Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30

with all the branches OF Government
| for their constituents. members of
Congress would be swamped without
the telephone. Mrs. Harriet G.. Dali
ley, the chief operator. has u oper-
ators under her, giving continuous
service "a hours in the day. Each
girl handles 800 to 400 calls an hour
while Congress is in session.
Rogers i'm Service 81 Years.
Joseph G. Rogers, sergeant at arms
of the House, has been helping Con-
gress for 81 years. He came as a
clerk, was a minority employee while
the Democrats We're in control and
has been sergeant at arms for eight
years. The historic mace, the symbol
of authority, has never had to be
ordered out since "Joe" Rogers has
had 1t in his custody, although he has
had to step in and stop several per-
sonal encounters between members.
AS matter of fact, 1t is Col. A. G.
Jordan, assistant sergeant at arms,
who impressively bears the mace into
the House each day just before the
session opens.
Mr.. Rogers is also in charge
jointly with David S. Barry. sergeant
at arms of the Senate, of the Capitol
police force of some 100 men. Mr..
Barry entered upon his duties as a
page in the Senate SO years ago, but
went into other Government depart
mental employment and for many
years was a prominent Washington
correspondent.
Joe Sinnott is a special employee of
the Democratic minority, who for az
years has been on the job no matter
which party was in control. He was
doorkeeper when the Democrats were
in the majority, and in the Sixty-first
Congress, when the insurgent fight
was being made which ousted the
then Gear Cannon" from control of
committees, he wha sworn in by a
coalition of the Democrats with the
Republican insurgents as sergeant at
arms to forcibly bring in a quorum.
When they brought Uncle Joe in to
sign the warrants he looked his old
friend Sinnott squarely in the eye and
declared he didn't know him and
would not sign any warrants for him
to serve.
Over at the Senate end of the Capt
toll the highest ranking Democratic
employe is Col. Edwin A. Halsey,
acting assistant doorkeeper, who was
nominated by the Democrats for sec.
rotary of the Senate. Mr.. Halsey has
| been an employe at the Capitol for
80 years, his first job being as page
In the press gallery, but he has been
| on the floor since 1914. At the last
Democratic national convention he
| was secretary of the Democratic ma
tional senatorial committee.
All Like Peter Wilson.
A universally loved old Senate
| worker is Peter M. Wilson, who has
been on duty for "a years. He was
| in the disburslng Office for 20 years
and is now in the secretary's office on
the resolutions desk, taking care OF
| documents.
For the last % years the House has
| not been able to function without the
services Of a woman-Mrs. Florence A
| Donnelly, who came in 1905 with tn
late Representative James r. Mann.
| Mrs Donnelley had been Mr.. Manns
right-hand man for 81 years when he
died four years ago. This great party
leader once told the House that Mrs,
Donnelly knew more than most Con
| gressmen, and others agree that few
| Congressman know legislation as Mrs
Donnelly does. She was secretary t.
Mr.. Mann and clerk to the committee
on elections, the interstate and foreign
commerce committee, and when Mr.
| Mann became minority leader she was
also clerk to the minority.
| After Mr.. Mann's death a specia
| resolution was passed making Mrs
Donnelly a clerk under the clerk o.
the House and she has been continu
ing her digest of bills on all calen
dars-union, house and private
under House Leader Tilson, serving
also as clerk to the committee which
makes up the slate Of committee as
signments.
Bert w. Kennedy, doorkeeper of tn,
House, has served continuously fol
38 years In the House chamber, hav
ing gradually climbed up from a page
Kennedy has made good for 3S years
during the ms and outs OF politics be
cause ne realized he was there to give
service and he made friends. In the
Ftfty-first Congress he won golt
watch as the most popular page. Ht
was personal page to the late Presi
dent Mckinley, when the latter wa,
chairman of the Republican nationa
convention In 1892.
Frank w. Collier 20 years ago wa,
messenger in the House post office
where for eight years now he has beer
postmaster. and doing more bushes!
than most big city Offices. Most people
imagine that members of Congress d.
not pay anything for postage, but Mr.
Collier takes in about $4,000 a year
and that represents less than 10 pc
cent of the business of the office.
Lehr Fess Kept Busy.
One of the most important office
to keep the House in good workin;
order liz the parliamentarian who is oil
duty at the speakers desk. Lehr FEES
: came to the Capitol first as hi
fathers secretary and was assitan
! with the congressional committee. Fp