Evening star., 1950-09-10

william J. Donaldson.
member Of the House, represent
ing the 18th Indiana congress
sional district.
Mr.. Ludlow was the first news
paper correspondent to go di-
rectly from the press gallery to
a seat in the Congress. He was
first a Washington correspondent
in 1901, and until his election to
the House. which he entered on
March 4. 1929. he represented the
Columbus Dispatch.
Mr.. Ludlow is a former presi-
dent of the National Press Club, q
role he has in common with sew
eral of the 30-year veterans of
press gallery service. He served in
1927. The others are Bascom Tim
mons, president In 1882: Mark
Foote. president in 1884 and 1885,
and Paul Wooten. president in
1946.
Among the graduates from the
press gallery to politics are two OF
President Truman's secretaries
Charles G. Ross. formerly of the
st. Louis Post-Dispatch. Is now
secretary to the President, han
ding the press relations. The
other presidential secretary is
William D. Hassett. who 80 years
ago represented the Washington
Post.
Previously three members Of the
press gallery Of the 66th Con-
gress had become presidential
secretaries. These were Judson
c. Welliver. who represented
Echo de Paris and later served
with President Harding; Theo-
dore Joslin. then of the Bos-
ton Evening Transcript, who
served with President Hoover, and
Stephen T. Early, then of the
Associated Press, who was secre-
tary to President Franklin D.
Roosevelt. He is now Deputy
Secretary Of Defense.
Three Became Diplomats
OF the press gallery group at
least three became American dip
lomats. These were Leo r. Sack
of the Cleveland Press, who was
Minister to Costa Rica; John D.
Erwin of the Nashville Tennes-
sean. who was Ambassador to
Honduras. and Charles C. Hart, of
Boise News, who was Minister to
Persia.
OF the congressional group of
the earlier period. Senator Walter
E. Edge, Republican, of New
Jersey became Ambassador to
France; Alanson B. Houghton,
Republican, of New York and
Frank B. Kellogg, Republican, of
Minnesota went to the Court of
st. James as Ambassador, and
Senator Miles Poindexter, Repub-
lican. of Washington served as
Ambassador to Peru. Earlier the
doughty Senator George H. Moses,
Republican, of New Hampshire
had been Minister to Greece.
Thirty years ago the indestruc-
tible William j. Donaldson was
as now-the superintendent of
the House press gallery. Holding
forth then as superintendent of
the Senate press gallery was the
practically inexhaustible fount of
information, James D. Preston.
Now Jim Preston is installed as
registration clerk in the Office of
the secretary of the Senate, in
the confines of which he has
spent practically his entire life
time.
Thirty years ago when the 66th
Congress held sway, the American
public very largely relied on the
members of the congressional
press gallery members for their
news about national affairs. The
gallery membership and news
papers and news services repre-
sented have increased tremen-
dously, but the character of their
service to the public has remained
basically unchanged.
Radio press galleries of both
branches OF Congress have come
into being and today $50 radio
broadcasters and news commenta-
tors, representing some 78 radio
stations and network services
cover what transpires so that all
who hear can listen.
Women Make Gains
Another addition to news COW
erage has been the creation of the
periodical press gallery, whose
membership Of about 200 man and
woman writer's chronicles the hap
penings and gossip for the coun-
try's leading magazines and trade
publications. In this gallery are
two veterans of former newspaper
service who were in the press gal
lery itself 30 years ago. One of
these is Carter Field of the Nc
Craw Hill Publications, then of
the New York Tribune, and for
mer president of the National
Press Club. The other is Mr..
Sandifer of the Penton Public -
tions and then with the Inter
national News Service.
The distaff side of the picture
in both the press galleries and
the Congress develops an interest
ing picture Of the manner In which
the women folks have come into