Evening star., 1943-09-26
CopitoI SideIights
By Will P. Kennedy.

Rep. Allen T. Treadway of Massa-
chusetts, dean of the Republic mem
bers in the House and ranking minority
member of the Ways and Means Com
nittee, has had busy week. On the
eve of his departure from his home
in Stockbridge, he was presented with
a 50-year medal by the Grand Master
of Massachusetts, Masonry, Prof. Albert
E. Schaefer, of the Massachusetts, IN
stitute of Technology faculty. Then he
was guest OF honor at a banquet in the
old Red Lion Inn, famous since stage
coach days, of which he is proprietor
and with which he has been associated
all of his 76 years. by Occidental Lodge.
of which he is the oldest member in
years. and enrolment.
No House member was greeted more
enthusiastically on his return to the
Capitol where he is serving his 10th
consecutive term. On Thursday he
celebrated his 18th birthday anniversary,
and confided to a few of his long time
closest associates that he will not seek
reelection. He was first elected Rep
Legislature in 1904 and holds a record
of never having been defeated in any
election for any office.
For ITO years an inn has stood on the
site of the present Red Lion Inn, and
by that name 1t was originally oper-
ated, but at the time of Mr.. Treadways
birth 1t was temporarily known as
Stockbridge House. He went to work
at the inn when he graduated from
Amherst College In 1886 He has
some very interesting Tales OF the
Wayside Inn" with which he de-
lights his colleagues. His own home,
the Elms, Is across the street from
the inn. In this house was the
first country store described by Edward
Bellamy in his novel THE Duke of
Stockbridge." In front of the house is
giant elm tree with one of the finest
burls in all New England. He has a
record that this tree was planted in
17S6. In the side yard is a small build
ing which he uses as summer office.
President Roosevelt while a student
at Harvard dined at Mr.. Treadway's
inn. Other guests included Henry w.
Longfellow Julia Marlowe Sothern
Josh Billings, Ethel Barrymore, Princess
Juliana of the Netherlands.
While each State has the right to
place in Statuary Hall statutes of two
of its illustrious deceased who con-
tributed most to the welfare of their
fellow men, the late Champ Clark of
Missouri, years ago, called attention that
five sons of Missouri have been given
place in this American Valhalla."
They are Col Thomas Hart Benton,
Gen. Frank P. Blair-both contributed
by Missouri; Stephen F. Austin, THE
Father of Texas" contributed by the
Lone Star State; Gen. James Shields
(Senator at various times from Illinois,
Minnesota and MissourD, contributed
by Illinois, and Sen. E. D. Kenna, con-
tributed by West Virginia. Illinois also
contributed the statue of Miss Frances
E. Willard the only woman who has
yet been given place in what the late
Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge was wont to
call "the Chamber of Horrors"
The idea of "Statuary Hall" was not
original with Representative Morrill,. AS
far back as October 4, 1877 IL years be-
fore the central portion of the Capitol
was completed, Joel K Mead in his
seemingly unimportant weekly news
paper known as the National Register
and published in Washington" referred
to the recommendation by writer in
the New York Columbian that Congress
have erected "a spacious building suit
able for the reception of marble busts of
all the general officers of the Revolu-
tionary and late war-the Presidents OF
the United States; and other patriots of
distinction who had rendered important
services to the Republic either in the
field or in the cabinet, and to be called
the American or Columbian Repository"