Evening star., 1938-11-20
By Frank B. Lord.

There will be no doubt as to the
identity of the best bridge player
In Congress when 1t convenes again
next January. That distinction will
be accredited. and properly so, to
Representative John c. Kunkel of
Pennsylvania.
II Mr. Kunkel has hobby, it is
bridge, and he never loses an op-
portunity to exploit it. He has long
been recognized as one of the lead
ing players of the State and that
takes in lot Of territory and some
well-known experts at the game
The success of the Harrisburg
tournaments, to which Washington
has always sent a large delegation
of players, has been due largely to
his activities in arranging them and
carrying out their program. He holds
long list Of championships won at
home and elsewhere. He was a
member of the tournament commit
tees at the recent meets in York and
Reading, and has played in WASH
ington on many occasions.
Mr.. Kunkel's home is in Harris
burg, where he practices law. Only
two or three times in the past half
century has the Harrisburg district
slipped from Its Republican mooring
and sent a Democrat to Congress.
That happened two years ago, but at
the recent election the district
swung back to its old faith. and Mr..
Kunkel represents part of the VIC
tory which the Republicans gained.
He had comfortable majority over
his Democratic opponent, Repre-
sentative Guy j. Swope, who served
one term The district was formerly
represented by Marlin Olmstead,
one of the House leaders of his time.
The new congressional bridge en-
thusiast is 40 years of age and was
educated at Yale and at Harvard
Law School, He is much inter-
ested in civic affairs, as we'll as in
bridge, and is veteran of the
World War.
For many years the late Speaker
Frederick H. Gillette. afterward
Senator from Massachusetts, was
the undisputed whist and bridge
champion Of Congress. He learned
whist while a student at Amherst
and followed it through all Of its
changes and Advancement 1t was
his practice to seek relaxation from
official duties by dropping in at the
Metropolitan Club, where he was a
member, and playing few rubbers
OF bridge. Those who played with
him readily admitted his ability at
the game, as we'll as at statesman
ship.
In recent years the congressional
champion was Mrs. Virginia Jenckes
OF Indiana. 1t was her special de-
light to play with the boys at the
National Press Club in their tour
naments and to carry away their
prizes as she often did. Mrs. Jenckes
was defeated. however. in the late
election and. therefore, there will not
even be a contest between her and
Mr.. Kunkel for honors.
Some of the Washington fans to
whom Mr., Kunkel is we'll and favor
ably known are talking of taking
appropriate action in his honor
when he comes here to fill his seat
next winter.
The American Legion. Depart
ment of the Potomac, will start its
staggered tournament next Satur-
day evening at the War Mothers
Hall on New Hampshire avenue. 1t
will continue Saturday evenings for
the following three weeks. The reg
ular standard major events will be
played in duplicate contract, at
which members Of all the Legion
posts and other veteran organiza-
tions and the public will play. There
will also be a progressive game for
others. conducted by William Cheeks
and Maxwell johnson. The dupli-
cate will be in the charge of COM
mittee consisting Of 1t. Comdr w. A.
Corley, Paul Golden. Roy Astelford
and A. P. Stockvis, the last named
acting as scorer. Trophies and
prizes will be awarded to the game
winners and also to the Legion
naires who have the highest aver
age scores. In addition to local
bridge fans, the members of the
Maryland Bridge League have been
invited.
Announcement is made Of the
formation of a new national bridge
organization to be known as the
North American Bridge Association.