Evening star., 1937-01-09

advise that occupant, or any Senator
who may be in doubt upon matters Of
procedure, when requested. But call
it what he will, Mr.. Watkins it is
who is consulted and whose opinion is
forthwith delivered by the chair. And
in more than decade. with one eX-
ception, his decision has stood.
Mr.. Watkins is one of that group Of
Senate officials who seldom make the
headlines, but whose duties, neverthe-
less. are as necessary as those of the
Senators themselves within their own
scope. 1t is this group which, headed
by the Secretary of the Senate, Col.
Edwin A. Halsey, verify makes the
wheels of the Senate go round in or
derly and accustomed routine. They
control. in manner Of speaking, the
mechanics of the Senate, and it is
their long experience and familiarity
with every angle Of Senate routine
that forms the framework upon which
each succeeding session operates.
IF YOU have sat in the Senate gall
lery, facing the Vice Presidents
chair you will have noticed a long,
narrow desk that stands in front of
the rostrum. just before the presiding
officers desk. And if you have OBJ
served still more closely. you will
have noted here three men bent earn
estly above mysterious books, docu-
ments or papers, or lifting their faces
in consultation at word from above
or from the floor.
If you are possessed of a normal
curiosity and interest you will prob
ably have wondered what these men
are doing at this long desk, and who
they are Reading in the customary
manner from left to right, from your
gallery seat, they are Charles Watkins,
parliamentarian and journal clerk;
John C. Crockett, chief clerk and
reading clerk, and Emery L. Frazier,
legislative clerk. Today our story
concerns Mr. Watkins
Charlie" Watkins is tall thin, and
Of that anatomical structure usually
referred to as "lanky" His face is
kindly, with some nice wrinkles ap-
pearing at the corners of his eyes
when he smiles. His smile, like his
speech, is characterized by a drawl.
It's a slow smile, spreading to the eye
wrinkles in pleasant, leisurely fash
ion.
One feels, reviewing his background
and length Of service in the United
States Senate. that Mr.. Watkins
should look much older than he does.
His speech is favored with the broad
mellowness of his home State, Ar
kansas, and it comes forth like the
smile. unhurriedly. There is deft,
sure ring in it when it discusses OBJ
scure phases of parliamentary law,
for a native aptitude for facts. an ex-
traordinary memory for detail. study
and long habit have made Charlie
Watkins an authority.
His name first appeared on the pay
roll of the United States Senate De-
cember l, 1904, when he was entered
as stenographer to the late Senator
James P. Clarke of Arkansas. He
came to Washington in this capacity,
a young graduate from the law de-
partment of the University of Arkan-
sas whom fate had never permitted
actually to practice law. He asserts,
however, that he learned as much
from close association with the late
Senator Clarke as he learned in the
university, for he considered his en-
ployer one of the ableSt lawyers the
country has ever produced. Later
Watkins became private secretary to
Senator Clarke.
IN MAY, 1917, he was transferred
to the Office of the financial clerk
of the Senate, and held that position
until he was appointed minute and
journal clerk. in June, 1919 He had
been retained on what is known as
the efficiency roll" when the Repub-
licans took over control Of the Senate
in the 1918 elections.
During this time a natural interest
in the affairs of the Senate, with
which his position brought him into
close daily contact, prompted Watkins
to make a concentrated and detailed
study of events, rules and precedents
as they affected conduct Of Senate
affairs from the floor.
With more and more frequency he
came to be consulted upon these mat
tiers when some fine point arose dur
ing debate or prior to it. In the alb
Sence of the Vice President from the
chair, when it was occupied by a
President pro tempore, he was often
called upon to advise the presiding
officer upon some phase of parlia-
mentary procedure with which that
officer was not familiar. Often, for
that matter, did he render an opinion,
upon request, to the Vice President
himself, for rules are many and va
ried, and the best of Vice Presidents
are human. 1t was Charlie Watkins
invariably who was looked to for set
tlementA \ when squabbles on points
Of order sprang up and threatened to
disrupt or interrupt the harmonious
conduct Of the Senate's business.
Prior to 1923 it had been customary
for the assistant secretary of the Sen
ate to act as parliamentarian when
need arose. But when, q few years
back, the Senate decided officially to
recognize the ONCE by endowing it
with a title, it was Charles Watkins
who received, in addition to his title
of journal clerk, the new designation.
His record gives evidence of the ex-
traordinary knowledge Of which he Is
possessed and his great tact and dis
cretion in its dispensation. For four
years. for example, under the vice
presidency of Dawes, not a single
decision rendered from the chair was
E-~-. INN 30 1n9q tty1dor