Evening Star Newspaper, May 23, 1924, Page 6

HE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY..........May 23, 1924 THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Dusiness Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvania ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Building. Daropean Office: 16 Begentst., London, England. “The Evening Star, with the Sunday morning edition, ix delivered by carriers within the ¢ity at 60 cents per month: daily only, 45 cents per month; Bupday oniy, 20 cents’ per month. Orders may be went by mail or tele- shone Main 5000, Collection is.made by car- riers at the end of ‘month. Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dafly and Sunday..1 yr., $8.40 31 mo.,, 70c Daily only. ...137,$6.00; 1 mo, 50¢ Sunday only J1yr., $2.40; 1 mo, 20¢ All Other States. Dafly and Sunday.1 yr., $10.0 Daily only $ Sunday only Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is_exclusively entitied to e e for republication of ‘all news dis. tehes credited to it or not otherwise credited this paper and also the local news pub- shed " her Ail rights of publication of wpecial dispatches herein are also reserved. L e e Restore the Ratio! Secretary Wilbur states frankly and explicitly the manner and degree of the American Navy's deficiency under the ratio of naval strength es- tablished by the arms limitation treaty. Instead of standing, as to Great Britain, the United States and Japan. 5 and 5 and the ratio now 2d 1 and 3. In other words, the United States Navy as fallen off by 20 per cent as respects the ratio since the writing of the treaty. When the treaty was written the United States desired, of course, to demenstrate its entire good faith in matter of limitation. It went about the work of reduction thor- oughly. It fulfilled its part of the con- tract scrupulously. Whether the present state of the ratio is due to an overdving of the reduction by this country by an underdoing of it by others is not for present conside 1. The fact remuins that, accord- to the final analysis of the mat- the United States is below its quoti of navil strength. Whatever the aspirations for inter- nationul disarmament entertained by ny Americans may be, the fact re- thitt the national policy is to a defensive 1 force ade- feguard our interest e proportioned to the forces of or powers. Tt is assumed in theo tiat other forces are likewise tor defensive purposes. may happen te jransform defensive into woifensive factors. Hens it is importunt that the that has been ablished should be tained. Secretary Wilbur states the needs speciticially. He urges the moderniza- tion of thirteen battleships and the construction of eight fast cruisers. He scts forth in detail the require- ments of the major ships already in commission to bring them up to the tandard of the other powers. The fleet, he says. is undermanned. Six #mall gunboats are necessary for rivi in the fur east. Addi- tional radio cquipment ¥s essential. A larger reserve supply of torpedoes is needed. These the or nav ratio main- service fucts are now formally be- fore Con It is too late in the present session to effect appropria- tions to put them into the form of corrective law. But between now and * next session they should be pon- dered the legislators, so that in the appropriation law then enacted at Icast u substantial start may be made in the work of closing the gap that has alrcady widened between the American and the British naval strength and widening that which is nurrowing Letween the American and the Japunese forces at sea. by — ————— Teachers' Pay Bill. The Senate has passed the teachers’ pay bill as reported by the District committee, and the few differences in the bill as passed by the House and by the Sen will no doubt be easily ad- justed in conference. In the House certain amendments were made to the bill as reporied by the House District committee, the principal being in the matter of the superintendent’s salary. Thousgh the House voted to increase the salary of that official it was not an increase as that carried bill as framed by the board of cducation and approved by the Dis- riet committee. That feature of the Ll ws restored by the Senate Dis- committee, and has been ap- proved by the Senate. The prospect is that the teachers' pay bill, which nakes the first general change since 1506 in the law governing teachers' sularies, will become a law at this ses- sion of Congress. The bonus which is now paid to teachers will not be paid after the close of this fiscal year, and without the increased pay provided by the pending bill inconvenience would come to many teachers. Pay of school teachers and school officers has never been on a liberal scale, and since that scale was set living cost has risen high, and many new work demands have been made on teachers and officers —_————————— In establishing a world court the league of nations must be regarded as having suggestions of value relat- ing to details of mechanism to be avoided. ‘The Chicago Kidnaping Murder. Chicago's kidnuping murdermystery :baffles the police, and promises. to be- come a notorious crime. A lad of thir- teen, son of wealthy parents, disap- pears between home and school. Soon after he is last seen a telephone mes- sage comes to the father announcing that the boy is held for $10,000 ran- .som. A special delivery letter comes giving instructions as to the manner of delivery of the money. A taxicab comes, the driver of which is instruct- ed merely to call at the address and get @ “Mr. Franks.” Another tele- phone call is received, giving warning that death of the boy will follow fail- ure to pay or efforts to warn the po- lice. Orders are given to trace the calls, but are checked when it is learned that the operators are discuss- ing plans to'this end. Ne more is 3 But accidents | heard until the nude body of the lad is found some miles in the country. It is not identified for several hours. To date no trace whatever is found of the kidnapers, and now all sorts of theories are entertained. The case is far from solution. Fiven the exact means whereby the kidnapers slew the lad are not determined. - These murderous kidnaping cases arise from time to time. In some instances the perpetrators are caught and punished. A few years ago in New York a little Italian boy was slain, and eventually the murderers were captured and executed. This Chi- cago case bears marks of being what may be called an amateur job. The kidnapers acted with significant haste. There is some ground for believing that the boy was killed before the last of the calls for money. Some ship in the “team work” of the gang is evi- dent. But there are suspicions that the crime was not actually one of kid- naping for money. The suggestion is made that the perpetrators were youths who used the money demands to cover up the accidental death of the boy, perhaps in the course of de- generate practices. If that is the fact the truth is almost certain to become known, for it is rare that a crime of this character is long concealed. The stealing of children for ransom is one of the most diabolical of crimes. It cannot be too severely punished. A parent will strip himself of all he pos- sesses to rescue a loved child from the Tip of thieves. But he is aware while scoundrels to play the same gaume. If he tells the police he risks the death of his offspring. If he delays he dalli with responaibility for the fate of his young. He is in a terrible situation. This Chicago father was instantly . 3 { doing so that he is encouraging other Smith does not deeirs to complicate his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination with a fac- tional row in Tammany. It would not look well to the convention body, and especially to delegates: who yet have to bo won over to the Smith candidacy, to se) the great orzanization of Tam- many, which is backing Gov, Smith, split into factions. That such a ruction . is imminent was manifest when John F. Curry, an insurgent district leader, served mno- tice that he would oppose the pro- posed selection of Judge George W, Olvany as Tammany leader. There- upon Gov. Smith, foresceing real trou- ble, stepned in and postponed the in- @ '<gle for the leadership e women on the com- which is to control the rs, and for the first time in history women will be asso- ciated in the management of Tam- many. This should be a1 asset to Gov. Smith in his presidential candidacy, the politiclans say. trying to commit highway rcbbery in Connecticut. She got only $2,000 worth of rings from a Igyne motorist, which she was immediatély compelled to surrender. The publicity is of no value to her. After all, it is better to allow the press agent to stage the big jewel thefts, ——————— In considering the pay of men in the government printing office it should be remembered that they ex- perience what many people would re- gard as especial hardship. They have been compelled in the recent course of duty to read everything that went into ready to pay. Now he is offering a reward for the capture of the slayers. May they be'speedily caught and pun ished! Recreational Co-Ordination. Most American school children arc familiar with the Latin phrase, “Mens sana in corpore sano.” They are proud to understand its meaning, “A sound mind in a sound body.” They are eager to apply this truth by devoting themselves to sports and gumes, to exercises that make for health. Some times they are not especially keen upon turning the soundness of body into mental strength, but unconscious- ly they are aware of the fact that to the degree that they are “sound” and well they are capable of developing into healthful adults, President Coolidge erday the nationa | ference in this city, urgr tion of the need of prov opening ye ional “d considera ‘xhc end of building up our citi | physically and therefore mentally fmld intellectually. Modern conditions enship | have little by little cramped the life | il as the elders. | | of the voung as w The concentration into citfes has de prived the youth of the land in large measure of its rightful heritage exercisc, of health-making play. It is necessary to provide facilities, to re- for every child. In the cities playgrounds are cssen- tial. There should be one within prac- ticable range of every home, places | where the little ones can go for games without risking their Jives in the traf- fic that has driven them from roads and streets. Every school should have an ample space for the exercising of the pupils. E community should have broad provision for games, for the sake of the grown-ups. In a general way these provisions have been made, not as liberal they should, but in a degree to afford recreational opportunities for greater numbers than could be accommodated a few years ago. The vital importance of outdoor exercise to counteract the gedentary tendencies of present-day life is recognized. Considerations of cost have checked this development somewhat, but happily it is now recog- nized that no more vitally important object can be pursued in the develop- ment of municipalities than the estab- lishment of public playgrounds for all ages. From the playground for children to the national park, with its acres by the hundreds of thousands, where the people can gather for physical and spiritual refreshment, is a long way. But it is a direct and logical way. In the development of American re- sources no more important step was taken than the preservation of these spaces, including natural wonders of a remarkable character and variety, where the people can find freedom and health. The development of the motor car and of the good highway has brought millions into contact with these areas. Camping out has brought health to a great multitude who other- wise would have languished in the choking airs of the cities. 1t is now proposed, through this present conference, to co-ordinate the recreational activities of the cities, state and nation. A program of de- velopment may be adopted, to serve as a guide and a standard. The siogan of this meeting is the familiar old Latin phrase of the text books, al- ready quoted. Out of it may, and should, come a marked advance to- ward the goal of “sound minds in sound bodies” for Americans. ——————————— A number of people are willing to bid for Muscle Shoals, but nobody is able to do any better than Mr. Ford in guaranteeing the longevity that will permit personal supervision of the business through a hundred-year lease. — e So far as complicated debate is con- cerned an income tax is not much easier to handle than the plain old- tashioned tariff. Tammany’s Leadership Hiatus. Tammany’s organization, which has been in a state of confusion since the death of Charles F. Murphy, is to be without a leader until July 15. Tt will be conducted in the meantime by a special committee of seven members, which will administer its affairs. This decision was reached yesaterday, when Gov. Alfred E. Smith sent word to the executive committee that he thought it undesirable that a contest be precipitated over the selection of a leader pending the Democratic. na- tional convention. This means, -of course, that Gov. | ing means of | | physical training and development, to | of | place the former broad spaces of the | open which lay immediately at hand | the Congressional Record. B —— TResponsibilities should properly be accompanied by complete facilities for functioning. The District of Co- lumbiz Rent Commission is in a po- sition to gather a slight idea of how a number of statesmen have tried to make the league of nations feel. e — Radio developments have led to confident scientific prediction of in- terplanetary communication. Better clcar up these various little scandals before we get ourselves talked about all through starry space —_—————— The bonus will undoubtedly stimu- |1ate the circulation of money. The course of circulation, however, is so | erratic that no individual taxpayer can feel confident that it will circulate “| nis way et A deficit of $200,000,000 confrouts the soviet government. The econ- | omists who figured that it is possible to go ahead without money have an opportunity to demonstrate their ideas. B — Tt the weather bureau could in any v be held responsible for this year's climate there is no doubt that the farmers would demand a prompt change of administration. ——————— Assumptions that Robert La Fol- lette is the only man availabie to lead a new party are complimentary, yet they do not imply great strength or versatility of personnel. An effort to guess the country's prosperity involves as much uncer- tainty @s the general run of transc. tions in Wall street attempted by the outsider. i —_—e—————— | President Coolidge does not hesitate when he feels called upon for & con- scientious expression to put his veto into the ring along with his hat. —_— German nationalists who faver Von Tirpitz for chancellor are apparently 0 tired of new troubles that they fa- vor going back to the old ones, SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Good Times. Good times comin’—you can hear ’em on the way, For the keynote's bein’ sounded an’ the band begins to play. ‘The candidates remind us, all so gen- tle an’ polite, “Jes’ tell us what is wrong, for we are here to make it right!” Good times comin'—where the rain has touched the trees The sunshine scatters gold along with every passin’ breeze. Ot course, a candidste may be mis- taken, as we know; But when the sun an’ rain predict, it's generally so. | Dauntless, “What will you do in case your party is unsuccessful this year?” “I'll go before my comstituency,” re- plied Senator Sorghum, “with the solemn reminder that under the cir- cumstances our country needs me to save it, more'n ever. Jud Tunkins says daylight-saving has got some towns 8o you can't ask what time it is without starting an argument. Customs. Our customs with great change are fraught Which sadden us, we Vow. ‘Where once a stirrup cup brought, We use a bootleg now. Sophistication. “Don't you regard this style of bathing suit as rather startling?” asked the girl who was looking at the fashion magaszine. “It might have been, some seasons ago,” answered Miss Cayenne. “But after the observations already made who i left to be startled?” Cerebral Stress. “Looks to me like liquor is gettin® into politics,” said Uncle Bill Bottle- ““What do'you #'pose the Tesult will “Headaches, s usual.” they “Dat book agent talked so fime,” said Uncle Eben, “‘dat dar ain’ no con- vincin’ me dat he ain't smarter dan America’s Future and Problems NO. IX. League of Nations, Farm Policy and Communist Propaganda for Recognition Deemed Big Issues Now. BY BAMUEIL GOMPERS, President of the American Federa- tien of Labor. 1 find mysel? unable to single out from among the many vitally im- portant {ssues three which appear paramount to labor. Labor is inter- ested in any issue affecting the wel- fare of humanity. Labor is seeking s best It can to contribute something of & constructive character in con- nection with each such issue. So many great issues confront the Peoplo that it is not easy to narrow the field to t adominating ones. We have as p i.cves at this time: The question 1gration. The question tion. The question imunist prop- aganda, coupled the movement to extend reco to the un- speakable soviets. ‘The question of tions, brought to the death of Wood The question of n: fey and program. The question of ) tion that will resmit in people and in abolition road Labor Board. An additional question isKnat of the development of super-powNy in such manner as to result In service with- out profiteering, and in such a man- ner us to prevent monopolistic and autocratic control. Labor's interest in national issues is not a marrow or selfish interest We are interested, for example, in the shocking Teapot Dome scandal. £ x % % More than a year ago the Ameri- can Federation of Labor demanded investigation of that piece of in- fquity, pointing out the fact that it was a raid on the public domain at the cxpense of national safety and wellbeing and In the interest of certain group bent upon the accu- mulation of huge profits. The daily newspapers were not interested at that time, and only here and there was there a line published. Neither were senators as eagerly Interested as now. Therc is no reason why this whole scandal should not have been investi- gated at that time and the oil land 1o canceled when practically no damage had been done to the public domain. Likewixe, it could have been done before private interests had piled up huge profits in stock market mauipulations. Labor was interested then, but others e silent. The jmmigratio- -vestion is one that affects every ican. Certain Interests are se: ne destruction of immigration ico.. ction in order that hordes of low wage European workers may be brought to America to destroy our standards of living and our standards of citizenship. This is a menace to every American in- terest ) -ague of na- ¢ at again by < Tson. farm pol- legisla- e to the he Rall- * & k% To cut wages by competition, or by any other method, means to cut the purchasing and consuming power of our people, which means to choke back production in every direction, beginning again the endless chain of unemployment and misery. We are against any xx:rh disastrous program. And, furthermore, we are against the tion of peoples who cannot ssimilated into our national li and who do not intend to be So a milated. The question of recognition of the =oviets is one on which we have often IN TODAY’S It is a paramount issue. The soviets have declared a are upon our government, our institutions and, first of all, upon spoken our mind. W free our labor movement. They have or- ganized a veritable net of destruction in our country. They have sought to infest and poison our unions, our civic organizations, our literary life, our schools and churches and even our sports. * ok ok ok History has no parallel for the in- famous plottting and scheming of the so-called soviet government. Its iniquitous work has already brought to us effects which we shall not be able to clear away for many years. The tactics of “boring from within” which have been adopted as a means to the destruction of the unions have been adopted in every other direction and are applied with no less vigor in practically every organized sogial activity. Taxation touches every person, di- rectly or indirectly. We are not by any means offering a wholesale con- demnation of the tax-reduction program offered by Secretary Meilon. but we are bending every effort in the direc- tion of a réduction for the wage earn- ers and those who earn the smaller salaries. We are unable to see the logic of taking so much from the tax roll of the rich and so little from the burden of the poor. We realize full exempt securities and we the penaity that must be result of such enormous axation by urities. Doubtless Secretary M is entirely sincere in his proposal 1o the iniquity of tax under: paid_ as evasions of such profits and surtaxes | ment away from xempt_securities and lure it into more useful fields. * ok ok % But we cannot feel that is not with- out his zeal for the heavy taxpayers and we feel as a taxpaying abstraction that nceds some attention, but not too much. So there are issues of trcmendous importance on every hand. Some of them are so involved that cven the best informed are compelled -to_grope more or less in the dark. What is needed, above all, is accurate informa- tion, fairly and fully presented to the public. The publ nevds oL, can get fucts without the biased views ve personal or special rve, the decision of will be right. Never was there a timo so fraught with both helpful and hurtful possibili- ties. Over the whole field the is the difficuty of getting truth. Progress to- day has a hard row to hoe. The very ranks of progressivism and iberalism aro poisoned and true liberalism must fight to purge itseif. P T have an abiding faith, but I realize fully that faith today must be accom panied fighting. Without fighting for progress we thall have no progress Indeed, without fighting for progress we may easily enough endanger our whole fabric of civilization. I am ot an alarmist and T am not afraid of the future for our country and our institutions. But neither am 1 of the opinion that it is safe for any freedom-loving, progressive American t0 £o to sleep on the job. Liberty never demanded eternal vigilance more than now. (Copsright, 1924, in United States and Great Britain by North American Newspaper Alliance. All rights reserved.) SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL V. COLLINS The Senate committee considering Henry Ford's proposition to take over Muscle Shoals for a century, voted last Monday, 10 to 6, to re- ject the offer. Then some member called attention to the fact that the committee had not concluded its hearings, and it was decided to recall the decision and “listen-in" another week. . All that was prior to the practical demonstration, on Wednesday eve- ning, of how the electricity possibil- ities are widening and their future becoming illimitable. Though “the mill will never grind again with the water that is passed” more water is coming, and far greater grinding power is being discovered overnight. What will be the electric power of the next decade? What would the government now blindly give away? The wonder of the radio has ceased to surprise. No scientist can explain it, but the veriest schoolboy can operate it. Now comes the instanta- neous sending of photographs by tele- phone, unlimited distances and even by wir-less. And not only pictures, but motion pictures while a singer, a thousand tant, is heard distinctly, by wireless, upon a miniature screen attached to the receiver the singer is actually visible, and the vision of the vocalist is_carried through the ether, along with the sounds of her music. Can miracle go farther? Not uniess the perfume of Araby may be similarly carried around the world. * kX ok Tntil four or five years ago, prob- ably no oratory had ever reached an audience exceeding 20,000 or 30,000 people, so as to be audible to all Last Wednesday evening, Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover and Senator Arthur Capper, 500 miles apart, each, in turn, addressed the same audience of 5,000,000 people, and if taey had dropped a pin every man and woman in that audience, scatterea though they were over thirty states, would have heard it. Mr. Hoover protested that talking into such a broadcasting apparatus was no more inspiring than a ‘“cur- tain lecture to & doorknob,” but 5,000,000 listeners-in smiled (though not audibly) as they heard his deep breathing and his somewhat nervous clearing of his throat, and wondered whether the orator was sipping water while waiting for expected applause. Between the speeches—one from ‘Washington and one from the Million Dollar pler, Atlantic City, N. J.—a famous violinist earned $3,000 by playing four or five selections, and the tuning of the instrument as well as the most delicately rendered “high C” staccato, was audible In Texas and Maine, Florida and Idaho, as clearly as it was in that famous sea- side ball. * k¥ % The oeccasion of this oratory was not merely an entertainment; it was an annual meeting of the Nationmal Electric Light Assoclation, and was for the serious purpose of surveying the recent developments, present status and immediate future of elec- tricity in the United States. Senator Capper, who spoke in At- lantic City, stated that already 509,- 000 farms are equipped with light and power currents, half of them having their generating plants. He pointed to the unquestionable future general use of electricity in culture. “Even before the pinch of economic disaster had tzxed the farm morale,” said Semator Capper, §"even before ‘bankruptcy had begun to drive farm folk from the soil, the question, flip- ‘pantly put in the song, ‘How you gonna keep 'em down on the farm? bad become one of serious concern to_economists and sociologists alike. “For the most part,” he said, “the farm home is lighted with the oil lamp. The farm’ wife and daughter, each year, carried literally tons of . The farm wife is denied these accessorins of modern life, those emancipations of drudgery, the clec- tric washer, the vacuum cleaner, the electric iron and the like. The re- sult is that the farm daughter is unwilling to stay on the farm, be- cause of the drudgery of the farm work, as compared with the work in the city. And If you expect to keep the farm boy on the farm you must see to it that the farm girl tent to stay there. * * * Electric service available to farm use, seems a most promising means of answer- ing this demand.” 2 * ¥ * * Secretary Hoover, speaking in his private office in the Department of Commerce, addressed his attention to the problems of governmental and state control of the ether-channels, 80 as to safeguard the ways for gen- eral use, preventing monopolistic abuses. After stating that “interconnection of local radio broadcasting stations by telephone wires had begun only a few months ago,” he pointed to inter- cornection of electric power plants as now. “the road of our great electrical march to more economical expansion, * * * which will ramify into every field of our economic life. “This new vista in progress,” said Secretary Hoover, “has been opened to us by the perfection of the trans- mission of electric power up to 200 or even 300 miles, and higher mechanical ¢fficiency of ‘our generators up to 70.000 horsepower in a single machine. With these twin developments comes the opportunity to generate power in much larger and more economically located stations, to harness our wi- terpowers, which were too remote for use even ten years ago, and to bring them into the field of population. Herein do we have elements of often miscalled ‘superpower.’ " Pointing to our 6,000 isolated clec- tric power plants’ in the United States, Secretary Hoover forecast the interconnection of all or of groups, whereby, instead of getting 20 per cent of their efficlency as at present, 50 per cent would be avallable, more than doubling the waterpower of the country, without Increasing {nvest- ment. “In_the northeastern states” said Mr. Hoover, “where little has been done, the annual savings are esti- mated at half a billion dollars, against a construction cost of a bil- lion and a half, with an annual con- servation of 50,000,000 tons of coal by 1930.” * oK ok % Secretary Hoover disclaimed any sympathy with either soclalistic gov- ernment control or private monopoly, but emphasized the necd of govern- ment and state regulation. “We have special problems before us,” he said, “in the development of the St Law- rence and of the lower Colorado River and in the-development of Muscle Shoals,” but he added, “as being one ‘who believes that the progress of our nation can come only by preserving on one hand that vital initiative and enterprise of our people and on the other an equality of opportunity to all, I necessarily do not favor the strangulation of both by the hand of bureaucracy and politics. No bu- reaucracy with a board of directors of 531 congressmen and senators, would have made the electrical dis- coveries of the last fifty years, or pioneered their application. Our po- litical system has not yet developed, and will not for generations to come, to a point where it will have either the capacity to choose skill or the assured probity to operate these im- plements.” * * k k The audience of 3,000 upon the pler —largely composed of electric ex- perts—applauded the above quoted expressions against government own- ership, in favor of government super- vision for general public good. The rest of the 5,000,000 listeners-in could not give expression to their views, but perhaps the 3,000 was a cross- section average of the public. (Capyright, 1324, by Paul V. Collins.) on | llon | Anthony"” that he views the small | taxpayer in a rather academic light— | it it | the | { | the Re COURAGE “I am the master of my fate, I am the capiain of my soul” —HENLEY. Handicapped by Illness in boy- hood and then by “an Incurable aver- sion to study,” Joseph Hergesheimer suddenly conceived a burning ambi- tion to be a novelist and paid the penalty of his unpreparedne by fourteen years of effort before he was able to sell a single story. Philadelphia was his birthplage in 1§80. He attended the Quaker School and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, doing “one day's work in fifteen,” as he confes: At twenty- one he Inherited “ a satisfactory sum” and spent much of it in Italy. He fitted out a gondola and let life slip away luxuriously on the canals of nice. When he landed in New York a year or two later he had no plans for the future. At a summer resort he met a “lady novelist,” who persuaded him to cor- rect her proofs. She superintended the work and smoked cigarettes. It looked easy; he thought he could do as well, and he secluded himself in the county, armed only with a type- writer and some reams of white pa- per. He wrote to sult himself, and his story came back with a formal rejection slip. That was the begin- ning of countless refusals. The edi- tors demanded “more optimism, more vitality, more action.” With little education, he had to learn the lit- erary art us he went along, and it bafficd him at every turn. Finally one of his books wus pub- lished. One thousand coples were to be exempt from royalties—and just 400 were sold. It was a hard bilow, but the very fact that at last he had i publisher gave him hope. “The Lay made its bow to a callous public “when he was thirty-four. “Mountain Blood,” out in 1915, found the world still indifferent. “The Three Blaek Pennys” made a stir in 1917, and “Gold and Iron,” the next yvear, won him many readers. “Java Head,” in 1919, gained him world-wide fame and the long-sought popularity. Since then he has written four nov- most famous being “Linda which the eritics call his (Copyright, 1924.) Defends Spiritualism. Writer Takes Issue With Lectures of Priest on Subject. Tu the Editor of The Star A priest of the Catholic Church, the Rev. Carlos de Heredia, S. J., recently lectured in Washington on “Spirit- ualism.” This gentleman, was, in his youth, if the statement from & recent Washington morning journ: be cor- rect, a pupil of Herrmann, the well known prestidigitator. He is expert in jugglery and legerdemain. In his travels throughout America, lectur- ng this subject of spiritualism, Mr. de Heredia secks to show that certain types of physical phenomena and manifestations, pro- duced through spiritualistic agency, may be reproduced through slight-of- hand and conjuring. He purposes to expose fraudulent mediums and clair- voyants. on The object to expose fraud would | not seem unworthy. And vet, in these continuous lectures, to touch only the infelicities and the jagged excres- cences of the subject would not seem quite just and generous. Through omission the serious and scientific aspects of the subject are not given. By means of expert jugglery the Rev. Mr. de Heredia may, no doubt, counterfeit types of such presenta- tion, but it would only be a clever counterfeit of what is often genuine, though at times may be spurious. No profession is without its shadows. Few churches have been impeccable. Frequently the Catholic Church has recognized psychic gifts, but usually within its own fold and for its own purposes. Joan of Arc saw visions and heard strange voices. In 1805 her solemn beatification took place. The Catholic nun, known as Teresa, ‘The Little Flower," has recently received such beatification. It is said of her: ‘“Throughout the thollc world it is expected that the inniversary of Teresa's beatification will be marked by one of these ‘Show- er of Roses' or special blessings that are said to characterize all her feast in fullfillment of her dying e to ‘shower roses from Heaven.' ™ This would seem an extreme ex- ample of spirit-manifestation, such as_few spiritualists have witnessed. I am not a spiritualist in the sense of believing that a _spiritualistic church is necessary, or can ever sup- ply the deep spiritual needs that our own Christian church gives, or that mediums or the usual table-tipping are conductive to human happiness and enlightenment. Through personal experience, however, largely subject- ive, has come the personal conviction that those who have passed on may communicate, and do communicate in a beneficent way, and for the spirit- ual, but not the material advantage of those who remain. There are nat- ural laws also that follow cause and effect. Saint or profligate, alike, cross- ing the streets of Washington with closed eyes, may not open them again in_mortal places. In the last few wears through sclence and the cautious research of men of distinction, of high attain- ment, -of undoubted reliability and probity, unusual development and Tesults' in the subject of psychic phenomena have been attained, to which facts the public is not yet awakened. Among such serious_and distinguished investigators_in Eng- land may be mentioned Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir Willlam Barrett, Rev. W. Stainton Moses: in France, Dr. Gus- tav Geley, Prof. Richet; in Germany, Baron von Schrenck-Notzing; in Den- mark, Severin Lauritzen. Other names that have contributed to a volumi- nous literature on this subject are James Hyslop, Ph. D.; F. M. H. Myers, Frank Podmore. In an environment and atmosphere not always felicitious, the spiritual- ist holds the greatest truth, yearn- ed for by all, felt but dimly by many, that the dead live and do communi- cate through powers of stimulation for epiritual needs. The realization of this latter fact, not with diluted faith, but in overwhelming convic- tion, permeating all churches, re- ligions and peoples, I believe to be the message and the one function of the spiritualistic church. And for this reason alone its existence would seem worth while. For its message is one of {llumimation. If we realize the blessed dead may and do communi- cate we know that they live. OTTO T. SIMON. Trend to Office Work. Women Not Taking Up Manual Labor Largely, Figures Show. To the Editor of The Star: In your issue of May 13 you make a statement purporting to show that in Pennsylvania, since 1910, 41,000 women have deserted domestic serv- ice to work as bricklayers, stone- masons, stevedores, cobblers and in similar flelds. The Consumers’ League of Eastern Pennsylvania has recently published a digest of the census material for that state and finds the facts so far from stated that we beg you to give space in your paper for a correction. It is true that there was a decrease of 41,000 in the domestic callings, as you say—41,101, to be exact. In com: menting on this fact we called at- tention to the great Increase in the clerical field—33,881. As to brick- layers, stonemasons, stevedores and cobblers, we found: “It is Interesting to note in passing the unusual oc- cupations into which a few stray women drift. There were in 1930-ene | Cairo, ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN Q. A says that there are no men exactly six feet tall. B says the woods are full ¢f them. Which is right?—T. F. McK. A. The War Department says that in the physical examinations in con- nection with the draft it was found that 36 out of each 1,000 examined were cxactly six feet in height. Q. How did the Fiat automobile get its name?—N. F. A. F. L A. T. as the name of the car was originally written at the time of the organization of the company represented “Fabrica Italiana Auto- mobile Torino,” which in plain Eng- Iish means “Italian Automobile Fac- tory at Turin® Custom oon ignored the pronunciation of the separate let- and called the automobile simply fat,” ¢o that finally the directors of the company abandoned the periods between the letters. Q. Why is the quarter or half moon visible in daylight?—W. J. D. A. The Naval Observatory savs when seen by an indirect glance of the eye, the moon by day is often mistaken for a small white cloud. The visibility, whether of moon or cloud, is due to the same cause. IZach reflects to the eye of an obscrver noticeably more sunlight than comes from an equal area of the surround- ing sky. The larger the illuminated care should be taken that the nest is not deep cnough for the outer oF&s to crush those in the center. 0 was the “President withoat ‘—R. C. R. after vetoing two bills re-establishing a national bank and all members of his cabinet except Webster had resigned, was known throughout his administration as a President without a party. He was in constant strife with Congress. Q. Where is the Mo oru?— 2 Mountain Meru? A. Meru was the name of the abo of the gods in Hindu m lhnrl’:gy. % was supposed to stand at the center of the world and \ » tower to a helght of 80,000 leagues, the sun, moon and stars revolving around its summit. supposed to have heen located somewhere north of the Himalayas, Q. What does the Hawalian word “aloha” mean?—M. P. A. Aloha may be translated tn ways—a& welcome, grecting, . love, brotherhood, tual understanding and good-bye until we mect again. . Is one side of the halibut fish light and the other dark’—L. & W A. The halibut lies on its left side. which is white; the right one, which is uppermost, being dark orown and bearing the two large eyes. disk of the moon, the more noticeable the noon by day or night, and this applies particularly to the time be- tween first quarter and last quarter. Q. Where in the Bible does it speak of the seven senses?—S. S. B. A. This is found in Fecclesiasticus, an apocryphal book not included in the Protestant Bible. The verse reads as follows: “They received of the ord the use of five powers. But as a sixth He also accorded them the £ift of understanding, and as a sev- enth, the ord, the interpreter of His powers.” Q.. What vear were ruled off the roads in W. F. P. A. The steam trucks were tried out as early as 1759; however, it was not until 18 that they became prac- tical. In 1833 they were ruled off the roads. Q. Do the reformers who object to prize fights object to boxing as a sport?—R. H. A. Boxing is generully recognized as a harmless, character-building gport. Usually it is not condemned by those who protest against prize fighting. Q. Which ra commuters from Long Island or the A. In 1922 the Long Island rail- road had 63,795,553 commuters and the Erie railro: 955,185, Again in 1923 the Lol and leads with £6,166,896 commuters steam truc England?— Iroad carrics the w York City, rie?—F. J. B most the Q. What city is called the Mother of the World?—O. T. W. A. Cairo is the city the Arabs, one of whom des as follows: “He who hath not s hath mot seen the world soil is gold; its Nile is a wonder; its women are like the Llack-eyed vir- gins of paradise: its houses are pal- aces; and its air is soft—its odor sur- passing that of aloes wood and cheer- ing the heart; and how can Cairo be otherwise when it is the Mother of the World?" so-called by bes it Q. How should a nest for a setting hen be prepared?—E. R. A. Three of four inches of damp earth should be put in the bottom of & box of suitable size. The nestling material is put in next and may con- sist of hay, chaff or straw. This should be packed down firmiy, and a circular nest shaped, slightly deep- er in the center than at the sides. This shape prevents the egxs from rolling out from under the hen, but Romance of Air Who was the “merry monarch? The name was applicd arles II of England. to ich was the first trust in this —A. C. J. A. The first of the industrial tr: was formed in 1878 by the Sta Oil interests, under the guiding e of 8, C. T. Todd, later vice pre and general counsel of that unusual aggregation of propertics and brains. The success of the Standard Oil trost was so pronounced that within the decade immediately following a half dozen other trusts were.forme. and began operations. Q. With what other nation N England at war during the Amcrican revolution”—F. A. H. A, After 1 the British were war with France, after 1 they were involved in war with Spain, and after 1780 with Holland, giving them in all, a quadruple contest, in which they fouad no all o . Tweed was bro ht to trial in 1873 6n a charge of grand larceny and forgery and sentenced to U vears imprisonment and a heavy fine, His sentence was reve d dn 18 but he was unable pending certain civil committed to jai Spain, but was b ork on a warship mitted to Ludlow he died. Q. 1Is there such a nut as an ivory nut?—>M. M. A. There are two = producing nuts hard employed 2s a subs in the manufacture of small articles of domestic use, but the one best known to commerc, under the name of ivory nut is th: fruit of Phvt hephas macrocarpa, native of New Granada and other parts of Central America. to furni suits, and was He ped: -to ght back to New and agalr com- street jail, where scies of palrs nough to be itute for ivery (The person who loscs out s the one who gucsses. The persom who gets on is always the one who acts upon reliable information. This poper em- ploys Frederic J. Haskin to conduct an information burecu for the publi. There is_no charge, ezcept 2 cemis in stamps for return postage. Write to him todoy for amy facts wou desire Your inquiry should be addressed ! The Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, 1220 North Capitol street.) Seen in Safety Of U. S. Flyers at Alaskan Pori The safe arrival of Maj. Frederick L. Martin and his aide, Sergt. Harvey, at an Alaskan port occasions nation- wide rejoicing. The retyrn, editors say, brings out more strongly than ever the romance of-the air and the dangers Army flyers face in their efforts to win for America the honor of blazing a trail around the world. Maj. Martin and his aide receive the heartiest praise and congratulations from editors everywhere. “A thrilling chapter in aviation has been written,” exclaims the Oakland Tribune, and when the full story of the experiences of Maj. Martin and his companion is told the Davenport Democrat does not doubt that “it will be one of the epics of aviation as well of the north.” The St. Joseph Gazette rejoices: “Not only because of our sympathy for a man in danger and distress; not only because of our appreciation of the brave and cour- ageous; it was something more. It was an expression of our belief that we are at the beginning of a wonder- ful era in which the airplane is to play a large part,” and that “we are partners in a great undertaking which is fraught with great possi- bilities for us all.” The Boston Transcript believes “civilians and those of the land and sea forces all join in hearty con- gratulations to these two men that did not know how to be beaten, and in thankfulness that they were afe and sound.” ~For these Army men, the Manchester Union holds, “lived up to the fine traditions of their serv- ice, displaying brains, skill, unfalter- ing courage That is the spirit of the air service, of the American avi- ator, continues the Richmond News Leader, which maintains “accidents are expected—they are the price of experimentation, of pioneering.” * * k * Although “the failure is felt with particular keenness by the major,” the Omaha World-Herald declares “the rest of us see no failure in his mishap—we see only that blind luck played him a dirty trick and that he came through like a real man. In fact, Maj. Martin, the Fargo Tribune insists, “is the sort of resourceful, adventurous man who has made the United States the great country of the world,” for “the history of Ameri- can progress is written in the deeds of such men as he and the future of the country rests upon the shoulders of such.” The Portland (Oreg.) Journal feels the major’s “gallantry has been proven in his persistent attempts to make progress in a plane that from the first performed so badly as to make the superstitious believe it under the spell of a hoodoo.” Now that they are safe and unhurt, the woman brick and stone mason, three stevedores and longshoremen and nine Cobblers and shoemakers.” 'Arguments might have been based on the classification by the census of 757 women in the extraction of min- erals. We consulted the state bu- reau of mines, the federal bureau.of Toihes. the oehsus bureau itself and individual coal mining companies for explanation and learned that not any of the women classed as operatives are dolng actual manual labor in or about the mines themselves, but are employed by coal mining companies in_such capacities as. janitresses in offices or welfare buildings or wait- resses or nurses in company hospitals. A. BSTELLE LAUDER, Executive Secretary the Consum- ers’ League of Eastern Penn- sylvania. Sioux City Journal contends “there is general rejoicing on the part of the American people, all of whom as a mass were represented by the daring aviators.” The Reading Tribune is confident “the nation will honor them as much in their misfortune as if they had completed the journey.” The Milwaukee ~Journal suggests “the Army air service does a teous and fitting thing in reta Martin as titular head of the we flight” because “he deserves honor.” The Seattle Times aiso fr it is a “well deserved compliment though “it is now impracticable t, replace the wrecked plane and to cor tinue with the expedition. Maj. M tin will have the post ¢* honor when the Magellans of the air negotiats the dangerous voyvage frc Jurope to America b way of and and Greenland.’ The “men who surmount disasters countered in the performance of their duties descrve all that the service give them,” and it regards achievement of Martin and Harvey as “a greater feat than the fight for life made by the Rockaway lieutenants.” Although the Lincoln Star accords full sympathy for Maj. Martin it poinis out the expedition was undcrtaken with full knowledge that just hazards had to be assumed by t engaged in it, and that every fiyer took his chance on equal term: d since Martin happened to be the one eliminated by accident the other members of the squadron “are the ones on whom will fall the arduous details of carrying out the original plan, and if they succeed in making the flight around the world, they alone will be entitled to all the honors,” and, “the American public will not take kindly to any effort by avy heads to give the chief dis- jon in this enterprise to one who did not make the entire trip.” In the face of such experiences, the Newark News is convinced that “cif~ cling the globe by aeroplane will not be a popular pastime vet a while, and it does not need to be," but, “the fact that it can even be undertaken is & sign post that tells of the progress of this twentieth century.” * k¥ ¥ “Moreover, this incident, which missed tragedy only by a hair” the Duluth Herald is sure “will not ine crease public enthusiasm, which was never very high, in this round-the- world experiment.” The Lansing State Journal, nevertheless, asks *if it were wrong for him to assume this chance in a great feat, what would become of progress and labor in this world?" The Journal goes on to say: “Maj. Martin was out to win glory for himself and his nation in circling the earth for the first time by air. It was in the nature of exploration, and much of value may be revealed by it. The risk was little greater than in ordi- nary aviation. In such a cause is it afll._voflh ‘while to chance the sacri- such ose ce. As the Minneapolis Tribune sees it “the "question 1is_largely one of whether we are as ready 28 we should be in physical equipment, scientific aids and knowledge of world topog- raphy for such pioneering,” vet, “the American people have a Fight to be proud of the way in which Martin and Harvey fought against and triumphed over adversity—any red-blooded man likes to discover this kind of human stuff, and he is ready to pay it tribute.” As the director of prepara- tions and commander of the flight, thep! Indianapolis News concludes “Maj. Martin has made an especially note- worthy contribution to the traditions of the Army.”