Evening star., 1937-02-28
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

The importance of the job of reading
clerk" in the House is emphasized by
trials of some 25 candidates now in
progress to select an understudy, who
is to be trained and given experience in
the duties, as career man. These trials
also illustrate the devotion to duty. and
to each other. of three veteran employees
William Tyler Page, SIS years in serv-
ice; A. E. Chaffee, SO years, and Patrick
j. Faltigan, rs years.
"P. j." as he is affectionately called
by members and fellow workers has
been reading clerk since 1911. He is
now seriously sick and Chaftee started
in to carry the whole load of the duties
of this exacting position. on which they
have teamed up since Chaffee was ap-
pointed in 1919 by Page, who was then
clerk of the House. This was labor Of
love with Chaffee, as some time ago
when he had an affection Of his eyes,
which were bandaged for three months,
Haltigan did all the work. In the pres
ent emergency, however, Tyler Page.
now an emeritus employe of the House,
volunteered to pinch hit as alternate
reading clerk, and he was invited to do
so by South Trimble, his successor as
clerk, and by Speaker Bankhead.
Haltigan is to continue to hold his
position no matter how long his illness
may continue, and no attempt will be
made to replace him. There has been
no change in reading clerks in 18 years,
and no change is now contemplated.
The last trials for reading clerk were
held before Chaffee was appointed. At
that time Representative James R.
Mann. former Republican leader, ne
gotiated "gentleman's agreement" be-
tween the Republican and the Demo-
cratic leaders that whenever there was
a change in party control of the House
there would be no interference with the
position of reading clerks for patronage
purpOSes-in other words, it was to be
a career job, with special training and
experience, to facilitate the work of the
House. Even now. though number of
outsiders" are being given trial. it
Is probable that some other long-eXperi-
enced employe will be given the place,
because knowing the members and the
routine of procedure and familiarity
with the entire situation is a very val
liable asset. The actual selection will
be made by secret committee of men,
berS delegated by the Speaker to listen
to the trials and pick the new career
man.
The present situation has emphasized
something that leaders of both major
political parties have realized for some
time-the necessity of putting a promis-
ing young man in training to eventually
succeed to the reading clerk position,
who can fill in from time to time on
especially hard days and long sessions
in the House or whenever either of the
regular reading clerk is Ill or absent.
Speaker Longworth was one of the most
urgent advocates Of having such third
man In training.
The reading clerks work is arduous
all the time. 1t is a severe mental and
physical strain - having a good voice
that can stand much usage is only a
small part of the job. One roll call in
the House is equivalent to five in the
Senate. There are three prime essentials
for this good reading clerk: Cd voice
sufficiently vibrant and powerful to
carry above the noise of the House;
90 proper pronunciation, articulation
and infection. and go poise and mental
alertneSs. The calling of the roll re-
quires three distinct divisions of the
mind-three duties to be carried on
simultaneously. The first is the calling
of the name so it can be heard and
recognized; the second to be sure the
tally clerk gets the response, and the
reading clerk repeats the response for
the benefit of the tally clerk, and also
has to gauge his speed to the capacity
of the tally clerk to record the vote.
The third is to keep track himself OF
the members who answer-going through
the roll call the first time he checks
with blue pencil, the second time with
a red pencil-and then those who stand
up at their seat to qualify" for the final
roundup.
The most important work of the read
ing clerk is entirely overlooked by
casual observers-it is not the mouthing
of names across the desk-it is prepar-
ing the official copy of the bill under
consideration for the enrolling clerk,
containing all amendments properly ap-
piled into the bill itself, so that the
copy the reading clerk transmits repre-
sents exactly the action of the House.
It Is well-deserved tribute to the pres
ent team Of Chaffee and Haltigan that
while they have been on the job there
has been not single mistake In prep
aration of the official copy of any bill
that passed through their hands.