Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-13

determination Of the archaic archi-
lecture of the State. War and Navy
Building Is to proceed this year as
scheduled, but the modernization OF
ships of the battle fleet Is q horse OF
quite a different color. Congress Is once
more baking at authorizing $50 1000, DOC
to modernize three Of the older, vel
mighty, battleshipS-a bone OF conten-
ton of several years standing-and In.
deed, seems in mood to halt all navaI
construction, the implications OF the
London naval treaty-the naval parity
pledge-and our own large naval de-
ficiencies in that respect to the contrary
notwithstanding. The annual congress
sional battle over naval appropriations
is now in full swing, with the little
Navy" side holding the whip hand, due
to scarcity of legislative time before
March 4. The naval supply bill itself
minus any provision for building new
ships, minus anything for moderniza.
ton of battleships, is going through, bu!
the $30,000,000 modernization bill and
the $74.O00,000 naval construction bill
seem likely to die. OF further Signih-
canoe is the fact that the naval supply
bill is $4,000, 900 less than last year
this economy being secured by further
reductions in naval personnel, officers
and men and by decommissioning some
of our present feet. Mr.. Hoover's 81
lence In the face of prospective naval
slashes is pleasing to the pacifists, but
distressing to the preparedists.
When the Reds" stage their periodi-
cal marches on the Capitol the GUS
tomary ratio is three cameramen to one
Red, ten policemen to each cameraman
and two dozen curious and harmless by
ISLANDERS to each policeman. Fourteen
humble and forlorn REDS" climbed the
Capitol steps one day this week with
the usual fanfare, bent on presenting
Speaker Longworth with petition for
Federal unemployment insurance. They
did not see Nick and one of them
achieved the distinction Of being elected
from the House gallery. Truckloads OF
rifles, hand grenadeS and tear gas
bombs were In readiness to repel maSSed
attack, but were not required, much to
the disappointment of the photogra-
pliers.
The Senate committee investigating
postal leases has obtained two-year
extension of time in which to prosecute
its probe, to the discontinue of many
highly placed personages who have no
relish for political Undertaking" The
NOAAAASSCN
its own survey of this subject, given the
Post Office Department a clean bill Of
health and has moved to eliminate
practices susceptible of abuse. Incl
dentally, the old controversy Of Mas
VS.. MODS cropped up again this week.
Mas is Representative from St. Paul.
MODS is the postmaster at st. Paul.
The latter's term expired a year ago,
but he holds over, with administration
~ ~
Arch Coleman declared this week that
it is the present intention ultimately
to recommend reappointment" of Post
master MODS. Representative Mas,
baked in attempts to force custer of
Moos, is trying to legislate him out of
office with a bill making one year the
time limit within which a post Office
vacancy must be filled. Mr.. Coleman
declares that no blame attached to
Moos in the matter of the st. Paul post
Office lease, but it was deemed
in the MODS nomination while the Sena-
torial investigation of post office leases
was In progress.
Days lengthen into weeks and still
Senator Dwight W. Morrow of New
Jersey refrainS from speechmaking on
the Senate floor or statement making in
the Senate lobby. He spends long hours
in the Senate chamber as a spectator
and is ready to answer to his name
whenever the roll is called, but as yet
has not sought to offer advice or plea or
explanation or comment. An extraor-
binary example Of stunning the lime
light Not even the advent of the
Wickersham prohibition report induced
him to break his silence and of all the
So Senators his comment on that docu-
ment and subject would have riveted
public attention.
4. \
Though the House has decided to
vote at this session on the so-called
flame duck" amendment, it seems GER
tain to be without the slightest tangible
result. The Senate has five times over
whelmingly approved the resolution,
sponsored by Senator Norris of Nebras-
ka, aiming at abolition Of the short
sessions of the old Congress, subsequent
to election, and providing for the con-
vening of the newly elected Congress In
January following election rather than
the succeeding December. The House
has repeatedly pigeonhuled the Norris
resolution and heretofore has done moth
ing. Now it proposes to vote on its own