Evening star., 1932-11-27
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

with the George Washington Bicen-
tennial Year officially closed, the Amer
ican people have another even more
important Bicentennial to look forward
to-the second centennial OF the inde-
pendence of the United States, "A years
hence, in 1876. The youths OF today
and tomorrow will observe that Bicen-
tennial, as the big majority OF those
who have been celebrating the George
Washington Bicentennial year Will
have passed along.
But we of our generation have pro-
vided for feature Of the 1876 Bicen-
tennial, in fact we have a tabernacle
dedicated to that celebration, in an
obscure part of the Capital, about which
even many of the Oldest veterans
around the legislative halls know little.
1t is not on the rounds about which the
Capitol guides conduct the tourist
groups.
Very few persons know that there is
centennial safe.
1t is q large fireproof safe, filled
with records of national interest, rela-
tive to the close of the first centennial
era. This safe is permanently closed
and not to be opened until 1876.
This fireproof centennial safe was
furnished through the efforts of Mrs.
A. H. Diehm of New York, who insti-
tuted the plan for the purchase of the
safe and the contribution Of the con-
tents. One of the features Of this COL
lection is a large album containing au
tographs and portraits of prominent
people from all parts OF the country.
This centennial safe was closed and
locked on February %, 1879. 1t is to
remain closed until the second centen-
nial year.
Tt ,-a, ~on,a,,o<s fra,-s &ho rot,,r5z 80
the Capitol many years ago and Is now
stored in one of the entrances to the
crypt of the Capitol.
X x X
Now comes retired soldier of career
elected to the next (Seventy-third)
Congress-John Henry Hoeppel of Ar
cadia, Calif.-who Is described by an old
comrade in arms, Col Edmund S. Sayer,
as square and straight shooter and
valiant ally of the common people
who do not SAVIOR Of class"
Representative-elect Hoeppel saw 80
years of service in the Army as an en-
listed man and officer in France during
the World War.
Hoeppel began his military career
when he enlisted In the Army for the
Spanish-American War. He was then
but 18 years of age and at the close of
the war re-enlisted in the Regulars -
He retired about 10 years ago with q
service record of 80 years to his credit.
He was retired with the rank of master
sergeant, the highest non commissioned
grade in the Army, but bill passed last
May promotes him to his wartime rank
of first lieutenant.
the Capital last Winter, when he had
his first introduction to Congress, and
the operations of the legislative mill so
interested him that he made a close
study of the legislative system. He then
decided that when he returned to his
home in California he would himself
seek election to Congress. The recent
Democratic landslide helped him to
achieve his ambition.
He is tall, straight, a raw-boned
American of soldierly bearing, who
shows in the lines of his face the will
and determination to fight and win
when he fights for right and justice for
the people. He is no social climber" :"
Col. Sayer hastens to explain, and adds
that neither is he "a sport, mollycoddle
or sidestepper, and is never afraid to
tell or listen to the truth"
During many years of service In iso-
lated posts and stations in the Far
West, Alaska and the tropics, Hoeppel
INDUCED himself in a liberal self-edu-
cation-in literature, political and social
questions and life in general On duty
with the Signal Corps, he spent long
tours of duty at isolated places, where
he had no comrades or diversions but
his precious books" He became so
interested in literature, books and the
printed page that he resolved years
ago that when he would get out of the
service he would run a paper" He
made good this early boast to his fellow
soldiers and for the past five years has
contributed an editorial column of
patriotic writings and brotherly counsel
in the Retired Mems News, monthly
publication devoted to the patriotic serv-
ice to Our Country and to the Veterans
OF the Army, Navy and Marine Corps"
Col Sayer, who has been so enthusi-
astic in sounding the praises of Lieut..
Hoeppel, has himself been performing
an important service of retired service
men at the Capitol and has a dis
tinguished military record. He served
as an officer in the Regular Army for
more than Is years and resigned at the
| close of the World War, after con-
| spicuous service in France with the
| 1st Division. He later re-entered the
military service and was retired from
the Marine Corps with the highest en-
| listed rank. Under recent legislation
his wartime rank of lieutenant colonel
was restored to him.
Col. Sayer has been working for q
bill to give to every man on the active
and retired list the Distinguished Serv-
ice Cross instead of the Distinguished
Service Medal, protesting that former
holders of the Certificate of Merit had
this decoration taken away from them
under an act of June, 1918. as well as
| a gratuity of So per month, and were
issued instead the D. S. M, decora-
tion which, he said, was initiated pri-
marily to give recognition assumedly to
Liberty bond sellers, opera singers and
whatnot. "The monstrosity Of giving
our men tin medals instead of the
medal of valor," Col. Sayer says, was