Evening star., 1937-08-22


Robert nonetheless is learning the
business. And it's an interesting job
these boys have. he finds, with a lot
OF work and little play, too, on the
side
Jokes in fact. are among the first
things new boy runs into when he
joins the ranks of pages. For its
customary that newcomers be init
ated."
This means that ood-humored traps
will be set for them and that the
other boys will laugh if the green
horn takes tumble Most of the
"hazing' comes in rather startling
statements and requests which are
delivered to the newcomers very Sc
riously. Sometimes the Senators
themselves join In the plots.
A ND so it happened that Robert had
scarcely donned his pages uni
form-dark blue knickers. worn with
shirt with collar and a dark tie
before the fun began. A fellow-work-
er started the ball rolling
Coming up to Robert with an air
OF being very helpful he inquired in
nocently: Have you got bill stretch
er. Robert? Better get one. You see,
you can't hold your job up here unless
you have one
Robert didn't know it then, but
bill stretcher" is something which
has been arousing the curiosity of
freshman pages for long time The
joke is-there's no such thing
Then another youngster came up
to Robert confdentiallv with a warn
ing: Better look out for Senator
sorehum He's dreadful old man
mean as everything
Senator Sorghum. too. is myth.
but most pages hear about him soon
after their arrival at the Capitol. In
fact, a favorite joke, even with the
Senators, is to send new pages out to
look for Senator Sorghum"
PUT it's not all joking with the
pages on the Hill Not by long
shot. Their Job Is to help the wheels
Of legislation run just little smooth
er by Strengthening the desks OF the
Senators before they enter the Cham
Der at noon for the days session. and
then by sitting about the Senate ros-
trum ready to answer "snap'-a
Senator's signal when he needs an
errand boy.
They report for work at $50 am.
at the Senate and begin Strengthening
desks at once The days calendar
and copy of the Congressional Record
are placed in binders on each desk and
new legislative bills are arranged in
files. Fresh stationery is brought out
on the desk and the ink wells are filled.
about two Of their most interesting
duties-which are carried out now
merely as historical tradition
Long before blotting paper was in
vented Senators used to have little
bottles of sand on their desks. Then,
as each man placed his signature on
a document, he sprinkled little sand
on the signature to dry the ink. The
Senate chamber is a modern, WE'LL
equipped room and, of course blotters
are used today on such occasions.
The sand bottles, however, are still
kept on the desks as a reminder of
the old custom and must be filled at
least once year.
A MOTHER traditional Joo which
keeps the pages little buster,
however, is filling two lacquer snuff
boxes in the Senate chamber. These
recall the days when the Nations
lawmakers used to get up from their
desks for a pinch of snuff. 1t has
been some time now since a Senator
INDUCED in this practice, but the
snuff boxes are still there and their
contents must be kept fresh. David
Hopkins OF Maryland has the Job right
now. and he fills the boxes at least
once a week.
Fifteen minutes before noon, when
the Senate meets, the pages leave the
cloak room where they have been ION
CALI and stand at the doors of the
chamber. AS the Senators arrive pages
swing the doors open and then take
their hats and wraps into the cloak
room. Five minutes before noon most
OF them take their place about the
rostrum. and there they remain
except when they are running errands
Until the days session is ended.
Pages also 60 to school, but their
hours necessarily are different from
those Of the public school, 50 arrange
ments have been made for them to
attend page school In the Capitol
building 71Is school Is open from .