Evening Star Newspaper, April 4, 1926, Page 37

g, S EDITORIAL SECTION [ EDITORIAL PAGE hg %uuaag %i&f ‘ NATIONAL PROBLENS SPECIAL FEATURES 1926 WASHINGTON, Blow to League of Nations’ Prestige, Part 2—12 Pages D. C, SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL 4, LIBERAL RETIREMENT BILL ANDREWS OPENS SECOND BIG CONGRESS PROBLEM Coolidge’s Attitude, Conflicting Demands, Cost and Other Factors Badl Muddle Legislators. BY WILL P. KENNEDY. D BE or not to be"”—that is the question. whether a . Mberalizing civil service ra- tivement measure will be passed by Congress before the present session adjourns, six or seven weeks hence. The Senate and House committees are ready to report out bills within the mext three days, just as soon as the reports can be prepared by the respective chairmen. The question is—a question that directly affects 428,000 individuals—whether the ad- ministration and the party leaders will let the measure come up for consideration in time to get action upon it. There are two lines of thought about this, and, naturally, the ov- ernment employes and their friends extremely anxious, Anti-admin istration spokesmen in the re iterated pronouncement authorized personally by President Coolidge that he favors retirement le tion but wants a caveful study the cost —an_inclination on the part « the Chief Executive to “stand well in the open with the Government workers, but on the quiet to pass the word along to Congress either to procrastinate or to find the cost ex: ive. Acted Independently Before. President, it that he has not hesitated before now to act inde- pendently, whether the Government workers might like, or might dis- like, what he said -notably in the case of his veto of the postal em ployes’ salary bill after it had passed hoth houses of Congress, and this only five months before election d: Also, in fairness to Congress it may he commented that, having had the huck passed before now, perhaps party leaders are not very enthusi- astic about shouldering the blame again, and will force a fair “show- down.” The other line of thought is that the President and Republican lead ers in Congress have been fed up on alleged high cost of the proposed Jiberalized retirement bill by inter- ested parties who seek to defer action until they can get through such a measure as will better suit their own selfish purposes. Those who lean to this opinion feel that the President and Republican leaders in Congres: are honest in their statements t they will help put through a ment bill if it can be shown the costs are not prohibitive. other words, that they are really waiting, with open minds and in a sympathetic spirit, for the truth to he told about the cost of the proposed retirement measure. Time Nears for Action: Benator an of the Senate subcommititee, and Representa- tive Frederick R. Lehlbach of New Jersey, chairman of the House com- mittee, are now nearing the day when they can go to the White House, to the Director of the Budget and to the party leaders in both and disabuse the sible for the as to the ix| In fairness to must be recalled the that In Stanfield, chairy administra; alleged ex What the outcome will be is still highly problematical. One thing is sure, however; there will be a show- down as to where responsibility les for expediting or for blocking action ut this session. Here are some authoritative and pertinent facts The House committee has ordered a favorable report on the bill and Chairman Lehlbach expects to com- Plete the report tomorrow. The Senate subcommittee meets to- morrow to consider the bill The report of the aries on costs, which is now before the House and Senate committees, is in favor of the higher-paid Government work ers rather than the low-salaried em- ployes. The bill suggested by the actuaries largely exceeds in cost to the Gov- ernment any bill that the committee will report. g The estimate of cost will not tend very substantially to medify the pro- visions of the hill to be reported from the provisions recently given consideration by the committee, The actuaries’ report will not have very much effect on the form of the 1ill the committee will report. Leaders Are Doubtful. House Leader Tilson was at the White House early in the week and Speaker Longworth there on Thurs- program ve cost. question will bring the bill for passage in the House. The House civil sel intends to report a bill in a day or two, and will fully discuss in its report accompanying the bill the various figures, tables and estimates suomitted by the actuaries, particu- larly with relation of such total and ultimate cost estimates to the pres- ent situation. The actuaries’ up ce committee report contains a character, dealing in very large amounts,” viewing the subject different’ angles, and having no nec essary relation to the cost of retire- ment, efther at present, in the im mediate future, or at any given time |in the future. These figures will he | considered and dealt with, and thei | #pplication to the present problem | discussed in the forthcoming report { of the committee, The actnaries in their report make 1 valuation of the cost of the re tirement system as it exists and upon various proposed plans that were submitted to them some time ago, but none of which are in exactly the | form the committee is apt to report in its bill. They at least serve the purpose of making approximations. McCoy’s Comment Enigma. The House committee on the civil service, at an informal meeting Thursday, had before it Joseph S. MeCoy, Government actuary, and one of the Board of Actuaries, on the civil service retirement and disabil- ity fund. Mr. McCoy was asked about the tables which purport to he assets'and labilities of the civil serv- ice retirement fund as of June 30, 1925. This table shows the liabilities of the fund $626,492,326, and that the fund in hand and contributions to be received from employes amounts to $264,601,173, leaving to be appropriat- ed -eventually by the Government $361,891,463. Mr. McCoy said that was a valua- tion of the fund without any time limit as a continuing proposition. The same sort of a valuation on a basis of a minimum retirement age of 60 would make the total of liabilities $1.012,779.871. But just what M. McCoy meant is still an enigma to the committee. They think he meant that taking the present pay roll of 388,000 persons, and seeing the whole proposition through till they had re- | tired under the present law, would | cost the Government $361,891,463. But if the actuaries’ figuring is so intricate and problematical that the committee cannot digest and under- stand it, how will the rank and file of Congress make accurate conclu-| sions, and how will the Government | clerk who is to receive a small a nuity after maybe two score years of service make heads or tails of it? There seems to be some justification for the susplcion that the actuaries’ report has been purposely made in- tricate and confusing and has put the costs unfairly high. Actuaries Offered Own Bill. The actuaries disapproved the bills proposed and suggested one of their own. While the civil service com- mittee and Congress must glve full faith and credit to those figures as | an actuarial estimate, vet when it | comes to the question of what a re- | tirement bill should provide, and who should benefit, the committee feels it 1s a matter on which the actuaries have no more sacrosanct conviction than the committee itself. ! The actuaries’ criticisms of the proposed bill apply substantially to any modification of the exlsting plan the committee would report. The | first critielsm 1s that those whose salary is more than $1,200 pay a rger proportionate share towards thelr retirement annuity than those whose salary s $1,200 or less. They | insist that this Is an_ unfair discrim- ination and that it does not benefit the lower-salaried employes. The answer to that is that the Government in the case of those who pay a larger proportionate share will have to contribute a smaller share towards the annuity. The principle underlying this is that the Govern- ment should be called upon to assist in their old age only those who need it. The actuaries seem to con- sider that the Government is engaged in the business of selling annuities at less than cost, and that ali em- ploves should profit equally from the conduct of this business. How Plan Would Work. The bill the actuaries propose pro- vides for the following method of day, and came away from their conference with the President on the legislative program doubtful in their rinds as to whether the retirement LU would be Included in the party program The President is to be considered us tentatlvely for the liberalized re- tirement bill, but if he finds it too expensive for adoption at this time he reserves the right to call it off. It may be that his present adylces have led him to believe that it is going to be too costly. Chairman Madden of the House appropriations , committee is making # careful check-up to see just what the effect of a liberalized retirement act would have on the Feder: ury, which report he will submit to the House leaders. Mr. Madden’s attitude is that Con- cress should not be stampeded ‘into Jation. until it knows the effect on the Treasury. MHe considers him- self, as chalrman of the appropria- tions committee, on guard for Con: gress as custodians of the funds of tha American people, a trustee for ther, so that legislation may not be iust to meet political exigencies of the hour, but may he a continuous performance based on all the facts, on the real merit of each question, and the effect it will have on the general prosperity of the country. Tie is jealously guarding against fixed charges on the Treasu estate. The leaders fn Congress have heen filled up on “inordinate cost” of the proposed measure, and are appre- hensive that the continuing bill against the Treasury will be too high. Lower Cost Foreseen. Chafrman Lehlbach of the House committee has purposely kept away from the House leaders until he could lay down the cold facts and figur e hopes now to go to them with a proposition that will disarm them, and show them that the liberalized retirement system is not going to cost anything like they have been led to belleve it will. Mr. Lehlbach has received no inti- *mation from any source, official or computing annuities: One per cent of the average annual salary with no limit, multiplied by the number of vears of service with no limit. To this, as a “sweetener,” is added an annuity of $20 per vear for each vear of service up to 30 vears, which amounts to $600. But they provide that no annuity shall exceed 75 per cent of the average salary. As a result, a clerk with an average sal- ary of $1,200, after 40 vears of serv- ice, would get $480 plus the $600 “'sweetener,” or an annuity of $1,080. But, in order to limit the salary to $900, $180 would be deducted from this $600 ‘‘sweetener.” On the other hand, a $5,000 employe with 40 years of service would recelve $2,000 plus the $600 “sweetener,” or $2,600. In this case he wotild retain the whole $600 arbitrary “sweetenér,” while from the $1.200 clerk and his trifiing annuity would be deducted $180 from the “sweetener.” The civil service committee be- leves that merely to state this prop- ositlon is to make clear why it is rejected. The actuaries point out that in some cases highlv salaried employes with a $1,200 limit on their annuities actually may contribute more than such annuity is worth. Their obvious recourse is that when their time for ending their service comes, instead of retiring on that annuity, they can retire, draw down their contributigns, with accumulated interest, and pur. chase in the market such annuity as series of figures highly technical in | from | H. SIMONDS. ~Where does the recent Ge- struggle leave the League of Nations? This is the question which is on the lips of all witnesses of the latest phase of league histo-y. That the league has suffered a very grave loss of prestize is patent to all thoughtful observers, by whom it is appreciated that, so far from bhe- ing able to assist the arrangement of the great Kuropean problem, the league was not only unable to intervene affirmatively, but, through interior league politics, contributed fatally to compromise the already tangled situation. Thus, the first clear appreciation is that in some fashion the machinery of the league must be modified to obviate the grave danger that In all future crises the rival aspirations of mem ber nations to councll seats may prevent any effective league action. In the present emer- gency one had the amazing spectacle of a single South American country, because it was desir- ous of getting a permanent seat on the council, vetoing a compromise which Furopean states- men, after 10 days of feverish effort, had at last worked out. S B What Brazil did illustrate is one underlying weakness of the league. There is nothing new in it. Two vears ago. when the Italian action at Corfu roused world protest, all eves turned to the league for decisive action. : action was possible bec: e several aflons which were vepresented on the council and sought to remain in this body accurately perceived that if they supported any effort to take drastic action against Italy, they would lose the Italian vote, thus thelr council seat. Thus at Corfu at that time affirmative action to resolve a very real international crisis and to deal with an obvious threat to world peace was frustrated, because several nations cared more for their seats in the council than they fid for world peace itself. The mere question of position and influence on the council bulked larger than the duty to contribute to the resolv- ing of a grave crisis in European affairs. Now it must be plain that if action with re spect of the danger of war, action to preserve peace, can be made contingent upon such a question: if the action of member nations is to be controlled not by the immediate question at issue, but- by selfish interests; if nations are going to resort to the process of bargaining their votes for support within the league, even at the moment of full erisls, the usefulness of the league must be gravely circumscribed. * ¥ Xk % Nor is it anything short of a howling farce that the desire of a South American country to have a permanent seat in the league should have been able to interpose a veto to European settlement. France, Britain, Italy, Germany, after long days and nights, having reached an adjustment—could it be anything less than pre- terous that all this work should be wasted use Brazil technically possessed the right to veto, and undertook to use it to obtain for herself a permanent seat in the council? Today the machinery of the league is such that, with 10 seats in the council, and four of those allotted 1o the gr powers, only six re- malin for the other nations, although the league has more than 50 members. To get these seats is then the chiel objective of all the smaller countrles, and, having obtained them, all their efforts are directed toward retaining them. Therefore thelr votes in great crises are bound to be cast, not with an eve solely to advancing the cause of peace, but rather to the main chance of keeping their seats. Therefore, when- cause Brazil wanted a seat, a permanent seat in the council, and could veto all new admis- sions, could conduct a fAltbuster without limit, the situation of last week and the possible situation in any future crisis become plain. So much for the crisis in seats, the weakness in machinery, which must be cured if any real progress is to be made. But, of course, the gravest defect disclosed lfes in the fact that pre- cisely 50 long as the great powers are divided among themselves on any fssue the league is quite powerless. Thus, during the recent crisis, in reality the whole assembly waited powerless while three men, or at most four, representatives of France, Britain, Italy and Germany, met and secretly debated under cove Three of these nations were nominally mem- bers of the council of the league; technically {heir discussions were under cover of the league, but actually there was not a shadow of differ. ence between these private talks and those of the Paris conference to make peace. It was an- other case of the big five or big four. Neither the little powers, as such, nor the other mem- bers of the league had the smallest relation to actual decisions. Instead of a League of Nations, you had Briand, Stresemann, Austen Chamberlain and Signor Sclalofa meeting b hind closed doors, arkuing out issues which af- fected the national prestige of their respective countries, ¥ ke Despite all the things which have happened since the Paris peace conference, nothing has changed, in reality, except that President Wilson, Lloyd George, Clemenceau and Or- lando wera no longer representing their coun- tries, and Germany was present at eneva, as she was absent at Paris. Always the si uation turned, not upon what the league might do for golving the problem, but solely and simply as to whether the great powers could find a way to reconcile thelr own con- fileting interests In reality, issues before the League of Na- tions, an institution which had been created to serve the cause of international conciliation, could only wait until certain great powers who had quarreled over quite trivial matters of power and prestige composed their differences. This quarrel imperiled the real constructive peace program, namely Locarno, which had not been made at Geneva or under the influ- ence of the league. If the powers came to an agreement the league would get an agreement handed down to it and might act upon it, but if the great powers could not agree, then the league was helpless. Therefore, the great issue which has been raised is whether there is any conceivable fashior. in which in case of disputes between the great powers the league can act. So far it has never been able to lift & finger. When the war broke out between Russia and Poland, France supported and Britain opposed Poland, but the league could do nothing. When the Greeco-Turkish War followed, the fact that Britain supported Greece and France and Italy supported Turkey paralyzed league actlon. When Mussolini went to Corfu, Italy served notice that if the league interfered she would resizn and at the same time informed certain council members that Italy’s vote for their re-election, which they needed, would be with- held If they permitted Italy's action to be at- tacked. * ok Xk X By contrast, when Greece and Bulgaria quar- reled recently and thera seemed danger of a new Balkan war, the leagie was able to act at once and effectively, because all of the great powers were united against both Balkan politics and the desire for council seats and the total paralysis which inevitably Intervenes when the great powers disagree—what can one say in positive terms as to the league at the present moment? Obviously there has been created at Geneva an admirable little mechanism which can function with undeni- able usefulness in a whole variety of fmpor- tant matters. It can act to restore the finan- clal situation of Austria or Hungary, it can carry on a wide range of international activ- itics affecting sanitation and education, it can provide the machinery for all sorts of inter- national conferences. More than this, the league has clearly one real contribution to international intercourse. Varfous conferences at Geneva bring men of countries together under conditions which cannot. fail to make for better understanding. Even in the midst of all the recent wrangle there was an impressive fraternization be- tween the press of the countries which had been on opposite sides during the great war. It is true that something of the same sort took place at Locarno, and would take place whenever there was an lmnrnalloagl gathering. But the fact is that hereafter, when Germany is actually In the league, these meetings wiil take place at Geneva and the process of inter national intercourse will be advanced by the mere facts of the existence of the league. d* ok kK But at present the affair is pretty defl- nitely demonstrated for the immediate future; for a number of vears to come the main con- cern and chief importance of the league is to be Kuropean. With Germany a member, the discussions which will take place are bound to deal mainly with that whole varlety of questions which remain to be settled, which, indeed, have heen measurably reopened by the mere appearance of Germany as a member. Thus, despite the presence of certain Asfatic- American . delegates, the league promises to develop more and more as an exclusively Eu- ropean institution on the political side, al- though quite as clearly on the non-political side its activities will remain international. The recent crisis demonstrated that, directly, the league can have nothing whatever -to do with issues between the great powe The fact that prime ministers or foreign ministers of various countries actually come to Geneva and on occasion spoke nominally as members of the council is wholly unimportant, because at all times they spoke and acted as if the league did not exist, and all important discus sions were secret. Neither the public nor members of the league as such were allowed to have the smallest official representation in the discussions. PR Moreover, in measuring what actually hap. pened, it 1S necessary to perceive that as be- tween the great powers there was no differ. ence in the main issue. All were agreed in wanting Germany to enter. Germany wanted to come. All that occurred to provoke the erisis which lasted for nearly a fortnight was a dispute over the way In which Germany should enter. All the hubbub and confusion came over an issue which was largely ficti- tious, mainly imaginary. What might have happened if the jssue had been of importance, had been real, in view of what did happen, almost defies estimate. Again, although the press in Paris and Berlin took a very hostile tone, one of the outstanding facts of the Geneva affalr Is that all or nearly all present here under all eir- cumstances remained good natured. In my hotel French and German journalists drifted | | sults” of his fi | veiled. hay { The public, ! high-ceilinged | second floor of the Treasury | present, ' YEAR OF RUM CAMPAIGN Reduces Its Usefulness to Minor Things B Forthcoming Repm‘i on Results Certain to Cause Flare-Up in Wet and Dry Camps BY HAROLD B. ROGERS. T b e faineomise s i eans HATEVER happens in the | he had worked for a year and ac present embroiled public | complished nothing but failure. Late argument over prohibition, | !4t week Gen. Andrews flatly stated however far apart diverg.|he was not considering departure ent claims of “wets” and | from the heavy job. He now has the “drys” hecome, the Government, blaz- | Attitude of a man who apparently is ing away at its rum enemy, this S€tting zest out of a fight. 5 month opens the second year of 4 new | _ Therein lies one of the surprising “’:.r, with that brigadier general from }f;:l‘?;ss r?f r(‘,ptnfie,\gi:;vs,be(chz x:a:( the Army, Lincoln C. Andrews, As H o y because of sistant i‘errelary of the Treasury, in inl:fix}-:rlz,vh:;n]h‘ hlx;de)mmu;x:eflgfm:;i command. s¢ as pitel What the general | most embattled jobs in the whole plished is something he i Government serv and _working busily engaged in determ early and late, often into the night, Pty Sy Cambalh he looks as fit as a fiddle. In fact. he terms of figures, gaMons, hootleggers, | S€ems to be enjoving himself. This alcohol plants. ships. rum runners | Work appears to be a task to test his and a hundred other elements blade. Hard wi seems to agree being boiled down from a mass with him, as one *of his associates reports out of evers nook and cor sidd. On occasion his eves do bother of the country perhaps | him son confided to an ac this week. the gicture may be un- |quaintance week, but when that he gets some of his cia -ead for him and then pre sent the matter for his consideration and action. A Straightforward Man. Tall, straight, with soldierly hear- ing. Gen. Andrews personally is an | impressive, straightforward person. | with a direct answer for every ques tion, honest consideration of each | matter brought before him and an in formal manner which most of his isitors find refreshing. His hair is gray; his eves blue and piercing i gold-ri es. By and he is a friendly man, but those who know him_weil also know he can be stern and, on oc n, amply expressive when aroused. accom- he st pens asso When that happens what a 1 cordant refrain probably will from the “wet” and ry” ¢ split keved up near dis arise mps! on prohibition the fighting point. | Already, almost. can be heard the phantom throbbing of the tomtoms of war—of words. “Wets" and “drys,” no doubt, will seize upon the same figures, the same statement and come forth with nowerful argumen each to support their particular con tention. That is. of course, provided they follow the records of the pas Andrews in Fighting Trim. But the general himself, who has %o far almost mir escaped any wholesale onsia from the protagonists of either camp, mean-| “But to return from the man him time continues to wood. In a|self to his plans and prospects. For spacious room on the |the future of prohibition in America where | which foreign powers are pleased to occasionally these cool and snappy |term our “great sociological expert d the ruddy glow from 2 huge | ment,” Gen. Andrews admits he has antlque fireplace radiates warmth and | still more new plans up his sleeve. = encouragement, Gen. Andrews is not | Two principal parts of the new only reviewing the past, directing the | plan have been laid before Con . but. girding himself for | zress in two bills introduced by ad Fresh battles, is making plans for still | ministration members. One of these further changes in future adminis would autherize establishment of a tion. bureau of customs and a bureau of The prohibition machine which Gen. | prohibition. This proposal has been Andrews inherited one vear ago on |favorably received, for the most part, April 1, when he took command, has | by both the “wets” and “drys on been practically turned inside out. | Capitol Hill. Not that old and faithful servants| have “been ruthlessly scrapped mor | Second Has More T'f:‘“j‘ ot wholesale housecleanings made sim-| The second bill, however, which was | Diy for the purpose of trying an en. | introduced Friday afternoon ©CoTCIC | tire new personnel. The skeleton of | much more teetf It provides n;‘r‘m i the outfit was changed. The pian |changes in the Natlonal promiblocd was revamped, decentralized and |act, which ate aimed SRS T 0 wherever former experience was like. | drier nano;\;‘ ’]”:Sr t:in{ et fully loped. Most observers ap Iy to prove valuable it was kept, | though ofttimes in a surprisingly | .45 agree with the “dry’ element that there are more dry than wet different place. votes in Congress at the present time Gen. Andrews is really driving a| curlous three-horse team at sea and | "y 'yots, however, have succeeded ashore: the Coast Guard. Customs and | - The es AORTIEE o gument over Prohibition Unit. It was the Prohibi- | ever there is league. * ok k¥ If you consider that in the recent affair the admission of Germany and the final a respect of the Locarno pacts were blocked be- crisis affecting world peace there is also a crisis affecting the inner politics of the untries and peace. Thus it league can act against powers when all the great sree as to action percelving the the league—the evil which is due to interfor backed by great powes ct with Now, equally was again proved that the anxious to preserve ness came the small powers not league, two great defects in who were suddenly the fact that the league could not function and feared a consequent loss of prestige. " (Continued on Third Page.) back and forth and exchanged views quite as freely as American and British. Real bitter- from the ultra-champions of the confronted with AGUINALDO’S SUPPORT OF WOOD Close Friendship of Insurgents’ Leader for Gov- ernor General Prevents Latter’s Foes From Taking Reins. BY NORBERT LYONS, Secrotary, United States Mission. American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. As long as Emilio Aguinaldo, ex- generalissimo of the Filipino insur- rection, and Leonard Wood, governor general of the Philippines, continue their firm friendship, all efforts of Filipino political leaders to cause se- rious local trouble for Gen. Wood will prove futile. That, perhaps, is why such a determined attempt was made to depose Aguinaldo from the presi- dency of the Filipino Veterans' Asso- clation and at the same time secure the active adherence of that organiza- tion to the activities of the pro-inde- pendence party coalition. At the an- nual convention of the veterans, how- ever, Aguinaldo was re-elected by ac- clamation_and_two resolutions con- demning Gen. Wood was sidetracked. At the opening of the recent con- vention Gen. Wood was the guest of honor and principal speaker. He was received with an ovation that rocked the walls of the old Palma de Mallorca Hotel in the walled city. “I am here to greet you as a vet- eran unto veterans,” Gen. Wood be- gan, and proceeded to plead for co- operation on the part of all elements to the end of achieving good govern- ment and national progress. He highly praised Aguinaldo as the greatest living Filipino, and disclosed that he had offered him the post of secretary of the interior, which Aguinaldo had declined. Wood also stated that there is “no Filipino whose tended substantially to pad the esti- mates of the actuaries. The study being made by Chair- man Madden of the appropriations committee and others advisory to the House leadership—with first action on lberalized retirement expected in the House—is sald to be along this line: They figure that the Government already s obligated about $30,000,000 to the retirement fund. This is not actually due to be paid in, but the theory Is that the money ought to be appropriated and put into a sink- ing fund, so as to take care of ob- ligations as they mature. Thus far the Government has only paid inter- est on the mone: contributed by the clerks themselves which the Gov- ernment borrowed to pay its share of the annuities. They figure that the average an- their savings will provide. Another point—the actuaries state in their report with respect to sepa- ration at the ages in the existing law, and which are retained in the bill to be reported—a straight-out super- annuation retirement without any op- tional feature—that every person ar- riving at the retirement age will re- tire, ignoring completely the oppor- tunity for {wo years' ‘extension in active service, if efficient and com- petent. As a matter of fact, during the five years the retirement law has been in effect, almost as many per- sons eligible for retirement have been retained in service as have in fact retired. Because these people con- nuity now is $533, and that the peo- ple drawing this are those who have contributed not one cent, or very little, towards the retirement fund. Under the present law, with a maxi- mum annuity of $720, the employes carry a 233 per cent assessment, while the cost to the Government is about 1 per cent. On the basls of the pension pro- posed, with a maximum of $1,200, the annuitles would average $884. The proposed 3% per cent contribution of their salaries by the employes would make the Government contri- bution 3.86 per cent. The Govern- ment's contribution as against the persons now receiving pensions unofficial, that retirement legislation s not to be given consideration at the present session. Until he* gets =uch intimation he is going on the presumption that the merits of the tribute over”a larger period and draw annuities for a lesser number of vears, the faflure to include this ele- ment in estimating the cost has ¥ “ would be about 6.75 per cent, for the contributions made by those now on the rotired roll is relatively a neg- ligible amount. desire to see his country free is stronger,” and expressed the sym- pathy of the American people for the Filipino aspirations to independence. This speech somewhat took the sa out of the impassioned appeal to join | the political coalition which was then delivered by Senate President Quezon. It certainly did not budge Aguinaldo, who, in his opening address, had de: clared that he was determined to con- tinue his policy of non-participation in politics. Gen. Wood In his address had char- acterized as “‘foolish” those leaders who wera agitating for “‘non-co-opera- tion.” Immediately a protest had arisen in the press, controlled by Quezon, and this was voiced in a reso. lutlon submitted to the convention. The resolution dled in committee. A similar fate befell another resolution branding Wood’s administration as “highly imperialistic. Win Modified Victory. ‘While unsuccessful in their effort to enlist the active participation of the Filipino veterans in the coalition movement, the politicians did secure a resolution of congratulation upon the united independence campaign, but this was coupled with a recommenda- tion that both parties be dissolved and a new party formed. Quezon tendered his resignation as president of the Na- tlonalist-Consolidated party, but was :4;!91‘ persuaded to reconsider his ac- on. Before the conventlon closed, Aguin- aldo recommended that the veterans reorganize along military lines. This was generally regarded as a signifi- cant gesture, meaning that the vet- erans believed in action, not talk. In ever be guilty in the Philippines of such acts as are specified in the 20-odd complaints voiced in the declaration of independence, the Filipino veterans declare themseives ready to take the only course open to brave men. Fortunately, no -such complaints have been voiced by any Filipino lead- er. On the contrary, all pleas for in- dependence are full of praise for the American administration of the Phil- ipplnes. Aguinaldo, close friend, coun- selor and admirer of Gen. Wood, still enjoys the respect and admiration of the Filipino masses. He hates polit- ical buncombe and pseudo-patriotism. And no Filipino living is big enough to defy his influence and silent leader- ship. (Copyright. 1926.) Grapes CatchAM;sles. An epidemic of measles has been afflicting California grapevines, and a new remedy is put forward by L. O. Bonnet of the California Agricultural Experiment Station. The disease is the same as the affiiction of the vine known in France as ‘“apoplexy,” though It has no relation to either measles or apoplexy in human beings, It makes dead patches in the leaves and then kills off whole shoots and ruins the fruit, working from the top of the vine downward. Mr. Bonnet has found that spraying the vines with 4 or 6 per cent sodium arsenate solution will prevent the development of the disease. other words, should the United States | U. S. MUST AWAKEN TO PLANE’S | GREAT UTILITY, BYRD ASSERTS Faster Than Railroad, More Satisfactory Than Tele- phone and Radio, Arctic Expedition Leader Declares, Citing Its Many Uses. BY LIEUT. COMDR. R. U.S. N, Arctic Explorer. When people think of the airplane, they are apt to think of it as a means of defense rather than as one of the most valuable means of communica- tion ever invented. The sooner that we, in America especially, strike a happy medium between the two ideas, just that much sooner will we begin to take our place as one of the aerial countries of the world. We are fully convinced that the radio as a communicative means is valuable; that railroad transportation has done much to bring the borders of this country (and other countries t00) closer together; that the telephone has contributed its share in interna- tlonal communication. But the possi- bilities of the airplane scarcely have been touched. And yet it is faster than the rafl- road and more satisfactory than the telephone and radio because it is able to actually bring human beings into direct contact with their neighbors. Then it has another valuable asset, that of transporting various commoa- itles, such as food, raw materials, silk stuffs and other articles between coun- tries that are far apart. For example, Alaska, one of our largest possessions and one about which little is known or understood—probably because of its distance from us—has many delicacies that would prove popular here if they were introduced to us. Reindeer meat is one in particular, that before many vears elapse will be one of our “staple foods.” This raising of reindeer for their meat is one of Alaska’s princi- E. BYRD, pal occupations. Years agone, the | Eskimos were nomadic in type, but | the constant association with white men has gradually turned them | into more or less of a pastoral tribe. | There are now over 5000 Eskimos | engaged in herding reindeer for | “marketing” purposes. | Of course, much of this meat will | be shipped via the Pacific, landed at | San Francisco or Seattle and | thence distributed across the States. But it is largely due to the airplane that folks down here have learned of its potentialities as a table dish, for it Is one of the favorite foods of polar- exploring aviators. Take the Philippines and Hawall, | Airmen traversing the South Seas | have learned the lure—and the lore— | of those gorgeous islands. They have | found out how delicious pineapples ! taste when prepared as the islanders | relish them. They have discovered | the potency of strange tropical herbs used in fllnesses long before America | was anything but a so-called mirage in the mind of adventuresome Span. | fards. These airmen have brought | that knowledge back to their own | shores, and thus created a marketable value for those commodities, So on through the long lfst of coun. 'll'los and their individual products. The airplane has opened up & means of direct communication between the peoples of the globe, that, if prop- | erly developed, will prove fnvaluable to the progress of civilization and com. merce, and the flights this season into the Arctlc should greatly enlarge our knowledge in this great new field of potential service to the world. (Copsright. 1926.) Private Capital in Britain Challenged by Cry for Government Ownership of Coal BY WILLIAM ENGLISH WALLING. Student and Author on Industrial Subjects. Those British Torles are at it again! This time the Conservative govern- ment—backed by the entire nation— is out for government ownership of the coal deposits of the British Isles. A few months ago the same Tory gov- ernment, backed by the nation, enact- ed the most sweeping governmental in- surance system the world has ever seen. What is Britain coming to? One thing is certain. The Conserva- tive government of Premier Baldwin cannot by any stretch of imagination be called either revolutionary or rad- ical. This is precisely the reason why our American reactionaries are so dis- gusted. Unable to dispose of this epoch-making progressive project by the usual device of labeling it radical, they have been reduced to an attempt to misrepresent it. Our reactionary organs do not even allow that foul phrase “government ownership” to sully their columns. We are told that what the British Coal Commission has urged is “state-employer control” or “government ownership of royalties.” There is only one honest expression for Britain’s new policy: It is “Govern- ment ownership of coal. The “crime’” committed by progres- sive Mexico in nationalizing her min- erals and oil deposits is now’ to be committed by conservative And the British law is to be el tive,” too. AIl owners, British or foreign (no doubt some are American), will have to take what the British government decides to pay them. To be sure, there is to be no gov- ernment operation of the mines. Nor is there any strong demand in this| country for government operation. But there is a rising tide of public sentiment for governmental super- viston and control—in other words, there s a demand for the assertion by the government of some of the vights of ownership. Hence the ‘“‘de- plorable” encouragement given to American progressives by this decision of conservative England to nationalize her coal deposits. For the purpose of the British nationalization project is to operate the efficient mines, to close down the inefficient and, the New York Times points out, to put ‘“a check on private profits.” ‘Will the British example do us any good? The anthracite strikes seem to have taught us nothing—shall we learn anything from Britaln’s experi- ence? Apparently not. We are not angry enough yet to develop the cour- age and Initlative for congressional ac- tion. But we seem gradually to be getting nearer to such actlon from year to year. tion Unit horse that Gen. Andrews changed to one of a different color. The Customs and Coast Guard for the nost part has simply been given freer ign. Augmented in size by substan- tial apropriations from Congr the Coast Guard fleet has risen to such ef- fectiveness that rum smugglers have been resorting lately to the use of airplanes to assist their “Black Fleet™ oft shore. Gets Vessels' From Navy. Five more destrovers from the Navy, 30 more patrol boats of greater size than any now in service and five amphibian planes, which are satile as a duck on water, or in air, have been authorized by Congress and will be put into commission as soon as possible. Further to strengthen the Coast Guard, the administration has pending before Congress a bill for six cruising cutters to be used not only against rum smuggling, but for the | Jife saving and other activities of the | Coast Guard. Thus the Coast Guard under Gen Andrews and in direct command of Rear Admiral Frederick C. Billard, is on a program of constantly increas- ing intensity against the “demon rum.” The customs have received from | Gen. Andrews no less attention than any one of his three-horse team, although wherever possible he is directing the close co-ordination of this branch with the other two. At savannah, Ga., for instance, where the most complete co-ordination has been achieved, Gen. Andrews has placed in charge of all prohibition activitles for the southern section of the country, M. A. Dunning, collector of customs. This, however, has not been attempted in any other part of the country in such complete form. Mounted Police Organized. One big change, however, would be effected by a plan Gen. Andrews and sihers have in mind involving the ‘ustoms. A Federal mounted police, epresenting all agencies of the Gov- ernment having business at the border, would be organized under a bill introduced in Congress by Repre- sentative Grant M. Hudson of Mich gan. This police force would probably be placed under control. not of the Treasury, which has customs, but of the Department of Labor, which already maintains an excellent mounted immigration patrol armed to the teeth. When the administration, throush | Gen. Andrews, took hold of the prohi. bition unit it took drastic action and, according to latest indications, the General is not through vet. 3 In the first place, the scheme of the old machine, which was set up along the lines of about fourteen divisions of general prohibition agents and a State organization for each common- wealth, was scrapped. In its place ver- | the merits of prohibition not only through newspaper polls on the ques- tion, but through demands for hear ings. There has been more debate in | the halls of Congress over prohibition during the last few weeks. it is esti- mated, than for years. There is no denying that the “wets” are stirring up much talk, much noise, and are drawing real fire from the “drys. How the issue eventually will be de cided is a question which seems to be of increasingly grave concern to both camps. The war of words gains mo- mentum weekiy. There will be more proposed legt: lation forthcoming from the Trea | ury before long, it is predicted, in | order to strengthen still further the | hands of the administration. The | exact nature of aditional proposals has not been revealed, but there has been much talk of the advisability of new legislation to improve several revised statutes, marine and cus- toms laws, and the narcotic act. Most Recent Changes. The most recent changes effected by Gen. Andrews in his organization are in the direction of specialization. This development was somewhat predicted at the outset, when Walton A. Green was made chief prohibition in- vestigator, with a force of assistant investigators, to round up the big conspiracies and combinations, whose ramifications may run anywhere in the United States or abroad. The next step in specialization placed John A. Foster, prohibition ad- ministrator at New York, as head of an alcoholic squad. Proving so suc- cessful in curtailing fllicit leaks of good alcohol, Foster was promoted to supervisor of alcoholic investigations with headquarters here. Recently there iwere added two more: - Thomas E. Stone, Federal cupervisor of brewery contrel, and H. Keith Weeks, supervisor of sacra- mental wine control. Each one of this quartet of specialists is to be provided with a special counsel, Gen. Andrews said yesterday. The first one to be appointed is Roscoe C. Har- per, who is with Mr. Foster on the alcohol problem. New changes to be made, it has been learned on the best authority, will be still further in the direction of spe- cialization, this time in the office of counsel here at Washington. Among the first new men to be appointed will te “chief counsel on assess- ments.” This expert will specialize | on the problem now presented by the | campaign of Gen. Andrews to tax all | illicit. liquor at the high figure of $6.60 per gallon, levied by the new revenue act. Already deputy col- lectors of internal revenue have been set up in all but two of the offices of | prohibition administrators, for the | purpose of specializing on collection of this tax on illicit liquors. Con- siderable funds have been realized. Gen. Andrews has hopes that with the income from “his tax and from Gen. Andrews redistricted the country | fiic'sn assessinents the pa=bition so as to make his new houndares, it eventually may come to pay its cofncide with those of the judicial | gwn wag. districts, for improved co-operation with the prosecuting arm of the Gov- | ernment. In each of these 22 new districts Gen. Andrews has one pro- hibition administrator in whom is centered the responsibility. To these 22 men in the _Continental United States was delegated much authority of the old regime which had pre- viously been centered here in Wash- ington. For instance, these men are now handling the important business of permits. Report to Andrews. Reports from these administrators constitute the backbone of informa- tion which Gen. Andrews is under- stood to be digesting for his review of resuits, soon to be given to the public. Although the exact content of these reports still remains a State secret at the Treasury Department, it is known that the general, on the whole, is pleased with their import. At least he is not going to resign at the end of his first year. Such & resignation, he predicted once in New York to a group of inquiring report- | Appointment Coming Soon. | The new position of chief counsel on assessments has been given much | thought by Gen. Andrews, and it is expected before long he may make an | appointment. Other legal experts on various phases of the new and diver- sified campaign of specialties may be considered later. The exact place in the new prohi- bition machine occupied by Roy A. Haynes, who still holds the title of prohibition commissioner, has never been completely defined. Gen. An- drews has consistently expressed the highest approval of the value of Mr. Haynes to the new organization, al- though a fire of criticism was directed at the commissioner when it was re- vealed that James E. Jones, forms assistant prohibition commissione; had been promoted to the newly cre- ated post of director of prohibition. Apparently this new post took over most of the administrative duties of the head of the unit. Mr. Haynes still retains his former (Continued on Third Page)