Evening star., 1940-01-14
Capital SideIights
By win p. Kennedy

one OF the relatively young House
employees who has done much to save the
time and records of House members is
Hans Jurgensen, who came in the Sew
enty-third Congress. He had previously
been an expert accountant in the cor
poration counsels Office, New York. He
invented and operates voting machine
with which he keeps the individual vot-
ing record of the members and is cred
tied with doing away with "the rubber
stamp Congress- this work previously
having been done with rubber stamps.
Within five days of the closing of Con-
gress he furnishes to all members a
record of all votes for the entire 435
members. This task previously took 80
days. These records are valuable to the
members in making their campaigns.
Jurgensen also prepares the daily CAL
endar, keeps up to date the committee
lists and records the deaths and res
lgnations. He is also assistant tally clerk
to the sergeant at arms, Kenneth ROM
ney, at the Democratic National Con-
vention
There are two veteran House en-
ployes who occupy unique position as
big brothers to page boys and adolescent
youths coming to the Capitol from all
parts OF the country to take jobs. On
the Democratic side is John o. SNYDER
who next year will round out 80 years
OF service-placing him third in line as
a career man of Congress to William
Tyler Page former clerk and Joseph
j. Sinnott (doorkeeper). On the Repub-
ncan side is James P. Griffin, minority
clerk, who has served 80 years. Mr..
Snyder first came to Congress March 4.
1901, as secretary to Representative
George Lindsay Uhe elder from Brook
lyn, N. Y. He came on the House floor
as a messenger in the Office of the door,
keeper May II, 1911. Then after six
years, on July l, 1917, he became a spe-
cial employe of the House. He was made
pair clerk May 20, 1919, and now has the
title OF deputy sergeant at arms in charge
OF palrs-in which capacity he is valu-
able aide to every member. Jimmie"
Griffin is one of the House officers who
Is elected as minority employe. He
came from New Jersey, as a page, in
1910. For six years he was chief page
and was guide, counselor and friend"
to more than hundred boys, many of
whom have since occupied important
positions-such as, in Washington, Dam
lei j. Callahan, jr.; Cornelius Ford, jr.,
and Eugene Kilroy. Representative
Thomas L. Blanton placed two of his
sons in Mr. Grif1n's charge, and he also
directed the sons of some 40 other mem
bers. He has served as assistant door,
Keeper. He oversees the ringing of bells
to announce roll calls He made a Spec
tacular appearance when Woodrow Will
son was delivering message to Congress
and Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont, with a group
OF suffrage advocates, filled the gallery
facing the President and unfurled a
large banner: 'Mr. President, what are
you going to do about suffrage?" Rep.
resentative Charles A. Korbly of Indi-
ana. who had been a newspaper reporter
and publisher, cupped his hands to make
q stirrup and boosted Jimmie" up so
that he could tear down the banner, and
Joe Sinnott, the doorkeeper, took charge
OF 1t. For years Jimmie" has been
noted for getting jobs for the needy and
deserving, and for his personal charities.