Evening star., 1937-08-09

Seventy-fourth Congress, but which in
cluded 81 237 900, 900 for veterans bonus,
which is not considered as money for
continuing operations of the Govern
ment. The estimated appropriations by
the present Congress include about $780,
900 900 to be contained in a deficiency
bill. which is expected to be adopted
during the closing days to cover def
ciencies OF the Maritime Commission and
for the National Labor Relations Board.
With test flights preliminary to the
establishment of trans Atlantic airmail
service being successfully completed on
been made, and with new air records
OF various character being set with
astonishing frequency. aviation officials
here call attention to some OF the COM
monplaces' of flying today which were
unheard Of yesterday, or which only a
few years ago were thrilling feats"
which on their accomplishment COM
manded worldwide notice. With the
celebration in New Jersey last Saturday
OF the twenty-fifth anniversary of the
first airmail service in that State, be-
tween Ocean City and Stone Harbor,
they recalled that it is only 26 years
since the first flight was ever made
by an airplane from the deck Of vessel
This was done by means of an i'm
provised, sloping wooden runway erected
on the prov of the cruiser Birmingham
at Hampton Roads in November, 1911.
About two months later the flyer. Eugene
Ely, repeated the performance and made
a return flight" to the deck of a vessel,
this being on the battleship Pennsyl-
vania at San Francisco.
X X X
Farm legislation to which Congress, it
is anticipated. will devote major part
OF its attention at the next regular
session in January, is recognized by agri-
cultural authorities here and by experts
on problems of national economy as of
greatest Importance to the general well
fare of the United States. Following an
intensive investigation during the in
tervening months, 1t IS the belief Of
these experts that comprehensive pro-
gram can be worked out and agreed on
within the next year which will be Of
permanent relief to the farm population.
This will deal mainly with the economic
needs OF the farmer. But it is pointed
out that the farm problem is q two
headed one, and that large part Of the
farmers troubles arise from conditions
beyond his control. from conditions be-
yond the control Of any man-these being
droughtS, floods, frost, hail. insects and
other natural causes. In order to AFFORD
protection against these uncomfortable
causes, there is possibility of adoption at
this session of Congress of wheat in
surance bill which already has passed
the Senate and which was approved by
the House Agricultural Committee last
Saturday. This would set up Federal
crop insurance corporation to insure
farmers against losses from such causes
as those named.
What is believed to be the shortest
monorail electric line in the world Is
that which runs in the subway between
the Capitol and the Senate Once Build
ing. It is only 760 feet in length. But
even in negotiating this short distance
'passengers"-limited mostly to Sena-
tors, their clerks and secretaries and
Senate employees become absent
minded or so absorbed in their legislative
cogitations that they leave packages
lying in the car. Only few days ago
one of the Senators lost his eyeglasses in
that way. This diminutive electric rail-
way, which was completed in 1918, a
few years after the subway was built,
carries an average Of 1000 passengers
daily during the sessions Of Congress.
The sturdy little cars swing around the
curves for about 225 trips daily.
(copyright, 1879