Evening star., 1955-01-14
Congress Security
Issue Is Revived
By Woman Intruder
BY Robert K. Walsh

insecurity and embarrassment
among members today.
AS a result Of the wornan's un-
obstructed walk-in and walk-out
OF the House yesterday and her
face-to-face request that Speak
er Rayburn recognize her for an
address from the rostrum, o
slow-burn was spreading even
beyond the chamber.
Among members best qualified
to comment on the intrusion,
Representatives Bentley. Repub-
lican, of Michigan and Roberts,
Democrat, Of Alabama were en-
phatic in demanding still tighter
protective measures. Mr.. Bent-
ley and Mr.. Roberts had bitter
personal experience with House
security, or the lack Of it. They
were among the five members
shot by Puerto Rican terrorists
Id an assault from the House
gallery last March l..
Mr.. Roberts viewed the visit
as a further sign that the
security system is full OF flaws,
even though yesterdays visit did
no more real damage than cause
red faces. He suggested that
trained plainclothes policemen
be stationed at all floor and gall
lery entrances at least to sup
plement the supervision offered
by patronage employees.
Mr.. Bentley, describing the in
vasion as shame" said he
hoped Congress would enact the
professional Capitol police bill
which failed TO obtain Senate
passage last summer after being.
approved. By the House.
The woman was permitted TO
leave without even giving her
nameonly the word that she
came from New Kensington, Pa.
Guards later sought her in vain
around the Capitol.
It was not until hours later
that she was found by newsrnen
at a hotel. She said she is Mrs.
Grace jackson Clark, 40, of New
Kensington, and that she wanted
to ask the House to urge the
country ito stop long enough to
consider what good citizenship
is."
Mrs. Clark described herself as
Ignorant Of the way the coun-
try is rum"
Speaker Rayhurn, House lead.
ers of both parties and various
House officials offered no further
comment on what some mem
bers began to deplore as a COM
edy Of errors that posed the pos
sibility of tragedy Under other
circumstances. But the leaders
and officials were obviously grim
and seemed determined to
strengthen protective measures i
Even Wears q Hat.
Mrs. Clark broke practically
every security and parliamslft nv
rule In the House book. She even
houted the ban on hat4wearing
by women or men in the ESDuse.
chamber.
CARRIED in a reddish coat and
black beret and a dress described
by some masculine observers as
'housewifey," she entered the
cloakroom corridor door at the
Democratic side of the chamber
She walked hriskly down a
side aisle and up to the rostrura.
Speaker Rayburn, fanked by va
rious House employees and in
the presence of fewer than 100
members on the floor, was lis
tening to the clerks reading Of
President Eisenhower's message
on military manpower. She
quietly asked Mr.. Rayburn If
she could address the House.
The almost speechless Speaker,
who confessed later that nothing
like that ever happened to him
during his AZ years in the House,
told reporters, he informed her
ait was not a proper thing to do"
Members and gallery occu-
pants who saw the woman ap-
parently assumed she was q new
member. Sergeant t-at-a m 8
Zeake w. johnson, jr,. elected
to that post only last week, re-
portedly thought she was an
acquaintance or constituent Of
the Speaker.
Escorted Out.
In any event, when Speaker
Rayburn beckoned him to show
her out, Mr.. johnson escorted
her not only to the corridor but
to the Speakers office across the
hall.
Advising her to "see your Con-
gresham" about getting ticket
to the gallery If she wanted TO
sit In silence and watch the
House, Mr.. johnson presented
her to the Speakers administra-
tive aide, John w. Holton.
Unaware Of what had occurred
In the House and assuming that
Mr.. Rayburn had sent guest
over for guidance, MIR. Holton
listened patiently and politely.
When she calmly repeated her
request for permission to speak
to all the members Of the House,
he assured her that was too ex-
traordinary.. He suggested she
drop In ct the office of her
Congressman, who was Repre-
sentative Kelley. Democrat. OF
PENNSYLVANIA.
Mr.. Kelley said later he had
never heard Of her or heard from
her
MRS. Clark told newsmen that
II she had been permitted to
speak, she would Mave asked the
House ''to put me on television
for about an hour 50 ] could talk
to the country" and she added:
I'VE should take a look at our
selves. We're running wild and
everybody is just concerned with
himself. We're too tense and