The Washington times., 1929-12-26

The strangest Christmas gift
that washington has ever known
came in 3 form Of . fire that
gutted the executive offices Of
the white House Tuesday night,
and win force President Hoover
to transfer temporarily the nerve
center of the Nations business
to the State, War and Navy
Building.
Today the President is holding
forth In the Presidential study
in the Executive Mansion proper,
q room which has not been used
for this purpose since the days Of
President Mckinley.
It has been decreed. appar-
emily, that the executive offices
are to be fireproofed and rebuilt,
but It win be q three months job
at the minimum.
The disastrous blaze has focused
public attention on the need Of
new Presidential offices and be
fore the present session Of Con.
gress closes, 1t appears likely that
legislative provision win be made
for . new War Department struc.
tlre. which win permit President
Hoover to house his clerical per
sonuel In the present State, War
and Navy Building. The present
Executive offices viii be main.
tanned chiefly for the President
and his "secretariat."
The Japanese delegation 70 the
five.poWer naval conference has
joined hands with the American
delegation In asking for d battle.
ship holiday until 1888, and IL
appears likely that the same pro.
posal win have the support Of the
British government.
Under the existing Washington
treaty, the battIeship construction
limitation agreement expires in
1891. The japanese experts be,
lieve that more than . billion
dollars will be saved the tax
payers Of Britain, Japan and the
United states If the agreement
can be kept in force for an add
tional five years.
1t is pointed out, also, that
aeropIane and submarine con
struction win have developed tc
such an extent by 1895 as to the
make the capital ship virtually
obsolete. More than one leading
naval expert believes the adoption
Of the Japanese plan viii mean
the abolition Of the capital ship
for all time.
AS the result Of testimony be
fore the lobby inquiry OF the
Senate, the War Department has
initiated an Investigation into
the charges that Maj. Gen. Enocll
II. Crowder, former provost mar
shal and ambassador to Cuba,
has revealed to the Cuban sugar
interests war plans for the de
Tense Of the Philippines.
Along with this inquiry, d
similar investigation is to be
made Of charges that alterations
that President Hoover attempted
10 establish b contact between
the Cuban sugar lobby and vari
GUS Republican leaders Ia Con
gresS.
Herbert G. Iakin, az New York
. power in sugar refining circles
Is chiefly responsible for both 81
these probes. Letters which he
has written. gossiping in B raunh
ling way about washington off
cialdonl, have become 3 political
football. and one Of the sensa,
tioE1s Of the week In the Capital
has been the manner In which
the Democratic national com.
mittee has made aggressive uses
Of them In accusing President
Hoover Of having .'meddleds Ii
the sugar situation.
The State o4 Pennsylvania
wants to give washington conc
Of the finest fountains In the
world, !" and seeks to place it IN an
outstanding site In the Mall,
which Is 60 be the Capitals
Champs Elysees in the future.
The Fine Arts Commission has
two sites under COnsiderat alton, one
IN the proposed Union square