Evening Star Newspaper, September 15, 1924, Page 6

6 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY....September 15, 1924 THEODORE W. NOYES. Editor ‘The Evening Star Newspaper Company Buslpess Office, 11th St. and. New York Office Chicago Off. Tower Duildin European Oftice: 16 % ent 8t., London, England. The Evening Star, with the Sundas morning edition, is delivered by carriers within the city ‘af 60 cents per month: daily only, 45 cents per month: Nunda: cents’ per month.” Orders mia, - phone Main 5060, ion is made by o riers at the end of onth. Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunda; Daily only Sunday only. All Other States, Daily and Sunday.1 yr., Daily only Sunday onl; Member of the Assoclated Press. ‘The Associated Press is exclusively entitled te the use for republication of all news dis- patches credited to it or not otherwise crodited in this paper and also the local news pul lished ‘herein. All rights of publication of special dispatehes berein are also reserved. e xil An Infringement. La Follettism is not progressivism. That is the stout declaration of group of “Progressives” of 1912, fol- lowers of Theodore Roosevelt. They issue a formal protest against the use of the party name that has been given to the amalgamated dissenters under the La Follette leadership, and chal- lenge the right of the Wisconsin radi- cal to lead any array of American voters as Progressives. This protest cannot fail to have an | important political effect in this cam- paign. The La Follette candidacy chiefly appeals to the voters of the West, where in 1912 Roosevelt was particularly strong. However dissatis- fied the farmers of that region may be with conditions generally they are Tot, as reports now indicate, swarm- ing toward La Follette as the savior in such numbers as to assure him a sufficient numbef «f electoral votes to throw the election into Congress, where healone would in effect make (e choice for the Chief Executive of the TUnited States. If the farmers of the ‘West are now shaken in their faith in La Follette as a true Progressive his chance of carrying that necessary number of States to biock the electoral college will be materially diminished by the present protest by the Roose- velt Progressives. The 48 Roosevelt followers in 1912, who now protest against the misuse of the word progressive, make a strong case against the La Follette | infringement. The progressivism of 1912, they say, was not radical: “Its purpose was to improve American in- stitutions, not to substitute others for them; it stood for political and so- cial justice, not economic revolution; it believed in democracy, not social- ism; it sought the welfare of all the people, not the welfare of class*sgainst class.” The La Follette movement- Sow say the veterans of 1912, is the feverse of all that was sought then by the Roose- velt Progressives. La Follette is the avowed candidate of the Socialist party, accompanied by “incongruous groups invited as class blocs rather than as citizens holding common views, who agree only in their dis- sgreement. A particularly striking point is ‘made by the 48 protestants when they note La Follette’'s refusal to join the Progressive movement of 1912. He then, it is pointed out, denounced the Roosevelt secession on the ground that the Progressive Republicans should Femain within the party and meintain their organization there. ‘The 48 say: “What Senator La Fol- lette would not do for a sound pro- gressive movement because he was not the candidate, he now does for a destructive radical one because he is its candidate.” —————————— In stressing the question of war re- sponsibility, Berlin displays an obsti- nate inclination to bring up a mat- ter that many other capitals were in- clined to be too polite to talk about. ——————— Polo is accepted as a typical English sport. Visitors from England cannot fail to appreciate the compliment im- phed by Americans in learning to play it so well. ——— China's war is in line with the an- elent country’s historic record for mismanaging a wonderful supply of manpower. ———————— Apportionment and Representation. Under a new apportionment act based on the census of 1920 the State of New Hampshire will in November elect the largest legislative body ever chosen in any State. Four hundred and twenty members will be named by the voters to represent them at Concord. Each town with 600 inhabit- ants will send one representative and one more for each additional 1,200 in- habitants. The towns of the State will thus have from one to eight mem- bers each, and the wards in the cities from one to ten members each. Towns with less than 600 inhabitants will have a representative a proportionate part of the time. Very small com- munities have representation once in 10 years, this provision of the law causing variations from year to year. The year 1924 will be the turn of an unusual number of these smaller com- nities for voices in the Legislature, which accounts for the record-break- ing membership of that body. A short time ago a constitutional amendment was proposed to change the basis of the apportionment so as to reduce the number of legislators, but the people refused to ratify it, pre- zerring their old system. Thus New Hampsbhire, one of the smallest States in the Union, with a population in 1920 of 443,000, will have the largest legislative body. But its failure to modify the apportionment system is not unique. Congress has failed to discharge its duty in the matter of the legislative apportionment. Al though the census of 1920 has been consequently the number of presiden- tial electors. Population changes have occurred in all the States of the Union in the course of this decade. | The census figures show that under a new apportionment there would be material differences in the electoral votes as there would be in the con- gressional delegations. The House of Representatives is not therefore ' representative today in respect to the proportion of the people voting and entitled to a voice in the making of the laws. The constitu- tional provision for the apportionment is not explicitly mandatory, save that it provides that “Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respectiv numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed.” It also provides that the “actual enumeration” for the purposes of apportionment “shall be made within three yeags after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years.” Thus it is man- datory that Congress should provide for the taking of the census, but save by implication not mandatory that the apportionment should follow. In the case of a neglected duty of this nature there is no practical method of com- pelling action. Congress may, if it so elects, indefinitely persist in its fail- ure to reapportion for year after year, and thus maintain the ratio based on the 1910 census. —_————————— The Island of the Devil. A few months ago a Paris news- paper printed a series of articles de- scribing conditions on Devils Island, the French penal colony off the coast of French Guiana, which 30 years ago came into world notice as the place of confinement of Capt. Alfred Dre fus, convicted of treason and sen- tenced to spend his days there. In consequence of this exposure of the cruelties of climate and discipline to which exiled convicts are subjected, Premier Herriot, it is now stated, has decided to abolish the penal colony and to bring back to France all the orisoners confined there. To do so will require a considerable change in the French laws, which are somewhat complex on tue subject of long-term sentences. It is stated, however, that the premier does not expect to meet any difficulties in obtaining the neces- sary legislation, and it may be that in a little while that place of infamous repute will be abandoned and its un- happy occupants repatriated. Devils Island is an ideal place as a prison, from the point of view of pun- ishment and detention. Located in the tropical zone, it has an excessively high temperature and is fever ridden. Its marshes breed poisonous insects and in its jungles are many venom- ous snakes. The waters surrounding it are filled with sharks, so that a swimmer seeking to escape has little or no chance to reach the mainland, even if his strength would suffice. Very few escapes have ever been made from the island, and those through connivance and assistance. It is accepted in France when a man has gone to the “Island of the Devil” he has left hope behind. For even and the terms are usually for many years—he is almost certain to be broken in health, without a chance of recovery. He is exposed to number- less dangers and, according to the Petit Parisian's exposures, to the most brutal cruelties by keepers and guards. Should a convict die of “disciplinary treatment” there is little chance of the truth being known, inasmuch as the natural mortality of the place is terribly high. It was thought when Dreyfus was brought back from Devils Island upon his pardon in 1899, and in con- nection with his case tales were told of the shocking conditions that pre- vailed there, that the establishment ‘would be abolished, so strong was the public feeling in France against the institution. But interest centered in Dreyfus rather than in the establish- ment, and the occasion passed. Now Premier Herriot has reached the con- clusion that France should no longer be shamed by the maintenance of a penal colony which is a disgrace to ctvilization. ————————— German statesmen insist on talking about the responsibility for the late war. It might be a patriotic action for the ex-kaiser to speak up and personally assume all the blame. ——————— It would be a slow trip if world flyers were to stop to enjoy all the ovations that would be eagerly pre- pared for them en route if they would say the word. ———————————— Having imitated the downturn of his straw hat brim, the American men of fashion are now on the qui vive to see how the Prince of Wales will wear his Fall fedora. ————————— In describing the third ticket as “hopeless,” John W. Davis neglected to consider a distinguishing tempera- mental trait of both La Follette and ‘Wheeler. ———— ‘When a discussion of international debts is broached, France is found for the moment too busy looking after her bill-collecting staff to permit her to organize a corps of paymasters. ———————— The banished President of Chile says he is traveling incognito. The word has no deception for the mod- ern camera experts. Fire and Police Base Ball. One does not expect firemen and po- licemen to play base ball as well as they direct traffic and put out fires, but it was a very good game which the fire and police nines put up at the stadium Saturday. The police won, and it seems reasonable in some ways that they should. They get more prac- tice in swinging clubs than firemen, and they get more footwork in walk- ing their beats. Firemen ride to and completed now for more than three years, nothing has been done by the national legislature to revise the ratio under the provisions of the Constitu- tion. The apportionment-based on the census of 1910 still governs from work on automobiles. A police- man gets some snappy practice in chasing bootleggers, and this helps him to run bases. In waving traffic to stop and start perhaps he exercises his pitching muscles. { should he live to the end of his term— | sible. sary to climb for a ball @ fireman ought to do it best. If base ball could be played with a line of hose and a fire plug at every base the firemen would win. If some rooters for the firemen would start a blaze at first ‘base, turn in an alarm at second, cry “Fire!” at third and ring a big bel' at the home plate, no police players could throw a fireman out. If Satur- day’s game had been played in smoke the firemen would have won. In a water polo match the odds ought to be on the firemen, but when it comes to clubbing and catching things the bay wreath must be handed to the police. Smith and the Nomination. Democratic politicians in New York are wondering what Gov. Smith has in the back of his mind in his present attitude toward a renomination. He is causing them a good deal of anxiety, fand as the time draws near when a decision must be made there are signs that he is likewise causing them some ! peevishness. If he does not really in- tend to accept a renomination they wish he would say so and let some other good Democrat who would like to have the nomination get his fences in order. Those close to Gov. Smith are quoted as expressing the conviction that he will refuse the nomination in the end. The question arises what he can see of political advantage to himself in a re- nomination unless h aiming for the United States senatership upon the expiration of Senator Wadsworth's term. If he quits now he will be out of touch with politics for two years. If he runs again, and should be de- feated, he will be deader than a door- nail for all time. It must be very flattering to the governor to have his party appeal to him as its only hope of carrying the State ticket and possibility of taking along the national ticket with it, but there are evidences that the governor s playing pretty strongly for his own hand at this juncture and looking out for No. 1. He doubtless does not feel that he is under any particular obligation to the national party after it decided he was not worthy of being its presiden- tial candidate. —————— Alaska can always rely on prevent- ing interest from waning too far by announcing a new gold strike. Her resources are vast and varied, but it the gold that appeals to popular imagination. ————————— As nearly as the statements of va- rious campaigners can be analyzed, | any one of the parties would feel com- paratively safe if it had but one of the other two to beat. ————————— Ttaly has a stock exchange scandal. The effort to do away with such poli- | tics will render Italian finance no less interesting than Italian politics has been. —————— | Defense day does not imply an ex-| pectation of_trouble, but asserts a de- termination,” should unforeseen trou- ble arrive, to make it as short as pos- ——————————— The formality of retirement for Gen. Pershing in his obvious state of | energetic capabllity merely arouses popular curiosity as to what he will do next. —————————— The ninety-nine years for kidnaping mentioned by Judge Caverly, in addi- tion to life sentences, may be re- garded largely as a figure of speech. ———e——————— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Reclprocities. The cares I should not pause to heed ‘With which my life is fraught; The working man, they say, may need My sympathetic thought. I grab a wrench and mash a thumb; My Sunday suit I spoil; My flivver’s ailment won’t succumb To my unskillful toil. The working man can drive a nail Or even paint a roof. His facile arts will never fail, ‘While I must stand aloof Until the price of what I plan ‘Within my reach I see— I half suspect the working man Should sympathize with me. Expansion, “I can remember when two rings were all anybody expected ina circus.” “We're expanding in all directions,” commented Senator Sorghum. “I can remember when two parties were all anybody expected in a campaign.” After Seeing Europe. The masters old we cannot touch. ‘But modern art brings cheer. Their bathing suits are pretty much The same as over here. Jud Tunkins says people can have good ideas without knowing what to do with them. Look at all the things the Chinese claim to have invented. The Real Reason. The Summertime has slipped away, ‘We speak of joys forsaken For toil. Yet—candidly—we may Be in ourselves mistaken. From shore or mountain now we fly. The city's charm grows greater. We'd rather do our loafing by The office radiator. Improvement. “I understand they’'ve got a moon- shine still over at Snake Ridge.” “They have,” answered Cactus Joe. “And we're hopin‘ it'll all work out for the best. If we kin only leave ‘em with that licker on their hands so's they'll have to drink it theirselves to keep it from bein’ wasted there's bound to be a natural decrease of population that'll improve the neigh- borhood quite some.” And So Forth, A winner of a prizering bout Is lifted to ecstatic fame. ‘When later some one knocks him out, ‘We cheer the victor just the same. “Readin’ de Bible,” said Uncle Eben, “ain’ g’ineter do you de good it ought to if it gits you into too THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM BY ERNEST GREENWOOD Secretary of the Conferende on Street and Highway Safety ARTICLE VIL A great many people belleve that even though the statistician, the traflic control expert, the city plan- Ter, the engineer, or any one or all of a dozen other classes of author- itles may find a 100 per cent effective solution of the problem of street and highway safety, it will be time wast- ed unless it can be sold to the pub- lic. Some go so far as to say that it is even a waste of time to try and sell the idea of safety at all to the present hard-boiled generation, and that the only hope lles with the next and its education in the public schools. This may or may not be true, but of one thing I am sure, and that is that any reform must be tolerated and finally de- manded by the public. It this is true, then the final solu- tion of the traflic problem lies in education. Our experts can find out what ought to be done, and can prove that if it is done it will save in- numerable lives, but the public must be educated to that fact. Children must be educated in the elementary grades to think in terms of safety; safety as a part of the curriculum must be continued in the high schools and normal schools; our universities must eventually install courses for the training of traffic experts and traffic engineers; employers must educate their employes; police de- partments must educate their traffic officers: and last, but by no means the least, the public motorist and pedestrian alike, must in some way be educated or induced to practice safety. Although there are on an average of 346 persons a week, which is in round figures 50 a day, killed by motor vehicles, these fatalities seem to have littie or no news value. They have as a matter of fact become commonplace and the editorial atti- tude can best be illustrated by an old, old saying attributed to a num- ber of different great editors. It is: “If a dog bites a man that is not news, but if a man should bite a dog that most certainly would be news."” For exampl a year or so ago an elevated train ran off the track in New York and seven people were killed. The newspapers were filled with the story for days. Some- times it occupied as much as four columns, and whole pages were given over to pictures of the wreck. Dur- ing that same week there was one day when more people were Killed by automoblles in New York than were killed .in the elevated wreck. The account of these fatalities was a mere squib on the back pages of one of the papers. It is the unusual, the uncommon, the abnormal, which makes the front page of the newspaper with a jump head to the inside pakes. An elevated train trying to get down into the| street doesn’t happen every day, or every week, or every month, or even every year. The fact that seven people were killed in an unusual or abnormal accident made news for| several days. Not so with automobile fatalities. * ok ok Xk The fliscouraging fact is that the news editor is right. The automobile aceident or ality is not news. They are happening every day, in every comunity of any size, they are all more or less allke and full ac- counts of them would keep the front pages of our papers looking like a well kept cemetery. In 1910, there were five times as many deaths in Connecticut from typhoid as from motor vehicle accidents, and the automobile fatality in those days was real news. In 1923, the conditions were reversed and there were five times as many deaths from motor accidents as from typhoid. The auto- mobile fatality is now infinitely more commonplace than the death from typhoid. The discovery of a case of small-pox would arouse more in- terest. This makes the education of the general public particularly difficult. The only way it can be reached effec- tively is through the daily press. Editors all over the country have shown their willingness to co-oper- | safety ate heartily with any movement to reduce traffic accidents. Two hun- dred and seventeen important news- papers scattered all over the United IN TODAY’S BY PAUL V. COLLINS Today the American Legion meets in St. Paul at its sixth annual con- ventlon. Some veterans protest against the use of the term “con- vention,” they prefer the name “en- campment.” The distinction may be somewhat invidious—ascribing to “encampment” a carrying on of the spirit of war, while “convention” sug- gests a meeting for conference upon present-day problems of peace, in- clusive of the heritage which peace receives from war. * ok K K The American Legion, with a mem- bership today of 750,000, as reported by its national commander, John R. Quinn, is the largest and most effi- clent organization ever grown out of a great military struggle. Every member has a record of patriotic service within the period between America’s entry into the World War, April 6, 1917, and the armistice, No- vember 11, 1918. There are no “honorary” members. Every legion- aire is a fighter (not & pugnacious brawler), who believes in the spirit expressed by Theodore Roosevelt, who declared in the days of struggle “over there:” “We wish peace, but we wish the peace of justice, the peace of right- oousness. We wish it because we think it is right, and not because we are afraid.” Thll‘r:pirlt is crystallized in the pre- amble to the constitution of the Ameri- can Legion. * ¥ * ¥ The record of the first five years of the American Legion covers its activities not only in developing hospitalization and rehabilitation for the wounded and broken legionaires, but covers all veterans who served their country in the World War. This has been, by far, a greater objective than the securing of 1&gislation giv- ing to surviving veterans “adjusted compensation” in lieu of a pension, though, through political opposition, the latter has been given greater publicity. Within the last year, through the Legion’s national rehabilitation com- mittee and its liaison men, veterans have been aided in overcoming tech- nical difficulties and recovering, under the law, more than $3,500,000, which claims might never have been set- tled if left to the beneficlaries un- uided. e Now that the problems of adjusted compensation, care of the wounded and rehabilitation have been solved, the Legion proposes to emphasize in the coming vears the no less sacred trust of caring for the children of deceased or incapacitated comrades. Comdr. Quinn estimates the present number of these dependent children at 5,000. Legion homes for orphans have been established at Otter Lake, Mich.—cottages and 96 acres for play- grounds—and in Kansas cottages and 400 acres. No soldier's orphan will become homeless while its foster- parent, the American Legion, sur- vives. * % % * In-all American wars the spirit of comradeship has developed organisa- States are not only reporting on, but are studying, the causes of motor ve- hicle fatalities. But all the news- paper space in the world is of no value in any publicity campaign if newspaper readers won't read it. * X X X Education in the public schools s one of the most efféetive means of teaching safety. Not only are the children themselves reached, but they carry the message home. The inter- esting and highly scientific methods which ‘have been adopted to carry| safety in the schools is a story by itself. Much of it is based on the psychological fact that physical acci- dent Is the outstanding tragedy in the mind of a child, and that it is therefore comparatively. easy to cre- ate a state of mind which will make for accident prevention. It is not necessary to introduce it as a sepa- rate subject. Much of the work is be- ing done by interpreting such sub- jects as arithmetic and nature study in terms of safety and accident pre- vention. Schoolboy patrols which ac- tually assist traffic officers in the vi- cinity of schools at certain hours not only act as agencies for accident pre- vention, but impress the children with the idea of danger on the streets. Talks by traffic officers in uniform have proved to be of the greatest interest to school children. Many of the larger engineering schools are introducing optional courses in what might be termed traffic engineering in connection with their regular courses. The time will come when the profession of traflic engineer will be recognized as such and classed with mechanical, civil and other kinds of engineering. The education of employes by em- ployers operating large fleets of motor vehicles such as taxicabs, motor busses and commercial trucks is advancing rapidly and of great importance to the public. The stand- ardized taxicab companles are ex- pending a great deal of time and money in this direction. One com- pany in this city accomplishes habits of safety on the part of its drivers by a_system of financial rewards or penalties. Taxicab drivers are paid A percenfage of the gross receipts of the cab, calculated twice a month. If a driver for this company has an aceident, no matter how trivial, this commission is reduced by 5 per cent, which may make a difference of $12 or $15 in_his semi-monthly pay en- | velope. This is a serious matter if he happens to be a married man, and the company tries to employ only married men Some motor bus com- panies employ only married men with at least one child. x x % % One Chicago transit company spent $60,000 installing a ystem of signal control on the stree with the un- derstanding that the city would re- imburse it if the experiment was a success. It was, and the company was reimbursed. The same thing| was done by a company in Omaha, | Nebr. The drivers of all standardized taxicab companies must go through a thorough course of training before they are intrusted with a cab Owners of large fleets of commer- | cial vehicles are installing schools of and accident prevention, and | checking up their drivers through in- | spectors to see that they profit by these courses and practice safety on the streets. Aside from the humani- tarian motives, accidents mean inef- ficlency, and inefliciency means fi- nancial loss. Even national organiza- tions of employers, such as the Na- tional Retail Dry Goods Association, are making intensive studies of the! whole subject. All of these measures are part of the movement from the standpoint of education. Yolice departments evervwhere are adopting methods for the training of traffic officers in their highly special-| ized kind of work. The police recog- nize the nesd of education in any ac- cident prevention program perhaps better than any one else, for it is the only way in which they can hope to secure the co-operation of the pub- lc, first, in obtaining the necessary laws, and, second, in enforcing them. They will g0 to almost any length to assist in educational work and their assistance has proved to be invalu- able in innumerable instances. (Copyright, 1924, by, Ourrent News Features, ne. SPOTLIGHT upon_the battlefield The Society of the Cincinnati, founded May 10, 1783, by American and French officers of the cantonments of the Continental Army on the Hudson, was the first organization to be formed after the close of the war of the revolution. Thirteen State societies were or- ganized in this country and one in France—the latter under the direct patronage of Louis XVI was dis- persed when the reign of terror came to France in 1793. There was great reverence in literature and art for the classics in the latter part of the eighteenth cen tnry; hence, according to the co stitution of the new organization; “The officers of the American Army having been generally taken from the citizens of America, possess high veneration for the character of that illustrious Roman, Lucius Quintas Cincinnatus, and being resolved to follow his example, by returning to their citizenship, they think they may with propriety denominate themselves “The Society of the Cincinnati’” This oxpression signified the spirit of de- mocracy rather than the tory sug- gestion of founding a new kingdom. In Boston there hangs_a notable portrait of Gen. George Washington, wearing the insignia of the society. He was its first president—one who had left patriotic militarism for the life and duties of a no lesa patriotic civilian citizen. B The second patriotic organization to be formed was the Society of the War of 1812. During the war with England, in which we fought for the right to protect our merchant ships, the British after capturing Washing- ton City, proceeded to attack Balti- more by land and sea. The battle of North Point, near Baltimore, was fought September 12. The following night the British attempted to land in a nearby cove, unaware that it was protected by two batteries. The guns of the batteries and those of Fort McHenry opened fire and within an hour those of the enemy who could get back were out of reach of the guns, and those who could not found a watery grave in the placid ‘waters of the Patapsco, The following morning Francis Scott Key of Georgetown, who had been taken prisoner and was on board a British vessel, looked out upon Fort McHenry. To his great joy he saw the “the flag was gtill there.” Upon his release he wrote our stirring anthem—The Star Spangled Banner. The defenders of Baltimore and Fort McHenry at once formed mill- tary organizations. Later they merged, and as one soclety had a continuous existence under various changes of names, until it united with four other State societies and formed the present national society. * Xk * After the capture of Mexico City, in our war with Mexico, a meeting was held of officers then in the Mex- ican capital; thus was formed the| Aztec Club of 1847, whose member- ship while in Mexico numbered 160 officers. On the day after the assassination of President Li: three United s Army oo mat ia Manor Park Children Need Portable School To the Editor of The Stal The novel sight of a group of chil- dren appealing for a school was wit- nessed before the Board of Education at its meeting Wednesday afternoon. It reminded spectators of the Bible quotation that “a little child shall lead them.” The children were brought before the board by the. Manor Park Citizens’ Association as a part of a demonstration for the loc tion of a portable school in Manor Park on a Government-owned school site, in order to spare the youngsters the necessity of braving the rigors of winter and the dangers of hazardous street traffic to distant schools. Seated two together in the big chairs in the front row, the young- sters won the hearts of the board members. Their introduction to the board caused the members to forget their differences over school problems and recalled to them the days of their school youth. The children were un- afraid, although they appeared out of their element, as they indulged in repressed play, even though in the presence of dignitaries presiding over their school destinies. The children said nothing to the board, except to correct their leader, who erred in giving the grade in school of one of their party. Emo- tions were aroused when the board was told that one of the little fellows who traveled with them to school at the last term would be absent this year, as he had been Kkilled by being struck by an automobile on Ritten- house street on his way home from school June 13 last. The demonstration made a marked impression also on the large number of spectators who crowded the board room, some of whom had to stand. It was the first time that school chil- dren had invaded the board's portals on a mission vitally affecting their welfare. “I have been very much impressed by this presentation,” said a member of the board. “I move that the committee report recommending a portable for Manor Park be adopte: another said. “Second the motion,” said a third. 1t appeared the children had won the day, but like a bolt out of a clear sky their victory was temporarily snatched from their grasping bands by unsympathetic school administra- tars. The question of a portable at Takoma Park, which has a 16-room building, housing 435 Maryland chil- dren last year, and other administra- tive objections were raised by the superintendent of schools and the principal of the division in which the proposed Manor Park portable would be placed. The principal produced a count of 83 pupils based on attendance rolls last June, while Manor Park pro- duced a house-to-house count show- ing 153 pupils as of September 8. Manor Park requested the portable for only the grades from kindergar- ten to third grade, while the pxincipal raised the question of having all eight grades in the portable, which it is proposed shall be located at Fourth and Sheridian streets northwest. It appeared that the school authorities had hardencd their hearts to the mute appeal of the youngsters. Their ob- jections seemed to be inconsistent. In one breath they said if the platoon system should be adopted for Takoma that the portable would be assigned to Manor Park, while in the next breath they averred that for various reasons it would be impracticable to give the portable to Manor Park. Friends of Manor Park on the board saved the day for the youngsters. In- stead of rejecting the committee re- port recommending the portable for Manor Park, the board postponed its further consideration until after con- dering_the platoon system for Ta- koma, which is slated for September 15. The safety of 67 small children of grades from kindergarten to third grade is involved. The youngsters who represented them before the board Wednesday are still hoping that the portable will be available when school opens September 22. The Manor Park parents are Wwill- ing to put up with the inconvenience of the portable for the grades men- tioned in order that their children may be at a school nearer to their homes and somewhat removed from the traffic and other dangers involved. ERNEST H. PULLMAN, President Manor Park Citizens' Asso- ciation. The Knock at the Door. Young doctors, dentists and law- yers used to hang out their shingle and walt half-starved for several years until business came to them. It was a rare professional man who could earn a fairly good living with- ing five years after graduation. This waiting problem is being solved today in a unique way. A young physician, for instance, opens an office in a city. Then he hops a train, scouts around and finds a couple of small towns that have no doctor. He arranges for an office in these communities and posts an- nouncements that he will be on the job a certain day every week. The usual procedure is to practice medi- cine four days a week in the city (with few patients, if any), and de- vote the other two work-days to his small-town practice. The solution of one problem often fs found in solving another problem. The traveling doctor, accordingl. solves his livelihood problem by solv ing the problem of the small com- munity without a medical practitioner. There's a_shortage of country doc tors, for the very simple reason that in many districts there's only enough work to keep a physician busy one day a week. The traveling doctor is on hand for that day only. Traveling dentists also are becom- ing common. There's even an ocC- casional _traveling lawyer, arriving in town for a day a week to get some people out of trouble and others into it. It's a bang-up system, for these traveling professional men are usually young, fresh from university and right up to the minute with the latest in their line. All of which demonstrates that it fsm't necessary to wait for oppor- tunity to knock at the door. You can go out and buttonhole opportunity and escort her to the door. Oppor- tunity is occasionally found. " It's usually made.—Flint Daily Journal e —— delphia and decided to form an or- ganization. On May 3, 1865, the Loyal Legion came into existence. The United States enlisted soldiers and sailors of the Civil War formed several organizations, which on April 6, 1866, merged into one—the Grand Army of the Republic. * K K K The Army and Navy Union, formed in 1883, includes all soldiers and sailors who have fought in any United States war, either in defense of the Union or against Indian or foreign foes. > The veterans of the Spanish and Philippine wars (officers and enlisted men of the Army, Navy or Marines), formed numerous organizations im- mediately after hostilities which later were merged into the United Spanish War Veterans. * * * ¥ Then comes the American Legion, democratic from the first in wiping out all distinction of rank—making Gen. Pershing and the youngest doughboy, or gob, just “buddies,” and uniting 760,000 out of 4,000,008 sol- diers, sailors and marines—probably a greater percentage of the eligibles than was achieved by any previous organization. The Wounded Veter- ans of the World War is another separaté organization. Finally, there are the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which unite as com< rades all who have fought in any for- elgn ' war—Mexican, Cuban, Philip- pines, China and the World War. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN Q. Where will the Army-Navy game be played this fall>—C. H. G. A. It will be played in Baltimore November 29. Q. If the dependent mother of a deceased veteran has married since the son’s death will she receive the bonus?—H. B. A. If a mother of a deceased sol- dier was dependent upon him at the time of his death, it is understood at the present time that she will be entitled to adjusted compensation, even though she has remarried. Q. What is the white cloth tube which hangs from air mail search- light towers?—J. K. A. The Post Office Department says that the white cloth sacks hanging from thé alr mail towers are used to show the direction of the wind. Q. What is the difference between straight gasoline and special gases like those haveing trade names?— J. E. 8. A. The various gasolines referred to probably differ in regard to the proportions of benzol blended with the gasoline. Q. How many dogs would one need for a team to carry a total weight of 225 pounds over unbroken and| drifted roads?—S. A. A. Adventure says that an eight- dog team would be best, although it might be possible to get along with six huskles. It depends upon the master, the dogs and the nature of the work just what would be re- quired. Q. What js A H A. Saccharine {s an intensely sweet substance commercially about 300 times as sweet as cane sugar. It is used in preserves and in foods especially adapted to persons suf- fering from diabetes; but for normal individuals the substitution is unde- sirable, and in some countries the free use of saccharine is prohibited by statute. Q. In the Russo-Japanese War, which nation had the longest range guns?>—F. E. G. A. The guns of the Jananese navy Wwere superior in range to those of the Russian. The Japanese navy practiced at long range from 10,000 to 12,000 yards; generally opened fire on the Russlan ships at 10,000 yards. The Russian army was equipped with a standard fleld gun superior in range to the Arasaka gun used by the.Jap- ancse. It was capable of accuracy at a range of from 2 to 3 miles, while the Japanese were forced to bring their fleld pieces within 2 miles or less to obtain an equal degree of ac- curacy. accharine used for?— Q. How many miles has the Davi: cup traveled since it has been in com- | petition?—S. L. A. According to Sport, the Davis cup was won by the British in 1903 and remained in their possession four years and then went to Australia, where it stayed for another four vears. In 1912 it again passed into the possession of the British Isles and the following year was brought back to the United States. In 1914 it was won by Australia. There were no matches during the period of the war, and in 1919 it was retained by the Australians, returning to the United States when the latter won in 1920, and has remained here ever since. -1t is estimated the distance covered im these journeys is approximately 100,f 000 miles. Q. Why will lightning which strikes barns sometimes cause a fire and s‘;\o_mnumes do little damage?—A. M, A. The Bureau of Standards says that whether an unprotected barn struck by lightning will burn or not seems to be a matter of chance, de- pending upon the path taken by the stroke and whether it is entirely in wood or partly in wood. This also depends largely upon whether the barn contains- chaff and other highly inflammable materials. About three- fourths of the unprotected barns that truck are burned. There is also cory that there is a difference in lightning strokes, that is, that some are more likely to cause fires than others, but this is rather improbable. Q. Please tell briefly how a Presi- dent is elected?—W. A A. Briefly the process is: Candi- dates are nominated by the national party conventions. Electoral dele- gates are nominated to a number equal to the number of Representa- tives of that State in Congress, at the State party conventions. These ele tors are voted for by popular vote November and the successful candi- dates constitute the electoral col- lege. The members of the college cast their votes in the respective States in January succeeding the vember election, and the results are forwarded to the Vice President of the United States, who, acting as President of the ate, opens | counts the votes in the pres | both houses of Congress assembled, declaring the results Q. Do all States require licenses for hunting by people who are tour- ing through?—A. L. T. A. All States require non-residents to obtain hunting licenses. Q. Is it against the law to say that an article has been patented which has not been?—C.P. L. A. The Patent Office says that it is illegal for any one to advertise an article patented which has mnot been granted patent right through the medium of the United States Patent Office. Any one found manufacturing an article so advertised is liable to severe prosecution by the law. Q. Are dogs of the same mates but in different litters called full brothers and sisters>—J. N. A. All such puppies are full broth- ers and sisters, but those of the same {litter are distinguished by being call- | ed litter brothe a litter sisters. | (The Star maintains for the pleasure and profit of its readers an information | service under the directorshin of Fred- | eric J. Haskin. The scope of the burcau | is national and international, and mo | subject is too elementary or too broad | to enlist the persomal attemtion of a | specialist. Address The Star Informa- | tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Direc- | tor, Twenty-first and C streets north- L west) THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE BY FREDERI All of the minute details for the election of a President of the United States ,by the electoral college were not worked out at one sitting. In fact, the statute regulating the cast- ing of the votes, the method of mak ing returns and the tem of count- ing dates only from February 3, 189 The necessity for this law became painfully apparent in 1877 when both Rutherford B. Hayes and Samuel J. Tilden claimed the election, an issue finally decided by the extra constitu- tional _electoral ~commission Dby a strict party vote of eight to seven in favor of Hayes. Following this man- date the two houses of Congress counted 185 votes for Hayes and 184 for Tilden. As the Senate was Re- publican and the House Democratic, no joint assembly could have agreed on the count. When the two houses meet, accord- ing to the present law, the votes of the States are read in alphabetical order. In earlier times the roll of the States was called geographically, New Hampshire being first. Two tellers already have been appointed by the Senate and two by the House. The President of the Senate opens the return from each State and reads it. When it has been so read it is open to objection in writing signed by at least one Senator and one Represent- ative. If such objection is made, no debate is in order, but the Senate re- tires to its own chamber. In each house two hours are permitted for debate, each member being limited to five minutes. 1f the two houses agree in their determination respecting the disputed vote, the concurrent judgment shall stand and the votes be counted ac- cordingly. But if they disagree, then the votes given by that set of elec- tors certified to by the governor of the State are to be counted. As a matter of fact, such disputes have arisen and have yet to be set- tled. In 1857, the electors in Wiscon- sin were prevented from meeting on the appointed day by a terrific snow- storm. They met the next day. When the time came to count the votes— the Wisconsin men had voted for Fremont and Dayton—objection was made. There was a wrangle and the Senate withdrew, debated the ques- tion two whole days, and never did go back to the joint session. But James Buchanan tvas sworn in be cause the Wisconsin vote, whether it was counted or not, did mot affect the result. In 1881 the electors in Georgia made a mistake and met on the wrong day. The Georgia vote, cast for Hancock and English, made no difference in the result. The total was announced as being so many fo Hancock, if Georgia vote be counted, and so many if the Georgia vote be cxcluded, the making of a precedent thus being avoided. e Arkansas Had No Seal. In 1873 the electoral vote of Ar- kansas was rejected by Congress be- cause the returned certificate bore the seal of the secretary of state instead of the great seal the State not having secured one up to that time. There is a grezt dea; of law on the subject of the electors and their votes, but there is not one word in any law to bind the action of an elector in casting his ballot. He may vote for whomsoever he pleases. The risk is his. In 1820, when it was opparent that his action would not affect the result, one Monroe elector changed his_vote for John Quincy Adams, so that George Washington might go down in history as being the only President elected by unani- mous vote. The people are permitted to vote for electors only by the grace of the State Legislatures. If, prior to the Jast election, Gov. Smith had seen fit to call an extra session of the New York Legislature, and if that Leg- islature had enacted a law providing that New York's electors be appoint- ed by the ,surrogate of Schoharie County, that law would have been binding, and the people of the most populous State -in the Union would have haddro vaice in the election of C J. HASKIN. What would have happened to Gov. Smith and the legislature is another not altogether of legal rly days of the republic electors most of the States were appointed by the legislatures. This plan_was unpopular from the first, and State after State gave the people the right to choose their own electors, until in 1328 the only State clinging to this method of legislative ap- pointment was South Carolina, which persisted in that plan until 1560. Since the Civil War the only instance in which legislatures appointed the electors were Florida, in 1365, and Colorado, in 1576. It is interesting just now to recall that in 1796 the legislature of Ten- nessee provided for the appointment of the three electors of that Stata by naming in a statute a number of persons of property who were to select the electors in their respective districts “so that the election might trouble the people as little as pos- sible.” s is quite a contrast from the election in this vear of our Lord! There may be trouble in plenty for péople this November. There are as many members of the electoral college as there are mem- bers of both houses of Congress, 435, plus 96, or 531. To be chosen Presi- dent of the United States a candi- date must receive a majority of the votes in the electoral college which is 266. It is possible, therefore, in the election this fall, that by carry- ing even one single State, La Follette will make it impossible for either Coolidge, the Republican nominee, or Davis, the Democratic standard bear- er, to secure a majority in the elec- toral college. Such a result, of course, depends upon what would be practically a tie between Coolidge and Davis. La Follette Strength Unknown. It is possible, also, that La Follette will carry more States than one or the other of the candidates of the mafor parties, and thue receive more electoral votes than one or the other of them. This happened when Rooscvelt led a third-party movement in 1912. Roose- velt carried six States and received 8% electoral votes, while Taft, the Repub- lican candidate, carried but two States and received only 8 electoral votes Wilson the Democratic nominee, carried all the other States and had 435 of, the 531 votes in the electoral college. Thus it is seen that Roosevelt's run- ning merely had the effect of insuring ‘Wilson's election by an overwhelming majority of electoral votes In the popular vote, Roosevelt also ran second. Wilson became President, althoygh he did not receive a majority of the popu- lar vote. the aggregate of the Roosevelt and Taft vote exceeding Wilson's total. The question is frequently asked as to what States La Follette must carry in order to bring about a deadlock in the electoral college and throw the elec- tion of the President into the House of Representatives. As I have said, he might do this by carrying only one State. His own State of Wisconsin might suffice. It depends entirely upon how evenly Coolidge and Davis are matched in popular strength. It is entirely & matter of guess- work to say what State or States La Follette will or should be able to carry. There is no knowing whether he will develop the'popular following that Roosevelt commanded. Roose- velt undoubtedly was more popular in 1912 than La Follettc was but there is no means of knowing unti the'votes have beén cast whether La Follette is' as popular in 1924 as Roosévelt was in 1912. As to whether La Follette's candi- dacy will hurt Coolidge more than it will Davis, that is also entirely a matter of speculation at thls time. One thing is reasonably certain, the presidential contest this year is fraught with more interesting possi-) bilities than any the country has wit- nessed since most of my readers were born., The result may have'a far- reaching effect upon our political and governmental structure. Our ancient and honored system may hold together, to carry us for- ward in an orderly way, or it may