The Washington times., 1937-03-03

their colleagues, with accompanying Do
graphical sketches of them. Federal
pecialIy members of Government or
Eanizations, should contact the writer in
the editorial room by 5:15 p. m, or
phone Di. 1000, branch 40.
To Mark Thrash, ll6.year-old
Negro born in slavery long before
the Civil War, goes the honor OF
being the oldest annuitant OF the
Government which set him free,
Details of the elderly mans life,
dug up by the Civil Service Com
mission and outlined in recent
issue of its monthly employe pub
lication, prove sufficiently interest
ing to fully support the axiom that
truth is stranger than fiction.
Thrash, commission research re-
Veals, was born on Christmas Day,
1920, one of twins born to parents
who had been "blackbirded" as
slaves from their African home
land. Until he was Al he lived
quietly on the largesse OF his
master, a DR.. Christopher Thrash,
whose name he subsequently
adopted according to the prevalent
custom of freed slaves.
Captured by Wilson'S cavalry
during a Federal raid in 1861, he
was imprisoned in a detention
camp, made his escape, crept
through the Yankee outposts to
territory held by the thin Gray
line" and finished out the war
living with his master at the only
home he knew. With Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation. how
ever, he decided to see what free
dom could offer and eventually
occupied a Government job.
Thrash, the Commission in
forms, has had 27 children and S
wives, having outlived of them.
During the World War he had IA
grandsons in the military forces,
all of them the children of an
oldest son. He married his cur
rent wife at the age of 107, and
is reported to have humorously de-
clared he'll marry again if he
should outlive her.
The old annuitant is quite pop
ular in Tennessee, where he has a
cabin in Chickamauga National
Park. He has appeared on the
radio at least once as "the Oldest
voter" has been the subject of
numerous press feature articles,
and is visited by numerous curious
tourists. The Civil Service Com.
mission doubted his age for long
while, but after several probes has
declared 116 is the correct figure
For FL years Local No. 2 has
been an important cog within the
wheels of the N. F. F. E., perhaps
the organizations foremost Wash
ington unit because of its large
size.
Consequently, on Tuesday, March
16, the local will give an ami
versary dinner at the Nationa,
Press Club at which Senators Nc
Carran and BuloW and Representa-
tives Ramspeck and Maverick will
be guest speakers.
Henry G.. Nolda, of Veterans
Administration, Secretary-treaSurel
Of the local, is handling most OF
the details under direction of Pres
ident Harlow Bacon. Assisting are
Dr.. Howard Edison, Lottie Ander
son and Archie Edwards, of Agri
culture; Albert M. Reising anc
Jesse Moss, of Interior; Robert
w. Cushman, of Congressional
Library: Mrs. Mary Giordano, Of
General Accounting Office; Louis
Sissman, of Commerce, and JOSEPH
Stansfield, of Interstate.
French horn player or no French
horn player, the Agriculture De
partment's 80-piece orchestra to
night will present a symphony con
cert-and if you don't like it vol
can donate French horn.
Should there be any sour notes
detected at 8 p. m. in the South
Buildings auditorium, it will 81
because the orchestra entered th5
fray minus an expert on the instru
ment (the group has four French
horners, but one quit to enter
night school and at the last min
ute DR.. Walter Bauer had made
no announcement as to whether
the gaping hole had been stopped
Regardless, however, the orches
ira is known for its fine perform
anceS on all occasions and to
night is expected to be no excep
ton. An unusually fine program
is scheduled, the feature of which
will be solo on the cello by Leslie
Atkins, Resettlement worker
whose entrance into Government
service was a severe loss at one
time to the Minneapolis Symphony
Orchestra.
Congress demand for informa
ton as to outside income of Dis
trict Of Columbia employees has
ired more than a few in the serv
ice as whole, who fear the move
ment will spread all over. A bill
forbidding outside work for thoSe
receiving salaries over $4,000
flopped in the House last year
and sentiment to date seems to be
against its revival.
Many criticisms, incidentally
have been expressed during the
last day or so over the cigarette
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