The Washington times., 1935-05-23
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SObS OUer Bonus
Vote in House
LONG LISTENS
BY HELEN ESSARY

welt after his thrilling bonus
message, that he was discovered
crying in the House cloak room.
I'm q traitor. That's what
I am" he said and wiped his
eyes. ct believe just like the
President does. But I promised
the people back home I'd vote
for the bonus. And, Boys, had
to do it. II it killed me-"
Representative Caroline ODay
Of New York told me that many
Of the men who had voted in
the House to pass the bonus
over the Presidents veto were
ashamed Of their attitude.
They said they had got them
selves tied up with their con-
StituentS. And they couldn't go
back on their word.
Which leads me (who knows
nothing about politics or gov
ernment) to ask this question.
Why 1t isn't more decent to vote
ones convictions than ones con-
stituentS?
Perhaps, it's because the
Great Public Citizen thinks it's
his duty to his country to keep
O fine man like himself in office.
Another of the Boys, an old
ish gentleman in the back row,
gave himself up to happy and
untroubled repose. He threw
his head back when the Presl-
dent began his message, dozed
off and slept until the meetin'
was over.
Senator Bilbo, from down in
Mississippi, that wicked man
who once threatened to raise
more ''helI than Huey Long"
kept his hands in his pockets
during the entire Presidential
message.
He was afraid he might acct"
dentally clap.
Huey and the other Bad Little
Boys In the Senate - who
wouldn't go over to the House
to hear Teacher talk-caused a
lot OF trouble by having to ask
that the message be read to
them by the Senate clerk.
They-or rather Huey, the
leader Of the gang--said that
message had to be heard some
time.
Since almost everybody in the
Senate had heard the message,
nobody, gave the reading clerk
much attention. Senator's be-
gan talking animatedly. Huey.
in his self-effacing way, shouted:
"WilI everybody please keep
still. / can't hear"
Looks to me like the Louis
lana Kid sure did cut off his
nose to spite his face.
The contrast between the
sound Of the message as Mr..
Roosevelt read it and as the
Senate reading clerk droned it
out was amazing. It wasn't the
same message at all.
The beautiful ympathetic
Presidential voice, the touch of
drama, the feel in each phrase,
of the iron hand within the vel.
vet glove, was missing.
The m sage re-read was
merely words.
Since President Roosevelt
said he'd be addressing the
House and the Senate when.
ever he had a good idea Cor
words to that effect, the House
has odone well to work out a
card index system for admitting
guests to its galleries.
The. system worked marvel
ously yesterday. The tickets
issued, admitted to three loca-
tionS: seats in chairs: seats on
the stairs, and standing room.
Holders of the three types Of
tickets arrived at practically
the same moment-a few min
utes after ii o'clock. Those
with seat tickets were let in inn
mediately. Their seats were
numbered as theater tickets.
For instance, gallery 4, row G,
seat, s.
Those with seats on the stairs
were admitted next. They were
presented. thoughtfully, with OBJ
long pieces of grey cardboard,
Is by 8 inches. These card
boards were to sit on.
A welcome protection they
were indeed for skirts and
trousers from the dusty foot
prints Of those who had gone
in before. The cardboard sit
tiers were invited in at IS min
utes to IL. Obliging doormen
had let them peek in before
this hour.
Visitors with standing room
cards were admitted with a
grand rush-promptly at half
past u. They packed them
selves IN anywhere they could.
No shoe salesman with a shoe
horn could have done better
than the doorman in snug fit.
ting Of visitors. Congressman
kept arriving at the members
gallery with young and beauti.
ful constituents by the hand
who were somehow Unanswered
into half Of other peoples places.
With the exception Of the
press gallery, the women were
in the majority in all the gal