Evening star., 1924-01-27
Heard and Seen

Senator Smoot of Utah and Senator
Sterling of South Dakota are fond
of the National Geological Park.
Both men admitted, at one of the
hearings held last week by the COM
mittee reorganizing the government
departments. that visiting the Zoo is
one of their recreations.
Senator Sterling brought the matter
up when he appeared before the Joint
congressional committee of which
Senator Smoot is a member to advo-
cate the formation of a department
of education
During the discussion the proposed
department of education and well
fare" was considered, and the pro-
vision which would include the Zoo
| under this latter department. along
with the public health service and
! other bureaus, which are related, or
| not, just as one happens to think on
| the matter
! 1t was pointed out that in one sense
| the Zoo is an educational institution,
! children deriving much pleasure and
| benefit from their study of the ami
i mails.
And the big folks. too" smiled Sem
| ator Harrison of Mississippi.
| Why going to the Zoo is part of
Il
! Smoot, heartily.
There Is nothing that I enjoy
| more" admitted Senator Sterling.
The hearing settled down to staid
| considerations then.
X ::
| How the soldiers of the revolution
! got their bonus was told to the re-
organization committee by Lieut.. Col.
| c.. o. Sheriff.. in charge Of the office
of public buildings and grounds, at
!. one of the sessions of the hearings
| now in progress.
The soldiers of 20 didn't petition
| Congress.
| Col. Sheriff. was telling the commit
tee why, in his opinion. his office
| should be left under the War Depart
| ment. rather than be placed under
| the municipal government
| The officer in charge of public
buildings and grounds in the National
Capital explained that the parks are
the setting for the seat of govern
ment. and that the District is not sole
ly or principally, he said, for the
people domiciled here.
1t was founded for the seat of the
federai government, Col. Sheriff. con-
tinued, owing to the fact that the
government saw the necessity for a
federal government would be first and
foremost.
Explaining one of the reasons for
moving the federal headquarters from
Philadelphia to the new site on the
Potomac, Col. Sheriff. said:
''Why. in 1890 some soldiers penned
Congress up in a hall in Philadelphia,
seeking a bonus"
They got their bonus, didn't they%'
asked Representative Temple OF
81 think they did" agreed Col. Sher-
rill
In solemn congressional hearings
there are many times when members
of committees laugh and joke. Some
of these incidents get into the record,
others do not.
Col. Sheriff. was telling how since
1919, there has been large increase
| in the total floor space patrolled by
watchmen and guards in government
buildings under his jurisdiction.
l. This increase has been accompanied
by a decrease in the number of men
used in the work, he continued. the
whole making for increased efficiency
and economy.
Discussing watchmen in. general.
Col. Sheriff. said that under the pres
ent system 1t is possible to get eff
| cient, alert men, since he has the au-
| thority. without going through any
red tape. to hire and fire men.
He instanced some of the old stand
bys'' in government service. more nu-
merous several years ago than today,
| ''men so dilapidated that they can
| do no more than draw their BREATH,
| he said.
| "And their pay" added Representa-.
| tive Temple.
CHARLES E. TRACEwELL.