Evening Star Newspaper, October 5, 1928, Page 8

THE EVEN NG STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, O ''"OBER 5, 192 m::—:—-——————m THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. NTHE EVENING STAR |, With Sunday Morning Edition. WASBHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY........October 5, 1028 T'HEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company usiness Oficy 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Building. i} Buropean Office: 14 Regent St.. Londcn, England. Rate by Carrier Within the City. a7 ey S5 Per month ar 60c per month sty 65¢ per month A Sc per ccpy Coliection made at the end of vach menth. ‘Orders may be sent in by mail or telenhone Main 5000, Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. aily and Sunday....1 yr.$10.00; 1 mo., §-u.v only .. r., $6.00: 1 mo. unday only . $4.00: 1 mo.. All Other States and Canada. - v 1y, aily only . unday only 85¢ E 50¢ 11 40c 1yr. $3.00: 1 m 1 ¥r. $500; 1 mo. S0c ‘Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is «xclusively entitled %o the use for republication of all 1ews ais- atches credited to it or not otnerwlise cred- Fec 1% fhis paper and also (he -ocal rews published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. Straw Votes. This is the season of the straw vote. S¥mpatient with the seemingly slow ad- wance of time toward election day, politi- cal researchers are trying to forecast the outcome of the great national referen- dum by means of tests of sentiment in edvance. Cross sections of public opin- on ere being made by means of infor- mal, unofficial balloting, conducted by mnewspapers, periodicals and enterpris- ing individuals, eager to penetrate the weil that hangs before the polls at which, thousand persons paid to see the blue ribbon event of base ball. g Added to this throng, which dug deep into the old wallet for the nearly quarter of a million dollars to witness the game, countless others sat in com- fortable chairs and “saw” and heard the battle over the radio, while score boards, electric and otherwise, in all parts of the country drew heavy attend- ance. It may be, of course, that the courageous fight of the New York team to win the American League pennant after hope seemed to be lost on account of injuries to star players and the neck- and-neck struggle for supremacy in the National League aroused unusual inter- est in this classic. But, after all, base ball is base ball and with the people of the United States yearly becoming more sport-minded it appears that ths national game is merely drawing its normal share of this development. It is well within the bounds of possi- bility that the series of 1928 will create a new record, not only for attendance, but for money paid in, despite the fact that the St. Louis Stadium cannot com- pare in size with that of New York. Interest is at fever heat, and base ball fans, eager for a last glimpse of their favorites before the season closes, are likely to flock to the games in large numbers. Base ball is indeed a business, but a fascinating business at that, and one that gives pleasure and entertain- ment to millions. The Key Bridge Approach. The District wharf committee, in its | annual report recently placed before the Commissioners, laid particular emphasis on the need for improving the appear- ance of the Virginia approach to Key Bridge, a small area on the fringe of | Rosslyn, Va., over which the District on November 6, the American electorate will assemble to record the will of the fountry as to the presidency. For many years this has been the practice, and much effort and large sums have been expended in the en- deavor to forecast elections by such $means. Some day, perhaps, a study of these pre-election reckonings will be made, to the end of determining how Becurate they have been and how de- pendable they are as signs of the times. With each successive straw vote there come innovations, suggested by experi- ence. The business of taking the politi- cal temperature of the patient before the erisis of the case has become more #cientific. Straw voting is not always sincere, however. There is a good deal of what #n the vernacular is called joshing in $he making out of the informal ballots and coupons and postal cards. Some straw voters delight in twisting their reports in order to confuse the returns. ‘But as a rule most of those who respond to the invitation to state their intentions #lo s0 earnestly and honestly in the hope that their example will encourage those fof that same line of thinking. ‘The psychology of these test votes is @hat a good many people like to be on fhe winning side. They are pleased to feel that they have contributed to a vic- fory rather than participated in a losing cause. So if the straw vote shows a marked tendency. in one direction it may have the effect of drawing waverers to that side, those who have no strong con- victions as to issues or candidates but &u swayed by mass sentiment. In the informal balloting now in fprogress particular attention is given to the matter of how the users of the cou- pon and post card ballots voted at the fdast election. In all of these tests of pentiment there is plain evidence of a considerable change from 1924, and fwhenever the tables of totals are printed ghere is a great deal of figuring in an effort to work out a ratio of defection ®s a guide to the ‘possible overcoming W majorities and realignment of States. Fortunately the election is not deter- trilned on the basis of straw voting. It s hoped that this current contest will| be participated in by 35,000,000 people, fperhaps more, the highest number ever going to the polls in American history. In the highest of the totals recorded in the informal balloting now in progress there is no approach to this figure. In other words, only a small fraction of the fpeople are responding to the invitation to declare themselves in advance of Election day, and the result will be de- termined by the millions who do not thus proclaim themselves ahead of time. Nevertheless, the “straws” are unde- niably interesting, however valuable they may be. i Hit-and-Runners. ! In presenting a check for one hundred @ollars to Joseph L. Workman yesterday for being instrumental in bringing a hit- und-run driver to justice, the American ‘Automobile Association is again calling to public attention the fact that this organization of motorists has declarad ynremitting warfare on the type of driver who refuses to accept responsi- bility for his offenses. It was only a gew months ago that the association, fdetermined to stimulate the fight to sweep the streets clean of the despicable driver who hits and runs, offered the re- ward to any citizen who was responsible for bringing one of this breed to book. The check yesterday which was given to Mr. Workman was the fifth award made by the association. It is to be hoped that these payments will result in even greater co-operation on the part ¢8 Washingtonians in reporting to the suthorities promptly on witnessing an ®ccident of this description. r—— It is too often the fate of the creditor o be unpopular. This is true interna- tionally as well as in private transac- tions. Uncle Sam is a generous extend- er of credit, but a rather ineffectual bill collector. Record Gate Receipts. In the first contest of the world #eries yesterday between the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals base ball again demonstrated its hold on the people and proved that it is still America’s national game. More than sixty-one thousand persons fought their way into the commodious Yankee Stadium to see Waite Hoyt, star of the Yankee staff, hold the Catdinals to three hits in a struggle replete with thrills, and in doing so created a new high mark for gate receipts for a single world series game. The turnstiles yesterday clicked to the tune of $224,130, which exceeded by a wide margin the $209,665 registered in the third game of the series between the two teams in ~8926, when slightly more than sixty has been given jurisdiction. Esthetically, the present condition of this area, which serves as an important gateway to Washington from the South, is more or less shocking to artistic sensi- bilities. High weeds peer beyond the masonry walls of the bridge abutment, while the semi-circular roadway into which heavy traffic is squeezed is sunken in spots and cries out for repair. The bridge approach, despite its limitation as to size, is the terminus of three railway lines. Two of them main- tain sheltered waiting rooms, and the other is permitted to park cars on a reservation in the very center of the small area. The revenue derived by the municipal government in the form of rental for these two sheltered stations is negligible; it barely exceeds $1,000 a year. Certain- 1y, then, there is no reason to believe that the rental fee is blocking their re- moval. And what a marked transforma- tion could be brought about by the sub- stitution of two small parks, landscaped with shrubs, trees and flowers! The terminals could be moved to a location in Rosslyn without causing but little, if any, inconvenience to car riders, and a traffic problem which has puzzled Washington police and traffic authori- ties for several years would be solved. Surely, the solution of this problem alone should move District officials to give immediate and serious attention to the wharf committee's recommendation. tions are as scarce as hens’ teeth, md; it is a certainty that when a man of this type marries he is going to do his own picking and choosing. If he is able to win a competence of more than ten thousand dollars a year, he as- suredly possesses the intelligence to stay clear of the clutches of a husband- seeking female. The women in this party will un- doubtedly have a good time and will widen their acquaintance immeasur- ably. No one begrudges them the good time, but, after all, it is a pathetic spectacle that is being presented when three matronly-appearing women em- bark on a quest of this description. Unless their qualifications for the| “ideal mate” are lowered, they will probably return to Washington in the same husbandless state in which they left, and few tears will be shed by the public ovar their plight. st Another Life Savings Stolen. No matter how many times a lesson | ' is driven home it seems impossible for the public as a whole to grasp the fact that the carrying of large sums of money is generally an invitation to theft and possible personal injury. For years Mr. and Mrs. John Gibson, an elderly couple of Kansas City, had been thriftily saving for the time when they would no longer be able to engage in | gainful occupations. A short time ago | the seventy-six-year-old husband was | stricken with illness and the sixty-six- year-old wife became the sole support as a worker in an overall factory. As their savings increased they decided that it was no longer safe to leave the accumulated funds secreted around the house with no one to guard them but the crippled husband. Accordingly, Mrs. Gibson carried their little nest egg regularly in her pocketbook. The other day Mrs. Gibson herself was stricken, | but not from illness. A thief had snatched her bag, containing thirty- five hundred dollars in cash, as she was returning from work. It is a pitiful story and one that has been repeated time and time again for decades. Money is safe neither in the home nor in the pocketbook. Placed in a bank, it earns interest for the de- positor, at the same time having all the safeguards thrown around it that modern American business can devise. Persons who refuse to take advantage of the facilities at their disposal are lacking in good, hard, common sense, and while there have been hundreds of cases like that of the Gibsons, which are pathetic in the extreme, a great ma- jority deserve what they get because of their stubborn refusal to profit by the misfortunes of others. ——rwee Possibly Al Smith took bad advice when he assailed the Washington, D. C., police. They are often friends in need; and if Democratic hopes are sustained Al may have to live here himself some day. ——————— Those who look hopefully to the fu- ture expect a discontinuance of war. An examination of war's instruments of terror is valuable. They are examples of what civilization must struggle to escape. ————— Fraternity Initiations. The death of a student at the Uni- versity of Texas during a fraternity ini-; tiation has shocked that State, and echoes of the case have reached the East. In the course of the ceremonies incident to admission to a chapter of a national fraternity at the college a student was compelled to crawl through two sets of electrically charged bed springs. Soon after he came into con- If all the willing campaign speakers could command unlimited radio accom- modation, there would be scarcely any time left for tooth paste, coffee, soap, ete. : ———— An orator who speaks in favor of Al Smith is in danger of creating a wish for the Manhattan star himself. In the parlance of the Broadway theater, “Al” is a hard act to follow. ——eaee The time grows short before the No- tact with this fiendish contraption he fell screaming to the floor, and died almost instantly. State, fraternity and university officials are now engaged in an intensive investigation, the results of which will probably be a drastic curtail- ment of fraternity exercises. Hazing and the brutal forms of ini- tiation for secret orders are two of the | banes of college and school life in this country. There is no excuse for either, and a case such as that which occurred at the Texas university brings forward the question of criminal responsibility. Of course, the would-be fraternity mem- bers do not have to go through with the initiation ceremonies unless they so desire, but if they do not, and particu- larly if they evince displeasure at the methods employed, they will be labeled “yellow” by their fellow students. It is to the credit of American col- leges that to a large degree brutal haz- ing and dangerous initiations have been eliminated, but this latest affair demon- strates that there is still further need of supervision by the various faculties. To allow immature boys to rig up an electrical machine, the potency of Which they are by their years unable to real- ize, is merely to give tacit acceptance of an abominable system, and the officials of the University of Texas should hasten to purge their institution of the stain that it bears by immediate dismissal of all those who participated in the trag- edy. ———————— Having announced himself as a Re- publican supporter, Charles Lindbergh must be prepared for a Democratic chorus to the effect that he is on the verge of a political tail spin. —or—s. Husband Seekers. One of the queerest expeditions on record left Washington yesterday to wend its way across the country. It consisted of three women in an anti- quated automobile, who started out with the avowed intention of search- ing the T'nited States from end to end for three acceptable husbands. No flappers are included in this strange perty. In fact, all of the women, if their admitted ages are correct, are well along in years. They have arranged, through correspondence, to meet a thousand or so of the prospective ap- plicants in all parts of the country. The only qualifications for husbands for these three are that the men must be earning over ten thousand dollars a year each, be between the ages of forty-five and fifty-five, truthful, good natured, honorable, shall not drink or smoke, except very occasionally, and then in extreme moderation, and must never leave the family hearths to bask in the affections of some younger and perhaps prettier women. One of these women admits to thirty- three Summers, another to thirty-eight and the third to fifty, and it would seem apropos to remark at this stage that vember election. Political history has shown that the amount of damage which may be done in a few brief weeks is incalculable. oo Several ladies engaged in campaign. ing have managed to take “efficiency” out of group psychology and render it a matter of individual expression. v There are bootleggers, hi-jackers and racketeers. Even beyond the racketeer is the burglar who comes around and robs the family safe. e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, Looking Forward. Among the slogans, sad or smart, ‘That fill the atmosphere, There's one still close to every heart— “Thanksgiving day draws near!” We talk about election day. Some of the talk sounds queer. November Six will fade away. Thanksgiving day draws near! At last, with a contented mind, ‘We'll raise a shout of cheer: “Election’s grind is left behind; Thanksgiving day is here!” Improvement in Politics- “So you think politics has im- proved?” “I do,” answered Senator Sorghum. “You may still address the crowd in the open air if you wish. At the same time it is your privilege to do your big work in a nice, warm studio with a microphone.” Radiorator. His argument I understood, Yet I am left in doubt, For, just when he was “going good” ‘The batteries gave out. Jud Tunkins says he might be less happy, even if he was rich and idle. The hardest work he ever undertook was learning to play bridge. “Oft in the Stilly Night.” “Isn’'t there an illieit still in your neighborhood?” “A lot of gunmen have got busy about it,” sald Uncle Bill Bottletop, “and they keep up a constant racket. It may be illicit, but it ain't still.” “He who cheats,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “never gains any- thing of sufficient value to compensate for the loss of a trusting friend.” ‘Wasted Sentiment. “I cannot sing the old songs,” He walled. The loss is small. He tries the new—and this proves true— He cannot sing at all, “Religion,” sald Uncle Eben, “has proved powerful to stop every kind of they are old enough to know better. Men of the above-mentioned qualifica- an argument except an argument about tscily® St _‘{,__._ Henry Gearshift prided himself on his musical knowledge. No, he was not a musician, but he thought he knew a great deal about music just the same. Had he not at- tended many concerts and spent a great deal of money for the same? Did he not _have a phonograph, with several hundred assorted records of varying prices, collected over a period of years? . Above all, was he not a fervid radio fan? Somehow, the average human being who listens intently to radio broad- casts for several years has the firm belief that he is musical. If his absorptive power is equal to his persistence he may have a right to such @ naive belief. The pleasing thing is that no one can be the abso- lute judge in such matters. Music is ous thing, in the final analysis; s one of its charms. “I know what I like,” says the ama- teur listencr, and no one can say him nay. Of course, he knows what he likes! * ok ok In his youth Henry had specialized in the symphonies of Haydn to the extent that he believed he could tell one of those lilting compositions on sight—er, on hearing. “Papa Haydn,” Gearshift would re- mark, wisely wagging his head, when- ever strains of a certain jollity smote upon his eardrums. The life and music of this old mas- ter, familiarly called “Papa” by his pupils, and also by all the generations of music lovers that have followed, somehow appealed mightily to one, Henry Gearshift, esq., average man and radio listener. “There is something about that music there is no mistaking,” said Gearshift, | as he kept time with his right foot. He loved to tap his right foot gently to any music that pleased him. Some people prefer to do it with the left hand, or the head, and a few have even been known to waggle the tongue in rhythm. Gearshift used the right foot, which he assiduously beat upon the rug or waxed floor, according to the spot he happened to be in. i His movements were especially marked when a Haydn number was on the air. Then he would tap, tap, tap, for all he was worth, with that foolish face of praise seen only upon the face of a human being when he is listening to a favorite musical comp:sxtlon. ik One evening Henry tuned in his radio set during some “dinner music,” as it is called. As a matter of fact, he didn’t “tune in” at all. “Tuning” is a rather high sounding word that means little any more. Since radio has got down to the utter simplicity of one dial (and it isn’t a dial any more, even) the high art and sclence of “tuning” has degenerated into a mere turning. Who remembers the old sets with 50 “controls” on the front panel? Even then radio broadcast receiving was full of words that meant nothing, because the “controls” didn't control except by luck. Even today there is nothing more comical in nature than the average radio fan as he sits before his receiver tuning in out-of-town stations. To look at him a visitor from another world might think he was doing something of a very delicate nature, something that took a wonderfully balanced ear, eye and hand, whereas the honest truth is that all any one can do is turn. Many of the latest sets have but one real “control,” the knob which operates the set of condensers. All one does is turn, and if the sta- tion comes in, well, it comes in, and if it doesn’t, well, it doesn't! How could anything be more simple? And yet every one has seen a set owner who actually prided himself on his personal ability to “pick up stations.” If a visitor turns to a particular wave length, and nothing comes in, the im- pulses being on the outbound of the | customary “fade” of the particular sta- tion, such a set owner will jiggle with the until the “signals” return, then he will turn around with a look of great achievement in his eyes, as if he | had actually done something, when all the time it was simply Nature taking its own course. The funny part of it is that no amount of argument can con- vince him that he didn't do it all by himself. Such is the conceit of human nature. What liars radio broadcast listeners are, to be sure! Old Sam Jones comes to you with a list of 200 stations which he has “tuned in” on his set with in- finite skill, patience and ingeniosity. One would think, to hear him talk, that every last station of the 200 came roar- ing in with all the strength and power of “local.” The cold truth of the mat- ter is that Sam barely heard 100 of the stations, and was forced to caution his family time and time agai: to “shut up,” in order that he might gu..s at the “call letters.” (There, by the way, is another outworn phrase, in so far as the radio broadcast listener is concerned. It must not be forgotten that the whole lingo used in popular broadcasting is an heritage from the radio telegra- phers, and never had much and now | has practically no significance to the man who has a receiver in his living room.) L ‘We had Henry Gearshift on his ra- dio set. He “tuned in” (you can't get away from it) in the middle of a number. His right foot began to wag. “Haydn,” he announced, rather proud of his ability to pronounce the word correctly, as if written “High-din.” Low brows, Gearshift told himself, in- voluntarily called it “Hay-din,” and no one could blame them for it, either. Certainly it spells “hay.” Nothing delighted Gearshift more than to catch an announcer mispro- nouncing the names and works of com- posers. The fact that a broadcast announcer must have a smatter of French, German, Italian, Russian and heavens - knows - what - else languages shift. “Of course they must,” was his comment. “That is their business.” He sat tapping his right foot on the waxed floor. “Henry, please move your chair over onto the rug,” came an admonishing voice. “I'll bet you that is one of Haydn's symphonies,” answered Gearshift, shift- ing himself as well as he could without getting up. h, I don't think so.” ‘Why, sure it is. Listen to that—if that isn’t Haydn I'll eat it. Catch the jollity of those bars, listen to the flour- ishes, imbibe the cheer of those meas- ures.” As the composition progressed, Henry grew more and more positive that he had guessed the composer. He had heard too much of “Papa” Haydn to be mistaken. Why, a child could tell his music, there was something so bright, 50 _happy about it. The music ended. “Now we'll know,” said Gearshift, as he waited for the announcer. That merry person soon came in. “You have just heard the overture to Beethoven's ‘Fidelio,’ ladies and gentlemen,” he said. “There will now be a short pause for station announcements,” WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC Mabel Walker Willebrandt, unterri- fied and unabashed, is embarking upon her second speaking tour and will begin operations next week with four ad- dresses in Kentucky and one in Tennes- see. Other dates are on her program, but not yet definitely arranged. The much-maligned Portia of the Depart- ment of Justice will, as before, cam= paign for Hoover and Curtis under the auspices of the Western speakers bu- reau of the Republican national com- mittee. Mrs. Willebrandt has been put- ting in the interval since her first foray into the Middle West at her official desk in Washington. Affairs at the Federal prison in Atlanta engaged a good deal of her attention. Supervision of the national penal institutions is one of the woman politician’s many jobs in Attorney General*Sargent’s department. Mrs. Willebrandt's friends say she is bearing up bravely under the slings and arrows that are coming her way. She stoutly denies attacking either Gov. Smith or his church. The women of the country, judging by the barrage of representations on her behalf that was let down in Washington, would vigor- ously resent anything savoring of official disciplining of Mrs. Willebrandt. They are’ with her to a flapper. * ok kK ‘When the United States Senator who describes himself in the autobiographical section of the Congressional Directory as “T. Caraway, Democrat, Jonesboro, Ark,” and lets it go at that, begins “trafling” Senator Borah in the West, fireworks should go off. Caraway has been called “the keenest and meanest man” in the Senate. The tribute has reference to his brilliant gift for irony and sarcasm. Few men on Capitol Hill are the Arkansan’s equal in that form of debate. He has a pecullar intonation that gives his rapler thrusts special deadliness. Caraway rejoices in remov- ing men’s hides when engaged in pofemtcs with them, and the prediction can safely be ventured that he will tear off “Bill” Borah's with a vengeance. The understanding at Washington is that Caraway is “loaded for bear” with a sheaf of Borah's utterances in the Senate, which show that he’s not always been an idolatrous admirer of Hoover. * kK K ‘Who induced Lindbergh to nose-dive into the Hoover political aerodrome? The best guess is that William P. Mac- Cracken, jr, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Aeronautics, i3 entitled to credit for an achievement on which the G. O. P. is pluming itself no end. When natlonal excitement over “Lindy” was at fever heat a year ago, politiclans were busily speculating over his party affilia- tions and hoping he would turn out to be this or that. It was acknowledged that the side which got him would be Jucky. Votes of women, rather than of men, are the ones that the colonel is expected to influence in favor of Hoover. “Bill* MacCracken and the transatlantic hero have become fast friends. They exchange frequent letters, and “Lindy” often puts up with the MacCrackens in Washington. When he made his first visit to the Capital on private business, Lindbergh was entertained at Hoover's home, with Mr. and Mrs. MacCracken pinch-hitting as his hosts in the Hoovers' absence. * Kok K The House of Representatives is no longer to be a “ruthless” body. When the Seventieth Congress is elected next month and takes office a year later, the present prospect is that no fewer than three new members, all named Ruth— none of them babes—will be on the roster. They are Ruth Hanna McCor- mick of Illinols, Ruth Bryan Owen of Florida and Ruth Baker Pratt of New York. Mrs. McCormick, Republican, and Mrs. Owen, Democrat, are virtually as- sured of election. Mrs. Pratt, Republi- can, is said to be definitely headed for victory from one of New York City's silk-stocking districts. She was the first woman member of Gotham's board of aldermen. With the trio of Ruths, the House will contain seven woman members, the largest on record. There have been more than seven women olected to the House since the sex be- | dollars. WILLIAM WILE. came eligible to office, but never before will so many have been members at one time. * K K K Judged by current events, rum, Ro- manism and retraction are the political order of the day. R Some of the more ardent advocates of prohibition can be heard lamenting these days that Herbert Hoover is pussy=- footing on the 1928 issue which they consider overwhelmingly paramount. ‘They have brought pressure to bear on him to step on the dry gas with more vehemence and fight Al Smith on the thing to which the Democratic nominee is mainly looking for victory. If the Sahara brotherhood and sisterhood can have their way, Hoover will seize upon his New York City speech, on October 22, as the ideal occasion for sounding the prohibition trumpet. The practical politics of the Republican situation makes little appeal to the dry con- tingent. It is known to all the world that the G. O. P, especially in the pivotal East, swarms with wets. Hoo- ver's managers are in no mood unneces- sarily to scare them off the reservation. * ok Kk From the campus of Princeton Uni- versity comes an interesting story il- lustrative of 1928 cross currents. Prof. Willlam Starr Myers, who wrote “The Republican Party, a History,” a few months ago, is this year giving a course of lectures on “Constitutional Govern- ment,” modeled after a similar course given by Woodrow Wilson when at Princeton. One of Prof. Myers' stu- dents is Frank R. Kent, jr, son and heir of the well known Baltimore polit- ical writer, who recently produced a counterpart of Myers' book, entitled “The Democratic Party, a History.” * ok ok K Nicaragua, which is holding a presi- dential election of its own in November, is to the front with a suggestion that might be worth considering in certain sections of the United States. It con- cerns a device for prevention of ‘“re- peaters.” Every voter in Nicaragua next month will be marked on the hand with a chemical stain as he casts his ballot. He will thus create a sort of fingerprint record easily detectable in case he should attempt to do an encore on election day. Details of the method, which seems to have been an inspiration on the part of Gen. Frank R. McCoy's board of United States Army election officials, are withheld. The reason is that both Nicaraguan political parties, it is feared, might try to mark their opponents in advance of clection day, to prevent them from voting. Gen. McCoy's headquarters as- sures the free and untrammeled elec- torate of Nicaragua that the proposed chemical stain is harmless and guar- anteed to disappear in a couple of days. (Copyright, 1928.) - Home Is Handy. From the Indianapolis Star. John Coolidge has moved into the home of a divinity professor and it is rumored that he may soon Tequire a little professional service. -, Logical Figuring. From the Daston Daily News. ‘Woman sues hotel for million dollars. Everybody who gets a blil from a hotel naturally figures the owners must have a lot of money. L ek Especially the Young Ones. From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, ‘The American Medical Journal says that Arctic residents could avoid blind- ness by taking large amounts of cod- liver oil. Maybe they prefer to go it blind. SRR Million Mere Bagatelle. From the Canton Daily News. We wonder where that Atlanta man got the idea he could finance a couple of movie queens with & mere million LTI meant nothing at all to Henry Gear-| PHILOSOPHIES BY GLENN FRANK I wish I could get some clear notion of what the issues really are that lieat the base of the many coptroversies that disturb the Protestantism into which I was born,” writes a reader of this col- umn, In answer to this letter I shall try, here to list the more important of the questions that the Protestantism of our time is debating. The dilemmas out of which these questions arise are, of course, older than Protestantism—as old, in fact, as man’s first eager explorations of the ultimate meanings of life and destiny. But here are the forms into which some of these dilemmas are fall- ing today: Shall Protestantism return to Rome, to Athens, or to Jerusalem? Shall Protestantism be the religion of a church, the religion of a book, or the religion of the spirit? Shall Protestantism be a religion of authorily or a religion of adventure? Shall Protestantism be a religion of declarations or a religion of demon- strations? Shall Protestantism depend for its in- tegrity upon uniformity of belief or unanimity of aim? Shall Protestantism regard its mes- sage as a gift or as a growth? Shall Protestantism be a religion of deliverance for the sick-minded or a religion of development for the healthy- minded? Shall Protestantism be a religion of magic for primitive minds or a religion of mastery for modern minds? Shall Protestantism take its cue from the scientist or from the mystic? Shall Protestantism be a religion of creative intuition or a religion of criti- cal intelligence? Shall Protestantism be a personal re- ligion or a social religion? Shall Protestantism be a religion of active self-assertion or-a religion of ascetic_self-denial? Shall Protestantism play for outer prestige or for inner power? Shall Protestantism try to live above the battle of politics or shall it take part in the battle of politics? Shall Protestantism spend most en- ergy adjusting itself intellectually to modern sclence or adjusting itself ethically to modern society? Shall Protestantism consider its next obligation the further extension of the right of private judgment or the finer enrichment of the reality of private judgment? & These, as T see it, are some of the basic questions that underlie the present controversies in modern Protestantism. It must not be assumed that these ques- tions, in every instance, set up clear alternatives. I put the questions in this way only for sake of clarity and em- phasis. (Copyright. McClure Newsraver Svndicate.) ——— vt Freedom of Speech A Treasured Right Prom the Pasadena Star-News. Of the many boons enjoyed in this land of free institutions, one of the greatest and most glorious is that of free speech. There is no right that the average person regards more highly than freedom to speak his opinions without fear of consequences, so long as he does not preach sedition or crimi- nally slander his neighbor. Freedom of speech and of conscience lies at the very foundation of the temple of liberty. There is no other right, privilege or prerogative quite so sacred, quite so precious as freedom to speak as one sees fit and freedom to worship God accord- ing to the dictates of the individual conselence. This freedom is impressed in the great political campaign that is being waged all up and down the land. All candidates have full right of speech— and are protected in that right—in every corner of the land. The humblest rson in the land may hold to his or r own political views, without duress, and may speak his or her views, in pub- li¢ and in private, without molestation. ‘The same is true as to religion. There is no religious test in this country. Every man, woman and child has the utmost freedom of religious thought, belief and worship. There is no more glorious boon than this in all the world. It is well to ponder these blessings. Particularly fitting is it to review these boons during “Constitution week.” World’s Tennis Crown Again Goes to France From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle ‘The world’s tennis crown goes again to France, poised on the potent racket of Henri Cochet, and the United States must apply itself once more to its search for new young talent on whom to pin hopes for the future. It has been quite thoroughly demonstrated in the last few years that the veterans of the American courts are no match for the fiery young Frenchman, who is at the height of his powers, and should stay there for many more years. Francis T. Hunter made a gallant stand at the chlm‘rlonship match which ended this year's title play, but he fared no better than the once peerless Tilden, who was compelled this year to watch the battle from the sidelines. Hunter, like Tilden, is going down hill, rather than up. These two still represent the best on the American courts, and it is a disquieting thought that there is none in sight to fill their shoes. Tilden, many believe, could have mastered the French stars when in his prime, but that is only conjecture. The fact stands that he no longer can win champion- ships, If the outlook in tennis is not so bright from American angles, there is plenty of reason for jubilation on the golf course. Bobby Jones can show the way to the best of them, as his crushing defeat of Perkins, the English cham- pion, showed. And with Hagen to head the profes- slonals and such stars as Johnnie Far- rell, George Von Elm, Gene Sarazen, and no doubt many others, American golfers can lean back on their clubs l,]nd invite the whole world to come along. . UNITED STATES IN WORLD WAR Ten Years Ago Today. The German high command, by means of new troops, artillery and ad- ditional aerial forces, threw terrific re= sistance against the American forces cn the Argonne-Meuse front. Desperate at- tempts to drive our men back down the Aire Valley failed, with heavy losses to the Germans. Enemy artillery action heavier than any since American attack started. Both German and American aviators very daring. * * * German front crumbles still further as Marshal Haig's thrust at Lille becomes dangerous and forces its evacuation. British also win Cambrai Heights, and enemy re- treats on a wide front north of Reims and in Champagne. * * * On the Meuse-Alsne front American troops re- new their attack, and unofficial reports say they have gained a mile at some points. * * * According to a reliable news source Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey have resolved simultaneous- ly to ask President Wilson to make rep- resentations in their interest for a gen- eral armistice and negotiate for a gen- eral peace. Paris scoffs at armistice, and says Germany must first withdraw her armies from occupled lands. * * * Three hundred and eleven thousand two hundred and nineteen of our troops Take advantage of this free service. | If you are one of the thousands who | have patronized the bureau, write us again. If you have never used the service, begin now. It is maintained for your benefit. name and address with your question and inclose 2 cents in coin or stamps | for return postage. Address The Eve- ning Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washington, D. C. Q. How much Indian land did Sen- ator cll;ms get from the Government?— J. J. D. A. Senator Curtis was allotted 418 | acres in 1880 in Oklahoma on the Kaw | Reservation. | Q. How does the distance that a! golf ball can be driven compare with | that of a base ball>—R. C. K. | A. A golf ball has been driven more than three times as far as the record base ball. Q. How long will the Byrd expedition to the South Pole be gone?—G. C. .A. It may be gone from 8 to 18 months. | Q What is the elevation of land | above sea level and the depth of the | ocean below sea level?>—W. O. | A. The average elevation of the land | |above sea level is 2,300 feet. The average depth of the ocean below sea level is 12,600 feet. Q. How many mulattoes are there in the United States?—G. H. A. The 1920 census listed 1,660,554. Q Did Sarah Bernhardt appear in any movie except “Queen Elizabeth”?— R.F. L "A.'She appeared also in “Camille” and in “Mothers of France.” Q. How many pounds of air mail have been lost?>—G. C. G. A. From 1918 to November 1, 1927, 9,000,000 pounds of mail had been car- ried by air, and only 2,386 pounds had been lost. Q. What kind of lights are used by our lighthouses?—M. R. A. The Bureau of Lighthouses says the lighthouses of the United States use kerosene, incandescent oil vapor, acetylene gas, oil gas, and electric cur- rent for the illuminant, according to varipus local conditions and require- ments. It is believed that the Navy uses both electric current and acetylene gas. Q. What was the first organization of employers in this country?—E. P. A. The first employers’ association of national importance, which was formed to bargain or deal with workers, was the United States Potters’ Association, organized in 1875. The Stove Founders’ Association formed in 1886 stimulated the organization of similar groups. Q. How are the foundations laid in Venice so that houses are not washed away?—M. D. A. The City of Venice is almost en- tirely built upon mud flats and the foundations of the buildings secured by piling. Q. Do people living in cold climates have_thicker blood?—J. C. A. The Public Health Service says that there is no truth in the statement that persons living in cold climates have thicker blood than those living in warm climates. Q. Is there a city named Carcassonne or is the poem about it entirely fanci- ful?>—W. D. A. Carcassonne is an actual city sit- uated on the canal of the Midi in south- ern France. The Midi is one of the most beautiful of the waterways of France, over 100 miles being lined with magnificent trees. Carcassonne boasts a fortress which has stood for 15 cen- turies. . Q. Why is ermine considered the royal fur?—M. G. A. Its beauty caused it to be worn by royalty and King Edward III made it a punishable offense for any persons except those of royal birth to wear it. This restriction has long been removed, but the fur still enjoys royal favor. Q. Should one say, “We are going to have company ‘for’ dinner or ‘at’ din- ner”?—L. A. T. A. “We are going to have company ‘at’ dinner” is correct. One has turkey and cranberries “for” dinner. Q. Why was Lord Baltimore given this name?—L. M. A. Sir George Calvert bore the title of “Lord Baltimore.” He was created Baron Baltimore of Baltimore February 12, 1625. He was called “Lord Balti- more” for his vast estate in Ireland. Q. How many bottles of soft drinks are consumed in the United States in a year?—S. K. A. The Department of Agriculture says that more than 11,000,000,000 bot- tles of non-aleoholic beverages were consumed last year. Q. Where are the rainiest regions in the world?>—H. P. A. Cherrapunji, India; Kanul Island, An idea which has sent laughter to many gloomy places of the world, while having a far-reaching effect ufim the newspaper publishing business, cred- ited to Richard F. Outcault, the father of “comics,” whose recent death came long after he had retired from the field of humorous art. “He introduced serial _characters,” recalls the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which, referring to his first attempt with “Hogan's Alley,” says of his sub- sequent characters: “From that grew ‘The Yellow Kid,' single-toothed youth of a single garment. Before this char- acter had nearly exhausted possibili- ties, it was discarded and ‘Buster Brown' came into being. This velvet- suited little fellow of the good ‘re- solves’ was going strong after many seasons of service, and , Mary Jane and the incidental racters kept pace. Articles of diet and use have been named for him. Plays and movies have been built around him. There are few statesmen who are known to so many people as are ‘Bus- ter’ and his playmates. To forei lands he carried the message of the precocity of American kids.” The Flint Daily Journal commends the clean comedy of Buster Brown, and also credits Outcault with creation of a “demand for improvements in color printing.” “There is no doubt,” says the Dan- bury Evening News, “that most of the comic strips are inane and silly; some are coarse to the point of disgust; too many use the slap-stick and custard- ple methods to get their kick. But all in all, many are interesting, almost all are diverting. And most of us get many a quiet chuckle and smile from the absurd antics of the folk of the funny sheets, who so frequently do silly, inexcusably stupid and nonsensi- cal things—even as you and 1" As the spread of the vogue be- yond the original realm of children, the Grand Rapids Press states: “It did not take editors and artists long to discover that as parents were reading the ‘fun- nies' to the children, the next step was to appeal to grown-up as well as youth- ful interest. Today there are few com- ics devoted entirely to the pleasing of youngsters.” “No man can be genuinely funny every day,” declares the Boston Tran- script, with the conclusion that “Out- cault, he of the Yellow Kid, wisely fin- ished up his efforts with Buster Brown and went into the advertising business.” That paper thinks, “beyond all question, Outcault and his comic imitators, in sent overseas during September, mak- ing a total of more than 1,800,000 since we entered the war. * ¢ * One thou- sand and twenty-three casualties on Mists given out today—212 killeds spite of the average crudity of their conceptions, have added a great deal to Be sure to send your C. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. e s st S Hawail, and Nigeria have the most rain- fall, all approaching 500 inches precipi- tation each year. Q. Why are * L. A. The name is indicative of the origin of the dogs. “Wappet” was the old English name for “cur” and “whap- ping” meant the “yelping of a dog.” Q. Please give a history of the book- plate?—S. D. A. A bookplate is a typographical or pictorial label, used to denote the own- ership of a book. Bookplates are con- sidered to have had their origin in Ger- many, though an unsupported claim has been made that they were used in Japan in the tenth century, and certain small clay tablets are believed to have performed in Babylonia and Assyria an office similar to that of the bookplate of today. The earliest printed bookplate we know today was used about 1480. From Germany the use of the bookplate spread to France and finally to all con- tinental countries. The bookplates first used in America were of English make, brought over by the wealthy Colonists. They possess great interest as memorials of the old families; but the plates en- graved by the hands of our first Ameri- can engravers, Nathaniel Hurd and Paul l}e\'ere of Boston, Amos Doolittle of Connecticut and Alexander Anderson easily surpass them in value. The earliest date on an American bookplate by an American engraver is 1749, on the Thomas Dering pl: Hurd, g plate engraved by Q. To whom are we i morphine?—A. M. l\(.“e g A. Morphine was first isolated by Serturner, a chemist of Hanover, Ger- many, in 1816. i Mo% mls :.I:L;‘ t]hed‘flrst national elec- which Indians hav et i have been able A. All Indians had been given the franchise shortly before the 1924 elec- tion, but it was too recent for general use to be made of it. However, two- thirds of the Indians had already ac- quired citizenship. Qualifications for ‘voting rest with the various States, Q. What is the average the working day>—P. A. o A. Eight hours is about the average working day over the entire world ex- cept, perhaps, in Japan. Q. What city is th WX!?—H- ot y e largest grain . Montreal is at present. New York is second in shipment of grain. Q. Is there a difference in meaning between the words “vocation™ “avo- cation"?>—B. W. 8. e A. A vocation is a person’s major business or calling, while an avocja- tion is a minor or irregular occupation or diversion. vhippets” so called?— Q. How many Pharachs a - tioned in the Old Ttslamen!?—rle‘. ’é‘flé A. Pharaoh is the biblical title given to the Kings of Egypt, 10 of whom are mentioned in the Old Testament. Q. What is the origin of the P Eonvclen’; referred to as EPOSE.‘.’;f A. The Popular Concerts, more familiarly known as the “Monday and Saturday Pops,” owed their origin to some miscellaneous concerts given in the early days of the old St. James’ Hall, which stood at the back of the Quadrant between Regent street and Piccadilly. A preliminary series of three concerts took place during the Cattle Show week in December, 1858. Q. How old was Jesse W. James when he was killed?>—T. L. - A. The inscription at his grave says ‘aged 34 years, 6 months, 28 days.” Q. What author has won a prize re- cently for the best book of the year written for parents?—P. S. A, Douglas A. Thom of the Harvard Medical School has been so favored. His book is entitled “Every- day Problems of the Everyday Child.” It is based on his conviction that a child’s problems can best be handled by encouraging him to develop habits that will replace undesirable traits, Q. At what temperature does water occupy the least space?—H. M. A. Water has its smallest volume and its maximum density at 4° centigrade. Liquid water expands when the tem- perature is raised above 4° or lowered below 4° centigrade. Q. Is liquor_consumption increasing In England?—B. J. A. It is said to be decreasing. The 1900 consumption of spirits in Eng- land was 32,239,522 gallons, as com- pared with 10,412,921 gallons last year. Before the war there were 2,000,000 total abstainers where now there are 10,000,000. The annual per capita drink bill has dropped to $33 from $50. Q. How many by-products of crude oil are there?—J. H. G. A. The by-products of crude oil run into the hundreds. The main ones, however, are gasoline, kerosene, fuel olls and lubricating oils. F ather of Comies Is Lauded As Death Closes His Career the humor that amuses him. * ¢ ¢ ‘When the worst is said of them, there is never a comic section without its trait of real humor.” ‘The Rochester Democrat and Chron- icle describes Mr. Outcault as “one of the first of the humorous philosophers who have completely transformed the comic sections of the modern news- paper.” “If one could gather together only a tithe of the happiness, laughter and thrills the comic strips have given to legions of youthful hearts, what an in- comprehensible tribute would this be to the man who showed the way to such happiness!” says the Memphis Com- mercial Appeal. “Surely should he draw compensation in the other world for the happiness he has given in this.” “It was not art for art’s sake to which he gave expression,” observes the Cin- cinnati Times-Star. “It was art for the newspaper business, a new thing both in art and in newspapers. * * * News- paper comics come from the foundries of the ‘artists’ with the regularity of output of a manufactured article. They are bought by the foot. And men who barely can draw a picture have become affluent artists because of this new pub- lic demand. They draw handsome sal- aries if ugly pictures.” The Yakima Morning Herald thinks that “to the serious-minded individual the popularity of the comic strip re- mains a mystery. Yet,” the Herald adds, “newspaper readers demand comics, and publishers attempt to serve the demand. ‘When Outcault drew the Yellow Kid, he started something which has influenced in a most vital manner the publication of newspapers,” concludes the Herald. “The immense popularity of the orig- inal newspaper ‘funnies,’ " in the opinion of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, “had much to do with the creation of modern news- papers, since they aided in building up the large circulations that were for a long time regarded as the chief end of Journalism. Today the supply of ‘com- ics’ is practically unlimited, but they are merely one of many features. b * Outcault was a real artist as well as a humorist, and his followers of today should study his work and try to :’gx‘)lel:.l'::d mt.'lrs;(e bncm'i t\;u humor that e best of the ‘“0“'“’ 4 3 e Outcault mly the older generation,” remarks the Muncle Star, “can recall the period when the comic strip was unknown, The so-called ‘human interest’ story also had not atiained its hold on the public. The colums were devoted to a straightfor- ward presentation of the news, and al- most the only special articles to stimu- Iate the reader were the often vitupera- the gayety of nations. The ‘average reader’ is noLjcritical of the quality of tive pohtical outbursts . f i : of political W.