Evening star., 1941-01-26
Capital SideIights
BIZ Will p. Kennedy.

President Roosevelt is the first Presi-
dent since Lincoln who, in taking the
inaugural oath, has not used small
round mahogany stand on which to rest
the Bible. David Lynn, architect of the
Capitol, had this historic stand placed
on the inaugural platform last Monday
just before the arrival of the President
and expected it would be used for the
thirdterm oath. but at the last minute
the President decided to use the old
Dutch Bible on its own special stand.
At Lincoln's second inaugural in 1865
no table for the Bible had been arranged
so Edward Clark, then architect in
charge Of completion of the House and
Senate wings, had this stand brought
from his home on Judiciary Square. 1t
can be seen in old photographs of the
Lincoln inaugural A record of its use
from 1865 to 1929 is kept on the under
side Of the table top. 1t is the property
of Watson F. Clark. son of the former
architect, who still lives in the old
homestead which his father erected in
1860. At the Theodore Roosevelt inaug-
ural a guest on the stand hacked piece
from this historic table as a souvenir.
That damage has been carefully repaired.
After the Harrison inaugural the table
was stolen but a Capitol policeman
caught the thief before he left the Cap
itol grounds.
The colorful, picturesque marching
clubs, fife and drum corps and other
groups distinctive of various parts of the
country, which have heretofore given
the people from all the States an oppor-
tunity to participate in the inaugural
parades were taboo this year. The parade
was a demonstration of the defense
forces of the United States rather than
a gala occasion celebrated by the people.
An example of how colorful units were
banned is the famous Cowboy Band
from Hardin Simmons College, Texas,
with white horses and adorned with SOM
breros and other trappings. This band
has thrilled large gatherings all over
the Nation and in Is foreign countries.
At the Chicago convention they sere-
naded Vice President Garner, Represent
ative Sam Rayburn, Jesse Jones and
other outstanding Texans They came
to Washington to be in the inaugural
parade, but despite persistent efforts of
Speaker Rayburn, they were kept out.
The Speaker provided q special reserva-
tion for them on the House portico, out
side his. own Office windows.
During the past week the Capitol has
had the unusual spectacle of a defeated
member, who is out" continuing to work
daily at his old job without pay. Rep
resentative Ambrose Kennedy of Mary
land, former chairman of the Committee
on Claims, with the former clerk, Miss
Evelyn v. Costin, has been cleaning up
the records to make a final report, which
was filed Friday, and which shows an
unusually busy session with more than
TOO private bills passed.
Representative Augustine B. Kelley Of
Greensburg. Pa, is coal operator who
attended West Point Military Academy
until his health failed. He took cor
respondence school course, studied min
Ing engineering and business admins
tration. He has nine children. He was
employed successfully as clerk, coal in
spector, superintendent of mines, and
later became an owner and operator of
coal mines. He has lectured all over the
country on regulation of the coal indus
try, labor problems and collective bar
gaining. He is a member of the Mining
Congress and engineering societies, and
Of the Army Athletic Association.
Representative Cecil (RunD Bishop Of
illinois, successor to Representative Kent
Keller, learned the tailoring trade while
attending high school. He was success
sively coal miner, telephone lineman,
professional football and baseball play
er. city clerk. engaged In the cleaning
tailoring business and postmaster.