Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-16
Capital Sidelights
By Will r. KENNEDY.

In closing an appeal full Of emotion
for deferring the operation of the
national origins clause in the irnmigra-
ton act Senator David I. Walsh Of
Massachusetts, quoted the inscription on
the unique memorial to the pioneer
mothers which was dedicated IN Kansas
City last year as epitomizins his feel
ing. who can think Of, the pioneer
Mothers of the great Middle West" he
asked. without thinking of the mothers
of the German and scandinavian races
who enriched by their labors the great
agricultural fields Of America" Here
is The inscription:
She conquered the primeval wilder
ness with fortituoe unparalleled In
the annals Of sublime womAnhood.
she gave counsel and comfort to the
sturdy, heroic men who became the
founders of great cities.
"She directed her children along the
trail that leads TO the very summit OF
useful, patriotic citizenship.
"Ehe braved the rerils of plain and
forest, of mountain and river, Of wild
beast and lawless man, to build home
in the freedom of the open spaces on
the Western frontier.
"She had no thought Of direction
except that it was Gods will to guide
her footsteps into a land rich in oppor-
tunity for herself and loved ones.
1T Is TO her we give praise for a
vision greater than our own, for she
kindred and set her face fearlessly into
the golden glow Of the setting SUM-
Senator Walsh said. Among these
pioneer women may have been English
Scotch and Irish immigrants, as vel
as old-fashioned American mothers, but
above all others and outstanding were
the German and Scandinavian women
am going to translate my affection
and tribute to them by voting against
measure which they have good reason
to believe Is discriminatory"
~ k&
Mrs. Edith N Rogers, the flying lady
member of Congress, who invariably
wears garments made from the prod
ucts Of mills in her own district 30 thai
she has come to be called 1.-The home.
made lady" has won another distinc-
ton. She Is known as "the luncheon
lady" because seldom does q day past
but she has arranged luncheon party
usually for visitors from her home dis
trict.
II am glad 10 see these people, anc
usually, in the busy life of the lesisla.
tive session, this Is the only chance
nave to talk with those who sent me-
here to represent them" Mrs. Rogers
explained. This luncheon entertain.
ment program Of Mrs. Rogers has at.
tracte6 so much attention among hel
colleagues that many Of them have sug.
gested TO her that she seems 10 have "a
much travelled constituency" to which
Mrs. Rogers replies, Doesn't it show
that have home people who are athris
for information, education and culture
such as Is encouraged, developed aYc
partially relieved By a visit to the fnes
city In all the world?"
During the past week, when 900 per.
sons from Lowell came to Washington
to attend an ordination service in which
large group OF young men from Lowell
became priests of the Oblate Order
Mrs. Rogers conducted them to tn,
White House, had the President DOS,
with them for photograph and ther
entertained many Of them at luncheon
| in the Capitol She similarly enter.
tanned the King Ginty party of abou
so persons and the Billerica High
School party Of more than 40 girls ant
boys.
Mrs. Rogers office within thre,
months mailed to constituents NOR,
than 10000 documents, bulletins ans
books-which she thinks is still furthel
proof Of the thirst of her constituent.
for information.
Apropos of the controversy tina
broke out in the House the other da,
regarding who really discovered Amer
ica-whether 1t was the Norsen1ar
lief Ericsson, or the italian Columbus
or the Irishman st. Brandan-Repre
sentative O'Connor of Louisiana ex.
plains that there was no serious at
tempt on the part Of Representative
Burtness of North Dakota. the Ericsson
champion, or himself, as the lleralc
Of ST. Brandan, ito challenge the &C
curacy Of what the pages of histor!
tons"
Then he tells what many American
have forgotten, If they ever heard it
the story of st. Brandan. "It zoe
without saying" Representative O'Con
nor argued, that the legends, tradi
tons, sagas, stories and folklore o
st: Brandan's voyage across tn
Atlantic TO the Promised Land Of tn
Saints afterward designated as 81
Brandans Island, in the sixth cen
fury, and that Of Ericsson some cen
tuA 4co 1dVCI Itdu GI1GC
upon the imagination of mariners an,
sea rovers, and had much to do a
an inspiration with the great discover.
in 1892 by Columbus.
The legendary voyage-though
repeat there are many who have as
serted that 1t is historical and au
thentic-ranks among the most cele
brated Of the medieval sagas Of West
ern Europe. Its traditional date i
SOS AID. The story Is found in pros
or verse, In many variations, in Latin
French, English, Saxon, Flemish, irish
Welsh, Breton and Scottish Gaelic
Several of its incidents are found II
Arabic folklore. Many of st. Brendan'
fabulous adventures are said to b.
borrowed from the ha1f-pagan Irisl
sagas of Maeldune, and others ar,
said to belong to Scandinavia
mythology.
lone thing Is certain. His adver
lures at one time were recited b,
more people than who now mention
those Of Marco Polo or even thu
mythical wanderings Of Sinbad tn,
Sailor And ST. Brendans Island wa
long accepted Is a reality by geogra
pliers"