Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1937-01-07
Was ling 4
BY AZ ;|AS
By :{;l glS art


preceding, but the
normalcy of the year in which that
quadrennial spectacle, an inaugu-
ration of President, takes place.
But Washington's normally is con-
dition that comes in cycles and it
matters not how the wheel of life
turns, those who are resident here
get used to it and of necessity they
take the condition in regular stride.
That sounds like Washington resi-
dents are blase. And they are to a
greater extent than residents of
most cities. But paradoxical as it
may seem, native Washingtonians
and certain percentage of those
in the political field become so ex-
cited that they lose all sense of pro-
portion on occasions such as an in
auguration ceremony. The answer
seems to be personal vanity-a de-
sire to be tout in 'front.' and to
"show off, by having important
places in parades and having their
names and pictures in the newspa-
pers.
But there is another side of this
Washington normalcy. 1t is the side
of the political powers who have
little concern about TIE District of
Columbia as such or what goes on
therein unless those affairs strength
en- the position these political pow
ers hold among their constituencies
"back home"
Hence, under the dome of the
great Capitol building, there is all
the activity of a bee hive. The
old timers among the legislators
have learned to proceed with eau
ton and to develop their plans slow
ly, but the newer members of the
house and senate are all agog, each
one with his own pet idea for saving
the nation; each one with varying
conviction about his own i'm
portance as a member of the ma
tional legislature, and each one de-
termined not to overlook single
opportunity to show the folks back
home that their representative or
their senator has become a national
figure.
Then through the corridors, the
halls, committee rooms and offices
there are the hurrying feet of news
paper correspondents, representa-
tives of this interest or that, mes
sengers and lowly members of the
Capitors vast staff of carpenters,
cleaners and chore workers. They
are, of course, important only as
they make the Capitol habitable but
they are an unacceptable part of the
picture-of Washington normalcy.
downtown" Washington has an
other picture. In the executive de-
partments, in the
All Is bureaus, commits
Activity sions and agen-
cies of viii C h
scores have come into being under
the Roosevelt New Deal, there is in
tense activity. Policy makers of
these various units make plans,
study, confer, propose or reject
ideas for consideration of the new
congress and the administration
heads. These fellows are less con-
cerned about the folks back home
than are the legislators. Their chief
concern usually is perpetuation of
their jobs, development of their
units or agencies into places of such
importance that the country cannot
do without them. There is a per-
sonal interest hardly less to- be con-
demned than that of the self-seeking
politician.
On top of all of these-the gov
ernmental activities of the govern
ment - there is still another nor
malcy in Washington. 1t is the so
cial side. OF course, all Washing
ton society springs and has its being
in White House reflection. From
the great mansion at 1900 Pennsyl-
vania avenue, there radiates every
kind and condition of social en-
gagement. Outstanding m on 6
these obviously after the inaugura-
ton of President is the Chief Elk
ecutive's dinner to his cabinet. A
reception to the Supreme Court OF
the United States and the other
members of the judiciary follows.
In rapid order come receptions to
the legislators, to the army, navy
and marine corps, to the foreign
diplomats resident here and all OF
these are interspersed with smaller
official dinners in the great state
dining room at the White House.
In various sections Of the city
and in the hotels dinners, receptions,
cocktail parties continue in cease
less chains. And if the brutal state
ment must be made, the truth is
that nearly every one Of them has a
purpose above and beyond personal
enjoyment, but the selfish interest
is quite frequently so deeply con-
cealed that those who are being
cultivated" may not realize what
the objective is.
These random observations have
been presented chiefly to show the
gloss and the
Gloss ana glamor that is
G[on1or self-imposed upon
the hundreds Of