Evening star., 1924-12-07
Real Workers in the National Capital

all who have business with the ap-
propriations committee. Public testi-
mony to Mr.. Shields efficiency has
several times been placed in the Gov
| ernment records. For example, Uncle
Joe" Cannon. who was for 10 years
chairman Of the appropriations COM
! mittee, speaking in the House on
| February 3, 1920, after paying a
| tribute to the late Mr.. Courts. said:
Now, as a successor to Mr.. Courts
| rs clerk of the committee on appro-
| priations we have the present clerk,
| Marcellus G. SHIELD i think he is
quite the equal of James c. Courts.
! Time and again j have noticed that
| members on both sides of the House,
| when they want something quick, go
| In to see Mr.. SHIELD, as they used to
go in to see Mr.. Courts, because the
| information is furnished them
promptly / think Mr.. SHIELD Is fully
Mr.. Courts equal in his familiarity
with appropriations, in his courtesy
and in his usefulness to the House.
This clerk and the assistant clerks
Of the committee, which sometimes
has three or more subcommittees sit
| ting, work most nights and most Sun
days"
| Representative Good, who was then
chairman, indorsed what Mr.. Cannon
Byrns of Tennessee, the ranking
| Democrat on the committee. con-
| tinued: Il very earnestly indorse all
| the gentleman from Illinois has said
| concerning the present clerk, Mr..
| SHIELD. He is as we'll qualified as Mr..
| Courts for the difficult and respon-
| sible duties OF his position. and that
is paying him very high compli-
| ment, for Mr.. Courts was recognized
/ hU n nj nrit "
| propriations. There is not, in my
| judgment. a man ia the city Of Wash
ington who has more general infor-
| nation as to the appropriations Of
| this Government than Mr.. Shield Nor
/ is there man who is more useful to
| the Congress than Mr. SHIELD in his
present position"
Tho present chairman OF the ap-
propriations committee, Representa-
tive Madden of Illinois, gave equal if
not more emphatic public testimony
of Mr.. Shields worth when, speaking
in the House on June 20, 1922, he
| he said:
"A good many people have been
| trying to get him away from the
service he now renders to the Con-
gresS. | have never known a man in
all the history of my experience so
well qualified, with so comprehensive
a knowledge Of Government matters,
as Mr.. SHIELD, and while I offer an
| am endment to increase his compensa-
| tion for 1928 by 1000 / wish to say
| that that will not begin 30 compen-
| safe him for his value. He really is
worth anything the Government
might be called upon to pay him, and
| it would be a serious loss to the Gov
| ernment IL by any chance he should
| separate himself from 1t.
| Every member of the committee
on appropriations loves and trusts the
man as they love and trust nobody
else. He is worthy Of the love and
| the confidence of the country. and
particularly of those who come in
daily contact with him. If l were to
say all that / would like to say about
| him he would probably blush"
Besides winning this high regard
| by his services with the appropria-
tions committee, Mr.. SHIELD was clerk
of the select committee on the budget
and played an important part in hav-
| ing. the Federal budget system in
| stalled, of which the Vice President
elect, Charles g. Dawes, was first di-
rector. Then Mr.. SHIELD was urged to
| accept the position of controller gem
eral under the budget system, having
| entire charge of auditing the Federal
| expenditureS