Evening Star Newspaper, January 9, 1929, Page 8

S THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY. . .January 9, 1920 THEODORZ W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company usiness E 1ith St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 2nd 8t Chicago Office: Tower Building. European Ofice; 14 Regent St. nglan Rate by Carrier Within the City. The Evening Star.. 45¢ per month ‘The Evening and Sunday Star (whe undays) .60c per month The Evening and Sun T (when § Sundays) -65¢ per month The Sunday Star -5c per ccpy made at'the end of eac) Collection h mouth. Orders may be sent in by mall cr telephone | Main 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. 'mmlld!nt Washington into the beautiful city which, as the Nation’s Capital, it should be. The beauty of public build- ings and parks of the city may be marred by unsightly structures adjoin- ing them. The Shipstead law would gradually eliminate this condition.” The indorsement of other organiza- tions and groups has already been ob- tained for the amended Shipstead bill Instead of being feared as a dangerous encroachment by Government by rea- son of the regulatory powers conferred, it is now generally regarded as con- vate builder as well as to the taxpayers whose investment is represented in Government buildings. There seems no good reason why the Shipstead bill should not be favorably considered and disposed of by Congress at this session. Exit “Russia.” Out of Moscow comes an announce- ment of vast historic interest. The executive committee of the Soviet gov- ernment has proscribed the use of th 50c [ word “Russia” and all its derivatives in Member of the Associated Press. Assoctatad Press is exclusively ¢ntitled 1o the as Tar sebubiication of all news dis patches credited to it or not otherwise cred ited in this paper and also the local rew: published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches hereln sre aiso reserved. —_— Listening. The late Vice President Marshall, after serving four years as presiding officer of the Senate, described himself | in a brief address to that body as the “greatest listener the world has seen| since the Sphinx sat himself down in the Lybian Desert.” Washington's latest listcner is the President-elect, Herbert Hoover. For two solid days Mr. Hoover has heard a steady stream of talk, ad- vice and recommendatton for appoint- ments to office. The stream still con- tinues. So far, it is belleved, Mr. Hoover has not talked back, unless it be in the case of Secretary Mellon, a lunch- eon guest yesterday. The implication is strong that Mr. Mellon has been in- vited to sit as Secretary of the Treasury in the next President’s cabinet. Mr. Hoover occupies a strategic posi- tion at this particular time. No one can blame him for saying nothing and keeping his own counsel. When he was a candidate for election to the presi- dency, he was called upon to speak on many subjects. He had to lay his views before the country. He was criticized, it is true, in certain quarters, for not saying more than he did. But Mr. Hoover is not inclined to say more than he need say to make his position clear. At present Mr. Hoover is the President- elect. He feels, naturally, that it would be an infringement upon the preroga- tives of the President if he undertook to dictate what should or should not be done while Mr. Coolidge is still in the White House. If Mr. Hoover un- dertook to express his own views as to pending legislation, immediately he would be criticized for pushing himself forward, unless, indeed, President Cool- idge should request Mr. Hoover to make himself heard. But even under those circumstances Mr. Hoover might be embarrassed if he undertook to deliver his opinions re- garding pending legislation. He is not the Chief Executive; his is not the duty to approve or disapprove finally g legislative act of the Congress.. legislative situation must necessagily be guided by the man who holds the reins of power until March 4. So the President-elect continues to listen and no one may properly criticize him for withholding his own views. In good time he will announce the ap- pointment of his cabinet. In good time it will be made known what his plans are, if any, for a special session of the new Congress. Mr. Hoover: came: to ‘Washington, it is said, for information. f he fails to get it, it will not be Mr. oover's fault, nor, apparently, the fault of the myriads of callers at his head- quarters, who talk and talk while Mr. Hoover listens. ———t—t e Expressions of popular enthusiasm may be restrained, perhaps, for a day. Historians contemplating the momen- tous subjects now demanding thought and decision will hesitate to refer to the event on next Fourth of March as a “simple inauguration.” —— e Non-stop experiment is particularly valuable in providing aviation data. A long-distance fiyer will be able to know exactly what he can do before he starts. The word “reckless” should soon be eliminated from the aircraft vocabulary. ———r————————— The position of the sun records the fact that the earth has resumed the journey toward Summer time. Weather forecasters, however, cannot ignore the fact that the really hard part of the ‘Winter season is still ahead. R The Shipstead Bill. Formal indorsement by the Operative Builders’ Association of the District of Columbia of the Shipstead bill, giving the Commission of Fine Arts jurisdic- tion over the appearance of the ex- i | terior of private structures facing or| abutting on certain Federal areas in Washington, is significant of a growing approval of this measure. The Opera- tive Builders’ Association, composed of | builders who do more than half of the | private building in Washington, will | probably be more directly affected by‘ the terms of the Shipstead bill than any other single group. Yet this organi- zation goes on record behind the bill, | without suggesting or asking for any reservations, The amended Shipstead bill would give the Fine Arts Commission jurisdic- tion over the architecture, height, ap- pearance and color and texture of the materials of the exterior construction of buildings which “front or abut upon the grounds of the Capitol, the grounds of the White House, the portion of Pennsylvania avenue extending fyom the Capitol to the White House, Rock Creek Park, the Zoological Park, the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, Potomac Park, the Mall or abutting upon any street bordering any of said grounds or parks.” Thus the bill is re- stricted to certain definite areas, where the protection it seeks is necessary, and the danger, contained in the bil as originally written and which lay in its sweeping application to every foot of Government-owned land in the District, is avoided. The builders declare that thelr In- dorsement of the Shipstead bill is based upon their recognition that the measure administrative and judicial organs of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Henceforward “Russia” and all words sprung from it will be replaced by ‘Soviet” and its derivatives. The world is bidden to speak in future exclusively of “the Soviet” people, language and institutions, and not the “Russian.” As U. S. A. denotes the United States of America, U. S. S. R.—the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics—will stand for what mankind for ages has known as Russia. The Moscow decree is in| some respects the most revolutionary m character yet to issue from the Com- munist oligarchy, although it follows logically such changes as rechristened Petrograd “Leningrad.” Newpapers and | book publishers, under penalty, may hereafter use “Russia” only as the term is employed “to refer to the defunct czarist regime.” Interesting facts and figures are ad- vanced in justification of the abolition of “Russia.” The U. S. R. R. census of December, 1926, showed that the Soviet state contains 152 different nationali- ties, using 149 languages and dialects. “Great Russians” proper form only 53 per cent of the population. The other | nationalities, according to Soviet con- tentions, had been forcibly “Russified” at the point of the bayonet under czarism for centuries, during which every effort was made to stamp out local languages and cultures. Following the revolution these nationalities re- fused longer to maintain an exclusive- ly Russian culture within their terri- tories, and protested vigorously against being called Russians. The 31,000,000 of Ukrainians formed a particularly im- posing bloc of protest. Soviet Russia became the U. S. R. R. in 1923. In the ninth century certain Finnish tribes occupying territory between Lake Ladoga (north of the present Lenin- grad) and the headwaters of the River Dnieper (about 250 miles south of Leningrad) paid tribute to a tribe of Norsemen, or Normans, said to have| been from “the land of Rus,” which is commonly supposed to have been & part of Sweden. In the year 859 the Finnish tribes expelled the Norsemen, but, find- ing that they quarreled among them- selves, invited them three years later to return, restore order and rule over the land. Three brothers, princes of Rus, named, respectively, Rurik, Sineus and Truvor, accepted the invitation, estab- lished a capital at Novgorod (literally New Town), about 100 miles south of the present Leningrad, and founded a dynasty. The new rulers immediately began to conquer the surrounding coun- try in all directions, until in the next two centuries their descendants were masters of a large empire. The new country took its name from their sup- posed land of origin, and the inhab- 1tants were called Russians. On the basis of this origin, “Russia” makes its exit from international nomenclature after a history of more than 800 years. ——————————— Many faults are found with prohibi- tion. Yet there is little doubt that it is a success for those who consistently re- spect the laws pertaining to it. P Peace progress. has often found ob- struction in the inclination of some na- tions to cherish recollections of a pet war, —re——————— Suspicious statesmen are constantly influenced by fears that the League of Nations will try to enlarge its prestige by employing noms de plume. e Lemon and Soda. A simple home prescription being used with increasing success by doctors everywhere is still too little known to the mass of the people who are fighting colds, the grip and “flu” with all the means at their disposal. Lemon and soda, as it is being used, is rather a preventive than a cure. Its use is based on the fact that a cer- tain type of cold begins in the stomach, the germs multiplying when an acid condition of the intestinal tract prevails. The use of bicarbonate of soda to alkalinize the stomach has been known widely and favorably for years. It is one of the standard home remedies. During the past decade the lemon and the orange have come into high favor with both physicians and the general public. It is now known that these acid fruits have an alkaline re- action in the system, and that instead of acidifying the blood they tend to create just the opposite condition. The combination of soda and lemon seems to be highly favorable to dis- rupting those colds which begin in the stomach, and which, if left unchecked, might turn into that type of the influ- enza of which a prominent symptom is nausea. soda and the juice of half a lemon mixed in a glass of water. Three such doses are to be taken a half hour apart, thus placing three teaspoonfuls of soda and the juice of a lemon and a half within the stomach in exactly an hour. ‘Those who, not having tried this mixture, imagine that this is a bit too much of a good thing will be surprised at how well their “lemon soda” agrecs with them. It is probably true that nine out of ten persons suffer from | acidosis in some degree, which condi- tion is held by many to be the breeder of more diseases than almost any other one state. The dose is a level teaspoonful of | THE EVENING put sugar in it. To do so would be to defeat the purpose of the mixture. It will be found that the sizzling of the lemon in combination with the soda makes the mixture palatable. The first effect of the three doses, as outlined, is to make the drinker feel “empty,” leaving him quite hungry. More im- portant, however, is the fact that the stomach and its tributaries have re- ceived a concentrated, easily handled dosage of alkaline materials which tend at once to put a damper on the com- mon cold. In this day and age of taining valuable safeguards for the pri- [respiratory diseases anything which helps toward such a result is nothing to be sneezed at, no matter how simple it seems. —ree— Boys and Girls. Juvenile court statistics gathered throughout the country by the Chil- dren’s Bureau provide some interesting socfological data. are more frequent offenders than girls. The ratio is nearly six to one. The of- fenses of girls, on the other hand, are more fundamental and more difficult to treat. Almost half of the boys come before the juvenile courts for stealing. This is not so bad as it might seem. There is a thieving period in the lives of most boys. Usually it passes of itself, with no permanent bad effects. The thieving adventures of children leave pleasant memories. Great men like to dwell upon them in their autobiographies, Only thirteen per cent of the girl of- fenders are arrested for stealing. The probability is that they steal for a dif- covet. This is almost never the case with the boy. He steals for the sake of stealing—for the thrill that comes in a moonlit peach orchard while he mo- mentarily expects the farmer to come charging over the fields in his night- robe. What the boy sceks is not fruit but danger. On the other hand, nearly four times as many girls as boys, in proportion to the number arrested, are charged with being ungovernable and beyond parent- al control. ‘The same proportion holds true, curi- ously enough, for truancy and running away. It might have been expected that wanderlust would appear more frequently in boys. Every boy feels the longing for distant scenes. Apparently, however, the emotion leads less often to action. o Splendors revealed by anclent tombs give evidence that taxpayers, even in the remote past, had difficulty in im- pressing the imporiance of economy in government. s e ‘Widespread gratitude results from the fact that King George is progress- ing so well that news of his illness is reduced from & column to a paragraph. et A good efficiency system in politics will enable Mr. Hoover to select a cab- inet ready-made, if the forecasters have done their work with skill. oo Scientists who talk of inventing a new religion do not accurately repre- sent true science which studies facts and accepts Faith as one of them. ————— Interest in aviation cannot falter. There is always some new kind of record to be broken. Boys, as was to have been expected, | ferent purpose—to get something they | days, w "l STAR., WASHINGTON. D. C, WEDNESDAY, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Among the books which we have be- gun du the past few years but have never finished we recall offhand the following: “Leonardo the Florentine,” by Ra- chel Annand Taylor. “The Intelligent Woman's Guide to | Socialism_and Capitalism,” by George Bernard Shaw. “Philosophy,” by Bertrand Russell. “The Story of Mankind,” by Hendrik Van Loon. “The Man in the Iron Mask,” by Alexandre Dumas. “Olympe de Cleves,” by Alexandre Dumas. “The Divine Comedy,” by Dante. “Memoirs of Napoleon,” by Bour- rienne. “Pickwick Papers,” by Charles Dickens. “Outline of History,” by H. G. Wells. “Essays,” by Schopenhauer, “Kittens,” by Fleuron. “Thus Spake Zarathustra,” by Nietzsche. “Bel Ami,” by Guy de Maupassant. e It is an interesting list, ranging from great fiction to great philosophy, in- cluding some of the reader’s favorite authors, so it may be realized that there must have been a variety of reasons for laying the books aside unfinished. Perhaps it should be stated pointedly and at once that leaving a book unfin- ished is no reflection upon a work or its author. There may be a number of causes, such as outlined previously here, which lead any reader -to discontinue reading before a work has been com- pleted. No doubt the common belief that a book, once begun, should be finished at all hazards, had its origin in school hen teachers strove valiantly to inculcate “good habits” in youthful minds. It may be admitted that, theoreti- cally at least, it is a good thing to persevere through a book, if such per- severance takes the form of mere blun- dering through. Experience teaches, however, that many theories, while correct enough by themselves, face modifications later in life, when the spell of schooldays has passed away, and one suddenly wakes up to the fact that this, this very day and hour, is as much living as_one will ever do. When that illumination strikes a man, whatever his age may be, he makes a resolve, oftentimes hidden (even from himself), to use the com- mon sense method of reaching valu- ations, hitherto accepted on the au- thority of others. ‘Thereafter one becomes his own au- thority. kRN In no sphere does this resolve take more striking form than in relation to books and reading in general. ‘The emancipated person realizes that the books of the world are open to him to read. He knows now that there are so many of them that neither by dogged work nor good luck will he ever be able to finish the half of them. Literature henceforth must be sam- pled by the trial and error system. If one enjoys, if one profits, if one is entertained even while profiting, then the book is for him. If for any one of a number of valid reasons a book must be laid aside, to be finished later, or, as the case so often happens, never to be finished, then let there be no moan- ing at ‘the Bookshelf.” It is better thus. * K ok % All good works may be soothed in their pride by the reflection that the WASHINGTON BY FREDERIC President-elect Hoover's present oc- cupation in Washington—cabinet-mak- ————— The thermometer, ticker, cannot be expected to go on forever recording balmy altitudes. —————————— a magnificent, though rather premature, funeral. SHOOTING STARS. [ BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Big Telescope. We'll have a larger telescope, Surpassing the most sanguine hope, ‘When gazing yonder into space The orbits of new suns to trace, Accompanied by strange worlds, per- ‘haps, Unmarked in our celestial maps. Into the depths this glass will peer, Revealing many a sparkling sphere; Or else, a faint and misty glow An infant universe will show. ‘We'll have a greater telescope— ‘Through our own world we dimly grope To learn what Science has to tell Of Forces which about us dwell; Of subtle enemies or friends Where might incalculable sends An epidemic through the night— A song upon the waves of light. ‘We'll need this greater telescope. And yet, at present, we must cope ‘With matters on our own small sphere Which every day are drawing near, And solve for sea or sky or land. The problems that are just at hand. Permanent Occupation. “Are you a reformer?” “Certainly,” answered Senator Sor- ghum. “What have you reformed?” “Nothing. The beauty of being a reformer is that you're always certain of a life job.” Jud Tunkins says an outlaw is sub- Ject to hard discipline. He may defy the police, but never his own gang. Discontent. His was a way of discontent. Afar he sought to roam. When to a distant clime he went, He longed to be back home. When to his home he had returned, A very little time Elapsed before again he yearned ‘To seek a distant clime, Optics and Romance. “Do you believe in love at first sight?” “Yes,” answered Miss Cayenne. “I also believe in permitting your affec- tions to look off once in a while, to avold getting near-sighted.” “I have said many wise things,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “for it is the custom of leisurely inclination to formance.” Faith in the Future. Maybe we'll sing; maybe we’ll sigh. | We'll trudge along toward the By- and-By, ‘Waiting for what the Year may bring, Faithful, whether we sigh or sing. T heard good Uncle Eben say: “Crap- He who drinks this beverage by all ' shootin'—tain’ much in it. You makes good wages in a day an’ lose 'em in & lgpecialist in “wi]l Ccertainly be a>stromg facter-in® means shouldaaveid-the -tempiation sto yminute.” * RAgs \andl roce make speech take the place of per- |3 ing—conjures up the question as to the like the stook |€&Xtent, if any, to which nhe is under ob- ligation to Calvin Coolidge. Is there any reason, in other words, for Hoover to regard the susceptibilities of his prede- cessor in constructing his own official A frequent reward of the racketeer is | household? Hoover is. reliably reported to feel no such sense of duty, while Coolidge, on his part, is credited with ‘| corresponding views. In the succession which will take place on March 4 there is no analogy to the Taft succession of i § |Roosevelt in 1909. “T. R.” had definite- ly anointed the man who was to take his place, yet Taft took over into his own cabinet only one member of the Roosevelt administration, the veteran James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture. 1t is not of record that President Cool- Hoover secure nomination last year. Until the eleventh hour—namely, after Hoover’s St. Louis speecn on the eve of election day—Coolidge did nothing, as far as the public knows, to assist the Californian in his campaign. There was no lack of appreciation of Hoover in the President’s inactivity. His friends said it was simply his custom not to intrude himself into others’ political battles. * ok Kk X The incoming Chief Engineer has sus- ceptibilities of his own to consider in displacing the Coolidge cabinet. In the always supposed to have obtained their portfolios on Hoover’s recommendation— Wilbur, Secretary of the Navy, and Jar- dine, Secretary of Agriculture. Unless these intimate friends care to step out voluntarily it's not going to be easy for Mr. Hoover to supplant them. Mr. Wil- bur could be provided for on the Federal bench, but depositing Mr. Jardine in a comfortable non-cabinet job would be more difficult. Other members of the Coolidge executive group have been close to Mr. Hoover and rendered him yeo- man service in his pre-convention cam- paign, High among these ranks Post- master General New. How much foun- dation there is for the supposition that Mr. Mellon has a mortgage on reap- pointment to the Treasury remains to be seen. Like Coolidge, Mellon did little to aid Hoover when aid was vital. Not until “Boss” Vare of Philadelphia got busy at Kansas City was the all-de- cisive vote of the Pennsylvania delega- tion assured to the Californian. * ok Kk ok parties in honor of outgoing Coolidge- ites will be the order of the day. The ball will be set rolling this week when the White House newspaper men enter- tain at dinner in honor of Edward T. Clark, the President’s personal secre- tary. “Ted” Clark has been at Mr. Coolidge’s elbow ever since the Ver- monter came to Washington as Vice President eight years ago. Previous to that Clark took a long-time course in national poiitics as an attache of Sena- tor Henry Cabot Lodge's office on Capi- tol Hill. Apart from his capacity and devotion to Calvin Coolidge, ‘“Ted's” claim to the President’s favor rests upon his being a fellow alumnus of Amherst. The correspondents who cover the White House from day to day are anxious to show that they appreciate Clark, even though there is no case on record of his having evex;dltvul:ed a state secret. s . ‘The man who can be described as the godfather of the Kellogg t has been an interested witness of Senate icago corporation lawyer and inventor of the phrase, “outlawry of war.” Mr. Levinson chanced to ar- rive in Paris in 1927, a few weeks after M. Briand, In a public statement, projected the idea of a Franco-Ameri- can “engagement tending to outlaw war.” As Is set forth in Prof. James T. Shotwell's new book on the Kellogg treaty, “Mr. Levinson quickly discerned the opportunity which the Briand dec- laration had opened up for interpreting to Europe the program of war out- lawry.” The rest is history. Mr. Levin- son, a Yale man (class of '88), is a legal reorganization of rail- Indusizial - \coporgtins. idge ever lifted a finger to help Herbert | in first place, at least two members are |his It won't be long now until farewell | time, the mood and the book were not propitious, that a better moment may come around, that the mood will change. There is no need for any book to take on an offended look, or to be hurt in its heart, simply because a reader has shut its covers before he has finished it. What difference does it make? Mrs, Taylor's monumental “Leo- nardo,” for instance, may feel quite sure that we will return to it before long. It rather staggered us, that was all. If there ever was a book which merited the term, “tour de force,” this is it. It is an experience, rather than a book, In that respect living up to its subject. The best pages of it are highly remi- niscent of Maurice Maeterlinck as ex- emplified in any of his essays. The worst of it is a rigamarole of art and medievalism which only the special stu- dent can hope to follow. It contains whole pages of disconnected phrases, poetic images which are poetic ma- terial rather than poetry. “Leonardo the Florentine” is one of those tantalizing books which make the reader feel, as Goethe did about the life of Napoleon, that there must be more in it than appears on the sur- face. One may pass by Mrs. Taylor's book with a shrug, but it makes no dif- ference to the book. you get ready for it. * ok Kk We managed to wade through ex- | actly 40 pages of Shaw's “Intelligent | Woman’s Guide,” and we make no apol- ogy to the author, to the book or to ourself for discontinuing it. Our can- did opinion is that 8 out of every 10 | purchasers did the same! Some day we expect to go back to Mr. Shaw's “Guide,” and no doubt we shall |enjoy it very much, if we happen to be in the mood. 3 As for Bertrand Russell's “Philosophy,” we read about 10 pages of that; the opening argument is one of our pet dis- b;]iels, and we could swallow no more of it. Mr. Van Loon’s “Story of Mankind” was too much like H. G. Wells’ more famous “Outline,” that was why we stopped reading it. As for the “Out- line” itself, we laid it down forever when we finished Wells' prejudiced summary of Napoleon and his career. To us it is the most overdrawn, melo- dramatic picture of a great man ever penned by a great writer. ‘We left “The Man in the Iron Mask” unfinished because in it Dumas makes a character do something which the character would not have done. This |is a fault which the great Alexandre seldom falls into, but falling into it in the case of Aramis, it gave us a shock which makes further reading impossible. Then, too, we did not want to read about the death of d’Artagnan. Dante's verse has always left us cold; maybe if we could manage the Italian we might like it. As it is, however, we have attempted “The Divine Comedy” at least 15 times. As much as we love “Pickwick Pa- Fers" we have never managed to finish t. Usually we succumb to ennui dur- ing the famous courtroom scene. We wish Dickens hadn't invented Mr. Winkle. We dislike Mr. Winkle and do not care to read about him. No one can blame us, we feel sure, for having laid down “Thus Spake Zarathustra.” We defy any person to oint out wherein this is a great book. o us it is so much hash. After all, one may have a suspiclon that many books left unfinished are so left in order that the reader may go back to them later, knowing in advance where the good stuff lies. OBSERVATIONS WILLIAM WILE The “Levinson plan” for outlawry of war was printed as a Senate document exactly seven years ago this month, at the instigation of Senator Borah, with whom the Chicagoan has continuously worked along the lines of the Kellogg pact. Mr. Levinson is a law partner of Senator Otis F. Glenn, Republican, of Illinois. * ok kK As far as anybody can remember, there's never been a time until the present when at one and the same moment the President of the United States, the President-elect and the only living ex-President were all residents of the Capital. Warren G. Harding came to town for a day between elec- tion and inauguration, in the course of a trip to the South. But the Coolidge- Hoover-Taft situation is unique, at least. modern times. * K ¥ Mosth of the anti-Kellogg pact fight- ing in the Senate has been conducted by three men who are on their last senatorial legs—Bruce of Maryland and Reed of Missouri, Democrats, and Mc- Lean, Republican, of Connecticut. Sen- ator Borah, who has stood the entire brunt of the heckling and sniping to which treaty foes have resorted, shows signs of strain as the long-winded de- bate approaches its end. Ever and anon Borah sits at his desk in an attitude of unmistakable fatigue, elbows resting on his table-top and head bowed between hands. * Kok K ‘This observer was an earwitness of an amusing episode at luncheon time in the restaurant of a prominent Washington hotel. Somebody asked, “Who is the gentleman at the next table: with .his napkin tucked under his cnin?” He was a member of the cabinet. * X ¥ % Former Representative John W. Lang- ley, Republican, of Kentucky, who re- cently was pardoned by President Cool- idge after serving a Federal sentence at Atlanta, appears to be on the verge of paying his respects to his enemies. At any rate, word comes from Lexing- ton that Langley is writing a book which is going to spring some sensa- tions regarding men and matters con- nected with his conviction for viola- tion of the prohibition law. (Copyright. 1929.) ——— Rules Debate Involves Entire Sport Philosophy From the Des Moines Tribune-Capital. Our whole philosophy of sport is in- volved in the debate over proposed changes in the rules of foot ball and basket ball. What the advocates of change pro- pose is to eliminate the possibility of {a lucky chance breaking up a game, enabling what may be the less powerful team to win. The opponents say that the luck is part of sport, that we all have some of the gambling instinct in us, and we enjoy seeing the under dog come out on top as a result of some freak of fate. The advocates of the new rules sdy that skill should be rewarded. Their opponents retort that the highest skill is in taking advantage of the turn and providing against it. The specific rule that is under de- bate is the one that permits a team, in foot ball, to recover a fumble made under certain conditions and run with the ball. Frequently every season this play, or misplay, wins games. ‘What should the rulers do? Should they forfeit the game because of one mistake, and defend themselves by say- ing that they are rewarding the alert- ness of the player who gets the ball? Should our sports be spectacular or shall they be simply tests to find the best team? At present they are spec- tacular, made for the spectators, and the stadium investments and box office necessities are likcly to keep them that way for a long time to come. But from the boys’ point of view and from that of any sportsman, the best work and the best man should not lose by luck. That is contrary to the prayer of tfl_e sportsman: “May the best man . It waits until | JANUARY 9, 1929. Politics at Large By G. Gould Lincoln. ‘Washington appears to have made up its mind to a special session of the Seventy-first Congress soon after Presi- dent-elect Hoover -takes office March 4. Such influences as have been at work in an effort to forestall a special ses- sion of Congress, on the theory that the country and business generally are happier when the National Legislature is away from Washington, apparently have been unsuccessful. The one thing which could have prevented a special session—the enactment now of a farm relief bill—seems entirely improbable before March 4. The farmers themselves, as repre- sented in their organizations, have been walting for this legislation for more than four years. Politics more than any other one thing has delayed the enact- ment of a farm relief law; and, in a | measure, politics continues to place ob- stacles in the way of prompt action. The proponents of the old McNary- Haugen farm bill, with its equalization fee principle, are hostile to President Coolidge. They do not wish to sec a farm bill put through now in the clos- ing days of the Coolidge administra- tion, with the credit going to Mr. Cool- |idge. Further, they hope to obtain a | more liberal farm bill at the hands of the new Congress- and Mr. Hoover. So | these farm organizations and their Rep- resentatives in Congress are content to wait a few months more before secing |a farm bill go through. - * K K K The Democrats are insisting that any farm bill enacted into law must have | the Hoover O. K. They are willing, | | too. that a special session shall be | called soon after Mr. Hoover takes office | on the theory that with Congress here | | the new Republican adminiStration may | be harassed. Like Mr. Micawber, the ! Democrats are hoping for something to | {turn up which will be of assistance | | in 1930. They think that the Hoover farm bill, when it is enacted into law, may not prove, after all, the help which the farmers desire. They see, too. a chance for Republican disfavor in the revision of the tariff which is expected to come at a special session of the Congress. ‘The difficulties of a special sesslon soon after he is inaugurated have been pictured to Mr. Hoover at considerable length by some of the Republican lead- ers, among them Senator Fess of Ohlo. But Mr. Hoover does not seem to have | been particularly impressed. Indeed, | ithere is reason to believe that Mr. Hoover will not seek by any action of his own to prevent a special session. There are problems, including both the farm problem and that relating to the { tariff revision. which his administration | must meet. He is not the kind to seek | to avoid their consideration or to delay when action has been promised. * kX K With the Kellogg treaty renouncing war soon to be disposed of, whether it be this week or the first of next, a real fight is looming up over the bill to construct 15 modern cruisers for the |Navy. The pacifist element in the country has trained its guns on the cruiser bill and is doing all it can to prevent the passage of the bill at the present short session. If it cannot de- feat the bill, then it wishes the numbzr of cruisers authorized cut down to 10 or 5. So far it appears that the cruiser bill will go through the Senate by a considerable majority, if it can be brought to a vote. There is not the | slightest doubt that the Navy needs these cruisers. Since the ratification | of the Washington treaty, limiting naval armament, the United States has done practically no building, and there has been no_effort to keep the Navy up to the 5-5-3 ratio established at the Wash- ington conference for this country, Great Britain and Japan. Senator Hale, chairman of the naval affairs committee, is doing all he can to bring the bill to a vote. He is stronfl?' op- posed to striking from the bill the provision calling for the laying down of these new cruisers within a specified itime, notwithstanding the fact that President Coolidge recommended - that provision be taken from the bill and the matter of laying down the cruisers thus be left largely to the discretion of the Chief Executive. The House passed the bill with the time limit provision and doubtless would stand strongly for it in any event. To remove this pro- vision gives the effect merely of pro- viding for a “paper” Navy. * K k% The opponents of the cruiser bill in | the Senate are urging the critics of the Kellogg treaty to continue to de- bate that measure. Every day con- sumed in debate of the treaty naturally brings the end of the present session nearer and makes a filibuster against the cruiser’ bill more effective. It hap- pens, however, that some of the critics of the treaty, including Senator Moses of New Hampshire and Sentor Reed of Missouri, are friendly to the cruiser bill. They apparently have sensed the situa- tion and are seeking now to bring about an adjustment whereby the treaty may be disposed of and at the same time they may have some kind of notice given to the world that this country has “reservations” regarding the treaty. If the cruiser bill is not forced to a vote, the measure dies and will have to be brought up anew in the next Con- gress. Mr. Hoover has indicated in his speeches that he believes in adequate national defense. It is possible that the cruiser bill might be taken up and put through at the proposed special session along with farm legislation and tariff revision. There would be no constitu- tional time limit to end that session of Congress and if necessary it might run right along until the next regular ses- sion in December. It is quite clear, how- ever, that if the pacifists are successful in stalling off the cruiser bill at this present session, they will do their best to impress the incoming President with their demand that these cruisers be not constructed. * ok kK Mr. Hoover, now that he has returned to Washington, is getting mere advice than any other man in the world. Re- publican leaders and near leaders are going to him in droves with recom- mendations for this or that legislation, and particularly with recommendations for appointment to cabinet and other offices. Perhaps he has taken a wise course in coming to Washington and letting them blow off steam. He plans to leave here the first part of next week to go to Florida. There he may have a rest and an opportunity to di- gest all the information and advice he has been given. So far there has been no real indication he has picked any members of his cabinet. He is listen- ing to the recommendations for these key positions in the administration with- cut committing himself. But sooner or later he must make his selections, * ok K K Representative Box of Texas, newly clected Democratic whip of the House, has sounded a note that does not make for harmony in the Democratic party at this particular time. He has publicly demanded that the influences which brought about the nomination of Alfred E. Smith, former Governor of New York, and which had control of his campaign, cease to dominate the party. This is easier to demand than to en- force. Probably the great majority of the Democrats of the South feel pretty much as does Mr. Box. They saw four rock-ribbed Democratic States—North Carolina, Florida, Texas and Virginia— 80 Republican in the presidential ele tion and they do not wish to see a repetition of this result or still .further gains for the Republicans in the South. Mr. Box’s demand for a new deal in the Democratic party was sent in a letter to the new Governor of New York, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who has been an ardent supporter of Gov. Smith—indeed, the nominator of Gov. Smith in three Democratic national conventions. What he demands is a major operation. The Democrats of the North and East are not likely to take Mr. Box's challenge lying down. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FI‘(;EDERIC J. HASKIN. This is a speclal department devoted solely to the handling of queries. This paper puts at your disposal the services of an extensive organization in Wash- ington to serve you in any capacity that relates to information. This service is free. Fallure to make use of it deprives you of benefits to which you are en- titled. Your obligation is only 2 cents in coin or stamps inclosed with your inquiry for direct reply. Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washing- ton, D. C. Q. In heraldry what is meant by a charge?—T. N. B A. Any figure or device borne on an escutcheon is a charge. Q. Are lizards polsonous?—P. P. B. A. The Gila monster and a similar Mexican species are the only poisonous lizards known. Q. What King of England was called Farmer George?—F. J. A. This_ soubriquet was given to George III, in allusion to his bucolic tastes. Q. Where was artificial ice first made for commercial purposes?—F. S. A. The Italians in the sixteenth cen- tury were the first to manufacture arti- ficial ice for mercantile purposes. Q. What will keep a turning green?—W. H. W. A. There seems to be no way to keep a turquoise from truning green. It is the result of chemical action. Q. What State Legislatures meet this year?—M. D. te Legislatures will meet in turquoise from w. A. All Stal 1929 except those in Alabama, Ken- tucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Vir-| ginia. Q What foods should be included in to themin the congressional elections | the diet if good teeth are desired?— | E. L. A. Milk, butter, eggs, fish, whole ce- reals, fresh fruits and vegetables aid in making good dental structures. Q. Whose portrait was the earliest gke)l"less made in the Renalssance?— A. The portrait of Dante by Giotto is the earliest likeness of the period. Q. To what European countries is the postage 2 cents?—S. K. A. The postage rate to Great Britain and Spain is 2 cents. To all other Eu- ropean countries the rate is 5 cents. Q. When was the company formed th;t Sad Marcus Loew at its head? A. It was formed in 1910 with Loew as president and Adolph Zukor as nom- inal treasurer. At his death in 1927, Marcus Loew left a fortune of about $25,000,000. Q. What will remove the blur on a windshield caused by the friction of a window wiper’—G. E. G. be Yepolished. A. The glass should Q. How many people commit sui- cide in the United States yearly, and how many make the attempt but are unsuccessful?>—A. M. A. The approximate number of per- sons committing suicide each year is from 15,000 to 16,000. The probable number of those attempting suicide, in- cluding those who are successful, is be- tween 36,000 and 40,000. Q. Are there reasons why there have been ls!o many great Italian singers? —N. R. A. 1t is true that Italy has produced a great many singers of world renown. Some have attributed this to the cli- mate, some to the diet, some to the open-air life. These may have helped, but others insist that the most impor- tant element in the success of the Ital- ian-born singer is the Italian language itself. In Italy the child is taught to love beauty in nature and art. Q. Does the mahogany tree grow in a forest of its own kind or scattered among other species of trees?>—A. H. A. Mahogany trees are generally scattered among other trees. Q. Of what is bakelite made?—L. W. A. Bakelite is produced from coal tar by a process invented by Dr. L. H. Boekeland. It consists of the conden-. sation products of phenols and formal- dehyde converted by heat and pressure into solid form. Q. If ice is found in a temperature of 30 degrees below zero, how cold would the center of the block of ice be?— Address The | C. H. C. A. Ice can exist at any temperature lower than its freezing point. It also has the property of assuming the tem- perature of its surroundings in time; therefore, if the temperature is 32 de- grees below zero, the temperature of | the ice will eventually be the same. Q. What is an anticline? Can it be dRechwd at the surface of the earth?— A. The Geological Survey says that an anticline is an upfold in rocks, and such a fold in deposits, that are buried beneath formations of more recent geo= logic age that were not subjected to the folding, cannot be detected at the sur- | face. Such upfolds—called “anticlines” | —are regarded as favorable to the ac- cumulation of oil and it is for this rea- son that oil prospectors endeavor to lo= cate such structures. Q. In leaving a street car with a woman, should a2 man alight first or . permit the woman to precede him?— . W.S. G. A. He should precede her and assist her in stepping to the pavement, Q. What is the capacity of the Royal | Albert Hall?—A. E. A. The Royal Albert Hall in London seats 8,000, | .. Q. What class of people in the United States use snuff>—I. F. M. A. In the United States where the production of snuff is about 19,000 tons a year. the chief users are foreign-born. The snuff used in this country is all of domestic manufacture, the small amount of French snuff imported not being worth considering. In certain regions of the South, inhabitants of the rural sec- tions still use snuff. Q. Are the Black Hills rich in min- erals?—H. N. A. The Black Hills constitute one of | the richest gold mining districts in the United States and have ylelded over | $100,000,000. - Silver, copper, tin and | iron ores also occur within their limits, | besides coal, salt, petroleum, mica, gyp~ sum and building stone. About one- third of the area is covered with dense dark forests of pine, whence the name, while deciduous trees are abundant. The climate is salubrious, the soil fertile, and th2 hills are well adapted to grazing purposes. Q. Can tigers climb trees?—C. R. A. Although the tiger is able to climl trees, it does not habitually do so. Q. What were the measurements of the city of New York a hundred years ago?—C. B. A. An article published in the Chris- ilan Advocate says: “At the beginning of the nineteenth century the ‘commercial metropolis of the United States’ occu- ied only the lower end of Manhattan land, what is now ‘up town’ being:still made up of spacious farms and_country estates, including the little village of Harlem. The actual measurements of the city proper are given as three miles in length (from the Battery to Four- teenth street), one and a half miles in width and eight miles in circumfer- ence.” Q. How is the fire walking ceremony of Tahiti explained?—R. C. T. A. The late S. P. Langley of the Smithsonian Institution witnessed the fire walking ceremony in Tahiti and de- scribed it in Nature for August 22, 1921. He says that the stones used in the cere- many were tested and found to be of vesicular basalt, whose most distinctive fectures are its porosity and non-con- ductibility. He found that these stones could be heated red-hot at one end while the remaining was comparatively cool. He was of the opinion that while the lower stones of the pit were glow=- ing, the upper layer was fairly cool. Because billions of dollars are in- volved in the decision of the St. Louis & O'Fallon rail suit, which has been taken to the United States Supreme Court on appeal, the issues at stake are the subject of national discussion. Under the “recapture” provision of the transportation laws the case will de- termine on what basis of valuation the earnings of the company are to be con- sidered. While this line is only a few miles long, the principles to be passed upon will apply to other railroads and possibly other public service enterprises. The law provides that net earnings of railroads which exceed 6 per cent shall be split with the Government on a 50-50 basis, the money so received being placed in a revolving fund to be loaned to needy roads. “Thus far the payments made by the railroads,” according to the Atlanta Journal, “have been negligible, due more to the small number of carriers able to earn over 6 per cent than to a definite refusal to comply with the law.” The Journal quotes railroad executives’ statement that this is “fhe greatest law- suit in history” and also one contention that the Government “could not prop- erly force a corporation to give up a portion of its earnings to aid other car- riers,” while the lower court’s decision against the railroad's basis of valuation is_mentioned. That paper concludes: “Thus a small switching road supplies materials for ‘the greatest lawsuit.” It is a pretty commentary on importance in this complex modern world.” “The Interstate Commerce Commis- sion has proceeded on the theory that a practical basis for valuation was the worth of rail property in 1914, with al- lowance for new investments and de- preciation,” says the Kansas City Star, contrasting that position with the stand taken in the railroad briefs that “a val- uation on reproduction cost of roads to- day, plus depreciation, would not be contended for as a sole basis of valua- tion, since the court had never recog- nized that principle alone, but it would be asked that this principle be consid- ered along with others.” adds, “Obviously, any outcome of this case, which might involve marked rate advances, would be & serious matter to the country, especially the agricultural sections.” * ok ok K is seen by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle as “the climax of fourteen years of controversy,” and the Eagle comments: “It is curious to go back to 1900 and note that in the Nebraska railroad case pre- cisely this issue was at stake, with William Jennings Bryan, representing Nebraska, arguing before the Supreme Court_that present costs of reproduc- tion should be the sole basis of valua- tion, and the railroad companies argu- ing that the actual investment should control. In the Nebraska cases repro- duction, because of lower wages and material expenses, would have ' been vastly lower than original cost. In the present case the reverse is true. The the South and the West and the ignor- ing of the East and New England. Perhaps he recalls that Woodrow Wilson in 1916 won with such an alignment and he hopes that history will repeat itself. The Far West has a President- elect for the first time. Kansas has pro- ‘The Star | “A battle between gigantic forces” | Billions Involved in Midget Railway Appeal Attracts U. S. Supreme Court turned down the Bryan theory, which the railroads now wish to resuscitate.” “One of the shortest of American railroads,” remarks the Indianapolis News, “may become a yardstick for legal measurement of the value of all steam carriers in the United States. If S0, the method specified is bound to have some influence on appraisals of other kinds of public utilities for rate maklxa[ and security issuance pur- poses.” The importance of the appeal is emphasized by the Rochester Times- Union, with the statement that “the Federal Court at Kansas City held that the earnings were subject to recapture, but did not pass definitely on the valua- tion question.” The St. Paul Daily | News observes: “A decision adverse to the Government would permit railroads of the country to increase their total valuations from the 23 billions fixed by the commission to 35 billions. This would make possible freight rate in- creases of several hundred millions and would virtually nullify the powers of the commission, since legal rates would be higher than the traffic would bear.” “If the higher figure were approved, becoming the valuatton guide for the commission, the immediate and domi- nating public interest would lie in the fact that rates would have to be in- creased approximately 60 per cent to meet _the constitutional right to earn a fair return upon the value fixed,” says the Newark Evening News, which points yout that “the Supreme Court is brought face to face with the necessity of de- ciding this issue definitely in a case considered as fundamental in the rail- road field as was the Dred Scott case in reference to State rights and slavery.” And the Little Rock Arkansas Demo- jcrat asks, “If the railroads win the sv.;:fmwh-t 115’ to ]:ll'levem =ll other public ul les raising their valuations, henct raising their rates?” = * % x4 “The Supreme Court in public serv- ice decisions,” recalls the New York Evening Post, “has Inclined toward recognizing replacement cost as a fac- JooE. - & & Some of the ablest coun- sel in the country represent the Gov- ernment and the railroads in this con- troversy, the decision ef which will af- fect not only the carriers but every shipper and every passenger in the land.” The Lincoln State Journal sug- gests that “lawyers reach opposite con- clusions as to what the Supreme Court actually determined” when it “passed jon the question on several occasions.” ‘The Cleveland Plain Dealer contends that “the valuation question involved is much more of a nice economic theory than of law.” emphasizing the impor- tance of “the rates and earnings to which the roads will be entitled in the future.” The Waterloo Tribune, consid- ering the possibility that in the present case the Supreme Court may “sidestep the valuation matter, merely approving the lower court's finding that the as- sessment was not confiscatory,” cone ludes, “This matter has been in dis- pute ever since the railroad laws were enacted and will continue to be in dis- pute until finally settled.” “The Interstate Commerce Commis- sion,” records the Chicago Daily News, “claims that it has given due weight to all proper factors in its valuations, while the carrlers assert that the ecost of reproduction practically has been ig- nored. Since values w the amount of vided the Vice President-elect. If the incoming administration deals fairly They were the influence back of the nomination of Gov. Smith. Mr. Box @pparently is seeking au alignment I of some years with the West and its problems, the hopes of Mr. Box may be delayed for to come, billions of dollars are at stake, the ques- tion before the Supreme Court is of great moment from a financial point of view as well as extremely interesting and significant in theory.”