Evening Star Newspaper, November 19, 1923, Page 6

TIfie EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition, WASHINGTON, D. C. ZIONDAY November 19, 1923 THEODCRE W. NOYES....Editor Star New 11tk 8t and ¥ Ofilee Otfice: Tower Building. : 16 Regent 5t., London, g Star, with delivered by ¢ 4t G0 cents per mouth unday mormng ion in wadg by v wonth ahle in Advance, Maryland and Virginia, v and Sunday..1yr . €85.60 1 mo. 1yr., 36.00; 240, All Other States. Sunday 1 yr.. $10.00 1y 7.00. Solyr 33,00 70¢ Member of the Associated Associated 1 i exciusiy » ‘use for republ cation of al Patches credited to it or not bis paper an the horein e o disyaten are o-al news pab pubtication of < hereis also reserved England and France. anxiety with which Americ been awaiting developments from growing tension in Anglo-French relations is today somew Ly the dispatches from Paris, the interallicd couneil « is er 1 in an eleven S0 to harme conflictin that ent 1he viewpoints e which rdamental ion. that a formula ng an accepta the of view on mili- Gas to recstablis < for decades been the f factor in Buropean equi The news indicates been found furni ble compromise betw and the French poi tary control in Germany. Details are > far lacking. But in bhare an neement, indicating that a grave risis for d Any 18 been passed, there P gratification. wrospect of a rupture ance and England ove of the wisest course foreing certain of treaty of Ve tragic. With the of prosperity and security upon the «ontinent bound upin maintenan: of a friendship which has be in the blood of men n, is cause the m, to follow i the articles of the les s imate a the thought of a solving that bond cannot be endu w 'r the expediencies of polities: ever the clash of selfish interests bitions: whatever the impedi- of French fears—with which adhere: and ments A ish Americ great nations ¢ and find that w fmpasse which, cost what it may mu 1 sacrifices, would never proach the cost of the loss of thelr wutual friendship and Americ he friend of both, that they m a, prays Colony Home for Feeble-Minded. Pr is reported in the work of cstablishing a home for feeble- iuinded persons. This project h Leen discussed for many years by public authorities and, civie organi- wions in Washington. At length ropriation was obtained for the work. ", though one of good na- the matter of site. innin la: set up at Blue Plains, or Shep- Lerds, where the District Home the Aged and Infirm and other pub lic charities are situated. Among the reasons for opposing that site was that there is not land enough and env which prof is ‘tors of the home had in mind. arby sections in Maryland 1d Virginia were looked over the Comm bought a large tract of land in Anne Arundel county and determined on the colony plan of construction and administration. Plans drawn by an assistant ' gineer Commissioner of the District and the municipal architect were ap- proved by the Commission of Fine at its late meeting, and now the ary of the board of charities and the municipal architest will carry the plans before the national mittee on mental hygiene for exam- ination and possible helpful recom mendati Enough of the mon appropriated has been left afrer the oners secrel 1s. purchase of the farm to begin work { 3 on the home, and when it his b set in o it wi ¥ out the plan and provide place which may be called *home s u part of our popu and deserving special c which the public autheritic heretofore made provis ———— ion. Again the farmer insists that the aquestion of how he is to pay his taxes is as important as that of taxation it- self. ———— Poincare finds tuat tae French pub- lic is not only behind him, but inclined to push The war is over, but not in the Rhineland ——— The Anacostia Flats. the Eastern branch would seem that this work should be done as soon as possible. Between the mouth of the Eastern branch and the . Anacostia bridge, and between that ' and Benning bridge, progress has been | | lie |elt t relieved ! British | beiween unutterably | | was made Ju! made, but between Benning, Licking banks, Hickey run and the District line is an expanse of ooze and slime grown with ribbon grass, pickerel weed and wild celery. A narrow siream flows through this stretch of mud and weeds. Reclamation of the Potomac and | Izastern branch marshes has gone on siowly. We are proud of Potomac Park, but that is only part of the reclamation work planned nearly half a century ago. More than a century ago Congress and the people of Wash- i on and Georgetown consldered the flats dangerous to public health, but at tihme our people were more | which were not what they appeured -!to be, as Indian turnip, Indian pink h deepening and wid commerce than with ' Indlan hemp. Inabout twenty-five other plants in this sanitary reasons i 708 there was inslstent talk | region. of filling flats for sanitary and esthetic | “Indian giver.” Congress authorized the creation of a board of survey for “the purpese of devising and submit- g to Congress a comprehensive n of improvement not only in re- spect to navigation, but also with ref- ence to its sanitary effect on the hington and the possibility ming in any plan of improve- the swamps and iarshlands the water front.”” Alexander was 4 member of that board, at act of Congress one reads t congressional reference tothe sanitary aspect of the matter. In Feb- ruary, 18 there was a disastrous Potomac flood, and in that year Con- ress ordered another survey for the purpose of “raising the flats in front f the city and the establishment of arbor lines.” Improvement of the Potomac river, comprehending reclamation of the tlats, removal of Long bridge, con- ment along uction of two modern bridges, ex- | cavation of the tidal basin and crea- | of Potomac Park was Inaugu- of Congress August 2, $400,000 was ap- the work. of $500,000 tion rated by act 1882, under which propriated for beginning The next ppropriation b, 1884. Some work in the Eastern branch done in the late 'S0s. The navy | yard channe! was deepened and a mud embankment laid along the river from Giesboro to Poplar point. In follow- ing years this work was carried to the navy yard bridge, converting the river i from that point to its mouth Into a mud lake foul with sewage. In late vears dredges have filled the river from the old channel to the southerly | shore line. The work of dredging and {filling has gone creepingly on for | about thirty-five years, and nothing | has been dene toward changing the ap- | confidence. | 1 Park is still on paper, ‘ March, Then came a| At! first it seemed that the home would | Mon and genius is to take him all for | reclaimed land to parkland. Anacostia held a celebration a few months ago on the occasion of turning the first spade of earth in parkmaking, but the great Anacostia or Eastern Branch , and reclamation above Benning has not been begun. Around the World in the Air. What a thrilling thought there {1 in this contemplated journey of four Army fiyers around the world next encompassing as it proposes 11 the globe and touching both ireenland’s icy mountains dia’s coral strand." The record of long- distance flying up to now is from Eng- d to Australia, but now man's am- the way. The air has been conquered to transmit the human voice, and this trip, if successful, will go far toward + further bridling the air to carry the ! human being and his baggage. Think onment would not be that ! and ; | the Aleutian Islands and thence to Ja- | | | | “tlon needing e and for | rency. have not | 53 gemanded. | | i | | 1 of the long flights across the seven seas, the airplanes with their pontoons resting between lape upon the water. The longest non-stop passage will be 700 miles. Starting from Washington the flight will lead to Seattle, Alaska, pan. Siam, Burma, across India eand the Persian gulf, the route goes through continental Europe to England. Then “taking-off” for the Faroe Is- lands, Teeland and Greenland, the flyers will land on the North Ameri- can centinent in Labrador and so home across Canada. All hail to the €om-| intrepid Army officers who will risk | their lives in the undertaking—and good luck to them! ————— Though a candidate himself, Mr. cAdoo declares he will gupport any Rt : "N | man nominated by the democrats. No ration it is believed lhk(i},[’] for harr not be difficult to obtain funds | more fair ous support could be urteous. —_———— Great eagerness was displayed in Berlin to obtain the new paper cur- At least the charm of novelty ———— With proper safeguards children may play in the streets, but there must be schoolhouses for them to study and recite in. ————— The present coal situation s tosome extent cheerful. Nothing bas occurred recently which will serve as the basis of another boost in prices next year, —————— Indian Summer. This is Indian summer. It {s be- lieved that not many persons will deny this statement. If one had said A plan for reclaiming and parking | last October when warm days fol- flats between | lowed ool nisats, that Indian summer Berning and the District line was re- | had come indignant men might have cently go) L the hoard of en- answered that it was not Indian sum- gineers named for that work and the mer. but only squaw winter, and Commussion of Fine Arts, and a re- | others would have entered the fray port will #e made, 1 Cong 1 that rec v thy December. 1t bodles to | declaring that it was not squaw win- ; believed | ter, but papoose winter. lamation of those river shoals | few statements go unchallenged. Per- Nowadays and marshes will be proceeded with. | haps if one were to say that twice two Several pla paper sho s have been laid down on | make four, that bread is the staff of ng the usual park fea-'life and that rain falls on the just tures of groves, lawns, drives and aend unjust, repudiators would still walks, and also showing such unusual ' come forth. features as lakes where people may skate in winter and go a-boating in { There are men who ridi- cule the thought that Columbus ais- covered America, many who say that summer. There are some differences | Capt. John Smith was more a ro- in the plans, but the wish of a great number of people is that some scheme shall be adopted and carried through with reasonable speed. The Board of Trade committee on Lvidges pointed out In a recent report that this reclamation work cannot be un_above Benning bridge until a araw has been built in that bridge that dredges may pass, and the com- mittee recommended that a certain sum be appropriated for a draw. It mantic writer than an explorer, and a few deny that Adam was the first man. But it is felt that there s safety in saying that this is Indian summer. Tt is November. Many trees have dropped their leaves. There have been frosty nights. Ice has formed and snow has “flurried.” Yet between chill nights are balmy days. When ancestors of our first and other families came from Britain they knew the terms, “All Hallows sum- ” and In-| Skirting the shores of China, ! ithat the hotel proprietors have re- | { | { H THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €., MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1923 mer,” “St. Luke's summer” and “St.! Martin's summer,” as applied to’ warm weather following All Saints’ day, St. Luke's day and St. Martin's | day. Why they called warm weather | in late autumn Indian summer no one knows, Many a man had it from his grandmother that it was so called be- cause it was the season of Indian forays. Yet if one take the record of Indian uprisings it will no doubt be found that as many occurred in December as May. June as November and July as October. Perhape it was President Coolidge's friends feared that, believing Indlans treacherous the rivalry of Johnson more than that and falée, and knowing that warm | ©f Lowden, Pinchot, Watson and all November was not con-|the rest combined. It's the Califor- nian's flery talent on the stump that is his incomparably strongest asset. iAs & rabble-rouser, there has been no campalgn in our time to excel him, | with the possible exception of Bryan. | Democratic leaders snare republican Hiram Johnson's formal entry into the republican presidential race mo- nopolizes interest, liberally seasoned with anxiety, in both republican and democratic camps. Nowhere Is the Johnson candidacy regarded with contempt. It i{s an open =ecret that weather stant, our ancestors called the time Indian summer in e sense that it was false summer. They prefixed “Indian" to the names of many plants Indian mustard ané ‘They invented the phrase, Thackeray, when he sent Col. Es- mond to Westmoreland county, Va., more than half a century before the American revolution, caused him to write In his memoirs this: But we two cared no longer to live in England and Frank formally and Joyfully yielded over to us the pos Sension of that estate which we now occupy far away from Europe on the beautiful bhanks of the Potom where we have buflt a new Castle. wood. and think with grateful hearts of our old home. In our tr. antic country we have ason, th and most dellghtful of the year which we call Indian summer. | often. say the autumn of our life resembles that happy and Serene weather and am thankful for its rest and sweet sunshine. ————— Reports that Mussolini {s taking the bar examinations in Italy give rise to conjecture as to whether he is going to follow a somewhat famillar pro- gram and retire from politics in order to recoup his fortune by practicing law. —_——— i A generous argument to the effect that a work of art, even though not authentic, is all right enough so long as It gives pieasure to the eyve is the first ray of hope that has gleamed for some time across the pathway of the German paper mark ———————— In the course of time preliminary discussions as to where a national convention shall be held should be eénsibly dispensed with. Washington, D. C., is recognized the world over as the ideal convention city. ———— A great city in seeking @ convention is under difficulties when it has to of- fer as an inducement the statement formed since the convention preced- ing. —_—— Having listened to Col. Bryan's ob- Jection, friends of Mr. Oscar U'nder- wood are willing to give the world one guess to name a democratic candidate that the eminent Nebraskan would un- qualifiedly favor. 1 | | ——— Even If governors of states cannot arrive at definite and practical conclu- sions, they can at least get together and hold one of the world’s most dis- tinguished indignation meetings. { —— Discussions of European affairs have grown so warm that there is no chance of keeping forelgn entangle- ments out of the coming campalgn. —_—————— After all, Japan has not as much to be discouraged about as several na- | tions which have not recently experi- i enced earthquakes. ———— France refuses to find satisfaction in the general belief that a return of the Hohenzollerns is one of the worst | things that could happen to Germany. ——— A jaywalker may have his share in the responsibility for a collision, but he can never be blamed as the one who did the most damage. ——————— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, Street Improvement. Main street, so they tell us, Was a stupid thoroughfare, ‘With ways that would compel us To get out, 'most anywhere! Now Main street has the posters Of each motion picture show, Candy shops and peanut roasters Just like any town you know. Main street has the “lizard" And the jewel-laden dame, ‘The ofl stock selling wizard And the seven-'leven game. It's no longer just a piain street. The behavior swift and free Makes me almost wish that Main street ‘Was more like it used to be. | Patient Thrift, “Do you remember that man who used to preach economy to the masses?”" “1 do,” replled Senator Sorghum, “and I must say he took his teachings to heart. On a small salary during war-time he managed to save up sev- eral million dollars.” Jud Tunkins says, “Early to bed| and early to rise” is the only hope of a man who wants parking space when he gets to town. Overcrowding, With so many great hats in the ring ‘The nation must presently figger On dotng some practlcal thing ‘To make the ring very much bigger. Love and Politics. “So you never saw a man whom you would be willing to marry.” “I'll go further than that,” replied Miss Cayenne. “‘I've never seen one I felt I could consclentiously vote for.” Artists’ Models, “Why do you laugh so much when you look at the comic pictures?” “For joy. I'm so glad I haven't any friends or relatives who look that “'Speakin’ of unemployment,” sald Uncle Eben, “de season is drawin' near when a lot o’ folks is tempted to do nuffin’ but wait foh Christmas.” ilate war. | body guarantees, ! dead, 30,000,001 respect for Johnson's capacity as a vote-getter. Slx months ago they uld ' be heard saying that they wouid Immanul{ prefer to fight Harding for re-election in 1924 than oppose Johnson. Mnnf of them feel that way about the relative strength of Coolldge and Johnson. * koK What does Calvin Coolidge talk about when he recelves distingulshed Europeans? Reparations? World court? Disarmament? Allled debts? Well, when the President received a great British publisher the other day the conversation was devoted to America’s educational system. Mr. Coolldge strongly advised his visitor to study our schools before leaving the country. Incldentally, the Presi- dent told the caller that a'trip abroad is still one of the luxuries in life to which the Coolidge family has to look forward. * % ¥ % One of the British women who won celebrity during the world war I coming to the United States to lecture early in the new year. She is Dame Rachel Crowdy, who was principal commandant of the great volunteer nurse corps which rendered yeoman service to the British army and navy. Dame Crowdy, who received her (l"el after the armistice, was on duty in France and Belgium throughout the entire war—from 1914 to 1819—and was frequently “mentioned in dis patches” for meritorious work unde: dangerous circumstances. Dame Crowdy, a graduate physician, fs a| bachelor woman of thirty-nine. Ehe IN TODAY’S WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS By Frederic William Wile is Great Britain's member in charge of socfal questions at the head- quarters of the leaguc Of nations. Her spoaking topic 8t will be the leagye's work In prevention of the whitesslave traflic and narcotics evil. * ko % Mrs. Emily Newell Blair, vice chairman of the democratic national | committee, 1s about to launch a cor- respondence course for woman voters —a “school of politics” conducted by mail. What our woman politicians are chiefly concerned about is the apathy of theilr newly enfranchised sex. Having achleved suffrage, it is & disconcerting fact that at the 1920 presidential election fewer per cent of the women entitled to vote ook the trouble to do so. The men are 1ittlo less indifferent. It {s authorita- tively stated that only 49 per cent of the total voting population of the Unjon went to the polls on November 2,1920. The League of Woman Voters 18 campalgning to the end that at least 756 per cent of the nation's elec- tors shall do thelr duty In Novem- ber, 1924, ok x “Dan” Voorhees of Indlana, who was In the United States Senate for twenty years—from 1877 to 1897—was than 50 known as the “Tall Sycamore of the | ‘Wabash.” They've coined a somewhat similar name for Albert Jeremiah Beveridge, who now appears to be known the “Tall Saxophone of the Wabash.” Beveridge is not blowing his own horn these days, but attend- ing sedulously to his knitting, that of a historian. He is hard at work on his monumental life of Abraham Lincoln, which his friends are con- fident will be a fitting companion plece to Beveridge's “John Marshall.” * x K ¥ Ellot Wadsworth, Assistant Secre- tary of the Treasury, assures the Re- publican Club of Harvard that “this is a critical time for the United States.” In a letter just sent to the club apropos its plans for the 1924 campalgn, Mr. Mellon's understudy wrote: “The man who i{s chosen Pri for the next four years will responsibility as great as, greater than, any President has ever faced.” (Oopyright. 1923.) SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL V. COLLINS The escape of Crown Prince Fried- | rich Wilhelm from interment in Hol- | land arouses the suspicions of the, world s to whether it is to be fol- lowed by the former kalser's seeking to regain his throne. The abdication all claims to the throne by the prince amount to no more than “scraps of baper” in case they see an opportu- nity to cast them aside and emulate Napoleon's return from Elda. The German republic secretly poses as permitting Prince Friedrich Wil- helm's return in order to neutralite the agltation in Bavarfa for the en-, thronement of Rupprecht as King of Bavaria—In rivalry with the Hohen- zal line—but the same pretense will apply equally to & return of the former kalser, nfter the weakness of “Willle” becomes ohvious. Neither | have been guarded by Holland, and! oven the flight of the prince seems to have made no particular change in Holland's policy of indifference to the e to the peace of FEurope and orld, which she appears to be forwarding. * * X % Stresemanr, premier of the repub-, lie, announces that the occupation of | the Ruhr by France is an act of war| {which nullifies the Versallles treaty. Germany, therefore, Is again In actual war with France. which status paves the way for any act of deflance or| hostility, even including the re-en- thronement of the ex-kalser. As the United States is not a party to the Versaiiles treaty—to the regret of former President Wilson—the admin- istration of President Coolidge takes | he position that this country is not concerned as to what form of Bov-| ernment Germany chooses to estab- list, especially in the light of our settied policy of letting all peoples choose their own government. Hence the State Department is profoundly non-committal as to any comments on | current events in Germany. | That is not the position. however, occupied by the major allles of the. To them the situation is extremely tense, and the efforts they mads in 1921 to induce Holland to! surrender the former kalser are re-| called in bitterness and with chagrin at their fallure. Holland is facing an accusation by the civilized world, as, represented by the allles and asso- ciates, of having betrayed civilization | by sheltering and then giving liberty 1o the arch-criminals of all history. * % k¥ When the allles, in January, 1921, demanded that Holland turn over the, Kkalser for trial, they argued: “It is; not a guestion of public accusation having throughout a legal character, but an act of high {nternational pol- icy, imposed by the universal con- sclence, in which legal forms are em- ployed solely to assure the accused such as have, hith- known (n public law. had law been faced by her of 10,000,000 victims of un- ar?dull:d lust for power. No Alexan- | der, Caesar nor Napoleon bad flooded the world in such gore. Ten million 0 wounded or ruined in enacted law could rime, for such erto, been un: Never before health! Previously not measure such a crime o was inconcelvable. A A ndt note of demand the allles appealed to Holland to remember that she who had been “one of the first to claim a place in the league of na- tions, will not desire to cover by moral authority & violation of the es- sential principies of the solidarity of nations, for ail are interested to pre- vent a return of & similar catas * kKK Holland immediately took the po- gition that by her laws and traditions, she must continue to act as an asylum for those vanquished iIn international conflicts. Her premler replied: “Now neither the constitutional laws of the kingdom, which are based universally recognized principles z‘; law, nor the time-homored trad tion which has made the country at all times the land of refuge for those vanquished in international conflicts, permit the government of Holland to comply with the desire of the powers by refusing the benefits of the laws the ex-emperol wl(olhnd added: “If in the future, an international jurisdiction was insti- tuted by the league of nations, which jurisdiction was competent to judge, it would be within the province of i the Netherlands to decide whether it would adhere to the new regime. The government of the queen cannot in the present instant admit any other obligation than that Imposed by the laws of the kingdom and the national tradition: SEpReat To that refusal, the then premier of England, Lioyd George, replied on behalf of the allies: “The powers do not require the wovernment of the queen to depart from its traditional policy, but they believe that the nature of their de- | 4 mand, which, according to thelr opin- on, does nof principally, upon the internal law of the Netherlands, has not bLeen suffi- clently appreclated. 'No question of prestige is at stake, and the allies give the same atten- tion “to the consclentious sentiment 1 of Wilhelm I and the renunciation of | 0f a small state as to the deliberate decision of the great powers, but in order to judge the responsible author of the catastrophe of the great war, | they cannot walt for the creation of & world tribunal, charged with the prosecution of international crimes: !it 1s precisely the judgment under conslderation which ‘will pave the way for thig tribunal, and mark the collective action of the universal can- sclence. Would not the refusal of the government of the queen to delive the ex-emperor create, if it wer maintained, an unfortunate precedent which would tend to render ineffec- tive the action of all {nternational tribunals against highly placed crim- inals? “The government of the Nether- lands states that the demand for the deliverance of the ex-emperor can- not be considered except from the standpoint of its own obligations, I does not appear to consider that it is under obligation, in common with the eivilized nations, to assure the pun. ishment of crime against right and against the principles of humanity for which Willlam of Hohenzollern has assumed, in a manner which is undeniable, the heavy responsibility, The Dutch reply no single word of disapproval for the crimes com. mitted by the ex-emperor, crimes which revolt the most elementary sentiments of humanity and civiliza- tion, and for which In particular « many Dutch natlonals have them selves been the fnnocent vietims on high seas, by, 18,1t Possible not to be ¥ the reactionary manifest. s Which the refusal of Holland and th dangerous comfort thus afforded il those who oppose the just punish- ment and exemplary judgment of the guilty, regardless of how high laced they may be? Holland, whos istory reveals a continuous “trug- gle for liberty, and which has so gravely suffered through contempt of justice. could not, by such a nar- row conception of her obligations, place herself outside of the com- munfon of the world. * * ' Tha powers desire to remind the Dutch Kovernment that If it should per- sist in its disinterestedness ‘as to the presence of the imperial family on its territory, in such clove proxim. ity to Germany. it would assume di- rect responsibility, both for the sheltering of a eriminal from the rights of justice and for a propa- ganda so dangerous for Europe and for the rest of the world. It is indubitable that the permanent pres- ence of the ex-emperor under in. evitably Ineflicacious guard, with- in a few kilometers of the German frontier, constitutes for the powers which have made superhuman sacri- flces to overthrow this mortal dan- ger. 'a_menace which they cannot De asked to agree to. The rights to which they are entitled by wir- tue of the most formal prineciples of International law, authorize them, and obligate them. {o take such measures as are necessa own security.” YT hels * ko ok It there is any virtue or satisfao- tion in “I-told-you-so,” then the al- lies must feel it now, in the present escape of the crown prince, Indis- putably as part of some conspiracy of reaction. It s noteworthy that both Hol- land and the allies point to the fact that at that date, the league of nations had not had time to organize its proposed world court, Holland based its refusal to hand over its refugees to the allies partly on the ground that there was no yful’ml-ll}’ constituted court to try them for the alleged crimes. Lloyd George based the plea of the allies for the immediate surrender of Wilhelm, on their demand, because they “could not wait for the establishment of an international tribunal. * ok *x % On January 15, 1919, a pre-peace commission of fifteen, reprerenting the victorious nations, considered the culpability of the kaiser and the responsibility of those who caused the war. The United States was represented on that commission by Secretary of State Robert Lansing and Mr. James Brown Scott. All voted to prosecute, except the two representatives of the United States, who differentiated between guilt of violating “law.,” and guilt of vio- lating only “morals” The latter they held as not punishable under international law. ' The question arises whether the establishment of the Harding world court would drive the underpinning out of Holland's objection, and Whether if the United States pushes the world court to completion that court may yet set up juriadiction to try the kaiser, even though we have no part in ao”v;mnlu l'-.!v".v of with the German nm (Copyright, 1923, by Paul V. Collins) in the United impressed | EAST IS EAST "'BY FRANK H. HEDGES Six 1itfle gunboats, all of them pitifully “(nadequate for the task to which they have hecn assigned, form the Yangtze river patrol of the Amerlcan Navy. Their duty is to protect American lives and Interests along China's greatest artery of com- merce. In an emergency, and the American resident of China must al- ways tako an emergency Into consid- eration In forming his plans, they would be called upon to furnish such protection, or, if the worst came to the worst, of making posaible the flight of American citizens from the interior to the coast of China and safety. Except under the most favor- able clreumstances, the six little gun- boats would be powerless to accom- plish this. There is little question but that the respectful fear entertained by the imasses of China for the forelgner {#lnce the days of the Boxer defeat is dwindling. The security of forelgn |1ife and property is less today than at any time for twenty-three vears It is due, in my bellef, not directly to anti-foreign feeling on the part of the Chinese but to the general dis- turbed political and military condi- tion of the nation, a chaotic condition in which the foreigner as well as the native Chineso is potentially imper- fled. With the possible exception of the commercial community at Shang- hal, those Americans and other for- eighers who make their homes in China realize this. There scems to be Lo bitterness and resentment on their purt, but there Ig a reall uneuxy and dangerous position into which they are steadily drifting with the outbreak of each new civil war, |of each political shifting In Peking, of each victorious bhandit attack. Conscious of this situation, American merchants, scholars and others in China are anxious that preparations be made for their protection in the event that the potentlal danger be- actual one, and they would strong arm of their govern- There are times when force, or quate display of force, is the only argument understood by the Chinese masses. EEE Three hundred marines guard the American legation in Peking; a bat- talion of American Infantry with British and Japanese soldiers in guarding the railway from Peking to the northern port of Chingwantao and so keep open this avenue of escape to the sea from the capital; six gunboats on the Yangtze and two on the West river at Canton perform similar services for those regions. The Yangtze patrol (and the gunboats on the West river are no the sitwation for which it is main tained. Three of the boats on the Yangtze were originally a part of the | Spanish fleet In Philippine waters, de signed for service where deep o shallow draft was not a considera- | tion. Their speed is Insufficient to |stem the current in the swifter reaches of the river, while their deep }dratt makes it impossible for them to move freely save during high water stages. Two boats built at | Mare Isiand in 1913 have the neces- sary shallow draft, but they also lack speed. The flagship of the patrol, the | Isabel, is a converted private yacht which' has Deen adapted as a de- stroyer and which did good service ut of Brest in 1917 and 1918, but she draws so much water that she cannot reach the upper stretches of the river except during high water. Her speed is twenty-cight knots, more {than ample. In fact, if she were to | steam ahead at top speed her wave { would sink all the Chinese junks on {the river. Last cans were Held captive by bandits in the province of Honan and most of the missionarfes living in the inte- rior of that province had fled from | their homes to the river port of | Hankow for safety, there was u pos- {sibility that the Yangtze patrol {would be called into action. It was not. Fortunately, it was not neces- sary, but even if the necessity had crystallized, the Yangt patrol Would not have been called into tlon for the simple reason that It been. Washington a gesture, but it en a gesture of words n little gunboats would have been physically unable to mov freely on the river to a point of con- | centration. § * ok ok ok At that time the Isabel was sta- tloned at Hankow, in a “deep hole” which she could not have left. An- | ather boat lay off the bund at Shang- ! hai, and her deep draft would have made It impossible for her to pro- | ceed up the river. Two others were llmtloned at Changsha ‘and Ichang, leach of them Iving in “holes” from Which they could not move until spring rains had raised the level of the water in the channel. The two | boats built at Mare Island, with their shallow draft but inadequate speed, ! might have been able to answer the {call, but the {trouble occurred at Ichan ‘them had tried for twent i one of iIx_ days reach that river city. Each time she wa swept back, the current of the { freshet-swollen river | powerful than the engines of the boat. The American érew bhad to suffer the humiliation of remaining below the gorges when duty called them elsewhere. The blame for this condition does Inot lie at the doer of the Department of the Navy, for Mr. Denby is fully conscious of the ~ituation and plans to remed. it with “he co-operation of Congress. *“The Navy Department Wil said Mr. Denby to me last summer, “at the next session of Con- gress, earnestly ask for an appropria- tion for the building of gunboats for particular use on the Yangtze river. We are trying now to reinforce the Yangtze patrol,* but have no vessels other than those now in,use that can go above Hankow. We shall ask Con: expressly to be able to go up the rapids and of speeds sufficlent adequately to do thelr work, and draft light enough ded. B e * kK K “When we have these ships, If we are successful shall Increase the Yangtze patrol, probably by the use of the entire number, or, in any event, by a num- ber regarded as sufficient to give pro- tection to our citizens and commerce,” That statement of policy by the Secretary of the Navy.is one which will be warmly welcomed by Ameri- cans resident in China or.with Inter- ests in that country. It is a reassur- ance that Washington is back of every American living and doing business in the great Yangtze valley. No less welcome will be Mr. Denby’s losing words: CoYon may say for me that the Navy Is keenly alive to the situation in China and is very anxious to ren- der all protection wherever possible. Whether we Bhall in the immediate future strengthen the Asfatic fleet I cannot at this time say, but we shall certainly endeavor to strengthen our forces In the: river at'least so that our own people and their inter- est flag. —— e Her Broad Platform. From the Miuneapolis Journdl. A thoughtful woman is running for mayor of West Hoboken on a platform calling for “Milk for bable: Malt for mammas, beer for Dapi What the Farmer Wants, 3 From tho Birmiogbam News., i Every 1 r ., wishes to be-#ic) enough to live in town and spend h! time at & country club. l on of the | headquarters in Tientsin jolns with | two | 1 and winter, when Ameri- { ummer before when | to stem the swift current in order to | being _more ! Gress for six new gunboats designed ! t &o into the lakes when they are in getting them, we ! may be protected under our own. BY FREDERI Q. Please give location of canal | which ran through Washington south |of Pennsylvania avenue.—J. T. M. A. The office of public bulldings and grounds says that it was known a8 James Creck canal; it came in east of the Washington barracks to what is known s Canal street, to the Botanlc Gardens and west B street between Center market and the Smithsontan Institution, then con- tinued to the Monument grounds up to 17th street, where it went Into the river. Trafic was abandoned on this canal some fifty years or more ago. Q. What is the difference between Russian bank and crapette?—C. T. A. The same game both names. Q. How much of the money lected for Japanese rellef was spen in aid of Americans in Japan?—A M.-T. A. The Red Cross report says that 332,600 cash was pald to the State De- partment for assistance to American citizens in Japan. Contributions to Ithe relief fund have nearly re $11,000,000. is known by Q. Do canvasback ducks fly faster {than wild geese?-—H. M A. not 511 Measuring the flight of bird an exact scien aking, wild geese average 110 to feet a second in flight, while the | canvasback flies ahout 145 teet a sce- jond. Q. Have United tés postase stamps any watermarks?—J. H. S, A. Watermarked paper was used by the United States in the manufac- iture of postage stamps until 1916, {when its use was discontinued with a_view to broadening competition among paper manufacturers in bid- ding upon contracts to supply the government with paper. It was be- lieved that the value of the water- mark was a protection against counterfeiting, but this belief was of paper. { Q. Please give some information Staten Island—H. W. Y. for old and disabled s planned by Capt. Thom: land founded by his son, |ard Randall. He bequedthed his farm {known ax 'Minto farm, lving just {south of Union Square, Manhattan, for {the purpose. by Alexander Hamilton and Daniel D. | Thothpkins, and Gov. De Witt Clinton |helped to secure the charter. The amen, w. Randall { depend solely, nor cven | better) is physically unable to meet | home was founded in 1801, though the j corner stone was not laid until 1831; {the first building was opened in 1833. | Q. How many persons usually old Roman daye?—H. D. A. “Private Life of the Romans" says that the ordinary number was nine. Q. How much do one million dol- lar bills weigh?—W. J. A. A. The Treasury Department stat that 1,000.000 new one-dollar bills weigh 3,000 pounds. If 1,000,000 new one-dollar bills were placed one on top of the other, the pile would Dbe 285 feet in height. The coal situation is not to be per- mitted to drop out of sight. The federal fact-finding commission has | passed from the stage. But its con- |clusions in the form of various re- ports are very much allve. Gov. Gifford Pinchot and his associated executives are going to take another shot at the coal profiteers. And {Congrees fs in the offing, just a few days away, ready to open up anew the entire question. It {s hardly to be wondered at. then, that editors find the subject of coal one of the most !important for discussion at the pres- ent moment. As the New York Herald iputs it, “for the first time in its i nistory the United States government { possesses a mine of information upon conl. It also has the suggestions of competent men upon how to set up an umpire and create judictal ma- chinery which will prevent operators {and miners from rushing reckle {into a conflict costly to the country | at larg The corl commission has gone {its way, but Congress inherits both | the results of its labors and the re- | sponsibility for taking action in time | to prevent another strike next April.” Insisting that “no apology is neces- |eary for renewed newspaper refer- iences to coul and coal prices” the |length the “greed in coal distribu- tion,” as shown by the report on whole- salers’ profits, and the costly methods of distribution, and insists that “if Con- gress has power to regulate coal distri- bution in time of emergency, it ha power to do 50 at all times. Trev tive legislation adopted by Congress should not only be comprehensive but continuous in its terms. One of the first obligations of Congress at its approaching sesslon will be to deal vigorous courageously and as sweepingly as the Constitution permit with the coal problem. And there should be no ‘buts, or ‘ifs in its gew code of statutory regulation and repression.’” Directing attention to the drop in prices of bituminous coal due to “ample production and a slow de- mand,” the Indianapolis News holds “his ought mot to nfluence Congress, because, “even if prices should con tinue to fall, Congress must not be permitted to forget inherent evils i the coal industry and the Importance of action concerning them. *k ok x Incidentally, the Trenton Times directs attention to the statement of tax costs nelghboring consuming states from four to five million dol- lars annually, and Insists “Gov. Pinchot, despite his howls as a great reformer, seems to be perfectly will- ing to add to the burdens of the coal | consumer and Gov. Silzer can render no finer service than by continuing to show up the graft.” The Atlanta Journal Is fully con vinced that “private control in this basic industry must be mended or it wil] be ended regardless of political theory. The economic and the human interests at stake are so vast, s0 vital, that the nation will not suffer them forever to be victims of inefli- clency and profiteering.” 1t should be remembered, the Saginaw News- Courler holds, that “any change would be walcomed,” but that newspaper here Is no great hope that any tiye relief can be expected from Congress.” ~ While there a of course, “too many middlemen Birmingham News is not impresse by the profit-finding facts of the fed- eral commissfon, characterizing them as “all very interesting and the un- Jucky consumer has sensed that some- body somewhere along the line has been getting fat profits”; but sharply demanding “what are we going to do about it?* Referring to the man..r in which Judge Crawford of e Kansas industrial court kept pri down through slashing profits o middlemen and saving “the peop'e Kansas thousands of dollars in what would have been excess profits,’ the Wichita Beacon holds 'the re- up ! on | col- | outweighed in the production and cost | about the Sailor's Snug Harbor on | A. Sailor's Snug Harbor, the home |1 The will was prepared were invited to a dinner party in the | Syracuse Herald discusses at some | will | Gov. Silzer that the Pennsylvania coal | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS C J. HASKIN that Hareld Liovd, the an artficial arm o Al NS Lloyd lost his thumb finger and part of hisx hand wis posing for some comic photographs, He had a real bomb in 1 his hand which the property man had ven him through error, and this ex- ploded, blowing up the photographers !studio and injuring Lloyd's han { Q. Is there a quarantine ipine?—L. E. D. A. The fore: [there is a_auarantine acainst wh | pine from Eneland and Canada. Thi is the only quarantine on conifers ar mervice save that | present. Q. What were the draft registrations?—0. Durine the hree dra Antes w. recent war 1915, 5 prember ond. Tune thir | Aneust > 1918, Q i918; What is th exnressionism and {literature?—T. G. C [y The fietion writer of the x- resston 31 seekcs inspiratio | within hims '?’"'nm‘f}.,r: ! siderabl. oughte and | emotte The im- i surroundines Tuding himself and s the oxe him most novelists make nds of technique, : known difference hotween impressionism in the an beine. his hos them ties iof both k sOome novel fas memie {other. though finitels or th but generally | fming o smim | wat ing rink | Th ltion savs that it pron. | this pressure { compa a he {twent [to fre Q. How tall is a baby A. A mnewborn baby twenty inches tall, and at lof its third vear of life has at {half its adult height. is Q | lee | tand Was the name ind origina —T. R. The city of the city of spelled “Cleav of Cleveland was nd. leading cticut Lanc - first et~ Robert Rich- | {in first syilable in order to get the headline into the form. Q. When did kings use the plural “we'2—1 A. This custom John of Englund and German custom about (The Star In will o you offer appiics strictly t The bureau canvot give advice on legal, medical and financia! matters It does mot attempt to settie domes- tic troubles, nor to undertake exhaus- tive research on any subject. Write your question plainly and briefly. In- close 2 cents in stamps for return postage and send your query to The Star Information Bureau, Frederic J Haskin, director, 1220 North Capi- tol street.) r E an first begin t with King 1 The French reigns adopted the 0 Bureau on. This information. |Coal Situation Held Issue Which Still Is Far From Dead coal commission will do larify the situation and constructive rem try that has been port of much to pave the w in an indus dly managed. *E* Any new agency created must be xtended to whol distribution, as well &s to production and trans- portation,” insists the Chicago Daily News, and that newspaper recalls “there are reports current in Wash- ington that the coal question, like some others, is to be postponed until after the mext presidential clection The consumer should have something to say about this craven pollcy. Is he to be plundered by dummy com- panies, greedy operators and others for another period of two years cause congressmen hav for anything beyond politics consumer must know full well that the plunder will contin mains passive apd fnarticul is the more 50, as the Detroi views the outlook, because dustry in thi d is as badl aged as the coal business, demonstrated itself as sensible to the public in monopoly, for example. is so ne complete as that existing in cite and none its position so flagrantly 1f “Gov. Pinchot wa when the operators conference that they cannot co-op: ate with him in freczing out the hard-coal profiteer. no one else was,” insists the New York World in eon menting on the flasco which imp the Pennsylvan xecutive Lo another confere: of gov “Th was nothing in the I settlement to indicate that with eac successive vear the capital-labor ma- chinery will not occasion anothe hold-up. At any rate suggesti madec by the coal commissic likely to put an end to th see the end. that the ; done no more than warr | consumer and grant him permission lto look out for himself, a privile that has been his for some time Recognizing importance of the Pinchot declaration that he will have 2 “single ific program for Con- gress,” the Star pointed out that “the j mass of the people will welcome it if 11t seems at all feasible. uraily, if national legislation can check extor- ition in anthracite prices, it can be nade to apply umirous and verybody wiil . Untll ‘the governor m: his plan there jwill be the keenest interest In it ! and speculation as to whether it will andicapped by the principle of price-fixing, which, of endanger its betng astonished med him 1 th, { spe push | be | overnmental urse, wo carried out. |Careful Driving Day Suggested for District To the Editor of The Star: The ever-increasing number of auto- moblle accldents which is costing hundreds of valuable lives every year and the destruction of thousands of automobiles, warrants some Sensa- tional and drastic demonstration as soon as possible to bring home most vividly and forcibly to the people of Washington the awtui toll which is being taken through automobile acci- dents, We have had our Fire-prevention days, our Clean-up weeks, our better homes expositions und dozens of other public demonstrations to force public attention for various purposes for which the demonstrations were planned. Why shouldn’t we have a very forcible public “drive-carefully” demonstration? T am sure that thousands of inter- ested motorists would turn out on this specific day in a demonstration parade against automobile accldents. I am sure the zovernment depart- ments would co-operate in helpin also. The details of such a demonstra- tion properly carried out could be made into one of the most forcible lessons of the present day. I trust that this suggestion may be put into practical use. BE. R, HAAS, {