Again, Wai ska

THE CABINET

Again, Walska

A proud lady, her husband, home and jewels, gave Secretary Mellon several moments of thought last week. He personally reviewed the case of Mme. Ganna Walska, widely publicized wife of grey-templed Harold Fowler McCormick of Chicago. She had come to the U. S. laden with $2,500,000 of personal belongings. The customs men had asked for some $1,000,000 in duties. But no such duties would she pay. She said her home was in Paris, she was only visiting the U. S. Nevertheless, said the customs men, her husband lives in the U. S. and where the husband lives, there, in the law's eyes, lives the wife. Mme. Walska was coming to her real home, they said. Like any other U. S. wife, she must pay duty on her foreign-bought finery.

Mme. Walska obtained a letter from Mr. McCormick assuring the U. S. that, though he lives in Chicago, it is with his full knowledge and approval that she is domiciled in Paris. Mme. Walska stormed about a woman's rights before the law. She excited the National Woman's Party. The Hearst press printed her most flattering photograph and the caption: "For the sake of her sex!"

But Mr. Mellon was unmoved. The law, as far as he could see, was the law. Much as he might have liked to oblige a fellow- millionaire's wife -- though he has never met either Mme. Walska or Mr. McCormick -- he had to approve his subordinates' finding.

Mme. Walska had the choice of sending her princessly belongings back to Paris, or fighting in the U. S. Customs Court of Appeals. She chose to fight.

$40.82

The Treasury Department counted the country's currency. It found $8,213,615,127 of which $6,415,083,402 was in circulation. If there are 118,720,000 people in the U. S., that makes $40.82 per person. Last year there was $42.19 per pocket or handbag. Soon the Treasury will issue its new, smaller $1 bills, six and one eighth inches by two and five eighths inches instead of the present seven and seven tenths by three and one eighth inch size.