Evening star., 1932-11-17
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


group of defeated legislators to of1ces
and committee rooms behind the scenes
where a force of hard-working secre-
taries and clerks labor quietly ana
faithfully to keep thelswmaklng ma
chinery turning smoothly.
The "lame-duck" session Is named
after these who have lost out at the
polls and who will be seeking as GOOD
place as they can get on the Govern
rnent nav roll. Scant thought is given
to the even larger number OF secretaries
and clerical employees who, through no
fault of their own. many Of them expert
in certain lines, will be automatically
cut off from the employment to Whlcn
they have given long years OF faltn1ui
and loyal service which In any othsI
line Of employment would have meant
a lifetime position.
Lowell. who during 80 years Of service
with two outstanding members OF Con-
rress has won a reputation as one OF
the best most eficient and hard-work-
ing secretaries in the House once
Building. Miss Lowell came here first
as secretary to the late Representative
Dave H. Davidson. to whose interests
she devoted herself for 1S years, until
his death. About the time he died the
secretary to Representative VIII r.
Wood of Indiana 6ied. and Miss Lowell
succeeded to that job. IA years ago.
During all that time her hours on duty
have been approximately from am.
until pm. when Congress was In ses-
sion and her employer was In Wash
ineton. Now she faces loss OF her
lob on March 4-and no other in sight.
Ten Years Aide 10 Kentucky.
Then there is another case-James
H. Cook. who has been on the Job Tor
one Rhode Island district for 20 years.
For 10 years he was secretary to Repre-
sentative Ambrose Kennedy, and Tor
the last 10 years with Representative
Richard S. Aldrich, who succeeded
Kennedy. The latter was on the For
eign Affairs and Post once Committees,
while Aldrich is on the Ways and Means
Committee, so Cook has specialized on
questions Of international relations and
postal service, taxation and tarih prob
lens. as well as immigration and vet
eran's cases. and is recognized as some
thing of an authority on these ques-
tions.
Mss Virginia A. Davis has been with
Albert johnson OF Wash
ington for 19 years, IL years working
with the House Committee on Immi-
grafton, of which she has been clerk
for the past three years. She has been
publicly commended as one of the most
efficient clerks to any committee OF
Congress and for her tirelesS devotion
to her duties. regardless Of long hours.
Also with Representative johnson is
Joseph Hines, one Of the most popular
of all employees about the Capitol. Al
though he came to legislative service
first with Representative Swagar Sher-
ley of Kentucky, who was chairman OF
the House Committee on Appropriations
under the Democratic regime. he has
served both Democratic and Republican
members, and has been with Mr.. john
son (himseI former Washington
newspaper mani for five years. But
now he must go hunt another job.
Hines is a specialist on questions Of
appropriations, immigration and al
branches Of the departmental service.
Mrs. Edna jackson Stenger has been
secretary to Representative Burton
French Of Idaho for Is years. She
came here FIRST at the beginning OF the
war Congress, just after graduation
from Stanford University. She has had
to familiarize herself with the ins and
outs of Federal appropriat recla-
nation, Indian reservation problems,
soldier relief and pensions, river i'm
provements, immigration and a very
general and varied interest in the con-
Germs OF Idaho. She must find herself
q new Job or join the big army Of un-
employed.
Occasionally in making the rounds Of
the great building of lamentation-the
House once Building-one finds an in
dividual who sensed that some such
calamity might happen and lined up
another interest to which ne devoted
his talents and spare time, so that he
now has q new position to walk into.
Donald L. Luxford has been for Is years
associated with Representative James
C. Mclaughlin of Michigan. But he
has branched out as real estate
broker and insurance man, specializing
in suburban territory.
Miss Virginia Morris has been with
Representative Bachman of West Vir-
ginia, the Republican whip, for eight
years. during which time she has be-
come proficient in handling all sorts Of
cases for veterans of all wars and serv-
ing as an understudy for her member
on all matters relating to their district.
Haugen's Employees Hit.
The defeat OF the nestor OF the House
Representative Gilbert N. Haugen Of
Iowa, who is rounding out 81 years OF
continuous service, hits also several in
his Office who are authorities on farm
problems and agricultural legislation.
Mrs L. A. Darnell has been clerk Of the
House Committee on Agriculture since
1926, while Mr.. Haugen was chairman,
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