Evening Star Newspaper, August 4, 1924, Page 6

THE EVENING STAR ‘With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY........August 4, 1924 THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. Hew York Offce: 110 East A2na 6L Chicag ce: Tower Buildiog. uroveas Otice: 16 Regea, St.,Loodos, England. The Mvening Star, with the Sunday mornink edition. is delivered by carriers within the € af 60 cents per month: dally only, 45 cents per month: Sunday only. 20 cents per month, Orders may be sent by mail or tole- phone Main 5000. Collection is made by car- Tiers at the end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dally and Sunday..1yr., $8.40: 1 mo., 700 Daily only . ..1¥r., $6.00; 1 mo., 50c $2.40; 1 mo,, 20c All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00 ; 1 mo., 85¢ Daily only .. $7.00 % 1 mo., 60c Sunday only $3.00; 1 mo,, 26¢ Member of the Associated Press, The Amsociated Press is exclusively entitled fo the ‘use for republication of all news dis- patches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and al<o the local news pub- lished ‘herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. Labor 1ndorses La Follette. Whether the indorsement of the La Follette-Wheeler ticket by the Ameri- can Federation of Labor, through its executive council, will bring to it the unified support of organized labor is @ question that may never be an- swered definitely, so difficult is it al- ways to determine ‘‘mass movements" in politics even after the votes have been cast. It may b possible in No- vember to trace the influence of the Atlantic City action in large La Fol- lette-Wheeler votes in industrial cen- ters, but inasmuch as this is a “ticket of dissent,” appealing to all persons who are disgruntled and dissatisfied with the old political organizations, it may never be known just which factor was chiefly present in any particular polling. The A. F. of L. council in its pre- pared public statement reasons clear- 1y. Organized labor presented a plat- form to the two major parties meet- ing at Cleveland and New York. either party adopted that platform. Neither party even took any apprecia- Dble part of it. Both parties preferred to ignore the propositions which were presented. Not even did the second Cleveland meeting, that which named La Follette, take the whole labor plat form. But in the three “shops” or ganized labor sold most goods to the Conference for Progressive Political Action, which was the official title of the La Follette party, now styled “Progressive.” 8o that the A.'F. of L. finds most merit in the third party. It carefully differentiates, however, between the la Follette-Wheeler ticket and the third party. It will not up with any party. It will not indorse any or- ganization. But it will dates, and so it proclaims the virtue of this particular ticket and asks or- ganized labor throughout the country to support it, and to support all candi- dates for other offices who subscribe to the same principles It has been often said that the “la- bor vote” cannot be delivered. It re- malins to be seen how far the Atlantic City decree will lead organized labor 1o vote for La Follette and Wheeler. If there were a substantial chance of the election of these independent can- didates there might be a good chance of “delivery” of the labor vote. But will labor, whether affiliated with the A. F. of L. or not, vote for candidates who are regarded generally as hope- less of success and whose candidacy is recognized as designed mainly to confuse the presidential campaign, possibly to deadlock the electoral col- lege and to effect perchance the elec- tion as Vice President, and therefore possibly as President, of the tail of the Democratic ticket? The indorsement of the A. F. of L. will undoubtedly bring a great many votes to La Follette. chief interest, those votes w ‘wise Democratic sources. In short, will the Atlantic City indorsement of a third ticket draw more heavily from Coolidge or from Davis? That the practical question of interest and importance rising from the action at Atlantic City. And the answer to that question can- not be given until November, and per- haps not even then. indorse candi- however, whether 1l 2o to him from other- Republican is is Look to Your Brakes! Public attention has been directed to automobile brakes. Tests made by engineers of the Bureau of Standards on 175 Washington cars offered for ex- amination showed that 17 per cent of the foot brakes were ‘‘excellent,” 41 per cent “good,” 23 per cent fair and 19 per cent poor. The examination of emergency brakes showed even a less satisfactory condition. Only 3 per cent of these brakes were marked “‘ex- cellent,” 16 per cent were marked “good” and 67 per cent “poor.” The foot and emergency brakes of a car should be in 100 per cent working order. The foot brake is in use every day, and the driver ought to know when it is working well or otherwise. 1t is likely that many drivers do know that their foot brakes are not at maxi- mum efficiency, but defer adjustment until they take the car to a service station for some other purpose than brake adjustment. The emergency brake is that which a driver should reach for and which some drivers do apply for an uncommonly quick stop. The experts found in some cases that brakes relined in preparation for the test did not work well. The tests are being made on smooth, level pave- ment near the Washington Monu- ment, and car owners should accept the offer of the Bureau of Standards to test their brakes. —————————— Dry agents compel a cabaret patron to concentrate joyous expectancy on his dancing shoes and not on his hip pocket. ———— Joseph Conrad. Rarely has a man of letters begun ‘his creative work as late in life as Jo- seph Conrad, whose death yesterday at his home in England is a cause of profound sorrow to a wide circle of readers. Conrad, who had a sound education in his youth, was thrown upon his own resources at the age of 27, when his father suffered reverses, he question of | in Poland. He took to the sea and fol- lowed it for over 20 years, serving as common sailor and rising by painful stages of maritime promotion to com- mand. When relieved of the drudgery of the life of able seaman he began to write as a diversion, utilizing his ex- perfences in many seas. But he had no confidence in his capacity for literary construction, and it was not until 1894 that he ventured to show to a passenger on his ship a manu- script which he had lately finished. This good friend recognized its merit and urged him to publish it, even to quit the sea and pursue writing as a career. He followed this advice, and his first novel was published in 1895 and attracted attention at once. Critics recognized that a new force had been developed. Although born a Pole, Conrad had gained such command of English that he wrote in that language, and all of his work has been so expressed. Few native to the English tongue have had such a command of it as this man. He wrote in the main of the sea, al- ways convincingly, because he knew the sea in all its moods, had battled with it in all quarters of the globe. He had visited many strange lands and had had remarkable adventures. But not merely es a story teller was Conrad appreciated. He was gifted with an exceptional style, and there was in his work a strain of philosophy. He was no ordinary story teller, no mere “spinner of yarns” He was an industrious writer, prolific to a re- markable degree, turning out volume after volume at the rate of nearly one a year, with minor work interspersed. He early established his ‘“public,” which increased steadily with each successive novel. Doubtless in this case the delay in beginning was essen- tial. Conrad might have made a mediocre success as a writer had he started earlier in life. But he required unquestionably the ripening of his ad- ventures, his harsh experiences, his sufferings to bring him to the point of production. There is reason to be grateful for the misfortune that sent him forth a youth upon the sea head- ed for a part which he doubtless at that time did not invision. Germany Must Sign Again. There is significant coincidence in the fact that a German delegation | leaves Berlin for London to attend an allied conference on the subject of the reparations plan on the tenth an- niversary of England’s entry into the great war. That anniversary was ob- served yesterday in England by spe- cial services in churches and other ceremonies of memorial. The German delegation, headed by Foreign Min- ister Stresemann, will go to London, not as participants in the sense of having an actual part in determining the terms of the reparations plan, but, like the German representatives at Versailles in 1919, to learn the terms proposed. It is reported from Berlin that they will endeavor to obtain cer- tain concessions. Stresemann, it stated, will seek some modification as a means of placating the Nationalists It is, however, unlikely that there will be material, if any, departures from the plan now agreed upon by the al- | lies. It has been difficult enough to work out that plan to suit all of the entente governments without adding complications. The plan itself is work able and is based upon economic equity. In France Premier Herriot's part in the London conference is approved The reaction in that country is favora- ble to the net outcome of the meeting. He has pursued a difficult path. There seems no present danger of an over- turn in France, although important | concessions have been made in French policy. As the German delegation was pre- paring to leave Berlin that capital was the scene of a remarkable ceremony in commemoration of the dead of the World War. The President of the re- public and other representatives of the government took part in it in their official capacity. A group of gen- erals resplendent with imperial deco- rations, and attended by a large num- ber of reichswehr infantry goose- stepping to the tune of old war songs, held the attention of a vast throng. Then a band of Communists began a counter demonstration at the moment when by official order silence was to be maintained for two minutes. The reds began singing the “Internation- ale,” with cries for the soviets and against the reichswehr. Half @ hun- dred of the ringleaders were arrested. However these feelings may rise in conflict in Berlin, the fact remains that Germany must finally assume the re- sponsibility for making reparation for the terrible injuries inflicted upon other lands. Five and a half vears; ago she, through a delegation, signed a treaty at Versailles. Since then she has made little or no contribution in reparation. Now she must set her signature to a plan which grants the maximum of consideration. Her main Fope has been during these years that the alllance of western European powers would dissolve through jeal- ousy and inharmony of purpose. Once again the alliance has been cemented by agreement and the German hope of advantage through discord fades. —_—————————— New York might have been willing to let Gov. Al Smith get by with a presidential nomination, but the sug- gestion that he is the leader of the New York Democracy starts an imme- diate argument. ———————————— There will fortunately be no excuse for disturbing campaign harmonies by inquiring of the scholarly Mr. John ‘W. Davis whether on the subject of evolution his views agree entirely ‘with those of the Bryan family. Fire Protection. The fire chief has repomted to the Commissioners that a number of hos- pitals, orphan asylums and other in- stitutions in the District where the old and sick are housed are in brick buildings which are not regarded by the Fire Department as of first-class fireresistant copstruction. He says that in a number of these buildings the floors and inner partitions are of inflammable material. He urges the District Commissioners to adopt a rule requiring all hospitals or asylums and similar institutions that are not in ‘modern fireproof buildings to obtain THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, time, and he suggests that from three to five years would be reasonable. The recommendations of the fire chief are sound. The demand of the time is that all buildings shall be as nearly fireproof as they can be built and furnished. It is emphatically true that buildings which house large numbers of persons, as apartment houses, office buildings, theaters and the like, should be fireproof, and no one can question that buildings used as hospitals and homes for children and old people should be fireproof. A number of institution buildings in ‘Washington were constructed when brick walls and wood floors and par- titions were the best practical con- struction, but brick, stone, steel, ce- ment and tile have come to be gen- erally used in important buildings. The fire chief’s report deals also with fire escapes. He states that there are apartment houses where hallways do not run the full length of the build- ing, which makes it necessary to pass through some apartment at the end of a hall to reach a fire escape. These buildings are of old plan and construc- tion, and the building inspector has said that no such plans have been ap- proved during his service in office. ‘The fire-escape question is being dis- cussed by the committee which is now revising the building code. It is likely that the new code will ban the pres- ent form of outside fire escape and provide for closed fire towers in the construction of future apartment houses and other important buildings. ———————— ‘When a statesman quarrels with his golf club and decides to play on the public links his constituency is liable to decide that as a representative of plain democracy he should have been playing there in the first place. ————— ‘The.recent Governor of Oklahoma is ready to give assurance that his speeches will abundantly accommo- date anybody who desires to hear the K. K. K. mentioned by name in poli- tics. ————————— Several Communists are so angered at La Follette for refusing to accept their indorsement that they may get out and campaign for him, just for spite. ———————— Instead of looking for immediate ap- plause, the French statesman looks at the next day's paper to see what ef- fect his remarks may have had on the value of the franc. ———— A perfectly courteous campaign is confidently expected by all parties. Men who have thwarted their own purposes by rhetorical violence in at- tacking an adversary are still figures of historic recollection. French wine producers are accused of seeking to influence political senti- ment in this country against prohibi- tion. There is surely a point at which propaganda must cease. ———— The example of young Sidus, a mathematician of demonstrated at- tainments, who decided to ask no more from life than a modest income and a quiet existence, might profitably have been studied by the two Chicago young men now engaging the atten- tion of Judge Caverly. ————— Experts engaged by Mr. Darrow will not have to collect their fees di- rect from “Babe” and *Dicky may therefore feel absolutely assured they will not be victims of any prank- ish impulse to hand them bad money. ——— A great deal of strength in labor circles was attributed to Mr. McAdoo. It is perhaps to be regretted by the Democratic party that he could not have taken his vacation at Atlantic City so as to exchange a few cordial and possibly persuasive words with the A, F. of L. _SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, Pollysyllable. Polly—pretty Polly! She's talking all the day. Sometimes she makes us jolly; Sometimes, the other way. It's useless to attack ’er. The experts must be heard. When talking for her cracker, She is a game old bird. Polly—pretty Polly! Your psychologic pow'r May leave 8 melancholy ‘When listening by the hour. Of course, you have to risk it, However hearers balk. If Polly wants her biscuit, Polly must get up and talk. Fickle Public. ‘“What are you going to talk about when you take the stump?” “How can I tell,” rejoined Senator Sorghum. “My first speech is several weeks off, and I've got to wait and see what topics audiences happen to have turned their attention to in that time.” Second Thoughts. The second thought must give us pause In measuring thoughts that have been thunk. At night a speech may find applause And next day be considered punk. Jud Tunkins says it's a mistake to try to imitate everything they admire. If everybody tried to make life look like the circus posters this would be an awful world. Oversight. “No man is perfect,” some one said. The statesman, with resentment great, Exclaimed, “My friend, you've been misled. You quite forget our candidate!” Captious. “My bathing suit has been severely criticized.” . “Indeed!” rejoined Miss Cayenne. “Some people will insist on noticing such little things!” “Don't bother me 'bout no Darwin theory,” said Uncle Eben. “If I had to evolute I'm glad it wasn't f'um a hip- D. RUSSIA SINCE LENIN The truth about that country as it is today, in a series of uncensored articles by an observer who spent months in Russia studying conditions. BY SEYMOUR B. CONGER. ARTICLE II. Butter would not melt in the mouth of bolshevist officialdon. when it comes to pious assurances to foreign governments that it refrains and will refrain from hostile propaganda and activities. Tchitcherin exudes pained and shocked surprise at the unjusti- fled distrust of Soviet Russia when- ever it is called to account for or- ganizing and subsidizing sédition and rebellion in countries from which it seeks recognition or loans. All the time, however, the Russian government maintains an official gov- ernment institution whose functlons include training bolshevist agitators to foment armed revolt and civil war in foreign countries, working out the best methods of using torch, bomb and rifle, and conducting guer- rilla warfare and, in countries acces- sible to the Russian armies, of co- ordinating the activities of insurgent communist forces and invading Rus- sian regulars. This institution is the war acade- my of the Russian army. Ostensibly this is a staff college for the train- ing of higher officers, like our Lea enworth and Fort Sill schools or the War College at Washington. Infor- mation obtained during my stay in Russia_ brought to light the other side of its activities. It turns out its regular officer graduates to wear the uniform and occupy the staff and commanding posts in the regular Rus- sian army, but side by side with th it is training expert military agita tors to work surreptitiously in the countries for which they have spe- cialized. These are to study the spe- cial characteristics and conditions of the respective populations as affect- ing the desired proletarian uprising, to advise and direct the local com- munist leaders in organizing the pro- letarian movement, later to swing it into military channels and, when this is accomplished, to assume the military leadership if necessary. Mufttary Duties First. Though the training and functions of these agents are to a certain ex- tent political, they are first and fore- most military. Their mission is to prepare, organize and direct the arm- ed movements, by which alone, ac- cording to accepted bolshevist dog- ma, the goal of proletarian dictator- ship in the various countries and their incorporation in the “Union of Socialized Soviet Republics” can be attained The adoption of this name for Sov- jet Russia and the elimination of “Russia” or “Russian” from the of- ficial designation of Bolshevia, of which the international postal au- thorities were recently notified, is a preliminary, but rather premature measure to open the doors of the in- ternational bolshevist commonwealth to the outside nations as fast as they bolshevize themselvi The war acedemy is also working out the strategic and tactical pl for proletarian risings in the various countries. Experience in Russia, the sole country which has yet staged a successful bolshevist revolution and conquered the bourgeois and opposi- tion proletarian elements, is taken as a basis—to be modified in_the light of special conditions in h country The moment, it was admitted at this year's Communi is not ripe for an out-and-out attempt to seize the reins of power in any of the western states—the failure to strike in Germany and Bulgaria last year having wasted the most pro- Ditious opportunities that are apt to present themselves for a long time —but in the meantime the manual calls for organic technical prepar: tion for civil war by the formation of communist workers into military bands, accumulation of stores or arms, attempts to proselitize among the soldiers of the state armies, rail- roaders, etc., and embarrassing the existing regime by bombing aftempts, rioting and other acts of violence. For opportunity to realize their plans, the bolshevist leaders count on Fenewal of war in Europe, believing, as Trotsky explained in a recent speech, that any future international wars must inevitably develop, as in Russia, into civil war through the rising of the communist proletariat against the government Because they fear that the adoption of the Dawes report may remove the torch from too dangerous proximity to the powder-keg of Franco-German rela- Another Token ynferences, tions, the political bureau of Russian Communist party, the “Big Seven, who control ~ communist policy throughout the world, have issued orders to the satellite parties in Ger- many and France to do everything possible to prevent the adoption of the experts' report. Hope for German Action. In France, fortunately, the Com- munist party is numerically too weak in the Chamber, and in the na- tion at large, to do much in this di- rection, but Moscow hopes that the 60 eommunist votes in the German Reichstag, combined with the anti- Semite reactionaries of the extreme right and some if not all of the reg- ular Conservatives in an unholy al- liance, may be enough to defeat the necessary legislation. They see, however, more promising fields Tor the present in the countries of the Orient. For this reason the so- called Eastern Section of the War Academy, which is training military agitators to work among the peoples of the East, is being given great at- tention. It is graduating two classes a year, each graduate equipped with the language of the country in which he is to work, and in_countries like Egypt, India or Indo-China, with the language of the nation in control. The class which graduated in May numbered 22—2 of them women. In an address to the graduates Tchit- cherin told them: “The old gray East is awakening to new life and it i our task to assist this awakening. Subsequently, when the Russo-Chin- ese treaty was signed, he referred publicly to hopes and expectation that China and other Oriental coun- tries would soon accept bolshevism and join hands with the Soviet fed- eration. Trotsky was even more out- spoken in a report before the War Academy on “Our Military Problem. “Our ‘Eastern specialists,” he said, referring to the graduates of the Iastern Section of the Academy, “must remain purely military ex- perts and not permit themselves to be drawn away by outside issues. They must reside in their special country and travel widely, devoting themsélves to their military mission, learning all there is to be known about its geography as an arena of future revolution and war, the fight- ing tactics and qualifications of the natives.” Bolshevist diplomats and consular officials, he added, must co- operate by furnishing information on military conditions and possibilities. Negroes Also Considered. Among the “subject races” to which the bolshevist staff experts are de- voting attention as a promising field for possible race warfare are the ne- groes in British Africa. I should not be surprised it another section of the academy is working on our own negro problem and has already work- ed out the strategic plans for an American rising. They have been de- voting assiduous study, it can be definitely stated, to the problem of spreading bolshevism among the col- ored people in the United States, a report on this by an American dele- gate having been part of the program of the Communist Internationale Congress. If their plans do not in clude an ultimate rising it will be one of the few exceptions in their strategy. Did not the Russian Com- munist Congress decree that ali other methods were only makeshifts and that bolshevist aims abroad could only be realized through actual armed uprising? At the same time that the Russian War Academy is educating its trained military specialists to organize and direct the coming class on racial wars in foreign countries, the Russian Communist organization is sending political agitators to ginger ass struggle from that side. A preliminary conference of Russian leaders, held before the Russian and internationale congresses, expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progre of foreign revolutionary movements and the irresolution of foreign Com munist leaders. The remedy, it w. decided, was to send a’lot of trained | Russian agitators to the western countries, particularly German These men go nominally as represen atives of the third internationale, actually under the orders of Russia's “Big Seven"—the party having laid down the rule in the Radek case that Russians connected with the third in- ternationale are obliged to obey lit- erally the instructions of the party political bureau. Copyright, 1924, by Publie Ledger Co.) of Passing Of Old Regime in France Another token of the passing of the old regime in France is seen by the American press in the restoration to citizenship of Joseph Caillaux, the exiled former premier, who was ac- cused of treason during the war. Few editors belleve the return of Caillaux can be regarded otherwise than as a menace to France and that country’s relations with her former allies. The Cleveland Plain Dealer recalls that “the French courts never proved Caillaux actually guilty of treason, but they did find that his activities in Argentina and in Italy, as We_ll as in France, were extremely detri- mental to the interests of the French nation. He was deprived of citizen- ship, and since 1920 he has several times narrowly escaped serious in- jury at the hands of mobs. Kven before the war Caillaux earned the hatred of French patriots by truck- ling to Germany in the Agadir set- tlement. And now this man_ is re- stored to full citizenship by his radical admirers, and is free once more to engage in political manipu- lation for his own advantage. It is far from improbable that the con- tinued domination of the bloc gauche may result in placing Joseph Cail- laux in the cabinet.” The New York Evening World calls attention to the fact that “his followers insist that Caillaux was slated for removal be- cause he was dangerous to specially favored exploiting interests, and it is possible to make out a fairly plausible case for that point of view.” * X ¥ X “Banished though he was from the center of political activity, and con- demned to the loss of his political rights, the Duluth Herald declares “he was a powerful factor in the re- cent French elections, and he is a powerful factor in the present gov- ernment, in which he no doubt will now have an official place. Guilty or not guilty, traitor to his country or innocent victim of the war-time hysteria prevalent in all embattled countries, this picturesque figure rises now from obscurity to the height from which he tumbled, furnishing an interesting illustration of the kaleidoscoplc character of politics, especially French politics.” The Grand Rapids Herald sees a real menace for France in his return, because: “He is a vivid internationalist in eco- nomics as well as politics. He hates the type of patriotism which saved France in 1914-18. He is an economic radical who makes Herriot look posi- tively reactionary. He is not likely to love Britain or the other erst- while partners in the grand alliance any more today than when he tried to deliver them to their destroyers. e is that most dangerous paradox— truculent pacifist.” ‘Without question, the St. Joseph News Press agrees “Caillaux is a dangerous man because of his talents and his de- structive tendencies,” and, it was disservice to France to grant him amnesty.” 'While “in the eyes of the multitude he of the sober-minded he appeared to be ast dangerously unwise and ind the Newark News claims “he re- tained the loyalty of his followers to a degree that discredits the suepicions of venality and alishonesty.” The New York Sun suggests “the action of the new Chamber may represent less a triendliness for Caillaux and more a swing from the strong war party, but it’ would not have been possible had Caillaux been thought of by the French generally as the world believed he was * ® * it is reasonable to take the Caillaux amnesty clause and its pas- sage as another token of definite retreat from the inflexible position of the Poin. care regime.’ e The Terre Haute Star believes Cail- laux “is still an internationalist, more radical than the present leaders of the government, and any surrender to pro- German sympathies may serve to create new political bitterness and perhaps mean the reorganization and eventual return of a more pronounced: anti-Ger- man regime.” As the Houston Chronicle sees it: “The nations are jumping from extreme to extreme. It is about time Ssomebody sat down and thought it over, about time to take a day off and eober up. The world is not making progress toward normalcy so long as governments are willing to_declare a man a traitor one minute and offer him a portfolio the next."” Get Together and Talk It Over. A leader of the British miners has ayed” Frank Hodges, civil lord of the admiralty, for engaging in a game of golf with the Duke of York, second son of King George. “Not that I object to the man playing golf with the duke,” said the labor leader. “What I do object to is the hypocrisy of_the whole thing.." But what most sensible people will object to is the hypocrisy of the labor leader. That a commoner can play golf with a king's son is a good sign, not an evil one. It shows that men possibly holding diametrically oppo- site oponions can meet on common ground. Perhaps while looking for a ball lost in the rough Mr. Hodges found an opportunity to say to the duke, “You know. old bean, I don’t believe in this king business.” Per- haps the duke replied to the civil lord: “Between you and me, old fel- lah, nyther do L"” Isn't that better than for Mr. Hodges to hire a hall and -take a long-distance crack at the royal fam- ily, which is withheld from replying? The hypocrisy lies in. crying out again and again that the proletariat must rule in its own interests and against those of every one else. All people are alike at least in thisi— that they are human beings, capable of reasoning. The more they reason together, at golf or elsewhere, the better it will be for all concerned. The more they keep apart, each re- fusing to consider the standpolnt of the other, the. greater-hypocrites they > Detioit. o FHO foret of the averpge W |and ome | Omega MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 1924 “I must to the barbers * * * for methinks I am marvelous hairy about the face.” Washington barber shops vie with any In the world when it comes to efficiency, speed and conversation. In addition, they have a certain pictur- esque quality peculiarly their own, as a result of being in business in the National Capital. Barber shops here are the'last stand of the village herd instinct, that com- munity of feeling which draws Jud Turnipseed and Judge Smithers and ten others to the old corner grocery on a Saturday night to discuss the welfare of the nation. Were it not for Washington's barber shops the city would be entirely metro- politanized, if one may be forgiven for using such an expression, it would have left only its clubs; and, as every one knows, all that men do at clubs is play dominoes and talk about bootleggers. In the barber shops, however, one still hears talk of politics, national destiny, the respective merits of Cal Coolldge and Jawn W. Davis, why we should and why we should not enter the League of Nations, how the national election is any man's meat. In a barber shop one can still get a laugh by suddenly yelling out: “Alabaama, 24 votes for Un-der-wood! * %k K ok “The first barbers that entered Italy came out of Sicily, and it was in the 454 years after the foundation of Rome,” Pliny tells us in his Nat- ural History “Brought in they were by P. Tici- nius Mena, as Verra doth report, for before that time they never cut their hair. The first that was shaven every day was Scipio Africanus.” So we have to thank or curse P. Ticinius for our barber shops, accord- ing to the time we are forced to t to get out wants attended to. For it is reasonably certain that the Italian barbers here are direct descendants of those old Romans who first hustled a towel around the unshorn of Rome. Today Scipio Afracanus has many following in the footsteps he first made toward the barber shop to get his daily shave. Every shop today ought to have a bust of Africanus over the door. * * ¥ Barber shops always have been places of mystery to Washington women. Even after many of the so- called weaker sex have gone to them to get their hair bobbed, tonsorial parlors are as a sealed book. Wherefore, for the benefit of those of my readers who have bobbed hair, I am going to reveal the greatest se- shington bar- % ber shop. What is it the barbers talk about among themselves? Who are these mysterious figures that flit in, lean casually beside the chair, look disdainfully over the head of the patron, lathered until he can- not_speak? What mean they when, apropos, of nothing in particular, the blurt out: “Sensation?" lhat so?" replies Tony, “In the fourth, ¢h?" p. in the fourth,” says the man of mystery, and saunters out. This, ladies, is the great sport of the barber shop. Hoss racing. If there is anyvthing in this world a barber loves it is the ponies. Morn- ing, noon and night they are his one thought, his chief recreation, his alpha He would as soon bet on as on Alpha, if they were horses, instead of Greek letters. * A barber loves to call you by your first name. You may be important in the office where you work, but to your barber you are “Bill." “Hello, Bill,” calls the boss, as you push open the screen door. “Hello, Bill, be with you in a minute,” says Pietro, making a final slash at the shorn chin of the long, tanned man in the chair. The finished customer stands up as Pietro whisks the cloth from around his neck. He stretches himself, looks into his eves in the glass, preens a bit, as only men can, then makes for his collar and tie hanging around the clothes rack. snipping indoor With many a grimace and glance he | slides the tie under the collar, button the latter, carefully ties it, inspec it, pats it, turns this way and that, mutely proclaims to the world that he is a pretty slick article, at least in own op| He submits to the brushing of the barger shop porter, who whisks away at a perfectly clean coat. He must %0 through the motion to get his dime. These barber shop porter way, the . by the are the most useless men in world, it seems to me. They brush you off when you do not want | to be brushed off. “They pull your coat down to your Knee: and hoist your overcoat over your ears. They shine perfectly blacked shoes all over again, sweep up fallen hair into vour then laugh at you behind vour back as you go out. Such a porter ought to be put in the song: “I've got him on my list He never would be missed.” * % % X% Men grow up under the sway of barbers. There used to be an old colored barber, undoubtedly gone these many years, who officiated as perhaps Washington's first little folks' hair cutter de luxe. He had his shop in an uptown building, where mothers brought their children to get the original *“bobs.” Round as a barrel, he had little pa- tlence with the twistings and turn- ings of children, the little ones. They were all afraid of him, so minded his “Keep steady.” ‘Who remembers three-fingered Pete, the lefe-handed marvel? This de- scendant of sunny Napoli claimed to be able to cut hair faster with the three fingers of his left hand than any other barber in Washington could with ten fingers and ten little toes. He had a mandolin strung up back- wards, that is, the G string was where the E ought to be, and so on in reverse styl His standing joke was to invite a customer to play upon i “Can you play mandoline?” he would ask. The customer, replying that he could, Pete would retort, “Not thees-a one, I bet you.” It is needless to say he always won. * x k¥ The barber, with all his foibles and frailties runs a public service corpo- ration the male world ill could do with- out. When women started barber shops of their own they called them “beauty parlors,” that is all. No man, coming out of a barber shop, but feels the better, and looks the better, for the ministrations he has received. 5 If it were not for the civilizing in- fluence of woman, some one has said, men still _would be eating out of troughs. If it were not for the bar- ber shop, let me say, all men would sport whiskers like Gen. Grant, or long hair like women before -the Bobbed Era. ———ra———————— We know the stage is improving, in a way, but we can’'t help missing the villain's riding boots.—Birmingham News. Candidate Dawes says he'll save his thunder till September. Between now d then, however, we may expect some play of lightning.—Cleveland Plain Dealer. If your time is worth $10 an hour and the book agent’s price is $3.50, cheaper to sign on the dotted line. Q. Is there to be a flower exposition in Holland next year?—N. N. K. A. Preparations for an interna- tional exhibition of flowers and horti- cultural products are now being made. The exposition will be under the auspices of the General Assuciation of Bulb Growers of Holland early next spring, and tulips, hyacinths, narcissi and gladioli will be featured. Q. How many kinds of balloons are there?—N. M. W. A. Balloons are of the following types: Free, for sport use and train- ing of pilots; kite, observation, or drachen, whichever name may be ap- plied—captive, for observation; diri- gible (airships) steerable; sounding balloon, pilot balloon, small, one to test air currents or with recording instruments; propaganda balloons, small ones to carry circulars, etc. Q. What is the altitude of New Or- leans?—L. A. R. A. New Orleans is approximately ten feet below the level of the Gulf of Mexico. Q. Upon what occasion did Roose- velt write: “Only those are fit to live who do not fear to die ¢ ¢ *"—C. C. A. These are the opening words of “The Great Adventure,” an editorial written after Quentin Roosevelt's death. Q. Where is the land that New York gave to Baron von Steuben?—D. L. A. It is within the present city limits of the city of Utica. Q. How can a commission Army be obtained?—C. W. L. A. The majority of those obtaining a commission in the United States Army are graduates of the Military Academy; however, commissions are also obtained by taking examinations from civil life. These examinations are not held at regular interval however, the press gives wide pub- licity as to the dates. The last one was held April 14, 1924, and it is not likely that another will be held for some time in the future. in the Q. Name a few artists who studied to become singers or instrumental- ists and later changed their fleld of activity.—J. M. A. A. Mme. Galli Curci studied to be a concert pianist; Emmy Destinn be- gan her musical ‘career as a violinist; Hulda Lashanska was prepared to be a concert pianist. These artists are today famous singers. Q—How many cities Portugal have more than 50,000 inhabitants?>— A. Lisbon and Oporto are the only cities that exceed 50,000 in popula- tion. Lisbon has 489,667 inhabitants and Oporto 203.19 Q. What 8¢ A. This is a wonderful Buddhist pagoda, in the environs of Rangoon The lower portion is covered with pure gold plate and the top is decor- {ated with the finest gold leaf. Q. What is the best way to treat linoleum to make it last>—E. T. A —Waxing is regarded as the best treatment to make linoleum last a long time. Wash with steaming hot water and apply wax while the lin- oleum is warm. Apply after each washing. Q. Is form of electricity A. The Bureau is the Shive Dragon?— D. the electric light the visible . H. of Standards says the electric light, or, more correctly, the light from an incandescent lamp, is caused by the heat generated in the filament of the lamp by the pa sage of the electric current, and, ac- cordingly, is an effect and not a vis ble form of electricity. No one has IN TODAY’S The fourth annual session of the Institute of Politics opened last Sat- urday at Williams College, Williams- town, Mass, This is an enterprise of the col- lege under the presidency of Dr. James R. Garfield, son of President Garfield and one time cabinet of- ficer under President Roosevelt. To the institute come eminent special- ists from Europe and the Orient, for the purpose of mutually discussing problems of government of their re- spective countires and the interna- tional relations of all civilization. From a liberal endowment, the ex- penses of the men who take part in the program are paid. They not only lecture upon important problems of statecraft but sit together at a round table for the purpose of informal in- terchange of views. An open discussion difference between nationalities is reasonably expected to wear away | points of divergence and show mu- tual contacts. Such a round table, it is claimed, will tend to have the same influénce upon universal peace and comity as was attributed by Marshal Foch to the council table of the Pan-American Union in Wash- ington. As the marshal looked upon that table around which, each month, sit the diplomatic representatives of all the nations of this hemisphere, he remarked pensivel “If Europe had had such a table, there never would have been a world war.” Yet the men who sit about the round table of the Institute of Pol- itics are without official authority or influence,—they are scholars. ki At the first session of the insti- tute, in 1921, former President Taft was permanent chairman. In his opening speech Mr. Taft referred to the presence of Dr. Lowell, president of Harvard University, and jocosely commented: “Of course, he has the burden of being president of a university, and therefore of making what he says have that characteristic that fur- nishes the political orator such an op- portunity—he is academic. But as to him I am able to give evidence, he is a great deal more practical than a great many gentlemen who do not know anything but the practical. * * ¢ And a most delightful period of my life has been the association with President Lowell in a league that shall be nameless here, (Laugh- ter and applause), but in which he manifested that intensely practical view that he takes as necessary to bring about progress.” * ¥ % % Chiet Justice Taft may have struck the keynote of the conferences of the Institute of Politics which have fol- lowed—the assumption that a few scholars assembled about a round table, hid in the shadows of the hills, are “practical” in their under- takings to calm the furrowed brow of a distracted world, and cool the alleged fever of militarism, eiear away the traditional suspicions of ancient European animosities, racial prejudices and enmities, even without the “League which shall be name- less. Among the speeches already de- livered at the institute this year is one by an American admiral pro- testing against England's objection to America’s elevating the guns upon her naval vessels, to gain a longer range. He says that England has no right to protest, and that the guns shall be elevated. (So the insti- tute is not exclusively a peace con- ference.) A speech by Richard Tawney of the English Labor party, informs the in- titute that the Labor party of Eng. land “will be a_permanent phenome. non in English_politics”—like th of points of ~of - 'country ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN * ever seen electricity in any form; it is known by the effects it produces. Q. What was the date of the dis- covery of Brazil, South Americ: E. T. A. Pedro Alvares Cabral!, a Portu- Euese navigator, is credited with hav- ing discovered Brazil on April 22, 1500. With the revision of the cal endar the date became May 3, 1500 and this has been adopted as the offi- cial date of discovery. Q. What percentage of a family in- come is supposed to be spent for food?—R. E. W. A. Economists estimate that the average American family spends from 38 to 40 per cent of its income for food. Q. When was the Campbellita or Christian Church established?—E. E. A. Alexander Campbell and his fol- lowers separated from the Baptists of Pennsylvania and Ohio between 1825 and 1830. In 1831 they formed a union with Barton W. Stone of Kentucky, one of the most prominent leaders of a movement designated simply “Christian.” Q. Does the carbon in the soil form the carbon compounds in — J.H. M. A. An authority on fertilizer says “The carbon of the soil takes no di- rect part in forming the carbon com pounds of plants. It is not necessar; to apply carbon fertilizer to produce the carbon compounds of plants, be- cause the carbon dioxide of the air is the source for crop production. It is estimated that there are 30 tons of carbon dioxide in the air over every acre of the earth's surface. The car- bon in the soil is an indirect ele- ment of fertility, because it is usual- 1y combined with other elements, as nitrogen and phosphorus, which are absolutely necessary for erop pro- duction. Q. When was the Suez Canal dug?- N. M. I il 1859, and it was opened traffic November 21, 1869. to Q. What color is Man o' War?—P. K A. Man o' War, the famous race horse, is a sorrel. Q. Is the widow of a United States coneul entitled to & pension’—A. L. A. There is no provision for such a pension. In some cases where the death of a consul has left his wife in financial straits his salary for a certain period has been paid to her. Q. T am building a dairy barn. How wide ehould the stall be?—R. M A. _If the cows are to be tied in stanchions the stalls should be 42 to 44 inches wide for large breeds and 36 to 42 inches for smaller breeds. Q. Who invented the steam mer?—I. W. W. A. The steam hammer was invented by James Naemrth. who first conceived the invention in 1839, but did not patent it until 18 Meanwhile a steam ham- mer had been actually built at the iron works of Le Creusot, France. The first Nasmyth hammer was erected in 1543 at Bridzewater Foundry, at Patricroft, near Manchester, ham- (Any reader can get the answer to any question by writing The Star In- formation Burean. This offer applies strictly to information. The burcau can- not give advice on legal, medical and financial matters. It does not attempt to settle domestic troubles, nor to under- take exhaustive research on any subject Write your question plainly and bricfly. Give full name and address and inclose 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Al replies are sent direct to the in- quirer. Address The Star Information Bureaw, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Twenty-first and C streets northwest.) SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL V. COLLINS in_his edi- “has come weekly who announces torial salutatory that he to stay.” The ~ director of the foreign de partment of the London Times sa that unless some way be found to a peaceful readjustment of the re- lations of the peo the world will be plunged into deadly racial con- |flict. He pointed to the unrest in India_seeking independence, and_to the yellow peril everywhere. Yet what remedy has he brought? | There is to be a liecture by | Arthur Salter, director of the nomic and finance section of the League of Nations, and_lectures by | other notables of the Orient and Oc- 5r‘nl(nl. and a speech by a representa- tive of J. P. Morgan & Co. en- lightening the scholars as to how to make international loans. S Institute of Politics so “academic” as was the of International Law which met at The Hague last December. There the addresses were all in French. Not all_the speake > fluent in_the “official language” and certain it is that not all the hearers comprehend- ed a moiety of what was said There were in attendance 150 peo- ple, of 31 different nationalities. They inciuded § Chinese, 6 Mexicans, 6 Siam- ese, 5 Japanese, 15 Americans, 13 Cezhoslovakians and 11 each of French and Germans. The academy decided that requiring all to speak “‘an unknown tongue” was not a success, and in fu- ture sessions will rely upon interpre- ters, I do not know what is the of- ficial language of the Berkshire Babel, but whether the foreigners “speak with tongues” which lack interpre- tation, only the mountain echoes swallow up their words, and the In- stitute of Politics is charged with being as self-restrictive as was either Babel or the Academy of Internation- al Law. Its words of wisdom are confined within the valleys of Mas- sachusetts and the masses and classes not only in darkest Africa, but even within radio spheres of influence in “the States” are beyond the pale. £ ke There are scholars, hid in the beautiful and fertile valley, which is threaded by silvery streams, sur- rounded by the'lofty ranges of the Taghoonic _and Green Mountains Graylock lifting its hoary sumnmn above every peak in the common- wealth. _But the practical politi cians—where are they? Is Brother Charlie there? Has Helen-Maria been in touch? The scholars are in “a state of mind” which is glorious, but is that Boston? Is it radio-ally Washington, where real politics flour- ish? The sedate doctors of law, accus- tomed to the cloister of their li- braries or court chambers—do they know that “it pays to advertise”? It seems direful that the institute meets about its round table, while all American _advertising _experts are dining in the Elysee. The Williams College pearls of wisdom may be as innocuous_as the golden spoons of the French palace after the table is deserted. If ever there was a tinms when academic wisdom should be shared for the enlightenmeat of “practical” statesmen, surely that oc- casfon is now in the Institute of Pol- itics. There, amidst the unechoing hills, they are discussing the intrica- cies of the Dawes plan, but will their conclusions reach London, where are men who perhaps “do not know any- thing but the practical,” actually handling the plan practically? The institute tells of reviving Eu- rope, but ingnores the efforts to kill the American Constitution with rad- ical amendments and other major operations while the “people” are asleep in the anesthetic. Are Amer- icans provincialy in magnifying the November electoral college in pref- erence to the August Institute of Politics? Which contains the most le of politics—the academic inst sir This is ot Academy tute_or the practical electoral coi- lege? A (Copyright, 2984, by Feck ¥, Colined