Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-25
Capital SideIights
By Will P. Kennedy.

Eugene T. Kinnaly, "everybodys
friend" at the Capitol, confidential Sec
rotary to House Leader Mccormack,
rounded out Is years of service as
congressional secretary during the past
week. He came to work ION the Hill
July 10, 1918, as secretary to the late
greatly beloved Representative James
A. Gallivan, who used to boast that
he had graduated from the first pub
lie school in the United States the
Boston Latin School. Fellow alumni of
his from Harvard declared that Jim"
Gallivan had the best mind of his
day-and many days thereafter-at
Harvard" He had been a newspaper
man and whenever it was whispered
around that Jim" was about to adj
dress the House, his colleagues hurried
to the chamber, for he always gave
spirited, amusing and convincing speech.
Strangely enough Representative CALI
van was elected to succeed Represen-
tatlve James M. Curley, when he was
elected Mayor of Boston in 1914 and
who is now back in the House after an
absence of nearly 80 years. Mr.. CALI
van was accustomed to refer to his Sec
rotary, Mr.. Kinnaly, as 1.-The assistant
Congressman" and when Mr.. Gallivan
died April 3, 1923, Kinnaly carried on as
secretary Congressman without port
folio for eight months until Repre-
sentative John w. Mccormack came to
take over in November, 1928 Since Mr..
Mccormack was elected majority leader
Mr.. Klnnaly's work and responsibilities
has been multiplied. He is noted for
his efficiency. He is one of the Capitol
Hill veterans who earned his law degree
while working as a congressional secre-
tary.
1t Is never too late to say thank YOU"
The other day the veteran House Clerk
South Trimble. who has been on the
job at the Capitol for 20 out of the last
80 years. being first elected clerk In
1911, after having previously served as
a Congressman for six years, and two
terms in the Kentucky Legislature,
where he was Speaker during the
memorable Goebel contest, had this
impressed upon him. He received a
letter from James Shaughnessy a
counselor in advertising" in New York
City, asking for a certain House docu-
ment, and then, referring to events of
AZ years ago, wrote:
Il am pleased particularly that it re-
minds me that I owe you a debt of
courtesy incurred when you were very
young and extremely capable in Ken
lucky politics. 1t all came about when
you were Speaker of the House in Frank
fort and I was there as a newspaper re-
porter from Chicago to get the story of
the Goebel assassination. Through your
kindness was enabled to get the story
fully and right When I got back to
the office and was being praised for
turning in good story I told them the
credit should 60 to you who made it
possible to me. At that time I felt re-
minded that had left Frankfort with
out telling you how feebly grateful I
was for your generous help. With per-
fectly good intentions I charged myself
to write it to you, and that is what I
am doing now. This slippage of time
shows that my intention was so endur-
ing that it exposes me as a living ex-
amplar of procrastination as gift"
Another cub" reporter who was
given a flying start in the profession
which he graced for many years because
South Trimble had no sympathy with
the way rival reporters were crowding
him out and personally delivered the
news to him was Irving S. Cobb author,
playwright humorist, radio and screen
artist, winner of many awards. He never
forgot the help Mr.. Trimble gave him
on his first important assignment. And
South Trimble, now in his 10th year, Is
still daily helpful to his friends OF the
press.