of every hil1
port and document On eaes 80 &
daily, a file of the CO2grss.s--s5Ssi.
Record and of all bills and 80 -
OF committees. One page sfts ~ !
10 the pens, holders and irt. - -
sees to it that the desk os tba ~ ~
president is in order and 4Rst -
gavel is ready to call the sens+---
to order. Another has rba o' -
duty OF seeing to it that tae -
bottles are filled-tor the senafs =
its official capacity has mi - =
crossed to the modern blo,,.y
This same boy fills the 49, 49,.
snuff boxes at each side of - =.
chamber curious old c1staro -, t-S
adhered to by the upper BODY !.
congress. W
CustOdianS Of Electoral Votes
To two of these boys is given n.
honor and duty of carrying the t-e
boxes which contain the elactor.i
votes from the senate chambar - -
the house of Representative
marching with the senator's Ia ~
south wing of the capitol orr.
duties cover the distribution of sr1
plies in the chamber and the cIogs
rooms.
When the senate meets. the nav.,
sit in a row on the rostrum stem
half on the Republican side an5
half on the Democratic side. read
to serve the statesmen. who cai
them by swapping their finger
They take bills to the desk an
nounce visitors. and run the g..
rands for the senators.
The pages come from all oys,
the country and from various sta.
tons of life. Some are ALREADY A.
quainted with official life. Other,
come direct from the farm Tbsy
come from the north, the soub
the west. Many of them helm "A
support widowed mothers aD5
younger brothers and sisters.
The Future Of the Page.
These pages go from the senate
to West Point, to Annapolis. jDto
banks, mercantile houses. politics
law, letters and art
They have become successes in
every walk of life. One little boz
who sat eager-eyed on the rostrun
steps many years ago returned 10
the chamber as Senator A. Y. Cor
man. Another lad became chiei
engineer of the army. Stanton
Kalk, credited with being the first
American naval officer to lose bis
life in the World war, was once a
senate page. Lately a vessel was
named in his honor. David Barry
now ergeant-at-arms of the sen
ate, formerly the Washington cor
respondent of the New York Sun
and the Providence Journal, and
Assistant DOorkeeper Carl D. lie.
Offler. who has charge Of the pages
each served his term on errands
for the nation. So did Stuart Rob
son, the actor. On one occasion
when Mr.. Robson was playing in
the pages, learning
hat he had once been a page him
self, sent a testimonial to Mr.. Rob
son. He responded with an invita-
ion to the play and box seats for
Ill of the boys.
These boys are a happy and for
innate lot, owing much to the CON-
1etent IRen in charge who watch
over them and instruct them in
heir duties. They enter upon their
our-year term as pages when at
receptive age. Their life becomes
Continually hearing
high class discussion of the situal
ion of the nation and its needs,
hey cannot avoid absorbing a
that may carry them
ar. This side Of their lives gives
hem an experience which is an
in itself