Evening star., 1936-06-14
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

AAo" VIC 4AoI pl4IltlIiS press was
brought to America was narrated in the
cloak room of the House by Represent
ative Clare Gerald Fenerty of Pennsyl-
vania, said to be the. ace orator and
one of the best-read men in Congress.
SeVenty-six years before the Pilgrims
landed at Plymouth Rock, almost go
years before the birth of George Wash
ington, the Bishop of Mexico had school
texts and the Bible translated into In
dian and, because of the extensive pro-
flciency in reading taught by the mis-
sionaries, he set up the first printing
press in the New World, a press which
was actively productive of translations.
copies and original works even long
before Father Andrew White, S. j., had
performed similar educational service
for the American Colonies by establish
ing the first press in the United States
in the little village of st. Marys in
Maryland.
Many members of Congress are con-
graduating Representative Ernest Lun-
deen, Farmer-Laborite, of Minnesota on
a-terse appreciation of Thomas Jeffer-
son. He said: Thomas, Jefferson was
our foremost apostle of human liberty.
He had infinite faith in the common
people at time when democracy was
only name. He was more than a
liberal, progressive in his day He
was radical. He was author of the
most revolutionary document ever writ
ten. He is the great inspiration of for
ward-looking people today"
Lundeen spoke in the House in support
of the bill authorizing an appropriation
of S3,000,000 for erection in Washington
OF suitable memorial to jefferson
answering some critics: Men do not
live by bread alone. There is something
spiritual in this world. There is
lesson we need to be taught by the
inspiring memorial that is to be erected
in this great American city. 1t will
help to keep forever before us the Amer
tcan plan of government-that all men
are equal; that life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness are inalienable
rights; that the first duty of government
is to safeguard those rights and guar
antee them. Today violent attacks are
being made against democratic govern
ment throughout the whole world. We
in America should remember jefferson
and the Declaration of Independence"
*
Some of the accomplishments for
general education through agencies set
up by this and the preceding Congress
are listed by Representative j. Buell.
Snyder of Pennsylvania: Accommoda-
tions for 1,217,000 additional students to
public school facilities. 1000 educational
buildings constructed CTS per cent of
all the new construction in the country,
more than 100000 additional seats pro-
vided for the public schools, $50 edu-
cational buildings completely overhauled,
1886 new class rooms, $176, ,881 ,297 given
to build new high schools; cost of con-
struction of elementary schools, $780,
831, ,127; $32, ,131, ,166 of Federal funds given
to districts for libraries, laboratories, au-
ditoriums, ETC.; loans to colleges and uni
versities, $64,411 ,093; for Indian schools
and naval and military academies, $780,
100000; through P. w. A. aid new
schools have been built in every State;
for example, in North Carolina, 264;
California, 474; Pennsylvania, GAG; New
York, 212; Illinois, 1865; for adult educa-
tion 1850, 900 men and women were en-
rolled; $4,000 men and women have
been taught to read and write, 94,331
students in 1,466 colleges and univer-
DAcASS 0SAO oANCA IA SCItAllS GAL CdACu-
ton.
The history and achievements of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation have
been Interestingly summarized by Repre-
sentative Wright Patman of Texas, en-
phasizing that in the present fiscal
year, from July /, 1885, to April 80, the
bureau has secured over 5000 convictions
with sentences of more than 5000 years,
together with one of death and three
of life imprisonment. During the same
period recoveries of property and savings
to the Government amounted to $685.
50o,000 OF the cases investigated by
the bureau and brought to trial during
this fiscal year, 95 per cent have re-
suited in convictions.
Not only have the bad men of the
country been apprehended, but 73 cases
involving kidnapping have been solved
during the last four years, since the
passage of the Lindbergh law. The
sentences of the 149 persons thus far
convicted total 2,095 years II months
and days. This does not include 81
life sentences and death sentences, nor
those persons who committed suicide or
were killed resisting arrest or murdered
by their compatriots.
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