Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-26
Capital sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

them printed the vote taken In execu-
tive session on the confirmation OF
former Senator Lenroot. Is a reminder
that since the earliest days Of Congress
Senators and representatives have
verbally lambasted Washington corre-
spondentS, and even had them put in
jail, for printing information they got
from the members themselves.
Members Of Congress have always
been as sensitive as some of them now
are about what was said of them in the
public print. systematically some OF
them have stood out as rivals to Dickens
Alderman Cute in expressing a desire to
put down" the newspaper correspond
ents. Many Of those who denounce the
correspondents loudest in public have
secretly supplied them with such infor-
nation as they desired to see published.
The Paul Afallons Of today who are
under senatorial fire have q historic
background. for away back in 1912 Ma
thaniel Ronnsavelt, correspondent Of the
the bar OF the House and ordered into
custody for refusing to tell who had
given him some information touching
the secret action on the embargo. It
was shown that his informant was Rep
resentative John Smile Of Pennsylvania
At another time the great John Ran
dolph was much exercised over q Wash
niktou letteT plulCeO IN Tie FHlauel-
phta Press. charging him with having
received British gold as bride for OPP
posing the war. It was ascertained that
the author was Representative Willis
Aston, jr.. Of North Carolina. John c.
Calhoun stated that It was Randolph
himself who. to use the argot Of the
profession, leaked the secret decision
Of the committee on foreign relations
to propose an embargo. This word was
hty - y4A xs,ko
made the journey in the unprecedented
time Of 70 hours, thus enabling scores
OF New England vessels TO put to sea
before the ports were officialiy closed
Mr.. Randolph was an implacsble foe
OF Washington correspondents Of the
elder day and often used language in
referring to them that Is not equaled
today. But even as Senator La Toilette
Jumped to the defense Of the cor
dolph period had as their champion
Representative Matthew Lyon, who
served first from Vermont and later
from Kentucky. and who, while John
Adams was President, had been impris-
oned under the sedition law for publish
ing letter which contained animad-
versions on the administration.
One Of the most truculent among
the washington correspondents Of early
days was Matthew L. Davis, friend and
biographer Of Aaron Burr, who signed
his articles The Spy in Washington, ="
who was Familiarity known as the Old
Boy in Specks" and who, in the closing
years OF his long newspaper career,
signed his articles In the London Times
"A Genevese Traveller" It was one Of
his letters which provoked the duel be.
tween Representatives Graves and Gu
ley, In which the latter was killed.
Nathan Sargent wrote spirited articles
for the Philadelphia Gazette which he
signed oliver Oldschool" Representa-
tive u c. 1ngersoll Of Pennsylvania on
one occasion took offense at something
this correspondent had printed and
moved for his expulsion from the desk
assigned to him. that the honor and
dignity Of the House might be main
tanned" Then quietly arose the nestor
statesman Of them all-John Quincy
Adams Of MAssachusetts-who remark.
ed that the author Of that letter Is as
respectable as the honorable member
from Pennsylvania himself" Then and
there the matter dropped.
=, James w. Simonton, many years ago
the emcient director Of the New York
Associated Press, while Washington cor
respondent of the New York Times In
1857. made q notable expose Of con-
gressionsl corruption, especially to land
grants to railroads. Making q great
show OF injured innocence. some OF the
guilty-conscienced members talked OF
treating Slmonton as O terrier treats O
rat" Following an investigation, the
guilty members resigned to avoid ex-
Pulslon, and those who remained en-
deavored to punish Mr.. Simonton BY
holding him in custody during the re.
mainder of the session because he would
not disclose the name of his informant.
There have been more than a dozen
other attempts, which proved unsuccess-
ful, to force Washington correspond
ents to divulge the sources from which
they obtained information by imprison-
ment for contempt"
The disclosure of what has been done
In the ostensibly confidential executive
sessions OF the Senate has always been
especially dtstasteful to those Senators
who have thought that their words and
actions would never be made public.
Washington, which always has been
a great literary center, and where
have lived and labored some Of those,
like Louise M. Alcott, whose writings
nave appealed for scores Of years es.
pectally to the children, Is expected to
take leadership in most fittinsly ne
morializing some Of those whose simple
and sincere style has appealed strongly
co the heart Of childhood by some spe-
notably done in memory of great Eng
lish writer's.
Specialists In the Children's Bureau
call attention that Lord Rothermere
has offered in the neighborhood of
$500 900 toward the purchase for n
chtldren's park OF the former site of
the London Founding Hospital. which
was made famous the world over by
Charles Dickens in his novel. Little
Dorrit." This institution has recently
moved to the country, leaving available
a considerable piece Of ground in q
section OF London greatly in need of
park space. The only condition at
tached to Lord Rothermeres offer Is
that for one month each year the park
shall be placed at the disposal Of the
British Boy Scouts for q camping
ground.
This proposed gift brings to mind q
remarkable bequest which the Found.
ling Hospital received nearly two CEN
turtles ago by the will Of Handel, the
German composer Of the Messiah"
who left It the score Of that greatest
OF oratortos. Even during his lifetime
the hospital funds had been enriched
by about $4,000 through his annual
rendition OF his masterpiece on the
SiCnb oA6di "IllCIl lIle composer Iltn-
self presented TO the Children's Asylum
Peter Pan" also Is q gold mine for
children's hospital. What child
hasn't seen Peter Pan" either on the
stage or in the movies? And now
every time any child. young or old.
pays for the delight of seeing that
whimsical play Of Sir James Barrie's,
some Of the money viii 60 to help little
sick children In London to get well
again For that heloveh author has
given over Internationally to the Hos
pital for Sick Children. on Great Or
mond street, ell hts rights to royalties
from Peter Pan" a lift which IL IL