Evening Star Newspaper, November 4, 1925, Page 6

6 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY. .November 4, 1925 THEODORE W. NOYES...Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company 11 s R O vAnia, Av New Vork Office: 110 Fast 420 St. Chicago Ofce: Tower Building. ovean Office’ 18 Roent St.. London. England The Bvenine fnr edition. ix the city at 60 with the Sunday morn- red by earriers’ within Dar month only. 45 cents ‘per th: Sunday only. 20 cents per month_ Orders may he 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. Dally and Sunday....1yr.$R40: 1mo. aily onl. 138800 1 mo. Bunday on 15r.$2.40 70¢ All Other States. Pally and Sunday. .1 vr.. $1000: iy only. o0 i el Sunday oniy.". Member of the Associated ted Prees (e r‘(r'\;l‘\"!flv :‘:’:1 o ot atherwise ered At e hea eredited 10 1t o fed i (1 Taner iind pubtished Barein AT riehs of mun f amecfal ditpatchos hefein are ale0 reserved. “Slim Pickings.” Election results, from the standpoint of national politics, present “slim pickings.” The Democrats triumphed in the gubernatorial election in New Jersey and the mavoralty election in New York City. A Republican mayor has been chosen in Ioston, the first time since 1907, and one seemingly has turned the trick also in Louisville, Ky. In the only congressional elections held yesterday, to fill vacancles in the New Jersey and Kentucky delegation, the two major p: s split fifty-fifty. The Republicans won in the New Jer- sey district and the Democrats in the Kentucky. These districts “went” the same way in the elections last vear. The Democrats, it is expected, will take comfort out of the result of the New Jersey gubernatorial fight, since President Coolidge carried that State a year ago by about 370,000, and it is ac- clatmed a real feat to reverse this vote and b about a Democratic lead of some 40,000 votes for governor. Prop- erly speaking, however, the “wet” and “dry issue in New Jersey over- shadowed all other issues, and party lines were smashed to smithereens. New Jersey s voted ‘“‘wet” consist- ently in recent ye The Republican nominee for governor, State Senator Arthur N. Whitney, was jockeyed into the position of being the candidate of the Anti-Saloon League, and Harry A. Moore, the Democrat, ran on an out- and-out wet platform. New York City ran true to form. The expected happened there, as it did in New Jersey. State Senator James J. Walker, backed by Gov. Al Smith and Tammany, ran roughshod over the Republican, Frank D. Waterman, in the mayoralty race. It is nothing new for New York City to go Demo- cratic. Tndeed, a political earthquake would be required to change this re- sult. The triumph of Walker is re- garded as a triumph of Gov. Smith, another feather in his hat which will be thrown in the presidential ring in 1928, in all probability. In Detroit, in Buffalo and several other localities the campaigns were unfortunately fought to a considerable degree on racial and religious lines. The results, however, would indicate that efforts to make these issues of paramount importance have failed, and that the people are inclined to discount these efforts, against which President Coolidge and many other men of prominence in all political parties have set their faces. Taken by and large, the elections vesterday have indicated no real change in political sentiment through- out the country. —————. rs. Traffic Director Eldridge can sym- pathize with the numerous men of genius who have had all kinds of bril- liant ideas, but who were confronted with difficulty in convincing people that the ideas would work ———— Foot hall has not followed the ex- ample of base ball and provided itself with a “dictator.” The gentlemen in supreme authority when an emer- gency arises are the surgeon and the driver of the ambulance. No All-Winter Strike. Tndications that the anthracite strike, which started on the 1st of September and is now, therefore, in its tenth week, may last through the Winter are reported in a news article which was printed in yesterday's Stz It appears that intimations that the miners are willing to make overtures to the operators for a settlement have been vigorously denied. The mine owners have declared that this is the time to settle definitely the *“hold-ups” which they claim the union has folst- ed upon the purchasing public for more than two decades. Unless there is a weakening on one side or the other, therefore, the prospect is that the deadlock will last for several weeks longer. But a coal strike Winter is to be rated as almost impossible. would, despite the other fuels for anthracite, entail ter- rible suffering. Congress will meet within five weeks, and if the strike is not eettled by then, with cold weather at hand reserve stocks of an- thracite practically exhausted, a de- mand for legislative action will be heard. The Ist of December, indeed, may be regarded as the limit of time that these stubborn opponents, who are in control of a public necessity and by their inability to agree upon working terms are depriving the people of means of subsistence, can be permitted to protract the deadlock. In 1902, when on the 16th of October President Roosevelt inter- vened in the coal strike that had be- gun on the 12th of May, by appoint- ing a commission to investigate and settle the questions involved, a result was effected within five days. On the 21st of October a convention of coal mine workers held at Wilkes-Barre declared the strike at an end. The present season is two weeks further advanced, and the strike is stfll on. But the public suffering is not as throughout the s improbable, Such a strike substitution of keen because there is still coal to be had, there being more coal mined ana above ground on the 1st of September this year than there was within reach of consumers on the same date twent: three years ago. There is now enough | to last, It has been estimated, for about six weeks, not counting the stocks stored in cellars before the strike or soon after it began. Still, public suf- fering will be acute, notwithatanding the adoption of substitutes, when the severe temperatures of December are felt. Many thousands of people are unable to obtain other fuels than an- thracite. It is inconceivable, there- fore, that the strike should be permit- ted to go on indefinitely. However determined the mine own- may be to fight to a finish, and however stubborn the miners may be on thefr side, the public interest is dominant, and efther through a vield- ing to the pressure of opinion or to legislative action, this strike must be brought to an end shortly. Congres- sional action may take the form mere- ly of investigation, or it may go to the length of authorization of the President to take over and operate the mines for the public service pend- ing a definite settlement of the dis- pute. But talk of an all-Winter strike for the purpose of settling this lssue definitely is idle. An all-Winter strike would not settle the question definite- ly, and would not be tolerated even if such an end were possible. e Blinding Lights. Hearty co-operation should be given Traffic Director Eldridge by the police and the public in his effort to elimi- nate the blinding headlight menace, which is an inevitable result of the local regulation permitting bright lights on city streets. Washington, in some respec has a unique headlight code, although in the main it is patterned after the best practices in the States. It is unique in that bright lights are ordered for city use, whereas other citles seek to minimize the use of headlights in con- gested traffic. With 100 per cent enforcement there would be no weakness in the local regulation, as a properly adjusted light does not glare or blind. Motor- ist indifference and lack of police ac- however, combine to make this ideal state only visionary, as it is con- servatively estimated that more than 50 per cent of the automobile lights in this city are flladjusted and out of focus. Burdened with a law it can never enforce, the National Capital is faced with the problem of removing as much of the menace as possible from legis- lation which has placed it in this un- eviable position. In order to accomplish results the Police Department, from Maj. Hesse down, should constitute itself a unit for the elimination of glaring lights which nightly endanger the lives of thousands. Every policeman on the force should be allowed to take advan- tage of the offer of Maj. Carlson of the Bureau of Standards for headlight Instruction. And after he has had this instruction he should go out on the streets and make arrests. Two and three cases a week is a pitiful record for the Washington Po- lice Department out of a total of ap- proximately 40,000 blinding headlight users. Motorist co-operation can no longer be relied upon; the heavy hand er: of justice is needed to eliminate some of the hazard from’night driving in ‘Washington. Indifferent and careless motorists apprehended by the police should be given stif penalties in court. The display of glaring lights is not a minor traffic offense. Its seriousness cannot be exaggerated. It is a breed- er of accidents, a menace to the com- munity, and an indication of unfitness to operate an automobile in present- day congested traffic. ———r—. Prices have been offered for all kinds of scientific and philanthropic achievements. None of the awards for serious achievement arouses the de- monstrative enthusiasm that is dis- played toward the winner in a beauty contest. Despite the strides of civiliza- tion, human nature still has its gentle and primitive side. s Absolute and unqualified peace can- not be expected until the misunder- standings inevitably arising from a great war are Intelligently adjusted. In the meantime the investigations must proceed. —r——— A number of New York's famous comedians are flourishing as journalis- tic humorists. As our civilization in- tensifles, burnt cork is replaced with printers’ ink. ————— Hindenburg tactfully refrains from alluding to present bellicose demon- strations in connection with Ger- many’'s old contention that France is essentially a militaristic nation. ————————— Voting Machines. New York tried voting machines in vesterday's municipal election, and the present reports indicate that they were entirely successful in a correct recording of the wishes of the voters and fn a prompt return of the ballot. Within seven minutes after the close of the polls one of the election dis- tricts in which voting machines were used had reported the full ballot. In one Assembly district returns for the first candidates tabulated were avail- able in less than half an hour after the last vote was cast. The returns for all the candidates were completed early in the evening, many hours earlier than it is possible to return the vote from a district in which the ballots are counted by judges and re- corded by clerks. If the entire city had been equipped with voting ma- chines the complete vote would prob- ably have been a matter of record by 9 o'clock. Objections to voting machines have been based upon the possibility of mis- takes. Advocates of mechanical ballot recorders, however, point out that the machine makes fewer mistakes than are made on the manually prepared ballot. The ballot sheet in @ general election in a large city is a gigantic affair with many columns and many lines, scores of names involving a pro- cedure of selection that is subject to numerous mistakes. Ballots have been thrown out in great numbers because THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1925. of slight inadvertent slips of the mark- ing pencils. The chances in favor of correctness in the recording of the in- tent of the voter are altogther in favor of the machine. In this connection it may be sug- gested that the time has come for the adoption of some form of voting de- vice in the House of Representatives, where this improvement was proposed several sessions ago. At present, in the most favorable conditions, the roll call lasts about half an hour. It may run to three-quarters of an hour. It has been estimated that by the use of a mechanical voting device the will of the whole House can be recorded within ten minutes. Considering the number of roll calls taken in the course of a session it will be seen that the saving of time will amount to many days. In a single sitting of the House often as many as eight roll calls oceur, at a cost of from four to five hours, whereas with a mechanlcal recorder as many votes could be taken at a cost of a little more than one hour. This reform is certain to be adopted eventually. Why not now? S The Greatest of Adventures. Harry Pidgeon, fifty-four years of age, has just completed a solitary round-the-world journey of 38,000 miles in a homemade thirty-four-foot sailboat. He set sail from San Pedro, Calif., November 18, 1921, and re- turned to the same port almost four vears later. Pidgeon reports that he had a grand time, and with justice. He has done something to be proud of. He was not the first to do it, nor will he be last. And the beauty of it all is, he has not spoiled it for future aspirants. It is just as much a stunt to take a long, lone, safling voyage over the bounding main now as it was before Christ, and will be in the year 2925. The ocean does not change, and any man willing and able to undergo the thrill of conquering or eluding it with primitive craft will always find it ready to grapple with him, its ap- petite whetted to a keen edge. To quote the Sage of Archey Road, without holding strictly in his dialec “It wasn't intended to be traveled o you can put your foot through it any where; it's sloppy going at best. A man throws a horseshoe into it and the horseshoe sinks. This makes him cross, and he builds a boat of the same mate: it up with machinery on the billows and goes larking about them as easy as you please. And, if he didn’t go over on a large steel sk scraper he'd take a door off its hinges and go on that.” Some day all the wilderness trails may be tame ones. The forests may go. Aerial travel may be so safe as to be humdrum. The bhig game even of South Africa may be extinct. A footpath, wWith rest benches and oxygen filling stations may lesd to the very top of Mount Everest. But always, rolling and grumbling, -or coaxingly calm, will wait the “Old Gray Widow-maker,” tempting far out on its treacherous surface the cockle- shell craft of the human who still possesses the primitive craving for dangerous adventure and who lacks other means of its gratification. ———— So little has been said about “evolu- tion” of late that a comforting sus. picion arises that perhaps it does not make any real difference in the nor- mal relationships of humanity. e The Senate rules are certain to come up for consideration. In the mean- time the traffic rules will have the un. divided attention of Washington, D. C. — r——— It the Navy Department was de- sirous of aviation publicity there is no doubt that the wish has been abun- dantly fulfilled. ———— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, Music. A ton of coal On the cellar floor— 1 heard it roll With a romping roar. The phonograph And the radio Aroused a laugh 'Mid melodic flow. But my weary soul ‘Was delighted more By that ton of coal On the cellar floor. Power of Publicity. “Do you believe in the Baconian theory?"” “No,” answered Senator Sorghum. “I don’t know anything about it, but Shakespeare evidently has the most friends. What's the use of fighting a man who has his name on all the bill- boards?" Unself in Bi The man who always wants the best Of every small affair Will doom himself to sad unrest Amid a life of care. It's wrong to play a selfish trick In any form of biz. It you get yours, you must not kick ‘When some one clse gets his. Jud Tunkins says woman demon- strates her superiority to man by the way she sits impatiently, but in com- fort, while old friend husband puts on the spare tire. Letting Well Enough Alone, “Do you admire Florida?"” “Very much,” answered Miss Cay- enne. “Can’t I sell you a lot?"” “No. You salesmen make yourselves so agreeable that I should regret hav- ing to replace you by the gentlemen whose duty it is to collect the pay- ments.” Fighting the Cold. The Arctic explorer grows weary of soul And what he thought hardship seems fun, As he turns from the Pole and comes home where the coal Is Seventeen Dollars per ton. “De longer a word is,” sald Uncle Eben, “de more I feels kind o’ flattered for bein' given credit wif mebbe knowin' what it means,” as a million horseshoes, loads | pushes it out | Shaving Uncle And Saving BY WILLIAM ARTICLE VL Time was when a Government con- tract was the thing least desired by American business firms. The Gov- ernment for generations has been a sharp and crochety customer. Through cunningly devised contract forms, it has nailed the height of more than one business man to its door. Not only has it been exceedingly hide- bound in its dealings, but its pay has been execrable In its slowness, That is the way it used to be— but today the tale is different. An- other one of those interminable Bud et Bureau boards—the Interdepart mental Board of Contracts and Adjust- ments, headed by Gordon A. Ramsay, a Chicago lawyer, and working under the supervision of Gen. H. C. Smither, chief co-ordinator, Bureau of the Bud’ get—has turned the Government con- tract of old inside out, purged it of its iniquities, washed it clean and sent it forth anew to the accompani ment of peals of rejoicing on the part of virtually every private business agency dealing with Uncle Sam. * ok K % Within the fiscal year 1925 this long. named board, with 30 Government em ployes as its members, met b4 times and w e final revised drafts of the following standard contract forms: Standard form of Government vitation for bid: ndard Government form of bid. Standard instructions to biddery Standard form of Government' con- tract for construction work. Standard form of Government con- tract for supplies. Standard form of Government bid bond Standard form of Government per- formance bond. Since it organized, back {n 19 the board has held 192 meetings and s virtually rewritten almost the entire structure of Federal contr: In addition it has simpltied am the procedure of consulting th ous laws enacted during nearly years to safeguard the Government in its contractual relations. These laws for the first time have been brought within the compass of a single publication, clarified by ex- natory notes and citations from court and other decisions, and made | both homogeneous and intelligible to | the laymen in the Government ser-| in- A notable work ha aplifying afforded by filustration of what this complished in the way of Government business is the of the deal be- nt and private 16 so-called Navy | for the Coast ¢ Let the admiral | of the Coast Guard, ederick C. 1, tell the story. Here is what contractors t “We contracted for a considerable number of patrol boats—not the entire number that we contemplated build- ing, because we wanted, first, to get a line on how they would turn out. When we came to call for bids for the additional patrol boats we found that the bidders on the original boats came in on the new bids enthusiastic- ally and. somewhat to our surprise, quoted us very favorable figures, in some cases lower than thair bids on the first boats. “We feared that some might make an effort to raise their prices. but nothing of this sort occurred. Inter- views with the bidders developed the fact that their relations with the Coast juard in building the first boats had been so pleasant and they were so pleased at getting prompt payment: under the terms of the contracts and the whole situation had been so Sam’s Dollars His Dimes P. HELM, JR. satisfactory all around, that they wanted more Coast Guard business. “This was very gratifying to us, because, as you know, it 1s not always the attitude that business men have toward Government business. They were particularly impressed, appar- ently, with the fact that under the new contract form and through the prompt and efficient action of our offico, they recefved their payments promptly, as all business men dealing with the Government should.” ok oKk This s not all, of course, that the board expects to accomplisii. in the words of Chairman Ramsay: “I have referred to the new public contract law as drafted by a com mitteo of the board. The draft of this proposed contract law, entitled ‘A bill to establish uniform procedure in the making of Government contracts,’ was submitted to the heads of departments ind establishments for comment and suggested amendments, and it is ex ccted that the revised draft of this bill will be ready bmission to “ongress at its session in December. 9 e are approximately 225 stat- ates relating to Government conti i accumulation of years of legisla: ion, prescribing different formalitie nd different methods of procedure to be complied with by the various de- partments and establishments of the Giovernment, thus rendering unt formity of contract procedure impos- sible in many cases. This proposed ill conists of 24 sections and is de- signed to simplify and make uniform Government contract procedure while r ining such safe ds as experi- ence has shown to be necessary. The necessity and importance of legislation of this character to estab lish uniform contract procedure and still further to improve the Govern- ment’s contractual relations cannot be overemphasized.” * X x % Mr. Ramsay, in his memorandum to the Bureau of the Budget, has this to sy concerning the new standard con- tract forms listed above: ie board first prepared tentative drafts of the construction and supply cont ct forms with instructions to bidders and subm ed them to lead- ing contractors, architects and engiy neers, and to the ads of Govern- t departments d establishments, comment and constructive eriti- work of the beard dur- r has been chie de- n of those te ative of the criticism re- opening for 1 is confidently believed that the titution of thi standard forms for the hundreds of similar forms now n use will greatly improve the Gov- ent's contractual relations, as indicated by the comments of con tractors. ‘In an earlier report to the Bureau of the Budget I stated that if business men, through a betterment of con- tract conditions by the adoption of a more simple and equitable contract along the lines of business procedure. can be induced to do more business with their Government, there will be more bids and better competition, re sulting in lower contract prices and substantial savings. “In dr: £ these forms the boarg has simplified the language, eliminated many of the unfair and inequitable provisions of existing Government contract forms, and endeavored to fol- low commercial practice so far as the The wisdom of this " been demonstrated by the United States Cc Guard in the con- struction of its patrol fleet.” (Covyrizht. 1925.) WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Senator Sm W. Brookhart, Re- publican, of Towa has asked Senator Ernst of Kentucky, chairman of the Senate subcommittée on elections, to call an early meeting of the commit- tee and formulate a report on the Brookhart-Steck contest. Brookhart and his Democratic rival are both anx- jous to have matters cleared up in 7e for a decision by the time Con- gress assembles in December. As a result of the recount of the ballots in the Iowa senatorial election of 1924, some 8,800 ballots were laid aside as contestable votes. About 6,500 of these were originally counted for Brookhart, and about 2,300 for Steck. Nine different classes of protest are in- volved, and the ballots haye now to be classified according to thenature of the protest applicable to each indi- vidual vote. What the Ernst sub- committee mainly has to decide is whether ballots evidently intended as “straight Republican ticket” votes, but on which Brookhart's name was not specially marked, can be credited to him. The Hawkeye radical is confi- dent things will turn out in his favor. Counting all protested votes for both candidates, Brookhart figures he is 68 ahead. i e ok Vice President Dawes s in the midst of a speechmaking swing which be- gins at Indlanapolis November 5 and winds up in New York on November 14. The Senate rules, the favorite bal- lad in the Dawes repertoire, will be the burden of his song. Following the engagement before the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Gen. Dawes will hold forth before the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce on November 6. On the evening of November 7 the Vice President will be the guest of the Western College for Women at Ox- ford, Ohfo. The president of thatin- stitution, Dr. W. W. Boyd, was a class- mate of Dawes at Marletta. Senator Charles S. Deneen of Illinois, who has evidently been won over to Dawes’ Senate reform cause, will accompany him across Indlana and Ohlo. The party_also will include Mrs. Dawes, Mrs. Deneen and Mrs. Medill McCor- mick, who is now leading the anti- World Court campaign among Repub- lican women. Senators Watson and Robinson will attend the Indianapolis meeting, and Senators Willis, Fessand Ernst have been invited to hear the Senate flayed at Cincinnati. * K Kk ok Foot ball will take Dr. Willlam M. Jardine, Secretary of Agriculture, back to the campus of the Kansas State Agricultural College, at Manhattan, on November 14. That's the institution from which President Coalidge drafted Jardine into the cabinet. The Secretary wants to attend the Aggies’ annual big game with the University of Nebraska. Jardine once was a husky gridiron warrior himself. In his days at the Agricultural College of Utah, 21 years ago, he was a mightly fullback, slim, dark, hard youngster, standing 5 feet 10 inches, and weighing 165 pounds. Jardine was not only as fleet as a deer, but brought to college the brawn developed during four years of cow herding and bronco-busting in the Big Hole country, where he rode the range. Like Herbert Hoover, Jardine married a co-ed whom he met and wooed while they were classmates. So Mrs. Jardine will be at Manhattan rooting for the Aggies, too. * k¥ K One of Italy’s distinguished journal- ists, Signor Luigi Barzini, is in Wash- ington to report the Volpl debt mis- sion’s activities. Barzinl won world- wide fame as the special correspondent of his country’'s principal newspaper, Corriere della Serra, of Milan, which sent him to the Washington armament conference in 1921. He became so fond of American life that he decided to make our country his home. Three ars ago he founded Corrlere America illustrated daily tab- lold newspaper in New York, which already has a eirculation of more than 70,000 among Manhattan Island's 850,- 000 sons and daughters of Italy. Bar- zinl participated in the celebrated Paris-to-Peking automobile flight around the world in 1907. Previously he had “covered” the Russo-Japanese war. During the World War he was Italy’s foremost correspondent with his country’s armies. I America’s second woman diplomat, Miss Pattie H. Fleld, has just taken up her duties abroad, as vice consul at the United States consulate general at Amsterdam. Miss Lucile Atcherson, now at the legation in Switzerlan was the first woman Uncle Sam ever sent to a foreign diplomatic post. Miss Field is the first of her sex to be sta- tloned at a consular post. A petite and pretty young Coloradan, she ran true to the form said to be typical of her kind by getting what she wanted. In the midst of her examinations for the foreign service, Miss Field was asked what country she would choose to serve in, if she had her choice, and why. “The Netherlan: he promptly rejoined, ‘‘because it's ruled by a wom- an.” That's where the State Depart- ment sent her. * ¥ x % Another “pal” of Calvin_Coolidge’s days in the Massachusetts Legislature will comer to Washington with the Sixty-ninth Congress. He is Representative Joseph W. Mar- tin, jr., of the fifteenth Bay State con- gressional district. 1In private life Mr. Martin is manager and editor of the North Attleboro Evening Chronicle, published in his native town. Martin began his newspaper career at the tender age of 7 as a newsboy. It be- came one of his lifetime ambitions to be the owner of the paner he now controls. Although one of the young- er men in Massachusetts politics, he ranks as @ leader in his neck of the woods. For nine years Martin has served in the State Legislature, and since 1921 he has been executive sec- retary of the Republican State com- mittee. When Coolidge was president of the Massachusetts Senate, he and the voung Attleboro editor became close friends, * ok ok % Senator Henrik Shipstead of Minne- sota, Farm-Labor’s sole guardsman in Congress, has arrived in Washington for a month of scouting before the session. One of his first calls was on “Young Bob” La Follette, for whom Shipstead made speeches in the recent Wisconsin senatorial campaign. Ship- stead was an idolatrous admirer of the late Senator La Follette, upon whom the young Minnesota statesman looked as a political grandfather. When agricultural relief, which is to be consplcuous during the forthcoming sesslon, is under discussion Shipstead will be heard from. He has spent the past six months in almost daily con. tact with the farmers of Minnesota and claims they are far from contented with “Coolidge prosperity.” The “omnipotence of big business at Wash. ington,” according to Shipstead, is what lies most heavily upon the farm- er's soul. (Copyright, 1925.) Some Will Be Right. From the Des Moines Evening Tribune. Some weather observers predict a mild Winter, while others declare it will be unusually severe. So now we can sit back and expect one or the other. A Politics at Large By G. Gould Lincoln Alfred Emmanuel Smith, more popu- larly “Al” Smith, Governor of the great State of New York, is admittedly the blg outstanding figure in Demo- cratic circles today. Unless some other stalwart Democrat springs forth com- pletely armored prior to 1928, Al Smith .1s going into the Democratic natfonal convention with a huge batch of votes for the presidential nomina- tion. The feeling that the Democratic party must recognize the New York Governor; that as a vote getter he would be more potent than any other man they might put forward is grow- ing stronger as the months pass by. This notwithstanding the terrible and devastating row that occurred in the last Democratic natfonal convention, in which the candidacy of Gov. Smith | was used to “stop” Willlam Gibbs Mc- Adoo. This feeling is permeating the arid West and even the South., Demo- crats who even a few months ago were demanding that Smith and McAdoo both fade from the picture and permit some other Democrat to be the stand- ard bearer, are today discussing seri- ously the advisability of giving the governor a try-out. * kX % Without a marked change in the situ- ion, or unless the popularity of Gov. Smith should wane in New York, the positions of Gov. Smith and Mr. Me- Adoo will be reversed in the 1928 con- vention, provided, of course, Mr. Me. Adoo i5 a factor at all. In 1924 Smith and his votes were used as a kind of dam to stop the onward rush of Mc- Adoo. Tn 1928 $mith will be the man who has to be halted, provided there is a group which desires to halt him. And he is going to be a hard man to halt. The old two-thirds rule govern- ing Democratic national conventions is still in effect, and, although proposals have been put forward that it be abro- gated, it is doubtful that such a course will be adopted. This rule militated against the chances of Mr. McAdoo in New York, and it will make it difficult for Gov. Smith in 1928. The Smith followers say that the governor would carry New York and New Jersey, Rhode Island, Delaware, and and perhaps Connecticut in Sast; that the solid South would the Democratic ticket and vould get many votes in the dle West and West, particularly in Missourd, Ohio, Illinols and Wisconsin. Gov. Smith would not run on a ‘‘wel tcket. He wouldn’t have to. The so- called liberals would be there with bells on if he were nominated on any kind of a platform. Furthermore, it is the thought in some quarters that the Democratic war chest would be more ifully supj with mone if the Governor of York w the nominee than has been the case in recent vears. There is the reverse side of the shield, too, on which is written that because of religious prejudice Gov. Smith could never be nominated and, if nominated, could never be elected. But many Democrats are coming round to the opinion that he could get more electoral votes than any other man whom they might put up. * *x x % ding to Democratic leaders now ington, is to be made the outstanding issue in the next campaign. The Democrats have about decided that there is little to be gained in the tax-reduction problem, and that they will go along with the Republic ans, generally speaking, on the tax- reduction_ bill, which will be put through Congress as rapidly as pos- sible after that body meets. There will, of course, be differences in detail, some of them important, between the Demo- crats and the Republicans. But tax reduction as a campaign issue is not likely to figure largely, it is said, un- less ‘some unexpected development oc- curs. But the tariff, over which the Re- publican and Democratic spellbinders have so often “torn their shirts” in the past, is another thing. Indeed, the Democrats of the ways and means committee of the House are already planning for the introduction during the coming sesslon of a series of bills proposing to amend vitally some of the existing Republican tariff schedules, lowering the present rates materially. Separate bills will be in- troduced dealing with the sugar schedule, the textile schedule, the aluminum and the steel schedules and perhaps others. These bills, of course, will not be put through. They will not be reported out of the wavs and means committes. The new House is overwhelmingly Republican. But the Democrats will discuss them and seek to focus public attention on what they term the iniquities of the Republican Fordney-McCumber tariff law. It is likely that a resolution will be presented to the committee by the Democrats favoring the overhaul- ing of the entire tariff. This, too, will be only a gesture, since the Re- publican administration apparently is bent on leaving the tariff alone in the coming session of Congress. * x % President Coolidge carried Maryland a vear ago handily, but the Republic- ans of that State are on the verge of a split that may make the election of a Democratic Senator next year about as sure as can be. Open war- fare on the candidacy of Senator Weller, who must stand for re-elec- tion, has heen declared by the anti- Weller faction. Representative John Philip Hill is brewing most of the trouble for Senator Weller. Mr. Hill last week filed a certificate of candl- dacy for the Republican senatorial nomination, to be held in Maryland September, 1926. Mr, Hill spent a 0od part of the congressional recess anvassing sentiment in the State, and his_certificate was filed immedi ately following a conference of anti- Weller leaders in Baltimore, including the Republican national committee- man, Willlam P. Jackson, and former Senator Joseph I. France. The Democrats have still to select a candidate for the senatorial nomi- nation. Gov. Ritchie, who is very popular throughout the State, could have the nomination for the asking. There is still doubt as to whether he will prefer to succeed himself as gov- ernor. He can have either nomina- tion he desires. Incidentally, Gov, Ritchie is Maryland's favorite son for the presidential nomination in 1928, and the decislon between the gover- norship and the senatorship may be influenced by this ambition. * ok ok ok Arthur R. Robinson, sopubllmn recently appointed by Gov. Jackson of Indlana Senator in place of the late Senator Ralston, will make a Senator of whom the Hoosler State may be justly proud, in the opinion of Jerry A. Mathews, formerly sec- retary to the late Senator and Vice President Fairbanks of Indiana. Mr. Mathews, who was for years a news- paper man and political observer in ‘Washington, retains a keen interest in Indlana politics. “Arthur R. Robinson, named by Gov. Jackson of Indiana as Senator,” says Mr. Mathews, “will be found to be a normal person, free of political heresies or freakish performance. He has been recognized as of Senate stature in Indiana for some time past, and any discussion concerning suc- cession in that office, elective or ap- pointive, in recent vears has always included his name as an outstanding eligible. He will bring to bear in his service here a well trained legal mind and a fidelity of purpose and devo- tion to American ideals that will give him a ranking place In that body from the start. I feel certain that he will fully justify the confidence reposed In Bim by Gov. Jackson.” The tariff, ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. What are some of the rules to follow for burning coke?—C. A. R. A. Carry a deep bed of fuel—a bed about 18 inches thick gives best re- sults. Use very little draft after the fire is started and keep it always under control. Do mnot stir the fuel. Clean the fire in the morning, if pos- sible. Use sized coke—one-half to two inches for furnaces, boilers and stoves; one-half to four Inches for open grates. Do not allow ashes to accumulate in the ash pit. Q. Do men or women think more quickly when driving an automobile and an emergency arises—C. S. A. According to tests recently made by Dr. F. A. Moss of George Wash- ington University and H. H. Allen of the United States Bureau of Stand- ards in which 26 men and 10 women were put through a serles of tests it was found that the average reaction time of the women was (.66 seconds and that of the men 0.69 seconds, and the average variability of the women 0.17 seconds and that of the men 0.22 seconds. Q. What Amerifcan birds can be kept in cages?—T.Y McK. A. The Biological Survey says that no native birds are allowed to be kept in captivity, although imported species are allowed to be confined in aviaries. Q. How many flights has the Los Angeles made?—A. M. A. It has made about 30 flights with its American crexw. Q. How many negroes are there in North America?—T. F. A. The Negro Yearbook says that there are 17,777,000 members of the colored race on this continent. Q. Will a tank float better filled with air or if it contains a vacuum? —F. 8. A. The tank will float beter with a vacuum Inside it, provided it does not leak or implode. The vacuum sub- jects it to an added outside pressure of 14.7 pounds per square inch, and reduces its weight about 1-13 pound per cuble foot. Q. From what kinds of metal was the framework of the Shenandoah made?’—B. B. B. A. It was of duralumin, a compo- sition of aluminum, copper and man- ganese, which has a tensile strength of mild steel and is only one-third of its weight. Q. In what States are Christmas trees grown?—H. E. A. The New England States and New York are doubtless the leading States in Christmas tree production Spruce, firs and pines are classed as Christmas trees. The Norway spruce is perhaps the favorit: Q. How many the American Dental McK. B. R. A. The association is made up of a group of nearly 40,000 dentlsts. Q. What will keep cider sweet?— J. D. A. Apple cider may be kept from becoming hard by adding one-tenth of 1 per cent of benzoate of soda. If the cider is to be sold, the benzoate of soda content must be declared upon the label. Q. Is it warmer to wear two rather thin undergarments in the Winter or one thick one?’—R. T. A. Two thin garments are warmer than one thick one, because the air between them is a poor conductor of heat. ’ Association?— Q. When were the clipper ships Dreadnought, Red Jacket and Comet built?—H. A. M. A. The Dreadnought was built in 1853, the Red Jacket in 1853-54 and the Comet in 1851 Q. _Give some information concern- ing Canadian foreign trade—C. R. T. A. Canada's forelgn trade now places her among the first six nation of the world, a place which she ha: won not only by the export of her vast annual grain crops, but also as a manufacturing nation. In the year ending August 31, 1925, the exports of the Dominfon reached a value of $1,130,758 Q. Is it true that wheat turns to cheat?—K. D. H. A. Cheat, or brome grass, the trou- blesome weed found in wheat flelds, is a perennial grass. The seeds re- tain their vitality for a long time and frequently appear in grain flelds where from some cause the cereal Qentists belong to | has been destroyed. To this fact the somewhat common bellef that “wheat turns to cheat” {s to be at- tributed. There {s no foundation for such an idea. Q.. Why was October 27 observed as Navy day?—W. B. C. A. This date marked the 150th an- niversary of the founding of the Unit- ed States Navy. On October 27, 1775, a special committee presented a bill to .n Continental Congress, providing for the construction of the first ships of the Navy. Q. How are furs glazed?—F. G. M. A. Furs are glazed by dipping a soft brush in cold water and brush- ing in the way of the fur. Allow to dry without handling. Q. What country began the sclen- tific mapping of the winds of the world 7—D. T. A. This was begun in Germany at the beginning of the nineteenth cen- tury. England end America soon adopted the custom of mapping the winds. Q. Is there a memorial to Louis' Hemon in Canada?—K. T. A. A. The memory of the author of “Marfa Chapdelaine” is honored by a tablet erected at Chapleau, where he and a companion were killed by a train. The monument to the young French writer is in the yard of the school at Peribonka. It was erected by the Soclete des Arts, Sclences et Lettres de la Province de Quebec. Q. Of all the tea that comes into this country each year, how much is refused ?—C. H. A. In 1923, of the 96,267,920 pounds examined, 7,104 pounds were re- jected, or .29 per cent. In 1918 there were pounds rejected, but this was but 158 per t of the amount examined first used the phrase ces over which I have no) control”?—R. C. K. A. According to varfous authori- ties, 1t was first used by the Duke of lington, with reference to some business complication with which his son was mixed up in 1839 or 1540. Charles Dickens, however, popular- ized the saying using it in “David Copperfiel Q. What will waterproof the soles —D. M. V. rnish s the best thing e soles of shoes. The be thoroughly dry, and whould to_apply to hould previou before Q. | zation A. Am tng_ by point of prectate and life in Americ Q the Baltimore-Washington Speedway? M. B. L. A. The race was run on July 11 and Paolo’s average speed was 123.33 miles per hour. Toward the end of the race, when McDonogh was pressing him hard for passing, his speed aver- aged better than 131 miles per hour for a distance of 10 mil The higl est speed attained was approximatel 135 or 136 n per What was t Q. In what form is —W. A. B. A." The Geological Survey most platinum is found placer deposits and in Some is found in ores in some of the mines in the yellow pine districts of ada, also in the Rambler mine in Wyoming. As much or more than 60 per cent of the platinum content is taken from the ore. platinum fo The Star Information Bureau an- swers questions in a hundred fields —sclence, business, politics, Govern- ment, history, the household and as many other phases a complete enum- eration of subjects giving an adequate idea of the scope and range in which the bureau can serve you. Al ques tions are answered in a reliable and authoritative way—by referring them to ezperts. What do you want to know? What guestion can the bu- reau answer for you? There is no charge to the service except 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Ad- dress Frederic J. Haskin, director, The Star Information Bureaw, Twen- ty-first and C streets mnorthwest, Washington, D. . “Flapper” May Be “Modern.” But Will She Be Changed? The campaign undertaken by the Camp Fire Girls of America to banish the term “flapper” and adopt “mod- ern” in its place has been received by the public with varying emotions. There is disagreement over the popu- lar name for the modern young wom- an, which pleases many who do not concede that it has an implication that that is “odious and unfair.” The prediction that “the death knell of the ‘flapper’ has been sound- ad” is quoted by the Charlotte Ob- server. The importance of the Na- tion-wide effort of the Camp Fire Girls “to wipe out the use of a term” on the ground that it is “odious and un- Zair,” is emphasized by the Observer through citing the fact that 160,000 voung women are enlisted in the “latest war of the twentleth cen- tury.” ‘While the Topeka Capital lacks en- thusiasm for the proposed change on the ground that “‘modern’ is a rela- tively dumb word, far from descrip- tive of the young person, and ‘flapper’ has a sparkle of life and character, if not a connotation of understand- ing and affection,” yet it:concedes that “if the Camp Fire Girls of Amer- ica feel differently and demand their rights of dignity and justice, they probably will win.” The Capital adds: “The Camp Fire Girls, in any case are to be congratulated. They are one of the multitude of ‘modern’ organiza- tions that now have a cause, a boon to any civic group in these days of organizing first and looking around for an object later. They have some- thing specific to yell, eat and sing for. It {s no mean achievement. It is n great thing for any ambitious civic group to have an object.” * ok ¥ K “It is a fact,” admits the Great Falls Tribune, “that the word has come to acquire a slight flavor that is offensive s implying a light and thoughtl young person, but the word itself does not carry that meaning. A flapper is one that flaps instead of flying. It was first applled to young birds that were learning to fly. But we are not surprised that the girls do not fancy the term. It does carry a lack of dig- nity with its use. So let us call them ‘moderns,’ as they wish to be called, and the modern girl is just as pretty and attractive as the girls of other days; just as good in every way, and a good deal more independent and capable of spreading her wings and taking a flight into the world than the girls of a generation ago were.” “The Camp Fire Girls,” remarks the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, “say that tha word flapper gives too much the idea of a vain and light-headed per- son. They would claim that the ma- Jority of girls do not have such char- acteristics, The term does have an unpleasant suggestion, and it is often unfairly applied to young women IS whose behavior is correct and who are charming girls in every respect. It is unchivalrous and discourteous thus to make fun of them because of their inexperience.” In the opinion of the Rock land Argus, however, “the American young woman has herself to blame if she is disgusted with the use of the word ‘flapper,’ for she wanted to be known as a flapper and called one, or she would not have resorted to the styles that have seized her sex in recent years.” * ok ok % ““As a matter of fact,” according to the Bridgeport Post, “the term ‘flap per’ s innocuous. It conveys to the average mind an impression of a sweet young thing, quite irresponsible and all the more interesting on this ac. count. If the Camp Fire Girls really want to purge the 1925 vocabulary of the meaningless and hideous appella tions applied young women, let them declare war on ‘shebas,’ ‘red-hot mammas’ and other obnoxious terms They may call themselves ‘moderns, but the world will still know them as ‘flappers’ and rejoice that they exist.” “We suppose the Camp Fire Girls,” says the Vancouver Dail Province, “will do anvthing they have set their capable young hands to, but if we had any influence with them we should urge them not to renounce the name of ‘flapper.’ We have to confess that this name has become endeared to us by its associations. We like to see these gay and courageous young crea. tures, even if we can see them only through the spectacle of age and so phistication and a certain disillusion ment with life. They have brought something plucky and free-stepping and generous into the world with them. Youth w always charming. but the flapper—vyes, we make this high claim for her—has added & new charm to youth. We think of her, bobbed hair and all, as of a creature of light and color who, for those who have eaten perforce of the sour grapes of war, appears as the embodiment of youth and hope.” * ¥ ¥ % As to the word itself, the Greensboro Record_explains that “it was tardily adapted from the English” and was derived by them “from the word used by sportsmen and duck hunters to describe a young duck just beginning to try its immature pinions”; it was stolen by us “after it had been about worn out”; we “distorted its meaning, which was not originally flippant or offensive, and now we've about run it into the ground by overuse, inapt and {nappropriate application of it.” The Record concludes: “Flapper has about had fts day and will soon be rele- gated to the limbo of forgotten things, cast into the diseard, so to speak; and the Camp Fire Girls may spare them. selves the exertion of a campaign against 18" )