Evening star., 1940-03-24
Capital SideIights
By VIII p. Kennedy

A calamity beSetS the New JERSEY
coast which has aroused Representative
John E. Sheridan of PHILADELPHIA. Sem
ator William H. Smathers, DR.. ]. Lynn
Mahaf1ee, director of health for the
State OF New Jersey, and the Mayors
and other officials of a chain of New
Jersey cities. They appealed on Thurs
DAY to Col. F. c. Harrington in charge
OF the Works Progress Administration.
Tor Federal assistance in cleaning up
public nuisance. from which vacation
season tourists and week end visitors
to the beaches from New York, Phila-
delphla and Washington are suffering
For the first time in the history of
Aosecon Island, millions upon millions
OF clans have been thrown upon the
beaches of Ventnor City, Margate CITY
ard Longport. This resulted from an
aonormally high tide due to some
oceanic disturbance. The local COM
munltles insist that the cleanup work
ms swamped them and, in the interest
OF public health, an emergency project
for Federal aid must be created. Home
owners within few miles of these
beaches are unable to open their win
dows on account of the odors. Alreadv
school attendance in these communities
has been seriously interfered with. The
season is at hand when the beaches
should be groomed for their spring
tourist trade. Unless the menace is
promptly removed it will mean the loss
OF millions Of dollars to these resorts.
The State health officer has said that
the only remedy is to remove the
heaped--up dead clans and give them
burial
The passing of another st. Patrick's
Day, with all members of Congress max
Ing speeches or sending greetings to some
Irish societies. has resulted in much re-
search regarding the debt America owes
to the Irish. Some biographical flotsam
and Jetsam resulting from this study is
contributed to cloakroom education. The
mother OF President James Madison.
Nelly Conway, was born in Ireland. The
father OF President Andrew Jackson was
an Immigrant from Ireland, native of
Carrlckfergus, County Antrim. Vice
President John C. Calhoun's father was
an 1rishman and his mother of Irish
descent. Vice President George Clin-
ton, f1rst Governor of New York, was
the son Of an Irishman, Charles Gin.
ton. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry
hero of Lake Erie, got his inbred zeal
Tor the profession of arms from his
mother, Sarah w. Alexander, native of
Newry. Ireland, who fitted him ito COM
mand others by teaching him early to
obey He received his early education
from the famous Old Master Kelly. an
Irish schoolmaster in Rhode Island.
Most of Washington's generals in the
Revolution were of Irish descent and
some Of the best were native born Irish
men. Christopher COLES. a famous en-
glneer from Ireland, taught the Con-
tinental Army how to shoot There were
a number Of Irish descent In the Con.
tlnental Congress- and some of the most
prominent were born in Ireland. Gen.
William Irvine, a native of Enniakillen.
Ireland. was brilliant leader in the
Revolution, a member of the Continental
Congress and of Congress- Col. Charles
Stewart, born in County Donegal Ire
land, served on Washington's stan and
was member of the Continental Con-
gress. There is now but one native in
Congress, Representative William B.
Barry Of County Mayo. who came to this
country at the age Of S. but through
out the years there have been scores
of men born in Ireland who rose to
positions of prominence in both houses
of Congress-.