Evening star., 1936-08-03
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

United States. In several instances, in
fact. they have been determining factor
in the results. 1t is freely admitted
that the famous and far-fung phrase
He kept us out of war" undoubtedly
swung enough votes to win the election
of President Wilson for his second term.
Attention has been directed in political
circles here to the fact that the present
campaign, so far at least, has not pro-
duced any such party rallying cry.
Although speakers on both sides have
coined phrases which have been given
temporary play in the public prints and
otherwise, nothing has yet evolved from
either of the leading political parties
which could be considered in any sense
genuine slogan. Here is an opportunity
perhaps for the slogan brain trusts" OF
the two national committees.
R. Walton Moore, genial and scholarly
Assistant Secretary of State and for
merly for many years member of the
House of Representatives from Virginia,
has returned from vacation which took
him as far north as Nova Scotia and
Newfoundland and the two little French
fishing islands of st. Pierre and
Miquelon. lying off the south coast of
Newfoundland. The Secretary tried his
hand at fishing, but the cod were not
running the day he sought to lure them
from their ocean retreat. He was bene-
fitted. however, by little added coat of
tan which he still wears. Interested as
he is in economic and trade matters. in
which he has taken a considerable hand
since being in the State Department. the
Secretary took advantage of his vaca-
tion trip to observe business conditions
and to talk informally on this subject
with various officials whom he met.
Supplementary to its weekly reports
on current foreign trade news the United
States Department of Commerce is now
publishing map of the world showing
in a graphic manner by letters and
figures the credit situation abroad. Thus
the first five letters of the alphabet
reveal whether credits in the country
indicated are free. liberal easy, tight
or restricted" and by the first five
numerals it is shown similarly whether
collections are rapid, prompt, normal
slow or retarded" Smaller letters and
figures give the comparative standing
for the preceding month. Thus "C3"
marked on a country would show that
credits there are easy and collections
normal. In this way a business man
can grasp at glance the changing con-
ditions of credits and collections in any
particular country or group Of countries
of the world.
Roaming about the Capitol and its
flanking Office buildings these Summer
days one finds them practically deserted
except for the omnipresent visitors and
a group Of employees. old ''Stand-byS"
most of them, who have been on duty
there for many years. These men have
seen Congresses come and go. Some of
them have served the legislative branch
of the Government in various offices at
the Capitol for two or three decades
They have served as guides and mentors
to the newcomers in many Congress-
and have helped to start more than one
youthful Congressman on the road to
political success. Through their con-
tinuity in office they know the machinery
and the actual workings Of Congress
the practical side of legislation-as no
new set of officials could know 1t. and
during the interim between Congresses
they see to it that the machinery Is kept
In good running order.
toopyr.ght. 1sSej