Evening star., 1946-12-01
Capital Sidelights
BIZ VIII P. Kennedy

By viii P. Kennedy
OF what value are polls2 An associate
professor in the department of psychol-
ogy, University of Washington, took
prediction poll Of some 80 reporters
who cover Congress regarding the rela-
tive merits of 80 Pacific Coast Con-
gressmen. When he announced the re-
suit of the poll Representative Jerry
Voorhis of California was accorded first
rank for merit. but he and Nos. 8. 4, 8,
and z, ranked among the first 10, were
defeated OF the 10 who were placed at
the bottom Of the list as 'least out
standing" only two were defeated.
The 36-year-old bachelor judge
Joseph r. Mccarthy broke the La
Toilette longtime grip on United
States Senate seat from Wisconsin, is
likely to be an interesting new figure
on Capitol Hill In his office hangs
plaque: "A politician thinks Of the next
election; statesman Of the next gen.
Grafton" He is inch under feet tall.
weighs 1877 pounds, has heavy eyebrows
dike the late Speaker Joseph w. Byrnes
of TENNESSEE, laughing brown Irish
eyes. talks fast and shows folks he likek
to meet them. His father was half Irish.
half German and his mother, Bridget
Mccarthy, was Irish all the way. He
earned his way through school working
part time in restaurant and at filling
station. Through his boxing ability he
won a position as coach at Marquette
University. named in honor Of the fa-
nous Jesuit explorer of the Northwest.
He came out of World War II with
three citations. S.
~ -
Does Brother Jonathan" refer to
Jonathan Trumbull the elder, Governor
of Connecticut at the time Of the
Revolution, or was it applied to the
people OF the United Colonies in general?
To settle an argument, this column has
been asked for a decision
A delightful book, Brother Jonathan"
written by Hezekiah Butterworth, was
published in 1909. 1t says: Jonathan
Trumbull, Washington's Brother Jona-
than had part in helping to save the
American Army in nearly every crisis
OF the Revolutionary War, gave the
popular name to the Nation. and came
to be held by Washington as among the
first of the patriots" The post riders
from Gov Trumbulls plain farmhouse
on Lebanon Hill ESQ named for its
cedars) represented the secret service
of the war. He was the Roger De
Coverley of Colonial life and American
knighthood.
On his Judgment Washington leaned
heavily During conference on the
state of the Army in dire needs, WASH
ington advised that Brother Jonathan"
be consulted Trumbull devised the
means for procuring what was desired.
The story was told throughout the
Army, and the reply to demand for
any article was invariably advice to ask
Brother Jonathan The phrase be-
came proverbial and was generally
applied to the pepole engaged in the
common cause for American liberty. and
so to the people of the United States.
r
Now that the threat OF horse meat for
the family table has eased away and
horse meat has become largely dog meat,
a backward glance for 10 years IN
United States history discloses that
there was famous tand important
"horse meat march" Gen. George Cook
led his soldiers on this march In 1876
The first column from the department
OF the Platte went from headquarters on
the Heart River to Deadw0od in the
Black Hills region of the Dakotas. Cook
and his command, besides being con-
stantIy drenched with cold rains. had
scarcely any food except the flesh OF
horses and ponies.
on his Mount Vernon estate Wasf1-
ington built a circular barn, within
which so hands had abundant room
for thrashing wheat simultaneously
The lower half of the barn was built OF
bricks. It was about 8 miles from the
mansion. The historian, Benson ].
Losing, records that he saw It in
Cilapidated condition just before the
Civil War, and about 10 years ago It
was taken down and rebuilt.
&4
Did you ever hear Of Congress being
called "old Johnny Congress? Col.
Miles Vernon, reputable Missouri poll
tician in 1856. when he was 10 years Of
age, IN political speeches indulged In
thus referring to the Government in
Washington. His illusions were In much
the same manner as newspaper and car
toon references to John 9. Public"
John. or the diminutive Johnny being
humorously used to emphasize that Con-
gress was composed Of many men Of
many minds.