"There once was a Congressman named Thone/ Whose last name rhymed with phone/ But he felt slightly forlorn/ When called Thane, Stone or Thorn/ Thus, the 'Congressional Pronunciation Guide' was born." The fractured versifier is Republican Representative Charles Thone of Nebraska, who has just issued a third edition of his phonetic congressional directory. The six-page booklet was first suggested to Thone by a Nebraska radio announcer who was troubled by the frequent mispronunciation of political names over the air. Thone sent a questionnaire to every member of Congress, followed up with phone calls, and in 1971 issued his first pronunciation guide....
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