Evening star., 1925-07-19
Capital Sidelights


of government Of the Capital City, ac'
cording to Capitol guides. To be pre-
pared to answer all questions in this
direction. Hynes r. Terry, former
service man, who has been guiding In
the Government Printing once and
the Capitol for many years and who
knows most of the prominent men OF
the country, has made a special study
of this subject.
The District of Columbia was estab'
lished under the authority and direc-
ton of acts of Congress approved july
16, 1870, and March 3, 1891. which
were passed to give effect to clause in
the eighth section of the first article
of the Constitution, giving Congress
power ito exercise exclusive leSisla'
ton in ell cases whatsoever over such
District"
The seat of government embraces an
area of SO. .245 square miles, OF which
so square miles are land. The river
boundary is high-water mark alons
the Virginia shore OF the Potomac
River.
The local government is a municipal
CORPORATION. administered by a board
Of three Commissioners appointed by
the President, one of whom is detailed
from the Engineer Corps of the ArnS
Appropria tions for the support oi
the municipal government are undel
the Jurisdiction of Congress. but the
funds come principally from local
revenues.
In the past Congress has often
treated the seat of government as a
burdensome step-child. The growing
interest that all the people of the coun
try are taking in their National Capi
tai as they come TO know more about
II is having good effect on Congress
which shows corresponding disposi
ton to do more for the development
of the seat of government, of which
their constituents are expressing Al
awakened apprecis ton and love
The committee room occupied by the
House committee which considers DIS
trict of Columbia legislation is beint
rescued this Summer from the drat
disregard which has heretofore char
acteriZed it. While other importan
committees. such as judiciary, inter
state and foreign commerce. have
beautiful hearing rooms, fitted up II
courtroom style. where the witnesses
can appear before the full committee
nd fairly present their case, lookint
eac ch committee member face to face
witnesses before the House Distric
committee have been at disadvan
tage in a crowded room. oftentime!
with their backs to half of the com
mittee.
Representative Fred \. Zihlma 7
OF Maryla nd. the incoming chairman
Is determined to alter this condition
AS a result of conferences with DaVit
Lynn. architect of the Capitol. tn
District room is to be thoroughly rem
ovated. There is not room for th'
I
2l members, but a raised bench for /
members. quorum. which Is usual,
about all that attend the hearings
will he built. and in front of this &
second bank of seats for the other II
members of the committee.
In this way Chairman Zihlma
hopes 10 bring more dignity TO tn
House District committee meetings
8 a result of which there will be NOR
careful consideration OF legislation af
fecting the National Capital. He il
pla aiming to give the District commit
tee a more reputable standing and Il
| increase its prestige.
Those who have been dissa tisfied will
the House restaurant foresee chanc'
of great Improvements in the mex
Congress because one of the best
proba bly, coming TO take former
Speaker land now Senatorl Giilett!
vacated seat in the House. Speaker
Gillett was officially in charge OF th'
House restaurant, but. being OF TOO
aristocratic type and training 10 in
terest himself in the problems of run
ming a restaurant TO satisfy 435 mem
bers of Congress. several hundred EN-
ployes and the public, he delegated
that authority.
But the successor to his place OF
the Massachusetts delegation is not 81
aristocratic. and has many years o
practical experience. This is Henry
T. Bowles. the administra ton candi
date for the vacancy. OF course, HI
! has still to go through the formalit.
of special election, but there is littl
doubt of the result. He is a distan
relation of the old Springfield Repub
lican Bowles family.
Popularity rated as a millionaire. Mr.
Bowles Is best known for having intro
duced in the Eastern part of the coun
! try the one-arm dairy lunchroom. HI
is proprietor of the Baltimore lunch
room chain. He started in politics a
a Bull Moose Progressive. and wher
that party was going strong in Mas
chusetts Mr.. Bowles was elected I,
the Governors Council. He was /;
delegate to the Republican nationa
convention.
Although he Is not OF the type L
stand up on the floor and make him
| self known by ringing speeches. /
elected. as seems certain. Mr.. Bowle
will undoubtedly have strong infiuanc,
| In party councils. With the singh
possible exception Of Floor Leader Til
son, there is now no New England
| member OF Congress really close TO tn
President. Mr.. Bowles Is a close frien,
Of President Coolidge Of long stand
ing. He will therefore stand in tn,
same relation to the President in tn,
House as Senators Butler and Gillet
occupy in the Senate. He will b,
looked upon as rejecting the views o
the President on important questions.
He is always popular and a goot
mixer. For brand-new member, HI
comes In as "a marked man."
X X
Action of the Board of Education
In ordering a special investigation OF
the Langdon School to substantiate
private Investigations by majority
of the board, showing that this two
story school building is a firetrap
emphasizes the necessity for the
utmost precaution against fire haZ
tards in school construction and bust
ness management.
John j. Tigert. United States com
| missioners of education, calls atten
ton to what other large cities are
doing in this regard. citing Cincinnati
as a special example. where fire in
surance has been eliminated from the
municipal budget. Commissioner TT
gert points out that Cincinnati's sue
cess is due in large part to well con
structed school buildings. to the elm
ination as far as possible of fire haz
ards near school property. and Il
keeping fire-flShting apparatus alway.
accessible in the schools.