Evening star., 1926-05-09
Capital Sidelights

BOOK printed which is going into
practically every school throughout
the length and breadth of the land. 1t
ia an authoritative history Of the
origin and evolution Of the United
States flag, back to the adoption of
the Cross of st. Andrews as the
standard Of Scotland, about five cen.
turtles before the Cross Of st. George
became the central figure In the flag
of England, and on through to execu-
tive orders by Presidents Taft and
Wilson.
The National House of Representa-
tives on Washington's Birthday, on
motion of Representative Ben John
son of Bardstown, KY, ordered the
Government Printing Office to run off
an edition Of $500 of these flag books.
| Individual members of both House
| and Senate are going to put in their
| orders for many thousands of copies.
! which they propose to distribute not
| only to the schools in their congress
| sional districts but to make this ex-
| tremely valuable book available as
| nearly as possible to every citizen in
| the United States.
| Congress considers itself extremely
| fortunate in having this flag book
prepared by such an eminent author
| ity. strictly as labor Of love. 1t
Thruston Of Louisville, KY, after
about 40 years Of most painstaking
| research and at great personal ex-
| pense. 1t carries 2S illustrations
showing pictorially the evolution of
| our flag.
| Rogers Clark Ballard Thruston is
| a descendant and namesake of the
famous George Rogers Clark, hero of
the West during the Revolutionary
War, regarding whose achievements
| Prof. Hart Of Harvard says: mo
story of the Arabian Nights is more
romantic or improbable than Clark S
conception Of his plan of conquest
/ and his success in carrying it out. "
| 1t Is interesting to note that Repre-
| sentative Maurice II. Thatcher Of
| Kentucky now has a measure pend
| ing in Congress for erection of a
| fitting memorial to this hero and
| chieftain, who impoverished his
| sightless old age TO save the great
empire of tho West.
| His descendant and namesake, Mr..
| Thruston, is actuated by the same
| patriotic zeal. He is very wealthy
and devotes his fortune generously
| and all of his time to patriotic and
| historical work. He was president
| general of the Sons Of the American
| Revolution. He has the best his.
torical library OF any individual in
the United States. He owns arger
collection of oil portraits of our heroes
| of American history from George
Washington down than any other
citizen of the United States.
I In this flag book may new, inter.
1 aSfinrr 0nA ua1tI1h hIo bjS
torical facts are set forth and mum
Der of traditional anecdotes about
the flag exploded as having no reli
able foundation in official records
| interviewer with the story of the
flag are salient historical facts OF
| ga2lantry which not only make alb
sorbing reading but which are thus
| ptcturesquely linked together in a
way which emphasizes outstanding
events In our history as the new ma
ton that within $50 years became the
greatest nation In all the history OF
| the world.
| Representative Allen r. Treadway
| of Massachusetts,, well-dresser and one
of the most dignified men in the
House. has Just helped to maintain the
| dignity and decorum Of the Supreme
Court. with especial reference to Wis
itors being properly attired.
The Bay state Congressman was
showing party of 12 boys from the
Westfield High School about the Cap
| itol, including members of the basket
ball team. Nine members Of the party
wore big black sweaters with a large
w on their chests.
AT the door of the Supreme Court
| chamber they were halted by the at.
| tendant, who adnonished them that
they could not enter wearing sweaters
Then the nimble strategy of Mr.
| TreadWay rose to the occasion. First
| he had the three boys who wore coats
pay their visit to the chamber. Wher
they came out he had them exchange
their coats with three boys wearing
| sweaters, and this process was con
| tinued to the end that three coats
served IL youths to attain their pur
pose of visiting the Supreme Court
in session, where some of these youths
may yet sit as members of the august
bench.
| Representative Albert johnson o
| Washington Is one of a group o,
members of the House who are lirgine
that methods be adopted to make tho
decorum and procedure of that body
more orderly. Two changes thai
would aid in this purpose are sug
| gested by the Washington member.
! "It would be much better" said Mr.
Johnson, 'if the seating plan of the
| House of Representatives could be re
stored to the plan that existed a dozer
or so years ago of having small desks
with each member at his particular
designated seat and identified in thai
way. The result would be that mem
bers would be in their own seats, ex
change Of conversation would not bt
so prevalent, and the tendency which
exists now when the attendance i.
somewhat small for members to com,
down front and take the front seat!
and participate in the debates withou
waiting for recognition from the chail
! would be checked.
Further, believe that the Speaker
! as well as member acting chairman
| should be as severe as possible ant
| refuse to recognize a member when he
| jumps UP every few minutes on every
subject, calls out Mr.. Speaker ant
starts to talk full tilt in order to estab
lish his right to the floor. L woult
like to see the old idea re-establishet
question, For what purpose does tht
gentleman riser That will lead e
orderly procedure in this House"
| Mr.. Johnson'S suggestions, which
were made on the floor of the House
were vigorously applauded on botf
sides OF the chamber.
= X
Apropos of the public building bill
carrying $50,000.o00 for new build
ings in Washington to house impor
tant Government activities, Represent
ative Arthur III. Greenwood of In
diana turns the oratorical spotlight
on one of the great natural resource:
of his home State-Indiana limestone
/! which is being used for number Of the
1 most impressive new buildings in the
/ National Canital. Mr. Grnannnnd n,r