Evening star., 1938-01-09
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


put under the microscope. Not just dry
historical facts, much recorded with bias
or prejudices of that disturbed period,
but a truly human attempt to get at
just what was in the minds and hearts
OF the people who supported the Rebel
lion is being sought-and by one with
judicial mind and with extensive ex-
per1ence. The effort is to get the view
point. motives and achievements from
the imprints they made during that
historic struggle by those who made
terrible and supreme sacrifices for a
cause they thought was right.
1t is old New England character that
Is behind this self-chosen task to justify
people. most Of whom are dead, and
give them proper records before their
fellow men. Representative Usher L.
Burdick, son of Ozias Warren Burdick
of Vermont, himself born in the cold
wide-open prairies of Minnesota, trans
planted in 1882 to the Dakota Territory,
has set himself to this labor of love. 1t
seems incongruous that a man of his
far Northern birth and ancestry, elected
to Congress on the Non-Partisan League
ticket, who managed the presidential
campaign of Representative William
Lemke on the Union Party ticket last
year, should attempt to establish for
posterity the feelings of the warm
blooded. sentimental, dashing cavaliers
of the Southland. But he is putting his
heart and talents and experience into
this study.
Raised in farming community bor-
dering on the Fort Totten Sioux Indian
Reservation, he learned the language of
the Redskins subsequently he wrote
an authoritative history of the last
battle of the Sioux. He has written
many other books on Western history
before tackling the history of the South
ern Confederacy. He is big, rugged
he-man-he played right end on the
Minnesota football teams of 1903 and
1904 when they won the championship
Of the Big Ten. He was Speaker of the
North Dakota State Legislature-th
youngest Speaker in the United States.
He was Judge for the Senate in the only
Impeachment trial ever held in the
State. He had wide experience as spe-
cial prosecutor and district attorney.
Already Representative Burdick has
is that ut Is nothing short of marvellous
the way they organized an independent
government in so short time with
every department. Their postal sys-
tenn could not be organized today, i left
to Congress. They did all this in a
period of six years. and they organized
practically overnight-the same way
with their war and navy departments.
am sure the American people do not
properly appreciate what a wonderful
job they did" His second conclusion is
that when you really understand the
attitude of mind, they exhibited a
patriotism higher in degree than any
demonstration American history dis
closes"
Representative Burdick is making
extensive research and has already
compiled valuable library on the sub
ject-including the journals of the
House and Senate Of the Confederacy
from the first to the last sessions, in
cluding those held at Montgomery, Ala,
where the capital was first established.
+
Remember the story about the i'm
practical man who built an elaborate
factory, installed million dollars
worth of speed machines, but neglected
to buy belt lacings so the machines
could be operated? Congress is giving
such a demonstration right now, and
doesn't seem to realize it. With pro-
gram of bringing out one of the eleven
big regular appropriation bills every few
days, at least once week, some thirty
eight of the most prominent members Of
Congress were brought back to Washing
ton from all parts Of the country to
make intensive studies of the appro-
priation needs Of the Government and
to conduct hearings of the highest
Federal officials In justification of the
Presidents budget recommendations.
The first Of these bills Is now before the
House, the supply bill for the Independ-
ent Ofaces. The hearings on this bill
are in a book of l ,458 pages. The hear
ines on the other ten bills are relatively
as large. Now the belt lacing" for this
particular legislative machinery is one
James F. Scanlon, the editor and in
dexer, copy reader and proof reader.
They have just that one man for the
lob. expecting him to edit and proof
read all those voluminous hearings, for
the information of the members OF the
House, in passing upon the appropria-
tions totaling almost ten billions Of dol
lars ."Jim" Scanlon Is q very able man
on this job, but the work has multiplied
In the last fifteen years, and no one
seems to think about that-or at least
nothing hak been done about it.