Evening star., 1937-01-27

Not only will advance calculations re-
specting relief appropriations probably
be thrown out of gear by the necessity
to provide generous Federal funds for
flood sufferers in the Ohio Valley, but
far-reaching new budget arrangements
for future flood prevention are also in
prospect. Economy minded as both
President Roosevelt and Congress may
be at this juncture, there is no inclina
ton either at the White House or at
the Capitol to cheeSepare in presence
of the major disaster which has over
taken Louisville, Cincinnati and numer-
Gus other communities throughout the
submerged area. Despite the thought,
energy and money devoted by Uncle
Sam over period of many years to the
problem OF flood control, it is painfully
evident that ways and means have not
yet been discovered whereby Mother Ma
ture. in the form of swollen rivers, can
be effectually combated. Current events
make certain that methods of attaining
this objective will engage the intensified
attention of all branches of the Govern
ment. 1t is, of course, beyond the power
of man utterly to exclude the possibility
of such catastrophes as the rampage of
the turbulent Ohio, but maximum pre-
cautionary effort Is assured from now on
That the country is ready to pay the
cost, whatever it may be, is not doubted
in any quarter at Washington.
One of the effects of the floods Is the
holding up of gold consignments to the
great new Treasury vaults at Fort Knox,
KY. Shipments will be indefinitely sus-
pended, pending alienation of conditions
in the neighborhood of Louisville. AL
though it is still possible to reach Fort
Knox by train, the Assay Office authori-
ties In New York feel it advisable to
postpone further transport Of gold until
the flood waters have subsided. The fu-
ture repository of Uncle Sans billions
of bullion is fairly remote from any pos
sibility of danger resultant from over
flowed rivers, but transit facilities to
the worlds greatest strong box lie close
to the Blue Grass sections now under
water.
Political, military and naval develop
ments in Japan always rivet the atten-
ton of Washington diplomats, soldiers
and sailors. The present upheaval,
which will decide whether militariSts or
civilians are to run the government show
at Toxic, is being watched with special
interest. There's much curiosity as to
what lies behind the role being played
by Admiral OSami Nagano, naval min
lister in the deposed Hirota cabinet and
former Japanese naval attache in the
United States. NaganoS sudden sup
port of the political parties against the
army arouses suspicion that the admirals
aspire to supplant the generals as the
ruling force in the impending revision
of the governmental set-up, with bigger
and better Japanese Navy as the eventual
objective.
With appointment of DR.. Roswell Ma
gill as Undersecretary of the Treasury,
evidence is forthcoming that academic
talent still commands New Deal favor.
Although ne has had two terms of service
in the Treasury Department, DR.. Magill
has been professor of law at Columbia
University, incubator of the original
brain trust, since 1927, teaching courses
in taxation and civil procedure. At the
University of Chicago he studied law
under Herman Oliphant, Secretary Nor
genthaus general counsel. DR.. Magill,
registered Democrat, Is the son OF DR..
Hugh Stewart Magill, Independent Re-
publican candidate for the Senate from
Illinois in 1926 and now president OF the
American Federation Of Investors. Un-