Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-15
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VIE

If the Senate is in anything like the
mood it was on January Is, l928-and
most authorities think it ia tariff bill
carrying skyscraper rates on industrial
products will be sunk without trace. On
the date mentioned the Upper House
passed by 81 TO "a the McMaster reso-
luton introduced by the junior Senator
from South Dakota, reading as follows
Resolved, that many of the rates in ex-
isting tariff schedules are excessive. and
that the Senate favors an immediate
revision downward of such schedules,
establishing a closer parity between
agriculture and industry. believing it
will result to the general benefit of ALL"
Senator McMaster's proposal was car
ried by the same kind of a Democratic
Republican Progressive combination
that marched together during the farm
debenture fight. There is every sign
that it will be found coalescing again if
the Senate finance committee brings in
bill bearing any kind of resemblance
to that Mount Everest of tariff meas
ures known as the Hawley bill.
No farm reliever who ever lived could
have imagined the wheat situation
which confronts the new Federal Farm
Board. as 1t comes formally into exist
ence today. Mother Nature has almost
solved the surplus problem which the
settle. Within the past month grain
growers have cleaned up an estimated
total of $340, 000,0 900 in enhanced crop
value. Wheat prices have sky-rocketed
at so dizzy a pace that 50 wheat is now
a probability of the near future. Along
with wheat, corn, oats and rye have
risen substantially. In addition to
bonanza prices, the certain outlook now
is that there will be no surplus crops
- H. TTv1ff Gk0fAC IN
1928 the total of all varieties of Amer
lean wheat produced was 903. 100000
bushels. The crop this year may ag-
gregate 10000, 900 bushels less. thus off,
setting to a considerable extent larger
than usual domestic turnover. The
carry-over from last year may be
eliminated by a world crop some 300
600 900 bushels short of 1925 heavy
production. That overseas markets are
looking to Yankee farmers this year for
their grain supplies is evidenced by the
fact that recent rises on the Chicago
Board of Trade were largely due to
buying for export. With no exportable
surplus. Chairman Legge and his fel-
low custodians of the $500,0O0.OO 600 re-
volving fund may well soliloquize:
What price glory?"
Whatever State Department authori-
ties may think about the Importance
of an oath to defend" the Constitu-
ton, in connection with obtaining
passport, Chief Justice Taft wants no
doubt about it where the President OF
the United States Is concerned. Every
body on the east front of the Capitol
on March 4 last, or who was listening
in on Herbert Hoover's Inauguration.
will remember the emphasis the Chief
Justice placed on the closing phrase
of the oath-"and will to the best OF
your ability preserve, protect and de-
fend the Constitution of the United
States" When he reached the word
defend" Mr.. Taft almost raised his
voice to the pitch Of shout.
The case of the Chinese opium snug
Cling lady at San Francisco revives
interest in a case which attracted wide
attention In the United States Navy
not so many years ago. A beautiful young
Western woman, as 1t developed later,
had managed to get herself engaged
and married to a naval officer who,
she knew, was presently to be trans
ferred to duty in the Far East No
body understood the reason for her de-
termination until after she'd been Hv-
ing q while in the Philippines, while
her husband was on service with the
Asiatic Cruiser Squadron in Chinese
waters. She turned out to be an in
durable drug addict and achieved a
longing to live in the Orient because
Of her weakness for Snow" and other
narcotics. Then came the most amaz-
ing part Of her story. 1t was arranged
that her husband (and she) should
be sent home to another billet. They
actually boarded q California hound
transport. The ship was hardly "A
hours ut sea before the young matron,
to the CONSERVATION of the whole off,
cial community, bobbed UP serenely at
Manila dinner party. She had stolen
her way OF the boat before 1t lifted
anchor. Her ruse was slnort-lived, for
shortly afterward she was sent West
q secnnd tinne--and this time To STAY