Evening star., 1929-07-03

There's pretty general consent In
Washington that no more capable pri-
vate citizen than Alexander Legge, just
appointed chairman Of the new Federal
Farm Board, has ever been induced
to enter Government service. Though
the Chicagoan Is president OF the In
ternational Harvester Co., one Of the
biggest corporations in the country,
Legge enjoys wide popularity through
western agriculture was fighting for
McNary-fIaugen legislation he was re-
garded wholly sympathetic with its
claims, though he took no public part
in advocating them. President Hoover
first came into contact with Legge's
administrative capacity during the
World War, when the harvester exec
utive was Bernard M. Baruch's right
hand man on the War Industries Board
chieftain is in his early sixties, though
he looks lot younger. He was born
on q Wisconsin farm and was brought
up in Nebraska. An photographed
sketch narrates that he began with
the Mccormick Harvester Co.--the
parent concern of the International
in Omaha In 1891 and has been with the
organization ever since. He became
general manager in 1918 and president
III 4o1H' 6CS6C dno 0CCECtdIy "a NOIIl-
merce Lamont are close friends, the
latter having been q director of the
harvester company until he entered the
cabinet.
President HooveriS decision to call a
national conference on child health and
protection causes no surprise to those
who know of his abiding interest In that
subject. Next to engineering, 1t can al
most be described as THE Chiefs"
principal hobby. 1t certainly runs fish,
ing close for that distinction. Efoovers
first postwar activity was the American
relief administration, which undertook
the work of children's relief in Europe.
He tackled it the moment he was re-
lieved of food administration duties and
was in the midst of it when appointed
Secretary Of Commerce in 1921. The
Presidents first interest in radio was
aroused by the fact that it was some
thing for American bbys, his own sons
having been among the country's
original "hams"-radio amateurs. The
ofiicial survey of child welfare now to
be made under Government auspices
with $500,000 Of private funds syn
chronizes with the $10000,000 welfare
project recently endowed by Senator
Couzens Of Michigan.
\ X X y
Montagu Norman. governor Of the
Bank of England, has just stolen un-
obtrusively into the country by way
of the Canadian border, and is now
summing himself at Bar Harbor. Mr..
Norman, who helped Stanley Baldwin,
then chancellor of the exchequer, nego-
tate the British debt settlement at
Washington in 1928, is an annual vis-
itor to the United States. His soiourns
SVa
years arrival, especially its more or less
surreptitious character, Is no exception
to the rule. MFR. Norman intimates that
his presence on American soil is purely
social" But many a momentouS deal
including even an International Bank
has been negotiated at bridge or dinner
y X 4 \
Persons addicted to the superstitions
attached to certain numbers are bound
to read significance into the new White
| House telephone number-1414. 1t
counts up 10. ANY combination OF digits
that make 10 is, supposed to be lucky.
People who can't get a 10 outright in a
( house or apartment or office number, or
an automobile license tag, have been
| known to ask for number that either
contains a 10 or adds up 10. Those
! born on the 10th of the month are like
! wise considered to have arrived under a
lucky star. President Hoover's birthday
Is August 10.
X X X \
Washington rejoices over the return
| of Baron Kijuro Shidehara to the for
| eign ministership of Japan! as the re-
| suit OF the fall of the late Tanaka cabi-
net at Toxic. The baron was Japanese
! Ambassador to the United States after
he World War and served here through
out the Washington armament con-
| ference. Both he and the Baroness
| Shidehara enjoyed wide popularity at
| the Capital, The Ambassador speaks
| a classic oxford English. He was ac-
custonned at Washington, especially
| when dealing with newspaper men, to
/ talk with frankness uncommon in for
| eign diplomats, especially Orientals
i American statesmen, knowing Shide-
: hara's intimate and sympathetic ac-
uuaintarice with the United States, are
confident that our relations with Japan