Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-04-23
The NATIONAL CAPITAL
Events OF Interest from the
Seat of Government,
BY j. Il. JONES.
New Work for GOrgas.

oerDld 10 stamp out typhoid. GOrgdS
went to Cuba aud when he was
through yellow fever and other
scourges of contagion had been driven
out. Gorgas went to Panama and he
converted a country in which the
French workmen had died by tens Of
thousands into health resort.
Gorgas lives quietly in Washington
and is major in the United States
army. 1t seems incongruous that
Gorgas should be an army officer,
since he has saved more lives in a
generation than all the United States
army and navy have killed. He is
not as famous as the major generals
and the admirals who have left a
trail of blood as the story of their
achievements. Gorgas received this
offer from the Rockefeller Founda-
ton at large salary for this assign
ment, which stipulates that in case
of his death his family will be cared
for by the trustees.
The German War Ships.
When the German cruiser Prinz
Eitel dropped in at Newport News a
few weeks ago she was q most I'M
welcome visitor. But when The sec
ond ship, the Kronprinz Wilhelm
also sought safety first at the same
nCton vJx
fit" Newport News is less than 100
miles from Washington, and it is
the nearest seaport. The Potomac
river from that point to Washington
is navigable, and the presence OF the
warships of country at war in such
close proximity to our national cap
ital is not intended to arouse any
particular enthusiasm in the NEIL
trality policy that is being directed
from the White House. 1t may DO
just a coincidence, but the Atlantic
fleet dropped into Hampton Roads
just ahead Of the second German
boat and while there ere cruises ir
sight for our American ships, still ii
is known that a number of American
boats will be kept within Hampto-
Roads while the foreign visitors ar
in that section.
GoethaIs Is Unafraid.
There is no longer any need of
asking in timid tones: what could
We do if the Japs or some other med
ding foreigners attacked the Panama
canal?" General Cocktails has it all
prepared and his answer would be to
blow the whole "caboodle" out of
the waters. The Panama canal is
said to be the best protected spot on
earth, and while the rest of the coun-
tries of the world have been wonder
ing how to handle their problems of
offense and defense, Cocktails has
placed the biggest and best guns that
Uncle Sam ever made in position ct
the two ends of the canal. The
worry at Panama is caused by land
slides, which may continue for three
or four years, but will finally sub
side.
1.-THE Truth in Advertising"
When Horace Greeley edited the
New York Tribune he gave his ia
nous advice to young men to go
west. The Tribune has never lost
any of the dignity given it by its
famous editor. It's managers have
selected a director for one the great
est campaigns ever undertaken by an
American newspaper; and they have
chosen c. e. LaVigne. a former Wis
consin man, for that important post.
Mr.. LaVigne for a year or more has
been engaged in making an analysis
of the question Of the rights of man.
ufacturers to fix resale prices. He
has investigated not only the manu-
facturers but has gone thoroughly
into the methods of wholesalers, re-
tailers, department stores, mail order
concerns and other industries. AS
the result of successful work 1t has
it often does-that pri
vate enterprise has made known its
to pay a salary common
surate with the size of the job to be
and Mr.. LaVigne will
bid the federal trade commission
adieu as soon as his reports are in
shape, simply because Uncle Sam
pays scale OF wages instead of a
rate commensurate with the task in
volved.
The Tribune has nailed the slogan
at it's head, 1.-The truth, in news, in
in advertising" 1t will
assail fictitious bargain sales and the
men who make them, it will go after
who claim merits for
their goods that they do not possess,
and it will make them modify their
claims the same as the patent medi-