Evening star., 1945-03-18
Capital Sidelights
BIZ viii p. Kennedy.


Illustrating the spirit Of the times in
Congress, where emphasis daily is given
to members increasing realization Of
their dependence on Divine guidance,
the sixth quadrennial edition of the
daily prayers Of the House Chaplain,
Rev. DR.. James Shera Montgomery, has
just been distributed. This includes 691
prayers during the Seventy-seventh and
Seventy-eighth Congresses, from Janu-
ary 3, 1941, to December Is, 1914 The
chaplain repeatedly has declared-"This
is not a Protestant, nor Catholic, nor
Jewish desk. 1t is a Christian desk, to
which We welcome clergymen Of any
faith whom members wish to substi-
tute."
In the House Book of Prayers there is
printed an introduction by Speaker Sam
Rayburn, reminding readers that Chap
lain Montgomery now is serving in his
25th year. The Speaker writes: His
prayers before the House have been
earnest and inspiring, giving impetus to
the sacredness Of duty In the public
service. Their devotional value is almost
as great in the cold page Of print as in
the House itself. DR.. Montgomery en-
joys in notable degree the respect and
affection Of the entire membership Of
the House, to whom he is q counsellor,
friend and brother. In publishing this,
the sixth volume of his prayers, we feel
we are rendering a public service and
commend them to good people every
where"
Representative Charles A. Plumley of
Vermont, who for IA years was president
of Norwich University, stresses the very
special interest his State has In the Cha
pultepec Conference in Mexico. Its
senior Senator, Senator Warren r.
Austin, was the leading representative
of Congress in attendance. Also it hap
pens that Gen. Truman B. Ransom
Vermonter. gave his life leading the at
tack on Chapultepec in the Mexican
War. When ordered to reduce that
supposedly impregnable fortress his re-
ply was: "Essayons," which means "I
will try" and has ever since been the
motto of all Norwich men.
Nearly three pages in the Congress
sional Record are given over to inspiring
devotional letters which q young naval
nero, Ensign Ronald r. johnson of
Houston, Tex, an only son, sent to his
parents before he recently joined the
growing caravan of American sons who
have made the supreme sacrifice" He
had gained a Statewide reputation as
q brilliant and unusually successful at
torney before he went to serve his coun-
try. Representative Jed johnson of Ok
lahoma, his uncle, who has lost two
nephews In this tragic war, put these
letters in the Record hoping that their
thought provoking sentiments will be
of inspiration to other men and officers
in the armed forces, as well as consola-
ton to grief-stricken parents, who also
have sacrificed their sons"
Among the Republican party leaders
in the House have been Representative
John Q. Tilson, Connecticut; Nicholas
Longworth, Ohio; Frank w. Mondell,
Wyoming; James r. Mann, Illinois;
Joseph G. Cannon, Illinois: Thomas B.
Reed, Maine; Nelson Dmgley, Maine;
william Mckinley, Ohio; soreno Payne,
New York; Frederick II. Gillett, Massa-
chusetts; Bertrand H. Smell, New York,
and Joseph w. Martin. Massachusetts,.
The Democratic House leaders were:
Representatives Finis ]. Garrett, Ten
nessee; Champ CLARK, Missouri: Claude
Kitchin, North Carolina: Oscar W. Un-
derwood, Alabama; Samuel J. Randall,
Pennsylvania; John N. Garner, Texas;
Joseph w. Byrnes, Tennessee; Henry r.
Rainey, Illinois; william b. Bankhead,
Alabama; Sam Rayburn, Texas, and
John w. Mccormack, Massachusetts,.
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