Evening Star Newspaper, January 2, 1929, Page 8

g THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1929. THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. ‘WEDNESDAY.. .January 2, 1920 THEODORZ W. NOYES....Editor The lmlu:l:fr Nmofl per Company iness 3 | 1:th St and Pennsylvania Ave. } New York Office: 110 East +2nd St. Chicago Office: Tower Building. Ruropean Office; 14 Regent St.. London, 1 England. Rate by Carrier Within the City. 45¢ per month month. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. ily and Sunda: E“ only ~. \y only All Other States and Canada. nd Sunday..l yr., $12.00: 1 mo., $1.00 nly . yr., $8.00: 1 mo., 7S¢ only” .. $5.00: 1 mo., S50c Dally a Daily o Sunday Member of the Associated Press. The Assoclated Press is exclusively entitled the uss for republication of all rews dis- tehes credited to it or not otherwise cred- in this paper and also the local rews published herein. Al rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. _— Building for the Future. ‘That restful interlude between the dawn of Christmas morning and the observance of the birth of a new year is over. Today the Nation has stepped over the threshold and into 1929 with a confidence inspired by accomplish- ment in 1928. Nineteen-twenty-eight will be marked in the history of the United States for several notable events. It witnessed America in the leadership of a move- ment, joined by nearly all of the prin- cipal nations of the civilized world, to avoid the danger of armed conflict by & mutual renunciation of war as an in- strument of national policy. It found the United States taking practical and far-reaching steps to cement the bonds of friendship and understanding be- tween the republics of the Western Hemisphere. It saw the strength of the body politic tested in a national elec- tion which brought to a white heat dangerous animosities and emotions, bt which left the electorate calmly accepting its own verdict without ques- tion. It marveled at the advance of science and invention to new conquests and the tearing down of old barriers which since the dawn of time have kept men apart. Here in America business and in- dustry enjoyed the blessings of con- tinued prosperity, reaching new heights in some flields with a normal recovery from temporary depression in others. At the same time the nations of Europe showed definite signs of having passed through the critical period of after- the-war illness and of having at last reached that stage of convalescence ‘when rapid strides toward complete re- covery is to be expected. Unhampered by any dangerous threats of relapse, the nations of Europe might be pic- tured, as the new year sets in, as hav- " ing left their wheel chairs and blan- to walk about without even the :i:\l cane. such a view of the past, the aited States and the rest of the world ory m" The year 1928 was another stone placed in the foundations being Jaid to support a structure the dimen- siops of which man has only dreamed. e 1929 will be another. Wit help of God these foundations will never to crumble as the tower —_——————— Procrastination. bly no better demonstration is given of the evils of procrastination than the annual round-up of local mo- torists who fail to get new plates on their cars before the first of a new year rolls around. Yesterday more one hundred motorists were ar- for dead tags and as a result required to put up collateral of two to ten dollars. Traffic office officials estimate that there are four thousand delinquents who failed to buy their new tags before the office closed Jast Monday over New Year day. _ 'Thirty @ays are allowed ‘Washing- tonians each year to buy the new tags and for fifteen days prior to the first of the year they are allowed to use them on their cars. It is a liberal and reasonable allowance, yet year after| year there are hundreds and perhaps | thousands who face not only the pros- pect of lack of use of their cars, but fines that would pay for a number of annual tags. These delinquents are de- serving of no sympathy. Their trou-| bles have been brought on by their own acts. It would appear, however, that on the basis of good hard common sense a reform should be undertaken.’ e Stocks in Henry Ford's English motor factory were promptly sold back at a slight profit in the American market. Perhaps Henry Ford, in order to be Britannically impressive, will have to learn to broaden his “a's” and wear a monocle. - ——— Alfred E. Smith, Citizen. Alfred E. Smith, Governor of New ‘York for the last six years consecutively and during an earlier term, is today a private citizen again. His future career is of interest to millions of people. He has been a militant figure in American politics for the last half-dozen years, an outstanding figure in his own. party, and besides has had the admiration of thou- sands of Republican voters, He goes out of office after a defeat in the race for the presidency. No one can say positively that he will not attempt to stage a comeback four years hence. Already some of his supporters are plan- ning for his return to the political arena. He is a young man, having just turned fifty-five years. ‘While defeat has ended the political activities of many candidates for the presidency, there have been exceptions. Grover Cleveland was defeated for re- election as President and four years Iater was returned to the White House. ‘William Jennings Bryan was nominated three times for President by the Demo- cratic party although he was never elected. e end of cach by mall cr telephone | 1| Panama Canal has grown by, leaps and from the administration of the State government to the affairs of private life. His rise from the New York East Side to governor and to the candidacy for President has been one of those episodes that promote the faith of Americans in their form of government. “The Happy Warrior” he has shown himself, both in victory and defeat. His defeat for the presidency by an overwhelming vote after he had roused millions of people to enthusiasm was enough to have soured an ordinary candidate. But Gov. Smith is a good loser, and has the courage to take defeat with a smile. Mr. Smith has turned over the gov- ernor's mansion to his successor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of his own stanchest adherents. The fact that | Gov. Roosevelt is to take the reins of government must be no small satisfac- tion to the retiring governor. Mr, Smith’s pride has been in the adminis- tration of the affairs of the Empire State. He won for himself the praise of many of his political opponents by the masterly way in which he grasped and solved the problems of State gov- ernment. He has shown himself a great executive. No word has ever been said against his integrity as a public official and his honesty. ——— The Nicaragua Canal. When the Panama Canal, joining the | Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, was au- thorized and later opened in 1915, it was generally supposed that the prob- lem of water traffic between the East and the West has been solved. But now, after fourteen years of use of the Pan- ama Canal, it appears that the cn‘wclty of that canal will within'the course of a few years be reached. "It becomes evident that the commerce of the world demands still another waterway between the oceans. Before it was finally determined to construct the Panama Canal there was & protracted fight in Congress to pro- vide for a canal and waterway across Central America through Nicaragua. The Nicaraguan route was the prefer- ence of many of the legislators. And now that the time is coming when an- other route for shipping is to be nec- essary, it is proposed that the United States shall again undertake this great work and run a canal through Nicara- gua. Senator Edge of New Jersey, au- thor of a resolution providing for a thorough investigation and survey of the proposed canal route through Nica- ragua, has given notice he will ask for action on the measure at the present session of Congress. It is not an under- taking to be lightly entered upon and it will receive serious consideration when the Senate reconvenes. The United States is in a position to go ahead with this proposed Nicaraguan Canal. Its treaty rights with Nicaragua have been in existence for years. Pres- ident-elect Hoover, himself an engineer, during his recent visit to Nicaragua discussed the matter at length with the President of that country. It is not unlikely that Mr. Hoover would be glad to 'see this great engineering proj- ect initlated during his administration. It is estimated that it will require years to be brought to a completion. The time the work will require is a matter of estimate only, although American methods of construction may shorten 1t appreciably. § ‘The business passing through the bounds. It has doubled every five years and is practically five times as great as it was during the first year of the his own one-yard line by a member of his team. From the shadow of the California goal posts Georgia Tech blocked & punt and then went over for the touchdown that won the game. The score was made possible by Riegels’ confusion. From a scrimmage in mid- fleld Riegels picked up a Georgia Tech fumble and, instead of carrying the ball toward the southern goal, reversed and ran it toward his own goal. Riegels' confusion itself is under- standable. In the flurry and welter of line conflict between high-strung young men who feel their responsibility—and in this case the mythical national championship was involved—it is not unusual for a man to be so battered and bruised that he temporarily loses his sense of direction and plays like an automaton. Undoubtedly this is what happened to Riegels. But how two teammates—three men in all—can have had the same loss of directive sense and provided interference for him as he raced toward his own goal line is hard to understand. Incidents similar to that which made Riegels the “goat” of the game yester- day have happened often on the foot ball field. Veteran coaches know that men may be kicked on the head or be 50 battered early in a game that they perform their tasks in a daze and only go through the game on training and experience. Foot ball history records many instances of exactly the same character. That_ the incident happened in a game of such importance is the hardest of hard luck—for Riegels. Doubtless California University’s captain - elect feels his foot ball disgrace far more keenly than any one else. And doubt- less he cannot explain his loss of di- rection. On investigation it will prob- ably be found that Riegels’ sustained an injury just prior to his mistake that knocked him, in popular parlance, “goofy,” and that he was temporarily unable to discern the difference be- tween the goal posts. He should not be too severely criticized. ) Much firritation might be averted if Paraguay and Bolivia could find a way to do away with impractical competi- tion and effect some kind of economic merger. —————————_ No more touching tribute could be paid to a beloved ruler than the anxious hope that has been entertained so long for the recovery of King George. Many a “boundary dispute” involves land that would not be considered worth any extravagant price in the calculations of a cold-blooded realtor. —— e New York finds impious theaters easier to deal with than night clubs. The public turns to the cabarets and the theaters close automatically. ——— . A poker game among gangmen evi- dently needs a disarmament provision among its rules. Senators Borah and Reed apparently refuse to consider any suggestions that they sign an oratorical peace pact. ] One of the economic problems is the high cost of New Year eve celebrations. e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Little Pine Tree. operation of the canal. Senator Edge believes that by 1940—certainly by 1960 —the capacity of the Panama Canal will have been exceeded. The question naturally arises as to whether a Nica- raguan canal will not so reduce the business of the Panama Canal as to make the earlier canal or both “un- profitable.” But there seems no end to the increase in the commerce and travel between the West and the Far East and the prospect is that eventually both canal routes will be well patron- ized. T — A Soldier of Peace. Brig. Gen. Frank R. McCoy, U. 8. A, Along the starlit road we rolled, ‘When holidays were through. A small pine traced an outline bold, Still flourishing anew. It has a fine and sturdy grace ‘While braving sleet and snow And hoping to attain a place "Mongst merry lights aglow. Out in the cold, neglected quite, With but a rugged bloom, It stands where far stars shine so bright ‘To cheer it in the gloom. Perhaps for sparkling gems it yearns £hd song and: laughter gay, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL, This is the open season for seed catalogues. Amateur gardeners on the maliling lists of seed houses will begin to receive the new annual catalogues shortly. In fact, several have come to hand already. It is safe to say that few publications are responsible for the genuine thrill accompanying the receipt of these in- teresting. gayly colored books. Perhaps it is because they come at this time of the year, when the grass is dull, and the trees are leafless, the shrubs bare and flowers are only a memory. ‘The first one to arrive gives the home owner a genuine start. ‘What! ‘Time for another garden already? It scarcely seems possible, but there before one’s eyes, in one's very hand, is the proof tangible, the indisputable evidence that Spring is not so far away, after all. * koK % Some of the larger of the seedsmen’s catalogues have a circulation of thousands and hundreds of thousands of copies. Ever since seed harvest time last Sum+ mer, the various firms have been work- ing night and day to get the catalogues off the presses. Hundreds of items must be listed, scores of them illustrated in color, for a modern seed house catalogue is al- most as colorful as a real garden. What real piece of land, for instance, can pro- duce quite such colorful tomatoes as those in the catalogues? The illustrations of the big tomatoes have always struck garden ‘“fans” as the chief offering of the various price list booklets. No matter how beauti- fully done the pictures of flowers, the colored pictures of the monster to- matoes make any gardener’s mouth water as he turns over the pages. Those tomatoes are so large, so round, so rosy, so glowing with life and color that one instinctively wants to go out into the garden right away, to sée how the ground is coming along. It takes real will power to refrain from approaching the window, for if one does go, all he will see there is bleak Winter, in all its power, and in as much of its glory as it may possess in this vicinity. R Some seedsmen have adopted a snooty habit of sending their catalogues only to such customers as last season or- dered goods from them. ‘While this custom may be all right, from the”merchant’s standpoint, it is pretty tough on the amateur garden- ers, who depend upon the catalogues for inspiration as well as for infor- mation. These publications perhaps do more than any other one factor in keeping alive the spirit of the garden, in carry- ing the laggards over the harsh cold period, and making burn anew the old-time love of digging in the earth. Spring is commonly given full credit for this miracle, but one may submit that the annual flower catalogues have a great deal to do with it. They come in the day’s mail and are WASHINGTON BY FREDERIC in renewing lost enthusiasms | conned closely over many pleasant eve- nings, but somehow it is easy to forget exactly the part they play in the great game. * Kk ok ‘We would not forget it. Let us give full credit to the picture books known as seedsmen’s catalogues. ‘They supply the fuel for the burning enthusiasm which will burst into pic- turesque flame next Spring, exact date as yet unknown, depending upon the state of the weather, the earliness or lack thereof of the vernal season, and the condition of the soil at the time appointed. Ambitious gardeners, spurred on by their reading of the catalogues, will go forth at the touch of the first warm day to rake the old leaves off the yard, and to dig in the borders, or to plow up the vegetable patch. Many of them will make the venture too early, misled by their own intensity and the singing of a few foolish robins. Old Winter will drive them indoors again. The time will surely come, however, when the maple trees burst into bud— and when they do, when sunshine is warmer, and air balmier, home garden- ers will go forth in earnest to enjoy the first, and in many respects the best, outdoor sport. * ok koK ‘The time will come! Let the thermometer sullenly declare 30 degrees above zero; let smoke from chimneys be wafted swiftly eastward by the west wind; let noses be red and cheeks ruddy. These are but signs of the seaSon. They are necessary indications of cold weather, which will wane and dis- appear as the land warms up. It may seem a long time to wait—four months, five months, possibly six months—but time, from which everything unfolds, will as surely unfold this. Out of her immutable and mysterious depths she will bring another Spring, a season all spangled with dew and climbing roses, redolent with the scent of lilac and breathing forth the soft warmth of a newly awakened land. * kK In the meantime, we have the seed catalogues. Their pages fairly shine wtih visions of things yet to come. In this respect they are among our surest prophets. The predictions they make they set forth in colors, so that even the dullest may have no lack of spur to the imagination. Here are beautiful sweet peas, in their fairy pastel colors, new ruffled varieties which make the mouth of the sweet pea “fan” fairly water. How unfortunate it is that this beau- tiful annual is so difficult to raise in Washington! After looking at these pic- tures for several weeks no doubt we will get up enough courage to try it again. Colored illustrations of new gladioli, king of the Summer ‘garden, as the rose 1s_the queen, renew our enthusiasm. Yes, we must try some of this fine new variety. And look at these wonder- ful dahlias! Surely the catalogues outdo themselves in picturing the dahlia. Yet it is a beautiful flower, true queen of the Autumn. They are all beautiful in the catalogues. OBSERVATIONS WILLIAM WIILE. As no fewer than 10,000,000 women— probably—were among the 21,429,109 citizens who voted -for Herbert Hoover on November 6, it isn't surprising that talk of a woman member in his cabinet persists. It's equally natural that gos- sip should center around “Sallie of Lyndon Hall"—otherwise Mrs, Alvin T. Hert of Kentucky, vice chairman of the Republican national eommittee. As long ago - as_November 19, the widow of “Tobe” Hert was mentioped in this col- umn as the prospective occupant of a Hoover portfolio. There are rivalries among woman politicians just as there are among their male colleagues, strange as that may seem. Hence it comes that Mrs. Ruth Hanna McCormick, Repre- sentative-at-large-elect from Illinois, is to the front with the theory that the sex hasn’t been in public life long enough to deserve cabinet rank. Few of either the Republican or Democratic sisters sympathize with that view. They think of Rlzlth McCormick herself, and of Alice Longworth, of Mabel Walker Wille- brandt, Florence Harriman, of Pauiine Sabin, of Sarah Schuyler Butler, of Emily Newell Blair, of Florence P. Kahn, of Nellie Tayloe Ross, and of Mrs. Ellis A. Yost, to’ mention a mere handful, and wonder how the gifteq daughter of Mark Hanna “gets that way.” * kK K ‘There's one tradition that certain As an expectant fancy turns * Unto a holiday. is home from Nicaragua after suecessful supervision of the presidential elections in that lately embittered and embattied republic. He is a living exponent of the theory that the American Army, like the American Navy, is a potent agency for peace. Gen. McCoy was selected to carry out the provisions for the recent national polling in Nicaragua under the Stimson pacification plan. He modestly assigns chief credit for the execution of the plan to the United States Marines, who patrolled the country at the Nica- raguans’ request, in order that a fuil, fair and free ballot might be assured. Cur sea soldiers, Gen. McCoy reports, comported themselves with a restraint and tact that won the admiration of all factions of the people. But the actual way to operations at the Nicaraguan polls was well and care- fully paved by Gen. McCoy himself. He not only organized the election ma- chinery in minutest detail, but saw to it that when one of the rival parties— the Conservatives—was divided as to its presidential nomination choice a com- promise candidate was chosen to carry Conservative colors. This made certain the indispensable and clear-cut decision between Conservatives and Liberals. ‘The rest was tolerably easy, under the iron hand incased within the velvet glove which Gen. McCoy wore. He brings with him from Nicaragua fresh laurels to add to those he had already won in Philippine reconstruc- tion, in relief work in Japan and Ar- menia and in the fighting field in France. Nicaragua purposes erecting a statue to him in Managua. The Con- gress of the United States should tender him the American people’s gratitude. vt Price tags are being marked down. Even old friend Santa cannot provide against a “bear” influence after the holiday market. o A Costly Error. ‘Through the long annals of inter- sectional foot ball conflict the name of Roy Riegels, captain-elect of Cali- fornia’s 1929 foot ball team, will prob- ably go down as the originator of one of the prize “bonehead” plays of all pigskin history. Riegels made victory for Georgia Tech of Atlanta a certainty And, like the humblest of us all, A chance it seems to see That fortune may send him a call To be a Christmas tree. Politician and Statesman. “Are you a politician or a states- man?” , “Both,” answered Senator Sorghum. “In order to gain any positive influence as a statesman you are obliged some- times’ to assert yourself as a politician.” Jud Tunkins says everybody is kind o’ timid. The man with a million dol- lars is pretty well scared of the man with a billion. Favored Locomotive, Old locomotive! Whistlin’ long and gay. Seemed so very happy as he traveled on his way. Has abundant fuel. drink. Has his wants all satisfied, and doesn't need to think. Has enough to A Political Power. “Is your wife a power in politics?” “To a great extent,” answered Mr. Meekton. “In addition to her own vote she dictates mine, and, as the family grows up, she will control several more.” “Only an {mgeneroua mind,” - said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “‘speaks without hesitation what it believes to be the truth.” Giving What the Public Wants. The theater is very bad. It strives to please. Our question sad, As Art salutes this world immense, Is “How About Us Audience?” “De man dat brags 'bout what he’s gineter to do,” said Uncle Eben, “ain’ allus & worker. Maybe he's only a for- tune teller.” -t She Believes iy"Santa Claus. From the Butte Daily Post. That Illinols woman who slipped a marriage license to her beau for his holiday present must think orange blossoms grow on Christmas trees. e Makes It Bad for Police. From the Santa Barbara Daily News. The mayor of Boston has issved an associate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States would like to see scrapped, even though it's rooted in the venerated past. That is the habit of holding conferences of the bench every Saturday at noon. The cusz originated with Chief Justice Marshall, and none of his successors has ever ventured to do away with it. The mod- ern objection to the Saturday confer- ence is that it interferes with golf. It has been said on fairly reliable author- ity that if it ever comes to a vote there’ll be at least a 7-to-2 decision in favor of another conference day or hour. The prospective dissenters, it appears, are not golfers. * ok kK Brig. Gen. Frank R. McCoy, U. S. A, is back from Nicaragua with glowing accounts of the era of tranquillity that has apparently settled over the coun- try since the Marines supervised the recent presidential election. Although Gen. McCoy was in supreme charge of the polling, he generously gives credit to the Leathernecks and their com- manders for their tactful assistance in secing that voting proceeded without friction. McCoy says the Nicaraguan revolution may now be regarded as a thing of the past. Dr. Harold B. Dodds, professor of government at Princeton University, was one of Gen. McCoy's principal coadjutors in the election campaign. It was Prof. Dodds' pro- gram which was carried out to the letter. Altogether 132,000 Nicaraguans voted for president—a record ballot— and a surprising one, McCoy explains, because it indicated a vastly larger population than anybody th-ught the country had. Sandino is still at large, but is not taken seriously as a disturb- ing factor. o B Senator Henrik Shipstead, the Farmer Labor party's sole sentinel in Congress, is no _longer the pivotal man pend for a majority in the Senate, but he’ll enter the next Congress clad in a considerably more flattering distinction. He was re-elected to a second term from Minnesota by the largest plurality ever given a senatorial candidate in the Gopher State. Shipsted has ‘“grown” immensely since he first came to Capi- tol Hill in 1923, He has specialized in international relations ever since the late Henry Cabot Lodge, realizing there was promise in the tall young Scandi- navian giant, had him put on the for- eign relations committee. The dentist- statesman defeated Frank B. Kellogg for the Senate six years ago, but since then he and the Secretary of State have become bosom friends. A year or two after he came to the Senate some- body prevailed on Shipstead t6 have an ofl painting of himself made. PFriends thought that would ruin him with the farm vote, but late events in Minnesota show their fears were unfounded. * ok kK A distinguished Jewish churchman, Rabbl Morris S. Lazaron of the Balti- more Hebrew Congregation, refused to yesterday in the annual intersectional New Year game at Pasadena by re- order that bootleggers and gamblers will not be allowed to operate in the city ‘The good wishes of millions of hisl versing his field and running toward | hall. This seems rather arbitrary and followersgo with Gov. Smith ‘as-he turns -his own .goal .posts, being downed on unreasonable on the part of the mayor. join in the “anti-cruiser conference” about to be held in, Washington under the auspices of -a “citizens’ committee.” Dr. Lazaron, who was a World War Army chaplain overseas, vigorously dis- on whom the Republicans have to de-| agrees with the theory that the United States should abandon national defense because of the Kellogg war-renuncia- tion treaty. This is what he wrote the anti-cruiser committee: “No matter how much we may dislike it, the fact remains that na- tions are not always guided by mo- tives of disinterestedness. Every well informed man knows that the situation in Europe today is very serious. There are half-a-dozen danger zones, from .any, one of which a conflagration' may start. The maintenance of world peace is not wholly within American control. ‘We have heavy responsibilities which gleamust be in a lposm:)n to meet ny emergency. I am not inclined to take a position of opposition to any reasonable progr: designed to defend the Nation's legitimate in- terests. This is only common sense.” * K Ok % ‘Tact and dignity are usually the out- standing traits attributed to Andrew W. Mellon when men and women discuss the Secretary of the Treasury’s personal side. In substantiation thereof, a story is making the rounds of Washington 5 o'clock teas. It appears that not long ago a well known hostess, who appar- ently hadn't been reading the papers, assigned Mr. Mellon the duty of escort- ing to dinner Mrs. James Couzens, the wife of the senior Senator from Mich- igan. It happened a long time before Mr. Mellon handed Mr. Couzens that $989,000 tax-rebate check, and relations between them ranked as strained. But the master of Uncle Sam's millions met the situation with Chesterfieldian charm and grace—as Mrs. Couzens did, too. No one could have outdone the Secre- tary in graciousness. e S President and Mrs. Coolidge spent their holiday vacation on an island ad- jacent to an even more famous bit of land off the Georgian coast—Cather- ines Island, which is the next one to Sapelo, the Midwinter White House site. Catherines Island was the home of Button Gwinnett, famous signer of the Declaration of Independence, whose “John Hancock” is the most -priceless of them all because of its rarity. Gwin- nett was killed in a duel shortly after 1776, so only a few authentic copies of his autograph are in existence. They fetch around $50,000 apiece. (Copyright. 1920.) ———— Magnets in Dolls Make New Christmas Toys BY E. E. FREE, PH. D. German toy makers have discovered magnetism. In the shops of German cities there appeared recently a pair of flat pasteboard dolls named “Hansel” and “Gretel,” each provided with sevs eral outfits of clothes. Built into the Sewed into the margins of the coats and dresses are thin strips of iron. ‘Whenever these clothes are put on the dolls they are held fast by magnetic force, no pins, buttons or other fasten- ers being necessary. Long-suffering hu- man beings striving with difficult col- lar buttons will probably sigh for sim- ilar devices for themselves. Another group of the new magnetic toys consists of a family of athletes, 1like thcse who build human pyramids and go_through other antics in cir- cuses. Inside these dolls are small but powerful magnets made of the new metals which retain their magnetism for years. When these dolls, contain- {ing invisible magnetic muscles, are placed on top of one another, just as the real athletes place themselves in their groups, the magnetic forces hold the dolls in position as though they were glued together. ‘With a little ingenuity the fortunate youngster who owns a set of these toys can construct a whole series of human pyramids and “strong-man” acts for himself. There Are Many Builders. | From the Lansing State Journal. President-elect Hoover is doubtless hurrying home in fear least some one Jeaves a ready-made cabinet on his doorstep. e It’s a Good Idea. From the Memphis Commercial Appeal. ‘With the Mafia operating in Chicago, it won't be long before the State will mve‘w guarantee funeral expenses to & ! tnesses, dolls are small permanent magnets. | kin, Origin of League Idea Is Questioned To the Editor of The Star: A recent editorial in The Star en- titled “Who Invented the League?” has interested me somewhat. I do not believe that either Woodrow Wilson or Sir Willlam Tyrrell deserve any credit for the idea of the League of Nations. It is not likely that either originated the idea, but they both, no doubt, de- serve great honor for lending their sup- port to the idea. Undoubtedly, Wood- row Wilson did by far the most to place the idea in’ effect, because he was in a position to do so. He did more than the inventor of the idea, if there was really one, and only one entitled to such credit. I am reminded by your editorial that in the Winter of 1914-15 the Uni- versal Film Co., I believe it was, offer- ed a large prize for the best sugges- tion or plan for stopping the war in Europe. 1 submitted a plan which I believe any one reading it would say is quite analogous to the League of Nations. I called it the “United Na- tions of the World” I was a young man at that time and my reading had been limited. I thought the idea was original with me; at least I could not recall having seen such an idea in print or otherwise. Afterward, and be- fore Wilson came out with the League proposal, I saw similar suggestions. Either Wilson or Tyrrell could have obtained his idea from such a source/ I never heard what kind of a plan won the prize, perhaps something like the Ford peace ship idea, but evidently the contest contributed nothing to set- tling the war. I believe Wilson's fame should rest on his accomplishing the adoption of the League of Nations idea rather than on the invention of the idea. That was a far greater accomplishment, in my opinion. LESLIE T. MAHURIN. - o Tillamook Lighthouse Called Dead Man’s Post From the Portland, Oregon, Journal. “That's a dead man’s job,” said Gun- derson, once a lighthouse keeper, 55 years on the sea in ships and now living in retirement at Seaside, Oreg. Gunder- son was speaking of the life of the keep- ers in the lighthouse on Tillamook Rock. Asked if he had ever served as keeper in that lighthouse, his reply was, “No, that's a dead man's job.” Along the broad pavement at Sea- side, known locally as the “prom” or “promenade,” sand, small stones and debris still are scattered in profusion. Though the “prom” is on the brow of the upland many feet above the beach, the debris was thrown up on the walk by an aroused sea in the great gale of last week. With such-exhibitions of an ocean’s fury along a safe shore, what terrifying things must sometimes be done by an enraged ocean at the light- house on Tillamook Rock, 3 miles off- shore from Cannon Beach, a mile and a half from frowning Tillamook Head and 20 miles south of the Columbia River entrance? It was, however, the isolation and solitude under which the watchers at the light live on the lonely rock that Gunderson referred to when he said that life out there is “a dead man's job.” The isolation of the rock is so complete that a book on the subject of lighthouses says that a party of en- gineers detailed to go on the rock and make a survey for ascertaining the feasibility of a light there waited and worked nearly six months before finally making a landing and reaching the top of the rock. One party, after several failures, was superseded by a second| party headed by John R. Trewabas of Portland, ankengineer of experience in such undertakings. The rock, a hard mass of basalt, rises out of the water to a height of 120 feet. Readings from the lead dropped into the sea around the base showed a water deptin of 90 to 240 feet. The area at the top is less than an acre, and split al- most in two. The sight around when the ocean is aroused is described as te:- rifying. The “waves fall with shivering force upon the base of the rock, rush up its ragged side and sweep over its crest in & densé curtain of frothing water and whipping spray,” says one description. Because of whirlpools and many currents in the broken and froth- ing waters around the base the early landings were attended with great peril. Engineer Trewabas, after several un- successful attempts to bring a boat near enough to land, finally leaped from the bow of his' craft to a cleft in the base of the rock. His feet slipped, he slid into the whirlpool, was sucked under and never seen again. The selection of another engineer to head the landing party brought Bal- lantyne into the struggle. What Bal- lantyne and his men had to contend with in finally gaining a foothold can be glimpsed by the account of a storm reported in the lighthouse records after Tillamook Light was finally built. In 1887, during a great storm, a mass of concrete filling weighing 1,000 pounds was thrown over into the lighthouse in- closure at a height of 88 feet above the level of the sea. Even this incident does not bulk large, however, in comparison with some others of record during and after the work of constructing the light. After the death in the whirlpool of Engineer Trewabas, and because of the great difficulty in effecting a landing, public opinion became aroused, and 2 strong demand was voiced for abandon- ment of the effort to light Tillamook Rock. Men along the coast began to claim that the rock was a hoodoo for lighthouse purposes, as it had been for ships in the many wrecks that had been strewn around it and the nearby shores, including the Lupatia, which went down with all on board even while the light was under construction. Ballantyne and his men finally reached the top of the rock November 1, 1879. The conquest of Tillamook Rock is described officially as one of the most brilliant tasks the lighthouse service has ever accomplished. Its brilliant white beam, flashing every five seconds, carrying 160,000 candlcpower and visible 18 miles, has been a welcome beacon to many a wor- ried navigator on & sea along a coast once known to mariners as a most in- hospitable shore, and which, until Tilla- mook Rock was lighted, was thé scene of frequent wrecks. And that friendly light out on the midnight sea examples the things that men and governments do to shield life in a world where dangers make all men r——e—s Germs in Australian Soil Defy Evolution New evidence that germs are among the oldest creatures on earth, very lit- tle changed by evolution in hundreds of millions of years, has been found in farm lands of Australia. Like virtually all fertile soils in whatever part of the world, the Australian ones are full of many kinds of living germs, some re- sembling the bacteria that cause dis- ease, others more like yeasts or molds. Miss Dorothy Dixon of the University of Melbourne has collected samples of these Australian soils, sorted out the germs contained in them and deter- mined what kinds of creatures these are. According to a report of her work communicated to the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, by Prof. T. Brailsford Robertson, these germ citizens of Aus- tralia turn out to be surprisingly like the creatures of the same classes that live in spils in other parts of the world. Naturalists have emphasized the striking differences between the larger animals of Australia and those of other continents, a fact believed to indicate that Australia has been separated from other land masses for many millions of years, so that the Australian animals have had a different and independent evolution. Miss Dixon’s discovery that this does not hold true for the soil germs, but that these are close cousins of those living in soils elsewhere, indi- cates that the germ life of the world The resources of our free Informa- tion Bureau are at your service. You are invited to call upon it as often as you please. It is being maintained solely to serve you. What question can we answer for you? There is no charge at all except 2 cents, in coin or stamps, for return postage. Address your letter to The Evening Star Information Bu- reau. Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. C. Q. Who selects the names for royal children?>—T. L. C. A. Their parents select their Chris- tian names. In naming the Prince of ‘Wales, English, Scotch, Welsh and Irish names were chosen. Q. What was the stage name of D. W. Griffith>—R. A. A. He was sometimes billed on the stage as Lawrence Griffith. Q. Who first had the idea of ex- tracting oil from cottonseed?—C.O.S. A. Early in the seventeenth centus the Chinese knew that cottonseed con- tained an oll, for it is reported in their records that in preparing cottonseed for feeding cattle they first extracted the oil, which they used for illuminating pul;iposes, and then cooked or boiled the seed. Q. What is the new with a small seed?—B. A. The Markham peach, developed by an Illinois farmer, has seeds no larger than those of plums. Q. Was the draft law in use dtring the World War constitutional?>—C. F. L. . There were a number of cases taken to the Supreme Court regarding the draft during the World War. In every instance the constitutionality of the draft law was upheld. Q. What class are the smallest post offices?—E. McA. A. Fourth-class post offices are the smallest. Compensation for fourth- class post offices ranges from $67 to $1,100 a year. Q. What was the religion of the Pil- grims?—F. H. B. A. The Pilgrims were Separatists. This body of religionists asserted the right of each church or congregation to adopt its own form of worship, and choose its own preachers and officers. Q. Please tell something of the de- velopment of negro colleges.—Z. S. H. A. Of the 79 institutions included in the survey of the Bureau of Educa- tion, 77 were doing college work, as compared with 31 10 years ago. The enrollment of negro students in those institutions totaled 13,860, as compared with 2,132 in 1917, a gain of 550 per cent. The report of the Secretary of the Interior points out that for every 10,000 negroes in the United States 15 are attending college, as against 90 for every 10,000 white people. Q. How many commercial growers of gladioluses are there, and what is the membership of the American Gladiolus Society?>—A. E. L. , A. There are over 5,000 commercial growers of gladioluses in America. The membership of the American Gladiolus Society on August 1, 1928, was 4,454. Q. What is the inscription on_the statue of Nathan Hale in New York City?—P. L. A. This statue is in City Hall Park gnrlety of peach ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. and 1s inscribed, “I wish to be useful, and every kind of service for the pub- lic good becomes honorable by being necessary.” Q. What makes ofl show the colors of the rainbow sometimes?—R. G. A. When water comes in contact with ofl, a spectrum is sometimes formed because of the different refraction of light as it passes from one substance to the other. Q. Do eggs lose weight in storage?— ETG A. Unless the air in the room is neither too moist nor too dry, and the room is properly ventilated, eggs will lose in weight in cold storage on account of their tendency to evaporate through' the shell. Q. What were some of the worst forest fires we have had in this coun=- try?—J. W. A. The Preshtigo, Wis., fire in 1871 burned 1.280,000 acres of timber and cost 1,500 human lives; the Hinckley fire of 1894 burned over 100,000 acres in Minnesota, destroyed property valued at $25.000,000 and cost 418 lives; the great Idaho fire in 1910 burned 2.000,~ 000 acres of timber and cost 85 lives. Q. What is a Nizam?—P. N. A. This is the title of the native ruler of “Nizam's Dominions,” a native state of South Central India. The first man to hold this office was Asaf Joh, who was appointed in 1713. Q. Can spring steel or spring brass be cast?>—M. L. E. A. The Bureau of Standards says that spring steel or brass is produced by heat treatment of the finished shape. Metal cannot be cast in this condition. Q. What is the record number of patents applied for in one year?— C. S. D. A. The most patents were applied for in the fiscal year 1928. During that period a total of 116,951 applications were presented for consideration, an increase of 3,168 over 1927, which was the peak up to that time. Q. Did Chopin introduce the noec- turne?>—Ww. W. A. Although Chopin wrote some very beautiful specimens of the nocturne, h3 did not introduce it. John Field, a7 Irishman, was its inventor. He wej born in Dublin in 1782 and made hif debut as a solo pianist in 1792. Q. What is meant by the “establishe ment of the port”?—R. R. A. The Naval Observatory says high water occurs 50 minutes later each day on an average. High water follows the transit of the moon across the me- ridian of any place by a certain inter- val, which is known as the “establish- ment of the port.” This interval is ap- proximately the same throughout the year for any one place, but differs widely for different places. Q. What are some of the achieve- ments of Dr. George Washington Car- ver?>—H. G. F. A. Dr. Carver has to his credit the discovery of more than two hupdred uses for the peanut, more than a hun- |dred products derived from the sweet potato, as many as sixty from the pecan, potash and stock feed from the china- stains and varnishes from various veg- etables. Seems t To the present and passing genera- tion there is something more than the tearing down of an old hotel in the doom that has been decreed for the ‘Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. “Last stand of a decade that had a charm as individual as that of the Elizabethan age, hail and farewell!” exclaims the Newark Evening News. “The incredible rise in land values in New York is exemplified in the fact that such an enormous structure, still operative and profitable, can be thus ruthlessly sacrificed to commercial uses in the form of just another Tower of Babel on a small island already equip- ped with them in at g number. That it will ‘pay’ to sweep into oblivion such a monster of bricks and mortar is in itself a world wonder.” “In the changes of 35 years the Wal- dorf-Astoria has played no small part,” recalls the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. usiness deals of magnitude were dis- cussed in its atmosphere; the political well-being of the country and of States have been affected by the decisions made under its roof. Every day at the Waldorf was filled with interest, the new rubbing shoulders with the old, bon vivants settling the fate of the chef’s latest product, fashion turning thumbs down or up on the latest fad, the stars of the operatic and theatrical worlds basking in the view of the casual, society on display toward Fifth avenue and men alone enjoying the mysteries of the end toward Astor court.” EEE “During most of its 35 years it stood for romance and elegance—a hostelry swarming with beautiful women and with the wealthy and powerful of both sexes,” states the New York Evening World. “* * * for years the social status of residents of the smaller towns throughout the United States could be a_ little advanced by stopping at the Waldorf when visiting the city.” That paper adds: “It is always a little sad to hear of the passing of an old hotel that has taken on the dignity of an in- stitution. It has been lived in. It is associated with people, usually in their most joyous moods. It is connected with great events and great personages. ‘Thus, when the old’ Fifth Avenue Ho- tel passed there was real sorrow of the pensive sort. So it is with the Waldorf.” “There is something peculiarly me] ancholy,” the Syracuse Herald thinks, “in the death sentence passed upon a building which, barely a generation ago, appeared to be the very summation of elegance and luxury as a house of en- tertainment. It has been outstripped by greater hotels in the same marvel- ous city, but none of them has made so vivid an impression upon the minds of observers by its superiority over pre- existing models.” “Gaudiness was mistaken for gran- deur in the period when the Waldorf- Astoria was built,” comments the Louisville Times, which remarks, how- ever, that. “not since the Waldorf opened has any one builded a hotel that has won friends more widely or held them more securely.” * ok K K “What a center of metropolitan life— what a name to fascinate every traveler from China to Peru!” observes thc Bos- ton Transcript, with the suggestion as to the New York attitude toward the death of a famous house: “Probably New York as an entity will have no re- grets over the disappearance of the ‘Waldorf-Astoria. The Brobdignagian idea is dearer to New Yorkers than any landmark of the past. But some of us outsiders, and perhaps even some old New Yorkers, will experience a sensa- tion of real regret. There are hun- dreds of skyscrapers, but there was nev- er but one Waldorf-Astoria. Its ‘splen- dors’ were surpassed, but its personality survived.” Of the Waldorf’s history the Roanoke World-News recalls: - “The structure claims to have housed a greater num- ber of world leaders than any other in America. There came the Princess Eu- lalia of Spain, the Crown Prince of Siam, and the famous Chinese viceroy, Li Hung Chang. There were entertain- ed Prince Henry of Prussia, the King and Queen of Belgium and the Prince | of Wales.” Going back to the period of the 90s, the Baltimore Evening Sun finds that w.at l::?l‘dy well l;t in Ifi pl;;l:nt mold on long-ago day when separa- tlon of Ausf occurred, “in 35 years we have builded a new [3ee Doom of Old Waldorf-Astoria o Mark Passing of Era ‘Waldorf-Astoria, in those dim, far-off days, was the peak of our effort. It fame was nation-wide. Its ‘Peacock Alley’ was regarded as the most brilliant product of a_complete civilization. ‘The grandeurs of that hallway had their echoes in nearly every city in the land.” * 4 Its influence is set forth in’the follow: ing words by the Savannah Press: *“It§ ‘Peacock Alley’ has been known fo years as the place where fashion dis ports itself and prominence is aire¢ Millions of dollars have been taken over its counters. The bonton has sought its shelter, always inconsolable, wher its rooms were crowded and when it was turned away. If the high fiyers couldn't get in at the Waldorf they felt them- selves affron‘ed.” “In its generation,” according to tha New York Sun, “the whole business and social face of Manhattan changed. The leisurely days of hansoms and tallyhog | gave way to the rush of subways anc motor cars. Hotels were abandoned as the centers of political, financial ane sport discussion. “One thought of the hotel,” states the Indianapolis News, “as a fixture, en« dowed with permanence that attg>hes say, to the Pyramids. A foolish notior | this, of course, but one which was firmly | fixed in many minds.” But the Bango: Commercial observes that “modern Nevt York cannot spare space in its business section for the reception rooms, dining m;lls and wide spaces of a modern ho- tel.” Buffalo Herd Grows From 700 to 17,000 From the Cincinnati Times-Star. From a Canadian government pube lication we learn that there is a bufs falo herd at Wainwright, Province of Alberta, which has increased in 18 years from 700 head to 17,000. From this herd 1,083 young animals wers sent during the present year to the Wood Buffalo Park, near Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. In the present vear, also 200 members of the Elk Island Park herd were slaughtered and their carcasses and hides disposed of commercially; the latter herd num« ers about 800, and has grown up fro some 50 stray animals which gof away from a captive bunch and were left to take care of themselves. Thers has been a reassuring advance from the low ebb of 1899, when all North Amer< ica held less than 1,100. The past of the buffalo, so far as it is in printed records, is mainly { American. Its future will be main- ly Canadian. There are several faire sized herds in the United States under official protection, but the buffalo and jthe fenced prairie are not on good terms with each other. Domestic cat- tle, which yield milk as well as beef and hides, are the best ruminants for this country. Beyond the border, to quote again from the official publi- cation, “the one-time lord of the plains will pley a large part in the develop- ment of Northern Canada.” Bankers Protest Pardon for Forger From the New Orleans Item. The American Bankers' Association protests against pardon for one Hogg, serving in the penitentiary for forgery of checks. Influential persons, includ= ing the Governor of Arkansas, appeal to Gov. Long in Hogg’s behalf, Whether the bankers' association’s petition proves the more influential remains to be seen. It illustrates the assoclation’s policy to protect its members by oppos- ing pardons for forgers and bandits and others. who victimize banks. If of business and mlesflnm.l organizations adopted a similar policy, pardons might me harder to. obtain.. Governors would think twice before granting them. The more common pardon abuses, however, favor those who commit crimes against individuals or against soclety. This ma: use the y wronged individuals lack influence and are unorganized and because the public Is ordinarily apathetic. If the kin of all murdered persons. for instance, organized to oppose all pleas for com- world,” and gives the description of the old ‘home of American soclal mutation or pardon by murderers, fewer. of the latter might get off so life: “The " lightly. berry, fiber from okra and furniture -