Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
BY LEE LAMAR ROBINSON.

BY LEE LAMAR ROBINSON.
The most motor minded of all legis-
/ lative bodies anywhere and at any time
is just now getting down to real buSi-
ness in connection with the programs
laid down by leaders in the first regular
session of the Seventy-first Congress of
I the United States.
There is real significance in this fact
to the largest single group possibly, in
| tereSted in any one subject in the coun-
| try, the millions of motor car owners in
the States. At time when there is
| talk and more talk of blocs being the
order of the day on Capitol Hill, when
there is difficulty in getting anything
near unanimous support of a movement,
there should come feeling OF satlsfac-
ton, of "chestiness," in fact, on the part
of all motorists in the knowledge that
with the mere mention of appropriations
for durable and satisfactory highways
over which to operate their motor cars,
there is at once a gratifying agreement
on all hands on this proposition.
History Is Interesting.
The history of the modern highway
movement since the time Federal aid to
roads first was initiated in the National
Congress is saga of never-ending in
terest. But, as this history is known to
almost every man, woman and child of
this generation, it is with the visible evil
dences in the way of congressional sup
port of more and better roads that this
article has to deal; with the evidences
of keen persoal appreciation upon the
part of the Federal lawmakers in avail
ing themselves of the pleasures and
benefits of motors and roads on which
the story is built.
Pondering upon this situation, the
writer took occasion to look somewhat
closely into the extent to which theory
Is carried into personal practice by the
members of the Congress. The way to
do this, obviously, was to ascertain just
how many of these members themselves
own, drive or use motor cars these days.
Opportunity for divulging this bent was
District of Columbia make available
tags bearing the word Congressional"
uuon them, to be issued to members Of
the House of Representatives and of the
Senate upon request, and attached to
their automobiles.
80 Per Cent Use Tags.
The first inquiry was made of Ser
geant at Arms Joseph @. Rodgers, the
good-natured official whose duty It is
not only to maintain order on the floor
but to pay the salaries of members, their
clerical and other forces, and to issue
these Congressional tags. In reply,
Mr.. Rodgers said that due to the tags
sometimes being lost, and duplicates
made necessary, and the fact requests
for them of known members were acted
upon without question, detailed regis
trationS of the same were not kept as in
the case of other Office records. How
ever, his opinion was that at least 90
per cent of the House members used
these tags.
rTaara AoE
OF Representatives. The figure suggest
ed by Mr.. Rodgers, therefore, would
indicate that around 400 of these mem.
berS, are confirmed motor users. Some,
possibly, have not taken the trouble to
ask for the distinguishing tags. Others
OF them have more than one car in the
family. most of the clerks of the House
committees and others Of the person.
mel OF the House also use automobiles.
A fair estimate, therefore. of the users
OF the automobile, and of the highways,
on the House side Of Capitol hill would
be, probably, around 1000. This figure
IN itself is not impressive when one con-
JureS up mentally around %, 900 900
other Americans at the wheel, but it is
important, impressively so, as rejecting
an almost 100 per cent addiction to
the motoring habit by the personnel of
the larger of the two Houses of Con-
greSs, those who, with their colleagues
on the other side, have the say as to
money for more and more good roads.
Batting Average 100 Per Cent.
1t was but step over to the office
OF Sergeant at Arms David s.. Barry of
the Senate, where records were con-
suited. These indicated that all but
three OF the members of the Senate had
asked for the Congressional" tags, and.
it was suggested, this did not mean the
other three were not automotiveIy in
clined. AS in the case of the members
OF the House, some Senators have moro
than one car. Also, their aides, almost
without exception, are owners. And, so
the story went, another batting average
OF almost 100 per cent.
It happens that action by the House
committee at this session on the queS-
ton of making appropriations for Fed
eral aid in the future already has been
taken, one which will be followed, in
evitably, by House members on the
floor, and in the Senate committee and
on the Senate floor. Increases of from
SIS, 100000 to $125, 900 900 a year for
the three Immediately succeeding fiscal
years, to be used by Uncle Sam in aid
ing the various States to extend the
Fedral highway system, have been ap-
proved by the House Committee.
Another inquiry was made on Capitol
Hill as to the disposition of the mem
berS toward making use OF their auto
mobiles in coming to the Capitol from
THAR tNT1aAc and in -