The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-09-25
Observations
Capital Wouldn't
Know Britain's
in Bad Shape

80 100
The British empire may be in
bad shape financially, but you
wouldn't know II by visiting John
Bulls embassy in the nations
capital.
From the outside II doesn't ap-
pear so pretentious as many others
in Washington. II is not so i'm
posing as the Japanese embassy
building a few blocks down the
street, nor like the glamorous, mod
ernistio. air-conditioned Venezuelan
embassy.
Inside, however, II has the rich
decorCm that America usually asso-
ciates with matters British. Its
furniture is fire Sheraton upholster-
ed in needlepoint Colors are sub
dued but rich looking.
The great drawing room has a
white marble fireplace. and one OF
the finer pieces in the room is a
teak-wood table. Panels of rich,
chrome-yellow marble, veined in
black. decorate the walls. The same
type OF marble is used for pillars
in the room.
Around the ceiling is frieze of
alabaster shaped into a classic leaf
and cupid design. On the mantel
is a bronze clock set on the back of
a trumpeting elephant. Atop the
clock is bronze cupid Sounds like
a jigsaw puzzle).
II was In such a setting that Lord
Keynes and the Earl OF Halifax
held a news conference 10 tell re-
porters the financial woes OF the
British empire.
EVEN THE LOWLY HOUSE
FLY-or barn fly-played a part in
helping the Allies defeat the Axis
powers. One OF the now-it-cAn-be-
told stories OF the war concerns a
colony of exclusive houseflies de-
veloped at the Agriculture Depart
ment's bureau Of entomology at
Beltsville, Nd, near Washington.
Years ago the bureau began breed
ing a colony of super flies" to
be used for government research
in the development OF deadly insec-
ticles The flies proved valuable
in World War II, in which sprays
OF all types were needed for the
Army as II moved from one strange
land into another.
One small colony was captured
and imprisoned in a screened box.
Foreigners" were kept out. The
theory was that flies protected in
such a manner would be stronger
than ordinary ones found around
garbage cans and in barns
The colony produced a constant
stream OF fifteen to twenty thou
sand healthy insects.
However, scientists finally sus-
pected that constant inbreedinG
was weakening the breed, and the
exclusive colony was killed off. The
flies in It were replaced by col
lection of ordinary barn flies. 1t
was estimated the members of the
"elite" colony could have traced
their ancestry through 1s5 genera
tons.
At any rate, they served their
purpose. Even the now famous
DOT was tested on them.
FEW WASHINGTON officials
envied War Manpower Commits
sioner Paul V. McNutt. They envy
him even less now that he has
been appointed high commissioner
Of the Philippines.
McNutt has no illusions about his
new job. The islands are in bad
shape, agriculturally, economically
and industrially.
Initiation is rampant in the COM
monwealth, and it can be- cured
only by the importation OF vast
quantities of consumer goods. The
banks are in poor shape; i'm
portant roads must be rebuilt;
most sources OF taxation are gone.
q. S. officials frankly are worried
about the coming independence Of
the Philippines. Many of them
believe the Filipinos are not ready
for II However, only action by the
people OF the commonwealth can
delay the day OF freedom, July 4,
1916.
OPA FULLY EXPECTS to end
all rationing by the end OF the
year, including tires. The only
item in doubt even on such a long
range prediction is sugar. How
ever. that, too, may clea. up.
Officials frankly are worried
about the condition OF tires on the
nations WORKOUT cars. They are
fearful of a sharp increase in acci-
dents this winter through skidding
and blowouts caused by ice on
pavements and roads.
However, It is hoped that within
six months motorists will be able
to replace their broken down tires
with new ones.