powerful on Capitol Hill is bound to expand the head of even the most modest politicians.

Despite it all, Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan manages to maintain an pretty even keel about his own self-importance.

Nevertheless, on Tuesday evening after successful meetings with Congressman Ron Dellums and Sir Robin Renwick, the British Ambassador, the Premier was given a short, sharp reminder that dropped him back a few notches in the category of self-esteem.

The Premier picked up a copy of the Financial Times which that day carried its annual survey on Bermuda. There on the front page was a large photograph of himself sporting a much fuller head of hair. It was at least ten years old.

Cabinet secretary Mr. Leo Mills laughed at the picture and then the Premier took the open newspaper to the young women behind the cash register.

"What do you think of this guy?'' he said pointing at the photo.

The women looked at it but failed to see it was the same man.

The Premier leaned forward and persisted.

"Who do you think is better looking?'' he asked with a smile.

The woman looked at the Premier and then the photograph and said: "The man in the picture.'' *** There is no denying the fact Premier Swan has good connections on Capitol Hill.

Sir John enjoys friendships with senior Congressmen who know how to make things happen when he comes to town.

A case in point occurred on Tuesday afternoon when Sir John arrived for an appointment with Congressman Ron Dellums, who as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee has significant influence on the Bermuda Base issue.

Premier Swan was informed that Rep. Dellums had been called into a closed-door session by Defence Secretary Mr. Les Aspin to discuss the Somalia question.

Mr. Dellums was on the House floor and unavailable. The appointment was off, leaving the Premier facing a potentially embarrassing situation.

But to the rescue came long-time ally Rep. Charles Rangel. Sir John went to his office and within minutes the two men were on the way to the House of Representatives, where Mr. Rangel got Mr. Dellums off the floor.

The meeting took place in the wood-paneled Rayburn Room with Mr. Dellums giving the Premier his assurance that he had no intention of harming Bermudians with an abrupt closure of the Base.

Mission accomplished, thanks to the Premier's friend Charles Rangel.

*** Sir John's conversation with Rep. Dellums provided some insight into the challenge the Island faces in making its views known on Capitol Hill, a place of relentless activity, myriad issues and formidable personalities.

Rep. Dellums and the Premier spoke on the Bermuda Base issue for about ten minutes and, with that apparently settled, Rep. Dellums began to talk about the United States and the world, a subject he was obviously preoccupied with.

These were "exciting times'' to be a Congressman, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said. The challenge to Americans was to figure out how to "wage peace''.

The US, he said, had proved itself adept and powerful at waging war, particularly in its decades-long, Cold War confrontation with the Soviet Union.

But waging peace was a whole new ballgame. There were no experts in waging peace, he said.

"People have to think in new ways.'' The issue in Somalia was a case in point, raising questions about the historic precepts of US policies. Somalia, as well, could have repurcussions for unresolved domestic issues.

"This is a wonderful place to be right now,'' he said.

*** As Rep. Dellums showed, Congressmen are very busy people. One of the reasons is that the world beyond the United States is changing so rapidly. Many of them are pursuing opportunities to do the right thing.

One Congressman seizing an opportunity is Mr. Charles Rose, the long-time Bermuda ally from the North Carolina district that includes Camp Lejeune, where the Bermuda Regiment trains.

Mr. Rose has embarked on a "huge undertaking'' that could see the newly elected Russian Parliament flown to Washington for lessons in democracy.

"These people don't know a thing about democracy,'' he said of the Russians, who are scheduled to elect a new Parliament in early December.

The plan is to have them flown by Aeroflot to Washington where they will learn about the nature and rules of democratic government from US legislators and academics. Translators would be assigned to each Russian deputy. And there, on the floor of one of Capitol Hill's Chambers, an experiement will begin that could help change the world.