Evening star., 1941-04-27
CopitoI SideIights
By viii p. Kennedy.

Chairman Clarence F. Lea of the
House Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce tells an interesting
story of how the committee received its
present name. He had the story from
the personal recollections of William
Tyler Page, who has served the House
for nearly 55 years. The change of title,
it seems, resulted from a triangular
contest for the speakership in the Fifty
second Congress. Candidates before the
Democratic caucus were Charles S. Crisp,
Georgia: Roger @. Mills, Texas, and Will
liam NJ. Springer, Illinois After 80
ballots were cast majority finally was
secured for Mr.. Crisp. This was effected
by the Springer following going over"
and in return Mr.. Springer was rewarded
by appointment as chairman of the i'm
portant Committee on Ways and Means.
Those who supported Mr.. Mills were
highly indignant. They regarded their
friend as the logical man to be appointed
chairman of Ways and Means, because
he had held that post when the Demo-
Gratis controlled the House previously in
of the famous Mills tariff bill. In order,
1t was supposed, to appease Mr.. Mills
and his following Speaker Crisp ap-
pointed Mr.. Mills as chairman of the
Committee on Commerce, but, instead
OF modifying the angry Millsites, they
resented this concession as a SOP and a
demotion of their hero. So, in order to
further pacify them the Committee on
Commerce was given the more high
sounding title of Interstate and Foreign
Commerce 1t was freely reported that
lIr. Mills would not accept nor serve as
Its chairman, but then the matter was
removed from further controversy by the
election OF Mr.. Mills to the United States
Senate. This resulted in Representative
George D. Wise of Virginia. ranking
Democrat on the committee, becoming
chairman OF the committee with its en-
larged title.
In these national defense days the
Governors of our 48 States are coming
to play an increasingly important part
In national affairs, links that bind a
try in the common cause. Their average
age is 81 years; two are under 4O-Gov.
Harold E. Stassen, Minnesota (34. and
Gov. j. Howard McGrath, Rhode Island
t3O; SIX are in their 60s--the oldest is Sc.
More thar third were born outside the
States they govern and two outside the
United States-Gov. John Moses, N. Oak,
IN Strand, Norway, and Gov. julius Hell
Wisconsin, in Duesmond am der Mcsel.
Germany Forty-two of them had good
training for their present posts through
public service careers-Six were lieuten-
ant governors, II had served in their
State Legislatures, five as both Senators
and Representatives; Is had held i'm
portant Federal positions, two in Con-
gress ard Gov. Charles Edison of New
Jersey hsd been Secretary of the Navy.
Ihelr average salary is $8,050-three
States pay below $1,000 and three above
$4,000. the highest is paid by New
York-S25, 900. Eleyen Governors are
serving second term and Gov. Herbert
n. Lehman, New York. is in his fourth
term, following two terms as Lieutenant
Governor About one-fifth of the Gov
ernors have worked on newspapers. five
were editors and publishers; 26 were
attorneys, one Gov. R. o. Blood. New
Hampshire> was doctor: another was
citrus grower-still others were air
engineers, farmers, manufacturers, About
tWo-thirds of them had experience val
liable to them in their national defense
ef1orts-three served in the Spanish
American War or on the Mexican border
and more than a score served in the
World War.
To commemorate the centennial of
the establishment of the Oregon Trail.
Representative Walter M. Pierce of
oregon, former Governor, proposes the
Issuance of special commemorative
postage stamp. He emphasizes that this
would memorialize the establishment of
the provisional civil government in the
Far West, and the migration of 1000
persons to develop vast area-one Of
the greatest migrations in history, 1000
miles without roads, over mountains,
fording rushing rivers.