Evening star., 1934-02-18
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

House members have again ex-
pressed their confidence in our MOD
est Young Man From Montana" as
they affectionately call Kenneth Rom-
ney, sergeant at arms OF the House,
by making him general manager OF a
new effort they are raking In the
interests OF better legislation. The
Legislative Forum, q group OF mem
bers meeting informally to talk over
varied phases of Government actiV-
ity and related legislation, has decided
that the members can work more
efficiently for good government by
personal knowledge Of various institu-
tions. So they have arranged for
the first inspection trip" to New
York and West Point Military Acad-
emy. Some three hundred members
of Congress, with their wives and
daughters, are planning to make the
trip by special train. Sergeant at
Arms Romney has been placed in
charge. It should be emphasized that
this is not a congressional junket,
because each man pays his own
expenses.
Congress has two sergeants at
arms-one for the Senate and one for
the House Col. Chesley w. Jurney
of Texas, former secretary TO Senator
Copeland Of New York and several
other Senators, and recently an un-
successful candidate for Congress,
who has just been much in the head
lines in connection with the arrest OF
William P. MacCracken, jr., former
Assistant Secretary Of Commerce for
Aeronautics, In the airmail fraud in
vestigations, Is the Senate's strong
arm man, and looks the part, with a
commanding figure wearing frock
coat with aplomb. He Is police power
for e6 Senators and their super
numeraries. When Congress opened
and President Roosevelt appeared in
person to read his message Sergeant
at Arms Romney was In charge OF ar
rangements and protection Of the
Chief Executive. In this connection
he was pictured in papers Throughout
the country and In movie news reels
shaking hands with the President
He Is responsible for the safety and
protection Of and police service for ABS
House members and their more than
q thousand employees, and is ofhcial
custodian Of the Mace, the symbol Of
authority in the House. Also he oper-
ates a ten-million dollar bank for the
members, pays of all members OF
lery" Of photographs Of all members
He is former newspaper man.
In connection with the recent ar
rest Of William P. MacCracken, jr., by
the Senate the question has been
raised as to whether or not there is
a Jail" in the Capitol. The Capitol
Police force Is joint organization
under the sergeants at arms Of the
Senate and House. In the SUBJ
basement is the Office Of the Capitol
Police captain, William S. Orthman
Here any one arrested In the Capitol
Is temporarily detained and then
turned over to the Metropolitan Po-
lice. Several years ago when a man
left bomb in the recreation room OF
the Senate it was set to go of at
IL o'clock and the culprit was on a
train outward bound when he
heard it explode He was later ap-
pretended and killed himself in his
ceu-but he was not arrested in the
Capitol. Some years ago when the
suffragette demonstrators were being
arrested at the Capitol a terrace
room next to the captains Office was
used as a house of detention, but il
is now put to other purposes. There
are also guard rooms in the Senate
and House ONCE Buildings-in one
Of these a racketeer imposing or
members Of the House was detained
for a short time last Tuesday after
his arrest in the House Office Build
ing.