Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-03-01
THE SENATE PAGES
by Frederic J. uaskin

FLOR tho telephones. Their duties In
the mornings before the Senate ueets.
consist Of tasks that are Hight. varied.
ana divided. Some boys arc assigned
to duties .Rt the beginning Of the sea-
sion ana DO not change their tasks.
There must be copy of every BIZ.
report and document on each desk
daily, n file of the Congressional
Record and of all bills and reports II
committees. One page attends 20 tho
pens. holders, ard ink: one sees 10 u
that the desk Of the vice president ls
In order and that his gavei ls ready TO
call the Senators 20 order. Another
has the curious duty Il seeing 10 Il
that the sand bottles are HHed-for
tho Senate IN It's official capacity has
not progressed 10 tho modern Botter.
| This sarno boy fills the ancient snuff
boxes at each side Of the Chamber
curious Old custom stin adhered 20
/ by the upper body of Congress
CustOdiaBs Of Electoral Votes.
10 two Of these boys IL given tho
hohor ana duty Of carrying tho two
boxes which contain tho electoral
votes from the Senate Chamber to tho
ii9use Of Representatives. marching
win the Senators to the south wing
ot tho Capitol Other duties cover tho
IdMtrbution of supplies in the Chamber
and tho cloak rooms.
When the Senate meets. tho pages
SiJ IN row on the rostrun steps
nan on the Republican side and half
on inc Democratic aide. ready 10 serve
lhe statesmen, who call them by snap
ping their fingers. They take bflls
20 me desk, announce visitors. and ron
the errands for the Senators.
! Tho pages como from all ove- tho
, country and from various stations .,
life. SoHn are already scouafn.oe r,,f,,,
oihoial life. Others como direct from
the Iarm. They come from the North
the South. the West Many OF thern
, heip 70 support widowed mothers and
younger brothers and sisters.
Tho Future Of the Page.
D These pages 60 from the Senate 4o
West Point. TO Annapolis, into hang.
y mercantile houses. politics. medicine
u law. letters and art Theyhave becoyoe
successes in every walk ~ ufs 0,e
iittle boy who sat eager eyed or, the
q
: turned 10 the Chamber az Senator A
!, V. German. Another lad became Cbte,
Engineer Of the Army. Stanton Kalt-
credited with being the first America
naval officer 70 lose his life In the
World War. was once n Senate naoe
J. Lately vessel was named IN his hon.
l. or. David Barry. NOW SerReart-af.
g Arms OF the senate, formerly the
y washington correspondent Of the Nov,
York sun and the Providence Journal
K and Assistant Doorkeeper Carl y
= I'eofiier. who has charge of the uagoe
q each served his term on errands r.,
Is The nation. So did Stuart Robson ~,
10 actor. On one occasion when Mr.. Pob
AZ son was playing IN Washington. +b.
. pages learning that he had once bss,
a page himself, sent a testimonial ?,
: Mr.. Robson. lie responded with an IN
q vitation 10 the play and hov seats To-
y all Of the boys.
: Ihese boys are p happy ard for1i1
nate lot owing much 10 fha con,rn
tent men in charge who watch Owe
them and instruct them IN their d1,
ties. They enter upon their four ven
. term as pages when at a receptive age
- Their life becomes interesting. Con
10 tinually hearing high class discussion
= Of the situation OF the nation and e.
needs, they cannot avoid absorbiu,
'e a knowledge that may carry them far
This side Of their lives gives them a
- experience which Is an education Z,
2 itself.