Evening Star Newspaper, May 10, 1925, Page 39

Everyday Religion Not a Talk on Theology, But Upon Life and Right . Living. BY RIGHT REV. JAMES E. FREEMAN, D. D, l:“ Bishop of Washington. | Breaking Home Ties. -84, Luke, zv.13: “The younger son gathered all together and took _his jawrney into a far country.” HE greatest story ever told,” is what a_modern, distin- guished writer calls ‘“the of the prodigal 4 . He holds that it cofitains within itself the supremest tefiching of Christ. Another writer ci#fls” it the “lvangel within the I3vangel.” The central figure in the st6Fy is not the erring son, but the altloving father. Addressed, as it WAk "to the Oriental mind and in a reniote period, the scene describes in- cidents that are common to life the world over. The Master took for the sett{ng of His story the home, anl the chapacters are familiar to all of us. A, Joving father had two sons upon whom he lavished \all his affection. When the younger came to his ma- joxity he approached his father asking that-his portion of the inheritance be ziven him. In his request he dis- closed the spirit of restless-nss and a yeapning for freedom frim the re- stralnts of home life. .ike many a youpg man, he would Seature forth inte the great world ¢! action. He sought independence an a larger free- dauw). Once he was possessed of his patrimony “he gathered all together ang took his journey into a far coun- tryi-and there wasted his substance with riotous living.” - * % ok ok As the Master related the story He dig not indicate that there was any- thing unwholesome or ungenerous in the, youth. He was simply governed by, yquthful imydlses. The sin of the boy was not sn much his desire for his inheritance as his disposition to break with hore life and the father’s love. Tt was pfimarily his indifference to--the fathe='s affection that con- stituted his great offense. The scene deseribed is so homely and common- plate that we witness it in our ex- perience from day to day. One of the most striking pictures that:hung in the gallery at the Chi- cago_exposition was entitled “Break- ing’ Home- Ties.” It attracted more attention than any other picture that humg in the great gallery. It repre- sented a youth of the countryside bid- dirg” gooG-bye to his aged father and mother, setting out on the great quest for'fame and fortune. So cleverly had tie drtist presented the homely scene that one could almost catch the tones of The parting message of the mother and the expressed solicitude of the father as the lad abandoned the roof that had sheltered him from his earliest da Imagination conceived of the boy, when once the home ties were cut, living his life in a new by all the influences of city life. The picture was true to that which is familiar to us all. * kK Few experiences in life have a more determining influence upon character than that which marks the breaking of home ties. When youth abandons the influences and restraints that are prompted by a great affection, there follows a period that tests the strength and stabllity of character. A changed environment and new asso- clations have a tendency to either make or break the finer and sweeter qualities of our nature. When Robert Louis Stevenson, restless in spirit, left his old Scotch home and ventured forth to make his career in Paris, his letters to his father disclosed the strain and suffering he experienced as he attempted to resist influences that conspired to disillusion and to de- stroy the ideals of his youth. Amidst the colorful scenes of Paris the sur- roundings of his Scotch home, for the while, looked gray and uninteresting to_him. The impact of the new forces that played about his life tended to dissi- pate earlier and more wholesome im- pressions. Writing on one occasion to his father, he declared that “There is a manifest God in the world for those who try to find Him.” In an hour of great mental anguish and physical de- pression he writes, “I am climbing the bare stairs of duty step by step. I see the good in tRe Inch, and I cling to it.” With home ties severed he was still experiencing a yearning for that which had been inculcated under the old roof-trees. It was this backward yearning that was ultimately to save ‘hlm and to restore him to his fatherfs ove. * % % & Using the homely setting of that which is most familiar, the great Mas- ter sought to indicate the dangers that attend breaking home ties. Some- time, somewhere in our life’s experi- ence we can recall the day, perhaps the hour, when we ceased to regard our obligations to the Great, Father, and when our habits of devotion be- came matters of indifference to us. Perhaps at the first it was almost an unconscious withdrawal from the ear- lier habits and ways of youth. ,We did not mean to withdraw wholly m old practices nor did we mean to sever our relations with influences and agencies that were associated with the more sacred things of earlier life. Per- haps we did not realize the gradual change that was taking place within us. To the minds of Jesus the aban- donment of the Father's love, the breaking of home ties, was the out- standing sin of the youth in the para- ble. Normal living means a consclous and unhifidered relationship with the Father. Abnormal living is abandon- ment of all that is implied in the englynment, amidst strange scenes ant* with new companions, environed Father’s love. (Copyright. 1925.) Colleges Turning Out Machine Minds, Says Educator, Who Hits Specializatio BY DREW PEARSON. ~ IVINGSTON FARRAND, president of - Cornell, is the type of man that one might expect to find behind a ‘glass- topped desk in a Wall street skycraper :lllracunx the destinies of some great corpora- on. In ‘other words, Livingston Farrand is an executive. He proved that so thoroughly when he president of the University of Colorado that the Government selected him to head the gigantic war-time organization of the Red Croes. ., > “But Farrand happens to be more. interested in directing the destinies of young men and ‘women than he is in making money, and, there- fore, I found him in a plain but homy office overlooking Cornell's beautiful campus. - . After explaining to Dr. Farrand that T was quizzing a number of college presidents on modern education and its relation to the jazz age of youth, he said that he would be willing to take the witness stand and answer my cross- questioning. So 1 asked: Q. Dr. Farrand what is the greatest defect in our present-day education? A. Overspecialization. Certainly this is.the greatest defect in the colleges, and I belleve also in our entire field of public and high school education, s By specialization I mean ‘spending so much time on the mechanici of steam engines that we have no time left for studying the mechan- ics of life. I consider that a good engineer should not know steam engines to the exclu- l sion of all else, but that he should have a back- ground of history and literature and political economy, so that he can link kis engineering world up with the rest of mankind. If he knows nothing but steam engines, he forgets all else around him. He forgets that the suc- cess of democracy is dependent upon his par- ticipation in it, that he has an obligation to his neighbors. He forgets to vote. Students Get in Grooves. The man who thinks in a groove is not a good citizen. His groove may be more impor- tant to him that any other in the world, but he never gets out of it. He never jumps the wall of his own special fleld. So he becomes narrow. He no longer has a challenging frame of mind, but begins to take things for grantede It Watt had taken for granted the steam which-he saw coming from the tea-kettle we should never have had the steam engine. The specialized man reads only the papers with which he agrees, and talks only to the men who share his opinions and live his kind of life. He fails to get or understand the other fellow’s point of view. Q. What is the effect of this type of educa- tion upon the country? A. It breaks the country up into different ent point of view. They fail to understand each other. This creates animosity and ill-will. It is said that if the Germans had not devoted all their time and energy before the war to specialization, they would not have been so blind as to start war. We are just beginning to reap the effects of this overspecialization. I refer now to the wave of prejudice and Four Strong Influences Ready - To Sway Senators, Says Walsh s-#Continued from First Page. “PAe Senator in question, in all his sociaf relations, was surrounded by tHé Rind of people who are always for a “Targer Army. The majority was for'reducing the Army and the Sena- tor’Rid voted with the majority. 1 ‘commended him for his inde- pefidence. He replied: *‘Yes, but take it frém nde, I got hell from my wife whe't'she read in the newspapers the record of that vote.” ‘“The conversation ended. A week later there was a reconsideration of the=vote, and T noticed that the Sena- torchanged his position. Apparently his' wife's censure had been effective. ., White House Influences. "To ‘what extent are White House infiiénces exerted to control the ac- tiom «of the Senate? Let us be more spectfic. To what extent have Presi- dents in recent years used the power of their office to control Senators or to chastise them whenever their wills | upon, ,political questions might clash with the Executive will? The denial of, patronage makes it more difficult for.a. Senator to obtain re-election. Can_a President, by threatening to withhold political patronage from Sen- atgrs, control their votes. Frankly, yes. I have seen the most petty means employed to humiliate Senators who diffes. with an Executive. It is only just to say that these peity punitive acts of the Executive " are often done by subordinates—mem- bers, of the cabinet, department heads and ether appointees and partisans of the, President. But all Senators know that-all - administrations indulge in these practices. The pressure exerted upon Senators by:g-President in favor of his policy is @t.times tremendous. Many a Sen- ator, conscientiously differing with the; Executive, has had his soul ha- rasged for weeks, and felt the burdens of <8 political cross bearing heavily upon his shoulders. An unseen crown of thorns is often pressed by a Presi- aénf upon the forehead of an official why publicly appears to be wearing a wtgath of laurels. ‘Scarcely a strong, independent char- actet has served in the Senate for any length of time who has not had Ex- ecytive punishment meted out to him. The, 'stories of each Senator would interesting political history. 0. Senator has any doubt of the truth of the Idahoan Senator's remark diring the Warren debate, “If there 1s.any atmosphere in God's world that weglens a man’'s backbone it is the aggesphere of Washington.” - He : cowld have substituted White Fouse for’ Washington. In my opinion, not an Executive- controlled Congress, but only a free and independent Congress, responsible 1o the people’s will and each Senator to,his oath, can meet the requirement ots-the Constitution; can give to the Government the permanence and bal- anee-which will safeguard the future and__promote the permanent public wcifure. Guestion of Lame Ducks. it will surprise the public—no Sena- tonahowever—to learn of the complete comtrol an Executive exercises over the. votes of lame-duck Senators. I yefer to those Senators who have failed of renomination or re-election 1w the biennial elections and yet retain their-seats in the Senate until the fol- ldwing March 4. “When the question of sustaining the Tresident’s veto of the postal em- pioyes’ galary bill came up for final vote in the Seaate on January 6, 1925, 75:per cent of the lame-duck Senators hlanged the position they took in the Semate before election, while only abowt 25 per cent of all other Senators changed their votes. This is a fair example of the influence the Execu- tivé has in the after-election session of+each Congress. The lame-duck wvotes turned the tide in favor of the vote: s During the debate on this measure veto, for it was sustained by only one, practice become, even among Senators who, prior to their failure to secure re-election, had demonstrated inde- pendence and character, of ending their remaining months of service merely as presidentinl Senators in- stead of Senators from sovereign States, that the Senate itself has over- whelmingly favored and passed a reso- lution to amend the Constitution so that there may be no “‘hold-over” ses- sions of the Congress after the bien- nial elections. House Fails to Act. The House has failed to act on this resolution. I believe this is largely due to the unwillingness of the House to aid in giving prestige to the Sena- tor (Norris) who is author of this reso- lution. This iilustrates a form of pet- ty partisanship that is still character- istic of the Congress. As is well known, the majority par- tv_has all the important chairman- ships; the majority party is held re- sponsible for the legislative program and naturally desires to have charge of the bills, especially those which seem to have some chance of passing. This goes so far sometimes that, if a minority member has worked out and introduced such a bill, a majority member introduces the same bill and gets his name attached to it—for it is not considered good politics to have popular bflls passed which bear the names of minority members. As a majority party of the House is always jealous of its control of leg- islation in that body, it naturally would not be overzealous in making part of its legislative program a re- form that would add prestige to an in- dependent and_irregular Republican like Norris. Thus the resolution to correct a great evil remains as if it had never been passed by the Senate. The reform must begin all over again in the next Congress. ‘What Does Senator Owe? What does a Senator owe to the Chief Executive of his cwn political part7? Sympathy and co-operation whenever possible. No Senator owes the abandonment of the political philosophy which he has publicly espoused before election or the sur- render of his conscientious convictions of what is best for his country in or- der to be loyal to his political chief in the White House. No man is worthy of a seat in a high place who permits resentment or avarice or fear or flattery to move him. x Servility to any political interest— social, financial or executive—is just as odious to a real statesman of proper vision as is blind and fanatical per- sonal opposition. Yet the cowardly, speech-padlocked and vote-controlled Senators are often by the public and certainly by politi- cal organizations cajoled, given party preferments and invariably ‘“taken care of” by the Executive after they are repudiated by the people and fail of re-election. Iam proud to say that the percentage of this class of Sena- tors is small. Considering the number of temptations and the susceptibility of human nature to gain social dis- tinction in Washington for one's fam- ily, it is surprising there are not more “lame ducks” who surrender their consclences at the President’s com- mand. Aims of Propaganda. I should summarize the ultimate ends of the propaganda against the Senate as follows: 1. To amend the Constitution so as to provide for ratification of treaties by a majority, instead of a two-thirds vote of the Senate. This would con- centrate tremendous power over the fate of the Nation in executive hands. It would be unsafe for the Republic. 2. Tq amend the rules of the Senate enabling the majority to cut off de- end minerity obstruction and would result in more laws, just the result that the rule reformers abhor. It will bring the Senate down to the i¥:was openly charged that the vetc would be sustained, not on its merits, bup Jbecause of the influence of the ,‘sng’floumqumm o b N level ‘of the House and permit abso- lute presidential and control. 3. To keep the Senate, when it per- forms executive functions, behind . closed dgora, so that-thg pressurg of perverted thinking which has swept this coun- try and which I hope has now passed its peak. Certainly we have no reason for complacency. At no time since the Civil War have serious * men been more worried over the soundness of groups. Each group has an absolutely differe. ' DR. LIVINGSTON FARRAND. American democracy. We have seen State Legislatures filled with bills directed toward the forceable imposition upon the common- wealth of the particular views of particular in- dividuals. New York, for instance, would cen- sor our history books; New Jersey bar any complimentary~mention of the British from her schools, and Oregon prohibit attendance at - private schools. "Teo Mueh Canned Thinking. We know that the survival of democracy is dependent upon discussion, upon the freedom of thought and of speech, and yet, knowing this, we want to dictate the channels which our children’s thought should take. No democ- racy can survive except upon a foundation of sympathy, tolerance and intelligence. Q. Where have the colleges failed in this? A. The colleges have overspecialized and overprofessionalized. After a man leaves col- lege every minute of his time for two or three vears is taken up with learning the details of his new business. Therefore, the college period is the only one left open to study life in its entirety rather than to study the one special groove which will net him the best income after graduation. The trouble with a college education today is that it teaches men how to make a living rather than how to live. The chemistry de- partment, for instance, teaches men how to make money by chemistry rather than how to make life more livable by chemistry. Q. Are the colleges becoming even more specialized? A. No; they are improving. Our college curriculum is undergoing a very close scrutiny. We realize that there is something amiss. The student himself is taking an interest in the problem, and that is most encouraging. Recently it was recommended that medical students have their hours of rtudy reduced from 5,600 to between 3,300 and 4,400, in order that ‘trey might have -more time for general reading. 2 o No Reds in Colleges. A big engineer—one of the biggest in his fleld—told me not long ago that if he had his college course to take over again, he would take “four years of physics, four years of chemistry, enough mathematics to get the hang of it, spend the rest of his time on Eng- lish, history and philosophy and not waste a minute on that dern thing they call engineer- ing.” ; Another encouraging sign among the col- leges is that they are beginning to teach the problem of the present rather than the history of the past. Q. Are there any other outstanding defects in present-day education? A. Most of the ofhers are offshoots from ‘what I consider the worst fault—specialization. For instance, thé college student is the most conservgtive person in this country—at least, T consider him so. Some people are afraid of red seeds being sewn in the colleges, but that is the last thing in the world to worry about. A small group in every college is radical, but the great mass are distinctly conservative. I sometimes wish they were less reactionary. I believe that this conservatism is due to the routine and grind of the college system ‘which makes every man conform to the same mold. This problem of eliminating the fac- tory grind from the college is one of our great- est. The tendency is to pull a brilliant stu- dent down ta the level with the rest, and turn him out according to one pattern, like Ford parts coming through on a factory belt. ‘We are trying to care for these brilliant men in special “honors” courses, in which they can ‘wark on their own responsibility, as in the Eng- lish universities. Q. Are there too many students in the col- leges today? A. No; the saturation point hasn’t been reached—if there is a saturation point. But there are a lot of men here who ought not to be here and doubtless a lot of men on the out- side who should be here. Future Is Puzzling. Q. Do you refer to rich men's sons who *“come to get a social education? . A. No. I do mot think -that criticism is justified, although we do have many wealthy men who come with the idea of getting a social polish. Sometimes they make good students, sometimes bad. We are always out to encour- age the boy or girl who has to work a way through college. They make a splendid type of young man or womanhood. But every college needs a better method of selecting its students. They should be chosen not altogether by scholastic requirements, but on the basis of character. 1°am not pessimistic about our present con- dition of education, but I am puzzied about the future. However, when I look back at the strides we have taken since this country was born, I am not only encouraged, but I know we are coming out all right. Finally, let me say that I conceive it the place of the schools and colleges to promote Dbetter citizenship and to lead the Nation. Specialized and technical educations do not broaden our citizens into great leaders. (Copyright, 1925.) Settle BY N. 0. MESSENGER. HOUGHTFUL observers of the trend of politics during Presi- dent Coolidge’s administration assert that they see a distinct change in political affairs, in a lessening of disposition to place un- due stréss upon dependence upon gov- ernmental aid to industry and agri- culture, and increasing reliance upon individual effort. Time was when it was wont to credit political parties with prosperity and to blame the op- posite party unduly, perhaps, for un- toward conditions. President Coolidge, political observ- ers say, has during his term of of- fice been leading the people, in guite an unostentatious way, from so much dependence upon Government and teaching the people the real function of Government, which is not that of an eleemosynary institution. He be- gan with the farmers, dissuading them from a disposition to depend upon the power of the statute book to re- lieve them and to have recourse to sound economic policies to better their conditions. Government was to ald them in organization and With finan- cial aid along economic lines, but was not to place them as in a favored class with aid which would not be approved by a wise banking policy. It is admitted that President Cool- idge's poliéy of economy in Govern- ment has captured the imagination of the people. He is not putting it for- ward as a political nostrum mm litical effect, but as a sound principle of economics. Commencing with the Federal Government and Congress setting a wise example, hopes that it will extend to State gov- ernments. His efforts to reduce the taxes has a similar purpose. Federal, State and munitipal taxes were reach- ing a point staggering the public with the accumulative load. Back-Breaking Load. Experience demonstrated that the load was becoming back-breaking. President Coolidge had foreseen, along with President Harding, the world’s burden of taxation resulting from mil- itary armaments and a race for naval supremacy. He was thoroughly in ac- cord with the first concerted effort the world had made to reduce some of this burden under the leadership of President Harding in the armament conference. President . Coolidge’s ef- forts to reduce the burden of taxa- tion by lowering Government expenses is carying on with this same policy. —_— the paitisan machine may be more effective. 4. To amend the Constitution so as to give the President power to appoint executive officers without confirma- tion by the Senate. This would make it possible for a President to reward faithful followers without submitting their records for consideration by the Senate, the body to whom the fathers in their wisdom delegated joint execu- tive ibilities with the Presi- dent. - It is a singular circumstance that while the cm'.xllry ::eulln- &o be “am, 1y opposed to centralization of power at Washington there is strong prope- ganda’ on foot to concentrate Federal authority and power in the hands of the Executive. Is this & move away from repre- sentative or democratic government toward autocracy? - In my opiniom, the present agitation to take power from the people’ sentatives in the Congress and lodge it in the Executive will not succeed. LESS STRESS IS NOW LAID ON GOVERNMENTAL AID| Industry and Agricultui'e Are Depend- ing More on Own Efforts to Problems. The natural consequence, it is hoped by economists and thinkers, may be that the growing flood of extravagance may in time be checked. Last week the President announced his next aim to be that of slashing $300,000,000 in the next budget. It is hoped that a 12 per cent reduction in Federal taxation may result. With the return to Washington of Budget Di- rector Lord, after a month's tour in which he carried the President’s econ- omy plan in speeches direct to thou- sands of taxpayers, Gen. Lord will begin a ser’es of conferences with the President preliminary to the draft- ing of the next budget. Between now and, September, when actual work on the preparation of the budget will commence, it will be possible..to fore- cast more definitely the receipts that may be counted on from income taxes next year. Where to Cut a Question. The question of how this $300,000,000 reduction for the next budget is to be saved is already causing discussion by public men. It will come about largely, of course, through the cutting of the expenses of Government, which can only be the work of departments and of Congress. Some $60.000,000 is expected to be saved by the further retirement of war bonds out of the payments of principle and interests by foreign gov- ernments on their war debts, . Some leaders in Congress also claim that the expected reduction in Governmentex- penses will pretty soon find itself con- fronted by Iimitations. Indeed, in a recent statement Chairman Madden of the House appropriation com- he | mittee declared that in his :nflmel;t the appropriations have practically reached the post-war low-water mark and that from this time on are likely to_increase. ‘While disclaimer is made that Presi- dent Coolidge was animated by a po- litical motive in advocating economy in public expenses, with a consequent tax reduction, there is no doubt that it will prove to be of great political benefit to the Republican party. Every visitor to Washington who is' keeping in touch with the political situation in his own section bears testimony to the growing popularity of the ad- ministration over the ecdnomy and tax-reduction program. 3 Politicians say there is strong vis- ualization by the voters of the utili- tarian aim'of President Coolidge and realization of what practical benefits will come to the individual in lessen- taxation. voters can understand.” New Type Watch Dog Introduced in London A new kind of a watch dog has made. its appearance _in London. These dogs do not need. any. special training to be efficient, nor:do they differ in pedigres from any of the other useless laphounds-that escort their mistresses on sunny affernoons plong the Mall. - 5 R What makes these pets distinctive is that on their: collars they wear tiny watches, often set with gems, and sometimes with little bells that strike the hours: ‘A woman ffom n_Diego, Calif., is credited with ving started the lon, which the , Bond street jewelers were not slow to encourage. - . U. S. SEARCHING WORLD FOR PLANTS IT CAN USE Agricultural Explorers Go to Faraway Countries—Exchanges Prove of Great Value to All BY HENRY L. SWEINHART. ITH David Fairchild, who has been in charge of the foreign plant introduc- tion work of the United States Department of of Agriculture ever since its incep- tion more:then 20 years ago, Now on. his way to the East Indies, where he will spend seve al mon: study- ing the little-kr.u~# fruits and other plants on sorit of the more remote islands, this valuable agricultural ex- ploration gdes on. P. H. Dorsett, another veteran “plant explorer,” who has visited many parts of the world, is now kecading an expedition into Norther» China and Mongolia, while F. A. McClure is conducting an in- vestigation into the resources of Southern China. Several other de- partment officials have recently re- turned from other parts of the world, bringing with them different vari- eties of plants and fruits for breed- ing purposes in this country. ‘While millions of dollars have been added -to the agricultural wealth -of the United States as a result of the importation from abroad of hun- dreds of grains and grasses, plants and fruits which are now thriving here, there has been an exchange from which' other countries have profited; and the Department of Agriculture is conlnntH sending seeds and specimens of various plants to its neighboring republics of North and South .America, as well as to other parts, of the world.. Officials of the department -realize that the best results in an agricultural line can: be obtained by llnd.l‘:g products best suited to climatic soil con- ditions, and, therefore, they are only too eager to co-operate as closely as possible with other governments in this plant exchange. The exchange of plant crops goes back to early days. The history of plant introduction forms one of the . the. lison. Popenoe, agricultural -explorer of the office of t.:r’:ltn seed and plant introduction, ““The While 'hunt new plants in. China, the remar] of Harry lan through Abyssinia to the 8 in search of new kinds of barley, Rock’s hunt in.Northern Burma f to it that those countries have re- ceived seeds of all the plants which he thought would thrive and especially useful to them. In speak- ing on this subject he said that “many of the new plants with which we have been working in the United States these past few. years would prove dis- tinct acquisitions in Latin America.” “There are huge areas lying at high elevations in the northern Andes,” he said, “where the climate is cold and moist. At present they support little vegetation that is suitable for stock grazing, nor can they be planted to such crops as cereals or potatoes. A forage grass which will thrive under those conditions would be an acquisi- tion of enormous value to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and other countries. There are immense areas of land in various parts of Latin America which lie idle and are relatively useless be- cause they will not grow any of the crops at present available. Surely the question of introducing new forage plants for such regions is deserving of attention.” What U. 8. Can Offer Latin America. After asserting that it was doubtful if the United States or the rest of the world coyld offer much to Latin Amer- ica in the way of new varieties of that great staple crop, maize, Mr. Popenoe ‘went on to say that he did not think the same could be said of other ce- reals. Very recently, he added, the de- partment had sent seed of the Kanred wheat, a_variety developed in the State of Kansas and notable for its resistance to rust, to central Chile, where it has given such excellent re- sults that large orders are now being received from that country by North Américan seedsmen. “The activity of plant breeders, both in North America and Europe, looking toward" the development of superior strains of wheat, barley, oats and other cereals, will likely profit Latin America as much as the coun- tries in which the work is dene,” he stated. ‘The breeding of disease-re- sistant.varieties, and those of superior yield is of even greater importance, perhaps, in some of the Latin Amer- traxic death of Frank Meyer | other “The work of the plant breeder sup- and augments that of the plant introducer, and neither is fully effective without the services of the other. _must have wild rela- tives of the plants with- which they ng, as well as strains from all sources, to use in making their hybrids and acteristics be | religious appeals, or, if necessary, the Story Week Has Told n Comprehensive Survey of Latest Events in United States and Abroad. BY HENRY W. BUNN HE following is & brief sum-| mary of the most important news of the world for the seven days ended May 9: * ok k¥ — J United States of America.—Secre- tary Hoover has invited the gover- nors of the coastal States from Maing to Texas to send representatives to a conference to open at Washington on May 22 for discussion of the problem of fish conservation along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. In his invitation Mr. Hoover informs the governors that within 30 years the annual shad catch of the Atlantic coast has decreased 75 per cent: that of sturgeon, 88 per cent; that of lobsters, 66 per cent; while the cost to the public of shad has increased five-fold, of sturgeon eight-fold and of lobsters nine-fold. The problem of rehabilitating the fisheries, says the -Secretary cannot be solved ex- cept by co-ordinated State action or Federal action, and extension of Fed- eral authority is undesirable. Pollu- tion of the waters is the chief cause of the melancholy situation. Practical instruction in aviation is t(;‘be compulsory hereafter at Annap- olis. | Madison Square Gardenj New York City, has been turned over to the wreckers. Wrecking, building, wreck- ing—above all, wrecking—that is the chief note of New York. Down goes "e Garden after only 35 years of ye. The New York press mentions tle business obituary-wise; talks of the “old” Garden; moralizes in the vein of Cicero de Senectute. But however one may regret the sacrifice of art to business in this demolition, there is consolation in the fact that the tower—one of the most beautiful things in the world—with Diana, ditto—is to be set up again on University Heights, to lend grace and suavity to the academic group. But no doubt the university will ere long be-on its travels again. Nothing stays put in little old New York. ‘Thanks to the efforts of the women of Fredericksburg, Va., Kenmore, the charming house at Fredericksburg built by Col. Fielding Lewis for his bride, Betty Washington, sister of the general, has been purchased and given to the country. Yesterday it was dedi- cated as a national shrine. It is said that George Washington assisted in the planning of the house, which is bailt of brick, with walls two feet | thick, the woodwork being very fine and the stucco work much admired. The father of his country also, ac- cording to tradition, helped lay out the grounds and plant the trees and shrubs, whereof some survive. Our compliments and thanks to the ladies ol,’r Fredericksburg for this delightful = 2 * x x % The British Empire.—The visit of the Prince of Wales to the Union of South Africa is visibly having the conciliatory effect intended. The Dutch element have warmed to the prince. Proceedings in the Dominion Parliament decidedly reflect the new mood. ““We must work with England and the other dominions for the com- mon imperial interest,” is now the word, whereas yesterday rank transigence sputtered and spat. ‘Whether or no this cordial mood will last—that is the question. |, Admiral Sir Frederick Sturdee, vic- tor over Von Spee in the battle of the Falkland Islands in 1914, and an important participant in the battle of Jutland, is dead. e French - Morocco. — Either Abd-el- Krim, the RIff leader, has lost his head, or, having started a holy war, he finds that he simply must keep going. His tribesmen have invaded the French protectorate of Morocco. His plan appears to be modeled on that he so successfully used against the Spaniards, and seems to contem- ! plate infiltration into the French pro- | tectorate by detachments of his fol- lowers, with the mission of causing | @y means of cajolery of threats or in- grand argument of pillage and mas- sacre) the tribes friendly to the French to revolt against the latter, and the further mission of isolating French blockhouse ‘detachments and reducing them to surrender by cut- ting off supplies (water being the most _important). After these pre- liminaries, attack in force. The problem of Marshal Lyautey, the governor general and commander- in-chief in the French protectorate, is a delicate one. He must clear the French protectorate of Abd-el-Krim's followers and establish a cordon of such strength along the border of the so-called Spanish protectorate as to secure the friendly natives against | further attack or infiltration; he must administer such punishment as to shatter the enemy's morale and spoil his stomach for more adventure in like sort and impregnably to estab- lish French prestige among the friendly natives: finally, to avoid in- ternational complications, he must not carry pursuit into the Spanish pro- tectorate. The marshal has under his command at least 60,000 (perhaps as many as 90,000) troops, of whom about three-fourths are Meroccans, but it would seem that only about 12,000 are immediately available for use against Abd-el-Krim. That the French will beat back the present in- vasion (even though it should develop into an attack in force) and establish a cordon, it is hardly permitted to doubt, though it is to be feared that effective maintenance of a cordon of 200 or more miles will require a con- siderably larger force than 12,000. In fact, reinforcements are being sent from France so as to enable the marshal to bring 50,000 men into play against the RIff c! in. Reports of the fighting to date show that the marshal is acting vigorously, and that Abd-el-Krim’'s men, though showing plenty of fight, are “getting theirs.” Tt is not known how large & force of ‘organized and well appointed troops Abd-el-Krim of, but whatever its size his chief hope lies in arousing revolt among the tribes of e French protectorate. Where re- ligious fanatacism is concerned one) should be most cautious’in one’s fore- 1 casts.. But Lyautey is justly considered one of the greatest colonial administrators of all time; the equal of any of the Roman pro-consuls or Brit- ish s or Chinese wardens of :l:tn\!\:i‘:m of the natives under his ad- ministration which he has won by his his capital, Mesed, .with tne KohT. Noor end the Peacock throne. And today Persia may properly claim thet she has in her premier. Riza Khan, one of the mosat notable of living men, Khan of pefty bourgeols origin joined the Persian army as a private at the age of 15 and rose by merit to be commander-in-chief at 44. In 1921, at the head of the Cossack division, he effected the coup d'etat which placed the reformer,.the Seyyid Zia-u din in power as premier. Zia-u-din. though a man of fine ideals and ideas, showed himself lacking in -practicai capacity, and in 1923 Riza became premier, retaining the command of the army and the gendarmerie and the portfolio of war. He has made an efficient army of 35,000 men com pletely devoted to him. He has uni fled the country, producing due sub ordination to the central authority. establishing uniform conditions of law and order. The strength of his ad- ministration is proved by the fact that certain tribes which time out of mind had refused to pay taxes are now paying them. Apparently he is seriously opposed only by the more fanatical religious element. This element, however. is powerful. In 1923-24 he proposed to oust the Shah and set up a republic. The craven Shah “beat it” for the pleasure resorts of Europe, whereof he has been for two years the chiel ornament, leaving to his brother, the crown prince, the defense of the throne. But the project of a republic has been balked hitherto by the ex treme religious element. The present « status is curious. In February of this year Riza informed the Majlis, oy Parliament, that the interference of the Shah and crown prince was fatal to his program for the behoof of the . country, and he demanded of that body legislation which should end the interference—that is, reduce the throne to a symbol. Such legislation not forthcoming he would resign. That issue is not yet decided. Whether or no Riza has it in mind to become Shah, himself (his projec - ed republic having been conceived merely as an intermediary step), as his enemies charge, it is to see; the charge seems plausible enough and the idea is not offensive to sundry < astute observers, who think that Persia is not ripe for a republican polity and remark that the Kajar dynasty is played out, that the refgn- ing Shah is absolutely no good, and that Riza, if a Shah is still “the, ticket,” is the best material in sight. At apy rate, Riza is a real patriot an outandout ‘Persia-for-the-Per- sians” man which is quite as it ! should be. As I observe he is one of the most notable actors now per- forming on this queer planetary stage. (Latest reports indicate that? Riza’s enemies are making a poyer- = ful bid for supremacy.) * x % x - The League of Nations.—The Leagus of Nations international conference _ for control of the traffic in arms opened at Geneva on May 3. It is proposed to draw up a treaty aimed at restriction of the sale of arms and munitions. Forty-three powers, including the United States and Germany, are rep- < resented in this conference. Of this important business more hereafter. It involves many delicate and intri- cate considerations. The most- im- - portant immediate benefit contem- plated is to give publicity to the, “nefarious” traffic. The conference has as a substantial basis for its work a draft convention produced by the league temporary mixed com- mission on reduction of armament. The sixth assembly of the League of Nations will open on September 7. The most important item of the draft agenda is “arbitration, secu and the reduction of armaments =i Miscellaneous.—On a balance of gains and losses in the recent munic- ipal elections throughout France it* would seem that the parties of the: Left had a slight advantage over the parties of the Right. The Commun- . ists .lost heavily, but their loss was® the gain of the Unified Socialists (So- cialists proper) and the so-called, radical Soctalists. = Nearly 25 per cent of the popula tion of Czechoslovakia are Germans. Trotsky has returned to Moscow from his Caucasian exile, at the in-, vitation of the great red triumvirate The annual increase by immigration * (arrivals less departures) of the Jew ish population of Palestine is about 10,000. The Duveens have purchased from . a Berlin banker Raphael's portrait of * Guliano de Medici, brother of Leo X.s and third son of Lorenzo the Magni- ficent. It is the only one oF the 24 recognized portraits by Raphael not in a public museum. Presumably it * will be sold to an American for en- tombment in a private collection. The painting has had an_interesting his- tory. It “disappeared” in the course of the civil broils of Florence in the late sixteenth century and reappeared. about 25 years ago in the possessior. of the Grand Duchess Marie of Rus- sia. There seems to be no questior. as to its authenticity. The coloring » is said to be Raphael at his magni- ficent best. What a curious discovery, that of malaria_inoculation as a remedy for paresis and some other diseases. British Are Trained . For Life of Settler" Unusual interest has been created., by the plan of sending out from Eng- land to the colonies and dominions groups of men and women selected from various districts and carefully trained to take up the life of settlers, A committee recently formed in Lon- don is recruiting a new “community’ settlement” from the ranks of retired officers and civil servants who find it increasingly difficult with their comparatively small pensions to main- tain in England the standards of life+ to which they have been accustomed. It is proposed to gather communities of 60 or 70 families and train them in England on . 2-acre garden plots. Each prospective settler will thus galn some experience of farming and at the end of five years the whole group will be moved to a homestead in South Africa, Canada or Australia. Meanwhile, it is believed, they will, be able to pay their way from the produce of their garden d {Jugoslav Soldiers : * X %% Persia—One is apt to think of Persia as having been_for many cen- En completely down and out: .~effete, incapable. But the case is by no means as-bad as that. It is not two centuries since Nadir Kuli, of r-nl’m. e carried rangzeb and returned in triumph to Divide on Etiquette’ In the Jugoslav army there is to., Dbe observed an interesting difference in military manners. The army is composed of Serbs, Croats and Slo-* ‘The traditions of the Serbs, tavor the spirit of comradeship be- tween officers and'men. Off duty the two regard each other as equals. The Croats and Slovenes have been ac- customed to Austrian etiquette, which Is modeled on the Prussian, under 4 which the men are regarded as in- ferior creatures. A major in a Slovene cavalry regi- ment has just resigned his commis- sion. He could not tolerate the sight of his Serb colonel sitting restaurant engaged in friendly versation with one of his soldiers.