Evening star., 1940-01-21
Capital SideIiehts
BY VIII P. Kennedy

Congress has new expert-an expert
recognizer-who has developed a card
index system in his brain, co-ordinated
with his eye, in which he files for ready
reference certain identifying character
istics about individuals he meets so that
he can promptly call them by name and
comment upon some subject of special
interest to them This is the newest
House member, Representative Edwin A.
Hall of Binghamton, N. Y. 1t was this
ability Of his to interest people by show
ing them that he recalled previous,
though perhaps only slight contact
with them that earned him the presi-
dency of the American Institute of
Banking, and now his seat in Congress.
He does not boast of this self-training-
for he deliberately went about the culti-
vation Of such talent. It was first
noticed at the Capitol by the alert young
men in Speaker Bankhead's ONCE, the
second day Hall called upon them. The
first day there was big crowd in the
Speakers outer of1ce-including report
ers and news photographers-to whom
Hall was introduced. The next day
when he dropped in again, as some of
those he had met the day before came
in, Hall shook hands with each, calling
him by name and referring to some
thing in the conversation of the day
before. The Speakers clerks, long ac-
customed to the politicians habit of
greeting persons cordially but seldom
recalling names, were amazed. Hall
explained his very unusual ability. AS
youth he was employed as receiving
and paying teller in small city bank
with a large rural patronage. He early
realized that customers liked to be rec
ognized and greeted by name, so he
developed his own memory system, until
more popular in his home community
and far into the outlands. That's how
I got enough votes to bring me to Con-
gress," he frankly admits. Party lead
ers, however, conflde that Hall has
plenty else on the ball" and in addition
to being friendly young man is also
an astute politician who is likely to "go
far in the party councils"
x+*
Representative Fritz Lanham of Texas
has just presented to the wife Of the
President, the wife of the Vice President
and the wife of the Speaker homespun
cotton towels emphasizing thrift and
personal industry. He displayed one Of
them to his colleagues in session in the
House to enable them to visualize "the
spirit of the pioneer who made this
country" Mr.. Lanham explained that
they were made by g. A. Holland In his
own native city of Weatherford, Tex. Mr..
Holland Is 81 years Of age, a former
national bank president, who served
many years as Mayor and Is years as
chairman Of the School Board; pub
lished history of the pioneers in that
section and has established museum
of historic relics. The towels were made
after Mr.. Holland was 80, using the most
primitive methods, each completed, from
the picking of the cotton in the field to
weaving the fabric, during the daylight
hours Of single day. He used the old
spinning wheel and loom with which
his mother had made his clothing as .
small boy.
There is an expert gunsmith In the
House-Representative Charles I. Faddis
Of Pennsylvania, who confesses that he
used to be crack shot," He was with
the Pennsylvania National Guard on the
Mexican border. served In the World
War with an ammunition train in all
major offensives. rose to the rank Of
lieutenant colonel Of infantry and was
with the army of occupation in Ger
many. He now has the rank Of colonel
Of infantry and is member Of the
House Military Affairs Committee. For
years he has taken q great interest in
the old Kentucky rifle and in muzzle.
loading pistols and revolvers Of Amer.
ican make. He has q considerable
collection Of such weapons and has q
special workshop where he repairs and
refinishes such weapons. He says that
the men who made these weapons did
not have much Of . machine shop and
he delights in rebuilding them by the
same primitive methods and With the
Dame simple tools that were used By the