Evening star., 1925-08-02
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

to a few matters with Uncle Sam Of
direct interest to particular constitu-
ents.
One Of those in whom political and
social Washington Is taking especial
interest is Joe" Hooper, partially be-
cause he is going to succeed the late
Representative Arthur B. williams OF
Battle Creek, Mich, who was one Of
the most popular and able of the
newer congressman and partially be-
cause "Joe's" fame as an impromptu
orator has preceded him.
OF course, Joe" Hooper still has to
go through the formality Of an cleo
ton, but he got such an overwhelm-
ing vote in the primaries-a record
Vote-that his opposition Is negligible.
He got that record vote in testimony
that the Republicans in his district
are not ungrateful. For IT years he
has been going up and down the line
in Battle Creek and out. in the third
district and out, in Michigan and out
singing. the praise of somebody or
something else. Possessed of a re-
markable gift of oratory, he is con-
stantly in demand and always ready
to respond. 1t Is estimated that he
has made more than 800 speeches a
year for the last II years
He was the youngest prosecutor
ever elected in Michigan, campaigning
before he was of age and taking Office
just after he reached his majority.
He never went TO college. but studied
law in a local Office after graduating
from high school. He is Shake
spearean student and a Bible student
and quotes at length. He recites Latin
poetry and speaks French and Spanish
fiuently. During the Is years he was
in the role Of prosecutor or counsel
for the defense in every murder trial
To- =, L. I.rtf H.
Although his pleas to the jury in
important cases have been so striking
that courtrooms are crowded and he
is quoted extensively in the daily press
and professional journals. his most
celebrated case was one that Is con-
sidered unique in the annals of
American jurispruence as the shortest
on record. A woman had brought suit
against a neighbor, claiming that rats
had infested her place, causing dam
age to her personal effects. The plain
tiff put a number of witnesses on the
stand and the plaintiffs attorney
dwelt long upon the damage done his
client
Mr.. Hooper arose, faced the jury
and in tones filled with disgust said,
Rats" Then he sat down. The jury
retired and in five minutes returned
with a verdict for Mr.. Hooper's client.
Mrs. John Jacob Rogers of Lowell,
Mass, New England's first woman
member of Congress, Is impressing
Government officials as Tive wire"
in her first official visit here. She
will be here for about two weeks,
learning the ropes of departmental
procedure while on business for con-
sutuents.
Nrc Ro0oro hoe tho odye of
long residence in Washington and a
wide acquaintance. Her political cam
paign indicated she has political sense,
and this is shown also by her shrewd-
ness in handling her new problems
here. She modestly refuses TO take
any credit for her overwhelming vic
tory. insisting that it was a tribute
to her late husband.
Mrs. Rogers has arrived with no
set program. She is interested par
ticulariy on carrying on her work
of inspecting veterans hospitals as
personal representative of the Presi-
dent, which she will continue. She is
also making a study of industrial un-
employment. She is desirous of ascer-
tanning whether the present system of
reporting employment conditions and
opportunities by the employment
service of the Department of Labor
can be made Of more assistance in
bringing employers and employees to-
gether.
In her deep mourning, with flowing
black veil. Mrs. Rogers Is a striking
figure about Washington. There is
much curiosity as to whether she in
tends to make congressional service a
career as many OF her friends hope
she may, or whether she plans just
to serve the balance of her husbands
term. She herself says: II really
don't know. l haven't given that a
thought"
Office boys in Uncle Sans service
and everywhere throughout the coun-
try should be heartened by the we'll
deserved promotion that recently came
to Floyd r. Harrison, who succeeds
former House Leader Frank w. Mon
dell as head of the War Finance
Corporation. Harrison started in as
a messenger boy in the Federal service
and worked his way up. His first big
job was as administrative assistant
| to the Secretary of Agriculture. which
| job is now held by William A. Jump,
who was a fellow Office boy with
Harrison.
Some bizarre and uncontemplated
outcropping of the new postal rates
will be called to the attention of a
joint subcommittee of Congress at
the hearings which are to begin here
on July 20. One Of the conundrums
to be solved is: When Is cata-
logue not q catalogue?"
According to the Post Office Depart
| ment's Interpretation of the new pos
| tai rates, catalogue Is not a cata-
| logue IL it contains less than "a pages.
| Under that ruling it would have to
bear a rate of IL cents per two
ounces instead of l cent per two
ounces.
Some very surprising effects Of
| this ruling are found in many letters
of complaint and protest to the de-
partment of transportation of the
Chamber of Commerce of the United
| States, which heads up American
| business in a little capitol building Of
| its own just across the park from the
| White House. AS American business
| and the United States Government
are interdependent this congress Of
business and the Congress for all the
people are going to get together and
try to work out just adjustment Of
| these unforeseen inequities.
For example-many business houses
are increasing their catalogues to "a
pages with a tendency to break down
| we'll established trade standards OF
paper size, printing and folding. Some
! have discovered that by attaching q
circular. on which the rate is III
cents If mailed alone, to 24-page
catalogue. the whole can be mailed
| At the 1-cent rate.
X
These are busy moving days about
| the Capitol, with Offices being put In
| shape for new occupants. As usual
during each recess between Congresses
there ia a drive by the older and more