Evening star., 1933-11-12
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

4AANAC 40 ga OA0 NIAdAd III AOll-
gress. comprising five Democrats and
five Republicans, who stand pretty vel
by each other except on strict party
cleavage. They form group by them
selves, but this group has never beer
recognized as q unit or its existence
noted except by its own members. They
are, 10 members surviving out of the
original 156 who came in the Sixty
third Congress. They are now serving
their twenty-first year in Congress
The group includes the five Republican
members who have been longest in the
House and there are only five Demo-
Gratis who exceed them in length of con-
t1nuouS service.
The dean Of the House, of course. Is
Representative Edward w. Pou of North
Carolina, chairman of the Rules Com
mittee, who is serving his thirty-third
consecutive year. Next to him ranks
Speaker Henry T. Rainey, serving his
twenty-ninth year, but his service was
not consecutive. Representative Adolph
j. SABBATH of Illinois, a member of the
Rules Committee, is serving his twenty
ives Joseph W, Byrns Of Tennessee,
House leader, and Edward r. Taylor of
colorado are both serving their twenty
IiIh consecutive year. Representative
ROBERT l.. Doughton of North Carolina
chairman of the Ways and Means Com
mlttee, is serving his twenty-third con-
secutive year.
In the group Of 10 survivors of the
pig change In the Sixty-third Congress
the nVe Democrats are: Representative
James T. Buchanan Of Texas, chairman
OF the House Appropriations Commit
tee; Representative Andrew ]. Mon
tague Of Virginia, a member of the
judiciary Committee; Representative
Sam Rayburn of Texas, Chairman of
the Interstate and Foreign Commerce
committee; Representative Hatton w.
summers of Texas, chairman of the
judiciary Committee, and Representa-
I'VE Carr Vinson OF Georgia, chairman
OF the Naval Affairs Committee. The
liVe veteran Republicans are: Repre-
sentative' Allen T. Treadway, Massa-
chusetts. ranking member of the Ways
ana Means Committee Representative
James A. Frear of Wisconsin. also
member OF the Ways and Means Com
mittee; Representative Carl e. Names of
Mlcnlgan, member of the Interstate
ana Foreign Commerce Committee:
representative James S. Parker New
York, chairman of the Interstate and
Foreign Commerce Committee and
Fred A. Britten of IIIi-
nols, former chairman of the Naval
Affairs Committee.
Inls group of veteran members
equally divided between the two parties
acts as a balance wheel for Well-con-
legislation when some of the
younger members are inclined to 90 off
On a legislative tangent.
ms group personifies the big DO
iitical upheaval as result of the Taft
ana Roosevelt campaign, which broke
up the Republican party in 1912 and
woodrow Wilson went into the white
Rouse with an electoral college vote of
similar proportions to that received bv
FRANKLIN D. Roosevelt in his camnaion
against Herbert Hoover.
X X X
One OF the new Representatives in
Congress from the Old Dominion is a
typical outdoor man." a lawyer. soldier
scholar, orator. conservationist and
huntsman-Representative land Major)
Wills Robertson, Democrat. of Ley
,ngton. He was born 46 years ago in
MartinSbTg, w. Va. He has been
practlclng attorney for Is years. COM
attorney for Rockbridge
County for six years, member of the
virginia State Senate for six years.
MI. ROBERTSON, who rose to the rank
d major during the World War and Is
Iamiliarly called major" by his friends
s SIX feet two and one-half inches tan. |
0eignts l85 pounds, and was a varsity !
'ackie Tor three years at the University |
u Rlcnmond. During his foot ball days
le mad the distinction of having played |
nrougnout every game on the college |
cneoule 1or three years. He also won |
us monogram in track and tennis. and |
till enjoys good game of tennis. But
lis chief hobbies are hunting and fish !
ng. In Virginia he is rated as a first
lass quail shot. He is likewise an en-
huslastic duck hunter and a member
II the Federal Advisory Council on Mi
'ratory Birds.
In recognition Of his experience in
lunting and fishing and his interest in
III matters pertaining to wild life con-
erVatlon, he was selected in 1926 by
iov. Harry F. Byrd as chairman of the
leWly created Virginia Commission of
Iane and Inland Fisheries, in which
apaclty Maj. Robertson served until he
esigned to take his seat in the Seventy
nlrd Congress. As chairman of this
commission Maj. Robertson laid the
oundatton for fish and game restock-
ng program in the Old Dominion that
as won the commendation of Virginia
portSmen and the attention of conser-
ationists in other States
While elected to the Congress as a
lemDer at large lowing TO the decision
I the State Supreme Court that set
side the redictricting act), Mai. Rob-
rtSon represents all of the old seventh
istrict of Virginia and all but two
ounties of the old tenth district. with
population of $4,000, one-fifth of the
ne hundred counties of the State and
bout one-fourth of the States area.
his district includes all of the wonder
IL Shenandoah Valley. which in the ,
ark days of 81 and IS was known as
The Granary of the South" It is still ..
ne of the best agricultural sections of
ne United States, and Maj. Robertson's :
rimary concern is legislation calculated :
improve the economic status of the
amer. However. he expresses deep
lterest in the reforeStation and general ..
program of President !.
oosevelt, and believes that such pro-
ram, If properly carried out, can be
lade to contribute not only to the ma
rial wealth of the Nation. but to the d,
appiness and contentment of the !
eople.
American manufacturers, labor and r