Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-14
A WASHINGTON DAYBOOK
BY HERBERT C. PLUMMER.

WASHINGTON.-Bits of Washington
gossip picked up at random:
No matter how much spicy gossip and
conjecture Alice Roosevelt Longworth
may stir up in Washington by her
refusal to yield to rules of precedence,
she long has followed the policy of
never giving interviews"
All of which recalls a story from an
erstwhile reporter of the days when
Roosevelt was President.
He long had cherished the ambition
to obtain an interview with Princess
Alice" One day he persuaded friend
of the Roosevelt family to present him
as the son of a well known United
States Senator. The better part of an
afternoon was spent in extracting mate
rial for an excellent news story.
On the eve of the reporters departure
Alice innocently commented on his flair
for newspaper work. His little farce
broke down completely. Rather shame
facedly he confessed his identity. Alice
was surprised and then amused.
Needless to say the story was never
printed.
There are two or three young women
who cover" the executive Offices of the
ington newspaper correspondent. They
are representatives of bonding houses,
waiting for the list of nomination that
the President sends to the Senate.
All postmasters collectors of customs
and internal revenue are required to
post bond as insurance that they will
discharge their duties faithfully. The
actual appointment depends on con-
flrmation by the Senate, but most Of
those named are certain to be con-
firmed. However, before his name is
placed on the pay roll the Treasury
Department must have his prescribed
bond on file.
The bonding companies want to know
as quickly as possible the names and
addresses of all persons nominated Tor
postmaster or collector. The quickest
way is to have some one on duty wait
ing for them at the White House.
The older residents of Washington
particularly, hail the appearance OF
John Philip Sousa on the air. They
still remember him in the days when
as a Marine sergeant he marched un
Pennsylvania avenue leading the Marine
Band
1t has been a long time since he
turned the Marine Band baton over to
Fancuilli, who straightaway got himself
court-martialed for refusing to play a
Sousa march when ordered to do so by
a Marine lieutenant. This row prompted
Congress to make the leader OF the band
commissioned officer
Sousa was born In Washington, the
son of a Portuguese father, who was
himself member of the Marine Band
President Hoover's fondness for
angling has caused real estate boom
IN a hitherto comparatively unknown
section near Washington.
A current magazine carries a hall
page advertisement of an estate direct
iy adjoining President Hoover's Summer
playground" The owner halls his prop
erty as IAN ideal playground for man
of means and lover of nature"
Aside from that "its present low price
and other factors should greatly en-
nance its value within few years"
At the foot OF Capitol Hill, within g
stones throw of the National Capito
itself, is bit of countryside.
It is worked over with meticulous
care, yet 1t holds wild heart OF nat
ural beauty within. Horticultural dis
be seen In this National Botanic Gar
den. Each is neatly labeled and eX.
actly catalogued.
And the official gardener for the
United States stands ever ready to con-
duct the visitor through.
For more than 16 years George w
Hess has worked to develop this, gar
den. During this time he has secured
the world for plants and flowers.
To China, Japan and the Philippines
he has gone in his quest. He has made
three trips to the Hawaiian Islands Il
make a study Of plant life there.
His aim is "the greatest botanic gar
Den in the world for the greatest coun'
| try in the world"