Evening Star Newspaper, November 12, 1928, Page 8

8. THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C MONDAY.....November 12, 1828 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company 11en e AR Fenmnivania Ave 7 : 110 East 42nd St. Rate by Carrier Within the City. The Evening Star_...... .....45¢per month The Evening and Sunday Star (when 4 Sundass) ... The Evening and Sunday (when 5 Sundavs). he Sunday Star < Sc_per copy Collection made at the end of rach month Orders may be sent In by mail or telephone Main 5000. 60c per menth r . 65¢ per month Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Marsland and Vieginia, a e 1000 1 mo., mfly ::?!s.un . 1 ]Xl:.- $6.00. 1 mo., 50¢c Einday cnly .1 51, $4.00: 1 mo.. 40c All Other States and Canada. Daily and Sunday. 1 mo.. Daily only . 1 Sunday only $1.00 c Member of the Associated Press. sociated Press 1 exclusively entitied this peper and also the sliared hereur . All Tights of publication of Special dispatches herein are also reserved. =t The Coolidge Doctrine. Never during his five and a quarter years in the White Houss has President He may have something to say about the new leadership. Gov.-elect Roosevelt is now in Georgia and has, it is reported, already under- taken a national survey of the Demo- cratic party with the intention of lay- ing the groundwork for a restoration of harmony among its diverse elements. This is not to be regarded as an as- sumption of prerogative by him. It is merely an extension of what Mr. Roose- velt has been doing for several years past. He has been chiefly occupied politically as a harmonizer, and al- though the results of the late campaign do not disclose that he has labored with striking success, the failure has i b¥en, it is recognized, due to causes | wholly beyond his power of control. In an interview at Warm Springs, Ga., Mr. Roosevelt has pointed out that the party that polls 15,000,000 votes “does not necd any reorganization.” Neverthe- less. he probably knows the truth told by the full equation of Tuesday's elec- { tion in which the 15,000,000 factor was, 0c | however large, nevertheless so decidedly a minority that the verdict was rendered adversely to the democracy by the largest margin ever scored in the elec- toral college. Whether the process that follows is to be styled reorganization or otherwise, it is obvious that something will have to be done to narrow, if not fully to close, the gap between the two parties. This may be by process of | elimination, by the adoption of a new Coolidge spoken in more clarion to0CS {0 o bojicios or by some therapeutic than fell from his lips on Armistice | day. His theme was “National Defense and the United States’ Foreign Policy Before he had finished, the President| laid down what deserves to be known | as “the Coolidge doctrine.” | In epitomizing America’s attitude w-] ward the world beyond our shores he | defined it as “preparation, limitation | and renunciation.” The “Coolidge doc- | trine” calls for preparation for peace by adequate readiness for war, for limita- tion of armament within the confines of American security and for renuncia- tion of war as an instrument of na-| tional policy. Statesmen have expressed those sentiments before. None ever uttered them with finer precision, greater pungency or so convincing posi- tiveness. No point raised by President Coolidge approaches in timeliness his reference to the Navy. Within a few weeks the Senate will act upon the sixteen-ship construction program already passed by the House. Fifteen of those ships are cruisers. Mr. Coolidge argues with un- answerable facts the pacifist whine that the cruisers have become an unneces- sary expenditure in face of th> Kellogg anti-war pacts. | The President shows that, on the basis of existing programs, Great Brit- ain would eventually have 68 modern, 2 high-powered cruisers—the safeguards | of commerce at sea—while the United States would have only 40. That is not. the parity called for by the 5—5—38/ ra‘io enacted at the Washington con- ference. Instead of parity, it is, from the American standpoint, perilous in- equality. That is why our Government | recently “refused to accept,” as the President logically illustrates, the glo- French “limitation” scheme, which lim- ited the United States Navy and left the fleets of Britain and France un- limited. . America craves peace, Mr. Coolidge | insists, and, because she does so, “Is adopting the only practical principles ever proposed.” But, he adds, "Peace is of little value if it is constantly accom- | "panied by the threatened or the actual violation of national rights.” Then, as & natural consequence of that self- Jevident condition, the President ob- serves: “It is our duty to ourselves and to the cause of civilization, to the pres- ervation of domestic tranquillity, to our ‘lawtul and orderly relations with for- 'eign people, to maintain an adequate Army and Navy.” Than that, the Eng- lish language does not lend itself to a terser justification of national life in- ,surance, which is but another name for ‘mational defense. = " .On less purely domestic issues, Presi- dent Coolidge was equally eloquent and effective. He warned Europe that ! America has reached the limit of her > ;uuenee with Old World borrowings for “‘purely militaristic purposes. In un- ‘minced words he points out that Amer- ican_dollars loaned to Germany have practically financed all of the father- ‘land’s reparation payments to the allies. He admonishes the Poincares and other 'European hopefuls to abandon their day dreams. of transferring further repara- tion obligations from Germany's shoul- ~ .ders to the already heavily laden backs * of American investors. Finally, in the broadest transatlantic gesture of all, the President sweeps into deserved oblivion the theory that the Unpited States “got rich” out of the *"'World War. Our “eventual loss” from the war, Mr. Coolidge reveals, will ap- proximate a hundred billion dollars. A few more enrichments like that and America would be ready for the inter- national bankruptey court. Calvin Coolidge may not have many more stellar occasions to proclaim the sturdy American faith within him. He could afford to rest on his Armistice day laurels. They make secure his fame as the authentic voice of America. e re————— Any time he wants to speak, Gov. Al Bmith is sure of a large and atten- tive audience—something that few de- feated statesmen attain. * e Franklin Roosevelt's New Role. When the New York Democrats, at the urgent instance of Gov. Smith, pre- | vailed upon Frankiin D. Roosevelt to leave the retirement which he had sought for physical recuperation to ac- cept the nomination for the governor- ship, it was little thought that it was laying & foundation for a national party reorganization. Yet that is what is now on the cards. Mr. Roosevelt was one of the few Democratic successes of the campaign. He carried the State of New York while the governor himself lost it for the presidency. This achievement ‘was due to his personal popularity, his -eminent qualifications and his freedom from any entangling alliances. Imme- diately he was acclaimed &s the man of + the hour, qualified to assume the na- tional leadership. Gov. Smith shortly after election declared that he was; . through with politics, that he was going to retire to a business career and that others must carry on the political task. ‘Tomorrow night he will by radio ad- {work upon certain morbid members of the organism. The redemption of those States of the hitherto solid South that a week ago | went for the first time into the Repub- | lican coiumn is naturally the first thing to be thought about in any course of treatment. But that will not suffice. Even with the solidity of the South re- stored the Democratic party is still in a minority position according to Tuesday's returns. But, as statisticians have al- ready pointed out, it is not hopelessly in the minority, as changes of a few thou- sand votes here and there would have given a verdict for Smith instead of Hoover. If Mr. Roosevelt is now in_the role of physician to the party, he will probably prescribe a strong tonic, and he may recommend certain surgical operations. s Radio Changes. As reports of improved radio recep- tion continued to reach the Federal Radio Commission today, it became in- creasingly apparent that the new scheme of the commission, providing for eight cleared channels throughout the coun- | try entirely free from heterodyning in- terference, is to meet the popular re- ception it deserves. All the local sta- tions have been changed about in the broadcasting spectrum. WRC. which used to be located just below WEAF, is now down at the old wave of KDKA of Pittsburgh, the pioneer broadcasting station of the Nation. WMAL and the two other local stations have been moved ground, and the entire line-up of the older favorites of local listeners has been changed. The first effect of the new system, in so far as listeners are con- cerned, will be to necessitate relogging of virtually all the stations. The changes became effective at 3 o'clock Sunday morning, at a time when nearly all the Eastern stations had fin- ished broadcasting and when the Far Western stations were practically the only ones in operation. The Armistice day speech of President Coolidge, broad- cast through a network of stations, came to listeners on wave lengths en- tirely different from the old set-up. At the offices of the radio commis- sion, where a year's intensive study and trial has resulted in the latest broad- casting shake-up, most of the com- missioners are satisfied with the result of the first night’s trial of the new allocations. The idea behind the shift has been to give to each of the five radio zones into which the country is divided at least one clear channel on which a high-powered station can broadcast with freedom from inter- ference from any station anywhere in the land. So far as could be learned from a somewhat inconclusive first trial, this purpose seems to have. been achieved. Certainly the interfering side iband heterodyning and whistles that have marked reception in recent months have been greatly alleviated. It is clear that the commission has taken a long step forward in improving broadcast- ing conditions. Further shuffiing of the units in the Nation's broadcasting system will doubtless smooth out the rough spots and mark another.long step toward overcoming the chaos into which radio appeared to have fallen a year and a half ago. In so far as local listeners are concerned, the situation has improved. All the local stations now have desirable frequencies. Although WRC had a slight whistle in its wave during the early part of the evening, it had vanished by the time President Coolidge started speaking. WMAL was capable of being tuned sharper than it could be tuned in its old wave length on the lower band, while the other local stations came in with renewed clarity and volume. The radio commission should be con- gratulated for a good piece of work, and if there are any ether clashes as a re- sult of the shift, they will be ironed out in the further reallocations to come. r————————— ‘Under some conditions, says Thomas Edison, coal may develop electricity at less expense than water power. Of course, the coal supply is scheduled to run out in a few million years, while But these | considerations involve problems of the | far future, and a solicitude for posterity | that no generation has been able to at- tain. | water power goes on forgver. b R, Road Speed in Virginia. Regardless of how forward looking are the views of the Petersburg judge who, in dismissing a fast-driving charge against a defendant, ruled that Virginia had no arbitrary speed limit and that reckless driving would have to be shown in order to substantiate a case of this nature, it will not be wise for motorists of this section to go rollicking over the | roads of the Old Dominion at speeds {in excess of those prominently noted on signs by the State Highway Depart- ment. While the Petersburg court may be exactly right in this interpretation of the statutes relating to automobile speed, there is no assurance that other courts hold the same view, and a mo- dress the country on the subject of the Democratic outlook and the duty that u-mcmmmumtw% aulles an hour on an open road would cat may have i@ besin ¢ torist who, on the strength of this de- cision, will “hit it up” to fifty or sixty THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €. MONDAY. NOVEMBER 12; 1928 do well to carry with him an over- night bag and plenty of cash. Many States have already dropped speed limits and are keeping motorists under control by strict enforcement of a rigid, reckless-driving act. But de- spite this latest ruling Virginia still has limits of 15 miles an hour in a busi- ness district, 25 miles an hour in a residential district and 35 miles an hour under all other circumstances, and while a defendant might have a good talking point in the sound traffic theory that substitutes reckless driving for all of these limits, it would perhaps avail him nothing if he appsared before any other than the Petersburg judge. During the past year there has been to liberalize speed limits or to abandon them altogether. -States have jumped from 25 miles an hour on the open road to thirty-five or forty, while others have gone up from thirty-five to forty- five. tana have no speed limits whatever. It is to the credit of the legislators of these States that they are progressive enough to realize that the safe speed of the present-day automobile, with its four-wheel brakes, balloon tires and general “roadability,” is at least ten miles an hour faster than the car of ten years ago. The highways of the country have likewise undergone im- provement during the past decade and smooth concrete now takes the place of the rutty and unsafe roads of the past. All of these factors have con- tributed to the change of opinion re- garding automobile speed, and today, on a smooth road with a modern car and light traffic, it is as safe to drive at 45 miles an hour es it was to buzz along at 35 ten years ago. The Petersburg jurist is assuredly keeping pace with the trend of thought regarding traffic regulation, but until Virginia formally abandons its speed limits, motorists who refuse “to step on it” will be adopting a safety rule for their pocketbooks. — vt ‘The Emperor of Japan is permitted to assume his duties, in accordance with time-honored custom, without par- ticipating in debate concerning party platforms. Nevertheless, controversies go on. So exalted is the position of the Japanese Emperor that public esteem holds him superior even to politics. e A successful presidential candidate is likely to wish for a very simple inaugural ceremonial, as befits a serious and con- templative mind. But the great Ameri- can public, with motors adjusted to take the trail for Washington, D. C., does not feel exactly that way ebout it. — 1t is characteristic of President-elect Hoover to keep busy. Going to South America to study trade relationship is not precisely what might be called an idle vacation while waiting to be in- augurated. . e As Winter approaches, the season for attempting to swim the English Chan- nel must close. This circumstance brings a slight relief to the strain on human sympathy which has been so in- tensified with passing years. et — Many wise words were .spoken by Ben Franklin about how to accumulate a_comfortable fortune. He had not the information at hand to enable him to discuss. the peculiar - advantages . of wealth enjoyed by the hi-jacker and the racketeer. . After a study of a “whispering cam- paign” it becomes difficult to locate any influential personage willing to limit himself to anything like a whisper. P ] In permitting itself to lag for hours behind the market, the Wall Street stock ticker sets a bad example in “effi- clency.” B Sl e ey Nature is still superior to art. One volcano can create more agitation than all the statesmen and poets combined. e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSCN. The Undefeated. If winning were an easy task And one forever sure, The zest which from this life we ask ‘Would be most insecure. Be disappointment great or small, Strive on with sturdy heart. He is not vanquished, after all, ‘Who makes another start. Ear to the Ground. “What do you mgan when you say a statesman ought to keep his ear to the ground?” “Simply this,” answered Senator Sor- ghum; “whatever new topics may come up, he may as well be prepared to be forever on the watch for some practical method of farm relief.” Jud Tunkins says he hopes to see the day when every man has his own air- plane. It will at least help to move the parking problem into the country. Poetry and Farming. “The farmer is a gentle elf. Why should he not enjoy himself And go his way from day to day 'Mongst blossoms and the new-mown hay?” So sings the poet of the town. The weary farmer wears a frown And sighs, “There'd be still more alarms If poets tried to run the farms.” Self-Determination. “What is the trouble with prohibi- tion2” “No trouble that I can see,” answered Uncle Bill Bottletop. ‘“Anybody who really wants it can practice it to the limit in his personal affairs.” “Peasants will continue to complain,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “so long as talk is better remunerated than toll.” One Big Topic Neglected. Bill Shakespeare was a poet grand. Yet he was not in all things wise. Though telling truths on every hand, Himselt he failed to advertise. “If you tells all you knows” sald Uncle Eben, “you kin finish dat job in ten minutes. Den you may need to lay off a year or two to find out sump- in’ mo.” B Will Put the Cat Out. From the Indianapolis News. If milk gets any higher the family WalED) agitation throughout the country either | Michigan, Connecticut and Mon-I THIS AN Reading to music is something new, It remained for radio to introduce orchestrated reading to a land which hitherto had been content with the slogan “Music while you eat!" | Now many people sit atound in the | evening trying to read a hock while the | receiving set is going full blast. Not satisfied with filllng their eyes| with words and their minds with| thou , they insist on stuffing their | ea h sounds at the same time. think they can do two things at | once, because it looks so easy and be- cause the motions may b2 gone through with, certainly. No one can say that such a listener does not hear his radio, on the one| hand, or that he does not see what he is reading, on the other. | ‘What can be said is “hat he is fair to -neither literature nor music, and, above all, that he {s not fair to himself. e Nothing but a race of musical boors could treat the divine art of music so— people who never had any music before and don't know how to treat it when they do get it. It must never be forgotten that radio broadcasting brought music into thou- sands of homes where it had never ex- isted in any form before, Into houses where there was never a sound of piano or other instrument, or where phonograph never raised its ‘“‘canned” voice, the melody from out of the sky brought the first knowledge of Calliope, fair muse. hAf\d they didn't know how to receive er! It was no new thing. Her great servant, Mozart, was re- garded as less than the dust by the great men of his day who had enough money to hire his services. After all the other servants had eaten, the great composer was permit- ted to partake of nourishment. He was the lowliest of the lowly. The general acceptance of music as people has been a thing of but a few hundred years, although the art is one of the oldest known to mankind. From the days when shepherds were supposed to amuse themselves in quiet hours by making strange sounds on pipes, down through the centuries, mankind has mixed with his love for music a strange contempt, as if afraid that lovely Calliope might some day surprise him in tears. * koK K Few maxims are more generally ac- cepted than the old one that ‘“you can’t do two things at once.” ‘The common sense of man has told him that he by no means possesses such a wealth of brains or powers of appreciation as to enable him to divide the one or the other when it comes to matters of every day. The same thing is even more true in matters of art. It is, of course, pos- sible for a person to read a book and listen to music at the same time. It may be submitted, however, that he will miss much of his reading and lose a great deal of his music. He does neither well. The general consensus of mankind it is worth doing well. 1t President-elect Hoover and his forthcoming hosts in Latin America get down to brass tacks, tell one an- other their real names and let cold fact, rather than mere tact, prevail, great good will ensue. That is another way of saying that the 20 sister re- publics south of the Rio Grande are fatigued with after-dinner assurances from the Colossus of the North and hanker nowadays for more tangible things. The United States has inter- vened in Latin American countries 10 times during the past 20 years—an average of once every two years. Are these biennial “friendly interferences” to continue? Whatever Mr. Hoover is able to téll his Latin American wel- comers on that score will be eagerly heard all the way from the Mexican border to the tip of Cape Horn. Is Uncle Sam determined to keep the Monroe Doctrine a purely “unilateral” affair, or i he disposed to take Latin America into partnership in its main- tenance? ' If the United States looks upon peace and friendship with the rest of the Western Hemisphere as this country’s paramount international con- cern, is America willing to liberalize her tariffs on Latin American products? Herbert Hoover is a realist. Here's a menu of real things Latin America would like to digest with him this Winter. * ok kK New York City, where this observer tarried over the week end, reverberates with strange tales of the real reason why the sidewalks of Manhattan went back on Al Smith. On all hands the story can be encountered that Tam- many Hall knifed him. District leaders, acting under orders from the sachems, are said deliberately to have let the Smith vote sag in many metropolitan boroughs. - The result was that the Democratic presidential nominee rolled up a majority of only 400,000-odd against Hoover in Greater New York in- stead of the required 500,000-odd needed to overwhelm the Republicans at the Bronx. Commenting on the alleged re- volt of the Tammanyites, the New York Times sald editorially: “The talk 's * * ¢ that they resent Smith's emi- nence and believe his point of view to be ungrateful to his beginnings. There are quotations of unnamed leaders who say, ‘Well, we're rid of that high hat!’” The side-tracking of Tammany began at the Houston convention. Its repression and suppression were held necessary to Smith’'s nomination. Apparently the wigwam feels it was similarly relegated during the campaign. * % %k That day may be counted lost, of course—and until further notice— whose low-descending sun sees no new cabinet officer chosen for President-elect Hoover. 86 it will be till the ides of next March. Two names which have to date not figured in the cabinet gossip are being mentioned with considerable persistency. One is that of C. C. Teague of California_as Hoover's Secretary of Agriculture. The other is that of Julius Rosenwald of Illinois, mail order mer- chant prince and philanthropist. Both Teague and Rosenwald, besides intrinsic merits, are original Hoover men of en- thusiastic lineage. Rosenwald is dis- cussed for either the secretaryship of commerce or the postmaster generalship. It's exactly 40 years ago that President Harrison reached into the merchandis- ing world and put John Wanamaker at the head of the Post Office Department. Teague is president of the great Cali- fornia Fruit Growers' Exchange, an out- standing co-operative marketing au- thority, and not involved in the co- temporary farm-relief controversies. * K K K If Ruth Bryan Owen, who will come to the Seventy-first Congress+as a Rep- resentative. from Florida, hadn't been widowed a year ago, “the Commoner’s talented daughter wouldn’t have been eligible to sit in the House. Till that time she was a British subject—the wife of Maj. Reginald Owen of the British Army. Mrs. Owen lost her hus- band when he succumbed to injuries suffered during the World War. He was a member of Gen. Allenby’s stafl when ‘the captor of Jerusalem made his triumphal entry into th» Holy City. Mrs. Owen inherits oratorical talent from her silver-tongued father, and dur- | ing recent years has lectured profes-| sionally. She is tall, slim, handsome, | twinkling-eyed and a brunette who turning gray. The “first lady of Miami” | campaigned on the issue of higher tariffs on Florida fruits. ¥ K ¥ Senator Borah is beinz quoted in certain circles as desirous rf becoming Secretary-of Stale for one particular something worth while in the life of the |« D THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. If one reads, he ough! listens, he ought to lists Science has not changed this attitude of man a whit, if anything it has in- tensified it, by introducing scientific ideas and methods into places where haphazard beliefs, thoughts and ideals existed before. The most careless person has but to look at his radio receiving set, a deli- cate precision instrument, dealing with the most intangible force in the uni- verse, electricity (unless it be love), to realize that the men who made it never divided their thought while making it. e o One must listen to music with the mind as well as with the ecars; that is why it is impossible for one to respect it and give it only such perfunctory audience as is accorded while trying to read a book at the same time. Respect is the true secret of the mat- ter. As long as one merely accepts music as a curious sort of noise, he will fail to respect it. When he reaches the point in his self-education—and that, after all,"is what life is—where he dis- covers that it takes intelligence to make music, he will realize that he must listen with all his ears, figuratively speaking, in order to do justice to either music or himseif. Personal experience with some musi- cal instrument gives a man this respect; that is why mechanical or scientific devices for reproducing music will never replace the piano, the violin, the organ, t to read; if he en. the violoncello, the various horns, even | the drums. When one loses his temper over an A string that he cannot get into tune, he begins to realize, although it may be dimly, that here is a precision in- strument, too! When he next goes to hear some fa- mous violinist and listens to the sounds drawn forth with the bow, he will know that this is magic. e Reading demands that when one reads he should read. Music asks that when one listens he should listen. Let there be no straddling of the lit- erary and musical fences. Heaven knows that no one's powers of appreciation are so surcharged that he can afford to read with half his mind, or listen with one ear only. ‘Two eyes and the whole mind should be brought to reading, two ears and the whole mind to music. Many who would admit the first part of this proposition might question ths second, but we believe it remains as true as the other. The trouble is that many do not real- ize that music is an intellectual propo- sition as well as an artistic one. There wiil be, of course, mounte- banks in both professions, but the bulk of writers and musicians are sincere. They believe in their arts, and ask respect for them before everything else. The next time you are tempted, therefore, to turn on the radio and grab a book, either do one or the other —listen to the radio and let the book alone, or turn off the set and read the has been that if a thing is worth doing, | book. That way greatness lies. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. reason. He's alleged to covet the op- portunity of adjusting our relations with Soviet Russia and ot bringing about diplomatic recognition: of the Moscow government. Borah'’s views along these lines are well known. He bases the case for shaking hands with the Soviet on the theory that we are far likelier to induce them to see things our way—recognition of the pre-Soviet war loans, restitution of confiscated Amer- ican property and acknowledgment of private property rights—by admitting them to international fellowship. In continued aloofness Borah sees endless and useless interference with Russo- American trade relations, which are day more important in volume than ever before. * ok ok K Knute Rockne, famed Notre Dame foot ball coach, and “Biff” Jones, equally renowned West Point gridiron mentor, are the friendliest of enemies. Last Saturday after the clash between the Irish and the Army at Yankee Stadium, “Biff” said to “Rock,” “Knute we sure did plan to trim Notre Dame today!” Rockne, who is as brilliant a wit as he is a professor of foot ball, re- fi!:‘fdé "Tri;r;l, rgnhing! If you had ed us, the Pope wouls = nulled the game!” = A RATeR O * ok ok ok One of the friends Herbert Hoover invited to cross- the country with him for election day at Palo Alto and after is Lewis L. Strauss, the “boy partner” of Kuhn, Loeb & Co., New York inter- national bankers. ~Strauss was at first Hoover's war-time office boy and later his private secretary at the Food Administration, and they've re- mained bosom friends ever since. The young banker is a Virginian, hailing from Richmond. He is one of Amer- ica’s rising captains of kigh finance and a devoted admirer of the Presi- dent-elect. When Strauss was on the witness stand before the Senate cam- paign funds investigating committee, he testified that Wall Street wasn't fond of Hoover. The “Hoover market” on the New York Stock Exchange makes it look as if Wall Street had changed its mind. (Copyright. 1928.) NITED STATES N WORLD WAR Ten Years Ago Today. American artillery maintaij steady fire against the enemy r;‘gehdt u; to the time the armistice became effec- tive, winding up their offensive with a final salvo at the last moment. They then carefully staked out lines marking the final advance made by the Ameri- cans in_their last drive. * * * Ameri- can soldiers mingled with German sol- diers as soon as the armistice went into effect. Cheering like a bunch of col- lege students, they swarmed across the intervening ground which separated them from their recent foe and ex- changed souvenirs with them and traded sweet chocolate and cigarettes for whatever the Germans had to offer. The Germans were greatly surprised to hear their language spoken by many of the Americans, * * * Germany has requested the President to arrange im- mediately for the opening of peace negotiations on account of the pressing danger of a famine in Germany. * * * Emperor_Charles of Austria finally ab- dicates. * * * The ex-Kaiser, under an escort of Netherlands troops, reaches a Dutch chateau near Arnheim. * * * One thousand and two casualties on list released today—421 killed in action, 130 dead from wounds and 155 from diseas 255 wour’;‘dezdlnnd 141 missing and pri otal casualti - ber 75,416, o SR i ———— Only One of Kind. From the Trenton Evening Times. The South now looms as the only known entity which is neif o y neither solid nor e Only Eat It Now. From the Detroit Fres Press. The girls of the gay nineties who, in the slang of the da took the cake,” also knew how to bake one. e Or to Buy Masters, From the Boston Evening Transcript. Dutch art valued at $15,000,000 is to be shown in London—further evidence Dutshe $hay 1t costs & Jot to beat Advantage of Change In Calendar Argued To the Ejlitor of The Star: The absurd trick which the calendar plays on the Kansas State Legislature and governor this coming year is a practical {llustration of one of the many reasons for the presont movement to adopt a rational calendar. ‘According to the Kansas Farm Jour- nal, the State Constitution convenes the Legislature on the second Tuesday in January and inaugurates the governor on the second Monday in January, with the intent that the new governor take his seat at the same time as the Legis- lature convenes. In 1929, January 1st falls on Tuesday. The second Tuesday is January 8. The second Monday is January 14, so that the governors’' inauguration does not take place until six days after the con- vening of the Legislature, according to the Farm Journal, which adds, “We may have two governors' messages to the Legislature which according to prece- dent the Legislature may or may not pay attention to,” while “the present lieutenant governor will have the duty of presiding over the Senate for five days before his successor takes his seat.” The National Committee on Calendar Simplification is now submitting to public opinion a plan for a %xed calendar which does away with the possibility of such an irrational situa- tion as this which must occur periodic- ally with the annual shifting of the dates of the week days. If it is adopted, the second Monday in January will always be January 9, and the second Tuesday will always be January 10. It would put an end to the incon- venience which is caused by the shifting of the dates of the months to different week days or the days of the week to different dates of the month from year to year. week day names of all periodical occur- rences, such as Election day, Inaugura- tion day, th2 beginning of legislative, | court and school terms, Labor day, Thanksgiving day and other holidays. For example, with the present calendar, Presidential Inauguration day, March 4, may occur on any day of the week, including Sunday, when it has to be postponed until Monday, March 5. Under the proposed fixed calendar, March 4 will always occur on Wednes- ay. Election day, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, may now oceur on any of the seven dates falling between November 1 and November 9. With the fixed calendar, it would al- wnTy.}s! fall on N’ovember 3. c new plan calls for 13 equal months of 28 days each. l-‘ixm? is attained by regarding the 365th day and leap day as blank days without week day nomes, to be observed as extra Sabbaths. M. N. STILES, Staff of National Committee on Calendar Simplification. ) Metal Apparel as Armor Against Summer Heat BY E. E. FREE, PH. D. Clothes of metallic aluminum, water. proof in wet weather and able to keep out the heat in hot weather as the aluminum paint on a Zeppelin airship keeps its interior dry and cool, are urged in Germany as the result of new, flex- ible fabrics containing layers of metallic foil. Thin sheets of aluminum, like gold foil or tin foil, are coated on both sides with protective material resem- bling the plastic substances used in making the threads of rayon. The re- sult is a fabric almost as light as silk, as tough as thin leather, as waterproof as rubber and as bright and heat-re- flecting as aluminum. Umbrellas, rain coats, even dresses or business suits, may be made of these fabrics, German experts assert, and at even lower cosis than similar articles made of ordinary cotton or wool. The sheets of thin, flexible metal add strength to the plas- tic materials which coat it, and these reciprocate by protecting the aluminum from corrosion by water or air. Strik- ing gowns for women and beautiful ef- fects in household decoration are ob- tainable, it is reported, not only with the silvery aluminum fabric, but with others made by coating thin sheets of gold, copper or other metals in the same way. Tents, sunshades and beach robes of the aluminum fabric are ex- pected to be popular next Summer be- cause of their heat-repelling abilities, however binding their mirrorlike bril liance may be to unlucky bystanders. ——————— Use of Nicknames For Cities Deplored From the Seattle Daily Times. San Francisco's efforts to discourage the use of the nickname “Frisco” have the sympathy and co-operation of Seattle. It is seldom or never that the people of this city offend in that partic- ular, and when they do it may be chargeable to newcomers rather than to older residents. Long ago it became known here that San Francisco objected to the in- appropriate abbreviation of its euphoni- ous name. ‘Such use of it as was made in early days was abandoned entirely. There is a strict rule against the use of the vulgarism in the offices of well edited newspapers. The people of San Francisco have pointed out that their city was named for St. Francis of Assisi. To shorten or condense the Spanish form of the name to “Frisco” is an insult to the memory of a gentleman who is revered by many. It is a habit of slangy persons or those careless of their speech to clip the mnames of cities. Chicago is hortened to “Chy,” and Los Angeles to “Loss.” As with most slangy expres- sions, popularity soon dies out. There is nothing quite so tiresome as obsolete slang. And the same is true of nick- names for cities. If it ever were con- sidered smart to speak of San-Francisco as “Frisco,” that time long since has | P! vassed. We might forgive the offense in such silly songs as ‘“Casey Jones” who was “goin’ to reach Frisco,” but it is inexcusable in everyday speech. Seattle has escaped the attentions of the makers of jargon. The name pre- sents difficulties hard to overcome. We may be thankful that Seattle is Seattle the world over. Lessons of 7Zeippe]in Trip Held ImpcortantI From the Lincoln State Journal. When the Graf Zeppelin arrived back at its home port Dr. Hugo Eckener, commander, frankly admitted that he now knows that airships must be made stronger. His experiences on the trip taught him that. In their present form they are all right for experimental trips, but for commercial usage they must h2 improved. “We must work to improve the instrument,” Dr. Eckener said. The receipts for the entire voyage are estimated at $245.000 and the oper- ating cost was something over $100.000 plus the cost of the broken fin. Ho It would fix the dates and|C BY FREDERI ‘This is a special department devoted solely to the handling of queries. This paper puts at your disposal the services of an extensive organization in Wash- ington to serve you in any capacity that relates to information. This service is free. Failure to make use of it deprives vou of benefitd to which you are en- titled. Your obligation is only 2 cents in coin or stamps inclosed with your inquiry for direct reply. Address The Evening Star Information Bureau, Fred- eric_J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. C. Q. What is meant by heavy athletics? —R. C. A. By heavy athletics is meant long- distance running, competitive rowing and contests calling for unusual effort. Q. Are there any States that did not ratify the prohibition amendment?— W. A W. A. The only States that have not ratified are Rhode Island and Connecti- cut. Q. Do children learn geography more readily through visual instruction?— L. B. A. Experiments sponsored by the Na- ducted by Dr. Wood of Columbia Uni- versity and Dr. Freeman of the Uni- versity of Chicago show that children make 33 per cent greater gains in geog- raphy and 15 per cent greater gains in science by learning these subjects partly through motion pictures. Q. Name the sisters of Lady Astor.— . P, A. The three Langhorne sisters of virginia are Lady Nancy Astor. Mrs. Charles Dana Gibson and Mrs. Robert H. Brand. Q. What do the electric signs in this country pay for current>—H. J. P. A. Electric light signs in the United States consume current estimated at $1,500,000 per year. In 143 leading cities there are 250 electric signs. @. With what kind of gas was the bag of the Graf Zeppelin inflated?— AL A. Hydrogen was the gas used in the bag of the Graf Zeppelin. It was not changed for the return trip, but more was added. Q. What is_trinitrotoluol?>—T. P. N. A. This is the scientific term for the high explosive, TNT. Q. Are meteorites solid balls of fire? B. W. A. According to experts, falling meteorites are fused of white heat on the outside as a result of air friction, but inside they are extremely frigid— more than 400 degrees below zero, which is approximately the temperature of outer space. Q. How old was Comdr. Byrd when he took his first trip around the world? E. K. —R. A. When but a lad of 12 years, Comdr. Byrd wished to make a trip around the world and after great per- suasion he obtained permission from his mother. He started from Richmond, Va., and went to San Francisco, where he caught a steamer for the Philippines. Then he traveled on coasting vessels from one Asiatic port to another, touch- ing almost every country in the eivi- lized world. After the European journey he crossed on a liner to New York City, where, as the youngest unescorted globe- trotter in the world, he was interviewed by no less than 15 reporters. , Q _How many aides de camp did ‘Gen. Washington have?>—Y. E. S. A. There were 32 aides of Gen Washington during the Revolutionary period. from four to seven aides at all times. From the middle of the year 1776 one aide was always a military secretary: there was also an assistant secretary, and from 1780 to the end of the war there was a recording secretary. There were several extra aides; two of these were by special appointment, one was complimentary with neither rank nor pay, and one, a unique appointment, was by brevet. Q. What is the difference between ¢ deist and a theist>—H. J. P. A. A deist is_one who believes in God, but denies His supernatural reve- lation. A theist is one who believes in God and accepts the supernatural revelation. Q. What does a fire eater us2 to keep his tongue from burning?—E. H. A, Different methods are used by fire eaters to keep the tongus and tional Education Association and con- | Headquarters staff numbered | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS C J. HASKIN. hands fro® burning. Some rub the skin of the parts to be affected with hard soap, the tongue included, snd over that a layer of powdered sugar is placed, Others use a solution «f alum, or liquid storax. Q. What is the average Income of physicians in the United States?—-P. H. A. Out of approximately 140.000 physicians in the United States engaged | In” curative medicine, it is said that the average gross income of these phy- sicians is $3,000 per annum, the total for all physicians being $420,000,000. Q. Please give the size and cost of the Suez Canal—E. W. A. The Suez Canal was opencd iIn 1869. It is 104'; miles long, 36 feet deep, 150 feet wide. The estimat cost was $127.000,000. The canal was built by a French company under the leadership of Ferdinand de Lesseps. It is a sea-level canal. Q. A friend brought som~ large amber-colored beads from Greece, which she said were similar to those which the Greeks pass continually through their fingers. The string of beads is about 18 inches long and has a silken tassel on it. Is there any re- ligious significance to them, or any other reason why the Greeks carry them?—L. F. S. A This is merely a habit, contracted for the most part in lelsure moaients while sitting around tables in the coffee houses in Greece, just as one will see people almost anywhere idly finger- ing something while talking, There is no religious or other signiflcance at- tached to the habit, as would at first seem probable. Q. What is pibroch playing?- C. N. A. 1t is the playing of a wild, irregu- lar form of martial music by Scottish Highlanders on the bagpipe. Usually the air profusely ornamented with vari- ations. Q. Do people arrvad eat as much fat with their meat as Americans do?— G. G. A, Europeans demand leaner meat. Americans, too, are trending toward lean meat. The meat-type hog is be- ing developed to compete with those of other countries. Q. How can an alien arrange to come to this country to study?—J. G. A. Alien students meeting the neces- sary requirements and seeking to enter the United States solely for the pur- pose of study are regarded as non- quota immigrants and are therefore exempt from the numerical limitations applicable to quota immigrants. A bona fide student, within the meaning of the immigration laws, is a person at least 15 years of age who is qualified to enter, and has definitely arranged to enter an accredited school, college, academy, seminary or university in the United States, particularly designated by him and approved by the Secretary of Labor, for the sole purpose of pur- | suing a definite course of study at such institution. Q. What is the “succotash”?—S. B. A. It is a corruption of a Narragan- sett Indian name for an ear of corn. Q. Ts the German birth rate rising?— R. derivation of the word B. A. After a slump of some years the German birth rate is rising. Births in the Reich in the first quarter of 1928 were more numerous by 13,000 than in the corresponding quarter of 1927. Q. Plaese give number of firemen and policemen in the District of Co- lumbia and the size of their payrolls. | —W. D. N. A.' In the District of Columbia there are 875 firemen, 29 engine companies, 14 truck companies, 1 fire boat, 1 fire department repair shop, and a rescue uad. The monthly payroll is $150,- 682.38. The Police Department says that the total number of its personnel is 1.421. There are 1,348 policemen, 73 civilians and 26 vacancies. It has 15 precincts. The payroll is about $118,- 000 for two weeks. This varies from pay day to pay day. Q. How long a time is a sun spot visible?>—E. H. H. A. The Naval Observatory says that after appearing on the sun's eastern limb spots remain visible for about two weeks. By solar rotation they are carried behind the western limb. If still existing they reappear again about a fortnight later. Spots are at times seen to form on the sun’s visible hem- isphere. Ithough Nicaragua has gone to the mfis andK elected a new administration, under the supervision of American Marines, there is still a division of opinion among the people of this coun- try as to the justice of the position taken by the Coolidge administration. A Liberal, who was previously in re- volt, is elected and this result is ac- cepted by many as proof of the sin- cerity of the proceedings, but some American opinion is inclined to em- phasize the fact that rebellion_ still ex- ists in the acts of a third party. “The American supervision was a les- son, which, to judge from the loyal manner in which both Conservative and Liberal politicians co-operated in plan- ning and holding it, has been well Jearned,” affirms the Wheeling Intelli- gencer (Republican), and the Williams- rt Sun (independent Democratic) states that the successful candidate “has achieved through the ballot a suc- cess which he vainly sought through armed force.” “Latin America as a whole scarcely can fail to be impressed by this specta- cle and_object lesson in Nicaragua thinks the Chicago Daily News (inde pendent), agreeing that “the United States has endeavored, not unsuccess- fully, to promote self-government an place Nicaraguan sovereignty on a se- cure foundation.” “A lasting effect throughout Central Evening Gazette (independent Republi- can), which points out that “the Cen- tral American States, like some others in South America, as well as the Republic of Mexico, have been cursed by th inordinate, selfish ambitions of leaders. * ok ok K Favorable comment from the Ashe- ville Times (independent Democratic) upholds the view that “it is much to be hoped, and there is basis for it, that Nicaragua, with this election past, has turned the most dangerous corner on its political highway. Such an election.” continues the Times, “will, unless all ever, the airship is entitled to som: think over $75,000 as its share of the postage on the cargo of mail. This rate of return on an investment of more than a million dollars is considered fair. But it must be remembered that people cannot always be found that will pay $3,000 for passage over the Atlantic, or can a cargo of mail at such a high postage rate be obtained regularly. As far as flying goes, disregarding the eommercial aspects, the experiment was remarkable, The ship flew som 6,300 miles. On_the trip over it dem- onstrated its ability to navigate though damaged and on the return it made record-breaking time despite the fact it had to battle through a storm area. Dr. Eckener points out, much progress must be made before dirigible ocean navigation can be called a suc- cess, but ngathe same time the lessons learned on the recent voyages will go a long way toward overcoming obstacles yet unconquered. ————————— What Price Freedom. From the Toronto, Canada, Deily Star. ‘When Mussolini tells the Italian news- papers they are free he means it. They &AD 53y-whateyss- he Jikesh - the political signs fail, satisfy the great majority of the people.” The Ottawa Evening Citizen (Canadian) concludes: “Thus was orderly government imposed on the little Central American republic in place of rebellion and revolution. The experiment is an interesting one and its outcome only of s=condary in- terest. It is to be hoped that the seed vlanted by American hands may develo: until it blooms forth in efficient seli- government.” Among those who are critical of the method employed is the St. Louis Post- Dispatch _ (independent), which con- tends: “There is no difference between Moncada’s Liberalism and the Conserv- atism of Diaz, who is President now. Both men favor the American inter- vention, and both are allied in_ policy with the economic penetration of Nica- ragua by American business and finance. The United States has for 20 years held Nicaragua, as it holds Cuba, Haiti and Santo Domingo, tight in its grasp, Nothing like the Nationalistic ticket, which asked for a place on the ballot in Nicaragua this year, is tolerated in America” also is seen by the Reno| Nicaraguan Election Leaves Opinion Here Still Divided Nicaragua for another month Sacasa and Moncada would have entered Ma: nagua in triumph,” asserts the Brook- 1yn Daily Eagle (independent), and the Newark Evening News (independent) argues: “If American Marines had been kept out of Nicaragua the Nicaraguan people would probably have settled this matter themselves on the battlefield. | But the mistake was made. It has been rectil The duty of this coun- try now is get out and let Nicara- gua manage its own affairs.” “The election would not be worth a scrap of paper to Gen. Moncada, de- spite the label he adopted when he came into the American camp. if the Amer- jcan forces should withdraw.” in the judgment of the Louisville Times (in- dependent). ‘The conclusion of Flint Daily Journal (independent) “Perhaps the Conservatives will attempt to win by force what they failed 10 win by the ballot. If they do, they will be pursuing a very short-sighted policy. But the chance of getting any number of adherents is small.” The Charlotte | Observer (independent Democratic) re- {marks, “The thing the mothers and fathers of this country are mainly in- terested in is the quick bringing homs of their boys—and never a venture with them of that kind again by the Amer- ican Government.” e The attitude of the Nicaraguans as a nation is discussed somewhat. The Bangor Commercial (Republican) says, “The call for American supervision in- dicated that the Nicaraguans are tirsd of strife and desire orderly govern- ment.” That paper sees no indication that the United States “will be called upon to suppress armed conflict fol- lowing the election.” “One result of the election,” sug- gests the Worcester Telegram (inde- pendent), “is alrcady most apparent, Nicaragua has chosen a President with- out disorder or bloodshed. Nicaragua has choser a President without the slightest apparent intimidation by any party. Nicaragua has expressed the will of her people. freely and in brother- ly fashion. One hopes the news reports of this election will be broadcast over Latin America.” “Whatever view may be taken of the right of the United States to supervise an election in Nicaragua,” advises the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Republican), “there appears to be no doubt that the Marine-backed commission made a complete success of the job. To say that it was the most peaceful election in the history of the country scarcely goes far enough—it may have been the orrlxly real election ever experienced there.” They Simply Don’t. From thc Tcledn Blade. ‘They »'ways say millions are listen- ing in ¢ - the radio. But how do they count B It’s Rarely Busy. any of those countries.” * Kk ok % “It is not unfair to say that it the Ualted States bad kept its bands Fiom the Springfleld (Ohlo) Sun. It costs several hundred dollars to talk from New York to Australia, but it's worth that much to get hold of @ off line that isn't always busy,