Milford chronicle., 1928-07-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER
CFrOm National Editorial AS5OeiatiOs1
[sPEcAL TO cHRoNIcLRl

Washington, July 3-This is the
beginning of the new year for the
Federal Government. All forms of
governmental activity and hundreds
of thousands of Federal employees
are effected by the fiscal year which
opened July 1. Affairs of govern
ment are reckoned from this date
due to the fact that appropriations
are available at this time. For in
stance, the general public will re-
ceive the benefits of the new postal
law from this date, the salary in
creases to thousands of night work.
ers in the postal service, and all
other government workers gener-
ously remembered by the Congress
on the eve of an election are now eff
fective. The books of the govern
ment are closed June 80 and opened
the following day for new year.
Not the least of the laws of interest
to the taxpayers is the revenue mea-
sure with tax revision downward.
With the shouting and tumult of
party conventions ended, attention of
official Washington turns to the cam
paigns. Aside from establishing
headquarters and branch Offices in
strategic political centers, the next
subject of Importance on the pro-
gram is the notification ceremony
for each candidate. Herbert Hoover
will journey to his home in Califor-
mia and Governor Smith will make
similar arrangements to receive the
official notification of their selection
by Republican and Democratic par
ties respectively. Notification cere-
monies are becoming more or less
obsolete but are still maintained out
of Difference to custom. 1t affords
party leaders an opportunity for
speeches and publicity and a splen-
did chance to bring themselves to
the personal attention of the Presi-
Dental candidate. The notification
committee is a chosen few who are
anxious to bask in the spotlight in
order to officially notify the candi-
date of a condition which millions
heard over the radio weeks before.
The absurdity of these proceedings
is more pronounced when it is con-
sidered that the candidate and his
usually pass upon the pre-
pared speeches so that it requires
considerable acting ability for the
candidate to suppress his surprise"
at the notification ceremony.
The publicists of the two parties
are now busily engaged in interpret
ing the various planks in the party
platforms to suit the political situa-
tions in different localities. Special
crews of interpreter" will be sent
abroad in the land to explain to the
farmer just what their candidates in
tend to do for agriculture. Expert
enced political observers say that
the farmers vote will depend more |
upon the condition of the crops in |
and October and the price |
of agricultural products than. the |
of partisans. Wash
ington is watching the progress Of |
the Hoover forces in their scheme to |
make public their campaign expen-
ses every few days. The idea, of |
course, is to break down the feeling
that enormous sums are spent in
the election. Whether the I
plan will prove effective will depend
largely upon the diplomacy of the
financial agents. Many legislators
are returning to Washington for
few weeks stay in order to avail
of the privileges of their
office in furthering party campaigns.
The radio squabble has been re-
rived for the summer. The princi-
pal trouble is in the assignment of
wave lengths to various broadcast
ng stations. 1t is claimed in some
quarters that the present controver-
~ over the radio privileges is
struggle between the Radio Corpor-
ltion and the sO-called indepen-
lents.
Social affairs in Washington are at
! low ebb. The diplomatic colony
las moved away to the sea shore or
he mountains, while official Wash
ngton is preparing to scatter for the
ummer season. Fashionable homes
re already boarded up and locked
ntil December. High government
ficials have returned to their
lomes to assist the forthcoming po-
itical campaign in order that they
nay continue to hold their Office or
md favor with the winning ticket.