Evening star., 1941-05-04
Capital SideIights
BIZ VIII P. Kennedy.

Congress has Just published book on
Our American GovernmenI-What is
It? How does it function?" This book
in many States. 1t was compiled by
Representative Wright Patman of Texas,
and contains 252 questions and answers,
which give a comprehensive story Of
the history and functions of our Ameri-
can Government. The first printing has
been promptly exhausted and there is to
be an immediate reprint. Last year
preliminary pamphlet containing 138 OF
these questions and answers was pub
liShed. and the executive secretary OF
the Carnegie Foundation sent copies
of this pamphlet to every library in the
country. The United States Information
Service was requested by Representative
Patmsn to submit questions TO be in
cluded The 252 in the present book
we're selected from more than 1000 queS-
tions proposed. Fifty college professors
in the leading institutions throughout
the country were asked to review the
replies. Two experts in the legislative
reference service Of the Library of Con-
gress made an exhaustive study OF the
questions and answers-so that the cor
rectness of the answers is well vouched
for George W. Simpson. former presi-
dent of the National Press Club of
Washington, who is author of Popular
Questions Answered" Nuggets of
knowledge" Things Worth Knowing"
and Uncommon knowledge" cooper
ated with Representative Patman in
getting out this book. DR.. Ernest S.
Griffith, director of the legislative ref
erence service, wrote to Mr.. Patman:
I'm your admirable document on Our
National Government you have been
able to include an amazing amount of
detail, and at the same time have made
it an interesting and accurate study. I
am delighted that the legislative refer
ence service was privileged to have
part in its preparation" Emil E. Hurja,
publisher of the Pathfinder Magazine,
who was executive director of the DEM
ocratic National Committee in 1932-1936,
a member of the American Political
Science Association and author of sew
eral books on the Federal Government,
ordered special printing of $4,000 copies
of this new catechiSm on Our American
Government" which are being distribut-
ed to schools throughout the entire 48
States. The book includes three valu-
able charts recommended by the United
States Information Service, which helped
to revise the present volume, on the
makeup of the Federal Government,
the United States Senate and the House
of Representatives. The chart on the
House was compiled by H. Newlin Megill,
assistant clerk of the House and was
drafted in 1885 by the National Emer-
gency Council. The book contains IL
general questions on the National Gov
eminent, II on elections, So on the legis-
lative branch in general, 66 on the Or
ganiZation and procedure IN Congress,
so on the executive branch, 8 on the
judiciary, 20 on the Capitol, Capital, etc.;
on the States and 26 on patriotic SYM
bols and miscellaneous information
~ x*
All 80 States which tax personal in
comes now have laws enabling them to
tax the salaries of Federal employees,
and in 20 States Federal employees paid
State income taxes on 1910 incomes
canvas of House members discloses. The
Legislatures of Idaho, North Dakota and
Utah this year removed the immunity
of Federal Government workers from
their State income taxes. Army and
Navy officers stationed in the 80 States
will in many cases pay State taxes on
salaries even though they live on Fed
eral reservations.