Evening Star Newspaper, August 22, 1924, Page 6

G THE EVENING STAR, W'EBHING’R)N, D. C, FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 1924. ; ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN THE EVENING STAR ‘With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDA' . ..August 22, 1924 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor @ 10 Eas Chicago Office: Tower Building Eurepean Oftice: 16 Regent 5t.,Londou, Eogland. The Evening Star, with the Sunday morning edition, is delivered by carriers within the city at 60 cents per month: daily only, 43 vents per month: Suaday oul 20 cents per moath. s sent by mall or tele- phose Mala 5000. ' Collection 1s made by car- Tiers at the end of each 3 Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dally and Sunday..1 yr., $8.40; 1 mo., 70¢ Dally only . 1y, $6.00; 1 mo, 50¢ Sunday only 1yr. $240; 1 mo., 20¢ All Other States. Dally and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00 ; 1 mo,, 85¢ Daily only ......1 $7.00 1 mo., 60c Sunday only ....1yr. $3.00;1mo, 35c Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dis- patches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the I news pub- 1 herein. _ All rights of publication of n_are also reserved. The Common Sense Vote. It is a fashion in politics to classify and group the voters according to conditions and stations and geo- graphy. Leaders and conductors of campaigns talk of the “farmer vote,” the “labor vote,” the “‘woman vote," the “Eastern vote,” the ‘“Western vote,” all sorts of “votes,” as if they were separated and wrapped up in common inclinations and prejudices and preferments, to be taken as a whole or not at all. Many a cal- culation has been upset by the fact that these packages are not as com- pact as they have seemed to the calculating eyes of the vote seekers. Gen. Dawes, taking his cue from President Coolidge's speech of ac- ceptance, yesterday, in refusing to pose for motion pictures as he was making his way eastward to start his campaigning, said: “I'm going to be myself. 1 aw after the common sense vote.” That is a new one. As a matter of fact it has been always with us, but it has never before been classified as a separate entity in the political equation. If Gen. Dawes can capture the common sense vote of the country for the ticket of which he is & member it will win in November. Just what is the ‘“‘common sense vote"? Probably, according to Gen. Dawes, it is that of the people who are not beguiled by the old-style line of talk in platitudes and general- ities, who ere not aroused by what has been inelegantly but expressively called flap-doodle, who look to per- formances of the past as indices of future prospects, and who try to judge candidates by their real characters rather than by the characters they assume in the course of a campaign. Political psychiatrists may aver that what one candidate may call common sense on the part of the voter is actually disgrdered mentality. The country has been recently treated to a surfeit of talk about the effect of unduly end untimely and prematurely calcined glands, about the overdevelopment of the ego, about the lurking within the human organism of tendencies toward favagery, until no one can really trust to his own judgment as to his mental health. To read “Cock Robin” in youth may mean a dis- rupted mentality. Common sense may be as unique as-the perfect mental balance that the Chicago experts have lately been describing in terms of extreme rarity. But there is one almost universal public delusion, which is that every- body is confident that whatever else he may have or lack, he is possessed of common sense. No one ever acknowledges his deficiency in this respect. From its own point of view the common sense vote is the total vote. If Gen. Dawes can get it, therefore, he will win unanimously. —_————— The North Carolina insurance com- missioner who threatened to hit Senator Dial with a chair offered a strong argument for the importance of the line of business to which he is giving supervisory attention. ———— In our “palmy day” reflections on the prize ring let us be as cheerful as possible and talk about generous old John L. Sullivan instead of Kid McCoy, ——————— There might be some punishment for the egocentricity of “Dicky” and “Babe” if they could know how tire- some they have become to the average reader. Coming of Mars. Mars is very much in the public eye. It is feared that the pugnacious pacifists may object to the promi- nence of Mars in the public prints and in the sky at this time, and the ap- proach of Mars toward the earth and the approach of National Defense day may be given an interpretation at variance with that offered by less belligerent Americans than pacifists. But be that as it may, it seems hard to devise any plan by which Mars tan be shooed off. If this planet, which bears the name of a prominent war god and which has long been considered to have some intimate telation with war, chooses to come so close to the earth as thirty-five mil- lion miles, it is its business, and it would be useless for thé earth and any man on it, no matter how influ- ential, to protest. At times Mars is about 249,000,000 miles away, and when it slides up to a point witkin 35,000,000 miles there may be some- thing significant in its action. According to deductions from previous observations of the planet, in many ways Mars resembles our earth. It is believed to have atmos- phere, seasons, storms, clouds and mountains, and vast white patches having the appearance of snow and We cover its poles. Scientists have said that the canal system of Mars is ‘well developed, and other scientists have mid that there are no canals on Mars. But as Mars comes within a mere 35,000,000 miles of earth the great telescopes may reveal some facts about Mars which have not been Jotted down before. There has been 2 good deal of gossip about the superfor evolution and culture of but we have gone beyond the canal stage. We have railroads, flivvers, flying machines, moving pictures and phonographs, and it there are any people in our solar neighborhood from Mercury to Neptune, or all the way out to Uranus, who excel us in culture we shall be glad to meet them. Some men have heard sounds from Mars, but the matter was not given as much consideration on earth as it deserved. We were too busy. It is believed that the Martians may try to talk to us on the occasion of their visit to these parts, and radio fans are standing by to take the message. If we knew what wave length the Martians will use, and if more of us were familiar with the Martianese language, the matter would be simpler than it is. No doubt the language of Mars is quite a warlike tongue, and it may be that the Secre- tary of War or Secretary of the Navy will be able to decode the message and give it to us in United States. —_— e No Watchman, No Gates! The latest gradecrossing disaster adds heavily to the argument for an immediate beginning of the work of eliminating the death traps that are scattered by thousands over the coun- try. Near the town of Cranford, N. J., a much used highway crosses the tracks of the Central Railway of New Jersey. There is no watchman. There are no gates. Only a bell soundsupon the approach of a train. For some distance on each side of the crossing the track is straight, and it is a favorite speeding stretch for engineers to make up time when their trains are behind schedule. Yesterday morning a passanger train was thus speeding, at about 50 miles an hour, toward the crossing. Freight trains on side tracks obscured the view of the main track from the road. A heavy dirt truck, with two men on it approached the crossing at the same time. Bells were ringing, but the ap- proach to the tracks was up-grade and the truck was laboring and mak- ing 8o much noise that the bells were inaudible. Furthermore, the bells had been ringing more or less all the morning, as the fréights were shift. ing. The driver, of course, thought he hdd a chance to cross safely. He ‘was mistaken. The express locomotive struck his truck squarely and threw it 75 feet, killing both the occupants, and then the train was derailed and two of its occupants were killed and many passengers were hurt. But for the fact that the cars were of steel the casualties would have been very heavy. This is a notoriously bad crossing. It has been styled the worst in the State. Yet it has never been pro- tected. The railroad company has never thought it worth while to hire watchmen or install gates. But yes- terday's accident will cost it, in dam- aged rolling stock and injuries to pas- sengers, far more than safeguarding service for several years. Here is a crossing that everybody has recognized as deadly dangerous, yvet with no action by the State to compel correction and no move by the railroad to protect its own right of way from trespass. Many other ac- cidents have occurred there, without leading to action. Now, probably, ac- tion will be taken. It seems always to require a shocking tragedy to bring about a correction of obviously dan- gerous conditions. The worst of the matter is that these corrections are only made plecemeal, a crossing at a time when compulsion is felt. the Martians, —_————— Almost Over. Safe arrival of the American world fiyers in Greenland, after a longer “hop” than was originally planned from Iceland, marks probably the passage of the last serious obstacle in the great route. Originally e two- hop move from Iceland to the southernmost tip of Greenland was planned, but the ice conditions on the eastern coast were unfavorable to safe landing, and the longer flight was finally decided upon. It was suc- cessfully made, one of the planes being forced to make a sea “land- ing,” resuming the flight soon afterward, From Reykjavik, Iceland, to Frederiksdal, Greenland, is 835 miles, not g particularly long flight in nor- mal ‘conditions, but difficult in view of the state of the waters in the northern latitudes. From Frederiks- dal to Indian Harbor, Labrador, is @ shorter *“hop,” and there is little like- lihood of encountering blockading ice at this time of the year. When Labrador is once reached the way southward to Washington'and thence across the continent to the starting point will be comparatively easy. The delays encountered in the northern waters have upset the schedule, but the flight is being pressed to a successful conclusion nevertheless. Two of the four orig- inal planes remain in service, and there is reason to expect that both of them will reach this city. In view of the troubles met with in the northern zone of the flight, it may be that if another round-world venture is made another route will be chosen. Planes have flown over longer distances than those that have been covered by these planes in the northern region. Obviously there can be no round-world flying of any practical utility if such long lapees must occur in waiting for orable conditions. ——t—e The farmer will come in for con- gratulations if he lives far enough from a big town to avoid the griev- ances arising from parking regula- tions. ' Gun Play. A New York news story tells that “a gunman with an automatic pistol in each hand shot down four or five persons in Bleecker street at 4:30 o'clock in the afternoon, pocketed his weapons, plunged into a tenement house and disappeared. Two of his victims will die.” This is somewhat of an extreme case of reckless gun play, but & day does not often pass without accounts of man-killing by gunfire, the guns being used by criminals or by per- sons of unbalanced mind or uncon- trollable temper. Regulation of gun’ sale, gun possession and gun carrying has been under discussion by reason- able persons for many years, and it is a question that comes into greater prominence as time passes. Finally it will’be dealt with in that effective way which is generally called “drastic. One' of these free gun-play cases ‘came before a New York judge a day or so ago, and it was reported that “Magistrate House, from the bench of the homicide court, denounced the manufacture and sale of deadiy weapons, and declared that he would gladly become one of a group of citizens to get behind a movement for a law that would make the manu- facture of such weapons a felony.” This judge said that “all attempted legislation for the regulation of traffic in pistols has been quickly defeated by the ‘invisible empire’ of the underworld.” In the District: of Columbia certain ineffective restrictions have been put on the sale of deadly weapons, and the law prohibits the carrying of con- cealed deadly weapons. Until these laws are superseded by one that pro- hibits the sale of such weapons to any one who has not an official per- mit to purchase one, there will be no security from indiscriminate mur- derous armament. It is easy for criminals and dangerous-minded persons to get pos- session of deadly weapons, and this matter must come up for settlement sooner or later. Perhaps we shall come to the point where the manu- facture of deadly weapons, other than under Government supervision, will be forbidden, and the sale of such weapons under other than public authority and direction will be a felony. —_————————— Michigan poets ‘are justified in wondering why Henry Ford felt it necessary to go to New England and start a riot of Longfellow publicity. Flivverists also may be nerved to inquire why he should develop so much sentiment for one of those bumpy old-time stage coaches. . ————————— Qpposition to the Defense day program may be based ongthe idea that the way to discourage any foreign promoters of a next war is to avoid any demonstration that might give them the slightest publicity. —————— It is not to be assumed that John ‘W. Davis will allow the Coolidge and La Follette tickets to make the fight S0 strong between themselves as to create the impression that the Democracy has slipped into the posi- tion of third party. ———————— Their recreations indicate that Thomas Edison sometimes enjoys avoiding the metropolitan blaze of electric lights, and that Henry Ford likes to get away from the parking problem. ——————— According to Gen. Dawes the Com- munists who wanted to indorse Robert La Follette are still entitled to sympathy for the abrupt manner in which they were dismissed. ———— Suggestions that Mars is already radio-listening is embarrassing. The old planet may have tuned in in time to overhear some rather badly re- hearsed political proceedings. ————————— Much is demanded of a judge. In addition to knowing a great deal of law he must be able to follow all the fine points of a psycho-analytic argument. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Gentleman Crook. “Procrastination is the Thief of Time" The world has read; His depredations brings us grief. And yet it has been said He works with such a pleasant smile ‘While pilfering what is best ‘We're tempted to forget his guile And treat him as a guest. 'Mongst all the robbers we have met, In fiction or in fact, No other tempers our regret ‘With so much taste and tact. These precious moments are increased In charm as they take flight. Procrastination is at least Persuasive and polite. New Material Undesired. “Do you think the scientists will succeed in, hearing anything from Mars?” “I'm inclined to hope they won't,” confided Senator Sorghum. “If those cahals up there are for irrigation pur- poses, the fact’ll make the discussion of farm troubles more complicated than ever.” Prohibited. The Flying Dutchman sailed the sea And could not hope to land. Perhaps his cargo chanced to be A trifle contraband. Jud Tunkins says a man who bets on a horse race has to guess on the owner, the trainer, the jockey, the horse and the feller he bets with. Self Exception. If every one who says that he Deplores the jazz that sounds so free Refused to hear it, vefy soon No one would syncopate a tune. It all who tell us they agree That every law enforced must be ‘Would heed the rules and never shirk, Policemen would be out of work. If each behaved his whole life through As he says others ought to do,, And made his protests quite sincere, Most “problems” would become quite clear. Avoiding Observation. “Did you have a pleasant Summer ai the seashore?” “No,” answered Miss Cayenne. “My impression is that everybody is un- comfortable in Summer, and we like to get as far from home as possible s0 that the neighbors can’t notice it.” ‘"When a friend tells you 'bout yoh faults foh yoh own good,” said Uncle Eben, “you may be gittin’ de benefit, but he's gittin’ de enjoyment.™ IN TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT BY PAUL V. COLLINS. Among the old proverbs of the Chinese none is more worldly-wise than: “A whisper can bring on a war.” That proverb applies:more to the present conditions in the Near East than to Cathay, for in the Balkans it appears that less than & Wwhispered order may at any moment precipitate & war involving not alone the “little states,” but even the great powers, through their involved inter-relations, Their jealousies and their nervous de- fenses against bolshevik Russia. The Soviet government is openly accu: of attempting to play upon Bulgarian ignorance and vindictiveness, to spread sovietism and to bring on war through “bandit” raids into Greece and Macedonia—the alleged bandits being actually agents of bolshevism. * X & % The Balkan countries of today were all, at one time, & part of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, known as Turkey- in-Europe. To comprehend in any degree the present dangerous situa- tion in the Balkans, it Is ential that the history of the centuries be taken into consideration, showing the resultant character of the people. According to Ferdinand Schevill, pr fessor of modern European ory, University of Chicago, and author of “The History of the Balkan Penin- sula,” the “rayal as all Christians d | France, was Frane ever. supported by Englahd and thus was stronger * ¥ ¥ K One by one the Balkan peoples threw off the Turkish yoke, and Bosnia, Ru- mania, Bulgaria, Albania and Montene- gro attained their independence. In 1912 and 1913 came two wars between Italy. and Turkey which gave opportunity for the Christians of the Balkans to unite against the ‘common enemy, Turkey. Victory gave them the invitation to form a great federa- tion and rank even with the Great Powers, with double the population of but jealousies of race pre- vented, and war between them, stead, separated the states. ‘Then came the World War, in which Christian peoples were arrayed against each other, and Moslems united with German and Austrian Christians, and the weak peoples of the Baikans, lying between Turk and Hun, were again the pawns upon the diplomatic chessboard. The treaty of Versailles gave strange boundaries. Parts of Turkey and parts of Russia, Germany and Austria became artificial entities, in direct conflict with the announced principle of self-determination or racial ties. Not one but several problems, like the olden one of Alsace and Lorraine, now confronted civilisation, with chronic potentialities of new wars. * % % X In a recent.debate in the British Parllament a distinguished member, Mr. Morel, editor of Forelgn Affairs, and than were called by their conquerors, the | sai Turkish Moslems (the term meaning “herd” or ‘cattle"), were ruled with despotism that ignorance, self- ement and deceitfulness became the very fiber of the rayah character. That did not mean Christian humility and submissiveness, but rather the craftiness which justified any un- faithfulness to pledges given under duress. Moslem crueity and untrust- worthiness were thus reflected in the conquered Christians. This characterizes the great masses of the population—the peasantry— about 85 per cent of all the people. The other 15 per cent constitutes the educated leaders—the ruling class, who, under Turkish soverelgnty, were permitted to own the land, and, as great landlords, to dominate the peas- ants, collect the taxes snd administer local affairs. * * x % When Napoleon III seized the French throne, in 1851, Czar Nicholas of Russia refused to address him as “brother,” as monarchs were wont to 1 each other. Napoleon was an up- start, whom genuine royalty, such as the Czar by divine appointment, be- lieved it their royal duty to snub. Napoleon prodded the Czar by asking of Turkey certain concessions in Palestine, and then the Czar demand- ed equal or greater concessions, and finally set up a claim o pr tectorate over all Christians in Tur- key—especially Turkey-in-Europe. That would h. deprived the Sultan of his so gnty over much of his domain, and he called upon France and England to come to his support against Russlan pretensions. Thus came the Crimean War between Rus- sia on the one side and Turkey, France and England on the other, until the fall of Sebastopol, after a year's bloody siege by the allies, ended the war (1856) and the Rus- sian protectorate over the Christians. The latter were left to Turkish rule, limited by a protectorate conceded to the combined powers of Europe. To the “rayahs” it seemed that the great powers had simply used them as pawns in international war, and then abandoned them again to their Turk- ish oppressors. The Ottoman empire “At the moment there are between 8,000,000 and 9,000,000 men drilling for war in Europe, many of whom are fully equipped for war. This, of course, does not include the fact, to which I would draw the respectful attention of the committee, that there are at the present moment well over 1,000,000 men from North and West Africa (re- cruited at the present time at the rate of 200,000 men per annum) who could be shipped to Europe at the outbreak of the war if they could be got safely across the Mediterranean. * ¥ * ¥ “Jugoslavia, Csechoslovakia, Ru- mania and Poland—and let us remem- ber that these four states, the names of which are so unfamiliar to the mass of people outside—number more than 70,000,000 people and cover an area of one-quarter of Europe out- side of Russia and possess armies on a war footing of four and a half mil- lions. These four states are now rivaling the old contending groups which existed before the war, and they are being used, as the Balkan states were used, as the agents of mightier interes Mr. Morel referred to the allies’ treaty prohibition against Austria's making and exporting munitions, and he added: “Austria has not the right to ex- port even a single gun or cartridge. In August, 1923, this output begar, and In that year large quantities of war material were exported from Austria to Jugoslavia, Poland and Rumania. In May, this year, the fac- tories of Austria have exported to Jugoslavia 2,000 machine guns and very many wagons (cars) of artil- lery and infantry ammunition.” The speaker was urging the calling of a new international disarmament conference, but he was not advising his own country to disarm without reference to what the rest of the world—with its potential enemies— was doing. He was not decrying the importance of a test day of his coun- try's defenses against the possible— openly probable—day of danger. The crisis of 1914 burst first in the Ba kans. (Copyright, 1924, by Paul V. Collins.) RUSSIA SINCE LENIN The truth about that country as it articles by an observer is today, in a series of uncensored who spent months in Russia studying condisions. BY SEYMOUR B. CONGER. ARTICLE XVIIL The drink evil, along with other concomitants of the established order, was legislated out of existence, offi- cially, by the bolshevists with a rigor truly Volsteadian. But booze, boot- legging and moonshine thrive and flourish in Russia. Communist legislation has been as ineffective in abolishing the alcoholic urge as in eliminating the desire for gain, the love of family life and other tendencies of misguided human nature under the capitalistic system. Not only is official countenance given to the beer and light wines idea (“light,” according to the interpretation of the Soviet authorities, running up to 20 per cent alcohol), but spirituous bev- erages of almost any character and description can be obtained anywhere for the asking. The only absentees are imported whisky and brandy and certaln for- eign aperitives and liquors, and I am not at all certain these could not have been located had I mani- fested suficient interest in the search. 1t the Russian or foreign visitor wants a8 perfectly legal, legitimate spree and doesn’t want to slake his thirst on government manufactured and sold champagne or high-power vodka, there are the 20 per cent proof ports, sherrys and madeiras, one bottle of which is guaranteed to whet the alcoholic to a keen, sharp edge and two or three to start a perfectly good Communist singing “God Save the Tzar.” “Twenty per cent is the ostensible maximum 4lcoholic content as lald down by the decree, but under the stress of competition government, Communist-co-operative and private vintners, who are allowed by the same decres to reinforce the lightet wines with _ straight alcohol, are careless about thir arithmtic. Champagne $3 a Quart. During my stay "in Russia the monthly sales reports of the Com- munist-Co-operative stores showed the sales of alooholic beverages tripled each month for three sue- cessive months; in fact most of the officially encouraged merchandizing establishments in the center of Mos- cow exist for little else than the sale of bottled goods. Champagne, imported or Russian, can be obtained in any desired quan- tity, the latter costing $2 a quart for the best grade produced by one of the omctal ablishments. Imported French wines are avallable, but rather expensive. There are many very worth while domestic vintdges. some of these, such as the Kahetian wines from the Caucasus, being noted for their fiery qualities. The govern- ment itself manufactures a vodka and other spirituous drinks with an ostensibly 20 per cent kick (pretty poor stuff, most of them), but the Qqueen of 'all beverages, so far as ‘wide consumption and potency are concerned, is moonshine vodka, the drink'of the Russian masses. This is distilled and imbibed every- where. The government vedka mo- nopoly, the backbone of the Russian budget under the Tszars, furnished its devotees with a 40 per cent vodka, but the moohshine stills, operating In every town and village, go far beyond this. A drink of it custom- arily runs from 60 to 66 per ocemt And how 1t is served! There s & restaurant just across the street from the Savoy, where, as every one in Moscow knows, {llicit vodka is to be had for the asking. The waiter brings the customer not a small liquor glass, as in the old days, but & teacup half full, which he must finish at a gulp, to prevent any in- criminating evidence being found should a policeman enter, Bootlesgers in Public Esteem. The G. P. U, alias Cheka or secret police, and the militia, all. regular police force (the word police being anathema under the bolshevist reign of freedom) make efforts to suppress the illicit (and non.revenue produc- ing) drink businees, but direct their activities rather against the produc- ing than the sales end of t)\:nbunl- ness. Thousands of stills are reported Seized every month, but two new ones spring up for every one sur- Dpressed, acoording to the statements of the police themselves. Jail sentences do not deter the bootleggers and moonsghiners, who are regarded in the villages it is complained, as sort of ofocial serv- ants of the people. If one goes to jail, it is the understood thing that the community looks after his family until he comes out, as a communal duty. No village wedding is com- plete without a ‘“vedro” (pailful) or two of vodka being set up by each family. Christenings and funerals follow the same rule. The KEaster community souses this year were never surpassed under the Tsars. The chief fly in the vintner and government ointment is the bad state of the Russian vineyards, and, so far as the government is concerned, the vast amount of grain which goes into vodka instead of being sold for real money in the foreign marketa, Rusmian Vineyards Ravaged. The phyloxera is ravaging the Rus- sian vineyards as it did a year ago those in France and Germany. More than 50 per cent of the vineyards in Kahetia have been destroyed and other regions in the Caucasian and Crimean wine areas'are suffering al- most as much. A congress of vintners, recently held, asserted the wine busi- ness was in a desperate state on aocount of the phyloxera, high tax and falsification of wines. It de- manded a reduction of the excise tax, which now 8 rubles on a of wine costing 3 rubles, to a grad- uated impost of from 64 copecks to 2% rubles a vedro, depending on quality. The association also demanded an edict against “fortifying” or strength- ening wines by the addition of straight aloohol. I saw no explana- tion of their objections to this pro- cedure, which is followed by all the producers, private and officlal, of the so-called ‘ports,” “‘madeiras,’” ‘‘mala- gas," eto; but perhaps they believe in ‘a broader market. for weaker drinks. As to the amount of grain.which goes into the making of the moon- shine vodks, the statements in the bolshevist papers are almost incredi- bly large, were it not for the indica- tions of mass consumption and for the official statistics on the number of stills seized, running into thou- sands monthly for individual prov- inces. Reports from some provinces give the value of grain now turned into mash and distilled {llicitly as large, or greater, than the total receipts of the vodka monopoly in the same provinces be the war, which, of ocourse, then included the cost of manufacture and the high revenue derived by the government from the artistic, Wash- ington’s own magnificent “depot.” Union Station is one of the busiest establishments in Washington these Summer days, from the steeplejack painting the tall flag pol on the plaza at the front door clear back to the end of the train sheds. All 19 hustle and bustle in the station, which the National Capital Jjustly claims to be about the finest raflroad depot in the United States. There may be one larger, but not any finer or better, everything taken into consideration. ‘The station during these vacation days is going through a hectic pe- riod, somewhat similar to that ex- perienced during the Christmas rush or, in more augmented form, at in- auguration time. Now its comfortable benches are filled morning and afternoon Wwith vacatien goers and persons pouring into the city to spend their vacation here. Oh, yes, hundreds do! The news has spread that Washington is not as hot as painted. The weather always moderat: here, whereas in some of the States it remains hot for ‘weeks on end. *x %% The steeplejack adjusts his seat and tackle, while five men in Summer attire group around to give him ad- vice. Not a one of them ever climbed such a pole, and perhaps not a one of them would do,it on a bet. Yet, strange to say, not a one of them hesitates to tell the man who h made the climb just what he ought to do. ‘The steeplejack, lithe, muscular, in his khaki trousers and blue shirt open at the neck, does not appear to pey much attention to his advisers. He tends to business, finally hoisting himself to the peak of the pole while the men gape up at him. These poles, it always seemed to me, are out of harmony with the station and ought to come down. The view from the entrance to the stately Capitol ought not to be broken by either pole or statue. Perhaps it is too late ever to make any change, but I am not the only one who feels this way. * % x ¥ Red-capped porters hurry around to earn their living. It may not be generally known that these men re- celve practically no wage, the vast bulk of their earnings being made np from the tips they receive. One porter wheels in an old lady in a chair, and gets her comfortably seated on a bench. He will come back later to take her to her train. Two other porters, keeping watch on two patrons in a seat, are argu- ing_about the Bible. “I believe dat God—" begins one. The other is a_ doubter, as far a. can be learned. He does not believe in much of anything. It is the old, old argument, old when the Bible was written down. Earnestly tl red cap with gold eyeglasses a tempts to make the other see the light. Perhaps he is porter by day and preacher by night. Children are everywhere in Union Station. There is a nice-looking lassie, she of the dark bobbed hair, dark skin, blue dress and hat with red around the brim. How is it that certain types of children always wear the same color combinations? Are they gifted with intuition, or have they gifted mothers? Probably the latter. Anywhere you see a child of this type you find her dressed in dark blue and red. The children sprawl benches, stick their feet people’s laps, make general small nuisances out of themselves. They run here and there. Some of them cry. No station would be complete without plenty of children. % x *x The benches in the large general public waiting room are perhaps the most comfortable seats in any depot in the United States. They invite one to dreams. They lull to rest. They comfort the weary. They could be no softer it they had cushions, such is their general comfort. Large and deep, a person of any frame or keup finds them to his 1iking, places of refuge for the tired, the waiting, the woman far from home, tha man waiting to go home, the child, even the invalid. It would take a poet to sing the worth of these benches. Any one, however, may enjoy their comfort, and hundreds of thousands do, vear in and year out. They are clean and well kept, too, as s the station in general. There is no sort of man, woman or child who has not, at one time or other, sat on these benches. See yon- der little fellow, blue-shirted, deeply engrossed in his book, his large, black handbag by his side. See a_man, his elbows on his knees, his head sunk on his hands. He might serve as a model for a stitue of De- jection. There is the woman the porter just wheeled in. She seems well and happy, comfortable in her bench. * x x % over the in other This is a typical Union Station group, this trio, with their suit cases, bags and umbrellas, taking up al- most an entire bench. A gray-haired woman is on the end. In the center sits & young woman, slender, bobbed hair, Wearing “bob- bed hosies.” By her side is a young man. He must be her “fellow.” They are talking about—well, you never would guess in the world! Nothing' more or less than chiggers. Evidently one of the trio has fallen afoul of some of the pesky critters. “They tell you not to scratch, but I don't see how in the world any one could help it,” says the older woman, who must be the mother of the girl. An older man and woman whose age 18 between that of the girl and gray-haired woman come up. They sit down, taking up the remainder of the bench. They belong to the other three. Now we have to revise our whole mapping of the group. This new man is father, the “fellow” is brother, and—but what's the use? Together they represent what each similar group here represents—an American family. Just an average family, with its ambitions, its fears, its ideals, here to “go away for the Summer. are no less families y are in public. They are out of their homes for the moment, but they have brought with them something of what they leave behind. Behind this family, dim, shadowy, but none the less tangible, 1 see a well kept home. I see a lawn trim- med and well-swept walks. I see 2 living room where happiness dwells, where there are table lamps at night, and music, and books. I see peace t can be sald for this other , seated on the bench across the way? Alas, not so much. Behind that seat gleams the specter of dis- content, of squalid living quarters, and far too few rooms. In that home, as shadowed forth in ti tions and dress of the family, there is bawling, because the inhabitants have no place to go and retire into the privacy of themselves. PN Concourse—tremendous, vast. Train shed, with engines puffin, steam, and long lines of cars, gro ing small in the distance beneath the umbrella sheds. Clang of bell, and flash of train news on the screen, so that the timid may know when to go to their track.| This is Union Station, busy an d. What is the meaning of the stiff and of the colors of the cord Fourragere?—M. B. . The “pencils” of the French Fourragere do not have any particu- lar significance. For two decorations the Fourragere comprise the colors of the Croix de Guerre, which are 3reen and red. For four decorations it has the colors of the Medallle Mili- taire, which are yellow and green. For six decorations the colors of the Legion of Honor, scarlet and gold, are used. The word Fourragere is French, literally meaning a tethering rope. How much do 7—P. C. W. of a Pullman car rage weight of sleep- ing and parlor cars is 144,640 pounds, or slightly more than 72 tons. Q. How many Campfire Girls are there?—T. G. A. The membership in the Campfire Girls’ organization is estimated at 160,000, with groups in every State in this country and in several foreign countries. Q. How many eggs are kept in cold storage?S8. C. K. A. On December 1, 1923, there were 4,031 cases and 35,914 pounds of frozen egEgs in cold storage in the United States. The average storage on that date for a five-year period is 2,579 cases and 22,720 pounds. Q. How much was paid on the gov- ernment debt last year?—H. M. P. A. During the fisc: year ended June 30 last the curtailments made on the principal of the national debt ;enl;m““'d to approximately $1,027,000,~ Q. Can the characters appearing in awanl I draw be copyrighted.—B. A. The copyright office says that Q. Who was nicknamed “The Bob- bin-boy”? A. This nickname was given to Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks of Massa- chusetts, an American soldler and pol- itician, because of the fact that he worked In a factory as a youag man. Q. Is the Federal Board of Media- tion and Conciliation still in exist- ence? When was it createdq!—V. M. A. The Board of Mediation and Conciliation was created by the New- lands act of 1913, and ceased to ex- l'a“v. at' the close of the fiscal year, June , 1921. Q. In which one of Shakespeare's plays does the character Cobweb up- pear?—J. F. S. A. Cobweb is one of the four fairies that appear in Shakespeare's “Midsum- mer Night's Dream”—first in act 3, scene 1, and later in act 4, scene 1. Q. What country has the most earth- quake shocks?—D. B. A. Earthquakes are most common in Italy and Japan, these countries each having had more than 27,000 in the last §0 years. Q. Why is China called the Celes- tial Empire?—C. P. G. A. This name is applied to China because of the title, “Tien Chao” (Heavenly Dynasty), which the Chi- nese give to their country. Q. How is Mme. Curie's name pro- nounced?—M. E. A. Curie is pronounced as if spelled koo ree,” giving the “00” the same sound as in the word “cook.” Q. Why was the eagle American money?—D. H. A The fathers of the republic de- cided upon an eagle as an emblem, and unfortunately the species known to them was the sea or bald eagle, changed on e 4 the characters that you originate and which appear In any series of car- toons that you may draw may be nopyrighted by you. Q. How can I prevent a green, creamy substance which forms in a copper gasoline tank in my motor boat?—W. McD. A. The Bureau of Standards says it is not considered advisable to use a copper gasoline tank on motor boat. The water causes cofrosion. It Is suggested that a galvanized iron :nl': be substituted for the copper nk. Q. Why are automobile accessories lé.l such demand in Argentina?>—R. G. A. The commerce reports of the Department of Commerce show that such is the case, and attribute the ready sale of automobile parts and accessories to the fact that Argentine car owners incline to extras ang con- eniences; to the fact that the roads re poor; and to lack of mechanical skill on the part of chauffeurs. Q. What has been the highest price ;llg for a horse and for a cow?—A. A. The Bureau of Animal Industry; says that the highest price ever paid for a horse was $265.000. This was & thorroughbred horse purchased by August Belmont from an Englishman. The highest price paid for a bull was $106,000. There are several instances where dairy cows have been pur- chased for amounts over $25,000. Q. What is Rudyard Kipling's ad- dress? D. M. C. A. A recent letter from Rudyard Kipling gave his address as Batemans Burwash, Sussex, England. Q. How can the age of a pickerel or pike be told?>—D. R. C. A. The Bureau of Fisheries says that the way to determine the age of a pickerel or pike is by counting the rings on the scales. This is the common way in which the age of any @sh is determined. = Q. How many votes did the Elack and Tan party poll in the last elec- tion?—P. C. P. & A. The Black and Tan Republican party polled 27,247 votes. Warm 'i’ri.bute Paid to Matthew F. Halloran To the Editor of The Star; Your interesting sketch of the life of Matthew F. Halloran, one of the real workers of the Goverament, in the issue of Sunday, August 17, 1 will be reac by thousands who will} not hesitate to testify to the truth of your statement that Mr. Halloran's helping hand was unvaringly extend ed solely because he hed a heart in his breast, and he had'a place in that heart for all humanity. Thus there came to Mr. Halloran, unsolicited on his part, this reputa- tion of being a ‘“square man,” in which capacity he won and kolds today in the hearts of thousands of men and women a place which will be his own as long as he lives. For 35 years he administered the certifications of civil service eligibles without fear or favor, creed or politi- cal views of those eligibles never being considered or' questioned, as may be proven by the manv who have had oceasion to know the'facts. and only those who do not could intimate that such was not the case, that his policy encompassed no fa- voritism of that nature for motives of personal benefits. So absolutely fair and just were his acts as to win the praise of all. He put that kindly touch of human sympathy into his contact with peo- ple, as to not only win their eternal gratitude, but to make real friends for and inspire confidence in the commission itself, of which he is the backbone and brains at the present day, although he is not in so promi- nent & position there, ostensibly, as during the World War. He does not interview every eligible these days. but nevertheless is the “man behind the plow” in an inconspicuous way. Mr. Halloran holds a niche in the institution of clvil service deas to the American people. It is not surpris- ing that services such as his have received such high and splendid testimonials of appreciation so ably and admirably expressed in your commendable and just paper. He sits now, day after day, in his little pri- vate office at the commission, which he has helped so much to build to the best of his ability, maintaining his wonderful serenity at all times, radiating to all a divine spirit of peace, quietness and calm achieved by few, of soul satisfaction and pre- paredness for the hereafter. because of a life well spent, in doing for others, helping the other fellow along at_every opportunity. It would be well for us to emulate Mr. Halloran's example and strive to attain in some degree his rare virtues apability. s cC‘?‘A. A’ND K. S. KNOWLES. Slow Auto Pace Is Not Traffic Solution To the Editor of The Star: feathered only to the knees, an: “piratical parasite of the osprey.’ The golden eagle, to which a change has been made on the ooins of the country, is feathered to the toes. Q. Where is the largest monastery In the world?—G. A. T. A, The Budhist religion supports the largest monastery in the world. This monastery of Dubung (variou: spelled) at Lhasa, Tibet, houses monks and students. Q. Recently I came across an allusion to the Parliament of Dunces. Can you enlighten me in regard to this>—G. B. E. A. In 1404 at Coventry, England, a Parliament convened by Henry 1V was known variously as the Parliament of Dunces, the Unlearned Parliament and the Lack-learning Parliament. All law- yers were excludéd, and the name was applied in derision, probably by lawyers. Q. What will remove the red stain from the fingers that TNT makes?— A B. A. The Bureau of Chemistry suggest: the application of sodium hyposulphite. Rub this thoroughly on the stain, and a few minutes later follow by applying an acid such as dilute acetic acid. Q. Can you tell me of any tests which will prove whether material is linen or cotton?—T. E. P. A. The old-fashioned test is to apply a dampened finger to the underside of the material. If a wet epot shows through immediately it is linen. More scientific tests can be made by washing a piece of the material and soaking in glycerin. It will seem transparent if linen, opaque if cotton. Or wash thor- oughly sample of so-called linen ma- terial in hot soapsuds and rinse in hot eoft water to remove the finishing ma- terial. Dry thoroughly and place in hot muriatic acid one minute. Transfer quickly to fresh water. If fabric is all cotton the sample will drop into minute pieces, while if it is linen the shape will remain unchanged. (Have you asked Haskin? He does not kmow all the things that people ask him, but he knows people who do know. Try him. State your question briefly. write plainly and inclose 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Address Frederic J. Haskin, Director, The Star Information Bureau, Twenty-first and C streets northwest.) be decreased in localities where near- 1y all the accidents occur and fewer cars run. One dangerous condition is where cars are parked on both sides of a street parallel to curb. An au- toist, passing between two such lines, has his view obstructed from the side- walk on either side and cannot see a pedestrian about to cross the street in time to avoid an accident. By jactual measurement, on several occa- sions, it has been found that all cars parked on both sides of a street, par- allel with curb, can be parked on one side if parked at an angle. Such a plan would let the autoist have only one side of the street to watch, give wider roadway and reduce congestion. It would also give the pedestrian a clearer view of traffic. This system would permit a closer parking of cars and could be extended indefinitely. It would inconvenience autoists who would have to park in remote sec- tions of the city, but safety should be observed above convenience. No_citizen would think of marring the beauty of our parks, but their usefulness could be increased without disturbing their beauty. Sidewalks around the most of the parks could be dispensed with and footwalks for pedestrians constructed around their borders within park limits. The elimi- nation of sidewalks, where practi- cable, around reservations would give more parking space and width to streets. The conjunction of thoroughfares at Thomas Circle is a dangerous con- dition; numerous accidents and. at least one death has occurred at this place. There is no reason why Thomas Circle should not receive the same road treatment as that provided for Scott Circle. Many accidents occur at street intersections because cars not having the right of way do not stop until nearly in the path of cars having right of way. Cars not having right of way should be made to stop at curb line. F. S. HODGSON. Overlooked Senator Pepper’s Main Point To the Editor of The Sta In opposing Senator Pepper’s speech on “Injunctions in Labor Disputes,” before the American Bar Associatior. Mr. Alexander Sidney Lanier, writing in The Evening Star, issue of August 13, overlooks the Senator's main points—the practice in this country of forcing the judiciary into industrial disputes and that injunction judges return to the Constitution. The question of picketing, that Mr. Lanier emphasizes so heatedly, was used by the Senator to illustrate his point. It is not the Senator's subject. Mr. Lanier's statement that picket- ing cannot be done without amerd- ing the Federal Constitution sounds like the fulminating of a small-town citizens’ alliance secretary. Thatstuff “went big” 25 years ago. The Su- preme Court of ihe United States has spoken very clearly on the right to picket. (American Steel Foundries vs. the Tri-City Central Trades Council.) Picketing, however, is of minor im- portance, as compared to the intima- The statement recently made by an expert of the Automotive Trade As- sociation of Washington that the in- creasing number of motor cars on streets and highways is making it easter to drive, because of being com- pelled to drive slowly is a strong argu- ment for the reduction of the speed 1imit. If no accidents occur in con- d | gested ;l‘iltflm ‘where autoists are to drive slow, it is a logical conclusion that the speed limit should tion by Senator Pepper that injunc- tion judges are usurping thelr au- thority. Hark to the words of this towering constitutional authority: “To maintain such corfidence (in >ur judiciary) must we not confine the courts to the sphere in which the creators of our comstitutional system intended them to live and move and have their being?’ JAMES P. BAGAN.