Ghost Walks

Most members of Congress were not at all amused to learn that, before they could collect their next pay checks, they would have to swear that they do not advocate violent overthrow of the Government. Whether they thought it was funny or not, the joke was on them. For two years Congress has written into various appropriation bills a requirement that Federal wage earners be required to take an oath of innocence in this regard.

They finally caught up with themselves in June in the Legislative Appropriation Bill. The joker lay in Section 5. Written in by witch-hunters who wanted Library of Congress staffs to stand and declare themselves, by law the section had to cover Congress too, and all its clerks. Result at week's end: 53 Senators have taken the oath, more than 1,300 House Office Building employes. Representatives, who always approach such things with reluctant feet, have been backward, but they must take the oath by payday, Aug. 1, or they will get no money.

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