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Behind the Rostrum in the Speakers’ Lobby of the House

Page with a color print of three Congressmen standing in the Speaker's Lobby with a figure sleeping on a chaise. The doors to the Speaker’s Lobby are closed. Three spittoons are visible on the floor. Text reads, “Behind the Rostrum in the Speakers’ Lobby of the House. This little gathering is not exactly a closed corporation, but the three gentlemen—standing among spittoons as carelessly as tight-rope walkers on a rope—control a lot of legislation. On the off side stands the inimitable Mr. Garner, cigar in face, in the fine old Texas cowboy fashion. Speaker since the death of his friend Nick Longworth, and since the Democrats have come to power, he thoroughly enjoys the privilege of losing his temper (not too seriously) on the rostrum. In the middle is big-hearted, white-haired Mr. Rainey. He loves children not for politics but just for fun, and he loves politics, too, for during twenty-eight years in the House he has stored up an immense amount of political sagacity. That is why he’s Democratic leader. The third is Mr. Snell, who has just strolled in to fraternize a little with the enemy. He used to be chairman of the Rules Committee, now is Republican leader and labeled a reactionary. Who would suspect the intelligent, good-humored gentlemen of planning subtle strategies against his vis-à-vis? The figure in the background is symbolic. He represents 400 of the other 432 members of the House.”/tiles/collection/6/6468.xml
Page with a color print of three Congressmen standing in the Speaker's Lobby with a figure sleeping on a chaise. The doors to the Speaker’s Lobby are closed. Three spittoons are visible on the floor. Text reads, “Behind the Rostrum in the Speakers’ Lobby of the House. This little gathering is not exactly a closed corporation, but the three gentlemen—standing among spittoons as carelessly as tight-rope walkers on a rope—control a lot of legislation. On the off side stands the inimitable Mr. Garner, cigar in face, in the fine old Texas cowboy fashion. Speaker since the death of his friend Nick Longworth, and since the Democrats have come to power, he thoroughly enjoys the privilege of losing his temper (not too seriously) on the rostrum. In the middle is big-hearted, white-haired Mr. Rainey. He loves children not for politics but just for fun, and he loves politics, too, for during twenty-eight years in the House he has stored up an immense amount of political sagacity. That is why he’s Democratic leader. The third is Mr. Snell, who has just strolled in to fraternize a little with the enemy. He used to be chairman of the Rules Committee, now is Republican leader and labeled a reactionary. Who would suspect the intelligent, good-humored gentlemen of planning subtle strategies against his vis-à-vis? The figure in the background is symbolic. He represents 400 of the other 432 members of the House.”
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Date

1932

Artist

Zdzislaw Czermanski

Publication

Fortune Magazine

Publisher

Time, Inc.

Dimensions

14 3/4 x 10 1/2 in. (37.5 x 26.7 cm)

Accession Number

2006.232.002

Credit Line

Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives

Object Details

Fortune Magazine published this quietly satirical illustration in 1932. Speaker John Garner, Democratic Leader Henry Rainey, and Republican Leader Bertrand Snell confer “among the spittoons as carelessly as tightrope walkers on a rope” in the Speaker’s Lobby. The caption also informs us that the figure sleeping in the background “represents 400 of the other 432 Member of the House.”

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