Evening star., 1933-11-01

Somewhere in the inner recesses OF
the Roosevelt recovery organization
there is a functionary, hitherto anony-
nous. who is periodically described
as "the interpreting economist" He
is a super-specialist in the seductive
and staggering science OF statistics. His
lob on occasion is to sift the wheat
from the chaf and summarize in words
of one syllable just what is meant by
otherwise disconnected facts and f1g-
ures. His conclusions, as disclosed from
time to time, are consistently clear ana
concise A good many people think
it would be timely thing II the In
terpreting economist" were to be as
signed the task of elucidating in un-
derstandable terms the exact aim and
purpose Of the myStifylng monetary
movements now In progress. II the
Presidents first plan to buy newly
mined American gold as q prlce-raSlng
son: this weeks supplementary scheme
to buy gold in the world market mas
produced confusion even worse con-
founded. Washington newspaper men
have gone through the unusual expert
ence during the past two or three days
of having some of the most expert
economists in the Federal service alb
jectly confess they are at loss to know
what it's all about and refusing TO
| commit themselves, even "of the rec
ord," To anything Savoring Of an eX-
planation. 1t would seem as If "the
Interpreting economist" has literally
golden" opportunity.
One of the merchandising men" at
! tached to a great Washington depart
ment store reports a diverting expert
| ence during a recent railroad journey
! to New York. He was at dinner when
| a very MISUNDERSTANDING man came
down the aisle and asked if there were
any objection to his taking the oppo-
site. vacant seat As conversation en-
sued. the newcomer launched into an
exhaustive technical discussion Of the
N. R. A. retail code. Glibly, he reeled
of such terms as original mark-up,
mark-downs. per cent of gross margin,
per cent of cash discounts, turnover,
| price range, model stock, average trans
| action and all the other lingo OF the
trade. supposedly familiar only to in
siders. Although the merchandising
man" thought he knew every in and out
of the retail game, his table companion
seemed even better posted. 1nwardly
the Washingtonian was certain he'd
been privileged to dine with one Of
Americas merchant princes. When
dinner was over, the Capital man ven
tured to introduce himself, whereupon
the other returned the compliment and
said, my name is John w. Davis"
For the first time since his departure
from the Senate, Reed Smoot, veteran
of 30 years service in the Upper House
! of Congress, will return to Washington
on November as ranking apostle OF
the Mormon Church. With him from
Utah will come the most eminent az
gregation of dignitaries Of the Church
of Latter Day Saints ever to assemble
in the Nations Capital. The occasion
| is the dedication on November of the
| handsome new Gothic chapel OF the
church, which has been under construc-
ton of upper Sixteenth street during
the past two years. The delegation OF
leaders from Salt Lake City will include
President Heber J. Grant, prophet, seer
and revelator, and former Undersecre-
tary of State and Ambassador j. Reuben
Clark, now second counselor Of the
Mormon Church. Mr.. Smoot will
probably take occasion while In Wash
ington to say hello to various Smoot
holdovers In the Federal service, who,
to the indignation of deserving Demo-
Gratis, still dot the Capital landscape.
Jim Farley and Everett Sanders have
q new colleague in political manage
ment, In the person Of Leo Krzycki OF
| Milwaukee, inst elected national chair