Evening Star Newspaper, December 16, 1927, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR : :3nnunl. D ¢ . .December 16, 1027 The Evening Star Newspaper Company 2 ““Ez- 0..":'-‘ An.“ o 12 made o5 e Rate by Mall—Payable in Advance. Blaryiand and Vieginla. Eg..%'“m on Al Other States and Canada. iy and Sunday.d only A fay only’ Member of the Associated Press. Associated Press ts xclusively entitled Tuse for republication of all news die- dited not otherwise cred: et the iocal news t to 1l fled is paper and also ol e lents Of pui Aty ) Bt Al etz oF BV o The Ster's Anniversary. On Thursday, December 16, 1852, in & Slttle office on Sixth street, south of Pennsylvania avcnue, the first issue of The Daily Evening Star was published. At the top of the first of the twenty columns of nmews, edi- torial and advertising material which filled its four tabloid pages was print- d the prospectus of the baby enter- prise. Today, upon the seventy-fifth | anniversary of its birth, The Star is! proud to quote from the pledge then | made to the reading public of the National Capital. “The Star,” wrote its first publisher, “4s designed to supply a desideratum which has long existed at the metrop- olis of ‘he Nation. Free from party trammels and sectarian influences, it will preserve a strict neutrality, and, whilst majntaining a fearless spirit of independence, will be devoted, in an especial manner, to the local interests | of the beautiful city which bears the ‘honored name of Washington and to the welfare of the large and growing population within its borders.” This was the covenant into which, three-quarters of a century ago, The Star entered with its public. Upon another page of the first issue the punctual, who had some one else, and when, in spite of the handicap of being bedridden, he succeeded, he was delighted. When he had the strength he contributed special articles to The Star, often along the line of natural history, for he loved the out-of-doors deeply. Probably he never thought so, but It can be said that the last half dozen years of his comparatively short life were as successful as any that had preceded them. J e ——— The Market Site. While the District Commissioners in their repert to Congress on the subject of the future location of the Farmers’ Market fall to make spe- fic recommendations for a perma- nent site for the establishment, they reduce the question to narrower terms and render possible a decision to meet the immediate requirements. They recite, first, certain principles that affect the wholesale marketing of food which apply to the maintenance of this institution. First, the perish. able industry can be most economi cally and efficiently conducted by cen- tralization in the market area: second, this area must, from an economic standpoint, be located at a railroad terminal, where receivers can deliver direct from cars and avoid the hish cost of truck dravage; third, that the Farmers’ Market should be located in close proximity to the commission houses. Admitting that the District and Federal Government will have little if anything to say regarding the exact location at which the commis- sion men, making up the larger part of the wholesale center, will locate when compelled to remove from their present location, the Commissioners hold that these wholesalers should make the first move; that is to say, that they should select the area for the future conduct of their business before the site of the Farmers’' Mar- ket is Gefinitely chosen. Thus, from the Commissioners’ point of view. a decision on a permanent site for the Farmers' Market cannot be deter- mined effectively until the commis- leading editorial states: “There is no eity in the whole Union where a paper such as we propose to publish is more needed than bere, where a magnificent city is stretching out before us, daily expanding its giant proportions: here ‘where people gather from every quar- . ter of the globe; here where thc coun- cils of the Nation assemble and where the chiéf departments of the Govern- ment are located; here where, in the course of time, is destined to be the most powerful and brilllant capital in the world.” The pledge, the creed and diction here reprinted were formulated ‘sevénty-five years ago today. In the same issue the population of Wash- ington was estimated at “upward of forty thousand.” Pennsylvania avenue was unpaved. The 6ld canal ran through B street. The Washington Monument was a stub, at the very flats. Many sands have since run through the glass. Washington, fulfilling the above quoted augury, has moved for- ‘ward to her great destiny. It is The Star’s greatest pride that, cleaving to its given word, it has played its part in the splendid progress made toward the fulfillment of its dream for our eity. And, as it looks forward to the years that Me before us—years that wili see the city achieve its full des. tiny—it has no better pledge to give the community, no more sincere creed upon which to chart its policies than that set forth on the day of its birth. “Free from party trammels and sec- farian influences * * * maintaining a|tWO y#ars this option will be exer-| fearless spirit of independence * * *|cised and the wholesale produce es-| it will be devoted to the interests of the beautiful city which bears the honored name of Washington.” 1852 soriptum est. Amen 1927. —————e— Lenin left shoes to be fitted. His Successor has mnot been found, al- thoughsthe aspirants for custody of the Soviet megaphone have numer- ously qualified. One of Lindbergh's most remark- able gifts is his ability to take the public mind off small politics. ———— John L. Martin. The great majority of Washingto- nians never heard of a newspaper re- porter who died this morning at Ashe- ville, N. C. His name was John L. Martin and since 1910 he has been a member of the news staff of The Star. Yet a great many people in the Nation's Capital, including public men, have been henefited by the fact that he lived as long as he did. This can be said notwithstanding the fact that for nearly six years past Martin was unable to work. For years Star readers perused with appreciation the clear, concise, accu- rate, yet largely anonymous writings in which Martin dealt with all as- pects of life here, more especially with civic and municipal affairs. For months on end Martin worked cheer- fully, uncomplainingly and satisfac- torily when most men would have thought themselves unable to leave their beds. Finally the fact that a disease from which few recover had him in its dread grip was not to be longer disguised. Reluctantly—for he loved his work—he went South for needed treatment and rest. None thought the malady’s hold relentless, but he never returned, although it was six years before eternal rest came. Although he was almost continu. ously in bed, Martin's value to The Star did not cease, but was only changed. His courageous example, his cheerfulness, his frequent letters, his keen interest in and devotion to the newspaper to which he yearned to return to serve, and to all who also served it, together with the bright recollection by the latter of his excel- lence as a craftsman, combined to sion houses and wholesalers have themselves selected their center. If, however, a decision must be made now as to the permanent loca- tion of the Farmers’ Market, the Commiseioners express preference for a site in the Southwest in squares bounded by Tenth, Eleventh, E and G streets, which, they feel. has ma- terial advantages over others that have been pro , being withia near reach of & railroad terminal and cold storage facilities, as well as the Mu- nicipal PFish Market, already estab- this expression of preference with proposal to establish . the Market on a temporary site pending definite developments. They urge that no permanent location be chosen now and that the market be placed on the Mall, to remain for a period of four or five years in order that a unified plan may ultimitely be deyeloped with the commission merchants, the farmers and possibly the new retail Center Market groupéd together. It cannot be too strongly urged that any éstablishment on the Mall of this character should he specifically de- clared to be temporary; that indeed it should he authorized, if at all, with an explicit time limitation. In all probability the bill for the acquisition of the entire Mall-Avenue triangle will be passed at the present session. This will permit the purchase of the area now occupled by the commission houses, and the building/ plans of the Government are sufficiently advanced to justify the expectation that within tablishments will be under notice to vacate. Therefore, in a very short time the commission houses will be leaving the area. The Commissioners cannot force this question. Congress alone can determine the time for va cating the present premises, It would, consequently, seem that the matter of placing the Farmers’ Market, which must be decided early in this present session, might well be used as the means of settling the whole broad question of the future market center. ——— 0 It has been made pretty clear by President Coolidge that any man who hereafter says he does not choose may expect to be taken at his word. —————————— Theré are admirers of Herbert Hoover who would like to see a po- litical campaign run on intelligent efficlency lines. Institutional Fire Traps. A century-old structure, used for many years as a hospice, or orphan- age, burned Wednesday morning in Quebec, with a heavy loss of life. Es- timates of the casualties vary from thirty-five to fifty. The fire started while all the occupants were asleep and gained headway in the ancient building swiftly, so that scores were trapped in the dormitories and it was extraordinary that any were saved. These holocausts occur with fright- ful frequency and give rise to the ! question why such old edifices are continued i service. They were built long before the adoption of fire-resist- ing materials. Some of them may have fire escapes, which are of use in emer- gency only to lessen the peril, but do not prevent déaths. The floors, stairs and walls are of wood, dried to tinder. Wiring has been done in most cases according to old rules, and a high per- centage of danger prevails in respect to ignition from accidental short-cir- cuits. Heating apparatus is old and offers a high risk. Yet these fire-trap buildings house scores, hundreds and in the aggregate thousands of people, children and adults —in some cases persons afflicted with disease. They are orphanages, houses of mercy, schools, shelters for the aged and in- firm, and hospitals. make his presence felt daily; to give him an inspirational value as fine as had been his practical value on thelfunds for the replacement witk mod-'Santa Claus we better days when he would report for duty, era bulldings. They are maintained pervide one. In most cases thgse aged structures are kept in service because of lack of the cost of actual save in cases of concentrated “drives, permitting no margin of revenue suf- ficient to provide new‘quarters. When a fira occurs, or some other disaster comes, there is a generous giving of means for the rebuilding and the new construction takes substantial form, with the disaster risk lowered to the minimum. But this tardy pub- lic generoaity does not bring back to life those who were loat. Habit inures to conditions, and many of these old institutional struc- tures are regarded by the communi- {tles in which they stand as “safe enough.” until a blaze develops, per- haps—as i very often the case—in the night, when a long casualty list shocks the public. Then may come | than the scene of the tragedy and a few more old institutional houses are jreplaced to prevent repetitions. But many remain, standing invitations to horror, It would be some solace for the shocking tragedy at Quebec If it were to cause a complete replacement of all the institutional fire traps in America with fire-resisting constructions. The cost of the change would mount into { the millions, but the investment in Safety would yield a rich return in | security in the future R The Tax Bill. | The House of Representatives has passed a tax reduction bill providing for a much greater cut in the rev- { President and the Secretary of the Treasury as safe and sound. As It ands, the measure proposes a total | net reduction of approximately $290,- 000,000, whereas the administration proposal was for a reduction of ‘53 000,000, The House ways and |means committee shaped the bill for a reduction of $232,735,000. These changes were effected by a combina- tion of Republican and Democratic votes and the margins in favor of them were heavy. Usually the Senate's tendency is | to legislate on fiscal matters more conservatively than the House. It may therefore be expected that the bill will be reshaped in that body with the omission of some of the amendments that were added after it was reported from committee, thus effecting a reduction of the redwc- tion, so to speak. A stubborn con- test in conference will in that case |result and the outcome will be long protracted. It is the hope of everybody that the bill may become a law in season to affect the first quarterly payments of the new tax year, which begins January 1. Those payments are due on the 15th of March. If the bill is materizlly amended in the Senate along the lines of a closer approxi- mation to the administration’s pro- posals and these changes are stoutly the pre-| lished. But the Commissioners couple | resisted by the House the contest may continue beyond that period. But the reductions might be made retroactive, with provision for cred- its on the second quarter date. This has happened before. —————————— A heavyweight match in the prize ring is always welcomed in sporting circles as something calculated to give the conversation & new turn. ——— e Placing Frank Hitchcock in charge of a presidential campaign would be regarded by many an old-time politi- cal observer as a return to normalcy. A wise man knows when to change his mind. This is true, even in the ‘Weather Bureau. vt SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSOX. Wakeful Watching. K There's a light In the window whére anxious we stand. We are turning our gaze to a far- distant land. We begged him to stay, for we viewed with alarm His restless desire to go far from the farm. ‘We cherish regard for his skill and his worth, But wish he would linger awhile here on earth, Wae're scanning the skies and we pause to complain, “He is at it again! He is at it again!" He rises serene and he goes on his way Where a world once uncertain Is ear- nest and gay. We think of a tailspin with feelings of fright, And ask wheré our wandering boy !s tonight. Affection is strange and each risk will resent. Yet the hint of a fear it will boldly repent, S0 we proudly salute as we sing the refrain, “He is at it again! He is at it again” Fellow Feeling. “How do you manage to remaln popular with your constituents' “I don’t try to deceive them,” an- swered Senator Sorghum. ‘“There are many things I know little about. T frankly admit it, and so keep myself in sympathetic touch with the mn- | jority."” 1 Angels. | The angels don't invariably fiy. It's funny. They stay on earth and labor to supply ‘The money, | Jud Tunkins says a truthful man one who verifies his facts and has no time left for eloquent gossip. Loud and Easy. “Are you a wet or a dry?” “I don’t know,” answered Uncle Bill Rottletop. “It's hard to line up in poli- ties out our way. The speak-louds are | mostly for prohibition, and yet they |are often hard to distinguish from th | speak-casies.” Intangible Asset. “The motor's cheap,” a salesman said About economy he raved. | And here T stand with puzzled head. Where is the money I have saved? “Chillun dat don’ git no Christmas presents,” said Uncle Eben, “calls at: tention to de fact dat it dar ain’ no git busy an’ some stirring about in other places | | enues than that recommended by the | BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. A happy . custom among executives and others during recent years has been to typewrite the full mame of the person signing a letter beneath the written signature. i Yet it is not a universal habit by any means, as many a person has discovered to his sorrow, as he has vainly attempted to decipher the aers that some one fondly imagined wis a signature, It is with one's handwriting as with one’s ear for music, very few persons will admit that they do not have a good one, yet nothing is more common than the lack of it. The other day we witnessed the waste of precions time and perturba- tion canused by the failure of a per- son with poor handwriting to plainly ypewrite out the name beneath the signature. The recelver puzzied his head In vain over the mame. It might have been anything. It might have been “John Jones,” it might have been “Willlam Smith.” It was a_ thing of scrawls and flourishes, blended with deft uncer- taint, yet achleving the scientific depths of certainty—surety to fool and bewilder, that is. Unless one held the key to it, the signature was a cipher, One could imagine men staying up all night in |a desperate effort to untangle the | thing from its first letter to its last. The late Sam Lloyd probably never davised a more intriguing puzzle. * ok xR The man who first attempted to solve it finuly gave it up in despair and handed it over to an associate. “Can you make out that signature? he asked. s The other squinted at it eritically, as if to say. “Why, of course, I can | make it out. Then he took another look. The | thing_was Intriguing, no doubt about it. That first letts for instance— was it a “J” or an ? s It the former, perhaps the name was “John'; if the latter, maybe “Lester.” An effort to count the let- ters, as a mere mechanical basis for further calculation, failed utterly. “I think it is ‘John Mathews,'" finally said the helper, passing the letter back. “What do you think it is, Bill?” the recipient asked anhother. The latter, too, took the missive con- fidently, then began to appear some: | what bewlldered. “I wouldn't want to make it posi- tive,” | perusal, “but I hazard the guess t the man’s name is ‘Louis Manville. * k¥ % Since the letter came from a local firm, the busy man who got it thought he would take time out to query the establishment as to the real name of the sender. It puts one in rather a ridiculous position to solemnly address a letter to Mr. John Mathews if it should go to Mr. Louis Manville, or vice versa— especlally the versa! After all, the name might be Robert Jones! “I'd better call up,” said the puzzle solver, grabbing for his phone. ““Hello, hello,” he said, after going through the customary evolutions. It's a pretty fine tribute to a states- man when boisterous guffaws greet the mere suggestion that he could be gullty of one of the “high crimes and misdemeanors” punishable under the Constitution by impeachment. That's what happened when Willlam E. Borah's name was dragged into the Hearst-Mexican ‘‘disclosures” before the Senate investigating committee yesterday. Senator David A. Reed, Republican, of Pennsylvania, chair- man of the inquiry, had just sworn Borah. The Idahoan was in the wit- ness chair, waiting to testify. Reed read from the Hearst documents that the “auditor's department” of the “Mexican foreign office” had set aride $500,000 to be paid to Senator Borah. The preposterous words had no sooner fallen from Reed’s lips than the pack- ed committee room burst spontaneous- ty into a chorus of horselaughs. “None present needed Borah's denfal of the yarn, which forthwith ensued, to es- tablish the grotesqueness of the in- sinuation. The chairman of the for- eign relations committee is prouder of his reputation for political morality than of any honor that could pos. sibly come to him. Men differ vio- lently with Borah, but no one ever questions his integrity. * koK % Noble Brandon Judah, newly ap- pointed American Ambassador to Cuba, will present his credentials to President Machado in Havana within the next few days. The Chicago sol- dler-lawyer owes his appointment in no small degree to the circumstance that he has teen a student of the Spanish language d literature tor more than 20 years. Judah's law practice has regularly taken him to Latin American countries. The Ha- vana embassy under his direction will probably .be the scene of that sump- tuous hospitality expected nowadays of the richest country on earth. Mr. Judah is the possessor of a com- fortable fortune, partially inherited from_ his maternal grandfather, the late B. P. Hutchinson of the Chicago Board of Trade. During the gay nineties “Old Hutch” was the wheat king of Chicago. Mrs. Judah is a daughter of* John H. Patterson, for many years president of the Natioral Cash Reglster Co. of Dayton, Ohio, and some day will be an heiress. Am- bassador Judah is a.tfustee of Brown University and a fellow alumnus of Charles Evans Hughes, having been graduated from Brown in 1904, * X oK K Politics, of course, Is the principal course served at the myriad of lunch- eon and dinner parties now rampant in Washington. It's a poor function at which some new and hitherto un- revealed “secret” isn't let out of the bag. Most of these tidbits concern the 1928 presidential campaign. One of the very latest is to the effect that when the Republican convention is deadlocked ar Kansas City in June President Coolidge is going to trot out a couple of dark horses, both friends of his. One is Associate Justice Har- lan F. Stone of the United States Supreme Ccurt and the other Is Dwight W. Morrow, Ambassador to Mexico. EE Everett Sanders greets White House callers these days In a brand-new pair of Harold Lloyd horn-rimmed glasses. The President's right-hai man avows and avers that he's had to resort to goggles because he needs them and not to convey the impres. sion that he is college bred. Many Hooslers expect the Terre Haute statesman to be Senator-elect Sanders after November, 1928, TR Frank B. Kellogg, Secretary of State, made some exceedingly inter- esting international remarks at th2 inaugural dinner of the Foreixn Press Association in Washingion the other night. He welcomes, the Secre tary said, the growing number of newspaper men from abrosd who are pitching their tents on the Potomac. New York. Chicago, Boston, San Fran- cisco and other great cities outrival Washington, Kellogg pointed out, in size and commercial importance, but he declared that foreign correspond- ents are well advised in selecting the National Capital as the point of van- tage from which to gauge American life and times aright. This happens “Can you tell me if you have a gen- tieman by the name of John Mathews with your firm? No, the secretary— what, is his name Louls Manville, then? Oh, I see! I see He hung up the phone. o ‘Guess what the name really Is, he called. ‘Glve it up,” came the chorus. Flossie Seely,” he chirped, a grin on his fuc All seemed plain salling then, until he started to write; then he realized that he did not know whether Flossie was “Miss” or * Here he faced another eplstolary difficulty. He could not call it & dflemma, for, that involves two lines of equal diffculty, and both unsatis- fuctory. Either “Miss” or “Mrs."” would do— it he knew which was right. Phere was nothing else to do but to call up a 3 *‘Hello, hell he sald, after going through the customary preliminaries, all of which take time, severally and collectjvely. “Can you tell me if ly is addressed Miss or [Mrs he announced, “ite Every one who has occasion to sign his name—and most persons do, now and then—ought to detach himself from himself, as it were, and occasion ally look at his signature as others must look at it. | "Robert Burns perhaps would have |done better by the world it he had changed his gratuituous advice to |read: “Oh that some one would give us the gift of seeing our own signa- ture as strangers see A signature is a two-way proposi: |tion. Tt involyes him who writes it |and him who recelves it; a good signa- ture is thus twice blessed. The open-faced signature drops as the gentle dew from Heaven uvon the busy man who recelves it. He breathes a sigh of relief at the plain, honest handwriting that does not vaunt itself or seem puffed up, but which displays every letter Goc made it. John Hancock, to such a man. seems the presiding deity of all létter writers who write their names plainly, efficiently. The cuttlefish, which is reputed to cloud the waters with ink, is the pet of those who, on the other hand, set down a series of lines and curlicues, |in the fond belief that it is a signa- ture. .One prominent man in this towr uses a parallel aggregation of up-and- down strokes, and has the subli nerve to call it a signature. Any one can forge his name by turning the paper sideways and com mencing a rapid series of up-and. down lines, becoming higher in thc middle, then dwindling down at the end. Common courtesy and business e: pediency demands that all those whe execute such puzzling signatures type write their real names below. The Constitution, of course, guaran tees a man the right to write hir name in his own way, but the Declara tion of Independence demands tha’ the receiver be considered, too. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. to be an opinion mnot universall shared throughout the land. Men an women who llve out in the enfran- chised United States are fond of say- ing that Washington knows less about what's going on in the country than any other place in the Union. * % ¥ % ‘ President Coolidge is called upon té appoint a Democrat to the place on the Interstate Commerce Commission caused by the recent resignation of Henry C. Hall. Senator Edward I. Ed- wards, Democrat, of New Jersey, has submitted the name of George H. Parker of Wildwood, N. J. Mr. Parker, who makes his home in Chevy Chase, D. C., outside of Washington, has long practiced before the commission as the representative of both carriers and shippers. He ranks as a specialist in the law that governs their relations and their rights as litigants in the tribunal of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Parker has had experi- ence as a railroader, besides. He once was an assistant vice president of the Delaware & Hudson, under L. " Loree. During the war the Jerseyman served as assistant to Walker D. Hines, director general of railroads. In that capacity Parker formulated the “maintenance limitation” imposed on railroads during the six months fol- lowing the end of Federal control, whereby Uncle Sam was enabled to deduct many millions of dollars in set- tlements with !hg‘cn‘rd:rl. - * M. Jan Ciechanowski, the Polish Minister in Washington, admits he's no Bobby Jones, but he does claim to be the possessor of the largest collec- tion of golf clubs in captivity here. abouts. They number no fewer thgn 200. The Minister concedes that he assembles them largely as works of art. He's fond of exhibiting to his friends a de luxe set, which he picked up in London last Summer. The clubs were on display in a Piccadilly shop M. Ciechanowski proceeded to acquire them, and they now adorn the sporting goods department of the Polish lega- tion. * oK kK Father Duff: the 69th New York and Gov. Smith's religious counselor, told in Washing- ton this week an experience he had at the recent Army-Notre Dame foot ball gameé. Dufly wears alternate colors at that annual gridiron classic his turn to sport the West Point em- Dame man, upbraided the Irish priest for his unbecoming disloyalty to the Rockne team. “l suppose,” re- monstrated Duffy good-naturedly, “that you're a Catholic.” Quoth the irate wearer of the Gold and Blu “The hell I am! I'm an Episco- palian!” (Copyriht. 1927.) The Most Serious Peril. From tho Detroit Freo Press. When President Coolidge remark- ed to the Union League Club of Philadelphia that “history is littered their own wealth,” he said something the peéople of the United States need to remember all the time. Very few peoples have been able to withstand the strain of large prosperity with- out deteriorating. And most peoples who have had luxury at their com- mand for long periods of time have ridden for a fall and generally have ended in the dump heap. Some na- tions have endured under the burden and temptation of great wealth longer than others have endured. and there |48 room for hope that America may stand up better than most countries have, Nevertheless its situation as the great money land of the world is exposing it to the most subtle and insidious and - therefor the most threatening verii it ever has faced. Mr. Coolidge says the national deht is the greatest weakness in our line of national defense. We think he is mistaken. There Is a distinctly dangerous tendency toward smugness, self-satisfaction and self-confidence in the face of constant evidences of need that the. republic remain on guard, which is a much greater “fighting chaplain” of | He hung up the phone with a sigh | window, having just won a prize as |clerks are human, the best looking set of the season. So |their busiest month, and let them in the | Yankee Stadium, and this year it was blem. An enthusiastic youth,’ whom | Coolidge has made himself famous as Father Duffy assumed to be a Notre [an instructor in philology. | | with stories of nations destroyed by | There has lately emerged frgm the libraries of our scholars a new litera- ture which centers around the as- serted tendency of American democ- racy to dolt‘y the second-rate in its selection of leaders for its public, life. Very often, in discussions of this new criticism of the American public’ life, we catch in the critic's eye a wistful look of longing toward Eng- land as the home of great statesman- «hip—a land where excellence gets elected. “They do such things better in England,” is a much heard comment. It is interesting to catch a glimpse of another estimate of England, not to comfort us in the cult of m but simply on the basis thi misery loves company. George Santayana, master of a penetrating insight and maker of ex- quisite prose, is writing of distinction in Englishmen, and he finds it in, the Englishman’s private life, but not in his_public life. “England has been rich in poets,” says Santayana, “in novelists, in in- | ventors, in"philosophers making new beginnings, in intrepid travelgrs, in learned men whose researches are a hobby and-almost a secret. | “The land was once rich in saints, and is still rich in enthusiasts. But the official leaders of the English peo- ple, the kings, prelates, professors and poiiticians, have usually been second- ary men, and even they have been far more distinguished in their private capacity than in their official action and mind. “English genius is anti-professional: its affinities are with amateurs, and .there is something of the amateur in the best English artists, actors and generals. “The truth is the British do not sh to be well led. “They are all individualistic and ristocratic at heart. and want no | leaders in ultimate things: the in- | ner man must be his own guide. “If they had to live under the shadow of a splendid monarch, or a masterful statesman, or an authorita- tive religion, or a defled state, they Iwould not feel fre “They wish to peck at thelr insti- tutions, and tolerate only such insti- tutions as they can peck at. “A certain ineptitude thus comes | to be among them an aptitude for of- fice; it keeps the official from acquir- ing too great an ascendancy.” Santayana thus asserts that the private superiority of the English- man works against great public lead- ership: the new critics of America as- sert that the private mediocrity of the average American boycotts great | public leadership. The future challenges us to com- bine private excellence and public greatness in our leadership. (Copyright. McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) iMadeira Shows Effect Of High Birth Rate To the Editor of The Star: From Madeira, our fleld correspond- ent writes interestingly. On the fer- tile lower slopes of its extinct volcano, Pico Ruivo, Antone Silva, a small lan owner thereon, produces some of Ma- deira’s famous wine. His farmlet, 115 acres, adjoins the highway. Over its smooth cobbles slide the unique bul- lock-drawn sledges that delight pass- Ing Mediterranean-bound tourists. Tony, aged 39, has the typically large Madeira brood—already nine children. To raise these he has the revenue from this farmlet, 70 cents, American gold, daily. Tony is tired of this crowded-to-suffocation island. The ex- travagant stories of America's wealth cufrent in Madeira remind one of the fables of conquistadore days. Tony asks why he should be shut out of America, for he has a cousin there.. He can neither read nor write. His ability to count is limited to the old 1. “score”—10 fingers, 10 bagefe toes. An attempt was made tosh him how his grandchildren would’ outnumber the grandbables of an American couple. These latter av- erage 3 children, say 27 by the third generation. He grasped “27, was 10 fingers plus 10 toes plus 7 finger# on the hands of one of his sons, ‘But his birth rate, 729 grand- children by the third generation, was a’numlor quite beyond his comprehen- sion. Isiands like Madeira show how quickly‘even comparatively newly dis- covered land fills under a high birth rate. Even with rich soil and an al- most tropical climate, the baby crop outdistances feod production. A few cqnturies ago these islands were un- khown, Yet the point of population saturation was reached long ago. Such an example indicates how the Chinafieation of America would be tre- mendously accelerated were immigra- tion permitted races that multiply like rabbits. Such reproduction by types congenitally impossible of democratiza- tion would also mean the engulfment of American ideals. The Johnson im- migration restriction acts came none too soon. IMMIGRATION STUDY COMMISSION, C. M. GOETHE, President. —— Be Amiable for Christmastide. From the Cleveland News. “Be amiable!” is the advice from the Post Office Department to its thousands of employes, broadcast upon the dawning of the Christmas rush season. Let the public remember that postal that Deeember is " come half way. The public also should heed the advice, “Be amiable!” ' Don't expect Christmas season amiability to be a one-sided affair. Coolidge and Philology. From the New York Sun. In addition to being an administra- tor of public affairs of the first order and a politiclan who has the unusual distinction of having in his lifetime recognition as a statesman, Calvin SR e S Is the Duce a Trimmer? From the Dallas News, Mussolini is for the old-fashioned woman with short hair and short skirts. Aha! Who said he was never & trimmer? UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR Ten Years Ago Today. Gen. Pershing announces details of a plan providing for promotion from the ranks, so that any private may win a commission and climb rapidly up through successive grades. ¥ *. Shake-up in Army fore- seen under new War Council. ‘War Secretary’'s action in naming its membership follows ordnance revela- tions before Senate committee and ‘White House conference. * * * Sec. retary Baker, in weekly war review, expresses opinion that Germany will fail in west and doubts if Increased strength of Germans will give them any permanent advantage. Calls it a “peace” drive and says Berlin is eager for this country to believe that a Ger- man_victory is near at hand. * ¢ * Armistice agreement hetween Russian Bolshevist government and central powers signed today and peace nego- tiations are to begin at once.. Only transfers of troops already begun can be carried on. * * * TUnited States urges a more tolerant attitude toward Russi May treat with Bolsheviki, inasmuch they may petain their power for a lang u.mq._ BY FREDERIC ). HASKIN. Q. Which is the face of the S-cent plece, the Indian side or the buffalo sids?—D. M. A. The side that bears the date is the face or obverse of a coin. The Indian head is, therefore, the face of the G-cent plece. . Do South American countries prefer their goods measured in metric term M. R. A. The metric system is in general use. Twenty Southern republics rep- resented in the Second Pan-American Standardization Conference requested that shipping documents be compiled in decimal metric terms. For the con American Trade List has been started, | wherein American firms using metric terms may be registered. Q. How 0l is Al Smith?—J. E. B. A. Gov. Smith was born in New York City, December 30, 1873, the son of Alfred Emanuel and Catherine (Mulvehill) Smith. He is almost 5¢ years old. Q. How many pccupations are there in which no women are employed?— P, W. A. Of the 572 occupations listed in the last census there are only 35 in which no women were employed. Q. Why are members of Congress spoken of as solons?—W. E. 8. A. The name Solon was borne b: an Athenian, who was noted for his learning and wisdom in counsel. He was also known as the law giver of Athens and to him was intrusted the tution. This accounts for the name heing applied to the members of the United States Congress, Q. What is the average depth of thb Atlantic Ocean?—E. ¢ A. The main hody of the Atlantic in depth. The average depth may be considered to be 13,000 feet. The most marked depression in the floor of the Atlantic is the Porto Rico Trough, north of Porto Rico, with a maximum known depth of nearly 28,000 feet. A. Bats are found in all parts of the world, and, as might be expected from their powers of flight, inhabit many remote islands, such as Bermuda and | New Zealand. They are absent, how- world and are most numerous in East- ern tropics. In Chinese art the bat signifies happiness; as the - Chinese | character Fu, meaning bat, is identi- eal in sound with the character Fu meaning blessing. Among Bicols and other Malays the bat is the messen- ger of Asuang. “God of Evil." Q. Can there be more than one tor- nado at a time in the same storm?— J. A. H. A. A tornado is a small vortex in the atmosphere, occurring generaily ! in the =outheastern part of a cyclonic | area, wkhere, in some cases, several separate tornadoes develop at the same time. . How many hours a day does a new-born baby sleep?—A. R. A. The average new-born baby sleeps about 20 hours a day for the first few weeks and as it grows older it sleeps less amd less, until at the age of 1 year it sleeps about 18 hours out of the 24. Q. How long is a cubit’—J. 8. L. A. The word cubit originally indi- mns of 4l parts ot the country show still are somé dif-| ferences of opinion in regard to Presk dent Coolidge’s statement that he is “eliminated” as a candidate for re- nomination by the Republican party. Most of the mewspaper editorial writ. ers accept the President’s latest ut- terance as taking him finally out of the picture: others cling to the pos bility of draft by the convention, to which Mr. Coolidge could not fail to respond. “Refusal to accept his clearly ex- pressed wish placed him in an em- barrassing position, from which he has relleved himself by this further and unmistakable utterance,” accord- ing to the Indianapolis Star (independ- ent Republican), and the Atlantd Jour- nal (Democratic) says: “The country, ali along, took the Chief Magistrate at his word. The politicians, however, could not help being_doubtful and dis- quleted.” The St. Louis Times (Re- publican) is positive that “there will be no draft”i that “it is now impossi- 1 “How successful he has been in mat- ters of Government economy, reduc tion of debt and stabilizing of indus try,” declares the Oakland Tribune (in- dependent Republican), “is written into records which for many an? will continue to speak eloquently ol his administration. The task he set out to do is all but complete. If he does not choose to run again, there is no man more entitled to rest.” The Chicago Daily News (independ- ent) says: “Though he cannot furnish understanding to those who are deter- mined not to understand, at least the public can decline to give weight from this time forward to idle talk of draft- ing Mr. Coolidge for further presiden- tial service.” “No further doubt of his firmness of purpose” is believed by the Lexing- ton Leader (Republican) to be possi- ble. The New York Sun (independent) says that “the door, if it appeared slightly ajar, is closed,” and the Provi- dence Journal (independent) finds sig- nificance in the President's words “eliminated” and “My decision will be respected.” The Louisville Times (in- dependent) holds that “with the West opposed to him alveady, his brusque statement eliminated ali probability, at least, of anything like a draft being attempted.” The San Bernardino Sun (Re':‘oubncln) accepts the “elimination” as final. " Expressions fi * kKX The Newark Evening News (inde- pendent) sums up: “Mr. Coolidge refers to the selection of another candidate as a ‘serous task.’ It should be. Those who still cling to the idea that Mr. Coolidge can be drafted are not treating it seriously.” The Butte Daily Post (Republican) and Little Rock Arkansas Democrat (Democratic) also find public belief that the matter is closed. 2 “The talk of drafting has been largely nonsense,” asserts the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader (Republican); it has been ‘“uncomplimentary and un- just to the President.,” in the opinion of the Columbus Ohio State Journal (Republican); and to the Norfolk Daily News (independent) it is ‘“witless. The Schenectady Gazette (independent Democratic) stats Tt is well that Mr. Coolidge has clarified his state- ment—not because most people thought it necessary, but in order to silence that group which has reflected upon his motives in_taking himself out of the race.” The Richmond News- Leader (independent Democratic) adds that “attempts to ‘draft’ him will not be_ patriotic. Among the papers which refuse to l venience of Southern buyers, the Pan- | task of revising the Athenian consti-| varies between 10,000 and 18,000 feet Q. Is the bat g symbol of evil?— | 8. V. L. ever, from the coidest parts of the | cated the length of a man's forea, from the tip of the muflc.lxuur:; the elbow. The cubit spoken of in the Bible at the time of the buildin, of the ark probably measured 15 eg 18 inches. The P Egyptian cubit was 21 Q. How much abandoned f: Q i there in tte United sme:"'-'—"s!'g' A Durine ihe five years anding were abandoned. i Q. What is corn flour? »:4:';1." p;l. 4ot . Corn flour is corn m nd bolted until it is as fln:.alu‘:;:l-:? flour. It is used in considerable quan. tities by bakers and as a binder in sausage making. During the war it | was widely =old as a wheat flour sub stitute for use in quick breads, cakes and general cooking, but it is not oraj. narily found on the retail market Sorae of the pancake flours on the market contain corn flour or fing corn meal, usually mixed with flour made of wheat, rye, barley or other cersals In England the term corn flour refers |to the separated starch, which in this | :-'oun::; 1«{ cu]legl cornstarch and which u or thic d o e kening sauces and o How s it | | Q. How are wrecks of ships at | carried out for the movies?—L. H " A. Wrecks of ocean - liners are enacted in a small tank in the studio | Howling gales are provided by -r!mchnr'x‘uisll whmn machines. The ‘ocean” is lashed to fury by paddles, |and the toy liner, Darhapa 10 dnches in length, is tossed about on the waves by wires in the hands of |studio assistants. It the storv ealls | for an explosion to sink the hoat, a dynamite cap aboard is exploded at | the proper time and the miniature craft sinks beneath the waves twith exciting realism. ?j What Is the highest price yet d for a seat on the New York Stock, Exchange?—V. L. o A. The highest pri $305,000. e Q. Is the name Rue de Riche- | panse spelled with an “s” or a “e" W. F. R. A. Both spellings of the name of | this street are used in Paris. The street signs on one side use “s” and on the other “c.” Q. Where was the Wall of - nius?—L. T. G. oy A. This was a rampart erected the first part of the reign of Anto nius Pius to check the northern bar. barians of Britain. It extended from ttple‘d:‘mh of Forth to the Firth &t yde. to date s Q. How many battles of the Re mmi;" were fought in New Jersey’— A. During the Revolution nearly 100 battles and, skirmishes were forght upon . the soil of the State. Most conspicuous were the battles of Trenton (December 26, 1776): Princeton (January 3. 1777): Red Bank (October 22, 1777): Monmouth (June 28, 1778) and Paulus Hook (August 19, 1779). Have we had the pleasure of serving you through our Washington Informa- tion Bureau? Can’t we be of some help to you in your daily problems? Our business is to furnish youw with author- itative information, and we invite you to ask us any question of fact in which ' | you are interested. Send your inquiry to The Evening Star Information Bu- reau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. €. Inclose 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Press Differ fimlnipti_qn of Coolidge :3 apt; in the end, to be nominated and £0 be forced by the meére pressure of * aubm opinfon to accept the nomina- on.”* " "It would be a conscription by the people which would scarcely admit of & refusal by him,” in the judgment of the Nashville Banner (independent). ' ‘The thought that the President may be drafted persists in the opinion of the Woucester Telegram (independent), Oklahoma City Times (independent), Lincoln Star (independent), Passaic Daily Herald (independent) and Duluth Herald (independent Republican). The Binghamton Press (independent Re- publican) concludes: “A sweating and uncertain national convention may ‘draft Coolidge' and obtain a further historic elucidation of the meaning of ‘T do not choose.' " “Before final judgment can be given on the clarity of his utterances on this subject.” advises the Charleston Evening Post (independent Demo- eratic), “it is necessary to know what is in Mr. Coolidge’s.mind. Is anybody prepared to say and to prove that The Morgantown' New Dominion (in- dependent Democratic) asks: ‘“What could have been easler for him to say than that he would not accept the nomination, it such is actually his in- tention?”” The Roanoke World-News (independent ~Democratic) ~suggests: “He could have made an announce- ment that would have been historic. He has done the same thing, but in the doing of it he has mumbled his words.” * k% ok In praise of Mr. Coolidge, however, the Dayton Daily Democratic) say: Yy ment to the national committee he has justified our faith in his straixht- forwardness. The President directs the party leaders to go about the job of selecting his successor with the definite understanding that he is not to be his own successor.” The New York Evening World (independent) avers: “Calvin Coolidge is not a candi- date for the Republican nomination in . To insist otherwise now would be an insult to the President.” The Santa Barbara Dail, ews (Democratic) remarks that “the abso lute refusai of Mr. Coolidge to consider the nomination ‘that he could have had without asking will . further strengthen the precedent against & third term.” The Cleveland News (in- dependent Republican) adds that citizens will honor Calvin Coolidge more than ever for his strict observ- ance of a_vague national rule.” The Kansas City Journal (Republican) points out that the politiciuns “have had four months to ponder on wheth- er a President of the United Stater, conscious of the fact that his every word would be under the microscope cf history for generations to come, won have gone out of his way to issue an ln!‘l.lncere or fll-considered statement.” 'Had his political ambition been un- ballasted by his realization of the hon- ors already enjoyed and of the third- term tradition involved,” the Asheville Times (independent Democratic) be- lieves, “he might easily have been per- suaded to stand for another term. He met the several issues presented to him seriously, frankly and in a way that will augment the admiration of the American people for him as man and as their Chief Magistrate. Mr. Coolidge has opened the w to all candidates to express them- selves. It is an open race,” declares the Albany Evening News (independ- ent Republican), and the Champaign News-Gazette (in ndent), thinks the country is large enough to produce Other presidential timber,” while the accept this verdict is the New York (] Herald-Tribune (Republican), which explains: “The man 'in the street, whether Republican ' or Democrat, hopes for und expects +his re-election. It is as clear that the country wants him as that he does not want the presidency ‘The Cincinnati Time: Star (Republican) “is thoroughly con- vinced of the genuineness of Calvin Coolidge’s desire not to run again,’ but is ‘“‘equally convinced that he is Rochester Times-Union (independent) says that “as a muu‘m«.‘me Re- publicans are particularly rich In presidential timber. ‘The Hartford Times (independent Democratic) con: cludes that, in any event, “if he was actually bowing himself out of the picture, It is evident t he does not intend the Republican plattorm m ers to. be bothered with any specil o proposals that Coolidee PlmbLRE by Known fi',g