Evening Star Newspaper, October 4, 1926, Page 8

£ 8 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. October 4, 1926 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor e The Evening Star Newspaper Company Businesa Office 11th St and Pennaylvania Ave, New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicazo Office” Tower Building. European Office. 14 Rezent St.. London, England. The Evenine Star. with fhe Sunday morn. Ing adition. is delivered by carriers within the city at 80 centa r month: daily only. 45 conts per month: Lundass only. 20 cents PGI‘ month. Ordersa may be sent by mail or elophone Main 5000 Coliection is made by carrier at end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. E:‘“’ and Sunda; - 78 only - 28¢ unday only " All Other States and Canada. ally and Sun; 2.00: 1 mo.. $1.00 aily only 3 780 unday only £8.00° 1 mo. $1.00: 1mo. 3! Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Assoctated Pro is exclngivelv o €0 the ke for rapuneation of Al hews di ‘I-'d"hfl »‘:-m-d 10 llH‘ not 4;(?"-;“‘!0 ecred- I thia bADSE And atan ihe dooal news Dublished herein. Al rizhis of publieation 87 apecial dianatrhen herein are also reserved Court Calendar Congestion. After a conference with the senior Judges of the nine judicial circuits, Just held, Chief Justice Taft has sub- mitted to the Attorney General a re port which sets forth the conclusions reached relative to the congestion of the court calendars and the remedies 1o be sought and applied for its cure, He notes that the appointment of new Federal judges during the past year has resulted in substantial progress in reducing delays and clearing the calendars. But more judges are nec- essary, especially in New York State, where the judicial business has in- creased beyond the capacity of the oourts to cope with it. Nine more Judges are urged for that State, four of them to be assigned to New York City. As conditions are at present the ap- pointment of additional judges is un- questionably nceded, if this country’s court business is to be brought rea- sonably up to date. The accumula- tion of arrears, caused by the protrac- tion of trials and the incessant in- crease of business, both civil and criminal, cannot be reduced otherwise. But the question arises whether the mere amplification of the judiciary will constitute a fully satisfactory remedy. As long as it is possible any time for a single case to occupy a court for many weeks, to the exclu- slon of other business, there is danger of a further accumulation of cases on the docket. Such a trial is now in progress in New York before a Fed- eral court that has already been in progress for nearly four weeks and is likely to continue for at least a week longer. The prolongation of trials is one of the chief causes of the court conges- tion in this country. The American judictal rules permit a wide latitude of examination and cross-examination. Witnesses are kept on the stand for many hours, sometimes for da Trials drag their way along so drear- fly that the public loses contact with the issues involved. There is no in- centive on the part of the counsel to hasten proceedings. Arguments are protracted and diffuse. Often a case becomes a stalemate battle of wits be- terms, playing in the home city of the new contenders, on a field never be- fore the scene of world series games, even as two years ago Washington was for the first time in base ball his- tory the arena of the classic. That park in St. Louis is what is known in the parlance of the sport as a “band- ,box,” with short flelds over which the mighty batsmen may at any time waft the ball for the circuit. Will this condition favor the home team, that is accustomed to the conditions, or the undoubtedly heavier-hitting Yankees, who are notorlous for their home.run proclivities? The answer to this question lies in another question: Which pitching staff will prove the stronger? For after all it is a matter of pitching that determines the matter of batting. Yesterday the “King of Swat,” pos- sessor of a longer home-run record than any other living player, work- ing on his own familiar field, failed dismally gt the bat, on one occasion striking out, along with several others on his own team. For yesterday the Yankees were faced with a veteran pitcher of great skill, almost a Walter tween lawyers, with jurors wearily walting for action. More Jjudges, shorter trials and more c: though not more time, in the preparation of cases are the urgent need of the country today, in both State and Federal courts. The arrears will never be absorbed other- wise. The calendars will remain clogged. Cases will continue to be tried many months after filing in civil suits, or after indictments in criminal actions. To effect the application of the remedy of shorter trials a whole- sale and drastic revision of the laws 18 necessary. To accomplish that will in ftself be a gigantic task, but the assured results justify the effort. i e The annual prediction of peach crop failure has been followed by the usual supply of peaches. In some mysterious and beneficent manner Nature always manages to defeat the calamity proph- ots g0 far this country s con- cerned. re, as B e Ruassia 1s less inclined to insist on certaln of the original features of Soviet government as they show no value among nations as loan security. - —————— A large number of people are being lined up in New Jersey's celebrated case of homicide; and it is no beauty parade. B ) The World Series to Date. Today's lapse in the world series schedule, caused by the fact that the contending teams are in transit be-. tween the two widely separated cities of the annual contest, permits a re- view of the situation to date. The contestants won their respective league flags by different tactics, the New York Yankees by a spurt in May and June which gave them a com- manding lead, and the St. Louis Cardinals by an end-of-theseason spurt which carried them to the front against the erstwhile leaders. The Yankees had merely to hold that lead, and they did it by winning just enough games to keep their heads in front. The Cardinals had to put on speed at the finish and. having once gained the lead in the last days of the race, to hold it through to the end. The effect of these two efforts might make a material difference in the playing of the teams on the world series fleld. In Saturday's contest the Cardinals were nervous, being a mest to a man without prior worid serles experience, while the Yankees bore themselves with the calmness of wveterans who had been through sev- era} after-season championship races. The Yankees won that game. Then came another game, which was dif- ferent. The Cardinals showed blessed with airtight pitching by veteran of many seasons, they took the contest by a liberal margin. Thyy the | greater degree of dash and spirit and, | o | shad evidently overcome their fright. Now the twe teams are on even Johnson. Will now come a change of mood, a shift of chances? If the public could definitely answer such a question there would be little to the ball game as a spectacle of entertainment. It is the uncertainty that makes it strong’in its appeal to the interest, which causes the as. semblage in two days of more than 125,000 people, paying over $400,000 for the privilege of seeing two hired professional teams engage in a con- test for a bit of bunting and inci- dental perquisites. — e Dry Strategy in New York. Dr. Frederick W. Seward, bone-dry candidate for Governor of New York, has announced his withdrawal from the race. Interpretations placed upon his action vary. The Republicans, whose success at the polls next month has been threatened not only by the Democrats but also by a division in their own ranks over the wet-and-dry question, say that Seward’s with- drawal is a sign of waning revolt. The drys, on the other hand, interpret the withdrawal of Seward as a further indication of dry concentration to de- feat Senator James W. Wadsworth, jr.. Republican nominee for the Sen- ate and party leader in New York. They are, they say, putting all their cges in one basket. The drys are the more willing to take this course because they believe that Representative Ogden Mills, the Republican nominee for governor, who s regarded as a wet and is un- satisfactory to many of the dry Re- publicans, will surely go down to de- feat before Gov. Al Smith. Why waste ammunition on Mills, is their attitude. Furthermore, the withdrawal of Sew- ard will not deprive the ultra drys of a candidate for whom they may cast their ballots. Charles W. Maniere of Brooklyn, candidate of the old Pro- hibition party, is expected to file papers today that will place him on the ballot in November. The prohibitionists lost their status as a party in New York after the adoption of the eighteenth amend- ment and the nced of such a party Seemed to have disappeared. Now some of its old leaders seek to revive it. They gave their indorsement to State Senator Franklin W. Cristman, who 18 to run as an independent Re- publican against Wadsworth. They picked Mantere for their gubernatorial candidate. So when some of the dry Republicans who «re backing Christ- ‘man recently came forward with the proposal that Seward be a dry candi- date for governor the old Prohibition party leaders said this was not at all “clubby.” They went So far as to charge that paid agents of the Anti- Saloon League, opposed to reorganiza- tion of the Prohibition party, were working to make Seward the nominee, There was danger of a serions rift among the drys themselves. Dr. Seward, who is a grandnephew of Willlam H. Seward, Secretary of State in the cabinet of Abraham Lin- coln, in announcing his withdrawal from the race, states frankly the aim of the ultra-dry Republicans of New York. This, he says, s to kill off Sena- tor Wadsworth and his wet leadership of the Republican party in the Em- pire State. The drys care more for the defeat of wet leadership in the Republican party than they do for party success. They wil rejolce to see a Democrat elected Senator in Wadsworth’s place and to see Smith triumph over Mills. This attitude of the ultra drys, which threatens disaster to Repub- lican leaders in New York, may recoll upon the drys themselves. The up- state Republicans are not only dry in great numbers, but they have been faithful to the Republican party and its tickets for generations. The evi- dent intent of the ultra drys to wreck the party In New York, to rule or ruin, is disgusting some of the more moderate drys, say Republican lead- ers. —_—ee———— Airship travel has not yet been ren- dered absolutely safe. For that mat- ter, neither has motor travel; or even pedestrianism. A Year of Water Losses. When the record of 1926 is written it will be found that not only this country but other lands have suffered unusually from water disasters. A heavy toll has been taken in life and property by tidal waves, by storms, by inundations. Some vears bring fires that cause the heaviest percent- age of loss. Others are chiefly marked by earthquakes or voleanic explosions. Again, epidemics may supply the chief cause of distress and death. But 1926 a “water year,” and will be long remembered for its visitations from the sea and the sky. Florida's disaster stands to date as the worst that has occurred anywhere in the world this vear, though a larger number of lives have been lost in far- away lands through water visitations. The most grievous suffering in Florida was caused by the destruction of highly concentrated property, which lay directly In the path of one of the most furious hurricanes ever known to have struck those shores. Comparatively minor water dls- asters have occurred elsewhere in this { country throughout the Summer, causing heavy damage to property and to crops. Many lives have been lost. Just now comes word of a flood menace at Beardstown, Ill, due to the weakening of the levee protecting the city from the Illinois River. But more serious is a flood at Bartlesville, Okla., which has driven 1,500 people from their homes and has to date cost two lives. Rivers have been on the rampage all Summer, now in one section, now in another. Sudden, heavy and pro- longed rainfall has caused these floods. The treeless soil will not check the flow of the waters. The streams rise sharply and give little warning of the coming of the deluge. The stripping of the land for tillage and urban popu- lation has brought its penalties in these occasional visitations. Dikes and levees often fail, and enormous damage is done to crops and to struc- tures. A very heavy price is paid for the trees that have been felled. s s The Fall-Doheny-Sinclair case goes on in the courts. But its long-delayed installments are no longer presented in a shape to compete in popular in- terest with the average continued story. It is one of the missions of the law to allay any tendency to pub- lic excitement by rendering a discus- sion sufficiently complex to require serious intellectual consideration. ——— America was never more prosperous. Europe was never more unprosper- ous. The situation requires a delicate adjustment which will not permit the debtor to become discouraged, nor the creditor to become overexacting. e It has been demonstrated that air- ships can make wonderfully long flights. The present problem in re- lation to airships invoives the ques- tion not so much of “How far?' as of “How many?” e Police will be able to shoot more accurately after a little target prac- tice. The fact may as well be recog- nized that a copper can no longer be expected to preserve order with a mere nightstick. PR, 1t 1s Mussolini’s opinion that voting should be a privilege restricted to a competent few. And he will come pretty near knowing just whom those few are going to vote for. e There are Communists all over the world. Most of them are non-produc- tive In any useful way. The Com- munist ranks economically in every country as an undeveloped resource. ———t— The world series remains a strictly American institution. It affords a healthful relaxation in the midst of the most irksome cares. Europe would do well to get into the game. SRR The Senate rujes will be quite as much in evidencé as a topic of fervid ion, it Mr. Dawes has his way, local traffic regulations. R The rest enjoyed by Representative Blanton in Texas has permitted an in- crease of repose in some other parts of the country. o China s evidently determined to convince the outside world® that her war {s something to be taken seri. ously ————s SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. By the Side of the Road. “Give me a house by the side of the road,” Sang the poet long ago. But he sang when the traveler walked or rode At a pace serene and slow. Yet, “a house by the road,” say I, “give me, ‘Where the way with action teems And the motor wagons so swiftly flee There is scarcely an hour for dreams.” Give me a house where the lights that play Are like comets brought to earth; ‘Where the bootleg bandits swiftly stray 'Mid the revelers' reckless mirth; ‘Where the flivvers clash and the tires explode— It 1s not for peace I sigh. Give me a house by the side of the road, ‘Where the big parade goes by! Righteous Reasoning. “Have you any reasons for suspect- ing that your antagonist purchased votes?” “Every reason,” answered Senator Sorghum. “My close advisers have been telling me for some time that they knew of votes that could be bought cheap and in large quantities. Of course, we didn't get ’ém. So any that were sold must have gone to the other fellow The Love of Titular Glory. “Henrietta,” said Mr. Meekton, I am going to my lodge tonight.” “Leonidas,” came the reply, “you will stay home and mind the children.” “All right. But would you mind if I organized the children and taught 'em to salute me a ‘grand reverend im- perator,’ or something like that?" Extending an Entourage. The pugilist his trainer heeds, Likewise his press philologist, And in addition now he needs An expert toxicologist. Business and Pleasure. “‘Business is business,” said the cold-blooded man. “Yes,” replied the partner who was leaving the works at 11 am. “But don't forget this: Golf is golf.” An Alibi. “Did you shoot at that sypposed bandit with the intention of killing him?" p vered the police officer, *'I wanted to scare him. 1 was never known to hit a target in my life.” “De man who wants de best of every bargain,” said Uncle Eben, “has to make a heap o' money to make up foh his losses in friendship.” « ) THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Persons who say “Good morning™ as if it hurt them might as well not say it. It is unfair both to themselves and to the other fellow. We speak of the begrudged “Good morning,” the greeting that is clipped off the tongue as though the speaker hated to say it, but really thought he owed it to society at large to go through with a disagreeable neces- sity. Customs of civilization are not dis- agreeable—in fact, were instituted for precisely the opposite purpose, to make life more agreeable in the living thereof. He who finds it an unpleasant task to greet his acquaintances with some genuine semblance of pleasure ought to give up the practice in all sincerity. He would be more acceptable, thus, to his own soul, as well as to his friends. No fraudulent ape-grin for humanity at large, for every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes along, is advocated. Nothing like it. The too effusive greeter is as distasteful, perhaps, as the chary fellow. Purposes of civilized customs are balked almost as much by the one as by the other. In the large intent of socfal cus- toms, the result of thousands of years of trying to live togther amicably, re- poses more than is dreamed of in the philosophy of the narrow greeter, the churlish customer who sullies his own character and disgusts his friends. ok Shaw, the one and only, in a recent dispateh from London, ‘'was quoted as making a few observations on man- kind, in his characteristic fashion. As we recall what he said, it was something to the effect that, for all our pretensions to be gregarious. in truth men come to hate each other, and, if they can do it, invariably build themselves homes in the center of vast plots of land, the whole fenced off_from the outside world. Certainly getting along with our fel- lows, a necessity in civilization, is, at the same time, one of the hardest tasks we face. We find ourselves, in life, much in the position of the young men in the joke about women—we can’t get along without them, and we can't get along with them. One does not have to be either a cynic or a skeptic to recognize this. Daily every one rubs some one elss the wrong way, as the saying has it or_is so rubbed himself. We see a_poor gentleman who daes not so much as speak to us, and we say he makes us fighting mad just to look at him! One of the mildest of men, a World War soldier from the Middle West, visiting Washington some time ago, sat in a certain restaurant. While there a Washingtonian of substance, a good fellow in every respect, sat at a table opposite him. It happened that the latter's small mustache and bright eyes offended the stranger. The two looked at each other. That was all. It was enough. The mild man resented the other being upon the earth with him. Two days later, seeing him walking along the streef, he seized the arm of the one with hin WASHINGTON The President will shortly occupy the center of the stage in the never- ending controversy over Phillppine independence. The Filipino legisla- tors are determined to put to a popu- lar vote in the islands the independ- ence question. Gov. Gen. Wood stern- Iy vetoed the proposition. The Legls- lature has now passed the referendum resolution a second time, which puts it over Gen. Wood's head and square- 1y up to Mr. Coolidge. He has the last word, efther of consent or veto. The best guess is that he will back up his governor general and veto it. To approve it will be construed in the Philippines as a rebuke to Wood, and might well bring his resignation. To veto it, however, will expose Mr. Cool- idge to the direct fire of those in this country who favor independence for the islands. It is interesting to note that if the referendum should be per- mitted the question will appear on the ballot in this form: “Are you in favor of complete, immediate and ab- solute independence of the Philippine Islands?” Under thelr law all an- swers other than a_simple “yes” or “no” will be void. Women as well as men may vote—every one over 21, without qualification ~or _restriction. Such a vote will, of course, be vir- tually unanimous for independence. But the referendum will be without legal effect—simply a ‘testimonial” from the Filipinos to the American Congress. Gen. Wood is “dead set” against holding it. He calls it a mock and futile proceeding. * X X X Comdr. John I Towers, now in command of the aircraft squadron attached to the battle fleet in Pacific waters, is the last survivor of the trio_of daring ploneer naval flyers whoke names will be forever honored in the history of the American Air Serv- fce. The other two were Comdr. John Jacob Rodgers, killed in the crashof his plane at Philadelphia in August, and Lieut. Comdr. Godfrey de C. Chev- alier, who lost his life in another plane crash at Lochaven, Va., in the Autumn of 1922, Comdr. Towers was at the head of the first transatlantic flight of naval planes in 1919. e narrowly escaped death then. Caught in the fog mear the Azores, his sea- plane, the NC-1, was forced down at sea and so damaged that it was un- able to take off again. * % * ¥ ‘Washington is on the “qui vive'— we quote the words of local soclety reporters—over the prospect of a cook book soon to be published in the aid of local charity, which will contain certain favorite recipes of Mrs. Cool- idge, which she has contributed and .couches for. With the hope that it does not infringe on the new cook book thi's' observer offers the following “recipe for wonderful mincemeat, which Miss Aurora_Pierce, housekeeper of Plym- outh, Vt., for the President’s father, Col. John, used with success for many years, and passed along to the White House cooks when Calvin and Grace moved into 1600 Pennsylvania avenue. This is the way the filling for the Coolidge mince pies is made, according to “Aunt” Aurora: “One pound hbofled beef, one pound suet, one-half peck apples, one pound currants, two pounds seeded raisins, one-half pound cit- ron, two pounds sugar, two and one- half quarts cider, pinch of salt, cin- namon, cloves and nutmeg to taste. Apples’ pared, cored and chopped fine. Currants, raisins and citron chopped and al boiled with cider and sugar about four minutes and then poured in the meat and suet. Add salt and spices last. A little Jelly or fruit juice improves it.” * % X Ok The prospective alterations in the historic Senate chamber, occupied continuously since 1859, will radically alter its appearance. Incidentally it will wipe out of- existence the present Senate press gallery, the workshop of several generations of Washington correspondents. “Gallery” as a label for the correspondents’ quarters is a bit of a misnomer, for it embraces writing room, telegraph room and lounge besides the gallery proper. All these will go if the chamber is moved and cried: “Who is that fellow? T despise his looks.” “Why, that is ——, a very nice chap,” was the somewhat astonished reply of his companion, who knew them both for fine fellows. o “I don't like him,” replied the other, with conviction, If vou got to know each other” mused the third party, “you would be fast friends.” * * k % ‘Then there is the gentleman who rubs one the wrong way simply be- cause his mother taught him to part his hair in the middle. In the early '90s most men parted their hair in the middle. The good mothers of that day and age thought a male child looked “sweet” with his hair slicked down so. It {s true that some boys found it naturally becoming. Many men still do. The boy or man who really looks well with his hair parted in the middle ought to wear it that wa: Beauty is its own excuse for being, as_the poet sald. ‘We speak here, rather, of the man who by all means ought to wear his hair brushed straight back from his forehead. Now when such a chap sticks to the parted hair his appear- ance is very likely to cause us to be riled. Why? The way he wears his hair is none of our business. He has a right to do as he pleases with his own halr. It is a very small detail, after all. Yet, the perversity of human nature is such that commonly we forget that the man is a success in lie, that hun- dreds love him, that he is a power in his community. We see only, when we look at him, a man who does not part his hair to suit us, forsooth! If we happen to detest onions, the man who breathes them into our face will find his virtues forgot, and this one only idiosyncracy held in our mind. “Forgive and forget” is a motto especially applicable in social rela- tions. ERE To avold these disagreeable hitches in life as well as one may, it is neces- sary to follow the rules of civilized soclety. If the necessary but often disagreeable ‘“‘other fellow” would only do likewise, what a beautiful world this would be! One of the easiest, and certainly one of the cheapest, ways to make every- day life run more smoothly is to greet your good acquaintances with a genu- ine inflection of welcome in your voice. This 18 not hard to do. “Put it on, if necessary. Either sa; '‘Good morn- ing”" as if it {s meant, or do not say it at all. A good grin will do as well, if one is economical of breath: in fact, is much to be preferred to a half- grunted greeting. We detest persons who grunt at us. If a man would say *“Good morn- Ing"” or “Good afternoon” to us, let him do it with both sides of his mouth. If not, let him keep still. A whole greeting or none is our motto. forward to the north wall of the Sen- ate wing. The President’s room, the Vice President’s offices, hallowed by many memories and familiar to thou- sands of tourists, and the Marble room, where Senators now find se- clusion, will likewise disappear. The primary purpose of the alterations is to provide sunlight and outside air for the chamber. The same dimensions will be retained—113 feet by 80 feet— but instead of the present rectangu- lar shape it is planned to substitute a semicircle amphitheater design. * ok ok % Wisconsin's State treasurer is an in- teresting and unusual type in Amer- ican politics, _Solomon Levitan of the City of New Glarus has been nominated and is certain to be elected for his third term as administrator of the State's finances. He emigrated to Wisconsin In his youth as a pack ped- dler, practically penniless, and rose to eminence and affluence in business and in banking. He built his name and fortune by strict observance of an old German motto, which in English is “Honesty lasts the longest.” Per- suaded to shy his hat into the Wiscon- stn political ring in 1918, he became a candidate for State treasurer. His platform was his simple promise to administer the office with diligence and honesty. He held aloof from the factional. fighting. He received a small but enthusiastic vote. Two years later he tried again and lost by A narrow margin. Elected first in 1922, he repeated two years ago, and 1s now in the way of becoming a Wis- consin institution. He says that in politics, just as in business, honesty lasts the longest. * k %X X Tasker L. Oddie, Republican Sen- ator from Nevada, is putting up a “grand fight,” according to Nevada reports, in his re-election campaign. His opponent, Raymond T. Baker, di- rector of the mint in the Wilson ad- ministration, is rated a strong opp nent and Nevada is rated a ‘‘clos State. Oddle won his renomination contest with Mayor Roberts of Reno by a vote of better than two to one. He started In the day he arrived in Nevada, after adjournment of Con- gress in July, to make a house-to- house canvass of every family in the State. There are only about 20,000 families and Senator Oddie, with the aid of a trusty “flivver,” promises to shake hands with every one. He is at it day and night, covering his terri- tory at the rate of more than a thousand families a week. On that basis he will have rung every doo bell in the State before election day. * ok ok ok Coples of “The Tropical Sun,” with the subtitle *“The First and Only English Language Newspaper Pub- lished in Venezuela,” occasionally stray into Washington. It is a new- comer in the journalistic fleld, printed on an old-time flat bed press, in large hand-set type of a bygone era. It is packed with breezy intimate para- graphs of the gossip and the doings of the American colony in Maracaibo, Venezuela's capital. Here is a sam- ple from the latest issue, to which we direct the particular attention of Mr. Will Rogers, with the suggestion that he include it in his “The Worst Joke I Heard Today" series: “J. S. King, well known through- out the oil fields of eve here as ‘Cowboy King,’ a driller for the V. O. C., came to town a few days ago to have an ear specialist give him special attention. It seems that several d: ago a party of visitors from the city were touring the fleld. The well King was work- ing on is near the road. In the party were several very pretty girls, and King, being young and almost a counterpart of Apoilo, has a keen eye for the fair sex. At any rate the girls strolled past his derrick. King was busy with his work and failed to hear the loud calls of the others “to have a look.” Afterward he learned of the beauty parade and the calls given him, and decided right there and then something was the mat- ter with his ears when he could not hear a call like that. Taking time by the forelock, while in town he will have his eves examined, for, as he says, he will take no more chance: (Copyright. 1926.) MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1926. THINK IT OVER Taxes and Trees. By William Mather Lewis, President George Washington University Some humorist has defined a gen tleman farmer as one who raises his hat. It is true that the amateur. particularly that one who spends onl the Summer in agricultural pursuits finds it difficult successfully to raise much else. One such has on his coun- try place in the Berkshire Hills a number of white pines which are the apples of his eye. Early in Summer it appeared that some of them were dying. The needles took on a brown tinge and cankers appeared on the trunks. £ Business called him to Washington, D. C., and while there he sought in- formation concerning his pine diffi- culties. He telephoned the Iorestry Bureau of the Department of Agri- culture. When he described the symptoms a very efficient tree expert told him that the trees had blister rust. He also offered to mail pam- phlets on the subject and to send a man to look the situation over. The gentleman farmer then returned to his sylvan retreat. Twenty-four hours after his arrival there came a pack: age of illustrated pamphlets giving de- tailed and very interesting informa- tion concerning blister rust. —The most_striking statement relative to the iInfection was that it does mnot pass from one pine to another, but must go from a pine to a gooseberry or currant bush and thence to another pine. The amateur accepted this ex- planation with some reservations, as he was certain that gooseberries and currants were not included in the equipment of his farm. Within a week two experts from a State station appeared, inspected the trees and promptly located both wild gooseberry and wild currant bushes in clumps of underbrush a few hundred feet from the diseased tree. These were grubbed out. Besides receiving a liberal education in white pine infirmities, the gentleman farmer has gained a respect for Government methods #nd Government experts which will cause him to approach the next income tax return season with less bitterness than ual. Moral, “We can get our money's worth from the Government if we but take the trouble to avail ourselves of its facilities.” (Copyright. 1926.) . Too Much Speed. Autoists Said to Lack Caution at Loading Platforms. To the Editor of The Star: ‘Whose turn next to be killed in the streets—you, your mother or your child? Formerly people were satisfied to reach their destination with the speed of a street car, but with the automobile they are not content to walt 20 seconds if a traffic policeman holds them up without their cowardly trying to aggravate him by tooting their horns. I often wonder if many drivers do not need their glasses changed; for they ride so street cars, other machines, and pedestrians as almost to touch-— or else they are mighty poor judges of distance, and should therefore study that important element. The speed with which they drive at load- ing platforms is almost crazy, with people crossing to catch cars, and if streets are wet they speed on just the same. Do they realize that the trifling fractions of time saved, spread over several yvears and totaled, would not aggregate the loss of time in court and elsewhere when involved in an accident? Ride up with a motorman and see how they cut in front, going both ways. If these motormen were not heaithy men with calm nervi who, without losing their heads, can bring a car to a stop and almost throw people out of their scats, funeral services would be held over some of these reckless drivers whose death many would regard as a blessing on the grounds of the greatest good to the greatest number. Some of the most reckless are de- livery wagon boys; and while taxl drivers used to be in accidents, we rarely hear of them hitting any onc now, especially when the hea mileage of all the cabs is considered, as they seem to be a specially skilled lot of men—probably have to be, as their fares naturally expect haste. There are both taxi and private drivers whom I have seen stop to per- mit pedestrians to cro but they are mighty few. It seems to me that the city fathers will have to consider reducing the speed limits to 16 or 1S miles an hour with half of that while passing safet. zones or loading platforms; that pe mits should only be issued after the strongest eye test and driving ability is shown; that suspension of permits should be more freely exercised and for longer periods. J. W. SMITH. o Pleads for Homeless And Hungry Animals To the Editor of The Si Cool Fall weather is with us, to be followed by the short chill days and long cold nights of Winter. Most of us will be comfortably fed and shel- tered, and it is assumed that those of us who have pets will fulfill our duty In seeing that they are pro- vided for likewise. There is a fur- ther duty, however, which might not be considered by some. Always dur- ing the Spring and Summer months there are found wandering around in city alleys and country byways com- pletely homeless or only partially cared for mother cats and their Kkittens, dogs and pups. Many succumbed to diseases from Summer heat, hunger and thirst, but the pitiful survivors will have to face and linger on or perish miserably in the succeeding cold and hunger of Winter. Many humane people have been faithful in rescuing such waifs during the Summer and sending them to the Animal Rescue League. There is still much to be done, so let not any one pass by un- heeding any friendless creature, but do his best to relieve it. If at all pos- sible, take it personally to the rescue league; if not, send for the ambulance. VIRGINIA W. SARGENT. v o Speedy Crime Wave Action Is Demanded To the Edttor of The Star: Many readers of The Star will re- member the sensational murder of Rosenthal by gangsters at Forty-third street and Broadway, New York, in 1912, The conviction of the gunmen in that case was one of the quickest on record, due to the very efficient work of District Attorney Whitman, who received much assistance from investigations by newspaper men. The effect in lessening crime at that time was magical. The present crime wave should be handled in the same way. Night sessions of the court were held during Becker’s trial in 1912. THOMAS W. GILMER. s Nothing New. From the Altoona Mirror. A sclentist says a new drug may | abolish the habit of sleeping. A new by has the same effect. Modern Darwinism. From the Charleston Evening Post There will always be enough people making _monkeys of themselves to ve the argument of the anti-evo- utionists to be wrong, | convention ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. What American dish?—E. S. A. An association of restaurant owners took a ballot on this and the results Indicated that apple pie holds this distinction. It has been estl- mated that on an average the Ameri- can at middle life has consumed something like 7,638 pieces of ple. Q. Has the motion picture affected the number of books read in the United States?—J. E. H. A. The American Library Associa. tion says that in a New England cit which has the greatest number of moving picture theaters in the State, the per capita circulation of library books also exceeds the distribution of such books mn any other city of the same State. Q. Can a prize fight promoter deny broadcasting stations the right to broadeast his fight round by round during the fight?—P. B. AY In the recent Dempsey Tunney fight the rights were puré chased by the Royal Typewriter Co., which contracted with the Radio Corporation of America to use its ap- paratus. Q. Will you please tell me if after a woman’s husband dles she is ad- dressed as Mrs. Mabel Smith or Mrs. George Smith?—J. M. S. A. The fact that a husband of a woman has died in no way affects the name by which she is known socially. Geon is the most popular ve Smith. Of course. ex- al document or a hotel register, the woman herself does not use this form. She signs her name Mabel Smith, and if it is necessary that she be identified as her hus- band's widow, she writes in paren- t the left of her signature caen stone i3 a very soft limestone and the only ‘way it may be cleaned fs to scrub with soap and water. An alkali soap may be used, but abso- lutely no actd should be. Q. To what place is the name Mount_ Desert applled?’—A. R. R. A. This is the name of an island off the coast of Maine, so-called by fits discoverer, Champlain. A ridge of hills extends across the southern portion of the island, several of the peaks ris- ing somewhat above 1,000 fect. It is one of the most famous and attrac- tive Summer resorts on the Atlantic Coast. Q. Do women ever become civil 5 A. According to the last United States census there were 18 woman civil engineers. There were also 12 electrical engineers and 11 mechani- cal engineers. About 150 wemen an- nually register in the various engid neering schools, but only a small pro- portion of these have been graduat- ing. Q. What is the history concerning the erasing of the name Jefferson LDavis from the tablet on Cabin John Bridge?—T.. M. T. A. Cabin John Bridge had cut upon it the name of Jefferson Davi: Secretary of War, but the name w chipped off in 1862, the bridge having been built at the beginning of the Civil War. Q. How many women have been hanged in the District of Columbia?— W. B. A. learn, M who ha As far as we have been able to Surratt is the only woman heen hanged in the District fof Columbia. Q. What is the origin of the term “money”?—B. M. G. A. It is derived from “moneta,” a term applied to Juno, in whose tem- ple at Rome money was colned, the said term being from “monere,” to warm. Q. Please tell me where the largest Indian reservation fs.—H. S. A. The largest Indian reservation e Smith continues to be | {s that of the Navajos in Arizona. There are about 13,000 Indians on this reservation. Q.' Did the revenue act of 1926 in any way affect the tax on admissions to theaters and movies?—C. B. H. A. The tax remained the same, with the exception that the exemption of amounts paid for adm: of 50 cents or less was increased to 75 cents or le effective March 29, 1926, The decrease in the collections from these taxes during the flscal vear 1926 mounted to $6,927.132.43. The amount collected in 19 was $30,- 09.09, while the amount of 19 8 ,980,676.66. What Georgetown athlete?—B. R. A. Mr. Plansky of Georgetown University is an American. The name Plansky is Lithuanian. Q. Can you tell me whether the Church of the Sacred Heart at Six- teenth street and Park road was mode eled after a one Italian church, and, if so, what one?—E. B. 1. A. Murphy & Olmsted, architects of Sacred Heart Church, say that this church was not modeled after an Italian church. Q. T would ! Roosevelt was is Plansky, all-around natfonality Q. Collega the to know if “Teddy" er shot or shot at during his administration.—R. M. V A. Theodore Roosevelt was shot by a fanatic during a speech at Milwau- kee, Wis., in 19 to know if there fs a near Harpers Ferry where thre meet. Maryland, West Virginia and V r a to meet at a point where there is a corner stone placed.—W. I A. There is a spot near Ferry where the three States, land, West Virginia and_Virginia, come together. Since the Potomac Rive: a part of Maryland, and the West Virginia border runs along the top of the mountains to the Virginia line, these three States meet at a point just opposite Harpers Ferry. There is a stone there that is supposed to mark this spot, but it was not put there for that specific purpose. Q. T wish spot of land iarpers Mary- Q. Will you give the history of “The Prisoner's Song,* written by Guy Massey?—K. F. A. The question of who wrote “The Prisoner's Song” is a controversial one. A musical authority informs us that it was popular approximately 50 vears ago under the title “Ships That Jever Return,” and was written at sea by Henry Clay Work while on his way to Europe. Recently the words and music_have appeared under the title “The Prisoner's Song.” This has been credited to Guy Massey. Q. May bid in bridge A. R. F. Foste bridge players have always been willing to bid four-card minor suits, clubs or diamonds, if they measure up to the modern rule of four tricks in the suit, or in the whole hand, counted on the double-valuation system. This bid has always been limited to the dealer, or to the second hand, if the dealer passes. Minor suits are not bid with any idea of insisting on them for the trump, unless the player is willing to bid four or five, but rather to show the partner that there is more thad average strength in the hand, so far as trick-taking is con cerned, and the old rule still hoids Minor suits offer assistance; major suits ask for it.” ard minor suit be L PR Jood Have we had the pleasure of serving you_through our Washirgton Infor- mation Bureau? Can't wn be of some help to you in your daily problems? Our business is to furnish you with authoritative information, and we in- vite you to ask us any question of fact in which you are interested. Send wour inquiry to The Evening Star In- formation Burcau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washington, D. C. Inclose 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Tears for Prohibition Are Called “Stagey” To the Editor of The Star The wets have shed many tears over the prodigious cost of enforcing prohibition. This lachrymose demon- stration, as usual, is for stage effect. To cover the entire United States, with twenty times the population of New York City, the Government em- ployes one-fifth as many policemen and spends one-third as much money. Put it another way: Exclusive of the Coast Guard, which is maintained in- dependently of prohibition, every time the average person pays three-fiftl of one cent to enforce prohibition the average inhabitant of New York | City pays a dollar for police prote tion. And there is another side to it. On the average the Government has r ceived in fines and condemned prep- | erty sold to the credit of the United States Treasury enough to pay cost of enforcement. Sometimes there has been a substantial profit from prohibition enforcement. When the wets have more brine with which to dew the earth, they might soothe hectic New York City with their tears. 3EORGE F. WELLS. The Swiftness of Fate. From the Lynchburg News In news| ‘e there is one fateful word. Flash.” When that comes over the wire, it takes precedence over everything. It comes in the midst of a sentence about a of philosophers, a world serfes base ball game, a speech by the President. Be the story that is being sent important or trivial, everything stops and the operator poises himself to take a few lines intended for the information to the editor of some great catastrophe or of some great event whose consummation is being eagerly awaited by the newspaper- reading world. ame two such “flashes” not an a minute apart. The oper- checked in the midst of the | sentence he writing and took this: Flash—Fonck starts flight 6:36 a.m. And then thi Flash—Fonck's plane Catches fire, 6:37 a.m. That {liustrates the suddenness of the strophe to the giant airplane that was to have taken off in effort to make a non-stop flight to Paris. At one moment came word of start to- ward possible triumph; in another came word of tragic failur ‘Within a minute’s time the telegraph oper- ator at the scene had flashed through the Nation word of his start and word of his crash to earth. Then came the story of the debacl e An Inviting Field From the Lafavette Journal and Courier. Another occupation opens for those who aspire to ample acquisition with- i One may become % contests ————— The Soft Answer. ton Tra was crashes. From the B Lives there a man with soul so de he doesn't feel ashamed of hims when, in elbowing his way through a crowd, he pushes somebody, who says in a nice way, “Excuse me"? the | League Shows Favors To Latin Americans From the Houston Chronicle. Colombia, Chile and Salvador were elected to non-permanent seats in the Council of the League of Natlons, out of nine places filled. Apparently the Spanish-American countries are being shown favors follow- ing the withdi of Spain, the mother country, from the League. Spain was virtually assured one of the semi-permanent s but this did not satisfy anish dictator, intent on proclaiming the gr of his own nation, and so Sp: nounced her withdrawal entirely. zil_had already done the same However, the League refused to be perturbed. Germany came in. The Lo carno treaties, pledging all the West ern European nations to peace and bitration, went into effect. The League took _on more of the attributbs of a world organization for peace. Its lead. ers showed their vision for world-wide problems by voting to keep China as a member of the Counei upper body. China at present to have a responsible government. single faction is able to maintain even a nominal authority over the greater portion of the country. Yet China s a great empire. Her course in the fu- ture will have a vital effect on the affairs of other nations, and the day may come, sooner than any one ex- P when_she will assert herself as a united nation. Certainly the League members were wise in keep- ing the way clear for her to become a reorganized associate of the other great nations in the international or- ganizatic The favor shown the three Spanish- American nations may have sheen in- ired somewhat by a desire to demon- ate to Spain and Brazil their mis- ake, and so encourage thelr reentry into the League, but it also doubtless was meant to assure reasonable rep- resentation to the great Spanish- speaking races and nations of the world. As long as the League of Natlons can make its decistons en such con siderations, {ts ability to world seems ured. The recognition given the Spanish American nations not only should be a matter of pride to them; it should inspire them in keeping step in the march of civilization with these great- er nations of the world which are dealing with them as comrades and equals. serve the N Bread on the Waters. From the Pittsburgh Gazette-Times. A currently announced bread fund {1s for research, not charity. So much for prosperity. e - An Injunction Fund. From the Rutland Herald Hereafter, prize fighters will be | obliged to set apart @ certain percent- age of their earnings penses. No Defense. m the Indiananolis Star. Kipling can’t even slip out of his predicament by claiminz to have been misquoted. R Sound Advice. From the Wall Street Journal. Pinch & few hold-up men so they'll know they're not dreaming, for legal ex-