Better than a Rolls Any Day

By Hugh Sidey

Tulsa's Congressman Jim Jones was one of a couple dozen invited to the White House last week by Jimmy Carter, No. 1 White House lobbyist. Eat before I go, thought Jones, whose three other breakfasts down there had consisted of two nickel-size biscuits and orange juice. He did. In his office on Capitol Hill.

At 7:40 a.m. Wednesday he buttoned up his blue suit, took the elevator to the basement of the Cannon Building and mounted his ten-year-old, three-speed Sears bike. He pumped out on New Jersey Avenue, rounded the corner to Independence Avenue. Beautiful day, he mused to himself. "Hi fellows!" he yelled to The Bronx's Mario Biaggi and fellow Oklahoman Tom Steed. They stared, then laughed and waved.

First problem at the foot of the Capitol. Broken water main had left a puddle that a transit bus hit just as Jones came along. He was sprayed. quit now and take a cab, he asked himself, or press on? Keep going, he decided. Turn on to Pennsylvania Avenue. Lovely morning. Remembering back to the Inauguration Day of Jan. 20, 1969. As an aide to L.B.J., he had ridden up the avenue in the limousine with Johnson and Nixon in back, he and Ev Dirksen on the jump seats. Ah, how life changes. Pump some more. Middle lane is crowded at rush hour. Too slow for a biker. Buses fuming. Too much pollution. But then Jones began to listen to the sounds of people going to work. Quite a drama, he decided.

Jones wheeled around behind Treasury, looking approvingly at the tourists all lined up to visit the White House. "Honk, honk," went a car. "Hey," yelled an occupant, "he's the Congressman from Tulsa!" Well, I'll be darned--a voter, thought Jones, waving back with a grin. He whizzed down the last block of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House. Checked his watch. Seventeen minutes for the trip.

The guard at the northwest gate looked a bit startled as Jones rolled in. But Jones had his congressional pass. He pedaled casually along the drive to the north portico, where Kings and Prime Ministers arrive in purring Rolls-Royces. He had decided beforehand that it was not necessary to bring his padlock. Jones glided right up to the steps. "Best parking place on the grounds," said the delighted cop. The Congressman flicked his kickstand in place, straightened his tie and went in to hear the most powerful man in the world talk about saving energy. Another Carter Administration first.

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