Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-15
Capital Sidelights

studied, and both House and Senate
have resolutions pending when they
return to Subsidize and authorize the
work of a we'll known Washington
scientist, DR.. Arthur Macdonald, who
is now making studies of the domes
under the great Capitol dome along
anthropological, psycho-physical and
statistical lines.
1t is pointed out that the ABS mem
bers of the House and the SO MEM
bers Of the United States Senate req.
resent the cream that has come 10
the top of the political milk bottle.
The resolution, fathered by Senator
Copeland and Representative Kin
dred Of New York, both noted doctors.
proposes to supplement the human
record in the Congressional Directory
with a solemn anthropological record
for poSterity.
DIR. Macdonald has verified from
public documents the current Sus-
picion that those members known as
progressive reformerS talk the most.
He has found that talking is also
characteristic of the members with
the most education. 1t seems that
the more one learns, the more one
talks.
He has developed a record to show
that those Senators with common
school education talked but little more
than half as often as those with uni
versity training: that professional men
take the floor far oftener than do bust
ness men, and that Senators with
previous legislative experience are the
most successful in getting bills
passed
Avrno nv- hos
anthropologized some 25 Senators
and Is members of the House. Who
they are the Doctor will not say, nor
does he feel that he has yet gone
far enough to justify any generaliza-
tons.
DIR. Macdonald hopes that the re-
search program which he has in
view will be but the beginning of
scientific study of successful men,
not only in the United States but
throughout the world. If the expert
mentS prove to be of value. other
nations will doubtless be eager to
join the program. This would be
particularly true of nations sl.ch as
France and Japan. where a high
level of scientific research prevails.
He has signed over his own body
for scientific study after his death
and has urged that other profession
al workers do likewise, saying that.
"just as we are benefited by the
knowledge of our ancestors from
whom we have received most Of
what we are. SO we, in turn should
make our ancestorship beneficial to
future generations"
- \
Mammoth Cave, one of the seven
wonders of the world, will before long
become national park under ad-
ministration of the Federal Govern
ment. in consequence of legislation
passed in the closing days of Con-
gress. When a minimum of 2O.0O0
acres of land is given to the Gov.
eminent, the region legally may be
designated for national park pur-
poses.
An interesting account OF the early
history of this greatest cavern known
to man throughout the entire world
is given by Representative Fred NJ
Vinson of Kentucky. 1t was discovered
nv John Hutchins In 1909. Hutchins.
a famous hunter of his day, had
wounded an enormous bear, ana
while in pursuit of his wounded game
was led by the retreating animal 10
the mouth of the cave. which the
bear entered. and which Hutchlns en-
plored for only a short distance. yet
| far enough to realize something OF
| it's immense size. He reported his
discovery of the cave. but no definite
| explorations were made for two or
| three years, and then only for dis
lance of q few miles from the
| entrance.
Mammoth Cave. situated in Ed
| monson County, Ky, was purchased
I i'm 1911 by a Mr.. Mclean. who bought
| the cave and 200 acres of land about
| its mouth for the sum of $40. 1t was
wanted by Mr.. NtaIsean because 1t
| was rich in nitrous earth. from
which saltpeter is made. During the
War of 1872, the cave property nav
| ing been acquired by MIR. Gatewood
| and then sold to Messrs. Crate and
| Wilkins, a fortune was made for the
| owners by the manufacture of salt
peter, for during this war the Ameri-
| cans were solely in need Of gum
| powder. and as saltpeter is one of
| it's principal ingredients. there was n
| great demand by the Government for
| all the saltpeter Mammoth Cave
| could produce 1t is claimed by his
| torians that the cause of the Ameri-
| cans would have failed in the conflict
| had 1t not been for the home manu-
| facture of saltpeter in the Mammoth
| Cave during the war. as all foreign
| supply had been cut off by n strict
and general embargo Powder manu-
featured from the material taken
| from Mammoth Cave had just been
| furnished to Capt. cambridge OF
the "Old Ironsides,' when
Her thunders shook the mighty deep
| in that brilliant victory over the
| British fleet off the coast of Brazil
Commodore Perrys fleet of nine yes
sells had been supplied with powder
| from the same source just before he
met the hostile fleet near the west
end Of Lake Erie in September, 1918
| 1 need not recount the result Of that
| desperate encounter. Perry was en-
| abled to send his historic dispatch
We have met the enemy and they are
| ours.
| The same powder was used by
| Gen. Jackson's famous Kentucky and
| Tennessee rif1emen. when, In the
| Battle of New Orleans, they won un
| dying fame for their craftsmanship
| and courage. The remains of these
| old saltpeter works are still to be
| seen within the cave.
The daughter of Mr.. GratZ, one Of
| the owners of the cave, was a beauti-
| full Jewess and a friend of Washing
ton Irving. who related the story OF
her romance to Sir Walter Scott in
1917. Shortly thereafter. "Ivanhoe" ap
peared. in 1919. Scott sent one OF
the first copies to Irving, asking
"How do you like your Rebecca?"
The firm of Gratz G. Wilkins dis
posed of the cave in 1916, together
| with approximately 1900 acres OF
land. to James Moore. a Philadelphia
| merchant, who was ruined. it is re-
lated by his complications with Burr
| and Blennerhassett. The property