Evening star., 1941-03-02
Capital SideIiehts
By Will p. Kennedy.

Vermont, an independent republic long
before the American Revolution, and a
community which took no part in the
organization Of the United States, al
though it was the first State admitted
into the Union by act of Congress, will
celebrate on Tuesday next the sesqui-
centennial of its joining the Union, ac-
cording to an announcement by Rep
resentative Charles A. Plumley, lawyer,
educator and former Speaker of the
State Legislature. Mr. Plumley reminds
his colleagues that:
"The old thirteen united
Fought the Revolution through;
But single-handed Old Vermont
Fought them and England, too"
George Washington signed the act
which brought Vermont into the Union.
The first alteration in the ensign of the
new Nation was the placing of another
star in the canton-for Vermont. Mr..
Plumley tells his colleagues: The act
provided for the admission of Vermont
$50 years ago, an independent govern
ment; not one Of the thirteen colonies;
not one of the thirteen free and inde-
pendent States; government in itself
and by itself, which had had no dele
gate in the Continental Congress: an
aggregation which never had given any
signer to the Declaration of Independ-
ence; community of individuals which
had taken no part in the organization
of the United States of America in
Congress assembled under the Articles
of Confederation; an independent. sep
arate and distinct governHental entity
and sovereignty which had not partici-
pated in the final establishment Of a
democratic form of government under
the Constitution" Congress by deliber-
ate action $50 years ago, Mr.. Plumley
says, Recognized that Vermont was an
independent republican alien COM
monwealth, If you please. In its own
opinion it was self-sufhcient and self
contained. Its people, then as now, were
and have always been consistently in
stinct with spirit of aggressive loyalty
to principle, combative and assertive
against Government interference in any
independence, endowed and saturated
with an unquenchable determination to
enjoy that freedom and that liberty to
which, under God and by virtue of the
provisions of the Constitution of the
United States, they are entitled, and for
which, and for the preservation of
which, they are ready to fight and to
die If necessary"
Veteran congressional secretaries have
enviable records and are in demand for
new members because they have con-
facts throughout the administrative
branch of the Government, know the
ropes" and can give efficient service that
will relieve the Congressman of the bulk
of routine work. Such one is Arnon
M. Gulick, who began his service as
secretary to Representative Irving P.
Wanger in 1905, and is now right-hand
man to Representative Hugh D. Scott,
jr., of Philadelphia When Mr. Gulick
first came to the Capitol members of
Congress did not have offices assigned
to them as they do today-neither Of
the two large Office buildings had then
been erected. But Representative Wan
ger was chairman of the Committee on
Expenditures in the Post once Depart
ment-and in those days the budget
system had not been set up and each
department had its own appropriating
committee. So, Mr.. Wanger had an
Office in the Capitol-two floors below
the ground level. Mr.. Gulick served as
secretary to Mr.. wanger for six years
and then was secretary for "A years to
Representative George p Darrow, before
taking his present job with Representa-
tive Scott Gulick served during the
entire period Of the World War, having
been rejected for military service for a
physical disability. The old 9Th Penn
sylvania district, then represented by
Mr.. Darrow, was probably the largest
separate district in the country, having
a population of 10000, about three
times the size of the. average district.
Gulick was one of two men assigned as
members of the Legal Advisory Board
for the Draft Board Of the House Of
Representatives.