Evening star., 1944-02-27
Capital Sidelights
By Will P. Kennedu.

service station for servicemen has
been set up in room l55-A of the Old
House Office Building M. w. Pickering,
veteran in charge of the Republican
Workroom, who is known as Every
podys FRIEND has warm heart for
the servicemen about to be mustered
out, whether they be former Capitol en-
ployes, Walter Reed Hospital disabled
veterans or the general run of those who
have faced death on far-fiung battle
fields. So he has established a head
quarters where they can receive definite.
first-hand information and assistance in
filling out their applications for their
mastering out pay. They each have
from s100 to $500 coming to them, but
they have to fill out detailed applica-
tions for the money and the War De-
partment does not furnish any blanks.
Pick" has made thousands OF copies
OF form printed in The Star and Is
ready to assist all corners in filling out
these applications. And Pick" knows
his job. He did the same thing after the
First World War. He then set up bu-
reau when the veterans were about to
be paid their bonus At that time he
helped them to collect their travel pay
also, and his bureau was the only place
where free Victory buttons were pro-
vided by the truckload Now any veteran
who visits Picks" service station for
seryicemen may be assured that all nee
essary and authoritative assistance will
be afforded to him-on just how to fill
out and file with the Veterans Bureau
his application. Members of Congress-
from all political parties and every State
in the Union-are clearing their service
men through Picks" service station. 1t
is done by him as patriotic service for
his fellowmen who have carried on"
suffered and sacrificed. His heart is in
this enterprise of fellowship.
1t was Thomas Jefferson who intro
duced our present dollar He had just
re-entered Congress when that legisla-
tive body was engaged in casting off
the pounds, shillings and pence of Eng
land. The dollar unit with its dimes
and cents was his substitute. A happy
chance was missed forever when the
members rejected his proposal to start
the adolescent Nation on the basis OF
the decimal system in weights and
measures.
Few persons today realize that it was
the great Horace Greeley, noted news
paperman, publisher successfully of the
New York Morning Post, New Yorker,
Log Cabin and New York Tribune-a
member Of Congress-who offered bail
for Jefferson Davis, former President
of the Confederacy. The famous
journalist and reformer later was de-
feated by Gen. Grant in a contest for
the presidency.
Representative Lot Clark of New
York, who served In Congress 1929
1925. was protector of the first wire
cable bridge over the Niagara chasm.
He was president of the Suspension
Bridge Co. and agent for the owners of
all the unsold lands in Niagara and
Orleans Counties and the north parts
OF Genesee and Erie Counties.
George Washington's greatest stock
raising interest was in mules The King
Of Spain presented him with a jackass,
and Lafayette sent him lighter one
and two jennies. Gen. Washington was
very enthusiastic over the hybrid mules
which he raised
\
1t Is traditional that a member of
Congress is immune from arrest while
on his way to his legislative duties in
Congress-but there is notable ex-
ample of such member having been
arrested and held prisoner for more
than year. That is the case of Rep
resentative George Washington Bridges
from Tennessee. During the Civil War
he raised the 10th Tennessee Cavalry for
the Union Amy and served as captain,
Lieutenant colonel and colonel before