WASHINGTON - "Move over! Move over FUR-ther!!! You! WHOO-HOOH!! That way!" A sea of blue shirts, all saying "Maytag," washed over the steps of the U.S. Capitol building as a Maytag official tried to guide them.

The slow-moving mass from Bern, Kan., didn't respond readily to the yellow-shirted Maytag people -- too much to see in such little time.

Something about the town just clicks, residents said as they finished three days in the nation's capital, flown out en masse by Maytag to receive an Energy Department award for participating in a water-conservation study on washing machines.

That teamwork is why they were able to complete the study, said longtime resident James Sheik.

But the teamwork was failing Tuesday. They were not organizing for the photo. They were not moving where the Maytag people were telling them. A baby cried. A teenager in a backward baseball cap limped toward the Capitol Dome on crutches.

And Bob Dole was no help. Invited by Maytag to meet the 200-plus residents of Bern, he waded through the crowd, followed by a TV camera as if he were running for president.

Legislators stopped and gawked. Disposable cameras flashed everywhere. An exciting day for Bern, 1,200 miles from home.

"It was unbelievable, fantastic," said Chris Streit, who toured Washington with her husband, Arnie. "We want to come back again."

Bern residents arrived in Washington on Sunday, five years after completing a study the Energy Department did with Maytag on using a then-new, energy-efficient front-loading washing machine. The study found that the new machines used 40 percent less water than conventional top-loading washers.

More than 100 Bern households kept close track of their laundry use -- more than 20,000 loads -- over a four-month period to produce the study results.

David Garman, assistant secretary for energy efficiency, said the town should be proud of how the study has encouraged water conservation.

"We're building on the experience of Bern, Kan.," in promoting water conservation by using study data to encourage production of more efficient washers, he said.

And Elmer Ronnebaum, general manager of the Kansas Rural Water Association, said the new washing machines alone have cut Bern's water usage by at least 5 percent over the past half-decade.

"It's incredibly useful to the town," he said.

The study has been useful to Bern beyond conserving water. Along with the free Maytags, the town has received national media attention, a free trip to Maytag headquarters in Newton, Iowa, and numerous chances to meet Kansas native Gordon Jump, "WKRP in Cincinnati" star turned official Maytag repairman.

The Washington trip continued the star turn, with Bern greetings from Dole; Sen. Pat Roberts; Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays; and Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Topeka.

Tuesday was also proclaimed "Bern Day" by Gov. Bill Graves.

"Who turned out the last light in Bern?" Ryun asked as he saw the Capitol steps crowd.

Bern residents had only one free day, Monday, to see Washington. One, 83-year-old Sheik, got up at 6:30 a.m. Monday and stayed out until midnight so he could see the Capitol mall and the Smithsonian museums.

The Streits had never been to Washington before. They saw all the monuments on the Capitol mall and President Kennedy's grave at Arlington National Cemetery.

"Too short a time to see everything you want to see," said Darla Dedic, accompanied by her son Aaron Koch.

Dedic said she especially enjoyed seeing the city with friends and neighbors.

"It's really nice for everyone, really worthwhile," she said.

The crowd calmed, and Dedic and her son moved into place. Maytag's photographer finally persuaded them all to stand still on the Capitol steps. It was time for the group photo.

"All right, everyone," the photographer called. "Say Bern, Kansas!"

"BERN, KANSAS!"

Click.

Reach Alan Bjerga at (202) 383-6055 or abjerga@krwashington.com.