Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-15
CONGRESSMAN MOORE'S
LETTER
Washington Not Interested in Free
Ports - Determination Against
Officers Serving at Home-RoI-
lin L. Dixon's Scrrices as an
Aerial Photographer
Washington, ID. C., Feb. 16.
DREsIDENT JosEPH r. GRuNpY,s

| to American industry and freedom from
vexatous legislation is being circulated in
| the Capitol where the impression prevails
that tariff bill will be one OF the early
tasks of the Republican House in an extra
session IL the President calls one. And
while most Republicans are prepared to
initiate tarin legislation, the Taussis Tariff
Commission. under the inspiration OF for.
mer Congressman Kent, OF California, who
was for Wilson, although he called himself
an independent In politics, IL pushing the
free port idea and gathering in some
Republican support for It. Among those
whom the plausible Californian quotes as
favorng the free port for Philadelphia are
Nathan T. Folwell, Of the Manufacturers'
Club; J. s. w. Holton, Of the Maritime
Exchange, and II. K Mulford, Of the Cham.
Der of Commerce. Thus far, however, the
Democratic Ways and Means Committee
has permitted the free port bills to slumber
and there is no Likelihood of their re.
appearance this Congress.
ONE Of the big war factors was stevedor-
" ing. 1t facilitated the movement OF
troops and supplies. d. j. Murphy, Jr, Of
Philadelphia, who had much TO do with
the Delaware River end of the Govern
ment's stevedore business, has been telling
his Washington friends about the services
of the officers who had to stay on the
wharves in the United States morning,
noon and night, without getting chance
to shed their blood IN France He thinks
they have been prejudiced in the distribu.
tion of honors and has come to the con-
clusion, after consulting members of the
Military Affairs Committee, that the
Overman act, which gave the President
authority to rearrange and reclassfy the
departments, is responsible for the over
sight.
DRETTY rough on Wilmington and other
Delaware River towns which have been
making waterfront improvements to hear
Of the discontinuance OF the Clyde Line,
or of any line running from Philadelphia
to New York or southern points There is
a suspicion here that the railroad admin
istraton has much to do with recent de-
velopments in steamship management The
McAdoo plan for co-ordinating rail and water
transportation is a part Of 1t, but the boost.
ing Of freight rates on waterway service
to equalize those on the railroads consti-
tutes the big Interrogation point VIII.
mington. for instance, under the guidance
of harbor board, Of which Charles War
ner is president. has been contemplating a
seaboard pier development at the mouth
of the Christiana River, and it is naturally
concerned over the railroad waterway sit
uation.
MIITH the outgoing of Brumbaugh's sec.
w retary, Mr.. Ball, and the incoming of
Sprouts secretary. Henry 8. McDevitt,
memories of former Governors secretaries
are revived. Lew Beitler went In with
Stuart. Walter Gather with Stone and
Bromley Wharton with Pennypacker Some
day. IL they get together early enough a
real live organization Of Governors secre-
taries may have some weight In the Com.
monwealth. Such an association, however,
should be started at once, since a society
Of ex's soon dsintegrates. At the Roose- ,
velt memorial exercises in Washington the
one ex-President CT the United States, vii.
liam II. Taft, came down the aisle alone.
WATCHING from time to time the great
w price-guarantee bill in its formative
stages have been C. H. Bell, w. X. Wool
man, Hubert j. Horan and A. B. Clemmer,
all of the Commercial Exchange of Phila-
delphia. These men, who are interested in
the grain trade round about Pennsylvania,
Delaware and Maryland, are none the less
concerned in the activities Of the grain men
of the West and Northwest, who have fig-
ured extensively In the effort to secure an
appropriation of more than billion dollars
to make good the Presidents price assur-
ances to the wheat producers. They sat
with the "horny-handed" from Indianapo.
lis, Chicago and other grain centers, and
listened intently.
THE Wanamakers have a real live boos-
= ter in DR.. Joseph Kossuth Dixon, leader
of the Rodman Wanamaker historical ex.
petitions to the North American Indians
who comes to Washington frequently 10
keep in touch with Indian legislation. On
his recent visits the doctor has been with
out his son and boon companion, Rollen L.
Dixon, who is now serving as a second
lieutenant In the air service. The Junior
Dixon, who is an expert photographer,
having helped his father on certain expe-
ditions TO obtain the picturesque among
the fieeting race, was discovered in the
army and finally put into the overhead
Photographic service, Captain Michel, OF
the French army, has pronounced him one
Of the most expert aerial photographers in
the world.
MUCH money is being spent by the gov.
AVA eminent to advance the Americsnixa-
tioh idea through such bureaus as that of
naturalization in the Department Of Labor
and education in the Department OF the
Interior There is also ap association In
Philadelphia which is Specializing on this
work among Jewish immigrants, the presi.
dent OF which is Louis Il. Levy. Mr.. Levy