, 1935-07-19
WASHINGTON
BY Ray Tucker

ments Of war material which the
United States has made In recent
months. Army and navy intelligence
experts read these reports more Gag
erly than they do the most thrilling
fiction.
Japan Is the largest purchaser OF
such military prducts as raw cot
ton. scrap iron and steel. autos apd
copper. Germany, France
and Italy are loading up with the
same materials. though not so plen-
as Nippon. China bought So
900, 900 worth Ct the 8 100000 total
Of aircraft Gold during the first six
months Of this year.
Backward Ethiopia Is also In the
market. During the first three
months of this year not a cents
worth OF machine guns. heavy ordin-
and carriages were shipped 10
that section Of the world. But In the
last three months Turkey and "other
Asia" has bought more than $780,
900 worth. Most Of 1t eventually
landed In Ethiopia.
Checked-These purchases are
symptomatic OF alarms rather than
alarming, however. The war mater
lals bought in this country since jan
uarv | do not total more than $780,
100000.
The johnson Act barring loans or
credit 10 nations which have not
paid their war debts in responsible
Both Italy and France have put out
feelers at New York and Washing
ton. trying &C. discover whether the
government means TO enforce this sta
tute. Germany has also sought 10 get
around its provisions. But Secretary
Hull has been obdurate.
Even II he would he cannot at
ford to grant anv favors or exenD-
Senator'S like Nye and CLARK
are watching exports OF military
goods as closely as our war-and-
navy tacticians. They want no req
OF l91T-19i9. Their prelim-
mary inquiry OF financisl trans
actions in their munitions INQUIRY
convinces them that the flag follows
investments.
Odd-Melvin Plrvis did not de-
serve all the compliments shower
ed upon him for his part IN killing
John Dillinger. All the exc man at
Chicago did was to arrange a fed
eral ambush after Indiana police
tipped him off to the gun-man's
habits. AS happened I'm the Lind
Machine Gun Kelly and Wey-
erhauSer kidnappings the federals
took credit for the exploits Of local
and state police.
Nevertheless Purvis' sudden and
mysterious resignation has provok-
curiosity on Capitol Hill. Sena-
tors are beginning to wonder why
G-men resign or are forced out as
soon as their achievements win them
the acclaim OF newspaper CORES
pondents and the public. Mr.. Purvis
Is only one Of scores TO quit under
SIMILAR circumstances. When they be-
come famous they get out under pee
uliar conditions.
The oldest part Is that most OF
these ex-G-men turn up in other
governmental departments as Al
sleuths. Louis CLAWS. crack detec-
tive chief Of the Interior Department
has hired a score Of them.
PubIicity-The Patman investioa-
ton Of the chain store lobby illus
trates how easy 1t is to start such
an inquiry.
When chain store interests opened
a Washington office St. Louis whcle-
salers complained to their repreSen-
Rep. John j. Cochran. He
III and knew nothing about the
matter. But he wired Friend P-t
man to look into the subject and MI.
Patman, who dotes or Headlines. in
reduced a resolution calling for an
Investigation.
No 1t turns out that Mr.. Patman
IS working hand-and-glove with IN
1ependent gr0cers and wholesalers
Only recently he tried 70 find A pub
lefty agent for them In their fight
IN the chains. Despite this sort OF
start, the bitter feeling against chain
and banks NAV hand the Tpv-
rs member a real springboard onto
The front pages If he works at 1t.
Shift - The Virgin Islands row
may result In a revolutionary re-
samping OF our policy in dealing
with our overseas poSSeSions-Porto
Rico. the Virgin Islands, the Philip
pines, Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, etc.
CIVILIAN governors have rarely
much aptitude for shoulder
lag the white mans burden" But
have placed our possessions In
Charge OF men In mutt 50 As "a
avoid accusations that we sought
empire in the crude. old fashioned
way. President Roosevelt carried
this policy TO an extreme when ne
authority over these charges
the Interior Department. He
Placed In command Ernest Gruen-
Ing. q high-minded, ideallstic editor
II hasn't worked so far. Congress
Sonal Investigators believed that
navy AACu n1G UEoL GlLLCC
Tor boSSing our wards. They are
practical rather than theoretical
So don't be surprised IL MI. Roose-
welt abandons his experiment. IL
civilian rule OF our so-called domi-
mons.
Analysis-Uncle Dan Roper has
shown mora grtnract A., ~0ygtt-. 49,
IN the business OF his departn emf
stree he took office. But ha. a.
working Subordinates have worked
az their trade in their downstairs
rooms and have Just turned out q
remarkable survey OF consumers
purchasing power and trends.
II tells what various classes O,
consumers buy in homes. autos
tuel. lighting. refrigeration. It shows
what groups OF people are short Of
certain kinds OF these goods. II
reveals what tVne nf nennla bur a.