Evening Star Newspaper, April 3, 1925, Page 6

6 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY..........April 3, 1925 * The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office, 11th St. and Pennsvivania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd @hicago Office: Tower Bulldi Eutopean Offce: 16 Regent St.,Loadon, England The Evening Star. with the Sunday morning edition, = sity ‘at 60 cents per moni ents per m. Sunday only. moath, y_be sent by rhone Main 3000. Collection is riers at the ead of each mosth. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virg Daily aud Sanday Daily - only. Hunday only “Daily and Sunds Daily ealy Member of the Associated Press. The Awsociated Press 1s exclsively entitied tn the uee for republieation of all news dis patchés credited to It or not otherwise credited Tn %his Daper and alse the local mews pub libed herein. Al rights of publication of Apecial dispatches berein are 2lso reserved. —— The Current Building Boom. Building permits fssued by the Dis- trict building inspector during the first quarter of the year 1925 set & new high record. They bulk twice the . amount in value of those for the same period last year. This is encouraging. The housing situation in Washington, which became acute during the war rush to the® Capital, while building operations were practically at & stand- still, is being met here in the only feasible way—through the construc- tion of additional dwellings. During the agitation last Winter for a continuation of the District com- mission—in fact, for a permanent commission—arguments = were sented in opposition to the continu- ance of governmental control of rent- als, urging that such control prevent- ed the investment of capital in rental dwellings and apartments which could be leased for moderate prices. With the removal of the control of rents, it was said, more money would flow into building operations, more dwell- ings would come on the market, and the law of supply and demand would in the end solve the housing prob- lem far more effectually than it could be solved by the Government itself. The figures now -announced from the District Bullding show that dur- ing the months of January, February and March the total building permits issued cover the construction of 2,162 buildings, with & total of 1,011 new dwellings and 25 new apartments. The total investment represented in all the buildings projected is $14,620,922 Theése building permits were issued, it is true, in large numbers prior to the expiration of Congress March 4, while there was still talk of the pas- sage of a bill continuing the life of the District Rent Commission. Bu it had become evident long before the close. of Congress that legislation for that purpose could not be acted upon finally owing to the strong opposition which had ,developed and the fact that important national measures were clamoring for consideration be- fore the final gavel fell. It is a fair supposition, therefore, that much of the projected bullding of dwellings was with the understanding that the rent law would expire May 22, and that pre-war conditions, so far as the control of rents was concerned, would be restored The bullding of dwellings and apart- ments in the District is an index of the belief in the city's future by in-| vesting capital. Washington has turned the corner and is one of tHe great as well as one of the beautiful pre-| lars borrowed during the World War. These debts are still to be pald. The administration may with entire justice fail to see the wisdom of further Amer- icen loans to these countries, loans which are to be expended for arma- !men(m The countries abroad today, for tive most part, have larger military establishments at greater costs than ever before in history except during time of actual war. The discouraging part is that these expenditures are not growing less. With Europe continu- ing an armed camp there seems little chance of real economic rehabilitation of the civilized world. President Coolidge at present is sounding out the nations to ascertain it some real steps toward the limita- tion of armaments may not be taken successtully. The declaration coming from the White House, therefore, that. this Government will use its influence to prevent loans of American dollars to foreign governments to be used for increasing or keeping up great arma- ments {s not surprising. America to- day is the money market of the warld. A contraction of loans may mean an increase in the burden of direct, taxa- tion in some of the nations maintain- ing great armies. Such an increase, on peoples already overburdened, may have the effect of shaking thelr faith in ‘governments ‘which continue to spend hundreds of millions {o keep big armies. The Hampton-Tuskegee Drive. Residents of Washington will be asked, commencing today, to lend their sympathy end financial aid to the movement progressing under the leadership of prominent citizens of the Capital to raise @ fund to supplement the endowment of Hampton and Tuskegee Institutes. The object of this fund, the futherance of the educa- tion of the negro race along practical lines, should strongly command the whole-hearted support of the public. The wholesome development of the Hampton-Tuskegee system is being keenly watched.by other nations of the earth. The policy of training the hand and educating the brain has aroused much discussion in the British Empire. The government of India is now con- sidering the education of its own peo ples along similar lines. China is look- ing to Hampton and Tuskegee for guid- ance. President CaMles of Mexico has sent a commission to. visit Hampton and Tuskegee to study their methods, with the idea of, starting schools on the same plan. The Phelps-Stokes commission that has done so much work in the South plans to go to Africa to start that system of educa- tion in that country. Samuel - Chapman Armstrong was ithe ploneer of the Hampton-Tuske- see plan of uplifting the ‘negro by educating his mind while training {Pis hand to industrial activity and productivity. Booker T. Washington was his greatest disciple. At Hamp- ton and Tuskegee the work carried on by their successors has won the ap- roval of the world by the practical results accomplished. Further spread and application are guaranteed by the | endowment fund which is now being raised. The Hampton-Tuskegee plan is not a theory, but-a proven practicality. Thousands of people are in sympathy. with it. Now is presented an oppor- tunity to emphasize their approval and sympathy and their realization of the importance of this American problem by putting the hand into the pocket and assuring the success of the drive now on. ——rate Better Prohibition Enforcement. Reallocation of the duties of the As- sistant Secretarfes of the Treasury just accomplished will have the effect of bringing prohibition enforcement cities of the world. As the Capital of j under one directing head. Lincoln C. one of the most influential and pow-| Andrews, new Assistant Secretary of erful nations of the earth it has a brilliant future before it, and that future will be the more rapidly achieved under natural rather than artificial economic law. ————— reports complete recovery from the earthquake which caused such havoc. In spite of a few poll- ticians who regard dissension as a patriotic necessity, the spirit of Japan Tokio the Treasury, takes over, with other duties, the prohibition unit. While the prohibition unit will continue to fune- tion as’ part of the Internal Revenue Bureau, because it has been placed there by law, its direction by Assistant Secretary Andrews gives him control of all agencies entering into the task of making the enforcement law ef- fective. This assembling under one head of is constructive, practical and discern- ing. The counsel she is disposed to heed relates evidently to the solving of present problems which have arisen in the natural course of events and net-to the artificial creation of new ones. e r—e——— Sovietists are said to contemplate the banishment of love from Russia's social scheme. This would mean no z0ssip, no movies, no best sellers— almost nothing, in fact, in the way of ordinary interest in life. The idea rep- resents the acme of nihilism. —r—e—— Prohibition would be easier to en- force if some method could be devised Lo make bootlegging unprofitable. r——— European Loans. Millions of American dollars for re- habilitation abroad, but not a dollar for increased military armaments. This is the aim of the Coolidge admin- istration, so far as it may influence the loans of American citizens and corporations to foreign nations. While the United States Government has no direct control over loans made by pri- vate Americans to foreign govern- ments while this country is at peace, it nevertheless has a powerful influ- ence with its own citizens, which may well check loans for the upbuilding of armies and navies. The administration is in earnest, deadly earnest, in regard to its pro- posal for a limitation of armaments. It dees not intend, it appears from statements emanating from the White House, to stand silent while foreign governments ralse large funds in the United States to be expended on armies and navies. Nor is there rea- son why it should. American citizens ‘who loan money abroad are inclined to ook to the good offices of this Govern- ment to see that payments are made, if there be faltering on the part of the debtor. direction of all the various agencies of enforcement is recognized as presag- ing a more vigorous drive by the Gov- ernment against violations of the law. The selection of Gen. Andrews was e happy one in all the circumstances. For 30 yvears an Army officer, with world-wide experience as disciplina- rian and organizer, he can be regarded as eminently fitted for the task ahead of him, for he is placed in charge of custorhs and the Coast Guard as well as of the prohibition unit. The grouping under one directorship of the three divisions of the Treasury having the most to do with prohibition | enforcement amounts to the creation of a separate prohibition unit within the Treasury Department. It means a drastic campaign against smugglers, liguor importers and bootleggers. oper- ating on a large scale; The belief is held that one salutary result of plac- ing Gen. Andrews in direct contrel of prohibition enforcement will be to lessen the influence of politicians in enforcement affairs, of which there has been much complaint. Another effect which is expected will be to demonstrate whether en- torcement is possible or not.* Op- ponents of prohibition have frequently boasted that enforcement is impos- : THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON tute program without delay, His so-| clalist supporters are pressing for a capital levy, to which Herriot is com- mitted in principle, but realizes to be impractical'for the present emergency, and he knows that any announcement of an intention to levy on capitul will imperil the parliamentary coalition by which "hi§ ministry retains its pre- carfous hold on ‘power. Adding to the troubles of the Her- riot ministry Is the ever-present pos- sibility that ‘the treasury’s difficuities may start the franc on another down- ward plunge. The French people are not likely to be patlent with any gov- ernment which permits the franc to suffer turther depreciation in, value. It i§ the irony of fate that the very elements which make it difficult to maintain value fn the franc are the first to resent any. loss in value, If the government dared. enter upon a poliéy of more rigld levying and col- lection of taxes the treasury's require- ments could be satisfied without either an increase in circulation media or a levy on capital, but the Herriot gov- ernment is not strong enough to carry out a more drastic taxation program, and there is no prospect that France s00h Wil have a government with that necessary strength. The French people and French in- dustry are prosperous. There is no- where in France any unemployment problem., In fact, France is importing laborers by the scorgs of thousands to man her industries and public works. Yet the government is not able to col- lect revenue sufficient for its needs. French taxes are high, it is true, but they are not relatively as high as in Great Britaln, where industry lan- guishes and hundreds of thousands are unemployed. One would think that, in such circunidtances, the French government and people would turn instinctively to the one method of sure relief; & reduction in the cost of armaments. But tHat is the one way to relief that France seems de- termined not to travel. 8o once again we see demonstrated the difficulty one {people has In understanding the psychology of another. —————— Some interesting , suggestions will be ready for Congress next Fall with reference to prohibition enforcement. Congress has' not made much prog- ress in solving problems of late, but there is every disposition to provide new material, which will encourage it to keep trying. B S R S U A recalcitrant member of a political party can be promptly disciplined. | Punishment for bootleggers, gunmen | and hitand-runners is not so easily managed. Retribution is a complex and devious matter, involving a con- siderable element of chance. ——.e—s The Russian Soviet government’ is a disappointment in many respects, but .the politicians behind it are al- ways willing to'frame a new prospec- tus. - N A letter of resignation calls for a regretful response. Occasionally such documents appear to be the most notable marks of distinction incident to an official tenure. r—————— Truth is stranger than fiction. In certain ways Gaston Means Is much more remarkable than Sherlock Holmes. —————————— An English statistician figures that whisky can be made for 5 cents a bot- tle.. The middleman is again up for consideration as a ruthless profiteer. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. From Babylon te Chicago. In Foolishville we jazz with gles And every heart from-care is free, The cocktall and the cigarette Abound to banish each regret. And then, again, with phrases wise We take our mental exercise And pass a resolutien grave To make the universe behave. Now who shalt chide the good old town Whose name énjoys such vast renown; For' every clime and every age Writes .“Foolishville” on history's page. Greatness. “Who is the greatest man in Ameri- can history?"” “That's a hard question,” said Sena- tor Sorghum. “The answer depends on whether you are considering past performances or preseht political in- fluence.” Reciprocities. I know the dog's a friend of man. And yet if I should face the worst And our positions were reversed, I wonder, as your face I scan, ©Oh, Pup, if you each year'd be found Speeding with steps that never lag To pay $2 for a tag, Lest 1 be hurried to the pound. -y Jud Tunkins says a man who has his own way all the time won't admit the fact when it comes to paying up for mistakes. ‘Wealth. “Who is the richest citizen in Crim- son Guich? “‘Can’t say,” answered Cactus Joe. ““The poker game only started an hour sible.. Let us have a demonstration of whether this is true. It would seem that such a demonstration is now pos- sible of being made. — e High school fraternities give the Board ‘of BEducation more cause for hard study than even the students themselves are required to undertake. France's Financial Orisis. The dificulties of the French treas- ury are not solved by the resignation of Finance Minister Clementel. Pre- mier Herriot will face his real test when the government’s new financial proposals are presented to the Cham- ber of Deputies, which must be at an Furthermore, many of the foreign governments—and —fome of them which have today the largest military establishments—are deeply in debt to the United Siates for billions of dol- 4 early day. Herriot is under a triangu- lar fire. Having. repudiated Clemen- tel's project for increasing the note circulation of the Bank of France, he is under necessity of finding & substi- &go.” Varlety. The April shower now will fall ‘Where early blossoms grow; And through the mud we'll have to sprawl ‘Where once we shoveled snow. “Advice,”” said Uncle Eben, “is like medicine. No matter how much need- ed it may be, givin’ it ain’t liable_to From the Baitimore Bun. Saving for a.vacation; trying to seem important £t a ry He who hesitates bumper smashed. - THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES’ E' TRACEWELL. A series of small burns in the coat sleeves of Washington small boys recently has served to mystity moth- ers and anger fathers. “What on earth could cause these holes?" mother says. “Now I suppase 1 will have to buy him & new suit,” laments father. Yet, as in most other supposedly mysterious happenings, there is a perfectly natural explanation. Nothing on earth caused those holes, It was something decidedly off the earth that was responsible for the burns, ranging in size from a pin- head to quite capable holes, The sun, bright as could be during several weeks in March, was the cul- prit, alded and abetted, of course, by the aforementioned small boys. Magnifying glasses were what turn- ed the trick. Activities of boys between the ages of 9 and 12 move in waves. Also, there are certain well defined sports indulged in by boys of the same age of all generations. ' At a certain period a boy takes great interest in the wonders of the magnifying glass. The focusing ot the sun's rays upon paper and other cumbustible materials Interests him hugely. Not every boy, at every time, has paper by him, But usually he has his coat. Back In the alley, after school. Bud and Bill and Jim gather to try out the power of their magnifying glasses. Bill and Jim have orthodox lens. Bud has to be content with’the lens of an old flashlight “Looky here,” says Bill, elevating his nickel-rimmed burner. He focuses the sunbeams upon the left sleeve of his coat, just above the wrist. What more natural place than that? “Hold 'er steady,” advises Jim. “I'm a-holdin’ ’er steady,” growls Bill, distracted between his steadying operation and the necessity for display of his conversational abilities “Yer hand's awigglin’," retorts Jim. Course “it's wrigglin’ a little bit, just a little bit. You can’t do it yer- self and not keep it from wigglin' a little bit.” “Bet I can,” proudly remarks Jim, haullng forth his magnifving glass from his pants pocket. “Watch me." Bill Is too busy with his own ex- periment to pay much attention to his mate now. This is the critical time. A whisp of smoke starts up from the cloth where the bright light gleams, “There she is!" he says. the focus for a second more. “Jimminy!" he cries, orches his skin. ciear through!" * % o ¥ So you have the explanation of the series of small burns dotting the left sleeves of countless small boys throughout Washington. Soon this fad will die out, and the boys will turn to something else, per- haps not so hard.on coats. But, what- ever the mew craze may be, there is one thing certain, it will be pretty Lough on some part of the juvenile wearing apparel. There is searcely a thing u boy can do that Is not rough on his shoes, or his coat, or his trousers, or his stock- ings, or somethin’ or other. The ideal garment for a boy, ac- cording to most fathers, would be an outfit partaking of the nature of an armored tank, or a sack made ot anclent steel mail. But they would find a way out of that, even if they had to melt it with their magnitying glasses. Small boy of uniform. He holds Then— as the heat “She's a burning in reality, wear a sort ne of them is as much like another as six peas in a pod are like each other. This usiformity is reached by reason of the fact that after a boy has worn his sult several months it gets sort of “set” to him, as it were, and so the suits of the other boys get “set” to them. The net result is that pretty soon the suit and the wearer become one, the suit taking on the characteristics of the boy and the lad some of the Ppoints of the clothing. Practically every boy. wears a cap and a shirt with collar attached, in ‘Which he wears a tie of dark hue. Most small boys today wear knicker- bockers, a complete turnover in style trom the schooidays of some of us not %0 many years ago, either. In the old days knickerbockers were the sign of 2 “siss; Only “sissy boys” wore them, along with the Buster Brown collars. Real boys felt humiliated and diegraced by these articles then, even as the boys of several decades before that resented right heartlly the Little Lord Fauntle- roy outfits, - Today, however, all that is changed. The fact that their fathers wear knickerbockers in playing golf perhaps sccounts for the fact that the “Kids” of today willingly wear knickerbockers, ::‘tdh" ‘:‘nocmlnn1 that come clear up e elastic nanE that grips just below s still wear the straight pants.” ' These latter, however, are beginning to feel the hand of time upon them. Perhaps soon the .v’;'y_o wears them will be hailed as What Boy knows? Boys are an eterna) problem. I am afraid radio hes been over- rated as a means for keeping them busy and happy. Perhaps in its earli- €8t davs it did have that happy in- fluence, but recent months have seen & decline in its popularity among the Juvenile population. . Boys still prefer to get together In gangs,” and indulge In a little sport such as throwing stones at gurage doors, pestering innocent cats and spilling ashes into the alley. Most boys, I am convinced, are put up to these tricks by some one boy In the “gang” who has the spirit of mischief—they used to say the devil —in him. Mcanness Is a trait not confined«to boys alone. The same youth who de- lights in harming an animal, or dis- turbing his elders, will grow Into a man who carries his own chlld, kick- ing and screaming, for a “ducking” in the ocean, with the grand result that the child will grow to be a man secretly afraid of the water. To holler and scold boys for their pranks is & poor,way to end the an- noyance. The thing then becomes bet- ter sport than ever. An appeal to some boy in the “gang” personally known to the person who mukes the appeal is perhaps the best way to 8top the annoying practices. “Aw. come on, fellers,” your friend Bl will say, and the fellers will fol- Tow. Across the Potomac a year or so ago, In a neighboring Virginia town, an experiment in boy management was tried, with what success I do not know. The idea was a good one, however, and deserved success. The boys were formed into a sort of junlor government. The lad who delighted in breaking window panes was made chief of police, and the other “bad boys” made mayor, prose- -uting attorney, etc. It was a good scheme, and I would se pleased to hear that it worked out. There is one thing certain, you get setter results by “kidding the kids" than by trying t6 browbcat them. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Here's a story just told at a lunch- eon of the Women's National Demo- cratic Club in Washington. . Several weeks before the presfdential election a White House visitor said to Mr. Coolidge: “Mr. President, would you spend $5 to carry a county in Mary- land The Republican candldate smiled quizzically and indicated that the proposition was not without in- terest. Not long afterward (accord- ing to the yarn) the presidential yacht Mayflower, in the course of a week end cruise in Chesapeake Bay, stopped at Cambridge, on the famed Eeastern Sho' of Maryland. It was a Sunday morning and the presiden- tial party went ashore for divine services, ' When the collection plate was passed Mr. Coolidge deposited a criep, new $5 bill in it. Then the hews 'was published that the church authorities, proud of a contribution trom so exalted & personage, had de- cided to have the bill framed and hung the vestry room. On Novem- ber 4 Dorchester County, Md., in which Cambridge is situated, went Reptiblican for the first time in its history. * ok X X Attorney General Sargent had a call this week from Albert Rosenthal, distinguished Philadelphia artist, who has painted the portraits of 35 asso- clate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, living and dead. For many years, but unsuccessfully to date, Mr. Rosenthal has endeavored to have Uncle Sam purchase his Su- preme Court gallery, which is unique, in order that a notable gap in our national portraiture may be flled. The Government, it seems, provides no funds for that specific purpose. It pave to have the portraits of Preei- dents, Vice Presidents, cabinet min- isters, Chief Justices, presiding of- ficers of the Senate and Speakers of the House painted. But there is no provision for immortalizing associate justices. Rosenthal has painted nine of these from life—Brewer, Harlan, Brown, McKenna, Peckham, Moody, Holmes, Day and Lurton. The other 26 in his collection, were made from cotemporary originald in 'possession of descendants. When the centennial of the Supreme Court was celebrated, in 1890, Rosenthal supplied etchings of every man who ever was on its bench, for Hampton L. Carson’s me- morial history of the court, pub- lished in 1891, This observer asked the artist for an artistic opinion of Mr. Sargent. "Great figure to paint,” he replied. “He's a Lincoln type.” * % % % Senator Arthur Capper of Kansas, who is picking up the threads of his big publishing business at Topeka between the adjournment of Congress and a trip to Europe, writes me that he finds conditions in the West “quite encouraging.” Says the leader of the farm bloo: Farmers are in better spirits than I have known at any time since the war. They have been getting out_of debt. I think the farmers of Kansas have wiped out at least $50,000,000 of debt during the last six months. They made good money on last year's crops and are liquidating their debts in- stead of entering on a period of reckless spending. For the first time in four years there is .co siderable activity in farm lan but no material increase in prices. The farmers are not clamoring for help from Washington, but' they would like to see a co-operative marketing program put through on the lines proposed by the Cool- idge Agricultural Commission. , * kX ok Senator Hiram Bingham of Con- necticut will be one of the orators- in-chief at the May gonvention of the Assoclated Advertising Clubs of ' the World In Houston, Tex. Texas be- Ing our front-line trench on the Latin American border, has more than ordinary Interest in the Monroe doc- trine. If Senator Bingham talks about Monroeism, he'll take a dif- ferent line than he might have done in 1913. Twelve years ago Bingham, who has trekked all over South Amer- fca as an explorer, wrote a book called “The Monroe Doctrine an Obsolete Shibboleth.” A couple of years later he recantefl. He came to the conclusion that the doctrine, far from being obsolete, is as sacred a political principle as America espouses. Bingham's recantation took the form of & paper contributed to a serles of monographs prepared by Clark University at Worcester. Mass. * % ok % The story of a devoted wife's per- sistent fight for recognition of & de- ceased husband's services to hi# coun- try is recorded in a letter just ad- dressed by the Secretary of the Navy to Mrs. Charles O. Maas of New York City. Secretary Wilbur said: Section 16 of the bill (H.R. 2688) “providing for sundry matters af- fecting the naval service and for other purposes,” which becomes a law on March 4, 1925, provides: “That the Secretary of the Navy is authorized to supplement the military record of the late Lieut. Comdr. Charles O. Maas, nava reserve force, to show the volun- tary service performed by said Lieut. Comdr. Maas, and accepted by the Navy Department subse- Qquent to the date upon which he was placed on inactive duty, and that such acceptance may be treated as a recall to active serv- ice: Provided, That no back pay or allowances oll any kind shall accrue as a result of the of this section.” o Commander Maas was & well known New York lawyer, who offered his services to the Government directly Wwe entered the World War. A speaker of great charm and power (born in New Orlekns), he spoke French flu- ently, and was detailed to deliver America's war m ge to French au: diences. Having been igned to be an assistant naval attache in the Paris embassy, Maas eventually wrote .The History of the Office of the Naval Attache, American Embas: Y, Paris.” He died in France in 1919 of illness brought on by war labors. For five years, session after session, his Widow sat in the galleries of Congress at Washington, awaiting legislative recognition, now given, of her hus. band’s war service. * k k¥ A scieamingly funny story o typographical error, of :mlcr,h l‘;n‘ Coolidge is at once the heroine and the ‘victim, is going the rounds. Some- body who knowns her well told an interviewer that she is not only the first, but the “lovellest.”-lady of th land. The printer's devil got in his deadly work, and made it read “the liveliest lady of the land.” If there ever was a more vivacious White House mistress. than Grace Goodhue. Coolidge, history has forgotten\ to record it. . * ok k% 3 : Word comes to Washingtort throug! 2 Red grapevine channel thl:h Sovi.: Russia will not “consent” to treat with the United States on recognition except on ane important condition. That condition is that the United States acknowledge Russia’s claim to “war damages” caused by the Ameri- can Army in Siberia in 191: N4 fig- ures are mentioned, but, julging by the same kind of a “claim” the bolshe- vists submitted to Great Britain, ft would wipe out several times over the $800,000,000 of Americzn property the Soviet mfl#ud. to say nothing of the $251,000,000 of war debt Russi: owes us. John - Bull scoffed at th Reds’ “claim” for “war damages,” and Uncle Sam would laugh it out of court, too, if it were ever presented. D. C., FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1925. THE PUBLIC LIBRARY 14.—Science in Plain English. Highly technical and scientific de- scriptions, chemical formulae, and Latin words written in itallcs are great stumbling blocks to the reader unaccustomed to scientific lore. He demands to know what it all Is “in plain _English,”. and consequently many books have been written on the discoveries and achievements of mod- ern sclence with the purpose of giv ing the gist of the matter rather than an exhaustive scientific description. To help accomplish their purpose such books are usually presented in most attractive editions and are freely il- lustrated with pictures which bring out at a glance what it would take pages to relate. A splendid all-around book, cover- ing every branch of science, pure and applied, is Thomson's “Outline of Soi- ence” (LA-T3860.3). Beginning with astronomy and taking up in turn the story of evolution, natural history, the science of the mind, the marvels of electricity, applied science {n all its forms, the Einstein theory and, in tact, every aspect of sclence, these ‘two volumes give the reader an ex- cellent fund of sclentific knowledge and would prove a sound basis for more detailed study. It is meant for the general reader who lacks both time and opportunity for special study, and vet would take an intelli- gent interest in the progress of sci- ence which is making the world al- ways new."” clence Remaking the World (LA-C125s), edited by Otis W. Cald- well and Edwin E. Slosson, contiins 16 chapters by specialists in various lds, the titles of several being asoline as a_World Power,” “Our Present Knowledge of Tuberculosis.”, Electrons and How We Use Them, and “Chemistry and Economy ' of Food.” This book Is not as Inclusive as the “Outline of Sclence,” but it deals with facts along the average person’s lines of interest. In the Springtime the reader's at- tention is attracted chiefly by animal nd plant life. Julia E. Rogers in he Tree Book” (NX-R632t.4) says that every one, no matter how sin- | cerely and vehemently he declares, “T know nothing at all about trees.” has a good nucleus of tree knowledge around which to saccumulate more, even though it may be only his own dooryard or the streets he travels four times & day. The necessity of knowing a tree’s name (s emphasized i by the author, not as an end in itself, but as the beginning of acquaintance with them. “Simply to learn that all the plants have been studied and named, even the humbliest, that they all have vital relations with one an- other—family ties—is a joy to the spirit and a light to the mind," writes John Burroughs. Julla Rogers’ book shows how to know trees and points out the characteristics to note in studying them. Bird Neighbors” (PE-B392b.16) by Neltje Blanchan gives a famillar in- troduetion to the birds that live near us—"their characteristics of size, col- or and flight: their peculiarities of instinct and temperament: their nest and home life; their eholce of food; their songs; and the season in which we may expect them to play their part in the great panorama nature unfolds with faithful precision year after year” The beautiful illustra- tions painted by artists who are spe- clalists In bird portraiture, the intro- duction by John Burroughs and the classification of the birds according to color are only a few of the attractive teatures of this book. Nature's Garden” the same author is an edge of wild flowers. Over 500 flow- ers” are classified and many photo- phed, thus adding a great deal to the usefulness of the book. It differs from most books on wild flowers in its emphasis on the relationships be: tween our common wild flowers and insects and in its classification ac- cording to color, for the author be- lieves that the novice with no knowl- edge of botany whatever can most readily identify the specimen found by this method and, as she explains, “It has the added advantage of being the simple one adopted by the higher insects ages before books were writ- ten.” “Orchids for Every One" (NR- C944) is an excellent book for those persons who have found orchid cul- ture an absorbing hobby. The glow-worm “celebrates the joy of life by lighting a lantern at its tail-end—he shines, which is an ex- cellent manner of becoming famous. He can turn it up or down or out as he pleases.” Before the glow-worm begins to feed on his victim he “gives it an anesthetic—he makes It un- Qonscious as & person is made uncon- scious with chloroform before a sur- sical operation.” These strange phe- nomena and many others pertaining to the insect world are carefully and popularly presented in Fabre's “Book of Insects” (OT-F112b). By attrf uting characteristics of human beings to these lowly creatures a humorous effect s -achieved which makes. the book extremely entertaining as well nstructive. “American Anim: (PG-8t732), a popular guide to t mammalg of North America, contains many photographs of animals in their native haunts. While it deals with many animals unfamiliar to the av- erage person, it also takes up the common species that one is likely to on an ordinary ramble and d scribes thelr life and habits. (N-B§9.17) by d to knowl- ———— Objects to “U. S. A.” Writer Says Country Should Be Called Washington. To the Editor of The Star: The name of our country should be ‘Washington. The awkward, stam- bling mouthful of a paraphrass is not beautiful nor true. The United States of North America is not a fit for a sovereign state, but it rved well enough for & struggling band, fighting for home and lberty. ‘There are other United States on our continent, and Americus never stepped on our shores, nor his co- temporaneous, selfish navigator, Co- lumbus, either, and neither have the thtle of a claim to figure in our Nation's name or title. England, Franoce nor Italy subscribe Europa to their official titles, and it is a silly bit of supererogation for us to use the annex America, merely to perpetuate a Dutch mapmaker's blunder. Kor Americus. has no relation to us, by discovery nor by blood. and Colum- bus has no oclaim, either, having ' meither landed on nor even seen our coasts. Now it has been proposed to erect this year a memorial to the memory of our national hero—a remem- brancer—more stable than a pillar of stone. Would it not be well to consider one that will not be ov thrown nor destroyed by earthquake or yeard? Let us have a plebiscite of the ¢ sens ‘of the Republic ordainiag that the name hitherto borne by our tion be replaced by that of Wash- ington, the greatest man the world has ever known; the one who may be held in honor by all pater patriae, to whom the people of his own land and all others may look upon as tne bDest and greatest of the world: “who declined. to be named king and was unanimously chosen & governor; who led our armies to victory, presided at the formation of our Constitution, conducted the government for years, and resigned his seat, leaving to others the task of continuance, and became a simple citisen of the N tion he had served in battle and formed into the first great republic T e ooun. e ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN Q. Has a tree been planted by the Boy Scouts near the Lincoln Ma- morial in memory, of Nancy Hank —C. 8. 0. A. There was such a tree planted in April, 1924, under the auspices of & delegation from Congress. The tree came from the homestead in In- diana where Lincoln lived and where Nancy Hanks died. Q. When ham and bacon Is a shiny greenish color {s the meat spoiled?— T. H. B. . The Bureau of Animal Industry says that the greenish color some- times found on smoked ham and bacon is due to oxidation of some of the proteins due to the sodfum nl- trate used in curing. Ham and bacon in such condition s not injurious. Q. What diet should a boy follow Who Is going out for track work?— A. D, A. The diet tables of various train- ers differ considerably. As a general rule, it may be said that the diet should consist of wholesome food, #uch as good lean beef, toast or stale bread, and potatoes and green vege- tables of all kinds. Avoid pudding: pastries, sau pickles and spice: Tobacco In all forms Is forbidden. Q. What kind of an animal yields fur known as “Tibet?”"—C, C. M. A. Tibet or Tibet lamb is & fur ob- tained from an animal of the sheep family found in China. The skins are white, fine, silky, and are of long and curly hair. When combed and ironed straight, this fur is improperly named Iceland fox. Q. What were the principal re- ligious denominations represented in America about the time of the Revo- lution?—H. H. A. The principal religious denomi- nations in America at the time of the Revolutonary War were Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Meth- odist, Baptist, Friends, Congregation- al, Lutheran and Dutch Reformed. Q. What is a constructive con- tract?—C. C. G. A. A constructive contract, also known as quasl contract, is one founded solely on an obligation of law and not upon the inténtion or consent of the parties, such as the obligation of a husband to pay for necessarles supplied his wife, or the liability to repay money paid by mis- take of fact. In consensual contracts | the agreement defines the duty, while in the case of constructive or quasi contracts the duty defines the con- tract. Q. What are quarter days?—J. K. R. A. Quarter days are, in England, the days which begin the four quar- ters of the year—March 25, or lady day; Jwne 24, or mid-Summer day; September 29, or Michaeimas day, and December 25, or Christmas day. In the United States, In law, quarter days are the ist of January, April. July and October. In the relation between landlord and tenant, in some States, they are the Ist of May, Au- gust, November and Februar Q. Were any of Stradivari’s sons violin makers?—W. M. A. Only two sons of Stradivari em- braced their father's profession These were Francesco, born February 21, 1671, died May 11, 1743, and Omo- bono, born November 14, 1679, dled June 8, 1742 Q. Do German children roll Easter eggs?—A. R. A, A. Our custom of rolling eggs at ster probably . an importation from Germany, where the egg-rolling begins at midnight on Easter ev Trecks made of sticks laid side by side are used by German children | They also roli little cakes and apples Q. With a telescope of the magni- fying power of 45, diameter object glass 2% inches, length opened 42 inches, can the rings of Saturn, belts of Jupiter and moons of Mars be seen?—F. L. A. The Nuval Observi-ory says tie telescope you refer to, with & powe of 45, ought to show the rings of Saturn and the belts of Jupiter, but would not show the moons of Mars An eyeplece of @ power of 68 would be a desirable addition. For general stronomical work by an mmateur n object glass slightly larger than 2% inghes is recommended, perhaps one of 4-inch diameter. Q. What causes tornadoes?—C. F. 3 A. Tornadoes are caused principally by the unstable conditfons of the ai- mosphere. The negessary conditions are found most extensively in the United States in the Mississippi Val- ley, especially esst of the Rocky Mountains. The alr currents of the lower strata are from lower latitudes, comprising the Guif of Mexico, cur ing around first northward and then more eastwardly under the higher strata, which pass over the top of the Rocky Mountains, and directly or nearly eastward without having their temperature changed from the nor- mal temperature of the latitude. This is espectally the case in Summer when the interfor of the continent is warm- ed up and the alr of the low strata is drawn from the lower latitudes far up Into the high latitudes on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains and deflected to the north In judging the merit of a col- hat facts should K Logs or university, v be taken into consideration?—A. M A. Generally speaking, & school may be judged by the number of pro- tessors who devote all of their time to the school, by the courses offered. by the number of absences allowed each pupil in his courses, by the num- ber of subjects in which & student is allowed to fail without being r-:- quired to repeat the entire years course. Entrance requirements and endowments also figure in the rank- ing of schools. g Q. What is_the question”?—K. D. S A. The complex problems invoived in the rise of Japan and the awaken- ling of China and their relations to the great European and American powers are known in international politics as the Far Eastern question. Q. Why did the Washington in 18122 ! A. Gen. Ross is reported to have said that he regretted Lurning Wash- ington, but that he had been ordered to do so as a measure of reprisal, the American general, McLure, having burned the public bulidings of the seat of government of Lower Canada the vear before at what Is now Toronto, but was then known as Newark. Private buildings in Wash- ington were “untouched, except the house from which @ shot was fired narrowly missing Ross as he rode into the city. “Far Eastern (Have you G question you want an- swered? Semd it to The Star Informa- tion Bureau, Fredevic J. Haskin, @- rector, Twenty-first and C streets northwest. The only charge for this service is 3 cents in stamps for return postage.) Chamberlain Paper Peace Plan Wins Approval “A scrap of paper” is vividly re-| called as the world gives its atten tion to the proposal of the British | government, through a statement by | Austin Chamberlain, foreign minls- ter, that his nation enter into an agreement with France and Germany for the maintenance of the peace of Europe. “It was a_paper pledge that saved France in 1914 and 1915 argues the Los Angeles Times. “Germany’s vio- lation of a paper pledge brought Eng- land to the support of France, and, with England, the support of the An- glo-Saxon werld. The greatest se- curity that France can now obtain is one written on paper. Fortifying the frontier will only retard a more pow- erful neighber. It cannot become a permanent defense. When France relies on guns and bayonets she is 1iving in the past and depending upon the dead to defend the living.” The immediate effect of the pro- posed arrangement is forecast by the Minneapolis Tribune. “Each of the powers would have to make certain in the opinion of the Tri ance would have to give up her self inted job as Germany's official gaoler. Germany would have to give up hopes of modifying the Franco-German boundaries. Britain would have to give up her present policy of non-participation or mini- mum participation in the European disputes.” The Providence Bulletin sees sound statesmanship in the plan, and re- marks that Chamberlain demonstrated that .quality “when, in enunclating Great Britain's foreign policy, he de- clared that. only through the inclu- sion of Germany in the alliance could there be any promise of a European future free from war. In the very nature of things there is every reason to believe that he is right.” One special necessity is pointed out by the Utica Observer Dispatch in its study of the subject, and that is based upon its opinion of the Ger- man state of mind. “While the Ger- mans are ready,” it says, “to admit that the western frontier and the Al- sace-Lorraine questions have been per- manently settled, they &re not €o ready to accept as final the bound- aries fixed between Geérmany and Po- land. France, on the other hand. must stand by her aily, Poland, and can enter into no agreement which would tie her hands in the case of a dispute between the Reich and the Polish_republic.” > * ok ok The necessity for including Ger- many in any arrangement that may be made is recognized by the Dayton News, which adds: “One of the out- standing difficulties that the conti- nent has faced in recent years is the disposition, particularly on the part of France and her allies, to leave Germany entirely out of the subject when it comes to considering ways and means of deciding upon a peace enterprise. Premier Herriot, to. his credit be It 8aid, has been much more liberally disposed toward the German government than was his predeces- sor, Poincare. But, taken by and large, the calculations of the French, without exception, have involved the stifiing of Gérmany more than assist- ok b 2o a place of practical devel- b fic‘lmwflllce of a state of mind is seen by the Christian Science Mon- which deplores the “lingering dread of another and a mgre de- structive w The Monitor Temarks that “we have no fears of the future from Switzerland, which has not an armed ship, nor from Denmark, which maintains an army little bigger than & modern: metropolitan- police force. of Some Editors ‘Chamberlain’s latest security pro- osal,” says the Gazette, “gives evi- Gence that the present British gov- ernment has awakened to its impor- tance. And therein lies the world's greatest hope for taking this year another great step out of the mire into which it plunged iteelf in Au- gust, 1914." A lecture on the tactics of peace- making is credited to Chamberlain by the Brooklyn Dally Eagle, which de- clares that “the Geneva protocol, like the league covenant, was an order for a general attack on war, regard- fess of the varying conditions at various parts of the line. The new doctrine expounded by Mr. Chamberlain wants to reach the same goal by a series of attacks with limited objec- tives. It Is based upon the theory that, while war is a general concern and may become world-wide in its scope, the causes of war are usually local to a given area.” The Anaconda Standard recognizes a similar princi- ple when it observes that “the British statesman prefers to make & step for- ward in the direction of world peace and to know that he places his foot on firm ground, rather than to take 2 leap that may land him and the whole effort in a tangled heap.” A disposition to seek peace is held by the Albany Knickerbocker Press to be the most gratifying develop- ment of the moment. “Perhaps the most helpful thing about such move- ments as are now under way in Europe and In this country,” in the opinfon of the Knickerbocker Press, “is that they keep the people of the nations concerned thinking in the right direction. “That is important. ‘When people think toward peace they are fairly safe. It is only when they are allowed to stop thinking about peace and are allowed to think about nothing in particular that they start to think about war. And then comes trouble.” Charges “Bond Mania.” Writer Holds Proposed Arlington Issue Unjustified. To the Editor of The Sta As numerous residents of the “Ar- lington district” in Virginis are read- ers of The Star, & fey comments re- garding the proposed road bond issu on which election is to be held, may be of fhterest to your readers. Almost. every community in thess United States at some time or other develops a mania for placing an in- debtedness in the’ form of bonds. For several years past such a mania had its run through the country until it evoked the cry of alarm from the more stable-minded. The bond issue in Arlington County is not the result of the bonding fad. During 15 years or more & coteris hes continuously agitated the question of bondihg the county, and the coun- ty, being so located that It is bullding up rapldly, ig s rich field for exploita- tion. » Through spathy At the last bond election the. issue fiearly wom out. Therefore, it Is incumbent for voters to turn out and vote against the fs- sue of bonde unless they are willing to accept fhe additional burden of taxes which will resuit from bonding. Remamber, that if the bond issue car- tles the property of all residents fa made liable, and taxes, already very heavy, will be Inéreased. It is clear that if the roads cannot be improved and maintained with the high taxes we pay in annually, it will be impossible to maintain the bond- It is the nations which are most ac- tively preparing for war that most gravely doubt their own security. The Kalamazoo Gazette also ob- serves that, next to war the greatest curse of ® fear war., K bulit roads, pay the Interest on the bonds and carry a sinking fund to uitimately pay off the bonds unless taxes are Increased almost to the point of cenfiscation of private prop- erty. F. R. FRAVEis ¢