Evening Star Newspaper, March 5, 1933, Page 73

Many Interesting Per- sonalities Compose the NewGroup Reaching the Hilltop in Answer ' to the Overwhelming Voice of the American People Demanding a “New Deal.” BY WILL P. KENNEDY, HIS is & mighty interesting Congress just coming in—not only on account of the vitally important legislation that must be enacted—not only be« cause it is an amazing demonstra= tion of the “voice of the people” who demanded a change—but, because of the hu- manly interesting personalities who present such an illuminating cross section of American life—just as the founding fathers intended Con- gress should be. The life of this Congress will be the shortest in history—due to the “lame duck” amend- ment. Instead of holding office until March 4, 1935, the terms of these members will end on January 3. These new members are quite an intriguing Iot. We have the landed gentry, legal talent galore, the professional politicians, scions of historically patriotic families, successful busi- ness men and bankers, a steeplechase rider, a railroad section hand, a champion cotton picker, a railroad conductor, two vaudeville actors, several former newsboys, at least a dozen former profassional base ball players, wrestlers and umpires, a champion billiardist and an- other who challenges any of his colleagues to a game of pocket billiards, hardy pioneers, a blind man, six women, one of whom is a bride and a bridegroom, as well as an itinerant soap salesman; a dentist, & druggist, two hotel men, a professor of philosophy in three great universities, one man who will not be an Ameri- can citizen until next June, several former Gov- ernment employes, three former members of the press galleries and about a half a dozen news- paper publishers. This new Congress has, in the House, 183 Democrats who were re-elected, 88 Republic- ans re-elected and one Farmer-Laborite. It has 130 new Democrats, 29 new Republicans and 4 new Farmer-Laborite members. That is a total of 163 new members and the Demo- crats 313 members, the Republicans 117 and 6 Farmer-Laborites. As there are only 222 seats on the Democratic side of the center aisle, the majority will have to spread over and occupy the new fan-shaped section on the Republican side—a new “Chero- kee” strip. The Democrats have the largest member- ship in history, 23 more than their high-water figure of 290 members 20 years ago, and 18 more than the Republican high-water mark in the Sixty-seventh Congress, 12 years ago. But their proportion isn't any better than that of the Republicans away back in the Fortieth Congress (66 years ago) when they had 143 members to the Democrats’ 49 or then that held by the Democrats in the Fifty-second Congress (42 years ago) when they had 231 members to the Republicans’ 88. THIS incoming Congress, on paper, looks to be mighty athletic with a strong mixture of outdoor men fond of hunting and fishing, base ball and foot ball players, oarsmen, wrest- lers, yachtsmen and horsemen. James W, Wadsworth, jr, Republican, of New York, was picked by Walter Camp in 1898 for first base an the all-American nine. Elmer E. Studley, Democrat at large from New York, is a stream fisherman. He scaled Wheeler's Peak in North- ern New Mexico, the highest peak in the South- west and higher than Pike’s Peak. Harry W. Musselwhite, Democrat, of Manis- tee, Mich., has been a professional ball player and bicycle rider, promoter of sporting events from harness racing to boxing. Claims no man ever sat in Congress who umpired as many games of base ball. Hopes to be cue champion of the House. Carl M. Wiedeman, Democrat, of Detroit, was champion heavyweight boxer in the University of Michigan, a star foot kall player and cap- tain of the championship basket ball team. Senator James P. Pope of Idaho was cap- tain of the foot bali team at the Louisiana Polytechnic Institute. James Simpson, jr., Republican, of Illinois, was Midwestern swimming champion, tied when 13 years old, was captain of his swimming team at school; also captain of the boxing team. He played on the Connecticut State champion foot ball team. He rode his first race in 1921 and has been racing ever since. He tied for second leading steeplechase jockey, amateur-professional, in 1930. His®neck and back were broken in 1926. He is a member of the Racquet Club, Saddle and Cycle and the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association. Thomas O'Malley, Democrat, of Wisconsin, is devoted to fishing and the outdoors. He enjoys fishing, hunting and small boat cruis- ing. He was an amateur boxer in his school days and played college foot ball and base ball. —— e e e\ ‘ —— S AN = = THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MARCH &, On the floor of the House of Representatives, as the Lame Duck session of Congress convened, December 5, 1932. Jennings Randolph of West Virginia was a member of the varsity basket ball team for four years at Salem College, captained the varsity tennis team and was State intercollegi- ate tennis champion. He has been director of athletics at Davis and Elkins College. “Big Jim” Ruffin, Democrat, of Missouri, was & Drury foot ball star and an all-Valley non- conference first teamer. He says “I have chop- ped cotton and swung a pickax with a section gang. James P. Richards, Democrat, of South Caro- lina, was captain of the base ball team at the University of South Carolina, played on the foot ball team and tennis team, was president of the Athletic Association and played pro- fessional base ball for two years. Of course, there are some good holdover athletes: Tinkham of Massachusetts, horse- man, big game hunter and boxer; Granfield of Massachusetts, base ball player; Britlen of Illinois, boxer; Reed of New York, famous tackle on Cornell foot ball team; Fish of New York who captained the Harvard varsity eleven; Lehlbach of New Jersey, famous Yale gymnast. Few men in America can trace their an- cestry back further than George Holden Tink- ham—one of the outstanding reformers in the House, several of whose ancesters came over in the Mayflower. But among the newcomers is this fellow Studley, a Buffalo lawyer, a lineal descendent of Henry Dunster, first President - of Harvard College, and he proudly boasts that he is the seventh generation from him— all born on American sofl. Then there is this Yale professor come to the legislative halls—Charles M. Bakewell, whose great-grandfather was a descendent of John Alden and he was founder and first president of Allegheny College. new Congress has a big contingent of former service men. There are some hold- overs with notable war records—such as Color Sergt. Connery, Democrat, of Massachusetts; Maj. Bulwinkle, Democrat, of North Carolina; Col. Gibson, Republican, of Vermont; Capt. Jeffers, Democrat, of Alabama. Among the newcomers are some who demon- strated their leadership of men in the World War—officers-who earned the enduring regard of their men and enlisted men who won com- missions. Prof. Bakewell, Connecticut, served with the rank of major as inspector and historian in Italy and received the Order of the Crown of Italy and the Silver Medal of Honor from the Italian Red Cross. D. Lane Powers, Republican, of New Jersey enlisted as a private a few days before the United States entered the World War and ad- vanced to first lieutenant, battalion adjutant, 807th Pioneer Infantry. He served at wvarious training camps in the Argonne campaign, prin- cipally at Mont Facon. Everett M. Dirkson is & former newspaper man, who was a balloon observer during the World War. He is proud of the fact that he had training in the old French ecole at Samur, France, where Bismark and Napoleon {rained and he browsed around the same class room as the Iron Chancellor, the Little Corporal et als. After he was commissioned as a lieuten- ant, his job was “to look through field glasses from a balloon basket and direct the important work of knocking down church steeples about 10 kilometers away.” After the war he was ordered to Bordeaux for a course of training at the balloon school. Edward C. Moran, jr., Democrat, of Maine was first lieutenant, 73d Artillery in overseas service. He was adjutant of the American Embarkation Camp, Liverpool. Fred Bierman, Democrat, of Iowa, although over the draft age, volunteered and served two years, more than 10 months overseas. J. P. Richards, Democrat, South Carolina, volunteered and served throughout the war in this country and France in French Mortar Battery, Headquarters Company, 118th Infan- try, 30th Division. Nine former members of Congress—iwo ol whom gave notable service in the United States Senate—are returning to the House. Those who formerly were in the Senate are: James W. Wadsworth, jr., Republican, of New York and Magnus Johnson of Minnesota. Wadsworth represents the real American aristocracy. He lives on an ancestral estate purchased by his forebears from the Indians in 1790. His father served for 20 years in Con- gress and he himself was an outstanding fig- ure for 12 years in the Senate, but his family’s place in history goes back to the pioneer set- tlement of Massachusetts. His great, great, great grandfather, William Wadsworth, was one of those hearty men who made their way through the wilderness to found Hartford, Conn., in 1635. Another ancestor was Capt. Jo- seph Wadsworth, who in 1687 hid the charter in “Charter Oak,” when the royal Governor, Edmund Andros undertook to seize it. Wash- ington and Rochambeau worked out a joint plan of campaign in the home of Jeremiad Wadsworth, commissary general, in 1780. Thus for centuries has this family stood out in pa- triotic service. Former Senator Magnus Johnson, Farmer- Labor, is a distinctly different type—almost an antithesis—an immigrant from Sweden, but like Wadsworth, although lacking the cultural advantages of a university education—they are both men of the soil and have devoted them- selves to farming. Johnson came to the Senate on the Farmer-Labor ticket, as successor to that other sturdy son of Sweden, Knute Nelson. There is also coming into the House Theo- dore Christianson, Republican, three times Gov- ernor of Minnesota, whose entire campaign, both in primaries and election, cost only $273. He was born on a farm, attended s one-room rural school, was grrand boy for the village doctor while attending high school and later ran the village paper. Former House members who are coming back are: Ben Craven, Democrat, of Arkansas, who served three terms and is returning after 20 years. He is an attorney at law and a cot- ton grower. Farming has been his hobby and his “devotion to cotton raising has practically resulted in bankruptcy.” John A. Martin, Democrat, of Colorado is another “come-back” after a lapse of 20 years. He farmed in Kansas and railroaded in Colo- rado, edited La Junta Times and served In the Colorado General Assembly before coming to —A. P. Photo. Congress 25 years ago for two terms. He re= cruited a volunteer battalion in the World War, enlisted as a private and was commissioned a major. Schuyler Merritt, Republican, of Connecticut has only been out for the past Congress. He previously served 14 years, having first come as successor to the late former Ebenezer J. Hill. Mr. Merritt is a lawyer who has devoted the last 56 years to business and banking and was for many years treasurer of the Yale Lock Co. Finly H. Gray, Democrat, of Indiana pre- viously served for six years and is returning after an absence of 16 years spent in the prac- tice of law and on the lecture platform. George Washington Edmunds, Republican, of Pennsylvania was born on Washington's birth- day. He served 12 years and has been out of Congress cight years. He is a druggist, coal and lumber merchant and manager of a Port of Philadelphia Ocean Traffic Bureau. Benjamin K. Focht, Republican, of Pennsyl« vania was a former chairman of the House Dis- trict Committee. He is a newspaper publisher. He is another “come-back” after 20 years and has served six years. . Brazilla Carroll Reece, Republican, of Ten- nesee has previously served eight years in the House. He was an instructor in New York Uni- versity. He served 210 days at the front in the World War and was cited for bravery by Mare shal Petain and Gens. Pershing, Hale and Ed- wards. He received the Distinguished Service Cross and Medal and the French Crolx de Guerre with palms. He later was director of the School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance of New York City. HE “professor in politics” is Charles M., Bakewell, Republican, at large from Cone necticut, who will be challenging the honors accorded to James M. Beck, Republican, of Pennsylvania as an authority on the Constitue tionsand Robert Luce, Republcan, of Massachue setts as an authority on parliamentary history, and procedure. He has been professor of phi« losophy at Yale University for more than & quarter of a century. He was also instructor of philosophy at Harvard, University of Calis fornia and Bryn Mawr College and has takem degrees from some 10 famous universities iny this and foreign countries. He is an authog of note. , Senator Elbert B. Thomas, Democrat, of Utalf is a professor of political science. He was & missionary of Latter-Day Saints Church in Jae pan a quarter of a century ago. He was a trave eler and student in Asia and Europe. He was in« structor in Latin and Greek at the University] of Utah, a fellow of political science in the@ University of California and professor of politie cal science in the University of Utah for th§ past decade. He has been a member of many] national and international conferences on subst jects closely related to political science. One of the extremely interesting new members is Raymond J. Cannon, Democrat, Wisconsin, son of a miner. Both parents died when he was 6 months old and his early was spent in an orphanage. He earned Continued on Forty-seventh Page