Evening star., 1933-05-12

It's pity that some organization or
Organizations as politically significant as
the American Legion are not i'll posi-
ton to fight for adequate Army and
Navy appropriations. as the ex-Serv-
ice mems powerful battle-ax has just
done in connection with veterans COM
pensation. The White House has
ordered a review of Budget Director
Douglas slash Of veterans allowances
on the ground that the proposed cuts
&c deeper than was originally in
tended Many authorities. including
the men responsible for maintaining
national defense, contend that the 500
600 ,000-odd to be Topped from the mill
tary activities of the War Departmet
and the S53,000.000 to be clipped from
the Navy budget deserve presidential
scrutiny, too before they are finally
decreed. The funds to be denied the
Army strike vital blow at the whole
land defense system, as projected by the
act of 1920. At time when Europe,
Asia and South America are in tur-
moil. the planned Navy economy calls
for putting third of the United States
fleet temporarily out of commission.
Friends of peace by preparedness con-
slider that Uncle Sam has never given
a more classic eXemplification OF the
penny wise. poundfoolish policy than
is indicated by the budgetary attack on
the Nations defensive establishment.
Budget Director Lew Douglas as re-
Gently as year ago held other views
as to the wisdom of tampering with the
funds allotted to the Army and Navy
Rising in his place in the House OF
Representatives on May II. 1882, when
the Army appropriation bill was under
discussion, the gentleman from Arizona
said: Il will not vote to reduce the
personnel of the national defense sys-
tem for the reason that to do so Will
mean the future loss of human lives
Representative Douglas at the moment
was taking part in the debate over the
provision in the Army bill to wipe out
citizens military training camps.
X X *
Probably never in the history Of radio
has anybody had such an experience as
is said recently to have befallen well
known member of Congress-who sits In
the House of Representatives for IA
nous Atlantic seab.ard district. The
Congressman was in his hotel apart
ment the other night. SO the story goes
when he heard it reported, in the course
of a news broadcast, that he had COM
mitted suicide during the day! The re-
port was like the famous rumor Of Marx
Twain's death-"badly exaggerated"
** X
William A. Julian of Ohio, who has
just been appointed Treasurer of the
United States, was once president OF 8
national bank in his home town. As
such, it was his duty on occasion tC
cin hi 70 cfo of o.
issued by the institution. Mr.. Julian
has just come to Washington to get &C.
quainted with the duties OF his new job
One of the most joyful things he's dis
covered is that the name of the Treas
urer of the Union is put on Uncle Sam.
money by the Bureau of Engraving anC
Printing. Otherwise, with imitation
| around the corner, Mr.. Julian thinks hi
might be headed for penman's paralysis
Senator Hiram Johnsons plan for 9
Federal corporation to shepherd the
foreign investments of American citi.
zenS comedies with the arrival in Wash.
| ington of the annual report Of thai
indefatigable British debtor reminding
organization, the Corporation of For.
eign Bondholders. Since time imme.
mortal its yearly pamphlets have faith
fully narrated how a number OF oul
Southern States defaulted on bone
issues largely held in Great Britain
dating in some cases as far back a.
1881. This time special attention Il
drawn to the fact that two member!
of Congress from "the debt-repudiatine
State Of Mississippi" are uncompromis'
ing opponents of any remission of con.
tractual foreign government indebted
ness in the present world crisis. Th'
story of how Mississippi borrowed
money abroad long before the Civi
War and did not pay it back Is SCI
forth with corresponding glee.
+