Evening star., 1935-12-08
Capital Sidelights
BY viii p. Kennedy.


In the contest for the seat in Congress
representing the third Maryland dis
trict-the big financial district of Balti-
more. Col. John Philip Hill, debonair
and bon vivant scion of society, afluent
Harvardite, has pitted himself against
Vincent L. Palmisano, who went into a
box factory when he was II, worked his
way through law school by tending bar
and as stone mason. Thirty-three years
ago Hill was appointed by the president
and fellows of Harvard College as assist
ant in government to Frederick Jesup
Stimson, since Ambassador, and Charles
Sumner Hamlin, then recently Assistant
Secretary Of the Treasury and now vice
governor of the Federal Reserve Board.
At the same time Palmisano was help
ing with his hands to build structures
at the washington Zoo and barracks at
Fort Myer. While in Congress as a Re-
publican from 1921 to 1927, Hill became
nationally known for his persistent fight
for States rights and is rated in the
class Of statesmen. In Congress since
1927, as a Democrat, Palmisano decries
any pretense at craftsmanship, devotes
himself as "365-day politician" to doing
things for his constituents; they can
always find him. and in fact, he has set
up Office hours for their convenience
in his own home in Baltimore from 6
to 8 am. each day when duties call him
to Washington-"if want to find them
on election day it's only fair they should
fnd me on others days" is his political
motto. Hill has announced that he will
seek support in both the Republican and
Democratic primaries; Palnlisano, as a
SUa6 r-fh
have his nomination stand or fall in the
Democratic party primary.
+
These are the days when the political
party sleuths are scouting around in all
Of the 435 congressional districts, trying
to find which way the political winds are
blowing and where are to be spots of
rough Shedding in the coming campaign.
The Democrats are better organized than
ever before for such important work, and
being strongly intrenched" in control of
the House, as Chairman Patrick Henry
DreWry of the Congressional Committee
puts it, their strategy Is to wait for the
fight to be brought to them, but to be
prepared to repulse any attack. So,
Chairman Drewry is placing special
reliance on the information that is being
gathered in all the hooks. and crannieS
Of this far-dung United States by the
whip organization. Incidentally, it is
the general opinion in Congress, among
both Republicans and Democrats, that
there never was a better party whip"
than Representative Patrick j. Boland,
whose entire experience and natural dis
position ideally flt him for this post Of
preparedness.
Back on the third floor of the Capitol
Building, in what is known as "the old
library section" where the Library Of
Congress was many years ago, Pat"
Boland has his headquarters in charge of
Miss Elizabeth S. Guzey, and with Rep
resentative Thomas F. Ford Of California,
former newspaper man, as chief assist
ant whip. The forces working through
the States are in charge of the following
district assistants: Representatives
william N. Rogers, New Hampshire; A.
F, Better, New York: William H. Sutphin,
New Jersey; D. H. Cooley, North Caro-
lima; r. A. Green, Florida; N. F. Montet,
Louisiana; David D. Terry, Arkansas;
Jennings Randolph, West Virginia; Louis
c. Rabaut, Michigan; Harry p Beam,
Illinois; Fred Biermann, Iowa; Charles
F. Mclaughlin, Nebraska; r. Ewing
Thomson, Texas; Lawrence Lewis,
Colorado. and Wesley Lloyd, Washington
State.
The decision announced by Gov.
James M. Curley of Massachusetts, that
he will be a candidate for the United
States Senate to succeed Senator Marcus
A. Coolidge sets at rest, temporarily at
least, some perturbations in quarters
seemingly far removed from the Gov
eFnor'S bailiwick under the sign OF the
Sacred Cod" Now Representative
william P. Connery Of Lynn, Mass, will
not be q candidate for the Senate-and
the Republican Congressional Committee
loses the hope of capturing his labor
center district. He will continue as
chairman of the House Labor Com
mittee, so that Representative Mary T.
Norton Of New Jersey will be deprived
of the chance to step into that position,
and will continue as chairman Of the
House District Committee, where either
Representative Vincent L. Palmisano Of
Maryland or Representative Wright Pat
man Of Texas might otherwise have sue
ceeded her. If Connery had left the
House New England would have been
deprived of a place on this important
Labor Committee-now they retain the
service Of one of the most influential
members, not only In charge Of the Labor
T,ov,oy,ittaa hllt aIso as ranking ma iOritV