Evening star., 1936-04-08
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Over at Tennessee Valley Authority
headquarters in Washington there is
especially lively regret over the tornado
damage which the town of Tupelo, Miss,
has suffered, because the little community
was T. V. AS first customer for electrical
current generated at Wilson Dam,
Muscle Shoals, some 1l2 miles distant.
Since the municipality Of Tupelo began
buying T. v. A. Juice" wholesale in
February, 1884, local customers have in
creased 81 per cent and monthly con-
sumption of current has risen 27O per
cent, According to other official figures,
the rate is 529 per cent less than the
previous existing cost of electricity In the
town. Some l,725 household and COM
mercial patrons at Tupelo were being
served with T. v. A. current as OF March
l. During his visit to the valley in
November, 1884, President Roosevelt
spoke fervently at Tupelo in commenda-
ton of the towns pioneer deal with T.
v. A. "You are going to give to the
Nation" r. D. R. said. IAN example
which will be of benefit not only to
yourselves, but to all of the 600
Americans in every part of the land"
y 4
Senator Nye, Republican progressive.
Of North Dakota, chairman OF the SEN
ate Munitions Committee, has just heard
Of a reputed Italian scheme to OBTAIN
copper from the United States apart
from ordinary commercial supplies OF
that war essential. His informant Is
Dorothy Detzer, national executive secre-
tary of the Women's international
League for Peace and Freedom. She
states that agents of Mussolini's govern.
ment have been selling small sheets OF
copper, cut the size of an envelope, 10
Italian workmen in various large IN
dustries where italians may be found:
The sheets are as thin as paper ana
bear a religious message. Workmen
can buy them for cents apiece
and are urged to take 20. The
sheets can be slipped into an ordinary
envelope and purchasers are requested TO
address them to any friend in Italy.
Upon arrival there the recipients know,
through government orders, where to
send the copper. Miss Detzer says she
has been told that the State Depart
ment knows all about the thing, but can
do nothing because it is within the law.
She has also been informed, though she
could not check the statement, that
thousands OF dollars WOrtn VI AineiiCdn
copper has been shipped to Italy in the
manner described. Miss Detzer sent
Senator Nye one OF the little copper
sheets.
Gov. Landon of Kansas is expected to
spill the beans with respect to certain
national and international questions,
about which his views are not generally
known, when he is interviewed over the
air on April 80 by H. V. Kaltenborn,
radio news commentator. The Governor
will be interrogated at the studios OF
Station wIPW, Topeka, which is owned
by Senator Arthur Capper, Republican,
of Kansas and is now situated IN the
Senator's old home. Although the house
is given over almost entirely to broad
casting purposes, Senator Capper retains
quarters in 1t for his own use when hes
back among the home folks. Most fer
vent of Lardon boosters in Washington,
Capper is in frequent long distance tele-
phone communication with the Sum
flower States favorite son. The Senator,
Of course, is persuaded that Landon Is