Evening Star Newspaper, October 26, 1925, Page 6

6 THE EVENING FfTAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1988. T THE EVENING STAR for maintenance. Those who have no! plete. The identity of the masked men Wil WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY .October 26, 1925 h Sunday Morning Edition. THEODORE W. NOYES...Editor < Star Newspaper Company svivania Ave 10 T B 11 St i b New' Forl! (ice month < Main 2000 fn at the end of each month S0 00 =00 Tyr 1 150 $300 ted A Universal Draft Law The Ame 1 in its le be ursed can Legion has i tive pr pon Con: W 2 when iversal draf proposal its of of 4 se- it con the need the in affect ur law representatives translating into Americ expe: War, so far ity and ecause of a that the entire r results the W national it wisely country in time unty, and in be at the call of of war, there was u the end a tremend profiteering which cost is costing and will continue to cost the people dear for many years to come. For seven years and seven times the American Legion in national con- vention has rd {n favor such w. The and i universal draft I the into e for T legionnaires w the n fixed by C Torces of the away from wages and bl i which fell to the lot of aia not enter the militar Many of them were criticized because they the adjusted compensation e law which they now pro- pose been in effect there would have been no good argument for such an act. Under the terms of the bill which is sponsored by the legion the President is given auth to take necessary steps t es of commodi- ties, to draft into the service of the United States all persons between the ages of 21 and 30, or whatever ages may be fixed by Congress, without xemption on account of industrial occupation, and to determine and pro- claim the material resources and in- dustrial organizations of the country under Government control during the period of the war or emergency. This means, in effect, the power to draft into the service of the country the entire resources of America. It means comparatively few bloated for- tunes made out of the necessities of a nation at war. It means that work- men at home will not abandon cotton shirts to don silk while their fellows nches are wearing khaki. have come and gone since the armistice was signed. They have passed laws for the pavment of huge su £ mo for war mate- rials, they have continued to levy the avy taxes made necessary to meet the expenditures of the war, though these ve been gradually re- But no action has been taken on the proposed universal draft law, although in the Congress such introduced by Representa- tive Roval C. Johnson of South Da- kota and by Semator Arthur Capper of Kan tent Coolidge in his addres on at its last annual convention in Omaha spoke in sup- port of such a meas cannot Congress p in its debates to put this ble law on the statute book can L is a power politically, and doubtless this power will grow with the It was largely successful in br g about the enactment of the ted com- pensation act, notwithstanding the veto of that bill by the oppo: of persons in this country. expected that the I men who wer Nation in time power in the in and not of t terest in the prop law is laudable co thie ess the wtion ¢ w the unit v turnover service ses taxes last sl g ad, it It is to be made up of e of the n = dent and | of a very large number | | savings are subsisting poorly upon the but which barely suffice to maintain among the miners, for the doles cam- not continue indefinitely, unless other | unions go to the rescue with large subseriptions, In these circumstances there is a revival of talk about a settlement which commands attention. A priest of Scranton, who is exceptionally in- fluential with the operatives, has con- ferred with the president of the miners union and submitted a proposal that the demands of the men for increased wages be cut in half. No result is reported. But S0 manifest is the uneasiness among the miners that arrangements have been made for a mass meeting to be held soon, at which the union sident will address the men, pre- sumably to stiffen them. A factor of serious importance to both miners and mine owners in this £ hat the shortage of anthracite as led to the adoption of substitute n such a large scale that it is upon resumption i1l he as large a de- ot as before. Soft ind coke are being used a degree never before known. In any cases domestic heating plants re being transformed for oil consump i This fact may have a decided ring upon the length of the strike, he substitution of other fuels for an- thracite having already reached the point to menace the future welfare of both sides of the quarrel. i A Tax on Transportation. Repeal of the $150,000,000 Federal annual tax levy on the automobile in- dustry is strongly urged at hearings bhefore the House ways and means committee by the tional Automobile Chamber of Commerce, which pledges, in the name of the manufacturers, ‘hat savings thus effected would be passed on to the consumer. Cheaper cars and trucks, cheaper parts and cheaper accessories are the benefits to the public cited by the rep- sentatives of the industry, who de- ibe the levy as a “war-time emer- en measure’” strike benefits, which are continuing, | ! families with the necessities of life.' | If the strike lasts a fortnight longer ! | it will be marked by keen suffering fortune.” A saving in the purchase price of approximately $29 per car would be possible if the tax is re- pealed, it is pointed out to the com- nittee. Although the recent tax-reduction plan of Secretary Mellon allows only for a repeal of the $60.000,000 tax on parts and accessories, the House com- mittee should give serious considera- tion 1o an elimination of the entire Affecting more than 15,000,000 per- sons in the United States, the tax has added a heavy burden to owners of automobiles. The levy on parts has been appropriately called a “tax on fortune” because an automobile r involved in an accident not is compelled to pay the manufac- turer the price for replacement of parts, but is also called upon to meet the Government levy for the same parts. In this way every new aXxle, every new gear and every new fender means a profit to Uncle Sam. It is this section of the tax that the Mellon plan proposes to repeal. It suggests, however, that the $90,000,000 assenger car tax be kept in return for Federal appropriations for good roads. Disputing this theory, representa- tives of the industry state that the automobile pays its road bills in State and municipal levies, and that the consumer should be relieved of the burdensome tax. The automobile can no longer be classed as a luxury. It is the dom- inant factor in the transportation of the world. There would seem to be no zood reason for the retention of any part of the levy which affects so large a proportion of the Nation's husiness. This is the era of tax reduc- tion, and it is apparent that manifold henefits to millions of people would re- sult if the tax on transportation was lifted. o In speaking of the dangers of air service. Col. Mitchell might call atten- tion to a possibility that in addition | to the perils of aviation a fiyer may have to run the risk of taking cold in a damp courtroom. . — e A motion picture star has been fined $250 for contempt of court for not ap- pearing as a witness before a New York court. This may deprive her of as much as half a day’s pay. ———— 11 becomes a particularly dif- me when the weather appears | to call for umbrellas in addition to the | usual safety appliances. Greeks and B remind the wo reliable means effecting guarantee. The punishment 1ffered by mankind during the latest war was not sufficient to inspire caution. lgarians c a e Tggs were thrown during a student 1 election of the lord rector It is almost incredible should be so cheap in Scot- e Miners Growing Anxious. When the hard-coal strike w ordered, and the men laid down their tools and walked out of the mines in Pennsylvania, it was generally expect- ed by the operatives, so reports cur- rent at the time ran, that the strike would last about six weeks. That is the normal period for the suspension of mining. It is about the length of time that the funds lavle for strike benefits or doles from the union will cover. Nobudy outside of the inner circles of the union organiza- tion knew just how much money was avallable for the paying of these doles, unless perhaps the mine over- ators, who always maintain “under- cover” connections, were aware. The strike has now lasted elght weeks, and it is reported from Scran: ton, In the heart of the anthracite dis- trict, that the idle miners are becom- anxious. Those of them who have saving funds are drawing upon ukem ntinue to | d of the need of some peace | universal | ——— Melodrama at Tarrytown. Melodrama such as that which once held the boards of popular the- aters, and that which now thrills the spectators of the films, occasionally | plays its part in real life. Possibly its exponents are inspired by the { “pictures.” Perhaps they are simply working out their “complexes,” as the psychoanalysts say. However that may be, the melodramatists of every- day existence continue to supply sug- gestions for the scenario writers. Up in Tarrytown, Y. such a five-reeler or a dime-novel story— according to the medium—has just been told in actual happenings. A bride was waiting at the church. The bridegroom was on his way to the ceremony, driving his faithful flivver. |On the outskirts of town his car | was crowded off the road by an over- | taking machine, the two occupants of which, masked and armed with pistols, leaped out and seized him. “You will never marry the girl,” said one. as a handkerchief saturated with chloro- torm was thrust into his face. Still the bride waited, and at last, tearful, she was led home by her indignant parents. Some hours later word came that the fiance had been found on the roadside, drugged, and was in a hos- pital. On the back seat of his car was found a note: “You will never marry the girl I love. Unknown Lover.”” Reunion, and, twenty-four hours later than schedule, a wedding! The melodrama, however, is incom- 1 is unknown, and both bride and groom declare that they know of no one who could coneeivably be so hard hit by thwarted mffection as to do such a dastard dead. For, of course, in melo- drama the deed must be dastard. ‘There was po triangular aspect to the wooing. And at this point the case differentiates, and suspicion arises that perhaps the whole affair is a hoax, just a bit of pleasantry prac- ticed by a apupke of youths with a perverted semse of humor to make a sensation. But melodramm or hoax, the delayed Tarrytown wedding furnishes mate- rial for the story tellers and the film writers. Eventaally this bit of plot will be seen on the screen, if, indeed, it has not already been there ex- hibited in a variety of forms. Mean- while the bride and groom are subject to congratulatioms. The New Woman in Turkey. Emancipation of women in Turkey from old customs has gone on fast. fn the trolley cars and ferry boats women now sit with men, and the in- fererxe is that the women demanded this privilege. The women of Con- stantinople seem to be like women of other cities. It is not yet said that C nstantinople women get into seats reserved for men who smoke, or that they demand that men give up seats to them, or that on a crowded loading platform ghey insist that men make way for them, but they may come to this if they have not already got there. Recemtly red curtains inclosed the first two TOws of seats on the Constantinople trolleys, and woman'| passengers were required to sit in that section. No man other than the con- ductor was allowad to pass to the beauty side of the curtain. The cur- tain has been removed so that the ladles may see who's who in the car and they are allowed to sit where they list. A Turkish woman without a veil may sit next to a young and 'dashing or an old and flirtatious Turk. ‘The women still have a hold on the first two rows of seats. A man may sit in one of those seats if there Is room, but If a woman enters that fart of the car he must give it up. On ferry boats crossing the Bosporus be- tween Constantinople and Seutari and a “tax on mis- i there was a cabin reserved for women and they had reserved space an deck. They still have those convemiences, but now they may go to parts of the boat from which they were formerly excluded. It s yet not in the news that the Constantinople ladies are wearing bobbed hair and short skirts, but that may come. e Many eminent leaders of thought speak tolerantly of bobbed hair and short skirts. A wise man accepts not only what he admires, but also what he finds inevitable. ————————— A disinclination to linger too long away from France shows that Cail- laux was in touch with a political situation which called for his personal supervision. ———————————— The njnety-sixth article of war is the latest provision to come up for consideration with reference to the question of whether it can be en- forced. ————— Europe would be willlng to see Americans transferring money in gigantic lump sums instead of dis- tributing through tourists and com- paratively small speculative investo: ———te————— The traffic code should be made as brief as possible, 80 as toavold tempta- tion for the jay driver to block traffic while stopping to read it. —w—————— Conservative Florida business men are frank In requesting Investors to see that the real estate they buy rep- resents real value. ——————————— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON Sparks and Stars. Upon the hearth the blazing wood Bids eager sparks to fly, And seeks the glittering fellowhood Of stars that wait on high. TUpon the earth stout hearts will burn As brilllant hopes ascend To fade away and never learn The great ideal end. An Even Nobler Theme. “You don't talk as much as you used to about the great American Eagle.” *No,” replied Senator Sorghum, “in contemplating lofty flights we don't pay attention to a little thing like an eagle. What everybody is paying at- tention to now is the great American Airplane.” Change of Attitude. From coal 1 once would turn aside. The task of tossing it I'd spurn; But now my heart is filled with pride Because I have some coal to burn. Jud Tunkins says the only man he ever knew who had absolutely every- thing he wanted was sick and uncon- scious. Blissful Dreaming. “We're going to adjust taxes o as to make automobiles less expensive “Yes,” rejoined Farmer Corntossel in a low tone. “And the five-cent cigars will be better.” “Yes"—still more faintly. “We will also make movie tickets cheaper.” “Yes"—in a whisper. “Why don’t you speak out. Aren't you enthusiastic?” 'm so enthusiastic I want to keep as quiet as possible. I'm afraid any THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. From Charles Town, Jefferson County, W. Va., comes the following tter: My Dear Mr. Traceweli: “In the ‘This and That' column of The Star last Friday you discussed two pronunciations of gladiolus. Either way suits me just so it is not ‘gladiola “Won't you please ask them not to talk about ‘poinsettas’? The Century Dictionary gives ‘poinsettia’'—four sy lables. Please oblige, Very truly yours, o “P. S.—Kindest regards to Jack Spratt. I am glad he succeeded in finding what was on the mantel.” With the best intentions in the world, therefore, I ask people not to mispronounce these words—and that is all the good it will do! Everybody has some pet word he in- sists on pronouncing wrong. (The reader is at libert read that “wrongly” if he prefers.) The section of the country in which one was horn has much to do with it. There are whole segments of these United States where practically ever h and low, p the ent at the wrong plice or in some other way upsets the dictionary Then, again, the decade in which one was horn plays its part in how we pronounce certain words. I know sev- eral elderly men of eminent position and much real culture who ins ving “Roosians” for Russians At first I thousht they were simply calling it wrong, but after h more than one of these elderly partie do it T have come to the conclus they were taught to say it that way. n Some people insist on calling a bomb | a “bum,” perhaps with more truth | than poetry. Then there are any num- ber of other words one hears com- monly mispronounced Dr. Vizetelly s put out a big book containing 40,000 words mispronounced | in Qaily usage ¢ people of large education. As a matter of cold fact, wsur nguage is so full of words that it s scarcely possible for any one not to muff many of them. It is my personal opinlon that say- Ing a few words incorrectly now and then is a help to the language rather than a Hability. In the same way I| belleve that a little bad grammar now and then is relished by the wisest | men. Without this fluidity guage it would become uninteresting, as dead twice dead there is nothing ‘We need the: in our lan- xed, static, s Latin and K an which wder in the world. 3 le slips of tongue | and pen in order that we shall never forget that olir glorious mother tongue is a growth and not an achievement, a going-forward and not a standing still, an outgoing tide, not an tncom- i . We ought to mispronounce words at | times and to slip up in our gram in order to re. the Englis human, not “efficlent” (as the so-called “efficiency expert” knows the meaning of the | word, although it is tremendously eff- | clent in the better meanings of the | word). One of the charms of the negro “spirituels” is their dialect—which is nothing but poor pronunciation, judged from the highest stan their bad grammar. These wonderful folk songs not be half so good If a gramma scientific minute the old alarm clock will shoot and wake me up.” Flapping. The feminine flapper with outline se- vere ¥ Is now lending grace to the map. Oxford bags are the only apparel, we hear, Permitted, at present, to flap. “Everybody in a poker game,” said Uncle Eben, “’'pears to be a good loser when {t comes to loq.?' sleep.” would make them correct from standpoint, or some meticulous p fessor of the English language were t write them all over again. The humanity of our tongue is writ k them not to, and | | thing. | pronounce it as any. “Ux-trah! All—about—the big moi- der!” To me—and I am sure to most peo- ple—that was more fitting than if the little fellow had bellowed out: “Here is the latest edition of the paper, ladies and gentlemen, fresh from the press. In it you will find a complete and detailed account of the latest domestic tragedy, replete with |human interest, heart thrills and gor * k k% | Let the people mispronounce their words in peace, say 1! Utility, plcturesqueness, force— these are some of the qualities we want in our language, and we usually succeed in getting them, even at the risk of being called ungrammatical or ignorant There are many pedants today sol- emnly pronouncing—and with great personal satisfaction, too—words that once upon a time were only used by the peasants. I belleve that right in that sentence just ended I have “split” something or other by placing the word ‘“only” between the two verb forms “were” and “used.” I should worry! If it Interests any of the readers of this column, I can give you an array of similar construc- tions from the master writers of our i language who use precisely the same split form I believe no less a master of English than the late Woodrow Wilson was among them. No, our language is not a little It is decidedly more than a grammarian's toy. It is true that a child ought to bLe given the correct Perhaps he ought to be vig- y frowned upon for indulging in “wrong | seriously attended to his studies, he is in a position to use his mother tongue, not worship it. After all, our speech and our writilng are instru- | ments, not tin gods. Certainly ordinary, everyday folks have more trouble with the pronun- clations of flower names than almost any other words. I do not believe there is one person out of 100 who properly pronounces the following: Clematis. I have heard scores of flower grow- ers, amateur and professional, speak of that charming vine, and every one put the accent on the “a,” as in “cat.” Webster's Dictionary, however, gives the accent on the first syllable— thus, “klem-atis.” “Peony” is another stumbling block. will hear everything from “piney,” “pay-ony” to The latter pronunciation {s common among men and women in their fifties. The third is probably due to the fact that once a common spelling was “paeony,” from the Latin “paeonia.” Many of the old-timers insist on calling this wonder shrub ‘piney,” and maybe that is as good a way to It at least has the merit of being the affectionate name of the glorious friend that brightened the dooryards of many whose lives would otherwise have been colorless and bare. So with “gladiola.” Certainly it 1s' incorrect, being neither Latin nor English. Now that the American Gladiolus Society has “officially” adopted “gladi-o-lus” as the best form for both singular and plural, we can only hope that every one, evirywhere, will adopt i While Laving the heartiest fympa- thy with all those who belleve in the purity_of our speech, I do not feel that we should let a few mispronounc- ings, one way or another, worry us very much. Remember, that often what is large in every street urchin's speech 1 heard one gowntown not long ago crying: called ignorant today will be regarded s learned tomorrow. So cheer up—it n't goin’ to rain no mo'! WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. There will be no more commemoration of Theodc velt's birthday on the ore to be held by ed Church, where Washington. He rarely missed a morning service there while Presi- dent. If for any reason he could not come, “Teddy” would send a note to his pastor, Dr. John M. Schick, and explain the reason. lle came with such promptness that folks remarked they could set their watches by it. Things would often occur to Roose- velt in the midst of a service and he would whip out notebook and pencil and make records of them. A fine por- trait of the colonel, painted at the close of the New York governorship and just before he became Vice Presi- dent, was presented by him to the congregation of Grace Church and hangs in the social room. Men do not commonly associate a deep re- liglous strain with “T. R.'s" strenuous character. It was his custom to at- tend worship somewhere every Sun- day. If a Reformed congregation was within reach, he would join it. Once he said: “T take a sentimental satis- faction in worshiping in the church of my fathers.” * ¥ % X Since “Young Bob” La Follette's election ft has been commonly report- ed that he is the youngest man ever elected to the United States Senate since Kentucky sent Henry Clay In 1806. Clay at that time was 29 vears 7 months and 7 days old. But subse- quently three Senators took their seats who were younger than Clay at the time of entering the Senate. Armistead Thomson Mason of Vir- glnia entered in 1816, aged 28 vears 5 months and 30 days. Elias Kent Kane of Illinois came to the Senate in 1825, aged 28 years § months and 28 days. Stephen Wallace Dorsev of Arkansas entered in 1873, aged 29 vears and 7 d How Mason, Kane and Dorsey managed to be seated be- fore having attained the constitu- tional age of 30 nobody now extant on Capitol Hill is able to explain. In the case of Clay, who was five months below 30 when he took the oath, the ‘egality of his act was challenged. When asked from the floor to state his age, Clay. in what was to be his maiden utterance in the Senate, re- plied: “T resectfully refer the Sen- ator to my constituents.” Tt is sup- nosed that Mason, Kane and Dorsey were seated without question because the need of the hour was for the best men, regardless of age. * ok x ¥ Charles MacVeach. newly appoint- ed American Ambassador to Japan, is completing his course of diplomatic sprouts at the State Department prior to safling for Toklo on November 14. The course consists of a '“rough- going inspection of the correspond- ence that has passed between the United States and a given country. Mrs. MacVeagh will not cross the Pacific with her husband, following him a fortnight later. She had not intended to reach Japan until some time early in 1926, but the court fes- tivities and functions of the new year in Japan are of unusual importance and Mrs. MacVeagh hastened her traveling plans accordingly. The Ambassador and his wife will be guests of honor at the dinner and reception to be given for Prince and Princess Asaka by the Japan Soclety fervent | e Roo: 27 than Reform- worshiped in in New York during the first days of November. Mr. MacVeagh has never cen in the Far East, but is certain he will like it. He goes to Japan with no preconceptions formed from the impressions of others, belng intent upon seeing things with his own eyes, hearing them with his own ears and reaching his own conclusions. £ % x * While Dwight F. Davis, President Coolidge’s new Secretary of War, is famed in the world of tennis, few peo- ple know that he is a squash and squash rackets player of high rank. Ever since he came to Washington Davis has kept himself in trim on the squash courts. Two Winters ago he was frequently in action here as a competitor of Col. Theodore Roose- velt, former istant Secretary of avy. Davis also represented his ashington club in intercity team matches. Recently press of official duties has caused Secretary Davis to taper off on squash and other sports to which he is addicted. He remarked at the time he determined to slow up: “I'm afraid athletes may get into the habit of considering me a_ politician, and politicians begin to look upon me as an athlete.” * ok kX Willis J. Abbot, editor of the Chris- tian Science Monitor, was a visitor to Washington last week. Among his other claims to distinction is his re- semblance, mainly because of his goatee, to the allegorical likeness of | Uncle Sam. He 'had an appointment at his hotel to receive a call from a man whom Abbot had never seen be- fore. The mutual friend who sent the stranger to the editor said that if the caller would stroll up to the first man in the lobby who looked like Uncle Sam it would be Abbot. The appoint- ment was duly kept. Abbot is not near- ly so lank or cadaverous a person as the typical figure of Uncle Sam, and his friends think he is immensely hand- somer. He {s a Connecticut Yankee, but was educated and brought up Journalistically in the West. * ok ok ¥ Senator William Cabell Bruce, Democrat, of Maryland has taken up the cudgels against the “ineligibility” of Gov. Al Smith for the presidency because of Smith's religion. Bruce points out that the next highest office to that of President is the chief jus- ticeship of the United States, and re- calls that two Catholics have filled that exalted position—Roger B. Taney and Edward D. White. Senator Bruce also records that the chief judgeship of the Maryland Court of Appeals has been held twice by able lawyers who were Catholics—Alvey and McSherry. Going the whole limit for “Al," Bruce says: “If there's no better reason for denying to Gov. Smith the presidency than the fact that he is a Catholic he should be elected unanimously.” * ok ok % Gov. Smith’s coyness with regard to his immediate political future lends interest to the story reaching this ob- server from an authentic quarter. It is to the effect that Smith has deter- mined not to enter the race for the United States senatorship against the Republican incumbent, James W, Wadsworth, jr., in New York next year because of his deep friendship for Wadsworth. They are “Jim” and “Al" to each other, and have heen aver since they served togther in the State Legislature many years ago. (Copyright, 1925.) But when he grows up, if he has|, | Capt. Paul Grening Seaman of High Merit To the Editor of The Star: Permit me to thank you for your editorial in Friday's Star, entitled “Rescue,” pertaining to the heroic work at sea of the master of the United States liner President Hafrd- ing, who, incidentally, is my brother. Capt. Paul Grening is a man of rare courage and intggrity, one who allows nothing to interfere with duty and his responsibility to those in his care. He has made several rescues at sea at the risk of his life and has performed many deeds requiring courage and bravery, A brief history of his career might be enlightening to those interested. At the early age of 15 he become a student on the St. Marys, a school ship under the control of the Board of Education of New York State, of which State he is a native. Upon graduation he started at the bottom of the ladder by becoming quarter- master of one of the boats plying between New York and the Gulf (the Ward Line), gaining promition from time to time until he became an offi- cer (first) on the Minnesota, built in Philadelphia for the Northern Pacific Railroad, the largest ship of the day, which he took to Seattle in 1899] around Cape Horn. He obtained his captain's license in San Franecisco when he was 25 yeurs of age (he was said to be the youngest man that ever was granted a license before the board of that city). His experience in tige United tes transport serv- ive, San Francisco to the Philippines, vas one of credit to him. During the war he volunteered as a lieuten- ant commander and served under Ad- miral Usher at the New York navy yard. He was given command of the Leviathan when she was taken from he Germans. After the Leviathe vas fitted out for transatlantic ice his name was prominently men- tioned in connection with its com- mand. Capt. Grening has been for eral years the commander of the President Harding and has gained a popularity as a captain and host which s second to none by his genial and courteous manner to all passen- gers, In the ning Post of April 6, 1 red the fol- lowing in an i son: “f sailor, the is right. Without eves he finds the thing. He thinks was he who found it. He does not know thut Ca Grening, master of the President Harding, United Lines, was the second 1 the North ant ship after the armistice. There was a mine-free channel one mile wide and very tortuous, and when a German pilot asked $1,500 to take him thro he put the pilot off and went h way alone. All Old World seafaring people affect to be contemptuous of the new American navigator; vet his adventurous and sudden disposition fills them with secret wonder.” { I have a great admiration for the “boy"—he is my junior—and too much credit cannot be extended to :im fnrdme masterly manner in which e conducted the rescue a J Tk ot e alluded to. German pilot h LOUIS B. GRENING. e *Swedenborgian®® Church First “National’® Here To the Editor of The Star: Your editorial In the issue of Oc. tober 22 on “A National Congreg: tional Church” is of great interest to those who rejoice in_ evidences that Washington {s fast becoming a re- ligious center as well as a center of political life and art. You will be glad, I am sure, to have attention called to an inaccuracy in your statement that the Congregational will be the fourth National Church in Washington, of ' which the Southern Methodist Church | wi the first. The General Convention of the| ew Jerusalem, commonly called the ! Swedenborgian” Church, dedicated in | May of 1896 its National Church on | the corner of Sixteenth and Corcoran | streets northwest, and this was| perhaps the first national church in Washington, built with this definite purpose. Money for the building was subscribed from all parts of the United States, the building and parish house are still, as they have always been, the property of the General Con- vention, the national organization of “Swedenborgians.” The Washington society is granted the privilege of using the building for services of | worship and other parish activities. Once in each four or five years the General Convention holds its annual session in the church at Washington. Here also is the missionary head- quarters of the church. The church building and parish house are of English Gothic archite ture, built of Indiana limestone, throughout and finished in every de- tail according to the plans of® the architect, Prof. H. Langford Warren, who was at the time the head of the department of architecture at Harvard University. The cost of the buildings was in excess of $150,000, and they could not be duplicated today for more than twice the amount, and they thus constitute a real contribution to the religious architecture of the Capital. The term national church has been used In connection with the building from the beginning and the General Convention makes provision for its up- keep and improvement. I am sare you will be glad to make | correction in The Star, that public in- formation as to the number and chronolog:y of “national churches in Washington" may be more complete and accurate, PAUL SPERRY. Protest Against District Commissioner on Bench To the Editor of The Star: Last week while looking in at the Traffic Court, I noticed that sitting beside Judge McMahon on the bench was Mr. Commissioner Fenning, in charge of the Police Department. While so sitting beside and joining Judge McMahon on the bench, the honorable _Commissioner consulted, advised and whispered with the learn: ed judge. Being an Amerlcan citizen of many generations in this country and any conduct contrary to its traditions be- ing repugnant to me, I earnestly pro- test against the official In charge of the prosecution joining with the ju- diclary on the bench in the adminis- tration of justice. This'is contrary to the genius of our Government and contrary to the safeguards proviged by our Constitution, which ocontém- plate the independence of the three departments of Government, and par- ticularly the freedom of the judiciary. ‘What would the people of this city think if an attorney for the defendant sat on the bench with the judge? They would feel that there had been a per- version of justice and very properly protest. Can there be any difference so far as justice and principle are concerned between such a spectacle and the one above described. 1 feel that the learned judge and the honorable Commissioner did not appreciate the significance of the spectacle they presented, and are only gullty of bad téste, but In the interest of justice and American fair play and traditions, I trust that this occur- rence may not be repeated, even as a matter of courtesy by*a judge to a Comn\ysioner, and to that end that you wiil publish this letter, which I do not hesitate to sign in my own name. I might say that I was at the Traf- fic Court only as a spectator and not as a defendant, which eluninates the possibility of blas and prejudice 6n my party H. E. DAMERON. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERI Q. When was admission first charg- ed for a base ball game?—H. T. B. A. The first time admission was ever charged to see a base ball game was on July 20, 1859. The game was played between teams from Brooklyn and New York, taking place on the Fashion Race Course, Long Island. Over 1,500 people paid 50 cents to watch the contest. Q. How much larger than Africa is Asta?—F. P. McK. A. It fs almost 50 per cent larger. Africa contains 11,605,000 square miles and Asia 17,652,000 square mtles. Q. Who was the first person to be electrocuted {nstead of hanged In New York?—J. H. B. A. The first man to suffer the| death penalty by electrocution in New York was Willlam Kemmler, who was executed in New York on August 6, 1890. Q ent drought to changes in ocean cur- rents, and may. we €Xpect & Dern nent change in our climate?—T. W. B. A. The Weather Bureau says that they have no proof whatever that the drought to which you refer was caused by changes in ocean currents. | Nelther have they any reason to be lieve that a permanent change in our climate has begun. Q. What is the origin of the word tuneral’—G. K. N. A. A funeral is so termed from the fact that in anclent times the Romans were buried by torchlight, twisted ropes (funalia) smeared with pitch being carried by the mourners for the purpo: Q. How old is the obeli Park supposed to be’— A. The obelisk in Central P: New York, fs 35 centuries old. the Standard Guide to New marks: It was old when M its inscriptions in honor of Eeyptian sun god.” stood before the Temple of the Sun at Heliopolis near Cairo, whe: sixteenth century 5 1L In 1z B. C. Augustus C carred the obelisk to Alexandria. Here it and two others were erected before the Temple of tho Caesars. In 1877 it s pre the Khedive of Egypt to the United States, and brought to Am by Lieut Thothmes Do sdlentists attribute the pres. | " [of wheat, is C J. HASKIN. to headquarters several miles hind the lines on 51 occasions. has 0o wounds to show for ft. Q. What has transport be e become of the o Pocahontag? — W . 'The boat was sold by t United States Shipping Board it st, 1922, She was reconditione orth German Llovd Steam jship Co. and Is ow being operatc |In the t tlantic trade from Ge many to New York under the nat of S, en. | Q. Dld Lew Wallace, the author |of ““Ben-Hur,” ever | Lana 2 M. O. | A. Gen. Walluce visited the Hr |Land many years after he wrote | “Ben-Hur.”” So extensi | his studies that he afterward se {that he did not find a single err his record | Q. Why are bran mufins con: ered healthful?7—s. I | A. Bran, the dark, fibrous portio <s completely digested As bra S. Br lin han the rest of t {1s sold comn food value fro as from the associated with but it s used ck tive proper tities, and esnec ground up in ly consid o e than 65 storie Octobar authc t th America as food for prisoner is now d State 'n board 30,000,000 crop in t Even Uncle Sam is inquisitic Just now he is trying to discover the most popular sizes of women’s stoch ings, the chewing power of false teetl whether @ solar cclipse interfercs with radio, and how tough beef it These are but @ few of the many Comdr. Gorringe, U. S. N. It was erected in Centrnl Park in 1881 Wiiliam H. Vanderbilt bore the pense of removal, which was $102576. The .cbelisk is & monolite of syenite from the granite quarries of & Egypt. The shaft 7 feet 9 inches at the base and we Q. What was the pigeon who brought 2 battle in Argonne F as he | ever wounded?—A. M. i A. Thrown the air in Ar- | gonne Forest, Spike, a homing pigeon, brought the news of the battle ba k 1 ington, D. problems the Rureau of Standards is working on. This branch of the Gov- ernment, as well as all the other de partments, is constantly engaged i research and investigations that wiil Venefit the American citizen. Our Washington Bureau is in a positio { to reach these great resources of scrv tion gathered by ths Federal Government and pass then on to you. This ice is free. Stat your question clearly and inclose - cents in stamps for return postage. Address the Star Information Bureav, Frederic J. Haskin, director, Twenty first and C streets morthwest, Wash [a ice and inform Career of Tobacco King Viewed as Model to Youth James Buchanan Duke of North Carolina, millionaire leader in the American tobaceo industry, successful organizer in other branches of indus- try and great philanthropist, who re- | cently died, is lauded by the American | press as a model for youth hailed as a benefactor of through the $40,000,000 Duke Founda- tion and his gifts to the univ ity that bears his name. His rise to wealth,) ability to develop great industrial en- terprises and his generous public gifts combine to give his career an unusual character. The one thing that “would have pleased Mr. Duke most,” declares the Charlotte Observer, “was the student lined funeral route from church to cemetery—a double line of the finest young men in the Nation, standing with bared heads, for five blocks. Thence to within three blocks of the cemetery were similar lines of woman | students. These young people stood there and were recognized by those who may have reflected the mind of the dead benefactor as the hope of the Nation. It was to the perpetual development of this hope that he had applied his millions. These lines of voung men and young women were Mr. Duke's guard of honor, and no man ever had greater. His final escort was the most magriificent feature of the most impressive funeral spectacle ever known in North Carolin: ek In similar vein, referring to Mr. Duke's gifts for education and charit as the biggest in the history of the South and among the largest in the records of the cquntry, the Greenville Piedmont continues: *“The finest mon- ument to James Buchanan Duke will not be built of bronze or marble, but will be far more enduring, for it will be the gratitude of numberless multi- tudes from generation to generati for the good they will receive because he had the heart to conceive and the will to carry out such a colossal gift for the common weal and for the service of humanit “So long as great fortunes fall into the hands of men of his type,” de clares the Harrisburg Telegraph, “there will be no socialistic movement to amount to anything in this country. Duke regarded himself more as the steward than the ownér of the mones that came to him in such vast sum: The greatness of Mr. Duke in many respects is lauded by the Danville Register, which says that as he built well “his work will continue” and “he will live on in the Industries he founded, In the schools he aided, in the philanthropies he encouraged and in the ambitions he enkindled.” * x * x “The closing act of a busy life,” states the Durham Sun, *“was to make financial provision for the education of thousands of North Carolina boys, who, though they may never make such a towering success in business as he made, will start without the handicap he ever labored under, and who will always owe a deep and last- ing gratitude to James Buchanan Duke.” Although he *“made mone; after he had once started the money making machine,” says the Utica Ob- server-Dispatch, “‘he was not a grabber or a hoarder.” The Observer-Dispatch remarks that in conducting one of the largest local enterprises “it was al- ways with benefit to the community,” and that as “an Intense patriot for his native State he has turned back a large share of his great wealth in pro- viding means through which trained leaders in professions and industries may be secured.” * ok * x “Duke never forgot his nativity,” the Hickory Daily Records remarks, “and he was ever doing for it. A great university is Indebted to his generogity. Hospitals have known his kindness. He has left his stamp and his name upon fhis State, ever to be remembered.” With ever broader credit the New York World rates him as ne of the builders of the new South,. and especially of the new North Carolina. That fortune did not “make him lose Interest in his na- tive sectiqn” Impresses the Spartan- so remarks t} brain to de outh and his out tho: burg Sun, which ‘he used his great ways of helping the fortune to carry icn to being a business heroic abi the N 3 rank as lanthrop- Worth Star-Tele his career: means bet- ist gram dec while the Fort res, in reviewd mones ( Ir These | States ph in the Carolin and 46 othe . are bound to benefit and financiall; | Suggesting that State has the | need of such men” the Memphis | News.S r holds that “the exam- ple of Mr. Du uld inspire men and women who are able to do so with i ender o service have no end.” * x % % Tis foresight was such,” in the opinion of the Albany Knickerbocker | Press, “that the greater part of that | which he established will go on func- | tioning to good of the | planter.” The thought | “fiivverized’ tobacco” is offered b Gr tapids Herald, while | distinction, according to the Sprix |field Republican, is a business | senius who began with nothing amid | the smoking ruins of the Confederacy way to the possession of 14 ch far beyvond his fame {as an industrial giant,” inspires the ement by the Shreveport Times America is the nd of opportu Blessed is the country which prod | men of the type of James B. Duke.” ther “pull” nor “luck” prciuc his success, as viewed by the Winstc | Salem Journ: which believes rovs and girls i the schoolroo: should hear the story of James T | chanan Duke again and again.” | Bulgars the Aggressors, Greek Spokesman Says To the Editor of The Star: Will you permit me to comment on { vour editorial in Friday's { titled, “The Bal Danger” : In this you refer to the Greek in- | vasion of Bulgarian soil but you do not refer to the fact that it was the Bulgarians who t crossed the frontier. Their retention of the Greek blockhouse No. 69, which is located in a rough mountainous district, con pelled the Greek commander to either recapture the blockhouse by direct attack, which would have caused the loss of many lives, or by turning the Bulgarian flank to make their position untenable. He chose the latter coursa and events have proven his wisdom. Had the Bulgarians promptly retired from Greek sofl, it is probable that jeven their brutal murder of a Greek officer, who endeavored to communi cate with them under the supposed protection of a flag of truce, might have been adjusted through diplo- matic channels. The surprising part of the’ wholo situation is the amount of space which | American newspapers have given to this litile fracas, while all of them ignored a much more important occur- rence which took place in Saloniki a few days previously, when the Greek government declared Saloniki a free port to be used by any and all Balkan states * for the shipment of goods, In- coming or outgoing, without restric- tions as to duties, right of seizure or right of search.” This action on the part of the Greeks was intended to allay friction in the Balkans and open the way for better understanding among the nations in that part of the world. Being a constructive attempt to promote peace It was not spectacu- lar and, therefore, not referred to by the Amerjcan papers. If the present difficulty will result in the suppression of the bandit bands who, making their headquarters in Bulgarian Macedonia, have been con- tinually raiding tHe Greek and Jugo- slavian frontiers, it will have a good effect upon the peace of that part of the world. B. P. SALMON, Dirgctor, Hellenic Information Bureaus