Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1937-05-27

Although the end of the Con-
gressional session is still weeks and
perhaps months ahead. official
Washington is beginning to think
about summer vacations. SO far
has been quite bearable. but the
this Spring Washington's climate
Sitting summer season is close at
hand. In the Summer nobody in
Washington ever does anything
which can be avoided.
Every year which passes empha-
sizes the mistake which was made
by the Founding Fathers in locating
the Nations capital in this miasmic
swamp On the banks of the Poto-
mae. 1t was one of the conditions
imposed upon the newly-formed Re-
public in 1887 by the delegates to
the Constitutional Convention held
in Philadelphia just $50 years ago.
Virginia. Maryland. the Carolinas
and Georgia feared domination by
the northern states if they assented
TO the capital remaining in Phila-
d~elphia. where the Continental Con-
gress had its headquarters
Indeed. although Philadelphia
was the largest city in America at
that time, the feeling against il was
so strong that for the first two
years of our national existence New
York was the seat of government.
which moved back to Philadelphia
oily after the compromise of a COM
pletely new city. on lands donated
by Virginia and Maryland, had been
arrived at.
Location Unfortunate
Nobody could foresee then what
a gigantic institution the Govern
ment of the United States was 60
ing to become. And nobody realiz-
ed the e%nervating quality of the eli
mate in this particular spot. That is
not a matter of latitude. for there
are hundreds of cities much farther
South in which it is possible to live
and work in comfort the year
around. Most of those, however.
are at high attitudes or situated
near enough salt water to get the
refreshing effect of the sea breezes.
In Washington midsummers there
is no escape from the steaming hui
midity. unless one is fortunate
enough to have the aforementioned
halls of Congress and some of the
new executive buildings in which to
seek refuge. And a definite result
of the climate is to slow down the
pace at which Government employ
ees do their work.
Every observer who has been here
for any length of time is accustom-
81 20 tho. p+hnciae -, af an "A ~ "
istrators who come in with each
successive administration and voice
their determination to speed things
up In a few months these enthus-
lasts nave succumbed to the Wash
ington climate, and few of them
ever keep up the pace they set for
themselves.
Vacations Necessary
That is why vacations are such an
important element in the scheme of
things in Washington. 1t is o pos
sible to move the capital TO a more
invigorating climate, but it is pos
sible for everyone whose official
duties permit it to get away for long
periods and come back refreshed.
Even the lowliest clerk in a Gov
fIulueul DlliCt 5elS d oU-udy NdCd-
ton on full pay every year. 1t
would BE- cruel not to grant them
that privilege. nd the higher ones
Government job. the longer and
more frequent the vacations.
President Roosevelt has set an
ail-tIme record for vacations. He
has not done quite so much travel
ing as President Taft did, but he has
spent more time away from Wash
ington than any previous President
ever die Mr. Taft Travelled $4,000
miles. practically all of it is the
United States, during his four-year
term.
Mr.. Roosevelt so far has travelled