Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-26

The Federal Trade Commission has
dispatched to Congress its twenty first
interim report of progress in its pub
lie utilities investigation. Now tackling
the financial phases of this inquiry, the
turning of the commissions spotlight
on the American Gas 81 Electric Co.
group, and resulting disclosures Of their
to boost the stock market quotations on
the shares of this holding company.
The commission has not yet announced
what utility group is next in line for
public examination and possibly similar
run-up on the Stock Exchange. Mean
time. the commission is undertaking a
separate power inquiry asked for by the
Senate, at the instance of Senator
Couzens, to determine the totals and
relative proportions of intrastate and
interstate electric power, disputed
question of important bearing on pend
ing proposals for Federal regulation of
interstate power. Though the public
utilities investigation is the commits
sion's biggest job at present, 1t by no
means monoOolizeS the commissions
time and attention. Probes of cotton
seed oil pools, peanuts. newSprint, the
chain stores and blue sky securities are
trailing along with varying degrees of
progress with each passing year.
y 4 y
If continuous day and night tariff ses-
sions in the Senate had run along for
another month, it seems more than
likely that the physical endurance OF
many of the Senators, already close to
the breaking point, would have snapped
under the strain. AS It is, the state of
health of more than one member is Civ
ing his family and his physicians anx-
ious concern. Borah is under orders to
take an immediate holiday for rest and
recuperation and may pay a visit to
Johns Hopkins. Brock of Tennessee and
Fletcher of Florida are on the sick list,
CouZens of Michigan is under the doc
tors care, Norbeck of South Dakota the
same. Shipstead's breakdown long an
tedates the tariff, but King of Utah
was forced into the hospital two months
ago as direct consequence of overwork
on the tariff. Gillett of Massachusetts,
went to Florida month ago on his
doctors orders. Moses OF New Hamp-
shire is sailing for Europe next week
for a prolonged holiday.
X x X \
The release of DR.. Cook from Leaven-
worth on the eve Of the death of Chief
natured comment when the doctor wired
Taft presenting to the American people
the North Pole, which he claimed to
have discovered. Taft was summering
on the North Shore of Massachusetts
at the time, had Just come in from a
round of golf, when he met the news
paper correspondents and handed them
copies of Explorer Cooks message. With
his face wreathed in smiles and his
vii mi VT h A6r 17df
said, 1T is very kind of DR.. Cook to
think of his fellow Americans, and am
sure that his generosity will be appre-
ciated by them, but now that we have
the North Pole what shall we do with
it?" Taft's demeanor indicated in
credulity, but he sent the doctor a tele-
gram couched in appropriate language
accepting the proffered gift.
x X X
From the present outlook, the politi-
cal scramble in Massachusetts, this Fall
is to be strictly a battle of millionaire.
Gov. Allen, Republican, candidate for
reelection, is in the million dollar class.
William M. Butler has millions in the
textile business, and his rival for the
Republican senatorial nomination, Eben
S. Draper, inherited a fortune amassed
in the textile machinery business. Alvan
I. Fuller, one time governor and now
prospective entry into the senatorial
fight, is probably the richest man in the
State, with fortune variously estimated
| at between 25 and 100 million dollars. On
the Democratic side, ex-Mayor of Bos-
ton John F. Fitzgerald, ex-Mayor An
drew j. Peters, Gen. Edward L. Logan
Of the famed YD Division and Marcus
A. Coolidge, nameSake but no relative
OF the well known Calvin, who are rival
aspirants for either senatorial or guber-
material nominations, are all rated from
one to five million dollars apiece. So 1t
! appears that the sinews of war will not
be lacking. Senator David /. Walsh B
the only man Of modest means who mas