Evening Star Newspaper, January 11, 1921, Page 6

8 " THE EVENING STAR, With Sundsy Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. character than now in the conduct of our public affairs. The men who sit at Mr. Harding's cabinet 'table will be his official ad- visers, but not necessarily his only TUESDAY..... .January 11, 1021} 405000 fe will be as much at lib- THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Busioess Ofice, 11th St. 224 Peanaylvania Ave. N Tribane Building. Cuicage Ofce: Mrst. National Bask Building. ey o Ofice: 3 Begeat St Leadon, Engiand, | practitioner of confabulation. The Evening Star, with th; daily caly, 43 ceats per . 30 cents per month. Or- may be ‘mail, or telephone Main Collection is made by carriers at the Kate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Iy and Sunday..1yr., $8.40;1mo., T0c .1yr., $6.00; 1 m¢ e day only . 13T., $2.40; 1 mo., 20¢ All Other States. . Daily and Sunday-{ T, l;O.M: 1 mo., $5¢ ¥ $3.00; 1 m The Inauguration. Mp. Harding's request that the in- ural ceremonies be reduced to the simplest possible terms will doubllu_u he strictly respected. If the Presi- dentelect prefers an induction into office unattended by any of the tr_‘di- tional formalities and demonstrations ¢ the occasion, he is the one to be cased and his desires are to be ob- served. It is, however, to be re- gretted that his decision to this ef- fect was not earlier reached and an- nounced. Much work has been done by the people of the District in prep- aration and considerable money has been spent. Fortunately no contracts have been let, and save for the I semblage of lumber for the stands in front of the Capitol no materials have been accumulated. According to Mr. Harding's tele- gram to Senator Knox he ‘wishes “the simplest inaugural program consistent with the actual requirements in taking ihc ocath of office and the utterance of befitting address.”” He savs that 4t will be most pleasing to him to have the ceremony take place within {he Capitol, or on the east porch, “without a single extra preparation for the occasion.” The chief disappointment will be feit by the people of the country at E A great muititude would doubt- Jess have come here for the inaugura- tion, whatever the program. Perhaps many will come as it is. But if there i to be no outdoor ceremonial and no parade, save a simple escort of honor to and from the Capitol. and mo in- augural ballTeception, there will be litte reason for making the journey to this city. In times past many thousands of Americans have made their first and their only visit to the capital on the occasion of inaugura- tion, and the change of program will probably result in thousands who otherwise would see the city missing the opportunity through the lack of incentive. are, of course, disappointed, fhough in a large measure relieved of expense and discomfort and labor. They would gladly make any sacri- fice to maintain the tradition of a public ceremonial on the occasion of the induction of a President into of- fice. They were ready at this time to do their quty -without thought of reward or réturn, to serve as hosts for the multitudes whe were sure to come in celebration of ihe most tre- mendous political victory ever scored by a presidential candidate. Mr. Harding expresses his appreciation of the spirit of the Washingtonians in terms that will lessen the disappoint- ment. As for the reasons given for this change of program, it is not fitting to question them. If the inaugura- tion is to be reduced to the point of real economy the appropriation al- ready woted by Congress will not be expended, as Mr. Harding requests. It is impossible to direct into a spe- cific channel the money, public or pri- vate, thus saved by the cancellation of the plans. Whether the example of strict economy thus set will be profitably observe@ by the country eannot be foretold. ——— In addition to the arguments of patriotism advanced by Admiral Ben- son against allowing American sail- ors to be discharged in order that cheaper man power picked up from all sources may be utiliged, there is a practical argument affecting the safelty of merchandise and human Sunday meraiag ! t to ¢ B e e i eiars within the city | his duty, and it is to every man’s in- 901 mo., 606 | replaceable files and records to de- { ceremonies, free trom interruptions of erty then as now to consult with any man or men whose views he may value or the country may value. And he is likely to avail himself of the privilege. He is an advocate and America expects every man to do, terest to meet the expectation. America aroused is America trium- phant. Census Records on Wooden Shelves. | Just a few hours after The Star had called attention to the danger that is run daily by the government in this city in the exposure of its ir- struction by fire and water. in con- nection with the burning of the West THE tion, February 9. In point of fact, the President is ‘“elected.” In point of record, however, it is not known that he is elected. For there is no official report of how the electors voted in the state capitals. Were it not for the telegraph facilities, which did not ex- ist when the constitutional provisions ‘were made for the election of the chief executive, the country would not know today whether the electors had dis- charged their duties in accordance with their party instructions. ut nobody is anxious on the score of vesterday's proceedings. There will be no surprise on the 9th of February when the certificates have been open- ed and read at the joint session of the House and Senate. Mr. Harding will then be formally “elected,” but no more so as far as the country is concerned than he was the night of November 2. ——e——————— “Somebody Blundered!” ‘A naval court of inquiry, it is re- Virginia capitol. a fire occurred in the Commerce Department building and invaluable census records were en- dangered and some were ruined. These records were piled on wooden shelving in rows about twenty inches apart—an ideal condition for total de- struction. By very good fortune the fire was kept out of the storage rooms, and therefore the flames did not reach the papers themselves, but much damage was done by water. The water even penetrated to a supposed- ly fire-tight and water-tight vault, ‘where some priceless historical docu- ments were stored, and damage was done to them. This fire originated in the carpenter shop, among shavings. The build-| ing is supposedly fireproof. Probably the confinement of the fire yvesterday | to a relatively small space was due to the substantial construction. But no matter how stout and fire-resist- ing a building may be, if there are shavings in the basement and wooden shelving filled with papers in the up- per floors, flames will have a chance and water will do damage. As The Star suggested the other day. the government should have no wooden shelving in any of its puhlic' buildings. It should reduce the fire loss to a minimum by the adoption of every possible expedient. It does not insure its property, but it should insure itself at least to the extent of installing its records and files in con- ditions that will lessen their exposure to destruction or damage whenever a little blaze starts in some ohscure' corner or some neglected workroom. The Visit South. | It is evident that Mr. Harding Will[ be kept busy up to the hour of his| departure for the south. There are many matters about which he is seek- ing light. There are many men upon whom bhe is depending for light Everybody he wishes to see is at his service. The visiting list at Marion continues long. Presumably., there will be a change when he leaves home. His southern trip bas two objects in view. He wants, and needs, a rest. He has been working overtime for two months, conferring with politicians about public policies, and receiving delegations bearing congratulations on his election. He wants, and needs, privacy for the preparation of his inaugural ag- dress—a very important deliverance, and of world-wide interest. He has 4 message which the world is keen to hear. He will be assuming powers of great scope at a time when their exercise .will count heavily in the world equation. And a second address will quickly follow. To that also he will probably give thought while in the south. The' new Congress will meet in special ses- sion soon after Inauguration day, and the new President must communicate with that body on the state of the! Union. This message, too, will at.| tract wide attention. | There is every reason, therefore,! why Mr. Harding should have at his dispoeal the whole time between his departure from Marion and his ar- rival in Washington for the inaugural all kinds. ——— The willingness of Mr. McAdoo to| undertake the task of reorganizing the democratic party indicates a turn in circumstances leaving him more time and energy to devote to public cares than he possessed when he resigned life. There is no man cooler in the:from the secretaryship of the Treas- presence of danger, more resource-|ury. ful and self-sacrificing, than the American. An American crew on a “passenger ship means ‘“‘safety first” for women and children. An Ameri- bean crew means the highest protec- ption as well as the greatest efficiency under all conditions on any voyage in gevery Kind of traffic on the scas. —_———te—— T'Annunzio is described as having ordered a fashionable civilian ward- robe and rented a villa in preparation for work on the history he intends to ‘write. The literary life grows more luxurious every year. —————— The nation that is first to give the order to disarm will go down in his- story as a splendid example of the Fnerve that fortifies conviction with " Jcourage. ————— On the Job. T.et us all dwell less on the gravity of the general situation than on the fact that the country is slive to it. We are not deluding ourselves. Our ‘heads are not buried in the eand. ‘We know what is going on. and are alert as to our danger and duty. No man of “pull” and substance beiween the two oceans is indifferent as to the resuit. Every such man wants to see confidence completely restored, and prosperity again pre- vailing. Every such man is anxious to aid to that end. Such men are not united as to rem- edics for existing difficulties. That would be impossible. It would like- ‘wise be undesirable. There is benefit in the clash of opinions when formed by ecarnest and capable men. The ‘best will survive, and be applied. And the country needs, and wants, the hest. We have never before stood more in need of our best thought and ——— e The surest way vet suggested to avert expenditures for & big fleet is the development of the torpedoplane. The conquest of the air was the slow- est development of science. It is the crowning achievement, for from the air the earth and the water will be { controlled. ————— e A number of peeple in Ireland are now justified in the general and broadening impression of Bernstorfr|’ as a diplomatic hoodoo. i The moratorium in Cuba is calcu- lated to make John Barleycorn won- der what bootleggers do with all their money. The “President-Elect.” Immediately after election the suc- cessful republican candidate was gen- erally referred to as the “President- elect.”” Objection, however, was en- tered {o this designation, on the ground that he was not yet formally chosen, but was merely the ‘“Presi- dent-designate.”” The electors named in November were at perfect liberty under the Constitution and the laws to vote for anybody they wished, al- though they were subject to the most strict moral compulsion to designate by their ballots the nominees of the pariies naming them. Yesterday the electors met in the capitals of the states and cast their votes—404 for Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge, and 127 for James 8. Cox and Franklin D. Roose- velt. But is Mr. Harding yet the Presi- dent-elect? These electoral votes must still be certified to Congress and can- vassed by the two houses in joint ses- sion at a date fixed by the Constitu- (et A MR G R RO TE FLEG S E Jn B B T SRS Ut A ported, is to be called to investigate the circumstances of the balloon flight from Rockaway Beach into the snowy wastes of Canada. from which three naval airmen are now struggling back. It is proposed to ascertain all the facts of the flight, the landing in the forest. the loss of the balloon and the efforts of the crew to reach a point of safety and to return to base. That will make an interesting story, which should go on the record. But a far more interesting story will be the disclosure of the reasons why this balloon was sent out in winter- time with no means whatever of guid- ing its course. Thus far there has been no official explanation of the purpose for which this flight was un- dertaken. the objects that were sought, the particular line of knowl- edge that it was hoped to develop for the benefit of the naval service. As far as known, the men who started off in the balloon. doubtless in obedience to orders, did their full duty, did it well and in accordance with the best traditions of the Navy. If they made mistakes in the handling of the balloon so that they were blown too far north they are not to be scored for them, for their own misfortunes have been sufficient punishment. Per- haps they realized when they started that they were going on a fool's er- rand. but like the men of the Light Brigade. it was not theirs to reason why. It is for the court of inquiry to find out who blundered. ————————— When Mr. Daniels first interested himself in aquatical responsibility, the sailors, accustomed to refer to “‘go- ing below deck,” were genially inter- ested to hear the new Secretary of the Navy refer to the journey as “go- ing down stairs.” The elevator in the Mayflower may be regarded as having value in suppressing the sailorman’s inclination to assume airs over the landsman. An elevator is sufficient- ly amphibious to permit any style of phraseclogy a passenger may choose. ————— The industry with which the ex- kaiser Kkeeps chopping down trees may, after all, imply good business, as well as a desire for exercise. A con- tract to supply wood pulp to the Euro- pean printing presses that have been turning out money should be lucra- tive. —_——— A pickpocket squad will be pro- vided from the New York police to protect inauguration visitors. Re- ports from New York make it appear that all the police talent available is needed for the protection of Gotham's own people. —_————— In Russia’s present anxiety for gen- eral commerce Lenin would be jus- tified in discharging the publicity man who sent out that item about running the entire soviet business ‘without the use of money. —— It is evidently to be some time be- fore the open shop represents a closed ;argument. Henry Ford keeps nothing working overtime except the pay roil. i e e e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Big Day. There won't be any argument Upon inauguration. Forgetful of all discontent ‘We'll hold the grand ovation. On “pros and cons” we will not doze.|ten vears a; We'll revel unmolested. The poetry will conquer prose And cons will be arrested. And should the climate disagree. ‘With plans for the procession An overaboe gavotte will be A form of dance expression. And if to fret the joyous crowd Debate should start a-balking, ‘We'll bave the brass band play so Toud That none can hear the talking. Art and the Intellect. . “You don’t enunciate clearly,” pr tested the stage manager. “Who cares for the words,” said the bhaughty musical performer. “But you can't have singing with- out words, you know.” “Oh, can’t you? Evidently you never heard a Tyrolean warbler.” And He Would Not Smile. “That head waiter would smile and take your last dollar.” “Probably fot. He wouldn't accept as little as a gollar under any circum- stances.” Joys of Procrastination. An argument prolonged doth bring A peaceable delight. 8o long as folks keep arguing They must postpone a fight. Fatal Accuracy. “How did you lose your position?” “For being too accurate,” replied the typist. “I took down the boss’ grammar exactly as he spoke it.” Speed Required. “Did you ever taste moonshine whisky?"” “Certainly not,” replied Uncle Bill Bottletop. ‘“‘Anybody who can’t swal- low fast enough to keep from tastin’ it has no businees tryin’ to drink it | E°t 18 & posse—that a EVENING STAR . TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1921 Editorial Digest The Clayton Act Bites Back. When the United States Supreme Court decided (six to three) that under the laws concerning ‘“restraint of trade” the “secondary boycott” of the machinists’ union on the Duplex Print~ ing Press Company was illegal, Mr. Gompers acted as though the Clayton act, declaring that “labor was not a commodity,” which he had nursed from a pup, had been forced to bite the hand that fed it. A large section of the so- called “capitalistic press,” however, re- gards the Supreme Court’s edict as merely an exemplification of the fact that “it's a_poor rule that won't work both ways.” If separate business in- stitutions cannot join forces to influ- ence wages and prices, the majority of newspapers feel, the New York local cannot exert its power in conjunction with the men striking in the Battle Creek plant. The three dissenting judges gave as a reason for their refusal to support the majority opinion that the ‘“boy- cott” was simply “an instance of a strike of those who have a common interest to protect themselves.” View- ing the decision in this light, the New York Globe (independent) predicts that it has laid the foundation “for an orgy of reactionary decisions by the lower courts.” The Clayton act, under which the case was tried, provides, to quote the New York Tribune (republican), “that a labor organization as such shall not be held an illegal combination or con- spiracy in restraint of trade.” and that provision does uot permit a union to 20 beyond its legal privileges and be- | come a cloak for illegal combinations | or conspiracies” practicing the very trade restraints at which the Clayton act is aimed. That the secondary boy- cott is, in fact, such a “cloak” is the premise on which the decision of the Supreme Court is based, hence the Wall Street Journal (independent) holds, since the court has decided that “the Clayton law does not legalize crime or wrong when done in the sacred name of labor or by a labor union,” the “sec- ondary boycott becomes Ineffective” and “conspiraty remains the common law crime it always was.” The Buffalo Commercial (independ- ent) also considers the secondary boy: cott. but another name for “conspiracy, which “the Clayton law did not uphold and for which protection could not be demanded under the terms of the act. Further, the Commercial believes, the ! decision “emphasizes again the useless- ness of attempting to make legal a conspiracy in restraint of trade.” The secondary boycott, says the New York World (democrat), “is well de- scribed by the court as being less a boy cott than a declaration of ‘class wa and has generally been regarded as vicious and hateful thing.”” If legalized, the St. Louis Star (independent) main- taine, it “wou'd introduce industrial an- archy on a national scale,” since it forees “its participants to act withaut regard to the justice or injustice of the controversy.” Such a practice, in the opinion of the New York Times (inde- pendent-democrat) would “result in a general class war based on a sentimental or sympathetic movement and not con- nected with immediate conditions of em- ployment,” which would ultimately mean that unions “would dominate society” through the power of the boycott. Recalling that the “labor clauses” of the Clayton act were hailed as “Labor's bill of rights,” at the time of their pas- sage, the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot (inde- pendent-democrat) feels that while the decision may be viewed as a reversal of that declaration, still “labor should realize that its bill of rights is payable as well as receivable, and that, in a democracy, the maintenance of its rights is dependent on the recognition of the rights of others.” To a number of papers, however, the decision has an application beyond trade union activities especially in view of{ recent disclosures of “indirect boycott” methods practiced by manufacturers. The Baltimore Sun (independent-demo- crat) believes that the threo dissenting Justices “score a hit when they cull at- tention” to a possible discrimination. The New York American (inde- pendent), also, while it believes “the de- cision was morally right as to secondary boycott” questions whether it is “right to make the law rigidly punitive in one case, and in another degme to :za:z:: the plain language of the statute.” which, the Syracuse Herald (inde~ pendent) holds, the decision “is applica- ble, by plain inference.” According to the New York Call (so- cialist) the decision is “one of the most terrifiic blows that has been sustained by the conservative polictes of the American Federation of Labor,” and its tendency, the New York Evening Post (independent) believes, “is obviously to deprive labor unions of & weapon, but a ‘weapon used in the open.” And the “inevitable human reaction to the de- cision,” the Post fears, “may easily be to drive the unions underground and render them more subject to the influ- ence of radical leadership.” Standardizing the House. The upper branch of Congress works under an unwritten rule of personal accommodation. and calls it “sena- torial courtesy.” The lower house has never invented an equivalent phrase. But it sometimes operates on the same principle. The census commit- tee has just reported an apportion- ment bill increasing the House mem- bership from 435 to 483. Most of thé leaders realize that the House is too big already and that it has steadily lost e%claney as it has become more unwieldy. Yet this year, as in 1801 and 1911, the argument of personal convenience has been too strong. The delegations from the slower-growing states feel that they are put to undeserved hu- miliation if they are forced to drop 2 member. The ratio of representation is fixed so as to protect them. This vear’s increase in the ratio—from 877 to. 218,979—is the smallest e 1873. It is far below the per- | centage of increase in population. The larger and faster growing states have been gaining members very rapidly. New York gained six and will gain four now. California has gained eight in two decades; so has Pennsylvania. Michi- gan, Ohio and Texas have gained five. Such increases would soon swamp the House as a working body. According to Speaker Reed, it ceased to be “a deliberative body” away back in 1890. The census committee has fortu- nately recognized the fallaciousness of the apportionment theory which its bill embodies by instructing one of its members to introduce an amend- ment to the Constitution limiting the House membership to 500. This is & meritorious proposal. What is needed is an impartial adjustment of repre- sentation after each census, instead of a haphazard expansion. A House of Q0. too ponderable now, will not be"excessive, perhaps, in 1960 or 1970. Under the “courtesy” rule we should have nearly 1.000 representatives by that time.—New York Tribune (re- publican). 5 ‘Well, we are getting quite Hardinged to it.—Columbia (S. C.) State. Some “wild oats” ought to be pre- served in the Smithsonian Institution. —Greenville (S. C.) Piedmont. Food prices break—Headline. Cu- rlous, considering what a little dis- i tance they have fallen—Dayton News. Another thing we notice about hu- man nature is that the grocer always considers the shoe dealer a profiteer. —Columbus Ohio State Journal. South American women getting to be leaders in fashion. Of course, down around the equator, there's not ! s0 much chance of catching cold.— Dayton News. . ! Ernest Thompson Seton says mor- als have no relation to dress. bdut what is worryving the moralists is that women don’t seem to, either.— Philadelphia North American. Petrograd is now inhabited by crip- ples; at least the population has been reduced 71 per cent, and it is assumed that everybody who could walk left. —St. Paul News. Soon it will be cheaper to buy win- ter clothing than to go south for the season.—New York Evening Post. A New Jersey naturalist tells of a rabbit killing three cats. Now, which one got hold of the stuff—the rabbit or the naturalist?—Charleston News and Courfer. B A Pontiac telephone operator got a posse together to hunt for a burglar. One thing a telephone operator can no particuisse number.—D>troit News. Saks & Company Pennsylvania Avenue— Seventh Street A g’oocl 'olcl-time_ Shirt Sale “Old-time” qualities, too, and at a price you haven't heard tell of for many a month. Woven Madras and Percales— —in particularly choice pat- terns, —specially well proportioned and made, —carefully finished in every detail, ; —in sizes from 14 to 19}—that’s an unusual range of sizes even in regular stock—and very extraordinary in a spe- cial sale. y What they really are—$2.00 Shirts Six for $5.50) Take our advice and you’ll select six-——~because it’s a rare opportunity—not likely to be equaled again in a hurry. NOTE—For the benefit of the men in office the Furnishing Department will open at 8 “o’clock tomorrow morning. Saks and Company Pennsylvania Avenue % Seventh Street