Evening Star Newspaper, November 13, 1925, Page 6

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6 THE EVENING STAR ‘With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C FRIDAY... THEODORE W. NOYES...Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company 11 5 Bl Offcec ta St_and Pennevivania Ave Wew York Office: 110 Eaet 42nd St. Chicago Office. Tower Building European Office i8 Recent St.. Loridon, neland The Frening S with the Sunday morn. fng edition. ivered by carriers’ within its per month th: Sund: « ‘may e 00 Collect of each mon! ents 1 is made by [ telephone Main : carrier at the end Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dally and Sunday. .. S84 aily only ... .. sS40 Sunday only. . $2.40: All Other States. Daily and Sunday. $10.00: Dail» only. ... £7.00 Sunday only.".".". $3.00 1ar. Sy el Member of the Associated The Associate fo the i patches fted published her of spacial disn Press is exclusively entit] ication of all news di it otherwise cr of publica e alro roserved tehes 1 - — Ttaly Settles. Negotiations the funding of Ttaly’s war debt to the United States have been The congratulations of should go to the commissioners rep- resenting the United States and Italy Their task was no me Len- fence toward Italy, whose finances admittedly have been in bad tlon, and justice to the United States, whose were prime essentials for cessfully: completed both nations n or situa- is involved, In the settle- ment announced yesterday both of these elements have been given con sideration. Ttaly is the third largest war debtor of the United States, only the debts of Great Britain and France exceed- ing hers. The principal of the Itallan debt, the amount actually advanced fo Ttaily, $,000,000. With terest to date this debt has become 2,188,000.000. Under the terms of the debt settlement now adopted Italy is to pay to the United States a total of $2,407,000,000 over a period of six- ty-two vears. ©oncessions have bheen to taly in the matter of early payments, Which be small, in the matter of interest, which will amount to one-half one per cent For the first vears Italy will pay to the United States §3,000,000 annually. Thereafter the paym creased until in the 1 of the debt settlement period will pay $80,000.000 each year. has been the guiding factor in the settlement The American War Debt Commission has been fully informed in this re- gard. From the first it has been derstood that the United States 1a deal as fairly and as leniently as pos- sible with all its debtors with whom it w assoclated during the World War. Such is the treatment that has been accorded to Great Britain, to Belgium, on down the line until Italy has been If the terms Italy are easier than the terms to other debtor nations, it is because of the understanding both here and abroad that Ttaly's capacity to pay the huge debt is today not so great. Doubtless the proposals made by this country to Italy and to France will be the subject of comparison, and it will be found that the terms offered Italy were lenient than those offered Fr But the capacity of France and Italy to meet these obli- gatlons is vastly different. France has become the possessor of rich re- sources and territory, of coal and iron, result of the Ver: treaty, which Italy has not. Fra reparations from also sreatly in exce be pald to Ttaly. The settlement negotiated with Italy must still be ratified by the Italian government and by the Congress of the United States. A measure of erfticlsm may be expécted before the ratific is completed, but dent prediction is made that both will accept the terms now laid down The funding of Ttaly's war debt to the United States will be followed by a similar arrangement of Ttaly debt to Great Britain, and it Is ex- pected by further negotiations of the French debt to the United States Slowly but surely the tangle of world finances growing out of the war and the huge international debts and reparations is belng straightened out The step taken here by the Italian ind American War Debt Commiss is by no means one of the le: rd this desired end. Great Brit- aln several vears ago set her Euro- pean allies an example. Her debt to the United States was funded. Her credit has soared. Her financial sta- bility has increased. These other na- tlons, as they fund their debts, may look forward also to greater credit and greater stability. Italy came to the United States not a8 a bargainer but rather as a debtor cknowledging her obligation and of- fering to do her utmost to settle it. Her attitude from the first gave hope that a settlement would be reached. RS A number of Italian citizens are weary of Mussolini, not apparently because of disagreement with his pur- Dposes, but hecause they think he has had fame enough for one man. ————— The Freeing of Dr. Blazer. The virtual acquittal of Dr. Harold Blazer, in Colorado, of the murder of his fmbecile daughter will doubtless be generally approved. Sentiment fa- vorable to him has been evoked by the trial, which developed a pitiable condition in his home. The daughter, 34 years of age, was hopelessly crip- pled and mindless, incapable of any normal action, utterly dependent upon others, unresponsive, a mere clod of Lumanity. After years of care of this creature, the defendant, himself af- fiicted by partial blindness, gave his daughter poison which caused her death, Was he guilty of murder in the eyes of the law? Eleven of the twelve jurors answered in the nega- tive, and in epcless disagreement— people’s money is $1 in- made are to and about of nts will be in- seven years Italy Ttaly's capacity to pay wor reached to more ance as Germany are s of those which will on confi- .November 13, 1925 - { the presence of thi though it was reported that a vote of lacquittal was possible within a short time—they announced their Inability to render a positive verdict, and the { defendant has now been freed of the { charges. The gravest responsibility rests upon those who care for the hope- |lessly deranged or physically disabled. If they cannot themselves endure the strain of this care they should place their charges in institutions. The miserable creature who almost from { birth had been defective should have been so placed as soon as the hope- of became apparent. | But parents relinquish hope slowly They always think there will be a turn for the better. They are the last to realize the fact hat their offspring cannot be made normal. The habit of care becomes fixed and cannot be changed. The parental instinct of pro- tection is stronger than reason. In this case the condition had lasted for nearly thirty-four years, from the infancy of the daughter. As long as the mother lived there was evidently no thought of her destruction. It was after the mother's death that mindless, helple { monstrosity became intolerable to the {father. The law has now in effect said that his killing of her was not murder, and that pronouncement will ed by a majority of it is a dangerous | lessness cure only probably be indor the people. And vet, Precedent to set The judgment the hasis of orm a safe and discretion e close at hand do | the taking of b | There is a wide @ on the score of the destruction of the hopelessly imbecile children, whose lives can never ier than burdens | upon others, of no value whatever to 1 soclety and constant cause of ex. pense and care. Some hold that it is | rignt and destrable that they should {be mercifully put to death. Others {hold that no condition justifies the {taking of life, however fragmentary and faulty the form in which the spark of life remains. But surely it there fs warrant for the elimination of the unfit it should not be left to the judgment of one person, and es- pecially that one who is directly af- fected. This unfortunate man in Colo- rado, assuming that he was consclous of his act, constituted himself judge, jury and executioner. The law for- bade him taking that life. But the law has now forgiven him. The quest of moment this decision will encourage others to take the same chance on the plea of mercy in rid- ding themselves of hopeless brances for wman life. Yerence of opinion a is whether incum- Check Up Motorist Addresses! Tr a snag in his endeavor plan whereby the flic Director Eldridge has struck to work out a correct address of J('u-h motorist in Washington will be listed at the District Buildin, In the belief that a large percentage of the addresses on file at the traffic office are inaccurate, Mr. Eldridge | requested the Commissioners and the | Police Department to aid him in mak- |ing a recheck by a system of 1925 tag distribution throughout the various precincts. The policemen, on deliver- ing the registration card and tag, would in this way be able to certify to the address. Apparently without reason, or at least without making public a reason, |the Commissioners have turned down the application. Regardless of whether the plan was feasible or not, it would seem that little encourage- ment was offered the traffic director in remedying a serious defect in the present licensing arrangement. The importance of District authori- ties being able to “pick up” a motor- ist by means of his number and ad- dress can hardly be exaggerated. A license number is a motorfst's badge of identity. If, however, this identity is cloaked behind a false address there is little likelthood of his apprehension in case of a traffic violation Director Eldridge has brought to light a serfous condition, and one that {should have the earnest consideration of every District officlal. He should be accorded hearty co-operation, and | the problem should be attacked with the utmost vigor, so that Washington will no longer have motorists driving through the streets who cannot be reached in cases of emergency. A plan for a check-up that will meet with approval should be speedily | worked out to relieve the Natlonal ‘apital from this deplorable situation. ———— The theaters, while endeavoring to present “thrills,” are unable to pro- duce anything as impressive as the appearance on the witness stand of idow of Lieut. Comdr. Lans- ———— Great glory will be the reward of Pennsylvania if it can, under the guldance of Gov. Pinchot, save the Nation both from hard liquor and soft coal. —r——————— Hamlet in modern attire is being played a little by actors, but more by press agents. ———— Blaming the Engineer. Now comes the charge that “human error” did, in fact, cause the fatal collision on the Pennsylvania Rail- road yesterday morning in which eleven persons died and thirty were badly hurt. An officlal of the railroad declares that the engineer of the St. Louis express, which crashed into the Washington-New York express, was at fault. After forty years of service on the line he has been suspended, and it is stated that “he will never again run a passenger train.” Yet all the witnesses so far heard have said that the fog completely obscured’ the signal lights. The second train was running at the rate of about fifty-five miles an hour on a ten-mile stretch of straight track which is often used by engineers for making up time when they are behind schedule. The en- gineer, realizing that the rule of the road does not forgive tardiness read- ily, was behind time and was speeding. His train should have been in front of the Washington express, the engineer of which, uncertain of the location of the St. Louis fiyer, had stopped his train and was just making headway again when struck. The fog was inter- mittent. The St. Louls train engineer had run past one red signal, which was not visible from the cab. The fireman saw a second red signal, the fog hav- [ | of such collisions, which, as this ca THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1925. ing lightened, and called for a stop, but too late. In such conditions the visual-manual signal system is utterly unreliable. The engineer of the St. Louls express was a man of long experience. Yet he is blamed for carelessness and pun- ished by suspension. He shculd have been protected from error due to weather conditions by a method of automatic train control. The responsi- bility for that accident does not rest upon the man who followed his in- structions as well as conditions per- mitted, but it rests squarely upon those who have resisted the orders of the Interstate Commerce Commission to install a method of train control which prevents mistakes due to bad vision, light obscuration and errors I of judgment. Yesterday’s collison probably cost enough in lives, in injuries and in de- stroyed equipment to have sufficed to install an automatic stop system over two divisions of the line. There is no economy in delaying obedlence to the orders of the Interstate Commerce Commission. There is no security for the traveling public In further de- pendence upon the old method of sig- nal lights, however perfected. This accident should be the cause of an immediate enforcement of the commission’s requirement for the in- allation of an automatic t top vstem on the lines of heaviest travel in this country. The plea of econo is false in the light of the heavy cost se shows, may occur at any time even the bhestequipped and best- managed railroads. on ——— Bringing Tut to Light. After many months of careful, painstaking work, with long delays due to misunderstandings and fric tion and climatic checks, the mummy of King Tutankh-Amen has at last been reached through the incasements in which it was placed several thousand years ago. The inner gold coffin, shaped in human form, has been opened and the linen wrapped body of the young mo of Exypt has been found. It is, how- tightly glued to the incasing gold and its removal from Its precious housing will require delicate work It will then be unwrapped, a process entalling some risk, Tut-ankh-Amen’s coffin be the largest piece o to It find, a treasure trinsically and of to art and science. The m imy it self is really of less interest though science will not be content until the form of the long-departed King been ight to Judging from mummies that been unwrapped heretofore, § not be a particularly edifying tacle. It may, however, throw some light upon historical research, though that s doubtful. It will be just an- other one of the preserved Kings of Egypt, scarcely lifelike in ments. numerous rch ever, is found to gold work known in itself of gre worth incalculable value rcheology. a rare a at in has bre detinitely view have t will a spec- ts linea- s, County fair committees may be ex- cused if they fail to see why they should be dragged into the Shenan- doah investigation. ——— Statistics show that this country has more automobiles than any other. natural that we should also have more traffic regulations. ————— China still insists on ranking as a backward civilization by refusing to recognize the general opinion that war is out of date. ) The President of Germany is Hin denburg. He shows no evident inclina tion to exploit himself in a manner that might offend the monarchists. The old general is still a strategist. —— e Parls 1s advertising the use of paraf- fin to rejuvenate old faces. The device is 80 old that fear arises as to the de- pendence which may be placed on the French capital for new and smart ideas. Apparently “Gay Paree” is slipping. ——————__ rious Investigations are serving to impress the idea that there are many problems incidental to business of all kinds which cannot be solved merely by turning them over to an efficiency expert. e Regardless of minor contentions, President Coolidge is still in a posi- tion to command the support of the people in “standing pat” on his Thanksgiving proclamation. — eaee SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Unrest. ‘Waitin’ for the sunshine bright Or for the rain cloud gray. Waitin' for the restful night Or for the busy day. Each with feelings of distress ‘Will view his present lot, And Life’'s made up of hopefulness For what we haven't got. Mass and Individual. The mob is easily swayed by an orator.” “It 1s,” declared Senator Sorghum. “But the impulse is only temporary. The whole spirit of the mob is liable to change after the individual mem- bers have gone home and talked things over with their wives.” Jud Tunkins says a man who argues with a motor cop soon learns that oratory has lost its influence in this country. Talk Is Not Cheap. I scorn the man who hollers That talk is cheap. Oh, Fudge! It cost me fifty dollars To say, “Good Morning, Judge!” Mercenary Morals. “Crimson Gulch used to be the roughest little town on the map.” “Long ago,” answered Cactus Joe. “The boys have all reformed, owin’ to a unanimous agreement that there weren't no sense to cuttin’ up free gratis 'stid o' gittin’ high salaries from the movies.” “Some men not only makes trouble,” sald Uncle Eben, “but expects to be paid foh doin’ it T Tax Publicity And Everybody’s Business BY WILLIAM ARTICLE V. ‘The most profitable business in the United ates, as disclosed by the Government’s analysis of income tax returns of corporations for 1923, is manufacture. Measured by the number of dollars reported as net profit it outstrips every other kind of industry. Whether the return on the investment is higher than that of other industry is not disclosed. In dollar profits, however, the metal mining industry rolled up a grand total of $1,427,495,889, or approxi mately 20 per cent more than the figures reported by the 100,000 corporations engaged in general trading. The- lat- ter group’s net profits stood second on the list. Metal manufacturers made more than half as much agaln as all the banking and other financlal corporations in the country, two and one-half times as much as the rail- roads and twelve times as much as all the bullding and other construction corporations. * K ok ok Profits in metal manufacturing, the returns show, were shared by 10,168 corporations, giving an average prof- it _of about $140,000. Six thousand other corporations engaged in metal mining, the returns show, lost money to the agsregate of $178,000,000 dur- ing the ye: n_average of about $30,000. Here is the way the Bureau of Internal Revenue has grouped the 10,168 money-makers: 44 corporations smelting from ore, crude or re- fined metal production, made .. 1,799 general or stock products or forms made in foundries or rolling mills, etc. ....... 1,041 agricultural machin- ery, steam appliances, construction machine; €16, Lot L e 08 1gE metal-working and paper-making machin. ery, heavy ordnance, roll stock, safes, 344 general electrical ma- chir stationary and marine engines, - ing machin 431 motor vehic and truck be spare parts . 431 and chinery caleulating gas and el tures : 184 metal furniture, orna- mental ironwork, sew ing machines 499 firearms, $8,569,906 373,317,863 130,261,974 ref ¥, et les, auto dies and ma typewriters, machines, sctrical fix hoot shoe 48,652,395 uc g 220,440,962 Other than fron and steel 541 base metals, sme and ref t 70,166,854 plete or : 327,162 5 preclous metals, smelting, refining, 13,506,766 10.169 total metal manu facture, net profits of..$1,427,495,889 * ok % e magnitude industry can be perhaps, by a figures reported by ¢ ing establishmen son shows that m tucked away in the of this hette mammoth appreciated, with the manufactur h a compart manufacturers r vaults during the more than one-third of the net ofits of the manufacturing cor- s reporting. Ten thousand prosperous firms In that branch of manufacturing made net profits of more than 50 per cent of the net prof- its reported by mnearly 70,000 other corporations engaged in manufactur- ing other commodit Again is emphasized the trend of the times toward big organizations. Less than one-eighth of all the manu- facturing companies of all kinds re parison P. HELM, JR. porting eloped with one-third of all the manufacturing profits. ‘When analysis {s made cf that pros- perous one-eighth—the metal manu- facturers—it is found that 192 big companies, or less than 2 per cent of the total, enjoyed net incomes run- ning to more than $1,000,000 aplece. These companies reported net income of nearly $977,000,000, or two-thirds of the total net income of the country's 85,000 manufacturing corporations. Within that group of 192 big com- panies, 37 reported net income of more than $5,000,000 apiece and ag- gregate net income of $656,893,641. These 37 companies, constituting less than one-twenty-fifth of 1 per cent of all the manufacturing corporations-in the United States, managed, because of their size, organization and im- proved methods of doing business, to lock up about 23 per cent of all the profit made by the entire incorporated manufacturing Industry of the coun try. . * * ok x ‘With this group of 192 big com panles skimming the cream of the profits, what happened to the others? Here 1s the way the Government answers that question 2,663 corporations profit of about $1,000. 1,676 reported net profit of $2,000 to $5,000 each. 1,196 reported net profit of $5,000 to $10.000 each Simple addition shows that these three groups numbered 5535 com panies. Thus upward of 50 per cent of the prosperous firms in the metal manufacturing group showed profits of less than $10,000 each. In fact, the average mnet income for those 5535 companles was almost exactly $3,000 each and the total net income of the entire 5,535 was but a shade over $16,500,000. Here is the way the Government has grouped the other classes of manu facturing firms that reported net in come on the year’'s husiness, together with the number of firms and the amount reported by each group: 8,666 corporations making food products, liquors and tobacco reported net income of ............. $506,924,386 7,678 textiles and textile products .......... 1,321 leather and le: products . B 273 rubber and rubber goods ... 250 lumber products .. 1,240 paper, pulp, paper products, etc. ... 6.183 printing and averaged net . 563,412,301 her 72,388,337 45,924,366 and wood 299,049,957 109,909,197 pub- v..... 165,947,105 and allied 2,880 stone, clay products . 168 metal g plants. .. 6,664 all other n ing plants. . 419,583,646 187,843,942 10, The figure: facturing c foregoing. manu lons, engaged in the ified industries—which include acturing by fncorpe rated companies—made net income c $4.271,890,449. On the other side of the er, however, the figures show that a grand total of 31,404 concerns, or n 40 per cent of the total, lost mone: manufacturing, the aggre gate of their losses being placed at $701,011,681 Taking the manufacturing industries as a whole, therefore, the net profits, after deducting losses of unprofitable firms, aggregated about $3,571,000,000 And that is almost exactly the amount of money that Calvin Coolidge will soon ask Congress to appropriate as running expenses for the Federal Gov ernment for the coming fiscal year, in cluding the postal 2 In other twords, the annual profits of all the manufacturing corpo rations in the United States were tc be swept by a single stroke into the Federal Treasury, there would be just about enough to run the National Gov- ernment for 12 months. (Copyright. 1925.) WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. The clans are cathering on Capitol Hill. With the ing of Congress now less than f : -, lead ers are flo Washington in droves. The Senate restaurant buzzes at midday with almost midsession life are surveying the scene with a zealous, not to say an anxious, eye. Thelr first real test of strength will come with the World Court proposal. The oppo- sition, captained by Senator Borah, recognizes that President Coolidge has a formidable phalanx of Republicans and Democrats committed to the court, but the proposition will be fought to the bitter end, for all that. Senators are of many minds on the revenue bill which the House ways and means committee has fashfoned. certain to be hostility to the surtax rate and to the plan to abolish publicity for income tax returns. Con- firmation contests loom in connection h_appointments to the Federal bench, the Federal Trade Commission and the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion. All in all, the signals are set for storms, e Senator Thomas J. Walsh, Democrat, of Montana is not content that the Coolidge administration and the Re- publican party shall hog the glory for tax reduction. The other day “the best lawyer in Congress” received a letter from a Western constituent who as- sumed that tax benefits have fallen, like manna, exclusively from the G. O. P. heaven. What Walsh replied, in effect, was that all men and all par- ties in Washington, virtually since time immemorial, have been for tax reduction. They differed, and differ today, he pointed out, only as to where _cuts should be made and how. The Democrats are cognizant of the general belief throughout the country that reduced taxes are achievements pure and simple of the Coolidge econ- omy program. There are signs that the opposition will find occasion to as- sail that theory when the revenue bill is under discussion during the Win- ter. * ok ok ok Elihu Root and Charles E. Hughes both made some unusually pertinent statements at the Armistice eve dinner in Hughes' honor in New York. One of the things Root said was: “Charles E. Hughes won the fight for Presi- dent of the United States in 1916 and lost it through treachery.” Hughes himself bantered merrily about his political career, saying to his brother New Yorkers who have so often hon- ored him with their suffrages: You have sent me forth to the doubtful combats of public life. Sometimes I have returned with my shield, and at least once I re- turned upon it, but I have always come back. . While it is a privi- lege to hold public office, it is the life beyond the political grave that is the best. In one respect the servant of the people is like the apostle—he “dies daily.” And his paradise of the blest, to which his hope fondly clings, is the old home with_the kindred spirits who have not been estranged or deluded by the temporary officlal accouter- ment. I * ok ok K Richard Washburn Child, former American Ambassador to Italy, has Joined the ever-growing colony of writing folk who pitch their resi dentlal tents in Washington. Mr. Child has just published his diplomatic mem oirs under the title ¢ “A Diplomat Looks at Europe.” It is mostiyg rom the seven hi of Rome that ‘Mum surveyed the Old World. He was Uncle Sam'’s envoy there when Mus- solini and his Black Shirts conquered Rome in October, 1922, and Child’ career in Italy was mainly during the early days, when Fascismo was cas- itself into _irresistibility Id expects to devote himself exclusively to letters, his profession, henceforward. He may be drafted into some politics during the Winter when the Senate is discussing the Lausanne treaty, which he helped to negotiate on behalf of the United States. * k% X Scott C. Bone, former Governor of Alaska and_a one-time newspaper editor and Republican party official in Washington, has returned to his first love—journalism. He has just been appointed a vice president of the Western Publishers, Incorporated, at Atascadero, Calif., and will have edi- torial direction of an Americanization magazine shortly to be launched there. Bone intends to keep a fatherly on Alaskan matters at the Nationa Capital. He is particularly anxious that the United States Government should not lose faith in the future of the Alaska Railroad. Once our great territory farthest North is freed from the Incubus of bureaucratic rule, Bone is convinced that the railroad, built and owned by Uncle Sam, will pay, and pay handsomely. EEE Is Washington unpatriotic? Stran. gers in town over Armistice day re. marked to this observer upon the con- epicuous absence of flags on any ex. cept public buildings. It Is a fact that with few exceptions the Stars and Stripes flew from no private premises. In the residence districts one could travel for blocks without seeing Old Glory floating on a single roof or win- dow. Some day there ought to be a drive to fire the populace everywhere in the land to fling the Nation's colors to the breeze on the half-dozen occa- sions when their display 13 appropri- ate during the year. * ok %k Although the Mitchell court-mertial has entered upon its more sensational phase, it isn't necessary to hang out the “standing room only” sign at the ramshackle building where proceed- ings are taking their tedious course. Attendance has fallen off to a degree that would strike terror to the heart of a box-office manager. Both judges and spectators seem bored. Those un- dergoing the worst pangs of ennui are the private soldiers on guard in the courtroom. At the present rate of speed it is predicted that Christmas snows will fall before the court-martiai has passed into history. (Copyright. 1925.) Following Florida. From the Syracuse Herald. Forty-seven other States, besides tsland possessions, are looking toward Florida and trying to learn how to start a real estate boom. D The Syrian Mess By Frank H. Simonds, In the midst of all the confusion and mystery which surround the Syrian mess the fact is beginning to be un- mistakable that France wil have to retire from this area and abandon an experiment which has at all times represented traditional and senti- mental rather than materfal and practical considerations. It used to be sald somewhat humorously that the French venture in Syria was the con- sequence of the song which had so great vogue in the days of the third empire, namely *“Par tant pour la £yrie,” vet it is perhaps equally true that French interest in Syria goes back to the Crusades. The French decision to insist upon a Syrian place provoked the first and in some ways the most fatal of the Anglo-I'rench differences of the Paris peace conference. During the war and by one of the secret treatles the Brit- ish and French had agreed to a parti tion of the Arab section of the Turk- ish Empire. This famous Sykes-Picot treaty definitely laid down the divi sion and incidentally gave France Mosul as well as the Lesser Armenia north of the Guif of Alexandretta. P But the British under the stress of the war had been forced also to give assurances to the Arabs of thefr sup port for the creation of a real Arab empire which should nclude Syria as i Mesopotamia and, at least to 1b mind, Palestine as well. At Paris the Arabs were represented b: the plcturesque Emir Falsal. The! claims, base upon great istance given (o the British against the Turks, were presented and the British, while bound by thelir treaty with the French, sought In all ways to persuade the French to resign their claims. The controverey potsoned the whole atmosphere of Paris, and in the end was resolved by compromises which were as futile as they were puerile Instead of obtaining all Arab lands the Arabs only got Mesopotamia, and even here were at once involved in a quarrel with the Turks over Mosul. The French, while obtaining Beirut, Damascus and Aleppo, resigned Mosul to the British, and were presently driven out of Lesser Armenia by the resurgent Turks. As for the Pritish they found themselves plunged into the' “Mespot” mess, facing the dis- trust und hatred of the Arabs, who felt they had been “let down,” com- pelled to set up a Palestine which, de its great Arab majority, was to Jewish home and involved in a quarrel with the Turk. All the consequences of the miser- able Paris affair have been unhappy. Mesopotamia, now become Irak, has been ¢ endliess guif swallowing up British moneys, nor has Palestine bee better, while the Arab dissat- isfaction spreading to Indla has caused unrest, and to Egypt has led the formal renunciation of the protectorate and only recent- rovoked the assassination of the * % % Three vears ago the success of the Turks over the Greeks, whom the British backed, le 10 e crisis at b« a Turco-Britis] war 1y missed, precipitated the vd George, and in the end the treaty of Lausanne, 18 the most humiliating in European relations J In the present Au pute over Mosul between the British and the Turke was the outstanding circumstance of the last Geneva assembly of the league, and threats of war were frequently heard at Ango Of co e, it must be seen that the =ity n of the British is quite dif- ferent from that of the French. For the latter, Syria is at most a senti mental affair, sheer imperialism of the sort totally lacking in material advantage, although it is true that France has had certain rights and duties in the area for many decades and has been and remains the pro- tector of the considerable Christian populatio; of the territory. But vria is not and could not ever be large practical value to France, and there i{s no comparison between the Syrfan and Moroccan question. * ok % % On the other hand, for Britaln the whole Arab question, the whole prob- lem which involves Egypt, Palestine and Mesopotamia, is that of imperial unity and security. are strategically the outposts of India while in addition in the Irak and Mosul are very large oil deposits, the most valuable of all, to be sure, ing within Persian boundarles east ¢ the Persian Guif. British policy had aimed, not without real astute- s, to back the Arab against the c and thus to avold the obvious peril of inflaming Mohammedan pas- sion all over the Moslem world, and particularly in India. This British policy fafled malinly because French policy made it im- possible to satisfy the Arabs, although the Palestine blunder was made -off the Briton’s own bat. Now, although for the moment the British problem is less acute, the British situation is precarfous and there is a very large and powerful element in England steadlly demanding that the British get out of Mesopotamia, and out of Palestine as well. In reality the British issue is between the Eastern school, of which Curzon was the greatest cxponent, and those who see British recovery only through the medium of rigid economy and the avoldance of all adventures. * ok k% The French blunders in Syria, due to the senile political general, Sarrail, whom Joffre sent out of France for {nsubordination during the war and Clemenceau recalled in disgrace from Saloniki because of his Intrigue there, have had a costly repercussion ali over the Mohammedan world, and France is, of course, a great Moslem power. They have complicated the French situation in North Africa and they are costing lives and money now at a time when neither can be spared. On the other hand, French evacua- tion will not be easy, because France is in honor bound to protect certain Christian populations. Nor can France quite afford to scuttle out, for such a_ retirement would be a dangerous blow to French prestige all over the East. French retirement, too, must have a disagreeable influence upon the British sftuation, for there is no mistaking the fact that both the Brit- ish and the ¥rench are facing the demand of all the Mohammedan pop- ulations in this corner of Asia that they get out. . * %k X % Beyond all else the Syrian and Mesopotamian adventures have dem- onstrated that the era of pacific pene- tration, of profitable and easily held protectorates, is over alike in Western Asia_and Northern Africa. France and Britain in the Paris conference almost came to blows over the ex- clusive possession of what turns out to be a nest of enraged hornets; both have paid severely and are likely to pay further. But, given the present temper and situation of the French people, the ultimate and perhaps even the prompt retirement of the French from Syria. and the formal return to the League of Natlons of the man- date is well nigh inevitable. What the league can do with the mandate after that is problematical. The British had been planning in the same Way to resign thelr Irak man- date, devolving it upon the Arab state, which they have created. But the league recently blocked that move by insisting ‘that either the British should continue thefr man- date for a quarter of a century or circumstar with the E: tumn the di; All these lands | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN. Q. We have a client possessing an enormous tooth found near Detroit, which weighs 2% pounds. Is it a dinosaur’s tooth?—J. A. B. A. The Smithsonian Institution says that your client does not possess a dinosaur’'s tooth, inasmuch as the teeth of these animals are not as large and do not weigh as much as the one he has in his possession. It might, however, be that of a mastodon or mammoth. Q. When and where was the word telegraph first used?—13. D. H. A. It was first used in France to de- scribe a device invented by Chappe in 1792, consisting of an upright post with movable arms, the signals being made by varfous positions of the arms according to a prearranged code. The word was later translated into Eng- lish and used for our present tele- graphic communication. Q. Where do the Twentieth Centu Limiteds pass each other?—R. H. C. A. The New York Central Railroad Co. says that these New York-Chicago trains pass each other between Bay view, N. Y., and Buffalo, N. Y. Q. What is the Locarno pact?—J. W. L. A. Briefly the Locarno treaty, sign- ed by France, Germany, Beigium, Italy and Great Britain, provided that the three first named nations would respect each other’s territorial rights and commit no trespass or act of hos. tility under certain conditions. Great Britain and Italy signed the pact guaranteeing that the conditions would be fulfilled and the agreements kept. he security conference me: Lo carno, Switzerland, October Q. What solution applied to causes it to shrink or tighten?’- A. There are various astringent lutions which cause the skin to draw or tighten, among them belng a solu- tion of alum and water. at Q. Of the number of people addicted to drugs, what per cent use heroin’— D. G, A. It is estimated that of all the drug addicts who are committed for crime 98 per cent are users of heroin It is said to be the most insidious and harmful of all the habit-forming drugs Q. What was the famous Dred Scott se?—A. E. M Dred Scott decision cerned a slave in Missouri, who had been taken by his owner into Illinois, a free State, and into other territor in 1836 in which slavery was strict prohibited by the Missourl Compro mise. In 1538 he was taken back to Missourf. His contention was having been a resident of a free he was no longer u slave and was u lawfully taken back to Missouri. The Supreme Court decided against Scott. con Q. How much is made in a year?—H. M A. Paste, mucilage and other ad hesive products manufactured in the United Btates were valued at $11,230,- 000 for one year. paste and mucilage Q. Is stock killed by packers spected before killing?—L. V. H A. The Bureau of Animal Ind 3 a that the cattle killed by packers is not inspected before slaughtering The meat is inspected by the Govern- ment before being put on sale. Q. TIs it possible to enlist {n the Navy at present’—E. B. A. The Navy is now making first enlistments. It has been since Sep- tember 18. Q. If an American man marrled a foreigner, did he ever forfeit his cit zenship?—C. J. §. A. An American man has never fo feited his American citizenship through his marriage to a foreign woman. Q. Has Canada a navy?’—G. R. C. A. The royal Canadian navy was established in 1910, when the cruisers Niobe and Rainbow were taken over from the British government as train- ig ships. They were sol after the war. The only vassels retained ag present are two deseroyers and four mine-sweeping trawlers. Q. Do fat people f~at easier than thin ones?—T. C. D. A. Fat persons floal easier than lean persons, for the reason that adi- pose tissue is lighter than that part of flesh which consists principally of muscle without fat. Q. When wiil Cé:5fess convene this year?—a. €. G, A. On Decembes 4. Q. How Pleiades?- A. As observed with the naked eve there are seven stars in the group, but a small telescope reveals at least 100 mare. many stars make the R TS up Q. How many elements ara there and how many now undiscovered?— AT AT ing cre are 92 elements compris- the fundamental table. The re- cent discovery of two new elements, masurium (43) and rhenium (15 leaves only three gaps to be filled Q dians can A. The Were any of the American In- ibals?—N. G ancient Aztecs sacrificed thousands of hurian beings to the gods and ate the bodies. Occasional ceremonial cannibélism was quite gen- eral among the Irfiians of the United States. Q What is beelive coke?—C. A It coke made i oven. The oven i so c resemblance in shape to ioned beehive. AW beehive from its n oldfash- is lle Q. Are ters the olde; AL al letters or small L. B. Capital letters were used first pi let- Q. Ts there more than one painting by Corot called the “Dance of the Nymphs ' ?—I. S A. Corot painted a nulaber of land- scapes in which are introGuced femalo figures dancing to Pan’s pipes. The usually bore the n Dance des Nymphes.” Robant, however, gave to three of the paintings the name ‘Ronde des Nymphes,” by way of er ng the round dance moveme ese particular groups. . Explain the A. B he oldest rocks of Arabia con- sist of granite and schist, upon which the sedimentary deposits. In the ern part of Arabia the crystal- rocks form an area extending from Sinai to Hail and southward as as Mecca. Over both sheets of have poured. In the south of bia the crystalline floor appears t intervals along the southern coast and on the shores of the Gulf of Oman, logical formation Q. What, whers and why were the cities of refuge?~R. L. A. Moses at the command of God set apart three cities on the east of Jordan and Joshua added three om the west shore, whither any person who had inadve: committed a murder might fl refuge. Thess cities of refuge were Bezer, Ramoth and Golan, on the east; Hebron, Shechem and Kedesh, on the west shore. (Frederic J. Haskin is employed by The Star to handle the inquiries of our readers, and yow are invited to call upon him as freely and as often as wou please. As anything that is a matter of fact and the authority will be quoted you. There is no charge for this service. Ask what you went, sign your name and address and in- close 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Address The Star Informa- tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, di- rector, Twenty-first and C streets northicest.) Canada’s Tariff Verdict Raises New Queries Here American interest in the recent elec- tion in Canada centers about the fact that the Conservatives won on the is sue of the high tariff, for which they stood. While comment at this time can only be more or less academic and & dabbling in “futures,” still the inter. est of the newspapers of this country has been definitely aroused. “The Conservative battle cry twas ‘Canada for the Canadians,” " says the Duluth Herald, and, rallying their fol lowers with this cry, “they pleaded for a high tariff, particularly against American goods. They argued that American sales to Canada were under- mining Canadian industry. They noted that in 1924 the United States sold to Canada $624,000,000 worth of goods, while Canada sold to the United Stat 225,000.000 worth less. They chafe under this adverse balance of trade,” concludes the Herald. Of the two other parties in the elec- tion contest, “the Progressives, mostly farmers from the west provinces, de- manded a low tariff or none at all,” according to the Erle Dispatch-Herald, “while the Liberals would maintain the status quo, a tariff midway be tween the two extremes. * * K K Analyzing the vote in the various sections of Canada. the Springfield Re- publican notes that “the low-tariff ‘West fell off in its support of the Pro- gressives, a farme: party original developed on agrarian discontent, but the Liberals gained markedly in Sas- katchewan, an agrarian province. Que- bec’s loyalty to Liberalism,” the Re- publican points out, “was almost unshakable, only 4 out of 65 citfes in that great central province being won by the Conservatives. Had the mari- time provinces remained as loyal as Quebec to the Liberal party Premier King would have triumphed.” in the opinion of the Republican, which lavs the “‘collapse of Liberalism in Nova Scotla and New Brunswick after many years of unquestioned supremacy’ to “‘economic stagnation,” caused by the fact that they “are segregated from their natural market in our Lastern snfies by the United States tariff In this election the Canadians have given their answer to the question raised during the campaign, “Why buy from the United States which Duts up tariffs against what they have to sell?” as the Milwaukee Journal puts it. “We have never hesltated to apply tariff restrictions against Canada,” re- marks the Lansing State Journal, “and so we have no reason to complain now that Turkey should have Mosul. This 1ssue is not yet settled, but Sy- rian events may well influence it. * Ok ok K In the larger way the French ad- venture in Syria only serves to dis- close once more the fact discover- able from Honkkong to Smyrna, that Asla is rising againgt her European masters, and that one of the most obvious consequences of Europe's recent conflict has been not alone the impairment of European prestige in the Near and Far East, but also the visible undermining of the foun- dations of European control. France is a victim of her own failure to percelve the change in conditions and also of her incredible folly in sending a Sarrajl to Syria. But what France is now facing is only a repetition of the British ex- perience at Chanak, where war was only avoided by slightly disguised surrender. (Copyrisht. 1925.) if we find some of our business toes stepped upon.” In this opnifon the Louisville Herald-Post concurs, saying of Canada: “She has made reciprocal trade agreements with other nations, but the tariff prevented such arrange: ments with this country. If, in addi- tion, she erects barriers against Amer- ican goods our manufacturers will have to look for outlets elsewhere.” In this situation the Herald-Post thinks that United States citizens, “as long as they support the high-tariff party” in their own country, “will have no room for complaint. But, belng h they would complaln, 1lle Sen- tinel fears, predicting that “if the Ca- nadian Conservatives do erect such a trade barrier, there will be a universal demand in this country for trade re- prisals that will be hard to resist. The friendliest feeling now exists between the two countries,”” the Sentinel re. minds us, “and it would be extremely unfortunate to see an abatement of this friendly feeling.” * ok x X We have gone & long way from the days of which the Kalamazoo Gazette speaks, as it refers to the proposed reciprocity treaty between this coun- try and Canada, which was rejected by the Canadians in 1911, and recalls that “the Harding administration re. fused Premier Mackenzie King's al most abject appeal for a renewal of the reciprocity proposal,” although, according to the Gazette, “Canadian reciprocity was for a generation one of the cardinal principles of the Re. publican par In the opinion of the Gazette, “all thought of a recl procity - understanding is off for at least another generation.” The organization of the Canadian Parliament being what It is, “there is still_uncertainty,” says the Manches- ter Union, “as to the extent to which a nmew Conservative government wiil be disposed, or able, to meet the ideas of the extremists in its following in putting its program into effect.”” In the opinion of the Indianapolis News, the “Conservative gain has just fallen short of a point where it might have enabled the party to disturb trade re- lations with the United States.” In fact, as the Boston Transcript points out, “although the Progressive party has lost heavily in the number of members of the House that it has elected, it has gained in relative pare llamentary consequence, because it now holds what seems to be the actual balance of power in the House."” * ok R K Many of the American newspapers discuss the possibility of the forma~ tion of a coalition government under the circumstances, the Chattanooga News percelving “Canada hooked for a game of seesaw in her govern- ment,” since ‘“coalitions of groups are about the best that can be done, and they are rarely very enduring. American opinion is analyzed by the Salt Lake Deseret News, which states that ‘“‘the entire continent of North America {8 an economic unit and the legislatures of both coun- tries should work toward trade reci- procity and a tariff schedule which will be acceptable and profitable for each.” ‘Whatever the present or future results of the election, the San Ber- nardino Sun compliments “our Cax nadian cousins” on having “put into it the earnestness and seriousness of the British character,” and regrets that in this countr; less than half of the eligible citizen® take the trouhle 10 g0 to the polls.” probably

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