The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-12-19
Washington Correspo

Wnen the piGoluSHt Vino
the Joint session OF congress to delv-
er his messages one may sit in the
galleries and get both laugh and a
thrill. :
In its larger aspects the spectacle IS
ALWAYS about the same, but always
certain variations are rung. Untortu-
natelv for the general public 1t seldom
gets a look-in on the show.
The same old crowd, as rule, may
be found in the galleries. Each sena-
tor or representative receives two spe-
cial tickets, and only ticket-holders
are admitted on these gala days. Con
seuuently the legislators wife, daugh-.
ter, mother or sister take charge OF
the pasteboards.
Average Man Ignored.
Sometimes an influential constituent
is favored, but the average taxpayer
has small chance to see the president;
The galleries hold less than 1900 and
the special cards of admission fill all
the space.
Five minutes before the president is
scheduled to reach the big house cham
Der, where the joint sessions are held,
Bert Kennedy, doorkeeper OF the
house, suitably attired in morning
coat and momentarily holding the
stage center, PAGES rapidly down the
main aisle and announces:
"Mr. Speaker, the Vice President OF
the United States and the members
OF the United States senate!
Senators Come in.
Everybody stands up. Sometimes
the senators get a round Of applause
from the house members and the gal
leries. Sometimes they get only a look.
They begin to file in, preceded by the
sergeant-at-arms of the senate and
other officials. They walk two and
two. regardless OF state representa-
tions and political affiliations. And
when they are seated one grins over
the strange mlXups,
Take the latest appearance OF Pres1-
dent Harding. By chance the two
bald headedest" senators sat side by
side They were Senator Harris, OF
Georgia, and Senator Miles Poindex-
ter. lame duck" OF Washington.
Their bald pates glistened under the
reflections OF the stained glass root OF
the house hall. Each seemed most
administrator Harris probably be
cause he didn't expect to agree with
many things in the message: Senator
PoindeXter doubtless because he will
not be in the senate when the presl-
dent delivers his next one.
La Toilette Fails to Applaud.
Just to the right sat Senator Robert
NJ. La Toilette insurgent. Already he
shows he doesn't expect to approve OF
the message. When the president final
" comes in and almost everybody else
applauds his arrival, Senator La Fol-
lette rather ostentatiously keeps his
arms folded and looks anywhere but
at the man who is getting the ap-
plause. Not one handicap does La
Toilette give Harding. And so he ST.
lently sits as the message is read.
Across the aisle Senator Frank Kel-
logg, of Minnesota, a regular republl-
can, has been seated. He crouches
down in his seat, a somewhat discon-
ISOLATE figure He, too, is defeated.
Curious Aggregation.
On the same row is this aggrega
ton: Lynn Frazier, non-partisan, from
North Dakota, a senator-elect; Sena-
tor Hiram Johnson, OF California; Sen
ator New, Of Indiana, another lame
duck" and Senator-elect Ralston, OF
Indiana, democrat, who looks much
like Grover Cleveland used to look
and may become the democratic white
hope" in 1924. Just such a strange
combination had never before sur
rounded the ultra-conservative Kel-
logg.
On a row OF three seats one finds
Senator Davis Elkins, of West Nir-
NfoK;,,I,,, 81 T11,,l;c
and the Rev. Dr. Muir, chaplain OF
the senate, sandwiched between. Mr.
Elkins looks like he wants to tell a
funny story and Mr.. Mckinley would
like to cross his short, fat legs and sit
on them. Senator Mckinley has way
of sitting like a Turk when he would
become real comfortable.
Harrison, Heflin and Stanley.
BY amusing coincidence there are
grouped together three OF the demo
cratic bad boys" of the senate the
trouble-makers for the opposition par
ty. Pat Harrison. Tom Hehin and Au-
gustus Stanley sit with heads close to-
gether and are thinking dark thoughts
of the next campaign against the G
O. P.
Senators Sterling, of South Dakota
and Nelson, of Minnesota, sit between
two defeated colleagues-Calder, Of
New York, and McCumber, of North
Dakota. McCumber doesn't look al
Lynn Frazier.
Senator Warren, OF Wyoming, one
OF the eldest men of the senate, is il
the same row with Reed, of Pennsyl
vania, youngest senator except Pat
Harrison. On the same row is James
Couzens, new senator from Michigan