Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25
Capital Sidelights

rush, just as big in proportion as that
at the city post office, and 1t has been
handled efficiently and without en-
ployment OF any extra help"
Frank Collier, postmaster OF the
House, has had larger problem than
ever before in keeping a record
breaking volume Of both incoming
and outgoing mail moving with his
regular force, which has been com
PEELED to do doublc-time duty.
There Is n mail goes out every hour
from the House Office Building, and
on each Of these mails for the ;ast
two weeks there have been from 10
to 20 sacks of parcel post matter and
about the same quantity Of incoming
parcel post mail
But the biggest Christmas-time load
comes from hundreds Of thousands Of
Christmas greeting cards, which are
being mailed to every State, city,
town. village and hamlet in this coun.
try and throughout the world. Into
FAR remote outposts I'm Alaska, where
n letter rarely goes. these Christmas
cards carry their note Of cheer.
1t is impossible to form any esti.
mate Of the number OF Christmas
cards that have been sent out from
the Capitol this year. Some Senators
and House members send out as many
as 10000. others 10000, and practi.
cally every one Of the 90 Senators and
the 435 House members sends at least
500 OF these CHEEKY cards.
This year. as usually, the Speaker
or the House has probably held the
record for mailing the largest mum.
Der. This is because the office OF
Speaker Is according to unwritten ira.
dition the Governments greeter to all
the people of the United States al this
season, because he speaks for the
numerically largest unity Of the Gov
eminent. which il also closest to the
people who are called upon every two
years to express by their votes their
approval or disapproval of the service
rendered in laW-making by each in
dividual member of the House.
While members Of Congress are
usually looking pretty close to the ad.
vantage that may come to them from
any mail sent into their home dis.
tricts. and while they send birthday
greeting cards to ingratiate them.
selves. the spirit In which they send
out Christmas cards is entirely diff
ferent. They send them with real
feeling to friends whom they wish to
give assurance Of their affection and
best wishes. They studiously avoid
any suggestion OF politics or self.
advantage. For example. one New
York House member, who has sent
out record breaking number of cards
this year. positively and emphaticallv
forbade any publicity being given 10
the fact or his name used.
Edmund r. Erik, clerk to the
House committee on foreign affairs,
has held his prestige Of producing the
most elaborate Christmas greeting
folder. For the last eight years Mr..
Erks greetings have been eagerly
watched for. not only by friends
about the Capitol. but thousands OF
persons in all parts OF the country.
This year he has sent out $1,000
copies and schools. libraries and hun.
dreds of organizations and individ.
uais have written in urging him TO
have another edition printed. He
could have sold more than so 900
copies. but this was not a commercial
enterprise. 1t was his personal greet.
ing TO friends. educative and con.
tributing TO the Americanization and
patriotic spirit
II cost Mr.. Erik more than a dollar
apiece TO publish these booklets
II
ments OF Popular Constitutional
Liberty" with photostatic reproduc-
tons and famous paintings and steel
engravings OF the most important
events In our national history. These
documents include: The Mayfower
Compact" the Log OF the Mayf,ow.
or" the Declaration and Resolves OF
the First Continental Congress" the
Virginia Bill OF Rights" the "Decla-
ration OF independence" Articles of
Confederation" the Constitution OF
the United States" "Washington's
Farewell Address, The Monroe
Doctrine" 'Lincoln's Gettysburg Ad.
dress" the History OF the Liberty
Rell." the Birth OF the Stars and
Stripes" and The Americans Greed"
These documents are the precious
heritage OF free institutions and
American ideals which have come
down 10 us from out of the service
and the sacrifice OF those who. with
the love Of God in their hearts.
reared a government on the founda-
lions OF freedom. equality. justice
and humanity. With confidence in
the right. undaunted in their might.
they conceived and dedicated a leg
acy-the greatest nation on Gods
green earth. Mr.. Erks Christmas
message emphasizes
This is one of the most compre-
hensively compact symposiums on
the formation Of our Government that
was ever compiled and printed. After
the Christmas holidays. several MEM
hers OF Congress have in mind TO
ask MIR. Erik 10 release his copy.
right and permit this compilation to
be printed as a public document. to
spread a knowledge OF the funda-
ments of our Government and TO pro.
mote patriotism.