The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-08
WASHINGTON
DAYBOOK
BY PRESTON GROVER

WASHINGTON, March Its a long lear
from the banks of the river Clyde in Scotland
to the swivel chair in the congressional gym
nasium office, especially if a fellow makes
most of the important ports of call along the
way.
But Pete Henderson made it-after a fashion,
Not that Pete isn't a vast success. He is. But
he doesn't like swivel chairs. They always tip
him back too far. Then Pete's got a pretty
bad disease for a swivel chair worker.
The wanderin' foot, you might call it."
says Pete, cycling a vivid print of the Queen
Mary on the wall. She was built near his home
town.
Invents a Game
Nobody knows the title of Pete's lob. The
high-falutin' way would be to call him the ply.
steal attache to congressman. A plain eyery-
day title would be gym attendant" He's really
nelther-and both. He simply attends to con-
sressmens locker room wants, helps them ex-
ercise, and keeps them from OVERRIDING it.
Back IN 1921, it meant not a tinker's dam to
Pete Henderson when Congressman Jim Mead
from Buffalo got UP and addressed congress
Tor one minute on health. But out of that
speech, through slow and painful processes,
grew the present gymnasium in the basement
of the new house office building.
Pete didn't show up in Washington until
1888, a victim Of the depression. Pete's Cali.
liz" SohsieSShldn got MIN a Today job rak.
ing capitol leaves. Then the maintenance de.
partment sicked him on the plubning.
BY that time the gym had simmered down to
a 1lve-man gang of volley-ball players. One of
them spled Pete, and made him equipment
heeper-upper. Soon he was playing volley ball
with them; his reputation was made for life
When he invented the congressional game of
paooie pail, It's the easy way to play hand
ball on Capitol Hill.
In IS, the new house office building was po
ing up, SO the gym gang and the capitol phv.
slclan, Or. George Calver, Joined forces and
mahsled a part OF the basement for a physio.
therapy room. Aided and allotted by Pete, Rem
resentatlVe Mead and his daily dozens worked
up dues to buy equipment.
Now they've got 10 active members eaob
of whom subscribes to DR.. Calver's health rn1o
NO. s. tackled on the gym wall:
Drink plentifully (OF WATER).".
Easy-Tempered But
Thirty-nine, plue-eyed, tall and a bit STONED
Fetes had more ups and downs than a circus
acNpat. Born in Scotland. he took to the sea
an adventure that gave him his wanderin
FOOT. But he really wanted to come to America
SO he learned the automobile trade, and work
ed IN Paterson, N, j., Buffalo, Detroit, Cleve
land, chicago and Santa Fe, N. M. When thu
World war broke out he joined the American
army and fought in France.
IeleS the most e~aSy-tempered kind of fel
low you'll ever meet. Only one thing burns hin
up-people who think congressman are livine
the life OF Roman bathers when they try t.
take care of their health.
A magazine printed a picture of a congress
man in one of Pete's bathtubs, and captionet
it Asleep in the Deep" That was Just to,
much.
These congressman pay for all their owl
equipment. Every last piece of it is their per
sonal property. Some of it is second hand be
cause we can't afford first class stuff. Thes
aren't Roman baths; they're places where
congressman can relax right and keep himsel
lit. or all the deaths this year, not a membel
OF the gymnasium has passed away. Why
End To Itching
Pete would go ON forever defending hi
charges II you'd let him. All you have to do
really, to prove what he's saying is sneal
down to the gym any day. You'd be surprised
now many congressman take their health seri
ously, and obey DR.. Calver's rule No. 3 abou
drinking water.
Pete took his first vacation last year. HI
and his wife went to Scotland to visit his ole
home. They had a thrilling ride on a marked
vessel through the war zone.
Twas good for my wanderin' foot" say:
Pete. ut don't itch any more"