Evening star., 1941-01-12
Capital SideIights
By Will P. Kennedy.

The Governments advanced service
school-the secretariat of Capitol Hill
is celebrating the "call" of one of its
distinguished alumni to important State
service. Fletcher D. Plumley, who for
seven years has been secretary to his
father Representative Charley" Plum
ley of Vermont, and who has for more
than a quarter Of a century been
protege of William D. Hassett of the
White House secretariat, has been
tapped" by Gov.-elect William H. Wills,
and last Thursday was sworn in at Mont
pelier as secretary of civil and military
affairs of the State Officers of the
Vermont State Society point out that
this office is a source from which are
drawn justices and other prominent
State officers. His colleagues in the
House Office Building gave "Fletch," as
ciates, a great sendoff last week. They
emphasized in the good-by ceremonies
that ''he has made place for himself
In the Capitol off1cialdom-and will be
missed" Fletcher Plumley has packed
a great deal of experience into his "a
years-even as his father has packed a
lot into his IS years. He graduated from
Norwich University. of which his father
was president, in 1923; taught English
for two years at Culver Military Acad-
emy; graduated from Harvard School of
Business Administrations graduated
CoOrup-nur TTTiyprcjrV Ia
School and was admitted to the practice
of law in Washington, D. c. He is a
"he-man' While in college he was in
tercollegiate javelin thrower and State
tennis champion. He played on the
football and basket ball teams, and was
captain of his troop at Norwich and an
honor graduate.
When the House reorganized for the
seventy-seventh session-the presiding
officer was South Trimble, veteran clerk.
entering on his 18th year Of service in
that office. His service covers twoscore
wears in Congress He was elected to the
Kentucky State Legislature during the
Spanish American War and was Speak
er in 1900. He first came to Congress 40
years ago. Later he was candidate for
Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky. He
is now entering upon his 10th two-year
term as clerk of the House. He is inter-
nationally known as an authority on
the money question and was for years
one of William Jennings Bryan's close
advisers, as he is today counselor for
members of the Banking and Currency
Committee of the House.
Representative Philip A. Traynor, new
Democratic member from Delaware, is
a nationally known dental authority and
a licensed Judge of the American Kennel
Club. For Is years he has been men,
ber of the State Dental Examining Board
and is serving his 23d year as president.
During the World War he was dental
examiner for the exemption board and
had charge of the dental preparedness
clinic He is vice president and a men,
ber of the Board of Trustees of the Fer
ris Industrial School for Boys.
-
The next Congress will miss Mrs. Clara
Gooding Mcmillan, dainty mother of five
sturdy sons, widow Of the late Repre-
sentative Thomas s. Mcmillan, who has
had a refined influence on Capitol Hill
and in Washington society for is years
and who has been called by veteran
Congressman "the Sweetheart of the
House" She is an exceptionally fine
musician and comes of long and cul-
tured line of statesmen, educators,
churchmen and soldiers. Mrs. McMil-
Ian, in her farewell speech in the House
(from which she voluntarily retireS,
paid a tribute to the patriotism of the
people of her native State, South Caro-
lima, whose illustrious names fill the
pages of our civil and military history"
She said that South Carolina will not
have single man drafted into the serv-
ice in the first call under the Selective
Service Act" to fill the State quota Of
1876. More than $50 South Carolinians
who registered for the draft, she said,
have signified their willingness to go into
the Army now, so there are more than
$50 already pledged for the second call
which comes in January. IT am proud
Of my State" were Mrs. McMillan's last
words In Congress.