Evening Star Newspaper, November 15, 1925, Page 63

PUBLIC ASKED TO FIGHT 3 “STARVATION ANNUITIES” Obviousness of Need Not Enough to Spur Congress to Act, Writer Says, Citing Distressing Condition of Annuitants. BY._C. B. HEMINGWAY. ANY retired Government em- ployes having died of disease due to insufficient provision, if not by actual starvation, this story is of vital impor- tance to at least a thousand annul- tants who are on the verge of such fate, of immense fmportance to sev- eral thousand who have so little that they can barely live in extreme pov- erty, of very great mportance to sev- eral thousand others who have not enough to maintain them in comfort, of great importanc to 430,000 pros pective annuitants, 64,000 of whom live In this city, and of grave interest to_every one. Years before the World War a cer- tain official in public service became paralyzed. After his sick and annual leave were exhausted he was totally helpless. Then he was brought to office in a carriage, lifted to a wheel chair, rolled to his desk, and there he sat during office hours, doing nothing, but drawing full p: This continued for years. A watchman was stricken with total blindness. He held his job for vears, aided by others, and drew full p A clerk became totally blind, was retained In service, doing p cally nothing, for a long time, drew full pay. but acti- and Officials Humane. Department heads would not turn out helpless employes after years of falthful service without provision for their maintenance. Such cases finally aroused a Con- gressman, and in connection with cer- tain others who deemed a retirement system desirable, a bill was drawn up, but it was years beforc it became a law. On May 1920, it was enacted. It provided for retirement of emploves in the classified service who had served at least 15 years and had at talned the age of 70 years, except that certaln classes were retired at ago 65 and others at age 62. Annui- ties ranged from $15 to $60 per month, dependent on rate of pay and length of service up to 30 vears. At the time the bill was drawn up such an- nuities were not so bad: but when enacted into law the cost of living here had doubled and has been going higher ever since. One per cent of the annuitants have heen forced out of employment on an- nuity of less than $15 per month, and 31 per cent on less than $36. It does not require a vivid imagination to realize that this means actual starva- tion for some and great suffering for many because of insufficient suste- nance. Correction Held Vital. This condition should be corrected forthwith. Strange to say, none of the amendments to the law hereto- fore proposed undertake to alleivate such condition. The Stanfield bill, which barely failed to pass last s sion, proposed increase of $1 to $4 in such cases, and proposed 340 increase to a few of those now getting $60. Those whose need was#nperative were to get practically nothing, while those whose need was least were to get most. Those annuitants must not he left to rve or suffer, and their condition must not be made the basis of an amendent which does not relieve them, but becomes the excuse for an increase to a few favorites who have least need. The original purpose of the law was to avoid the inhumanity of turning out superannuated and disabled em: ployes who had served long and faithfully without adequate provision for their maintenance; but either greed or carelessness preverted the bill into an instrument of greatest in humanity and cruelty; and failure to immediately enact an amendment that would bring adequate relief would be disgraceful. The most potent about such dire r vision deducting 21z the pay of each basing the amount of annuity on amount of pay for the preceding ten vears. That altogether ignored the element of need. It gave to the high-paid, who had the best oppor- tunity to make provisision for age, annuities that, meagre as they now are, did not mean starvation or poverty, unless the annuitant had other helpless dependents and no other provision or friends: but to the low satd, who had had no opportunity 1o make provision for old age. it gave .nnuities that were so trivial as to nake starvation or extreme poverty & certainty factor in bringing sults was the pro- per cent from employe and Sees Law Theory Fail. A most unbusiness-like feature the law is the provision allowing the same annuity to u younger as to an clder person. All annuities are paid from the retirement fund, and the iheory is that each shall get out of that fund all he puts into it. But if the same annuity is allowed to those having a greater expectation of life a8 to those having a less expectation of life, the theory is violated On June 30, 1925, there were 11,689 annuitants. During the vear 893 died. mount of the deductions from ¢ employes for the year was 98; and the total in. the etirement fund was $44,865, 6, the interest on which for the year was $2,123,796.71, making the total income for the year $20,028.867.69. There was pald out on annuities durinz the vear $6,233,830.16, and on_refunds to dtscharged employes $2,713,452,16; making a total outgo of $8,949.282:32; leaving $11.079.585.37 to be added to the retirement fund With an income more than double the outlays, and with an accumulated retirement fund of more than $55,000,- 000, there can be no excuse for failure to increase all, and especially the smaller, annuities to provide for main- tenance of all in comfort, and to allow greater. increase to high annuities Than to low would be wholly inex- cusable. United States’ Obligation Held Great. One might think that, fnasmuch as the retirement law enables the Gov- nment to substitute young blood for old—efficlency for mediocrity—pre- sumably without inhumanity in doing so, thus profiting greatly, it should b incumbent upon the Government to share the cost, or at least assume that part of the cost due to the payment of old | | of sums to annuitants in excess of what they had paid into the fund, inherent in installing the system. It s as sumed by some that there is an im- plied obligation on the part of the Government to do so. But at least 15 vears' experlence has shown conclu sively that Congress will not provide adequate annuities on that basis Therefore, the question is not what Congress ought to do, but what Con gress can be induced to do to provide adequate annuities. Government employes want ade- quate annuities. They are not only willing but anxlous to have enough deducted from current pay to provide them—all needed. As it seems that adequate annuities cannot be had otherwise, they insist that they be allowed to assume and meet the deficit due to installing the system, and they demur to the system that puts more than half of the deduc tion into a fund and provides only grossly inadequate annuities. And they also demur to the allowance of only 4 per cent interest on refunds and insist that the current rate, § per cent, be paid—and they want to pay that out of their own money. The 430,000 employes always will be able to pay all needed on that basis. Peak to Come in 1932. Caleulation based on experience to date shows that, as the expectation of life at 70.years of age is 812 years, the peak number of annuitants will be reached about 1932, when deaths will equal additions, and that the number then will be under 15,000. If annui ties averaged two and a half times what they now are, the total outgo would then be about $21,000,000 @ vear. This would increase a little as the yvears passed and refunds became larger, the peak of refunds being reached about 1950. In framing a rational, business-like, democratic and adequate annuity pro. vision the percentage deduction sys- tem would be abolished and a uniform deduction made from each, regardless of amount of pay. Annuities must be based only on age at retirement and length of service. The travesty on decency of starvation annuities to the low-paid would then cease. The Adequate Annuit of Federal Employes has bill follow: Section 1. That to provide ade- quately for the retirement of employes in the classified civil service at their own expense at all tines hereafter, as a condition of employment $2 per month shall be withheld from the of each emplove covered by this act and added to the retirement and dis abllity fund, beginning on the last day of the month after the passage of tt act; and whenever necessary to meet expenditures from sueh fund the amount withheld shall be increased $1 per month by order of the Secretary of the Treasury. Higher Interest Asked. “Section 2. That upon the termina- tion of the service of any such em ploye who is not retired, he or she shall be entitled to receive all sums so withheld, with accumulated interest thereon at the rate of 1 per centum for each two months, to be computed and compounded for each two months, to be taken from the retirement and disability fund. “Section 3. That each employe re- tired shall receive monthly through out life a sum to be taken from the retirement and disability fund shown by his or her nearest age and vears of service in the following table, the first such payment to be made at the end of the month next after the passage of this act.” The table gives the respective an- nuities provided for ages 35 to 70 vears and length of service 15 to vears, and ranges from $18 for 15 years' service at the age of 35 vears to $129 for 30 years’ service at the age of 70 years. - It would increase annulties as fol- lows: $30 to $129: $60 to $1 27 to $105; $54 to $120; $24 to $84; $48 1o $98. $21 to $84: $42 to $77; $18 to $48; $36 to $58, $15 to $35; $30 to $4d4—the smaller rates being due to short serv. ice alone, and regardless of amount of former pay. | For vear ending June 30, 192 11,689 annuitants; annuities $6,235,830; refunds $2.713.4 total $8,949. Added to retirement fund $11.079,5 total fund, 844,665,778 June 30, '1926—about 12,600 annui- tants; annuities $6,500,000; refunds $2,- 800,000; total $9.600,000; deductions $18.000,000; interest $2,700,000; total in- | come $20,700,000; fund $55,000,000. Association prepared a Total Increase: | If our bill then becomes law, $2 each from 430,000 employes is $10,320,000; |interest $2,700,000; “total $13,000,000. Then- June 30, 1927—about 13,400 annui- tants; annuities and refunds $20,000, | 000; fund $48,000,000. |, June 30, 1930—about 14,600 annui. tants: annuities and refunds $21,000, 000 fund $23,000,000. Then, if deduction is increased to $3—total with interest $17,000,000. | June 30, 1933—about 14,700 annui- tants: annuities and refunds $21,000,- 1 000; fund $11,000,000. A $4 deduction would then about bal- ally deplete as refunds increased; but it would be quite a long time before a $5 deduction would be needed. In order to provide such annuities for all, we will gladly pay whatever { deduction is necessary at any time. If |at any time deductions should become so large that they cannot be endured by the low-pald, then their pay should be increased enough to allow it, as it |is unthinkable that our Government { Wil not pay enough to allow adequate | provision to be made for old age. Our proposed law to provide larger | eliminate starvation annuities is ap- proved by nearly every one who learns about {t.” Some assume that it is only necessary to ask a_congressman to | have such a bill considered and that it will be forthwith passed because of its great merit and the extreme necessity for its immediate enactment. But {such is not the case. Congress will | not even giye it serlous consideration nless it is well supported by the peo- | ple concerned, and to assure its en. actment it should be supported by a mafority of them. Dynamite to “Break Up” Frost Is Urged Among Wild Schemes of Fruit Growers With the coming of late Fall and the approach of colder weather, fruit growers in different parts of the country are beginning to take elab- orate precautions to protect their orchards from the ravages of Jack ¥rost, but not all the suggestions that have been made to the Weather Bu- reau here will be used. According to T. B. Kincer, chief of the department of agricultural meteorolgy, a great many of the suggestions that enthu- siastic inventors send in are wildly im- practical. “The ‘crank’ proposals,” says Mr. Kincer, “range all the way from hang- ing pieces of scrap iron in the trees to ‘absorb’ the frost to exploding dyna- mite in the air above the trees to break it up before it can ‘fall’ An- ether extreme proposal was to throw cotton strings over the tops of the trees and allow the ends of the strings to dip into a pail of water to conduct the frost into the water, where it could do not harm. This was actually patented.” However, orchards can be protected Prom frost by tried and approved means. The citrus growers in Florida and California have used these meth- ods more extensively than any others, sald Mr. Kincer. The most efficient devices are the ofl heaters, with tall chimneys, from which a large amount of heat is radiated. Each holds ahout 9 gallons of oil, and about 50 heaters are required to the acre for adequate protection. In a single grove, he said, there may be as many as 10,000 heat. ers, and as much as $3.000 worth of oil may be burned on a bad night. 3 | ance outgo, and the fund would gradu- | and more equitable annuities and to | THE SUN Editor’s note—This is the second of two articles dealing with the part women have played in pubdlic life since they acquired the ballot, Last week Mrs. Rufus Gibbs of Baltimore declared_that her sex was a_complete failure in politics and that the nineteenth amend- ment should be repealed. The fol- lowing interview contains a reply from Mrs. Mabel Willebrandt. BY WILLIS J. BALLINGER. OMEN not only have not failed in political life, but they have in a great many instances done bet- ter than men. In the short time they have had the bailot they have made distinct contribution to our public affairs. “Repeal the nineteenth amendment! [{4 A discussion of such a thing would only be an intellectual excursion and would certainly generate more heat than light. These words of Mrs. Mabel Wille- brandt, Assistant Attorney General of the United States, were an abrupt re- <ponse to the declaration of Mrs. Gibbs, noted anti-feminist, that women had falled in politics, that they were 1 menace in our political life and that | he nineteerith amendment should be repealed. Mrs. Willebrandt, after making this statement to me, wheeled abruptly about in her swivel chalr to attend to the voluminous correspondence which littered her desk. * ok ok K Nothing daunted by the terseness of her opinion, which suggested that Mrs. Willebrandt had said all she was z0ing to say, I asked her If she would care to reply to Mrs. Gibbs. I do not care to take a side against Mrs. Gibbs.” she replled. “My offi- position would not permit me to mbroil myself in such a controversy. However, I have some very definite »pinions about women in politics and f (here her eyes twinkled humorously) vou care to have me express my in- lependent viewpoint about women in politics, 1 will. “Very well,"” I sald, “do you think women have made any noticeable con- tributions to politics since they have had the vote?"” A. Yes, I think they have made a tistinet contribution to politics in_the sreater emphasis they have placed on hat side of community life not so tirectly connected with business and finance. ok kX Q. Would you explain that a little more? A. Well, for fnstance, their inter est in and promotion of such work as public health and city planning, educa- tion. child welfare, better homes, re- tuetion of slum conditions, bringing of patriotism into the home. They have done very signal and constructive work in these flelds Q. Would you say that in your opinion women have succeeded in pol- tics? A. I am inclined to think that it is 100 early to express an opinion on such a question. Only the women of a few Western States have had the vote for any length of time. Natural- Iy there are few women who have BY HENRY W. BUNN. HE mary news seven ber 14: following is a brief sum- of the most important of the world for the days ended Novem- Great Britain—The annual lord majyor's banquet was held at the Guild- hall on the night of November 9, and was even more brilllant and jolly than usu. The climax of the festivities was when Austen Chamberlain, for- eign minister and the British repre. sentative at Locarno, drank from loving cup, and, beaming with friend- lines and to the accompaniment of heaven-kissing applause, handed it to the German Ambassador, who pledged him heartily, Premier Baldwin's speech breathed of discreet hope. Unemployment has been steadily de- clining during the past few weeks, and there has been improvement in trade— not very great, to be sure, but of a character to justify a lift of the heart. The new lord over again. He began in the business he now heads at 4 shillings weekly for 12-hour day. Our children are the most gener- ously provided for in the world, but they miss some delightful things. Per- haps the most delightful spectacle in the world for children is that of the lord mayor en route to the Guild- hall banquet in his gilded coach drawn by six spanking and magnificently caparisoned horses. * ok X K France.—On November 7, M. Pain- leve submitted to the finance com- mission of the Chamber his program for stabilization of the franc. His bill called for taxation (including increases in established categories) on almost everything that could be taxed; the chief incidence to bear on securities (except government securities, guar- anteed against taxation), business profits, the higher incomes and real property. It contemplated that dur- ing 14 vears a yearly sum of about 5,500,000,000 francs, derived from its operation, be turned into a sinking fund to be used for retirement of that tion of the public debt @@pproximat- {):;l::: Suivalent of about four billion dollars), consisting of short-term obli- gatlons, which presses fatally on the fisc, plays the devil with the franc, and in general prevents financial and economic recovery and stabilization. It called for Some temporary in- crease of inflation (i.e., extension of the legal limit of note circulation of the Banls of France) to care for matur- ing bonds pending development of the sinking fund adequate to that pur- pose. Painleve would not hear to the capltal levy—that millennial goal of the Unified Socialists. v t the Unified Socialists, Who hold (he balknce in the chamber finance commission, as their party does in the chamber at large, tore Painleve's bill to shreds. It must be assimi- lated to their holy principles; else gdisruption of the Left Cartel. Painleve fought desperately, but, so our information goes, has capitu- lated. His case was that of the lady who, “swearing she would ne'er con- sent, consented.” It is generous to assume that he and Herriot believe that a Left government is necessary to France, so necessary as to justify going to the absolute safety limit by Way of conciliating the Unified So- cialists, whose votes are necessary to maintenance of a Left govern- ment. The necessity, of course, might not be so clear to others, es- pecially non-Frenchmen. So the bill is being redrafted. As redrafted it will, we are told, call for mortgages, redeemable within 14 years, on business concerns and real estate covering amounts correspond- ing to the expectation of taxation payments under the original bill. (This 1s, T take it, the extent of recog- nitlon of the principle of the capital levy.) It calls for a forced renewal of the state securities falling due in the near future (apparently, the next 12 months.) It calls for taxation of government securities, with minor mayor is Whittington | | | | them | child welfare, | quences of L | skeptical world came true. DAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. 0, NOVEMBER 15, 1925—PART 2. FIFTY YEARS OF WOMEN IN OFFICE been given or have obtained by their own efforts many opportunities in politics. Of that number a very large percentage have succeeded, not only as well as men, but in many cases better. * Kk ok X Q. That's a rather startling state. ment to make. 1 have heard women claiming to be the equal of men in public life, but never their su perior. How do you account for thelr greater success A. I did not mean to stood to say that women ceeded in polities in many ter than men because they have any more inherent ability. Where they have succeeded better than men it has not been because of any greater apti- tude but because of their conspiquous- ness in politics. The greater scru- tiny resulting therefrom has forced evince greater abtlity than average unnoticed political in- Partly, also,.have they succeeded better in office than becs , as I have said, they have rounded out the needs of community lite by sponsoring policies which are near to a woman's heart, such ete. * K ok Q. Have you found women to more moral In politics than men? A. I should say that there are not vet enough women in rategic political positions to generalize as to whether they are more moral than men in politic: For instance, we condemn as fmmoral the trading of votes by political bosses at the head of political units such as the ward and the city. As vet women have not become hosses. ome of the worst crimes of politics are done by be under- the cumbent exceptions (including abroad) The total amount accruing to the sinking fund over 14 would be practically the same as that contemplated in the original bill. Inflation would be avoided, but tation substituted seer obably that, if such a bill is reported out by the chamber finance commission, it will be reject ed by the chamber, and if not, then by the senate. Then wha The quidnuncs say: Either general elec tions (which some think the Left ex those sold | tremists are after) or a Center gov- ernment. This process of evolving satisfactory arrangements concerning the French domestic debt affords a spectacle of fascinating interest. e Germany.—It seems fairly certain that the Locarno instruments will be formally signed at London on Decem- ber 1, as per schedule, and that Reichstag ratification will not be sought until thereafter. It is the pre- alling opinton that ratification by the Reichstag will depend upon whether or no the “loglcal conse Carno, S that expres sfon 1 be interpreted by the mia jority of the Reichstag, have by the time of action of the instruments by that body been consummated (or suf- ficiently put in train toward consum- mation). Presumably, the govern- ment’s interpretation of the expres- slon quoted Is reasonable. To what absurd lengths the Natlonalist inter- pretation goes is sufficiently known. As to the majority Reichstag inter- pretation, it is to see. The German government's reply to the last allied representations to Berlin concerning respects herein German action had fallen short of fulfillment of the disarmament clauses of the treaty has gone to the Council of Ambassadors at Paris. Should it prove satisfactor (and umor as- ately ahead should be smooth. As the allies see it, the Germans are apt to put the cart before the horse. From the allied viewpoint the “logical consequences of Locarno’ should take the following orders: (@) Rapid completion of German fulfillment of the clanses of the treaty. . (b) Allled eyacuation of Cologne and easement as to conditions of oc- cupation in territory still thereafter occupled. * ok ok ok Italy.—On Thursday the Italian and American debt commissions reached agreement as to the funding of Italy debt to the United States. The formal Signing of Locarno of | disarmament | men | | only | ars | sures us it will) the sledding immed. | totaling about What Is the Verdict? It is just a little over 50 years ago that Gen. Spinner, Secretary of the Treasury, named the first woman to a Government job—a clerk in his office. It startled the country and shocked thou- sands of good men and women. Today we have a woman As- sistant Attorney General, two woman governors, two Congress- women, a State Supreme Court judge, about 150 State legisla- tors, many minor judges, and we have had a woman United States Senator. We have even a few woman political bosses. In spite of this, Mrs. Rufus Gibbs of Baltimore says wom- en have been a failure in poli- tics. Mrs. Willebrandt thinks that in many cases they have surpassed their male cotempo- raries. the underworld hoss. Women have not become underworld bosses as yet. But, frankly, I don't look for women to reform the political world morally. Q. Do you think today that the majority of women are interested in the ballot or the holding of office. A. Yes, 1 do. I don't think that the majority, however, i{s anywhere near as’large as it should be. But in my opinion there is no question about the majority of women being interest- in the ballot and the holding of of- fice. * X % x Q. Do you think that the women who go into politics are of the fem- inist type or that going into politics makes them feminists? A. Yes. the feminist type goes into politics, but they are comparable to the shock troops of an army. The shock troops do not win the battle, but they break the ground for an ad- vance. ~ Because feminists have led the advance that does not mean that the aggressive type of woman is going to remain as the sole representative of women in politics. To me it Is always 4 confession of weakness for a_wom- an to appear masculine. Women by relying upon her own quall- tles and beinz her natural self in politics can succeed. Never by aping the outward appearance of men. * ok X x Q. What do you think about the fact that we have two woman gov- ernors and two Congresswomen? Do you think that they were elected on the basis of their abilities and quali- fications? A. In the case of the woman gov- ernors I think sympathy and personal reasons played a great part in thelr instrument was signed yesterday. Roughly, the terms are as follows: The amount to be funded is $2,042 000,000, as of June 15, 1925, being the original indebtedness of $1.648,000.000 plus accrued interest (at 41 per cent up to December 15, 1922, and 3 per cent from December 15, 1922). Repayment of this principal will be spread over 62 years, the annual installments increasing according to a graduated schedule. During the first flve yvears the an- nual payment will be $5,000,000; in the sixty-second year the payment will be about eighty millions. Inter- est: During the first five vears, none. Thereafter, for successive 10-year periods, one-eighth of 1 per cent, one- fourth of 1 per cent, one-half of 1 per cent, three-fourths of 1 per cent, 1 per cent. During the concluding | seven years, 2 per cent. Total to be d in interest. $365.000,000. Grand total to be paid, $2,407,000,000. An officlal statement issued by the Amer- ican Debt Commission includes the following: ‘The commission has made a most exhaustive examination of Italy’s fiscal and economic situation. Italy is poor in natural resources. The vis- fble balance of trade is adverse. Food to support her rapidly increasing pop- ulation, coal, ofl. iron and copper have to be imported. Her future depends upon the development of her industry and the labor of her people. It is felt that the settlement lays as heavy a burden upon the Italian peo. ple as we are justified in imposing and represents Italy’s capacity to pay.” Majority public opinion in this country seems to recognize the above | statement as just and to applaud the settlement. It is, however, interest- ing to recall the following facts in this connectfon. Great Britain has agreed to pay, over 62 vears, interest $6,500,000,000 on a funded debt of $4,600,000,000. Belgium has agreed to pay over 62 years, in- terest totaling about $310,000,000 on a funded principal of about $418,000,000. The last French offer proposed a to- tal interest payment over 68 years of $2,220,000,000 on a funded principal of about $4,000,000,000. * % X x Syria.—The situation in Syria develops obscurely. One hears of for- mation of a provisional Syrlan repub- lic headed by one Bakri and with Homs for its capital, and of co-opera- tion between Bakri and the head of the Hauran Druses; of more or less fighting between detachments under French colors and groups of repub- licans, brigands and Hauran Druses; Pact Great Event In History of Mankind, Johnson Holds BY ROBERT UNDERWOOD JOHNSON 1t is a great that, at last, atisfaction to record by the prevalance of good sense, not only Germany, but the whole of western Europe is on the fair road to disarmament in fact as well as in mood. The friendly attitude of Germany henceforth must be ac- cepted at its face value, with a frank cknowledgment of the great con- tribution which her representatives have made to the consummation 8o devoutly to be wished. Once more “suddenly the worst turns the best.” It is not too much to say that the compact of Locarno ranks in impor- tance with the Declaration of Inde- pendence and the Emancipation Proc- lamation, and that history will cherish in its great days the 16th of October, 1925. For on that day the hope and dream of a suffering, bewildered and It 1s a triumph of optimism which has come about through the demonstrated necessity of mankind. It proves again the folly of the pessimists’ argument that you cannot change human nature. human nature, by the victory of the better instincts over the worse? The world has been agonizing for a solu- tion of the complicated problems left by the war, when upon the darkest and most desperate hour dawns the light of peace. It is something for thanksgiving and congratulation, and there is in its far-reaching effect a touch of awe as one thinks that in all probability never again will the na- tions of Europe be ranged upon the battlefleld. For, that any one of the contracting parties, after the bloody lesson of the World War, should treat this bond of perpetual peace as a scrap of paper is inconceivable. The time is rapidly approaching when Tennysons prophecy shall be fulfilled and “the war-flags shall be furled In the Parliament of Man, the Federa- tlon of the World.” For the first time since the armi- stice the world breathes freely. It be- hooves America to see that—by what we do or what we fall to do—no ob- struction is placed in the path of progress, peace and prosperity upon In the sense that he means it, what, which ‘‘dehelmetized” Europe has now is progress, but a continual change in so wisely and hopefully entered. A election. But we must not forget that the elements of sympathy and personal regard which gave these women their opportunity in politics has given many a young man his first chance, too. We have many a young man in office today elected be- | cause he was the son of his A.fl‘,h\‘\" or because his grandfather was be- loved by the community. He has touched the same mental and heart reactions as elected our present wom- an governors. But after all the test is not whether sympathy elected our present woman governors. The test is whether they are discharging the duties of their office well. Many of the women I have known in public office have done corking good work. * ok ok % Q- Why is it that no Congresswom- an has ever been reelected? Does this indicate that they were elected as & novelty and that the novel effect wore off in two years? A. If I recall correctly there have only been three Congresswomen up to the present. That three concress- men should lose their seats would not an occasion for any loud com- ments or generalizations. Q. Yes, but suppose these women were defeated as women and not just as Congresswomen, that would be quite significant, would it not? A. But I feel that in the States that sent those women to Congress the issue of sex did not cause their defeat. Beslides, I think it is too early to generalize about the success of women in politics from the fact that three Congresswomen have all been defeated. Women have done very well to even get into Congress in the short time they have had the vote. The women who are at present in Con- gress will glve a good account of themselves T feel certain. Q. What do you think would hap- pen If the nineteenth amendment were repealed? A. Why deal in imaginings? T don’t think it s possible to repeal the amendment. Women have come to stay in politics. The public has be. come used to women in politics. They are no longer apprehensive about them. ke Q. Do you think that the riine- teenth amendment was passed by a militant minority? I ask you this question because this I8 one of the rea- sons which have been circulated BY DAVID LAWRENCE. MERICAN capital is about to finance Russia. Irrespective of the question of recognition the commercial possibilities of Russia are on the threshold of a big development. And even it Russia were recognized by the United States, the problem of American financing by an indirect method would be the same. In other words, operat- ing in conjunction with British and German industrialists, the American financiers see a great chance in Russia. For generations before the war Brit- ish and German interests financed enterprises in Russla. An intimate knowledge of Russian methods and customs has thus been gained. Amer- icans have always played a minor role; in fact, until the enormous sums be: came available for investment abroad generally, the United States figured to a small extent in the actual ownership | or management of business enterprises | in Russia. Capital Plentiful. But the war turned the tide. Amer- ican capital seeking good investment | is plentiful. To finance directly would be difficult because the American Gov- ernment is unwilling to'grant recog- nition at this time. Germany and Great Britain are in no such difficul- ties. Their nationals have the advan- tage also of a friendly and intimate relationship with the Russian govern- | mwent as well as the Russian people. | But both Great Britain and Germany lack the money—the latter, of course, being even more at a disadvantage than the British, because of the eco- nomic condition’ of Germany, The British have capital available, but do not feel warranted in taking all the ( ge.) ntinued from First around for repealing both the nine- teenth and elghteenth amendments? A. It is true that a small group fought the amendment through. But in the end the American people as a whole spoke on the matter and de. cided it in our favor. The process of amendment prescribed by the Constl tution Insures against any hasty ap- proval of amendments. The small £roup who made all the noise in the campaign for its adoption were mere selling their idea to the great m of American people, who in the last | analysis must pass on an amendment. Of course I don't think that the nine- teenth amendment was the work of militant minority who forced upon the American people something they did not want (Copyright. 19 of activity of French aviators and bombardment by them of enemy con- centrations and enemy villages; of destruction of communications by in- surgents, the railroad from Damas. cus to Haifa being out of business. On the other hand, the head of the Hauran Druses is reported as defying co-operation, or community of inter- est with the republicans, and it is said that Gen. Gamelin, directing French military operations, his strength ry cruited up to 30,000, has begun oper: tions on a comprehensive scale and belleves that he will soon end active Insurgency. Apparently Senator Henri De Jou venel has been appointed civilian high commissioner for Syria. On his rec ord the appointment would seem an ideal one. On a balance of reports, it seems a fair conclusion that the uation is framing itself toward a rea- sonable and falrly satisfactory ad justment the thorough investigation traln that Sarall's mismanagement was considerably less than the dis- patches have caused us to think. IHe himself talks of “the romantic ve sions” of certain journalists, and Gen. Gamelin reports as follow tary command is conscious of having obtained in the minimum time at a minimum cost the results sought, preventing extension of a movement which might easily Into a Damascus Vespera.' * o ok ok China.—We get little news of the conference on Chinese customs at Peking. The Chinese people seem to be calmly walting for its final decisions and not to be making any of those demonstrations of hostility that so many predicted. - It is thought that the at once sensible and conciliatory attitude of our Government, expressed by our dele- gates to the conference, h: placated and reassured national sen- timent. The politico-military situation as reported by the dispatches defies con- fident analysis. Out of the tangle of dispatches I detach the following (subject to correctlon later): After some fighting the troops of Chang Tso Lin (super tuchun of the three Manchurfan provinces), in the Shanghali region retreated northward, pursued by forces of the tuchuns of Che Kiang and Hu Peh understood to be subordinated to Wu Pei These dropping the pursuit, it was taken up by the tuchun of Ho Nan. Now some dispatches say that the tuchun of Ho Nan is an adher- ent of Wu Pei Fu, others that he.is an adherent of Feng Yu-Hslang. If the latter, the question naturally now in asks itself: Is there an understand- | ing for common action against Chang Tso Lin, between Wu Pei Fu and Feng Yu Hsiang? Such an understanding would not be too pre- posterous for China. Chang is reported to have made a strong concentration at .Jehol, withdrawing thither the bulk of his effectlves in Manchuria. Apparently Feng, whose main strength for man months past was, I believe, at Kal- gan, has strongly occupied the metropolitan (Peking) area. There is o rather staggering report that the tuchun of Che Kiang has em- barked 20,000 troops at or near Shanghai and intends with them to invade Manchuria and descending take Chang Tso Lin in rear. would Tokio view such ah invasion? Now please recall that there are three grand groups of tuchuns. The group headed by Chang Tso Lin, that headed by Feng Yu Hslang and the | Yangtse group headed by Wu Pei Fu. We have nothing trustworthy to 80 upon as to the plans of the three grand leaders, but the above touches may furnish material for amusing speculation. We are Informed that Gen. Chen Kwang Ming, the anti-red leader in Kwang Tung Province, has been badly beaten by the reds, and that the latter have re-established more vigorously than before the anti- British boycott in Swatow, Chen's headquarters, [ad It may even appear from | have developed | greatly | Fu. [ How | of peaco stretched across Europe, | multiplying the obstacles to the tran | portation and exchange of necessary | materials “for European peoples, to | achieve anything like a necessar | maximum of efficiency or econom |And it is_quite as patent that not | without destroying all reasonable | hope of success can any one or man | states seek to modify these frontier | by force. Even Germans, for whom the Polish corridor is an intolerable even more intolerable than ce-Lorraine was to France, find themselves forced to consent to a pact which eliminates force as a means to abolish this circumstance hateful to { every Teutonic soul. The war, then, and the consequences of the war have imposed upon Europe inevitably a very large measure of combination and co-operation. It would be stretching a figure too far, perhaps, to say that Europe in the perod fol- | lowing the World War is in the posi-| tion of the Confederation of Colonies following the Revolutionary War and States, but many of the same elements are there. Union was necessary for our existence; it certainly in some form is essential to the restoration of any form of European prosperity such as existed before 1900 Idea Gaining Ground. ' And what it is essential American should recognize is that this | fundamental truth is obtaining very general appreciation in Europe. Im mense as are the barriers of distrus resentment, hatred, which separa European peoples, there is in every country a growing fraction which perceives that the single escape from an impossible situation, the sole way | to avoid permitung present conditions | to become permanent and European | prestige and power to remain forever | diminished, lies {n the surmounting of | these barriers. Whether ft pés | to would have ever heen ible immediately following the war arrive at a reconcillation, a peace| | of understanding. may well be doubted | | by those who best knew tke state of | European minds in those days. At all | fitet 1n every | | bein AMERICAN CAPITAL READY TO HELP FINANCE RUSSIA Government Not Opposed to Loans in Germany, Even if Put to Use in Unrecognized Country. risk. So while American and Interests are ready to furnish c on a 50-50 basis or even at va proportions, the Germans are and anxlous to provide managen and supervision. ht, president of bank, who ha be Bank, has the Ger ing Benjamin Federal Res disclaimed that the object of slon was to arrange indust Naturally he could not, as head « Relchshank, engage in such on behalf of private interes can inquire into the possibilities = to advise German industrialists on ¥ return to Europe. U. S. Will Not Object. Dr. Schacht American Government is not put obstacles In the way of Ar financing of Russia just beca diplomatic recognition” diffict has found that the De State, Commerce and have been considering want American capit they can get their irn on any money they i itself. This is be ever, by the establishie credits in New financial centers But many German proje into Russia to get ra the problem of Gerr comes inter-relatec the significant fact corded today is t ernment will not ob, loans made by Brit capital to German though there involved. publicl has found th ts is a (Copyrigh United States of Europe Real Hope Of Those Countries for Recovery along very different which created our theless, I ve more the U in all of its of a great ongst the E nomically, pol will discover tha scattered, divided bidding agair B common n gain what h by reason power Eatween the way, gnd the 1 gond ¢ L ntal befveer all because ma alone emer: anyt to th a victor demned querors, contributions German before the making of the Union of | spare th ting their | ets to foot our t |as in ma | the Britc German, has but of loss: not feat Eve | knows th a victo tion. was a s Its results burg t poss; as on the for adopted becaus: but survives i reappear in some agreements which are the protoc events the peace by reconcillation and | understanding was not attatned and. | instead, seven years of measurable | anarchy and conflict continued until | { with the culminating episode of the tubr, Europe arrived on the very edge of the abyss. Moreover, the new | passions excited added to the old ran- cors pretty completely abolished any remaining hope of peace by mutual re- | conciliation and understanding. | Yet curiously enough, with surpris- | ing rapidity, peace was arrived at not | by the process of mutual understand. | ing, but by the recognition on the part | of the several contending nations of their own situation. We are attaining peace, if I may say it, not by mutual understanding, but by universal self- understanding. The bitterest thing in | the life experience of a Frenchman or of a German may well be the realiza- | tion that he must arrange with his traditional enemy. It would be idle to assume that there has been a spiritual | change. But the fact which confronts | every Frenchman and German is that not to arrange is to insure individual | ruin. ; May Be Empty Phase. In my judgment Europe is exactly | at this point. It has percefved not only that it has been on the edge of complete ruin. not merely that it has | lost much, perhaps a great deal which | cannot be recovered, but that If it is | to escape from permanent economic | and financial servitude to America, it it 15 to restore or maintain any con- | siderable portion of its power in Asia and Africa, if it is to avold the com-| plete overthrow of its social and eco- | nomic life, which would be doomed by | any new conflict or by any too long| continuance of existing misery, it must find some basis of co-operation, it must create not alone a European | spirit but a European fact. The idea of a United States of | | Europe may very well he an empty phase. The evolution of European co- | operation may well be, probably will be Ambassador’s Speech Interests Diplomats (Continued from First Page.) [fleet than ours. American financial | prowess is, of course, a matter of the | commonest acknowledgment in Brit lain. When a few months ago the Fed- | eral Reserve Bank of New York con- | tracted with the Bank of England to | issue a_“revolving” gold credit to sta- bilize the British pound sterling, that was classic proof of the almightiness of the American dollar, from the Brit- ish standpoint. One of these days, when the inside history of events can be written, the world may hear how Great Britain, with a little reluctance, assented to the recent Peking conference on Chi- nese customs tariffs. At one time Britain was not very enthusiastic about restoring Chinese tariff au- close powe new Eurc sense of Eur ‘The United S bound hence which quite resents « prosperi from Eur of debts nat { replaced F the world prex which from the days of have been peculiarly areas of European con recognize this fact, to | the old impressions born of « of European paralysi to unpleasant experien: may Solidari Precisely as I a mew era apd ex now to con sense of a F the Europe most An have known. it 1 vital importan: ion and our | clate the re have taken from sure, deliberate! not_Tess position all modern histo posed upon it has never knowr to face the growi Europe resolved ground. Already minor circunistance of disarmament we hav the vigorous negative not most of the European states serve to thems: problem, which our G administration ha with on this side « shall have other a evidences of this n solidarity at no distant time (Copyright. H which es the solu! in London that conference ou delay. clusion. The American Ambassador don i adopting a conslderabl reticent tone on Anglo-American lations than his distinguished Bri ish colleague in Washington f nights ago, in a speech n od in this country as vet, Mr. Houghton expressed himself with characteristic cautfon. He was addressing clusive little London or called the “Knights of the Table.” As quoted in a communi, tion to which this writer has § had access the American envoy said “You will expect me to say a word about Anglo-American relations. 1 find that always difficult, and the difl culty originates not In the fact that there i3 anything to conceal, but in the fact that there is literally noth ing whatever to say. The relations between Britain and nerica much the same possibilities fo erica believed ht to be held wi Britain came to the san ot repor an Anizati n offer toromy. ~For many years China's “maritinfo customs' have been inter- nationally administered under British direction. But Secretary Kellogg last Summer let it be firmly understood dinner discussion the re say, between Sussex and famous English counties) (Covyright. 1925.) ey