Evening star., 1940-02-04
Capital SideIights
Bv VIII p. Kennedy

The two great training schools for
Congress-newspaper work and the con-
gressional secretariat-are about to turn
out another graduate-magna cum
laude. The current graduate is Gordon
Garfield, who for II years has been Sec
retary to Representative George N.
Seger, dean of the New Jersey delega-
ton. Mr.. Seger has announced his in
tention to retire and is campaigning for
his secretary. Frank Knox, recent Re-
publican candidate for Vice President,
also has volunteered to visit the eighth
New Jersey district and speak at rallies
for Garfield. Perhaps Garfield will not
need these eager boosters for he has no
announced opposition.
The Seger- Garfield combination has
been one Of the outstanding Damon
and Pythias" friendships Of Congress.
Seger has two sons of his own, both
World War veterans, but he frequently
refers to Garfield as his third son."
They first became acquainted when Can
field was doing newspaper work in Pas
sale and Seger was Mayor. Garfield has
been platform speaker in all of Segers
campaigns, in addition to directing them,
so he has had plenty of experience and
is well known throughout the district.
In Seger's last campaign, when he was
taken sick, he chose Garfield to speak
for him in joint debate with the rival
candidate. In 1886 rally for Knox for
Vice President attracted $4,000 persons to
Paterson Armory following torchight
parade of 5000 marchers. Garfield was
the presiding officer and introduced Mr..
Knox who said it was the best rally he
attended in the entire United States.
That's why he is going to campaign now
for Garfield Tuesday night two Re-
publican secretaries on Capitol Hill are
giving a banquet in the National Press
Club to Minority Leader Joe Martin, and
Garfield has been selected as toast
master.
Earlier graduates from the newspaper
and secretarial ranks are awaiting Can
fields election. They include such out
standing members as Senator White,
Maine; Chairman Jack Cochran of the
House Expenditures Committee; Repre-
sentative Clarence Cannon, Missouri;
Representative Harry Sandager, Rhode
Island; Representative Louis Ludlow
Indiana; Representative Everett M.
Dirksen, Illinois; Minority Leader Joe
Martin, Massachusetts,, and Represent
ative Thomas F. Ford, California, the
last four being former newspapermen.
X X
Many people do not realize it-even
members of Congress-but South Trim
Bile, clerk of the House, has just empha-
sized in an official report that Congress,
by law, requires something like 100 an
nual reports from the President and
practically all administrative officers Of
the Government Besides his annual
messages on "the state of the Union" the
President is required to submit some IS
reports.
The Secretary of War has to submit
80 reports and two from subsidiary
agencies; the Secretary of the Treasury,
10; the Department of Justice, 6; the
Postmaster General, S; the Secretary
of the Navy, IL; the Secretary of the
Interior, 20; the Secretary of Commerce,
II; the Secretary of Labor, 4; the Sec
retary of Agriculture and Public Printer,
each; the Secretary of the Smith
sonian Institution, 6; the District Com
missioners, more than IA: the Civil Serv-
ice Commission, 4. Examining the
statutes and checking with the count
less agencies to get all these reports in
in due form and to make subject index
of them is one of the very important
tasks imposed upon the clerk of the
House that members of the House "wot
not Of"