Evening Star Newspaper, June 24, 1926, Page 8

G With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY. June 24, 1926 STAR THEODORE W. NOYES. . .. Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Busine: _11th St and Pennsy New York Office: 110 E: Chicago Office | Towcr Buil European Office: 14 Rezent St.. England with the Sunday morn- A arriers, within v oni ng. Tondon, the city at 60 cents 1 45 cents per month per month_~ Orders m; telephone Main 5000, Rate by ) Dails and Sundas Dails only Sunday only All Other States and Canada. Daily and Sundas ! yr. $1:2.00- 1 mo. 3100 Daily onls e, $X00 Tm Sunday only ... 1 21.00: 1 mo. Member of the Associated Press. The Ascociated Pross is cxclusively eatided to the use for renubiication of all news di atehes credited to it or otherwise cred Fad e e aer e also the loeal hows published herein Al < of nublication of special dispatches horein are also reserved. Conquest of the Unknown. the medals to the North Pole fivers last night, at the ceremonies in this city, President Cool- idge noted the fact that Comdr. Byrd had but carried out an idea which had tnspired him from his cadet days at Annapolis, a purpose some day to fly to the “peak the world.” His achievement of that stupendous feat has been but the culmination of vision and persistence. To Comdr. Byrd and Pilot Bennett £0 not only the medals of specific rec- ognition granted by the National Geo- graphic Society, but the laurels of na- tional acclamation and appreciation. They have accomplished the-hitherto impossible. They have set the course for future adventures into the forbid- ding northland. They have demon- strated the success that comes through careful planning and deep study and finally courageous perform ance. Some there be who will ask, even in these hours of national jubila- tion over the heroic deed performed by two voung Americans: To what good end is this risk of life addressed? Two men in an airplane flew for a few hours over the frozen waste to an un- distinguishable point in the field of ice and back to their starting place. What benefit to humanity can such a performance possibly be? In terms of commercial advance- ment, nothing. In terms of political advantage, nothing. In terms even of actual knowledge of the physical con- ditions at the Pole, nothing, beyond the glimpse of the area from the air. Even so, this flight was worth while, was a great accomplishment. Progry consists in search and struggle after the apparently unat- tainable and the impossible. Stagna- tion results from measuring the value of all human effort in terms of imme- dfate financial profit. Efforts to pene- trate the veils of mystery, to push be- vond the froutiers of knowledge re- gardless of the worth of the things that may be found, are but the nat- ural impulses of man. Most of the great advantages which the human family today enjoys, the fruits of me- chanical and scientiffc research, have resulted from satisfaction to this curi- osity, obedience to this spirit of ad- venture, this insatiable desire to go forward from the basis of the known to the unknown. The National Geographic Society is devoted to the exploration of the earth's surface, to the solution of the mysteries of remote spaces, to the penetration of the difficult and the in- accessible regions. 1Is there a spot where may be found some fact of in- terest? To that spot it sends an ex- plorer. Despite the fact that the poles have been attained, there remains an insatiable curiosity as to the exact conditions there. Flight to one of the poles has now been accomplished, fiight to the other may be attempted. Hint has been given by the latest wearer of the Hubbard medal that he will next “go after” that goal. Others will doubtless make these flights. It is idle to state that no good can possi- bly come from them. It is futile to attempt to predict the results of this research. For the present it is merely in order to acclaim the performance and to praise the enterprise of the or- ganization which made this endeavor possible. — e Where money is recklessly used carelessness is sure to arise. Some- body in Pennsylvania apparently has left the trifing sum of $250,000 in a forgotten bureau drawer or in his other vest. —————— The McPherson Case. Although Mrs. Aimee Semple Mec- Pherson, the evangelist of Los An- geles who disappeared on the 18th of May, has been found at Douglas, Ariz., the mystery of the case is by no means solved. She tells a remark- able story of being kidnaped, with details that appear to be convincing to her friends and relatives. The motive for her abduction, it would seem from her account, was merce- nary. A ransom of $500,000, she says, was to be exacted for her release. But the fact that clouds the case and causes some doubt to prevail in the minds officials of Los Angeles is that thus far there has been no de- mand for ransom. Shortly after her digappearance, according to a story told a few days later by an atterney of that city, two men called on him and told him that Mrs. McPherson was being held for a sum of money, but no negotiations were curr(egi on and the men did not return or further communicate. It may be that the kidnapers, if in fact Mrs. McPherson was abducted for the purpose of ransom, lost their nerve. She tells a circumstantial tale of brutal efforts to extort information from her aiding them in their crim- inal purpose. It would seem some- what remarkable that, their quarry in their hands, the trio who she says In presenting may of | belovea [been subscrived having been widely lRl"'QIId. I this was an abduction for ran- {scm, it was a clumsy joh. The actual { kidnaping, it would seem from Mrs. McPherson's account, was easily ac- complished on a plea of attention toa sick child. Some skill was shown at the outset by her captors. Lut there- after they gave evidences of being amateurs at this dangerous game. However the case may develop, there is reason for rejoicing that this woman has been found. She has led # useful life, bringing great oy to a large number of people throuzh her religious ministrations, and is greatly Her harrowing experience, her peril, her escape from custody and her final security from further moles- tation all go to make one of the most thrilling tales of yvears Suburbs See a New Era. Retterment of community environ- ment is the test of good citizenship. In Washington's suburbs in Maryland and Virginia an awakened conscious- ness of civic responsibility has come t0 pass, so much so_that citizens there have forgotten community and sec- itlonal prejudices to a point where to- day they are uniting as never before to solve their problems and bring their communities to a higher level of at- tractiveness. Through the efforts of the Montgomery County Civic Federa- tion in Maryland and the Arlington - Civic Federation in Virginia these heretofore unorganized commu- are being welded into great strong, cohesive forces, and with this unity of effort have come dreams of large cities on the border lines of the District of Columbia. Today civic lead- ers are laying the foundation stones for permanent municipal governient. They are looking ahead to the day when community problems will no longer be confined to small sectional areas, but must be considergd along lines of intercommunity effort. Streets are being improved, street. lighting systems installed, sidewalks constructed, sewer and water mains laid, and most of these, in large part, have weighed heavily upon the indi- vidual pocketbook. But citizens have been forward-looking, vealizing the benefits that must come through later years to themselves and their commu- nities by a bit of sacrifice at the mo- ment. Loyalty and spirit have been the keynotes of every effort looking to- ward improvement, and when Wash- ington, as it must, swells beyond the limits of the District of Columbla into Maryland and Virginia, newcomers to these sections will not find, thanks to the activities of today. unorganized and unattractive communities, but municipalities with all those things that go to make modern urban life attractive. At the same time they will offer all the delights of suburban areas, well maintained. One of the latest moves in the direc- tion of developing the Maryland sub- urbs along modern lines is the estab- lishment of a fire department in the Bethesda area of Montgomery County, an area, strange to say, heretofore un- protected from fire save through the activities of the distant departments of Washington, Rockville and Kensing- ton. Citizens, strong in their new civic consciousness and thoroughly aroused by the menace to property worth more than $30,000,000, are re- sponding as to no movement ever be- fore initiated within their district, and ere many weeks have elapsed there is every reason to believe that the lives and property of countless thousands of people along the District line will have received desired protection. Though this is but one of many moves in the general direction of com- munity improvement, it but demon- strates the determination of people generally to meet their responsibilities in a big, broad way. miisRimy The word “czar” has entirely dis- appeared from the political vocabu- lary. If it were not for \Will Hays and the films it would be obsolete. vt The American Golfers. Golf fans of the United States, and there are many millions of them, are joyful at the fine showing of the small but select band of Americans on the links of Scotland and England. Both amateurs and professionals have acquitted themselves well and have upheld the finest traditions of Ameri- ican athletics. Yesterday’'s dispatches from over- seas tell of further triumphs. Finish- ing the first day of play in the British open championship, the tabulation shows that the first five places are occupied by Americans. Led by Wal- ter Hagen with a sterling 68, and followed in order by Mehlhorn with a 70, McLeod and Watrous with 71s and Count nities | Bobby Jones, the amateur, with a 72, it would appear that an American stands a strong chance of annexing this coveted title. Of course there is plenty of oppor- tunity in the remaining 54 holes of the championship for some of those far down on the list to gain ground and the leaders to collapse. With both Jones and Hagen, however, ap- parently on the top of their game, it will be a lion-hearted golfer with a good share of the breaks who dis- places them in the running. Golf at best is an uncertain propo- sition. A single hole or a single bad shot can wreck the chances of the man leading the field. Therefore, al- though there is extreme optimism over the first day's showing, there is reason to withhold prediction that an American will be the ultimate winner. ‘Whatever the outcome, the year 1926 will stand as a banner vear in American golf abroad. The Walker Cup team, composed of amateurs, tri- umphed decisively in its matches with British amateurs, while one of the members of the team, for the first time in history, won the British ama- teur championship. In the qualifying rounds of the open championship now being played Jones amazed the British by turning in a 36:hole score of 134, composed of a 66 and a 68, thereby breaking all course and competitive records, and just before this event Hagen beat held her in captivity did not take steps to secure the fund that had been raised by her parishioners atf Los-Angeles, the news that it had L4) England’s greatest golier, Mitchell, in special match. 1t is small wonder, then, that Amer- Lmnsnnt.hhluhot the Atlantic are A jubilant over the play of their fellow citizens. 1 an American can tuck the open championship in his bag the cup will be filled to overflowing and it will only remain for Ar.erica to- de- fend its titles next year with the same high degree of sporcsmanship that is being so constantly evidenced by the British ———te——— Caillaux Returns. Briand having failed to effect the organization of a ministry in which Doumer should hold the finance port- follo, a failure due to the fact that Doumer had alienated support by his advocacy of a program of higher taxation, the semi-permanent premier. of France turned to Joseph Caillaux and secured his services in the new cabinet. But Caillaux joined the ministry upon conditions. Certain of the men whom Briand had chosen had to be displaced, to make room for friends of Calllaux. Among them was Poincare, former president and’ former premier. In point of person nel, the new Briand ministry is in fact a Caillaux ministry. And Cail- laux furthermore exacted other terms. He is instead of, as heretofore, the minister of justice to be the vice president of the cabinet. He 1s furthermore to have a free hand in arranging the financial program. Calllaux failed as finance minister last year, hecause of the collupse of the proposed refunding bond fssue. Between twenty and thirty billions were required, and, after two post- ponements, onily about six billions were offered. Later came the failure of the negotiations with the Uniced States for the settlement of the war debt, and Calllaux was forced to quit. Whether he will have better fortune now in getting a sustaining vote from the French parliament and in estab- lishing a policy of finance that will result in the cure of the immediate evils from which France is suffering remains to be seen. He brings to his office, however, abundant courage and a reputation for financial wizardry that may serve to solve this problem, which is steadily growing grave. st Americans are surprising Paris by the beauty and elegance of costume creatfons originating in the U. 8. A. France is gradually awakening to the fact that this country’s standards of style are not restricted to the one- plece bathing suit in Summer and the Navajo blanket in Winter. e A genefous attitude toward the debtor has its practical advantages among natlons and individuals—until the debtor acquires the habit of re. garding such an attitude as a perma. nent intangible asset to be worked to the limit. S One of our most eminent cow-milk- ers, Magnus Johnson, was nominated for Governor of Minnesota. This may bring encouragement to the drys of that State as an indorsement, by im- plication, of milk as a beverage. vt When a lack of airships s pointed out, the American citizen finds solace in remembering how fast this country has always been able to work in pro- ducing anything necessary to meet an emergency. oo The turmoil of which Wayne Wheeler becomes the center should lead to no false hopes in the Capitol that the House and Senate restaurants will soon be restored to a pre.war basis. ————— It is impossible to establish a new cabinet in Europe that will not find itself confronted with the same old sit- uation. S Briand will get a cabinet together. Enabling the paper franc to pull itself together is a matter still to be ar. ranged. — SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, So’s Your Old City Man. The farmer says he wants relief— And so do you and I; For every one must have his griet As Time goes marching by. You pay a nickel for an egg. The cost of bread goes up a peg. The farmer for relief must beg— And so must you and I. The farmer says he toils too long— And 8o do you and I. ‘We scarce have time to hear the song The radio brings nigh. The farmer longs to be a gent Who views the movies in content And seldom spends a goldarn cent— And so do you and I. © Old Stuff. “A cuttlefish throws ink into the ocean to bewilder his pursuers,” re- marked the naturalist. “The cuttlefish has no copyright on the idea,” answered Senator Sorghum. “The same thing can happen in a con- gressional committee room.” Quest of Humor. How often a joke comes to view That might have been better neg- lected— A little too old to be new, Yet too new to be old and re- spected. Jud Tunkins says the tales of big money spent. on elections are liable to make the underpaid ultimate voter as discontented as the ultimate con- Art and Realtorism. “What s the qualification of a good realtor?” : “The ability to substitute imagina- tion relating to the future for the reality of the present. . From Gay to Grave. We weary mortals do our best ‘Where cruel traffic hums. The flivver that was once a jest A tragedy becomes. Banditry. “What's your idea of a bob-hair bandit?"” “A beauty shop barber,” answered Miss Cayenne, “who charges two dol- lars for a hair-cut. ’ “Curiosity is never satisfied,” sald Uncle Eben. “Every Summer I has to go to de circus to see whether de bill- boards is g'ineter make good.” THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Washington is particularly fortu- nate in the number and variety of winding puths which allow hikers to wend their way quickly from city (o count from concrete streets to primeval forest. We know a sharp turn off of a busy street, in one of the residence sections, which leads the pedestrian within one minute into a tract where not a house lo visible. x There which is a road here, too, along 1 automobile may, with some difficulty, make its way, if the driver is careful to avoid the large stones which are strewn around. Perhaps it ought to be made plain at this sylvan spot, where only the hum of insects and songs of birds are to be heard, is not on the edge of the city, but in the proper heart of the National Capital, a city of half a million population. Nor is it, on the other hand, one of the several magnificent private tates which exist within the District of Columbia. Any one who knows the way to get into it may o, and any one with a car may drive with not much risk to his tives all If you are ti noise of the city of downtown stree treat, and walk alonz by growing wild along the w will be =ood for your mind as for your body. * ok fter 'd of the ceascle the hurry and scurry out this re * % Timid souls can get all the walking they want In the paths of the Na tional Zoological Park, which : beautiful Rock Creek Park. or properly, is simply a part latter The, Zah have it se, walks of the never been properly appreciated, cems to us. The animals, of ¢ are the chief attraction of the place. but, to the hiKer, the many winding paths, maintained in natural beauty, are paramount. The fine thing about these paths is that they are more or less under police protection. We say more or 1 for the paths are long and it is impossible to have uniformed men scouting up and down all of them all the time. es-| through | the | opportunity for some walking on the side, A favorite path is along the west side of the creek, but this is not exagtly the sort of thing we mean. It s too obvious, too well known. Similarly, the road leading past the superintendent’s house from Adams Mill road is pretty and interesting, and a favorite way for the walker to enter the grounds, but it, too, is the nursemald's own. The paths we mean have been left by wise officials in profusion along all tha hills, both on the south and north i of the Zoo. The entrances are easl found, and you may be sure will lead you out in, either as a sort of surprise, landing you at the back door of some unimal exhibit, or will lead vou down to the creek, or into the greater park on the north. Scrambling up and down narrow paths, worn firm by thousands of feet over scores of years, is an exercise good for the legs, the lungs—in fact, the whole anatomy of man—and yet is one that only the foolish person can overdo, [t is not an excrcise that can be recommended for one who is suffer- ing from any ailment of the heart, but {with this exception ought to be good for any one. A varie small animals not to (e may be seen on e inner-Zoo hikes. There is the saucy chipmunk, whose bright eyes will peer at you from the leaves We have met a stray tomceat, a few rabbits, and even a small snake, now and then, but be sure that the latter will not molest you, if you do not bother him 'R Zoo hounda finds himself . walks sky Stepping across the on the north, the hike 1t once in a paradise o streams, hills, meadow s, and fresh air, To the south a surprisingly large number of wild and semi-wild walks may be found near Rock Creek, in- cluding the track of virgin forest men- tioned in the beginning of this article. If one will enter Montrose Park in town and proceed north down Cis called “Lovers’ lane,” he will find himself at the beginning of an in- sting walk. IHe crosses the creek he wiil discover once he nd passes a power plant set The protection is sufficient, ever, to enable women and ¢ to enjoy walking iy a natu vironment, with the added thr Aimbing up and down steep places plunging throuzh thickets and get ting practically all the ki the more experienced walker countryside at large. Those who have not personally ex plored th& paths in the Zoo grounds will be surprised, we believe, at the mileage covered. Even the seasoned hiker need not disdain them We have a friend who walked 90 miles along Zoo paths one Summer gets in the | umid trees. y he comes to a tremendous wooden steps, their top hid den in leaves. Up, up, up!—surely this {is the longest st » in the District of Columbin Take some acquaintance who prides | himself on his lund power and walk | him fast up-these steps and laugh at | him when he puffs like a bellows at the top, as he surely will, unless he is on to the trick of breath control. | We have but space to mention one | more series of hikes, to the west, in what will be some day a wonderful and still did not believe he had cov- ered every one of them. Some du- plication was experfenced, of course, but the fact remains that the paths are long, varied and int x Each one of them, too 1fficiently wild in appearance to appeal to the walker, even to the city man or woman who is not too keen tor leav- ing all traces of civilization behind, * ok x Do not, ,then, be content with watching the bears and monkeys the next time vou visit the National Zoological Park. est is Watch out, too, for the first path you see and seize the | cultivated park, donated to the city |by €. C. Glover. As it stands today, it |is a tract of rost interesting country | looking west and north. The city h | only of recent years begun to develop |in this direction. The woody paths {in this great parkway are now totally |unspoiled by the hand of ‘man, and furnish many interesting trips to hikers. A point of no little interest i< A sW made out of an automobile tire. hung from a gigantic oak. Hot weather is walking weather, but remember one point: Don't wet {hot and then cool off in the shade. | Keep on hiking until you can get to @ shower. BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL ¥ se history and tra. dition, nearly a thousand years ago, Leit Erikson built a house—perhaps more than one—in Labrador, and thereby became the first white c According to No of America. A fellow American, Capt. | Donald Baxter MacMillan, is about to inspect whatever remains of the Erikson homestead. If he finds the walls still standing, that will prove the truth of the Icelandic sagas, which declage that Leif made the voyage his Norse descendants and countrymen so jealously contend. It will show, too, that Americus Vespueius had no right to name this half-world after himselt, for it was Erikson who first put the “Eric” into America That is no flippant claim: it is seri- ously upheld by every true” Norseman. It originated in an article written by Prof. Jules Marcon and published in the Smithsonian report of 1888, show- ing that the word “America” w: rived from a tribe of Indians called “Amerriques,” inhabiting the moun- tains of Sierra Amerrique, which form the cordillera between Lake Nicaragu: and the Mosquito coast in Nicaragua. Another learned man named Hors- ford explains: “The utterance of Norse forms of the name, as Eirikr, Aerikr, Eyrikur, suggests to the listener ‘Erika,’ which needs only the prefix m, one of the features of speech due to imperfect vocal development, remarked among American aboriginal races, and espe- cially among the Indian tribes of the region of Norumbega (Vineland), to be- come ‘Em-erika,’ or not remotely “America,” the name which the conti- nent, as I conceive, has not inappro- priately borne.” After that feat in philology simple task to construe the origin and meaning of “Norumbega,” as com- ing from “Norway.” An iconoclastic Scotchman, J. P. MacLean, a life member of the Gae- lic Soclety of Glasgow, comments on this “America” as follows: “In order to sustain the Norse dis- covery of America, the Egkimo must be brought down from their high northern latitude to Cape*Cod 1n Massachusetts and_a tribe of In- dians dwelling in the mountains of Nicaragua must be transplanted to the same point, that due notice and reverence might be given to Leif Trikson! It is a beautiful theory! * % * A candid view of the mat- er would lead an intelligent mind to the conclusion that the Norse advo- cates, in their \great zeal, trified entirely too much with the subject, in placing stress on these so-called American evidences. How- ever, théy are acute enough to know that'if the Norse had been in Amer- fca, made settlements and continued for a period of 300 years, as has been claimed, corroborative proof would be forthcoming. Greenland affords it and America must not be deficient. If it fails to yield evidence, then the whole theory must be changed. In lleu of better testimony, that which has been seized upon must continue to_do service.” But now what will the cannv Scotchman say if his MacMillan scout proves the “Erik” in America? When Mac meets Mac then comes the tug of Gaellc. * ok ok K Of course, the Engligh and Scotch concede that the Cabots really dis- covered America, but what of the great Irish discovery which antedated Leif Erikson as far as Leif preceded the Cabots or Christopher Columbus? Shall the Irish not come into their own? Erin ga bragh! It was the Irish, an first found “Great is now understood to be not New York with its Irish police, but Vir- ginia and North Carolina. St. Pat- rick Is said to have sent missionaries to Great Ireland in the fifth century. In_ the preface of his book entitled “Norroena,”_discussing America dis- covered by Norse, the author, J. W. Buel, says: “gixty-five years before the discov- no other, who 7. COLLINS. ery of Iceland by Norsemen, Irish sea rovers had not only visited but erect- ed' habitations on that island. _About the vear 725 Irish ecclesiastics are known to have eought seclusion on Faroe Islands. In the tenth cen- voyages hetween ‘Ireland and and were so frequent as to be occurrences. Finally in the century a country west of Iceland and south of Vineland, known |to the Norsemen (as well as to the Irish) as ‘White Man's Land,’ or | ‘Great Treland.’ was discovered and probably settled by the Irish.” Great Ireland—"White Man's Land"—was Virginia and North Carolina. ince the Norse founding of Norum- bega near Boston is recorded as in 1008 A.D., the Irish had then been in Iceland 300 vears. That is as far | before Norse Norumbega as the land- ing of our Pilgrim Fathers on Plym. outh Rock preceded the Byrd flight to the North Pole, History says “Great Ireland” was known even to the Norse as well as to the Irish, nearly a century before Leif m had found Labrador— the land of laborers—and the presence of the Irish sea rovers in Iceland prior to that of the Norse is und Being then, “half seas over,” w lenges Patrick’s claim to having ar- rived in Washington long before the coming of the race whose illustrious descendants invented the Volstead law? Besides, in spite of the Norse claim to Norumbega, near Boston, which race today is predominant in Boston—the Norse or the Irish? Sure it is that Comdr. Byrd, thes greatest discoverer of today, hails from Richmond, the capital of what was once “White Man's Land.” or “Great Ireland.” and it is hard to keep a good Irishman down. EEE But “why should the spirit of mortal be proud?”’—whether Norse, Irish or English? The question as to who discovered America first is as s is that of “who won the At this moment, Dr. Hrdlicka, the uthority in America on such is_in Alaska for the pur- pose of tracing evidences as to the "oming of the Orientals across Bering it and developing into all our Indian tribes. Archeologists are not agreed as to just how far back that event must be dated, but generally they say it was some 7,000 years ago. (Where were Great\Ireland and No- rembega then?) Where was Labrador when the Maya Empire, two centu- ries A.D., was grander than Rome upon her seven hills, with a higher civilization and more advanced sci- ence than had Europe at the time Columbus discovered the islands of our West Indies? The Aztecs or Toltecs or Mayans knew more about astronomy than did Galileo or Copernicus, for they were able to observe the precession of the equinoxes and so_exactly divide the year that it took 5,000 yeays for their error to constitute one day, while the precise Copernican time was 5o in- exact that it was a day off every 1,200 or 1,500 years. Their workmanship in weaving. in jewelry, in featherwork decoration, their skill in architecture, have not been surpassed to this d Behold their pyramids, larger than -any in Egypt! ‘How did they convey mono- liths 22 feet in dimension across mountains to build the marvelous temples of Mitla, where no stone of that nature existed on the side of the range where the ruins of Mitla stand to this day? It is indisputable that Orientals had developed civilization in_ Yucatan seven centuries before Christ had reland,” whichycome to Bethlehem. And what strik- ing similitide between the Mayan civilization and that of Egypt! (Copyright. 1926, by Paul V. Collins.) RS Self-Expression. From the Omaha World-Herald. The Towa farmers appeared to have got relief for their feelings at least. { vision, THE NORTH WINDOW ‘ By Leila Mechlin. “The reason that so many museums are deadly dull,” said some one Who ought to know, “is because so much space s given to pictures.” It is a well known fact that few things are more fatiguing than visit- ing museums or art galleries, and so disproportionate is the weariment to the effort required that one of the large foundations a year ago appropriated a considerable sum for an intensive study of museum fa- tigue. It scems a pity, however, to lay the fault primarily at the door of the painters—without painters, ob- viously, we would have few pictures. Thers are certain great museums which are exclusively galleries of paintings—the tional Gallery® in London, for instance, the Pittiand the Uffizi Galleries in Florence—yet whe has ever thought of calling these grpat museums deadly dull? They are the loadstone of hundreds and thousands of travelers; they ate the Joy and the delight of many persons who go not once but again and again. And if one can judge from facfal ex- pression and step, the multitudes of sightseers leaving these galleries ars less fatigued than those who have made the rounds of other museums in which are shown miscellaneous objects of ar What is more, judg- ing from official figures, galleries of paintings are more popular than other museums of art. There are some people, however, who find almost no pleasure in paint- ings, just us there are others who are unmoved by music. An Ameri- can lady traveling with friends in Europe refused to make the rounds of one of- the great picture gal- leries bécause she said she knew nothing about pictures and, there- fore, it was a waste of effort. Yet that samie person was uncommonly sensitive to beauty in nature an a particularly sympathetic listener to music. o Painted pictures have been the de- light of the multitude, however, since the days of Cimabue. We do mot carry the latest works of our fore- most artists through the streets now in triumphant procession as the Florentines did then, but we empty our purses in rivalry of possession. Painted” pictures speak a world language down the centuries, draw- ing into close relationship the un- derstanding of all nations with the artist whose vision is embodied. They are open windows, extending creating thought, extending perience. ‘dhey have the power to charm, to recreate. The great painters ot all time have endeavored to interpret, through the medium of their art, beauty, sometimes of color, sometimes of form, alw; of char- acte And how greatly we today in their debt! What beauty of color, of position, what spiritual quality we find in the paintings of the early Italian masters! How gentle is their message, how exquisite their art! What richness of beauty we find in the colorful, resonant paintings of Titian and ouaers of the Venetian school, and lateg in the works of Rubens and his followers! How glorious and how moving are the portraits of Rembrendt—so vital that once seen they never be for- gotten, such consummate works of art that we catch our breath with wonder standing before them! How charming are the works of the little Dutchmen—those quaint interesting street scenes and interiors faith- fully painted, yet something much more than the thing itself, an im- pression handed down with the ut most fidelity! The French have always been a pleasure-loving people and French artists in their paintings have giver: us visions of light-hearted, gay frivolity which lessen quite a little of the drabness of this world. * K kK And what of the landscape painters —have not they more than others opened windows, from the days of Claude Lorraine to the present time? Painted pictures not only recall things seen, interpreting the beauty of nature, but oftentimes open our eves to beauty which would other- wise pass unseen. And this is true not only of the works of the great, but ofttimes of those unknown to fame—the modest local painter who is, however, a sincere artist. The name of James Henry Moser is not set down with those of the great- est masters, but duringthe years he lived and worked in Washington he painted many charming land- scapes in water color, occasionally in oils, that have given endless pleasure to their owners. Paintings by Mr. Moser have been purchased for the National Gallery of Art and the Cor- coran Gallery, but it is safe to say can that this honor is inconsiderable as | compared to the joy these paintings have given to countless persons who have seen them in private homes. Mr. Moser's water colors, in particular, have that quality possessed by great works of art—perennial interest, in- exhaustible pleasure, changing sig- nificance. * ok ok K An exhibition of paintings was held a few years ago in the Public Library in Denver, Colo. One painting, @ landscape, shown therein, was pur- chased by a teacher in the public schools, and the cost was more than a month's salary. That teacher had the power of finding enjoyment which many who are wealthier might well envy. There is a picture in the Na- tional Gallery of Art in' this city. W portrait of an elderly man, by Rae- burn, which is so beautifully painted, so vital, so engaging, that certain travelers passing through Washing- ton take the time to visit the National Museum and see this picture again and again. The national government of Canada, since the Great War, has been appro- priating between $75,000 and $100,000 a year for tha acquisition of works of art—paintings for the National Gal- lery of Canada. Why? Because of thelr value in inspiration and pleasure to the people. Up to the present time, alas, the Government of the United States has not appropriated one penny for the acquisition of a painting for our National Gallery of Art. nor has it seen fit to pro- vide an adequate building to house the collections of paintings given by public-spirited citizens to the Nation. Is it, perhaps, that our legislators think them “deadly dul * k ¥ % But to return to the subject of painting, and in particular painting at the present time. There are some who say that our own cotemporary] painters are not sufficiently patronized and doubtless this is true as com- pared with commercial output, but there has never been a time when successful painters were quite as suc- cessful as they are now, or when talent of a superlative order was more generously rewarded. The Grand Cen- tral Galleries, New York, which are devoted exclusively to the marketing of works of cotemporary American painters and sculptors, report sales aggregating over $1,000,000 in the last three years. When these galleries took an exhibition of American paint- ings to Aurora, Ill, during the past season, $35,000 worth of sales were made and this in a city with a popula- tion of only 35,000. The American Art Annual for the current year lists over 7,000 painters, sculptors and illustra- tors who have exhibited in the last two years. The majority of these are supposedly making a living out of their art. * % % % Those things which we really love are never deadly dull. It'is only those hings which we do not understand t bore us; therefore, if we find mu- ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. Does a family of four going abread have to have separate pictures for the passport’—L. A. R. A. A group picture will do. It should be 2% by 2% or 3 by 3 inches in size. . Q. Is the more rapid rising and setting of the sun at the Equator due to the greater circumference of the earth there?—L. R. N. A. The Naval Observatory says the.| more rapid rising and setting of the sun at the Equator is not due to the greater circumference of the earth at that point, but to the fact that at the Equator the sun rises and sets in a path perpendicula o the horizon, while in all other latitudes this path is inclined from the perpendicular. . Why fs land at the mouth of a river called a delta?—A. B. D. A. The name was given to a tract of land inclosed by ghe mouths of the Nile River, which was shaped like the Greek letter delta. Now the term is used for any land so situited. Q. Did Stephen A. Douglas outlive Lincoln B. A. Douglas, who was Lincoln's op- ponent for the presidency in 1860, died June 3, 1861, while Lincoln lived to be reelected to the office. ~ is the cranberry so called? nberry was originally crane- The fruit is borne on curved berry. st the neck of & stalks which sug crane. —T. T. 8. committed robbery if to the per- burglary and robbery A. Burglary fs larcen in the night and becomes accompanied by violenc son_of the victim. ’ Q. What is L M A T oil used in anointing. and balsam or spie Q. Has Edinburgh always been the capital of Scotland?—C. B A. The old capital of Scotland was the city of Scone in Perthshire, said to have been founded by the Roman emperor Agricola about 70 A.D. meant by Chrism?— R. s is the name of consecrated composed of oil Q. Why don't architects include the pantry in the building of new homes? —A. R. 8. It usually require as the homemuker to and from t to get utensils a was generally a too many | as to pass | work tat upi t also “catch-all” for dust and for many things which did not belong in the pantry. Generally it is a poor investment since the cost of the average pantry would pay for all the needed builtin equipment of the average kitchen. Q. Why does the wind blow gusts?—B. C. A. The Weather Bureau savs that this is owing to the friction between the air and the surface of the earth, and to the obstacles to the wind, such as houses, trees and many other I:h!ngs These things, friction and obstacles, cause the lower air to be| and more or less roll and | blow in gusts, as in turbulent tumble, hence to we say’ Q. by hat size should a coat of arms E. M. A. There is no standard size of coat of arms. The important feature of re- producing armorial bearings is the ac- curacy of the colors. Q. How fast is the solar moving?—T. C. C. A. The solar system is moving with a velocity of about 12 miles a second toward a point in the constellation Hercules, whose approximate right as cension is degrees and declination 34 degrees north. Q. Can the President of Switzerland be re-elected to the office?—W. M. C. A. The President of the Swiss Re public is elected for one vear, and is system after the expiration of another year. Q. What kind of racket does Vin- cent Richards use’—J. D. H. A. He s using a special racket of his own design. Q. Who said “Be sure you are right, then go ahead"?’—D. K A. This is said to have been the maxim of David Crockett, American pioneer and statesman. who, after much service, was killed, with four other survivors of the defense of the Alamo, order of Santa Anna. Q. Is the Sphinx head regarded as a female one?—E. B. A. The supposition that the Sphinx {head was that of a female was dis-| pelled the discovery of fragments | of a beard. Mr. Piazzi Smyth sa |/t is a man’s face and had once : huge stone beard.” When, through Count Caviglia and Mr. Consul Salt, in 1817, the sand was cleared away in front, a part of this beard was found fallen between the paws of the lion figure, Q. T am having an argument about the danger of bullfighting. 1 main. tain that the fighter 's in little danger. Am I right?—I. R. B. A. The bullfight is a very danger- ous fighting game, according to the best authorities. The star of the per- model - W Q. What is the distinction between L not re-eligible to the same office until | a the fact that we seldom sce dead bats Bats live in colonies, and each colony selects a burial place for all its dead, usually in a corner of the cave, and here all deceased relatives ol- lected. Q. How long have we had accident insurance in this country?—A. M. A. Accident insurance was first in- troduced into the United States in 1839, and the first accident insurance company wus organized in 1863 at Hartford, Conn. It is said that the first accident policy sued when the president of the company insured a citizen of Hartford in the sum of 000 for a premium of 2 cents against death by accident while walking frem the post office to his residence. Q. What is the greatest height of the ‘Rock of Gibraltar? M. A. Its greatest height is 1433 feet ahove sea level. Q. HOIW long do camels When crossing the desert ed to Ty their miles a day, for three drink. The fleeter bree rider and a bag of water 5 il day, for five d without drinkin Q. What s ball diamond?—M. A. D. A. The first diamond was square instead of a diamond as used now. The bases were wooden posts that stood out of the ground 4 feet. The sides were made up of from 10 to 14 ¥ rs. The rule of play was, one out out side winr without 14 e was the first base Did Col. Robert tually serve war? A." Ingersoll went to war as colonel of the 11th Ii and was taken prisoner, bu changed. Q. How does m with copper and silver of electricity?—F. J. C A. The Bureau of Standards says that the conductivity of mercury is approximately 1/60 that of copper or silver. Q. Q in 1 Cavalry was ury compare s a conductor How long after Harry K. Th killed Stanford White did his tria begin?—C. C. L. A. The tragedy occurred on 190 nd the trial began al seven months later, on January 194 Q. What does Pasadena w. H. A. /1t is derived from the Indian, meaning “Crown of the Valley.” When was acetylene welding overed T chemist in 1836. welding was Chatelier in the first we tory use United States from Q. When did the Johnstown flood RSB A. The Johnstown flood sylvania occurred on May 31 Q. What P. A. The N white race The J nce in 1903 in_Penn- 18! is eory T— 3. is that the superior to all others and t in division of the whi the Nordic, is the most nearly pertect of all. Q. What became of the steamship Kronprinzessin Cecilie?—P. E. H A. The Kronprinz now the Mount Ver E the Shipping Boar < is going to replace the America, which was re- 1y burned in Newport News, Va. is to be recondi Her aver- peed as the Kro knots. ng to | age | cilie wa | @ Who gave u dog corps to the fa- mous town of Mont St. Michel?—L. M A. Louis XI gave a dog corps to | this town and also to St. Malo. Q. How did Mille ing the continent in compare with train TP A: The time was within six hours of the fast limited train schedules. Miller had an extra 50-gallon gasoline tank in his car, which cut down the | time for replenishing the gas supply His time of )2 hours 45 minutes lowered the record by 7T hours 44 minutes, Q. time for cro: an automobile —G. In what book does the Jarndyce case app ~V. W. A. Dickens' “Bleak House” con- tains the famous suit of Jarndyce v, Jarndyce over the trusts under a will, and is a satire upon the methods of the English courts of chancery. Letters are going every minute from the Free Information Bureau in Washington telling readers whatever they want to know. They are in an- swer to all kinds of que on all Kinds of subjects, from ail kinds of people. Make use of this free service which The Evening Star is matain- ing for you. Its only purpose is to help you, and we want you to bene from'it. Write to The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Has- kin, director, Washington, . C. formance is the matador, who kills the bull alone. Authorities give us facts to prove that many matadors are killed, and all are wounded at some time of their careers. The risks they take are marvelous. They sit on chairs before charging bulls, and at the last moment spring from the chair and the bull carries the chair away on his horns. They rest their elbows on the head of the bull. The matador sometimes attempts to leap over the bull with the aid of a long pole, but many miscalculations are made, which end in disaster. There are even rare occasfons when a large bull will leap out of the ring and gain the seats oc. cupied by the spectators. The mata- dor, in killing the bull, stands per- fectly still and lets the bull rush on his sword, the bull often taking the matador up in his horns and throw- ing him into the air. Many times the matador is caught up against the wooden inner ring and gored to death. Q. Is it cool inside Pyramid’—E, W. E. . It considerably cooler 3 the outside air. 1t i, however. cessively hot. Mr. L. Dow Coving- ton, who cleared out one of the venti- lator shafts leading from the King's Chamber, succeeded thereby in perma. nently lowering the temperature sev- eral degrees, and there is an Arab tradition that if the other shaft were also cleared out the current of air circulating through these passages would not only cool the interior still more, but there would be gencrated beautiful harplike music. the Great Q. Why do we never see a dead bat? Is it because they have extreme lor:‘gevlty?—L. T. . Bats do have a very long period of life. but this does not .E(‘couxt for seums of art which include fine gal- leries of paintings a weariness to the flesh, we may be pretty certain that the trouble i§ not in the pletures but in ourselves. To those who know paintings and are sensitive to beauty in art, museums of art and galleries lof paintings—such, even, as our own Freer, Corcoran and National Gal- leries—will provide recreational oppar- tunitles cothparable in pleasure to the movies, “to motoring and to_other forms of restless entertainment—yes, even more than this, superior, for the THINK IT OVER The Wasted Child. By William Mather Lewis, President George Washington Universits. Out in the desert stretches of the West and in cabins far up on South- ern hillsides are children whom we are neglecting. They have brains, the ambition, the character which if given the opportunity will add to the wel fare of the Nation. But no school is open for them. What to do? That question s being answered in Australia, where the government is sending to the parents out in the bush a correspondence course in elementary education. And around the Kitchen table in the evning father apd moth er are applying methods of mental de- velopment devised by wise educational leaders. From the centers of thought the mail pouch carries the material which gives the neglected child his chance. Training in reading; writing arithmetic, elementary science, h tory, civics and all_the rest is given to the child by teachers who love and understand him. How little it would cost to establish in the State Department of Education a_modest office named the Bureau of Correspondence! Here the courses would be devised and sent out: here the examination papers corrected and returned; here a thousand elements of educational inspiration would be developed. Some day perhaps the isolated child will sit before the foud speaker and secure daily instruction from- great teachers thousands of miles distant. But that is a development still far in the future. And the situation s im- mediate and vital. The conservation of human resources will eliminate one of our greatest national wastes. Illiteracy and ignorance are costly things. Equality of opportunity s es- sential to the proper functioning of our form of government. We have the necessary educational experts; the Post Office Department supplies the means ‘of distribution: the pupils are waiting. All that fs needed is a system uniting these ele- one is of the moment, the other of all time. £ ~ ments. Why not give the children & chance? (Cepyricht. 1926.)