Evening Star Newspaper, December 24, 1928, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR., WASHINGTON, D.” C. MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, THE EVENING STAR ‘With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY.....December 24, 1928 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Offi St. and Pennsyl a Ave. : 110 East s2nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Building. . Ruropean Office; 14 Regent St. Longon, England. Rate by Carrier Within the City. The Evening Star.............45C per month ‘The Evening and Sunday Star (when 4 Sundays) The Evening and Sund: (when 5 Sundays) 65¢ per month The Sunday Star ... ...5¢c per crpy Collection made at the end of cach month Qrders may be sent in by mall cr telephione ain k Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. fly and Sunds 1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo., 85¢ ily only 1 $6.00: 1 mo., 50c Bunday onl; 1 yA. $4.00: 1 mo.. 40c All Other States and Canada. Daily and Sund: Daily only ., Sunday onl: mo., $1.00 » T8¢ | yro - S0c Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Assoclated Press is exclusively (ntitled to the use for republication of all rows dis- patcres credited to it or not othrwise erec: | ited in this paper and also the local rews published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. Hoover Homeward Bound. Brazil's magnificent reception of Herbert Hoover supplies a fitting climax to the epochal adventure upon which | he embarked six weeks ago. The Presi- | dent-elect, surfeited with honors, sailed away from Rio de Janeiro yesterday | and Christmas eve finds him home- | ward-bound aboard the Utah. He is | entitled to celebrate his first Yuletide | in the exalted capacity which now caparisons him in the consciousness of having rendered his country notable, tangible service. There is not the slight- est doubt that the United States’ rela- tions with Latin America emerge| strengthened as the result of Mr. Hoover’s unofficial invasion of the Southern Hemisphere. ‘The President of the Brazilian Cham- ber of Deputies, in a public address de- livered in the distinguished stranger’s presence, eulogized the United States as “the supreme inspirer of peace and fraternity among the nations.” There is Latin temperament in that panegyric, though perhaps the Kellogg‘ anti-war pact does not entirely deprive America of the rank and title which Senor Dr. Barros confers upon her. In his responses + to the state banquet given him by the President of Brazil, Mr. Hoover re- frained from language so fervent, con- fining himself, as is his wont, to the practicalities in the North-South Amer- ican situation. He stressed the “eco- nomic mutuality of nations,” and point- ed out the ideal degree to which the two halves of the Western Hemisphere supplement themselves, as far as their respective demands and supplies are concerned. No statesman anywhere north or south of the Rio Grande expects that Herbert Hoover’s visit to Latin America has, as if by magic, eradicated all the factors which make for differences be- tween the United States and the twenty dster republics of pan-America. But, >n the other hand, every statesman recognizes the priceless value of the fabric of good will which visits by men like Mr. Hoover build up. They lay a solid foundation of steel and concrete upon which a structure of durable fiber can be reared. The metaphor is peculiarly appropriate in the case of the man who™ will become chief en- gineer of the United States on March 4. From the moment that engineer touched upon Central American soil in ‘November to the hour he had his fare- well glimpse of the mountainous sky- ..60c per month | tar | combat planes. forty-eight States he won a plurality. A solid Middle West and West, spread- ing from coast to coast; an unbroken North, a Northeast, in which Massa- chusetts and “Little Rhody” alone were crevices; a South into which Republi- can standards were carried for the first time across four hitherto impregnable Democratic State lines—that is an achievement irrevocably designed to perpetuate Herbert Hoover's name in political history. It was a mighty vote of confidence. The Californian is the type of statesman who will not fail to interpret it as one which imposes upon him a responsibility no less tremendous. The tumult and the shouting of the late unpleasantness have died away | with a completeness for which a united country has, cause for fervent thanks- giving at the turn of a memorable year. “'Twas a famous victory,” says a fa- miliar line of Robert Southey in “The Battle of Blenheim.” As the detailed figures of the fray exhibit, it was also a victory with glory enough for all. e Air Corps Promotions. “The Army Air Corps is facing a serious situation in regard to its com- missioned personnel due to stagnation in_promotion. “At present the average Army Air | Corps officer is holding a command far | above his rank. His prospects of promo- tion are discouraging, and the oppor- tunities offered by commercial aviation ?r{‘e far greater than those of his Army ife. “Military flying is more hazardous than commercial flying and will become more so as safety appliances are de- veloped which cannot be used “in Also the physical strain on an Army pilot in carrying out military missions is not comparable to that of commercial transportation. “It is of utmost necessity at the present time to take steps toward building up the morale of our Air Corps if we expect to.maintain its past standard of efficiency. “Rank commensurate with command is of prime importance. A number of our best officers have already resigned and unless steps are taken to relieve the present situation we will lose many more in the near future. “In my opinion, a separate promo- ::Ion list will l:;c(izmpllsh much in build- g up an efficient Air Co United States.” L Col. Lindbergh, who wrote these words, did not write them as an editorial for The Star. But because they more adequately express the fundamental necessity for -the creation of a separate promotion list for the Army Air Corps—and it should here be sald that the same logic applies with equal pertinence to the Navy—The Star reprints them, and says “Amen.” « There is no doubt that the morale of the Army Air Corps has suffered owing to the fact that, under the exist- ing system of promotion with aviators on the same promotion list as those in the less hazardous branches of the service, there are many first lieutenants engaged in actual flying service who cannot look forward to anything but a captaincy or maybe a majority by the time he must retire. When this fact is weighed as against the current in- ducements of civil aviation it becomes apparent that from the standpoint of practicality something must be done if efficient officers are to be retained in the Air Corps. When it is, further considered that with but one-twelfth of the total officer personnel upon its rosters the Army Air Corps furnishes approximately forty per cent of the casualties among all Army officers in Vbecause it is Christmas. The tempta- l tion to do so is large. Tradition behind the festivities demands an ample board, but the feast may be tempered with common sense and still be quite as merry as the occasion demands. Especially is this moderation neces- sary in families where children are rightfully the center of attraction. The little ones, confronted with an unusual display of Christmas “goodies,” will eat as much as they can hold, but with in- fluenza threatening they should be re- quired to eat sensibly of a diet which | includes plenty of green and leafy | vegetables and fruits. Nor arc their elders to be excepted from this requirement, if they are to i look forward to beginning the New Year with clear minds and clean bodies. Children have greater powers of re- cuperation from “stuffing” than their parents; many a juvenile ache and pain vanishes with the morrow. Those adults who eat not wisely, but too well often rue their indiscretion for many a day. In the midst of the Christmas holi- days, therefore, it will be well if every household takes stock of itself in regard to this matter of eating sanely, and sees to it that the great basic law of health, moderation, is not lost sight of. The temptations will be many, but he or she who feasts reasonably as well as mer- rily will live longer and make the New Year a happy one, indeed. —— et By retaining his seat in the United States Senate until March 4, Charles Curtis suggests an appreciation of the fact that a Senator may sometimes wield more actual authority than a Vice President. N Science should confer with psycho- analysis to determine just how much of a so-called “flu” epidemic is due to an eternal human tendency toward hypo- chondria. N b Good news from King George’s sick- room is one of the best holiday greet- ings that could be extended to the people of England and their friends around the world. r—or—. Brazil dismissed secret service at- tendance and proved to President-elect Hoover that the spirit of good will is so genuine as to need no police super- vision. . - It will be only natural if Mr. Vare regards Senator Reed's invitation to ap- pear before the Senate committee as a rather cheerless kind of Christmas card. ———————— France faces the possible retirement of the cabinet with fortitude. Experi- ence has shown that it is always easy to procure a new one. . Ostentatious activity by Mussolini has not quite obscured the fact that some- where in the background there is still a King of Italy. —————————— In his benevolence, friend Santa Claus permits too many underworldlings to present one another with automatic guns. —ae SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Thoughtfulness. The twilight sun was sinking time of peace, and that in a vast majority of cases when an aviator is killed it is an officer in the less hazardous branches who is advanced to take the rank which he held, from the far more important standpoint of ordinary justice one must demand a change. A bill purposed to effect this change has passed the House of Representa- tives. It will be brought up in the line of Rio de Janeiro, he had unique opportunity to learn at first hand the weak spots in the skyscraper of pan- American fraternity. Knowing where they are and what they are, Herbert Hoover should be able to carry on the endless work of pan-American friend- ship with a surer hand than was wield- ed by any of his presidential prede- cessors. His trip to Latin America was an inspiration. It has only temporarily ended. The good that he has done will live after it. ————————— Stock sold by Henry Ford in England to establish manufacturing plants reg- dstered a prompt rise in value and was bought back in the U. S. A. London investors will probably find that quick profit-taking, while apparently good finance, is not necessarily the best po- litical economy. Election Glory for Everybody. Moral victories for defeated parties and candidates are hollow honors, yet in the official figures of the recent presidential election, just issued by the Associated Press, there is an uncommon emount of satisfaction for both victor and vanquished. Mr. Hoover's plurality over Gov. Bmith is set at 6,643,612—an over- whelming lead in a total poll of 36,- ¥98,669. Yet the Democratic nominee rolled up a popular vote of 15,005,497 pgainst his conqueror’s 21,429,109, con- stituting a total far in excess of that ever achieved by any other Democratic candidate for the presidency. The Smith vote was more than 6,000,000 in excess of the 8,386,503 cast for John W. Davis in 1924; 5,858,000 more than James M. Cox received in 1920; 5,875,000 more than Woodrow ‘Wilson received in 1916, and 8,719,000 more than Wilson obtained when first elected, in 1912. William Jennings Bryan in his most peerless day—1896— was a round 8,500,000 votes short of the vote given Gov. Smith in 1928. The friends of the New Yorker take justifiable pride in such figures. hero of Manhattan was not without friends on November 6 last, even though the citizens who preferred Herbert Hoover for President fabulously out- stripped them. If the captain and crew of the ship- wrecked Democratic bark are entitled to derive solace from numbers, Presi- dent-elect Hoover and the Republican party are, of course, even. more justified in pluming themselves. No man elevated to the chief magistracy of the Republic ever scaled those exalted heights with 80 colossal an outpouring of the en- franchised citizenry at his back. Twen- ty-one million voters registered their sovereijgn wish that Herbert Hoover The | Senate military affairs committee short- ly after the holidays. It should be reported from that body with favor and promptitude and swiftly enacted into law by the Senate and President. ———ee— A Workmen’s Window. Apparently few artisans or workmen, skilled or unskilled, can labor long on & church or a cathderal without ab- sorbing some of the spirit in which the edifice is conceived and to which it is dedicated. In line with this general susceptibility and with peculiar pro- priety at this particular time of year comes the announcement of the gift of a beautful stajned glass window by the men of all ranks and all trades who have constructed the new St. Ste- phen’s and the Incarnation Church, on upper Sixteenth street. * This window appropriately depicts the activities of the various important building trades, the center panel dis- playing our Lord learning His trade as a carpenter. The vast importance in Into the Western sky. I thought that I was thinking As moments drifted by. And, in the world’s confusion, With so much doubting fraught, I came to this conclusion: I only thought I thought. Lending. “Your constituents lent you strong support.” ' “Yes,” answered Senator Sorghum. “But they only lend it. They may de- cide to call the loan and go the other ‘way next election.” — Jud Tunkins says when he feels the most need of farm relief is when he hat to pay grocery store charges for vegg- tables. Hanging Up Stockings. The centipede made bold to beg Some Christmas for himself, because Had he a stocking for each leg, ‘What would he do to Santa Claus! Considerate Restraint. “Are you not sometimes rather sar- castic?” “Perhaps,” answered Miss Cayenne. “It is often more delicate to be sarcas- tic than to blurt out thé brutal truth.” “Enmities,” sald Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “are most likely to arise among people who are not wise enough to understand one another.” any - pretentious ecclesiastical edifice of the man who works with his hands| and whose brow sweat transcends the' mere wages he receives has been cel- cbrated from the time of King Solomon on down by writers and by spiritual leaders. o Such a gift as that proffered by these laborers of today is, in a sense, a mod- ernization of the time and custom when a carpenter or mason, unable to contribute financially to the erection of the cathedral of his home com- munity, gave gratis a certain number of annual days’ labor of love and de- votion. It is a graceful action, made more graceful and appealing by the actuating spirit behind it, and when Bishop Freeman shall unveil the warm, rich colors on Christmas morning, it is doubtful if any one witnessing the ceremony or seeing the window on-a subsequent Sunday fails to go to his daily labors a better man and a better worker in whatever honorable calling, from the highest to the lowest, in which | he may be engaged. The New York Stock Exchange has reduced prices and is now offering some bargains calculated to promote the “shop early” spirit. ———v—e— A Timely Warning. Whether thousands of Washingto- nians are to have a really happy New Year depends to a great extent upon how moderately they eat during the Christmas holidays. The good phrase, “Merry Christmas,” need not neces- | sarily mean overeating, yet that is pre- cisely what it does mean in too many homes. It behooves every one who values his Holiday Incongruities. ‘The gangster has his share of fun In Yuletide hours of glee. He hangs a bottle and a gun Upon the Christmas tree. “De man wif de loud voice,” said Uncle Eben, “is a big help if, when a train of thought comes along, he kin make folks stop, look an’ listen.” —_— e It Takes Artifice. From the Brookiyn Daily Eagle. Hooks and pulleys that carried illicit liquor over the Niagara Riyer on a 120,000-volt power line, having been discovered, are useful henceforth only to illustrate how indomitable is human | invention. o And Many Succeed. From the Grand Rapids Press. Some motorists drive as if they were anxious to have their accident quickly and have it over with. — e But That’s Prosperity. From the Indianapolis Star. ‘Whoever said man wants but little here below never participated in a Christmas shopping rush. e Perchance, Indeed. From the Lonsing State Journal. ‘The modern auto must find it diffi- cult to explain the alcoholic breath of its radiator, these Winter days, to some sedate old buggy, perchance parked near, o The Very Idea. From the Cleveland Plain Dealer. A New Jersey farmer sets his house on fire by smoking in bed at 3 o'clock am. What's a farmer doing in bed at milking time? oot Well, Maybe They Will. From the New Orleans Times-Picayune. health and chances for a happy New should take the Federal helnn next March. In no fewer than forty ¢f the Year to think twice before sitting down and stuffing himself with food simply Peiping reports the Chinese public leal to enjoy toma ind aspara- gus. And maybe in time ithe Chinese will learn how to enjoy chop suey, Friendly, lamp-lit High and clear Little King of all COUNTESS ANTOINETTE ‘This is the time of the year to begin the study of birds. Put out a flock of bread crumbs fot the birds’ Christmas dinner and be re- paid a thousandfold by their anties. Every household, no matter how eco- nomically run, manages to throw away some slices of the staff of life. If they are put dut for the birds, in- stead of going into the garbage can, ffathcred life will chirp large apprecia- on. ‘There is nothing more amusing in the everyday life than the maneuvers of sparrows, blackbirds and crows over a feast of bread crumbs. We refrain from adding the names of other natural biplanes because we do not know the names. That is simple enough. Our knowledge of bird life is very lim- ited, and we imagine most people are in pretty much the same fix. All of us know an English sparrow when we see one, and a canary in a cage, and a robin. We are a bit hazy about distin- guishing a blackbird from a crow, al- though to the expert there is no re- semblance whatever. Birds, to most people, are just birds, creatures which fly instead of walk, which chirp instead of bark or meow, which have bills instead of mouths and which wear feathers, in the place of fur—or clothes. * ok Kk Such a rudimentary conception of one of the great natural divisions of life demands a bit of furbishing. We would earnestly recommend that every one who does not know a crow from a black- bird begin at once to study the birds in_his back yard. We have done so, and, with the in- sistence of all enthusiasts, believe that every one else should be equally interested. This is the divine right of enthusiasts. He who likes auto- mobiling thinks every one should like automobiling; the dance “fan” cannot see why every one is not “crazy about dancing”; the booklover wants all to take to his pet hobby. Hence, having carefully . lugged bread for birds for several days, we are thinking of joining the Audubon Society, that great organization which labors in the behalf of our feathered friends. ‘The way to begin the study of birds is simply to gather up a few discarded slices of bread, crumble them into bits, some large, some small, and then to place the mass out in a rose bed, or in some other situation at some dis- tance from the house. * ok kR ‘The moment the new-found friend of birds appears, bearing his platter of bread crumbs, away fly the birds. They may have been eating grass seed or merely sitting on the fence, surveying the landscape.. Birds like to do that, especially on cold days, when '!‘l;le‘li'e is nothifdg much else for them 0. What they are looking for, of course, is grub. With those beady little eyes th:y are searching for something to eat. Any one can sympathize with them. If you have ever come home hungry and tried to find a piece of ple or something in the pantry, you will realize just how a bird feels about the matter. All outdoors is the bird's pantry. Tmposition of a life prison term upon a Michigan mother of 10 children g‘l)m was convicted of a fourth violation of liquor laws puts a nation-wide question mark after some provisions of State laws aimed at habitual criminals, Considering the question as to “whether a violation of the liquor laws of Michigan ought to be considered a felony,” the Detroit News holds that this is a problem “on which the Legis- lature at least would be justified in taking testimony and sounding public opinion.” The News declares of the felonies of which several persons were found guilty four times that they “are being committeed every day by thou- sands of citizens against whom the officers of the law have laid no indict- ment: citizens ‘who * * * neither rate themselves, nor are rated by their neighbors, with burglars and murder- “The present situation is tragically absurd,” says the Nashville Banner, which also finds evidence that “the State of Michigan is considerably em- barrassed,” and points to the fact that “one public prosecutor refused to ask an indictment on a liquor charge be- cause conviction would have meant a life sentence,” The Banner offers the comment, “The" trouble “lies not with the habitua! criminal act, but in the obvious fact that Michigan needs a new classification of felonies.” It also quotes a State legislator as contending that “if the law were strictly enforced, many persons, including members of the Legis- lature, would be confined for life for four or more violations.” * ok kK Approval of the general purposes of the law is given by the Lansing State Journal, with the expression of judg- ment on the present situation: “There are numerous offenses listed as felo- nies under the Michigan law which, in the way of public thinking, are not at all to be regarded as felonies. The intent just here is to gy that the idea embodied in the few law, in its essen- tial aspects, is seemingly so good that it should not be thrown over summarily. Rather, with such modifications as rea- sonable experience may suggest, it should be retained. It should be re- tained at least until common opinion comes to the conclusion that the theory is not so good and helpful as at first believed.” “It would not be contended,” accord- ing to the Chicago Daily Tribune, “that the defendants (in cases like that of the mother of 10) have any of the energy or lawlessness of the organized rum runners who carry on a great and growing trade in f{llegal imports of Canadian whisky and ale at Detroit for the use of citizens of Detroit and other parts of Michigan and for sale to other parts of the United States, ;nm port Christmas Eue. PO Pine-crowned hills against the sky Kneeling low to pray; villages Along the snowbound way; Myriads of silver stars Gleaming softly bright— Little King of Bethlehem, I see Thy star tonight! Fragrant wreaths and candle-glow In a city street; Songs of Christmas carolers, and sweet— Echoes of the angel host, With wings of shining white— Little King of Israel, I hear Thy song tonight! Words of ancient prophecy Are mine to take or leave; Visions of a golden age This happy Christmas eve; Peace on earth, good will to men— Oh, dim and holy light! the world, I share Thy dream tonight! DE LOCHVITZKY DE LUXEMBOURG. THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Sitting on a roof, or a gutter, or away up in a tree, he gets the well known bird's-eye view of things. Beauty of landscape means nothing at all to a bird. He sits on tree or house without realizing the one is a tree or the other a house. No doubt a bird of 1928, being the descendant of thousands of years of bird life, feels more at home in a tree than on the top of a house. We feel sure that your average winger of the air finds the telephone -pole (product of a comparatively recent date —recent when compared to bird life, that is) a suspicious thing. He sits on the telephone wire easily enough, but beneath that low brow he Xe‘u"l‘\ls the fact that it wiggles in the wind. Let it sway just a bit too much, away he flies, and this is all the more strange, since the trees which come so naturai to him go through exactly the same sort, of movements. *ok kK ‘The new bird fancier will resent at first the wary attitude assumed by his feathered friends. They ought, he thinks, show some normal gratitude. At least one of them, he feels, might sit firm without flying away at the very sight of him. The flock which had been spearing grass seed all over the yard is now clinging to the gutter of the house across the alley. ‘The component members of the gallery survey with absolute indifference the g;posumn of the bread in the rose “As far as I care,” every single bird seems to be twittering, “you are just wasting your precious time putting out those Pread crumbs. Bread crumbs? Bah! I prefer suet.” ke The enthusiast hopefully retreats into the house in the faith that the moment the door closes the birds will swoop down for dinner. . One minute goes by, two minutes, three minutes, four minutes, five min- utes, but not a bird has swooped. The silly things sit firm on their gut- telxhch‘::elng their fool heads off. One scout whirls down and settles on an althea bush. For a long time he carefully looks the situation over. He is joined by another, and an- other— Then they all fly away. Birds are suspicious things. a while, however, they repeat the per. formance, until one ’franddnddy bird, the old man of the flock, bolder than the rest\ flies down and grabs himself a chunk of bread. Then do the remainder selze them- selves hunks, too? They do not. They make a grab for the plece gar- ne;;d by %hedgm!;ddnldd{ bird. a land of plenty, figurativel speaking, they fight over a cmml{ First one bird seizes the piece, then another, until finally the whole crowd %:,'-' ::liise to the fact that there is plenty Such a chirping as up as e: seizes a large or small vhcspot h!e‘fil‘ and hops away with it! Put out a Christmas dinner for the birds and be more than repal watching their antics. . After Life Term for Mother of Ten On Liquor Charge Arouses Ire of entry has not furnished a case for |has the Michigan life law, The victims have been picked up in the obscure cor- ners of Michigan liquor lawlessness, and their convictions have not disturbed the zolume of trade and use in the State. * * If Lansing and Michigan care to give American history a new exam- ple of ferocious hysteria, carried into execution by accepted legal procedure with the consent of the people, it is Dproceeding in exactly the right manner to get and keep the reputation.” * K ok K “While - dispatches are recounting graft and corruption in the ranks of customs inspectors assigned to stop the flow of liquor across the border from Ontario into Detroit,” the Morgantown New Dominion remarks, “other stories describe the strange situation of a per- son having been sentenced to life im- prisonment in the State penitentiary after a fourth conviction for n of liquor. Michigan, which a few years ago abandoned capital punishment, has a dry law which makes it mandatory for a judge to assess a life sentence upon the fourth conviction of a felony.” In connection with this case, t! Montgomery Advertiser feels that “it is pertinent to take note of a bill now pending before Congress. It is known as the Stalker bill,” continues the Ad- vertiser, “and if it is passed, it would make violation of the prohibition law a felony throughout the United States. Violation of the prohibition law,” the Alabama paper asserts, “cannot proper- ly be made a felony, and the argument against the Stalker bill on this ground alone is weighty enough to _establish the unwisdom of passing it. But there is still another argument which is more weighty, under the circumstances. That is that if the Stalker bill were passed, conditions similar to those in Michigan would automatically become prevalent in a number of States, for several States have laws modeled after the Baumes law of New York State.” “The Lansing woman probably de- cided,” suggests the Huntington Ad- vertiser, “that selling liquor was the easiest way to provide for the large family dependent upon her. Of course, she knew it-was against the law, but she saw others getting away with it. * * * She was convicted of her fourth felony offense under the prohibition laws of Michigan. That brings her within the scope of the State’s habitual criminal act. Under the law, the trial judge had no alternative. He must send her to the penitentiary for the remainder of her natural life. The habitual criminal act, which has been adopted by several States in recent years in the hope of checking the rising tide of crimg, is a fine thing, but as it apnllu'?m this Michigan T O - More Fresh Air Urged For Street Cars Here To the Editor of The Star: As one of the many thousands that are daily called upon to use the street cars of our fair city I would like to en- ter a plea for more and better ventila- tion of our street cars. It has been my observation that since public senti- ment arose in behalf of the motormen and conductors some 15 years ago and caused the cars to be so constructed as to Yrotect these men from the cold and inclement weather, these same men have assumed a “public be damned” attitude and now make no efforts to as- sist the car riders to a healthy and com- fortable ride on the cars. Whereas these operators formerly | wore clothing adaptea to the condi- ) tions of the weather at any particular period, and were thus dressed to with- stand those conditions as well as their passengers, now you seldom see one with an overcoat or sweater, and to keeg themselves warm and comfortable wit! the present ventilation systems of the cars it seems to result in the at- mosphere in the average car (espe- clally on a mild day and during the + rush period) being foul and very un- pleasant, Sometimes when boaramng a car just as it leaves the barn it has evidently not been opened and aired at the end of the run, as could very well be done, and it seems to me it would be prac- tical to permit four or five windows on the rear end of each car to remain open during at least a part of each run—the passengers who dislike a little air will soon learn to hunt the other end. Furthemore, the common practice of opening only a couple of ventilators in them all in one direction is of so little practical benefit on close, sultry days as to be of little use. Apparently those responsible for ven- tilation have only one cut-and-dried method for all occasions and all kinds of weather, assuming that the passen- gers will do the rest, which is quite right, as far as it goes, but it usually takes a strong man to lift a car window, and quite frequently I have tried and have seen other men try several times to lift some of them and fail to budge them; so what chance has many an- other On the other hand, almost any per- son can close a window if he wishes, and in the interest of better health and comfort I would suggest that dur- ing all moderate weather the starter at the barns be instructed to insist that at least all of the windows in the rear half of the car be left open when the car leaves the barn; then if they were only as hard to close as they now are to open perhaps a straphanger would not be in quite so much danger of suf- focation. A ‘The above observations and sugges- tions, I find, meet with the hearty ap- proval of many other straphangers with whom I have talked and who feel very serious about the subject. Little do T wonder that many prefer to buy a flivver and furnish their own transpor- tation, even if the cost is greater. I well remember 1918 and the “flu” of that year, and I have noted that our health officer has advised every one to avold crowded, congested places and especially to keep in' the fresh air. Has the present threatened epidemic to start taking a heavy toll of lives before some sensible, strenuous measures are adopted to remove the greawest liability as a breeding place for diseases of the respiratory ‘organs? As I was among the first to advo- cate some measure of protection to the actual operators of our street cars, I now wish to make a plea to those and all others in a position to assist, that some measure of relief be now accorded to_the car passengers. I well know that no one rule will please all persons, nor do I expect to have all the rules adopted to meet with my entire approval, but when I hear so many interested persons discussing this subject and so many expressions of the above sentiment in this nmatter, it seems to me that some effort should be made, in some way, shape or form, to relieve "the situation. Ne=F. MATTESON. Coolidge Expected To Work After Rest Prom the Manchester Union. . Mr. Calvin Coolidge appears to have no difficulty in solving the vexed prob- lem of what we should do with an ex- President. Or, rather, he knows pretty well what one President, soon to be an “‘ex,” proposes to do with himself. First of all, he will take a rest. He has earned it. If he has not found the presidency a man-killing job, it has been a man-size job, and he will be en- titled to his hours of ease. Nobody will begrudge them. So he will go back to Northampton, sit down and think things over. He still has a lease of the two-family house he occupied before he went to Washington. Probably he will reside there again for a time. Eventually he will acquire a bigger house, but that is a matter yet to be decided. The selection naturally will be affected by the occupation in which he engages after his vacation. It is stated, apparently with author- ity, that Mr. Coolidge has reached no decision about his future engagements. He money enough for his needs, even if he should decide not to connect himself with a pay roll. Washington estimates his fortune at $400,000. But 2 he may be free of financial worrles, it is not believed that he would care for a long period of inactivity. His friends say that he is inclined to connect himself with something aslong the line of public service. ‘They also hint that Vermont, his native State, a high place in his affections, and that he is likely to receive tempting proposals from Vermont sources. But there is no suggestion that ne has com- mitted himself to any of the numerous positions with whi his name has been connected in Capital gossip. And this is not overlooking, of course, the reports of plans to make him a Senator from Massachusetts or otherwis> draw him into political activities. If the President runs true fo form, the public will &e informed of his in- tentions when is ready to speak— and not before that. Meanwhile there is no need of worry about what he will do after he quits the White House. He won't have wait for a job, if he wants one; and if he doesn’t, he will have no difficulty in keeping the wolf from the door. Arkansan to Ignore Evolution Statute ‘The dean of the Medical School of the University of Arkansas says no effort will be made to comply with a he | recently enacted statute prohibiting the teaching of evolution in State schools. “To leave out the teaching of evolution in the school would wreck it,” he says. He adds that he does not anticipate any trouble, because he feels that no at- tempt will be made to enforce the law. ‘We sympathize with the dean's pre- dicament. A medical school compelled by law to ignore the theories of evolu- tion regardless of one’s opinion about them would make a fragment of mod- ern biology. Arkansas young men wishing to study it would have to go to other States. The State would have to import its physicians and surgeons. Those who might benefit from their services, in- clu the anti-evolutionists, would not care if the teaching of evolution had layed a part in giving them their and skill. There is a humor- ous phase of the case. mc;mzr 1t is manifestly inhuman and unjust.” Emphatic assertion that the penalty honto(prmruonwuucflmeahou made_ by Duluth Herald, while the Asheville Times believes that “such too severe for the most uncompromising believer in severity of punishment as a cure for crime.” “It is manifestly unfair,” as viewed by the Toledo Blade, “to send the bootlegger to prison for life unless his have bollfihl m com) . 'Tha tablishment of of Michigan's a prison camp on each 000 lakes.” s either end of the car and slanting | BY FREDERI ‘There is no other agency in the world that can answer as mamy legitimate questions as our free Information Bu- reau in Washington, D. C. This highly organized institution has been built up and is under the personal direction of Frederic J. Haskin. By keeping in con- stant touch with Federal bureaus and other educational enterprises, it is in a position to pass on o you authorita- tive information of the highest order. Submit your queries to the staff of ex- perts whose services are put at your free disposal. There is no charge ex- cept 2 cents in coin or stamps for re- turn postage. ~ Address The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. C. Q. Where is the world’s largest arti- ficial lake?—L. W. A, The Scientific American says that the largest is that formed by the con- struction of the new Martin Dam in Alabama. Q. What has become of the British convict ship Success?—A. B. S. . The ship is on exhibition in Can ada. She will eventually return to A: tralia to be converted into a floa museum. Q. What is the Althing?>—H. E. C. A. of Iceland, and claims to be the oldest in the world. It was established in 930 and will celebrate its thousandth anni- | versary in 1930. Q. How many school tunnels has the city of Los Angeles?—C. E. A. Los Angeles has 40 school tun- nels, constructed at a cost of $333,708. These give street-crossing protection to 26,277 children daily. Q. Who introduced the broom into America?—S. P. A. Records found in a diary in North Hadley, Mass., show that Benjamin Franklin introduced the broom into America. The diary relates that a woman acquaintance of Franklin sent him from India a whiskbroom with broom corn seeds on the stalks. He planted the seed and passed the stalks among his friends, making round brooms by winding thread around several stalks. Q. Who invented the thermos bottle? —D. T. G. A. Sir James Dewar, an English sci- entist, realized that if a vessel could be contrived that would prevent liquid air from rapidly absorbing the heat of its surroundings, the air could be kept longer in a liquid state. His efforts to invent such a vessel were successful and resulted in the Dewar flask, which has had a much wider commercial use as the well known thermos bottle." Q. Has the Little Church Around the Corner any memorial windows to famous actors?—H. S. A. The little Church Around the Corner has memorial windows erected to Edwin Booth, Richard Mansfield, James Montague and Joseph Jefferson. The newest memorial window is one to the memory of John Drew. Q. What is a basic patent?>—F. S. L. A. The term “basic patent” is used omfinarily with much the same signifi- cemce as “pioneer patent”—that is to say, as having reference to a patent cover- ing an invention which represents a marked advance in some art, as when an inventor for the first time accom- plishes a certain result. There have been a good many basic patents granted, from first to last, but no precise enumer- ation is possible, since opinions vary as to which patents are entitled to be so classed. We note Bell's patent on the telephone and Howe's patent for the sewing machine employing an eye- pointed needle. There are basic patents now in force for inventions relating to wireless, radio and other subjects. Q. Did Andrew Jackson have more than gneM home called the “Hermitage?” A. He had three homes named the “Hermitage.” The present mansion was constructed upon the foundations of the second one, in 1835. Q. When was the Gideon Society formed?—L. B. A. It was formed in 1899 by three commercial travelers for the purpose of banding together Christian commercial travelers. It is'this society which fur- g‘Sh]es Bibles for the guest rooms of otels. Q. Where are some of the famous whispering_galleries?—H. M. A. The best known are the Dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Statuary Hall in the Capitol, Wash- ington; the vases in the Salle des Cariatides in the Louvre, Paris; the Church of St. John Lateran, Rome; WASHINGTON BY FREDERIC Now that-German reparations have again become an international issue in which Uncle Sam is bound to be in- volved, the House of Representatives is fortunate in posusulgg a real expert on the subject. He is Richard B. Wig- glesworth of Massachusetts, the young Republican recently elected to fill the unexpired term of the late Represent- ative Louis A. Frothingham. Wig- glesworth was_secretary of the World War Foreign Debt Commission, under Secretary Mellon, from 1922 to 1924. From 1924 to 1927 he was the principal assistant of S. Parker Gilbert, agent general for reparation payments, at| Berlin. When the Dawes plan came into operation, Representative Wig- glesworth was the Paris representative and general counsel of the organiza- tions created under the plam. There's hardly anybody in the United States who knows the ins and outs of the tan- gled reparations problem as thoroughly as the new member for the fourteenth Bay State district. Wigglesworth was a famous quarterback at Harvard in 1909, 1910 and 1911. He now rejoins in Congress his 1911 foot ball captain, Representative “Ham” Fish of New York, Crimson All-American’ star of 17 and 18 years ago. * ok ok Kk Gen. John J. Pershing will leave for France early in the new year in con- nection with affairs of the American Battle Monuments Commission, of which the A. E. F. commander-in-chief is chairman. The commission is super- vising the erection of monuments on all French battleflelds where American troops fought in the World War, as well as building chapels in all our mili- tary cemeteries ‘“over there.” Gen. Pershing dedicates practically all his time and thought nowadays to these matters, in which he has an abiding interest. To date no publisher has suc- ceeded in beguiling Pershing into writ- ing his memoirs, though now and then he has flirted with the idea. The gen- eral was 68 the other day, but is as vigorous as the day he sailed for France in 1917. His only complaint is that he hasn't enough to do. * kK % Members of Congress came in con- tact just before the holiday recess with a species of high-pressure salesmanship that rather got on their nerves. A woman in Georgia is a_ grower and shipper of pecans. She hit upon the bright idea of sending out by parcel post to Representatives and Senators 1 82 boxes, accompanied by requests for returns if unwanted. In some cases acceptance of delivery was refused, fol- lowed in a few instances by letters to the lady commenting in somewhat un- congressional terms on her scheme. Nuts are no novelty in the House and Senate office buildings, but those which drift in are not usually pecans. * KK K President Coolidge’s last seance with the White House ne: T before by a bit of the ‘ermonter’s dry he intended leaving Washington on “Christmas| day, December 24.” That ‘The Althing is the legislative body ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS C J. HASKIN. the Ear of Dionysius at Syracuse, and the Cathedral of Girgenti in Sicily. Q. How many war cemeteries are there in France and Belgium?— G. M. 8. A. There are 2,000 in France; in Belgium. Q Where was Congress _sitting when the Conway cabal was formed, when Franklin sent word of the sign ing of our treaty with France?—W. D. A. At the time of the occurrence of these events, Congress was sitting in York, Pa. Q. What is the longest unbroken and continuous street in Washington, D. C.2>—R. M. E. A. The District surveyor’s office says Sixteenth street is the longest un- broken street in the District. It meas- ures 34,000 feet from the White House to the District line. 500 Q. How many people pass the Na- fialx,mlnPress Club Building each day? | —P. B. |, A. This is one of the busiest corners | in Washington, and it is estimated that j:;n"avemge of 100,000 persons pass it | daily. Q. Why is snow white?—N. A. | A Snow is white because the crys- tals are so minute that each cell of the retina receives a general impres- | sion produced by the combination of different wave lengths reflected from innumerable minute facets. Q. How long have mince pies been known?—A. D. H. “A. The name “mince pies” was in- vented by the Puritans in colonial days, as they objected to the name “Christmas pies.” Under the name “mutton pies,” similar pies were known in England as early as 1596. Later, ox tongue was substituted for mutton and then chopped beef took its place. Otherwise, the ingredients have re- mained about the same. Q. How many mineral springs has Florida?—J. H 5 A. Florida has 58 springs concen- trated in 37 spring localities, 11 of which are places of resort. Q. What States have the most mil- lionaires?>—B. W. A. New York has the most, Penn- sylvania is second and Illinois third. Q. If England is at war, does it fol- low that Canada is also at war?—M. J. A. The relation of Canada to land is discussed very fully by W. P. M. Kennedy of the University of Toronto in his book entitled “The Constitution of Canada.” He says in part: “Once the imperial government declares war, Canada is at war, and once a foreign state declares war against Great Brit- ain, Canada is at war. In either case Canada need not fight, need not supply & man.or a ship to assist in any way. Canada might be prepared to preserve the most meticulous neutrality, but as international law now stands, Canada would be at war and its territory and citizens liable to attack.” Statements made that certain treaties not binding on Canada unless accepted by resolu- tion of the Federal Parliament have led to the conclusion that Canada could not be drawn into a war arising out of such treaties. The difficulty lies, how- ever, in the fact that the enemy would consider Canada as an enemy owing to its integral connection in international law with the British Empire. Q. What will make artificial honey granulate and become hard?—R. K. A. It will granulate and become quite hard if it is cooked a trifle longer than usual. . How many rivers ar¢ ihere in this country?—H. T. A. There are 295 navigable streams in the United States. Q. At the present time are any of the big song hits written by women?— c.G. A. The Metronome Magazine tells of the success of Mabel Wayne as & song writer. She wrote “Ramona” in 20 minutes. Miss Wayne also wrote “In a Little Spanish Town,” “Chiquita” and “Don’t Wake” Me Up, Let Me Dream.” It is said that she is the only woman to write popular music that competes financially with Irving Berlin and George Gershwin, Years of work as a vaudeville pianologist taught Miss len:“whlt the song public demands of a hit. Q. In Christ's day how many prov- inces were in Palestine?>—E. T. A. A. Palestine was divided into three: Judea on the south, Galilee on the north; Samaria lay between. OBSERVATIONS WILLIAM WILE. set the - correspondents to laughing, whereupon the President, peering over his horn-rimmea glasses in semi-seri- ousness, asked, “When is Christmas?” A scribe -who really thought Mr. Cool- idge didn’t know chirped up and said, | “December 25.” Then the President, grinning broadly, twanged, “Well, when I was a boy, I always used to try to make it both days.” EE Albert H. Denton, one of the sevea members of the United States Shipping Board, is just back from Japan on a mission which saved Uncle Sam a ‘idy piece of change. A Japanese bank had sued the Shipping Board on a claim ior $380,000, relating to goods which had been delivered by one of the board’s vessels without original bills of lading. Later the consignees went into bank- ruptey. Commissioner Denton eff: a settlement of the claim out of court. Instead of having to account for the full claim, it was arranged that the Shlgfling Board should pay only 80 per cent—a._saving of $76,000. Japanese judges, lawyers and financiers who fig- ured in the transaction marveled over | the American’s rapid-fire methods. The case was wound up within three weeks of his arrival in Tokio, terminating a controversy that would have dragged through the courts for years. Mr. Den- ton is a Kansan and a banker by pro- fession. * ok ok % Thursday, January 3, is sure to be one of the biggest days the Scnate has known for a long time. Members are already being badgered for reserved places in the galleries. The drawing card is the double bill to be staged as soon as the clock reaches 2 pm. Then both the Kellogg treaty and the cruiser bill will have the right of way as “un- finished business.” A battle royal will ensue over which one of them shall be tackled first. E&uabbllng. or the pros- pect of a squabble, never fails to mag- netize a crowd into the Senate cham- ber. Events scheduled for January 3 promise no disappointment along that line. They will bring all the big guns of the Senate into action, with “Bill” Borah and “Jim” Reed ranged on op- posite sides. | * k% Herbert Hoover will set about the business of cabinet building on the self- same soil—Florida—from which he him- self sprouted as cabinet timber. War- ren G. Harding spent February, 1921, at St. Augustine on the arduous mis- sion which will whiten Hoover’s hair on Belle Isle, off the Miami gold coast, next month. For several weeks on end there flowed past President-elect Hard- ing an enless stream of Republican leaders and office seekers, including State governors, national committee~ men and members of Congress. Repre- sentatives of various “interests,” too, made whoopee in Florida. The axes they came to grind concerned view- points which they wanted Harding to advocate in his inaugural message. Hoover faces the same sort of siege. 1t mmnm job the Nation has given (Copyright, 1928.) »