Evening star., 1939-10-22
Capital Side|ights
By VIII p. Kennedv

The 15-ton bronze Statue of Freedom
which for rs years has looked out on
growing Nation from her pedestal on the
Capitol dome, 287 feet above the ground,
held her quadrennial reception during
the past week when David Lynn. archi-
tect OF the Capitol, paid his official visit.
1t was tickliSh climb up a ladder that
sianted the wrong way-and even worse
coming down. The central portion of
the Capitol and the dome are being
painted, job done every four years,
with approximately 1900 gallons of paint
on the building and 600 gallons on the
iron dome. Thirty men have been en-
gagged in this work for the past two
months and it will take at least another
month to complete it. An important
part OF this work every four years is to
clean and repair the 10 platinum tips in
the headdress of the Statue of Freedom,
as protection against lightning. This
work is done under direction of Charles
Herman, jeweler, 8l1 E street NV. The
points are made of bronze and screw into
the statue. They are not gold plated as
generally believed. The platinum caps
are sWeated onto the bronze, heated over
blow pipe. These platinum tips are
olstrlouted-one on the head, six on
feathers around the head, one on each
shoulder and one on the shield. The
statue cost s23.796S2 1t was erected
December 2. 1863 Wired to the 10 plati-
mum and bronze points are bronze tags
inscribed with the names of prominent
Capitol officials.
Ihere is a unique fraternity in the
Capitol which is celebrating today. 1t is
composed of clerks to the House Appro-
priations Committee, and they are cele-
brating the fact that Jim Scanlan
"scooped" them by getting married two
weeks ago and keeping it secret. Jim"
is the veteran editor of hearings on all
appropriation bills and as these hearings
run to better than five-foot shelf each
year, he has edited enough documents
to cover the walls of the largest room in
the Capitol. Scanlan is practical Joker
and an excellent story teller He has
followed the race tracks all over the
Western Hemisphere and knows the his
tory and records of all famous race horses
he was born in the blue grass country
himself. Besides all that, Jim is
true friend, charitable and deeply re-
ligious. The other fellows in the fra
ternity are all personality-plu boys
Each Is an expert on several branches
OF the Government service-for example,
John c. Pugh has more complete gen.
eral and detailed knowledge of the Army
and Navy than any official in either de-
partment. He was budget officer of the
Navy Department during the World War.
But though they know so much about
the Government service they do not talk
about it-except in reply to questions
from committee members relative to
hearings. Within the memory of the
Oldest member of the House, Representa-
tive Edward T. Taylor of Colorado, now
chairman Of the Appropriations Com
mittee, never has there been a leak
through any clerk That is the essence
of their secret society.
+
The first prayer ever delivered IN the
House was IN December, 1777, and has
been brought to the attention Of his col
leagues by Representative John M. Hous-
ton of Kansas, who is having copies
printed for distribution to schools and
libraries as public document worthy of
preservation and frequent reading, show
ing the spirit that pervaded the early
sessions.
Every Congress has in its midst several
ordained preachers or missionaries
such as Senator Ebert D. Thomas of
Utah, who was missionary of the Latter
Day Saints Church in Japan for five
years, and Representative Dewey Short
of Missouri, who is an ordained minister
of the Methodist Episcopal Church and
was pastor of Grace Methodist Episco-
pal Church. Springfield, Mo-, before
coming to Congress. And Congress occa-
sionally discovers lay preacher. Rep
resentative Louis Ludlow recently deliv-
cred his first sermon before the Christian
Men Builders, Inc. He spoke On "God,
the Father"