Evening star., 1938-05-01
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

| BY WILL r. AENNEUY.
1.-THE Romance Of Stamps" is told pic
tureSquely in q speech in the Congress
sional Record by Representative James
M. Mead, chairman of the House Post
Office and Post Roads Committee, who
started his own collection to teach his
son history and geography. He tells Of
the experience Of a man who had fiat
tire far of on country road and licked
stamp to cover the puncture in the
inner Enthusiastically. And Of the
value Of certain rare stamps-the in
verted airmail stamp that is worth more
than $500, or the Western Australia
four-pence blue with the graceful swan
upside down. 5000 bird in philatelic
circles. He emphasizes that If you had
one copy Of every stamp listed in the
world catalogue you would be one Of the
six richest men, and If you had one copy
of each of the first $50 stamps listed in
the United States section your collection
would be worth 100000. The stamp coll
lecting game, he points out, is the occu-
patton. a form of investment, or the
hobby Of one out Of every IA persons.
One Of the first times any newspaper
printed reproduction Of a stamp was
when 1t was used to send four -year-old
boy by first class mail. The tag he wore
was pasted with eight stamps. He re-
minds us Of how near Zachary Taylor
came to losing the presidency for lack Of
a stamp on the letter notifying him of
his nomination. In those days stamps
were new thing and most letters were
sent collect. Taylor refused the impor-
tant letter and 1t was many days before
he could be notified of his nomination,
And with this speech on stamps in the
Congressional Record is a well-deserved
tribute to Jim" Mead by one of his fell
low members, Representative John M.
Coffee Of Washington, who refers to Mr..
Mead as "that beloved colleague Of ours" !"
then he says: "Mr. Mead as chairman
of the House Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads has endeared him
self to the entire postal service by his
steadfast devotion to the interests of
that great department and its personnel.
He is a liberal leader in the House whose
feet are always on the ground. He is a
militant champion Of civil service in all
its forms. He is an unfailing protagonist
VA tAAN AN@W A~CdA WllO OOCo xlUt SWCItC
from the course under the bludgeonings
OF propaganda. Jim Mead is true to his
trust, veritable defender Of the faith.
Never has he scorned the humble degrees
through which he ascended. He is q
true example of the highest type of man
in public life. justifiably popular men,
Der OF Congress. I give this brief acco-
lade to man who Is, loved, admired and
respected by all the members Of the
House."
When the Azalea Special took some
200 members of Congress and their wives
to Charleston, s. c., the trip was made
additionally pleasant and comfortable by
the constant services of three veteran
House employes-Frank Mahoney, dep
uty sergeant at arms; Harry Pillen,
cashier, and Jack K. McFall, clerk to the
Appropriations Subcommittee of Repre-
sentative Thomas S. Mcmillan, who ar
ranged for the big party. In connection
with such an excursion there is infinite
detail work, and, while Mr.. Mcmillan
immersed himself in it, he frankly adj
mits that he could not have carried
through without the whole hearted CO.
operation of these attaches. While the
Marines handled the baggage of the con-
gressional visitors in Charleston, it was
Frank Mahoney who was always on the
job to See that the stage was properly set
and that all the last-minute things were
attended to- Representative Mcmillan
said: He was my right bower-always
on the Job-the right man in the right
place-he did wonderful job" It is
seldom that employees services are so
thoroughly appreciated by so many of
those they serve. Mahoney is a big,
broad-shouldered genial fellow, with
physique. mentality and personality to
carry of any situation ably and genially.
Representative Samuel Chiffon of Vir-
ginia, elected as Wing, was appointed
to defend John Brown at Harpers Ferry,
but was dismissed by his client because
he advocated to the defendant to advance
the plea of insanity as his defense.
X X
During the next two years the State
Department hopes to bring its old records
from all over the world to the Archives
Building in Washington at cost of about
$4,000. They now amount to nearly 800
tons. and much of this valuable material
Is now stored in rented quarters.
\ X
The only Roman Catholic priest who
ever served in Congress was Rev. Gabriel
Richards, Delegate from Michigan Ter
r1tory. He was bon In La Vile de
Saintes, France. in 1857, and after extern
sive theological studies was ordained q
priest in 1880. Two years later he emf
grated to the United States and was pro-
fessor OF mathematics in st. Marys Col
lege, Maryland. He was sent by Bishop
Carroll as missionary to the Indians in
the Northwest Territory and was sta
toned at what is now Kaskaskia, Ill, and
later in Detroit. He published periods
ical In the French languages "Essais du
Michigan" and some Roman Catholic
books. He was elected to the Eighteenth
Congress In 1923 when he was 56 years
ct age.