Evening Star Newspaper, May 4, 1926, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR Wlfllvsumhy Meorning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. TUESDAY..........May 4, 1926 =4 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office 1ith St and Pennsyivanis Ave K Offin: 110 East 42nd St. o Office’ Tower Building. 14 Regent St. London, England. The Evening Stac, with the Sundas morn g adition. is dehvered by earriers within the wity at’ 60 cents per month: dailv only, 45 eents ner month- Sunday only, 20 cents Per month Orders may be sent by mall or felenhone Main 5000, Collection fs made by carmer 3t the end of each month Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dajlr and .$P.00: 1 mo.. 7bc DAL Sy 1 yr. $8.00: 1 mo.. 80¢ Bundar onty 1 yr. $3.00: 1 mo.. 26c All Other States and C Daily and Sunday.1yr. $12.00: 1 mo. $1.00 Daily Sniv i 2800 1 mo. - i8c Sundar oniy $4.00; 1 mo.. 3B¢c nada. Liaees Member of the Associated Press. ™ cated Pr Lusivels entitlad e e T emancarion. 0 Al newn. din < Sredited (0 it or mot otherwise cred- 1 banec and The “local news pihlished herein ATl rights of publication o inerial dishateies harein are Also reservi Great Britain's Civil War. Buldwin in last night de taced civil of established Sherily afier the House of Commons elared Great Rr war challenge government by an alternative govern the great clock in the tower at Big Ben.” tolled the hour of twelve and the general strike Crowds of people gath ered the pariiament building Arama the with cheers. Leaders of the government and of the Tahor were variously greeted as ged from the chamber In which the last words of the discus- The red flag om &ome of ihe people came the strains of Premier 1 ain in the ment Westminster, was in effect outside ired b unians they em sion had heen spoken was waved conspicuously. the hem < revelution. cene at the outhreak sivled Great Brit- the first since the re- wh [t af what heen Rin‘s civil war, volt of the Covenanters under Crom- nst the roval rule of Charles vet war in the sens: o hlood has been | have been the police and some well 1. ¥euam adly not combat i elashes beiween thus Thera of 11 ikers and their sympathize Tied ' Street erowds have The The tain a 1 seized. heen dispersed. defined. | has refused to IS by o subsidies in order that issne Qs now clearly ve A ment of furt the tained. ndustry by the pay- wn miners may be main- has refused to nationalize the wages de- has refused to obey the the combined labor or- | a “settlement” of the mine dispnte under threat of a gen- The general strike is de- Rritain into government. The n the mines and fo pay manded. It mandate of panizaticns for eral sivike tn starve t the government responds te the challenge vn provide the people with extraordinary signed suhmission by prepa inz o necessities by means That this a national move of the unions is attested by the fact that on the continant sympathetic measures have heen adopted. At Amsterdam the secretary of ghe Tnter- ‘ederation of Trade Unions, | e se of twenty-three coun- as announced that the organ- jzation will “strongly support” the Rritish stvike, without specifying the of The German Federation in a manifesto de- claves t! it will prevent the trans- pertation of coal to Kngiand during the strike. The Rotteydam Transport Workers' Federation forbade the dock workers 10 t in loading coal for Great Rritain. The French miner throuzh their union. representing forty i per cent of the workers, are to take Rimilar Thus British strike takes an an international aspect. There i< undeniably a close relationship be- tween Rritish lahor headquarters and the Russian Communism is rampant in London. Sedition has been apenly in the British cap- ital during the past few days. A mem her of parliament. of Indian hirth, who few months ago was harred from the Tnited States, has been placed under srrest for seditio in Hvde Park on Sunday In these circumstances the British must fight. To vield would sh authority to the mit te the subversion of government sis graver even than that of the Great War is at hand. Numerically the membership aMiliations in Great Britain are a tv. They have a great power in the contrel of industiy and trans- pertation. 1f the majority can be rcoercad by privation and suffering and Tnsx Into the revolution sncceeds and no one can tell what the end will he. That it would merely mean a change of ministry and parlia- mentary control is doubtful. Rut there is no present sign that the spirit of the Bri majority 18 broken. 1t Is avident from the man- ner in which the ministry’s measures have heen recelved that the people are willing suffer inconvenience and loks and perhaps even acute privation in arder that government may endure. i S Aha tesi of a fine old gentleman these days = the ability to associate on congenial terms with a group of Boy Seen is not simply national embra tries, methods support. Miners action, the geneval Sovie preached utterances ministry he uninns, 10 st to reling union and min bmission, o e Oscar S. Straus. The strength and the value of the American citizenship that has natal origin in other lands were never more effectively illustrated than by the caraer of Oscar 8. Straus, whose death occurred terday in New York City. Rorn in Ravaria, he was hrought here by his the age of four. Thus practically his entire lie was spent In America. As merchant, as lawyer, as diplomat, as public admin- istrator, he contributed richly to the national life In all these lines he suc- ceeded, for he had the qualities of suc- cesg, Industry, exceptional intelligence, breadth of vision and sound under- standing. Had he remained in mer- cantile pursuits, in which he had his family prospered greatly, he would Aonbtless have heen known chiefly hy his philanthropies. which were numer- But sn qxceptional a man was noL 1o be beld within the confines of \ parents at commercial life. His eminent ability caused him to be selected by Presi- dent Cleveland for the post of Minister to Turkey, and it Is a remarkable fact that two other Presidents chose him for that post, once ugain as minister and finally as umbassador. On all three occasions he rendered valuable service. e was conspicuously ho ored by being the first man of his race to occupy a seat in the cabinet of & President of the United States. And in that post he likewise proved his exceptional value. Taking a deep In- terest in international questions, M Straus served by various assignments as American member of The Huzue Tribunal of Arbitration. He had the unique experience of serving in of- fices of high rank under five successiv Presidents, two of whom were Demo- crats and three Republicans. Nothing move clearly illusirates the breadth of mind of Oscar 8. Straus, his capa ity 10 rise above partisanship, and his possession of unusual qualities capable of effective recogaliion without regard to political considerations. Yel he was himself deeply imeresied in political matters and ook an aciive part in campalgns, On one occasion he was a candidate for the office of Governor of New York. His was a noble, val- uable life and his death at the sge of seventy-six is the cause of deep, sin- cere griet on the part of the American people. - ——— % A School Hygiene Bureau. Representative James 1. Begg Ohio has introduced a bill in the House to provide for a bureau of school hygiene under the District Health De. partment. Medical inspection of both pupils and teachers, sanitation in school buildings, and general health promotion work would be carried out under the new bureau for the public schools of Washington. In introducing his bill, Mr. Begg pointed out that willions of dollars were belng spent for additional build- | ings and for the school system in gen. eral, but that the National Cupital was sadly lacking in facilities to sate guard the health of pupils. Com- parison with other cities, he said, showed that Washington was far down on the list in this imporiant matter of student health, With the approval of welfure work- ers, physicians and the District Health Department, this bill should not fail for lack of support. It is an important measure, affecting more than 65,608 childven in the District. This legisla- tion has for years been strongly urged @nizations here. A similar bill will be introduced in the Senate in order that action can be made pos- | sible at this ses: The question of health 1s becoming on of Congress, | one of the paramount problems in the schools and business concerns of the United States. Rapid strides have been made in other cities in hygiene, while it is rare, indeed, for large business organizations to be without adequate medical inspection and hygiene departments. Preven- tion and prompt attention for all man- ner of human diseases has come to be a vital part of the industrial lite of America and its benefits have accrued as the work has progressed. Washington schools should not be without a bureau of this kind. Lessons of health learned during childhood are doubiy valuable and the schools are the appropriate place for such instruc- tions. Therefore, Congress should give earnest consideration to the pro- | ing its im- | | portance and worth, should pass it at posed measure and, rea the earliest opportunity, so that the children may receive the same com- plete education here thut is accorded in other cities. - America is advised to be prepared not for war, but against it. The strength of this continent is the world's best guarantee against a reck- less plunge into hostilitles. For the benefit of careless politicians the strength should be in evidence. r—oe an ideal- As in the The League of Nations istic eppeal to humanity, case of many Idealistic appeals, chief question Is that of humanity's sufficient advancement to make intelli- | gent response. - Apple Blossoms. This is upple blossom time in the Shenandoah and Cumberland valleys, in the smaller valleys of the Bilue Ridge in Virginla and South Moun- tain in Marylaud, and on the east and west slopes of those mountain ranges. ‘The apple blossom has spread east of the Blue Ridge and covers a good part of the Pledmont region iu the Viiginia counties of Loudoun, Kauquier, Rappahannock, Madison, Albemarle and Nelson and apple orchards are doing well on the Appalachian plain of Virginia and Maryland close to the fall line which separates the Piedmont plateau and the coastal plain. In Marviand the apple biossom lights the counties of Washington and Frederick and has spread east from the Catoctin Moun- tains across wide stretches of Car- roll, Howard and Montgomery coun- ties. It is queen over thousands ot square miles, but there are also such princesses as the peach blossom and the pear blossom. Near Washington, separated from the city by roads thirty to sixty miles long, lies one of the wide and pro- ductive fruit regions of the world. It is strange that all Washington people do not know this. Many of them have the idea from shop signs that all fruit comes from Florida and California. The soil of the valleys and mountain slopes a few miles west of Washington was found adapted long ago to the growth of fruit and to the apple in particular. All that section is abloom with pink and white and with good weather uncountable millions of apples will develop from those flowers. Statis- tics ave not at hand which show the amount of capital Invested in apple culture in Virginia and Maryiand and the uverage annual value of the yield, but the figures reach to many million dollars. Some Washing- tonians and visitors to Washington may not think highly of the agricul- tural and horticuitural value of ad- Jacent territory, but there are exten- tive districts in the Washington region, numerous counties in Vir &inla and Maryland) where fum Jand school | the | THE EVENING STAR, values compare with those in the tamed States of Towa, Oregon and California. There are extensive dis- tricts near Washington where the tertility of the soil is remarkable and where the value of crops per acre is ss high us in famous paris of the Middle West and the Golden West. Kven the sand, clay and gravelly lands of the coastal plain between Washington and Chesapeake Bay do their part for the world's good. Many persons look on the gray or yellow land and think “how poor it is," yet from much of that land, especially the sandy loams, sand and clay, come in fair seusons large crops of us fine vegelables un grow elsewhere in Amer- ica. Off thousands of scres of that laud between Washington and the buy are cut ship loads of famous tobacco, as sweet and fragrant to smokers as any other In the world. It is tobacco especially prized by Europeans and so well thought of in Kurope that nearly all of It is sold abroad for mixing with cheaper and cosrser tobaccos to make them better. - The Distrlct of Columbla may de pend upon congressional talent for re minders of any complexities or short- comings. The fact that the District is unable to reciprocate by reminders of needed reforms in some of the States is due to unavoidable circumstances and reflects no unwillingness to be of any possible moral assistance. e, of kings.” The Prince of Wales is one representative of royaity who cannot be expected regard equestrianism as a careless pastime. B Mussolinl has braved opposition and inspired confidence by new promises. In order to be a successful dictator a man must also be something of a pro- moter, . —om Henry Ford likes old-fashioned fid- dlers. But the old-fashioned dance which people attended by means of old Dobbin hitched up to the spring wagon never can return. e gland's greatest strike on record renewed apprehension on the part of the ultimate consumer as to whether he will be able to go on foot- Ing the bills, . Polar exploration is apparently like- Iy to go on indefinitely. Each discov- of the North Pole requires verifi cation involving infinite toil and haz- ard. e It is an artist indeed who now suc- ceeds in making his art as prominent in popular attention as his matri- monial affairs. | R SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Spring Song. Back once more to Foolish Time— Idle hours and careless rhyme; Skies are warm and fields are gay— April melting into May! Foolish chatter from the crows; | Foolish leaflets from the rose; Foolish blossoms on the hill, Which the frost may touch and kill. | Anxious hope and sullen fear Haunt us through the tollsome year. Now the blossoming branches elimb. Let's refoice! It's Foolish Time! Establishing an Understanding. “You have been re.elected many times."" “I hav answered Senator Sor- ghum. “The wisdom of the plain peo- ple has always coma to my support.” ““They regard vou as an intellectual leader?” “I don't think So0. The folks out home sort of took a liking to me be- cause I never pretended to know more than they do.” The Toiler. No greater influence we ask To still the world's unrest Than one who loves his daily task And does his level best. Jud Tunkins says a busy bee Is like & busy human; useful In his work and {liable to be irascible when interrupted. Spirit of Sociability. ‘““I'his League of Nations,” Mother. “It's holding regular meetings and planning great work,” rejoined Father. What more can you ask?"” “We ought to join it right away; same as I joined the sewing circle. When a bunch of neighbors get to- gether they mostly talk about those absent. It's best to be on hand and know what's being sald.” began Father's day and Mother's day Sister's day and Brother's day- Days when we must bear in mind Duties of remembrance kind. Fleeting philanthropic day. Just a current topic day Life’s affections firm and true Should prevail the whole year through. Playing the Game. ‘“‘Are vou going to vote wet or dry?" “Haven't made up my mind,” an- swered Uncle Bill Bottletop. “I have my private opinion, but I don't pro- pose to be licked in politics because of any personal prejudice.” Honor Without Bloodshed. “Do we want militarism?” Inquired the offhand orator. “I don't think s0,” replied Miss Cay- enne. “I'd like to get back to the good old times when such titles as ‘Judge’ and ‘Major’ could be acquired simply by a consistent attitude of neighborly affabllity."” Canned Conversation. Our conversation now we can; ‘Which makes life much more cheer- ful. ‘We simply say, “So's yvour old man!” And next, “You said an earful!” “De world is improv'n’ every year,” said Uncle Eben; “but de taxes foh de improvements gits harder an’ harder to meet.” oo Liquidation. From the Oklahoma City Daily Oklahoman. The British are agitating the col- Jection of a huge sum loaned during the Civil War, and perhaps Florida might settle the whole bill with a con- pla of watertront lots 4 Horse racing is sald to be the “sport | WASHINGTON, D. THIS AND THAT Prologue: 1t must be distinctly un- derstood that little Billy does not live in our particular community. (We are terribly glad does not, by the way.) fond parents, therefore. who- own Johnnles, Bobbles, etc., will not imag: ine for a second that we are “hitting at their offspring, and thus indirectl: aL them, We never “hit” at any one. Thia in the best-bred column in the United Staten, if we do say so ourself, and contains no word or senience that will bring the tear of repentance to an eve. We do not believe in hurting people. What we will suy about little Billy (which will be a-plenty) will fit a thousand and one children (which is putting it mildly) equally well. Hu. man nature Is human nature the world around, as some one has said likewise human nature is the same in various parts of one great city. et It be undersiood, theretore, that William does not—positively does not live within a radfus of half a mile of our own particular bit of heauti- ful Washington | Just how much may live, need not be said. It { might be miles, it might be 5 this is a detail into which no one will be allowed to be too inguisitive. It ix enough to asseri that Billy | does exlst, and that he is no better or worse than scores, even hundreds, of wmall boys. We ure optimistic on the subject of small boys. Wherefore, we beg every one who reads here to feel that all which we shall sav in generously painted with the milk of human kindness We picture Bllly as & phenomenon, peculiarly American. but underneath we find & human soul, the most pre- cious thing in the world. * % o & | Perhaps it would be best to begin i this treatise on little Billy by consid- | | ering the parents; but the subject of parents is such a large one! Yes, definitelv, we had better fne the discussion to Billy. He is & farther away he it con- | | doss her BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. e little Willie, we would not fe actly the same way about it that he seems to feel! £ x ok Billy makes a dart at the hollyhock and plucks it from ita little hed an an | Indian brave might have secured the scalp of some innocent colonist, “Pretty flower!” chortles Billy, hold. ing the plant aloft, a smile of sweet triumph on his ruddy cheeks. The rootlets of the hollyhock dangle in cool alr; (he leaves begin to droop. “Billy, you mustn't do that!" says the neighbor fn her best neighborhood tone, as she tukes the plant out of Bllly's tightly clutched fingers and best to undo what he has done. . While she Is doing this, Billy sples small Gertrude, 3 yvears old, toddling around near the house. Promptly he selzes a stick lying by the fence, and makes toward her. Willie never experiences any trou- bia finding instcuments to his hand. The world seems especially made for his benefit. Everywhere he goes there are flowers to pull up, sticks to hit with and stones to throw. There are nice shiny windows to be broken and shrubs to be kicked over. Kreshly painted front doors offer wonderful possibilities in the kicking line, and as for new wall paper : “Ya-aa!' screamed Gertrude. ‘The mother looked around, to catch Billy in the act of belaboring the little girl with the stick. Alreadv he had hashed her one over the head, and now s0ught to apply the stick to her shoul- ders. Somewhat losing her patience, the %00d nelghbor sprang forward and selzed his_ uplified arm “No! No! No!' screamed thwarted lad. “You must not hit little Ge sdmonished the kind woman. Rillv looked aghast “But I want 10" he replied, with grieved astonishment. L handsome little chap, about 6 or ¢ | years old. full of “pep.” bright-eved, | { eminently lkable. e the darling little fellow ax he s acrous the alley to a neighbor's | ard! With « bang of his chubby | fists he demands entrance. { “Let me in' Let me in® he screams, pummeling the gate until his hands are aimosi raw. To save him from beating his small mitts into she 18 doing, and hurries down to open the gate. 1 Bllly darts in what he can get into firal, and decides upon the flower bed, in which have just been set soms nice new perreninials. With an ardor and directness which spell success later in life, Billy aingles out the hollyhock plant. Per- haps his eve was caught by its bright | green leaves and general appearance of health. Now the good neighbor knows that Billy's mother has told him, time and time again, “not to pull up the flowers.” If you could peer into Wil- tie's helter-skelter mind, you would {find it filled with negatives. | illle, don't do this!" *Willle, | don’t do 'that!” “Willie, do not pull {up the flowers!” “William, stop hit- ting little siste Willte, don’t leave the gate open!” | Willle, don't vou dare ! We are not altogether e, were | ‘No!" Is the cry of the modern hild. I want to!” its walchword. The monosyllable is the first word children : their supreme justifi- cutlon later is “But 1 want to!" With some such reflections as these tn her mind, the good nelghbor gently | escorted Billy to the back gate and | firmiy introduced him to the alley, C. TUESDAY, MAY 4. 1926. NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM I1.G. M. THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE. Stephen Crane. D. Appleton & Co.; Knowing the town but casually, I/ was unfamiliar with all but the most obvious features of Newark, N. J. So one day passing the public libra of that city, I wondered in whose hon- or might have been placed the bronze tablet decorating the front wall of that buflding. A memorial to the memory of the wuthor of “The Red Badge of Courage,” it turned out to be. placed there by a group of Stephen Crane’'s friands and admirers banded together thus to do honor to a fellow artist. The legend of the tablet runs to !ha effect that Newark is Crane's native city-—a bit of news, this, to me @nd that the memorial had been dedicated on the fiftieth anniversary of this author's birth. The latter ftem |gave me a jar of murprise, for, no matter how many years Stephen Crane might have livea, he could never to his readers have passed the bright boundary of youth itself. Al wa v the imagination of his reud ers he will be the stripling who, at the age of 23, wrote the “Red Badge,' # novel that immediatelv brought from other writers and critical read- ers evervwhere the recognition of a ew kind of novel and a new kind of war story. oo on Thirtytwo vears ugo. when the ted Hadge appeared, that which x| now so familiar as the realistic noyel had not vet gotten upon ix feet, was generally still within the creeping stage. Willlam Dean Howells was Writing then. a pioneer in the theory that the best purpose of the Ameri can fietion is to reflect American life that the higheat dramatic art of the | novelist may be achieved within such | purpose and pursuit. Howells was greatly pleaxed with voung Crane's contribution to the slowly advancing cause of literary realism. And in this | el Crane stands today triumphant #mong a multitude, where 32 veurs | #g0 he was one among only a hand. | ful of unwelcome innovators. i | Not onlv a generation ago was thix | a new kind of war story. It is such today. except, possibly, for “What Price Glory” and “Three Soldiers,"” by Laurence Stallings and John Dos where he stood bawling ax If some |one had injured him. With Gertrude a pulp, the kind neighbor drops what | howling at the other end of a vard, a I'slight discord prevailed. When the mother went back to calm eagerly looks around [her own, Billy dried his tears and looked around for more worlds to con. quer. Billy 1s so full of “pep.” To look, with Billy, is to #ct. Hastilv he mounted the fence and began to swing { back and forth on the top wire. “This action soon began to bend the | fence over neatly, until within a few seconds it took on the appearance of having been hit by the rear end of a five-ton truck. Willie can make things look that wav. Willie is %o cute. With this childish play. the hope of the country decided to call it a day not, however, without heaving a few Passos respectively. ““The Red Badge of Courage” is a war drama radically different from the famlliar panorama | of huge contending forces. different | from the preliminary pageant of ma neuvering hosts, from the wholesale slaughter, the quick recovery, and again the banked onset of h armies. That is the common pattern | of the war novel. Here in place pageant and of panorama wholesale slaughter the personal story of a hoy in the Civil War. Just one boy around whom are grouped other individuals like himself-—in their feelings not a mechanical mass 1o be moved like puppets when some one higher up pulls the strings that send them for ward fo a victory that may mean in and | in stones in the general direction of Tom, the Airedale. That Tom escaped a tractured skull was just dog’s luck At this juncture William's mother having watched her vouns barbarian at play, decided to call him off. “Oh, Bill-ee: oh, Billee’" she called, in those dulcet tones that sei the neigh- bors wild. “Oh, Bill.ee”; oh, Bill-ee Alien Prol;erty An attack by Representative Gar- ner of Texas on certain provisions of the Mills bill dealing with the return to the privata owners of the property | of former alien enemies held during {and since the war by the alien prop- { erty custodian has arounsed debate in the press, particularly on the plan presented in the bill for the settle- ment of like claims of American eiti- zens against German “Before it adjourns, Congress ought to provide finally for the quickest pos- sible restoration of private property selzed by our Government within its domains from alien enemles during the war.” contends the Hartford Daily Times (independent Democratic), for | {“the longer this step is deferred. the | | more the country must be taxed on | account of it. The vestoration is right and in accordance with precedent ap. proved both by repeated declarations | {of American policy and the law of na- | tions.* Opposed to this view stands the | opinion voiced by the New York Her. ald Tribune (Republican). which de- {clares: “The Herald Tribune is in- tensely gratified by the breakdown of the effort to put through Congre: | blll dispersing among German ex-own- ers the assets in the alien propert fund. These assets belong to our ! Government under treaty agreements. { having been dedicated by the German | Reich to the payment of war claims awards to American citizens, the Reich having assumed the duty of compensating the former owners. Why devote the fund to Germans who have no claim on it and deny ita bene fits to American litigants who, unless they are relmbursed in this way. will | have to be taken care of out of the | Treasury?” | * oK X % Fxplaining the legal aspects of the situation, the Springfield Republican (independent) refers, as its authority, to the Versallles treaty and the treaty of peace between Germany and the United States, and states that under provisions in these documents ‘‘the ) German property still in the hands of the alien property custodian was seg- regated as security to meet the claims of American citizens against the Ger- man government,” provision being also made undger treaty for the Ger- man owners to seek compensation for their losses from Germany itself. But. says this newspaper, ‘the difficulty at this point arises from the fact that there are not enough assets in the allen property custodian's possession to meet the claims of American citi- zens; furthermore, the original Ger- man owners would probably never get anything from their own govern- |and have their I Problem Is Viewed From Various Slants Mills bill in principle “is valid despite the fact that its author, and perhaps some other Government officials, ine dentally might henefit by its passage. and the News records the fact that “‘when shown that companies in which he was interested came under its pro- visions, Representative Mills properly withdrew his support from the bill he had introduced.” The Norfolk Ledger- Dispatch (independent Democratic) thinks that “whether thix method of financing he adopted or not'- and it notes that the method is considered “not only as a legitimate but as a proper way of financing these accounts—"it would seem to be bigh time to turn back private property held in trust to iis right- ful owne: and this paper fur- ther holds that “if it is right to settle | these claims, it is still right to do so even though some some Government stoc! Congressman or official may own in a company that benefits.” * o ow X “On one condition the German prop- erty can be safely restored. v& the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat (independ- ent). and that Is, “the American c zens who suffered by German aggre: sion must be properly recompensed es made good. It is reported that Berlin is will- | ing to pay the American claims in question,” continues this paper, as it further states: “If she can be held to that, and pavment obtained promptly, the security now on hand should properly revert to its own- er Contending that Congr should have the outspoken advice of the Seate Department in this impo: tant question, but that “in the hea: ings on this measure the State De- partment has refused to commit itselt either in favor of the restoration of the property or its confiscation.” the New York World (independent Demo- cratic) considers this “‘excessive timid- ity,” this “failure to speak out, when requested,” may be “misinterpreted both at home and abroad as luke. warmness toward our traditional pol- icy, the inviolabllity of private prop- erty in time of war.”” And the Charles. ton Daily Mail (independent Republic- an) wants to know “why the Govern- ment of the United States, seven and a half years after the close of the war, should be holding the funds of Germans.” —raos Judge McCov Corrects Error in Star’s Report To the Fditor of The Star: In The Sunday Star of May 2, in the report of the hearings hefore‘the ment, and their property, so far asa they were concerned, would be wiped out. Why be concerned about that?” asks the Republican, and answers it- self—because ‘‘for generations the United States has stood for the prin- ciple that private property should not be taken in war without compensa- tion.” R The bill provides for a Government bond issue by the United States of $250,000,000. Speaking of this feature, the Sioux City Daily Tribune (inde- pendent) sa. “Congressman Ogden L. Mills of New York introduced a bill | providing that American claims ap- proved by the Mixed Claims Commis- sion be paid out of the United States Treasury and that this Government, in turn, look to Germany for reim- bursement. The proposal was bad enough on its face, declares the Tribune, but it adds that the sponsor of the measure “holds stock in one company which would be among the beneficiaries; Secretary Mellon holds stock in five corporations which would be among the benefl- claries,” and it quotes Representative Garner as having sald that “‘approxi- mately 26 members of Congress are prospective beneficlaries under the plan.” L A On the other hand, the Canton Daily News (Democratic) believes that the Gibson subcommittee of the House of Representatives committee on the Dis- trict of Columbia I am quoted as fol- Jows: “Is there the same enthusiasm for the soldier as there was when we were afraid that they mightn't fight?" That is not what I said. What I did say was: “Is there the same enthu- siasm for the soldier as when we were afrald of what might happen and they were going to fight for us?"” T should appreciate it if you would publish_this letter. WALTER 1. McCOY. e—— A Free Guest. From the Buffalo Evening News. In one way and another the people continue to pay for Mr. Ponzi's board and lodging. ——————— . Seeing and Hearing. From the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Telephone manners will improve when we all get that new television attachment. ——o————— Always. From the Portland Evenine Exoress. The British government will only tax the winners at betting. but it will be the losers who 'ill pay, dividual death or to a defeat that | may still mean individual death. So. | to these victory and defeat look much | alike. Here Is one hoy with his im. | mediate companions. dier mass. Each ix a human being. frightened, tomed to the war routine. Here is the | bov only vaguely conscious of « | Unlon to be preserved, of enslaved | black men to be set free. Acutely| conscions. however, of his own bodily | discomfort, of his long distance | from the home folks each minute growing dearer, of fare that he hates, of a bivouac under the stars that brings new fears in lieu of rest. It Is with the feelings of this boy, and other boys. with their deep-down se- cret honesties, with the ferrors that assault them out of the darkness, with the creeping enemy that stirring bird or restless beast implies—with these that this war story so largely deals. It deals humorously. 100, with the natural bluffings of the scared man, with the boosting of a vanished ourage. In a word, this is the pitiful | secret xelf of yvouth brought out under the bluster and bravado that war imposes upon all. ! Wonderfully dramatic moments come into the open here. Read Jim's story along toward the middle of the book. The story of talkative, gossiping, know-itall, long Jim. When the hour atruck for Jim a different man met it. At last they saw him stop and stand motionless. "Hastening up. they per- ceived that his face wore an expres- sion telling that he had at last found the place for which he had struggled. | His spave figure was erect: his bloody | hands were quiet at his side. He was waiting with patience for something that he had come to meet. He was at | the rendezvous.” Later as he lay, the | blue jaeket open, Jim's side looked “as | if it had been chewed by wolves." | ““The vouth turned with suddem rage | toward the battlefield. He shook his fist. He seemed about to deliver a philipple.” “Hell—" “And the red sun was pasted in the sky wafer, instead of a sol bewildered unaceus- | like a * oK ok % A curious fact is that this dramatic and realistic story of war was written by a lad who then had never seen a scrap of war itself. Years afterward, out of personal ex- perlence in the Spanish-American War, Stephen Crane wrote another story of combat whose fidelity to fact is no greater, however, than thai so dramatically expressed in this older novel. *oxox o This new issue of ““fhe Red Badge of Courage” comports beautifully with the content of the great story itself. A book to have and to hold. In a foreword here Max J. Herzberg. president of the Stephen Crane Asso clation, has given an interesting study of Crane that covers the main exter. nal facts in the author’s life and dips down as well into many of the sources of this gifted youth's inspiration and achievement. This study touches the family of Crane. Methodist ministers and a bishop on the father's side, un- usual character in the mother. School days and an unfinished university career are sketched here. “He was at that time in vears about 19 and in worldly experience about §7." a univer- sity mate says of him. Al agree to a fascinating and versatile personality of the Robert Louls Stevenson type. Then came newspaper days and hard sledding and a little writing and. final- ly, in great modesty in demeanor, the offering of “The Red Badge of Cour- age.” which took 2 prompt and lasting hold upon the public. Then, aflments, and failing days, and the earthly death—not 30 vet. i Here is what some have to sav about Stephen Crane: H. G. Wells speaks of “my old friend, that very great writer of -English. In England he lived close to Joseph Conrad and myself and our great admiration for his magnificent gifts was mingled with the warmest affection for his generous. kindly and humorous char- acter.” From John Galsworthy: “It is long since 1 d the work of Stephen Crane, but T well remember | the extraordinary subtlety and bril- Hance of ‘The Red Badge of Cour- age.’ " From Theodore Dreiser: “One of the very few writers who stood forth intellectnally and artistically at a time when this Nation was as thoroughly submerged in romance and sentimentality and business as it is today.” To Zona Gale “Cran and Howells were the two earliest American writers to understand and employ realism. The service of Crane in telling the truth as he saw it, with- out hypocrisy, without sentimentality and with eloquent brevity, threw open, many a window where had before :uu walls in ':urmmun ::l“'hm tephen Crane o fret the | lates? ! shrubby glomerates into smx | be noticeabie !ers struck in sympathy. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. What per cent of the leaders in American affairs are college gradu- What per cent of the entire population?-B. H. ¢ A. “Leader only estimate we can give is that 63.67 per cent of the men and women who | have s=o distinguished themselves as | is a broad term. ‘The | the localities where the range of tide is small. Q. When was it that President Wilson said in a speech that America was a melting pot?—S. H. C. A. The expression ‘melting pet” was used by President Wilson in his to be listed in ~\Who's Who in Amer- | Music Hall speech delivered in Cin fca’” are college graduates; 2.14 per cent of the total population of the United States are college graduates. Q. A | pot." How is taploca The stzrch of « plant, dried quickly under cinnati, October 26, 1916. He sald: “America is not made out of a single stock. Here we have a great melting The expression was used reference to the United States because its historlc policy has heen to keep open door to the oppressed people of the actlon of intense heat, when in a |al natfons and to merge those who moist condition, ag- 1 irregnlar mass seml-solid and accept its hospitality into one nation | of common language and common po and then forms the well known article | Jitical ideals. of food called tapioca. nounce his name H. B. A. Macrady, with a long “a.” Q. Who wrote th for the Wagon"?— W. W. H A. The music of it was composed by R. Bishop Ruckley. came to the United States and organ ized Buckley's Minstrels in Ruckley died in Quiney, Mass, 1867, of registering Q. cent Jamp made? A. The principle song for copyright. P. the electric A C of Davy in 1800 his are light before the Royal tute of Londo the Nernst lamp. Cooper Hewftt's mercury lamp was tried out in 1903 at the office of the New York Fve- ning Post. The first candescent lamp dates 1879, when hon incandescent lamp. Q. turing ?>—C. A. The Insti- from about Which States lead in manufac- E. J. five States having the manufacturing are Pennsylvanla. $ 117,729,968; New York. $6,012,08: ; Oh $3,748,743,996; Nliinois, $3.366 45 . and Massachusetts, $2.947.- 10 The five Statex having the lead in the value of products manu- tactured are New York. §8,867,004,906; Pennsylvania, $7.315.702.8 $5,425,244,694; Ohi $5.10 and Massachusetts, $4,011,181 Q. What can he done with an | Easter lily after it stops blooming? H K. K. A. An Easter lily may be planted out of doo < soon as it dies down. ‘There is a possibility that after seven or eight months it will bleom again. Q. peak? V. F. A. The Coast and Geodetic says that, theoretically. the tide re. mains at its highest and lowest peak for only an instant, but as the height of the tide changes very slowly as it { approaches and recedes from iis high- st and lowest points, there may be a period of 20 minutes, more or less, in which the change may be too small to In localities where there ig a large range of tide the ap. parent stand will be shorter than in | Q. How does Lieut. Macready pro- | It is pronounced as if spelled | The composer | was born in Kngland about 1810, He | 1843, | in | In his day there was no means | This was followed by | successful in- | Kdison produced the car- | | have {long will javelle water keep?— 1. F. H. | beginning. How long does a tide stay at its | Survey | read recently of ice siill 10 feet thick on the Rangelev Lakes In Maine. 1s this possible at that latitude and altitude, and if not, what is the QI | maximum?—R. M. K. old song, “Wait | A. The Weather Bureau savs that no observations are made for it in re- | Rard 10 ice conditions in the lakes re- ferred to, but it does sec the Winter season measurements of jce from Moosehead l.ake nearby. During the past Winter no ice thick- ness exceeding 22 inches was reported from that lake, and during the manyv vears of observatlons no ice thickness xceeding 40 10 45 Inches has been re. e during When was the first incandes. | ported at any time from thai section | 1t is quite improbable that ice formed 10 the thickness of 10 feel over the | light was discovered by S$ir Humphry |lakes during the past Winter. although In 1809 he exhibited | it i% possible. on account of high winds, or something of that character. the jce may have broken up and drifted in such a way ax 1o cause an apparent depth of 10 feet, or even more, in some particular loeality favorable for its accumulation. Q. What effect would javelle water upon a tin container? How A. The Bureau of Chemistry say | that javelle water will corrode a ti\; B States having oo | container, thus destroving the javelle gest amount of capital in d in | water. 'a wood container. | kind. however, 1t would have no effect upon ‘The hest possible is glass. The length juvelle water may he kept without deter ing depends upon temperature, presence of light and the purity of the solution in the It all conditions are fa- avelle water should keep a Warm weather decomposes it Light has the same of time that vorable vear. | more readily. effect. . Q. When was Fleet Street Prison aholished? M. W. K | A. This notorious was aholished April London prisen 1844, Find out whatever uyou irant to | know. There iz mo room for innn vance in this busy world. The per son cho loses out is the one *who guesses. The person who gets on i ! always the one who acts upon re- | tiable information. This paper em- ! ploys Frederic J. Haaskin to _conduct an information bureau in Washing- ton for the free use of the public | There is no charge except 2 cents in | stamps for return postage. Write to | him today for any facts you desire | Address your letter to The Evening L&tar Information Bureau. Frederic T | Haskin, divector. Washington. . ©. BACKGROUND OF EVENTS The greatest strike in the history of organized lahor has been declared | It involves 1.048,270 coal | miners in England, Wales and Scot- in England. land. Tt includes all iron and slate mipers. the pig iron industry. the tin- plate and steel sheet trades. the iron and steel trades, all railroads and electriclans. ship building and repair- ing. seamen, hricklavers. dock and viverside labor. all newspapers and other printing trades. That amounts to a total of 1,475.149 directly invoived, and last night, according to program, more than 3,500,000 other wage earn- Thus 4.000.- 000 1o 5,000,006 “engaged in gainful sccupation™ have ceased production. All wheels in England. Scotland and Wales are still. There is neither tele- graph nor mail nor publication of any kind except one paper by the govern- ment and one by the unions. Since the strikers represent their families, it s estimated that not fewer than 15.000.000 of the 45,000.000 population have been cut off from any income. A third of the population is in open rebellion against the established gov- ernment, and, as one of the highest officials in onr own Government ex- presses it, “that is revolution.” P Mr. est Bevin, representing the General Council of Trades Unions of England. is quoted as saying: “We have no quarrel with the people. We are not declaring war on the people. ‘War is being made by the govern- ment. pushed on by sordid capitalists Sometimes those who draw the sword perish by the sword.” * o ox o The crisis has bheen developing for some vears, particularly during the past vear, pending the one-year ex- tension of the subsidy to aid wage earners, which extension has now reached its time Hmit. The London Times sayvs: “What it | comes to is this. that the miners are not fighting the owners; they are fighting the nation. The Observer savs: to the coal industry, which the gov. ernment has rightly refused. were again to be surrendered to the pres- sure of force, the da of majority rule in Britaln would he numbered.” *x s There are two conditions now oper- ating which tend to modify the se- riousness of the effect of the strike upon the public. First, the Spring weather makes it less of a hardship upon the house- holder, for in the United Kingdom the people are accustomed to less heat in theirr homes than are Americans. Second, the “tight little island” is so small—ahout the size of New York State —and the availability of trucks ia so great that, with the thousands of volunteer drivers. in addition to the regular military organization. transportation of food and other necessities may be found practically Independent of the railroads. * X ox X With labor distress and unrest prevalent, not only in Great Britain but in most of the Furopean coun- tries, it is very different in labor circles in the United States. accord- ing to the reports of the Department of Labor. There are a few minor strikes, even in the midst of our gen- eral prosperity and industrial activ- ity—at present strikes. ranging from a score or so of workers to the textile strike In New Jersey. Involv- ing some 8,000 or 10.000. There is never a time when absolute peace prevails between all labor and em- ployers, though nearly all such differ- ences are soon adjusted within the industry. In contrast with the 75 cases now pending in the United States, the Mexican government (with a population of one-sixth of ours) to- day has more than 1,000 labor cases pending for settlement. In the latest publication of the Industrial Employment Information ‘Bulletin of our Department of Tabor the uation is summed up in a synopsis: . 'Employment in the major indus- tries has been com| tively steady during the pagt 30 A ‘majority “If the subsidy BY PAUL V. COLLI of the textile mil are operating on a full-time is. bl “The industrial employment autlonk | for April i decidedly bright. Optl mism prevails in practically every in dustry. Building construction will show a further increase. Prepara tions are heing made for considerable city and county improvement work. large State road programs and for greater activity in agrieultural dis triets.” Tecailed reports from all districts published in the same bulletin | seem to more than bear out the pic ture of general productive activiry | throughout all industries In the | United States. * x oo As is well known. American wark- ers draw the highest wages in the world. vet their products successfully compete in cost of production with the output of the less pald workers | of England or any other country. To what can that success of American producers he credited? Seo- retary Morrison of the American Fed- eration of Tahor illustrates the sitn- ation with a story of the making of umbrella handles: me vears ago the industry of nm- rella handles. which had been flonr- | ishing in the United States. mat com- vetition from Japanese and Chinese workers, who produced just as good handles at much less cost. for their wages were less. The production in | America ceased. Then American genius produced machines which would turn out wooden handles- | plainer and without inlaid metals, but | equally efficient in use. The old mak- ers in’ America learned to run the ma chines and received higher wagzes than before. outcompeting the Orientals, *oxoxox Statisties published by Mr. Ethalherf | Stewart of the Department of Labor | show that wages in the United States have more than kept pace with the increased cost of living in the last decade or two. taking the vear 1913 a= the point of comparison—100 points. From that comparison it is shown that in 1906 the index number of union wages per hour was %5 points, and cost of living 78.7 points. In 192§ wages were 237.9 points per hour and living The wages of 1906 had & per cent more purchasing power than did the wages of 1913, hut the wages of 1925 had 37.1 per cent greater pur- chasing power than did the wazes of 1913. * ok ok ok In an article written by Secretary of Labor James 1. Davis upon the sig nificanca of May day. the Secretary savs, in part “In many countries the 1st of May is= made a day of protest. Our Labor day is a dav of rejoicing and good fel lowship. The difference in the twa days marks the difference hetween labor in our country and elsewhere. In some parts of the world there is sadness in the ranks of labor. Here and there in America there may be a few inequalities in our industrial life. We hope these will soon he righted. Some will right themselvse: but even these others we can adjust in the right way with the means provided. * ¢ * “In America this Mayv day we have no problem of unemplovment and no serious Industrial differences. Our work as a rule. are earning more hecause they are producing and eom- suming more than ever beiore in his torv. “In spite of this desirable economic situation in America. never parallsled in history. a few disturbers meet in | darkened rooms with drawn curtains | to find fanlt with our institutions and (to seek to lead our workers into strange flelds. In two or three in- stances thev have heen successful in halting production, but in no instance have they: ever brought their follow- ers better conditions. * * * The American has always recognized. and will still recognize, the wage problem as a business, and not a political. mat- ter. By these means he has won thea highest wages ever paid. and he will not jeopardize his prospetity for dan- gorous experiments in political agits- [ 1. 1026, by Paut v. conine® . &