Evening Star Newspaper, January 2, 1921, Page 34

T Sty My gl [ WABHINGTON, D. C. EVENING STAR, Sunday Y+ ceees . .JaDUATY 2, 1021 ‘m Office. 11th St. and Peansylvania Ave. Ye B ibune . Cateage OBce: it Nationat Benk Esiaing. Boropéas Office: 3 Begent St., Loudon, England. The editien, §8 Star, with the Sunday moraing ivered by carriers withih the city ‘month: daily ouly, 45 cents 20 cents per month. @r- by mail, or telephdme Main is made by carriers at the ‘each month. N All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo., 85¢ Daily only . 7.00; 1 mo., 60c Sunday only . Using the Surplus. In receiving supplementary esti- { tates from the Commissioners for cer- tain .urgent District needs, schools, parks, bridges, etc., works of a perma- nent nature, the Senate appropria- tions committee has indicated a dis- position to utilize the local.tax reve- nue surplus accumulated in the Treas- ury.” And, moreover, it has manifested a.purpose to appropriate that money on the equitable basis of an equal con- tribution of funds by the United States, “that being the basis on which the Tevenues were raised by taxation. | Thus whatever may be the precise ob- .jects to which these funds are ap- plied the Senate committee is disposed *to adapt the principle for which Wash- ington has long contended—that there “should be no curtailment of appropria- tions. while revenues remain available ‘through past neglect of local needs. In effect, the District has a reserve At 'presént of over $9,000,000, twice the 4 8um of the accumulated local tax reve- nues. - Neglect of permanent works or thé imposition of excessive taxes while that credit remains to the Na- tional Capital is unjustifiable. The obviously businesslike and just pro- - cedure is to empioy the funds that .8tand_to the credit of the District. And quite as obviously just is the pro- ! osal 6 use them on the basis on which the revenues were raised. If oily part of this fund is used at présent there will remain a balance in the Treasury for later utilization < o0 the same basis and for similar ob- Jects.” ‘It should be kept strictly sep- . argted from current tax revenues. It should' be appropriated only on the Ralf:And-halt basis, however fong may be .the intetval between its raising and jts appropriation. As long as it . rests-in the Treasury it should be re- farded- as a AftyAifty fund, even on anether ratio of federal and District of_the Senate, indicated by the ap- propriations committee’s course, in re- #arding this accumulation as a reserve to. be allotted to local needs as rapidly expenditure, and always ‘‘upon’ the - equitable basis of equal shares by the ‘capitsl partnership. It may be that in ancther year the balance remaining &fter the present draft is made can be _simila?ly used. There are assuredly needs enough to be met beyond those thaf can be satisfied by the current maintenance appropriations to exhaust thtyTurd. The vitally important point in the case is that there should be the strictest adherence to. the principle hisl this money shall be spent only on the terms upon which it wis raised. ———te— .D’Annunzio’s Future. ‘Sinee he left Fiume in an airplane nothing, been heard of D’Annunzio. His n representative, however, declares that the poet patriot will not &ive up the fight against the treaty | of Rappalo, but will continue his pro- ! test.” 'He doubts whether D’Annunzio |hnulhlyorvmcnn. It is not known whether he is under proscrip- tion: by the Italian government, but' hat s hardly likely, and there is no ;-m reason why he should not re- . pain ‘within the kingdom. If D’An- { nunzio undertakes an anti-government . propaganda, however, he may run into ‘ gericus difficulties. The TItalian ad- ministration would be greatly embar- yassed on its side If he were to “take “the stump,” as we say in this country, and denounce it for its arrangement ‘with Jugoslavia. Criticism of the gov- ernment is not uncommon in Italy, but DiAnnunzio's particuler kind of criticism is calculated to lead to seri- ug friction. If the Italian people ' Whole sunport D’Annunsio und overturn the government for its ar- rangement affecting Dalmatia and _Flume the treaty will still stand, and -only - its denunciation offigially will change the situation. Such a denun. ciation would be tantamount to an act of war. Thus D'Annunzio’s continued -agitition is fraught with possibilities of a grave nature for Italy and even for the peace of Europe. et e ‘The substantial and admirable con- tribution to American literature made Dy Albert J. Beveridge in his “Life of John Marshall” should be a warning 1o those inclined to poke fun at Indiana politicians not to judge their statesmen too hastily. —————— When a railway is denied an in- crease of fare it may still entertain the hope of advancing its revenues by increaning its carrying capacity. e e D s ‘The country is dry, but dry agents regret to report certain leakages in probfbition as well a3 in finance. _Mr. Harding’s Inaugural. Not in sixty years has an insugural address been awaited with the inter- est that attaches to the one Mr. Hard- ing will deliver on Capitol Hill in March. The whole world will be at attention. The whole world was at attention in March, 1861. Was the great re- public of North America on the eve of dissolution? Would the slave power carry out its threat? If it did, mmeuld Mr. Lincoln fight? He was an il untried _man, and almost wholly a stranger to the outside world. The addreds was well reasoried, and closed upon the note of fraternity, and even tenderness. But between the lines could clearly be read the purpose to employ, if necedsary, all the re- sources of the country for the preser- vation of the Union. The new man, it was plain, would fight, as, later, fight he did, with all his might. The question now is, Will the gov- ernment continue strictly on the tra- itional lines traced by the fathe ving concern chiefly for the preser- vation of the country's perfect inde- pendénce of action in all matters af- fecting the national welfare? Mr. Harding will ‘prepare hi$ ad- dress in the south, free from all inter- ruptions. He does well to insure him- self perfect Quiet. There is not a country in reach of the wires which will not be keen to hear the note he sounds, and swift to draw ‘deductions from it as to his course in office’ The feeling everywhere is that the great republic of North America is al to make through its newly chosen chief an announcement of world-wide Importance. Armaments and Economi There was that in the solemn appeal for an international reduction in arma- ments, voiced by Gen. Pershing in New York on Wednesday night, which must have arrested the attention of the nation. Here was a professional soldier, the man who has commanded more troops in war than any other American who ever lived, one from whom—if there were aught of value in the upbuilding of huge war ma- chines by the several nations of the earth—would have been expected the ardent championing of the policy of pressing forward in the competition. Simply and earnestly he condemned as futile and evil existing conditions under which military expenditures several times greater than ever before in peace-time are claimed to be neces- sary, and urged an international curtailment of such expenditures. No pacifist this—no sentimental dreamer —but one possessing with his attributes as a leader of soldiers the attributes of a leader of men, facing cold facts ‘with practical vision. Those facts are inexorable. The process of competitive armament, familiar to the world, has never pre- vented war and there are many who believe that it has ever made war in- evitable. Ineffectual as a deterrent, that process is suicidal in its economic aspects. With each of the countries of the civilized world engaged in com- peting -as to the bulk of their militery establishments, bankruptcy stares eath in the face. Every national in- terest, the health, prosperity, progress and social advancement of the nations partaking in such rivalry, must in- evitably be subordimated to the main- taining of each nation’s relative posi- tion in the race. As in any race, any one of the contestants can force a general sprint whenever the whim arises. Production, already hard pit, can no longer stand such a drain. Men, charged with the obligation of progress, ‘cannot,earn money fast enough to pay taxes incident to such expenditure without so reducing the standard of living as t6 éndanger civilization itself. ' These are the facts applicable to the case in thé United States and in- finitely more obvious in Europe. There is likewise the further fact that no nation, in a world organized as is the world today, can be expected to drop out of the race and permit others to go on. For desperation borne of the economic exhaustion which would overtake those who continued could mot but inspire a raid upon the re- sources it would then have. Tt is for this reason that Gen. Pershing and others facing the facts advocate the utmost care in proceeding. Disarma- ment is not contermplated in the plan as ‘outlined—but an internaticnal agreement whereby the increasing of armaments would be sharply halted. It might well be that, with the bene- fits of such a breathing space estab- lished, the expenses of maintaining existing armaments might be mate- rially cut. What is urged is that the United States shall lay such a pro- posal before the world. That, with the ehance before her, she should fail to do so were equally incredible as that Europe, staggering already under an almost unbearable load, should fail to take advantage of the proposal when made. i It would be interesting to know if any of the nations whose borders con- tain starving children are still enter- taining an idea of making more war and creating more starvation. i Rental relatious have not yet been adjusted to a basis that permits land- lords and tenants tc wish one another wholeheartedly a happy New Year. i Nothing in the Mexican news indi- cates that Villa reverted to his old custom and celebrated the holideys' with the assistance of firearme. ‘The thermometer continues te pro- vide the most reliable argument against um‘unt coal prices. No Trafic With Bolshevism. ‘Wilson’s letter to the coun- sel for Ludwig C. A. K. Martens, the so-called envoy of the soviet, is an ad- mirable statement of the attitude of the American government and people toward the Russian organization. It accurately expresses the sentiment of the overwhelming majority of the cit- jzens of the United States in respect to the “dictatorship of the proletariat,” the title by which tyranny now mas- querades at Moscow. This country does not want the advice of the fan- atics who constitute the present Rus- sian government. It resents their ef- forts to proselyte and to establish here centers of discontent from which polsonous emanations may radiate to destroy faith in the righteousness and soundness of our institutions. Mar- tens is but an expression of the bol- shevik idea. His activities here were deflant of all the canons of diplomatic propriety, it he had had an officlal status. They were acutely pernicious in their effort to set up & “proletariat” demaind here. He was given too long a shrift, In its letter of recall the Mos- ) } THE SUNDAY STAR, JANUARY 2, 1921—-PART 2. cow government was offensively: tm: solent in the mssumption that the United States could be bought by tfdde concessions. Secretary Wilson has fully expressed the public sentiment in his emphatic repudiation of this sugges- tion and his scathing denunciation of the whole bolshevik program .of hpme administration and foreign pa- ganda. g The Hut and Inauguration, It is announced that Liberty Hut, which was to have been razed with the beginning of the fiew year, may be permitted to remain for a.short time longer, as it is thought it will serve a good purpoSe in Cconnection with the inauguration. It has been suggested that it may effectively be occupied as headquarters for visiting organizations. Being near the Union station, it will be convenient of ac- cess and can probably be used as a clearing house of information. Experi- ence in the past has shown the need of such a.place in a central. location, where incomers can be directed to their destinations and given the best possible guidance for finding friends and otherwise making the most of their limited time at the capital. When the crowds descend upon the city for the inauguration—sometimes 100,000 within forty-eight hours—much con- fusion is likely to prevail. Most of the people who come here plan to re- main not more than forty-eight hours, and they wish to see everything that is possible and to meet everybody they can find within that time, most of which i8 taken up by the inaugura- tion ceremonies themselves. Liberty Hut can therefore serve admirably as a point of direction and guidance, and although it is desirable to clear it away quickly, now that its main use has ceased, it is well to hold it a little while, until the city has held its big quadrennial party. —_—————— De Valera’s Crossing. Eamonn de Valera has managed to slip back into Ireland, despite the sup- posedly tight safeguards of the Brit- ish government against his return to his “republic.” Speculation is ex- cited at once as to the means of his transit. Did he fly over? That is no longer a wild bit of imagination. Fly- ing has become a practicable means of evading barriers. It has been used and probably will in the future great- ly complicate national and interna- tional situgtions. Did he go over in a submarine? Nor is that a purely fantastic suggestion. The war has proved the ‘‘undersea” boat to be a distinctly effective method of unde- tected approach. It was used off the Irish coast on a number of occasions, and on one that had a tragic ending. Of course, it is possible that de Valera simply went over on a ship. Or he may have gone over part way on a ship—as, for instance, to France—and then have flown the rest of the dis- tance. But, however he crossed, he has evidently managed to get over, and now the most interesting question is, What will he do? Some day, prob- ably, the story of his passage over the Atlantic, or under it, or on it, will be told, and it will find an eager audi- ence. ——————— It Mr. Will Hays accepts the Hosi tion of Postmaster General he will again prove that he is not the kind of man who insists on picking out'an easy job. » ——— If Wall street operators make a practice of selling stocks to meet ‘In- come taxes, the market should be easy to guess every three months. ——————————— ‘The minor offender is often one most likely to get caught. The rum-runner never forgets to secure his motor license tag. 4 ———— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Prudent Prophecy. “It's going to. be a busy year,” Said Hezekiah Bings. v “This much I'll prophesy with cheer "Mongst New Year carolings. The tariff now shows up anew. The league is far from cold. Investigations promise, too, Some thrillers to unfold. “I won't predict in terms exact. The prophets who are wise Avoid the statement of a fact, And gravely generalize. Il sure announce, without the fear That contradiction brings, It's going to be a busy year,” Said Hezekiah Bings. Mystery of the Pyramids. “Nobody knows just why the pyra- mids of Egypt were built,” remarked the archeologist. “No,” rejolned the suspicious cit- izen. (Maybe there wasn't any rea- son beyond the fact that some of those Pharaoh boys felt under obligations to provide graft for influential friends.” Jud Tunkins says you may as well look out now for the Grouch who is going to average up because he over- worked his disposition trying to be happy Christmas and New Year. New Year Cheer. Although the new year. seemed forlora Devoid of liquids humorous, ‘We must be cheerful, since next morn The headaches are less numerous. Moral Agitation. “I understand you have been having a crime wave in Crimson Gulch.” “It ain’t that at all,” protested Cac- tus Joe. “It's a great reform. The lawbreakers all got suddenly im- pressed with righteous indignation and started in shooting one another up in- discriminately.” A Compliment Acknowledged. “What are your views on the league of nations?" asked the interviewer. “I thank you for the compliment from the bottom of my heart,” sald Senator Sorghum. “What compliment?" “That implied by your question. ‘There cannot possibly be ‘anything new remaining to be said on the sub- ject. Your inquiry can have no rea- sonable basis except a desire to llsten further to my own particular style of oratorical fluency.” 2 POLITICS AT HOME|Precocious Children~as Difficult| {EARD AND SEEN|FIFTY A Tale of Patronage. One of Senator New's constituents files through the senator his applica- tion for a piece of pie: “I should like a good job, say reg- ister of the Treasury, or the land of- fice, or minister to Halti, But if those places. are impossible please make me a gutde or a policeman. If you think of something nice and remuner- ative, please drop me a line.” History repeaq ltself. It was an Indianan who at the beginning of the second Cleveland administration ap- plied to the late Senator Voorhees for a place under government, and gave the senator a wide margin of selection. Something with a good salary attach- ed would do. Would accept a diplo- matic appointment if necessary, but would prefer to remain in the country. “The republic is opportunity,” he said in his letter. Presently he came on to see how things were working. He introduced himself to Mr. Voorhees as having at one time been a county judge at home, but. had failed of re-election through the fickleness of public favor. The senator looked him over, took his measure and number, told him diplomatically that all the foreign posts had been filled, and nearly all the best home posts; that the best place on his list was a messenger's place in one of the departments, men- tioning it. That would do, the man said, and grabbed it. A short ‘time afterward Mr. Voor- hees and a friend were walking through a corridor in that department, and met the messenger drawing a small truck loaded with books and documents. At a safe distance the senator, pointing to the messenger, told his friend the story of the quest and the appointment. ‘“We have a great country. The republic is op- portunity. A county judge in In- diana, a horse in Washington.” ———— The Mississippi Senatorship. ‘Will Mr. Vardaman be able to come back? He is to try his fortunes next year, when a successor to Senator ‘Williams will be chosen. The race will be the more interest- ing—indeed, will derive its chief in- terést—from the fact that Mr. Varda. man lost his seat in the Senate through the disfavor of the President. Mr. Wilson had not -cottoned to him, nor he to Mr. Wilson. So that when Mr. Vardaman offered for re-election the friends of the administration turn- ed away from him, and Representa- tive Harrison, who was “solid” at the ‘White House, won the prize. At that time Mr. Wilson's disfavor counted heavily with his party. In the neighboring state of Georgia Senator Hardwick was another victim. He had clashed with the President, and lost out when he offered for re-election. But last year he came back in a race for governor, and will soon assume the duties of that office. The Presi- dent's influence in Georgia had de- clined. Not unlikely, Mr. Hardwick's suc- cess has encouraged Mr. Vardaman, who will test’ Mr. Wilson's later in- fluence in Mississippi. "38r Vardaman. .entered the Senate as the opponent of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the Constitu- tion, and with the declared purpose of striving for their repeal. But he ac- | complished nothing. Neither Congress nor the country was interested, and the world war coming on attention became fixed on that. Tt is not to be supposed that Mr. ‘Vardaman will rest his case solely on sympathy—on his defeat by the Presi- dent, whose administration has since been signally repudiated at the polls. But he has not as yet announced his platform. Harding and Wilson. There are gigns that Mr. Harding in office is going to be kept very busy. And this Jeads to the question: Will the republicans refer as many of their troubles to him for adjustment as the democrats have theirs to Mr.. Wilson? ‘The popular belief is that Mr. Wil- son’s physical collapse was due to protracted overexertion at the peace conference, and his subsequent stump efforts at home in behalf of the peace treaty. Undoubtedly, he taxed himselt severely during his six-months stay in Paris, conferring with all sorts and conditions of men on all sorts of sub- jects. He had never had such an ex- perience before. . But what was his condition when he arrived there? He had been nearly six years in the White House, und during the greater part of the time a very busy man. He had shown from the start a taste-for leadership, and his party had gratified it in the full- est measure. It had made him the referee in many of its factional dis- putes in Congress and out, and he bad shouldered the burden willingly. In congressional matters he had come to have a more influential say than seemed conaistent with the fact that he had never held a legislative commission in his life. It is altogether likely, therefore. that Mr. Wilson, to a greater degree than he realized, had overexerted him- selt before he reached Paris, and.was not in the best condition for taking on the new and onerous duties that awaited him there. His party had in- sisted on George doing it, and George had done it. Physically, Mr. Harding can prob- ably stand as much as the next man. But at fifty-five he ought not to bend ‘his back, nor his party to ask him to bend it, to any unnecessary burden. ————————— As usual, the party platform and the campalign textbook are not offer- ing nearly the amount of decisive suggestion on public issues that they appeared to contain when first pre- sented. ————— e His unfriendly attitude toward the inaugural ball makes it appea: that Senator Borah does not care what hap- pens to either the league of naticns or the gayety of nations. —— e * Mr. Thomas Marshall evinces so ve- lable an ability to take care of him- Self that no one is likely to raise the questfon of what the country is golng to do with its ex-Vice Presidents, 'a Problem for Educators ‘as Backward Ones. HEREare in the United States more than 2,000,000 children whose education requires means varying widely from those in common use for the edu- cation of a normal child, it is esti- mated by officials of the federal bureau of education. Several thou- sand of them are enrolled in the public schools of Washington. This number includes subnormal chil- dren—the deaf, the blind, the crip- pled, the incorrigible, the diseased, and those whose superiority, gen- eral or specific, makes it desirable that they be given spesial oppor- tunities in particular subjects or for general promotion. The latter are commonly referred to as pre- cocious or accelerant children, and their future educational advance- ment now is forming the basis of an exhaustive and carefuly study by national and local educators t‘t The subnormal or backward chil~ dren, the blind, the deaf, the in- corrigible and the diseased al- ready are segregated in special classes in the schools of the Dis- trict. But what to do with the accelerant or precocious children is a question which Dr. Frank W. Ballou, superintendent of schools, and members of the board of edu- cation are seriously considering. They have, however, reached the conclusion that the retention of bright children in clasges with others who are backward or on the border line must be elimMated if they are to make the proper edu- cational advances. Therefore, they recommend the isolation ofthe ex- ceptionally bright children'in spe- cial classes, in the same manner that the subnormal, blind, deaf and crippled have been segregated. It is not unlikely that in the near fu- ture Supt. Ballou will take the steps necessary to create special classes for the precoclous children. - * ¥ Establishment of a division in the bureau of education, with spe- cialists and assistants for the in- vestigation of the education of exceptional children, has already been advocated by Philander P. Claxton, commissioner of educa- tion¥. - He has pointed out that results of recent studies now make it possible to deal with the education of these children much more wigely than heretofore. ‘The _proposed bureau, accerding to Mr. Claxton, should be enabled to bring the results effectively to the attention of school officers and to assist them properly in educa- tional programs and applying them in their daily school work. He belieyes that it also should be enabled 'to promote the continua- tion of studies of this kind. Fars The ' commissioner of education also is of the opinion that more adequate provision should be ‘made in the schools for the teach- ing of Hhealth, the promotion of hygiene and the physical educa- tion and development of pupils. “More than 20,000,000 children in the country,” he said, “spend a good part of their time each vear in public and private schools. They come to these schools that they may gain preparation and strength for life. In many of these schools the heating, light- ing, ventilation and other means of sanitation are so poor that, in- stead of gaining strength for life, they have the seeds of disease and death sown in their systems. In many other schools the children lose a very large per cent of that which they might gain with a bet- ter regimen. From state, county and city officers, in all parts of the country thousands of requests come to the bureau for informa- tion and advice in regard to these matters.” “The establishment, of health and right health habits, and the Dbest types of physical education,” continued Mr. Claxton, “must be considered most important and vital factors in any education that is fit for life. Proper instruction in health and provision for such games, plays, drills and other ex- ercises as will develop physical strength, bodily control and en- durance are essential to the schools of any nation that would maintain for all its citizens a high degree of preparedness for the duties both of peace and war.” SHUN FOREIGN TRADE MIDDLENAN Even as the farmers and other producers are complaining that it is the middle- men who get Big Profits Have G.me the big share To Foreign Nations,: ¢e nign- cost-of-living between the prices paid for crops on the farm and the almost prohibitive charges the consumer must pay, so also in foreign trade the United States business men are beginning to realize that Germany. Great Britain and other nations that have acted as middlemen have béen getting not only good Profits, but have beén dble to wield an unfair ad- vantage in commercial competition. Direct financial and commergial re- lations sre believed by the “wise men” following the trade star that leads to a new era in American com- merce to be absolutely essential for successful competition in certain of the most promising markets of the world. In order to have economically efficient direct dealings a thorough \knowledge of these markets by the American exporter, importer and manufacturer is a prerequisite. Russia is a timely and an excellent illustration of this, although the same general principle applies to prac- tically all the markets of the world. The United States is probably less familiar with Russia than any of its competitors and conducted very little direct trade with that country prior to the war. The goods that were ex- ported from the United States were sent through intermediary countries, such as Germany and England. The experts in the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, after intensive study and survey of Russian trade prospects, urge that America must discontinue that practice and en- deaver to promote direct commercial in- tercourse with Russia. * * x Finland and Poland are in the same class with the former Russian em- pire, which includes ussian such grand divi- Mormegs sions as Siberia, the Possessions. caycasus, the Bal- tic provinces, the Ukraine and Turk- estan. The importance of this field lies mainly in its capacity as an enor- mous consuming market for nearly 200,000,000 people, who are mow in need of almost every kind of com- modity. Russia is rich in raw materials, some of which are very much needed for American industries. Though only a small portion of the former Russian empire was opened to trade and chaotic _ conditions prevailed, the United States exported to that coun- try goods valued at more than $66.- 000,000 and imported from It agout lur- ing thdyear ended June 30, 1920. The total trapsactions wigh Russia during this period amounted, therefore. to approximately $81,000,000; with Fin- Jand, to $26,000,000; with Poland dur- ing the first six months of 1920, to 0,000,000. '51: is necessary to bear in mind also that the imports into certain other European countries from the United States include .a la; amount of goods that were purchased for re- selling to Russla as soon as condi- tions permit. _Since a fairly large trade i8 now being carried on with certain parts of.the former Russian empire, it can readily be appreciated what an enormous amount of trade there will be when conditions are again normal. * * % Russia offers an immense fleld for investments. Its whole economic fabric — railways, The Rebuilding factories, mills, N mines, etc.—is dis- Of Bussia. grganized and dam- aged, and the country must have out- side help to rebuild it. American business, through its organizations and by appeals to the Department of Commerce and other government o) gxhizations, has testified regardin the very great importance of that field to the United States. The lead. ing concerns are glving much atte tion to it, and the board of directors of the United States Chamber of Com- Terce have held several meetings mainly to discuss Russian business. A speeial division of the United States bureau of foreign and domestic com- merce is co-operating with other or- ganizations, and offering its service to business men in dealing with Rus. sian trade problems and opportunities. Spain also, a market of wonderfully growing importance, is an illustration of the need for direct trade and cloger tudy of the opportunities afforded. Imnrlun exports to Spaln increased A 240 per cent from 1914 to 1919, from $30,000,000 in 1914 to $120,000,000 in 1919. The displacement of Germeny and also, in part, of England and France in the Spanish market largely explains this great favorable American trade growth, acgording .to Trade Commis- sioner Arthur Young. Spain, like the United States, changed from a debtor to a creditor nation as a result of the war, he points out in a report to the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce. The geographical position of the coun- try ‘and its great natural wealth made possible the supplying of the Wwar needs of the belligerents on an important scale. The total trade bal- ance infavor of Spain from the be- ginning of the war to the close of 1919 wi approximately $772.000,000, at normal par of exchange. This strengthened the financial situation in the country in a remarkable manner. 1t is a striking fact that Spain grant- ed an amasingly large credit to the TUnited States, about two-thirds of which was ‘actually utilized. * * % The meagerness of economic infor- mation about Spain available to Amer- 1 ican interests has not Seeking Facts Dbeen in keeping with Al “ Splin. the growing impor- tance of that coun- try, and Trade Commissioner Young was specially deputed to fill this gap in the information service of the fed- eral bureau of foreign and domestic commerce. This study included the principal features of the financial sys- tem of Spain, with special reference to the effects of the war upon the econofnic activities of the coumtry. Particular attention is also given to the growth of more direct commer- cial and financial relations with the United States. The policies adopted by the principal European countries in their trade with Spain with respect to the establishment of branch banks, the granting of credit, the promoting of trade and the investment of capi: tal are likewise featured in the re: port. Because it is today universally rec- ognized that “trade follows the ad"” in foreign as well as domestic trade, the investigation of advertising meth- ods in vatious parts of the world has been made a leading feature of the work of the trade commissioners sent into the world markets by Uncle Sam. Trade Commissioner J. W ger, after completing an investi- 53"‘“‘ of advertising methods in uth America, immediately prepared for a similar study of conditipns in the far east, which is believed to be the greatest future market for this country. Mr. Sanger arrived in Ja in October and made a careful sur- vey of that country with respect to the means employed in popularizing merchandise. He then proceeded to the Philippine lands, where he was able to finish his work in a very short time and to sail for China sooner than had been expected. Mr. Sanger had completed about one-third of his investigation in China by tite close of the fiscal Year“’ * % Other special investigations by the trade commissioners include markets for industrial ma- chinery, transpor- seo" o‘ Specill tation and port Investigations. probiems, mineral resources, hides and leather, industrial conditions and general economic and commercial investigations. Roy S. MacElwee, director of the bureau of foregn and domestic com- merce, has given the House appropria- tions committee a terse summary of the need for federal activity in the for- eign markets to protect the interests of the American manufacturers and exporters and beyond that the future of United States foreign trade. He said: “We are now living in a period when conditions of credit, of purchas- ing power, of exchange, of political stability, everywhere in the world, vary almest from day to day. Be- fore the war it was only necessary for a firm to check up on a foreign mar- ket through a personal visit of a qual- ified representative every two or three years. Today it is necessary to check up every two or three weeks. It is perfectly obvious that only the very largest firms can afford to keep enough qualified men abroad to supply the head office with information that will make it peseible to plan and to go ahead with reasonable safety. With the great mags of Ameri manufacturing exporters, both the funds and the men are lacking to is therefore distinctly the province of government activity to do this for American exporters. This extremely important function engages the con- dtant and earnest attention of the bu- tic coms vtnnx‘.n ll\d’c.lomcl ‘llb T They soon are going to have Union |station as spick and span inside as ;zhey have it outside, | As interesting a painting operation as has been witnessed in the National Capital for many a year may be seen ! y in the great waiting room * terminal. A great scaffold ix erected there, probably the biggest thing of kind ever seen here, a tremendou: structure of criss-crossed boargs ex- tending to the curved ceiling. At the top in a wide platform, upon which painters, concealed from eyes beneath, ply their brushes, transform- ing stripes that once were gold into gleaming specimens of Yheir kind. Those waiting for trains now di- vide their attention between the clock, the train announcements and the painting operation. The scaffolding itself is a fascinating piece of work, but the greatest interest comes when a painter descends down the great “open work” tower. - * % Nobody could blame the children. The woman went to the corner Erocery store to get some apples. She took her small son's express wagon, thinking it would make a good con- veyance to bring the apples home in. The wagon behaved excellently un- til it arrived at a certain corner, and there something happened. At least that was where the woman noticed something was wrong, The tailboard of the wagon had dropped off, and apples were strung along the sidewalk for a block. But it wasn’t the loss of half the wagon- ful of apples the lady minded so much. It was that tailboard. The wagon was the pride of her son, and she knew that she might as well not bring the wagon home at all as minus the board. So she hurried back a block, found the board, and then came back to- ward the wagon, stooping and pick- ing up dpples as she came. But not until she got to the wagon did she notice that she had left it in front of a schoolhouse. In her absence school had “let out.” And the children had found the little wagon, unattended and half full of apple: Wel them_ the woman could not blame * * % Children have queer ways of putting things. Yet there is great logic, after all, in their phrasings, in the m: Jority of instances. Their viewpoints are fresh, and they are untrammeled by past experiences. Take the little Washington girl who recently was taken by her mother to dine at the home of a friend. This child demonstrat her manners and her innate qual of mind by the way she inquired concerning food. Her mother only allows her to eat certain things, and the child is per- fectly contented. Most children would cry out, “Mamma, give me some of that!” This child simply looks at the arti- cle. and says: “Mamma how old will I be when I can eat that?” * * x The same child takes infinite de- light in being allowed to stand up in a street car. Perhapst when she is older she will not feel that way about it. But for the present !undl:‘ ina street car is a treat. fl:udledneon e look llorlorn ‘when wded car comes along.- this child. e “Oh, now I can stand up!” she cries. - % Her mother is particularly inter- ested in thg New England college from which she was graduated. A prominent local alumna, she has had occasion recently to do a great deal of work for her alma mater. Naturally, when visiting a friend, she talked more or less of the col- lege. The child was *taking it all in”* At last the mother spoke of a friend. “Mamma, did she go to college with you, t00?" asked the small daughter. CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. THE ST TRATS Aeg R g On Christmas day, 1870, the Spotte- wood Hotel in Richmond, was ed while filled fwjth Fatal Hotél Fire siceping gue¥is. in Rig h nd. The Star of the story of this catastrophe, which was attended by the loss of seven or niore lives. The fire was the more terrible in its effect because of the ifact that the night was the coldest experienced in Richmond for thirteen years, the thermometer standing at 5 degrees above zero and the ground covered with hard frozen snow. Those Wwho escaped from the flames suffer- ed severely. The fire, which was dis- covered about 2 o'clock in the mofn- ing, originated in the lower portio: the building and spread so. rapidis that escape was cut off for many_ of those in the hotel, and most of thése who were rescued were taken through the windows to the ground by way of ladders. One of the most startling {incidents of the disaster was the ap- pearance at one of the upper windows of a man, who, paralyized by fear, sat tearing paper into small pieces and throwing them out of the window un- til he feil back into the fames. . * % In The Star of December 28, 1870, is an extract from the New York Times relative to the | What Washington absurd propesal to remove the Should Become. At e ey westerly situation and poluting out what should be done to make Wash- ington, obviously the proper place for the seat of government, more attrac- tive and worthy. The Times said: “The task which anybody whe is lroub!‘d in mind about the National Capital should devote himself is not the discovery of a location for a new one, but the improvement of the one we have got. Washington ought to be made, in its streets and buildings, a fitting expression of what is best in the national character, and above all / of the national love of improvement.’ There is no reason why it should not be a model city, not only as regards architecture but as regards cleanli- ness, paving, police, lighting, sewer- age and transportation, In all that regard the government and - tion of great cities the modern world is sadly behind hand and no country of the modern world more than ours. The art of providing for the heaith and comfort of large masses of popu- lation is yet in its infancy among us, and experiments in this field are very difficult in cities governed by wuni- versal suffrage.” = * % Not only were the country roads around Washington atrociously bad fifty years ago, but The Turnpike the main roads were Nui turnpikes that should WSANCE. ypger the terms of the charters granted the turnpike companies have been maintained in substantial condition. The Star in its issue of December 28, 1570, strong- ly attacks the “turnpike nuisance,” and after quoting the requirements of the charters, says: “It is because of the execrable roads thus maintained as pocket corpora- tions that the country about Wash- ington ‘is so sparsely settled, and that citisens seeking rural homes go twenty and thirty miles out on the railroad, to Laurel Annapolis Junc- tion, etc. instead of settling within a dozen miles of Washington ‘for the benefit of our home trade. -It.is by reason .of these Vil buenpikes that our markets are o upplied When the weather ia s 1! e o able, for then the rouds, always bad, become simply impaiisable.” | DIGEST OF, FOREIGN PRESS Swedish Misgivings About Peace. The league of nations has asked the three ‘Scandinavian countries each to send a military contingent to Vilna to contribute to the watching over of the plebiscite which is about to take place. The following article from the Stockholm Tidning shows that this request has caused some hesitation in Sweden: “To speak of this question as a ‘sacrifice’ would have here the effect of a parody, especially as no greater contingent has been demanded from Sweden than from Denmark or Nor- way, although one might easily have demanded of Sweden twice as many as from the other two countries, if the idea had been to contribute propor- tionately. But it is not that really that provokes uneasiness, but rather the consequences which might arise in the future from such an act. Next time it might be the question of Ar- menia, for example, a distant and ex- posed country, which it seems was thought of at one time by the great | powers as a mandate for Sweden. ‘What is desired, says one of our hon- | ored colleagues from the countr: | an ‘inoffensive start,’ and already the | incalculaple consequences of sending | a_small number of troops to the Pol-" idh-Lithuanian frontier are being | feared. “Such fears seem, however. very | exaggerated. Remember that neither | Sweden nor any other nation, member | of the league, is obliged in any way to take upon itself this military re- sponsibility. It is here not at all a question of anything foreseen or fixed | in the league. The military obliga- tions which might be imposed IxDon’ us are only in the case of a State declaring war in spite of the arbitra- tion of the league at the root of | _"Would commercial in the adherence to the league. We cannot henceforward be fsolatéd from all international politics. But it is important, at once, to state clearly that the colla®oration on our part is the result of a perfectly voluntary de- cision and is only a duty for us in consequence of the right conception of our government as to What is right and natural in a case like the present.” G Europe's Policy After Wrangel. A former Wrangél officer, Gen, A. Noskoff, writes a startling article in the Information of Faris, in which he advocates a cessation of hostilities to- ward soviet Russia and a resumption of commercial relations. Gen. Noskoff is a recognized authority on Russian affairs, and h contributed to leading French publications "for many months, his-advice is aimost cer- tain to be listened to in official French quarters. Gen. Noskoff says:, “It is & matter of much confecture what will be the pelitical move of the entente toward soviet Russia after the decisive victory of the red army. ;K'he principal questions are as fol- ows: relations weith Russia really help toward fighting the world economic crisis? 1Is not Russia in such a state that all reme- dies would be in vain? “If the re-establishment of gom- mercial relations with Russia would help to save her, would not the west- ern powers, in helping her, risk-the creation of a force which might turn nst themselves? Let us consider first the economic state of Russia, which it is usual to look upon as one of extreme gravity, but which, taking it on the whole, is not so bad as might be expected. “In reality, the peasants constitute the largest proportion in Russia—80 per cent, For them the.present situa- this question which has been raised there is the principle of nationali- ties, a_principle which ought to de- cide the connecting up of territory with one or the other of the two con- flicting_states. This principle is no part of the league, but it has been. so to say, recognized by the fact of the conclusion of peace and the foun- dation of the league of nations. Tt is, therefore, only natural that the council of the league. in thia case, should have proposed a plebiscite which is to decide whether the ter- ritory of Vilna is to belong to Lith- uania or to Poland. It is equally nat- ural that the Scandinavian countri; Where the principle of nationality is more deeply rooted than anywhere else, should agree to this insignif- cant collaboration which is required of them for the keeping of order and for the defense of legitimate interests in a case where this principle is to be realized by the care of the: league of nations. These events are happen- ng 80 near to the Baltic and our coast that it would be impossible to think of our interests as being un- affected. En may be considered certain that the three Scandinavian countries will act here together. The conditions under which the expedition is to take place must, of course, be determined. On no condition should the Scand navian troops be used for any other resson than that indicated. Once these conditions are clearly establish- ed there must be no more hesitation about knowing whether we are right in complying with the request of the coungil of the league of nations con- cerning the sending of troops. “We shall not have taken upen our- selves any obligations for the future. because we consented to dg what w. asked of us. Our liberty In estimal ing such prepositions as might hap- pen eventually remains the same as before. If, against all expectation, we ahould find ourselves in such a situa. tion that we should be forced re form a similar duty, it would not be a consequence of this act, but rather a duty of sol iaincinded. Il ©|sult of six tion is neither much harder nor much ess bearable than it was before. The Rus: peasant has always been con- tent with very litile, and his Jife Is much simpler than that of peasants in western countries. His one pleas- ure, which was taken away from him during the war, was to drink brandy. His chief nourishment is bread, and of that he still has enough. “There certainly are distriets where there is a great scarcity of bread, but these are rather the exceptions. The Russian peasant is suffering in 4 gen- eral way only from thé want of manu- factured goods, but, because of the great simplicity of his home and his mplements this does not disturb him o much. “For this reason, meither enormous expenditure nor considerable effort would be necessary to put the Bus- sian peasantry on the same footing as it was before the war; it would be enough to guarantee their security of which they have been deprived during the long .years of civil war. “Great destruction has taken -place in all industries and in all enter- prises which need complicated tech- nical work. Long years and ‘consid- erable effort would be needed to re- store the pre-war productiveness. “The soviets appear to be us.l measurey 20 re-cstablish the domestic security of the country, which would permit the populatiem: to return” io work, bt they canfiot hope to re- establish industrial life without the ald of cppitaliand foretgn technical help. i “In shokt, & dountry “where 80 per cent of the population might easily be helped to ’t to their former life can scarcel3 be.eonsidered as past all remedy. 3 “It is true Ahe means of tr port are in & wéry bad way as a re- 7of war, of which particularly dis- three were ci Y , ‘go_that the Frible rous to the' devastation 3 ber A% 1830, (tells / /