New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-05-31

eWAfE ~ . EFAH - ~ sa9ME NaH#FtA WV
sRemx." ami republicans Nfien dselar-
~ that kiiehia keRt smiling ''as he
operated on them before the country -
I.aamai a. Held Temper
Rack in the days when he Was a
struggling young North earaliHa law
see kiiehin's temper Eas like that
~ : Wild man, AZ he himself expressed
H. tine das q country trial justice
decided case against him ard hii-
chin started "a rtssH M the court, u
VS. an exciting mameRi
And then II suddenly occurred N
me- he told friends later, that Il
I expected 20 get along ! had % pat
Ice on my head and = bride 90 my
tongue, Right then and there I de-
eided would never get mad with any
body again"
James r, Ham, veteran repre-
sentative from Illinois who often
crossed swords with kitehin In the
House. declared on the occasion NJ the
iattfF's retirement as democratic lead
Or. that he was vicious in debate he.
cause his attacks, ike brick in towel
were wrapped in smiles,
NhA NshHtef NhF
Kiiehin's greatest fight with his
legislative conscience came when the
House was called upon 10 declare war
against the German government in
1917. Congress was wildly excited, !
Word passed back and forth among
members that tho majority leader
would vote against II, Later, on the +
afternoon OF April G. members % tho .
leaders family and some ~ his most /
intimate friends were in his Office For
once the leader had lost his smile. He /
was weary and tagged from loss OF
sleep. He told the group that he could
not bring conscience 20 the point OF
voting for war that his right OF lead
or because OF II would be challenged.
but that he didn't care because his
heart spoke against II.
Then he went to the House chamber
with every seat filled and vast
khrong In the gallery-and during
tense and dramatic moment, took his
stand against war.
Loyal 10 Cause
But once war was declared Kitchin
threw his support, whole-heartily into
tho fight, and championed every move
by the government for victory. There
we're times, 1t was said, when he was
It odds with President Wilson at
White House conferences. but his po-
|itical enemies never doubted his pa
lriotism after the weight Of American
lrms had been thrown on the side
of the Allies.
In the early days of 1919, Kitchin,
when a republican house. elected the
preceding fall was waiting to come :
INTO power, went to the front as the
party leader with the biggest war !.
evenue bill ever framed by an Amer
can congress. He put 1t through =
.ong a member of the ways and :
means committee which framed the
ill, Kitchin had every figure at his !.
niger tips. Foriney, OF Michigan, who :.
ucceeded him as Chairman of the !.
committee. fought him at every step.
Plea for simplicity :
It was during the revenue bill de- =
ate while the House was considering :,
luxury on shirts, that Kitchin, .,
landing before hundreds of well
resed men, declared he never paid
,ore than So for shirt In his life His =
lea for simplicity in dress while the n
ountry was burdened with the big r
ost of war was taken up by the press,
nd two dollar shirts were urged.
Not long after the big revenue bill
ght Kitchin was stricken. For a long
me he lay in bed, trying to get WELL
ut it was not an easy thing for
ian so long in public life, to shake
II the old habit Feeling better, he
ent back to the old grind, only to be
ricken again. A new party had come
to power.
Champ Clark, stepping down from
lie speakers chair became minority
ader with kitchin as ranking mem
n Of the ways and means committee.
hen Champ Clark died, Kitchin was
ade minority leader but being III
en at his home In North Carolina,
} asked that F'inis J. Garrett of Ten
,ssee, be designated as acting leader
the effort to hold the dwindling
nks Of democrats In line.
Served Since 1901
Claude Kitchin, who was born
arch "a, 1869, first came to Congress
1901 serving continuously thereaf-
r. On the closing night of that