Sioux County pioneer., 1922-08-17

IA A1vV4 ing down as well
as that Of q mem
Der who 10 on the floor.
On that trip q member friend took
me In to see the late speaker, Champ
Clark. It was In the beginning Of the
great war. Ny friend said to Mr.. Clark:
"A1r. Hardy has come down to WASH
ington to see what we are doing" Mr..
Clark replied In his characteristic
way: III he can find out, hope to
God he will let me know" And It Is
ever SO. we are all seeking information
about the congress. even the speaker
Of the house sometimes.
We have got to start from some
place, SO we might as well assume
that you have come to my office in the
house Office building. Every man who
comes to Washington should call on
his congressman. The representatives
are always glad to see folks from back
home; especially so are tho members
from the West. Some members from
nearby states have more callers than
they can well take care of.
The house Office building is a fine
structure, built Of marble. 1t has 40
office and committee rooms in it. Each
member is entitled to an office room.
If he is chairman of a committee he
gets two, sometimes. The building
covers large block Of ground with a
grass-covered court In the center.
There are five floors and a basement.
1t is a mile walk around the corridors
on the four sides Of the five floors.
Through the Tunnel to tho Capitol.
After we have had little visit will
take you over to the capitol. You
have already seen that magnificent
building from the outside and will see
It many times before you leave the
city, so we will 60 over underground,
just to show you the tunnel. This
tunnel, which Is large. well lighted
and spacious, runs for about. two
blocks, l should think. BY the use Of
it member can go back and forth In
winter or hot summer time and dur
ing bad weather without putting his
hat on, If he wishes. 1t isn't used
much In good weather. Over on the
senate side through similar tunnel
a little electric car system carries the
senator's back and forth between their
office building and the capitol; but
the representatives Of the people have
to walk.
Arriving at the capitol, we will go
up in the gallery and look down on
the house for a while.
You viii be disappointed at first BY
the small number Of members present.
Every member doesn't sit in his seat
Ill the time every day. If he did, he
would not be able to keep up with his
office business, and besides that, he
would grow nutty. Much Of the time
is spent in general debate, and much
Of the debate is very general. So when
a definite time has been set for general
debate-two hours being the usual
time, though it may be II hours some
times-a member not interested can
safely get up and go to his office, or
visit out in the cloak rooms for a
while. During general debate It often
happens that not more than Is or 100
members are in their seats. After q
while some one will probably call for
a quorum, and then we will see the
house fill up with members, as most
of them like to answer as many roll
( calls as possible.
We will sit here in the gallery for
a while. This Is a historic old room.
It has been occupied since 1857, so 1t
has seen much history made. It used
to have desks in it, but when the num-
ber Of representatives was last in.
creased the desks were taken out and
plain comfortable rows Of seats put in.
4 A member has no special seat. He
may sit anywhere he pleases. The
Democrats sit on one side and the Re
publicans on the other.
Speaker GllIett Presiding.
/ The mace is in its place, SO we know
that the house is in session. If II
were in committee of the whole, the
mace would be resting on the floor. =
! The mace is the symbol Of the speak
er's authority and it has been doing
duty ever since the American congress
was organized.
The speaker Is In the chair, behini
fine-carved marble desk. Mr.. GIL
lett makes an excellent speaker In thil
modern day Of great freedom in thu
house. He is fair and nonpartisan
He lets the house run itself, merel!
acting as It's presiding officer. He i
seventy-one years Of age and ha
served in the house 90 years. He come
from Springfield, Mass, and is q gen
tleman Of parts. His district think
pretty well Of him, as is indicated, b;
the fact that only SO votes were cas-
for Ill other candidates In the las
slaction; and his wifefs relatives thin