Evening Star Newspaper, December 21, 1930, Page 38

THE EVENING STAR o With Ssnday Morning Editton. WASHINGTON, D. C. SUNDAY. i+ . . December 21, 1930 ol THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company e BT, e g Rate by Carrier Within the City. vening Star.. 445 per month fi i:md,i:nau i oo 65¢ per month S The Sunday Star . _5¢ per copy ‘Gotlection mude at the end of each month. Sidors max be sent in by mall o Telep! fAtionsl 5000: one Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Vlflrlnh.l yT. fly and Sunday.....1 ily only lay only mo.. mo.. ; 1 mo.. 40¢ All Other States and Canad: ¥r.. $12.00; 1 mq d E}‘Ey and Sunda B ay only Member of the Associated Press. s i exclysively entitled lieation of all news cis- ted t0 it or not otherwise cred- gt ceeee 4hd 4o os it 2 Al rig ation 1ol “dispacches hereln are wito eserved te Boosting Automobile Taxes. ‘There are a& number of very sound reasons against the proposal to increase gasoline and motor vehicle registration fees in order to finance all street ex- tension and maintenance work out of the proceeds. ‘The principle of shoving this costly item of municipal expense upon the shoulders of a class of the tax-paying public is unsound and vicious in itself. It becomes even more inequitable when consideration is given to the fact that the Government will not contribute a penny to the streets, although it is de- signer, owner and one of the principal users of a royal system of streets and avenues laid out in the beginning as & magnificent feature of a magnificent city, but never planned for the mere utilitarian needs of a rather small mu- nicipality of limited sources of revenue. ‘The principle of working a good horse to death and taking disproportionate | amounts from automobile and gasoline taxation to finance State highways is already causing condemnation by ex- perts in taxation and economists gen- erally. . But the States, as far as they have gone in this resp>ct, have never dreamed of going to the lengths pro- posed by our tax manipulating experts on Capitol Hill. For the calendar year 1929, the total income for State high- ways in the United States was $061,- 807,038. Of this amount som:thing over half — $565,350,150 — represented revéenue from automobile and gasoline taxation. The remainder was made up from general and miscellaneous reve- nues, bonds, etc., and included $77.572,- 691 from the Federal Government. In this connection, the Federal Gov- ernment has mads available to the States for 1931, 1932 and 1933, the sum of $125,000,000 for each of these years, to be expended on the fifty-fifty prin- cipie for highways. There is now before Congress & bill to mak: an additional | for all toys and lights should be in good condition. Discarded wrapping paper, excelsior and other packing, so plentiful at Christmas, should be gathered up and kept safely away from heating plants and fireplaces, and should be removed from the home as promptly as possible. ‘These warnings point out dangers known to all, perhaps all the more dangerous because every one thinks he knows about them, and familiarity breeds contempt in this matter as in others. Let every householder refresh his bump of caution at the timely wisdom of Chief Watson and help him to keep the city more free from Christmas fires than ever before. An uncontrolled fire is at all times a sad affair, but peculiarly so when mirth and joy and happiness should occupy the entire stage of human affairs. ——— Stupidity. ‘The Republicans in Nebraska and out of it had plenty of cause to oppose the renomination and re-election of Senator George W. Norris if they desired to do s0. Senator Norris openly opposed the Republican national ticket in 1928 and spoke and voted for the election of the | Democratic national ticket. Four years| earlier, while he did not come out “‘i the open for the La Follette-Wheeler | ticket against Calvin Coolidge in the presidential race, he was known to sympathize with it. In the Senate he has consistently fought the policies of Coolidge and Hoover. When he de- termined this year to seek the Republi- can senatorial nomination at the hands of the voters in Nebraska, all these facts were known. Many Republicans in Ncbraska op- posed Senator Norris In the primary. Some eighty thousand voted against his nomination. Many of these Repub- licans opposed him also in the general election, voting for Gilbert M. Hitch- cock, the Democratic candidate. Many of them conducted their fight against Norris in the open. They had a perfect right to do so. The Nye Senatorial Campaign Inves- tigating Committee has turned up the facts, however, that Republicans in high place undertook to oppose the candidacy of Senator Norris secretly. They tried to conceal their opposition to Norris and what they were doing. Right there they made their mistakes and showed themselves to be about as stupid as politicians ever become. First an effort was made to get into the pri- mary fight a grocer from Broken Bow, Nebr., whose name was identical with that of Senator Norris. The veil of secrecy surrounding the real backing of the grocer was torn asunder finally by the Nye Committee, and it was dis- closed that the grocer had been induced to go into the fight by an agent of Re- publican opponents of Senator Norris, some of them in high place. And finally it appears that the executive di- rector of the Republican National Committee, Robert H. Lucas, spent four thousand dollars to send campaign literature into Nebraska in an effort to defeat Senator Norris. | $80,000,000 available to the States for emergency aid in the form of highway funds. Yet the Federal Government, according to the plan now considered by a committee created primarily to fix the fair amount of Federal partici- pation in ‘méeting expenses of the Federal City,’would withdraw all aid from the upkeep of its own expensive street system. As in the éase of the water system, which the Federal Government began to build and then steadily diminiched its proportionate contribution until it could withdréw entirely and foist the burdens for building and maintenance to the shouldérs of real estate owners and water-users in the District, the street planning and street owning Fed- eral Government would, according to the plan proposed, repeat the process in connectién with street, highway and bridge-building operations in the Cap- ital. By creating and setting aside a number of “special funds.” such as the water fund and gasoline tax fund to which it contributes nothing, the Fed- eral Government would obviously lighten the burden—as Mr. Simmons naively states it—on the “general fund” of Lhe] District to which it contributes. ‘The oppposition to the increase in gas or automobile tax rates in the District may well be founded on an objection to increasing a total tax burden that is already shown to be relatively heavy. There is no occasion. | no justification, to increase it. But if the Federal Government would increase its own contribution in proportion to the increased payments demanded from automobile owners or users in the Dis- trict, and abandon the unfair procedure of regarding “special funds” such as the gasoline tax as absolving it from any financial responsibility, an increase in the levies proposed would bring a min-! imum of protest. ——e— No attempt has been made to criticize J. Hamilton Lewis for not relicving unemployment by spending more money in his campaign. In the name of all common gense and decency, why did not the Republican powers come out into the open and fight Norris if they wished to see him defeated? Mr. Lucas, appearing before the Senatorial Investigating Committee, declared that in his opinion Norris is not a Republican, but a Democrat, mas- querading in Nebraska as a Republican. For that reason, he seid, he preferred Hitcheock, an announced Democrat, in the senatorial election. Mr. Lucas stated his case completely. The only sad thing about it is thet he did not state it just as openly back in the days of the senatorial campaign in Nebraska, instead of acting under cover. The cowse pursued by the Repub- lican organization, with regerd to the Norris senatorial campaign in 1930, will go down in kistory as one of the most egregious mistakes on record. It is true that had it not been for the Nye Committee, there might have been no disclosure of the under cover efforts to defeat Senator Norris for re-election. But even had there been no publicity given to these efforts, they were futile and unsevory. It is no excuse now for these members of the G. O. P. organiza- tion to say that Senator Norris was in- tellectually dishonest when he sought to run for renomination and re-electicn as a Republican. That is a matter for Mr. Norris and his conscience to wrestle with At least Mr. Norris has done en- tirely in the open what he has done in regard to his opposition to the candi- dates of the Republican party. To most Republicans it will appear that Norris had not the slightest right from an ethical standpoint to run again as a Re- | publican for the Senate. He should have run as an independent candidate. Only in that case he would not have had the support which he received ! when he bore the Republican label. { - e ! Russian economists are besinning to inquire whether the Sovietists have not | taken up the old perpetual motion idea | and tried to apply it to national prosperity. | o An expenss account is a commonplace matter in ordinary business, but in politics it takes on impressive impor- tance when it runs up into the millions. A Timely Warning. Pire Chief Watson's list of dangers to be guarded against during the Christmas holidays is a timely one, one which can be followed with great benefit by every household in the city. The head of the District'’s efficlent corps of firefighters, in Issuing his warning. realizes the great need for fire prevention, understanding better than most residents just how much the, average person can do to help prevent fires if he will. “A house of merriment is better than a house of mourning,” Mr. Wat- son says, and goes on to warn against the use of paper, cotton or other flammable material in Christmas tree oo Another Medal for Bobby. It is eminently fitting tha2t Bobby! Jones should be awarded the James | E. Sullivan Memorial medal for 1930 2s the amateur who has d-ne the most during the year to advance the cause of sportsm:nship. The Atlanta golf wizard is the outstanding sport figure for the year and amply measures up to ell the standards set by the Award Committee. The fact that he has signed a moving picture contract to make golf pictures has nothing what- lz\’el’ to do with the matter. He com- piled & record as ar. amateur—and a | great section of %.. public will always regard him as an amateur if he does not compete for money in tourna- ments—that may never be equaled. He wou the British amateur championship at the historic St. Andrew's course in Scotland in May, the British open championship at, Hoylake in June, the American open championship at Inter- | | decorations. Non-flammable decorations are as baantiful, he says, and are sife. Old-fashioned candles should not be used, nor should trees be placed too close to fireplaces, nor should they be permitted to remain in homes after their needles have become dry. A large number of fires usually occur in Janu- ary from this latter canse. Chief Walscn warns against leaving matches within the reach of children, advises the avoidance of toys requiring fammable ilquids, and points out the danger of using motion picture projec- lachen in July and the American amateur championship at Merion in September, a string of victories that had never before been put together by an individual in a single year and a record gained through the defeat of the THE SUNDAY STAR, WASH vided the committee tookthe wise course it did and judged him as an amateur in spite of his allegedly changed status. His neares§ rival was Clarence Demar, that perennial mara- thoner from Massachusetts, who still trots over the regulation distance faster than his more youthful rivals. Demar polled eight hundred votes, while Jones more than doubled that figure. Con- gratulations are therefore in order for both Jones and the committee which made the award with the following words: During the several years that he has been in the public eye there has not been a single reflection on bis sports- manship or amateur status. excellence of performance, retiring na- ture, disdain for acclaim, helpfulness to and generous spirit toward his opponent and fine example under many trying situations, he has endeared him- self to all lovers of amateur sport. e Although a comparatively young man 1or so high a position, Judge Clark of New Jersey is giving veterans of the legal profession something to think about. The United States Constitution seems simple and direct to the ordinary reader, but when a constitutional lawyer takes it in hand it may be made to reveal unlimited possibilities of ar- gument and often of dissenting judicial opinion. s After a brief interview at breakfast with the President, Henry Ford went on his way and met with a slight motor accident. Henry Ford accidents are never serious. No man knows his auto- mobile better than Mr. Ford, and if, as a few metaphysical explorers assert, machinery has some kind of a soul, taere is no one who should be so capable of appealing to it as the great Detroit inventor. ————— . Many on shipboard with Prof. Ein- stein would be tempted to compliment him by trying to bring up the subject of relativity in conversation. The professor is careful to state at the outset that even if he were to explain his views, no one would understand him, and there is doubtless much relief because of his tactful solution of so tedious a situation ————— A remark is attributed to G. Bernard Shaw to the effect that Americans like to be abused. Mr. Shaw has climbed to an elevated position in th> literary palm tree where he gathers-his own palms and throws coconuts, which arouse no objection so long as they never seriously hurt anybody. o Great deliberation usually marks pro- ceedings in which the United States Supreme Court figures. In the case of the New Jersey interpretation of the | Constitution, the prohibition forces will no doubt endeavor to see to it that the august tribunal develops speed. RS, i There is a strong sentiment in oppo- sition to anything that might be called & “dole.” There is undoubtedly need for many kinds of work and the lead- ership needed at present is the kind that can show the job to the man who needs it. Pzople are advised to avold hoarding their money. The conductors of cabarets serving dinners to celebrate New Year eve are already, in some cases, figuring out cover charges that will- eounteract any tendencies to over-thrift. R — Congressmen do not believe in Santa Claus, but they want their Christmas holidays just the same. e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. A Role Open to Every One. I know a man so obstinate he will not change his mind. In most of his opinions he is flexibly inclined. But ever since his boyhood hours he banishes his grief By cherishing a very oid and comforting belief. ‘When snowflakes flash and melt along as holidays draw near, He says, “It's time to think about the sleigh bells and the deer. I haven't changed my mind regarding Christmas time, because I'm as much convinced as ever that there IS a Santa Claus.” He says, “I love the glitter of the tinsel and the toys. There is music in the laughter of the girls and of the boys, ! And the generous Christmas spirit that inspires us once again Demands sincere expression unto all my fellowmen. I shall not hesitate to travel in the slush and snow. If necessary, 1 will let some long white whiskers grow. | I believe in the existence of that ancient Jovial elt, . Claus myself!” Assuring Interest. “What is the usual method of con- ducting a senatorial investigation?” “Well,” replied Senator Sorghum, hen you decide on an investigation you start in immediately believing the worst.” Jud Tunkins says times are so hard out his way that he's lockin’ for ‘em to reduce the price of circus tickets. The Old Sleigh. Oh, for the good old-fashioned sleigh! ‘The horse went traveling on his way. No flattened tire would he disclose. His radiator never froze. Securing Material. “Why don't you write a novel?” “I'm going th write one," answered Miss Cayenne. “I have decided to com- pose a great mystery story.” “How will you get your material?” “Directly from authoritative sources. | 1 nave made a list of policemen to be invited to tea with me every week.” “One who closes his eyes to the truth,” sald Hi Ho, the sage of China- town, “shuts out the light and must walk through life in uncertainty.” Lost in the Confusion. greatest golfers both here and abroad. And through it all the stocky South- erous to his opponents, exacting as to his own conduct and typifying the best in eportsmanship. A noble thought was put to work. ‘We argued and began to shirk, And sometimes nearly had a row. “Some men,” said Uncle Eben, “don’t mind losin’ a friend near as much as ‘There was really no competition for dey does fohgettin' where dey left an were \-mmmwflc Jones in the matter of the award pro- umbrella.” - A By his | . And if T have to prove it—I'll be Santa | Rockn SPIRIT OF BY THE RIGHT RE] Bishop of Text: “God sent forth the spirit of His St‘m’mw your hearts.”—Gala- ins, iv.6. Christmas is the announcement of a great fact. Quite apart from all the ways in which we may interpret it in our homes and in the chosen circles of friendship, this day is desi to place emphasis on one supreme fact—namely, a new conce) of life presented to mankind in the person of Jesus Ohrist. Dr. Van Dyke has called Christmas sunrise of Christianity.” It is the dawn of a new day, the beginning of a new kind of life. The homely sim- plicity with which it was ushered In brings it within the range of the’ hum- blest and the greatest. The birth of the Chlld in Bethlehem in a little in- conspicuous village, far removed from our Western World, has affected the whole course of human history, changed our habit of life out the world it ignated “Christian civilization.” No matter what our point of view may be with reference to the applica- tion of this fact to our own individual conditions, no matter in what light we may regard the incidents that attended the first Christmas day, no ter what our affiliation may be or may not be with the Christian church, the fact re- mains that the birth of the Christ Child, coupled with the brief public ministry of this mighty Master, consti- tute in themselves the most stupendous event in the long of the known history of mankind. have been turning points in the history of na- tions, but nothing recorded is compara- ble to what was ushered into life with the birth of Jesus Christ. The me- morials of human achievement have been recorded in bronze and marble to Istand as witnesses of great personali- |ties and great eras: but. at best, these other ‘events that have constituted the | o¢ D. C., DECEMBER 21, CHRISTMAS JAMES E. FREEMAN, D. D, LL. D, on. Washingt are but local in their significance, Over against this stands the universal wit- ness to the world power of Christ in the multitudinous temples scattered over every part of the globe. Judged only by their multiplicity and extent, they witness to an historic fact s0 stupendous in its range and implica- tions that it taxes the imagination, Our recognition of this in the joyous cele- bra of Ohristmas day may fall to take cognizance of its deep import. We may have brought into our recognition of it that which is suggestive of the Roman Saturnalia We may think of it as marking & season of excesses of one kind and an- other, of extended generosity, of kindly greetings and ‘warm-heaied felicitas tions, ‘e may think of 1t as a period in the year when we lay aside our insu- lar ways of thigl ||I1 and valuing life and regard it Ifilwy i terms of nl-vlnl and recelving. e -upnll mi in this apprehension of It iis aner and richer algnificance. 1t iife In all fta full- ness 18 our supreme guest, Lhen cer- tainly this day brings (s & new in- terpretation of its munlur and so broadens our horlsons, so glorifies the finer thingd of our nature that we dare to think of ourselves as possessors of divine qualities and gifts. Christmas comes to us saying, “God sent forth the spirit of his Bon into our hearts.” It reaches down to the owllest and humblest, up to the highest and noblest, and without recogn! human _distinctions confers upon all alike the power of re izing the fatherhood of God and the rhood man. Some one says: “God sleeps in the stone, Dreams in the animal, And awakes in man,” but this awakeni of the God-con- | sclousness is indissolubly related to that which the mighty story of Christmas proclaims. Arouses BY WILLIAM HARD. In the midst of the political tumults of the past week in Washington the truly important event was a quiet hear- ing before the Judiclary Committee of the House of Representatives on_the bill for the establishment of a “Fed trial Commission.” pose of this commission would be “to aid in the stabilization of employment in industry, agriculture and commerce.” It would represent a permanent con- tinuous effort by the Government of the United States to foster all sound means for arriving at uninterrupted national economic stability and pros- ty. Temporary relief measures for farm- ers in drought-stricken areas and for workingmen to be employed on roads and on river and harbor improvements will be entered into the statute books by Christmas. The Congress, upon its reconvening in January, will be asked from many quarters to attempt some legislation not for relief but for reform. In this category the chief pro- d measures are the three specific employment promotion bills of Senatos Wagner of New York and the more general bill for a “Federal Industrial Commission” to suggest further expand- ing steps toward the stabilization of production and consumption. Proposed by Eagles. The bill for a “Federal Industrial Commission” was brought 1o Washing- ton by an organization which was greeted with some surprise by Federal politicians, but which has had & record of remarkable success in its efforts for social welfare laws in State Legislatures throughout the country. It recently has spent some $250,000 in support of publicity for its proposals regarding so- called “old-age pensions,” which now have been established in the legislation of a dozen States. It has been similar- 1y influential in the development of “mothers’ pensions” and of “workmen’s compensation” laws. It is a “fraternal order,” whose humanitarian purposes seem rather oddly expressed by its bel- ligerent title of “Eagles.” and the com- mittee which carried its “Federal In- dustrial Commission” bill to Washing- ton included the following persons: Conrad H. Mann, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City; Otto P. Deluse, president of the Cham- ber of Commerce of Indianapolis; John M. Morin of Pittsburgh, ex-Representa- tive and member now of the United States Employes’ Compensation Com- mission; James J. Rolph, jr., mayor of San Prancisco and Governor-elect of California; Senator Blaine of Wiscon- sin and Senator Copeland of New York. Introduced by Blaine and Ludlow. The bill was introduced into the Sen- ate by Senator Blaine and into the Lower House by Representative Ludlow of Indiana. Its operative clause is sec- tion II, which provides: “The Federal Industrial Commission 1s authorized and directed to make sur- veys studies and investigations of all problems relating to the stabilization of employment in industry, agricylture and commerce in the United States with a view to formulating such plans and recommending such legislation as will enable employes to obtain a saving wage and investors a reasonable divi- dend.” Testimony arousing keen interest among members of the Judiciary Com- mittee of the House of Representa- tives was delivered to the committee in advocacy of this project by Frank E. Hering of South Bend, Ind., editor of the Eagle Magazine and for- merly a_teacher of economics at Notre Dame University, where, in addition to teeching economics, he also taught foot ball as a predecessor to Knute e. Mr. Hering, as a lifelong student of economic affairs, detailed to the com- mittee the unemployment disasters oc- casioned by overg:'vducuon and under- consumption of ic commodities and argued in favor of the establishment of a continu:::3 national bcdy f exploration of all practicable plans originated by res| ible business lead- ers or labor leaders for bringing pro- duction and consumption into mutual adjustment. Approved In Principle. His ideas elicited approval in prin- ciple from members of the commit- tee who reflected that much economic jgood in this present crisis has ad- | mittedly resulted from the existence of the Federal Reserve system for the adjustment of the currents of money and credit. They were impressed the possibliity that a Federal Indus- trial Commission of outstanding citizens of high economic experience mfght be able little by little to suggest to the some feasible systems for the adjustment of the currents of com- modities in interstate and world com- merce. Some of them believed that such citizens might be found in Presi- dent Hoover's already existing “Com. mittee on Recent Economic Changes," which contains in its membership Mr. Owen D. Young of the General Electric Co., Mr. Daniel Willard of the Balti- more & Ohio Raliroad Co., Mr. Cl ence Woolley of the American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation, Mr. A. W. Shaw of the McGraw-Hill Busi- ness Publications and Mr. William g‘r;:: of the American Federation of Representative Clyde Kelly of Penn- sylvania, one of the most active legisla- | i tors of the Lower House, stated: “The Federal Industrial Commission bill is a move forward toward finding out how to organize an American erner was the perfect sportsman, gen- | That noble thought. Where is it now! | economic society that: will be able to harmonize its great power of production with a new and equally great and efficient power of distribution and m- e praciaimed. hy (he. ola seapomniia lke Malthus and Adam Smith and by | $1,886,000,000 on farms. Permanent Relief Plan House Interest which condemned the masses of the people to continuous distress have al- ready been proved in the United States to have been not economic laws, but economic lies. We have shown here that most ple can live at an ad- vanced level of comfort most of the time. We must proceed to find out how they can do so all of the time. To that end we should assemble the best economic brains of the country and give them a mandate on behalf of the Nation to think ahead on our behalf and to report to us for action.” . Senate Hearings in January. Hearings on the Federal Industrial Commission bill are expected on the Senate side of the Capitol in January. It s supposed that by that time there may be a report from the members of the conference between the Senate and the House of Representatives on Senator Wagner's bill for reservoirs of public funds of public works projects to be used for the spreading of employ- ment in times of need. Senator Wagner's other bill of last year for the improvement of employ- ment-finding agencies is now on the calendar of the Lower House and 1s likely to be brought to the floor of the House through a special rule from the Rules Committee. His new bill for Federal taxation exemptions to be grant- ed to funds set aside by private em- ployers and mfl:ns against unemploy- ment emergencies is before the Senate’s Committee on PFinance. ‘The prospect is that considerable at- tention to measures for controlling future business crises may be exhibited by the Congress before it adjourns"in March. (Copyright, 1930.) Life Insurance Holds Up During Depression BY HARDEN COLFAX. Sales of new life insurance have held up remarkably well, despite the busi- ness depression of 1930, or perhaps, in some measure, because of it, according to news reaching Government agencies here. Some of the volume of business undoubtedly was due to the use of life insurance as a means of redlacing per- sonal estates which had shrunk ma- terially as a result of the decline in values of securities. The stability of the business is shown bv the latest figures for new business. In the first 10 months of 1930, 44 com- panies, which do 82 per cent of the legal reserve life insurance in the United States, sold $10,487,780,000 in new pald-for business, ac compared with $10,609,887,000 in the correspond- irg period of 1929, a deccrease of only 1.2 per cent. This is the more remark- ble in view of the fact that 1929 was the best life insurance year on record |and the period covered was the most prosperous part of that year. Tha |is that the relatively poor record of Oc- tober of this year, which was 13 per cent below October, 1929, was really re- sponsible for the aggregate falling be- low that of last vear. Not only has life insurance done an enviable business, but the future is very bright since there is a huge volume of insurance in force, about $19,000,000,000 is conservatively invested chiefly in Gov; ernment and other high-grade bon and first mortgages, home office and field management is increasingly efficient and policy forms are constantly showing improvement. The most bothersome problem the life insurance companies face at the moment is the somewhat abnormal policy loan situation brought about by heavy borrowings on policles after the stock market crash in the Fall of 1929. This has been gradually readjusting itself and will unquestionably return to normal as business gets back on its feet again In alding business to get back to a prosperous basis, the insurance com- panies are doing yoeman's service ! through their placing of investment funds. The investments of the life companies gained $1,418,000,000 in the last year. Investments now held, ac- cording to President Walton L. Crocker of the John Hancock Mutual Life In- surance Co. of Boston, are double those held in 1933. The leading investment of the companies still is the real estate mortgage. This type of security com- prises over 40 per cent of the assets of 52 companies. These investments are scattered through every State and total 1$5,108,000,000 on city property and he mortgage loans, according to Mr. Crocker, will show a gain of 3.7 per cent this year. Stocks and bonds represent 37.6 per cent of the investment portfolio of the business totaling $6,531,000,000. The holding of public utility securities totals $1,686,000,000. This represents the capital on which a.huge amount of work of construction was done and thousands of men employed. The in- surance investments were equally useful in the railroad field. State and Federal projects also were materially aided by the money put by the insurance com- panies into governmental securities. ‘The aggregate of policy loans is esti- mated at $2,473,000,000. Disbursements to policy holders and beneficiaries this year will reach $2,200,000,000, according to James Lee mis, E;;-mm of the Connecticut Mutual e. Of this amount $1,325,000,000 has been to policy paid holders as dividends, ma- endowments, annuities, disability benefits and cash surrender values. The insurance companies had a good many problems to face during the year. Premium volume decreased due to the general depression in business and relative insurable values have been lower as a result of.the drop in con- struction labor and mate: costs, Then, too, the average l‘lh&u $100 of insurance has also fallen the last ¥ g |0 Capital Sidelights A‘*n‘h this is an “off year” in members of Congress are curtail- ing considerably on the number of Christmas g:euu cards they mail out the House tmaster Frank W. Collier estimates that upwards of 180,000 Christmas cards will go out through his office and at least that number will come in. Thus will the holiday cheer be lrl'!ld from the Capitol throughout the land and the good will spirit wafted here from all corners of the United Btates—and foreign lands. Prom 12 to 156 sacks of parcel post mail per hour is being handled by Post- master Colller's force—outgoing, and #ix or seven sacks per hour incoming arcel post. Next week the amount of ncoming packages will multiply, if the experience of previous years holds true. And Mr, Colller ought to be a pretty ’nfld judge for he has been on the job for 12 years as postmaster. and for 25 years an employe at the Capitol. Previ- ously he was a druggist in Wisconsin. When he first came to Washington he was a clerk in the Post Office where he 18 now postmaster, and the work of that office has multiplied many times. All of this CI rush work in the House Post Office is' b2ing handled with only one additional employe, and is kept cleaned up every hour so that no plece of mail awaits more than one hour. This is a point of honor with the postmaster. ‘The reason why the House Post Office does not employ extra help at Christmas as do other post offices is b2cause trained and experienced men are need:d handle carefully the mail for Con- gressmen and they cannot be broken in during the holiday season—so the regular force puts on extra steam, doubles up and somehow keeps the mall from piling up. As usual, Edmund F. Erk of Pitts- burgh is sending out the largest num- ber and the most original Christ- mas cards, although this is not up to the usual Erk standard. The reason is that previously while secretary to the late Representative Stephen Porter Mr. Erk spent several months in draft- ing an elaborate greeting card which has for a number of years evoked a flood of inquiries from all over the country, and people in all ranks of life, including many patriotic organizations, which de- sire to secure coples. This year, how- ever,” Mr. Erk was in the midst of a campaign for election to Congress of Mr. Porter's successor, and did not have the copy for his card ready in time 50 the engravers could get out the de- sired number. Mr. Erk is mailing out 6,000 cards. It is a folder 10x12 inches of beautiful color work in some seven colors with a fitting holiday sentiment. Inside the folder are engraved reproductions of eards to the members gallery, of both House and Senate, the one for the House Gallery signed by Mr. Erk him- s°1f, and the one for the Senate Gallery signed by Senators Reed and Davis of Pennsylvania. This greeting therefore carries with it an invitation to his friends back home to visit Congress at work Before sending out each card, Mr. Erk fills in on these gallery ad- mission cards. the name of the person to whom he is addressing the greeting. Congressman Erk promises that next year he will send out the most elaborate and patriotic card he has ever pre- pared for the holiday season, emph: sizing the Bicentennial Celebration of George Washington's birth. * ok ok William Tyler Page, clerk of the House of Representatives, who is au- thor of the American's creed and ex- ecutive secretary of the George Wash- ington Bicentennial Commission and who last week celebrated the forty- ninth anniversary of his coming to Congress as a page, having been con- tinuously emploved in the Capitol, is nct sending out this year as many Christmas cards as usual, but his per- sonal cards to his closest friends carry the real spirit of Christmastime. They were secured through the National Ca- thedral and carry reproductions of the Madonna and Child and other famous paintings regarding the birth of the Saviour by the greatest masters, mostly Itallan. * % E % Speaker Longworth is mailing out his usual 1,100 batch of Christmas cards, which are signed jointly by himself and “Alice Longwortl In addition to these, the Speaker and Mrs. Longworth have.a list of personal! friends almost as long as this list of official friends to whom they send Christmas greet- ings annually. * K %k Representative Edmund F. Erk has received one Christmas present which especially delights him. For the past 12 years he was clerk to the Foreign Af- fairs Committee of the House as well as private secretary to Representative Porter of Pennsylvania, chairman of that committee. Mr. Erk has now suc- ceeded Mr. Porter in Congress, snd a unanimous vote of Democrats, as well as Republicans, he has been given a most welcome Christmas present in as- signment to membership on this House Committee of which he was clerk for 12 years, * ok ok % There are two members of Congress to whom Christmas day appeals r- ticularly. It means more in their lives than. to all of their colleagues. Repre- sentative David J. O’'Connell of Brook- lyn, N. Y., was born in New York City on Christmas day, 1868. Even more than to his colleague, O'Connell, Christ- mas day grips at the heartstrings of Representative Joe Crail of Los Angeles, Calif., because he and his twin brother, Judge Charles S. Crail, who is dean of the Superior Court pf Los Angeles, were born on Christmas eve, 1877. They re- semble each other in appearance, have always dressed alike, and are pleased to be mistaken one for the other. They were partners in the practice of law until Charles went on the bench 12 years ago At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War both enlisted as privates and served in the Volunteer Signal Corps. Joe was made a corporal, and Charles was made a sergeant, which made it easier for their commanding officer to tell the one from the other by their chevrons. Joe remained in Cuba with the American Army of Oc- cupation until its withdrawal. * ok x K Few men in Congress can claim to be as closely related to the Founding Fathers as Representative E. Hart Fenn of Connecticut, chairman of the House Census Committee, who is quitting Con- gress at the close of the present ses- sion, but not as a “lame duck.” because he - voluntarily withdrew. He was a veteran newspaper reporter and editor before coming to Congress. Representative Fenn is a lineal de- | takings scendant of Benjamin Fenn, a founder of New Haven, Conn., in 1638; of John Talcott, a founder of Hartford, Conn., in 1636; of Willlam Pinchon and Elizur ment but for the discord of schemes | corruption- Holyoke, founders of Springfield, Mass., in 1836. * Kk * How have the mighty fallen! We find that the champion ping-pong player of the House is Representative | William P. Connery, formerly an actor and theatrical manager, who. during the World War, was regimental color ser- geant of the famous Yankee Division, participating in all major operations with that famous command. year. Income from investments has been lower. As a result of these facts, more rigid underwriting is being noted and expenses are being cut wherever possible, although commissions to agents and. brokers are not likely to be cur- ‘The old-established companies have been through situations like the present before and are not likely to be worried or hard hit, but considerable anxiety seems to exist among some of the new- comers in the field as to the amount of their profits. Much the same situation applies to casualty insurance as to fire. Work- compensation premiums have wing to the reduction in Taxation in the United States BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Taxes in the United States have climbed to a point at which nearly 12 cents out of every $1 of the people’s in- come goes to pay the cost of government and public works. The precise figure is 11.9 cents. ‘This includes all manner of taxes, direct and indirect, paid by the Amer- ican people. It includes Federal taxes, such as the income tax, tobacco taxes and customs duties on imported goods. ‘These imposts, levied by the General Government, are the lesser proportion of the whole. The lion's share goes to the States, counties and municipalities. The total American tax bill is ap- proximately $9,289,000,000. Of this sum about $3,365,000,000 is paid to the United States Government, the lesser political jurisdictions collecting the re- mainder.” These figures vary from. year tc year, rates of taxation changing both for the Federal Government and in States, counties and cities. Then, too, the volume of business done has a direct bearing on tax collections. Even with this huge annual tax bill, however, the American people are better off than the great industrial nations of Europe. Germany, for instance, pays 14 cents out of every $1 of national income in taxation, while the British rate ranges from 18 to 20 cents. The French rate is lower. During the last 40 years the national tax bill has been steadily rising. There Lave been fluctuations in the propor- tions of the total paid to the Federal Government and to the local jurisdic- tions, but in general, the trend is toward }mr oP"edeu]T;:pendlttures and larger es. great cities are the biggest spenders. gxample, in 1890 taxes took 7.2 cents Jut of every $1 of national in- come. Of the total tax bill, Federal taxes represented 42.7 per cent; State taxes, 11 per cent, and local taxes— county and city—46.3 per cent. Coming on to 1913, the year imme- diately before the outbreak of the European war, the proportion of taxes paid was down to 6.4 per cent of the national income. The Federal Gov- ernment’s share had dwindled to 30.6 per cent, but the States' share had risen to 13.7 per cent, while the coun- tles and cities were receiving 55.7 per cent. &t all taxes paid. This year rep- ;‘es;n the high point in local taxa- jon. Taxes and Incomes Increased. The coming of the World War, and especially the entry of the United States into it, brought greatly increased Federal taxation. The income tax, the excess profits tax and such special taxes as thoee on admissions and on luxuries took hundreds of millions from the pockets of the people. To be sure, it was a period in which the national income also gained tremendously, so that, while the sums raised were im- mensely increased, the proportions and gfli’eelau'el were not so sensationally tered. For the period of the war emergency and for some years thereafter the bal- ance was shifted and more money was collected by the Federal than by the State and local governments. Of the total tax bill in those years about 60 per cent was collected by the Federal Government and about 40 by the other governments. ‘The economy program put into effect immediately after the war, making pose sible the paring down, year by year, of the Federal income tax rates, the re- peal of the excess profits tax and of other levies, steadily reduced the of the Federal Government until by 1928 the United States was collecting only 344 per cent of the national tax bill, while States were col- | The lecting 15.8 per cent and counties and cities 49.8 per cent. Thus the Federal Government has in recent years been re- celving only about one-third of the Nation’s tax money, while the States d local subdivisions have been recelving_two-thirds, Presidents Harding, Coolidge and Hoover have all three inveighed against the extravagance of the States, counties and cities in the matter of taxes. Much of the tax money is levied to pay Inter- est on bonds. Because the evidences of indebtedness of these local jurisdic- tions are exempt from the Federal in- come tax, there been & strong temptation to borrow during the pros- perous times since the war. Jurisdic- tions have made improvements which in some cases were not necessary and in more cases were made on a grander scale than would have been essayed had not their bonds been so readily market- able. The borrowed money flowed in easily, but it was a different story when the interest and sinking fund payments began to fall due. These demands for cash necessitated the raising of tax rates all along the line. There has been a steady rise in these rates since the commencement of the era of tax- exempt bond borrowing. New York Gets Half Inheritance Tax. In the last year or two the movement has checked considerably, but local tax exactions remain out of ‘all proportion to the demands of the Federal Govern- ment. Many States imitated the war-time action of the Federal Government and levied income taxes. The same is true of inheritance taxes. Of the $106,000,- 000 in inheritance taxes collected in a recent year by the States, New York State received nearly half. Many per- sons who make their fortunes in other sections of the country move to New York upon retirement and die there, which accounts for so much inheritance tax money falling to one State. Such taxes account for 7.8 per cent of the entire tax collections of that State. In general, property taxes pay the chief burden of local taxation. On an average, property taxes account for 93.9 per cent of the total of local taxes. In two or three States the ro?muon runs as high as 99 per cent of all collections. These imposts are mainly on real estate, although most jumdlctlmAfln Mvfi 5 a dictions must pa; up to $7,088,000,000. This means & tremendous annual burden to be out of tax receipts. ‘The cities owe $4,203,000,000; counties, $1,210,000,000; school districts, $839,- 000,000, and States, $836,000,000. The money represented by this debt has been “used as follows: City improve- ; roads, streets and buildings, $1,357, utilities, $385,000,000; nreddepnnmenu, an ance, financed by those who use them. Motor license taxes and gasoline taxes in many States are being applied directly and exclusively to roads. Some $600.- 000,000 & year now is being collected in motor license and gasoline tax:s. This is an increase of more than 40 per cent in the last four years. It is the modern, scientific method of operating toll gates. e toll no longer is paid at a toll house, but th» automobile driver actually is paying toll when he takes out a license and every time he buys gasoline, [Fifty Years Ago In The Star It would seem that during the discus- slon 50 years ago of the problem of = reclaimi the flats On Reclaiming of the Pelomes aug the Flats. improving the water front not any one who had a plan or theory on the sub- Jject falled to publicly express it, and that there were few people minus an opinion. The pages of The Star dur- ing the week of December 14 to 20, 1880, contained many columns of letters from citizens representing a variety of professions and business interests, pro- posing as many schemes. Upon the disclosure of information that an effort was to be made by two prominent Maryland men to secure authority for private ownership and development of by | the flats area, The Star printed the (;l- lowing editorial, headed “A g ls::oeme," in its issue of December 15, “It is stated that ‘two Marylanders,’ ex-State Senator Michael Bannon and Col. P. M. Snowden, with some Wash- ingtonians, are interested in ‘a big scheme’ to get a charter from Congress to reclaim the Potomac flats on their own account, qn condition that the Government ‘transfer to them the own- ership of the land so reclaimed and im- proved.’ They propose to organize der the name of the Potomac River Im- provement Co.,, and it is stated that ‘the Maryland portion of the company is quite active and determined to bring the matter to the attention of Congress.’ “Mr. Michael Bannon—or Mike Ba non, as he is familiarly known in Mary- land—quite likely expects to exercise considerable influence in Congress in behalf of his big scheme. He, with A.P. Gorman, Senator-elect, have been boss soclates in what is called the canal ng that has held supreme dictator- ship in the politics of that State for some years. He is an active wire-puller, but will not succeed in getting his big scheme through Congress. “The Government will never con- sent to give' the river front of the Na- gate s brought for such a Deputy. tional Capital to the two gentlemen from Maryland or to any private com- pany. at they will accomplish by pushing their bl§ scheme actively be- fore Congress will be to impede any ac- tion looking to the improvement of the river flats by the Government. It is a: unfortunate condition of affairs here that the moment a project for carrying out a great public improvement like that of the reclamation of the river flats is in a hopeful position for execu- tion it is antagonized by the schemes and theories of all sorts of jobbers or men with hobbies. It is a general ex- pression of opinion in both houses of Congress that there would not be any difficulty whatever in getting an appro= priation for the immediate commence- ment of this great sanitary improve- and plans brought forward and clamor- ously advocated or denounced. It is plain that the only hope for the execu- tion of this improvement is in Congress resolutely shutting its ears to the clamor of thé jobbers and theorists and providing for the work in the ordinary appropriation legislation—in the river and harbor bill, for instance. “The reclamation of the river flats is the single feature of improvement need- ed to make Washington the most healthful as well as the most beautiful of American cities. All the other haunts of malaria in and about Wash- ington have been graded, filled up or drained, and this remains as the single noxious spot, offensive to the eye and nose, and no doubt the breeder of dis- ease. Every member of Congress and every person in Government employ is even more interested than the accli- mated citizens of Washington in havin, these malarial marshes, dkec:lI bound- l(fl‘che Capital City, reclaimed without elay.” Peace for Mussolini. From the Muneis Star, to r of his wn-in- likely that he mere! harmony in the famil seek suc- Anti-Capitalist Gains Reflected in Reichstag BY DR. GUSTAV S‘I'OI.PFI. Noted German Editor and Economist. With the swelling of the National Socialist (Fascist) wave anti-caj talistic currents in Germany have creased strongly. This manifests itself not only in agitation, but also in the large number of bills submitted to the Reichstag. In so far as these bills deal with taxation and, in part, would amount to confiscation they will be wrecked b the government’s opposition, althougl the government must use the greatest strategy to counteract certain majority reports from various Reichstag com- mittees. Agitation has now been started in another field. mflmnhflvu of great economic unde gs who belong to the boards of directors of stock panies are to be excluded sented a measure requiring all to state to what directorates of stock companies they belong. To support their measure the So- clalists have published statistics show- ing how many Deputies of each party hold such posts. The state A against which these statistics were chiefly directed, thereupon presented & demand that all Deputies must not merely divulge their membership in di- rectorates, but also all the sources of their income. The measure probably will be passed by the Reichstag. But it will neither divorce lities from business nor prevent proper _ in- fluence by big business on the parties. The fact that a Deputy belongs to & board of tors can make him de- pendent on certain undertakings. This, however, is only exceptionally the case in Germany. And no one can prevent either attorneys or capitalists from holding posts as directors by excluding them from politics. Much worse corruption is to be found in the fact that the representatives of big economic undertakings work for certain syndicates in the Reichstag. Under the existing election system it not infrequently happens that a mfi- e promise of a certain sum is made to the party if it will give the re nta- tive of the concern in question a sure place on the ticket. However, some control is possible here because the Deputy’s connections are known. Worse, although happily rarer, are the cases of secret corruption which no law can touch. These are where individual Deputies accept payment for favoring or opposing certain measures. This is notably true in tax conflicts. More important still is the dependence of whole parties on campaign subscrip- tions. Tobacco and alcohol capital makes use of this opportunity with sev- eral parties, and that is the reason why increases in taxes on tobacco and alco- hol are especially hard to put through. m But there are other forms of political or instance, granting pri erence to certain firms on public works, a practice that plays an important role in municipalities. It should be pointed out that the So- clalists, who have now begun a battle against the members of corporation di- rectorates, take care of their own sup- rters by giving them directors’ posts ublic undertakings which are or- as stock companies. (Copyright, 1930.) ————— n gan! Money Easy in Senate Races. From the Louisville Courler-Journal. At least there is no evidence of a b\u’!‘:i strike l;l :n‘{w:;"t‘hn senatorial campaigns so far ated the Nye Committee. 5 B . Another Buy-Now Reason. From the Detroit News. The last feeble objection to the Buy-Now movement has been s away. A French T says world will go up in smoke January 1. ————————— No Temptation. From the Buffalo Evening Ne You can say on e thing for & bear ', Jut market. "Lt doesn't tempt tne bovs to I‘“"