Evening star., 1939-03-19
Capital SideIights
BIZ Will P. Kennedy

VINO celeDrateO 81. PatrlckS S Day as a
native son"-Representative William B.
Barry of Long Island, who was born on
the Emerald Isle in 1902, came to this
country when he was years old, who
received bachelors degrees in CONNER
cial science and law and was elected to
Congress in 1885 by majority of 1872 900
votes.
But the checkup showed how cosmo-
politan Congress is. From all the world
they have come to make the laws for the
greatest of all nations-Crosser of Ohio
and Gillie of Indiana, from Scotland;
SABBATH of Illinois, dean of the House,
from Czecho- -Slovakia Holmes, Massa-
chusetts. from Sweden: Tenerowicz,
Michigan, and Stefan, Nebraska, Austria;
Thorkelson Montana, Norway; Senator
Wagner, New York, and Representative
Gehrmann, Wisconsin, Germany; Crow
ther, New York, England; Senator Muir
ray, Montana, Canada, and Senator
Davis, Pennsylvania South Wales.
Representative Ralph o. Brewster,
former Governor of Maine, contributed
his share to celebration of the day by
introducing resolution adopted by the
Legislature of the State of Maine urg-
ing Congress to authorize commence
rative postage stamp in honor of Capt.
jeremiah OBrien. The resolution re-
counted that Captain OBrien, "by his
distinguished service, won from the
British in Machias Bay, June IL. ITS,
the first naval engagement of the War
of the Revolution and received from the
Provincial Congress commendation for
his victory and became the first regu-
larly commissioned naval officer and
commander OF the Revolutionary Navy
OF Massachusetts, 1t emphasized that
the Navy Department has recently ap-
proved the construction of q destroyer
to be named in honor of Captain
O'Brien. Several years ago Senator
David I. Walsh of Massachusetts, inserted
in the Congressional Record an authori-
tative record of Captain OBrien's
achievements, as prepared for the
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick.
Representative Schaefer of Illinois in
troduced joint resolution "for the erec-
ton OF monument to the memory of
the patriot priest, Father Pierre Gibault,
at Cahokia, ILL.,. on site to be donated
by the county of St. Clair"
"a ~f D,,%I
ana dndoor), hardy and deciduous aza-
leas in the exhibition conservatory of the
Botanic Garden, under the supervision
of William A. Frederick, veteran land
scape architect of the Capitol grounds,
is an evidence of the long and loving
care given the plants in the garden by
the experts In charge. Representative
Louis c. Rabaut of Michigan, who as
chairman of the Subcommittee on Legis-
lative Appropriations has just authorized
the purchase of the finest collection of
acacias in this country for the Botanic
Garden, also calls attention to the devo-
ton to these botanical collections by vet
Grams in charge. He names Wilmer j.
Paget, assistant director, who rounded
out SO years on March 10, and Ben Died.
rich. who "grooms" the plants for the
shows and who completed 80 years on
December /.
**++
Another long time faithful employe at
the Capitol is about to have another
important Job intrusted to him, but 1t
is Job he Graves. Ansel Void was
brought to the Capital 80 years ago by
the late Senator Knute Nelson of Min
nesota. He was the son of Norwegian
immigrants, and his first Job here was
in the Census Bureau. For many years
he has been clerk to the Joint Commit
tee on Printing. In March, 1926 he
undertook the stupendous task of COM
piling a biographical directory Of the
American Congress from 1774 to 1927.
After four years work this book was
published-one of the most valuable ref
erence books ever printed by the Gov
ernment. 1t contains 1.74O pages and
includes 5000 biographies of Senators
and House members. But Mr.. Wold has
never been satisfied with 1t because he
had to close up the job before 1t was
properly completed. He is now going to
be asked to revise this big book, making
1t historically accurate and bringing the
biographies up to date-by including