Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-22
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

The country cousins" from the North,
South and West have been visiting IN the
"effete" East From the Golden Gate
on the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico
they have visited Boston and Newport
Harbors on the Atlantic. From wide
flung farms and ranches, citrus groves
cornfields, mines and timber tracts they
came across the Great Divide and the
Mason and Dixon line. They came to
see the places where the Pilgrims landed,
where they purged themselves OF witch
craft and held that famous Boston lea
Party. The trek was highly satisfactory
in every respect. All sections OF the
country have become better nelshoors
thereby. For, just as in rural nelgh-
borhood new boy or girl gets the -olks
better acquainted and visiting over the
backward fences. so it was the New Mem
bers' Club of Congress, under the leader
ship of Representative Jack Nichols. that
has lust brought all sections OF the coun-
try to a better mutual understanding.
One beautiful thing about the trip was
that all those participa ting went at their
own expense on good will visit Tor
self-education. to get to know their TEL
low citizens by seeing America first.
OF course. they we're Hospitality enter
tanned by the Mayor of Boston. the Gov
ernors of Massachusetts and Rhode
Island, the Chambers OF Commerce OF
Boston and Newport. They drank deep
at the fountain of American lndepend-
ence-Lexington. Concord and Bunker
Hill. They learned much OF Bostons
noted culture" and marveled as they
rode along the road to learning to
Cambridge and viewed Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, Harvard Uni
yersity and other institutions OF hlgher
education that have spread their cul-
tural influence all over this broad lano.
They Worshiped at the shrines OF patriot
ism and of literature, including the
homes of Henry WadsWorth LongfelloW,
John Greenleaf Whittier. Louisa M. Al
colt. James Russell Lowell and others.
They came away with determination to
restudy their history and to become more
familiar with the American classics
They learned what real shore dinner
is like, how the broad a. is sounded a.
Harvard. that all Americans are broth
ers under the skin, especially in patriotic
devotion and zeal for all that is best for
their common country. and that in the
many mansions along the Ten Mile
Drive" at Newport there is no more hap
piness and right living than in the hum
BILE homes in their own bailiwicks.
Many members of Congress who have
never seen harbor forts and other sea-
coast defenses have for years been vot-
ing on appropriations for such WORKS
vital to the national defense. Those who
triYl and had
a panoramic view of some Of these fortl-
fications will hereafter vote with better
knowledge of the subject, especially those
who next year accept the lnVltatlon OF
Mayor Tobin of Boston to take them on
a personally conducted tour by boat OF
ali the islands and defenses in Boston
Harbor.
Similarly, some who have voted for
appropriations for the Cape Goa Canai
have now q better understanding of why
it was dug and why it must be properly
maintained.
Those who enjoyed Mayor Tobin's fish
breakfast, the Chamber of Commerce
buffet dinner and the shore dinner OF
Gov Quinn of Rhode Island today have
a far better appreciation OF the impor-
lance of the great fish industry OF the
entire New England seacoast.
Patriotic inspiration cleaned at Lex
ington and Concord was promptly dis
played in the House by Representative
willis A. Robertson of Virginia the after
noon of his return while arguing for ap-
proval of his bill to erect statue OF
Gen. Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg. the
young Lutheran preacher, who at the
close Of a patriotic sermon on freedom,
threw aside his clerical robes, disclosing
the uniform of q colonel in the Cont
mental Army There is time to pray
and q time to fight, and the time has
come to fight" he declared as he called
upon his flock to follow. He led them in
their coonskin caps, leather breeches and
carrying only squirrel rifles to the sup
port of Washington. Robertson read to
the House lines he had copied from the
tablet at Lexington:
Sacred to Liberty and the rights of
mankind,
The Freedom and independence of
America,
Sealed and defended with the blood of
her sons
He also quoted from the lines on the
Minute Mems monument at the Old
North Bridge:
by the rude bridge that arched the
flood
Their flag to April's breeze unfWled;
Here once the embattled farmers stood
And fired the shot heard round the
worldn