Evening star., 1938-12-18
Capital SideIiqhts
By Will P. Kennedu

This column sincerely apologies to
Representative Samuel B. Pettengill (and
his many friends) for stating last week:
by the irony of fate, he was defeated
for reelection just about the time his
book, 'Jefferson-the Forgotten Man.
came of the presses" Some months
ago Mr.. Pettengill told the writer he
would not be candidate, and the writer
knew he had not been a candidate in
the primary and had voluntarily with
drawn from Congress Considerable
pressure had been exerted by Republic
ans and Democrats alike in a fruitless
attempt to induce Mr.. Pettengill to re-
consider and it is quite generally con-
ceded that he could have been reelected.
This lapse from veracity," however,
demonstrated that he has many earnest
friends ready to come to his defense.
Mr.. Pettengill's absence from the in
coming Congress can in no way be con-
strued as reputation of the funda-
mental positions he had taken. AS
matter of fact, he personally considers
the election generally a vindication OF
those positions. Representative Petten-
gill has sent the writer an Autographed
copy of his book. which has already gone
into q second edition to total of AZ, 900.
His colleagues and many friends will be
pleased to learn that they will have
sam" Pettengill with them after all,
because "the gentleman from Indiana" is
devoting himself to writing about Con-
gress from the inside, telling what makes
the works at Washinton tick and describ-
ing the march OF national events from
the viewpoint of one who is member of
the inner circle.
The congressional industrial educa-
ton expedition" to Florida gave mem
bers of the House and Senate an ex-
traordinary opportunity to fraternize and
reminisce. Senator Bennett Champ
Clark and Representative Clarence Can
non grew up together under the watchful
eye OF the late Speaker Champ Clark.
Cannon was his secretary later his
parnamentarian, and subsequently was
elected to succeed him in Congress.
Bennett Clark led the fight in the last
national convention for abolition of the
Democratic party's two-thirds rule,
which blocked Champ Clark's nomina-
tlon Tor President. They recalled that
one day last year, Representative Cam
non was called to the chair by Speaker
Bankhead to preside in the Committee
OF the Whole House, while on the same
DAY and at the same hour Senator Clark
was called upon by Vice President Gar
ner TO preside in the Senate. With the
doors open, these two proteges OF Champ
clark faced each other down the whole
length of the Capitol Building-and both
OF them thought of the Grand Old
Chleftaln"~to whom each owed so much
Tor the honors that have come to them.
Inomas w. Brahany, who served with
Joseph P. Tumulty as White House sec
retary under Woodrow Wilson, was one
OF four who caught q sailfish of Miami
His flsh was 7 feet 3 inches long weighed
81 pounds and 1t took 80 minutes to
land 1t. (Naturally, the size varied with
each telling OF the story) Leslie L. Binle.
secretary to the Senate majority. went
one better than Mr.. Brahany. He
brought back a Photographic enlarge
ment OF his catch and printed certifi-
cate issued by the Yacht Club attestine
his prowess.
Representative j. Burrwood DAILY of
Philadelphia was the "fall guy" on the
trip. When the special train stopped at
Orlando he with some others invaded a
grove near the station and brought away
as souvenirs small branches with the
oranges thereon. Two men "appre-
hended" Mr.. DAILY, explaining that it
was against the law" to thus help
yourself to the fruit-but they finally
consented to square accounts for him on
the payment Of 50 cents. ,