Evening Star Newspaper, December 26, 1923, Page 6

THE EVENING STAR learned in childhood. 1t ciings so well ‘communistio dootringe on farm and ‘With Sunday Morning Edition, Pledmma e r s v s o A WASHINGTON. D. C. | WEDNESDAY .December 26, 1923 to mémory that there dre some of us ‘who can still get along to the erd of the first verse and say: 3 the night befors Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even . u: THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor o, "w':‘fm“ were hung by the chim- The Evening Star Newspaper Company Busizess Office, 1ith 8t. and Pennsylvi Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd Chicago Office: Tower Bullding. Earopean Office: 16 Regent St., London, England, The Evening Star, with the Sunday morning wdition, is delivered by carriers within the ety at 60 cents per month: daily only, 45 eents per month; Bunday omiy, 20 cents per month, Orders may be sent by mail or tele- phone Main 5000. Collection \s made by car- rlers at the end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia, Dally and Sunday 70¢ Dally and Sunda; Daily only. Sunday oni Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Pre ively entitled 2o the ‘use for republ cation of Al news dis- patches credited (o it o not otherwise credited o ihis paper and also the loal news pub ¥ n = Venizelos Going Back to Greece. Next Sunday Eliphtherios Venizelcs, weteran Greek statesman, will take ship at Marseilles for Athens. He is going back home in response to the request of 300 of the 396 recently elected members of the Greek as- sembly that he return end take the sovernment in charge. He hes been considering this petition for a number of days, ever since the king and queen of Greece were asked to leave the sountry pending final arrangements for the national administration. He was reluctant to go, as he is advanced in years, has been contented In Paris and has no Iiking for the turmoil of Greek politics, in which he has 8o long figured actively, Finally he has yield- ed to the demand of his country, as expressed by more than three-fourths of the elected representatives of the people, and soon he will be back at Athens, seeking to bring order out of the chaos of conditions caused by the recent expulsion of the monarch, Venizelos, a Cretan by birth, has een an ardent patriot. He has made and unmade kings. He has been strongly supported and vehemently opposed by the people, according to their predilections. He Is rated as a epublican, but it is indicated now that ne does not favor the immediate es- tablishment of a republic Doubtless ne could himseif become president if ne gave the word of assent, for the ime is ripe for this change and for als selection. According to his imme- liate statement he wishes now only to 414 in restoring Greece to a basis of regular government and then to retire to his rest. ’ Greece has had serious trouble dur- ‘ng the past few years. She exiled King Constantine and then called him sack. She exiled him again and now she has sent away his son. She has ‘ought a disastrous war in Asia Minor which cost her terribly in blood and treasure. Her nationals in other lands wave suffered persecution. Her domes- *c affatrs have become inyolved, her inances have fallen into a sad state.| Now she turns back to the man who has through all these difficulties been steadfast to the faith of a pro- gressive QGreece, vigorously participated in the agita “fons of the past decade, and who has ‘ately withdrawn from all participa. lon in Greek affairs. All friends of Greece will hope that whether he takes “he highest post that is now virtually offered to him, or merely alds in estab- lishing sound government, Greece will | :ind a way to stable administration in whatever form organization may be offected 4 —————————— Backing Tax Reduction. Cheirman John T, Adams of thg re- publican national committee has thrown the influence of that organiza- ion into support of Secretary Mel- lon’s plan for reductioh of federal taxes. In a signed statement he urges 1he desirability of men and women of small incomes indorsing the Mellon proposition, pointing out that of the $828,000,000 reduction of taxes to be affected by the Mellon plan over 70 per cent will be lifted trom the smaller incomes and less than 5 per cent from incomes of $100,000 and over. This point should be borne in mind, in view of the statements that the ob- Ject of the pending tax-reduction plan 13 to relieve the payers of the higher rurtaxes. President Coolidge has in- dorsed the reduction proposed by Sec- retary Mellon, and it {8 meeting with favor in all directions. The indorsement of the titular head of the republican party, President Coolidge, and the manager of the ex- ccutive organization of the party, Chairman Adams, should line up the republicans in Congress. The plan has 1he support of some democrats in both ‘branches, but will be fought by many others and by a faction of the repub- lcans. It would be gratifying if it could take on more of the aspect of bi- partisan legislation. Many of the best minds in the couniry agree that it is « wise and neceesary measure. ——— The winner of tue Bok prize for a yoade known. The subsequent fame will compensate abundantly for =mo brief a secrecy. 3 —————— President Coolidge s Christmas tree wag & thing of beauty, but quite the nicest gift came all the way from JMichigan. ——————— Bvery country has communist plots. Tn America thus far the plots have yroved farcical rather then tragic. ————————— A Famous Poem. One of the things we will lay away fn lavender for another wear is the <14 poem known as * ‘Twas the Night Tefore Christmas,” though that is not the title the author gave it. He called 4t “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” but the children and the grown-upa ‘whose fancy it touched renamed it long ago. Jt may not be 8o musical as many enother poem, but perhaps no other Y.as been lisped by so many young and Sanocent folk. Hardly is there a man who has hlmse}f' ney wich care, In hopes that St. Nicholas scon would ., be there. Then, perhaps, we recall that out lon the lawn we heard such clatter that we threw up the window to see | what was the matter, or something to that effect, and then we stop. But most of us do as well with “The Night | i Before Christmas” as with “The Star Spangled Banner” or “My Country, 'Tis of Thee.” It is interesting to note that on , Christmas eve children held a tender ceremony at the grave of the good man who wrote the poem, and whose | { mission in life was that of edumuorl s j rather than of poet. e was Clement C. Moore, born at New York city July 15, 1779, ‘and died at Newport, R. I, ! July 10, 1563. His ashes are at rest in | Trinity cemetery, N. Y., near Broad- way and 155th strect. That section ‘was a béttle ground in the revolution, and was fair and open country when the author of the poem was laid there. | Each Christmas eve a host of children gather at the grave, the old poem I8 recited and a wreath is placed where | Moore les. | During these holidays the claim was ,again put forward that the poem was | written by Maj. Henry Livingston, a | Continental soldter, at his home at Poughkeepsie. But the evidence s nearly all for Moore. The poem was written in 1322 and published In the Troy Sentinel December 23, 1823. Plane and Dirigible. Should the French glant dirigible Dixmude come to grief with her com- pany of fifty persons anofher great ! tragedy of the air will have been add- ed to the record. These vast gas bags have taken heavy toll of life When | one of them collapses or explodes, or is wrecked by a storm, it carries to death a large number of people. When an airplane falls it means the death of but one, or perhaps two. Rarely has a heavier-than-air machine fallen with mere than two. The mortality from the airplane is therefore in pro- portion to use much'less than that of the dirigible. It is this fact that causes jarave doubt as to the practicability of | the dirigible for commercial purposes. | Its very advantage of a large carrying power 1s a source of danger. Perhaps if the airplane is magnified to large carrying capacity it will be exposed to the same risk But the airplane can land much more readlly than the ! dirigible. It requires, to be sure, a con- islderable space in approach, whereas the dirigible, if it is sure of a suf- ficlent area, can descend vertically. But the greater bulk of the dirigible and relative tenderness of ita skin make it essential that there be no | ingerfering object within & wide range. | Furthermore, it must have means of immediate anchorege, and in actual practice thus far it has required the services on the ground of & large force. An airplane, given the space in which to glide to rest, is its own con- trol in stopping. It can land in the wilderness if the surface 1s smooth enough. Interest in the Dixmude's safety is keen apart from the concern for the great airship's company of half a hun- dred She was built by Germany dur- iing the war and was designed, so it {is understood. for an attack upon New York city. She was given capac- ity for a transatlantic flight and re- turn, and if the armistice had not been declared in 1918 it is quite pos- sible that this “demon of the air” would have inflicted frightful damage upon the greatest American city. At the conclusion of peace the great craft was awarded to France in the division of German war munitions and re- named for the scene of one of the most heroic battles of the conflict. Now she is adrift over Africa, with waning hopes for her safety. The fact that Col. Bryan has bad little to say about evolution lately encourages a suspicion that his mind i3 disengaging itself from biological sclence and is again reaching out for political economy. Politicians all express confidence, but are in tacit agreement that 1924 will be no year to organize a “Don't Worry”™ Club. A professional wrestler in Maine wants to divorce his wife because she is cruel to him. Physical prowess s no match for temperament. Both tax reduction and bonus are fa- vored by several legislators. It ia the season of generous enthusiasm. As a patron of the professions John Barleycorn recognizes the doctors as ‘well as the lawyers. | Announcement is made of a conven- | tion to be held in Chicago January 14 and 15 next of farmers and manufac. turers, under the auspices of the Illi- nois Manufacturers’ Assoclation. This world plan of peace has not yet been | might seem at first blush rather an|Why you don't say something. Farmer-Manufacturer Convention. anomalous combination, but, as its} | promoters point out, there is much in ' common between the two industries. ‘The object of the meeting is to dis- cuss questions in which both are in. terested and which bear upon their welfare. Consideration of the proposed con- vention bears out the sta:oment that farming and manufacturing are related in & degree. Farming and manufac- turing are the two greatest industries in America, and the progperity of. the country is dependent upon their wel- fare and their co-operation. Farmers and manufacturers are producers; both are managers and employers; both are property owners. Speakers of national prominence, will discuss problems of vital interest. | Remedies will be proposed for oxm.«, ing evils, and it is proposed to work out a constructive program of per- manent benefit, of the subjects which will ints ‘the convention are the cconomic effect of the immigra- tion law; transportation by rail, wa- «r woman who did not in some far-| ter and motor truck; production costs: gohe year learn this poem, or'a part|legisiation affecting the farm and fac- «f it, end it holds in ‘memory -more | tory; reduction of taxation, federal factory, 2 L Buch e wonvention should prove to Ibe very interesting and instructiv seem quite possible to bring the r and the manufsc turer in closer relationship. The Tidal Bamn Accident. A speeding motor car last night left the road in Potomac Park and plunged into the tidal basin at the ap- proach to the bridge over. the inlet. Two men were drowned. The accident occurred at the bend of the roadway Just at the rise to the bridge itseif, whets there is nho protection other than a light fron railing. The car crashed through this Into the water. ‘This accident directsattention afresh to the danger at this point in Poto- mac Park, where many hundreds ‘of cars dally travel. It has been recent- 1y recommended that the bridge over the inlet to the basin be widened. While the present accident did not occur on the bridge itself, it was evi- dently due to the dangerous situation at the approach. It should cause im- mediate action to lessen the risk at this point in what has become Wash- ington's chief pleasure ground. No safeguards can fully protect those who recklessls speed through the parks or streets All the known clrcumstances of this accident point to the fact that the car was belng run at a high pace. The driver appears to have been undertaking to pasa an- other car when his machine left the road. That might have happened, of course, on a straight stretch, but com- Ing as it did on the curve close to the water the tragedy came as an almost natural sequence. At the hour at which it happened, late at night, there is no chance of full police guardianship. Speeders undoubtedly take desperate risks In the park at night. But it may be possible to erect wing walls at the approaches to this bridge at least to keep reckless speeders from going into the basin. —_——— A Remarkable Postal Performance. ‘Washington city post office scored a remarkable record this year in han- dling the Christmas mall. With a vol- ume of mail matter that broke all pre- vious records, every, parcel and letter had been delivered by noon yesterday. On the day before 28,462 parcels were distributed by truck, as against 26,679 on the 234 of December, 1922, that being virtually the day before Christ- ‘'mail-early” injunction has been faithfully heeded in gratifying degree. by the public. Whereas a few years ago it was generally thought to be sufficlent to put Christmas mail into the boxes and hoppers any time within a week before Christmas, now the malling begins as much as a month ahead. Every thousand parcels thus deposited ‘over a week before eases the strain at the climax. But there is something more than public anticipation in this matter. The postal forces themselves have de- veloped a high degree of efficiency. Better methods have been adopted. Forces have been enlarged for the great rush. Deliveries have been speeded by means of motor trucks. The Washington office was, in short, manned and equipped at highest efficlency this year, and hence the gratifying record of a complete clear- ance of everything by noon yesterday. This is a performance of which Post- master Mooney and his force should be proud, and it is in order to com- pliment and congratulate them upon their achievement. —————eectee There are a few fellow statesmen whom Hiram Johnson will wish a happy New Year, but with reserva- tions and interpretations. ——— It is easy enough to belleve that the Russlan radicals wish to introduce the red flag into American official life. It is anybody’s privilege to wish. —me——— Assurances that business is good come from all kinds of sources, but the farmers insist that as yet they are claiming no congratulations. ———— That “Shop Early” slogan after a brief repose will reassert itself in eon. nection with Easter buying. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Voices of the Peoples. When once of politics we read ‘We talked of “Jim" and “Bill," And everything the speakers maid Had a familiar thrill. But now, when to the news you go Buggestions wise to seek, Bome Russian you're obliged to know As well as French and Greek— Italian, too, and many a tongue | In’middle Europe used. The woes of Babel have been flung Throughout & world confused. A superhuman task is set. Although you do your best. - ‘When through your lexicons you get You're ready for a rest. The Hasty Utterance. “Your constituents are wondering “Let us be patiently cautious,” re- plied Senator ‘Sorghum. ' “It is better to have your constituents wondering Wiy you don't say something than to be wondering yourself why you ever onid 1t ; AJud Tunkins says there's no sin- cerity in wishing & man ‘Happy New Year” {f you're planning to cheat him & little in a Horse trade, 3 Fancy and Fact, - ©Old Santa Claus is but & myth, .An ipfluence ethereal. s The bills he obligates ‘you with Are terribly material. Restraint. -“How-{s your tay Josh petting along | knows more then some. of the perfes- sors already, only they're kind o touchy an' he da’an't let on.” - > EVENING STAR, _WASHINGTON, D. 0, WED /IN TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT : ” :/BY PAUL V. COLL'NS © 1t'has beeh’the attitude of Americana to look back upon the rule of Presl- jdent Porfirlo Diaz as the one stiong, { enlightened and peaceful administratior +of Mexico, and to measure by hic standard every president siugce his overthrow in 1910. There have been many revolution- since his .downfal ;other, seeking to overthrow the ad- ‘mlnhlnflon of President’ Obregon, whe for three years has maintained order and peace and given justice to the freed peons. Furthermore, he has sup- prased brigandage, as it never was un- der Dlaz. A well known journalist of America, who holds property In Mex! o, recently visited his holding, and, atter traveling with: cept an old gulde, test: of travel there he police, This, 1t I8 true, before the present up- rising ‘of the de la Huertas, but after [onumn had had two or three years efficlency of .the to accomnlish more pacification than Diaz had done In as many decaded. * kX % While President Diaz was at the height of his prestige and power, the present writer visited Mexico and witnessed conditions in sharp contrast to those now reported under Obregon. About thirty miles from Cuernavaca & city which has fallen into the hands ©f the rebels within the last week. there exist the prehistoric ruins of Zochicalco Accemprnied by an Indian who spoke no English and very little Spanish. the traveler rode horseback to se the ruins, and, as the official was out of the city at _the time, without stopping to get a written permit. Passing _through gn Indlan vil- lage of 100 population, we stop- ped a while to visit with a squad of rurales (soldfers). Then we procesded to the ruins, a few miles beyond—a pyramidal tem- ple standing upon the peak of a small mountain overlooking a valley of limitless expanse. While we were interested in the heiroglyphic in- scriptions covering the stane wal's a dozen armed men approached. climbing a footpath, and soon as they arrived the men were ordered in position surrounding us captives. while the captain angrily unbraided the gulde. who was evidently using the utmost diplomacy to placate hl accuser. Flnally the captain bade us begone. E Our erstwhile captors meandered down the footpath. while aur horses zigzagged their way slowly down an other route 1 fancied that the in cident was closed untll we discrvered ahead. at the foot of the mountain. the same men In conference evident. ly waiting for our annroach How ever before our °rrival they changed their purpose and disanneared We reached the v'llage where T made some rhotographs. ignoring the surliness of one of the ‘nhabitants, Who later, proved to he officially the “chisf man” of the villaze Present- ly, T was arrested by two soldiers haled before the court of th ‘hief mar.” upon the charge of pass. Ing through the vill*ge without pay- Ing my respects to ite “~hief man " The arrest seemed a burlesque, and when I offered my creden‘ials to th magistrate. he waved them aside to the schoolmaster. for the “chief man” could not and the schooimaster now clerk of conrt, Tho court repeatedly pointad to my camera, and uttered the word “grati a Suprosing that he was king whether the photographs wer for commercial purposes. I _gliblv agsured h'm they were only for my own gratification He understood not a word of what I said. but then I d's- covered that it was not my gratifi. caclone which interested him, but his wn, “Quanto, senor?’ T inquired. for I could speak just that much Spanish and no more. (How much, sir?) “Cinquento’ centavos. was the an- swer. (Fifty Mexican cen amount of my fine.) A Ship Captain’s Responsibility To the Editor of The Star: The recent grounding of the Levia- than calls attention to the heayy re- spousibilities of a shipmaster. It is 2 position of great demands, requir- Ing of a man not only good profes- sional judgment, but a quickly acting mind, resourcefulness, courage, en- durance and tact. The responsibility for disaster primarily is his, but the { members of the court of inquiry may {make allowance for extenuating cir- cumstances. In the approaches to and in harbor waters a pilot is employed to navi- gate a steamer because of his more i knowledge, yet th in command of his ship. er relicved, except when utterly incapacitated, when the chief officer takes command. ‘The most frequent cause of strand. ing is current, the most elusive ele lem of keeping a ships position. There Is no way to detect it when sky is overcast and landmarks not avalilable; there are no ch that definitely describe them. The knowledge of them is only general, because even those of sufficient per- manency to be charted cannot be depended upon for a uniform velocity or even a consistent direction. They vary without apparent cause; baro- metric pressure, wind and tempera- ture contribute to their erratic na- ture. Even in tidal waters the streams are a complex phenomenon. So it happens that sometim: utio ceeding in a channcl with onl feet be‘nel!‘h her, landmarks shut out by fog, buoys only visible when close I;OAHI, all the elements to precipi- tate a grounding are at hand. The sounding lead is of little value in such clroumstances, the channel floor being more or less the same depth The pilot is obliged to measure dis- tance and estimate current as a blind man moving from, lamppost to door- it the economlc pressure cailing a0 strongly for prompt arrivals in these days throws the responsibility on the one person who cannot escape it. The master is accountable to t wernment, to the underwriters, to is owners and to his own reputa- tlon. . He must accept the risks Im- sed and bring E:d ‘meet the, \tdml‘lhut' bfi"e:lfl, un- ble demands of the reasonable (GERSHOM BRADFORD. — e Holds Trué Friendship Begets Like Sentiment Instead of trying merely to appear friendly to that certain person, why are you not honestly friendly? Real friendship brings true pleas- ure, and & front of friendliness to cover a mask of criticism or some other quality, or for the purpose of ly penetrite e you not tired of the “make- ficves that you like this one and that, wli n;n you- Have never really o you think you have many I refused to pay It, but the guide, more discreet, offered to pay it for me, on condition that he be given a written receipt to show the jefo poli- tico. the governor of the district, Suernavaca. ' This . frightencd the Sief man,” and he at one dis- missed_the’ case, and coming down from his judlclal bench, he shook hands as did also the clerk of court nd all the guard. I hastily rcde out of the villag without walting for my guide. jus 4 minute before the soldiers who had arrested us at the ruins arrived d terniined to repeat the arrest ing the “gringo” gone. they held t guide and required him totreat all rovnd te vu'que This trifing adventure well illus- trates conditions out in the country olages of Mexico under Diaz. It was by mo means an isolated experienc and such d'd not prove to be comed Today more than one traveler. testi- fes_tn very different conditions under President Obregon. * ok * ok Of Mexico's 16.000.000 - population there are £ 000,000 pure-blood Tndfans, 8,000,000 mixed-blood and 2 000.000 of vure foreign descenf—mostly Spanish. There are fifty Indfan tribes, ‘each speaking a different dialect. In the state of Oaxico, there are -fifteen languages spoken, by a million In- dians. Practically all Indians are il- literate, superstitious and suspicious. sily led Into rebellion, for they have experlenced, for centuries, the abuses of government. These Indians hhd been' ens'aved wd explofted from the days of Cortez's ~onquest, up to the adop'ion of the eonstitution of 1917, and especially the administration of President Obre- ®on, beginning in 1920. This exploi- tation has not been confined to the government, but has been committed v echeming land erabbers, ‘cienti- fleos” (scientific robbers) taking ad- vantage of the Indians’ ignorance of even the laws Intended to protect them. - According to history, even the go ernment _of in was, fairer in its treatment of the Indlans than that of President Diaz and the exploiters of his regime. Spain had apportioned land erants to the Indlans, and many of these had beefi he'd by villages and cnltivated by their Inhabitants, without individual tithes. Under Diaz a law was passed requiring all claimants of land to register their titles before a ertain date under penalty of forfeiture o the federal, government of all land ot 80 registored. The ignorant holde: did not comprehend the danger and falled to register. so lost thelr lands. | The revolutions since then have been due to efforts to reclaim their form: “efldos." as these land tracis or tit! are called. Obreron Is the first presi- dent who has champloned the ' claims of the ‘“efldos” and undertaken to re- turn the land to the Indians. The go f jany cit'zen who will agree to go upon {the land and cultivate it. | Some of the Iniquitous exploitation ef the land by the methods of the clentificos been done by American lamd grab- !bers. They have not favored Obregon, for Obregon meant tq take away their {land—not without compensation, to be ure, but at the appraisal they had list. jed it for taxation, plus 10 per cent. ! Outrageous fo take' their own appraisal las a basis of confiscation for the bene- {fit of peons—ignorant, hard-working na- | tives! The long de' Mexican republic under President Obr: on has been charged against the “spe ative and ma'ign influence of our in- ternational bankers,” who had bought Mexican bonds at 40 cents and were demanding as a congition precedent to our government's recognition President Obregon agree to redeem the ond's at 120—a sort of diplomatic black mall, if true. This charge is made on 3 The when ankers profit. by Paul V. Collins.) Resented as Insult to Lady Nicotine An insult has lately been offered Lady Nicotine which many of her devotees will strongly resent. News comes from Vienna that that home of fads has contributed another which does it no credit. The Viennese lady. it appears, has taken to smoking cigarettes which match her gown. When she goes robed in ocher, her clgarettes are of the same shade and when green is her color her cigar- ette is similarly tinted. Advertise- ments are seeking to intrench the custom and i the pictures one see: blase ladles In languid poses smoking clgarettes of every imaginable hue, while & desire to emulate is stirred in the woman observer by the cap- tion: “The Elegant Lady Smokes Cigarettes That ch Her Gowns." The impudence of the fad lies in the fact that it seeks to place the importance of -the cigarette upon the paper instead of upon the tobacco which it serves to wrap. The charms of Lady Nicotine herself—charms which Sir James M. Barrie once ex- patiated upon so eloguently—are ac: cordingly subjugated to the charms of Lady Nicotine’s modiste. Dress and appearance have been allowed to mean more than the greater con~id erations of stimulation tion. The development is quite like that which. has been going on in England. There, Lady Nicotine Is being more and more appreciated for herself alone. The pipe. which is the truest Interpreter of her charm coming into evidence at conce! and In public places even, one reads, hetween the lips.of the flapper. It to hoped that the Viennese fad will not find America hospitable. Rather we should prefer to see our women .“X'n' themselves with the Mme. Sand tradition of cigars for women—a_ tradition which has al- ready made some headway throuch the example of our noet. Miss Amy , Lowell—R¢ Pant Minnaan Drass, iPoor Little Rich Boys In College With Cars In many American colleges a gen- ration ago it was the tradition mong sons of wealthier families not to wear what are called dress suit: t, 1922, could not afford them and it was de- sired that the appearance of social stratification should be avolded. There are still colleges where this practice is followed, but in the main | it has passed. The bringing of bull- (pu s to college, a folble of some of the youthtul bloods of & more recent !day, has been thundered against by | taculty heads. Now it is the student automobile that is up for discussion. e the attitude of Dr. Stratton X resident of the University i of Missouri, who has made a state- ment askl rovide automobi geny, and ordering students with cars to_take them -away. e fine old American tradition whereby college lads could mow the protessorial m, clerk in ‘the cam- ! pus bookstore and wait on table in i the atudent dining clubs, and not feel under any .social discrimination .be- cause they were paying their w:y by work has been too nseful to be un- dermined. The automobile does not make for acidemic democr-cy, hg n | the main mi chief which it does 18 an the the student driver rather th: de of the student walker. tha! lads sraduate pt to thhale who ith them. As Dr. Brool . “there is. probably nothing mo imental to su in un! than t thel; puts % “t‘ Yy (i3 ernment also. offers free homesteads to | y In our recognizing the | that § NFSDAY, - DECEMBER 2, 1923, Politics at BY N. 0. MESSENGER T > i ] Politics 1s bound to creep Into the conglderation of plans for reduction of federal taxation, as Is shown by the current .tatements of the demo- cratic and repubifcan national com- mittees, and by the utterances of prominent men In Congress. At the; same time, there are indications of bipartisan agreement upon ‘some features of the pending adminlistra- tion bi.l. Thers is Senator Copeland, of New York, for Instange, who favors the Mellon plan Tn fuil, with the ad- ditlon of a bonus at the same tims, |although he does not explain how {1t 18’to be provided for while taxes are reduced. ‘1ifen there 1y uonnnr' Simmuhs, the ranking . democtar on the Senate finance comm.ttee, who says that taxes must be slashed to | Breater degree taan Socretary Mei- lon purposes. hepresentative Garner of the ways and means committee also has @ plan for reducing tax * ¥ ¥ * The democratic and republican na. tlonal committees” are ‘at this time engaged in a wordy warfare o kepresentative Gdrner's statem @bout taxation and the - Mellon bill. The democratic' committee, in 7its statement, ‘says: “In un analysis of the .elion tax proposal hepresenta- tive Gainer points out that there are 501,00y IndiViUA: tRXDayers; that l v8,u00 Of Luese pay On incomes os LU0 OF 1688, walcn leaves oniy b25,- UUU Of LaTgur SUrWX paRYers. ol GAr iner contends tnat tue stelion plan, { when stripyed of its minor provisions, on.y oilers substantiai tax relief to the 525,000 individual surtax payer.. “l mahe this staement,” sald M Garner, ‘be.ause Congress couid re. peal the entire Income taxes of the 136,000 individuals with incomes of {85,000 or less, which would involve a revenue loss of only $92,790, thereby leaving the 525,000 large income sur- tax payers as tho chief beneficlarie of the Mellon income tax recommen- dations.' " * K ox ¥ Whereupon the republican national committs comes back with the re- tort that Mr. Garner's statement that a few very large Income surtax pay- ers will be the principal beneficlaries of the Mellon bill ‘s demagoguery gone to seed.” The republican state- ment goes on to say: “The records jof the internal revenue bureau show that the number of individuals pay.ng incomo tax on $300,009 or over are today only one-fifth of the num- ber that maue returns six years ago, et no one belleves for an instant tha the number of individuals who have iarge incomes has decreased. Why, | then, this diminution in the number of return;? The answer is found in the high surtax provisions of the federal law. Rather tham pay the high surtax, men of wealth have in- vested their money (n tax-exempt securities. This ls exactly why Sec: | retary Mellon urges a reduction in the surtax.” ' Xk kK “The fact Is,” asserts the repub- lican statement, “men of large in- comes will not be the beneficaries of a reduction of the federal surtaxes. Such men now escape such surtaxes altogether by Investing their money in tax-exempt securities. “Neither Secretary Mellon nor the administration is advocating lower surtaxes out of sympathy for the rich man or any desire to le sen his tax burden. They are advocating such a reduction out of a desire to attract capital back into flelds of Investment in_industries, rallroads and busine where the public may be benefited by such _investment and the gove t benefited by increased revenu * %k % X The democratic national committee does not Intend o let up on the re- publicans In its campalgn against the existing tarift law, and selzes upon the Christmas season to make a spe- cial “drive” on the effect of the tarift on holiday purchases. “The tariff tax on Christmas this| year 'is approximately a billion dol- | lars,” the democratic committee says, | at the lowest estimate, based on the | Christmas sales of six billion dallars | last year. On articles used for Christ- mas presents the tariff taxes for the most part were collected by the manu- | facturers and certain middlemen. Re- | tallers, it was reported, got little | benefit from them. Articles of wool ; and silk were notably dearer this year than ever before. Women noticed these higher prices. particularly in |hosiery, underwear, handkerchiefs and novelties. Gloves, handbags and orystal ware were other merchandise upon which the tariff operated to in- crease prices beyond the level record- d any previous normal year.” The committee quotes -the all rates of Increase. asserting that kid gloves are taxed $1 a pair; cotton loved, 20 to 50 cents a pal se, 40 cents on each dollar's worth, 4 silk hose 60 cents on each dollar. o an. Golng down the line quoting prices | woolen | ANSWERS TO QUEST 1ONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN Question. Do« tadpole become & toad or a frog.—H. V. H. Answer. The young of both trogs and toads hatch as tadpoles. The | tadpoles which are seen in goldfish :bowls eventually become frogs. They remain tadpoles for about .a yea Toads remain tadpoles but a few weeks. Q. Can one travel to Florida from New Bngland comfortably by auto- mobile?—B. A £ - A. The Amerfean Automobile As: sociation haw completed an inspection of the various routes south and finds that the trip may be made with It- tie inconenience. ere are de ours on.all routes, the mest of ‘which are kept in good condition. term “nons L HL Q. Please explain the commissioned officer."—F. A. A non-commissioned officer s a scldier holding a rank intermediate an pnlisted may, accepted for a defi- nite perlod of seéven years;-and given 8 appointment. or wargant by hi Bnmedlate military superior. ©cer receives a_permannt commission from the President, and the appoint- ment must be confirmed by the Senate. Q. Is it correct to say “l1 saw a certain party last night*?—M. S. A. It depends upon the meaning to be conveyed. If tie reference is to a party of people it may be used, but not when the word is used as a synonym for Uperson.” Party fis used.in the singular as a legal term. Q. How old is the Leaning Tower of Pisa?—R. K. A It 1s belleved to date about the year 1174. from Q. Do the sopranos stand to the Tw"lh; or left-of the choir difector?—. A In arranging a chorus it Is customary for the soprano singers to be placed at the right of the di- rector as he faces the group. Q. When do deér shed their ant- lers?—W. C. P. A. Deer shed ‘thefr antlers an- nually, in March or April, and new ones attaln their full size in about ninety days. While the horns are growing the bucks usually lead sol- itary lives. Q. When did_Dr. Judson translate the Bible Into Burmese?—R. C. B. A. The! translating of the Bible into Burmese and the compiling of a Burmese Jdictionary were two -of the outstanding achievements of the Rev. Adoniram Judson, pinoeer Amer- fcan missionary. They were accom- plished after Dr. Judson's phyeical breakdown, from 1847-1850. Q. What are vaccines called that are made from a culture from the patient to’ which the vaccine is to be administered?—S. C. A. Such vaécines are termed au- togrenous, and are considered very efficactous. 3 Q. What causes the sparkle In champagne?—L. M. A. The sparkle Is due to !mper- fect fermentation. Champagne con- tains an amount of carbonic acld gas generated through insensible fermen- ! tation In ‘the bottle. Q. Who made the first vacuum cleaner?—s., C, A David T Kenney of New York 18 credited with Installing the first pure vacuum system In 1902, and about 1905 Dr. Willlam Noe of San Francisco constructed the first port- able vacuum cleaner. British Land M ‘| powder Q. * Was gnpowder before guns were Inventeds 4 Older historians agree a sunpowder was known before It wis applled for use in g All tha components and mixtu fire similar to gunpowder ready known as early as man, who has made study of the subject, was graduy, from Greek fire, ag years bofore cannon thought of. The use of ter'als In making it deve propulsive power and le knéwn or ‘used T. Wi {saquent invention of « wuns. 0 _Arablans were ¢ 1o make gunpowder-ijke | nrobablv ahout 1280 A, 1 {1dea of using their nrop that is, .the invention of gur cannons. belongs to the monk. hald S~hwartz, of Frel the date of the latter nvent nrehablv 1213 A T s ‘ndfenntable that eunvowde existed at Aueshurg. Germs 1344 while the FEneli-h nse nowder {n guns at the battle o ¢ in 1346, Q. 1Is there such a thing a3 hlacK rea?—E R A The Denartment of Azrienlt sayn that thers ia a tandency ama, «nma i rose srowers to refer to & axtrame! Aare rad roce as hlack Qnch a pment fs not eorpect, and It fs donbled whather any one has secured an all-black rose ¢ Q. How manv stone guarries ary there in this countrv’—L. R W A. Thers are at the present t'ma ahont 3,000 quarrfes in the Un'ted Stotee. with an amnmal nroduct valued at more than $75,000,000 . Where a4 the Prn, show orizinate?—J. M. R. A. The nuppet show of Punch 3 JIndy derlves ite or'ein from th Neapolitan Punchinello. hut many « e~ faatures are Ineiist. Punpet - how Imon_amene th the Romans ch &nd tved them. O. What will dissolve celluloid? —M. G. t can easily denatured aleohol. Q. What town 'n Tndiana or has & tres growin 0 the conrthouse?—C A. Greenshure, this curiosity its tree-tonned togrer i |raflway trains pass! {town. be dissolved in Indiana, claims The courthonse with visible fror through ti Q. Who was “the Duke of Exeter’s daughter?”'—A. W A. When the rack as an Instru- ment of torture was Introduced Int) England in 1477 by John Hollanc. Duke of Exoter. who was at tha time constable of the Tower of Lo don, it speedily became know “the Duke of Exeters danghte Q. When a freight car Is spoken of as a 50-ton car is that its weighi, its capacity or a combination of i two?—H. T. A. A bB0-ton car is one with treiht capacity of that amount. of the 40-foot box car type will | weight about 24 tons. | (The Star Information Bureau will anawers your question. This offer applies strictly to information. The bureaw cannot give advice on legal. medical and financial matters. troubles, nor to undertake exhaustive research on any subiect. Write your question glainly ond briefly. Inclose wo cents in stamos for return post- age and send your query to The Star Information Bureuu. Frederic J Haskin, Director, 1320 North Capitol street.) ates Taxed To the Verge of Bankr_uptcy BY THE MARQUISE DE FONTENOY Gen. the Duke of Atholl, head of the historic clan and house of Mur- ray, who has filled all sorts of great offices of the state, Including that of the kiug’s high commissioner to Scotland and of lord chamberlain of his court, is credited with the owner- ship of more than a quarter of a mil- lon acres of property in England and Scotland, which, iike his score of country seats in Scotland and in Eng- land and his ancestral home of Blair castle in Perthshire, are all entailed, the only peer of the realm, In fact, who has Been authorised by the crown to maintaln an armed body- guard composed of near a thousand six-foot stalwart clansmen, their col- ors, presented to them by the late Queen Vicioria, vet, like other great on articles used by each member of | territorial magnates, he has been so the famlly, “father, mother, little sis- terribly hard hit by the frightfully ter and Wi'll~ " the democratic state- ient conclud “The Ameican {themselves & fine Christmas present {for 1925 by voting the republicans, with thelr high-co out of office in 1924, Merry Christ: Chairman John T. Adams of the re- publican national committee has is- sued a statement saying that Presi- dent Coolidge has submitted a bud- et to Congress that provides for & decrease of $300,000,000 in routine cur- rent government expenditures as com- pared with the current year. expenditures.” Chairman Adams cone tends, “has never been equaled-{n any previous pe-iod in our nation's his tory. It is an unanswerable argu- ment In support of the financial poli» cles and economic program of the re. publican party under this administra- tion.” ERE reduction, saying that “the tax re- ductions proposed by Secretary Mel- {lon and Indorsed by President Cool- women of small Incomes. The plan ma. * X B % This downward march of public Chairman Adams also takes up tax [mn should be supported by men and his ship safe to port pecause so- many of the students|provides the grestest rellef for ‘earn- which are deflned as o8, rles and fees for profi slonal services, According to tabu- lation by the Treasury Department, sbout 70 per cent of the total $323,- 000,000 as proposed by the Mellon bill | will be lifted from the smaller in- comea and le:s than 5 per cent will be lifted f those incomes of $100,- 000 or over. jed Incomes, Newspapers Texts In Russian Schools ! Because of the expense of obtaining books and building schodls and the | acarcity of competent teachers, soviet _Russia has recognized the value of i the newspaper a means of prac- tical education. Through this means the government is Inculcating on r n& tudents information concern- n!. e acute questions of the day. i 'he Idea was borrowed from the { Australian ere it was province of ut fto pi sons.similar to in Rus oin. soviet policy, however, will show an Improvement, becauge it will be a daily feature, W the Aue- jan venture was m Y el The soviet decision, though made In a land where communism. is the ob- m&lvt. is ‘r;eocnl:lon of llllu:t"vfle‘n’ sjnce K J’Mn, paper. adeq date. od ! rticular of ianded people can_give ! he “has been onerous taxation, aiike of capital and roperty, that he has been compeiled to publciy admit that he could no longer afford to keep up and occupy any of his -of-living _tariff, icastles and country seats, which, for the past two years, have been rented out to the highest bidder, and is now living with the duchess' in a small cottage on his Biair castle estate, * % kX On being asked by a heckler at one of the general election meetings which returned his wife, the Duchess of Atholl, to the house of commons its first feminine member of that rank, what he thought of the.cap- ital levy proposed and demanded by the labor party, which appesrs des- tined to assume somewhat of the government of the empire next month, the duke replied tnat he did not think it would relieve either the ordinary taxat.on, mor yet the ever- increasing proolem of unempioyment. He explained that peopie Hke him- self, who are reputed.capitalists, have not’ remily got the capitai om which to levy, s with all his quarter of a million” acres of estate he derived little or no revenue therefrom, since they were all mortgaged up to the very hilt, and, moreover, ental.ed, his possession thereof being mere.y a life interest. When further heck- led about the size of the cottage in whicn he and.the.duchess have es tablished their' residence, he vouch- d the information that the prem- ises contained oniy two spare rooms for friends, but added, since the heckler seemed inclined to invite himse to stay at the cottage, “but w I'm particular about ‘my * ¥ ¥ X The Duke of Northumberland, like the - Duke of Athoil, has likewise shown that taxes have to such ag extent. depleted his revenues from land that although he owns more capital and. can no a to live’ on his longer afford to, keep up his gran: 1d ancestral home of Alnwick Castl R :h connl{ bearin, me, castle even bigger and more stately than that of Windsor; ner yet Syon | House, . at Brentford, in M.ddlesex. Where Charles II heid his gay and gourt. when: driven from Lon- the plague. Alnwick Castle and the army of servants a minimum, while Syon "House “has market .for the, laat: two T rent, since, Being entalled, it cannot be sold or converted into .casa. n people here in America ‘groan about taxation as the result of the war, they- have mcefition o %’!“ taxpayers are Subjected In o-~der to. pay, the “:l'i' “t the nation of burdens to which of what they were before the war | and, in some cascs, the inco, disappeared altogether, as case of the dukes of Ath Northumberland. | * % % % | Sir Esme and Lady Isabella Howard | made ®o many friends In Americe when the former ‘was stationed & | Washington for several years a. | counselor of the British embassy his sllver wedding at Madrid, where he has been accredited since the close |of the'war as ambassador, will be recelved In this country with a cer cain degree of sympathetic interest The Howards are as popular in the Spanish capital they wére In Wash.ngton, and advantage Wwas taken of this celebration to over- | whelm them with silver tokens o regard and estcem by all the mem bers of the reigning house of Spain, and of the grandezza. ‘lhe fact tha both® Sir Esme and Lady Isabel should be members of the Ch Rome renders them particula come at a court of a sover: of whose most ancient titl terred by the papacy centu that of “His Catholic ) tended to emphasize those far-off days before the refor mation, when all European monarchs accorded their spiritual alleglance tc the holy seat, the ruler of Sp: regarded as the soverelgn esteemed as_the most pre-eminently Catholic. Sir Esme Howard, as indicated by his_name. is a sclon of that historic ish house of Howard of which the sixteenth Duke of Norfolk, premier. per of the British realm. and hereditary earl marsh:l of the kingdom. is the chisf. TIndeed, $ir Esme is a grandson of that Lorc as Henry Howard who was the younge brother of the twelfth Duke of N folk. His father was the fourth sor of Henry Howard of Greystoke Castl. in Cumberiand, which Is now in the possession of Sir Esme's nephew, Bernard Howard. As for Lady Isabelia Howard, she 1s not only the daughter of a Scotch peer, but also an Itallan princess by birth, her, father having been the eighth Earl of Newburgh. Viscount Kynnalrd and Baron Lovinstone, al in the peerage of Scotland. beside . being, also. Prince Gl of Bandinl of Rome, of Mondmsnn? and” Count. Carninol of Naples. His family, namely tha f the Gustiniani, reigned s ieigns over the Isiand of Ch it was selzéd by the republi ‘noa in the -fourteenth century. Ilis 1earidom of Newburgh and his othe Scottish _peerages came to hin through his mother, and. in order tc ienjoy the prerogatives thereof. afte: | her death, he had, as & patrician c Rome, ‘to obtain-letters of natural zation 'as a British subject. * ok X ok The earldom of Newburgh and the Ithan 200,000 ‘acres, not in Scotland, | minor:Scottish dignities and peerages ybut 1A England, yet he, too, s obliged 1 ociabed therewith were bestowed, in’ the first place, by Charles 11 upor his favorite gentleman In _ waltin Sir James Levingstone of Kynnaird. who had been one of the most de- i voted of the cavaliers of Charles L |and who had accompanied the lattar" son_and successof into’ exile. The second Earl of Newburgh died with out male issue and the honors de- scended to his daughter. In at least four different subsequent instancee the ear.dom and the other peerages were inherited by women, one- of jwhom marrfed the Irish Neapo ian 1 Count Mahoney. There was an only daughter of this union who married the fifth Prince Gustinfani. Her &om, became, therefore, through . i that the news of the celebration of , i 4 i mother, Earl of Newburgh. He again * left an only daughter who succeeded to hig Italiaw honors and to his . ‘ married ihe = i