Evening Star Newspaper, March 7, 1927, Page 8

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EVENING STAR, ‘WASHINGTON, D. C., MONDAY, MARCH 7, 19217. : i THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. {THE EVENING STAR ‘With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY.........March 7, 1927 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company ‘Business Office: ez Fork '§|'fi‘.’v""€'1’3 Chicago_Off 3 it St Buropean Office g e Ivania Ave. ing. London, The Evening Star. with the Sunday morn- ing edition, is delivered by carriers within o city at’ 60 cente per month dajlsonly. 48 cents per month: Sundays omy. 20 centd r month.Orders m ent by ma Telephone Main 5000 Collection 1% made by carrier at end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. F and Sunday !§ only lay only. tohes eredited in this pape published herein Al rights of publication of epecial dispatches herein are also reserved. The Needy Must Not Suffer. About a thousand persons, many of them among the most needy in the District, who are practically living a hand-to-mouth existence, are facing the serious prospect of a loss of pen- sion funds t| mean their bread and butter and all the necessities of life— | | as a result of the filibuster in the Sen- ate, which prevented pa second deficienc Unfortunate as delay may be, public works can wait. such as the building of schoolhouses and additional hospital facilities, the purchase of a site for the new Botanic Garden and other de- sirable municipal improvements—but the poor cannot wait for the money that stands' between them and suf- fering. Here is the list: Six hundred and twenty police and firemen on the pen- ®sion rolls, one hundred and five school teachers on the retirement pay rolls, two hundred and eighty dependent children under the Board of Public Welfare and about one hundred widows and chiliren under sixteen years of age, of District employes, and District employes themselves per- manently injured in the performance of duty. The deficlency appropriation bill that failed appropriated about found Underwood transferred to the Senate. He entered the upper house no untried man. He quickly found his niche, an important one. It was but a short time, as years go, until he became the Democratic leader of the Senate. In the Senate Mr. Underwood, & comparative newcomer, met certain Jealousies. His leadership in that body, however, was able and con- structive. The Senator from Alabama was a foe of national prohibition, & policy which many of his Democratic colleagues, particularly those from the South, supported. He opposed the invasion of the States’ rights involved in the prohibitory law. His attitude {on this question brought a strong fight against him when he ran for re-election in 1920. But he won. Had the democracy of the South more confidence in the vote-getting powers of a Southern Democrat, Sen- ator Underwood might have been the choice of his party for the presidency in 1924 or earlier. The feeling still maintains among them that a south- erner cannot be elected President. As it was, his candidacy in the Madison Square Garden convention in 1924 was the signal for a Ku Klux and anti- Ku Klux contest. Senator Underwood made no concealment of his antago- nism to the hooded order. No one has ever doubted or chal- lenged the courage of Senator Under- wood. A keen intellect, a great par- liamentarian, a forceful debater, he endeared himself to many by his per- sonal charm and his frankness while nning, by his great abilities, the ad- miration of all. ——————— — Fundamentalism in Diplomacy. Relations with Mexico are shrouded in “mystery.” President Calles’ Am- bassador at Washington has gone to Mexico, leaving the well informed State Department in ignorance as to the cause of his departure. Mean- time, as for itself, our ministry of foreign affairs is cloaked in even more than the ordinary secrecy, which is diplomacy’s favorite garb. In consequence the floodgates of speculation’are wide open. Dark and devious developments on both sides of the Rio Grande are mooted. The long-threatened break in what re- mains of American-Mexican amity looms for the hundredth time. Calles propaganda in the United States is named as the categorical cause of the prospective rupture. At the White House there is neither $205,000 to carry these dependents over a three-month period until the 1928 appropriations are available, on July 1. X Personal suffering and hardship will result if a way is not found to make the pitifully small payments monthly to these people. This income in many cases is all they have to depend upon. And- it will probably be nine to ten months before Congress can act to relieve this situation. ‘This list includes people who cannot get credit for food and clothing and fuel and other necessities for a long pe- riod like three months, and even if they could, when the other regular annual appropriation funds are available, on July 1, the pittance each will receive would be too small'to pay the ac- cumulated debt. But they will not be allowed to suffer. Even if the District and Fed- eral Governments do not find a way, on account of red-tape regulations and ‘bookkeeping exactitudes, to make the regular flow of pensions possible, the people of Washington will doubtless see that funds are forthcoming. If necessary, the business interests of ‘Washington will doubtless guarantee these payments. The District officials have authority to pay these pensions if they can find money somewhere that can be drawn upon. The District Commissioners « and District Auditor Daniel J. Dono- van are now making a very careful study to find some funds that can be immediately used. To these pensioners The Star gives confident assurance that they will be taken care of—that a way will be found to continue their pension pay- ments regularly—and advises them not to worry, because our Govern- ment is too great an institution, too human and humane to let them really suffer because of a delinquency in Congress. ————— . Attempts at sarcasm in Congress compel the sad admission that repar- tee among statesmen is not what it used to be. Oscar W. Underwood. Underwood is out. The United fStates is the poorer thereby. Repre- sentative, Senator, leader of his party in both houses of Congress, Oscar W. Underwood gave service, patriotically and unstintingly. Honored by his State and his party 'with election to high office, Senator Underwood reflected honor upon both. His present retirement from the Sen- ate leaves a gap in the statesmanship of that body which will be difficult to fill. Fundamentally Senator Under- wood was always sound, a Democrat, but never a demagogue. Many of Senator Underwood’s friends and admirers may find it dif- ficult to realize that it was in 1895 he first became u member of Congress; that he served for thirty-two years. Ten times he was elected to the House, a period of twenty years in that body, and twice to the Senate, with twelve years' service there. His ability, his qualities of leadership of men, his absolute in- tegrity, his willingness 1o work brought him to the attention of the Democratic leaders in the House be- fore he had been there long. He was & lieutenant of John Sharp Williams of Mississippi and later of Champ Clark of Missouri, as they in turn were party leaders in the House, ‘When the Democratic party came into power in 1913, with President ‘Wilson in the White House, Champ Clark became Speaker of the House, and Underwood was chosen the Dem- ocratic leader of that body. He weld- ed the party forces, so often split by factional differences, into a homo- geneous, fighting force. flis leader- ship in the House was more com- mystery nor speculation, Of secrecy, too, there is no sign. The President, pursuing the patient tenor of his way, adjures the country to remember that there is a single, gleaming fact in the Mexican situation, compared to which all others are incidental and extraneous. He reiterates that the sole and exclusive issue is the con- fiscation of American-owned prop- erty. He suggests that to that propo- sition, and that alone, the diplomacy of the United States is being devoted. From it the energies of this Govern- ment will not be deflected. Mr. Coolidge is a diplomatic funda- mentalist. If President Calles lets that fact, with all its lmpllca.tlons,‘ sink into his consciousness, progress may supplant stalemate in Ameri- can-Mexican relations. The admin- istration’s Grant-like determination to “fight it out on that line” is like- wise not devold of instructional value for critics nearer home. e The attitude of Vice President Dawes toward the United States Sen- ate was that of the man who bides his time and then remarks, “I told you 5o, Chairman Funk’s Successor. With the retirement, temporarily at least, from Congress of Represent- ative Funk of Illinois, the chairman- ship of the subcommittee on District appropriations becomes vacant. Dur- ing the Congress just closed Chairman Funk, with the hearty co-operation of Chairman Madden of the master com- mittee on appropriations, has worked earnestly, conscientiously and success- fully to give the municipality at the Nation’s Capital the best possible supply bill. This co-operation result- ed in a very commendable co-ordina- tion of the plans of the Federal Gov- ernment for building here an un- matched Capital City, and the program of the_District officials for construc- tive development of @ model munici- pality, with well balanced allocation of funds, so that the best interests of all the citizens may be advanced with- out too burdensome taxation. Those who have the welfare of the city of Washington at heart, both from the national and the local view- point, are eager that this sympathetic co-operation, which has promoted a better feeling between Congress and the taxpayers of the District of Co- Jumbia, and which’ has resulted in the best District appropriation bills ever enacted, should continue. Chairman Madden is one of these. He has had a leading part in pro- moting economic efficlency and bring- ing about these better days for the District. He is one of us. He has built an attractive home for himself here. He is a Washington taxpayer. He is proud of the Capital City and has pledged himself to work for what- ever he belleves is best for the Na- tional Capital and for the people who live here at the seat of Government. It is part of Mr. Madden’s duty to select the new chairman for the sub- committee on District appropriations. | He has given every assurance that {he will draft for this service the man he believes to be best fitted to serve the best interests of the citizens and taxpayers. It is one of Mr. Madden's strict rules to appoint to a subcom- mittee no man who has a special, per- sonal interest in the subjects over which that subcommittee has juris- diction. He looks for strictly unbiased judgment in the drafting of the ap- propriation bills. Conversely, he aims to exclude from a subcommittee men whom he knows to have a prejudice against any particular institution that would come before that subcommittee | seeking appropriations. | The new chairman of the District subcommittee will not be selected until pletely successful than that of any Demooratio floor leader for years. The second Wilson administration’ing the-Summer he Will-be carefully’ SoBiat® i b ol B Congress reassembles in December, Mr, Madden has announced, but dur- golng over in his mind who would make the best chairman. One thiig has been definitely de- cided, however, and that is that any one who comes before this subcom- mittee for a hearing is going to be treated courteously and as one who has some information to bring that might be helpful to the committee, The system of browbeating that is employed before some other commit- tees of the House will be barred. The new chairman will enter upon his duties with a very definite rule that all witnesses are to be treated in a dignified and courteous fashion. So District officials and District peo- ple can await the announcement of the name of the new chairman of the District appropriations subcommittee with confidence that he will be the best man obtainable. For Mr. Mad- den, in conformity with his past rec- ord, intends conscientiously to carry out his important share in the re- sponsibility that follows power given by the Constitution to Congress to exercise exclusive jurisdiction the National Capital, over A Mystery. One of the curiosities of human na- ture is the failure of a man to be an- noyed by the barking of his own dog. The neighbor's dog is a confounded nuisance, but Rover is so cute! The dog down the block that keeps one awake at night ought to be turned over to the police, but Rover is_just a good watchdog. Now there are two sorts of hurkins." dogs, as all fanclers know. The first | is the dog that barks when there is something to bark about, and the sec- ond is the perpetual barker. i The real watchdog is man's oldest friend among the animals. When early man lived in caves the Fido of that day stood at the entrance and set up a mighty barking when Bruin came into view. The true watchdog “‘draws his bark,” as the pugilists might say. When he barks it means something. He uses | discrimination. He has his tongue | well under control. Papers blowing along interest him, but do not cause him 0 open up his muffler. He waits for the real enély. The perpetual barker, on the other paw, is as flighty as a flapper at a | movie. He giggles incessantly. He barks at the slightest provocation. Let a window be raised a block away, he must out and at ‘em. Every stray bit of paper that blows is faced with a perfect uproar of vip- ping. The lighest footfall arouses him to mighty wrath. Everything that moves seems to him the enemy. Such a dog is a nuisance—to every one except his owner. That gentle- man sleeps sweetly while the yowling continues. One hundred neighbors toss on their beds, cursing all dogs and this one in particular, but the owner of the barking dog sleeps peace- fully. How he can do so, and why, is and must continue to be a mystery. ————ae— England protects her citizens wher- ever they may be and asks no ques- tions relative to a citizen's possible participation in politics or finance on terms of ‘“pernicious activity.” i Sl e If science produced all the new sources of power of which it professes to hold the secrets, a number of prominent business organizations would go broke. ———r—e——— Conduct in the Senate would appear to call for advice and supervision. But a Senate could hardly be expected to investigate itself. ————— In a short time the public may be agreed on at least one point: That “Babe” Ruth is the greatest living American. —————— A New York night club is success- ful in the degree that it utilizes the police force as an advertising medium. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. In the Halls of Legislation, A dignified demeanor Is an asset very grand. It will keep your conduct cleaner In the eyes of all the land. But, how can you be placent And maintain a style polite When the member just adjacent Is inclined to start a fight? In deflance of traditions That suggest some self-restraint The demands of new conditions Bring out demonstrations quaint. 80, our dreams of peace Elysian Cannot keep us going right, ‘When some sage makes the decision That it's time to start a fight! Sure to Come Back. “You left behind a great deal of un- finished business.” “That's all right,” answered Senator Sorghum. “I have my constituents thoroughly convinced that nobody can attend to It but me.” “Pleasure,” said Hi o, the sage of Chinatown, “is something which, throughout our lives, we hope to en. Working Days. A fiveday week I'd like to see, ‘When all is said and done, I'd like a four-day week—or three Or two, or even one. Jud Tunkins says when a jury dis- agrees it shows, in frequent cases, ‘what the will of the minority can do. Making a Metropolis. “Crimson Guich will be metropolis some day.” “Yep,” answered Cactus Joe. “We've got all the talent needed for a spec- tacular crime wave. All we need s the capital for banks and big build- ings.” Shrouded in Mystery. A war in China makes a show ‘That leaves us all in doubt. Enough Chinese we do not know To tell what it’s about. As our inteppreters we call To clarify the clamor, ‘We fear we'll blunder, after all, Through some mistake in grammar. a great What is home without mirrors or clocks? “Perfect,” said Templeton Jones, in distinction from the rest of ‘mankind. Clocks, Jones averred, are ticking nuisances; as for looking glasses, they are entirely unnecessary. Jones being a handsome fellow, his dislike for mirrors is not the result of seeing himself in them. His spleen lies deeper. He believes that a house ought to be free from distracting in- tluences. While mirrors, he admits, ave their uses, they introduce jarring notes into a home, according to Jones. Ac- cording to Jones, they are to be legiti- mately used to shave in front of, if A man, or to put on one's hat by, if a woman, Other use they have none. As for clo Templeton Jones had most decided views upon them, even more drastic, if possible, than upon looking glasses. Believing, as he does, that “Alice in Wonderland” and “Alice Throush the Looking Glas: re two of the greatest stories ever written, our ac- quaintance is willing to admit some £ood in mirrors, It no more than to have inspired such a writer. Clocks, on the other shelf, are to be condemned whole-heartedly as noise- makers, disturbers of the proper quiet of good homes, contemners of silence. Clocks, from alarm to mantel and grandfather types, are fit only for other people's” homes, if one is will- ing to take Jones’ word for it. * himself upon his acute t a any He so prid sense of hearing the place in the ho; is immediately tected. Eve tch in the hou must be placed away in a dawer at night. Other members of the family from | time to time have sought to fool the ad of the household, since it is commonly held that his dislike of tickers is mostly a matter of the imagination. Every time, however, Mr. Jones has “spotted” the offending timeplece, and has called out, “There is a clock tick- ing some plac: Search has invariably proved the truth of his assertion, so that this trick is no longer indulged in. All watches are dutifully laid away to sleep. As for clocks, there are mone—or, at least, there were none until re cently. The tick-tock Jones. tick-tick of alarm clocks drove him to distraction. Even large affairs were continually making all sorts of minor clicks, from of clocks infuriated time to time, in the most unexpected | manner. Cuckoo clocks and chimes of various sorts were insufferable. To have a silly bird forever popping out of a door and barking its head off at one was simply unforgivable. ‘While Jones admired the neat dex- terity of the cuckoo's entrances and exits, and the synchronization of his performance with that of standard time, he honesttly” believed that cer- tain foreign clock makers had wasted their undeniable genius. The pleasant chimes of the grand- father clocks seemed absolutely un- necessary, too, in the home. Their chiming every quarter of an hour was well enough for a_hotel lobby, or some one else’s home, but Templeton Jones - | golf balls Especially the busy tick-tick- | fi didn’t want to hear them in his own house. * * ¥ *x So there was no mirror and no clock in the towr residence of Templeton Jones, esq. What there might have been in his country residence no one knew, for Jones has none. During the past few months, how- ever, Jones began to manifest signs of becoming interested. While he never admitted that he would like to have one, he spoke several times of their wonderful mechanisms. “The simplicity of genius,” said Jones, admiringly, as he stood in front of the jeweler'’s show window, and looked at a mahogany affair that was supposed to strike the hours and half , only it wasn't wound up at the believe you would like to have a said one. sense.” replied Jones. “Nui- sances! Make as much noise as the neighbor’s dog Yet Temp Jones undoubtedly was succumbing to the lure. Some of his friends had elocks in every room. It is a friendly disease with some per- sons. They speak of the “soothing in- fluence” of the tick-tocking, and in- stance old clocks that have ti away the life of whole families. Clocks become a part of a home, he was told. Why, by all means. old man, you ought to have a clock! * k % ¥ One day Jones surprised his family by arriving home with a large pack- in his arms. v you got—a can lio, or some book bird, or a | new r. , or & box of “All wrong.” said Jones, unwrapping his parcel, and a large mantel clock. “You buying a _elock! | persons in the world!" | "“I thought I woul ¢ one,” said | Jones, sheepishly. influence in | the home, and all that sort of thing." “Yes, but what are you going to do when it strikes all night long. Or does it strike?” “Does it strike? This baby strikes every half hour, and every hour, ding- dong, just like that. Let me show you.” And Jones put the clock through its :es. He made it strike hour after It was all wound up and ready 0. Jones sat in_ his big easy chair for hree hours, just to hear his clock | strike. He had an uneasy feeling, at that maybe it would fail, or at |least hit the wrong time. But, no in- | deed, it never failed. | Its tick-tock was leisurely, as'that of every well bred clock should be; its strike was quick enough not to be maddening. What is worse than a proudly taking of all the |to its strike? When bedtime came Jones found himself stealthily listening for the clock to strike. % “Ding-dong!"” S Sure enough, he heard it. He went to sleep before it struck again, but waked in time to hear it sound forth the hour of 2, the hour of 3, the hour of 4, the hour of 5. He missed 6 out of sheer exhaustion. “Do you think you will keep it?” “Sure id Jones, sleepily. “I'll get_used to i g “Then you can buy a big mirror to hang over it.” Jones grinned. . WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. One of the unrecorded episodes of | kings depart” from the congres: the recent Senate filibuster is likely to prove embarrassing for a Senator sure to be in the limelight if and when the Reed slush-funders go gun- ning again. During the all-night ses. sion of March 3-4 a certain Southern Democratic member pre-empted a couch in the famous “President’s room,” just off the private lobby, for a rest and 40 winks. The room was dark, the hour late and the presence of any one unsuspected. About 3 a.m. two Republican Senators came off the floor and tarried to talk on the threshold of the “President’s room.” «They were discussing the fu- ture plans of the Reed committee and wondering which particular States the Missourian and his colleagues have their eyes on. “I hope to —— they don’t poke their noses into ——-" ejaculated a Senator from a trans-Mis- sissippi commonwealth, in reference to his own State. “If they do, they’ll raise hell out there!” The dozing so- lon in the “President's room” hap- pened to be awake. He immediately recognized the voice of his brother Senator, and it wasn’t very much later before the tragi-comic incident was common property in the Demo- cratic cloakroom. * ok k% One of Vice President Dawes’ repa- rations plan friends was an evewit- ness of the filibuster fracas in the Senate on March 4. He is Sir Robert Kindersley, a director of the Bank of England, who is now visiting in_this country. Sir Robert, who Is chair- man of the great Lazard banking house in London, was a member of the experts’ committee which func- tioned at the elbow of the Dawes plan miracle-workers at Berlin three years ago. He is a glant Briton, and one of the powers in Threadueedle street. During the World War Kin- der: served as chairman of the British national savings committee and was kaighted for his effective work. Sir Robert comes to this side periodically in his capacity as a gov- ernor of the Hudson’s Bay Co., which since time immemorial has had vast interests throughout the Dominion of Canada and all points north. * % ¥ % The Democrats are said seriously to be considering taking their next national confusion to Detroit. A second choice is understood to be Cleveland. New York ranks as definitely barred not only for 1928, but for the future in general. *“Al” Smith himself is quoted as having expressed the desire that Manhattan Island be eliminated from the nftional committee’s con- vention plans, lest his enemies might think it too obvious an attempt to put him over. The Democrats had a gorgeous time in San Francisco seven vears ago, and the Golden Gate is once again a contender for their con- clave. But there’s the McAdoo angle to the California suggestion that probably kills it. Atlantic City will shortly be in possession of the most gigantic _convention hall on earth— a vast Boardwalk temple capable of seating 45,000. It hopes some day to be regular quadrennial headquarters for both parties. * K ok x Guy H. Oyster, known throughout the world of organized labor in the United States, South America and Eu- rope as long-time private secretary to the late Samuel Gompers, will be on duty on Capitol Hill for the next six years, He has been engaged by Senator-elect Millard BE. Tydings, Democrat, of Maryland, to be his right-hand man. For the past two or three years Oyster has been secretary to E. Brooke Lee, Speaker of the House in the Maryland Legislature. Gomper’s lieutenant accompanied the veteran president of the American Federation of Labor to the peace conference at Paris, and, through that service, Oyster enjoys contacts with the labor movement all around the globe. His new chief, Senator Tydings; will be one of the babies of the next Senate, with only 37 years “De first robin,” said Uncle Eben, “is & sweet singer, but no weather to his credit when he t‘lku office, * % K “The tumult and the shouting dies,"” t pot all-of the the sional field with the adjournment. Many members of both houses lost no time in effecting a getaway. But scores of Representatives and Senators will be in and out of Washington for varying numbers of weeks before finally returning to more or less de- voted constituencies. There are al- ways Innumerable fag ends of busi- ness clamoring for the attention which members of Congress, in the hurly-burly of the short session, are unable to give. A good many deni- zens of the big pile beneath the dome are going abroad during the long re- cess. Senator Bingham of Connecti- cut has already started for the Far East, and Senators Edge of New Jer- sey- and Sackett of Kentucky are shortly proceeding to Europe. States- men with re-election campaigns con- fronting them in 1928 will put in in- tensive spade work between Con- gresses, digging in and strengthen- ing their fences, * X ok % Senators-elect Vare of Pennsyl- vania_and Smith of Illinois, despite the slings and arrows of slush-fund fortune, are now on the pay roll of the Senate and in complete enjoy- ment of all the privileges and per- quisites of full-fledged membership thereof. Their rights include prem- ises in the ‘marble Senate Office Build- ing and staffs to run them, Vare has been assigned suite 333, which, by the irony of fate, he will inherit from one of the Democratic Senators in the forefront of the fight to oust the “zero boss” when the latter seeks to take the oath next December. Smith has been allocated suite 233, which happens also to be the offices hitherto inhabited b prominent anti-slush Senator, “Young Beb” La Follette of Wisconsin and of_the Reed investigating committee. Vare and Smith began drawing salary at $833.33 a month with the stroke of 12 high noon on March 4. * K% Senator Harreld of Oklahoma, who spent his last forenoon in the cham- ber the day of adjournment, took oc- casion to observe a circumstance probably without parallel in the his- tory of Congress. Since Oklahoma attained statehood, in 1907, she has sent but four men to the United States Senate=~Robert L. Owen, Thomas P. Gore, W. P. Pine and John W. Harreld. The whole quar- | tette, for the first time, were on the floor of the Senate together on March 4. Owen and Gore were exercising the rights of former members to sit among their one-time colleagues. * ok ok ok Baron Ago Maltzan, the German Ambassador, who is this month com- pleting his second yvear at Washing- ton, is celebrating that event by tak- ing a tour through the South and Middle West. The most modern of diplomats, Maltzan evidently believes in seeing the world to which he is ac- credited. Some, but not all, of the foreign envoys stationed here take the trouble now and then to ac- quaint themselves with the country that lies beyond the Maryland line and the Potomaec. “What can he know of America who only Washing- ton knows?" can well be asked in paraphrase of a famous English couplet. (Copyright. 1927.) eveloping Drama. Frofa the Dallas Journal. The row provoked by the attempted stage clean-up in New York has de- veloped more real drama than the stage has seen in years. An Economic Crime. From the Portsmouth Daily Times. A low-brow says the greatest eco- nomie waste 1s to kill a perfectly good sheep to make a college diploma. Fickle Temperatures. 1t now seems a case clock that “takes all day” to cumple!ei Schools Seen Needing Spiritual Influences To the Editor of The Star: To an educator there seems to be but one explanation for the epidemic of self-destruction among the youth of our schools; too little knowledge of the right sort; too much attempt at mastery of separated items of in- formation labeled “subjects.” As the late superintendent, Dr. W.B. Powell of Washington, used to say, “We teach subjects when we should teuch chil- dren.” Behind all instruction there should be a sound philosophy of life, and the ignorance of Immaturity demands that the teachers make known to their students the meaning and pur- pose of human existence. The schools and colleges fail to cover the gap in life of today which has reduced the influence of the home. As the schools and colleges have specialized in knowl- edge, they have overlooked the spirit- ual influences which give point to all instruction. Pleasure, achlevement, prestige, excitement and the passing whim of fashion dominate life unless the spiritual bond of the generations be_emphasized. When mathematics is not taught to impress the learner with the Infinite mind, when literature does not arouse students to an_appreciation of the struggle of the inner man to express the feelings and longings of his soul, when history is not read to show the success or failure of a given people in solving the problem of life, when athletics makes no appeal to fashion the body to obey the will for work and conduct, when economics fails to suggest the Impossibility of getting anything or service except by giving the cost in return, and when civics does not insure the interrelations of privileges and dutles, the universe is not seen as a moral order, but our youth are subject to the narrower selfish caprice of the moment or the mob. Education may give information, {lead through controlled personal ex- periences real knowledge, and arouse {deals which impel to higher selfishness in service. Lower aims are cheating the students and misieading the public. Our schools and colleges need less vaudeville, but more debate on how to speed soclal progress and to cor- rect social ills. Our pride of achieve- ment must be less in the prodigious and mounting costs of plant and equip- ment, but more in the influence upon social aspects of our life. Childhood and youth must be impressed with the fact that they are in debt to soclety and that failure to settle the obligation by productive effort and service is the most heinous offense. CHAS. M. THOMAS. e Insists Surety Firms Want Criminals Held To the Editor of The Star: In the December 12 issue of your paper, there appeared an article signed by one of your special writers, Mr. 1. A. Fleming. This article contained a number of general statements to the | effect that “bonding corporations care nothing for the punishment of the criminal,” which statements I wish to correct in the interest of accuracy and Justice. While T am not in a positiod to speak for all of the surety com T can tell you that prison flm totaling more than 300 years were ob- tained against embezzlers, forgers and other wrongdoers in 1926 by the Na- tional Surety Co. More than 125 criminals received terms ranging from 6 months to 10 years through court proceedings brought by this one bond-. ing company alone. In addition to the above, many- prose- cutions were brought against other wrongdoers who received _indeter- minate. or suspended sentences or who were placed on parole or probation after being directed by the courts to make complete restitution, or who ab- sconded and are now being traced under indictments and with court war- rants. For the surety company to compro- illegal and unethical, but unbusiness- like, since compromise would encour- age criminals to continue and increase their activities. Indeed, for a surety ompany to compromise with criminals would be business suicide. E. M. ALLEN, Sees Little Necessity For Debate on Divorces From the Pittsburgh Gazette-Times. Apparently, the Thinkers’ Associa- tion of Denver found little food for reflection in the debate on marriage and divorce which it staged the other {night. Judge Ben B. Lindsey argued for his mpanionate marriage’” pro- posal, while Rev. B. A. Jenkins of Kansas City upheld the conventional marriage system. The judge thinks the marriage code would be improved by a new provision ‘permitting the contracting parties to get an annulment if they find the agreement unsatisfactory.” This would not do at all, the clergyman asserted, because it would make release froi marriage, which “must be for keeps, too easy and permit “unscrupulous men and women to flit from marriage to marriage like butterflies from flower to flower ‘What else, we should like to know, is being done? ‘With divorce as easy as it is almost everywhere in the country and certain cities or States here and abroad bid- ding for the “business,” is there neces- sity for an annulment provision? People who find their marriages un- satisfactory slip the bonds by the di- vorce route as readily and with no moré scandal than would result from annulments permitted under the Lind- sey scheme. People simply will not stay married when it does mnot suit them to do so. Why, then, bother to change the regulations? Or why bother to oppose a change that, being ::gnyzed, would not alter the situa- lon? British Laborite Gains Interpreted in Canada From the Toronto Datly Sta Canadians are so accustomed to governments winning by-elections in this country that they may be unduly impressed when they see by-election after by-election going in favor of the opposition in the British Parliament. For the old country elector seems to think it is his business to keep gov- ernments in a proper state of mind by adopting a very critical attitude as soon as a general election is over. If the results of by-elections were a fair criterion of the attitude of the na- tion, the British electorate must be far from satisfled with the work of the Baldwin administration. Fourteen by- elections have been held since 1924, and of these nine have been won by the Labor party. The other five were elections for seats formerly held by Conservatives, and the seats were re- tained by them. Labpr made six gains at the expense of the Conservatives. In some of the by-elections the Lib- erals changed their tactics and re- frained from running a candidate so as to make a straight contest. In other cases they a seat they did not ton'n.fly contest. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. ghen a speech is being broad- cast, do_listeners-in hear the voice sooner than people in the audience at a distance of 150 feet?—E. G. U. A. The radio division of the Depart ment of Commerce says that the radio listeners of a message being broad- cast really get the message a fraction of a second sooner than the speaker can be heard by an audience, because electric waves travel faster than sound. The difference is very slight, and sometimes atmospheric conditions may interfere. do- Q. If Benny Leonard was und feated, why did he retire?—G. A. Y A. Benny Leonard retired an unde- feated champion. His official excuse for his retirement was that his moth ;‘equesled him to withdraw from box- ng. Q. T have a boy that was born at 12:30 a.m. while we were using day- light saving time. Should his birth- g;i)"{be considered June 2 or June 37— A.In reckoning a birthday stand- ard time is employed. His birthday would be June 2 Q. What relation to Napoleon Bona- parte were Napoleon I and Napoleon II7—E. H. A. Napoleon Bonaparte was Napo- leon I. He was the father of Napoleon 11, and the uncle of Napoleon IIL. Q. What States have compulsory education?’—A. B. B. A. Each State in the Union has a compulsory education law. Q. Why do European house build- ers put a tree on top of a house when the ridge pole is placed?—S. O. A. The origin of the custom of plac ing a flag or tree when the highest part of any structure is complete the editor of Contractors and Engi- neers Monthly believ originated In L imply a good luck gned to protect the building from evil spirits. In other countries it is still the custom for the wner to treat the workmen to ‘drinks” as soon as the tree is placed on the ridge pole. Q. Where was the first traveling li- brary in the United States?—W. O. A. The first library of this kind America was established in 1902 at Hagerstown, Md. It is called the Washington County F There is a central libra; town and stations in the small towns in the county. These latter are sup- plied with books from the central li- brary, and a book wagon especially planned to carry nearly a thousand volumes makes trips throughout the county with house-to-house delivery of books. Q. How many people are killed an- nually in India by wild animals, and how many wild animals are killed>— N. G A. In 1925 974 people were killed by tigers, and 1,559 by other wild ani- mals. One thousand six hundred and nine tigers were destroyed and 4,660 leopards. Q. When and by first - it painted in this country?—s. K. L. A. The first portrait known to have been painted in this country was that of Gov. Richard Bellingham of Massa- chusetts, 1641. The artist was Wil- liam Read of Boston. Q. How often and in what form are the President and Congressmen paid their salaries?—J. H. A. The President of the United States is paid by check once a month, on the 1st. Senators and Representa. tives are paid by check on the 3d of every month. mise with eriminals would be not only |. Q. What is the best material for making a room soundproof?’—@G. ¥ A. The Bureau of Standards says that hair felt forms a very efficlent sound absorber. It should be placed on the room side of the wall, covering it completely. ‘\-hil', does the n's name stand fo hest book?—B. P. G. A. Samuel L. Clemens’ middle name was Langhorne. Opinions differ. as to his best book. His own favorite was his “Biography of Joan of Arc.” Q. For whose first tolled”—s, F A. “Customs of Mankind” says that - his b funeral were bells 3. “|the ringing of bells or death knells for the deceased is very anclent. elves are very old, dating centuries before Christ— ing back ever farther than Al record. In anclent times bells were rung cnly when important people died, but with the coming of Christianity it was the custom to ring death bells “for all good Christians.” Q. How did Lad Parliament?—A. M, A. When her husband, Maj. Wal- dorf Astor, was elevated to the peer- age, his seat in the House of Commons became vacant, and his wife imme. diately stood for Plymouth on the Unionist ticket as his successor. She won by a considerable plurality over the Labor and Liberal opponents, November 15, 1919 y_Astor get into w. . Q. How ma for the Sesqui 3.0: T, A. There were | half-dollar gold pi Sesquicentennial | It is im possible to obtain one of these colns from the Sesquicentennial Exhibition Association at this as those which were not sold were returned to the mint to be melted into bullion v gold pleces were cotned ntennial i 10,000 two-and.a- Q. What is the origin of the exprey sion “The worm will turn"?—J. L. A. In the drama “Henry VI’ there is the sentence “The smallest worm will turn.” This quotation from Shakespeare is usually regarded as the origin of the expression abou which you have inquired. Q. Where buried?—G. W A. The body of James Lawrence was restored to the United States and the funeral was held at Salem, Mass. _Yas Capt. Lawrence was burled in Trinity churchyard, New York City. On the tombstone ! as on the quarterdeck of the Constitu | tion, the ship on which he gained his promotion, the legend was written “Don't give up the ship!” G A. An orange is the large globose fruit of the rutaceous tree, Citrus aurantium. The tangerine is an orange much like the mandarin, but of deeper color and higher ‘flavor. It B said to have been produced in America from the mandarin. s i Is a tankerine an orange?— Find out whatever yow want to in this busy world. The person who loses out is the one who guesses. The person who gets on is always the one who acts upon reliable informatio: This paper employs Frederic J. Has- kin_to conduct an information burean in Washington for the free use of the public. There is no charge except 2 cents in siamps for return post- age. Write to him today for eny facts yow desire. Address The Eve- ning Star Information Bureau, Fred- ;;-k' J. Haskin, Director, Washington . Judson Harmon Paid Tributes The death of Judson Harmon, for- mer Democratic leader in Ohio and a member of the cabinet of President Cleveland, as Attorney General, in- spires warm tributes of respect and affection. His devotion to public wel- fare, modesty and eflicient perform- ance of duty are recalled as placing him among the conspicuous figures in his day. ‘The career of a Judson Harmon,” says the Dayton Daily News, “sheds encouragement upon such a land as this. A country’s honors are not al- ways actual honors. The man who gains preferment is frequently the creature of circumstance or the bene- ficlary of his own self-seeking schemes. Judson Harmon's honors came unsolicited. They were the re- sult of spontaneous recognition of his qualities. His record encourages one to believe that merit will have its recognition without resort to the tricks of the self-promoter. This un- assuming, public-spirited son of Ohio deserves every whit of the honor which is now paid him as he takes his way over the ‘Great Divide.’ Out of such men are the solid strength and greatness of states and nations built.” “He was a fine man, big and sane and friendly,” observes the Detroit News; “an honest man, true to his ideals, never led aside by considera- tions of political expediency. There- fore he was loved, therefore he was honored. Ohio has had many great sons, but few who can be ranked above Judson Harmon.” The Chat- tanooga News ranks him as “of the conservative order of statesmen,” and as one who “was honest and able, and made a conspicuous offering to San Antonio Express recalls the fact that his two terms as Governor of Ohio “attracted country-wide atten- tion for their solid constructiveness. His profession,” continues that pa- per, “bestowed upon him the highest honor in its gift, the presidency of the American Bar Association. With that record of achievement and such national recognition, any citizen migft rest content.” * K k% “Many men have had more spec- tacular careers and received higher honors than Judson Harmon,” accord- | ing to the Hartford Times, “but of few may it be said that they were more generally trusted and respected or proved more durable under the wearing test of time.” The Baltimore Sun says “he won widespread fame on two scores. He was credited with such businesslike conduct of Ohio's affairs and such hatred of wastage of taxes,” continues the Sun, “that busi- e ——— sented the Conservatives with scores By Press as Great Statesman ) ness men all over the country hailed him. And, being called upon one day to hold the crowd at a great Ohio pic- nic, he met the test by proposing that all sing ‘Blest Be the Tie That Binds,’ and leading the singing, and thereby he won many more hearts as one who had remained simple and homely while walking in the high places.” ( “His great party reputation was made as a convention leader,” records the Atlanta Constitution. ‘“More than once he was a formidable candidate— but not of his own design—for the Democratic nomination for President. His nomination was defeated only be- cause of his loyal allegiance to the Cleveland school of thought, as opposed to the Bryan school that came like a hot wind out of the WVest in 1896, and kept the party in a storm of conflicting cur- rents for almost 20 years.” The Y oungstown Vindicator remarks: “What he would have done had he been in the White House during the war we can only conjecture; but this we know, that he would have been a great President, that he would have served with honor to himself and his country and to the lasting benefit of mankind.” “No political or other scandal was, the Rock Island Argus, “and he pos- sessed the respect of those who dif- fered with him in party afliations. One of our present needs is more men of his type. Grover Cleveland gath- ered about him during his two admin- istrations a notable group, and as time passes the Nation is'appreciative of them more and more." * Kk % ‘Such men,” the Lexington Leader declares, “redeem the profession of the politician, lift party feeling to a level with patriotism and lead the masses to repose confidence in their institutions—a confidence sometimes shaken by men who merely ‘play poli- tics’ and know nothing of statesman- ship.” The New York World pays the tribute: “Elected Governor of Ohio on the same day that his friend, Mr. Taft, was elected President, he proved in office a governor who governed, a reformer who reformed, as many a petty official thief in Ohio politics learned to his cost. Two years later he was re-elected against Warren G. Harding, just 10 years before the lat- ter Obipan became President.” “It has remained for the coincidence of their deaths, only a few hours apart,”, the Akron Beacon Journal notes, “to emphasize the contrast in the ideals with which two, men, resi- dent in the same city, each a well known figure in his State and Nation, and living through the same period, used the undoubted power which they had for the harm or welfare of the State. One of these men was Judson Harmon, a political leader. The other of victories. Lloyd George has held out a friendly hand to the Labor party, but with| little encouragement. The Laborites! feel that he is more disposed to help them than he is to keep the Conserva- tives in power, and that his tactics in any case will be dictated by his de- sire to defeat the present government. In this they may be right. The next general election British may show a landslide in favor of the Laborites and of for the moment a disposition to elimi- 1 third nate parties. But the new align- ment is not likely to be of a perma- haracter. If the Labor party the first time with a nent ci takes office, for was Rud K. Hynicka, a political boss. * ¢ * Aglong as careers of public service call to American youths, they will do well to remember the life stories of Harmon and Hynicka, and make their proper choice of principles that shall guide them. Memorials of the life efforts of Tilden and Tweed provide no deeper contrasts.” 3 Referring to the bitterness of the second Cleveland administration, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch expresses pleasure that “history had already be- gun its correct appraisal while m o{m-mnmnmmto-pm ate the reversal”; that “in no instance ‘was the final verdict more generous than in that of Judson Harmon.”” The ' News, reviewing the # Second e ! August 23, 1813, after which the bodv ' know. There is no room for lmn-‘ L ever attached to his name,” avers * \ ! ) [ Democratic / ( {

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