Evening Star Newspaper, August 10, 1927, Page 8

s THE EVENING STAR ~With_Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY...August 10, 1827 THEODORE W. NOYES. ...Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company 11th St and ¥ ivania Ave. New York Office: 140 East 42nd St Chicago OMces~ Tower Building. ropean Office’, 14 Regent St.. London. nla The Evenine Star. with the Sunday morn- ing edition. is delivered by carriers within the city at 60 cents per month: daily only. 45 cenix ner month days only. 20 cents per month. . Ordera may he sent hy mail or Telaphona Main 5000 Collection is made by carrier at eud of each mouth. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virgini sunday. ...1 §r.. §9.00 1sr 1vr 1 mo., 78¢ $300° 1 mo. All Other States and Canada. 2002 1 mo.. $1.00 $400: 1 m Member of the Associated Press. The Aswctatad Press s exciusivels entit to the use for repul ation of ali news dis Putches o1 i1 or N0t otherwise ered itad in this paper and 0 the local news wiibiished herein . Al rights of 5t snecial dispatches herein are also reserved. a The Navy Program. President Coolidge, from the Sum- | mar White House in the Black Hills, has made it known that he will exert his influence against the United States entering a naval building race. The of Geneva three-power conference apparently has left unchanged in this respect. In- deed. he still hopes for eventual agreement by the for the limitation of auxiliary naval craft, in- cluding cruisers. This is the saner way of Jooking at the situation. There #mre certain needs of the Navy, how- ever, which, for the sake of national fallure the naval him an powe: defense, should not be overlooked in | the coming Congress. For five years the naval building program of the United States has been most at a standstill. Both Great Britain and Japan have con- tinued to build cruisers, new type de- vers and submarines, with the re- sult that the United States in cruiser tonnage is far behind the 5—3 ratio with those nations. Although Congress a few years ago authorized the construction of eight 10,000-ton cruisers, none of them has been com- pleted. Five have been contracted for nd the Congress at its last session | appropriated a small sum for the con- ruction of the last three in order to keep the authorization alive. The administration, for the sake of the economy program and also be- cause of the frequently projected naval arms conference, has thought it ad- visable not to push the naval building program in the last few years, The Geneva conference has made it clear, however, that whatever agreement may be reached, the United States will need additional modern cruisers. Furthermore, the 10,000-ton type of ruisers armed with eight-inch guns has been declared by the American naval experts the type required by | America to meet its peculiar needs for national defense. There appears little reason or ex- cuse, therefore, for not proceeding with the construction of the cruisers and other auxiliary craft needed strictly for national defense and to round out the fleet. From the point ot governmental expenditures, too, it is far better to have the naval pro- gram advance moderately but with regularity, rather than to permit the whole matter to slide until the time comes when many ships must be con- structed quickly. The United States suffered from its failure to provide an adequate merchant marine when the World War broke. It cost the people of this country more than $3,000,000,- 000 to develop the merchant fleet need- ed to transport troops and merchan- dise after the United States entered the war. The construction of naval vessels is no overnight job. The next Congress will be wise to make ade- gquate provision for the needs of the Navy, and the administration should, end doubtless will, make its recom- mendations with this in view. e The passing of Gen. Leonard Wood deprives the Filipinos of a help- ful frien@ and leaves this Nation to face, on practical terms, the cynical adage tg the effect that any man's place can be filled. Testimony of the Weapon. As the hour draws near for the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti for murder committed seven years ago, a culmination which cannot be prevent- ed unless the courts or the governor of the State should Intervene, atten- tion s called to the publication of a report submitted to Gov. Fuller and his advisory committee which made a | thorough review of the facts of the homicide and the trials. This report is from an expert on firearms in New York City to whom the weapon taken from Sacco upon his arrest, the bullet which caused the death of Paymaster Parmenter’s guard and empty shells picked up at the scene of the crime were submitted for examination and test. This expert, who has had an ex- tended experience in the examination of deadly weapons In connection with crime Investigation, returned the judg- ment that the bullet taken from the body of Berardelli, the guard, and one | of the shells found on the ground at the scene of the crime were undoubt- edly fired from co's weapon and could have been fired from no other. It is established that firearms have unmistakable identities due to pecu-| liarities of action. As a result of pro- tracted tests and studies it has been demonstrated that no two guns oper- ate precisely alike. Microscopically fine markings appear on shells and bullets as a result of the machining of the weapons. Instruments of the greatest precision have been developed 1o identify these markings. In the present case the research was conduct- ed with the utmost care. The expert who made the report to Gov. Fuller, engaged as a non-partisan, unprej- udiced person, reached a positive con- clusion. Representatives of both the defense and the prosecution were given opportunity to repeat each test that was undertaken. The only re- Joinder to the expert’s conclusion by the defense has been an expression of beliet that there has been trickery by P blication | corroboration and which is based only on suspicion. These findings of the weapons ex- pert undoubtedly have had great welght in determining the findings of the advisory committee and of the governor himself. The case against Sacco and Vanzetti has been almost wholly circumstantial, There is little or no direct evidence, Identifications by eyewitnesses of the crime has not been as definite as the other links in the chain connecting these two men with the homicide. The matter of the weapons is therefore of the great- |est importance, and in view of the | standing of the expert whose report | was submitted to Gov. Fuller and his | adviser it would seem that the doubt {of the guilt of these men has been | eliminated. e Washington's Busine: {been made by the zoning commission, with the result of an announcement {that the District has at this time ap- | proximately four times too much first commercial property judging from the areas allowed by other cities for such |uses. This survey was made in con- nection with a study of the needs of business which will be forced out lof the Pennsylvania avenue triangle by the public buildings program. In | the course of the mext four or five years there will be a considerable change in the downtown section as | tablishments now located within the | triangle are evicted to make room for Government constructions. Other | changes will occur, too, as office build- {ings will he erected to provide accom- | modations for those who require prox- imity to the Government bureaus, which are to be removed to mideity situations. In short, Washington will see a very decided alteration within halt a decade. In the estimate of the zoning com- mission Washington's oversupply of possible business space will be reduced by about fity per cent if and when, as is now expected, the local popula- | tion reaches the million point. This would seem to leave an ample margin, It is the confident belief that Wash- ington’s population will be doubled in the next twenty-five years. Probably a large part of the business now lo- cated in the center of the city will be shifted to the *‘community” "centers such as those that have developed of late in several sections of the Capital. Much of the downtown space allo- cated for business is not at present fully utilized. There are numerous one-story structures accommodating only a single establishment each. Com- pared with other cities the superficial area of downtown Washington is not working to capacity. It is not de- sired that Washington should develop as a skyscraper city, that land areas should be utilized to the limit of struc- tural stability, as in New York. A comparatively low “sky line” should be preserved. It should, however, not be an irregular sky line, with mini- mums of vonstruction offering un- sightly spectacles on important streets, quite as disfiguring as the maximum departures above the normal horizon. The computation of the zoning com- mission appears to have been made on the superficial area basis, not with regard to the matter of the number of stories to be erected on a given plot of land. Naturally retail business seeks the ground floor. In many citles, however, it finds adequate accommo- dations and good trading opportuni- ties on other levels. Much of the business that will be ousted from the triangle by Govern- ment constructions is of a wholesale and fabrication character. It is hardly to be expected that it will find new room within the area of retail mer- chandising. It it does, however, it will have to be restricted to some de- gree to prevent the development of disfiguring conditions north of Penn- sylvania avenue, conditions incident to the character of business pursued. ‘Washington is in a state of change, and these next few years will be marked by relocations, adjustments and constructions that unless care- fully watched and reasonably regu- lated will detract from the benefits which it is expected the Capital will gain from the Government’s building program, e Motor fuel at ten cents a gallon is predicted. It is to be manufactured trom coal. The price of coal makes the calculations involved seem a trifle complicated. v Yesterday’s “Demonstrations.” Yesterday's demonstrations in behalf of Sacco and Vanzetti in New York were much less impressive than had been forecast. A scattering “strike’” on the part of several organizations of workers occurred, for the day only, the numbers quitting work being un- detcrmined. In advance the promoters of the sympathetic walkout claimed that several hundred thousand would leave the shops and mills and other places of employment in token of their protest against the execution of the two men. One of the Communist leaders sald that no less than 760,000 would strike. The most reliable esti- mate of those who took the day off | was 150,000 men and women. A “monster” mass meeting was also scheduled, to be held in Union Square, which, it was clalmed, would be at- tended by at least 100,000 people. The | number present at the meeting was, in fact, about 15,000, and of these doubtless many were onlookers, folks who foolishly went to see what might happen, not out of sympathy with the purposes of the meeting. Several other meetirgs were held, attended by some thousands. But on the whole the demonstration was a small affair, con- sidering the millions of people living in Greater New York and the size of the laboring population. There was no rioting. The police handled the situation admirably. At- tempts to form parades were frus- trated. A few arrests were made as individuals became excited and uttered tles and demanded “direct action.” No | bombs were thrown and no real vio- |lence occurred. As a matter of fact there is a great deal of exaggeration about the num- bers of the disaffected. A strict count An fmportant survey of the potential | . business space in Washington has just violent denunciations of the authori-| THE EVENING STAR. WASHINGTON. D. €. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1927." vield a pitifully small showing. There are a great many people who talk loosely about the Inlquities of gov- ernment, “capitalism” and that sort of thing. but who when the pinch comes are normal, law-abiding citi- zens. It s undeniable that in New York and other large centers of pop ulation there are numbers of malcon tents, mostly aliens by birth, who are afiitiated with the Communist cult ind who would sincerely like to see a revolution here. They have nothing at stake. They are normally in a state of protest. But they are a small minority, sometimes even in thelr own organizations, and certainly in propor- tion to the body of citizens, In such situations it is always to be horne in mind that the normally minded citizen, the supporter of es- tablished government, the respecter of does not “demonstrate.” He ioes not attend meetings, join parades, carry banners, mount soap boxes and make speeches. He goes on his way quietly and peacefully. He makes no trouble. Sometimes he stops and lis- tens to the fulminations of the agl- tators, regarding them as strange creatures who perhaps ought to be put under restraint. There are many such as he for every one of the “dem- onstrating” kind. If all those who sustain the judg- ment just rendered in Massachusetts, and which is about to be executed in accordance with the law, were to as. semble in the large citles in this country a most impressive demonstra- tion would be given. But affirmative public sentiment does not manifest itself in the same manner as does the negative sentiment. When an emer- gency arises and a real crisis is at hand the substantial affirmative loy- alty of the citizenship is amply proved. —————————— Traffic and Mobs. In the course of yesterday's radical demonstration fn New York an effo:t was made to form a parade from the place of meeting to the City Hall. It was frustrated chiefly by employment of a unique method—utilization of the traffic flow. Ordinarily the regulation of the traffic in such a large center of population as New York is a serlous problem. But yvesterday it proved to be an ald to good order. As the line of marchers wernt down the street a traffic-control policeman at one corner allowed a small section to pass and then turned the signal for an adverse flow of traffic, which cut the line of march. Thus separated, the van of | the parade was easily dispersed. In this same manner the procession was broken into separated divisions and its scattering by the police was ren- dered easy. The traffic streams were used as weapons for orderly conduct in the streets. Under intelligent and systematic direction the traffic of the clty can thus be used for good order rather than for disorder. In the handling of a line of marching demonstrants the New York police are experts. It is easy to start a procession there, and in the narrow streets a line of marchers may gain momentum that cannot be easily checked. The mass movement may become Iirresistible. When it is chopped into sections of a few score each, such a line loses its force and cannot even degenerate into a mob. The drivers of motor cars, if directed by traffic-control officers to proceed, will advance even against moving lines of pedestrians. Thus walls are thrown across the streets as aids to. good order and the elements of riot are mastered. —_——————— England will remember Boston as a town where more or less serious con- troversies are liable to start. As events go on, the King of Italy continues to pursue a policy of non- interference. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Turning the Tables. The old sea serpent comes no more To frolic near the Summer shore— A haunt he is inclined to keep Out yonder in the vasty deep. A mariner, away out there, Inquired, “Why do you shun with care An opportunity to see The strand with all its Summer. glee?” He answered, “In the garden fair Where Eve and Adam found despair, The serpent met temptation sad— My ancestors were rather bad. “Now, I have serpent wife and child. Those seashore bathing girls look wild. My family insists that I From these temptations new must fly.” Not Much Interested. “Are you interested in prize fight- ing?” “Qut home,” answered Senator Sorghum, “some of the men are most belligerent. At an election free fights are so numerous I don't see why any- body should be willing to pay money for a two-man combat.” ‘Words and Music. My Radlo! My Radio! ‘When of sweet strains I think, How I should brush my teeth you show, And what to eat and drink. Jud Tunkins says a mistake is par- donable until it becomes a habit. said Hi Ho, the sage of is always a sad confes- intelligence has “Violence,” Chinatown, sion that human proved a failure.” A Swimmer. “Have you learned to swim?" “Yes,” answered Miss Cayenne. “I felt positively obliged to be able to hold my own in water deep enough to cover my bathing suit.” New Literature! Charley Lindbergh wrote a book, Which everybody reads, Although In vain through it we look For crime's astounding deeds! Off the Scent. “Is there an illicit still around here?” “No,” answered Uncle Biil Bottle- top. “That little smell o’ mash is only a camouflage, so's the real business up the crick won't be noticed. “A man dat never quarrels,” sald the substitution of bullets and shells, | of those who seek the disruption of Uncle Eben, “is llable toturn out to an accusation that Is without prgf or government in this country would be eensid'able of a hypocrit.” e e e - o o S o 2 N e e e i - e w2 Lamp looking is one of the favorite evening occupations on our streets. Perhaps the phrase “lamp looking deserves a word of explanation, as it has never been in print before, belng strictly of our coinage. You see it is this way: Every house in the neighborhood has a living room on the front. And every living room has one or more fancy lights. It seems that there is some innocent streak in_human nature which takes pride in lamps. Else how can one explain tha fact that every lamp is placed where it will show from the street? Or otherwise explain, eithe every shade Is left up at night, the pretty lamp will be plainly to passershy? Yes, we sible want people to see our ok K x Lights at night, despite these many centuries, are interesting things still. From the days of torches, kindled by setting resinous boughs afire, down through the ages of candles, iron lamps, gas and electric lights, man- kind has responded to the lure of night lighting. One of New York’s most famous streets is called the Great White Way. Even this sophisticated city has felt exactly the same sense of civic pride as animates Crawfordsville, when the new lights are installed on Main street, Our own great city, pride of the Nation, has been much interested in recent years In the placing of high- powered lights on Sixteenth Connecticut avenue and, more rec ly, on Massachusetts 3 fifth street and Q street, across the Dumbarton Bridge. ‘The subject of properly lighting the home is a no less interesting one, especially to those who believe, not only in the conservation of eyesight, but also in making the most of the house one lives in. This 1s a big subject, to make the most of a home, and even the most ambitious is likely to make many mis- takes, especially in matters of taste, on which no two persons will agree, often enough out of sheer perversity it would seem. The world of interior decorating is pretty well agreed, however, that the table lamp, rather than a light in the celing, is the thing. (The term also includes various forms of floor lamps, such as the bridge and junior vari- etles.) Lowering” of the lamps, as upon a table, serves the eminently practical purpose of bringing the light exactly down where one wants it; at the same time it allows a more general diffusion of the rays, giving a softer character to the light, a better lighting of the room, and a general enhancement of persons and furniture. This latter, of course, together with the first purpose, that of offering the best reading light, constitutes the real reason for the prese lower lights. One has but to look at a room lit by chandelier or moderately high side brackets, then switch such lights off and put on table lamps, to realize the betterment from the latter. The harsh glare of upper lights not only is trying on the eye, but also is The death of Gen. Wood, which precipitates upon problem of finding a successor as gov- ernor general of the Philippin comes close on the heels of the re: ignation of Ambassador Sheffield of Mexico City and Ambassador Crowder of Cuba. Thus Mr. Coolidge has a triple task. All three posts are of major importance at all times, and at the present time are involved with special factors of difficulty. There is no dearth of aspirants for these hon- ors, no scarcity of patronage hunters, but this merely complicates the prob- lem. The President is seeking men of exceptional ability who are in en- tire accord with his own views at to policy and who are willing to serve. He is reported to be having much trouble in finding men who answer all three specifications. Washington does not expect any announcement of any of the three appointments until after * ok kX Mr. Coolidge has repeatedly attested his entire approval of the regime of Gen. Wood in the Philippines. The death of the general is not expected to bring any change in policy toward the islands nor any substantial alter- atlon in our conduct of affairs there. It probably will accelerate the adop- tion of the proposal to remove Philip- pine administration from the jurisdic- tion of the War Department to the Interior Department, where control of Hawail and Alaska is already vest- ed. Carmi A. Thompson, the Pr dent’s special investigator of the is- lands, in his report strongly recom- mended such a transfer. Mr. Coolidge Is on record as in favor of this change from military to civil control. A bu- reau of Insular affairs to handle all our possessions outside territorial United States is contemplated. * ¥ % x The name of Carmi A. Thompson of Ohio, who “surveyed” the islands so recently at the President's request, comes first in most of the talk of Gen. Wood's successor. But many observ- ers are inclined to heavily discount predictions that the Ohioan will be offered the post, or that, if offered, he would accept. Ex-Senator James W. Wadsworth of New York is another in the prominently mentioned class from the fact that he is so eminently qual- ified for the place. The New Yorker's friends, however, assert that he is not disposed to relinquish his political leadership in New York at the present Juncture of affairs. Henry L. Stimson of New York, Secretary of War in the Taft administration and Mr. Coolidge’s recent special envoy to Nicaragua, has been ‘“‘suggested” first in connection with the Cuban ambassadorship, then as a possible successor to Ambassador Sheffleld of Mexico City, and now for the Philippines. In Stimson's case, as tirely on his willingness to serve. Of this there is great uncertainty. * K K ok Walter Scott Penfleld, prominent in- ternational lawyer of Washington, but to be credited to Indiana on political charts, is very much in the running for the Cuban ambassadorship. A few weeks ago Penfleld looked like a sure | bet, and” still rules the favorite. The friends of Robert P. Bass, former Gov- ernor of New Hampshire and one of the Progressives of the Roosevelt Bull Moose era, have put him forward in strenuous fashion for the Cuban post. The Bass candidacy is sald to have failed to register heavily with Mr. Coolidge. * ok %k As to candidates for the Mexican post, the political woods are full of them. John W. Garrett of Baltimore, wealthy banker, with a distinguished record in State Department foreign on the President as a worthy successor to Ambassador Shefficld. Despite much newspaper talk to the contrary, Mr. Coolidge warmly approved Sheffield’s diplomacy in Mexico City, holds him in the highest regard and accepted his resignation with real regret. President wants to replace him with a man equally “strong.” Former Gov. Thomas E. Campbell of Arizona, at commission to the Seville Exposition, is another potential Ambassador whose name recurs in current com- ment. L The name of William V. Hodges, treasurer of the Republican national i . THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. street, | nt vogue of | WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS the President the s, | Hod! the President returns to the Capital. | with Wadsworth, it hinges almost en-! missions, is being strongly pressed | The | the moment heading the American without pity on persons or furnish- ings. The upper lights are cold and hard, in effect, Lower lights make a fair lady look | much fairer, for instance, And younger, too. * K ok K dark comes down, the ur street come out in pr the lamps. This is lamp After dents of to inspe looking The; surel Heads are r along, Iking lel- not to miss anything, urned to the right or left, cordingly as one walks along the north side of the street, going cast, going west along the south side, and S0 on, The color, alike. There's a pretty one—silk shade, of soft amber tint, shedding a soft | slow! There's a blue one, larger t most, throwing glints upon the bright hair of the lovely lady there! ol ¥ We s the lady as well as the lamp! No one on our street miss when he or at the lamp: One has a right to look, of course, it the shades are up—and they always are. What is the use of having a snappy lamp, if no one can see it? * K Kk K ivery one is interested in seeing what every one else has done with the same sort of room that he has. This is a comparative pleasure that those who live in totally different houses miss. mps seem to be placed anywhere and everywhere, just so long as the fundamental rule ved—to place it where it front of a window! Some of the neighbors ha theirs in the center of the room, some to the right, others to the left, others’ by the door (in front of the window), some right of the center, others left. They range the colors of the rain- bow, with shades of silk, glass, parch- ment and whatnot, with shapes round, rectangular or oval. o These are the home lamps. They shine upon faces, furniture, books, musical instruments, pictures, trophies, rugs, hangings. They gleam upon polished mahogany, rubbed oak, soft walnut. They send their radiance upon flushed cheeks, upon pale ones, upen golden hair and hair of faded gray. They light life as it is lived. This is_their glory. In their genial glow children play, and puppies roll, and the busy house- wife sits down in her short skirt to enjoy a moment of- repose. This is the lamp-lit hour of evening, of which Longfellow sang: Between the dark and the daylight, When the night is beginning to lower. Comes a pause in the day's occupations That is known as the children’s hour. wi lamps make lively splotches of | in themselves, with no two es a thing she walks along looking will be in I hear in the chamber above me The patter of little feet. The sound of a door that is opened. And voices soft and sweet. From my study I see in the lamplight, Descending the broad hall stair. Grave Alice and laughing Allegra, And Edith with golden hair. | committee, 1s coming in for consid- crable mention in Washington discus- sion of vacant ambassadorships. Mr. zes fs a prominent Denver, Colo., | lawyer, with a comfortable fortune, who bore the brunt of the fund-rais- ing burden for the Republicans in the 1924 campaign. It is no secret that he has cherished diplomatic aspi- rations and that he stands high in Mr. Coolidge’s regard. Rapid City di patches which report Mr. Hodges' recent week end visit at the Summer White House have given impetus to rumors that he is under consideration for Mexico or Cuba. Colorado has an- other candidate for a diplomatic ap- pointment in the person of ex-Senator Rice W. Means. A e Meanwhile the State Department career service men are keeping a covetous eye on the vacant ambassa-s dorships and are hopeful that the new precedent of promotion on merit without political considerations may be maintained. The naming of Un- dersecretary of State Grew as Am- bassador to Turkey, of Assistant Sec- retary of State J. Butler Wright as Minister to Hungary, of Hugh R. Wil- son, State Department bureau chief, as Minister to Switzerland, and the award of the Ottawa and Dublin posts to foreign service officers brought sor- row to the professional politicians and joy to the professional diplomats. (Copyright, 1027.) o Shrinkage Predicted In Value of Farms From the Houston Chronicle. The facts about the farm situation 10 not have to be imagined. The net Income of the average farme: in the United States last year shrank 20 per cent ,ver the preceding year, and his income for the previous year did not average half that of men employed in industry. A eport of the Federal Bureau of Agri_ultural Economics gives the fig- ures for the year 1926-27. The total net revenue from agriculture in th» United States last year, including that from products consumed on the farms, amounted to $853 for each farm family. Allowing for 4% per cent interest on the capital investment, the average in- come to the “farm operator” was $627. This sum was what he and all the members of his family got for their labor and management on the farm, and in this sum is included the estimated value of things they raised for_themselves. Now, what kind of a rural civili- zation ‘do we think we are going to maintain on an annual family wage of $6277 What is the use of talking about making rural life more attrac- tive? What is the use or talking about rehabilitating the country church? What is the use of talking about i proving educational conditions, when the average farm income, including the value o° things raised and con- sumed at home, is $ The Government reports also that total invested farm values in the United States declined by one and one-half billion dollars in’ the last calendar year. So the 41; per cent al- lowed for interest on capital was on {® decreasing valuation, and even then the figures show that the landlords |and the landowners didn’t get their | 4% per cent. They got about 4 15 per | cent on their greatly deflated capi- talization, while the corporate inter- | ests of the country were getting a total of 13 per cent on their capital investment. i Needless to say that the value of farms is going to shrink a great deal more, unless they can earn more than 415 per cent on present valuation. and the shrinkage has already been | tremendous, it being estimated that agricultural investment has lost eight- een billion dollars in value since just after the war. These figures are enough to fllus- trate the serious nature of the situ- ation before the Nation. It s not something to be ignored and passed over. It is something demanding new and far-reaching remedies, and those who will not open their eyes to the fact are real enemies of America and the American people. Boxers and Boxes, From the Omaha World-Herald. Box office the bigggst thing about the boxing b\ulneu.‘fi P - B ool Eey Politics at Large By G. Gould Lincoln. Almost in the twinkling of an eye the situation in the Republican camp has changed. Throughout the coun- try party leaders were ready to nomi- nate President Coolidge for another term, third-term sue or no third-| term sue. But President Coolidge | has taken himself out of the picture with dramatic suddenness. Many of the leaders still believe that he is the logical nominee for 1928. But as the Lt pass the consciousness that the President has really eliminated him- self, barring certain contingencies, has been brought home to them, until they have come to realize that the party is faced by much the same situ- ation as it faced in 1920, with many strong candidates and others less strong, who must figure in the race for the nomination. XiEn The West, the far West, will make its bid for recognition through the didacy of Secretary Hoover of the tment of Commerce. The Mid- dle West will be represented at the natfonal convention scramble probably by former Gov. Frank O. Lowden and Vice President Dawes, both of Iliinois. New York is likely to put forward Charles Evans Hughes, the standard bearer in 1016, and Ohio may put forward Speaker Longworth or Senator Frank B. Willis. Never has the Pacific Coast had a Presi- dent, though Senator Hiram Johnson of California made a great effort for the Republican nomination in 1920 and a lesser effort in 1924, The inter- mountain States may give support to Senator Borah of Idaho, chairman of the Senate foreign relations com- mittee. _The President by his brief and now historic statement that he does not choose to run for President in 1928 has swept away in a breath the issue upon which the Democrats counted— the third-term issue—though the Re- publicans insisted that another term for the President could not properly be construed as a “third term” in the real meaning of that phrase. It is strange, however, that some of the Democratic leaders who set much store by the third-term issue and declared formerly that Coolldge would be the easiest man for the Democrats to defeat next year are now contending that the with- drawal of Mr. Coolidge is an ald to the Democratic cause. In doing so they figure that the contest which must come for the Republican nomi- nation will cause schisms in the G. O. P. which must aid the Democrats Representative Oldfield of Arkansas, chairman of the Democratic national congressional committee, an indefati- gable worker and an incorrigible opti- mist, is one of those who sees the withdrawal of Mr. Coolidge as an as- set to the Democrats. He feels that any other candidate must face the op- tion of certain elements in the Re- publican party. * kX X The Republicans, however, have way of getting together after the; have nominated their candidate which the Democrats might emulate witi benefit to themselves. The exception to this rule came in 1916, when the faction headed by Senator Hiram Johnson in_California put the skids under the Republican nominee, Mr. Hughes, and threw that State into the Wilson column, thereby giving the election to the Democrats. But Sen- ator Johnson has declared that he has no longer any presidential aspirations. He is expected to run for the Senate to succeed himself next year. What will happen, however, if Secretary Hoover | should be the choice of the Republi- cans in the next national convention is a matter over which the politicians already are speculating. Johnson and Hoover are old enemies in politics, dating from 1920, when Hoover was a candidate for the Republican nomi- nation and Senator Johnson corralled the California delegation. Will Sen- ator Johnson be willing to bury the hatchet in 19287 * kK K There seems little doubt that Mr. Hoover will be the beneficiary of a large independent vote if he be nominated. Thousands upon thou- sands of people were strong for him in 1920. But he did not at that time have the politicians with him. The galleries at the Chicago convention were filled with enthusiastic Hoover supporters, but the delegates were cold to him. Since that time, how- ever, Mr. Hoover has been con- stantly in the public service. He has done much to build the great Department of Commerce into an in- stitution that aids American busi- ness. He has hosts of admirers among the business people and they have their influence with the poli- ticians. More recently he took hold of the Mississippi flood situation with a firm grasp and brought order out of chaos, foed and shelter to the refugees and has presented a plan for the prevention of future floods. He will be a strong candidate in the States of the Mississippi Valley, even in some of those dyed-in-the- wool Democratic States, Arkansas, Louislana and Mississippi, and it is not unlikely that his nomination would swing Kentucky and Tennessee into line for the Republican ticket. * ok ok o With Mr. Coolidge out of the race Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, wet, and president of Columbia University, doubtless will renew his demand that the Republicans name a wet candi- date for President. Had former Sen- ator James W. Wadsworth, jr., of New York been victorious in Fis contest for election to the Senate last year he might have been a formidable candidate for the New York delegation to the national con- vention. But Mr. Wadsworth espoused the wet cause vigorously in the Em- pire State with digastrous results. The dry Republicans upstate rose and smote him in their wrath. If he could not carry New York State against Senator Wagner, his Demo- cratic opponent, what chance, say New York Republicans, would he have to carry the State against Gov. Al Smith? * ko % Gov. Smith’s boom for the Demo- cratic nomination ebbs and flows. Reports recently brought here from some of the Southern States show many of the political leaders, the county and district charimen and committee men in favor of the nomi- nation of Smith on the theory that he is the strongest candidate the party can put forward, and that to nominate any other candidate would so incense a large section of the Democratic party in the country as to spell instant defeat. The political pie counter is calling loudly. * Xk x X The December meeting of the Re- publican national committee, sched- uled to take place here in Washing- ton, takes on added significance with the announcement that President Cool- idge does not choose to run. It was expected that the committee would at that time merely determine where the next Republican national convention should be held and let it go at that, with the understanding that Mr. Cool- idge was to be the nominee. It is not difficult to foresee now a political con- fab of the Republican national committeemen which may have con- siderable effect on the preconvention campaign. Supporters of the vari- ous candidates for the presidential nomination will canva s the sentiment of various States as represented by the national committeeme.. and com- mitteewomen. There have been ru- mors in the past that Chairman Wil liam M. Butler of Massachusetts Q. Why do the Chicago and North- western trains run left—that is, on the left-hand track? Do other trains in the United States do likewise?—G. C. A. The icago and Northwestern Railway says that a great many years ago the railroads of Amer were dominated financially by Kuropean interests, mostly Dutch and English. A number of Englishmen were sent here to operate the railroads, and practically all of the first double- tracking was done and established with left-hand operation, and this con- tinued until a good many miles had been constructed and so operated on the Erie, Fort Wayne, Lake Shore and other railroads, these roads being changed later to right-hand running, the last one being the Lake Shor: now the New York Central Raiiroad, which was changed about 15 yea ago at a very heavy expense. The New York Central still operates two of its four-track system between Buf- falo and New York left-hand and :wo right-hand. The Chicago and North* western Railway has a number of times considered the question, but has | found the expense to be tremendous | compared with the benefits to be ob- tained. Q. What is the difference between a public highway and a boulevard?— A Al A. A public highway is a passage- way maintained by the county, State or Nation, which may be used for any kind of travel under certain regula- tions. A boulevard is a highway re- stricted to certain kinds of traffic and with certain speed regulations. A boulevard fs often a pleasure thorough- fare. Q. Why is the meat of some birds, such as the dove, all dark in color while that of others is part light and part dark?—T. B. A. The Bureau of Biological Sur- vey says very little data have been compiled regarding the reason that some birds have all dark flesh and others part light and part dark. It has been observed, however, that birds in which the power of flight is well developed have more dark meat than others. * Q. This year has 53 pay days. When did this happen last?—D. H. A. The last year that began and ended on Saturday was 1921. Q. What is the Malthusian theory? —W. T. H. A. Thomas R. Malthus, an English economist, propounded the thesis that population in all times has tended to outrun subsistence. He argued that population tended to increase in a geo- metrical ratio, while subsistence might increase in arithmetical progression. For this reason he concluded that there could be no permanent amelio- ration of the lot of the poorer classe: Q. When did the tricolor become the flag of France?—C. E. A. The Marquis de Lafayette brought about the adoption of the tri- color in 1789. Q. When did the first Americans attempt to find the North Pole?— G. R. A. The first American expedition for Arctic exploration left Philadel- phia on November 4, 1753. Q. What does Schenectady mean?— M. W. Z. A. It is an Indian word meaning “over beyond the plains.” It was applied by the early settlers of the town. Q. Where was which _ Robinson the island upon Crusoe lived?— ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKI in the South Pacific, 300 miles west of Chile and belonging to that country Q. Does rain precede or follow tornado or cyclone?—P. M. B. A. Very often some rain precedes the tornado, but it is more frequent! followed by very heavy rain. Th widespread, mild rainstorm, or truc cyclone, is not preceded by rain. but begins with cloudy weather, the clouds gradually growing heavier until the vin that belongs to the storm itself begins. a Q. Can yi a “yesman”?—M. G A. The designation often given to a person who never ex resses an opinion of his own grees with everything that is s u give me a definition of Q. When was New Amsterdam re named New York W. A. ow Amsterdam was renamed New York and the State government reo; 65, after possession had been taken from the Datch by the British in 1664. #The schout, bur gomasters and schepens were replaced with a sheriff, an alderman and & mayor. The actual charter of New York City, upon which most of its civic rights were based, was granted April 22, 1686. Q. How many kinds of rhinoceros are there?—T. C. T. A. There are five existing specles of rhinoceros, all natives of the warm parts of Asia, the Indian Archipelago and Africa. Within the historic pe- iod the hippopotaml have been re- ricted to Africa. Anciently it pos. sessed the whole Nile and was killed by the early Egyptians by means of harpoons. Q. Please explain what makes an airplane stay in the air. . B. A. An airplan€ is kept aloft be- cause the upper pressure of the air against the wings is greater than the attraction of gravitation. Motion is required so that the plane may reach a new section of the air before gravi tation has time to pull it down. This motion produces two effects—it cre. ates pressure beneath the wings and suction above them. This upper pres sure accounts for only one-fourth of an aeroplane's lift. As the machine glides along it pushes aside the alr so that a partial vaculim is created lon top of the wing. The resulting suction is responsible for three- fourths of the plane's lift. The wings of a plane are constructed in such a way as to produce the maximum suc- tion effect. Q. Ts it known how many peopls in this country bear the surname Smith?—N. G. A. According to the latest figures | available, there are 1,304.300 Amerl- cans with the name of Smith. 3 members has the United National Association of Post Office Clerks and how many has the | National Federation?—C. L. A. A. The United National Association of Post Office Clerks was originally organized in 1885 and reorganized in 1899. Its membership at present num- bers 45,000. The National Federation of Post Office Clerks has been organ- ized since 1906. Its membership com- prises approximately 50,000. What do you need to knowf Is there some point about your business or personal life that puzzles you? Is there something you want to know without_delay? Submit your ques- tion to Frederic J. Haskin, director of | our Washington Information Bureau. He is employed to help you. Address | your inquiry to The Evening Star In- How many | | I A B A. It is believed that Robinson Cri s0e was marooned on one of the larger | islands of the Juan Fernandez group. formation_Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin director, Washington, D. .. and in- | close 2" cents in stamps for returm | postage. China’s Quake A new realization that the earth, after all, is a pretty large place, not- withstanding modern communication: and transportation, is revealed in e torial comment on the great Chinese earthquake of May 13, about which the outside world heard nothing until late in July. Of- the Province of Kansu, where the disaster occurred, the Charleston Evening Post says: “The region is evidently thickly populated, and doubt- less the people maintain a civilization of ancient origin. It cannot be re- garded as an insignificant community, but, for all that, a disaster which, had it occurred in Europe or America, or even in those portions of the Orient into which Westerners have pene- trated extensively, would have excited tremendous interest and sympathy, was not even known for weeks. Well, perhaps the people in Kansu Province don’t know yet that the greatest war in recorded history was fought to a finish nearly 10 years ago in Europe, Asia, Africa, America and the seven seas.” “We talk about the world being a small place as the result of speeding up of communication through modern devices,” remarks the Kansas City Post, “but in backward countries the world is still a large place, after all. This is especially true of China, where even bad roads are few and where there are huge stretches of territory over which all freight is transported on human backs. Telegraphic and postal service was destroyed by the earthquake, thus causing the dela: but if such a disruption of service had occurred in more up-to-date countries for only 24 hours, repair crews would have been rushed to the scene to dis- cover what the matter was, and news of the catastrophe would have been forwarded. The incident goes to show the wide gap which exists between Oriental and Occidental civilizations.” * Kk Kk The Watertown Daily Times sees in the “slowness with which this news filtered out of China” a demonstra- tion of “the physical greatness o that country. There in the interior,” continues the Times, ‘“hundreds of miles from railroads, are large cities. In one city alone 10,000 persons were killed. This great tragedy took place, destroying thousands of lives, yet the world knew nothing of it.” “International assistance may be re- quired, but it will be unavailable for eks,” states the Muncie Star, with the explanation: “The need for out- side aid is due partly to the lack of national unity, which renders one sec- tion of China indifferent to what may be happening in another. Famine and flood have also developed a fatalism among the natives. The fortunats ones make little or no effort to aid the distressed, nor do the latter expect it. Life in the primitive regions is still a struggle for the survival of the national convention and the next can- didate will have a chance t) pick his own campaign manager. * kK It has been generally supposed, too, in Massachusetts, that Mr. Butler would seek to “‘come back” to the Sen- ate in 1928, running against Senator David 1. Walsh, who defeated him last year. Mr. Butler has made no an- nouncement of his plans, but, with President Coolidge off the ticket, some of the political obesrvers doubt that Demonstrates Earth Is Rather Big, After All fittest. Tt Is a region whers the boasted speed of modern civilization is unknown and unwanted.” “The loss of life may concefvably exceed that of any similar disaster in history,” in- the opinion of the St. Joseph News-Press, and the Indlan- apolis News, pointing out that “the journey from Kansu to a source of aid s many weeks,” suggests that “the difficulty is another reminder that in dealing with China and trying to understand the Chinese it is neces- sary to make allowance for the fact that many Chinese live in a world which Fkas none of the convenlences of transportation and communication regarded as necessary to Western civilization.” * ok ok m A query which is suggested by the earthquake, with its slow appeal to the world, is voiced by the Grand Rapids Press, “How can China be a united people, a true democracy, while it remains so incredibly primitive that 100,000 of its people can be blotted out without being missed until two months afterward?” The Williams- port Sun describes the province, as it appears in Orientaleyes, as “a far distant land, separated from the out- side world by barriers of mountain and stream, by lack of modern meth- ods of communication, and by the ignorance, superstition and blind ad- herence to ancient customs which separate these remote tribes hundreds of years from modern peoples,” and that paper emphasizes the thought that there is “a tremendous task con- fronting those who hope to create a united Chinese nation.” “It is an interesting commentary on the attitude of the Chinese of a generation ago toward the telegraph,” observes the New York Times, “that they bitterly opposed the stringing of telegraph wires because it was claimed that these brought bad luck and fact'i- tated the work of the spirits of evil. The opposition was finally broken down, and one of the arguments put forward to explain the activities of the government in establishing tele- graph lines was that the famous Li Hung Chang, who was foremost In support of the work, had in a previous incarnation been a spider, and so was fated to spin his web all over China. UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR Ten Years Ago Today President signs administration food bill and formally names Herbert | Hoover as food administrator. Hoover - immediately serves notice on specu- . lators and profiteers that the time of reckoning has come for those who refuse to co-operate with the Government. * ¢ ¢ War Department orders search for spies who have been watching troop movements. * ¢ * Marines in France subscribe for $60,000 of French bonds, paying for them in gold. * * * Ten Bel- glans arrested for smuggling rubber 8o0ods to Germany on relief ships. * * * Marine Corps reaches war strength. Recruiting is suspended for 10 days. * * * Figures submit- ted by Senate finance committee show that 48 corporations made $659,853 490 out of the war last year, * * ¢ Mec Mr. Butler will undertake the race for the Senate. The chairman of the Repub- lican national committee, however, has Adoo tells congressional leaders tbat he considers another bond issue neces- sary shortly and suggests $6,000,000,- would quit as head of the committee, | plenty of determination, and it would |000. * * * Government has not yet but they have been denied as fast as|not surprise his friends if he per- |definitely given up the idea of sending they arose. idge campaign four years ago and was expected. to repeat in 1928, He managed the Cool-|sisted in seeking the Republican nom- | American troops to Russia, ination and got it. If he does not feeling that such a move would have a But | there will be-a scramble’ for it in the [splendid moral effect. * * ¢ Exemp- will Mr. Butler care to continue as|State. Gov. Fuller, it is understood, |tion board in East Side, New York, chairman under the new set of condi- | does' not care for it, though he could | removed by direction of the President ‘The chances are, however, on at least until the tions? that he will hold have it for the to run. probal asking if Mr. Butler el 3 lar conduct and