Evening Star Newspaper, May 17, 1924, Page 6

THE EVENING STAR With Senday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. SATURDAY.......May 17, 1924 THEODORE W. NOYES. ...Editor | jurs. The Evening Star Ne..spaper Conpany Business Office, 1ith St. and Penn: Now Tork Ofice: 110 Easy Chicazo O ‘e Tower Buil Buropear Office: 16 Regentst., The Evening Star, with the Su-dav morsing edition. is delivered by carriers within the t 00 conts per month: daily oaly. 43 per montk: Sundar only. S0 cents per menth. Orders max he s mail or telo. Phonc Main 7000, Collection is made by car- Fiers at the end of each month Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance, Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunday $8.40: L m Daily only $6.00: 1 m 00 S0c 20e 0. 0. All Other State: Daily und Sunday.] yr.. $10.00: 1 mo., Daily only . $7.00: 1 mo.. Sunday only.. 00;1mo., 850 80 25e Member of the Asso The Associated D'ress fe the use for republicatio patehes crediied (o it or not the local news pu zhts of nubliestion ave 210 rewerven. Lerein anecial dicpatehes here Tax-Rate Delusions. A few congre berate the Washingtonian most con spicuous of Americans. as the and as burden nen the tax-shirking as th among bearer the v of the lightest tax ents the hundred American And assumpiio this indict- & well founded. these congress- persecute wonderful di- ity legislation those whom delusion they de- and mendi- of ties on that ment men witih punitive det nounce as tax-shirkers cants For accused ~hirkin example cday his wx nay a tax compured with $14 in some and urged 1 he should be punished ofr. band by .smashing the wh, system of Disirict of € tione to the \nired doub; the Washingtonian is successtully ubligations that he rate of $1.20. to be rates running to is s only up other cities. e fises the mbla in and Disirict’s temporary it and by re g the and making tixed are rate 1 that Aamonz the cities of that told that 20, the District’s tax the lowest United States, reiiable vard comparutive tax conseauently the low- And the fn- | is it is the tax « for Lurdens District's rate i measurin and i tax burden fs als these Ame further District's tax rate justice be doubled increased and that tribution toward Capital maintenance and duvelopment may be reduced or eliminated The District’s tax rate is not or any other fixed figurc. It vari from vear vear automatically in uccordance with the law of 1922. In ihe last analysls Congress determines the rate by appropriating more less in the District appropriation bill since the rate is fixed by the Commis- sioners at such figure as in connec- tion with other revenues will raise %0 per cent of the total appropriation. Thus if Congress wishes to increase the rate {t will appropriate more for Capital maintenance and upbuilding in the District appropriation acts. The local community is unmistaka- bly absolved from reproach in respect to this vear's $1.20 tax rate, since it has in effect petitioned in the interest «f the community for appropriations | which, if granted. would have in-| creased the figure of this tax rate. But first the Commissioners, in their estimates, and then the budget bu- reau. and finally the congressional committees and Congress itseif. cut down the estimates and the appro- priations and in exact accordance with these cuts reduction followed of the tax rate which was needed to raise 60 per cent of this appropria- tion. Surely Congress. which last year thus cut down the District's tax rate v inadequate appropriations for sat- ing not only current needs huli the accumulated unmet municipal needs of the war time. will not itself this vear reproach the District with this low tax rate as if the District were responsible. The proposition to eliminate the temporary $1.20 rate and to substitute a fixed arbitrary rate of $2 or any other figure involves not merel simple, uncomplicated tax-rate raise, but means a change of the whole fiscal system set up by the law of 1922, since it smashes that system in a vital point The law of 18 stick est among a can cities, that ax consequence may without considerably the national con- equitably or is complicated and its many parts are so closely inter- woven that single tremendously long sentence is able to carry a multi- tude of its dovetailed provisions. To change the tax rate provision from that of the equitable and easily adaptable sliding scale system of the act of 1922 to the old, arbitrary fixed rate, doubled in amount, is to let loose a rampaging bull in the Dis- trict's legislative china shop. Incidentally, this proposition, if car- ried out, would rob the District of the only provisions the com- promise law of 1922 which were of benefit to it and which the law's words pledged to it for five years at least, to offset the heavy burdens and the drastic exactions which the 1922.law imposed upon it. The defi- ‘nite proportionate ratio. even re- duced to 60-40, and the sliding scale, non-surplus-producing tax rate were the District’s compensations for dras- tic and hurtful tax exactions and con: fiscations of revenue. —— e When Australia foresees an immi- gration problem she solves it in ad- vance by stipulating that there shall be no immigration. —— et William Penn to the Bar! . Philadelphia does not forget her founder. The memory of William Penn remains strong and vivid. His figure stands aloft on the top of the city hall. It shows forth in tablets and his name repeats itself in the municipal no- menclature. It is even heard in court, from time to time, as though the Quaker father of the commonwealth were present in the flesh. The owner of a plot of ground in the City of Brotherly Love recently of payer of the smallest tax rate | | gainer with | sage | sixty-seven senat had occasion to examine his title to the property, and found that many. many years ago it had been conveyed to William, John and Richard Penn by one Wiiliam Burr, with the stipula- | ton that they .should pay a vearly | around rent of ten Spanish milled dol There was no record of such | payments being made for a lonz | period. 8o the owner took the case into court, and on its trial the crier called for the presence of the three | Penns. to come forth and show cause why the land should not be declared forfeited to the halder of title of today. When William and his brothers failed to appear the judge directed the jury to find a verdict against them. There is a savor of reverence fo | the fundamental principles of law in | this procedure. And it is characteris- tic of Philadelphia. Now the owner can go his way securc in his title Fenn cannot disturb him. For Penn has forfeited his title. Nobody knows why he failed to tie up the land with entails and assurances of the annuy payment of ten Spanish milled doila But somehow there was arrangements of the canny prietor. who was such a the original landholders. and now the property has passed be vond the Penns forever. a slip in cleve ————— Bonus and Tax Reduction. With the House of Representatives presumably passing hitl over President's a1 tention centers upon the with respect fate measure. 1t is that a very w determine the upper chamber. Two-thirds ave required pass the Lill tinally full membership. On Zinal pas the measure was a by If all who voted to pass it then vote similarly will become law despite the honus tonday nate the the vet S 1o the of tiis fow in votes plain result the sixty-four in th its o yroved now it 11 $1.20 | to reduc But since that action was taken veto has intervened. T has stated his sons agains: terms that are recognized and by many legislators are acknowl edged to be compelling. Wil they sway enough of the advocates of the Lill to prevent its passuge The Senate will not act until week. Meanwhile the reaction of th country will be felt. What is the pubr le feeling on the subject? Already it Leing expressed. positively no equation can be stated. ence that the preponder favors the President's tiw nt Presid re it strong next - < is evi ant sentiment veto, To the country at large the question | stands thus: There can be no tax re duction if a bonus is granted. There is no escaping that fact. However Seeretary Mellon's plan for reduction may have been changed by Congress in the shaping of the tax measure. his showing of the resources of the Treas. ury remains unaffected. Tt is possible the revenues to the point of actualiy meeting the expenses as they are at present set, and it is not sible to reduce them if a heavy bonus charge is put upon the government. without causing a deficit. Congress has been attempting to do this impossible thing. 1t has passed u bonus bill which will involve an imme- | diate charge of $146.000.000. and it is about to lay before the President a bill which reduces the revenues to an un- known amount. certainly below the | point where the current expenses can be met plus the bonus cost. A deficit is assured if both bills become laws. To meet that deficit money borrowed. now or later. To pay those bonds larger revenues will be re- quired, which means another revision of the tax scale upward. There can be no appreciable tax re- ! duction together with a bonus. That fact is manifest to the people. and their response to the suggestion that both be attempted is certain to be posi- tive. If both houses vote to pass the bonus bill over the veto. and if then the tax bill is laid before the President he cannot consistently sign it. He cannot go before the country as ap proving & measure which is direct incompatible with a course already taken. It is not believed that a tas bill, if | vetoed by the President on the ground that it so impairs the revenues as to make it impossible to meet the bonus charges—assuming that the bonus bill is passed over the veto—could muster enough votes in both House and Sen- ate to pass in the same way. Thus the Senate, if the House votes tod s expected, will next week fac question virtually of tax reduction. The country expects tax revision. Tt has been promised it. Both parties are seeking credit with the people for effecting it. There is no partisan divi- sion on the broad question of giving it. Hastily, for partisan purposes. in compliance Wwith pledges given long ago without consideration of the effect upon the fiscal situation. & bonus bill has been passed. The President gave warning that both measures could not be enacted into law. He has now vetoed the bonus bill primarily on the ground that it entails a bugden that cannot be borne. A vote to pass the bonus bill over the veto is a vote against tax revision. ———— By this time ex-Kaiser Wilhelm should be aware of the fact that any suggestions that he seek the throne must be regarded as polite and tactful personal formalities. r————————— Doubts arise as to whether the Ku Klux Klan is not taking more political publicity than should be expected for a positively secret organization. ——aee— In case Mr. Al Smith should achieve promotion, Dr. Butler is willing to see to it that New York still has a “‘wet" governor. Oratorical Contest Winners. ‘The Star congratulates the young ‘women who have been named by the judges in the oratorical contest as respectively winner and alternate. Miss Ruth Newburn of Central High School will represent the District in the national competition in this city on the 6th of June, winning the local grand prize, and having a chance— and a very good chance, it is felt— of winning the national prize. Miss Ruth Greenwood of Eastern High School will stand ready to represent the District if for any reason Miss Newburn should be unable to appear on that oecasion. This contest has been gratifvingly in ' THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, : / . ' America’s Future and Prablems pirticipated in by the school pupils lof the District. Over 4,500 indi- viduals have taken part in the vari. ous school competitions. In the coun- try at large over one milion have been enrolled. The result has been a widespread study of the American Constitution by the younger genecra- tion, certain to make for a better un- derswanding of the fundamental law. in the future. | 1t is interesting o note that both | the leadere in the District are girls. This is a sign that the enfranchise- ment of the women has stimulated feminine interest matters of polit- { feal importance. should, at the | same tim the boys to ater efforts. must not per- | mit themselves distanced by | their sisters. The Star is proud to have been en- {abled. by its selection as the news- paper to conduct the District compe- | tition. 1o participate in this country | wide contest. so helptul to the quick- | ening of understanding of the younger | Amerieans in vespect to the founda- government in this country rds the vesalts s fully justify the effort involved, and it thanks tu District school pupils who have taken part. the school authorities who have aided and the judges who have painstakingly cxamined the final and have promptly winng in 1t stimulate They o | &r tions of |1 v | ing contestants s0 ramed the _ .- 1 th vibition succeeds making ionul convention o Sinith will 1 delegates appropriate from Denwocratic steictly dey occasion hand t 12 I miy athirst it not dry romarks e expected Col. Bryan C—eeee Now that the President of Cuba has to the effect | that peace prevails, all that remains is for the Cuban populace to give the document the respectful consideration issued a proclamation ————— | President Coolidge has the business | of the Cleveland convention so thor oughly in hand that he undivided o placed Lefore him in the | Congrese. is able to give any meantime by attention business ————— uscful they may have been Attorney General Stone that at present dollar-a- men vepresent any particular to the government However time in war cannot yeur | economy e It may be easier to prosecute vict and punish criminals when there is less enthusiasm displayved in mak | ing them look like heroes of romantic | fiction e it Sicaexar ol e e | position involving as much care and | responsibility as if it were a part of rumental machinery is 4 the gov pos- | e Buropean critics of America’s “doi- lar diplomacy” must admit that it has | proved more satisfactory than franc or mark or ruble diplomac — e A presidential veto aiways arouses | prediction of 4 loss of votes to his party. This is one reason why a veto requires courage. —— A little time will be required betore | 4 detinite conclusion can | a9 to whether the Bok peace plan was | the money’s worth. SHOOTING STARS. RY PHILANDE Shrinking Violence. The evildoer is too oft A modest man of nature soft Wh. ‘I am so very small Folks should not notice me at all. Slight is the sum that I may steal. The loss the public cannot feel. The drinks that | may buy or vend To scanty volume would extend. Each vice of mine’s a little one. 0 me it seems like trivial fun. For what great danger can there be In unimportant folks like me? Why worry if for pleasure's sake A statute now and then I break” 1'd be an egotist to claim That I alone obstruct the game Of life that should be frank and fair, With deals conducted on the square. | Let proper men with honest glee Go on, nor deign to notice mi JOHNSON | We pause and ponder now and then; Have we 0o many modest men? Lines of Imagination. “The equator is an imaginary line around the earth,” recited the young student. “Imaginary things may be imper- tant,” replied Senator Sorghum. “The ring into which a candidate throws his hat is imaeginary. So is the hat. And so, very frequently, is the candi- date.” Jud Tunkins savs there can be no such thing as a ‘‘gentlemen’s agree- ment” to put across an ungentlemanly scheme. The only real advantage some of the old songs have over the new ones is that vou don’t have to listen to them so often. The Freshet. We wonder if those bygone days ‘Will come again When people toward the gaze And pray for rain. sky would As Times Change. “Almost everybody in Guich used to carry a gun.” “That was in the old days.” an- swered Cactus Joe. “The quaint old custom has become unpopular now, owin’ to its bein’ mostly monopolized by bootleggers, dry agents and bicycle cops.” Crimson Literary Relief. “Who is your favorite author? “One of the old gentlemen wrote the cuneiform inscriptions, swered Miss Cayenne. *Can you read him?" No. That's why I like him. body expects me to. No- “Parents often gives fine advice,” said Uncle Eben, “but don’ set much example. De chillun is supposed to |listen, but not to stop an’ look.” | certain to make for better citizenship | be reached | NO. Toduy, Declares O | | BY THOMAS J. WALSH, United States Semater from WMeatan: | 1 believe that the overshadowing i issue now before the American people Is that of clean government. It is of the first and of vital importance. for in Its scope are embodied the very fundumentals of government. The next most importunt issue is the restoration of normal prosperity to ugriculture, und that involves a re- sion of the turiff and a more active participation . in European matters. that our markets may be expanded. “nd thus a more worldwide field be created for our furmers and their products. Third, I think, tux reduction comes #ithin the scope of vital issues. By this T do not mean mercly federal tax reduction, but a lessening of state and local tax burdens us well, In order to accomplish this much- needed desiderutum, there must come an international arrangement which Will permit a materfal reduction in our Army and Navy * % %% When any administration, no mut- ter what its political complexion, is affected by corruption or the suspi- cion of corruption. that condition us- Sumes 4 place of the first importance in the election following, however im- Portant other issues muy appea W huve exposed corruption defi- nitdly. The Wheeler committee, the nvestigution into the Veterans Bu- teau. the investigations now under wuy—all of them hauve exposed to public view corruption of u miserable type. lnough has been shown to Wairant the statement that a rotten state of uffairs hus prevailed in our government. Pull wus cuught red-handed, but his caxe does not seem to have been by any means exceptional: apparently corruption wus the order of the duy. Thirty per cent corruption in a cabi- net may not appesr serious to Sena- tor Pepper, but the American people undoubtedly view it differently. Luckily, however, this is only the second time {n American history that venality in u cabinet officer hus been proved. Only twice has such infidel- ity been brought home to & cabinet member. It hes bsen a rare thing even thut any such officiul has been suspected of corruption * % The second most important issue involves the plght of the American farmer. Congress hus just rejected u bill to uppropriate money to help the turmer to diversify his crops. He needs more thun legislative action— agriculture must get a square deal He is burdened Ly a tariff which taxes him for everything he buys. In President Coolidge s bonus veto mes- | sage is full of “slogun” material for the G. O. P. campaign. Its peroration fairly rains epigrams. Here's one: “Service to our country in time of war means sucrifice.” Here's another: “The property of the people belongs to the people.” And the ringing final sen- tences: “Our country cannot fford The veterans us & whole do not want it. All our American principles are opposed to it. There is no moral justification for it." Coolidge from the outset hus hammered the bonus Wwith short, sharp blows of lunguage His first hint of opposition to a bonus for able-bodied men, though it was not much noted at the time, was con- tained in his brief Armistice day statement: “Our country will remem- ber with gratitude those who served it with such distinction and renew its resolve to continue to meet its obli- gations to those who suffered injury from their service.” s | It's not given to many men to save llneu' country $415.000,000 by a single vote in Congress. That is what Sena- tor John W. Hurreld. Republican, of Oklahoma, did on May 13, when, by switching to those who voted to su: tain the President’'s veto of the Bur- sum pension bill, he just prevented the two-thirds total necessary to override. _Senator Harreld is a n tive of Kentucky und, though only fifty-two yvears old, wears a distin- guished head of snow-white hair, sur- mounting an_unusually tall and well knit figure. He is in his first term in Congress and is & luwyer by profes- sion. Oklahoma has been bis domicile since 1305, * % % ¥ Mark Sullivan, well known Wash- ington political writer, is hard at work on a monumental four-volume history of the United States, which will be called “The Story of Our Own Times.” It will deal with men and events in America from 1300 to 1925 and is to be published at the end of next year. Sullivan aims to get away from the strictly political in his history of the living generation of our people. He intends to em- phasize and develop the effect which modern inventions like the auntomo- bile. the movies and radio have had in shaping the destinies of the pres- ent-hour United States of America. * % % % Sir Esme Howard, K. C. B., the new British ambassador at Washington, is accounted one of the most accom- plished horsemen now Seen on the District of Columbia bridle-paths. Riding is his favorite sport, and he sits his saddle like a cavalryman. Howard retired from the diplomatic service in 1892, to become a private secretary to Lord Kimberley, foreign minister in the Rosebery cabinet. Then the South African war came along and the fature ambassador served as a trooper in the celebrated imperiul yeomanry, & corps of mount- ed infantry, which rendered emiment service in ihe Boer campaign. Sir Esme means to explore the whole Potomac country on horseback some day. * ok k¥ There's another Democratic candi- date in the field. At least his friends want to put him there. He is Maj. Gen. Robert Lee Bullard, who com-~ manded the 24 Army of the American expeditionary forces in all of its op- erations in Europe, including occupa- tion of enemy territory after the armistice. The proposer of Gen. Bul- lard’s name recalls his famous mes- sage to his French superior at the opening of the second battle of the Marne, in July, 1918: “Sir, my men do not know the meaning of the word retreat, without counter-attacking, and 1 am notifying you that I am now about to attacl Bullard's ad- mirers declare that his message stir- red the heart of every American alive. They say that “the officials in Wash- ington have been. retreating long enough, and now is the proper time to put in the presidential chair a man who will not hesitate to counter attack. Gen. Bullard is a native of ‘Alabama. He is sixty-three years old. * ¥ ¥ % No mystery attaches to President Coolidge’s choice of Speaker Gillett as the ideal Republican candidate for senator from Massachusetts. Gillett | ATURDAY, MAY 17, 1924.' L Clean Government Is Overshadowing lIssue Before Country il Inquiry Leader. consequence there is u wide and widening disparity between the value of the dollar With which he buys and of the dollur which he receives for his products. The present tariff as enacted to keep the price of manufactures at pre-war levels or higher. The ex- porter of farm products found it im- possible to raise prices artifictally for his wares. During the war prod- ucts were restricted in price by lex- islation, though before that cataclysm they were nearly on a parity with other commodities. N There is now a disparity of 60 per cent! It seems obvious that the real remedy is to pull down the tariff wall and thus aid the European buy- ers of our farm products to get on their feet, 50 that they may be able to absorb our surplu * % % ¥ The policy of isolution has proved disastrous. Inspired statements put out with recurring frequency telling of our unbounded prosperity were be- lieved at first, but the fact is that the agricultural sections of the west have never known such untoward conditions, nor been in such strait- ened circumstances, not even dur- ing the dcpressed perfod of the nineties. The depression so markedly in evi- dence in the west prevails to a Rreater or lesser degree generally in all agriculturul sections. Late ad- vices from lows indicate thut the situation is almost as acute there as farther west. Agriculture has been carried on at # loss or at least without any rea- sonable return. Muanufacturing has been remuncrative and prosperous. So far as the third vital issue, tax reduction, is concerned, taxes have alwuys been a check upon industry, tuking capital that should have gone into new enterprises. %o ox The more money is paid to carry on our governments, whether federal, state or local, the less there remains for investment in business. If our government were curried on as pri- vate businesses sre curried on, it is quite likely our tuzes would be re- duced very materially. Efforts to institute more economic methods are incessant but relatively unproductive. The best we can do to reduce ex- penditures is to insist upon and carry out 4 general and rigid retrenchment. But whatever we do, we must reduce taxes to a minimum. The people who pay arc entitled to this and in the last analvsis we who were elected to represent the people in the Congress must do our duty by them und lighten their finuncial burdens. Tomorrow: Senator Arthur Capper (Copsrignt. 1024, in T by Narth American All rights ressrved.) . and o reat Britain r Alliasce. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE is an Amherst man Age is appar- ently no bar. in the President’s esti- mation. for the Speaker, who is up- proaching seventy-three, was gradu- ated from Amherst in 1874. exactly twenty-one vears before Calvin Cool- idge Zot his A. B. there. Soms heart- less Democrats in Washington are circulating a slanderous story about Coolidge’'s “campaign plans. His ‘eastern headquarters.” they sav. is gOINE to be at Boston, and his “west- ern headquarters” in Amherst * * Undoubted!y the most tulked-about book of the scuson in Washington is a seventy-two-paged pamphlet called “The Protestant Who's Who in Con- gres=" It is subtitled “Records of National Senators and Representa- tives on Non-Partisan Moral Issues of Vital Interest to Protestant Voters.” Some of the men of Romun Catholic and Jewish faith on Capitol Kill sus- Dect that ‘“The Protestant Who's Who" is of Klan origin. It is official- 1v published by Dr. Gilbert O. Na- tions of Washington. Questions cata- logued in the preface as “the great issues” include the Burnet immigra- tion bill. enacted by the Sixty-fourth Congrese: the Gallivan Irish patition of 1817: the prohibition amendment: the woman suffruge amendment; the Borah Irish resolution of 1919: the Johnson immigration bill, enucted in 1921: “Nepotism and Unearned Salu- ries.” dealing with congressmen's hab- 1t of placing relatives on the govern- ment Dayv roll; the Volstead act: the recent “British rum treuty': the “wine and beer bloc”; the 2 per cent selec. tive immigration bill, and “wet in- dorsement of candidate: Stands taken by congressmen on all these 1s. alongside Sues are set forth in detail, ;l;::'x; raclal and religlous antece- (Copyright, 1924.) for U. S Work;rs. Plea Says Congress Should Act on Retirement Pay. To the Editor of The Star: The near approach of the closing days of Congress without some de- cisive action being taken on the re- tirement bill now pending before that body, in which authority for an in- crease of annuity to an actual living figure is soukht, is causing great un- easiness and anxiety among federal employes, both in Washington and throughout the country, pecause of the fear that this important measure, which means so much to them, may again be indefinitely deferred. In view of the high cost of living and the inadequacy of the small amount @ow allowed to meet and cover the actual requirements of the most _ordingry living, members ot Congress must certainly realize that they will be doing only simple jus- tice to government employes by has- tening the passage of the bill. The fact must not be overlooked that the increase asked for by the faithful workers of many years will not be taken out of the public exchequer, but out of the sum contributed monthly by the employes themselves from their salaries, and this contri- bution, it is said, up to this time, after 11 expenses have been met, already shows a surplus of many 'millions, and in all probability will continue to grow and be self-sustaining. Another fact that must not be lost :lflfl of is that seventy years is the allotted space of life, and thus the, enjoyment of the present annuity is' to the great majority a matter of a few years only. If congressmen find themselves un- able to live comfortably on from $7,000 to $10,000 per annum, how can they expect government' workers (who bave been compelled to give up their positions when they have reached seventy years of age) to pay house rent and provide all the actual necessaries of life from the paltry maximum sum of §7202 Not many living in Washington, or elsewhere, and especially those hav- ing dependents, have been able to accumulate a sufficiency, after the payment of their expenses, to meet the demands of landlords and bakers and candlestick makers during their few remaining years. In view of these statements, and of the fact that many are really under- going actual suffering, it is to be sincerely hoped that Congress will generously give the relief so car- nestly prayed for and needed. CHAS. F. KREH. The Library Table BY THE BOOKLOVER The general interest aroused by Papini’s “Life of Christ” will perhaps be extended to another book by Pa- pini, recently published in translation in this country, but written before the “Life of Christ.” This is called “The Fallure,” or, in Italian, “Un Uomo Finito.” 1t hus been called “the ves- tibule to the ‘Life of Christ'” and is really the mental biography of Papini during his first thirty years—the bi- ography of a lonely, restless, morbid man, or, as he himself says, “the sen- timental and abusive misanthrope for whom, God willing, so many people have felt a profound dislike. £ % ok % A< a child Papini wus a most pa- thetic figure. He says: “I was never achild; I never had a childhood.” He describes a photograph of himself at the age of seven: “The washed-out face of a dreamy child is turned to- ward ‘the left, because in that direc- tion, as you teel, there happens to be no_ one whose gaze he must endure In this bit of faded photograph 1 find the dead soul of those early days of mine; the sickly face of a toud’ the frown of a ‘sullen,’ @ ‘stub- born’ child, the seif. possessed dejec- tion of an ‘old man.’ I feel a &rip at my heart as I think of all those dreury days. of all those endless years, of that fettered, imprisoned life, of that purposcless, useless an- guish.” * % % % His discovery of the solace and joy | of books is one of the most pleasing parts of this rather depressing biography. He came across « round Wicker basket in the attic contain- ing the whole family library, a hun- dred books or more, and was given by his futher the freedom of this col- lection. Here he found with other things “life of Garibaldi,”" Plu turch's Lives,” *“The Pruise of Foll: and six volumes risms. The basket was cxhausted in a few vears and then. when he was about twelve, he was told by an older boy of a magnificent library in the town, full of books which might be taken out by any one—'best of all, without spending a cent.” Cnfor- tunately, “to gain admission to those paradisex you had to be ut least sixteen years old.” Pupini went to the library, however, and. venturing 10 add three vears to his age. de clared that he was fifteen; but he was turned away and had to wait whole year Lefore he was allowed to draw out his first book. He de- ccribed his unsuccessful visit: “Ons July morning | made the experiment Trembling, fearful. my heart beating violently, T came to & long stone | stairway—how broad. how immense |how tmposing it seemed® At the top | T hesitated for two or three minutes but finklly mustered my courage and entered the application room. out a slip the way I thought it ought to be. und handed it in. with the self- | conscious and zuilty air of a person who knows he is doing wrong. The clerk—I see him still, curses on wax a little man with big 4 pair of squinting watery eves (like the eves of a dead and deep shrewd wrinkles on | either side of his mouth.” This in- |dividual looked the boy over. asked his age und dismiseed him with the | words: “Not old cnough. Sorry | the rules! Come back in a year. * ok ok % fish) | 1o view of Papinis my orthodox “Life of Christ.” his repeat- ed assertions of his disbelief in a God are interesting. After reuding Car- ducci's “Hymn to Satan” he always “felt a greater love for the Rebellious Angel under the earth than for the majestic Old Fogey who dwelt in the heavens. Later on T came to realize how erude and unsound all that anti- religious apologetic was; but to it I am a man for whom God has never existed. Born of a father who was an atheist. baptized without his knowledge by my mother, brought up in ignorance of church and catechism. T have never had a so-called ‘crisis of the soul.’ a ‘night of Jouffrov,’ a ‘dis- covery of the death of God.' For me God never died, because He never lived in my heart.” * % % % Instead of the league of nations, a pan-European league, from which Great Britain and Russia are to be excluded, is the remedy for the chaos of Burope suggested by an Austrian writer, Richard N. Coudenhove-Kul- ergi, in his book. “Pan-Europa.” Ac- cording to the argument set forth by this author, the world should logi- cally be divided into four groups of nations. The basis for the division is expediency and common interests. The first group would be pan-Amer- ica, the whole western hemisphere with the exception of Canada. The second group would be the British empire, as at present constituted. The third group would be the Russiun territories, in Europe and Asia. The fourth group would be Eastern Asia. including China and Japan, which should logicaily be united. The fifth group, which is the main subject of the book, would include Continental Europe, except Russia, and the Afri- can colonies of the contin al na- tions. Dr. Coudenhove-Kalergi is muech opposed to the league of na- tions_because it enables nations out- side Europe to dictate in purely Eu- ropean affairs. He says: “Europe, one hundred vears after America, must proclaim to the world her own Monroe doctrine; Burope for the Eu- ropeans. TR Certain novels are so large in sub- jeetand treatment as to justify their being called epic. Such were Goethe's “Wilhelm Meister,” Tolstoi's *‘War and Peace” and most of Victor Hugo's novels. 1In the twentieth century there are Ibanez's “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” and “Mare Nostrum.” Romain Rolland's “Jean- Christophe,” Knut Hamsun's “Growth of the Soil." Arnold Bennett's “Old Wives Tale” and_Galsworthy's “For- syte Saga.” A German novel of the same epic type, written some years ago, has just been. given to English and American readers in translation —Thomas Mann's ‘‘Buddenbrooks.” It is the chronicle of four generations of the Buddenbrook family, begin- ning with 1830. Jobann Buddenbrook i8 a prosperous and influential mer- chant-noble of Luebeck. Consul Bud- denbrook of the next generation is still successful and an important member of his community. Thomas and Christian Buddenbrook in the third generation are not of the cali- ber of their ancestors, and the pros- perity of the family firm is noticea- bly declining, though Thomas man- ages to be elected a senator. In the fourth generation the business is sold and the last representative of the family, Hanno, is a weak and dilet- tante artist. The symboliem seems to be that of the extinction of a good family stock by overrefinement. * % ¥ ¥ Two years ago Clive Bigham pub- lished his “Prime Ministers of Brit- ain, 17211821 a competent and de- lightful piece of historical writing, sketching the lives of the thirty-six British premiers from Sir Robert Wal- pole to Mr. Lloyd George. The author has now supplied a companion vol- ume, “The Chief Ministgrs of England, 20-1720," in which he has again shown great industry in research and ripe historical scholarship. The pres- ent work epitomizes the lives of the twenty-seven chief ministers of Eng- land—before the evolution of the of- fice of prime minister—whose power depended on'the personal choice and favor of the king. The period covers the eight hundred years from King Edward the Elder, son of Alfred the Great, to Queen Anne, whose reign marks the change from the rule of the sovereign to the rule of parlia- meat of Voltaire’s apho- | 1 filled | Read | sticul and | owe the fact. be it good or bad, that I | Q. Who laid Park?—E. V. K. A. Rock Creek Park is a natural park and was not planned by any in- dividual. The Olmsted brothers, however, made a complete study of the park and laid out some of the driveways, out Rock Creek Q. How much money do the New Tork Americans wpend for base buils? A. The New York American Buse- baull Club savs that it spent $9.033.50 for base oalls last season. Q. Why does spring arrive on Murch 20 some years and on Murch 21 at other times?—J. G A. The seasons begin about six {hours luter each year, except leap year: then the beginning is eighteen hours earlier thun in the preceding year. Q. During the war were there any bulletproof helmets made?—R. P. H. A. The War Department says that there were no helmets made which were ubsolutely builetproof. They were more or less a protection from shrapnel, and made in such shape that bullets would glance off if they struck at an angl Q. Why are some sweet long and thin, while others chunky?—L. T. D. A. The soil and fertilizer seem 1o influence the shape of the potato. A lack of potash produces the lanky specimens. while plenty of potash increases the weight and diameter of | the potatoss. Q. Are there more murders in New York City than any other place in the country in proportion 1o population’— 0 Y. G A. The murder rate in New York is | almost 50 per cent lews than the aver- age for the rest of the country. The New York homicide average is 5.5 per 100.000_as against 127 in Chicago 18.% in Philadelphia, 3.9 in Boston and 163 ip Cincinnuti Q. When and where and against how many players did Puul Morphy play chess while Llindfolded?—H. E i A In 1858 Paul Morphy (born |8 Qicd 1884), toured ISurope as a chess champion. Tn both London and Paris he played Llindfolded against eight strong plavers simultaneously. Mor- phy was ome of the greatest chess | champions that ever lived and com- |Tmenced his extraordinary career When but tweive vears of age potatoes are @ How long has the bow and ar- jrow been used”—A. R A. It is probable that its use is coeval with man's authentic history. In Genesis there iz a reference to| Ishmuel, the archer. Q Can turtles find their way water’—N. O. R A. The bureau of fisheries says that if there js any water in the gen- eral vicinity where turtles are—that ie, within one-half mile to a mile— they should find their way to 1t o Q. Which of the signers of the fed- cral Constitution were born in this | country?—W. K A. The eight men of foreign birth | who signed this document were El- | bridge Gerry, who was born in Eng- {lund: Francis Lewis, Wales: Robert | Morris, Ingland; James Smith, Ire- [land: Mutthew Thornton. Ireland: George Taylor, Ireland. James Wil- | son otiand. John Witherspoon Secotland Q. Why wus Wembley chosen as 4 | site for the British empire exposi- | tion"—W. D. O. A. Wembley's first claim was its ac- Although President Coolidge re- H cently said that he did not take the criticisms of the Navy very seriously, the report of Admiral Coontz has had a disturbing effect upon public opin- ion as voiced by the nation’s editors. Because Admiral Coontz. W. R. Shear- er and others have brought severe in- dictment aguinst the Navy's efficiency and because Assistant Secretary Roosevelt admits that a good part of this criticism of the Navy is true, the majority of editors insist that an in- quiry is needed, so that the people may know the truth about the Navy “Congress should understand that any inquiry into the actual state of the Navy must be thorough. search- ing and impartial,” in the opinion of the New York Times, because “the people want to know the trath about material and personnel; it has been withheld from them or disguised in official phrases”; furthermore. “the people want to Know (o what extent the flect has declined in efficiency and why the 5-5-3 ratio of the Washing- ton conference hus not been provided for in appropriations and building plans; why also maintenance has been neglected . The Chicago Daily News indorses this, and is confident that public opinion will not sanction any viola- tion of the Washington treaty by the government. Moreover, the treaty. “in order that it may Serve its ad- mirable purpose, must be supple- mented by intelligent administration of naval affairs; otherwise the Navy presently will find itself far below the relative strength accorded it in the equitable plan_for limiting naval armament.” The Providence Journal agrees “Intelligent public opinion will naturally insist that the first line of national defense be maintained at treaty strength.” If the Navy is not equipped as it should be, the Balti- more FEvening Sun declares, “the fault lies chiefly, if not wholly, with the statesmen in Congress who for many years have made naval appro- priations a2 foot ball of politics' however. “when the Navy ceases to be the sport of politicians, and only then. may we expect to have naval efficiency.” * % % % “We are where we are toduy largely for two reasons—the public's lack of information on what & navy needs and the game played by the ‘little Navy men’ in Congress,” continues the Milwaukee Journal, which insists that “both our national and our interna- tional obligations demand that we get the light promptly on this naval situation and then start the restora- tion treatment.” The Newark News is convinced we have no means of finding out except through a thorough congressional inquiry, and “with an- other disarmament conference being Drojected, that should be made with- out delay.” If this country has fallen sharply below its ratio as to lyttle- ships or other naval craft, the Minne- apolis Tribune claims, “it has come to a pass that was not contemplated when the agreements were made.” and “there is small satisfaction, and large potential trouble in having a Navy that is not a fighting Navy.” 1t is not comforting to reflect, according to the Scranton Republican, “that the country is paying a gigantic total to maintain inefficient fighting craft, and “the wealthiest country in the world should not neglect the safety of its people.” For Congress to let our Navy fall below the agreed ratio, “either in number of ships or in their efficiency of equipment,” the Colum- bus Dispatch admits “is to trific with the country's safety. Whatever i3 wrong is chargeable to the Navy Department and not to Congress, the Buffalo News belicves; however, “all who are sincere in- terested in the welfare of the Nav. must regard it as vital that this im- portant arm of defense be put in con- ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ————— e BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN cessibility. It can be reached % stations in central London average of eightecn minutes from in an Q. Will there be as many Woman voters as men in this vear's eli~ tions?—D. M. 8. A. At the time the lust official com- pilation Wwus made, 45 of Januarv |, 1922, there were approximately 990’ 000 more male citizens than female but there is no way of determining i what proportion the sexes will exar cise the right to vote next Novembe: Q. Is there to be a two-and-one half-cent coin?—T. F. J A. The committes on coinage n recommended seversl times that two-and-a-half-cent coin be mintea, however, no law has been enacted. Q. 1s Bagdud under a British man date’—P. H. F. A. Bugdud is the capital of Me sopotamia, which country is officiallv known as the kingdom of the Iran Since 1920 it has been under a Bri ish mandate Q. What is the cost battleship and what nance cost?—C. & A. The cost of the latest type of battleship completely fitted out fo service would be approximately $25 000,000. The approximate cost o maintaining a battleship average from $1.600,000 to $2,000,000 @ vear. of a its modern is maints is Switzerland governed?— A Switzerland is a confederation of twenty-five cantons which are joined under_a federal constitution of May 29, 1574, Large powers of local con- trol are retained by each canton. The national authority rests in a par ment of two chambers, a Standera or tate Council, and a Nationalrat or utionul Council: the first of forty four members. and the second of 154 members. There is universal suffraze The president ix elected every vear Q. Was Beethoven ever a violini-t S P A. Beethoven was a violinist organist and he aiso played clavier and viola. Q. Whv was Greenland —P. 1L K A, Greeniund was orwegian explorer, Upon his return from Greenlanc 985 he gave the new country name in order to make people m willing to go there. The climats very cold, the mean annual isothern of freezing temperature crossing t island at its southern end. This fa does not prevent the prevalence warmth suitable for vegetation du ing the long summer day. in the i terior of the fiords and in sheiterc places quite to the northern end the island. Thus the summer ter perature in favored localities oft reached an important height. T! mean temperature of the three sur mer months at Julianehaab. in Sou Greenland. is 48° F.: at Uperniv farther north, it te 38° F. —G. and s0 nam named by Eric the Q. Tell me when the hoyse Ay can into existence —F. R. C. A. The common house fly has bee known to man as far back as we ha any record. and fossil flies have be. found in rocks of prehistoric times (Any reader can get the answer to ar question bu weiting The Star Inforima- tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Dire for. 1220 North Capitol street. This offe applies strictly to information. The b reau cannot mve advice on legal. med: cal_and financial matters. It does no artempt fo settle domestic trowbles. n to undertake cxiavustive research o ary subjec’. Write your question piasndy anc bricfln. Gice full name and address a..¢ inclose 2 cents i stamps for retu postape. Al replies arc sent direct the inquirer.) Editors Demand Citizens Know Truth About Navy Sioux City Journal holds thut “ar failure on the part of the governme- of the United States, or of Congre:< or of the people. Who express pub! opinion. that falls short of this cor ception of naval strength is an in which is to be found at all nothing less than positive per While the Savannah Press hopes our Navy “will not be placed o further disadvantage measured y the competing powers of :h world.” the San Francisco Bulletin feels: “There is nced of common- sense rather than any cause for hrs teria in the matter of the strength of the United States Navy. To speak of its ‘alarming weakness’ is shecr non sense. 1t is weaker than it could be in accordance with the five-power nu val pact, but there is nothing alarm ing in the situation": however. ‘‘a: a practical people we know that nn one country can afford to go too far in the way of cutting down it d:- fense forces.” * % % % time Although discounting “alarmist ports” about the weakness of Navy, the Springfield Republican sure that “the Nuvy at present poorly balunced.” but ail the things needed “can be done for a fraction of the prospective cost which the Was ington treaty saved. and it is a flection upon the governments of 10 friendly countries if they cannot down und dispose satistactorily any questions as to what the Wa ington treaty does or does mot per mit" As the Brooklyn Eagle sces “there can be no objection to quiry into the alleged weaknes the American Navy,” because “senci- tional statements 'regarding in°fi ciency of the fleet just before Con gress votes the annual appropriations require investigation. Since the President is not alarmed the Indianapolis News thinks country should not be. as “there be time for alarm when Cengres: fuses to finance maneuvers or oth wise displays a_state of indiffcre to the needs of Navy building training.” But this feeling that country is safe enough for the ent may be “dangerous” and wise” according to the St Gazette, which suggests are particularly interested in the m ter and want action might do well t0 insist on an inquiry into the naval situation, conducted by wholly dian- terested and unprejudiced - that twould establish the facts vincingly,” and “the necessary action might be expected to follow.” Am:r- ica will expect, the Kalamazoo 'id- zette concludes, “that the Navy kept at all times up to the treat limit of its strength, and that within those limits the personnel and cq:in ment of the Navy be maintained 4! the highest possiblé point of efficienc Asks U. S. Children Aid. Writer Comments on Campaign to Aid German Starving. To the Editor of The Star: On reading vour article today on page saying that life-saving coupons were to be sold for the benefit of the starving children of Germany, I wondered if all the starv- ing children of America had been fed. Many of these in our own land arc in need because of the war perpetrat- cd by Germany. Of course. I say feed the German children if they nsed it, but let the German business men who have invested thelr money at good interest in America aupply the wherewithal to do so. and noi the much-abused and _ Imposed-upon American public. A good many Deople are heartily sick of appeals for German relief. when therc is much necd in our own land. Our Children's Hospital here is in much need and many other inetitu- is Joseph dition to function properly—that it be brought to the point of efficiency, al- ways with a proper regard for the terms of the Washington treaty.” The tions could make use of all the money invested in German sympathy, 4 for which we are si for being fools.