Evening Star Newspaper, April 18, 1924, Page 6

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvania Lye. ork Office. nd St Chicago Office Buropean Office: 161 . England The Evening Star, with the Susday morning edition, is arriers within the th: dails ondy, . $5.40: 1 mo, 00 L mo, 10 only unday only All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00 only 1yr. $7.00 Sunday only 1yr, 3300 Member of the Associ e Associgted Pross for repub i ta ol X ation of 37 S ruin At @ rescrved National Art Gallery Building. @rospect that the Wiil o erect at Washington a suit building Natic Art has been much © ntroduction in the Sen unendment to the appropriating construction The government of the Gailery improved e to second deficiency $2 500000 be- ot build- ing and providing for a 100,000 There v sentiment among artists nd that here should be at the Capital a na- utonal art gallery compa » with the 1t collections and aild s of the world. There desire for this also among a lar Americans who have 1otive interest in vill to such total cost of sentiment in Congress strong nd otiers interested in art, isa otic hody ny dy not very art. wernment ble h has is 1 posses: and worthy rown fast dur wrter of 4 century no doubt grow the « baint Je collection. g the which will whi past and at a greater rate after statuary and other art ts can be appropriately shown The present national forming for century and dates hack ob een t g of the Smithsonian Institu- Hon. M hown in t and natural history Smithsonian, wher it tas and the basement. building is now dark it much of is stored in The Smithsonian has said that o secre £y Of the tiic Smithsonian has no proper hous- for the collection, and now given to it is the display seientific ions whict the chie ing facilities that space ded olled up of v stand for ne for purposes of the institution. nand 1rtists and art collectors the for a national gallery build- nd within the past two or three years | ws become quite insistent. Without tion by Congress a pri- subscribed to pay for of plans, and there talk of building structed by private subscrip tion and presented to the government. Such a ion rather wounds the pride of most Am . and perhaps touches the conscience of their repre in Congress. The gov mient has a great art collection, which, for the most part, has been given it by citizens, rnment ought to put up an adequate building for the housing of the collection it now and for wealth of art works which will hereafter be given it. the preparation s been some being o entatives 'n- and the gov the == ST Convention Details. sident Coolidge’s nomination ap- zone conclusion, are busying i discussion of the plat- t immediate moment 1 detalia of who shall be and nermanent presiding who shall sound the keynote il who shall have the honor of plac- the Presid in nomination. Some of President Coolidge's friends are suggesting that it would be a good ke politics to have Senator h of Tdaho make the nominating h. He is one of the leading pro- <ressives in the country, they point 17, and recall that he was one of the tirst to President Coolidge as the logical choice of the party, thereby ilencing all talk of his possibly being didate for the nomination him- leaders In. f precedent were followed. Senator would make the nominating speech. Alabama, first on the roll call of states, would yield to Massachusetts ind the senior senator would take the tage. But the caviling ong the rank and file against too much participation by the Senate in the convention management. Secretary Hughes is being sugges «d as the one to sound the keynote, following upon the highly favorable impression his speech before the New York republican state convention ated. The platform adopted by that convention is being studied as a pos- sible model for the national platform. Ludge is some er The D. A. R. revives martial tradi- tions only to the extent of displaying very alert vice president generalship. - 'he Passing of a Veteran. he death of Brig, Gen. Horatio Giates Gibson removes from the life of his community a remarkable man with an exceptional record and with « great host of friends. Gen. Gibson the oldest living graduate of West Point, having received his commission ipon graduation from the Military \cademy seventy-seven years ago. He died in his ninety-seventh Year. Com- nissioned in the Army in 1847, he fought under Scott in the Mexican war. He serveé through the civil war. and but for the fact of his retirement for age in 1891 he would probably have served in the Spanish-American war. He had, however, before that conflict opened, been placed on the retired list, nd though in vigorous health was in- igible to participate. Retaining his faculties in &n un- usual degree for one of his advanced age, Gen. Gibson was a mine of in- .April 18, 1924 truction of a building in which | ch of the collection cannot be | it Washington has been growing, | formation regarding the military his- tory of the United States. Seventy- nine years ago he entered West Point. | The happenings in this country and | abroad in that span of nearly eight decades make @ voluminous record. When Gen. Gibson was & cadet the | frontiers of this country were less than half-way ecross the continent. Railroad transportation was in ite in- fancy. Telegraphic communication was unknown. The Atlantic cable was un- dreamed of then. No man dared to think, of such rapid trensit as today prevalls on land and sea and in the |air. Military material was crude. | Fighting was at short range. but lit- | tle advanced from the hand-to-hand | combat of ancient times. It is a wonderful thing to have lived | through that span of nearly a centur covering so phenomenal a change in human conditions. and especially won- derful to have lived, as did Gen. Gib- son, so actively and virtually to the end so keenly in understanding and appreciation the changing times. His death is occasion for regret and a keen sense of loss on the part of those who knew him and loved him of e Schools and Public. | A member of the board of education |at a recent meeting. at which the ques- | tion”of the so-called school censorship s discussed, declared in response 1o | 1 statement by another member, “We + not here to serve the public, but to serve the school system.” This should | be interpreted as a discrimination | without a difference. It was surely not | intended as a separation of the school interests from the public interests, for | the school system serves the public. and those who serve the school system | serve the publi | Responsibility for school administra- | tion is under the peculiar laws prevail- | ing here somewhat vague. Members | of the board of education are appoint- ed by the judges of the District Su- | preme Court, who have ruled that they | | have no pawer of removal. Once ap- | pointed, & member of the board may {remain for three years undisturbed. | [ Thus there is in u sense of actual re- | | sponsibility no limitation. But mem. | bers of the board are nevertheless sub- | ject 1o public criticism when they take | positions which are contrary to the | prevailing community view. Infeed. | no member of the board of education and diligent can expect | ism from some quarter of a three-year term. not altogether safe to suggest ny diff and public admini who is activ course ence between school service | <t 1o sehool There is guch a thing ntration upon be called the technique of | | schooling to the exclusion of regard | for the public views. wishes and re quirements. Indeed, the board of edu- | cation represents the public. the com- munity, while the school executives | represent the educational element. So | that it is for the board always to ad- here to the public point of view rather than the school point of view in all matters of that supervisory relation- | ship which the board holds to the school system. 'The hope may be ex- | pressed that this remark by a board | member does not reficct strietly the at- itude of the board in regard to the re- | sponsibility vested in that body. service in r tion | as r | what may too strict a conce The Water Supply. | The Chamber of Commerce has ap- | proved a committee report urging that | the second conduit from Great Falls and other features of the greater { water supply system be finished | for service without delay. One | after another of the civic bodies has urged that this work be done within the time estimated by the engineers. The chief of engineers of the Army has recommended this. The Secretary of War has presented the matter to the President with the recommenda- tion that the work be carried forward as fast as possible. To complete the conduit in 1927 the engineers need an annual appropriation that wiil keep the work under way all the time. For the fiscal year 1925 $2,500.000 is need- ed, and the budget has approved an al- lowance of only $800,000. Annual ap- propriations at that rate would delay completion of the new water works until 1 No money would be saved by letting the work lag. It would be cheaper to keep the men and ma- chinery at work on full time through- out the year. To be considered also is the danger of a break in the conduit between Great Falls and the George- town reservoir and in the tunnel be- tween that resertoir and the filtration plant. Enginecrs have recently report- ed on the insecurity of the tunnel. Though consumers pay for water, economy in its use has been forced in hot seasons for many years. The peo- ple have borne this inconvenience without much complaint, but there is reason why completion of this great improvement should be post- poned to 1932 when with adequate funds it can be finished five years sooner. Another consideration is that one of the principal roads in and out of Washington is rendered practically unusable by the conduit construction work. ———— Fears of socialism are said to have haunted the late Hugo Stinnes. The Utopian, contemplating as system of | universal benevolence, has thus far | succeeded only in creating terror. ——————— Japanese statesmen will regard the recent Senate vote on immigration as one of those landslides for which America has become famous. no Great Britain's labor government finds a great many perplexities be- sides the labor problem demanding con- sideration. Copyright and Broadcasting. Hearings are in progress before a Senate committee on a bill which if enacted would relieve broadcasters by ragdio from obligations'to pay royalties for songs and other copyrighted com- positions sent through the air for ‘free” entertainment. Authors and composers are arguing against the proposed legislation, on the ground that it would deprive them of their rightful profits from their creations, which under the copyright law are protected from use save upon pur- chase of copies and from public per- formances save upon specific permis- sion. Suits have already been filed in vari VENING ous courts to prevent the broadcasting without pay of copyrighted composi- tions, and one court has rendered a decisipn fayorable to the copyright holders. This proposed law is designed to end such litigation and make pos- sible the practice which the suits have been instituted to check, There are two points of view iu the matter, that of the composer, who feels that the indiscriminate Lroadcasting of his songs checks the sale of them, and that of the broadcaster, who contends that the free use of songs by radio tends to promote their sale. At the hearing representatives of the com- posers stress the furmer. Whether this is susceptible of proof i nows un known. One eminent writer of music declares that the constant iteration of certain songs through the air d the market for publicatior Broadeasting is maintained primarily for profit through publicity for broad casting agencies or through the promo- tion of sales of radio Thus far there is no suggestion of a practical means of maintaining this service on a fee ba: he profit is thus indirect, but is nevertheless a busine sideration. The composer that inasmuch as their wars for this purpose they should be paid for that use. stroys con- nd con ———— - composers are afraid of being deprived of just revenue by the radic interests. While their rights are being considered there will not arily be a dearth of wireless Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin. Mende sohn and @ number of others whose works bring up no question of royal ties may be used in temporary expedi ency. —_————————— Lexicographers may discover that in Japanesc the thought that would be translated into the words “grave con- sequences” milder and philosophic than veyed by nglish sion. i melody < a significanc the direct more is con expres ——— e e Having qualified as a delegate at large from Florida, Col. Bryan allays | any faint apprehensions on the part of thos vention him. t no Democratic con- b without who feel tha wouid complete - — this season the most profound public problems fail to monopolize in dividual attenti the old questi Who game?" ¢ Wi good for a cs ——————— to the exclusion of woj 1 kaiser be Sihould the forme! to resume asked is old position it may be necessary to make a thorough search among the Berlin junk shops in order to find the throne. rope may save considerable sums of money when affairs are so adjusted that there will be no further need of funds for American propaganda Bergdoll B e might be encouraged come home on the chance that his im- | portance no longer measures up to the distinction of being investigated e There is no great encouragement the destruction of battleships if the old boats are promptly to be replaced by aerial warcraft and submarines. ———— have shot t s are jusi So many women husbands that femin in c proved in mark ed manship, o European affairs have demonstrated that no country becomes so precarious in its finances as to be unable to sup- port a few profiteer: e There will always be alienists who refuse to regard a man as insane so long as he is competent to write a lucid check. SEEe oo SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON Plenitude. "olks know when they enough.” Said Hezekiah Bings. “Although the talk sometimes grows rough Concernin’ various things. Wa recollect the fight we had That bade all joys disperse Another would be just as bad And maybe even worse. have had “And so. away down in my heart, ‘When trouble seems immense, I know that brains will do their part And use plain, common sense. Although the language may be gruff, The peace dove wisely sings, ‘Folks know when they have enough,’ Said Hezekiah Bings. Troubled Dreams. “I dreamt,” said Senator Sorghum, “that 1 opened a letter and found a check for a hundred thousand dollars in it.” ““And then you woke up?” “‘Yes. Luckily the alarm clock sound- ed just in time to prevent me from going through the terrors of an in- vestigation.” had Jud Tunkins says he believes he'd enjoy the Congressional Record more if it 'ud get itself a fancy cover de- sign, like the rest of the magazines. Mild Protest. ' ‘A lady shot her lawful spouse. He gently said, “My dear, Some discipline the court allows— But aren’t you severe?” Getting at the Facts. “Did she leave him because he ob- jected to her bobbed hair?"” “No,” answered Miss Cayenne. “What she complained of was his brutal indifference. He wouldn’t prom- ise not to laugh if it made her bald- headed.” Bad to Worse. “Do you remember the old ‘Ten Nights in a Barroom'?” “Yes,” answered Uncle Bill Bottle- top. “Licker has gone from bad to worse. There's nobody now who could last as many as five nights in a speak- play “Daylight-savin’,” said, Uncle Eben, “may be a big economy of time if we don't waste too many precious hours arguin’ "bout it.” - used | ming that the fair €ex has im-| The United States owns large areas of land in the western part of the United States, some public lands and others reserved in the national forests, which contain enormous resources in water power. The United States also has control over the construction of dams in naviga- ble streams and because of this au- thority can permit or decline to permit the construction of power development in those streams. This means that no power development can be made on nav- igable streams or on public lands with- out the sanction of the United States. Before the federal water power act be- came a law the legislative provisions under which the right to develop power could be had were so unsatisfactory in their terms that only about 1,500,000 horsepower had ever been d v 'oned | under any authority granted by the fed- government. The greater part of this was in the public lands. Makes The unsatisfactory conditions were of | kinds: (1) That the condition of the grant might be changed any time |ana (2) tenure was uncertain. It | was not possible under those conditions 10 secure at reasonable cost the | amount capital needed for power t. The federal water power !m is the first legislation which has provided conditions under which invest- ments could safely be made while fully {\rn(r-*ung every essential public in- # | When the water power act was passed there were approximately 8.000.000 | horgepower of water power developed in this country. Since the act was pussed “.‘,""h' ations aggregating more than | 20.000.000 horscpower have been filed with the commission. The commission issued permits and | ses for 700,000 horsepower, and of this amount 0.000 horsepower are either built or ;lrullvhm:. which is approximately one- | third of the entire development in the | United States when the act was passed. Largely in Federal Control. The federal government controis ap- proximately S5 per cent of the total ater power resources of the United It is largely due to the policy Congress in the federal water power act that we are entering | upon a degree of water power develop- ment in this country far exceeding any- thing we ever had in the United States before. This control being |two primary purposes against improvident use of a public resource: and to retain these re- sources in public ownership that they | may not be capitalized for purposes | of rate-making or of sale | "The history of our n-tural resources | has been one the re ss exploita- tion. Our oil, gas and timber 1 have by 1 used, as if the supply were inexhaustible. With respect to many of our resources | too late: but fortunately | ized the great value of our ers, and established a na- oy for their utilization be- - part of them nvestments Safe. tw its u S | developme exercised for To guard IN TODAY’S TAR, WASHINGTO. SUPERPOWER: By WILL P. KENNEDY No. 5—What the Federal Water Power Act Has Done for Water Power Development wasted and destroyed. | RIDAY, APRIL A NEW ERA passed beyond our control. This policy is exprossed in the federal water pow- er act. Along Ecomomic Lines. In the handiing of our natural re- sources in timber, coal, oil and gas the practice has been all too prevalent of taking only the most accessible and most cheaply developed, and of leav- ing the remainder in such condition that it could not be economically utilized. Such a practice with respect to water powers, is forbidden by the act. Plans must be so drawn as to provide for a comprehensive scheme of development, which shall take into account all beneficial uses of the water available. Projects which pro- pose a partial development are not approved, and those which involve ono of a series of sites must be 5o lo- cated and built as not to interfere with the subsequent full development of the remaining sites. The works must be so designed as to afford safety and economy, and adequate provision must be” made for mainte- nance and replacement. That water powers are a natural re- source and that whenever wned or controlled by public agencies that ownership and control should be per- manently retained {s a fundamental principle of the federal policy. It is Ilkewise & fundamental principle that values inherent in a public resource developed and used in the perform- ance of an essential public service shall not be capitalized in excess of the amounts -actually expended in eir acquisition e “resougges and privileges over which federaf®tontrol is thus retained are public property and public rights. If transferred to private ownership they would become private property, and as such would be sub- ject to emhancement in value: and through precedents established by judicial decisions, this value, not the cost to the utility, would become the basia upon which rates for service would be exacted. To avold such a contingency power resources are re- tained in public ownership and only leasehold rights are granted. Rapldity of Development. "The possibilities ahead of us in the general field of power development and the degree to which our power requirements wiil be met by electric energy generated in central stations are indicated by what is already tak- ing place. In 1907—seventeen years ago—the output of all the central electric stations in the United States both hydro and steam was only 6,000 - | 000,000 kilowat hours, equivalent to a | continuous output of 900,000 horse- Ipower. It was 12,000,000,000 in 1912, 25,000,000,000 in 1917. more than 40,- 1600,000,000 in 1322, and will probably reach 60.000,000,600 by 1925, | The use of the motor drive in in- | dustry. the electrification of raiiroads, the increasing’ use of electricity in |the home and on the farm, all of which are certain to follow upon the increased supply made possible by the development of our water powers and by their interconnection and op- eration with efficient steam stations |in great Interstate systems, will re- {sult in an even greater increase in | the production and use of electric ! energy. SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL V. COLLINS in Millions for friendship, but not one | cent for repudiation! appears to be the attitude of the committee on for- | eign relations of the House in its unanimous adoption of a joint resolu- tion authorizing the remission of all |the balance of the Chinese Boxer re- indemnity while distinctly | pointing out the difference between |the status of that account and the loans to European nations during the | world war. The decision was reached yester- day, after a very complete hearing |and full discussion in committee, and | with the hearty approval of the ad- ministration. ‘The remission amounts to_about $6,000.000 yet due. This | will be canceled, provided the Sen- {ate agrees, which it is confidently believed it will do. 1t amounts to | very many |in view of the general unders |ing that upon America’s action depend similar Britain, France and Italy, whose re- |spective claims are greater than the |original allotment to the United |States. Germany's balance was can- celed when China entered the world war. and the cancellation was ratified Ly the Versailles treaty of peace. * % * % This country, so often misunder- stood by foreigners as having no ideals higher than greed for the dol- lar, has repeatedly demonstrated that it is moved by the purest idealism and widest international sympathies of any nation in civilization. In no other instance in our history has this ‘ulealism of absolute justice tempered by the Golden Rule been more truly | illustrated than it has in connection with the Boxer rebellion indemnity. There has been a popular misun- derstanding to the effect that the entire indemnity. so far as concerned the United States, was returned to China_during the administration of President Roosevelt. 1t will be recalled that the Boxer rebellion, in July, 1900. was a fanati cal uprising against all foreigners, with a rallying cry of “China for the Chines: 1t did not_involve 1 per cent of the population, but it resulted in penning up all legations and sionaries. The Chinese dowager em- press superstitiously believed the Boxers were invincible and the very embodiment of patriotism. A composite army made up of forces from the United States and the pow- ers of Europe rescued the foreigners. The nations then demanded of China that she reimburse the expense of this necessary _invasion, together with payment of all claims proved by indi- viduals, plus punitive damages. But |for thé United States, China would have been partitioned and held by the respective powers until the claims of indemnity were satisfied. Already, upon_lesser provocation, Great Brit- ain, France, Germany and Italy held territory in China. That great nation, with its population four times as nu- merous as the population of the United States, and with a_people so distinct that the nations of the occi- dent refused to permit them to {mmi- grate among their own races, was on the verge of becoming an Asiatic Po- Jand in total partition. Impossible in- demnity was demanded. * ¥k *x K President Roosevelt and Secretary of State John Hay urged moderation in the indemnity, and recommended to the nations that no sum greater than $150,000,000 total could be paid by China; hence, should not be asked. Furthermore, the American commis- sioner to the indemnity conference was Instructed to stand firmly against any higher total than $200,000,000. But the other nations Insisted 'and finally fixed the total claim at $333.- 000,000, about 40 per cent above our recommended maximum. The allotment to the United States was $21,440,778.81. This was based upon the estimated cost of our Army and Navy, at $9,336,642.06. Later it was discovered that there had been unintentional overcharges, since the fAgures for the Navy made no account of the normal expense of the Navy Vessels, and for the Army, certain sup- plies had been charged which were | vettion nd- will times that sum to China, | -ellations by Great | diverted to the Philippines. A revised account reduced -the estimate some $2,000,000. which reduction was cred- ited to China. * ¥ * In 1908, China having been making monthly payments regularly, Con- gress voluntarily and unconditionally reduced the balance to $13,655,492.63 China had paid up to June, 19 a to- tal of $6,010,931.91, which was applied to the principal and accrued 4 per cent interest. The Senate had pro- posed to reduce the balance to §11.- 655,492.69, but the House. mindful of certain private oaims not then set- tled, raised the amount to the sum named o as to cover these private accounts. These have since been fully ttled. and China has continued to pay this government its regular monthly installments. Together with the 1908 remirsion the total given back to China by the United States will amount to §$18,617,228.07 ¥ % * No conditions whatever were tached to the 1908 remission show her appreciation of the gen- erosity of the United States the Chinese republic has used all of the remission for the support of a col- lege in China and of some 2,500 Chinese students in America attend- ing leading colleges here. It has been suggested that there was a “gentlumen’s agreement” that that would be done, but openly it ap- Deared as the spontaneous expression of China toward a desire to further friendly relations through teaching her citizens the ideals which were making America great. In the wording of the preamble of the present resolution in the House committee, the language indicates that China is expected to make sim- jlar use of the amount now remitted. Reciting the voluntary act of China hitherto, it says: “Whereas it is deemed proper as a further act of friendship to remit the balance of the indemnity fund, in order to further develop the educa- tional and other cultural activities of China, ete.” at- To * Kk A All who appeared before the com- mittee in connection with the resolu- tions emphasized the friendly atti- tude of the Chinese toward Ameri« cans. The remission of our claims marks a new era in international re- lations. The educational enterprise through sending Chinese to American col- leges, has not proved highly satis- factory in results to China, for it has largely educated the men away from Chinese spirit into the occidental spirit, So that when they have re- turned to China they have not easily fitted into usefulness. It is hoped to build up more colleges in China sim- ilar to that which prepares the stu- dents now coming to America, and ultimately to establish a common school system for the masses, through the teaching of these grad- uates, Americans might expand their trade in China, but for our own in- elasticity of methods in business. The potential trade is estimated at sixty-five billibn dollars a vear, in place of the present one bilifon.” Li Hung Chang said that if the Chinese could be induced to lengthen their shirttails one inch the demand for cotton cloth would so increase that it would swamp all the cotton mills in the world. x> x ¥ In connection with the remission of the balance of the Chinese indemnity it is of interest to recall that in 1883 the United States remitted to' Japan the sum of $785,000.87, the balance of an indemnity due us for Japanese at- tacks in 1863 upon our ships in the Straits of Shimonoseki, at the same time paying as prize money $140,000 to the officers and crew of the U. §. S, ‘Wyoming and to certain officers and men detached from the Jamestown for gallantry in destroying the Jap- anese hostile vessels. (Copyright, 1924, by Paul V. Collins.)' ) 18, 1924 COURAGE “I am the raster of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. —HENLEY. Following rainbows of riches over the country, Samuel L Clemens found wealth, only to be plunged into debt again. Born in Florida, Mo., he was eleven years old when his father died. He became a printer's apprentice on a weekly newspaper, then a composi- tor in St. Louls, then New York and Philadelphia. Vigions of wealth along the Ama- zon led him as far as New Orleans, but he Lecame a Mississippi River Pilot at cwenty-one and quit when the civil war began. After a brief service in_the Con- federate army, he went to Carson City, Nev., as secretary to his broth- er. then territorial secretary. He staked out a timber claim, dug for gold, worked in a quartz miil for $10 a week, and finally walked 125 miles to become editor of the Vir- ginia City Enterprise at a salary .af 325 a week. His writings had been desultory, but here he became Mark Twain, the author. ext a reporter in San Francisco. articles enraged the police and had to hurry to the hille, where he just missed a rich gold strike, ut heard the frog story. He wrote “Thoe Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County W York news- paper published and his fame spread it, aii for a newspaper, lecturer and won suc- 5 refused to consider f stories and he, at thirty-two, published his first book. A trip to the Holy Land as corre- spondent inspired “Innocents Abroad” that brought rich rewar When thirty-five he married, bought an intcrest in a Buffalo newspaper, sold out at a loss and had to lecture to get out of debt. ote “Roughing Tt.” then “Tom and “Huckleberry Finn.” welcomed him and his books. came bountifully. He started a publishing business, invested in a typesetting machine and other in- yentions. then retired. The company failed, the inventions proved imprac- ticable. At fifty-eight he was $70,000 in debt. Four vears later he had paid everything, then made enough to live comfortably the rest of his life. wain was a name known world and he was beloyed csteemed as one of Ameri st humorists. (Copyright, 1921.) then beeame cess. Publist collection Ereat ————— Analyzes Rent Problem. Writer Blames “Bryan Dollars™ for Present Conditions. seems 1t gests strange that no one sug- real and only remedy for the housing situation. Though friends of the rent law say present rents are howse within the former of the average government . renting for about $25 a month, now $60 t. Then what matters trimmin $5 or 210 in a few 52 The s simple. Our Constitution forbids such con- fiscation as prevails in some European countries. where arbitra holding down of rents has ruine owners. The Hall act prescribes a fair return. but that return is not based on the original cost of build- ing, but presy inflated value, Since the vast influx of population tly increased property ally of houses suitable average government clerk, it to see that no commission c sensible relief mple operation of the law and supply. Since thers r arly enough houses in shington for the present popula- tion. it ix not neces to assume the existene estate ring,” far none ded to keep rents up. Relying on Ball act another example of American that the costs from for the is easy n give and n read ssion, ymic laws can be overridden only remedy is to encourage building in every proper Way, such as & ten-vear exemption from taxes for dwellings up to a cer- tain cost built within a stated term. _Giovernment has for years been pay- ing its employes in “Bryan dollars” in Washington. worth hardly half the pre-war dollar. Before the war the average clerk had perhaps $1.200 a year, though now the basic pay higher. b is 20 per cent of $1.200 and 17 per cent of $1.400, and this increase verage of from 17 to 20 per Day the increase in rent alo rding to government figures the average American worker has twice his pre-war pay, though nowhere has the cost of living so in- creased as here. because nowhere has rent, the largest item in the budget, S0 iner Clerks have suffered a drastic cut in real pay. even with the “bonus.” Reclassification does not change this terrible cut. Those high- er up get an increase of 40 per cent in some cases. and some near the bot- tom also get a substantial increase over the present pay, but most clerks get only the rate they get now. This for the same style of living as before the war, which could not be called ou; mounts to a cut in real of about 40 per cent. most important item cost is rent. which is usually assumed to cost a fourth of the pay. To get any kind of a house now costs half the pay of the average government clerk. . What is the clerk to live on in living if he pays half his wage for housing | alone? He must into a few rooms crowd his family much to the detri- ment of health, simply because the government docs not pay enough of these depreciated dollars for a whole- some living. Since it will not do this. like emp! sewhere, and does not pay enough for a decent liv- ing, it is only fair for government to protect its clerks by actively encour- aging building of small houses. which is the only remedy for the present extortionate rents. Respectfully. PHILLIP S. STEBBINS, ——— st History Is Repeated. To the Editor of The Star: Anent the “Constitution-old™ politi- cal fight between the President of the United States and the Congress of the United States to hold their respective, places in our scheme of government, wherein, always, each solemnly avers there is no intent, so far as the indi- vidual department is concerned, to “wear a crown of thorns” pressed pressed down upon its august head by its co-workers and co-equal, the read- ers of The Star might, with profit, read President Jackson's “Protest Against the Action of the United States Senat. on April 15, 1834. This protest was caused by a resolution offered in the Senate on December 28, 1833. And if the same readers of The Star imagine that the political questions before the United States today for solution are other questions than agi- tated the minds of the people of the United States during the time of An- drew Jackson, the readers are re- spectfully urged to read the sixth annual message of President Jackson, delivered December 2, 1834, Perhaps there were some little prob- Jems we do not have to contend with, One is, we were then spending only about $25,000,000 vearly for national expenses and we had a surplus in the Freasury (1835). The problem in, that instance was: How are we going to spend the surplus or shall we cut down the taxes? To complicate mat- ters, one might say, and here again history repeats itself, France owed us many millions of francs overdue some twenty years, which France did not seem disposed to pa Still another problem was about banks and who should run them. In that day President Jackson used “the big stick” on “the malefactors of great wealth”—but chiefly ho used the stick on the Senate. GROVER WARREN AYERS. house | values, | merely | it the government | pass | The unhappily named “bonus" | ANSWERS. TO QUESTIONS Q. When was the skip stop started here and why was it done?—L. V. M. A. It was inavgurated in 1918, when street car traffic was very heavy. It was found to expedite transportation at a minimum of inconvenience to passengers. Q. What has become .f station KOA’—E. D. H. A. Station KOA was discontinued last June. This station was operated by the Y. M. C. A, of Denver. Q. When does Yellowstone National Park open?—N. W. A. It opens June 15 and closes about September 15. Q. Where is amber found?—W. H. D. A. Amber is a fossil resin of vege- table origin. It is usually a pale yel- low color, sometimes ~reddish = or brownish. Originally it was obtain- ed by the ancients from the coasts of the Baltic Sea, where it is still found. It is also found in the United States, on the coasts of Sicily, the Adriatic, Siberia and Greenlan Q. Is the Tsland of Nevis the same as St Thomas? If not, which Is the r_l?,l!lp]fll‘e of Alexander Hamilton?— A. The islands of Nevis and St.| Thomas are not the same. They arc separate units of the West Indies.. Most “authorities agree that Alexan- der Hamilton was born on the former | sland. Q. Why was Bunker Hill of reve- lutionary fame so-called?—M. J. A. The Massachusetts Historical Society says that Charles Bunker, an early “setiler of Charlestown, who | died in 1664, owned about ten acres | of land on the highest hili in that | town, which has ever since been known as Bunker's Hill. The battl though not fought on his pasture, 00k place In its neighborhood and carried the name of Bunker with it Q. Whe —H. B. ( _A. The use of stockings originated in the cold countries of northern Bu- rope. The art of knitting vented. it is supposed, in about the beginning of the century. Queen Elizabeth court ‘were the first to stockings and a machine for knitting them was invented in 1598 by William | Lee of Woodbridge. Nottinghamshire, | England. Tn the Unfted States the German immigrants of the Mentnonite sect set up their stocking frames in 1689, By 1790 the stocking indust: | had been established in several tow |in Conneeticut. Q |—B. L. | A Paim Sunday is the last Sunday of Lent and is so-called because of the |custom of blessing palms in com- { memoration of the entry of Christ into Jerusalem. n were stockings first worn? ‘What is meant by Paim Sunday Q. Where is the first free | given by Andrew Carnegie’—H A. The library (foundation stone aid July 27, 1881) is in Dunfermline, | Scotland liprary barring the Chinese?—H. H. P, A. The first Chinese exclusion act was passed May 6, 1882, Q. In the English language, which Jetter in the alphabet is used often- est, and which next?—H. C | In English, it has been estimated | that the letter e is more frequently | used than any other. The letter r is used Reports indicate that the officials of all the countries concerned agree that the Dawes report is a basis for settlement of the reparations question. At least the avenue of approach has been pointed out. Decision is up to the allied governments. The Dawes report clears the air of many doubt- ful problems, and on the whole, as editors view it, is an excellent.docu- in this vicinity, the Balti- more Sun says, “will feel that this | proposed participation in the settle- | ment of Europe’s greatest problem is | essential to our own welfare. Others will oppose it. But all will agree that the calm way in which American superv n of the reparations settle- ment is being worked out in Paris while the administration at Wash- ington maintains its stand of rigid non-intervention is highly remark- able, to say the least.” The Germans are again working, as the New York Times analyzes the situation, to bring about a break between England and France on the report. “but if this scheme fails—as it will if the allie preserve their sanity and remain united—there should be a distinct im- provement in the whole European situation.” * k% % “The hope of the world,” the Al-| bany News argues. that the pro- gram will be accepted. It is appar-| ently fair to ail and the only solu-| tion.” The Springfield News insists “the report is equitable all around | It may seem harsh in a se but it could not be over lenient, especially when it concerns a nation defeated at war.” It brings benefits “to the whole World," in the view of the Norfolk Ledger Dispatch, and is, the nsas Ci Journal adds, “the formation of a comprehinsive and tangible plan Which is in itself a long step toward determination of the basic problems of the situation.” of course, the Brooklyn Eagle reveals, “Gen. Dawes will have to fight for his plan, and fight he will, and American public sentiment is with him.” The decision “is businesslike and void of political significance,” the Bangor Commercial holds, and. in addition, the Plllshurgh Chronicle-Telegraph feels, weeps away the pretense of Germany’s pov- The German people must help, continues the Indianapolis Star, be- cause “unless they give assurance a_! wanting to help themselves there is little reason to expect outsiders to buy bonds likely to be permitted to become in default.” Indorsing this view, the New York Evening World feels “justice plus faith that Germany can be cured, pay her bills and get back to her economic place among nations is exactly the tonic the world eeds today.” = ‘?’l‘;e whyolc reparations situation he Cleveland Plain Dealer argues. is today approximately what it was the day after the economic provisions of the treaty were announced; expert opinion decides now, as it decldeg then, that Germany is able to pay. The Philadelphia Bulletin adds that “it is a singularly significant achieve- ment, and it is in no sense detracting from the credit which attaches per- sonally to Gen. Dawes to note that the opportunity came to him as an American and to the nation acting through him because of the non- entanglement of the United States in the political rivalries and contentions of Europe—because of what some people choose to call the ‘isolation’ of the United States.” ~ All depends, hough, the Springfield Union insists, n how Germany and the allies act; both will need to behave better than heretofore.” but the Ralelgh News and Observer inclines to the belief that the United States must lead In securing the suc- cess of the plan. The Rochester Times-Union also feels that way de- spite its characterization of the scheme as “workable.” The provisions are “sgjmple,” the The allies will approve, | | reliable woods to be used for Q. When was the first act passed |that BY FREDERIC ]J. HASKIN Q. Who wrote the poem abe ¥ Asquith entitled, *Woman With. the Serpent’s Tongue”?—F. D. A. William. Watson, the English poet, wrote the “Woman With the Serpent's Tongue,” which is alleged 10 be a composite pleture of Mra. As Quith and her daughter, Princess Bib 5c0. & What is an aladdin window?— A. One of the windows in Aladdin palace w: left for the Sultan 1t fimish, His treasure gave out and the window was ever completed; henc the popular usion to an attempt 10 finish somcthing Ieft unfiniched b a great wan. Q. How long have thers been coun ty agents to help in farm matters? A, E. K. A. The first county agent or farn adviser started on his duties March 20, 1911. This was J. H. Barron, who began work In Broome County, N. On March 1, 1921, there wers agents employed. Q. Who was t f Athens of Byron's poem A. It is said that this song wa addressed to the daughter of Theo dore Macrl, a consul at Athens= Q. How is wood treated to mak it bend and what is the best kind o wods. to use?—C. M. ( A. The forest service hickory. ash and oak are e most nding purposes. They are treated by stear under pressure. Q. On what day did Presider! Harding sign the peace proclama —K. M. E A. The peace proclamation wWas signed by President Harding on No- vember 14, 182 Q. y son survive without food and w A. Unless subjected to extremes of temperature, the average healthy ir dividual will survive a week or ter a: »f complete abstinence from food and water. Q. How long will an average per er Is there any appreciable dif | ference fn the amount of energy ex | pended in_pumping up an auto tire » weight of the machine ound or If the 1. E. H. If the wheel is off the groun energy expended will be consid than when the tire the ground by hand, if t the erably resting on Q. How much woo! does it take make a pair of blankets?—A. A A. takes about six pounds clean wool or nine pounds of washed wool as it comes from the sheep to make the averase blanket Q. Where was the Land of Gosher S A. Authorities are generally agre that the Land of Goshen was th region east of the Buba branch o the Nile Are the teeth of the human rac forating 7—A. V. W. The public health service say comparison of the teeth o zed white races with those of tive man shows clearly the in ¥ of those of the present day A civi prim ferior {The te | #aid to be the second most frequently | Hom. eriorating at such a rat few thousand years they will 2 er possess dental organs. (Let The Star Information Burra: Frederick Haskin, director, 1206 North Capitol strect. answer yowr ques The only chargr for this serme is 2 cents in stamns for return postagr Dawes Report Clears Situation Of Doubts, U. S. Editors Hold. Scranton Republican avers, and “hax ing gone o fur the allies will be wel advised.” the Springfield Republicar holds, take the final step and dis pose of the reparations question en and for all.” “The report renews e of ¢ reason,” asserts Knicker bocker-Pre step in man's progress toward the ultimatc goal.” Under i hues the Grand Rapids Press, “we shall be taking no risk if the five-vear in scheme the Das adopted: we <hall interest, as the success o practical viewpoint Post, be to B : veiled by @ was inevitable in the Old World and with a return of Old W The report, however. defects,” the Roanoke insists,” “but it shc especially by the ( tion, the Newark News feels, Dawes report is the first man-size: Liow to the German contention and the contention of certain British cir cles that Germany not pay. e this reason the Dawes plan neces sarily opens a new phase of the rej arations struggle.” This view is ir dorsed by the Louisville Courier-Jour nal, which feels it means “Germany must live up to the reparations agrec ment of the treaty of Versailles.” Returning to the “isolation” argu ment, the Knoxville Sentinel insists the entire plan brings this country lutely back into Tier all. suggests the seript. this was necessary as Gen. Dawes has gone into the the question from within—his meth ods being comparable to those of creditor dealing with a delinquen debtor.” German _acceptance wi “stabilize” the mark as well as the franc, the Wichita Eagle feels, yet the Dietroit News holds “while it is a striking business plan the psychology of national life is overlooked, and iu such matters the facts of psycholog: are fully as potent as those of ledger statements. the tment of s committee practl ritarian, ir d entirely the ening well accepted In add “the rmans.” “inasmuch Roosevelt, Tamerlane And Investigations At a cabinet session one sunny afternoon in Washington, Roosevelt appeared distrait. Presscd for atten- tion by a Secretary, he cxclaimed violently: “It's those Mongols. I can't get them out of my head.” He had been reading of Tamerlane, tho man who sought an empire by de- stroying all that was in it / Tamerlane, the ruthless, once build- ed a monument of 70.000 Skulls of bu- man beings whom his warriors had slain. The dimensions of the borrify- ing shaft have not been preserved. His hordes cirried death but not vic- tory, and though he destroyed much his realm did not survive fifty years Yet the thought of Tamerlane. and his maddened plan of power, read in a book, was sufficlent to grip the super-concentrated Roosevelt amid a circle of his chosen heads, when taxes and navies were being discussed.’ In such days as these, when Senate investigators have found some awil and now are whirling their mud as far and wide as their ladles reach the vision of mad old Tamerlane and his misguided sense of conquest per- haps ought aghin to be revived. ‘The indiscriminate sloshing of rep- utations by statesmen who love . smear has disgusted Washington and the nation. The original purpose has been lost in the high glec of refl tion on character and faith. never wort a victory, and the invi gators seeking in this fashion plant themselves on fertile political ground may find themselves staring blankly only at the ruin they have achicved. —Albany Knickerbocker Press.