Evening star., 1936-09-20
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY,

Attorney General Homer Cummings
recently took trip into the highlands
Of Virginia ito enjoy the magic view Of
mountain and valley that makes OF the
Skyland Drive an unquestioned rival Of
anything to be seen In Switzerland or
in the Pyrenees." He visited the small
stone monument which marks the point
at which Sir Alexander Spotswood, CO.
lonial Governor Of Virginia. with his
adventurous band of cavaliers, called
Knights of the Golden Horseshoe. first
caught sight of the Shenandoah Valley.
The date was 1716. The Attorney Gen.
eral. recalling his experience and emo
tions, says: "At that time there was no
English settlement beyond the Blue
Ridge. The purpose of the expedition
was not alone to discover what lay
beyond but to determine whether it
might be possible to establish a settle
ment that would intercept communica-
ton between the French colonies in
Louisiana and Canada. It was this same
purpose that actuated the disastrous ex-
pedition under Gen. Braddock five
decades later, which cost his life and
brought fame to a Virginian aide de
camp named George Washington.
"As I paused at the monument 7
thought how little that group of ad-
ministrators and explorers could even
guess of the future of that great area,
which no white man had ever penetrated,
or OF the millions who would pour into
1t. and with the vigor, the courage and
the restlesSnesS of the pioneer press on
until thew hod
the Blue Ridge to the Pacific
Farther along. in Lexington, Va, the
Attorney General said: Here are the
tombs of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall
Jackson. From this neighborhood
sprang that staunch old hero, Sam
Houston. who gave Texas to the Union,
and that sailor-hero, Matthew Fontaine
Maury, known as the pathfinder of the
Seas" who came back in his old age to
die in the peace and quietude OF this
smiling land. Nor do forget that it was
George washington who turned over to
the great Washington and Lee Univer-
sity. as an endowment, the gift that
came to him from the Legislature in
recognition OF his services in winning
the independence of our country"
After IA years of continuous service
In Congress, Representative Parker Corn
ing, Democrat, of Albany retires. During
his entire service he has been one of
the ablest but most unobtrusively modest
members of the House. He is a Yale
graduate, 81 years of age, with wide ex-
perience as a steel and woolen manu-
facturer. His advice on tariff matters
has been eagerly sought and highly
valued. He is one Of the veteran mem
bers who will be greatly missed.
Illustrating that there is real oppor-
earn advancement in the Government
service, in every department are found
those who have worked their way up to
important administrative positions. Take
the Post Office Department so generally
in recent years presided over by a polit-
ical campaign manager, whether Demo-
cratic, like James A.. Farley, or Repub-
lican, like Walter Brown. Will Hays or
DR.. Hugo Work:
There is Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Smith w. PWdum, who has
charge OF engineering and research, lay
ing out Of post office quarters, including
labor saving equipment, shipping and
routing freight and supplies, selection of
quarters including garages, motor vehicle
service, distribution of post routes and
rural delivery and parcel post zones,
operation and maintenance of Federal
buildings and procurement and distribu-
ton of supplies. That's q pretty sizable
and important job. and Purdun, quite
generally recognized by members Of Con-
greSs as an ideal man for the job. worked
his way up from clerkship in the rail-
way mail service.
It will be recognized that the MAIN
tenance branch of this service, alone,
must be q man-sized job. There again
you find q career man-still young
enough to climb much further-Fred
Cornwell. He Is native Of the District,
so he didn't get there by political inf1u-
ence. His father was police captain
and q member of the Detective Bureau.
He started as a messenger in the of1ce
of the supervising architect of the Treas
ury Department in 1912 and followed
through the entire Federal building pro-
gram. Then, when the Treasury COM
pleted construction of the buildings and
turned them over to the Post Once De-
partment for operation, Cornwen knew
the lob SO well he was taken over with
them. The buildings will be standing
stiu but Cornwel will geep on going
higher.