Evening star., 1934-06-19
DIGNITY IS VOTED
FORSESS|ON'SEND.
House Holds Self Above
"Young Man on Flying
Trapeze."
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

major measures the House last night
closed down its Legislative mill for the
Seventy-third Congress with dig
nity"-by formal resolution.
With the galleries packed waiting
for the closing show, while hundreds
of others waited at the doors hoping
to get o chance to squeeze In, Repre-
sentative Rankin, Democrat, Of Missis-
sippi made an impassioned plea to
the House, shaking his silvery locks,
urging the passage Of the resolution.
He declared that the majority of the
members were disguised at the usual
demonstration at the close of the ses-
sion. He called the jollification
monkeyshines, broadcast to the coun-
try In ridicule Of Congress, and
pleaded almost tearfully with his col
leagues to testify by this legislative
action that they do have dignity"
With acclaim the resolution was
passed, only . few dissenting mays"
being heard. and Mr.. Rankin took his
seat amid prolonged applause on the
floor, while the galleries sighed re-
signedly. 1t was raining hard out.
side.
Asks Marine Band Play.
Then when a motion was being car
ried for the House to stand in recess
awaiting word from the Senate on the
conference agreement on the housing
bill, Representative Fuller, Democrat,
Of Arkansas, suggested that the Ma
rine Band. which had been waiting
in the Speakers lobby for nearly six
hours, should be brought onto the
floor and play patriotic airs. Repre-
sentative Rankin agreed that would
be "dignified" and he'd have no OBJ
lection.
In came the band and its first tune,
Dixie" shattered the decorum and
dignity Of the House. Members
jumped to their feet waving their
hands while the old rebel yell was
sounded by several Of the more vo-
ciferous. Then came Yankee Doo-
dle," followed by Maryland, My
Maryland" and other State songs. A
beautiful young woman was escorted
to the Speakers rostrum and led in
singing My Old Kentucky Home" +"
Representative Truax, Democrat, of
Ohio. one OF the storm centers all day,
organized a group Of members from
his State, who sang Beautiful Ohio"
There were calls for Representative
Bill" Connery, Democrat, of Massa-
chusetts. who first sang 'Massachu-
sets Passes BY" and followed with
several encoreS. It was q gay and
joyful tuneful and hilarious finale
worthy to rank with the shows that
have closed other Congresses for
years and that have become tradi-
ton.
And the strange part Of 1t was that
heretofore these shows have been
extra-Congress-that is, after Con-
gress had adjourned; while this show
was intra- -Congress-that Is. within
the time of Congress before adjourn
ment.
So much for the dignity" resolution
that takes its place with other noble
experiments.
Two Grave Disappointments.
There were Just two grave dis
appointments. however. DR.. Sirovich,
Democrat, of New York, had written
song and had rehearsed a number Of
his colleagues to sing
While the leaders in all other nat
tons
Cause their people discomfort,
We put our faith and trust in Con-
They're our Government"
but 1t wasn't sung; that came un-
der the Rankin ban on a prepared
program. Then there was Hunter
Osborne of the New Orleans Item
Tribune, who was scheduled to make
a big hit in "a press gallery surprise" :"
singing THE Man on the Flying
Trapee1e" before the mike" with Ma
rine Band accompaniment.
Earlier in the evening Speaker
Rainey had given a quiet tip off to
the press gallery of what was wor-
rying some of the members. He in
quired whether the correspondents in
tended to write "dignifed" accounts
of the closing of the Congress and
warned that if hippant or fantastic
stories were to be sent out the show
WOuld VIC tdAAC0 I'LL N uClCkdLlOL
from the gallery assured him that
they would write up the event as it
happened without establishment.
Another customary feature of the
adjournment was a series of eulo-
CYSTIC and 'good-will' speeches ex-
changed among the leaders. Speaker
Rainey exchanged places with House
Leader Byrns while Minority Leader
Smell extolled the Speaker. then the
Speaker extolled both the majority
and minority leaders and the ma
jority membership and the minority
membership. and then the majority
leader and the minority leader ex-
changed fluctuations telling every one
what good fellow the other was.
So the Seventy-third Congress takes
its place in history with legislatively
avowed "dignity"-accompanied by
the same time -honored music and
song and cheers and laughter, ex-
pressions Of goodwill and general
jubilation.