Evening Star Newspaper, January 16, 1925, Page 6

EVENING STAR Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY.. . .January 16, 1825 THE w THEODORE W. NOYES.... The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd S Shicago Oce’ Tower Bulding European Office : 16 Regent St.,Loodon, gland. The Bvening Star, with the Sunday morning edition, 1s de ered by carriers within the city at 60 cents per mouca, daily only, 45 s per month; Sunday only, 20 cents per month. Orders may be sent by mail or tele- Phone Maln 5000 Coll Fiers at the end of en Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dally and Sunday. .1 yr., $8.40; 1 mo., T0¢ Daily only ....1yr, $6.00; 1 mo,, 50c Sunday only.......1yr, $2.40; 1 mo,, 20c All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.0 only. .. yr., $7.00; 1 mo., 80c Sunday only......1yr, $3.00;1mo., 25¢c Member of the Associated Press. The Assoclated Press is exclusiyely entitled 10 the use for republication of all news dis- patches eredited to it or not otherwise credited 5is paper and aleo the local news pub- hed herein. ~All rights of publication of #pecial dispatches herein are also reserved. Arbitrated Judgment. The recent hearings on Capital Hill on certain changes in District welfare legislation and methods of welfare ad- ministration have developed the fact that a great majority of those who are familiar with the problems in- volved favor the passage of the bills sponsored by the Commission on Public Welfare Legislation and now under consideration. That the support accorded the bills in question has not been unanimous was an inevitable though regrettable fact. It took close to a year of in- tensive, painstaking public spirited endeavor on the part of a commission 7§16 members appointed by the Com- missioners to arrive at a wise work- ing agreement. That there should be certain limited groups and certain in- dividuals who sincerely believe that they could, if given the opportunity, improve upon the legislation finally proposed by the commission to Cong- ress is no more than human nature. Yet the fact remains that an earnest and businesslike effort has been made by a group of thoroughly informed and properly accredited citizens to reconcile the many conflicting opinions involved and to bring order out of the chaos under which welfare ad- ministration in the District has too long been handicapped. The bills be- fore Congress represent the admirable product of that effort. Previous efforts materially to im., prove the welfare code of the National Capital have died aborning. They have died be , hastily conceived, they have ed those inherent qualities of arbitrated judgment which alone could command the combined support of a sufficient majority of those in- terested locally to impress Congress with their wisdom and practicality. The current effort has been built upon former foundations. Congress is aware that the probiems involved have been considered from every angle by a highly intelligent commission; that the bills as drafted reflect the best judgment of that body enlight- ened by ample public hearings as to how those problems may today be solved. It knows that the commis- sion as a whole is infinitely better posted upon the local welfare problem av as a whole than the most sincere advocate of any particular panacea for one of the component ills involved. Because of these facts the legislation proposed by the commission should command congr onal approval, even as it has already commanded that of a great majority of the local com- munity The motion to make that approval unanimous—that the District may forthwith enter upon infinitely better days in the matter of weifare admin- istration—would seem to be in order. And The Star is pleased to make the meotion. Business prospecis are described as 50 favorable that almost any offictal be pardoned for experiencing tion to retire and look after his private fortune may e iguration of President Cool- be graced, incidentally, by ished exita. The in idge will several disting “Big Tom” Foley. ¥ Foley, ed of Tam New York yes. 73d vear, and now the faithful of that or- d by @ multitude of peo- been in the past bene- bounty. “Big Tom’'s” career was characteristic of the aver- age American metropolitan leader in ! He was born in a tenement Brooklyn, and was educated the public s At 13 he quit school and, mmonly large and strong for his age, got a job as a butcher's errand boy. At 15 he was helper and apprentice in a blacksmith shop, where he gained an extensive acquaintance among truck drivers. He began to develop political ambi- tions, for the cultivation of which, while still in his teens, he became a frequent visitor at a saloon which was regarded a center of local political i e. At 18 he acquired small proprietary interest in the which, being only on the border- otection,” was occasionally raided. Then Foley moved over into New York, got employment in a saloon and made himself useful to the party organization. By 1876 he was the proprietor of a saloon of his own, nd from time to time he acquired others, At the age of 25 he was made captain of an election cist=a.. For woms years he was a friend and lieu- renant of Paddy Divver, the Tam- many boss of the second district. Then. Jeter, Foley quarreled with Div- ver and wrested the leadership from him, and made his own main saloon the political center of that area. Thus one is mourned by ganization a ple who hav ficiaries of his hools. being unc as land of he climbed by the usual stages until he became a sachem of Tammany, a power in the city, with a large for- tune. He was electéd sheriff in 1907, Always a fighter, he was invol in meny political feuds, but he ..+ variably won, for he had a way of making combinations, of placating old enemies and enlisting them in his fights. He was charitable, but shrewd- Iy bestowed his bounties to effect a maximum of political prestige, He gave parties and picnics to which he invited all the poor people of his dis- trict. His “chowders” were famous. He was the lord of the manor in his political barony. To him political of- fice was of less moment than the power to fill offices with faithful fol- lowers. Foley was @ true Tammany man, al- ways fighting with the organization and never against it, always regular, uncompromising in his partisanship. Jovial in his egreeable moods, terrible in his anger, conciliatory when occa- sion demanded, aggressive on most oc- casions, he was the true type of the metropolitan boss. For all his power, all the years of his political authority, he contributed nothing to the real sub- stantial advancement of the ‘com- munity. And yet he dies in the sanc- tity of a deep affection. District People and Schools. The other day Senator Capper, who is one of the most devoted friends of the District in Congress and whose interest is particularly keen in ad- vancing the welfars of the Capital school system, uttered a warning that the people of Washington should cease disputing over details of school con- struction and unite in their indorse- ment of the five-vear buflding plan now pending. Last evening the Pub- lic Education Association, which has been disposed to debate concerning the advantages of the platoon system as against an enlargement of the school plant, followed this advice and indorsed the construction program. This example should be followed by all other organizations. The platoon system in the public schools of the District is a makeshift, an expedient, a means of crowding the greatest possible number of pupils into a limited space. It was adopted not for any educational reason, not for the benefit of the children from a school- ing point of view, but as a method of giving instruction in part time to the greatest number possible without building enlargement. It may be a better plan than the full-time school system. That, however, is not estab- lished. It is not granted by school authoritles. Certainly there is no agreement on the part of parents. Evengually, some day, platoon schools may be the rule. At present they are a remedy for a physical deficiency. In these circumstances it is as- suredly the part of wisdom for the people of the District of Columbia to unite in their appeal for the estab- lishment of a program of school con- struction that will provide the District with adequate accommodations within a few years. Congress is disposed to enact a Bill to that effect. The Cap- ital's friends in Congress ask that they be not embarrassed by evidences of dispute on the score of the policy of school administration by quarrels in the administrative organization, by demonstrations of hostility to any plan of bétterments that looks to sup- plying afreats and making provision for annual increases in school popu- lation. 3 Time is short for enactment at this session, but with a disposition at both ends of the Capitol to act there s reason to expect success, creating the prospect that the District for once in its history will be properly equipped with schools to care for the education of its youth. —————————— A law limiting the amount of snow- fall permitted in any area during a given time would be desirable if, ltke one or two other laws, it were not so difficult to enforce. ————— Russla is threatened again with famine. This fact may lend a new touch of explanation to the report that Trotsky is traveling for his health. ————— In the matter of gun elevation in the Navy, Uncle Sam is not being en- thusiastically persuaded to follow for- eign fashions. S oy The Memorial Bridge. The House comnmiittee on public buildings and grounds is hearing im- pressive arguments in support of the bill passed by the Senate for the con- struction of a memorial bridge. One of the speakers before the committee emphasized the widely known fact that “Nothing has ever been brought before Congress for action that has had such deliberate and comprehen- sive investigation over a long perfod as the Arlington Memorial Bridge project.” At least 40 years ago the argument for a memorial bridge connecting Washington and Arlington was strong enough to gain general approval. The growth of Washington, the growth of population in nearby Virginia, the de- velopment of Potomac Park, the building of the Lincoln Memorial, the creation of Columbia Island, the mul- tiplication of graves at Arlington, the placement there of the Tomb of the Unknown, end the eérection of the amphitheater for memorial services, the Increase in pilgrimage to that hal- lowed place and the need for making improvements in Washington and its environs to the end that the American Capital shall be as fine as Paris, Rome or any other seat of national govern- ment, have increased the reasons for the Memorial Bridge. When the Memorial Bridge idea came to men's minds the Civil War had not long been ended. Millions of men were still thinking, speaking and singing of the Union and the Confed- eracy. Monuments to men and regi- ments were being dedicated through- out the land. There was no connec- tion between Washington and Arling- ton except by shaky wooden bridges and rough roads. A great bridge was thought of as a sign of the reunion of the North and South and a mag- nificent way between the Capital and the National Cemetery, which -had priceless associations with the North and South. The plan was taken up by soldier organizations North and South. Hundreds of thousands of those soldiers have crossed the bar. Because of the passing of years and THE men, and because of the World Wa¥, the Civil War to most Americans is far in the background of history. But, in a way, the bullding of this me- morial was promised in the 80s and 90s to hundreds of thousands of men and women in whose memory the Civil War was fresh. Faith should be kept. Arlington has grown as a national shrine, and the Civil War graves are very likely outnumbered by World ‘War graves. More Americans go to Arlington in a day than 40 years ago went there in a week. There is phy; cal need of a bridge over the Potomac, and all the argument is that it should take the form of a memorfal. The Lee Highway Assoclation is urging the bullding of this bridge as a link in the boulevard between the Atlantic and Pactfic. i e Nurmi, the Finn. It Paavo Nurmi, the fleet-footed Finn, stays in this country much longer, he is apt to knock all the world records for sprinting and long-distance running to such points that for many years to come his successors on the track will be Struggling hopelessly for fame. That Nurmi is a wonder was shown at the Olympic games in Paris, where he established himself as the most remarkable runner of the age. It was thought, however, by some that he would be illadvised to come to America for exhibitions and matches at this season of the year, for he would have to run indoors, whereas he is particularly an outdoor runner. But indoors or out, Nurmi holds his supremacy. Recently he won three races In one evening at Madison Square Garden, and again last night he smashed three more world's indoor records, bringing to six his total of new records since arriving in this country, less than a month ago. Then he immediately hustled for a train to take him to Chicago, where tonight he will run several more races, and tomorrow night he will be back again in New York to appear in another set of games. This in itself is a speed performance of note—nine matches in two cities 909 miles apart within 48 hours! Perhaps in a more clement season Nurmi might make the jump between the two cities on foot. At any rate, he is now the world's out- EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. O, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Is Washington an unfriendly city? Recently in this column 1 wrote on the abstract subject of friendliness, citing a few sfecific cases of un- friendly actions to bring home the point. H. A. writes: “Congratulations on your editorial of January 2. In dwell- ing on the subjcct of friendliness in and around this place you certainly put the ball over the plate I, there- fore, remove my hat to you! “Having been horn and reared in a Southegn city It Is hard for me to be- come accustomed to the way they do here. It is probably more noticeable to me than to many others. And it is probably more noticeable to everyday visitors in the National Capital than to myself. Because the outside, world, brother, is not at all like this! “Down South people are not afrald of each other. They know how to live. There is a different stmosphere. You feel more at ease! People greet you in a friendly way. ‘Good morn- ing!" They are not afrald of you, even though you are a stranger. “Furthermore, you do not have to ask them to repeat what they have sald. They talk more distinct’y and more plainly. There are a lot of paw- ple in Washington who do not even know how to talk. No -wonder it pains them to be friendly and cour- teous to others. “Strangers very often ask me the whereabouts of certain of the Gov- ernment offices. A glance shows that they are ill at ease. Perhaps they think I am a native of this city. May- be they think I will snarl or snap back like a mad dog. Not so in my case. 1am only glad to be of service. “You may go into a store @nd pur- chase a bill of goods. Does the clerk ask you to call again? Does he even thank you for the business? Nine times out of ten he does not. “Recently 1 worked on & concrete road job. The road was closed by the Maryland Road Commission. Yet people would dash right through, ignoring the flagman and detour sign. Some even swore there was no flag. man at the end of the line. Nor de- tour sign, either! One man dashed around a curve at a 30-mile clip and collided with a truck stopped on the roadside. “Seeing the danger many of them were getting into, I at first tried to flag them down and warn them. But I soon found it a waste of time and effort. They were golng too fast to see anything. Pretty soon they would find the road blocked with a concrete mixer. Driving up, they ‘honked’ a number of times, and, after finding nobody gave a whoop how much they ‘honked,’ they reluctantly turned and i went back. That's how ignorant a lot standing figure in sport, a marvelous|of thew are. human mechanism of speed and en- durance, graceful in his action, rhyth- mic, the perfection of highly utilized energy, the despair of all rivals. e The law of averages asserts itself. After struggling for years with the most intricate forms ‘of propaganda the public mind turns elmost unani- mously to the intricacies of the cross- ‘word puzzle. ————————————— Japan is mot regarded as seriously in a hostile mobd. Apart from her well known sincerity of friendship it is too soon after the earthquake to think of a war. ————————— The grain market continues to im- prove in a manner to show that the advance in the price of wheat last Fall was no idle campalgn argument. —————e— Debt discussion has one peculiar phase of advantage. So long as an obligation 1s being formally argued about it {s not being paid. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Apology. 1 uséd to make jokes 'bout the poets of spring, And monologize On blossoms and birdies and that sort of thing. 1 apologize. When there's nothing at all to be seen in the street Excepting the remnants of snow and of sleet, Oh, Poet, with sweet, 1 apologize. vernal emotion so 1 sneered when you gazed at the heavens in June To astrologize. I scoffed at your rhymes to the soft silver moon. I apologize. The furnace is broken, 'most gone, The taxi is skidding on somebody's lawn. Oh, Poet, my heart to the Springtime is drawn— 1 apologize! the coal is Prudence. “Your audience cheered you for 10 minutes when you arose to speak.” “Yes,” answered Senator Sorghum. “Some of 'em seemed anxious to at- tend to their cheering beforehand, so as not to interrupt their nap during the oration.” Cabinet Resignations. At one door folks are shaking hands ‘With many a merry shout, While at the other door thers stands The signal, “This Way Out.” Jud Tunkins says a banjo concert always makes him homesick, for the reason that nobody out home plays the banjo. Efficiency. Efficiency! Efficiency! everywhere. 1t is & most alluring word that hovers through the air. 1 like it—when inclined to shirk, and I am fondly wishin’m-see?— To 1et somebody do the work, while T £0 off a-fishin'—see? You have it Unsatisfactory. “Are you in favor of child labor’ " declared Farmer Corntossel. It ain’t practical. I have tried to get my boy Josh to work ever since he was 10 years old. He's now 25 and hasn't done a lick yet.” Place Grabber. ‘We use both eloquence and wit To manege the affairs of earth. The grip germ doesn’t care a bit, But always finds & cozy berth. “After all,” said Uncle Eben, “hoss racin’ is a promoter of industry, owin’ to de way it leaves you brok gotter go to work orestarve’ oxx ¥ “On another job a big bridge was being built,” continues H. A. “There was a flagman stationed at each end of the line to give Information to mo- torists. While the bridge was under construction many cars were sent around via detour. “Four cars, however, pald no atten- tion to anything—no amount of per- suasion, nor flagging. The four cars went headlong and plunged through the bridge before they could be brought to a stop. All four of these cars were driven by women. “As it happened, a place had been fixed under the bridge so as to keep the cars from going to the bottom. it just goes to show how careless and Igrorant they are. That's all! “Recently an old gentleman pas- senger on a street car wished to pur- chase a few Maryland fares. He was a stranger, and naturally wished to know If the tickets could be used any day, In either direction. Do you sup- pose the conductor gave him credit for being a stranger and smilingly replied, ‘Yes, sir, they are good any time? He did not! ‘Yes, indeed! In as harsh a tone as possible. And Wwith a frown as if it was a terrible pain to even have to say that. “Another case was on a crowded The Future of street car of the same company. It was pouring down rain. The car came to a stop and two or three pas- sengers sought to alight. A rather large man sought to ente “‘Let 'em out—let 'em oyt blurted out the conductor. No soorfer had he uttered the words than he came forth with the command, ‘Right up—get out of the door so I can shut it now. Right around!’ “Perhaps many people do not know it 1s a mark of {ll breeding to refuse to be courteous. Perhaps they may think it glves them an aristocratic appearance. Perhaps they are just naturally yellow. But as a friendly city Washington is far below par.” * K Xk X Well, what do you know about that! It may be laid down as a basic proposition that one's opinion in a case of this kind arises as a result of his personal contacts. Now a person may be unfortunate in his golngs and his comings around Washington, or in New York, or in San Francisco. He may be the sweetest tempered man in the world, but if he happens to run up against a succession of mean persons it will be no wonder if he comes to the con- clusion that the whole city is mean. If he goes Into c store and gets ill treatment there, scant eourtesy, lack of attention, he is not to bé biamed for thinking that that particulaz store 1s one for him to pass up. If he is so pnfortunate as to run into the sameort of thing in several stores, undoubtedly he will feel that all the stores are allke. Whether or not one thinks a city is unfriendly, then, must necessarily depend upon one’s own reactions to others, as well as the reactions of those others to himself. This is certainly a falr statement of the case, and it must be Kept in mind always in dealing Wwith this question of friendliness—or lack of it—in Washington. Because there are two sides to this question, of course, as there are to almost every other question under the sun. I had this strikingly brought out to me the day of the big snow by the conversation of two friends, who we will call Mr. A. and Mr. Friend A was fuming: “This is the worst city in the world,” he declared. “The people here are the most un- friendly in the world.” % “Why, what s the matter now? “Bunch of mutts,” he swore. “Would you belleve it—nobody would believe —" alm down, calm down.” ell, I got out to the car tracks, and there wasn't a car in sight, of course,” he managed to settle down “There wasn't any street car tracks in sight, either. A dozen automobiles came along, while I stood there, and do you think one of them hailed me? “Not on your life! The bozos run- ning those autos just let me stand there, salled on by with empty seats, when they could see I wanted to get down town, and had no way of get- ting there except to walk. “I don’t believe there is another city In the United States where at least 10 out of that dozen would not have hailed me and given me a lift. Friendliness in Washington—shucks, there ain’t no such animule Friend B smiled. “Why, 1 had just the opposite ex- perience,” he sald, “I got down to a car track where cars were running, and just as I was about to board a car, discovered that in my excitement I hadVeft all my money at home. Not a cent on me! “T turned to the man at my elbow. ‘Say, could you lend me a token? " 1 asked him. With a smile he pro- duced one, and refused to give me his address, so that I might return it to him. He did give me his last name, however—so here's to Mr. Waldron!” Well, what do you think—as a friendly city, is Washington far be- low par? the Philippines BY FRANCIS B. LOOMIS. ARTICLE IIL 1t would be a serious mistake for Congress or the President. or any group of individuals to try to say, at this time, the precise date or year when the Pilipinos should be given complete independence. They will not be ready for it {n 20 years and may not be in 50. There should be further and em- phatic official announcement to the effect not only that this country has no present intention of granting in- dependenco to the Filipinos, but that the question will not be consldetred for 25 or 50 years. A stop should be put to perpetual agitation. The Filipinos who are responsible for it should be made to understand that they owe allegiance to the United States and that we are not longer golng to permit treasonable, seditious conduct and utterances on their part. We should, as we have done in the past, deal falrly, fustly and gener- ously with the Filipinos, but they must never be allowed to forget what they owe to the United States. We should not permit them to run a comlo opera form of government for the benefit and profit of a few polit- tcal cliques and at the expense of the helpless people of the islands, under our protecting guidance, nor can we, for a moment, consent to allow them, in their present state of unfitness for self-government, to obtain independ- ent sovereignty and to guarantee them protection by the United States without authority om our part to prevent them from giving offense to foreign governments and nationals. Want a Free Hand. What the ambitious Filipino poli- ticlans want, In an international senme, is an absolutely free hand in the Philippines under our protection, but it is not bellevable that the Amer- jcan people are willing to become a party to any such arrangement. More- over, it is an open question whether Congress, under the Constitution of the United States, has a right to alienate territory of the United Btates. There appears to be authority for the assertion that the status of the Philippines is that of a territory. This same legal point was raised dur- Ing the acrimonious debates which followed the purchase of Alaska. Some of our Democrati¢c friends who were opposed to that purchase on politleal grounds wanted to allenate the territory of Alaska and have it withdrawn entirely from the United States Government. It was then pointed out in tHe course of the debates in the Senate that it was not possible, on constitutional grounds, for Congress to pass a law providing for the transfer of Alaska to another soverelgnty. After this point had been raised, the discussion looking to the sale of Alaska was dropped. There was in the Philippines, while I was there, a great deal of earnest discussion concerning the power of Congress, under the Constitution, to grant independence to the Philippine Islands, or, in other words, to allen- ate territory which has become part of the United States by purchase or conquest. We have a right to acquire the terfitory by conquest, but does Con- gress have the right to allenate such territory except by direct sanction of the people of the United States as provided in their Constitution? Spain _ceded the Philippine Islands to the United States by the treaty of Paris, thereby relinquishing heér sov- erelgnty over the archipelago. The islands then became the absolute ter- ritory of the people of the United States. The Philippines are asmuch a part of the territory of the United States as that included in the Louls- lana purchase or Alaska. Having acquired the Philippines, Congress was authorized by the Con- stitutlon to provide a government for them, which was dome by two acts, the first a temporary act, followed in August, 1916, by the second aect called the permanent act. These acts or charters to the Philippine govern- ment differ only from the charters of other territories organized by Con- gress {n matters of detall The provision of the act establish- ing the so-called more permanent Jones bill, is preceded by a preamble which is said to convey the solemn promise of independence. This pre- amble has no legal force and is not binding upon our people and con- tains no solemn promise, as is loudl claimed by the advocates of Philip- pine independence. No Valld Promises Are Made. President McKinley never made such a promise nor has Congress made such a promise. Some of our public men since McKinley's time have held out the hope for ultimate independ- ence, but none of these declarations has been authoritative nor could they be binding upon the people of the United States. The entire failure of Congress or the people to ratify President Wilson's promises at Ver- sailles is sufficlent proof of this con- tention. Thelr alleged bellef In a promise of independence has been utilized by the Fllipino agitators to support their cause and their propa- ganda which has, of late, assumed a character deeply offensive to the patriotl sensibilities of all Ameri- cans in the islands. It should be clearly understood that there has never been any definite promise made anywhere by anybody to glve the Filipinos independence, that is, not without a condition and that condition was that they were to be prepared to maintain a stable gov- ernment. By a stable government is meant one that is able to maintain peace and security and guarantee jus- tice for the individual and safety for property at home, and to resist op- pression from abroad. This is the measure of real governmental stabil- ity. There never has been genuine stability {n the Philippines except that- furnished by the presence and power of the United States. As & mat- ter of fact, the Filipinos have a great- er degree of independence than most any other people in the world. They are In no way oppressed as to thelr liberty nor impaired in théir develop- ment. They have more individual liberty than the people of the United States. The Volstead act did not ap- Ply to the Filipinos when I was there. ‘Would Suffer Economically. If independence were given the Filipinos they would be in a very unfortunate plight. They would lose their free access to the markets of the United States; that mdlins they would losé 6 pesos per picul on sugaf, which amounts to $3 gold on every 139 pounds of sugar. They would be unable to compete with Java or Cuba. They could not enjoy independence and free access to our markets be- cause of more than 50 treaties which we have with other nations, which provide that they must have the béne- fit of competing under favorable terms in the particular products cov- ered by these treati Tn the mext place they would loss the protection of the Army and Navy FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 1925 VITAL THEMES $300,000 a Day for Bread We Don’t Get. By SENATOR ARTHUR CAPPER. (Senator Capper, who introduced in the Senate the bill now pending in Congress to establish uniform weights and measures, speaks with authority when he analyzes the bread trade from the point of view of con- sumer and of producer, with a view to giv- ing the consumer what he pays for and the producers their legitimate profit.) Short-welght selling by the big fel- lows in the baking trade costs the consumers $300,000 a day for breaa which he pays for but does not get, and creates a condition that the uni- form welghts and standards bill now pending in Congress Is designed to correct. A contributing factor to the situation Is the absence in some States of regulations to protect the eonsumer from such profiteering.. Such regulation as this legislation contemplates cannot work a hardship upon legitimate profits of the baking tndustry. It cannot afford a defen- sible excuse for increasing the price of bread to the consumer. This is a vital phase of the matter. The con- sumer 18 now paying dear for his loaf n comparison with prices that obtain in European countries, though Europe 1s dependent on forelgn wheat. ‘While not all bakers practice short- welght selling, charging full prices for a “short” loaf, evidence is that the practice is general among large baking corporations where State laws fixing a standard of bread weights do not prohibit. Bakeries now produce approximate- Iy 60 million loaves a day. At an average price of 8 cents for the “pound” loaf this production is sold to the consumer for $4,800,000 & day. 1t all bakers sold “short welght”—a 12-ounce loaf for a 16, or a 20-ounce for a 24—the total gouge would be some $600,000 each day. But some of the States have regulatory laws, fix- Ing welght standards and practically ail the small bakers sell “full welght." So, it is estimated, the amoumt the consumer pays for what he doesn't get is cut in half. This fixes the total dally gouge at $300,000. During recent years the baking in- dustry has grown to a degree that baker's bread is now tne rellance of the consumer for this essential staple. Baker's bread has become a big item in interstate commerce. This makes bread marketing an_entirely legiti- mate subject for Federal inquiry and regulation, prescribing uniform weights and standards to protect the consumer against short-weight prof- iteering. Moreover, baking has become a great national industry, increasingly in the control of great corporations. It reached a climax recently in the organization of a huge merger, with an authorized capitalization of $600,- 000,000, The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission are now investigating this big consolidation. These investigations are undertaken to determine the probable effect of such a merger. Will such a combina. tion tend to result in a monopoly control of the consumer’s bread sup- ply by crushing out the competition of the small independent bakers? The in- vestigations seek the answer. (Copyright, 1925.) Explains Realty Trusts. To the Editor of The Star: 1 read, with much interest, your edi- torial of last Thursday In respect to the rent legislation, and I note you put a great deal of stress upon the so-called “trust pyramiding,” and in- dulge the hope that the “bankers” will take hold of and assist in rem- edying the situation. You apparently assume, as has apparentiy the Presi- dent, that this is a_ substantial evil and the cause of all the difficulties which now face the owners of resi- dence properties in the District, and the justification of the Communistic legislation proposed. I think that there is a great deal of misinformation and misunderstand- ing on this subject of “trust pyramid- Ing." As apartment houses are sel- dom sold for cash, but most frequent- 1y exchanged for other properties, there often arises In these exchanges such differencés in equities that these differences are partially adjusted by additional trusts being put upon the properties so that a large amount of cash will not be required in effecting the exchange. This Is a perfectly legitimate and straightforward trans- action, and often results in three or four trusts being found as recorded against such properties. These trusts do not represent money loaned, and they are not necessarily supposed to. I assume that it would be fair to say that there are not 10 per cent of the apartment houses in the city of Washington that have fictitious trusts against them, but, even suppose that there were as many as this, how could this fact possibly affect the rental values, even of these particu- lar apartments, in a competitive mar- ket such as we now have? If, by chance, 10 per cent of the apartment houses should have cost twice as much per room as the other 80 per cent of the apartments in the city, you do not fmagine for a minute that the owners thereof could secure twice as much rent as, or any more rent than, for similar apartments costing half as much. Therefore, how can the amount of trusts in any way affect the price that the apartments bring? Only supply and demand and, sad to say, commissions can affect these pricos. Again, the District has been operat- ing for the last six years under a Rent Commission, and this Rent Com- mission {s supposed to have had the Intelligence and the discrimination to fix rentals upon fair values. Now, if this commission has been competent, it could not in any way have been misled by the amount of recorded trusts against any property under consideration, and, therefore, if they have given any consideration to trusts as Indices to values, they have cer- tainly admitted evidence that, to any one experienced in real estate, means nothing. Now, what have the “bankers” got to do with the situation? Apparently the President, In his reference to them, has some notion that these “pyramided trusts” are for money loaned by the “bankers.” It should be clearly understood that no “bank- er” as such term is generally under- stood, lends money on real estate. Such money as is loaned by trust companies is loaned only on first trusts, and these have no relation whatsoever to the execrated “pyra- mided trust: Therefore, as the “bankers” are completely out of the picture, and must be exonerated from any connection with so-called “py mided trusts” (one of the imputed causes of the “rent evil”), and trust companies are involved only to the extent of legitimate first trusts, how under the sun can they be of any re- medlal use whatever? Or, how can any one exercise any control on any one else’s business or methods of business? The only effective control will be the always operating law of supply and demand, and there never has been and never will be a better one, despite the distinguished prestige and impetus given to the law now proposed by Congre: Truly yours, J. P. STORY. of the United States and the service of our diplomatic and consular corps as well. They would, in effect, be exchang- ing a condition of real industrial prosperity for industrial bankruptcy and industrial pervitude. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN Q. When was the house at Arling- ton built’—W. W. H. A. The house with the pillared porch was built by George Washing- ton Parke Custis, grandson of Mrs, George Washington, in 1803. Q. Is it lawful to garnishee a £ol- dier's borus?—L. R. J A. A soldier's bonus cannot be gar- nisheed. Q. How does the drinking water of Massachusetts and Connecticut com- pare in softness with that of the Middle West and California?—R. O. P. A. There is little difference in the Softness of the water in Massachu- setts and Connecticut. In general, water derived from the sandy forma- tions of elther of these States would be softer than the majority of the California ground waters. The ground waters of the Middle and Western States are usually harder than those of New England. g. HHu Ireland home rule now? A. The southern part of Ireland, known as the Irish Free State, is now a self-governing part of the British Emplre, in practically the same po- sitlon to the empire as Canada and Australia. Northern Ireland has home rule, but is still represented In the British Parliament. Q. What s the German word for automoblle?—A. 8. E. A. Automobile is a French word, but has been incorporated into the German and English languages. In German, however, it is spelled with- out the final e—automobil. Q. How much wou'd a 22 or 23 foot boa constrictor weigh?—J. P. B. A. The National Zoological Park #ays that it would probably weigh from 90 to 100 pounds. Q. What is tapa cloth?—C. P. A. It is fibrous sheet obtained by pounding the bast of the paper mul- berry tree in the Fiji Islands and is used for clothing by the natives. Q. Who wrote under the name of Peter Pindar?—C. G. B. A. Dr. John Wolcott of Devon- shire, who llved from }738 to 1819, wrote under that name. One of his best known couplets is “You cannot make, my Lord, I fear, a velvet purse out of @ 8ow’s ear Q. What one of Jonathan Ed- wards' descendants was a Vice Pre; Ident of the United States?—M. L. W. A. Aaron Burr was a grandson of Jonathan Edwards. Q.- How are Navy carrier pigeons marked?>—C. R. A. The Navy pigeons are marked with N. A. and 2 number. Q. What do the letters E. M. F. on an automobile signify?—C. W. A A. The letters E. M. F. appeared on one of the first makes of E. M. F. 30. These letters stood for the Initials of Everett M. Flanders, the owner. The company was taken over by the Studebaker company. Q. How many jazz band?—J. L. A. Jazz bands vary greatly in size. Some contain only a piano, two saxo- phones, banjo, drum and traps, while others have many more Instruments. pleces compose a Q. When was the Esthonian song festival?—J. W. A. The eighth and last general Es- thonian song festival was held in Reval June 30 to Juiy 2, 1923, where 14,200 singers participated, among them being 324 mixed choirs, with 11,600 singers, and 44 male choirs, with 1,200 singers, and 79 orchestras, with 1,500 players. The largést num- ber in the audience in one day Is froma the works of Esthonian eom- posers. Q. Who was Mrs. Grundy?—W. M. R. A. Mrs. Grundy was a personage constantly appealed to in the phrase, “But what will Mrs. Grundy say?” in Morton's play. “Speed the Plough” (1800), but Who never appears among the dramatis personae. The phrase has come to stand for the judgment of soclety in generai upon actions or conduct. Q. Who was appointed on the com- mittee on conservation of the ofl sup- ply?>—J. I. R ‘A. The committee on conservation of the ofl supply recently appointed by President Coolidge consists of the Secretary of War, Secretary of the Navy, Secretary of Commerce and Sec- retary of the Interior. Q. When was the Phoenix Indlan School established?—C. B. A. The Office of Indian Affairs says that in September, 1891, a bullding was opened for reception of students which was known as the Phoenix In- dian School. However, on December 9 1891, the contract was let for the present Phoenix Indian School Bufld- ings, which were completed on June 30, 1892. Q. Please tell about the Dead Sea and why it cannot be traveled.—L 1 A. The sea to which you have ref- erence is the Dead Sea, extending from the Gulf of Akaba to Hermon, in Palestine. This sea, which is the lowest body of water on earth, is 1,292 feet below the Mediterranean It is fed by the Jordan and other streams, but has no apparent outle: all loss of water heing by evapora- tion. It is estimated that 6,000,000 tons of water flow into the Dead Sea daily. It is surrounded by cliffs and barren marshes, and is supposed to have been caused by a great famlt in the earth's crust of volcanic origin Volcanic action is still occasionally reported, and masses of rock and asphalt are occasionally thrown up. Its area is 34 square miles. It has been navigated, and there are nearby villages. Q. How can I liven up and preserve an oil painting which {s beginning to crack?—N. N. Y. A. A member of the staff at the Corcoran Art Gallery, charged with the preservation of the pictures, says that it Is a most delicate process to endeavor to reconstruct old paintings which have either, through neglect or through the use of inferior paint or ofls, become cracked. The painting should be kept free as possible from excessive heat. cold, or draughts. It may be wiped over with pure olive oil applied with a very soft cloth or chamolis. Q. What is the evergreen tree of Asia which is considered divine?— D. P. A. It is the Bo tree or Peepul. This is the sacred fig tree, Ficus religlosa, under which Buddha sat during the night in which he received supreme enlightenment. Q. Where is the longest suspension bridge in the country?—D. L. E. A. What is believed to be the lonk- est suspension bridge is now being erected across the Delaware River, linking Philadelphia and Camden N. J. The total length, including the plazas, is 9,760 feet, as compared with 5,989 feet, the length of Brook- Iyn Bridge. (Inform and entertain yourself by making constant use of The Star In- formation Buwreau, Frederic J. Haakin, director, Twenty-first and C strests northwest. There is a wealth of in- formation at the command of The Stor readers. TAerc is no charge for serv- foughly estimated to have been about 100,000. The program was entirely ice, except a two-cent stamp, which should be inclosed for direct Tepiy.) WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE Frank Waters Stearns. P. B. T., which means ‘“power behind the throne,” is the man who discovered Everett Sanders of Indiana for Presi- dent Coolidge. It is probably Senator William M. Butler who is directly responsible for Mr. Sanders’ selectfon as Bascom Slemp's successor at the ‘White House. But it is Stearns, among whose unofficial duties is the spying out of men and the land, who origi- nally brought the Indianfan to Butler's attention. Chairman Butler made Sanders chief of the Republican speakers’ bureau at Chicago head- quarters in 1924. Thenceforward their friendship ripened, and Butler's re- gard of the young Hoosier statesman waxed correspondingly. Sanders is a type of the homespun, homegrown In- dianian who habitually gets there. Born and reared on a farm, son of a country clergyman, teacher in a little red schoolhouse, then Terre Haute lawyer, he entered Congress with a serious outlook upon life, which con- sistently manifested itself in con- sclentious attention to public duty. In that particular respect Mr. Cool- idge will have an adjutant after his own heart. In addition, Sanders ranks as no mean politician and a natural tacticlan. * K Ok K Alanson B. Houghton's transfer to the amzassadorship to Great Britain is likely to lead to far-reaching An- glo-American finanelal operations in Europe. When the Ambassador was home from Berlin last Autumn, he told this observer that it was alto- gether probable that British capital would be ready to join with Ameri- can money in the “pacific penetration” of Germany. Mr. Houghton thought that such a combination of dollars and pounds sterling would be the soundest and strongest guarantee of peace in Europe that could be devised. It would mean more than that, he sald. It would mean prosperity for Germany and profitable employmént of “English-speaking” capital. France does not take kindly to Mr. Hough- ton's elevation to the Court of St. James. At Paris he is considered “pro-German.” Perhaps the Qual &'Orsay thinks that the Ambassador's post-graduate career at Goettingen and Berlin universities prejudiced him against France. * E k¥ Scene—Alexandria, Va., High School class on current events. Dramatis _personae—Teacher second-year high school youths. Teacher—Can any one tell mé some- thing about Mr. Kellogg? Confident lad—Yes, ma'am. Teacher—Well, James, tell us about Mr. Kellogg. Confident lad—He is the man who makes corn flakes. * kK K It will be interesting to hear from George H. Carter, boss of the Govern- ment Printing Office, how much of the people’s money in ink, white paper and franked speeches the Senate's Muscle Shoals discussion burnt up. Senators themselves are not un- and mindful of the loquacious figure they ( cut. Senator Smith, Democrat, of South Carolina said at least one mighty mouthful when he observed, during the merry-go-round on the Underwood-Norris bills, that “Senator Jones is in the same condition in Which a_great many of us find our- selves. We have the zeal of God, but not according to knowledge,’ as Paul said about the Jews.” Later on the same day, Senator Neely, Demo- crat, of West Virginia, opined: "It some power, human or superhuman, will Instantly and securely apply e fective Maxim silencers to the oral crifices of mpout 90 members of this body, we cam dlspose of the entire Muscle Shoals question before this time day after tomorrow. The Senate is talking itself into disrepute, the country to tears, and necessary lec islation to death.” * ok k¥ ‘Washington's newspaper fraternit is about to lose one of its vetera: shining lights in William Er Brigham, since 1907 natlonal politic. correspondent of that axle of the hul known as the Boston Evening Tra: seript. Brigham goes to Boston Jjoin the home editorial staff. Besides his passion for writing politics, he has another first love which takes the form of fondness for dogs, particular- ly stray dogs. For years he and Mrs Brigham have made it a habit to look for ownerless canines, pick them up on the streets, and either ses the animals to the Brigham kennel or tc the headquarters of the Animal Res- cue League. For the humane pur pose, “Bill" himself is usnally abroad with a rope. Brigham's career in journalism dates back to the founda tion of the Somerville, Mass, High School Radiator in 1882. For five years he was private secretary to Gov. Eugene N. Foss of Massachusetts In 1923-24 Brigham was president of the Gridiron Club. o Secretary Hughes will make his first public address, following recent announcement of his resignation, at a Pan-American night at radlo sta- tlon WRC, in Washington on Januar, 20. His topic_will be “Pan-American Relations.’ None of our forelgn affairs is closer to the retiring states- man’s heart. Mr. Hughes epitomized his Pan-American policy on the oc caslon of the centenary of the Monros Doctrine in 1923, as follows: “We desire no less than our sister republics themselves the independence the peace and progress of all the American states. We seek to enjoy to the fullest extent possible the blessings bestowed by the spirit of confraternity, those mutual benefits which shouid result from our inti- mate assoolation and our common political ideals.” * k% The world's vastest conventlon of women will be held in Washington from May 4 to 14, 1925—the sixth quinquennial session of the Interna- national Council of Women. Forty- two countries and 36,000,000 women will be represented. The National Council of American Women alone consists of 11,000,000 members scat- tered throughout 38 national organi- zations. The International Counotl was founded in 1838. (Oopyrignt, 1825.) Praises Courtesy Shown By Colored Drivers To the Editor of The Star: I should like to break in upon the accustomed complaint of the reck- lessnéss of colored drivers with 3 tribute to the thoughtfulness and courtesy of many of them during these nerve-testing days of fcy streets. 1 drive my own car—and rather badly!—and not once, but many times a colored driver has tried by pulling aside or slowing down to let me get ahead. Moreover, in no less than four in- stances a man has stopped and left his own car to help me over a bad pla It is & pleasure to be able to express my appreciation of such kindness and courtesy. CHARLOTTE