Evening Star Newspaper, May 29, 1925, Page 6

_ 6 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. TFRIDAY.. May 29, 1925 THEODORE W. NOYES. . . . Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Bustness Office: | and Pen . & Chicaro O Buropean Office: 11th St New York gland. The Evening Star. with the Sunday morn- ins edition, is delivered by carriers within the city at @0 cents per month: 45 cents per month: Sunday only. 2 Ber ‘month, Onders may be sent by mail or telephone Main 5000. Collection is made by carrier at the end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Daily and s $8.40: 1 mo. Daily orly 00: 1 mo Sunday only X All Other States. Daily and Sunday...1yr.. $10.00: 1 mo. Daily only ..o\ 1. 1y, $7.00:1mo Sunday only . $3.00: 1 mo. Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled £0 the use for repubiication of all news dis- Dpatehes credited 1o 5t or not otherwise cred- r and also the local news his of publication s Al hes herstu are also reserved. { 0il Leases Held Fraudulent. After more than six months’ de- ion, Federal Judge McCormick of Los Angeles has rendered his de- cision in the Elk Hills naval oil reservation case growing out of an in- | vestigation conducted a Senate committee during the Winter of 1924. Judge McCormick orders the cancella n of the lease given to the Doheny interests, also the cancellation of contracts for the construction of oil storage facilities at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He holds that the leases and the contracts are void for two reasons, first, owing to “fraud upon the United States” involved in an improper pay- ment of money to the then Secretary of the Interior, and second, because the order of President Harding transfer- ring discretionary authority in the matter of oil leases from the Navy to the Interior Department was in ex- cess of his power as President. This is the first affirmative legal decision in what have been generally called the oil cases. A criminal indict- ment found in this city based upon the same transaction has been set aside on the ground of an impropriety in the proceedings before the grand jury and & new indictment has been found. Spe- ctal counsel for the United States have conducted other suits than that just decided at Los Angeles, but no de- clsions have been rendered. Appeal will, of course, be taken from this decision, first to the Circuit Court of Appeals and then to the Supreme urt. Unless expedition {s shown in the handling of these cases several| yvears will probably elapse before a final judgment is rendered upon the civil issues In addition to rendering judgment upon the validity of these leases and contracts based upon collusion and fraud and of an exceeding of presi- dential authority in transferring jurisdiction, Judge McCormick made certain findings of fact. One is that former Secretary Fall did not make any false representations of fact to the President for the purpose of inducing the making of the executive order transferring jurisdiction. Another is that the responsibility for the conduct of lease negotiations rested solely upon Secretary Fall. Again the court finds that former Secretary Denby was passive throughout the negotiations, and that he signed the contracts and leases under misapprehension and without full knowledge of the contents of the documents. holds that the proposed contract for the work in Hawali was kept secret, not for military reasons, but in order that Congress and the public should not know what was being done. While this was an equity proceeding, and the decision of the court has no direct bearing upon any criminal pro- cedure, its finding nevertheless has a nct significance with regard to the criminal charges of bribery and cor- ruption that have been brought. For the leases and contracts are voided be- cause in the judgment of the court they were based on fraud, and that the principals “did conspire and confed- erate for the making of certain con- tracts and agreements of great benefit and advantage to the Pan-American Petroleum and Transport Co.” In the conduct of the criminal proceedings, of course, no cognizance can be taken of this judgment, which may itself be overturned by an appellate court. ———— by The position of “dictator” has been held for a long time by Mussolini, owing, in part, to his gifts for ruling and, in part, to his tactful ability to give the public what it wants. ———— Even those who discredit Darwin- ism might be liberal minded enough to permit the student to learn what it is about, so that he can, if he chooses, srgue against it more intelligently. | mn e T “Nixie: in the parlance of the Post Office Department, is a letter or a parcel so improperly addressed that it can be neither delivered to the addressee nor returned to the sender without special treatment. This speclal and entirely unneces- sary service cost taxpayers of the United States $1,740,000 iast year. How much the slipshod methods of mailers cost them, their relatives, Finally, the court ) $03,000 parcels a yvear.- He has des- ignated the week of June 1 as a “Better Mailing week.” The ruies for living up to- the spirit of that week are easy and if lobserved conscientiously should re- sult in a “better mailing year.” Put |a return address in the upper left- hand corner of the envelope, not on the back. Address letters plainly, leaving out nothing that will help the carrier in making delivery. Use strong cord and stout paper on par- cels. Do not be afraid to put the consignee's address in two different places. Make it a practice to take one last, lingering look at every written word before depositing an article in the matl box or handing it to & clerk. If in doubt as to the high visibility and legibility of handwriting, do not be ashamed to print out names and addresses. More than 99 per cent of dead let- ters contain not the slightest clue on the envelope as to the identity of the sender. In this day of cheaply printed stationery almost every one can afford to provide himself with envelopes which are an automatic safeguard against disappointment. Parcel post labels, with a space for the sender’s name and address, and already gummed, cost very little. And without either mechanical aid, a slight extra effort and a bit of extra pre-mailing scrutiny will make the postal world spin more merrily. e sive Economies. The way to have economy is to economize. President Coolidge is seeking to bring about a saving in governmental expenditures which has been talked about for years. But while both major political parties talked economy, appropriations and expenditures continued to mount higher and higher. Years ago Sena- tor Aldrich of Rhode Island, Repub- iican leader, declared that $300,000,000 could be lopped off the bill for run- ning the Government. His remark grew to be a tradition. It was re- peated at frequent intervals by en- thusiasts for economy in government. It has been cited as an indication that the Government cannot function ef- ficiently or economically. President Coolidge has really tackled the job of proving that Senator Aldrich was right. The Prest@ent is seeking to bring about economy with the least derange- ment of the public business. The problem is being studied carefully. Haphazard cuts in expenditures are not contemplated. But a definite goal is sought. Curtallment of expendi- tures to the extent desired by the President, if made all at once, might throw the machinery out of gear. So the economies are to be progressive, with gradual reductions each year. The need of economy is apparent. Taxes growing out of the World War needs are still high, and the cost of living is far above what it was in pre- war days, and the tax burden is felt all the more on that account. It seems to be impossible, however, to please all the people at any one time. Already some of those who hailed with enthusiasm the talk ef Government economy when President Coolidge be- gan his crusade are beginning to have misgivings. They fear the effect on business of ‘‘too much economy.” Americans have not been given in the past to too great thrift. They have been known the world over as spenders rather than savers. If the Government can set an example in thrift which will be followed by the people themselves, far more will have been accomplished than the mere sav- ing of Government funds. Officers of the Government charged with the national defense are scan- ning with some anxiety proposals that the appropriations for the War De- partment be pruned still further, ef- fecting a reduction of some $35,000,000 in five years. They should be in a position to inform the President whether further reductions of appro- priations for the Army now suggested will be injurious. History shows that a disregard of proper expenditures for national defense has proved costly in the end. RS Amundsen’s plans, as disclosed by the instructions he left behind, con- templated the possibility of a delay in his schedule. A cool and intrepid man, he still has the public’s faith in his ability to win in the world's great- est sporting event; a contest with na- ture by brains, and a hazard involving life itself. ———————— The statement by Senator Williams of Missouri that there would be fewer criminals if there were fewer laws to violate is logical; yet it is reducible to an absurdity. Tf there were no laws at all conditions would by no means elevate humanity to a state of univer- sal sainthood. For Safer Coal Mining. To reduce the loss of life among coal miners in the following of their perilous calling is the altogether com- mendable objective of the American Mining Congress which is in session in Cincinnati this week. It is recog- nized as a humanitarian effort of prime importance, and is indicative of the growing disposition of employers to care for the safety and welfare of their employes. Throughout many industries this solicitude of the employer has been in- friends and the people with whom they do business in annoyance, dis- appointment and grief is incalculable. And many letters and packages can never be delivered or returned. Americans seem never quite able to catch up with their tendency to be careless in little things, a care- lessness which Rudyard Kipling found as inexplicable as it was noteworthy on his first trip to these shores, nearly 40 years ago, and which preceding Mterary visitors had also mentioned with more or less justifiable acridity. 1t seems to be a besetting national, if not sin, at least peccadillo, and a highly expensive one at that. Postmaster General New is at- tempting to inspire users of the mails responsible for this financial and economic 10ss to & point where they will, as they easfly can, reduce nia- tertally the letters and parcels now soing to the dead letter office at the rate of 21,000,000 letters and creasing in noticeable degree in re- cent years, @ sign of the times betoken- ing better relations between labor and capital. In no industry is there a wider fleld for improvement than in coal min- ing. It is classed as an extra hazardous calling, sadly enough demonstrated as such by a tragic record. It is calculated that at the present time three men are killed for every million tons of coal produced. When the Government, in 1967, ap- propriated the first $50,000 for safety of coal mining, 3,432 miners were being killed in the production of 480,000,000 tons of coal, which made an average of 6.78 deaths for every million tons of coal mined. Gradually the death rate was reduced until it was cut in half in 1920. Since 1920 there has been still further progress. The objective of the present undertaking is to safeguard the miners until the death rate can be reduced to at least one life for a mil- lion tons of coal. To attain this will require increas THE EVENI ing installation of safety devices, edi- cating the miners themselves to co- operate by exercise of care on their own part, while the coal operators take the initiative in reducing the physical risks in the work. The pub- lic will be interested in the progress of the undertaking and will follow it with sympathy. Too often the country is shocked by appalling disasters in coal mines, the latest tragedy occurring only this week in North Carolina. The life of the coal miner, working far beneath the surface of the earth, would seem to be arduous enough at best, and any- thing tending to reduce the perils by which he is surrounded must appeal to public sympathy. - Hylan Scents a Slush Fund. Mayor Hylan is keeping in the news, at any rate. Whatever may happen to him in the campaign for nomination, he is managing to be constantly out there in the full glare of the spotlight, and his severest critics must admit that he is playing the publicity game skillfully. His latest move is a letter addressed to Police Commissioner Enright in- structing him to get all the informa- tion possible about a “slush fund” that is being raised, he says, by the interests” which ure seeking his defeat. Most of the letter is a po- litical argument. The official purport of it is that the police commissioner is to trace this alleged fund to its original sources, “so that when the report is made of election expendi- tures, if such report does not hon- estly tally with the known facts, the matter may be taken up with the district attorneys of the different counties and if possible a conviction had of the political engineers and traction schemers who are behind this latest attempt to place public utility cohorts in charge of the city government with the aid of a shower of traction millions.” There is the case in a nutshell The traction interests are going to buy the voters, and the mayor wants the police commissioner to find out in advance who gives the money for this purpose, and how much is given, so that later, whatever happens at the polls, the wicked bribers can be punished. Some job for the police commissioner! —————s. The home town of Tom Paine in- tends to rear u monument in his honor. Col. Bryan, in his zeal for strict Bible interpretations, may have something to say about that, too, when he gets around to it. The task of di- recting political thought into perma- nent lines has never been accomplish- ed by any one man. That of super- vising religious thought is stil difficult. = The health of former Vice President Marshall Is improving and the fact is a matter of general public satisfac- tign.” He is a man who knew how to take his office most seriously with- out taking himself too much so. Several United States Senators are inclined to think that next December will decide whether the life of a Vice President will continue to be one of tranquillity or one of tempestuous ex- perfence. ———— In case the question of changing the date of inauguration is again brought up, this year’s May climate will be cited as a reason for moving it along at least to the middle of June. ] SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Annual Hope. ‘The Summer is nearing, the Heavens are clearing, The atmosphere’s gentle and mild. Gay bloesoms are blooming and Na- ture's resuming An aspect that's genially wild. ‘We'll take @ vacation and wait for the Nation Our problems to solve, small. The queries perplexing which now ap- pear vexing Will all be worked out by next Fall. great and With smiling seraphic we'll through the traffic. Our statesmen will fully agree. We won't kick like donkeys because a few monkeys Climb into a family tree. We'll golf, or go fishing, in faith that our wishing 1s bound to come true, after all. Dull Care we will muzzle, for each little puzzle Will surely be solved by next Fall. An Admired Topic. “Are you opposed to the theory of evolution?” “Certainly,” answered Senator Sor- ghum. “But I can’t help having a lit- glide {tle Tespect for anything that will { gather g0 large a crowd every time anybody wants to make a speech about it.” Jud Tunkins says we've got to be content with small beginnings. After we get the traffic regulations working smoothly for the safety of humanity we can proceed step by step to the settlement of these ancient world problems. Inactivity. Now Trotsky has e job again. ‘The news with joy has told it. ‘The less he works with busy brain ‘The longer he may hold it. No Longer Good Company. “Crimson Gulch has quieted down a great deal.” “Yes,” answered Cactus Joe. “‘Some of our leading bad men got jobs as mo- tion picture actors, and when they come back they show the effects of studio discipline. They say ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘No, sir,’ and act like they expect- ed some picture director to call em down any minute.” Effort to Be Gay. The Farmer sadly said: “Goldarn! ‘The hired help serenely shirks. That keg 0’ cider in the barn Is 'bout the only thing that works!" “I don't git mad when a friend die- agrees wif me,” said Uncle Eben. “If everybody believed exackly de same dar wouldn’ be much further useful- ness tn human conversation,™ NG_STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., THIS AND THA BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Few books have been written with more gusto than H. A. Taine's “His- tory of English Literature ‘The high relish of the author is communicated to the reader, even though a transla- tion intervenes. This zestful enjoyment of the sub- Ject by the writer makes the issuance of a new edition of this old favorite an event for all who love English lit- erature beyond that of any other na- tion. No one can read Taine in the four- volume edition just published by Al- bert and Charles Boni, New York, without feeling a greater respect and love for the immortal line of English authors. This Frenchman was one of the great Appreciators. Despite the fact that his method of criticism was not without flaws, and his judgment some- times arred by too violent opinfons, his work remains a standard treatise upon English literature from Chaucer to_Tennyson. Published In 1864, the “History of English Literature” was translated into English in 1873 by H. van Laun of Edinburgh. It is, therefore, appro- priate that the present edition bears the imprint, “Printed in Great Brit- ain,” having been set up in the Scotch clty. The four volumes, of pocket size, contain approximately 400 pages each and are illustrated with 34 photo- graphs of the great men of English literature. Those who love books will be able to tell, upon taking them up. that they were printed in Great Britain. There is a certain *fee!” to a book made over there that American pub- lishers (with all the respect in the world for them), have never been able to equal consistently. These small volumes, for instance, are carefully sewed with black and red silk thread, so that the backs do not “split” wher opened. The paper, though thin, is opaque, so that one is not forced to read two sides of the sheet at once. The type is large enough and spaced enough to make comfortable reading. This is particularly important, of course, in a work of this length. The use of the so-called *“Old Eng- lish” type for the chapter headings adds an appropriate touch. o ke ol Taine has such a flow of words that somehow he reminds ome of that best and most prolific of modern Eng- lish writers, H. G. Wells. This French appreciator of the literature and peo- ples of a meighboring country is o in love with his subject that it shines forth on every page. “Gusto,” it seems to me, is the only word to describe it. There is in Taine no severe critical restraint, no dry-as-dust appraisals. He has, for instance, no use for Alexander Pope, and does not mind saying as much. While the reader may have a different opinion as to the work of the Twick- enham bard, he cannot help but ad- mire the enthusiasm with which Taine makes out his case. Throughout the work one finds that Taine pursues his theory of English literature with relentless vigor, which overflows onto his pages, giving rise to_almost oratorical style. It any group of people could have the patience to listen to these four books read to them by some one with a good voice and rapid delivery, they, perhaps, would get more out of it than by reading it privately. If there is any group of young men in Washington with such a burning enthusiasm for English literature as to try the experiment, it would afford an instructive Summer’s work. Listen to him go on! “A century and a half had passed ‘on the Continent since, amid the uni- versal decay and dissolution, a new society had been formed, and new men had risen up,” he says, at the beginning of Chapter II of Book I, treating of the Normans. “Brave men had st length made a stand against the Norsemen and the robbers. They had planted their feet in_the soil, and the moving chaos of the general subsidence had become fixed by the effort of their great hearts and of their arms. At the mouth of the rivers, in the defiles of the moun- tains, on the margin of the waste bor- ders, at all perilous passes, they had built their forts, each for himself, each on his own land, each with his falth- ful band; and they lived like a scatter- ed, but watchful army, encamped and confederate in their castles, sword in hand, in front of the enemy.” * K ok ok The above passage, selected purely at random, shows two things, first, the flowing style of the author, and, second, his interweaving of history and literature. One gets almost as much English history from Taine as he does “History of Literature. Yet in no other general work will the careful reader secure 8o many little known specimens of early Eng- lish literary effort, so much unusual information, quotations carefully veri- fied. Here one gets lengthy specimens of the Robin Hood ballads, and tales about Robin himseif. One cannot escape Hippolyte Adolphe Taine when reading his “His- tory of English Literature!” Some authors manage to keep themselves out of their books pretty well, but this n stands in his with both feet, arms waving, eyes flashing. No wonder the French government felt called upon, in his early days, after he had been graduated from the Ecole Normale, at Paris, to assign him as an instructor in a provincial town, in order to get him out of the way. He was regarded as ‘‘danger. ous.” This dangerous fellow was born in 1828, dying at Paris in 1893. After the publication of his monumental history of the literature of the coun- try across the channel, he was ap- pointed to a professorship in the Ecole de Beaux-Arts. He was discovered to be not dangerous, but just truth- telling. In a series of histories on the old royal regimes and the revolution he managed to ‘“‘get in Dutch” with all parties, condemning the royalists, then the republicans, for repeating the old faults of their predecessors, then lam- basting Napoleon. His “Histolre de la Litterature An- glalse” wins the following tribute from our own Encyclopedia Ameri- cana: “The brilliancy of this performance is unquestioned, but the justice of the method has been much discussed, and while Taine became the founder of a cult in France, he found in England and America no imitator of impor- tance. * * ¢ Literary criticism, es- thetics and psychology were to him {sclences as exact as chemistr treated them with a laboratory style of analysis and deduction.” This authority declares that Taine judged all products of the human mind by the three inflexible standards of race, epoch and surroundings, and these he manipulated as if they were mathematical formulae. “He quite disregarded the factor of individual- ity,” the Americana states. ‘Whatever Taine may not have done, he did write an enthusiastic history of English literature, one in which he paid the highest tributes, not only to the poems, plays and prose works of Englishmen through the centuries, but also to the great fundamental moral qualities of the race, which, despite many ups and downs, the English stand for everywhere they are found. In Washington, D. C., in 1825, we find the city sweeping vulgar maga- zines off the newsstands. The Eng- lish idea of decency did it. For fur- ther particulars, read Taine's “His- tory of English Literature!” WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE New Hamnshire and Indiena are two of the Sta’»s in which Vice President Dawes intends to blaze away on Sen- lcould have missed it ate reform. He looks upon Senator George H. Moses and Senator James E. Watson as archfoes of his plan to crange the rules. Both of them will be candidates for re-election in 1926, and Dawes is determined to hold some of his breezy heart-to-heart talks with the voters of their respective States in the meantime. The Vice President made it clear in Alabama this week that he does not see eye to eye with Senator Butler on the question of mak- ing Senate procedure an issue in next year's congressional campaign. Dawes purposes converting it into a para- mount issue. The chairman of the Re- publican national committee recently said he didn't think it would cut much of a figure. * X ok * M. Emile Daeschner, the Ambas- sador of France, is golng to spend his Summer vacation getting acquainted with the United States. He wiil visit Yellowstone Park, and then proceed to the far Northwest, down the coast and home across the Middle West. It is part and parcel of a professional dip- lomat’s duty to know the country to which he is accredited, but it is not often that an envoy stationed at Wash- ington takes the trouble to explore the United States in its remoter parts. There's a story told of an Englishman who was minister here in the days be fore John Bull sent us ambassadors. He, too, like Daeschner, decided to cross the Republic and see things for himself. Trains didn’t run so fast at that time, and his Britannic majesty's lenipotentiary was en route three lel and had reached only the Mis- sissippl. “Don’t you think this is a pretty big country that Columbus dis- covered?” asked a Yankee fellow trav- eler. “By jove,” rejoined the English- man, “I don’t jolly well see how he * k% % w many people know just who i!llg\d whoyl! not officially entitled to be called “honorable,” or “esquire,” or just plain “mister”? Over in the State Department there's a thing called the style book, devised a few vears ago for the guidance of of- ficlals and others in the correct ad- dressing of persons with whom the department has occasion to corre- spond. The book says that the title “honorable” should be used in ad- dressing State governors, cabinet of- ficers, Senators, Representatives, American Ambassadors and Minis- ters, the secretary to the President, assistant secretaries of executive de- partments and the heads of inde- pendent boards or commissions. The title “esquire” should be used for the names of chief clerks, chiefs of bureaus of executive departments, Commissioners of the District of Co- lumbia, mayors of cities, American diplomatic officers below the rank of Minister, American consular officers, the clerk of the United States Court and the officers of other courts. All other male persons are to be ad- dressed a8 “mister.” * * % ¥ Nine out of ten people in address- ing the President of the United States call him “Honorable,” or “the Honorable” Calvin Coolidge. Both forms are wrong. So is “his excel- lency,” which is used by some people, especially forelgn diplomats. The State Department style book decrees that the one and only correct form of address for the Chief Magistrate of the Republic is “the President.” The formal salutation is and the informal, President,” or “My dear Mr. Presi- dent.” Our ministry of foreign af- fairs is trying to educate the Wash- ington diplomatic corps to address Mr. Coolidge simply as “the Presi- dent, the White House."” * ok % ¥ Rabbi Stephen 8. Wige, the Demos- thenes of American Judaism, stirred a_ banquet of his co-religionists in Washington the other night with an unfamiliar story of the former kaiser and the late Dr. Theodor Herzl, founder of Zionism. Herzl welcomed William II at the gates of Jerusalem at the head of a Zionist deputation when the German Emperor made bis spectacular entry into the Holy City in the closing days of the pre- vious century. Herzl, a patriarchal figure of great distinction, happened, like his colleggues, Schnerer and Wolffsohn, to "be adorned with a long black beard. While the Zionist leader was reading an address of welcome to the Prussian war lord the latter was heard to observe sneeringly to his military suite: “And must there also be such freaks in the world?” Rabbi Wise, In re- counting the episode, remarked that the whirligig of time has played a great prank. “The once proud and arrogant master of Germany is in wretched exile,” he said, “but soon the ashes of Theodor Herzl will be deposited with pomp in the corner stone of the new Hebrew University at Jerusalem, symbol of the final realization of a great dream.” . * ok ok x en President Coolidge attends th: Norse-American centennial jubilee l: St. Paul, three distinguished Norwe- gians, representing the royal govern- ment at Oslo, will be on hand to greet him. The Norwegian cabinet will be represented by the minister of social affairs, L. Oftedal. The national Par- liament (Storting) will be ' represented by Mr. Hambro, president of the Uni- versity of Oslo, and Norweglan col. leges by Prof. Stang. King Haakon was invited by the State of Minnesota to attend the centennial, but could not leave his throne. * ¥ % % The Japanese Ambassador, Mr. Mat- sudaira, performed a pretty ceremony in New York the other day in connec- tion with the Charter day celebration of the College of the City of New York. The founder of the college, the late Townsend Harris, was the first American Minister to Japan. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Brook- lyn, and after the college ceremonies were over Mr. Matsudaira and his retinue went there and laid a beauti- ful wreath on Harris’ grave. Ao Although he is not a ‘“‘career” dip- lomatist, former Tariff Commissioner William S. Culbertson, newly appcint. ed minister to Rumania, has the lit- erary traditions so long attached to our diplomatic service. He has three books to his credit—"A Biography of Alexander Hamilton.” “A Treatise on Commercial Policy in War Time" and “A Study of Raw Materials and Foodstuffs."” (Copyright, 1925.) Too Much Knocking. From the San Diego Tribune. The “l.t..vm:: some Dfiplo don’t i:hur opportun! nocking because they are at it themselves. FRIDAY, MAY 29, 1925. l Would Alter Anthem. Holds Words of “Star Spangled Banner” Too Warlike in Spirit. To the Editor of The Star: For a long time there has been a general feeling that, while the music of {“The Star Spangled Banner" is most inspiring and highly appropriate for a national anthem, the words are not at al! appropriate for such a purpose, particularly in times of peace. They seem to have been vritten in the midst of or prompted by the circum- stances of a particular battle, with the author’s heart stirred by the terror, confusion and hatred of such an awful experience. Some of the verses are difficult to follow and to memorize under any circumstances end they do not convey a sentiment which is appropriate for a national song of this kind. Possibly it is the words which have prevented its of- ficlal recognition as the national anthem. A Some time ago a popular leader of community singing in New York City caused some official discord and news- paper comment by refusing to lead in the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner” because of the war senti- ment which it contains and the gen- eral inappropriateness of the words for such a community gathering. A desire has often been expressed that new words might be written or the old ones modified in such a way as to bring them more into keeping with the music, which has always been 5o popular. ‘These words are, therefore, submitted for your consid- eration and the consideration of vour readers, with the hope that possibly they or some better ones may even tually be submitted for those now in use o that our national anthem may convey a patriotic sentiment more in harmony with its truly inspiring music. These words are intended to recall the great fdelity with which our fore- fathers served amidst the hardships of our country's early history, with a reminder of our present obligation to preserve the great blessings which we have been so fortunate as to in- herit from those who have gone before. on, What so proudly we hail with a joyful devotion? Just the stars and stripes on the blue and the white, But the embiem that stirs every loyal Lot oufhsars Il the air, let our hearts breath For Lho;:::)u::l:yvr:y:rloru w0 exemplified there. Ob, long may that Star Spangled Banuer still wav Oer the Tand of the free and the home of the brave! 40 you ses gently waving in flight v ¢ the sirusgle, the hardship, the cruel rivation That D?" fathers went through-—but who od for the right, Natlon? Oh, the praise that is due to the good men : et s this emblem of Bed. White ue. Ab, yes, may that besutiful banner mow As the {oken of freedom, a gift from the brav Ob, say, shall w stand as our fatbers bave Shall’we carry our share of the great obli- To con! n.n‘\‘x:nlhe\r work and preserving the 0od. Pass “alone_still more good to the next generation? i 2 Yes. wo stand for what's just and we'll With this 07 we et e x\x‘r :l‘u!l-ll& “In God is our rast Yes, eve. ‘with honor that banner must Wave— This a prayer to our God—this our plea to & Trave: ® H. W. ELLIS. Pacifism Defended. Reader Objects to Many Epithets Cast at Pacifists. To the Editor of The Star: In The Star for Saturday, May 23, a report is given as follows: “The executive committee of the National Patriotic Council, which ,has been keeping a close check on the activi- ties of pacifists, advocates of disarm- ament and others of their ilk, opened fire at its meeting last night on Fred- erick J. Libby and h‘ls“)'flnonal Coun- cil for Prevention of War. Libby's chief critic was H. E. West of the Washington bureau of the American Defense Soclety.” In The Star for Thursday, May 14, Mrs. Potts has the following statement ascribed to her: “Mrs. Potts charged that such avowedly pacifist organiza- tions as the National Council for Pre- vention of War, of which Frederick J. Libby is executive secretary, are mem. bers of the National Council” (refer- ring to the Woman's International Council, recently in session in this ty). ¥hat 1s o pacifist? Collectively, pacifists appear to be the targets for much of the oratory of a few self- proclaimed patriots. Webster's dic- tionary defines “pacific” as “tending toward peace or to restoring peace: not warlike, not quarrelsome,” rather a healthy category in which to be classed. But as an epithet “pacifist” is used with the worst possible insinu- ations by the current epithet hurlers. One might believe that surely all paci- fists necessarily urged abolition of the Army and Navy, if one could believe What s said by those urging that peace could be cbtained only by mili- tary expansion. Apparently some speakers cannot distinguish between pacifist, communist and red, judging from their flow of language. It is not known whether the speakers are mis- informed or merely underinformed. It would be interesting if Mrs. Potts or Mr. West or_ their respective or- ganizations could attempt to_show a single instance in which the National Council for the Prevention of War has advocated disarmament, and could present a clear-cut statement with full context and without equivocation. Mrs. Potts and Mr. West are clear- ly wrong. One of the planks of the Council for Prevention of War pr vides for gradual reduction of military forces by international agreement, not even by example, and then only to po- lice status. Such is not pacificism, de- spite the slurs above quoted. There is nothing in such a policy which could aim at leaving our country to the mercy of other nations. To accuse the National Council for Prevention of War of advocating disarmament is simply incorrect. Accuracy ie akin to truthfulness. Indeed, it appears that the only logi- cal source of objection to the policy of the National Council for the Preven- tion of War must be from those who, disregarding the spirit of peace, vilify all who now object to increasing mili- tary expansion and bombastic military gestures, and belleve that competitive expansion in armaments render it in- creasingly difficult to stabilize peace condition Does “patriotic” necessarily call for constant increase in things military? It 18 to be trusted not. It is to be re- gretted that the expression, when used @s a slogan for the promotion of mili- tary measures, has resulted in so much harsh language against those who are working for peace and who are accused untruly, unjustly es advo- cating straight disarmament without regard to similar moves by other na- tions. For the sake of clarity is it not poseible to attack one's foes without Jumbling together, apparently for the sake of creating confusion, the charges and epithets daily published. The lan- guage reporting Mr. West's comments is typical. J. AUSTIN STONE. The Main Question. From the Toledo Blade. A number of big prizes have been iwarded for .plans. Now, whi & wo ot the Dedeet o hen { And Who finally gave us this wondertul | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN Q. What are the guest days at the various Washington golf clubs’—W. A. A. At the Columbia Country Club, non-residents with cards may play any day, while guest days for resi- dents are Mondays and Fridays. At the Chevy Chase Club, non-residents with cards mey play any day, local guests on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Washington Country Club per- mits non-resident guests to play at any time, local guests any day except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Non-members, both logal and non- resident having guest cards may play any day at the Congressional Club, Bannockburn, Burning Tree, Indian Spring, Kirkside, Manor Club and Town and Country Club. Q. Is it a fact that Dr. Fowler of the city Health Department has not been vaccinated within 40 years?— ey 2 A. Dr. Fowler says that he has been successfully vaccinated within the past two months. During this period he was vaccinated several times, but only one of these was considered a “take.” He states that during a period of 20 | years he has probably been vaccinated over a score of times Q. Can a man with one foot swim as well as a man with two feet’—V. J. A. Some men with one foot may swim better than many men with two feet. Theoretically, however, a man having only one foot cannot swim quite 50 well as he could if he had both feet, inasmuch as the force ob- tained by bringing the feet together | in the kick used in swimming is n so great. Q. Why are crabs and lobsters cook- ed alive’—I. B. A. The Bureau of Fisheries says that it is best to use live crabs and lobsters for cooking, as this type of fish begins to decay very soon after death. It would be safe to cook crabs or Jobsters immediately after being Q. Who wrote “My Old Dutch?'— C A B, A. It was written by Albert Cheva- lier in collaboration with Arthur Shir- ley. Chevalier played the part of Joe Brown, this being considered one of his finest characterizations. Q. What country has the most au- tomatic apparatus for lighting coasts |and dangerous waters?—L. S. A. The United States leads in this respect. Of 4,047 coast and le ke light: Ob, say, do you know of the lons. bitter | ghts, more than 41 per cent are a .tomatic. Q. Who first constructed intelligence tests?—@G. A. The pioneer work in scales and tests of intelligence was done by the two Frenchmen, Binet and Simon. Q. Where should one apply for a {headstone for a grave for a veteran of the World War?—L. C. B. A. A Government headstone may be obtained by making application to the qQuartermaster general, Attention of the chief of the Graves Registration Service, Munitions Building, Washing- ton, D. C. Q. What is the largest kind of rattlesnake’—L. E. G. A. The Blological Survey says that this species would be the diamond back rattler. The largest rattle- snakes in this country are found in Florida. Q. When were the Dark Ages?— ccc A. The term is applied either to the whole or the earlier part of the Middle Ages. It is usual to regard the Middle Ages as beginning with the overthrow of the western Roman Empire in the fifth century and closing about the end of the fifteenth century. Q. Where is the Castle of Chillon” —J. W. D. A. The castle and fortress of Chil lon is in Switzerland in the Canton of Vaud, at the eastern end of Lake Geneva, on an isolated rock almost entirely surrounded by water. Q. Is electric vibration being used to Kill the boll weevil?—L. M. C. A. The Buresu of Entomology says that experimental work in electric vibration in the ordinary sense of the work is being carried on. However, the charging of insecticidal dust is the latest development in the extermi- nation of the boll weevil. It has been found that this dust has a post tive charge, while the cotton plants have a negative charge. This causes the insecticide to adhere to the plants more readily. Q. Who discovered Catalina Island? —J. W. C. A. The Island of Santa Catalina, lying off the coast of southern Cal fornfa, is 50 miles south of Los Angeles. It was discovered in 1542 by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portu- guese explorer, in the service of Spain and named San Salvador. It was visited by Sebastion Vizcaino 60 years later and named Santa Catalina, in honor of St. Catherine of Slenna. Its area is about 55,000 acres. The surface is hilly and well wooded. The island contains many deep gorges. Q. How many checks are cashed b the banks of this country in a year” C. W. W. A. During the year 1921 more than 6,000,000,000 checks, totaling more than’ $400,000,000,000, or more thaa 5 imes the amount of actual currency in the United States, passed through the clearing houses of this country. Q. Which is the oldest of Christian festivals’—H. T. R. A. The festival of Easter. Its ot servance began in the apostolic age Q. When did New Orleans have iLs first carnival?’—S. S. T. A. The first public masking oc curred in 1825 when some young so- ciety men, recently returned from Paris, introduced the custom. Th first pageant was not built until 183 and the first carnival organization Comus, was formed in 1857. Q. How hard must the wind blow to be calied a hurricane’—H. H. K. A. A wind blowing at a rate of than 75 miles an hour is a hurr! The names of breezes of increas: stiffness are light air, slight bree gentle breeze, moderate breeze, fresh breeze, strong breeze, high wind, gale, strong gale, whole gale, storm wind hurricane. Q. What will keep candles fr Arpping?—W. W. H. A. Make a thick, dry Iz hands with 2 go the candie between th coated with lather. When dr candle will burn with a ste: flame and will not drip Q. What was the original name of the Ladles’ Home Journal?—A. H. D. A. It was called the Ladies’ Journal. A picture of a house was printed under the words and the word “Home beneath the picture. It was not tended to use the word as part of title, but subscriptions made out t the Ladies’ Home Journal began t come in. The name was then adoptec ace can be given in this column to Wy @ few of the questions that pour into our ofice daily. Those whic are believed to be of greatest public interest are sclected for publication. Any reader is privileged to ask any question he chooses, however trivial or profound, and it will be answered direct. Inclose a 2-cent stamp with your query and address The Star In Jormation Bureau, Twenty-first and C streets northiwest.) U. S. Will Give Von Hindenburg Fair Field, But No Loopholes With the German reins of govern- ment firmly in the hands of the fleld marshal President, the United States has settled back calmly to watch the course and give Gen. Hindenburg a chance to prove that he can hold to the republican highway. “The inauguration of Hindenburg as President of Germany marks the beginning of an uncertain period in German and international politics,” observes the Springfield Union. ‘‘Hin- denburg himself has been tactfully silent concerning his plans, and the enthusiasm of the monarchists has re- vealed itself more as gratification at the defeat of socialism than as antici- patory of monarchist revolution. Nevertheless, Hindenburg's former po- sitfon and his known sympathies make him a man who will not be trusted as a republican leader until he has given evidence of his good faith. “Despite foreboding that the elec- tion of Hindenburg would be the sig- nal for a monarchist coup d'etat, there is nothing in the news from Germany which indicates the slight- est drift toward restoration.” declares the Peorfa Journal, and the Altoona Mirror adds: ‘“While it is certain that the enemies of the republic are feeling extremely happy at the moment, it is quite possible that they are mistaken concerning the sentiments of the ma- Jjority of the German people or the in- tended policies of President von Hin- denburg.” * %k x Taking into consideration all that has happened since the armistice, the Lowell Leader believes “there is the feeling that unity will not be at- tained if the President allows himself to become the tool of the monarchists and junkers. Certainly the slightest indication of such a tendency would destroy Germany's hopes of resuming normal relations with the other pow- ers.” The Pittsburgh Gazette-Times, however, thinks there is no reason to question Hindenburg's sincerity. This paper remarks: “His pledge and ap- peal are in keeping with his oath of office. It may be objected that the oath is conventional and may mean nothing to a monarchist. But, far from being absolute, the President is not a very important part of the German government. He may exert a vast influence over the people by precept and example, provided he choose his course intelligent!; The Times concludes: “Hindenburg has begun well. At his age he can have no hope of altering the tread of events, of turning the tide now run- ning in favor of democratic control.” The Anaconda Standard believes the German Nationalists naturally “would like to make the most of Von Hindenburg's inauguration and natu- rally the Communists would like to make & mess of it.”” The Standard observes: “While Von Hindenburg is maintaining a Coolidge-like reticence as to things in general, he has taken occasion to say that he is not the tool of any faction but stands for union and harmony. For the present, at least, there is every indication that things will run along in Germany pretty much as usual. Not at this stage of the political game is there any probability that any Hohenzol- lern—father, son or grandson—will offer himself in evidence.” “If foreign countries, particularly the former enemnies of Germany, will now act with restraint and poise,” says the Springfield Republican, “it is possible that the republic will be stronger than ever when Von Hinden- burg leaves, the presidency. Hinden- burg was used by party politicians votes as Gen. Grant was used after Civil War. His success sig- nifies his personal popularity, even so, not quite half of his peop! accepted him at the pol worst, reaction cannot leas far in the direction of monare militarism with the nation divided. If the former alli give due weight to these fa the situation, there need be no cr " The Philadelphia Bulletin _thinks history may vet award the old ma shal the honor of having proved i the end one of the pillars of the . public. “‘Whatever may be thought of his principles and his methods o warfare.” explains the Bulletin, “the field marshal has always had title t rank as a man consclentious accor ing to his lights, and with a sold honor. His career and character a guarantee that he meant and w keep his oath.” President Hindenburg said nothing in connection with his election or the inauguration to encourage the im- perialists, in the opinion of the dianapols Star, which observes t Z statement issued to the arm and navy was sufficiently ambiguous and non-committal to be the work of one of our own statesmen on the eve of ayclose election. He has been care ful to explain that he proposes to do his sworn duty, and as he has sworn to uphold the constitution and rep lfc, it is only fair to him to beli that he means to do just that.” The Rock TIsland Argus thinks Hindenburg should be let alone, and gives this advice: “We should as that Hindenburg and his advisers striving in the same direction which we are striving. Until su time as Hindenburg betrays other weaknesses we and the remainder of the world, despite any contrary s picions we may entertain, should permit him to work out his own sal- vation in his own wa; just as long as he does not make himself obnoxious to us or any of his other neighbors on either side of the Atlantic.” ——ee—. They Failed in Bolivia. e The failire of Oklahoma farm to colonize an ambitious Bolivian project has led the American embassy at Buenos Aires to sound a warning to all other Americans who consider participating in such proposals. It is & tragic thing when families uproot and betake themselves across the earth to originate a civilizatio Even for Americans, with the hard- ships and bravery of the pioneers as their exampfe, there are obstacles of nature and economics not always easily overcome. Investigation should be thorough before essaying such an adventure involving, as it does, the happiness of each individual and the integrity and prosperity of the fam In the case of the Tarija, Bolivi: scheme the only market these people had was Buenos Aires, 1,800 miles away, over which distance their prod- ucts had to travel, competing on the way with the products of the farms of Argentina, which is still itself an ex- clusively ‘agricultural country with large and still partially undeveloped resource: This vast empire of fruitfulness to the south is still a mystery to mos: who have not visited it. Other pio- neers in time will accomplish what these unlucky folk failed to do, but it will not be overnight, and it will be, only by steadily pushing out the lina of habitation where people can be at- tracted to live.—Okmulgee Daily Dem-