▁in ▁C umber land ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁ ▁Polit ics ▁Z i hl man ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Maryland ▁State ▁Senate ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁serving ▁as ▁Republican ▁floor ▁leader ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁for ▁election ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁to ▁the ▁Si xty - four th ▁US ▁Congress , ▁but ▁was ▁elected ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁as ▁a ▁Republican ▁to ▁the ▁Si xty - fif th ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁six ▁succeed ing ▁Congress es , ▁serving ▁from ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁to ▁March ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 3 1 . ▁In ▁Congress , ▁Z i hl man ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Exp end it ures ▁in ▁the ▁Post ▁Office ▁Department ▁( Si xty - six th ▁and ▁Si xty - se vent h ▁Congress es ). ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁( Si xty - se vent h ▁Congress ▁and ▁Si xty - n inth ▁through ▁Se vent y - first ▁Congress es ) ▁and ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Labor ▁( Si xty - se vent h ▁and ▁Si xty - e ighth ▁Congress es ). ▁ ▁Z i hl man ▁was ▁accused ▁of ▁cor ruption ▁and ▁b ri ber y ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁When ▁the ▁inqu iry