Evening star., 1936-05-17
Capital Sidelights
BY viii p. Kennedy.

The recent impeachment trial in the
Senate has prompted Representative
Sam Hobbs Of Alabama, formerly judge,
chairman of the Muscle Shoals Commits
sion and chairman of the N. r. A. Com
mittee, to prepare an interesting sum-
mary of the history of impeachment
trials for the American Judiciary Society.
He suggests a change in the procedure
which has been followed for 200 years to
relieve the whole body of the Senate by
intrusting the taking of evidence to a
committee. thereby greatly lessening the
cost to the Government.
Impeachment trials, he points out, ''are
the gift of Anglo-Saxon civilization, ap-
pearing in history about the fourteenth
century, but in tribal form dating much
farther back. In 200 years of impeach-
ment trials there has been no change
worthy of mention. Originally. and up
to the time of adopting our Constitu-
ton, it was distinctly criminal proceed
ing. The punishment ran from mere
removal from ONCE, through the confisca
tion Of estate, on up to hanging, draw
ing and quartering. We borrowed from
England the parliamentary system of
impeachment. but stripped the United
States Senate of all power to punish
except by ousting, and therefore it has
been a mere custer proceeding with no
element of criminal trial except the
form" He gives credit to Chairman
Hatton W. Summers of the House Judi
ciary Committee for the modern trend
away from the error in thinking" that
an impeachment trial is of a criminal
nature.
In celebrating its tercentenary and the
battle of San Jacinto, Texas is erecting
monument in the form of lofty obe-
lisk superimposed on base in the form
Of the lone star" in tribute to the Ger
man pioneers who so greatly assisted
In building the State-Representative
Maury Maverick has been explaining to
his colleagues, inviting them to attend
the Texas festivities. This commemora-
tive monument is being located in New
Braunfels, "the cradle of German i'm
migration" founded on Good Friday,
lS45. Here was the home of Dr. Ferdi-
nand Jacob Lindheimer, who fought at
the battle of San Jacinto, which estab-
ished Texas as an independent republic
and freed it from Mexico. He was a dis
tinguished botanist and founded his
paper, Zeitung. in 1852. which is pub
lished to this day. This was the first
city in Texas to tax itself for mainte-
nance OF free public schools. Some of
the pioneer settlements are cited by Rep
resentative Maverick:
Austin County, where Friedrich Ernst
started the first German settlement in
Texas in 1881, known ever since by the
significant name of Industry, Fayette
County, where Joseph Biegel founded
Biegels Settlement in 1882. were COM
paratlvely far from the then existing
settlements. So were Cat Spring, founded
In 1884 by Robert j. Kleberg. one of the
greatest Of Texas pioneers; Frelsburg. in
Colorado County, founded by william
Frels in 1887, after he had taken part in
the storming Of San Antonio in 1885 and
in the battle of San Jacinto in 1886.
These Germans were all men who had
left their native countries because of
tyranny and desire for freedom, and
they brought the spirit of liberty with
them. Although in Texas but few
years, they Immediately entered the slim
ranks Of the Texans and fought and died
at San Antonio, at Goliad and San ia
cinto for the formation of the new
republic.
Apropos Of the Townsend plan, Rep
resentative c. Jasper Bell Of Missouri,
who is to conduct the congressional in
vestigation Of old-age pension rackets,
recalls the story of two colored men on
the stage. Nose asked Sam: What
salary do you get?" and Sam answers,
5000 a nonth-what do you-all get?"
And Nose hesitantly answers: Il gets
$780," and then his face frightened and
more proudly he continued-"but I
gets It,"
An interesting public document has
just been issued for handy reference by
sightseers in the Capitol, but especially
to interest the youth of the land in the
record Of the 68 citizens "illustrious for
their historic renown or distinguished
civil or military service" selected by the
States for commemoration in statues
placed in the Capitol. These statues
used to be referred to in a group as
"Statuary Hail." the chamber in which
the House originally met, but they have
now been distributed all over the build
ing. Brief biographies Of those thus
honored have been prepared by Charles
Fairman, curator of art work In the
Capitol. He Is also building up an ex-