Evening Star Newspaper, August 28, 1927, Page 40

THE - EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. SUNDAY.......August 28, 1927 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: 11th 8t. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicago_Office: Tower Buildini. European Office: 18 Refent St.. Loudon. Englan The Evening Star with the Sunday morn- ing edition is delivered by earriers within the city at 60 cents per month: daily ouly. 45 cents per month: Sundays only. 20 co per month. Orders may he sent by mail or telephone Main 5000, Collecticn is made by carrier at end of each month. Mail—Payable in Advance. aryland and Virginia. Rate 'fi Daily only, Sunday onl All Other States and Canada. Daily and_Sunday.] yr.. §12 00: 1 mo. Daily only 1yr. $R00:1mo. Sunday only 1yr. $100:1mo Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively ent 10 the ‘use for repuhlication of all news atches credited o it or not otharwise cred- ted in this naper and also the Jocal news publshed herein. Al rishts of dublicai of epecial dispaiches herein are also rese=v.d One-Man Cars. In unanimously adopting a reso- | lution unfavorable to the extension of the one-man-car service in this | city, the Citizens' Advisory Council | has undoubtedly expressed the pub- lic feeling on this subject. The council requests the Public Utilities Commission to adhere strictly to the policy of the former commission in refusing to permit an increase in the number of the conductorless cars. | This action was taken after a study of the question by members of the commission. There are two reasons why the ‘Washington people do not want more one-man cars than are at present in operation. One is that these cars do not give adequate service. The other is that it is felt that this ex- pedient of economy is deterrent to the consolidation of the two traction systems, a consummation which is greatly to be desired from the public point of view. A good many years ago there was @ strike on one of the street car lines in this city—not a strike of operatives, but of patrons. The line in question was run on a one-horse basis, cars being drawn by a single animal and operated by one man each. This man not only drove the horses, but he made change, sold tickets and supervised the deposit of fares in the box. The patrons of the line, after an unsuccessful pe- tition to the company for a two-man service. which would relieve them of the necessity of paying their own fares and would incidentally give them better accommodations, went on strike and, though entering the cars, refused to deposit their fares. The strike continued for several days and was finally successful, the company agreeing to order larger cars to be manned by two men each. This parallel is not to be regarded @s an incitation to organized oppo- sition to the one-man car in Wash- ington, but is merely cited as an illustration of the natural demand of the publie for adequate street railway service, Those were the days of horse cars, which were tol- erated because there was no better means of traction power, save the cable system, which was locally used on some lines. In a few years, elec- tric traction having been developed meanwhile, an effort was made to install the overhead trolley system in Washington, and it was fought vigorously and finally successfully by the community, with the result of the eventual installation of the pres- ent system of underground con- duits, which is the best and safest and least disfiguring of all. But the fight for this method was a hard one. The companies were disinclined to adopt the more expensive method and various substitutes were pro- posed, not sincerely but in fact aimed to demonstrate that there was nothing available but the overhead trolley. The course of rapid transit de- velopment in Washington has been toward the best available. The one- man car is not the best mode. It is a cheaper and less efficient means ot public transportation than the standard mainly in operation. That is why there is opposition to the extension of the one-man service. It only by means of its enlarging the one-man service is an applica- tlon for a higher rate of fare to be avoided, it follows that this system is urged, not for the public con- venience but for its cheapness. The Citizens' Advisory Council is on solid ground when it protests against any cheapening of the serv- ice when the possibility remains of merger of the two systems with the consequence of an equalization of financlal conditions and the possi- bility of adjusting the fares to the actual equitable requirements of the corporation. —— oo An arrangement might be desirable by which every man contemplating a long-distance flight should be required 1o take lessons from Lindbergh. —— e, Although personally unostentatious, the weather man has succeeded in turning out some of the most startling news of the Summer. i An Air Race Prize Withdrawn. Soon after the offer of the Dole priz of $35,000 for a flight from San Fran- cisco to Honolulu a Hollywood theater man offered $30,000 as a prize for a flight from Los Angeles to Tokio. Now the Los Angeles Chamber of Com- merce has, in view of the tragedies en- tailed in the Honolulu flight, suggested that this proffer be withdrawn, and the theater man has agreed to this course, This is to be commended. The offering of rich prizes for ultra-hazard- ous feats of aviation has been em- phatically condemned throughout the country. The Dole prize was deplored en before the take-oft {rom Oakland for it was felt that the money allure- ment would draw into the race pliots who were not sufficiently skilled and planes not capable of making the dis. tance. The tragic events have amply tary stimulation. There must be a liberal expenditure of capital in the building of planes for particular long- range flights such as that which has just started from Harbor Grace, New- foundland, in an attempt to circle the world by air. Abundant means will be provided for such purposes. Avia- tors willing to risk their lives in these endeavors will be found by the pro- moters. But there should be no free- for-all competitions for prizes in cir- cumstances of exceptional peril. The Redfern flight to Brazil may suc- ceed, but there is great fear for this darirg solo flyer, who started off on s | the longest single hop yet undertaken in the face of the gravest dangers and n & region of treacherous weather. e | took his own risk, however, and was under no particular compulsion to start at a given time in accordance with the terms of a contest Long-range flying will undoubtedly become common in a few yvears. This present year has been marked by more advances tn that direction than any other period Three planes have crossed the Atlantic successfully. One has failed Two have cro: the Pacific to Hawaii and two have failed with a third plane missing as a result of the search for the unsuccessful racers. A heavy toll has been paid for this season’s triumphs, some of it needless, and it is well that the project of a flight to Tokio has been aban- doned, else there would be surely more deaths to record e Brother Charles Nominated Undeterred by the unhappy experi- ence of 1 when the addition of “Brother Charles” Bryan to the Demo- cratic national ticket unquestionably proved a handicap to an already over- weighted candidacy, the Nebraska Democratic Club is now proposing to put the name of the former governor of that State before the national con- vention next June, not for Vice Pres- ident but for the first place on the ticket. The club, which has just held a meeting, has passed a resolution to this effect and is going to seek the in- struction of the Nebraska delegation to vote for “Bryan for President.” Is the Democratic party going into battle array next year under the em- blem of the black skull cap. which figured so conspicuously in the pic- torial literature of the fight of 19247 Is it going to try to capitalize the posthumous fame of Brother William, who thrice headed its cohorts in pres«‘ idential conflict in successively greater defeats? On this point Brother Charles is non- committal. When asked regarding the action of the Nebraska Democratic Club, he responded with becoming modesty, “I am not an active candi- jate for the nomination for President.” Well said, Brother Charles! That was the right line to take, indeed the only line. It conforms to the highest tra- ditions relating to the presidency. It preserves the attitude of receptivity that must be maintained by all who may aspire, all who have hopes, all who may be “persuaded” to sacrifice themselves on the altar of the country. In saying that he is not an “active candidate” for the presidency, Brother Charles is perhaps a little too discreet. That* word “active” has its implica- tions. Is there such a thing as a “passive "candidate?” Gov, Smith of New York might be so called, but he has never gone so far as to use that word “active” In any pronouncement on the subject. Brother Charles is assuredly dry. He has a certain geographical ad- vantage, coming from the Middle West and supposedly a sincere friend of the farmer. He has the prestige of a well known name. He has been governor of the State. He might be regarded as a fair dark horse materia). Perhaps Nebraska has no more favor- ite son just at present, and unless the New York governor runs away with the convention in the first stage of the balloting, favorite sons will have their opportunity. Stranger things have happened than that for which the Nebraska Democratic Club Is now at work. ———— The pioneers of the air are risking hardship and life itsel as ploneers on land and sea were compelled to do. The money inducements held out are none too great for a successful flight. Yet restrictions must be worked out which will discourage a reckless in- clination to regard a perilous journey only as a sporting event. —————— Mexico has had commendable suc- cess in refusing to dignify a looting expedition as a mob uprising. A dis- orderly gathering grows worse as it s permitted to take itselt more seriously. : ————— et A statesman who decides that he does not choose is more reliable in his thought than the one who thinks he can select what he likes. ———rat—. High Cost of Welcoming. Washington spent about $9,000 in welcoming Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, and the event will live long in the memory of Washingtonians, not only because of the spontaneous enthusi- asm which lifted it far above the or- dinary, but because of the smooth- ness with which the program was planned and executed. The §9,000 was secured through public subscription, for the most part, and was used to detray expenses of erecting stands, purchasing fireworks, clerical hire, etc. After it was over the general opinion was that everybody, including Col. Lindbergh, had a good time and | that the money was well spent. A few days later New York wel- comed Col. Lindbergh and the noise of the welcome was heard around the world, One of the echoes has just re- turned. It Is a particularly strong ccho, but from this distance sounds exceedingly like a low, wistful and painfully drawnout howl. It con- cerns the $50,000 appropriated by the city of New York for welcoming the famous colonel. Some of ths items we enlightening: Diploma for Col. Lindbergh, $900; hotel bill for Col Lindbergh and his mother, three days, $1.44375; float for parade, $2.250; grandstands, $13,101; tickets, fnvita- tions, etc. $12,324; menu cards, off- cial dinner, §3,820. And the invitations and souvenir menu cards—in gravure, with Amer proved Lhis to be true, Aviatlon must progress in natural Cevelopment and not through mone: city seal stal d In gold, at $1.27— ican and Fresch flags hand colored, were receivedZdy 3,325 city politiclans, | which he had been elected, changed THE SUNDAY STAR, 'WASHINGTON, D. €., AUGUST 28, 1927-PART L) officials, relatives, in-laws, aunts and uncles, while 6,996,676 of New York's boasted seven millions were over- looked. The same small group en- joyed seats In the grandstands, which served chiefly to shut out the view of the other 6,996,675 cheering wel- comers But New York always does things in such a big. fine way! Remember how the New Yorkers tore up their telephone bhooks, for instance? Sure- ty they won't grudge this tiny item of $50,000! ————ee— Irish Politics. Ireland is passing through a pecul- iar political crisis and President Cos- grave is proving himself an adept pol- itician. Recently Eamonn De Valera, leader of the Irish Republicans, who had refused to take his seat in the Dail Eirann, the Irish parliament, to his mind and took the oath with a number of his followers. The ucces- sion of these Republicans upset the government's balance of power in the legislature. On a test of strength the other day a tie vote was cast, the pre- siding officer breaking the tie in favor of the Cosgrave government. This tie was made possible by the absence of one member of the anti-government faction, who suddenly disappeared from his seat in the Dail just before the balloting. He has since resigned bhis membership in the party. Imme- diately after the announcement of the vote Cosgrave dissolved the session until October 11. Then came two bye- elections to fill vacancies caused by the assassination of Kevin O'Higgins and the death of Countess Markievicz. Upon these two contests rested the immediate fate of the Cosgrave gov- ernment. The result has been a pro. nounced victory, the government can- didate for the O'Higgins vacancy win- ning by more than 21,000, while in EVERYDAY RELIGION BY THE RIGHT REV. JAMES E. FREEMAN, D. D,, LL. D., Bishop of Washington. “Forgetting What We Were.” “When thou wast little in thine own sight.”—1 Samuel, zv.I7. One of the finest evidences of true greatness is disclosed in the capacity to remember the day of small be- ginnings. All too f.equently when distinctions or honors, wealth or po er come to us, we forget the days when we were little in our own sight. Humility is a virtue that is singularly rare among us. It is conspicuously true of those who are really great that they recall with pride the early days when life was homely and simple. One of the most dramatic stories in ghe Old Testament is that of Saul, went in search of his father's lost asses and found a king- dom and a crown. He is described as a man of superb stature, a born commander of men. In him the prophet Samuel saw great possibili- ties.” Under divine leadership he selected him to be the ruler of a nation. The early days of his reign were characterized by real power and genius, but power and position de- stroyed his sense of humility, took from him his sense of dependence upon God and fssued ultimately in his downfall and defeat. Faliling at length to fulfill the high purpose of his great office, he came to be shorn of his power and his decline was swift and certain. When Samuel admon- ished him <oncerning his weaknes: he declared to him that his fall was due to his arrogance and conceit, and to his failure to remember with hu- mility the day of small things, His case is by no means unique or unusual. Nothing is harder to re- sist than that which comes to us along with honors and distinctions. To be able to survive the environ- ments of luxurious living, to hold fast to those virtues and qualities of character that are the concomitants of simple living, is an evidence of real greatness and stability of char- acter. The enervating tendencies generated by new and strange condi- the other case the government nomi- nee won by more than 4,500, in each case over the Flanna Fail, or De Valerite nominee. On the strength of these two elections, indicating a gov- ernment sentiment in the country, Cosgrave has announced the dissolu- tion of the parliament and called for a general election on the fifteenth of September. A lively campaign will now be started, and three weeks hence Ireland will cast its votes, with the issue sharply drawn between Free State and Republic, between Cosgrave and De Valera. ’ —r—te—. Next to that of the aviation hero himself, Lindbergh’s private secretary is probably the most overworked per. son in the country. The exact num- ber of cubic yards of correspondence waiting to be answered has not been announced, but it is understood that the figures are large. ————— An unaccredited Washington, D. C., suide asserts a position which releases him from the necessity of ascertaining facts and enables him to entertain a wondering and wide-eyed audience by exercising his own imagination, Act- ing as a guide involves certain moral responsibilities. ————e—. Many tourists have been agreeably impressed with this city not only for its Interest and beauty but for its Sumtner climate. It has surpassed both mountains and seashore as a place from which to send pe cards. ———— e A woman tennis player makes a pic- ture of athletic grace which might easily seem to entitle her to a beauty prize. The average beauty contestant appears to have little more to 4o than stand still and smile, ———— His remark to thé effect that United States Senators are paid too much will convince many who are struggling with living costs that Senator Couzens is a patriot and a studious economist but not a reliable statistictan. ———at— It is remarkable how many people know how to dance, and yet how few know how to handle their feet prop- erly in crossing a motor-crowded street, SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, Temperate Thought. Tt is the fate of every man Some moment in his life to see When people, with his cherished plan, Disagree. And only Time, who moves in state, Observing all, both day and night, Can in the future demonstrate Who was right. But this I know: If I am moved By reckless passion, swift strong, Whate're my thought, proved I was wrong. The Even Number Favored, “Do you believe there’s luck in odd numbers?” “I don’t know,” answered Senator Sorghum. “For my own affairs, I'll be disappointed If 1928 doesn’t prove luckier than 1927.” Incoherency. My Radio! My Radio! What words and music you've de- vised! It I should utter them I know 1'd soon be psychoanalyzed. and events have Jud Tunkins says every man at scme time in his life should play poker in order to secure an education in how dangerous it may be to get caught cheating. The Power of Print. “Do you enjoy motion pictures? “Yes,” replied Miss Cayenne, “They are my favorite reading.” “The seeker for great office,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “must depend not on what he is, but on what the public has learned to imagine him.” True to Form. When but a baby Maggle Bing Each night kicked off the covering. Now, still unclad before our eyes, She wins a beauty contest prize. “Read yoh Bible,” sald Uncle Eben, TEACHING THE tions that inevitably accompany ae- quired wealth or aquired power call for and demand unusual strength of character to resist their baleful influ- ences. A discriminating observer of men in public office recently remarked to us that, in his long and intimate study of those whose careers had been marked by extraordinary opportun- ities, Jt was depressing to note how few retained the high spiritual vision with which they came to their exalted tasks. Said he, “I have seen many men come to a plce of power who, at the beginning of their public careers, disclosed an appreciation of the ideal, of the sheer worth of great moral principles, and repeatedly 1 have known them as they came into collision with the concerns of ‘practi- cal politics,’ so called, to abandon their high impulses and lose their deep sense of moral values.” They were the victims of new and changed environing conditions. They did not have the capacity to remember with humility the day when they were small in their own sight. To be able to hold to the homely and simple qualities that we knew and practiced in our youth is a guar- antee of permanent success and hap- piness. To remember always that anything that may come to us in the way of distinction, power or luxury is not comparable in worth to what we have within us of moral character is to insure ourselves against those disappointments and tragic fallures that frequently mark the way of those who, like Saul, are unmindful of the day of small beginnings. The sheer moral grandeur of char- acter that refuses to be made sub- servient to the ways and habits that attend success and prosperity is, after all, the greatest asset we have. With it we feel a sense of security, without it there is no stability, no satisfaction and no sense of perma- nence. The men and the women who have been the greatest benefactors of their generations have heen those who remembered ‘“‘when they were small in their own sight.” CONSTITUTION BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. “The Constitution must be taught In our schools, and there must be a reformation in the manner of teach- ing it says the committee on American citizenship of the Ameri- can Bar Association in a report which will be presented to the fiftieth an- nual meeting of the association which opens in Buffalo on August 31. “We urge the members of this association in every State to cqoperate with us in securing better ‘teaching of the Constitution in the grades, in high schools, and particularly in normal schools and other institutions which prepare teachers for their career.” There are 37 States which now re- quire by statute the teaching of the Constitution in the public schools; 11 States have no such law, continues the report. A carefifl survey of the practical working of these laws has been made by Samuel P. Weaver of the Spokane, Wash., bar, and it shows that most of the laws are ineffective owing either to their own weakness or to the indifference of the teaching profession. ‘The committee says that this sur- vey and its own investigations prove conclusively that the Constitution can- not be taught effectively except as a separate course. Taught as it now is, mixed in with a course called “civics™ or with American history, little is ac- complished. It is the opinion of all the members of the committee that too much at- tention is paid to “civic: largely a study of the local govern- ments, school district, city, county and State. “If a part of the time devoted to this study of local institutions were given to the framework, background, history and benefits of the National Constitution, if every pupil were re- quired to pass an examination on the Constitution in advancing from one grade to another, from the grade school to the high school, from the high school to the State-supported colleges, before admission,” says the report, “the result for which this com- mittee aims would be accomplished.” Recommends Uniform Law. The committee urges that the law upon this subject should insist upon a separate course, however limited the hours, and upon this examination. To this end it has drafted a bill for a uniform law covering the subject and supplying the deficiencies of existing laws. The greatest difficulty in the pres- ent situation has been found to be that the teachers who undertake to teach the Constitution do mot them- selves understand it. The teachers must be taught. Teachers employed in the public schools, says the report, should be compelled to pass an ex- amination on this subject as thor- ough as that passed in the three R’s. Most of the State laws are deficient in this respect, it is stated, and it is entirely natural that the teaching protession, already overwhelmed with the multiplicity of subjects attempted to be taught, should be reluctant to undertake a new study and add to the already overburdened curriculum. They do not understand the funda- mental importance of this subject, that the primary object of the public education is to make a capable and, therefore, a good citizen. “We believe, as all students of the Constitution do, that to know lhfa Constitution is to be its defender, says the committee. *“A sound knowl- cdge of it is necessary to intelligent citizenship. Questions related to the welfare of the Republic, which are arising more and more frequently, cannot be rightly decided by voters wholly uneducated in the philosophy of our Government. “This lack of education extends from the schools up to the State Legislature and the National Congress. The found- ers of the public school system in- tended that it would make men and women capable of self-government, able to pass with educated, sureness on governmental questions. This the schools have failed to do.” As an illustration of the lack of the spirit for intelligent self-government, a recent judicial election in Chicago 1s cited. Beventeen judges were chosen. “'Notwithstanding the prevalence of criminality, and the general criticism of the judicial lyaim‘.:m :10:‘ n%tnl;del- tely dealing with crime, r‘l]'l::l Orywonmn out of 10 voted—206,000 out of over 2,000,000 men and women 21 years of age. Nine out of every 10 abdicated their sovereignty.” Lawyers Need Teaching Also. The spokesmen for the bar associa- tion do not spare their own profession in their strictures upon th gen ral lack of knowledge of the Nation's or- ganic law. On the contrary, they are about as severe in their criticism of lawyers and law schools as in what they say about teachers and the pub- lic_schools. “Every lawyer takes an oath to sup- port the Constitution of the United States,” they point out. *“Unl knows what the Constitution i it means, what it has accomplished, his oath is as idle as the paper hiero- glyphs on a Chinese prayer wheel. How can he support something of which he is largely, If not entirely, ignorant? He might as well swear to support Einstein’s doctrine of rel tivity. Next in importance to t teaching of the Constitution in tI “an' if you gits into an’ ahgument 'bout it, remember, 'Blesded is de peasemaker, public schools is a better, more ex- plicit and more general education of the student in the law schools. The commjttee was convinced by a study of the curriculi of the law schools of the country that only a minority of them go beyond the con- tract clause, the commerce clause and the fourteenth amendment, those parts of the Constitution with which the lawyer is most commonly brought in contact in earning fees. A distin- guished law professor is quoted as having declared that he was not teack- ing his boys the Constitution, but was teaching them how to get into the Supreme Court and win their cases. It is a laudable ambition to make money at the baf, says the committee, but it would be a bitter reproach to the profession if that were its only ambition. Pointing out that those who attain eminence at the bar are generally pro- found students of the Constitution, not only of its positive provisions, but also of its wonderful history and background, the committee says that one of the best assets a young lawyer could have is to be able to make an intelligent speech on the Constitution, but that few of the law schools turn out their graduates fitted to do that. To aid along that line the commit- tee announces that it is preparing a handbook on the Constitution, consist- ing of copious extracts from Fiske, Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Mar- shall, Webster, Wilson, Coolidge and other great expounders of the Consti- tution, and other matter, particularly an interesting analysis of the world influence of our Constitution on mod- ern forms of government. Boards of law examiners of the va- rious States are urged to revise, it they have not already done so, their examination questionnaires so that before any one is admitted to the legal profession he must show himself com- petent to support the Constitution by expounding and teaching it. oo Move to Standardize Latin American Trade BY HARDEN COLFAX. Means to facilitate commeree amon, the American republics, a aubjecgt which holds elements of interest “for every exporter and importer of the United States and his colleagues to the south, are to be considered at a meeting of the Pan-American Com- r.msxion for the Simplification and ht;ndardlzullgn of Consular Pro- cedure, which will open i Ve o ton, October 10, o e Frankly projected, not only to make exporting easy, but also to reduce its cost, the approaching conference af- fects the entire population of each of the countries concerned, for interna- tional trade spells the difference be- tween prosperity and depression, un- der all.save the most abnormal con- ditions, Latin America is an important mar- ket for the United S(a(el!) l!:d p’:‘o‘m~ ises to increase in proportion to ship- ments from this country. But the United States is even more important to Latin America as an outlet for the products of the Southern republics, Last year, the value of exports to the 20 Latin American countries was $836,000,000, while imports from those countries aggregated $1,045,000,000, This is an international trade aggre- gating close to two billion dollars an- nually, a very respectable sum. Even those most distantly removed from di- rect connection with export business can imagine that if $836,000,000 were subtracted from the total export trade of this country, there would be some effact upon their individual prosper- ity and well-being. * ok ok x The Latin American republics trade much less among themselves than might be #hought without knowledge of the situation. The exports of the 20 republics to one another aggregate around $200,000,000 a year, or about 8 per cent of their total export trade. The United States accounts for ap- proximately 75 per cent of the export shipments of this score of countries, Some of the Southern republics have { practically no trade with the others, for the readily understood reason that the others within shipping distance vroduce only the same things. Cuba’s principal exports are sugar and tobacco, both of which are pro- duced bountifully in the other Latin American countries with which the |l‘!lunll republic might expect to have an exchange of commerce otherwise. Mexico ~exports about $19,000,000 worth of goods annually to other Latin American republics, but imports only about $800,000 from the same region. On the other hand, 80 per cent of Para- guay’'s exports are to Latin America and 40 per cent of her imports are (rom that area, this being the only one of the 20 republics which has a larger trade with its immediate neighbors than with the United States. That commerce can overcome poli- tics is evident from the fact that, de- spite territorial disputes, almost 20 per cent of Peru's exports go to Chile, he | these exports bring principally food- | stuffs for consumption in the mineral jand nitrate mining area of Northern Chile. k% Tiaproved transportation is increas- {ing inter-Latin American commerce each year. The Southern American nd Central American republics are getting into much closer communica- tion with one another, through more and better railroads, highways and water routes. The economic position of their populations is being placed hlghe‘r, with resultant greater buying Qne of the greatest depa.tments ot our Government, the Department of Agriculture, which has one of the largest pay rolls, is interested espe- clally in the basic task of producing an adequate and well balanced food supply for all the 120,000,000 people, an” i directly affects all the citizens— like lfopsy. ““just grew.” There is no substantive law for many of its most Important activities which for years have been carried on with appropri- ationus put into the supply bill without waliting for a formal act of authori- zation. So the history o the departmen. has never been as clear and concise as that of other Government institutions. Thn department has just published a new history prepared by Francis G. Caffey, former solicitor, which can be b.d a3 a public document. For about 60 years subsequent to the Revolution the general interests of agriculture were left almost entirely to individual initiative. Federal activ- ity was confined to relatively narrow limits, and was merely sporadic. There Was no committee on agriculture in th> House until 1820, nor in the Sen- ate until 1825. Shortly after the Revolution, foi- lowing the example of Franklin while In England as agent of the Colony of Pennsylvania during the years 1764 to 1775, American consuls and naval offl- cer commenced the custom of sending home foreign seeds and cutting. for new crops and of aiding in the intro- duction into the United States of new breeds of domestic animals. Even such small governmental participation was, in the beginning, rather extra- official, .‘rom an early date after its acqul- sition. the public domain vas availed of as a means of benefiting agricul- ture. In 1817 Congress provided for the allotment of certain lands, within what was then known as the Missis. sippi Territory, to French immigrants for the purpose of promoting the cultivation of the vine and the olive. In 1838, in recognition of services in introducing useful tropical plants into the United States, rendered by Henry Perrine, Congress granted to him and his associates a body of land in the southern extremity of the peninsula of East Florida for the propagation and cultivation of such plants. In 1836 the Commissioner of Patents, independently of his office, assumed the responsibility of accepting con- tributions of new and valuable seeds and of distributing them among farmers throughout the country, and in his report to Congress urged the creation of a depository to receive and dispense articles of this kind. The indebtedness of the people to this rilicial for his activities along these ines has never been fully recognized, and overstatement of it would be difficult. In 1839 Congress made an appropria- tion of $1,000 for “the collection of agricultural statistics, and for other agricultural purposes.” A similar item was included in the appropriations: for the fiscal years 1842 and 1844, and has been repeated annually ever since the latter date. The act of 1839 was the earliest statute containing even a suggestion of comprehensive dealing with the subject of agriculture by the Federal Government. While the department was under the direction of a Commissioner the work became so enlarged and varied that it was necessary to divide it into distinct units. In 1880 Congress created uix divisions—chemical, seed, entomological, statistical, microscop- fcal and botanical—in addition to the office of the Commissioner, the ex- perimental garden and grounds. laboratory, museum and library, In 1884 a Bureau of Animal Indus- try was created. The first appropriation for investiga- t'ons on forestry subjects was made In 187G, In 1886 a division of forestry was formed to carry on this work. In 1889 the department became an executive department, having at its head a Secretary, who occuples a place in the President's cabinet. Its functions have grown to such an ex- tent that now they touch almost all lines of agricultural endeavor of general interest to the citizers of the United States, as well as other lines of activity related to agriculture, * x % % There is great encouragement in the fact that our Capital visitors are growing more studious about the seat of government. They are learning more about Washington City and the part it plays in the affairs of their daily lives.” This is shown conspicu- ously at the tourists’ camp in East Potomac Park, which is coming to be a Washington Summer school, with students from hundreds of colleges and universities about the country making themselves cheap headquar- ters there while they carry on re- search work here that is impossible in their home towns. These students with groups of home folks go prospecting for interesting information to be found in aMmost every one of the countless offices of the Government here and which is not in the usually trodden route of the casual sightseer. When they make a “find” they swap a ‘“tip” about it with some othér group in the camp which has been prospecting in another branch of Uncle Sam’s workshop—and 80 the knowledge is spread by word of mouth that is not usually printed in books or papers. As an illustration of the sort of interesting information that is being ferreted out: The original land patent granted by George III of Great Britain to James Baird for 10,000 acres in Florida, in 1776, which is in the pos- session of the General Land Office, was inspected the other day by a group from the tourist camp who, Wwhen they are at home, live on part of the land covered in this parchment document, to which a’'brown wax seal 4% inches in dlameter and a half inch thick is attached by a piecs of faded blue ribbon, When “tipped off” by the Floridians, another camp group from Louisiana | The visiteq the General Land Ofce and were shown a relinquishment, also on parchment, signed by Maj. Gen. La- fayette, affecting 520 acres in the vicinity of New Orleans which had been given to Lafayette by act of Congress and which he found difficulty in locating. The Land Office museum also has In its museum of historical interest orig- inal land patents on parchment signed by John Adams, Jam Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. There are also bounty land warrants for military services issued to Philip H. Sheridan, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Ambrose E. Burnside, Ulysses S. Grant, W. S. Hancock and Winfleld Scott. T R e power and consumer demands. This increase in prosperity means greater purchasing, as well as selling, with the United States. The question of simplifying and standardizing consular procedure was raised at the Pan-American Com- mercial Conference held here last May, and a commission was authorized to meet later, This committee has been organized under the auspices of the Pan-American Union and the call for its meeting has been sent out, with the first session set for October 10. It is hoped that the results may be placed before the sixth Pan-American confer- ence to be held at Havana next Spring. Probably the most important of the subjects to be discussed at the ap- proaching conference is the reduction of consular fees to a service basis, rather than their use as a means of revenue or as an indirect method of increasing tariff duties, which is the practice in some countries. ‘The United States, for Instance, charges only a nominal fee for a consular visa, which permits exports of goods into this country. A million-dollar cargo can be entered in the United States at a consular cost of $2.50, (Copyright. 1027.) sl & Capital Sidelights. BY BEN McKELWAY. Members of the force shall at all times maintain decorum and com- mand of temper; shall be patient and discreet, and shall refrain from using harsh, violent, profane or insolent language.—Section 30, Police Manual. Members o the force shall at all times treat citizens, associates and superior officers with respect and civility, and shall, even in the face of provocation. refrain from the use of harsh, profane or abusive language.—Chapter 2-A, Section 1, Police Manual. No one can be just and at the same time expect that the experience of standing for long hours in the center of a busy street intersection directing the safe passage of armies of pedes- trians and endless caravans of motor cars will tend to make of the traffic policeman a paragon of unfailing cour- tesy or equip him with a Sir Walter Raleigh complex. The duty of a traffic officer is an onerous one, subjecting him to a mental strain which begins when he takes his post and never re- laxes until he quits his station. It is small wonder that at times he loses his temper in the stress of the tur- moil which surrounds him, leading him to “bawl out” a careless driver and to expostulate in abusive tones with suicidally minded foot passen- gers. To make himself heard above the demoniacal din of impatient en- gines and the frenzied clang of street- car bells, he must yell, and, as his words must be short, concise and to the point, his salutation is confined to the accepted form of address between traffic policeman and _ automobile drivers, which is “Hey!—You!” “Hey!—You!” can be pardoned. It attracts attention immediately; it Denetrates a maze of tangled vehicles and strikes home with unerring preci- sion; it singles the victim from the crowd, makes him immediately aware of his wrongdoing, snatches him from the anonymity of the mass and stamps him with individuality. It serves at onee as a warning and as a rebuke, a caution and a correction. Having been a target for a well aimed “Hey!— You!” the average driver, unless his error be unpardonable, will proceed on his way a chastened, shrinking fel- low, treading lightly- on the accelera- tor and heavily on his brakes. “Hey!'—You!” is all right. Tt is a development of the times, a necessary evil of the period. * k% ¥ But there are other things which cannot be so cheerfully overlooked. One of them is the insufferably domi- neering spirit with which many guard- ians of our traffic become afflicted when once equipped with a natty blue uniform, a shining badge, brass but- tons, a night stick, revolver, puttees and a motorcycle. They are not con- tent with a stentorian “Hey!—You!” nor with a few well chosen and em- ohatic declarations anent the shortcom- ings of drivers in general. Theirs, on the other hand, is the attitude of the cat toward his mouse. They delight to toy with their prey, to bait their catch, perhaps In the hope that the mouse, anger quickened, will undergo a sudden metamorphosis back to a man again, fly off the handle and talk back. Aye! There's when the fun of being a traffic th'ce:u: really begins. The citizen, an extremely mild and law-abiding sort of person, was driv- ing slowly down Sixteenth street. His thoughts were of varied and weighty matters, There was that first hole, for instance. Now, why was it, with such a broad, inviting stretch of fair- way leading to such a boundless and perfect green, did he always have to dub his drive? Maybe he ought to get a new driver. But there's that fellow who always uses a driving iron off that tee. There's an idea! Try an Fifty Years Ago In The Star When the telephone was exhibited at the Philadelphia Centennfal 51 First Telephone yere 50 ooubts ‘were expressed in Practical Use. “Whether it would practical use. ever come into Another year was re- quired for it to demonstrate its utility. In The Star of August 20, 1877, is the following relative to the first application of the new invention: “The telephone has at last been put to practical use. One of these in- struments has been put up at the establishment of the contractor for manufacturing the wire for the Brook- lyn Bridge, connecting his establish- ment with the bridge superintendent’s office. The piers of the Brooklyn Bridge are also being connected by telephones with the superintendent’s office, so that all the movements of the “travelers” in carrying the wires across from pler to pler can be com- municated and directed without the use of rignal flags as at present. The distances being short, sounds are distinctly transmitted. A New York paper says the extension of these tele- phones all over the city in place of the electric telegraph is thought to be only a question of time.” * * x Half a century ago the tramp prob- lem was coming to be regarded as a very serious social ques- The Tramp tion. Owing to the de- Problem. pression of the early seventies there were many men in the “army of the un- employed.” A case that attracted gen- eral attention was commented on in Star of August 23, 1877: St. Louis paper recently pub- lished the diary of a tramp who died, apparently from exposure, near that city some time ago, and an effort seems to be made in some quarters to get up a feeling of sympathy for that class of persons because the writer of the record in question had evidently been a man of fair intelligence and education. “This effort should not be success- ful—at least not on the grounds as- signed, nor on account of any facts which appear in this particular case. There is no reason, in the first place. why men of ‘fair intelligence and edu cation' may not become the most con firmed, depraved and dangerous of tramps. On the contrary, they are apt to be the very worst of their class once their instincts turn their steps in that direction. Then, again, there Tratfic Officers’ Duties Hard— So Is the Life of a Driver iron. Yes, next time—tomorrow after- noon, in fact—an iron will be tried. So that's that. . Of a sudden such thoughts are di- verted into other channels. There is a tiny noise in the engine. Or is it a noise? It may be just imagination, which often sounds like. a noise. Leaning over the steering wheel, the better to investigate, his thoughts are snatched from under the hood with sickening suddenness and dumped down on the curbstone. The citizen finds himself looking into the scowl. ing countenance of a traffio officer. “Wadja mean by runnin’ past them traffic lights?"” “I—er—1I, that is, I was listening to my engine, officer. “Listenin’ to ver engine? Wadja suppose them lights was put up there for—to let yer listen to yer engine?"” “No, sir. The fact of the matter is, officer, my attention was distracted for a moment. I ran past the lights. 1 wasn't looking carefully. I'm sorry. There wasn’t any excuse, really. Iam ordinarily a very careful driver.” “Careful? Huh! You look careful, all right. Careful is as careful does. Lemme see your permit.” At this point the heart always has a tendency to crowd the tomsils. Was the thing at home? Was it in that other suit that went to the presser this morning? Ah, here it js! * ok ko The officer takes the card and sub- Jects it to a close scrutiny, now hold- ing it close to his eyes, now at arm's- length. One expects him to smell it, perhaps taste it, and maybe hold it to his ear, in the hope that it will tick. The examination is lengthy. 'his permit’s no good.” “Why isn't it? 1 bought it two months ago. 1 thought they would last that long.” “You ain’t countersigned it.” “Oh, I beg your pardon! Have yo got a pencil? I'll sign it right here. “It says here it ain't no good unless it’s countersigned. You think the po-leece force is to carry pencils around with them so you guys can sign your permits? That's the trouble with you guys—you never read noth- ing. You don’t read the signs; you don’t read directions; you don't rea the lights; you don’t read nothing.” “I'm sorry. Il sign it as soon as I get home.” “Yes, and you'd hetter! What's the color of your hair?” “Why, I guess it's sort of a brown.” “Brown? Your hair ain’'t brown. gray—gray and thin. This brown, but your hair Is this here your own Now, look at my hair. My hair's brown (taking off his cap and running his fingers through it). Yes, my hair’s brown.” “I don’t call your hair brown. I call it red. “You what?” “Yes, it is sort of a brown—reddish brown, that is. Very fine hair.” 'latenln' to yer engine, was yer?" Well, next time you come down this street listenin’ to yer engine I'm gonna run vye in, see? You'd ought to be run in now. How many times you been arrested for violating the traffic regulations? You're supposed to use your eyes on this street, not your ears. Ain’t color blind, are yer? What's the color of that light there now?” “Green.” ‘And green means go. Beat it!" And that, it is here maintained, is neither according to the police man- ual, it is not conducive to respect for law and order, nor is it the attitude to be taken by a public officia? toward a meek citizen. The Police Depart- ment might do well to adopt a stereo- typed lexicon for its routine dealing with the citizenry, something on the order of the telephone operators. In the present case the depart. ment's reply to thig ticism could only be “Excusit, ple: ! This and That By Charles E. Tracewell. A tiger-striped kitten was up a tree, meowing loudly in a peculiarly plain. tive strain. Rescuing him, we donated the small cat to the family abandoned by Nipper, who ran away several months ago. Jack Spratt, he of the green eyes, takes more kindly to the new Nipper, Nipper the Second, as he is called, than to the old one. He seems to have none of the resentment over this kit- ten that he demnonstrated over the first one. The new Nipper visits Jack daily, partly to play with Spratt, principally to partake ®of the saucers of milk and other food which he finds sitting around. He is a veritable pig. Not all cats are alike in this respect. Some of them seem to care little for food. Most cats, however, are very fond of their dinner. Often Kkittens can eat as much as full-grown cats. The appetite of Nip seems insatia- ble. He thinks nothing at all of lap- ping up a saucer of milk, then an egg beaten in milk, followed by a healthy serving of beefsteak. * K Kk % He is about a foot long, with very nice markings, his coat not being as dark as that of Jack Spratt, being more silver gray. He has no white markings whatever. His distinguishing feature is the black- ness of the bottors on his feet. “Black- foot” might have been a good name for him, if it had been a good name for a cat, which it is not. “Black Bottom,” also suggested, fell flat. Nip. then, is a very solemn little fel- low, entirely different in disposition from the former Nipper. The old Nip- per, as readers here may recall B distinguished for his ability to “talk,” and for his lightning-like speed. The new Nipper is more sedate in every way, and, so far, perhaps more lovable a creature. He makes some- thing of the same appeal that some children do. Even those who do not particularly care for cats have declared | that they are attracted to this kitten. Nipper at first meowed in an ag- gravating manner all day long. Per- haps he had been used to playing with other kittens his own age, and missed their society. Recently, however, he has stopped this sort of meowing, and has become a more normal kitten. A charac: teristic meow is given every time he jumps off a chair to the floor. It isa sort of cross between a grunt and a meow, is nothing in the record of this man’s wanderings, so far as we have read it, that showed him to be in the slightest degree deserving of sym- pathy or aid during his lifetime. His diary sets forth with considerable fullness his daily and nightly experi- ences—where and how he slept, where he got food, and, perhaps more im- portant than all, where he was sup- plied with whisky—but, significantly enough, there is not a single word in it to show that he ever earnestly and in good faith applied anywhere for work. There is, to be sure, in one day's entry a remark that he was told he coull get work at Greens- burg: in the next that he ‘walked to Greensburg, but got no work’; but nc reason is assigned for not getting it, whether there was no work to be had. whether the wages did not suit, or whether he really did not apply for it—no expression of disappolntment at his hard fate in being refused em- ployment and obliged to beg for the necessaries of life, instead of being able to earn a livelihood by honest ‘tofl and thus become once more—it he ever h: en—a respectable and self-respect! nfimxm." Lok * ok ok ox The kitten has a great deal of fun with a catnip mouse. He does not re- quire, as Jack Spratt does, that the mouse be tossed for him. Nipper manages to play with it by the hour all by himself, induiging in leaps, bounds and various cavortings. He is particularly fond of grabbing at fingers wiggled at him through the meshes of a wicker chair. He carries his tail, which is rather bushy, stuck straight up in the air, giving him something of the appear- ance of a squirrel. Jack Spratt and Nip play together quite happily. although for not very long periods at a time. The kitten is game. Even when deliberately walked upon by the large cat, he makes no protest, but jumps back for more. His most comical caper to date was to leap squarely upon Jack's back much to the astonishment and indig nation of that interesting creature, After partaking heartily of Jack Spratt’s good things. Nip wil seek the davenport for a slesta. Sowye. times he stretches himself out in the same chair with Jack, and the them repose in likeness of ucht:tm 5