Evening star., 1939-05-21
Capital SideIights
By Will p. Kennedy

HOW times have changed for Con-
gressmen was emphasized during debate
on the bill to allow each member an
additional clerk to help handle his cor
reSpondence. Representative AdoIph
SABBATH, dean of the House. recalled that
When he first came to the CAPITOL the
members did practically all of their
clerlcal work On the floor. where each
mad desk. and they had no Office
building. Representative Donald L.
OToole of Brooklyn, N. Y, told his
colleagues that he has larger popula-
ton in his district than there are in
Il States, and that he has had to spend
$500 during the two-year term ont of
his own pocket for clerk hire ito meet
the needs of my people" Representa-
tive Abe Murdock of Arizona delved
into history and found that only a
little over 100 years ago, in 1882, one
OF the demands in England was that
members of the House of Commons be
PAID salary SO that the people might
be represented instead of the rich class
only. Only so to 10 years ago in Ger
many there was a popular demand that
members of the Reichstag be paid SAL
aries.
Representative John M. Robsion of
Kentucky said he had figured that the
extra clerk for his Office would cost
each person in his district | cent in
three of four years He said he was
going home with a pocket full of pen
nies and hand one to each voter who
objected to his vote for extra clerk
hire. Representative Martin L. Sweeney
OF Ohio said. IF this Government can
spend 100000 to entertain the King
and Queen of a foreign government
that owes us over $4,000 100000 in war
debts. think have a perfect explana-
tion to my people for my vote on this
bill" Representative John j. Cochran
Of Missouri, chairman of the Expendi-
lures Committee, told of his observation
OF the growth of work in a Congress-
mans office since he first came to the
Capitol q years ago as a members
clerk. He quoted Finis E. Scott. House
postmaster, that during the last eight
years there has been an increase in
mail from 80 to 40 per cent. He pointed
out that there are some 500 agents for
organizations in Washington who keep
the groups they represent stirred up to
flood Congressman with mail on subjects
in which they are particularly interested.
He said the number of telephone opera
tors has been increased and six addi-
tional administrative assistants provided
for the President.
Members of the House are being be-
.sieged by German residents in their
districts for copies of speech on Ger
mans in America delivered by Repre-
sentative Paul w. Shafer of Michigan
in commemorating the Goth anniversary
of the founding of the Philadelphia
Turgemeinde. He recorded that soon
after the discovery of the Hudson River,
Hendrick Christensen of Kleve built
the first house on Manhattan Island in
1913 and established trading stations at
what are now New York City and AL
bany. He pointed out that German
town is the Plymouth Rock of Amer
leans from German descent, dating
from the landing of 80 Mennonites on
october 6, 1888.
Another publication in great demand,
especially from schools and libraries,
was prepared by Rector H. Rex) Floyd,
one Of the best authorities on the his
tory and growth of the Library of Con-
gress. Mr.. Floyd is son Of the former
Representative j. c. Floyd of Arkansas,
who served from 1905 to 1915 and was
one Of the managers appointed by the
House in 1912 to conduct the impeach-
ment proceedings against Judge Robert
w. Archibald.
w. P. A. wages comprise SO per cent
of relief bills in 116 cities-to total of
s1,432 ,307 7000-according to report
from the International City Managers
Association. The Federal Governments
share in that amount was approximately
s900,000,00o. Figures from the Social
Security Board show that about IA per
cent of the relief outlay was for special
groups Of unemployables such as the
0sed. blind and dependent children.