Evening Star Newspaper, August 23, 1926, Page 8

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THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., THE EVENING STAR |The booking of homewara passages is [come by a medal for those qualities. With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY ....August 23, 1926 THEODORE W. NOYES . Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: 11th St. and Penneylvania Ave Nush‘!‘nrk 8m~ "l‘"‘ Elgl ?"nd St 20 Office. Tower Building. Buropean Office: 14 Regent St.. London, Eagland. The Evening St; with_the Sunday morn- ing edition. i t s d ered by carriers withir 60 cents per month: daily onlr. 48 cents per month: Sunday only. geate Dper month. Orders may be sent by mail or hone Main 5000. Collection is made by carrier at the eud of each month Rate by Mall—Payable in Advance. LA R o i b All Other States and Canada. yr. $4.00: 1mo. 385¢c 780 A0 25¢ Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Pross 1a exclusively antitled 18 the uss for renublication of all news i rlll'Ml eredi to it or not otherwise crec tad in this paper and also the local news published hecein. Al rights of publication of apecial dispatches herein arg, also reserved. Charles W. Eliot. Charles W. Eliot, president emeritus of Harvard University, who dfed ves- terday at the age of ninety-two, left & record of activity that 1s perhaps without parallel in this country. He ‘was almost literally born in the great institution that he headed for forty years, for his father was the treas- urer of the university. He, of course, trained for Harvard and graduated from it. That was the tradition that he must follow. Then he chose an appointment as professor of chem- istry in preference to a profitable em- ployment with a manufacturing con- cern. That was at the age of twenty- four. Eleven years later he was chosen president of the university, the youngest man ever at that time given such a charge. He at once began a series of reforms that made evervbody gasp with astonishment. Faculty meetings were quickened. Courses were changed. Policles were reshaped. Oliver Wendell Holmes, then one of the instructors, ex claimed, “He is turning the uni- versity over like a flapjack!” Tt is related of another professor that soon after Dr. Eliot became president he asked at a meeting: “How fs it, I should like to ask, that this faculty has gone on for eighty years manag- ing its own affairs and doing it well, and now that in three or four months it is proposed to change all our modes of carrying on the school? It seems very extraordinary, and I should like to know how it happened.” Then up spoke the bland, grave young leader: “I can answer Dr. Rlank's question very easily; there is a new president.” The test of Dr. Eliot's innovations and reforms was a severe ope, but he had the satisfaction and gratifica- tion to find, forty yvears later, when at his own instance he resigned his post at the age of seventy-five, that most of }hem had been adopted by colleges and universities throughout the country. Under his administra- tion the university grew in size and strength. After his retirement he retained the keenest interest in its affairs. He continued his menlflll activity and even after passing IheI age of ninety he participated in pub- lic movements and in active discus- slons. Many honors were bestowed upon him. He wrote freely and val- uably, not only on his own spe- claity of chemistry, but on questions of international polity. At the age of seventy-seven he made a trip around the world and studied the causes of war. and especially condi in the Far I A popular contribution to public thought, which, though he regarded it lightly, most definitely brought his name before the later generation of the American peopie hix description | “five-font bookshelf,” tions was of a which, he suid, comprised all the classics essential as an intellectual equipment to {mpart to the average mun is known as culture This remarkable man profoundly ipfluenced the lives of many Ameri. | cans of Harvard what As professor and as president | Aivectly affected careers of students. As thinker and writer he contributed the intel- lectual advancemer country. He the “grand of American education ———— Eurcpean governments are advo- cating I economies while seeking to gather the profits available from spendthrift tourists. The ancient fable of biowing hot and cold with the same breath revives itself. D'Annunzie wonders why he is so fatally fascinating women. Any g00d movie actor is in a position to warrant the interjection, “So is your 2id man!" . —————————— Americans Stranded Abroad. It is reported from Paris that there are three thousand Americans in that clty at prosent penniless and jobless. Most of m went over there to en- oy life, and after their savings were exhausted they could find no work and had no friends who could help them. Some of these are former sol- diers, who wanted to see again the country where they once fought. Some went over to start in business, but found conditions adverse. A fow are comparatively wealthy persons who have overstaved their time and spent all their funds and have been obliged to borrow in order to return. The American Aid Society is helping to the extent of its resources to get these people back. Last year it re- sponded to 1,065 out of 2,818 appeals for assistance, a little more than one- third. American consulgtes are not provided with repatriation funds, and thus the Government cannot help these unfortunate Americans. In addition to those who crossed the seas on the chance of finding means of returning or of supperting themselves abroad, there are many who neglected to buy their return passages and are now in straits for lack of accommodations. The east- ward movement of tourists this sea- son has been exceptionally heavy. he the of the was old man oo always urged by steamship agents and is usually done, but enough peo- ple who do not wish to set their times of departure gnd are willing to take a chance go over to cause a serious congestion in the Autumn, when the ships are running westward at capacity. Even many of those who are due to report for duty in this country at certain times fail to insure their homeward passage. Some of them will have to wait for several weeks before getting accommodations, and meanwhile their expenses will be running, and, unless they are amply supplied with funds, they will find it necessary to borrow or beg for sub- ! sistence. It is impossible to prevent this an- nual distress on the part of careless tourists. No regulation can be framed to insure the purchase of return pas- sages. Nothing can be done to stop people from taking chances. The for- eign governments will not interpose obstacles to the entrance of persons without sufficlent means to maintain them. It is not desirable to establish funds for their succor on the other side, for that would only encourage thriftless people to embark on this sort of adventure. Perhaps if these people were required to work their passage back in ail cases there would be fewer to take the chance. ————————— A Wet Week. Sympathy 1s to be felt for those who took last week “off” for vacation rest and recreation. They were de- cidedly out of luck. Wherever they went they ran into persjstent bad weather. If they started to tour by motor they were running most of the time in the rain, with slippery high- ways and with muddy- detours. If they went to the seashore they were held indoors most of the time by the storm. The “boardwalk’” wasa gloomy place of slickered and umbrellaed hu- manity, the beach was a soggy strand of misery, the sea was either too rough for bathing or too dull and gray and desolate for beauty. Golfing was Impossible and tennis was pro- hibited. Lven croquet was banned. If they went into the country for rural peace they got it too decidedly. Rural boarding houses were damp and chill, with few resources for diver- sion. The fields were soaked beyond the point of strolling, the roads were thick with mire. If they tried to go fishing they found that the conditions were utterly adverse. ‘‘Pleasuring” became a task. It was hard to find means of passing the time. Radio, the card table and reading were all that offered to make the slow min- utes and the leaden hours pass. It was bad enough in town, while the week dragged along with daily, almost hourly, deluge. But in Re- sortia the case was indeed desperate. Nature was at its worst. Scenery was, obscured and bedraggled. Every prospect displeased. The main diver- sion became the watching for signs of a change in the direction of the wind, the drift of clouds, the slant of the rain, the nursing of hope that the daily forecast of “fair tomorrow" would be verified. And but for those optimistic predictions, which wavered only during the last days of the week, doubtless most of the vacationists would have cut their losses in mid- week and returned home, preferring the routine of work to the routine of idling. Nevertheless, there were compensa- tions in the week of moisture for those who found themselves far from home, in strange situations. They could at least, if philosophical, settie down to the pursuit of literature, un- distracted by the pursuit of mere pleasure. True, they might be handi- capped by the limitations of the Ii- braries avallable. The average resort bookshelf is a rather stale collection. | But the creative mind might perhaps be stimulated by the necessity of mis- fortune and the writing impulse obeyed, possibly with mo permanent addition to the world’s stock of thought, but with some profit to the writer. ————— When the Prince of Wales falis off a horse the world laughs. But the laugh is good natured and quite apart from the anxiety that arises when Uncle John Bull undertakes an exhibition as a jockey in Interna. ionx! finance. Sees . The fruit crop is a failure in various sections of the country, but the Flor- ida realtor remains firm in his con- viction that the sand crop is an abundant and upmitigated success. ——— e Americans are not popular In Europe. The populace abroad fails to take into account the economies necessary in most cases to permit the trip. R Decoration for the Cabby. A plan has been broached in France for the public decoration of taxi drivers. ‘Those who secure a vote of confidence for their patrons and who are considered pelite and prudent will be honored by a badge of merit. The fate of the drivers is in the hands of their patrons. This is a reversal of the old order. Each passenger is re- quested to note the chauffeur’s abil- ity and whegher he toots carefully at crossings, slows up when he should and attempts ‘“‘no acrobatic stunts with tramcars and other vehicles.” The decoration is to he given by a French automobile publication. While the order of merit given in that way may not have so much authority as that bestowed by the government, yet it is assumed that a taxi driver who has been decorated \\‘Illlbe given the accolade by his fellows and saluted as a driver of merit, or as a politician or diplomat who has been able to win favors from the public. A decorated driver should get more patronage than a driver not so dis- tinguished. He ought to make a strong appeal to American tourists, who would dote on & taxi driver deco- rated as a chevalier for merit. Ladies ought to rignal such a driver and, if it goes not-too hard against a woman's nature, give him a special tip. This ofter to decorate French taxi drivers for politeness and merit is en- couraging. Washington taxi drivers ltke all other classes of men. ere are drivers prudent and polite and there nr_o&v'ur- who vm.l}-vu The alm of tax{ companfes {s to em- ploy only men who are polite and pru- dent; that !s, men who will get busi- ness for the company and who do not (Tun up a list of lawsuits and damage bills. The taxi driver who is “on his own"—the independent hacker—finds that as a general business proposition it pays to be civil and careful. Civility brings in more fares and tips and care makes the cab last longer. Also there might be some merit in the suggestion to reward politeness in tax{ patroms. It has becn observed that not all mem- hers of the gemeral public, not even those calling taxicabs, are well grounded in the practice of good wanners. ————— Let This Russian Remain! Tt there has ever been a case justl- tying speclal dispensation in the ad- ministration of the immigration laws it is that of Georges Zagorsky, who is under ‘‘sentence” of deportation on the expiration of his six months' vis- itors’ pass in November. Zagorsky, the son of a former Czarist general, is on the bolshevik blacklists. His father and all the other members of his family, except a younger brother, have been executed by the Soviet gov- ernment. In retaliation for these crimes Zagorsky says that he subse- quently took part in hanging eighteen bolshevists. He escaped from Russia and some time ago came to the United States, but was only admitted on a temporary basis. His effort to enlist in the United States Army to prevent being returned to Russia brought his case to the notice of the Immigration authorities, who ordered his deporta- tion three months hence. The other ddy he tried to take his life by leap- ing from the parapet at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York, but was prevented by a coast guard. Numerous - exceptions have been made to the strict letter of the immi- gration law to prevent cruelties. This is surely one instance jn which the United States can waive the statute in order that this young man should be permitted to remain here. If he were sent back to Russia it would be to certain death. He wants to stay here, wants to become a citizen, wants even to serve in the American Army in order to establish his status here. No consideration of “quota” should weigh against him. There are cer- tainly so many of the wrong kind of Russians here, working diligently to undermine this Government through their Moscow-directed activities among the working classes and the children, as to justify the admission of one of the other sort. His “pass” should be indefinitely extended. ——————— The Hall-Mills case results in the arrest of detectives as well as material suspects. A detective should under- stand the value of keeping out of bad company, even though his occupation renders it difficult for him to do so. —ee— European statesmanship remains at something of a disadvantage because of the reluctance of a few of its ex- ponents to admit the fact that Amer- ica has yet been discovered. oo - Patience ceases. Harry Thaw de- cides to let a girl pay her own fare back home even at the sacrifice of his reputation as a general sheik. e The Hall-Mills case is still classed as a mystery in spite of the immense number of people who profess to know all about it. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Music in the Home. Lullaby, so sweet and low, Echo of the long ago; Lullaby, the mother song, Sounding distant from the throng! Lullaby! The drums are loud In the synéopating crowd: Silenced mothers wait to see What will radlo babies be? Influenced Opinion. “Do you thimk there will ever be any more war?” ‘ 0,”" answered Senator Sorghum. “My constituents don't desire it, and, regardless of the probabilities, I am obliged to declare against any such thing.” Manufacturer to Consumer. The Eskimo in realms of snow Dwells far from cares that we all know. He takes his boat float And spears a sealskin overcoat. where icebergs Jud Tunkins says that Paul Smith has landed into first page space so often that he is more famous than Paul Revere. Moral Standards. “Honesty is the best policy.” “I wrote that in mg copy book years ago.” “Tt is still true toda “But copy books have changed and there are so many people who don't know about it.” Disadvantage of Obscurity. T caught a fish. T must confess It took me days to do it— And the Associated Press Paid no attention to it! The Channel. “Did you ever cross the English Channel?"” answered Miss Cayenne. g0 sick that 1 decided then and there that T would rather take a chance on swimming it.” For the Sake of Humanity. “1 seek the good humankind How frequently the phrase you find! ‘The sad philosopher whose thought Ts all with envious hatred fraught; The Socialist whose words are sent In reckless ald of discontent; The Communist who seeks to prove That wealth to idle hands should move, Promoting ill-considered strife And jeopardizing human life, Will still protest in phrase refined, “I seek the good of humankind!" “De hoss allus does his best.” said Uncle Eben. “But besides de hoss you got to bet on de owner an' de jockey an’ de trainer, an' de. odds ain't never no better dan féii to one.” /BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. The weather is the oldest topic of conversation in the world. There was weather before there was any- thing eise, according to the records. In the early days of man the state of the weather was an absorbing topie, one mixed with dread and won- der. Today much of the dread is gone, but the wonder still remains. It is for this reason that we have but little sympathy with those who refuse to discuss the weather. “It only makes you hotter to talk about it.” they say, with a superior air. ‘We do not believer that for an in- stant. ‘We like to discuss the weather, not because it makes us hotter, or colder, or wetter, or dryer, but simply be- cause it is interesting. Newspapers have demonstrated their fundamental sanity by giving a conspicuous place to the daily weather predictions and by chronicling the condition of the weather, its effect on men, women and children, in news stories. Anything that contributes to the well-being or suffering of humanity is worth being talked about, and the weather does this perhaps more than any other one thing, for upon it de- pend food, transportation and other vital factors of civillzation. One who selfishly refuses to pay any attention to “the weather,” therefore, would seem to be in much the same state of mind as the ostrich, which sticks its head into the sand and imagines no one can see it, simply because it cannot see. The weather is fundamental, ought to be so treated. ERERE The hopeful thing is that it is so regarded by the great mass of hu- manity. One does not have to be a farmer, and have one's very “living’ depend upon the rain, to appreciate to the full the essential importance and interest of the elements, as we call them. What is there more picturesque, in all this grand universe, than clouds, rain, hail, thunder, lightning, snow? No grander scene in all Nature is to be seen than the rolling deeps, lashed into the fury of the storm at sea, created by pressing winds, aided by inky skles and torrents of water. It does not take a man long at sea to work up a respectable interest in the weather, even if he never had it before. There i{s such a thing as being “citified” to the extent that one does truly forget the forces of Nature and the supreme part they play in life. Walking on smooth sidewalks, pro- tected by police, warmed by clever machines, cooled by electricity, housed against all the elements, it fs not strange that some incline to regard the weather as a mere inconvenience, or aid, in their daily life. If it rains such a one deplores the weather; if the sun shines he feels that Nature is blessing the picnic. Nature, however, knows nothing of us and our lttle affairs, but goes right on turning out her various brands of weather, according to her searons, and the mysterious plays of vast currents that roll bhetween us and the stars. * % ok o In the early days of mankind thun- der and lightning were ascribed to “the gods.” Even so civilized a people as the Romans popularly picture Jove hurling thunderbolts at offending and WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS wo sclentists and a 16.-month-old MI\' are destined to spend the next three years in a cave on a desert mountain peak in_southwest Africa. The scientists are Willlam H. Hoover and Frederick A. Greeley, employed by the Smithsonian Institution to make daily observations of solar ra- diation at Mount Brukkaros. The baby is Tetty Jean, Mr. Hoover's daughter, whose aunt is going along as the fourth member of the party. TLong- range weather forecasting predicated on the dally variations in the sun's heat is the object which the Smith- sonian Institutfon has in view. Observ- atories for the measurement of solar radiation are already located in Cali-} fornia and in Chile. The new one in Africa will serve as a “check” on the reports of the other two. Ixtreme accuracy ie essential, and observations taken under conditions approximating as nearly as possible the “top of the earth's ~atmosphere” are sought. Hence the selection of a mountain peak a mile above sea level and rising all alone from a level plateau. Dr. Abbot, aesistant secretary of the in- stitution, searched the world over for the ideal spot before finding Mount Brukkaros. * ok ok Kk Isolation in the wild places of the earth will prove no new experience for either of the observers. Mr. Hoover for the past two years has been in charge of the solar observatory of the Argentine government, while Mr., ireeley for three years has been sta- tioned at the Smithsonlan observa- tory in Chile—this, too, on a mountain top—and before that he was a couple of years in the Arizona deser The party sailed from New York last week on the first lap of their journey. Their contact with the outside world will be by radio. The National Geographic So- clety, with a contribution of $35,000, is financing the venture. * ok K * The new ten-million-dollar. building being erected on the site of the hi toric_old Ebbitt House by the Na- tional Press Club for its permanent home is now beginning to rise above ground. When completed, six months hence, it will stand as one more hand- some Capital landmark, an impres- sive building in a city of many fine buildings. The National Press Club was organized in 1908. It now has a membership of 1,592. The active resident list numbers 400. These are the newspaper fraternity in Washing- ton, men actively employed on news- papers, periodicals and press associa- tions. They are the voting members. The non-resident list, comprising ed- itors, publishers, authors, writers and artists outside of Washington, total 690. Former newspaper men here, now in other occupations, total 159 and are on the non-active list are 343 associate members. None but the active members vote or hold of- fice, but all enjoy the club privileges. Ulric Bell, Washington correspondent for the Louisville Courier-Journal' is the present president. John Hays Hammond, long a warm friend of the newspaper profession. has had a lead- ing part in the financial program for the new building. * * % % A committee on world friendship among children is the latest adjunct of the universal peace movement. This committee proposes that Ameri- can school children send a generous number of dolls to Japan to partici- pate in the Japanese festival of dolls. The American dolls are to go as “am- bassadors of good will and friend- ship.” Announcement of this plan contains an interesting account of an ancient custom of old Japan—the Festival of Dolls, which takes place each year on the third day of the third month. On that day each fam- {ly brings out of its ancestral treas- ure house the.dolls of mothers, grand- mothers and’ preceding generations for a renewal of acquaintance. They are placed in serried ranks for in- spection and comparison. The little girls dress In gay costumes and not only enjoy their own ancestral dolls, » There | etc. | | mortals. T. Carus Lucretius was a brave man in his day and generation when he dared to write a chapter in his famous poem, “The Nature of Things,” denying the superstition. and telling mortals that thunder and lightning were merely the results of natural forces. Before him Epicurus had said the same thing, and Greece and Rome and later countries called him all the evil names under the sun. It took courage once to say what all men admit today without argument. ‘What shall we do to keep the zest of life? This is the ever-recurring ery of men, after they have gone through the usual routine of life, as one might say. Life loses its savor in some strange, Inexplicable way, and we cast around, like mariners adrift, for something to lay hold of, something to give our restless hands firm touch, our minds food, our souls satisfaction. May not one of the easiest and best ways be simply a due regard for the wonders of the universe, not the least of which is the weather, a thing we have with us every day, yet pretend to _scorn? There i no real scorning something that means life or death to thousands differently put, something that spells a stocked larder for ourselves, or the lack thereof. We cannot escape the weather, if we would, for the very air in which we breathe and have our being is a part of it. *x b # Let us of the cities, then, accept the weather gladly, since accept it we must. In God is our trust. These clouds, these rains, are all the result of divine theories, worked out and set | going thousands of vears ago. You are interested in antique fur- niture—why not he enthralled over rain? Because a thing ha been, and apparently alw is no reason why we need trr to ignore it, The point of it all is that we can- not ignore the weather, no matter if we would. We have it with us always, whether the day be fair or rainy, stormy or bright, whether it meet our personal wishes or not. “Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day!” say the little chi dren, but grown men and women a cept it on the day It comes, and make the best of it by talking about it. “Is it hot enough for you?” there- fore, is proper question enough. “How do you like this rainy weather? should be met by the statement, “Very well, thank you, how are you City streets unstained by flashes of rain would remind us too much of that somewhat dreary Heaven once plctured, where streets of gold always shone, where angels alw sang, where life apparently never varied. What was the real trouble with that Heaven? Why, there was no weather there! God, who made the heavens and earth and all that do dwell therein, somenow forgot his pleasant, pic- turesque weather system, and allow- ed His Heaven—so they told us—to become something like a cross be- tween the Sahara Desert and a school pienic. We do not believe it. If we wake up in Heaven, as we hope we will, we want to see a rainbow somewhere, and be greeted by the genial ray of our old friend, the sun, and later be bathed In refreshing showers of Jod's cool water. We will feel more at home that of their Another be added Practi- s A but visit those nefghbors. choice doll may to the happy cally every family in Japan own: doll festival set. * ok kK a4 President Coolidge has a new easy armchair In his study at the White House. The chair is new to Mr. Coolidge, but it is not a new chair. Mrs. Coolidge found it in the White House attic and it bore a taz read: ing, “President Jackson's favorite chair.” Mrs. Coolidge had it brought downstairs, dusted and placed in her husband's study, and, according to re- port, it is much to his liking. A di carded table was also brought out of the attic, repaired and put in one of the reception rooms. The ool idge habits of thrift are being vigor- ously applied to his own household in the matter of new decorations and new furnishings, notwithstanding that Congress appropriated $50,000 for this purpose. The attic_storerooms were first ransacked before buying any- thing new. * k% Ok An astonishing quantity of mail is received daily at the offices of mem- bers of Congress here despite the fact that they are all away either holiday- ing or back home campalgning. One New York Congressman's Washington mail has averaged 35 letters a day ever since adjournment of Congress, according to his secretary. and there is no sign of any “letup.” His is a typical case. Here is what the post- man brought to his office one morning last week: Three letters enlisting his aid in pending Veterans’ Bureau cases, one about a pension claim, two re- lating to hurrying up passports, one accounting office case, four letters re- lating to post office appointments and post office promotions, one letter about @ Department of Justice investigation, one letter seeking a Federal pardon, seven letters requesting public docu- ments, two letters relating to immigra- tion cases, five from personal ac- quaintances among his constituents discussing politics and offering suz- gestions, three letters seeking chari- table donations and one just plain “crank” letter. Total, 31 Most of these letters required three answers—one of acknowledgment, one referring the request to the proper department, and the third forwarding to the writer the department's re- sponse. “We find that those who write in always like to have a de- partment letter as well as one from the Congressman.” said the secretary A dozen years ago the mail was mostiy about free pamphlets and free seeds, but the Veterans' Bureau with its million or more cases, difficulties arl ing out of stringent immigration law have increased tenfold the Con gressman’s office work. * ks A sidelight on the progress being made in getting the Government out of the shipping business is contained in the current report of the Shipping Board as to ship sales. In the last five years—dating from the beginnin of the Harding admlnis(ralk)n—-l.\)fii ships have been sold, aggregating 4.158,264 dead weight tons, for which the Government has received $75.731, 633. Wood and cargo ships sold for scrap, which have furnished the fuel for periodical bonfires on the lower Potomac, comprised 456 of the total. (Covyright. 1926.) —o— Not a Whisperer. From the Columbus. Ohio. State Journal® Mussolini says he wishes his voice had the power of thunder and we al- ways supposed we thought it had. Highway Need. MONDAY, AUGUST 23 Would Be Better Plan To the Editor of The Star: Criticism, 1n_order to be useful, should, if possible,-be constructive as well as destructive. In my letter in The Star of last Monday I set forth reasons why the proposed erection of big renting barracks for Government clerks is likely to prove a failure, re- ferring to the vain efforts of a great man, Franklin K. Lane, to help the clerical force of Washington save money by co-operative buying of the necessaries of life through the Home Club, but no suggestion was made as to how that element cancbe assisted in a practical way. At the risk of rousing the opposi- tion of those who have money to lend, 1 will say that if any man or corperation has a hundred million or so with which it is planned to heip the clerks and the city of Wash- ington in the housing line, the money might be usefully employed in en- abling the clerks to own homes of their own, while choosing their own plans and lecation. Housing a wil and children in a “third tloor back" does not appeal to the average head of a family. At the proposed price of $12.50 per room per monith a man with a family of six would need six rooms at a cost of $75 per month, which is prohibitive to the average clerk. A carpenter or bricklayer with his $10 to $14 per day might afford it, but how many Government clerks receive anything like such pay? And vet there are many suburban homes with even more room that are offered for rent, with plenty of ground for garden and chickens, fruit, etc., at less than half that sum. Thousands of clerks would be better off in a home outside the noise, heat and crowded condition of the city, but they lack the small amount of ready cash needed to start home-owning and are waiting untill they can get the money. And then they have to run the gamut of borrowing at high rates and there is the nightmare of the remewal commissions on loans and other exactlons of the money lenders. There is nothing that appeals more to a man with a family than the prospect of the individual ownership of his own home, with land enough around it to make him independent of others, room. for his children to play under his own vine and tree, and to raise fresh, rich food for his family and save living expenses. Above all, it is worth while to own a suburban home near this great and growing ity, with the certainty that the prop- will Increase in value, especially since the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission is laying water mains and extending sewers all around the suburbs, affording city conveniences at country prices. This leads up to the suggestion that it would be a real benefaction to the average clerk with a family to establish a loan fund at a low rate of interest, say 5 or 6 per cent per vear, doing aw with all commis- sions for making or renewing loans, so that the head of a family might either buy one of the houses already built or go to saving to buy a lot on which to build his own home. The houses and lots near this great and growing city will afford ample secur- ity. In that way a man can live just where and how he wants to, and it will give Washington a new element of home owners, help the city's growth far more than big rental bar- racks in the city would, cut down living expenses for the element which it is sought to benefit, and no one could complain except those who are growing rich at loaning money at present prices and making it hard for borrowers to renew their loans. Give John Clerk cheap money and a4 chance to build his own home in his own way and he will be a better employe, a ppier and more useful man and help build up the com- muniy, and his children will enjoy life and hetter health than any ready- made home on a big scale will afford. Rental barracks may have certain ad- vantages in the way of comfort and convenience, but anybody can see that that sort of living does not make for sturdy health, independence or the great home-loving spirit, which is at the bottom of true American life and greatness. I have not a foot of land for sale, but there are many bar- gains in lots and houses in or near Washington, most of which are first- cluss investments at present prices, to say nothing of their value for the founding of separate, individual homes for honest, worthy Government clerks and their families. Five per cent money will do the business. & L. S. PERKINS. —— e ‘Herd-Housing’ of Clerks Highly Undesirable To the Editor of The Star: 1 find myself quite in agreement with the views expressed by former Representative Stengle in your issue of the 20th. The employes of the jovernment are its servants during the hours of their employment, but at other times they assume their full in- dividuality as citizens, and there is no more reason for them to be, as Sten- gle says, huddled together in resi- dences than for any other class of in- telligent and specialized workers to be economically coerced in their resi- dence rights. If big apartments are provided by philanthropie enterprise so that living quarters may be obtained at less cost than at present, a condition of eco- nomic coercion will thereby be cre- ated which would have unfortunate aspects. It is a primary law of wages that compensation for the worker tends to sravitate to the plane of elementa tence: and anything that looks to- rd making it possible for the Goy- ernment employes to gain a little more margin o he bare outlay for subsistence would tend to hold their compensation at the present inade- quate level, or even to bring about its lowering. The standard of living for those in group occupations lies not in the direction of paternalistic pro- visions—and this would be of a semi- sort—but in the achievement by them of an ampler wage. The promotion of a deadening bu- reaucracy would follow the creation of an oftice working class, lost to a sense of the individuality of its members through virtual submergence in its occupagional character. B. B. JAMES, oo No Need to Import Sweet Acorn Trees To the Editor of The Star In a recent issue of your valuable and usually informative paper, read an excerpt from the Philadel- phia Public Ledger—"Replacing the Chestnut” (tree). It is stated in the article that a Chicago millionaire is iving consideration to importing into the United States sweet acorn trees (variety of the oak tree) from the Island of Majorca, to take the place of the vanishing chestnut. It is also stated, “The Majorcans cat the acorns as we eat chestnuts, finding them entirely without the bitterness of the fruit of the Amer- ican oaks.” Why import an oak or its acorn from the Island of Majorca? We have, indigenous to our soil, in | ment and rolling stock, relying on the western New York, wooded banks of the nesee River, north of Rochester, “sweet acorn trees.” Many of the sweet acorns have I, as a boy, eaten. The “sweet acorn” is oblong in shape, while the bitter acorn is round—or nearly so. along_the From the Wall Street S Highway traffic calli®or fewer of the headlong and more of the long- headed. . - e This fruit is not large nor is it very small. Tt is quite sweet, of good flavor. W. E. RYAN. {of interest paid ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN. Q. What is a sun-dog?—L. E. B. A. The sundog is a bright spot about 40 to 45 diameters of the sun distant, and at the same elevation as the sun above the horizon. The origin of the term “sun-dog” is not known. Q. Ts the jack salmori and muskel- lunge the same?—C. G. W. A. They are two distinct species. In many instances they are similar in appearance. The muskellunge he- longs to the pike family (scientific name, “luclidae”) and belongs to the subgenus lucius masquinongy. The jack salmon belongs to the perch fam- ily (sctentific name, “percidae”) and to the vitreum stizostevion. Q. What is the voitage of a flash of lightning?—R. S. McK. A. The Bureau of Standards says that only estimates are available con- cerning the voltage of lightning strokes. These range from a few hundred thousand to several billion volts; depending upon the ideas of the persons making the estimates. No measurements have been made. Q. Why aren’t the electric light and power plants of big cities located at the coal mines and the power transmitted by long-distance systems? —G. A. H. A. Four reasons are given by ex- perts—first, the danger of interrup- tion of service through trouble with the transmission lines; second, the enormous quantity of water required for condensing purposes and the diffi- culty of securing it in the vicinity of coal mines; third, if located at the mines, the plant would be dependent for fuel upon a small group of mines, and a strike or any other interfer ence with the production of coal at those mines would tie up the plant, whereas, located in the city, the plant gets its coal from a large number of widely separated mines; fourth, the difficulty of getting a sufficient force of competent workers near mines. Q. T arecent dispatch from Rus- sia I saw the word “Menshiviki." What does it mean?—R. O. N. A. The word is Russian, meaning “the smaller,” hence the minorit The Menshiviki are the Russian cial Democrats of moderate views, op- posed to the Bolsheviki. They hold that Russia is not economically ready for the introduction of the complete Socialist program. Q. As there are many old Roman roads still in existence, why isn’t this method of road building employed to- day?—B. M. E. A. The expense would he too great. The Applan Way was built of solid masonry, sometimes several feet thick, and recent rough estimates have shown that it would cost about $250,000 per mile to reproduce such highways under present costs and condition Q. How many men were involved in the revolution in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays shortly after the Revolutionary War? What was the year of the outbreak?—L. P. S. < A. Shays' rebellion was in {TS», ul at- When he made his unsuc tempt to capture the arsenal at <pringfield he had a force of about 2,000 men. Q. How ma income tax M A. In 1922 the grand total of cor. porations for the United States was 382,883, of which 21 reported net incomes. Q. How the various A. Legislatures met in 39 1925 and enacted 13,018 bills into law Figures for the current year are not ailable. Q. What is of any ( G corporations pay an many term oftictal? the longest ot wernment The controller general of the United States and the assistant con troller general hold their offices for 5 years. The incumbents of those offices, Messrs. McCarl and Ginn, were appolnted July 1, 1921 Q. What are the total resources of the labor banks of this country’ H. D. D. A. The resources of the labor banks of the United States are in ex cess of $101,000,000 What Protestant ministers paid most highly >—A. C. M. A. Salaries are mnot matter public record. Among the churche: which have highly paid ministers ar . Thomas' Episcopal Church, ¥ enue Presbyterian Church rk Avenue Baptist Church. New York City: Fourth Presby Church and llvde Park Chureh of Chicago. and Old (Congregational) Church of Boston are Q. Q. How does Magellan's time ircumnavigating the with the present rec ; Magellan’s ship made the fir<t ey around the world in < less than 3 years, 404 y made York on July 14, 36 minute: mileage s the best wh the for compar It means 4 flour which has characteristics mo-t sought for by bakers. Government statistics bring out the fact that the uneducated man has only one chance in S00 to attain dis tinetion. There is no reason why any one should live under such a handicap in these days of free schools and free information. This paper supports in Washington, D. C.. the largest free information bureauw in eristence. It will procure for you the answer to any question’ you may ask. Avail wourself of its facilitics for your seif- improvement. Inclose a for return postage. Address Washington Star Information Bureau, Frederick J. Haskin, Director, Wash- ington, D. C. Railroad Efficiency Records Are Set When New Recognition of efliciency on the part of the country's railroads is given in the press comments on the reports of earnings for the first half of the present vear. All previous records were eclipsed. Now the hope is ex- pressed by many editors that this bet- ter financial situation of the roads, achieved by careful management, will not be serlously affected by new wage or rate demands. all the roads are making money.” it Is pointed out F Philadelphia. Public Ledger, which be- lieves, however, that *“most of them are well out of the financial woods.” and that “their prosperity has helped maintain _the general level of na- tional well-being.” while “their pres- ent sound position is one of the hope- ful factors for the future. Flow long they can hold that position is a ques- tion,” continues the Ledger. “The West Is trying to force rates down, while rail labor fs working to drive ages upward. The roads will he caught hetween the upper and the nether millstones.” “If the wage demands are granted says the Baltimore Sum, “they wil 2dd many millions to operating cost and as there does not seem much prospect of large reduction in these costs by increased efficiency, the would, no doubt, follow prompt an appeal for increase in » pass the burden over to the publl The Sun directs tention to the efforts of the media- tion hoard recently created, and holds that “with the moderating influence of that board the roads and their amployes are expected to come to agreement fair to both and to the public. The country is vitally inter- ested in this effort, the most ambi. tious yet made, to settle industri disputes by peaceful method: con- cludes the Sun. * k¥ ¥ The present situation is credited by the Chicago Dafly News to “vears of persistent effort and marked succe in applying new policies of economy and efficiency,” but that paper als Fecognizes that “prosperity, like ad- versity. brings problems in its train. Qo.called agrarian politicians,”- the News declares, “are certain to de- mand more insistently than before substantial reductions in the rates on agricultural products. At the same time they will oppose the pending bil v/ reductions in the rate L by railroads on debts iovernment. however, an mis- now en- due the United States 1t is to be bornme in mind that fiflllr'h! "(vr Ihl": i organiec whole are n furding, since the prosperity ne g en- joved by the railroads is far from heing universal. In the Northwest, xample, carriers are not approx- :Omrmel;: the fair return’ fixed by the n ac 'WT‘F{’S’Q'},‘J?moh to the figure agreed on in the transportation act as aSsir ing a fair_return.” contends the tn- dianapolis Star, “should not mean tha the Natlon's transportation lines are to be subjected to further l:»gnsldndwe tinkering, nor that excessive wage de- mands should offset the improvement reflected in the last six months’ busi- ness. The practice in the past has been largely one of attempting to im- pose mew handicaps whenever the roads seem to be definitely earning a |rair rate. They have achieved ma- terial progress along the iines of effi- ciency and economy, and should be left unhampered to work out their own problems.” * % % % “The ratio of operating expenses to gross revenues in the first six months | York of this year, states the 94 per Herald Tribune, “stood at cent, against 77.33 per cent a vear ago in the corresponding period. This improvement in pperation may be said to be due almost entirely to the con- structive attitude taken by the rail- roads themselves in expending liter- ally billions of dollars in new equip- assurance that the transportation act would fulfill its promise to see that they received rates sufficient to enable them to earn a decent living and to interest capital on favorable terms. A fair return on our railroads is not a luxury, it is an economy. The prog- ress of the world has been in direct proportion to'fie development of com- munication anftransportation. and a weil organized, well maintained and | railway: Lauded well functloning system of railroads has been one of the most Importane elements in the exceptional prosperity of this country during the last two year: * ok ok K “As compared with 40 vears ago.” the Sioux City Tribune, “when Ads were admittedly rolling increased volume of d rates are agaln heginning to ormal financial effects. Automobile competition has affected expansion in freight traffic to large extent, but the railroads ave doing a much Targer volume of busi ness than they did 40 years ago, and are getting better rates. Increased operating expenses and increased taxes have taken over some of the gross gains. Arbitrary expansions in capitalization also have encroached materially upon the net percentage revent The Tribune iders that “the general business gain more than disclosed on the surfac but advises, “The mere fact that the principal railroads of the country are getting ba on a sound basis sho not make them the victims of politi agitation, and probably will not have that effect if the raiiroad managers do their part in the way of keeping t general public satisfied.”” “The most encouraging feature of the report,”” in the opinion of the Knoxville Sentinel, “is that instead of receding at the turn of the half ve: business was continuing at a high of activity, and today shows no tend ency to decline.” = The Loulsville Times emp} the fact that “the rallroads, which forecasters said were in for a hard time after the World War, and threatened with ultir ruln becanse of the advent of freight trucks and passenger busses, now are embarrassed by their ri Cedar Rapids Gazette sees added protit in_the future from ‘“co-ordination of automobile airplane freight and passenger transportation.’ believing that “the railroad will al ways hold the bulk of commercial transportation. s the raflr e o Writer Says Her Works Have Been Plagiarized To the Editor of The Star This is a note of thanks for your editorial on plagiarism. It is m opinion that unknown writers, str gling for a place in the literary world suffer from this form of theft oftener than is commonly supposed. The successful writer, who has ar rived, does not fear plagiarism. His reputation and his pocketbook will protect him. Besides, little, if any, of his “stuff” is sent unsolicited to a magazine; it is contracted for before it is written. But the unknown writer is differ. ent. As everything he sends In is unsolicited, it has to be, to gain any attention at all, exceptionally original. If the idea is old, the manner of presentation must be unusual. The commonplace or horrowed idea may “get by" in the known writer, but not in the unknown writer. Now, the unknown writer who sends in an original concept, story, poem or play, is at the mercy of the maga zine or corpordtién to whom the literary effort is submitted. If it is plagiarized, the author is, as a rule. without money or influence, and fears to risk a suit. It may be evident. even to the casual observer, yet it is almost impossible to prove. My opinion is that only “reputable” magazines or large corporations are gullty of this despicable thieving. Small concerns can't afford to risk their reputation. I sent a scenario to a “reputable” pleture company. They kept it a long time, then they returned it as “unavailable.” Shortly after a plc- ture was produced by this same com- pany. the same as my rejected scenario. In like .manner a ‘repu- table” magazine offered a special price for a certain type of poem. | submitted one, which was rejected. A month later, my concept, In almost the same words, was published in thi® magazine. This is very discouraging. It fs difficult enough to meet falr com- petition, without having the fear that ong's best work can be grabbed, and that there is no redress. MARIE DASHIRLL.

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