Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-07-18
Society Forms
To Tell Story
Of Capitol

Following the lead of the
White House, a group Of IA
persons has formed the q. S.
Capitol Historical Society to
tell the story of the Capitol
Building through books,
pamphlets and other mass out
let's.
Representative Fred Schwen-
gel. Republican of Iowa. chair
man of the Steering Commit
tee for the society. said the
first meeting of the group made
history even as it deliberated
yesterday.
Senator Carl Hayden made
the trip from the Senate side
to former Speaker Joe Martins
dining room on the House side
to attend the meeting" Mr..
Schwengel said.
The octogenarian Arizona
Democrat, who heads the Senate:
Appropriations Committee, is
engaged in a feud with House
Appropriations Com mittee
Chairman Cannon. Both legiS-
lators have refused to meet on
the others home grounds to
confer on bills for billions OF
dollars to run the Government.
The next session of the So
ciety. Mr.. Schwengel said, will
be on the Senate side on July
81. There, the Steering Com
mittee will draft articles of
incorporation for the nom
profit organization and launch
its plans.
Book Is High Priority
High on the priority list. the
Iowan said, is a well-written
book with top-grade illustra-
tons to be sold at a nominal,
price to children and other
visitors to the Capitol.
He said the contemplated
book will compare in quality
with the recent book published
by the White House Historical
Association. The White House
book sells for 81 and had q
100000 first printing.
Mr.. Schwengel said he has
received assurances of complete
cooperation from the Capitol
Architects office as we'll as
from the National Geographic
Society. The latter organiza-
ton was intimately involved
in preparation of the illuStra-
tons for the White House
/ book.
| At the meeting, Mr.. Schwen-
gel said that although the
Capitol is one of the most in
fluential buildings in the world,
it has been neglected by the
American people. The new
society intends to correct this
situation. he said.
Stephen v. Feeley, a clerk
for the House subcommittee on
buildings and grounds and
author of The Story Of the
Capitol" said there is a fas-
cinating story behind every
statue, painting and mural in
the building.
Honorary Chairman
Attending the meeting at
which Senator Hayden was
named honorary chairman
were: Representative Church,
Republican of Illinois: John
Holton, legislative counsel to
Speaker Mccormack; John A.
jackson. executive secretary to
Senator Saltonstall. Republi-
can Of Massachusetts,: Charles
Baird, executive secretary to
Representative Halleck, Re-
publican of Indiana.
Also, Arthur B. Hanson, gen.
eral counsel to the American
Newspaper Publishers ASsocia-
ton; Richard H. Rowland,
curator of the civil history
department of the Smithsonian
Institution; David Means, chief
of the manuscript division Of
the Library of Congress: Lillian
KeSSel, head of the Capitol'S,
research and information di-
vision; Melvin M. Payne, ex-
ecutive vice president of the
National Geographic Society:
Victor Birely, vice chairman Of
the Lincoln SesquicentenniaI
Commission. and Mr.. Schwen-
gels secretary. Miss Sylvia
Salato.
On the Steering Committee
with Mr.. Schwengel are Sena-
tor Hayden. Senator Saltonstall,
Mr.. Church, Speaker McCor4
mack, Mr.. Means, Mr.. Rowland.
Mr.. Birely. Mr.. Hanson and
representatives of the American
Political Science Association
and the American Historical
Society.