Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-19
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

One way to effect economy in Uncle
Sans military establishment Is to dis
pense with some of the major generals
and other wearers of gold braid. accord
ing to Representative Will r. Wood OF
Indiana. His statement last week anent
the Hoover plea for retrenchment In
Army costs made strong point OF the
fact that the Army seemed to nave q
good many more officers on the pay roll
than peace-time needs demanded. The
statement came close on the heels OF
conference between Mr.. Wood and the
President and was presumed to be OF
White House inspiration. Gen. SUM
neral, chief of staff, and others In
command are reported to have eX-
pressed the view that Army expendl:..
lures were already pared to the oone
and inferentially opposed the Hoover
drive for further curtailment. WHAT
ever the merits Of the Wood contention
of too many officers, 1t is the sort OF
charge which easily catches the popular
fancy and one that hands the Army
staff a bit of jolt on a tender nerve.
The strategy from the Hoover stand
point is obvious. With the economy
az poised above their own heads the
Army officers will make haste to nnd
some other spot in which 1t may we
tmpaled.
y
Denials have been Forthcoming from
the White House of the soft insinua-
lions that the President Is personally
revamping the Republican national
committee organization and personally
debating the forthcoming successors 20
Chairman Work and Mrs. Hert, the
vice chairman, and other prospective
changes in personnel. It Is to be be-
lieyed that the committee itself and as
ISOLATED party leaders are producing
the metamorphosis Executive Secre-
tary Franklin K. Fort Of New Jersey
has lust week-ended at the Rapidan
camp and doubtless told Mr.. Hoover all
about it. Meantime, a still hunt Is IN
progress for a flrst-class publicity d.
rector for the Republican national COM
mittee, to match wits with charles
Michaelson, the Democratic press chler.
r. Il 81
Senator Frederick III. Gillett of Mas
sachusetts enjoys the almost unique DIS
tinction of being the only member OF
the Senate, whose term expires with
the conclusion Of the present Congress.
who has not announced his candidacy
for reelection. Gould OF Maine IS
the only other Senator In that cate
CORY. In both cases the opinion pre-
walls that decision to retire has been
reached. But neither Gillett nor Gould
has spoken. In Gillett'S case much
depends on what ex-Gov. Alvan T.
Fuller Of Massachusetts, finally decides
to do, Fuller has said that he contem-
plated going after the Senate seat, but
Bay State commentators are divided
as to whether Fuller will run when
the time comes. Gillett, presumably,
will not enter the primary If Fuller
goes In. Some observers believe Fuller
Is trying to force Gillett out, without
going in himself. Fuller last week in
public statement called on Gillett to
''resign as q Jonah Of the party" It
is q right merry war.
xx'* r
The Federal Farm Board cannot draw
their own salaries until they have been
confirmed by the Senate. Such is the
inviolate rule laid down by Controller
General McCarl. But their acquisitions
on the $50, 100000 installment of the
loan fund already put at their disposal
will be honored without delay. That Is
a horse of O different color, according
to Mr.. McCarI To the onlooker it APP
pears to be a distinction without diff
ference. Fortunately the members OF
the board are SO situated that a delay
in their pay checks will cause no hard
ship.
n ~ n \
George Eastman, the kodak king Of
Rochester, N. Y, outstanding prepayment
Of the simplihed calendar, is leaving no
stone unturned to effectuate this reform
during his lifetime. It is Herculean
undertaking. The national committee
on calendar simplification, which Mr..
Eastman heads, last week presented its
report to Secretary Stimson for trans
mission to the League Of Nations. An
international conference on the subject
under League auspices Is the next step.
The advantages to be derived from
calendar simplification are widely rec
ognized, but every plan so far offered
has certain drawbacks and encounters
various objections. The Eastman COM
mittee concludes that opinion relative
to the best plan preponderantly favors
the 4-week 26-day N-month fixed cal-
endar," but connseis that further con-
sideratiqn of Che question sl1oa1ld be