Evening star., 1939-04-16
Capital SideIiehts
BIZ Will P. Kennedy

Two Capitol veterans had their pic
ture taken together on Wednesday, their
65th birthday anniversary - Speaker
William B. Bankhead, who has COM
pleted % years of continuous service in
the House, and Edward Brown, super
intendent in charge of the two House
Office Buildings. who on July will COM
plete 80 years of service under the archi-
tect of the Capitol. The Speaker was
eulogized and felicitated in the House.
He, in turn. commended Mr. Brown for
his long and faithful performance of i'm
portant duties. Mr.. Bankhead was born
at Moscow, Ala: Mr.. Brown was born at
Collington, Md. The latter came to
Washington with his family when he
was 10 years old. He was employed as
clerk of works" under Capt. Hunt when
the old House Ofice Building was being
built in 1904. and when the building
was completed was in charge for three
months under the then architect of the
Capitol, Elliot Woods. Then he was put
on construction work and had charge of
tearing down the old buildings between
the Capitol and Union Station for extern
sion Of the Capitol Grounds and razing
the old Congress Hall and Potomac Ho-
tells to make way for the new House
Office Building. Ten years ago he was
selected by David Lynn. the present
architect of the Capitol. to be superin-
tendent of the House Office Buildings
He is one of the most popular employees
on the Hill.
South Trimble, clerk of the House. has
restored. 1t has been in use for more
than 100 years and was weakened by
much use recently in putting the seal on
subpoenas for investigating committees.
A crack had developed and only faint
impression could be made. A new seat
for the die was installed. This seal
originally was made with "a stars, which
shows that it was first used after the
admission of Missouri to the Union OIL
August 10. 1921, and before the admission
Of Arkansas on June Is. 1886. Twenty
four other stars were inserted some years
ago by the same Washington artisan who
has Just repaired the seal. The clerk of
the House is custodian of the seal and 1t
Is his duty to latest and fix the seal
OF the House to all writs, warrants and
subpoenas issued by order of the House"
The House has always been jealousy
watchful of the use of this SEAL On
January II, 1901, the Speaker laid before
the House request from the State
Department, asking for an impression of
the seal for the State Department files
for the purpose of reference for authen-
tication. This was granted by unani-
nous consent. Earlier than that on July
18, 1892, on motion of Representative
Benton McMillin of Tennessee, the
House ordered that the clerk aff1x the
seal to document entitled: 1.-THE Ad-
ministration of the United States Gov
ernment at the Beginning OF the 400th
Anniversary Of the Discovery of Amer
ica." The House also passed joint reso-
luton allowing the Secretary Of State to
fix the seal of the United States to this
document, and concurrent resolution
authorizing the President to accept the
document for preservation among the
archives. The House seal carries an i'm
print of the Capitol as the building was
restored after it was burned by the Brit
tsh In 1914. with a small central dome
and no north and south wings as exist
today.
Lets Sing Our National Songs" is the
title Of an impressive speech by Repre-.
sentative John r. Murdock, Arizona, and
the same sentiment was echoed In an
other speech by Representative Fred L.
Crawford, Michigan, who emphasizes
that now is most appropriate time to
sing the old war song" when false
prophets of patriotism are busy" Mr..
Murdock quotes the old philosopher: II
care not who writes the Nations laws,
II I may make its songs" He says
while We have only one national an
them formally adopted Us such. We have
several patriotic songs, any one OF which
Is worthy to be the national anthem