Evening Star Newspaper, May 18, 1925, Page 6

6 THE EVENING STAR “illl Sunday Morning Edllbn. WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY .....May 18, 1825 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: 11th St.and Penneylvanta Ave New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Building. European Office Regent St.. London, England. The Evening Star, with the Sunday morn- tng edition, is delivered by carriers within the clty at’60 cents per month: daily coly 45 cente per month: Sunday only. 20 cents per month Orders may be sent by mail or telephone Main 5000. Collection is made by carrler at the cnd of each mouth. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. # d Sunday. 0: 1 . TO0c Bafle snt sy od o R 1 20 Sunday only . 2.40: 1 mo.. 20¢ All Other States. $10.00: 1 mo., 85 a7 a3 S0t 1 mo et Sunday only ...I1..1 $3.00: 1 mo.. 28¢ Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news di atches creditad to it or not otherwise cred Fadin (hie paper and alto the local news published herein ] rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. # Ship Disposal by Wholesale. Chairman O'Connor of the Shipping Board has tired of trying to doa whole- sale business on a retail basis. In a statement issued following his return to Washington from Detroit, where he talked ship sales with Henry Ford, the chairman said that he had reached the conclusion that the Shipping Board, own. on behalf of the United a huge tonnage, is in the position of a manufacturer who cannot undertake to dispose of his products by retail method: ‘The history of ship sales by the Gov- ernment, since the close of the war, goes far to bear out the contention of the chairman. Uncle Sam finds him- self today with a huge fleet on his hands: almost 900 ships laid up and about 300 in operation. Of the laid-up ships hundreds, according to expert opinion, will never be of use either for national defense for commerce. While ¢ T tai 3 ships pe to become time they whole American shipping In his efforts to interest Henry or any other Amer of and willing to y large ping or for operation, nor has taken progr the better s sold f they should be sold alw surance that they operated, and placed with m ates surplus ales each » deteriorate and At the same w the business. Ford, an who is capable ps for scrap Chairman O'Con. ive step. If operation s with as- ue to be be re- to-date »)v pa. Unfortunately proposal that Government-owned sh be sold on a large scale already is being interpreted in some quarters as the adoption of a “scuttle-and-run” policy by the admin- istration in regard to the American merchant marine, the Government- owned portion of it at least. Yet Presi. dent Coolidge and his advisers have been most emphatic in their state- ments that the American merchant marine is to be maintained permanent- Iy in the overseas trade; that routes considered necessary for national de- fense and for American trade will con- tinue to be operated by the Govern- ment itself, if they cannot be operated by private American shipping men. There is no reason to creak if the Government decides through the Ship- ping Board to dispose of its useless tonnage. There is no danger that ships which are needed for reserve will be sold to be scrapped, and if they are sold for operation, so much the better. Too many men who protest that they believe the Government should get out of the shipping business and seek to have the merchant marine operated by private Americans at the same time are unwilling to permit the sale of ships either for operation or for scrap- ping. The seas over| h a ale, in buying either a ps are will contin event i re the ove erican merchant marine is once more carrying Ameri- can commerce into every corner of the world. Americans will never again allow the flag to be crowded off the seas if they are wise. But the reten- tion of useless laid-up vessels by the Government is scarcely necessary and cannot be considered a wise course. s Ability in attacking or defending a theory is admired regardless of impres- sion as to whether a man is right or wrong. Col. Bryan finds in the topic of evolution another opportunity to demonstrate his exceptional gifts as an oratorical controversialist. o The fact that Henry Ford contem- plates the purchocc of a number of Government boats need not encourage Rosika Schwimmer in any hope that he contemplates launching a fleet of peace ships. Grooming Mr. Somers of Brooklyn. New York municipal politics, never qulte local in scope and influence, is just at present the only active factor on the national stage. Though no elec- tion is. immediately at hand, the maneuvers for the mayoralty are af- fording subject matter for keenly in- terested attention for the politicians of all the States, and personalities that otherwise would be of no moment be- yond the metropolitan boundaries are getting into the limelight. Mayor Hylan wants a third term. That fact is the basls of the situation. Gov. Smith does not want the mayor to succeed himself. That is an equally important fact. The Tammany organi- zation is inimical to the Hylan aspira- tion. It is necessary to find a man who will command the support of both Tammany and the Brooklyn Demo- cratic organization. For Brooklyn is a very large factor in the equation. Hylan is a Brooklynite. Tammany would prefer to pick a candidate from its side of the East River, but if neces- sary it will accept one from across the bridges. In this situation a breakfast tendered to Arthur S. Somers, president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Board of Education, on the occasion of his departure with other members of the chamber for a tour of California, assumes a political significance of more than local scope. For it definitely started a “Somers boom® for the mayoraity. Speakers at ghe banquet referred to him {n mayor- alty terms, one of them “Inaslvertent- ly"" addressing him as ‘‘your' honor. They do that sort of thing in New York now and then, as elsewhere. Perhaps the most interesting'feature of the banquet was the presence, that was technically an absence, of John H. McCooey, the Democratic leader of Queens County, who is to the borough of Brooklyn what the leader of Tam- many is to the borough of Manhat- tan. McCooey will probably pick Brooklyn's carndidate, and may pick the candidate of the Greater New York Democracy. He went to the hotel where the breakfast was held, but did not sit at the table, occupying a mez- zanine seat, where he could observe the proceedings without participating. for, he said, his presence at the table might have ‘some political signifi.- ance.” But he was so moved by the occasion of his friend's departure that he allowed himself to be photographed with the departing Brooklvnhe on lho roof of the hotel, and alsc at th door. For an off season this breakfast given to a Brooklyn man in Manhattan, with the Brooklyn boss present and not present, becomes quite an interest- ing affair. Nobody knows just how Gov. Smith looks upon the Somers candidacy. Nobody knows whether there is an understanding between Smith and McCooey. And again, no- body knows whether Somers is con- sidered as a posstble dark horse for the Democratic 1928 national race. A mayoralty has heretofore led to the presidential lists. Of course, the Smith people cannot “see” Somers for a moment as a conceivAble presidential factor. But three years hence, when the preconvention proceedings are un- der way, their vision may be keener in that respect. Still, it must always be borne in mind that Somers has yet to qualify in the preliminaries. Legislative Errors. An instance of the need of a legis- lative drafting committee or expert bureau to prevent errors and con- fusions in the text of enactments of Congress s afforded in the case of a provision in the naval omnibus bill passed in the closing hours of the last session. It was the intention of the framers of the measure that officers in the Marine Corps of the rank of colonel, whose names are not borne on the eligible list for promotion may be retired at a compensation equal to 215 per cent of the pay received for each year of active service, up to a maximum of 75 per cent of the highest pay. By some freak of language the law reads that such officers may be retired at only 24 per cent of the active duty pay. Of course, such a provision s plain- 1v a slip of the pen. The Controller General may correct it by a ruling which considers the obvious intent of Congress, this ruling serving to bridge over the period that must elapse before a correcting enactment can be had. The real importance of the matter lies in the fact that such errors can creep into the laws. Despite all the care that can be exercised mistakes will happen in the drafting of bllls, at the short session especially. A large percentage of the measures enacted by Congress at such a session are framed and materially amended in the last few days. A tre. mendous rush occurs. Everybody is busy, committee clerks, secretaries and legislative experts. Biils are going in to conference and coming from them in rapid succession. Conference reports are being adopted hurriedly in the two houses. - The confusion that prevails at the close of the short session is one of the reasons advanced for a change of the calendar and the elimination of this time-limit session. There is. of course, some confusion at the end of every session, long and short, but the short session is conspicuously and dangerously congested. The most skillful scrutiny of every line and word of every legislative draft is essential to prevent errors that may cost the Government enor- mous sums or impose injustice upon individuals. Until Congress changes its calendar to relieve the last-minute jam and adopts a method of technical bill drafting that is capable of check- ing these mistakes Federal legislation will continue to be marked by blun- ders. —r————————— The fact that vaccination is still op- posed by persons qualified to express themselves with grammatical intelli- gence vindicates the very old philo- sophical impression that there is really no use arguing. —_— e ————— A number of organizations have sprung Into existence whose purpose as defined by the constitutionsand by- laws is largely neglected as interest concentrates itself on the election of officers. — e If there is any thought of starting a new war the reminder becomes proper that an old war is not over until all its debts are paid. Oceanographic ‘Research. Limitless possibilities of results for the benefit of science and humanity are predicted in the survey of the ocean depths which is being planned by the Hydrographic Bureau of the Navy Department. Jules Verne's im- aginative exploration by the mythical Capt. Nemo will have its counter- part in reality when the United States Navy puts into practice its program of scientific research. The U. 8. S. Rainbow has been selected to begin in the near future a permanent research which will be the most carefully plan- ned and the most far-reaching work of the kind ever undertaken. Lieut. Comdr. George E. Brandt, | U. 8. N., has outlined the Navy's plan ' for oceanographic research at the bot- tom of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea before a gathering of scientists in New York City. It is ar- ranged that he will command the first of a series of undersea investigations which are expected to result in im- portant disclosures of plant and ani- mal life in the ocean which may have bearing upon agriculture ashore and seafood production. It is predicted that the study of the temperature of the waters of the ocean will make possible weather forecusts at much longer periods in advance than at THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. present, thus saving millions of dol- lars to industry and agriculture in the United States. The problem of overpopulation and the mnecessity of feeding the world, when it becomes too crowded to sub- sist on present food resources, will be involved in the Investigation. The agricultural and animal resources of the seas greatly exceed those of the land, not only because five-sevenths of the earth's surface is covered with water, but also because plant and ani- mal life in the ocean is maintained on cubical farms, rather than on a single surface like the land. The extent of this great depository of food, fuel and fertilizer staggers the imagination. Every year nearly three billion pounds of fish :-e taken from the waters of the ‘nited States and Alaska, although e have hardly be- 'gun to touch these resources . Popu- lation experts assure us that before many years the products of the land will fall short of feeding the popula- ton and we will have to depend more largely than now upon the products of the sea. British Liberal Troubles. Inasmuch as the British Liberal party is at present a small factor in the parliamentary situation it may not make much difference that the wife of the titular leader of the or- ganization In the upper house, Lord Oxford, formerly Herbert Asquith, has had to apologize publicly to David Lloyd George, the leader of the party in the House of Commons, for some unkind things said about him in one of her books. But political parties do not subsist upon merely present con- ditions. They live upon hopes of future achlevements, and it is un- deniably a shock to British Liberal sensibilities to find that the wite of one party leader entertains or has entertained such derogatory opinions of the other party leader. The fact that Lady Oxford has publicly apol- ogized and explained that the offend- ing matter was included in the vol- ume by Inadvertence does not alter the fact or lessen the shock. Nat- urally Lord Oxford cannot take part in the discussion. His role is that of a silent observer. But it would make “mighty Interesting reading” to have his views set forth in print. The i cident of the apology may revive memories of the “serpent’s tongue,” which u few years ago set British circles agog and which cost a cer- tain eminent litterateur the laureate- ship. S Instructors who insist on teaching evolution in the public schools may consider themselves fortunate, indeed. that the November election did not give the Bryan family a high influence in Federal authority. — e A colossal failure in the past did not prevent Germany from giving Hinden- burg the big chance of his life. His success will depend on his ability to show that an old man can adapt him- self to new conditions and new ideals. ——————— The Women's Welfare Association has been unable to decide just whose welfare is to be the chief object of consideration. S July 4 automatically asserted itself as National Defense day in the early history of the country. -_— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Thespis Profane. ©1d Thespis has been swearing In an unbecoming way. He leaves us all despairing By the things he has to say. For years we've been expanding In a sentiment refined, With sweet characters demanding Only what was soft and kind. Old Thespis has grown weary Of the artifiical folks Who pretended to be cheery, Turning tragedies to jokes. His forbearance now has vanished. In a fearful burst of rage Optimism he has banished From the center of the stage. The Great American Impulse. “Do you ever think of retiring from politics?” “Why should I?" rejoined Senator Sorghum. “I have no wish to be unique, and there fsn't a man, woman | or child in the U. S. A. who is not either openly or secretly aspiring to some kind of an office.” Constancy. 01d times and new times, Pretty much the same, Bringing men of honor; Also cheaters i&the game. Sad scenes and gay scenes Make the passing show And mortals are precisely As they were long, long ago. Jud Tunkins says any man who de- cides on a “treat-em-rough” policy ought to take time for @ trip to Aus- tralia in order to study the habits of the boomerang. The Coast Guard. Bobby Shafto's gone to see. A policeman brave is he. When this Bobby's drawing near, All the rum boats disappear. Matter of Principle. “Why are you so severe on that voung man who teaches evolution down to the school?" “My own education is kind o’ limit- ed,” answered Senator Sorghum, *‘but I don’t intend to be fooled with on that account. I'm a reg'lar taxpayer, and I won't have any schoolteacher pertendin’ he knows more than I do.” In Modest Protest. ‘When Arabella’s hair ‘Was disarranged Belinda's face so fair Its color changed. And, turning pale, she cried— A trifle rude— “Good Hevvings! Where's your pride! Your ears is nude!” “You gotta give Satan credit foh bein’ industrious,” said Uncle Eben. “I never vet heard of a bootlegger dat insisted on W only vight hours @ dl"" C., MONDAY, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. A distinguished novelist visiting the National Capital is reported to have sald, upon_leaving: “There is no Ro- mance in Washington.” No Romance in Washington? As well say there is no life in Washing- ton as to say there is no Romance. As well declare that human beings living here have no hearts as to say the city lacks Romance. Not that any one, even the distin- guished novelist, understands exactly what is meant by the term. Alway: a word of loose applic: ation, today it has come to mean almost anything one chooses. The word “Romance” synonomous with the today, and every reader knows what a tremendous range there is among novels, from the story of stark—too stark—realism, to the tale figured with plcturesque figures that border on men and women such as no man or woman really is. The word “Romance” was originally applied to something written in the so-called vulgar tongue, not in the Latin. Every time we speak of “Ro- mance” today we recall vividly the great hold the ancient Latin tongue had on the entire learning of the world Latin was decidedly “it.” in was 0 classic that no one who pre tended to learning dared to attempt to transmit his choice thoughts to posterity in any other form Bacon and Browne in England and cou 1 others in other polite nations of F rope wrote in Latin Those who first broke away this tradition wrote tales or in the vulgar tongue of the people. It followed that writers in other countries, such pain and Portugal, began to write the common speech of their pe In this primitive sense Lewis' novels are romance: matter of fact, they are modern American realism, with heart interest. * Kok My belief is that no one can write of men and women as they are with out turning out a romance. In other words, looked at from the larger view. point, Life itself is romance. Every novelist, then, writes ro. mances, although the literary world may combine to label the work “realism.’ The most terrible of Rus- sian novels, from this standpoint, be comes a sort of romanc After all, why did the old write give the Latin the merry “ha-ha,” the nervy “go-by?" They did it, it seems to me, to get right down to the heart of the people, to present to them something they could understand, to “speak in their own la in short “Tom is more or le: term “Novel su from stories Roman similar in Sinclair As a works of flavored 1ge, nes.” the tale of w f ling, commonly characterized a first Lnglish novel, in a strikingly like “Babbiit.” Lewis’ that should have been awarded Pulitzer prize a few years 3oth are tre age, both present both are called achieves Romance. How est_author help being Ror Of course, if one confines only to productions that reek mystery, wonder, heart-throbs, etc my argument does not hold. T will admit, too, that such a strict classifi cation commonly does hold That it should not, is the argument here. Romance is the great classifi cation that covers the world of litera- ture as the sky does the world. Who ever writes of men and women pre sents to us Romance in some form or other. d he real sense bo ndously true t life realistic. T Yet each an the hon ne term with s | ever is | Those who find no Romance in Washington are thinking only of the old definition, which calls for some manifestation or embodiment of pic- turesque unusualness characteristic of romances in the old, restricted sense. There are unusual, picturesque scenes here which would form the per- fect background for any ‘Romance” whatever. What more romantic pluce than the Lincoln Memorial at night, with the light of the moon bathing what seems to the romantic as a dream out of old Greece? Romance lurks in scores of our parks; in our wide streets, set with trees; at the Capitol at night, glisten ing under lamps reflected in wet streets; in the bend of every road in | the outskirts; in the heart of every son! A L Romance! Washington is sur The great drama of National Govern- ment centers here, located in pro: e office buildings, if you will, but there, nevertheless, Ordinarily it takes some national crisis, such as a war, to make many see the romance in government. A Senator in a frock coat 18 not ordina rily regarded as a romantic figure, but sometimes one does rise to that height Mr. Borah is romantic, If ever a man was. And capable Mr. Hoover, presiding over radio, becomes as romantic fellow as Romance eveigpictured. Our President, who certainly would not ordinarily be accused of being ro nantic, takes on rose-tinted hues un der our Magic Lamp. Just a man, like ourselves—and the leader of all of us! Bow down, Romanc there is no greater Romance than this, that a man, without being born to it, can become the chosen leader of a great nation Yonder, in that Government depart ment, lies the unwritten romance of the Government worker who devotes a lifetime to doing his work and being decent. He stands in the Concourse at Union Station, a prosaic figure, his heart beating like a triphammer as the great train slips down its track. His wife is aboard that train. Oh, where is the novelist who will arise to write the Romance of ordinary, every- day love, so quiet that affection is a better name for it? To him shall be given the joy of writing one of the purest, best Ro. | mances the world of literature hus seer. It shall be, in the last |analysis, the “great American novel" | they have all tried their hand at writ ing——and failed to achieve. hey have failed because they strove hard to find the romantic, or be ed too ardently in the Idealistic T'hey sought Impressionism when the: hould have looked for the young 1 ';u W pre 1% his pants to go visit his They look for something to astound ind and go away branding us 1 lacking in Romance! ‘But when the jreat Novelist appears he will present 15 with Romance cut out of everyda: 1 and perhaps it will bear the label, “Made in Washington.” He will be the Great Novelist because he will not peer and strain to find Ro mance. He will just find ft, that is all. And he will find it because he finds the human heart. After all, what do they mean when they say “Romance” except the human heart? Closer than breathing, nearer than hands and feet, lies the life that is decent, brave and sweet. We are only ‘miserable sinners” in our failure to | realize this. Some day we shall know | tha l the best Romance is that which is nearest, WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC Washington has just listened to t concluding lecture of the most markable serie: of discussions “Russia in Revolution” vet heard in this_country. They were conducted by the Rev. Edmund A. Walsh J Ph. D., director of the School ¢ eign V. at Georgetown Univer- h is irrevocably of opinion that “insurmountable bar riers” prevent the re Soviet government by States. He speaks from or academic viewpoint vears this brilliant you on the firing line of Herbert famine relief service in Russia Walsh is firmly convinced that contempt for law, municipal and ternational, which inspires the munist regime at Moscow, even if there were no other reasons. bans them hopelessly from the family of ized nation In his powerful summary of previous lectures, Dr Walsh narrated the bitter experiences which Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France and Japan. which have recc nized Soviet Russia, have since b with it. Red propaganda, he declares, ognition, as day the night. fore: ht,”” Walsh asserts, “is proving to be wiser than the hind’ sight of Europe and Asia * X % % is not Henry For only interest in the invertebrate American merchant marine. He has become, according to Dr. Julius Klein of the Bureau of Foreizn and Do- mestic Commerce, almost the lead- ing exporter of manufactured prod- ucts in America, if not in the world. It will not be long before shipment of Ford products overseas reaches the staggering total of $100,000,000 «u vear. These are mostly automobiles parts sent abroad for assembling into cars or tractors at Ford factories in other countries. There is hardly a single American industrial concern that approaches such volume of ex- port, and none anywhere else on earth that approximates it. Dr. Klein has just returned from Detroit, where he Went to baptize the new Export Club organized there. lile found ¥ord amazingly well posted on economics and politics of overseas trade. The motor king now uses his own fleet of airplanes for passenger and freight trafic between Detroit and Chicago. Some day, Klein is certain, Ford will transport motor parts overseas in airships. re. Dr the in Scrap iron e Gen. Nelson A. Miles’ family tradi- tions will be perpetuated by a gallant soldier son, Maj. Skerman Miles, United States Army, now military attache at the American High Com- mission In the Near East, with head guarters at Constantinople. ~ Ma Mlles is of military stock on both sides, for his mother was a Sherman of Ohio, after whom he was named A West Pointer and still young, Maj. Miles is recognized as one of the thinkers and scholars of our Army. He has written brilliantly on problems Hke disarmament, as seen through a soldier's eyes. One day the major, who is a giant, called at the Carnegie Peace Endowment to consult books on the peace movement. “Are you interested in peace?” asked the lady librarian. “T belong to the most im portant peace society in existence. said Miles, smiling. The librarian surveyed his six-feet-four of khaki, his decorations-bedecked bosom, his seven-league boots and spurs, and, having recovered consciousness, in- quired: “What is the name of your peace society?” Maj. Miles rejoined: “The Upited States Army.” * K kK Congress will be the final arbiter, but the World War Debt-funding Com- mission will be the negotiator-in-chief of debt dealings with France and the rest of Europe when the dealings cease to h. conversational and become con- ‘When the commission was Com- | WILLIAM WILE. act of Congress it became a bl san body under the law. Fivi | Republicans and three Democrats con- | stitute jts membership. The Republic- |ans are Secretary Mellon (chairman), Secretary Kellogg, Secretary Hoove or * Smoot and Representative The Democrats are Repre- Crisp of Georgia. former R resentative Olney of Massachu d Edward N. Hurley of Illinois, for- ner chairman of the Shipping Board. | Mr. Burton is new in sure to come back with some date impressions of our debtors’ inten- tions and capa. . Mellon, Kellogg and Hu been in Europe during the past vear, and will approach final negotiations on our $12.000,000000 I O U with first-hand iwledg entativ * Overheard in the sideshow of the cir- cus. which has just folded up its tents in Waushington: Impresario—This is Jim Tarver, the Texas giant, 28 years old, and § feet 4 inches in height. Dear old lady in crowd—What's his nationality? Impresario—Texas {s still in the United States, ain’t 1t? EE Senator George Wharton Pepper of Pennsylvania faces a three-cornered fight for renomination in 1926. Other spirants for>his toga_are Gov. Gif- ford Pinchot, on whom President Cool- idze has just pinned a Roosevelt me- morial medal, and Representative William S. Vare of Philadelphia. Al- though Pepper won hands down at the primary election in 1922, when he was a _candidate for the unexpired term of Senator Penrose, and at the succeeding election had a majority of 8,000 - over five competitors, his scalp next year will be eagerly sought. A G. O. P. senatorial nomination in Penn State is equivalent to an elec- tion, so the real battle will begin as soon as Winter sets in and rage furi- ously till the primary polls close, in May, 1926. Pepper's collea; tor David A. Reed of Pittsburgh, who has just returned from Europe, is out for him and will campaign on Pepper’s behalf as the fray ap- proaches. o St. Paul, Minn., whither President Coolidge will wend his way in June, is upset over the theory prevalent in the Iast that he is going to visit the “Twin Cities.” There is no more love lost between St. Paul and Min- neapolis today than there ever was. So the “‘St. Paul Association” is broad- casting a solemn statement to the effect that the President is headed for that city, and not for the Twin Cities, and particularly not for Minneapolis. The ukase also reminds the unin- formed world that St. Paul continues to be the capital of Minnesota and that the Norse-American centennial, which is the reason for President Cool- idge’s trip, is going to be held right there, and nowhere else. It is appar- ent that the spirit of brotherly love does not vet saturate the land of the sky blue waters of Lake Minnetonka and vicinity. (Copyright, 1925.) Rat Danger Passed. Prof. Chambers of the University of Pennsylvania has found that under ideal conditions a single pair of rats would, in three years, produce a progeny of 516,000. Give these another three years and the rat population would swamp the world—if condi- tions were ideal for rats. Filthy food is ideal for rats, and because human heings are learning to take care of thelr ‘garbage the ,pm!? or thinks e dangers of a phnle I rats have pnaed.-!m Angeles Times. T . und admit that | setts | MAY 18, 1925. Praise for Move for Cleaner Periodicals To the Editor of The Star: It must have gratified many good people of the District of Columbia to see in your paper lately the an- nouncement of much activity in the District attorney’s office, giving as- surance of a determination to clean up at once the moral atmosphere of the cit While this is a much needed reform, it is a most difficult one to carry through successfully, 1 am sure, but I bope those in charge will be found equal to the task and will not stop short of a thorough cleansing. The Post Office Department has a great opportunity in this work, and with its corps of efficient and honest workers a vast amount of “cleaning up” can be done, as its work covers the whole land. Other sources of moral pollution are the movies, theaters and art gal- leries, to say nothing of the bathing beach scandalous exhibits. In the movies and some theaters a habit prevails to begin with something en- tirely foreign to the play one go see, and it is often indecent, rough or_vulgar. Now, as all of these displays come under the head of art, it is necessary to define correctly what this word means and should mean. We know some artists want the definition broad enough to include all work of the brush or chisel, but this would leave out of the equation en- u the moral effect, which is of supreme importance and must be reckoned with, if the world is to be morally benefited; for art must either promote the world's welfare or else debase it. No work of a doubtful moral character ought ever to be ap- proved. Now, should” be to test its effect, the work judged by its apparent merit; and, by this, I mean, if it is to uplift ~the average sightseer, nothing to shock any modest person ought to be present, whether he, or she, can comprehend the fine, symbol- ical points, or not. It s said that some art work in the District is so obscurely sym- bolical and indecent t placards are needed to inform the public. In one of the great art galleries of the city there Wwere on exhibition lately three paintings of nude women, and one was posed most scandalously. If commendation of such exhibits necessary evidence of appreciation of the fine arts, may the Good Lord de- liver me! Will the public prosecutor “clean up” this menace to good, healthy morals? CORNELIUS B. HITE, — | Prohibition Enforcement Is Declared to Be a Failure. To the Editor of The Star: In The Evening Star of May 14, in your editorial on “Further Law En- forcement,”” ou say, “If the law based on the amendment has not the support of the people of the country, 1 test can be made at the ballot box."” When and how? Neither of the two great political parties have ever had anything to do with prohibition and the fact that they are still side- stepping the issue merely proves that they are tryving to avoid a dangerous question. The American people have never vet had a chance to vote on prohibition and since the passage of the eighteenth amendment through State Legislatures the organizations in control of prohibition have fought tooth and nail against allowing the Deople to express themselves through referendums. As to the present blockade of the bootleggers off the coast, most people feel that this is merely a gesture to encourage further appropriations from Congress. The effect of all this expenditure of millions of dollars of the taxpayers' moneyv is at best only and is almost negligible. can people have always been accustomed to drink liquor and they will always do so. To station a fleet of rum chasers on small spot of our vast c t lines with the idea of stopping liquor importations is about as chimercial as to attempt to sweep back with a broom the in- coming tides of the Atlantic. Some time ago one of the officers of the Association Against the Prohibi- tion Amendment, in conversation with the director of a syndicate of Western newspapers, commented on the fact that none of his papers published anything but articles favorable to prohibition. But just recently this une party admitted that “the country was on the verge of anar as a result of prohibition” and that they had decided on a complete change of policy Is it not time to récognize the com- plete failure of prohibition? Would we not do well to follow the example of our enterprising neighbors of the North, the Canadians, who, after ears of trial, have virtually given up prohibition and who, by means of government controlled sale of liquor, have greater prosperity than we, lower taxes, less crime, less drunken’ ness, and, withal, greater liberty? WALTER D. WILCOX. + o Old Cemetery Identified. To the Editor of The Star. In The Star of May 15 T find an article headed, “Traces of Century- old Cemetery Found in Grading Play- ground,” in which it is stated that workmen uncovered a line of anclent graves. I have before me the in- formation sought in the form of a well preserved map of the City of Washins- ton, published by D. McClelland in showing the location of all bury- ing grounds, churches, public build- i markets, banks, halls, hotels, and fire companies. This particular burying ground re ferred to was the St. John's (Episco- pal), with entrance on R street, and embracing the entire square, No. 27, from Twelfth to Thirteenth streets northwest. In the year 1872, Albert (Yankee) Gleason, the well known contractor, while setting curb in the same square, unearthed several decayed coffins and bones, which I witnessed while paying off his force of workmen. Holmeads burying ground (the Western) was in square 109, S street, Nineteenth to Twentieth streets. In that year (1850) the other “burys ing grounds” were as follows: Con- gressional, St. Peter's, St. Patrick’s, St. Matthew’s, ~Methodist, Public, African, Franklin Insurance Co. and Fireman's Insurance Co. There were four banks, viz. ‘“Metropolis, Wash- ington, Patriotic and _Exchange.” Markets were: “Center, West, Navy Yard and Northern Liberty.” At that time Boundary street (Florida avenue) was the city limits. There is much information on this map, which I will gladly permit any interested, reliable person to_obtaln. ALEX DALLAS TUCKER. one Pension Wheat Expert. Charles Saunders, who made pos- sible Marquis wheat, is pensioned at $5,000 a year by the Canadian gov- ernment. This is unusual. Few discoverers and inventors get more than that out of years of work. Yet it is cheap for the Canadians. The government can easily afford the $5,000 a year from the increased taxes paid by the men who crashed in on Saunders’ labors. —Champaign News Gazette. Emulation By Nature. From the Philadelphia Public Ledger. ‘Wolves have been chasing sleighing parties in the Canadian northwest. Real life is making a desperate ef- fort to keep up with the movies, 1 | mc AN SWERS TO BY IRFD"RIL Q. 1) of double-deck ton?—E. L. O A. The same make is used in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore Detroit and Los Angele Q. How large are Home grounds?—C. A. The acreage is a Q. How long has the Potomac In. surance Company been in existence?’— W, A. It has done business for 94| years, having been chartered by Con- | gress in 1831, | Q. How long has Monaco belonged to the family of its present ruler’— M. N. A. It was conferred upon of the house of Grimaldi by Otho I in the tenth century. Q. Has the Monday Tuesday a4 name?—C. V. A. It is sometimes know 1op Monday, for this day the ceased eating flesh meat or * Is It is not native to South fea. Tt is supposed to ha first in Abyssinia, although early found in Arab: 1 ever, now furnishes mior thirds of the coffee consumed In the world. As an article of diet it wa unknown to the Greeks and Romans it was not introduced Into Eur until the sixteenth century Q. Is there a way in beans can be ited 1o e digestible and prey mation of on the M. V. A. A pinch of water in which n tends to prevent the In the stomach during the digestion. Q. Are the “bad lan Dakota considered a descrt L. . They cannot, strictly be classed as a desert region. term {s somewhat misleading, as t land is fertile except where it is steep that vegetation is washed In level portions buffalo g and supports great herds catt Good water is usually found in shall wells and considerable farming is ried on. Q. mean?- Al Q C. D. | A. He was a character in Dickens’ | “Dombey and Son He was a re-| tired merchant with a hook in place of a right hand Q. How long played in England?’— A. There are some evidences of similar game having the fourteenth centu able that cricket wa some time in th Q. What cities use the buss same Was as are the Soldiers w | little over 500. | prince | Emperor | before coffee native t A. it zil, ho than twe which zas st sodu added beans are to the of ¢ region? speak T What does the Persia B. C It is the equivalent of aptain “prince Who was C ha been Is the 3 or a spider?—M. L. A. In America the n: to the harvest-spider, sect having legs cont 50 joints eac ““daddy-long-le; crane fly, a true Q. A. H. A. Cyrus H. K. in 1850, and will June. Q. How long will a “natural” magn properties?—j | A. The life of a magnet c annot be | predicted exactly. If prope for it will last for years. Q. Was there would have been but for one vote?—A. W. A. James Monroe received one of the electoral votes in 1 Ar elector from New Hampshire voted fc John Q. Adams in order that no Pr dent other than George Wast should have the honor of receiv unanimous vote. Q. What was the per sumption of milk from ve reason for the i crease.—H. M. G The consumption of milk pita in the United States 18-24 was: 1918, 43 gallon: gallons; 1920, 43 gallons; 49 gal lons; 1 , 50 gallons; 1923, lons; 1824, 54.75 gallons. The Department of Agriculture savs the increase is due to improvement in quality of product delivery in sa a) [ ainers and | general increase in know ledge of the value of milk in the diet, the result of milk campaigns and special adver-| tising. Q e is apy harmiess oL Dovere pplied to the 1y having long leg How old Tus Curtis urtis was born | be 75 years old in “permanent” t retain its mag or Preside: ected unar per | from 1919, 43 21, How much money does it take | bread QUESTIONS J. HASKIN to sell a commodity such vege! na fruits? It has . ated 17.91 of the of to sell groceries. as soap T.H. G that an artic), A costs automobile rar E. B. the automot hanufactur Q as an How does the industr; It ranks first 2 Amonz what ) supations the hizhest B A Health rvice savs , dry grind other work and stc drii Q he ¥ blue?— blue are The Q. What swans ca | send t Haskin, r this s for return north service nostage n stan Proposed Ban on “F lapper” Helps Keep The effort in the Florida Legisla to forbid, under penalty, the designa tion of any woman as a “flapper,” though promptly rebuked by the law- makers. « helped to keep the Gulf State in news, and has inspired much dis _sion to the meaining of the term and as to the feminine attitude toward its use. “The real question is, do the girls in Florida flap?” is the way the prob lem presents itself to the Charleston Daily Mail. “If they flap, why not call them flappers?” asks the Charles ton editor. “So far as can be discov ered in this section, there has heen no protest from the girls against the term. In fact, they even seem to like it. Nay, some of them may even have a touch of pride in being known as a regular flapper. After a_while the term will die out. It will have its brief little day and disappear, but the girls will go on—bless them—all the same and look as pretty and be as sweet in 1996 as they were in 17 as they are today, for that And we have an idea that legislators in 1996 will also be pretty much the same as they are today, with their resolutions and their bills which hard- boiled legislative committees and even the bulk of legislators themselves, having no sentiment, will coldly kill. ¥ K ¥k 3k “A gallant legislator's well meant, but futile and ridiculous effort to re move what he deems an opprobrious epithet upon women,” is the descrip- tion given by the San Antonio News “The majority realized,” this paper adds, “that it would do no good to abolish the mere name while the flap- r herself remained, and also saw that to ban the latter was beyond the legislator’s province and power. That was exercising more acumen than the average legislative body displays. 17 Florida girls object to the designation ‘flapper'—and it is more likely that many glory in it, rather—let them abjure the ways and the flippant atti- tude toward life which the term im- plies, The young woman who con- ducts herself with dignity and grace will not suffer from being called a flapper—but by any other name a flapper would be as blithe.” The effect of such legislation upon literature is considered by the San Francisco Bulletin, which argues: “If a law to such-effect is passed, it will make waste paper in Florida, not only Florida in New dictionaries modern fictior f standard stories use comy is a wor lly em and number ¢ its cent, pular flapper origir your arative vived unt ignificance shout started bobbi vulgarity it re with ‘chicken,’ Ylorida starts rev v she & “pippin,’ rill’ similar v langu: prohibitions. T T language is as important as pure fooc but if only the pure in speech permitted to enter Florid will become of Palm Beach then her en,” but when vocabu- ‘peach and & e in the rist, pure An term i open mind as to whether the is indicated by the ¢ Martinsburg Journal, which, how- ever, believes that a good many young women resent being called flappers. “A young person should not be con: sidered a flapper,” states the Journal, nerely because she is voung and pretty. Her ideas of behavior may be of the highest. But there remains a flapper type, who make themselves conspicuous without accomplishing charm.” The Dallas Journal, on the other hand, views the matter in an entirely different light, declaring that the term “fits like a glove,” and that *“as it is employed in America it has no disre. spectful meaning.” ~“It may be doubt- ed,” adds the Dallas paper, “that the Florida legislator expresses the desire of many women, since most of them have adopted the styles and manner which have come to represent flapper- ism. Those who dress and act like a flapper, whether they be young or old, may have little objection to the appel- lation.” The Lafayette Journal re. fers to the Florida legislator as & “moral hero and potential sheik,” and to his proposal as a ‘“momentous though impracticable reform.” The Toledo Blade reprovingly re- marks that “If men have become sol pitifully ungallant as to make it nece: sary to have a law to protect women against distasteful designations, then the word ‘female’ ought to be included in the forbidden list,”