Evening Star Newspaper, January 8, 1926, Page 6

8 e D T T THIS AND THAT THE EVENING With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY.......January 8, 1926 THEODORE W. NOYES The Evening Star Newspaper Company Bustness 11th St. and Pen ey York Office 11 cago Office; Towe Buropean Office: 14 Rekent St., London, England. The Evening Star, with th {pE Sowion” is delivered by ¢ the city at 60 cents ner month 45 cents per month: Sunday only. per month_ Orders may be sent by mail or telephiona Main 5000 carrier at the end of each month Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. aily and Sunday. .. .1 yr.$9.00: 1 mo. 7he aily only ... ... .1 yr.$0.00: 1 mo. 80 Sunday only 130 All Other States and Canada. Dally and Sund 1yr.$12.00: 1 mo., $1.00 Dally ‘only - 137 P58 00: 1 mos” 75e Sunday only 137 8100 1mo: 38c Member of the The Assoctated Pre ted Press. sively entitl Associ; Confiscation of Local Tax Surplus. A bili auth ing an appropriation of 0,000 solely 'om the Di surplus tax money to complete and Rock e con sidered by Hou next Monday, District In discu bill preliminary to its enactment, both House and Senate will have the opportunity, which should be utilized, to give thoughtful consideration to the gross inequity and of fnconsistenc the ethod of ap- n local taxes for cer- This i s inconsistency and this inequity have been »d in the hurry of annual appropriz s; but now that 1t is proposed to i propriation law, Congres thorough sea If this bill be it will c parkway section of tribut ratio or np-sum paymen te proportionate con equ every instinct c require that this park’s expe ,000 should either be divided between local com- munity and Nation on the hitherto prevailing 50-50 ratio, or $360,000 from local taxes and $240.000 from Nation under the 60-40 ratio provided by pres- ent subst law, under the lump-sum payment plan of $400,000 from local taxes and, sa; from the National Government as a lump-sum substitute for the $210,000 due under the 60-40 proportionate ratio. It is imconceivable that Congress should deliberately enact into sub- stantive law (whatever it might do in the exigencies of appropriative legisla- tion of temporary application) a trans- fer entirely to the loc shoulders of the bur of mnational parks expenditures in the National Capital, at first solely national ex- pense, and then divided between Ni tion and Capital The same inconsis have characterized penditure of the District’s five million surplus of accumulated tax money The opportunity is now given to Con- gress to consider in a spirit of fair play whether, denying any definite proportion ibution by the Na- tion to meet this five million of local unexpended t should not make & lump-sum payment somewhat less than 40 per cent in lieu of such defi- nite proportionate contribution. When Congre nounced that this local tax surplus existed it precluded itself from refusing to contribute in some fashion efther ratably or in arbitrary lump sum when these old taxes came to be expended. It may safely be as- sumed that Congress has not been gullty of the contemptible mockery of tendering the District its accumulated back taxes with one hand and of con- fiscating them for national purposes with the other hand. If in expending these local taxes ponding amount of national money, which would otherwise be appropriated, is simultaneously withheld, the just de- ciston of Congress in recognition of the surplus is nullified and stultified. As Dead Sea fruit the District's sur- plus crumbles into ashes The law of 1878 declares that one- half of the Commissioners’ estimates as approved by Congress shall be ap- propriated from the Treasury, and that the other half shall then be ob- talned by taxation of District prop- erty. Every cent of the Districts five- million surplus collected under the provisions of this law to be spent in the next year for the Capital's benefit in combination with an equal amount already appropriated from the Treasury. This money was collected from the District taxpayers, but Con- gress failed to expend it in obedience to the law with an equal amount of mopey appropriated from the Treas- ury in the year for which these taxes were collected. This same fallure was repeated year after year until recently. Now Con- gress has provided for the expenditure of this accumulated tax money. Equi- tably it will be spent as a part of the District's proportionate contribution under the terms of the half-and-half law, which alone authorized the tax collector to exact it. Before he finishes spending this tax money of the District Uncle Sam will contribute either an equal amount un- der the half-and-half law, or two-thirds of the amount of the surplus under the 60-40 ratio, or an additional lump- sum payment in lieu of any definite proportionate contribution. It is inconceivable that Uncle Sam, having collected this tax money solely by virtue of & law which béund him to spend the money for Capital up- building in connection with a like con- tribution from himself, should, by his own omissions, neglects and failures to appropriate in obedience to law, first postpone for many years meeting his obligation to appropriate, and should finally so appropriate as to ency and inequity ippropriative ex te co exist a corre TAR Collection is made by | 200,000 | 1 taxpayers’ | avold entirely and repudiate his obll- gation of proportionate contribution in respect to this District tax money. It is inconceivable that Uncle Sam would thus permit himself to take advantage of his own wrong. [ER—-. The Pedestrian Regulation. Another setback to the clearing up of Washingtor’s traffic confusion was recorded when Judge John P. Mec- Mahon, in the District Police Court, ruled that Traffic Director Eldridge | does not have the authority to frame the pedestrian control regulation. In his decision Judge McMahon did not concern himself with the merits of the rule but merely with its legality. | He was careful to stress that in de- | claring the present regulation void he |did not wish to hold that there was no police power in the District suffi- 500: 1 mo. 25¢ | cient to promulgate an effective law. | Although this decision was disap- pointing to District authorities and | will doubtless create confusion and | defiance in the public mind in regard [to pedestrian regulation, the Com- | missioners, by speedy action, can | minimize the damage done. Invok- ing their police power they can take | the present regulation and “for the | protection of life and property” make it into law. Judge McMahon's sig- | nifica | Washington seem to point to this so- lution of the problem. Should even a regulation promul- gater by the Commissioners be held lack legality, which is not likely | to be the case if it is properly framed, | two other courses are open. One is {an appeal from the ruling of the |Judge, and the other for Congress to amend the traffic code so that the | director will have the necessary au- | thority. Both of these methods, how- ever, will cause long delays In traffic | betterment and should not be used |unless everything else fafls For this reason it would seem to be |obvious that quick action by the Commissioners in framing a pedes- o - trian regulation fs the Immediate means of correcting a dangerous situation If the matter is allowed {to drag along without decisive steps {to make effective this most important ! modern traffic rule, serious confusion will result, and Washington traffic will become utterly demoralized. With the new automatic signals | now in operation on Sixteenth street |and soon to be started | chusetts avenue, pedestrian |tlon is imperative. Traflic signals |of this type ineffective unless {every user of the street co-operates |ana obeys implicit At crossings {in the downtown section of the city where traffic is heavy enough to re- lq the services of policemen it | is likewise necessary that pedestrians should conform themselves the | stenals | Pedestrian regulation now in vogue in many cities throughout the | United States. It is not an experi- | ment, but a proved means of life-sav- |ing and expedition of traffic. Wash- { ington's rule is a reasonable one and | should be made immediately effective. ‘ —— | Henry B. F. Macfarland. | In memory of a man who reatly beloved by the community and whose services in its behalf are highly |appreciated, a tablet was today unveiled at the District Building, | with ceremontes as simple as he | would, if living, have required, and | yet deeply sincere in significance, | Henry Brown Floyd Macfarland, Com- | missioner of the District of Columbia | for ten vears, in a period of vital fm- portance in its history, passed away a little more than four years ago, hav- ing retired from office and devoted himself to his professional practice. | He accomplished much for Washing- ton during that decade of public duty, and after that he gave himself unre- | servedly to all works for the better- | ment of the Capital. The inspiration of his personal character was in itself potent in the community. He lived with the utmost righteousness. His deeds were prompted by a love of his fellow man. In all his words and all his works, Henry B. F. Macfarland was a helpful example to others. It is meet and fitting that this tablet should be placed within the building that was the scene of his devoted and valuable services for the District of Columbia, and that it should in fits | inscription reflect the sentiment of the people of Washington for one who will be always remembered for his devo- tion to their city, which was his own city for the greater part of his life. —_— on M are is was Europe controls many things need- ed by the U. 8. A. “Down with the trust” has local significance, but may be revived as a slogan relating to for- eign affairs. ——————— It may be possible for Mussolini to establish a new and greater Rome. The rumbling of Vesuvius makes the question of restoring Pompeli more doubtful. — raee— Saving for next Christmas is advo- cated for those who were sufficlently thrifty to enable them by this time to pay up for last Christmas. ————— Building Needs Recognized. At a hearing held yesterday before the House committee on public build- ings and grounds there was a general admission of the urgency of the need for better housing of Government ac- tivities in Washington. It was also the prevailing opinion that the pro- posed appropriation at the rate of $26,000,000 & year is but the beginning on a public bullding program which has been completely neglected for more than a decade. This is a good start on the consid- eration of the public buildings bill. If the measure is pressed in this spirit of recognition as an Iimperative need from the point of view of public econ- omy it will be enacted into law early in the present session and work will start with no further delay on this long-postponed program of construc- tion. A public building program cannot, in its nature, be an all-inclusive, com- plete project. It is inevitable that new needs will develop while the con- structions first authorized are in prog- ress. The fact is that the Government is in arrears heavily in this respect THE ] and must spend a large sum to catch up to current requirements. It is in the same situation, on a large scale, as that in which the District finds it- self with respect to public school con- struction. Delay adds to the accumulation and to the ultimate cost of *provision to dispose of it. Had the Government built two department structures cn the five-square site at the west end of the Mall-Avenue triangle immediately after the land was acquired, their cost would have been very much less than would precisely similar bulldings cost today. The true economy lies in im- mediate beginning on a comprehensive bullding prograrm. In delaying for fifteen years con- struction in the five-square site, the Government has lost a'heavy sum in rentals for inadequate quarters for de- partmental housing. It has received in rents from the area thus taken only “There are few joys In the world equal to the joy of a garden,” said the late Gene Stratton-Porter. “A garden sets off a home as an appro- priate frarae does a pieture.” Now that the flower catalogues have begun to arrive, thousands of Wash- ingtonians will do a little “fireside gardening,” planning their yards for Spring and Summer. If one has the imaginative eye, it is easy to sit indoors and see green grass, lilacs in bloom, gladioli coming along, shooting up their flower spikes; roses budding, birds singing, soft breezes playing. Cold, gray days of Winter—with a wink of the eye, we ditch you, and in your stead bring forth warm after- a small percentage of the rents that it |noons of Spingtime, redolent with has been paying. As & business prop- |odors, abrim with shouts, barks of osition this transaction of purchase, [408S. filled with color. Row on row the gladioli stand, non-use, rentals of privately owned their beautiful flowers nodding under structures and consequent congestion the touch of the humming bird, which nt remarks on police power in| has been most unbusinesslike. It % poises himself in air, dipping his bill would seem that the time has now into the six-petaled gloric b It happened that the first catalogue come when action is made imperative [ty reach us this January—on the through a realization of the poor econ- | fourth day of the month—was that of ey orlaiay) a prominent Midwestern gladiolus grower, & man who was banned from his church for “daring to interfere with the divine work of the Creator!” His “‘crime” was that he had hybri ized gladioli, and produced hundreds of glorfous, super-flowers, such fair creations as Nature would have heen proud to claim for her own, to whom, of course, they do belong, in the last analysis. One who has been privileged to see —————— The editor of a college publication should consent to regard graduation as a step toward journalistic respon- sibllities instead of regarding journal- ism merely as a minor and prepara- tory incident. The paint and varnish experts are any of these creations in bloom will among those who believe the practice | 0t Worry about the actlor that of leaving motor cars in the streets | (onory [OF he e it over night fn all kinds of weather [of approval upon this man's work. et lanconaesa 3 Every upstanding, healtl Catt ful gladiolus of his breeding i a testi- monial from the Maker of All Things to the effect “Well done, My good and faithful servant! ————— The English rubber monopoly is re sponsible for the fear that certain phases of American prosperity will be subject to tire troubles. ik e As & book catalogue to the book- BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Then, instead of being, banished from the garden, you will enter it. * % x ¥ Those who have never known the mingled delight and pain of selecting bulbs from a catalogue have missed something. One would like to buy them all, but that being impossible, for various reasons, he must content himself with a selection. The new mixture at $35 a hundred is reluctantly put aside. Also the three new offerings at $50, $50 and $100 a bulb! "One hundred dollars for a flower!” some one exclaims. No, for a business investment. Only the pro- fessional grower would give such a price, and he hopes to realize hand- somely on this investment. The Hol- landers, who gave their all for one tulip bulb, were not such fools as they scemed. The tulip craze had a mer ntile basis, after all. Each buyer hoped to corner the market, and some of them did. We decide on some named varieties, and finally, after much perturbation, select the following list. Read over the names, and try to visualize the beauty. Avalon, Bonny, Admiration, Dream, B, J. vlor, Glorious, Golden Glor: June Delight, Kasson, Kunderdil G ry, Mona Lisa, Natalie, Onega, Oran, Pink Lily, Pride of Goshen, Rose Glo- ry, Ruth’ Huntington, Scarlet Gl Smiles, Tempa, Thistle, Ventura, Vio- let Glory, White Glory, Youell's Favor ite, Purple Glory The colors, bri are: White, rose, cream v and in sequence, pink, pink, salmon-red, vellow, geranium, lav eam, blush white, orange. =t salmon . blush, rose, salmon, ross lilac, red, rose, rose, red, white, vio' let, hwite, rose, purple * koK % The foregoing have ruffled petals. The following are plain petaled vario Alhambra, Black Bird, E Byron 1 ng. Cinein tella, F e Ribbon, old Throat Excell, Indian Magic, Mary U. 8. A., Mrs. D Pendleton, Mrs, George W Noxall, Ozarkas, Pantheon, e rose Beauty Scarlet Challenge: W hit Flaming Gov. Hanly Mald, ennell, A Lustre, Miss Norton, Mrs. Frank Moulton, a. Prim- Purple Spot, Red Copper, Princeps, Snow Boy, Snow lover, so the gladiolus list is to him Egyptian research reveals magnifi- | fr Nl Who cares for the “glads Wes spirerbas s = 5 dlolus is, per se, a man's D )y evidence of a scale of | lower Most of the American hybrid living that would justify a realtor in | izers and growers are men, and no oo dlne Rl other flower has perhaps the same appeal to men as the gla { - - - —_— This may be acc The director of traffic is inclined to | ¥ ¢ fact that this has no odor. ire distinctive Th it this plan anc 3 demand some stop-and-go system that will systematically govern the efforts |if such a phrase of the local police 1\;».\.41-:» spike and irrar —_—————— New investigations are brought be fore the Senate in spite of the f: either, a fussy tl achieved, not in fe but simj rinine ngh cha its exq colorings that several old ones are not yet fully | An «iaied Dot . disposed of. i .- — - iy ve. Anthracite is becoming scarce verage man re enough to raise the question of FSi2 oo thang bl wakes up whether 1t fs a fuel or a precious et s stone, oddest way, happening e S see for the first nely arranged | Prosperity In the U. S. A. is such | Pasket of o noting that the ares more that any vendor, forelgn or domestic, | henutitul ihan the feels at liberty to write his own price | It may happen at s in the garden of a frien curs, do not, then, dec like the gladiolus.” Hold an open mind in relation to thid flower, and | some day, when you least expect it, Until it ¢ re “I do not tag. e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON you will fall | Dictatorial Emergency. I heard a man of serious style Declare in tone severe, t's better far to use a smile, Life’s obstacles to clear. It’s better toward our fellow men Congress is not content with the All rigors to relax. talking it does on its own fleors. It And yet you'll find that now and then | wants ty i ed facilities for onitie o n conversation | phone. The Wash- ington telephone compan s just “ e installed beneath the dome of the & S better with a feather light Capitol an expanded exchange large To tickle Fancy's mood enough to serve a city 15,000 peo- ple. As Congressmen at any hour of the ¢ days and holidays in exchange gives service € likely to or night ed, the 24 hour: And keep an olive branch in sight To curb each impulse rude. Yet when you have a task to do Which may your patience tax day. Its switchhoard has 18 “posi-| Souielinest vourl) Maa Bis ire | tions,” serves 1,603 ms 1d exten- sl Before you're | on statlons in the Cay 1 House | mOugH, and Senate Office Build and has You have to use an ax.” A Historic Move. “What do you think of these efforts from time to time to reform Philadel- phia?” “I'm saying nothing,” answered Senator Sorghum, “that might seem to cast reflections. But I will go so far as to observe that the forefathers made a good move when they brought the capital over to Washington.” com. re 38 nch ex- 114 trunk lines to the pany’s central office. “tie lines" to other private br changes of Government departments, thus. giving the administra direct connection with the Capitol. Of cour: Congress not only talks, tut is talked to. The added phone facilities, in other words, are required for accommoda- tion of the patriots and taxpayers who want the ears of Congressmen,as well as by Senators and Representatives themselves. The chief operator of the natfonal citadel of loquacity is a wom- an, Mrs. Harriet G. Daley, who oper- ated the first switchboard ever install- ed at the Capitol. * ok %k Who is the United Jud Tunkins says we're told money does not bring happiness. Just the same, it's the winner in a poker game who does the most smiling. States Senator recently described by an exalted Fed- ‘a good fellow, but curlosity”? ' It's ¢ be one of the eral personage as without intellectu just possible he Excluding Materialism. “You went to sl men whom Dr. Samuel A. Eliot of 1 sleep durlng the most | g "™ speaking at the Woodrow beautiful duet of the opera,” said the | Wiison birthday dinner, classed as wife. £ “I was not asleep,” protested the husband. “I was listening enraptured and did not want the effect of the music spolled by glimpses of an over- welght soprano and a slightly bow- legged tenor.” And We'll All Take a Ride. “Walt for the wagon,” Ran the good old song. ““Walt for the street car,” Came the good old song. “Walit for the bus” Comes the new refrain— And next we'll wait For the aeroplane. “important mediocrities * ok oK% Twelve or fourteen young American officials lost all of their private prop- erty during the earthquake in Japan in To compensate them a bill has just been introduced in Congress, sponsored by Senator McKinley of Illinois and Representative Acker- man of New Jers It calls for a total of $30,000. Six or seven offi- cers of the foreign service, four at- taches of the Department of Com- merce and one Treasury official come within the scope of the proposed grant. Representative Ackerman'’ interest in the bill is derived from the fact that he and his family hap- pened to be at Nikko, the famous Japanese shrine resort, at the time of the earthquake. A few days later he had occasion to learn of the heroic services rendered by the American officials during the earthquake and its aftermath. Army and Navy officers of the United States, who suffer per- sonal loss under such circumstances, receive fixed compensation for loss incurred “in the line of duty.” But our civilians are not so indemnifled. *x ok x 0 The Swiss Minister to the United States and Mme. Marc Peter have a couple of semi-Americanized sons with rival alma maters. There is in con- “Whut politics needs,” said Uncle Eben, “is mo’ men dat'll study jes’ as long an’ hard 'bout how dey’s ginéter vote as dey does ’'bout how dey's gineter bet on de races.” The Real Purpose. From the Canton Dally News. After careful study of the proposal the conclusion has been formed that advocates of two-point-five beer want 1]y | relixions of all rs WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. | was a member of the War Inaust Board and of the Priorfties Commis sion. Later he was chairman of the United States Liquidation Commis: Arbitral talent was called for ir |and all of these activiti Fluke Splendorra, The Cream, Uhlan Tyrian Reauty, Vi Beaut) colors, In order, Pink red, cherry, white, white red, cx red, cardinal wch'pink, sal ange-vermillion, laven blush crean white n | rose. yellow, purple, rose hite, wine some idea found in " sword » a wonderful a n place | one has th « . he will stand 3 the velvet color Ange unsu fl in all probabil addition to its form and color- ing, the gladiolus, in its modern de- velopment, possesses a quality which is absolutely beyond the power of W to capture. May this not be ory of the Creator which the es and ages have delighted to magnifty? Frestdent Co ted him to se wnized o on the newly or; adjust A fco. Judge to wind up a rious career can-German Mixe Commis n, in which capacity he has se since 1923. During the war Parker Germany and Ameriea Joined lecting him as umpire three ago, Parker was | in the annals of in tion. To date the Commission has made totaling $126.366.227. At one tin commission faced 12,500 claims. gating $1,500,000.000. but the p. knife has been ruthlessly applied. * K ok ok The Ku Klux Klan may not use the rotunda of the Capitol for midnight Initiation ceremonies, as a weird story in circulation in Washington once ai- leged, but one of the Klan's favorite sons s noy ensconced beneath the dome. He s Rice W. Means, junior United States Senator from Colorado, who Is mentioned as the future grand kleagle of the hooded organization in his State. The local Klan organ in its current issue calls Means ‘“the luckiest man in Congress.” The why and wherefore is that the “Coloradan has just persuaded the Senate rules committee to turn over to him a com- mittee office adjoining the Senate chamber in the Capitol. Just for fun Means asked for the quarters former- 1y occupied by the late Senator Robert M. La Follette. Just for fun, the com- mittee gave Means the rooms. Thus the Senator obtained quarters after one year’s service in Congress which La Follette won only anen“serving a decade.” Then the Klan hewspaper remarks: “The luck of Means is one of the Senate mysteries. * X ok % Hugh Gibson, American Minister to Switzerland, who is certain to be one of America’s representatives at the preliminary Geneva disarmament con- ference, is a bosom friend of Herbert Hoover. Gibson always stays with the Hoovers at their home on S street whenever he is in Washington. They’re fellow Californians, for one thing, the Minister being a native of Los Ange- les. But their real friendship dates from World War days, when Gibson was Hoover's chief co-operator in Belgian relief work. The young diplo- mat was at that time the right-hand man of Brand Whitlock, our Minister at Brussels. Gibson is one of Amer- ica’s outstanding ‘“career” diplomats. in se- | vears | id a tribute unique rnatio rbitra. erman awards, the | ere- uning {1and in Alexandria Ci He's been in the service continuously since 1908. If he were rich he'd have been an ambassador by this time. sequence an occasional rift in the lute of an otherwise conspicuously happy and cultured household. The Reters, who have been at Washington since May, 1920, sent one of their boys to Harvard and the other to the Univer- sity of Virginia. Ever since then there has been a near feud in the family as to the respective merits of Cambridge and Charlottesville. The Harvard man now and then taunts his Virginia brother with huving ac- quired an atrocious Southern accent. ‘Whereupon the graduate of Virginia retorts that even that is preferable to a New England drawl with nasal motifs. The elder Peters youth re- cently became an instructor at Har- vard. The Swiss Minister is a lawyer by profession and a resident of Ge- neva. The Peters home is only a stone’s_throw away from the palace of the League of Nations, on the Quay ‘Woodrow Wilson. * Kk kX Judge Edwin B. Parker, Texas Dem- ocrat, is getting to be Uncle Sam’s to use it as a chaser. The Eternal Problem. From the Lafayette Journal and Courler. It is difficult to tell nowadays wheth- er she's the picture of health or a suc- cessful artist. A Teething Ring. From the Indianapolis Star. X The British rubber ring finds the industry in this country in its teeth- ing period. Unfinished Business. From the Omaha World-Herald. The report of the committes en New Yoar resolutions is awaitods Secretary Kellogg thinks very highly of his talents. Gibson's wife is a Belgian. (Copyright, 1926.) U. S. Bread Is Best. From the Kansas City Post. The president of the American In- stitute of Baking has all the best of the argument in replying to Robert T. Skinner of the United States consular service in Paris. Mr. Skinner cast aspersions at American bread, sux- gesting that were it of better quality more of it would be eaten and the wheat problem be brought thereby nearer solution. American baking is no longer a hit- or-miss industry. All that sclence has to offer is called into play in the building of loaves for the multitude an ous, best bread in the 3 EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1926. New Traffic Lights Make for Safety To the Editor of The Star: Hurrah for Eldridge! From the vantage point of a Rapid Transit bus (one of the larger, respect able ones) I had my first view of the workings of Washington's brand-new automatic traffic signals. They worked! So did many a decrepit brake, grown SUff with idleness. The air was elec- trical with protests, muttered and un- muttered, from usually care-free motor ists at this unwonted discipline. The red stop held them like roaring lions on a leash; the yellow found them al- ready poising and snorting for a ing, and at the first glimmer of en they had already landed, some- times upon the haunches of the lion just ahead. Here and there a driver, still living in the fond dream of yester- day, sped his lonesome car across the current, withdrawing his hind wheels just in’time to save them from the drowning wave. For the first time in the modern his tory of Washington the pedestris was really a factor in the equatic No sooner did he see before him straight and narrow path set apart and dedicated to him, and guarded by the watchful red eye, than he tripped 0ss with such an air of the s would do credit to an actor. For the first rehearsal he did well! I believe this erstwhile jaywalker of newspaper, fame went back and forth across the boulevard checkerwlse, at alternate stops to show that he was capable of anything when he was given half a chance and half an idea as to which way, and when, the enemy would charge. s knew he w. capable of this sort of rational proce- dur but he wants a little practice to wcquire more nonchalance, to lose the hunted look and put grace into his movements To be sure it is hard for a spoiled child to submit to discipline. The Washington motorists have so long been accustomed 1o having their own t way in an “every man for hir spirit, that it is hard a systematic cross-curren estrians, and to wetually required 1o stop more than 10 times i1 cutting across town. What we neec is more stops and more discipline, with all due regard for the worthy Senator te mere pe on the hill. How often would a few wise stop 4 a bit of discipline obeyed have avoided an unhappy col lision in our dignified halls of Congre: and saved a most unworthy situation It might be suggestad that those mem ber: of Congress who find too many aths invest ir - is free. 1ore enforced stops, much | -rsections, tuking a chanc 1a few adequa examples of p t meted out 1o nin: which holds human would do mu toward solving the traffic problem Hurrah for Eldridge: Help him along: VERA E. ADAMS. e e 2 Arlington Lands Given For Farm Use Law Star December 31 there "he Arlington editorfal a issue o In mis the Ar 2 States In yc nds now purpos ent of Agric y, “The imental farm to the De w [ ent o re, with the de e understz hey would be tored to uses at the proper e. The expe tal work was be n and conducted there definitely on the basis of a temporary tenure.” The facts are as follows: Pridr to the year 1900 the tract now known as the Arlington Farm was a unsightly piece of ground, covered with bushe: and mounds of earth, the the graves of many mu ed on the place while it was in use by the War De partment as a mule pen. The late gressman R drfa, Va.. on numerous « called attention s of the tract. He «d and put a bill through Congress transferring the property to the Department of Agricuigure. The iaking the transfer is still in ws 18, 1900, ch. 243 r Arlington estate red to Secretary of Agricul jundaries of land excepted. 1. That jurisdiction is hereby red and given to the Secretary Agriculture and his successors in office over so much of the Government inty, Va., Known s the Arlington.estate, as lies east of the public road leading from the Aque- duct Bridge to Alexandria, Va., other- wise called the Georgetown and Alex- andria road, and between sald road and the Potomac River, containing ct Aprf tion of {about 400 acres, with the exception, however, of a strip of land as follows! Commencing at the point where the Georgetown and Alexandria road en- ters the Ariington estate on the north side, thence along said road 625 yards, thence in a line perpendicular to said road to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, thence along said canal to the south line df the reservation, jurisdic- tion over which is retained by the Sec- retary of War (31 Stat. 135). Sec. 2. That the declared purpose of this act is to set apart said tract of land as a general experimental farm in its broadest sense, where all that nertains to agriculture in its several and different branches, including ani- mal industry and horticulture, may be fostered and encouraged, and the prac- tice and science of farming in the United States advanced, promoted and practically illustrated. (31 Stat. 136). “Sec. 3. That the Secretary of Agri- culture will take immediate and abso- lute control of said property described in section 1, and by clearing, under- draining, grassing, laying out proper roads and driveways, constructing proper bridges and buildings, and in other ways as his judgment may dic- tate, bring said property as rapidly as possible into the proper condition to answer the purposes for which it is set apart.” - The Department of Agriculture did not request the transfer or seek con- trol of the property, the whole matter being handled by Congressman Rixey, who was anxious to remove an eyesore so near the Capitol and the Arlington Cemetery. There was no question of park uses at the time, nor was there any understanding as to the future of the tract other than what is called for in the law as set forth above. The law, it will be noted, is specific and definite and can only be abrogated by an act of Congress. B. T. GALLOWAY. Preservation of Fort Washington Approved To the Editor of The Star: Articles in the dally papers and your editorfal in The Star of even date as to the sale by the United States of certain fort sites, particu- larly of Fort Washington, are inter- esting to me, as I was officially in actual charge of certain features of Government work at Fort Washing- ton for several years. During that time I was interested enough to read up on its history and on the history of the site itself. It seems that about the first white men who came up the “River Pawtow- mack” found the site of the present fort to be occupied by an Indian stock- ade. point of land lying betwpen Swan Creek and Piscataway Creek has been of sufficient importance to be main- tained in a fortified condition. The old stone works, visible from the river, seem not to have been under fire when the British came nr the river, as it was leted in 1814. ah o Sz’ of thavary of fortince 'So, since the earliest time, thigy Q. What do insurance companiés patroness of Byzantium. do when persons outlive the greatest [dates from the time o age provided in the mortality tables?— | father of Alexander the M. M. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. A. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. says the practice of life insurance companies concernirg the termination of policies on persons who outlive the highest age of the mortality tables on which their rates are based is not uni- form. Most companies pay the face of the policy to all those who reach the highest age of the mc riality table. Since most companies do their ordi- nary business on the perience table, this age vears. However, American ex- would be 95 many companies operate on different tables of mortality and some companies hold the face of the policy and pay it with accumu- tated interest at 4 per oeneficiary. The practice cent to the of the Metro- politan is to pay the face of the policy ‘0 the insured at whatever age the ceserve equals the face Q. 1Is the St. mncreasing? A. The 1 Great Lakes-St. to November 30 B. Lawre; over that of any pr The total traffic of the Canals for the amounted to 6 0,135 carrfed in 1923, an inc period named of over 40 indicates entire season a substantial increase of the policy. Lawrence route traffic shipping season on the route up nce for the ceding St. vear. re for e the per cent 1 want some information about Q. notaries public—A. R. E A. The following ar which hold good practic United ver 21 years of aj the county in desires to be appointed, pointed as notary pub county on makimg appl vernor in writing, indc nember of the Legis! probate judge of the cc or circuit in which the resident. In the District of Colus public are appointed by the United States should be made through the ¢ the President; addressed tary to the Presiden IZxecutive Office, Washi Q. Who was the fii nister in this America was Phillp En re coming to this co e found a number of Ir: n New York City and gathe: 0 a small congregat ates: A citizens of th , and a res which ture, Everett Sande: country The first Methodist preacher in 1 in the Irish Methodist regulations or the appointment of notaries public ally over the dent he or she ,may be ap- blic for such ication to the by some circuit or ounty, district applicant is a o A bond must be filed with| the county clerk in the sum of $1,000. | mbiz notaries the President Appjcation Fice ot to the Secr ngton, D. Methodist . D, S, who had onference untry in i ish Meth -d them jon that held hursy its meetings in his house. Q. How many States represented in the Battle burg?>—V. R. S. A. Hay and Nicolay citi zen soldiery from 17 of th S had taken part in the conflict on the Union side. Q. What was the value of this ear's wheat crop in Canada?—P. A. B. A. The Canadian wheat crop this last year was valued at $4 5.000 \ccording to the preliminary govern- ment estimate. Q nisere’"?— M declaration in misere is one that it is play, the cards being being apparent that the ke a trick Q. What does the Tu: emblem, the crescent, s A. The Turkish national ¥ was _originally a symbol, the symbol of Diana, the the crescent, [ What is meant by a “spread In some card games, a misere which the player} gages to loke every trick. A spread not necessary shown and it hand will not rkish national ignify?—C. T emblem, pagan Lawrence period mentioned tons of goods carried, as compared to 4,319,919 tons ate, | Its origin Philip, the t. (hile ke was trying to take the city ha set his soldiers to work on a dark night to undermine the walls. The crescent moon, however, appeared in time to reveal the plan to the inhabitants. In gratitude for this, the crescent moon was adopted as the symbol of the city. Q. Has any State a law requiripg persons on public highways to walk against traffic?—J. C. A. Tho last Illinois Legislature passed such a law, Q. Has the Pope ever left the Vati- can grounds’—H. E. D. A. The present Pope of Rome has so far followed the custom of his predecessors since 1871 and has not left the boundaries of the Vatican #rounds since his election as Pope. In 1871 the Italian gov welzed certain parts of papal domatn in Italy, allotting to the Roman pontiff certain guarantees and mo has not been ao pred t this act the Roman Pope h d himself during his term of office to the boun daries. Q How tall is the figure of Robert E. Lee in the Stone Mountain Memorfal?>—C. M. A. Gen. Lee and other prominent figures will be 133 feet high. The fact that this is the height of a 15 or 18 story office huilding brings a reali zation of the magnificent scale on which this design is being made. e How do trees become petrified” | A. Petrification is prodiuced by the infiltration of water containing dis solved mineral matter as calclum | carbo: lica, etc., which replaces he organic materfal particle by par ticle, sometimes with the original structure retained. * Q. Has John Galsworthy name?—G. M A. His early fiction was published | under the pen name “John Senjohn.” Q. How long will white flour keep —H. 0. H. A. Under proper storage conditions flour should keep entirely satisfac- torfly for three months. Much of the r is kept for a of time and such flour g pur a pen high-grade wheat flou: pe considerably longer even for a year ¢ is satisfactory f poses. $100 for and including | There iz no other in the t world that can answer as many legiti ate questions as our Free Informa- on Bureau in Washington, D. C. This hiohly organized institution hes been built up and is uvnder the per- sonal direction of ric J. Haskin By keeping in co ant uch with Federal bureaus and other educa- | tional enterprises it is in a position to | pass on to you authoritative informe- | der. Submit tion of the h st o wour queries the staff of exrperts whose services are put at your free disposal. There charge except 2 cents in_stamps for return postage. Address The Evening Star Informa- tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, di- rector, Washington, D’ O. agency Comment on Farm Problem Difficulties ahead of ernment in dealing riety of comment which with problems are emphasized b the Govern- h; the demand of the Iowa conference for organized means of maintai the price level of agric The direct chal President, who previou: on record against such sugg prod- ad gone stions aral lenge sly the undenied plight of the farmer, the effect of present tariff schedules and | opposition to further Gover tervention in business all figure in the discussion, with no indication that opposing Views are in a fair way to be reconciled. The Des points out Moines Tribune-News that the Government al- ready “has a lot to do with business” and that the country is fixing. What has been done in re by this paper | to railroad rates is cited as a precedent with wh is familiar for action in riculture. Fk ok used to price- d ich the public behalf of ag- It is pointed out by the Muskegon Chronicle (independent plan favored by President Cooli is a farmer-promoted. trolled, farmer-conduc tion,” but the Chronicle believes that “the basic error is the same, whether ) that farmer-con ted corpora- or not it is a Government corpora- ton, far the purpose is to maintain prices of agricultural products at home at an artificial, fixed level, sell- ing the surplus abroa will bring and charging to the producer.” “It does not seem to .to the Towa conference,” remarks the Columbus Ohio State publican), “that there s a simpler | and better way to arrive at the end | sought than through a doubtful effort to bolster up the price ucts by resort to legislation, reaucracy and public e: not urge Congress to move the tariff on the things the New York Times (independent Democratic) says that the attempt of the farmers to| “level up their condition with that| of the classes whom the tariff largely benefits” is, in fact, “a particularly damaging form of assault,” “frankly unmasks all the protection farmer buys?’ The batteries.” x X K % Explaining that the conference was attended by farmers, bankers, chants and professional men of Iowa, the Stoux City Tribune announces #hat “notice was served on d at what 1t the loss back have occurred Journal (Re- of farm prod- bu- Xpense. reduce or re- (independent) big and little exploiters, both indus- trial and political, that agriculture nment in- | the Why for it mer- prosperity ship needs order to reach cultural States to get in line and help The conference decl: commission, which now r centralized determi cultural distri exercised, however, port commission w rounded with res: tions that it will be utile insttu- tion.” The Waterloo Tribune (inde- pendent) also insists that the 1 ‘must have a bill they can get t Congress” and that ‘“the esse; the resolution adopted at the confer- ence can be incorporated in a bill and adopted.” The Indianapolis News (independ- ent) dwells upon the failure of farm ing to share in the general prosperity. “Reports of the Depariment of Agri- culture establish conclusively the jus- tice of complaint from farmer: 3 ! the News. “Their case would be lass strong were the depression general. It is not. Where the remedy will be found and what is the best method of applying treatment are questions that cannot be ignored without invit ingRurther complications which will slow down all economic process * = That the President “is not likely to surrender to demands from a threat- ened bloc,” and that ‘“the test has come,” is the opinion of the Flint Journal (independent) which declares: “It Coolidge meets it and wins, he will be one of the earth's great men. If he does not, he will be just another President.” But the Chicago Tribune (independent Republican) asserts that “apparently he has ylelled to the pressure, at least to & certain ex- tent, although it may well be thet in_ his shrewd judgment he does not believe it posstble that Congress will pass any such bill as the farmer com- bination Insists upon.” And the Trib- une continues: “But for him to re- | treat, even In this way, from the con- sidered opinien which he has before expressed is not a little disturbing to those who thought him a man who would change not, even if he had sworn to his own political hurt.” The 8t. Paul Ploneer Press (independent Republican), however, declares: “We have confidence that he is upright and unafraid, and it is with that sentiment that the farmer approaches him, un- certain only of his ability to convince him that the Northwest is right.” * ok ox X “The farm bloc has been rather docile for the past year or so,” the tion as_understood in those early in ‘who days. Its design is great part, lack of foresight! ‘Washington, ily, to Maj. L’Enfant, made such a good job of the layout of Washington itself—although, we ometimes think, handicapped by a It 18 said that Gen. from Mount Vernon, across the river, and the Digges fam- who lived near the site of the old stone wotks, signaled dinner invi- attributed, tations, etc., to each other. It would appear highly desirable to preserve for the use of the public, as a park, the site and the old stone works at least, at Fort Washington, as well as the site of Fort Foote, just across the river from Jones Point Lighthouse, at Alexandria. Fort Foote was one of the chain of Civil War forts circling the Capital City. Could ‘these not be included in the project of Mr. Melvin Hazen, the city sur- veyor, for connecting by & boulevard all the old_Civil War forts around 0. B. CAMP, m Charleston Evening Post (independ- ent Democratic) suggests, “but if it should begin active operations again, with a view to capturing the Repub- lican party and naming its candidate for the presidency, Mr. Coolidge would have a hard time in establish- ing his claim to particular friend- ship for the agricultural interests of the country.” The Lincoln Star (independent) also sees ‘“the whole West . threatening to break away from its customary political moor- ings” and “the G. O. P. leaders taking alarm.” Towa's need of agricultural aid fs attributed by the Pittsburgh Gazette Times (Republican) to the tenant system. “In view of the extent to which farm tenantry prevails - in Towa,” asserts the Pittsburgh paper, “the thought arises that the tenant | system may have as much to d with the present trouble as the lo price of corn. It is possible that the absentees owners have exacted m onerous terrus from their