Evening Star Newspaper, September 12, 1926, Page 46

THE EVENING STA With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. SUNDAY.....September 12, 1926 THEODORE W. NOYES. . . . Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: 11th St. and Penneylvania Ave, New York Office: 110 East 42nd St Chicago Office: Tower Building. Buropean Office: 14 Repent St..glondon, England. The Evening Star. with the Sunday morn- in& edition, fs delivered by carriers within he ¢ty at' 80 cents per month: daily only, ¢8 cents per month: Sundays onl cents rer month. Orders may be sent by mail or telephone Main 5000. Coliéetion is made by arnier at end of eachi month Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dafly and Su Aty Saly Sundey Sundas only . All Other States and Canada. and Sunday..1 yr. $12.00° 1 mo., $1.00 only 1yr. $800:1mo. 75 1yr. $4.00:1mo. 36 Daily) Dail; 3 tunday only Member «f the Associated Press. The Assoriatel Press is exclusively entitled ‘o tha ea for repnblication of all news dis- natches credited to it or not otherwise cred- ‘ed in this paper and also the local news blished herain. Al rights of publication 1t special dispatehes herein are also reserved Germany In; Spain Out. Developments at Geneva during the week will add greatly to the prestige, and probably to the usefulness, of the League of Nations. Friends of the lengue are naturally regretful that Spain has felt impelled to withdraw from membership, but the coming in of Germany more than offsets the go- ing out of Spain. And as two years must elapse before the Spanish resig- nation becomes effective, a way yet may be found to satisfy the govern- ment at Madrid that its best interests lie within the association of nations. Tt may be something of a surprise to Furope to learn that there is in this country genuine satisfaction at the prospect of increasing strength and influence for the League. The American people decided, and still be- lieve, that the interests of this coun- try are best served by abstaining from League membership, but that does not mean that they do not wish the League well. The few public men and public journals that rejoice whenever the League gets what appears to be a setback are not representative of sound American opinfon. If the League can help Kurope along the way to peace it ought to have, and does have, the sympathy of all right- thinking Americans. That the “Spirit of Locarno” is a ,thing of substance and not merely a figment in the minds of dreamers was strikingly demonstrated at Geneva when Germany was voted into League membership. It was one of the most significant, as well as one of the most dramatic, moments since the World War was ended. Aristide Briand, the French foreign minister, rose to su- preme heights of eloquence and states- manship, and the performance of For ~ign Minister Stresemann of Germany was none the less praiseworthy and scarcely less notable. If they voiced the sentiments of their respective peoples, and there is no reason to think they did not, the will to peace has at last found firm lodgement with the historic enemies, and for Europe there appears the dawning of a new and better day. With Europe planning for peace in- stead of war, there will arise many oc casfons upon which America can and will lend a helping.hand. Europe has evidenced a good deal of disappoint- ment and some resent that thi country refused to become a member of the League. But up to the present time most Americans have believed that their course was the one of wis- dom. The League today seems more nearly an organization to which the United States might well belong than it ever has In the past. If it contin- ues to progress and to shape itself into a real agency for a of an instrument for of selfish natio istic possible to believe the come when the American people will be willing to reconsider the matter of membership The ominous rumble of the earth- quake contlnues as a reminder that the relief of human distress arising from natural conditions is a sufficient sk without adding to that distress by wanton war. — e As enlightenment prog perosived that production potato is of more value to civilization than the manufacture «f a bomb. Sl T Truth is still stranger than fiction. No detective story writer has equaled the mystery of the Hall-Mills case E e . — Washington’s Firemen. Testerday's parade of the District fire department prefacing the annual hase ball game between the p and firemen for the benefit ent peace inste the serving aims, it is not im- that time may it of is a new war men of the rellet funds afforded Washington a | good opportunity to obwerve the per songel of that important branch of ‘he municipal service. In the pres- ant conditions it is now possible to rearuit the department strength. With I and with the threeplatoon system, which permits resting period District has no diffic sting a complete complement of men. T'hus the department has today a full foroe and a better force of firemen sannot be found anywhere in this country. With the department fully motor i7zed and with a full enrollment of men the District’s protection against fire i9 &t the highest point ever at atned. In respect to speed of re sponse and effciency a the firefighters of the Cupital hold & p wecond to none. Recently tests ~ompetition established & record qulok response far bevond that ever \ttatned elsewhere. The fmportance )¢ promptness in answering alarms annot be magnified. This city's low percentage of fire loss is due in large Aegree to the fact that fires are kept o small proportions through prompt action. . There renuiins vet to be secured, to nake the District’s fire service entire v satisfactory. the installation of a nigh-pressure cévering the is a fair a fon in system usiness ares, Such -a eyuatem, fed pelated recommendation, or the“ths from the rivet and maintained by powerful pumps, would not only in- crease the guarantee against con- flagration but would lower the drain upon the water supply. That should be the next development, and when it is accomplished, as it must be eventually, Washington will have in all respects an ideal fire protection systém. An interesting feature of yester- day’s parzde was the participation of the fire departments of adjacent Maryland and Virginia. The towns and villages of those States lying within the District-metropolitan area made an admirable showing in point of equipment and personnel., All of these organizations are maintained on the volunteer basis, with a very few remunerated men. They have, as far as their means permit, in- stalled modern, efficient motors and pumps and give thelr people an ade- quate protection against fire. The District always stands ready to aid in emergencies, but, judging from yesterday’s showing. the nearby com- munities of Maryland and Virginia are capable of safeguarding them- selves against disaster and they are to be congratulated on their enter- prise in putting themselves upon this Lasis. . Take the Whole Triangle! Consideration of the proposal to locate the new Commerce Building on a site bounded by Pennsylvania ave- nue, the Mall and Tenth street, in- volving, as it would, the closing of two streets, brings again to mind the suggestion made long ago that the entire Mall-Avenue triangle should be acquired by the Government as a whole and regarded as the future gen- eral site for public buildings. By taking it as a whole, it was then urged, it could be utilized without ref- erence to street lines or block di- visions. Spaces could be taken within it for buildings large and small, with- out embarrassment or difficulty on the score of street limitations. This present suggestion of an Ave- nue site for the Commerce Building, covering the Center Market space and and the square to the west bisected by Louislana avenue fnvolves the clos- ing of Ninth street and Loulsiana avenye. With the new building cov- ering this entire area the need for these two streets would disappeay. They are at present used in giving access to the food-purveying estab- lishments there located. Tn any scheme of city planning that proposes the development of large spaces for parks, or the utiliza- tion of other spaces for constructions, existing street lines are a handicap. They may, however, be ignored upon occasion, provided the convenlence of the community as a whole is not lessened. The closing of Ninth street would not inconvenience anybody if the market section to which it now gives access were eliminated. Utilization of the entire Mall-Ave- nue triangle is possible with the greatest economy of area and to the best advantage in building de- sign and placement on the basis of its treatment as a whole and not as a serles of city blocks. For example, there Is the matter of the proposed addition to the Municipal Building, which is already outgrown and which requires an annex. It should not be located “across the street.” but im- mediately adjacent. So, too, in the of the now urgently necessary addition to the Post Office Depart- ment, for which the block to the cast has been suggested. The archi- tecture of the present Post Office Department Building is not, to be sure, of a type to render an immedi- ately adjoining structure entirely an ngreeable prospect, but for purposes of official convenience and good ad- ministration any extension should be contiguous and not separated Had Governmen? the entire triangle when it took the west- . the five flank- the White L have made better disposition of the space than has been possible under the piecemeal system of site selection. It is not too late, however, to pro- ceed on the basis of a wholesale taking of the land, and it is to be hoped that at the next session of Congress, in view of the progress now making toward the utilization of this entire area for Giovernment building, legislation will be had au- thorizing the condemnation or direct purchase of all that remains now in | private ownes In persuading France and Germany to take on the semblance of friend- ship, the League of Nations' has al- ready accomplished a great work. space the 1ken “squares" it could - ———— In view of the well known deadli- ness of ordinary {llicit liquor, the need of introducing extra poison scarcely appeals to the logical sense P N O The “Stop” System. cection of the new “stop” signs for boulevard and arterial streets in Washington proceeding, but so far nothing seems to have been ao- complished along the line of in- creased speed for automobiles on these highways, the sole object of the entire campaign for *stop” streets. Boulevard streets and arterial high- ways serve their purpose throughout the country as fast-traffic, safe roads. In Washington however, despite congressional authorization for high- er speed limits in the outlying sec- tions and despite recommendations of the traffic office that thirty miles an hour e set on portions of thirteen streets, the entire project have disappeared some- is lof these to Wwhere between the offi issioners which eems and the traffic waus submitted Com counctl, to it for approv Completion of the boulevard sys- tem in the National Cupital should be delayed no longer. With lack of funds at the disposal of the traffic office up to the present time and va- rious other obstacles which have been thrown i the it has already taken too long a period to bring the plans to culmi ion The project has now point at which either the s should be raised, according way, eed limit to the > of the Board | reached a scheme should be abandoned in '.h.' outlying sections, where there is only light traffic on cross streets, as there appears to be no particular rea- son for requiring every occasional au- tomobile to come to a full stop before entering a 22-mile limit arterial high- way. Although it defeats the main ob- ject of “stop” streets, which is to move heavy traffio at a safe, fast pace, there is no alternative but to abandon the plan in the outlying sec- tions if the scheme cannot be com- pleted as originally planned. There is certainly no reason to cause in- convenience — and stopping 1s ad- mittedly an inconvenience—to a large number of motorists with no corre- sponding benefit. In the residential and uptown sec- tions the system can be carried on as it is now, because in many cases the stop is & traffic necessity on ap- proaching heavily traveled streets. So there are two cholces, either to complete the scheme or abandon it where it will cause inconvenience without benefit. Under its present operation it is lopsided and unwieldy and the choice will have to be made. “Stop” streets with high speed limits in suburban districts have proved practical in more congested localities than Washington. It would seem, therefore, that the logical chofce would be to rush through to completion a modern boulevard sys- tem which will allow a fast, safe flow of trafic. An interested city 1is awaiting the decision on this im- portant matter. — et The beauty of the pageant given by the K. K. K. last year warrants a. sentiment of “Welcome to our city! regardless of the doubts which may be entertained as to the underlying purposes of the organization. ———————————— A time may come when the prob- lem of disarmament may be solved by reducing its terms to an uncompromis- ing zero and dispensing with more or less complicated caloulations in rela- tivity. r————————— The lure of the city is irresistible. The moonshiner used to haunt the lonely mountains. Now he is found in the densely populated municipal areas. e Court procedure may effect a settle- ment of a case involving charges of official irregularity, but it never has the spectacular interest of a Senate investigation. ————————— Lady Astor is quoted as saying she is proud of both her countries. As civilization advances, patriotism be- comes more cosmopolitan. B e — Swimming the English Channel threatens to change from an excep- tional achievement to an athletic fad. ——ret— 00TING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON Birds. The eagle is an emblem proud, Displayed at each election. He must not sail above the cloud Too high for self-protection. We all admire the dove of peace, Just as we always useter. But if the warlike threats don’t cease ‘We'll get a fightin’ rooster. Promotion. “What has become of the old-fash- ioned Jobbylst?" “In the lexicon of fame, Senator Sorghum, “he has been pro- moted from three syllables to four. He 1s now a propagandist.” Born Too Soon. Poor Dante suffered much neglect. Were he alive today A fortune he might soon collect | 1f he would save his pay. | He would not wander day and night | Where luck was running low. He'd go to Hollywood and write A big scenar- Jud Tunkins says he hopes Ger- many will repopularize herself suffi- ciently to reintroduce the term “Frankfurters” instead of “hot dogs.” . Cruel Critle. “I understand you express the opin- fon that my literary style is tautologi- cal.” “I did nothing of the kind,” an- swered Miss Cayenne. ““What 1 said was that it Is untaught-illogical.” Says Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “burning punk is a flattery the gods despise, but encourage as an economi- cal substitute for the mortal idea of grandeur which demands burning money.” Result of War. The questign of war is profound, And practical thought must intrude. There's glory enough to go 'round, But a palpable shortage of food. “Some o’ dese sinners,” sald Uncle Eben, “is 80 smart dat if dey is sent to a lake of fiery brimstone, dey’ll find & way to cobl it off and peddle de sul- phur.” B No Police Tickets Then. From the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch. It was a good thing for Rip Van Winkle that sthere was no parking limits in his day. One Style Missing. From the Lincoln Star. They claim there is a style of bob to fit every shape of head. But up to date we haven't seen any really square bobs. SR An Honest Industr From the Arkansas Democrat. Laugh at hog-calling contests if you will, but they're far more practical than some of our political gatherings. More Room There. From the Hamilton Spectator. Clara Belle Barrett says she tried to swim the Channel to raise funds for a musical career—a profession not so crowded as Channel swimming. Their Heritage. From the Lincoln Star. As a general thing the meek inherit bu!nnlynle"ltldll.. ’ | has broken A UNIVERSAL HABIT. St. Luke, zviii.10: “Two men went up into the temple to pray.” No practice is more common to men the world over than worship. It is a characteristic "of the savage and of the most civilized. In one form or another it has found expression in every age and by every race. From the most primitive conceptions of God | down to the latest revelation we have concerning Him, man has reached out and up for that which would satisfy the deeper yearnings of his spiritual nature. Repeated attempts have been made to stifie this instinct or to re- press it, and still it has persisted and revailed. “If you abolish God from he life of the people today, they will invent a new god tomorrow,” was the statement of Robesplerre to his col- leagues in the most heated period of the French Revolution. ‘Wherever and whenever any effort has been made to suppress the reli- glous instinct it has inevitably met with failure. There are those today who, disregarding their own religious obli- gations, would seek to discount and disparage religious habits and prac- tices. Wherever such an attempt is made it inevitably results in a more widespread interest in the desper and finer things of religion. e may change our forms of government, our soclal and industrial habits and prac- tices, but we dare not attempt to place limitations upon those expressions of devotion that satisfy the deeper yearn- ings and aspirations of the soul. “The government of the people never gets ahead of the religion of the people,” was Mr. Coolidge’s wise observation. He fully realizes that the two things are vitally and essentlally related. To discourage or to treat with inconsider- ation man’s religious instincts is to invite disaster, confusion and anarchy. “Where there is no vision the people perish” is axiomatic the world over. In the roughest soldiers he came in contact with in France, Donald Hankey discovered this spiritual element and this outreaching after God. In the parable that Jesus used to describe the true value of worship He draws a picture that is not uncommon to our age. “Two men went up into the temple to pray,” representing two distinct types. The first offered his devotions withoyt any consciousness of his needs or weaknesses. His was an arrogant, self-conceited expression of his own virtues. He came into the temple to praise himself. There was nothing of the spirit of worship in 2 THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., SEPTEMBER 12, 1926—PART 2. EVERYDAY RELIGION BY THE RIGHT REV. JAMES E. FREEMAN, D. D., LL. D., Bishop of Washington. his attitude. Consumed with worldly and selfish ambitions, his worship was unworthy and unacceptable and yielded no profit. His was like the worship of the King in “Hamlet,” wherein he said: My w 3 remain below : WL U T He concluded his devotions with the proud assurance, “I thank Thee that I am not as other men are.” the temple less fit than he entered it. The second stood with humility and with a profound sense of need on the outskirts of the crowd. Conscious of his own unworthiness and need of divine assistance, he bowed himself be- fore God, crying out, ‘God, be merci- ful to me, a sinner!” Of the two, Jesus said that the latter “went down to his house, justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. It is clearly evident that Jesus’ appraisal of the value of worship re- sides in the motive that impels it rather than the form of its expres- sion. Our corporate worship today is governed very largely by emotions that render it unworthy and unprofit- able. Our devotions are too dependent for their glow and enthusiasm upon some personality that for the while administers the concerns of the church. In other words, it is the preacher who affects very largely our religlous emotions. Hence churches grow popular or unpopular, accord- ing to the talents and genius of the man in the pulpit—we become wor- shipers of a man or of a system. Along with this is our seeming inca- pacity to . recognize adequately our normal spiritual needs. I feel that, somehow, worship fits us the better for the common everyday tasks of lite. In fine, that we go forth re- freshed and equipped to meet the diffi- culties, temptations and trials that beset us on every hand. No element of strength that comes through wor- ship has a deeper consciousness of the value and meaning of fellowship. “There 1s a place where spirits blend, where friend holds fellowship with friend.” The common recognition of our common need and dependence upon God but serves to emphasize the intimacy of the tie that binds us to- gether. A community that with fine devotion recognizes the call to wor- ship not only insures to itself a finer community spirit, but safeguards ft- self against evils that are destructive u; ;.F‘e finer and more appealing things of life. COMBATING CANCER BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Physiclans, surgeons and other scientists who are deeply interested in the war on that dread disease, cancer, are letting it be known that they re- gatd it as extremely unfortunate that widespread publicity 1s given from time to time to reports that the can- cer germ has been isolated, and that an antitoxin or other cure has been discovered that promises mankind protection against ‘an affliction that grows more serious from year to vear. Whatever has been accomplished toward isolating the cancer germ, it is stated by the best authorities that no medicine, diet or serum has been found that is a cure for the disease. This fact should be impressed upon the public, it is declared, and along with it should go the knowledge that cancer can be combated successfully if attacked in its early stages. Im- mediate surgery is the hope and al- most the only hope of sufferers, and there are precautions that should be observed by everybody who develops symptoms of the disease. What to do and what not to do has been epitomized by the American So- ciety for the Control of Cancer into an allimportant warning, of which perhaps the most fmportant part is the generalization, “Don’t be afraid to learn the truth as to whether or not you are threatened with cancer.” Probably next in importance is the admonition to avoid all quacks, pro- prietary remedies and Indians and gypsies who make cancer dlagnosis or promise cures. Any person who has any continuous irritation, sores that do not heal, moles which change their shape and size or abnormal _discharges is warned that he should consult a phy- sician at once. So, too, any one who teeth or dental rub or bind should go to & dentist. Again, if you have persistent indigestion, or lose weight steadil or if you have a lump in the breast, which I go to a physician. In short, if there is anything the matter with you that worrles you, and that suggests the possibility of cancer, go to your doctor and learn the truth immediately, bearing in mind that a cancerous condition may remain local for a long period during which it can be checked at any time, or it may spread with appalling rapidity and at- tain fatal proportions while the victim is considering whether there really is anything serious the matter with him and what, if anything, he should do about it. Its Ravages Increasing Yearly. In the United States, cancer Kkills about 125,000 people a year now, and it is increasing at the rate of about 21 per cent a year. It is almost the only major disease that humankind is heir to that science has been unable to wage a winning fight against. Ty- phold, malaria, vellow fever, smallpox, tuberculosis, diabetes, goiter, have all been checked in their ravages, to a greater or lesser degree, but cancer Inflicts an increasingly large number of fatalities every year. In two dec- ades it advanced from seventh to fifth place among the diseases causing death. . The primary reason for this, it is belleved, is the disposition of so many people to deceive themselves or be decelved as to the seriousness of their condition and as to what can or should be done about it. Too many people develop symptoms of cancer and ig- nore them, or permit themselves to be deluded into believing that some quack remedy or treatment will af- ford prompt relief or a sure cure. ‘Another reason is, strangely enough, the general increase in longevity. It seems anomalous that because people generally are living longer than they did a few generations ago they are more likely to die of cancer and cancer deaths will increase, but the authori- ties say it is none the less true. Cancer is a disease of middle age and old age. Sclence combats with in- creasing success other diseases, with the result that more people live to an age when they are likely to develop cancers and to succumb to them. It is also explained by the experts that cancer is rather more prevalent in the cities than in the country, so the increase in our urban population means more people to become its po- tential victims. ‘While cancer has been called a mod- ern disease, it is known to have ex- isted and to have been mentioned by the Egyptians and by the Hindus in their medical writings as long back as 2,000 B. C. The disease occurs not only in man, but in all warm-blooded animals. It is not equally frequent at all ages. Certain types of cancer have been found in new-born infants, showing that they are congenital, but this is extremely rare, and as a rule cancer begins to appear at the age of 35, increasing rapidly in frequency until the age of 65—a little earler in women, a little later in men. plates |81 u lor in which a pe; After 18} the rate of occurrence of cancer de- creases very rapidl One of the great English authorities says that ‘‘cancer is a part of the price we pay for civilization,” and adds: “We know that cancer is the result of the slow polsoning of our bodies under the unnatural conditions which clvilization imposes on them, and we can prevent it as soon as we educate civilized people to return to the natural habits and diet of uncivil- ized people.” ‘Whether or not cancer is hereditary 1s a question that has long occupied the attention both of statisticians and of physicians and surgeons. The con- sensus of opinion now is that it is not. You are not likely to be a victim of the disease because a parent had it, although {t is recognized that in some families there may be a ten- dency to cancer. Again, however, it may be that a family has what ap- pears to be an unusual number of cases of cancer and this may be due to the fact that it is a large family, or a long-lived family. Perhaps the strongest eidence that cancer is not transmitted in the blood is the conclusion reached by life in- surance companies that a history of cancer in the ancestry is not to be regarded as a sign that cancer will oc- cur In the descendants. That is to say, a person is not considered a bad risk because there has been cancer in his family. Cancer Not Contagious. Nor is the disease contagious, con- trary to a widely prevalent supersti- tion or bellef. There is said to be no recorded evidence of a case in which cancer has been transferred from one person to another or In which a sur- geon has contracted the disease during an _operation on a cancerous person, n nursing a vietim has had the disease transmitted to him or her. The cause of cancer is not definitely known, but it seems generally agreed that irritation is one of the things that thprlma‘irily incite cancerous growths, and hence is somethi be avoided. e As to the cure or prevention, Dr. Francis C. Wood, director of the In- stitute of Cancer Research of Colum- bia University, and one of the greatest authorities on the subject, declares that the only generally successful cure for cancer Is its removal as early as possible by surgical means. And_everybody should know and remember that when a cancer begins it is no larger than a pin-point, so that if a diagnosis is made and it is cut out in time every cancer would be curable. THINK IT OVER So Big. By William Mather Lewis, [President George Washington University A young couple from Iowa went to Niagara Falls. As they stood view- ing the mighty torrent, the gran- deur of the scene silenced them for a time. Finally, however, thought found expression and the young man exclaimed, “It's one of the finest things of the kind I have ever seen The statement {s noteworthy be- cause of its conservative character. We are wont to boast of the bigness of the things with which we are as- soclated daily. If we haven't the biggest things in our community we set about to secure them at the ear- liest possible moment. The Wool- worth Bullding in New York is now our tallest business structure, but plans are being drawn for an 84-story office bullding in Detroit. There are few cases on record where local pro- moters have underestimated the size of thelr city. If the census shows that our town has passed the 15,000 point, we state that it has “nearly 20,000 residents”; if it has passed 20,000, then we proudly aver that it is nearing the 25,000 mark. We boast the biggest pickle factory in the coun- try, the most costly courthouse in the State, the longest paved road in the Nation. The trouble with bigness as a meas- ure of perfection is that it is transi- tory. Tomorrow the 84-story building will be overshadowed by some new ‘Tower of Babel. As De Morgan put it: Great fieas have little fleas upon their backs And little fleas have lesser floas. and so ad infinitum; And the great’ fleas themselves. in turn, have greater fieas to %o oni. What's the answer? To school our- selves and our children to secure sat- isfaction not from the pursuit of big- ness ‘but from the desire for quality. It is not the biggest apple which has the finest flavor. (Copyright. 1926.3 Capital Sidelights Just now when the vouth of the land is turning footsteps toward schools and colleges and universities, Representative Brooks Fletcher of Ohio, who says that ‘“editing and publishing newspapers has been my business,» my life vocation, and poli- ties my avocatlon, yet education and working with young people has been my life hobby,” apropos of “the tragedy of misunderstood youth™ contributes some timely thoughts regarding educational reform. “Even to the layman, the need for a revolution in the field of education is startlingly apparent,” Mr. Fletcher says. “To illustrate: the present tra- ditional method of examinations as a means for ascertaining a student’s qualifications for advancement is a shameful wastd of the teacher’s time, an unreliable test of a student’s ability and reliability, and to many boys and girls so emotionally dis- turbing and terrifying as to be dan- gerous to their personalities, and, therefore, must be modernized by sclentific technique. “This thing of putting boys and girls at the mercy of teachers who have never done anything in all their lives but go to school themselves, whose education has been obtained exclusively from books and the arti- ficlal atmosphere of the schoolroom, and who, because of not having real practical contact with life, know next to nothing of reality, is an educational crime, and is one reason why so many dazed thousands of youngsters come out of school to meet the challenge of everyday experience, book-educated beyond their intelli- gence, or with an unmarketable edu- cation of no use to them in the business of living. “The disposition of the workers In the laboratory of the educator- sclentist to be intimately identified with and willing to learn from the laboratory of reality and practical everyday life is one hope of those who wish to eliminate the possibili- ties of tragedy for misunderstood youth, “The legislators of all the nations of the world must somehow be made to understand that not the battle- ship, but the schoolhouse, is eventu- ally to become our greatest means of national defense. “The teachers who are training their students to develop interna- tional mindedness are doing more toward stopping the hell on earth we call war than all the battleship build- ers on the globe. “If H. G. Wells knows what he is talking about when he says that civilization is a race between educa- tion and catastrophe, then the edu- cator’s responsibility is equaled only by his opportunity. “Our first obligation in training the youth of today, who are to be the citizens of tomorrow, is to get into youth’s skin, and through his young eyes look out upon the con- fused and jumbled world, that we may see life as youth sees life. “So, after all Is sald and done, to succeed tn this business of lending a helping hand to modern youth, we must ourselves become as little chil- dren, in order to enter the realm of childhood’s understanding, and thus fulfill the obligation this generation owes to the coming generation.” * ok k% The defeat in the primaries of Representative William D. Upshaw of Georgia means the retirement of one of the most picturesque char- acters and fluent speakers in the House. To quote one limpid para- egraph that drips Insinuatingly from the tongue of this poetic apostle of prohibition and evangelist, when asking Congress to appropriate 'a million dollars to build near Atlanta a national home for disabled, aged and infirm soldiers and sailors of all wars: “Like the blended voice of silver bells and golden harps falling on our ears from the battlements of the skies, is the argument that Henry ‘W. Grady lived and died in Atlanta, and left the priceless heritage of his sacred influence for a reunited country vibrant in Atlanta’s atmos- phere, and falling in our hearts from the ‘burnished ceiling of the sky,’ ‘like down from some high angel's wing.' " X o % x The Reserve Officers Training Corps is really a New KEngland institution, Representative Ernest W. Gibson of Vermont, who has taken such an active part in all legislation for the Improvement of the National Capital, points out. He gives credit to his own alma mater, Norwich University, from which he received the degrees of B. 8. and A. M, and, last June, saying that the Reserve Offi- ralning Corps flrst made its here more than a century s Mr. Gibson s a distinguishe military record. He served during the Mexican border troubles and two years during the World War. He won his way to promotion as colonel of the 172d Infantry. He points out that, in the face of a nation-wide pacifist drive to abolish them, Reserve Officers Training Corps units in Ameri- can institutions and colleges this year produced- about 5,000 men in gradu- ating classes who recelved commis- sions as Reserve officers in the Army. This s a new record, exceeding by 1,000 the total for any previous year. There are now about 225 educa- tional institutions with Reserve Offi- cers Training Corps units, and If they can continue to produce around 5,000 Reserve officers a year, War De- partment officials are confident that the most important peace-time mili- tary problem, that of training offl- cers for a national army in case of another emergency, will have been successtully solved. The World War proved that the United States, with a little Regular Army in peace time, must depend upon civilians for a large proportion of officers in & national army hastily assembled to defend the Nation in another war. The Reserve Officers Training Corps units now appear to meet adequately this possible future need, and the testimony of Regular officers is that these Reserve officers thus being pro- duced annually are more efficient than the graduates of the war-time officers’ training schools. Some con- sider the Reserve Officers Training Corps the greatest step for prepared- ness and peace the United States has ever taken and also a permanent memorial to the late John W. Weeks, who as BSecretary of War got the Reserve Officers Training Corps pro- gram successfully established in this country. Mr. Gibson points out that the real impetus for the Reserve Officers Training Corps developed during and after the World War, which showed the handicaps due to lagk of trained officers. There are about 100,000 students in these units in the United States as a whole. In 1919-1920, when the sys- tem was just emerging from the cradle, 167 were giverr Reserve com- missions. The next year the total was more than 1,000, and since then there has been a steady increase. Two-thirds of the work is given in classrooms under the supervision of Regular Army officers, of whom there are 770 so engaged. These include about 100 who have been recalled from in- active or retired status to assist. Ex- perience has taught these officers that they will be kept about as busy as any other member of the faculty of the Institution to which they are as- signed; it is not a soft berth. About 1,000 enlisted men of the Regular Army are also assigned to the work, some for purposes of instruction and some for clerical work. Practical in- struction is given in Summer train- ing camps and the average course leading to a commission includes two tours of duty of six weeks each. MEN AND AFFAIRS BY ROBERT T. SMALL. The gods of political fortune have |dents of the United States, there has been cruel indeed these few vears to Senator Lenroot of Wisconsin, who has just been defeated for renomina- tion in Wisconsin after a life and death struggle with the La Follette wing of the party. According to the shuffie of the po- litical cards six years ago, Senator Lenroot should be President of the United States today instead of a pro- spective “lame duck,” out of a job after the 4th of next March. But some way or other there was a mis- deal at Chicago in 1920. It was a mis- deal which threw Lenroot into the discard, so to speak, and which ele- vated Calvin Coolidge unexpectedly to the seats of the mighty. It is an old story now, but it bears retelling in the face of the latest mis- fortune to overtake Mr. Lenroot. ivery one who knew anything at the Republican convention of 1920 knew that after Warren G. Harding be- came the presidential nominee it was agreed among the leaders that Sena- tor Lenroot should become his run- ning mate. The word was passed around and there was such general agreement that the leaders paid no at- tention to the details of putting the thing over. They left the convention hall and hurried away to the Black- stone Hotel, where a gala luncheon was awalting them and where they made merry over the happy outcome of a convention which threatened at first to tear the party asunder, as Gov. Lowden and Gen. Wood engaged in a struggle which was full of fire and brimstone. “Nominate Lenroot and do it as speedily as possible,” the leaders had instructed their lieutenants. Thestage was set. The delegates were restive. The struggle for the presidency had been a hectic one. The delegates had not been in on the inner conferences in the smoke-filled rooms at 2 a.m. but had been glad to carry out the instructions of their mentors. They were ready to vote for Lenroot, too, although most of them had not been taken into conference on the deal. It was not thought necessary, and either because of that oversight or because the nominators and seconders of Mr. Lenroot took entirely too long about thelr task, things went all wrong. At what may truthfully be termed a psy- chological moment, a headless and heedless sin of the convention, an ob- scure lawyer from Oregon, Mr. Mc- Camant, jumped on his chair on the convention floor and let out a resound- ing whoop for Calvin Coolidge. Dele- gat who had become bored and wearled by the tactics of the Lenroot leaders, began to shout, “We want Coolidge!” In a very few minutes they got him. Mr. Lenroot was left high and dry. The big party leaders luncheon heard the news. They were sorry for Lenroot. They had given their word to him, but if the dele- gates ran away with the convention, what could they do? They shrugged their shoulders. That shrug marked the advent of Calvin Coolldge into the life of the Nation and may yet make him the first man to serve a third term in the White House. Senator Lenroot never by word or deed has shown the slightest indica- tioneof the hurt which may have been his at Chicago. In the death of Arthur Brooks, col- ored attendant of the last four Presi- at thelr passed a man every President with whom he served admired and respeot- ed. O President Taft _knew “Brooks” before he entered the White House. Presidents Wilson, Harding and Coolidge inherited “Brooks,” and soon learned to cherish him as a most helpful and indispensable heritage. With the advent of Maj. Brooks at the White House our Presidents came to be known as the best dressed men. not only of thelr own country, but of the world. President Taft led the ltst He always was immaculate. Tie clothes were carefully studled and carefully made, alko, under the tratned eye of Brooks, who became, popularly known as the White House Valet, but who held a far mory responsible position than that. The supervision of the presidential waml robes was but part of his officfal duties. He did that part so well. however, that every President came to rely upon his judgment so com pletely that even the first ladies of the land shouldered their feminine ¢ buying neckties for Brooks President Wilson the admired sartorial splendor of the uropean capitals he visited after the war and during pendency of the peace conference at Paris. Brooks made President Harding, already a handsome man, one of the most ad mired ficures on the streets of Washington. President Coolidge had never given much time or attention to personal appearance or habiliments until he entered the White House Brooks very carefully and tactfully began the “education” of Mr. (ool idge in matters of dress. For a time the new President clung to his modest little wardrobe he had boasted s Vice President on $12,000 a year any no extra “Brooks"” gradually won him into the ways of the fashionable. Today President Coolidge has the proper clothes and knows how to wear them “Brooks” was not a mere dresser of Presidents. So far as attire was con cerned he was the President of thi United States for 17 years. “Ray” Baker has been nominated as Senator of the sovereign State of Nevada and the senatorial committes is going to make every effort to “put him over” at the November elections Not only does the Senate need other Democratic votes, according to the Democratic point of view, but Wash ington, the Capital of the Natlon, knows that the Senate needs Ray Baker to give the staid old body & little dash of color and spice. Ray is both colorful and spicy. Ray would give the Senate the touch it has missed since the days of the Hon James Hamilton Lewis of the famous pink whiskers and the rainbow attire Ray is younger than “Jim Ham" and. although it may be les majeste to : is better looking. Also he to_wear his clothes to the very best effect. Ray goes in for the purples, the violets, the mauvee. and possibly the wood browns, but al ways his every garment is in har monious agreement and the effect ix quite grand to behold. It may seem like an anomaly for a man to come from the rough and ready town of Reno to set the ad vance styles in the National Capital and in but that is precisely what Baker may do—if elected. (Copsright. 1926.) This and That By €harles E. Tracewell. ‘We will let Viola say it, as follows: “Hot Springs, Va. “Dear Mr. Tracewell: “I have been reading your Sunday articles for some time and enjoy them greatly. “I love cats, and if there is any one thing I hate, it is .cruelty to dumb animals. “T just finished reading your piece in the Star for Sunday, September 5, and I just despise the man who wrote the letter of how to have fun with the cat. “I have a cat and if any one at- tempted to treat her so, I'd take him and do the same to him, only worse. “I hope I get to see the man, I'd like to wring his neck “One thing I know, vou won't do it to J. Spratt. “Yours and the cat's friend “VIOLA BOLEYN S.—I am 12 years old.” P Thank you, Viola, in the name of all friends of cats, as well as for the ca You have neatly volced the senti- ments expressed in the other letters we have received, in answer to the gentleman who wrote us last week, “How to have fun with a cat” In fact, you did such & good job of it that we will allow the others to re- pose in our letter box, as there is nothing that they say which you have not said! So cats find friends. It is one of the happlest signs of our time that the domestic house cat. a friend of man for thousands of years, today is befriended everywhere. Recently dispatches told of how a great liner had been stopped in midocean and a kitten rescued from a plece of driftwood. Surely the sight of such a little creature, lost in a world of water, would be enough to move the hard- est heart—but it is extremely doubt- ful whether any captain would have stopped his vessel for such a purpose 20 or 80 years ago. 2 This is but one token of the re- newed esteem in which the house cat is held by the world In general. In every age, of course, there have been those of kindly natures who have recognized the interest and worth of this small creature. We feel sorry for all those who, not being victims of the disease which caused one to physiologically fear the cat, yet declare that they “hate cats.” They are voluntarily cutting them- selves off from friendship—and who among men can do that without loss to himself? For there are no crea- tures among the animals more ready to respond to friendship than the cat. Even our ancient friend, the dog, does not more genuinely show his satisfaction with man’s company than does the cat. What a happy sight is the winding of our friend Tom around the table leg when he is getting his dinner cut up for him! It will not do to say he merely puts up a display of affection be- cause of the dinner which he fis about to receive. Certainly he Is glad to get his dinner. Who isn't? But there is, too, much thanks and affection in his actions, or we do not know cats. * o ok % The man who does not like cats, therefore, seems to us behind the times. He is like the man who, never having heard any but a crys- tal radio receiving set, declares that “radio 1s no good.” Such a man owes it to himself to hear one of the new sets, with a power tube and co- ordinated loud speaker of the cone type. The outfit will be a revelation to him. The gentleman who despise cats owes it secure a nice kitten and bring it up personally to cathénd. By that time he will have discovered for himself that the house cat is one of pretends to to himself to | Fiity Years Ago In The Star Fifty years ago railroad accidents were, in proportion to the number of Trai trains In service, more ram frequent than they are Wrrecks, today. The signaling sys efficlent. tem in use was much less A discussion of the meth ods of train dispatching and control Gl in The Star of September 4 1876: ‘The criminal carelessness which permitted one wreck to be the cause of another, at the expense of human life, on the Philadelphia, Wilmingto and Baltimore Railroad a few d: ago, in failing to send out the signal of danger to approaching trains. seems to have been repeated on the Baltfmore and Ohio Rallroad near Harpers Ferry yesterday morning. Tt this case, however. two additiona trains were wrecked instead of on¢ as in the other. It is barely possible that the following freight traln was so close upon the first when the fi accident occurred that it could not be checked, but there seems to be no ex cuse for allowing a meeting passenger train to run inte the wreck without any warning whatever, as the tele graph account of the affalr says that it came on at full speed ‘a few min utes after’ the accident occurred. A ‘few minutes’ is a long time when scores of human lives are in peril, and that they were not improved shows a negligence or demoralization that is little less than criminal. The matter ought to be carefully investigated and punishment awarded, if such a thing be possible. At any rate, the respon sibility for the loss of life whiich re sulted should be definitely fixed.” % Congress having provided for the completion of the Washington Monu ment as a Govern Monument ment undertaking. it became meces Transferred. - “for the title to the unfinished shaft to be turned over by the organization which had maintained the work from the be ginning to the United States. An ac count of this transfer is printed in The Star of September 7, 187 follows: “Mr. W. W. Corcoran, as first v president, and Dr. J. B. Blake, as sec retary of the Washington National Monument Soclety, yesterday exe cuted before Mr. Anthony Hyde, a notary public, an instrument trans ferring all the property, easements and privileges of the society to the United States. The paper recites the terms of the act of August 2, 1876, and the action of the society of Au gust 3, accepting the appropriation of $200,000, and closes with a formal transfer. “The committee reported the ad dress to the people of the country, which was adopted. This address re cltes that Congress having voted an appropriation of $200,000 to aid in the completion of the Monument, the pev- ple of the country should renew their efforts to aid in the work, and ihlt the society will not disband or its efforts until the Monument fis completed. From the fact that in three days 145 copies of the modifled plan of the Monument have been sold at one stand, it would seem that the people are becoming alive to this matter. It should not be supposed that the Government will complete the shaft and that, therefore, there Is no necessity of paying the contingent subscriptions. On the contrary, there 1s every reason in the world for those who have made such subscriptions to prepare to pay them, for by the Gov- ernment appropriation the contin- gency of the subscription is not very distant.” the most interesting animals in the world. He will find that he does not judge the cat (a creation of Ged), but that the cat judges him.