Evening Star Newspaper, January 31, 1926, Page 50

2 THE EVENING STAR ith Sunday Morning Editio WASHINGTON, D. G January 31, 1926 i ing forty per cent, which Congress de- |Uberately determines to meet reason- ably the national obligation in this na- tlonallocal project. Will not Congress promptly apply this remedy? Editor THEODORE W. NOYZS. . vening Star Newspaper Company Bustiness Office 2nd St Bullding t.. London, s Office: Tow diice: 14 Regent England. Chi, European ¢ ihe city ‘at 80 1. Syt defivered by carriems within cents per month- dajly onty. h: ‘Sunday only, 20 cents e sont By mail or Jection is made by h month Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Mary'and and Virginia. ..1vr.€000: 1 mo. 1308800 1 mo 1yr.$3.000 1 mo 750 0c All Other States and Canada. 1%, $12.00: 1 mo.. $1.00 TSR 00 1 mol The $4.00: 1moll 33 i« exclusivaly entitiad tion of all news A i hot ntherwisa om fte in oni Y and nlw the loeal v published Al richts of vublication of speciul dispatches herein are also reserved Relations of Nation and Carital. Representative Moore of nelghbor- ing Virginia, whose friendly intent toward the Capital community has Leen many times demons:rated, dis- cussed Wednesday night at the Cham- bher of Commerce dinner, in serious and thoughtful vein, both the fiscal und political relations of the people of the National Capital and the Na- Commenting upon the political re- lation he referred to the discreditable conditions connected with the so- -1 terrirorial form of government of the District in the early seventies of the lust century and suggested op position to a revival in 1926 of the humiliating conditions of half a cen tury ago. He Indicated opposition to eny legislation which would diminish national control through Congress of the National Capital, but suggested assent to voting participation by the District in the National Government which is sought through the consti- tutional amendment now pending. Voting repr ation In both Louses of Congress and the Electoral College the only franchise pro- posal for which the representative citizens’ organizations, with approxi mate unanimity, petition. Their pro- posed constitutional amendment does not even go so far as to give them directly this representation. It pro- poses only to give the power to' grant this representation to Congress in its discretio By this wording of the amendment every reasonable objection to it is swept away. Only through misunderstanding re- sulting in miscoustruing the terms, the purpose and the effect of the pro- posed amendment can a vote against it be justified. Mr. Moore differentiates correctly between the wresting of control of the National Capltal from Congress, rep- resenting the Nation, and the grant of fractional voting representation in that Government on American princi- plcs to the people of the Capital. Of course, the mortifying conditions that developed from the feather-duster Legislature that died in 1874 have no relevancy whatever in discussion of national representation for the Dis- trict in 1026, and very little in consid- ering the question today of greater participation of the community in matters of municipal concern and in the local government. Local self-government trict was not on trial in the so-called Territorial government of half a cen- ‘ury ago. The community elected only the lower house of the Legislature nd a voteles The real power was in the Board of Public Works, appointed, like the gov- ernor and the upper house of the Leg- | islature, by the President of the United State Appointive agents of the United States and not elected representatives of the people of the community made the real record of the “Territoriel gov- ernment,” and that record noted suc- cess, and not failure, in the primary vital purpose of its creation, which was 1o agouse or shock Uncle Sam into full appreciation of his obligation in the upbullding of the National Capital, which he had for 70 years shamefully neglected. The direct result of the “Territorial government” of over 50 years ago was the wise beneficial con- structive legislation of 1874 and 1878, under which the Capital City has been transtormed from & source of national <hame into the cause of national pride. Mr. Moore suggests that on the as- sumption that the lump-sym payment plan of national contribution toward Capital upbuilding will be continued the people of the District should urge flexibiity and equitable liberality in the amount of that lump-sum pay- ment. This advice is sound. The amount of a lumpsum payment, whether tentative and temporary, as at present, or permanent, through amendment of the substantive law, hould be flexible upward as well as downward. Its practical effect as en- forced today is to place a maximum timit on the contribution of the United States and to remove the limit entirely from the contribution of the local tax- payers. Everybody recognizes but nobody corrects the gross intustice of fixing a lump-sum payment {n equitable re- tefion to the current contribution of tocal taxpayers, and then of treating that lump-sum payment as permitting the Nution to escape participation in meeting the expense of extraordinary netional-local projects, even when the substantive law commands such par- ticipation. The law authorizing ex- penditures by the National Capital Park Commission directs that the Na- tion shall thus participate, but, in fact, no appropriation has yet been made which renders available for this pur- nose any money except that collected frem the local taxpayers; though the commiseion can in its discretion spend any part of the money in adjacent Maryland or Virginia The quick, easy way to remedy this plain violation both of equity and substantive law is to increase the basis lump-sum payment for the year by an arbitrary amount, approximat- N The Evening Star, with the Sunday mom- it in the Dis-| delegate, both impotent. | = ———— The Business of Government. Last night was held the tenth regu- lar meeting of the business organiza- tion of the Government of the United States, which was established in its present form 137 years ago. The business meetings, however, began only four and a half years ago, In June, 1921, when the practice was established of assembling the repre- sentatives of the executive branch of the Government in semi-annual ses- slon to consider the question of ex- penditures under the budget system. Last night President Coolidge, ad- dressing the meeting, drew a vivid pic- ture of the changes that have oc- curred in this period of less than half a decade. Taxes have been enor- mously reduced. Federal expenditures have been lessened by $1,919.000,000. The public debt has been lowered by about $4,000,000,000, with an annual saving in Interest of $179,000,000. Economy is still the watchword of the administration, but President Cool- idge urges that the savings should be along the line of constructive econ- omy, the underlying spirit of which is “to secure better education, wider administration of justice, more public order and greater security from con- flagration, ail through a superior or- sanization which will reduce the unit of cost.” Yel the President feels, as he has sald before, that we cannot look for iurther reductions in the cost of the aciual transaction of the business of the Government. This, however, does not mean that the limit of tax re- duction has been reached. He says: Past experience has shown that a reduction ot taxes has been followed by increased prosperiiy. As the vol- {ume ol business increases the Federal revenue increases. If we are moderate In our expenditures the natural in- crease in profits ought within the nex: wew years 1o furnish us again with a surpius revenue, which will permit @ turther iax reduction. It is of interest to note that the President suggests that the ex:ent to which river and harbor improvement: and public puilding may go at pres- ent depends upon the outcome or the pending tax bill. Evidently he hopes ior iarge undertakings in (hese direc- tiois, as he regards them as real con- struc.ve economies. The suggestion 1s aennitely conveyed that if the tax reduction is carried beyond the point luwca.ed by the ireasury curtailment must ve mude in these projected pub- uc works. Gen. Lord, director of the budget, in s speecn 4l st NIENLS meeung nowed a reducuon in expenditures o. nearly $60,000,000 during tne past uscal year. ims sum, “which is so casy to say and so hard to save,” means a saving of $0,000,000 tor every monin, $166,666.67 lor every day, $6,944.44 for every hour, $116.74 ior every mnuie and $1.98% ior every second of the year. ‘Lhis com- puiauon iLusirates strikingiy the character of the business manage- ment of the Government in conirast with the methods prevailing in the past of ioose esumates, jack of reia- tion between expenditures and in- come and a happy-go-iucky conduct of the fisca) affairs of the greatest busi- ness organization in the world. These business meetings are means 10 the end of co-ordinaung all the funcdons of the Government on the piane of efliciency and practical economy. —_——— It is betier, in the opinion of Col. Mitchell’s triends, to go on speaking |out, regardless of expense, rather than {accumulate a collection of inhibitions, jrepressions and the like, which might have grave psychological conse- quences. The Briteh public continues to con- gratulate nself on the fact that the Prince of Wales' statesmanship is more reliable than his horsemanship. If Uncle sam cannot keep entirely away from foreign entanglements he fhay at least keep cool and aseist in unraveling them. American Guardian Association. Eighween thousand American chil- dren in the Pbilippine Islands call for the ald of the American people. These children are the offspring of citizens of this country who bave gone over there at various times in the military service, as pioneers and as settlers, and who, dying or returning to the States, bave left families, often in a distressing state of poverty and dependence. For some years past a movement has been under way in Manila for the care of these children, their training and ed- ucation and suitable placement in self- supporting positions, but through lack of funds the work has only been par- tially done, and as & result many of the children have become public charges or have been held in a virtual state of peonage by foster parents, who have shamefully exploited them. The American Guardian Associa- tion, outgrowth of the work in Manfla | for the care of these children, has been organized in the States for the pur- pose of securing an endowment fund of $2,000,000, the income from which will be used for the care of these young Americans up to the age of 12 years. It is estimated that 400 of them can be annually provided for in this manner, with schooling and in- dustrial training in circumstances to safeguard them from dangers incident to their peculiar situation. An appeal is soon to be made to the people of this country for the funds. This is a “cempaign” that should appeal to every American. These children must remain in the Philip- pines and unless they are rescued from the shametul influences that surround them and saved from the degradation to which they are now exposed they will constitute & growing menace to American prestige in the Islands and will be a reproach to our civilization. These children are under no social ban in the Islands.* They are victims, however, of a peculiar condition which places them at the mercy of exploiters and which breeds crime among them. It is to rescue them from this sad fate that the American Guardian Society proposes to raise a fund which will THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., JANUARY 31, 1926—PART 2. do the work that is so needful more fully than is possible within the nar- Tow means of the American residents in the Islands. The churches have aided generously and effectively in this work in th Islands, but they are limited in means. It is impossible to carry on this benev- olent enterprise without the assist- fance of American dollars. By estab- ‘liahln‘ an endowment fund the prob- lem will be solved. Gen. Leonard Wood, with his full knowledge of Island conditions, seee in lme plight of these children a grave re- proach to our people, appeals to Amer- ica in their behalf and askg the estab- lishment of this fund that will assure a continued, effective guardianship over them. In a short time a meeting will be held in Washington for the purpose of starting the subscription, with meetings in other cities simul- taneously in the course of this nation- wide campaign. While many other ap- peals are made for funds, for educa- tional, religlous and social works in the States, this call in the name of the unfortunate children in the Philip- pine Islands should be heeded prompt- ly and fully. —_——————— Human Error end Train Control. Excessive speed is blamed as the cause of a wreck in the Union Station vards the other night, in which, fortu- nately, no lives were lost. An express train entering the terminal at a high rate of speed “split” a switch and was deralled, the locomotive overturning and gravely injuring the engineer. He will be questioned as soon as his con- dition permits. Only by very good fortune waa this wreck prevented from causing the death and disablement of many peo- vle. By the narrowest of margins a catastrophe was averted. It s, there- fore, the more valuable as a warning. as it has not entailed the sacrifice of lite. in demonstrating the need of some mechanical means of preventing dan- gerous speed In entering a crowded, complex terminal. Every train entering the Washing- ton terminal stops. Engineers are, of course, fully aware of that fact, and are supposed to govern their speeds ac- cordingly. They are required by the riles to come into the station under control, taking no chances with switches and rigidly observing all aig- nals, which within the limits of the vard call for slow speeds in all cases. Yet in the face of these rules and these condltions, & train was run into the yard at such a high speed that it split & switch and was derailed. Again the element of human error, against which there is only one sure safe- guard, and that is a mechanical con- trol which will be always operative to check speeds, and, in case of an ad- verse signal, to bring the train to a halt automatically. A train-control system is more need- ful in the terminal than on the open line. Its need is definitely demon- strated by this case of a veteran engi- neer disregarding signals and the standard rules of terminal train con- trol. Whatever his explanation may be, the case stands as proved that there will be no safety in rallroad op- eration as long as the element of hu- man error continues possible. ——————————— Two women will be sent to the peni- tentiary for robbing a bank in Bouth Dakota. The old idea that there were some lines of work too rough for fem- inine capacities has entirely disap- peared. —————— His frankly expressed opinion that peace is best protected when a nation is well armed illustrates Mussolini’s bold independence as a politician or else that the pacifist vote in Italy is not worth considering. ——— In addition to the task of looking after thousands of persons, the city officials are liable to feel it necessary at times to look out for one another. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Variability. My Patriotism austere Nobody, I'm sure, can deny. Yet when Washington’s Birthday draws near, 1 long for the Fourth of July. The climate is always severe. And so, on the Fourth of July ‘When the Summer thermom. has gone queer, For Washington’s Birthday I'll sigh! No Dissembler. “What did you mean by intimating that George Washington sometimes used harsh language?” “After all,” rejoined Senator Sor- ghum, “George was human like the rest of us. “Of course.” “Well, considering the conditions he had to face if he hadn't used harsh language sometimes he would have been a terrible hypocrite.” Jud Tunkins says he can’t believe any motion picture star is as good artistically or as bad personally as his press agent pretends. The Hanker for Hokum. There's many a man who can’t make out What able statesmen talk about ‘When they the future would forecast To keep us safe unto the last. And many & man who thus disdains The services of patient brains A fortune teller oft bas heard, ‘With confidence in every word! Nothing Nocturnal. “Any moonshine liquor around here?” “Not & bit,” answered Uncle Bill Bottletop. “The manufacturers work by daylight only, and the help has got to be s0 haughty we couldn’t afford to pay for overtime.” Inevitable Conflict. Through the most peaceful enterprise Some strife may come across. For, still the question must arise; “Who's going to be the boss?" “1 knows & man,” sald Uncle Eben, “dat has read de Bible through six times, and he ain't able yet to behave hisself like he knowed de Ten Com- mandments by heart,” EVERYDAY RELIGION BY THE RIGHT REV. JAMES E. FREEMAN, D. D,, LL. D., Bishop of A FAR VISION. St. Mark, ziii.10: “The Gospel must first be published among all nations.” The vision of Christ was inclusive of all ages and of all nations. Passing or superficial conditions did not affect His outlook. The men about Him Jjudged conditions by their observation of things local and immediate. They saw life partially. He saw it In its fullest and highest development. He had just emerged from the great tem- ple in Jerusalem, when one of His dis- ciples. impressed with its magnitude and seeming permgnence, said to him, ‘‘Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here.” To the mind of the disciple the stately buildings suggested the strength and endurance of things material. Quickly Jesus responded, “Seest thou these great bulldings? There shgll not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” With this ob- servation He talked more intimately with His dlisciples concerning that which was in His mind. Solemnly He forecast the tragic events of the com- ing years, nnd with penetrative .vision He told them that the Gospel of the Kingdom should ultimately reach to the remotest boundaries of the world. Clearly and definitely He stated the difficulties that would be experienced in the proclamation of His mighty teachings. - Disregarding all obstacles and seemingly insuperable difficulties, He maintained that the high purpose of His missiori should ultimately be accompl . *ox % x Centuries have come and gone since Jesus walked this earth, but, steadily and ever advancing, His personality and teachings have come to lay hold of the hearts of men. This has been more evident when the world has been passing through some grave crisis, We recall that an officer who had been wounded at Messines Ridge said to us, “We do not find any agnosticism or atheism In the trenches; men are con- sclous, as they have never been before, of a divine presence.” In spite of evidences to the contrary and in spite of all the contradictions disclosed in Jum ’hm age. the regnancy of Jesus is ming more certain. The repeated breaking down of human systems and agencies har driven men pertorce to Him, “Who spake as never man spake.” It is quite obvious that for generations past the Gospel has been re as a theme that was solely reiated to the thinge of the future. Its mighty promises would have their fulfiliment when the things of time and nenl: are no more. « Today we are coming to understand how vitally related the teachings of Jesus are to the things of the present. More and more we are coming to see BY FREDERIC 1. HASKIN. ‘With the growing popularity of the radio there arises the question as to just what progress has been made in its development during the past year. Lieut. Comdr. T. A. M. Craven, U. N., states that the Navy Department rates 2s the three outstanding fea-| tures in radio development during 1925, first, the fourth national radio conference, which was called by Sec- retary Hoover; second, short-wave communication, and. ‘hlll‘.:l; on wave propagation. ‘hmb all of ':hl& developments have been coming along gradually h‘l past years, in 1925 they became of such fmporiance as to merit universa ronsideration. It is impossible at this time to estimate their effect upon the a new radlo industry, or upon the economic | structure of the country. However, it is safe to venture that this effect will be very generally felt through a gradual ana logical reduction in the price of radio sets and in the cheaper and more general use of radio in busi- ness. The Fourth Conference. fourth national radio confer En’ge"‘de but minor changes in the 1924 recommendations as to the allo cation of wave lengths or frequencies. This fact is believed to be an indica- tion that the radio industry has taken great steps toward stabilization and standardization. Radio engineers say that this is the first Ume that radical changes along this line have rot been noted from one year to the next. The stabilization in wave length allocation makes it possible to stand- ardize receivers. It is said that al- ready several of the large manufac- turers of radio apparatus are getting together with a view to standardizing their products. This will surely meet with the hearty approval of the gen- eral public since it will mean cheaper radio receiving sets. It also indicates that the radio industry has come to stay and thus means steady employ- many. LT A et 1o shorwave communication during 1925 is of great importance and further makes for economy in this industry. For years radio amateurs have been experiment- ing with these waves, and short waves were used by the military and naval forces in the World War. The intro- duction of vacuum tubes materially alded the progress in this form of communication. Not until 1925, how- ever, had it been generally realized throughout the world that short waves or high radio frequencies have wonder- tul commercial possibilities. Transoceanic Radio. It is now known that radio com- munications at long distances can be maintained with low power. Radio experts say that short waves must be used for transoceanic radio communi- catlons—at least as adjuncts of the present high-power system. “In spite of the fact, however, that all indicattons point to the early de- velopment of short-wave apparatus capable of maintaining reliable radio communications at long distances for at least 20 hours out of each day, says Comdr. Craven, ‘“one cannot s{ely predict ‘that high-power long- wave radio stations will be discarded lete.” "Bour?..ho national and lnmrmtlo:nl tc‘:l- ration will necessary to the acess ot the superdistance short- wave communication. Every radio fan has encountered the difficulties of interference. Who has not had the experience of tuning in on one station that he has two? To say isconcert- section of the country contending more or less successfully with some- one singing an operatic aria in another. Short-Wave Radio. It is a fact that short-wave radio has a commercial value in the United States. The low cost of short-wave radio apparatus will warrant the use of such a by many business concerns which have heretofore used the telegraph or telephone because There are a num- ra- a:m‘ the radio for quick communica- n. Radio communication has one great advantage in particular over the tele- phone or telegraph. It is said that is use by el alone tions of the country. Radio communi- cation to such places would greatly speed up the repairs and shorten the .| scientific contribution than a concrete Washington. that the high purpose of the Master was to build a briguter «nd niore cer- tain future upon a happier and more satistactory present. In fine, a better world now and here means a better and more abundant life hereafter. We have accented too much the other worldly side of His program; hence our failure to reach man with a vision of the practical value of His teach- ings as they apnly to present condi- tions. We have reached a stuge to. day wherein the whole philogophy of life 18 undergoing exacting c:iticiem. The value of creeds and the whole religious system are subject to as close scrutiny as are the political, so- clal and economic systems. To disso- clate our religious convictions und be- liefs from what we call “practical concerns” is to render them futlle and useless. The teschings of the Gospel must bear upon every phase of life. They are as applicable to the market place and driwing 1oom as they are to the concerns of the «hurch itself. If our profession of alleglance to Christ 18 expressed solely in terms of worship, it is wholly. inadequate and out of consonance, with His word Jesus once spoke of those who wrup ned their talent in a napkin that it might be preserved from contact wiih the things of the worll. This Ile invelghed against, declaring it the only value of the *alent was in its rse and serviceability. There is A form of patriotism and of loyalty to flag and country that {8 cheap and mean 1t is lovalty for &:lfisn ends, loyalty for self-mecurity. Ther: is a ¥ind of lovalty to Christ that is designed for Iike purposes. It is an effort to sat isfy the deeper yearnings and aspira- tions and to feel reasonahle assurunce of future happiness. R If the Gospel is to be published among all nations, it will be pub lished through lives that have ab- sorbed its principles and that re- produce them in a world of every-| day living. One life that gives unfail- ‘ng allegiance to the hizh claims of Christ is of more worth In furthering the interests of His kinzdom thar scores of other lives that simply pay homage to His person, but give no demonstration throuch daily habit and practice of the design and pur- pome of His Gospel to the world. O creeds will prove valuahe only as they are interpreted through lives that are obed'ent to their c'alms. 1€ a zospel that is desizned to lift the whole level of life and to render it happler and more satisfactory I8 to be effectually published. all wur eys tems must be permested throuch and through with the spirit of Him whe eave the Gospel to mankind and ou- who'e 1ife witness ‘o fis power and practicability | (Conyright. 1026.) | shut-downs of power supply to fac- | tortes. | Comdr. Craven says that the third cutstanding development is more a invention or design of apparatus. Comdr. A. Hoyt Taylor, United States Naval Reserve Force, and Dr. E. O. Hulbert, physicists of the United States Naval Research Laboratory, Bellevue, D. C., have for some time been making studies of the applica- tion of short waves for naval use. During their research work they roted certain phenomena from which they evolved a theory as to why short | waves should carry so far with such small power. Important to Scientists. | In co.operation with the Natlonai | Research Council they measured the | | height "of the so-called “heaviside | {1ayer” above the earth's surface and found it to be more than 150 miles high. This confirmed their belief that | waves are refracted from this layer and that the “sky component” of a wave is not lost in space, but comes | down to earth and performs useful service. While this new theory will mean | much to scientists, it will not have any different effect on the man In the | street, and he will therefore perhaps not be particularly interested. It is sald, however, that this theory will { probably put an end to the hope of communication with Mars. And one does not need to be a scientist to be interested in that. Quartz Crystals. Comdr. Craven further says that there have perhaps been other de- velopments in radio which others might consider as more outstanding than the ones he has mentioned. Probably the foremost of these in the interest of the general fan is the use of quartz crystals in radio sets. These crystals give a clearer transmission and are a great aid in preventing in- terference. rlowever, they are very diffictlt to grind and experiments are now going on to ascertain the best method of grinding them so that their uge may become more practicable. There has also been considerable progress made In the development of the single-control receivers. This is a great help to the amateur in tun- ing in. Instead of having several knobs to tinker with, he has only one. He therefore does not have the feeling that as soon as 8.e knob is in the right position one of the others is going off. The pcpularity of the radlo as a means of entertalnment {s unques- ticned. It now appears to be entering upon an era of new and more serious use—one which will place it on the |same plane of importance in the in- dustrial world as the telegraph and telephone. Noted Left-Handers. From the Toledo Blade. Left-handea persons ought to be pleased to learn that a delver in obscure matters of history gives them reason to take on airs of superiority. Some of the facts brought out are that Alexander the Great used his sword with the left hand; that Charlemagne, the patron of scholars, used his pen after the way of left- handed persons if, as seems to be doubtful, he did any writing at all. The leading Pharaohs were left-hand- ed and so were the greater Caesars. It is in the chronicles that in the sidered to be the darling of the gods and high office was pushed upon him. It is not so long ago that one of these educationalists who measure everything by yardsticks they them- selves whittle out laid it down that left-handed puplis fall below the av- erage level of school efficiency. There is a current story that Frank Munsey once discharged a man without know- ing anything of the employe's capa- bilittes simply because he was seen to use his left hand. Theee are mere examples of the working of the stand- ardizing minds. ‘The left-handed have had to suffer under instructors who resorted to coercion to change a physical habit. They have been jeered at probably everywhere except at base ball parks. They have had to adapt themselves to a right-handed environment. It is 1o their credit that they have noi Let them make the most now of the recently unearthed history. Anything antique is fashionable, ) | sense of duty For more than half a century the National House of Representatives has had as one ¢f the most important aids in the prompt and orderly trans- action of business a “hole in the wall” about which visitors to the Capitol are very seldom told. Over the stairs, just opposite the of- fice of the House leader In the Speak- er’s lobby, is a window about a foot and a half in diameter. This is the “hole in the wall,” and behind it 18 a small room, less than 8 by 12 feet in size, with entrance through a narrow door from the House chamber. This little alcove room is lined double thick from floor to celling with books of ready reference which the members ol the House may want to refer to dur- ing debate un the floor. For more than 20 vears George Sa- bine was tne presiding “human en- cyclopedia of ready congressional ref- erence” in this cubbyhole; since then three have wckled tne Job—one dieu, another coutd not stand the pace. The present surviving incumbent, who is iibrarian for the House, is Harry . Hawes, who has been on the job a lit- tle more than a year, and who is giv- ing excellent service. He is a book lover, ana 1s specializing on the in tricate and unique job to which he suc- ceeded after making an index of the Journal and keeping a history of vills for the House Journal. Before coming to help Congress he was Becretary o1 the sena.e in Miaine. The real library of the House is in the lower corridor of the House Office Buflding, but during debate in the House chamber members trequently want to know all sorts of things ana to get autnoritative references—then they call on Librarfan Hawes. “this pigeonhole library contains all he records from the first Congress— nd in the earlier days these were .ompiled by private parties, and were 4nown as annuals, debates and the Globe, It contains also all the laws ‘omi (he hrs. Lungress (o the presen. _ime, all letters and messages of the Presidents, all document indexes and Congressional Directories, besides law Works, encyclopeams, works on the “onstitution and a few miscellaneous works. O1d records for the most part supply he information that members of the House are seeking In a hurry for w .n_ debate The calls are widely varjed. For example, on one day here was an Inquiry as to where Lin- coln boarded while he was in Con- zress, the search disclosing that it vas a house on the grounds now oc ‘upled in part by the Library of Con- zress. A few minutes later Mr iawes was asked to look up an amend ment offered by Garfield in the Thirty-ninth Congress, following the Civil” War,, bearing on the publicity of tax returns; and then, right on toj of that, came a call for complete in ormation on when the House switche. away from the custom of making ap propriations for specific projects and wopted lump-sum appropriations for rivers and harbors improvement to be expended in the discretion of the Secretary of War. Of course, such in quiries necessitate work for several days each to prepare adequate re plies. Back in the early days the records were often indefinite and the ndexing poor, so the desired infor mation is often very hard to dig out This ready reference “thumb-nail 1 is on the Democratic side It is on the opposite side of the House shamber from the Republican sents Not infrequently during debate botk Republicans and Democrats are seek ng information on the same subject and each side is careful not to tip the rival parties off to what they want This causes trouble and delays. The Republican membership is now sonsidering vlans for putting in : new ready reference library on it own side of the House chamber, anc thus provide adequate facilities for bat: Republicans and Democrats. This believed to be a progressive step tc facilitate consideration of legislation *oxox x “Miss Alice” Robertson, formerly member of Congress from Oklahoma and now & member of the House press gallery, 1s a prime mover to make easier the lot of other women who are ow in Congress or may later comc hore. Oftentimes ‘““Miss Alice” was physically fatigued, but forced by a to sit in the House chamber awaiting action on some measure. Both Republican and Dem- ocratic members have lounging rooms to which they can retire and lie down | for a half hour or so, with a page on guard to awaken them when their presence is needed on the floor. The lady member had no such restroom and she felt more reluctance to falling asleep in her chair in the House, ob- served from the gallery, than most male members do. Vow there are three woman mem- bers of the House, and more sald to be coming. William Tyler Page, clerk of the iiouse. has hearkened svmpa- thetically to “Miss Alice's” plea for restrooms for woman members, and Speaker Longworth, who is chairman f the commission that nrovides quar- ters for all House members and House activities, has sald he belleves it would be a good idea. So future generations of congresswomen are likely to rise up and call “Miss Alice” blessed. *x % = The linotvpe machine that was used at Gen. Pershing’s headquar- ters in France to set type for the most confidential communications of the general staff of the American Army now occuples a place of honor in the world's greatest battery of lino- type machines in the Government Printing Office. The Pershing ma- chine is a model No. § linotype of American manufacture, but was orig- inallv equinped with a French key- board and designed to cast slugs lower than the American height. The machines were provided with gascline heaters to melt the type met- al, but this equipment was 80 danger- ous on account of frequent explosions, from which the operators had several narrow escapes, that electric heaters were secured from the United States. When Gen. Pershing decided to es- tablish a printing plant at his head- quarters in Chaumont he detailed Maj. W. W. Kirby to procure the necessary equipment in France. Maj. Kirby ‘ocated twn linotvpe machines in a small French printing office, and, de- spite the protest of the French Mill- tary Commission, transported them by canal and truck to Gen. Pershing's ‘headquarters. When Gen. Pershing gave up his headquarters &t Chaumont the lino- type machines were placed on motor trucks and became part of a fuily equipped printing train operated by the 29th Engineers. This train ac- companied the commanding general of the American Army throughout the war in France. The printing train of trucks was frequently close to the battle front, and several times sub- jected to heavy shell fire by the Ger- mans. Nevertheless, at all times and ‘nder all conditions the mobile print- ing plant continued to issue dafly the nublications which were so essentlal to the _information of Pershing's staff. After the armistice the war print- ing plant was dismantled and ship- ned to Camp Humphreys, Va., from which place the Pershing machine was finally transferred to the Gov- ernment Printing Office. Although the war machine has been completely reconditioned and now looks much like the 144 other lino- types with which it keeps pace in setting type for prosaic Government documents, it seems to have a more distinguished individuality than all the other machines. Employes hold it in special veneration, and cvery visitor does homage to the historic machine whose types had recorded war secrets of vital importance and had o faith- fully done their bit to help win the | Capital Sidelights |Labor Depends on Steady Prices For Continuity of Prosperity BY IRVING FISHER, Professor of Economics. Yalo University. Wiluam Green 1s right. As president of the American Federation of Lanor, sir. Green deciares that there 18 “no more reveaung index to financial trends than economic facts of wage carners measuring primary conditions in their lives.” The basic fact in the wage earner s lite coucerns his job, whether he i3 on the job or off it. This articie is to show that whatever innu- <nces the price level to steady it makes employment steady and 80 heips every- bod: y. By constructing index curves it is ‘ound that wage earners are more fre- Guentty off the job after the index number of prices has failen. That 18 the case in Engiand today. Arter prices rise anemployment decreases— .or a time. When prices neither rise aor fall employment remains ateady. Inflation—that {8, & rising price level —acts as a symulus to trade, but this does not lust. A falling price level Jepresses trade. So, as prices go up .rade increases and jobs muitiply, while with downward prices orders ral, Jff as buyers wait for the market to ‘touch bottom.” Mills and factories shut down. Jobs cease. Feels Rise Quickly. The laborer, in fact, feeis the conse- quences when the dollar goes up much more rapidly than the employer. When producers get higher prices they do not at first have to pay corre- ;pondingly higher wages and salaries. Nor does their rent go up, nor do their nterest rates rise, and they still get heir raw materials cheaper. All these tems of cost, including salaries and vages, are laggards when ‘prices soar. his s inevitable, because the lag ts ixed by contracts and understandings. Jn an upturn of the market total re- >eipts of employers come in fast, while heir total expenses rise more slowly. Thereby the wage earner is hurt. But when prices fall the profit taker 8 hurt first. He decides to restrict his Jsing business. Then both employers «nd men go off the job. ‘These results huve been noted be- ore, but it has been only when busi- | 1ese had been a long time on the up- grade or long on the downgrade. Some of the best forecasting agenrisg orais- ted the price level curve altogether during the war period, when the price level factor could have been used t explain most fully the fluctuations in business and employment. Effects Lag Behind. This was because the forecasters failed to note the rate at which the price level changed. The curve of the price lovel itsalf did not alternate. Bur the rate at which it changed did alter nate, and in much the same way u: the change in business. From recent studies of the effects of price changes on business it i8 ol served that these are not felt all « once. They lag behind the specifl. price change by several months, only 4 per cent of a spurt upward belni feit within a month; 6 per cent of a spurt the mecond month, and 7 per cent in each of the third, fourth and fifth months: thereafter, with less ef- fects each succeeding month for sev- eral years. These biend with the ef- fects, from time to time, of other price spurts. Allowing for this “distribution lag,” the curves of the downs and ups of trade, the downs and ups of em- ployment and the ups and downs of dollars correspond strikingly. It would follow, therefore, that any means which would steady the price level would steady employment, too. One remedy is to stabilize the dollar. This may be done by two methods. One of these I have long advocated with other economists—that of oon- structing a “goods dollar,” worth, at the outset, a goid dollar of the pres- ent weight and corrected at intervals by an index number recording the market price of his “good dollar” in terms of a good bullion dollar. Or, with the surplus gold reserve now avalilable, bank credits may be regulated, as urged by the Genoa In- ternational Economic Conference and as practiced virtually for several years by the Federal Reserve Bystem. If un stable employment follows unstable prices these, in turn, follow unstablo ;‘nlo;:' and bunklr;g. To stabilize em oyment we need to stabill; 3 and banking. resEmon (Copyright. 1926.) This and That By Charle: E. Tracewell. Everywhere there is a brick out of Nace. | Riding down to the office in the! morning is a good time to observe the | untversal decrepitude that creeps over big city. Day by day, so slowly that no one lirectly concerned notices it, small lisplacements take place in brick and ther work. There a tile of the roof sags—and 70 one straightens it. Here we see a gate hanging awry n a front yard—and no one bothers o straighten it up again. Front yards that once held plenty of grass now are nothing more than paces of bare dirt. Gravitation and its sister force, in- ‘rtia, have gotten in their deadly work Jn every street, and in almost every ard, and on every house. It would seem as if a whole city 1ad succumbed to that disease of chi.d. ood—growing tired of a certain play- hing. At first the child cannot give the uppy its food often enough. Super- care is taken of the pet. After a time, owever, the noveity wears off, and if -he dog gets even one meal a day it is mother who sees to it. o oxox So, In a city, one sees on all sides ittle odds and ends of structural and sther “distemper,” as if the owners ad grown weary of caring for their ets. How easy it would be for every one -0 correct the faults that directly con- ern his own property! It would not take very much money .f each shingle were replaced as it fell, or if each sagging brick were put back .n place, “Here a little, there a little, line on Ine——" this biblical injunction fits he case to a T. The annual Spring “clean up, paint up” campaign is z00d as far as it goes, but it does not go far enough. Such a campaign should be but part of a day-by-day care of and for prop- erty. The human tendency to allow matters to drag along ought to be ruthlessly stamped out. But how? There is the rub. Beautiful Washington always ought to be kept spick and span, but you wiil find cracks in Uncle Sam’s walls, too, so how can we too much blame the .ndividual? ‘fha point s that we cannot, we do not. We just hope. * x % X These thoughts allow us to indulge in one of our favorite occupations— dividing mankind into the sheep and the goats. It {s & universal occupation, begun thousands of years ago. According to this game, men are divided up into two classes on any given subject— those who d» as we think they ought and those who do not do as we deem correct. One need not follow the subject into its varfous ramifications to realize its application in the case in hand. Men may roughly be divided, then, into those who “keep up” thelr prop- ertv and those who do not. Those In the latter class are likely to brand those in the former as “fin- icky,” or use lesser names without -he law of polite usage. It makes little difference. The point is that It is t0o much to expect every one to be scrupulous in this respect. There will always be those who allow the children to roller skate on the hardwood floors. It does make an interesting game, though, looking for obvious faults that might be corrected as easy as not. See how many you can pick out, the next time you come downtown, and send me a list. The best list wins my personal copy of “Idiot Man.” World War. Coples of the confidential publications of the Pershing printing plant have been preserved in the Army War College for further use by the general staff school. Some day a bronze plate recording its war record will be placed on the Pershing ma- chine, so that its distinguished mili- tary service may never be forgotten. The Government Printing Office also has an Intertype machine which rendered good service at the navy yard guring the war; this machine also has been rehabilitated to continue valuable service as a pesceful citizen in setting type for patent specifica- tions. * X K ¥ The United States set & new record in use of postal cards last year. Pub- lic Printer George H. Carter reportr that in the fiscal year 1,595,376,890 cards were printed and distributed, which exceeds the 1924 output by 342,303,710. The Post Office Depart- ment estimates that it will use 1,791, 299,000 postal cards during the next fiscal year. This increase is due largely to & provisign in the new pos- tal revenue law which requires a twocent stamp on a private mailing card, but continues the one-.cent rate for the card furnished by the Gov- ernment. Fifty Years Ago In The Star On the eve of & woman suffrage meeting in this city 50 years ago The Star, which followed thi= move- ment with close interest then as in later years, in its Woman Suffrage Izs;u(lsrlnsl Jl:\n.ry 0 A ., sald: S&}‘Z’?‘r}l 801 o e e s 0 chan the Party, which includes most of the early ploneers in the movement, will assemble In convention In Washing- ton this week for the purpose of reit- erating thelr demand for political equality. The fact that there is a di- vision In their ranks does not add at- tractiveness to the ros:-colored pic- tures they draw of that blissful mil lennium when women are to have the ballot and a part in the enactment of laws. There can be no doubt that, while the almost ceaseless agitation of the suffrage question has failed to en- franchise women, it has led to a gen- eral and careful consideration of their condition In a social and legal point of view, and has been the means of bringing about much-needed reforms. Encouraged by a modification of pub- lic sentiment, women have of late years broken down the barrlers of o quarter of a century ago and entered U o u<ul n one ‘he less honorable because they were formerly controlled by the so-called ‘sterner sex.' Popular opinfon has at length sanctioned the enactment of more liberal laws, and the extension to them of the best fa- cilities for obtaining a superior educa- tion, and now to learn that a young woman has graduated as a lawyer or a physician excites neither disgust mor surprise. The advocates of woman suffrage have also accomplished much n the direction of the ballot. In at east one territory suffrage for both #Xes seems to be an assured success <he great State of Massachusetts has /arrowly escaped capture by the wom- en on several occaslons, and had they succeeded there can be but little doubt that the example of that State would have soon been followed by others.” « * Fifty vears ago there was a hard coal conference in New York, but not between miners and operators. It re- sulted not In the resumption of min ing, but in a brief Aifll‘d Coal rloppage of produc 5 on; not inan increase €etilg. of price to the consum er, but a reduction: The tale ls told ll&r:hieszrz:r!«;;.!:nmryhzs, 1876, in an prin To! o Ieptiated frmthe Philadelphia “We are happy to say that the an- thracite coal trade now wears a more auspiclous look than was generally boped for at any time within a month past. The meeting of the associated carrying and producing companies at New York to adjust plans of opera tion in the trade the current year is harmonious throughout, giving evi- dence of generous confidence among the several parties and a falthful ad- herence during the vear to the terms agreed upon. The first thing done at that meeting was a resolution to stop coal production in all the regions for five weeks from February 7 to March 11. This 18 the most universal stop. page for an announced fixed period ever known in the coal trade wsui must have the effect of reducine tpe stock of coal on hand to a low pamt. As an evidence of the good fann ot the assoclated companies to comwin- ers, that they do not mean to sharan the supply of coal in order to advss co its price, they at the same time re- solved on a very decided reduction in present prices of all sizes of coal &s follows: Forty cents per ton on lump 50 cents on steamer, 50 cents on brok &0, 70 cents on egg, 60 cents on stove and 25 cents on chestnut. This de crease is on the scheduled prices December and January and will ! conformed to by all companies und: the usual scale of adjustment.” * * % Fifty years ago Washington wu infested with a gang of confidencs men who preyed upon strangers and upon Congressmen and upon even ! N Ben. Perley Poore crg with tales 3 of hardship and Loses Five Bucks. 7/ jnrdshin and of all sorts. In The Star Janoary 29 1876, is this item: “The gang of confidence men recent- ly e In ‘working' Congressmen for contributions to enabl> the to reach their homes in distant States did not fafl to call upon the veteran Joker and correspondent, Maj. Ben: Perley Poore. When one of the cessitous young men told him that he was the nephew of an old editorial ‘riend “(‘1‘: h'{s (Maj P.'s) and that he was without money to pay his e back to Massachusetts, the '-Imk deep Into the major's benevolent heart and two minutes later his pocketbook was minus a greenback of a denomina- ‘fon of $5. This s one instance where bread cast upon the waters will not return after many days. The major ought to have had the satisfaction of trundling the fellow in & wheelbarrow o the workhou!eb. where the precious gang was sent by Judge Snell s terday.” o