Evening star., 1944-11-26
Capital Sidelights
By Will P. Kennedy.

By Will P. Kennedy.
Much discussion has been aroused on
Capitol Hill by the statement (errone-
ously) made in some newspapers that
the coming into the next Congress Of
the half brothers Max and George B.
Schwabe will be the first time brothers
have served together in the House since
1851. The veteran Clerk of the House
South Trimble, Finis J. Garrett, former
Democratic leader in the Sixty-eighth,
Sixty-ninth and Seventieth Congresses,
and now presiding Judge of the United
States Court of Customs and Patent
Appeals. and Representative Adolph j.
SABBATH, dean of the House, rounding out
38 years Of consecutive service, all three
testify that they have served with other
brothers, three pairs of them.
South Trimble served in three Con-
crosses ty-seventh, Fffty-eighth and
Fffty-ninth) with the Kitchin brothers
from North Carolina-Claude, later
Democratic leader, and William w., later
Governor. and in the Fifty-eighth and
Fffty-ninth with the Lands brothers
from Indiana-Charles B., and Frederick.
william w. Kitchin was elected to the
Fffty-f1tth and five succeeding Con-
crosses d897-1909), quitting when he was
elected Governor d9o9). His brother
Claude was elected to the Fifty seventh
and II succeeding Congresses d901-
1929. So they served together In the
House for eight years from 1901 till 1909
Both were Democrats. Their father,
William Hodges Kitchin, previously had
served in the Forty-sixth Congress.
The Lands brothers both served as
Republicans. Charles B., represented
the 9th and Frederick the 11th Indiana
district. They were together in the
House four years d903-190D, SO they
served these same four years with the
Kitchin brothers. making two pairs of
brothers in the House at the same time.
Charles was an editor, served from 1897
to 1909 (exactly the same period in which
William w. Kitchin served, and later
was vice president of the du Pont Engi-
neering Co., and manager Of the du Pont
Washington Office. Frederick was .
lawyer. editor, author and lecturer. He
served from 1908 to 1907, was one Of the
organizers of the Progressive party in
1912, and that party's unsuccessful can
didate for Governor Of Indiana. After
being out of Congress for u years, he
was reelected in 1884 but died before
he could take his seat. They were both
brothers Of Kenesaw Mountain Lands,
former judge, high commissioner Of pro-
fessional baseball since 1920 They have
cousin in Congress, Representative
Gerald w. Lands. now finishing his
third term from the 7th Indiana district.
When Finis Garrett came to the Fifty
ninth Congress, he served one term with
the lands brothers, 1906 1907, and two
terms with the Kitchin brothers, 1906
1909. He and Claude Kitchin were close
associates in House leadership. Repre-
sentative SABBATH, now dean of the
House, came in March 4, 1907, and served
two years with the Kitchin brothers.
Both Mr.. Garrett and Mr.. SABBATH also
served with another pair Of brothers,
George E. Foss, Republican, of Illinois.
who was in Congress from 1895 until
1918, and Eugene N. Foss, Democrat,
who filled an unexpired term for less
than year in the Sixty-first Congress
from March 22, 1910, until January 4,
1911, when he was elected Governor OF
Massachusetts,.
A fourth pair of brothers who served
simultaneously in Congress In recent
years were Senator John H. Bankhead
and the late Speaker william B. Bank
head Of Alabama-one in the Senate.
the other in the House, and they had
been law partners. They served to-
gether In Congress for 10 years 1880
1940). The late Speaker Bankhead also
had served four years in the House while
his father was serving In the Senate
(1916-1920).
Will Bankhead previously had been
his fathers secretary. The father served
20 years In the House (1887- 1000 and 13
years in the Senate Q907-1920). Present
Senator Bankheads son, Walter VIII
Bankhead, was elected to succeed his
late uncle, Speaker Bankhead In Mo-
vember, 1910, for full term. He took
the oath In January, 1941, but after serv-
ing about 80 days resigned and returned
to his law practice In Alabama. This
made the second instance Of father and
son serving at the same time In Senate
and House. and both In the one family.