Evening star., 1943-04-25
Capital SideIights
By Will P. Kennedy.

Jimmie" Griffin completes 33 years of
service in the House next Tuesday. He
has risen from page through various
grades-chief page, special Republican
employe, minority clerk, Republican can
didate for doorkeeper. A reception in
his honor is being arranged in the House
press gallery where he will be greeted
and wished many happy returns" by
more than score of fellow employees,
with whom he has been associated for
more than a quarter of century and
by some 200 Washington correspondents
for all the principal newspapers of this
country. William J. Donaldson, super
intendent of the press gallery, friend and
associate of Mr.. Griffin since they came
to work in the Capitol about the same
time, will be master of ceremonies Miss
10" Thompson of the Associated Press,
Is to be hostess. Chester R. Thrift,
assistant superintendent of the press
gallery. who has been associated with
Mr.. Griffin for 26 years, will be chronicler
OF "Griffln's Progress" and present him
with certificate of good fellowship
Anthony P. Demma, also assistant super
intendent, former courier of news from
the White House. Supreme Court and
Congress, is chairman of the entertain
ment committee and will lead the Gallery
Glee Club in singing For He's jolly
Good Fellow"
The past week recalled several i'm
portant and sorrowful occasions On
Good Friday night. IS years ago, Lincoln
was aSsaSsinated in Fords Theater. now
a Lincoln Museum, and 26 years ago the
House passed the World War resolution.
chusetts also has reminded Congress that
on Palm Sunday 35 years ago his 'old
home town." Chelsea, Mass. went up in
smoke. The writer of this column "cov-
cred" that holocaust which left $4,000
persons homeless. In the blackened area
the one outstanding landmark was the
cross tipped spire of church-a symbol
Of hope. 1t was Samuel Maverick, an
ancestor of Maury Maverick, now direc-
tor of the Bureau of Governmental Re
quirements of the War Production Board,
who started the town about 1925 by
building a homestead there, the first
permanent house in the Massachusetts,
Bay Colony, and established a trading
post in Winnisimmet. Maverick later
sold his vast holdings to Gov. Rich
ard Bellingham. In the old mansion
Washington quartered an outpost of the
Continental Army. 1t was first an agri-
cultural community, next summer re-
sort and later shipping and manufac-
turing center 1t is still industrial and
cosmopolitan Lincoln spoke in Chelsea
when he was campaigning for Taylor and
Fillmore Louis B. Mayer, the noted
Hollywood producer, conducted junk
business in Chelsea years ago.
N. r. Brewer.
Augustine P. Coniff. special attorney
for the Bituminous Coal Commission,
challenges the claim of Representative
Foster Stearns of New Hampshire that
a constituent of his has the record for
SOllS III llle llllllIdly oSlNlIe. Dy q
strange coincidence, Mr.. Stearns for
merry was librarian of Holy Cross Col
lege while Mr.. Coniff was author of the
Alma Mater" song of that institution
written in open competition 40 years
ago. Just to keep the record straight"
Gus" Conif1 of Wilkes Barre, Pa, calls
attention to Mrs. Esther McCabe, a
Johnstown (Pa) mother, who now has
eight sons in the Army, another in the
Merchant Marine and q 10th son,
James, now II, high school junior,
preening to 90. while her 18th son, Jer-
ONE, high school sophomore. eagerly
is awaiting his turn. Mrs. McCabe, Gus
Coniff points out, is not boasting of
officer sons-her highest-ranked son is
William sergeant, while for others
are frst-class privates.
~ ~
Representative Augustine B. Kelley of
Pennsylvania, as youth entered the
Military Academy at West Point and was
dismissed when he developed heart all
ment. When the legislation extending
the selective service was passed by a
single vote in the House. Mr.. Kelley
voted for 1t. He had one son In the
service and another about to enlist. He
now has i've sons In service.