Evening Star Newspaper, February 11, 1923, Page 38

£9 THE EVENING STAR, ‘With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. SUNDAY. February 11, 1823 THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company 11th 8t. and Pennsylvania Ave. 150 Nussau St. Chicago Office: Tower Bullding European Office: 18 Regent St., London, England. The Evening Star, with the Sunday morning #dition, is delivered by carriers within the city At 80 cents per month: daily only, 43 cents per month; Sunday only. 20 cents per month. ders may he sent by mail or telephone Mai B5000. Collection is made by carriers at tl end of each montb. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sund: Dally only...... Sunday only..... All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 vr., §10.00; 1 mo. Daily only > 7.00; 1 mo. Sunday puiv.....01yr., $5.00i 1 mo. Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Preas is exclusivels entitied to the e for republication of all news patches credited (o Ju or ot otherwise credit In this paper aud siso the local news pub lished ‘herein. Al rights of publication of special disp: Financial and Political Equity. Representative Blanton's bill which propo the new definite proportionate ibution ratio of 60-149 and to inc 1se by millions the local urden the pr tense of giving American represent tion and self-govergment to the people of the District, is ingeniously worded 10 alienate the sympathy and to in- vite the bitter of ever ‘Washingtonian. It is hased the theors Uncle Sam cannot simultancously do political equity and financial equit that if he grants anything to the Di trict in the nume of political eauity he mu offset ate tinanck equity by withdrawing in a small and mean wa. 1 benefit al ready equitably granted. The bill even places Unele Sam in the conterptible position of suppressing District peti- tions for national representation, even bogus self-government, by threat- ening petitioners with pecuniary dam- age if they venture to petition. A fraction our people prefer the election of a buard of ed ation to ap- pointment by Commi: or Presi- or the Distriet Judges. This bill con taxpayers’ on oppusition upon that i s an vic some tin nes upre: in eff of education pro v from District dent e Court may vided you will revenue the of priations. more than one-fourth of the total current appropriations.” It adas sioners and s del vided you w for from the local revenue.” If real voti entation gress and the clec vollege, to be obtained through our pending consti- tutional amendmn were proposed by the bill, consi would compel a coupling of this grant with the de- mand as adequate corpensation that the District from its own revenues meet the whole of District expendi- tures and pay a handsome bonus to Tnele Sam besides. Of cour: the political concessions of the bill are delusive and worthless pretend to give national million vol appro clect Commis- ate, pro- them rep in Con- eney delegate. T government uile: impos 1 in spending that are collected. Tt mock may that we are getting local government when we get no participa tion in our local legislature and are offered merely the privilese of elect- ing some minor executive officials. The municipal legis) wonld ire main Congress, e real icipal executive would still remain the Presi- dent of the United But even if genuine national repr sentation (though not local self-gove ment) were proposed for us through cur constitutional amendment, cm- powering Congress to grant us Ameri- can voting representation in Congress end the electoral college, no good reason would result for violating finan- efal equity by repudiating the nation's fiscal obligation in respect to the capi- tal. If we proposed to destroy national control of the capital through Con- gress, and to transfer that control to a new soverelgn state (of Columbia), there might be force to the suggestion that, as obligation goes with power, the national obligation would cease if the national power over the capital ceased. But District national repre- sentation by our constitutional amend- ment does not in the slightest lessen rational power and control in the Di trict, and consequently does mot re duce in the slightest the national ob- ligation. When the District secures voting representation in Congress by legislation foliowing approval of this constitutional amendment it will sim- ply become a small fractional part politically of the nation which that Congress represents, and its half mil- lion people will be placed on equal terms, in national representation at least, with any other half million of Americans among the millions in the rest of the continental and contiguous United States. ‘We shall become through our repre- mentatives a part of Congress, but we shall take no power from that Con- gress. Since national power and con- trol in respect to the capital are unim- paired, the national obligation to par- ticipate in maintenance and develop- ment of the National Capital is unim- palred also. Instead of being antagonistic the 60-40 plan and national representation for the District aro sympathetic and supplemental. Both are manlifestations «f the spirit of “fair play for Washing- ton.” Both are rooted in the principle of a “square deal for the capital.” ‘Equity for the nation’s city involves both financial equity and political equity, and the two equities go hand in hand. mu Dangers of Giving. In the first complete report of the Carnegle Corporation of New York, which was the last trust created by Andrew Carnegle, Dr. Henry S. Pritchett, acting president of the trustees, dlscusses the dangers of giv- ing money on a large scale, and also the danger attendant to the public in the sccumulstion of vast sums of or{ You | solely | money in trust. Both are old subjects and have been discussed by many philosophers and economic writers. The views of Dr. Pritchett are inter- esting in that they are those of & man who is In part charge of one of these great trust funds. He discusses the making of rich gifts to colleges, and his observations fit in with much of the current criticlsm aimed at col- leges, generally that they are becom- ing somewhat more of the nature of social centers than seats of that kind of schooling which aims at education. But for every critic of the big colleges there are many defenders. Opinion is divided. Colleges and universities grow, and the student bodies multiply. Dr. Pritchett says that “looking back over the .last two decades it weems clear that college giving on the part of the great foundations created by Mr. Carnegie and Mr. Rockefeller has acted as a great stimulus in the upbuilding of our colleges, but has at the same time been partly responsible for by-products that were not antici- pated, and that can scarcely be re- garded as befiefits.” He says that one result has been an overemphasis on going to college. “So greatly hes the college idea been stimulated,” he says, “and so continually has the college opportunity been held up before the vouth of the country that no door of opportunity seems open to the young man or young woman except that of ! the college.” He believes that “many of these young men and women would find their greatest usefulness and their greatest happiness in other vocations than those to be sought through col- lege attendance.”” Dr. Pritchett be- licves that it is questionable whether @ science or even an art of public giv- ng can ever be developed. ——————————— Reclassification in Prospect. Prospect that the reclassification legislation will be completed at this session is now brightened by the an- nouncement that a compromise meas- ure will be soon agreed upon and put upon passage in the Senate. A con- terence between the President and enato moot and Sterling held yesterday developed the fact that there are no insuperable obstacles to agree- ment from the different points of view regarding this measure, and that changes can readily be effected in the pending bill, which has passed the Iouse and awaits action by the Sen- jate, to put it in shape for passage be- e March 4. The government's interest in effect- ing reclassification of the departmental { service is unquestionable. It is a { measure of true economy. It makes for greater efficiency on the part of the working force. It avoids the cum- bersome and objectionable expedient of annual “bonus” payments by spe- cial appropriations to give the govern- ment a fair compensation { suited to their needs in these times of i high cost of living. It puts the gov- ! rament's administrative organization Tupon a business basis. The urge to enact this bill comes as strongly from the advocates of greater economy in the government's conduct of its affairs as from the workers who are necessarily directly affected. No matter how much reclassification may incidentally henefit the departmental force, however, the measure is to be regarded particularly as one for the of the pubiic service. From that point of view promptness in | enactment is hly desirable. Every { veur that passes without action adds to the difficulties of readjustment. It required many years to effect {adoption of the department retirement tem. Now that it has been put into effect and is working out admirably— with some changes in detail still to be made to insure perfect equity— wonder is felt that so long a time was necessary to produce the result. Re- classificatic is a later proposition, {and there is prospect that it will have i heen adopted and put into effect in much shorter time than the other reat reform, which has already yield- ed much to the government in in- creased efficiency in the departmental system. i (fas workers benefit i | z i Bustle Revival. The bustle may not come back to us in all its fullness and pride, but there is at least a gesture in that direction. The news comes from the gown capi- tal, Paris. For the new woman who may not be well read on antiquities of dress it will be considerate to turn to a dictionary, which has this: “Bustle, a kind of pad or framework worn on the back below the walst by women to give fullness to the skirts; called also formerly ‘bishop’ and some- times ‘tournure.’” The bustle is an old friend, and as such one should in | civility and hospitality bid it welcome. Great Britain favors the inference that a system of international credit ! can be rendered secure only by means i of a candid recognition of obligations. | Many an Indian who finds himself involved in contentions over an acci- dental fortune is as much puzzied by finance as he was by fire-water. ] The news reveals the fact that many people are getting divorced who have no connection with the motion plc- | tures whatever. Ireland has troubles of her own, but she succeeds in preventing them from becoming matters of world agitation. The present line of resignation rumors involves more interest in pro- motions than in retirements. A Hylan Boom. Despite Senator Robinson’s sage ad- vice given the other day to the effect that it is unwise for the democracy at present to go President-hunting, the big bee is buzzing in several quarters. For instance, it is humming around the ears of Mayor Hylan of New York, Just now taking e “well earned rest” in Florida. The other day a bill was introduced at Albany providing for the creatlon of the new office of assistant mayor for Greater New York. It was ex- plained that the job at the city hall is too big for one man, especially if the one man has to do any traveling. Heretofore the mayor has been unable to get very far away from town for any great length of time, because there are always wicked people who try to take advantage of his absence THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. ¢, FEBRUARY 11, 1923—PART 2. Demand for Cloture in Senate Is Old as the Senate Itself to put something over. So he vmnul @ trusted lieutenant to leave in charge while he is gone. Officlally speaking, the mayor of Greater New York does not have to| travel as part of his job. But there are other considerations. As a rule that officially is known nationally only a8 a name, more or less closely asso- ciated with that of Tammany. But suppose “his honor™ could get out to California, or down to Texas, or up in Maine, or somewhere else in the south than at Palm Beach, occasionally for @ little sojourn. He could rub elbows with influential people, would get ac- quainted, would be found to be a “regular fellow.” Hence the assistant mayor plan, which is regarded as a part of a proj- ect to present Mayor Hylan to the people as a presidential possibility, If that is the plan it Is rather an am- bitious one. Up at Albany is a man who is already well known and who, it is believed, will, despite certain handicaps, be New York's democratic offering in 1924. But Hylan has a powerful friend who has helped him before, and who has no particular use for the present occupant of the state- house at Albany, and who, though perennially a *‘possibility” himself, is willing to share chances with the mayor. Hence the new move, which will be watched with interest, though perhaps with no concern, by those who regard themselves as more def. initely entitled to consideration at the hands of the democracy. Martin A. Knapp. Judge Martin A. Knapp's long career as a valuable public official was closed yesterday by his death in this city. For thirty-two years he devoted himself to the service of the govern- ment in various capacities. Originally summoned to duty here as a member of the Interstate Commerce Commis sion, he manifested such high ability in mastering the difficult problems presented to that body, then new in the governmental organization, that he was continued for several succes- sive terms, by differgnt Presidents. An enumeration of his various dutles, administrative and judicial, consti- tutes a remarkable record of activity. In all his capacities as member of the Interstate Commerce Commission, as labor mediator, as member of the bench, Judge Knapp displaved excep- tional qualities., Ie discharged every task with the utmost conscientious- | ness, and with unusual ¢ vision and capacity for determining the truth and justice of every ¢ 10 which he gave attention. As a speaker he enjoved a deserved repute, being always felicitous in phrase and inform- ing in substance. In the long course of his Waehington career he made many intimate friends. who had for him the warmest affection and the highest esteem. Though advanced vears, he memed assured of many | more vears of useful life, but death | has come unexpectedly to end one of the most valuable services ever ren- dered to the government. arness of in ———— No motorist is entitled to hope for the sympathetic consideration that is extended to the small boy with a sled | —who will himself be a motorlst some | day, burdened with a sense of re sponsibility for the life and limb of another rising g n. | —_———————— Telephone operators in the W partment receive only $840 a yea reduction of the comparativ small ¢ sum of $839 would enable them to en-; Joy the distinction of serving as dollar- a-year patriots. e An early discussion of presidential candidacies is to be encouraged as a means of giving prominence to worthy people who would never otherwise be mentioned. —_—————— People used to blame Mr. Burle: for non-delivery of mail. After Marc 1 the blame will be shifted to people who neglect to put up proper mail | boxes. e Russia says she is going to remain neutral. The best laid plans of neu- trality have gone awry because of popular impulse. —_— The “beautiful snow” Is still a cher- ished theme of poetry, but the beau- tiful thaw is what helps to solve a traffic situation. —_— e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Motion Pictures. “I'm goin' back to Crimson Gulch," Said Cactus Joe to me. “Where the distances are splendid And there's somethin’ new to sece. Here in the cast there's nothin’ much, As everybody knows, For restful contemplation, 'cept The motion picture shows. “The same old faces I behold ] On every billboard gay. Though I seek another city, H There's the usual display. | An’ so I'm goin® back out there H Where changes greet the eye, An’ watch the movin’ pictures Of the stars up in the sky Colorful Politics. “Do you think a me&n who has been under suspicion has a good chance in & political campaign?” “No,” replled Senator Sorghum. “You can’t make @ dark horse by us- ing whitewash.” Jud Tunkins says the lucky fisher- man is the one who can get folks to believe him. Inconsistency. 1 really hate to shovel snow. Quite candidly I =say it. ‘Were it & game like golf, I know 1 should be keen to play it. The Glittering Hope. “Why don’t you run for Congress yourself?” “If all the legislation I'm hopin’ for goes through,” answered Farmer Corntossel, “my time on this place will be so valuable I couldn’t afford to 80 to Congress.” “Remember,” said Uncle Eben, “it's jes as easy foh de other feller to see whut's wrong wif you as it is foh you 10 see whut's wrong wif him. ! pet i DY THOMAS R. MARSHALL, Former Vice Preaident of the United States. HB Senate is talking again of revising its rules to pro- vide limitation of debate. It always does when a leg- islative jam exists or impends. Reason now is found in the dif- culty leaders are having in bring- ing the ship subsidy bill to a vote. The threat of opponents to filibus- ter the measure to death has re- vived contention over unlimited debate which is as old as the Sen- ate itself. During the heat of a political campaign excited orators may be heard shrieking, “Shall the people rule?’ What they mean is: “Shall our faction of the people be per- mitted to do what it pleases? In a way the people have ruled throughout the life of the repub- lic. and in another way they have never ruled and never will. Au- thority can lay down rules for the government of all the prople, but it cannot compel obedience to these rules. A political party pro- ceeds upon the assumption that when it has won an election it must not be hindered or fmpeded from doing anything it jolly well ases (o do. So the query of the ampaign orator, “shall the people rule? which reverberated from the stump is heard in the United States Senate from members of the Darty in power. Great questions of government may have arisen since the election upon which the opinion of the public is mere guessworlk; these questions may ba ive of the fundamental principles if not of the fundamen- tal law of the land. vet the major- ¥ is apt to Insist that nothing must be done to prevent it from treating them as it pleases. * K % % During all the time that I pre- sided over the Senate resolutions were pending to amend the rules €0 as to cnable the majority to end debate and to legislate. Every time a moment of stress arose by reason of delay In legislation caused by unlimited debate the majority desired to provide clo- ture o as to secure a spoedy vota. The demand is again being heard Now. as always, senators are pointing the finger of scorn at their own body as the only legis- lative body in the world that does not have cloture. However, Sennta sceptible to > process is diffi passing of the inei- dent that made cloture desirable senators lose their impatience, with the result that up to this hour @ majority of senators have never been found who would de- liberately go upon record as desir- ous of limiting debate. In their calmer moments tors realize that the majority of today may be the minority of tomorrow, and clo- ture. if it is provided. may be in them as well as by long vears 1 ob- & eniotions as sen- 1o change tha rules Unlimited de- 1 stands and is quite likely > remain the rule of the Senate. Interminable talk may be extreme- Iy distasteful to the majority feeking to speed legislation, but it has served many a useful purpose. * % % “How long Oh, Lord. how Long?" was the way I felt about it when T first ran up against a filibuster. That was early in my first term as Vice President. 1. too, believed in party responsibility and in the t of the ority to rule I 8 likewise a believer in the doc- trine of public business belng transacted upen the public square. As a result of my eight years perience. I am 1ot now in fa elther of cloture or of abolition of the executive session of the Sen- ate. 1 learned that the majority was for cloturs only when cioture would accomplish its purpose, and that a minority always was against cloture for fear it might enable the majority to do some- thing ill advised. In both the ma- jority and minority are enough men who know that the spoke that is down today may be up tomor- row to prevent the limitation of debate. 1 well remember an incident when, as a believer In limited de- bate. 1 was compelled to_rule against my personal view. Sena- tor Stone of Missourl took the floor and proceeded to dress me down in language as caustic as a presiding officer seldom hears of himself. He ended by expressing the hope that some time the Sen- ate would have a presiding officer with the courage of Speaker Reed to toss the rules to the four winds and expedite business. Later in and with th. ma the day we met in the cloakroom. I eald to him, “You trimmed me and my ruling rather roughly, did you not?" He anawered, Y. meant to.” “But how siding last session you would have been deprived of the pleasure of reading ‘Paradise Lost' all one night to the Senate.” He appeared mystified a moment, and then thrust out his hand to me. “I re- member,” he sald. “Unlimited de- bate, after all, {s the only wea- pon to preserve the rights of a minority.” From that moment to the day of his death we were staunch friends. * ¥ ok % I recall no legislation from the defeat of which by unlimited de- bate the public suffered great fn- jury. Yet no one can speak with authority as to whether great in- jury came from the fillbuster, in the spring of 1915, which killed McAdoo's ship bill. The necessity for building ships became appar- ent when we got into the war two years later, and was promptly ac- ceded to. We may have been saved two vears' useless expense, con- sidering the merchant marine at the present time with the expense attendant to the government on account of the seamen’s law, pro- hibition and high cost of opera- tion. When a filibuster prevented the arming of merchant ships be- fore we got fnto the war. no harm was done, because inside of two months we were in the war. In- deed. T can think of no instance in which the people were injured by the failure to enact legislation because of filibustering tactics. Whenever the peoplc really de- mand enactment of a remedy to meet a wrong or a condition, efther there is no filbuster or the people promptly and sternly rebuke thoss who are engaged in it and get what they desire after short delay. 1t is the stuff that slips through Congress easily that rises up thereafter to vex the state—the stuff complacently consented to. Filbusters, taking them by and large, have not wrought Injury to the people. * ¥ ¥ ¥ It is interesting to recall the difference in respect for obedlence to the law of the jand as shown by the attitude of the English and Americans. In England a law is not enacted until an overwhelming public sentiment demands it, while in America any fad, fancy or theory that may creep into a nim- ble brain Is liable to be crystal- lized into law. The education of the people to beliave fn it then be- gins. 1 sometimes think that more filbusters than we have would pro- voke a healthy discussion of public anestions, crvstallize sentiment, bury foolish propositions and gal- vanize wise ones into life and law. 1 hope T am not the only one who realizes that the founders of our republic really had some first-class ideas about government and the processes of legislation v reversal upon the limiting of debate as u correct theory of gov- ernment is no moro remarkable than the change I have undergone with regard to exccutive sessions of the Senate. 1 remember, course, the waggish remark Senator Thomas of Colorado, that the only accurate newspaper re- of the proceedings of the e were those which had to ith its deliberations behind closed doors. 1 started In with the theory that every man was a potential scoundrel and therefore ought to be driven into the open. Befora 1 got through, T reached the conclusion that a man is far more likely to be a potential ego- ist than a probable scoundrel. Mis egoism leads him, when he has taken a stand. to stick to it long after he is uncertain about it. 1 have no doubt that if the Varsailles treaty had been con- sidered in executive sessions as all treaties before it, some com- mon ground on which to base rati- fication would have been found. The covenant of the league of na- tions_would have been modified and the United States today would be sit- ting at the table In Geneva doing what it could for the peace of the world. But egoism took Its stand openly and neither men nor angels can hape to overcome the vain- glory of man once he has told the people all about it T am back where the fathers were and in company Aabout as lonesome and dead. But 1 still be- lieve in representative govern- ment, in the duty of the people to scan the integrity and ability of their representatives and in the right of those representatives to talk as long as they please upon public questions in order to ex- plain their conduct and enlighten the public mind. The world is governed too much even with the filbuster and the executive session in vogue. When these disappear the last vnu{e of representative governmnt will go with thm. (Copyright. 1923, by Thomas R. Marshall.) Inside Stuff About New York BY WILLIAM JOHNSTO NEW YORK. February 10, 1923, T was supposed to be a meeting to commemorate the centenary of the distinguished Louis Pasteur, who invented the cure of hydro- phobla and put several mew words into the language. Some one had taken the trouble to get tickets printed and distribute them and as- semble a list of well known celeb- rities as speakers. One by one they got up and talked, not about the great Pasteur, but each about his hobby. Even M. Jusserand In his eagerness to justify the ac- tions of France in the Ruhr district, hardly mentioned Pasteur. But at any rate the occasion was observed and cach of the celebrities seemed to en- joy himself. I doubt if the audience did, unless it appealed to their sense of humor. Don’t Like Knickerbockers. Frequent attempts have been made to popularize the wearing of knicker- bockers by women, but somehow the New York girls do not take to them. At a recent convention of clothiers it was prophesied that the fad for Stroj in the spring, g’:s“t}m“’&ebeflrll :':ould wear them with silk stockings. For several years they have been seen quite often i; ecticut towns, an them for tennis or golf, but they are not nearly as common in the ‘metrop- olis as they are on the Pacific coast. Opera House in Wrong Place. E. Berry Wall, who years ago wWas considered New York's glass of fash- jon, returning to New York after a long sojourn in Europe, complains that New York is no longer a place for a mere millionaire to live in. There are so many people with so much money that a million isn't enough to keep up the pace with. Reminiscing _about things the oiher day, he pointed out that the Metropolitan Opera House was now too far below the city's social and theatrioal center. “When it was be- ing bullt” he said, “the trustees had the ohoice of two other sites, one on 61st street between Broadway | and Central Park and the other at 59th street and 5th avenue. The latter would have been a much better site.” Schools Ought to Have It. It would be a good thing if every youngster puzzling over the mysteries of physics and astronomy could see the new film of Einstein's relativity, | which has had a private showing in New York., While I find it hard to write a description of the things In the film shows, I do know that I carried away a better conception of what sclentists mean by a “fourth dimension,” and Einstein's law of relativity as it relates to eclipses of the sun, than I ever had before. In the audience at the private view was Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, president of Columbia University, and m the expression on his face as he watched the fllm I suspect that relativity is still puzzling even to college presi- dents. A Slap at Broadwa At a recent convention of Jewish con- gregations at the Hotel Astor, Rabbi Louls Witt of St. Louis gave this pic- ture of Broadway: “Broadway represents a mania, the mania of commercialism. It has respect for only one thing—success—and Broad- way measures success In terms of the dollar. First a good income, then a lemd time. This Is the formula of liv- ng." But observing the numbers of people from other cities in the Broadway re- sorts, it seems only fair to remark that the knowledge and practice of the Bmddm formula must be fairly widely spread. Where They All Head For. There are 12,000,000 motor cars in the United States and of these more than a million are in the state of New York. Any one who has tried to cross 5th ave- nue at the rush hour probably has the impression that the whole million cars in the state are there bearing down on him, but a recent count by the traffic police showed that there were really only 21,872 cars passing the 42nd street traffic tower in twelve hours. Still that's about an average of thirty cars passi: a minute—one every two seconds, all day long. - Capital Sidelights BY WILL KENNEDY. Mr. aml Mra, Ordinary (itisen who have been worrying about their eonl bills this winter will he fnterasad to know how the Prasident and the firmt lady of the land are etting along In the White Hou whish 1s well known to be dacldedly drafry. TAeut. Col. Clarence O. Sherrill, the Knuinesr Corps offioar Astalled to take charge of such matters for the President, has roported to Congress that the ‘White Houss coal bill wmounts to about $14,000 annually. At the sams time he gave Mrs Harding cradit for making every effort to have the coal consumption out down, saying that, for example, whe requires the heat In the east wing to be com- pletely cut off, ve when it Iy abso- lutely necessary. The fuel that was purohamed for the White House in the fiscal year 1911 was as follows: Stove coal fof tho executive mansion, 34.46 tons, $1,113.10, an averags of $13.17; furnace ooal for the executive mansion, 267.4 tons. $3,300.61, an average of $12.34 Der ton; furnace coal for greenhouses, 701.1 tons, $8,646.97, aversge ocost, 312.34 per ton—a total expenditure for coal of $13,060.68; wood for the exeoutive mansion, 37.5 cords of chestnut at $12 per cord, $450; gas for cooking, 463.300 cublc feet at 70 cents a thousand, $329.91. * ok ok % Sohool children, wrestling with problems of punctuation, may have the value of the insignificant comma impressed upon their minds by the serious consequenoces of misuse which have twice been emphasized tn Con- gress within a week. Omission of 2 comma in the text of the war risk insurance act took away from the thousands of officers and men in the coast guard all the benefits of the act after August 28, 1919, according to a plea for relief from the discrim- ination made before the House com- mittee on interstate and foreign com- merce by Ideut. Commander F. C. Billard. : When the House was passing the biil to amend the Constitution to prohibit tax-exempt securities. Rep- resentative Edward C. Little of Kan- sas protested agalnst some ‘“punk punctuation.” and advised his col- leagues not to make a cage for the Supreme Court, warning them that if they did not omit the comma the law business would become more profit- able than it has been for 100 years, and suggesting that it would bo bet- ter to have lawyers, not professors, writing the amendments to the Con- stitution. House Leader Mondell sug- gested that “some folks use few or no commas at all and some scatter them in almost anywhere.” Representative Little recalled that “the Bible was written without punc- tuation, as Homer and the Lnglish people, formerly, at least, read their laws without reference to commas.” He argued that the comma under dis- cussion could serve no good purpose and might do a lot of harm. He in- sisted upon the omission of a “wicked nd useless little comma that prob- ably will start a prairie fire of litiga- tion.” * x o ox The Library of Congress, cooupying the most beautiful library building In the world, facing the Capitol, has a printing and binding plant under its golden dome, although not one in a thousand of the people who use or visit the Library daily know of this workshop. The principal task of the printing office is the production of library catalogue cards, of which 12,021,582 were printed in 1922, and the monthly catalogue of copyright entries. These catalogue cards go to a large number of libraries through- out the country. They are printed in fifty-two languages and dialects. This printing shop has an average or twenty-five employes and their com- puted product last year was $50,608.- The Library bindery is engaged largely ir binding books and news- papers and mounting maps for use nd preservation by the government. These include many rare publica- tions and the precious manuscripts of famous Americans, which are far too valuable or perishable to risk handling outside the Library bullding. This bindery has an average of sev- enty-two employes and their product was computed at $135,067.30. x * x % Being a prohibitionist has proved “open sesame” to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis for one Jose A. de la Torriente, a citizen of Cuba. This question was raised when a joint resolution came up in the House to authorize Secretary Denby to permit this young Cuban to re- celve instruction at the Naval Acad- emy. Representative Thomas L. Blanton of Texas suggested that “under recent developments here in ‘Washington (referring to the boot- legging of embassy liguor) it might be well to place some restriction upon this young man to make sure that he will not bring with him a supply of beverages the possession and use and sale of which is pro- hibited by law in this ocountry. If those from his country who are high- er in authority permit - Dedience of our law here T the g:-vo'_ tal, it is not very far out of the range of possibility for underlings to do it” Blanton withdrew his objection when Representat| Stephens of Ohio said: “We have imformation that this young man {s a prohibition- ist.” * k%% Joel Grayson, presiding geniug of the House document room, who came to the Capitol forty-elght vears ago as page and has been continuously in the employment of the natlonal House of Representatives ever since, has just lost by fire a carefully selected library of 2,200 volumes which he has been collecting for nearly half a century, and which was pronounced one of the best small libraries in Virginia. Many of the volumes, practically all of which were bound in half morocco, can never be re- PN % 1ib r. Grayson's library contained all of the books published by the Unlted States government relating to dip- lomatic _matters and international laws. He had copies of all of the treaties from the foundation of this government. He had old Ben: Perley Poore’s charters and constitutions of the states and territorles, the documentary history of the Constitu- tion, manuscripts of the signers of the Declaration of Independence (which took ten years to collect): volumes of the world’s best literature and books of knowledge. Bancroft's History of Native Races, & full et of Ethnology Reports and a full set of the American Hlstorical Association Reports, a full set of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a et of the Messages and Papers of the Presi- dents by Richardson, and a set of the diplomatic correspondence of the Confederacy. * % ¥ % Representative Danfel J. Riordan, who is completing twenty years' serv- ice in the House, says there is more politics in his home city block in New York city than in any city block in the world. His next door neighbors are Al Smith and John Foley, the ‘Tammany leader. in the city hall, Park road, lower Broad- way and Wall atreet and Broad street. The Goulds, the Astors, Vanderbilts. Morgans, Rockefellers and Ryans and all that line of multimillionaires are his daytime constituents, but did not elect him to Congress, he says. ‘The voters in my _district ocome from Chinatown, the Bowery, Bohemla and Little Ttaly,” Representative Riordan boests. His district takes MEN AND AFFAIRS BY ROBER VERY Washington official Mkes to have hiy conferences with férefgners, particularly with diplomatic representa- tives, punctuated with an occasion- al wmile. Of course, thers are al- ways a certaln number of formali- ties to be gonse through at the be- &inning of an interview, but before it is ended there is the growing cus- tom of a4 smile or two ou both sides to show that all goes well There probably never was a more genial administration than the one now reigning in Washington. tempn of genlality has been set by President Harding himself, and it ex- tends through Secretary IHughes right on down to even the under- secrotaries and officials at the State Department, who ordinarily are grave and solemn with the weight of ne won diplomatic honors learing o heavily upon them. Of oourse, Vice President Coolidge adways is an exception to any rule of gayety. The Vice President refuses ever to be cajoled into showing & wee, wan Dit of a smile. The greatest difficutfy the State De- partment has in winhing a smile from the diplomatic representatives resi- dent in Washington with _the Japanese. Naturally imperturbable it s particulamy a part of wWe Japanese diploriatic training com- pletely to mask ¢ne’s feelings ®r emo- tions from any facial sign What- soever. President Harding, however, has dis- covered & waf of getting a from the most serious-minded of his occaslonal _Japanese visitors, mystic word that wins a grin from the orfent is “Ohio.” The President feels he has % perfect right to use the word, besause it merely repre- sents his native state. But Japanese -h!-0" means “good morn- ing," and a very pleasant good morn- ing, at that. The Japanese are quick to get the asseciation of ideas in th President's midd und to return his infectious smild. Naval men revall the extreme popu- larity of the cld battleship Ohio in Japan when the American fleet made its tour of the world in 1908. The Japanese used o call the ship “Good Morning,’ but When they were as- sured the name meant nothing more than the letter#l O-h-i-o they replied with & knowing grin: . “Oh, yes, it i8 the O-H-Ten Which wasn't bad a guess in these days of K-12 and ZR-6 naval craft. “It is perfeftly amazing to the for- elgner visiting your country for the first time to see the amount of space your papers devole to the ‘doings’ of your voung women in The speakes was one of the younger members of the embassy colony in Washington There is no doubt at all that he equally intrigued with, the society columns of the capital newspapers. “I am trying to get myself straight- ened out.” he continued. “I hear 80 much talk of ebs and buds. I try to follow it, but I find it dificult. Then you seem to he what they call sub- debs. Are thera sub-buds, too? And some of the el@er! iies T see play - ing bridge, are they what you miz call super-buds? And the buds related in our Arm; You say. ask to know “The women of America, they are so Heard and Seen *So the tong cafes for its brothers.” said old Louie Hip, cramming the hody of Mark Tom Tu, the traitor, into the empty flour barrel—— “Gila” Bill's gun flashed fire, Sherift Jameson fell forw bullet through his heart. “They are after me for one, it might as well be T guess!” exclaimed Bill, as he— ‘There. on the rug. face downward, society.” and man in the county. A knife handle | between his shoulders showed how he had met his fate. Every door was shut—— x * ¥ Amid such stirring above one can the influenza— One can forgive, as the he has scenes almost forget most, but not in some sense, quite. the brought “Gila® Bill, “Alkali® Pete, Chilcoot” Charlie, old Louie Hip, wealthy old misers mysterlously shot dead, brave men of the “great open spaces.” villains, heroes, clever de- tectives, picturesque crooks. My advice to every one who gets the “flu” or any form of ft is to stock up on flotion magazines that lit the newsstand. Lay off the latest novels—they are too good. Psycho- logical adventures of some up-to-date | youth are a bit hard to follow when you feel like a general wreck. But these weekly and twice-monthly fiction magazines! There you have something that will carry you along something that will stir up every cor puscle in your veins, will help chase the germs away. You will be surprised to meet some old friends face to face again Many years ago. perhaps. you sneaked away behind the barn to read about Nick Carter, or old King Brady, or gome other character of the supposed- 1y_iniquitous “nickel novels.” You always have held a secret con- viction that those were good stories up. you were convinced at the time was because she wouldn’t take the trouble to read them. ‘Well, they were good storie: know it now. They moved alon like a2 motion picture, no dull pla nothing boresome. And they clean, too. Of course, there of shooting—but going to do when a vi * Those old “nickel novels” are on t newsstands now in all the dignity ot thick magazine form. The covers are toned down a good deal, and the stories are better and longer, but that good old spirit is still there. once & week, others twice a month. some three times a month, and others monthly. They are crammed from cover to cover with the good stuff. Plunge into one of the stories, and you will finigh it, Influenza or no in- fluenza. Most of them are very well done._And they do move! They gal- lov. Every situation has its meaning. And every meaning has its movement. : * * % These stories carry forward the finest tradition of the American short story. They are clean. They deal with the outdoors clean winds and fresh salt spra men in them fight square, and he who fights squgre always wins. The man who fighfs crooked goes down to de- feat. They have character, these stories. You can find stories cleverer, more sophisticated and all that sort of thing. But you will have to read a lot {o find any more real enjoyment | When you tire of Plato and Dickens, get “fed up” on Emerson and Tar- Kington, as wonderful as they all are, §0 to the newsstand and get an arm- ful of these fiction magazines. Don't be scared away by the covers. If you have influenza, send some one to ‘get them for you. Then enjoy yourself. CHARLES B. TRACEWELL. with The | emile | The | in | was genuinely amazed at, but | rd with a| lay 01d Ezra Simpleton, the wealthlest | ubiquitous germs, if with them they | The only reason mother burned them | Some of thaese magazines come out] The | T T. SMALL. much fn evidence in your newspapers And yet I hear them call themselves downtrodden and say they have mot sufficient means of self-expression. It Is amazing to the Kuropean. In Europe, especially in central Europe our women arc very much in the background: they are seldom in the papers; they are not o highly edu- ted. Most of the education is lav ished upon the male; he is trained for the carcer. As you move wes the realm of won higher and higher. In the orient the woman is the chattel. Turning we ward into central Europe vou fi lier mistress of her household, but | content with that lot. When you get cland you find the woman coming more and more into promn nence.” When you get to Americ: find that woman is what you she iy e vard in the world seems to mov. « some of y est_colleges, s in vour publi e. she i3 in you in your newsy bud and a deb; ves, she is It is ve: azing. Yet she Amazing, I say." When Isadora Duncan, the dance sailed from New York a few day ago carrving away with her back to his dear ia her boy-poct husband Serge Essenin, the immigration a thoritles here in the ecapital b great laugh heir own expense, had held Serge up when he firs to this country a few short ; ago. They held I is Island because they n told he w a revolutionary, « real red bolshev: who hated governments and ruler and evervthing staid and ord Miss Dun perfactly fu {at the tre and remain ifor the au | marrying t beco R | sumably. al<o When Tsudc other day s | ner. they saia tionaries, red ric aud they were going back to | place where they could ’! 1 of revolution vodka. Tho i smiled at tr I'the departing duo. the American released Isador {arrival with |can always {ernmen mor rgued that sian sh sian herself. and, a red a and revo revolutionarics turning rediess of The joke was or uthorities. They had and Serge after thei fome misgiving: rgo_during 1 They watch- nixht Isadora took Hall swhers the ¥ was giving a benefit first fow nights asho il one him to Carnegic Actors” Eaqui preformance. 8 nervous, so the s watched hir elosel Serga seemed worried b s surround was impatient il 4 also eyed Serg closcly. & letected stgns of | discontent nean Finall: ja hoy refreshments passec {Vllh Isadora hailed him small box of Turning e presented it voured the chocolate. detectives turn hall in disgus after all He was | hardly pink. | washin rule are ring sionall nd there One did a 4 & gallery * ohe s g Japer men as t occa 4 worm turns » ago in the Sen wish T were e could write about ‘Cab bages and Kings' All we have i« | write about are cabbages.” fFlfty Years Ago in The Star. | International radicalism is no ne thing, but is an old menac: » societ £3 rife fifty International ¢ 4go i1 R Eurcpe and T Incendiaries. i Ame ca, and took & mos | sinister form. In The Star of Febru | ary 7. 1873, is the following on t matter: “Can it be that there is foundatior for the reports circulated that what is called the International Society is crrying out a regularly planned | cendiary program in our large cities {A man signing himself John Littl Writes @ fire-and-slaughter lette: | from New Orleans to the New York | internationals. He confesses that he 13 to se burned, disappe the pia; destruc were miscs | through the vigilance of the adding this amiable remark: ve if such a conflagration took place it would have been hailed with Joy by the workers.’ This letter would pass for pure brag and nonsense but for the approval which its hideous sentiments have received from the federal council of the New York in- ternationals. Upon its reading Citi- zen Frey remarked that ‘they were red hot and prepared in the good cause in New Orieans; it was a pity that they had not a little more of that spirit instilled here’ And the conununication was entered on _the | minutes of the puneil, The New York Journal of Commerce says of the matter: ‘We have been reluctant to believe the st of the incendiary purposes | of the internationals circulatod some time ago. But if these men are seri- approving the tone of John g al letter they must not 1o r a tolerant judgmen hereafter.” " and time 1o time past ade 1o put steam rai | 4 years | . road track | Plan to Lay Tracks Across Pennsylvania Avenuve. 0% “7¢ Pennsylvania avenue, under the ple: {of public ne These attempts were always stoutly resisted. In The ‘SIJV‘ of February 8§, 1873, is the fo! {lowing editorial regarding the latest jmove in this direction | ‘An effor now being made in Congress by the Balt ore and Oh railroad to get permission to replace their tracks on 1st street, in_front of the Capitol, under a plea of tem porary use. We trust that Congress will_promptly reject the proposition. Everybody here understands that the | pretext th the privilege is wanted |only temporarily is a shrewd device | to disarm opposition, and that if they lonce get their tracks replaced they will keep them th It is idle for them to profess that they only wish to occupy the street for a short time. until they can tunnel their way through the cits or find another pas- sage. What that means ws know by the length of time they have been at work on the Metropolitan road, which has been ‘going to be built’ since the ymemory of the oldest inhabitante. “If members of Congress will re- flect for a moment on the dangerous nature of the nuisance inflicted upon the Avenue by allowing locomotives to cross it at one of its most crowded points at the junction of half a dozen streets, and directly at the foot of the Capitol grounds, they will not for a moment tolerate the idea of restoring an evil from which that locality is now happily relieved. Those who re- member the Imost daily accidents occurring whil that nuisance exist- ed, from hors: taking fright at sight lof the locomotives with long trains [of cars. will join us in denouncing’ the | scheme for {an outrage ups not suppose that Congre: _ unmindful. either, of the undesirabili- ty of having the locomotives, with their shrieking whistles and infernal bells, crossing and recrossing Penn- sylvania_avenue every hour of the day within & sfone’s’ throw of the Capitol itself. essity.