Evening Star Newspaper, August 8, 1926, Page 45

" CIVILIAN MUSICIANS’ PAY STIRS ARMY BAND CRISIS Lack of “Zip” in 1. 8S; Military Men’s Playing Due to Reduced Personnel and Lack of BY REX COLLIER. HIE rise of the American jazz stra, with its resultant ition of the musicians’ es. s threatening the oralization of that fine institution, the military infl Wi de old 1€ band At popularity of the dance “pal- arden and road house, ingness of the devotees of ¥ high for their musical is Army reached rizations of fce and the w daneing er oy rosperity in civilian orchestra thus effected by Americ: < for expensive * has been nied by a proportionate de- ¥ band personnel, and ion has become so my authorities super- binds have put their in a frantic search asures, vy weether ' m Low P Is Blamed. crisis thy Department growih « mu presented is the na conditions brou to the tural out- ht about by of popular mu- band ‘off point out. they helieve, t bands to obtain which to st little waze 1 music be offered of ind service in- The minimum > band n Contr n musicians are not : subject “ipline, / furthermore, work is of a type generally erting than the duties of usician, who has no spe- bevond those of the n, except freedom nd one or two other it the musician hope to make, through ion to his duties and be position of - wer, which pays a mini. 1 month, with allowancy rarely, of leader, which car. mthly stipend of $14%, with = of a lieutenant. There Is st of eligibles awaiting ap- as band leade with of early promotion be- eity of vacancies. ve been walt- vears for a band id. who in rope mall boy used to be the stirring strains of the 'l music from military bands oy ©lf that some i f t desire to blow bu beat the drum in such in the Army. Sousa’s Conument Stirs Row. troubles of the Army Band just come to light with the an- ient that John Philip Sousa sted to the War Department that 1 “zip” be injected in mili- tary music. He referred to the fa- mous Guards’ Band of England as a £roud whose instrumentation is worthy ©oQenulation. Sousa’s remarks did not well, however, with military band wt. William H. Santelmann ine Band retorting that he \merica had a few pointers mn bands. and Capt. Stannard \riny Band replying that army re prevented from adopting instrumentations by lack of noun has s, it out that the 91 lne bands of the Army are working under severe handicaps. but few of them havin withorized strength of 28 mnusicians. and increments to existin pers being infrequent Low wages not _constitute only the difliculty for the reason being ngthen the | Instruments. experienced in supplying Uncle Sam'’s soldiers with the musical “zip” ad- vocated by Commander Sousa. Senator Bingham's Plan. Senator Hiram Bingham of Connec- ticut, a stanch friend of the Army Band and himself a former service man, called attention to another fac- tor, with the introduction during the last session of Congress of u bill seek- ing to establish Army bands as d tinet entities in the military organi- zation. This legislation, which failed of enactment, would have served to ameliorate a condition that a source of unrest in Army band ci nce the World War, the bill point out. or to the war the post a separate unit, with its racks, mess hall and officers. It had “individuality,” in other words. With the outbreak of the war and the need for consolidation of forces, the old order of things was relegated Into oblivion and the band groups were amalgamated into the general Army personnel. Being no longer *distinctive, bands have suffered a corresponding weakening of morale. 1t is claimed They seem to lack the old enthusi- asm that came with fraternalism in: barracks and mess hall. Might Have Bettered Music. Senator Bingham's bill w have helped to revive the old spirit of co- operution, it is claimed, and the music 'ned out on the parade ould have been of a more brand. War Department of- vere reported to be reluctant cvert to the former plan, however, n the ground that the present sys personnel of Army bands is from recruiting sources and e ranks of the enlisted organi- in general. Infantrymen or alrymen who believe they are bet- ter fitted to slide a trombone than perform the duties of their respective branches may apply for a transfer to a band unit. Those who wish selves as Army drawn to perfect them- musicians have the opportunity of attending the Army Music School, where they may take courses in all the Intricacies of mili- tary music. Sometimes the bandsmen become so proficient us a result of their careful and pert training in the Army that they begin to look bevond the limits of the mil Y res. ervation for what the world of music may have to offer. Many Do Not Re-Enlist. They are not blind to the fact that ilian musicians are being paid sala- ries far in excess of any they ma hope to get under existing policies When terms of enlistment expire few re-enlist, it is declared. They heed the call of the dance resort, the the- ater or the concert bureau. Officials of the Army Music School are qnown to be considerably con- cerned over the state of affairs just | outlined. Requirements of the school are that entrants must be competent musicians at the time of enrollment. The depleted personnel of the Army bands naturally has fewer experi- enced players than are possible with" a full complement of men. The school is understood to have felt the effect of this scarcity of good musi- cians in the Army at the present time, and its supporters are fearful that if the situation becomes much worse, it may be useless to continue the courses, since there may not be enouzh students to warrant further intensive training. Those familiar with the problems now confronting the rank and file of military - musicians _characterize the situation as “critical.” It is all very fine, they say, to de mand more ‘“zip” in military music, but it is another thing to produce this ‘zip” without sufficent instruments or men. “Give us the men and the instru- ments,” they cry, “and Comdr. Sousa will find that nearly any American | Army band can produce. music just as lively and zippy as that of most | foreign organization: England Fa(-ing Crisis in Industry Equal to Post-War Collapse in Russia wmed from First Page.) ionate burdens. He could laborer to work 1d the to pay in accordance vaditi i lumentally to f 2. The st ke coul m oal owners inds to contin it bridge the gap between nds of the miners and the ¢ the operators. > a subsidy » the coal stri hecause there World War tition is on the whole—and 1d for fundamentals the worst of an tants. German Ru because Britain is the whose ul e recovery remains on the in the ir recovery the the ement itish iioh in aleunble temporar after the bside, will be ‘mous pop- ent to provide food and ater numbe Ger- . lost territorfes, lost h and prosperity. But > practical- supplies in her d even d asu mar her coal while of part ue 1o terms w n in the matt France - of coal ner recovery is undoubted. France Is Better Off. troubles are ically the 1 reserv m forced her to recon “tories on mode pproaching a tion coupled w of her water power. embarassments are great ent and will continue for the bases of her pros- only not s hut otuall sroadened. In the mod n sense the word. France wos t a great power in 14, and it may doubted if she will ever be again, er future | Her ! given her home area and population. But certainly she is stronger than in, 16 speaking. So, for that with better frontiers, ng security and a stimulated e of national energy Britain, on the other hand, lost the primacy in world finance, because measurably a debtor nation, although on balance she probably s owed much more than sha owes. Her posi ton in world shipping wes gravely | impaired. Oil has largely replaced |Goal on the sea and waterpower is doing the same In industries Nations which had been larg | chasers were driven to rest |ing and develop home | while the United States in every fleld entered as a competitor more serious than Br | and al advantages which, 1, were, and are, al- surable. battle for Brit: for recovery, nature of thing then, the bound in the very s to be severe, if it were a struggle based upon na. | | tional unity and class co-operation. It involved hardship, effort, broad eco. nomic vision and enormo economic reorganization. A new world and new | conditions were to be faced. Nothing was impossible, nothing was even un likely, given the tradition of the race, othing was likely to be simpl easy, and “muddling through™ could no longer be avcepted as the highest form of genfus In a world of twentieth cegtury rial organ, indus ation. Need of Team Work. But the supreme problem fc was double; it was domestic as well as foreign. No part of the great | struggle for the restoration of British | economic and financial supremacy |abroad could be performed unless there were certainty of adjust- ment at home of the long-standing and deep-seated class hatred. The | century-lonz struggle between capital {and labor had to be accommodated. anged, abolished. alone, could not win the battle; wi {out British labor it | defeat And eight years after the close of the war, what does one see? Looking backward a long series of battles, strikes, paralyzing convulsions which have defeated every attempt to mas- ter the foreign situation and paralyzed every promise of recovery. Things have no sooner begun to improve in trade and commerce than some domes- tic conflict has wiped away the in- creased revenues and sent Dritain to buy abroad what she used to live by producing at home. And looking forward, what does one see? C(er. | tainly, the almost assured continua |tion and even accentuation of the | and divisions which explain | 1 i thy istake frequent. 1 the complicated solely or simply by a temporgfy disturbance vho N has been | in had ever known | Brit- | British capital, | was doomed to THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, ‘D. BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. HE Democratic national con- gressional committee is plan- ning a desperate struggle to wring control of the House in the Seventieth Congrdss from the Republicans when the veters troop to the polls November 2. Some of the Democratic leaders insist they will suc- ceed, among them the chairman of the committee, Representative William A. Oldfield of Arkansas. - A capvass of the situation today, however, indicates that the best the Democrats can do is to cut down the Republican net majority from 35 to 15 or 20. By net majority is meant the margin of control of the Republi- can organization of the House over the combined strength of the Demo- crats, Republican insurgents, Farmer- | Labor and Socialists. The regular Re- publican strength is 235. There are 12 insurgents—10 from Wisconsin, 1 from North Dakota and 1 from Minne- sota. The Democrats number 183, the Farmer-Labor 3 and the Socialists 2. Where vacancies are found, they have been credited to the party whose rep- resentatives recently held them. Recall 1922 Achievement. The Démocrats hark back to what happened in 1922, the last “off year” election. After the Republican land- slide of 1920 the Democrats had only 132 members of the House. Following the 1922 election the number of Demo- crats had increased to 205. Joining with the group of insurgents on the Republican side, . the Democrats formed a coalition in the Sixty-eighth Congress which held up legislation ad- vocated by the Republican administra- tion, and even prevented the House izing for several days after This coalition between the Democrats and the insurgents did not result in making Congress very | popular throughout the country, which expected something more than negative action. It is to be remembered in consider- ing the Democratic strength in 1922, when the party was at its lowest ebb in the House, with only 132 members, that many of the districts which the Republicans won in 1920 were nor- mally Democratic. Today there is no such disparity between the parties. Few of the normally Democratic dis- tricts are now held by Republicans. If the Democrats are to win con- trol they must win it in districts which have been real battle grounds or which are normally Republican. Furthermore, the Republican party generally stands better with the country today than it did in 1922. Taxes have been reduced and the country is more prosperous. It may prove far more of a task for the Democrats to win the 35 additional seats which they must gain to have 218 members, or a bare majority of the House, than it was for them to gain 73 seats in 1922, They did not win party control of the House in 1922, incidentally. Real Issues Lacking. There are no real issues hetween the two old parties in the present o BY HENRY W. BUNN. HE following is a brief sum- ry of the most important he world for the ended August 1: The British Empire—On August 4 Parliament adjourned to ovember 9. At the closing s on, member having deplored the con- troversy of the British debt to the | United States and in particular the | utterances of Winston Churchill, Sir Austen Chamberlain, the foreign min- ister, defended Mr. Churchill in the following langua; “A statement was attributed, rightly or wrongly, to the Secretary of the American Treasury which wholly or largely misrepresented the character of our borrowings and the purposes for which they were applied. It was rightly felt that it would not be to the interest of good relations that such a misapprehension should be given currency and credence because no notice was taken of it, and Mr. Churchill, accordingly, stated the facts and correctly.” Construction will begin in the near future, at Belfast, for the Interna- tional Mercantile Marine, of a liner to be slightly larger than the Leviathan, at present the world’s largest ship, and to have a speed about the same as that of the Majestic, fastest of liners; i. e., about 23 knots. The tonnage of the Leviathan is 59,975. Despite the many prophets of woe compared with whose utterances the Book of Job seems blythe and “The City of Dreadful Night” jocund, the port of London authority is about to start work on a magnificent program « 0 in a single trade, albeit a vitally im- port trade, that of coal. The coal troubles are only highly symptomatic of a general condition in all trade: The British trouble is not local, it a form of civil war—economie, not bolitical or military, but not less | devastating or dangerous. British recovery abroad waits upon British peace at home and, so far from the promise of peace, the prospect of war grows daily. Economic Peace Vital. Nothing is more silly than to fore- cast, many do. the certain decline and fall of the ¥ sire, What e the condi- of British the perhay condition is econg Despite all the out despite the national self-control teneral strike, G Iy passing through civil war which has alre: ation $1,000,000,000 tn money and far more in accumulated class hatred. At the present momen re than { four millions of Britons are actually |enduring a condition of upproximate | | starvation, men, women and children, an incident in i stvike. One one the gr tries | creeplng | of pro- | ing into | 5 «l dver Europe, | and Africa German und Amer: coal is replacing British, and | nd Ame! n manufactured | are replacing British as Brit- | ish production decreases and ceases. The surplus of British imports over exports is becoming monthly more | prodigious and the end is emphatical- Iy _not in sight. Nor will the surrender to starva tion of the miners be the end. The costs of the struggle, even when ended, will impose new burdens on industry, upon capital and labor alike, new handicaps will have to be carried and therefore there will be new causes for,dispute hereafter. Can Britain recover? Of course. ‘Will she? The answer is less simple, perhaps less sure. Certainly not under present conditions nor this side of Eome ional readjustment, some rec- snciliation between capital and labor which cannot be had by battle and | will come less exsily in proportion he buttle is prolonged. (Copyright, 1926.) e at home. of peace, © cost the and 11 form l is po pai duction. ¢ sh port is affecting i campaign in which the peoplé gener- ' expected to win of improvement the opposite of that decadence of the 2,458,000,000 francs in 192 total of taxation by interest as ally are interested. Democrats say the issues are tariff and farm relief. The Republicans welcome the tariff issue, believing they can defeat the Democrats handily on that issue. So far as farm relief is concerned, the Republicans say that the Democrats can make no appeal to the farmers of the West on that issue. Instead of supporting the McNary-Haugen farm relief bill or the Tincher-Fess bill, which had the backing of the ad- ministration, the Democrats _really brought about the defeat of both measures. The only issue which makes a real appeal to the voters today is the wet and dry issue. So far neither of the £reat parties has been willing to espouse the wet cause. Here and there a Democrat or a Republican is running as a wet, but it is a personal mat ’ rather than a party. The wet candidates are found in both the old parties. Without a real farm relief program that appeals to the Western farmers, the Democrats have little chance .of making headway in that section of the country. Yet it is in the West and Middle West that there is discon- tent with the Republican administr: tion because of its opposition to the McNary-Haugen Bill and because of a belief that it has catered too much to the interests of the East. Must Win in East. The Democrats, therefore, must turn to the East to win the battle for control of the House, and in the indus- trial East the Republican administra- tion is popular, certainly far more popular than was the Harding ad- ministration in 1922, The Democrats take a much more hopeful view of the situation, how- ever. They count on winning addi- tional seats in States of the West as well as in those of the East. Mr. Oldfleld, for example, believes that the Democrats will win one additional seat in each of the following Western states: Nebraska, South Dakota, Mon- tana, Nevada, and that they will win two seats now held by Republicans in California. In Indiana and Ohio, the Democrats claim they will pick up additional seats. They figure they will gain two at least in New York State, one in Connecticut, one or pos- sibly two in Massachusetts, one or two in’ Maryland, six in Pennsylvania, possibly four in West Virginia.” They hope for gains in a number of the other States also. An analysis of the situgtion from the Republican point of view gives a vastly different picture. The first test of strength will come in Maine, where the election is held September 13. Maine is the only state which does not conform to the practice ot holding its elections the first Monday after the first Tuesday in November. The present House delegation from Maine is made up of four Republi- cans. It is expected that all four of these members will be re-elected; they have already been renominated. Rep- resentative Wallace H. White, jr., of the second district, is likely to have the hardest fight, although fe has' won five consecutive elections and is again. which contemplates port prophesied by the super Jobs. The enterprise will’ absorb a good number emplo; Old Leo Britannicus is rather up it, but evidently is not ex- ietly down and out. SE July 31 Poincare France.—On S i sed by the Chamber, al bill was p without amendment and almost with- out debate, 295 to 188. On August 3 ssed by the Senate, 250 to 13. It is officially estimated that the reve- nue from the new taxation will be and 9,19: in 1927; increasing the hout 25 per cent. ce-has raised its 000,000 The Bank of Frar discount rate from 6 to 7% per cent, n the home hope of thereby winning expatriated capital, and the rates on short term bonds have been raised in order to encour- age renewal. Next a bill providing for establish- ment of a sinking fund for amortiza- tion of the floating debt, to bhe fed from profits of the tobacco monopoly and from certain categories of taxa- tion (e.g., succession dues) specifically allotted to it. On Thursday the Chamber passed it by a huge majority. In submitting the bill to the Chamber, Poincare observed: “When you have voted this sinking-fund plan, you will have taken a raising and stabfl toward The cond step ing the franc. government has already obtained ap- reciable results with hange. sider them definitely acquired. must be held and developed. In fact, as Poincare was talking, the frinc was having a relapse (not very serious, but appreciable) after a magnificent rally. The bill was offered with the proviso that, should it pass both houses, it would be submitted to the National Assembly (ie., the two houses of Parliament sitting in joint session at Versailles) for incorporation into the constitutfon; the idea being correct that the sinking fund should be safe from tampering with by Parlizment in the ordinary course of procedure. Next a bill authorizing the Bank of France to purchase gold and for- eign currencies “for defense of the franc and for fortification of the metal reserve of the bank, as recommended by the Commission of Experts.” Ex- cellent: but note the following: The bill authorizes the bank to issue notes regard to ex- I do not, however, yet con- They 1o a total corresponding to the total of gold and foreign currencies pur- chased, such emission to be outside the provisions of the act fixing the mum limit of note circulation. is' provision has been criticized “disguised inflation,” in anticipa- tion of which criticism a preamble to the hill states: “It is clear that notes issued in exchange for metal and cur- rencies cannot be considered as mere inflation, as they will be covered at 10 per ceng in any event: this gold and the gold currency will strengthen the reserve in proportion to the total emis- sion.” ‘The technical point a very pretty one, but it is probably correct to say that the highly desirable purchase of zold and forelgn currencies would not be feasible on an important scale without corresponding increase in the note circulation. Yet it cannot be | denied that the proposal is a little per- turbing. The same bill includes. the follow- {ing article: “The minister of finance is authorized duving three months fol- lowing promulgation of the present law to make with the government and the Bank of France all conventions required to enable the latter to pre- pare for stabilization of the national money.” Here is power of decree “with a wanion.” Precisely the issue on which Caillaux was broken—on August 5 the Chamber voted the bill, almost without discussion, 365 to 181, and its certain. There is a cortain weirdness about the mastery excrciged by Poincare passage in the Senate seemed | and the unwpnted docility of the ¢ UGUST 8, Democrats Fight Hard for' Next House Survey Indicates Cut in.G. O. P. Majority The ptediction that the Republicans will hold their strength is generally in the New England States. The Democrats have one seat ine Rhode Island and probably will keep it. In Massachusetts the Democrats now hold 3 seats to 13 for the Republicans. THe Republicans figure they may even gain one seat in the Bay State. Taking up the States on the At- lantic seaboard south of New England, the Republicans insist the Democrats have as many congressional districts in New York today as they can have, and, indeed, they feel the Republi- cans may make a gain in New York: At present the delegation from the Empire State stands 23 Democrats, 20 Republicans and 1 Soclalist, La Guardia. The Democrats have all_but three of the districts in New York City. The Republicans expect to retain all the seats they now have “up State.” The Democrats hold the Albany and Rochester districts and havd a mem- ber from Buffalo. If Gov. Al Smith by any chance should not be a candi- date for governor this fall. on the Democratic ticket, the Republicans insist they will have more than an even chance’ to win adgditional seats in New York. New Jersey Battle Fleld. In New Jersey the Republicaris have 10 districts to 2 for the Democrats. They admit they will have to fight for 3 or 4 of these districts, 'and_the Democrats claim they will win, them. Nevertheless, Republicans expect to hold thelr strength in Jersey. The Republicans lost six districts in Pennsylvania in 1922. Today the whole delegation is Republican. Two of the districts .are admittedly nor- mally Democratic, and one of these is already lost to the Republicans, for Casey, the Democratic nominee, also won the Republican nomination. The Republicans also expect to keep | the single seat from Delaware, They admit, huweve‘-, they would be in luck to hold their present strength in West Virginia, where they have five out of six of the districts. In fact, they say they may lose a seat in this State. The Republicans have today two districts in Tennessee and three in Kentucky, border States, and they say they will keep them, as they have for & number of years. Hope for Southern Gains. , Some hope exists in Republican quarters that they may gain a dis- trict or two in industrial parts of North Carolina and the east coast of Florida. Representative Sears won the Democratic nomination in the fourth Florida district, though only | after a bitter fight with Mrs. Owen: daughter of the late William .Jen: nings Bryan. This, thé Republicans figure, adds to their chances in that district. Sears should win, however. Representative Harry M. Wurzbach, the only Republican member of the House from T won renomination by a vote of approximately 5 to 1 in the recent primaries, notwithstand- ing the opposition of Republican N: tional Committeeman Creager and the State Republican organization, which he had attacked because of the way Chamber. Here is a grand opportu- | nity for the psychologists. Report fram excellent sources persist tha Poincare will attempt to get the debt agreements ratified before Parliiment goes on vacation. If he so acts, it will be an astonishing volte face. "“And should he® procure ratification he would prove himself a wizard, indeed. The report: e plausible enough. There are indications that Poincare finds the prospects, as the days roll on, not too reassuring for realization of his original program of absolute self-help, no foreign assistance for France. To be sure National Defense Bonds are being renewed to a gratifying tent and a ‘mraifying number ar hastening to pay their 1926 income taxes. But it is doubtful if such re- liefs avail to tide over the delicate situation until the yield from the new taxation is in full flourish. The Thursday weekly report of the Bank of France showed an uncomfortably slender margin and a discomforting trend. It is suggested that Poincare, though none too well satisfied with the Berenger agreement, has decided that, all considerations weighed, im- mediate ratification would be the hap- piest solution, and proposes to take advantage of the present psychol cal phase and put his mastery to the supreme test by asking Parliament to ratify at once. Thereafter, foreign credits and the situatfon are secure. The above, of course, is merely specu lative, but the possibility is one that | demands notice. The franc, which stood at 2.39 cents on New York Exchange, July 30, ad- vanced thereafter by leaps and bounds to 2.89% on August 4. On August 5 it slightly receded to 2.84%, but on the sixth it jumped again to 2.95%. A Franco-German commercial treaty has been signed (it requires ratification by the Reichstag, but not by the French Parliament) which is more comprehensive than previous commercial agreements between the two governments. The preamble states that it heralds a treaty of still mere comprehensive scope. Many wise ones see France and Germany moving rapidly toward a genuine eco- nomic entente: and some are’ even bold to predict a political entente within the not very distant future. Nothing is impossible in this fantastic tergiversatory world. o F Poland.—The week's dispatches do not throw much light on the obscure Polish problem, but they seem to bear out last week’s dispatches, the burden of which was tHat Pilsudski had not been ‘“eliminated,” after all. If those dispatches tell truth, it would seem that Pilsudski, having indicated his program, fell silent and refrained from interference, hoping that Parliament would have the sense to enact his program without any fuss and that his self-obscuration would create the illusion of parliamentary indepegdence and of constitutionalism. But Parlia- ment misconstrued his _attitude and has heen behaving obstreperously: wherefore some knowing ones are pre- dicting that ere long the marshal will resume his big stick and read the riot act to the refractory gentlemen. ERE I Abyssinia.—Ras Taffari, regent of Abyssinia, addresses a note of protést to the secretariat of the League of Nations: “Our government,” says he, “recently received from the British and Italian governments an identical note informing us that these govern- ments had arrived at an agreement to support each other with the view of obtaining concessions for the British governnfem to undertake conservation of the waters of our Lake Tsana and for the Italian government to con- struet a railway through our empire.” The prince goes on to observe that it is-his understanding that the mem- bers of the league recognize each other as sovereign states, and, what's more, are obligated under the cove. ! nant each to support every other's sovereignty and independence. He discovers in the Itale-British agree- 92 . 1926—PART ° v it has handled Federal patronage in Texas. It is expected Wurzbach will be re-elected. In Maryland the Republicans now have two districts; Representative John Philip Hill, wet lcader in the House, represents one of them. He has cast his hat in the ring for the senatoriul nomination against Senator Weller. This may result in putting a Democrat into the House. Representa- tive Zthlman, the other Republican, is likely to succeed himself. Representa- tive Tydings, Democrat, is out for the Senate, which in the turnover may give the Republicans a chance for a seat in the House. Insurgents Have Wisconsin. ‘The States of the Middle West, east of the Mississippi, are sized up by the Republicans as follows—with gonsider- able justice: Wisconsin's delegation will remain practically the same, with the insurgents holding strongly to their seats. There seems chance for one Republican gain, however, if for- mer Representative Stafford runs against Victor Berger, Sociall The Republicans do not expect to lose any seats they now hold in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan or Illinois. In Indiana the party seems particularly strong, with factional differences forgotten for the moment. 2 The Republicans are hopeful of picking up one of the three seats in Minnesota now held by the Farmer- Labor party. Farther West, in Montana. the Re- publicans expect to hold their seat now occupied by Representative Scott Leavitt. They expect to re-elect hoth Representative French and Represent- ative Smith of Idaho and to hold three out of the four districts in Colo- rado. In Nevada they admit that Avent for «x hard fight, but ex pect him to win.. The Republicans will hold four out of five districts in ashington, it is expected. ouri presents another battle- ground. The Republicans hold .seven districts and the Democrats nine. In 1922 the Republicans dropped to five tricts in Yhat State. The Republi- cans are likely to pick up an addi- tional district in Kansas City—the second di: t. Oklahoma Situation. Oklahoma may give the Democrats an additional seat, but the Republicans are figuring on holding at least one district there. They have only two now. The Democrats hold the trict in New Mexico, and probably will continue to do so0. Repres Hayden of Arizona, Democrat, ing the Senate seat now held b tor Cameron. Republican, and may give the Republicans a chance at the House seat. In California the Republicans they are in pretty good -shape, and that they may even pick up the which was held by the late Repre- entative Ruker, Democrat, for many vears. Oregon the Republicans con- sider “all right,” and also Utah. The “solid South” will, of course, perform in the usual manner and send Democrats to the House, unle: there should be some tremendous up- neaval, which is not expected. single dis- ment an_affront to the Aby sovereignty. “We would like to hear.” he concludes. “from members | of the league whether they think it right that pressure should be exerted on us which they themselves would doubtl néver aceept Sir Austin Chamberlain, questioned in the Commons, avers that the agree- ment is innocent, sure is | contemplated, t vssinia is free | to grant or refu; 1t may be asked; and Mussolini professes himself inex. pressibly hocked that i should have i the benevolent, not to s altruistie, in. tentions of the Italian government. Rut the Bri includinf con- servative org S E fed with these protestations and finds in the agreement relapse into the wicked old methods sufficiently discredited in the instances of Persia, Asia Minor and China. It finds Ras Taffari's use of the word “pre pat and just. A good many think it would be well for” all concerned that the business should be threshed out before the league couneil. Perhaps the Ab,; might_be prev: league nian yssinian government led on to allow, under guarantees, the PBritish to at Lake Tsama the proposed age, which, by controlling the flow of the Biue Nile, would benefit not only the Sudan and Egypt, but 0. But there is a curious | culty. The bai the level of Lake sufficiently to submerge certain much venerated shrines on islands in the lake or on its shores. Terhaps. if properly ap-| proached, the abuna Abyssinia might find their difficulty. | Perhaps Ras Taffari might improve | the ¢ aving to .odge ; y just) for a sea front | As for 1 3 | the zood offices of the prol still re eat distrust at Addis v ssini might profit by League. sShe garded with Ababa. It is only 30 vears since she chal- lenged. with such di rous conse. quences to hersel?, the independence of Abyssinia. After the battle of Adowa she acknowledged the absolute independence of Abyssinia. M Miscellaneous.—The Belgian franc has been moving ympathetically with the French franc, though it has not quite kept the pace of its sister. On July 30 it stood at 2.53 cents on New York Exchange. At Friday closing its quotation was 2.78%. Last Sunday an attempt was made 1 on the life of Primo de Rivera. the Spanish dictator. The weapon was dagger, and it only just missed its Some reports describe the rchist, others us talonian separatist, he expulsion of Gregory Zinoviev, chief of the Communist International, from the politburo of the Communist party of Russia~ is the most striking recent news item from Russia. Zino- viev has heen opposing the policies of the majority of the politburo, the policies guided by Stalin, of hich | the most important is conciliation of the peasant population. T avold discussion of the Mexican business. It is not to be expected that whatever adjustment ends the present crisis will end a controversy of equal age with the Mexican repub. lie, one which has known a number of important crises. No doubt, how- | ever, the present crisis is the most | important of the serie: Reports indicate a greater prosper- v for the raflroads of the United States this year than ever hefore. (Covyright. 19%6.) ssail a ( Highbrows and Golf. From the Lexington (Ky.) Herald. ‘The trouble is that well-nigh all our real intellectual lights who know how this country ought to be run can't stop playing golf long enough to help us infeMors to handle the Job. hto BUS AND TRUCK FORGING AHEADINI.C. C. SPOTLIGHT Inquiries Serving to Inform Public on Present and Prospective Value of New Transportation Unit. BY WILLIAM ULLMAN. EGIONAL hearings on prob- lems relating to motor-bus transportation and its mani- fold ramifications which were initiated in Chicago recently, and are scheduled to be held at va ous centers during the coming months, will serve to draw public attention to a national economic factor of growing significance, and an element which, with the passage of time, destined to assume expanded impor- tance. These hearings, held by the Inter- state Commerce Commission, will delve deeply into the whole broad question of motor truck and bus use d, the problems to which it has given rise, and one immediate result will be an -increased realization by the public at large of a “new” trans- portation factor and of its relation- ship to the whole economic scheme of things. It is not the purpose here to at- tempt to outline what the conclusions of these hearings may be or to ex- plain in detail the many technical problems which will come up for consideration, but rather to indicate what these meetings probably will ac- complish in awakening interest in this modern mode of transportation and enlivening the public’s general con- ception of the factor. Focus Public Attention. If these hearings do nothing else they will serve to draw to the notice of the public at large the dominant position to which the motor bus and truck have risen during the past few vears. And they will bring home to all users of transportation, in a very graphic and pointed fashion, the real status of the automotive unit as a common carrier of freight and passen- gers. But they will do more than this. It is queer that progressive eco- nomic movements are so often attend- ed by such little recognition on the part of the groups most vitally af- fected by them. It is not only in this movement, but always has held true to a greater or a lesser de- gree. Battles, political 'conflict: these are spectacular movements and they become the cynosure of all eyes. But the basic and underlying ele- ments, those factors which are fund: mental to all movements, remain so hidden that a casual public passes them by without attempting to dig them out. Transportation is, of course. a pri- 'y economic consideration. It has been and always will be. Without the means of moving goods or persons gnation is inevitable. For that reason the material success ind wellbeing of a community, a na- tion or a cantinent can be gauged by the progrés of its transportation fa cilitie: Need All Available Means. In a country the size of the United States it is absolutely essential to con- tinued prosperity and advancement that every available means of trans- portation be taken advantage of, that possible link in the chain be | utitized and utilized broadly and effi- ciently. The automotive vehicle has within itself the power to supplement the al- ready established modes of tra tation in a manner so impor constitute a unit which should itself to certain types of shippers and users of transportation in every section of the country. Where there has been some hesi commend terstate «Commerce Commission hear- ings will serve to'stimulate thoughi and arouse the most desirable kind of interest. 2 In other words, in addition to ac quiring a great amount of data, in ad dition to plotting and dissecting the American motor-bus situation, in ad dition to formulating improvements of one sort of another, the officials taking testimony and conducting the investigations will, unconsciously Inevitably, act as animate billbo for the unit of transportation which uses the highways for its roadbed These gentlemen, in traveling ahout the country, cannot help but turn the thoughts of each great section Amer! to the truck—the term bei used in its broadest sense—and direct attention to its many singularly tractive characteristics. Educational Work Required Persons who beiore were doubtful as to the value of the bus as a means of intracity transportation will be without conscious attempt on the par of any one, thorough d complete Iy inoculated with the idea that these broad-bottomed couriers are worth: of a place of widening importance and that they cannot be overlooked in any serious consideration of the movement of passengers and ma terials, Upon first glance this m&y appear rather elementary, vet the fact re mains that literally millions through out the United States are not yet cognizant of the place to which the truck and bus have risen, of their brilliant future and of the vast pos sibilities they offer, and, furthermore. of the magnificent transportation chain which is being upbuilded by the raflroads in conjunction with the two automotive units The public is but slowly gatning an insight into the enormous and enormously importaat em which now is so rapidly assuming shape. The zeneral public’s ideas on the subject are amazingly inchoate, surprising limited as to scope and detafl. Value of 1. C. C. Hearings. Here again, it will be seen, the In terstate Commerce Commission heur ings will be a service by simply brinz ing before the eves of the publ on cretely and definitely, certain salient facts. They will indicate to those who know little about the subject and are unaware of its signiticance to all the people that the problem is not as dis organized as their own idea on it that its importance as a system is recognized by the government and that from this point forw it must s seriously as any of the stablished methods of trans. portation. These hearings will, b being, perform a distinct service in be half of the motor bus and motor truck. The mere fact that they are being held, that they are being widely discussed, is important and benefictal. If one would care to look at it in that way, it might be sald that this result alone would be worth the ling of the hearings and that the actual re sults of them would he so much velvet At any rate, the hearings are on and they will be until the Autumn In that time much g &m!s&inn:\r_v work will have been Aecomplished, thousands will have ned new and stimulating yiews on a factor destined to broaden in significance with the years, and the bus and truck will go to the tasks to which they are so well fitted with renewed vigor and their very taney in accepting the motor bus and the motored freight carrier, these In- strength, backed by an enlightened and a co-operating public. f‘ILLING NIAGARA’S “SORE TOOTH” IS ADVOCATED TO SAVE FALLS Cavity Diverting Water in Quantities That Imperil Beauty of Scenic Wonder—Hoover Would Build Islands to Meet Menace. » Department of Commerce pro- s building four small islands nex nk of Niagara Falls in order to divert the water from Niagara' “sore tooth.” a cavity in the edge of the Canadian Falls which has been gradually growing larger and which has more and more detracted from the of the falls. Plans to build nds have been drawn up by Army engineers and_are under con sideration in the Niagara control hoard, which is made up of Canadian nd American representativ The islands are to be made of concrete, and in order not to spoil the sceni beauty of Niagara they will be cov ered with grass and trees. Into Niagara's bad tooth thou ands of cubic feet of water are pour- ing every second instead of being spread out in a thin and even descent over the entire rim of the falls. The cavity is constantly becoming larger, and more and more water is concen- trating in this one spot, drawing the water away from the wings to such an extent that rocks which were cov- ered with water 50 vears ago are now plainly visible. Falls Might Lose Beauty. If the four remedial islands are not built in the near future, or if some other repair of Niagara's sore tooth is not undertaken, the beauty of the alls may entirely disappear. Mr. Hoover has warned of this danger in llowing recent statement: “Niagara must be saved, if for no other reason than to give joy to the thousands of honeymooners who come to the falls every year. The great scenic gem of our continent is slowly losing its grandeur vear by vear. U less the enlargement of the notch in the escarpment be checked, the time will come when Niagara will become a great rapids mstead of a gigantic waterfall. “It appears from our engineers that the remedy is not difficult, altAough it i a job to be undertaken in co- operation with our Canadian friends. It would seem to me that the com- paratively small expense by the two countries needed to preserve Niagara Falls. would give ample returns to the millions of honeymooners to| it annually contributes. A few of joy at that part of life is in itself compensation for some of the more serious things in life that will haunt those young people through the remainder of their days.” Niagara Wears Self Away. | It seems that it is an old habit | of Niagara's to wear away its edge. In fact, according to the reports by Army engineers, it has been wear- ing itself away for ages, and about thirty or forty thousand yvears ago the crest of the falls was several miles down stream at Lewiston. Since the first engineering survey of | fngz aw | the falls by the British Royal Engi- neers in 1764, it has worn away a total distance of 820 feet, and it continues to recede at the rate of about seven feet a year. The second map of the falls, pre- pared by James Hall, an American engineer, shows that during the 78 years from 1764 to 1842 the falls seesded upstream a total of 470 feet ’ During the next 33 years they receded 130 feet, and in the next 31 they moved back 110 feet. R has heen ahmost doubled recent total erosion during the last 19 years being 110 feet. The old gorge was worn away in a_southwesterly direc tion, but now Niagara is taking a new twist and is sheering off to the southeast. The sides of the Falls e scarcely affected by the erosion. most of the wear being concentrated in the V-shaped notch in the center of the Horshoe Falls. More Wear in Canada. The Amedic ulls are not weaur at ne me rate of speed as the the fact that a much s ume of water is diverted to the American side, and also to the fac that the water is spread out in thin and even stream Instead of being partially concentrated in a V’ shaped notch. Only 9,000 cubic feet a_second flow over the American Falls as compared with 150,00 cuble feet over the Canadian, Three methods of remedying Niagara's sore tooth have been pro posed. One is to build a submerged concrete weir in the water just above the Falls, which would divert part of the flow away from the V-shaped notch. Another plan is to reinfo the edge of the fa vith - and so retard the erosion. The finul method and the one which is fa- vored most at the Department of Commerce is the building of four islands, carefully placed so that they will divert the water evenly over the entire Horseshoe. The plan cannot be acted upon until after the Canadian eclections, when the Canadian members of the Niagara control board will be in a position to act with more autberity. (Covyright, 260 Shistr Goat Appeases Passengers’ Hunger Seeing the Philippine Islands is a hazardous experience. Most of the ships plying between the islands are foreign-owned. A probibits the owners from purchasing new ships 50 the old ones are patched up from vear to year. The €hurruca, on the southern island run, took a Spanish expedition to Davao long before the American occupation and also took the first American expedition to Da vao 27 vears ago. She still keeps going. Recently a party of Amer. icans took a trip of four days on the Sontua, which probably does not ante date the ark. The cuisine interested the Americans. Going aboard they observed a venerable goat tethered to the railing. “The first day lamb chops were served for dinner; the next, mut- ton stew; the next, roast leg of lamb; and the fourth and last, something similar to deviled eggs. Curiosity overcame the Americans. They craned their necks down the hatch to the lower deck, and though the tether still hung at the rall the geat was gone. law