Evening Star Newspaper, May 16, 1924, Page 6

THE With Sanday Morning Edition, EVENING STAR WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY..........May 16, 1824 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The Eveping Star Newspaper Company liasiness Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicago OMce: Tower Buildiog Puropean Office: 16 Regent St., London, Eogland. The Evening Star, with the Sunday morning edition. is delivercd by carriers within the city at 60 cents per month: daily only, 4% cents per month: Sunday oniy, 20 cents’ per month. Orders may_be kent by mail or tel phone Main 5000. Collection is made by ca riers at the end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance, Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunday..1yr., $5.40; 1 mo., 700 Daily only I1¥r, $5.00 5 1 mo., b0 Sunday only. .. 20¢ All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00 Daily only y Sunday only.. 850 60c 26¢ 1mo., $7.00;1mo.,, $3.00; 1 mo.,, Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled fo the use for republication of all news dis- patches c~udifed 10 it or not otherwise credited in this papes and also the local news pub: lished he<fin_ ~AIl rizhts of publication of herein 50 reserved. The President's Veto. President Coolidge’s veto of the “ad- justed compensation” bill came as an inevitable Sequence to his cmphatic declaratiom tn his December message, “1 do not ®wwor the granting honus.” ABbough the changed in ®bme form in whien it measure respecis fron was first propos involving a cwmbination of cash pay- ments and infurance, it was still the same in princtole as that which he thus in advance rejected, in its effect upon the finaAvial situation of the government anf its prohibition of a material measurk of tax reduc The President mould not have the bill without stultifying himself, without reversing his strongly taken position that the wMnt of a bonus, in any form, will impose a heavy burden upon all the people for the benefit of comparative few. As he anal the enuctment of this law will commit the nation for a period of twenty vears to an additional annual expenditure of $114.000,000. No pr ion is made in the bill for the final financing of this expenditure. At the end of the twenty vears the govern ment will owe two and a half billions of dollars, and it will then be neces- sary to sell to the public bonds to that amoun sration in fir which may be disastrous at that time and may jeopardize the value of fed eral securities then outstanding That the and are inconsistent distinet known. The fact that Congress having passed the bonus bill eeding with measure of along un: partisan ip. does may be a situation major o nee bonus tax reduction is a tax re scientif <hip rathe not alter this ed and passed over the result will Treasury which bond issue or by an inere taxes later. It is impossible the cake and eat it a Mr. Coolidge stror Jections to the hil tion the value of the services rendered by the prospective recipients of t honus. To them he pays high tribute as soldiers of the nation in its great emergency. But, as he says, the grati tude of the nation cannot be expressed in dollars and cents. “‘Patriotism can neither be hought nor sold. Tt is not hire and salary. It is not material, but spiritual. To atiempt to pay for it is to offer it an unworthy dignity which cheapens, debases destroys it.” To those soldiers of the creat who were disabled by case, who suffered ir earning capacity in consequence their services, the nation too much in the way of care and compensation. y spent mece than two billion doliars for them ard for the dependents of those who die, and it is now spending for compemsation. training and hospital- ization more than $400.000,000 annual- Iy. “The nation stands ready to ex- pend any amount needed for thel proper care.” Thus the President rejects the honus bill because it imposes too heavy fact. Taxes the bonus bill e President’s v deticit must be met he but the by a in the to have may in be a He does not ques is in and war dis- of en upon the whole people for the | benefit of a few; because this burden cannot be horne without maintaining and possibly increasing the already heavy taxes which are inimleal to the general prosperity of the country; be cause the government is under no obligation Yo grant this gift, inasmuch as it explicitly disclaimed compensa- tion of this character at the outset of the war, and because it is amply pro- viding for those who suffered disable ment and for the dependents of those who lost their lives; because “‘we must either abandon our theory of pa- triotism or abandon this bill." These are strong reasons, and the President states them strongly. To morrow the House will vote on a mo- tion to pass the bill, the “objections of the President notwithstanding.” It may so vote. A large number of its members have been in advance com- mitted to such a measure. For politi- cal considerations they may feel com- pelled to stand by their position, in the face of these convincing argu- ments by the Chief Executive. But throughout the country there prevails a distinet feeling that the bonus, in whatever form, is not warranted, and that the President is right in his ob- jecticn to it. The question will later be answered whether those who vote to pass the bili will win approval as against the President, who has so courageously stated his reasons and has so consistently maintained his righteous stand in favor of economy and tax reduction. ——————————— ‘The idea of tax reduction is so popu- tar as to cause inevitable rivalry among statesmen as to who shall have credit for it. Foley Does the Finnegan Act. 1t is a case of “off again, on again, off again” for Judge Foley—they call him “Jimmy” -when they are not in court, over there in New York— with respect to the Tammany leader- ship. When his stepfather-indaw, Charles F. Murphy, died recently, Foley was at rst mentioned and then money | | acter. | ficult to secure for these departments and | already | ment will likew! alf named as the successor. Foley, how- ever, held a remunerative position, as surrogate, which pays about $17,500 a year. The leadership pays nothing. To maintain himself he would have to practice law while ‘“leading” the Tiger. He demurred, and when con- fronted by a committee of eminent Tammanyites and state Democratic leaders he finally ylelded. "he argu- ment that won him, it is stated, was that he had been richly rewarded by his party with positions of steadily increasing importance and he now owed it to the party to pay it back by giving bis So he ac- cepted. His acceptance held for less than twanty-four hours. He has now finally declined to take the leader- ship, giving as the finally compelling reason his physician’s prohibition on the ground of impaired health. | There is ground for Sympathy { for Judge Foley in his declination. He | is not of the “boss” type of leader. He is a scholarly man, quiet in habit, devoted to the law. He is congenially | situated in the surrogateship; and he would have to start afresh in his law work if he quit the bench. Of course, he might make big money “on the side.” Tammany leaders have done | o in the past, but Foley is apparently the sort to do that; and, more- over, there is an excellent chance that the new mmany leader, who- ever he may be, will serve, in real power, only so long as Gov. Smith remains in office at Albany. For he has become, through Murphy's death, the real leader of his party in the state, whoever may hold the title on 14th street for the present. services. | i e Police and Fire Pay. The Senate last night, at a session held specifically to consider the cal- ondar, passed a number of local meas- ures of minor importance, and finally, just before recess at 11 o'clock, it also passed the House bill fixing the sl- aries of officers and members of police and fire departments of the District of Columbia. Certain amendments were adopted. notably one which establishes the park police force upon a basis of uniformity with the metropolitan po- lice organization, and therefore the bill nust go back to thestouse for its ac- | ceptance of these changes or, it they are not acceptable at first, into con- ference for adjustment. Inasmuch as there is nothing in the amendments challenges criticism it is alto- gether that the bill will soon be | given final passage. Tt is gratifying at last to have this Lill, with its measure of justice for the | members of the two protective depart- | ments of the District government, | thus brought to the point of enact- ment into law. The policemen and firemen of the District have never | been adequately compensated. There | Bave been inequalities in their pay rates. Certain faults of schedule have tinued for vears. Now a scale of pay which more closely approaches the point of right dealing with these valuable. faithful guardians of the public peace and security is about to be established. ‘Washington - has been mnotoriou among American cities for the poor which like! .| pay of its po'icemen and firemen. De- | spite long-continued efforts to secure la better rat compensation these men have trailed in comparison with similar municipal employes elsewhere. This present scale more closely brings the District policemen and firemen to | the average of American rates 1t is very poor economy to cut the | cost of police and fire department | maintenance for the sake of saving dollars. The first essential in the or- ganization of these forces is high char- In recent years it has been dif- men of physical ability and moral up- rightness. to measure up to the stand- ard. Vacancies in the ranks have been hard to fill. The rate of pay did not e right sort of men, and it #ood fortune that those nd long in the service re- mained, despite temptations to leave for better paid cmployment elsewhere. With this pay scale established it will be possible to recruit the ranks of the two departments and to main- tain them at high standard. The city will be better served and the govern- se secure a higher de- gree of protection, as partner in the Capital municipality. —————— TUnder the present circumstances a meeting between Poincare and Mac- Donald could mot be expected to re- sult in any step toward definite official understanding between France and England. And time has become too precious to be spent in mere visiting. ———— Scientists are still in doubt as to whether Mars is inhabited. The theorizing is full of interest and re- mains free, as yet, from any sugges- tions of tariff or immigration compli- cations. attract t was by rar _— e A soviet boycott aegainst German goods on account of Berlin's treat- ment of a Russian trade delegation only adds aenother chapter to a long hard-luck story. ———————————— Playgrounds. Bight additional school playgrounds are to be opened at the end of school hours today, this increase in play- ground facilities having been brought about through private generosity. There was no public money available for praoper operation, of these play- grounds, and the needed fund was fur- nished by the Rotary Club and by the National Theater out of receipts from a Mary Pickford film. The supervisor of municipal playgrounds has said that the contributions will keep these cight playgrounds open between the close of school and dark and on Satur- day from morning until afternoon up to the beginning of next fiseal year, July 1, when public money should be available. In the contributions to keep these school yard playgrounds open after school hours and on Saturday there is evidence of public spirit and generosity, evidence of the need of enlarged ‘and safe play space for chil- dren and evidence of understanding by citizens that public playgrounds have a definite and praiseworthy func- tion in the community, and that there is need for more of them. It should not be necessary for citizens to make contributions to meet this public need, but it is gratifying that when public THE EVENIN authorities fall short of their responsi- bilities there are citizens who are will- ing to shoulder the work. Public play- grounds and supervised play have come to be municipal necessities. Chil- dren should not be turned loose to play amid the great dangers of a city. ‘Washington is not adequately fur- nished with public playgrounds for children, and the people will keep this subject in mind. District Pageants. Pageantry makes a strong popular appeal, and we have had a good deal of that form of representation in ‘Washington, but the indication is that we are to have much more and of a very high character as one result of efforts of the community centers de- partment of the District public schools. Pageantry is perhaps most often em- ployed in the representation of his- tory and mythology, and that to be presented by the local community cen- ters department will treat of Wash- ington history. Pageantry is an ef- fective means of recalling to men his- toric matters they have rcad and for- got, of refreshing and brightening one's memory of historic things, and it is especially useful in putting his- toric pictures before persons who have not read many books. The history of any old-settled section of America is interesting and instructive to Ameri- cans, and the history of Washington ought to be especially interesting to the people living here. Recorded his- tory of the tract of country which for considerably more than a century ha: been the District of Columbia extends over a period of 317 years, and the traditions and legends of our District reach farther back into time. Because of the relationship of Washington to the great American republic and to other countries & vast deal of Wash- ington history is of far wider than local significance. Henry Ford Read Out. Michigan Democrats showed their peevishness at Henry Ford's recent in- dorsement of President Coolidge's presidential candidacy by reading him out of the Democratic party in their state convention vesterday. The press dispatch says that the resolution of excommunication “went across with a whoop.” The resolution recited that Mr. Ford had publicly indorsed Presi- dent Coolidge. that he had never with- drawn his candidacy on the Demo- cratic ticket and that the Democrats of Michigan ignore him entirely. This action would seem to fix Mr. Ford’s political status definitely and settle the hitherto vexed question of whether Mr. Ford is a Democrat or a Republican. He is unlikely to keep in with a party that formally repudiates him. Well, he knows he is welcome in the Republican party, he and the followers who may come with bhim, and it is probable that their name is legion. ‘When Mr. Ford announced his sup- port of President Coolidge’s candidacy the opinion of politicians is that he unquestionably brought to the Presi- dent votes of the independents who nd with Mr. Ford and will gladly follow wherever he goes. The Michi- gan Democrats did their party a dis- service, looking forward to November, when they threw Mr, Ford out vester- day, because their action will be re- sented by Mr. Ford's friends through- out the state and even the country, and will bring President Coolidge valu- able reinforcements at the polls. ————————— For campaign purposes, a number of experts with wet constituencies are inclined to let the rest of the Constitu- tion take care of itself while they con- centrate on efforts to reinterpret the eighteenth amendment. ——r————— A bust of “Mark Twain” has been | unveiled in New York’s Hall of Fame. | The eminent American humorist could have written something very droll about this if he had known it was going 10 happen. SR SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Not for Hez. “I shouldn’t like to be ‘a boss," ™ Said Hezekiah Bings. “Such honor may invoive a loss Of more important things. Of course, I'd fain be wise enough And strong enough, some day, To smooth the places that are rough ‘Where human feet must stray; But 1 should not desire to shake My fellow man's repose And put ecross my own mistake Because I say, ‘That goes! Nor for my glory from me toss ‘The joys affection brings. 1 should not care to be 'a boss'!" id Hezekiah Bings. Up to the Individual. “There's one great beauty about prohibition,” said Senator Sorghum. ““What is that?" “Even if the laws are hard to en- force every citizen can make his own environment absolutely dry if he honestly feels that way about it.” Jud Tunkins says there’s no such thing as being independent of your fellow men. Whether home is happy or not now depends largely on what you're able to get over the radio. Peace and War, With guns the bandits now appear And so do the police. ‘We have no war—that's very clear— But this is far from peace. Handicapped. “Your boy Josh isn't much of a answered Farmer Corntossel. “You can't expect him to be so won- derful quick in pickin’ up learnin’, He was educated at one of these ‘Slo Schools’ you see advertised all along the automobile route: Change Due. “Will bathing suits be longer next summer?” “I don’t see why they shouldn't,” replied Miss Cayenne. “The short ones have become so common as to create no iP.k‘Erelt." “Now an’ then,” said Uncle Eben, “youTl find & man who manages to keep up & heme jes’ by sympathizin’ with his wife ‘cause she has to work 20 hard.” G STAR, WASHINGTO D._C, NO. IL. Failure of Prohibition Held Greater Scandal Than Teapot Dome Revelations. BY GIFFORD PINCHOT, Governor of Pennsylvania. Teapot Dome is a symptom. A symptom is an Indication of disease. Teapot Dome is the outward and visible sign that something is wrgng in Washington. And what Is wrong, as we all know, is that certain good old-fashioned rules of official conduct have ceased to be fashionable among a few men near the top. I am not speaking of the great bulk of government servants, nor of our government ifself. That is as essentially sound as ever it was. But we might as well face the facts first as last that treachery to the public welfare has crept in. The country has no more pressing task than to see slackness and venality and betrayal replaced by public serv- ice of the kind we used to know In the days when to question the per- sonal honor of a cabinet officer was simply unthinkable. “Honesty i3 the best policy” not be an exciting statement. We have all heard it before. There is nothing of the get-rich-quick spirit about the n Commandments. Neither should there be any of that spirit _among the public servants upon whom rests the tremendous re- sponsibility of guarding tne property and the interests of the people of the United State The common virtues of loyalty, in- tegrity and persistence in well-doing command no headlines on the front page. Their fruit is of a different character and more enduring. But if honesty commands no headlines dis- honesty does, and the whole country is well aware of what has been tak- ing place. Because it is aware, the whole country is ashamed, indignant and sick at heart. * ¥ ¥ % This is no time either to hide the facts or gloss over the offense. What is needed is neither whitewash nor concealment, but a frank, open and clear-eyed acknowledgment of the truth, acceptance of responsibility where responsibility properly lies and an unflinching determination to clean up the mess. Some people hold that the washing of dirty linen is an offense, that the thing to do with dirty linen is to hide it and never hang it on the lin Others believe that it is better to wash it than to wear it. It looks that way to me. may * & There no American whose hair is gray but has seen.this government of ours administered on the highest plane of personal and official integ- rity and honor. It was done by the simple expedient of putting in high office men whose previous records made misdoing on their part clearly impossible. There are such men in America in plenty, and they can do again what men of the same type have done before. There is no indietment agains Americans in general in the oil dals, but an indictment will fail ‘to insist on a clean sw, guilty, whether in the first, second or third degree, and fuch i house- cleaning as will carry with it beyond question the complete restoration of public confidence. 'his much is sure, that one of the greatest of all issues before the American people is honesty in gov- ernment. Teapot Dome is the glaring scandal of the moment. but in the weight of its influen. on the dally welfare of American people it falls far be- hind that wider, deeper and more ab- horrent scandal which flows out of the failure to enforce the cighteenth amendment. For that failure the Treasury Department at Washington is directly responsible. * ¥ * ¥ Under the law the United States, and the United States onl trol of the breweries and alcohol dis tilleries, which are the chief sources is Butler, Choice Manager, Pleasing to Editors Selection by President Coolidge of William M. Butler of Boston to be chairman of the Republican national committee, succeeding John T. Adams of Towa, causes no surprise in edito- rial circles. For the most part edi- tors agree that it is a logical choice on the part of the President; further- more, that it indicates the President’s desire for a complete change of party managers. - The Seattle Times (independent Republican) points ont that “Mr. Bat- ler has had charge of President Cool- idge's preconvenfion campaign, which has prospered so amazingly that it is a natural thing to look to him to guide the party in the coming cam- palgn,” and, “with a Coolidge organi- zation in eharge there is little doubt that the President will be elected by a_large majority.” 1n his “remar ably successful canvass for delegates favorable to the President’s nomina- tion,” the Springfield Republican (in- dependent) mentions, “he has accumu- lated invaluable political i and information from ever: the Union, and no one else could use this capital to such advantage as Mr. Butler could in the campaign for the candidate's election.” Moreover, other _one mentioned for the chair- manship has Mr. Butler's intimate knowledge of Mr. Coolidge, or to such an extent the Coolidge viewpoint. or in an equal degree Mr. Coolidge’s con- fidence:” The Worcester Telegram (Repyblican) also believes “Mr. But- ler possesses expert equipment for the conducting of political cam- paigns,” for, although “a cool, if not actually frigid, and cloistered being in his personal life, his political vision is penetrative, he is sound in judgment, sagacious in council.” The Brooklyn Fagle (independent Demo- cratic) agrees “he is both shrewd and resourceful, and his experience in practical politics justifies his selec- tion. * % % ¥ Indorsing this view, the New York Herald-Tribune (Republican) declares further: “He is the type of organizer needed nowadays to direct a national canvass. Such a task requires alert- ness, patience, decision and a faculty for hard work. Mr. Butler as chair- man will, doubtless, revert to normal conceptions. He will recognize the limitation of his assignment, which ought to end practically with the election.” That is more than prob- able, and, too, “it is entirely fitting that an era of normalcy should be ed by a normal Republican flo;a'm continues the Charleston Post (independent Democratic), which claims “the selection may be classi- fied at once as ideal.”” The important thing, the Salt Lake Tribune (Repub- lican) suggests, is that “Butler is a long-tested and stanch friend of Mr. Coolidge, and, while he did not loom large in the public eye until Mr. Cool- idge succeeded to the presidency, he is rated as a decidedly capable poli- tician.” In thus early designating his choice for party management, the In- disnapolis Star (independent Repub- fican) holds “the President has dem- onstrated foresight and a wise deter- mination to take no chances, and to overiook n merely because the opinion is growing that he will win of intoxicating drink. Under the law, the United States alone, through the Treasury Department, has the power to control and check the flow of il- legal liquor at its source. It can, but it does not. Over and over again 1 have pointed out just why the flood of illegal alcohol contihues in Penn- sylvania, just why the brewerles con- tinue “to brew and distribute strong beer, and precisely what are the sim- ple ‘means by which both can be stopped. Washington refuses to put those means to use. It happens that I bLelieve in prohi- bition, but_that has nothing to do with the effort I am making to en- force the ecighteenth amendment in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The law fs the law. It is my sworn duty as governor to see that the law is enforced. With every power I have I propose to carry that duty out with- out hesitation or compromise to the last hour of my administration. I am glad to enforce the law, for I do not forget the immense benefits which the eighteenth amendment, in spite of poor enforcement, in spite of bootlegging, in spite of ail the crime which follows the failure to enforce, is today conferring on the people of thie United States. Neither do 1 forget the moral degradation which follows the refusal of law officers to enforce the law, and of officials and citizens to obey it. * ¥ %k % ‘We are proud to call ourselves a self-governing people. Iither we are just that, and therefore capable of making and Keeping whatsoever laws we choose, or we are ruled by a few thousand criminals who have decided that we, the people of the United States, do not know our own mind, or who propose to repeal the eighteenth amendment by ultimatum and run this government for their own per- sonal profit—the Constitution to the contrary notwithstanding. I wn an American citizen and as such bound by every consideration of loyalty and gratitude to my coun- try to stand by its Constitution and obey its lawe. Iam a sworn official, under solemn oiath to obey and d fend the Constitution and enforce the laws. What is more, every official of overy township, county, city and and of the nation itself, has the same oath. I have the to keep my oath, and with it f-respect, or to disregard it idence is clear that thousands 19 have chosen not to keep their oath, and consequently have lost all title to respect of any kind, as well as to the name of loyal American *oxox % What wo need in law enforcement, just as we need it in the administra- tion of the conservation policy and in Teapot Dome, is clear-eved honesty in government—honesty so evident that doubt will vanish and confidence return. The third great issue befors the American people is the conservation of natural resources. The conserva- tion policy is so simple and so evi- dently right that it was understood nd adopted by the people of the United States more promptly than any other great issue ever presented to them. In three days the great meeting_ of governors held in the White House in the spring of 1908 taught the American people the meaning of the word conservation, then unknown in the sense in which we use it now, and made it a part of our national'ideals of government. jnce that time the public under- standing of it and the public devo- tion to it have steadily grown. At- tacks upon it have merely left it more firmly _ established. Today, strengthened by the revelations the oil scandals, the policy of con- servation is a more vital issue in the minds of American people than ever before. Tomorrow: Senator Thomas J. Walsh. (Copyright, 1924, In Tnited States and Great Britain by North America Newspaper Allisnce. All rights reserved.) as Coolidge easily in November.” Although “But- ler is a comparative stranger to the country—except as the country has come to know him favorably in his management of the Coolidge pre-con- vention campaign,” the Grand Rapids Herald (Republican) maintains “his credentials are such as to guarantee a wholesome improvement over Adams, who has been an insufferable meddier, persistently mistaking him- self for ‘the chosen spokesman of true Republicanism.”” “In this eonnection,” the St Post-Dispatch (independent) sa: Adams “not only assumed to dictate the policies of the Republican party, but he has made himself obnoxious to all men of sound moral and political sense by his course with reference to the exposures of corruption in the dopartments at Washington; there- fore, “Mr. Coolidge decided it was time for him to assume the active leadership of the party, lest, under Mr. Adams’ leadership, ‘there would be no party lett to lead.” This opinion approved by the Milwaukee Jour- nal (independent), which admits “it £ood thing that Mr. Adams is to go," although “Mr. Butler may prove as’ bad,” for “he may be another servant of those who are willing to make a President, if they can use him, but the nation can hope it will be spared the humiliation of a na- tional committee rebuking the Presi- lent."” The Miami News-Metropolis (Demo- cratic) also refers to Adams as being “out of touch with the political thought of the country and the pro- gressive thought of the great masses of the Republican party,” but “Mr. Butler, while unschooled largely in political tricks, at least is friendly to the President and may be counted upon to go the limit in the way of ad- vancing the Coolidge cause.” There is another circumstance which seems to enter into this matter with sig- nificance, according to the Springfield News (Democratic), and that “is that the President is becoming conscious of the fact that unless he makes a display of leadership he is going to find himself and his prospective residential candidacy in bad_shape 0 face the electorate,” but “if the old guard is to understand by recent developments that Mr. Coolidge pre- fers to run his own campaign, there may come a test of battle that will be “interesting to observe from the side lipes.” “All things considered,” the Boston Transcript (independent Republican) feels, “it will be generally admitted that the selection is a wise one for the party.” The Davenport Democrat and Leader (Democratic), however, insists “it is a change which will not be greeted with enthusiasm this side of Buffalo, N. Y.—which, in the opin- ion of the President and his New England neighbors, is ‘where the west beging'”; furthefmore, “something ought to' be done to correct this drift of Republican management to the far east, or the results will be reflected at the polls next November.” The Syracuse Herald {(independent) also notes that “his seléction now for leader in the campaign of this year shows how completely national Re- publican politics has been centralized in the Bay State, which can make claim to the President, leader of the %2:::. Sptel'!(var ol.:.‘hde H'?h“!a. the Seci of War other sons o Massachusetts in foremost pesitions in all branches of the national gov- ernment” Louis FRIDAY, MAY 16, in| 1924 COURAGE “I am the master of my fate, I am the capuain of my soul.” —HENLEY. Vilhjalmar Stefsnmson was told thet his ideas of Arctic exploration were folly and he was warned that he was condemning himself to death when he set out to test his theories Accustomed to hard knocks and to roughing it in the west, he believed that he knew how to conquer the pitiless north alone. Son of an Icelander who migrated to Canada, he was born in u cabin near Lake Winnipeg, in 1879. Elgh- teen months later the family moved to North Dakota. Working on his father's farm, twenty miles from a railroad, he attended school and “punched cattle” With savings carned from woodchopping, he en- tered the University of North Da- kota, from which he was dismissed in his third year for mischievous dis- respect to a professor. A journal- igt in Grand Forks, he was nominated for superintendent of public In- struction, only to be disqualificd be- cause he was not of legal age At the University of lowa and at Har- vard ho delved into anthropology and won the Thaw scholarship. After a trip to Joeland as eth- nologist with an archeological ex- pedition, he began his explorutions. In 1906" he arrived in _the upper Hudson Hay region in a light over. coat and a serge suit, determined to prove his theory that an explorer could live off the country. He learned from the Eskimos and so improved on their methods fed them in famine seas ing alone frem the MacKen: to the hcadwaters of the F he went down on a raft, still alone, to_the Yukon and returned home Back in the north in 1908, he nav- igated the MacKenzie and lived off the country four vears. He began his third trip in 1913, and after five years in the barren wastes he cut loose from all communication and complsted his explorations, living bear and seal meat a only in mnow housea. (1 st Stefanason {9 author of num works on the Arctie, fellow _of learned societies and is famous for his many diseoveries and for teach- [ng the governments of the United tates and Canada the vast riches of thefr northlanda Relief for Germany. Writer Points to Possible Dangers From Generosity. To the Editor of The Star ' Having printed in your valued paper of today the appeal written by Mr. George M. Kober, I trust you will not deny me a little space to put some lisht on the other side of the question. Mr. Kober, in the way s0 commonly used by advocates of Germany during the war, tries to predispose us in favor of his arguments by telling us that in spite of his German ancestry he is 100 per cent American. He quotes all the German names which among hundreds of English, Irish and other names appeared in the Revolution, He does not, however, mention the part that was taken by the Hessians, who could be considered as much Germans as the P i he mentions. e t is my desire, however. show your readers what wou pen in Germany only to 1t 03 ralis? wecs wons o relief were se, from abroad. It is being stated time and again by a number of corre- spondents that conditions in Germany have greatly improved. The coal out- put, for instance, has reached the prewar mark. There is an export of foodstuffs, especially potatoes, which surely would ot be if there were starving people in Germany. Mr. Philip C. Kauffmann, it The Sunday Star of April 20, telis us that thou- sands of Germans are living lavishly abroad, traveling in different coun- tries. ‘There are also thousands who are living lavishly right in Germany While it is not known to me Just What taxes they are paying, vet there is no doubt they could stay homa more and pay some of their money to the relief, if necessary. There are other countries who import a much larger _percentage of their food: Great PBritain, for instance. Yet no one has yet advanced that as an argu- ment that we should help to feed her Poor population. Now, what is it that happens when such a large amount of money is sent ver to help feed the children of Germany? While there is no doubt but that this money will be put to the uses stated in the appeal, yet it will Trelease other money in Germany, which would have had to be used for that purpose, if there were no money coming from America. Every dollar sent over will release a dollar there. And for what? Let us see It is a known fact that Germany, secretly, vet surely, is preparing for the eventuality of a future war. Here, [or instance, we have the news printed xnllh s morning’'s Washington Herald: “New aerial defense gas causes lungs 1o burst at 6,000 feet. A new war gas and aerial defense gus has b i vented by German chemists. Simonds also tells us that “Germany is doing all she can. as she has done for the last five years, to escape from the consequences of 'defeat and the decision of the world that she must repair the ruins she has create Furthermore, we read every few days of the increased sentiment in Ger- many for a monarchy. Today a head- ing reads: “70,000 Germans mareh in royalist parade.” 1t is to be assumed that the crown prince knew what he was doing when he escaped from Holland. In the opinion of corre- spondents who are watching the do- ings in Germany, it will not be long before the Germans will again bow their heads to the yoke of a mon- archy. Think it over. vou generous and sentimental American public. Remem- ber that every dollar sent by vou in the cause of the German children will release other dollars to be used for quite other purposes, purposes for which you would not send money, and from which you would turn with abhorrence. Remember that in case of necessity the Germans can get that money from their own people, who are spending plenty of it lavishly, and from money sét aside for pur- poses of war. Let the German ele- ment, as Mr. Kober calls the people whom we used to call hyphenates during the war, do their share, but those of You who are true Americans do not allow yourself to be inveigled into giving where your money just helps to release other money for pur- poses not intended by you. There are enough poor mothers and children still in this country. Why not give some money toward a summer outing fund, and let our poor little ones here enjoy a week or two in the open at your expense? GORDON C. BLAIR. In a Few Words One trouble with the average farmer is that with the biggest and soundest of assets he is the worst borrower in the world. He has inherited a hor- rer of debt. —JOHN EIMBERLY MUMFORD. I would rather help to build friend- ships than battleships. From a Seot's point of view they are more eco- nomical. —SIR HARRY LAUDER. London is not fit to live in. If I go for a walk I am covered with smoke and grime. Englishmen don’t mind washing all the time, but 1 am an Irishman and I dislike it intensely. —GEORGE BERNARD SHAW. 1t is a sad fact that the more a gov- ernment does the less popular it be- comes. —LLOYD GEORGE. ‘The man who gets the Democratic nomination will ‘Drobably write his own T LONGE . Gratio Leater, My o ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN Q. What is the seating capacity of the Rialto, the Palace, Tivoli, Metro- politan, Poli's, the National?—3. H. H. A these The approximate seating of theaters is: Rialto, 1,838: Poli's, 1,959; National, 1,761; Keith's, 19 Palace, 2,432; Tivol, 1,981; Met- ropolitan, 1,542, Q. Why is a constitutional amend- ment necessary to change the date of the beginning of terms of President, Vice President and members of Con- gress?—O0. Y. F. A. The Constitutjon fixes the terms of President and Vice President at four years, of senators at years and representatives at two years, and any change in time inducting new men into these positions would affect the term of office of the incumbents is, therefore, necessary to amend “onstitution to make the change. Q. Should the thin paper mem- brane on the outside of lamb and mutton be removed before cgoking?— L E.N. A. The “fell” as this_ is called, should be removed. It absorbs the odors of the refrigerator, carries a woolly smell, and is tough. No sea- soning will quite deaden the flavor of the wool if this skin is not removed. Q. Where was the grass obtained that is being used in the Indian jun- gle at the British Exposition?—O. T. M. A. This grass was brought to Wembley from India to be used in reproducing the jungle. Q. Must a second class post office have city and rural delivery —R. P. A. A. The grade of a post office is de- termined by its gross receipts. The post office at Smackover, Ark., for in- stance, is an office of the second class, but has neither rural carriers nor city delivery. Q. Of whom was it said that he “came through the cemetery” to the presidency ?—H. E. D. A Peter Dunne Theodore Roosevelt. Q. Who owns and operates wire- less station WJL? I think it oper- ates on a wave length of about 300 meters.—O0. O. A. The call letters WJL come from the Wachusett, operating on 300- meters wave length. This is a ship owned by the United States Shipping Board. Q. What are the principal Madon- nas?—A. M. W, A. Among the best known Madon- nas are the “Madonna of the Rocks.” by Leonardo da Vinci; “The Madonna of the Rose Trellis,” by Luini; Meyer Madonna, by Holbein; Madonna of the Goldfinch, v Raphael, and “The Madonna of the Stairway.” by Miehelangelo. 1 are literally hundreds of beautiful examples of interpretations of thil subject. Another notable canvas is “The Cowper Madonna,” by Raphael. Q. most women employed? A. Stenographers and typi the list_of woman workers in the United States, with a total of 564,744, wrote thus of In what line of work are the A K. W. Q. What is the exact meaning of “demi tasse?'—R. S. A. Its exact meaning is ‘“half glass,” but the term is applied to a small cup for or of black coffee. Q. What relation is there between the terms “magnifying power” and “diameter” of telescope P. H. A. The bureau of standards says that a telescope may be built with IN TODAY’S There | s head | and diameter. but there is un uppe limit of magnification which repre sents the greatest useful magnifea tion for any given diameter. IPor an astronomical telescope, fhe magn cation will rarely be mare than o=ty times the diameter of the telescone objective In inches and in most cares the atmospheric condition will mak the use of a lower power advisable Q. Where is the petrified forest ou weat?—N. O, L - Doirified forest ou A. The petrified forest of Arizor in the eastern section of th € and contains 25,625 acres is @ What shape was a Roman tog A. The Roman toga, worn a loose outer garment citizens when appearing in public, con sisted of u wingle large piece cloth of & shupe approacking a sem circle. . How thek Is plate glass?'—: Polished plate glass thickness. 1t can be made as one-eighth of an Inch, as one and one-half inches plate glass in general use three-sixteenths to five-six an igch thick. varies ir as thi: s thick The fron £ eenti Q. How many years has beer possible to talk from New York to San Francisco by long distance?®— T. L. A. The Chesapeake and Ohin 1 phone Company says the long tance line between New York and San first opened on Ja Q. How long are the ra railroads?— R A. The Bureauof Railway kotnom- bcs says that the standard lengih of a steel rail is 33 feet. However, ther. are many rails used that vary from 30 to 60 feet in length. Ralls vary according to location, longer ones Le ing used in tunnels, shorter ones on Q. What was the original “A No, —K. L. A. The term “A No. 17 originated as a symbol used in the classification of wooden ships by Lloyd's Maritime Insurance Association. It denoted that the hull and equipment of the ship in question were in good condi- tion. 1 meaning of What was the “Oom" Paul?—L M. C. A. The word “Oom” as applied to Paul Kruger, fa '.. s President of the Transvaal, is a Qutch word meaning “uncle Q. T. A. Roentgen rays were called X rays by their discoverer om account | of their enigmatical character. Q. What is an unfrocked minic | ter?—D. W. E, A. An unfrocked minister is a ter d to denote a man who, having accepted the holy orders and been or dained by the authorities of ~the | chureh with which he is affiliated has transgressed the laws of doctrine or morals and been declared unfit t« Administer the sacraments. Ord hances administered by such a m would not be considered valid by t governing body of his church (Let The Star Information Bur: Frederic J. Haskin, Director. North Capitol street, Gnswer your ques tions. There is no_charge, ezcept comts in stamps for return postap: Write your name aud address clearly SPOTLIGHT Why were X-rays so called? V. us BY PAUL V. COLLINS The flood which has overrun the banks of the Potomac during the last fow days was the natural result of a combination of rain and high tide, together with previous saturation of the soil, combining ideal conditions for a serious inundation. It is esti- mated to have cost the Columbia a million dollars and the entire region at least $15,000,000. Throughout the valley the rainfall averaged five inches in four days. In some regions it fell from 2.44 to 3 inches in twenty-four hours. previous rains had saturated ground, the entire fall flowed im- mediately into the streams. Any height of the Potomac above eight feet is counted as flood; in this case the crest rose to fifteen feet at Wash- ington and at Harpers Ferry, and nearly that height at Cumberland, above Harpers Ferry, and at River- ton on the Shenandouh The United States weather bureau experts are somewhat chagrined that they had predicted a rise at Washington to 10 feet 5 inches, and the water actually reached 10 feet 7 inches, and then the hank of the canal broke and flood level imme- diately rose to 12 feet, and later to 15 feet. Previous flood levels on record here are as follows: 1877, 13.6 feet; 1881 (due to an ice gorge), feet: 1881 19.5 feet; 1902, 9.9 feet, and 1918 (due to an ice gorge), 13.8 feet. e It is noted that there is mo spe- oial cycle for the coming of floods; the intervals are extremely irregular —four, eight, three, sixteen and six years apart. Furthermore, this ir- regularity and the long intervals fail to give texts for the sermons of en- thusiastic champions of forest pro- tection, who would point to floods as tangible proofs that only by forests are rushing waters held back and permitted to flow like “Sweet Afton” in the song, conserving springs and avoiding floods. No amount of for- estry would have prevented this rushing flow when, with the ground already saturated, there suddenly came within twenty-four hours a new sheet of water 3.75 inches thick and miles in extent. But there is a_man-made method which does meet such a downfall and control its ravages. It is in successful operation in the Miami Valley, Ohio, where it, in April, 1922, prevented a repetition of the disastrous and un- precedented flood of 1913. Ih the flood of eleven years ago the water rose to eighteen feet, coming so fast that it swept through the streets of the city like a great ocean billow several feet in height, and within a few hours drove residents into third stories or attics of two-story homes, or cut them off from rescue for days when caught in isolated houses. In 1822, with almost equal rainfall as in 1313, the river rose only to 9.5 feet, and there was so little trepidation that the tele- phone exchange reported that it had had less than a hundred inquiries about the prospects, while in 1920, prior to the ‘completion of the Miami con- servancy works, when there appeared danger of a rise, the panic-stricken had literally “drowned” the exchange with thousands of anxious inquiries. * % * X After the 1913 Dayton flood the citizens organized and subscribed two million dollars, 23,000 citizens sub- scribing, with which to undertake pre- ventive measures. They employed an experienced hydraulic engineer, who made a careful study of the entire flood basin above Dayton, extending well up into central Ohio. 'There was then no state law which empowered co-operation in conservancy: but in 1914 such a law was enacied by the Legislature, giving the right of eminent domain wherever necessary in taking over land for conservancy reservoirs. A most_thorough survey was made and the flood discharge of 1913 and all other floods of record were .cal- A A the District of | culated, together with the maximun rainfalls, 1t was planned that th works must take care of a flood per cent greater than that of 181 Valleys were taken over with capacit: | to store the maximum fall of wate |¥arth dams of the most approv | these val with concrete founded rock, so that ol would be possible unded, to be adually over all_the res scharged & long period of 1920 the thesq dams in ep, the totu 000 acre the tof equal was thet | flow | being impo 1and g of time. ) In the high wat | water stood behind places forty feet | being_equivalent jone foot deep, but apacity for storage was twenty-three times what needed. In the report of the chis engineer, after the 1920 flood, ti work of these dams was described i1 the following paragraph: “Everything worked out at the dams exactly as was expected. The things which made the most impres sion on the general public twere First, the visnal evidence of storage back of the dams; second, t immense amount of storage capacity still available in the basins; third {he marked effect of the hydrauliy jump, or stilling pool, reducing tii high velocities at the conduit out g lets, and fourth, the comparatively low stage of the rivers through the cities.” The works were mostly paid for with bonds to the amount of about $24,000,000, which are being taken up by taxation on the property safe guarded; the taxes running until 1949, when all the bonds will be paid The 1and which is covered by water in floodtime is still used for farm though all buildings .are remov above danger of high water. * % *x ¥ According to official records o United States weather. bureau greatest river rises in the United States of floodwaters have becn as follows: The Tombigbee, in 190, 12.9 feet; the Cape Fear, Fayettevills, in | 1908, 68.7 feet; Black Warrior, Tusea Yoosa, in 1916, 66.3 feet; Ohio, ut Cin- cinnati, in 1884, 71 feet; Roanokr. at Weldon, in 1877, 60.3 feet. Th. fres quent floods of the Mississippi are not formidable because of height. fo the greatest rise recorded was 'ha of 1844, at St. Louls, 38 feet. They are devastating because they spread for many miles east and west and the whole country, from horizen to horizon, becomes a mad occan of water. Since 1844 the Mississippi has | never come within 3.4 feet o that high-water mark. Many millions lave been spent in harnessing the Father of Waters and the problem is net yet solved. * k ¥ % In world history, the most terrible of floods was that in Japan in 684 A.D, when 500,000 people werc sz- ported as lost. In 1876 a flood in Indla drowned 200,000 persoms’ through the sweep of a great storm wave from the sea. Similar waves from the ocean swept away 100,000 at Friesland in 1228, and again, in Holland, 100,000 in 1446; im China, 300,000 in 1642, and again in Holland. 110,000 in 1646. A flood of the Selne at_Paris, in 1911, destroyed property estimated at $200,000,000. * ¥ ¥ ¥ Scientists are by no means agteed that deforestation has had as much to do with floods as has been taught by forest conservationists. All agree that the weather conditions have met changed in the last century gnd weather does not vary over a few decades, changing only in vers long lapses of years—centurics. The mem- ories of “the oldest inhabitants® o any locality as to how mueh mor. snow or rain fell in their early years are pronounced as utterly unscientifie and un e (Copyright. 1024, by Paml V. Cellies* to o mountains. ’ any relative values of magn! cnv:rmi §