Evening Star Newspaper, February 25, 1925, Page 6

6 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY . February 25, 1825 THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Pennsylvants Ave. York OfMce: 110 Eaat 4%ad 8t hicogo Off wer Bu Buropess Gthoe - 16 Regont 5t London, Bngland. The Evening Star, with the Sundsy morning ition, 1s delivered by carriers within the city at 60 cents per month; daily only, 48 Cents per month; Sunday oniy, 20 cents per month. . Orlers may be sent by mail or tele Dhone Main §000. Coilrction is made by car- riers at the end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunday..1yr., $8.40; 1 mo, 70¢ Daily only........1yr., $6.00; 1 mo,, 50¢ Sunday only. $2.40; 1 mo,, 20c All Other States. Daily and Sunda; 00; 1 mo., 85¢ Datly only Ayr, ¥ 1 mo., 60¢ Sunday only 1yr., $3.00;1mo, 25¢ Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of news dis- patches credited to it or not otherwise credited in_this paper and also the local news pub lished herein 1l rights of publication of wpeclal dispatches herein are also reserved. —_— wiliy Save the Bathing Beaches. When the Senate and House agreed to eliminate from the District appro- priation bill maintenance provisions for 1926 for both bathing beaches, ac- tual and prospective, on the Tidal Basin, and canceled the appropriation for the construction of the prospective colored bathing beach, it was supposed that the effect was to obliterate both bathing beaches, the one in existence and the one about to be constructed. It appears, however, that the sub- stantive law, as yet unrepealed, direct- ed and directs the chief of engineers to construct and maintain the existing bathing beach on the Tidal Basin, and that for 1926 a lumpsum approprie- tion for playgrounds is available for such maintenance, in the absence of the specific appropriations that have been eliminated from the District ap propriation bill. Congress has clearly indicated that it does not intend that there shall be a second bathing beach on the Tidal Basin, and that as soon as the public interest will permit the one already there shall be removed. In respect to a colored bathing beach, Congress has declared that there should be one and has made adequate appropriation for one on the west shore of the Tidal Basin. Con- gress has now changed its mind con- cerning the location of this beach, but it has not indlcated a change of mind concerning the wisdom in the public interest of establishing such a beach in a better place. Why not then make the unexpended appropriations for a colored bathing beach on the Tidal Basin available for providing tempo- rary bathing facilities for the colored people elsewhere than on the Tidal Basin, pending the eventual perma- nent establishment of both bathing beaches at some location, to be ren- dered ideal, like Columbia Island? If existing substantive law requires the maintenance of the white bathing beach until that law has been directly amended or repealed, why not utilize which would have been averted by an automatic trainstop device such as the Interstate Commerce Commission has ordered installed on certain major trunk lines of this country, the one on which the wreck occurred included. The rallroad companies have not been prompt in thelr response to the re- quirement and have sought an exten- sion of time. In fact, they wish for an indefinite postponement. It has been argued that a very much smaller number of persons are killed in train collisions in this country than are killed at grade crossings, and that, consequently, such means as the rail- roads possess for track improvements and reformations should be expended upon the abolition of death-traps rather than upon a system of train stops which, they aver, is still ex- perimental. It is unfortunately true that more lives are sacrificed at grade crossings than in collisions. But that is no rea: son why effort should not be made to correct bath evils simultaneously. It is also true that the work of correct- ing these two evils—that of prevent- ing collisions by means of automatic stops and that of preventing grade- crossing fatalities by eliminating the crossings, will cost an immense sum of money. In the abolition of the grade crossings, however, States and local communities are contributing to the expense in large proportion. The share of the railroads is less in the long run than that of the taxpayers. The rallroads themselves must carry the whole burden of equipping their lines with automatic stop systems. The Interstate Commerce Commission has rightly decreed an early installa- tion of the latter. The States are tardily, but surely, moving to elim- inate the grade-crossing evils. The Annuity Increase. With the passage by the Senate of the bill to amend the Federal civil service retirement act that measure is in position for enactment at this ses- sion provided a special rule can be se- cured for its consideration in the House under limitation of debate. It should be in the “‘unobjected” class. It should command unanimously favora- ble attention and require no special rule to insure its passage. But unfor- tunately there is & disposition to ques- tion and debate not only the details but the basic proposal of & higher rate of compensation for Federal an- nuitants. Yesterday's action in the Senate is the cubmfnation, to that stage of par- tial enactment, of 2 long-continued ef- fort to correct the inequity of the orig- inal legislation, which put at too low a point the scale of pay for retired Government employes. Though the original act was passed in May, 1920, after the close of the war, it was tramed some years prior, and the re- tirement pay provisions had been writ- ten on the basis virtually of pre-war conditions. In the rewriting of the act insufficient consideration was given to the extraordinary increase in the cost of living. In none of the amendments subsequently adopted to the substan- tive law has this factor been duly reckoned until the now pending bill was drafted. It increases the maxi- mum retirement pay from $720 to the existing bathing plant on the Tidal Basin to furnish temporary bathing facilities for white Washingtonians until a better temporary bathing beach is prepared elsewhere, or until the ideal permanent beaches have been located and equipped for use? — e Pitching Horseshoes. The announcement is made that when the municipal playgrounds open the players will find provision for pitching horseshoes. When this game was in its heyday, it was believed that only members of the sterner, nobler, bolder and more whiskered sex, and 50 forth, could win honors at it. Times have so changed that one may see members of the weaker, gentler, more lovely, and sc forth, sex ringing the bob and bearing away prizes of the game. Bo far as antiquity goes, the game of pitching horseshoes puts it all over several other games. Horseshoe pitch- ing is descended from pitching quoits, and it has been said that pitching quoits is descended from the Greek game of hurling the discus. But this is really & matter for those idle scholars who have nothing else to do but chase down old things. In these parts horseshoe pitching is an old game. Men and boys pitched horse- shoes in the streets of Jamestown 300 years ago, and the game was played n the streets and ‘“yards” of St. Mary's City almost as long ago. Of course, if we are to honor American games because of their age, some honors ought to go to archery, be- cause arrows were being shot from bows in this country before horseshoes were pitched in the streets of James- town, even before there was a street in Jamestown. And then a man might come along and say that archery is an upstart and that an older and more vespectable American pastime was that of swinging stone clubs against opposing heads. At any rate, horseshoe pitching is a venerable game and making high scores at ringing the bob requires skill. It is believed that in a simpler ege there were boys and men who showed more skill in pitching horse- shoes than some men and women show today in playing golf or tennis. It will be a good thing to let the boys have a try-out at pitching horseshoes on the municipal play lots. If the boys do not find it thrilling enough, the super- visors can hang the horseshoes over the gate for good luck. —————— Even George Washington's birthday hes proved unable to add anything new to the already great interest in the subject of foreign eptanglements, s Train Stops and Grade Crossings. Three men were killed in a railroad wreck at a junction point in New Jer- sey, near New York City, vesterday and 17 employes and 23 passengers were injured. The wreck resulted, it would appear, from the motorman of an electric locomotive hauling a local train failing to observe signals, with the result that it crashed into the rear car of a standing express. . Here is the rear-end collision again, $1,200 a year. A considerable amount of money has been accumulated in the Treasury by virtue of the deductions from the pay of Government employes under the re- tirement act. This is mnot, strictly speaking, to be regarded as available for increased annuities for those al- ready retired, who contributed but a small percentage to the fund. It is vir- tually a foundation fund for the care of future ennuitants. It will not, how- ever, suffice for the present and the future annuitants, and Government contributions will be needed. The pres- ent bill, in addition to increasing the scale of the annuities, provides an in- crease of 1 per cent in the deductions from the pay of employes on the active roll, raising it from 2% to 31 per cent. This is an unfortunate addition to the burden upon the Gov- ernment workers. It would have been perhaps more equitable had the bill now under cofisideration increased the annuities at the expense of the Gov- ernment rather than of those still in service. The first consideration is dus to those who, having been involuntarily seperated from active duty, are now subsisting upon meager allowances, mere pittances indeed, inadequate to their needs and subjecting them to privations and humiliating dependence upon others, and even upon charity for sustenance. There is no disposition to object to the method if by that means alone they can be granted a larger allowance in annuity. Yet the hope remains that in subsequent re- visions of the retirement act a way will be found to establish an equitable equilibrium just to both the annuitants and to the members of the active force from whom come the bulk of the funds. o The retirement act is an imperfect instrument requiring correction and adjustment as time develops its in- equalities. This present bill, for which early enactment is now to be sought by its zealous friends in Congrees, is to be regarded as one of the necessary steps to this end. —————————— The gay night life of Paris continues to give the American spendthrift a warmer welcome than the American economist is led to expect in more sedate circles. The Mall-Avenue Triangle. Representative Underhill announces that he will make an effort to secure action by the House at this session, under suspension of the rules if neces- sary, on a bill introduced by him au- thorizing en appropriation of $15,000,- 000 for the acquisition of land between Pennsylvania avenue and the Mall, If he fails at this session, he says, he will reintroduce the bill and press for its early consideration in the next Con- gress. This proposition has been before Congress for a good many years. Ac- quisition of land between the Avenue and the Mall for Government building purposes has been carried on in piece- meal manner. First the Post Office Department, was located in that area. Then the District Building was placed there. Five squares at the western THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1925 THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. end of the triangle were purchased by the Government and designed as a site for three department structures; for all of which, however, it was soon dis- covered there would not be sufficient room. The Government has never utll- ized this tract, save for the construc- tion of & temporary “war building,” and the area in general remains as it was, In a shabby condition, devoted to numerous miscellaneous private uses. ; Meanwhile, a blight has been put upon the entire .tract as regards pri- vate development, for the “dead hand" of possible Government taking has rested over it to discourage its use for business purposes. The area is ob- viously suited for public buildings. Eventually it must come within the scope of the Government's property holdings, and it is only just that a move to this end should be made promptly. In the Arlington Memorial Bridge bill, which has just become law, there is a provision for the widening of B street north, east of Sixth, and the opening of a new avenue of approach diagonally crossing Pennsylvania ave- nue to the northwest corner of the Capitol grounds. This will include a portion of the eastern end of the Mall- Avenue triangle. Representative Un- derhill's bill would include the entire area, making it possible to create this proposed artery immediately, and then, as occasion arises, as occasion is cer- tain to arise in the near future, to pro- vide sites for the new structures which are to be ereeted here to furnish homes for the now-congested departments and bureaus of the Government. Consideration of this bill at this ses- sion would be in line with actions al- ready taken, and would be a saving to the Government. Its enactment would be a wise economy as well as a move toward the proper and inevitable de- velopment of the Capital. The irony of fate is often illustrat- ed in public life, but never more clear- ly than in the case of Senator Stanley, who, after opposing punishment for “hit-and-run” performers that might seem excessively severe, had the mis- fortune to be struck by one of them. This kind of motorist cannot be dis- creet in selecting his victim, and it would be only in accordance with hu- man nature if in this instance the “hit- and-runner” made an enemy of one of the few people who feit the slightest impulse of leniency toward him. ‘The serious illness of King George is a matter of anxiety to all good Eng- lish citizens regardless of political faith or theory. A monarchy becomes an expression of deference to the will of the people when they have learned to admire kings and to demand one. Cameras will have to wait till the Longworth baby is older. There is no use in photographing a distinguished citizen at an age when she looks like 80 many other distinguished citizens. ——— e The most expensive improvements have not yet made railway wrecks im- possible. Ingenuity produces new de- vices for travel without waiting to complete safety arrangements for the old ones. ———— All the agitators who once an- nounced that Russia would undertake to conduct business without money have evidently disappeared from Soviet circles. ———— The modest hope is now being ex- pressed by many motorists that the price of gas will not become so high that bootleggers will be among the few able to pay it. ———— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Congress. No matter what is going wrong ‘The answer is the same. ‘We always say in accents strong ‘That Congress is to blame. ‘The taxes and the annual rent, The price of warmth and food, In spite of laws to circumvent, Proceed with methods rude. ‘When ills come singly or in mass ‘We vow that joy is hid Because of Bills that didn’t pass Or else of some that did. So he who comes as Rep. or Sen. A martyr we proclaim, Since In the eyes of fellow men He'll have to share the blame. Psychology. “Do you believe in what they call the unconscious mind?” “What do you mean by that?” in- quired Senator Sorghum cautiously. “A part of your mentality that causes you to know things end yet not realize that you know them.” “Certainly. Almost any man is lia- ble to have that kind of an attack when he is making out his income tax return.” So Passes Glory. King Tut has met the common doom Of human pride, we Vow; Since what was once a splendid tomb Looks like @ junk shop now. Jud Tunkins says some of his friends would be grand garderners if they could dig up as much ground with a hoe as they do with a golf club. The Mystic R. “The letter R is very closely asso- clated with oysters.” answered Miss Cayenne. “If you're very lucky you may find a pearl. If you're very unlucky you may encounter & microbe. It depends on the letter R whether you get a gem or a germ.” Rhymes in a Restaurant. The Goose that laid the golden egg, She was, indeed, the Queen of Geese. For our old hen some praise we beg. Her eggs bring 20 cents apiece. The tip Which by my plate I lay Is not a tribute te the cook. The waiter claimed it to repay A kind word and a pleasant look. “Tain’ much use to tell folks it’s wrong to gamble,” said Uncle Eben. “De winners won't believe you an’ de losers knows it already." Mrs. A. V. Bassler, a teacher In the public schools of the District of Columbia, writes me as follows: “May 1, as a modern teacher in the Washington public schools, reply to your article of February 18 in The Evening §tar? I was most interested in your dfcussion beceuse your point of View 18 the one I have always up- field, that my education falled to prepare ms for the necessary. aEso- ciations of life and that I only began my education when I began to learn to teach, “But 1 am afraid that both of u have béen looking upon education of tho older order. I know I have— and I have been most delighted in courses’ in cducation that I have taken in the past three years to find that the modern trend in education is exactly along the lines you indi- cate. 7 ‘ “Even definitions -of = education specify ‘adaption to life’ and ‘train- ing for living’ Beginning with Rousseau and his experimental work with Emile, following through with Pestalozsi, Herbart, and up to our present diy there has been the germ of education as a preparation for life. “But, like good democracy, the germ has met many obstacles. At times it has been almost buried be- neath educational formalism. But it has survived —survived to such an extent that in this year, 1925, the greatest battles in education are being fought for individual develop- ment, not preparing children as a class for an outside world, but grouping, speclalizing, offering op- portunity classes to prepare each child, whatever his natural abilitles and aptitudes, for his particular niche in the scheme of things. “Schools are golng farther. There are even follow-up organizations to See if promising children have ful- filled the task they might perform for the world, or to see if the unfor- tunate one, handicapped by birth or environment, has climbed out of the rut in which he had seemed fixed. * ok kK “Asg for health education.” continues Mra Bassler, “pick up any recent text book on education and see the em- phasis placed on ‘strong minds in strong bodles’ As to finance, look in the curriculum of our public schools for courses in percentage, banking, erical practice, etc. i Examine some of the shops and classes in our own high schools, where boys and girls are taught prac- tical handwork, printing, woodwork- ing, mechanical drawing, stenography and tybewriting, sewing, millinery, cooking, designing. And it lsn't only a smattering—an _excellent trade foundation is offered, the application depending upon the individual. | “As to conduct of living, that's the basis of life. The underlylng prin- olples of truth, honor, loyalty, fair play—all those intangible quallties We want to develop in our boys and girls are in the background of the mind of any téacher worthy of the name, no matter what subject she teaches. “I am so sorry, Mr. Tracewell, that T have neither time nor opportunity 1o cite for you definite texts and page references to support some of my above staterments. But if you will look up some of the works of some modern educators I do recall—Dewey, Ingliss, Cubberly, Monroe, Koos, Briggs, Parker, Hall, Terman, Bag- ley, Thorndike—or even visit our public schools, talk with some of our teachers, read a preface to ons of our courses of study. you will get a dif- ferent idea of the work we are en- gaged in. “We are no longer formalists, or are we trying to teach the ‘amo,’ ‘amat’ of 20 years ago. We are no longer teaching subjects—English, history, mathematics, geogTaphy; we are teaching children and trying to help them to adapt themselves to life in school as preparation for the larger life outside of school.” * kK K This s most delightful news from the educational world. Things are better than I supposed. Perhaps one ought to know everything, but one does mot, does he? Therefore the above letter was most informative to me, and I belleve it will be to many others who have been so busy in their own walks of life that they have not had time to Investigate the modern trend of education. It is true enough, as Mrs Bassler says, that I had been looking upon education of the older order when I wrote that “the four main divisions of learning since school days are about as follows: (1) How to earn a livin (2) the conduct of life; (3) finance, and (4) health.” This was prefaced, it will called, by the statement: “When a man is 10 or 15 years out of school and college one day he is likely to ask himself some such ques- tion as the following: Now that I have been out about as long as I was in, what have I learned since I left?” Therefore 1 feel that what 1 said holds true for all of us old fellows who did have to struggle with “amo” and eke “amat,” and pore hopelessly over logarithms and assorted alge- braic formulae, when all the time we wanted to be reading poetry or out- doors playing tag! To all of us, therefore, who feel that we wasted many precious mo- ments bounding Germany—now that the boundaries have been somewhat altered—it comes as quite fresh news of sunshine character that the schools of today are no longer for- malistic. It must be almost fun to o to school toda, Think of it, all ye old-timers: A pupil is a human be- ing! In my school days a child was something to be hurried through grade after grade, and we always suspected that our teachers heaved sundry sighs of relief when wo dis- appeared. The teacherd never understood us, and never made much effort to, as far as we could make out. Perhaps wo were considered as fellow human beings in the discussions at the “in- stitutes,” but in classroom we loomed up as “problems.” Now all that is changed, Mrs. Bass- ler tells me, and I, for one, am tre- mendously pleased to hear it. Let me quote her last lines again: o “We are no longer teaching sub- Jects; * * * we are teaching chil- dren, and trying to help them to adapt themselves to life in school as preparation for the larger life out- side of school.” * K ok k¥ be re- The kindergarten, the Montessori method, and the various experimental schools In this country always have fascinated me. And this movement toward really better schools and teaching 1s world-wide, I am begin- ning to learn. In the March number of the Forum is a most Interesting article by Mar- tha Gruening, entitled “Youth's Own School,” in which she describes a school for girls and boys in the forest of Thu- ringla, conducted in accordance with modern experimental ideas, “the prin- ciple of which is that pupils should all be members of a great family, in which the independence of each mem- ber s & sacred thing.” These schools are, the author points out, as the name Landerziehungsheim implies, “land schools and land homes, in & sense that few of our schools are, even when situated in the country, and they represent, with other things, not only a ‘back-to-nature’ movement in education, but also what might be called a ‘back-to-youth’' movement.” Ah! Back to youth! That is what Interests me. The child is father to the man, and, as such, deserves equal consideration. If the child in school today is coming into his own I am mighty glad to hear about it. Thank you, Mrs. Bassler! WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE President Coolldge didn't introduce the electrical hobbyhorse into Wash- ington public life. Ploneering honors are awarded to Senator Willlam B. McKinley of Ilinois. Mr. McKinley has been an accomplished performer on Old Ironsides for some time, and an enthusiastic exponent of mechani- 1" canters, trot€ and gallops. His ‘Washington home, his friends say, not only stables one of the dynamic steeds, but contains an electric chalr besides. It is not of the Sing Sing pattern, being designed for exercise, not execution. The chedr is anchored, but when the current is turned on, its seat {s as wobbly as the tossing bil- lows of the sea. Senator McKinley soys he really Installed it to train him to sit tight in the uneasy chair a member of Congress has to oCCUpY. * % Kk ¥ Senator Borah is the last man in Congress who ought to oppose a raise in congressional pay, because he is one of the poorest men in public life. It is an open secret that the Idahoan remains in the Senate at immense financial sacrifice. New York or Chi- cago law firms would give him a partnership tomorro% on an annual guarantee worth seven times his senatorial income. Borah would like Jeisure and travel and pictures and books, and the other perquisites that money affords, but he does not care to buy them, as le easily might, at the cost of “going back on the fel- lows at home” By that, Borah means his fellow Idahoans, who have just sent him to the Senate for the fourth successive term and to whom he thinks he owes his first allegiance. Love of the higher politics, of course, goes hand in hand with Borah's loyalty to Idaho in im- pelling him to renounce private wealth In favor of public service. * ¥ K ¥ Pennsylvania has no notion of heed- ing Mr. Coolidge's desire for a calm and costless inauguration. The State Senate at Harrisburg this week unanimously voted funds to take the whole Leglslature .to Washington on March 4, including tHe Senate, House, principal employes of both bodles and all the newspaper correspondents who “cover” the capital. The State treas ury will foot the entire bill, as well as the expenses of Gov. Pinchot and his inaugural delegation of 105 prom- fnent Pennsylvanians. A member of the lower branch of the Legislature opposed the inaugural junket on the ground that it involves an unconsti- tutional use of public funds. * kX % ‘With the inclusion of Messrs. Kel- logg, Warren and Jardine in the re- organized Coolidge cabinet, the ad- ministration_will list heavily to the westward. If Secretaries Mellon and Weeks remain in the cabinet they will practically be the sole repre- sentatives of the East, provided no further changes are in prospect. Secretary Davis is formally accredited to Pennsylvania, but he is just as much an Indlanian and his “spiritual home” is Mooseheart, Ill. Kellogg of Minnesota, Hoover and Wilbur of California, Warren of Michigan, New of Indiana, Work of Colorado and Jardine of Kansas show that the star of cabinet makeup, as of empire, i steadily trending toward the setting sun. The Western aspect of his new household may be safely ascribed to the Presi@ent’ ‘s desire-to recogmize the iemaurmfi‘e region that rolled up his big vote in November, 1924. * % X * Senator Pat Harrison contemplates a maiden trip to Europe this Summer. It will combine business with pleas- ure. The Mississippi Democrat wants to examine on the ground the ques- tion, which in his judgment will shortly become a paramount issue in American politics—our $12,000,000,000 of unpaid European indebtedness. Harrison is a last-center oh the debt. He thinks it ought to be paid, and paid as promptly as possible, and paid in every case on no better terms to anybody than we granted to Great Britain. * ox ok % Raymond T. Baker, former director of the mint, is being groomed by the Democrats of his native Nevada for the 1926 senatorial nomination. The Beau Brummel of politics—that is one of Bakers acknowledged claims to distinction—aspires to capture Tasker L._Oddie's seat and make Nevada's delegation in the Senate entirely safe for the Democratic party. Mr. Baker is one of the pillars of the McAdoo temple, and would enjoy the stanch support of that sect in the pursuit of his senatorial ambitions. Somebody else who would probably make speeches for Baker is “Joe” Tumulty. Whenever the Nevadan is in Wash- ington he and Woodrow Wilsop's faithful lieutenant are inseparable buddies. * % Xk ¥ The Department of Commerce, cus- todian of the ether for .Uncle Sam, got word of & brand-new use of radio this week. The Commonwealth Edi- son Co. of Chicago broadcast the en- tire proceedings of its annual stock- holders meeting from station KYW. The company announced that as there was no building In Chlcagd big enough to hold ‘42,000 stockholders and 756,000 customers,” the directors had decided to “take the air” and give an account of their stewardship to all and sundry who cared to listen in. (Copyright, 1925.) Nations Keep Faith, Newspaper Notes Observance of Disarmament Treaty. February 25 next marks the time limit set in the Washington arma- ment treaty for the destruction of American, British and Japanese naval vessels doomed by common agree- ment to put a crimp in war-breeding armament competition. This part of the treaty has been fully and faith- fully executed. The great experi- ment begun at Washington has proved successful, but the fact has not been hailed as loudly as its sig- nificance calls for. It was the first of its kind in the history and put international honesty to a severe test. here was considerable possibility that the treaty would not prove ‘water tight; that developments would arise to prevent its execution. It anything had gone wrong, the world would have noted it amid howls and execrations. But normality reigned. There was no slip. Everything went. off on schedule time. Therefore, the world takes little notice. History will adjudge the success of the great experiment at its true yalue.—Phila- e, Politics at Large BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. The “third party” has been launch- ed at last. Its proportions are not so large, however, as to stir Chairman William M. Butler of the Republican natlonal committee from an attitude of cold indifference. Nor have the Democrats evinced any particular degroe of awe. The new party—which, by the way, has not yet been officially baptized. although it is supposed it will be named “Progressive’—is scarcely be- yond the crysalls stage. A commit- tee was named in Chicago by a rump meeting growing out of the conven- tion of the Conference for Progressive Political Action, to, make plans for organizing throughout the States, and for a national convention to be called later. A demand for a new political al- lignment in this country—with all the ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN Q. What are the dates races for the season of 19257—J A. This schedule Includes: Angeles, Calif, February Calif., April “30; Charlotte, May 9 or 11; Indiaapolis, 30; Altoona, Pa., June 13; Pa., September 7; Syracuse, X September 19; Fresno, Calif., Septem ber 30; Charlotte, N. C., October Los Angeles, Calif., November 26 s. Los Q. Does the filbert nut grow on a bush or a tree?—F. J. B A. If a filbert tree is neglected it will degenerate into a clump of bushes, but if trained and pruned correctly when young, it will become a tree. In Vermont they tend to be bushes, while in Oregon, which is the best section of the country for vatlves In one group and all erals In another—was volced with considerable vigor last Summer. The La Follette-Wheeler ticket party, call it what you will, was expected to be the forerunner of this new alignment. But the election came, it i3 over, and for the time being the peo- ple are thinking about things other than politics. As a matter of fact, & new Congress has just been elected and a President has been newly elect- ed for a term of four years. The in- clination of the people at present seems to be to glve the new admin- istration and the new Congress a chance. If the engine falters, then it will be time to tinker with it So the time chosen for launching a third pafty movement was, to say the least, fll-timed. The third party people had full ing. They had before them the action of the Amer- fcan Federation of Labor and of the executives of the railroad brother- hoods and unions in favor of non- partisan political action and against ng 4 new party now. * k% % A new party needs an fssue—some- thing about which it may rally the people. It fas to be tangible issue, if possible, like slavery, which gave birth to the Republican party, or even the protective tariff, which served to keep the Republicans and Demo- crats apart for many years after the slave issue had passed. The Progressives have attempted to make “the Interests,” “domination of the Government by big business” an “invisible government,” such an issue. The great difficulty has been that so many of the people are mixed up one way on another with the interests or big busimess. The people work for these interests; they draw their pay, their livelihood from them, and they are getting a pretty good living. Peo- ple don't get fighting mad when they are comfortable. It's when something hurts them they get Into action, wit- ness the formation of the Populist party in the 90s, and the Farmer- Labor party in the Northwest a cou- ple of years ago, when the farmers were going bankrypt. Nor {s the cry of “special interests entirely new. It lacks the quality of | being novel. For years the Demo- crats have been hurling it in the teeth of the Republicans. They will continue to do so, and by that much will the efforts of the Progressives be paralleled. Furthermore, both the Republicans and the Democrats have dabbled more or less in “progressivism.” The for- mer point with pride to Theodore Roosevelt, when the term is used, and the latter to Woodrow Wilson. The new party's issue may develop if the interests become obstreperous; if the Republican administration goes over horse, foot and dragoons to them. * ok k% Several interesting things hap- Pened in Chicago at the convention of the progressives—In addition to the appointment of a comimittee to g0 ahead with plans for the third party. First, the effort to form an American labor party, patterned after the British Labor party or the Labor parties in continental countries, got another jolt. The big labor organiza- tions will have nothing to do with ft. They do not see why, just because abroad labor has seen fit to form a political party of its own, they should follow suit. They prefer the Amer- fcan plan, with labor organizations working along non-partisan politi- cal lines. Second, the Socialist party showed its hand. It sought to bring about the formation of an American labor party which should be the Socialist party with a new name—a name which might tremendously swell its ranks. With all the big labor or- ganizations standing aloof, the pro- posed American labor party would have been something like “Hamlet"— with Hamlet left out. Having failed in its efforts, the So- clalists held a convention of their own in Chicago and decided to go ahead with their own knitting. It seems clear that they went into the La Follette movement to boost their own game, and they failed. With the big labor organizations on the one hand and the Socialists on the other turning thumbs down on the new party plan, the ranks, tem- porarily, at least, have been reduced materially in number. Furthermore, the farmers of the country and their orgarizations apparently took little Interest in the convention or what it did. Out of the 300 delegates to the Chicago convention the farm repre- sentatives did not constitute a cor- poral's guard. ¥* ok ok ok The steps proposed toward the for- mation of a new liberal party, whether they promise much at the present time or not, are along sound line: They are in accordance, too, with the views of Sertator La Follette, whose great ambition has been to aid in the founding of a liberal party. It is proposed to break away entirely from the group plan, which was used to a large extent in the recent campaign, and to have the new party based on geographical lines, conforming to State election laws. It is proposed to have the new party organize from the ground up, with county, district, State and national organization, as in the case of the Democrats and Republi- cans. What its proponents are ask- ing is a liberal party, to which all classes of people who are liberally minded may belong. It is the only kind of a party that has ever made 4 dent in the political history of the United States up to date. It is presumed here in political circles that Senator La Follette has definitely abandoned thes Republican party—that he will cast in his lot with that of the new party—since it is being patterned along lines sug- gested by his friends at the Chicago meeting. Presumed, for so far no definite statement has come from the Senator, who Is still in Florida. If he does, undoubtedly the new party will gain in_ strength from such an announcement. La Follette has a con- slderable personal following in many of the States. * * x % In this connection it is interesting to observe that some of the followers of La Follette in the last campaign— members of the Senate—are not in- clined to hop on the third party band wagon. Senator Ladd of North Da- kota, for example, one of the four insurgents whom the Republicans in conference read out of party coun- cils jat the opening of the present sessfon of Congress, is going to stay just where he is—in the Republican party of North Dakota. He believes that the Republican party, nationally, is due for a housecleaning. But that does not discourage him. That was the process followed in North Dakota, he says. & 5 Nor does Senator Brookhart of Iowa, another of the insurgents, in fend. to-become anythiag: but & Re- publican -at this writing. “He was elected by the people of Iowa as a filberts, they give the appearance of a tree. Q. What industries employ most children?—E. C. W. A. The textile industry more children than any namely, 5! children 10-15 of age, & to the census of 1920. The census shows besides the textile Industry nearly 13,000 children between 10 and 16 steel mills; almost 0 in clothing factories and ehirt shops; lumber mills and furniture fa 7,500 in shoe factories and 5,800 in coal mines. There were child ser- vants and waitresses reported to the number of 41,500; messengers, bundle wrappers, office boys and girls num- ber 48,000; sales boys and sales girls in stores, 30,000; other child clerks, 22,500; 1 boys, 700, and there were miscellaneous occupations, making a total of nearly one-half miilion children in manufacturing, mechani- = the emplo: other, years is D A. Console is a French architect- ural term applied to an upright cor- bel in architdoture which forms a stone bracket. In the case of the console table, the name is derived from the shape of the legs, which resemble kcroll-shaped brackets. They are usually richly ornamented. a console table so- Q. Is there any point on the high seas where bottom has not been found?—M. S. A. There are many deeps in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans that have not as yet been completely ex- plored. The greatest known depth s 636 feet, equal to 6.8 miles, h is found 145 miles southeast of Tokio. Q. Are more boys studying to be physiclans now than a generation ago?—D. P. W. A. The number of medical stude in 1900 was 25,213, while in 19 there were about 17,532. Q. Can a cat see M. P. A. A cat can see in the dusk better than a human being can, because the cat's eyes are sensitive to ultra-vi let ra; Its pupils are ca in the dark?—A. able or of almost any other animal, thus admitting more light. its whiskers as feelers in the dark. { for 00 children in other|! of | greater expansion than those of man | first for auto|lts surefootedness is a great help : it. The belic as well roneous Q. Who was the Young Turks?—D. C. I A. The leaders of th movement in Turkey period were Tala After the Armenian 1919 they disappeared lieved to lin. Their flight and subsequne dissolution of the cabinet was the e of their influence and the end of t Young Turk movement in Turkey 3 Young Tur’ ng the war er_Pasha acres were in ¥ mas be Q. What does crime States in actual money A. Edward H. Smith, says that the total an crime places on the c to about $10,000,000,000. It and a half times the natior and at least tw nnual cost of the is thre. 1 budger the Navy any ever exec a head Q M. A. He Macneil's statue Into aid to be “probably ed hu figure t head.” seulpto re without filmed - A. The was filmed in was first pres to the war fi he people of Fre ture ra was stadium when the ance was piay which cC Q. When used ?—M A. The fountain tured in England it @id not atta success, as it did not in the way it wae a patent was grant underfed pen. It fountain pens are b: of this model Q. In what ance p; s A. If the cribbage ately pegs the jack held in the same suit starter, oy his n card cut , the ts “for 1 and or crib, (Let The Star Inforr Frederic J. Haskir wd C streets your question. The d The cat uses|service is 2 cents i postag HE STORY OF THE FRENCH DEBT BY WILLIAM ARTICLE V. In times of peace, as many tour- ists know, the French are shrewd traders. And peace had settled over the world again in 1919. Hence it was natural and to be expected that France would drive a bargain in buy- ing our huge depots of surplus sup- plies stored on her soil. She did. The final agreement to pay $407.000,000— for which sum we still hold her promises to pay as part of her debt [to the United States—represented the culmination of months of bargaining. The cost of these supplies, a pre- vious article has disclosed, was $1,739,000,000; a “fair value” of §9 000,000 had been set on them after the armistice, $220,000,000 worth were | withdrawn, leaving $749,000,000 in supplies offered to France, and on these the American liquidation com- mission had made a discount of 25 per cent, offering the whole to France for $502,000,000. That sum, as stated, represented about 40 per cent of cost. Delays in Negotiations. What then followed? Did France Rurry to buy the supplies she needed at 40 per cent of their cost? Edwin B. Parker, the chairman of the Amer- ican liquidation commission, says not. Associated with Mr. Parker were Gen. Charles G. Dawes, now Vice Presi- dent-elect; Homer H. Johnson and Henry F. Hollis. Their report tells something of the long-drawn-out ne- gotiations between the American commission and the French author- ities, headed by M. Morel. It cites the vexing delays and continues: “Finally, after much pressure, on July 2 M. Morel submitted his first Dbid—viz., 1.500,000,000 francs.” The value of the franc at that time had fallen below 10 cents. Hence, France's first offer was somewhat less than $150,000,000—about 10 per cent of cost. That offer, the commission's report goes on to say, “was submitted orally in conference and the reply was im- mediately made that the commission could not give the bid serious con- sideration. “Numerous prolonged conferences followed. In order that there might be no misunderstanding of the com- mission’s position, the chairman wrote at length to M. Morel on July 7"—it had been negotiating since April—“a letter, the spirit of which can be gathered from the following excerpt: “+After the sacrifices, which cannot be measured in terms of dollars, which have been made by both of our peoples, it would be criminal stupid- ity on the parts of the representatives of both our governments to fail to agree to the disposition to be made of the surplus war materials remain- ing on French soil. “This commission sincerely hopes it will not be forced to sell for ship- ment out of France anything that the French people really need or can util- ize to advantage, and we are there- — e Republican, and he believes the Re- publicans of Iowa know what they want and who they want in the Sen- ate better than the conference of Republican Senators. * % Xk ¥ The House of Representatives has had it in its power during the pres- ent session to bring about a reform that would be far-reaching politi- cally and legislatively. So far it has done nothing. It has had before it for months the Norris resolution pro- posing an amendment to the Consti- tutlon that -would -do away with “short sessions” of Congress, and \bring into office the newly elected President and Congress in the Janu- ary following their cholce at the polls in November. The resolution passed the Senate by a large vote—it has twice passed the Senate. But the House, which could handle it prompt- 1y under its rules, has not considered Smothered by the leaders is the answer. Now Senator Norris has given no- tice that if another short session of Congress rolls round—as it wili two hence—and nothing has been with hl:.ur:xg:tion. he intends to fillbuster e tion, including bills, force .a. spe. P. HELM, JR. fore, not only anxious to make to the government of a price for thls property wh be attractive to it and to exte it for the entire purcha ling, Surplus Supplies Needed. And a Morel May yu't Germany ures have M I not, as the tre has been s bees taken associates, to jinsure and as the Ameri forces are being v drawn and returned is imperative that the belonging to our G France should be speedily if not to the French gov others who urgently need ing to acquire them, to may be promptly and fu bring back a m the suffering peopl That ringing, and s reminder of the b the effect, 12 day; , o - of bringing another bid from the French authorities. This tim offered to pay five years later (about. 000,000) plies in her own was ing expenses divi urplus war ient i osed of, deduct- with the ed over the price named. That offer was rejected, mission suggested the French au thorities that the sale be “definite, fina complete and unconditional, leaving be- hind no loose ends to breed tr Five days later, or on July a tentative agreement was r the purchase price, which wa $400.000,000, subject to mir s (which later swelled the total to $407,000,000) plus certain other cc siderations, one of which, at least, prob- will seem somewhat su to average American citizen c quainted with the ways of French nego- tiations. It probably had never occurred to the average American civilian durin the hectic days of war that France would welcome with anything but open arms—and open ports—the flood of supples which' American industry was pouring into "France. But the French had a tariff on imports, and although American supplies were flowing in to maintain Ameri troops holding the line against the German advance into France, the tarlff question raised its head whe the time came to dispose of our sur- plus supplies. Tarifft Question Raised. In substance, the point raised that the United States had paid tariff on the huge reservoirs of war supplies thus constructed in France. The tariff had not been collected dur ing the war, but the war was over and here was this great accumulation of American goods on French soil duty free. What about the tariff? Here is how the report of the Amer- ican commission answers the ques- tion: “The commission had the inven tories studied in connection with the French tariff schedules, and it was found that $150,000,000 was a con servative estimate of the aggregate duties, payable under the normal rules, for all of cur st in France. This claim was given weight in fix ing the final purchase price of $400,- 000,000.” “And what about rent for the space occupled by the American supplies? What, too, 2bout the claims of French citizens for damages, etc., in connec- tion with the docks, depots, railroad yards and other installations made by the American forces? These questions figured prominently in the bargaining and they, too, were given weight in arriving at the $400,000,000 purchase price. France agreed to pay the rent after August 1, 1919, and to assume herself all the claims of the kind mentioned That is the sort of bargain France drove with America when she bought our surplus materials on 10-year credit, And during the time of thess negotiations at home, her representa- tive at Washington was loaned moré and the com wa than $150,000,000 in cash from the American Treasury. Sk Oopyright,