Evening star., 1936-07-19
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

In our geometry days it was @. E. D.
(initjals for the Latin words meaning
what was to be provedD.
Three years ago the "G-men" became
a byword in Federal service, when Ma
chine Gun" Kelley first gave public
utterance to a nickname long in use by
the underworld When surrounded in
Memphis he came out of his hideaway
with hands up Asked why he had not
used his gun, he replied: You G-men
had me covered" He explained that
&c" men meant Government agents
and so the name became general for the
"go-getters."
Now we have the Phi. D. men. mean
ing in free translation, 'the boys who
are trained to find the answer"
During the past three years there
has been much uprobrium about the
brain trust" about college professor
theorists with half baked ideas"-much
Of this at least was carping criticism
without fairly weighing the facts. Now
the Government has the Phi. D. men
from all of the big universities check
ing up on the brain trusters." Also
they are checking up on the long time
complaint that many of the most noted
scholars. as shown by their Phi Beta
Kappa pins earned in college and uni
versity days, have worn the seat out of
their trousers in little-appreciated Gov
eminent service-they and their families
martyrs to their devotion to ideals and
specialtieS.
Here's how 1t is: Senator Byrd, with
the 0. K. of Chairman Buchanan of the
House Committee on Reorganization, has
turned over the fact-flnding job on
Government duplication, overlapping
and waste to the Brookings Institution
preparatory to a reorganization of the
administrative branch of the Govern
ment. The work is being done by most
impressive array Of Phi. D. men, making
the research and economic studies under
the Institute for Government Research.
No one can say that these Phi. D. men are
impractical and theoristS-they are Spe-
cially trained for this line of work and
under the direction of experts in econ
omy and efficiency and the science of
government. with practical experience
for many years in the Government serv-
ice. Previous jobs by them have stood
the test Of time-notably the establish
ment Of the Federal budget system for
Is years.
These Phi. D. men are to make their
report with recommendations before
Congress meets on January Son what
seems best for a simpler, more efficient
Government structure-with relief to
the taxpayer.
From cycle and scythe to airplane and
radio Is the theme these days of a mem
Der Of Congress who taught the youth
OF Pennsylvania to crate and sing and
play orchestra and band instruments by
organizing classes all over the State
Representative j. Buell. Snyder. He
thanks his good fortune" that he was
born on poor farm in Upper Turkey
foot Township" His present-day phil
osophy Is that although we have many
complex problems facing us-economic-
ally. socially and otherwise-the biggest
problem confronting us at all times is
the problem of adjusting our individual
selves to the ever-changing conditions in
the sphere In which we live"
Here's his story Of how the tides of
progress pulsed upon his shore: In my
boyhood we rode horseback to the post
oface, several miles, because the roads
were not good enough for the old buck
board, except when we had to haul
coffee, spices, matches and few such
articles. Other food on our table came
from the farm. One of the chief con-
Germs Of Mr.. Shultz when he built
store In CaSselman was how many hitch
ing posts he had to set out for his
customers. Later the folks bought bug
gieS, then rubber-tired runabouts. Then
I heard the fathers Of the community
affirm they must have better roads to
save the wear and tear on their new
buggies. At the time of the old buck
wagon we had the scythe and the hand
grain cradle, but with the rubber-tired
buggies came the dump reaper, the
moving machine, grain drill and other
improved units of farm machinery. In
the days Of the buckwagon We worked
out our road tax-father allowed 81 q
day and boys Of 1918, half a dollar.
Those days Of real physical labor were
from am. (sharp) till 6 pm. (plus).
Then came the first automobiles, sneered
ut as "fads" in the country store forum
Of public opinion, but with the automo-
biles came still better roads,"
Then he draws the moral to his tale
"who would give up the concrete roads,
the autos, the telephone, the radio and
q thousand other modern conveniences?
II We enjoy these facilities our grand
parents did not have, we must be willing
to pay for them. The days Of pioneering
are past Inventions and discoveries do
the work men used to do. Congress
must consider legislation that has to do
with our social, industrial and economic
order-under these changed conditions"