Evening star., 1942-02-01
Capital SideIiehts
By Will P. Kennedy.

South Dakota has a new State song.
Representative Carl E. Mundt an
nounces. 1t was selected from 158 en-
tries in a contest sponsored by the news
papers Of the State. Hail! South Da-
kota." composed by Deecort Hammitt,
outstanding band leader of the Middle
West" himself a South Dakota product,
director Of the Alcester g. DakD Munich
pal Band, was declared the winner. Mr..
Hammitt is composer of both words and
music-the latter is from one of his
earlier productions, The Roundup"
which was President Calvin Coolidge's
favorite while at his summer White
House in the Black Hills Of South Da-
kota in 1927. Second honors in the con-
test went to Land of Gold" written by
Ira F. Bail, bandmaster of Canton, S.
Oak. Inasmuch as South Dakota has
never had an official State song, the next
Legislature will be asked to designate
Hail! South Dakota"
In justification of the "boondoggling"
activities of the w. P. A., one Of Mr.
Hopkins bright young publicity men
compiled summary Of some OF the
work done by the w. P. A.-including
an item Of present tense interest in
Washington, now that a congressional
hearing has warned against a rat epi-
demic. It was then recited that rats
carry disease and damage property.
Federal health authorities estimate that
one rat causes two dollars worth Of
damage In q year. E. B. Buchanan,
head of the Cleveland Food and Drugs
Administration, estimates that at least
100000 rats have been killed by the set
ting Of $4,000 poisoned bats by w. P. A.
workers in the city's downtown slum
area. This means that the city has
been saved potential damage Of $780,
600 by this project, which cost the Fed
eral Government $500 and the city
$438"
Local governments throughout the
country are making investments in de-
fense bonds. according to stories told by
members of Congress in cloakroom con-
versation. Fresno, Calf, has purchased
$4,000 worth Of bonds for its city en-
ployes' retirement fund. West Hartford,
Conn, bought $4,000 worth for its sink
ing fund. The city council Of HaverhilI.
Mass. bought $48,275 defense bonds with
municipal hospital funds Baruwell
County. N. c., put $35, 900 proceeds from
sale Of improvement bonds to meet
courthouse renovation expenses into de-
fense bonds. The State of Idaho pur.
chased half milion-dollars' worth Of de-
fense bonds, and Washington State $685.
600 worth. Municipal and State en-
ployes are making investments from their
salaries, and eight States-C Connecticut,
Florida. Massachusetts,, Michigan, Mis-
souri,, Montana, New Mexico and WASH
ington-have announced employe pur-
chase plans. Thus is the national de-
tense being supported by local COM
munities and individual homes.
There has been considerable contro-
versy regarding the figure Of an officer
standing in his shirt-sleeves In the paint
ing Of the Battle Of Chapultepec by James
Walker, which hangs over the west
staircase In the Senate wing Of the
Capitol. Gen. James Shields, . distin-
guished officer In the Mexican and Civil
Wars, testified shortly before his death
that this was an authentic picture Of
himself. He had been marching on foot
after his horse had been shot, was wear
ing a panama hat after his own service
cap had been lost. He was represented
arguing with Gen. Quitman, whom Gen.
Scott had dispatched to stop him from
further attack, intending that Gen.
Worth should complete the victory from
another direction. Gen. Shields said
that some 20 minutes later he led his
gallant Palmetto Regiment into the City
Of Mexico and unfuled there the Ameri-
can Flag.