Evening star., 1935-10-06
Capital Sidelights
By Viii p. Kennedy.

OIic VI Iile UlS dluS W HlellDeIS OI
Congress in their legislative work occu-
pies one Of the smallest rooms in the
Capitol-scarcely the size of a closet-a
cubbyhole. just off Statuary Hall, oppo-
site the House document room. This is
a cutoff portion Of what many years
ago was the cloak room of the House
when the original legislative chamber
occupied what is now Statuary Hall.
1t is the Capitol outlet for the largest
library in the world to which an under
ground carrier system rushes books to
and from the Library of Congress on
hurry calls from members of the House
and Senate, and heretofore from justices
OF the Supreme Court. A member in the
Senate or House chamber desiring a
certain book can have his wish gratified
in less than 10 minutes.
The tunnel, about quarter of a mile
in length, between the Capitol and the
Library of Congress, was constructed
nearly 40 years ago. Through this runs
an endless wire cable which carries the
books and periodicals. The tunnel is 7
feet high and AZ feet wide. On the
Capitol end it is entered by 40-foot
ladder. There is bell signal system
which notifies those in charge on either
end when the mechanical hands sus-
pended from the endless cable are
starting with another load. 1t takes the
carrier only Az minutes to make a trip.
Not only are important reference mate
rials thus made promptly available to
members of Congress. but the service
is operated by research specialists who
keep well informed on handy reference
A.
utmost assistance in getting just the sort
Of information or quotations they are
seeking. In charge of this reference
service station is Harold Lincoln, native
of Canandaigua, N. Y, whose grand
mother was the pioneer woman WASH
ington correspondent, famous as an
author and journalist under the pen
name Bessie Beach" Lincoln has been
on the job at the Capitol for more than
Is years and for the past Is years has
had the title of custodian One of
the reference books he finds in demand
was published some 35 years ago by his
grandmother, Mrs. Martha D. Lincoln.
Her card of admission to the Capitol
press galleries was signed by James G.
Blaine, on January 81, 1878, who was at
that time a leading candidate for the
Republican nomination for the presi-
dency. Mrs. Lincoln was Washington
correspondent for some of the largest
metropolitan newspapers. She began her
literary career when only 16 years of
age. With two other Washington news
writer's on July TO- 1882 she organized
the Women's National Press Association,
the first chartered women's press organi-
zation in the world of which she was
fret TO ND fay-
dent. In 1891 and 1892 she was delegate
to the International Peace Congress in
Rome, Italy and Berne. Switzerland.
Assisting Mr.. Lincoln at the Capitol
terminus of the underground library spe-
cial-the subway reference book service
is Charles H. Stephenson, who has been
a highly valued aide to members of Con-
gresS in that post for more than Is years.
He has specialized on research and is
frequently consulted by Senators and
House members, who consider themselves
fortunate when he has the time to under
take special studies for them.
You don't need pull in Washington
and the records of the civil service
prove it-where the highest administra-
tive positions are held by men and wom-
en- who have earned promotion and won
their way upward from the very lowest
grades. For example:
If there is any one thing that the
career of Wilbur j. Carr, Assistant Sec
retary of State, demonstrates clearly it
is the possibility for young man or
woman to come into the Federal civil
service entirely unknown, and without
the help, of influential friends merely
by his or her own work, and the good
will of associates in office, not only to
advance in the sense of achieving pro-
motion, but to gain the opportunity of
doing important and intensely interest
ing work and having most gratifying
part in the improvement of the public
service.
After taking a civil service examina-
ton, Mr.. Carr was appointed on June /,
1928 years ago-to a position as
Stenographer in the State Department at
a salary of 81 900. He studied law nights
and earned degrees from Georgetown
and George Washington Universities. He
was promoted through the several
classes of clerkships to the Office of chief
of the Consular Bureau, then to chief
clerk of the Department of State, then
to the newly created position of director
of the consular service, which he held
until he was made Assistant Secretary
of State at salary of $500 on July !,
1924-more than II years ago.