Evening Star Newspaper, February 8, 1927, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. TUESDAY......February 8, 1027 THEODORE W. NOYES. . The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office 11th St. and Penneylvania Ave New York Office: 110 East 4nd St Chicago Ofoe: Tower Building Buropeas Office: 14 Regent St.. London, Enklao . Editor ‘The Evening Star. with the Sunday morn fng edition. 18 delivered bY carriers within the ity “at 60 centa’ per month . Hajly’ only 48 cents ner month: Sundave only. 20 cents par month_ Orders may _be sent by mail or telenhone Main 8000 Collaction is made by carrier at end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable In Advance. Maryland and Virginia. T . 1 mo. 3.00° 1 mo. All Other States and Canada. ¥r.$13.00: 1 mo.. § FRAS R RN ivel $400: 1 mo oclated Press. sivels antitlad all ne ve dis: tharwise cred The Seventy-Four Teacher Item. In the course of the hearings now tn progress before the Senate subcom: mittee on District appropriations con sideration is being given to the item In the school budget for provision for seventy-four additional teachers, which was eliminated by the House. There fs sound reason for the Senate com- mittea to restore this item to the bill, and the hope of all who are concerned for the welfare of the schools of the District is that this will be done These seventy-four teachers will, ac cording to the the Board of Education and the superin- tendent of schools, be needed during the next fiscal year, for which this calculations of T and could at best be only a souvenir of the early duys of the Capital. It was in its day cfossed by multitudes of people. Notable occasions were marked by its use. Immense throngs have crossed it to attend ceremonials at Arlington. Crowds of people have stood upon it to watch the turbulent waters of the Potomac in freshet, those very currents that were its un- doing. Its successor, a short distance away, Is a splendid example of modern bridge construction, as it was itself, indeed, in its day. The contrast be- tween these two is a striking mark of the advancement of engineering sclence, but it is not seemly that the old Aqueduct should be allowed to r main merely as an emphasis of prog- ress District Upheld. the Commissioners and ofMice have been again upheld. In a ruling vesterday by the District Court of Appeals which re- versed the decision of a judge in the Traffic Court, the higher court held that Congress could and did delegate authority for traffic regula- to the traffic office under the ol of the Commissioners. The case in point was the regulation barring horse-drawn vehicles from certain arterial highways, and in the ruling of the of Appeals the District scored a distinct victory for sane and reasonable traffic regula- tion This is the second ruling of one of the four judges in the Traffic Court that has been upset by the higher court. The same question has been involved both times: regulation of traffic on arterial highways. In the trafic code and in the specific in- struction given the traffic office for the creation of arterial highways are definite orders to speed up travel by means of boulevards. Automatic The Congress, the traffic tion Court bill now under consideration provides, as new buildings under the so-called five-year program are completed and placed in commission. The allocations of this additional force are definite. There is no guesswork as to the fre- quirements of the system in the mat- ter of teaching force. If Congress denies the additional teachers it will be necessary to reassign teachers now engaged in special lines of instruction which have been heretofore authorized and required by law. Otherwise the mew room space afforded by the ad- ditions to the building plant will re- main unused. A misunderstanding of the reasons for the requisition for seventy-four ad- @itional teachers appears to have caused a denial of the item by the House of Representatives, It certainly cannot be maintained that there is a surplus of teaching force in the Dis- trict. It is evident that there is a shortage of classroom space. The lat- ter shortage is being fn part met by new constructions, tardily undertaken and not executed in accordance with the established schedule, owing to denial of appropriations on the stand- ard of the five-year program. When that program was adopted and new buildings were authorized and pro- vided for, it was assumed that the teaching force would be increased in harmony inasmuch as the primary purpose of the new-building work was to reduce congestion, to lessen the size of classes and to permit full-time teaching in the grades. Obviously that cannot be done if new buildings are not manned by additional teach- ing force. The Senate subcommittee s now studying this matter and confidence is felt that upon a full understanding 1t will recommend and the Senate will adopt an amendment that will restore the seventy-four teacher item to the bill. ———————— If the mayor of New York can get improper dances off the stage and im- proper beverages out of the cabarets, he will establish New York as a genu- ine leader in American clvilization. ——— e An acknowledged power in human contest, Jack Dempsey finds himself in serious antagonism when it comes to one of these germs who would not be afraid of Gene Tunney himself. —————— D'Annunzio asserts his rights as @a poet and demands all kinds of per- sonal luxuries. Dante was not so par- ticular. Aqueduct Bridge. Passage by the Senate last evening of the bill providing for the removal of the old Aqueduct Bridge will, if fol- lowed by concurrent action by the House at the present session, lead to the final disappearance of a landmark. For several years this relic has await- ed disposal, having been replaced by the new Key Bridge, crossing the Potomac a short distance below. Ow- ing to the weakness of the structure there has been no possibility of its restoration to traffic. The piers, eroded below water line by the swift cur- rents, are incapable of upholding the heavy weight of present-day trans- portation. ~ Several proposals have been made for the utilization of the shore ends for pleasure piers, notably that on the Georgetown side, but no particular favor was shown for the project, and it is now evident from the action of the Senate, which is likely to lead to House concurrence, that the last vestige of the historic bridge will soon be removed. Aqueduct Bridge was for many years the chief means of communica- tlon between Washington and Vir- ginla. Long ago it carried the canal across the river. After the ‘“water box" was drained it bore an increasing wheel traffic: Steadily its use became greater. Street cars were run over it, but before that the bridge showed signs of weakness. One of the plers near the Virginia shore settled, and on examination it was found that a serious erosion had taken place in its foundation, carrying the structure slightly off plumb and causing a buckling of the bridge members. This fault was corrected by patchwork, and then from time to time other repairs were necessary, but they were only expedients and could not cure the fundamental fault of the structure. There will be regret for the passing of old Aqueduct Bridge, althoughy it has definitely outllved its usefu)neps ! thistitle they-were dealing in morphia, ! bex of wives he had, lights have been installed to carr: out this plan and stop signs have been, erected at every crossing not protected by lights so that there shall be no interference with fast travel. It is obviously impossible, under these conditions, to allow slow-mov- ing trucks and horse-drawn vehicles to clutter up the street. Neither type of vehicles is capable of maintaining THE EVENING and heroin. They were selling these drugs all over the country, making deliverien by mail, by trunks sent by express, and by runners. It is esti- mated that the gang made & profit of at least 100 per cent on all drugs handled. It is impossible to estimate the harm that has been done through the opera- tions of thls gang. 1t is not to be as- sumed that they sold merely to per- sons already nddicted to the drug habit. They probably sold to middle- men, agents who retail the perniclous | stuff and whose business it is to make new customers by the introduction of these vile compounds to persons not already aMicted. For this vicious trat- fic drug addicts are employed, persons who have no consclence whatever about making “convert Theft, forgery, embezzlement, defal cation and even more serious crimes are incited by the use of drugs. The traffic In these compounds i one of the worst curses that could be inflicted upon this country. The Government is relentlessly pursuing those engaged in it and, as this latest rald indicates, successfully. Yet when one gang has been rounded up and on conviction sent to prison another forms. The drugs are easily smuggled into the country and the inducement to con- tinue in the practice is such as to lure many into the business despite the danger. Increase of the penalties for any degree of drug traffic, by whole- sale or by retail, may be necessary to stamp out this evil. No mercy should be shown, even on the ground of lack of understanding of the mag- nitude of the offense, to any person who is caught in the act of distribut- ing this polson, so destructive of the moral sense of its users. . Rivalry asserts itself in reference to the question of who is the richest man in the world. A Nobel prize relating to this interesting form of rivalry would, unfortunately, have no si~~ifi- cance. The prize would have no real value to either of the opulent con tenders. raoot A contest between Al Smith and Mc- Adoo for the Democratic nomination is predicted. In such a case the im- patient listener may reasonably fear that Oscar Underwood will receive the the speed necessary to keep up with the synchronized lights. The only alternative, therefore, was to ban them on certain portions of these highways. Soon afterward, but not until there had been convictions under the rule, one of the judges in the Traffic Court decided that the director possessed no power to enforce such a regula- tion, and In two cases, one with a solid-tired truck and the other with a horse-drawn vehicle, ruled that such a regulation was invalid. Both rulings have now been overturned and the District can proceed to carry out the traffic plan laid down by Congress. In the light of these decisions by the higher court it would appear that the business of picking alleged tech- nical flaws in traffic regulations for the National Cabital should end. The four judges eof the Traffic Court should work in harmony. No one of them should set himself up as traffic arbiter of the District. If the four judges agree that a regula- tion is illegal it should then be tested by the higher court, but the spectacle of three judges convicting on a rule only to have the fourth judge declare it void does not make for justice in the courts. Traffic regulation in ‘Washington is a difficult and com- plicated problem. It should not be hampered by fack of co-operation from the enforcement agencles. Amateur Tenni: By a vote of members of the United States Lawn Tennis Associa- tion, Vincent Richards, who tufned professional after completing the 1926 amateur season, was dropped from the ranking of that body, al- though for the first time in his career he had been recommended for the leading position in the amateur ten- nis roster. And therein lies a nice question of ethics in the treatment of the young star who indisputably was the amateur number one man of last year. Supporters of Richards maintain that inasmuch as he played through- out the tournament season of 1926 as an amateur he deserves the rating. The tennis association holds, how- ever, that a professional cannot be given a place at the top of the amateur contingent, even though he turned professional after reaching that rank. From an unbiased viewpoint there is merit in both contentions, but because Richards fairly earned his standing as the leading amateur he might have been given the honor by the association on the basis of good sportsmanship. Whatever he is now, he was an amateur then, and regard- less of the displeasure of the tennis body because he decided to forsake amateur ranks he Jjustly deserves number one honors. It appears, however, that he will have to be content with the somewhat empty knowledge that he was the undisputed champion of 1926 and that even in the absence of a title the tennis world regards him in this light. ——a———————— A camera comedian is a local favo- rite until he becomes an international complication. e A Grievous Curse. Arrests made yesterday in this city and in New York may prove to be the means of putting an end to the work of one of the most active gangs of drug peddlers in this country. Sev- eral men and women were seized after weeks of observation and trafling in exceptionally well planned and execut- ed operations. At any time during this period probably individuals of the gang could have been caught “‘with the goods.” But it was desired to get all of them in circumstances to iden- tify them as a co-operatlve organiza- tion and this appears to have been accomplished. This gang, it is evident, operated un- der the trade name of “Distributors of Perbion, the Water of Life,” with headquarters in New York City. Under same old number of votes. ——— According to Ma Ferguson's calcu- lations, many lawbreakers deserve to be thrown out of a comfortable jail into a cold, cold world. v Publication of private correspondence gradually loses its terrors. A man is always admittedly foolish when he writes love letters, ———— Base ball fans admire the men who play the game and take little interest in suspicions of side experiments in finance. An after-dinner speech has to be tactful. It never refers in the slight- est way to the high cost of food. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Welcome Incredulity. I can’t believe one-half I read; And I am very glad, indeed! T can't believe that half the world Is being to perdition hurled. I can't believe that half the town 'To bootleg illness is brought down. . My mind it greatly doth relieve To note the things I can't believe. I can’t believe that half the time One-half the world is bent on crime. I can’t believe the youthful mind A wild, impetuous way must find. All of the friends I truly know Are honest folks who come and go ‘Without attempts at reckless speed. I can’t believe one-half I read. Currency Publicity. “Money is powerful,” said Senator Sorghum, “but it cannof decide who are to be the great men of history.” “It ‘put Lincoln's portrait on a 1-cent coin.” Yes. And it put George Washing- ton’s portrait on a 2-cent stamp. But I defy anybody to recall offhand whose picture is on a $50 or a $100 bill.” Compensations. Got to earn 'most everything By some hardship that you meet. Ere you hear the robin sing You must face the stinging sleet. But the pleasures that we greet In the awakening days of Spring Make it worth the chill complete, Just to hear a robin sing. Jud Tunkins says he loves the dear old songs, but he wishes they could protect themselves from being re- Jazzed. Hesitation of an Helress. “You could mairy that distinguished representative of nobjlity.” “Could we be happy?” rejoined Miss Cayenne. “I hesitate to become in- volved in foreign politics or inter- natidnal finance.” “A loafer,” said Hi Ho, the sare of Chinatown, “becomes a beggar unless he accumulates enough political pull to make him a boss.” Cynical System. Let not your friendliness extend Past phrases fair and nice. You make a foeman of a friend By giving him advice. “A ukulele,” said Uncle Eben, “is small, but influential. It is de hip flask of music.” ot Presidential Viewpoint. From the Boston Herald. As President Coolidge evidently seos, the power that wants more gen- eral disarmament must not challenge the world with cruiser building. s Coolidge Strong for Turkey- From the Ohio State Journal. President Goolidge impresses us as the kind of man who never would get tired of saving turkey leftovers by eat- ing them down to the last plate of soup, no matter how long they lasted. Old Legend Still Stands. From the Philadelphia Public Ledger. An explorer has run down a new legend about Solomon, according to report, but it doesn’t affect the nums 0y STAR, WASHINGTON, 8 e A THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. In the evanescent someday of which overy one dreams, we propose to write “A Book of Nice Peopl In it shall be set forth those persons who, in the whole course of our life, have struck us as “nice” in the everyday sense of that word, The colloquial meaning 18 something which every one understands, although some prefend to frown upon such usage, ainly with very large dic- tionaries upon their side. Every one knows, however, every one certainly understands, when some one is particularly nice to one, Yet in the ordinary course of life such persons are too often forgotten, and in their stead we paint on the tablets of our memory the faces of disagree- able men and women who irk us. S0 some that proposed re to do even Justice to’all thoge who, in one nother, been ordinarily , When_they might have been discourteous, or have gone out of their way to help us, when they might as easily have been curt and abrupt, or who have answered us pleasantly in- stead of grouchily. To all these, friends known and un- known, we sond this preliminary greeting, in the hope that some por- tion, at least, of this preface, years in advance of its book, may drift into their hearts, We want them to know that one, at least, in the selfish whirl of life, has not forgotten. L The Girl in the Lavender Dress will undoubtedly hav A 5 Aeradie. y have a chapter all ‘We remember this helpful creature for no other reason than that she was helpful. She had black hair, she was pretty, she wore a lavender dress, but these are only detalls. What sticks In our memory was her kindness. Under circumstances when another waitress and general salesgirl might have (probably would have) been disagreeable, she was courteous, Whereas another might have fs d to give us any intelligible answer, she answered all our ques. tions. She acted as a public servant ought to act, so it is a pleasure to chronicle her here, for there are so many who do not! A woman in a public office of any kind probably has more opportunity to be helpful than a man, for she may bring to her aid woman's imme- morial ability to soothe. This may be done harhlessly, despite the slurs of those who cast reflections upon women in such po- sitions, or who impugn the integrity of a class with careless indifference to_truth, It was a hot day—a very hot day. There was a great gathering at this place, which is at some distance from Washington, and yet not so far, either. Men and women were milling around, working hard to convince themselves that they were having a good time. Is it not curious, how much dis- comfort the average human being will put up with if he can talk him- self into belleving that he is having this same *good time"? * ok ok ok Here we were, all milling around, through beautiful grounds, beneath old trees, over grassy carpets, sweating in Winter suits under an intensely hot early Summer day, bent upon having fun if it cost us our last nickel and our last shred of comfort. Men and women similarly stand in line before popular theaters, or eating places, determined to get in at the cost of weary legs and fainting vigor. They might better trip around the corner to A show just as good, or g0 home and eat with better appetite a simple bowl of crackers and milk. It may be realized, then, with what vim our crowd pursued its course, when it is added that duty played a large part in this particular gathering. Let duty be added to interest—every thing will be suffered. There is no train trip too long to be endured, no oaches too crowded or filled with cinders, no hours too hot or thirsty. The trip down was eally. You stood on one aisle with scores, hundreds, larly storklike males, in allow husky, vigorous ladies down. There wasn't a lady there who wasn't perfectlysable to stand, but no, we must all hop up to let them occupy the seats, and get nice my coal soot on their nice new dresse We were all dolled up for the oc casion. Every one was. Our own part r regalia was a thick tweed suit, in which we fondly imagined we looked pretty snappy Now we are one of those unfortu- nate persons who never seem com- pletely dressed. If our sult is new, our shoes are old, or if our shoes are nicely shined, our hat is frayed. This day we had on an old cap, the despair of all our friends and acquaint- ances who want us to “look dignifled, whatever that means. But we didn’t give a hang (whatever that means); we never do. We do not want to look dignifled until we become President of the United States, and then, we suppose, we will have to wear a high hat and all that sort of thing, and talk about “the great forefathers of this great country.” and try to walk sedately when the band plays that Jiggy “Hail to the Chief.” * K kK Duty, on this perfectly sad occasion, had a much firmer grip upon us, in our nice hot tweeds, than it did upon most of the others. All of you kind readers back in Washington had to be kept informed of just what was going on here, and just what we are all doing here, and just who said what. Duty picked on us to do all this for you. So we sought a telephone, in a_hot- box called a telephone booth, only it wasn't the nice clean kind we know here in Washington. To add to the complications, it harbored a trick tele- phone, of a Sort we had never seen before. It had a crank; you had to wind it up, or something, We wound vigor- ously, dropping in money at all its pores, only to have it remain silent. We dropped in money before we ground, and we dropped in money after we ground, and between grind- ings, too, but nothing happened. Finally, in despair, we stuck our perspiring face out of that box, and called to the Girl in the Lavender Dress: “Say, will you show me how to work this thing?” “Why, certainly like an angel. And she did. foot in an of simi- order to to sit she said, smiling Vindication of Gladstone App_rovgd by American Press The vindication of the good name of England’s great prime minjster, Wil- llam E. Gladstone, through the medium of court action, arouses enthusiastic approval of the American public. The slander of the statesman of a former day appeared in a book by Capt. Peter Wright, and was so resented by the living sons of Gladstone that they pub- licly attacked the character of the author. Wright has lost his suit for libel. The American press condemns books of that type as dealing with “backstairs” gossip, and expresses resentment at the attempts to blacken reputations of men of fame. “Viscount Gladstone's gallant de- fense of his father's name and mem- ory” appeals to the Newark Evening News as “one of those rare incidents that bring a thrill into the drama of life. Horace, if memory serves,” con- tinues the News, “records a memo- rable tribute from a son to a father. It makes excellent literary material, al- though there is always a chance that when a son sets out to interpret his father he will put into the interpreta- tion fomething of himself as well as of his subject. Viscount Gladstone has shown already that he is a chip of the old block, possessing his father's sense of justice and courage in attack- ing what he belleves to be wrong.” ““The action of the Gladstone broth- ers should have a salutary effect. If great men are to be pursued by ‘Capt. Wrights,’ the pursuing ought at least to be done while the victims are alive to defend themselves,” says the Day- ton Dally News. The Manchester Union belleves that “the public sense of justice would have been pleased had the defendant secured damages from the plaintiff, for there can be scant sympathy for a man who writes a book casting apparently baseless re- flections upon the character of an emi- nent statesman long dead The Union credits Viscount Gladstone with “a substantial contribution to the maintenance of the literary decencles.” * ok Kk ‘The position that Gladstone’s char- acter was unassailable is argued by the San Francisco Bulletin with the statement: ‘“No such attacks were made public in Gladstone's lifetime, though he was perhaps the most bitter- ly chiticized of all cotemporary Brit- ish politiclans. When he refused fur- ther associgtion with Charles Stewart Parnell on the ground of revelations in divorce proceedings, Gladstone’s private life would have been assailed had there been any grounds for assail- ing it. Mrs. Gladstone worshiped him, his intimate friends adored him, and however it was divided as to his poli- tics, the British n;inllon respected him as an exemplary citizen.” Attention is directed by the Danville Reglster to the fact that “this attack is made a full generation and a half after Mr. Gladstone's day, when his aged sons, over 70 years old, are retir- ing with laurels that they have won in their own names. It is worth noth- ing, not even comment,” continues the Register, “except for one thing—it il- lustrates a mania that has gripped England since the war; a sort of pa- thology of the literary mind. * * * The English people should do some- thing to protect their great portraits from the tongues of fire.” The New Bedford Standard insists that “if the new blography depends upon the pub- lication as facts of whispers and innu- endoes against people who are dead and incapable of defending themselves, it is time that a higher standard of historical accuracy was established. * ¢ ¢ The same restraint of de- cency which prevents a man from publishing unproved aspersions upon the living should be applied to writing of the dead.” The Duluth Herald adds that “those who libel a dead man, be- ing perfectly safe physically and le- gally, show a great deal more discre- tion than those who libel a living man. ‘Discretion’ is a kind word for what sometimes is called ‘cowardice.’ " * ok kK “The captain on the stand,” in the opinion of the Omaha World-Herald, L “proves the contentions of the sons of fool when he extends his charges against the dead father and links in scandal with his name those of famed women still living.” The Worcester Telegram contends that “whispered in- nuendo, political assertions made long ago in the heat of campaign and only half believed by those who made them, the backstairs gossip that is never absent in the households of the great and near-great—that these should be selzed upon and incorporated into his- tories and biographies which are ad- vertised as ‘daring’ and ‘now it may be told,’ is more than a misfortune; it is a calamity."” “The red-blooded American,” accord- ing to the Los Angeles Times, “has never been impressed that it takes much of a heroic spirit to wait until a man {8 dead half a century or more to stick the stiletto of slander into him. Stabbing a man in the back has never been held in the highest esteem in California. Even a California rattler glives notice before it strikes. How- ever, the world will not be greatly perturbed. It will take more than a| few puny runts choking on filth, to throw it off its balance. When the snapping, snarling fraternity have all been swept up like refuse in the big broom of the ages, Willlam Ewart Gladstone and George Washington will ecarry on. Together, those worthies are in might good company.” The Richmond News-Leader holds that “Gladstone’s character was too much the foundation of his fame to let the libel stand.” The New York Times condemns the “confessed oversight” of the publisher, who “admitted that if he had seen the offensive passage before it got into type he would have insisted that it be stricken out,” and the Chicago Trib- une believes that “Capt. Wright must feel that there is a great deal of his material presented as coming from ‘the late So-and-So.""” gttty Steps by B. & O. to End Crossing Peril Urged To the Editor of The Star: I just read your account of that ghastly accident occurring at Ken- sington on the Baltimore and Ohio tracks, in which flve persons met their untimely end. Yesterday, while driving through Kensington, I had occasion to cross the spot where those unfortunates died. I also happened along just as the alarm bell was ringing. From my position in the machine I could not see any train coming. Being cau- tious, I stopped. Some man, bearing no sign or marks whatever, waved me across. I presumed he was the flag- man, and proceeded acress the tracks without trouble. I did remark to the party with me how careless and unpro- tected those tracks were. It was only a minute or so after I wound around the tracks that a passenger train came thundering past. I am highly incensed over the tragic happening that night, and think the Baltimore and Ohio is solely at fault. Public opinion should force retribu- tion in the form of a viaduct or some common-sense method of safety at such crassings. I hope this bit of honest criticism will aid to eliminate such deaths in the future. R. J. HEWITT. Kings Mountain In South Carolina To_the Editor of The Star: I note in your report of the pro- ceedings in the Senate in Sunday's Star you speak of the provision for survey of the Revolutionary battle- grounds at “Cowpen in South Carolina and Kings Mountain in North Caro- lina,” and that mistake has also been noted in the papers of the city several | and then, to lend a hand over weak | tr nightmare, | (" | many another vogue times recently. Kings Mountain, and the battle- ground on top of it, is about 3 miles from the line in South Caro- lina. There is a ha me monument TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1927. NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM 1.G. M. SONNETS OF A MINNESINGER AND OTHER LYRI J. U Nicolson. Pascal Covicl. In- Germany, 700 years ago and more, there rose among the gallants | of that day the fashion of making | love songs to sing to high-born ladies | of their desire. An instrument some thing like mn overgrown violin went humming and strumming along in tune with the verse to stress the | ardors of the theme or maybe, now and faltering spots in the poet's fine frenzy of invention. Clearly, poctry and music were then close of kig, a8 v had been beforé, as they occa- sionally are now. That which started long ago in Germany, just as starts and ends, became In this case a genuine poetic movement. Out of it emerged the historic Minnesingers who had, by thelr efforts, lifted the sonnet in its verse structure to enduring fame as the supreme poetic medium for ex- pressing the emotion of love. A hun- dred years later or thereabout it was Petrarch who remodeled the sonnet, who refined it to its present form. In his retreat at Vaucluse, Petrarch made use of this perfected verse to immor- talize the beauty and goodness of Laura. With Villon the sonnet be- came the tool of a fine fashioning. Nearer to us it swept out of the hand of Swinburne in a passion of perfect song. Now another true Minnesinger steps out into the present. Into this old mold of song he pours music on the themes of life and love. And thege sonnets are as truly singing verse as are those of the medieval ANSWERS TO BY FREDERIC Q. Is playing a wind Instrument such as a cornet or eaxophone in Jurfous to the throat?—N. G. A. John Philip Sousa, the famous band master, says that in his opinion it is beneficial instead of harmful, and | that for the most part players of such | instruments enjoy excellent health, Q. How much crude rubber is there | in automobile tires?—J. G | A. The Bureau of Standards says | that there are about 5 pounds of crude | rubber in a 30 by 3% fabric automo bile tire. Q. What is the meaning of the ex pression “‘naked as a needle,’ first used it’—R. K. S | A. The simile “naked as a needle” is taken from the writings of William Langland. In its original form the word “needle” {s spelied “nedle.” Our authority is the collection of similes edited by Paul Wilstach. There are | few articles so devoid of adornment as | a reedle. It seemingly affords an excellent opportunity to coin a simile Q. Please give the origin, history and present status of the “consclence | fund” of our Government W. A. The conscience fund was opened with.a contribution of $5 in 1811. The amounts sent in range from 2 cents, a person. who failed to put a stamp on a letter when mailed, to several thou sand dollars from persons who smug- gled goods into the United States with- out paying import duty. U amounts are small, however. largest single deposit was $30,000, of the flecal year ending June 30, 19 $4,551.51 was contributed. The to in'the fund as of December 31, 18 was $561,891.87. As and modern forbears of this author. One, reading here, is at no time held up by halting measure or stumbling rhyme. Instead, one goes swinging and singing through on a tide of rich imagery through mazes of poetic thought. The effect of them as a whole, however, is quite distinct from that of those old lovers chanting lays of passion and hope to ladies fair. True, the ruling theme here is that of love, as it was thére. But those were forward-looking faces lighted by dreams to come true. This poet fronts invarfably upon the past where dreams lie shattered, where losses and unfulfilled hopes cover the ground. In a word, these sonnets are lamen- tations over the things that slip away with youth itself never to be re- covered. Nor are these chastened lamentations—bitter ones instead, that give out acrid savors of disap- pointment, resentment, irremediable loss. An odd effect, this, that of a thoroughly sophisticate man and a completely disillusioned one looking at life through a medium that has been used for many centuries to ex- press the hopeful ardors of youth fronting upon the supreme passion of love. Yet, despite this incongruity no one can deny these sonnets the praise of rich imagery and true beauty. No one can deny their poetic inspiration nor contest the fine finish of thelr structure. W VERSES, NEW AND OLD. John Galsworthy. Charles Scribner's Sons. Every reader knows Galsworthy, the novelist and the playwright. For the good reason that these two liter- ary forms have been his prime pre- occupation, not many know Gals- worthy, the poet. Perhaps the chief significance of this little book of poetry lies in the fact that whether he makes use of verse or prose this writer is, above all else, the man of serious purpose along current lines of human endeavor. Here is the writer of soclal instinct who bends his art to the amelioration of certain of the harder aspects of life, of certain of the injustices lying inherent in mod- ern society. In a more personal way these poems are in the nature of a plea, of a prayer, if you will, for courage, serenity, acceptance. They are reflections on the uncertainties of life, on the certainty of death. They are encouragement toward a philoso- phy calculated to evaluate life accord- ing to its verities and, thereby, to come into a serene acceptance of its inevitabilities. Austere verse, this, in effect. Verse that is unadorned with the usual trappings of poetry. Im- pressive and penetrating verse, never- theless, since it is sourced in the deep needs of every man. This “Prayer” is no more John Galsworthy's than it is yours and mine: It on a Spring night T went by And God were standing there, wiat'la the praves thae 1 wou To Him? This is the prayer: O Lord of Courage grave. O"Master of thia night of Spring! Make firm in me a heart too brave To ask Thee anything! Here and there these verses turn to the natural world—to the English downs, to the surrounding sea in its multiform moods, to the seasons, to Spring in the Highlands, to songs of the West Country. Always, however, they are of an aloof and reflective })e]nuty—and always are they beauti- ul. ery * ok K % TOUCH AND GO. Ralph Cheyney. Henry Harrison, publisher. A modern poet, partaking in full measure of the spirit and outlook of the moment, but a genuine poet, not- withstanding, in any fair accounting of this craft. Almost every one has his poetic tradition which, like any other traditions is cramping in effect, distorting in influence. Thus every one accepts certain themes as suited to poetic treatment, and certain others that are decidedly not so fitted. He may be wrong. He probably is wrong. But to him there is an in- congruity hard to accept in meeting themes such as he will meet here in Ralph Cheyney’s verse, in the verse of almost every modern poet as well. By what right does this “almost every one” declare against “Sex" as a poem Q. What was the orlgin of the Greek natlonal flag?—L. D. L. A. The Greek national flag Is de- rived from the arms of Otto of Ba-| varia, who was called to the throne of Greece in 1833. Q. What does “Hedjaz" mean?— ‘A. 'This word means “barrfer” and | refers to the wall of high mountains on the edge of the tableland which is In the kingdom so called. Q. Do any countries tax vote slack- ers in a manner similar to that sug- gested by Senator Arthur Capper?— F. M. A. Tt is said that similar fines are in force in Belgium, Spain, Switzer- lané. and Czechoslovakia. Australia’s compulsory voting law has increased thg poll from 52 per cent of the eligi- bié voters to 93 per cent. Q. What is meant by the “‘diamond jubllee” of the Confederation, refer- ring to Canada?—E. M. F. A. This has reference to the six- tieth anniversary of the Dominion of Canada. { figures for | many are rep QUESTIONS 3. masky, Q. Who invented the pendulum? 70, B iysens, a Dutchman, born in practical exponent of th employing it in the mechanism of the clock. However, he was not the original discoverer of its_properties. Leonardo da Vinet 14 notes as to his st of pendulum and Galileo (15 1642) continued these studies. Q. Who was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence?—E. C A. Benjamin Franklin was the o at the time the signatures wer He was 70 and who | ¥ Q. Do Parls shopkeepers display use wax purposes?— G. M. K. Word from Paris 1 wax f om thin are ¢ fcates that ures with plecas of aped fabrics silh boa and dresses, cut these uettes on language !s Q. What spoken in South Africa?—0. P. English and Afri languages. In 1 r which data are e white per s are the the last wvailable, 30 »pulation A guages. Q. What making a A. Scie of Jelly fru re best for felly nd why?—E. S. M. study of the principles & has shown that three required for the for namely, sugar, acid e present art red currants and S ed proper St ripenes: ntain pectin ane acid in sufficient gnantity to form a good jelly when ceaked for a short time with the Meoper amount of sugar. mak temperature measured point of mercury? Q ¥ Is below the fre —W. J. T. A. The Weather Bureau says there are several methods of doing this. Pe haps the most common method, at least for measuring air temperatures, is that of usi in the thermometer a liquid such as alcohol, that does nc freeze so readily as does merct Did youw ever write_a letter to Frederic J. Haskin? You can ask him any question of fact and get the answer in a personal letter. Here is a great educational idea introduced into the lives of the most intclligent people in the world—American news paper readers. It is a part of that best purpose of a newspaper—service. There is no charge except 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Address Frederic J. Haskin, director, The Evening Star Information Bureau, Washington. D. C. BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. “We are trying to locate every case in the United States wherein an alien has wife, husband, son, daughter, father, mother or other relatives stranded overseas. Thus we can over- whelm Congress with human interest storles In such tremendous volume, glving such exact detalls, that we will break its will to hold the immigra- tion restriction act. These stories, with the probabilities that great masses of foreign-born voters back their sentiments, will help us destroy this unjust, discriminating, unright- eous law.’ The signature to this propaganda was in obvious foreign chirography. The above quotation comes from a circular letter sent out from New York to scores of social workers and to Congressmen who are suppcrting measures to amend the law so as to admit members of families of aliens al- ready in the United States. An officer of, the Immigration Study Commission comments: “Before us lies a letter from Sena- tor explaining his vote on the ‘Wadsworth bill permitting the admis- sion of 35,000 ‘relatives’ of aliens who are here and who have declared inten- tion to become citizens. The Senator writes: ‘Anything to restore broken families will receive my sympathetic vote,’ but the comment is: ‘He fails to consider that the American end of the broken families could return to those overseas. We are profoundly con- vinced that there is a cunningly de- vised plan to amend to death the John- son act within the next few years.” X Yesterday the House immigration committee decided upon the detalls of a bill to relieve the pressure for the admission of the families of aliens al- ready here, without increasing the quotas of the nations. The committee | bill will be reported out some time this week, in leu of the Wadsworth bill passed by the Senate but rejected by the committee of the House. The re- lief of alien families would be even greater than what the Wadsworth bill provided, but it would all come with- out adding to the quotas now allowed to the respective nations. It is al- leged that many of the stanchest sup- porters of the Wadsworth bill, which added 35,000 a year to the quota im- migration by admitting the wives and children to a total of 35,000, as non- quota immigrants, now refuse to sup- port the House measure, because it This fact of their opposition is cited as proof of insiricerity In their pre- tense of interest in the “sob stories’ tion Study Commission that their sup- port was merely part of a plan to get an entering wedge into the present theme, or the ‘“Divorce Court” or “Psycho-analysis” or other such sub- jects? But, for general acceptance on account of their genuine beauty here are love songs, tender as such songs should be and songs of other devo- tions than those lavished by the lovers of the world. Here is a man who, clearly, knows a good deal about the human heart despite a world- wide conspiracy to hold that heart to deep self-secrecy. Here is a man who has learned how to smile at the general frustration of life that every man is bound to meet, either with courage or with shrinking. And with this knowing he holds a falr share of toleration, using the two for the fash- ioning of many a tuned or measured comment on the passing moment. This verse is, as a whole, quick and vital stuff that meets one face to face in brisk _encounter or in happy agreement. The longest and, all in all, the most impressive of these poems is “The Dark Encounter, quite splendid thing, bizarre at times, legitimately so, and on the whole a remarkably conceived and sustained satire that sets off: The grapes are mortal. the The grapes are crushed: wine. And upon this sinister strain is built a gloomy—and gorgeous—bit of life drawn off from the moment and done in a blaze of pure grotesquery. yinter divi But “inere 8 —_————e Government and one by the State of South Carolina and one by private citizens, and the whole is on land pur- chased by the Kings Mountain B ground Association of York Count; South G na. doubt, @1 h city of B ntain n away is law—admitting 35,000 on this broken family basis—which Is estimated by Government officials to be really only one-sixth of the relatives clamoring to get in, and then, later, pointing to the injustice of having still barred the other flve-sixths. While our quota immigration now is limited to about 164,000, this total admitted nets, after deducting all who return to Europe, in excess of 350,000 a year. b Representative Jenkins of Ohio in- troduced a bill some days ago pro- viding for admissions of the relatives, including unmarried children up to the age of 21, as preferential immi- grants within the quota. His bill has been embodied in the committee bill now receiving the approval of the House committee over all other meas- s, In this bill, section 2 (a), subdivi- sion (c) of section 4 of the immigra- tion act of 1924, is amended as fol- ows: “(¢) An immigrant who was born in territory which at the time of the application for the issuance of the immigration visa is under the juris~ diction of the United States, or in the Dominfon of Canada, Newfoundland, the Republic of Mexico, the Republic of Cuba, the Republic of Haiti, the Dominican Republic or an inde- pendent country of Central or South America, and his wife and his un- married children under 18 (21?) years of age, if accompanying or following to join him.” All these will come in outside of the quotas. The important new phrase above is in the first line. That will readmit oot citizonahip. by marrying. allon o8t p en husbands. At present, a native Amer- ican woman married to a foreigner does not add to our total immigration. | r, of broken families, and it is claimed, to prove the surmise of the Immigra- | The old law provides: “An imm!- grant born in the United States who has lost his (her) United States eiti- zenship shall be considered as having been born in the country of which he (she) is a citizen or subject, or if he is not a citlzen or subject of any country, then in the country from which he (she) comes.” That will be repealed by the proposed bill, and all such will come in as non-quota im- migrants. Also included in this new provislon will come natives of the Philippines, the Virgin Isles, Porto Rico, Guam and Tutuila—these islands being “under the jurisdiction of the United States.” So is any State. But the number coming from these islands is counted as inconsequential. E N R The most vital feature of this House bill is in section 3: (d) “If before the close of any fiscal year the President finds that the estimated demand for im- migration visas by quota immigrants of any natlonality who are either rel atives of citizens of the United States entitled to preference under para graph (1) of subdivision (a) of this section, or the wives or unmarried children under 21 years of age, of aliens lawfully admitted to the T § . Ty nent resi- dence, exce tum of the quota’ for such for the ensuing year, he shall by proclama tion so declare, and thereupon: Thereupon the preferences now given to “skilled agriculturists” will be suspended, and in their places w be admitted by preference, within the regular quotas for the respective na- tions, the wives and children of aliens already here, to the proportion mnot exceeding 90 per centum of the tota quotas of such nationalities, leaving only 10 per cent of the quota for male immigrants from those coun tries, until all broken families will be reunited Y The argument is that America ready is oversupplied with farmers and we can better afford to substitute the families of aliens who are here than to encourage more farmers come. Our farmers are even now appealing to the ernment for aid through the McNary-Haugen pending in the Senate. x ok k% To bring the relatives of allens who are here to join them in America will tend to stop the tremendous eco nomic leak of funds now being sent to Europe by these heads of “broken It § d that tne amount of money thus going out of Americ ds half a billion dollars a yea: t of which would remain in tb country if the families it is now" sup- porting in Europe were brought here. During the first year of our quota law Italy—the land of Mussolinf—re fused to issue visas to whole familles, but willingly permitted the heads of families to migrate to America, efther with an eve on the supporting re- mittances or on accumulating enough “broken families” to make a show- ing and pressure to amend our re strictions. The Italian quota was not all used that first year, but since then the policy has changed, and now whole families are encouraged to_migrate togethe: It is claimed by supporters of the House bill that within two years all broken families will have been re. united here under the provisions of this measure, and in future probably en families will be given already the requirement b o K 12 bills introduced heret amend the Johnson act 1924, 7 have come from membx representing New Yor York City's population, a the 1920 census, is 78 foreign-born or the fi generat Of the fore to of children of foreign-born immi- grants. Also there are the grand children of foreign-born. Such voters elect Congressmen who represent their sentiments that our ports should be wide open for all their relatives and friends. Of New York's 23 Repre sentatives, 20 voted against immigra tion restriction, 2 voted for it and 1 stammered. Besides the seven New York bf to open our ports, the other five were: One from New Jersey, three from Chicago and one from the Soncialist Congressman from Wisconsin. A re- strictionist remar! “It is the So- clalists and Communists who are agl- tating to overturn our Government. Not all immigrants are Communists, but, aside from our college professors, all C ists M ‘ommuni are for- -