Evening star., 1928-11-28
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Every once in a while some United
States Government official leaves the
F. deral service for private life in order
to earn bigger salary It isn't often
that one of Uncle Sans employees pre-
fers to remain on the national pay roll
in job that pays him less than he got
before. John w. Pole of Ohio, lust
appointed controller of the currency,
is man who answers that description.
Since 1923, Mr.. Pole has been chief
national bank examiner, with head
quarters at the Treasury Department
and supervision of the staff of ex-
aminers at work throughout the
country. His salary was $1,000. Mr.
Poles annual pay check as controller
Of the currency will be $12,00O-a
salary is contributed Jointly by the
Treasury ($5,000) and by the Federal
Reserve Banks $4,000. The new boss
of the currency Is an Englishman by
birth--a native of York-but grew up in
this country. He had his early bank
ing training in. Alabama and was ap-
pointed chief national bank examiner
from Ohio, while on duty at Cleveland
as regional examiner.
** X +
More than once during the late cam
paign some one pulled the wisecrack
that the Government would become a
Smithsonian Institution" If AL Smith
should be elected President. Now comes
the State Of Illinois with charter to
the newly Incorporated National
Smithsonian League" just founded for
perpetuation of the governors political
ideals. ITO foster peace and tolerance
among all citizens of the United States
| regardless OF race or creed" is one of the
| leagues declared purposes. Gov. Smith
is now being doomed for a commits
sionership on the Port of New York
! Authority, a job within the gift of his
| incoming successor. But the recent
Democratic nominees impending trip to
Chicago, for a conference with George
F. Getz, his former employer in the
trucking business, suggests that Smith
| is likely to resume the presidency of
| the United States Distributing Corpora
ton. It's $4,000 job.
Every once in while the distin-
| gltished foreigners who comprise the
| Washington diplomatic corps are left
| speechless by the naivete of the equal
| ly distinguished Americans with whom
| they're brought in contact. Not long
| ago certain eminent member of the
| Coolidge administration was guest at
dinner in European embassy. The
party had no sooner assembled than
! he observed. somewhat to his conster-
nation, that all the other men in at
! tendance were clad in formal swallow
tailed evening dress. He was in a
Tuxedo" The Yankee statesman
came to the conclusion that apologies
were in order. So he took occasion, be-
| fore the evening was over, to explain
| to his hostess that he had that very
dav received brand-new dinner-iacket
suit from his tailor and thought he
| couldn't do better than to don it for
the occasion.
Frank B. Kellogg. Secretary of State
views the latest news from Wall Street
with mixed emotions. When he was
''trust-busting" for the Government as
special counsel in the cases against
the Standard Oil and paper trusts
IN 1911-he brought about. the famous
dissolution of the Standard, whose
shares had a market value of round
81 000,000,000 at that time 1t was the
Standard of New Jersey which was un-
scrambled from an octopus of 33 inter-
! locking corporations. Today the 80 sur
viving companies which we're compo-
nents of the concern thought II years
| ago to be too bulky as billion dollar
trust, represent a combined market
value of $5.213,408,000. Meantime the
| Standard of New Jersey is worth
Sl,305, 100000 the Standard of California
has Just attained share value of
81 ,082 100000, the Standard of Indiana
| is in the $800,000.000 class. and the
Standard of New York is down as a
1867 100000 company
* X X X
Mrs. Ruth Baker Pratt, Republican,
who has just been elected to the House
of Representatives from a New York
City district, may be elected to another
| job before she gets a chance to take
her seat in Congress. Friends have
launched boom to make her the next
mayor Of New York. Prospectively, II
nominated, she would have the honor
Of running against Jimmy" Walker
whose term expires In 1929. Mrs
Pratt was elected the first woman uaena-