Evening Star Newspaper, December 22, 1927, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C THURSDAY, . .December 22, 1927 THEODORE W. NOYES. ... Editor Tho Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Offce: lvania x‘n‘ X &“’"’8’ ve. ;11 it 42nd St The w tar with the Sunday morn PRI Ny ? Rlindave mall or is made by Mafl—Payable in Advance. land and Virginia. w BRI dwr $300°1 All Other States and Canada. $12.00: 1 mo.. $1.00 - 300 me: 3% Member of the Associated Press. ssociated Press ts exclusively entitled Al to tho ise’for republication of all news dis s credited to It or not otherwise cred- fied in this paver and t the local news Dyblished herel ~ation mo.. mo.. & =k “succulent bivalves.” Furthermore, this is also a season of indoor happy anticipation of sport awaiting in 19 vacation days. Al this leads up to the point that credit is due the Federal Bureau of Fisheries, which labors unceasingly to promote both economical gastro- nomic delights and the healthful pleasures of the sportsman. The re- port of the commissioner, recently is- sued, informs the public that the past year witnessed the greatest output of fish and eggs since the establishment of the bureau. The pack of canned salmon In Alaska was the largest in the history of the Territory. It is not unlikely that, had the bureau never existed, no salmon would today be found in Alaska. “Do you want good fishing? Then obey the law.” Thus runs the pithy legend on a highly visible sign to be encountered in rural Pennsylvania. No one will dispute its underlying truth. A paraphrase is, “Do you want good fishing? Then be liberal with the Bureau of Fisheries.” It is just as true, and the “fishing” includes both angling for sport and seining for gain. But most Star readers, it is con- tended, have no representatives in A Champion of Equity. It is highly encouraging to the Dis- trict, in its struggle to gain political and fiscal equity, to hear Senator Wes- ley L. Jones of the State of Washing- ton, in urgent advocacy of both causes. In his address before the Washington Chamber of Commerce Tuesday night he declared his championship of na- tional representation and of the fixed ratio principle in appropriations for the maintenance of the National Capi- tal. Senator Jones has always been the District's good friend, and in both respects he has been unwavering in his support. His earnest and open avowal of faith before the citizens of the District is particularly helpful at this time, especially in view of his po- sition as one of the most active and influential members of the upper house of Congress. Senator Jones puts the case for fiscal equity on the ground that the Capital is the direct responsibility of the country and not of the people of the District. The residents of Wash- ington, he sald, should, of course, bear ® fair tax burden, and they are doing 50, but the Capital is peculiarly a na- tional problem. “The people of the Nation,” he says, “regard it as their responsibility.” Full acquaintance with the situa- tion enables Senator Jones to speak authoritatively on the subject of the District's tax burden and the need of an assured regular and proportionate contripution by the general Govern- ment. He points out that Washing- ton is by deliberate policy deprived of the natural business activities found in other cities, where they produce ‘ashington Senator Jones, ‘with knowledge of conditions else- notes that the assessment basis is high and that the tax burden capita is likewise high, citing in- stances of which he has personal to show that this is not the case elsewhere, The sixty-forty ratio, which is now the substantive law, was established ratio of the organic act of on the basis of a report of the committee of the House and Sen- question. No equitable reason ‘has ever arisen for the change from the ratio to the lump sum plan. The tions which will provide adequately for the maintenance and development of the Capital without imposing an unequal and ruinous weight upon the community, ‘These heartening words by one who through long service in Congress and Present position in the Senate is quall- Med to speak authoritatively. raise the bhopes of Washington that Congress will at this session return to the sub- stantive Jaw in acting as the District’s taxing and appropriafing body, and thus do equity to the community over ‘which it is by the Constitution placed as guardian. ————— Efforts to entertain the Prince of ‘Wales should be moderated so as not to make him think of something ir- resistibly funny just when he is about to take a difficult jump on horse- back. ———r———————— Reveries of Rod and Reel. Now is coming that season of the Congress on whom they can urge such desirable liberality. True enough, but they all know some one who has. Some day, not during the life of this Congress, or probably the next, but some day all Star readers will have this desired representation, and in the meantime they can be giving the mat- ter fruitful thought. ————— Grasp All the “Opportunities!” Washington will surely not neglect its “Fourteen Opportunities” for prac- tical charity. The amount required to meet the needs of these selected cases is $15,080. The amount subscribed up to the reckoning announced today is $7,677.40. It has always been the hope that this fund would be completed by Christmas morning. Therefore only about thirty-six hours remain to ac- complish this end now. These “Op- portunities” have become an institu- tion, definitely established as a feature of the annual charity work. The cases are selected with care to represent a need that is much broader than this particular list. Today's total brings the amount just a little over the half-way point. There remains to be collected $7,402.60. This can be done. In other years the fund has been suddenly completed after days of lagging. If these fourteen cases are not fully supplied by direct subscription, it will be necessary to meet their budgets out of the general funds. By their selec- tion they are guaranteed for the year. If the general fund must be drawn upon to supply deficiencies, the re- sources of the Associated Charitles, which cares for many hundreds during the season, will be depleted by that amount. Thus those who give to the “Opportunities” are indirectly giving also to the general funds of organized charity in the District. It is not desirable that these “Op- portunities” should be ‘“closed” by large individual gifts. It is far better that they be met by numerous smaller subscriptions, representing the dona- tions of hundreds, perhaps thousands of people. Some subscribers, instead of choosing a specific case, request that their gifts be distributed through- out the list. Whoever gives to this fund is as- sured that every dollar goes for the support of a definite group of needy, worthy people. There are no deduc- tions for “overhead” or administrative expenses. The Associated Charities| merely acts.as fiscal agent for these familles, whose circumstances are known to be such as to deserve the fullest response to the call for their aid. ———— Motorists and Chickens. The residents of Morrison, II).,, can- not have very much to do. At least, that would be the impression gained from a bit of buffoonery just staged in a court of that city. A motorist ran over a chicken in the roadway. He was sued by the owner of the fowl and haled into court for the offense. The jury of twelve good men and true deliberated twelve hours before acquitting the motorist of blame and the trial cost the county three hundred dollars. ‘What a sharp satire on the proper use of the courts this is! The suit should never have been entertained or the motorist forced to stand trial for such a silly thing. The twelve members of the jury, if it took them half a day to decide on the verdict, must either have been very stupid or they did not have anything else to do and en- Joyed the comforts of the jury room. Any county that will put up with such nonsense deserves to lose three hundred dollars. When a case like this comes up, it reflects seriously on the citizens of the locality in which it occurs and the people of Mor- rison have no reason to be proud of their chicken slaughter trial. ————————— Whéther Lindbergh admires bull- fighting or not is beside the ques- year when one catches fish in retro- spect. With shins toasting over against a flickering fire, Piscator mulls over in his mind the big one, to ac- commodate which he had to open the 1a of his creel, or that other big one that got away—it matters little which. It is a pleasure in which those of every degree can partake, from Presi- dent Coolidge, with his glowing rec- ollections of the robust and radiant rainbows of Squaw Creek, down to the small boy, who, with home-work spread out before him, pictures him- self as battling with the half-pound yellow perch or enticing the mon- strous eightinch trout living in the hole under the culvert. He can almost feel the stone bruise and the blistered thumb of last Summer. Even upon us is the feast day on which worthy anglers bestow one upon the other rods, reels, lines, tackle boxes, nets, waders and all manner of quaint furred and feathered or metaled lures, each warranted a sure killer—sometimes. Moreover, are we living through that sector of the earth’s cycle when mackerel, codfish and other salt water delicacles are particularly tasty for breakfast, while a long string of months containing the letter “R” induce us to renew ac- quaintance with what the “journsiist” 52 vsyally. M&fl # @ b tion. He is present at the “merry sports” purely as a guest and in no sense as a critic. Markings by Mail. More and more can the United States citizen accomplish things by mail. He can round out his wardrobe by filling out a measurement chart; he can purchase genuine water- ground cornmeal and buckwheat for his morning cakes and maple honey to pour over them; he can have his smokes delivered to his door by the gray-clad postman; he can, it is al- leged, get himself cured of various real and imaginary diseases by send- ing specimens to analytical bu- reaus; he can learn languages liv- ing and dead; he can even get mar- ried by mail, or rather thus arrange for marriage. Now he can have himself per- sonally analyzed as to his qualifica- tions for success, his influence and earning power, as a preliminary to self-improvement. “There are twenty requirements mecessary to one'’ business progression,” states a let- ter sent broadcast from a great Mid- western city offering this personal analysis and advisory service for business and professional men. “The ‘Personalysis Rater’ shows you how to compile an exact perceptage on BTAR, WASHINGTON, THIS -AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. ‘these requirements se hat you may determine just how high or low you stand on each of your personal traits. “For the man who has gained suc- cess threugh practical experience, who is ambitious further to extend his influence and earning power, and who realizes that the first step in self-improvement is to find out just how high in type as an executive he really is, this new service has been created.” ‘What is not stated is whether the client is to fill out his ratings for himself, or get his best friend, or some colleague, or his boss to do it for him. The results, it is feared, would vary considerably and might befog the far-off analyzer. Further- more, when the anticipated analysis arrives—by mail—and the verdict is gratifying to the recipient, does he take it to the inher room, flash it proudly and demand a raige in salary? The possibilities are interesting to contemplate. Intriguing as the idea sounds, it is feared that no really successful service along this line can be prosecuted until universal mental telepathy is the order of the day. ——.— The Meanest Man. Every so often a new aspirant for the unenviable title of the ‘“‘meanest man in the world” bobs up in the day’'s news. There have been those wheo have robbed the blind, church col- lection boxes and widows and children with no other means of support. All of these have successively been crowned the “meanest man,” but the medern king of them all has just made his appearance in New Jersey. He has placed his name in‘nomination for the undisputed title, and it will take the others many hours of thought and the execution of despicable deeds to dislodge him from his eminence. The new ruler of the kingdom of the “meanest man” took his automobile out the other night for a little drive. He had not gone far when he succeed- ed in knocking to the ground a woman who was walking with her small daughter. Gallantly he placed his victim in the rear of his machine and sped to her home. And just as gal- lantly he carried her upstairs, placed her in a chair, and sald, “I will be right back with the best doctor in town.” The victim waited patiently for his return, but as time passed she became suspicious and called her own doctor. It was then that she discov- ered that the gallant motorist had ex- tracted not only her key from her pocketbook when he opened the door for her, but all her money as well. Hit-and-run motorists are quite nu- merous in every community. This is the first recorded instance, however, of the appearance of a new type, the hit, rob and run automobile driver, and 1t is for this reason that he deserves the title of the “meanest man.”. It is possible that there were some wit- nesses to the street accident who caught the number of the automobile involved, and the police may be able to trace the thief as a result of this clue. If he is apprehended, no mercy should be shown him when he is brought before the bar of justice. ——e——— Old-fashioned oratory retains lit- tle appeal. And yet there are mo- ments when it would be a reliet to hear more poetry quoted and less en- deavor for original elogquence. ————————— There are statesmen sufficiently cynical to interpret some alleged specimens of correspondence between Mexico and the U. 8. A. as mere let- ters to Santa Claus. —————— A presidential candidate is com- pelled to be cautious in deciding whether his candidacy is a public demand or only a personal state of mind. The holiday shopper is again in evidence to lend “corroborative de- tall” to the Wall Street statements that the country is prosperous. “Leave to print” may be relied on to keep the Congressional Record from being compressed into so-called tabloid proportions. Interoceanic canals are important, but in world relationships the little old airplane still remains the big idea. A submarine boat is a pitiful of- fensive mechanism when it kills only its own crew. . SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Christmas Card. A bit of pasteboard, very gay; Some printer’s ink in bright array; A picture quaint, or else sublime, That whispers of an olden time; A sentiment in rhyme or prose ‘Which art has labored to disclose— And, best of all, in Christmas glee Affection’s thought by you for me! Popular Impression. ““They want you to come back to the old schoolhouse and play Santa Claus.” “No, sir!” answered Senator Sor- ghum. “I get too many letters now demanding favors. If they ever see me dressed up as Santy, there'll be no limit.” By the Chimney Place. Said Henry Ford, “The case is tough.” Said Santa Claus, “It's shocking. This new car isn’t small enough To go in Susle's stocking! Jud Tunkins says a child who is amused by molasses and a feather grows up to be the man who can en- tertain himself for hours with a patent cigar lighter. Caution. ““Would you marry a millionaire?"’ “Not unless I knew him very well indeed,” answered Miss Cayenne. “He might be a bootlegger.” “He who says he has nothing to regret,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “has lived but tamely.” Clothes. I often hear of other days When girls wore ruffies, hoops and stays. They were demure and sweet of yore— But oh, what funny clothes they wore! “Yoh can't belleve all you hear,” sald Uncle Eben, “not even when you 5its eyeited an’ says it A recent interesting news note from New York was to the effect that a first edition of Charles Dickens’ “Post- humous Papers of the Pickwick Club” had sold for $16,300, more than twice the price pald for a similar item at a sale in England. It.is particularly enheartening at this season of the year for Dickens lovers to know that their tfavorite author is being read more than ever and that his first editions are bring- ing higher prices. No one ever, surely, wrote better Christmas stories than Charles Dick- ens. His “Christmas Carol” stands today as not only the best Yuletide tale ever written but also as the best that ever shall be written, for the conditions that gave it birth are pass- ing away. It enshrines, with that generous ex- aggeration of which Dickens was the supreme master, the whole spirit of Christmas, of Christmas in a day and country when relatives and friends were not lumped off inte price classes, as it were, but where and when the accent was placed on the festival itself. The Christmas of Dickens' various Christmas stories, which reach their zenith in “A Christmas Carol,” is a different sort of Christmas from the one that you and I, dear reader, will know in a few days. It Christmas is to mean anything to us this year, we must somehow get back, by Sunday, to the genuine at- mosphere Dickens gives us in his books, the hearty, lively, happy spirit of_the old-time Christmas. We must have wiped out the cross balancing of the past few weeks, with its “Well, I gave Aunt So-and-So a gift at such-and-such a price, and now I must give Uncle John no less a one, but, of course, not any more!” The cool calculation of whether to send a gift or a card to an acquaintance, and, if the former, how much—this must be forgotten. * ok * Sometimes there is a disposition to feel that Christmas is, after all, a children's proposition, and should be confined solely to them. a second thought shows that this is a shrink- ing of the real issue. Christmas always has been a'chil- dren’s festival, in essence, during modern time but the growth of wealth and taste has led us far astray in the search for Yuletide happiness. The gift of a Saviour to the world has been symbolized by the little gifts of parents to child, of friend to friend. Human nature, although knowing the impossibility of parallel- ing the supreme gift, has nevertheless allowed itself to fool itself in multiply- ing gift upon gift. ‘This is not and never will be the essence of Christmas. The spirit is the thing, and he who lacks it, or feels in his heart that Christmas is a bore, may suddenly work a miracle with himself if he will read his Dick- ens. ‘We know not how the great English story-teller was able to weave such a wealth of Christmas spirit with words, but the fact remains that he did so. The magic of his pen has not passed with the onrush of relentless time, Lut glll;l |pmnlm the power to move and Is not this the greatest magic of books? A book on a shelf, unopened, B C. unread, is no more than so much waste paper. A book cannot compel one to read it. A good book is like many good men and women—its good qualities are unknown to many simply because they will not take the trou- ble to look into it. Careless, indifferent, unwilling, they allow a shabby cover to turn them away, or a strange name to arouse their contemft. A fancy gold title, however, no more makes the book than the dress does the man. Many a book strikes one indifferently, at the beginning of the acquaintance with it, that charms in the end. ‘With books, as with men, there is no certainty of judgment 1ntil one knows them intimately. Then quali- ties appear that win the heart, where- as previously the reader (of hooks or character) made many an honest mis- take through ignorance. Ignorance! Mother of all evil, truly, not only in regard to crime but par- ticularly with reference to the great crime of misjudgment of human be- ings. The man who likes his liquor will come to find that the man who does not drink has his good points, while the Iatter will find many a golden quality of heart and mind in the for- mer, if each will do the other the sim- ple justice to read him aright. * ok ok ok Undoubtedly “A Christmas Carol” is the greatest of the Dickens stories of this type. None of his other tales possess such genuine power to impress the spirit of true Christmas upon the heart. It is perhaps impossible for an or- dinary human being to read this story without being moved by it. . It is the greatest fairy tale in the world for grown-ups. Surely it is a fairy tale! Even the ardent Dickensian would make no other claim for it. - Here is a story of Old Scrooge, a man utterly without the Christmas spirit, and, by his very 1¥e and character, a man ut- terly incapable of ever getting it, who, nevertheless suddenly acquires it. One is reminded of the miser in the old French play, who, according to the stage directions, “leaned against post and became generous.” The only way that Dickens could work such a trans- formation in his character was to do it by magic. Hence the spirits of the various Christmases, past, present and future, who came to the tight-fisted, hard- hearted old fellow, and who succeeded in making him see the error of his ways and thinking just in the nick of time, A sublime fairy tale, surely! The reader unconsciously puts him- self in the place of Old Scrooge, whether he merits the incarceration or not, and works out his own Christ- mas salvation along with that of the main character. Reading rightly, and treasuring up if not all, of the pirit, the reader is able to approach his own Christmas day in a better way. Try Dickens, if the cares of busy weeks have got on your nerves, or ir, for some strange alchemy of living, the proper Christmas spirit is lacking in_the individual case. F “A Christmas Carol” tonight, if "you have it (or tomorrow, if you have it not), and be a better man or woman on Christmas day. BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. Italian Senate and Chamber of Dep- uties recognition should be given to all Itallans residing in foreign coun- tries by gv!nl them the privilege of electing their representatives to the two legislative bodies governing Italy. It is a novel plan, to Italianize the world, yet it appears quite in harmony with the Fascist idea that emigrants from Italy retain their Italian citizen- ship, regardless of their status in for- elgn lands. In contrast with that dual citizen- ship perversion, there is the wonderful work throughout America, since the World War, to Americanize foreigners living under our flag, and encourage them to become American citizens, not only in naturalization legal processes, but in spirit and sincerity. The D. A, R. Memorial Hall last Sat- urday evening contained one of the most significant gatherings ever as- sembled in this country, yet there was hardly a score of native Americans there to wjtness the revolutionary scene. There were hundreds of aliens (European and Asiatic) outshining in their enthusiasm and real knowledge of what America means—many native sons and daughters. It was the annual graduating exer- cises of the Americanization School, which is part of the regular public school system of Washington. * ¥ ¥ % The program contained two most novel features—the actual teaching of a class in the principles of the Amer- ican Government and the actual test examination of graduate-applican for full citizenship. A certificate from this school is accepted by our courts as proof of fitness for citizenship, but In this case the Government examiner dh;‘ :;II. testing l:‘e‘:on the audience. ere were h officlals present. Chief Justice McCoy of the District Supreme Court presided, and speeches were made by Labor Secretary Davis and other officials of the Department of Labor. Patriotism was the keynote, but the overtones were those of actual comprehension of American spirit and organization. It made a native prouder than ever to be able to answer, as did St. Paul, “But I am Roman born.” * % % % It has always been the practice of conquerors of territory to decree the abolishment of the enemy’s language in the conquered domain, so as to force suppression of lingering hopes of release from the conqueror and to absorb the new people. Germany tried it in Alsace and Lorraine. Rus- sla enforced it in Finland. But the United States has never shown much congern as to what speech is spoken by its immigrants. Is not this the “melting pot” of civilization? Do we not c‘h.rllh “free speech” and a “free Why worry because some. | ! press’ body talks the tongues of Babel? That seemed to many an idle ques- tion until the renaissance following the_crisis of the World War, which crisis brought a sharp awal Conditions that were unbell were disclosed in many regions, not merely in the slums of the metrop- olises, but throughout the country. * ¥ ¥ X ‘We found regions where half the people were too illiterate to read or write in any language. We found native-born Americans who did not know what Congress meant, or who appointed the President. We found communities where nobody knew English, where all schooling was glven in a foreign language with no bearing upon our ideals of education or loyalty to America. The schools were controlled by churches, whose membership, although mostly born in America, could not comprehend an English sermon. “The Star Spangled Banner” was never sung in such schools, but the “Wacht am Rhein” and other national hymns of the Fatherlands were taught and sung daily. All Instruction was given in German or other foreign languages. And that was America! * e xR ‘When this situation dawned upon American leaders in 1917 .an effort, backed by Carnegle funds, was made to ascertain the details. Dr. Peter A. Speek of the Library of Congress made an investigating tour of the country and his report, under the title of “A Stake in the Land,” is an eye-opener. For example (page 159) he say: “The following facts Indicate the ex- tent of parochial schools in Nebras! “Foreign language schools are I cated in 59 counties of Nebraska. There {s a total of 262 schools, in which it is estimated that 10,000 chil- dren receive instruction i reign lan- guages, chiefly German. Of these 879 teachers in private schools, 2 give instruction in Danish, 6 in Polish, 14 in Swedish and 3567 in German. About 120 of the German teachers are like- wise ministers in the German Lu- theran parish, where the school is lo- cated. The county superintendents of the 59 counties in which the foreign- language schools are located reported that in only a few cases do these schools give the equivalent of the eighth grade public schools. For the most part, such a school fits pupils for the sixth grade of the public schools.” In some parts, there are no public schools in the county, all children be- ing attendants at parochial, foreign- language schools. At Seward, Nebr., the superintendent reported: “German has never been taught in our schools (German Lyutheran) as an end, but as a means to an end. We could not teach the old folks English, and in order to allow the children and parents to worship together, we taught the children the German language. “In Lincoln, Nebr., where Germans control the school board, they ordered public schools closed two months a year, 80 as to enable the children to 8o to a German parochial school.” In North Dakota, not only German children were taught in German, but all children of whatever nationality were so taught German in the lower grades at least—Bohemians, Scandi- navians and Americans. EE O Immediately after the war, there sprang up in many cities, including ‘Washington, Americanization schools. It was found untrue that adult immi- grants could not be taught English. In the first year, 1919, in Washington's Americanization School, there were 480 students in the day and evening schools. Last year, the number was 2,080—not all enrolled at one time, but in the course of the year. Now they fill to overflowing the three-story school on the corner of Tenth and H streets, and classes run day and eve- ning, covering not only languages, but all the regular studies of a school course, fitted to the adults and chil- dren attending. There are all na- tionalities, all languages and all sorts of prejudices at the start, but within a few months all students learn Eng- 80 that they speak it in classes. Mothers come with their babies and the latter are cared for in the kinder- garten, while the mothers sit in classes. Motion pictures for classes .| supply topics for English practice. Graduates and students unite in keeping up a delightful library. and in publishing a creditable school paper. For such mothers as cannot leave home, certain guldance is given in the homes. * kK % Why should there be any question as to the possibility of teaching adults? At a meeting last year of the American Assoclation for Adult Edu- cation, Dr. E. L. Thorndike of Colum- bla University gave a report of his extensive investigation of this matter. His test of capacity to learn a new subject was made in teaching Espe- vanto to four distinct groups of stu- dents, arranged in classes according to age of the students. Group I—14 to 16 years—made 60 per cent accomplishment. Group II—17 to 19 years—made 85 per cent accomplishment. Group I1I—25 to 29 years—made 89 per cent accomplishment. Group IV—30 to 39 years—made 87 per_cent accomplishment. ““We see from these findings,” says Dr. Alderman, specialist in adult edu- ited States Bureau of Edu- THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 19277 PHILOSOPHIES BY GLENN FRANK Nobody loves an egotist. The egotist of popular conception is an irritatingly cocksure fellow whose virtues probably do not justify his vanity. But there are varying levels of egotism. There Is the congenial egotist who was born to strut, the man with a peacock soul. There is the self-made egotist, the man who coaxes his latent and lag- gard powers into action and achieve- ment by ever reminding himself that he is capable of high achievement. The world owes much to the self- made egotists. Many of the early business pioneers of America, who despite their bucca- neering and bribery laid the founda- tions of American industry, were self- made egotists. Although a nit-wit cannot make himself into a Napoleon by patting himself on the back, there is much unlocked possibility in this sort of self-hypnosis. But there is a universal egotism that runs throughout creation and out of which all the varying forms of egotism_spring. Rose Macaulay once wrote an essay in which she sought to pruve how well we think of ourselves by the whimsical device of showing how we invariably describe the thing we dis- like as something utterly unlike us. Humanity calls mercy humane. Humanity calls cruelty inhuman. ‘We call a dishonorable man a cur. ‘We call a slander-peddling woman a cat. - The called The called The called The thing a woman approves is ‘womanly. thing a woman disapproves is unwomanly. virtues a man praises are manly. vices a man denounces are called unmanly. The nations denounce the qualities and acts they dislike by a formula that is the same the world around: “It is un-American!” cries the American. “Ce n'est pas francais!” cries the Frenchman. “Non e italiano!” cries the Italian. “Nicht Deutsch!” cries the German. And even the Laplander, Miss Ma- caulay suspects, lectures his unpa- triotic neighbor by telling him how un-Lapp his conduct {s. The cricket player brands all un- sportsmanlike action as “Not cricket.” Everywhere humanity describes the things it dislikes by describing it as different from what the part of hu- manity in question is or is doing at the moment. ‘This is the universal egotism. (Copyright, McClure Newspaper Syndicate.) Remember the Birds At Christmas Time To the Editor of The Star: I am glad to note off and on during the Winter the various pleas made for feeding the birds. As a recent pleader remarks, it takes only a little thought, a few minutes, and a few scraps and crumbs saved.from the table, slipped into a lunchbag, to provide a good meal for the pigeons, sparrows and other feathered friends who do not desert us for the sunny Southland. In Summer the parks are full of frolicking children and visitors and the twittering birds, cooing pigeons and cunning squirrels are well fed at their hands. But on bleak Winter days the birds have a hard time rustling for food on the frozen sod amid empty benches. Should we desert them now? Pick out some street or park corner where they seem espe- clally to gather for foraging and spread a little daily treat. It might even take one out of his way a bit, but it is well worth while to hear their chirps and coos of thanks and assurance that their Creator would in some way provide. Especially, this Christmas week, not only remember the birds, but take the opportunity to feed" or help some homeless cat or dog or neglected horse or farm animal; and, of course, it is hoped there is not one who has not already provided for the happiness of some wistful child of the poor or some forlorn old person at this sea- son of kindly thought. VIRGINIA W. SARGENT. Plan Suggested for Raising Submarines To the Editor of The Star: After reading an account in The Evening Star to the effect that all means had been exhausted and that there was only faint hope of raising the sunken submarine S-4, I feel it should be called to the attention of Congress to provide some adaquate means of raising these vessels imme- diately after such accidents occur. This could be done if the Congress would vote a sum to build two vessels equipped with folding extension bridges on turrets, so as to be operated from either side of a sunken vessel, and by so maneuvering the submarine could be brought to the surface with- in 12 hours after arriving upon the scene of disaster. I cannot go into details as to the building of these vessels at this time. I might say, however, that they could be used as supply ships and for other purposes which would make them self-sustain- ing. There would be no need of men perishing submerged as they are now on the S-4. ‘W. A. ECHO. Tube Ladder Proposed To Save Submarine Crews To the Editor of The Star: I was much interested on reading the suggestions in The Star, re: “Lifting Submarines.” Now, sir, I have an idea here which I believe would help the boys on the S-4 to_escape, and if you think the same I would be glad if you showed it to some of the Navy folks for their opinion. My idea is to have a large hose about 20 inches wide, made of the same canvas as a firehose. You would lower this hose down and make it fast to the outlet of the tor- pedo tube; the other end, of course, would be kept aboard ship on the surface. The hose would be fitted with rope handles inside so that the men could crawl up, after the hose had been filled with compressed air to make it swell out, which could be regulated from the surface ship. UGH YOUNG. higher than did Group I. Groups II, III and IV represent the ages of those most frequently found in evening schools. The time of the greatest learning ability, coming at a period when most people are not in school, may be a most significant fact and may cause a reorganization of our school system.” * ok ok % ‘Thus it will be seen that the allens who, although past the usual school age, are recelving the benefits of the Americanization schools are profiting in a way that few American natives have ever done. They are receiving educational facilities at a period when they are most susceptible of digesting learning. Furthermore, the same authority quoted above, the official of the Bureau of Education, calls attention to the comparative economy of adult schooling. The high school costs the taxpayer $173 a year per pupil, and col- lege costs the public, or the endow- t, $593.76 a year. Hence a stu- nt in those eight years, at the usual age of students, costs public tax money of $3,069.88. A night school costs for eight years per pupil a total of only $80, instead, of $3,069.88, and the student learns more per hour than does the day student. (Copyright, 1027, by Paul V. Collins.) ANSWERS TO Q. What is the best method of de- stroying bacteria in milk?—M. P. A. Pasteurizing milk, or holding it at a temperature of 145 degrees F'. for | 30 minutes, is the best practical meth- | od of destroying disease-producing | bacteria without causing undesirable | changes in the milk. Milk for general | use or for infant feeding can be pas- teurized at home, and this should be done if there is any question about its | purity. } Q. What salaries do such profes-| sional men as engineers get?—E. C. D. A. It has been estimated that engi- neers make from $2,000 to $4,000 a vear after being out of school five years, between $2,500 and $6,000 after 10 years, between $2,700 and $7,500 after 15 years and between $2,800 and $8,500 after 20 yea Q. What kind of material did the Egyptians use for wrapping their | mummies?—E. P. A. They used linen bandages about 6 inches wide. Q. Please name two Polish men who | fought In our Revolutionary War. —J. E. G. A. Tadeuz Koscluszko and Casi-| mir Pulaski are two distinguished | Poles who fought in the Revolution. | Q. Where did the hard sound of “h” | originate?~-P. G. A. It was used by the Phoenicians. | The letter is derived from their alpha- | t. Q. Was there a fish in New Zealand that was used for piloting shigs up the channel?—J. D. A. It is a matter of common report that a certain cetacean, probably a grampus, lived for years in Pelorus Sound, New Zealand, and had the habit of accompanying vessels through the sound. This animal was so regular in its appearance and so well known that it had received the | name of “Pelorus Jack.” There seems to be no doubt as to the existence of i this animal, and of the fact that it was recognized by the New Zealand government, It appears to have been a large porpoise, or grampus, and was certainly not a fish. Q. How many men are stenogra- phers, and how many women?—J. D. A. Tn 1920, there were 50,410 men giving their occupation as stenogra- pher and 564,744 women. Q. When and where was John Erskine, author of “The Private Life of Helen of Troy,” born?—T. V. M. A. He was born in New York, Oc- tober 5, 1879. Q. Are artichokes eaten with the fingers?—A. R. L. A. Artichokes are always eaten with the fingers; a leaf at a time is pulled off and the edible end dipped in the sauce, and then bitten off. Q. When were Christmas cardg first made?—W. W. A. The earliest example of the art of making Christmas cards is attrib- uted to J. C. Horsley, R. A., who in 1846 made designs of this character. Subsequently ¢he demand for these tokens became enormous, and at present Christmas cards are often of much artistic merit in both design and coloring. Q. What States do not have a tax on gasoline?—C. L. D. A. Massachusetts and New York are the only States that do not have a gasoline tax. Over $100,000,000 was collected by this method of taxation during the first six months of this year. At that time New Jersey and Illinois had no gasoline tax. Q. How many buffalo are there in this country now?—F. C. | firm QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Bison Range, in Montana; the Yellow- stone National Park and a number of smaller herds in other parts of the country. Including Canadian he there are today on this continent about 20,000 pure-bred buffalo, of which »out 8,000 are in the United States. _hfl buffalo will not pass out of the picture. Q. When was speedwriting firat in- troduced to the public>—N. V. A, A. It was invented by Emma B, Dearborn and introduced to the publie in 1923 under the name of the Steno Short-Type System. Q. Where ‘was Rachmaninoff born? How is his first name pronounced?- - E. C. M. A. Ilo was born at Novgorod, Rus- sta, in 1873. Sergel is pronounced as if spelled Sair-jay. Q. What is the best food to put out to attract a redbird?—E. 8. C. A. The Biological Survey says th the most attractive food for the ca dinal is the sunflower seed. Q. Wor whom is the Schneider Cup race name; .. B. A. 'The Schnelder Cup race s mo named from the donmor, M. Jacques Schneider, a member of the well known of gunmakers, Ktablissements Schneider, of Paris. It is an interna- tional event. Q. I wish to put my automobile away during the more severe part of the Winter. What should be done to the car?—A. W. C. A. To store a car for any length of time the following four things should be done: Battery taken out and taken to a battery service station for stor- age. This is to keep the battery plates in a charged condition. Wheels jacked up off the ground, wooden blocks being used to carry the weight of the car. This is to preserve the tires. ‘When automobiles are stored the tires are left inflated. Spark plugs taken out and medium engine ofl put in each cylinder. About a gill per cylinder, This is to prevent cylinders from stick- ing to the walls. Clutch pedal tied out as if the car were out of gear. This is to keep the plates apart and keep them from sticking. Q. Do yellow and white corn meal have the same food value?—B. O. A. They are similar in composition, though they differ in flavor and ap- pearance. White corn meal is milder in flavor. White corn meal is preferred generally in the Sountheastern States and in some parts of New England. Yellow corn meal is preferred in the Northern States as a whole, while blue, black and red varieties have always been used in parts of the Southwest, where Mexican influence is marked. Q. Where did the newspaper term 30 originate?—F. T. O. A. The origin of 30 as used in news- paper copy is not definitely known. It is derived directly from telegraphy, where it is used at the end of a dis- patch. It is suggested that it may have originated in the custom of put- ting XXX at the end of a message. Q. To whom is Corrine Griffith mar- ried?—T. T. K. A. Corrine Griffith is married to ‘Walter Morosco. ‘What do you need to know? Is there some point about your business or per- sonal life that puzzles you? there something you want to know without delay? Submit your question to Fred- eric J. Haskin, director of our Wash- ington Information Bureau. He is employed to help yow. Address your inquiry to The Evening Star Informa- tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, direc- A. They are in the Wichita National Forest, in Oklahoma; the National The country generally seems to be glad that it is to be spared a pronibi- tion poll in the American Legion, not- withstanding a feeling in some quar- ters that the drys killed the proposal and in others that, as the Columbus Ohio State Journal expresses it, “the politicians feared that the result might be so decisive as to make it hard to dodge the question in party plat- forms.” “Comdr. Spafford has done wisely in deciding not to proceed further with his proposal,” says the New York Sun, which is convinced that many Legion- naires “do mot desire that an attempt should be made to express the col- lective voice of the Legion, probably because there is no collective voice.” The. Chattanooga Times holds that “it would be hateful to a large majority of the members to be dragged into a controversy that has nothing to do with the Legion’s purposes,” and the Muncie Star adds: “Many in the organization may at least be damp in their views, but they would not seek to impose their wetness on dry comrades by attempting to commit the Legion to the indorsement of a wet program.” “We have some very big fish to fry, here in the United States,” the Omaha World-Herald remarks. “If we will leave the liquor question alone until it is ripe, we may have an op- portunity to attend to their frying. Otherwise the fish will most certainly get away.” Similarly the Norfolk Daily News finds sentiment among Legionnaires that “it would have the effect of hampering the Legion in its major projects and perhaps discredit tor, Washington, D. C., and inclose 2 cents in stamps for return postage. Public Seems Glad to Avoid Dry Poll in Ranks of Legion matter is “so controversial as to cause misunderstandings among our own members,” says: “Mr. Spafford is wise in his generation. Prohibition is a delicate subject, if not, indeed, a sore subject, just now.” * kKK “An expression on prohibition can hardly be regarded as a partisan mat- ter at the present time,” replies the Charleston Evening Post, which thinks in relation to the overseas soldiers that “it might put an end to an argu- ment of long standing.” The Colgm- bus, Ohio, .State Journal suspects the poll was called off because *‘the poli- itcians feared that the result might be so decisive as to make it nard to dodge the question in the party plat- forms and that thus some votes which may be held in line by trimmiug mll.hl be alienated by plain speech.” The Hartford Times finds evidence in the proposal itself that “it is going to be virtually impossible to keep the pro- hibition question out of politics dur- ing the next campaign.” K “The defunct Spafford referendum, according to the Grand Rapids Pl’f& “reduces itself to a vote urged on the ground that the whole system of re- publican, representative government provided by the Constitution Is wrong, and decisions should be made by maob vote, without the deliberation n- gress now provides. From a dry standpoint, it is hard to see why a Legion referendum should be feared: in fact, there are sound reasons for such referendums in crystallizing opinion. But they are nct the reasons offered by Comdr. Spafford.” Contending that dry protest “killed Comdr. Spafford’s plan,” the New it with a portion of the public.” The Duluth Herald advises that the organ- ization “has to avoid political contro- versy if it is to keep going steadily on its course”; and the Mankato Free Press believes that “after the poll was taken, the only definite result would have been to lessen the im- partial influence the Legion wields in National affairs. * K Kk K “The difficulty,” in the judgment of the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, “lies in the fact that no association, neither the American Legion nor any other, represents a competent cross- section of the American people on the puzzlesome problem of Federal pro- hibition.” And the Ann Arbor Times News observes: “Straw votes seldom serve any better purpose than to spread dissatisfaction. They mean little in the final analysis, for the rea- son that their outcome reflects a group sentiment. The Legion is a group—a big one, but a group, never- theless—and any decision it may make on a National issue cannot be regarded as a decision of the entire citizenry of the country.” “It is perfectly within the province of any group of men,” suggests the Savannah Press, “to try to repeal the amendment, and to return to a free liquor regime, it the people are so disposed. But to single out one group or one interest to conduct an ‘infor- mative’ referendum would be useless.” ‘The Elmira Star-Gazette takes the more emphatic position: “Our form of government is a representative one. We do not attempt to make laws by popular vote, Still less reason exists for taking a straw vote on a question with respect to which National policy has been settled by a regularly adopt- ed constitutional amendment.’ “That the vote, once taken, and whichever way it went, would be used or misused for political purposes can’t be doubted,” states the Butte Daily Post, and the Greensboro Daily Record adds that Mr. Spafford “would not be able to stop the majority from" so us- ing the verdict. A danger which im- presses the South Bend Tribune *‘rest- ed in the precedent it would have es- tablished. ‘The Bi mdr, Sp ham News, quoting the effect that the Al York Evening Post asks: “Why is it that the drys are obscurantists? Why do they so firmly oppose any Inquiry into the state of public opinion as to prohibition? * # * If American scn- timent stood as strongly for prohibi- tion as the Anti-Saloon League says, the league itself would be out organ- izing referenda wherewith to crush its foes.” The Port Arthur News con- cludes: “If there are Legionnaires who are opposed to the Spafford suggestion, it is their American privilege to club it to death. If there are Legionnaires who favor the suggestion, it is their American privilege to go ahead with the balloting.” UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR Ten Years dgo Todey United States customs officials un- earth traffic in spy messages. Finds scores of letters containing inscrip- tlons in invisible ink or code phrases in the clothing or personal effects of shigs’ crews bound to or from Scandi- navian ports, the documents then being forwarded to Germany or to spies in this country. * ¢ * Col Lewis, machine gun inventor, before military affairs committee, charges that ordnance ring stops Army from getting machine gun. Maintains that United States cannot supply its men with sufficient guns for at least 10, possible 12, months. * ¢ * Twenty- four members of the Lafayette Esca- drille, all Americans, have received their commissions and will now sail the air under the American Practically all the American aviat now fighting in France are bein taken over into the A, E. F. * ¢ Germans, for second time within a week, make air raid on London. One hostile plane forced to descend, and in first two raids 10 persons Wwere killed and 70 injured. * ® ¢ Lively artillery fighting on the French front near St. Quentin, Rheims, Verdun and in Alsace. Quiet on British sector. Itallans improve their positions on Asolone front and several -t counter