Evening Star Newspaper, July 31, 1921, Page 33

EDITORIAL PAGE ( 1. NATIONAL PROBLEMS "SPECIAL ARTICLES P EDITORIAL - SECTION he Sundiny She. Society News Part 2—14 Pages MATERNITY BILL NOT FOR DISTRICT WOMEN Assurances Given That They Will Be Cared for Later in Other ‘Legislation—Pro- visions of the Measure. BY G. GOULD LINCOL) HE voteless mothers of the District of Columbia do not share in the benefits of the so-called maternity bill, which 1s about to be enacted into law. This bill has been drafted so as to cover only the states of the Union, which, of course, excludes the District of Co- lumbia, and territory belonging to the nation outside continental United States. The bill has still to go through the House—for the interstate and foreign commerce committee of that body has merely completed hearings on it, and it may be amended so as to include the District and some of the island nossessions, where instruction to mothers in the care of their infants is greatly needed. But the inclina- tion of the proponents of the measure is to sit tight and put the bill through the House just as it passed the Sen- ate. In this way, it is explained, a conference between the houses of Congress may be eliminated, and the bill more speedily become a law. Assurances that the women of the District of Columbia will be cared for later, and in other legislation, are given by the proponents of the ma-| ternity bill. However, the maternity bill is intended to be permanent legislation, for the benefit of the mothers and children of the country generally, and there does not seem to be any good reason why the women of the National Capital should not benefit under it now as well as later. Object of the Legisiation, ‘The measure authorizes annuft ap- propriations to be divided among the states, and to be used in co-operation with the states, to protect maternity and infancy. The population of the District of Columbia is approximately 450,000, and soon will be half a million or more. The District's population is greater, in fact, than is the population Arigona, Delaware. Idaho, Nevada, 'ew Mexico and Wyoming—accord- ing to the last census. It is not contended that the Dis- trict of Columbia does not need the aid proposed to be given under the maternity bill. In fact, the population of Washington is not as wealthy as many reports have: Indicated. in the past. While conditions here are not the same as in some of the great in- dustrial centers of the country, nevertheless, there is room for much aid in the matter of instruction to mothers in the care of their babies. In House Committee. The maternity bill, known as the Sheppard-Towner bill, has twice passed the Senate—once in the last Congress—and is expected to g0 through the House by a very large vote, once it is given its day in that body. The House ‘interstate and. for- eign commerce committee, after com- pleting hearings on the bill a week ago, adjourned for three weeks, os- tensibly for the purpose of giving an opportunity to have all the hear- ings printed. It is no secret that Representative Winslow of Massa- chusetts, chairman of the committee, has been opposed to the passage of the bill. But the supporters of the measure insist that fully three-quar- ters of the committee membership are favorable to the bill and that it will be reported to the House favorably when the committee gets together again. The last vote in the Senate on the bill showed only seven senators opposing it. The important women's organiza- tions of the country are demanding in no uncertain tones the passage of this legislation, and the voice of the organized women, since suffrage came in, is as potent in Washington as is the voice of organized labor or of the organized farmers. Ald Given to States. The “maternity bill” is a familiar title. But the method of operation under the proposed law is perhaps not so familiar as the name of the measure. In the first place, the ail to be given mothers, both before and after childbirth, is to be given| through agencies selected by the leg- | islatures of the various states. As| in federal good roads aid to thej states, the states are required tof match dollar for dollar with the fod- eral government's contribution. Through the children’s bureau, De- partment of Labor, the federal gov- erument will keep track of what the states’ agencics are doing in the way of instructing and aiding mothers in the care of their infants, and will see | to it that the money is spent in ac~i cordance with approved plans. Opponents of the maternity bill have insisted that it is socialistic, that it has been backed by women who kave also backed the movement fur and that it will lead to invasion of the homes by state and federal officers. Senator James A. Reed, democrat, Missouri. a bitter op- ponent of the bill, sought to have the title amended, while the bill was still in the Senate, so as to read “A bAL to authorize a board of spinsters to control maternity and teach the mothers of the United States how to rear bables.” This is in hine with the charge that the bill was being put through merely to give a “lot of rest- less women” jobs under the federal and state governments. The sarcas- tic fling of the Missouri senator, how- ever, did not bring forth a roll call of the Semate, and his proposed change of title was lost by an over- whelming viva voce vote. Need for Instructi birth control. During the testimony before the Sen- ate committee on education and labor, which considered the maturnity bill, it was brought out that it is safer to be a of six of the states of the I.'nl.nl' so-called maternity legislation, Con- mother in fourteen “important foreign countries than in the United States. In 1918, according to census statistics, 23,- 000 mothers died in this country from causes connected with childbirth, and nearly a quarter of a million babies un- der one year of age died, too. The children’s bureau has studied the situation in both urban and rural areas in the United States, and has found that the mothers of the country, in very large numbers, have received no advice or trained care during pregnancy; that many mothers have had no trained at- tendants at the time of the birth of their bables, and that there has been practically no organized effort, particu- larly In the rural districts, to meet the reed for instruction in pre-natal and in- fant hygiene. % Under the maternity bill it is hoped that the federal government, acting in co-operation with the states, will blaze the way for tuch necded instruction, and that the movement will result in saving the lives of thousands of mothers and infants, with a consequent economic saving to the country. Approp! Authorized. Concretely, the maternity bill au- thorizes the appropriation of $480,- 000 annually, $10,000 to be paid each state, for the purpose of meeting the expenses of the co-operative work between the federal government and the states—including services and printing. In addition to this appro- priation, the bill authorizes an an- nual appropriation of $1,000,000, to be divided among the states in the ratio of their population to the entire population - of continental United Stdtes. But mone of this million dol- iars will be turned over to any state for its use until that state has appro- priated a similar sum for use in the work of instructing mothers in the care of infants and of themselves in the pre-natal stage. ‘To meet the objection that the government was proposing to estab- lish a system of state control of the mothers and children, the Senate in- serted the following language in the bill: “That no plans of states under this act shall provide for any official or agent or representative entering any home over the objection of the parents, or the person standing in loce parentis, nor shall any em- ployes of the children’s bureau have any right to enter any home over the objection of the parents, or either of them, or the person standing in loce parentis.” Work Done in District. ‘The federal Congress is the “legis- lature” for the District of Columbia. If the District is to benefit under the gress would have to designate the agency here to act, and with which the children’s bureau would co-op- erate. It Is true that Congress has authority to"appropriate directly for the District of Columbia (anything that it desires and for any purpose. In fact, Congress has placed in the District appropriation law for the present fiscal year $18,000 to be used by the Child Welfare Society, under contract entered into with the health department of the District govern- ment, for clinical examination of children under six years of age.. The Child Welfare Society has been or- ganized by public spirited citizens, who have contributed time and money to the cause of instructing mothers in the care of their children, and the sum contributed by Congress for this purpose is only part of the money expended. It might well be that Congress would designate this organization to act in the District under the provisions of the ma- ternity bill if that measure were ex- tended to cover the National Capital. The maternity bill is designed to be permanent legislation, covering the entire country. The appropria- tions made by Congress for the Dis- trict are annual, subject to change from year to year, or to elimination. It would appear, therefore, that there is good reason for the inclusion of the District under the provisions of the maternity bill. The mothers here are no more able to care for their bables “by Instinct” than are the mothers in other parts of the country. Dated for a Golf Game On His 100th Birthday ¢ DR. HAMILTON F. BIGGAR, Cleveland physician and Je 3 Rockefeller's personal friend, to whom istence with the recent war, ginning to wonder where and how it President an’d. éabinet Optimistic That All Is to Be Well With U. S. A. NG, JULY 31, 1921 ° BY N. 0. MESSENGER. RESIDENT HARDING and his cabinet are in an optimistic. frame of mind over prospects for the country gen- erally, over the outlook for remedial legislation of a helpful nature, over the in- ternational situation and finally very cheerful about the political aspect and its roseate reflec- tion upon the administration in power. The brief period of depression which existed a short time back disappeared quickly as all branches of the government, legislative and executive, responded-‘to the application of forced draught and speeded up the machinery. The political onslaught of the democratic national committee and democrats in Congress not long ago had the effect of making the re- publicans mad and in stimulating them to renewed activity all along the line, béing re- garded by the administration leaders as help- ful in the long run rather than hurtful. * * Xk X There are things in the making, in several quarters, upon which the administration is de- pending for an uplift of the public spirits and for actual material benefit to the country. The two weakest spots in the industrial situation have been conceded to be the condition of the rallroads and the depression in agriculture. The principal fear of a possible added element of danger was of a country-wide railroad strike and of strikes in manufacturing industries, fol- lowing inevitable reductions in wages. The step which President Harding has taken to bring assistance to the rallfoads and to enlarge credit facilitigs for the agricultural and exporting interests is confidently counted upon to lead to early practical results of a highly beneficial naturess which will be re- flected in collateral lines of activity. It is unthinkable to the President and his cabinet that Congress will refuse to give the au- thorization requested in his recent message, or even to be laggard in the doing of it. This view is strengthened by the fact that the measures proposed do not involve added charges upon the Treasury nor propose ad- ditional loads upon the taxpayers. The labor and industrial outlook, upon which the topliners of the administration keep a con- stantly watchful eye, is regarded as not pre- senting any serious aspects of menace. The odds are declared to be against a general rail- way strike, and will be increased, it is thought, as the railroads respond to the measure of re- llef now proposed for them through the putting of it into actual application. Reports to gov- ernmental agencies of the general labor situ- ation show that while unemployment is seri- ous, the temper of labor generally Is disposed to realization that conditions would not be helped by general strikes and to conform to after-war deflation of war-time wages as the lesser of two evils. * X ¥ X The National Czpital in recent years has become more and more a nerve center reflec- tive of conditions throughout the country, as the contact between business and the great departments of the government as well as Congress has become closer. “Business in gov- ernment” is not a theory but ap actuality, both in the legislative and the administrative branches. The tendency has been to bring men of business capacity to high administrative office and to send business men to Congress. Men of importance who have visited Wash- ington recently from the cbuntrywide have commented upon the satisfaction which they have declared exists with the personnel of the administrative officials now in office and the confidence which the business world reposes in them. No invidious distinctions are drawn among them and the fact of the existence of this confidence is said to be an asset to the country. * k k ok ‘When this Congress assembled in extraordi- nary session, April 11, it presented an unusually large element of “new blood,” men who were not trained in legislation and many who were not familiar with the great questions which were to come up for consideration—tariff, taxes and transportation, together with financial credits and great economic problems. But it can not be denled that the Congress has thus far shown aptitude in becoming familiar with them, a tribute to the American genius for business and good common sense, and for adaptability. ! It has been thus far one of the most in- ustrious and hard working Congresses which old-timers can recall. The new members in both houses have set themselves to study and master the problems confronting them and with a proper regard for fairness it cannot sald that the Congress has been dllatory. ) * % kX It can also be truthfully said of this Congress that It has been quick to sense public senti- ment and respond to it. It has been sympa- thetic with condition of classes and industries that are recognized as being in most distress for the time being, while not unmindful by any means of the general welfare of the coun- try, as it views it. Some of the legislation pending. which is expected to be consummated. may be deemed of an experimental nature, but it is pointed out that the Congress is willing to try the experiment and trust the result to the working out of economic laws. Congressmen feel that the farmers certainly have no ground for complaint, for if ever a Congress lent an attentive ear to the demands of a class, this one ha done s0. “If you don't see WAt you want, ask for it” might be said to be expressive of Congress toward the a¥ri- culturalists of the land. * %k % Who remembers when but a very few years ago, too, Congress seemed to “have it in” for ,the railfoads. Eepecially when a new Con- gress came in, there would bob up an element of hammer throwers going after the railroads. It is an entirely different spirit which pre- vails now. One can count on the fingers of two hands the men in Congress who are splenetic toward the carriers and intent upon regarding them as public enemies, to be as- sailed from every quarter. Calm reflection will support the contention of ‘the railroads that they have been overlegislated upon, the rail- road men declare when they come before com- mittees of the House and Senate, and that what the roads need now and need badly is remedial legislation, rather than restricting or hamper- ing. Government ownership of transportation lines is not being talked about very much in Congress these days, it is noted. The coun- try, some legislators think, got a very pointed object lession in the unavoldable government operation of the railroads during the war. * k % Xk Politicians are interested in the question whether the legislation of this Congress will develop any striking political issue for the congressional campaign of 1922. It will not be very long, now, it is realized, until this subject will be timely and of interest to every member of the House and to those senators who will come up for renomination and re- election that year. Ordinarily, the acts and omissions of the regular session furnish the basis, on the very eve of the campaign, for the efforts of the “outs” to get “in” but it will be different this time. The general legislation of this session will have been in operation nearly, if not fully a twelve month before the campaign of 1922 reaches a climax, and the country will have had opportunity to see the new laws work out. Tariff and taxes, aid to the farmers, as- sistance of the railroads, will have been given a trial heat. Will the laws upon those sub- Jects contain the germs of issues to be sharply drawn between the two parties, the statesmen are asking? The generdl impression seems to be that the congressional elections of 1922 will hinge not so much upon actual issues as upon prevail- ing conditions in the country. If the rebound has come by that time, whether due to the new legislation or despite it, it is assumed that the republican party will get the credit and that it will be difficult for the opposition to get a response to her demand to “turn ‘em out” If, however, material conditions should be bad, it is recognized that the disposition of poor human nature may be to blame the party in power and the laws it enacted and administered. There is also taken into account the ex- perience of the past that after every such radical swing of the political pendulum as 1920 manifested there is a partial reaction. Most of the old-time republican leaders expect to see some losses in the House in 1922 in the operation of this natural law of politics. (Copsright, 1921, by The Washington Star.) Housing of Disarmament Missions Offers Problem to Government and D. C. Citizens BY REX. COLLIER. FFICIAL and private Washing- ton, slowly recovering from an unprecedented housing shortage brought into ex- is be- That means the will. it is explained. them with truly royal hospitality.- | The logical thing to do 2 would be to reciprocate ‘this good |this assertion it ma, But where is|assumed that there are not sufficient Washington to find a hotel or & num- | in the city ber of hotels to turn over entirely, or | aVallable to meet such a distribution their belongings and bring their use of Americans, beside treating still exists in Washington. warrant- coterie in polite response to a special invitation extended by the executive head of this nation. United States will meet them at the wharf and conduct them to commodi- ous living quarters and see that they are entertained and cared for as a ! apartments and rooms of evicted temants. And porhaps, TAX REVISION BILL - WILL BE EXPEDITED Report on Measure Promised Soon After ing ,the continuance of legislation /in return | controlling the rental indus ry. From y reasonably be Middle of August —Some of Its Im- portant Features Forecast. BY WILL P. KENNEDY. HE entire country is awaiting with intense interest the tax revision bill which the ways and means committee and the taxes of 1917 are still in doubt. So that (1) nothing is so dangerous, members of Congress realize, as not to know what the tax is to be, and (2) if the machin- ery to collect the tax is topheavy. There House leaders promise soon after the |are cases today where it would cost middle of August. The reason is that|more to collect than the amount due— it is thought this legislation will result | the tax is so complicated, and in lev; more than anything else in a return |ing a federal tax the question of econ- of prosperity, business confidence and ;oMY in the machinery of collecting is a revivification of industry. It will allow the business man to figure with some assurance, instead of being in a maze_of doubt and uncertainty. Correspondence received by every member of Congress, and particularly by House Leader Mondelf, has em- phasized that this is the one para- mount piece of legislation in which the whole country is interested, and on which prompt action is demanded of the present administration. This correspondence has spoken in no un- certain terms. Hear!ngs on the tax revision prob- lem started Tuesday and continued for four days. The -question is now by the committee. The positive as- surance to the people of the country. in every community, that a tax bill would be ready on a certain date— say August 15—if the House an- nounced that it would adjourn to re- convene on that date for the purpose of considering tax revision, was urged upon House Leader Mondell. As it is now, some of the republican- leaders point out that there is no positive as- surance that the bill will be forth- coming in three weeks, although members of the ways and means com- mittee say they expect they will be able to report it by then. Meanwhile the business interests, especially, and through them all con- sumers, are anxious as to what the tax revision will mean. Here is what the majority members of the ways and means committee and the House leaders are pretty well agreed will happen: Forecasting Important Features. Existing taxes to be abolished or re- duced: (1) Repeal of the excess profits tax, (2) reduction in the upper ranges of the surtax, (3) repeal of the transportation tax, (4) repeal of the so-called “nuisance tax,” or soda water tax. Substitute taxes to produce the es sential revenues: (1) Increasing the flat corporation income tax of 10 per cent to 15 per cént, (2) increasing the excise tax on cigarettes and smoking tobacco (not cigars), (3) in- creasing inheritance tax slightly, (4) increase of 1 cent in the rate of let- ter postage, and possibly, but not probably, a slight tax on bank checks. Quite positively it may be stated thai there will not be a sales tax, not because a sales tax is bad—quite the contrary, it is recognized as the most economic method of taxation—but be- cause it would be “inexpedient” poli- tically. The great difficulty is that Con- being considered in executive session | Yeainty, economy and convenience.” very important. Growing out of that is another con- sideration which members of Congress feel should be stressed: A tax so un- certain, complicated and difficult to collect supplies the occasion for the big business interests and important tax- pavers to draw away from the Treasury Department its tax experts. These big business men can afford to pay big salaries to these experts to interpret their tax requirements—so you have the very undesirable situation of the best experts advising the individuals and corporations how to evade the tax as far as possible with less competent men in charge of the government’s forces for i collecting under the law. The existing | system encourages such a situation. The business men are not to be blamed for it, because they have to do it in { their own defense. | So it has been decided that the excess profits tax must go—(1) because it vio- lates all the three principles of “cer- @) It is failing of its own self, because so little is being collected under it. The excess profits are now so negligible as 1o cost, as a rule, more for collecting than tne amount collected. (3) No tax ought to be levied on the principle of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. On that basis there is a demand which is almost certain to be respected to reduce the upper ranges of Ithe surtax. These upper ranges that reach 70 per cent drive incomes into in- vestments in non-taxable securities. The higher incomes, therefore, produce less revenues than the lower incomes. We have been getting the rates so high that the returns are diminishing. It is like making a tariff so high as to discourage importations entirely, and so getting less revenues instead of more. The latest returns show a remarkable falling off in | the people paying taxes on big incomes, t not because the incomes cease 10 ex: but because they are invested in secu lties on which ttxes do not have to be vaid Making Up Loss in Receipts. The repeal of the excess profits tax and the reduction in tax on the higher ranges of the surtax and the repeal of the transportation tax will mean an esti- mated loss in revenue of more than $500,000,000. That will have to be made up, but how? (1) The new tariff law ought to pro- | duce about $150,000,000 more than the present law. The present law brings in $337.000.000. Chairman Fordney of the ways and means committee told his col- leagues that the new tariff act which has passed the House will bring in $500,000,- 000 more than its predecessor. That re- | is going to accommodate, in a style | befitting the occasion, the delegates {to the forthcoming disarmament con- ference here. It is a compararively simple matter to invite representatives of the allied eral confab in this country for cin- sideration of the big question of how to scrap a lot of warships without hurting anybody's feelings. It is not so easy to look after the thousand and one details attendant on such a gathering of notables, it is pointed out. Quarters Must. Be Found. Suitable living quarters for the delegates, their families, their sec- retaries, their attaches, their stenog- raphers and their clerks must be found. Sufficient office space, con- venient to the living quarters, for the transaction of each delegation’s busi- nees, must be provided. Entertain- ment must be afforded. Houses and apartments in the Nati- onal Capital appear to be as scarce as ever, in the eyes of persons of av- erage means in need of shelter. Ho- tels are crowded to capacity and res- ervations of several weeks' priority only are insurance against the famil- iar retort from the man behind the desk: “Nothing left in the house.” The uncertainty as to the number of foreign representatives here, as well as t> the date of the meeting and the convening so far have precluded any definite plans for the occasion, but nevertheless there is plenty of speculation in official cir- clues.and among residents of the city. Smaller Minnions Hounsed. It is recalled that a number of Washington and entertained here or on so stupendous a s:ale it is indicated the arms par.ey 11 be. On these previous occasions cons der- able difficulty was met with in find- ing housing accommodations for the group of foreigners who were the guests of the nation. In several in- stances patriotic private citizens, whose large and handsome residences were available, offered the State De- partment use of their hemes in solv- ing the problem of adequately quar- tering the distinguished visitors, and the offers were gladly accepted. The coming conference presents a harder problém to tackle than in the case of caring for a small diplomatic mission. The problem which & now faces the federal government is car- Ing for half a dozen of these missions at once, with na discrimination shown any of them and on & plane with the the oil magnate attributes his restora- tion to health. Both Dr. Biggar and Mr. Rockefeller are eighty-two years ald, they have an engagement to play a match game of golf on their 100th anniversary. - « custom demaded in diplomatic enter- tainment. The delegates are not coming to this country at the instance of their own governmemis, They will pack | powers, and some others, to a gen | 1 coming | o) diplomatic missions were received in|agency on this subject in the world. during the war, but nothing so large ! health service was investigating pel- e e e N in part, to the present invitees, it is special guest usually is cared for in| e D | queried. If there were living space the realm of social etiquette and 500, onough in this city to satisfy the de- mand of the existing population it Reenll Paris Hosplitalities. would not seem amiss for the gov- The European contingent further-|ernment to commandeer a hostelry or more knows that this government |two and distribute the occupants over will not overlook the fact that not 8o the city in apartment houses, board- long ago this country sent a dis- ing establishments, and so on. The tinguished representative, with many | District Rent Commission recently attaches, to Paris, and that France told Congress, however, that a war turned over an entire hotel for the PELLAGRA MENACE IN SOUTH ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED IN 1916 Investigations of Public Health Service at That Time Caused Prediction of 125,000 Cases—Due to Unbalanced Diet. . Alarming reports of the prevaience | observed in the early nineteenth cen- of pellagra in the southern states.|tury. resulting in.the appeal of President| It has also been definitely estab- darding to the United States public|lished that pellagra invariably fol- health service and the American Red |lowed protracted periods of industrial Cross to investigate the situation|depression, when hundreds of families and devise means for coping with it, the attention of the country|forced to subsist almost entirely on to this dread disease, compnrltlvzlyicornbreld, sirup, molasses, vegetables unknown in the United States untll|and “sowbelly.” The foods which con- about fifteen years ago. Since that time. however. the United States pub- lic health service has conducted ex- haustive investigations into the malady in the southern states and now probably is the best informed Ing in the diet of pellagrins. which led to reports that a semi- famine condition exists in the south now. How close the public health service has been in touch with the appearances of the disease is indicated by the following, taken from one of the bulletins issued by the service: “It is the poor man who is the chief sufferer. This explains how hard times, especially when accompanied by rising food prices, are likely to be followed by an increase in the disease. This is well illustrated by the great increase that took place in 1315, followjng the hard times brought on by the outbreak of the war in Europe in the summer of 1914, by the great decrease in 1916, following the improvement in conditions that devel- oped in 1915. Unfortunately the up- ward trend of living brought an in- crease of pellagra In 1917 in some lo- calities, an increase which was fore- cast months in advance by the pub- lc health service.” Known as Scurvy of Alps. Pellagra, also known as Italian leprosy and scurvy of the- Alps, w. first observed about the beginning ~ (Continued on Third Page). Five years ago, in 1916, the public lagra, and at that time it was pre- dicted that the thirteen southern states would face 125,000 cases of the disease within a single year unles measures were taken to prevent the maiady. Inquiry into and study of bul- letins issued by the public health service make it apparent that sur- geons of the service are much bet- ter informed of true conditions Inl the affected states than the state beards of health which have assailed the reports of widespread cases as exaggerated. _01d Theory Exploded. Investigations of the service nave exploded the old theory that the dis- ease was due to eating of altered maize or moulded cornmeal. Obser- vation of the inhabitants of seven cotton mill towns of South Carolina in 1916 ledves no doubt that the malady is the result of an unbalanced diet. It is also definitely determined that it is not contagious and not due to a parasite, as formerly believed in Europe, whe the disease was first of the poorer class in the south are; tain protein, such as milk, eggs and | cloth. lean meat, were almost entirely lack- | be found from this source. the ousted tenants appealed to the commission, the Ball rent act might prevent the government, as a land- lord, from ousting them. New Buildings Under Way. If the parley is held here in No- vember, as has been suggested, the annual fall apartment and house hunt will be fully under way, adding to the festival. On the other hand, sev- eral large apartment houses will be about completed by that time, and these should furnish a source of re- lief from the housing shortage, lim- ited though it may be in extent. Recently a resident who drove in his car the length of several of the principal residential streets, remarked that there were at least twenty im- posing residences locked and barred in the exclusive residential section. At first it would seem that here lies a solution of the problem. As a mat- ter of fact, these large homes are owned by wealthy residents, who ‘at present are at the various seashore or mountain resorts, . away from the sweltering temperature of the Na- tional Capital in summertime. With the advent of cooler weather these social lights will return, one by one, to their permanent winter domiciles. A number of homes which have been closed. since spring already had the bars taken from windows and doors and servants.are industriously wield~ ing the vacuum cleaner and the dust Apparently little relief is to Among larger apartment houses It is this feature of the malady | which may be completed in time for consideration in connection with the housing of the delegates are those under construction at the corner of Woodley road and Connecticut ave- nue, the addition to the apartment bullding at the corner of 16th and R streets, the new Grace Dodge Hotel, built by the Young Women's Christian Associselon, across from the Union Station plaza, the proposed gpart- ment house at the corner of 15th and L streets, the hotel under construc- tion at 14th and K streets, and Sev- eral buildings of lesser capacity. Offices Also Required. It is probable that wherever the various groups are quartered, suit- able offices will be airanged adjacent to handle business trantacted by the clerical attaches. It is believed that office space can be found in a num- ber of downtown buildings to answer the additional requirements of this phase of the conference. The proposal to hold the delibera- tions in the Pan-American building, opposite the Mall, appears to be the one most likely of adoption, espe- cially in view of the international gres for the most part has been con- cerned with items of taxation and not enough with the principle of taxation. They have been trying to find a tax that will be acceptable, when as a matter of fact no tax will be ac- ceptable. Congress is struggling with the em- barrassment of being compelled to. think too ‘much of policy rather than the principle of taxation. It knows the principle and recognizes the cor- rectness of it, but being forced, as it is, to view the subject from the poli- tical standpoint it cannot see the ad- | heritance tax so as to force it to visability. yield about $50,000,000 more, and seve The simple facts are before Con-|eral members of the ways and means gress. We must have in excess of | committee argue that this can easily $4,000,000,000 to pay the expenses that | be done. cannot be reduced even by the most| (5) There is dispute as to whether Irigid economy below that figure. there should be a small tax on bank Consequently, the easiest way to;checks and an increase in postage. It raise the money is likely to be fa-|is consideréd unlikely that there will vored rather than the most economic|pe a bank-check tax because it would way. be so extremely inconvenient. It is pretty well agroed that an increase in letter postage of one cent would be a very convenient way of collect- ing $70,000,000 and there is strong | probability that it will be written into the new tax bill. mains to be seen, and some of the re- publican leaders are far from being as optimistic as Representative Fordney. (2) The proposed increase of the flat corporation income tax from 10 to 15 per cent would mean probably about $500,000,000. (3) There is talk of increasing the excise tax on cigarettes and other smoking tobacco, and it is claimed that about $100,000,000 could thus be raised. (4) Some favor increasing “the in- Excess Profits Tax to Go. The thoughtful, part of the country has united upon the necessity for the repeal of the excess profits tax in the interests of the fundamental principle to secure “certainty,” ‘“economy” of administration and “convenience” of the taxpayer. Those three terms are used by Prof. Seligman of Columbla as fundamental. There must be certainty for the tax- payer of what heshas to pay. It is generally known that the excess profits Educator Falls to Death . Climbing Canadian Rockies The “nuisance” tax referred to by Secretary Mellon, or the soda water tax, will probably be repealed on the gropnd that it really vields little to the government in revenuc, while af- fording a great deal of nuisance to practically every person in the coun- try. One of the real reasons for do- ing away with the soda water tax is that a comparatively small percent- age of the pennies thus collected from the people have really found their way into Uncle Sam's strong box, ! Colkege Men Ignorant, U. S. Commissioner Says | In Supporting Edison NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J y 30~ John P. Tigert, United States commissioner of education, asserted yesterday that collexe gra ignorant of maiters of history as Thomas A. Edison had claim- ed, an the result of his exam- m of a s for jobs. Speaking before the New Jer- sey state educational confer- ence, Dr. Tigert sald that any one who had taught in college fifteen yoars kmew how weak the college student was, partic- rly in questions of history. He argued for a broader hin- ' tery teaching in the schools, with lean national boasting and more appreciation of the contri- butions of every mation te civil- isation.