Evening Star Newspaper, March 3, 1925, Page 6

With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. TUESDAY ...March 8, 1825 THEODORE W. NOYES. ...Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Busivess Qffce, 11th 5t. and Perasylvania Ave. New York' Office: 110 Bast 42nd Bt Chicage Office: Tewer Bullding. pean Office : 16 Regent 8¢, London, Bagland. The Bvening Star. with the Sunday moraiag ctition, TTa nirered Ty camers withiath clty at 60 cents per month: dally omly, 45 ceats per month; Sunday oniy, 20 cests per month. Orders may be sent by mail or tale- phone Main 5000. Collection i made by car- Ters at the end of each moath. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance, Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunday. .1 yr., $8.40; 1 mo,, 700 Daily only 1yr, $6.00: 1 mo,, 80c Sunday only 1yr., $2.40; 1 mo., 20¢ All Other States. Daily and Sunday.1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo., 88¢ Daily only.......1yr, $7.00;1mo, 80c Bunday only .1yr, $8.00;1mo, 25¢c Member of the Assoclated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled o the ‘use for republication of all news dis- atches credited to it or mot otherwise credited o this paper and also the local news pub. lished herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. Charity Inaugural Ball. The promise is that the charity in- augural ball of 1926 at the Mayflower will be a brighter fete of music, dance, dress and great women than the char- ity inaugural ball of 1921. The object of the ball is to raise money for sev- eral of tae long-established child chari- tles of Washington and for the police and firemen's pension funds. People of this town have gladly given money for years to the support of these charities, and here comes an opportunity to dance at a historic ball with the knowl- edge that every cent it costs you will £o for the benefit of those who need this help, and for the widows and orphans of the city's defenders. The charity inaugural ball of 1925 will Te a bright memory when those who attend it are old. Half a century hence their granddaughters will take the yel- low program from its reliquary and tell their little girls that their ancestors danced at the great charity inaugural ball at Washington in March, 1925, One-half of the total receipts from the ball will go to the maintenance of the fund for the pension of retired po- licemen and firemen and for the sup- port of the families of members of those two forces when they fall in the discharge of duty. This most worthy object has alw: enlisted the hearty and sympathetic support of all Wash- ingtonians. The remainder of the rev- enues will go to the support of certain child-welfare institutions. Not a cent will be deducted for expenses. The com- mittee says: “This unusual feature of this charity ball has been made a pos- sibility by the generosity of public- in that direéction. It gave Washington an outstanding eminengpe. From a penniless lad of poor parent: age on & pioneer farm in Iowa to the rating of one of the world's richest men! Such stor{es have been told many times in this country in one degree and another. They are no longer novel. The story of Willlam A. Clark is but one of them. But it d'ffers somewhat, for this man was not of the rugged type usually to be found in the rough work of pioneering. He was frall. He had none of the typical characteristics of the adventurer in the unbroken lands. He literally made his own way, and the secret of his success lay in his firm belief in the value of education. He tolled to gain the rudiments of knowledge, and later he departed from the traditions of the mining world by making himself a technical expert. His faith in himselt, his devo- tion to one purpose, Were the secrets of his success. e s The Merger Bill Passed. Passage by the House yesterday of the Sefiate bill permitting & voluntary merger of the local street rallway cor- porations, subject to approval of Con- gress, adds to the long list of achieve- ments {n the way of constructive, valu- able District legisiation at this session now closing. The passage of this bill was hardly expecfed, in view of the congestion of the calendars. Its adop tion by the Senate the other day in the face of determined opposition wus a cause of surprise. It was effected by.a compromise which overcame opposi- tion to its conslderation. In the House spirited contributors who have donated the total amount of all the expenses.” It will be the second ball of this kind at Washington, the first having been held in 1821, The then Vice President and Mrs. Coolidge were the guests of honor, and the receipts turned over to the varfous charities were $28,000, all expenses of the ball having been donated. The ball of 1925 will be as briliiant as any of those official In- augural balls which ure now historic. The President’s decision against an of- fictal fnaugural ball made it possible to hold a great inaugural ball in the cause of charity. The women and men who have worked for this ball and have assured its success hope that the example of Washington will be followed by the States, and that gubernatorial ineugu- ration balls will be replaced by in- eugural balls for charity. People ought to dance, promenade and eat ices all the merrier when they know that what it costs them goes to the cause of charity. R Reports that Parls is raiding its night resorts should cause no surprise. Paris insists on being different, and its shows could hardly be more startling than some that are disclosed with naive unrestraint in this country. e et ‘ongressional salaries are discussed s affording more facility than is need- ed for the proud boast about & man's leaving office poorer than when he en- tered it. ——————— William A. Clark. One of the most romantic careers in all the history of American progress and development closed yesterday with the death in New York of Willlam A. Clark, once known as the “copper king,” and during the later period of his lifs a beneficent and generous patron of ert. The story of his rise from poverty to great wealth is a tale of remarkable activity, of pertinacicus application, of exceptionai resourceful- ness. The eldest child of a poverty- stricken Irish immigrant, he became as a result of his own efforts the larg- est individual mine owner in the world, and one of the dozen richest men, di- rector of 27 corporations and president of 24 of them. Living in poverty in lowa he se- cured an education by working nine months in the year to pay his expenses for the remaining quarter at a univer- sity. At 21 he joined the first gold rush to Colorado and worked there in the mines. Striking out to Montana, he prospected in newly discovered min- eral flelds, but eventually found that there were more profits in merchandis- ing. That gave him his capital start. But mineral ventures still lured him. He concluded that the usual methods of the prospector and mine speculator were inadequate. He came back East, and for a year studied mineralogy at @ university. With this knowledge he was equipped as were few others in the mining field to know values, and thenceforth he never bought a prop- erty that he was not assured from per- sonal inspection was worth invest- ment. The result of his intensive ap- plication was his rise to the position of the largest individual holder of min- eral properties in the world. As a patron of aft William A. Clark held for some years before his death an enviable position. He had educated himself to a high apprectation of artis- tic values, and he set about to encour- age American artists. His endowment of the biennial salon held here at ‘Washington at the Corcoran Gallery of Art wes-one of the- it was given a hearing by unanimous consent, and in the absence of objece tion was passed, and it now goes to the President for approval. This measure opens the way to & voluntary consolidation of the two traction companies. It has been pro- posed that Congress itself fix the terms and require the consolidation. The present bill, which is about to become law, gives the corporations the option of making their own agreement, though Congress reserves the right of approval. It is intimated that if ed: vantage is not taken of this permissive merger opportunity Congress will pro- ceed to compel the unfon. An Incentive to an amalgamation of the two systems Is thus furniahed. Cer- tain obvious difficuities are involved in any consolidation. The properties of the two companies are widely different in character. There is a decided vari- ance in their financial positions. One system is immediately remunerative, and the other has e large prospective potentiality for profit. Whether they can be united by the volunwary action of their stockholders remains to be seen. In respect to the Washington trac- tion situation & new factor of fmpor- tance has recently developed. The motor bus has become a competitor of the tram line, and has undoubtedly taken some of its patronage. The pos- sibilities of extension are recognized. A competition has developed between the traction companies and the bus lines for ereas not now reached by tracks. Indeed, the future of the fixed- track transportation utility s some- what problematical, especially in view of the large use of the individual motor car, which has also taken ite toll from street car patronage. All these considerations are to be taken into account in the matter of consolidating the systems. The pub- lic concern is for the development of corporation conditions that will permit the fixing of the rate of fare at the lowest point compatible with good service and a proper measure of profit. The community hopes for results to come from this permissive legislation. ——————— New Year is a faded memory. It is when another Congress convenes that the business of new resolutions really starts. ————— Regardless of boundaries relating to national geography, Canada and the U. 8. A. sometimes have to take their earthquakes in common. ———————— The inauguration this year is to be more ceremonial than spectacular, It will be none the less memorable and impressive on that account. —————— For the privilege of completing his Stone Mountain war memorial Gutzon Borglum signifies willingness to do some battle on his own account. —————— Inauguration Visitors. Inauguration visitors to Washing- ton, though chilled by the early March airs that are giving their last touch of Winter, are seeing the Capi- tal under pleasant circumstances. Despite the nippy atmosphere the skies are clear, the streets are free of impeding ice and snow, travel is easy and “sightseers” have free ac- cess to all parts of the city and the environs of historic interest. They do not, however, see Washington at its best. To get the proper angle on the |’ city they should come here about stx ‘weeks later, when the parks are show- ing their greenery and the flowers are beginning to bud and bloom, when the foliage is coming forth. It has long been the hope of Washingtonians that the inauguration would be scheduled for the latter part of April, when such conditions prevail, when the weather is always clement and there is no danger of “flarebacks” or unseasona- ble visitations. But this hope has been deferred and is now faint. For the present disposition in Congress with respect to the date of the inaugu- ration is to advance it to early Jan- uary, if a change is made, with a com- plete rearrangement of the congres- sional and Federal schedule of events. In former times, when great displays marked the induction of the Presi- dents into office, drawing immense numbers of visitors, Washingtonians were always keenly apprehensive for the comfort, and even the safety, of those who came to witness the cere- mony. Elaborate preparations were 'made for them, with great stands from which the procession might be viewed and with displays of fireworks pro- vided for a climax in the evening. Save for the ball, the entire program was enacted out of doors, and there were serious risks of harmful weather conditions. That many people suf- [E_EVENING BTAR, WASHINGTON, [ THE A D. O, TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 1925. - ———————]———————————_—————*—_———____________—_________fi__ THE EVENING STAR)| tional gifts ever made in this country |lives in consequerice of such inclem- ency as; early March often brings is a matter of record. ‘Whatever the weather, however, and ‘whatever the season, those who come here to witness the formal change of administration always see interesting things. They get a glimpse of the Government at close range. Many perhaps attend the final sessions of Congress.. They visit the public bulld- ings and Institutions. They make pil- grimages to Mount Vernon, to Arling- ton and §o other places nearby where history has been written and is now. recorded in monuments or cherished souvenirs of the past. And they are made to feel that this is their city as ‘well as the city of the Washingtonians; the National Capital as well as a local community. That they take pride in it is well asgured. All Washingtonians extend the wel- come hand to these visitors and seek to give them a sense of fellowship. It is a pleasure for the local residents to serve as guides, to explain matters to these guests, especidlly to first-com- ers. The Capital community hopes that those who are here or are coming for this occasion will repeat their visit. ——————— Pass the Retirement Bill! There is yet time for Congress to pass the bill amending the retirement act. Yesterday in the House the mat- ter was debated, and there was evi- dence of a large and preponderant sentiment for this legisiation. The Sen- ate has passed the bill, and House concurrence only is necessary for final approval. If there is a will the way is open. It is hard to believe that this oppor- tunity will be allowed to pass without action. If when the gavel falls at noon tomorrow this bill {s not among the ac- complishments a grave injustice will have been done to & great number of people. They were forcibly separated from the public service for no fault of their own, merely because they had reached a certain age after years of faithful devotion to duty, most of them stlil highly efficient, despite the passage of time. They were swept out under a supposedly beneficent law, which proved to be a grievous hard- ship, for the provision for their sus- tenance in their old age was deplor- ably deficlent. Now it is proposed to increase their annuities slightly. This advance will make the difference in many hundreds of cases between ucute privation and barely decent comfort. If it is denied many will lose hope and will suffer. Perhaps some will die in consequence of this disappointment and this continued parsimony. Responsibility rests now upon the House of Representatives, upon the leaders of that body, who virtually con- trol the course of legislation. No plea ©of economy is possible in justification of fnaction. The bill as it stands safe- guards the Government's interests. It should surely be enacted within these last hours. ———— Attention is called by friends of Mr. Nicholas Longworth to the fact that the man from Ohio is still in active political demand. There i8 & great world movement for peace, but Turkey evidently has had all the news concerning it censored. ——— e It is being demonstrated by Admiral Sims that @ man may do some of his most energetic work after retirement. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSOXN. Forecasting. All solemnly we turn our eyes Unto the skies, And persons wise In accents humble Begin to mumble As if they meant to name anew Ingredients for a witch’s stew. Goosebone, colored low or high; Birds that North or Southward fl Buds that prematurely dled; Frogs that holler and subside; Ground hog with a gait infirm; TUndulating angleworm. Incantation is in vain. Nothing makes it sure and plain If we'll have a shining sky ‘When the Chief goes riding by, Or if snowplows must be made ‘To precede the great parade. Selective Popularity. “I have often admired your univer- sal popularity. “It isn’t universal,” answered Sen- ator Sorghum. “You can't please everybody. The luck of this game de- pends on selecting the right people with whom to be popular.” Cheapness and Dearness. In the future, they say, Things will come to pass ‘Where a dollar we'll pay For a gallon of gas. Then we'll stifle our mirth ‘And we'll murmur, “Alas! Now a dollar is worth « Only four quarts of gas!” Jud Tunkins says the world is like the, new hotel—getting better every year, but so expensive you can’t en- Joy it. % Lay of a “Lame Duck.” A Congressman was homeward bound. ‘We heard this little song resound 'In accents gay: “I'm on my way To do less work and draw more pay!” No Bystanders. “Was the man who got hurt an in- nocent bystander?” “There are no bystanders of any kind in Crimson Guleh,” answered Cactus Joe. “Flivvers are now: so thick that everybody is on the run.” “De average citizen,” said Uncle Eben, “can’t git over de idea ‘dat he has done paid his entire debt ot obliga- tion to & public servant by givin® him three cheers.” P Credit Due Dobbin. From the ‘Bellingham Herald. horse sense that prevented wrecks in the old' days probably be- longed to the horse. 2 No Match for Scandal. From the Milwaukee Journal. Radio has been heard at a distance of 10,000 miles, but it can -never be expeated o to, the. Jengthe| THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Meanness Is making ite last stand in America in homes, schools and business establishments. Wherever the vicious habit of “kidding” prevails there flourishes meanness, for joking, “spoofing,” Joshing, whatever one chooses to cal it, {s nothing but meanness in dis- guise. Untold harm is done in this broad land of ours through the prevalence of this habit of “kidding,” indulged in by children at play, boys in sehool and young men in college, assoclates in business; in fact, in almost every walk of life. ‘Wherever you go you will run into it, be the recipient of it or partici- pate in this degrading American sport in order to call attention from your- selt and make the other fellow the butt of the joke. Thas “kidding” runs in a mean circle from one to another, resulting in no real fun or genuine wit, but only succeeeding in making some one feel bad, whether he manages to hide it or not. Three young fellows come into a restaurant. They select their break- fasts, bear them to their table and sit_down. The tall one says to the stubby one: “Hurry up; don’t take all day." The middle-aged one joins “Hurry it up, old slow-poke.” The short fallow feels called upon to refoln: “Oh, I don't know about that."” This intelligent breakfast conver- sation then continues something like th That's all right. Hustle it up You'll be late, as usual.” in: that's so. Hump yourself, “Oh, T don’'t know about that.”” “Well, 1 know about that. Don't dawdle over that sinker.” “This sinker is all right.” “Oh, the sinker is all right. not ap slow as you are.” “Oh, 1 am not so slo “Oh, no—only like a “Wel smooth.” “Yes, and it neyer gets anywhere. Hustle it up, bo!"” * * ¥ X % Put on paper, that sounds silly enough, yet it is an actual transcript of & real conversation, a sample of the stuff that masquerades as “jok- ing” throughout these United States. It goes on morning, noon and night, belng 60 common that it {s normally not much noticed, it acting only as something disagreeable, to which the viotim s go used that he perhaps does not realize that he is being annoyed. In his turn he finds it convenient to “kid” the kidder, so that the daily habit at meals, in officos—even in homes—is to poke_fun, usually of an asinine character, at every one. Why s this? Porhaps it derives its pestiferous being from the staid Anglo-Saxon disposition, which, at least in the United States, seems inclined to be afrald of the serlous. To bs serlous with another is shameful. It savors too much of re- liglon, perhaps, or of the Sunday school. When one is in church it is well enough to be serious, but once outside the doors one’s companions would think one was a “grind” or some sort of ministerial son of a gun. One therefore finds it highly con- venlent to put on an aspect of good humor. It gives one the air of being a good sport, something which the average young male American seems to re- zard as the ultimate character in life. I one can pass as a good sport s eam roller.” a steam roller rolls ’'em Opinions Vary Of Second Armament Parley Strong sentiment in other conference to consider agree- ments between nations for disarma- ment {s expressed by the press of America In the face of recent news or of an- that “feslers” in forelgn capitals were belng made by Amerlcan diplo- mats. There are, however, a few sditors who do not regard the out- look at this time as the best to ob- taln real results. “American sentiment is ready for the sacond conference,” says the Philadelphia Public Ledger. “Since the collapse of the recent league ef- fort an American-called parley be- comes inevitable. Its immediate task is to widen the work of the first Washington pacts by lmiting aux- iliary naval craft. With Washington and Londan ready and Toklo willing, France and Italy may be made to listen to reason. If no more than this can be done, well and good.” In the opinion of the Pittsburgh Chronicle- Telegraph, “America has no ax to grind, no purpose to serve except that of contributing to the cause of world peace and relief of the tax- payers’ burden.” * R ok % Some editors appear a little skep- tical of the attitude of France, which they think has not been as concili- atory as it .could have been. On this point, however, the Cleveland Plain Dealer says: “Perhaps France has become convinced that her soli- tary stand in blocking the desires of the other powers is unwise” To which the Kalamazoo Gazette adds: “It, therefore, behooves President Coolldge, if he wishes to complete the great work begun by Harding and Hughes, to strike while the fron is hot, that is, while Herriot is still premier. ‘The notorious brevity of the average French ministry's tenure in office is, without doubt, one of the strongest factors urging the President to push his conference plans as rapidly as possible.” The Duluth Herald observes, “Now it is sald that the Herrlot government will not stand in the way, and If that is 50, thers seems to be nothing In the Wway of another cbnference as successful in a wider fleld as the Harding conference was in its limited fleld.” Ths Chicago Tribune holds the opinion that the former Washington conference did’ not reach the bottom of the matter it had in hand and left & great loophole for construction of units other than capital ships which has been taken advantage of by the other members of that con- terence. _The Tribyne says: “The power is in the entire fleet and mot in the battleships. A further con- ference which applied this fact might be to our advantage, but our success in conferences is not encouraging. If France wlill keep the army out of it and Great Britain will keep the pacifists out of it we can at least reflect that we would not-be going in with much'to lose.” * ¥ k¥ The Oakland Tribune expre mmuch. more optimism over the poss bilities in the followin, ain {s first with emphatic indication that she will participate in the pro- posed conference no matter how wide its scope. This means she.will dlscuss limitation of aircratt and submarines as well as limitation of crulsers and gun ‘sizes. Japan was one of the strongest supporters of the limita- tions of armaments theory at the Washington conference and she has lived up to the agreement. In view fons which have 3 officlals in that country and her attitude in the first meeting it is probable that ghould a conterence be called Japan wbuld be found as a participating and con- tributing fastor.” among his fellows, it does not much matter what he passes for at home ‘Defore his wife and children. & * X ¥ X All fools have still an itehing ¢ deride, ‘Aud fain would be upon the laughing side. The laughing side of humanity seems to include the major portion of it, at least In this country. It is im- possible for two or three men to gather together anywhere without be- gInning to “kid” one of their number. Women seem freer from this blight. Some chance remark, some innocent statement, is seized upon for the at- tack. One follows sult until all are involved in/the affair. Minutes, even hours, are consumed this way. Ask any man who has been through college, especially if he has lived in a fraternity house, The “kidding” &oes with it and is supposed to be & mark of character. “You have got to get used to it the wise senfors tell the youngsters that have just been “splked.” Yes, you do have to get used to it! That is the trouble. And, what ls more, you have to spend the rest of your life getting used to it, unless But more of that later. The excep- tion will be explained In the conclu- sion of this article. The average man does have to get use to “kidding.” For it is in the grain of human natute, seemingly, because it is a species of meanness—and meanness, whether one cares to admit it or not, is in- grained in humanity. All “kidding” is founded on the mean streak in us. We like to poke fun at others because it satisfies the mean streak. Analyze any bit of “kidding” you may hear, it can be traced back to some mean trait in the “kidder.” Often joshing the other fellow de- soends to remarks upon his person and his personal habits. Though it is contemptible, we are so used to it that ordinarily it does not so strike us. We have allled ourselves with the laughing side so long we have become a partner in crime. * kO K Divorced of all the jollity of “good- tellowship,” this eternal poking fun at others resolves itself into its prim- itive meanness. Its first cousin is the “Haw, haw!" that arises when some poor cuss slips on a banana peel and strikes the ground with a resounding thump. Its second cousin {s the slap-stick of the burlesque stage, where the ap- plication of & plank to the sitting portion of humanity is always good for o big laugh. “Kidding” in its usual aspects is simply a mental paddle applied vig- orously to the human species In the place it hurts most—the mind. The rankle left by indiscriminate “kidding’ is a real hurt, whether one carefully conceals it or not. It is re- sponsible for more poor work {n busi- ness, more ill-feeling in homes and more failures in school than is com- monly realized. It helps fill the di- vorce courts. It is petty. It harkens back to the childhood of all of us, when we got huge satisfaction out of screaming some silly rhyme at some poor, men- tally unbalanced old woman. Above all, it is cowardly. For as soon as man comes {nto monsy or makes a success out of himseif in some other way he is “kidded” no longer. The successful head of a busines: never “kidded.” ously. But the rest of the hands sit around and josh each other every day, never realizing that by indulging in this viclous habit they are holding each other back. is He is taken seri- on Possibilities tatfon of war aircraft should be made a part of the agenda,” thinks the Kansas City Journal, which adds: “The fate of such a movement would turn on the attitude of France end Japan, but the question should at least be raised and the world per- mitted to know what their attitudes shall be. And if the conference does not reach an understanding with the nations of the world regarding the limitation of alrcraft, it will at least have learned that the United States should bring its alrcraft up o the standard of other nations.” “President Coolidge says the n: tlons are nearer accord now than heretofore,” remarks the Louisvilla Times, “through a more definite and more widely entertained conception of the possibility to prevent war un- der an effective ruls of law.” The Times adds, “Apparently Mr. Coolidge belleves that {nternational thought fs tending toward acceptance of a con- ception which was unhapplly not so widely entertained in this country when world peace by agreement was concelved by Woodrow Wilson.” The Birmingham News thinks that France can only be made responsivie to a new conference idea by a guarantee of security for a period of years against Germany, and adds: “It is only through this sort of Kuropean preparedness that President Coolldge can possibly hope for success of the larger conference contemplated later on.” Boys Fix Penalty. Make Culprits Stand on Platform in Yard. A boys’ school in California has a dreadful form of punishment for in- corrigible lads. It was devised by the boys themselves—thelr school is self-governing. There are various other punish- ments, of a minor nature, for mild offenses, such as reprimands, denial of certain privileges, confinement, etec., but no corporal punishment for any- thing. But if a boy misbehaves serl- ously, time after time, scorning pun- ishment and authority, he is given the limit. The offender is sentenced to stand on & platform out in the yard, before the whole student body. Just that and nothing more. There he stands, while all his fellows look at him sil- ently, and go back and forth to their work and play, regarding him silently %5 if he were some strange creature. “No more terrible disgrace can be- fall him,” says a school officlal. “He Aever repeats the offens. There, as the official remarks, iy an exhibition, felt keenly by the culprit, of “the strongest authority in the world.” It is invisible, yet it per- meates all ctvilised life and has more to do than any other factor in deter- mining human conduct. It is simply “publio opinion.” . Reading of that juvenile experiment in penalogy, & reader begins to won- der whether grownup society is using ‘this potent force at its full value in the eternal war against evildoers.— Winona Republican-Herald. —e—— Publicity Instead of Results. From the Baltimore Sun. Lobbying s especially wicked if it gets publicity instead of results. No Rush to Pay. From the Birmingham Age-Herald. ] Nobody is going to be trampled to death in any wild rush. dohtors to.pay uny NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM .G. M. THE BEAUTY OF THE PURPLIL. . Willlam Stearns Davis. The Mac- millan Comparny. Easter, and all Christendom afoot for the festival. By daybreak the streets of the city lle cleared and waiting for the pageant in homage to a reawakened and risen world Carpeted with myrtle and laurel and ivy and box, they stretch long lanes of living green. From & thousand uplifted and lighted urns that senti- nel their course clouds of incense, blue and pungent, float and drift and mingle with the greenery of the way itself. Behind these guarding censers the packed populace crowds. In the near distance music. Heralds appear, swinging white staves to hold an open passageway. Then, to the clamor of oboes and lutes and dulcimers and trumpets and cymbals, companies of priests and monks march, chanting paeans of praise: The Beauty of the Purple — Ten thousand years to the joy of the whole world. Then @ splendid procession of the exalted ones of the earth. Sumptuous ceremonial robes, emblazoned with gold and jewels, turn the green lanes into flaming currents of color. Matched, snow-white mules, a-glitter in gorgeous trappings, move staidly beneath their royal riders. Brilliant banners wave. Fresh outbursts | of martial music and priestly chantings hold the cadenced measurs true. And deep within the body of this pageantry, like & jewel in its set- tings, rides the great lord of the world. No, not the risen Christ. A ruler of the earth instead—an offset to that spiritual kingdom in whose name homage is here bending the knee to temporal power. * k % X That Easter {s now 1,200 years be- hind us. That city is “New Rome," imperial Constantinople. “The Beauty of the Purple” is a pictured story of that time wherein Saracen and Chris- tian were fighting for the supremacy of the Western world. 1 * ok ok % is the story of Leo the vho became Emperor of in the elghth century. Its its direction, its triumphant climax rise out of the menace of the Moslem crowding from the East to- ward the Imperial City and out of the victory of Leo and his armies over these invading Saracens. The shifting and vivid background is that of Constantinople under this impend- ing danger, and the city in its own imperial powers and aspects as well. * % x % Happily, this is the story of a man, as well as the historic truth about one of the world's great rulers. It is by virtue of the former fact that the latter one makes its striking impres- sion and creates its_ interest. For this old story becomes current and familiar through its likeness to In- numerable instances around us today of the obscure boy who achieves emi- nence out of his own character and his own will to succeed. Not often does he gain the greatest of political heights, as Lincoln did, as this Leo did, but he gains enough, and in ways that make Leo the Isauriza close to him in spirit; distapt only in the {nconsiderable separation of mere centurfes. Essentially . btempora- neous, this historic novel.. Thereln lies both its valus and its interest; therein, too, lies its triumph of con- struction. B A shepherd boy from the slopes of Isaurus is driving his father's flocks to the marketplace. Through the lit- tle villagh a troop of royal riders dash. A sudden turn, and serfous aoc- cident impends. Leo, swift and strong and brave, throws himself in between and averts calamity. The Emperor himself rides up at this mo- ment. A whimsical turn of the royal favor opens just a slender crack in the door through which the shepherd boy catches a fleeting glimpse of a great and splendid world. Later the door swings wide to him, first as faithful servitor, then as soldler and patriot, then as imperial ruler, whose great work was to hold back the Saracens from thelr designs against Constantinople and the West. ¥ w3 x And throughout this long, upward march, beset by difficulties and dan- gers of every sort—treachery, jeal- ousy, days and nights of unremitting work and ceaseless watohfulness— one goes along joyously, for he is all the time in the company of & man; fearless, a little stern, not at all un- settled by place and preferment, not misled by the ready flattery around him, a patient, hard-working, single- minded man, bent upon preserving in safety his own Christlan city of Con- stantinople; not ashamed of his early life either, for his peasant mother is beside him. A sturdy little woman, this Kasia, bent upon many charities and unmindful of the great artificial life around her, as she is in- different, too, to the open ridicule cast upon her. For many a touch of genuine humor are we indebted here to solid little Kasla, mother of Leo the Isaurian. And other very real persons come into this story—Fer- gal, the quick-witted Breton; old Kallinikos, the scholar and inventor, who produced the “Greek fire” that so flercely worked against the Sara- cens; his lovely daughters, who in their turn influence the romance of this tale, and many another—all of whom carry the distinction of being as real and commaunicable as if they were a part of the day in which we ourselves live. To be sure, the ex- ternals are all different. The mode of life, the common Interests of court and people, the display,-the ceremony, the gebtures—these are of .that dls- tant day and of that remote place. But these are the externals, the non- essentlals, important in conveying a true picture of that period, but never allowed to overlap and confuse the true human qualities that source the behaviors and attitudss of the men and women projected here. * kK % The conflicts between Christian and Saracen, which provide a large part of the true historic flavor to this fomancs, are of a quality to stress still . further the cotemporaneous character of effect produced here. As stirring military action, these battles by land and sea are surpassingly fine in big and brilllant and conclusive movements.. And when, finally, the “Greek fire” perfected by old Kallini- kos comes into use there is, as & matter of fact, a devastation so un- expected, 0 sudden and complete as to suggest nothing else quite so clearly as some of the inventions-that marked the awfulness of the World War itself. Yot this author has fort: fied himself clearly within the hi toric verities of the time and place and event that combine here to make the historfo novel what it always Q. How many people came to at- tend lk;_q Harding inaugural?—I. D. P. A. Tae District Police Department says that they estimated there were about 15,000 strangers in Washington for March 4 1921. President Harding had issued a request for a very sim- ple {naugural, so the ocrowd was mall. In 1917 about 75,000 people arrived for inauguration, while the largest crowd which over gathered for an {naugural came in 1913, when more than 100,000 people came to the city for Woodrow Wilson's first in- auguration. Q. When will the Blossom reach Cape Town?—O. H. A. This schooner, which left New London, Conn., in October, 1923, on a sclentific oruise of the South Atlantic, Antarctic and Indlan oceans, is ex- pected to reach Cape Town in May of this year. Q. Is thers less friction when steel rubs on braed or bronze than steel on’ stéel when steel is harder?— P YL A There s much mors friction between surfaces of the same metal than between surfaces of different metals. Q. Has the Government any pub- lication on the ralsing of foxes and coyotes L. K. M. A. The Blological Survey has done a great deal of experimental work along the line of fox-raising, but so far as we can ascertain has never been interested In the raising of coyotes. Coyotes, as you know, are predatory animals, and are consid- ered as a menace rather than an as- set to the fur industry. A public tion giving data on silver fox farm- ing is compiled by the survey. Q. Was the body of Marie toinette ever buried?—C. T. B. A. The body of Marie Antoinette was placed in & pine coffin and given an obscure burial in-a corner of the cemetary of the Church of the Made- leine. Records of the church show an entry which reads: “For the coffin of the Widow Capet, 7 francs. Q. How made?—T., §. A. The real pate fs made abroad and {mported {n jars and tins. A mock pate de fole gras may be made as follows: Take the livers of three or four fowls and four gizzards, three is pats de foie gras and pepper to taste. Boil the livers until done, drain and wipe them dry. When cold rub them to a paste. Sim- mer together butter and chopped onion for 10 minutes; strain and mix with seasoning; mix well. Butter a small jar and pack the mixturs as tightly as possible into it, placinig in the mixture small pleces of the gizzard to imitate truffles. Cover with melted butter. Q. Why s Alexander Hamilton often spoken of as “the father of his country”?—R. B. A. The title “father of his coun- try” is generally reserved for George Washington. Alexander Hamilton, however, undoubtedly rendered enor- mous economio and financlal assist- ance to the country at the time. Dur- ing his term of office as first Secra- tary of the Treasury his services, ac- cording to some authorities, were tablespoonfuls Worcester sauce, salt| ecarcely less invaluable than those of Washington himself. Is it the “artistic temperament,” such as 50 often accompanies genius, that is now rocking Stone Mountain, Ge., as an earthquake sways the continent? Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of the gigantic, the grand, the carver of a whole moun- tain into a granite group of statuary greater than was ever carved before by the hand of man, is a fugitive, arrested on the complaint of alleged “narrow minds” of local lawyers and merchants, “wholly lacking in art sense” accusing him of malicious mischief in his alleged destruction of his own models for the mountain masterplece. These “narrow minds,” composing the commission, “discharged” the sculptor, and they would employ an- other to proceed with the work. They had decided that Borgium was not progressing with business-like speed. He, in turn, claims that the commis- slon was not functioning, and was behind with the funds to the amount of some $200,000, which was due in proportion with the actual progress already made. He alleges that the commission’s overhead expenses in gathering and administering the funds were out of proportion to the efficlency of their services, and that his demand for an audit had been re- fused. More especially, he declares that the models which he had destroyed some weeks before his discharge,” were his property, the children of his art-imagination, which could not be glven over to any other sculptor. 2 xrie Imagine the sacrflege of a commer- clally trained man who had engaged a_ Meissionler of a Baudry or a Whistler to paint a masterpiece, in the midst of the work, bursting into the studio and setting up the claim that since he had supplied funds with which the canvas had been bought he retained the right to stop the master's brush and hand over the work to some student who painted with more modern, impressionistic speed. Who owns the art behind its exe- cution? Wherein lies the property right? Does the chief value of an art design lfe In the materials of tangible paper or plans or clay or granite or machinery? Or, does it chiefly and essentially lie i the art? Can an art design be seized from its author and banded over to another without the’ congent of the original artist? Can & half finished poem be completed by another than the poet Avho con- celved it? Some time ago Whistler was suing a recalcitrant oustomer for the price of a picture, and the lawyer of the defense, thinking to show the un- reasonableness of the clalm, asked how long it had taken him to paint the canvas. Was it a day or a month? Whistler's answer was that it was his whole lifetime of study. Art, in- deed, “is long.” S 3 The tragedy of stopping progress upon the granite mountain bas-relief is not an incident of mere local con- cern. It is not at all confined to sec- tionalism In its commemorating the heroes of the Lost Cause. Such sublimity as is there conceived be- longs not merely to the South—not merely to America—it is the product of universal art, such as brought a world guardianship of the great ca- ought to be and almost never is; that Is, it should be a vehicle true In every external aspect to the period that it represents. And within this vehicle the human should comport himself according to the unchanging laws of human nature. And there is where the rub usually comes, but not in this instance. In 1919 William Stearns Davis wrote “A History of France,” a work so acourately and so brilliantly con- ceived as to open up a new vision for students 'of history. Here he has ‘| produced a novel, historic in content and cast, that emphasizes all the ex- cenal:ea °'“=hlt hl.ltnr',’.u lrheo‘hl:; | tory | illuminates me B aovt thedrals of Europe against the rav- ages of the World War. It stands in protest against vandalism, regardless of property titles, whether national or individual. The fact that the Borglum figures are still partially unhewn does not in the least modify their present ex- istence as priceless art. Was it not Michelangelo who asserted that his statues already existed in the un- carved marble befors he touched it, for being in his mind, all that re- mained was to cut away that part of the stone which surrounded his dream? It was the dream that lles hidden in the granite mountain which brought tears to the eyes of Borglum What he Apst viawed it and sax ¥ » dreamer of the | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN Q. Ts it the African or Asiatio ele= phant that is trained?—E. 1. B. A. It Is the Asiatic, or Indian, dle- phant that fs tamed and trained While there seems to Ls no reason that the African elephant could no be trained, it has not beer Q. How m: on the Shipping F tied up on the Ja A. In Januas 0 men on th men rd s es Riv 1925, t boats. are employed that are 0. 3. ¢ Q. In the title “Sesame Lilles” what significance did Ruskin mean to imply in “Lilles”?-—C. E. D. A. The word {s taken from Isaial and s used as a symbol of.beauty purity and peace. Q. How much mail must a post office receive in order to have Bn electric canceling n ine? 8. a. A. If a post office cancels 5,000 pieces of mail a da apply for an electrio canceli Q. % A. A “sle hibernating and, owing to neg low speculative values without due potentialities Q. I have a numbe tal cards. ( 1 P According to regulations, unc able d spoiled treated by bron other processes of deemed fn postage stamped paper onl of th and ng mach What is a sleeper stock?—Ila F. k which 1 market, ing be- ated and’. demon recog r of 1-cent p eem them?- » postal ed post laws and unservice- rds not Q J. 1 A signify charterer of a shiy hicle of tra car or othor ve- lon for detaining it longer than the time specified be- fore shipment or sailing. 10 th is usually specified as working da: lay days and ho No claims are cidents, such s customs or other delay of a ship the frel risk and the v and ready to sail ed, unless the del hos or if the detention is by the owmer, master or crew. When a ship is sail the claim ceases, even though she could be do- tained by adverse winds or rough weather. owded harbor, In the case st t that loaded epeci- is caused by a tion of caused Q. Which firs caused greatar loss—the Chicago fire or the one in San Francisco?—J. E. W A. The loss caused b fire was estimated vhila the figures for t o fire are placed at $360,000,000. ~ cil (To know whers to find information on a subject is, accordinig to Boewsel, 83 true knowledge as to know the sub- ject itself. Perhaps “your drop of ink Yalling on a thought will make o thou- sand think.” Submit your perplezing questions to The Star Information Bu- reau, Frederio J. Haskin director, Twenty-first end O streets morthwest. Send a 2-cent stamp for direct reply.) BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. no ons else Could see Within its gray grandeur. A Nine years of labor Is beginning to bring to the vision of awed beholders the mystic Army, headed by the figure of Gen. Robert E. Lee, 165 feet tall from his cap to his horse's hoof. There are the other leaders, in pro- portion, and that carved granits will ¢ last a milllon years, according to the sculptor. There march the cavalry and the artillery as though coming over the silhouette of stone—a mils iong and 200 feet high The local idea, before calling in the famous sculptor, was that upon the granite sids of the mountain might be carved a head of Gen. Lee; that was all. Mr. Borglum declares that it would have been s impressive as a dime upon the side of a stone wall He alone saw the possibllities, the viston of the Lost Cause marching/ gigantioslly down the centurfes He alone has the right to his own dream, according to his claim and the arguments of lawyers. For not even his lawyer opponents allege that he specifically sold his rights in the terms of his contract, though they argue, perhaps under the common law or equity, a general claim thereto, * % %k % At the risk of belng misunderstood as dropping from the “sublime to the ridiculous,” it is proper to cits the records and decision of the New York Court of Appeals as to the ownership of an art design, as set forth in the case of “Mutt and Jeff.” Surely it is supererogation to explain that no similitude lies between the Borgltm art and that of the case referred to, but there does seem to be a parallel in the legal aspects of the case. Harry C. Fisher originated the “Mutt and Jeff” comic cartoons, and was under contract to supply them for three years exclusively to a New York paper. Shortly before the con- tract expired he entered into a con- tract (to take effect after the termi- nation of the original agreement) whereby a syndicate would sell his utt and Jeft” comics. The news- paper thereupon employed another cartoonist to imitats the original “Mutt and Jeff” pictures. Fisher was accorded an injunction against the other artis (Am. Law Reports: An- notated; Vol. 19). Annotation: “That an artistic or literary conception, if put in concrete form, is property, and as much entitled to protection against unfair competition as any other prop- erty.” Similar rulings have been ap plied in protecting *“Billiken” and “Buster Brown,” Will not the Stone Mountain group receive the same protection in law as have the comics? e Will not the nobility of the great figures of the Borglum group have their influence upen the beholders’ characters and dispositions, such as Washington Irving depicted in the Great Stone Face? True, the Great Stone Face falled to affect the char- acter of Mr. Gathergold or of Mr. Old Blood-and-Thunder, or that would-bs President, Mr. Old’ Stony Phiz. But Ernst, who had looked all his life for the human being who would come as a prophet, with the likeness -of the kind and benignant Old Stony Face, and who read the poetry of love for his fellow men, recelved as his guest the wayfarer poet. When he told thg stranger of his hopes, Ernst was pro- claimed to be, himself, ‘the embodi- ment of the spirit of that Great Stone Face whose expression of nobility had unconsciously melded his char- acter. Surely it needs no Washington Ir- ving to tell that story a hundred years—a million years—after the Borglum statues. look down. from Stone Mountain. But how can that be until the gran- ite which yet encases the dream shall be cut away? Bven Michelangelo's angels were powerless until he h finished his carving away of. the en- casing stone, for the tormenting Pope dared not call another to complete the releasing of the Master's dream. He recalled the discharged and fiee- ing Master. s AGopyright, 1925, by Paul Y. Colliasd