Evening star., 1927-12-04

| $1,000, which was exceedingly good in
| those days.
ILLUSTRATING how the increase
in legislative business has forced
n speeding up of the machinery, the
reading style of John G. Crockett,
chief clerk Of the Senate and reading
clerk for 20 years. is in distinct con-
trast to that of Mr.. Rose. MIR. Crock
ett had previously attracted attention
for eXpediting procedure as reading
clerk in the Iowa assembly, so Sena-
tors Dolliver and Allison brought him
on to Washington, where he won the
job of reading clerk in the Senate in
a notable contest against 40 candi-
dates.
1t is rather a contradiction in terms
to mention reading clerks among
"silent partners" of Congress, but the
House also has two veteran employees
in this capacity who are subjected to
stiff daily grind--A. E. Chaffee. who
has been House employe for p
years, and p. j. Haltigan, whose
resonant voice Is known all over the
United States as lecturer and as
reading clerk at Democratic national
conventions, and who has been reader
in the House for is years.
Forty-five years ago a boy. the
great-great-gr of Carter
Braxton, who signed the Declaration
land, Md, wearing a homespun suit
Of clothes that his mother had sat up
two nights to make for him. He still
had the CRIME of printers ink in his
hands that were swollen from strain
at piece.work press feeding in a
paper-bag factory. He had been
forced to leave school when he was 10
years of age. He came as page boy
in the Office of the clerk Of the House,
and he Is today in charge of that Of
fee, self-educated and well educated,
an expert on the Constitution and the
history Of Government, author of the
Americans Greed and Of handbook
on congressional business. He con.
ducts at the beginning Of each new
Congress a symposium" to steer new
members right about their unaccus-
toned duties-to be helpful to every
member Of Congress.
That is the record Of William Tyler
Page. who now signs some 5000
checks O. month, being in charge of
National House Of Representatives.
This emphasizes that not all of the
"silent partners" Of Congress can be
mentioned here, for there are nearly
1900 on the payrolls of the House
alone. Mr.. Page is also executive Sec
retaryof the Commission on the Bicen-
tennial of Washington's Birth, of
which the President 10 official chair
man. And Mr.. Page gives credit for
much of the efficiency with which he
dispatches such large volume Of
work to his assistants. especially to
Miss Lily Mcconnell, who has been
his clerk for 13 years.
Yet another employe on whom
members of Congress have come to
place great dependence during A
years of service is J. Martin Mckee,
foreman of the House folding room
In the Post Office Department and
some other branches of the Federal
service employees who invent time and
labor saving devices receive rewards.
Mr.. Mckee has invented two that are
in general use, and even the members
who use them most do not know they
have him to thank.
liner. This is important when one
stops to consider that $4,000 bags of
mail matter are shipper annually un.
der Mr.. McKee's direction. In 1925
there were 320,000.OOO copies Of
speeches and bulletins mailed, 400. 900
bound books and pamphlets, 5000
large maps of the United States
Three thousand sets, or $4,000 bound
volumes, of the Congressional Record
were distributed. There have been
nearly a million copies Of the horse
book and half a million of the cattle
book sent out.
Mr.. Mckee has nearly 1000 900
books and pamphlets in stock. There
have been 10 extra sessions of Con-
gress since Mr.. Mckee has been at
the Capitol.
In these days Of multiplied con-
facts with all the branches Of Govern.