Evening Star Newspaper, February 16, 1926, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. 5 WASHINGTON, D. C. TUESDAY.....February 16, 1926 THEODORE W. NOYES. . . .Editor TheEvening Star Newspaper Company 110n 8 Tt Fenomivants Ave : ena 3 etk S 0B gl st o ower Building. l.hmnu':'omw:;a t St.. wondon, The Evening Star. with the Sunday morn- g edition. 1a delivered hy earriers within the city at 60 cents per month: dag‘l only. 48 cents per month: Buniay only. 20 cents month, Onders may be sent by mail oc lephone Main 5000. Collection is made by @arrier at (he end of each month. Rate bv Mail—Pavable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. 1¥r.T000°1mo. 00 1 mo ”A'l Other S aily Suniay aily ::?\- S Sunday only 1yr.§1°00 1yr. E8 00 1 mol 13y-. $4.00: 1mo. Membe= of ¢the Accoriated Press. The Awsociated Pross 1o ceclusively entitled 10 the use for atches cradit, ted in thie namer published hernir of special dispat ATl riehta of oublicat < Forein ace also reserved The Poblic Brildinys Bill ~nsion of the te of 262 to public bu Yesterday under a su: rules the House by a * 120 passed ihe gene ings bill, a unique mea: tory of construction le bill authorizes the Se Treasury to acquire siies a ‘buildings needed for Gevernment serv ice in Washington and elsewhere, and for this purpose auth-rizes the appro- priation of $165,000,000, of which $50 000,000 will be expended for structures in the District. It does not actually appropriate a dollar, but, as was ex. plained yester’ur it empowers the Secretary of 'k Treasury, and, in the case of post es, the Postmaster General. to make requisitions for ap- propriations. ‘While one Congress cannot bind an- other, it is accepted tha: if this bill should become law, there doubt of the provision of funds here- after, as the various projects author- ized by it and undertaken by the Sec- retary of the Treasury and the Post- master General are at the point of execution and appropriations are nec- essary. In the case of the buildings in-the District of Columbia the uppro- priations, it is understood, though not specified, are to be at the rate of $10.- 000,000 a year for five years. The bill stipulates that “not more than $10.- 000,000" shall be expended annually. In the execution of this act the Sec- retary of the Treasury is authorized to use sites already acquired, or, in case they are not deemed suitable, to acquire others and to dispose of the old ones. In all cases in the District of Columbia if construction requires the use of contiguous squares author- ity is given for closing and vacating portions of streets lying between the squares and alleys intersecting them. This is a wise provision, inasmuch @s in a number of cases in the past &ingle squares chosen for building sites have proved too small and with the need of subsequent enlargements embarrassments have arisen. In the case of the sites already owned by the Government at the western end of the Mall-Avenue triangle and other lands Iying in that general area the ignor- ing of street lines would be advan- tageous. The need of additional department and burcau buildings in Washington requires no stressing. In the debate yesterday in the House it was clearly stated. One member sald: It has been repeatedly pointed out on the floor of this House, as well as conclusively shown in the hes.ings Lefore the coramittee on public haild- ings and grounds, that there is an emergency existing in the housing problem of the Federal Government. The internal revenue department is now scattered in ten separate build- ings, the general accounting office is scattered In twenty-one buildings, and the Agricultural Department in forty- five different buildings. A constituent told me a short time ago that he had to take a guide in a taxicab In order to find his way to_different depart- ments in the city ot Washington. Not only that, but publi¢ records and even human lives are daily menaced by fire. The condition in Washington alone is intolerable, and I do not believe the American Congress can fur‘her jus- tify itself in refusing to take some action to relieve the situation. This bill now goes to the Senate. It should have prompt consideration and be speedily passed. It should be rated as an emergency measure, for the con- ditions of which the member just quoted spoke are acute and require the earliest possible relief. Enactment within a few weeks will perhaps per- mit the preparation of plans for a be- ginning on this work in time for an appropriation to be made at the pres- ent session to enable ithe Secretary of the Treasury to save a year in actu- ally starting the execution of this long delayed program. e The great trouble about discriminat- ing in matters of “moral turpitude” is that there 1s so much of it, of one kind or another, here and there. ———e e ‘Turkish women are anxious to go to work, if only for the sake of setting a good example to their male fellow citizens. 150 that a situatin there were signs that the roof might collapse, and some repairs were made. Last year to lighten the load on the roof and walls a two-thousand-gallon water tank was removed. Maj. Grant now states that the trusses of the roof have slipped and that a large part of the welight of the roof rests on interior partitions. This condition has existed for ten years. It is a matter calling for prompt correction. It is startling to all per- sons in America to be officially told that the White House.is in such con- ditfon that its interior walls may col- lapse under the weight of the roof This danger is much more threatening during heavy snowfalls. No time should be lost in applying the remedy. What would millions of Americans think of the Government at Wash- ington if, after the warning, there should be such a disaster as the cc iapse of the White House walls and voof? ——oe—- The Capitol Plaza. t some $1,800,600, u passed yesterday by the Senate wchorizes the tesumpdon of pur hases and condemnations tu compleic .he extenslon of the Cupitol Plaze w the Urlon Station. 1is easu. should receive the aswut of the H use j he went to Montre THE EVENING tically snowed in. He got back in the car, however, and attempted to start, but could make no progress. By that time the drift began piling up and he was unable to open the doors to es- cape. And so prompt work in clearing transportation arteries not only saves millions of dollars to the business of the country, but in this case was in- strumental in saving human life as well. o Craven. In quickly quitting the United States for Canada upon learning that a war- rant for his arrest had been issued by the Immigration authorities, the Larl of Craven has shown more sense than s heretofore in his and the same time quite fully lived up to his surname. Hs explained that 1 “to avoid unnec- essary and undesirable Just how he has tion. It may wher he goes he will be an ob of interest ana curiosity. escape publicity no Catheart se is under d.scussion. The spectacie of this noble lord flee- ag while the ludv of his former pre ferment languishes Island, t he be halel to court and then de- eor publict be He cannot long as the hat is uawosihy LLe Governmen. may be correct When the project for enarging (he “laza to open a clear space begvee the C no objection on an Bliol iscom of this plan were rec xnized. Afier the had Geen carricd on to the point of guin- ng possession f the greater part of ne space designated, bowescr, objec- ton was ralsed to the mode of con- .emnation, and the work was halted. Meanwhile mos of tie buidings had veen razed. and then, when ihe war proceedings be no | ———— Weakness of the White House. Reports of the insecurity of the ‘White House Lave been made by en- glneers charged with the upkeep and safety of the structure. Maj. U. S. Grant, 3d, in charge of public build- ings, testifying before the subcommit- tee of the House drafting the appro- priation bill for the maintenance of the White House and executive oftices, said that the roof is in danger of col- lapsing and should be rebuilt. The work of making the White House safe would cost $500,000, and would require considerable time. The President has been consulted in the matter, and it is reported that he has not approved the expenditure of the sum asked by Maj. Grant “and does not see how he can get away long enough for the roof to be taken off and a new one put on. Workmen in making repairs to the White House 38 years ago found a dangerous state of dry rot in timbers of the building, and there was a sub- stitution of new beams and joists for some of the old. About twelve years ago weakness was found in the roof and repairs were made which seemed to mest the situation. Two or three ¥esars a0 Col. Sherrill reported that” could repais the damage ho was prac out of Heaven,” came and the ousing condition in Washington bec:iime acute, ihe Gov- ernment undertook to ve it by | erecting a number of “hote on the ! aza for the accommodation of wom- an worgers in the public service Some of those hotels were placed o land that had not been actually ac quired. The owners of those land: after waiting a reasonable length of time, announced them for sale. O course, the: couid not expect to dis- puse of them to private purchasers in view of the cloud tha: rested upon the area, a cloud of p-ospective con- demnation. Eventuaily. and for three vears past, the Government under- took to pay $75,000 a year rent for the spaces used as hotel sites. There are two considerations in this case, that of equity to the owners of these lands and that of the public in- terest in the matter of extending the Capitol Plaza. The work is partly done. Tt cannot remain unfinished in- rel {to be aeplorea. | no definitely. The owners of the prop- erty cannot coerce the Government to act, nor can they find a market for thelr property elsewhere. They should be relieved from this anomalous situa- tion. Nor can the Government con- tinue indefinitely to let the partially cleared space stand as it is with no turther definition of boundaries. It must in propriety proceed to execute the project. A bill is now pending in the House which commands attention in this con- nection. It authorizes the acquisi- tion of all property on the north side of Pennsylvania avenue from First to Third streets northwest, to be trans- formed into parks to match in appear- ance the Botanic Garden opposite. Such a scheme fits into the Capitol- Station Plaza plan, and it may be that in its consideration of the bill which has just passed the Senate, the House, which should surely give its assent to that measure, will join to it this new proposal just offered. ———————— Heroes of the Sea. A sailor man, who did his duty, who obeyed the tradition of the sea, who did his best to save others from danger, and whose crew went eagerly to the rescue, two of them losing their lives, was yesterday hatled as a hero on his arrival in port. Welcomed by a deputation of notable men and wom- en, headed by the Governor of the State, this man, to whom the fury of the storm was but as a part of his routine of respensibility, broke down and wept. He who had faced the greatest danger and had merely done what every other true sailor has al- ways done was overwhelmed by words of praise. Capt. George Fried and his men did only what would have been done by others had they been themselves the victims of the storm. They do not reckon themselves as heroes. They do not regard their action as particnlarly laudable or notable. So when he was told of the high esteem and the pride with which his service is regarded by his fellow countrymen he was unequal to the stress of emotion. It seems a pity that great deeds that are instinctive, that spring spon- taneously, should call for extraordi- nary praise. But it would be a greater pity if they were not praised. In these davs of complex life, manifes. tation of the elementary goodness and nobility of man is perhaps more defi- nitely recognized than formerly. Op- portunities for heroic action are less frequent. But it {s inspiring to wit- ness the instant reaction both of the unselfish spicit and of the sincere wish to recognize and reward it. —— e ————— Life-Saving Snowplows, ‘While the success of snowplows in clearing the way for transportation is very much in the mind of Washing- tonians following the recent demon- stration by the local street cleaning department, it is doubtful if their gratification over this feat can ap- proach that of Dr. Thomas Wolfe of Adamsville, R. I., who literally owes his life to the fact that modern civili- zation demands the immediate plow- ing of State roads following a storm. Attacking a huge drift at Westport Point on the interstate road running between Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the Westport road gang un- covered a small closed car. Inside they found Dr. Wolfe, who had been buried for more than two hours. As soon a8 he had recovered from his harrowing experience he told his res- cuers that due to motor trouble he was compelled to stop and before he erted, i arly edifying. f any ulited fo incen “hat he should L par with her it departure from nc setic be the sdiction With the E reach, deported b his ow Craven—out the case somewhat inst u plified. There no longer a “single standard” plea for ner. The matter of her deportation fs 0 be considered without reference in er assoclate in the unlovely mess. It necessary now for the iwpartment of Labor to decide whether she is to be rated as an undesirable pe; sent back hoine on the ground of her confessed liaison. The raising of this point is greatly It would have been wuch wiser had the matter been ig- ed. The law has never contem- vlated application to persons involved in social scandals, and if a precedent is to Dbe established by this case L the deportation of this woman “peck of trouble” is in store for many people, hoth here and abroad. —_——— Old-fashioned fiddles are favored by Henry Ford Mr. Ford is influential, but it is not to be assumed that his critical preference has anything to do with the decision of Metropolitan Opera directors in New York to aban- don ihe old shack and start life anew. o The desire of Count Salm to visit his eighteen. months’ old son is natural and laudable. The acquaintance should be fostered. As the yvears go on the youngster may be able to af- ford his father some valuable advice. = e The coal strike is at an end. Condi- tions will soon resume their old aspect of cleanliness and comfort unless, in the meantime, the scrub ladies decide to organize a strike on their own ac- count. —————— Abd-el-Krim is alert to any advan- tage of bad climatic conditions. Like other primitive leaders, he pays more attention to the weather bulletins than to the reports of peace conferences. A rise of one cent per gallon in the cost of gasoline serves notice thut there will be pienty to do with any money saved to the ultimate consumer through Federal tax reduction. i e Tribute paid to the greatness of Julius Caesar is an evidence that Mus- solini is, after all, capable of a certain degree of personal modesty. ————— It is easy enough to destroy books relating to evolution, but so long as people darce the Charleston symptoms of the theory will persist ————— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILAN s is <on and JOHNSON Indacements. I want to be forziven If I've been misunderstood. I hope to go to Heaven; So I'm tryin’ to be good. For in that habitation Designed for future joy There is no syncopation In the music they employ. No bootleg relaxation In evidence will be. No problems of taxation Make angels disagree. I made a resolution And sought as best I could Angelic evolution; So I'm tryin’ to be good. * Statesmanlike Discretion. “You didn’t appear to be deeply in- formed on the subject about which you recently spoke.” “My audience wasn't deeply in- formed either,” answered Senator Sor- ghum. “I restrained my erudition so as to make the folks feel that they and 1 were on the same intellectual footing. Small Things That Count. The price of gas goes up a cent And that seems not so very much. It means, when all our coin is spent, At least a miljion-doliar touch. Jud Tunking says “early to bed” used to be a good motto, but now it means you're liable to miss a lot of good radio stuff. Political Progress. “Who's the sheriff of Gulch?” “I am,” answered Cactus Joe. “But you never pay any attention to these lawbreakers.” “Of course. That’s how I made my- self popular and got to be sheriff.” “Words, Words, Words!” The Senate talks too much, they say. It's only human, through and through. 1t grows loquacious, day by day; But so do I and so do you. Crimson “Religion,” sald Uncle Eben, “is a great comfort until it gits you thinkin’ dat mebbe you kin start some kind of an aristocracy dat'll keep other folks e STAR, WASHINGTON, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. The announcer, having stated that the orchestra would play a certain number, almost Immediately cut in the microphone to announce that the plece was a ‘restricted” one, and, therefore, the orchestra would play axiother. Restricted, indeed! The writer here has no intention of golng into the merits or demerits of the situation caused by the inability of radio broadcasters to put on the air vritten by members of a cer- ization. 1t is enoush, perhaps, to say that it such “restric throws us back into the armsg of Beethoven, Mozart and Schubert, it has achleved a grand re , indeed. uld that we migh* be ‘“restrict forever to the use of the greatest music so old that the copy- : long run out, that is 5o © i as “free as the air!” _With the music of the world at the disposal ¢f the broadcast stations, it would not be much of a loss if all of modern American compositions of the Yighter fype were “restricted.’” This s not in ended_as a slur on our dance and ballad” music. The writer en‘oys It as much as any, and a 1n wre so than some., He td~ 'n having annovnead, the [ ¢ “Who' was bro-deast, that this son” wis the splendid tune it is. W uld well afford. however, to miss such - 1< onal good tune as *his for vonderful songs of the ic restriction on the < over radio of cer- in copyr imbers, the broad- have bheen forced to give the srsin much of the better older music ' After all, there can be no question of the musical ~upremacy of the o'd maste tever one may rhink of the various living composers, it is im- sibie, at this stage in the world’s rogress, to concelve mortal music any t written during the nturles in German France, Austria, Poland, ind other countries. t5 of the so-called “modern’ schoo!. even of the “futuristic” brand, searcely sneer at the old masters. Those ‘true musiclans, working with train and heart. gifted with genius in the best and only true meaning of the word, evolved musical themes as vet unsurpassed. 3 From their compositions may be cecured ‘“tunes” innumerable for countless fox-trots. waltzes and other forme of dance music. With the prodicality of Nature, of which they were an unconscious part, the old masters turned out tune after tune utterlv beyond the ability of but a few men since to achieve. The late Victor Herbert was one of the few musicians of modern days who actually h-d the melodic gift One never has to strain his apprecia- tion to like a Herbert melody. The listener appreciates instinctively, be- cause the stuff s there. Herbert was a lineal descendant of the old music writers, men who, in their day, were looked down upon as almost less than servants, vet who were artists none the less. ~All the st Ttaly, tand Ady D. O, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1926 the name and works of that composer shine more brightly today than ever. * X % X Restrict me to Mozart, then—and see if I care! One can well forego “Scintillating Mamma” if he is given something in- finiteiy better instead. The ephemeral tunes of the moment pale into insignificance beside the real gems of melody which may be met with in the works of the true and timeless masters. Emphasts is put on melody herein, because that Is undoubtedly what the people, the radio broadeast listeners, want. Let no one point the musfeal finger »f shame at us for this hankering. The greatest composers public'v ac- knowledged the primary importance »f meloay an music wod furth o siress- | - it in their works, in which .o nns perpetually, like a galden thread. They were not ashamed os a hose old fello Let the broadcast stations delegate one of their capuble Announcers. Most of whom are musicians of some ability, to go through the works of the old Aposers, hunting for themes for T tunes, The pulsing beat of the fox-trot Is a happy one. A fox-trot by Beethoven, or i ice, is boud to be good' Properly done. this fs no “desecra- tion,” !y adapting the time. | but merely ess music of the world to @ particular time. Let us be restricted to Beethoven! x % % % Robert Schumann, in his short life, teft us such s no member of the modern * likely to iea 0 all li Take his “Fantasiestuecke,” or fan- tasy pieces. Irom it an enterprising broadcast station may secure some which, properly ‘“put would have an immense appeal and make us forget losing 'hat “sure- Are” effort. “Obtuse Mamma.” Salact the “Jolly Farmer ™ the frol- fcking lardman. from the fantasy pieces. 1f there isnt’ a bang-up fox- trot_with a little manipulatio “Dream Visions.”” “Why,” —all of them—where can Their neec? Mendelssohn’s * Songs Without Words™ furnish a treasure of melody. And the list might be extended to a whole library. The works of the old masters are full of real music, much of it little played, which we of the radio audience will thank any one for bringing to our attention. Alreadv the American publc is the batter educated because the hroadeast 2 lata have been “restricted” in their sones Bollermakers and others, who in an ordinary life might never hear the bost music, have had it pour~d into their ears ever? night. with the hapnv result that they are working up quite a respectable musical taste 1f we could be ‘“restricted” to the best in all art works, perhaps civiliza- tion might be civilization indeed! Reatrict us, O Lord. from evil thouchts to the hest thoughts: restrict us from poor architecture to good ar- chitecture; restrict us from the com- mon and the ordinary to the beautiful; restrict us from cheap stories to the ‘Soaring’ we find degenerate buffoons who sneered at that bright star, Mozart, are dead and gone, utterly forgotten of men, while Once more the French are crying, “Ils ne passeront pas!’ for the ad- ministration of Premier Briand is mak- ing a last desperate stand against rad- icalism on the one flank and consery- atism on the other. Briand asserts with all the firmness of the Verdun heroes, ““They shall not pass"—the Cartel of comparatively irresponsible deputies of the Chamber shall not re- gain control of the government. France has been rent by extremists —the Radical Socialists ~pulling to- ward experimental extremes of gov- ernment ownership of all enterprise and industry, and of antagonism to capital, while the Conservatives have been unwilling to concede anythin- toward compromise. The result ha: been a continued procession of chang ing administrations with none holding the support of a safe majority. It has been the policy of Premier Briand to attempt to harmonize the more reasonable members of both ex- tremes and the Center, but at no time has he been very strongly encouraged in this patriotic effort. A month ago France appeared upon the very verge of another cabinet crisis which might easil ve ended in a dictatorship. There were even some Conservatives who seemed to welcome such a revo- tion. Again last Sunday M. Briand emphatic in an ultimatum to the wrangling partisans of the Chamber of Deputies that unless they cease their politics and within two days get together in support of the Doumer tax bill the cabinet would be forced to re- sign. If M. Briand, with all his suav- ity and readiness to unite all parties by accepting the more moderates of each, is unable to hold enough support to make a majority in the Chamber what other statesman could do more? Already, through the compromise tact of M. Driand, the Radical So- cial have abandoned their pet plan of confiscating capital-—a plan which had loomed like a nightmare before the masses. * K kK The capital levy differed from a tax BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. on incomes, for it meant confiscation of from 12 to 15 per cent of the value of all property whether it was paying any income or not. It meant that the owner of a castle or a gallery of paintings might be required to pay into the treasury 15 per cent of the appraised value of the property, pay- ing installments spread over 14 years. This was the plan supported by the Herriot cabinet, but it fell last July, the government. A French Cartel is not a bloc, it may include several blocs all uniting for a constructive policy, while each bloc may have its own pet hobby of opposition. When Painleve succeeded Herriot he ha of only tel, and almost immediately the Car- tel lost control of the Chamber. Par- ument continued without Cartel con- itrol from last July to October, but leve last November, partisan politicians. prevent a revival of the power of the chamber extremists, Doumergue, himself, is a moderate. To that end, the president persuaded Briand to take the premiership, against his own Inclinations, and for 10 weeks the Briand cabinet has struggled desperately to hold together the more moderate of the Socialists, the Radical Socialists, the Center and the Conservatives of the Right. Briand is not supported by any bloc and must unite individuals of the sev- eral blocs, disintegrating the Cartel of its 275 members. He has barely held a working majority. He has played the role of a veritable Atlas, holding the French world upon his shoulders, without visible means of support. The premier took his final stand upon the tax measure introduced by the minister of finance, Doumer. He announced last week that if the Sen- ate and Chamber refused to drop their @rea+ stories: restrict us from the mediocre to the eternal! Then shall we be glad. partisanism and rally to Doumer's support by passing the tax measure without further delay or quibble, the | government must fall. The vote was taken last night, giving support to the Doumer measure, 258 to 149, and the Briand cabinet still lives. * % x x It appears that what opposition ex- ists against the Doumer tax bill is based upon doctrines and not on prac- tical figures. The Socialists and Rad ical Socialists demand direct taxation; the other blocs want indirect taxation. When the radicals were persuaded last Fall to abandon the capital levy it ‘as through the introduction of a bill by the then finance minister. Lou heur. increasing the income tax ver cent. That bill became law December 4, though it fore throw of Loucheur and with him the Painleve cabinet. Briand and his finance minister, Doumer, inherited that increase of tax on Incomes as a foundation of their tax policy. M. Doumer now adds a tax of 10 per cent on all sales, pay ments of debt, transactions at bank or on the Bourse. That is the pro- posal around which most of today's battle is waging. Socialists prefer to increase the income tax. e French officlals say that France, on the whole, is in remarkably good con- dition. She has overcome the radi calism of the proposed capital levy she has no fear of Soviet bolshevis in her own affairs; there is absolutely no unemployment—contrasting most favorably with most other countries of Europe; she had collected from Ger- man reparations prior to the adoption of the Dawes plan 2,646,907,000 gold marks (including gold payments, mer- chandise and titles to certain state property in the newly acquired do- main, especially Alsace and Lorraine). That is equivalent to $661,726,750. Out of that collection she has invested 737.- 659,737 gold marks in rebuilding the devastated regions, of which at least two-thirds have actually been rebuilt, and that with very little complaint of the ubiquitous profiteer. Under the Dawes plan she is receiv- ing further reparations from Germany at the rate of 484,471,462 gold marks per year—$121,117,865.50. She has not yet funded her war debt to the United States or Great . Britain, but her friends live on in hope. The election of M. Tardleu last Sat- 1 and with it fell the Cartel control of | urday to the Chamber of Deputies |they passed out, on their wa may not augur well for the Briand cabinet, for M. Tardleu is to be the leader of the opposition. It is, how- ever, a most significant incident, pointing to the trend of French senti- ment, for he made his campaign on support of the Locarno treaty. Tar- dieu revives the spirit of Clemenceau. He stands for French independence against too much domination of cialists, but he will fight a battle In October, the leaders of the Car-|royal against Briand for the leader-|around this adored child. tel got together at Nice and prepared | ship of the moderates and conserva- | clusive little group, hardly touched a new onslaught upon control against | tives, and may thereby undermine Bri- [ at all throughout the story by con- | the efforts of President Doumnergue to | and’s sustaining majority @end compel | tacts with the outside. his resignation. Then what? Can himself? figure. He appears the coming * ok * kx Recent editorials in leading French papers indicate public sentiment. Le Gaulols of February 1 asks: “What would be gained if M. Dou- mer should concede everything to the limit? Nothing.” Les Debats, L’Ere Nouvelle and Nouveau Sfecle point out a movement among the radicals, a current more and more clear toward conciliation. L-Avenir declares that nothing in soclalism has relieved the strained financial situation, but it adds that a truth shines out with evidence, and has shone for a long time, “The financial crisis is a political crisis, a political crisis which-engenders a cri- nli::wncu.m oy Paul V. Colling Bal- 26. by 2 ¢ tonal Syndicate.) .| culate upon a general ¢ [ NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM LG M. POSSESSION. Louis Bromfleld. Fred- erick A. Stokes Co. Dr. Johnson was clearly all out- done with the high-faluting platitudes | and pretensions of print when, pound- ing the table, he roared out, “The pur- pose of a book is to be read! Pre- sumably every book is included here, since there i3 no record of speoified exceptions to this sweeping dictum. Such sturdy digging to the root of | the matter must have been as offen sive to that day as it would be to this one. For books, like love to parade under impressive high purpose and ideal intent. stripped to the truth, the basic pose of every bit of print that In between covers or that sprears it- self over the pages of the daily news is o secure the widest possible read ing. And why not? The author is producer no less than the farmer, th manufacturer, the merchant. To cal- ribution of his output is as legitimate an activity for him as it is for these. Like them he, too, must count his public and ap- praise it in order to meet the general reading demand, just as they so e ficiently propare rheir wares to me: the common need and desire. Prob ably no book was ever written out of an author's ive plan to de lver the pure overflow of his soul or the burdea of his hard-gained koow edge (o some secret and inaccessible erypt of permanent hiding. This prime jaw of commerce brought over and applied to the modern nov- 1 current fiction serv ate these writ product into twe parts These correspond to the two classe into which the reading public natural Iy separates. Over here is the eno mous group of just commonly intelli gent people—as to their reading, ca less, uncritical, like children easily diverted and amused. Over there is a small class—cultivated, discrimina tive, exacting, keen to the better is- pects of art, content only with such music or painting or reading as satis fies and feels an already rich soil of comprehension and appreciation. The effct of these two naturally groupei combinations upon ciarent fiction is, on the one popular sens other, there is but imably clear result, when rection lies in the commonplace majority ain that the popular novelist. cithe trom deliberate choice or inborn ne cessity, must stay down with th- great average where entertainmert :s easy and the market is good ) the handful on the other side belongs the uphill business of ultimately leaven ing this lump of mediocrity. * £ * % folks, Louis Bromfield stands conspicuous- Iy over here with the few who ref to be satisfied with anything less than digging down into the subsoil of hu man life—there where the secret mo. tives lie, where age-old -t and war in the individus where the truth of hum: natur v a lie to more than ed human in is a shatterin shattering because it wakes the re suddenly to a tremendous underlying fact of human existence, one that he has either failed to count that he has neglected to collect an co-ordinate in its huge proportions and in the sum of its vital influence. We've all been so sedulously trained to externals, to observan nd cere- monials upon all sorts of v unim- himsel nove is a the bre ssion. More pri asic than hate instinet of to s one another. ents must ess their children. Friends must “n_one another. The public must enter in and occupy the individual Every one of us is absorbed in business of staking out and pre-e ing claims in the he: ad individuality of colossal tyranny tion under a thousand speciou of meritorious and beneficial implica tion. These clalms are so subtle at v r away ity 1 ther take: lity of D than lov someboc ation, implications of wi that nobody can escape them—that is, practic nobody can, since fc this rescue of one's being from the general mi of possession requires a ruthless self-assertion so r: as to be in effect non-existent. Yet. thi rulh_los march toward complete pos session of one's own soul and body and life in place of the fami general bondage to home and parents and friends and societv—this is the theme of Louis Bromtfield's latest novel. It is the story of an artist, or of an artist in the making. long and carefully built novel. ing back upon one feels the enor- mous labor of this undertaking, ing, however, one is carried aiong w the sweeping drama of the wh With the truth of c acter to bi and setting and ambition and the lu: of ll(g. ‘With the incidents, so ma and _r):‘h and fit. With the mount tension and climbing interest and with the inevitable quality of the outcome. Outside of the sto AWaAY om it, one is set to pondering anew, or for the first time, the theme itself— that deep instinct of possession that in human intercourse colos every hour of every day, not only in the vit relations of life but in all of its com. monplace contacts as well. A story big enough to carry away with one ny ment. A story big in mental truth of its theme, big in its conception as a drama of life. Ad- mirably fine and skilled in its develop- ment. the funda- * k k% TABOO. Wilbur Daniel Steel. court, Bruce & Co. “So with everything against them to heaven and hell.” Such is the closing sentence of a strange and tantalizing story. The “heaven,” if they find it, will lie in their life together. The “hell” will be provided by the rest of the world. Yet, in this association Har- 1 the support from the outset | the issue of nationalism for France | there is absolutely no touch of that part of the controlling Car- |as against internationalism and_the | which either law or religion is pleased to name as sin. A glimpse of the story yields some- thing like this. Here are a father, his motherless daughter, and a friend the financial stress of the country, League of Natlons internationalism.|of them both, a man older than the brought panic which overthrew Pain-: The same French authority says Tar- | youthful father. regardless of ! dieu may not rally support from So-|by way of the dear and delightful The story grows home life gathered by the two men An ex- This family of three appeared to be all the world for President | Tardieu then control the situation [that any of them desired. They lived and played and traveled—happy and enough engaged in affairs to give point to life. A very beautiful de- velopment—more subtle, more fin- ished than even Wilbur Steele has made before. By a curious turn of events, accldental at first but forward- ed by a careful plan thereafter, thers came out the fact that this young father was no father at all. That the real father of the girl was the other man. Not a drop of the young man’s blood belonged to that girl—but they loved each other so much that parting was an unbearable thing to think It was the girl, a woman about. now, who had the courage, who dared. And that's the “taboo.” Now a taboo is the “total prohibition of intercourse with, use of, or approach to, a given person or thing, under penalty of death.” Ged did not make that law. Something as strong did— anners of ar and | one | for more thinking and more enjoy-! ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q, What 1s meant by B. T. U.7— A. This is an abbreviation for Brit ish thermal units, which s the amount of heat required to raise the | temperature of water 1° about 39.1 To convert values of energy expressed in foot-pounds to their ‘equivalents in British Thermal Units, divide the values by 778. Q. Where did Concord grapes get their name?—B, M. man who originated variety lived in Concord, M o} the | sent railroad | > with that of o8 pr te compa 1917 and 1 In 19 mile. 1 0 cents ents. Q. What tre but do not have large roots A. The cau of Pl ays that healt trees mus 00d root system. The roots of trees grow deep, while other Iy to appear on the surface. A the deep-rooted trees are the ok i tulip. Among the surface tre poplar, silver maple and walnut. Q. How many tons of co: to the acre in a 6-foot vein A. The Bureau of Mines in the Pittsburgh district, ern mining methods, 1,700 tons (2,000 pounds to the ton) can be recovered per foot of vein per about 10,000 | tons from a 6-fo Q W 1ook like ways beheaded? A. The Bureau of that the head of the Lali flounder head. It is cut off be is heavy and takes up wei room hen shipping or in the fi market. It L universal custom to behead the halibut at point of landing and ship fish dressed and beheaded The heads are sometime ised manufacture of fertilt tish or glue Q. Is it true that some owned slaves at Civil War F. G. A. There is much testimony and numerd the facts that there u break of the Civil W iber of f ne | these negroes in | property and slav ) d 1 1918, August, cents need to to 3.6 June and in it advs 1820, 11l make are there 1 negroes time corroborative s references to owned latter many howe were the ilies whe ed whom th chnically many S manun the st » certain laws h were not r Q do Why wood S who dted | to be looked upon r | tection. Q. Who Cireulating Library tenjamin ¥ t 1 A, a basis of y : T i | standard u ! { verir yar > ima | hank of 840 yards. nuch hanks in yarn number. ndard of 840 veighs pound resent 1 yarn, 1f 1,680 ds weigh one pound, the yarn is No. 2, If 8,400 yards we h one pound irn 1% 10, or 10s. In other vards per pound he yarn count rn multiplied by of vards per cotton yarn. The cd yarns follows e: ictice, but the stand The number of @ pound equal In other words, ds of yarn, w is_taken to rep 340 sh The number of th 5§40 gives the numbe size « monetary stoct « v the United States reached its highest poini’— 3. B reached its higkest point i his country Decemn vhen the mt w e are the '—~T. M most those islands off of Peru, the world. formerly thickn, from The islands are will reach tely 48 hours. air is de hird it mail Hare formation Our bus author ' Waslin In- Can't we be of your daily prob- s to furnish you s ask us any Guest fa. sow are intereste Send _wour inquiry to The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J Haskin, director. Washington, D. C Inclose nts in stamps for return our iems? with we int wh i The swift trial and conviction in Ky, of 1ccused and assaul {sand National Guardsmen bout the to prevent Iy commended the count! e mob spirit more been in s not difficult te aced to tho: dinary court the ays {than it b | the cau not t which shock t of the law ease with which ¢ wealth many enly violate the with it.” Punishment c will not suffice to all law | dence in the m: is to be inspired The nal partic ished observe ould like to record n instance c milarly speedy jus- | tice in s other case uncomplicated | by the extrs factors in the 1 put one i killers thro { time it wo lample. oOr in the penitentiar months aftel is ne hinery of the courts tined State Jour- —1 01 salutary £ 2 pay-roll bandit, caus . could be started for the | some time inside of six | first released it would help * ¥ | The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette adds that “if such dispatch of justice could be had for the professional kill- ers as we have just witnessed in the case of a friendless nexro, who merits all that is to be his portion, the prob- lem of the gunmmen would become more simple. Why can that not be?” Referring to a - Texas and to the Kentuck Abilene Reporter remark not help: wondering, if the defendant had been men of large means, how | long they would have been dragzed out.” And the Saginaw News Courier suggests: “Now, had the negro gone | North to commit his crimes, say far as Chicago, the result might have been different, if he or his friends had of course. Then he could have ssured of delay after delay in proceeding with trial, perhaps ulti- mate release, and meanwhile com- forts of luxuries and flowers from the sobbers.” “It is no reflection upon the people of Lexington and the surrounding country,” says the Louisville Herald- Post, “that such eldborate militar: preparations were deemed neces: to the Harris trial. The crime that preceded this trial was one of the most terrible in®the history of Ken-| tucky, and nothing was lacking to call forth the mob spirit. But Gov. Fields and the civil officers at Lex- ington were determined there should be no mob.” The Chicago Daily News congratu- lates Kentucky on “this vindication of law and order,” and the Greens- boro_Daily Record _applauds _“the as the prejudices of man. So, you see, that closing sentence is a fitting one. Be sure that the world will admin- ister that taboo to the limit’of its very great power. Strange and haunting story whose author goes as deep as he travels far from the tribe of popular writers. S;xrift Justice in Kentucky Good Example to Country involved | | clude: court and jury w law in the % nstration can be the aintaine necessar: the impul 1w0b will weaken, not always need & ent in hollow square’ to insure ¢ jur action wh conti the Annistc a Star-New: Kentucky fiend, r th, should be not by to Yo Vindic s aved w ¥ was protectin, her good name, abiding dece Ne 1zette, while the 1 Times holds that the als otected the m potential mob from brainstorm: hands and remorse.”” The I however, fears that “a more arisen if the the accused had been d the jury had been in guilt despite the presu- 1 community.” The to the trial causes Journal to suggest but the Lansing Journal replies: “Sixteen min be plenty long encugh for 1. ac and rec- ognized practi are per- fectly open. If the situation ve one no longer than 16 minute: should be taken, in some instances.” In commenting upon the calling out of troops in such emergencies in “Del- aware as well as in Kentucky and Louisiana, and praising the State of- ficers, the New Orleans Item con- “But the necessity for it car- igma. Civilization 1s evident- ar off up there as down South Rep. Celler to Redraft Hi Sea-Rescue Reward Bill ney_an: Cham-y vinst less plain, doubt of hi dice of an en few min ity Iynching,” To the Editor of Tho $ I noticed your article in Sunday’s paper scoring my bill admitting to citizenship the rescuers of the Anti- noe, who were seamen on the steam- ship President Roosevelt. As drafted, the bill is grammatically impossible; a_parenthesis was omitted before and after the phrase, “they or any of them being so willing,” and that parenthetical phrase should have been inserted immediately after the word “them.” Sven with this change I admit the bill would not satisfy the purist. I am having the bill redrafted along! the lines stated above. EMANUEL CELLER, i B '