Evening star., 1936-03-29
Capital Sidelights
BY Viii r.. Kennedy.

That the subject of law was the genesis
and original purpose of the Library of
Congress Is emphasized by Senator M
M. Logan Of Kentucky, one Of the most
erudite and cultured members of Con-
gress-a scholar in politics" who has
practiced law for 40 years, since he was
admitted to the bar when only 81 years
OF age. Before coming to the United
States Senate he was chief justice of the
highest court in his State, having earned
every step OF his upward climb.
Senator Logan calls attention that
when Congress first felt the need of
reference library special committee was
appointed to make a catalog of books,
and the report was made In 1890 by
Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts. Va
riouS codes Of laws of nations headed
the list. One of the first legislative acts
when Congress moved to Washington
where there was no library either public
or private-was to appropriate 5000
for the purchase of books for the use
of Congress.
Tribute is paid to President Jefferson
who was from its inception an ardent
friend Of the Library" took an active
was responsible for appointment of Spe-
cial committees of House and Senate.
Senator Nicholson of Virginia was chair
man of that committee, of which the
most forceful member was John Ran
dolph OF Virginia. He was author of the
phrase, "A good library is statesmans
workshop"
Thus, Senator Logan points out, mot
only was the law the central idea in
the founding of the Library of Congress,
but also the leading statesmen early in
.terested in building it up were lawyers" +"
Interestingly he discloses that as there
was no other public library in Washing
ton and lack of place of amusement, the
Library of Congress before 1914 and for
many years thereafter became a place
Of relaxation" AS a national library
it has been necessary to make it repre-
sentative of every field of knowledge
The library Of Thomas Jefferson, acquired
in 1915 after the first collection of books
had been destroyed in the burning of the
Capitol was of this general nature
though especially strong in law and po-
litical science, as they were the subjects
in which Jefferson was most interested.
In recent years the Library has be-
come depository for law collections, many
Of them made by justices of the United
States Supreme Court-Justice Samuel
Chase, Chief Justice Fuller, etc. The
late Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes,
whose name as lawyer, statesman and
soldier will be indelibly marked upon our
history" bequeathed to the Library of
Congress his library Of some $4,000 VOL
umes. more than 5000 of which are in
the field of law, jurisprudence and the
philosophy Of law.
Senator Logan, quoting from John T.
Vance before the American Association
of Law Libraries, says: Surely, the
Law Library Of Congress has a right to
aspire to stand out pre-eminertly in its
own field and to become if not one of the
worlds greatest repositories of legal
knowledge and record, at least the out
standing center of legal record and ref
erence in the United States" Associate
Justice Stone of the United States Su-
preme Court, testifying before the House
Appropriations Committee, expressed his
belief that it is not merely question of
a reference library for .the Supreme
Court or use of members of C0lgress
and Of Government departments, but q
law library for the Nation as a whole
to stand out as a center of legal research
for students and jurists in other lands.
Robert E. Freer, member of the Fed
eral Trade Commission, felt right at
home the other night when called upon
to make a speech before the faculty of
George Washington University Law
School and group of prominent law
yers in the Government service. He had
the temerity to talk about the operation
Of the Federal trade commission act
although quite conscious of the academic
habit Of SyntheSis-because he had him
self taught law at night for IA years, and
at the last session of Congress served as
counsel to Senate committee number
ing among its members some of the
ablest lawyers in the United States
: Senate.
Henry Weaver, for IS years official
recorder Of debate in the House, who
has the distinction Of serving as per-
sonal stenographer for AL Smith in his
campaign for the presidency, and who
has beautiful Summer home at Front
Royal on the Skyland Drive as well as
a Winter residence at 1346 Ingraham
street, is proudest Of all because his son
is making notable headway as an author.
This son, John D. Weaver. "A years
of age, is one of the most popular of
the younger literary set In the Capital
though, just at present. he is plying his
literary bent in Kansas City. He was
graduated with an A. B. degree from
william and Mary College, Williams
burg, Va, and took an A. M. degree at
George Washington University. He has
written q number of reviews Of recent
important books, and his own latest con-
tribution Is Looking Backward on the
Era of Flaming Youth" which is being
extensively read In the best home lie
braries Of the Nations Capital.