Evening Star Newspaper, April 25, 1929, Page 8

N | \ | | i THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY......April 25, 1929 THEODORF W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company 11th St ARt Beanesivants A Mew York Ofice: 110 East 42nd Bk Chicago Office Lake Michigan Building. Europesn Office; 14 Regent St., London. a Rate by Carrier Within the City. The Evening Star... +..45¢ per month The Eveaing and Siinday Star . (when 4 Sundays) .60c per month .5¢_per cop: 2ach month. or telephone $6.00; 1 mo.. 1¥r. $4.00; 1 mo.. 40c | All Other States and Canada. Dally and Sunday..l yr.. $12.00; 1 me Daily only . 1yr., $800; 1 m Sunday only yr., $5.00; 1 m Member o the Associated Press. The Associated Press is cxclusively entitled to the use for resublication of ell news dis- atches credited (o it or not otherwise cred= ted in this pape- and also the local news published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. - . Enforcng the Law. ‘Two policemen, charged with enfore- ing the law against transportation of liquor, pursue a suspected rum-runner. ‘The fugitives increase their speed and in their attempt to escape manipulate an illegal contrivance in their car which €mits a dense cloud of smoke, obscur- ing the vision and endangering the| lives of those in pursuit. One of the policemen begins firing in the general Cirection of the fleeing car’s rear tires. A bullet strikes the driver of the car and kills him. Once more the Police Department is placed in the position of defending itself against a barrage of criticism, directed at members of the force who use their guns. ‘The whole question resolves itself into the issues of whether the police | are to carry guns or whether they are to 2o unarmed; whether they are to en- force the law, or whether they are merely to request observance of the law. If the police are forbidden to use their | guns, except in cases of self-detensei where they are actualiy cornered and | must shoot it out or die, that fact| should be made plain, not only to the | police but to the community. It will save the police from ever getting into 2 corner and it will permit the under- world to make even more practical use of fast automobiles, smoke screens and machine guns than is now the case. A great deal of sympathy is now be- ing poured out in behalf of the un-| fortunate individual who lost his hfe‘ yesterday. No mention is made of the | fact that this individual at the wheel of the car could have saved his life by stopping his car and surrendering. A great point is made of the fact that the I slain man was not committing a crime | for which the law demands the life| penalty. In this connection it is inter- esting to note that night watchmen, special bank policemen and soldiers on | guard duty at military camps in time of | peace zre armed with guns; that the | night prowler, the man who robs a bank or the burglar or the man who re- fuses to obey a sentry’s warning may not be committing crimes involving cap- {tal punishment, but that their shooting 1s held justified by the circumstances. If this wers not the case enforcement of eny law would depend altogether upon | individual acceptance of the law. Guns | might as well be dispensed with alto- gether, except as a means of protection against overzealousness on the part of the law's agents. The quicker the realization that the | police are determined to enforce the| law, the less the chance for a repeti- tion of yesterday’s tragedy. The more the dust is raised by prejudging the action of every policeman who uses his gun, the more tragedy there will be. ‘The case of the policeman who shot | & man yesterday is yet to be disposed of by the constituted authorities. If he was unjustified in shooting, he should no longer be permitted to act | as an agent of the law. Meanwhile there | should be no hasty verdict of guilty. ——————— It is convincingly stated by Elihu Root that now is the time for all good Joiners to get on the waiting list for the World Court. Brookhart's Attack. Senator Brookhart of Iowa finds it ' impossible to go along with the admin- istration in its plans for farm-relief legislation. The Towa Senator during the campaign supported President Hoover's candidacy vigorously. But now Mr. Brookhart asserts that the President has gone back on his campaign pledges to the farmer because Mr. Hoover will not stand for the so-called export de- benture plan. He takes umbrage at the fact that the President said during his speeches that something must be done to solve the farm problem and in his re- cent message to Congress the President said legislation could not solve all of the farmers’ problems. Nowhere in Mr. Hoover's campaign speeches can the Towa Senator find any- thing that pledged Mr. Hoover to the debenture plan. Indeed, the President made it clear he was opposed to sub- sidies as well as to the equalization fee. His attack upon the President, therefore, because Mr. Hoover has turned down the debenture plan flatly is not justi- fied, notwithstanding the fact that the Towa Senator may have believed in his own heart that the President would ap- prove such a plan. “Nor has the President weakened in his stand that the farmers’ problems must be solved, notwithstanding the criticism leveled at him by Senator Brookhart. Rome was not built in a day nor will the problems of the farmer be solved in a day. But if the Brook- harts, the Norrises, the Copelands and the Blaines have their way the “day” of the farmer is likely to be rauch longer delayed. It has become evident that only such legislation as the House is putting the finishing touches on and as is contained in the Senate bill minus the debenture plan can become law. ‘Why in the name of common sense do ~members of Congress who claim to be friends of the farmer persist in delay- ing the enactment of such legislation? They insist that such legislation will not be a real aid to the farmer. But that is merely their opinion—an opinion that upheld by an overwhelming majority of the House committee on agriculture? The wise thing to do—and clearly the farmers themselves will benefit by such a course—is to put the pending plan of the House and the President into effect without further delay., The proof of the pudding is in the eating. If the Hoover plan does not prove effective as an ald to the farmers, other legislation can he put through in the future. It is quite clear that the operation of the proposed law will bs watched with hawklike in- terest, and if it fails to aid the farmer there will be plenty to demand addi- tional legislation. _ The debenture plan, included in the Senate bill by a combination of Repub- licans who are “off the reservation” and Democrats who delight in’embarrassing the Republican administration, or are anxious to give the cotton farmers of the South a bounty of ten dollars a bale on their cotton, drawn from the rev- enues of the Government, will not win the approval of the Senate unless all signs fail. Senator Copeland of New York, Democrat, has no use for the debenture plan, nor has his colleague, Senator Wagner. Senator Copeland has dug up the old equalization fee of the Mc- Nary-Haugen farm bill of former days and submitted it as a substitute for the debenture plan in the pending bill. There are at least another half dozen Democrats who are not going to support the debenture plan. A practically solid vote of the Democrats in the Senate, plus the Republican insurgents of the Senate and Senator Shipstead of Min- nesota, could put the debenture plan through that body. But the Democrats are split on the proposal. Both Chairman McNary of the Sen- ate agriculture committee and Chair- man Haugen of the House committee are going along with the administra- tion's plans for farm relief. Both be- lieve, with the President, that a begin- ning should be made in the matter of aiding the farmer, and that the estab- lishment of a strong Federal Farm Board will be a great step in advance. If further aid is needed, doubtless both these legislators will demand it in the future, But for the present they are go- ing to put through legislation which can become law with the approval of the Executive. The farm bill, when it be- comes law, will be known as the Mc- Nary-Haugen farm act. If there's any- thing in a name, the farmers should be pleased. v Zoning fgr Necessary Nuisances. Court interpretations of the zoning regulations have brought the District authorities face to face with a problem of no small proportions in the future location of such necessary establish- ments as fire houses, police stations, pumping stations, playgrounds, recrea- tion centers and swimming pools. Briefly stated, the problem is where to put them if they are debarred from residential areas by the zoning regula- tions. On May 1 a solution will be attempted when hearings are opened before the Zoning Commission on & proposed amendment to the regulations redefining residential areas to include the types of institutions listed above. ‘The objections to such changes were emphatically demonstrated recently in two cases. In one the District sought to erect a fire house in the residential section on Sixteenth street. In another the District tried to turn an erstwhile apartment house on B street southwest into a modern House of Detention. In both cases the protesting citizens in these neighborhoods prevented the ac- tion. In the case of the fire house, the zoning regulations were not invoked directly, but in the case of the House of Detention they were. One may easily visualize the merry battles of the fu- ture when the zoning regulations are changed in favor of the municipality. The question' is unusually involved. The citizen regards a fire engine as a real friend in time of need. He sleeps more soundly at night if he knows that there is a police station not far away. He looks upon the playground as an altogether sound and valuable institu- tion, and he is favorably impressed with the need for more and better swimming pools. But just attempt to place one of these in his block, or next door to his home! He immediately anticipates the clang of bells, the sight of prisoners arriving in a patrol wagon, the cease- less shouts and yells of happy children at play or bathing in the swimming pool and makes known his protest in no uncertain terms. Enthusiastic over the prospect of having one of these es- tablishments in- the next block, near the residence of Mr. John Smith, he becomes indignant if the site selected is in the vacant lot adjoining his own home. Other localities have taken the step contemplated by the District authori- ties and have exempted the Govern- ment from the application of zoning regulations. And while at this stage of ‘Washington's development the Zoning Commission might attempb to logk far into the future and set aside certain areas for the use of municipal insti- tutions, the only practical solution ap- parent is to rezone residential areas specifically to permit them and leave the locations to the discretion of the Commissioners. This will be done, of course, with the understanding in advance that some householders eventually will suffer for the benefit and protection of the ma- Jority. Thanks to airport requirements, big development turns from skyscrapers and relates more to acreage. ———t— The Tammany Leader, The Tammany Tiger has turned his back on “window dressings.” The new leader of Temmany, John P. Curry, cannot in the opinion of New Yorkers and New York politicians qualify as an exemplification of the so-called “new Tammany”—the Tammany of Smith, Olvany and Foley. So the interpreta- tion placed upon the selection of Mr. Curry for Tammany leader by ardent supporters of former Gov. Smith is that the organization has turned back to the old style of Tammany, while the Re- publicans of New York—and elsewhere —insist that there never was any such thing as a “new Tammany,” exploited during the last presidential election. Mr. Curry is a district leader of Tam- many. He came up from the ranks. Like many another successful politician in New York City he was Irish borm, and was brought to this country when 1s clearly in the minority. Why not ap-|a baby. He has risen to his present post e ; ; THE EVENING York County by sttending strictly to the business of politics. He has not hesitated to battle with the leaders when he believed there should be a fight, and he has won to leadership in spite of his rebellious attitude. He has maintained, his biographers insist, the principle that the power of Tammany Hall should be in the hands of the men who do the wdrk. He is against delegating this power to prominent figures in the Democratic party of New York—no matter who they may be. The election of Mr. Curry means the dominance of New York City Demo- cratic politics in the immediate future by Mayor “Jimmy” Walker, unless Mr. Curry dominates Mayor Walker. Mr. Curry after his election declared him- self for the renomination and re-election of Mayor Walker. On the other hand, it 1s believed that Mr. Curry owes in large part his election to the stand which Mayor Walker took in favor of the elec- tion of a district leader. Furthermore, it is reported that Mayor Walker threw his influence on the side of Curry in the election of & Tammany leader. Curry having declared for Walker for mayor, and McCooey, the Brooklyn Democratic leader, having done the same, the mayor's renomination seems assured. And unless there is a real uprising on the part of the people of the greater city, backing a Republican or an inde- pendent fusion candidate, the re-election of Mayor Walker appears certain. A month ago it might not have been possible to bring about the election of Mr. Curry as leader of Tammany Hall. The mayor himself was not willing at that time to show his hand. But the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, upholding the five-cent street-car fare in New York City, took that issue out of the coming mayoralty campaign and left Mayor Walker in a much more powerful position. Immedi- ately it was published far and wide that the mayor was assured re-election. The executive committee in Tammany Hall, composed of district leaders, had turned, in their quandary over the se- lection of a successor to Judge George W. Olvany, to the so-called “big four"— former Gov. Smith, Mayor Walker, Sen- ator Wagner and Surrogate Foley. It is possible that the advice of the big four might actually have been given and taken, if the big four themselves had stood together. But they did not. Mayor Walker was disinclined to offend the district leaders by going along with Gov. Smith in offering the name of any out- sider, provided Gov. Smith had offered such a candidate. Mayor Walker must have the support of the organization and its leaders in the campaign this year. When the executive committee turned to the big four for advice it was hailed as a victory for Smith. But when the five-cent fare decision of the Supreme Court was handed down Walk- er's star was in the ascendency. It was evident “that the mayor was the dom- inating figure in the situation, demon- strating again the power which goes with office and patronage. 1t will be interesting to see how Tam- many Hall measures up to the control of Democratic politics in the greater city under the leadership of Mr. Curry. Tammany has been in danger of becom- ing a minority factor in the Democratic vote of the city bscause of the enor- mous growth of Brooklyn and other sec- tions of the city outside of Manhattan. One argument advanced for selecting a prominent Democrat not necessarlly a district leader, but closely affiliated with The Tammany, was that such a dominant figure would be needed to maintain con- trol of the party throughout the eity. ———— In asking for a five-cent car fare for the District of Columbia, Senator Cara- way proves himself one of those gentle optimists who make life fairer by their ideals even though not always tri- umphant in achievement. ———— Henry Ford is quoted as saying Standard Oil is the best managed busi- ness in the world. There may be another business quite as well managed, but modesty would naturally forbid Henry to mention it. ——ee Tagore, the “departing Fast Indian poet, says he does not understand the customs of this country. Judging from some of the complications of opinion, neither do some of our own citizens. ————— War is rapidly losing its terrors. A serious threat of hostilities cannot be expected when everybody admits that war is the one thing to be most afraid, of. — o SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Some Days and Others. Some days you sort o’ wonder why The wind breathes a perpetual sigh, And gathering clouds shut out the sun 'T1ll daylight seems forever done. You wonder why the birds don't sing The same sweet songs they used to bring, While dreary dullness leaves its trace On every scene of blossoming grace. And other days will romp and laugh ‘While sunshine scatters gold like chaff, And in the world there seems no room For any thought of doubt or gloom. And joys for which we fondly wish—- I guess they're pretty much like fish, Sometimes they seem to shun the spot And other times you catch a lot. Self-forgetfulness. 'Gainst human errors I shall storm With energetic chatter. If others’ vices I reform, idy small ones will not matter, A Brutal Reminder. A string of horses once did draw A circus chariot gay. The foremost looked behind and saw ‘The others on their way; Quoth he, “The real work is mine; Those others simply walk in line. Just think how they would feel my loss!” Fool hoss! A man once stood before a crowd, ‘Who cheered his words full oft. He spoke to them in accents loud, And waved his arms aloft. And to himself he sometimes said, “Mine is the only thinking head— The one salvation of the clan.” Fool man! Odoriferousness. Oh, gasoline daily discloses A cost that brings sorrow complete. It's expensive as attar of roses, Aod doset pell DY @ gussh - STAR, Do people stand for anything any more? 2 Too many men seem to be afraid to have convictions about any matter more personal than an automoblle. ‘They will fight for their favorite mo- tor, but when it comes to their beliefs as to property rights, law enforcement, etc, they act as if afrald to express their honest convictions, if any. ‘The serious observer of the American scene finds himself scored for his very serjousness,/ it almost being an unwrit- ten law that nothing must be regarded in a serious light. Great speeches facing national prob- lems squarely must be apologized for if they consider topics commonly dis- cussed in pulpits. * % k% ‘This country has arrived at a state of sophistication in which the play-boy attitude prevalls, to the detriment of the old-time seriousness of the fathers. Subversive : elements in the body politic, by centering the attention of the country on amusements and their concomitants, have made morality and simple honesty seem old-fashioned. Since Modernity has been exalted al- most to the position of a god, all that is old and. tried is to be suspicioned, at the least, and frowned upon totally at the worst, To be “in style” is the main ambition of thousands. And, unfortunately, so they feel, the true and tried is never “new” enough to be stylish, * ok ok X One can go for weeks on end amid cultured men without once hearing anything fine or noble mentioned. Down beneath the surface of this apparent philosiphic calm the same old sort of heart beats, the same brain fnctions. The old ideals are known, but they are not talked about. Everywhere one meets chit-chat in the place of real conversation. In the name of “smartness” the great and holy things of the past are one by one being ruled ‘“out of meeting” through a shame-faced acceptance of widespread standards of a new sort. ‘Who is responsible for spreading these lesser standards? In what subtle way have Americans been made asham- ed of their birthrights? * ok R K ‘These questions are beyond answer- in a few hundred words: their presentation is all that is desired here. ‘When one is reading he is communing with himself and with “this certain party” may discuss matters not the subject of ordinary conversations. Almost any one who is honest with himself will admit that he knows few persons who really seem to have down- rimght convictions any more about any- thing. | "1t is too much trouble! If something is wrong, maybe it will right itself by and by; if it doesn’t, what can I do against so nmany? Thus we see great communities tol- erating deeds which 50 years ago would have been ended in short order by the Vigilantees. We see city residents who believe in law and order putting up with “wild Fifty years ago American statesmen were in a great quandary over the manv complicated plans for resuming specie payments in place of the “greenback” money of the Civil War. Long and tire- some speeches were made in and out of Congress by great economists. Every plan had many provisos and assump- tions. Pinally Horace Greeley solved all the problems as to resumption, for he declared emphatically, “The way to re- sume is to resume.” Few wiseacres had really thought so clearly as that. * K ok X Today the whole world appears to be in a similar quandary over disarmament. League of Nations appointed many commissions, advisory bodies, perma- nent committees and expert consultants. Now Ambassador Hugh S. Gibson has made a speech before the preparatory disarmament commission, with almost as much directness and simplicity as Horace Greeley manifested over specie payments, and the whole world appears \ agog over the American policy outlined | by Mr. Gibson, for it is recognized as j officially inspired by the Hoover ad- ministration. The way to disarm is to disarm—but that is what Secretary of State Hughes said eight years ago. ‘That can't be done by one nation alone, without national suicide. The way to disarm is to cut down armies and navies—and we will do so as soon as other nations do likewise. * k ok ok France is elated over this American idea; it coincides with the Kellogg- Briand multflateral treaty outlawing war. War is no longer legitimate, among the nations which have signed the Kellogg-Briand pact, yet. until Japan adds her acceptance of the pact, the signatures of others count for nothing. Great Britain agrees with Mr. Gibson, and proposes to limit cruisers to an agreed total tonnage, provided it is understood that Great Britain shall build all the cruisers she wants, armed with 6-inch ‘That proviso does not meet approval in America because we want our cruisers armed with 8-inch guns and to be large enough, and power- ful enough, for long cruises. Great Britain has “filling stations” scattered all over the world, so she can get along with shorter radii for her cruisers. ‘We are both ready to disarm—but. * X X ¥ France and Germany, too, are delight- ed with Mr. Gibson’s outline of the American policy. In fact, Paris is jubllant over its alleged discovery “that there is a real. though indirect, connec- tion between agreement on armaments and the question of a general debt settlement.” (C'est rire!) France is the only debtor nation which for 10 years has failed to make any agreement on settlement of her debt to the United States—not what we loaned her to carry on the war, for we canceled all of that years ago, but what we advanced her to buy goods after the war—billions of dollars. Now, if it be no longer necessary to build crulsers and battleships without limit, maybe France will gly her debt to the lenient “Shylock,” but just what does that have to do with Ami lor Gib- son’s speech on international limitation of armaments on sea and land? Still, it makes France happy, and that pleases us. o * ok * ¥ Germany is just as approving as is her old enemy, Fraace. A leading German paper, Der Nachrichten, sums it up as folloys: poess Doy Hate.dhat America, the 1s s erica, the world’s greatest power, demands dis. armament on land and sea.” Then is ded : added: “That America also desires disarma- ment on land will be understood by everybody who comprehends the essen- e et , news| X mmn" that the American determina- tlon conquer the world's markets, which is capably personified in Presi dent Hoover, ‘Wars or 's speech American resoive to u"e)m't political in- e e i . THIS AND THAT: BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL, e BACKGROUND OF EVENTS BY PAUL V. COLLINS. WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1928.° parties” and other disturbances of the peace which plain and easily read city id. We see dogs running wild through- out neighborhoods when the city pound and pound wagon are in exist- ence for the one purpose of putting an end to such nuisances. i ‘The answer usually made to such complaints is, “Well, what are you go- ling to do about it?” A home owner near a large apart- ment house recently telephoned us the following anecdote: A young girl of the fapper type being asked to refrain from parking her car on s lawn which did not belong to her, replied: “Why, what do you have grass for, 1t it worries you s0?” The one thing most people who cling to the old standards can do about it is to discuss such matters largely and freely and openly and vigorously. Only by sticking up for the law in little matters can many a eity resident whose backbone has been made “soft” by communal living get back the vim and spirit of the old days. * ke Above all, thousands of men and women in this country must get them- selves out of the feeling. into which they have been led craftily by forces of unrighteousness, -that high and noble considerations are necessarily “namby- pamby.” Pretty soon, if this thing keeps up, we will be afraid to admit that our souls are our own or even that we have any souls. We will be confined by force of circumstances to the heated discussion of the latest models of the newest cars, to the “daring deeds” of varjous crooks and to the number of distant stations to be secured by any radio set. Before we know it our lives will be.bounded by a dream of “getting ahead” and the actuality of being where we are. We will leave all of the great and good things of this world and the next to the writers of books. ‘Writers should not be allowed to have a monopoly of seriousness. What is written about, any one may discuss and should discuss—sach is our thesis. Men should roar their convictions from the housetops, let who will term them fools. But, first, one must have convictions. It will not do to have no ideas about great matters just because one’s friends prefer to discuss little matters. Lavity, however, is the mood of the moment. Everywhere life goes on to jazz music, broken only by laughter and the exhaust of automobiles. Nobility is stuffy and old-fashioned. One may speak easily of the “flexibllity” of a new car, but scarcely at al: of the | nobility of a comrade. ‘The total eiTect of this way of think- ing is to put a gag in millions of mouths while leaving the oppesition free | to spread their own propaganda. ‘Thus, vulgarity, cheapness, crudity, smart-aleckism are given full play, | occupying a position totally out of keep- |ing with their importance. largely be- | cause those who neither believe in them nor practice them refrain from talking 2bout their opposites. When will this | important civil war of morality begin? ganization as a result of the Versallles treaty, approves of the movement led by America to d her rivals, but is unable to do so without a backhand- ed slam at the sincerity of America and our unselfish motives, for in the next paragraph she sees as an ulterior motive our “commercial instincts” of de- siring a peaceful ocean and a peaceful market wherein we may trade and ac- cumulate wealth. ‘The height of meanness of old was expressed in the act of “looking a gift horse in the mouth.” The Nation which took the initiative in outlawing war, such as the Kaiser waged, is now charged with doing 5o in order to make money out of world peace! Beat it? * ok kX Italy—that Fascist nation which to- | day openly plots within her own domain to enhance her military and naval pow- er that she may “take her place in the sun,” left vacant by one Kaiser Wil- helm—grows sarcastic over the whole matter. She was cynical as to the Kel- logg-Briand treaty outlawing war. Her leading newspaper, the Osservatore, re- marks: “It is true that the outlawing of war does not necessarily mean the end of all wars, as the condemnation of slavery has not meant the abolition of all forms of compulsion of the weaker by the stronger. But to consider war as a crime, as slavery is a crime, to consider peace is an basolute necessity, is to de- termine new relations and to introduce a new era in the fleld of international affairs and justice.” Another Italian paper is even more sarcastic, in its allusions to the United States as a “State which madly heads all others in the race of armaments.” It says: “America is ready to make impor- tant concessions in land armaments. This is quite natural, just as Switzer- land, which has no navy, is ready to make important concessions in naval armaments. But Mr. Gibson also said that no nation must have a,more pow- erful fleet than America, efther in to- tal tonnage or the tonnage of each category. Having made this point clear, other nations can study dis- armament. There is nobody who does 1:05 know how insincere this doctrin * k k * Sneering at our readiness to reduce our land armaments? Why? What other nation has suffered more through weakness of her land defenses? poleon invaded Russia—but was driven back. The King of Prussia invaded France and captured her capital in 1870—but did not burn it. Great Brit- ian invaded the United States in the war of 1812-—and burned our Capitol and White House—because our fore- fathers had been indifferent to land de- fenses. Shall we never read history, but always be put with Switzerland’s ‘“navy,” even as to our home defenses? Yet we offer to reduce all armaments if other nations will do likewise. Italy learned her lesson after Napoleon had crossed her Alps, but America is still to be measured by Switzerland's alleged “navy”—the butt of scorn. i * ok k% Yet no critic has undertaken to give any sort of argument as to why Mr. Gibson is wrong in declaring that no ration—Great Britain included—should have a navy stronger than that of the United-States—the wealthiest power on earth, therefore the one ha most, at stake to defend \against pirates and naval enemies. It will be recalled that when the Disarmamént Conference was held in ‘Washington, in 1921, Secretary of State Hfihu filled the nations with great enthusiasm over his frank proposal to reduce navies. Everybody was thrilled with America’s offer to scrap d:!g which were on the stays almost re: to launch. The appleuse was still ring- l:fi when America actually did scrap of dollars’ worth of new ves- sels of defense, and other nations, car- ‘Will it lesson repeated now? Will the applause of the Gibson —the voice of President Hoo wn B e S e definite pending her i3 now interesting the will urge agree- concessions on what owes us, since her naivete betrays tion that we must nothing Na- | Need of Open Mind Seen in Dry Inquiry From the Chicago Dally News. I to & communication mmlylm. association which is through one of his makes it known that “opportunity will be given for the presentation of any facts which bear upon the enforcement of the eighteenth amendment or any or-hpeol;' o!‘gyur“hzll‘ Wm:gnz suvih c':: opportun| in the proje inquiry into prohibition enforcement methods and law enforcement generally would be not only incomplete but futile and even mischievous. But the phraseology of the White House epistle is not as clear as it might be. Further light on the issue raised zy d‘e‘fk organized anti-prohibition forces Those forces make it known that they seek an opportunity to ve to the commission that the obstacles in the way of the Volstead law and the eight- eenth amendment are internal—to be found in the inherent and incurable unenforceableness of the prohibition amendment as it now stands. Any evi- dence that tends to support that radical view is relevant to the projected inves- tigation, because not only the abuses but the causes of those abuses as well. There is, of course, no mcre fruitful source of abuse under any law than the inherent unreasonableness, un- soundness and unenforceableness of that law. Mr. Hoover, it is understood, is en- countering difficulty in selecting the members of the commission. It is es- sential that they be open-minded, able, judicious and independent. .It is not easy to find such men and to induce them to take up the task. Still, such men can and should be found, for prejudice and closed minds would be woefully out of place. in the commis- slon’s deliberations. When found, the members should receive instructions re- quiring them to entertain and weigh every fact, argument and consideration zes:retng on any phase of the prohibition College Education’s Cash Value Held Low From the Newark Evening News, A new effort to put a cash value upon higher education has been made by Prof. Hatold F. Clark of Teachers’ College, After studying the economic aspects of education for a year, he re- ports that a college course does not increase the recipient’s earning power, but may have an opposite effect. This is 50 contrary to the common idea that today, more than ever before, higher education is a necessity for those who would go far that it challenges atten- L RO No doubt there is congestion in th: rofessions, but there is no better or Prof. Clark to get himself into hot water than by pushing the recommen- dation he is expected to offer to limit, by State control, the number entering the professions so as to keep salaries and incomes from dropping lower and lower. The Constitution has something to say about “abridging the privileges and immunities of citizens” that would command consideration. ‘This report may have a good effect, however, if it breaks down the idea that there are only certain occupations befitting a college man or woman's ignit ‘The idea is not so potent as it once was. All sorts of businesses are appealing to collegians, including some w}ubch have been much neglected in the 1t is & tragedy to force youth inf they are not fitted by Nature because Mrs. Grundy says that is the thing for college men and women .to do. There may be an escape from it in recalling | Shakespeare's words: |“A man of sovereign parts he is es- teem'd; 5 Well fitted in arte, glofious in arms; | Nndthingnbecumes him Il that he would | o well.” If the college boys and girls thought Dr. Clark does, not so many would be in college. With a great many of them, that is not the prime motive. an education. The true collegian would rather have it than great riches. Fire Waste Prevention Prize Won by Detroit From the Baltimore Sun. ‘The United States Chamber of Com- merce offers an annual prize for the best showing in prevention of fire waste in cities of the United States. Municipalities are graded according to population, prizes being given to win- ners in several classes and a grand prize to the city making the best rec- ord without regard to size. Detroit captured the honor among cities over 500,000 and also the grand prize. While the number of fires increased 13 .per cent in the country, there was substantial reduction in per capita loss, the figure being $2.35 in 1928, as com] with $2.70 in 1927, with $3.07 in 1926 and with $3.77 in 1925. This shows steady improvement in low- ering the amount of propert$ destruc- tion by fire. Where much work is yet to be done is shown in the statement that of fires reported 667 per cent occurred in dwellings. Tabulation and analysis of these statistics are helpful to every city in fighting fire waste. We are too much accustomed to look upon fires as an unavoidable visitation, though the fact is repeatedly empha- sized that negligence of one or another kind is responsible for an enormous percentage of the naces and electric wiring, dirt and es! on of the mil- oilars that go up in smoke. e evil deserves much more attention than it receive: liens of ) Antarctic Land Issue Is Held Important From the Chattanooga Times. Washington and London appear to be on the verge of diplomatic exchanges concerning title to certain lands in the region of the South Pole. The London Evening Star is of the opinion that the subject does not merit serious treat- ment. It printed a picture of the frozen Antarctic wastes and accompanied it with the caption, “What's All the Argu- ment About?” It is altogether probable that many people in the United States view the matter in much the same way. Antarctic regions, because they are {rozen, remote, difficult of access and uninhabitable except with special, high- ly expensive tion, are considered by such persons as being of little prac- tical value. History is replete with such mistakes as they may be making. For centuries little importance was attached to the new world which Columbus dis- covered. France lightly disposed of the vast territory acquired by the United States under the Louisiana Purchase. Russia saw little reason for holding on to Alaska, when she already had more frozen territory than/she could use. Yet this once neglected new world now “wags” the old, so to §] ; the territory which Napoleon sold is today “s vast empire” within the United States, and Alaska has proved to be & veritable gold mine. As the old-timer “You can't always sometimes tell. 8o it might be just as well for Washing~ ton to treat this Antarctic question with ess. due ning, did she not urge the League of Nations, two years ago, to agree on eomtgleu and ‘immediate disarmament of the world? Russia, even while she boasts of the gro‘ru! of her lots to fium all the ents of clvuhn‘. that m? may profit hx - “Trust God and keep your powder dry,” said Cromwell o [ , |are invited to under prohibition are to be looked into, | as much about increasing their earning | power through a college education as| They are in college because they want em. Faulty building, neglect of flues, fur- i refuse, carelessness with matches and | ‘The regources of our free informa- tion bureau are at your service. You call upon it as often as u_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 le‘ter to the The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, ‘Washington, D. C. Q. What States have thé most uvAereT;Vm%n?EA. E. H. G . The Weather Bureau says that, generally speaking, the State of North Dakota and the eastern portion of Montana and the western portion of Minnesota have the most severe Win- ter climate, althougn portions . of Northern New England and the moun- tain sections of Northern New York have weather conditions nearly ap- proaching those in the sections first named. Likewise, some of the mountain districts have severe weather over somewhat longer periods than in the sections previously mentioned, and heavier snows may occur, but usually the temperatures are not so low during periods of intense cold as occur in the {?werd levels of the States first men- oned. Q. How can one distinguish non- shatterable glass?—F. W. K. A. The Bureau of Standards says, in general, three distinct types. One of these is unusually thick, another consists of two or more layers of glass cemented together with an organic binder, such as celluloid, and the third is prepared by special heat treatment. of these can be identified by its rela- tively great thickness, the second by examining the edge of the glass for laminated structure, and the third by the irregular figures seen when the glass {is examined in polarized light. the Vatican? Who built it>—F. J. A. The Vatican has been the princi- The original building was erected by Pope Symmachus, 498 to. 514, and the buildings have been added to by practically every Pope since. Q. What is the “13%; per cent”?—V. E. W. A. It is written “13.5%" or “13%4 %.” Q. When was Wales annexed to England>—H. O. W. A. Llewellyn, slain_December 11, was finally subdued. The country was finally annexed to England by the ?Lzaat‘uw of Wales enacted March 19, "Prince of Wales, was | . Q What are Germany's leading in- | dustries today?—J. H. R. |the manufacture of iron and steel products, manufacture of chemical and dye stuffs, textiles and the manufac- ture of toys. Q. public from buying worthless stocks and bonds?—H. A. Norman E. Beck, chief of the division of securities of the State of Ohio, says that since he took charge of the securities department at Colum- bus_licenses have either been, revoked or denied to more than 4,000 firms ana individuals seeking to do business in Ohio. Many of these, however, are still the malls because sufficient proof has not been presented to the United to var- occupations they dislike and for which | States Post Rttt rant the issuance of fraud orders against them. Q. What is a rafale?’—J. F. A. A. It is a burst of artillery fire con- sisting of several rounds, discharged as rapidly as possible from each gun of a battery. Q. Why do stars twinkle?>—K. P. A. The Naval Observatory says that shaking or vibration of their light, caused mainly by the state of the atmosphere, though partly as a result of the color of their intrinsic light. Ordinarily the bright planets are not geen to twinkle, because of their large apparent disks, made up of a multitude of points, which, therefore, maintain a general average of brightness. A star’s light seems to come from a mere point, so that only its rays are scat- tered by irregular refraction; at one | instant very few rays reach the eye | and at another many. | Q. In order to have every one in the Ecountry listening at the same time to ' ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. non-shatterable glass is of | The first | Q. How long has the Pope lived in| pal residence of the Pope since 1377.| proper way to write | D, E. W. 1282, and Wales L A. Her leading industries today are | To what extent does the super-| vision of various States protect the the twinkling of the stars is a rapid | the radio, how many people would have to listen io each set?—S. T. A. Tt is estimated that there is a radio set for every 22 persons in the United States. It would be within the bounds, of reason for every one to hear radios or ride in automobiles at one time,, there being an automobile for each 5.12 persons in the country. Q. Where 1s the tallest buldin the British Empire?—P. U. i A. The Reyal York Hotel in Toronto, gx-mrm'i %hsng‘ to be x‘a e lal butld- g ane e est hotel within th British z:npu'e.gg e Q. What became of the man who first engraved the Lord's Prayer upon the head of a pin?>—K. M. B. A. The Lord's Prayer, €9 words, 397 letters, counting punctuation marks, was engraved in 12 lines on the head of an ordinary pin by Charles Howard Baker of Spokane, Wash. Baker is now an inmate of an institution for blind and insane. The engraving cannot be read without the aid of a powerful | magnifying gla: Baker was at one time an employe of the United States Government in the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. He spent 3 years and 11 days completing this work. The pin at present is the property of Charles J. Seymour, a friend of Baker. Seymour carries the pin from place to place for exhibition purposes. Q. What States of the Union had the healthiest soldiers and which the largest {in the World War?—A. 8. A. Wyoming is s2id to have had the highest per cent of physic: fit drafted men during the World War. The pe; centage was 87.2. The heaviest men in the Army during the World War, a cording to States were Alaska (terrie tory), South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota. Q. What makes paper turn yellow or brown?—E. B. T. . The Bureau of Standards savs that many of the lower grades of paper contain impurities which exposure to light and atmospheri ditions, causing the well known or brownish discoloration. Q. What is meant by bushide’—@. A. Bushido is defined as the unwrite ten code of moral principles which regulate the actions of Japanese knight- hood, the Samurai. Qiz How long has soap been used’— A. Soap both as a medicinal end cleansing agent was known to ancients. Pliny speaks of two kind: hard and soft, as used by ¢! He mentions it as originally invention for giving a bright hue to the hair. It is probable that soap came to the Romans from Germa: Alt] h soap is referred to in the, Old Testa- ment, authorities believe tha’ ashes of plants or other such purifying agents are impliel. The earliest kinds of soap appear to have been made of goat's thirteenth century, how for making scap frc olive ofl was established at Marseilies. Soap m ing was introduced into England during the next centu: T, & factery Q. What is Swaraj?’—M. S. A. Swaraj is the teaching of government by extension. eulture, and political government under na fluence rather than English rul Hindu teacher Gandhi is an advocate of this system. ' Q. How long did Diaz hold the office of president of Mexico®—W. J. W. A. Porfirio Diaz fi became presi- dent of Mexico in 1877. At that time the term was four years and the laws of Mexico prohibited a president’s suce cesding himself. ~Consequently Diaz | was succeeded in 1830 by his intimate | friend Gen. Gonzales, who made way in {1834 for the reelection of Diaz. In the meantime the constitution had been amended and Diaz held office without interruption until 1911. Q. What was the veil of the temple made of in the time of Christ?>—L. E. M. A. The vell bt the Temple of Jeru- salem was precisély the same as the original veil for the tabernacle bu according to the specifications gives | by Moses, of blue, purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. The exact di- mentions of the veil are not given, but it was sufiiclent to cover, without any opening, the entire Holy of Holies, into | which the high priest alone might enter. Ranked as a great orator of the old i school and a man who possessed not- | able knowledge of constitutional law, Joseph W. Bailey, once Senator from Texas and a leader in Congress, is praised by his countrymen as death ends his active career. It is recognized that he was of presidential caliber. Reference is made to relations with the oil interests which touched, tragically, his political life, but his defenders point out that this age would hardly have condemned his course. “Probably no man in the public life of the past half century developed a greater following of militantly loyal friends,” says the Fort Worth Record- han did the former Sena- xas. And none, probably, was opposed by a similar aggregation of implacable disbelievers. * * * Today, those who never swerved in their loy- alty and those who were adamant in their animosities are combined in re- spect for the memory of a man who never turned his back on any man or set of men. * * * In many respects he was characterized as was ‘Old Hick- ory’ Jackson. Contact with him emitted 8 positive or negative ‘spark.’ * L s He was a worthy and notable Texan. As such, he is entitled to the respect of this and succeeding generations.” “Bailey belonged among the magnifi- cent, though perhaps not among the great,” according to the Little Rock Arkansas Democrat, which recalls that “throughout his political career—and his life as a citizen too, for that mat- ter—Joe Bailey commanded attention. While he was recognized as a man learned in the constitutional law, his real ‘strength’ was in his ability as a speaker.” * Kok X “He sérved 10 stressful years in the House and 12 in the Senate,” recalls the St. Louls Globe-Demqcrat, nd during that time his party was in the majority only 4 years in either body. No other member impressed himself more vividly on those in touch with congressional circles during those 22 years.” The Texarkana Gazette states further that “when jie died. his former political foes were among the first to pay him tribute, recognizing that he was one of the great men of Texas.” “He was not of the pale breed which comes, goes and is not remembered by those with whom he served in Con- gress,” declares the New York Times. “His powerful voice, his impressive presence, his fine abilities and his high courage marked him out among his The New York Sun recog- nizes that his qualities “distinguished him even in a period in which the sil- ver wnaua commanded more attention in Pou ics than it does today.” The Buffalo Evening News, calling “a man of exceptional ability,” records that “his name frequently occurred in residential fournal re- ago he was ut, the length and land as the greatest authority on constitutional law this country has produced.” q * k k¥ ey AR Senator Joseph W. Bailey Placed High Among. Statesmen of South Petersburg Progress-Index. “Senator Bailey probably was the best informed public man in the Senate or in the House of Representatives during his term of service at the National Capital, although among his colleagues wes George F. Hoar, Senator from Massa- chusetts, to whom the term ‘walking encyclopedia’ was frequen‘ly appl and John Sharp Williams, Represent ative from Mississippi, whose broad and thorough culture and whese vast store of knowledge on a multipiicity of sub- jects helped to make him famous.” ‘The Syracuse Herald remarks that “his death, following that of Oscar W. Underwood after a brief interval, leav John Sharp Williams of Mississippi only important living representative of the second chronological line of that once famous group of Southern states- men who had occupied the senatorial stage since the Clvil War—political legatees of the earlier Morgan of Ala- bama, Hill and Gordon of Georgia, Lamar of Mississippl, Harris of Ten- nessee, Butler and Hampton of South | Carolina_and_others of their imposing type.” The Boston Transcript finds a similarity between Senators Bailey and Borah, with the conclusion that “the two men were singularly alike, at least in their oratorical powers and their status as exponents of the undiluted doctrines of the Constitution.” * k% % | _ His rigid position as an exponent of | States’ rights is a subject of comment 1 by the Bellingham Herald, the Houston Chronicle and the Tulsa World. The few York Evening World believes that ! “as an advocate he has had few equals {in the entire history of the Senate and no superior his generation.” The Charlotte s _expresses the view “There is none to take the place of man like Senator Bailey, whose bril- liancy as a debater, whose eloquence as an orator and whose satire as a de- nouncer have been the despair of many others who have followed since he left | the halls of the Senate.” | “His career at its very height was suddenly shattered.” states the Roanoke World-News. “Bailey as a lawyer saw no impropriety in accepting client Henry Clay Pierce, oil magnate, and advised the Pierce interests, ousted from ‘Texas, how to get back. * * * Under the storm of disapproval Bailey resigned from the Senate in 1912, endirg his public career at the age of 49, when | the people of Texas were freely pre- dicting he would one day reach the ‘White House. In more recent years & United States Senator has been coun- sel for Henry Ford without a word of protest from any one. For a lawyer Senator to have an oil magnate as his client in 1912 invited a howl that no man then in public office could have withstood. ‘Today it would probably not occasion a le.” “That eclipse was one of the really poignant tragedies in the country’s political life,” according to the Bir- mingham News, while the Raleigh News and Observer concludes, “Most tragic was the life of this great advocate—for such he was—as there is no piece of tallow and beech ash. As eariy as the