Evening star., 1936-05-03
Capital Sideligghts
By Viii p. Kennedy.

the Nation and famous for his wit and
ghtheartedness-has come back to look
washington over. He is greatly pleased
with much of the improvement. especially
the Mall Triangle, but doesn't like little
bit the way the Mall itself has been
planed of and what has been done to
other parks to make them more formal
TITS all too mathematical" he protests.
He is 80 years of age-has lived for so
years in the vicinity of Duluth, Mimi
Born in Ohio, he learned the art of
printing" and taught school in Iowa.
Ohio and Arkansas. He represented sew
eral Western newspapers in Washington
from 1888 to 1891. During that time he
was employed on The Washington Star
and covered" Anacostia news He is
still boastful of his Star connection. and
is fraternizing with old friends Il first
got acquainted with Theodore W. Moves.
new editor of The Star. when he was a
young lawyer in Sioux Falls S. Dak,"
said Mr.. Bede. LAS a newspaper pub
Usher have always thought the old Star
was an ideal"
Representative william A. Pittm2er,
who now represents the same district
that Mr.. Bede served 80 years ago, re-
called how Mr.. Bede received his first
Nationwide publicity. in getting ap-
point marshal for the Minnesota dis
trict by President Grover Cleveland-he
sent in his application for the Office on
birch bark He was marshal in 1894 dur
ing the great railroad strike.
He served in Congress from 1908 to
1909 and held national prominence by
his fights as member of the Rivers and
Harbors Committee. challenging the late
Senator Theodore E. Burton on policies
and livening debate and relieving tension
by witticisms and bright stories At one
time he introduced a resolution to swap
the Philippines for Ireland and raise our
own policemen"
In Congress he advocated cleaning out
the dives in the old triangle and filling
the site with Government buildings
which has now come to pass, much to his
qualification Thirty years ago he called
the Mississippi River a great dragon of
national menace, and insisted that its
control should not be left to local levy
districts. He is thrilled that bill spon-
sored by Senator Copeland of New York
is about to be enacted for flood control
under the general-welfare clause, as he
advocated.
Adam Bede is still fighter at 80 years
for cause. His visit is principally in
behalf of the St. Lawrence Seaway prof.
ect. I'VE have lost II Congressman from
our group of States, he pointed out, so
we have to work intensively. We want
our chance to trade with New England
and Seattle-we need everything that any
other part Of the country produces. We
have lost 10000 industries since the Pan
anna Canal was cut. We cannot compete
with rail charges. We must get our raw
products to the seaboard-and we are
going to get it because our cause is
right" That's how he feels after 30 years
devoted to this cause.
He was one Of the most sprightly frol-
ickers the other night at a Minnesota
banquet in the Hamilton Hotel.
The big brother" of the House is
Chairman John J. O'Connor of the Rules
Committee red-headed Irishman, who
at the close of a recent session Dragged
that he was in direct descent from the
red" Kings of Ireland. He has arresting
auburn hair. John has close affiliation
with the White House because his brother,
Basil, was law partner of the President
but John does not shine in any one else's
shadow-he stands foursquare on his
OWh ulcIito- III q iCNClII IIUtdDic duUIcSS
in the House. which had notable Nation
wide publicity, he paid tribute to his de-
votion to his four sons They recently
spent a week at the Capital, and John
had the time of his life playing with
them-more as q big brother than as
member of the American Congress. They
had more fun In the Capitol than the
famous sons Of the redoubtable Col
Teddy Roosevelt used to have when
their father was PreSident-and OCon-
nor's sons are unalterably convinced that
their father would make the best ever"
President But John OConnors sweetest
characteristic, next to love for his sons, is
human understanding and helpfulness
toward his fellows. It was he who bailed
out Representative Zioncheck when he
got In trouble with the Washington
police. Then he gave him some big
brother" advice. He called a conference
of House leaders which advised Zion
check to take a vacation honeymoon,
and he even offered to finance the trip.
O'Connor 10 firmly convinced that some
Congressman are just big boys having
fun-and thinks their frailties should
not be emphasized, but that the better
system is to help them to salvage the rest
of their lives. He is firmly convinced that
Zioncheck has a promising future. and
IL he don't make the best of it it will not
be OConnor's fault. Yes-John O'Con-
nor Is human. and understanding.