Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-05
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

, wangi. Count Otani visited the West
ern world last year and was warmly
welcomed by religious leaders of all
denominations. He does not contem-
plate the time when Buddhism will
supplant Christianity in the United
States. But he is strongly of opinion
that there's need for his faith on the
part of many Americans, particularly
because Buddhism Is tolerant OF other
religions and merely asks the same
tolerance in return. Count Otani is
building a cottage-home in kloto,
Japan, to serve as retreat for
Americans and Europeans who care
to study Buddhism.
** **
Who are the field marshals in the
renewed campaign for farm relief!
They are half-a-dOZen in number and
will be in command on Capitol Hill
more or less necessarily during the
remainder of the session. Sam"
Thompson, president of the American
Farm Bureau Federation, ranks as
generalissimo He is an Illinois
banker, a Methodist deacon, 81 years
old and a dirt farmer. Another
Illinoisan in the high command of the
farm-relief forces is George N. Peek,
chairman of the Committee of o."
representing IL corn-belt States. Peek
was once the 500. 000-a-year president
of the Moline Pillow Co. at Moline,
ILL., During the war he was commits
sioner of finished products on the War
Industries Board. Uncle Sam gave
Peek the distinguished service medal
for war service. Peek's right-hand
man is Chester c. Davis, native
Iowan, one time Rooseveltian, and
later a farm editor in Montana. 1t
was as commissioner of agriculture
for Montana that Peek functioned at
Washington during the original Nc
Nary Haugen fray in 1924. Other lead
ing farm BELIEVERS are William Hirth,
! editor of the Missouri Farmer and
boss of the Missouri Farmers Associa-
ton; Frank w. Murphy, Minnesota
lawyer and landholder, and chairman
of the board Of the American Council
of Agriculture, and William Settle,
president of the Indiana Farm Blu
reau Federation.
Muscle Shoals, the Nations eternal
white elephant, is doomed to undergo
The scheme is to re-enter 1t in the
Joint congressional committee to
which 1t was sent last year. That
committee, of which Senator Deneen,
Republican, of Illinois, is chairman.
has reported in favor of the bid sub
| mitted by a Southern power company
to lease Muscle Shoals for SO years.
But powerful Senate groups headed
by Senator Norris of Nebraska (who
favors Government operation) and by
Senators Underwood and Helm of
Alabama (who favor making the plant
chiefly available as a producer of
farm fertilizer) are said to marshal
enough votes between them to send
the whole project back to committee.
Muscle Shoals legislation this session
is practically out Of the question.
X y y II
Washington politicians are greatly
intrigued by the news that Clifford
Pinchot is pulling UP stakes at Harris
burg on January II and promptly
replanting them at the National Cap
ital. His declared purpose is to make
war on 1.-The interests" which he Is
led to believe are planning raids on the
national forest reserves and on the
country's natural water resources.
The cattlemen and sheep-raisers, with
designs on Western forests for grazing
purposes, and the electric monopol-
lists" with an eye on the power re-
sources of the United States, are ear
| marked as the particular objects of
Pinchot's vigilance and opposition at
Washington. The retiring Governor of
Pennsylvania owns commdious
home here. 1t will be his battle head
quarters during the remainder of the
congressional session.
eUopyE1shA 1o01.A