Evening star., 1926-10-17
Capital Sidelights

HuHuTeuS ol EullIloHS III real plopcll I.
doesn't know and never has known
since the Declaration of independence
just what he Is worth. That's because
he never has had real balance sheet.
without which no private business
concern would be able to keep going.
OF course. Uncle Sam knows what
his expenses are--how much money
flows out each year and what comes
in-hut until the fiscal year 1929 he
couldn't tell YOU on bet how much
of that golden flow year after year has
gone into real property. which repre-
sents capital invested instead of money
merely spent.
All this is being corrected so that
Congress and the public can be sup
piled with the first real balance sheet
ever prepared for the United States
Government to show the whole picture
of the fiscal affairs of this Nation.
Under the leadership of Controller
General McCarl a uniform system of
accounting Is being installed whereby
financial data will be collected so that
the consolidated balance sheet will
show how the Government stands as a
going business concern.
y
The Temple Of the Oracle. now in
the southern shadow Of the Capitol. is
about to be moved into the new $1o,-
100000 Department Of Commerce
Building to be erected on Fifteenth
street between Pennsylvania avenue
and B street. This oracle foretells the
tides years in advance for the use of
mariners. fishermen and bathing beau
ties.
These tides. be 1t understo ood. are the
waters of the ocean set in motion by
that subtle force exerted by moon and
sun. Members Of Congress have in
recent years acquired the habit of
taking their constituents who live
near the shore on a visit to this Tenn.
pie OF the Oracle to see the ingenious
tide tables. These tables did not, like
Topsy. just happen; they are the re-
suit of years Of study by experts One
of the results Of this delving by the
scientists is the brass soothsayer." 1t
is responsible for the prediction of fu-
ture tides. which are supplied to the
public in handy booklet form by the
Coast and Geodetic Survey, whether
the call comes from mariner, fisher.
man or mermaid
This machine. which IL II feet long,
, feet wide and 6 feet high. was de-
signed and built in the office of the
Coast and Geodetic Survey. AS you
read this the machine is busy making
predictions Of the tides for 1929. The
tide tables Of the United States as now
published contain full predictions of
each high and low water for IS prin-
cipal ports in all parts Of the world
and some $500 subsidiary ports.
The question has been asked: How
many mathematicians would he re-
quired to do the work Of this ma.
chine. and what saving Is made to
the Government by it's use?" Both
questions are impossible Of exact
answer. 1t may he that a hundred
II 1t were possible to be done by
the mathematicians. but the huma n
brain is not summing machine, so
still the qustion Is unanswered.
While the brass soothsayer" is
the child Of the brain Of the tidal
mathematician and the mechanical
engineer, II easily performs work
which would be difficult for the par
ent. The machine saves the Govern.
ment anywhere from 100000 to
100000 a year Who can say?
But the making Of this mech cha MICA
predictor was all in the days work
OF group OF Government workers
who are passing to the great be
yond," far removed from the tides of
men, "unheralded and unsung."
MY great -grandfa ther. a hundred
years ago. built the first water works
in Detroit" William Mather Lewis.
the brilliant president Of George Wash
ington University and apostle Of ma
tiOnal representation for the Olsen
fra nchised people Of the Nations Cap
ital. told group Of leading Wash.
ingtOnians the other day.
THE mains were tamarack logs
which had been floated down the river
and mOrtised together he explained
THE reservoir was tank raised
high enough so that the water was
carried by gravity through the ma ins
Service pipes led from the mains into
the cellars OF the users. At the end
Of the service pipes were plugs, which
were removed when water was de
sired. 1t Is a far cry from that crude
system to the high-pressure water sys-
tenn OF Detroit today, capable Of throw
ing tons OF water each minute upon a
fire in the business district"
DR.. Lewis with amusement recalls
that he might have been a millionaire
only that in those early days OF plumb
ing. as in these later days Of that pro-
thVlC wac uo SuCH tHlHR dS
fool-proof plug. The net result was
supply Of water. oftentimes neglected
to properly shut off the flow. ant
some time later would find he had 4
nice swimming pool in his cellar
while all along the line other house
holders were bitterly complaining be
cause they couldn't get service"
Il 4
Vice President Dawes IL proud o
the picturesque war record Of hi!
grandfather. who made the famou.
ride with Paul Revere on the morn
ing Of April 10. 1775. to warn tn,
patriots Of Concord and Lexington
that the Red Coats were coming
He is equally proud Of the Civil Wal
record Of his father, Rufus Republi,
Dawes. who started in when only 2:
and participated in most Of the ma 10,
engagements to put down the IRE
bellion,' including Bull Run, which
Is the nearest battlefield to Wash
ington.
Washington the Beautiful" which
the Vice President, with other admin
istration leaders, Is bringing to a ma
ture development. was not then
city to Ali the soldiers breast will
patriotic reverence. Says Col. Dawes
There was gambling, that ever-pres
ent curse Of camp life: but the stric
orders Of Col. Cutler against this vic,
and his vigorous discipline greatl,
restricted the evil in Camp Arlington
1t was we'll the regiment had so reso
lutte a commander. He gave almos
no pa sses to the city. Thieves. specu
lators, gamblers and vile character
of all kinds had fiocked to Washing
ton to prey upon the Army. Thi
enemy in the rear was now more dan
gerous than the enemy in front.
"The great thoroughfare. Pennsyl
Vania avenue. was constantly thronge,
| with a surging crowd. The street wa
80 muddy that it could not he crossed
nd thu Maafarn sido OnlN Ioa naad