The Washington times. [volume], December 29, 1931, Image 13

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BULBS IN HOLLAND;
WINES IN FRANCE;
TAXIS IN N. Y.
— By GILBERT SELDES —
f NEW YORK, Dec. 29.
TE finances of the world will probably not be shaken by
ews that the flower bulb industry in Holland is in a
bad way. The General Society of Bulb Culture blames the
tariff. On the bright side is the fact that a hundred mil
lion pounds of bulbs could be sold in a depression year, al
. . though the money realized was unsatis-
vVVRI r j
GILBERT SEI.BES
Aj>d when the whole thing was over, no
doubt the solid burghers blamed their leaders anji wante
to know who and what would get them out of their trouble,
fating a Fortune
No one quite knew why the boom started. Everyone knew
that the actual demand for bulbs to be planted came no
where near justifying the prices paid. It was just a boom
time, like the time of the Mississippi and South Sea bubbles.
One story remains of the tulip mania. A sailor, home from
distant parts, come into a store and bought some bread and
fish, and on his way out picked up an onion to add zest to his
meal. The onion he ate was a $5,000 bulb. That practical
sailor was a critic of the economic system.
Too Much Wine
The French situation is none too good either. With a
population of 41,000.000. France has nearly 17,000,000 im
perial gallons of wine for sale, and although our prohibition
ists feel that the French must be a nation of drunkards, the
difficulty is not that the amount of wine is too little, but that
it is too great. (The 41,000,000 includes women and children,
as well as natural drinkers.)
So each country faces its own surplus. Brazil compresses
coffee beans for firing engines. America feeds wheat to hogs,
and France, which seems to be a little more sensible, is not
going to make the Seine run red with wine, but will probably
begin to serve free wine as a table drink in all its restaurants.
Men Must Eat
A fgw weeks ago I read some correspondence from France
which struck me as fantastic even in these times of e.conomic
fantasy. It appeared that the bottlers of table water were
trying to make the purchase of a quantity of-water obliga
tory with each meal. Quick to protect themselves, the pro
fessional organizations interested in tripe, and truffles and
shrimps and mushrooms, and all other delicacies of the
French table, appealed to the government 'to make their
product equally compulsory. The one thing they all left
out was a law making eating compulsory.
Taxi-Control
A new taxicab control board has been created for New
York, and in the first announcement it appears that a
miracle will be “passed” very shortly. There are now 19.-
500 cabs in operation, and “it is intended to effect an even
tual reduction to 15,000 without eliminating any of the
present operators,”
A greater and more gratifying miracle would be instruct
ing taxi-drivers how to drive taxis; or perhaps a course of
study in the pschology of patrons might serve. The condi
tions are virtually identical in every American city; a red
light goes on and in theory the taxi stops. In practice, the
taxi usually slides by one cross street just as the light
changes, and the driver looks back for applause from the
patron for saving him time and money.
Too Costly
Quite apart from the nervous exhaustion this brings on.
the practice is wasteful. Unless the taxi is going on an
endless straight line, the thing to do is to turn off the
street a few seconds before the light changes so that it is
at the next crossing by the time the green light comes on.
I have been in the hands of taxi-drivers who have so timed
their lights that they have gone from one end of the city di
agonally to the other with hardly a single wait; but that is
exceptional. In the present condition of traffic in New
the same ride taken at about the same time of day
may vary in cost from 80 cents to a $1.20. The difference
is largely waiting time. So far no taxi company has abolished
waiting time.
Hoover Poses Thrice
* "Within Five Minutes
Photographers stationed at tht
White House worked at top speed
yesterday when President Hoover
posed with three delegations in
less than five minutes. The first
pose was with the Oberlin Glee
Club. He then posed with the
Kingston. Pa.. Boy Scout troor
and the University of California
football team.
t Girl Scouts to Hear
Mrs. Gerrit Miller
Mrs. Gerrit s. Miller. Jr.. Girl
Scout commissioner, will address
members of the organization at
the Camp May Flather reunion
In Barker Hall tomorrow at 6:30
p. m. Other speakers include
. Mrs B. F. Cheatham, chairman
of the camp committee, and Miss
Dorothy Greene, director of the
local Scouts.
» ~ ~~
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factory
Tulipmania
I wonder if the good Hollanders re
call the time of the tulipma* ia. when a
bulb was worth 20 or 30 times its
weight in gold. There was a bulb mar
ket. and speculation in bulbs and short
selling, and unexampled prosperity—
and a crash, which led to a panic.
People bought and sold bulbs which they
had never seen and never expected to
see-; it sounds terribly fooli'-h and it
also sounds exactly like the stock
speculations of 1928. They had the
same stories .of sudden wealth and sud
den despair. There vas one rare bulb
which sold, as 1 recall it. for $20,000.
SKIPPY By Percy Crosby
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- 31 ) King Features Syndicate. Inc. . . ' A Z - - —a M/ / X
SKIPPY
WASHiNG|OHTIM E S
I Telephone District 5260
HOOVER SEEN OPPOSED TO U. S. PAY CUTS
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ • ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ■ ☆ ft ft
“Peace Time Army” Urged as Permanent Jobless Aid
GENERAL STAFF
WOULD DIRECT
WORKERS
Richard T. Ely Explains Plan
Which Would Take Up
Slack in Industry
Establishment of a “peace
time army” as an immediate
step to relieve unemployment
and as a permanent mech
anism for takqing up slack in
periods of depression was ad
vocated today by Richard T.
Ely, president of the Ameri
can Land Economics Associa
tion. at the annual meeting of
that organization at the Wash
ington Hotel.
Peace Time Army
The “peace-time army" would
be so organized that it could be
expanded indefinitely, he said.
Whenever a depression occurs,
this would take care of the
immediate situation, and in the
meantime, labor and capital
would be finding new occupa
tions, Mr. Ely asserted. He said:
‘‘The pay of those in the
‘peace-time army,’ apart from
the standing army, would be
somewhat like that of soldiers
during the World War, with
provisions for families, etc.
‘‘The general staff of the
‘peace-time army’ would know
the qualifications of those in
the army and be ready to
assist in the transfer back to
industry of the soldiers in the
‘peace-time army’ as adjust
ments were made by labor and
capital.”
Better Than Dole
He stressed the advantage of
such an army over the dole sys
tem of unemployment insurance.
He said:
“Suppose, for example, there
should be a return of prosperity
and the United States Steel
Company should have need of
10,000 employes of various sorts.
It could turn at once to the
general staff and worker? could
be sent to Pittsburgh or Chi
cago, or wherever else they
might be needed.”
The use of Government credit
on a large scale is a most con
structive method of dealing with
the present economic situation.
Father John O’Grady, of Catholic
University, told members of the
American Economic Association,
also meeting at the Washington
Hotel. He said:
“A large Federal bond issue,
floated in the same dramatic
way as our Liberty Loan cam
paigns, would call out much of
our hoarded wealth and put it
into circulation. If the Federal
Government fails to use its
credit boldly in the present
crisis, we are faced inevitably
with further reduction in values,
further business and bank fail
ures.”
'The Other Wise Man'
Final Show Tonight
The final presentation of “The
Other Wise Man” will take place
tonight at 8:30 o’clock, at Luther
Place Memorial Church.
> The Rev. Dr. Earle Wilfley.
who appeared as “The Voice”
will be unable to assume that
role tonight. Arthur Bradley
White, a local actor, will take
his place. Mrs. Hoover attended
the performance yesterday after
noon.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1931
SKEW BRUTALITY
CHARGES FACE
POLICEMEN
Gen. Glassford indicates Trial
Board Action Looms for
“Less Than Dozen”
Several policemen within
the next few days will face
trial hoard action as an out
growth of the recent third-de
gree probe by the Department
of Justice.
Police Superintendent Pelham
D. Glassford said that from
Justice Department reports he
had gleaned information against
“less than a dozen policemen” in
volving them in various degrees
of brutality.
Charges shortly will be sub
mitted to a special body of
police officials for recommenda
tions as to action.
General Glassford indicated, if
after thorough investigation, he
believes it necessary, official trial
board action will follow.
A Washington policeman, Jere
miah J. Cullinane, is under SIOO
bond pending an appearance in
Police Court, January 5. on a
charge of assaulting a prisoner. •
Accuser Under Bond
Wilber A. Hoffman. 614 Massa
chusetts Ave., who brought the
charges against the policeman,
was arrested on a housebreaking
charge and is at present held un
der SI,OOO bond.
Cullinane, it is said, was forced
to subdue the man when he re
sisted while being shifted from
one cell to another.
R. Bogley Named
D* C. Masonic Master
At the annual St. John’s Day
communication of the District
Grand Lodge of Masons last
night, Reuben A. Bogley was
elected grand master, succeeding
C. «Fred Cook. Other officers
were advanced and interest cen
tered in the lowest price, that of
junior grand steward, which was
awarded by ballot to Ara M.
Daniels. Aubrey H. Clayton was
designated grand lecturer, a non
progressive office.
After installing the new of
ficers, retiring Grand Master
Cook was presentd with the usual
past grand master’s jewel by the
grand lodge and a beautiful
Oriental rug by the constituent
lodges.
Brown to Listen In
On Aviator's Chats
Air mail pilots probably will
keep close tabs on radio conversa
tions now.
Postmaster General Brown yes
terday had installed in his office
a new short-wave telephone set,
with which he intends to amuse
himself when business is dull by
listening in on the conversations
of air mail pilots.
Girl, 10, in Hospital
After Auto Accident
Grace Pruitt, 10, of 2014 Michi
gan Ave. N. E., is at Casualty
Hospital today recovering from
injuries received when struck by
an automobile near her home yes
terday afternoon. The automo
bile, police said, was operated by
Clyde William Petty, 27, of 109
Eighth St. N. W.
The girl told Mr. Petty she was
uninjured. However, he followed
her to her home and then, with
her parents, took her to Casualty
Hospital.
Office Address, 1317-21 H 8L N. w7|
THIEVES CLEAN OUT CASH REGISTER
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MISS MUSGROVE AT CASH REGISTER WHICH WAS RIFLED
THE CASH REGISTER in the office of the Takoma Motor Company, Takoma
Park, was rifled of SIOO yesterday by thieves who gained entrance by forcing a win
dow. Miss Edna Musgrove, Silver Spring, Md., is standing beside the register.
POLICE CAPTAIN
IS RETIRED
Capt. James E. Wilson, of the
Ninth precinct, was ordered re
tired today by the District Com
missioners under the 64-year re
tirement law. Captain Wilson’s
retirement is effective Decem
ber 31.
At the same time, the Commis
sioners ordered the promotion of
Lieut. Sydney J. Marks to fill the
vacancy and named Detective
Sergeant Ira E. Keck, aide to
Police Commissioner Herbert B.
Crosby, to the post of lieutenant.
Captain Wilson is to receive a
pension of $l5O a month from the
police and firemen’s relief fund.
The Commissioners also ordered
the promotion of three precinct
detectives to the rank of detective
sergeants. The vacancies were
created by the retirement of De
tective Sergeant Harry A. Cole,
the death of Detective Sergeant
James A. Springmann, and the
promotion of Detective Sergeant
Keck.
Those promoted were A. M.
Tolson. E. F. Lewis, and E. P.
Hartman.
International Head
Guest of Civitans
Harold Tshudi, of Baltimore, in
ternational president of Cavitan,
was a guest of the Washington
Civitan Club at the tenth Christ
mas party luncheon at the La
fayette Hotel today.
Features of the program, ar
ranged under the direction of Wil
liam Humphreys, included an ad
dress by Dr. Alan A. Stockdale,
pastor of the First Congregational
Church, and music by the junior
choir of the Calvary Methodist
Episcopal Church. Dr. Maurice L.
Townsend, president, was in
charge.
Swell Seen
In Strength
Os Wets
Conviction that ‘‘the tide is
swelling against prohibition”
was expressed yesterday by the
’ Crusaders who pointed out that
more than 80 bills asking for
repeal or modification of the
Eighteenth Amendment have
already been introduced at the
■ present Congress.
I
Repeal bills have averaged
’ about 70 per session, with about
18 bills urging greater prohi
tion enforcement. This year
there is only one bill support
> ing the Volstead act. Intro
duced by Representative Blan-
I ton (D.) of Texas, it provides
for the use of military and
naval forces for enforcement,
4 Per Cent of Income
Goes to Physicians
: Medical care costs the people
: of the United States approxi
mately 3 to 4 per cent of the
• total national income, Dr. Ray
• Lyman Wilbur, Secretary of the
Interior, told members of Social
Science Societies/now convening
here. Although Dr. Wilbur said
, this amount was not excessive,
he added that a substantial per
- centage is paid for the services
. of “sub-standard practitioners.”
i
; Fire in Hotel Room
Laid to Cigarette
Fire at an early hour today
. startled residents of the Mon
mouth Hotel, 1819 G St. N. W.,
i and did SSOO damage.
The fire was confined to the
; apartment of C. E. Slade. Fire
. men said Blade fell asleep while
i smoking a cigarette, which fell
into the bed and set it afire.
NEWS OF SUBURBS
HOOVERS READY
FORNEWYEAR
President and Mrs. Hoover are
all set to spend a strenuous New
Years Day, when assisted by
members of the cabinet -nd
their wives, they will exchange
New Years greetings with mem
bers of the Diplomatic Corps, the
justices of the United States
Supreme Court, the local courts,
Senators and Congressmen, rank
ing officers of the Army, Navy
and Marine Corps, and other
principal officers of the Govern
ment.
However, it is the public recep
tion that is regarded as the out
standing feature of this annual
White House function. This will
begin at 1 o’clock, when the Pres
ident and Mrs. Hoover will greet
thousands. Last year they
greeted more than 5,000 persons
in the reception line.
The New Year Day ceremonies
at the White House will begin at
11 o’clock with an informal re
ception to the Cabinet, after
which they will greet the Diplo
matic Corps in the Blue Room.
Following luncheon at noon, the
President and Mrs. Hoover will
then begin to receive the >ong
public line, also in the Blue
Room.
Chamber Planning
Education Campaign
Plans for a sustained six
months’ effort in vital directions
were adopted by the executive
committee in charge of the second
year of the Washington Chamber
of Commerce five-year program,
at a meeting today.
While the upbuilding of the
membership is to be one of the
major objectives the committee
will also inaugurate a campaign
of education as to the aims and
accomplishments of the organiza
tion. The program will continue
from January 11 to June 25.
PRESIDENT Si
TD OPPOSE
PM GUTS
Will Express His Disapproval
“At Proper Time,’’ It Is
• Believed Now
Reduction of Federal sala
ries only as a last resort in
cutting Government expendi
tures was reported today as
the attitude of President
Hoover and Representative
Henry T. Rainey, Democratic
floor leader.
Although the President has not
asked for salary increases in un
der-average grades, as he did last
year, he is reported to be antag
onistic to pay slashes.
The prophecy that “at the
proper time” the President would
exoress his disapproval of pay
cuts was expressed yesterday by
officials of the National Federa
tion of Federal Employes.
Only as Last Resort
Representative Rainey yester
day said that he favored reduc
tions only as a last resort when
other devices to reduce expendi
tures and to meet the deficit
had failed. In the event that
salaries were reduced they should
be cut in the Army and Navy and
in Congress, Rainey said. Reduc
tions should not apply, however,
he said, to incomes of less than
$5,000 a year.
Employes Federation
Prepares to Fight
Strong opposition to cutting
salaries of Federal employes will
be set up January 8, when the
executive council of the National
Federation of Federal Employes
assembles here for a legislative
conference.
The federation had intended to
devote its Capitol campaign
chiefly to reclassifying field em
ployes and other improvements
sought by the Government work
ers. However, the increasing
number of bills introduced asKing
for salary reductions has put the
federation on the defensive and
first attention will be given to
fighting the wage reductions.
Federation leaders have ex
pressed concern over the growing
sentiment in Congress to reduce
the Federal payroll. Clasisfica
tion of field employes as a prin
ciple may also be fought by the
American Federation of Labor,
which thus far has opposed he
plan only insofar as it affects
present or potential trades union
members. A complete legislative
campaign will be undertaken at
the council meeting.
Memorial Builders
To Meet in Capital
The annual convention of the
Memorial Craftsmen of America
will be held in Washington,
August 15 to 19, according to
announcement made by the
Greater National Capital Com
mittee today It is expected to
draw 1.500 delegates. •
An exhibit of monuments will
weight more than 1,000,000
pounds, according to Lester Har
his, of Chicago, executive secre
tary. who spent more than a
week here studying facilities.
California Players
Drill Before Hoover
The University of California
football team went through a few
practice formations on the South
grounds of the White House yes
terday while President Hoover
and his family looked on. The
players were accompanied to the
Executive Mansion by Representa
tive Carter <R.). California. After
greeting the President they went
to Annapolis.
Justice Wheat Hurt
By New York Fall
Chie Justice Aired A. Wheat of
the District Supreme Court was in
a hospital in New York today as
the result of a fall. Acting Chief
Justice Jennings Bailey learned
by telephone this morning.
The chief justice has been in
New York several days on a holi
day visit. His condition was said
not to be series, but he is not ex
pected to return to the bench
when court is reconvened Mon
day.