Evening Star Newspaper, December 3, 1926, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. .IB.[DAY. +++...December 3, 1028 THEODORE W. NOYES ‘The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: . 1lth St. and Pennsylvania Ave, N 110 New York Office: East 42nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Buildine. European Office: 14 nt St.. London, Englan Editor Unwarned by these men, whose duly! it is to protect traffic, motorists have daily and nightly faced greater dan- gers at these points than ordinarily would have*been the case, because of the false sense of security en- gendered by the bellef that they would be stopped if a train was approaching. There are probably many more watchmen who are criminally lax in their duties, not only in the New York district but in other sections of the country. This fact alone may be T S e Sy hn ! One of the reasons for the huge 1he 'y at 60 cenu : dail; nly. a Vv 2 B e g el e el | D it e DEr Mo Orders may_be sent by mail or| roads work these men too long or teleph Main 5000. Collection is made by carrier at end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sund % 0.00: 1 mo.. 75¢ Daily only ooy . . 13r: <A 00: 1 mo. B0e Sunday only . 21yr.$3.00: 1 mo.. 25¢ All Other States and Canada. Daily and Sunday. 12.00: 1.0 Dally and, Sundas.. 137 S12.00: 1 e *48 Sunday only 4.00: 1 m 36 Member of the Associated Press. The Amsor'ated Preas is excinsively entitled T republication of all news de 1o 1t or not otherwise cred Der and also the local news herein. Al rights of publeaton d'spatches herein are also reserved Primary Legislation. Charges brought against Senators- elect Smith of Illinofs and Vare of Pennsylvania are based on alleged cor- ruption in the nominating and election nachinery in two great States. An effort is being made to show that po- litical corruption extends into other States, including Massachusetts, Maine ond Indiana. It remains to be seen whether the uproar over alleged cor- ruption in elections is to be merely for partisan political capital or whether there is to be a sincere effort to rem- «edy the situation. ¢ the Democrats, in their discussion of the alleged corruption in elections, contend that it is found only among the Republicans, they may find the country laughing at them. If the Phil- adelphia “machine” is Republican, no one doubts for a moment that the po- Itteal juggernaut in New York is Democratic. Democrats have been known to manipulate Cook County, 1L It is not unlikely that efforts will be made by Republicans to throw light on primary elections in some of the states of the solid South, where the Democrats are in supreme control. How far the Federal Government can go in the regulation of primary nominating elections in the States is vet to be datermined. But however far the Federal Government can go, it must be agreed it is the duty of the States themselves to protect their own clections. To leave the regulation of their primaries to the central Gov- ernment is to argue themselves unfit, incapable and indifferent. When corruption and indifference creep in and the voters of a State are suplne, the demand for action by the Federal Government follows as a matter of course. The Senate and House, under the Constitution, have the right to protect themselves from corruption in the election of their members. They are the sole judges of their qualifications. They can re- fuse a seat to any man or woman nominated or elected corruptly. This pay them too little to attract watch- men of the caliber necessary for the important duty, it might be well for! transit commissions to look into that angle. Whatever the cause, however, every watchman found asleep should be discharged without further notice. ! The solution of the problem is not in watcnmen, in bells or in gates. It is the elimination of grade cross- ngs throughout the country. Over- passes and underpasses never sleep: they never fall to keep trains and automobiles apart, and it makes no difference whether bells ring and gates drop, accidents do not happen it such points. The lives of:several thousand peo- ple are sacrified each year for lack of such protection. Anything else is a poor makeshift. Until the time ar- rives when every community realizes this fact and so impresses it upon the railroads that action will be; taken, watchmen will sleep, bells will fail to ring, sates will get out of order and the human element of chance-taking In motorists will cause hem to pe killed by the thousands. ——v————— A Revolt Against Communism. On the first of July last 35,600 cloak- makers in New York City started a strike, one of a long series of walk- outs in that industry. It was recent- ly settled to the satisfaction of about 8,000 of the workers in a special group, leaving 27,000 of the rank and file of the union still out. This fail- ure to effect an adjustment of the entire membership has led to a fight within the organization against the radicals who have thus far had charge of the strike. A meeting was held last night at Cooper Union, the tradi- tional gathering place of labor or- ganizatlons, at which the Communist party was arraigned for its “machina- tions in usurping power in the union” and declaring that the leaders of the strike had betrayed the interests of the workers. This revolt against the Communist leadership of the cloakmakers’ union is of particular significance. It is not merely a blow at the radical leader- ship of that particular organization, but a reaction against the radical propaganda that has been carried on for some years among large groups of industrial operatives in this coun- try. These Communist agitators have been trying to gain control of the American labor organizations for some time. They have been resisted by the American Federation of Labor, the aid of which is now sought by the re- volting cloakmakers in their endeavor to throw off the leadership of the radicals. is their line of defense against a cor- rupt membership. Whether the Con- gress can or should seek to deal di- rectly with the primary elections in the States is another matter, which The principal organization of the Communist workers is the Trade Union Educational League, headed by William Z. Foster, with headquarters in Chicago. It is based upon the pre- doubtless will be given serious con-|cepts of the Moscow Trade Union In- sideration in the coming session and | ternationale. It is believed to be the in the Seventieth Congress. It is pos- | direct representative in the United sible that any real attempt at leg- | States of that radical Communist or- islation will await final action on the Smith and Vare cases. They will not come before the Senate until the Seventieth Congre: mbles. The legislators will in that event have the advantage of the debate on these election cases before undertaking to pass a law dealing with primary elec- tions. No regular election of mem- bers of Congress occurs until 1928, and the Seventieth Congress, in its tirst can legislate In time for that election, if it so desires. The right of Arthur R. Gould, Sen. atorelect from Maine, to a seat is to he challenged, it is said, at the coming session of Congress. He comes to flll a vacancy. But Mr. Gould's case differs from those of Vare and Smith. While charges may be filed against him, he will present himself in the Senate without an investiga- tion having been made of those charges by the Senate slush fund committee. In all probability he will be seated forthwith and his election then investigated by the Senate. That is the usual coul In the cases of Mr. Vare and Col. Smith, however, a Senate investigation has already been had. A further investigation would in all probability merely pro- duce a repetition of the testimony already given. In this unusual, prob- ably unique, situation in which Smith and Vare find themselves, op- ponents of their seating find justifi- cation for refusing to allow the Sen- ntors-elect from Illinois and Pennsyl- vania to take their seats as a routine matter whenever they present them. selves. session, —————— New Jersey is famous for beauty contests. There is no doubt a certain amount of disappointment in the fact that no one photographed in the Hall- Mills case could hope to qualify as a competitor in that particular line. Asleep on Duty. Inspectors of the transit commis- slon of New York, in the course of an early morning investigation, have found thirty-four crossing watchmen sleep. Twenty of these men were stationed at important and dangerous grade crossings on the Long Island Rallroad and fourteen on the Staten Island Ragsd Transit Company. The disclosures made by the inspectors was of such serious nature that the commission, at a hearing yesterday, determined to compel the railroads 1o install automatic devices at these points. In view of the large number of fatal accidents that occur each year at the Intersection of railroad tracks and vehicular roads, the situation in New York just made public by the commission is startling. Better no watchman at all than one who is so careless of the es of the public. ganization. It is conducting a so- called educational work among the children in the industrial centers, and through the children with the parents, workers in various trades. One of the principles of communism is to promote conflict between the workers and employers. Strike settle- ments are not sought in a spirit of adjustment. The performance in New York, where the conflict was com- promised for the benefit of a small fraction of the cloakmakers, leaving the great majority of them out in the cold, was obviously designed to con- tinue the turmoil. A frankly avowed purpose of com- munism is to destroy capitalism, to establish worker-ownership of all in- dustries and trades. It is evident that the majority of the cloakmakers in New York do not relish being led along that path, which leads so surely to bitter suffering and loss. — e Synthetic gin is a feature of various occasions which leave it a matter of doubt whether they are to be featured by the soclety editor or the police re- porter. oo The Inferior Infantry. Maj. Gen. Robert H. Allen, chief of Infantry, in his annual report just tssued, has painted an accurate pic- ture of some of the disabilities under which the foot soldier of the United States labors. The distinguished of- ficer makes some thirty separate recommendations for the amelloration of the lot of the backbone of the Army. If these go across there will be widespread rejoicing. “Here come the Infantry with dirt behind their ears,” runs the Army song, and it seems true, according to what Gen. Allen says, that a good deal of honest soil does result from an overabyndance of honest and in some ways unrequited toil. In war the doughboy 1is right down in the dust and mud of Mother Earth, while peace means for him just one job of work after another, most of them dirty. Not only that, but he gets a ration distinctly inferior to that enjoyed by his youthful protege in the Summer training camp and by the “leather. neck” and the “gob.” Uncle Sam, it appears, shells out 52.3 cents a day for each sailor’s food; 49.7 a day for each marine, while 31.5 cents is considered plenty wherewith to line the infantryman's ribs. The extra appetite given by sea air is the reason advanced by officers of the seagoling forces, but that is small comfort to a doughboy who has tolled with pick and shovel all day on some treeless plain or marched a score of miles on a dust-chéked road. Nor 1s the infantryman's clothing 80 good, according to his chief. Like other branches of the Army, he has no best suit, and, furthermore, none of the snappy little adjuncts of dress enjoyed by the trooper or the fleld artilleryman. The result 1is, Gen. Allen deciares, that the doughboy finds it difficult to take pride in either himself or his organization. Perhaps no point touched upon in the report is of more importance than the consideration of the!early reduc- tion of the weight carried by the Infantry soldier, who, in full march- Ing kit, rather resembles a French- Canadian guide showing off over a short portage. It is true that thé, personnel of other branches—Cav- | alry, Aviation, Engineers, Artnlery.i Ordnance, etc.—must possess certain accomplishments not needed by the Infantry, but, on the other hand, in almost every case their duties, from the standpoint of physical strain, are ‘When one finds it necessary to use the word “undoubtedly,” he thereby admits that there is some doubt about the thing after all “Undoubtedly Thackeray is a_great- er novelist than Dickens,” Indicates that the gentleman the statement really means, appear very positive in this matter, there is really considerable doubt in my mind.” g 1t he says, “Uridoubtedly Longfel- low is no poet,” he means “Perhaps Longfellow is something of a poet, after all.” This is the fate of all dogmatic statements, especially in matters of comparative values in the fleld of the arts. less onerous. The “foot-slogger” has doubtless envied the lot of the mount- ed man, the charioteer and all the other “fancy branches” since the days of the Pharaohs. It does seem as though his less glamourous position should be compensated for, and that Gen. Allen has set himself.to this task will be glad news for a good many thousand American young men. Doubtless quartets and octets in vari- ous cantonments will soon be prac- tising that appealing negro spiritual, “I'm Going to Lay Down This Heavy Load.” Easy Gun Buying. A short story with a moral has Just appeared. A New York lad de- cided to learn to be a detective—by mail. He bought a revo.ver to assist in his education. Taking it home and poring over the latest installment of his lessons, he accidentally shot himself. He has been arrested for possessing a weapon. The moral is apparent. It should have been impossible for him to “go out and buy a gun.” Communities which allow lethal weapons to be purchased in this easy manner are derelict tn their duty to the public. Stick-up men, would-be suicides, drink-crazed persons and people with weak intellect have no business with pistols. Even if a strict law was enforced the criminal element would probably find a way to get around it, but many lives would undoubtedly be saved if persons in other classifi- cations could be prevented from reaching dangerous weapons. —_— An American tourist in France be- comes unpopular when he laughs at local.money. Money in every nation demands a certain courtesy even when it has fallen into adverse cir- cumstances. ——or—- Making sport of “Main street” has been a national pastime. Attention is now turned to the thoroughfares that are tragically typified by “De Rus- seys lane% o — ra————— Mussolini has shown clearly that royal raiment means very little in the presence of the man who wears a bullet-proof vest. - . A motion picture actor often disap- points his public when he dismisses his press agent and turns his personal affairs over to a lawyer. ——————————— Mr. Fall's ranch has become no- torfoussthrough the effort to substi- tute quick action for the ordinary methods of farm relief. v Taxpayers in New Jersey are begin- ning to wonder whether the cost of trying to solve a murder mystery is worth the thrill. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Statistics. 0ld Man Figgers! He sits around the shack Recallin’ dates an’ numbers that will reach for ages back. He calculates the money spent for cotton an’ for silk And the nutrition present in a bowl of mush and milk. He tells the distances to stars an’ what the nations owe. He indicates the profits corporations ought. to show. Receipts from tax collection he can closely indicate And count the inoidental cost of many a long debate. Old Man Figgers! You've got us on the run. You show us every cent we spend for feeding or for fun. You estimate the proceeds of a heart throb or & song— 0ld Man Figgers—ain't you goin’ rather strong? Arbitrary Control. “Who is going to have control of the Senate?” “If our heating problems continue to grow more prominent in general affairs,” replied Senator Sorghum, “maybe it'll be the janitor.” The Eternal Santa. There isn’t any Santa Claus To bring us Christmas fun. My admiration and applause For that old saint is done. And yet I sneak where stockings hang In hope of Christmas glee, And pause, in slang, to say Dang, Old Santa Clause is Me!” Jud Tunkins says old-fashioned dances still attract admiring attention because they could be conducted with- “Gol No man is given such divine abil- ity that he can unerringly rank the great of the world, like immortal tin soldlers, the first in the first place and the second in the second place nng 80 on down the file unto the end. Hence, the word “undoubtedly,” or something similar, is necessary to bolster up the ipse dixit, for even the most conceited, in his heart of hearts, knows that in these matters there is no first and last. The author who is first in plot may be second in character building. The writer who excells in the delineation of the commonplace may have very grave faults when it comes to the technical construction of his novels, whereas the writer who has given us immortal book men and women may rightly be censured for senti- mentality and a certain theatrical striving after effect. * * k Take that true poet, Henry Wads- worth Longfellow. If one were to listen to many of our later-day prophets, he would be- gin. to wonder how in the world America ever thought for a second that Longfellow was even a third- rate poet. They call him trite, commonplace, make large use of the word “bre mide,” and In every way cast reflec- tions upon the sterling simplicity and real ability of the man and the poet. It seems that every civilization must have its era of sophistication, when the ordinary affairs of every- day life are viewed with large sus- picion by men and women who pine after something ‘“different.” To be different is the ambition of their lives. Hence - they patronize queer eating places, read the very latest and most extravagant books, go into ecstasies over musical composi- tions that violate the ordinary rules of the art, and in a hundred other ways attempt to overturn what has existed and what does now exist. The cultured Romans passed through a similar era, when the old Latin authors were looked down upon, and branded as “banal” and worse. Just as some who enjoy the bene- fits of police protection come to loudly declare that there is no need at all for the use of force in the world, so there are those who are offended at the use of the simple in art. Let a thing be never so well done, if it shows no_intense striving, it does” not appeal to these supercul- tured souls. They prefer long'and intricate compositions, replete with passages which your everyday reader is willing to “pass-up” as poor because obscure. It never enters the heads of these Col. George Harvey, at the recent dinner of the St. Andrew’s Society in New York, earnestly advocated the appointment. of American ministers to Ireland and Canada. He took the view that Uncle Sam should no longer hesitate to reciprocate the honor that the Emerald Isle did us in sending an envoy to Washington two years ago, or the similar honor that Canada is about to do us. Col. Harvey, who is still a good newspaper man, sprang a scoop upon the banqueting Scotsmen. “I happen to be informed,” he said, “that Australia will follow the example of Ireland and Canada upon, if not before, the return of her prime minister, Mr. Bruce.” London dis- patches report that Bruce is headed for Washington. Harvey thinks the Australian statesman ought to be ac- corded a royal welcome, in token of our appreciation of Bruce's warm espousal of an American-Australian entente cordlale at the recent im- perial conference in London. * % Kk K Senator Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas, Democratic leader in the Senate, has just returned to Wash- ington from a duck-hunting expedi- tion at Bernard M. Baruch's shooting- box in South Carolina. The minority chieftain is a crack shot and laid low with unerring aim every mallard and canvasback that flew his way. A year ago Robinson was initiated into the mysteries of grouse-shooting in Scot- land. It is attended with considerable more formality than hunting in this country, but the Arkansan speedily won his spurs with his British hosts. The first day out he captured the coveted rank of “first gun,” With the biggest bag to his credit. Senator Robinson’s troubles in the more or less United Kingdom did not set in until he attempted to land in_Ireland with a brace of shotguns. It took some persuasion, and no little official in- fluence, to convince the authorities that he had brought them to shoot game and not Irishmen. * ok kK Aaron Sapiro of Chicago, regarded by many farm leaders as the coun- try’s premier authority in the realm of co-operative marketing, was in Washington this week looking into agricultural matters. Cotton is the crop in which Sapiro is chiefly inter- He is far from en- thusiastic over the relief measures re- cently adopted by the Coolidge admin- ested nowadays. istration for rellef of distress in Dixie. According to Sapiro, the scheme whereby Government funds were WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. o SR N THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, DECEMBER THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. esthetes that they may be wrong. Dg they not use the word “undoubtedly’ at every turn? * * * % Because one does not have the in- tellectual grace to care for simplicity is no reason why he should sneer at the authors that displayed this fine quality. ‘We like that word “grace,” as we do many others that enter largely into Christian writings. It bespeaks cer- tain qualities of mjnd and heart, far removed from the hard sneerers, all the sophisticated tribe of those who preface all statements with ‘“‘undoubt- edly, forsooth.” o Longfellow, after all, may be sit- ting in judgment on them! Might he not be the one poet by which to meas- ure one's self for simplicity, faith- ulness, trueness, gentlemanliness, cindliness, home-lovingness? Certainly there are grave dangers ncurred in the use of such words, 1nd especially in carrying their mean- ings over into literature. But because .hey have been, and often are, abused, :s that any reason why one need shy irom them as from the devil, and ut- terly ban them from one’s own life? The apostles of sophistication have, with their usual conceit, set standards for all mankind, which others must reach, or fail of acceptance by these mighty “men of the citles,” of whom Mr. Mencken is the prophet. Mr. Mencken, however, has many merits, whereas his imitators seldom get be- yond his faults. We will not be intimidated by them. At the risk of their loudest sneers, we stand up_and declare to all the world that Longfeflow is a poet, a real poet, a poet of the com- monplace, it you will, but a poet, nevertheless. He can and does create in the re- ceptive m.nd that exaltation of spirit which is the true result of real poetry. Neither their saying he is not a poet nor our saying that he is makes him one or the other, of course, His work speaks for him. * ok kK Granted that one really ocares for poetry, in the first place—there are many who do not—he will like Long- fellow it he loves home. * Today there are many persons who actually care not a rap for home. Home, to them, is simply a place to sleep. All such will find nothing in Long- tellow. How can they? The home-loving people of the world, however, have and do find Longfellow expressing their best sentiments for them. You will fina Mrs. Henry Wood, characterized as having the best plotted novels in her generation, quot- ing from Longfellow. You will find his poems entirely liked by children, who have not vet learned that the every-day affairs of life are something to be sneered at. They are loved, too, by all those who steadfastly refuse to be lured into such a belief. A rainy day may be passed over in silent contempt by the so-called intellectuals, but the rest of us will believe Longfellow’s *The Rainy Day” true poetry, even those ierribly commonplace closing lines: “‘Be still, sad heart, and cease repining; Behind the clouds is the sun still shining; Thy fate is the common fate of all, Into each life some rain must fall, Some days must be dark and dreary.” President Coolidge sees the newspa- er men of Washington only twice a | eek. “Bill” Borah sees them every week day at 3 o'clock. To the Idiho Senator’s office each afternoon they come in pairs, trios and sometimes by the dozen, It's a wholly informal press conference. The rule is the same as the one prevailing at the White House—no direct quotation. Questions may be asked on any sub- ject under the sun and they don't have to be handed up in writing in advance—the Coolidge method. Borah talks with unrestrained freedom, trust- ing his interrogators to play the game. Washington correspondents are well trained in that sort of thing, and “Big Bill's” confidence, unreservedly given, is as punctiliously respected. i * K K X Truman H. Newberry of Michigan, whose surname added an idiom to modern_politics, is commodore of a new $150,000 yacht. It was launched the other day at Camden, N. J., and christened “Truant.” The ship, which is 104 feet long and_ develops 2,000 horsepower, is to be Jelivered to the former Senator and put in commis- sion at Charleston, S. C., later in De- cember. Driven by gas, Truant will make her maiden cruise in Florida waters during the holidays. The Newberrys' daughter Elizabeth, well remembered in Washington society, dashed a bottle of champagne against the yacht’s bow as Truant slid down the ways. * Ok K K Citizens of Elmira, N. Y., have or- ganized to bring about action by Con- gress on behalf of the surviving mem- bers of Admiral Peary’s expedition to the North Pole. They particularly seek financial recognition for the aged mother of Prof. Ross G. Marvin of Elmira, who was killed farthest north by an Eskimo. The petition to be submitted at Washington recites that the accomplishment of discovering the North Pole was not due alone to the leader of the expedition, but also to the gallant men who served under him. * ok K x Brig. Gen. Dennis E. Nolan, U. S. A., the United States’ military repre- sentative at the late preliminary dis- armament conference in Geneva, re- ceived promotion and a new post dur- ing his absence in Europe. He has been assigned the command of the eighth area, with headquarters at Co- lumbus barracks, Ohio. Prior to pro- ceeding to Switzerland Gen. Nolan was appointed to command the 1st 3, 1926. Writer Joins in Protest Against Inharmonious Esthetics. | To the Editor of The Star: In a news article concerning the move of the National Commission of Fine Arts to enla !Lauds Arts Commissiogl} | Q. Does the President of the United States have to pay his own grocery rge its powers of Ibill, or is there an allowance for this? jurisdiction over the esthetic devel- —F. C. opment of Washington, The Evening Star (November 28) quotes the fol- lowing from the commission’s annual report: “What is lacking today is the Na- tional Capital spirit to overcome, and if need be to override, the individual- istic impulse to exploit Washington for private gain. If plans would have accomplished this result Washington would be all that one dreams, for the plans have been made and duly re- corded, but there has been no com- pelling force behind the plans.” Permit me to suggest that it is the national official spirit which has been lacking and that individualistic impulse is not altogether to blame in the matter of sordid sacrifice of civic beauty. Many years ago— years ‘before mercenary individualism was serious- ly involved in the work of esthetic development — The Evening Star waged editorial war against the na- tionalistic impulse to save money in real estate by erecting public build ings on the Mall. The Star's editorials had a vitalizing effect on public opinion, and for a time the result of its campaign was encouraging. Since then, however, the Mall, to a noticeable degree, has been national- istically exploited, if that is not too strong a word. By way of lllus- tration and as an object lesson in fine-arts past performances, con- der the defacement of the Smith- sonian grounds. The Smithsonian Building, when as a schoolboy I first learned to admire it, was an integral feature of the splendid park which formed its set- ting. It pleased the eye from every point of view. Today its varied and picturesque outlines can be fully en- joyed only from the north, and even that point of view has been circum- scribed by the new National Museum Building. On the south, close to tke southwest corner of the Smithsonian Bullding, is the Freer Art Gallery, more or less attractive, but architec- turally out of place. East of the Freer Building are a number of barnlike structures, including a high board fence, while still farther east are the old Museum Building and the Army Medical Museum, both utterly inhar- monious where they stand. Certainly, if Mme. de Stael was right in her fancy that architecture is frozen music, the expensive aggre- gation of marble, brownstone, granite, wood and brick in the Smithsonian grounds is frozen jazz. So the Mall, in respect to its origi- nal design, has been bisected, the rare sylvan charm of the Smithsonian grounds has vanished, and we see that the individualistic have been simply following horrible examples set by the nationalistic exploiters. There are signs that in time the latter may fully realize that a primrose by the river brim is something more. When they do, we may expect that individualistic _exploitation of our civie growth will to a great extent be checked. In the meantime, it is encouraging to learn that the National Commission of Fine Arts thoroughly recognizes the need for a compelling force in its work, for much more than a per- functory gesture will be required to hold Congress to an adequate and final understanding of Capital esthetics. Even the big triangle between Pennsylvania avenue and the Mall may yet be a source of much trouble esthetically. So long as any sizable portion of that triangle is vacant, no matter how well sodded and attrac- tive, there will be official eyes to scrutinize it in the light of its pos- sibilities as a building site. Indeed, to judge from the past, in the ap- plication of whatever compelling force the commission has in mind, it will be very difficult to make official utili- tarians observe strictly the funda- mental axiom that the esthetic value of parks and outdoor works of art, particularly of architecture, may be lost and good money wasted in an in- congruous or crowded setting. Seriously speaking, with a view to simplifying and facilitating the work of Federal City betterment, why not reorganize the National Commission of Fine Arts as an auxiliary branch of the Natlonal Capital Park and Planning Commission? ‘WM. TIPTON TALBOTT. Flying War Mothers’ Flag Was Not a Discourtes; To the Editor of The Star: My attention has just been invited to Mr. John Willlams' letter which appeared in The Star a few days ago and in which he stated, with other things, that the flying of a “war mothers’ flag” on the Capitol Armi- stice day, on the same halyard as the flag of the United States, was “‘abso- lutely infra dignitatem and an un- called-for discourtesy.” Mr. Williams also says “It is a well known fact the world over that no flag of any nation, society, order or club must be holsted on the same pole, staff or lanyard as that of the national emblem.” As one who has made a study of the flag of the United States for a number of years and who is deeply interested and well versed in flag etiquette, 1 disagree absolutely with Mr. Williams. 1. Not that it is a matter that has any particular bearing on the real point at issue, but merely by way of accuracy of statement,.I would say that the flag which was flown over the Capitol with the United States flag Armistice day was not an “American War Mothers' flag,” but | it was a regular serxice flag presented by the American War Mothers. 2. Mr. Willlams is mistaken when he says “It is a well known fact the world over that no flag of any nation, society, order or club must be hoisted on the same pole, staff or lanyard as that of the national emblem.” In the United States Navy and in other navies of the world it is a practice always not only to fly during divine pledged to finance the storage and carrying of 4,000,000 bales is designed to relieve the cotton banker rather than the cotton grower. Administra- tion authorities naturally reject this lugubrious view. They say the Gov- ernment’s relief project hasn’'t had a chance yet to “work out.” They pro- fess confidence it will eventually do all it was intended to accomplish. Sa- piro has equally little faith in the co- operative marketing division set up in the Department of Agriculture last out the ald of a hip flask. “We become confused,” sald Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “in quarreling over what has been done wrong in the past instead of considering what shall Spring. He thinks it is a well inten- tioned, but inadequate, plece of ma- chinery. * ok kK “Tom"” Campbell of Montana, said to be the world's largest grower of i Division at Fort Hamilton, N. Y. He is one of the country's brilliant soldiers. Nolan organized Pershing’s entire intelligence service in France. He began with two subordinates and a stenographer, and wound up with one of the finest “M. I. D.'s” in the world. (Copyright. 1926.) Swiss Independence Date Declared 1291 service the church pennant on the same lanyard as the national emblem, but, in accordance with a very an- clent custom handed down from the days of the Crusaders, the pennant 1s placed above the national emblem. The tional Flag Conference, June 14- 1923) takes cognizance, in the fol- lowing provision, of the custom In this country of hoisting State, city. soclety, club and other flags on the same halyard with our national emblem: “When the flags of States or citles flag code (adopted by the Na-, To the Editor of The Star: In the issue of The Sunday Star of or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the national flag should always be at the peak. ®* ¢ * No flag or pennant should be placed above be done right in the future.” Rhetorical Restrictions. Back vonder, in the days of yore, My mother spanked me when I swore. She spolled, with purpose free from guile, wheat, has just left Washington. He was in conference at the White House about the time the President’s message to Congress was being prepared. Some authorities think the Vermont farm boy may have been inspired by Camp- bell to no inconsiderable extent, as far as the agricultural passages of the November 21, 1926, I read with great astonishment an article, written by Mrs. Margaret B. ‘Downing, relating to the independence of Switzerland, giving the date of the declaration of independence as 1648. As a matter of fact, the declaration of independence of Switzerland was or to the right of the flag of the United States.” . Now, as to the propriety of the American War Mothers presenting a service flag, showing the number of soldlers who served and the number who died during the World War, and the flying of such flag on the Capitol My modern literary style. “A shorter workin' day,” said Uncle | Eben, “ain’t no good If all it does is | to give mo' time foh shootin’ crap.” 'Hlat Elusive Bee. message are concerned. The Mon- tanan farms 95,000 acres of wheat land. He runs them as if they were a modern factory. He is a “bug” for doing everything on a farm by ma- chinery that can possibly be done. The Campbell family has just har- vested its fifty-fourth annual crop of wheat. “Tom,” as he is known proclaimed the first of August, 1291, when the then three cantons or states (Uri, Schwitz and Unterwald) shook off the yoke of tyranny of of the Nation on Armistice day, I would say that not only was the flying of this service flag In the manner in- dicated not a violation of established = sl . H. A. Mrs. Elizabeth Jaffray, former housekeeper at the White House, says that the food bill is the only expense connected with the White House which a President of the United States must pay personally out of his salary, with the exception of the amount nec- essary for personal clothes for himself and his family. Q. Is lightning a sea 'peril?—O. A. A recent article in a marine publication says, “The majority of marine underwriters concur in the judgment that lightning is a sea perll on the basis that a marine policy not only covers fire, such as is likely to result from lightning, but also in- cludes loss or damage from all perils of the sea.” Q. According to the rules of etl- quette, does the lady sit to the man's right at the dinner table?—O. W. A. The woman occupies the seat to the right of the man with whom she goes in to dinner. Q. What kind of a school is the Principia in St. Louis?—R. H. A. It is a junior college, co-educa- tional, and limits its enrollment to children of Christian Sclentists. It was founded in 1898. It has no con- nection with and receives no support from the Christian Sclence Church. Q. Is the sofl of Panama fertile?— . It 1s very fertile. Only five- eights of the whole area of the re- public is occupled, and the cultivation of the land is carrfed on under old methods. Bananas are the principal crop, but rubber, coffee, cocoa, €oco- nuts and sarsaparilla are important crops. Q. Was Gen. Nelson A. West Point man?—C. L. A. Gen. Miles entered the military service a civillan In September, 1861. He recruited a company of volunteers and was made a first lleutenant. He was then 22 years old. At the age of 24 he was a brigadier general, and at 26 a major general. At the close of the Civil War he was made a colonel in the Regular Army. In 1880 he won a brigadier generalcy; in 1890 he was made a major general, and lieutenant general, 1900. Q. Do people eat as many dough- nuts as they did formerly?—C. S. B. A. The president of the American Institute of Baking says there is a very great increase in the doughnut business. “This may be due to the de- velopment of automatic machinery for making doughtnuts or it may be fun damentally due to some other rea- son, such perhaps the high energy value of the food, its relative cheap- ness and its appetizing flavor.” Q. Can a member of the House of Commons in the British Parliament resign, as a member of the United States Congress can?—A. N. G. A. A member of the House of Com- mons cannot resign his seat, but may ask for some other office of profit un- der the crown and so vacate his seat under the act of settlement. The usual procedure is to apply for the stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Escheatorship of Munster or some other nominal office, whereupon the seat is declared vacant and a writ to fill it issued. . What are the important aids to alr navigation?’—R. S. S. A. The first aid to air navigation must be the extension to the air pilot of relatively the same help as fur- nished pilots on the seas. First is the lighting of the airways. Next is the weather communication system be- tween at least those statlons at which aircraft alight; then the radio beacons, the radio markers, the radio tele- phones for direct communication with the pilot in flight to apprise him of conditions ahead along the route, if the radiophone is found to be the best Miles a ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. solution; the radio fleld localizer to glve the pllot the exact location of a fleld in fog and to assist him in alight- ing. Other devices are being worked upon, such as the direction finder and the landing altimeter. Q. Where did malted milk origi- nate?—C. B. . A. Horlick’s malted milk, which has been termed the original, was first made at Racine, Wis. Q. Who invented the term ‘Dbab: grand” plano?—J. M. W. A. Albert Weber, Q. Is there any law or city ordi nance forbldding soft-coal smoke, or compelling the use of smoke consum- ers?—A. B. A. The District ordinance does not allow any smoke. The inspector of the city interprets this to mean that there shall be no smoke darker than No. 38 (Ringleman Chart) for more than 15 seconds. This does not apply to residences. These regula- tions come under the Department of Health, District Bullding, Washing- ton, D. C. Q. Do officers of the law often suc- ceed in preventing lynchings?—M. 8. G. A. Last year 16 lynchings took place in this country. There were 89 occaslons when officers prevented Iynchings. Q. How many radio receiving sets are used on farms?—P. B. A. According to the Department of Agriculture there are over 660,000 receiving sets on farms taqday, and of this total a vast majority were in- , stalled primarily to recelve weathe: and market reports. Q. Has Japan a minimum age rul: for child workers?—F. C. H. A. The International Labor Office, Geneva, has received Information that the Emperor of Japan has approved the ratification by that country of the draft convention fixing the minimum age for the admission of children to industrial employment adopted by the first International Labor Conference in 1919. This convention fixed the general minimum age for industrial employment at 14, with special clauses for India and Japan fixing the age at 12. For Japan the clause stipu- lates that the children shall have fin- ished the course in the elementary school before being admitted to em ployment, and recommends that transi- tional regulations be made for chil- dren already in employment between the ages of 12 and 14. Q. When was the American Library Association organized?—W. O. H. A. It was organized on the 8th of October, 1876, and incorporated Decem- ber 10, 1879. Q. Did the Florida hurricane hit the Bahamas?—E. B. D. A. The Bahama Islands suffered much damage in the hurricane which swept southeastern Florida in Sep- tember, 1926, The Island of Bimini was most severely damaged. Q. Where was cabbage first grown” —F. L. A. Cabbage is a native of the rocky shores of Great Britain and ‘other parts of Europe, and in its wild state is generally from 1 to 2 feet high. It has been cultivated in Eu- rope from time immemorial. The cab- bage was grown in the United States in the early days of colonization. Did you ever write a letter to Fred- eric J. Haskin? You can ask him eny question of fact and get the answer in @ personal letter. Here is a great educational idea introduced into the lives of the most intelligent people in the worli—American newspaper read- ers. It is a part of that best purpose of @ newspaper—service. There is no charge, except 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Address Frederic J. Haskin, director, The Evening Star Information Bureau, Washington, D. 0. - Wins Acclaim Towa's world champion cornhusker is 1tving proof that even in this age of machinery at least one big farm job is left to a nimble pair of hands. Fred Stanek of Fort Dodge holds the rec- | ord with a ton of corn husked in 80 minutes, and he is being acclaimed in and out of the corn belt. Finding fitness in the fact that “Jowa, the State where the tall corn grows, produced the 1926 champion,” the Peorla Transcript thinks “it is sentimentally justifiable that this year's champion should be a resident of that State. We will not attempt to appraise the practical value of corn husking _contests,” says the Tran | script, “but we are convinced they have a profound sentimental worth, and that the victory of an Iowan will prove a stimulant to the sport which would have been lacking if Williams, the Illinols champion, had won again. Towa is developing leadership very rapidly in the corn belt. It has done more than Illinois to record its hopes and desires for legislation to help tarmers.” “It was presumptuous of the State of Nebraska,” proclaims the Des Moines Tribune, “to hold a world champlonship corn-husking contest there. The place for it obviously was Towa. And, just as a rebuke, to em- phasize the absurdity of the whole thing, an Towan, Fred Stanek, of Fort Dodge won the contest with a runaway performance. Stanek husked 2,121 pounds of ccrn in 80 minutes, and his nearest competitor, a Nebras- kan, had.only 1,903 pounds to his credit. Nor did representatives of Tlli- nols, Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana and South Dakota do any better. They meant prosperity to the State we would have something to boast of.” * ok ok x The Columbus Ohfo State Journal declares “the Nation has reason to be proud of Stanek, the Iowa champion, the national champion, for his task was tremendous. His natlve State well may consider him one of its fin- est citizens. There are plenty of men,” according to the Ohlo State Journal, “who recall boyhood days on the farm, who will marvel at the speed and result shown by Stanek. He must be a man of nimble wit, quick action, much courage and skill highly developed. Time may bring one who will push the record higher, but Stan- ek has reason to feel rather secure in his present position. It, will be a man's Job to better his record and show a greater amount of corn. There s lit- tle need for orn-husking machine so long as nlen are able to make such records in the fleld.” ‘The fact that husking has not been replaced by machinery is emphasized adds that “in many other ways farm ing has been changed:” that “the flail has been replaced by the thrasher the scythe by the mowing machine. No wonder the survival of one of the Austria (Leopold the First of Habs- beurg, then emperor) and founded the Swiss Confederation, declaring that: Switzerland shall be free as long as their mountains shall subsist, choos- custom, but, in the judgment of na- tional headquarters of the United States Flag Association, it was a beau- tiful, fitting way for the Natlon to recognize the services of the 4,693,039 From the Boston Herald. The thinnest material known is a presidential possibility with two years to go. A g throughout the wheat belt, is an un- compromising foe of agricultural pat- ent‘ medicine, such as *'surplus legls- lation. ing the white cross over a red fleld as the national flag a All for one, one for all, lyt words. VICTOR P_GAUTHEY. A ; men who followed their country’s flag during the World War, and of paying tribute to the memory of the 60,672 who followed the flag into that realm where battle flags are furled and war drums throb no longer. ‘We thank the American War Mothers for their beaut.ful thought and fitting act. JAS. A. MOSS. Colonel, United States Army (retired); director genersl, United States Flag Assonissten. ~ ‘ also by the Pittsburgh Sun, which | Corn Husker’s Big Achievement oughout U. S. old methods should be occasion for Jollity and friendly rivalry,” concludes that paper. The Springfield Union forecasts ‘“disappointment for mil- lions" if there shall not be found a way to radio corn huskings: “and the regret will linger,” continues the Union, ‘“until the champion corn husker follows the champion hog caller and the champion fiddler and the champlon clam eater into oblivion and a brand-new champlon of some- thing leaps into the limelight.” The idea 18 regarded as contaglous ¢ the Portsmouth Sun, which asks: Why can't we have a corn-husking bee fdr the championship of this country? Here we live in the Scloto Valley, where the corn grows tall. In £ood years they have to use telegraph pole climbers to get up to the ears, and in extra good years they have to chop the stalks down, because even a good climber can only husk three or four dozen stalks a day. Scioto County has some of the huskiest huskers in all the world unknown to fame.” * ok ok K The Charlotte Observer records that in the championship contest, “one farmer from Illinols was so anxioms to win that he made his wife kneel beside him and pray as he shucked, but he came out half a dozen laps be- hind. And this circumstance,” adds the Observer, “need not be occasion for revival of discussion on the ‘effi- cacy of prayer,” for any mind not soused In the mists of confusion might know that the Lord listens to no such prayers as the corn shucker's wife sent up under orders.” Yet the were novices compared with the W : Towan, Now, if It could only be ar. | Kansas City Post suggests that “per- ranged so that corn and lots of it | aps Elmer Williams, the praying corn husker, has hit upon the hitherto undiscovered "method of farm relief,” and asks if it “may not be that our political leaders, deeply concerned over measures for helping the farmer, have gone to their statesmanlike task with far too little of Corn-Husker | Willlams' special preparation.” As to Mr. Williams® 28.8 bushels of corn, husked and loaded in 60 minutes, the {Post says: “We frankly admit the | thing is not of human endeavor. Our recollections are all to the effect that husking corn is no fool's job. It iean’t be done at Elmer’s speed without | the aid of Providence; we are not con- vinced we should care to guarantee matching his record even thus favor- ably fortified.” Recalling ~Edward Eggleston's novel, “The Circuit Rider,” and its “vivid description of an Ohio Valley corn shucking of almost a hundred years ago,” the Muncie Star adds: “There were no contests then for the world champlonship or for the State | championship; but the desire to win the community championship and | thereby the notice of the prettiest girl in the neighborhood was quite as strong among the young men of that day asis the ambition to win the world championship among the young men of our corn belt today.” Coming down to the recent contest the Star concludes: “The spirit of the loser, the ‘praying husker, was as sports manlike as those whose spirlt is so greatly admired in our athletic con- | tests. " ‘He (the winner) is just a bet- ter man than I am, he said. ‘A fel- low doesn’t always get what he prays for! A spirit superior to that attrib- 1uled by Eggleston to his backwoods oser.”