Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-01-06
BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.

II the galleries of the lower mouse
Of Congress had been made OF India
rubber. they still could not have ac-
CommOdated the hundreds OF ap-
plicants who wished to be present at
the opening session Of the Seventy
fourth Congress Thursday. The ad-
vent of new members brought an
influx of relatives and friends from
back home, who were eager to see
their honored ones sworn in, while
the voters felt that they had
right to see the fruition of their
pedal and brain work of last No
vember
The voter, however. who was for
tunate enough to get a ring-side
seat in the gallery had some difficulty
in recognizing his hail-fellow-well-
met candidate of last November, with
his SLOUGH hat and creaseless pants,
in the matamorphosed, dapper M. c.,
walking up the aisle in wing collar,
striped trousers and cutaWay coat.
AS the old family coachman used
to say: Them Shad-belly coats DO
make a difference"
But Friday was the day of days.
It reminded one of those early Sum-
mer days of 1917 when the whole
country was seething with excitement
and war preparations and President
Wilson would go up to Congress to
read a message of importance and IN
his Chesterfieldian manner ask the
gentlemen of the Congress for their
assistance.
AS President Roosevelt mounted the
rostrum on Friday to deliver his
message on the state of the Union,
the applause was long and hearty.
He looked bit older and a bit
graver-this rather added greater dis
tinction to his handsome face. Inc
Roosevelt smile was not lacking, put
there was a sterner, more determined
look about the lines of his mouth
q than had before been remarked. HIS
chin. a living barometer of the state OF
his mind in any final decision OF
great moment, was held trlf1e hlgner
and there was an aggressive expression
that was later reflected in his mes
sage.
Bv the way, the resemblance to his
mother, Mrs. James Roosevelt, IS
striking at times-the same strong
characteristics being noticeable IN
both. He certainly takes from the
distaf side of the house-born for
luck. Gentleness coupled with firm
ness and strength with moderation
seems to be an outstanding trait Oh
Mrs. Sarah Delano Roosevelt's CHAR
acter. After a little visit to MIS-
Edward Guest Gibson, over IN Baltl-
more, Mrs Roosevelt was present To
hear her hoy Franklin" read his
message.
The present Congress is composed
OF men and women from all walks IN
life. Lawyers. doctors. bankers, pub
fishers, society women, poets and al
least one artist in the feminine con-
tingent. There was a good deal OF
rubber-necking when Mrs. Caroline
ODay of New York, appeared among
the new members to be sworn In
Every one was curious to see the
woman who had caused the wife OF
the President to break a precedent
come to think of it there was nc
precedent, for there is no record tna'
a Presidents wife ever before had the
slightest desire to go on the musings
during a congressional campaign-ano
90 out lectioneering for friend.
Whoever expected the lady Repre-
sentative at Large from the Empire
State to appear in smock, beret ano
with a palette and brush-she's an
artist of parts. having studied seriously
in Paris and Munich-was disap-
pointed for Mrs. O'Day-sounds eu-
nhonious-was chic, charming and
compelling with her very human eyes
and DELIGHTFULLY."- interested attention
to all the proceedings around her
Her friend, Eleanor Roosevelt, was
nearby and Miss Nancy Cook, her
business associate.
Art may be her avocation but Mrs
O'Day as a profession chose Sociai
service and those reforms which would
be of most benefit to her sex. she
knows the slums of New York and
other cities; she has visited the sweat
shop worker in her own environment,
talked to the home sick emigrant and
has interested herself in the lives OF
the inhabitants of the underworld.
Mrs. Roosevelt and Mrs. O'Day have
spent many hours together working
out some problem for the bettelment
of women and children.
The new third lady of the admin
ist-ation, Mrs. Joseph wellington
Byrns, was handsome and pleased
who would not have been-to see her
husband elevated to the Speakership.
There will be no Dolly Gann-Alice
Roosevelt controversy where Mrs. Gar
ner and Mrs Byrns are concerned, as
everything is cut and dried-ofhclal
etiquette savors of the latter-and the
new Speakers wife is hospitable, loves
company, and will go with zeSt
wherever her official position bids her.
For more than IS years she has been
a part of official life at the Capital
and as Julia Woodland of Nashville,
Tenn, was known as one of those
pretty Ward-Belmont school girls who
enjoyed life and had no end of beaux
When the Speaker on one occasion
was asked how he ever got the lovely
Julia, he answered: Just like have
gotten everything else in Efe-I just
hung on and worked
1t is not known why Mr.. Byrns has
Wellington for a middle name; wheth-
er or not it is for the Iron Duke, who
stood four square to all the winds that
blew; the latter reason would indicate
that there is after all something in a
name, for it has been the Speakers
custom to set himself a mark and
then work to it in fair weather
and foul. Now, he was a real dirt
farmer, who plowed many day under
the hot Southern sun and can still
discuss agricultural subjects from the