SEEN
and
HEARD
arbund the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL
By Carter Field ^
Washington. — Reports that the
forthcoming Department of Com
merce report of international trade
will show the United States has
cliahged from a creditor to a debtor
nation are vigorously denied by
commerce officials. Including Dr.
Amos E. Taylor, who has charge
of compiling the report. Rut there
is a good deal of smoke for there
not to be any fire.
No official data Is yet available,
but the careful studies of the Cham
ber of Commerce of the United
States show that for 1935 exports
by the United States Increased 7
per cent over the preceding year,
but that Imports Increased 25 per
cent
Incidentally, while it has no con
nection with the main point as to
rumors of an unfavorable balance
of trade against this country, It is
interesting to note that, according
to the chamber of commerce figures,
French exports showed a larger de
cline than those of any other nn
tlon, 13 per cent. French imports
declined 9 per cent. All of which
may have some hearing on the con
stant rumors that France Is again
to devalue the franc.
So far as the United States Is
concerned, there are several com
plicating factors. For example, In
1935, there were huge importations
of feed for cattle and food for hu
mans. Heavy pork Imports, among
others. Whereas normnlly the Unit
ed states exports large quantities
of food and feed, and Imports very
little comparatively. Even this lit
tle Is mostly of products not produced
in the United States, such as ha
Danas.
But due to the drouth, on top of
the farm policy of paying people
not to raise crops, an acute short
age of cattle feed and food devel
oped, which compelled henvy im
portations of grain and meat.
Slump in Cotton
The farm program also caused a
terrific slump in cotton exports, run
ning the total down something like
3,000,000 bales a year from normal.
This one Item alone cut exports
something like 1150.000,000 a year.
The nutural assumption Is that
these changes In the flow of agricul
tural commodities, which have so
devastated America’s position in
world trade, will not continue, nnd
hence are only of temporary Im
portance. Critics of the farm pro
gram, however, insist that as long
as the price of cotton Is kept up
artificially, Just that long will other
countries, notably Brazil, continue
to Increase their cotton planting,
and hence cut Into our exports of
that staple.
More important In the whole pic
ture Is the matter of defaulting for
eign bonds. It makes a great deal
of difference, for Instance, in any
appraisal of whether this country Is
a debtor or creditor nation, wheth
er one counts up the so-called Eu
ropean war debts to the United
States. No one expects any pay
ment. Most experts ngroe that there
will he no rush of other nntions to
Join Finland In paying Installments.
Then there is the long list of
foreign bonds held by private in
vestors In America, nnd by institu
tions also, which have defaulted on
their Interest. The point on inter
national trade balances is that If a
concern In the Argentine pays inter
est to American Investors, goods
have to move out of Argentina and
Into the United States, either direct
ly or Indirectly, to balance this But
when interest payments stop, as so
many have, obviously no such ship
ments of goods are essential.
There are plenty of other complica
tions, but it is by no means cer
tain that the final figures, when the
Department of Commerce releases
them, will Justify uny vigorous at
tack on the tariff policy. Critics will
blame the reciprocal tariff agree
ments. Administration spokesmen
will say our trade is bigger nnd
better than ever. Most people will
not be interested.
In those places where mills are
closed down, and heavy imports are
blamed, there will be plenty of po
litical interest. In other communi
ties the subject will be ncndemlc.
Likes House Tax Bill
President Roosevelt is enthusias
tic about the house tax bill, embody
ing a long start toward Ids pet ob
jectives with respect to hitting big
ness in business, revamping the eco
nomic structure, social reform, and,
as means to those ends, preventing
“piled up surpluses" In the future.
He is slightly concerned over the
failure of the house to Include the
proposed new excise taxes to take
the place of the outlawed process
ing taxes. Not that he Is so keen
about the excise taxes per se. but
he realized they were sure fire from
a revenue standpoint, whereas there
is considerable apprehension among
his Treasury department experts as
to whether the new measure in the
form approved by the house will
raise the expected and desired rev
enue.
What Is worrying administration
senators, however. Is the extraor
dinary Independence of view and
the wide disparity of Judgment
among members of the upper house.
For Instance, there was a strong
sentiment for restoring the excise
taxes, but this has been weakening
steadily as Individual senators,
either up for re-election themselves
or with tickets back home they were
Interested In getting elected, began j
to ponder the possible political
repercussions of such taxes.
Then there Is the minority which
believes that the most satisfactory
way of obtaining the needed rev
enue Is by straight out boosts in the
Income tax rates on small Incomes,
reducing the present exemptions,
and moving toward the British sys
tern.
Divergent Views
Next is u strong group, perhaps
strong enough to be a majority,
though the lines change with every
passing day, if not hour, which
fears that tiie new plan of forcing
distribution of corporation eurnings
will prove a sieve as far as revenue
Is concerned. This group wants to
try the Roosevelt plan of taxing un
distributed corporation earnings
meanwhile. Incidentally this fac
tion has back of It the almost unan
imous opinion of the real treasury
experts—the career men, not the
political appointees. Members of
this group say that If decision is
final not to Include excise taxes, the
government must hold on to some
thing that Is tried and sure as a
revenue producer.
They point to the fact that in the
known case of 1930 dividends, ap
proximately one half, or more than
four billion dollars, escaped pay
ment of any federal Individual In
come tax. Lots of dividends are
paid to small Income people, they
Insist, wlio do not even make an in
come tax return. Lots more are
paid to people who do not remem
ber to Include them In their returns.
Huge amounts are paid to life and
Are Insurance companies, which, of
course, do not pay Individual in
come taxes. Yet all this four bil
lion dollars Is subject under the
present law, which the Roosevelt
proposal would repeal, to the 15
per cent corporation Income tax.
Ickes Stays on Job
"Honest Harold” Ickes Is going to
stay right on the Job, despite tiie
earnest wishes of several of his fel
low cabinet members, that he be
eased out.
Curiously enough, two of the men
who would like to see the secretary
of the Interior go back to Illinois,
and private life, are probably the
two men who arc closer to Roose
velt than Ickes himself. They are
Postmaster General James A. Far
ley and Relief Administrator Hurry
L. Hopkins.
However, there are to be no
changes In the cabinet, unless the
continued serious Illness of Secre
tary of the Navy Claude A. Swan
son makes his replacement neces
snry.
It Is rather curious that Farley
should want to throw Ickes out. It
shows a considerable nmount of po
litical bravery. Underneath It all
may lay the answer to something
about which Washington has been
wondering for some time.
This is concerned with the mys
tery ut the moment about Louis
Glavis, head of Ickes’ special secret
service. Glavis has hnd working
under his expert direction quite an
aggregation of sleuths for several
years now. In fact, since shortly
after Inauguration. Some of their
activities have leaked out, warning
all and sundry that the scope of
their Investigations has by no means
been confined to what would nor
mally he considered the functions
of the Interior department. In fact,
there are those who chuckle that
the Glnvis outfit has rounded up In
formation which Ickes himself
wishes very heartily they had not
gone after. And who snort, there
fore, at any suggestion that Glavis
may himself he thrown out.
Here’# a Mystery
But the point Is that Ickes Is sup
posed. naturally, to have all this
data available, and further that It
would be most embarrassing, polit
ically, to have some of It come out.
Hence the wonderment that Farley
would actually like to see the lust
of the secretary of the Interior.
At this point enters the mystery.
Glavls has been sick, lately, It Is re
ported at the Interior department.
But Ickes did not know where he
was, utid his face, according to In
quiring reporters present when this
disclosure came, registered anything
but contentment. And it was not
the Impression of the reporters that
the type of discontent registered on
Mr. Ickes’ mobile features was con
cern about the health of a friend!
Mr. Ickes had Just denied, Inci
dentally. that Glavls was resigning.
So the gossip mongers have been
putting two and two together and
getting answers all the "ay from
10 to 10 ever since.
Mr. Farley’s face Is much less
mobile. He grins, or he looks earn
est. Once In a while he looks proud,
ns for example when a friend men
tions that he did a pretty good Job
In Maine. But that is about the lim
it one can read from his face. He
has old friends who have never seen
what appeared to be discourage
ment or chngrln written on his
countenance.
So there is nothing to be learned
about the Glavls mystery there.
«— *NC Servlc*.
I
Wafting for Nightfall and a Meal of Mice.
Prepared by National OeoKraphtc Society,
CWashington, D. C.—WNU Service.
UE evening air of early
spring In the Everglades of
southern Florida Is soft and
mild. Delicate scents from blos
soms come with the breeze, togeth
er with the voices of myriad frogs
In Incessant but attractive chorus
from the marshes. Suddenly, from
the moss-festooned live oaks in
this peaceful background, comes an
outburst of demoniacal laughter,
guttural In sound and startling In Its
abruptness.
Playing the beam of light from
an electric torch through the
branches, you discover presently
two glowing spots of ruby red, re
flections from a pair of eyes. As
your own eyes adjust themselves to
the feeble Illumination, you can dis
tinguish dimly the shadowy form of
a great barred owl. The hubbub
stops immediately, for the bird is
puzzled by the spot of light; but
as you continue ulong the trail the
owl, now behind you, utters a loud,
prolonged whoo-oo-oo-aw that re
sounds eerily among the trees. Un
til daybreak you hear at Intervals
the wild ululntlon of its calls filling
the darkened woodland.
The voices of owls are more
familiar than their persons, as
must of them are active principally
at night, and without special
search the birds themselves are
difficult to see. Their presence,
unseen but constantly evident, has
caused Imagination to play about
them until in practically every
country In the world there have
grown up fables and superstitions
regarding owls.
The little owl of Europe, about
as large ns tbe American screech
owl without the ear tufts of that
species, has long been an emblem
of wisdom, and In enrly years was
accepted as a special ward of Pal
las Athene of the Greeks. Homans,
to whom this goddess became
Minerva, did not retain this rever
ence for fhe bird, considering it
of evil omen and a messenger of
bad news.
Ha Only Looks Wise.
The vogue of the owl as an em
blem of wisdom Is not due to any
special Intelligence of the bird, but
to the conformation of the head,
with two eyes so placed that they
look directly ahead like those of
man.
As the companion of night flying
witches, or as one of the Ingredients
In the b.ows concocted by these
trouble-makers, the owl developed
n black and unsavory reputation,
attested by many references to Its
evil omen In Shakespeare and other
writers.
Among American Indians, owls,
though feared at times, vflere In
better repute and were the basis of
various lively legends. 7,uni tales
Include stories of one called "gray
owl" that lived in a house as a
man does The Pima Indians held
that at death the human spirit
passed Into the body of an owl and,
to assist in this transmigration,
they gave owl feathers, kept for
the purpose in a special box, to a
dying person.
Among the Plains Indians, the
Arlkara Included an owl group as
one of their eight mystic societies,
and In the sacred rites of this body
they used the stuffed skin of an
owl with disks of cunningly fitted
buffalo horn for eyes. This em
blem was displayed during their
ceremonies to represent night, the
eyes being symbolic of the morning
star.
Owls are found throughout the
world from the Arctic regions
through the continents and to re
mote Islands In the sea. More than
800 kinds are known, ranging in
size from the tiny elf owls, no
larger than sparrows, to the power
ful horned owls and eagle owls,
which are two feet or more In
length.
Scientifically, nil owls are Includ
ed In one order, the Strlglformes.
In which two families are recog
nized, one for the barn owls (Ty
tonldne) and the other (Strigldao)
for nil other species.
Regardless of their size, owls
are Instantly Identified by their
broad faces with prominent disks
of feathers about the eyes, coupled
with sharp, curved beaks and
claws, and long, fluffy feathers.
Their nearest relatives are the whip
poorwills, nighthawks, and goat
suckers.
Other Birds Dislike Them.
Most owls are nocturnal and by
day sleep in caves, hollow trees,
tangles of leaves, or whatever may
offer protection. When they are
found by other birds there Is high
excitement, Jays, cardinals, and the
j like gathering to scold and chatter
at these enemies of the night. Crows
are more aggressive and often drive
the largest owls to seek more se
cure cover where they may avoid
their cawing black tormentors.
The homes of owls are located In
hollows of trees, caverns In rocks,
or In stick nests built by hawks,
crows, or other birds. Often no
nesting material of any kind is
used. The eggs are white, occa
sionally tinted with buff or pale
blue, but without markings, and
are peculiar In being usually ellip
tical or nearly round. The young
are covered with white down and
remain in the nest und6r care of
the parents for a considerable time.
In defense of their young, owls
are often aggressive and swoop at
any and all who chance to pass,
sometimes with startling effect
when the attack Is delivered with
out warning. A scientist climbing
to the nest of a great horned owl
once was struck so savagely In the
back by one of the parents that the
strong talons of the bird drew blood
through the heavy clothing he wore
Their Plumage Is Soft
All owls have soft plumage com
posed of long, fluffy feathers. The
wings have softened margins, so
that In flight the birds move with
out sound, as If they were shadows.
In owls, the lower leg, or tarsus,
and upper surfaces of the toes, bare
In most birds, are covered with
feathers, these being reduced or ab
sent only In a few species that
inhabit warm countries. The plum
age colors run usually to gray,
brown and buff, with lighter mark
ings of buff and gray. White and
black are extensive In some, but
brighter colors are rare or absent.
Some of the smaller owls have
round markings on the back of the
head, resembling eye*. In South
America the country people tell you
these birds have four eyes. They
can see behind as well as ahead.
The eyes of the owl are fixed so
immovably In the head, where both
are directed forward, that the bird
must change the position of the
head to alter Its line of vision. They
are especially large and are adapt
ed for vision where there Is little
light.
Though the majority of owls re
main hidden In shaded, secluded
places by day, there are a few that
are abroad by day or by night In
differently. This Is true of the
snow owl, which lives In summer
through the long Arctic day, and
of the burrowing owls of open
country In the new world. The lat
ter delights In resting In the sun,
and In broad daytime detects and
watches hawks and other birds fly
ing at such great heights that on*
can barely see them.
What They Eat.
Owls live mostly on animal food
which Is captured alive, except thal
occasionally they feed upon rabbits
freshly killed by automobiles along
our highways, or upon other car
casses. Mice, rats, ami other small
mammals are regular prey, as are
birds of various species.
The barred owl eots many crny«
tish and tish, while crabs and fish
are staple foods of the tish owls oi
Africa and India, which have feath
erless legs and rough, horny-sur
faced toes to assist In capturing
such slippery prey. Horned owls
have been known to capture goldfish
In ornamental pools, but this Is un
usual.
Owls, like hawks, tear their prey
apart and swallow the pieces en
tire. During digestion the flesh Is
assimilated, while bones, fur, feath
ers, and other Indigestible portions
are formed Into compact pellets,
which are regurgitated to leave the
stomach empty for another meal.
Such pellets accumulate about
roosts and, through Identification of
the hones contained, give a valuable
index to the food of the bird con
cerned.
The great horned owls and snowy
owls are fiercely predatory, killing
rabbits, squirrels, and other crea
tures of good size. The former
has been known to capture and eat
small owls. In the Dominican Re
public was seen a burrowing owl
tearing nt the body of a young bird
of Its own kind which had been
killed and thrown aside by some
natives.
Occasionally wild mice increase
for various reasons until they form
a veritable plague. Under such cir
cumstances short-eared owls gather
In abundance and aid In reducing
the numbers of the pests. Burrow
ing owls feed extensively on
beetles and other large Insects, and
the barn owl In California destroys
many Jerusalem crickets.
New Slit Sleeves and Youthful Bodice
Go With This Spectator Sports Frock
__ —
Pattern No. 1808-B
Some are chosen and 9ome are not,
as you remember. And this is one
of the “summer” chosen 1 A pretty
bad pun, but this perfectly stunning
spectator sports frock makes up for
it. And you can wear It yourself
when summer sets In If you’ll send
for the pattern now.
It is surprisingly easy to make,
and with the aid of the step-by-step
chart, Illustrating the cut and fit of
the new silt sleeves and the way to
pleat and stitch-up the youthful
bodice, you will Immediately realize
how automatically it goes together.
The bodice has a lot of blouse to It,
even makes you suspect that It’s
held underneath by an elastic band,
and the side pleats of the skirt har
monize beautifully with the action
pleats In the back blouse.
Barbara Bell Pattern No. 1SG8-B Is
available in sizes 14, 16. 18, 20; 40
and 42. Corresponding bust meas
urements 32. 34. 36, 38. 40 and 42.
Size 16 (34) requires 4% yards of
39 Inch material. Send fifteen cents
for the pattern.
The Barbara Bell Pattern Book
featuring spring designs is ready.
Send fifteen cents today for your
copy.
Send your order to The Sewing
Circle Pattern Dept., 367 W. Adams
St., Chicago, 111.
© Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
Noble Thoughts
THE note of the day In all Its
higher and nobler trend of
thought Is to Include, to share, to
communicate. Emerson has re
marked that “exclusiveness ex
cludes Itself.” All that we keep
out we go without. If we admit
no one we deprive ourselves
of every one, and if we admit
a few In order to lay to our souls
the flattering unction of exclusive
ness. we exclude the many. If
you have greater knowledge, finer
culture, do not exclude but share,
and find In It its divinest sweet
ness.—Lillian Whiting.
Counsel and wisdom achieve
more than sense.
[Twins, 91, Claim Age Title;
Brother, 97, Backs ’Em Up
Mrs. Jane Giles and Miss Rachel
Rader of Pulaski, Iowa, challenged
all claimants to the “nation's oldest
living twins" title, and particularly
Joe and Dave Maddux of Philo, 111.
“We celebrated our ninety-first birth
days January 15,” Mrs. Giles and
Miss Rader declared, “That makes
up 19 days older than the Maddux
boys, who said they were ninety-one
February 3. We have a big brother
to prove it.” The big brother is
ninety-seven-year-old Anthony Rader
still quite alert mentally.
FOT fHOSE WHM
TAKE PRIDE IN
THEIR BAKINrI
^ Here's a baking powder,
tried, tested and used ey~lu
sively by experts.
Yow Grocw
His H__ _
I A ■ ^ ^ £
mhxzziJfM S ha t.M
Yoa can handle yonr hay crop
faster, easier and with less hired
help with Dempster Hay Took.
Dempster No. 1 Hay Stacker—
’ Pitches hay like a crew of experi
enced farm hands. Takes a load, swings
It into place quickly and without strain.
Extended Arm Principle ae
sures cleaner stacking job.
r Dempster Ho. 7 like—
Floating head type of w
■weep rake. Teeth never
lock to the ground. Com
bined power and lever lift.
Dompatbr Mill I
Mfg. Co. I
* Baatrlea, Nabr. I
(Wl) |
THE 'MISSOURI BLOCK
■■ ■ ■■ WWR* der, THE air-mail robber
‘ _ _
MELVIN PURVIS.
who became
America’s
ace G-Man
^ ; who di
rected the capture of Dill
inger, "Pretty Boy” Floyd,
"Baby Face” Nelson, and
others. Mr. Purvis reveals
here methods used in cap
turing criminals. Names
have, of course, been
changed.
•MY 'G-MEN' AND
I HAD SENT OUT
TRACERS THROUGH
THREE STATES LOOK
ING FOR AL BENDER,
WHO HAD JUST RIF
LED THE MAILS AT A
MIDWEST AIRPORT..
SUDDENLY WE
HEARD THAT HE
HUNG OUT A LOT AT
'JOE'S COFFEE-POT'
IN A SMALL MISSOURI
TOWN, AND SO....*
f SWELL STEAK, PAl! T
LISTEN, WE'RE FRIENDS
OF AL BENDER^...SEEN
lHiM
-J NEVER HEARD*
Ss.""'.. ^
‘we KNEW BENDER
USED TO BE A BRICK
LAYER. AS I CALLED
EACH NUMBER. I
POSEO AS FOREMAN
Of A CONSTRUCTION
COMPANY... EX
PLAINED THAT I
WANTED TO HIRE
BENDER. FINALLY
WE LOCATED HIM*
m, this is
MRS. BENDER...
AL DOESN'T NEED
A JOB...BUTHEU }
BE HOME AT NOON /(
YOU CAN TALK TO J I
HIM PERSONALLY //
THEN. jTW
"great work, chief!
WE'U. JUST PILE IN [ WILL NOT! THAT PLACE IS A
THERE AND PUT THE [ TENEMENT FILLED WITH CHILDREN!
GUNS ON HIM! DONOVAN, I WANT YOU TO PUT A
- MISSOURI BLOCK ON OLD ROUTE 3S
THAT RE-OPENED TODAY! I HAVE
A HUNCH BENDER WILL BE
TRAVELING THAT ROAO TODAY! y
4 ii . i 11 I
THE "MISSOURI BLOCK*
A RUSE OF O-MEN TO SLOW DOWN
A FLEEING BANDIT'S CAR SO HE
CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND CAPTURED.
CARS ARE PARKED AS SHOWN IN
DIAGRAM, SO THAT BANDIT WILL
BE FORCED TO WEAVE SLOWLY
BETWEEN THEM, WHILE STILL UN
SUSPICIOUS OF THE TRAP....
AL BENDER. IN HIS ’HIDE-OUTGETS
A CALL AT 12 30 THE SAME PAY.
/LISTEN, AL, DIS IS JOE DOWN TO 0 ^
' COFFEE POT...I GOT WORO OAT ,
0' G-MEN ARE ONTO YUH, AN' ARE /
BLOCKIN' EVERY ROAD OUTA TOWN... j
BUT LISSENl OAT OLD ROUTE SS /
OPEN1DTO TRAFFIC TODAY AN’OEY Y
tT AIN'T WISE TO IT!
fTHANKS, JOE!
—1 I'LL LAM OUT
»V. ON ROUTE 35
V I RIGHT NOW!J
I**-A
30 MINUTES LATER
SO YOU THOUGHT YOU'D GIVEN US THE A
SUP, EH BENDER? WEU, ( WAS THE
MAN WHO PHONED YOU AT NOON TODAY
-NOT COFFEE-POT JOEl
^ y^Z \
WHAT'S THE USE
...YOU CANT
GET AWAY FROM
i the g-men!
r ur. 4 , .tttrm
W7 THIS MAN WAS TRIED, CONVICTED,
AND SENTENCED TO SERVE A TERM OF
YEARS IN THE FEDERAL PENITENTIARY.
r .1IB
...HOW, PAUL AND JOAN, I WANT
EVERY MEMBER OF MY JUNIOR G-MAN
CORPS TO HAVE A BIG BOWL OF POST
TOASTIES FOR BREAKFAST! THEY'RE
JUST THE THING TO START OFF
1—^S^-,™EDAyl -
JOIN MY JUNIOR G-MEN!
BOYS AND GIRLS!.. HA SEND YOU FREE this regulatton size junior
G-MAN BADGE...ENROLL YOU ON THE SECRET ROLL OF MY JUNIOR G-MEN... AND SEND
YOU A BIG EXCITING BOOK THAT TELLS YOU ALL ABOUT CLUES, SECRET CODES, INVISIBLE.
WRITING, SELF-DEFENSE...OTHER‘INSIDE*INFORMATION THAT ONLY G-MEN KNOW...REAO I
^6ELOK^4OWT^OU#AN^Gt^rHESE^N0^YJBTHE^FRE^PRIZES!^^^^^^^
The finest corn flakes
ever • •. crisp, crunchy
POST TOASTIES!
**T TAVE a big bowl of Post Toasties for
ll breakfast every morning!” That’s
mighty good advice from Melvin Purvis!
It’s a rule YOU ought to follow! Take it
from Melvip Purvis, Post Toasties are the
grandest-tasting breakfast treat ever!
They’re delicious, too, with luscious fresh
fruit or berries!
_ Post Toasties are made from the sweet
little hearts of the corn, where most of the
flavor is. And each golden flake is toasted
double crisp so it keeps its crunchy good
ness longer in milk or cream.
Get your Post Toasties now—"The
Better Corn Flakes”! And join the Junior
G-Man Corps without delay!
k POST CEREAL—MADE BY GENERAL FOODS
Boys’ Badge (left).
Girls' Division Badge
(above, right). Both
are of polished gold
bronze design en
ameled in blue.
OFFICIAL JUNIOR G
MAN RING i 24-carat
gold finish. Fits any
finger. Free for 4 Post
Toasties box-tops.
TO JOIN: Send two tops from Post
Toasties packages with coupon below,
to Melvin Purvis. He'll send you his offi
cial Junior G-Man badge ... his big,
thrilling book that tells how to become
a Junior G-Man, and a catalog of OTHER
SWELL. FREE PRIZES!
--1
MELVIN PURVIS WNU5-4-J* I
«/» Pott Toasties, Battle Creek, Michigan
I enclose ... Post Toasties package tops. Please I
send me the items checked below. Check whether I
boy < ) or girl ( ).
( ) Membership Badge (send 2 package tops)
( ) Junior G-Man Ring (send 4 package tops)
Name____ *
Street_ I
I
l J