Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-05-29
Capital Sideights
BY WILL P.l ,NEDY.

BY WILL p. ;NEDY.
Uncle Sam has exc.r.s of all kinds
working Tor hin-many Of them are
specialists, adept and skillful along lines
that the public never thinks about.
Some OF them know how to fashion fac
SMILES Of rare flowers, make models Of
buildings or reconstruct prehistoric skel-
etons. For example-Uncle Sam has
the country's most expert gavel maker,
who has fashioned historic gavels for
practically every Masonic lodge room
in the country, in charge OF keeping the
Capitol elevators in good working con-
dition and giving a weekly inspection to
the elevators in a half dozen other Gov
eminent buildings.
John c. Dakin is a native OF WASH
ington and has been faithful and
greatly appreciated employe at the Cap
itol for rs years. He formerly worked
in one Of the best machine shops in this
part of the country.
His particular job is to keep in ex-
cellent condition the 81 elevators In the
Capitol, Senate and House Office Build
ings. He inspects each week the four
elevators in the old City Hall. three in
the Columbia Hospital, two in the
Court Of Appeals and one in the Court
Of Claims.
Years ago he became interested in
doing an artistic job of turning on CAV
els-in which line he became an artist
unequaled in any woodworking shop
Of the Capitol. attests to the beauty OF
the gavels he has made and to the hun
dreds Of requests that have come from
all parts of the world to have John C
Dakin turn gavels for special occasions
out of historic pieces of wood. He has
made thousands of them-for Presi-
dents and Vice Presidents, Speakers, cab
met members, chairman of Congress
sional Committees and for patriotic or
CARNATIONS in all parts Of the United
States and-all over the world
Dakin is one of those artists in the
humble walks of life who have turned
out beautiful specialties for the sheer
joy of making a beautiful thing-and
he has earned the title of being Uncle
Sans gavel expert.
~
William Tyler Page, formerly clerk
OF the House and now a special en-
ploye, who is author of the Americans
Greed and executive secretary Of the
George Washington Bicentennial Com
mission, last week enjoyed thrill that
comes but once in lifetime
He went back to his native town,
Frederick, Md, which he left 81 years
Representatives He went back home
to make Bicentennial address and en-
joyed real Rip Van Wrinkle expert
ence. Most Of the audience were boys
and girls with whom he had played
more than half century ago. He was
introduced by an old playmate, Chief
Judge Hammond Urner. with whom he
attended school in the old Frederick
Academy.
The meeting was in the historic court
house in which the Frederick County
people met and adopted resolutions Of
sympathy with the Boston tea party.
Judge Urner and Mr. Page reminisced
about their boyhood pranks, including
one time when with the boys of their
gang they climbed into the old belfry
and rang the bell while the court was
in session. Mr.. Page reminisced with
his audience about the thrill he had
more than half a century ago when in
the cold early December morning he
made his first trip to Washington on a
milk train that took four hours for the
trip. He then wore homespun suit Of
clothes that his good mother had sat
up all night to make for him.
In this year when we are celebrating
the Bicentennial of George Washington,
there happened together in the House
the othr day five veteran employees who
figured up that they have been in joint
service for more than 200 years that
have elapsed since Washington's birth
and that they have a good start toward
tercentenary celebration.
William Tyler Page, author Of the
American Greed and former clerk of
the House, was chatting with Joseph
G. Rodgers, former sergeant at arms.
The former has seen 81 years Of con-
tinuous service at the Capitol and the
latter As years. Along came william
Andy Smith, the Congressional Record
clerk, who has an Office in Statuary
Hall, in what was the original House
chamber. Mr. Smith is dean of the
veteran employees with 81 years of serv-
Ice to his credit-and he is still the
spryeSt among the old fellows. Then
Joe" Sinnott, the doorkeeper of the
House. Joined the group. He also has
nad 40 years OF service and is going to
be chief doorkeeper at the coming
Democratic national convention in Chi
cago. And while they were figuring up
that their joint service covered within
TWO years OF the entire Bicentennial
period they noted in a seat Just behind
them George C. Lafferty, one of the
offlclal reporters of debate, who con-
trlbuted As years to the score, giving
them flying start as a group resolved
to complete 300 years of service.
4 X X
AS an earnest that the House is sin
cere in its determination to relieve un-
employment as far as possible by per-
Sonal service, comes the annual base
ball game between the Republican and
Democratic House members, which is to
be played on June 4, with Gene Tunney
as umpire. The candidates for the two
teams are hdulging in daily practice,
with each camp having its following at
different high school stadiums.
The members are doing the exer-
cislng and will play the game, but it's
the sergeant at arms of the House, Ken
meth Romney, WHO has thrown open his
ONCE for the sale of tickets for the
game. Romney, by the way, is to be
sergeant at arms of the Democratic
convention in Chicago.
One Of the most popular men
around the Capitol is diminutive
Johnny McCabe, who used to play
juvenile parts in THE Squaw Man"
as Buster Brown and in various stock
companies as the way of getting
around the child labor law. johnny
sWears 1T wasn't smoking cigarettes
that stunted his growth-that Just
came naturally. Some Is years ago
Representative Will R. Wood of In
diana brought him to the Capital as
part OF his patronage and for some
years he has been chief page on the
Republican side.
Of the Republican whips" conference
to accompany Republican Leader Smell
to the Chicago convention, where Rep
resentative Smell Is to be permanent
chairman of the convention that is ex-
pected to renominate Herbert Hoover.