Government Agency
Answers Questions
Information Service Asked
by Many for Aid.
Washington.—Established by the
national emergency council in March
to assist Washington visitors to
thread the mare of federn. agencies
ana emergency units, the United
States information service now an
swers questions from far and near.
Whereas previously. Inquirers re
sorted to the trial and error meth
od, addressing queries to a par
ticular department, they now have
at hand an Information “central"
In close touch with every depart
ment, bureau, commission or other
federal agency, says the New York
Times.
Directed by Miss Harriet M. Hoot,
a graduate of Wellesley, a dozen ex
pert research workers, all women,
answer the queries which come In
by personal call, by telephone and
by letter. Not Infrequently one
day’s mall will bring In 400 letters
—each carrying one or more ques
tions. On a busy day, as many as
200 persons have called at Miss
Root's office seeking general In
formation, or assistance In contact
ing some federal agency.
The queries cover an encyclo
pedic range. A New Jersey woman,
for example, having what she be
lievd to be ambergris In her pos
session, asked where she could find
out whether It was genuine. Her
question was referred to the bureau
of fisheries. Requests for Informa
tion on divining rods and burled
treasures go to the bureau of mines.
A lawyer In New York asked for a
llat of all federal corporations since
the establishment of the United
States government—a request that
necessitated considerable research.
Another letter called for “anything
you can find on capital and labor."
In due course, . reply furnished ref
erences to government publications
on the subject.
’‘IV>es a bullet from a high-pow
ered rifle actually chnnge Its course
when entering water? If It does,
why? And In what direction?" In
quired another correspondent. Here,
obviously, was an opportunity for
government ballistic experts, to
whom the query was forwarded.
From a small town came a request
for a check on the source of cer
tain statements carried In an ar
ticle In a local newspaper. And a
woman with potatoes to sell sought
the help of the service In finding
the best market for them.
I’ersonal questions are numerous.
The widow of a naval man who was
lost when a ship went down In the
war wanted guidance In preparing
a claim for compensation from the
government. Another Inquirer sought
directions on how to obtain a medal
for a child who had saved a play
mate from drowning. A father
asked how he should go about find
ing for his son a billet In the mer
chant marine. And whenever for
mer Secretary of War Newton D.
Baker comes to town, the Informa
tion service invariably receives one
or more calls for his Washington
address.
Requests for Information on fed
eral activities reflect the Increased
Interest In public affairs, particu
larly In the work of the New Deal
agencies. The national emergency
council publishes a dally manual,
covering changes In the federal set
up. and also charts showing graph
ically the present federal organiza
tion. Roth the manual and the
charts are In great demand. Uni
versities and schools and faculty
members send many requests. A
California college plans to use the
NEC manual as a textbook; a pro
fessor in a midwestern university
ordered 300 copies of the chart of
the federal government.
U. S. Navy Aircraft
Is Second to None
Planes Equal or Superior
to Any Other Nation.
Washington.—America's “fleet flint
flies” Is equipped with planes and
motors equal or superior to those
of any other nation in the world,
and still further advances are now
In sight, Hear Admiral Ernest J.
King, chief of the bureau of aero
nautics, declares In his annunl re
port to Claude A. Swanson, secre
tary of the navy.
“The bureau ... Is upheld In
this opinion,” the document adds,
River Disappears; Baffles Experts
Engineers Search for Stream
Without Success.
Bonneville, Ore. — A turbulent
river which flowed out of a moun
tain at the south abutment of the
famous legendary bridge of the Gods
west of Cascade Locks, Ore., disap
peared In 1918 and army englners
say they cannot And It.
The engineers searched for months
for the stream, sufficient In volume
to supply the city of Portland, but
announced they were baffled and
would give up the search tempo
rarily.
The army experts must find the
missing water eventually, because
they have to make the mountain
behave. They cannot have the huge
rock, which Indians claim once
formed u natural bridge across the
wide Columbia river, sliding around
the landscape as It has In the past.
The mountain threaten to cause
trouble for the Union Pacific rail
way trackbed through the Columbia
gorge. The federnl government Is
building a new bed fpr the railway
between Bonneville nnd Cascade
locks to replace the present line,
which will be covered by water
w'hen the Bonneville power dam Is
completed and the Columbia river
Is backed up for fifty miles.
The mountain slowly Is sliding to
ward the Columbia river on a bed
of solid rook. The migratory
grounds, known as Huckel slide, is
saturated with water, crumbling
and unreliable.
The missing stream used to flow
from eight bores Into the mountain
aide made by the Union Pacific, to
preserve Its tracks from being
swept away. Before the tunnels
were built It cost the railroad $.r>0,
000 a year to keep Its line In re
pair over a mile and one-half
stretch.
In 1918 the flow of water ceased.
The railroad tracks, however, were
not affected further. Engineers
theorized that the flow was halted
by a disturbance within the earth,
which caused the Interior of the
mountain to buckle. They believed
the stream found a new subterra
nean passage Into the Columbia.
Geologists assert that an entire
lake probably Is held within the
mountain. Government engineers
recently bored three tunnels Into
the mountain to a depth of 1,000
feet. They also drilled a number
of wells to supply Harney valley
with water. Now they are waiting
to see how much water will come
out of all the bores during the win
ter and hoping the entire vagrant
river will come to the surfnce.
MODISH SUIT
lly CIIKKIK NK IIOI.AS
There Is nothing that cun out
class u suit of rich velvet If you
want to look “dressed up" without
looking too dressed up. The smart
cocktail suit pictured Is of soft
quality-kind black lyons velvet.
The coat tits sleekly through the
V -
"by the reports of various commit
tees of congress which have dur
ing the past year inquired exhaus
tively into the subject. Every ef
fort lias been made to expend the
funds at the bureau’s disposal In
such manner that the efficiency, re
liability and usefulness of the air
craft and equipment furnished the
operating forces would be the maxi
mum possible."
The most progressive step tnken
by the government in the develop
ment of naval aviation during the
fisenl year 1034, Admiral King said,
was pa sage of the Vlnson-Trammell
act authorizing aircraft construc
tion commensurate with the strength
of the "treaty nav^\"
"The 1,000 plane program pre
scribed in 1020 (as a result of the
Morrow airplane board’s recom
mendations) did not provide for
ships authorized and constructed
subsequent to that year," Admiral
King says, “with the result that
new ships had to be provided with
aircraft by curtailment of other
activities for which provision had
been made, so that the ratio of air
craft to sldp strength constantly
decreased. The Vlnson-Trammell
act removes this restriction and a
tentative program providing an or
derly expansion of the naval air
arm over a period of five to seven
years has been prepared by the
bureau of aeronautics and submit
ted to the Navy department for
consideration and approval.
“Constant effort Is being mude
to Improve the characteristics of
naval aircraft, particularly In re
gard to speed, range and striking
power,” the report adds. “Increased
employment of long-range patrol
bombing squadrons Is expected. Fu
ture plans Involve service tests for
larger seaplanes of this type with
great range, bomb loads and speed.
“It Is desired to Increase the
striking power of carrier-based
scouting planes by including ar
rangements for dropping heavy
bombs In (living attack. The de
velopment of such an airplane is
now under way.”
Admiral King points out thnt
the speed range of the nnvy’s latest
type planes has undergone mnrked
Improvement during the last year.
hips and flares gently to the knees.
Two rather large velvet-covered
buttons fasten It at the waistline.
The scarf collar cun he worn in
numerous ways. The one-piece
dress Is made In two-piece effect
with a tailored shirtwaist of plaid
silver lame. Sparkling jeweled but
tons add a finishing touch. The hat
Is black net with a braided black
velvet edge.
Cow Taken From Well
Estacada, Ore.—A cow that fell
into a fell 22 feet deep and holding
8 feet of water was rescued by use
of wrecking car equipment borrowed
from a local garage.
Albania’s Royal Family in National Dress
Here are Achrned Zogu. king of Albania (center), and tils family In the picturesque national dress. Left to
right: Princess Ruhie; Princess Senle; Prince Husen, nephew to the king; mother of Prince Essnd; the king's
mother, Sadie; Achrned Zogu, the king; Princess Adlle; Myzejen and Madjide. both princesses. All the prin
cesses ire sisters of the king, who is not married and lives at his castle In Tirana with his mother and his
•lx sisters.
SEEN--'HEARD
around the
National Capital
-By CARTER FIELD.
Washington.—The most Impor
tant pending political question in
Washington, in the Judgment of at
least three Important figures, is
whether Comptroller of the Cur
rency J. F. T. O'Connor takes the
$20,000 Job as federal agent at the
Federal Reserve bank at San Fran
cisco, which Secretary of the Treas
ury Morgenthau has kept dangling
before him for the last month.
The three men who think so are
members of the Federal Reserve
board, who made that simple state
ment to the writer, Mr. Morgen
thau, and, though, this, of course,
Is un assumption based on the hu
man tendency not to underestimate
one’s importance In the scheme of
tilings, Mr. O’Connor himself.
If O’Conner takes the Job, thus
permitting the burning of a new
comptroller who will be utterly sub
servient to Morgenthau, absolute
domination of the reserve board and
comptroller’s office—which means
absolute domination of the banks
of the country—will pass into Mor
genthau’s hands.
If lie sticks, there will be a fight,
In which O'Connor will have some
powerful support on Capitol Hill
among the conservatives, especially
those who like the original plan for
an Independent reserve board,
which would run the banks without
regard to politics or political ten
dencies.
The present battle, of course, is
not with regard to “politie-il” ten
dencies in the ordinary sense of the
word. It has nothing to do with
patronage, or whether those In
volved are members of this party
or that. “Political” in this sense
merely means control of the bank
ing system by an administration,
which would like to have the banks
of the country spring into action
whenever the administration want
ed a particular line pursued.
Japan’s Bad Luck
Japan seems to have had bad
luck in retaining the services of its
diplomats who acquire an apprecia
tion and understanding of Ameri
cans. The truglc death of its for
mer Ambassador Hanihara, who
died, according to friends, of a
broken heart, is a case in point.
When he was a young secretary at
his embassy in Washington, Hani
hara was a great friend of Itich
are V. Culahan, then correspond
ent of the New York Times. Sam
uel Q. Blythe, a greut friend of
Culuhan, mentioned him In a Sat
urday Kvening Post article, but
slyly called him "O'Houlahan.”
Whereupon Hanihara, who was
visiting with his wife down in
Texas, sent a postcard to Dick with
send their regards to the O’Houia
sernl their regards to theO’Houla
hans.”
It vvus Hanihara’s desperate ef
fort to convince Secretary of State
Hughes of the seriousness of the
immigration restrictions that cut
short his political career. Hughes
transmitted Hunlhara's note to con
gress to prove that he was not un
derstating the case. Members of a
congressional committee, with quite
normal disregard of consequences,
made it public. Since then he has
been Japan’s forgotten man. And
he died in his early fifties.
Another Japanese diplomat who
had learned to understand Ameri
cans, Sadao Saburi, feared that he
had let his foreign office down in
a subsequent assignment to China.
He killed himself in his early
forties. These Japanese take their
mistakes, or their misfortunes, very
seriously, Indeed, though it is diffi
cult to understand their feeling that
their honor Is so compromised by
failure.
May Cut Dollar Again
Further devaluation of the gold
value of the dollur to the full one
half authorized by congress Is be
ing seriously considered by the ad
ministration. At the moment it
seems very likely, reluctant as the
President is to tnke a step which
the gold bloc countries of Europe
insist would force them to further
gold devaluation of their currencies.
If it is decided to take the step, it
may come before congress gets
down to consideration of related
subjects, though it may be delayed
so us to be a trading poiut in sol
dier bonus compromises.
Administration leaders now be
lieve that they can obtain a bonus
compromise, which will cost the gov
ernment $1,200,000,000. liaising the
price of gold to $41.34 an ounce
from the present $35 would yield
the government a profit of approx
imately $1,000,000,000. The size of
this amount is due to large pur
chases of gold In addition to nation
alization of domestic gold at the old
price of $20.07. So that, if the ad
ministration is right in its hopes for
a bonus compromise, only $200,000,
OOd additional would be needed.
And obviously devaluation would
sluive actual payments on the
bonus by nearly 17 iter cent.
Japan’s attitude on gold plays
: a part of the considerations. It has
j been bolding gold at approximately
j $05 an ounce, thus depreciating its
| currency so far us to play havoc
j with American exports to South
America and other markets.
Another element, which has
played an important part *n the
situation lending up to this further
devaluation of the dollar being given
serious consideration, is the fact
that the government has not been
able to buy anything like the quan
tity of silver it had hoped. Despite
skillful maneuvering, such as the
government's suddenly withdrawing
its bid for silver on the London
market, as though it had aban
doned its campaign, and then rush
ing In with purchases next clay
seeking to take advantage of the
temporary lowering of price, the
silver purchases have been very
disappointing.
Need Further Inflation
For naturally the government,
pleased over the tremendous profit
made in devaluing gold, had been
hoping to buy all the silver it want
ed at low prices, and repeat the
profit Unfortunately for this hope,
China’s protests that the American
government was ruining her with
the silver buying policy, and this
government's reply that it was sor
ry but would have to keep on,
served official notice on the world
of this government’s Intention to
buy a lot of silver. So holders of
the white metal held on, hoping for
higher prices.
Entirely aside from this, however,
President Roosevelt is convinced
that a little further inflation is nec
essary. lie had thought to obtain
it by silver purchases. Also to make
a big profit out of silver. The con
ferences now going on look to at
least deferring this program, and
getting both the inflation and the
profit by further devaluing gold.
Several knotty problems are in
volved. Not the least is the situa
tion of the gold bloc countries.
They have Informed the President
that if there is any further marking
down of the gold value of the dol
lar, every one of them, will be forced
to devalue. Raly, France and Bel
gium, of course, devalued drastical
ly. Italy 75 per cent, France 80 per
cent and Belgium slightly more,
when they returned to gold after
the war. Holland and Switzerland
are practically alone in having
maintained the gold value of their
currencies unchanged since before
the war.
Cheaper Electricity
Electric rates are going to be
forced down all over the United
States, if President Roosevelt can
do it, despite all the recent talk
about a “truce” between the Presi
dent and the utilities. And there
is no doubt whatever in the Presi
dent mind that he can do it
This idea of a rapprochement be
tween these two bitter enemies, dat
ing back to the preconvention cam
paign, in which the utilities, fright
ened by many of the actions of
Roosevelt as governor of New York,
fought his nomination, has been
considerably exaggerated.
Reporters mistook the President’s
smile of triumph for a smile of com
promise and good feeling It was
good humor, all right, but there was
only the good feeling that a victor
feels when his adversary has both
shoulders on the ground.
What had happened was simple.
The President had seared the elec
tric companies to death with his
suggestion, made in his Southern
speech, of new TVA’S all over the
country. Immediately various util
ity magnates began to run to the
White House.
Then, when the President wTas
questioned about It, he threw out
what appeared at first glance a new
and rather benevolent theory about
the fixing of rates. The yardstick
to determine return on investment,
or rather on the investment on
which a return should be permit
ted, was to be “prudent invest
ment” rather than reproduction
value. As was explained at the
time, reproduction value presented
too many difficulties. And applied
only—so far as the utilities were
concerned—when their properties
had enhanced rather than dimin
ished in value.
But actually a more accurate in
terpretation of the President’s mind
would be had if instead of “prudent
investment” were substituted “pru
dent investment, or reproduction
value, whichever is lower.”
For the President and his advis
ers have no idea whatever of allow
ing a capitalization on which a fair
return cnn be made if that capital
ization is in excess of what the
plant could be reproduced for, no
matter how “prudent” the original
Investment may have been.
Fixing the Scale
Actually, the scale of electric
rates will be determined pretty
much by what an outfit similar to
TVA couid enter the field and pro
vide service for. If such rates
should prove so low that fair re
turns cannot he earned on a "pru
dent investment” it will be just too
bad for the prudent Investors. '
For in such a situation, argue the
New Healers, obviously there has
been a stupid dissipation of the
aforesaid prudent Investment, and
why should the public be expected
to pay for that?
The President meantime has been
trying with some success to drive a
wedge in between the holding com
panies and the operating com
panies. Some of the operating com
pany officials, quick to sense which
way the Presidential wind was
blowing, were eager to win favor
for themselves by arguing that the
management charges the holding
companies imposed on them were
far too high, and that they could
make lower rates if these charges
were lightened. In short, if they
could throw off the yoke of the
holding companies.
Copyright.—WNU Service
BRISBANE
THIS WEEK
A Pretty Good Christmas
Germs Travel High
We Are Coughing Better
Prairie Dogs, Catacombs
It was a satisfactory Christmas,
the best since the depression begun.
The nation at least knows that the
depression is here and that at
tending to it, instead of talking
about things "just around the cor
ner." is the program.
The government knows that
money was made to be spent in
emergencies and that helping the
people is cheaper than revolution.
The government is spending and
helping.
Colonel Lindbergh proves, after
transatlantic flights, that bacteria
can travel across the ocean by air.
The winds of the North Atlantic
carry microscopic germs of life
through the upper air. Disease
germs might travel, thus, across
either ocean.
That Interests anybody planning
to make war more interesting by
adding disease germs to poison gas
and high explosives.
Scientists already believe that,
since life cannot be created on the
earth, except supernaturally, life be
gan on this planet probably with
germs that had traveled millions,
perhaps billions, of miles through
space at absolute zero. Tiny start
ed life on the earth when it nad suf
ficiently cooled off, and may have
been brought in the wake of flying
meteors.
Heat destroys microscopic life, cold
does not.
Cheerful optimists, telling you
that conditions are getting better,
remind you of Meyer Hecht’s benev
olent friend who told each tuber
culosis patient, “You are coughing
better this morning."
We all are “coughing” a little bet
ter. It has been the best, most free
ly spending Christmas season since
the depression began. Merchants
testify to that. The season of grand
opera opened in New York with
every seat sold and a demand for
seats nonexistent.
Mr. Hull, able secretary of state,
wants freer trade with foreign coun
tries. Those that shut their mar
kets to the outside world are like
“animals which burrow in the
ground," says Mr. Hull. That might
be true, without proving that pro
tection is unwise.
Animals burrowing In the ground
—prairie dogs, etc.—would regret
it if they came to the surface and
sat around inviting coyotes to eat
them. Early Christians burrowing
in the catacombs were better off
than they would have been on the
surface, thrown to the lions.
It is better for this country to
burrow under protection than be
thrown to the lions of free compe
tition of labor and manufacturing.
Occasionally you hear what Mr.
Field called “a sour note” in the
hopeful chorus of “Happy Days Are
Here Again.” Senator Dickinson of
Iowa—Republican, of course—says
NRA plans have collapsed. He finds
that “monopoly" is being encour
aged, private initiative is being de
pressed and the small business man
driven to the wall—ie rich are
becoming richer and the poor
poorer."
That will be news for some of
the rich—they had not heard it
You may hear many of them say
now, “If I can get together and
keep enough to take care of my
family, that is all I ask," and they
mean it.
Projects thus far proposed by con
gressmen and executives in Wash
ington would cost Uncle Sam. In
addition to money already spent,
$30,000,000,000, and would double
the national debt. If the money were
wisely created, wisely spent, the
country would be better off, with
many employed in useful work. But
if it Is found necessary to inflate
with Interest-bearing bonds, in
stead of simply printing the 'taoney
and later retiring It ns bonds would
be retired, the $30,000,000,000 would
cost the country $00,000,000,000.
Is it really necessary to force on
taxpayers that extra load of $30,
000,000,000 for Interest, when inter
est bonds are just so much “infla
tion money,” In no respect different
from greenbacks?
Mr. Irenee du Pont, munitions
manufacturer, who knows about
war, since he produces “the goods,”
tells the munitions committee “the
only way to wage a war is to have
an absolute monarch at the head
of the government"; also “we shall
have a h—1 of a time In case of
wa r.”
No question about the last state
ment,
Mr. Baruch, entering whole-heart
edly Into the President’s campaign
to prevent profits for munitions
makers in wartime, wisely urges
preparation, says the country should
buy and store thousands of tons of
tin for use in the event of war. “I
think we ought to buy tin Just as
we would Invest in a battleship, and
keep it In storage."
Q, King Features Syndicate, Ina
WNU Service.
Heroes Are Made
By JACK BLOODHART
©. McClure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service
WilEN the authorities ut the uni
versity finally rebelled at Tom
my Nash’s never ending infractions
of what Tommy considered foolish
and tiresome rules, they expelled
him. That such an action would
make of him a national hero they
did not know, and it was likewise
an unknown quantity to Thomas A.
Nash, Sr.
“You,” he said frostily to Tom
my,, “are no good. You waste my
money and yours on chorus girls
and night clubs. You have no sense,
no guts, no . . .”
“That,” said Tommy, “is not only
untrue, it is—"
“Say no more about it. And
now, young man, you may get out
I’m through with you. You get no
more of my money, not one cent, un
til you’ve proved you deserved it.
That’s all. Good day, sir."
“But . . .’’ said Tommy.
“Out!” Thomas A. roared.
Without further attempt at argu
ing the matter, Tommy rose from
his chair, bowed, and stalked
haughtily from the otfice.
***••••
A suitcase in each hand. Tommy
Nash stood surveying the lettered
sign of the old frame house. “Mrs.
O’Began’s” it read. “Booms for
Bent.”
Airs. O’Began eyed him suspici
ously. She was a lady of ample
proportions and a wicked eye.
“Five dollars a week,” she said.
And as an afterthought, “in ad
vance.”
Tommy hastily calculated that to
relinquish five dollars would leave
him three dollars and seventy-five
cents, and the contents of one of
the suitcases with which to forget
his troubles. He directed Mrs.
O’Began to lend on.
She conducted Tomy to an un
inviting room at the far end of the
first floor hall. Tommy's face must
have betrayed him, for Mrs. O’Re
gan said, In a very nasty voice,
"Don’t you like it?”
Tommy hastily admitted that he
was charmed with the room, and
to prove it, parted with live dol
lars.
Before she left Mrs. O’Regan
said:
“I do not allow any drinking,
gambling or playing the radio after
midnight. Also no women in single
men’s rooms.”
“Perhaps.” Tommy said, half to
himself, “1 have made a mistake
and am in the Martha Washington.”
Then he hastily drew himself to his
full height and thundered, “Mad
am, I am a gentleman and scholar,
and such lascivious pursuits ns you
just mentioned find no place in my
scheme of living."
Startled, Mrs. O’Regan shot him
a bewildered look and scurried off
down the hall.
Tommy turned Into his room,
opened one of the suitcases, and
from it took several bottles of beer,
which he placed in a neat row on
the dresser. Also from the suitcase
he produced a flat bottle of color
less liquid which might have been
alcohol. It was alcohol.
By nine o’clock that evening Tom
my was pleasantly drunk. He
opened the door of his room, In
tending good will toward all men.
The hall was vacant and dimly
lighted. Tommy whistled a bar or
two of a popular lament, and float
ed back Into ids room.
“What now?” he wondered. Then
he noticed the empty beer bottles.
*‘I," he said aloud, “shall arrange
them art—artlsh—artishtically in
the hall.”
He picked up two of the bottles
and placed them on their sides in
the middle of the hall. Weaving
heavily back Into the room, he
turned and surveyed his work.
“That is mos’ beautiful. Mos’ art
—artish—pretty. I mush put more
there.”
He retrieved two more bottles
and was about to resume his la
bors when the sound of running
steps reached him. He gravely put
down the bottles and stnrted to in
vestigate when a racing figure hit
one of the bottles in the hall and
crashed to the floor.
“You,” said the thoroughly an
noyed Tommy to the recumbent fig
ure, ‘‘have shpoiled my arrange
ment of theesli bottles. You shall
pay for that." So saying he lifted
one of the bottles and brought it
down gently but firmly on the oth
ers head. With a sigh the man lost
consciousness.
Amazed nnd momentarily stupe
fied at what he had done. Tommy
jumped to his feet, tossed the two
dead soldiers back into his room,
anc was going In himself when a
hall stopped him.
“Hey, youse!"
Tommy halted, by now nearly so
ber. That was an amazing faculty
of his whicn his father had failed
to appreciate when cataloguing
Tommy’s faults.
Tommy saw, with a shock, that
the hail had come from the luugsA
of a burly policeman. 1
"Oh, oh," thought Tommy.
The policeman came puffing up,
examined the man on the floor and
handlcuffed him. Tommy watched
dazedly.
• 111811IJ