Evening star., 1946-05-12
Capital Sidelights
BIZ Will P. Kennedy.

ton correspondent, former president of
the National Press Club and a member
OF the Board of Directors of the Ma
tional Press Building, Inc; also a for
mer member of the Standing Committee
of correspondents of the Capitol press
galleries, originator of the first radio
quiz program, editor of the daily news
paper feature, You'd Be Surprised" and
above all versatile writer, has achieved
Book of the Month" recognition with
"A Book About Thousand Things"
1t certainly is the most popular VOL
ume for current study by members of
Congress and Mr.. Stimson's colleagues
OF the press Both groups have found
it truly treasury of odd and fascinat-
ing information. supplementing his
earlier works, Nuggets of knowledge"
Popular Questions Answered" Things
Worth Knowing" Uncommon Knowl-
edge" and "a Book About the Bible"
Each has represented years of intensive
research into origins. customs, habits
often in strange hooks and corners. 1t
Is book that answers 1909 questions.
For good measure and to help classify
the information in this valuable COM
pendium for ready reference there is a
generous index of SO two-column pages.
The House, by unanimous consent, re-
Gently granted an exception to one of
its most stringent rules for orderly pro-
cedure and to expedite the transaction
Of business-a rule which has been in
force since July s, 184l-and very few of
the members realize what an important
aquiescence they had indicated by their
silence. Their passive consent was a
tribute to Chairman Clarence Cannon
of the Appropriations Committee who
was speaking on Congress and It's Ira
ducers," emphasizing: Destroy or null,
lily its functions and you have left but
the shell Of free government"
Mr.. Cannon, having been parliament
tartan Of the House for years, and hav-
ing succeeded the late Asher Kinds as
compiler Of the "Prscepts of the House"
and being author of the compendium Of
House procedure, knew better than any
of his colleagues what was happening.
He cited two examples: First, "Oliver
Cromwell, in proroguing the English
Parliament, pointed his sword at the
mace and cried, Take away that bauble'
When 1t was carried out there went with
it representative government in all
England" Second. Napoleon stalking
into the French Chamber of Deputies
and at the head of his grenadiers, cried:
Follow me. I am destiny I am the
divinity OF the day As his bayoneteers
drove out the representatives of the
people, they drove out civil and religi-
Gus liberty"
The most conspicuous signature to
the Declaration of Independence. that
of John Hancock. then president of
the Continental Congress. was not thus
written large through egotism, as many
have intimated, but as he himself said:
II write so that George the Third may
read without his spectacles." And in the
proclamation of amnesty two names
were excepted-John Hancock and
Samuel Adams, who were slumbering
i'll Lexington when Paul Revere rode
in with warning of the approach of
the British troops. Their capture was
sought as much as destruction of am
munition. Hancock was twice elected
President of the Continental Congress,
May "a, TITS, and November q, 1785.
He also was the first Governor Of Mas
sachusetts. His death occurred on Oc-
tober 8, 1893, but 1t was more than 100
years before Massachusetts, erected a
fitting monument at his grave in the
cid Granary burying ground, dedicated
on September 10. 1896.
x* X X
One of the most important of Presi-
dent Humans accommodations
actment of legislation for presidential
succession-still is awaiting Senate and
final action. Senator Styles Bridges of
New Hampshire wants the public to re-
member. This is very important SUBJ
Ject," he says, because in the case of
tragedy happening to the President, or
the Vice President in the event he had
become President, there should be no
question as to who should succeed to the
ONCE, and there should be no opportu-
nifty for technical or legal considerations
or difnculties."