Evening Star Newspaper, July 9, 1922, Page 25

EDITORIAL PAGE NATIONAL PROBLEMS SPECIAL Al I TICLES LIQUOR-DRINKING SCANDAL HANGS OVER THE CAPITAL Violation of Law by Officials Alleged to Make Prohibition Enforcement Much More Difficult. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. TRIKING at the bootleggers who run whiskey, brandy. gin and wine In great guantities along the coast, hovering just outside the three-mile limit and considering themselves safe from search, until their cargoes are loaded on to BWift power boats and taken ashore, Sena- tor Sterling of South Dakota, republ!- can, has offered an amendment to the tarift bill, giving the United States authority to search vessels within “six marine leagues” of the American coast for Tiquor, whether they fly the American flag or the flag of some other nation. It is the contention of Senator Sterling that the United States has a perfect right so to legislate and to make inspection and seizure of liquor it it is destined for the dry shores and drier throats of the United States. The right of the United States to entry and search within the three- mile limit—the distance from shore in which any nation has jurisdiction over craft in its waters, recognized by international law—the South Da- . kota senator declares is certain. He maintains also that this country has a perfect right to extend the distance farther to sea—into what is com- monly known as the high seas. Precedent Established By Other Nations. N In support of his contention Sena- tor Sterling calls attention to the fact that existing law gives the cus- toms authorities of the country the right of entry and search in vessels coming to this country a matter of ten or twelve miles from the shore. He calls attention also to the fact that Norway has a law which per- mits her to enter and search vessels a dozen miles from her coast line and that the right to do so is recognized by other natlons. Of course, other nations may object to such a law enacted and enforced by the United States, but the sup- porters of the plan ask, What are they going to do about it? The sooner the other natlons realize that Uncle Sam is in earnest in regard to the eighteenth amendment to the Con- stitution and the Volstead prohibition act. the better, say the prohibition- Ists. Prohibition Enfore it Not Taken Seriously. The greatest difficulty, apparently, in the enforcement of the prohibition laws fn this country fies in the fact that In the United States itself, these laws are not taken seriously. For many years—probably ever since cus- tom duties were first imposed—wom- en have had a propensity—according to reports—for smuggling. They liked to smuggle—at least, some of them—| just for the sake of smuggling, and| not o much for the sake of saving the duties they otherwise would have paid. This may be an injustice to enfran- chised women of today. But whatever may be said of the propensity of women to smuggle lace and what not into this country, they, the women, are mere plkers alongside of the men since the prohibition law went into effect. The smuggling of liquor into the Tnited States is coming to be re- garded almost as one of the inalfen- able rights of man, about which so | much is said In Fourth of July ad- dresses and on other occasions. The number of convictions and sentences for violation of the law, when com- pared to the number of gallons, or even cases, of liquor smuggled into the United States, is said to be in- finitestimal. The smuggling industry keeps up; even though thg dry forces now have an anti-rum running navy of their own. And it is to aid the authorities in their efforts to cut down this traffic that Senator Sterl- Ing has offered his amendment to the tariff bill. Officials Are Guilty Of Law Violations. The smuggling of liquor into this country is not confined to private cit- izens. That is one reason it is so hard to stop. Public officials, it de- veJops, are just as thirsty, take them by and large, as the ordinary run of citizens of the country. It is no se- cret in Washington that public offi- cials get as much liquor to drink as they like. And if they use their pub- | lic offices to cloak these little excur- sions into law-breaking. who is going to call them to account? Certainly no one has undertaken to do So yet— at least, publicity. But it is not be- yond the hounds of possibility that it the practice keeps up a scandal may develop that will become a national affair. The inclination, it s charged, has been to wink when taking an oath to uphold the laws of the United States as far as the prohibition law is concerned. President Harding, delivered in Marion, Fourth of July sald: “The eighteenth amendment denies to a minority a fancled sense of per- sonal liberty, but the amendment is the will of America and must be sus- tained by the government and public opinfon, else contempt for the law will undermine our very foundation.” in his Ohio, address on the Law Can Be Changed If Not Popular. y, If the sentiment in the country in jregard to prohibition changes and a majority of the people are opposed to it, then the law may be changed. But as long as the law stays on the statute books, then—if the speech of the President means anything—the prohibition law must be enforced and upheld by public opinion. But smuggling in liquor and drink- ing It in violation of the law is not regarded at all In the same light as other violations of law—as stealing or forgery, for example, are regarded. Public sentiment and opinion appar- ently has not been roused to such a pitch. Whether it ever will be re- mains to be seen. Certainly it is not Iikely to be so aroused as long as the drinking of liquor is practiced by offi- clals’ of the veryigovernment which is supposed, under the law, to en- force prohibition. No man ltkes to be an informer. No man likes to in- terfere with the pleasures of his fel- lows. And #o it is that the practice of violating the prohibition laws is continued with comparative impunity. So it is that some members of Con- gress continue to vote for prohibition and to smuggle in liquor and drink it. Prohibition has closed the corner sa- loon in the shadow of the dome of the Capitol, but otherwise it has not changed the situation here very much. Those who like to drink, drink, and those who do not like it are the pro- ibitionists. Prohibition Injected Inte Tarift Fight. Just as the administration’s ship subsidy bill recently was embarrassed by the outcry made against the serv- ing of liquor on board United States Shipping Board vessels outside the three-mile limit, the drys in Congress insisting there would be no subsidy for vessels flying the American flag which Indulged in such a practice, so now the prohibition lssue is to be in- jected into the tariff fight. Senator Sterling's amendment, if debate Is not cut off by a motion to lay the amend- ment on the table, is bound to lead to considerable discussion on the floor of the Senate. If it falls to be added to the tariff bill, there still remains the ship subsidy bill to attach it to when the latter measure comes before the Senate. ‘ American Exporters Are Urged Under U. S. Flag to Use Ships Necessity of American business firms ‘which expect to take a prominent part in the expected boom In foreign trade when the world finally gets back to normal using vessels flying the United States flag is pointed to as being Im- perative at this time. Competition in the foreign trade fleld will be exceed- ingly brisk when trade does pick up. and unless the American firms now throw their shipments to American ships in their time of need they may not-find ships for them when they are really needed. A weak merchant marine means a weak Navy, for every sea power de- pends on its merchant vessels to a large extent in time of war for ships to augment combatant ships of the Navy. Such ships are used as raiders, supply ships, troop ships, etc. Unless there is a strong merchant marine ex- isting, when a war does break, it is necessary for the government at great expense to go out and conmandeer ves- sels or get them in any way it can. Fortunately, during the recent world war, the government had at its disposal many German ships which had been in- terned here, and it promptly seized thep. Every effort is being made to main- tain as a nucleus for a big Amer- jcan merchant marine the numerous vessels owned by the United States Shipping Board. But even these ves- sels are findjng it difficult to gain the support of the American busi-| ne en who are out lovking for foreign trade. They have been &p- pealed to on many occasions to use these vesséls now and thus give them the suppert which will enable them to keep running and be réady to fur- ' pish transportation for expocters f o the United States when the world trade returns to normal. Of course it has been found to be expensive to ship by these vessels, but the Shipping Board is making every effort to cut expenses, to the end that these' vessels can be used as cheaply as the foreign vessels, which are slowly establishing for themselves a firm foundation on the sea which will be difficult to meet. These vessels have been operating at loss, due, to a large extent, to the fact that there has been a general depression in ocean shipping and a general falling off in the rates. Many of the routes maintained by the Shipping Board, upon examina. tion, were found to be operating at a loss. This was due to the fact that the routes were overtonnaged; in other words, there was not enough business at the time to furnish the ships with full cargoes. For instance, a service was maintained between continental European ports and the River Plate on which losses were be- ing incurred of between $40,000 and $60,000 on each monthly sailing. This service was, of course, discontinued in the interest of economy. Afi' some’ cases It was found that erican operators were competing with each other and steps were taken to materially reduce or discontinue conflicting ice: The whole idea m been te reduce lines to prevent lication and make it profitable and at the same time protect the berths of loading. In other places vessels of larger capacity were sub. stituted for those on ready routes, which resulted in great econo- ies. 7 7 WASHINGTON, D. Patience of President Harding So Tried O., SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 9, 1922. That Clash With Congress Is Possible BY N. 0. MESSENGER. RESIDENT HARDING is a patient and long-suffering man, so endowed by nature, not prone to dictatorial meth- as well. The democrats in the Senate have done their best to spread the scare among the republicans. Every day or two some democrat finds occasion during debate to ods, but disposed at all times to other fellow’s point of view. 'Tis well that he is so equipped, stock of patience bids fair to be drawn upon in the next few weeks | bill and the soldiers’ bonus bill. He days indicate that he may come to ping bill. At the little dinner party at developed among the leaders who sa the board toward putting the ship December. caused it to be made known that if ping bill he would call Congress extraordinary session to take it up. * X * * this bill. He expresSed confidence that once of vessels in particular. He had no House would act upon recovering present state of flunk. * *x X X ing with the Senate on the merchant marine Senate backers of the bonus bill are still at loggerheads over the form and terms of that measure, and developments of the past few with the republican leaders over the ship- Lodge’s residence the other night sentiment off until the next session of Congress, in President Harding not long ago ion adjourned without action on the ship- The chief executive has been very toler- ant of the wishes of the House in regard to He assented to the recess of that body in order to allow the members to go home and explain the bill to their constitu- ents and sound them out upon the subject. ple came to understand the measure, they would appreciate its merits, realize the acute necessity of some kind of legislation for the benefit of the merchant marine genérally and the disposal of the government's fleet it is said, that the Senate ‘would balk at the proposition of taking up the subject after the House had acted, and he expected the But now the panicky feeling over the bill appears to have spread to Senate republicans !Reform in Banking Laws Affecting Washingt see the the republicans with s dling the overburdene , for his ! heavily or fifty millions, the estimated cost a year in deal- of the bill for the first ten years. of whatthe democrats d thy % e the bill actually comes ocrats have succeeded republicans very effect: clinches Senator t around *x ping bill this ses- back in non-action. is entirely for political in the campaign. thefpecy political question. * * ship sudsidy, and their thought, also opposed to it in from its voters. It is a very knotty problem for the repub- licans in Congress and toss a firecracker across the aisle and startle pyrotechnics are explained as only a sample There seems to be no doubt that the dem- During this week the republican leaders will confer with the President, and, it is thought will attempt to dissuade him from insisting on the passage of the bill at this session. President Harding has committed himself so emphatically in support of the bill and has pointed out so plainly the urgent neces- sity for some kind of remedial legislation that he is likely to find himself in a perplex- ing position between his stand for the bill and the Senate leaders’ importunities for The opposition to’the bill, or rather the ground upon which delay in action is urged, fear that the democrats will make it an issue President Harding has all along insisted that srelief for the merchant marine is a business proposition and not a There are a number of republican Sena- tors who are conscientious objectors to a strengthens the hands of democrats, who are antagonism to the subsidy to have value as a political asset in some of the phases in which it is possible of being presented to the handle, and nobody knows at this time how dent of tatements about sad- d people with thirty The These will say and do when up. funds.. stand h "in affrighting many ually and thoroughly. gress t down. it can be worked out to a utisfa:tory/solu- tion. “Safety first” is a controlling thought with some of the politicians in the party, and it will be their effort to convince the Presi- the advisability of postponement.’ * %k % ¥ backers of the bonus bill in thexSen- ate seem to be still cherishing the hope that they can turn President Harding from his determination not to accept a bonus bill un- | ception less it carries a taxing featiire to raise the |elections, and for the majority party It is somewhat difficult to under- ow they can think that they can suc- ceed, for the President has repeatedly in the past three months stated to friends in Con- hat he stands by his statement to Chairman Fordney and is not likely to back If the bonus backers find they can not move the President they may pass a bill of their own making, leaving out the taxing * ¥ feature, in which event, it is believed, the President will veto it. There is considerable discussion in con- enough that th The will be tem. It reasons. The leaders of thou tem to for the * X opposition, of course, On the principle and realize it is so The mouth dents b, President Harding to of polit disapproval. gressional circles of the possibility of raising votes to pass it over the executive There is also the possibility e bonus bill may be left over until “the next session. . This is being seriously discussed. * ¥ X X next big rumpus in political affairs the fight over the direct primary sys- is noted that the two sides are gcing to extremes in raising the issue. One school ght is for further extending the sys- include the nomination of candidates presidency by direct primaries. The other school wants to abolish the whole thing an There appears to be no middle ground. d return to the old convention plan. one hand the system is held-to be so bad that it should be allowed to go by the board, and on the other it is contended that good it ought to be elaborated. reactionaries fairly froth at«the at suggestion of nominating Presi- y this, to them, pernicious plan, and the progressives see red at the hint that nomination can again be placed in the hands ical bosses in convention assembled. on Intended to Protect Both Banks and Customers BY I A. FLEMNG. ASHINGTON bankers have been patient and certainly long suffering in the mat- ter of the enormous num- iber of checks that they have been compelled to handle daily returned from clearings with the discard, varl- ously labeled, but generally bearing ithe legend, “Not sufficient funds’™ although not infrequently it would read, “No such account in this bank.” The handling of these checks has been an expensive matter, as they all require & second and even a third presentation in the return after clear- ings to the depositing bank responsi- ble for sending them through the clearings. Many of these dishonored checks have been drawn with the anticipa- tion of sufficient delay in clearing in order to permit the drawers to make | deposits against them, but the process of dally clearings is not slow. 7 Some are the result of personal neg- !lect in keeping records of deposits and withdrawals. Let Banks Do Bookkeeping. Too many people permit the banks | to keep books for them, and will take chances that lhelr_a'.‘cnunl! have a “credit of ‘about so much.” There is yet another class of dis- honored checks—the kind that are absolutely bad, frequently represent- ing the clean-up of a systematic scheme to establish a reputation for credit and veracity, through building of accounts among banks, perhaps making the final check for ceveral hundreds or more with & request for, “say, $500 cash and put the rest to my credit.” Then a withdrawal from all banks and a departure for parts unkno®n. Washingfon has the reputation of being the easiest town for credit on the continent. The twice-a-month payday for the great army of civilian and Army and Navy employes has probably brought about this condition. The competition for deposits be- tweer banks in the District—and there are morethan fifty of them— 1s another reason for making it e to put across questionable checks. The task of making & bad check only is 2 huge one, and unless an uninten- tional overdraft or & check against & deposit of & day later, the difficulty is serious indeed. Sought Bad-Cheek Law. Local bankers for years have sought to secure the enactment of a bad- check law that would give them re- dress—a law that would give an hon- est man a chance to make good an error in an overdraft and punish an intentional culprit who failed to make good. Within the last {ew weeks the Dis- trict Bankers' ‘Association, - Credit Men's Association and other organiza- tions have secured the enactment by Congress and the approval of the President to & law the sallent fea- tures of which are these: The maker of a check that has been dishonored has five days from date of dishonor to make good. - Failure to do 80 will make the drawer of the check liable to fine or imprisonment, or both, at the discretion of the court. “During the last few years & very large number of small banks have opened ‘in Washington, institutions of - restricted’ capital, neighborhood bankis, as they are termed. Most of them have real, legitimate excuss for thelr being, serve their communities ably, Imatitutions. | and are progressing {nto ussful | | Some few have been organized for the profit in organization to the pro- fessional organizer. All have so far! weathered the storm. although at one time troudle was feared, but the sore spot was cauterized in time to prevent loss. i Safeguards About Organization. i Natfonal banks cannot organize in the city without $200,000 capital, and trust companies are required to have a capital of $1,000.000 before they! may do a trust business. i A banking bill is now before the House, sponsored by Representative Millspaugh, which makes it oblig: tory that all banks starting in Wash- | ington secure permission from the} controller of the currency, havei $200,000 capital, and with the proviso that banks now doing business with less than that capital shall Increase to the minimum within the next two | years. { It is probable that the proviso with | regard to existing banks will be| eliminated or modificd. as there is no i desire to force any of the smaller insti- tutions to.4hcrease capital bevond nec- | essary proportions. 1 A law was recently placed in the! statutes which places in the hands ! of the controller of the currency the! matter of granting the right to any organization contemplating the opening of a bank, and henceforth a minimum capital of $200,000 is a requisite. i Reatricts Use of “Bank.” The Millspaugh bill proposes a larger measure of protection to the banking fraternity, in that it pro- hibits the use of the term “bank” gr “banker” save by institutions receiv- ing deposits ‘pavable on -demand, and conformed to the banking laws of the District. The Millspaugh bill is really a broad, constructive measure in its other fea- tures, and both the bankers and credft men are auxious for its passage. As at present constituted, state banks operate under charters granted by this or that state. While these banks are actually under the supervision of the controller of the currency, his authority only begins when his examiners disclose & condition that should not exist. 1f the proposed measure is enacted, he will hold exactly the same control over state institutions as he does na- tional banks and trust companie: Its provisions, if enacted, will stop the forpation of small banks or large banks, for the promoters profit so much a share on the capitalization. Joshua Evans, jr., president of the District Bankers' Association, holds that the Millspaugh banking measure is one of the most important con- structive banking bills brought before Congress since the enactment of the federal reserve act. /He believes that it will make for stronger, better, more lasting and more serviceable community He gives great credit to the Credit Men's Association- for assistance in ad- ‘vocating the measure and has small doubts of its enactment, with perhaps material modifications. - ~ Extend Banks. During the present session of Con- gret another measure affecting banking was enacted. The charters of national institutions were given a life or existence of ninety-ninp years. Originally twenty years was the limit, and renewal of charter, with the per- mission of the controller of the cur- TeNcCy, WAS NeCesSary. national banks are gtven [and the victory Under the provisions-of the federal | coul authority to act ag trustees, execu- tors of wills and trars of stocks and other trust company functions, provided that in doing =o they do not conflict with local laws. It was the contention of national bankers that Because of the twenty- year charter provisions they would be handicapped in handling estates and trusts that might run for longer periods. The new law obviates any handicap in this direction. It was felt that the absolute powen jin the hands of the controller in the twenty-year charter extension might, in the event of a controversy, lead to a refusal to renew. - Federal Reserve Ald Changes. Many changes to the federal reserve jact are contemplated by bills now before Congress which have not been acted upon as yet. The American Bankers' Association and some of the federal banks' offi- cials have called attention to these amendments, some of which are cal- culated to weaken the importance of the system and to bring it more un- der control of politiclans and make it less an independent system not amenable_to political or outside in- fluences of any character. The measure has stood the nation in good stead. Without it the flota- tion of $17,000,000,000 liberty bonds notes would have been next to impossible. The making of loans to the allies would also have been a harder matter than it was. Thus It made possible winning of the ‘war without inflation of currency and deep depreciation thereof. ~ Congress has enacted a bill au- thorizing the President to “consider agricultural interests” in Increasing the personnel of the Federal Reserve Board by one, but refused to include “labor interests.” N ‘Would Abolish Controller. One measure now before Congress would abolish the office of the con- troller of the currency and place that bureau under the control of the Fed- eral Reserve Board. Because of certain advantages of state over national banks In many way there is a disposition to make condi- tigns more favorable for the latter, State banks and trust companies are given practically the same service s members of the reserve system throygh member banks. They may take advantage of par collections, the tranater of money free of charge shipment of gold even from New York to San Francisco free of cost, where in tke olden days the cost varied, but was at all times a very expensive operation. ‘Exchange between — Chi- cago and New York was often at $30 premium or discount, as the case might be, on each $1,000 transferred, the exp: charge for the transfer. Exchange was long an Important item in banking, but todsy it is not. The reserve system works through the revolving gold fund in the Treas- ury, credifing the amount to this or that bank, payable through the neas- est regional reserve bank by wire free, but no actual gold is exchanged. ] Braneh Banks an Issue. Branch banking is a gubject tha a live topic today. / State banks may have as many branches as desired. Trust com- panies may lécate branches at the Ppleasure of the management. 3 Former Attorney Generl Wicker- the then Attorney General. speaking to M. E. Ailes, who appeared for the Lowry National Bank of Atianta, said: 1 guess you are right. Ailes, but policy needs an adverse ruling.” Washington has scen a national bank go about assimulating branches —first by the purchase through in- terests of a state bank with branches. then nationalizing the state institu- tion, then the purchase of one (the Hamilton. National) by the Riggs Na- tional. Down in St. Louis the First Na- tional Bank has announced a favor- able opinion from its lawyers and has started branches In sections of the city. Not Opposed by Controller. D. R. Crissinger, controller of the currency, imbued with a desire to hold national banks in the system, to give them advantages, is not op+ posed to branch banks, but insists that cach applicant must secure per- mission, must show that there will be no impairment of capital or weaken- ing of resources through the expan- =ion. and also some measure of need for the branch affice or offices sug- | gested. It is likely that a bill covering branch banking will be introduced before long. Six per cent of the caphal of all national banks and all member banks in the federal reserve stem is in- vested in the stock of the federal re- serve banks. On this the member banks have re- celved 6 per cent annual dividends. But the great reserves which the banks are required to carry entirely with the system do not earn one cent interest or dividends. These reserves, amounting to many millions of_dollars, when carried in trust companies and with national banks in New York, as under the old national bank act provisions, earned an average of 2 per cent per annum. It is now proposed that the earn- ings of the federal reserve banks be divided more equftably, ss as to &ive the member banks 12 per cent an their stock, which would be equiv- alent to a fair return also on their reserves. Such a, bill is now before Congress. 1 Brazilian 'Armed Revolt Reported As Not Serious The Brasilian embassy announces the receipt of advices from the home government saying that ghe military outbreak which ocourred in Rio de was confined to a group of soldiers and subalterns in one of the forts and to a small number of cadets from the military school. The disturbance was easily sup- pressed and perfect order has been restored, the advices stated. The con- gress, by unanimous vote of both parties, supported the government in the measures which it adopted and 28 a Afurthep precaution placed the federal district and state of Rio de Janeiro under martial law, it was added. —_— Chile Copper reports for quarter ending March 31 & deficit, after intér- est,’ depreciation and other charges, | of $1,103 31,086,288 o oorresponding period of Janeiro on the nights of July 4 and 65, as against a deficit of | CONGRESS SOON TO LOSE -VETERANS TRIED BY T § L Retirement of Cannon, Fordney and Others Will Throw Responsibility Upon Younger Shoulders. BY WILL P. KENNEDY. HE elders are passing out of Congress, emphasizing the need for special care on the part of the voters to pick ex- ally well-fitted men in the fall to use extreme caution in reorganiz- ing the national legislature. Men who have held the helm steady for yehrs are going—such men as “Uncle Joe” Cannon, now rounding out his forty-six years, which makes him the patriarch for service of any man who ever was in Congress, and who was “czar” in the days when the Speaker had real power; ney of Michigan, who, having achicved his ambition of writing his name as author of a tariff bill, is quitting at the end of twenty-four years' con- tinuous service, and Representative Willlam A. Rodenberg of Illinois, known as the best orator in the House, who has declined re-election at the end of twenty years® service. Add to these House Leader Mon- dell, who has been in the House twenty-six years; Representative Simeon D. Fess of Ohio, for ten years 2 member, who has just resigned as chairman of the republican congres- sional committee; Representative Pat Kelley of Michigan, ten years in service, who handled the Navy appro- priation bill, and Representative Frank L. Greene of Vermont, twelve years a member of the House, all of whom are seeking Senafe seats. Do not overlook Representative -Clifford Ireland of Illinois, chairman of the committee om accounts, and Repre- sentative Ira C. Copley of Illinois, a member of the ways and means com- mittee, Who are among those defeated for renomination, and it is readily seen that serious inroads are being made this year on those who for years have kept the =hip of state .on an even keel. Speaker Gillett Becomes Veteran of House. The absence of House members from Washington, they having gone back home to work in their own cam- paigns for re-election, focuses atten- tion on the importance of the Novem- ber election, not only to the political fortunes and future of the various candidates, but to the welfare of the country. Right here and now it can be said Dpositively that there will be no drive or combination powerful enough to unseat Speaker Gillett, who, with the outgoing of Mr. Cannon, becomes the veteran of the House, with thirty consecutive years to his credit. The Senate candidacy of House Leader Mondell opens up the very fm- portant question, who is to succeed him as House leader? Tt looks very much as if Representative Longworth of Ohio will be chosen. The rela- tionship of the leadership to the chairmanship of the ways and means committee is involved. With Chair- man Fordney quitting Congress, Rep- resentative William R. Greene of Jowa is next in line under the senfor- ity rule for chairman. But, again, there Is talk of breaking away from j the senlority rule, as was done in se- ylecting Representative Martin B. {Madden of Illinois to be chalrman of { the appropgiations committee. There iis a stronglroup who are anxious to |make Longworth chairman of the ways and means committee. It is pointed out that with the tariff bill out of the way the ways and means committee may not be as important |in the next Congress, and that Long- worth might well serve in both ca- pacities. The best judgment seems to be that Longworth will be House ledder and Representative Greene { will succeed to the chairmanship of ways and means. | Longworth Regarded iAs a Harmonizer. \ | ibecause it is believed he could best {harmonize the republican majority, ‘slnce even the most sangulne demo- leratic partisans are not counting on {overthrowing the present record ma- {jority of the republicans. Longworth has atrong support from the east, Ilmddlo west, west and most of the ' Longworth is looked to as leader northern states. There is some talk of the farm bloc running Representative Sydney Anderson of Minnesota for leader. Representative Joe Walsh of Massa. chusetts {s also suggested. It does not look as though either one alove could defeat Longworth or that a combination between ther could be made. In other words, it seems im- probable that any combination can be made to beat Longworth. He has the support of the old leaders, such men as Representative James R. Mann of Illinois, formerly republican leader, who “made” Mondell House leader and who is today the most powerfyl indi- vidual figure in the House. Long- worth's own personal popularity and his course in the House recommend him for the job. He has made a clase study of parllamentary tactics. and is considered-one of the most skiliful parliamentarians in Con- gress, so much so that he is usually called to the chair in committee of the whole House when questions in- volving nice decisions are under dis- cussion. Longworth is neither a hidebound conservative nor a radical progressive, but holds the confidence of both progressive and conservative factions. Both Parties Vexed By the Semlority Rule. The probl ity rule shoul lomy_of whether the senior- be followed in the selection of committee chairmen has already been brought to the .fore. In retiring_as chairman of the republi- can congressional committes Repre- sentative Fess pointed out that if the democrats should gain control - the twenty-five most important commit- teea'of the House, under p rule, would take their from _seniority eleven only of the forty-eight states, and those all south of the Mason and Dixon line, otherwise the “solid south.” Thus the biggest business in all the world would come under the management, as far as legislation is concerned, of this less than a fourth section of the United States. Replying to this, Representative John Garner of Texas, the democratic whip, points out that now there are thirty committees which take their chairmen from only five states. Both the House and the Senate have had a disagreeable lesson grow- ing out of the seniority rule, putting men at the “top of the heap,” not on account of exceptional ability, but largely on account of age. The delay in passing the tariff bill is attributed in a large measure to the operation of the seniority rule. Some republi- can leaders are outspoken in saying that for pure tariff making ability neither Fordney in the House nor Mc- Cumber in the Senate would have been chosen as chairman. See Some Unwelcome Senate Posaibilities. Take {llustrations from the Senate that are worrving the party leaders. It by any chance Senator Lodge should be defeated for re-election. with Senator McCumber defeated. Senator Willlam E. Borah of Idaho approaches the chairmanship of for- eign affairs. Without any offense, it may be stated that Borah is radical in international matters and decid- edly unacceptable to a large number of his colleagues as a possible chair- man of the foreign affairs committee. Again, Senator Robert M. La Fol- lette, with his economic vagaries, rides next behind Senator Smoot on the finance committee. Smoot would prefer to remain on the appropria- tions committee, but with McCumber gone he may be drafted as chairman of the finance committee. But the | La Follette menace still worries the conservatives. So the situation boils down to this: As an unwritten rule, the seniority succession is a good thing, and the senfority rule will not be abolished, - jbut it is very probable that in cer- tain instances there will be a diverg- ence from the rule. The committae on committees will be brave enough to displace men who are generally recognized as not fitted or adapted for particuiar chairmanships. Unless a man’s own ability couples up with his seniority standing there are likely to be occasional infractions of the seni- {ority rule. ite Expect Less Dyn In Next Congress. The new Congress is likely to be [much more tractable than the pres- {ent Congress, which represents the greatest change in personnel of any in the history of this country. They came in on a landslide and a great transition. There were new men by the score, younger men, untried in politics, many of them political acei- dents, few of them with any very strong party devotion—individualists. They were mostly on the republican or majority side. They came here swelled up with their victory. They made leadership difficult, and that has been responsible for much of the re- publican discord. ! In the approaching elections there [will be a big change. This will bring ia lot of other new men in. but in- stead of still further muddling the | situation they will make Congress an easier working machine. They will come in largely oa the democratic side. Taking for granted that the republicans will be able to maintain ia majority—rcduced but still a ma- {jority—these new young men will be jon the minority side. Instead of coming with a sense of their own im- portance and as “rulers of men” with something to teach, they wil; come to learn. They will know that they have but a very slight chance to put through their own ideas. They may come in numbers, but they will not have'the same opportunity to make trouble. This is one of the hopeful philoso- phies about the congressional cam- paign now in progress. Thete will not be as much dynamite in the next Congress. Argentine Middies Leave the Capital After one day's stay in the Ameri- can capital, the midshipmen of the Argentinian naval training ship Presidente Sarmiento returned last night to New York. The Sarmiento is on a trip around the world and now is anchored at New York. The future Argentine naval officers were headed by Lieut. Oswaldo Re- DPetto of the Argentinian naval mis- sion and Lieut. Julio Carrega, chiet of studies of the Sarmiento. Both officers. were extremely pleased by the attentions tendered them by the American officials, both here and at the Naval Academy at Annapolls, which was visited Friday. Navy.” Directed by officers of the United States Navy, the Argentinians visited the principal show places of the capi- tal, being especially interested in the ‘Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial &nd the Naval Observatory. During the afternoon, accompanlied by the Argentine charge d’affaires, Felipe A. Spil, they went to Mount Vernon'and laid a wreath at the tomb of George Washington. “The party, which was composed of about thirty-five young men, was en- tertajned at luncheon by officials of the Navy Department. — O P enty.tour volumes Sour ted to the lives of great