Evening star., 1935-09-01
Capital Sideligghts
By Will p. Kennedy.

1t costs a considerable amount in cold
cash for Federal legislation-in assem-
bling the lawmakers to decide upon the
statutes, the administrative agencies to
carry them out and the police power TO
enforce them, as well as for a Supreme
Court to pass on their constitutionality.
The exodus of Congress from Washing
ton illustrates this. Take the House
alone-the salary roll for members them
selves, not to mind their secretaries,
Stenographers, committee clerks and
House clerks and pages runs to 81 405,-
900 a year when all get paid off. but
due to vacancies there is usually sur
plus of $4,000 to S50,000 in this account.
That figures down to S367003.3 per
month. When Congress quits the men,
hers are not paid of Immediately so
that they can catch the next train home.
The "pay-off" day is September g. so
while many members drew heavily on
the bank run by the sergeant at arms
Office, the final day they could only
draw what they already had on deposit.
More than two-thirds of the members
use this as their bank and draw checks
on their account with the sergeant at
arms even after they have returned
to the old home town. This bank does
upward of $4,000 900 year business.
Then there is the members mileage.
the allowance they get to pay for their
transportation. In this Congress the rate
is Is cents per mile each way-making
80 cents total They cannot draw this
when they are going home, but after
they come back-the idea being that
this allowance is to get them here for
their job. and they must be here to
draw that expense account. When they
come back the rate will be 20 cents per
mile each way. For the present session
the mileage bill totals s131 250 and for
the next session it will be s175.Ooo.
The one who draws the smallest mile
age is Representative Howard w. Smith
of Alexandria, Va. "juSt across the
river" whose round trip allowance is
S2.40. The largest ALLEGATION is to the
Delegate from Hawaii, Samuel w. King,
who gets s15411O; the resident commits
sioners from the Philippine Islands,
Pedro Guevara and Francisco A Del
gado, each of whom gets $500, and the
Delegate from Alaska, Anthony j.
Dimond. whose quota is s1,125. All Of
these have a voice, but no vote In
Congress
But there are some continental voting
members who draw heavy mileage al
lowances: From California-Mrs. Flor
ence P. Kahn, 1891. so; Clarence F. Lea,
1923 10: Franck H. Buck. 49.20; John
H Tolan, 1922 20; Bertrand w. Gear
hart. S933.60; John H. Hoeppel, s879.9
Charles Kramer. S9417O; John M. Co.'S
tello. S942; from Washington State
Marion A. Zioncheck. 1894 so: Martin F.
Smith. S991 80; Knute Hill, sS53.2o;
Samuel B. Hill, sS8650, and Wesley
Lloyd, S919. so.
Showing the force of habit:
On the opening of the House session
on Saturday. August "a, the Speaker
raped with his gavel, the House hav-
ing been "in recess from the night be-
fore. but almost all of the members
stood up, as they are accustomed to do
for prayer. at the opening of the days
session Having been "in recess" there
was no prayer.
The House not only worked on legis-
lation under an unprecedented number
of rules from the Rules POLICY and
Program) Committee, giving certain
must" measures the right of way, but
considered an extraordinary number of
legislative proposals. Last week the
record stood: Public laws, 314: public
resolutions, 54; private laws 266; bills,
9,246; simple resolutions. 371: House
joint resolutions, 407. and House con-
current resolutions 80. The House re-
ported 1902 bills during the session.
During this one session the total was
Just about the same as for the entire
last Congress- In addition to this there
were an unusually large number OF
measures acted upon by the House which
had originated in the Senate.
Keeping track of all these legislative
proposals. numbering them and getting
copies printed promptly for use by the
members of the House is a mighty big
task. This work is done most salts
factorily by william ]. McDermott, $40
West End avenue, New York, who gave
up his Job with his father in the con-
tracing and construction business TO
keep this important Office of chief bill
clerk running smoothly for the House.
His first week on the job he found it
mad house" and conditions chaotic.
Now 1t is all well organized.
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