Evening star., 1923-12-11
HOOVER ASKS HOME
FOR DEPARTMENT
Commerce Secretary FavorS
U. S..0wned BuiIding-Pay
Raises Recommended.

Erection of government-owned
building for the Department Of Com
merce Of adequate size, additional help
for all divisions. enlargement of travel
allowance for employees of the de-
partment and carrying out of the
general reorganization plan within
the department are recommended i'll
the annual report of Secretary of
Commerce Hoover, made public to-
day. Other recommendations of
general nature include legislation for
revision of the navigation laws, for
control of traffic in the air and for
stabilization of radio service.
Turnover indicated by the chief of
the appointment division is excessive,
the report pointed out. Twenty years
ago, the report said, the normal
turnover varied around per cent.
Although less now than for several
years past, it is still a constant and
expensive drain on the service and
results in serious loss in efficiency.
Laborers should be given a living
salary. the report recommends, and
clerical salaries below $1,000 should
be abolished, while compensation of
professional scientific and admins
trative officials should equal those
paid for comparable duties and re-
sponsibilities outside the federal
service.
Need OF Radio Control.
Rapid growth of aircraft and radio
transmission alike, Mr.. Hoover said.
had created a need for administra-
tion development, while the naviga-
tion laws, long under scrutiny, re-
auired adjustment to the increased
commercial expansion. Mr.. Hoover
also urged congressional affirmation
- hn nHfc hyy h III, ant TI IOy-a-
ing created Alaskan fisheries re-
serves, and suggested relief from
federal taxation for American resi-
dents abroad engaged in furthering
american commerce.
Much of the report dealt with the
special enterprise designed to stand
ardiZe commodity and material speci-
fications, to collect facts about world
agricultural production and to de-
termine the character of organiza-
tions abroad by which it has been
charged that American consumers
have been threatened with unduly
high prices.
In this connection the report dealt
with the foreign trade situation and
the studies made under Mr.. Hoover's
direction Ior determining the finan-
cial situation OF the United States as
left by trade balances in visible
1t was noted that during the period
under review-the fiscal year 192S-24
commerce, in general. had revived,
prices had frmed somewhat and the
nation had experienced prosperity.
Adjustment on Farms.
''rhe situation in most branches of
agriculture" he reports; seems to
be gradually adjusting itself. The
partial recovery in foreign demand
for cotton has permitted a higher
price for the crop Of 1923 than for
that of 1922. While the prices of
hogs have been somewhat lower of
late, the relatively high prices of
corn, which is chiefly fed TO live
stock, seem to indicate confidence of
cattle and hog raisers in the future.
The dairy industry in general is
prospering. AS for wheat, which is
more dependent on foreign markets
than any other agricultural product
and which is subject to greatly in
creased competition from Canada and
other foreign countries. it seems nee
essary gradually to reduce acreage"
The banking situation, Mr.. Hoover
said, was essentially sound at the
end of the fiscal year and the con-
tlnued flow of gold into the United
States had kept reserve bank stocks
money. Loans of American capital
abroad dwindled. Foreign capital
issues in the United States during
the year ending June 80. 1928, he es-
timated to amount to 1896, 900, 900.
had been s932,ooO,o00.
In the American security invest
ments abroad during the last year,
Mr. Hoover pointed out. Latin Amer
ican countries shared the most heav-
lily, taking s142,o0o.oo0. Canada got
about S109,00o.0e0, while s58,00o.000
went to Europe. about s45,000,000 to
the far east and S4f,000,000 to Ameri-
can possessions.