Evening star., 1937-04-04
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


gress, often overlooked or taken for
granted, has been compiled by Repre-
sentative Arthur P. Lamneck OF Ohio
and printed in the Congressional Rec
ord. He says there "is an actual need for
brief and concise information regarding
the why's and wherefores of Congress to
be made publicly available to the inter-
ested laity.'
We have had Congress for l48 years.
The First Congress dated March 4, 1789,
to March 3, 179l-but did not convene
until April 6. because quorum OF mem
bers did not show up until that date.
Travel was not as easy and swift then
as it is in these days The first change
in date for the meeting OF regular ses-
sions OF Congress since 1920 was on
January last, because of the ratification
of the twentieth amendment known as
the lame duck" amendment
There have been only about "a extra
sessions In the 148 years since the Con-
stitution was adopted-fve Of them IN
the past IL years.
In the last Congress the Seventy
fourth) there were 1892 bills and reso-
lutions introduced in the House and
5.428 in the Senate. Thus far in the
present Congress-three months-nearly
half that number have already been in
troduced The Sixty-tlfth Congress
holds the record for the number Of
bills-33,Ol5.
In eight years President Wilson vetoed
SO bills; President Harding vetoed S.;
President Coolidge vetoed 20; President
Hoover vetoed 20, and President Roose-
welt vetoed 22l. President Grover Cleve-
land made a reputation by vetoing more
bills than any other President, but they
were mostly private pension bills.
Three bills were passed over President
Wilson'S veto-repeal of the daylight
savings law, the Volstead act, and to
cease enlistments in the Army. None
were passed over President Harding s
Veto Four were passed over President
Coolidge's veto-the so-called bonus or
adjusted compensation, the emergency
officers retirement BILL to provide diff
ferential in pay for night workers in the
postal service and granting allowances
to fourth-class postmasters for light,
rent, fuel and equipment. President
Hoover had three bills passed over his
veto-Spanish-A American War pension
increase. Philippine independence and
increase Of the loan basis OF adjusted
service certificates.
Prayers offered by the House chaplain
in the Sixty-eighth and Sixty-ninth
Congresses have been printed in book
form and can be bought at the Govern
ment Printing Office for Is cents.
The Constitution became fully oper-
ative with the Inauguration Of George
Washington as President on April 80,
1789-since then there have been 2l
amendments ratified by at least three
fourths of the States. The first 10
amendments were practically agreed
upon before the adoption OF the Consti-
tuition. The eleventh and twelfth amend
ments were proposed in 1894 and 1903.
The House now has so pages. who are
paid 81 per diem during sessions Of the
House.
House members salaries total $4,385,-
600 and their mileage allowance $l71 900.
Clerk hire for members and delegates
totals $2,19O,000 Official reporters re-
ceive S63,O00
Last year the House furniture and re-
pair shop handled 6,891 pieces OF work,
including repairing, upholstering and re-
| modelling furniture, cleaning rugs and
making screens.
The House has it's rugs made to order
| and spent $4,000 for this item last year.
i But the House is getting good wear out
| of these rugs There are 43 that have
been in use since the old House Once
Building was opened q years ago; 3o2
rugs have been in use for Is years and
| the rest in use from l to 10 years.
The stationery room, where House
members get their Office supplies, has
been in operation since 1868, with re-
volving fund, and has never been forced
| to liquidate-that Is the proud boast OF
South Trimble, the clerk Of the House.
The Capitol telephone bill Is $4,000 to
| $2,7O0 a month when Congress is not In
session and runs up to $4,000 when Con-
| gress is in session. Last January the bill
was s4,397 The House has 1,4l6 out OF
| a total of 2,540 telephone instruments
| used by Congress.
| Salaries OF the Capitol police force to-
| tai $lOO,68O, and uniforms about $4,000
! a wear. The minimum age of these po-
licemen is % years and the maximum SO
years at time Of appointment The
House seems to require less police service
than the Senate, which has 81 policemen
| for tho Senate once Building, while the
| House has 80. including the lieutenant,
for two ofnce buildings.