HOW TO GET YOUR CONGRESSMAN'S ATTENTION

POLITICAL ACTIVIST

GET RICH. Then make a substantial contribution to your congressman's campaign if you want him to pay a lot of attention to you. Then I guarantee when you call, he'll call back.

OTHERWISE, YOU CAN ORGANIZE. Any organization, believe me, no matter how tenuous or fragile, is extremely impressive to any congressman. Block associations, neighborhood assemblies, names on a petition, names in a newspaper ad—if you've got votes, you've got his attention. Remember, the first thing a congressman reads each day is not The Wall Street Journal or The Washington Post. It's the hometown papers. Any organized group of people can make a big difference. Be more than a voice crying in the wilderness: If you join arms with your neighbors and colleagues and friends you will have enormous clout.

IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN. If you become involved, you will be pleasantly surprised at the attention you will receive.

Hemenway has been national directorof the bipartisan National Committee for an Effective Congressthrough seven administrations and15 congressional elections. The nonprofit NCEC has offices in Washington,D.C., and New York City.Hemenway, who majored in international relations, was also a memberof Richard Nixon's "enemieslist," which he calls "the most satisfying moment of [my career],"