Evening star., 1940-05-12
CopitoI SideIights
By VIII P. Kennedy.

Inc house PAID tribute Last Monday
to Representative James McAndrews of
Illinois, when the conference report was
unanimously agreed to on an important
appropriation bill of which he had been
in charge. It marked 80 years since Mr.
McAndrew first came to Congress
ante-dating any one now in Congress.
House Leader Rayburn made the speech
Of congratulation, recalling that ~ years
ago when he first came to the Capitol
he met Mr.. McAndrews, who already
had IL years Of congressional service,
in a hotel where the Tower Building
now stands. Il believe he has been
elected from every sectoin of the great
city of Chicago said Mr.. Rayburn.
when Jim moves into q new district
and they draft him all other Democratic
candidates withdraw, and the Repub-
icans know their case is hopeless The
House never had in it a grander or
better man. During the three periods
in which he has served here he has
carried himself so that every member Of
the House, on both sides of the aisle,
during all that time has had a whole
some and great respect for this fine,
outstanding American" AL members
arose and applauded.
That men who work daily in overalls
at manual toll, as well as legislators and
administrative officers, can earn their
way to posts of distinction is shown in
the case Of Ben Diedrich who next De-
cember will round out 40 years in the
United States Botanic Garden. Ben as
boy used to sell punches of violets in
front of The Star Building. His father
had a stand at Woodward g. Lothrop's S
corner, Eleventh and F streets. His
father and uncle had a florist shop at
Thirteenth and F streets. Ben worked
in the conservatories Of Adolph Guide
for seven years before transferring to
the Botanic Garden. During the past
five years more than 2,000, 900 persons
have visited the Botanic Garden flower
shows. One day last month there were
$4,000 visitors. Ben Diedrich is the man
in charge of getting the plants in shape
for the show. He is general foreman
and superintendent of growing plant
material in preparation for the shows.
He understands propagation and forcing,
SO as to get the plants in uniform bloom
for the stated period. But Ben is never
vxyt,o Ho icit Id
is hard at work on new stock in the
propagating houses.
Every member Of Congress and many
administrative officers have just re-
ceived an unique appeal from an Amer
ican citizen, a dentist, DR.. John Hinton
Shackleford Of Baltimore. He asks
Congress and the President ITO protect
my right to toll In my profession under
the free enterprise system as designated
In the Bill of Rights in the Constitution, !"
He also urges them to divert all at
tempts to subject American citizens to
the futile personal sacrifices inflicted by
participation in European wars" His
American ancestry begins with Sir John
Shackleford of the valiant Cavaliers Of
old Virginia who fed to this country
from England in 1e49. Some of his
Hinton ancestors owned very large
portion Of the London company which
settled Virginia. One Sir Thomas Hinton
sat IN the Virginia Council as early as
1884. Their descendants volunteered to
tight England in the Revolution. Others
volunteered in the War of 1912. His
father volunteered In the Spanish
American War and died Of fever when
the present petitioner was u years Of
age. His personal plea Is unique and q
very human document,