Evening Star Newspaper, December 6, 1927, Page 8

E EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. TUESDAY.....December 8, 1927 NSO AR e THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor in two of the six numbers of the “fes- tival week” program. This enterprise merits enthusiastic responsé on the part of the local public. Steadily the cultural life of the Capital is being enriched and progress toward the es. tablishment of Washington as an ar- tistic center of America Is assured. The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: W Chicago Builinz European Office: 14 Regeut St.. London, gland. The Evening Star with the Sunday morn- ing edition 1s delivered hy carviers within iBe city ‘at 40 centa per month: daily onl 45 centa per month: Nundavs only. 20 cents oL Jonth, Orders may he weni 1y mal ot lephone Main 5000, " Collection is made by carrier at end of each month Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. aily and Sunday....1vr. S$000: 1 mo. aly onls ......0 (1 vel $8.000 1 mo. unday only’ J1 e 33000 1 mo, Al Other States and Canada. e Sunday.1 vr. $12.00° 1 mo. $1,0 aily e, s unday a0: 1 mo. Member of the Associated Press. $1.00: 1 mo., The Associated Prese 18 exelusio v ontie ! 20 the use for renublic: all news dis: atches credited 10 it or not otherwise cred- ted in this naver and also the local news published herein. All rizhts of nu ion o1 special disvatches her == iy derl Tn their report to Conaress day the District Commi ed the keynote of Capital needs when they pleaded for retention, in the Dis- trict appropriation bill for the mnextj fiscal year, of the 60-40 ratio—a ratio | adopted by Congress in 1922 as a sub. stitute for the 50-50 plan of ‘appor- tioning expenses for Capital building, | applied for two years and then aban | doned in the supply hills of the last four fiscal years in favor of the §: 000,000 lump sum from the Federal Government. “It is clearly evident,” said the Commissioners, “that the total budget of the District of Colum- bia has been annually increasing. while the Federal contribution has re. mained substantially stationary.” and | to give this point more significant il- | lustration it is shown that while the Federal contribution for the fiscal year 1924—the last fisqal vear in which the 60-40 ratio was applied—was (hirty nine and four-tenths per cent of the total carried in that bill, this propor- tion has consistently dwindled to the fraction of over twenty-eight per cent, which represents the Federal contrl- ‘bution to Capital building in the cur- rent fiscal year. This decreasing pro- portion, the Commissioners point out, maintains in the face of growing mu- nicipal expenditures in ‘Washington which are based on recognition of Washington as the Capital City, and are therefore larger than would or- dinarily govern the year-to-year outlay of the average American muni c ipalit. In plain words, responsibility for maintaining and building the Federa City is slowly being shoved to the shoulders of Capital residents. The Commissioners propose no new | legislation to rectify this wrong. None | is needed. In the appropriation bills | of the last four fiscal years the House has taken advantage of its right. te except certain District appropriations | from the fixed ratio by writing the whole District bill as an exception. This method of circumventing sub- stantive law must be renewed each year, with consequent wrangling and 11 feeling, to make it effective. A sim- ple faflure to renew it and a return to what a law of its own making pro- vides will enable Congress to answer the pleas of the District Commission- ers, who have represented adequately the united and strong sentiment which prevails in Washington today. Congress should heed this plea of | the Commissioners in framing the | District appropriation bill for the fis- | cal year 1929. And in the meantime the bill introduced by Chairman Zihl- man of the House District committee may receive the attention it deserves. Mr. Zihlman's bill recognizes at the outset the importance to Washington which lies in the principle of fixed ratio—a principle long since establish- ed as the only equitable basis for rais- ing revenue from an unrepresented community by an alien and exclusive legislature. But it recognizes, at the same. time, that this ratio may change under varying conditions, and pro- poses that the ratio for each succeed- ing fiscal year be fixed by a commit- tee at the beginning of each calendar year—a committee on which the dis- franchised citizens ‘of Washington as well as the Congress will be repre- sented. Time does mnot allow for proper consideration of or action upon the Zihlman bill in order to apply its provisions to framing the appropria- tion bill for the fiscal year 19 But the House, while considering this bill, should give ear to the pleas of Wash- ington by making appropriations for 1929 in accordance K with fair and equitable existing law. It can do jus- tice to the District without waiting for legislative action by following the course urged by the Commissioners and merely changing the appropri- ative clause of the hudget to conform to the substantive law. ——rate The war correspondent, vivid in de- scription and alert of observation, is for the present repiaced in attention by the police reporter. A good police reporter has to write well and rapidly to compete with the best authors of crime stori ————— An Artistic Advance. Washington's music lovers have oc- casion to rejoice in the development of @ local opera organization that is com- petent to present such a program of at- tractions as that which opened last night in a series which scores a high point in the musical advancement of the Capital. Six performances by a combination of local and alien talent mark an anniversary of moment. After discouragements and retarding disappointments, against adverse con- ditions, the tenth season of the Wash- ington National Opera is thus start. ing, under the most favorable auspices and affording a prospect of highly en- joyable performances of . high artis- tic quality. This achievement is grati- fying to those who believe that Wash- ington is entitled to its own operatic organization. The present occasion is notable in that by the special courtesy of the ministry of fine arts of France, and upon the recommendation of the French embassy in this ecity, a singer ot eminent merit, a star of the Opera | tlonal needs as a whole.” | emerzency of last Summer as a na.| e The President’'s Message. President Coolidge's report to Con gress in the form of his annual mes- sage is, as usual, comprehensive and informative. It contains no surprises, strikes no startling notes, makes no unexpected recommendations. It is & plain, clear and explicit statement of the state of the Nation and of its legislative needs. Much that he has said before in recommendation is re- peated in terms that vary according to the changed conditions. He stresses the need of continued economy in ad- ministration and gives his “complete support” to the recommendations of the Secretary of the Treasury for tax reduction. On this point, however, he lnys emphasis upon the statement that “the Congress should continue to exercise its own judgment in a matter so vitally important to all the inter- ests of the country as taxation.” This is a warning against the enactment of a law which unduly reflects the urgings of special interests, “too often gelfish, always uninformed of the n: Although this country has put awa the Old World policy of competitive armaments, says the President, it can never be relieved of the responsibility | of adequate national defense. Tts own Policy is stuted in two short sentence: “We should enter on no competition. We should refrain from no needful | program” Under the inspiration of | these two precepts adequate defense provisions both on land and sea can ' 2o forward without any withdrawal | from the pacific policy that guides the United States, That chapter of the message which deals with flood control is the longest 1nd most specific of all. Treating the tional disaster, the President urges | the adoption by Congress of an ade. | quate plan to prevent a recurrence. He suggests, however, that legislation should be for the present confined to the most pressing problem, the lower Mississippi, other - legislation to wait vending a report on the comprehen- sive survey ordered by the last Con- sress of all the important streams of the country. But he warns that the recognized needs of the Mississippi should not be made a vehicle for car- tving other projects, all proposals for development standing on their own merits and any other method result. ng surely in flladvised conclusions, &reat waste of money and a delay of the orderly and certain utilization of the water resources. The subject of farm relief {8 elsewhere herewith treated as perhaps the most difficult of the problems with which the Presi- dent deals In his message. The chapter bearing upon foreign relations sketches the state of affairs so briefly as to emphasize the fact that this Government has for the present time a position of great strength in the world, without dan. gerous responsibilities, The message concludes with a brief recognition of the progress which the country has made, econcluding with this sentence, which appropriately closes the report and serves as an epitome of America’s situation: “In doing good, in walking humbly, in sus- taining its own-people, in ministering to other nations, America will work out its own mighty destiny. ——————— The reminder that extremes are dangerous in public thought is of- fered at one time by mention of State’s rights and at another by. warning against scetional antago- nisms. Patriotism must depend on an intelligent and neighborly under- standing among men; groups as well ag iIndividuals. —— et Thé Dearborn Independent will go out of business. It lost the most im- portant part of its subscription list when Henry Ford quit. | he needs help in Half a Century of Success. Marking its fiftieth anniversary, the Washington Post today presents a Jubilee edition which is notable as an achievement of journalism as well as commemoration of the first half cen- tury of that newspaper. It is The Star's cherished privilege to congratu- late the Fost both upon this attain- ment of a long span of useful service and upon the anniversary number. Washington, once known as the | “graveyard of newspapers,” has seen the inauguration and the passing of many journalistic efforts. Since the Civil War, however, there have been but few births and deaths in this field. The Post came into existence on the 6th of December, 1877, and its own span of life covers the period of com parative stability in_the field of jour- nalism at the Capital. It has been & worthy exponent of newspaper enter- prise, always well presented, attractive in appearance and substantial in policy. Tt has won and held the re- spect of the community, and its pros- perity has been the deserved reward of sound management. In the edition which appears this morning marking the completion of the first fifty years of the Post’s life is presented an epitome of Washing- ton during the half century. It has been a notable time, marked by steady advancement of the community to- ward the ideal cherished by all local interests and in an increasingly con- structive manner by the national rep- resentatives who are the constitutional legislative guardfans of the District. In this development the Post has played an important part. Tt has been sincere and earnest, diligent and inde- fatigable in its advocacy of projects making for a greater Washington, for the correction of evils, the creation of beauties and the evolution of the model city. A high journalistic standard has gulded the Post during its half cen- tury of existence. It commands atten- tion and respect. Occupying as it does an important position in the morning newspaper field, it wields an influence reaching beyond Washington, and in its administration it has recognized Comique of Paris has been permitted | this responsibility. ¥ to come to Washinglon to taigy part The Star, now, approaching its own THE EVENING seventy-fifth anniversary—it will reach that point next week—is proud of the co-operation and good will that have marked the relations of these two newspapers. It feels that the success won by the Post is a tribute to the dis- criminating judgment of the people of this city, and it hopes that long before the Post shall have reached fts seventy-fith birthday and itself the century mark the ideals for which both papers have striven for Washing- ton will have been fully attained. R - Coolidge on Farm Relief. That so large a proportion of message to Congress is devoted fo agriculture shows how carnestly President Coolidge belleves that farm- ers are entitled to the largest mens ure of sound economie relief that it 1 possible for the Government to afford them. But his face is set firmly as ever against unsound enterprises which he believes in the end would leave them in worse condition than they are today. No mensure that puts [the Government into the business of buying and selling farm commodities or fixing the price thereof will receive his approval. The President recognizes that sur- pluses of crops over the Anterican de- mand constitute the farmer's most serious marketing problem, and that handling them if these surpluses are not to depress prices of entire crops below the cost of production. But the President makes a sharp distinetion between sur- pluses “due to weather and scasonal conditions” and those which result from an overextension of acreage. One of the fundamental objections to the McNary-Haugen bill and like schemes of farm reliet always has been that they would have tended to stimulate increased production until surplus piled upon surplus would have inevitably broken down dny structurs intended to maintain prices. Mr. Cool- idge repudiates the notion that the Government can assume responsibility for surpludes due to acreage expan slon, but he believes the Government can and should help in the orderly marketing of surpluses which cannot | be avoided. This he would do by setting up n Federal farm board and providing a revolving fund from which loans would be made at moderate interest to marketing associations. While he does not undertake to go into details as to methods of operation, he appar ently has accepted in principle the proposal advanced by Dr. Jardine, his Secretary of Agriculture, and it is to be assumed that should Congress pass a measure along those lines it will re- celve executive approval. With the situation thus eclarifled, there are two courses open to farm- relief advocates in Congress. They can get together and agree upon a measure which will speedily become law, or the extremists among them can continue to hold out for an im- possible program and nothing will be done. The farmers will soon know whether agricultural relief or politice is uppermost in the minds of some of their most vociferous “champlons.” ————r——————— U will be a relief to the gentle rea®er when Congress gathers its clans and hands out committee re- ports to divert wearied attention from the findings of the coroner’s sury. ———— * The Prevince of Ontario admits a liberal revenue from liquor sales. Some such report was confidently forecast by & number of American | tourists. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Unusual Influence. Old Santa Claus has whiskers And wears a funny ‘cap. ‘We love his reindeer friskers. He is a charming chap. 0ld Santa Claus is never Ill-natured and severe. He is extremely clever, With good intentions clear. Old Santa Claus loves bllndly The erring and the weak. Because he Is 8o kindly, We think he is a treak! Opening of Congress. “1 suppose you look forward with pleasure to the reunion of statesmen.” Great pleasure,” replied Senator Sorghum. “Opening days of Congress give us a chance to exchange good stories. They remind me of the cus- tom in pugilism of shaking hands be- fore the fight starts.” Large-Rimmed Glasses. The face of an old friend to me Becomes a bore. A pair of spectacles 1 see— And little mor Jud Tunkins a’ true scientist Knows a great deal more than he can ever tell in language that will enable the public to understand him. Once Upon a Time. “Once upon a time,” sald the story teller. ' “See that you make good,” Inter- rupted the Sultan. The last story you told 1 have heard not only once, but a thousand times.” “The hatred of an enemy, Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “i8 honey and rose leaves compared to the treachery of a friend. Sedentary Reflection. In studying regal ways, we own We're at a loss. It's easier to sit on a throne Than on a hoss. “Chilun should obey deir par- ents,” said Uncle Eben, “an’ parents ought to take a heab o' pains 'bout tellin’ chillun what to do.” oo No Sign Language in Statement. From the Toveka Caital. Unlike the Black Hills statement,” says the A. P. of the President’s ob- jection to circulation of petitions tor him, “t '8 announcement was made verbally.” Well, the Black Hills state- ment wasn't made pictorially or in the | sign language, eithe B D Anything to Beat ’Em to It. From the Cleveland News. Truck driver who tried to pass two lines of traffic and was killed in a col- lislon with a street car at least didn't have te stay behind. THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Eating pickles is a sign of youth. Many a man goes back to the pickle dish in his middle age to find that his vickles have lost their savor. The fault lies not with the relish but with the man. He sits down at the table some eve- ning intent on enjoying a good meal, takes a look at the container and de. cides that the pickles therein look very good He samples one. . “These pickles are no good,” he an- nounces, bluntly. “I guess the liking for pickles is a | sign of youth,” comes the reply. Surely that is the answer to it. Children have a number of decided preferences, none of which is more decided than the taste for treated cucumbes First comes the liking for the large sour pickles of infancy and early school days. To watch a youngster eat one the beholder might think that it was a bonbon of some rare and exquisite species. ater he goes in for fancy sweet pickles, turning finally to chow-chow and such concoctions. The time will come, however, when he ceases to take any particular gustatory interest in all this. Then he may know that middle age has him in its grip! * ok kK The reader may still like these edi bles, ns the writer does. We speak not of mere liking, but of that con- suming desire which enthralls one in his younger days. The radish was another one of them, r to the heart and taste of eager, palpitating, If not flaming, youth. That was In the days before “bulk” as sumed an_important place either in the talk of food or in the meal itself There was nothing to a radish then (and we doubt if there ix anything in one now) besides the taste and appear- | ance to warrant its place upon the table Today one regards it and the pickle with calm detachment, o something to be nibbled at, not partaken of with any particular gusto or genuine ap. preciation. Such belonged to the days of long ago! * % ¥ X There are other signs of youth, too, which deserve mention now that we have started upon it. We hope we will tread upon no one's mental toes, as it were, or cau. ny one to feel that we are slander! deserving things or practices, Consider those old-time telephone conversations with one's best girl of the moment. Blessings upon the “best girl! 8he. was an anchor in the windward--and how one loved to talk to her over the telephone! As one looks back upon it the per- formance was nothing short of amaz- ing. For sheer flow of words there was nothing before nor has there been anything since to compare with it. We have a suspicion that much the same sort of linguistic marathon goes on today, at several hundred thousand cross-angles, In all parts of the United States. Any one can recall ax much as= two solid hours spent with the left arm kooked to permit the receiver to meet the ear, while the arm grew number and more numb and the werds grew longer and longer. It was the matter of the fraternity dance, perchance, to be held next week. There were several 5 |ing the hour of 2 a.m million details to be discussed, every one of which had to be gone into thoroughly. Nothing must be left to chance. In the sublime conceit of vouth this was a real affair with the eyes of the town upon it. Today one manages his telephone conversations more conservatively as it were. One is more suave about it. The old urge is lacking. What is the use of spending an hour on the phone when two minutes will settle all the details? s * R ok % And those hour-long good-bys! They were (and are) a sign of youth, tov. FKor in discussing these things one cannot forget that it is only his own youth that has vanished—other uths are in their heyda Let us never forget this, lest the vaporings of the new versions strike our aging eyes as silly—and worse, Recall the evening it took three hours to tell Mabel good-by. The clock in the tower had struck 11, the lights were out all along the block. Several well placed coughs from abo airs had indicated w you alrea, knew, that it was time to go. “Good-by,” you said. “Good-by."” responded Mabel. This was but the beginning of it, however. Many highly important mat- ters had to be discussed. It took one an hour to get as far as the porch steps, another hour to get to the hot- tom of them and yet another to get to the gate. Once at the gate there was nothing to it but to proceed, and this you did a8 the clock in the steeple was sound- How did it get To this day vou don’t know. * ok X % An overwhelming interest in water. melons is a sign of youth. Today a man may look a water- melon in its rosy face without a qualm. _ He even may be critical in his inspection. “Not much of a watermelon,” he says, poking at it gingerly with his fork. “Not sweet enough to suit me,” he goes on after the first bite. His in- tarest in this glorious product is mere. Iy academic compared with the enjo: ment which was his in the days when once his heart was young. What a prize a watermelon was so late? { then! * ok K K Books by the late G. another good sign of youth. This designation, of course, included sim- ilar works of boyish adventure. One has to be young to appreciate Henty. We old-timers have lost our sensa of literary appreclation. We go in for Wells and Sinclair Lewlis and other discontented gentlemen who are hard to please, just as we, their read ers, are hard to please. If you are of the male persuasion you will.recall ““The Lion of the North" and “The Cat of Rubaste: if fem- inine, the little Peppers and one Elsie. Our literary tastes are more refined, perhaps, but, honestly, are they any better” Better in the real sense? ‘We doubt it. There are other tastes of youth which every one will recall, and the passing of which he may lament. These few samples we have given are memory sparks struck off on a cloudy day. May they help kindle the fires of recollection and may they be pleasant one: A. Henty were Companionate Marriage Idea Gets Only Satire From Press The “companionate marriage” idea is greeted with satire by most of the editorial writers of the country. The young couple whose recent entry into such an experiment received exten- sive publicity. are pretty generally pitied as a boy and girl at school whose parents have permitted them to wed without assuming the responsi- bilities of a home and with eyes turned in advance toward the divorce court. “Nothing has ever been invented, and nothing can be invented, which will take the place of the home,” de- clares the Charleston Daily Mail, which Insists that “the problem of the children, innocent and perhaps unwill- ing victims of a situation they had no part whatever in bringing about, appeals strongly for the preservation of the marital union of two persons.” ‘The Pasadena Star-News, feeling that “it would be far better to urge a higher conception of marriage, stress- ing its spiritual aspects, and to move for perpetuated marriages, rather than ivil unions transient in charac- urges that “the evils that would grow out of such changes would much more than offset any benefits.” “Fancy phrases aside,” observes the New York Sun, “the couple have de- cided to get a divorce if love fails them. So they start with neither the thrill of confidence nor the joy of struggle, of making their way unas- sisted. And we have been told that the new, flaming youth is as original, bold and defiant as Lucifer! This syn- thetlc ‘companionate’ stuff is as dar- ing as a kitten drinking a saucer of milk under its mother's guidance.” The Flint Journal deplores the fact that “modern parents, in their desire to protect their children from the re- sponsibilities of life, are providing for them a dangerous plaything in mar- riage without the safeguards custom, tradition and experience have placed about it.” Similarly the Ithaca Journal-News i out that “it differs from family rriage in that there is no risk or liability and the Louisville Times suggeste that “after the fog had lifted there sfood revealed merely the wed- ding of a young couple not vet able to support themselves and willing for their parents to do it while they com- plete their schooling.” Sa: the Omaha World-Herald: ““They are mar- ried fast enough under the Kansas statutes and will have to resort to the customary routine, just as other folks, in case the marriage does not go well, Outwardly the chief differ- ence between this and the ordinary marriage lies in the fact that they accept it as entailing no economlc re- sponsibility on the part of the one for the other.” “Much of the real meaning of the word marriage is being overlooked or has never been fully understood by those using it ®o glibly,” says the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, while the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel describes the sentiment behind the new institu- tion as being the fault of “what we fail to do in teaching children 1\uties and obligations preparatory to' the time when they take their positions in adult society." A That paper holds that “if Chris- tianity must be thrown out, at least something should be substituted”; that “Confucianism with its teachings that man has duties and responsibili- ties to his fellow man is better than a_spiritual vacuum. where there is neither ‘philosophy nor religion.” The Lincoln Star fears “destruction of the foundations of the home,” and the Mankato Free Press insists that “children are too precious to be made the subjects of biological experi- ments.” The Syracuse Herald be- lieves “Nevada’s monopoly of divorces while you wait is doomed to early de- struction,” and the Wichita Beacon, noticing that the marriage is in the regular form, with the privilege of divorce, adds that “in these days of easy come, easy go in marriage and divorce that is about all that a large proportion of marital unions are.” * ok ok % *“The outcome will be watched with interest, although it is not likely that it will disturb the ancient custom of marriage.” concludes the Santa Bar- bara Daily News, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram states that “the young pair may decide that their marriage should be something more than one in name only, and the clever members of their family may suddenly find themselves relegated to the role of old-fashioned grandparents.” The Houston Chronicle also suspects that “they will determine to show the world the sincerity and righteousness @l their care for each other, and they will €0 on and make their marriage what it should be.” ' “‘The sooner any other possible can- didates are rooted out and tied accord- ing to the ‘unique’ plan, the better, for the companionate marriage will have run its course and will have been forgotten,” in the opinion of the Charlotte Observer. The Terre Haute Star sees in the practice simply an illustration of the fact that “many young persons get married hefore they can ‘afford it’ and do not set up homes of their own at once. Often also,” continues that paper, “the bride continues her 'career’ after having her own home, sometimes for economic reasons and sometimes because she prefers to work in an office or a store to drudging in the kitchen. Such things are common and have been ever since woman first won her place in the business and art world. They will continue to he common and. with machinery and invention continuing to equalize the difference hetween women and men, freeing the female from dependence on the male, they will multiply UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR Ten Years Ago Today Munitions ship Ilows up in Halifax harbor as result of collision with Bel- glan relief vessel. Two square miles of city wrecked and dead may exceed 2,000. many of them buried in the ruins. Inhabitants thought of Ger- man shelling as the shock came and explosion was heard for 61 miles. Harbor crowded with boats on war duty, * * ® Allies hail President as war spokesrhan and welcome his defi- nition of war alms. They see Ger- many utilizing her every resource to force a declsion in the next few months because she realizes that America will soon become a big factor in arms and men. * * ¢ Eleven thousand Ital- lans captured by Austro-Germans in a desperate all-day battle on mountain- ous front of northern Italy. * * * British give up Bourlon salient on Western front, under cover of dark-: ness, to occupy stronger front. retuin- ing part of the Hindenburg line. * * ¢ Berlin announces a twoand-a- half mile gain, 9.000 prisoners and 148 guns taken recently, * * * Anti-war move in Russia gains strength. The Ukrainian Parliament opposed to an armistice and Caucasus army asks for financial aid to carry on. et Just a Hoover Hint. From' the Topeka Capital. “Hoover Outlines Plan to Ald Vie- tims of New England Flood.”—Head- line. If Hoover should be elected President who would be the handy man to take care of the country in times of disaster? G mmmie . Delicatessen Habit Fading. From tho New Yorl Herald-Tribune, Pretty soon science will have made the American housewife almost inde pendent of the dellcatessen deal e Keeping in the Procession. From the Ohio State Journal. A small town may be defined as one that hasn't at least one traffic light, whether needed or not. PO S A Voice From the Past. From the Boston Herald, “Keep cryptic with Coolidge.” NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM L G. M. CHEMISTRY. | The Bobbs-Mer- THE STORY OF Floyd L. Darrow. rill Co. Science is learning to talk as the | man in the street talks. Science, be sides, is waking not only to its own intense drama, but waking also to the | sense that this drama is of a kind to excite tremendous public interest. At its present stage of advance along these lines, thé time is almost at hand when science, {n picture and stor will be running a neck-and-neck race for popularity with murde bootlegging and other gangster activi- ties and. with that special brand of outlawry which, in the name of “liv- ing my own life,” is bidding fair to knock old social safeties into the now elassic cocked hat. And what a finely wholesome triumph it will be when science wins this race, as it is sure to do! When that coming time finally arrives in force, then science in n thousand wonders of everyday life will be open to all. No longer the exclusive pocket piece of the pure re- searcher and, as such, complete abra- cadebra to the commonalty. Then the possession of all in certain wavs, it will prove to he the most exciting and rewarding path of pursuit in many directions. Then it will take its place, the prime moving force in education, in proper correspondence to its clear xupremacy outside this narrower field. Then the newspaper, the picture house and the school will stand to- gether equal partners in the business of general education. Authors and publishers are contributing with com- petency and enthusiasm to such out- come. They are helping gra open the world of science to the age run of man. So today, as never Defore, hooks rich in adventures into | the natural world, rich in its miracles act truth applied to a thousand into the open with banners flying in greeting to all. In this procession is “The Story of Chemistry,” perhaps the most aston- ishing and dazzling venture that sci- ence has as yet revealed in so many lines of definite usefulness. The stor) begins, as any serious and Important | story should, with “Once upon a time.” | Back it goes in a search for the an- cestry of chemist for the great- areat-grandfather that sourced its ing and set it upon its way. It turns out that alchemy—the now despised {agent of mystic, impostor, dreamer— is the legitimate parent of this nee. It appears also that the Adam of mod- ern chemistry, its first father, and father as well of the chemist himself, is the Old Man of the Crucible, the alchemist, questing happiness for the world through power to transmute all baser metals to gold. thereby making A potential Midas of every man. To laugh at, now, this alchemist. Never- theless, out of his gropings and er- rancies rose the spirit of true re- search, culminating long after in the great modern science that is yet only in its first years of achievement. The story moves swiftly over into the fleld of substantial effort and at- tainment. Great names marshal here. Elements are discovered . Compounds are analyzed their parts and proportios flying principles come to light. Controlling laws are formulated. New syntheses are made in bewildering variety and output. Another tremendous stride brings the fabulous adventure into the present. Atoms, electrons, protons become at least intelligible to the average reader —intelligible and (o a degree up- rooting. Absorbing and fascinating, nevertheless, The partnership of chemistry and agriculture is spread out in its grow- ing importance and significance to the consumers of the warld. Chemistry in its relation to disease opens a wide door upon general concern and indi- vidual responsibility. Its bearing upon rmdunr,v makes of that plain subject a vision of romance itself. So, for- ward the amazing chronicle moves— a rapid sweep of drama, simple, terse. engrossing—through the domain of modern life, its most versatile and pro- ductlve material factor. Toward the end of the story Mr. Darrow faces the matter directly upon America’s part in the future of prac- tical chemistry where so muech for human well-being remains to be done. so much in the way of further re- search and development. calling for money in great sums, calling also for native aptitude and special training on the part of workers in this field. Such a turning toward this country is. however, merely as plain statement of the facts and in no sense a move in the directipn of preachment? You will do well to read a late ¢! ter of this book first, “Chamistry in the Day’'s Work.” Interest is the key note of all efforts, Thie chapter will certainly stir keen interest. Moreover 0 the-schoolmen interest rises first to meet the near and tangible thing. This is a chapter of im- mediacies, of familiar things, ¥From it, tremendously keyed by its revealings, you will race backward to its bezin- nings for an account of the whole amazing business. A great majority of books should be read backward. This is one of them. However, which- ever way you do, you will find engross- ment, stimulation.and instruction in a storv whese vital content is so ade- quately and authentically and dra- matically «et down hare. Cireat ste compact of the progress of science in the hands of modern life. EE AN UNMARRIED FATH Dell. George H. Doran Co. Let's laugh a bit. As one moves along through this comedy the laugh- ter, however, proves not to be of the spontaneous and uprearious sort. Comic in title—comic. maybe, in pur- pose. Rather a deep.running matter. though, in Its effect. To meet the purposes of a perfectly legitimat study of the human, Floyd Dell equins a father with the sort of parental af- fection that from time out of mind has been ascribed to mothers alone. To clarify the situation for deffnite and plausible study the author takes over a case of illegitimacy. The roles are exchanged here—the mother plays the man's part, the father assumes that of the mother. In her accepted role the mother walks off, just as men do under the circumstance of unlawful fatherhood, leaving both progeny and mother in a very bad way indeed. This girl wants to be an artist, is going to be one, too: wants to live her own life and, least of all, wants to mother a baby of accidental and love- less origin. So, the baby falls to the care of one of those convenient institu- tional mothers with which communi- tles provide themselves. And the mother faces the career of an artist. But the father is of another sort. Somewhere deep inside him he mother instinct is very much alive. And why not? Why not this eriss- crossing of sex in the long. long pas- sage toward distinct male and female? However, that is another story. This one deals with the young man's acci- dental discovery that he is a father— discovers it, too, on the near approach of his marriage to a girl with whom he is clearly in love. What does he do? Tell the girl of his dilemma, counting on her to be a good sport and a fine woman as well? No, cer- tainly he doés not. No man would. Instead he prepares to be a mother to nis son. Such is the situation with which Floyd Dell constructs a story that you may smile at, if you want to. You'll not do that, though, for this is a deeply penetrating story, deli- cate, sensitive, pathetic, wherein fa- ther and son rather creditably bring out the possibilities of father love—a love that in general acceptance cuts no figure at all by the side of the love of a mother. An exceptional case used to suit the romancer’s need, you say. And so it is, but a very sugges. tive case, exceedingly well put, nevi theless. Floyd | open all the year?” familiar phases of life, are marching | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Q. Which of the national parks are | | 3 A. Grand Canyon, Arizona: Ha- wail; Hot Springs, Arkaneas; Lafa- | yette, Maine; Platt, Oklahoma; Rocky Mountain, Colorado; Wind Cave, | South Dakota, and Yosemite, Cali- fornia. Those open for Winter sports | are General Grant, California: Mount | Rainier, Washington, and Sequoia, | California. Q. Is cestry? A. Virginia Valli of Itallan an- R. Virginta Valli was born in Chi- cago. She is of Irish blood and not Italian as many have thought be- cause of her name, and her type a the camera records it. Q. wil bool and magazines placed on radiators get hot enough to burst into flame?—1i, €. §. A. The Bureau of Mines says that | as far as it knows there is no dan- ger of spontaneous combustion in plac ing magazines, books, etc., on radi- ators. -— Q. Are bell peppers and pimentos the same vegetable?—L. D. A. The Jamaica pepper and the pi- mento are one and the same, Q. Does the University of ‘London teach journalism?—M. T. A. It offers a two.year course in journalism, Q. 8. L. A. Cotton cloth is made by remov- ing the hairs from the seeds of the cotton plant, twisting these hairs into yarn, weaving the yarns into a fab. ric, and applying a stiffening mixture and ironing between large rollers, The nature of the fibers used and every one of the manufacturing proc. esses affect the value of the fabric and should be considered when a cot- ton cloth is being purchased, Q. Which spelling is preferre closed” or “enclosed”?—E. 1. A. Some lexicographers give one form first, some give the other, How old is How is cotton cloth made?— “In- is the city of Glas- D. s. its beginnings in tradition to the Jittle wooden church which Kentigern, apostie to the Scots, built on the banks of Molendivar abont 60 A.D. Nothing is known of the town for more than 500 years until David, Prince of Cumbria, the future King David 1. in 1116, re-established the see of Glasgow and rebuilt its church, @ When was linoleum first made? A. Linoleum, which is a process of | manufacturing a floor covering . from |oxidized linseed oil and_ powdered cork, was iIntroduced into England in 1860 by a man named Walton. We do not find that it was on the mar- BY FREDERIC ). HASKI, crop—that of 1925.26. Total ship- ments from California as reported by the railroads reached 70,600 carloads, of which 57,163 carloads were oranges and grapefruit and 13,437 carloads of lemons. Although the Florlda suffered severe damage from hurri cane and frost, the total supply of oranges and grapefruit in the United States and Canada was approximately 10,000 cars greater than in the preced. season. 17.000 cars greater thap in 19 and 4,000 cars in excess of the previous largest supply of 1923.24, " is the sequel afer to the «ol ed, white and Q. Do the French ors of their flag as * blu D. W. They reverse the expression gnid say “blue, white and red.” Q When was the first plumb installed in the White House?—I. 11 A._ The date is not known definite. Iy. It was installed about 1825, Q. Please give H. G ute to teachers.—N. 8. G A. H. G. Wells says: “No eon. queror can make the multitude diffe, ent from what it is; no statesman cin carry the world's affairs beyond 1he ideas and capacities of the gener. tion of adults with which he deals; but teachers—I use the word in the wisest sense—can do more than either conqueror or statesman—they can cre. ate a new vision and liberate the lai- ent powers of our kind.” Q. and A. These two mames originated in Germany in the twelfth century in a contest of rival families for the title of “Emperor During the siege of Weinsherg the follewers of Count Welf shouted the name of their lead- er, while the other party took up the cry of “Waiblings,” Waiblingen having been the birthpiace of Frederick, the brother of the Hmperor Conrad, These names came (o represent prin. ciples as well as families and as such were carried to Italy, where they were corrupted into “Guelph” and “Ghibel- line,” Q. the | why A. actre Wells' trib- When did the names Who is called "/The President of Chrysanthemum Kingdom™” and M. W, oochow Mei, a famous Chinese had a guaranteed salary of | 000 a yedr, the same amount as |that received’ by the President of | Chi Thus it came about that she received the above title, You want to know something. You wish to_be positive before you go ahead. Well, The Evening Star will telk yow what you want to know and give you assurance before yow pro- |ceed. " Our Washington Bureau can ket in the United States during the Civil War, Q. Are oranges scarce this year?— A. R. A. During the season ended Oc- tober 31, 1927, California marketed a plume greater by almost 7.000 car- loads than the previous record citrus Secretary of Agriculture Jardine is quoted as stating that the purchasing power of the farmer's dollar is back to within 8 per cent of what it was in 1913. If that be the case, then ap- parently there is no longer a crisis demanding very much legislation for farm relief, and all candidates for the presidential nomination basing their campaign slogan on the distress of agriculture will withdraw from the field. However, Secretary Jardins never said What is credited to him, and the economists of the department have very different figures to show. There is absolutely nothing more misleading than statistice which are misread. ERE The five'vear period from 1909 to 1914 is taken as the index number 100, for comparison purposes as to farm prices recelved for products. In the next five years that index dropped to . in the vear 1926 it stood at 130. in October, 1927, it was 139. Translated, that means that the average price of staple farm products in October, 1927, was 39 per cent higher than the me products were worth in the five s preceding 1914. But that is no dication as to how prosperous the farmers were, for it is only the price per unit, and does mot consider the size of the crops nor the cost of pro- duction; neither does it show a com- parison with the cost of mon-agricul- tural products which the farmer must by While farm prices advanced 39 per cent, the wholesale price of nen-agri- cultural merchandise was 151 per cent of the index price in the period 1309- 1914. Even on the hasis of farm sale prices for farm products, and whole- sale prices for non-agricultural pro ucts, the industries gained 51 per cent, while farm prices gained only 39 per cent. That makes the purchasing power of the farm index price ofly ¢ per cent of its prewar value. This is not the result of an improving trend, for the spread is widening. To the wholesale price of non-agri- cultural products there must be added the taxes and the middleman's laFor and profit before one can measure the comparative spread or the compara- tive purchasing power of the products. Even then no actual mea ure of the farm prosperity can he ade without the data as to crop vlelds, year by year. * kX or example: The cotton crop of bales, and with that_large crop the average price was 12.5 cents, giving a total value of $1.125,000,000. This year’s cotton has been official- Iy estimated at only 12.500.000 bales, but. hecause of that short crop, the avernge market is about 20 cents, making a total value of $1.250.000.000, about 10 per cent more for the small crop than was realized for last vear's 50 per cent greater vielda. Index prices are unit prices oniy—not values of the totals The same principle. of course. ap- plies to all other merchandise, wheth- er on the farm or purchased by the farmer. In a recent article written by Secretary Jardine he summed this up as follow ““Those who produce crops of which ! the market will take an lnr'r?nsed;‘ amount only at a more than propor-| tionately veduced price nave reason to be apprehensive of a generally bountiful harvest. This is true to a| greater or less extent of a number of principal crops. O e esult 14 that an abundant | crop may sell for less than a smaller gne. Under such circumstances, the farmer, in effec not only receives no additional return for his crop, but| in obliged to pay for the privilege of giving it away. Thus the abundance of a crop may bring benefits to deal- | ers and consumers, and disadvantage o to grower: i Undoubtedly, the surest test of the comparative prosperity of agriculture and industry must be indicated by the trend of populations. As surely as water seeks its level, .so surely does population flow toward prosperity and away from adversity. In 1920 the total population of the United States was 106,000,000, in 1927 farm ear was approximately 18,500,000 | { volume 20 per cent. answer any question of fact pro- | pounded to it. Here is the university of information—a great free educa- | tional inatitution estalished solely to | serve you. Send in your question and 111r! the right answer, Inclose ¢ |cents in stamps to cover the yveturn postage. Address The Evening Star | Information Bureau, Frederic J. Has. | kin, director, Washington, . C. BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. population—only 29.000,000. This is the first time in the history of the United States that there has been in any period of five years an actual de. crease of farmers. In the five yea 1920 to 1925, the decrease amounted to 2.600.000 farmers, or 520,000 a vear; in the last year, 1926-27, the decrease is 600,000, ‘The trend, therefore, is not ence | aging. since’the fall of agriculture is EBrowing worse, instead of better, Judged by the population flow. * x % x How much does the average farmer make—gross and net? It is only by juggling interest rates on capital in- vested that it can be shown that the average farmer, plus the labor of his family, even clears expenses. The average rate of interest he pays oh his mortgage and other in- debtedness is 6.3 per cent, but what he earns on his own capital invested l= at the rate of only 2.7 per cent. The rate on the entire capital invested is stated as 4.2 per cent. That s arrived at by counting the farmer's own time and labor at the £ame price per month as he pays to hired help. "Counting his Interest on his own net eapital at 4.5 per cent, the average net pay for the farmer’ work and management and risk last vear was $627. or a trifle over $17 a week. A bricklayer recelves $15 a |day, or nearly $90 a week. In the best year of the two decades ending June 30, 1920, the average for the' labor and farm management was $917; in the poorest vear, the fiscal vear ending June, 1 the farmer who had worked his hardest received for his vear's out of which to | support his fami 270: the last vear | (o $627. In addition must. he counted the food and house rent, esti- | mated at $282 per vear per family. So. in order to count the pay of the farmer at the rate paid his farm hived help the rate of interest on the in- vestment must be pared one-half. or if the interest is paid at the normal {rate for money (whether belonging to | the farmer or to the mortgage holder), then the farmer does not earn anv | thing near what his brother in in | dustry receives in wages. * x ok % The Bureau of Economics of the Department of Akriculture thus sums up e situation, s Ci Markets Bulletin " % Crops and “Compared with the earnings of the preceding vear (1926) the wages per | farm family decline 10 per cent wages paid to hired hands increased 2 per ‘cent, while the earnings of factory emploves were as high in 1! as in 1925.26. Compared With _their respective earnings in 1919-20, the average farm family earned 30 per cent less, the hired laborer about 14 per cent less, and the employed factor; v e cent more. Gt “Consldering the a husiness en terfn‘rm operations prise, it appears that the average farmer e.":’:f a reward for his capital and manage- ment during 1926-27 less than 3 per cent on a shrinking market value of ;;:r cnn:!a_l. };;:ln! earned about 4 cent in 25-26 b L and 6 per gent “Comparable returns on the capital iny ’tr:wr.u WOt all corporate lv\h‘vl"- tries to have heen around 13 per cent during the past two years, or three times the rate of returns on agricultural capital. The relatively high corporate returns 2‘.‘11:'(‘-21 the past five years have been g 'd on an increasing e val- S e g current val * ok ok % If the exodus of far ation continues at the rate of tg:p;:l\lel or six years, ending June 30, 1926, in less than 13 vears there will he no more agriculture. If the increased exodus grows at the same geometric ratio as it now shows, ‘increasing in each vear. in 6 years from now the flight from farms Will be in excess of 2,000,000 a year) and in 10 years the rate of net loss exceed 4,000,000 a year. In 193 there will be fewer than 10.000.000 farm population, with probably 150,- 000,000 total population, and by 1940 we shall raise neither grain nor Hve- stock, but shall turn to factorles for it is rated by the Census Bureau at 117,000,000 Of that 106,000,000 in 1920 there were 31,600,000 on farms. Now, out of the Increased population of 111,00?0 there is a decreased farm synthetic nourishment—or import all our food from the ends of the earth. We are headed that way on a tobog- gan slide. (Cobyright. 1027. by Paul V. Colling.) ‘. ‘ . .