Evening star., 1944-02-13
Capital Sidelights
By Will p. Kennedv,

oy w ~ r. n hcUtSuy.
History has just "repeated'-and in
one family. In the First World War,
Representative Augustus P. Gardner,
son-in-law OF the late Senator Henry
Cabot Lodge "the Elder" was the only
man actually to resign from Congress
for war service. He served at Governors
Island and at Macon, Ga, as colonel in
the Adjutant Generals Department, but
later was transferred, at his own re-
quest-seeking combat duty-to the 13lst
Regiment. United States Infantry, with
the rank OF major. He died at Camp
Wheeler, Ga, from pneumonia con-
tracted in line of duty and is buried in
Arlington National Cemetery.
His nephew Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge "the Second" is the only Senate
member who has resigned in this global
war, because he felt after a tour of the
battlenelds that he could serve his coun-
try best in military rather than legisla-
tive service. He is In his 42d year, has a
wife and two sons and his present term
does not expire until January 8, 1s49.
He previously had served as major (the
same as his uncle) in the United States
Army with the 1st American Tank De-
tachment in the British 9th Army in
Africa.
The story of "the Great Cheshire
Cheese which was presented to Presi-
dent Thomas Jefferson on the morning
Of his first New Year levee for the popu-
lace January l, 1902, Is told in the Life
Journals and Correspondence of Rev.
Manasseh Cutler, IL. D. as we'll as in
brakes Dictionary of American BIZ
ography. Representative Cutler was the
most illustrious and versatile occupant
OF the House seat later held by the
highly esteemed "Gussie" Gardner
mentioned above-now ably filled by
Representative George j. Bates. who
has had Ave members of his family in
war service. Representative Cutler sue
cessively was a teacher, in the whaling
business, storekeeper a practicing at
torney. an ordained clergyman, chaplain
in the Revolution. a skilled physician
and surgeon. taught navigation and held
high rank for his knowledge of botany
and astronomy, scaled and named Mount
Washington, was one of the projectors
OF the Ohio colonization company in
1887, purchaser Of the site of Marietta,
drafted the ordinance, was appointed
first judge Of the United States Court
for Ohio in l7s5 by George Washington
but declined, and served in both the
Massachusetts State and the National
Legislatures.
Now here's the documentary story of
THE Great Cheshire Cheese:
When Jefferson was chosen President,
Elder John Leland. clergyman, born at
Grafton. Mass, May IA, 1854, who had
been a Baptist preacher in Virginia in
1775-l791. and who from 1892 until his
death in North Adams. Mass, January
IA, 1S4l, was settled in Cheshire, "a man
OF great eccentricity and shrewdness as
well as being Jealous Democrat" pro-
posed to his flock that they should cele-
for the new Chief Magistrate the biggest
cheese the world ever had seen.
Every man and woman who owned
COW was to give for this cheese all the
milk yielded on certain day, only no
Federal COW" might contribute drop.
A huge cider press was fitted up in
which the cheese was to be made. On
the appointed day the whole country
side turned out with pals and tubs Of
churd-the girls and women in their
hASf oouypS opd rihbopS ond tho mon ~,
their Sunday coats and clean shirt COL
lars. The cheese was put to press" with
prayer and hymn singing and general
solemnity. When it was we'll dried it
weighed-and here the record differs
1000 pounds, though there is one men,
ton Of 1,450 pounds.
The cheese was placed In sleigh and
Elder Leland drove with it all the way
to Washington, "a journey of three
weeks" with the populace along the
way coming out to look at the record
cheese and cheer the Elder on his way
with the testimonial of esteem and
confidence of the people in the new
Chief Magistrate"
Representative Cutler in his journals
recited that "a number of the Feder-
alists agreed to 60 from the Capitol in
coaches to the Presidents House, and
wait upon him with the compliments
of the season. We were received with
politeness and entertained with cake
and wine" lin what is now known as the
Blue Room. The Cutler diary recites
that: The mammoth cheese, having
been presented this morning, the Presi-
dent invited US to 60, as he expressed
ito the mammoth room (now
known ~ the East Room and see the
mammoth cheese There we viewed