Evening star., 1939-02-05
Capital SideIi9hts
BIZ Will P. Kennedy

r. P.-Pages of the House and Sen
ate. attending the Pages School in the
Capitol, have requested that their deep
grief be recorded on the tragic death OF
their schoolmate- Millard Fillmore Cald-
well, Sd, while on his way to the school
Friday morning. His fellow pages held
him in high esteem, and he was one Of
the most popular among them. E. L.
Kendall, the principal, says that the boy
was an unusually dilligent student and
we'll up in all his classes.
Members Of the House Appropriations
Committee during the past week vel
coined back the veteran committee clerk,
Marcellus C. Shield, after his first abb
sence from duties in 81 years, on account
of illness Mr.. Shield has been eulogized
on the floor of the House, in the Con-
gressional Record by successive chairmen
of the committee and by successive
Speakers and House leaders.
The House now has its own druggist,
an apothecary of the old school, who
has truly professional standing among
his home folks-Representative Carl T.
Durham of Chapel Hill, N c. This new
member has an unusual distinction Of
just getting in under the tape. He had
never thought of coming to Congress
until on the eve Of the election he was
given unanimous Endorsement Of the four
counties in his district and was the most
surprised man in the four counties when
the telephone rang and he was told to
pack up and 60 to Washington. Judge
Louis E. Tague was the nominee to sue
ceed Representative William B. Umstead,
who voluntarily retired. Three days be-
fore the election Judge league died. The
vacancy on the ticket had to be Allied by
the Congressional Committee, composed
of one member from each Of the four
counties. They sat for two days and
two nights in hopeless deadlock. Then
the name of Mr.. Durham was mentioned
and he was promptly and unanimously
chosen.
Veterans in the House have been
pleased to have among them during the
past week former Representative Albert
johnson of Washington State, who 10
years ago was chairman OF the House
immigration Committee and 40 years ago
was war editor of the Washington Post
during the war with Spain. Mr.. johnson
is reveling in his freedom from congress
sional cares and fraternized with his
friends in the press gallery. emphasizing
that he was newspaper man long be-
fore he was Representative. Fifty years
ago he was a reporter on the st. Joseph
(Mo.) Herald and st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat in 1896 went to the New Haven
(Conn.) Register. Just previous to COM
ing to the House in 1913 he had been edi-
tor and publisher Of his own paper in
Hoquiam, Wash. During the World War
he absented himself from Congress and
was commissioned captain In the
Chemical Warfare Service.
The Little Congress, composed OF SEC
retaries to members, clerks to committees
and various officers Of Senate and House,
is now preparing to celebrate its 10th
anniversary, March 25. Kenneth Rom
ney, sergeant at arms Of the House. q
former newspaper reporter and editor,
original sponsor of the Little Congress,
has been placed in charge. He has named
as his committee Representative Harry
Sandager, Rhode Island, co-founder;
paoroeonto tive lyndon Johnson Texas.
and three charter members, Peter F. Sny-
der, former Assistant Secretary Of Labor;
Melvin d. Hildreth. attorney for Amer
ican circus interests. and Judge ]. M.
Barker, one Of the founders. Many
former members Of the Little Congress
who have risen to positions Of prominence
In States scattered all over the country
during the past twenty years are coming
back for the reunion.