Evening Star Newspaper, December 26, 1926, Page 38

THE EVENING With Sunday Morning Edition. - WASHINGTON, D. C. SUNDAY......December 26, 1926 +«THEODORE W. NOYES. . .. Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company R“‘(‘!";‘“ '(‘M'«vt e, navIvania Ave . w‘?m‘m;“ dandst. 3 Hegent St London, 11th St New York Chicago O European Omm; 14 i The Evening Star. with the Sunday morn. “ng editian. i delivered by carriers within - the city .t 60 cents per month: daily only. .88 centa Tier month: Sundays only. n per month_Ordera may_he sent K « delephone Main 5000. Collection is made by garrier at end of each month. Rate by Mall—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. aily and Sunday 9.00: 1 mo.. 78e Baflv Sniy 137 $800: 1 mo. §0e “Sunday only ".\11 111 yr! §3.00: 1 mo.. 28¢ » All Other States and Canada. = iy and Sunday. 200: 1 mo., $1 0 junday only .. Cyrl $200:1mo. 38e Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press ia exclusively entitled ? all news di is paper and also the local newa pribliahed horein ALl righs of publicatton pecial dispaiches herein are also reserved —_— " Move Now on the Market Site! work Announcement ix made that on the first of the group of new Gov ernment huildings to be located in the Mall-Avenue triangle will begin in February. This will be the Internal Revenue office, located on B and C be either set right by correction or punished by penalty. The cause of crime is of course an interesting and actually an important factor in any determination of pre- ventives. But there is no possibility of wholly preventing crime. There will always be errant ones, going counter to the laws through perversity or mis- chance. The professional criminal, the man who deliberately adopts the career of lawlessness, may be weaned away from his dangerous and desperate trade, and any effort to that end is worthy of praise. Yet it may be ques- tioned whether anything is ac- complished by such a venture as the Chicago dinner. In truth, this- Christmas dinner with university professors as hosts and crooks as guests, was just of “slumming.” The profes probably do much lecturing her on the subject of crime. and taries, and some students will be duly impressed. There is a certain risk in this, a danger that the cracksman and the gunman and the confidence man and the gangster may be clothed in garments of respectabilfty and set up as gallant adventurers against a harsh social system, individualists who have ifter its vo- _ THE SUNDAY STAR any case he is wrong, and he must | crime would he then be purged of all evil apd be welcomed back’ into Washington motordom with open arms? Or suppose a person had been arrested several times in the District for offenses which did not warrant the revocation of his permit, but which gave a sufficlent indication of his state of mind toward the traffic regulations. Then suppose he did commit offenses in Maryland that would warrant fmmediate revo- cation if Maryland had anything to do with his permit. For the pro- tection of the people of Washington would it not be a very good idea to revoke his permit to drive, not only in the District but in Mary- land and all other places? The theory that a District motorist can “get away” with traffic viola- tions in other States that would not for instant_be tolerated in the District does not appear to be a sound one, at least from the point of view of preserving the lives of walkers and drivers. Traffic rules are made to safe- guard the public. Is there any rea- son, outside of a possibly legal and highly technical one, why a motorist is fit to hold a District permit if an dared to break through the barriers of the law to press themselves™ ac- cording to their natures. And it may be remarked, in passing, that Chicago. furnishes abundant material for such a demonstration, R TR Streets between Tenth and Twelfth. The start will be made on the western side, that portion of the site having been cleared. A part of the site is still - In private ownership and title must he secured by condemnation proceedings. Another portion is occupied by the farmers' market, which therefore “Must be removed in a short time as the progress of the building advances. Thus it is evident that the solution of the market problem must be had within a few months. This structure cannot be halted for the sake of the outdoor market merely because pro -wision has not been definitely made for its future location. No specific "plan has been made for the market establishment. Various proposals have been advanced, several sites have been ‘suggested and the whole matter has .been actively and thoroughly can- wassed, but without decision. Such a ‘decision should be rendered soon. It should be reached, in fact, at the pres- ent session of Congress so that work tan start on the location of the out- “door market during the next fiscal saeer. i If this question is not settled at the Ppresent session there can be no de- cision until some time after Decembrer, 1927, which raeans the loss of a full year, during which time it is possible that there will be no place where the Jarmers can display their produce. _The Center Market is not in line with ‘the immedjate program of construc- “ion and may remain where it is for JMeveral seasons. The commission houses may be moved at any time their owners wish to any place they thay select. But the farmers’ market gannot go to any point which the ~farmers may choose, and it must go -@oon. Therefore it is desirable—in- deed, it is imperative—that the future site of this establishment should be now determined and that provision ,should be made for the necessary ‘work of providing facilities for this “seful agency of food distribution. .- Work on the Internal Revenue Bu- reau Building will doubtless be pressed Vigorously, as that branch of the Gov- “ernment service is most serfously in need of new quarters. It is now scat- .tered through many buildings, spread “over a large area. The service Is im- _heded by these conditions. The Gov- Lernment is losing money in conse- quence. The people are not getting “he results of administration as they Jshould. Thus there is a particular urgency in pressing this work to the ‘earliest possible conclusion, and the resultant problem affecting the Dis- ‘trict should be solved without delay, e One of the difficulties a man gets into when he declares himself an athelst or an agnostic is that of trying to explain precisely what he means by it. ol ————e—— Electrig lighting for Christmas trees has added to the chance of a restful and happy season for mem- bers of the Fire Department. B . ‘Mexico evinces a desire to mingle in world politics. Apparently bull Aighting fails to satisfy the inclination for dangerous sport. B e Crime Slumming. A novel Christmas dinner was given »4n_ Chicago yesterd: according to a dispatch from that cit University “professors entertained as their guests & number of men of the underworld, the banguet being described as “a pri vate and select affair for men who have brains and ability but who have permitted their energies to be misdi- rected.”” One of the professors de- !livered a dissertation on ‘“‘Soclety's “Right to Protect Itself from the Anti- Social Human Being,” which was fol- Jowed by an expression of the views of an “enemy of society” on “What a Guy on the Velvet Ought to Know.” It is to be hoped that a full report of these proceedings will be preserved and broadeast for public reading. It would be unfortunate if the story of this encounter were not preserved for ‘'guidance. Of course it is possible that there was nothing new in the “ views expressed. Maybe there was no more thay a bromidic quality about “the talks ches of the hosts ac the dinner can be d eovunted. But what of the others? . What did they have to say In justifi- @ -eation of their role in life? “ Investigators have often talked with _.eriminals to gain their viewpoints, and ‘without getting much of value. There 4 nothing, indeed, of any particular Certainly the sp Reckless Railroading. Further particulars about the wreck at Rockmont, Ga., go to emphasize the impression that reckless railroad- ing was responsible for the disaster, which took a total of twenty lives. The southbound express had been stopped at that point to await the passing of the northbound fiyer. For some reason not vet explained the waiting train was halted on the main track and not upon a switch, as is ordinarily the case. For a safe pas- sage the northbound train would have to take the siding and run around the other express. This meant taking the entering switch at speed, always a very dangerous proceeding. It is possible, therefore, that the switch was actually set to give entrance into the siding, but that the train moving at high speed failed to “take” it. Tt would seem that the colliding traln was moving at too high a speed. It has been stated that the engineer— actually a substitute for the regular engineman, the road foreman of en- gines, who was at the throttle at the time—ran past a “'stop”, signal some distance below the point of col- lision. If that is true, the accident adds one more ghastly illustration of the urgent need of the installation of automatic train stops. On a one-track line sucH as that on which this horror occurred every pos- sible precaution should ~ be taken against lowering the margin between safety and danger. High speed trains should be operated under slow head- way at possible meeting points. Long sidings should be provided at frequent intervals, with the utmost; care in the handling of switches:: *“'Stop orders” should be given to engineers in such terms as to permit no misunderstand- ing. Speeding should be punished by dismissal. But above all there should be no one-track lines on which express serviee is maintained. The day will come when there are no such dangerous routes of travel, when all the trunk roads are equip- ped with automotic stops, when misunderstanding of orders is impos- sible, when enginemen cannot run past signals, when trains are not feft standing on main lines to be hit by trains rumning off schedule or con- trary to orders. That day should be hastened by such catastrophes as that just enacted in Georgia, which should be the last on that particular road, carrying as it does a lesson to be | learned immediately in terms of sofety provisions that cannot be vio- lated by reckless or incompetent en- gineers or signalmen. B ) Germany, in order to meet taxes, will increase the price of beer and at the same time make it stronger. The question of relativity, as applied to the “kick” in a beverage, has become as important in Berlin as in Mil. waukee. ————— Even the protection placed around the countries to the south by the Mon- roe Doctrine has not enabled them t6 live happy ever after. et Doheny, though a great financler, was a trifle clumsy in distributing loans of a purely friendly description, »—oes. Radlo Is an;inspiring example of the manner in which art may be com- bined with salesmanship. RS Mexicans, though naturally genfal and neighborly, are suspected of tak- ing gome bad advice, JEEE—_—S, Revocation Authority. From a standpoint of pure techni- cality the ruling of the corporation counsel for the District that Trafc Director Eldridge had no authority to revoke the permit of a Washing- ton ‘motorist for an offense com- mitted in another State may be per- fectly correct, but viewing | the proposition from the angle of acci- dent prevention and potential crim- inality in motorists it would appear to be wrong. ‘Washington drivers are no longer compelled to procure Maryland oper- ators' permits. Maryland, therefore, if an offense is committed In, that State, cannot revoke the permit granted by the District. Who else, then, but the traffic director of the municipality which issued the per- mit should have thé power to re- voke it? Washington motorists, when they use to seciety in the story of the . wrong-doer. e goes astray for a va riety of reasons, but, after all, he is astray, and that fact suffices. He breaks laws for selfishness, for per- verseness, from imagined necessity, or for adventure. He may be a pitiful figure, or a repulsive one. He may elicit sympathy for his misfortune, or | jeave after resentment for his defiance of the so- travel in other States, are guests of these States, but they are responsi- ble for thelr motoring actions to the District officlal who has supervision of their permits, Suppose, for instance, that a local driver visiting in Baltimore should in a drunken stupor run down a pedestrian and the collision without. making his identity known. After ““¢ial rules that have been adopted far | this man has either paid a fire or the grotection of the people. But in served a sentence In jail for his he commits offenses in other States that indicate clearly that he is incom- petent and possibly criminal? Not so that you can notice it. ———— Half-a-Plate a Year. “Only four “White Housé dishes broken since 19181 There is one to mull over! And just about one hun- dred million people are going to do that very thing. Elght years, nearly nine, and only about .one-half a plate a year!: What a record to set up for the country to shoot at!' What an in- spiring example to every cook and every housewife in the entire United States! And what is going to be said to the same cooks and housewives the next time a piece of that new china slips to the floor from soapy fingers? It is very evidently up to the White House to explain how this remark- able record was made, which, begin- ning in the Wilson administration, ran through the Harding regime and 1s continuing in ‘the Coolidge time, with only four little plates broken. And they might not have been altogether ruined at that. Of course the average person does not serve meals on sixty-dollar-a-dozen plates. It is a little beyond tHe pres- ent scale of ordinary living. But be- cause the White House plates cost sixty dollars a dozen does not mean that they are any less likely to break from a drop to the floor than a two- dollar-a-dozen set. Until the secret of this extraordi- nary preservation is known there will still be conversations such as the fol- lowing occurring in the everyday home: * “Ma was that crash I heard ago?" “Well, dear,” answers Mary, “I was unpacking that new china that Aunt May sent us for Christmas and 1 dropped three of the cups. I got all tangled up in the excelsior.” Finis. " says the husband, “what a minute ——r——— The “Shop early!” slogan no longer has the influential indorsement - of Santa Claus. It will still remain in use as applied to bargain sales, which from time to.time duplicate the holiy day rush; ’ e The new Emperor eannot hope for the secluded repose of the old poetic days In Japan. He will have more to do and perhaps more to learn than any of his predecessors. ———r———————— The Chinaman pays all his debts when, aceording to his calendar, the New Year comes around. The Amer- an pays a ten or fifteen dollar cover charge and gets deeper in. B So many homicide mysteries have arisen that the Scrivener case is an old story that can hope to claim little attention in the year 1927, SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Carols. Christmas carols sounding sweet Through the starry night Brought a pleasure so complete, All the world seemed right. Wasn't any Charleston kick. Wasn't any jazz. ‘Wain't any curfous trick That modern music has. And s0 we took @ holiday, Free from the dizzy bluft ' Distinguishing the recent lay, And loved the good old stuff! Transportation. “You have heen strangely silent about the slelgh of Santa Claus.” “Pprohibition. has me disappointed,” answered Senator Sorghum. “I care nothing about & sleigh, What I am interested in is a water ‘wagon.” Earliness. “Shop early!” is the bargain cry Which still we pause to hear. These holidays are passing by. Shop early for next year. Jud Tunkins says what people are talking about is often different from what they are thinking about. The Lecturer. “Some of your auditors complain that they didn’t know what you were talking about.’ . “Well,” answered Mr. Wogglebrane, “they didn’t have anything on me.” “[le who relies on a gift in return,” sald Hi 1o, the sage of Chinatown, “is not a giver, but a gambler.” Superseded. . The lobbyist is lying low. His former influence s no more. To higher realms of thought we go. The propagandist has the floor, Individualism. “Some of the members of the vil- Jage choir sang off the key.” “This is still a free country,” said the leader. ““The village choir is still one of the institutions where a private citizen may ‘assert his individuality." “A merry Christmas,” said Uncle Ebsn, “can’t be bought. }.".\Ml got to be homemade.” A STAR WASHINGTON, D. C., DECEMBER 2 EVERYDAY RELIGION BY THE RIGHT REV. JAMES E. FREEMAN, D. D., LL. D., Bishop of Washington. THE NEW DAY'S CHALLENGE. . “Now it is high time to awake out of aleep; the night is far spent, the day is at hand.”—Romans, @iii.11-12, The above text sounds like the early morning cry of some ancient night watchman. It is the call to a king world; the challenge of a new day of opportunity. We often reflect upon what a splendid thing it is that time is broken into fractional parts. To live 24 hours a day and to feel that each new day is a. unit of life with its own story of success and failure, of realized expectations and shadowy dis- appointments, means more to us than we have thought or realized. To know that with the beginning of each new morning we may measure our suc- cesses with a view to new conquests or evaluate our fallures and disan- pointments with a view to new and better attainments means stimulatiorn and increased encouragement and largér efforts. The ppet says: “I slept and dreamt that beauty, I woke and found that life was duty.” It is veritably true that each new morning is a challenge. We stand today upon the threshold of a new year. The old one is rapldly passing into oblivion, It {s a completed record and it 18 a record that we cannot change if we would. The new one opens before us like some new book of unsullled leaves and we are per- mitted to scan it only one page at a time. Alveady we are projecting our- selves into jts story, making plans for the fuller realization of our hopes and aspirations. There are two ways of approaching it; the one is to regard it as but the weary repetition of an eXistence that has known little of op- portunity and less of hope. To think thus means to make it anything but a challenge, It means to accept the defeats and failures of the past as the prophecy of what is to follow. The other and more appealing way is 1o 100k upon it as a fresh oppor- tunity for the higher realization of our hest hopes and expectations and to plan for it definitely and to look forward to it with courage and as- surance. Every journey we make has an objective. = Before we start we make our itinerary. Is it not as reasonable to do so in planning the larger things that have to do with our aims and purposes? A distinguished writer, as he contemplates a new year life was of action, says that he wishes for himself “‘nothing that should make the world or others poorer, nothing at the expense of other men.” He asks “for a few friends who und stand him; work to do which has real value; a mind unafraid even though the trail be not blazed; 4n understand- ing heart; a sense of humor and the power of love: a few moments of quiet, silerit meditation; the sight of the eternal hills and of something beautiful the hand of man has made, and a sense of the presence of God.” With these wishes for his higher de- velopment “hé seeks patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to kmiow them when they come.” With such a wish one may dare to face the unknown ways and experiences of each new day and eacl new year and to face them with the assurance of better things to come. A life without plan or purpose is un- thinkable and it must inevitably re- sult in broken hopes and bitter dis- appointments, There is a passage in the Old Testament that has always gripped us wherein God says to His people, “I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not; I will help thee.” To believe that. life may be underwritten by the as surance of divine help means fo give it a sense of quiet and confldence as it confronts new problems and oppor- tunities. To believe that in some way we are in partnership with God and that without us some part of the scheme of life will not be affected or brought to its highest development is a source of power and inspiration that drives us on to greater effort and stimulates us to higher service. Our part may not be a_conspicuous one, our contribution altogether madest, but let us believe that it is indis- pensable. It all goes to working out a great pla If battles are won by minor officers and privates, then we believe that in the larger scheme of things every smallest part is indis- pensable. Yesterday is past: we shall profit by its experiences, but we re- fuse to be burdened with its disap. pointments and failures. - We will close and balance our hooks and leave deficits or profits to occupy their place and play their useful part in our future, but we will begin the new vear believing and trusting we shall be prepared and able to meet its chal- lenge. It is a challenge to broader, clearer thinking, cleaner living, a more consistent and helpful service, trust in the Fatherhood of God and a more consistent recognition of the brotherhood of men. PANAMA CANAL OPERATIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. During the lait fiscal year 5,197 ves- sels that paid for the privilege used the Panama Canal, and in addition here were 552 free transits. These gures compare with 4,673 and 386 for the preceding year and indicate that the canal is a successful and grow- ing Institution. The number of ves- sels using it is about one-third its capacity, it being estimated that 48 vessels could be transited every 24 hours, or approximately 17,000 in.a year. The total earnings of the canal dur- ing the last fiscal year were $39,019,- 614.54, of which tolls amounted to $22,927,456.03, Expenses of operation and maintenance, exclusive of inter- est on commercial capitalization, were $23,096,636.19, leaving net revenues of $15,992,978.35. In 1925 the net rev- enues were $14,231,841.57. Net rev- enues from the operations of the Panama Rallroad showed a slight falling off last year, being $1,347,887.33, as compared with $1,525,910.13 for the preceding year. To know whether the canal is a paying institution, considering its cosi it ‘must be understood that the i1 vestment in the canal and its ad- juncts & partly for national defense and partly for commerclal uses, and for accounting purposes these items are separated. At the beginning of the fiscal year 1926 the investment charged to national defense was $112,000,000, while that chargeable to commercial use was $275,000,000. The latter amount may be regarded as the Government's capital fnvest- ment in the canal, when it is com ted whether or not the canal is ng for itself. The interest at 3 per cent, the rate on practically all the bonds that were issued to cover cost of construction, would be $8,250,- 000. The aggregate net revenues last year were more than twice that sum. A Big Deficit on the Whole. ‘The canal was begun in 1904 and was opened a little more than ten years later, the first ocean steamer passing through on August 3, 1914. The official and formal opening of the canal was proclaimed by the President on July 12, 1920. -more thun §144,000,000. For the first four years of opera- tion the revenues were less than ex- penses, as a result “rimaril"- of the disastrous slides in Culebra Cut, now known as Gaillard Cut. Recently the revenues have exceeded the coc. of operation and maintenance, and the canal may be sald to bhe ‘“getting out of.the red,” To June 30, 1926, the total operating expenses of the canal proper had been - $86,000,000 in round figures, while the revenues had amounted to In addition, the operating expenses of the aux- business enterprises—fuel, ve- pair shops, commissary supplies and the like—had aggregated $128,000,000, as against revenues of over $133, 000,000, The excess of total earnings over total expenses stood &t $63,466,- 244.98. But, as has been stated, this does not take into account the interest charge which for the 12-year period was almost $100,000,000, and the operating surplus fell considerably short of covering it. On this basis a deflcit is shown of more than $36,- 000,000 since the completion of the canal. With net revenues mounting up, however, this deficit is being wiped out at the rate of some $8,000,- 000 a vear. All told, the tolls-paying traffic through the canal aggregated 34,902 vessels of 192,601,683 gross registered tons up to June 30 last. For the last three years such trafic has averaged 5,033 vessels. During this period the ships of 26 nationalities have passed through the canal, Americdn’ vessels being slightly more than half of the total and British a little over 25 per cent. About 45 per cent of the car- goes carried was in United States intercoastal trade. In addition to the vessels that must pay tolls there have been 8,148 transits of ships operated by the United States Government, in addition to craft in the service of the canal, upon which no tolls were assessed. Vessels that pass through the canil for repairs at the Balboa shops also get free transit, but only 18 have claimed that exemption. United States Shipping Board craft pay tolls, except when they are in the direct service of a department of the Gov- ernment.. Ships owned and operated by the governments of Panama and Colombia pay no transit fees. Tolls are leyied on the net tonnage of ships, which is the interior space that can be devoted.to the carriage of passengers or cargo, and the rate for laden vessels Is §1.20 per net ton, Panama Canal measurement. For ships in ballast the rate is 72 cents per net ton. Each net ton is'100 cubic feet, or 2.83 cubic meters. On the basjs that the cost of operat- ing a ship is 20 cents per ton per day it is estimated that the toils assessed on laden ships amount to about the equivalent of 6 days’ operation at. sea. For example, n 10-knot ship, traveling 240 nautical miles a day, will save money by using the canal if it short- ens its voyage by 1,440 miles, while on the same basis a ship in ballast can profit by using the canal it it saves 2 23 days. Between New York and San Fran- cisco the distance of 13,135 nautical miles by way of the Stralt of Magel- lan has been shortened to 5,262 miles by the canal, the saving being 7,873 miles, or three-fifths. There s no question about its being profitable for vessels making that voyage to use the canal. From New York to Valparaiso the reduction by use of the canal is 3,747 miles; to Callao, 6,250 miles; to Guayaquil, 7.405 miles; to New Zealand, 2, miles; to Yoko- hama, 3,357 miles. From Liverpool to San Franeisco the saving in distance bv the use of the canal is 5,666 miles; to Callao, 4,043 miles; to Honolulu, 4,403 miles. From New York to Sid , Australia, the saving is 3,615 miles, and from San Francisco to Freetown, 4,103 miles. Of the cargoes that pass through the canal, by far the larger part is traffic from the Pacific to the At- lantie, rather than from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Last year the Atlantic- Pacific tonnage was 8,037,000, while that from the Pacific to the Atlantic was a little over 18,000,000. More than 10,000,000 tons of the cargoes transited the canal in the United States intercoastal trade, exceeding the (onnage of any previous year except 1 The trade between the east coast of the United States and the west coast of South America ranked second in volume, while trade between Furope and the west coast of South America came third. Of the tolls-paying vessels that made the transit, 4,633 were steamers, 443 were motor ships, 64 were motor schooners and 41 were sailing ships, tugs, etc. Of the steamers, 3,070 burned oil, 1,538 burned coal and 25 were reported as fitted for the use of either fuel. £ A census of the population of the Canal Zone taken last June showed a total of 27,692 civillans, in addition to which there was a military population of 9,206. There were 207 deaths dur- ing the year, 247 of which were from disease, but none was due to malaria. YOUR CHILD IN SCHOOL By Dr. Frank W. Ballou, Snperintendent of Schools, Washiugton, PLAY IS EDUCATIVE, Perhaps the most common charac- teristic of all children is their tend- ency for action of all kinds. Phe ob- servance of children of pre-school age impresses one with the fact that they come very near illustrating perpet- ual motion, Every teacher in the early grades of the elementary school knows how difficult it is for children, with this constant urge for action, to conform to the ordinary routine of the classroom. Since all of the experiences of the child, whether at play or at work, con- tribute to his education and the devel- opment of his character, the element of play cannot be omitted from con- sideration in the establishment of a program of education. The old notion that play was some- thing to be tolerated must be aban- doned. If play is educative, then both the teacher and the parent must be concerned with play of children. Likewise the old idea that play was merely for the purpose of keeping children out of mischief must be set aside in favor of a positive education- al program through the instrumental- ity of play. Play must be considered a positive and not a negative factor. Children play for the satisfaction which they get from the play itself. Children perform their school work, as contrasted with play, in order to achleve certain results which they are prompted to feel are worthwhile. Even though children may find a ready Interest in their lessons, their natural impulses and the nature of play itself almost inevitably will cause playtime to appear much more attractive than lessons. This natural tendency to play may be taken advantage of and directed into beneficial channels. The kinder- garten is an example of how the edu- cator is utilizing this play instinct. In the kindergarten the play instinct can be given free rein hecause of the agé of the child. But value utiliz- ing the normal child'§ desire for play does not cease with kindergarten, 1926 —PART Capital Sidelights ' From the Capitol of this great Nation messages of Christmas cheer and good feeling have gone into every city, village and hamlet throughout this broad land. Employes around the Capitol are unjustly accused of being patronage idlers, but there is one small group that fs heaving sighs of relief today after very strenuous and arduous, extra-hours, exacting labor. These are the men under the leadership of Frank W. Collier, postmaster of the fouse, who have been handling the Christmas mail to and from the 435 members of the House and fully three times as many secretaries and other employes, It is not generally known that the House post office handles as much business as most of the city post offices throughout the country this little group has handled all of this Christmas overload without ad- ditional help by the simple but weari- some process of “doubling up.” doing double duty, And this has been the biggest year ever, not only in the number of Christmas cards but alse of packages. When you stop to think that about every member of Congress sends out on an average about 1,000 greeting cards, in various sizes, you get only a partial view of the big job that has been done. This office has been liter- ally swamped, but got everything cleared in time for the great day. As regards Christmas packages there were 12 to 25 mall sacks full for every outgoing mall—and they went literally everywhere. The Speaker, Representative Nicho- las Longworth, as usual, headed the list in the volume of cards, illustrated with an_interesting picture of the original Capitol Building. e e Each year there is considerable rivalry about the Capitol to see who will have the most attractive greet- ing card. Generally Edmund F. Erk, clerk of the foreign affairs committee and secretary to Representative Stephen G. Porter of Pennsylvania, wins by common consent. This year he came through true to form with an attractive folder carrying an orig- inal message of most appropriate seasonal sentiments. * ok ok ok One of Santa Claus’ best aides in Congress is Senator Peter G. Gerry of Rhode Island. For many vears, even before he became prominent in poli- tics, Senator Gerry has been financing a Christmas party for the poor chil- dren of Providence. Cards of invita- tion are fssued through the St. Vin- cent de Paul Society, the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and the various police precincts, in a sin- cere effort' to hunt out every child Wwho otherwise might not have a share In: this’ feastday for childhood. All of these 2,000 or more youngsters are to get a turkey dinner with all the fixings, Including cranberry sauce, ice cream, nuts and candies. There will be Christmas trees laden with toys and, useful gifts: Iach child will re- ceive a toy and a pair of warm gloves or Winter cap, muffler or stockings. In seme particularly needy cases the children will be given other garments. There will be an orchestra and other entertainment. Bach Summer Senator Gerry invites all the children from near and far to be his guests at a picnlc. * ok ko Capt. Arthur P. Fenton, one of the best known and most popular em- ployes about the Capitol, who has seen service there for 30 yvears, has bid good-by to long-time friends here, and is to start the new year as col- lector of customs in Cleveland, Ohfo. Fenton_lived next door to_the late Senator Redfleld Proctor, in Vermont, and came to Washington with him when McKinley was elected in 1897. Proctor had formerly been Secretary of War under Harrison. Senater Mark Hanna took Fenton under his political wing, and had him on his staff when he was chairman of the committee on inter-oceanic canals. In 190t he went to Cleveland with Senator Hanna,. and has considered that city his home ever since. He is a graduate of the Georgetown Law School, in 1911. He Is prophet of Kal- lipolis Grotto. During the World War Fenton saw varied service in practically every branch of mlilitary operations—mili- tary intelligence, ordnance, Quarter- master Corps, Infantry, judge advo cate general's office and motor trans- port service. * lie rose to the rank of captain, * K K % Apropos of his censure of the House ways and means committee for strangulation and suffocation of tax relief for this session, Senator Pat Harrison.- of Mississippi, Democrat, tells this little story: ‘I heard once of a modest Quaker, of mild manners and sweet temperament, but ‘who had a neighbor who owned a dog that this peaceful Quaker hated and wished to be dead. The Quaker himeelf did not possess sufficient heart to shoot or kill the dog. He con- celved another plan. So on one occa- sfon as the dog sought the sunshine and. exercise, and walking down the street he was spled by this well-man- nered Quaker and immediately put to Right. The Quaker ran after the dog, shouting and hollering at the top of his voice, “Mad dog, mad dog!" Others hearing him and seeing the sight, Joined in the cry. It incited others, and one whose heart was not of such a tender- disposition shot and killed the dog." it may indeed continue throughout his school career, It 18 one of the important functions of the teacher to assist in organizing the play of young children. Games must be taught and the teachers should be generally helpful in assist- ing children to play the games. Prop- erly supervised play will protect the younger children from harm which is likely to result when children of vary- ing ages play together. More impor- tant, however, supervised play sup- plies the teacher with the opportu- nity for teaching lessons of proper re- lationships with one another. Seifish- ness, irritability, vanity, oversensitive. ness and other undesirable elements of character may gradually be eliml- nated from a child’s conduct during the lessons received in playtime. The school playground is a neces sary adjunct to the work of the class- room because it provides the mea for regular physical exercises as a lief from the confining tasks of cl room work. While building up bodily vigor, the playground supplies the means for bridging the gap between the pleasant pastimes of play and the gradually increasing demands on chil- dren for attention to the sterner re- alities of lessons that must be mas- tered if boys and girls are to take their places as efficient members of soclety a few years hence. No school bullding equipment can be considered complete unless it provides ample play space. Children are so constituted that they need opportu- nitles for play under wholesome, healthful conditions, preferably in the open air. It is as much the functior: of the schdol system to provide means for it as it is to teach the formal le: sons of the classroom. The progressive school of today not only undertakes to provide adequate opportunities for play but it also un- dertakes so to organize the other work of the classroom as to make it at- tractive to the children. Provision is mada for glving children the oppor- tunity to do those things which they in doing on the theory activity regarding the jch they like to do is as edu- their decreased activity on t:thln‘a which' they are e (Qopyright, 1026.) MEN AND AFFAIRS BY ROBERT T. SMALL. Eminent lawyers and jurists who have been following the recent trend of events are convinced that one of the reforms needed in criminal law is the right of the prosecution to draw conclusions from the refusal of a defendant to take the stand in his own defense. Under existing practice, if a de- fendant does not take the stand, is not willing to testify, the prosecution cannot even comment on the fact. No inference may he drawn by the jury. The court in its charge always stress upon this point. Yet it is con- tended that no person, innacent of the charge laid against him, would shrink from the witness chair. udents of the law are perfectly in accord with the American custom of giving a defendant the henefit of every doubt. But they claim that per- mitting a_defendant to escape testi mony, without any character comment thereon, is carrying the principle of utmost protection to the innocent a little too far. No invidious distinctions are being drawn by those who thus comment upon the practice of the criminal law. This point has long heen under dis- cussion. Yet there is no doubt that when Fdward L. Doheny took the stand in the Fall-Doheny trial and told his-story, it carried great welght with the jurors. They said so after- ward. But if Mr. Doheny had not testifled in his own defense and in de- fense of his old partner of prospecting days, Albert B. Fall, the. prosecution would not have been entitled to so much as call attention te the fact. The ole country over, lawyers and jurists, are giving attention to the administration of the criminal law, and there is a consensus of opin- fon that immunity from taking the stand, and escaping comment thereon, is an obstacle in the way of justice. Reforms in the law are of slow de- velopment. Such a reform as is now outlined may not come within a gen- eration, Reams are written each year about the weight and splendor of the various turkeys dellvered at this season to the White House for the President of these United States, but no.turkey anywhere ever created such a sensa- tion as a certaln gobbler which ar- rived this past week in a jougnalistic Washington home—a home with which the writer has more or less of a proprietary assoclation. The gobbler came all the way from Texas, where he was nurtured by the ambidextrous “'Hired Hand” of radio station WBAP, down on the farm of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where Amon Carter raises watermelons, pecans, cain for the Fergusons, red-headed Dan Moodys to succeed them, and what-not, The turkey, one “Texas Tom" hy name. arrived at the Washington bousehold when the parents were away and only the children there to ive him. The children fmmediate- Iy concluded that after such a long trip Tom needed some exercise and recreation. So they uncrated him and a wild time was had by all, upstairs, Fifty Years Ago In The Star The burning of the Brooklyn Thea- ter, with a loss of several score of é lives, 50 years ago, Fireproof cqused a demand for Scenery, the fireproofing of stage scenery, which up to that time had been of an inflammable nature. In The Star of December 21, 1876, is the following indicative of an advance toward greater safety in that respect: “If Mr. Dion Boucicault's method of making theatrical scenery fireproof possesses all ‘the ‘merits claimed for it, he has placed the public under lasting obligation. The New York Fire Commissioners witnessed an ex- periment made by Mr. Boucicault by Wallack’s Theater on Tuesday, by saturating the scenery with some in- combustible material and then ap- plylng fire to it. The experiment is reported to have been entirely suc- cessful. A flame from a gas pipe, amearly a foot in thickness and over § feet long, was directed against the prepared scenery, which did not ig- nne. ‘The fire was held steadily agaist eme portion of the scenery until it crumbled under the intense heat. When the flame was removed a_ circular hole remained, but the edges refused to burn. The material used by Mr. Boucicault is a solution of tungstate of soda, in which the canvas {s soaked. When dry the canvas is primed with a solution of silicate of soda, the whole rendering it absolutely fireproof. Mr. Rouci- cault says that by his process the whole stage apparatus of a theater may be rendered . Incombustible _for less than $100.” * . * % During the discussion in Congress over the counting og the preuld!ntll‘: vote 50 years ago muc Troops at bt made D‘emhm cratic legislators of the the Polls. (o0 e ot Federal froops at the polls in some of the Southern cities at the November elec- tion. The Star of December 22, 1876, points out an amusing paradox in one of the measures that was proposed to prevent such happenings: “The statutes of the United States make it unlawful for any military or naval officer to bring or keep any troops or armed men at the place where any general or special election Is held in any State, unless it be necessary to repel the armed enemles of the United States, or keep the peace at the pol Representative ‘Walker of Virginia introduced a bill in the House yesterday making it punishable by heavy fine and impris- onment - to bring or keep. any troops or armed men at or near the place ‘where an election is held. Mr, Walker certainly makes a very strange prop- osition.” What does he propose to do with the troops when elections are held? Senator Logan discussed the same subjact a few weeks ago, when Senator Johnston introduced a resolution - asking the President why he sent troops to Petersburg before the election, and several Senators took the ground that the law means that no troops shall be stationed in any town while an election is being held. Gen. Logan held that ‘at the lace’ meant at the polling place, and said that if the other consgruction wers placed upon the language the troops in barracks or forts in every town in the United States would have to pack up and go somewhere on election day—where, he did not know. Perhaps it would be a good idea to send them up in a balloon and_ keep them ’'twixt heaven and downstairs and in my lady's chamber, After a couple of hou of rough house and wreckage, the children ran aged in some way to get Tom back in his box. He probably was ex hausted. By that time, however they had become such friends they vowed that never would Tom he allowed to go to the chopping block. He was one of the family. Next morning the friendship was further sealed. Tom was given the freedom of the cellar. The children took a phonograph down to tain him. Modern tleman from Texas s0 S0 perfectly cold h among the otherwise, they Kot out the fire music and “The Ride of the Valkyries.” by Wagner, b whether or not these ashing prophetic melodies eased the turkey thoughts of the future, no one wi ever be able to say. The children in sisted he liked it The second cataclysmic arrival tuned in by the station WBAP. It came in strong but it was too late then for Tom to hear his master's voice. e was all sound and plump—20 pounds of him-—in the family icebox, but the children have not yvet decided whether they enjoyed that Christmas dinner or not. Perhaps they are like the littla eity girl who set up an awful wall the first time she saw a cow and was told that that was iwhere thé pire fresh milk came from. She sald #fe wanted her milk from a wagon. The children think it's all wrong to get on speaking terms with a turkey be fore you eat him. night after the merest Tom's househoid chance on Martin W. Littleton of New York, who will act as chief counsel for Harry F. Sinclair when the Fall-Sin clair trial is begun in Washington February 2, defended Harry K. Thasw at his second trial for the murder nf Stanford White. And Mr. Littleton won_for the wealthy young Pitts burgher a verdict of not guilty on the ground of insanity. Mr. Littleton formed quite an at tachment for his young client during the long period of the trial and the preparation for it, but he found Thaw, always egofistical, a_little dir. ficult to handle at times. Thers was, for instance, the episode of one par teular day when Thaw was in the Tombs Prison awalting his second call to the criminal courts. Littleton had promised to come to see him at 3 o'clock ope afternoon. It was 3:30 when the lawyer arrived. Thaw was in a towering rage. He was not used to being kept waiting. When the attorney arrived Thaw blurted out: “You promised to he here at 3. is now 3:30. What keeping me waiting? Mr. Littleton was not the least bit flurrie orry, Tarry,” he sald, “to keep you walting, oid fellow, but T knew darn well you would be here. Thaw, With the prison bars all about him, never saw the joke. He always was devoid (Of & sense of humor. ) 1t do you mean by This and That By Charles E. Tracewell. We are pleased to announce today the establishment of the Jack Spratt Catnip Fund to supply that animal Wwith fresh catnip and catnip mice as he_wills. The officers of the foundation are Jack - Spratt, president; Charles E. Tracewell, chairman of the boar Charles E. Tracewell, secretary. Charles E. Tracewell, trensurer. The fund opened a few days before Christmas with a handsome catnip mouse and a fresh' $1 bill, both the gifts of an unknown admirer of Jack. The president of the new founda. tion showed the greatest interest in the mouse, sniffing at the package earth until the election is over. Mr. Walker would have done better if he had defined what he meant by the words ‘or near the place where an election is held.” If he had said within & given number of miles from ‘the place of election’ he would have made his bill plainer and less ob- Jectionable.’ - * * ‘The sculpture which stands at the western Pennsylvania avenue Peace or Naval erally known as Monument. [Pt Momument was erected a little less than 50 year: ago. In. The Star of December 3, 1876, is a news item telling of plans for the improvement of the enlarged Can‘nltoi gromnds, and thus describing by ) itol grounds, gen- 3 val “A bed of shrubbery will form the 'fn the great war.” entrance to the Cap- | be before it was opened, and rolling over and over with the imitation rodent thereafter. The chairman of the board, how- ever, fell to wondering what on earth he would do with the dollar. ile put this matter up to the secretary, who in turn “passed the buck” to the treasurer. Your treasurer, after storing the greenback away in its pretty en- velope, decided that there was noth- ing to do with it except to use it, since that is evidently what dollars are for. The president seemed largely concerned over the money. e S0 busy leaping into the air after t mouse, and chasing it along the , polished floor, with some detriment to the surface, that he could not give much attention to the treasure. * ok ok % The chairman of the board imme- diately called a conference, which was attended by the secretary and the treasurer. “If any one calls, tell them that I am in conference,” the chairman announced. The matter was duly placed before the other members, and it was finally the unanimous sentiment that the Jack Spratt Catnip Fund should be established at once. s “Gentlemen,” said the . chairman, explaining the proposition in_detai’, “if we do not establish this fung, jus. exactly what shall we ‘do.With this money? “We hold this money in trust for this innocent animal, and it behooves ul.l to make the wisest use of i, pos- 5 0 'Of course, we might add seven or elght dollars t¢ it and give Jack a turkey for Christmas, but, after all, that would be ng this gift,in a plethora of dolla “Thus we would defeat. f tion of the donor, and do particular good, as I fear eat up most of the turkey o lves eh?” To this the secretary and, tpeasure: agreed, amid much mirth,, and the idea so appealed to them that it was with some difficulty that the chalr- man of the board turned their atten- tion from the project. “But this would not do, gentlemen. This is Jack Spratt's money." “Buy him a porterhouse. steak, then,” growled the secretary. “‘Or a neat red sweater,” suggested the treasorer, with a sneer. “‘Gentlemen, I mave that we estab- lish here and now the Jack Spratt ' Catnip Fund, to keep Jack in fresh catnip and catnip mice.” These words of the chalrman were met with cheers. ‘All in favor of the establishment of the Jack Spratt Catnip Fund, say ‘Aye,"” boomed the chairman. Ave!” roared the others, All opposed, dare to say “No.'" No one dared. “I hereby announce, then, the unanimous formation of the Jack Spratt Catnip Fund,” said the chair- znln."lmmadlatel)' appointing himself 0_al p {nten-+ fagk no wa, would the offices, next interior circle, within which wiil be a pond of water 90 feet in diame- ter. Within this pond the new naval monument in commemoration of the! peace which closed the late war will erected. This mopument will be 40 feet in height. It will rise from the water in marble terraces somo 8 or 10 feet. Upon this a heavy block of marble will be placed, and thence will rise a shaft upon which will be laced the figures. emblematic of rief, supported by History or Re- nown, who records the déeds of the 1 heroes of Union who fell