Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-24
Capital SideIights
By Will P. Kennedy.

Abraham Lincoln was the first strictly
American President. He was the first
President from beyond the boundaries
of the thirteen original Colonies, I'M
trammeled by traditions of Colonial or
Old World origin. Born in a log cabin
IN Kentucky, "unprivileged, unancestried,
unknown" the lonely forest his play
ground, he never attended school whole
year. He lived rugged, hardy. out
door life of toll, and grew in stature
and strength as youth. Nature was
his school, and he was his own teacher
Humble as was his birth, he lived as
humbly in the White House, "a common
man who could walk with kings, nor lose
the common touch" and remained prim-
tive in his emotions and sympathies-
he could always cry. Above ALL he paid
his way and thus earned the name
Honest Abe"
Franklin Pierce was the third, and for
upwards of threescore years thereafter
the last, President from New England,
He served as an agent of the South
rather than as representative of any
part Of the North. His native State,
New Hampshire, INDUCED In half
century of debate before a statue of its
only President was erected in front of
the State Capitol. Nathaniel Haw-
thorne. fellow college student and life
long friend, wrote Pierce's campaign
biography, was appointed by him consul
at Liverpool, and died while he and the
former President were together on vaca-
ton in the White Mountains.
There Is one outstanding scion of the
pioneers in the new Congress-Repre-
sentative Calvin d. johnson (Republi-
can, Illinois, of Scotch-Irish descent,
whose ancestor landed at jamestown in
1885, and followed the frontier west
ward through the Carolinas in 1772.
making the journey by flatboat down
the ONO River and settling In what is
now Kentucky, near Frankfort.
y ~
The Republican membership of the
House has paid marked respect to the
services of two veteran employees in the
reorganization proceedings. James p.
Griffin. with 80 years of service was the
minority party nominee for doorkeeper.
This marked steady progress from the
lowest to the highest employee recogni-
ton by the minority party. He first
came to Congress as a page, became chief
page, then special employee acting as as
sistant doorkeeper to Bert w. Kennedy,
and subsequently minority clerk. which
position he now holds While his noni-
nation as doorkeeper on the minority
slate is somewhat of an empty honor"
and carries no salary increase, 1t does
put him in line for one of the most i'm
portant elective Offices, If and when. the
Republicans come into control of the
OF service as chief page, has been given
a salary advance and permanent posi-
ton as a minority clerk, on the slate of
the Republican conference, approved by
the House. Johnny" is called the
mighty midget" of Congress. He weighs
l35 pounds and stands 4 feet 8 inches.
He hates to leave his job in charge of the
d
quarter of century he had been big
brother" to hundreds of boys, encour-
aged them, advised them, and helped
them in every way. They have grown
up to take over important positions in all
walks of life-and he Is proud OF them.
They kept him young. When William
Tyler Page died, John Andrews of MaSsa-
chusetts protege of Minority Leader
Martin, was advanced to the post and
salary MI. Page had occupied, and Mr..
McCabe now has been selected to sue
coed Mr.. Andrews. Mr.. McCabe was
brought to the Capitol by the late Rep
resentative Will r. Wood of Indiana.
later chairman Of the Appropriations
Committeeman since then his progress
has been steady, He previously had been
on the stage 1912 and 1919, taking
juvenile parts when the child-labor law
clamped down. He worked for the city
OF Whiting, Ind, and was in charge OF
the engrossing room in the Indiana State
Legislature in 1917. He now owns q
general farm In Virginia.