Evening star., 1923-02-07
CAPITAL KEYNOTES
BY PAUL v. COLLINS.

gigantic a warfare for the human
stake of civilization that we can no
more appreciate what is going on IN
that wars battles than we can com
prehend the Astronomy" of the
electrons upon their orbs in the
universes called atoms" Will gen
eral science command the army
against the forces of the flu, or will
the flu make another deadly drive
which will reap even greater
harvest of death than the 25.o0o,ooo
of 191S-1919?
Senator Heflin feels aggrieved be-
cause the newspapers reported that
he had been "rebuked" for alleged
unparliamentary language in debate
in the Senate. and yet when he under
took to make a. personal statement
on the floor of the Senate, next DAY
(even while complaining OF the press,
he referred to the incident as re
bukc," though claiming it was unjust
lie now threatens to invoke the
power OF the Senate to bar from the
press gallery certain correspondents
and reporters, on the ground of Amer
icanized lese majeste. Is he any fairer
IN that proposed action than were
the offending reporters who merely
used practically the same words he
Ildd uScu III TeIGTTlnR TO the act OF
the Senate in expunging his remarks
from the record?
X <
Great is the respect which the pub
lie holds for the upper house Of Con-
gress. but not so great is the awe of
the seasoned press writer that he
fears to use the words which tell
what happens therein. There is none
! more delightful than the junior sen
| ator from Alabama. He charges with
terrorizing force upon the money
powers, which he tells US are cor
rupting the Union and debauching the
people. He thunders like Jove at the
unruiy reserve bank and it's late
president. But, after all. he provides
too much of the thrill of life for the
press gallery to want to annoy him
and disturb his poise Who has So
eloquently pictured the dauntless men
Of the A. E. +. in their battles? Who
can rattle the saber and the rafters
of the Senate roof as can the Ala
baman? What reporter so rash as I"
slander him, knowing that the ven
geanee Of the gods is not more
Empty the press gallery? Yes. one
cast of his eye-either eye which
might have the moments cast-wouid
y.
jority of the Senate on the other side
OF the aisle voting against such
! tion. And so there would be a per
petual executive session of that au
gust body, with no press gallery. And
then, of course, the reporters would
have time to get the real interesting
news, as they always do of other
executive sessions. But then. alas,
what would be the use of Hefiin ora
tory, when there would be no press
gallery?
When the flood suddenly swept over
Dayton. Ohio. in 1913, and the water
rose to twenty feet depth in the main
part of the city within d few hours,
nothing could be done to turn the
flood aside. But after the water had
subsided, engineers planned great
reservoirs upstate which would cover
; thousands of acres, where. in time q
| high water. the excess could be he "a
in check. The time to prevent Hoods
is before they come.
4 valuable lesson may be learned
from that experience which viii apply
to other conditions. Unemployment =
formidable problem. if millions o.
men are without wages. 1t cannot be
met then without charity. But steps
may be taken by which the nation
may imDound energy. just as water j.
impounded in great but useful reser-
voirs from which benefits may he
gathered later. A measure looking To
such step is now pending in both
branches of Congress-introduce by
Senator Freylinghuysen and Repre-
sentative Zihlman. 1t is measure 10
plan National Unemployment
Lea que, whose function will be to in
vestigate projects for public develop
ment works, which may be pushed b.
federal and state funds during times
of great business depression. for the
special purpose OF giving work To the
unemployed.
The enterprise would be put il
charge of a commission TO be appoint
ed by the President. and to serve
without pay. This would call for
| hgih grade. public-s spirited men. II is
a project very far ahead of any plan
to pension unemployed. for ii would
save the self-respect of the benefci-
aries and give them chance to work.
and at the same time the work would
be carefully planned to the interest
of The nation.