Evening star., 1942-07-12
Capital SideIights
By Will P. Kennedy.

Congress has just published a new
congressional election handbook, as
sembling regulations of the legislatures
of the States prescribing congressional
districts in accordance with the ap-
portionment act of Congress based upon
the census of 1910. This pamphlet of
timely value was compiled by H. Newling
Megill, one of the career men of con-
gressional service, under the direction
Of the veteran clerk of the House, South
Trimble. One third of all the States in
the Union were affected under the
census. Arizona gains one Representa-
tive; California, 3: Florida, l. Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas Massachusetts,
and Nebraska lose one each; New Mexico
and North Carolina, each gain one:
Ohio and Oklahoma. each lose one;
oregon gains one; Pennsylvania loses
one, and Tennessee gains one. The new
members from Arizona, Florida and
New Mexico are to be elected from the
State "at large" the same way as
Senators.
An interesting history of the Ways
and Means Committee, whose chair
man, Representative Robert L. Dough-
ton of North Carolina, has promised to
bring the new most-drastic-ever tax bill
before the House on Wednesday, has
been written by Representative Frank
H. Buck OF California The Constitu-
ton provides that legislation with
respect to revenues and taxes must
originate in the House, whose members
are closer to the people, coming up for
election every two years. The House
first set up select Committee on Ways
and Means July "a, 1899, which became
standing committee on January 7,
1902. Originally both revenue and ap-
preparation bills where handled by this
committee as also banking and cur
rency legislation; but in 1865 it was
realized that the work was too stupen-
dous for one committee, and the work
was divided by setting up the Appropria-
tions and Banking and Currency Com
mittees.
4 -
There are now 66 alphabetical Fed
eral agencies functioning In the prose-
cution of the manifold phases of the
war effort. and for the purpose Of brevity
the initials are commonly used for
Identification, Representative Earl G.
Michener of Michigan has just informed
his colleagues. These agencies run from
AAA to VISA.
The House has just paid very extraor-
dinary tribute to William Tyler Page,
former clerk, author of the Americans
Greed, 81 years in service, in commence
ration of his 73d birthday anniversary
by printing House document, to which
Ansel Void, veteran clerk of the Joint
Committee on Printing gave meticulous
loving care because of his joint services
with Mr.. Page for upward of 40 years.
This Is unique document of historic
value. A supplementary document, COM
pilation of various matter printed in the
Congressional Record, has been pub
lished ("not at Government expense")
by Representative Karl Stefan, Repub-
lican, Of Nebraska. These two documents
are in demand by schools and libraries
all over the country Mr.. Stefan, a most
unselfish -worshiper, devoted to
bringing his heroes to the attention OF
the youth OF today as models and inspi-
rat;ons, is proud of paperweight on his
Office desk given to him by Mr. Page, with
the following memorandum, autographed
by Mr.. Page:
When was page boy in the clerks
Office Of the House Of Representatives,
60 years ago, one OF my functions was to
light the gas jets on large, handsome,
bronze chandelier which hung in the
office where I worked. The chandelier
was massive and ornamented with
cherubs. In reaching its numerous jets
used long wax taper. When fully
lighted 1t was refulgent When the
chandelier gave way to the more mod
ern system of lighting by electricity it
was removed by the engineer in the ar
chitect's ofiice, Henry Taylor. who had 1t
melted into souvenirs for those who had
been associated with it. One such sou.
venir was made for me at the Washing
ton Navy Yard by the class Of junior