The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-18
LEWIS
BEST MEMORY
!. ON THE HILL !"
House Document Room Clerk
Rarely Stumped by Queries
on Any Of $1,000 Bills Filed
HAS HELD PLACE 4s YEARS
Representatives Demanding In
formation In Vital Debate
4 Rely Implicitly on His Word

Service!
That's the watchword OF the
House document room, located just
of Statuary Hall in the United
States Capitol.
MUCH USED OFFICE.
Belying the small space which
4 occupies. this unit Of the ma
tlonal legislative factory is one OF
Ehe most important cogs in the
Congressional machinery. For It
a to the document room that Rep
regentatives and Senators rush the
pages for copies of bills end re-
ports on legislation before Con-
Rress.
The importance Of those in
charge OF the document room be.
ing ION their toes" may be judged
from the fact that the approval
or defeat OF vitality important leg
lslatiOn frequently hinges upon the
ability of the Congressman to get
certain papers filed in the docu-
ment room. Minutes often mean
millions OF dollars during the time
allowed to the debate Of individ-
nal bills and those sponsoring the
legislation must have their facts
which means that the document
room must give service.
And It does. But the story Of
how this is accomplished involves
two prodigies OF efficiency. They
mre Elmer Lewis. in charge OF the
index files; and Joel Grayson, who
for forty-eight years has held the
record for having the best memory
son the HILL"
Lewis, shown In the picture as
listening to one Of Mr.. Grayson's
fish stories, had over 81 900 pieces
Of legislation to index and file
during the last Congress. OF course
he did it with an elaborate system
Of card filing. But to the average
person who inquiries Tor the status
or name Of any legislation, Lewis
u usually able to reply without
reference to his cards.
FACTS HE KNOWS.
Some Of the things he knows
shout legislation are: whether 1t is
q House bill. Senate bill, resolu.
ton, joint resolution, concurrent
resolution. private bill or public
hin. In addition he must know who
introduced the measure, its number,
the date Of presentation, when It
was referred to committee, when
reported, IL at all; and its status
from the time IL reaches the
calendar Of either house until II
has passed. been adjusted in con-
ference and finally signed or We
tOed by the President.
To know this about 81 ,O60 pieces OF
legislation seems impossible. And
while Lewis makes no claim to have
N this information at his finger.
t1Ds, Capitol folk regard It as bad
- - bet hi y1xa6e-
OF any measure which has been pre-
scented to Congress.
ON JOB 48 YEARS.
Joel Grayson has been at the
Capitol longer even than Uncle Joe
Cannon. For forty-eight years he
has had charge OF the storing of ex-
ira copies of legislation considered
by Congress.
A few weeks ago a Herald reporter
read Of hearings held thirteen years
ago on bill to provide power plant
Tor Government buildings in Wash
ington. AS 9 last resort, he went
70 "Mr. Joel'N46r help in getting a
copy.
bill or when it WINS DONE" he told
Mr.. Joel. II think the hearings We're
held before Senator -"
RECALLS DOCUMENT.
Before he could finish, Mr.. Gray
Hon had recalled the document. IT
know what you want" he said. 1.-THE
hearings were before Mr.. Mann's
committee. / stored them away
eleven years ago, but If you want a
copy / can get it," He did.
Mr.. Grayson knows the name, in
1tials and salient points in the life of
every Representative and Senator
who has been to Congress in the last
half century. And in his brain are
stored the thousands Of little bits OF
Information which cannot be indexed
and filed. but without which the
high degree Of efficiency in the House
document room would be impossible