Current Events 
U. S. A. 
f Among the several outstanding events enlivening Washington dur¬ 
ing recent weeks the National Agricultural Conference, called by Pres¬ 
ident Harding, together with the Farm Bloc in Congress, aroused 
public interest to a special degree and gave the opposing political 
parties opportunities to exploit their particular programmes, with the 
Fordney Tariff bill the central point for commendation or attack. 
<J The claim of the farmers is that they pay half of the tariff revenues 
of the country by their purchases of manufactured articles, while they 
get no protection on their own products. f Those who have at heart 
the best interests of the motion-picture industry are hopeful that with 
Will Hays giving up the Post Office portfolio to accept the leadership 
of the producers’ and distributors’ association, Mr. Hays’s acknowl¬ 
edged political sagacity will result in improving the standard of the 
film play. JVfr. Hays’s contract is for three years at an annual salary 
of $150,000. f The Conference for the Limitation of Armaments set¬ 
tled down to the adjustment of outstanding issues with China still 
occupying the foreground and a gradual rapprochement visible be¬ 
tween'the Chinese and Japanese delegates, fin a thoroughgoing 
analysis of the present state of unemployment in America the National 
Industrial Conference Board makes a careful distinction between those 
who are capable, but unwilling to perform work, those who are physic¬ 
ally and mentally disabled but willing to work, and those who cannot 
find work because of industrial maladjustments within the plant or 
industry or because of general economic conditions at home and abioad. 
«J Generally admitted to be the inventor of the internal explosion 
engine that made possible the gasoline propelled vehicle, George Bald¬ 
win Selden died at his home in Rochester, N. Y., aged seventy-seven. 
Mr. Selden’s first gasoline driven engine was made in 1878 and has 
been a conspicuous feature of leading automobile shows ever since, 
f The Woodrow Wilson Foundation campaign has been progressing 
apace. Throughout the entire country interest has been aroused in 
the plan to honor the ex-President in a way that shall keep his ideals 
before the nation. Hamilton Holt, the executive director of the cam¬ 
paign, has been indefatigable in acquainting people everywhere with 
the fact that small contributions to the fund are as welcome as large 
ones. Cfl Samuel Untermeyer, in an address on “Government Re¬ 
sponsibility for the Housing Crisis,” outlined a plan for the constiuc- 
tion of 1.500 five-story tenements, to accommodate 45,000 people, at 
a cost of $100,000,000*. Building interests throughout New York city 
and suburbs are showing more than ordinary interest in this pioposi- 
tion which promises to relieve the most urgent need. 
