The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-30

orations of the interior-the mural paintings and the like, will take time Postmaster Smyer and Assistant Postmaster Norman will be comfort ably established in the new building long before it is entirely completed.
 But the art side of government edi- fees of the pretentions of this pile going up on Fifth avenue will be of such beauty when it is all done that the public can afford to wait. Until recent years a million-dollar building erected by Uncle Sam was of slow process. The Birmingham postoffice would have consumed in construction five years or more; but in this age of concrete all construction is done with dispatch.
 It is said that only four cities of Birmingham's population have a fed I eral structure as elegant as the Bir- mingham building is designed to be. Several cities larger than Birmingham have spacious postoffices that make a show but they cost less than Birming- hams and are artistically poor com pared with it.
 Birmingham has Oscar Underwood to thank for the beautiful design of the building now under way. Several years ago the people were impatient for larger and more modern post office than had served the city, but MT. Underwood, then representative in Congress and the democratic leader. and the supervising architect of the treasury department were in close touch and the outcome of their dis cussions was what we are about to see-a splendid pile, something that would do credit to any old art center of Europe.
 The Birmingham postoffice when complete will cost-site included-be- tween $1,300,000 and $1,35O, 1000. Other federal structures have cost more money but none will impress the art critic so favorably as the Bir- mingham building on Fifth avenue, which is to extend from Eighteenth to Nineteenth streets.
 The British censor to the contrary not withstanding, it is estimated that Ger man U-boats are sinking about 1000, 900 tons of shipping month, including neu- tral and belligelent vessels. If that is true, the Germans are living up to their announced programme. and the sooner Uncle Sam gets buster the better.
 * * *
 A citizen of Youngstown, O.. an Austrian
 
 by birth, has offered to dry clean every American flag in Youngstown, regard less of size, for 15 days after May 1. He's not hyphenated enough to notice. Landlords may show the proper spirit by reducing the rent of tenants who en- list in the federal sevice. real es- tate corporation of Cincinnati, headed by man of German name, is doing that.
 * * *
 The Louisville Courier-Journal calls MT. Huddleston "a hayseed congressman from the south Just at present MT. Huddleston is receiving a great many brickbats and precious few bouquets. Certain German newspapers declare 1t is absurd to differentiate between gov ernment and the German people. Yet it would be interesting to know what the German people really think.
 * * *
 That German drive on Petrograd will bear watching. It will show, for one thing, whether the new Russian govern ment is firmly on its feet.
 * * *
 Guatemala broke off diplomatic rela- tions with Germany without causing a panic in Berlin Guatemalas little but she's right
 hasting spring. In this part of the coun- try she is living up to her advance mo- tices.
 Farm and arm" is the battle cry of Colonel Roosevelt Needless to say, he much prefers arming to farming in per- son.
 There is so much war talk these days that the old-fashioned man who used to argue about baseball feels sad and for lorn
 John l.. Sullivan says he is too old to fight. But isn't MT. Willard prepared to take Johns place ons the firing line? Substitutes for potatoes are being sug- gested, but the justly famous spud will always be in class by itself
 * * * Another sign of the times s.C5raf Zan