Evening Star Newspaper, January 3, 1924, Page 6

RA Ly THE EVENING STAR ‘With Sunday Morning Edftion. y WASBHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY.....January 3, 1824 THEODORE W. NOYES.. ‘The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 420d St. Chicago Office: Tower Bulldl European Office: 16 Regent 5t., London, England, ¢ oathie Eventng Star, withr the Sunday moming * edition, is delivered by carriers Within the city at 60 ber_month: daily only. 43 <cents per month; Sunday oniy, centa’ per month. Orders may be sent by mail or tele- Phone Main 5000. Collection is made by car- Tfers at the end of ench month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dalily and Sunday..1yr., $5.40; 1 mo., 70c Daily only.. .1yr., $6.00; 1 mo., b0c Sunday only. .1yr., $2.40; 1 mo,, 20¢c All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00: 1 mo., 85c Dally only.. yr., $7.00; 1 mo., 80c Sunday only. $3.00; 1 mo., 25¢ Member of the Associated Press. * ‘The Associated Press is exc) ively entitled to the use for republication of all news dis- rl(chn credited to it or not otherwise credited n this paper and also the local ne pub- lished herein. Al rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. = . Editor The Voice of the People. It is stated that the mails of mem- bers of Congress have swelled during the holiday recess and that great vol- umes of letters greeted them upon their return to the Capitol. These ‘were not holiday greetings, in the main. They were, it is understood, communiauvhi from constituents urging the adoption of a tax-reduction | measure, and most of the demands, it is beleved, were for the enactment of the Mellon proposals into law, and more are voming daily. Recently it was declared by a mem- ber of the House that these petitions end pleas were mainly promoted by the corporations and the ugly word “conspiracy” was employed. It was stated that the large industrial and financial institutions have circularized their stockholders and urged them to write to their congressmen or to turn in signed petitions. This may be the case, It is quite possible that some of the petitions end demands that are being received at the Capitol/are of this “syndicate' character. But there is no ground for questioning their validity or their wemcerity. They represent the feeling ' eyl sentiment of the people The fact that an intelligent organization bas suggested this mode of expression Wdes not detract from its force or sig- 1ificance. It is impossible to obtain a referen- 4um from the people on the subject a' tax revision in season for effect uson the present session of Congress. Swh a referendum, however, is likely ts be had in November if Congress dies not heed the demand for tax reduction that is now so plainly ex- prassed. The petitions that are pour- ing in upon the members, both the directed or organized and the undi- rected and spontaneous, are evidences of the widespread, insistent feeling that the time has come for a lowering d! the taxes, for a lessening of the barden put upon the people as a war rieasure and maintained to the point Vhere a Treasury surplus is accu- rwlating. ‘There is no cure for the situation 11 indignation at the means employed 1y the people to manifest their wishes. 1t is the part of statesmanship, the part, indeed, of sound politics, to heed the voice that is now so clamorously raised for tax relief, whatever the medium of communication. House Numbers. The house without a number is to came in for official inquiry, and the Engineer Commissioner has taken up this question with the building in- spector, with the aim of finding what | can be done to compel every house to have a number and to show it. It is said that the post office people have no recent figures on the subject, but that there are not many houses with- out numbers ‘While the house without a number may be unusual in the close-built sec- | tions of the city, houses with illegible | mumbers are numerous, and every one krows that the house whose number . gannot be found after the sun goes down and twilight fades is the rule. | It is not now proposed that every house must havé its number visible from the sidewalk or the porch steps at night, but there will probably come @ time when we must light the num-} ber of our house something after the fashion’ in which we light our automo- bile number. for the future. The point is now that there are houses that never had a number painted or nailed upon them, | and there are houses: from which the numbers have fallen away or have faded so that they cannot be made out. The authorities will look for gome way in which the condition com- plained of may be corrécted. ——————— _ Prohibition authorities say the New Year was dry and others say it was omoister than usual, It is after all the old question of viewpoint that comes up. ————————— A large winning in Wall street is liable to start so much investigation that speculators may hereafter be temipted to let Wall street keep its ‘money. , Traumerei. A girl immigrant from Rumanta, landing at Eliis Island, escaped de- portation by playing “Traumerei” on \ her violin. She played it so well that " the immigration inspection board ruled \v.hlt she was an artist and, therefore, ‘eligible to come ashore. There was ! pathos in the little story of this hap- 3 ‘pening which The Star lately printed. * Though her brother and his wife were ‘waiting for Der, she was told that she must go backX. She sought consolation in her violin, and some one, hea.®:3, " questioned her. Bhe said she was a music teacher. The officials said that fact would not give her the landing privilege, but if she were an artist she ‘could go ashore and be happy. Would she play for the immigration board? ‘Would play “Traumerel”? She played it.” She was declared to be an artist. 2 ‘ Eyerybody will wish her success in . her mew_home. There is that in the story which touches a note in the Ly But that is a question | lions of people in America. Certainly 1t will touch the memory of very many people in Washington. It concerns “Traumerel.” Back in the days of the tinkling little square plano, and when “Slivery’ Waves," the “Blackhawk ‘Waltz" and “Monastery Bells,” with some of the old polkas, redowas and mazurkas were in the reperfolre of all children who *took music lessons,’ Inol much was heard of *‘Traumerel.’ ‘But along came the orchestra of | Theodore Thomas, an admirable American orchestra, which gave con- certs in all the large and small cities | of that remote time. The orchestra came to Washington often. Certain it is thet it was making regular visits to Washington in the early '80s, and if memory is not awry it played here |In the '70s. One of its smaller pleces |or “selections” was “Traumerel.” It proved to be a “taking” bit of melody. jand became popular. It began to find {a place In those music books marked “popular and easy selections,” “the young artist’s collection,” “gems from the masters” and all that. Thousands of ladles now weighted with the care of children, grand- | children and somewhat elderly hus- bands remember that in girl days they played this little Schumann classic. “Traumerei” is old, and no doubt reaj musicians knew it before the days of Theodore Thomas, but it was the ‘Thomas Orchestra which made it wide- 1y known and set so many young folk playing its dreamy strains. ———e——————— Congress to Get to Work. Congress reconvenes today, after a holiday playtime, with serious busi- ness ahead in both branches. The iJeaders are reported to be planning adjournment by the time of the na- tional convention in June, a hope they have always cherished in national campaign years, but have not always realized. The Congress will have to work hard and rapidly to fulfill it | this year, for there is a deal of legis- Vlative grist in the mill to be gropnd. The House has yet to adopt its rules, having operated since assem- bling under a ‘“gentlemen’'s agree- ment” on the rules of the preceding Congress until a new set can be formulated. Insistence by the demo- crats and a fflc.lh)n of the yrepublicans upon “liberalizition" of the old rules will precipitate what may be a pro- | longea discussion, with the offering of and voting upon proposed amend- ments. In the meantime the commit- tee on appropriations is busy with the first of the annual supply bills. The Senate is not completely or- ganized, lacking the selection of a chairman for the important committee on interstate commerce. The dead- lock which existed when the holiday recess: was taken remains unbroken and the unusual spectacle may be pre- sented of the committee remaining without a chairman for some time. The disposition of the majority lead- ership in the Senate is to proceed to other business and leave the chair- manship situation to be resolved later. The two main issues before the Con- gress, aside from the necessity of passing the supply bills, are the sol- dier bonus and the reduction of fed- eral taxes. As to the latter, it must be a reduction and not a shifting, as the late President Harding said when { he summoned Congress to the task in 1921. The people are thoroughly in accord with President Coolidge and Secretary Mellon on tax reduction, it 1is believed, and Congress will be put to it to explain possible fallure to act upon their recommendations. Proposed recognition of the soviet government in Russia is likely-to con- sume much time of the Senate com- {mittee on foreign relations, which will investigate the charges that the soviets are engaged in propaganda directed against our government and institutions. | There is important work to be done and the Congress is vigorous with an infusion of new blood from the 1922 i elections.. More power to its elbow ! and may good fortune for the country attend its efforts. —_—— It still remains for some enterpris- ing legislator to suggest not only that | everybody's taxes be reduced, but that a bonus be provided for both civilians {and soldiers. —_———— The discussion by an eminent Eng- lishman of how many cocktails a lady ought to take shows a disposition to take this New Year resolution in strict moderation. —————— Mexico has received a siipment of arms and munitions. Revolutionists | naturally protest that this is no way | to begin the new year. —————— ‘There are more than a few citizens "who, if their own taxes can be re- duced, do not care whose are not. Paris Flooded. Paris is in danger of Inundation: The Seine has risen to the point of flooding the basement of the foreign !office and covering the tracks of two of the important railway terminals on the left bank. The ‘“feet of the Zouave,” the traditional danger mark on the Alma bridge, were covered by the rising waters some days ago, and since then the French capital has { watched with increasing anxlety as the line has crept up the leggings of the stone guardian end finally reach- ed his body. Now the Zouave is well- nigh covered, and Paris is in despair. A flood of this character occurred thirteen years ago and enormous dam- age was done. An immense area of the city was covered.. Hotels were invaded, shope were filled, railroads were put out of commisston. The mat- ter was then studied by en eminent engineer with a view to the correc- tion of the evil, but nothing effective ‘was done. erward, before an extensive drainage and barrier-regervolr system could be adopted and executed. Since the armistice France has had too much to do in reconstruction and rehabili- tation to cope with the problem of flood control. This problem is peculiarly difficult. The Seine firains an immense. area, mostly of flat lands. When ralns oc- cur in unusual volume the water that accumulates is all poured through the comparatively marrow channel to the sea. The banks are 100 low to hold imuch more It a The war came 800n aft-] THE —— e Y i with water in the winter and spring, | though not often do, the floods rise to | the point of the present menace to Paris. The danges to the French capital comes in the form of damage to buildings and stocks rather than acute destruction by rushing waters. The flood is & quiet one, for the currents are not swift enough to wash away walls. But many of the walls of Paris are very old and their foundations are not wholly dependable. —_——— Sea Giants. The other day the Leviathan ran eground in New York harbor, being| swung by the tide during a fog until her nose plowed into a mud bank off Robins Reef. Yesterday the Majestic, another of the glants of the sea, ran aground off Cowes, England, and re- mained with her nose in the mud for two hours until the tide came to her rescue. - She then proceeded.on her voyage. The question arises whether the limit of size has not been reached in shipbuilding; whether, indeed, the limit of security has not been passed. These enormous liners are speedy and dependable when they have plenty of water beneath them and sea room around them. But at the shores they are in peril from the bottom. They require a great depth of channel. When not under full headway they are hard to handle. They swing with ponderous momentum. In the case of the 'Leviathan the current caught her quarter and pushed her around, 20 that her bow hit the mud. Even at a creeping pace she could not be checked until she had rammed well up on the bar. b Competition in ship sizes is likely, ] however, to continue. The designers and bullders have proved the stability of the structures and the engineers have demonstrated that they can put proportionate power into them. But if the sizes increase the harbors must be deepened and channels widened to lessen the chances of mishap. In the case of a Leviathan or a Majestic a slight touch of bottom Is apt to prove costly. So vast a fabric cannot even graze the floor of the sea at any point without causing some dislocation. —_————————— The Massachusetts Senatorship. The contest for the seat in the United States Senate now held by Senator Walsh of Massachusetts promises to be enlivening, beginning with the fight for the republican nom- tnation. President Coolidge’s pre- convention maenager, Willilam M But- ler, announces that as scon as he clears up the task he has in hand at present; of nominating President Cool- idge for the presidency in 1924, he will declare himself a candidate for the senatorial nomination. Louis A. Coolidge of Boston, well known in Washington from his serv- ice here as newspaper correspondent and later as assistant secretary of the Treasury under President Roosevelt, has announced his candidacy against Mr. Butler, and with the lists open others may enter. Whoever wins the nomination will have to do battle in November with a foe worthy of their steel, Senator Walsh. In McKinley's time, it will be re- called, his campaign manager. Mark Hanna, came to the Senate after the President was elected, and maybe Mr. Butler iscounting upon this as a lucky omen in aspiring to a seat in the Sen- ate. —_—————————— After careful analysis of the Ameri- can temperament several European statesmen have pretty nearly agreed that while Uncle Sam may possibly be coaxed, he will not be driven. According to report New York cele- brated the New, Year with extraordi- nary wetness. While others convalesce the bootlegger fizires up his profits. —_—————— Henry Ford, though an expert en- gineer, hesitated about getting very far into the complications of the American election machinery. The cow-milking contest may be- come popular in official circles, but it will never supersede golf. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. - Xdle Theory. Of all the unemployment sad That puts our prospects to the bad ‘The toughest kind is one which few Pay serious attention to. All diligent we strive to be, Resolved from loafing to be free. Obstructions all around us lurk. Some theories refuse to work. Although we turn a man away ‘Who wants to toil for moderate pay, A theory always gets a chance; ‘We trust it at a single glance. ‘When Theory finds we're growing wise He goes and gets a new disguise, Still helting folk who scorn to shirk Because he simply will not work. Adroit Agitation. “Why do you say so many compli- mentary things about your political antagonist?” 3 “He has such a rough record,” an- swered Senator Sorghum, “that a com- pliment sounds generous on my part and always starts a diseussion as.to whether he deserves it.” Jud Tunkins says you can't ignore the fashions altogether. When the government sets a néw style in auto- mobile tags everybody has to pay at- tention. The Willing Postman. The willing postman's pace he ne'er . retards, Upon his task that cheers us and refines. ‘When rested up from bringing New Year cards, He has to start right in on valen. tines. 2 ! Futlle Wishes. *“The janitor wished everybody in the building a happy New Year.” “What was the use?” rejoined Miss Cayenne. “He was so busy with the compliments of the season that he let the fire go out.” A R “A thgn wouldn't be 80 fussy wif de head waiter ‘bout his food,” sald . ’91 h# EVENING STAR, WAS § HINGTON BY FREDERIC WAS By the gentle irony of fate, the president of the league of natlons is & rostdent of Washington. He is Dr. Cosmo de la Torrlents, who has Just taken up his duties as Cuba's first ambassador to the United Stat. Dr. Torrfente is too astute a diplo- mat to play league politics on the Potomac, yet Geneva may discern ad- vantage in having the league's high- est officlal stationed at the seat of the American government. It is only on the infrequent occasions of as- sembly meetings- that the league president actively functions. Dr. Tor- riente has boen prominent in its af- fairs for the past four years as Cuba's rrincipal represeniative in the as- sembly. In 1897, when Torrients was a member of the Cuban revolutionary junta in the United States, he was arrested and thrown into jail both in Washington and New York. A lawyer by profession, he was active af Havana an civil governor during Gen. Leonard Wood's regime In Cub: * ok ok ok President Coolidge began the new sear with/an unusual performance. He laughed long and loud. The oc- casion was.provided by an editorial in a New York newspaper, which de- scribed C. Bascom Slemp, the Presi- dent's secretary, as a resident of “Turkey Covi What aroused the presidential mirth is the fact—to which he called attention of a group cf friends in the lobby of the White House offices—that Slemp's home town is not Turkey Cove. but Big Stone Gap, Va. Apparently it was rever revealed to Mr. Coolidge that Turkey Cove, Lee county, Va., had the honor ‘of being Slemp’s birthplace. * ok ok X% Unwonted laughter rang through the White House on' another recent occa- sion. This time the dramatis personae were Henry Cabot Lodge and Senator George H. Moses. They were on their way Into the President’s dinner for the diplomatic corps. “Lodge,” sald Moses, “I heard a good one on you a minute ago. A3 you drove up a couple of folks standing in the portico said: ‘There goes Gen. Sawyer.'" The chalrman of the Senate committee on foreign rela- tions broke into what passes in New England for a roar of merriment. * Kk x Since Presldent Harding passed away espiring politiclans have held the vice presidency in less contempt than for- merly. This campaign year threatens an unusually large crop of candidates in both parties. lienumlrlns who as- suhe the nomination of Coolidge for President count definitely upon a west- rn_running mate for him. No fewer than two members of the cabinet figure in the current gossip—Henry C. Wailace Eleutherios Venizelos dominates the Balkans today. On his course of ac- tion, now that he has returned to Athens, much depends. He may assist in the restoration of King George to kis throne. Skould Venizelos do this it will be only In return for some real concessions for his beloved Greece, editors believe. Should he ingist ' on the effort being ecarried through to establish a stable repub- {lie the outcome is hard to foresee, with the little entente dominated, as at ‘present, by Queen Marie of 'Ru- mania, King George's mother-in-law, whose plans to make the rule of the Balkan states a famlly affair has got- ten all concerned into a serious tangle. What Venizelos can accomplish s agreed to be the feremost problem in Europe today. The deportation of the king .and queen caused very little of a stir., Its effect will show when the little entente méets the middle of the program will be domplete. All hands scem to have had enough of fighting, Dut it would require only a very small {#park to explode the powder maga- zine of the Balkan states. Venizelos . “favors a constitutional monarchy,” the New York Evening World thinks. “But demand for a républic grows stronger in Greece, and the ablest of Greek statesmen may accept a republic as the best hope of his country. If Greece is to have a president, Sir Basil Zarahoff is mentioned as first choice. Sir Basil is FEurope's man of mystery, power— and multi-millions. More cash, fewer ructions. Not a bad prescription for the Balkans.” It should be empha- sized in this connection, the Danville Register feels, that “the mighty stirring of . democracy since it was preached during the war perfod and the popularity of the Wilsonian doc- trine of the self-determination of peo- ples have wrougnt fundamental and revolutionary changes in almost all of the governments of Europe.” * % %k % The Cleveland Plain Deéaler, how- ever, feels “the attitude of Venizelos toward King George will probably be the same as that toward Constan- tine. If he believes the young king can help and Is willing to help In the work of reconstruction, he will doubtless prevail upon the cabinet to invite George back to the throne. Even now after so many years of activity Venizelos is but ffty-nine. It is scarcely to be supposed that three years of reflection. at Paris “|has materially affected his viewpoint. His réturn to Athens may well por- tend developments no less significant for future Greek and European his- tory than was his call from Crete thirteen years ago,’ “The Greeks have been as fickle as little children_in their political loves,” insists the Providence Tribune, and “when Greece cannot hold Greeks, its own nationals,” the Dur- ham Sun continues, “Greece can hold few ambitions. Venizélos is not a God, nor s he superhuman. But he appreciates the position of Greece as a pawn in the great game of Euro- pean diplomacy, and if Greece is to trade international horses Venizelos is the man to swing her deals. Ven| zelos and David Harum would have much i common, for they would speak a common language. There is @ question as to whether anything can be done for Greece.' But if it can be done Venizelos will very nearly do it.” It should also be re- membered, the Roanoke Tii point: out, that ‘“Venizelos possekses th confidence of the European chanocel- leries to a degree not equaled by any other Greek statesman of the day." Agreeing that this is so, the Pitts. burgh Gazette-Times also recalls it will be difficult to “iron out” the internal differences, ““even though “Greece is sadly in need of a Mflnfl‘ '3 t from political turmoil. With :hort-:m of swift change of public ntimept that has characterized the for several years there fis :::?n':l for I.auunonlnt if even the| loved Veniselos can establish har- mony on & POl litical program of his own making: A e early reluctance of Venizelos to%k. l’htld in the muddle was due, the New Orleans Times-Picayune feels, “to the fact that he knows his own people and their state of mind," but t:n he flwmm back is a 0od '.hln{ for ,_ the Duluth erald holds, because “Greece was manifestly in v-zlmn need of ju: such _statesmanship as 'he seems capable of providing.”~ p *E R ; “Some of the rulers of democracies ¢ than _but s HINGTON, D. © current month. By that time the new | . THURSDAY, OBSERVATIONS WILLIAM WILE of Tows, Secretary of Agriculturs, and Hubert “work of Golorads, Searstary the Interior. Two m«bfi&n senators continue to- be hon ly mentioned in the same connection—Lenroat of Wis- consin and Capper Kansas. Th ouse, not to be outdone by the msenu n president cs, offers re- sentative L. J. gl.jokluon of Towa 38 & suitable tail-ender for a ticket headed by Calvin Coolidge. One of Albert J. Beveridge's _adm! at Winchester, Va., near which historic community the former Indiana senator found much material for his life of John Marshall. says he i the original “Coolidge and Beveridge” man. * ok k% Reforestation, one of America’s great domestic problems, claims the eypert interest of Capt. Axel F. Wallenberg, the Swedish minister at Washington. A member of Sweden's reigning bank- ing dyhasty, Capt. Wallenberg once had charge of his family’s vast timber hold- ings in Lapland. He had under his su pervision a tract of 800,000 acres. From its broad domains comes the wood pulp of whick Sweden is the chief producer, no less than 40 per cent of the world' supply originating there. Great quanti ties are exported to the United States for paper-making.. Capt. Wallenberg says that America consumes 127 pounds per capita of the world's paper produc- tion, far outstripping all other countries in that regard. Our big newspapers are mainly responsible. Capt. Wallenberg is the glant of the Washington diplo- matic corps. Both he and Mme. Wal- lenberg are types of the magnificent physique for which the BSwedes are {famed. * ok k¥ A Washington reporter sent to in- terview Mrs. Custer, widow of the United States Army general of Indian massacre celebrity, asked at her place of residence for “Nellle Custis.” A witty young woman attendant sol- emnly - informed him that George Washington's stepdaughter was “not in," having left early in the nine- teenth century. * ok k¥ To the obsolete horse a new and noble role has just been assigned by Mrs. Charles D. Walcott, wite of the secretary of the Smithsonlan Institu- tion. Addressing last week's conven- tion of the American Assoclation for the Advancement of Sclence at Cin- cinnati, Mrs. Walcott told of the in- dependent research she has accom- plished in geology and botany. From rock strata high up in the Canadian Rockles she has hammered out tril-| obites—fossilized _insects—70.000,000 years old. Mrs. Walcott's principal coadjutor was her husband’s horse Cricket, which she “described as “a very clever geologist.” Whenever Cricket decided to stop at a rock, Mrs. Walcott said, she usually found that his instinct was sound, and booty al- most unfailingly resulted. (Copyright, 1924.) Venizelos Dominates Fate Of Balkans, Editors Asse Yact that kings are not what they used to be. In the old days the king only needed to nod his head to bring about the decapitation of the prime minister, or grand vizier, or anybody else who happened to be obstructing 1his line of vision. Now the kings take what the people are willing to give jthem and are thankful to get that jmuch.” Because this is 8o the Lynch- burg Advance belleves “Greece needs a complete overhauling, Venizelos can be trusted to give that warapid- den country an opportunity to return | to prosperity and peace. He s equip- ped for real service for his<country, !and If unhampered Greece may be re- | tored to her former place in world | confidence and world affairs.” Even | | though King George should be re- (called, the Birmingham News feels, “Greece seems headed in the direc- tion of a republic—if not this or next year, within five years or ten years. Democracy has a_way of spreading. | It is infectious. Doubtless it will be a good thing for Greece—for any country—at least to try the experi- ment. If they don't like it they can g0 back to the old shining armer forms. George and Elizabeth both are young persons.” Incidentally, the Buffalo News feels “a virtual military dictatorship has existed in Greece since the accession of George IL” so that “they had very little opportunity to do anything,” while the Newark News holds “a republic headed by some vigorous modern statesman would be a most desirable fmprove- ment over the monarchy. It would place her on a basis to compete on a basis of equality with her Increasing vigorous neighbors, Italy, headed by Mussolini, and modern Turkey, under Mustapha Kemal. Declares Cement Age Greater Than 99 Years To the Editor of The Star: On page fourteen of The Star for Saturday, December 29, is an article headed “Cement Ninety-nine Years Old in Construction.” .It goes on .to say that cement was discovered in England ninety-nine years ago. This article called to mind a fact that may be of interest In regard to cement. “ Two hundred and fifty miles south- west of Canton, China, six miles from the coast, up the Yeungkong river, is the walled city of Yeungkong, hav- ing _a population of some 45,000. There are pagodas on the surround- ing hills at each point of the com- pass—that is. north, south, east and west—efected to appease evil spirits. But not content with these pagodas, there was erected 300 years ago a wall, extending from the city up over the east hill. This wall {s about fourteen feet high and is made of ce- ment. I made a lantern slide from & photograph of the wall gear the Presbyterian Hospital, which 1s in charge of my son, and the marks of the planks of which the forms were made are distinctly seen. Whether this cement identical with that described In the article in The Star I cannot say, but it would be_interesting to know. I think I will send for a sample from the wall, as it is being torn down quite rap- idly for use in building houses. This also indicates that the Chinese ha: lost faith in protective qualiti of, the wall, evil irits are ce; talnly at work thereabouts. In th hospital, according to the last lett trom my son, are ffty Chinese so diers, the result of’the fighting be- tween factions. If 1 receive a sample of the wall 1$2,000. lin fact, set Paris agog. ' The North Window BY LEILA MEGHLIN The reopening of the Phillips M recently acquired - masterpiece by Renolr, “Les Dejeuner des Canotlers, and additional’paintings by other great French impressionists, has quite nat- urally led to a revival of Interest In|servatory is transit -observation of this school. Who were the French im- préssionists and what contribution |standard clocks running in‘a constant have they made to the art of today— perchance the art of the future? The name “impressionists,” Muther in his comprehensive “History of Modern Painting” tells us dates from an exhibition in Paris which was got up at Madar's in the early séventles. The catalog recorded many titles which began with the word “impression,” such, for instance, as “Impression de ! mon pot au feu,” and “Impression d’un chat qui se promene.” And in his criticism Claretie spoke of it as the “Salon des Impressionists.”” At first the artists whose works were shown in this exhibition protested against that appellation, but it stuck, and they afterward not only accepted but adopted it. L The beginnings of impressionism, however, antedated that time. In 1862 we learn from Duret a close friendship formea between four young men who worked in Gleyre's studio, Claude Monet, Sisley, Renoir and Bazille. Monet took the lead among them and took his clue, or, as Duret puts it, “found his road to Damascus,” from the work of Manet. Now Manet, according to his biographers, got his idea of opening the windows and letting in the light from a memorable trip that he took when a young man from France to Brazil, and from the insplration which the rediscovery of Velasquez in the great Manchester expedition of '57 had given. But the movement seems to have been almost spontaneous. Zola wrote a novel in the 60's in which he cham- ploned the cause of the-impressionist The hero of this novel, Claude Lantler, was a martyr of the new style. He is scoffed, derided, avoided and cast out, “but’ten years after these new doctrines had penetrated all the studios of Paris like germs borne in the air.” * ¥ X ¥ It was Edouard Manet who gave his friend Zola the ideas which he expresses through the character of Claude Lantier. Of Manet Zola wrote, “Criticism treated him as a kind of buffoon who put out his tongue for the amusement of street boys.” The public did not understand at first what he was about, but he was un- moved by the jeers. Manet started the movement, but Monet and Sisley and Renoir each added something to it, and as it progressed others came intq the circle, Fantin-Latour, Guillaumin. Degas, Plssaro and others. For some years they gathered for dis- cussion and for mutual encourage- ment at the Cafe Guerbols. Manet remained in Paris and gave his chief attention to figure painting, ‘but the others all settled in the country and worked not in the studio but in the open air, face to face with nature. There was one young woman among them, Berthe Morisot. * %k x * The first collective exhibition was Pissarro, Monet, Sisley, Renoir, Berthe Morisot, Cezanne, Guillaumin. This was held in April in a gallery on the boulevard des Capucines and may be regarded as a landmark in modern art. Financially this ex- hibition was a disastrous fallure, 'as were others which followed. The public heaped contempt upon the painters. The_ public did not understand the purple haystacks, the colorful_shadows, high-keyed palets, the method of painting with pure color spots and ‘so recomposing the elements which the spectrum decom- posed from the light. When in '78 Seventy paintings by Claude Monet, Sisley, Renoir and Berthe Morisot were sold at auction at the Hotel Drouot the total amount realized was a little over -10,000 francs, about It is said on good authority that a private collector offered $150 000 for the painting by Renoir now owned by the Phillips Memorial Gal- lery. & EE The most notable, perhaps, of their yearly exhibitions was that held in clubs, drawing rooms— Every one went to see it but they went to scoff; they regarded it as a huge joke. Duret telis how “they began to laugh when they were still in the street, how they laughed as they were going up the stairs, how they were con- vulsed with laughter the first moment they cast their eyes upon the pic- tures.” It is the impressjonists them- selves who laugh now, or would if they were still living, and “he who laughs last laughs best.” * K X X And just what did the impression- ists d0? Duret sums it up thus: “The painter confined in the studio had invested nature with a certain uniform aspect—a fixed and unchang- ing character which the open-air painter was unable to recognize. For the studio painter follage had hither- to been of a determinate shadc of green; water had been couleur d'eau; the sky had been of a particular kind of blue and the clouds of a particu- lar kind of gray. But for the im- pressionist, with his eye fixed, always upon nature, a landscape could not present itself otherwise than under a variet; spects which were de- fermined by variations of light and changes of atmosphere. And as the impressionist was able to avail him- self of the new resources obtained by the use of pure tones, unadulterated with shadow, he could apply to his canvas those brilliant colors which ocorrespond with the various effects which nature 8ffered him. Thus there were to be seen in the pictures of the impressionists splashes of light which the sun, shining through the leaves of trees, casts on the ground; the pure, delicate greens which caress the earth in spring were falthfully rendered; fields burnt by the summer sun took a reddish tinge; water was no longer of a uniform color, but held on its surface all col- ors in turn. [ ‘Then, having discovered that shad- ows when seen in the open air varlously colored according to the effects of light, the impressionists painted them without hesitation blue, violet, lilac.” hermore, / “the fact that the impressionista- systematically painted directly from nature led them to dis- pose the general arrangement of their pictures otherwise than their boulevards, 1 shall be glad to submit it to proper tests by any one The Star may name. H. A. DO N, In a Few Words. I am not one of those who think the European situation should be Blamod 5y one country. 1t Kas sumbly . rerofn“- situation that has -urpu-‘ its of man. i —LORD DERBY. British Minister of War. My idea s to treat the foreigner as ‘he treats us, until he learns to treat little better. 2% PREMIER STANLEY BALDWIN. care will be royed by th Proah peopte thomestyes The moment they discover his policy is get :fi 0 cash' and_is alien thelr friends. | —W. L. GEORGE. - convinced the payment' of ¥ u;:"nm‘ ‘belongs the domain of —FREMIER MUSSOLINL P mythology. predecessors had done. * * * As they ainted directly from nature they Rad meither the time.nor the means to undertake that work of reco struction, of elaboration, of met: morphosis, to which the painters working in the studio used to devote themselves.” In short, the impressionists re- jected formal composition and re- corded the actual impression which objects made upon their vision, the sensations of movement and light. * % * X Among odr American artists Childe Hassam and Mary Cassatt were the two most closely allied to the im- pressionist school, but all of our modern painters show the. {nfluence of the school in thelr work. And it interesting to find among the intings in_the Phillips Memorial ery by Renoir, - Pissaro, Sisley [and z;«. works by Lawson, Pren- dergast and Marjory Phillips which are found in perfect accord. It was the French lwn-lonuu whom we thank t for the. .and the subtle nature of which th 1 18%7, which created talk in the cafes. | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN ‘of | mortal Gallery at this time with its|{ Q. How does the Naval Observatory |find out the exact time and what kind of clock records 1t?—W., W, - A. The basis of reckoning standard time at the United States Naval Ob- the stars. The observatory has three temperature vault, electrically wound and sealed to keep the air pressure constant. Meridlan circle observa- tions of selected stars are taken reg- ularly on clear nights, and from these observations the errors of the stand- ard clocks are determined and cor- rected. Q. How many visitors can Chicago accommodate without building any special quarters?—H. A. H. A. It s estimated that Chicago can accommodate 125,000 to 200,000 people besides the population of the city without bullding any special quarters. Q. When is the winter carnival in Banff?—W. T. A. Banft will hold its annual win- ter carnival February 8-16. Q. —A. L. H. A. The Irish players are a group of actors organized for the purpose of producing plays written by the Irish or on Irish subjects. As one writer says, “Race consciousness is to be stirred into articulate form by plays produced by this group.” The Iriah iterary Theater inaugurated _the drama of the Celtic renaissance. Wil- liam Butler Yeats, George Moore and Martyn and Lady Gregory found- ed the Irish Literary Theater. Three experimental years have passed since the Irish National Dramatic Company was established. The name of this organization was changed in 1903 to the Irish National Theater Soclety and again in 1905 to the National Theater Society, Limited. The name of the group is popularly known as the Abbey Players. Q. Where was the first hospital in this country?—G. N. A._The first hospital established In the United States was the Pennsyl- vania Hospital, which was the result of several years of effort by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. It was opened in 1752. Q. Why is an English horn so-call- ed?—M. B. The reason fs not definitely known. Another name for the in- strument is cor anglals. This may be the reason for the translation into “English horn.” Some authorities think that the words were originally “cor angle,” meaning angled horn. Q. Are there many oceans that are more depth?—E. 8. _ A. A large portion of the 140,000, 000 square miles of salt water on the zlobe is of a greater depth than one mile. Approximately 10,000,000 square miles exceeds 3.000 fathoms, or more than three miles in depth. laces in the n a mile in Q. Is it not true that the Senate originally refused to confirm the ap- pointment of Chief Justice Taney?— A. Taney was first nominated by, President Jackson as an associate’ Justice of the Supreme Court, and the George was a quaint reminder of the |held in 1574 and comprized work by [Senate refused confirmation in 1835 The following year the complexion of the Senate had changed and Taney was named Chief Justice to succeed John Marshall. That appointment was confirmed, although not without strong opposition from Henry Clay and others. IN TODAY’S The recent agreement of President Coolidge’s administration to sell arms and other war material to the Obre- {gon- government of Mexico is not a |departure from the traditional poli- cies of the United States. This government has consistently set its face against the too prevalent tendency of the Latins of Central and South America of rebelling against the legally elected constitu- tional governments of their coun- tries. The United States exercises no sovereignty over the sister re- publics of this hemisphere, but she stands for orderly government and !the defeat of appeals to arms when |ever a dissatisfied general or poli- {tician thinks he can force the over- |throw of the elected chief+ magis- trate and make, himself a military dictator. This attitude of the Upited State: to support orderly government ha: nothing to do with the Monroe doc- trine, but is based upon the patent fact that ours is the great power of this hemisphere, and, as such, is looked to by the rest of the world to preserve a watchful care, not as to what governments shall prevail in the other republics, but that what ever governments do prevail shall be clected by the people, according to their constitutions, and not raised to power by murder and military coups. * * x ¥ Thrice we have intervened in in- ternecine wars—in Cuba, Santo Do- mingo and in Mexico. After the close of the Spanish war we sent armed forces into Cuba to sustain the legally established gov. ernment there against military in. surrection. ; As evidence of our settled pollcy of disinterestedness and our sole concern in_orderly government in this hemi- sphere may be cited two occasions in relation to Santo Domingo, the island republic of less than a million popu- lation. The first was the refusal’ of our Senate to ratify a treaty made and ratified by Santo Domingo soon after she had gained her independence from Spain, in 1869, By that treaty bes tween President Baes of Santo Do- mingo and President Grant, the island was to be annexed to the United States. The Senate declined to ratify the treaty, because the nature of the cans, hence annexation was not deemed desirable from the American s | viewpoint. 1 in 1898 Congress passed a Jjoint resolution giving the President the discretionary T to control the supplying of war material to any: country in this’ hemisphere, and by virtue of that resolution President Roosevelt, in 1905, issued a procla- mation forbidding the sale of war material to the warring factions of the island of Santo Domingo. At the same time a treaty Was made between the governments O! Santo Domingo and the United States whereby we took over the manage- ment of affairs of the island, in order to ward off inter nce from her European creditors, because she was not paying either principal or inter- est on her debts and was verging on anarchy. ‘e paid off the European claims and, by virtue of the depressed value of the money in which the oblllai tions were payable, we saved her 8 per cent of her indebtedness. Then we held her customshouses until we were relmbursed by their receipts. * k% x On March 14, 1912, President Taft issued. & proclamation prohibiting exportation of war material to any faction in Mexico, ‘for at that time 'there was no. recognized cnnn‘l‘u:- yvernment there. The whole SR g S fort, 1l o 50, ey SR, oL g o Royse kid Orosco _against President Madero, who had driven ident ;gf‘r‘h lo\lt of the revolt mn‘:fin(w‘ was soon Who are the Irish players?— people was foreign to that of Ameri-| Gen. Felix Q. How lon, ment surveysi—y ¢ Bad govern- A. The first public su United States were made {5’ Obie tor der an ordinance of the Continental Congress passed May 20, 1785, which, slightly modified, became an’ act of Congress in 1796, and 1s stiil In force. Q. In how many cases aré peopl exeeuted fn proportion to !he’( l: number of murders’—C. F, H, A. In 1885 there was one ex £0 16.7 murders In the United Staes The rate of murders to executions is pow approximately 90 to 1, Q. When was the small Indian hé& penny first made?—A. T. F. by A. It was first made In 1859, Q. How old is E. Phill - helm?—P. H. 0°C. Lk A. He is fifty-seven years old. Q. Is the carnation a modern hot- house product?—L. C. . A. The carnation has been cultivat- ed for its flowers for more than 2,000 years. Growing carnations under glass developed within the last sev- enty-five years. Q. Where were public employment bureaus first opened?—L. D, A. Ohio wis the pioneer In the movement for free public employment offices in the United States, institut- ing them in 1890. Such agencles originated in France, where in 1848 one was established in each of the mairfes of Paris. The firat bureau in England was opened in 1885. Q. Does compressing air make it visible?—J. 7. D. A. One of the properties af air is its invisibility, and compressing it does not render it visible. Q. What is used as alloy in United States gold money?—C. M. A. United States gold coin is ninety parts gold and ten parts alloy. This is chiefly copper with a little silver. Q. What is the smallest county in England—A. P. U. A. Rutland {s the smallest county, containing but 152 square miles. Q. Why were sturgeon known as “Albany beef”?—D, H. A. A. Seventy-five years ago sturgeon were 0 plentiful in the Hudson riv- er that they were eaten Instead of meat by the poor, and this name was applied to them. ' After the civil war this*fish rose in favor and popularity. The price advanced from 3 or 4 cents a pound to the present price, which s about 75 cents a pound when any is put on the market. l J i Q. What is the oldest drama?—J. A. It i§ Impossible to say definitely which is the oldest drama. Certainly one of the oldest is the Boek of Job, which was written either in-the last century of Persian rule, or shortly after the conquest of Alexander the Great. The earliest extant Sanskrit play, “The Toy Cart,” dates probably from the close of the second century, A.D. Chi- nese drama dates from the Emperor Yuen-Tsung (A.D. 720). Chinese dra- matic pleces were called tchhouen-khi. (The Star Information Bureaw will answer your question. This offer op- Diles atrictly to information. The bu~ reau cannct give advice on legal, medical and financial matters. It does mot attempt to settle domestic trowubles mor to undertake ezhaustive research on any subject. Write your question plainly and briefly. Inclose 2 cents in stamps for return postage and send yo®r query to The Star In- formation Bureau, Frederio J. Has- kin, director, 1220 North Capitol street.) SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL V:'COLLINS Diaz, nephew aof. the expelled presi- dent. THere wd® also the dangerous brigandage of Villa. President Taft sent 20,000 troops to guard the Rio | Grande boundary—a force later in- creased to 100,000 by President Vilson. Gen. Huerta, one of Madero's sup- porters, betrayed him and went over to the rebels, which resulted in Ma- dero’s capture and murder. (This is not the same man as the Gen. de la Huerta now in rebellion against Prestdent Obregon.) Huerta became | military dictator, until the election {of Carranza. but because Huerta's |power rested entirely on force of |arms and murder of the president, his administration was not recog- nized by this country, President Wil- on enunciating his famous policy of atchful waiting” for Huerta's |power to fall. - When Carranza was | elected, Huerta became minister of war, in command of the army. 1t was because of Huerta's and 4 President Carranza‘s refusal to make japology and to salute our flag after jan outrage upon a detachment of ur marines at Tampico, that Presi- dent Wilson ordered_the capture of {Vera Cruz, in 1814 We made no ef- fort to hold territory permanently, but, growing out of that possession (of Vera Cruz came a most signifi- jcant circumstance. A German vessel landed a shipload of arms at another lpnrt to supply the Carranza govern- ment for resistance to our forces, |and later it was discovered, by Inter- cepted corres dence, that there was an alliance between Germany and Carranzs against the United States, under which Mexico was to be alded by Germany in “reconquering” Texas, New Mexico and Arizona and annex- ing them to Mexico. * %k Xk ¥ President Carranza was assassinat- ed, and his immediate successor was Gen. de la Huerta, then Governor of Sonora—not the Huerta who had been Carranza’s predecessor and minister of war. This Gen. de la Huerta of Sonora became provisional president untll Obregon of Sonora also became » elected president, and then de la ]l}}‘\:orem Pechme Obregon’s minister ? of war, but is now leading the pres- ont revolt against Obregon. ~Accord- fng to the policy of our tradition, this | Favernment would not recognize de | ja Huerta in case he overthrew Obre- | gon—at least not until the people | elect him. * o K K The joint resolution of Congress of 1898 regarding the Preasident's con- trol of the sale of war material has been amended from time to time. By the last amendment, January, 1932, all restrictions on the export of arms were removed, except that when the President belleved that domestic dis- turbance might ensue he was au- thorized to restrict such experts to any American country, and to any country in which we exercise extr: territorial rights—China, Persl: - rocco_and Borneo. This leaves the 1 | President with no embargo power as Europe, but the general attitnde ;‘; the administration against the sale of arms to warring nations has a great moral influence of restraint. * X k¥ £ A conference between the league of nations, the United States and other nations independent of the league was held last September at St. Germain, France, one object. of which was to regulate the trafig in arms. By the terms of the n. tion there agreed to, it was to prohibit the sale of arms to “stgte, not parties tg the convention ¥ In order to maintain our freedom to sup- iy arms to any American country for the purpose of protecting lawful gOV! ents, this government de- cline® to ratity the St. Germain con- vention. ; The restrictions of the present sale of arms to the de fac¢to and‘“de ju government of Mexico, and not to the rebels, becomes possible by the joint resoldtion of 1922 and by thy asal to ratify the St Germaln ‘conven- tion. (Cogyright, 194,03 Rexl Y. Collisnd