Evening Star Newspaper, December 24, 1925, Page 6

6 THE EVENING STAR With WASHINGTON, D. C THURSDAY. . .December 24, 1925 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Ofice Penusylvania, Ave. <t 42nd St Building 11 Regent St.. London, 11th St New York Chicago 0 European Oflice le in Advance. Daily and Sunday Dally only Sunday on1; All Other ¢ Datly ani Sund. Daily indas 1 mo 1m0, .ot punlication als0 resarvad The United States at Geneva. icipation in the arms at Geneva in The President the invitation of Nations to send repre- to that meeting. Certain Americ Ilimitation Febri has dec the Le: senta rence ves limitati h safeguard the position the United States as that of aloof from purely European affairs nditions have not been defi- ated, but their nature as mprises these broad propo- he United States will not be bound by any agreement for the re- duction of land forces by the Euro- pean nations; the United States must Ived in any security agree- ing from the conference fol- tion of land armament »re not be obligated to event of the violation ments; the United sved in any nt of which f Nations. ons, it is clear, »d in principle to meet the e who are irreconcilably any involvement in strictl: wropean affairs participa- tion in the work of the Lc Na- s 2 memt a subscriber to ma It is under that with these stipulations definitely ex- 1 1 there will be no opposition in of an appropria- expenses of Ameri- tions ot ons ndicated wi ness These nitely tndicated sitions cc not be inv m, lowin; res upon the been adc and any ue ¢ ons ood Con tion to « can represer The United & owed ad- vocate of arms limitation. The first world co ce on that subject was held here at the invitation of Presi- dent Harding and resulted in a pro- gram of naval limitation. The Geneva conference is proposed for the purpose of securing a reduction and limitation of land forces, a logical supplement to the Washington Conference of 1921. The United States has never had a large standing Army. 1 been in the position of threatening the nce of peace through the main- military force. In- deed, such a force is contrary to the fundamental principles on which this established. In its ways relied upon the spontaneou ice of the people for military duty. In a supreme crisis in the sixties of the last century it re- sorted to the d ain during the great war it invoked the principle of compulsory service. It is inconceiv- able, therefore, that the United States should ever be a factor in war-making through the weight of land armament. Under these conditions the United States will be represented at Geneva as a friend of the principle of land arms limitation, as, indeed, an ex- emplar of that principle. Tt will not be a party to a compacts that will require it to its armed force, for it needs none to insure a minimum of I preparedness against the contingency of Wwar. It will not undertake, by subscrip- tlon to any stipulation that may be entered upon at Geneva, to enforce such rules as apply to foreign rela- tions. It will thus be in effect an “un- officlal obsel ' at Geneva, or per- haps an expert witness, and in that role it will exercise a pronounced in- ccomplishment of the purpase which the conference s -4, a reduction of the great land forces which are a drain upon the re- . of nations and an incitation Government is emergencies it lessen nd fluence f soure to conflict. oo Detroit society may succeed in in- troducing the hioned dances, but it is doubtful whether the respon- sible leaders will care to remain awake long enough to prevent the Charles- s as the “wee, old- ton from resuming sma’ hours™ approach. = Butler and Kendrick. One result of the dismissal of Gen- eral Butler from the post of Director of Publ Safety in Philadelphia—for it proved to be a dismissal at the eleventh hour of his term—will prob. ably be an uncovering of conditions in that city. Unquestionably the re- tiring director has t dvantage of the revelations. He has alr, wed that Mayor Kendrick has not been sincere in his desire to clean » the town, that he has protected certain large interests while us in hi; ality. Spe- such as the Linst one of the largest hotels i > city for lquor violations. 1t will ifficult for Mayor Kendrick to meet th allega tions. General Butler took a long chance when he accepted the Philadelphia di- rectorship of public safety. He should have known that it is one of the hard- est things in the world for a munici- pal adminigtration to be 100 per cent straight in law enforcement on all lines, especially in a city with so much “politics” as Philadelphia. A mayor who will go after all the dives and <rooked games and lawless enterprises in a whole-hearted spirit of reforma- tion is indeed. At the outset 1 ippearing to be ze: be rare, has never | ing Mayor Kendrick was such an of- ficlal. Yet all those who applauded his selection of General Butler as di- | rector of public safety and hoped for | @ complete support of him felt in their | hearts that the chances were against | such an ideal form of administration. | The dismissed police head of Phila- delphia is really to be congratulated upon gettiag out, even though he was forced out, of a situation in which he could not possibly have been happy | through a conscientious, complete ai charge of duty. Tt may be that as result of his nearly two years of serv ind the dramatic close of his ca- r there, he will have contributcd somewhat, perhaps materially, to Phil- delpbia’s welfare. An aroused pub- timent may cause a genuine t Wil last just as long as the law-abiding citizens remain on the Job of demanding in thelr officlal rep- resentatives in the municipal admin- undiscriminating honesty idscompleteness of law enforcement. ice, re istration - ————— All-Night Parking. Commissioner Fenning’s proposal to ban allnight parking on the streets f Washington hus precipitated dis- sion of one of the most serious traffic problems confronting local authorities. It Is a problem on which there is a wide difference of opinfon ind one on which both the pros ar cons can find not only backers 1.t logical reasons for thelr bellefs. Even . superficial study of the question will make apparent the fact that there is much to be said on both sides. A close study, however, will tip the alance In favor of a modified Fen- ning plan, to be put into effect at some time in the future. Supporters of the proposed ban cite the following reasons: Interference with the fire and police authorities; temptation to thieves; available road- way narrowed; inconvenience caused by some one else parking in front of your house all night, making it impos- sible for you to get to the curb; pre-emption of space on the public street, and so forth. Opponents are equally emphatic regarding o poesible curtailment of their “rights” They point out that 1t is ridiculous to prohibit a man from parking a car in front of his own house; that the proposed rule would work a hardship on many thousands of motorists: that garage space in many sections of the city is not ob- tainable; that profiteering would im- mediately result on the part of garage owners, and that many would be forced to give up their automobiles. And there you are! A fair and impartial consideration of the problem will, however, show that the reasons cited by the op- ponents are far more susceptible to flaws than those of the proponents. In the first place, the rapid increase in the number of automobiles will soon make it impossible to permit parking either all-day downtown or all-night uptown. The owners of cighteen thou- sand motor cars, it is estimated, now use the public streets for garage pur- poses, and only a very small percent- age are parked In front of the houses of their owners. Even if they were, it is evident that the owner of a house s no inherent rights to the street space in front of him. If he did every store in downtown Washington could | reserve its own space on the same | theory. That the proposed rule would work a hardship on many motorists is an admitted fact, but modern thought on motor car ownership is rapidly reach- ing the stage where it is the belief that any man who can afford to buy and operate an automobile should be financially responsible for any damage he may cause. If he is not he consti- tutes a menace to all other users of the public highways, and the hardship is on them instead of on him. Garage space at the present time is not obtainable in many sections of the city, and profiteering is very likely to result if the rule is hastily put into effect. It Is believed that garages may be constructed in a comparatively short time, which would be adequate to house :il of the automobiles at present using the streets. From the foregoing it may be seen that the question resolves itself into somewhat this situation: Public park- ing on the streets, both day and night, will soon have to be eliminated, or else transportation will be stified. A an on night-time parking cannot, in fairness to all concerned, be put into effect without a considerable lapse of time to allow adequate preparation on the part of motorists and builders. Profiteering should be carefully watch- ed and a system worked out whereby it can be prevented. The proposal, in its present shape, barring parking from 2 to 5 a.m., is not workable, in- asmuch as there are many who are legitimately on the streets between those hours and who are not all-night parkers. A modification of this clause is needed, as the proposed regulation is not aimed at motorists who use their automobiles on business or pleas- ure, but at those who garage their cars in the streets, It is apparent that this problem must be solved. Commissioner Fen- ning's proposal will undoubtedly evoke discussion out of which a solution sat- isfactory to all concerned may be reached. it ————— Experts are very generally agreed that this country has a sufficlent sup- ply of labor problems without import- ing any, however plcturesque the Eu- ropean methods of dealing with them may appear from a distance. The Miners Want to Work. Sixteen Catholic clergymen, repre- senting in a pastoral capacity eighty- five per cent of the anthracite miners, have addressed a letter to the repre- sentatives of the operators and the union, declaring that the great ma- jority of the mine workers are “tired of the present suspension and want to return to work. It is doubtless true that the miners are anxious to quit striking and begin working and earning money to sup- port thelr families. Through organi- zation loyalty they are themselves not manifesting displeasure at the obsti- nate leadership which prevents them from securing arbitration and adjust- THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON | there seemed to be ground for !h|nk-'men!. but it is clear that they have expressed thelr dissatisfaction to their pastoral leaders. The practical effect of the letter of the clergymen will be most marked upon the union officials who have thus far been refusing any form of arbitra- tion but one virtually of their own dic- tation. President Lewis and his asso- ciates of the miners’ union hierarchy have probably known for some time the sentiment of the miners, but fight- ing for a “principle,” they have not permitted public knowledge of the state of feeling in the ranks. That | principle is to fight to the finish for a stipulation rather than for the real betterment of conditions. If eighty-five per cent of the miners of the anthracite field want to go back to work, why do they not do so? That question s naturally asked. The rea son is that they must vote through their local unions, which are domi- ed by the “stronger minds” of the ions represented, men who are first 1 union officials, In close affiliation with and under the influence of the national organization. Though there may be a three-fourths' sentiment in the ranks for settlement, it is next to npossible to manifest it against the will of these local heads. The majority of the miners are not particularly in- telligent men. Most of them are fllit- erate, many of them, indeed, are un- naturalized allens who speak little, if any, of the language of this country. They are easlly “led” and they lack the Initiative to declare themselves, especially after a strike has gone on for a time and they are constantly be- ing told that a vitally important prin- ciple is at stake. Probably not one in three of the men now on strike knows the precise difference between the propositions of the union leaders and those of the operators. It would be a mercy to the coal miners if this clerical letter now should bring about a resumption of mining. These clergymen have per- formed a vdluable service in thus bringing definitely forth the fact that the men want to go back to work, for it is a fact and the union leaders know it, and it is time that the public should know ft. — e Congress is entitled to credit at least for making Teapot Dome a more in- teresting topic than the courts have succeeded in doing. One of the ad- vantages of court procedure is the op- portunity it gives the emotional ele- ment of popular impression an oppor- tunity. ——————————— Mussolini has assumed a prominence which leaves the King of Italy rather close to the status of the kings who figured in the covert satire of ancient comic opera. —————————————— A peace conference is always an en- terprise involving at least the possi- bility of desirable results. There must necessarily be great hesitation about declining an invitation to attend one. ———— The many friends of Bill itchell are now casting about to find whether the extraordinary publicity he has at- tained can be utilized in any practical political way. Young Mr. La Follette is a Repub- lican in a hereditary sense, but not entirely so as a matter of environ- ment. ————e————————— In mentioning “World Court,” Sena- tor Borah makes a close grammatical distinction in using the article “the” e e e According to Senator Borah there is an important difference to be noted be- tween “a” World Court and “this" World Court. e A coal strike is in its nature a se- vere and determined affair that re. mains untouched by Christmas senti- ment. —— e France has dazzled the world with all kinds of genius. Perhaps she can produce a financier able to transform the franc into ready money at par. The franc no longer holds its own with the plain American twenty-five- cent piece as a tip to the walter. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Year's Journey. old world swingin’ On its way. Same old music, Sweet and gay. Same old laughter, Same old cheers, Same old memories Touched with tears. Through the starlight, Takin' heart, Same old journey Soon we'll start. Bein' thankful, "Mid unrest, For old treasures We love best. Games of Deception. “Would you be in favor of forbid- ding prohibition agents from decelv- ing a trusting bootlegger?” “Well,” rejoined Senator Sorghum, “retribution is retribution. The qual- ity of liquor in circulation shows the bootleggers have done some deceivin’ on their own account.” Jud Tunkins says the big advan- tage of bein’ enormously wealthy is that you can act foolish if you hap- pen to feel like it and nobody will dare laugh. Complication. In Congress a mood unseraphic Is trying to find a detector Of means, when directing the traffic, Of directing the traffic director. Struggle for the Spotlight. “Is the Christmas spirit strong in Crimson Gulch?” “Too strong for comfort,” answered Cactus Joe. “The boys are out in the public square havin’ a terrible battle to decide which shall have the honor of playin’ Santa Claus!” “One o' de happlest things about holidays,” said Uncle Eben, “is de fact dat nobody ain’t yit invented a jazz Christmas carol.” D. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1925 THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. The booklover who finds John Macy’s “The Story of the World's Literature" in his stocking tomorrow will feel that Santa Claus did a good job. As paradoxical as it may seem, the “booky” man or woman is perhaps the hardest person in the world to glve a Christmas present to. He or she has read everything. As sure as one presents him with the latest novel, it is found that the fellow has read it. The same holds true with history, drama or what not. He is the very one we ought to give a book to, but the last one we usually s0 remember. Such is the hard fate— generally—of the booklover. For the Joke of the thing is that there is noth- ing on earth he would rather get than a book he Mkes. Those who solve this intricate prob- lem with “The Story of the World's Literature,” published by Boni & Liveright, New York, achieve the Im- possible! ¢ Mr. Macy has taken nothing less than all the books that ever were writ- ten for his theme. Working on such a tremendous canvas, with the major ideas of all mankind for his materials, he has written a really notable book. This big work will appeal principal- 1y to two classes—those who know or think they know something about literature and those who realize they do not. The former class will get the most benefit from Mr. Macy's book, just as that person really enjoys music the most who hears again, in a new set- ting, a beloved familiar melody. X ok K % Aside from renewing acquaintance, then, with the tremendous figures of literature, from Plato to Conrad, the booklover will have a fine time dif- fering with Mr. Macy's judgments. The more he reads in this volume, however, with its bold black-and- white {llustrations, the more he will be impressed with the fact that the author has done a mighty good job of it. He will discover that Mr. a catholicity of taste that is eager for every fine thing ever written. At the same time he is In no sense a “bookworm." His outlook upon books is the true one common to all who love these best friends of mankind. Here is no “highbrow,” boasting of his own se- cret companions, but a friend telling, in restrained, happy fashion, of the merits of his chosen book friends. “In order to be ‘well read’ it is not necessary to have labored through all the acknowledged classics,” he de- clares in his preface. “It is enough to have dug into a few of them and blandly to ignore the rest. One of the most sensitive and literate men I know does not hap- pen to have read Dante, and he has no_intention of tryink to read him “Why should he, if he does not fee! like it, or if the accldents of reading happen not to have turned his eyes and fingers to the works of the great est poet? He knows other poets and they are enough. * * * Let uc read broadly or narrowly, according to the needs of our individual na tures, and let literary authority go hang itself on the lamp-post in front of the Public Library. “That way of putting it may be too strong., but il expresses a con viction which has been strengthened by many months of study in prepar ing this book, and by vears of read ing before T thought of writing such acy has a book. * * * There are small books which are great friends and great books which remain remote strangers or intolerable bores.” * %k * I have quoted at length from Mr. Macy's preface because I belleve that this s a matter that needs such plain speaking. There are all too many people in the world who are scared away from good books because some intolerant person has told them that they must like Dante, must read Shakespeare, must be famillar with So-and-So. “Bunk!" laughs John Macy, genially, and then goes ahead writing his book on all the authors who ever lived. His Is a fine salutary viewpoint, and one that will do much to make people fecl at home with the world's best lMtera- ture. The writer of this column, for in- stance, has_never been able to see !a thing in Dante’s “Divine Comedy.” To me it Is an intolerable bore. Mr. Milton’s “Paradise Lost,” too, i8 some- thing I cannot inteilectually stomach. Yet in his 49 chapters Mr. Macy honors but three authors with a chap- ter aplece—Dante, Shakespeare, Mil- ton Thus he seems to single these three men out of the greatest authors the world has produced. With the choice of Shakespeare no one of the Em% h- speaking world will disagree, but with the selection for special honor of the other two he may not be in entire accord. Are Shakespeare, Dante and Milton the “three greatest”? Our author does not say so, and would disclaim ha ing made any such choice, yet his ac rding them a chapter apiece would seem to volce his real sentiments. It can be seen that “The Story of the World's Literature” is a thought- provoking volume. As stated, the pleasure of differing from the author is one of the charms of the book * x % x One of the features of this history is Mr. Macy's habit of giving the names of the best English translators of for- cign classics at the moment he tells about them. Thus, discussing Chinese literature, he instances Arthur Waley's “The Temple,” & set of translations of Chi- nese verse. Talking of Japan, he points out some of Lafcadio Hearn's books. Brian Brown's “The Wisdom of the Hindus” is given in the brief discus- sion of the literature of that ra Discussing the ancient Greek and Ro. man literature, Mr. Macy is at pains to give his. readers his ideas of the best way for the average modern reader to understand the anclents. He tells of the best translation of Plutarch, and helps the reader through the difficult selection of .. good trans- lation of Homer. Thus he “tles up,” as the interior decorators say, all literature with our literature. He is perfectly free from that intellectual snobbery which would require an English reader to study all other literature in their originals To know a Latin classic through a good English translation is infinitely better than not knowing a classic at allt The Story of the World's Liter: ture” is a sensible book. Some mu be inclined to feel, in the pride of in tellectuality. that Mr. Macy has mere- skimmed the surface of his theme— but heavens! with such a subject what would you? He has given us the cream. BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. What s the “background” of the “event” which all civilization will cele- brate tomorrow? The cynic and the skeptic may dis- count “Peace on Earth,” as he points to the wars still raging in Syria and Africa and China. Yet when in all history have the minds of men so earnestly turned to a’ Locarno and other hopes for peace? The American Federal Council of Churches is contemplating the desir- ability of ceasing its missionary work in China, upon the ground that the Chinese, inhampered by sect: ferences of foreigners, and e unburdened of the confusion tianity with foreigh politics, may be better able to further the spirit of Christianity under independent Chi- nese direction. There never before has been such a spirit of tolerance in the world as ex- ists today. * x % x It was Jesus, the great Jew. who, when the Sadducees and the Phari- sees, in dispute as tn what was the greatest of the commandments, sought to entrap Him, gave the unanswerable reply which has been the keynote of Christianity and of tolerance and unity of the whole world for 2,000 vears. He did not quibble as to which was of the greater importance—the washing of hands or the forbldding of murder. ““Teacher,” said the Pharisaical le- galist, “which is the first and great commandant in the Law?” “Even the injunctions of the rabbis respecting the zizith or tassels of their scarves were ‘great,’ " says Dr. Gelke, author of the “Life and Works of Chris “His reply, as always,” adds Dr. Geike, *“goes to the root of the matter, simplifying the whole sweep of the ‘Ten_Words' into brief_and easily re- membered principles. He avoided the least approach to anything that could offend the most zealous supporter of the Old Testament, and at the same time gave no handle for accusation of any slight of the rabbinical pre- cepts. * * ¢ ‘Hear, O Israel,’ sald He: vah, our God, is one Jehovah in which every Israelite, night and morning, confessed his faith in one Jehovah. ‘And thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all they strength. This is the great and first commandment. A second is lke it: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ There is none other commandment greater than these. On these two hang the whole law and the prophets.” * kK % ‘Within the last week two of the most outstanding rabbis « - America— Rabbl Wise and Rabbi ‘rass—have declared publicly that th: Jew who gave that answer was t.e greatest Teacher who ever lived. * k k% ‘The spirit of tolerance and of seek- ihg points of agreement instead of points of difference is taken as typical of today's progress. A famous German author, Dr. Ferdinand Christian Bauer, says in his _“Geschichte der Christlichen Kirchie": “If one considers the development of Christianity, its whole historical significance hangs only on the char acter of its founder. How soon would all that Christianity has taught of the true and impressive have been rele- gated to the role of long-forgotten sayings of the noble friends of man and the thoughtful minds of antiquity if its doctrines had not become words of eternal life in the mouth of its founder?” * K k¥ In the spirit of frank inquiry stu- dents of history point to the tre- mendous stride upward and forward that civilization has tgken since the day when those two great command- ments were quoted. In the days of Christ any man who became unable to pay his debts was liable to arrest and was consigned to slavery to his creditor. Thrice within the first 30 days of that slavery the debtor was exposed in the public market to see if he had a friend who would redeem him; at the end of the rrlmmh he was sold into permanent slavery, perhaps to a forei o his creditor might put him o dese’ All wars resulted in capture and slavery of the enemy; the male cap- tives often were put to death while their wives and daughters were held in miserable serfdom. Rulers who fell were dragged through the shout ing crowds acclaiming the vietors An eye for an eve, a tooth for a tooth.” was the Jewish lav. Love or sympathy for the down- trodden wero signs of mawkish wesk. ness. Tt had been so, from the dawn of history. Sayce, in his “Babylonians and As: S, tells of Babylonian agreements for the teaching of trades to slaves and explolting slave prod. ucts. Only slaves in Rome did any sort of manual labor, skilled or un- skilled. Parents sold’ thelr chiidren ;n“(:‘s Slavery—or sold themselves. exploited great ente 'S W £anE8 of slaves, peR N s the centuries developed i ideals of soclety, slavery bechgrs o fled into feudal peasantry, and, finally within the memory of men still living, the whole Christian world abolished involutary servitude” in all its forms. Poor or rich recognized the “Rights of Man” and declared that “a man’s a man for a’ that.” Such humaneness has not developed in the Moslem world: it is found only in Christendom. It does not exist in savagery, nor in the lands of Buddism or Confucianism. The coolie still bows low under his slaye-yoke in China and India. The Turk despises those who, until the World War, were but “Chris. tian dogs” whom he crushed at will and massacred according to his cruel lusts of power and oppression. * ok x % It took many centuries for the de- velopment of the ideal expressed in that second commandment, “Love thy nelghbor as thyself,” but there was never any modification or change in its principle. Under its influence, men became free—some to cultivate the soll for their own sustenance, instead of that of their masters; some to ply industries under the light of independ- ence. Love made men free! Labor became honorable, where it had been but abject servitude. Love became the ideal, and civilization thought less of conquest and more of mutual help and amelioration of conditions for all mankind, for the answer had also been eard to'the other query, “Wh neighbor?” Sh i (Copyright, 1025, by Paul V. Collins.) Czechoslovak Barber Shaves His Way to Fame London’s most remarkable barber is called “Jones,” but that is not his name. 18 a Czechoslovakian, and to Englishmen his real name is quite unpronounceables *Jones” is an itin- erant barber for high soclety. He keeps no shop in London, but travels about the country on appointments ‘ike an eminent surgeon. Since wr en took to shingled hair, “Jones' ‘practice” has gone up a hundred. fold. He is now taken as a tonsorial speclalist to house parties and shoot- ing gatherings, progressing from one group to another to give his services. He has been engaged lately for such trips by the Countess Beatty, the Duchess of Sutherland and other mem- bers of the nobility. ‘“Jones” shaved his way to fame as a military barber, having served, he says, in six wars, including the czarist revolution and one fray in Mexico. He is also a dancer, having won a waltz champion- ship at Lausanne, and exhibited the tango at two London night clubs. THE NORTH WINDQW By Leila Mechlin. Christmas eve! What is more natu- ral than a reversion of thought to Christmas pictures? How interesting is the reflection that such are among the great pictures of the world! Look- ing back over the record, passing In review not mercly the history of art but great galleries visited, one cannot but be struck by the fact that the greatest painters the world has known have chosen the Christ Child as their theme. What was that picture, painted by Cimabue and carried in regal procession in Florence to the church where it was permanently placed, but a picture of the Christ Child and His Mother. And with the painting of this picture begins, as it were, the history of painting as a great art. All which went before was but feeble effort, that which followed closely thereafter represents highest achievement. Painting in that dav was the handmaid of the church and its purpose primarily was illustrative, to set before the people a great reli- glous truth, a glorious fact; conse- quently every painter attempted this theme, the central truth on which Christianity is bullt. * * k% Who that has been to Florence will ever forget those quaint and interest- ing and fascinating paintings setting forth the Christmas story by Ghir- landajo, who lived, it will be remem bered, from 1449 to 1492 and was the teacher of Michelangelo? The wor- ship of the shepherds and the visit of the Wise Men were favorite themes with him. well known writer has said: - painted large, easily understood pictures, filled with the men and women of every one's quaintance, richly dressed, charmingly posed, much at ease with themselv and the public. There was never the least difficulty in finding out what the pictures were intended to represent and there was no inconvenient amount of allegory or depth of hidden signifi- cance in them. They could be quite amply appreciated by the man in the street.” His canvases are crowded with figures, but in orderly manner. They picture the Chiist Child in & stable with the animals close at hand, and they show in the background a pic- ture of Italy in that day, introducing delightful bits of Italian landscape. Perhaps none other, save Correggio, among the Itallan painters, attempted to 80 completely illustrate or repic ture the scene which transpired fn the stable in Bethlehem. All ure familiar with Corregsio’s “Holy Night.” that ture in which mystery is veiled in shadow, and holiness rendered through subtle implication. Of all the painters of the Christ Child and the Madonna, Raphael is the most famous. It was Brooks who sald that to see “Sistine Madonna” was slone worth a trip to Europe. It was he it will be remembered, who wrote that Christmas hymn, familiar now to all “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem!" To every one Raphael’s “Madonna of the Chair” is fa . and by most be- loved. Scarcely less charming are the Bellinls, the Peruginos. And what was true of Italy was true of Germany. of the Lowland, of Spain so long as “art was still reiigion F Furthermore, this theme was not rendered by the painters solely, but by the sculptors as well—for instance, the Della Robbias, that remarkable famlily of sculptors and workers in glazed terra cotta, who for fully a cen- tury and a half produced works of art of great loveliness in this common me- dium. Who has visited Florence and not paid homage to the Della Robbia madonnas, and representations of the Christ Child to be found not only in the National Museum, the Bargello, but also on the facade of the old Orphanage and in other places? How remarkable it is that whereas the painters of that time—the fifteenth entury—often painted the Christ Child crudely, even {ll formed, with countenance unchildlike and tractive, these workers in clay, these modelers, rendered Him supremely beautiful, perfectly formed. infinitely human, vet in beauty divine. Their works were meant not merely for the aristocracy but the common people, and for three generations father, nephew and sons never tired of telling again the Christmas story of the birth of the Christ, the coming of the on of God to earth as a babe—each time striving to make it more real, more significant. This, too, was the favorite theme of the early engravers. In the Print Di- viston of the Library of Congress one will find a_large and Interesting col- lection of Duer wood-cuts, and of en- gravings by the little masters, many of which, in simplest manner, picture the birth of Christ, the vision of the shepherds, the coming of the Magl. The aim of these was to visuaiize the Gospel to the people, and admirably dld they serve their purpose. There is a tendency today to return to things primitive, but even the most skiliful technicians cannot recapture the naive spirit of these early artists, who in utmost reverence rendered this su- preme theme. ik Where are our religious painters and sculptors toda: How strikingly the company seems to have dwindled! In Germany during the last century there were two painters who were primarily illustrators, but who pro- duced a serfes of superb fllustrations, pictorial representations of the life of Christ—Hoffmann and Plockhorst, whose works are well known through popular reproduction. In this country the name of John La Farge stands out as a painter of religious subjects. His greatest paint- ing, however, is of “The Ascension of Christ,” in the Church of the Ascen- sion, New York. Less well known is his picture of the ““Wise Men Cross- ing the Desert.” The Brooklyn In- stitute owns the great collection of drawings by Tissot, llustrating bibli- cal scenes, but these set forth the story of Christianity in the terms of the Holy Lands today; they are strange and remote to us of this hem- isphere. * % . * k¥ K A simple woodcarver, John Kirch- mayer by name, in New England, has done and is doing today, through his own medium, what the painters of the Italian Renaissance did four centuries ago. He retells, in elaborate carvings for American churches, the story of the Christ Child's birth and in a manner as simple and sincere, as reverent as theirs. Makers of stained glass have done and are doing likewise. There is a beautiful window representing “‘The Natlvity” in the chancel of the Church of the Epiphany in this city by an English maker of stained glass, the late Henry Holiday. In this country Charles Connick and others have produced windows carry- ing the same message and in the same reverent style. H. 0. Tanner, a mulatto, American born, but educated in Paris, has painted, with skill and fervent feel- ing, religious themes. Another Amer- ican, Augustus Tack, a man of great refinement and intellectual attain- ment, {8 producing here today, in the manner of the modern school, paint- ings which beautifully interpret biblical themes, among them the birth of Christ. ‘The tendency of the day, however, is to decry subject in art, and yet art from its beginning has dedicated itself to the telling of stories, and has told them beautifully. The world is richer thereby, and since Christmas means no less to us today than it did to those in the fifteenth century, is it not reasonable to hope that before long an artist will arise capable of rerendering in t beauty thi: most beautiful all them: ‘mas? unat- | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. When were friction matches first made?—H. O. W. 8A§ They were first made in March, 1829. Q. When did the first Finnish set- tlers come to this country ?—G. N. A. The first Finns to come to the United States accompanied a group of Swedes who settled in what is now Delaware in 1627. Q. What is meant by a morbidity rate?—M. B. M. A. This term has come into use re- cently, and refers to the, ratio of sick ness to the population of’a communt the sick rate. Q. Are any of the Indians in this country still living in a wild state? P. 8. A. The Indian Office says that no Indian is now living in his wild te. Some Indlans live in wigwams at some seasons of the year, but their life is more or less civilized. Q. How much maple sugar does Vermont furnish?—M. D. A. Vermont produced in 1920 6,251,734 pounds of maple sugar. The total maple sugar production in the | United States in the same year was | 9,691,854 pounds. Q. Has more than one of Edgar Ciuest’s children died?’—G. K. A. An infant daughter of Edgar Guest and his adopted daughter Mar- jorfe are the two children whom the poet has lost by death. Q. Where is the geographical center of the United States?—M. (" A. The geographical center of con tinental United States, exclusi is in the eastern part of Smith County, Kans., latitude 39 degree. minutes north, longitud de 35 minutes west. Smith County is one of the northern tier of Kansas coun ties, and is about midway between the eastern and western boundaries. Q. Was Edith Cavell nurse, killed by a volle ing squad’—K. R. J. the En from the fir A. The statement is made that dis-| Uking to kill a woman in cold blood the firing squad had aimed so inac- -urately that Miss Cavell was not jlled, but only wounded by & singl bullet. Thereupon the German offi in charge of the firing squad drew hi revolver, put it to her ear and pulled the trigger. Q. What is pate-de-foie-g is it eaten? How is it made A. The word means “pasty of liver and is eaten with a recipe follows: Take the livers o fat geese and cut away the gall 1 entirely, soak the livers in milk whiten them. Mince very finely and a quarter pounds veal and one quarter pound fat bacen. Mix with them two ounces of sardins cleaned of skin and bone, lemon juice and r and chopped capers, all minced finely Melt some butter in a stewpan; put in the above articles, cover closely and steam gently until meat is cooked, but not browned; then stir in one gill thick sour cream, vinegar, white wi pepper, salt, grated nutmeg and two well beaten eggs. Line in a pie mold with pastry, spread half the mince on the bottom cut the livers in slices and them upon fit; on with pepper, nd cloves. *pread the rest of the mince on top: cover. Make a hole in the top, ornament and bake, but do not brown. A few truf- fles are a great improvement. Sub stitutes for the wine may be pur- chased. Q. Was Lambert, Murphy ever con- nected with the Metropolitan Opera’— R. H. A three year: to concert and oratorio. Q. How are the wires in a telephone | cabie underground protected’—\W. H. G. A. In a telephone cable under the ground, the wires are made of copper. Each copper wire is covered with dry naper in order to insulate one wire from the others. They are squeezed down into stranded rope which in turn is covered with paper wrapping. Lead is put over the whole. Q. Was the North Pole rea fore the South Pole M. M A. The North Pole was d first. Admiral Peary reached it on April 6, 1908, while Shackleton reached the South Pole January 9, 1809. ish | was with the Metropolitan for | but now devotes himself | > then | rine Corps, and 61 bands in the Nav: In June, 1925, there were 98 Regulir Army bands. Q. Has chimney soot any value as u fertilizer?—A. 1. O. A. Tt has some value. It contai 1.05 per cent phospheric acid, .35 pot- ash, no nitroge Q. How many American aviators were killed during the World War, and how many have been killed since —F. J. B A, During the period of the World War there were 495 Alr Service casualties in airplane ac cidents overse in this coun try. Four hundred and sixty-one o the Air Service have been killed lu airplan nee the signing of the arm ince the advent of aviation in the Army to the out break of the war there were 17 killed Q. Who ove: national banks” o T are under r of the nks fonal bank v the examir controller of the ly by e appointed currency. Q. Where A. EI Dorado is & “the gilded.” This wa: of great wealth which, during the six teenth, seventeenth d part of the eighteenth centuries, was supposed to exist somewhere in the northern part of South America. Beginnin xpeditions were sent | the q The Smiths largest tootl has 1 found so f | mammoth. Tecth found in | condition, or in other words thc | have not decomposed to a ! tent, welgh approximately irly good s tha' | What kind of wood is rosewo HOT Rosewood is the com | of the wood of several tree: | for beauty and used for ornamen furniture. The ipal specles thought to be a | When being sawed or cut, it vie e smell of roses Is it more worl en it is not jacke r work. fol the car has to be lifted with > of the pump. ping is a new sport in zland. small bailloon no quite buoyant enough to lift a m clear off the ground i ttached ‘L‘ his body by a suitable harness. of his feet will then send tance into the air and t possible for him to jump over a small house. Obstacle races are arranged. Q. What percentage of the fac- tories of France were destroyed qur- ar? W. H. o of the armistice 20,603 factories d suffered dam- completel works plundered. maged (capable of ter repairs), 9,471. The was principally in the A comprised age, us destroved. 6,376; works further use & average arei orth and Northeast a ut 30 per cent of Fr Th before oduced 3 cent of the sug! ut of 50 per ce steel 63 per el of the textiles, and per cent of the iron ore. (What's on your mind? You want to know something. You wish to be positive before you go ahead. Well The Star will tell you whi wou waent to know and give you assurance before you proceed. Our W hington bureeu Zan answer any question of fact pro pounded to it. Here is the univers ‘ of information—a great free educa tional institution established solely to serve you. Send in your question and get the right answer. Inciose 2 cents in stamps to cover the return postage. Address The Star Information Bureau Frederic J. Haskin, director, Twenty Q. How many service bands arc there?—F. R. M. A. There are 13 bands in the Ma- first and C streets northwest, Wash ington, D. C.) Why Good Books Stay Dusty On the Shelves of Dealers Sald Thomas Fuller, writing some three hundred years ago, “Learning hath gained most by those books by which printers have lost that is equally true tod: question of why is raised in the dis- cussion of Winston Churchill's recent attack on high prices charged by pub- lishers for good books. ~ “Winston Churchill, New Hamp- shire author and politician, dropped a high explosive on the book publishing industry the other day,” says the Huntington Advertiser, “when he ex- plained that he was no longer writ- ing the country’s ‘best sellers’ because the publishers charged o much for the books that the public couldn’t af- ford to read.” To this the publishers answer, continues the Advertiser, “that the price of books has not risen in proportion to most necessarizs and practically all luxurfes.” Though as yet Mr. Churchill “stands alone among authors in his crusade against high-priced books,” as the Asheville Times sees it, his statement “seems to be the beginning of a lon: needed reform; that other countrie have always been known for the re: sonableness of the prices put on the best lMterature.” * ok ok Such a statement as that made by Churchill might be discounted if i came from an unsuccessful and dis gruntled writer, but the Dailas Jour- nal recalls that “Churchill was at the height of his success when he volun tarily stopped his output. He hasn’t given us a new novel in the last 10 years. He doesn't know that he will ever give us a new one. But he has been writing all along, for his own amusement, and ho hasn't offered any- thing to the publishers.” Ths Journal finds that the kernel of the complaint is the fact “that people are missing the home association with good books because they can't afford to own them at prevailing prices.” “The old yearning which elderly people can remember for book-owner- ship was wholesome; its disappearance is regrettable,” observes the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, which has its own ex- planation of the situation: *Probably modern education, as the masses are affected by it, with its tendency to- ward imparting a smattering of many subjects with no grasp of any one of them, discourages close and careful reading.” Along similar lines is the comment of the Utica Observer Dis- patch, which says: “‘Winston Churchill, the novelist, thinks the high cost of books in this country militates against good taste in reading, the ownership of home libraries, once a rroud pos- session, and the finer writings of great novelists.” Continuing, this paper says: “Justifying Mr. Churchill's criticism are these facts: The Amer- ican people buy a hundred million volumes a year on the average. That means less than one book per year. per inhabitant, surely not a consump tion of books In proportion to our ! standard of literacy. The popularity of the loan library is another argu ment in favor of Mr. Churchill's con tention that books cost too much. The immense output of paper-backed / | magazines contalning fiction is u | thira. * * The magazine popularity brings to mind the European custom of printing books bound in paper. America onco 3 that custom, “but it fell into recalls the Ithaca Journal 3 which further refers to modern demands: “Books, like breakfast foods. must now come in costly contalners no matter what the value of the product may be.” This paper thinks the kituation might be met by “pub lishers bringing out their literary offerings in two editions—one in the current binding for those who will spend the money; and another in paper covers, at half the price or less, r those who are now buying, on the average, less than one book per year.” On the other hand, the Buffals Evening News thinks the trouble doe not lie in the price list. Its exposition of the subject Is as follows: “Amer fcans do not refrain from buving be cause of high prices. Bookbuying i3 a habit that needs cultivation, espe- clally in a land having newspapers and popular magazines containing fiction, essays, accounts of explora- tion and travel, and popular science.’ The way to increase the sale of books,” contends the News, *s to mul tiply attractive book stores, utllize in- telligent reviews with method and un- derstanding and systematically bring the right sorts of books to the atten- tion of the right sorts of potential buyers.” * % * ok ok K Agreeing that “our good books con- * tinue to accumulate dust on the book- sellers’ shelves,” the Tampa Times asks: “Suppose that the best books, the works of the greatest minds from Aristotle to Whitman, were selling for 256 cents each. Would the sales rise appreciably?”’ Answering its own question, in the laconic expression, “They would not,”” the Times contin- ues, “because these books still would have to compete with the corner mov- ing picture show, the Sunday supple- ment, the ‘confession’ magazine and the musical comedy. And, as in the past, these competitors would get 95 per cent of the trade. You don’t have to think, you know, when you see a movie, read a lurid magazine or drop in at a musical comedy.” The Morgantown New Dominifon is thankful for the libraries. “Fortu. nately,”” =ays the West Virginia pa- per, “there are libraries to furnisp/ books for those who can't buy them. Tn this respect America is far bettex provided for than foreign countrd s*