Evening star., 1939-12-10
Capital SideIights
By Will P. Kennedy

The House Committee on Foreign
Affairs has new clerk who was born
in Washington SO years ago and who
has been employed at the Capitol for
the past seven years-Boyd Crawford.
He was educated in the Washington
public schools and in the high school at
West Falls Church. Va. His first job
at the Capitol was as secretary to
Representative Clarence J. Mcleod of
Michigan when the latter was acting
chairman of the House District Com
mittee for four years. He then went
with Representative Sol Bloom of New
York as secretary on the stan of the
United States Constitution SesqWcen-
tennial Commission. Mr.. Bloom became
chairman of the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee on July II, filling the vacancy
caused by the death of Representative
Sam McReynolds Of Tennessee Ike
Barnes, who had been clerk of the COM
mittee while Mr.. McReynolds was
chairman. continued as clerk for four
and one-half months-the longest term
years. Mr.. Barnes came to the Capitol
on March 4, 1929, as secretary to Mr.
McReynolds, and since December s.,
1882, has been clerk of the Foreign
Affairs Committee. Previously he had
been postmaster during the Wilson ad-
ministration, in Cowan, Tenn, and was
let out during the Harding administra-
ton. He had civil service rating.
Joe" Sinnott, who for more than a
half century has been one of the House
characters-most of that time door
keeper both of the House and of the
Democratic National Conventions-has
just returned from his first vacation in
Florida, at Miami Beach. He was ac-
companied by his wife. daughter-Mrs.
Virginia Sherman, who is also his Sec
retary-and his granddaughter, Virginia
Ann Sherman. When he registered at
the Shoreham Hotel in Miami he was
pleasantly surprised to be greeted by
name by Miss Louise Logsdon, tele-
phone attendant. who had formerly been
assistant chief bill clerk in Congress.
"Joe"-who knows half century OF
intimate details about Congress and
Congressmen-amazed the Miami folks
by his taciturn nature. When asked
about the "Garner-for-P President BOOM"
he glibly discussed the relative merits Of
train and bus service. When questioned
regarding the behind-the-scenes stories
about the arms embargo, he dilated on
what grand fellows and able legislators
Miami has recently had In the House,.
Mark Wilcox and Representative Pat
Cannon. Interviewed about "Mr Smith
Goes to Washington" he said his con-
gressional friends told him it was libel
on Congress, and his friends in the press
gallery call it libel on their profess
sion-so he has no intention of seeing
the show. Mr.. Sinnott's position is an
extremely important one-in charge Of
pay roll Of about 800 persons. He has
all the headaches when several thousand
persons are insisting on getting seats tn
the galleries on special days when only
a few hundred seats are available. But
every one has kind word for Joe Sim
mott, because he will always do anything
he can for anybody, at any time.
Inquiry has been made regarding
druggists in Congress The two best
known in the present Congress are Rep
resentatives Harve Tibbott, Republican,
Of Pennsylvania, Of Ebensburg, Cambria
County, and Carl Thomas Durman, DEM
ocrat, Of North Carolina, of Chapel Hill.
Another well-known graduate pharma-
cist In recent years was Representative
George Washington Edmonds of Phila-
delphia, who was chairman of the Mer-
chant Marine and Fisheries Committee,
He served from 1918 to 1925. Back in
1881 famous pharmacist came to the
Kouse-Representative Richard w,
Guenther of Wisconsin. He was born in
Potsdam, Prussia, and was graduated
from the Royal Pharmacy there. For
a while he practiced his profession In
New York City and later in Oshkosh,
Wis. He was given foreign service as
signments by Presidents Harrison, Nc
Kinley and Taft at Mexico City. Frank
-ths-AGatn. Germany. and Caps
Town. Africa.