Evening star., 1922-12-27
CAPITAL KEYNOTES
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

ever is to the disadvantage of farm
Ing. All this enables the farmer I"
race 1923 with hope and confidence ia
| its prosperity.
! X X * X
Why does not the tired housewife
have some cabinet official to tell her
that life is going to be easier in 1928
than 1t was last year? Maybe the
government thinks that since she has
nothing to do but take care of the
home and children-and husband-she
needs no consoling. During last gear
her daily tramping about the house.
r., as certified by a pedometer in her
pocket, proved that all she walked
| was about seven miles day. no.
counting the joggles in STOPPING I"
pick op Tommy's stockings from t1e
| floor or twisting to see where John =
| collar button rolled when he wa
hurrying to get down to the ofiic"
Seven miles straight! She ought o.
play golf or something for exercise
| Whist does not hardly meet the
needs. Let her think up some good
resolution that in 1923 she Will avoid
a sedentary life.
* x x
How often it happens that our
| "misfortunes," or even our tragedies.
turn out for the best good. Take tn"
| rebuff given by the committee or th'
| House which refused to permit repre-
sentatives of the citizens of Wass
ington and friends of the publ
schools to appear in person and MAKE
a verbal appeal for the betterment
of the school equipment II was
slap in the face to the citizens, A;
many felt that the suggestion lnS
the committee might submit a brief
was but another form OF rebuff.
| But the brief which the committe"
| OF citizens has now submitted is Il
SO much stronger presentation OF the
cause than any verbal statement be
| could have been that II VIII un-
doubtedly accomplish far more than
the delegation could have done by
appearing personally. 1t will he read
with interest and indignation nE
thousands who are concerned in M
| school welfare of the growing Eener-
alton. 1t will shock and arous"
members of Congress who have pee
| inclined to discount tho claims l"r
] the schools. The situation rs SHOW
have imagined possible, in tho na
that there will not be a reaction
which will save the capital from IN"
| diseraceful conditions. with the
schools short OF is2 classroolnS
ting only half the normal amount 9'
| schooling. and that under most ah-
verse physical surroundings.
X X X
The government has received ample
warning that another coal strike VIII
be called April ] unless the demands
Of the miners are fully complied witt
before that date. 1t is found that no;
all the miners are drawing sl6' d
week. as was reported rcEardins
some in West Virginia. and some
thing has got to be done about H.
Judge Gary. head of the United states
Steel Corporation. generally known
las the steel trust, says that "hiie
1.-THE steel workers might be put on
,hree-shift basis. each shift working
eight hours instead OF twelve hours
as at present. IL is not practicable so
long as other trades are receiving
such disproportionate wages. E'thcf
the Steel Corporation would nave 70
| continue to pay twelve hours wages
for eight hours work or the cost "t
4
| eraIly. so that the steel worker
would be willing to work at tho SAM,
hourly rate only eight hours instead
Of twelve If the steel workers on
Ian eiRht-hour schedule got tweiNe
hours pay il would increase the cost
Of structural steel so per cent, which
| would upset all calculations as 10
the cost of building and throw many
building mechanics out of employ
ment. -
! The situation demonstrates most
clearly and concretely that no on'
class can receive unfair advantar"
ioxcept at the expense of "theI
classes. The wages of carpenters anu
plasterers, for example. ranging from
slo to $50 a day of eight hours. max
1 ~ impossible for steel workers 10
work less than twelve hours. or eisr
requires a complete readjustment OF
costs of building and of living eN
nense for all classes However. enGi-
lneers ana health authorities seem I"
have a leaning toward the hunahl-
tartan schedule. even for the arduous
task of smelling and molding. or
teight-hour shifts. Good VIII to"at"
all menr'