Evening Star Newspaper, November 20, 1924, Page 6

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D..C. THURSDAY. . . November 20, 1924 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Ofice: 110 Ea St Chicago Office: Tower Bul p<an Office: 16 Regent St.,Londe ‘ngland. < The Evening Star, with the Sunday morning wdition, {u dellvered by carriers within the ®ity at 60 cents per month: daily only, 45 cents per mouth: Sunday only. 20 cents per fhonth. Orders may be sent ail or tele- phone ‘Main 5000. Collection is made by car- Fiers at the end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance, , L Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunday. .1 yr., $8.40; 1 mo,, 70¢ Daily only. 1yr., $6.00; 1 mo., 50c Sunday only. 1yr.,$2.40; 1 mo,, 20¢ All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo., 85¢ Daily only 1yr., $7.00;1mo., 8unday only yr, $3.00;1mo, 25¢ Member of the Associated Press. . The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the nse for republication of all news dis- fatchies credited to it or sot otherwlse eredited o this paper and also the local news pub- 'shed herein. All rights of publication of s9eclal dispatches herein are also reserved Trafic Court a Vital Need. Last Tuesday juries at the Police Court returned verdicts of guilty egainst two defendants charged with €riving motor cars while intoxicated. They will be sentenced Saturday. These were only 2 out of 24 cases of this character awaiting trial. In one case the offerse occurred on the 18th of April and in the other on the 23d of May. Thus, seven months elapsed in one instance and nearly siX in the other between, the com- mission of the offense and the return ot a verdict. Yet these were merely @afic cases. This record of tardiness in the ad- ministration of justice, it would ap- Pear, is not unusual. In fact, it is the normal condition. Owing to the ®ituation at the Police Court, demand for a jury trial is almost equivalent %o the grant of an indefinite con- tinuance, So little time is available for jury trials, 8o small is the bench and so small the appropriation for Jury service that congestion of the @alendar is inevitable. Washington's streets will made until the laws speeding, drunken driving, and other dangerous prac a enforced swiftly and with severe pen- At present the reckless drivers though in th 1l minority, virtual- 1l th All they have to do when accused of an offense which may_be punished by a prison term Is to demand a jury trial and wait in security for months, Meanwhile he chances of successful prosecu diminish. Witnesses may die or leave The circumstances beconie of d and evi- effective when, after long delay, the case tled A traffic court has been 1 urgent need of the District for several years, There is a sort of traffic court at present, being merely a branch of the. Police Court in speclal session. But it limited in time and in facilities for trying cases. It cannot cope with the volume of business Minor offenders who go to court in responsc to summons are put to t inconvenience and of ting whereas cases should be tried and disposed of promptly. The major the ones who most greatly need correction and whose breaches the law are most dangerous to are enabled to escape for a long time and in many instanc: altogether. A traffic be inst collision not fe az es s v law. remcte res dence is not B loss court which has no other function is an imperative need. The whole matter should be laid before Congress immediately after its open- ing, with the recommendation of the Commissioners that a traffic court be created with sufficient facilities to dispose of these S promptly and a jurisdiction which wiil embrace all forms of traffic violations, Of course, there are certain cases which must go to a higher court—those which involve charges of man- slaughter or other penal offenses. The preliminary hearings in them, however, should be speedy and should not be subject to the long delays ‘which are now incident to the trial of traffic cases. The spectacle of the Capital City being unable to punish drunken motor drivers within seven months of the offense is certainly one that should move Congress to action. ———— ‘The Prince of Wales is said to be very fond of the banjo. It is not easy to be sure whether the prince is expressing an intuitive preference or extending a diplomatic compliment to a style of music regarded by many people abroad as distinctly American. ——————— The Continued Bull Market. » There seems to be no end to the bull market in Wall Street. Yesterday it looked for a time as if the tide had turned and the recession had begun. A number of issues that had been made topheavy by recent buying sagged and . Jost many points. But other issues kept on going up, and the net of the day was a buying rather than a selling market. In 561 issues traded in the total of sales was 2,416,761, the great- €88t number in ‘any one day in five years, the greatest but one in eight years. Industrial and railroad stocks appear to be the favorites in these re- cent buying movements, which were inally, and are to some extent slifl, of an investment character. 'fi‘;'peculnflcn. however, has been man- a5t in many of the transactions. P is is no longer strictly a *“‘public” market. The investing public, in €Hort, has apparently turned in most capltal that is now available. The great volume of the trading would aeem to be professional. Bears are . Puying to be prepared to sell short at Bizher figures if the market continues ~to advance. When an ascending scale is protracted it becomes necessary for the bear occasionally to play the part yof a bull If he thinks the turn of ,the market has come, or is close at £ard, he may wait. In a steadily ris- . ing market, however, the bull interest is mainly active. It has but to buy e @ 0 day in order to find its profit in the next day's quotations with a stream of orders. If this is a “manipulated” market, the manipulation has been conducted on an enormous scale and with vast resources. Given organization, it is possible for a dozen interests, with perhaps $50,000,000 in cash or high- grede securities, to push the market up by a series of “‘sales” for several days. But this market has continued to rise with a tremendous volume of tran: actions for over two weeks. Perhaps it was started by manipulators and has kept going on its own momentum. That momentum has been supplied by the rush of the public to invest. There will be heavy losses when the reces- sion comes. It is impossible to know on whom they will fall. There is no reason, however, to expect a recession in that reaction to a point of semi- panic, for conditions are sound and at present intrinsic values have not been in the main exceeded in the price lists. The Right of Resignation. The Board of Education is now considering an amendment of the rules affecting the term of the su- perintendent of schools which chal- lenges interest because of its unusual character, It is proposed to revise the rules so as to eliminate the right of the superintendent to resign on 30 days’ notice. leaving him bound to a three-year service, with the board vested with the power of dismissal. In other words, according te this on, the superintendent can d, but he cannot quit: This is surely an unusual proposal. | In all service, public and private, the right of an incumbent to terminate his service, with due notice, is recog- nized, The only exception that now comes to mind is in the case of pro- fessional base ball players in the organized leagues. They are signed grandmother will tell you that Clara Morris was a great actress, and she ‘was a great actress by the standard of a past time. She made her stage agony real and poignant. It was the height of dramatic ert to draw tears and it was the fashion of audiences to shed them. A change has come, It is likely that most of the old actors in' the old plays which enthralled old audi- ences would bore a modern audience. Perhaps instead of wceping the women of today would laugh. Things are different and we are certainly franker than we were. People went in crowds to a comedy, but were mildly apologetic for patronizing so low @ form of the drama. The high- est theatrical art was in suffering, in ecruelty, oppression and murder. Many persons went to see Fritz Em- mett and Haverly’s Minstrels, but there was less “tone” than in the audiences of Clara Morris as Camille, Miss Moulton or as the Creole woman in *“Article 47.” Clara Morris was born about 1848, and in some sketches her birthplace is given as Cleveland and in others 8 Toronto. She made her debut at Cleveland in 1861 and scored a his- trionic tyiumph at Daly’s Theater, New York, in 1870. Through the 708 and 80s she was one of America’s distinguished actresses. In the 90s she was still popular, but her light as a star was growing less, She retired from the stage and re- appeared, and she left the stage in 1907, after & nervous collapse, lara Morris is Mrs. Frederick C. Harriott. In her letter to the man- ager who proposed a “Clara Morris night” at his theater she wrote: “Think of the years, think how the ranks of my beloved public have been thinned! ber me now. The applause of my old friends would be the sweetest | sound this side of heaven. I should up for specific perfods and cannot quit at their own will, short of being disbarred from employment in “or- | ganized base ball.” Formerly actors | were held under similar contracts, | but now, as a result of their own | organization, they are free to quit in | all but a few isolated upon | giving due notice. | To hold the superintendent of! schools to the full term for which he is elected without the right would be contrary to the ! that has prevailed here. Th ! been but few ry tions in the mid- | dle of the term. Supt. Davidson re-| before his term expired to | i i | to resign | pract have signed accept a higher-paid and more de- sivable post clsewhere. It is now proposed that Supt, Ballou, to apply | the matter to the’ diate situa- | tion, “should not have the same right | of transfer to take advantage of an | opportunity This surely be inequitable. i No matter what the relations be- | tween superintendent and board may in detajl, the e tive head of | the schools should have an equal| right (f severance. The proposed | amendment to the rules would make it impossible for him to resign if the | relations became intclerable as a| means of maintaining his own self- respect, The board could dismiss | himy and thereby lay him under ac-| cusation of incompetence or unsuita- | bility, which would miftate umflnsti him in his professional ca o its e imn seems tof be ct, and a contract | The Constitution | recognizes the | sence a cont must be equitable of the United St right of resignation. Even the Presi-| dent can’ resizn. Provision to that effect runs along with provision for impeachment and dismissal from office. Assuredly, if the Chief Execu- tive of the country can of his own volition terminate his office, the su- perintendent of schools of the District of Columbia can do so. This is, of course, merely an aca. demic question, for there is no indi- cation, despite asperities which are of a passing nature. of the develop- ment of an unpleasant relationship between the superintendent of schools | and the Board of Education sufficient to bring this matter to the point of practical application. Supt. Ballou is serving the schools ably and ef- ficiently. He has recently been elect- ed for a new term of three years and the expectation of the community is that he will serve out that term at least with no disturbance and with no invocation of the power of the board to dismiss or his own right to resign, ;e ——————— The report has gone forth that prison life is beginning to injure the health of one of the murderers of Bobby Franks. This is chapter one of a familiar story whose conclusion is often the release of a convict with- out serious protest from a sympa- thetic public. ——————— Reckless driving is responsible for so many deaths that there can’ be no hesitation in condemning a man who adds to the auto's lethal record by deliberately using it as a means of homicide. ————— China has the candor to go ehead with her fighting without making any pretense of desiring an absolute and universal peace. Clara Morris. Clara Morris has written from her home, a cottage in Tuckahoe, West- chester County, N. Y. near New York City, to the manager of the Fifth Avenue Theater, that because of years and rheumatism she cannot take part in a ‘“Clara Morris night” at that theater. That Clarae Morris is on earth will be news, and happy news, to a great many men and women whose hair is gray. What memories her name rbvives! Years ago—60 years ago, 50 years ago, 40 years ago—she was one of the great stage characters and hers was a name and personality which drew tens of thousands of peo- ple to the theater, She was “the great emotional actress.” In the early 70s she was “the young emo- tional actress. ‘Women went to see her that they might weep. They shed sad but delicious tears over the, sufferings of the heroine. It was said that Sarah Bernhardt said on hearing Clara Morris: *“This woman 18 not acting; she is suffering.” . ‘Young lady with bobbed hair, your | templates T. { tion to office for a term is in| love to hear {it, but I have been otitside of my house only four times in eight years—rheumatism. I could ! be shouldered like a bag of cats or rolled in on a roller chair, but pride forbids, so let me thank you with all my heart for your graclous thought of me.” —————t———— e fact that Col. W. J. Bryan con- an autobiography indicate his belief that there points concerning his history and his opinions about which the public is still uninformed. e Statisticians report so much proes- perity in sight that it is difficult to se how any nation or group of poli- ticians could serfously contemplate spoiling it with a war, - - The New York stock market is reporting, by means of the ticker, the lengest period of general rejolcing that has followed a presidential elec- tion in some time. et A touch of gout reminds York's able oratorical governor that with all its annoyance it leaves him reason to be thankful it was not laryngitis, e It might help the situation if land- lords would organize to persuade the Government to pay wages permitting tenants to meet rent increases. e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Thoughts. The sage may have a wondrous thought. Nobody cares. An inspiration he has caught Quite unawares. The public loves & mighty fuss, 1t even likes to hear folks cuss. But for the thought—'twas ever thus— Nobody cares. o For thoughts, when they are yours alone, Nobody cares. i To do some thinking of his own Each man prepares. Until a thought has trickled through ‘The mass, no action you will view. While it belongs to just a few Nobody cares. In True Friendship, “What would you do if somebody were to suggest backing you as the founder of a third party?” “If it was a friend who wanted to get rid of his money,” replied Senator Sorghum, “I'd say °‘Go and buy oil stocks, You'll have just as good a chance of winning out with less pub- licity and frritation May Be Needed. Be kind to a party, although it gets beat. Don’t make it go out of commis- sion. In order to make an election com- plete, 2 There must be some slight opposi- tlon, Jud Tunkins says nobody ought to cast pearls before swine. Even if you don't care for the pearls, there's no sense in risking the health of a valuable pig. 3 Condimental Reflections. ‘When some one murmurs “Pass the ol b Indignantly my blood doth boll. Whene'er the sugar I behold My ire can scarcely be controlled. Thus, even in the festal scene, Our sad suspicions intervene. Some things at least suggest no fault. Thanks for the sugar end the ealt. Municipal Requirements. “This bootleg licker is goin’ to com- pel us to put up & new building in Crimson Gulc! “How soon?” “Just as quick as we can decide whether to make it a jail or & hos- pital.” Achlevement. The flivverist applause doth win From all his children and his wife. He got down town an’ home ag’in ‘Without the slightest loss of life. “Accompiishments may be danger- ous,” said Uncle Eben, “If an owl could talk he wouldn't have any mo’ rerutation foh wisdom den a parrot.” There are few who remem- | would ' are | New | By CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Our cat, Jack Spratt, was my con- stant companion during a recent ill- ness. Curled up at the foot of the bed, Jack dreamed away the hours in an oblivion that was not vouch- safed his master. Now, cats are llke human belngs— each one has some “ruling passion,” as Pope put it. One does not have to be around Jack very long to find out that his one great alm in life is to eat. In 10 minutes he can consume enough beefsteak tp lull him to pleasant dreams for another 24 hours. His Mecca I8 the refrigerator, his ambition to hold more meat than any other feline, his Paradise a butcher shop. In other words, perfect hog. Looking down at this fat creature, the idea suddenly came: “Why not teach him to talk!" He can almost do it now. Such a succession of liquld vowel sounds as he can emit when hungry surely furnishes the groundwork for such an experiment. All that would be necessary, I thoughit, would be to find some method of making him under- stand what was afoot. There was the rub, of course. - * ok ok K The calm November sun shone through the window, which framed a perfect picture of an Autumn land- scape. Outside in the far distance the cries of children at play mingled pleasantly with the swish of fall leaves, fluttering upon branches that all. ack, old fellow,” T said, “I wish I could teach vou to talk The cat lifted his head, gave great yawn and then—winked green Tight eye. It was such palpable wink there was no mistak- | Ing it. Jack had certalnly given me the wink. But then something happaned that would have knocked me clear off my feet had I been upon them. “Hello, Mister,” sald the cat. Jack Spratt is a h | actly get over the shock of it. That volce came clear and high—a feline treble that reminded one of piping voice of a child heard dimly yet clearly across a great open space in the woods. There was sunshine there, and the echoes of forgotten things, m eries that mah knew when Pan was a lad, but which he has lost these . repeated Jack. Ja 1 replied, in a voice shook a bit. “Lord, can you Hello, which talk Sure, T can talk,” shrilled Spratt, lolling out his red tongue. “I don't dften do it, though. I have too much shoot off my mouth all the seem to be well acquainted with modern slang.” I murmured. “Modern slang is what I ain't got anything else but, retorted Jack, proceeding to wash his face with vigor, You read then?" I asked “Oh, ves, I am quite fond of the Saturday Evening Post,” he answered, | his toilet completed for the nonce. “Such nice ads, and all that. | ever buy an automobile I will know just what one to get.” “You would look pretty at the | wheel of a car now, wouldn't you?” “That would increase the Octavus Roy Cohen, | T moaned. Stanley Baldwin, Britaln's new Conservative premier, has correctly interpreted the will of the electorate as expressed in England’s recent elec- tion, in the opinion of many Amer- fcan editors. The fact that he has avolded the reactionary forces of his own party in the selection of his cabinet ministers, these writers be- lieve, indicates that England will now be governed by the progressive element in the Conservative party. As the New York Evening Post sees it: “The first fruits of the Conserv tive victory in_Great Britain show fair promise. Prime Minister Bald- win's cabinet appointments indicate that he has neither misinterpreted the mandate the Conservative party has received from the country nor ignored the problems with which the new government will be confronted.” The Indianapolis News declares “the new cabinet undoubtedly reflects the temper of the people as manifested in the recent election and vet is not hide-bound. The prime minister is 1ooking to the future, rather than to the past. And it may be that his government will prove to be soundly Conservative—as against Soclalism— and yet sanely progressive.” “Essentially, it is a coalition gov- efnment except in name,” the Newark News points out, and adds: “Impor- tant portfolios have been given to the Liberal element in the old Liloyd George coalition. Austen Chamber- laln, Winston Churchill and Lord Birkenhead, all anathema in the eyes of the Tory die-hards, are in the foreign office, the exchequer and the India office. The only difference is that they are now listed officielly as Torles.” The new cabinet is surpris- ing for its liberal complexion, in the opinion of the Baltimore Sun, which adds: “Mere wealth and privilege have no part In it. Neither has prejudice of the ‘die-hard’ school. Premier Baldwin has surrounded himself with men rep- resenting the purely aristocratic, highly treined and relatively impar- tial elements of Conservatism and in 8o doing he has intrenched Conserva- tive rule much more permanently than by having merely an overwhelming parliamentary majority.” Proof of his break with the die-hards, in the opin- ion of the Buffalo News, “is offered in the appointment of Winston Churchill to the highly important post of chan- cellor of the exchequer, and Baldwin, by including Churchill ‘and Lord Birkenhead in his cabinet, was signal- ing a complete healing of the breach with the coalitionists who had served under Lloyd Georg * x x x The Louisville Courier-Journal say: “The outstanding thing about the cabinet is that about which the die- hards are protesting. The government is not a close corporation and will not shape its course along ultra-Conserva- tive lines. Stanley Baldwin has placed patriotism above politics and there is to be no kind of spolils system in Eng- land.” The Baldwin ministry, accord- ing to the Cincinnatl Times-Star, “reveals political initlative and imagi- nation. There may have been much grumbling in the Carlton Club, but Mr. Baldwin has succeeded in liber- alizing Conservatism. And, after all, in Great Britaln or in the United States {t is well to realize that dry- rot does not conserve. As the Boston Transcript sees it, “In addition to the fact that it recog- nizes the actual turn of political events, and that, with the presence of Mr. Churchill in the exchequer, it as- sures the abandonment of the protec- tionist experiment which wrecked Mr. Baldwin's 'previous ministry this cabinet must be considered a fairly strong working organization. The personnel of the new ministry the Springfield Republican considers “the more important, because, unlike its ors since the end of the war- time coalition, it will be able to carry To my last day I will never ex-| the | 1f 1 | | .| M. traffic problem in Washington,” with a strong accent on “would.” “I have been thinking a car would come in handy to hunt mice,” breath- ed Jack, his eyes glistening. “Say, by the way, Mister, you look funn: “What's funny about me?” “You've got only a head—where is the rest of you?” “Why, the re these covers. my toes.” The cat eyed the twitching bed clothes. He darted out a paw and started to play, then drew back. “Don’t do that, Mister!” he pro- tested. “Remember, I'm still a cat." “All right, Jack, 1d, reaching out to pat him. “You see, I am all h 2 of me is here under See, watch me wiggle Yes, but what's the matter with you? 1 always knew you were some- what lazy, but not as bad as this— why, you haven't stirred for 5 days. 'm sick, old man.’ “Sick—what's that?” Were you never sick “Nope." What—don't you remember how ou felt last Memorial day, after you ad eaten too much fish? Jack Spratt pricked up both ears. “Gosh, 50 that was being sick, was it? I certainly do remember." ‘And do you remember how you lay in your basket in the basement and would not come out?” “Yes, and that was mighty nice of you, Mister, to come down and pet me now and then. I won't forget it.” “Why, Jack, they say you birds are absolutely unappreciative, that all you want is a good home and plenty of grub.” “Yes, they say a lot of things, Mister,’ piped Spratt. “They sald that Mr. Cool- idge was too silent, und they said that La Follette would do such wonders, nd they =aid that the election would be thrown into Congress—" “Jack,” I broke in, “tell me about some of your night prowlings. It al- ways seemed to me & cat would be full of reminiscences. “Reminiscences? re they he parried. “What " 1 replied. 1" gloated Jack. “Yes, it al- waye did seem to me you humans look very funny without tails.” “How {s that, Jack “Why, you look—ah—not sufficiently unter balanced, as it were.” What would I do with a tail, for heaven's sake?" You could put a buckle on it and p it around your waist for a belt.” nd the ies ¥ could wear theirs bobbed.” hen they would be Manx cats.” Lot of your tribe call them that now, Mister, only they leave the geographicai designation off, I belicve.” Jack.” T eald, changing the subject. You are from ancther world than ours, in a sense. What do you hold the great good, the one and undoubted felicity > rub,” replied Jack, gu 5 true goods of life are thre rank in the following order: 1, meat; 2, fish: 3, cream. T hope I have made it plain.” ‘And are there no others?” one, unless you mean another help- replied Jack. “Well, Mister, we ha had quite a talk. I'm getting quite sleepy. The occult laws, you kno Maybe you had better go to slecp, too.” So 1 ciosed my eyes, and when I opened them again Jack Spratt was g away as usual me, did you really talk to me, or did 1 only dream it?" 1 asked. But Jack Spratt did not answer this tim o~ Tory Cabinet Progressive, Is American Editors’ View into effect by the support rity in both Houses of Par- Hament. The return of Baldwin un- der these conditions, the Lincoln Star declares, “augurs much for Britain, because he has the capacity to do great things for his country, and, cer- taln of support to put through his program, he, no doubt, will strike out boldly.” * * X X The Chicago Daily News msays: “Taken as a whole it is a strong cabl- net. How it will get on with the Frenéh is an interesting and impor- tant question. Stanley Baldwin ne- gotlated the terms on which Great Britain is to pay fts war debt to the United States. It is his belief that the one way to settle war debts is to pay them. Doubtless that suggestion will be advanced at the coming meet- ing of the allies in Paris. It will hardly be welcome to the French, who have demanded debt concessions with a persistence that at times has had the unpleasant look of a willingness to repudiate.” . The St. Paul Dispatch thinks “Americans can share in the satisfac- tion which must be felt throughout Great Britain in the personnel of the new government which Stanley Bald- win brings with him into power. All sections of the Tory party are not uniformly friendly in spirlt toward the United States, but every post in Mr. Baldwin's cabinet fs filled by a man whose efforts to promote and maintain the active co-operation of the two governments can be absolute- 1y relied upon.” Its course, the Brook- lyn Eagle feels, “will bo watched with Interest far beyond the bounds of the British Empire, and nowhere with greater Interest thian in this country.” The Fagle adde, “In his former period of power Mr. Baldwin gave ample proof of a desire to culti- vate good relations with the United States, and we may be assured that that will be one of the main objec- tives of the British, foreign policy un- der his new administration.” Writer Says Clothing Given Free to Needy To the Editor of The Star: A letter to last Saturday's Star deplores the fact that worn clothing given to needy children must always be paid for by their parents and sug- gests that it be distributed free of charge by the teachers. For the past few years the District Parent-Teacher Association has main- ‘ained a room In the Appeals build- Ing at 426 Fifth street northwest where clothing has been gathered and mended by volunteers from the var- lous Parent-Teacher organizations. This clothing hae been passed out without charge to many needy moth- ers. Whole families of children have been supplied with clean, mended ap- parel. The object of this work is to keep in school children who stay at home through lack of proper clothes. The principal, teachers, nurse or pro- batlon officer recommend the children who need clothing. Mrs. Harriet M. Fraser has had charge of this work for the past two years. She has been a tireless worker serving at the room practically every day. On one day she gave out a hundred garments. This is written to torrect the im- pression of the writer of that letter that needy parents are always chai ed for made-over clothing and to pay tribute to the unselfish devotion of Mrs. Fraser. It would be impossible to set aside a room in any school your correspondent suggested for such purpose. Every room in every building is needed for teaching pur- Pposes. / MRS. LENA CONWAY DENTON. The North Window BY LEILA MECHLIN breakfast given at Rauscher's last Saturday President Lewis of George Washington Uni- versity called attention to the im- portance of not only placing pic- tures, fine reproductions of master- pieces of painting, in but making these rooms sufficiently fine in themselves to create an art- tistic environment, which would permanently influence the students’ lives. Something has been done in this city along these lines by the Public School Art League, following tthe lead of the School Art League of New York and the Public School At Soclety of Chicago. The last named society has lately been rich- 1y rewarded for its efforts by a de- clslon of the Board ot Education to provide in every new school here- after erected a space for a plcture In every foom and to set aside one small room In each bullding as a little art museum for the pupils. This action crowns 30 years of ef- fort on the part 6f the Public School Art Society of Chicago. The little museums are to be provided with temporary exhibits by ‘the Chicago Art Institute and local assoclations. So inspiring is this action that the Board of Directors of the American Federation of Arts at a recent meet- ing determined to send notifica- tion of the school authorities throughout the United States, urg- ing at the same time that the ex- ample of the Chicago Board of Edu- cation be widely followed. This na- tlonal organization is putting forth & special effort at this time throug its chapters in different parts of the country to secure this end—a work of art in every schoolroom in the land. It is this intimate acquaint- ance with art during childhood which creates that love of art in the hearts of ,the people that in turn produces an’ art-loving nation. * ¥ x * The French Ambassador, in his notable address at the artists' break- fast, told of how in France the judg- ment of the people was sought and followed in matters of public art. The reason that this can be safely done is because the people of France —generation after generation—have not only been taught to love art and reverence it, but have been brought in daily contact with works by the masters—works of supreme beauty and merit. It Is contact with art alone that calls forth love and leads to genuine appreciation. This con- tact may be had through the medium of the art museum, which is rightly a treasure house, conserving as weil as preserving, for the usc of all, supreme examples. To be most ef- fective, however, it must be found also in the things around us—our city streets, our public buildings, our churches, our homes—most of all per- haps the last and in the things there- in with which we are surrounded. * % % % A There is evidently throughout our land a general awakening concern- ing the value of art to the people. New art museums are springing up; there is great demand for travelng exhibitionx. The American Federation of Arts, which 15 years ago demon- strated the feasibility of the circulat- ing exhibit, has no iess than 40 col- lections on the road this year, and as many more, perhaps, are sent out by other organizations At the recent annual meeting of the Recreation Congress in Atlantic City an entire session was glven to a con- sideration of art As a means of recrea- tion. At that congress Joseph Lee, president of the Playground and Rec- reation Association of America, called attention to the power of art to stir emotion and upbuild character. “There 1s a magic in certain shapes and cer- tain sounds,” he said, “a magic that does things to us, we don’t know why, but when we come to recognize it we become alive.” One of the striking evidences of a better. appreciation of the significance of art at this time here in America is a closer association of the arts, a breaking down of the boundaries which for some years geemed almost impassable. The craftsmen, the in- dustrial designers, the painters and sculptors are today working jn close association, and not only these, but the musicians and the writers. * K ok x An interesting plece of co-opera- tion between artists and musiolans which has lately come to attention Is the painting by the faculty and stu- dents of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art of a drop-curtain for the Philadelphta Orchestra, to be used in Philadelphia at the concerts given there at the Academy of Music. This curtain was designed by Huger Elliott, principal of the school, and has been described as being simllar to the scenes that Bakst has done for the Russian operas, with a hint of the riotous splendors of “L'Africaine,” of the follage of “Lakme.” Mr. Elliott him- self has styled the general scheme ‘a vibration of orange, violet an green, in fluttering broken color. When it was determined that a new background for the orchestra should be painted several well known artlists submitted sketches of designs, but none answered Mr. Stokowski's re- quirements, which were for a curtain interpreting in a measure, through color, musical sounds; not insistently, but in such wise as to accord with the orchestra’s performances— in other words, a curtain which would create a sympathetic environment for muslc. That all art is aided or injured by environment is something which com- paratively few seem to understand. No work of art 1s complete in itself— an isolated unit. The greatest master- plece of painting will lose by being imporperly shown. The most glorfous musical composition must lack some of its charm if heard in hideous sur- roundings. Unfortunately, some of the best music that we have the privi- lege of listening to In tals city has to contend with most inartistic setting. The Freer Gallery, with its beauti- fully arranged exhibits, {s a constant reminder, as well as example, of the way in which works of art should be shown, and the chamber music concerts given in its well propor- tioned, finely designed little audi- torium last Spring were the more lovely because of the artistioc setting provided. Art is not a thing apart, but rather the golden thread which. according to the iIntention of the Great Designer, runs from end to end of the tapestry of life. * ok ok ¥ In all this discussion of art and its appreciation the artist, the pro- ducer, should not be forgotten, for, after all, without him we would have no art. Horatio Parker, the American composer, said at a dinner given in Washington some years ago that in the matter of music and the musician it was a little difficult to know which began the game—an appreciative pub- lic which demanded and encouraged the best production, or the musician, through whose genius great art was born. But after all, it does not mat- ter, for the one is as essential ag the other, and the two go hand in hand. Certain it is, however, that we will never have a great art in America until we come to recognize the worth of what our own artists produce. In the same way Washington will never be an art center until art s created here in our midst. We may have the most beautiful city in the world, the finest museums, every evi- dence of art, but unle we create art ourselves we will not be an art center. To encourage production we must, provide two things—suitable working conditions and a market. The great artists of the past have all produced in response to demand, and it is_only in response to demand that gredt art is brought forth. Ex- hibitions of current work which are merely viewed and mnot purchased ‘ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN Q. Is a President officlally noti- fled of his election?—C. A. B. A. The White House says that a President-elect is not officially noti- fled of his election Q. Who was the zuthor who read one of his poems at the dedication of the Linooln Memorial?—C. B. A It was Edwin Marsham. Q. How many pieces of mail reach the dead letter office?—A. M. G. A. It receives about 16,500,000 dead letters and parcels a year, and 9,000,- 000 post cards and postals. The loss to the general public through the carless directing of such matter is about one-half a million dollars an- nually. No letters or packages are sent to the dead letter office until they have been given a directory service at the post office to which they are addressed, and all available methods to locate the addresses have been exhausted. Q. Are there many bazaars Tehcran, Persla?—W. B. T. A. There are approximately 2§ miles of bazaars in the Persian capital. . in Q. Can you tell me the number of the rallway cgr in which the Armis- tice was signed?—S. A. R. A. Car number 2419D was the one to which you refer. Negotiations were conducted in the woods near Rethonde Station. Q. What do Georglans call them- selves?—C. W. A. The Georgians Grusinians) call themselves Karth- vell. The name “Georglan” is ap- plied because the people so call live in Georgia. This word is used in Europe except by the Russians, who call this section of the world Grusia. (also _called Q. Why did the Scotch people adopt plaids for thelr dress?—A. M. A. Authorities who have studied the subject carefully are of the opinion that the use of the tartan or plald in the Scottish Highlands seems to have been beyond the reach of history. The plaid is a develop- ment of the check, which Is a very anclent pattern and was especlally popular In ancient Egypt as a motive of decoration. The check and its later adaptation became popular with a great many of the ancient races of Europe, notably the Celts. The Scotch Highlanders are a remnant of the Celtic race, and to these early people color in dress was an Im- portant element. The higher their rank the greater the variety of col- ors permitted them. As far back as 390 B. C. Livy and Virgil state that “these strangers” (referring to the Celts). “appeared In flaming tartan garb.” One writer on the subject is of the opinion that the plald may be indirectly connected with Joseph's coat of many colors. Q. What artificial porcelain sur- vives the attempt to imitate Chinese porcelain?—C. B. A. The English bone china is the only artificial porcelain that sur- vives. Q. What is meant by the glacial period?—C. E. G. A. The glacial age or period is a divislon of geological time compris- ing the earliest part of the quarter- nary period. At this time the tem- perature was essentially arctic, and within the continental areas enor- mous glaclers and sheets of ice then formed, advanced southward, filling the rivers and lake basins, covering the.mountains and burving the low- lands beneath a vast sea of ice. Q. Is granite always gray col- ored?—A. L. M. A. Granite is usually some shade of gray but pink and red are not uncommon colors. Q. What is the largest city in the West Indles?—C. G. A. Havana, the capital of Cuba, is the largest city in the West Indies. Q. Is marrow digestible?—J. A. A. Bone marrow is an easily di- gested and wholesome form of fat, which Rar long been used for food The marrvw~ of the young animals, such as 1 alf and lamb, is sup- posed to cAnt#iu more tissue-building elements toan the marrow of matare animals. 5 Q. When should hydrangeas be planted and what are some of the best varieties?—M. W. A. The Bureau of Plant Industry says that in Washington hydrangeas should be planted cither in the Fall or in the Spring. The Japanese hydran- geas will probably be best. The following varieties are suggested: Otaska (different shades, ranging from pink to hlue), Remulus plctus and Thomas Hogg (white). For hardy hydangeas one might select Hydrangea pernicula grandifiora, chich has changeable blooms, and the rangeas _arborescens sterilus This is suitable for shady places. Q. Has the husband of Princess Mary a seat in the Honse of Lords?- L. G. D. A. The Viscount Lascelles, husband of Princess Mary, has no seat in the House of Lords. He is the son of the Earl of Harewood, whose title and seat he will inherit Q. What makes the walls over radiator get so dirty?—G. J. N. A. The Bureau of Mines says that the walls and cefling above radiators hecome dark because the air heated by the radiators rises, carrving the dust and dirt in 2 room with it. This irculation of air cannot be prevent- ed, but radiator shields will prevent |the walls and ceiling from becoming |dark send me a copy of the test which Thomas Idison gave his employes.—E. D. A. Thomas Edlson’s secretary say that a copy of the Edison question [naire has never left the office, there- fore the questions published In vari- ous newspapers as questions given by Mr. Edison to new employes can not be an exact copy of Edison's ques- tionnaire. Q. Please Q. When was the Mona Lisa paint- ed?—E. L. A. The portrait of Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the early part of the sixteenth century. It is probably the most celebrated portrait in the world. The subject was the wife of a Florentine, Fran cesco del Giconda. Q. How does the enrollment in col- leges now compare with that righ after the war?—R. E. A. In 1918 there were 375,359 stu dents in preparatory schools and col in 1920, 521,754, and in 1922 war memorial to libra recently been unveiled taining the names of librarians i1 the British army who fell in the World War, has just been unveiled in the British Museum, London. Q Who is the poet who writes under the initlals “H. D.”?—H. D. F A. “H. D is Hilda Doolittle, native of Bethlehem, Pa. Q. What material was used in mak- ing _shoes worn by colonial children: —W. C. A. A woolen cloth called russel, of close-grained twill, was commonly used for children’s and ' women's shoes. The material was very durable. Q. Was Councll Blufts, Towa. named for a “council”?—M. D. A. In 1804 on the site of Fort Cal- houn, Lewis and Clark conferred witi the Indians. From this council th: site was called Councii Bluffs. (If you have a question you want ai- swered send it to The Star Informatio Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director Twenty-first and C streets northwest The only charge for this service is . cents in stamps for return postage.) WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC These are busy days at the United States Supreme Court. There is an uncommonly full docket and an un- usually large number of important cases. Washington is crammed with lawyers from all parts of the country, here to argue before the world’s most dignified tribunal. Everybody notes the benevolently genial manner in which Chief Justice Taft presides. No matter how solemnly the bench troops to its places at the opening -of court—America has no ceremony or tradition carried out Wwith such stateliness—Taft radiates a note of good cheer, now and then manifested by an expansive smile. Young law- yers facing the arbiters of the Con- stitution for the first time find a caress even in the Chief Justice's voice. It seems to say to them, “Now, den’t you be frightened by the stern mien and learned words of these emi- nent gentlemen to my right and left. All is well.” Mr. Taft's avowed am- bition is to “humanize” the Supreme Court. * kK X Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler tells a characteristic story of Senater Borah's penchant for doing the right thing. Butler had come to Washington for an important debate in the Senate and brought his wife and daughter with him. The party was especially anxious to hear Borah speak, but the Idahoan received the floor earlier than expected, and the New Yorkers missed him. Later on the Butlers passed Borah in the lobby and pressed their disappointment. back in the gallery in an hour.” the Senator sald. The visitors resumed their places, and at the appointed moment Borah asked for the floor again, Informing the Senate he had some afterthoughts he wanted to ex- pound, and then proceeded to deliver a masterly little speech of 10 min- utes. * ok ok % Over in MacPherson Square, near the Veterans' Bureau, the University Club and massive new office build- ings, 1s where the last of the horse- cab mohicans are making their. final stand. Every day half a dozen open- faced four-wheelers, with darkeys of the Civil War vintage on the box, await fares from people who prefer their style of locomotion to the snort- ing taxis of the era. One of the Old Guard tells this observer that the most regular customers are venerable dames from Virginia, who, on their periodical visits to Washington, in- varlably seek out the horse-drawn phaatons and ride in them by the bour. A more modern devotee of the brougham of tradition is Mrs, L. A. Jaffray, housekeeper at the White House. Mrs. Jaffray, a Canadian lady who has been at the Executive Man- sion since Taft days, resolutely ichews an automobile and uses. a rriage and pair. * ok ok ¥ Senator-clect Rice W. Means of Colorado, just chosen for the short term from the Centénnial State. has give no incentive to production. Com- missions stimulate effort. We should never today have had the great mural paintings of which we are most proud in this country if the World’s Fair in Chicago had not offered olr artists ‘t'ho opportunity of proving their abil- y. WILLIAM WILE risen steadily in political stature de spite the nickname invented by hi foes—“Puffed Rice” Means. M Means, though a Republican, is city attorney by appointment of th Democratic major of Denver, Benja- min F. Stapleton. Thereby hangs romantic tale. Means and Stapletor were buddies in a Colorado regimen in the Philippines. On the occasion of a sanguinary engagement in Mindanao they managed to save their ilives under circumstances that re- sulted in the swearing of a pact of undying loyalty—a sort of Damon and Pythias arrangement—which has been kept to this day. Wnen Stapleton became mayor of Denver ae made Means commissioner of public safety, and last year promoted him to the city attorneyship. In Means' Re- publican senatorial fight this vear, the Democratic mayor of Denver wis faithfully at his back. Means was recommended for the medal of honor for bravery in the Philippines. He also achleved a fine fighting record in France in 1918. ETE * President Bradfute of the Ameri can Farm Bureau Federation has written a letter to President Cool- idge telling him that the farmers hope he won't be in a hurry to ap- point a successor to Secretary Wal- lace. Mr. Bradfute approves of the President's reported intention of keeping Governor-elect Gore of West Virginia in the acting secretaryship of agriculture until March 4, 1925 ‘Such & oourse,” says Bradfute. ‘would give the farmers of the country an opportunity more thor- oughly to canvass the fleld for available candidates” The name of the candidates, incidentally, con- tinues to be legion. Three of the latest entries In the free-for-all are Charles E. Hearst of Iowa, president of the lowa Farm Bureau Feder: tion; Frank Evans of Utah and Charles Hill of Wisconsin. * Xk % “Silent Cal” intends to live up to his nickname and his reputation .by keeping to himself the high spots of his forthcoming message to Con- ETess. Newspaper correspondents are ‘informed at the White House that Mr. Coolidge considers that Congress, not the public or the press, has the first right to know his mind on the state of the country and his plans for improving it. The Presi- dent may break with the Wilson- Harding tradition, which he himse thus far has emulated, and send the impending message to Capitol Hill tos be read, instead of delivering it himself. x % k¥ Valentine Williams, brilliant youns English novelist who is coming to be known as the new Conan Doyle, i drinking in the artistic and archi- tectural beauties of the Capital for the first time. He finds the Lincoln Memorial, the National Museum and the Freer Gallery adornments of which the most famous citles of the Old World might well be proud. As Williams was _surveying _Daniel French’s statue of Lincoln and glanc- ing at the chiselled version of the Gettysburg address on the massive wall® of the American Pantheon, he remarked that the fame of that bit ofy English had, in Europe, entirely obliterated the importance of the de- cisive battle which it immortalized. (Copyright, 1924.)