Evening star., 1923-02-16
CAPITAL KEYNOTES
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

How wealthy the farmers must have
felt when they learned that the total
value of their crops of 1922 amounted
to $14,310, 100000! That is two billion
more than the value of the 1921 crop,
price of the 1918 crop. What is all
this we hear about the struggle of
American farmers to make expenses?
In 1919 the crop value was 152 per cent
higher than in 1919.
How misleading is only one side of
a ledger? In spite of the increased
crop value, as measured in dollars, the
purchasing power, as measured in COM
modities which the farmer has to buy,
has fallen to 500 per cent, as COM
pared with 100 per cent in 1913. The
cost of raising the crops. due to high
er wages and higher cost of machinery,
wipes out all the value increase.
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Now that the House has passed an
accountancy bill, TO appoint a board Of
accountants to examine and certify to
the accounting ability of expert ac-
ccuntants," hope revives that the Dis
trict of Columbia Will eventually prove
it's claim of several million dollars of
cash overrun. 1t is hard to keep cash
in balance when the expert has sau-
Ger into which he tosSeS the surplus
when cash runs over, and from which
he makes good when cash is short. The
House is filling long want. Bad
practice.
To the new cungresswoman, the
Hon. Mrs. Mae Ellen Nolan, We be-
speak welcome to our city. Welcome,
thrice welcome to our Congress. II
needs the civilizing touch of femininity.
and while Aunt. Alice has held the keel
pretty level, it needs more and more.
Why, even though 'three's crowd"
Congress needs veritable mob of
women like the three it now possesses.
If Congress does not play fair with
you, you come and tell the papers.
Shakespeare or Bacon may have
known the women OF their day, but
what did they know about twentieth
century congreSswomen? Shakespeare
was wrong-wrong as a hedgehog. He
posed as weather prophet and said:
|. Two women placed together make
cold weather.
Weather bureaus even know more
about the storms OF tomorrow than
Shakespeare did, hundreds of years
ago Why worry?
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The bill introduced by Senator Nor
ris, republican, of Nebraska, amending
the Constitution SO that newly elected
congressman will not have to wait a
year and a month before a session Of
Congress, has passed the Senate. 1t
is a progressive measure, intended to
bring Congress into closer touch with
the popular will. Public sentiment
may be overwhelming as TO some spe-
cial cause, and SO express itself at the
polls. yet IL the holdoyer Congress con-
trolls the situation more than a year
after the newly elected are selected,
the will of the people is defeated.
The amendment now goes to the
House and if agreed to by two thirds
of the members voting, it will then
fourths 10 ratify. Hence there Is no
possibility that the amendment will
affect members elected last Noyem Der
and they pursue the even tenor of
their way until next December.
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The resignation of NT. William
Phelps Emo from the board Of traffic
commissioners is most regrettable.
He has given valuable service to the
cause of saving accidents and saving
lives in the present chaotic state of
Washington's highways In his res
fignation he points out that since his
appointment. lastSDecember %, there
have been II fatalities and 175
accidental injuries, While the COM
mission hesitated and deliberated
about what to do.