Evening Star Newspaper, May 10, 1926, Page 8

8 THE EVENING STAR ~"With Sundsy Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY. May 10, 1926 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: .“and Pennsylranis Ave. 110 East 42nd St. Tower Building. London, Chicago Office Buropean Office: 14 Regent St., ngland. with the Sunday morn- : . I8 de 1 by carriers within the ¢ ents per month: daily only, 45 cents per month: Sunday only, 20 cents yer ‘monti lephone M carries at the The A Rate by Mail—F Maryland Daily and Sunday Daily only Sunday only Advance. ia. 3.00: 1 mo.. p0c 1 vr.. $0.00: 1 mo., T8¢ 1 300 1 mo.. 25¢ All Other Dails’ and Sund Dailv Gniy Bunday onty Member of the Associated Press. The Assoriated Pross is exclusively entitled to the ue n of all news di paiches Vot otherwisa crea- ted in ¢ aiso the local news publiched b AN rishts ot publication of épecial dispatehes herein are also reeerved. Byrd's Flight. the world has again been this®ime by Comdr. { his pilot, Floyd ne named Miss a century of ef- it of north lati- of longitude The top of reached by Bennett, in an g fosephine Ford to touch the 1 tude, wheve all paralle meet earth is south, the ad- hieved by two ex- leaders snd each of them Peary on the 6th of April, d e1 the 9th of May, he North Pole it is day from to Septembe and Byrd would be able to determine that he had reached 90 degrees north by using rection on venture has be plorati tracted inquiry into the prohibition question. The subcommittee which held these hearings has not made a report. It may not make a report at this session. It certalnly went into the question thoroughly and gave ample time to both slides for the presentation of their cases. It heard a multitude of wit- nesses, and if any one failed to ap- pear who should have appeared the fact should have been made evident at that time. The present petitioners contend that one of the chief prohibi- tionists, he who was present in per- son throughout the hearings but did not take the stand, kept out of the role of witness because he, feared to submit himself to cross-examination. Considering the manner in which the cross-examination was conducted, it is not remarkable that any witness was reluctant to offer testimony on this subject,"and particularly on the dry side. But after all this question is not to be settled by a hearing before a sub- committes of the Senate or of the House, especially such a hearing as that recently conducted, which had more the aspect of a political rodeo than a judiclal research into condi- tions. It is impossible to keep politics out of any such investigation, just as it is impossible to conduct a referen- dum on the subject by newspaper polling. The election that is to take place in November may have a direct bear- ing upon this issue. The whole House of Representatives is to be elected and 4 from which point every di-] one-third of the Senate. If there is, as recent informal and unofiicial polls on their face indicated, & preponderant sentiment for modification of the en- forcement act, the next Congress will surely reflect that sentiment and will have a mandate for proceeding with modifying legislation. So in truth the investigation is continuing and will proceed until election day, with every sextant carrying an artificial hori- 1 the position of the sun in aller divisions of the circle could be read from this sextant, one-sixth of the circle, with a possible error of twenty miles. Before sailing from the United States Comdr. Byrd said that he would know he was over the Pole when the altitude of the sun above the horizon equaled the sun's declination which was given in the Nautical Almanac Two explorers have fallen short of latitude 90 mnorth by less than four degrees. These were Cagni, who, April 25, 1900, reached §6 degrees and 34 minutes and Nansen, April 7. 1895, who attained 86 degrees and 14 min- ond the sentimental thrill of the there is a practical side to the adventure. By account of the flight and of what he learned on the trip will come later, perhaps today. He will no doubt tell that Farthest North is ice<overed sea, Peary so re- port: All soundings made in seas a few degrees south of the Pole have given depths indicating that no con- tinent is mear. traveled by dog sled from mere Land on the American side of the world, taking many days for the trip, which then called “a dash to the Pole.” Byrd flew from Spitzbergen on the European side of the world to the Pole and back to his Dbase in nine minutes less than sixteen the worth of the air- plane in Arctic travel. There is no foot of the earth that n not be veached by air. It is impossible to re- sist the temptation to write that Byrd \as lived up to his name. -d was with MacMillan in 1925 in the latter’s attempt to reach the Pole and it was then reported that the air- plane was not suitable for Arctic ex- ploration because of lack of or diffi- culty in finding, landing places. But \ere is the news that a plane has flown from Spitzbergen to the Pole and back in sixteen hours. In the matter of speed and endurance this fiight is a feat even though it may not be a record in sustained and distance flying. What Byrd and Bennett have done others will do. They have shown the way. When Louis Bleriot flew across the English Channel from Barraques to Dover in 37 minutes, July 23, 1909, most persons were amazed and mil- lions said, “What us: the English Channel is place now and mail, p parcel air service is maintained be- 1ween London and Paris. It 1s a crosscut from continental Europe to Japan and China by way of the North Pole and there will be mail and passenger service over that route through the air. Within a century passengers who have flown over the North Pole may be as numerous as passengers today who have crossed the Equator. is was hours. It show R The Prince of Wales is universally popular. Whatever the economic crisls may be, when he appears on the scene, there is nothing to pre- vent the crowd from singing “He's a Jolly Good Fellow.” ——o—s No Reopening of the Hearing. Dissatisfled with the proceedings be- fore the Senate committee that recent- Jy conducted hearings on the prohibi- tlon question, certain organizations have united in a demand upon the Senate judiciary committee to reopen the {nquiry and summon certain spec- ifled witnesses. It is complained that one of the chief proponents of prohibi- tion was mnot called as a witness at the first hearing, although present in person throughout the proceedings. “The petition goes on to contend that the hearing failed to bring out the identity of members of Congres: who are drawing pay from the Anti-Saloon League or other dry organizations, and insists that until this fact is made known no correct judgment is possible. It is altogether unlikely that the petition will be granted and a reopen- ing of the hearing ordered. The ses- sion of Congress is drawing to a close, In about a month it is expected both houses will adjourn and the members will disperse to the States to engage in the campaign. There is no disposi- tion to postpone adjournm for the purpose of making campaigh aterial. Nor is there any likelihood that the Senate will order the judiciary com- mittee or any other committee to sit candidate for Congress as a Witness, calling other witnesses in support of his view. Meanwhile the petition just presented will serve as & campaign document, which s probably the pur- pose for which it was prepared and filed. One Week of the Strike. The first week of the British gen- eral strike ends today, with the sit- uation little changed from the outset, save for the improvement in trans- portation, which is steadily growing more dependable and is likely in a few days to meet all the demands of the public. The movement of food supplies has been efficient and the people are not suffering from lack of provisions. Disorders are by no means as frequent or serious as was expected. Yesterday, however, the most serious clash occurred in Cam- den Town, 'a section of London, a mob attacking a volunteer-manned motor bus and forty people suffering injuries in the subsequent encounter with the police. Conflicting claims are put forth by the two sides, government and labor unions. The government assures the people that the measures for contin- uing all necessary services are ef- fective, while the union leaders de- clare that the government is being forced into a position from which it can escape only by reopening nego- tiations with the coal miners, re- gardless of the general strike. It is evident that the government has forced the fight and thus far has won all the moves in the contest. It has improved the transportation service, has maintained the food sup- plies, has enlisted an army of volun- teers for all necessary services, do- ing all this with a minimum show of force, while keeping the military services in readiness for action. On their part the union leaders have refrained from calling out their “reserves,” or second “line of de- fense,” the remaining 2,000,000 work- ers, who have not yet been ordered to quit work. The threat to call them out has been sounded two or three times, but has mever been fulfilled. It is believed that this besitation is due to the expectation that such a second call, which, if fully responded to, would in theory tie up every in- dustry and public service in Great Britain, would be met by the use of the military. From the outset the labor leaders have denied that the strike is a blow at constitutional government, claim- ing that it is merely an industrial move and not in any sense political. The government has declared it to be, in effect, a revolution. The ab- sence of any but sporadic and rela- tively harmless conflicts is pointed to by the union chiefs as evidence that there is no political aim in the calling of the general strike. If they should call out the remaining 2,000,- 000 organized workers the govern- ment would probably at once polnt to this action as confirmatory of the charge that the strike is political, and would put the armed forces in action as a justified measure of maintaining - the -governmental sys- tem. Enormous losses have been suf- fered by all interests. The work- ingmen have lost a week's wages, recelving in return the pittance of a pound a week per man, with half a dollar for each child. At the lowest calculation, with about 3,000,000 now on strike, that means a drain of be- tween $20,000,000 and $25,000,000 upon the strike fund. Business has lost incalculable amounts. Nobody can possibly know what the total ot the bill is to date. But there is no sign of complaint on the part of business interests. There is no pres- sure on the government for a settle- ment from this quarter. And that is one of the signs of public support for the government’s position that are giving the union chiefs their greatest concern as the first week of the general strike closes. o Question may arise as to whether Congress is more important as a legislative or an investigative body. o The Rotor Ship’s Voyage. A strange reversal occurs in the navigation of the Atlantic by wind power in & ploneer long-distance voy- age that is hailed as an “advance” in marine propulsion. This voyage, THE EVENING § of the Canary Islands, covering 6,200 miles, occupled 88 days. As & demon- stration of speed it was not remark- able. Indeed, it was a slow trip. A schooner could, with fair fortune in the matter of winds, have mads it in a shorter time. A steamer could have made it fn very much less. Yet it is regarded as an achievement. This ship s propelled mafnly by a mnewly evolved principle, It f{s equipped with two large “rotor” tow- ers of aluminum, which, revolving ‘under the pressure of the wind, im- part a forward motion ¥o the craft regardless of the direation of the air current. For about seventy per cent of the distance frorn Hamburg, it s gtated, the Badem-Baden bro- ceeded under “rotor” power, and for the remainder of thé way she was pushed along by propellers, operated by an engine. It is claimed that she could have made the entire distance by rotor power. There is no denial of the scientific interest in .this new mode of pro- pulsion, even though the performance of the Baden-Baden on this first long- distance voyage was not extraordinary in speed or time. Whether there is a possibility of further development, to enable the rotor ship to compete with the steamship in point of econ- omy of operation, or with the sailing ship in point of speed, remains to be proved. As the case stands it must be accepted that it is merely dem- onstrated that a rotor-driven craft can navigate the Atlantic, in varying conditions. Just how the rotor ship ‘‘works™ has been frequently explained in dis- patches from Germany during the experimental trips of the Baden-Baden and is now again set forth upon her arrival at New York. But, like the Einstein theory, the explanation leaves much mystification to the un- sclentific. It appears that the rotor towers are given a revolving motion by a small auxiliary engine and that as they turn they “pull” the ship with the influence of their forward motion and, by reason of a slight vacuum occurring behind them, “push” it along. In entering New York Harbor the ship's propellers gave her a speed of nine knots. When they were cut off and the rotors were set in motlon they gave her an equal speed. When Robert Fulton announced that he could drive a ship through the water by means of §team he was ridiculed. e did it and the scoffing crowds cheered. Anton Flettner was ridiculed when he announced that he could drive a ship through the water merely by means of revolving towers, whatever the direction of the wind. He has proved his claim. His inven- tion may not be revolutionary, in the sense of affecting the future of navi- gation, but it is at all events a real discovery, the value of which the fu- ture will disclose. ———e Leopold shed tears because he missed an opportunity to break out of prison. In prison he is in some degree safe from his own worst enemy, himself. It is not in human nature for a man to know when he is well off. ——o—————— Owing to the naturally tense state of nerves in London the importance of every accident due to reckless driving or jay-walking is likely to be highly magnified. —— If the scientists, who, many years ago, promised heat and power direct from the sun had made gcod, there would be no present basis for a con- troversy relative to the coal mining industry. ——opa The Hohenzollerns demand their estates. Thrones and crowns be- come symbols of incidental senti- ment, which have to be sacrificed, in order to take care of the tangible assets. ————————— Dogwood attracts attention by its beauty and is being left to flower un- molested. It has set a signal against vandalism. The good old tree which bears no bloom, and yet which repre- sents immeasurable value in many ways, should also be protected. ————eae The high cost of tires (the English call them “tyres”) might be reduged if Henry Ford could find a way. to grow rubber in Michigan. SHOCTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSOXN. Piano Practice. Jes’ go ahead, Melindy Jane, An’ take your music lesson. This joyous jazzical refrain Has sort o' got us guessin’; And yet a simple tune will start A thought of bygone pleasures. There is an answer in my heart For all the old-time measures. The radio is full of sound ‘Which they describe as static. The phonograph is often found In ecstasies erratic. The honest tunes that live again I like, I am confessin'— So go ahead, Melindy Jane An' take your music lesson. Approval. “What is your opinion of the strike in England?” “1 approve of its location,” answer- ed Senator Sorghum. “It’s far enough away to relieve me of the necessity of taking sides.” Jud Tunkins says excluding a pub- lication from the mails limits the supply and increases the demand. Musical Uncertainty. The saxophone sends forth a croon. My ears in patience grab it. I wonder if it is a tune 4 Or if it’s just a habit. Researches. “What is your husband's profes- gion?” “He's an Egyptologist. What’s your husband’s?” “He plays the stock market and frequents the night clubs. He's what I'd call a Newyorkologist.” “Dar’'s no place llke home,” said Uncle Eben, “but it 'pears like when anybody's lookin’ foh a good time he during the reoess to conduct a Pre-!grom Hamburg to New York, by way'allus has to go some place else.” WASHINGTON THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. “Snake-Eye” Hennessy, sliding his taxi into the curb, fixed his glittering gaze on the young couple walking there. It was not for nothing he had that name. Nine out of ten persons im- paled upon his glance immediately stepped into his cab. There was no escape. Among the free fraternity cab and motor bus drivers, Eye” had built up a mighty tion, a fame which had gon and wide, reglstering in many places. Elderly ladies, for instance, who traveled a certain bus line, were in- formed by garrulous drivers of the fascination that lay in the compelling orbs of 1. J. Hennessy, No. 15164, “That’s ‘Snake-liye’ Hennessy,” the driver would say, turning around in his seat, his left hand negligently rest- ing on the steering wheel, the other waving in the general direction of the subject under discussion. While the elderly ladies, in their neat black hats faced with white, would heartily wish the bus driver might attend more strictly to busi- ness, the latter cheerful individual would continue his eulogy of Mr. Hennessy. “Whenever he looks at ‘em ma'am—whenever he fixes them ¢ on ’em, most of the time they step right in, no matter if they had any idea to ride or not.” * x of taxi- nake- puta- out far strange ves, * The way a taxicab handle his car in the traffic is the admiration of all persor who have driven or ridden automobiles, an in clusive classification, of course, so that it might as well be sg that every one admires the skill of the gentlemen. Taxicab men seem almost centaur: those fabled creatures half-man, half. horse. (Perhaps it would be hest not to call a taxidriver a “centaur” to his face. Imagine the results of say- iriver can ing in your best scornful tones, in | questioning his charge. “You cen- taur, you.”) A "taxicab chauffeur can whirl his car into the smallest possible open ing, and keep it there, too, despite the efforts of all drivers of mere au- tomobiles to dislodge him. Even the bus drivers, at the wheels of their fiveton vehicles, give place to the taxicab drivers, when the latter shuttle up directly into their path. There seems to be a friendly rivalry between these two classes as to which can take the right of way from the other. The physical advantage, of course, lies with the larger vehicle. The mobility of the taxi, however, more than makes up for the increased weight of the bus. We have seen bus halted at a_downtown intersec- tion by a taxi skillfully run up into its very nose. The ~taximan thereupon grinned derisively at the driver of the bus. The latter gentleman, loudly announc- ing himself somewhat ahead of h schedule, settled ba his padded cushions, and started to whistle “The World Ts Waiting the Sunrise.” * ¥ X “Why don’t ya go on?" {nquired the as s | down the line. ck comfortably in | for | compatriot of “Snake-Eye” Hennessy. “I ain’t In no_hurry, buddy.” “Neither am I, son.” “I can set here as long as you can.” “Maybe you can.” Bulldog determination settled upon the tanned countenances of both gen- tlemen of the wheel, as they glared at each other, while traffic began to back up on all sides, The blockade was broken by the sense of humor of the taxicab man, who suddenly grinned broadly, and as auickly turnedthe fore wheels of his cab. This was enough, as slight as the turning had been, to allow the ponder- ous bus to continue its progress. The driver smiled at the taximan, in re- turn, and started his vehicle on its way—behind schedule, of «course, for he had only been bluffing about hav- ing plenty of time. As far as most riders of public busses can determine, the mooted right of way belongs strictly to the largest vehicle. There are traffic rules and regulations, as every one knows, concerning cars on your right having the right of way. These are well enough for ordinary purposes, but they fail miserably when the driver of a ton or tonand- meets a 5 or 6 ton bus. We censure of bus drivers here. we ean see, the thing applies all | Jungle rules seem to prevail in Washington street: The little car gets out of the way of the bigger one, and that, in turn, slows up to let the still larger car by Automobilists seem like small boys with *“pickin® eggs'': “Dare ) mong policemen, street firemen, taxi and bue drivers rhaps it is simply due to the fa that these occupatiol require a sim ilar type of man of the active, hearty |brand—at any rate, there exists among them comradeship at once understanding and pleasant. Watch the trafic “cop” on the | corner, and you will notice him give a friendly hail to every taxi and bus | driver who rolls by. Street car motormen and conduc- tors greet members of the fire and police departments like long-lost brothers. We have seen a bus driver make a policeman jump back to the curb rapidly to escape from being run over, and rec e in return only a reat grin from the officer of the law. If you or 1 dear reader, had teered our car so near to the official no doubt we would have heard from it over at No. 1. Personally, we have only envy and admiration for this wonderful fra- of the P. 8. F. T. B. (Pollcs r-Firemen-Taxi-Bus). An in- ner wish of ours always Is to be_on friendly terms with policemen. We would blush with pride to have a fireman call us by our first name, nd are always pleased when a bus driver greets us familiarly. Certainly, friendly relations be- tween the various members of the: public services tend toward elimina- tion of friction and smooth operation all around. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. No man in the United States is tak- ing a deeper interest in the woes of the striking British coal miners than Everett Sanders, assistant to the President. Mr. Coolidge’s chief lieu- tenant comes from miner stock. H father dug coal in the bituminous fields of southern Indiana, and three of Sanders’ brothers make their living as miners today. The secretarfal chief at the White House himself destined fop the pit, and actually had his cap and suit ready to go to work. But Fagher Sanders decided that Everett had the making of a lawyer in bim and sent him to be educated at thg University of Indiana. E ‘With $10,000,000 now to be devoted to embassy, legation and consulate bufdings abroad, America will some day be on a level with other first-class Yowers in that important respect. he past not even some of the smallest natjons in the world have been con- tent with second-rate and third-rate premises such as Uncle Sam_occupies in foreign parts. Here in Washington a dozen nations maintain official estab- lishments that put American build- ings in their capitals to shame. Countries like Poland, Cuba, the Netherlands, Mexico and Siam have diplomatic headquarters here far more elaborate than anything the United States has ever kept up. As a rule, wherever Stars and Stripes fly above @ really first-class American embassy or legation, it means that Mr. Am- bassador or Mr. Minister is a man with a fat checkbook. Uncle Sam’'s rent bill in foreign parts will come down as a result of centralizing his activities in various capitals. Today, in cities like London and Paris, they are scattered over 20 or 30 different places. L ‘Willlam Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, will leave Washington later in the month for a series of meetings and speeches in the Northwest. Dates have al- ready been arranged at Duluth, St. Paul and Minneapolis. If the British general strike is still raging, the fed- eration chief may be expected to dis- cuss it in hammer-and-tongs fashion. reen is a miner by trade. He be- lieves that his British comrades are disgracefully underpaid, judged by American standards, and he deplores the general strike, among other rea- sons, because its original cause—the just grievance of the British miners— may be obscured. As to using the general strike to redress labor griev- ances on the broad scale, Green holds very definite views. He is against it. [EER Secretaries Hoover and Wilbur and other Washington dignitaries have been invited to go to Philadelphia on June 26 for the launching of the big- gest merchant ship ever bullt in the United States. She is a privately owned, 22,000-ton, steel, oildriven passenger liner, which the Cramps are turning out for the Atlantic-Pacific- Panama Canal trade. Eventually the ship may be put in the regular traffic between San Francisco and Hdnolulu. She will be able to cut down the time between_those ports by mearly 24 hours. In size the new Yankee boat will_equal the De Grasse, pride of the French merchant marine. * ok k% It seems that you can't escape lability for jury service in Boston, even though you are the best friend | of the first Massachusetts man to be- come President in a century. Frank Waterman Stearns, who is again a boarder and lodger at his favorite ‘Washington hotel, has just been drawn for servicé in the third civil session of the Suffolk Superior Court. Lesser mortals than Mr. Coolidge’s unobtrusive comforter-in-chief some- times manage fo be excused from jury drudgery. Now that Mr. Stearns is again on duty as holder of watching briefs in the presidential galleries of House and Senate, he may con- trive to prolong his present sojourn at the White House without inter- ruption. * K kK There’s more than meets the eye in the War Department’s surprise an- nouncement of the indefinite post- In| ponement of Defense day tests. At any rate, elements that train with the pacifists are shouting “Halle- lujah!” and celebrating a glorious triumph over “militarism.” Some of the friends of the test idea, which originated with Gen. Pershing, think political exigency killed it. An elec- tion is in sight. It's the season when parties and managers never ruffie_anybody's feelings needlessly. Brig. Gen. 8. D. Rockenbach, governor of the Capital military district, was prominent in the organization of the 1924 and 1925 Defense days in Wash- ington. While he agrees with his War Department superiors that the tests are not_ vitally necessary, he holds, on the basis of his experience in France, that such things are un- doubtedly useful. Rockenbach says thousands of American casualties might have been averted by men with just a smack of military training. FEEE Radlo is playing a big role in the fast and furious Pennsylvania sena- torlal campaign. Pepper, Pinchot and Vare, either personally or by proxy, have all taken the air, and will con- tinue to occupy wave lengths until the primary die is cast on May 18. “Bill” Roper, Philadelphia city coun- cilman by occupation, and Princeton foot ball coach on the side, opened the air campalign last week on_behalf of the Pepper-Mellon forces. When the congressional battle is in full swing in September and October, the air will be heavily charged with politics. “Rent of radio space” is destined in fu- ture to be a conspicuous item in all official returns of campaign expendi- tures, along with hall rent, cigars, perfume, silk stockings, automobiles, advertisements and other legalized disbursements. L Nothing so graphically {llustrates the aristocracy of American labor— especially railroad labor—as the an- nouncement that the official organ of the_brotherhoods, Labor, published at Washington, has sent its own cor- respondent to ‘“cover” the British strike. He is Heber Blankenhorn, and he is reporting developments through extensive cable dispatches. Mr, Blank- enhorn was the only American news- paper man at the specidl convention of the British Trades Union Congress which decreed the general strike on May 1. It was one of the railroad brotherhoods—the locomotive —engi- neers—which bought the great 44- story Equitable Building in lower Broadway, New York, a year or two ago, through the Empire Trust Co., in which the brotherhood is heavily in- terested. (Copyright. 1926.) st Investigate First. From the Lynchburg Advance. “Before you Invest—investigate.” The slogan contains a great deal of common_ sense, but unfortunately thousands of Americans are investing and then investigating. Experience is a great teacher, but experience has not yet fully taught the American public that fake stocks and get-rich- quick schemes are unprofitable invest. ments. No people in the world are as cred- ulous as the inhabitants of this Na- tion. New York is losing many mil- lions every vear in worthless securi- ties. Washington lost $1,000,000 last year in unsound investments and every other city and every hamlet in this broad land are pouring hard- earned dollars every day into the laps of the purveyors of fake securities. The problem of protecting the Amer. jcan investor from unscrupulous stock promoters has not yet been solved. In many communities better business bu- reaus have been established and they are affording prospective Investors an opportunity to investigate before in- vesting their money. But even these bureaus are unable to prevent the loss of millions of dollars annually, for too many people decline to accept advice when they are offered a chance to make a “fortune.” 1f in doubt about an investment, go to your local banker. It may save you from a financial disaster. ‘“Before you invest—investigate!” is a splendid slo- gan for every invest MAY 10, A Question as to Annuity Maximum To the Editor of The Star: I have been a regular subscriber of The Star for 30 years, and I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the deep interest which you have manifested in our welfare regarding the success of our new retirement bill. I am very anxious to be set straight as to those who will receive the maxi- mum annuity under the now proposed bill, which 1s before the House and Senate. In your editorial of Friday you stated that those who are receiv- ing $60 under the present law will receive $80, or the maximum. I have thought that for some time, but I am informed that those who have received salaries from $1,600 and up will receive the maximum under the new method of computing the an- nuity, unless the divisor of 40 is used. i retired on a salary of $1,260, whicn under the present law gives me the maximum of $720, but if the divisor 45 {s used T will not get the maximum, but will only get $840. I was under the impression that the new bill was to ralse the $720 annuitants to $1,200, and since there are no $720 to be raised except those who are now being pensioned, I felt that we would get the benefit of the raise. Please let me know if you mean all $§0 an- nuitants will get the maximum, or only those whose salaries were $1,500 and up? T really feel that all who are getting the maximum under the pres. ent law should get it under any bill or act. JAMES F. CHILD. (TR Sectional Protests Il Became Americans To the Editor of The Star: How can they be alive today, any one who would try and arouse sectional feelings, especlally regarding the story which belongs to the ages? 1 am a hidebound Northerner, grandson of a Clvil War veteran, a son of a Spanish and World War vet- eran and a World War veteran my- self. T live and have my being around the traditions of the old Bay State, loving every nook and corner of her small domain. But I am ashamed of the actions of certain people, who are patriots on the strength of their ancestors, in protesting over the Stone Mountain Memorial, and the Southerners who answer them with bitterness in their words, When are we ever going to get away from the past? When are we golng to realize that we are no longer Just Northerners and Southerners, but ‘Americans, all! It our Southern friends wish to erect a memorfal to their departed dead, they should have a perfect right to, and every so-called North erner with any sporting blood in them would say the same. Those who want to keep alive the sectional hatred and the bitterness of years gone by should have no part in the life of America today—the united and undivided America, recognizing no South, East, West or North, but only America! EDWARD FRANCIS SULLIVAN. ot Getting Out the Flapper Vote From the New York Times. A plan has been proposed in Tng- land for the political education of flap- pers. It has such delightful possibili- ties that there should be no hesitation in trying it on here without waiting for the results abroad. Ten-minute speeches are to be interjected between dances. Instead of loungimg on the tairs or wandering in the gardens, the young ladies are to sit demurely with folded hands and listen to a_professor talk about taxes or a soclologist dis- cuss heredity. Their partners, who were not mentioned in the plan, but who would doubtless benefit by the in- formation, could, by the grace of nat- ural superior knowledge, explain tech- nical terms in whispered asides. Amer- ican young men should not be de- prived of such joys. It would be made almost as good fun for a youth to take a girl to a dance as to take her to a ball game. Full details of the scheme have not been announced, but it is easy to fore- see that speakers would not be hard to get. Breathes there a politician, practical or theoretical, who would not “take pleasure in looking into all these bright young faces” and drop- ping words of wisdom into the eager, receptive minds? But a committee ought to be arranged for to approve the speech before it was made. The instruction should be non-partisan. It should be in correct English, not to set the flappers a bad example in gram- mar or accent. Above all, it should catch andl hold their interest, for of what use is it to instruct their minds if their hearts are in a cozy nook? With modern methods of education, some simple way of sugar-coating the lesson should easily be found. The speaker might do a few tricks or play a saxophone solo before he began his lecture. Ingenious politiclans could find a hundred devices for winning at- tention once they had permission to make an address. As soon as the plan gets into operation we may look for an enormous increase in the feminine vote; for the flappers will pass thelr newly gained knowledge along and bring thelr mothers with them to the polls. —o—. No Place for Spain. From the Pittsburgh Chronicle-Telegraph. Spain wants to be a member of the Pan-American Union because so many of her people have moved to South America. She used to own extensive territories on that continent, and, like Great Britain, lost her control of over- seas possessions because of tyrannical conduct. The opposition that has arisen to her proposa! seems entirely logical. lThs Pan-American Union's personnel and purposes are suffici indicated by its title. It is com::s"elg of all the nations im this hemisphere, the Dominion of Canada being the lat- | e est acquisition. The admission of Spain would set an exceedingly bad precedent. It would mark tha first step toward weakening the Monroe Dc’\;}tlrlne. ere was much talk at one time having “a Monroe Doctrine for alletl?; world.” When analyzed, the expres- sion is meaningless. The Monroe Doc- trine is wholly American or it is noth- ing. Its foundation principle is that European nations shall not interfere in distinctively American affairs. The Pan-American Union has been a factor for peace on this hemisphere. It has fostered better understandings and therefore friendller feelings among the nations of North, South and Central A)nel",lm It is sald that Spain “means well.” That may be granted, but she should find full scope for her interna- tional activities within the League of lglltionu. Who’t; fleld has recently been shown more than ever - Rty to be distinc. ———— Three Bumps. From the Fort Worth Record-Telegram. The criminal takes a chance on three severe shocks. The attorney's fee, conviction and the chair, named in order of importance. Climbers. From the Baltimore Sun. Soclal climbers are particularly amusing in towns where there fsn't much to climb to. o A Future Rival. From the Watertown Daily Times. The fellow who read: i ut{m floudh wl.ll'h t son:e 'l'-’e‘l.l"'c'«'uvnf petition when the talki: ie is pertected. AT ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. What is the average cost of an airplane and a hydroplane’—K. C. C. A. It would be hard to give the average cost of a hydroplane and air- plane. An_airplane of 100 horse- power would cost from $2,500 to $4,000. With the increase in the horsepower the cost increases. The figures for the ¢ of a hydroplane would run approximately the same. Q. How long been known?—H. G. A. The inheritance tax is a charge or assessment on the succession or devolution of property from a de- ceased person to his heirs or legatees. Such taxes were imposed in Rome over 2,000 years ago and in some form have been a source of revenue in several of the continental countries of Europe almost since their organization as independent govern- ments. In England, Gladstone called the various inheritance tax “death duties,” and the n since come into common usage. self-governing colonies of Great Britain, particularly Australia and New Zealand, have followed her ex- ample, and death dutles are one of the chief sources of revenue in thos progressive commonwealths. —Tax of a similar character were imposed by the United States Government as @ part of its internal reve: tem during the Civil War, but were re- pealed some time after its clos have inheritance taxes H. G However, in some form or other, this form of taxation is imposed in a num- ber of States in the United States. star is now the morning B Q. What star? F. A. Venus is Q. How do people get to Red Lake? 8 W. A. Red Lake, Ontario, which, ac- cording to newspaper articles, is the main point of gold seekers, is 105 to 110 miles northwest of Hudson, whi is the railroad stop on the Canadian National Railway. Hudson apparent ly is the last town of any size on the way to Red Lake. Q. After resuscitating a person who has been rescued from drowning, is it safe to let him walk?—O. S. F. A. Great care should be exercised until the pereon has fully recovered If after being partly resuscitated he must be moved, carry him on a stretcher. It is dangerous to make an fll person, or one injured in any way, sit up or stand. To make walk might cause his death. Q. What is meant by the expression ow trees"?—R. B. L. A. In South America there are trees which when wounded yield a rich milky, nutritious juice. The fluld re sembles in both appearance and qual ity the milk of the cow—hence the name cow tree. The cow tree is a member of the bread-fruit family and is most common in Venezuela. ‘the morning star. A. The lung capacity of the averags person is about 325 cuble inches. Wit normal breathing about two-thirds « a pint of fresh air may be taken int the lungs, while an equal amount of air is exhaled with each breath. Q. Is a player disqualified in the qualifying round of a golf tournamen® if he fails to putt out on one greer even though his hall is lying on the edge of the cup?—C. E. A. Every putt must be holed out no matter how short it may be, ir medal play golf. Having lifted hie ball without holing out, a plave may replace it at a penalty of two strokes and then hole out, and not be disqualified. But he must do this be Zore he drives off from the next tee or, if it happens on the eighteenth green, before he leaves the green, o he will be disqualified. | Q. Can pectin be made at home’- H. H. S A. Tt can be made at home without | difficulty from apples and thick skinned oranges and lemons. Four pounds of apples will vield about one and one-half pints of the concentrated pectin extract, and one pound of fresh white citrus fruit peel will vield about two and one-half pints. Pectir is useful in making jelly from cher. jes, strawberries, rhubarb and othe: fruits which are naturally lacking i1 pectin. the s Q. Why isn't the heat v througl dissipated when pussing space?—R. H. V. A. The Naval Observatory says the heat of the sun produces waves i the ether which do not, however, pro duce any heat until they fall on the carth or some other body. There is no reason why they should be diss pated by motion. Q. How long did it take tradivarlus to make a violi A. One authority says t varius usually completed a v week. Q. What is the color of the S centennial Ixposition buildings” T ‘A. Those that are approaching completion are a shade of “salmon pink.” The engaged pillars which decorate the walls at intervals are a deeper shade. As yet the towers are white. Some portions of them are however, painted blue and gold. Q. Why does a lobster turn red when it is boiled ?—J. J1. ¥\ A. This change in the color of the shell of a lobster is the result of tI | effect of boiling water on the col material in the shell and cal change. a cheni . Who executed the statu William Penn on the top of Cit Philadelphia?—M. € ever used in World War Q. Was “liquid_fire warfare before the M. H. A. An inflammable and destructive compound was used by the Byzantine It was poured from Al drons, ladles, and flung in pots, phials and barrels. The secret of the ingredi ents used was carefully guarded, but it appears that naphtha, sulphur and niter entered into its composition. Q. How did the ringing of the cur: few originate?—E. C. R. A. The word is derived from the French ‘‘couvrefeu'—cover fire. The ringing of the curfew originated in England by William the Conqueror. who ordered that at the ringing of the bell at 8 o'clock all lights and fires should be extinguished. Q. How much air can a person take into his lungs?—A. G. R. A. The sculptor is Sterling Calde | @ How long have tallow candie | been in use’—R. R. S | A. Dipped tallow candles wer “lrudmwl in the fourteenth centu | You want to know something. You wish to be positive before you go | ahead. Weil, The Evening Star In | formation Bureau will tell you what | you want to know and give you as surance before youw proceed. Our Washington bureauw can answer any question of fact propounded to it | Here is the university of informa- tion—a great free cducational insti- tution established solely to serve you Send in your question and get the | right answer. Inclose =2 cents in stamps to cover the return postage. Address The Evening Star Informa- tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, di- rector, Washington. 1. C. Daylight-Saving Area Grows With or Without Aid of Law Daylight saving with or without sanction of law continues to spread. Powerful opposition from the rural population holds the movement in check over a great part of the coun- try, but the people of many cities and towns are managing this year to have their extra hour of evening daylight in defiance of State legislative bans. “Over a greater part of the coun- try than ever before the clocks are advanced,” says the Pittsburgh Sun. No finer testimonial could be paid to the popularity and manifest advan- tages of the modern Summertime standard than this growing indorse- ment by the people. The equivalent of nearly 20 eighthour playdays of sunshine will be enjoved by citizens of Pittsburgh this Summer, 154 hours for open-air enjoyment and recrea- tion, that otherwise would have been spent in mill or office.” Regret that California does not have the advantages enjoyed by some other States is expressed by the San Bernardino Sun, which remarks that the Pacific Coast State, “with its won- der climate and its countless places of charm, continues to delay the open- ing of the working day until the sun Is high in the heavens. When a ma- lority of the States have adopted aylight saving, or provided local op- ton on the subject,” continues the Sun, “it is entirely reasonable to sup- pose that Congress would end the confusion in time by adopting a law making the change universal and compulsory.” * % % The Omaha World-Herald, however, thinks that “the natural period for saving daylight is in the Winter, when there is little enough of it, and every minute saved is a minute earn- ,” ‘and, volcing the belief of a large section of the public, the World- Herald continues: “Let those who will, have their daylight saving. So far as we can see, the world is none the worse nor the better for it. As for us farmers, the old Rhode Island Red rooster beats the best alarm clock any day in the year.” in spite of the inconvenience of having the public clocks and private timepleces at varlance, most of Con- necticut is operating under the da: light-saving plan. As the New Lon- don Day describes it: “New London goes on daylight saving. The change Is by common consent, more than by any other rule, for under legislative enactment of the State of Connectict a public clock may not be set ahead Commenting on this State law, the Bridgeport Post Jjokingly remarks, “There is a State law in Connecticut which forbids the public display of any clocks which carry other than Eastern standard time, so we must be careful not to put our house clocks where the neighbors may see them.” * Kk K K People in Maine are under a sim- ilar handicap, according to the Port- land Evening Express, which says: “Portland and most of the larger places of western Maine are back on daylight-saving time. Perhaps we should revise that statement and make it read ‘people of Portland, for, as a municipality, officially speaking, we are running on stand- ard time just as the recent legisla- ture decreed that we must. The folks of Portland and nearby places are saving for themselves this extra hour of daylight by mutual agree- ment. The agreement plan is an ex- periment, and may or may not work out as hoped. It has been tried in some places without officlal sanction and failed. In others it has suc- ceeded. People in Maine disagree about daylighd saving, but every one is agreed that it is unfortunat dlsagree. One kind of time for the cities and another for the count is a nuisance, especially for thos | who travel about to any extent admit all this here in Portland, b the extra hour of daylight is precious that most of us are willing to_make this sacrifice. “The advantage of daylight saving to a very large proportion of the peo ple has been clearly shown. It pel mits more time for recreation afte! work hours for those who need it, declares the New York Evenins World, and the Lowell Leader states “Daylight saving meets the approval of so many people, especially in the cities where population is the largest that Massachusetts is wise to legalize " The Providence Journal declares that “as daylight saving again comes into our diurnal scheme hereabouts there is little to be said but a warm word of welcome.” * * * After all, “sun time is ‘God's time nd the other is man's time,” says the Knoxville Sentinel, which finds that the change is “only a little queer for just a few days, until the readjust ments are made.” Though acknow! edging that some discomfort arises in some quarters because of the fact that the daylightsaving time is not na tionally observed, the Asbury Park Press believes that “the benefits de rived therefrom more than compensate for the slight confusion that mav result from railroad time tables, and other activities run on standard time.* The Norfolk Ledger Dispatch, whick also is in favor of daylight sav adds, “Objections so far registes ‘ daylight saving appear more from &n | individualistic standpoint than from the community as a whole.” “The majority of Loulsvillians read with undisguised envy and jonging.’ says the Louisville Herald Post, the shift to daylight-saving time in various parts of the country. Wero this_city empowered to consult her own" wiil in the matter, there is no doubt that she, too, would enjoy the benefits of this time change. But Louisville is stopped by State law from following her own bent. Except by proclamation by the governor, no community in this State may adopt o daylight-saving time,” a fact that this Kentucky newspaper finds regrettable Germany’s Former Rulers. From the San Francisco Bulletin. About the end of the coming month the people of Germany will vote by plebiscite on a bill to dispossess the Hohenzollern princes of properties valued at 2,600,000,000 marks, already the propagandists are busy misrepresenting the issue. It is not, as Soclalist leaders in the Reichstag declare, a question of mon archy versus the republic, but is con cerned solely with the property rights of Germax »rinces. Did the reveilition substituting » republic for the monarchy deprive those princes of all rights te iier ists would answer it in the affirma tive, but, as Count Westarp remarks, if the property of the princes is taken from them the property of the churches might come next in order of confiscation, and after that it would be only a step to the confisca tion of all private property. As the German princes no longer perform offictal national services, they are not entitled to be on the national pay roll, but such property as was theirs by law before the revolutioy Dbe secured to them becaust security for property is & fundamen tal of civilization. -