Evening star., 1927-05-15
Capital Sidelights

Tribute to the washington CORE
spondents for their ability and in
tegrity, and emphasis that the Ma
tional Capital is the great news center
of the world, is paid by Col. John II.
Carroll, who was official host to Queen
Marie of Rumania on her recent visit
to this country. Col. Carroll. who
knew Horace Greeley, Henry Wat
terson, Joseph Pulitzer, William Il.
Curtis and others in the pres gallery
galaxy of elder days, was speaker dur
ing journalism week at the Missouri
School of Journalism.
He pointed out that "the press gal
lery is the only official gathering place
of newspaper men and women in
Washington" and that ito gain ad-
mission the writer must be engaged
primarily in the newspaper business.
and must send daily telegraphic re-
ports to the paper or papers he repre-
sents. Primarily the men and women
of the gallery, through their own
chosen committee, pass on the eligi-
biiity of all applicants for admission,
with right of appeal to the Speaker
of the House, but when the gallery
turns thumbs down on an applicant
his chance of gaining admission to
the gallery is slim, ! might say nil.
Membership in the press gallery
is mark of distinction i'm the news
paper profession, and an honor sacred
ly guarded by those who are in It.
Newspaper ethics is high among the
Washington correspondents, and not
one among those 300-odd writer's but
enjoys the confidence Of public men
to an unusual degree"
The dean" of Washington's bu-
reaus of correspondents is Richard
V. Oulahan, whom Col. Carroll char
acterizes as a charming personality. J"
He says: "Oulahan is the embodiment
Of all that you have pictured to your
self as the ideal reporter. Faithful
to the news, avoiding the gratuftous
editorial, chronicling in an interesting
human-interest manner the affairs OF
the world-this dean has seen
many years of service, but his zeal
has kept the years from crowding
upon him. Although veteran in ex-
perience and knowledge. he is young
man in appearance and has all the
enthusiasm of q youth. Mr.. Oulahan
has had worldwide experience, par
ticularly in the British Isles and in
France His accuracy, earnestness
and simplicity have given him a last
ing place among national Journalists,
and his personal side is even more
delightful than his reportorial accom-
plishments are remarkable.
X n y
Apropos of the involuntary vaca-
tions without pay which many GOV.
ernment employees are being forceu
to take between now and July /. due
to lack of funds on account OF the
failure of the second deficiency ap-
Lzl- fIA tn
Senate under the high-sounding appel
lation of "filibuster," Thomas Jeffer-
sons comments upon too much talk
in the Legislative Assembly are
brought to mind. Also it will be noted
that these were made at a time when
the membership of Congress was con-
siderably less than half it's present
number and that even then the pre-
dominance Of lawyers impeded the or
derly procedure. Let us quote Mr..
Jefferson, the 'sage of Monticello:
II served with Gen. Washington in
the Legislature of Virginia before the
Revolution, and during it, and with
DIR. Franklin in Congress. I never
heard either of them speak 10 minutes
at a time, nor to any but the main
point, which was to decide the ques-
tion.
"They laid their shoulders to the
great points, knowing that the little
ones would follow of themselves. If
the present Congress errs in too much
talking, how can it be otherwise, in
a body to which the people send $50
lawyers, whose trade it is to ques-
ton everything, yield nothing and
talk by the hour? That $50 lawyers
should do business together ought not
to be expected"
There are now employed in the
Government Printing Office 528 vet
Grams of American wars, including
one who served in the Civil War. OF
this number of war veterans 116 are
employees who left to enter the armed
forces of the United States during the
World War and returned to the serv-
ice of the Government Printing
Office after the armistice.
The old penitentiary. in which those
charged with completely in the murder
of President Lincoln were tried and
sentenced, and in basement cell OF
which the body of John Wilkes Booth,
the assassin. was buried for many
years. formerly stood on the Washing
ton Barracks grounds, and was in
later years used as a storehouse for
ordnance material, but was removed
in 1869. In the adjoining yard, which
was surrounded by a high brick wall,
Mrs. Surratt, AtZeroth, Herald and
Payne were hanged on July 9. 1865.