Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-23

1t is the evident purpose Of the much
maligned members of the Wickersham
Commission to stand by their guns,
beat no retreat and offer no alibis. This
observer has had access to the reply
addressed by one of the commissions
most scholarly souls, who was given an
opportunity to broadcast over a coun-
try-wide radio hook-up his reaction"
to the Nations reception of the report
Il feel very clear" he said, that
ought not to think of taking advantage
OF your invitation. It seems to me that
we should not put ourselves in the po-
sition of explaining or defending the
report to the public. We are not ad-
vocating anything, and discharged our
whole duty when we investigated the
subject fully and reported our conclu-
sions to the President. have no pro-
gram to promote, no political ambi-
tons, and nothing to say to the people
beyond what I have said in print in
the report" Commissioner Loesch's
eleventh-hour cancellation of pulpit
appearance in Washington last night
indicates the commissions desire to rest
on its laurels.
At least one Of the Wickershammers
has lost no time in removing himself
from the embittared scene. Newton D.
Baker has reached the high seas,
bound for Europe by the time the COM
mission report was bewildering the
American universe. Astonishment is
particularly great that the former Sec
rotary OF War turned out to be one OF
the ten commissioners collectively dry
and one OF the seven individually wet
The Ohioan was also paired with
Lemann Of Louisiana in outright ad-
vocacy OF repeating the eighteenth
amendment. Except for his straddle in
signing the joint conclusions and rec
concentrations, Washington politicians
say Baker would have put himself far
out In front as the Democrats wettest
hope for 1882. Now, they argue, his
John Hancock on the document that
opposes" repeal and modification,
despite his personally declared opinions
70 the contrary, will rise I'D to smite
the little giant of Cleveland at the
Democratic National Convention, and
long before.
The Wickersham report, as such. is
safely and indefinitely informed in the
pigeonhOles Of the House and Senate
Judiciary Committees. But any hour
now it VIII be dragged out into the
open as debating issue and shot to
pieces. The signal for hostilities will
be the appearance of the Department
of Justice appropriation bill, carrying
some 100000 additional funds for
Col. Woodcock'S new enforcement army.
Passage or rejection of that proposal
will be a pretty clear indication of
what Congress thinks of the commits
sion's findings. Paragraph of the
collective report recommends Sub
stantial increase" in the enforcement
budget. Events beneath the dome are
about to show whether Congress thinks
more cash ought to be lavished on the
noble experiment Odds are offered, in
light of the weeks hectic happenings,
that Capitol Hill will turn the PROPOSE
ton down on the old-fashioned theory
that good money should never be thrown
after bad.
Dave" ingalls, of Ohio Assistant
Secretary of the Navy for Aeronautics,
has earned the reputation OF being one
Of the nerviest men in the whole naval
esta blishment when 1t come to flying.
One of his favorite stunts is to take
his hands off the controls when in
the air and steering with his feet.
More than one tenderfoot who's gone
aloft with ingalls, has gaSped over the
latter's complete nervelesSneSS. He
learned how not to be afraid in an
airplane while serving as a combat
aviator in France. Secretary. Adams
young aeronautical chief rides in trains
and automobiles as little as possible.
In numerous Ohio political campaigns
ingalls, has flown from one end Of the
State to the other in his own ship.
All his service trips away from Wash
ington are by air, as we'll as most OF his
Journeys to and from Ohio. ingalls, Is
one of tn American Legion men mark
ed for political honors.
George Akerson. who is gradually
winding up his duties at the White