Evening Star Newspaper, November 30, 1923, Page 6

THE EVENING STAR WASHINGTON, D. . FRIDAY......November 30, 1933 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Busiaess Office, 11th St. and Penusrivania Ave New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Ruildiag. European Office: 16 Regent St., London, England, The Evening Btar, with the Sanday morning edition, is delivered by carriers within the city at 80 cents per month; daily only, 45 ceats per month; Sunday only, 20 cents' per month, Orlers may_be sent by mi Dhone Matn 5000, - C: riers at the end of Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and V! Dally and Sunday..13r., §8.40; Dally only. 1yr, $6.00; 1 mo., Sunday on 1yr., $2.40; 1 mo. All Other States. Dally and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo., 850 Daily only. «1yr., $7.00; 1mo., 600 Sunday only......1yr., $3.00; 1 mo., 28c Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Arsociated Press fa exclislvely entitied to the use for republication 6f all news dls- patches credited to it or not etherwise eredited in this paper and also the local lished herein. Al righ wpecial dispatel s = Minority Government in Germany. Wilhelm Marx, leader of the clerical party in the German reichstag, has been chosen to head what some be- lieve to be a forlorn hope in the effort to carry on the ministerial govern- ment in Germany. A three-party com- binatfon bloc has been organized con- stituting a minority coalition of the clerical, German people’s and demo- cratic groups. These same elements were Included in the Stresemann gov- ernment support, which also for a time had the co-operation of the so- cialists. Now the socialists are left out of the coalition, and the new bloc headed by Marx is distinctly of the nature of a bourgeoise alliance. This movement is described in the dispatches as the last despairing effort of President Ebert to form a ministry that will permit him to retain the relchstag in session. The dissolution of the reichstag, it is recognized, is likely to be the signal for violent re- actions. There has been no sugges- tion of a general election, which ap- parently is the last thing to be desired and the most to be feared. The dic- tatorship s, however, the only alterna- tive If the reichstag fails to support the Marx government and is conse- quently dissolved. All these maneuvers are but time- serving expedlents. Germany even- tually must come to the point of de- clsion upon a policy, Involving a cholce between the soclalists’ and the industrialists’ programs. The bour- geolse elements, though constituting when assembled a strong minority group, cannot positively control. In effect, at present these elements thus grouped hold the balance of power. But just in the same way do the in- dustrialists and the soclalists. Ger- many s, in fact, in a triangular situa- tion, with each angle of the political diagram acute and wncompromising. Meanwhile the economic situation is not improving. It is, in fact, becom- ing worse. The reparations question is far from settlement. The currency 1s thoroughly demoralized. Unemploy- ment is not decreasing and the people are suffering. The conditions, in short, are dangerously favorable to a revolution. ————— Why Obstruct? The political and legislative at- mosphere at the Capltol is surcharged with rumors, reports and ominous portents of threatened resistance to organization of the new Congress and possible obstruction of legislation it the protesting faction is not accorded & large degree of concesslon to its de- mands. How much of this constitutes threats which will not be carried out will be demonstrated when the cau- cuses of the House and Senate are held tomorrow. Possibly by that time the faction- slists may pause and take second thought, welghing the factors in the situation and assaing the profit or Joss to themselves and their party, mnd the impairment of legislation for the country, likely to result from & policy of obstruction and delay. It may well be asked, wherein does political history record en instance of & minority faction of a party galning advantage in the end by flouting its own side? And does not reason and experience suggest that more is to be ‘won by playing in with those with ‘whom they are more nearly affiliated, even though there be shades of differ- ence of opinion and pollcy? Tt might also be asked {s there not danger of actual 1088 of prestige, per- sonal and political, in & policy of ob struction for obstructior’s sake? The country is Impatient for legislation along several lines, and will hold re- sponsible those who delay it just be- cause it is not all to their own lking. It would seem the part of good poll- tics, not to say patriotism, to start the legislative mill promptly to grind- ing and fight out the {ssues in debate on the figor and in voting, each fac- tion teking the fortunes of war. e, If Albert Beveridge is crowded by the Indiana statesmen, his hat may go inte the ring Wwith more or less serious consequences. ‘The low cost of Thanksgiving turkey proved to be one of those gentle holl- day myths. ———— Gallipoli and the British Election. Echoes of the great war are heard in the British campaign which is drawing to a close, the elections to be held on the 6th of December, next ‘Thursday. Thus Winsten Churchill, who is standing for election to the house of commons, has been severe- 1y heckled by audiences at his meet- ings on the subfect of the Gallipoll peninsula campaign. Churchill was first lord of the admiralty, and has been held by the British public as re- sponsible for the peninsular flasco, which cost frightfully in lves and ‘made no gain for the allied cause. He has met the criticlsms vigorously, however, declaring consistently that 1f the Dardanelles had been forcéd the war would have ended in 1916. If, he svers, his orders in connection with the Dardanelted had been carried out the British fleet would have got through without difficulty. A violent eemtroversy has raged over this question of the Gallipoli campaign. It was one of the most costly disasters cf the war to the Brit- ish forces. It started with a strong promise of success. The plan Involved two operations, the forcing of the Dar- danelles by the fleet and the occupa- tion of the Gallipoli peninsula by the army to effect a combined marine and land attack upon Constantinople. This, if successful, would have opened the way for an advance upon what was virtually the flank of the central powers. It is true that such a way was technleally open from Saloniki, but it was a more difficult one and, moreover, had the disadvantage of leaving the Turkish forces free on the east to menace an advancing column. The Dardanelles proved Impregne- ble. The British fleet advanced a con- siderable distance, only to find the way blocked by mines and forts. Sev- eral major ships were lost. Mean- while, in one of the most brilllant operations of the whole war, a land- Ing had been effected on the western shore of the peninsula, but the Turks were Strong enough to prevent more than a coastal occupation. After sev- eral months of persistent clinging to this precarfous position, with constant heavy losses, the forces were with- drawn, that withdrawal standing as itself a brilliant achievement. The moral effect of the Gallipoli fail- ure was a serfous blow to the allies. It was a defeat, and & most costly one at'that. Gallipoli is remembered today in England with intense bitterness, and there is no occasion to wonder that the man whose natne is most definitely associated with the enter- prise should now be quizzed in his par- llamentary campaign on the score of it. The Army-Marine Game. The Army-Marine foot ball geme will demonstrate that Washington can take care of a great crowd of foot ball visitors, that it can turn out a large foot ball crowd on its own ac+ count and that the Griffith Stadlum i8 a capacious place. The annual game between the Army team of the 3d Corps Area and the Marine team of the east has come to be one of the important, or “major,” games of the foot ball season. Heretofore it has been played at Baltimore, and it was said that Washington could not give accommodation for such a crowd as this game draws. It was decided last summer that these teams should play at Washington and this is the eve of the event. We shall see whether the Marine Corps or the Army of the 3d Corps Area has brought together the greater team. We shall see how much of a crowd attends and how Washington “handles’ {t—that {s, how the police guide the host to and from the sta- dium, how the traction companies pro- vide for the traffic, how auto parking and driving are regulated In the neighborhood of the stadium, how the lunchrooms and restaurants provide for the foot ball strangers, how the citizens’ committees entertain the teams and how much of a crowd ‘Washington turns out to see a big foot ball game. It has long been represented that ‘Washington is the city in which the annual Annapolis-West Point foot ball game should be played, but the arge- ment has always been set up that ‘Washington could not accommodate the crowd and had no foot ball ground and stands big enough. It is sald that 66,000 persons saw the recent Annapolls-West Point game. The Washington base ball park has been enlarged as the Clark Griffith Stadium, and it is belleved that seats can be furnished there for as many persons us saw the Army-Navy game at New York. If it is not large enough it can probably be made larger. The Army- Marine game played at Baltimore last year drew about 50,000 spectators, and ‘with reasonable weather it is belleved that the attendance at tomorrow's game will be as large. ———————— A careless cigarette smoker started a blaze in Chicago. Modern conven- fences have progressed since the old lady’'s cow kicked over the lantern and started the blaze that still marks an epoch in American history. —_—————— The radio entertainers who have threatened to strike may find it de- sirable to temporize in view of the number of public men who are per- fectly willing to fill in time. —— Generous donations of turkeys and pumpkin ples should cheer the Presi. dent of the United States. There are still people willing to give him some- thing besides advice. ————————e Chinese bandits robbed a bank of helf & million in Shanghai. At last these operators have reéalized that their industry need not depend em- tirely on foreign capital. ————t—e Hitler aenies wa. uu cunemplates @ hunger strike. Even a patriot is of more practical service to his cause when reasonably well nourished. —_——— ©One of the most difficult officials the resignation rumor hes had to tackle 1s 8enator Cummins. —————————— The American Quick Lunch. In the news it has been sald that “the French Academy of Medicine, replying to questions from the minis- try of hygiene, advises against chang- ing the French custom of & lelsurely meal at midday in favor of the quick. lunch system practiced in America.” Several reflections may come to one who considers the quick lunch. One is that it ought not to be called an American institution. It has its home in the citles. In the vast reglons of America where sheep bleat, cows low and viliages dot the lendscape the quick lunch has not made headway. There the people eat breakfast, dinner and supper. Perhaps the French have recelved some extraordinary notions-about our quick lunch. The quickness of it has been exmggerated. There are Ameri- can quick feeders and there are food gobblers in other countries, and no apology is made for them. In our quick lunch rooms at midday there niay be a mighty rattle of dishes. Men and girls behind the counter move with more or less speed, and there may be something of a rush for seats, yet the eating may ba done in a Jeis. urely gvay. The quick lunchet séems not to be in a great hurry to get back to work. 4 J The foreign notion that our business men take lunch from a high-pressure hose and rush through the streets eat- ing a sectlon of ple is hardly true to life. The charge has been made that American business men spend too much time at lunch. They eat, smoke, talk, listen to speeches and even make them. They meet friends at lunch and have a good deal of conversation. Tha business man's lunch hour s often two lunch hours. —_————— Grade Crossings. The question of the few remaining grade crossings in Washington will not down until the last of these public dangers has been eliminated. Since attention was recently drawn to three or four grade crossings remaining fn the Capital there have been confer- ences between the District Commis- sloners and steam rallroad officlals, and the matter seems to have pro- gressed satisfactorily, the railroad men showing a disposition better to guard the crossings of which com- plaint is made. Though gates and ‘watchmen to operate them at all hours of day end night will reduce the dan- ger, the only solution of the matter, will be the “elimination” of those! crossings where vehicle roads and railroads intersect at the same level, and there Is no doubt that this will be dome. It is but a question of time, and the public urges that the work be carried out as soon as can be. The Rhode Wsland Avenue Citizens' Assoclation at @ recent meeting voted to petition the Commlssioners to take speedy steps to eliminate all railroad crossings. The assoclation also asked that pending abolition of the remain- ing crossings a watchman be required to be on duty at all times to warn automobilists and pedestrians of dan- ger. It is the understanding that the railroad company has agreed to do this. A few years ago these crossings, which have now become places of considerable danger, were in the rural part of the District, but the growth of the city, increase in traffic and a number of accidents have brought about the demand that the roads or streets and the rafiroad shall intersect at different levels. The time is not far off when there will not be a rallroad grade crossing in the District. ot Paris Labels. ‘The chief of the textile division of the Department of Commerce mukes a report that American women are being duped by Paris labels on gar- ments. A man would say that the government should act against the misbranding or false labeling of hats and dresses just as It would against canned or bottled goods labeled to de- ceive, but it appears that women might resent the meddling of a mere man with this sacred subject. There is strong inference in the textile chief's report that the ladies know “perfectly well” that the hat or gown was not made within 3,000 miles of Paris, but that they like the labels, and are will- ing to pay an extra price for the plece of furniture plus the label. The textile chief writes: women who subject themselves to this 1 IN TODAY’S \ . FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1923 _——Wmm ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL V. COLLINS Ten days ago, at the press con- ference at the White House, the of- fielal spokesman of President Ccol- 1dge frankly expressed the President’s doubt, as a lawyer, that he had any authority to overrule a federal judge in & case of contempt of court. There- fore, he thought it unlikely that he would pardon Controller Charles L. Cralg of New York city, sentenced to sixty days in jail. by the federal dis- trict court. for alleged contempt of cgurt, in having written a letter criticlzing a court decision made fif- teen months prior to the criticism. The United States Supréme Court has sustalned the district . court’s sentence by overrullng the dectsion of the Unjted States clrcult judge who had dlsmissed the defendant on a habeus corpus appeal. The only escape from a felon's cell lies in a possible change of mind of the President regarding the Chief Ex- ecutive's power to pardon in such a case, together with a willingness to exercine that power. The matter is now under advisement, in connection with the Attorney General. * ok ok ok The case fs not unlike that of al- leged contempt of court by Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor; Frank Morrison and John Mitchell, two other promi- nent officlals of that organization, who were charged, in 1907 and ‘08, with deliberately defying an Injunction forbldding them to advertise the Buck’s Stove and Range Company being “unfatr.” Mr. Gompers wa sentenced to serve one year in jall, the others nine and six months, re- spectively. Great political pressure was then brought to bear on Presldent Taft (during his first year in the presi- dency) for a pardon for the labor leaders, but it was refused. There is no precedent of a presidential pardon in such a case, nor has there been any final adjudication of the Presi- dent's power in such matters, but the then Attorney General, Mr. Knox (later United States senator), advised President Taft that, in his’ opinion, the President 414 hold the right to pardon the defendants, since the charge against them came under criminal laws and not civil. There has not lived in this generation a lawyer Whose opinion has been held in higher esteem than that of the late Senator Knox. In the Opinfons of Attorneys Gen- eral, third volume, page 622, a case is related of a fine of $400 for con- tempt of court, and Attorney General Glllipin advised that the President had power to remit the fine. In volume 4 of the Fame book, page 458, Attorney General Mason advised that the President had power to pardon defaulting jurors. No Attorney Gen- eral has ever questioned the Presi- dent's right to pardon {n criminal cases, but a distinction {s made as to Judgments in civil actions for mon involving failure of a defendant to obey the court's order to pay damages or alimony. Such civil cases are held to be outside the realm of executive clemency. * X ok % In the case of Mullee, 17 Fed. Cases, 968, Judge Blatchford held that the circult court had no jurisdiction to relleve a prisoner who was in Jjail for falling to pay & fine of $2,600 for contempt of court. Tha judga held that since the fine was & penalty for contempt, it was a criminal case for which the President alone could give | relief through a pardon. The Presi- dent ruled to the contrary, that he had no power to pardon a fine, as it | involved a payment of money, and so was a civil matter. The court then reversed its own decision, recognized ‘Doubtless most of the |that the fine became a civil default, | and admitted the prisoner to bail That is the hearest the courts have as possible after his {nauguration, for his.campaign had been fought large- 1y on the issue of freedom of speach. * kK K In the United States, under our Constitution, all power comes from the people, and its limitations are ex- pressed in the Constitution. That Constitution, in section 2, article 2, provides that have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of im- peachment.” Impeachment cases are brought by a houre of representatives and tried in a senate, whether state or federal. They do not appear in any court. The Craig case, therefore, is clearly not an impeachment, for it is a court case, for contempt of court. ’ * kR X x Two of the Supreme Court justices, Mr. Justice Holmes and Mr. Justice Brandels, dissent. from the majority ruling in the Craig appeal—not dis- cussing the merits of the original charge, but only the question of pro- sedure in carrying the case from the district court to efrcuit court on a habeas corpus appeal, instead of a writ of error. Chief Justice Taft renders an opinion agreeing with the decision of the majority in holding that the procedure of carrylng the case up on habeas corpus proceedings was faulty tactics, and suggesting, by inference, that the case might have come to the Supreme Court on fts merits, and been reviewed, but that the appeal on habeas corpus caused delay =0 that now the other course is barred by time limits, * X * x Chief Justice Taft says: “If the publication criticizes the judge or court after the matter with which criticism has to do has been finally adjudicated, and the proceedings are ended, 50 that the carrying out of the court’s judgment cannot be thereby obstructed, the publication s not con- tempt, and cannot be summarily pun- ished by the court, however false, ma- Melous or nnjust it may be. * * But the law gives the person con- victed of contempt in such a case the right to have the whole question on facts and law reviewed by three judges of the cirenit court of ap- peals. who have had no part in the proceedings, and if not successful in that court, to apply to this (Supreme) court for an oppertunity for a similar review here. The petitloner and his counsel have made such a review im- possibla. Instead of pursuing this plain remedy for fnjustice that may have been done by the trial judge and securing by an appellate court a review of this very serlous question on the merits, they sought, by apply- Ing to a single judge of only co-or- dinate authority for a writ of habeas corpus to release the prisoner on the ground that the trial judge was with- out jurisdiction to ke the decisfon he did. This ralsed the sole issue whether the trial judge 1 author- ity to decide the question, not wheth- er he had rightly decided it.” * Xk x X In the light of Chief Justice Taft's comments it appears that justice may miscarry through faulty counsel. | There are political prophets who are | construing the whole matter from a | political standpoint as a deep-laid | plot to embarrass the President. They | say that if President Coolidge re- fuses to grant pardon the refusal will antagonize many who are ready to | deory the alleged “tyranny of the courts.” There is much talk of con- | gres ional investigation of the courts. | Also_talk is revived of measures for | the “recall of judges" and for requir- Ing all contempt cases to be tried be- fore juries. On’ the ‘other hand, it President hoax must realize the extent of the|come to a ruling on such cases, and | Coolidze should pardon Mr. Cralg. the trick to which they are willing slaves, | the reversal leaves the question un- | politicians are ready, It Is said, to but the psychology of the Parisfan settled, so far as criminal cases are concerned. President Jefferson par- pounce upon him for “underminin, | the dignity and authority of al appeal has put them in a frame of | doned all prisoners convicted under | courts.” mind under which they fiction.” It the lady 1s satisfied with & Jersey City or Hoboken wrap with a Paris tag nothing more is to be sald about it. The lady has the last word. Wom- an manages her own affairs. The only part which the poor worm, man, is to take in this matter is to say that the wrap is stunning, that it is most becoming, and then to pay the bill. ———— Bome of the early campaign speeches are going to make it even more dif- flcult than usual to write a party platform when convention time comes. ——— After all, the problem offered by the twelve-mile limit is about the easiest that the dipiomats of the world are now expected to solve. ——— Batlors who are compelled to seal up their hard liquor should not be dis- coursged. Try our ice cream soda water. You will learn to like it. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Irony of Fate. ‘The public liatens for the word A statesman has to say, And every pulse is swiftly stirred On one eventful day. How eften he would rather hold His thoughts il unexpressed, And on his deeds, as they unfold, . Let reputation rest. A milifon men: would gladly tell The world just what ta do, But those who interest can compel, Alay, are very few. The ready talkers vainly-seek An audience in the land, ‘While they who seldom care to speak Are in the most derhand. g Foresight. “Why isn’t your hat in the ring?”. “I'm holding on to it,” replied Bena- tor Borghum. “I may have to pass it to collect & campaign fund.” Jud Tunkins says .the man who thinks he is smarter than anybody else is mighty liable to be left to him- self, to think on undisturbed. Frost. Of frost upon the pumpkin & poet sang. his lay To prove that even winter chill can ‘Wear an aspedt gay. But even poets must admit, when chanting in the spring, That the frost upon the fruit tree is a very different thing. o “Bhe married him because of his et s S o “Btrange,” exclaimed Mies Cayerine, *what & lot a tifle has to do with pro- ducing & dést seller!”, * i g said Uncle enjoy this Eben, ‘“was de wizest man ever.. He-jor'.had to. “Solomon,” wives."™ 2 He had & hundred [ the “alien and sedition law” as soon (Copyright. 1923, by Paul V. Collins.) Conviction of Dr. Cook Proves Satisfactory to Most Editors The conviction of Dr. Frederick Al- bert Cook for using the malls to pro- | mote scheme, marks the fifst great victory in the government’s campalgn to put an end a fraudulent stock-selling to thievery of this kind. His convic- | tion meets with the general approval of editors, who belleve that it will serve s a timely waming to other impostors who prey upon a credulous public, furthermore, that it will re- sult In a greater tendency to abate the many stocks frauds that are car- ried on through the federal mails. This is especially stressed by the Norfolk Virginian Pllot, which savs “the meting out of swift and sure punishment to the doctor and his as- soctates should have value as a de- terrent to backers of other illegitl- mate promotion enterprises and in en- couraging ‘the authorities to prose- cute thelr clean-up campalgn with re- newed vigor.” Te the state of Texas the conviction is at once a- disgrace and o lessqn, is the bellef of the New | York Post, because “that common- wealth has been notorlous for the' shelter it gives to such pirates, and Texas should ses to it that her own law officers have means of rooting out her nests of ofl buccaneers.” The chiet gain, according to the Pitts- burgh Gazette, is “the proof that has been given that thelr type Is not be- yond reach of the law when the pub- ilc administrators are efdlent and de- termined in the performance of duty, and the result of this case is cause for satisfaction only on the presump- tion that it marks the beginning of unrelenting wartare on such swindles and swindlers.” The Lincoln Star finds furthen .“fopd for thought” in the conviotion, Because “the promoter still possesses too much protection under the law. Would it not be bet- ter in highly speculative enterprises to make the promoters assume some responsibility for their success . L The Saginaw News Courler argues that the convictions at Forth Worth not only are to be consldered, but there is “to be taken Into account this determined action is haying upon the very large fraternity which has used the postal sarvice for all kinds of fraudulent schemes, that there is already a large dropping off of active practitioners of the mall fraud indus- try.” Cook's conviction, following on the heels of about a dozen others, the Tulsa Tribune admi! 'will go far toward making the fake stock game unpopular with that despicable class of people who never try to earn an honest living.” And the Grand Raplds Press claims there are atill thousands of uncaptured ‘Cool who, though they never have contemplated polar exploration, deserve an equally chilly fate. ‘While the sentence may seem a stiff one, the Paterson Call holds It is “none too h for the crime of whioh he was found gullty, and his fate may prove a warning to other in the opinion of editors, | | orooks of this type who are operating all over the country.” Though the | Fort Worth judge has undertaken in the Cook case to make “the punish. ment fit the crime,” the New Orleans Times-Plcayune Insists, “if that ju- diclal practice becomes the rule |rather than the notable exception, lJunlh‘r' will be served and thousands of Innocent folk will b protected | against financial losses that amount, {in many pitiful instances, to Eenuine |tragedies.” Likewise the Knoxville lbsntlnf-l feels that Judge Killits' de- nunciation should be spread upon the records everywhere “for the moral awakening that It should Inspirs and for the warning it should give to the slmple and confiding. vietims who trust their all to the merey of the Doc Cook kind." The Sentinel, further- more, wante to know why the court makes no feference to the possibility of tracing the stolen ®oods and re- storing them to their owners, because “the law is not So helpless in some de- partments of activity,” for instance, vt does not hold its hands at inquisi- torial efficiency .when it goes after the property of the taxpayer for fts revenue toll.” To which the Brooklyn Eagle adds “the whole nation will share Judge Klillits' regret that the fortune reaped by Dr. Cook is beyond the reach of the law.” * ok * ¥ In the conviction of Dr: Cook and his associates. the Kalamazoo Gaszette afirms the “United States has no more than touched the'fringe of an ovil sltuation which has permitted crooks and grafters to take hundreds of milllons of dollars from the pock- ets of unsuspecting Amenricans every vear without any hope of Yedres because, ¥there are countless others who may continue to laugh at the 1aw in thelr ill-gotten spofls until the conscience of the state of Texas can be quickened and public opinion in that state aroused to compel the enactment of legislation that %ill put An end to the shameloss practices that long have been winked at if not openly approved.” The Arkansas Gasette (Little Rock), however, be- lleves that “with this victory the decisive battle has been won by the government forces and that the rest should be comparatively easy.” The Illinois State Journal, furthermore, adds “this case will go into the rec- ords as a positive achievement of the Department of Justice and the postal authorities in behalf of the people.” Recbgnising the abflity ‘énd un- usual talent of Dr. Cook, the Reading Tribune suggests “had he been the man of integrity which the world at first belleved, he would today be adding to our fund of geological data instead of preparing to serve time in prison.” The Portland Express also thinks “had the doctor been disposed to be honest e might e achieved much fame.” While the Lans- ing State Journal further laments “It is. too bad that such gifts 'as his could not ha honest channels.” 1If, ¥in the ‘bright lexicon' of any youth of this land there lies an impulse to pratense and fraud and disloyalty to his own bet- ter’ qualities.” the Boston Post con- oludes “let the story of Frederick A. Cook scatter it to the four winds of heaven. “the President shall| May Test Radio Rule. Writer Would Have Broadcasters Put Legal Talent on Question. To the Editor of The Stas The bulletin issued by the superin- tendent of police under date of No- vember 20, stating that it s “a vio- lation of law for any person to in- stall radio sets where an outside an- tenna is used without first obtaining a permit therefor,” raises the very | pertinent question as to what law |reterence 18 made. “Violation of law' |1s an ambiguous term. There is only |ome law—a federal enactment—that concerns radio. Its enforcement f{s given to the Department of Commerce and it contemplates no regulation of the sort the police have been In- |structed to enforce by Maj). Danlel | Sullivan, District bullding regulations scarce- 1y apply to an operation that essen- tially is as simple as hanging a clothes line. It is unfair consequent- Iy to impose a requirement upon radio receiving set owners that, ac- cording to the report fn Tuesday's issue of The Star, was inspired by the carelessness of a member of the park police force who paid for the act with his life. With all resp 10 the de- ceased it should not be assum that jothers do not know that high voltags wires are dangerous, and therefore keep away from them and t iton- na well clear of all overhead w iring. It I8 conceded and stringing wires Across public space should not he permitted. It is in this area that the power and light wires are Flrung-— not over private property in which the owner or tenant may wisa to hang an antenna. It is well known, of course, that there is no dangerous electrical current either generateg cr required by a radio recslving se Crystal sets need no more electrical impulse than that received from the atmosphere. The vacuum tube recerve ing set needs only a low voltuge cur- rent supplied by dry cells. Then why should a permit be required to install an_instrument which has no poten tiality for the injury of life and pre erty,” when the owner keeps within the limits of private prop- erty? This question should be answer- ed by Maf. Sullivan, cepeclally in view of the fact that the insurance com- panies do not require munieipal in- spection of property on which radio recef g apparatus is installed. It was stated in the report publish- ed in The Star that the permit re- Qquirement s not designed as a rev- enue-raising measure, but a means to give the District's electrical depart- ment a means of checking up on the manner in which antenna are erected. This statement cannot be accepted in ®ood faith by the radio set owner, when, in the same breath, he is called upon arbitrarily to pay a charge of $2. A charge for an automoblle li- cense is justifiable, as the expense of road maintenance devolves upon the District and the automoblle owner re- cefves a direct benefit, or it may be more properly described as service. ‘The District {s not required to per- form any service in connection with the reception of radlo programs broadcast, and the expense of main- tenance is borne jointly by the broad- casting stations and the receiving set owner. Furthermore, mere payment for and rec nig permit to install a radio receiving set, and such hap- hazard inspection District em- ployes might be able to make, does not’ insure the safety of the person who Rctually strings the antenna. It would become merely a petty matter of form. The regulation states further that it §s in “violation of law for any per- s0n to install radio sets where an out- |side aerial is used without first ob- | taining the permit therefor.” Then | w! should a permit be required at this time from radio set owners who stalled their sets in the past? How could the radio set owner who in- stalled his set a month or a year ago comply with the requirement “of first obtaining & permit therefor” when it had not yet been established? It is earnestly requested of the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company and the Radio Corporation of America, operating, respectively, radlp broadcasting stations WCAP and WRC, that they direct thelr at- tormews to test the legality of the police regulation. To the best of my knowledge there s no other manner in which a just deciston on the mat- ter can be arrived at. It would cost the largely unorganized receiving set owners more to Ssecure justice in court than to pay-for what they be- lieve to be an unjust requirement. IRVIN D. FOOS. {Build Stadium Here For Army-Navy Game To the Editor of The Star: Washington spends $200,000 to see the Army-Navy game. Five thou- sand go from hers to the game. They spend on an average $40 aplece. Washington spends enough money to see the Cadets and Middles to re- bufld the Polo Grounds every three or four vears, and they have been seaing the Cadets and Middies clash for twenty-six vears. Washington is the logical place to play the Army-Navy game. West Point and Annapolis are national serv. ice schools. This is the nation's c The Army-Navy game would be even more officfal were it plaved every year before the Commander-in-chief. The game comes on Congress eve, when the President and all govern. ment officlals are taxed with accumu- lating duties, If the Army-Navy game were played here the President {would lose only about three hours from his officlal duties. Thousands who attend the game would like the chance to see him. If the game wers played here the Cadets and_Mlddies could visit the Capitol each year. The Avenue is the finest thoroughfare in America for a West Point parade. Washington has a climate better suited_to a late-season game than New York city. The climate here is well sulted for a post-season game between two great outstanding teams. A game between Cormell and Yale would draw 90,000. To get the Army.xn{ ington will have to bufld game Wash- a large sta- | dium, one that will seat nearly 100,- 000. ‘Washington is paying 20 per cent now and only has “the morning after” to show for it. We could pay 6 per cent, sée the game and have the sta aum. There are some wonderfully fine lo- cations for such a stadium hero. One of these ls the so-called Patterson tract. Much thought should be given to the traffic sida of this question when choosing a location for the sta- dium. It is no little task to handle 75,000 people. It taxed the splendid facilitles of New York city the other day. It would be a sacrilege to build a stadium upon the Ellipse or anywhere upon the Mall. Tfaffic conditions are too adverse for an out-of-town crowd to permit building the stadium in Potomac Park. The beauty and maj- esty of the structures in that vicinity would forbid the intrusion of. so coarse and plebeian a structure as a concrete stadium would of necessity have to be. The stadium should be built where there are stecl rails and wide, well paved streets. I think the stadium would pay for itself in a very few years. The bullding of such a sta- dium will be of interest to the busi- ness and official men of Washington, and make this the mecca of all who mire the beauty of the ‘mum and tegy and valor of the ron. SERERSeEy ZACK SPRATT. Protests Game Butchers. To the Editor et The Star: 1 desire to protest vigorously against the publication in your Sun- day editions of photographs of so- Salled sportsmen lined up in front of sutomobiles with guns, dogs and long strings of slain birds, rabbits and her game. O‘I: your last SBunday’s edition one of these gentry had the audacity to perch a slain owl on the front fender, in full view. This wanton slaughter, to my mind, should be condemned by rue sportsmen. g 2 A, W. VALENTINE. BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN Q Has Yale University limited the size of her freshman class?— G. A H. . A. The university, having decided to receive no mote entering students than can properly be accommodated. has announced that the freshmen class has been limited to 850. Q “rodu In welght reduction how many pounds should be lost each week?— A. Dietitians differ about this. but one successful practitioner eays that an average of two pounds reduction n week is sufficient in cases of moder- ate overwelght. Q. When were he silver half- dtmes coined?—H. 8. A. They were coined from 1520 to 1874, Q. Does King George limit his stamp collection to any particular va- rlety?—A. E. P. A. His majesty limits his collec- tion to stamps of the British empire. Q. What are paradise nuts?—M. G. A. Paradise nuts are sweet and oily and resemble the Brazil nut. The nuts are formed inside a large urn- shaped shell, commonly known as “monkey pot.” similar in construction to that Inclosing Brazil nuts, but much larger. When the mature pod falls to the ground the natural gak within blows off the neatly fitting 114 of the urn. scattering the nuts and at the same time producing a char- acteristic report which b gs all the neighboring monkeys rushing to the teast. % Q. Is it farther from New York city to Chicago by Pennsylvania or New York Central?—H. T. A. The distance by the Pennsy vania railroad Is 908.2 miles and by the New York Central 978.73 miles Q. When did George Washington's first term as President begin?—A. E. F. A. The Continental Congress by resolution, the 13th of Septembe: 1788, =at the firet Wednesday of t) following March (March 4, 1789) as the time for the commencing of pro- reedings under the new form of go ernment. .George Washington., how- ever, was not inaugurated until April 30, but it was declded that his_term Q. What will remoye rust from a gun metal puree’—M. M. F. A. Kerosene will loosen rust so that it can be removed. Q. What kinds of spices are there in curry powder’—W. L M. A Tt contains some of the chief ingrediente of curry, such as tur- meric, pepper, ginger. other strong spices’ and curry leaves. Q. What _people Juggernaut?—G. I. H. A “Juggernaut” is ona of the prin- cipal heathen deities of India. This 7od was taken out in procession periodically, and many of the faithful prostrated thmselves before his car, which was of great weight. and were crushed. This practice was abolish- ed by the British government. Q. How old was Christopher Co- lumbus when he set out on his initial voyage to America?—R. C. A. When he made his first trip in 1:;-2 Columbus was about forty years o worshiped the Q. Which;painting by Whistler was tho mmat o be acquired by s public Portrait of Carlyle.” Tt was bought In 1891 by the corporation of the city of Glasgow. The e~ bourg hought his “Portrait of Whis- tler's Mother t about this time. Q. Wh 5 go around Cape Horn fnstead of taking a cut through the Striits of Magellan?—M. E. R A. Though Magelfan stralt is gon lly free from shoals and other ok uctions, its wes portion is sub- Ject to Impetuous currents and to Tough and squally weather, rendering the passage unsafe for salling vessels, This is the reason that they generally pags around Cape Horn, Q. Do some animals hibernate in summer?—J. V, K A. The word hibernate carries the idea of winter. Such tropical cr tures as alligators, snakes and cer- tain mammals and inkects undergo a period of torpor during the hot, drv scason when food is scatce and veg: tation Is taking a rest. This is know as estivation. Q. Why is a furl R.E A. The furlong, or 220 yards, orig- sant the length of a furrow Wwas =upposed to be the distanca oxen could plow without stopping to rest S0 nameda?— Q. Is there any ivy does not gr rt showing t f this plant marks no poi- n Towa. It is most prolific in tes hordering on the At- lantic Ocean. The states west of the Mississippi are c aratively immune. Q. Who invented the rest cura?— ET-Q A. Dr. 8. Welr Mitchell in 1875 first A4 the method of treatment of nervous prostrationg and conditions charmcterized by r blood and lack of muscular and us tone, which became known as the rest cure, Q. What {s tike wage standa sought by organized women?—T. J. G A. The principle of wage determi nation approved by the director the woman's bureau of the Depar: ment of Labor, Miss Mary Anderson is “wages should be established on the basis of occupation and not on the basis of sex or race.” Q. How does the population of t District of Col that of the smaller ate where poison “olumbia has a n Delaware ho or New ger popul oming, Nevada, Mexico, Q. Wh °n regarded as o bird of il R. A. The black color, mournful croak, charnel house together w the boldness, s ¥ and wariness 1, have combined to make aven an object of superstitious nd hate, i the r omen fe Q. How can & pipe organ be kept clean? 5 A. Usually pipe organs are kept in proper condition by using a vacuum cleaner, (Have you a question you want an- swered? Send it to The Star Infor- mation Bureaw, Frederie J. Haskin director, 1220 North Capitol street The only charge for this service fs * cents {n stamps for return postage.) New-Found Letters Reveal Romance of Nelson’s Life BY THE MARQUISE DE FONTENOY. ‘That & number of the love letters of England's great naval hero, Ad- miral Lord Nelson, addressed to Emma Lady Hamilton, who exercised such an extraordinary influence on his career, should have turned up, the other day, among the effacts of the late Mrs. Phoebe Boyle of 71 Lefferts avenue, Brooklyn, at the Anderson Gallerles, on Park avenue, New York, is. to emy the least, remarkabla. and one wonders by what series of ad- ventures these letters, illustrative of a romance that had its principal scene at Palermo and at Naples, more than a century ago, managed to reach, in 1923, an auction counter in New York. One of the letters that figured in the sale the other day shows Nelson's efforts to make provision, after his death, for Lady Hamilton ana for their daughter Honorla. He had es- tablished a fund calculated to yleld an income of $3,000 a vear for Lady Hamilton and of $6.000 a year for Honoria. But he had the worry of knowing that, at the time of his death at the battle of Trafalgar. the beautiful and fascinating, but ¥eck less and extravagant, beauty managed to get hold of and squander most of the capital which he had thus invested, and this was the rea- | ticularly son why, with almost his dying breath at Trafalgar, he entreated the nation, which was indebted to him for so’'many glorious naval victories, {original founder of th to make some provision for her and | O A, for that daughter of hers of which |MAanoff, and have al he was the devoted father. x ok ko England fgnored this request. Tt bestowed an earldom and an hered- itary pension of $25,000 a year upon his parson elder brother, with whom he was not on speaking terms, and also devoted a sum of over $1,000,- 000, obtained through parliamentary grants, to the purchase of the estate named Trafalgar, which is entalled in perpetuity on the earldom. But Emma Lady Hamlilton was denied all assist- ance by the British government and the nation and by the members of the Nelson family, and died In the utmost penury at Calals, while Honoria, on growing up, married, in Februar: 1822, an impoverished country clergy man of the name of Philip Ward, rec- tor of the parish of Burnham, in Nor- folkshire. The natlon affected to Ig- nore her existence in the same way that it had spurned her mother after Nelson's death. Eventually the cler- gyman died, leaving his widow and her Ward daukhter entirely destitute. Finally, some of the admirers of the great admiral got together and sub- scribed enough money to enable Hon- oria, that is to say,” Mrs. Ward, to start & ohildren’s school in the Bays- water district of London. After her death this school was carried on by her daughter, and It waa there, by the way, that Sir Edward Cooper, the in- surance man, who was lord mayor of London in 1920, recelved his element- ary educatfon as a small boy. The present Earl Nelson, whose elder brother was killed by a fall down stairs, {8 a great-greatnephew of the hero of Trafalgar, being de- scended from the latter's 'sister, Mrs. Bolton, by a speclal provision in the patent of the earldom. He is a man of considerably over sixty and un- married. His next helr is his young- er brother Edward, who has no less than five sons, 8o that there is no im- mediate prospect of the name and title becoming extinct, or of the per- petual_pension of $25,000 a year laps- ing. 'The pension, like the Trafalgar esthte, near Salisbury, are entalled upon every helr to the earldom of Nel- son. L It 1s to Prince Sergius Wolkonsky, who has just published two most interesting volumes of his “Recollec- tions,” that the western world, and especially Paris, London and New York, are indebted for the Russian ballets of Diaghileff, The prince first came to America in 1893 to of- ficially represent Russia at the | the “m ~ a_ number lectures history and conditions Lowell Institute, in Bo return home he was appointed &u- perintendent of Imperial The- aters of Russ ably because in his younger d 1d been one of ateur actors on the banks eva and won_fame_thro: of Czar Feodor, i trilogy, and in his re the heroes of of on before ton. On his n the ) a a perfect net ity and in- ged the serv- hileff to produ at Petrogra clibes ballet, “Syl- via" and introduce, as he said. a current of fresh air into tha stifiing. vitiated atmosphere Petrograd bailet &vetem, he e tered so much opposition on th of great interested this o; that he obliged to o contract wi Diaghileff, who immefiately loft the country in order to continue his ca- reer as a_ ballet dictator in other capitals. Matters finally came to an issue when the prince posted up on w ntangle of corruption, im trigue. W ices of S | | {favor of his the bulletin board of the Opera At Petrograd the nam: of an impertal personage by Whose orders he had had | had to rescind the fine which he hud :n obliged to inflict upon a Ioll lerina in punishment of some y agrant breach of dl pline. ‘As the result of this, he was obliged_to resign The Wolkonskvs trace back their descent to Rurlk, who is also the house of R: ranked one of ‘the great dynasties of the old Muscovite aristocracy, who consider themselves quite illustrious - in point of Mneage as the Romanoffs The prince whose “Recollection have just heen published is the grandson of that wonderful old Prince Serglus Wolkonsky, who was the most Intimate friend ‘and principal pa- tron of the great Russian poet Push- kin and one of the leaders of the so- called Decembrist insurrection _of 1825, which, composed mostly of the great nobles of the empire, objected to the elimination of the Czarovitch Constantine from the succession in younger brother Nicholas, and demanded the constitation to which ~Constantine had committed himself. Such was the {gnorance, at the time. of the soldiers and citizens who were induced to join the rising againet Emperor Nicholas, that the actually believed that the constity on for which they were clamc was the name of the beauti ganatic Pollsh wife of Constantine, Instead of a liberal for of government, Old Prince Serglus Wolkonsky was condemned to deatl But the sentence was commuted (o penal servitude for life fn Siberfa. * % % % While his mother remained at court as grand mistress of the househo of the czarina and his elder brothe minister of the imperial court, that @ to say, occupying one of the hi est offices in the land, Sergius and his fellow conspirator: caped death were dis] ironed and on foot, to the dreadful Plago Datsk mines in Siberia, whers they were placed at work with the ordinary criminal convicts. There were no fewer than 121 of these great nobles thus punished for taking part in the December revolution in favor of representative forms of govern- ment, including the scions of the il- lustrious houses of Narishkine, Trou- Dbetzkbi, Galltzine, etc., and In almost overy {nstance their wives obtained permission from Emperor Nicholas T to follow their unfortunate husbande into the wilds of Siberia, sacrificing. for them, all the luxuries, the rank and the pleasures of life at Petro- grad which they might otherwise have continued to enjoy. After about five ears, that is to say, in 1830, Prince Sergius Wolkon- sky's lot was alleviated to the extent that his heavy manacles were re- moved and he was penitentiary in the Irkutsk, eventually to live in & village wite, transferred to & neighhorhood of being permitted nearby with his