Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
The Story the Week Has Told

1873 and 1925 the population increased
from 100000 to 100000 and the
present annual rate Of increase Is about
1000, 900. Korea and Manchuria have
absorbed only about 100000 Japanese
immigrants, the superabundance Of
cheap Korean and Chinese labor pre-
senting an absolute bar to extensive
japanese emigration to those countries.
The Japanese merchant marine Is
now the third largest in the world.
X X 4
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.-It
will be remembered how, on December 4,
over 400 men of big business assembled
in conference at Washington with the
object Of cooperating toward realiza-
ton Of President Hoover'S program
aimed at sterilization of the country's
economy. Each of the 80 important
trade groups presented a report cover
ing conditions in its field; the 80 groups
embracing $50 organizations each of
which had delegate at the conference
The conference authorized appointment
OF two committees, one an executive
committee of 20 men of the first rank
In the Nations economy, the other q
larger advisory committee. Both COM
mittees have been appointed by Julius
H. Barnes, chairman Of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States, the
advisory committee numbering 140
Some are expecting these committees to
acquire a permanent character looking
to coordination Of the economic activi-
ties OF the Nation in close liaison with
the Department of Commerce, the ex-
ecutive committee combining itself to
shaping and direction of major policies
Nothing" says Mr.. Barnes, "of an
emergency character exists in the pres
ent business situation to require undue
haste"
Some of us were pleased and others
not so much SO by the following char
acterlStic statement in the Presidents
message to Congress:
I'm broad sense Federal activity
In respect Of constructive social service,
covering education, home building, pro-
lection to women and children, employ
ment, public health, recreation and al
lied matters has been confined to re-
search and dissemination of informa-
ton and experience, and at most to
temporary subsidies to the States in
order to secure uniform advancement
in practice and methods. Any other
attitude by the Federal Government
would undermine one Of the most
precious possessions of the American
people; that Is, local and individual re-
sponsibility."
Nevertheless, the President went on
to reveal an astonishing degree of Fed
eral activity within the limits set.
On December IA, the Senate, SO to
IA. passed the bill providing for tax
reductions. On the 18th the President
signed 1t. It applies only to 1929 taxes.
On December 16, the Senate, So to
FL, ratified the Mellon Berenger agree
ment for funding the debt for the
French to our Government, already
ratified by the French Parliament and
by our House, and on the 18th, by
appending his signature thereto the
President ended an unhappy episode.
A merger is announced Of steel inter-
eSts in the Middle West, by which a
$3.50, 100000 corporation Is created, to
be known as the Republic Steel Cor
poration. It is built around the Re-
public Iron & Steel Co. and includes
the Central Alloy Steel Corporation,
Bonner Steel, Inc; the Bourne-Fuller
Co. and the subsidiaries of this group:
1t Is third in importance Of the steel
enterprises Of the country, and it is
limited that certain accessions are ex-
pected to be put in second place, /. e.,
ahead of the Bethlehem Steel Corpora
ton and next to the United States
Steel Corporation.
Our Department Of Commerce re-
Gently published national statistics of
marriage and divorce for the year 1923.
The number Of marriages In 1928, per