Evening star., 1923-01-22

TEere has been much talk, In ana
out of Congress, to the effect that
private profteering In supplies for
warfare is wicked. and shorId be
stopped. 1t Is advocated that the
government should manufacture its
own war material, and that in case
Of war. not only the young men
should be drafted into the Army, to
serve at the front. but manufactures
| should be drafted as we'll for the pub
lie good.
1t Is apparent that there are men
In high position who do not adhere
to the doctrine that the government
should supply its, own needs. Per-
haps the idea smacks too much of
socialism. but. at all events, the plan
of Representative Hull republican,
of Iowa, as outlined in a. bill pend
ing. for all government navy yards
to be utilized in the manufacture of
government supplies. so far as prac-
ticabie, receives opposition from Sec;
| rotary Weeks. who wants the bill
amended SO as to give outside con-
tractors 25 per cent handicap In all
bids to make the supplies for the
government. If the government were
again 20 face war. calling for supplies
yard at cost of s1.o00.ooo to the tax
payer, it would be required to hand
our contract to any private bidder
willing to do that million dollars
/ worth of work for S1,25o,o00
4 Il ::
Here is another instance of Thrift
week: 1t costs money TO install and
maintain electric light in the school
buildings. 1t costs money to supply
buildings enough to furnish all the
school children with full days
course in school. because there are
TOO many children to At the seats. So
they have double shifts. beginning
! early and running late in the day. II
grows dusk long before school is dis
missed. but there are no other means
or lighting some of the schoolrooms
but talloW candles-I almost wrote
talioW dips This being Thrift
week. IT Is we'll to point out what
thrift means to some folks. II means
defective eyesight to 1000 Washing
ton school children, according to
Health Officer Fowler. This is what
Hundreds Of these children are
| paving the way for lifetime of dis
eased vision. and many are beginning
! a decline into total blindness. Two
thirds OF those who appear unac-
countably stupid are suffering from
one of three maladies-adenoids. dis
eased tonsils or defective vision"
Thrift! II shows on the annual ex-
pense account how much money is
saved by using tallow candles in
| stead OF electric lights. Eyes do not
show on the balance sheet. 1t is to
| the credit" of a thrifty Congress 10
save lights, and sacrifice the eyes
which may become as blind as the
vision of some Statesmen.
Col. Charles E. Forbes. director of
the Veterans Bureau. declared to the
| clioues and cabals and self-seeking
| placeholders that that bureau cannot
! be run by more than one head at a
time. and so long as he is the head,
he is going to run it for the benefit
of the veterans, to the best of his
ability. That is right. There must be
| one deciding head of all institutions
! and business enterprises-a supreme
! court" of last resort. Then that head
| must receive credit and blame.
Apropos of that. or anything that fits
it, there is the Washington school
board; also the District Commits
sioners. Who is responsible for the
management and success of the
schools? There appears to be a differ
ence of opinion. The school board de-
cides to conduct a vocational school
the Commissioners are not sold" on
the scheme. and refuse to o. *. bill
of expense to the amount of 5000 or
$500 for supplies. Again. the school
board decides unanimously that GER
tain appliances are needed IN the
girls gymnasium. out the District
Commissioners quiz the school board
and ask il to reconsider its vote. 1t
reconside-s and reiterates its unani-
nous vote for the appliances.
Somebody rises to point OF order
or parliamentary question OF priv
ilege to wit: Who was elected 10 run
the schools? Why.
Another question Of order: Are the
Washington schools so eXtraordina-
rjIv equipped tha' it behooves suffer-
ing nation to call halt upon extrav-
aganee? What is the reputation OF
the capitals schools in that regard!
= y y
Half century ago. advertising con-
sisted in a painted sign over gen
eral stores door, reading: John
Jones; dealer in general merchan-
! disc"
when the mail-order firms first de-
veloped. advertising consisted in more
or less tricky, misleading. bomoastlc
pretenses of marvellous bargains. IT
was wholly unreliable. A certain
mail order firm. now one OF the great
est in the world, began by advertls-
| ing to sell a beautiful upholstered set
of parlor furniture for 9S cents