National Affairs: Miscellaneous Mentions: Jun. 1, 1925

William G. McAdoo, onetime Secretary of the Treasury (1913-18), Director General of Railways (1917-19), candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination (1924), having attended the Kentucky Derby (TIME, May 25, SPORT), went on to Washington, called on his step-mother-in-law, met his friends and political advisers, went on to Manhattan for similar conferences. “Grooming himself for 1928? Patching party fences? Planning to do away with the Democratic Convention’s two thirds vote for nomination?” conjectured correspondents. W. W. Brandon, Governor of Alabama, the stentorian voice who last June called more than 100 times “Twenty foah for Un-da-wood !” appeared at a “Southern Exposition” held in Manhattan, bringing the result of a state-wide ballot on “Alabama’s greatest living men and women”—to wit: Writer: Octavus Roy Cohen Statesman: Oscar W. Underwood Soldier: General Robert Lee Bullard Professorial Leader: Dr. George TI. Denny. Captain of Industry: George Gordon Crawford Artist: Roderick D. Mackenzie— Distinguished Citizen: Helen Keller Actress: Lois Wilson* (cinema) Athlete: Joe Sewell* (Cleveland shortstop) Gaston B. Means, famed supersleuth of the Daugherty Department of Justice, star witness of the all-star oil investigations last year, many times tried, surrendered at Washington and was sent to Atlanta Penitentiary (his first time in jail) to serve two years, following failure to rid himself of a conviction for conspiracy to violate the Volstead Act. Charles G. Dawes, Vice President, Senate reformer, announced that he would make one speech a month in the interest of a rule which would permit a majority of the Senate to close debate at any time. Some Senators would like to forget about this proposal, but Mr. Dawes may force the issue in the Senate by speaking in the home states of those Senators coming up for reelection in 1927. In the closing days of May, he was to speak in Alabama (where Underwood, who favors the rule, will have to fight for reelection). The tentative schedule of speeches: JUNE—In New Hampshire (where Moses, who opposes the rule, will stand for reelection). JULY—In Colorado (where Senator Rice V. Means will stand for reelection). AUGUST—Undetermined. SEPTEMBER—Undetermined. OCTOBER—In Georgia (where Senator George will stand for reelection). The Governor of Missouri, Mr. Baker, having attended the funeral of Senator Selden P. Spencer (TIME, May 25), took thought. He appointed Circuit Judge George H. Williams of St. Louis, a Republican, born in California, Mo., to Mr. Spencer’s seat. Mr. Williams begins drawing his salary at once. But he need not—indeed may not undertake any official duties until next December, when Congress assembles and he is sworn in—such is the law. For his labors as Senator during the next six months he will draw pay. “Take Care,” warned the Post Office Department, last week. In 1924:

21,000,000 letters went to the Dead Letter Office.

803,000 parcels went to the Dead Letter Office.

100,000 letters were mailed without addresses.

$70,000 in cash, checks, etc., was taken from misdirected letters.

was collected for “return postage.”

$1,740,000 was spent looking up and correcting faulty addresses. In Alabama, visiting Clemson College, Josephus Daniels, onetime (1913-21) overlord of the Navy, made comparisons :

“If we deplore that Blease [Coleman E. Blease, Senator from South Carolina] sits in the seat of Calhoun, is it not quite as great evidence of a lowering of standards that Butler [William M. Butler, Senator from Massachusetts] rattles around in the seat of Daniel Webster? There is this to be said about Blease’s election. He appealed to the people, and having made him, they may unmake him if they choose.

“In Massachusetts, Butler was put in by big business domination of politics, which seeks to make Government the agency for strengthening monopoly.”

In Washington, Senator King of Utah described certain persons (presumably not his constituents from Utah—rather, lobbyists from other states) : “Congress every session is besieged by hysteric men and neurotic women who are seeking to have the Government inject itself into the homes of the people and forcefully determine the conduct of their lives.”

*Indicates those not listed in Who’s Who in America.