The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-16
WASHINGTON
DAYBOOK
BY JACK STINNETT

WASHINGTON, March 15.-The Wheeler-for.
President club sent around a letter the other
dayNwith a line at the top, personal and con-
fidential." The next line was ito the public"
Politics: Talk in dry circles here is that the
prohibition party may try to draft Roger W.
Babson, the economic sage of Wellesley, Mass,
as it's candidate for President. From national
headquarters in Chicago, the offer already has
gone to Mr.. Babson, 1 hear. The statistician
would easily be the best-known candidate the
party ever had, might even run up more than
100000 votes and thereby outstrip any other
candidate the party ever put forward in vote
getting. His position as moderator of Congre.
gational churches in the United States would
help.
Geography: The business section and much
of the principal residential district Of Wash
ington is in the c~apitols backyard. Many Wash
ingtonians go weeks and months without ever
seeing The front Of the capitol.
D~iplOmacy: Ambassador Joe Kennedy's init
nations before he went back to England that
it might be all right with him if somebody
took over his job before very long has started
another guessing bee. Most often guessed, Sec
rotary Of War Woodring.
Bureau: Lewis Deschler, house
parliamentarian. He answers about 500 ques-
tons a day, keeping the representatives straight
on what they can and can not do, so far
as the rules are concerned.
Census: Secretary Ickes jumped the gun on
the census bureau. His boys in Death Valley
national park in California have been taking a
census for months-of desert bighorn sheep.
The boys report it's proof # the old soporific,
too. Count a couple Of bighorns and you're so
weary you can't hold your eyes open.
History: April IS being the 18th anniversary
Of the death Of Abraham Lincoln, l went up
to the capitol today to search out the cata-
falque on which the body of the Civil war Pres.
ident lay in state in the capitol rotunda-and
found tin George Washington's tomb!
Far down in the endorsement of the capitol,
directly below the center of the dome, is the
simple crypt that was intended to house for all
time the bodies OF George and Martha Wash.
ington. Its walls are whitewashed brick. An
arched entrance is barred by iron gates, held
together by a ponderous, but modern, lock.
On the wall at the left of the entrance is the
congress resolution of 1899 providing for con.
%struction Of the tomb. On the wall opposite is
a list Of the II men whose bodies have rested
in state on Lincoln's bier. One of the honored
dead is nameless. The unknown soldier.
The catafalque itself, a simple 11-by-6-foot
table-like structure of rough pine boards, cover.
ed with black cloth, is the only thing in the
tomb. Two years ago, to protect 1t from dust
and moisture, the bier was placed in a glass
case, where it will remain until it is used again.
Other than Lincoln and the unknown soldier
the men whose remains have rested on the
bier are Thaddeus Stevens, Charles Sumner,
James A. Garfield. John A.. Logan, William
Mckinley, Maj. P. c. L'Enfant, Admiral Dewey,
Warren G. Harding and William Howard Taft.
The bodies Of George and Martha Washing.
ton were never moved to capitol tomb, be-
cause, in 1882, when the tomb was ready to
receive them, John A. Washington refused per-
mission for transfer of the frs. Presidents
remains. The reason Washington IN mis-
will provided for construction Of a new vault
at Mount Vernon and specifically expressed
his wish that he and his family be buried there
Except for an occasional congressman or sen
ator, who knows Of the presence of the tomb
and brings some friend to zee 1t, it Is hardly
ever visited. It's not on the capitol sightseeing
itinerary. OF all the historic rooms In Washing
ton, 1t is the least known.