Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-30
FRESHMAN AT WORK
SickIes Gets Capitol Baptism
IAN AT WORK
By WILLIAM DUKE
Star staff Writer

Carlton r. Sickles, Mary
lands first congressman-at-
large, Is literally stripping the
decks for action.
Mr.. Sickles, q New Frontier
Democrat, moved into a two
room third floor suite In the
Old House Office Building
Thursday and Immediately Or
dered q sink torn from the
outer-office wall.
with the Job we have fac
ing u.s." he said," Wen need all
the help and all the space we
can find. That sink space will
make room for O desk"
Amid the partially unpacked
boxes, the disconnected but
yet-to-be removed sink, Mr..
Sickles and his staff tried to
solve the 'moving-in" problems
that face q freshman con-
gresham.
But they also face q few
problems they can call their
very own.
Although, Mr.. Sickles will
not take the oath Of office
until January o, his mail is
running heavier than most
veteran incumbents; and so
Is the number Of visitors.
500 Job Applications
He's received about 500 ap-
plicationS for the five vacant
positions on his staff, invita-
tons to speak all over the
State, and petitions to help
save a National Guard unit in
Allegany County, to push eco
nomic development in Balti-
more and to research q teen
ayers term paper.
II realize that the job will
be tough" Mr.. Sickles said. II
have to cover the State like a -
junior Senator, on q Con-
gressman's budget.
Besides that, most Of my
friends-the people who worked
so hard to get me elected-live
only q few miles away and
they want to come and visit
me-"
Some Of them, like the cleo
trician who checked the lights
yesterday. work in the Capitol
and House office buildings. 7
They all recognize me from !,
the campaign" he said, land
they've been very helpful in 6
getting me settled" :
20 Minutes Away &
Mr.. Sickles, a Al year old
labor lawyer who had offices +
near Mount Vernon Square, is c
a commuter himself. He lives in S
Prince Georges Coun- S
ty. about 10 miles or 20 driving
minutes from the Capitol.
MY staff has already been =
warned they will have to work r
harder because Of the Congress-
man-at-large situation, and my I
wife has been told not to expect :
me home over week ends"
Mr.. Sickles, who was a State
legislator for eight years, said
he hopes to fill speaking en-
gagements throughout the
State and to open an office in
Baltimore to meet constituents
there on a regular basis-most-
ly on weekends.
But yesterday, the new Con-
gresham and his administrative
assistant, Theodore Venetoulis
Of Towson, put aside the large
scale problems of Statewide ]
representative, and tackled the ]
riddles Of being a freshman 6
legislator. &
There was a physical exami- I
nation-required Of all new
congressman to take. And the !
puzzling scales and charts, tell l
ing Representatives how much I
expense money they'll get, had !
to be deciphered.
II figure that I'll get 81 a
session in travel money" Mr.. I
Sickles said. I'VE get 20 cents I
a mile from our homes to the {
Capitol and back again. This {
is the only time the men from !
Hawaii have the edge on the
rest Of U.S."
Complicated Formula
But other scales are more
difficult. The maximum allow
ance for staff is based on a
complicated formula. which Mr.. |
Sickles figures will give him ,
about $55.000 a year.
"A congressman like me,
without a definite district, gets
no additional allowance" he
said, but all congressman with
more than 100000 constituents
are allowed money for one
extra-or a maximum OF 10
aides"
Mr.. Sickles, with about 2.6
million more constituents, has
decided to run his office with
seven staff members, including
Mr.. Venetoulis and a legisla-
tive aide. James Reid OF College
Park, now an assistant TO Sem
ator Mcnamara, Democrat OF
Michigan.
Probably Troublesome
"one allowance will probably
give us trouble" Mr.. Sickles
said. That's the $1,000 they
give US for stationery every two
years. Trying 10 answer cor
respondence from all parts OF
the State and keeping every
body informed is going TO put
our money stretching ingenuity
TO the test"
His office, complete with in
herited green carpets with
floral design. is about a block
and a half away from the Cap
itol and faces the buildings in
side courtyard.
This office isn't bad at all
the new Congressman said, |