Evening star., 1923-09-13
One Retiring, One
Still ActiUe i.t Pub
lic Service.
indy Smith Kno,Cr,
TO Hundreds in
Congress.

Two employees OF the government
printing office whose united service
covers a century. each having served
onstration by the public printer, vet
eran employees of the Capitol and
longtime fellow workers in Harding
Hail. at the big print shop, this noon
They are W. a. (best known as
"Andy'') Smith. who for the last
forty eight years has been in charge
of the Congressional Record at the
Capitol. and still going strong, and
James Nally, who is retiring. Both
have been well known as athletes.
Mr. Smith was famous some years
ago as an oarsman, cockswain and
coach of championship crews.
Appointed i'm 1873.
He was born in Baltimore, Decem-
Der 13, 1854. and appointed mes
senger in the government printing
office September l3, 1873. II was
then an infant establishment with
pared with the personnel of today,
which numbers more than four theu-
sand.
to the Capitol as helper TO the man
in charge of the record bureau ana
filed many positions in the printing
Office until he succeeded the clerk in
charge of the Capitol office. This
work neceSsitated personal contact
with members of both houses OF Con-
gress, and forty-eight years Of service
at the one place enabled him to know
more members than it has ever been
the privilege of any other employe.
Remark Overheard.
At a luncheon In the printing Office
last Monday, rendered to the pubic
printer, George II. Carter, on his
forty-ninth birthday, Mr.. Smith re-
In the printing office one year before
Mr.. Carter was born. This remark
was overheard by Carter and others
and they decided that something
should be done to show the esteem
with which Mr.. Smith was held
Today at 1890 Mr.. Smith, who had
been summoned to the Office of the
public printer to talk over some de-
tail work, was escorted by that OIL
fetal to the platform in Harding Hall,
there TO face more thah IVY oi ms
older associates at the Capitol and
printing Office. who had previously
assembled. unknown to him. On
their behalf, Public Printer Carter,
In a speech of happy felicitation, pre-
sented Mr.. Smith with a gold watch
ana chain. the former suitably in
scribed. On behalf of the veteran
employees of the Capitol, l.. White
Busby seconded the speech OF the
public printer. 1t was suggested that
Uncle Joe Cannon and Gen. Isaac X.
Sherwood are the only ones living
who were members of Congress at
the time Mr.. Smith began his labors.
Following this ceremony a luncheon
was served.
On Job Forty-Eight Years.
Visitors to the Capitol will recall
a corner of Statuary Hall where the
outstanding statesmen from the Narl-
Gus states are grouped. There, IN
q railed-off section, behind a BIRDS
eve maple desk, is a dapper little
man, most affable to all. That S
ANDY" Smith, who has charge of the
Congressional Record and VINO mas
been on the job in the Capitol for
forty-eight years. For the hrst haiI
of that period he had ms oesk On
the Senate side.
The first telephone commercially
used between government depart
ments in Washington was one OF the
old walI-box variety. and was used
by Mr.. Smith at the Capitol to COM
municate with the government print
ing office. That same instrument Is
being used by him today-so 1t has
been in continuous service since 1879
Mr.. Smith has charge of the Con-
ETeSStOnai J6ecOtos
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 bflls
and documents and for speeches, the
cost of which is estimated and PAID
for. He receives all orders for frank
Sins (Which pasted on mail matter
makes 1t postage freel and for en-
gelopes in which documents are sent
out.
Takes In Huge Sum.
Mr.. Smith takes in every year about
$50. 600 or $50, 600, and in a campaign
wear as much as $4,000 for speeches
that the members want printed. he
estimates that 55,00D,0o0 speeches
have been printed in a presidentiai
ANDY Smith came to take up his
lob at tho Capitol in 1876. when he
vas transferred from the government
printinE office. He was assistant Tor
ane wear to A. A Post OF Pennsyi-
vania. In all those forty-six years
MI smith has not lost any time on
an account of sickness. In showlng
the expeditions way in which the
requirements of members are met, Mr.
smith says that q big JOB ot-say
rty-eight-page pamphlet ana 3S,oVo
TO 5o,D30 eopieE-can Do done IN Lnree
or four days. He is on the govern
ment printing ONCE pay ron. and so