Evening Star Newspaper, August 4, 1927, Page 8

8 THE [EVENING STAR ~With_Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY......August 4, 1027 THEODORE W. NOYES. ...Editor —ee The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: 11th St. and Pennsvivania Ave. ’l'u"nrk (’3!»& “ll(l East 42nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Building. Furopean Office- 14 Regent St.. London. England. The Evening Star. with the Sunday morn- ng edition, i8 delivered by carriers within the city at 60 cents per month: daily only 45 cents per month: Sundaya only. 20 cents r month,Ordera may b sent by mail or Tolenhons Main 5000 Collertion is made by | carrier at end of each month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. ly and Sunday....1 . 80.00: 1 mo. 7 aily only . wr. 300" 1 mo. unday only ... 1yr.$300: 1 mo All Other Stares and Canada. Dally and Sunday 1 yr. $1200: 1 mo. $1.00 Afly only ... .1vr. $800:1mo. 7 Sunday onls .l1li1vr. $100:1mo. 3 50 Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press ia exclnsively entitled 10 the se for republication of all news dia- patehos credited to it or not otherwino cred. | ted in this paper and also the local news published herein | ATl rishte of nublc of svecial dispatches h 1 Gov. Fuller's Decision. Contrary to expectation that had ‘been aroused on the eve of his decl- slon, Gov. Fuller of Massachuetts has ruled that Sacco and Vanzetti must dle for the murder of a South Braintree paymaster and his guard seven years a=d. It was thought that perhaps he would reprieve them | and ask for legislation permitting a retrial. The governor, however, ren- ders a decision of explicit confirma- tion of the verdict of guilty. He says: As a result of my investigation T find no sufficient justification for in- tervention. I believe with the jury that these men, Sacco and Vanzettl, were guilty and that they had a fair trial. 1 furthermore believe that there was no justifiable reason for giving them a new trial. This is a courageous act on the part of the Governor of Massa- chusetts. He was subjected to intense pressure which might well have caused him to adopt the expedient of a reference of the case to another jury. He had, however, given the whole proceedings a most searching examination, reading all of the rec- ords, examining all of the important witnesses, Interviewing all of the surviving members of the trial jury and the presiding judge, hearing argu- ments by counsel for the defense and personally examining the condemned men. He had questioned the man, under sentence of death for another crime, who had “confessed” to par- ticipation in the South Braintree murders, exculpating Sacco and Van- zettl. He had, moreover, referred the case for detailed examination to a commission of three eminent, Jearned and impartial men whose re- port to him doubtless confirmed his own judgment, though there is no disclosure thus far of their findings. Probably no other case in the his tory of American jurisprudence has had so full a review by a State. executive, so fair a consideration and | under such difficult circumstances. Doubtless a violent reaction will result from Gov. Fuller's decision. Partisans of Sacco and Vanzetti not only in this country but abroad are highly inflamed in their demand for clemency, or rather for what they poses. Roads all over the country which have been built within the last tew years have been uniformly wide enough to meet the demands of pro3 entday travel, and in mapy States the minimum has been set at eighteen feet, with special treatment of all curves. Good hard-surface highways are de- sirable from every point of view, but roads of this type, it too narrow, are more dangerous than highways which are too rough to permit speed. No State, therefore, should undertake the construction of a concrete roadway unless funds are avallable to provide safety. There can be no benefit from a policy that speeds up traffic but results in death and injury to those who use the roads. In the present case work should be started immediately to build up the es of the highway so that if a mo- torist is forced off the concrete an accident will not necessarily recult. The nature of the soil is not conducive to road shouldering, such as has been accomplished on many Maryland roads, but some plan should be devised to remove the Defense Highway from the category of dangerous arteries. It is a matter of the utmost concern to both Marylanders and Washing- tonians, and the State road officlals should heed the unmistakable justice of the complaints of those who risk their lves daily in traversing this highws e The Much-Discussed Idiom. As a contribution to the discu of President Coolidge's idiom, “I do not choose to run for President in 1928,” comes a statement by a life- long Vermonter that this form of ex- pression is indigenous to the soil of the Green Mountain State and that it means *Ni without qualification. According to this authority, when a Vermonter at a town meeting whose name has been proposed. for office says “I choose not,” his declination is re- garded as final. When a horse trader at the State falr mays “I choose not the nag,” it signifies that he positively will not take the animal on any terms. So, says this Vermonter, Mr. Cool- idge’'s “I choose not to run™ means that he has definitely determined that he will not be a candidate, not for the nomination, but for the office; that he will not allow his name to go be- fore the convention. Which, if true, puts an end to the speculation that perhaps the President is merely ‘“‘pass- ing the buck” on the question of the so-called third term, putting it up to the country and the Republican party to make the move for his second elec- tion notwithstanding the year and a half that he served in the office as succesfor to Mr. Harding. Opinion ranges far in the discussion of this matter. Politicians differ wide- ly in interpretation of the cryptic words. Those who wish to see Mr. Coolidge once more heading the Re- publican ticket declare that he will vleld to the irresistible pressure and consent to the use of his name. Others see in the words the sense of finality and are beginning to press forward the claims and qualifications of other Republicans for the office. Democrats are considering whether this announce- ment affects the plans of their party and the chances of Gov. Smith, who is unmistakably the outstanding “pos- sibility” for the 1928 nomination. nm term Jjustice for these men, Who they contend are victims of preju- dice and innccent of any participa- tion in the crimes for which they have been condemned. Protest mass meetings will doubtless be held. Violence may develop. The gover- nor's life has already been threat- ened in the event his decision was adverse to Sacco and Vanzettl, Out- rages have been committed, notably n other countries. A veritable cult has developed among the radical ele- ments. There is no telling what will be the outcome. But the law has spoken and finally. There Is no appeal from the gov- ernor's decision. He has assumed the ultimate’ responsibility, has as- sumed it bravely and conscientiously. Nothing stands between these men and the electric chair but some act ot Providence. One of the two men 1s on hunger strike and It is reported | that his mind is weakening and that by the day of execution he may be insane. In this case he cannot be taken to his death at the hands of the law so long as he remains in that condition. Gov. Fuller's decision, based upon the most painstaking inquiry, with- out prejudice and, it is evident, with every desire to find the truth, how- ever it may be assailed by partisans, must stand as a vindication of the law processes of America, the mure! impressive because of the organized attempt to defeat them. —ren— Cowboys evidently have taken Pre fdent Coclidge to their hearts. Poll- tics would take on new interest if they were to introduce a rodeo, as an expression of esteem, Into the next convention, in deflance of a resolute stand against another nomination. o An “ovation” is perhaps as effectual a means as could be found “‘to rattle a pitcher.” Base ball subjects heroes to ordeals of unreasonable severity. ——r———————— Dangerously Narrow Roads. The tragic accident on the Defense Highway yesterday, in which a Wasl ington woman was killed and her son | severely injured, calls attention to the fact that one of the newest roads in the vicinity of the National falls to measure up to the ac theory of modern road construction in that it Is too narrow for complete satety. The Defense Highway is wide enough to provide space for passing automobiles, but the margin is slim, and the side of the road at practically ell points is in such condition that once off the concreté the motorist is almost sure to meet with disaster. In addition there are two bridges on| which the peril is in* A b dack of vision and narrowness. Only fifteen feet wide on the straight- aways and cighteep fect on the curves, this highway was constructed at the minimum width for the State of Mary- land. It was designed to carry the heavy traffic from points in the State to Hyattsville and the District, but its | Opinion differs, of course, as to the effect of the President’s statement if it is, in Vermontese vernacular, an explicit denial of the office. There are several strong men in the Republican ranks whose measure is unquestiona- bly presidential. At léast half a dozen are already in evidence as having a chance—Hughes, Hoover, Dawes, Low- den, Longworth, Capper. As many more are in the development stage. It is evident that if the President’s words are taken as the Vermont interpreter indicates, the Republican convention of 1928 will be free for all, with a large field, very much like that of 1920. An interesting reaction to the Pre: dent’s announcement occurred yester- day in Wall Street, where the market broke sharply on the opening and stocks went down with a rush for a period. The implication was that busi- ness was shocked by the prospect that | Mr. Coolidge was out of the running. But immediately came an upturn. The bulls rallied, bought heavily, taking advantage of the decline to get favor- able prices, and when the market closed the losses had been recovered. Did that mean that the “Street” found consolation in the possibility that Mr. Coolidge was merely declining in a Pickwickian sense? Or did it mean that it felt that after all his with- drawal would not affect the Republi- can chances for success? Or that it felt that whoever may be chosen Pres. ldent next year the country’s economic conditions are sound and that pros- perity will continue? It is altogether one of the most in- teresting situations ever known ten months ahead of the nominating con- ventions, and subject to keen dispu- tation. The coming year will surely be a lively one. —_— e | Of course, there are many Republi- | can candidates available. Coolidge ad- | mirers borrow from the ad man the slogan, “There may be others, but | none so good.” ——— Fears are expressed as debates re- open that the trial “naval ratio” may, like the “trial marriage,” prove unre- liable in its results. et One Hundred Dollars Fine. The fine of §100 levied against Po- liceman B. R. Campbell yestorday by |the Police Trial Board for “unwar- | ranted use of firearms” is subject to criticism on the grounds that it is too lenfent a punishment under the circumstances, for the use o firenms {in this case resulted in the death of |a man. But it must be remembered that the Trial Board did not, nor could it, try Policeman Campbell for killing a man. Its jurisdiction does not evessd (o cas:y of homicide, wier or not the homicide is jus- tifiable, and the fact that the death of a man resulted from unwarranted use of firearms s incidental only. The Trial Board is a body designed to maintain discipline in the Police Department by enforcing the depart- THE EVENING of the board that the use of firearms was unjustified were judgments ap- plying to the regulations alone. The coroner’s jury found that Camp- bell used his revoiver in the line of duty, but the Trial Board finds that its use was unwarranted. These findings are to some extent contradic- tory. although it is conceivable that a weapon might be used in line of duty in a manner considered unwar- ranted by the duty at hand. ‘the fine of $100 for unwarranted-use of a fire- arm is adequate. The death of the man is another matter. B Vigorous Action. The Navy Department has acted vigorously and promptly in regard to the low-flying aviator who broke both civil and milltary regulations in an| exhibition over the northwest section of the city recently and has ordered a general court-martial for the ac- cused flyer. In deciding upon a mili- trial the department un- doubtedly influenced by the fact that despite the intensive apd public search for the aviator, he did not come for- ward and admit his guilt, but re- mained unknown until his identity was ferreted out by the Department of Commerce, which was alding in the investigation. This phase of the matter is probably the most serlous, as no actual harm was done in the low-flying exhibition The authorities will not tolerate for an instant the breeding of a class of hitandrun av and such tenden cles will he stamped out at their in- ception. The fiyer as well as the mo- torist must assume responsibility for his acts, and it behooves the depart- ment to take action in a case which presents aspects of evasion in the commission of reprehensible deeds. was or. summy RO Talk Afterward. Much publicity is given Charles Levine, who flew as a passenger with Clarence Chamberlin in the New York- to-Germany flight. Much publicity was given the flight before it occurred. And now space is used wholesale to describe the constant bickerings with a French pilot with whom Levine ex- pects to fly back to America. Perhaps Levine has never heard of | the “do-it-before-and-talk-about-it-after- ward” slogan, although he did say something like that before the trip to Germany. In any event it is an excellent method to adopt. And with new and brilliant records being made almost daily, which are being widely discussed afterward, the public is cer tainly getting a little fed up with the constant chatter about Levine and what he is going to do. N A motorist now compares with an aviator in the fashions of thought in the same manner that a lady in hoop- skirts would compare with a prize- winning beauty contestant. It is sad- dening to observe how rapidly the new idea becomes ‘“o}d stuff.” T A drop in prices indicates that the stock market has gotten its finance mixed up with its politics, despite the assumption that values depend on the laws of supply and demand. be firm for righteousness in the face much temptation. It {8 their mission to support faith in human idealism. —— e The Prince of Wales likes to dance. So do the vast majority of persons. Tt is the business of a prince to keep in touch with the temper of the people. e e A few air pilots are trying to con- vince Mr. Levine that an airship ought not to be driven from the back seat any more than an automobile. ————————— Reports from various “beauty con- tests” indicate that next season will be one of the most remarkable in the history of musical shows. —.—————— The trout fishing has been more or less mild in its excitement, but the re- porters in the Black Hills caught a whale of an item, — v SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Brevity. “Haven't very much to say,” Said Hezeklah Bings. “The goldenrod is blooming gay; The mockingbird still sings. And all of what we have to tell, As questions come and go, May most times be expressed as well By simple ‘yes' or ‘no.’ “The arguments which must proceed, Are always far too long, In hindrance of our real need Of blossoming and song; And so, while journeying on our way Where life such pleasure brings, Why should we have so much to say?"'— Said Hezekiah Bings. Confidential. “You have made many speeches.” “The task was not so great as it seems. Most of them were the same speech in different phraseology.” Startling Inference. The Wild West pageant I enjoyed. I really did not know That elephants were once employed To hunt the buffalo. s a man is never truly lonely until he has to hire a doctor and a professional nurse to come around once in a while and ask him how he feel Jud Tunkins “He who reasons well,” sald Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “is seldom able to win an audience away from him who talks much.” Concealment of Identity. “What are you going to wear to the masquerade?” “A complete disguise,”” answered Miss Cayenne: “my own face with no whatever.” Indestructibility of Chatter. There was a little joke. For centuries it grew. Now, when in public spoke, It's just as good as new. “A grafter,” sald Uncle Eben, ment’s rules and regulations applying to its members. The regulations in- because of the mistaken policy of volved concerned the use of firearms, “’pears to be some kind of a mes- Prohibition officials are expected to | STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, AUGUST "THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Every one thinks his “sweetie” the perfection of the female race, Lucre- tius tells us, in the fourth book of his “De Rerum Natura.” Farnestly warning youns men not to fall in love, he says that this is casier than to get out of the net after you are in. “And yet even tangled and held cape the mischic when you are en- fast, you may es- unless you stand in your own way and begin by over- looking all the def of her mind or those of her body, whoever it is whom you woo. “For this men usually do, blinded v love, and attribute to the beloved advantages which are not really f. We therefore see women in way manifoid deformed and ugly to 1 objects of endearment and held in 4 ion “The black Is a brunctte; has not the love of orde; eved is a miniature Palla and wizened a g the dumy and dwarfish is one of the graces, from top to toe all grace! “The big and overgrown is awe-n- spiring and full of dignity. he is tongue-tied and 1k—then she has a i “The dumb is b then the fire-spit, the teasing, the gossiping turns to a shining lamp. “One becomes a slim darling when she cannot live from want of flesh; and she is only spare who is half- dead with cough. “Then the fat Is the m sed fs A dclipped a very K It were tedious to attempt to re- port other things of the kind. Tet her, however, be of ever so great dig- nity of wrance; yet there are others, et have we lived with- out her hefore; vet does she do, and we know that she does, in all things the same as the ugly woman.” * ok ok Kk The ancient fables of Acheron, or hell, are ridiculed by this “advanced thinker” of 2,000 years ago. pose things, sure enough, which are fabled to be in the deep of Acheron do all exist for us in this life. the flithy the cat. the string: cannot <p regular Ceres; e-Silenus; the © Tantalus, numbed by ground- less terror, as the story is, fears, poor wretch, a_huge stone hanging in air; but in’ life, rather, a baseless dread of the gods vexes mortals: the fall they fear is such fall of luck as chance brings to each. Nor do hirds eat a way into Tityos, laid in Acheron; but he is for us a Tityos, whom, as he grovels In love, vultures rend, and biiter anguish eat up. or troubled thoughts from any other passion do rive. “In life, too, we have a Sisyphus hefore our eyes who fs bent on' asking from the people the rods and cruel axes (office), and always retivred de- feated and disappointed. For to ask for power, which, empty as it is, is never given, and always in chase of it to undergo severe toil— this is forcing uphill with much effort tone, which, after all, rolls back again from the summit and seeks in haste the .levels of the plain. * %k k k Comes now, as the movie titles will have it, an echo of our Biblical book of Ecclesiastes, in which Solomon mournfully says, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity,” Lucretius declared: “Then, to be ever feeding the thank- less nature of the mind, and never to fill it full and sate it with good things, as the season of the year do for us, when they come ‘round and bring their fruits and varied delights, though, after all, we are never filled with the enjoyments of life—this, methinks, is to do what is told of the maidens, to keep pouring water into a perforated vessel, which, in spite of can never be filled full. loreover, Cerebus and the Furies, and yon privation of light, are idle tales, as well as all the rest, Ixion's wheel, and black Tartarus belching forth hideous fires from his throat: things which nowhere are, nor, sooth to say, can be. “But there is in life a dread of punishment for evil deeds, signal as signal; * + * and even are wanting, yet the ce-stricken mind through bod- ars applies to itself goads and frightens itself with whips, and sees not meanwhile what end there can be of ills or what limit at last is to be set to punishments, and fears lest these very evils be enhanced after it th. The life of fools at length becomes a hell here on earth.” * ok ok ¥ Yet, Lucretius is a true optimist. here is nothing to hinder us,” he says, “from living a life worthy of gods. Nothing, alas, except ourselves! Lucretius, with the ald of Eplcurus, and that older Greek thinker, Democ- ritas, forecast radium when he wrote “The outermost surface 1is ever streaming off from things “Blessed are the pure sald the Lord. “A happy life is not possible with- out a clean bre: declared the pa- gan Lucretius, which was not so bad for a pagan, The above quotation occurs in the fifth book of “The Nature of Things," in which also occurs that most famous classical bit: “The haby, like a sailor cast away by the cruel waves, lies naked on tha ground, speechless, wanting every furtherance of life, soon as nature by the throes of birth has shed him forth into the borders of light. “He fills the room with a rueful wail- ing, as well he may whose destiny is to go through in lifs so many ills. “But the different flocks, herds and wild beasts grow up; they want no rattles: to none of them need be ad- dressed the fond broken accents of the fostering nurse. “They ask not different dresses ac- cording to the season: no, nor do they wani arms or lofty walls, whereby to protect their own, the earth itself and nature, manifold fn her works, pro- ducing in plenty all things for al In this book Lucretius pays tribute to the canine friends of mankind, speaking of “light-sleeping dogs with faithful heart in breast.” The last portion of the fifth book contains some heautiful truisms: “Were a man to order his life by the rules of true reason, a frugal sub- sistence joined to a contented mind is for him great riches, for never is there any lack of a little.” And again: “Let men wear them- selves out to no purpose and sweat drops of blood as they struggle on along the stralght road of ambition, since they gather their knowledgc from the mouths of others and follow after things from hearsay rather than the dictates of thelr own feelings.” But he has no illusions: “This pre- vails not now nor will prevail by and by, any more than it has prevailed before.” in heart,” Public Inclined to Consider Geneva Issues as Technical y large section of the Amer- ican press views the Geneva deadlock on the subject of naval reduction as one which is of greater importance to the technical experts than to the gen- eral public. Much concern is expressed over the disagreement between the United States and Great Britain, but some observers still believe that the discussions have contributed to a bet- ter understanding. Advocates of a big American navy feel that their cause has been advanced. The Topeka Capital asserts: “What was needed at Geneva was not senti- mentalism and pride and overweaning ambition, but statesmanship. It has failed to appear, which gives some force to Dr. Butler's remark that the world lacks present-day leadership.” “It is only too plain that the prin- ciple of naval preparedness which Great Britain is standing for is dia- metrically opposed to the principle ad- vocated by the American delegates,” says the Hartford Times, and the Wa- terloo Tribune, calling the conterence a mistake, asks: “With France and Italy out, what was the use of it The San Francisco Bulletin, however, holds that “the mere discussion of the possibilities of further naval limita- tion is a step in the direction of the conference method as applied to all in- ternational problems, including those that in the pre-conference era were immediate cause: % % ivery such interpational confer- cnce, even if no tangible results are immediately_visible,” according to the Charleston Daily Mail, “is establish- ing the practice of exchange of opin- ions hetween nations, disclosing the obstacles to co-operation, and giving to each country a clearer insight into the difficulties that heset each nation The Providence Jou;nal welcomes * newed assurances that Great Britain, the United apan are all on the fricndlies and the New York World espectally praises the at- titude of Japanese delegates as ‘‘mod- erate, helpful and vestrained.” The Pasadena Star-News believes that “any temporary sctback at Geneva should mnot discourage the friends of peace,” for “the world is nearer per- manent universal peace than it ever vas befor On the subject of failure the Wall Street Journal suggests that “both the American and British publics are likely to receive the news with a calm- ness which may surprise the politi- clans.” That paper also observes that as to the conference, “it soon appeared that its purpose, so far as its pro- fessional advisers were concerned, was to make the three navies con- cerned more efficlent.” The Baltimore Sun, noting that “British proposals provide that the United States and Great Britaln each may have twelve 10,000-ton cruisers, mounting eight- inch guns,” makes the comment “That has caused no serious protest, although we had claimed the right to build a larger number. As a mat- ter of fact it is very doubtful that Congress would be in a hurry to pro- vide the money to complete twelve.” * K ok X “The exact number and size of cruisers and the precise caliber of guns are not of the greatest impor- tance,” avers the New York Times, continuing: “Of course the naval ex- perts stick for them with professional doggedness, but the people of the two countries are not worked up over the question of a little more or a little less in all these matters.” The Miami Daily News finds a parallel to the sit- uation in the story of the ancient theologlans who “are sald to have wrangled over such issues as the number of angels which might dance on the point of a needle.” “We Americans should adjust our- selves to the sensible conclusion that our government’s specialists know what they are doing and talking about and contending for,” says the Butte Daily Post, while the New Orleans Tribune believes “the people approve the stand taken by the American dele- gates.” The New York Herald Trib- une looks upon the British program as leaving the conference “nothing to work with,” but the Syracuse Herald recognizes that *“the one apparently insurmountable obstacle to concord is referable to the peculiar defensive needs of the British Empire.” The Newark Evening News empha- sizes the fact that “we, in the guise of a_peace move, committed ourselves to the effort to achieve an equality between a self-supporting nation with no naval bases and a food-importing nation with the best naval bases in the world.” STOMACHS VS. FACTORIES BY GLENN FRANK, President of University of Wisconsin and The old farmer fed the stomachs of the world only The new farmers will feed the tactories of the world as well. The old farmer was a grower of foodstuffs only. The new farmer will be a producer of raw materials as well. “Does agriculture have to rest its future in the hope of expanding the individual stomach consumption?” asked Jullus H. Barnes in 1924. “Can- not a large part of farm acréage be devoted to raising those things called tor by industrial production?” My, Barnes here anticipated the in- sing consideration that has since been given to the harnessing of farm and factory into a harmonious and helpful team. Now every team needs a teamster. And teams are not harnessed by eloquent exhortation of the horse: they are harnessed by men who know exactly how to put the harness on the team and how to adjust it for com- fort and eflicient pulling. There is no end of applicants for the job of harnessing farm and factory together. erizer dat kin convince people dat he's intitled to a share of most every- eomstruction it defeats its own pur- and the fine of §100 and the findings body's money.” . ace.. [ Y L} Chambers of commerce. Manufacturers’ Associations. Politicians from States that are helt agricultural and halt industrial. Former Editor of the Century Magazine. These and a dozen others talk much of this teaming up of farm and factory, but most of them are trying to harness the team by exhorting the horses. If this team is finally harnessed in a mutually productive and mutually profitable manner, there is just one man who is most likely to do the harnessing—the chemist. The chemist will do the teaming without talking very much either to the farmer or to the manufacturer; he will simply go ahead with his re- searches and year by vear discover ever more ways of utilizing the waste- products of the farm, turning them into ever more profitable by-products. Corn, wheat, rye, flax, barley, cot- ton, wood, sawdust, cornstalks, corn- cobs, straw, cotton seed, husks, whey —all these and other rhain products and waste products of the farm under the chemist's wantwill, as the chemist is demonstrating, be transformed into films, printer's ink, all sorts of wall boards, dynamite, giue, floor coverings, radio parts, substitutes for ivory, silk, leather, linen, marble, and an endless list of manufactured articles. The chemist with his test tubes may lay the ghost of agricultural overpro- ductfon by opening up to the farmer a whole new outlet for his products. Science may do what politics has only talked about. (Copyright. IT 4, 1927. Comment on Speed of Ambulances Discussed To the Editor of The Star: I read with profound interest your dadly editorials. Many of these have my heartiest indorsement. Permit me, however, to offer a little difference of opinfon on the one headed “Ambu- lance Speed” and appearing in your issue of the 1st instant. My observations are those of private citizen with 15 years’' experience as a physician and surgeon, in civil and military practice; together with 10 years' intimate contact with hospil als and_ambulances. All statistics which T have been able to peruse fail to justify excessive speed upon the part of an ambulance. The majority of “runs” net nothing more than mishaps which are no bet- ter off reaching the hospital 15 min- utes after occurrence than an hour thereafter. The most serious accidents usually present broken bones, lacerations and contusions. If the individual with a broken bone is made comfortable, and the frag- ments immobilized, nine times out of ten he is no worse off if he does not reach the hospital for two or more hours after the accident. The tenth one may have nothing worse than a delayed convalescence. On the other hand, the ambulance rushing to the scene at a high rate of speed, through crowded thorough- fares, endangers not only its safe ar- rival, the lives of pedestrians, but also the lives of the occupants of the vehicle. External hemorrhage, that bear” of mankind, can be v ficlently controlled until the * speed” ambulance arrives. Incidental Iy, T beiieve it would be of inestimable value if more stress were laid upon “first-aid treatment” in the public schools. Head injuries offer grave considera- tion, vet few, If any, surgeous op- erate upon the head until after due and studied deliberation, which usual- ly means that the patient remains under observation for at least six or more hours. Hence nothing is gained by a breakneck speed of the ambnlance. In emergencies in which the quick ad- ministration of a stimulant becomes necessary a knowledge of first-aid treatment will bridge the gap. In the final analysls, it is my per- sonal opinfon that more evil than good results from excessive ambulance speed. I am truly in accord with vou in the right-of-way proposition. The ambulance and fire apparatus should have it. Relative to the “wide-open™ siren, we again differ. The “22-mile” speed limit insures safety with an intelligent use of the siren which does not neces: sitate continuous blowing, especially during the late hours of the night and the wee hours of the morning. Again permit me to state that these are my nersonal view: T. EDWARD o To the Editor of The Star: I wish to call to your notice that a quiet zone has heen established around each hosnital prohibiting unnecessary notses. Why should their ambulances make such nerveracking noises when they pass the houses of the sick? Re- member all_the sick are not in the hospitals. No one has complained about the ambulances making a rea- sonable noise to warn traffic, but it is not ry to open the siren so wide. bly you do mot hear the noise from the ambulances more than once a day. They have passed my house, and I am one of many along the route, as often as four round trips in_two hours. The speed with which bulances formerly traveled on an emergency call to save one life en- dangered hundreds of other lives on the way. When it has a nervous patient as an occupant on the mad and noisy dash to the hospital, it also endangers the lfe of that patient. The superintendent ‘of police is to be congratulated on his good common sense and judgment. He sees that all this spectacular speed and noise are unnecessary, and here I would say that I am one of the complainants against this nulsance. I had a legiti- mate and good cause for said com- plaint. A member of my family has been very ill, and such noises ag- gravated her condition. The ruling by the major was no speedy action on his part, but was put into effect after a_thorough Investigation of a number of complaints. The people of Wash- ington should feel thankful that they have a chief of police so humane and capable. MARTIN L. MEEHAN. the am- To the Editor of The Star: Permit me to express vigorous dis- sent from the views expressed in your editorial of August 1 on “Ambulance Speed,” in which the major and super- intendent of police was severely criti- cized for attempting to bring about safe and sane ambulance operation. Unnecessary speeding and reckless driving of ambuls ington have imperiled far more lives than have been saved through such procedure. The recent order of the Police Department is based on the unquestionably sound principle that it is far better that, in a few, infrequent cases, the lives of one or two persons for whom an ambulance is called should be possibly endangered by a delay of a very few minutes than that scores_and hundreds of lives should undoubtedly be put in daily jeopardy by wildly speeding ambulances. With- out a doubt, in most cases the speed- ing is wholly unnecessary. Several months ago the Traffic Coun- cil of the District of Columbia called the Commissioners’ attention to the situation. Members of the council realized the importance of quick action in handling emergency cases, but were of the opinfon that the drivers of ambulances were using an exces- sive rate of speed at all times, whether or not an emergency existed. There have been too many injurles resulting from reckless operation of ambulances in the District of Colum- bla. The police authorities are to be commended, rather than condemned. for the steps taken to curb a bad practice. 0. H. BRINKMA To tho Editor of The Sta Save the women and children flrst! You may have witnessed an occasion when this cry meant something: Analyze it; go to the bottom of it, and vou will find that it is more than a mere time-honored plece of chivalry. "There is a reason for it: You must try to save the most life possible, both actual life and prospective life. Can you find as good a reason for the old absurd practice of allowing ambulances to break all speed law thus endangering the lives of many, for the possible, though improbable, saving of a single life? I address this question particularly to The Star writer who criticized the order of the Police Department warn- ing hospital ambulance drivers to stop their serseless, reckless driving. The criticism offers an_opportunity to criticize the police, to be sure. But let us be fair. Let us criticize when and where the criticism is due. The ambulances should keep the pace of other vehicles, whose drivers may be on errands of like mercy. MARTIN G. STECKER. To the Editor of The Star: I have just read with much interest your editorial entitled “Ambulance Speed,” and I agree with you entirely on the matter. printing it. 5 Maj. Hesse should first direct his attention to the deathwagons of his department before speaking of the speed of other public service vehicle Your recommendation of the r moval to the country of those persoi who cannot stand the shrick of the sirens and the cancellation of the driv- ing permits of auto drivers who can- not give an ambulance the right of way is excellent.. ANDREW K. REYNOLDS. I congraulate you on | Q. Has the pronoun thon been added to the English language?— B. D.*W. A. While it appears in some dic- tionaries, this pronoun, suggested in 1858, cannot be sald to be incorporated into the English language. It is a contraction of that one, and s meant to be used as the third person sin- gulae, Gommon gender. Q. Plense give the dimensions of the Lincoln statue in Memorial.—J. C. A. The dimensions of the Daniel Chester French statue of Abraham follows: It is a seated figure upon an oblong pedestal about 10 feet high, 17 feet from front to back by 16 feet wide. The plinth between the pedestal and the botton of the seat is 1 foot 7 inches thick. The statue is 19 feet high from the top of the plinth to the top of the head. The extreme width of the statue (including the drapery over the chair) is 19 feet. Q. Was there a blood tle between Queen Victoria and her husband?— R. E. A. They wero first cousins. Prince Albert was three months younger than Victoria. Q. What is the origin of the ex- pression, turning the tables on us?— V. C. A. This is a_translation of an old Roman proverb. In the reign of Augustus, among other reckless ex- travagances, it was the rage in Rome to have tables made of mauritana wood inlaid with ivor These table were sold at extravagant prices When the men rebuked their wiv for the enormous sums spent upon dress, the ladies retorted by remind- ing their husbands of the large amounts they lavished upon their tables. They “turned the tables” upon them. What W. H. A. The Cheney award conslsts of an engraved plaque and a cash sum to be given annually to members of the United States Army Air Corps or of the United States Air Corps Re- serve for an act of valor or of ex- treme fortitude or self-sacrifice in a humanitarian interest performed in connection with aircraft. This award is donated by Mrs. Willlam H. Scho- fleld and Mrs. Thomas W. Streeter, the mother and sister respectively of Lieut. Cheney, an aviator who was killed. Q. What Is the fifth estate?—A. R. A. Quoting from the American Journal of Pharmacy, November, 1925 “Tpe fifth estate composed of those having the simplicity to wonder, the ability to question, the power to generalize, the capacity to apply. is, in short, the company of thinkers, workers, expounders and practitioners upon which the world is absolutely de- pendent for the preservation and ad- is the Cheney award? the Lincoln | Lincoin in the Lincoln Memorial is as | It ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. edge which we call science. It Is thelr seeing eye that discloses, as Carlyle sald, ‘the inner harmony of things; what Nature meant.' It is they who bring the power and the fruits of knowledge to the multitude who are content to go through life without thinking and without ques- tioning, who accept fire and the hatch- ing of an egg, the attraction of & feather by a bit of amber, and the. stars in their courses, as a fish ac- cepts the ocean.” Q. Whers W A. In the United States mercury is found in the coast ranges of California anl Texas. Other deposits are in Spain, Tuscany, Italy, Idria (Austria) and Mexico. The chief rourcea of the world production of mercury are Italy and Spain. Of a total annual production of about 3,200 metric tons, provides about 1,600 tons and Spain 1,000 tons. The ‘production of the United States during the past six vears has been about 300 metric tons per year. is mercury found?—L. Q. How many kinds of mushrooms are edible?—C. T. N. A. More than 700 specles of mush- rooms have been proved edible and authorities state that many others doubtless will be proved fit for food. Q. When was the monument in Provincetown erected? What does it commemorate?—F. M. S. A. The Provincetown Memorial was unveiled on August 5, 1910. It com- memorates the visit of the Mayflower made on November 11 (old style). The vessel lay in Provincetown Harbor ap- proximatdy one month. The United States, in conjunction with the Com- monwealth of Massachusetts and the Pilgrim* Memorial Association =* Provincetown, erected this granite monument, 254 feet high, on Town Hill. Q. 1s_a negro baby white when born?—J. W. J. A. A negro baby is not white, but lighter in color when first born. Within a few hours after birth it has turned as dark as it will be. Q. What is the tensile strength of piano wire?—W. W. A. It varies with the gauge from about 360,000 pounds per square inch for 12-gauge to 290,000 pounds per square inch for 26-gauge. ‘rederic J. Haskin is employed by | this paper to handle inquiries of our readers, and yow are invited to call upon him as freely and as often as you please. Ask anything that is @ matter of fact, and the authority 1will be quoted you. There is no charge for this service. Ask what you want, sign your name and address and inclose £ cents in stamps for return postage. Address The Evening Star Informa- tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, dé~ vancement of that organized knowl- was a great war fought to a finish “to make the world safe for democracy.” Out of that vietory has come certain developments, amongst which a few may be taken as typical: In Italy. the people rose, five years ago, and established the power of the Fascisti, under the rule of a mnon- commissioned officer who had fought bravely ‘as a champlon of that war to exalt. democracy. He marched into Romé at the head of thousands wear- ing ‘black shirts as thelr distinguish- Ing " uniforms, and the King s obliged to name him—Benito Musso- lini—premier and turn over to him all power. The King, since then, has been a figurehead, and “democracy” has ruled Italy. Now, five years have passed under that regime, and it is reported that throughout Italy there is a thoroughly orzanized movement, voiced by the controlled press, to canonize Dictator Mussolini, even while he lives, and set him apart as one protected by providence for the great mission of reviving the glory that was Rome. This i3 not merely figurative, but ac- tual, for today all correspondence, of- ficial or private, signed by either Mus- solini or any of his followers _is dated, not A.D. 1927, but “Anno V,” meaning the fifth year of Mussolini. The sinister significance of that may be realized if one were to conceive an American dating his letters as “Anno III,” meaning the third year of Secretary Kellogg's administration of the “premiership” of the Coolidge cabinet. Or even dating in_England the year of Prime Minister Baldwin’s tenure of office. —ill * K K K In the early days of Mussolini the Duce, as he is cailed, used to appear frequently in public and speak to the masses, for he is a gifted orator. He aroused enthusiasm amongst his fol- lowers. But since the repeated at- tacks by enemies or fanatics seeking to assassinate him, he has held him- self aloof, and never let it be known in advance when he would address the Parliament or appear in public. becomes inysterious, he is apart from the masses. The newspapers, not one of which dares print a line of uncen- cored opinion, now seek to add to Mus- solini’s sacred character by referring to him only in such language as is usually reserved for the Deity or the saints. All words meaning Mussolini must be capitalized; similar words re- ferring to the King need not begin with capital For example: “His Excellency, the Head of the Government, yesterday received in His studio, in the Palazzo Chigi, Count Volpi df Miserata, Minister of Finances. Mussolini showed great interest in Count Volpi's exposition of the Treas- ury, and He gave the finance minister minute instructions on how His poli- cies should be executed.” * X K x The Impero, one of the leading dailies, recently proposed that the Fas- cisti should designate each year of Fascist rule with a particular name. For example; 1923 is to be known as the year of “elimination of collabora- tors’—the setting up of one-man power; 1924 is to be “the year of Fas- cist pa Y construction’; 1926, the “year of divine investiture.” "It explains that “divine investiture” refers directly to Musso- lini, and this is how it is told: ) “Mussolini, the invulnerable, has been able to give always a more vigor ous hand to the ‘City of the Sun,’ and to set up the most masterful state edifice that has ever been seen since | the time of Caesar, and this is a sign | that His works are protected and fa- vored by Providence. Providence h: Iready given, at least four times in | the course of the year, unequivocal | signs of its favor, and it is for this! reason that 1926 may well be called/ the ‘Year of Divine Investiture'—in other words, the vear in which the power of Mussolini has had sure and tangible proof of protection from Heaven, Italy fought bravely, and made fear- ful sacrifices in that “war to make the world safe for democracy.” It achieves—Mussolini! Now comes Turkey, which after the war declared that it, too, must be a pure democracy, It deposed its Sul- tan and Caliph and separated church and state. It elected an Assembly by ! popular vote, and Mustapha Kemal Ther: He | rector, Washington, D. C. BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLIN: encouraged to appear in public un- veiled. As many Turkish women now expose their faces as civilized women their knees. Now Kemal Pasha decides to vislt Europe and stay awhile in Constanti. nople, in place of the new capital, Angora. His cabinet opposed his do- ing so, but his party, the “Republican party,” has made him absolute dic- tator to the extent of giving him power to name all candidates for the embly. He has planned to dis. miss 156 members of the Assembly and replace them with his own pup+ pets. Eight years ago Kemal fled as « fugitive from the Sultan. He now occuples the royal palace. Turkey's bluff as a republic is ended. Kemal is olute dictator. Such dietatorship the reaction from ultra-democracy, * Kk K Tt has been a favorite pastime of oratorg in reccnt years to point to tha tottering of thrones. All the worla, ‘they say, has become *“democratic. and the “divine right of kings” ha been canceled. But what about the “eternal vigilance” which will protect liberty and the safety of democracy? In our Republic “of the people, by the people,” etc., it is interesting to note that “the people” appear to ba forgetting their responsibilities and opportunities to rule, according to the organization known as_the National Get-Out-the-Vote Club. In fact, Amers icans are the most indiiferent mems bers of democracy among all the re- publies of civilization, In the five elections for President frem 1880 to 1896 we polled 80 per cent of the possible votes of the elec- torate, but since then our interest in our right to govern ourselves seems to have wared. In the very first presidential eclection following the sreat war to “make the world safe for democracy” less than half the eli- gible voters cast any ballot. In the election of President Coolidge only 53 per cent of the qualified voters went to the trouble to vote. Great Britain is not supposed to bhe a free republic; it is a kingdom with a royal ruler, yet in 1922 82 per cent of the qualified voters cast their bal- lots for candidates for Parliament. Germany has had less than a dec- ade of experience as a republic, fol- lowing her Kaiser's fight to down world democracy, but in the election of 1922, with a population of 59,858, - 254—about half that of the United States—she polled 25,829,947 votes, while even in our greatest presiden- tial balloting we recorded only - 000,000 ballof Germany casts 75 per cent of the possible votes; we 53 per cent. * kK * Will some “deep thinker” explain the lowering of American interest in the ideals of patriotism and govern- ment and the ideals of religion—the latter loss being indicated by the con- fession of the Council of Federated (Protestant) Churches that church membership is losing half a million members annually? The influence of the war does not account for either loss of patriotism or religious ideals, for war's tragedies and sacrifices ap- pealed to deeper feeling and more purified and exalted ideals—not to frivolousness nor to indifference. Prof. Lothrop Stoddard, A.M., Ph. D., of Harvard, has written a book en- titled “The Revolt Against Civiliza- tion,” in which he says, in the preface: “The revolutionary unrest which to- day affifcts the entire world goes far deeper than is generally supposed. Its root cause is not Russian bolshevik propaganda, nor the late war, nor the French Revolution, but a process of racial impoverishment, which ~de- stroyed the great civilizations of the past and which threatens to destroy our own."” The author further says, on page | 264: “For the past half century the demo- cratic idea has gained an unparalleled ascendancy in the world, while the aristocratic idea has been correspond- ingly discredited. * * ¢ This is an unhealthy state of affairs, because the democratic idea is not perfect, but is a mixture of truth with errors like ‘natural equality,” which modern sci- ence has proved to be clearly un- sound.’ - 80 he advocates a recognition of & ‘neo-aristocracy’ of fitness, rather than general equality, and he bases Pasha became the. President of the Turkish Republic. Progressive measures were taken under Kemal’s rule, even to the extent of prescribing that men should dis- card the fez and wear European hats, It was thought that by changing the dress the psychology of the people would change, Women were liber- Ated from he SIEMRY, of cuetom ey his argyment on modern biology. The Socialistic followers of Nietsche also claim neo-aristocracy, but they predi- cate eligibility to that class upon the strength to grab what belorgs to others. Stoddard bases it upon real superiority of intellect and character. i, sz e S T