Evening Star Newspaper, March 16, 1927, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. ‘WEDNESDAY . ... March 16, 1927 THEODORE W. NOYES. 3 o \ The Evening Star Newspaper Company | Business Office 11 . vlzania Ave. | ll‘e&z‘nri SRie: 110 East and St o Office: Tower Build |- Buropean mar 71 Teeont St- i England. § s delivered by carriers ‘llh‘ | 60 cents r month dlLIv only. | cenle Der month: Snndaye only. 20 cents | onth R Ay he sent by mail or | E,Ir‘lane Maih 3000 Fofiection 15 made by | e at end of each month. m: i Star. with the Sunday maorn- | at’ Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. and Sunday . yr.. $0.00: 1 mo., only = 800 1 ma "oniy. 7o $3.00: 1 mo. 1 1 1 All Other States and Canada. y lo':fi Sunday..1 yr.. %17 00: 1 mo. 1 e B3R 001 1 ma. Bunday only. . 137 $4.00 1 mol Member of the Associated Press. t0 tho ‘e o amieation. of Al news dis- | Fl ll;ll g’dltm to it T‘ ;.m :;‘h»;m;v- ;‘npr:l. 5§n¢m Rereln Al riehts of publication special dispatches herein are ved Retirement Fact-Finding. Creation of a commission to find out the facts about the oper: of the Civil Service retirement law, which the next Congress is expected to authorize propmtly, is essentially de sirable from the viewpoint of both the Government employer and the em ployes. President Coolidge mittees on Civil Service and Chairman Madden of the ap) tions committee, the United reau of Efficiency, the Board of Ac-!| tuaries of the Civil Service Retirement Fund and the National Federation of | Federal Employes- those who are in closest touch with and responsible for the retirement system--are all urging this legislation. They represent the Government's in terests and the emplo interest. They are co-operating for economic efficiency in the operation of the law, ®0 that it may best perform the pur poses for which the Civil Service re. tirement system was set up— without piling up a future debt against the Government of unknown proportions. Those who are primarily considering the Government's interests emphasize | that it is absolutely unbusinessiike, impractical and improvident to con- tinue to pile up obligations against the Government that must be met some time, under contract with the Civil Bervice employes, when none can tell bow great the amount will be. They &re insisting that: First, the Govern- . ment should know the cost of the re- tirement system, and, second, should make annual appropriations sufficient to maintain a pay-as-you-go s The position of the National Federa- tlon of Federal Employes, represent- ing the interests of the Civil Service .workers—and it Is a good-citizen atti- tude—is this They feel that the employes and Uncle Sam, as partners in this retire- ment system, sharing the cost, want it to be actuarially sound. The em- Dployes are just as much interested in this as is the Government. They know the President's view-— that he should not go bevond a maxi- mum of $1,000 for fear it might not be actuarially sound. They feel that when the facts are determined they will bear out the contention of the Na- tional Federation of Federal Employes that a $1,200 maximum can safely be allowed. The members of this federation, as the most important group in the re- tirement fund partnership, would like 1o have the proposed investigation by the commission bring out all the facts, They believe that such fact-finding ‘would strengthen their position before | the country and before Congress, Whatever the facts show, they are for—in the way of amendment or lib- eralization of the law. Under the Hudson resolution, as amended to meet the wishes of Presi- dent Coolidge, there can be no “stack- ed” jury. The commission would con- sist of three members of the House ap- pointed by the Speaker, three mem- bers of the Senate appointed by the Vice President and thres members ap- , pointed by the President — “without any strings” that any one of them must be an insurance expert, or repre- sent the administrative branch of the Government, or represent the em- ployes, or represent the Civil Service Commission. For operation of the retirement sys- tem on a business basis there should be a fact foundation, and this com- mission is designed to conduct its in- vestigation so as (0 establish the fact basis. It appears to be the sensible and safe thing to do. ——— Efforts to enforce probibition can- not be regarded as entirely successful | until charges of ““driving while drunk” cease to appear on the police records. —r——— ‘The Congressional Library measures its booksheives by the mile. The five. | foot shelt was & good idea, but not practical for broad research, — . Time and Chance. Just how young a country the United States is was strikingly shown in two unrelated dispatches, one from | Seattle and one from Bellefonte, The first told the story of R d H. Denny, whose mother cried over him when he was two months old, thus baiting settlers at what today is the great city of Seattle. Mr. Denny is still hale and hearty. The second related the death of Thaddeus R. Hamilton, who is said to the House com rules opria ates Bu have ewned half the site of Denver, | and who traded it for a mule on which he traveled on to California, the land of gold. Thus it is seen that only a handful of years separates many of our large cities from virgin forest and wide plains, and, equally, that chance plays & large part in the affairs of men. Arthur A. Denny, the pioneer, wanted to push on, not liking the site, but ‘Mrs. Denny, contemplating the hard ships, wept over little Rolland. If she had not wept, stern ploneer woman that ehe was, there might have heen no Seattle. u’m«oufl Hamllton had clung to in the blooming um*ot year. Dull de real work.” - . .Editor | { high-water mark, and make the th his ownings in Colorado, he might have some day been a very rich man; but he went on, and finally returned to the Pennsylvania city, where he conglucted a woodworking shop until two years ago. In other words, hindsight amounts | to very little, Now can any man be blamed for not being able to see so far |ahead? This country, in its quick | growth, has surpassed the dreams of dreamers, 1f chance played its part, manhood played a larger one. I Seatle was founded on a moth er's tears, it was no less founded on grit, and determination and hard work And Thaddeus Hamilton perhaps got more enjoyment out of life as a wood worker than he would have done as leading realtor of Denver, ek O, Taxes and Prosperity. The golden flood of taxes continues to flow into the Treasury. Yesterday's income tax payments, it is estimated Treasury officials, will reach a d by quarter of the fiscal vear factor Treasy greater has hitherto dicted. The surplus predicted by director of the budget for the close of the was $383,000,000. now it,appears that the surpius will reach $500,000,000, and possibly as high as $600,000,000. The flood of taxes without constituting burden for the country. in 1926 were lowered materially. lower rates, however, have produced enormously, due to the stable condi existing In the United States and the flourishing condition of busi ness. Certain politicians have en deavored to paint a gloomy picture, not only of agricultural America but also of industrial America. Yet the tax receipts continue to rell up in huge volume. Without a large meas ure of prosperity there would be no great flow of taxes to the Treasury, especially in the matter of income tax payments. The Treasury surplus will be used to reduce the public debt growing out of the war. Congress failed to enact any legislation providing for a reduc- tion, rebate or return of the surplus taxes. Probably the surplus could be used to no better purpose than for the reduction of the public debt. Every hundred million dollars that is lopped present in a surplus even than been pre the fiscal year But continues, too, a back-breaking The tax rates 'he tions | off the war debt reduces the interest charges, which, as the years go by, are in themselves a great tax burden upon the people. Taxes are not levied for the purpose of taxing the people—though there are those who seem to consider that the case, They are levied to meet the needs of the Government, which in turn gives protection to and aids the people to a happier and more content- ed life. Nor is it wise to make a con tinued practice of taking each year a half-billion dollars in taxes from the people in excess of the actual require ments of the Government. Doubtiess there will be proposals for tax reduc- tions in the next Congress. There should be if the conditiong and facts warrant them. It will be possible by next December, nine months away, to know more fully how the present law operates, to judge with more accuracy the margin of safety which must be maintained in the tax rates if the Gov- ernment is to continue on the right side of the ledger. No greater blow could be struck at the confidence of the country than by an immediate and unwise reduction of taxes to force an increase in taxation later. r——— Clean-Up Time. The parks are being cleaned up. This is a hint and good example for the individual home owner to follow. Now is the time to clean up the yard. After the Winter there is an ac- cumulation of dead leaves and other playthings of the wind under the hedges, around the shrubbery, in corners of buildings and fences. There may also be some dead and dried plants from last year's garden litter- ing the yard. The tulips, hyacinths and harcissus are now up enough so that they will not be disturbed by gentie and careful removal of the dead leaves. The rose- bushes are leafing out and all garden litter should be taken away. The grass is coming fresh and green and the Winter's deposit of leaves and other refuse should be cleared away before the grass dies out beneath them. Now is the time to glve Nature & free hand in beautifying your yard. You cannot make a flower or a burh or tree or grass, but vou can help by giving Nature a clean canvas on which to paint the picture. r———s- ell Done! Detective Henry M. Jett and Police Chauffeur Jacob Wolfe are to be con- gratulated on their bravery in closing in on the so-called “red light bandit” and arrvesting him, despite the fact that they had no way of knowing that the “pistol” the man carried was only a length of lead pipe. Their calling demanded that take a where ordinary they chance, citt- | zens, the victims of the lawbreaker, were doubtless wise in allowing them- selves to be robbed The detective and his chauffeur did what was expected of them and thereby lived up to the traditions of bravery which play such a part in the work of the police department | of the District of Columbia, | Whatever else may be said against Harry F. Sinelair, he is not garrulous. | i oo | The Popular Amaryllis. I An or preceding atiendance records are being excelled by the at the present fourteenth | amarylils show staged in the of the Department of Agricy that department. The [ total of visitors will not be given out ! until the close of the exhibition Thurs- day night, but the daily attendance has been greater than the dally at- tendance at the other shows. here is always an extensive interest in flower shows and especially in the Government's free flower shows, but the | tends {annu greenhouses ture by in Spring an extraordinary number of persons turn their thoughts fliowers. Penple have A lively interest to skies, cold winds, prophecies of snow and the wearing of heavy coats have become monotonous and people are in the humor to give attention to the unfolding of leaves and flowers. The gaining popularity of the Giovernment flower shows is indicatedl in many ways. Members of Congress who have visited the amaryllis show have ex Ipressed themselves as favoralile to an appropriation for a large congervatory in which the Department of Agriculture can hold its flower shows. The flowers which been exhibition will | serve other useful purposes. have on | voung of the Junior League | will distribute them to patients. Five hundred of the plants will be put in the court of the Pan-American Build- ing to remain there during the recep. tions by of the diplomatic | outh American countiies fin thousand gardens the jamary llis and the white will bloomjthis Summer and this flower from the tropics which has been in hern Jatitudes {Will probably hecome one of the domes- tic garden favorites, women members vorps from ten American made at home noi s Keeps On. wtion has become so compact If Thi “Civile that ¥ bred to |10 nit Assoclated London. iglish cattle are now being produce joints small enough the small ovens of flats,” Press says an dispatch from It has heen a matter of comment for some years that furniture is being made smaller and smaller, along with various instruments, to fit apartments, this the first time that it has become gen erally known that foodstuffs were follow suit. If this keeps on there is no telling where sich a system of compression may end. Is the present dieting fad among they womenfolk of the Nation a symptomof this strange reduction wave? Pretty soon we shall see apartment size cats, to keep pace with the toy dogs so common, or even a totally new breed of domestic animals to combine the best virtues of dogs and cats into one. It is to be hoped that the high cost of living may he bred small enough to fit the small pockethooks of flats and that the rancors of mankind may be reduced in a like manner. If the very cattle of the fields may be reduced to meet modern conditions some attention might be profitably paid to the wide subject of human na- ture, with some hope of making the vices of humanity smalier. If so much may be done for our joints of meat there is yet hope that the frictions of life may be bred smaller and smaller, to meet the as- pirations resulting from so many cen- turies of life. musical into modern but ————————— The U. 8. A. is accused of being backward in literature, but the sys- tem of income tax returns cannot fail to make this a Nation of expert mathematicians. R SR Chinese who came to this country are lucky in having nothing more seri- ous to fight about than an occasional hand at cards or a game of mah-jong. o No censor should be expected to serve more than one or two years, in view of the demoralizing influence to which he is intensively subjected. o As science progresses, so does the germ. Influenza appears to'be an old- fashioned “bad cold” highly magni- fied. r—o— A “getrich-quick” to show some mental ingenuity. present he merely turns bandit. o Attorneys in the service of Hen Ford can never hope to get by with a five-day week. R SHOOTING STARS. performer used At BY FPHILANDER JOHNSON, Foolish Tree. The Foolish Tree, in early glee, His buds puts forth for all to see. And all because one day he heard The robin, or+the mockingbird. He seems to think, “Since now you sing, [ must prepare for blossoming’— The frost, of course, will come along To check the blossom and the song. So, many a poet sends his rhyme To sound a thought beyond his time. Great things have scientists declared Unto a world yet unprepared; And still that early impulse shows The strange, defiant force that grows. Despite the storms that yet may be— I rather like that Foolish Tree. Influential Oratory. “George Washington had no sense of humor.” “If he had,” rejoined Senator Sor- ghum, “he was too smart to let it be known. A statesman loses his influ- ence if he teaches audiences 10 expect funny stories instead of words of wis- dom.” Fruit, A frult crop fallure's sad indeed, Though talk of it is banned. 1t now is commonly agreed That peaches should be canned. Jud Tunkins says one thing that helps to make food expensive is the way amateur gardeners keep on wast- | ing bushels of seeds. Varying Results. “Who discovered Ameri the teacher. “Christopher bright boy. And what was his reward Not much &t home, but pretty good over here. He ended in personal pov- | erty, but he had a town in Ohio named |afte asked Columbus,” said the him."” Egg Rolling. Egg rolling they may not permit, Such as the lawn has stood for. 1f kids cannot roll eggs on fit, What is the grass plot good for? “A friend,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “should not only tell me my faults, hut how to correct them.” said le “A mean man { i 'most always a bluff to scare other Uncle Ehen, fer folks throwin’ into doin’ b | Most of | | them will be sent to hospitais and the | red | 1w | te Ts Washington to have a Spring that begins early and never falters? | This is the hope of local gardeners, |as the milder days instill primeval | longings. Music is in the air—the ery of the robin, the chatter of spar [rows, the meow of straying cats. | Every one and Spring, not the pseudo article that lures one out to dig, only to re turn upon him with a veba that drives him indovrs again. tulips want Spring. These con fidant flowers are inches above ground and shortly will bud, after which a will spell disaster. rdeners have purchased with which te cover their | beds, but it ix a question whether th |is the correct procedure. shake their heads and declare that such coddling will merely make the | plants grow before their time. | Uncovered, "the tulips will grow {slowly, and cold weather descending unexpectedly will not harm them un- less they have budded. The diffi {culty of keeping any sort of covering on plants during a windy night is well known. The grasx wants Spring to come and | stay, too. Everywhere it is becoming | wen, do) its best to make its | neighborheod beautiful. The soft [ torf of late Winter and early pring {deserves especially careful treatment {owing to its sogey charactes 1t hould be allowed (o toughen up a bit ok ok | real Ambitious gentlemen who desire to rush the )\ are out these day g, their beds and bo into shape, of them hoping the prevailing temperatures are in the nature of a false alarm, but hona fide Recent snows in none in the District r with very he h Carolina getting Baltimore —with of Columbia—to- vy falls in North ear above other regions, | The turn of the vears is entirely in favor of this pleasing prospect. has been a long time since the Na tional Capital has enjoyed a really Spring. During the past few vears careful householders have kept the furnace running through April, and one year even through May. Gardening, for its best enjoyment and greatest results, must be begun each year during mild weather, There is not much profit in putting seeds in the ground if the soil is not warm enough to germinate them. ing in the garden with cold hands. The season must, in other words, be ight” if the gardener is to come into his own. * % % ok bit pathetic to watch erness of city folk to get out dig these da So many are de- prived of nature, in the larger sense, that the slightest inkling of Spring comes like 2 hoon. ‘The yearning for the touch of the soil lingers in most men and women, although the closest they may get to it is the concrete pavement which in- tervenes. . It is for this renson that a small city backyard is distinctly hetter than no vard at all. From one viewpoint, 100" square feet are as good as an acre—they at least allow the possessor to plant something. In some moods, nothing hut 1,000 The Kederal Trade Commission is busily engaged in eight separate in- quirles ordered by the Senate, several dating back two or three years. The commission’s latest “synopsis of prog- ress” reveals that the entire elght are steadily moving forward at a snail's pace. Investigation of the extent of the control of the electric power in- dustry by the General Electric Co., or- dered by the Senate in February, 1925, is virtually completed, and the final report s “in course of prepara- tion,” according to the commission’s announcement. A partial report on this inquiry was sent to the Senate in the last week of the session. The bread trust inquiry ordered by the Sen- ate in February, 1924, “is now under way,” after several temporary halt Investigation of open price associa- tions and co-operative associations both requested by the Senate in March, 1925, are “in progress.” Seven volumes of reports on a “general in- quiry” into the. grain trade are now veady for distribution, with more to follow. Investigation of the organiza- tion and practices of lumber associa tions recently initiated and temporari- ly suspended “has been resumed.” A report is “in_course of preparation” also on an inquiry into petroleum prices, which is intended to disclose whether the periodical increased prices in motor fuels are due to re- straints of trade, and also to broadcast the profits of the oil companies. Last, but not least, the commission reports that in response to a Senate resolution, passed in December, 1926, directing an inquiry into “the practices of corpora- tions with respect to stock dividends, an investigation “‘was initiated jmme- dlate Al of which goes to show that the commission, whatever its shortcomings, is by no means idle. R Although the President named, and the Senate confirmed, new American Ministers to Canada and to the Irish Free State, the loss of the deficiency appropriation bill in the Senate fili- buster at the end of the session leaves the Department of State without funds to pay the Ministers' salarfes and the salaries and expenses of their staffs until the regular 1 ppropria- tions become ilable, July 1. This is being offered as an explanation for the apparent delay in the taking up of their new posts by the Ministers- designate. Frederick Sterling, who is slated for Dublin, is still in Lon- don as first secretary of our embassy there. William Phillips, our Ambas- sador to Belgium W is going to Ottawa, ix still in Europe on “tem- porary leave.” x X X ¥ Representative Robert Luce, Repub. lican of Massachusetts, whose life- long avocation has been a scholarly study of the functions, practices and piocedures of parliamentary bodie: concerning which he has written se eral books, has made his ewn contr bution to the cont now ging ax to whether the Reed slush-fund in- vestigating committee still lives or did, in fact, die with the expiration of the Sixty-ninth Congress. Mr. Luc 'S judgment is that the committee is citation of legal and par- precedents is formidable d far too long and complicated for statement here. But in a nutshell he concludes that while the Senate is a continuing body for certain pur- and in certain aspects, never- it is entirely fallacious and unsupported by fact or rea- son to contend t a special commit- tee created by one Congress continues, without express grant of power, ufter that Congress ends. S The Irish Free State government !intends to redeem in full the $6,000,- | 000 of Irish republican bonds floated in the United States by the De Valera faction back in 1819, frre- spective of the outcome of the law sult now on trial in New York over the possession of two and a half mil- lion dollars on deposit in New York hanks, which represents the unspent portion of the hond money. De . Valera, who is no hand In person, BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. everything wants | Older hands « lead them to hope | hat Washington is to be favored this | 1t | Nor is there much pleasure in work- | gladioli will do the ambitious gardener, | Spring is here at last. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. THIS AND THAT then he wants 10,000, In anotber mood, one fine specimen is seen to be enough. | The small garden, then, has its good points, the greatest of which i that |one may actually vield therein to the | lure of ‘Spring. For the touch of the soil is not all City folk commonly are denled, too, what may be termed a prospect, & iuxu"d view tecall the sweep of the | river, the great trees at Mount Ver-| | non," on which George Washington | looke for so many yvears. N i natural settings are everyday acquaintances nds of city people. They see, at most merely flat _streets and flat sides houses. Where there might be prospect, another house sticks up. Vista is distinetly lacking. | _Proper handling of the garden, even | the small one, allows for perspective |and ation in little of the! 5 ments which go to make up | the supreme prospects, from the Colo- | rado Canyon to the falls of Niagara | We o hemmed in. | We live lives hound down by efr- | cumstances, and the nearest we get to { rebellion is to round the office |and long to go camping where we can let vur whiskers grow * ok x lacking | as of thou-| * the matter of ok in the se- might help some- our metropolitan | ‘ More attention to prospect, view and out lection of a home what in softening fate. |, Evervihing else being equal, choose | the house that has a view from the | porch. A growth of woods is better | than nothing at all. | Lacking Wil this, do the best pos sible with the back yard. Spring is going to make for us! An interesting experiment fo nting, come what will be the progressive plant seeds and bulbs as the middle of March? No particular jump would be secured on the. neighbors, of course, because Nature simply holds back until the soil is thoroughly warmed up. Some gain, in point of time, might result and, in addition, there would be the pleasure of watching the experiment. The last of April, for instance, is generally given as the time to begin planting gladiolus bulbs. It the Spring-like weather continues here, theve would seem to be no good rea- son why some of the bulbs might not be put into the ground in March. The primulinus varieties, in par- ticular, which bloom early, anyway, would ‘be in flower by May 15, If planted now, and no freezing weath- er intervened. This result would de- pend largely upon the precise amount of ~ prohibitive _influence exerted by the cold ground and air. Sturdy Rosy Morn petunias, It planted now, and no frost came, might give an unparalleled amount of blooms, even for such constant bloomers, The petunia (and this varlety especially) is one of the few flowers that really merits the title of “ever-blooming. Mostly one takes this description with a grain of salt, but not with the Rosy Morn. Spring, favorite of men, beasts and hirds, is it more beautiful than in Washington. The city hopes, it even “against hope,” that genuine it easy - some Who to as person early | ever claims the money. The Irish Free State claims the money and some of the bondholders are in court on their own account endeavoring to secure its return to them. John W. Davis, Democratic nominee for President in 1924, heads the Free State's staff of legal counsel, and a host of other eminent attorneys are in the case, which has been in litigation for sev- eral years. Meantime, and for a long time, diplomatic conversations rela- tive to the bond redemption have been in progress between the Irish Free State Minister here, Timothy A. Smiddy, and State Department officials. Official announcement of the plan of settlement which has been finally “evolved is still with- held, but it may be stated on the highest authority that the Free State has definitely engaged to offer to all American holders of De Valera bonds the privilege of exchanging them for Free State bonds to be Issued for the purpose. The Free State's credit standing in the financial markets of the world is now top grade, and its bonds will find ready sale close to p So those who prefer case can easily liquidate their new bonds after the exchange is made. e Lying on the counter of a Wash- ington print shop this week was a leather-bound volume with gilt let- tering and a thumb index. It proved to be a 200-page legal treatise on railroad consolidation written by one of the counsel in the Nickel Plate merger case. Only 50 coples were printed and bound at a cost of $12,- 000. A tidy sum, but only a flea bite, in contrast with the hundred million dollars involved. * ok % % An exceedingly British young Fng- lishman attached to the British em- bassy here strolled into Washing- ton's smartest bookshop, which is presided over by a young society matron who opened a shop “just for fun" “Let me look about, my dear girl” said the visitor. “Wi this ‘Love Life in Nature My word! ‘A Man Could Stand Up, Some Do Not, ‘God's Stepchildren, Par, What (itles! And you put “The Silver Stallion’ right alongside of “The Silver Spoon.’ ‘Nigger Heaven,' ‘Hot Saturday,’ “The Hard- Virgin’ What an extraor- v collection! Just fancy! Are these the sort of books one reads in America?” (Covyrieht. 1927.) —r—o— The Dilemma’s Horns. From the St. Paul Pioneer Pres If only we could keep up with the neighbors and the grocery bill at the same time, .- Some Consolation. From the Flint Daily Journal. Better to be loved and bossed than never to be loved at all. S His Faith. From the Ohio State Journal, There Is no more touching faith in anything than an efficiency expert’ in a questionnaire. e Rest a Paradox. From the Waco (Tex.) Times-Herald. Alabama means “‘Here we rest,” but not for Tom Heflin's tongue. ey Our Hatless Youth. | From the Des Moines Register. It is really remarkable how many hatless voung men are living through the Winter. - Self-Rising Pancakes. m the Boston Herald. 'he laziest woman has been found in » Clermont, Fla. She puts popcorn in her pancakes so they will flop them-| selves, (v- necessary. Politics at Large By G. Gould Lincoln. Boaton, the “hub of the universe,” is angling for the next Democratic Na- tional Convention. A special commit tee of 60 to obtain the convention has been appointed by the chairman of the Democratic State committe H. McGlue. President Andrew J. Pe ters of the Chamber of Comm . for mer mayor, is head of the committee The Massachusetts Democracy, after jls victory in the senatorial election last I, in which Senator David 1 Walsh defeated William M. Butle chairman of the Republican national committee, has put added enthusiasu and life in the party there. Most of the Democrats appear, hoy intent upon going into the Mid dle West for their next national meet ing. Political twisters are more to be feared in the East than in the land the tornado and cyclome, judging from what happened in New York in 1924. Nevertheless, the interest of Boston in obtaining the next Demo ic convention serves to indicate the determination of the n and Eastern Democracy not to be sidetracked or Ignored by the Democracy of the South and the West The Democrats of Massachusetts would pport ¢ Al Smith of New York for the presidency with a vast en m. They want the chance, if can have it, just as the Demo ts of New Jersey, Rhode Island Connecticut and other Northern and Eastern States want such a chance Al Smith is a o ter their own hearts. And he is wet * kX % The Democrats of the South, who after all, are the hackbone of the par ty in national elections and in th £ress, must sooner or later determine whether they will seek to win by a combination of the South with the West or by a combination of the South with the North and Kast. The \est is dry. I is for a kind of farm relief legislation which the Fast s been unwilling to give. The North and Fast are wet, so far as the Demo cratic party is concerned. The Dem ocrats of the South, and, indeed, of the entire country, have been kept away from national victory now for almost a decade. They lost the control of the Congress and then lost the presiden- tial race. The Republicans, despite Democratic attacks, Teapot Dome and slush funds, have ridden along to vic- tory year after year. There is a grow- ing feeling among many. Democrats of the South that perhaps Al Smith would make a hetter run than any other candidate they might put for- ward. The huge electoral vote of New York and the sizable electoral votes of New Jersey and other States where Smith is particularly favored are not lacking in appeal. T While the Democrats are pondering what they shall do about Al Smith or A dry candidate, a nice little rumpus is wing among the Republicans over'the same wet and dry question. Senator Rorah of Idaho and Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, president of Columbia University, are scheduled to debate the issue in Boston April §, under the auspices of the Roosevelt Club. The debaters are to discuss a proposal to place in the next Repub- lican national platform a plank ad- vocating the repeal of the eighteenth amendment. Politicians of the Repub- lican political faith here in Washing- ton scout the idea that such a plank could be adopted. The party, they in- sist, is overwhelmingly dry. But Dr. Butler s out to moisten it, if he can. The very fact that Senator Borah, an outstanding figure in the party and one of the Senate's greatest debaters, has agreed to join the issue with him, has given Dr. Butler a chance for greater publicity in this matter. The Republicans are anxious to keep away from a row over prohi- bition. They like to consider that the question is now “out of politics,” at least so far as they are concerned, though they view with no little satis- faction the Democratjc struggles over the wet and dry. So far, with the exception of Dr. Butler, both wet and dry leaders in the Republican party are expressing the conviction that President Coolidge is the logical candidate of the Republicans to suc- ceed himself. Former Senator Wads- worth of New York, whose wetness contributed to his own defeat by splitting the party in the Empire State last Fall, does not agree with Dr. Butler that Mr. Coolidge should or will take himself outside of the presidential race in 1928, * oK ¥ % The independent Republican com- mittee of New York, which supported State Senator Franklin W. Cristman, a dry, for the Senate against Senator Wadsworth, is prepared to go ahead with its opposition to any wet Re- publican candidate for governor or for United States Senator, if one or both are put up next vear. The drys “up- State” are a determining factor in New York. They must be lined up solidly for Republican candidates if the Democratic majority of greater New York Is to be overcome at the polls. * ok koK A declaration in Detroit by Senator “Jim" Reed of Missouri that he is “out of politics” caused some little surprise when it was reported in Washington. The growth of the hoom for Reed for the Democratic presiden- tial nomination in 1928 has been one of the political marvels of the last 12 months. It is true that last year Sen- ator Reed announced he would not be a candidate to succeed himself in the Senate. Perhaps It was with that declaration in mind that he made his statement in Detroit, “I am out of politics, so I can speak impartially.” Senator Reed has the old-fashioned idea that in the case of the presi- dency the oftice should seek the man and not the man the office. There is no reason why in 1928 the office should not seek Senator Reed: why it should not seek a man who is out of politics as well as & man who is in them. Furthermore, unless he resigns in the meantime, Senator Reed does not leave the Senate until March 4, And whoever heard of a Sen- who was entirely “out of poli- how v * K K K The direct primary. is under fire in New Hampshire, where the State Se already passed a bill to modil the law, and the matter is to come to a vote soon In the House, In brief, the proposed amendment of the law provides for party conventions to designate party candidates. These designated candidates, however, must take their chances in the primary election. Obviously, & candidate who has the support of the party organi- zation, as shown in the pre-primary conventions, will have the bulge over independent candidates, 1t appea: that the proposed law is a first step at doing away with the primary entirely. The present governor of the State, Gov.. Spaulding, is sald to be ready to sign the bill if it is passed. The so- called progressive Republicans and the Democrats in the State are antagonis- tic to the proposed change in the law. * % Kk Senator Motris Sheppard's grip on the State of Texas was indicated in a recent vote in the House of the Texa; Legislature. A bill accepting th terms’ of the Sheppard-Towner ma- ternity far as Texas Is con- cerned, was passed by a vote of 81 to 41. Opponents of the bill attacked Senator Sheppard, declaring that he had no conception of the meaning of “State's rights.”” One of the legls- lators, defending Senator Sheppard, insisted that the Senator is today ‘‘the idol of more people than any other man in this commonwealth.” He added that if Senator Sheppard entered a primary wfth two or three opponent he could get h votes in the first primary elecfion (o nominate him without any gun-eff primary being ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERI Q. Is it unhealthful to kiss chil- dren on the mouth?—I. P. A! A. The Public Health Service says that kissing tends to spread com- municable diseases, particularly cold, and that the practice should be dis- couraged. Q. What this country carry mortgages ?— A ln 1 1,461,306, or 37.2 cent of al . were mortgaged. Q. What do the initials U. 8. 8. C. stand for?—J. C A. For United States chaser. percentage of farms in . W submarine Q. Where was the first radio broad- casting station in KEngland that gave England the first station was that of the Marconi company at Writtle, near Chelmsford, which began broadcasting_ two daily pro- srams February 23, continuing to March 6, 1920, Q. When were coined?—E. J. H. A. They were coined from 1854 to 1889, $3 gold pieces Q. Why are some people so much more ticklish than others?—C. P. A. It depends upon the sensitive- ness of the nervous system. Suscepti bility to tickling is also partiall the control of the will. If no int 18 exercised, hypersensitive- is apt to result. Considerable wce can be developed. ness resista Q. Please give some data abont the zebra. M. K A. Zebra i« the name in general of Wi the African striped specles of the horse family (equidae), of which four species are usually recognized, viz the true or mountain zebra (Equus zebra), Burchell's zebra (Equus bu chelli), Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi) and the quagga (Equus quagga). The t-named was only partly striped nd is extinct. It was an inhabitant of South Africa, and especially of mountainous districts, where it roved in small bands. It was the smallest of the group, standing a trifle over four feet high at the withers, and had rela- tively long ears, a comparatively short mane and a scantily red tail. Its ground color was white (brownish on the face) and the stripes were black. The zebra now most often seen in South Africa and in menageries is Burchell's, which the Boers call “quagga.” Q. Is it a fact that white blood can never be bred out>—H. 8. G. A. White blood like negro blood can never be bred out. Mendellan law operates exactly the same way when applied to white blood. Q. Where does the Grand Canyon start and end?>—-P. F. A. The Grand Canyon is situated in the middle course of the Colorado River. It is 21713 miles long, 4,000 to 6,000 feet deep and from 1 or 2 to 15 miles wide at the top. It is imme. diately preceded by Marble Canyon and ends at the Grand Wash. Q. How much was the time lowered in taking the diphtheria serum to Nome?-T., C. A. At the time of the diphtheria epi- demic In Alaska the serum was brought from Nenana, at the railroad, to Nome by way of the Bering Sea. It was carried there in five days and a half under adverse conditions, even though this distance had never been made in less than nine days. Q. How many persons are now in prison in this country?—W. MecL. A. The reported prison population of the United States for January 1, 1923 (the latest statistics available), was 109,619, of which 4,664 were in Federal prisons. Q. How tall was Gen. Grant and what did he weigh?—P. P. G. A. Gen. Grant in the latter part of his life weighed nearly 200 pounds. He was § feet 7 inches in height. Q. What purpose do destroyers serve in naval warfare?—J. H. D. A. The most efficient vessel against submarines is the destroyer, because of its high speed, facility for quick ma- C J. HASKIN. neuvering, its rapid firing s, tor- pedoes and depth bombs. le in ita defensive roll, the destroyer is a con- stant threat to the submarine, in ity offensive roll it is a great menace, be- cause of its torpedo broadside to cap- ital ships at night or when operated in large numbers in daylight against enemy battleships engaged In action with other battleships. | | Q. When was the | brought to this count | ©A. It was brought to the United States from Kngland in 1850 by | Nicholas Pike and through orders of the Brooklyn Institute eight pairs were liberated in New York nglish sparrow A. H Q. How much is a scoop of gold dust ?>-—F A. The Bureau of Mines savs that in the early days in California, when they paid in gold dust, they had a small measure about 3 Inches long and 1 inch wide and about 1§ of an inch high, which they called a scoop. | Gold dust’ was paid by the scoop and it would vary with the individual gold camp, as the gold dust in some camps | was finer than in others. | Q. Hoew many Mohammedans are there in China?—C. A. H A. There arve between 15,000,000 and | 20.000,000. The estimated population of China is 320,000,000, | Q. When were prunes first raised |in this country?—M. F. K. | " A.—The prune industry was started |in the Eastern United States in 1854, but failed because the climatic condi- | tions were not favorable for the pro- duction of the desired qualities. About | 1863 the industry sjarted in California | and grew rapidly. In 1910 the annual loutput was 150,000,000 pounds, ef |which nearly halt was exported. | Refore the industry grew in Cali- | fornia, France was the chief produc- ton of the world. Oregon, Washington and Idaho also good prunes, as do Serbia, B g Germany, Spain, Australia and South Africa. Q. Just what is coke and how does it look?—A.-R. T. A. Coke is the solid left when a caking coal is deprived of its volatile constituents by heating in & retort or oven. It consists mainly of carbon, i hard, porous and grayish, with a sub metallic luster. Q. What States have the fewest Jews?—H. B. A. The Bureau of Jewish Statistics and Research says that Wyoming and Nevada have fewer Jews than any other States-—namely, 500 each. Q. When did the author of Elsie books die?—M. H. A. Mértha Finley died in 1909, Q. What are some of the things manufactured in North Carelina?— e T. A. Tt is claimed that the largest hosiery mill in the werld is located at Durham, N. C.; the largest towel mill at Kannapolls, the largest denims mill at Greensboro, the largest damask mill at Roanoke Rapids and the larg- est underwear factory in the United States at Winston-Salem. Nearly half of all the cotton mills of the Southern States are located in North Carolina, and it takes nearly 300,000 tons of cotton to keep them busy. Q. What. inspired Schrotter to con- struct a planoforte?—A. C. S. A. The inventor claimed that the idea occurred to him after hearing Habenstreit play on his monster dul- cimer, called “Panthaleon.” |ing the Government statistics dring out the fact that the uneducated man hes only 1 chance in 800 to attain distinc- tion. There is no reason why any one should live under such a handicap in these days of free schools and free information. This paper supports in Washington, D. C., the largest free information bureaw in existence. It will procure jor you the answer to any question you may ask. Aveil yourself of its facilities for your self- improvement. Inclose a 2-cent stamp for return postage. Address The Evening Star Information RBureau, ederic J. Haskin, director, Wash- ington, D. C. New Trial for Prohibition Awaited Under Ena}lged Law Amendments to the dry enforcement law which were passed in the closing days of Congress and approved by the President are acceptable generally to both wets and drys, according to the press. Naturally opinions differ widely as to probable results. Plac- ing of the personnel under the civil service, the outstanding change, is made a subject to debate, while the creation of a separate bureau Is con- sidered an improvement. The out- standing demand is for a fair test. The results when they come.” it is predicted by the New York Times (independent Democratic), “will be scanned eagerly The political strength of prohibition is much greater than many. of its opponents have fancled., Wets or drys, let us wish for G ndrews’ experiment a fair trial. Even if it measurably or notoriously fails, there may be other experiments. 1f prohibition is hard to enforce, it seems even harder repeal.” 10 dommenting on this statement the Utlea Observer-Dispatch (independent) sa “Significance attaches to the Times' admission that ‘the political strength of prohibition s much greater than many of its opponents have fancied.’ Behind that political strength lies the moral revolt against a trafic which brought no good and unmeasured evil. The wets are fond of talking as If the drys had obtainec a snap decision by rushing through the eighteenth amendment. But every trial of strength in Congress reveals the narrow limitations of anti-prohi- bition sentiment. This State ought to bring its official policy Into line with the attitude of the country as a whole.” * oK KK “As the more enlightened wels see it,” A,:-:.,.-dmg to the St. Joseph News Press (independent), “prohibition should hdve a fair chance to show what it can do and what it cannot do. If there can be more effective enforce- ment under the merit system than under spoils politics, “as seems probable, then by all means the merit system should be made availabe. They contend that the weakness of prohi- bition is inherent in prohbition itself. The best way to prove this is to strike off the shackles and hobbles and give stem a clear right of way The Columbus Ohio State Journal (Republican) contends that Gen. An- drews “is the responsible man, and he ought to be given every chance, with- in constitutional limitations and by methods which do not outrage the American sense of honor and decency, to make good at his hard and dis- couraging task. * * * The vote on this bill indicates that wets and drys are pretty well agreed as to that.” Expressing doubt as to the results of the new civil service jurisdiction, the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin (in- dependept Republican) remarks: “The advantage of civil service rules in the government of the prohibition enforce- ment agencies is open to more or less question. Civil service regulations operate often to keep unfit men in of- fice, although primarily intended to bar unfit persons from appointment. Judging from experience, an honest prohibition enforcement he is convinced there is caus As to the coming test, the Bulletin holds to the view: “There are signs of & growing conviction in a prominent group of opponents of prohibition that it cannot be overturned or substan- tially modified until there has been an unhampered and honest attempt at enforcement. If prohibition proves a failure after fair trial, with the full power of Government behind it, the appeal to the reason of the country for modification will be effective.” “To Gen. Andrews, packing the bur- den of Atlas, good luck,” exclaims the St. Louls Post-Dispatch (independ- ent), with the accompanying remark that “in candor, it should be said that the public will not be allured by rap- turous reports on this latest enforce- ment experiment. The eloquence and lyric_sweetness of propagandists like Mr. Wheeler and Maj. Haynes beguile no more. After six years of tragedy and farce, the American people will believe in prohibition enforcement only when they see it.” * ok % The St. Paul Pioneer Press (inde- pendent Republican) finds that “the unique and very interesting feature of this latest experiment is that it comes unaccompanied by the customary chorus of sanguine prophecies which has attended all the others. There has been no attempt to pass off this new reform as the final answer to all the difficulties of prohibitin. Thers is no promise that prohibition will now he a success. * * * Gen. An- drews has had as free a hand as Con- gress has been disposed to give for the purposes of enforcement, and he has done as much to enforce a law im- possible of enforcement as can be done.” In optimistic vein, the Los Angeles Express (Republican) declares: “Soon after his appointment as head of pr hibition administration Gen. Andrews began his attack on the system of po- litical appointment of his distriet chiefs and others who were to serve under him, and proposed a scheme of complete reorganization of the admin- istration, separating it from the In- ternal Revenue Bureau, creating a Bureau of Prohibition in the Treasury Department and putting the bureau under civil service rules. His plan ihas come out completely victorious. (The forces of decency and law ob- servance have been greatly strength- ened, making it possible at last to make dry enforcement effective. he position that prohibition en: forcement has been strengthened is taken by the Watertown Daily Times (independent), Rochester Times-Union (independent) and Winston-Salem Sentienl (independent Democratic). The Altoona Mirror (independent) sees ““another nall in the coffin of the anti- prohibition agitation,” and the Louis- ville Courler-Journal (Democratic) con- clude “‘Senator Bruce is quoted as object- ing tl the civil service would per- petuate in office inefficient and dishon- est men. His eriticism is an admis- sion that the system of partisan po- litical tenure harbors the ineficient and dishonest. Civil service could de no worse., It places no restriction the 1 of inefficent and dis-