Evening Star Newspaper, January 1, 1926, Page 6

) THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY........January 1, 1926 -— THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor The Evening Star Newspuper Company iness Office 11th St. and Pennsy York Offico: 110 Chicago Office Buropean Office. ent St.. London, the Sunday morn- ‘enrriers’ within Qaily only Per cents mont, able in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. and Sunda, 00: 1 mo. 00: 1 1 ¥r.. $3.00: 1 mo All Other States and Canada. day..1 yr.. $12.00: 1 mo., $1.¢ 1yr. $200:1mo., <.1yr. $4.0001mo. Member of the Associated Press. was is exclusively entitlod fuation of ull news T ot ‘othe: and also the b N AT & of publiration patches hiesein are also ressrve The New Year. Greeting of the new year ranged Jast nisht from praver to revelry, grom q g of the flight of ime o roistering, regardless of all but n excuse for excess. Not all who mtched the old year out and the ew year in” did so with fidelity to the pirit of the occasion, yet all had some oncept he meaning of the date however vaguely. 2 mile- < . It marks of, n average, one- of the human span. It fate to the records on in the life of There is no as- tronomical me in January 1. It is an arbitrary It has no rela- tion t lar solstice. But it been established as the boundary of time reckoning, and so the world panses and notes the date as a Testival. To almost all who step &cross the threshold year comes the hope of things, more prosper 1ty, ties, richer lives in action thought, chances for personal advancement and for beneficence, resolutions for better behavior. The means to them, to all few who in despair. wit rt or hope, an outlook for brigh It §s this tho hope of adva cally, that servance signit revel at the str on the luman family. n, date. of a ne better ater opport and in more new vear but are out comf 1t of betterment, t morally and the New Year ob- Even those who of the hour that marks the pas: ind the coming of the years ¢ red by this thought. No matter how ribald the ceremony, how unseemly the performance of the traditional ritual of greeting, this hope of fmprovement is manifest. To most people the pussing of the year, even though the period holds hope of advance and greater happiness, has its sad aspect. There lies benind neglected opportunities, wasted hours and days, chances for worthy endeavor i The retro- spect is in many cases not pleasant. But it Is well to look back, to review that which has just passed, and to note the things left undone as well as those that have been done as a guide gnd a warning for the year to come. The year 1926 comes with great promise. This country is prosperous, happy, eful, save for the conflict of individuals against the law, assured of material contentment and abun- @ance. It still ha ¢h to do to jus- ify itself as @ nation of free men and women joined in a union of interests end priv nd opportunities. It has e bili to meet, obliga- tions to discharge. Muy the year just come mark an advance by all Ameri- cans along the laid down by the founders a cen and a half aj Indignant reference to the Speaker of the House of Hepresentatives as a “Cza -d long ago. A “Czar is now of depurted yower. — st = Government Price-Fixing. In the midst of a material prosperity glmost unheard of the industrial Bast finds it difficult to realize or to unde: stand the demand of the agricultural AWest that steps be taken to make the gormer’s dollar”’ more nearly equal in purchasing power to that of capital end labor. The farmer's dollar based on the price which he can ob- tain for his produce, and the price of his produce, which is the farmer's re- turn on his investment and his labor, does not compare favorably with the yeturn from indusiry and industrial Jabor. The law of physi- e ins new nored. pon line: nbol is inpiy and demand still governs to a larze extent the prices peceived by the far for their grops. For example, if the crops of the American farmers were suddenly cut in half, pric necessarily would goar, Or if the demand were tre- mendously increased for American foodstuffs in foreign countries, as dur- fng the World War, prices would mount rapidly. 1f it were possible autocratically to fimit production of fondstuffs on Amer- fcan farms the problem might easily e solved. But the weather, that fickle jade, plays & huge part in production. Yhe individual desires and activities of the farmers themselves, which seem- tngly cannot controlled, play an equally large part What the farmers are asking, there- fore, is a system by which the ordl- nary law of supply and demand can be upset; the stream be made to fow uphill instead of down. The particular » trom which the attack upon this problem is demanded §s the surplus crop. The surplus is that part of the crop in excess of do- nestic needs. If that can be handled havantageously and not thrown Into he domestic market to force prices fiown, the problem will be solved, the armers claim. Hence the demand in ome quarters for a governmental ex- port corporation, to buy and sell prod- noe and to fix and maintain prices in he domestic market. | Such a Government agency, with #he resources of the United States fack of it, could, it is argued, buy and iers such volume that the domestic market would not be glutted and fair prices for wheat in the United States would be maintained. Having accomplished this desired end, it would become the duty of the Government to meet fits loss of the difference between the price paid for the wheat and the price at which it was sold abroad by levying a tax against the wheat farmers of the country ¥enerally. It is a simple undertaking, if the supporters of the export corporation plan are to be believed. The present administration, however, has turned its back on.the proposition as eco- nomically unsound. The cure, it holds, would be worse than the disease. It would put the Government into the business of buying and selling and fix- ing the prices of farm produce, which would be unwise in the end for both the producers and consumers in this count It would place on a parity the wastefully operated farm and that which is administered efficiently, It would destroy individual initiative, It would result in establishing prices of foodstuffs by the Government. It would bring about a conflict between the producers and those who must pur- chase the essentials of life that doubt- less would have far-reaching effects. ‘Wisely the administration proposes as a substitute for a Government ex- port corporation a Government board which shall assist the farmers to make use of their own agencies and the banking institutions of the country to finance and market the surpius prod- uce of the farms as advantageously as possible. It is the part of wisdom for the ad- ministration to seek to bring about a solution of the farm problem. But it would be the height of unwisdom If it permitted itself to be stampeded be- cause of political exigencies into the support of Government price-fixing of farm or any other kind of products. —— e The Coal Conference in Recess. Adjournment of the anthracite wage conference in New York until next Tuesday quenches somewhat the hope of the public of an early settlement of the strike, especlaily when it ap- pears that there is no definite advance toward agreement. However, the of ficial announcement of the Yecess puts the case in a manner that keeps alive that hope: While it cannot be said that the parties are any nearer agreement than when they met, it is true that each side had made progress toward a better understanding of the problems and viewpoints of the other and of the reusons for their respective po- sitions. From this it would appear that the three days of discussion at New York have simply brought about a better understanding between the miners and the operators. But from this ought to come an agreement. The question arises, are both sides now more fully conscious of the fact that the public interest is, after all, paramount, and that the quarrel between them is most severely harmful to the people who consume the product of the mines? At an early stage of the conference in New York representatives of the miners sought to interfect into the discussion the question of price fixing along with wage fixing. It was pofnt- ed out promptly by the operators that under the law there can be no price fixing of commodities by private agree- ment, or even by arbitration. Unless the Federal statute is repealed or amended, no price scale can be main- tained. The public is, of course, con- cerned in this matter, It would very decidedly object to any adjustment in settlement of the strike that raised the cost of fuel automatically znd definitely. Yet the public knows that a revision of the wage scale upward always means a revision of the price scale, also upward. The public always pays the bill of any strike settlement involvinz higher puy for the miners. The present price of coal, averaging, regardless of striketime advances, more than three times that of twenty- five years ago, s due to the successive suspensions of mining and increases of pay at the mines. In any compromise that may be ef- fected in this case there must be give and take by the two sides. The miners must efther recede from their refusal to submit the matter to un- qualified arbitration, or the operators must yleld from thelr contention for a long-term contract, Ths check-off system, or compulsory collection of union dues from the miners by the operators in behalf of the organiza- tion, though discussed, does not ap- pear to be one of the obstacles to an agreement. It is evident that the sit- uation turns upon the unwillingness of the miners to vield to arbitration, and the desire of the operators for a definite period of peace at the mines. In this latter contention the oper- ators have the support of the public, for it is decidedly to the Interest of coal consumers that the chances of a strike interrupting the supply should be lessened, even though a long con- tract means probably a protracted period of higher prices. But, fnas- much as the prices are always climb- ing, perhaps a five-year term would be advantageous to those who use anthracite. Probably both sides realize that prolongation of the strike means an increase in the public use of substi- tutes, which may grow into a habit and permanently lessen the demand for hard coal. That fact should be a determining influence in bringing about an early agreement to end this wasteful war of private interests, e A New Year day may be happy, but in most instances not so gay as New Year eve. College Turnovers. Gone at old Yale are the good old days when a set of final examinations just before the opening of the Fall term decided whether or not a lad was a freshman or a flop. The board of admissions of the university has just announced that the fitness of appli- cants will henceforward be determined Dy thetr school records, by confidential reports cf head masters and by en- trance examinations taken in the early Summer Immediately following the close of the school year. Gone are the days when intensive tutoring during the Summer, or even THE lonly to be dropped perhaps a little later after expense to the college, waste of time to himself and the e clusion of some better man. It is a step, and & big one, in the right direc- tion, and many colleges are taking such steps all the time. More and more have classroom work, theme work, reading work, and even just plain, old-fashioned regular ' attend- ance replaced the triumphant agony of the mid-year or final examinations during the college course. “He is a wonder; he never does a lick of work all term until just before exams. Then he locks hiraself in his room, does without sleep, lives on cof- fee and crullers, and gets grades that pull him through.” Such were the re- marks that used to be passed about campus characters as famous in their own peculiar way were athletes. Such things are not said nearly so often now. The prospective freshman at Yale henceforward must regard each study hour, each day’s recitation fn the nature of a final examination which will affect his chances of en- rolling beneath the dark blue banner, and that is as it should be. Life for most people is a daily grind and not a serles of crashing crises; success for most people is a daily grind done faithfully and well. There occurs to mind in this con- nection a remark by an officer of a Princeton class of a decade ago. “Al- ways remember this,” be wrote his classmates. “When you entered you were not possibly able to graduate. When you graduated you could not possibly have entered. When you had been out in the world five vears you EVENING could not possibly have done either. This pithy saying will probably con- tinue true in most cases. Yale’s new departure calculated to decrease thit total. is —— John Milton, If the research of Prof. David H. Stevens of the University of Chicago into the life of John Milton, the blind poet of Britain, has not gone astray another popular picture must be re- vised. It has been for over two cen- turles believed that Milton, in his age and blindness, lived in poverty. In addition to the sympathy felt for him in his physical affliction there is a feel- ing of pity for his straitened circum- stances, but Prof. Stevens says that real estate deeds have been found among papers in the public record office at London to show that Milton s far from being poor, that instead of lving in a bare, cheerless, hired attic, he enjoyed financial ease on the profits of large real estate transac: tions that had been conducted by his tather and continued by himself. As a result of this situation Milton lived in comfort until his death, in 1674. Appreciation of Milton'’s genius will not be lessened by the discovery that he was virtually a rich man inst of the poor man that tradition depicted him. But, somehow, picture of Milton dictating to his Jaughter, which is one of the art classies of the world, loses its polgn- ancy, when it Is realized that the blind poet was surrounded by all the comforts of life known then. Had he has the been a modern poet in the same cir- cumstances he could have used other means of transmitting his thought. He could have had the best of type writers, or the most perfect dictating devices. Research Is, of course, necessary in the writing of history and in the clari fication of the perspective on individ- ual lives for the enlightenment of posterity. But it sometimes destroys illusions and lessens romance. N The New England fiddler who enter- tained Henry Ford achieved remark- able publicity, but the recognized per- formers of classical music are still commanding the audience. Popular taste is more exacting than many per- sons believe. ————————————— Agitation In Italy throws doubt on the question of whether the man se- lected by Mussolini will find future conditions sufficiently stable to enable bim to qualify. ——————— The presiding officer of the Senate will first of all attack the old rule that a Vice President shall be seen and not heard. ———————— Smedley Butler might have seen a riot in Philadelphia last night, but it was a riot of pleasure. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Modern Education. They tell me my opinions must Into oblivion sink. Professor says—perhaps 'tis just— I don't know how to think. The elocution teacher swears I don’t know how to talk; And now the traffic cop declares I don’t know how to walk! ¥rom One New Year to the Next. “Have you turned over new resolu- tions?"" “No,” answered Senator Sorghum. “I have turned over a new leaf, but it contains the same old resolutions.” “Happy New Year.' It's Happy New Year once again! Though skies have oft been over- cast, We can't forevermore complain And there must be good cheer at last. So in the worry and the din That fill the months with fearful zest We know these simple words will win For all, a momentary rest. Jud Tunkins says wrongdoing causes many men to lose sleep, especially something like a poker game. Table Talk. “You can’t get something for noth- ing,” said the ready-made philosopher. In that case,” rejoined Miss Cay- enne, “why do they have cover charges?” “Jes' to make sure of bein’ timely and in de proper spirit,” said Uncle Eben, “I makes it a rule to 'spress my good wishes foh de New Year be- fore de crap game starts instid of ru wheat abroad, for example, inlpart of the Summer, got & boy by, aften’ s STAL THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. We called them the Happy Family. Mhey got aboard the oneman car that coldest day of the Winter, when the mercury flirted with zero and the wind whistled into Washington from the great open spaces where winds are winds. Some of us, already seated, felt that the wind had blown them on—they were so healthy, so hearty, so sul- fused with smiles, as if not s member had a care in the world except finding a seat for the time being. Ah, the Time Being! Most of the cares of mankind are for the Time Being. Philosophy has done its best to direct our attention to the time to come, has sung dolefully of the Sweet Byeand-bye, and has spoken lemnly the Great Beyond, but the huge bulk of humanity has gone ahead, cheerfully living in the Present, It is the Time Being men prize. Perhaps this universal sense is right once again, as it so ¢ s, Who knows positively but t the true way of lving is in the ISternal Pres- ent, which momentarily becomes the Pa or the Immediate Future, ac- cording to the way one happens to look? Thought for the Time Being extend no farther than to look DPlice to sit on the long side seat in a oneman street car running out into suburban Washington. Sometimes this search requires hoth good evesight and such moral quall- ties as determination, cheerfulness and lack of snobbishness. The Happy Family must have pos sessed them all, for, despite its num- bers, the family managed to get seated, with the exception of one girl about 16 years old, who stood with the best grace in the world. * x % * The first thing that attracted our attention was the fur worn by each and every member of this family. From andmaw, nd hearty in her perhaps 70 vears, to Little Bear, all of 5 yefrs old, every member of the Happy Family wore fur. Mother wore her had fur on the collar of his ¢ , Big Sister had a complete fur outfit, the two b had fur on their gloves, and as for Little Bear, she looked as f v as could be with her raccoon coat and blg peaked hat. Little Bear wa may onee the lveliest, happiest creature that ever graced et car in the Natlonal Cay Men with toil-worn faces turned to at her bright hair wp that sur cht and b cate than any Her mouth, character, smiled something that happiness of so! that distant Futur pably sneered at Sometimes the Future can be read in the Present Terhaps in no case is this more true than in the face of a small girl. More often than not, all the femi- nine virtues she will ever possess are writ large thera in letters of gold and white and pink for the secing eye Of course, every one does not possess such an eve. This eve may be crooked to the visible world, but its possessor will be able to see farther- nd truer-—th many who pass 20-20 in the milita tests, In the face of Little Bear many rose st easily spoke man = we have so pal- things were written. One saw there gentleness, swectness, placidity, charm, enthusiasm, interest, Love—and its crown, quiet affection—these and many other feminine virtues that modern “pep” will never oust from hion. * K K % r pages of an unsullied seeing eye read a happy girlhood, happy marriage, happy life, and at the end was written, “And they lived happily ever after.” So the well bred reserve of the true woman in miniature had drawn the urtain before prying eyes. he delicate pink blush, the blue es, the golden hair—these had @ that heart of man possessed en the most callous. k around, mamma,” smiled Little Bear. “Oh, peek around and See out 1 window!"” Accordingly the mother “peeked.” - was a dark woman with bobbed halr, just touched with he had on a nobby fur coat. 1 she smiled. They all smiled. As from book, the The standing girl, who was the #mage of the older woman, smiled as she swung on a trap. ‘The two boys, perhaps 7 und 9 years old, grinned after their fashion. They were an affectionate family. In general, it may be said that dis. plays of affection are ter ly out of place in public vehicles. gentleman who Insists on em- girl around the back of is a public malefactor and 1ld he dealt with The Happy Fa how managed to They were affectionate with a + touch, he delicate touch! We can stand man if the touch delicate is used. ot too much, friends much! deli * ok ok # So our Happy Family chatted and smiled, took up a large number of seats and enjoyed life en route while we (a he rest of us) w: i them. In their fnimitable fashion the fam. 11y joined in_with in watching themselves. f-conselous in the proper t from being iin self-cons g Whenever Little Bear smiled even the crusty old gentleman across the the Tather of this Happy v, when he saw the old gentle grin, led, too, as if to say you see such a fine little man Did was not ov ested in chi th an expression that s words: I never did see such a kid be. ad Ve we Family business ting off not required e fol ar, where + lived. how Which details were dis tinctly none of our business, of course, 11 have proved interestin heless. The memory of the Happy Family lingers like some living, subtle per. fume, reminiscent of old gardens where Love dwells apart. Why eannot every family be happ: Why in a world of war must quar reling vic portals of that last and best refuge of peace—the Home? What better resolution could we make for the x;“ Year than to try our best, every home, to be a Happy Family, too! ieE WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Loud among the chimes that ring in the New Year ut Washington can be heard the clash, rumble and din that tell of impending political battle It is 1926 A congressional election is in prospect. An entirely new House and more than one-third of the Senate will be voted for In November. The Republican party, more or less stron: v intrenched ) ends of Penn- sylvania aver faces a terrific Democratic onslaught to dislodge it from power. Hence, the grinding of battie axes, the loxding of bludgeons and the trumpet blasts that are about to turn the Capital into an armed camp that will reverberate with strife until Midsummer. Democrats make no concealment of their belligerent purposes. Thelir attack will be aimed as directly as possible at Calvin Cool- idge. In the President they recognize the enemy’s principal asset. So they intend hurling their deadliest shafts in that direction. When Democratic leaders impart, as they now are do- ing, that “Coolidge’s honevmoon is over,” they mean that till further no- e “no quarter” is their program. * il e Self-appointed guardians of the Democratic conscience like the great party organs are skeptical whether the party is going to rise to the full height of its oppositional possibilities. One of them charges the Democratic high command with an incurable pas- sion for “laying hold either of the wrong end of the right issue or the right end of the wrons issue.” An jis- sue which it is now said that the Democrats are bungl is opposi- tion to the Italian debt settiement. They would be doing something far more constructive, exalted _critics contend, if they robbed the Repub- licans of the initiative in the French debt affair and pressed for a settle- ment on the rejected Caillaux terms. * Kk x Meantime, items of attack in_the Democratic battle menu have been worked out by the organization® chefs, to be served in successive courses as the 1926 political dinner party pro- ceeds. Mere they are: Coolidge “alliance with big in- terests.” Republican ture.” Tariff revision. “Shackling” of injustice to agricul- Federal Trade " of Interstate Com- ommission. of Tariff Commis- Bu- aa- ce € Tog-tleing” sion. hylockian” ropean debts. Hoover’s ‘“‘paramountey” ministration. Executive “bossing” of Shipping Board. Work's policy. Prohibition enforcement “failure.” * k ok * These are the major arrows in the Democrats’ quiver, but they do not exhaust their talking and fighting points. The list does not include a varfety of purely personal episodes like the Woodlock and Taylor ap- pointments to the Interstate Com- merce Commission; the Dell civil com- missionership; the nomination of Hunt to the Federal Trade Commission; the Brossard and Baldwin appointments to the Tariff Commission, and one or two other Coolidge nominations await- ing approval by the Senate. On each and all of these occasions the mud batteries will be in violent action. If they carry out the murderous inten- tions to which they give private ex- pression, the Democrats will let down a barrage between now and the ides of March—and after—that will make. noisy history on the more or less placid Potomac. Then there's the Mitchell business. The suspended colonel has legions of friends in Con- gress. They are going to bat for him not only because they are pro- attitude on in {rrigation - reclamation Mitchell, but because many of them are anti-administration * % % There are all the earn at Herbert Hoov ing ta terse little missive just addressed to the editor of a New York paper by Bernard M. Baruch, field mars| in the Woodrow Wilson legion of honor It your i = ber situation. in the follo; efreshing 1o read 1 on the rub There is too much dealing with economic questions of this kind by men who have their lightning rods up. _Mr. Baruch, who is not only a good financial angel in needy Democr on questions of the I has been entertaining a s pany of Democratic leaders at his shooting-lodge in South Carolina, Per- haps the plan of campaign at Wash- ington was evolved amid warfare on the canvas-backs. * ¥ % ¥ President Coolidge, as everybody knows, eschews modern pastimes, like golf and bridge. and he has never danced. But not many people know that he is a parcheesi addict. A close friend once told this observer that parcheesi is “the only game of chance” in which Mr. Coolidge has ever indulged. Perhaps the truth of the President's favorite dissipation has leaked out and responsible for the claim that parcheesi is today “the most popular game on the mar ket.” It is stated that the sale of parcheesi sets is now larger than at iy time during the past 50 years. ‘New games come and go,” savs parcheesi fan, “but the demand for parchees! goes steadily on increasing each year.” * ok x % If Gen. Pershing does not return to South America to unravel the tangled Tacna-Arica skein, and the President decides to thrust that thankless mission upon a diplomat, Sumner Welles may be designated. In Latin American guarters at Wash- ington, on the eve of Pershing signment to the Tacna-Arica mes was said that President Coolidge de- sired to have Mr. Welles accompany the general as the latter's diplomatic counselor. But the reported plan fell through. Welles recently retired from the foreign service with the rank of secretary of embassy. His last post at Washington was chief of the Latin American division of the State Department. Previoysly he had served at several forelgn posts, including Japan and Haiti. A vear ago Mr. Welles married the for- mer wife of Senator Peter Goelet Gerry of Rhode Island, originally Miss Townsend of Washington. Mr, and Mrs. Welles have just returned from a prolonged honeymoon in Europe. (Copyright. 1925.) Dowagers in Need Of Dress Reformation To the Editor of The Star: It s not the young girls that need dress reform, but the old downgers themseives, starting right in on some of the so-called reformers. The eve- ning gowns at some of the soclety functions I have attended are the last word tn fmmodesty. I have seen the younger women cringe in very shame at the low-cut gowns of their parents and elders. They seem to have no seruples in trying to expose their bosoms and backs to public gazq. Right here is where reform is need; and not the quibbling over a few inches to the length of girls’ skirts. The styles of young women today are far superfor and more sensible than in any age and they have just as much_modesty, if not more so, than fashions, ABBE ks of a crack | WASHINGTON, D. 0., FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, Night Parking Ban . Would Be Unjust To the Editor of The Star: Unquestionably a restriction _on parking would aid the police and fire- men in their work, but about 90 per cent of the representation in that re- spect has been conjured up by selfish interests and is mere camouflage. 1 am a property owner, but I have tried to take an impartial view of the situation, A brief survey of the situation will instantly suggest that a requirement that would compel all autemobile own- ers to place their cars in garages or off the streets during certain hours of the night would be s great calamity visited upon )se who do not own garages for the reasons: 1. Private garage owners are al ready preparing to rent their garages on a competitive bld basis. T means that all those who do not own gurages will either be compelled to sell their automobiles or pay exorbitant ren he newsp the & g sposed plan, regardless of tems, i3 one conceived in minds of those who either have wages or are in a position where it iminaterial as to the rent they pay. The whole idea is to oppress the who has little and to increase the Interests of those who possess much— o make the rich richer and ; + poorer. This oppressive idea is so far-reach- {ng that more Inteliigent consideration should be glven it than that indicated by newspaper articles recently pub- Ushed. It the thing must be done, the © way would be to tax all of the strict sufficiently to : lines, class of people who perhaps are not d to take their families out into untry occasionally, or to enfoy of the luxuries that a flivver flord. Then it might be proper to place heavy penaltles on the auto | Increase the traffic on the The pl»‘lfl,: of a ban on all-night King in ey district of the citv Il result in garage rents beyond the means of the ordinary individual. It would not be surprising if garage rent that is now $10 per month would be incrensed to $45 or $50 per morth if the contemplated restriction {s inaugu- ited. There would be little success in regulating such rents R. N. TREZISE. = In Defense of the Government Hotels 1 in vour much discussed the Government Plaz Some of the statements you such I cannot allow u matter Hote make are in rged by e less than er places in the nd thus the Government is in r competition” with private fness. The fact is that the price asked for a small single 100m and two meals per Government Hotels is §50 per mon th fce of Iu room not less tk 0 per mon If it is true that this is less than i charged anywhere else in Washir ton, then this is a sad commentary conditions in our city. The girl clerk on a salary of $1.140 to $1.500 per um should not be compelled to out more than two-thirds of her for board and room. This is . the land of the free! on the ed. I cannot feel that the parkway is mpared with the fact the Government Hotels closed many Government clerks m: be compelled to work on partially empty stomachs. as they will not be sle to afford the prices charwzed for food in the city and the advanced prices which will probably be charged for rooms. Let our congressmen, who recently eived a large increase in their own ponder the question of whetk hey owe any consideration to faithful woman clerks who work so hard and conscientiously for barely living wagzes. Would they wish their own daught E. Financial Responsibility And the All-Night Parkers To the Editor of The Star I wish to thank vou for your edi torial of a few days ago pointing out that it would be impossible and unf to require every automobile owner t keep his car off the street at night. As vou pointed out in vour editorial, there actually is a gr ortage of garages in many section the city, and it ould be impossible for every one to 2d @ garage within many months. ven then, many of us would have to pay unreasonable rents. My neighbor- hood, Connecticut avenue and Rodman street, includes many apartment houses and very few garages. 1 unde: stand that the zoning law would pre hibit large public garages in that neighhorhood. How would the Com- missioner remedy this matter, fmme- diately, when there is not sufficient land in our alleys to erect the large number of single garages needed? A number of people, most of them with plenty of money, seem to be op- posed to all-night parking, but I have never vet heard any good reason why this should be prohibited during a time when traffic is at its lowest ebb. All- night parking is much less of a bar to the Fire Department and to other traf- fic than is the downtown traffic in the ytime—this cannot be denied. I have often seen fire engines come to a halt in downtown traflic, but I doubt if any one has ever observed such an oc- |compiled by the United Ste ANSWER TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. What is the origin of the ex- pressfon “Go by the board”? —W. K. G. A. It was a nautical eapression, meaning to go over the side of a vessel, as In the case a mast broken off short Q Acader of In the exhibition of the National of Design is a picture of Abbey's’ called “The Penance of Eleanor.” = What is the story de- picted?-—J. T. M. - A. The paint ess of Gloucester illustrates an episode in scene 4, act 2, part of King Henry VI The King had just married Margaret of France. The Duk ucester wis the King's prot nd Lleanor dreamed u dream in which “Henry nd Damne Margaret kneeled to and on my head did sit the d $he was ambitious both for her: her husband, and ambition carried her 100 far. Offending the queen, she played into the hands of her husband's enemies and was charged with di loyalty, tried and convicted. Becaus of her noble birth, Eleanor was not put to death, but was oblized to do three days’ open penance and banished to the Isle of Man. Abbey's painting deplets the street scene. Q. Is England part of the continent of Burope’—E. S. A. England is actually a part of the European continent—that is, it is a part of the continental shelf The English Channel and the North Ses are merely depressions which we: filied fn many centuries ago. Orig. inally, F zlar; was actually con nected with th alnland. What kind of guns has the Mayflower?—P. . 8 | A. Th armam flower is four guns. Q. What kind of vinegar should be used fn horse radish?—J. J. M A. It is essential that white wine vinegar be used to keep horseradish white. Cider vinegar always darkens it. of Eleanor, Duch- by Edwin Abbe: m it of the six-pound May rapid fire Q. Are there any snakes that are ap. parently immune to the venom of | other reptiles?—L. T. S. A. The king snakes are e rely im- mune to snake pofson and are, thers fore, effective in destroving rutile snakes. Despite’ their hostility tow: other species, they show a very mild rature toward man. Q. What is mea: midity?—\W. M. S. A. Relative humidity is the rat the amount of invisible water vi in a given volume air to the amoun that would make this air saturated at the same temperatur In short, it is the ratio between the amount of in visible vapor present to the maximum amount that could be present at the same temperature. In measuring hu midity only the invisible water vapor is considered, and not the drops of rain or droplets of fog. Q. C. M. A. A face cord of wood is S feet long and 4 feet high, but the sticks may be of any length. In a standard cord the sticks are 4 feet long. Q. Where do we get the name ilift" as applied to court officers or Jailers?—C. G. A. Bailiff is a pame which was in- troduced into England in the time William I, and came to be applied to varfous officials representing or acting for the King. The sheriff was ti King's bailiff, whose business it was to preserve the rights of the Kin within his “bailiwick" or county. What is a face cord of wood’— Q. Are we exporting as much food stuff as we did a few vears ago?—N. N. A. The Department of Agricultur says that in the 10 years before the World War net exports of food prod ucts from the United States declined rapidly, and exports statistics just es Depart- ment of Agriculture show that this trend is being resumed. Indications are that our net food exports for the crop vear 1925-26 may fall below the a nual average for the five years imme- diately preceding the war, and may n approach the low mark of 14, when this country imported | Jmost as much in the way of food stuffs as it exported. Q. Who bad but said there is no something good found in it?—T. T. A. The quotation is from vantes’ “Don Quixote Pliny Younger also ascribes the savinz Pliny the Elder in a slightly di book so may be Cer- the by relative hu- || of | Q. Was Jesse James killed by an officer?—G. T. A A. Jesse James was shot by bert Ford, who, with his brother, Charlee, was tried and found gullty of mur- der. It developed, however, that they had been acting under instructions and in conecurrence with the Missouri authorities, and they were promptly pardoned by Gov. Crittenden. was the first outdoor Christmas tree erected? Q. When ommunity —P. R. A. The first “Tree of Lizht” was up in Madison Square Park during the week before Christmas, 1912, Q. Where was the Democratio con- vention of 176, which named Tilden and Hendrick M. A. The Democratic national con- vention held that nominated Tilden for Presider Hendricks for vice sident, was held in St. Louis. nville prison ederates throughont s e military prison lle, Ga., was not estah- November 27, 1868, at Andersor lished until Why was John Hays Hammond not a newspaper man, made of the holding company in ch huilding the stional Building?—C. Press Hammond has i the been an as Press pubtless wspaper o profes de him the logica 1t is the momentum or in of an or ; automor R. R. 2 3,000-pound n hour is under wparison with a cannom hurling a 1 projectile ts to the projectile a momen tum of 18,000 units. A 50-pound shell fired velocity of 3,000 feet pel 11d represent less momentum 500-pound automobile travel n hour. These com ere made by the Ameri may be which, at n did Latin cease to be C. R. K spoker remained the early part of the sev The last great ph: Latin wa v plant an American flag at the North Pole’—O. N, R Peary planted five flags at fn 1903, They the the colors of his fraternity; World's Ensign of Liberty,” with e and blue in a field of white: League flag, and the Red Delta Kappa the * farms . A Ce T still being aban- Al announced on October 16, , that more than 75,000 ms ‘have been abandoned since 1920, They are mainly in the South Q. Are there any women in actual gulnurr service at the present time?— The only army of women in the d is the Lotta Svard, the female litia of Finland, which consists of 00 women 0. Q. Why do burning cotton and wool have different odors™—R. A. Cotton and wool smell differe when burned because of nitrogeno substances in wool. (Any reader can get the answer io any question by writing The Evening Star Information Bureau. Frederic J. Haskis tor. Washington, D. C. This offer applies strictly to informa tion The burcau cannot give advice on legal, medical and neial mat- ters attempt to settle do- les nor undertake ex- research any subject stion plainly _and name and address its in stamps for re- al fina ent form: “No book is so bad b some good might be got out of it.” The reply is sent direct THE PROBLEM OF THE RAILROAD BY J. C. Director General of Railroads of the United States. DAVIS, V—The Problem of Unequal Earnings. In only two respects is there need for amendment of the existing na- tional transportation act. One con cerns the much discussed question of consolidation and the other the problem of unequal earnings by equally essential lines. The present aw recites that it is impossible, “syithout regulation and control in the interest of the commerce of the United States as a whole,” to estah lish uniform rates upon competitive traffic which will adequately sustain the carrlers engaged In such traffic. It recognizes the Inequality of the earnings among carriers equally es- sential to the public service, but, by reason of location and territory served, of varying earning capacities The statute then provides that a portion of the excess earnings re- ceived by any carrier, over and above the minimum fair return fixed by the currence caused by cars parked for the night. The point has been made that a per- son who owns a garage {is more financially responsible than an all- night parker. Now I carry a $10,000 indemnity policy to protect the person or property of other people; all of my friends carry such policies. Isn't it reasonable to suppose that if we, with our limited means, had to pay $10 or £15 2 month for/a garage we would be unable to afford the $30 a year nec- essary for such a polley? And isn’t such a policy just 80 times more ad- vantageous to those whom we might injure than a $300 garage would be? In short, if financial responstbility is the object of this ordinance, would it not be far better to require every one to carry an indemnity policy? It would be much cheaper, would remedy a real evil and would really give financial responsibility. RODGER D. GESSFORD. Qaxaca’s Climate Is Not Tropical To tho Editor of The Start Those of us who have the pleasure of living in Mexico find constantly the obligation upon us, out of justice to the country. to be correcting mis- statements about Mexico. In the editorial “A Gold Btrike in Mexico” in tonight's Star you state that pros- pectors to the State of Oaxaca (where, by the way, Arbuckle is try- ing to grow coffee, but cannot for lack of sun) would suffer from tropical heat! Not at the elevations of that central plateau of Mexico, where even snow lies. FRANCES G. A. COULSON. commission, shall be paid to the com mission, and held in trust for the TUnited States, thereby creating a fund from which the commission ma make loans to needy carriers, condi- tioned upon such carriers giving satis- factory security, and making a show- ing that will justify the conclusion that such prospective borrowers will ultimately be able to pay the loan. x K kK The fmpossibility of financially em- barrassed railroads making the show- ing necessary to obtain these loans 1s quite apparent. The showing required by the act would justify loans frot a bank. These provistons of the law create a fund that is accessible. It represents barren rights—a collection of frozen assets. It is not unllke “a man all dressed up, with no place to E%t is quite probable that for the calendar year 1925 the class 1 railroads of the United States, engaged in inter- state commerce, will, on the whole, show earnings equaling 5% % on the value of their property devoted to the public service, as tentatively fixed by the commission, this being the fair return declared by the commission to be reasonable. In making this average, many prosperous, well lo- cated systems will earn In excess of the fixed falr return. On the other hand, many roads will not earn operat- ing expenses, and many others will not earn anything like a fair re- turn. These roads with inadequate earn- ings give a service essential to the convenience of the localities in which they are located—a service required by the public, and they are necessary parts of a properly co-ordinated na- tional system. In the public interest, these less prosperous carriers must continue to operate and give efficient service, X There is now in the hands of re- ceivers some 25,000 miles of road, rep resenting outstanding honds and Stock in the amount of more than $1,250. 000,000. It is estimated that there s some 80,000 miles of road which return to its owners. : mileage is es sential to a well balanced national vstem, and gives a service which the public desires, its operation must be continued. If the general purpose of the transportation act Is carried out, some plan of relief must be formu- lated for these weak lines. The Supreme Court of the United States, in the Recapture case, has auite definitely sustained the principle that excess eurnings over a fair and reasonable return on the value of the property devoted to the public use can be sequestered and held in trust by the United States, to be disposed of Congress may provide, In the general interest of the plan of the transporta tion act. * % The authoritative announcement of this principle is of 1t importance. It projec a4 new angle into the scheme of fonal transportation. It suggests a new power which hereto- fore has not been exercised, and whose possibilities at this time cannot accurately be appraised or anticipated It would certainly he unwise to place a limit upon the earnings which, un- der a fixed schedule of fair rates, may be retained by the individual carrier. There must be a reward for honest, efficient and economical management the carriers can participate, as ‘at present, in a fair proportion of all of their earnings, there would be no reward for personal achievement, no fnducement to excel, and an irresist- ible temptation to extravagance in muintenance and operation. In addltion to this, fuir and conserva- tive provision must be made for the rainy days or the lean years that in the progress of time are sure to come. General reductions in rates, on the other hand, would greatly increase the present embarrassment of the weak lines, and tmperil, if not destroy, their ability to give the service the public demands and is_entitled to. rea- sonable period of fair earnings should be continued, to the end that the credit of the carriers may be perma- nently established, necessary capital expenditures made and reasonable re- serves created for future contingen- cl In this situation the proper applica- tion of the trust fund under the re- capture clause of the transportation act affords a fertile field for the exer- cise of legislative ingenuity as to what, if anything, can be done for the “upder dog” in the world of railrcad transportation. (Copyright, 10253