Evening star., 1928-11-04
Capital Sidelights

Out In Representative fpOWDOCtCm s
home town of Evansville. Ind, on the
morning of election day the school chill
dren are to be mustered in full force to
help get out the vote. Patriotic exercises
are to be held Il the schools. empha-
sizing the responsibility of the fran
chise. Street parades will be headed by
the school bands and with placards dis
played calling attention to the duty of
citizens to vote.
The aim. of course is not to influence
the vote for any particular candidate.
but to combat indifference to the bal
lot box, to remind voters without re-
gard for their political affiliations that
it is their duty to vote: at the same
time to impress upon the rising gener-
alton the privilege and duty of citizen
ship and to acquaint them at an early
age with the mechanics of an election.
It is proposed that honor citizenship
badges be presented to pupils in whose
homes each person voted who was en-
titled to the franchise.
Evansville is an attractive little city
and largely community of persons of
German descent.
Representative Roy Fitzgerald of
Ohio formerly member of the House
District committee and best known in
Washington because he is fathering the
Workmen's compensation legislation,
and codification of the District laws, Is
lust back from attending the confer
ence of the Interparliamentary Union
in Berlin He made personal investi-
cation of the housing situation and
governmental participation throughout
Germany and the municipal market
system in Berlin. He also had the spe-
cial privilege of inspecting the great
Ascher diamond-cutting establishment
in Amsterdam, which is the worlds
headquarters for such work.
X Il X
Occasionally a thrilling little tale of
romance and heart interest is found in
the correspondence of member of
Congress. For example, Representa-
tive John w. Summers of Washington
has been able to restore to their family
after 10 years two young girls through
a correspondence covering the United
States, Russia, Germany and England
He has also located and returned to
their distressed or needy parents a
dozen or more youthful sons who had
run away and joined the Army or Navy
y X y II
The procession of tourists who have
been driving this Summer over the
nearly $50 toll bridges within the United
States and on the international boun-
Diary, who incidentally saw 20 other toll
bridges in process of construction, are
especially interested in the promise OF
Representative John J. Cochran e. OF
Missouri that he intends to legisla-
lively slay the toll bridge octopus.
In view of the fact that 253 bridge
bills were favorably reported by the
House Committee on Interstate anc
Foreign Commerce from December 5
1927, to May 30, 1928, some 235 o.
which became laws, there seems to bt
ground of considerable public intereS
in this matter, now that Everyman anc
his wife and family are awheel these
days.
During the first session of the present
Congress, Mr.. Cochran points out, there
were 20l toll bridge bills introduced
of which 122 were for private opera
tion OF this number 90 were finally
approved, of which 81 are to be oper'
ated by private agencies.
More than 80 per cent Of all the toll
bridges In this country are today oper'
ated by private interests. Representa-
tive Cochran argues that In the In
| terest of all the people such franchises
should be carefully guarded, and HI
proposes a House committee to inves-
tigate the entire ton bridge situation.
The plan for the Gorgas Memoria
Laboratory at Panama, in cOmmemo-
ration of the great service to humanity
performed by Gen. William c. Gorgas
in making that region livable for the
white race, is enthusiastically supported
| by Representative William B. Oliver
who claims that Gen. Gorgas was one
of his constituents, since he claimed his
| political domicile at Tuscaloosa, Ala
Representative Oliver points out thai
already there Is a beautiful, senti-
mental Gorgas memorial at Tusca-
loosa, the generals sister giving "higf
service to the youth OF our country a.
Librarian Of the University of Alabama
position which her greatly beloved
and sainted mother held for more thar
third Of century"
In explaining the peculiar fitness o.
the memorial laboratory at Panama
Representative Oliver says:
| 4o 40 RON0AAuAAJ AittA4lS bAAdb Jul COQAA-
try should generously cooperate witt
Central and South America in estab.
| fishing and maintaining at Panama 9
memorial Of international import tt
this great American, for certainly NJ
man ever served humanity in a wider
more benef1cent. more lasting way thar
did Gen. Gorgas. This Is why he was
loved and honored, not alone at home
but by the nations of the earth, and
though he has passed away from u;
forever, the fruits of his labor still live
and will continue to serve mankind
through this memorial laboratory.
Standing as 1t will at the crossroads
OF the nations, 1t will ever serve to re.
mind the world that this great Ameri-
can above all brought to the practice
OF his profession in all its relations the
loftiest standards of professional duty
and honor. The purity of his life, the
nobility and dignity of his character
his scorn of everything sordid, base oil
mean, the kindness of his heart anc
the grace and charm of his manner
added TO the wealth and abundance OF
his intellectual accomplishments, made
him the finest type and model of what
a great physician can and should be
AS such the world will not forget, but
will ever cherish his memory, and the
generous aspirations Of future genera
tions will find in his life and fame a
perpetual incentive to noble character. y