Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-24

Washington, ID. T., July "a.
IN HIS war revenue address the Presi-
dent talked about lobbies. He suggested
that lobbyists and profiteers deserved
small consideration at the hands OF Con-
gress. Then Chairman Kitchin. of the
Ways and Means Committee talked about
lobbies. and made some tart illusions to
the publishers of newspapers. Congress.
man Rainey. of Illinois, entered the field
and accused the jewelers. Of maintaining
a lobby.
The lobby business is threadworn in
Washington. but these new charges drew
fire. together with some pretty strong
recriminations and denials. The Rainey
charges. supported in measure by Con-
gresham Longworth of Ohio, grew out
of fight between chemists and the jew
elers over the use of platinum in jewelry.
1t involved most of the big Philadelphia
houses. Wilson A. Streeter, vice president
of the Bailey. Banks & Biddle Company.
being one of the committee to look after
the Jewellers interests The chemists,
backed up by the Bureau Of Mines. en-.
couraged q number of women to refuse
to buy platinum jewelry on the ground
that 1t would be unpatriotic in war times
to do so.
The jewelers. came back with an indorse-
ment of the Department of Commerce
and considerable testimony that Govern
ment orders Communicating platinum for
war purposes had been adjusted to permit
of a limited sale of that precious com.
modify. They expressed their Willingness
to comply with Government war orders
at any time. but contended that the
rropaga nda of the women. which some
Government officials opposed. and which
others did not. was unfair to a legitimate
business. and equivalent to a boycott and
ultimate confiscation.
At the bottom of the inquiry was the
desire to conserve platinum for In
airplane motor construction. One witness
said it would be 50 badly needed before the
war is over that the Government would
have to take IT out of the peoples teeth
The controversy proceeded far enough to
show that Government bureau can work
up a lobby to start backfires under Con.
| sociatons can.
In the publishers fight. CHAIRMAN
| kitchin contended that a central commit.
| tee had stirred up organizat tions in all
| parts Of the country to petition Congress.
| In the platinum row it appeared that press
| matter was going out from the Bureau
| of Mines, and that the resolutions of pa
| triotic women were being promoted by it
| through the American Chemical Society
| The point Of view frequently depends
| upon whose OK is gored
| A'A and Lafayette in the editorial com
| ment OF the day, recalls the Philadelphia
associations of the distinguished French.
| man who braved the opposition of his own
| cOuntrsmen to seek a ma ior generals com.
| mission at the hands of the American
Congress His stopping places are now
| second in historic interest almost to the
| numerous Washington headquarters Gus
| {. Seidel, of Fourth and Callowhill streets
| who succeeded Colonel NJ. Richards Muckle
| as president of the ancient Tammany Pea
| Shore Fishing Company, is the owner Of
Road and Fourth street
| Gus says that farewell ceremonies for
| Lafayette were held on the porch at the
| point" and that the military was drawn
| up on both sides. He thinks the city
should own this site or that some memorial