Evening Star Newspaper, October 30, 1926, Page 6

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. SATURDAY.....October 30, 1923 THEODORE W. NOYES. . .. Editor e RGN The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: 11th St. and Penneslvania Ave, Ntees OB 110, 2o A St Ce: Tower Building. Europea O’ 14 Kegent St.. Losdon. Fngiand. . with the Sunday morn- Ths Evening Sty g adition. iu delivered by carriers within * at 60 vy onl. 20 cents the c 4 per mon B al, 2,90, et ger o ony. Per month. Orders may_be sent by mail or telephone Main 5000. Collection is made by € lor al d of each month. Rate by l—Payuil~ In Advance. _ Maryland and Virginia. and Sunday....1yr. $0.00:1mo. 75c Dail 5 1 §6.00: 1 Boe Sindas"chly s % 00: 1 mo: 26¢ at Allao‘thnr States and (‘-‘nuh.” ol naily onlySunder- i TE- ‘fi'?g} 1mos 78e Qe 1 Sunday only .11 s i1mo. 3¢ Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Associated Press Is exclusively entitled 1o the use for republication of all news dis- atches credited to it or not otherwise cred- ted in thie paper and aiso tho local news publisi herein. All rights of publicatio; o2 epecial dispatches herein are also reserved Low-Salaried Judges. The fact that a newly appointed judge of the South Dakota Supreme Court must sacrifice $3,600 a year in accepting that position calls attention anew to the low scale of salaries of the judicial officers of this country. The appointee has been serving as a Supreme Court commissioner at a sal- ary of $6,000 a year. The salary of judge is $2,400. The entire judicial salary scale in the United States is altogether too low, State and Federal. Most of those who occupy positions on the bench have lost money in taking those as- signments to duty, whether by elec- “ag or by appointment. They have left flourishing law practices for the sake of sitting in judgment. Every member of the bar aspires, rightfully, to promotion to the bench, and save in the lowest ranges of judicial impor- tance the “advancement” nieans sac- rifice. At $2,400 a year this South Dakota judge will be getting less than many an artisan. Skilled technical workers receive at present twice as much as rhat. The union scales for carpenters, bricklayers, masons, plumbers and plasterers are higher than the judicial scale. There is no ‘“organization” of Jjudges. The ermine is & powerful lure and the aspiration to wear it is honorable. It should, however, be a reward and not a penalty, in terms of emolu- ments. There should be no barrier to the acceptance of such an office by a worthy and competent member of the bar {n the pittance paid by the State or the Nation for judicial services. Critics of the courts, complaining of dilatory proceedings, forgetting that the laws themselves permit and virtu- ally compel the tolerance of these practices of procrastination and delay, are prone to lay the blame upon the Judges. They are hard-working men, diligent in their attention to duty, giv- ing their best to the service of the community, and for their learning and care and judgment, their labors se- verely taxing their strength, they are pald such trifling sums as to put them barely above the class of the janitors of the court buildings. It is true in business that the em- ployer cheats himself when he tries to buy first-class service with second- class pay. He does not get first-class service. Iie barely gets second-class service. The State that buys judicial service may, by virtue of the high tra. ditions of the legal profession, get first-class judicial service for less than second-class pay, but it runs a serious risk when it maintains such a scale. The economic principles which obtain in the commercial world should obtain likewise in the political. e New York once turned the glare of publicity on Mr. Hylan. A mayor of the metropolis must always be pre- pared to rank among the candidates ©of the “Who's He”" Club. ———reee Gertrude Ederls was first woman to wim the Channel. Her fame rests largely on her demonstration of how easy the task was for anybody who had the nerve to undertake it. I — The New York Campaign. On the eve of the close of the New York campaign the usual guesses and predictions are in The fight for the governorship and the senator- ship has been comducted with anim tlen, with some vituperation toward the close. Gov. Smith, running for the fifth time for the highest State office, has been attacked by Repre- sentative Mills, his Republican ponent, on several issues, notably the question of the milk supply and lat terly the question of control of the power resources of the Mr. Mills has driven valiantly against the governor's remarkable popularity, and there arc evidences that he has ‘thrown a scare” into the Democratic organization. Yesterday the Repub- lican State chairman predicted vi tory for Mills by 110,000 pluralit When asked what he thouxht-about this prediction, Gov. Smith replied: “George K. Morris is a nice young fellow. He personally told me that he knew nothing about politics, and that he did not know how he ever got into it. That expression from him to me save rise to no argument. I admitted i f This left-handed indication of the governor's confidence has caused Tammany to chortle with glee, and some of his metropolitan supporters §0 80 far as to predict that he will get a majority of not less than a quarter of & million. Much depends, however, on the size of the governor's majority if he does, indeed, win the election. In 1924, while Coolldge was carrying the State by 970,000, Smith was elected governor by 109,000 over Roosevelt. Smith's political fortunes are in a way at stake. If he ehould be elected Ly less than 100,000 this vear his prestige as a possible Demo- cratic candidate for President would he Gimmed. Two years ago he was un- der the handicap of a heavy Repub. iiean tidal wave. This year he is “on nis ewn,” io & strictly State cam- - order. op- paign with no complications. A quar- ter-million plurality would put him in position of advantage in the cam- paign for the 1928 nomination. At the latest reports thé betting on Smith was three to one. At the same time the odds favored the re-election of Senator Wadsworth at two to one. The senatorial campaign is complicat- ed by the wet and dry issue, with an independent Republican dry candidate running agalnst \Wadsworth and threatening to draw many votes from him.\Judge Wagner, it is expected, will receive the full Democratic down- State vote. The fact that the betting ) 0dds are two to one for Wadsworth, despite the handicap of a virtually s0lid Democratic support of his op- ponent below the Bronx and a division of his own party up-State on the pro- hibition question, indicates a degree of personal popularity which rivals that of Gov. Smith. ———————— Wet-Weather Driving. Yesterday’'s fatal automobile acci- dent, in which a skidding car slewed across the street and crashed into an- other car proceeding in the opposite direction, killing one of its occupants, demonstrates again the necessity for caution and slow driving, especially when near slippery car tracks. The driver of the sliding:car is said to have become caught in the tracks and ‘was unable to straighten out in time to avoid the collision. The police re- port, however, that from the begin- ning of the skid to the point of con- tact the distance was eighty-seven feet, which indicates that due care ‘was not being exercised by the driver of the offending car under the par- ticularly hazardous conditions that ob- tained at the time of, the accident. About ten days have passed since the traffic office issued an Important bulletin on the general speed of auto- mobiles. Wet-weather speed was par- ticularly emphasized. Eighteen miles an hour was set as the maximum un- der these conditions, and the bureau urged that extraordinary care be ex- ercised in negotiating the streets after rain has fallen. Car tracks are one of the most potent factors in accidents of this kind. They offer no traction for a stop, and in the case of a small-tired automobile are likely to cause a dis- astrous skid. Asphalt pavement is also slippery, and unless the brakes of a car are properly equalized there is always danger of a side-slip with the car out of control. ‘With these facts in mind it devolves upon the motorist, not only for his own safety but for the safety of others, to drive with extreme caution in wet weather. Too many drivers are care- less and heedless. They attempt the same maneuvers on slippery efreets that they do on dry pavemens & {n the majority of cases grief am8 sufler- ing are the only results. Eighteen miles an hour is & liberdl and a safe speed. The motorist who drives above it on wet streets should be promptly arrested and taken to court on a ‘“reckless driving” charge. In the final analysis it is not so much that the public is concerned with the safety of the foolhardy motorist. He, in time, will provide his own medicine. But the public is concerned with the safety of its individual members, and for this reason flagrantly reckless drivers should be given severe punish- ment. oo It ought not to require more than a few years to relegate the Hall-Mills case to the classification of an “old, sad story.” B —— A pugllist {s a financler who is will- ing to add the risk of physical punish- ment to that of pecuniary disappoint- ment. B —— The Prince of Wales loves horses, but it is a case of unreciprocated affection. et A Peril or a Blessing? Discovery of a new ray is an- nmounced, in terms which arouse high expectations of fresh wonders of science. This ray, styled ‘“cathode,” has been heretofore suspected, prac- tically known, to exist within the X-ray tube, and has now been ‘‘ex- tracted” from the tube by Dr. W. D. Coolidge of the General Electric Co. That marks the second stage of the research. It now remains for some one to find means of controlling this terribly powerful force and making it subservient to medical science. At present it is merely ‘destructive. Il lustration is given of its sinister qual- ity. If turned for a fraction of a sec- ond upon a living mouse the crea- ture's body is caused to disintegrate. From time to time since the Great War hints have been given of the dis- covery of so-called “death rays" which would make a future war tright- ful in destructiveness. Not long ago in Great Britain, the claims of an in- ventor in this field were advanced, but nothing appeared to come of them. Naturally if a government gained possession of a secret of this character it would conceal it scrupu- lously. The suggestion arising now is that possibly the British inventor's ray is identical with that of Dr. Cool- idge. It is to be noted that Dr. Coolidge’'s discovery has been proclaimed as a step toward advance in medical science. Plainly it is the* hope that this newly found or isolated power may be applied to healing rather than to destruction. Much has been ac- complished by use of the X-rays in certain lines of treatment. Both as a means of diagnosis and as a rem- edy the Roentgen rays are in com- mon use. Once they were dangerous. Even now they must be used with certain precautions to prevent dis- abling and even mortal imjuries. The process of splitting up the mys- terious force created by electric dis- charges into component elements is apparently endless. Several “rays” have been identified, each with its peculiar characteristics. The ‘“cath. ode” ray Is the latest, following the “Milllkan.” Perhaps before it has been harnessed to use, even as the Millikan ray is awalting control, an- other will be found. Or it may be that the “cathode’ is the uitimate. The conquest of disease progresses definitely, and these laboratory THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, achievements, some of which are at the time of accomplishment apparent- 1y of little utility, are contributing to the process of defense against the foes of human life. The true scientist proceeds by painstaking, patient meth- ods to furnish the ammunition for the incessant battle. The present prayer of humanity is that this latest achievement will never be put to that worst of uses, destruction of life in war. ———— e ‘Weapons for the Civil War. Police Commissioner McLaughlin of New York has come to the conclusion that the guns carried by the police- men of that city are not adequate for the service required in line of duty. Realizing that a state of war exists between the criminals and the law forces, he finds that the former are the more efficiently armed. They have no officlal regulations to handicap them. They do not have to consult commissioners and boards and con- trollers in spending their funds for weapons. They have automatic pis- tols, sawed-off shotguns and even ma- chine guns, while the police have as a rule only the usual weapon, revolver or automatic. Now Commissioner Mc- Laughlin has under advisement the purchase of a new type of shotgun for the arming of the motor cycle patrol- men and detectives and other officers assigned to the automobile patrol. It 18 of the shotgun pistol type, with the handle of a small capable of firing five cartridges auto- matically. This is a step forward. But it would seem from Chicago’s recent experiences +that more is necessary. Machine guns of the type used by the gangmen who have lately been mowing one another down iu Illinois should be mounted on motor cycles, both for street patrolling and for pursul Recently Postmaster General New in- spected a gun of this type perfected by an officer of the Marine Corps with a view to its adoption by the forces that are now guarding the malils. The fact is, and it might just as well be recognized, that war is raging in | this country and that the forces of order must be equipped to meet the | with their own Already armored forces of crime, weapons or better. | cars are being used for the transport of valuables through the streets. Riot guns were some time ago introduced in police armament in some cities to provide against mob emergencies. But the battles are chiefly being fought by small squads with the criminals in possession of the fastest of motor cars and the best of weapons. At present they have the advantage. It seems to be impossible to keep weapons out of the hands of the crim- | inals. The only thing to do is to arm the police and drill them in the use of the arms, so that every law-breaker who shows or uses a weapon may be fought on at least equal terms. -t “Who owns the stock?” is a ques- | caliber pistol, | Streets down by Key Bridge possess | more individuality to the square inch than almost any other thoroughfare in ‘Washington. One suspects that this is so largely | because they are not so spick-and-span. Precision often takes away from ef- fect. One pays the price for the im- maculate, either in hair or streets, | writing or men. A certain ruggedness helps. Men of the old West were certainly ! plcturesque, as we call it. They had |an afr to them. When they came to | Washington, and put on dress suits, probably with red neckties and high | silk hats, one knew they were in town. To see a man on a platform in knee breeches and high boots, sitting next to a city chap wearing a’ tuxedo, as we have had the pleasure of doing, is a sight fit, not merely for mortals, but for the gods, as has been well said. Ruggedness is what does the trick. A certain disdain for conventions is always helpful. Perhaps this state of mind makes for some slight feelings of apprehension, but in the end every one is won by it. ‘Won, that is, so long as the rugged- ness is accompanied by common sense. EE A certain negligence in the dress, a poet once pointed out, is more becom- ing to certain ladles than smooth comeliness. One would say nothing, of course, against such as charm by a perfect |appointment of clothing and features. | The type makes the most of itself. { Naturally! | " A certain free and easy manner, in |both men and women, the result of a | childhood free of fear, in any shape jor form, either physical or mental, is one of the most charming of human | accomplishments. Young men so brought up are per- tectly at home in any company. They {will state thelr observations before potentates as easily as before ordinary |foll. The various forms of power |have no adverse effect upon them. These are but a few of the forms of ruggedness, as differentiated from the smoothness which civilization tends to exact from all of us. It is because Nature herself set the pace, with rugged mountains and uncouth crags, that men in all ages and times have paid tribute to the man who stands up from his fellows |like a peak. The urge of the crowd is toward | sameness. | A superficial slickness is the reward of conformity. Each one of us is, to a surprising degree, the result of the molding secured by the pressure of others. | We think we have opinions of our |own, but a careful analysis will force |us to admit, many times, that what | we think is what those thought whom | we heard talk in our youthful days. | "It our forefathers were Republican, | we are Republican, and if Democratic, | we are Democratic in political princi- ples. Men reared in such opposite | camps look at the tariff, for instance, in different ways. | "1t 18 not until one hears two emirent | politictans discuss the subject over radio that he is likely to start to | wonder about it all. tion to be taken up by the Public | Utilitles Commisston. There are con- ditions under which the “ostentation of wealth” becomes an unknown quantity. v Theorizing on whether there is anybody alive ou the planet Mars is entertaining. A more important ques- tion is whether there will be anybody left alive on planet Earth in case there should be a * war.” - = News of criminal trials will be broad- cast by radio. Eventually the grand jury in an jmportant case may have a Jazz orchestra in attendance to fill in the gaps of suspended interest. ———————— There are still people Who think that Bacon wrote some of Shake- speare’s plays. From the records ren- dered available it would appear that Shakespeare did not care much about the matter and nefther did Bacon. e So far as the average reception com- mittee is concerned, Queen Marie is the woman who put Rumania on the map. o Edison says he.can do without sleep. His marvelous inventions have led many people to attempt to do the same. e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Purple and Gold. When the Autumn leaves are turning To scarlet and to gold, A lesson we are learning That is very, very old. ‘When vanished is the shower That Springtime would unfold, ‘We long for purple power And for the might of gold. No Home Yearning. “What's your favorite song’ “I haven't made a choice,” answered Senator Sorghum; “but when the voters are selecting subjects for politi- cal retirement, I can tell you it isn't ‘Home, Sweet Home.’ ) Prestidigitation. “The world's a stage!" In politics Deft dealings often rule us. Maglclans come to play us tricks. We pay 'em well to fool us, Jud Tunkins says his radio gives him the latest static and incidentally a little music and a heap of static. From Farm to Film. *‘So you are going to leave the dear said Farmer Corntossel. answered his boy Josh. goin' to be a movie actor.” “I hope you don't get into a film where you're supposed to represent a plain, regular workingman. You'll never look the part.” 'm “Dinner rings,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “are beautiful. But dia- monds are no cure for dyspepsia.” X Head Work. ‘When some great man we sadly lose, ‘We tell his followers that “It's plain that you kin fill his shoes— But kin you fill his haf “A successful bootlegger,” said TUncle Eben, “sets a good example. He stays sober and collects his bills, Perennial. From the San Bernardine Sun. This {s the off season for nearly all flowers except the blooming idiot. D._0C, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Each eminent politiclan is so con- vinced, himself, and each one so con- vincing to us—as we listen to him— that we wonder which one, after all, is correct. And if we cannot settle so simple a subject as the tariff, what can we settle? PR The discriminating will prize a cer- tain ruggedness in writlng above smooth facility in handling words. The latter may be learned by almost any one, but the ability to pack mean- ings between lines is born in one. ‘The proper use of connectives is of small moment compared to the usage of ideas. The ehort story that secures the ef- fect desired by the writer is greater than a ‘“prose poem,” whatever that is. (We once thought we knew, but have come to doubt our knowledge.) In music there has been sharp re- sentment of the old idea that melody must just flow along. Exponents of modern dissonance may not be right in their theories, but, at least, they are interesting. Personally, we hold the opinion that Richard Wagner would be the world's greatest composer, bevond peradven- turk, if he had possessed a more me- lodic gitt. Wagner was rugged. More inven- tlon in the way of genuine tunefulness would have made him soften down his grand outbursts to music we could more easily “understand.” This great composer was a child of nature. He had no more regard for our civilized ideas of smoothness than has the ocean when it goes on a ram- page. He was rough and ready with his notes. He surged, where others went softly. e was vital, at least. * ok ok Smooth prettiness perhaps plays a larger part in painting and sculpture than in the other arts. Here it is not s0 much a matter of originality as of showing what has existed. A too pho- tographic art, however, bsing general- ly decried, the artist has opportunity to inject some of the ruggedness pleasing in the other arts. This may do in a variety of ways, so long as he does not violate the civilized can- ons of good taste. Architecture, involving mathe- matics, must hew closer to the line, hence we have no futuristic buildings, but edifices that reflect, at their best, the genuine spirit of the times. Such was the Gothic cathedral, and such is the glant office building of today. In landscape gardening a certain informality, taking into account nat- ural features of work already pres- ent, is preferred to a too rigorous ad- herence to an immaculate prettiness. In the last analysis, it is seen that the somewhat rugged is the natural, and the natural, after all, is the most |acceptable, whether it be in manners, clothes, music, buildings, paintings, writing, gardening, or what not. This pleasing naturalness, too, is mostly secured by allowing the innate forces of Nature to flow freely. Hence it is less trying on human nature, as work, and more acceptable to the ma- jority of human beings, as works. It 1s this certain good ruggedness which makes Key Bridge nelghborhood in- teresting, as well as ‘“Lohengrin” great. BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. | | For the first time since the founda- | tion of the Soviet regime in Russia there is a split in the party, with a | pronounced difference in policy. The ultra-Radlcals are ousted, and the Moderates disclaim all sympathy with [the old slogan of Lenin and Trotsky | demanding world revolution. The | Moderates confess that the original doctrine of communism, to displace all capitalism, is an utter failure, and they are advocating a return to normal con- | ditlons of industry, a reform of laws | affecting agriculture, so that peasants | may retain rewards for thelr work and a general building up of credits with the world. | " There are two views of this alleged | change of heart: One credits it to an | opening of the eyes of the Moderates | to the folly of communism; the other quotes the classic: | When the devil was sick. the devil a eaint When ¢'§3“¥"x‘hn well, the devil a saint ‘was he *x % ® That Russia {s economically “sick” today, all partles agree. With that fact conceded, one must investigate the sincerity of Premier Stalin’s pro- fessions of peace and good will toward men of all natlons, particularly of the nation most able to supply capital | with which to stimulate the country’s dying powers. As to Trotsky, the original partner ot Lenin, there can be no question of his determination to carry out, so far as possible, the original Marx-Lenin program of world revolution, over- turning of all organized governments, through war of the proletariat against soclety. He boasts it, and all his course confirms the boast. He is one of the leaders in Zinovieff's party of | Radical Communists, and, therefore, he | has been dismissed from his office of chairman of the concessions commit- tee by order of Chairman Rykoff, head of the Soviet commissars, and Stalin, the premier and agtual djctator of So- viet Russia. Trotsky is the best known leader 80 far as the outside world goes, but he has never been so influential since the death of Lenin as have some others who were not so close to Lenin. His personal fall appears of less con- sequence than the question of the real principles of the persons now ac- tually in the leadership of what they 80 anxiously profess is a new regime of_the Soviets. t year, Rykoff brought about the dismissal from office of other members of the Zinovieff “Opposition Party"—Kamenoff, head of the Soviet Labor and Defense Department, and Sokolnikoff, head of the Commissariat | of Finance, on the ground that they ‘were opposing the new policies of the party in power. * ¥ ¥ X Russa_is bankrupt, financially and industrially. Stalin so confesses, When | he says In a public speech: | “Without the assistance of the out- | side world, whose credit, good will and products we need, Russia cannot ex- ist much longer.” He blames the cri- sis upon Trotsky and Zinovieff. The {mportant thing is Russia’s | present bankruptcy, following five vears of attempted modified commu- | nism, known as the new economic | policy, adopted by Lenin. * In 1913, the output of Russia's in- | dustries was 7,011,000,000 pounds ! sterling and in 1925 only 2,600,000,000 | pounds, or about 37.7 per cent of her | production under the reign of the | Czar, when *“capitalism” held out in- | centives to the individual workman. | And yet, for the last five years, the original monstrosity of absolute com- munism, with the abolishment of all money, and confiscation by the state of all crops and products of industry (allowing only ‘“tokens” of labor to the individual industrialist and a barely sufficient amount of the peas- ants’ crops to sustain life), has been superseded by the “new economic pol- icy” of “state capitalism” and greater freedom to the individual producer. In spite of that concession by Lenin, { confessing his original failure, Rykoff |announced last year: “Russia meets only a third of the country’s peace- time req) ® ¢ ¢ Every hour we are drawing nearer to & nd Miljutin, head of the Supreme Economical Council, declared: “The destruction of our country progresses in all branches of its economical life. The industrial machinery is thoroughly shattered, so much so that every intelligent man must realize that an energetic inter- nationat initiative will be necessary for its reconstruction. Soldiers used to hear something like that appeal summed up in one word, “Kamarad,” But it was accompanied with simultaneous dropping of weap- ons, if it was ever acted upon in good faith. EE It was this same Stalin, now dicta- tor of sovietism, who, while he w: secretary of the potitical bureau, sa “The advent of the Soviet Republic has split the world into two camps— the Anglo-American camp, which is attracting to itself the bourgeois government, and the Soviet camp, which is acting as a center of gravita- tion for the workers in the West and the revolutionaries in the East. These two camps must eventually come into confifct with one another, since it is impossible for both of them to exist together.” Later (within the last two years) Stalin announced: “The theory and practice of the Corgmunistic International is the or- ganlzation of a mass revolutionary movement against capitalism. In or- der to organize this revolutionary movement, the Communistic Interna- tional must now carry on propaganda and must participate in all subversive activities in the rest of the world.” * The claim that there is a distinc- tion between the Soviet government and the Third International is offset by the fact that practically all offi- clals of the one are officials of the other—a sort of “Interlocking direc- torate.” In Great Britain the Third Interna- tional has a membership of 6,000, working with the “left wing" of Brit- ish industry. In Germany it has a membership of 150,000, with ‘“‘cells,” or units, in 2,600 industrial undertakings, and it con- trols the “Union of Red Ex-Service Men,” who, according to Zinovieff, are the “nucleus of the forces of civil war."” In France it has 80,000 members, who work closely with the “Revolu- tlonary Confederation of Labor,” ‘whose membership is 500,000. It also has many “cells” in factories and army units. In Italy it has 25,000 members, in spite of the fact that its existence is in conflict with Fascist laws. The trade unions of Turin and Bologna are controlled by the Communistic In- ternational of Sovletism. Czechoslovakia has a membership of 100,000, with 1,300 “cells” In fac- tories, 2,600 in villages and 2,795 in other local organizations. How many ‘“cells” exist in United States cannot be stated. The profession of Premier Stalin that all the program of a world revo- lution is abandoned will be convinc- ing when the “cells” in foreign coun- tries are abolished and propaganda ceases. News from both Moscow and Leningrad, according to eminent au- thority, is that everywhere the So- viets ‘are “feverishly preparing for war.” With whom? All youths are required to train in rifle teams and military drill. Freedom of speech and of the press does not exist. Persecu- tion of the church continues, as shown by the recent arrest of the Metropoli- tan Peter, head of the Orthodox Church. Corruption by officials is measured by 831,000 complaints last vear by workmen and peasants ac- cusing them of extortion, bribe taking and embezzlement. But Stalin “a saint would be” until he feels better, or in better credit with capitalistic nations. Former Secretary of State Hughes laid down these conditions precedent | to our recognition: First, Russia must acknowledge and agree to pay our loans to the Kerensky government; second, it must settle for America private property seized by Russia; third, it must stop all its propaganda here. - Secretary of State Kellogg stands on the same ultimatum. (Covyright. 1996. by Paul V. Collime.) the 'SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1926. THE LIBRARY TABLE By the Booklover. To such a degree have germs be- come an unpleasant part of our every- day life that we often forget how comparatively recent is our knowl- edge of them. It was only in the 70s that Virchow, Pasteur and Koch re carrying on those researches which established the microscopical sources of disease. Dr. Harvey (‘,ush': ing in his “Life of Sir Willlam Osler’ says that as late as the International Medical Congress of 1881 “the editori- als in most of the British and Cana- dian journals of the time intimate that M. Pasteur saw germs every- where, and his views regarding thelr prevalence as a cause of disease were regarded as rather horrible, if not mirth-provoking.” The proof of the germ theory of disease gave a sclen- tific basis for medical practice and sanitary prevention and has saved countless human_lives. Through it have come the Pasteur inoculation against hydrophobia, diphtheria and tetanus antitoxins, the Ehrlich treat- ment for syphilis, the abolition of yellow fever and the reduction of malaria almost to the vanishing point. It the germ theory has also caused human beings considerable mental dis- comfort, through its revelation of the millions of variously shaped, often malicious, animal and vegetable or- ganisms which swarm in the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe—well, that is only one of the many penalties we are always paying for the disturbance of the ignorance which is bliss. * ok ok A very popular, rather sensationally told, but entirely interesting account of the varfous painstaking researches on the trail of microbes is “Microbe Hunters,” by Paul de Kruif. From Leeuwenhoek, the Dutch janitor of the ssventeenth century, who ground lenses and discovered “little animals’ in a drop of rain water, down to Paul Ehrlich, who died about 10 years ago, after spending his whole life experi- menting vith chemical compounds and their effects on microbes, the story is a thrilling one. The other great names in this account o? de Kruif—of course, there are many microbe hunters whp are not mention- ed here—are Spallanzani, Pasteur, Koch, Roux, Behring, Metchnikoff, Theobald Smith, David Bruce, Ronald Ross, Grassi and Walter Reed. Two of these microbe hunters were con- nected with the United States Gov- ernment. Theobald Smith was one of the four members of the staff of “‘the then feeble, struggling, insignificant, financially rather {ll-nourished, and, in general, almost negligible Bureau of Animal Industry at Washington,” when he began his studies of Texas fever, which resulted in the discovery of the tick as the carrier of its germ. The story of Walter Reed, major in the United States Army, head of the Yellow Fever Commission, and what he and his heroic colleagues did in Guba, is known to every one. One story told by Mr. de Kruif in con- nection with the discovery of the Stegomyia mosquito as the carrier of vellow-fever germs gives an amusing sidelight on scientific skepticism. Fifteen *“solemn bearded physicians™ were one day in the mosquito room of the laboratory at Havana, expressing wonder at Walter Reed’s experiments, but uttering & warning that “the re- sults should be weighed and considered with reserve.” “Then the gauze lid came off a jar of she-mosquitoes (of course, it was by accident), and into the room, with wicked lustful eyes on those learned sciemtists, the Stegomyia buzzed. Alas for skepticism! Away went all doubts! From the room rush- ed the eminent servants of knowledge! | Down went the screen door with a crash—such was the vehemence of | their conviction that Walter Reed was right.” (Though it happened that this particular jar of mosquitoes was not contaminated.) * k% % X Many have sung the joys of the tramp life and the open road and some have made real literature of their songs. There are George Bor- row’s “Lavengro” and “Romany Rye” and John M. Synge's ‘Tinker's Wed- ding” and “Shadow of the Glen.” Stephen Graham'’s recent book, “The Gentle Art of Tramping,” is both a paean to the woods, fields and high- ways and a guide to thefr mastery. America, Europe and Asia have all been the tramping ground of Stephen Graham. He has scaled mountains, explored forests, cooked and slept out of doors, and through it all has thor- oug! enjoyed himself and has found time for esthetic appreciation of ail that he has seen and experi- enced. The essence of tramping, he says, is to have no objective. A place that must be reached by night- fall, a person that must be met, will effectually spoil the joy of the tramp. * %k X % Mexico under the government of Obregon, rather similar to Mexico under other governments, is chosen by Joseph Hergesheimer for the scene of his novel, “Tampico.” But it is not the government which con- cerns the story. It is the Mexico of competing oil companies, of oll leases, of ofl wells, of bandits under their ®o-called generals, of ransoms and tribute money, of intrigues, gunmen | and murders, of night cafes and dancing girls with knives concealed in their stockings. It recalls the at mosphere of “The Bright Shaw! ‘Tampico is one center of intrigue, the Chorreras sea terminal of the Alianza Oil Corporation is another, and Za- camixtle, the sordld and sinister head- quarters of the bandit general, Mel- chor Rayon, is still another. In none of these places is life safe for any one, from the most accomplished in- triguer to the merest nobody, from Govett Bradier, special agent of the Allanza company, to the Chinese cook- boy of the drilling camp. Journeys in a rail car along the company lines to the different oil camps are partic- ularly dangerous. But perhaps the cafes are the most dangerous places of all, where plump Soledad and beautiful Teresita and Chepa and the horrible Adeline fascinate men in order to find out their secrets. ‘Whether it {s the Ciudad de Pekin, the Louisian, the Bolivar or the more disreputable Union, danger lurks be- hind the bright lights, at the smalil tables and in the smiles of the girls. It is only when safely aboard a pas- senger liner or a tanker, slowly ANSWERS TO BY FREDERIC Q. How far apart are the poles along | the New York Central Rochester and New York City’— | M.R. ¢ A. Originally, the pole lines wer built with poles spaced about 30 per | mile; later, 35 and 41. Since 1916 mo’ New York Central Railroad has been reconstruoting its pole lines upon an | engineering basis, taking into consid- | eration the assumed load of wind and | ice on the wires for the territory in, which the poles are located. A pole | line carrying 80 wires would. of course, not need as many as large | poles as a line carrying wires. | Speaking generally and considering | that the railroad still has some pole | lines built previous to 10 years ago, the lines In the territory referred to | now have poles spaced 41, 53. 60 and | 70 a mile, based upon the territory | and the number of wires carried. Q. Do peanuts grow above the ground or under the ground?—C. R. A. The plant develops its flowers | above ground, but after flowering has | occurred the flower-stalks bend down | and push the fruit (nuts) into the | earth, where they develop. After the | nuts have reached their full growth they are dug up very much In the same way as potatoes. Q. Is it true that there are memo- rial farms somewhere in West Vir- ginla?—D. T.: A. The Lawrence A. Reymann Me- morial Experimental Farms were re- ceived by the State of West Virginia on April 1, 1917, as a memorial gift from the Reymann family of Wheel- ing. This was given in memory of a deceased son and brother to com- memorate his deep interest in agri- culture and in the breeding of Ayr | shire cattle. The gift included all| necessary work animals, poultry and swine, together with 94 head of mlrv-“ bred, registered cattle. These farms | are two in number, consisting of ZI31} acres of fine lands in_ the Cacapon Valley of eastern West Virginia, with- in 6 miles of the town of Weardens- ville. Agriculturists praise this unique memorial and say that it is one of the greatest breeding projects ever under- taken. Here will be produced repre- sentatives of the best lines of Ayr-| shire breeding in the United States. The cows will be guaranteed free from disease and will be offered for sale as soon as necessary experiments are completed. Q. Where is the Boulder Dam?— L. B. R. | A. It will be on the Colorado River at a point where the river forms the boundary between Colorado and Ari- zona. No actual work has been done, but investigations have been made. Q. Which is a better wearing fur, squirrel or broadtail?—H. T. A. Squirrel is a soft fur, but is rated as a better wearing fur than broadtail. Q. Where is the largest cement swimming pool in the world?>—A. N. A. The Ivyside Park swimming pool, located near Altoona, Pa., is the largest. This pool is 185 feet wide by 625 feet long. It accommo- dates 3,000 persons with full bath- house facilities. It was built in 1924. Q. How many tourists came to this country last year?>—J. E. T. A. The number of temporary tour- ists to the United States for business | purposes during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1925, was 14,461; tourists on temporary visits for pleasure, 20.865; those golng in continuous through the country, 22,697 Q. Is there a street in Canada equivalent to our Wall Street?— 8. A. D. | A. St. James street in Montreal has been called the “Wall Street of Canada.” Q. What name did Kipling_give | to his home in Vermont?>—C. M. | A. The novelist named b home | “Naulahka.” Kipling and his brother- in-law were co-authors of the book by this title. Q. Does the Post Office Department | mean to operate all of its own mail | planes eventually?—J. N. A. It has never been its intention | to continue permanently the opera- | tion of the Air Mail Ser It | was planned merely to develop it to a point where its feasibility and practicability could be adequately | discovered in 189 | setves QUESTIONS J. HASKIN. demonstrated, and then, as soon as between | commercial fiylng companies became strong enough to handle such an enterprise, relinquish the task. “'Q. What States have no net debt™ A. Nebraska is the only State which does not have a net debt. Q. How many farmers' cooperative associations are there?—F. A. There are about 12,500, Two thirds of these have beer formed i the last 11 ) Q. Why was don 50 named? A sale and exchs called from Ric established it. The name now is & plied to any large horse market. Q. Why used in AW should distilled water be batteries?—R. A. ter used in batteries must be of reasonable purity, as the use of in pure water will Q Al How long Elevators operated were introduced by Otis about 1853. The moved by an electric stalled in New York City in 1589, Q. How many people joined the Red Cross during the \\'nr!hl \\a.r:l- J. B. P, In 1917 tI enrollment of : levator was i1 e was the marvelous 0000, At 000,000 e The society calls attention to the fact that the need for Red ¢ros | memt Q. What is the apple cider swee A. Pasteuriza the most effictent means of pr Q. When first known A. The the X-ray machine A. D (Roentgen t Wurzbur; many, by W. K. Roent I using apparatus compr While thus engag certain peculiar y) wa Ger ceived tions manifesta- werved. Th with the out come that tha was made th the product cident to the use Knowledge thereof » out Europe : The utilization of the rays curative purposes soon ne about, and s that time there has been refinement and improvement in the apparatus by Coolidge and many others, y Is the 1tte River considered . February * River was el a non-navigable strea the meaning of the Constitution the laws of the United Si Jurisdiction over it was dec ed In the State of Missouri. Iow many radio operators are re at Radio Central?—D. R. There are no operators at Radio Central, the actual transmission tak ing place by remote central from the Central Traffic Office at 64 Broa street, New York Clty Q. glass?—F. 4 A. The first magnifying lens was made by Antony van Leeuwenhoek a maturalist, born in Holland. Who mage the first maznifying P, i Ask Uncle Sam about it through the Washington Information Rurean of The ening Star. All knowledg: the Government is aaining througi research and investication is avail able to you. Don’t hesitate to make your wants known. A 2-cent stamp will bring you the information pouw need. This service is for all readers el R Pl e to be helpful to all who avail them of it. An effective clearing house between the Government and the people will aid you, and help 4s vours for the asking. Address your wants to The Evening Star Informa tion Burcau, Frederic J. Haskin, Di rector, Washington, D. C. The Nation's remarkable confidence xemplified by the general assumption that mail robbing | will be suppressed, now that the “Devil | Dogs” againare on guard. It is taken | for granted that the Marines will do | the job In characteristic fashion and will shoot to kill—and first-—when necessary. “It is just as well to remember,” the New York Sun points out, “that the Marine on duty bound is no person to waste time in light persiflage with | those who seem to him to be interfer- | ing with his work. He is likely to hit | or shoot first and ask questions aft: ward. For such a policy in the p: formance of his new task it will be hard to blame him. recently robbed a mail truck in Jersey gave none of the custodi: the slightest chance to protect himself. | They came up shooting and went awayv | shooting. Since that is the ace technique of modern mail robbery, it would scarcely be fair to blume thos whose duty is to protect the mails i they also should prove themselv ready with club, fist or the trigger.” “In other words,” the Manchester | Unlon is convinced, “‘common sense | will dictate dental of indulgence in | idiing near spots where the guards are | on duty. There may be curiosity to see the leathernecks, but it will be ad- visable to gratify this at long ran, The Government is in earnest in its determination to check the depreda- tions of the gangs of mail rabbers, and the corps has orders to shoot | when necessary. Skilled marksmen | as the Marines are, there can be no guarantee of safety for bystanders un- steaming out into the Gulf, that one may draw a breath of safety. * k% The library of the World War is being rapidly formed. Almost every month sees the addition of a new volume. A valuable work is “The Naval History of the World War,” by Thomas G. Frothingham, captain, T. 8. Reserves, of which the third and last volume has recently ap- peared. Its subtitle {s “The United States in the War, 1917-1918.” The volume begins with February 1, 1917, the day on which Germany resumed her unrestricted warfare. Psycholog- ical, economic and social factors, as well as strictly naval activities, are given much attention. English, French, German and American sources have been used in the prep- aration of the work. * ok ok % Storles of Monte Carlo and fits gamblers, a rather threadbare sub- ject, form the material of A. M. Wil- liameon's last book, “Black Incense.” The characters are interesting of themselves, not because they are act- tng against the dramatic background of Monte Carlo and its Casino. They gamble with life as well as with roulette and the results of their gambling, romantic, sentimental, ma- terial, are described with humor and delicacy, In the pleasant style usual to Mrs. Willlamson. lucky enough to be made a cover for ! a gang raid. The rule of safety will be to give the Marines plenty of elbow room, and it will be a mighty good | rule to follow." * % ox % Commending the action of the Post Office Department, the Buffalo Eve- ning News observes that “it demon-, strates the extent to which the war of criminals against society is forcing so- clety to abandon its former peaceable, almost unresisting attitude toward lerime.” Similarly, the Winston-Salem i Sentinel notes that *“when an ar force of robbers, equipped with ma- chine guns, attacks & mail terminal, opening the battle without warning or demand, shooting down in cold blood those who have charge of the mail, it becomes ntcessary to establish guards, in force and under arms, who will act with the same dispatch and promptness.” The Pasadena Star-News | adds that “the United States Govern- ment is justified in using all the force at its command, in any measure need- ed, to stop malil robberies.” “No longer can the post office in- spector cope with the problem,” says the Utica Observer-Dispatch. “It re- quires trained men of war, riot guns, armored cars, quick-at-trigger tactics, motors that are ready at all times, organized fighters to cope with the lawless element and frustrate efforts to violate the country's greatest com- mercial helpmate.” The Pittsburgh - ‘The bandits who | I | drug Marines Will Clean Up Mail Bandits, U. S. Press Believes Sun feels that when the Marines wers previously on duty “they. were re lieved too ¢ . Dur their tour of duty.” continues the i a let-up in train rob belief that the dan they were returned t Unfortunately an force was.not put on gud stead.” “Congress should authorize the for- mation of a mail guard corps,” in the opinion of the San Antoni 2 “There is no assurar method other than detailing well armed men to protect valuable will prevent such murders and as latterly have plagued the ‘vice. The present diy mail n is a killer, frequ ' strikes quickly Herald advises th should be told to the the same time it thod of discourag tratned robber of add The Bellingh ““Shoot to kill Marines suggest m ng large pay heck instead of by ¢ ting the < mpting shipments of money throug the mails.” ok ok x the maiis ks the Worcester t were not _they vould never dare hold up the United Is. But Uncle Sam's Reg re hard, too. The: condition, their nerves st and to shoot 1f any rob fy the lightning 1 ail trad “The thugs who attack how silly t tempt to hold under ) events will be of interest rs in that territory v also wants a capital offenr: 1 attack on the malls witic says the Cham- “However, if ho gets the army he wants, that wi hardly be necessary. There won't be any live mall bandits left to hang or electrocute after his outfit has finist ed with them.” The Binghamton Press adds that, “as conditions today, one Marine who shoots to may be worth far more than a talion of armed men who are ca out to pursue a gang of bandits afte: a crime has been committed.” The orgy of major crimas which the Nation has been suffering for the last several y be stopped,” sists the Gazette, “even i it becomes necessary to call out the whole Army and Organized Reserves. But such extreme measures will not be necessary. We dare say that by the time Postmaster General New has the corps of trained, ‘surefire’ hus kies on the job, at least 99 per cent of the country’s ofessional mail bau dits will kave found some less hazard ous vocation. o the unde deadly we: paign News - Journal suggest r in many citles would reduce * but reminds its readers that “there enters Into such - possibility the question &s to how much ‘martial law* the average Amer- ican community would stand.” »