Evening star., 1931-12-28
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Muscle Shoals, 1881" 1t contains
plan for the utilization Of Uncle Sarn's
great power plant on the Tennessee
River by private industry for the
manufacture of fertilizers and other
useful products" The plan Is pre-
sented by the Muscle Shoals Commits
sion created at President Hoovers sus-
gestion and representing Alabama,
Tennessee and the United States. The
commission has determined the eco
nomic soundneSs and general feasibility
of its plan, and earnestly commends 1t
as a propr application of the property
to the service of agriculture and In the
best interest of the people In the Ten
nessee Valley and Of the country at
large" The chairman Of the Muscle
Shoals Commission Is 9. F. HOBBS OF
Selma, Ala. Col. Max c. Tyler,
U. S. A, who was West Point class
mate of Col. U. S. Grant, Sd, and Col.
Campbell Hodges, President Hoovers
military aide, Is technical adviser Of the
commission. The book containing the
plan is handsomely illustrated in colors
with photograph phs, charts and diagrams.
ITO increase the efficiency Of the
Air Corps' is the title Of a bill intro
duced in the House by Representative
James, Republican, Of Michigan, rank
ing Republican member Of the Military
Affairs Committee. The bill calls upon
the Secretary Of War 70 prepare an
Air Corps promotion list, on Wnich
would be placed the names OF all crn-
GERS of the corps OF the Regular army
below the grade OF colonel. IheSe
names would be arranged in the same
orla haf fhaU have on
the Army promotion list and be re
moved from the Army promotion nst.
No officer whose name appears on tne
original Air Corps promotion list snaA
be considered as having less commits
stoned service than any off1cer whose
name Is below his on this list. Ihe
James bill provides that when hylng
officer reaches the age Of 54 he shall,
on application, be eligible for retire
ment. Sixty-four is the general Army
and Navy officer retirement age.
~ **
Theodore Mariner, Phi. D., who Will
be chief State Daperatment ADVISER al
the Geneva Disarmament conference,
made some enlightsning references 10
foreign affairs when addressing the
Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
Just before Christmas. He dWslt par
ticuIarly on the causes and enects OF
the American visits of Prime Ministers
Macdonald and Laval and Foreign
Minister Grandi, and Of Secretary
Stimsons visit to Europe last summer.
Questions have been raised, SAID Mr..
Mariner, "as to the accompaniment
of such visits. Talks Of this character
between responsible heads OF states DO
not bring about immediate results.
They are without agenda and DO not
result in treaties. The mutual under
standing of the position and purposes
of the various countries, which comes
from face-to-face conversation, mas Its
effect upon the subsequent course OF
policy between nations, and tnese el-
fects only become manifest as soiutlon
Of the different problems between them
becomes necessary
Uncle Sam loses with the end OF the
year one of his finest Civil service en-
Moves with the resignation Of Malcolm
Mcdowell. secretary of the Board OF
Indian Commissioners. He has been
drafted bv Frank H. Knox OF New
Hampshire, the new owner OF the
Chicago Daily News, for special editor1al
service. Col. Knox and mcdowell nave
been close friends ever since knox pc
came a member Of the Indian beard 10
years ago. The commissioners wnose
body was created In 1862, are unPala
Their % lob s to inspect various branches
of the Indian service and express in
telligent and impartial opinion" con-
cernIng Indian affairs. Mr. Mcdowell
in going back to Chicago and the Daily
News returns both to his old home town
and his first newspaper love. once upon a
time he was the star political writer OF
the Middle West. Charley Dawes per-
suaded him 10 leave journalism for
banking rs years ago.
(Copyright, 1s3lo