Evening star., 1932-10-16
Capital Sidelights
by WILL r. -.ENNEDY.

the country generally to have the Ma
tional Capital not only adequately kept,
but ornated. embellished and developed
into the most beautiful city In the
world, memoriaising the great deeds OF
national heroes, il being illustrated IN
the present congressional campaign.
For years there have been men IN
Congress who sought to treat the Capt.
tai City as q stepchild, attempted to
Illustrate all efforts to adurn it, imped-
ed imperative improvements, and orat-
ed Querulously about all proposed ex-
penditures on the city that George
Washington founded. But their day Is
passing. There Is a new order of men,
who are making their campaigns on
what they have been able to accomplish
toward the upbuilding Of the Capital
city.
Those who have presistently fought
adequate appropriation and helpful
legislation Tor the District Of Columbia
on narrow grounds that more is being
done for this distinctly different city
than for other cities In their home dis
tricts are falling by the political way
SIDE. The voters are letting them know
that they are firing of this cant, that
they prefer men who do and who build
up rather than those who complain and
impede.
Row we have men who 60 honestly
before the voters in their district and
say: we have done our duty as i'm
posed upon us by the Constitution to
leeislAte properly for the Nations Capt.
tAl-the city Of all the people" and con-
slider that one of the strongest points
for reelection. Three specific illustra-
tions will be sufficient:
There is Representative Ernest w.
Gibson. Republican, of Vermont, who
the voters he emphasizes his services
for Federal employees and for the Dis
trict Of Columbia second only to his
service In behalf of his home State. He
said: TT has been a satisfaction to be
Of direct assistance to all employees Of
the Government in helping to shape
their retirement legislation, in arTang-
ing adjustment OF differences in secur-
ing better mail and other facilities and
the supplying OF advice of Government
experts for all the problems Of the
people"
Representative Gibson takes especial
pride In his work on the Legislative
Committee for the District of Columbia.
He explained IL to the voters as follows: ::
Under the pfovisiunS Of the Consti-
tuition, Congress must exercise exclusive
lekislAtion IN All cAse4 whatsoever over
place in that document n repetition of
language used for the sake Of emphasis.
30, In effect, every member OF Congress
represents the people OF the District.
Having in mind the splendid construc-
tive work for the FEDERAL City by Nor
rili, Dillingham;, 0rout, ana many other
Vermontefs In assuming 4 full measure
OF responsibility under the Constitu-
tion. I WAS glad to accept d place on
the District Committee Of the House.
In carrying out my duties introduced
and succeeded in securing the passage
Of legislation that resulted In the estAb-
lishment and the extension Of the park
and playground system.
The Establishment OF the PARK AND
Planning Commission to coordinate all
efforts to make the Capital City Of our
country the most beautiful In the world.
"Tne authorization for the erection of
much needed school buildings under a
comprehensive five-year building pro-
gram.
The authorization for the erection of
4 tubercular childrens sAnitArium for
the care Of hundreds OF tubercular
children.
Enactment OF the license-fee law
that adds $100, 900 per annum income to
the District.
Under my direction 4 complete sur
vey was made of some 10 departments
and services which resulted in beneficial
adjustments, the changing OF certain
ofiicials and the saving Of half a million
dollars annually to the taxpayers OF
Washington and the country"
Another member who ID proud OF MS
liberal policy toward the National Cap
ital Is Representative william J. Gran
field, Democrat. OF Massachusetts,. who
is q member OF the subcommittee which
conducts hearings on the District budget
and drafts the District appropriation
bill. In every instance where penurious
colleagues sought to slash the District
appropria ton items IN cheese-pAring
fashion. Representative QfanfleM con-
tended for the more adequate appropria-
tion and insisted upon a more liberal
Federal contribution than some Of his
colleagues favored
Representative Frank L. Bowman. Re-
publican. of West Virginia. who II
rounding out eight years OF consecutive
service on the House District Committee
u meeting As one Of the principal issues
charges of his opponent-an athletic
director-that there should be q whole
sale slash in the Federal pay roll. lop-
ping on countless employees and that the
Capital City is being pampered
Representative Bowman during the
past eight years has been an active
leader for progressive improvement Of
the Capital City and for a sensible. EN-.
cient administration Of the municipal
ity. having in mind that the Capital
City Is not, and should not, be like any
other city In the country. and that 1t IL
. duty imposed on each Congressman n
BY the Constitution to legislate for the
District. With an intimate background
Of record authority, Representative Bow
man ID meeting in detail and with ek-
act statements the generalities Of his
opponent. emphasizing always to the
voters Of his district that it Is not real
economy to make blanket and unstudied
cuts in District appropriations.