Evening Star Newspaper, January 1, 1925, Page 6

g, THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY... .January 1, 192! THEODORE W. NOYES. . . .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Peansylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Bullding. Europeaa Office : 16 Regent St.,London, England. The Evening Star, with the Sund ®dition, s delivered by earriers €ity at 80 cents per month: dally only, 43 cents per month; Sunday only, 20 cents per month. Orders may be sent by mail or tele- - phone Main 5000. Collection Ix miade by ear- Flers at the end of ‘month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance, Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunday. .1 yr., $5.40; 1 mo., 70c Dally only........1yr, §6.00: 1 mo, 50¢ Sunday only. 1yr., $2.40; 1 mo,, 20¢ morning within t All Other States. Dafly and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo., b5¢ Datly only.......1yr, $7.00;1mo, 60c Sunday only .1yr, $3.00;1mo, 26¢ Member of the Associated Press. The Associnted Press s exclusively entitled to the ‘use for republication of all news dis. patchies credited to it or not otherwise eredited In_thfs paper and also the local news pub- lished nerein. Al rights of publication of speclal disputches lerein are also reserved. The Government and Science. In greeting the convention of the ocia- tion for the Advancement of Science at the Whita House yeste Presi. dent Coolidge noted the fact that no single agency has so extensively relied upon the men and women of science as has the Government. But the President immediately explained that he did not refer to the of salaries. He said: Let me say at I do not intend to imply that have been impressively liberal dealing with the individual sclentists who conduct the activitles of the Government. The most casual inspec- tion of the salary list of scientific workers in Washington will make it very plain that it toward science, not the scientist, that the Govern- ment has been officially generous This is ma oficles recasvition of a truth v.dt has peen evident for many Years, that the United States Govern- ment places a low pecun rating on the value of the service of sci entists. There are men in the various scier tifle bureaus of the Government who could in private employment much comper but who remain sake of service and a of duty. Tney have | steadfastly resisted temp adons to| other and higher paid fieids be. » they are working for tre good rather delegates to the question once, however, that ry and women now emploved secure larger for t ation, from enter cau of the varticular In the erny tributed without would be earned by workins whole country than for inter sts line of inventions, too, Gov- rkers have rewards them if they individuals the branches of ent scientific w | | | | | | richly to the welfare receiving the hat as or for cor ations, wdvances i work have nical staffs of United States It is not d that the States should compete for the services of its scientific work stries. ne of most notable ific teck | | | all scie | been scored by these the is expec United | ic s with corpora The members of staffs do not | advantage. While, of would rejoiced at recognition their | of their place tions or indi these various technical seek such course, they more liberal worth in arles, they do nc upon the tion. In impossible vetain skilled workers of character. In the Patent example, there is a heavy annually pay and vutside for compensation brighter chances for ancement The Government loses heavily in thus training to have them le private employment or for their own professional work. An increase of the pay scale in this par- ticular b would ultimately be an economy. an be a of terms annual sal- their service: plane of commercial valua- certain branche: for the United however, tates Office “overturn is to ntifie a for low scale of offered and because of the the opportunitie her ad skilled workers only ve for au I, Becretary Hoover's Good News. Secretary Hoover of the Department of Commerce, who his fingers upon the pulse of business and trade and also of the world, In so far as affairs abroad react upon our own interests, in the annual sur vey by the Department of Commerce, oublished brings good of conditions, present and prospective, the world over. He makes statement that “the with the economic structure world upon more solid foundations than at time | since the war. i This i appy augury for the fu- ture to a weary 4 looking back- | ward over the dangers and perils of the past thankful, though, to have come through as well as it did. Hoover finds that with the exception of a few spots of secondary mportance there been during the past year a real advance toward so- cial, economic and political stability throughout the world. Speaking in broad generalities, he eays: “The world is producing more goods; there fuller employment; has in this country, toda: news of affairs the downright new year begins of the any a worl vear, is | worse nights. {to the is information in that paper which one has not got from writers who have told of their travels to the moon, and there are things in Dr. Coblentz's paper which were overlooked by lit- erary men who published accounts of travelers who visited the moon. Dr. Coblentz says that on the side of the moon where the sun never shines, and which one may call the shady side, the temperature Is about 200 degrees below zero. One might say of this that there is a tang In the air, that it is quite bracing. As this is the temperature in normal weather, it would seem that when a blizzard comes along it must be chilly on the moon. In the days when the Weather Bureau was called Old Prob- abflities, or just “Old Probs” Medi- cine Hat used to take pleasure in sending reports of zero days and The Medicine Hatters took pride in their weather. The moon weather shows how foolish-vain the Medicine Hatters were. Dr. Coblentz says that even on the sunny side of the moon the tempera- ture will drop from 60 above at noon to 140 below zero at night, That is some drop. It is fair to class this as changeable weather. This physicist that sometimes about noon the temperature on the moon is at boil- point. So one sees from this Washington not the only have genuine Summer Just in a spirit of good fellowship, let us hope that the man in the moon knows some shady nook in the country beside a big spring when the thermometer reads boiling. From boiling point to 140 below zero is rather a wide variation of tem- perature, and it is clear that the man in the moon does not have to travel far to get a change of climate and that he needs two suits of clothes, at least a linen duster and an ulste; says ing that place is to weathe ————— To Push the School Program Bill. Senator Capper announces that he is going to make every possible effort to have the five-year school building program enacted at this session of Congress. He has been consistently and earnestly an advocate of better school facilities for the District and has been largely instrumental in curing legislative action on impor measures designed to increase school He recognizes the logi ity of making large-scale pro-| of buildings to care for the prospectively increased school popu- lation resulting from an amendment compulsory education law ex- tending the age limits passed by the Senate the other day. ar school building bill is | businesslike proposal to meet the needs. Experience - has | that there can be no real ad-| equipment without th doption of uch definite program which the appro- priating body to a specific provision of funds annually over a period. With- a school-building appropriations inevitably fluc- vision The five a Distriet’s she van in € school commits out such a program will tuate. of the District’s school needs is required to establish the fact that the Capital is far behind in this respect. The facts have been fore assembled and laid before Con- gress and have been accepted. Post- ponement of the measure is not in th interest of economy. but, on the con- trary, is wasteful procrastination. The buildings must eventually be had and will cost more later than now. The District’s share of the money for school buildings is available now it Congress will be give the word r quired to release from the Treasury the accumulated District tax revenues unappropriated in the course of sev-| 1 The joint committee of Congress has declared that this fund belongs to the District. The Senate has passed a bill to make it available for appropriation. If this sum is re- leased upon the equitable terms upon which it was assembled—that is, upon the half-and-half basis of expendi- ture—it will suffice for most, if mot all, of the school-building project now contemplated. Senator Capper's enthusiastic terest in this matter should yield re- sults even at this short session. The bill itself should lead to no argument its merits. Members of Congress are in many cases personally aware of the unfortunate school conditions, inasmuch as their own children attend the local schools in large numbers. They should, therefore, have a keen interest in putting the public educa- tion system of the District in the way of an equipment meeting its needs for the first time in the history of the Capital. No survey heret | | | eral year in- on ot In a short time Germany's treaty obligations will have relaxed sufficient- Iy to permit her to start o “trade war,” if she by any possibility recon- ciles her feelings to the idea of engag- ing in any kind of a war whatever. e —— The ringing of the Liberty Bell on New Year eve is likely to create so much enthusiasm in Philadelphia that Gen. Smediey Butler may have even more difficulty than usual in restrain- ing the spirits of the community. - ——— there are higher standards of living; more assurance of economic stability | for the future, and more promise .,[! peace than we have seen for many | years.” ! No less gratifying in this heart-| warming forecast than the promise of | material benefits is the hope of peace, for which Secretary Hoover finds firm foundation. So we can all feel justi- fied to “buck up” and set out with | firm tread upon the path that| stretches before us to next New Year day. May the cheerful prospect be realized backing up Secretary Hoov- er's prophecy, and may we all do our little bit toward aiding and realizing it. ————————— Owing to their prevalence divoice | suits are rapidly losing their efficacy 4s a mode of advertisement. Moon Weather. Bome readers are more interested in Washington weather than in any other kind of weather, but perhaps a good many of them may give heed to a paper by Dr. W. W. Coblentz, physicist of the Bureau of Standards, on the weathas of the moon. There In figuring out war charges France has put into action some of the most dashing and intrepid expert account- | ants that ever took the fleld. e The First Coasting Fatality. Within three hours after the start Of the snowfall in this city last eve- ning a boy was killed coasting. The sled on which he was riding was hit at a street intersection by an auto- mobile and he was so severely injured that he died an hour later. This is the first of the season’s accldents of this character, a lamentable loss of life which can be blamed upon no The dangers of coasting are ous. Short of roping off certain streets there is peril every time a child starts a sled down hill. The coasters make no noise and cannot be seen by drivers. They flash into view without warning and it is only by good luck that they escape. Heretofore efforts have been made to provide specified places where coasting slides may be maintained without risk, but to do so means to block off trafic on both sides. No provision 1s made for barriers or sig- { ob 8} THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, TH'U'RSDXY, JANUARY 1, 1925. nal lights. This accident, however, may lead to action by the Commi: sioners In this direction of pre-empt- ing certain spaces temporarily for the coasters. It seems impossible to keep the children off the sleds merely because of the risk involved in coasting. It is as natural for a boy or a girl to slide down hill in Winter as to play games in Summer. Motorists would probably willingly co-operate in any plan to prevent accidents if warning were given, Yesterday's snow, how- ever, came so suddenly that there was no chance to establish danger zones. Pleasure and Charity. If a very small part of the money that was spent last night in various forms of New Year celebration were devoted to charity, the Capital's re- quirements for the care of its unfor- tunates would be abundantly met. Es- timates vary as to the sum of this festivity bill—one put it at $300,000. If that were cut in half it would be a large investment in pleasure. Ten per cent of that reduced amount would’ vield more than the total required for the Fourteen Opportunities, the sub- scription of which is not yet complete. ————— From time to time the Weather Bureau glves a gentle intimation that the street-cleaning facilities just be- fore the 4th of next March ought to have earnest and intelligent atten- tion. —————— Every small boy who saw the beau- tiful Christmas tree near the White House will agree that the hope of growing up to be President of the United States is an inspiration to American youth. GO T An ideal civilization would. of course, be one in which there would be no wars and all rivalrous interest would be concentrated on beauty con- tests. o Insinuations were often current as to the manner in which the late Sam- uel Gompers might utilize his position for purposes of wealth. The inventory of his estate will be a splendid epitaph. N Prohibition azgents do not hesitate to announce their expectations of some Happy New Year demonstrations according to their own particular ides o Europe may be pardoned for won- dering whether Germany's reference “directorium” is the means of breaking the news of a possible dlec- tatorship gently to a France does not hesitate to let it be known that a nation, like the av- erage individual, may be more alert in considering the C. O. D. than the I. 0. U side of the ledger. P Independence of fashion shows moral courage—but it is no comfort to the motorist today who permits himself to be caught with a 1924 license tag. . A number of farmers are in doubt about demanding farm legislation which might interfere with a situation fairly satisfactory as it stands. - When a woman ceases to be inter- esting because of her art, politics or sociology, she can revive attention, at least once, by bobbing her hair. e The “sidewalks of New York” are responsible for some rough conversa- tion in the current drama as well as in a national Democratic convention. T — SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Salutations, Old Poll Parrot on the perch Stops a moment for researc| Then proceeds with glee to call ‘Happy New Year, one and all!” ““Happy New Year!"” now say I With a song and with a sigh. From the beak the phrase may start; But this one is from the heart. Needfulness. “Your country needs you!" “I am glad to think so,” answered Senator Sorghum. “But the fact does not make me proud. There never was a man, however great, whose country needed him as much as he needed his country.” Evolution. By “evolution” they would show How modern forms appear, But this is what I'd like to know: Where do we go from here? Jud Tunkins says bein’ a caddy is mightly valuable trainin’ to a lad, because it reminds him that he mustn’t laugh every time he feels like it. Scrapology. He who does scrap with persons plainly known May bid us now and then his praise to sing; But he who ‘scrappeth o'er the tele- phone Ain’t got no courage worth con- sidering! Honest Poverty. ‘ather!” exclaimed the prodigal son, “you welcome me home in spite of the fact that I am broke “I sure do. Your being broke proves that you have resisted the temptation to become a bootlegger.” Over and Under. ‘When airships are plying o'er land and o'er sea Of overhead charges we shall not com- plain; ‘We'll say, as the armorclad craft we disperse, That the undersea charges are very much worse, Y Doings. ““Is your boy Josh doing anything?" Yep. “What? “Cross-word puzzles.” “You can't git something for noth- ing,” said Uncle Eben; “but if every- body realized de fact dar wouldn't be B0 mo’ hoss races.” THIS AND THAT l BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Another of life's hardest lessons, one very appropriate for considera- tion today, is the necessity for happi- ness. It might seem there is enough happiness already, but there is not —what you see is only the frothy laughter on the surface of life. Beneath the mirth which foams up on the streets, in the theaters and elsewhere, lies a vast depth of in- herited and acquired unhappiness, elther ingrained or self-applied. More of us are victims than are willing to admit. “I want to be happy,” says the bright popular song, and that is the conscious or unconscious cry of us all, as we go about our work and our play. We work that we may be happy later, we play In order to be fully happy now. 1f we find happiness in our work as well as -in our play, we are doubly blessed. The necessity for being happy fs a lesson that many never learn, judg- ing from the lugubrious faces one sees on every side. There are vinegary old ladies, and sour old men, agld middle-aged men and women, sour youths, sullen girls, unpleasant and snarling children. You see them everywhere. On street cars, on sidewalks, get- ting In and out of expensive motor cars, in stores and private residences, at offices and almost everywhere that people congregate, the great tribe of the unhappy have place. It is impossible to get away from them. If you go to the play, they are there, and if you seek refuge in the lowest depth of a basement grill, lo, they sre there before you. “There is always somebody to take the joy out of life” was not said out of nothing, or for no purpcge. It is a saving that takes into cor sideration this very fact we are con- sidering, that there are far too man unhappy people. Tt points unmis- takably to the stern necessity for more happiness as we go along. * koK % Be happy! That is a new year message, which, it it could be taken to heart by me and you and all the rest of us, would tranaform this old world of ours and make life more nearly like the ideal of which men and angels have dreamed. When vou think of those who are napy. der the most adverse cir- cumstances, and then consider your own petty woe, does it not give you a mental start? Why do we go around with a| grouch, when thousands are lying| unable to move in their beds? If they | manage to keep up some semblance of happiness, and most of them do, surely the rest of us ought to be able to do at least as well Yet, what do we see Hers is a woman who has had everything the world can offer. She has a beautiful home, children grown to successful manhood, a wonderful life in retrospect, with a prospect no less fine. Of course, she has had the task of bringing children into tha world, of rearing them, of helping them on their way, but surely it ought not to have left such a mark on her face. There she sits, the corners of her mouth drawn tight, unhappiness written large over her features. Per- haps we should not judge harshly. She may be ill. Her glands of in- ternal secretion may be doing a poor job of functioning. Yet we wonder why she muster up a bit of a smile. Jog her elbow a bit, as vou pass, and see| what you get. A terrible look, worthy to be given to a murderer, | is your reward for a simple bit of inadvertence. Honestly, vou feel as if you would | cannot very much like to knock her block off, until you recall the old saying, | Remembe she is somebodv's WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE “The Inside Diplomatic History of the United States—1913-1919" might well be the title of a collection of private papers of which Yale Uni- versity has come into possession. They have been deposited there by Col. Edward M. House, to be held in trust for historians and political stu- dents of the future. Woodrow Wil- son’s confidential adviser and interna- tional scout has preferred this dis- position of his memoirs to writing a book of them—a temptation which other cotemporaries of the war Presi- dent were mnot able to resist. The House papers date from the colonel's first foreign assignment in May, 1914, when he landed in Germany as the unofficial envoy of Mr. Wilson with a mission to ward off the storm that broke across civilization three months later. Thenceforward House com- muned with priests, prophets and kings uninterruptedly until Versailles, 1919. He corresponded with potentates and premiers on terms of entire intimacy. His letters to them, and theirs to him, are of a character that induces ome, who recently had access to the collec- tion, to assert that “until it is per- missible to open the papers to the public, it will not be possible to write a real history of the war.” * % % % Senator Borah will address the Citizens' Committee of One Thou- sand in New York on the evening of January 6 on the subject of law en- forcement. Borah holds vigorous views on the growth of lawlessness in the United State: contributed to the January number of & magazine he declares that law enforcement “has become a great national problem.” Crimes of vio- lence and violation of prohibition are mounting in volume, in the Id: hoan's estimation, at a rate so startling that public opinion can no longer ignore the menace. Borah considers that the Republican: party ought to make law enforcement “one of its primary obligations and du- ties.” * ok K ¥ Vietor Murdock, old-time Roose- veltizn and Kansas editor, is making his first visit to Washington since he retired from the Federal Trade Com- mission a year ago. The former Sun- flower Congressman has gone back to his first love, journalism, and the Wichita Daily Eagle, which he owns and edits. Murdock is bubbling over with memories of the late unpleas- antness, which is his description: of the La Follette campaign. He stumped Kansas for the Progressive ticket. “I got plenty of cheers, but no votes,” is the epitome of his ex- periences, which included desertion by his own presiding officer, on one oceaslon, in favor of a Coolidge meet- ing around the corner. Murdock has found out what's wrong with the country since he moved back to Kan- “The people are sidestepping is the way the Wichita sage describes what he regards a Erow- ing disinclination for hard Work. * % % x That nmo-quarter passage at arms between Senator Bruce of Maryland and Senator Harrison of Mississippi as to why the Democratic party's stock has slumped is the unfailing theme of argument wherever and whenever Democrats foregather. Ex- In an article | mother.” Yes—yes—how can you Judge—maybe what you did was a crime, now after all—maybe you de- served to be shot at sunrise for hav- ing dared to touch an elbow without a proper introduction—maybe—but, Lord, I'm glad I haven't such & dis- position! xR K K Yes, this is a terrible necessity we are under, to be as happy as we can. Mind you, not happy if there is need for unhappiness. There Is such a thing as unhappiness, just the same as there is such a thing as sickness. The very fact that certain words ex- ist in our beaut!ful language stamps the existence of the qualities for which they stand as bona fide. Un- less they had been, the word for them would never have been, either. there is an unhappiness that is rightly held, because the cause is just. Such a cause may be a terri- ble thing in itself, yet it has being, it is something, one cannot rebuff it with a sneer. To those who are un- happy because there is no other way for them to be, one can send only sympathy. Yet many of these cases are as they are because of the mental state accompanylng them. There was an old lady in one of the local homes who expressed the wish that she might die. Life held nothing more for her. Then a radio set was insulled by her bed, and lo! the superintendent of that home writes that “Mrs.—— wlishes to live now, since she has a radlo.” This Is & real necessity we are under, to be as happy as we may, be- cause each one of us influences every. other person with whom he comes into contact The unconscious influence of the suggestions of others s commonly not held in encugh regard. Most of us are inclined to laugh at such a doctrine, perhaps believing that tco much stress is placed upon it. Yet every one knows cases of children stuuted for life in their mental and character habits Dby the constant reiteration of parents that “Johany isn't any too bright.” This underestimation of others, especially children, is something that will be treated more fully tomorrow in this column. I mention it here to bring out the point that each one of us is under a necessity of being happy. not only because of ourselves, but also because of the influence we have upon others. We ought to be happy, too, because we have so many things to be happy about, and with. No other age in history had radio. for example. Think of the sport of hyaring Santa Claus talk from 10 different clties! Think of the infinite joy of tuning in a church service and ilstening to the minister say, “and now while we tuke up the collection, let us recall that it is more blessed to give than to receive.” We turn the dials, tuning in an- other service in a distant city. The minister is speaking. “And now, bretheren, while we take up the col- lection, let us remember that it is more blessed to give than—" ok ko We ought to be happy because we are warm in Winter, have enough food to eat, because our city Is great and our country is greater. ‘We ought to be happy because we cherish the Instinct of happiness planted deep down in the very roots of our being. We ought to water it, and tend it like the precious blossom it is, the very flower of human life. If our unhappiness is something that seems born and hard to eradicate, nevertheless we should try to get at the cause and remove it, if at all possible. 1f the encumbering unhappiness is self-applied, very shame we should | tear it off and cast it forth from our| home and heagth forever. must be happy ingrained, with us, | of the primary causes of defeat. Not a listener-in n the land was left in doubt of the Democratic party's lead- erlessness and manifest incapacity for government. Senator Earle B. May- fleld of Texas says the Bruce-Harri- son shindy is the only reminder of the Lone Star legislature he's had since he's been in Washington. “Makes me think I'm back in Austin,” May- field confided to a colleague while the Marylander and the Mississippian were having at each other. ok % % From Chicago comes a proposal that radio be handed over to the tender mercies of a Federal board with regu- latory powers such as are now wield- ed over the rallroads by the Inter- state Commerce Commission. The idea originates with a Chicago alder- man, Jacob Arvey, who is asking the city council to petition Congress to | enact the necessary legislation. Eu- gene McDonald, jr., another Chica- goan, who is president of the National Broadcasters’ Association, also favors a slwclt&l governmental commission to supervise the air. At present, as nearly everybody knows, lengths, and all and sundry there- with connected, are in the hands of the Department of Commerce. * *x x % Washington's “Who's Hoover” grows apace. Three Hoovers now oc- cupy high station. In term of serv- ice, “Ike” Hoover, chief doorkeeper | | rial, of the White House, heads the dy- nasty. Then there's Herbert Hoover, Secretary of Commerce, and now comes 30-year-old J. Edgar Hoover, the new director of Attorney General Stone's Bureau of Investigation. The Davises still are our ruling family, with the Secretaryship of Labor, the Assistant Secretaryship of War, the director-generalship of the Rallroad Administration, the adjutancy-gen- eral of the Army and any number of minor billets in their possession. * ok ok ok Census takers, with 158 questions to ask, were turned loose on the farming community of the United States New Year day. Although the general census s taken every 10 years, farm information is so impor- tant that a special census in the rural regions has been ordered at this in- termediate period. Farmers are as- sured that all information supplied is confidential and has nothing to do with taxes or assessments of any kind. (Copyright, 1924.) Give Electric Light Refunds to Charity! To the Editor of The Star: Under the settlement of the electric light problems, the Potomac Electric | Company is to pay back to consumers in the District $2,500,000. The money thus returned will come to most con- increase in their income, not as an asset hitherto figured upon. I suggest that every person receiv- ing this sum should contribute it to 2 community charity fund, to be held by public trustees and the income yearly accruing to be expended for the benefit of worthy cases of dis- tress or poverty in the District. planations and alibis are as endless as the billows of the deep. One thing on which most of the doctors agree is that the radio from the Madison Square Garden convention was one Why should not the electric light consumers of the District make this Christmas contribution to the less ve | { work | Lite’ sumers as a pure windfall and as an| The North Window BY LEILA MECHLIN. The installation of Danlel Chester French's group in mable, entitled “The Sons of God Saw the Daugh- ters of Men That They Were Fair," in the Corcoran Gallery of Art this week was an event of uncommon note. It is not an exaggeration to say that this is one of the finest works yet produced by an American sculptor; indeed, one might safely go further and say by any sculptor of modern times. The majority of works in schip- ture are commissioned. This was done for the sheer love of the doing, with no other object than to give beautiful expression to a chance vision. The composition was inspired Dy the billowy monumental form of the “Old Faithful” geyser in erup- tion. This fired the sculptor's imag- ination, and through his genius the indefinite shape took on definite form and meaning. Here is the story, cording to Genesis, of¥the recreation after the flood; of the mating of the sons of God with the daughters of man, and told so exquisitely that the curse is forgotten. Primarily, this group is a plastic conception. It bullds up from and retains the char- acter of the mass. The figures, though complete, have been cut from one great block; they belong together. The group as a whole has complete unity of expression. PR There is a certain similarity be- tween this group and Watts' famous painting, “Love and Life” In both the man, one step ahead, is leading, or lifting the woman upward. In both Instances the man is the pro- tector and is imbued with gentleness as well as strength. There is ten- derness, reverence in his touch, as well as passion. There is something unreal and almost pathetic in Watts' allegorical work, but in Mr. French's sculpture the spiritual quality finds dominance through sheer beauty. The nude figures are as chaste as were the works of the great sculptors of the Golden Age In Greece, who gave themselves the task of presenting the perfection of physical ferm—man in his bodily perfection. Artistically the beauty of this group lMes largely in the relation of lines, the harmony and rhythm of com- position. From every side it com- poses well—more than well—beauti- fully. There is no confusion, no one lne which breaks another. It is like an exquisite theme in music, a com- pletely rhythmical poem. And yet ~tmarily this is an intellectual achlevement, the product of a scholar- ly, trained mind, as well as skfntul, sensitive fingers; the product of per- fectly balanced genius, of genius held in check by intellect, the kind of work which stands for advanced civ- ilizatlon and aganst which the current of modernism is strongly directed. It is an allegory of man in his relation to woman, translated in plastic form in terms of the spirit. No primitive race could have brought it forth. It is the product yot of one, but of many generation—a priceless work. & * % x *x Daniel Chester French has to his credit a remarkable record of suc cessful achievement, beginning with his “Minute Man” at Concord, pro- duced in 1875, and Including his fa- mous relief “Death and the Young Sculptor,” the equestrian Wash in Paris, the Hooker in Boston, the “Alma Mater,” at Columbla Univer- sity, and the Gallaudet Memorial, the Lincoln statue and the Dupont foun- tain in this city to name but a few. Lorado Taft, his colleague, tells in- terestingly in his “History of Amer- ican Sculpture,” of the beginnings of Mr. French's adventures as a sculp- tor. Born in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1850 he came of old New England stock and can claim among his con- nections Daniel Webster and John ¢ Whittier. It is significant that 1t was sald by one of his immediate forbears, a chief justice of New Hampshire, that he beautified cvery place in which he lived. works of Daniel Chester Fre utified cities throughout our United States. As a boy Mr. French showed no special aptitude for art, and his first evidence of interest in sculpture was, amusing- 1y enough, a grotesque figure of a frog in clothes carved from a turnip. The Alcotts were neighbors of the Frenches and May Alcott, the “Amy of “Little Women,” the artist of that family, was interested in his career and assisted his first efforts in model- ing. visited relatives in Brooklyn and gained access to the studlo of J. Q A. Ward. This, and brief instruction | from Dr. Rimmer of Boston, con- stituted his preparation for his first great work, for the “Minute Man" of Concord, may still be considered in this category. Before it was unveiled he had started for Italy, where for a year he lived with the family of Mr. Preston Powers, but worked in the studio of Thomas Ball. * X ok X It is a curious thing that very oft- en genlus seems to develop suddenly. to come forth in full flower, and that the works produced in early man- hood, or womanhood for that matter, remain unsurpassed in mature years. This is true of many, and not alone in the field of sculpture and of paint- ing, but in music and literature as well. Fortunate is it If, as in Mr. French's instance, the work contin- ues to gain technical refinement, at the same time retaining the freshness and spontaneity of youth; happy it is when the artist never loses his vision, never ceases to find the keen- est enjoyment in his art, The Gallaudet group was modeled by Mr. French in 1888 and is today one of the most charming memorials in this country. His Milmore memo- Death and the Young Sculp- tor,"” exposition, ‘“surrounded,” Mr. Taft tells us, by the “extravagances of the Itallan carvers and the clever plas- tic jokes of the Spanish modelers,” among which it “rose superb, the ex- pression of a self-respecting master of a noble art." Mr. Taft likens the motif of this to Watts' “Love and Death.” How interesting to know that thirty years and more since he |bas produced this vet more lovely and inspiring “Love and Life.” L I How many artists today are afraid of & subject. How few are willing to risk competition between subject and art. 1In this latest work Mr. French has chosen one of the great universal, undying themes, and has dared to give to the world at large a in_ sculpture subjectively thought-provoking, but dominantly artistic and beautiful, Looking back over the past, how few such works we find. For the most part, the great works in sculp- ture have been single figures, wit- ness the Venus de Milo, the Victory of Samothrace, Michaelangelo's “Da- vid." Yet Michaelangelo gave us the “Pieta” and from ancient time we have the Laocoon. Passing in review the works of co- temporary sculptors the most notable monumental groups are perhaps George Grey Barnard's “Two Na- tures,” now in the Metropolitan Mu- seum of Art; ymbol of Malvina Hoffman’s “Russian Dancers”; Til- den’s “Foot Ball Players”; 0'Con- nor's Boy Scout Fountain. But how difterent they are. Barnard’s work is an emotional interpretation of the struggle of good dnd evil; Grafly’s “Symbol of Life” is purely allegor- ical, detached; MacNeil's “Sun Vow" is essentially plastic and tells a story, but it is a particular story, not uni- versal experience; Malvina Hoffman's Dancers and O'Connor’s Boy Scout Fountain are in the spirit of the time, fortunate, especlally when it will really cost them little or nothing? w. by no means plastic, and suggestive of & restive emotion. Mr. French's SToup represents a pause, a moment ngton | When nineteen years of age he | was shown at the Columbian | Q. Where Is Illinois avenue in the District?—H. F. A. It is In Petworth, two blocks east of Georgia avenue and above Rock Creek Church road, Q. On the pikes Into Washington, Rockville, Fairfax, Georgla avenue, etc., are numerals painted crosswlise on the road. What do they mean?— SRS A. Originally the pikes mentioned in your letter were built as experi- mental test roads by the Govern- ment, which maintained them for some years. When they could no longer continue the maintenance of these roads, they were put back on the Individual county to handle. These roads were 15 feet wide, but as the years passed on the edges were badly broken and lessened the width of the road to such an extent that it was dangerous As this was too much for the counties to keep up, the States accepted these roads in 1920 and started a program to widen the roads to their original width. They put concrete shoulders 3 feet wide on each side, thereby making the road 21 feet in all. In doing this they painted a line crosswise on the road and, start- ing from the center, numbered it by feet, as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7%, making the original 15 feet width. To this they have added the 3-foot shoulders. Q. What does the name “Eastern Shore,” Maryland, include?—L. P. A. All of that portion of the State east of the Chesapeake Bay is known as the Eastern Shore. Q. Do doctors now treat all new- born babies’ eyes or on those who have need of such treatment?—A. A. A Doctors and midwives are re- quired to give new-born babies’ eves treatment in order to insure them against germ infection Q. How many peopls came from Canada and Mexico last year intend- ing to live in the United States?— T A. Canada sent us Mexico 93,839 during th year. 208 e last fiscal Q. Why are the springs on the | front axle of an automobile a little | longer back of the axle than they are | in front of 1t?—M. A. A. It is In order to provide greater | flexibility of the spring without un- | duly prolonging the frame at the | front end, or setting the anxle far- | ther back, znd so shortening the wheel base. Q. What will keep a photostat of a document from fading?—A. K. B. A. If photostats are properly made they will not fade. Q. Is there any definite rule for the use of “I" at the beginning of a letter>—C. B A. There used to be an unwritten rule of letter etiquette to the effect that it was contrary to good taste to use the personal pronoun I as the first word of a letter. This rule, however, has not been observed for many years. | Q. WHow often was the Baltimore in this country?—L. M. M | 'A. George Calvert, the firs. Lord | Baltimore, came to America twice, | {In 1627 and in 1629. His son Cecll did not visit the colony. but he sent | his vounger brother, Leonard, who | became first Governor of Maryland i i first Lord | Q What is the meaning of “ex | libris” and what is a “book plate"? M. E. | | A “Ex libris” means, | “from the books of” Tt mous with *book plate.” Both names | lare applied in the case of a label | | printed with the name of the owner, {and usually his arms also, and in- | tended to indicate ownership in in- | dividual volumes, which is a devic {that is nearly as old as the printed | | book itself. The earliest known ex- {amples are German. The oldest are certain wood-cuts represemting shield of arms supportcd by an ange | literall is synony- | | which were pasted in books presented | to the Carthusian monastery of Bux- | heim about the year 1480. In France | the most ancient yet discovered fis | that of Jean Berland de la Tour- Blance, 1528. In England. that of Sir | Nicholas Bacon, 1574. The earliest Uniting on the |roofed with cake, | applied | of Cockaigne a {service under the dire ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN known American example 1s the plain printed label of one of John Williains, 1679, Q. Who were the original “bucca- neers”?—M. R. A. The name was given to piratioal English, Dutch and French adven turers, united In their opposition to Spain, who malntained themselyes chiefly in the Caribbean Sea durihig the seventeenth century. The first of the class were French settlers, whose occupation original was hunting the wild cattle on the islands, especlally Hispaniola, and preserving the flesh at the little establishment called “boucans,” they b % known as “bou- caniers.” After being driven from these purspits by the Spaniards, these Boucaniers took to piracy, particular- 1y upon Spanish vessels, and to radd- ing Spanish settiements on the fe- lands and mafnland. Their career closed about 1700. Q. What is the origin of the print er's abbreviation “stet”?—R. C. A. This is not an abbreviation. Tt is the third person, singular, subjuncti of the Latin verb ‘“stare” and translated literally, “let it stand.” Q. What was the malden name of President Roosevelt's first wife?— E. O. A. Theodore Roosevelt ried the first time to Lee, on October 27, velt dled in 1884, was mar- Alice Hathaway 1880. Mrs. Roose- Q. Why do so many ranches hav names beginning with “Lazy” ?—W. A. This name refers to the bra used on its animals by the ranch When letters of the alphabet are usec they are often varied their pos tion—when tilted at an angle of 45 they are said to he tumbl whe ing flat on their back or face, lazy What is the * tient”7—C. P. A. The intelligence feeble-minded persor viding his mental age by his actual age. Thus a child of 12 with the In telligence or mentality of 3 would have an Intelllgence quotient of 9 /12 or 75. intelligence quo quotient of a d by di- is fou Q. There are many allusions to kettles singing “on the hob.” What is the hob? A. A narrow ledge at the back more generally at the side of an ope fireplace, which will hold a kettle, called the hol. Q. Of just consist?—F. B A. Formerly the wa sometimes used s the equivalent tr the humanities, but it is now applrd rather vaguely to literary works of style, taste and imagination—in other words, “polite literature.” The tern has no recorded use in English befor 1710, when it was used Swift i the Tatler. Q. What is or was €ockaigne"?—A. G. E A. The “Land of Cockaigne" an fmaginary land of idleness and plenty in which the houses werr the rivers ran with wine and roasted fowl offered them- selves to be éaten. The name in derision to both London and Parfs followinz the writing of a satirical poem entitled “The Land about 130 what do belles-lettres expression by is the “Land o was Q. If the term “P Office Depart ment” is correct, why not War Office or State Office Department?—C. & A. “Post Office Departm " is the correct term, since it Is the official title of this executive department c the Government. The departments de rive their official titles from th phraseology employed in the acts of Congress which are passed creating uch departments, (The Star maintains for the pleasure and profit of its readers an information torship of Fred The scope of the bureav international, and entary or too broad wal attention of « The Star In- rederic J. Haskin, and C streets eric J. Haskin. s mational and subject is 100 ¢ to enlist the perso specialist. _Address formation Bureau, Director, Twenty-first northwest.) Traffic Problem IV—Uniformity of Laws and Enforcement Secretary National Conference The necessity for approximate uni- formity in State motor vehicle laws, | rules and regulations, as well as in | State and highway practices and | methods of traffic control, are so obvicus as to hardly require argu- ment. A very large proportion of | trafic accidents are due to the con- [ fuston caused by ignorant, but well Intentioned drivers from other citles and other States. This uniformity should begin with | methods of getting statistics, report- |ing and investigation of accidents | and end with the signals and methods |of the trafic control officer at the | street intersection. It should run | through all the laws, State and muni- cipal regulations, rules of the road, | direction and traffic control signs, city ordnances and include even such | detafls as methods of hand signaling | by the driver. Plea For Uniformity. This plea for uniformity runs through the reports of every com- | mittee. The committee on statistics | pleads’ for uniformity because unless | statistics and the methods of tabulat- | ing them are uniform they are not | comparable and therefore it is im< | possible to uncover the general prin- ciples on which to base an accident | prevention program. For the same reason standard definitions of such terms as “reckless driving.” “young persons,” “physically incapable” and the like must be devised and adopted. The data gathered by any one State |or any one community is of little value if it can not be added to the volume of experience in other States or cities. Like oil and water statistics | which are not based on standard definitions will not mix. 1f the motor vehicle laws in the vari- ous States do not possess some of the qualities of uniformity it is difficult to hold the driver from one State responsi- ble for breaking the law involuntarily in another State. For example, ona State may define “reckless driving” as driv- ing at a epeed in excess of 35 miles an hour, but in the State of Connecticut one may drive recklessly at any speed, and the fact that one is driving 20 miles an hour is no defense against a possible charge of violation of the law. Hand Signal Methods. The necessity for uniformity in.ordi- nary driving practices can best be il- lustrated by the variety of methods of hand signaling by drivers. Suppose, for | example, a driver from California driv- ing in the District of Columbia gives the | California signal meaning “I am going | to’ turn to the left” This signal in ‘Washington means “I am going to draw up or turn to the right; pass me.” The Washington driver behind the California driver interprets the signal in the lan- guage of the District of Columbia, and of revelation, an epoch in existence. It is essentiallv fluid and at the same time held in repose. Through the ages it may remain just so without wearying the onlooker, without ex- hausting its message. By ERNEST GREENWOOD, on Street and Highway Safety. | the police blotter records one more bad | accident. As a matter of fact codes in hand signaling are being discarded by the au- thorities. The best thought on the sub- ject seems to be that the driver should be required to make but a single signal | by extending his hand and arm, which | should mean to the driver behind him that he is going to do something; the { responsibility is then on the man in the | rear to be on the alert. | Cautionary or stop signals at dan- | ger points direction and distance | signs at important junctions and in | tersections, as well as signs and sig- | nals to indicate special traffic rules should be uniform for their various | given purposes throughout the United | States. In my opinion these signs should be considered as part of the | construction of the highway and | highway officlals should come to an agreement as to their desizn, color and character, so that the man from Maine will see identically the same | kind of sign throughout his travels {as he drives from Maine to Cali- |fornia. The use of any kind of | direction or traflic control sign for advertising should be absolutely pro- { hibited. Today one finds at impor- tant intersections a half-dozen of these kinds of signs and almost in- variably, If they are mileage signs, no two of them will state the same number of miles to the next town Uniformity of Laws. Legislation embodying the principle of certification and registration of automobile title should be uniform throughout the United States. The certification of titles is one of the most important and effective means for reducing theft, and stolen oars are a distinot and dangerous class of hazards. A reduction of theft means a definite reduction {n the accident rate. This, too, has been proven by the results obtained in those States which have adopted this principle. Legislation with regard to the de- sign, construction and maintenance of motor vehicles should be uniform. For example, the definition of the braking ability of a motor vehicle should be standard if the touring mo- torist is not to break the law in- voluntarily. In the same way limita- tions of load, width of vehicle, light- ing equipment and the like must be standardized and made uniform ev- erywhere. 8 Trafig Courts should be established under State control. In no other way can uniformity in administration and enforcement of the law be secured. In the meantime, however, munici- palities should organize special traf- fic courts, with the idea that sooner or later they will pass to State juris- diction. The question standardization of uniformity and is one of the most important underlying principles in any program for the handling of present-day street and highway traf- fic. Tt will not only improve general conditions, but will remove one of the obstructions to the fres flow of trafic which is so vitally necessa®y.