Evening Star Newspaper, February 23, 1926, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR)]trom the farm With Sunday \lonlln‘WEdMon. WASHINGTON, D. C. TUESDAY.....February 23, 1826 P THEODORE W. NOYES . .Editor SheEvening Star Newspaper Company Business O Nl 5t and Pennsy ew York Cili.c dnd St. 'Chicago Oflice . Tower Building. Furopean Office:. 14 Regent St.. London, Tue Eventns St edition, he city at’ 60 h: dally 45 cents per monih: Sunday only. 20 cents month. Orders may be sent by mal or {eiephons Main 5 Collaction 18 by carrier at the en ) month. . with_the Sunday morn- carriers within only, Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. afly and Sunday....1yr.§900:1mo.. daily only $4.00: 1 mo.. Sunday only . $3.00: 1 mo.. All Other States and Canada. Datly and Su 2.00: 1 mo., $1.00 aily only R00%1mo. 38¢ unday only 4.00: 1 mo.. 85¢ Member of the Associated Press. The Assoctated Press is exclusively entitled 0 the use for republication of all news diy- patches credited to it or not otherwia cred- RS TSI g R He Toenl news n. Al rizhts of publication a herein are also reserved. A Critic on the Defensive. Rising to a question of personal Privilege, the member of Congress who tecently challenged the industry and effictency of the Government clerks Vesterday addressed the House of Rep- resentatives on the score of his own official conduct, which has been criti- eized. His answer was that he did not smeasure the value of a Congressman’s gervices by the number of roll calls to which he responded, but by the emount of work he does in and for his district. On that score he recited a record of activities which, he felt, gbsolved him from the cl of neglect of duty, and then proceeded to read numerous letters he has recelved praising his criticisms of the Govern- fuent service. It matters not ut all whether the fmember of Congress who has charged the Government clerks with betng nlackers and “buck-passers” —the postal service alone excluded—has himself been diligent or indolent, at- ‘tentive to the congressional routine or otherwise. The “tu.quoque” argu- nent is never convincing. The facts cannot be changed by a counter ac- rusation. And In this case the facts are sufficient in rejoinder. In the course of his explanatory remarks yesterday the member set forth that he had not lald a “blanket Indictment agalnst all the civilian em- ployes of the Government.” He had specifically excluded from his criticism the postal service, and of the others he had said that the “civilian employes include the largest number of loafers, time-killers and buck-passers” he had ever seen brought together under one banner. He did not say that they were 1l loafers, time-kiliers and buck-pass- Getting down to cases, he averred that there are 100,000 of the 300,000 civilian employes, outside of the postal service, in Washington and all over the country, who could easily be dis- pensed with, because they are abso- lutely usel This meuns that every third depart- nental employe Is superfluous, that the Gove 1t service is 50 per cent overmanned, here in Washington and This s a definite, specific charge. But it does not rest against the cle and other employes. It 1s & charge against Congress, which makes the appropriations and deter- 1mines the number of workers in the departments and bureaus. But nobody believes, serfously, that the departmencal service is 50 per cent o 1. The President, in- tent upon cconomy, has made no sug- gestion that the working force could be cut by 100,000. The Bureau of the Budget, the director of which has his eye upon every branch of the service, makes no such proposition. None of the department heads recommends a wholesale curtailment of his working force. Neither appropriation cominit- tee of Congress can the need of such a drastic ‘shortening of the per- sonnel. Only this singlé critic of the service sees jt In sweat-shop terms. Business me ments 1 provement. anization of the Governmen n now under considerat: wgeous read- justment. But the fault for the pres- ent conditions, if there be fault, lies not with the men and women Wwho have been appointed to positions and who are doing their work faithfuily and efficiently and for miserably smali pay, but with the legisiative and ap- propriative powers. ———t————— The virile emphasis with which George Washington is alleged to have expressed himself when aroused to anger was at least an evidence of righteous indignation. It cannot pos- sibly be hinted at as a precedent for some of the Broadway drama dialogue. wisew perhaps be s Famous Washington Stories. The cherry tree story and that of the throwing of a silver dollar across the Potomac River have made their annual appearance and amused mil llons of readers. The cherry tree story is very plausible, and the “silver dol- lar” story is no doubt a fact. Consider the “dollar story” first. It was told a thousand times during the life of George Washington and oftener soon after his death, but in those days no one sald that Washington threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River. The story was that he threw a stone across the Rappahannock River. The Potomac River where Washington was born is about threc miles wide, and the Rappahannock River where he lived as a boy on his father’'s farm opposite Fredericksburg was about a hundred yards wide. Parson Weems, in his blography of Washington pub- lished soon after Washington’s death, told the story. He said that Col. Lewis ‘Willls, a playmate and relative of ‘Washington, used to tell that he often saw George Washington throw a stone across the Rappahannock River at the lower ferry at Fredericksburg. When and who changed the stone into a sil- ver dollar and removed the scene of action from the narrow Rappahan- nock to the wide Potomac is not known. ‘The cherry tree story is probable. Many authorities say that Augustine now called Wakefleld, on the Potomac, to the farm called the Ferry Farm or the Pine Tree Farm, on the Rappahannock opposite Fred- THE EVENING ture impersonator aroused a tremen- dous excitement. In England there are persons who still believe that Lord Kitchener was ericksburg, when George was three or | not drowned, but that he escaped four years old. It is quite likely that on moving there he set out young fruit trees. .Most farmers planted fruit trees. It was not unusual to give a little ax to a little boy, as later it was not unusual to give a little boy a Jack: knife, toy gun and red-top boots. Lit- tle boys have “hacked” things with Jack-knives, and they hacked things with their little axes. George's father found that one of his young cherry trees had been “hacked.” He did not find that it had been “chopped down."” It may be that he charged George with hacking the tree, and that George, with no way of escape, sald 0c| that he had done it, but did not mean to do it. George was also charged by his father with “hacking” his mother’s pea sticks. It is possible that his father said, “Well, George, as long as you own up to it I won’t punish you, but if you ever chop into any more fruit trees about the place I'll take that hatchet from you and put you to bed without your supper.” Parson Mason Locke Weems sald he had the cherry tree story from an old woman who knew the Washingtons and had got the story from one of the family. She had probably been telling it during all the years that Washington was famous and had im- proved it as the years passed. Then when Parson Weems wrote it he may have added a literary and homiletic twist to it and made the boy say, “T can't tell a lle, Pa; you know I can't tell a lie, I did cut it with my hatchet.” Then the parson made George's fathen say: “Run to my arms, my dearest boy. Glad am I that you killed that tree, for you have paid me for it a thousandfold. Such an act of heroism in my son is worth more than a thou- sand trees though blossomed with silver and thelr fruit of purest gold.” ——————— Swift Justice Needed in Omaha. Capture of the Omaha “sniper slayer” has been effected easily and speedily. The man, evidently of un- balanced mentality, was trying to get away by walking on the rallroad tracks, when he was seen, recognized as one who had been observed hanging around the places where lives had been taken and endangered, and by a clever ruse he was taken prisoner without having a chance to fire a shot. He has confessed the crimes, acknowledging a mixed motive of rob- bery and lust to kill. His only loot from his shootings was the watch of his first victim, a physiclan. Now will come, in all probability, a protracted trial. Although this man is without means and apparently friendless, notoriety-seeking counsel will be forthcoming to take the case in bis behalf and make a defense of insanity in an effort to spare his lfe. Unless the unusual occurs, the case will be drawn out with expert testi- mony, and, in the event of a convic. tion on the charge of murder, appeals to higher courts, perhaps reversaland retrial. For the sake of public safety it s to be hoped that this usual course will not be followed, but that the admin- istration of justice will be swift and certain. The fine hair-splitting over the question of mental balance that ordinarily marks these cases is posi- tively a menace to the security of every community. Mental unrespon- sibility is not a definite factor, easily determined. In only the rarest of cases can it be established to the point of absolving the criminal from the maximum penalty. Search for it need not be protracted if the courts will put a check upon the procedure. This Omaha case, made notorious throughout the country by the initial mystery of the slayings, may become helpful as a deterrent if justice is speedy. If it is laggard and uncer- tain, however, the example will be decidedly harmful. There are many persons in the twilight zone of moral sanity who are certain to be encour- aged by any slackening of the trial procedure and any softening of pun- ishment to imitate this loose-brained ver. With crime prevalent to a degree mnever before known in the United States, it I8 requisite that every community, through its courts, estab- ilsh the highest possible standard of defensive justice. —_——— ‘The early patriots predicted great prosperity for this country. Present patriots feel confident in predicting still greater prosperity. —————— Nothing that has happened In its general history has ever caused Rus- sia to waver In the opinion that in music and literature she is entitled to ‘world leadership. The Living-Czar Tradition. An extraordinary scene is reported to have been enacted in Moscow re- cently, where & baker who had been enrolled to play the part of the late Czar Nicholas in a motion picture was mistaken for the former Emperor in the flesh, and crowds, alarmed by a report that the Czar had returned, rushed to the Soviet headquarters and demanded that he be arrested. They were allayed only when official expla- nation was made. ‘This incident reveals the extent to which the bellef prevalls in Russia that the Czar still lives, that he was not in truth slain in a frontier town with the other members of the royal family. The peasantry, it is said, can- not be fully persuaded that the Ro- manoffs were executed. Tales have been told of the reappearance of the Czar in remote villages, wandering about alone and living quietly, doing good deeds in expiation, a mystic fig- ure. On several occasions impersona- tors of the former Emperor have actu- ally appeared and obtained gifts from the credulous. That Nicholas was assassinated is now definitely established by numer- ous corroborative reports. The de- tailed circumstances of the crime are known. Yet so dense is the ignorance of the great mass of the people of Russia that these reports have not gained accepfance by them. Hence the excitement when the report spread jand carried off a prisoner. from the torpedoed ship, was captured Circum- stantial tales of his having been seen in Russia have circulated. While the war continued these reports ware par- ticularly persistent, bespeaking a hope on the part of the people that their military hero might return to lead the armies to victory in the field. The excitement in Moscow over the reported return of the Czar was per- haps fomented by the government it- self, to demonstrate a popular appre- hension on the score of the possible restoration of the empire. It may in- deed have been a bit of drama, shrewd- ly staged. SucH things are possible in that land of craft and mystery. 01d Ironsides to Come Here. The U. 8. Frigate Constitution is com- ing to Washington, a city which exist- ed almost entirely on paper only when this historic craft was commissioned. The trin here, it is announced, is to be a part'of an extended coastal cruise planned for the old fighter when she shall have been rebuilt and refitted through a nation-wide cam- paign, contributed to largely by school children. It will be her first call at the National Capital for half a cen- tury, so that the majority of District residents have never even seen her. ‘The U. S. 8. Constellation, compan- fon ship of Old Ironsides, was here a few years ago, and wondering crowds were over and inside her all day long. They showed particular in- terest in the living quarters of the officers, tiny coops which boasted of practically no ventilation and in which a good-sized man could barely stand upright. The crew, occupying ham- mocks on the gun-deck, were far less luxuriously housed, and it was the opinion of many that the young men, educated and otherwise, of that long- ago time deserved infinite credit even for enduring & voyage under such circumstances, let alone fighting. When the glorious old Constitution is moored alongside some wharf or park sea wall, it is hoped that every man, woman and child in Washington will visit her. And it s still mare ardently hoped that not one will gaze on her timbers, fittings and rigging who can say, “This cost me nothing.” They owe a debt to the men who sail ed and fought her; the only way they can pay it now is to help perpetuate her existence. ————— Eminent educators fear that school 1s made 80 easy that minds lack discl- pline. In the times when Latin, algebra and the like provided brain-buflding exercise, there were no radio sets and other things Involving physical sclence to invite the energetic and in- quiring man, There will always be an inclination to seek knowledge and self- education will always play a big part in the advancement of the world's af- falrs. ———————— - The right to fight duels Is demanded by students in Berlin and Vienna. Tdeas of personal liberty vary in dif- ferent parts of the world. Many peo- ple over here are demanding the privi- lege of risking life with wood alcohol or reckless driving, both much more dangerous In reality than German stu- dent duels. ——————— No doubt there are mercenary Egyptian citizens who haped that Mr. Rockefeller would enable opening an ancient tomb to disclose prospects of immediate cash profit, like opening an oll well. ————————— About the only modern institution China does mnot claim to have dis- covered ages ago is the peace confer- ence. i SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON Lines to a Countess. Oh, Countess! Oh, Countess! We think that you should Come often to see us and learn to be good. If you'll closely obeerve, information you'll win Of the Sin that s centered in synthetic Ein. Oh, Countess! Oh, Countess! easily hear Of things to avoid In a spotless career. You cannot on Broadway In the course of a play Great numbers of words that no lady should say. Good Choosers. “You have been re-elected many times?"” *Yes,” answered Senator Sorghum. “I attribute it largely to luck.” *“But you have proved your ability.” “Many men of ability meet with de- feats. My luck consists in represent- ing so intelligent and discriminating a community."” Vandalism in the Air. Had the coal strike a week or so more persevered, - A grievance for action would call. Our Washington Monument would have appeared Like & sooty, old smokestack so tall! Youn Jud Tunkins says he wishes he could have heard in his own language George Washington's private opinion of the man who started that sweet little hatchet and cherry tree story. Imitation Ceases. “Women insist on imitating men.” “Not always,” replied Miss Cayenne. “I don't see any bearded ladies putting on airs.” Crocus. The crocus is a foolish bloom, Deflant of the Winter gloom. Yet foolish jest and foolish flow’rs Do much to lighten weary hours. “De nearest to ambition some men kin show,” said Uncle Eben, “is sittin® down and feelin’ envious.” Matchless. = find that matches induces a new skin Mm Some of our smoker friends are absolutely safe such infection, BTAR, WASHINGTON, D. UE TUESDIY! FEBRUARY 235 1926 THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Mary Roque came back to h office with her pretty head bubbling with nn idea. Ideas took possession of Mary in that manner. When once she got one (which was often, because pretty giris are always the brightest), she could not escape it. Like the still, small voice, an idea knocked at Mary's brain until there was nothing to do but open the door and invite the pesky thing in. She had eaten her lunch at an automatic restaurant, and had been charmed with the way in which the small glass cages opened at the sooth- ing touch of nickels. Three nickels, dropped into the slot one after the other, caused the glass front to revolve. One then dipped in one's hand and abstracted the ple, al:(e or whatever reposed there on a te. If the sign sald 3 nickles, it meant 3 nickels. Nothing happened when the first picture of a buffalo was in- seried. The glass door was immutable as fate itself. Still nothing occurred when the second coin fell downward to join the first. The thing was as impassive as a ticket agent facing a would-be passenger who happens to be 1 cent short. But, ah! the moment that third nickel sped down the chute, there was a slight click, and the curved glass majestically revolved, and the plece of ple gazed up at one with the most innocent expression in the world. * kX% ‘To get an idea, with Mary, was to act on it. Accordingly, she went to her cup- board and drew forth a huge sheet of cardboard. Mary was an excellent draftsman, as well as a true artist. She was al- ways surpriging her friends by some accomplishment, proving herseif to be a master of some art they scarcely knew she practiced. Mary placed her big plece of card- board on her desk, after carefully re- moving her bowls of flowering bulbs, and settled down to some hard work. After an hour of busy endeavor, she leaned back. On the board she had drawn what looked for all the world like a series of pigeonholes, or a front view of the lock-boxes in a country post office. Perspective was Incorporated, so that the whole series of boxes seemed to stand out from the board. It was a neat job, and Mary knew it. Since women have no conceit, how- ever, she merely went on with her work. A man who had accomplished a similar plece of draftsmanship would have allowed a huge glow of self-satisfaction to beam from his fea- tures. Mary Roque went back to work. She got out a small, sharp pair of scissors, something like the pair the Countess carried at her girdle to cut off the locks of the King of France, after the conspirators had seized the royal Henri. Methodically Mary began to cut rectangular slots at the bottom of each box In her big drawing. There were 24 compartments, so Mary had to cut a full two dozen slots. Then she set to work to label each cne of the 24 boxes or compartments, and this work took her another hour, as the lettering was exquisitely done. * x % % Mary had just finished her master- piece when a rap came at the door, er|and in walked George Roddin, the former King of F street, who had given up his hectic overcoats, under Mary's influence, and had taken to more sedate ways. Mary actually lh:mml him not a half-bad sort of fel- ow. “What on earth are you doing, Miss Mary Roque?” inquired he, staring at the tremendous expanse of card- board, which completely covered her desk. I am making,” declared Mary, calmly, “an automatic dispenser of virtues, assorted good points and de- sirable qualities of mankind. You shall be my first customer.” “‘Oh, thank you!" “You see,” went on Mary, “you need some of them more than anybody I know." ““What's that?" “'I say you shall have the honor of being the first customer.” She took the big board and turned it around, leaning it against the window- sill, so that the entire array of little boxes stared out at one in a most bel- ligerent fashion. Every box had a name and a num- ber. “You pay your money and take your cholce,” said Mary, pointing to the compartments. Roddin saw the following galaxy: Honesty, 2. Purity, 3. Devotion, 3. Affection, 2. Love, 3. Hope, 3. Charity, 3. Decency, 4. Common Sense, 5 Courage, 6. Fidelity, 4. Faithtfulness, 3 Persistency, 3. Peace, 1. Intellectual Honesty, 1. Spirituality, 1. Kindness, 1. Kindness to Anim#ls, 1. Smiles, 1. Wholesome Fun, 4. Prudence, 5. Foresight, 6. Proper Dari Judgment, LI *‘Quite an array, Miss Roque,” Rod- din finally said, scarcely knowing what to say. ‘“What does it all mean “It mea replied Mary, quletly, “that I see no good reason why one can's buy a portion of peace for 1 nickel as well a plece of ple for 3 of them.” “There s no reason why we shouldn't be able to purchase a bit of common sense for 5 nickels, well as a tomato sandwich, is there “I—I guess not. But you seem to have the lowest prices on some of the most needed virtues.” “That is exactly i{t."” explained Mary, her starry eyes glowing. “The qualities we need the most ought to be the cheapest, so that we will have no“;:)xhr'}x'u for not getting them.” “Yes, that is why 1 have put a price of but 1 nickel on Intellectual Hon- esty, the rarest virtue in the world. and ‘rated Honesty in money matters at_2 nickels.” Roddin abstracted § nickels from his pocket and advanced to the auto- mactic virtue machine. “What are you going to buy?"” asked Mary. “I'll show you,” said Roddin, and he dropped his_ nickels, one after the ;{her. into the box marked “Common ense.” BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. Chang Tsolin, the dictator of Man- churia, in rebellion against Gen. Feng and the Peking federal government of China, again threatens to secede from the Chinese Republic and cause Man- churia to set up an independent gov- ernment. This is understood to have the support of Japan against the Rus- sian Soviet support of Gen. Feng. The main point of interest to Ocel- dentals is the question as to what ef- fect the developments in the Orient will have upon Western trade and commerce. No movement in the Orlental wars is at all threatening’ to the peace of the Occident, unless it in- volve war between Japan and Russia, which is a most remote possibility, since neither country is financlally nor politically in a position to invite war. The war in China is strictly a civil conflict between provinces, or more exactly between rival tuchuns or governors of provinces who aim to dictate terms to the federal govern- ment for their own ambitions. * % % % ‘The powers have at last conceded to the central government of China full independence in fixing her own tariffs —although that regime does not be- come effective until January 1, 1929. With that increase of revenue which will come to the federal government, China agrees to abolish “likin”—the tariff on interstate commerce—so the entire Industrial and commercial sit- uation will be revolutionized. China will become more prosperous through its protection of “infant industries, as argued by her protectionists, buf what will be the effect upon the man- ufacturers from foreign lands who have invested capital there and em- ployed millions of laborers and skilled producers, because wages were lower than elsewhere and the products so produced had an advantage in the ex- port markets¥ * ok K x The new situation opens the whole question of readjustment. There are advocates who contend that though wages will rise, and may handicap present exports, yet the 400,000,000 consumers within~ China will consti- tute a more prosperous market, and consequently the lessening of exports will be more than offset by the su- periority of the domestic market. The &bolition of interstate tariff will aid in encouraging home commerce, and the increased local prosperity will pro- duce other sources taxable for the support of the provincial govern- ments. Within the last few days, England has sent a special commission to China, ostensibly to confer about the best disposition to be made of the un- collected balance d‘fm l(‘;; (Br:x':r trl': agreed reparations for - bglllon. arfli incidentally to ‘“take evi- dence there in reference to other matters.” In former times, the kind of injuries which England has sustained in China within the last few months through the anti-foreign outbreaks would have been answered with seizure of more territory and further demands for rep- arations. But in these “piping times of peace,” especially under the obli- gations of the Washington disarma- ment agreement, England s bound to avold individual action against China, hence, as stated by the Lom don Times, “a policy of coercion or re- prisals was, and 1s, out of the ques- qureul Britain irks the limitations put upon her by the 1922 conference of Washington concerning China, in view of her recent wrongs thers, but s disposed to respect the restraint. She welcomes the opportunity to bring some pressure to bear through the re- adjustment of the Boxer reparations funds, “to the mutual advantage of China and Great Britain.” The Times suggests that “the discussion of the question on the spot by a representa. tive British delegation will mean the lishment of an unusual form of plomatic tact.” It is rzoudw :‘a the Bonwnrhhml b: lucation of Chinese youth, just as our own auce was applied years ago, It is impossible for the Occident to keep pace with the military situa- tion in China. Gen. Feng Yu-Hslang holds control over Peking, yet does not take actual possession, and per- sonally he gives out hints that he purposes a trip to Europe for study of world politics. His opponent, Chang Tso-lin—"the Christian gen- eral”’—has recently had to suppress a rebellion within his own ranks led by one of his chief officers, but he accomplished the suppression and re- affirmed his control of the territory of Manchuria. It has been reported— and contradicted—that Japan had sent to Chang substantial aid in pro- visions, and had so maneuvered an army of 10,000 as to aid him and keep back Russia. The rivalry between Soviet Russia and Japan is as keen today as it ever was when Russia was an em- pire. Russia wants a short route to the sea & port at holds the rallroad churia, gained in 1925, but her con- trol does not reach the port. With her alliance with Gen. Feng she con- trols a great territory in Mongolia, but Sovietism 1s losing popularity among the Chinese and Mongollans, and it has been suggested that Feng's announced program of an early de- parture for Europe is only an an- ticipation of his possible forced flight before the increasing power of Chang Tso-lin, Oriental experts say that the power of Japan will be used to the utmost in ald of the dictator, Chang, in pro- tecting Manchuria from Russian con- trol. The federal government of China ‘had hoped to get control for herself of the Chinese Eastern Man- churian Railway, running from Har- bin to the boundary of Manchuria, and now that she is convinced that Russia has no intention to surrender the railway to her ally, China, the federal support to the Soviet weakening. Japan controls the Southern Rail- way from Changchuria to Port Ar- thur, through southern Manchuria, hence Russia s at present effectually barred from the ific Ocean, ex- cept by the roundabout route north of Manchuria, through Siberia, China holds a treaty right to purchase full control of the Eastern Rallway, which right the Soviets apparently had un- dertaken to supersede and hold, hence the growing estrangement against Russia. * K K K A writer who has lived for years in China has put the situation as to American interests in a way that indicates that we would gain by with- holding from the Chinese, so far as possible, all knowledge of modern methods of manufacture, keep Chinese competition down by holding her to ancient home manui uring—sweat- shop style—since we are mostly in- terested in China for what we can buy there most cheaply, rather than as a selllng market for our own goods. Such a policy would conflict with the foreign capital already in China, says the corregpondent, but it would benefit our imports from China, while it would retain the manufacture of our own exports ‘within our own country. Yet the same writer concedes that such a policy would not prevent Japan or other competitors of our manufactures—including enterprising Chinese captains of industry—from maintaining factories in China, in competition with us by mass produc- tion methods, meeting our long-dis- tance competition for the Chinese trade (Copyright. 1926. by Paul V. Collins.) et Mussolini’s Dictum. From the Toledo Blade. Jtaly’s dictator could condense all bal- | his arguments into this one sentence: “I'm telling you!r” NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM LG M THE MAP THAT IS HALF UN- ROLLED. E. Alexander Powell. The Century Company. Alexander Powell frankly owns up tc being no more than an incurable traveler upon whom the far and un- frequented quarters of earth work a spell with which no other interest or pursuit can compare., That the pur- poses and spirit of either explorer o”lonur animate him he openly dis- claims. In lieu of such intent he con- cedes to himself only an insatiable curiosity about any part of the earth upon which the clvilizing hand of man has not fallen too heavily. How these relatively unmolested places look, how they feel and think and do— this: s his supreme preoccupation. Indeed, Col. Powell repudiates for himself the generally alluring role of adventurer, agreeing in this respect with a famous explorer that “‘adven- tures are a mark of incompetence, due to Ignorance of the conditions one ix to encounter, and to a lack of prep- aration.” A surring controversy might be set up, in its proper place, upon this neat humdrum theory of glamourous adventure as the product of only hindsight and a clumsy ad- Justment of means to ends. This author, you see, makes certain personal denials, such as the common run of travel writers are glad to turn into acceptances for their own support. Besides this, he agrees to a dust-dry theory of adventure as the natural off- spring of mischance and folly. As matter of fact, he throws away every advantage except the single one that he is merely a traveler spurred on- ward by a greatly enlarged chronic curiosity. Such modesty calls for out side support. What about the energy, the zest, the overriding of endless obstacles to reach the desired end? What about the dramatic seizure of | P® innumerable situations of fact and im- plication in those far settings of hu- man existence? What about the gift to build moving pictures out of words? What about putting into print the color of primitive human feelings and the strange features of far landscapes? Col. Powell's travel books—this one and any others—are the best of an- swers to the rather self-effacing attl- tude of the author himself. All of them hold a deep interest whose source is fresh and Important infor- mation projected in a vivid photo- graphic artistry. All of them are vi- tally concerned with the human ele- ment that gives to each region its spe cial characteristic of race and cusiom end kinship to the rest of the world. * % X % “The Map That Is Half Unrolled” covers a journey across equatorial Africa. Salaam, on the Indian Ocean, a port that German efficiency buut when inis region was German East Africa. In an irreguiar line it crosses the Beigian Kongo and continues on to Boma, a port of the Atantic coast. The jour- ney starts off in something of a hurry, ior, according to Coi. Powell, this was “the last call.” “Civilization is strid ing across the continent in seven- league boots. Within the memory of most of us the hinterland of Africa heid deserts that were uncrossed, for- ests unexplored, tribes undiscovered, rivers unnamed. But today every des- ert_has been traveled, not only by caravan, but by motor car and air- plane. Today we have surveyed the forests and estimated the number of board feet they contain. We have traced the courses of the rivers and named them and set them down upon our maps. We are famillar with near- Iy every African tribe, its habitat, anguage and customs. And, barring Abyssinia, nearly every foot of terri- tory on the continent has passed under the control of some European nation as a colony, protectorate or mandate.’ Therefore it {s high time to be on the way to equatorial Africa. * x ok x Yet, despite this traveler's anxiety to get there while still a part of Africa remained in a state of nature, he did arrive In time to find enough, not enly to satisfy his own curiosity for the time being, but enough also to pass on to readers in a book of tre. mendous stir and Interest. Here are accounts of primitive lite, some of it savage life, deep in superstitions and customs that are strange and fan- tastic and fierce. No stranger, no fiercer, however, than is the story re- peated here of civilization working in the Kongo to exploit the rubber re- ources of this region. The chief wealth of the Kongo then consisted of its millions of wild rubber trees. Then began the exploitation of this weaith by the most merciless of me: new life began for the nativ Kongo, who, instead of dwelling in the state of carefree ldleness to which they had been accustomed, were thenceforward subjected to great ex- actions and oppressions. Agents were given a free hand. “Sending for the chiefs of their respective districts, they ordered them to deliver stipu- ated quantities of rubber latex at the government posts by oertamn dates under pain of imprisonment, flogging, torture. Each chief in turn assessed his subjects, so that for the unhappy natives the Kongo quickly became a hell on earth. If a native failed to supply his chief with the full quota of rubber required of him, that native was punished for his remissness by some one of the flendishly ingenious tortures known to the African savag And if the chief failed to deliver his quota to the local government agent he was subjected to punishments which his white superiors had either adopted outright from the black man >r had improved upon. Thousands of helpless natives were flogged into in- densibility or died under the lash: oth 18 | ors were horribly mutilated, which ex- nlains why one frequently sees in the Kongo today men and women minus a 108 or an ear, a hand or a foot; scores were shot or hanged so that their fel- lows might be spurred to greater in- dustry by the grim object lessons thus provided.” ‘The Kongo Free State, under these ministrations of civilization, “enjoyed about as much freedom as Roman gal- ley slaves; they were systematically civilized with the knife, the kiboko, the gallows and the machine gun. But black men’s lives were cheap and ruh- ber was valuable”—and gold came roll- ing In. There are many sketches here of savage and primitive customs—but none really more savage ,than this story of the rubber flelds. No wonder that even to this day the natives secretly do the rubber trees to death because of the old fears that they in- spired. With such a brand of civiliza- tion as this there would appear to be no place for barbarism itself. * % ¥ ¥ “Drums on the Lualaba" shows something of the importance of this humble instrument to the natives of the Kongo. A hollowed log supported on blocks, the drum is an institution— gramophone orchestra, radio, tele- phone in one. Every Kongo village has its town drum -used to get word to other villages, a broadcasting agency to tell of feasts, dances, tribal coun- cils, war movements. At nightfall, when the air is favorable, they can be heard miles away sending out some call or, on the other hand, merely spreading the gossip of this tribe or that one, Just another instance of the need of all peoples to come to- gether in some form of human asso: ciation. Just another instance also of a crude beginning that under more favoring conditions has become the triumph of swift communication. The story of this equatorial trail is a mine of facts, important and interesting facts, concerning tribes and peoples about whom little is ge: own, ol customs and outlook and dally ways of life that originate, as all human activity originates, in no more The trail begins at Dar-es-| lof starred bills is very small. spoilage for the whole process of turn- | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. 1 have been told that there is o wvecord at the Fairfax Court. house, Va., an indictmsnt aga'nst Lou.ge Waskington whereln a true bill was found by a grand jury on @ charge of perjury and that the case was never tried. Is this true, and if S0, why was the case not brought to trial?>—C. E. C. A. The deputy cierk at Fairfax Courthouse says: “Our records do show that George Washington and several other of our best citizens were presented for not listing their wheel carrfages agreeable to law, and I can not find in the records where he was ever tried. Our records dc not show that he was ever indicted for perjury, nor do I believe any trueblooded American would suggest such a thing. There might have been a law that re- quired certain things to be done, and through an oversight George Wash- Ington, or one of his overseers, might have failed to list a carriage, but you | and T know that a man of his char- acter would never perjure himself for a few dollars, when his whole life was sacrificed for the welfare of his country.” Q. Is there a tree that has more than one trunk?--G. R. A. The East Indlan banyan tree is | distinguished by the fact that roots descend from its branches and be- come auxiliary trunks, thus permit ting the tree to extend over u wide | area. In the Calcutta botanteal gar- den there is such a tree, over 100 vears old, that has at least 3,000 small trunks, 230 that vary from 2 to 31 feet in diameter and a main | trunk 13 feet in diameter. Among these trunks, it s said, 7.000 people can stand Q prepared for | . were first assorted ac cording to thelr quality, then dried in hot sand, then cleaned of the outer skin, then hardened by dipping In a bolling solution of alum and diluted nitric acid. Attempts were made to fit_points to the nibs, but this was found fmpracticable Q Why is Portland cement given that name?—L. B. A. After hardening cement resem. bles stone, and when first manufac- tured in England it was found to be somewhat similar to a celebrated stone obtatned trom the Isls of Port- land. Q. Are the rings of Saturn solid or fluid?—F. T. F. A. The conclusion has been reached that the ring Is triple, consisting of concentric parts, and that it is com- posed of a very large number of small satellites. If the ring were solid s.me temporary disturbance would suffice srupt it, nor is it more reasonable ume that it is liquid. How many people living near York City commute daily?— A. The population of Metropolitan New York is 9,444,000. This means that there are 3,500,000 people out- side Greater New York within com- muting distanc Over 350,000 of them go into New York to work every week day, while as many more €0 in daily to shop. Q before the serial number. it mean?—J. H. A. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing savs that the star shows that the bill has been substituted for one that has heen found defective after belng numbered and sealed. Since all paper currency is subject to several | examinations before the numbering | and sealing is done, the percentage | The 1 have a bill which has a star What does ing out bills is but 4 per cent Q. Had Capt. Fried of the President Roosevelt seen war service”—B. F. H. A. He served as lieutenant in the Navy during the Wo War on the Zuiderdyjk, a Dutch ship used by the United States as a supply ship from March 25, 1918, to September 16, 1918. Q. What does the word “'sio” mean when found in brackets after & quo tution?—0. J, A. It is used after an erroneous or astonishing quoted statement to Indicate that the quotation is a litera! transcript, - e, Does the blowing of the wing Y. e ter? hiye any effect upon a thermometer? A. The Weather Bureau says that the thermometer 1s not affected by the wind velocity after having once attained the temperaturs of the wind. The physical discomfort usually as soclated with high winds is due to th: rapid removal of heat from the hriaan body on account of the winds As no heat is generated by a ther mometer, ite readings are therefore not affected by the wind velocity. Q. What is honeydew and what causes {t>—L. R. A. Honeydew s the saccharine exudate found on the leaves of many plants In hot weather. It is some. times caused by the punctures of aphids or scale Insects, more rary by fungi, and occ: onally by exce sive turgescenc Q. Please give the chemical co ponents of 4 human being.—H. R A. The following is an approxinate chemical analysis of man, 5 feet § inches, weight 148 pounds: Oxygen, 92.4 pounds; hydrogen, 14.8 pounds; nitrogen, 4.6 pounds; carbon, 31.6 pounds; phosphorus, 1.4 pounds; cal- cium, 2.8 pounds; sulphur, .24 pound; chlorine, .12 pound; sodlum, .12 pound; firon, pound; potassium, .34 pound .04 pound: . 248.3 pounds. Q. Is a banshee supposed to be a man or a woman?—M. N. D. Al an imagina female being, supposed by some of the peasantry in Ireland and the 8 tish Highlands to wail or shriek near a house when one of ita fnmates is about to die. Q. If a humming bird's wing fs broken, will Nature heal {t?—A. T. B. A. The Biological Survey says that a humming bird would {n all probabil- ity starve to death before the healing of a wing would take place. Cases have been known, however, where broken wings and legs of larger birds have healed. . Does sound travel faster when the weather Is warm?—M. A. R. A. In undisturbed air, at a ten perature of 32 degrees Fahrenhe elocity of sound is appro: 1,090 feet per second. TI velocity increases about one foot second for each degree as the tem perature rises. JQ{. }\'ha.! is the width of railways? A. The standard gauge of raflways s 4 feet 8ia inches in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, a num- ber of countries on the continent of Eurcpe, etc., it being the gauge which prevalls on probably three-fourths of the railways of the globe.. There have been varlous different gauges, and in fact a number thereof are in use at the present day. The old broad 7 There are nar 3 feet. In Irela 5 feet 3 inches nce there are lines of 4 feet 4 inches; in Spain and Portugal the normal gauge is § feet 5% inches; in Russia, 5 feet; in India the prevaiiing gauge is 5 feet 6 inches; in the British colonfes, 3 feet 6 inches; in South America, § feet 6 inches, with varfous others. al gauge The keynote of the times is eficient service. In supplying its readers with a free information bureau in Wash- ington The Evening Star is living up to this principle in decd and fact. We are paying liberally for this scrvice in order that it may be free to the public. Bubmit your queries to the staff of experts whose services are put at your disposal. Inclose 2 cents in stamps to cover the return postage. Address The Evening Star Informa- tion Bureau. Frederic J. Haskin, di- rector, Washington, D. 0. Public Not Concerned About New- The recent offer by the Restaurant Owne sociation of prizes f and more dignified titles for and “‘waitress’ created some amuse- ment without arousing any great pub- lic concern over what the diner shall call the person who recelves the tip. History is delved into by the N York Times folk that ** " of other day Dukes of Ormonde and the Stews land. “If v tinues the Time as the great officers of the household, now antiguated ornaments f the few royal courts still in business at the old stand, they belons to a necessary and honorable pro n. The best of them are much more accomplished than most of their ¢ travelers, diplomatists. cessful, must have more tience, shrewdness, skill in apologetics and knowledge of human nature than the average of the waited on. If there is any sense of inferfority it is on the part of the client. ‘Waiter’ is a sound | word. Instead of trying to zet some pompous substitute for it, restaurant | keepers might be more careful to see that It's not the client who has to wait and fume.” * ¥ ok “It might be suggested,” observes the Erie Dispatch-Herald, “that the prestige of an ancient and wholly honorable calling would be ratsed if the tipping nuisance were abolished. He who not merely accepts but some- times insists on gratuities to be paid by the public is likely to incur the disfavor of his clients. In most occu- pations the employe receives his wages from his titular emplover. A great many walters receive little or nothing from the concern which em- ploys them, and the public is expected to make up the deficit. To that end the waiter may adopt an obsequious —— than a handful of primal needs. In spirited everyday talk this author marks the degree of advance for these Kongo tribes by holding his observa- tlons close to those fundamental im- pulses and needs that belong to all of us. Thus, by an implied comparison, do we come into a truer insight of these remote people. Hundreds of strange and weird customs are set down here—yet all of them have arisen out of a human need to get into some safe relationship with a highly terrifying and mystifying world. Pictures of the land go along with observations of the people. The great lakes, the mighty rivers, the quality and character of the land, such in- dustries as the scanty needs of the natives have developed, and superim- posed here such industries as are rapidly increasing under outside in- fluences. Touches of history come and go in response to the interference of the greedy powers that have time and again entered and exploited this re- glon. The name of missionary or trader appears here and there, and in | the this connection there is a touching story of the meeting, at the natjve town of Ujiji, of Dr. Livingstone and Henry Stanley. A travel book of many kinds of In- terest, all of them eminently worth the while of the Alexander Powell readers. ame-for-Waiters Idea at No form of manual labor is menial in itself. The aristocrat is he who when he loses a fortune takes any job that he can get which will pay his debts. He is not menial while he meets the obli; nd fulfills the traditions of & The Providence I clares that here manding deep thought and mu liminary study,” and calls on “i ord coiners to do their best to these laudable aspirations,” though the Bulletin inclined to doubt t 3 a_glorified title, waiters ass will be any les source of embarrassment to the pt T is Kok e remarks the Savannah here ought to be a closer sympathy between those who serve in restaurants and dining rooms and those who are served; indeed, the one served sometimes has timidly hinted that he has had to wait more steadily than the ‘waiter.” To solve the ques- tion, without lowering the business to plane of crass commercialism, ‘here’s a tip.’ That may solve {t—if the tip is of sufficient proportions. Silver is sometimes a fair silve and a green slip makes an excellent plaster for some sorts of sore spots.’” Still another cause of discord mentioned by the It all the is n Francisco Bul ninutes wasted by staurant patrons waiting for their checks could be added together for the period, say, since the Revolutlonary ‘ar,”” the Bulletin estimates, “they would approximate the time required for light to reach the earth from the outermost star of the nebula of An dromeda. True, there is no way to add together all these wasted moments nor would many of them be devoted to any very valuable purpose if they were saved, but it would make life little smoother and more enjoyable, and that s worth while.” * ok ko The Worcester Telegram argues that “with such terms as ‘mortician,’ ‘realtor,’ ‘chiropractor’ and the rest spontaneously springing into being, it ought to be possible to endow the present ‘waiter’ with some more sonorous form of address, something commensurate with his dignity if not with his expanding fnancial estate. He might be called a ‘soupervisor,’ of course, but this is mildly suggestive of levity. How would ‘dinetist’ do? Or ‘tiptoadyan'?”~ Still, the name walter isn't going to be changed, according to the Bing- hamton Press, for “even though hs picks a new title from the words he has asked for, the public won't use it. His feeling that there is a ‘menial significance’ about the present term,™ the Press continues, “is a sign worth nothing. And if he wants to remedy that he had better remedy (if he can) the condition that produces it. He might begin, for example, by seeing what he can do about abolishing tha tip.” The Manchester Leader s of the further opinion that “many of our designations of callings are not clean cut and truly expressive, if we trace them to their original form, but if.we start changing, we shall be kept very busy.” The Bridgeport Post concludes that “finding a new name for waiters will be harder than to dignify the present name and vocation. It's up to the waiters.”