Evening Star Newspaper, December 17, 1926, Page 8

THE EVENIN With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY....December 17, 1826 THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor S e e e e e The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office. . 11th St and Pennavivania A“Q.q New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. _ Chicago Office: Tower Building. European Office spent St.. London, Engl The Evenine Star. with the Sunday morn. M adition. 1s deiivered by carriers within the &ty ..t @0 cents per month: 45" cents per month: Sandaye only. wonth be sent telephone Main Collection i ter at end fera b 5000 s mi of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunday Daily only ... Sunday ouly . es and Canada. +.$12.00: 1 mo.. $1.0 1 00 1 o 1 8500 1 mo. All Other St Daile and Sundas.. 1 Baily only ..U Sunday nly 1 exclusively en on of all new not otherwise cred- % paper and also the local news heratn. All rights of publication dispatches herein are also reserv Press is publ oublicha of spe The Fall-Doheny Acquittal. The verdict of acquittal rendered by the jury in the Fall-Doheny case in this city was generally discounted by public expectation. That was be- | cause, primarily, of the difficulty of | nvincing proof inherent geos of conspir: 1t was | further e of the feeling that generally prevailed that the Govern. ment had vot established beyond the | casonable doubt” which is the limit required by the law the accusation that the defendants had, in fact, entered into a guilty bargain for the | awerd of a valuable contract. So far | as the evidence ran it was shown by the defense that the initiative for the transfer of the oil reserves from the jurisdiction of the Navy to that of the Department of the Interior was taken by the naval authorities. It| followed that as far as the proof ran | there was at the most only an un- sought opportunity on the part of the Secretary of the Interior to en- zage in a questionable or improper arrangement with the ofl interests. 1t was shown by testimony that was not Impeached that the initiative leading to the undertaking of the con- tract by the defendant Doheny had been made by an officer of the Navy before the case reached the Secretary of the Interior. Against this situa- tion, however, there was the unques- tioned and undenied fact of a finan- cial transaction between the defend- ants, a transaction clouded with early subterfuge and finally admitted falsl- fication. After thorough and conspicuously able presentation by counsel of the case for and against the defendants, and in the light of instructions con- cérning the law given clearly and presentin; all cha bec: impartially by an upright judge, the| Jury clears the defendants of the accusation of criminal conspiracy in the transaction; and the accused are entitled to the full bénefit of this verdict. O course the verdict in this trial does not end the case of the Govern- ment against the defendants. Fed- eral courts in California have declared the leasing contract in- volved in this case to be void because of ud and conspiracy, the same cohtract which this verdict of ac- aYittal declares to be untainted by criminal conspiracy. The validity of the contract was not on trial before this: jury, which was charged merely with declaring whether the relations Leéfiveen the two defendants consti- tuted a conspiracy. From the verdict just rendered there is no appeal From the decision setting aside the contract as invalidated by corruption an appeal has been taken and is vet to be decided by the Supreme Court of the United State: — o ————— Another war” is discussed with grave apprehension. Such a thing may be possible. The possibility would be averted by reviving the “fool kfller” and giving him discriminating powers. G T A New Traffic System. A traffic violation bureau to which ticketed motorists charged with minor offenses could go and pay | their fines is proposed by Col. Moller, | assistant traffic director, to relieve congestion in the traffic court and as a substitute for the proposed magis- trate system for Washington. The operation of the bureau would be siniple and would be patterned after present practices in Detroit and Chicago. Upon being arrested for parking or some other trivial offense the motorist would be handed a .ticket on the back of which would be printed the scale of fines for his particular violation. For parking overtime and the first offense the fine would probably be £2, second offense $5 and third $10. When the motorist reached the bureau it would optional with him whether to the fine or fight the case in court. If the penalty is paid, that is all there is to it, but if he wants o take the case further, his trial will'take place in the regular course f events. Such a plan would probably work sell in the National Capital, espe- clally in view of the crowded court conditions, which, even with the ad- dition of traffic judges, have not been materially alleviated. It would eep the policemen on the streets where they and would be espgeially convenfent for the busi- ness who does mot wish to spand & morning in court waiting for trial on a $2 charge. It 18 obvious, however, that care nuet be used in selection of the violations to be treated by the new hureau. Minor cases alone should handled, and no attempt should made to deal out justice when a cemingly minor case has major ignificance. Parking violations, ight violations and others of that na can indled sanmes N 1 or be belong man But of- Tif¢ such a hureau. endanger human 0 empts the righ be efficiently and quickly | should be treated individually in the court. Minor offenses which have major significance are those violations which perhaps do not cause an accl- dent but which are dangerous in their potentialities. A motorist driv- ing past a red light on Sixteenth street might escape without accident, due to lack of traffic or good driv- ing on the part of others, but he cer- talnly cannot be classed as a minor violator of the regulations. He is a major violator because his act was hazardous, stupid and defiant, and to treat him as a trivial offender is to | break down the principle of safe driv- ing in controlled trafic. Likewise the motorist who disobeys a stop sign, who turns without regard to other traffic, who refuses to give way overtaking vehicles, who pre- t of way and who is bullish and discourteous in traffic. All of these violations are accident cannot be treated as for breeders and { minor offenses. 1 the proposed bureau’ is to attempt to group these serious of- fenses into classes and attempt to deal with them in bulk, as it would really minor violations, the plan | should be abandoned at once, because it would do no more than set up a system through which the reckless, the incompetent and stupid could slip with nothing more than a small fioe and temporary inconvenience. If, however, the bureau intends only to treat such violations as can be han- dled in a group and with a set scale of fines, then serious consideration should be Eiven to its establishment, 1ly lessen, without as it will materia as it wi tiie disadvantages, the congestion in traffic court. e The Opportunities. the people of Washington emis Opportunities to are given Fourteen Oppor s ety al cases bestow charity upon individu through public subscription. And an- nually they accept these Opportunities in a generous spirit, grateful for the chance to administer relief to specific needs, in addition to their contribu- tions to the general charity fund. This vear’s offering by the Associated Char- {ties comprises in the fourteen groups eighty-four persons, of whom twenty- three are adults and sixty-one are children. To meet their wants for the coming year, to keep these homes in- tact, to®prevent suffering and priva- tion, the sum of $15,652 is required. In most cases there are children depend- ent upon this public benefaction for their support and for the home care that they should always receive. In some instances the father is ill or erib- pled and unable to work. In some cases the father is dead or has evaded his responsibilities and the mother is the sole wage-earner. Disease has caused many of these crises in family life. ‘With their best endeavors the heads of these groups cannot “‘make both ends meet.” They must be helped. 1f these cases are not cared for fully by the Opportunities fund it will be necessary to Ccarry them through the year out of the general funds. They have been selected as the most worthy. There are others quite as ap- pealing, but a 1imit must be drawn on the number of these direct-aid in- stances that are presented for Christ- mas-time consideration. It is inspiring to note that one of the Fourteen Opportunities are imme- diately subscribed in full, within a few hours after the public announcement was made. So there remain only thir- teen cases now to be met, and the daily reports show a ‘constant response to the call. It is desired that every case be closed by Christmas morning so that all of these elghty-four people, young and old, may on that day be guaranteed a year of comfort and care _that for another year surely these homes will be kept intact. ‘Washington always grasps these Opportunities. It will not fafl this year of great prosperity for all but the few, and those few will be made happy by the bounty of their more fortunate brethren. s, Hog cholera is making havoc and the amateur gardener is an ackno'7l- edged failure. The days are far away when the man who was “living on pork and beans” was regarded as an impecunious martyr. A Deadly Weapon. A new weapon for warfare has been discovered by the Fascisti of Italy. It s not a new kind of machine. gun, deadly gas or bomb. It is compara- tively inexpensive, but withal is very effective In bringing on an immediate softening of the brain. In short, it is the American base ball bat. When the A. E. F. left Europe to its own devices after the armistice and trekked homeward over the broad Atlantic supplies of different kinds re- posed in various continental store- houses. Among these supplies were thousands of base ball bats in a ware- house in' Bologna, Italy. During the outbreak of Fascism the Black Shirts broke into the building and commandeered a bat aplece to ! help clear the way for Mussolini and his dictatorship. So immediate were the results of this wonderful new weapon and such respect did the Fas- cisti, and incidentally the non-Fas- cisti, conceive for it that a law was passed prohibiting any but authorized persons to carry a bat in Bologna. So, now, the uninitiated visitor to Bologna may well belleve that the American national game has taken a firm hold in that town. On every side he will see Black Shirts carrying sturdy Loulsville Bluggers or Reack Specials. If he is fresh from Americe he will undoubtedly inquire as to what teams are to play that particular day and comment on the enthusiasm of the Italians for the game inasmuch as they will not allow their bats to be carried in the regular bat-bag, but must keep them close at hand. An American base ball enthusiast who has brought along a soiled ball for lit- tle Willie might even offer to pitch a few strikes to one of these grim guardians of the dictator. As for the unfgrtunate recipients | of blows from these new weapons, it could be suggested to them that Amer- cannot he properly Ica likewise inanufactures the very THE EVENING STAR, WA G STAR|srouped for a set scale of fines lnd'ben masks, which with small®altera- tion could be made to cover the head completely; the finest shin-guards and chest protectors and especially heavy catchers’ mitts which would serve to ward off Babe Ruth swings with the bludgeon. If Mussolini should equip all of his then with bats and the opponents should equip themselves with the rest of the base ball apparatus, there is probably not a single American who would not Telish n Invitation to this new kind of world series. [ Radio Movies, Radio moving plctures in every home, sent out from a central station, may be the result of the “telephote,” which has just been invented by Dr. E. F. W, Alexanderson, who described the apparatus yesterday before the American Institute of Electrical En- gineers. This device, vielding ‘“‘tele- vision, will enable man to see across the ocean, no matter how dark the night; it will make possible mov- ing and talking pictures in the home through the simple expedient of turning on the electrical current. Tests have already been performed with this amazing invention which have proved highly satisfactory. It is claimed to be far superior to the pres- ent method of sending pictures through the air because it cuts down the time of transmission from twenty minutes to one-sixteenth of a second. 1t likewise projeets moving pictures instead of the still that s now-in use. About ‘a year ago an astounding piece of fiction appeared. Tt concerned the doings of one Ralph, living in the year 2096. In this book the author painted a vivid picture of what the world will be one hundred and seventy years from the present time. Rain will be controlled; every man will own an airplane, the power for which will be generated from the skies: the un- der-ocean tube will carry passengers from Europe to America in something less than twenty hours and other things will happen which make the head reel in contemplation. One chap- ter of this novel is taken up with a description of “television,” which made it possible for Ralph, from his apartment in New York, to see and talk with the heroine sojourning irf Switzerland. Now with “television” an actuality there seems to be no real reason for holding off work any further on the under-ocean tube or the weather con- trol apparatus. A week end in Eu- rope, leaving on the Friday night ex- press and returning on the Sunday night limited, would be a pleasant ex- perience, while the assurance of good weather for golf or sight-seeing would add much to the enjoyment. And then, of course, if the tube became commonplace, it would be possible to hop in that little five-hundred-mile-an- hour airplane for a quick trip to dear old England. Yes, the world is progressing despite the gang warfare in Illinois. —_———— The theater is reverting to dialogue free from profanity. The stage is an educator, and the public has now been fully instructed in the rudimentary diction that Involves rough talk. ———————— A film comedian occasionally dem- onstrates in the divorce court an ut- ter inability to cut up in a way that will :na.ke home happy. B — The World Court, though regarded with respect by ecpnomists, had no influence in settling disputes in Amer- ican politics. * —————— After all, the butter-and-egg man ap- pears to get off easfer in studies of the theater than a Pittsburgh shovel king. B — In many a trial it is the jury that suffers most inconvenience. —— et SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Fleeting Favors. For a brief season Santa Claus Becomes the object of applause, And then retires to rest obscure ‘While other favorites endure. And Santa murmurs, far away, “I#wish that I had learned to play Base ball or tennis, golf or, whist Or any game in the whole list. “I wish that I to fight had learned In rings' where championships are earned. T wish, in short, I might engage The notice of the sporting page. “Yet, now I come and then I go. My fame is like the melting snow. Vain is my philanthropic glee. ‘Barnum was right!’ I must agree.” Economist. “Have you ever studled political economy?” ‘ “You may bet I have,” answered Senator Sorghum. “Political ex- travagance has ruined too many men. 1 hold my campaign funds down to almost nothing.” & Clowning. With cap and bells appeared the fool. Quoth he, “I'll still be jolly. The foollsh suffer as @ rule. I am well paid for folly.” Jud Tunkins says a scientist uses such large words that the dictionary takes up more of your time than he does. Christmas Eve. “‘Nobody hangs up his stockings en Christmas eve. “No,” sald {'nclc Bill Bottletop. “Nobody hangs up anything. If Santa were a bootlegger a lot of people might hang up a pair of pants with the flask in the hip pocket convenient- 1y exposed.” The Prevailing Motto. They wisely used to say, “Be good and you'll be happy,” “In sunshine make your hay,” “Be honest and not scrappy.” “Be generous and kind,” “Be firm, but never surly.” Instead of these we find ‘These simple words, “Shop Early.” “Wishin’ a man merry Christmas,” sald Uncle Eben, “don’t mean no mo’ to some of us dan jes’ a varjgtion on howde do.” e | 1 ! STTTNGTON, D. €., FRIDAY, " THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. “Tuning up” by the members of a great orchestra sounds a great deal more musical to our ears than does one of these so-called “modern” num- bers in such vogue at the present time. We had the pleasure recently of listening to an orchestra tune up, preparatory to playing one of these distressful” things. We suffered the number itself in silence. We are too old-fashioned, musically, to get any pleasure out of dissonance, lack of musical invention and unholy striv. ings after effect. Our unanimous verdict, after listen- ing both to the tuning and to the tune, was that the preliminary toot- lings and runnings up and down the scale by the 100 instruments with- out rhyme and reason were a great deal more interesting than the musi- cal composition. Prince Joachim Albrecht, a cousin of the former Emperor Willlam, is on our slde. The prince is coming to this country In January to con- duct a dozen symphony concerts, According to an Assoclated Press dispatch, the prince describes him- self as possibly somewhat old-fash- foned In his musical ideas. He doesn’t care for ‘“maflern” music, either. “But that's because I am a thor- oughly healthy individual,” he de- clared. “Much modern music is un- natural and discordant because com- posers and audiences have jaded nerves which need stirring up. I want my hearers to leave my con- certs with the feeling that I have furnished them with esthetic delight and instilled beauty and harmony into their souls.” L Just ps some ministers seem to find it hecessary to talk about “the Mexican question,” instead of stick- ing to Christ and Hlm crucified, so some orchestra leaders want to fur- nish thelr auditors with themes for discussion, rather than with esthetic delight, as Prince Joachim Albrecht calls it. Is it the function of a symphony to astound, or distress, or disgust the audlence? W hardly think so. Yet this is the only effect of much that is being played this season upon a large part of the audiences. Tt will do no good to call such auditors “old fogles.” 1If they are old fogies, then the human ear has been going off at a tangent for 1926 years, at least, and it remains for these ‘‘new com- posers” to set us all right. Here is a plece offered up to us with great eclat, the work of a bright young man who won all the prizes in Paris, and who, no doubt, fondly pic- tures himself as a musical Messiah, r at least a musical John the Bap- ist, making the way straight for the Great Composer who shall come here- after. This little thing is entitled “The Flower Girl.” Truly it hath a suspi- clous sound. We have learned before that this is a favorite trick of the “modern” and “futurist’” composers. Thelr titles, at least, are sensible enough. “The Flower Girl!” All" of us old-fashioned persons in the concert hall may let our weak minds run riot with that title, and still never guess in a million years Just what picture the young composer, who has won so many prizes, had in his fertile brain when he sat down, pen in hand, to bring forth this mas- terpiece. We pleture a dainty Jittle maid, per- haps standing on a London corner, or Paris corner, a basket of posies held deftly over her left arm, and a bunch of the same stuck forth to the nose of the passing populace. Now we shall hear, no doubt, a gen tle theme, perhaps plaintive, in the best Beethoven manner, or, Jacking that, in the mode of Lang, who gave us the tendei ower Song.” O, at a third rempve, perhaps something on the grder of “ITearts and Flowers hopebssly melodic composition that still appeals to us old-fashioned hear- 5. Boom! The orchestra starts with a every member thereof begins, with might and main, to hammer, saw, bang, blow and in various other man: ner inflict his soul upon his material instrument. Our “Flower Girl" is turning out to be a very peppy young lady, indeed. She must wear roll-tops (rolled just above the knee, the very latest place) and use at least four different face creams before she applies her powder and rouge. This, at least, is what we make out of this rumble of the kettle drum and the wailing “blues” movement in the string section. Just what the bassoon is trying to tell us about Gertle, we are not quite sure. Surely it must be something quite shocking, for the rest of the tattle-tales, 99 strong, try to drown him out fmmediately, just as he is getting started on at least three other in what a more or less rush; This seems to be the great alm of the *“modern” composer, to fool us. 11e is nothing if not tricky. IHis work, whether it be entitled lower Girl” *or “Rhapsody in Red,” con- sists largely of a musical gesture commonly called “thumbing one's nose.” Whenever his dear audlence imagines that it is golng to ‘“‘under- tand” the thing the modern com- poser immediately throws a monkey- wrench into the machinery. You shall not understand!” he says, and we reply, “No, because there is noth- ing to understand.” He {s perpetually starting some- thing that is never ended, beginning something that he cannot finish, mov- Ing up when we thought he was going to start down the scale, or unexpect- edly clambering to the last note on his violin when we absurdly Imagined that a good bass was necessary. ‘Whatever we think he is going to do with his music, he does just the opposite, then sits back and laughs at our amazement. It may he a good sort of musical cross-note’ puzzle, but it is not music. The function of tre music, as we know 1it, s to furnish esthetic de- light and .to instill beauty and har- mony” into our souls, as Prince Joachim Albrecht said. Such a definition, like all defini- tions, does not entirely cover the case, so there is some leeway for the “modern” composer to slip in his un- gainly wares, and then slap himself on the back for making us “sit up and take notice.” But, in doing so, he has taken Calliope, the muse of music, away from her piano and turned her into'a Chautauqua lecturer, attempt- ing to astonish and astound. A’ hundred years from now “The Flower Girl” will be lying unplayed in musical libraries, whereas Rimsky- Korsakoff's “Scheherazade” sulte will be singing its way into delighted ears and hearts as of olden time. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY. FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Acquittal in the Fall-Doheny con-* %glmcy trial did not take officlal ‘ashington universally by surprise. Compesed as that world is, largely of lawyers, it realized the Inherent dif- ficulty of establishing “beyond all rea- sonable doubt” the particular charge which the Government had to prove. It is one thing, legal “best minds" at the Capital point out, to hold that the Fall-Doheny- transactions were repre- hensible in character, but quite an- other thing to convince a jury, within the iron letter of the law, that the transactions were in pursuance of a conspiracy. Senator Thomas J. Walsh, Democrat, of Montana, chief Senate ' prosecutor of the original ofl ‘“‘scandals,” was prompt to volce such sentiments when the jury’s verdict be- came known. Walsh, excoriated as “the gray wolf of the Senate” by one of the defense lawyers in his closing plea, seems satisfled that Fall and Doheny, despite the clearing of their names in the District court, will re- main pillorfed in public. estimation. * ok ok K Fond of measuring all things in terms of dollars, as we, the American people, are, it's natural that nearly everybody in Washington is trying to figure out how much the great oil trial was “worth” to the brilant lawyers who conducted it. Common gossip is that Frank J. Hogan, the fighting Irishman, who emerges with a reputation, already high, immense- 1y enhanced, will eventually annex a round million as his reward for vic- tory in the cse of the decade. An- other yarn assesses the probable re- tainer guaranteed Wilton J. Lambert, Fall's chief counsel, who rivaled Hogan in the presentation of a mas- terly defense, at something not far from $200,000. What the United States’ able lawyers—Owen J. Rob- erts and Atlee Pomerene—will receive 1s a sheer guess. They were not hired on any fixed basis. They took the oil cases primarily in a spirit of public duty. Whatever a republic, some- times called ungrateful, gives them, it probably will represent a grave finan- clal loss, judged by the incomes both Roberts and Pomerene must have for- feited while concentrating on the oll Htigation. The latter has consumed the better part of the past three years. The expectation is that Presi- dent Coolidge will presently recom- mend to Congress the fees to which he thinks Roberts'and Pomerene are entitled. The former recently rc- nounced '.h\ largdst retagner from a private client ever to come his way. dok K K Senator Broussard, Democrat, of Louisiana, has introduced a bill de- signed to permit Maj. Campbell B. Hodges, commandant of cadets at West Point, to become president of the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge. The military affairs commit- tee of the Senate has referred the bill to the Secretary of War, who had previously cited section 1222, Re- vised Statutes, which deprives an Army officer of his military rank the moment he accepts civil office. The Broussard measure would make it possible for Maj. Hodges to function as a university executive while remain- ing in the Army. If such authority eventually is given, . Hodges would go to Baton Rouge as instruc- tor in military tactics, but on the understanding that he would, in fact, be executive head of the university. Hodges is himself a Louislanian and was appointed to the Military Acad- emy from his native State in 1899. He was graduated in 1903. Since then ‘Hodges has seen service in the Philip- pines and in Mexico. In 1911 and 1912 he was commandant of cadets at the institution of which he has just been invited to become president. During the World War Maj. Hodges had active service in France. In 1928 he was military attache to Spain and Portugal. King Alfonso’s gov- ernment recently sought permission at Washington to give Hodges the Spanigh cross of military merit in appreciation of his services at Madrid. b “Bill" Borah's State appears to be ,the commonwealth of beautiful sun- sets as well as of big potatoes. The other afternoon, just as the west- ern skies became tinted with red-gold, a group of press g#llery men was coming back to earth in an elevator in the Senate wing of the Capitol. As _they descended a glimpse of one of Washington’s loveliest sunsets was had, and a scribe remarked there could be nothing flner anywhere, ex- cept perhaps in Minnesota, whence he halls. “Guess you've never been to Idaho,” sald a handsome youth who runs that particular “lift,” and, holding that worthy job, is apparently 2 constituent of the chalrman of for- eign relations. LR Minnesota has become one of the most successful States at the Fed- eral ple counter since Frank Billings Kellogg became head of the State Department on March 4, 1925. The appointment of Carl T. Schuneman of St. Paul #s Assistant Secretary of the Treasury is the fourth sucgessive major administration plunt to m} the Gophers’ way. The others were the Secretaryship of State, the Sollcitor Generalship of the United States, awarded to Willlam DeWiftt Mitchell in 1925, and the Assistant Secretary- ship of State, bestowed upon Robert 1. Olds in October of last year. Kel- logg, Mitchell, Olds and Schuneman are all from St. Paul. That may be because Senator Henrik Shipstead, anner-!’.‘abcr.‘la "from*MInnesotnA There are incorrigible wits on Capi- tol Hill. One of them, who admits is, hails from New England. His latest quip, of which a fellow Down- easter is the butt, is that his distin- guished senatorial colleague never takes coffee for breakfast for fear that it will keep him awake during the day. EE R 3 John Barrett of Vermont, former director general of the Pan-American Unlon at Washington, thinks the im- pending arrival of Canada’s first Minister to the United States would pave the way to inclusion of the Do- minion in the Pan-American Union. Barrett put forth that diverting sug- gestion, though it is not utterly new, at the recent Pan-American Commerclal Congress in New York. It s Barrett’s view that with Canada thus afflllated with the United States and the other 20 republics of the three Americas, a ‘league of nations” would c¢ome into being that would command the world’s respect and be a mighty powe’r 2nt*o l):self. Ambassador Houghton's return from London for Christmas holidays in the United States has promptly set in motion at Washington the re- port, often circulated, that his days in the diplomatic service ars num- bered. The State Department lends no encouragement to the story, which this time is adorned with the supplemental detail that Senator James W. Wadsworth, jr., of New York, who retires from Congress in March, 1927, hankers to go to the court of St. James. Wadsworth's wife is the former Alice Hay, daugh- ter of John Hay, once American Am- bassador to Britain. (Copvrizht. 1926.) Nice Distinction. From the Des Moines Evening Tribune. It seems the President is conceded the right to advise citizens to vote, but a0t how to vote. " Prosperi ¥From the New York Times must be getting better in Washington. Congresstonal Record is about to refime publication, . am, erald Tribune. DECEMB 17, 1926. ! Fund Is Sought. Capital Has Opportunity 1o/ Honor Saint Gaudens. To the Editor of The Star: | To enable the trustees of the Saint | Gaudens Memorial to mafhtain the gegerous gift of house, grounds, stu dlo and replicas of Saint Gaudens' sculpture, made by Mrs. Augusta | Salnt Gaudens and her son, Homer | Saint Gaudens, they must.raise at least $100,000. This gives Washing- | tonlans an opportunity to help in securing this fund and at the same | time show thelr apprectation for Saint Gaudens’ work In and for Washington Salnt Gaudens was one of that great | body of men, the Washington Park Commission, who revivified the L'En- | fant plan. Ho was one of the jury to select the Grant Memorial. ~His sculp ture will keep bright patriotic memo- ries of Lincoln, Farragut, Sherman | and others who served the people in Washington. He depicted their tan- gible, physical aspect and conveyed | the expression of that intangible ele. | ment—the soul. He is the sculptor of that most impressive figure conveying the calmness of, eternity—the Adams | Memorial in Rock Creek Cemetery. The most impressive tribute to the Unknown Soldler in Arlington is the figure of Victory and Peace, a reduc- tion of the figure In the Sherman group by Saint Gaudens. The Saint Gaudens home, Aspect at Cornish, N. H., a colonial structu of dignity, overlooks a broad and deep lawn sloping from the house and en- circled by fine forest trees. Across the lawn may be seen the temple, | shaded by a great oak. llere in the altar sheitered by the temple rests the ashes of Saint Gaudens. Charming gardens connect the studios with the house. It was here Saint Gaudens dreamed and worked. Mrs. Saint Gaudens from 1908 until ¢ death in 1926 devoted her life to ollecting and installing Saint Gau- dens’ sculpture in his studios. This sculpture, with the houses and grounds, in perfect condition, has been given to trustees for the benefit of the public. Homer Saint Gaudens,. their only child, now director of fine afts. Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, joined with his mother in this generous gift. While New Hampshire is made cus todian, it is a gift to all people. This charming spot in the New Hampshire hills has become a place of pligrimage for those who love beauty. It is not certain that this gift will become effective. It is in the hands of trustees, who need the interest on $100,000 as a maintenance fund, of which $46,000 has been subscribed. If funds can be secured, it will enable the trustees “to maintain a memorial to Amerlca’s greatest sculptor; to stimulate the best art in America: to afford a place for continued pilgrim- age of those who love beauty; to cs- tablish a center for inspirational study and assocfation for young sculptors; to perpetuate the beautiful and unique estate, Aspect, the home, gardens and studlos of one of the greatest artists America has produced; to make possi- ble the gift of Mrs. Saint Gaudens and her son, Homer, of the estate and its priceless collections.” | As chairman of the Washington committee, I shall be glad to recelve and. forward any contributions from Washingtonians, no matter how small, and the trustees and I will greatly appreciate the courtesy of The Star in bringing this matter to its readers’ attention. GLEN BROWN, Chairman, Washington Committee, Saint Gaudens’ Memorial. | Veteran Asks Passage Of Bill to Help G. A. R. To the Editor of The Star: I notice in President Coolidge's message to Congress that he states that ™At the last session we in- creased our annual expenditure for pensfons and rellef on account of the veterans of three wars. I do not favor any further extension of our pension system at this time.” I have wondered if he knew, when he was grudgingly signing the bill, that on July 3, just 63 years| to the day, the boys dying on the Ge'}lynburg battlefield, who made the sackifice in saving this Union, and the survivors, and also those who, at Vicksburg, were sacrificing their lives in the same cause, would ap- prove such a sentiment as he ex- presses; I doubt if he was aware of the coincldence in dates. At about the same hour and on the same day, July 3, 63 years after, | the left gun of our Battery, the 16th Ohlo, Gunner Corpl. Belmer fired the last shot into Vicksburg, before the white flags were up’ and Pemberton. surrendered and gave up Vicksburg the next morning. And the Union of States was saved. The Pension Commissioner in hls report states that 19,776 soldlers of that war have died during the past year, and 14,548 widows have died making a total of 34,319 soldiers and widows who have passed off the roll, and making a reduction of $21,391,925 in the expenditures for pensions on account of that war. With the In- creased infirmities and age of the survivors of that war, the death rate {n the coming year will probably triple that of the past year. Why should this prosperous Nation that they saved by their services and hardships deny them a living allow- ance of its bountiful funds? The G. A. R. bill should be fa- vorably and immediately passed out of the committees and passed. JAMES M. MILLER, 16th Battery. Lincoln’s Liquor View. Speech Said to Show He Was for Prohibition Law. To the Editor of The sw:mbmo The opponents of prol n_quote Abraham_ Lincoln’s Washingtonian address, delivered In Springfield, IIL, in 1842, as a proof that he was op- to prohibition. In that address Lincoln criticizes those who harshly denounce the drinker, but he also shows the overthrow of the liquor traffic must come through leg- islation dealing with the drink rather than with the drinker. After his de- fense of the drinker, which was in the earlier part of that address, he said, in his closing arguments: “Whether or not the world would be vastly benefited by the total and final banishment of all intoxicating drinks seems to me not now an open question. * * ¢ In it (the banish- ment of drink) we shall find a broken, a viler a t slavery manumitted, a greater tyran of want supplied, deposed; in it more more of disease led, more of sor- row assuaged. By it no starving, no widows . Lincoln, with his clear visfon, which made him the prophet which he was, saw the drinker as a slave and the drink as his cruel master. He saw and hated the tyranny and bondage which drink fastened upon its victim and boldly and emphatically cham- ploned its overthrow. 7 May I quote agaln from that same address? Referring to the banish- ment of liquor as a revolution, he “If the relative grandeur of revolu- tions shall bé estimated by the great amount of human misery they allevi- ate and the small amount they inflict then indeed will this be the grandest the world shall ever have seen.” It words e any meaning, then these utterances of Lincoln prove be- yond que that Lincoln believed in prohibi achieyement fn America. JNO. W. LEEDY. are not more cases of bachelors run not that primarily—but fewer bache- lors,” according to the interpretation of the Indianapolls News, yet that paper argues: to be pretty heavy In order to drive men into wedlock to escape paying it. It is probable, too, that the men so driven would be pretty poor specimens of husbands. strange way of avenging itself, and as a result soclety suffers in the most unex improbable that coerced great increase In the number of di- vorces. might ‘sti Nor should the apparently increasing unwillingness-of women to marry or their indifference to marriage be over- looked by is likely that the women in their ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC Q. Are Christmas carols sung in | many American cities?—T. M | A. The old custom of singing carols | in the streets was revived in 1917. ! In 1918 30 citles co-operated. It expected that carols will he sung this Christmas eve on the streets, in the parks. as well as in the churches schools nd public institutions of 0 communities o picked M cord for the num- 1 in a day by one . The Rural New Yorker says that he quantity picked per day pend largely on the charact tree, whether high or low h heavily ¢ be loaded; the kind of large; how well the job is done. We have heard of men picking 50 barrels, but both frult and trees are sure to be damaged by such slam-bang work. One of the best commercial growers we know insists that an average of 10 or 12 barrels per day per man Is enough. It is not a matter of clawing off the apples as fast as possible, but work- Ing so that there will be a minimum of bruised fruit and broken twigs and limbs.” W Q. What are the three largest kinds of dogs?—W. M A. The Bureau of Animal Industry says that the three largest breeds of dogs are St. Bernards, mastiffs and Irish wolfhounds. The largest dog of which it has record is Bally Shanon an Irish wolfhound, size 180 pouns owned by Mrs. Glenn Stewart Jaston, Md. 0 Q. What is yogurt milk?—C. E. A. Yogurt milk is a form of fer mented milk. Very little is made in the United States. great deal made In Asia. Q. Was Hawkeye, hero of Cooper’s “Last of the Mohicans,” an Indlan or a white man?—". G. A. Hawkeye, wh ather name was Natty Bumpo, 1 *+oodsman. He was not an inaias Q. How many tests are made at the Bureau of Standards in a year?—B. J. A. The annual report of the bureau just issued says that during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1926, 176,849 tests were completed. . Q. What kind of material is made at the lowest expense?—E. E. M. A. No material 1s manufactured at a smaller cost than gunny. It is a strong, coarse sack-cloth manufactured chiefly in Bengal from jute, but to some extent also in Bombay and Madras from sunn _hemp. It is also manufactured in Dundee, Scotland, from jute imported from Bengal, and in a small way of late years In the United States. The weaving of gunny Is a great domestic industry in India. It gives occupation to men, women and children. Boatmen employ them- selves weaving in their spare moments, as do farmers, carriers and even Jomestic servants. The weaving is performed upon the rudest kind of loom, consisting merely of a few sticks ;::: poles fastened together with ne. Q. What State has the greatest per- centage of working women?—W. C. A. Data compiled by the Women's Bureau of the United States Depart- ment of Labor indicate that South Carolina has the greatest proportion of its women at work—more than one-third. West Virginia has the smallest proportion, about one-ninth. Q. Is the population of the world in- creasing or decreasing?—A. C. T. A. Sir Danfel Hall, English sclen- tist, estimates that the population of the world is increasing at the rate of 5,000,000 a year. Q. Of what nationality win?—J. H. A. He was born in 1809 in Shrews. bury, England. He was of English descent. was Dar- Q. In what South American coun- tries is petroleum produced, and what kind of labor is employed?—S. E. B. A. The Pan-American Union says the four most important petroleum countries of South America are Peru, Venezuela, Colombia and Argentin: > J. HASKIN. in which republics the leading peto leum companies of the world are op erating. Generally speaking. native labor is employed, which receives ve much lower wages than United Stat | labor in similar_work Q. How large is the Quo Vadis ta estry?—C. T. It is 0 feat 4 inches by 16 fec size. This tapestry was madn 1470 for a church in Vien: in hout France is the shortest dista United States from coas M. A. » shortest distance bet the Atlantic and ic is 2,152 m cif | Charleston, S. €., to San Dlego. subways was Lond where, in 1852, there was begun the constriaction f a two-track unde ground road from Edgeware to Kines Cross. No mention is made a8 to tie inventor. There were many disa vantages to the first type of subwa and it was not until 1886 that a further attempt was made to constru. a subway line. In that year the I J. H. Greathead, an eminent English engineer, designed a railroad, circul: in section, lined with cast iron. I was first intended to operate wif cable, but before completed it wa found it could be successfully o eratad with electricity. aeed of Q. ov across Ce P L TIn 1716 Spotswood organize. the first exploration party to ventur into the Appalachian Mountains. Ti: party consisted of Spotswood's pe sonal friends, Indian guides and sert ants. There were in all about 50 pe ple. We find mentioned the follow ing gentlemen who accompanfe: Spotswood: John Foutaine, Rober Beverly, Col. Robertson, Dr. Robinso: Austin Smith, Capt. Clouder and fou men named, respectively, Taylo Todd, Mason and Brooke. Each ge: tleman wore a small golden horseshoe This emblem was to record the fac “that the horses on_ this expeditio: were shod with fron shoes, which wer« Guite unnecessary In the sandy soi of the tide-water countries, but wh were deemed essential for the ston passages of the mountains.” Th motto adopted was, “Sic juvat trans cendere montes.” ' Only ‘those wer eligible in the future who could prov: that they had drunk the health o George the First, then King of Eng land, on the top of Mount George. Please tell who accompanic Spotswood upon his expeditio: the Blue Ridge in 1716. Q. What is the largest score eve made in a foot ball game?—R. A. A. The largest of which we find record was that made at King College Bristol, Va., which was 206 against Lenoir's 0, in 1922, EQM Can matter be destroyed?— A. It Is an ‘accepted fact by the majority of sclentists today that mat ter can neither be destroyed no created. It may be changed, rear ranged, adapted, in innumerable way« zul this does not {nvolve actual crea ion. Q. What part of Africa has bee: the least explored?—O. J. D. A. One section that has recenmtls been discovered but still requires mor« exploration is the mountain reglon lying between the Lakes Albert Bd ward and Albert Nyanza. This Is said to be the least known mountain region in_ Africa. It was popularly called “Mountains of the Moon” and is now known by the name “Ruwenzori.” Have e had the pleasure of ser: ing you through our Washington In formation Bureau? Can't we be of some help to you in your daily prol lems? Our business is to furnish you with authoritative information, and we invite you to ask us any ques- tion of fact in which you are inter ested. Send your inquiry to The Evc- ning Star Information Bureau, Fred eric J. Haskin, director, Washingto: D. C. Inclose 2 cents in stamps fo return postage. Mussolini’s Bachelor Tax Stirs American Speculation Italy's new policy of taxing bache- lors has attracted world-wide atten- tion, and the press of this country has been impelled to speculate as to the effect of the unique effort of Premier Mussolini to insure the continuance of Ttaly as a prolific nation. Such a tax “is not at all a bad scheme, for a bachelor is a sort of drone in the hive,” in the judgment of the Detroit News, which recognizes that “modern civilization is based on the institution of the family, and his- tory teaches that nations begin to de- cline when family ties cease to be respected.” Pointing out that even beyond the fact that the bachelor does not have a family, “he is sometimes found disrupting one,” the News con- tinues: “He s sometimes a waster, sometimes a loafer, and, being with" out responsibility, he is too often care- less of his political obligations. The bachelors of Italy will probably howl, but the plan rests on a solid founda- tion of reason. It is the old fable of the grasshopper and the ant given a modern actuality.” “The ‘hopeless’ - hachelor is theo- retically a shirk and a slacker,” agrees the Springfield Republican, viewing the matter from the standpoint of the married man. “Selfish and self-cen- tered, he evades one of the chief duties and burdens of life—that of the found- ing and maintenance of a family. ‘With the conventional Initiative to- ward marriage wholly on his side of the sex line, he falls to utilize it. His married brother meanwhile is sweat- ing to feed and clothe and educate the rising generation. He can even be arrested and brought before a magistrate and punished if he neg- lects his paternal bread-and-butter functions. His wife can sue him, for support if he fails to provide it for her. If she obtains a divorce, then there’s alimony to pay. And all the while the bachelor is putting money in the bank, if he is of the thrifty gort, or 1s spending his income on his pleasures. The wonder is that there out of town by the married men's unifon.” * ok ok K ““What is seught {s not revenue— “The tax would have Such legislation ' has a pected ways. It does not seem under a system of tax- es there would be a In some cases the ick,’ but certainly not in all. the reformers. Indeed, it Republican that “the taxing of bach: lors implies a subtle compliment to the male sex”; that “it assumes that an; man whd wants to get married can do 80, but that paper offers the quer: ‘Ought not a bachelor at least to be allowed to plead exemption to the tax on the score of his good intentions. and if the girls who have turned hi: down remain single ought not the tax to fall on them instead? In these days of equal rights it would seen only justice.” ., Quoting Mussolini's statement tha the failure to contract matrimon often does not depend upon the de sires of women,” the Republican re marks: “No doubt this view will min ister to the pride of Italian bachelors but, still, dashing and fascinating a- they are, there must be many of thei who' are single because they ha:. wooed in vain.” L Also, coming to the defense of t men, the Buffalo Evening News & serts “it {s not always fair to assunie that all the bachelors are shirkers Many of them have the ready a swer,” continues the News, “that it is not their fault that they are unmar ried, and that no woman they have approached will have them. This cir cumstance may perhaps be taken into account by Mussolinl. He may pro vide that the bachelor who can pre- sent documentary evidence each yeir that in the 12 months previous he had proposed to & woman and had been re- Jected shall be exempt from taxation. In these days of the new and emanci- pated woman there should be consid ;l!!d th‘%hque;tlo?d of equality with en. v should not the o) malid be taxed?” peohaky A broader view of Mussolini's pur- pose i3 taken by the Manchester Union, with the suggestion: “In his grandiose plans for a greater Italy, an empire vaster than any the old mans knew, teeming and perhaps hun gry millio: are an asset and not handicap. .The imperial vision mu; be backed by man power to stand any chance of becoming reality. And, fur- ther, now that Fascism has become thoroughly entrenched in power, it head doubtless is of opinion that the married man will be found more dis posed than the bachelor to accept the existing order, more patient under governmental discipline, less ready because of the hostages he has given to fortune, to risk part in rising or revolt.” re The doughty premier observes that Italy is a prolific nation and intends to remain prolific’ " says the Pasa- dena Star-News. ‘‘Whether or not an established tax on male celibacy will accomplish much toward driving men into matrimony remains to be seen. ‘This is a delicate subject to handle. Such laws have been proposed with more or less seriousness in some parts of the United States at one time or another, but they have not been taken seriously, and no serious attempt has been made at any time to compel men for ‘equality’ would claim|to e the t’ to be taxed because of their unmarried status if men enjoying—as some of them do—that status should and anticipated its | be taxed. a lot of trghble for himsel ussolini may be making .1t is admitted by tht Waterbury Boston Traveler, however. points cut that “there is & subtle tax on single-blessedness even in America. ‘where married folk enjoy certain in come tax exemptions not alowed to those unwed.”