Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-23

Mildest-mannered of men is Senator
Sam" Shortridge of California, chair
man of the naval affairs subcommittee,
now turning the searchlight on the
propaganda activities of William b:
Shearer. Yet beneath the velvet glove
with which the tall sycamore of the
Golden Gate is conducting the inquiry,
there Is Enthusiastically hand with a
punch. The somewhat funereal and
unctuous San Franciscan has a habit of
boring in with an uppercut that every
now and then leaves witness in obvi-
Gus embarrassment When Shearer's
cross-examination is fully under way,
Shortrfdge will have real chance to
do his stuff. The Senator is expert
enced in the law and it's not the first
time he's had shifty witness on the
stand. The probe chairman has a
couple Of keen adjutants in Senators
Robinson Of Arkansas and Allen OF
Kansas Robinson has a habit of shoot
ing surprise interrogatory at witness
and insisting onNa straight-from-
shoulder answer, without quibbling or
side-stepping. Allen has the news
paper mans directness and talent for
fact-extracting.
Shearer Is the type sometimes called
sardonic. He must play good game OF
poker. He has at any rate the face
that goes with it. He can screw 1t into
a grimace and keep 1t there without
conveying the slightest idea what's
going on behind it. You get the I'M
pression-or did get 1t In the early
hours of proceedings in the committee
room-that Shearer is hugely enjoying
the whole business. If 1t perturbs him,
no glimmer Of such an emotion escapes
him. He seems neither to agree nor
disagree with anything his late ship
builder employers say of him. Shearer
could enact the role of a cunning diplo-
mat In a medieval drama without q
makeup. 1t remains to be proved that
his activities at Geneva broke UP the
1927 cruiser conference. But you can
not look at him without believing that
he was capable Of such an achievement.
Day by day this Is coming to be the
administration Of innovations. PreS1-
dent Hoover's appointment OF Rev.
William Graham EverSon, pastor OF the
First Baptist Church Of Muncie, Ind,
to be chief Of the militia bureau at
the War Department. is wholly without
parallel in the history Of the American,
and probably OF any other, Army.
Though an active clergyman, Everson
has also been a particularly active
soldier. In 1922 the War Department
made him brigadier general in COM
mand of the 18th Infantry Brigade.
His record In two swarS-World and
Spanish American service In
France. Italy, Austria, Dalmatia, Serbia
and Montenegro. This Hoosier Chris
tan soldier has completed the staff
training course at Fort Leavenwortn
and the military intelligence course at
the Army War College in Washington.
70 .nQN1fgNn G0TT0noS
Gen. Everson's ideas of his country's
needs in the realm of national defense.
He is so years old.
X y = \
An appointment, probably as unique
in its way as Rev. Mr.. EverSon'S elexa-
ton to an executive post in the War
Department, is the election Of DIR. ClCyd
Heck Marvin, president of George
washington University, to the beard OF
directors Of District OF Columbia
street railway corporation. College pro-
ing ANYTHING about business. Marvin
Is apparently the exception that proves
the rule. He has specialized IN eco
f1oYaics throughout his academic career.
once upon q time he was business adj
wiser to the University Of Southern
California, as well as professor Of
commerce. washington has a typical
street Car problem on its hands. The
traction companies want higher fares
and the public wants more seats and
fewer straps on which to hang. Per-
haps President Marvin Is Just the man
TO bring order out OF transportation
chaos In the National Capital. He will
have need Of his youth, broad shoul-
ders and brawny fists.
\ \ y X
Law enforcement and r val limita-
ton don't bear even couginly rela-
tionslip to each other, but George w.
Wickersham, chairman Of the Hoover
Law enforcement Commission. has In
directly Just taken q hand In the pend