Evening Star Newspaper, May 31, 1929, Page 8

{THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY. THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Sta: Bust mce: r Newspaper Company n 11th 8t. New York Chicago Office: European Office: England. he City. 53 per month 60c per month 85¢ per month Rate by Carrier Within t| The Evening Star . .4 The Evening and Sunday Star (when 4 Bundays) & The Evening &nd Sunds? Star ( 53) ta ? Collec'ion madt hd of cach month. Orders may be sent in by mail or telepnone Main 5000, Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. DeMty and Sunday....1 yr.$10.00: 1 mo.. 88c Daily only, 131, $6.00: 1 mo., S0c Sunday only . 15 $4.00; 1 mols 40c | All Other States and Canada. | Dally and Sunday..l yr. $12.00; 1 mo. $1.00 ¢ Daily only - 1yr. $8.00; 1 mo. T5c Sunday only 1 yr, #5.00; 1 mo. S0c Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled | o the use for republication of ell Tews Fiiches cradited to it or not othersise cred; ted in this paper and also the local news | published herein. All rights of publicaiion of special dispatches herein — also reserved. | President Hoover Demands Action. | President Hoover has never spoken | with greater decisiveness and deter- | mination than when, in his Memorial day address at Arlington, he called upon the nations to translate their disarmament professions into deeds. Tt | was a stern demand for action, in the spirit of the Kellogg pact, that (lww‘ President uttered in the midst of an| uncommonly fine tribute to America's soldier and sailor dead. There was the Lincolnian Gettys- burg touch about Mr. Hoover's affirma- tion that these men “died that peace should be established. Our obligation is to see it maintained.” That is a challenge directed to the whole world and one that cannot easily be ignored unless statesmen had their tongues in their cheeks when they signed on the dotted line of the covenant to renounce war as an instrument of national policy. The President proclaimed his re- fusal to believe that such hyprocrisy dictated the forty governments’' con- demnation of “recourse to war for the solution of international controversies.” Mr. Hoover holds that the civilized peoples of the earth meant it when they solemnly agreed to settle their future disputes or conflicts, “of whatever na- ture or origin,” exclusively by “pacific means.” In the President’s judgment, never- theless, the Kellogg pact pledges must be followed by positive action in the field of naval reduction if the pact is not to become a mere scrap of paper. Amid peace Mr. Hoover envisages the nations building ever higher the fabric of war in the form of “new life-de- stroying instrumentalities.” These must stop, soon, now, forever, the President roundly asserts, unless that “greatest of human calamities—fear” is not to be perpetuated, and become the mother of another devastating catastrophe like the World War. Mr, Hoover, as might be expected in a statesman of his practical mold, does not confine himself to pious gen- eralities. He outlines the “new pro- gram” for accomplishing naval reduc- tion which his administration is spon- soring. It is a program, he tells us, designed to abolish “limitation up- ward”; & vivid thrust at schemes which ‘would curtail armament by adding to it—and to find the “yardstick” by which countries may remain provided with legitimate naval strength on the “relativity” basis. ‘The President at Arlington clarified one thing regarding which there has been some confusion in the popular mind. The public has wondered whether the Hoover plans call for merely future limitation of construc- tion (or the basis of the Washington treaty of 1922), or includes, as well, making inroads on building programs already authorized, but not yet com- pleted. The President yesterday stated categorically that “our goal is actual reduction of existing commitments to lower levels.” That can only mean that Mr. Hoover contemplates eventual slashing not only of the United States Navy's battleship replacement pro- gram, but also of the new cruiser pro- gram enacted Dy Congress a few months ago, It goes without saying that the President visualizes no action by the United States, in the realm of reduc- tion, that is not paralleled by other navies. Mr. Hoover is thoroughly sound on national defense, zealous though he is for disarmament. He specifically advocates “just prepared- ness for the protection of our people.” But he is adamant in the conviction that the principle of “relativity” can be so invoked that, while guaranteeing to all peoples a full quota of adequate strength at sea, they can at the same time be relleved of the crushing tax burden of swollen armaments. ‘The President of the United States calls upon the Einsteins of naval statesmanship to devise the yardstick of relativity that will point the way to new hope for war-satiated mankind. 1f they fail to do so, it is plainly Mr. Hoover's feeling that the future holds only travail for the world. Happily, he declines to succumb to any such coun- sel of despair. In his resolve to see results achieved lles hope of disarma- ment progress. —————————— To some estent the enjoyment of a holiday is mpasured by the competence of the traffic officers. o A Needed Rechristening. The subject of a proper permanent name for so-called “Iowa Circle” has again come into the deliberations of the Towa-Thomas Circle Citizens' Asso- | ciation. In fact, this topic seems of late seldom to have left these deliberations. Three recommendations are in the field: One that the present name be retained; a second that it be changed to Mayflower Circle, in harmony with a proposed garden there to honor the Mayflower pligrims, and a third that this plece of parking take its name after Gen. John A. Logan, whose statue adorns it. For som> time members of this asso ciation have discussed the establishmes of a special garden to be distinguished from the parkway surrounding ihe of tooth exiracion in the light of big success. | visitors. statue. has been adopted by the organization. Sponsors-of the proposal wish to beau- tify the tract and at the same time cs- ...May 31, 1929 [tablish a memorial to the Mayflower passenger list. Hence “Mayflower Cir- cle” for a name. Other members point out.tHat other circles and squares in the Capital bear the name of the patriot memorialized in statuary within their boundaries and, if any change is to be made, they con- sistently urge “Logan Circle.” That a change should be made, and that this change should be made to “Logan Cir- cle” will undoubtedly be the thought of the great majority of citizens to whose minds occur such titles as Thomas, Sheridan, Scott, Dupont and Washing- ton Circles, Farragut and McPherson Squares, Pulaski Triangle and numer- ous others. . Just why the circle at the intersec- tion of Rhode Island and Vermont ave- nues is called Iowa Circle has long puzzled many local residents and many Whatever the reason may originally have been, it is today value- less in View of the virtue of consist- ency. Iowa avenue is far away. The difference of opinion existing within the assoclation has finally resulted in the appointment of a special committee which is expected to investigate the en- tire subject. May its verdict fail to be reminiscent of the remark of the prond parents regarding their recruit son, “Everybody is out of step but Jim!” —.—————— Bridge Hazards. H. R. Howser, assistant engineer of bridges, has complained to the Com- missioners against the speeding of street cars over the P Street Bridge. Mr. Howser declared that the cars usually traveled twenty to thirty miles per hour over the bridge, when the speed allowed is twelve miles. Should one leave the rail the woodwork of the bridge would be unable to hold the car back, he said in the report, which has been turned over to the Public Utilitles Commission for action. It is declared that the company has been appealed to to hold down the speed of the cars, and that strict orders had been issued to the motormen on the subject, but that the orders had not been obeyed. Much the same condition exists on the Dumbarton Bridge, a block north, at Q street and Rock Creek, used by busses of the same company. This bridge not only is placed almost at right angles to Q street, owing to the bend of the stream, but is a curved bridge divided in the center. These factors make slowness of ap- proach and crossing necessary, but on | the contrary speeding is the rule, both by public vehicles and private cars. Flimsy iron and wooden rails to right and left offer little protection. The sides of the bridge are of concrete, seemingly solid, but ten feet of it was knocked out several years ago by a light vehicle. ‘The practice of busses, which in reality are five-ton trucks, crossing this peculiar bridge, with its curve, its nar- row roadbeds and its situation in regard to the street itself, at speeds varying from twenty to thirty miles, constitutes a daily menace to passengers. ‘The co-operation of public utilities, the commission and the Traffic Bureau ‘would go a long way toward preventing possible accldents on these closely re- lated bridges. X Mr. Hartman Is Seated. In taking his oath of office today Mr. Hartman enters upon his duties as a member of the Public Utilities Commis- sion with the good wishes of the com- munity he now must serve. Little known in the Capital except for his fine record in other flelds, his opportunity to es- tablish himself as a valuable public servant is great. Both he and Gen. Patrick, who soon will follow him by taking the oath of office, have the de- cided advantage of undertaking their labors at the outset in the possession of the confidence of the community. In the very beginning of his term Mr. Hartman is confronted with the death of the much-fought-over merger agree- ment, which expires tomorrow. In agreeing to the merger the transporta- tion lines committed themselves only until June 1. But the impression must not be allowed to stand that the cor- porations have sacrificed themselves, and that in failing to take advantage of this sacrifice the public has lost something and will live to rue the day. A new merger agreement will be born, with the rights and the convenience of the public as its progenitor. It will live 1o bring the economies of operation and efficiency of service which are so de- sirable from the standpoint of both the corporations and the public they serve. ‘The failure of the first agreement materialize can be written off the bool as valuable experience gained for future application. ¥ ————————— In contemplating the absolute neces- sity of some understanding for peace, it cannot be overlooked that even the death of a brave young goldier is some- thing less of a calamity than the poison gassing of an entire metropolis. — e Summer Dentistry. The first thing a great many people do when they prepare to go away for the Summer is to visit the dentist. It is a sensible rule. It should come before the selection of the place, or even the time, because an aching tooth can spoil any vacation. Now that the annual outing season is at hand, many a person will find that there is more connection between Sum- mer and dentistry than he at first sus- pected. It is notoriously difficult to find a good dentist at the seashore or in the mountains. Such cares are supposed to have been given consideration before the vacation- ists left home, and woe to him who did not when he wakes in the night with an old-fashioned jumping toothache, or an ulcerated tooth. ‘The dread of going to the dentist still lingers in the land, not only among the ignorant and unschooled, but also among thousands of persons in high places. It was & fear instilled into men and women of past generations, when oper- ations were painful and scientific den- tistry was in the making. Dental surgery, however, has kept pace with | the advance of other sciences and has | long been out of the comic stage. The great trouble is that so many { people do not know it T A proposed bill to this effect THE EVENING the standard vaudeville stage “jokes," when the truth is that a patient actually is not aware when the offending molar is extracted. The old joke about dentists should be abolished, for the fear element in con- nection with it is mostly mental, and largely unnecessary, in the light of mod- ern science. The profession itself might do more than it does to show the fool- ishness of fearing to go to the dentist Such proper propaganda would be bene- ficial to dentists, patients and society in general. . “Locking the Stable.” An increasing number of fires occur- ring in vacant dwellings in the suburbs of the city call renewed attention to the age-old necessity of “locking the stable before the horse is stolen.” Stables have given way to garages, and horses to automobiles, but theft and incendiarism are still in the land. A number of so-called mysterious fires in vacant houses recently proves it. The practice of realtors and others leaving houses unlocked is a bad one in theory, and often cnough is in practice. It makes things easier for the prospec- tive purchaser, who may walk in any time he happens to sce a house with a “for sale” sizn on it, but on the other hand it constitutes carclessness with valuable property. To leave a brand-new home, which cost up into the thousands of dollars, wide open for any Tom, Dick or Harry to enter at will, might seem to be either too great a trust in humanity or indif- ference to facts. Neighborhood children quickly be= come aware of the fact that some en- terprising builder has furnished them with a splendid and costly playhouse, and they are quick to avall themselves of the opportunity. In one twelve thousand dollar home in the Chevy Chase territory recently chil- dren had smudged up fresh paper, broken a window, taken all the Keys, and in other ways damaged a home Jjust completed. Probably the least critical purchaser would have demanded that this beauti- fully finished house be done over to put it in “new house” condition. And yet it was new from top to bottom. ‘There are scores of such houses wide open throughout the surrounding sub- urbs. It would seem to the average person that simple regard for one’s in- vestment would require that they be locked up to avert the danger of theft of plumbing and of fire. ———raee Ships that carry merchandise are more valuable to civilization than those which carry guns. Yet the guns are so expensive that they compel the users of merchandise to pay extra for the things they require. et It has remained Col. Lindbergh's privilege to demonstrate that a man may be famous without the assistance of the camera—If he gets the right kind of a start, ————— New York politicians show an active loyalty to Al Smith which indicates that Tammany will in a few years be prepared again to take the trail and make war-whoopee. ————— A canoe is supposed to be a light pleasure boat. It has a bad record and may ygt demand some system providing for a licensed pilot. ————— Motor accidents on Memorial day will call for more flowers to honor those who sped into danger in order to honor the heroes that the world: acclaims. — e Lady Astor has established the formula “Ladies First” in British politics, ¢ ———————— Human nature is persistent. Even the stock market authorities cannot make gamblers quit gambling. o SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Holiday. A Holiday! A Holiday! 1t called us thoughtfully to stray And seriously to contemplate The worth of the departed Great. A Holiday! A Holiday! The speed began at break of day ‘To gratify that longing queer For Somewhere Else instead of Here. A Holiday! A Holiday! ‘The motor cops stood in dismay Where cars engaged in some wild dash ‘Were lucky if they did not crash. At night the woeful, weary man | Insurance policies would scan | And with sad irony would say, | “A Holiday! A Holida; | Looking for Light. “Why do you devote so much time to the discussion of debentures?” “I want to keep my mind on the sub- ject,” answered Senator Sorghum. “If I keep talking about them maybe some | one will come back at me in & way that will show me exactly how they would work out.” Jud Tunkins says there’s not much to the fact that somebody thinks he can use you in his business. December in Summer. Once more the fire-fly's drawing near And in the grove we gladly see ‘The lights that make the oak appear More glorious than a Christmas tree. Making A Distinction. “Are you going to take up flying?” “Possibly,” answered Miss Cayenne. | “And risk your life trying to beat a | record?” | “No, I may be ‘air-minded,’ but I'm not hare-brained.” “He who gives much advice,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “is fortu- nate if he can show that his affairs have profited by his own wisdom.” Efficiency in Art. Press Agencies now handle News in a curious way. They don't suppress a scandal, But try to make it pay. “When dis stidy of law violation gits down to details,” said Uncle Eben, “maybe we'll gt to an understandin’ of why so many Sunday dinners is largely composed of bootleg chicken.” It’s All a Mix-up, m the Roanoke Times People who own ginger ale stock have STAR. WASHINGTON. D. C, Those who take the English language 50 seriously that it ceases to be a mat- ter of enjoyment to them, and becomes instead only something in which to detect errors, ought to read Logan Pearsall Smith for the good of thein souls. In his book. published by Houghton Mifflin Co. in 1925, Prof. Smith, in the section de- voted to popular speech, touches so well on this matter one is tempted irre- sistibly to quote it. “To many readers the use of local at works containing dialect, and do not see why, with the great and copious vocabulary of standard English at their command, writers should fill their books with uncouth words and phrases.” Before proceeding further, let it be noted that “reluct” is an intransitive verb in good standing in both the great English and American dictionaries, yet the chances are that 100 readers out | of—well, 100, would be inclined to ques- | tion it. : No one, however, loss to understand exactly Smith meant. In other words. the Eng- lish use their own language just a little bit better than we of America use it. Their vocabulary in daily use is larger, more varied, but in using more words they are never pedantic, and this is well illustrated above. Even an illiterate person would know exactly what Prof. Smith meant when he said “they reluct at works contain- ing dialect.” It is sound usage because it is appropriate, direct. and is instantly explained by its context. PEE Our author continues: “And yet the instinct to echo and reproduce ‘popular and dialect speech is a sound jand healthy one; for both the peasant and the literary artist employ, after all. much the same kind of language: both are concerned more with life and idiom than”with the dictioharies and the rules of grammar. “Both wish to express their feelings when they speak. and strive to clothe their thoughts with flesh and blood and make them visible to their hearers. A writer cannot create his own language; he must take what society provides him, and in his search for sensuous and pictured speech he naturally has re- course to the rich and living material created by generations of popular and unconscious artists. * “Here he finds an energetic and pic- turesque language, rich in images and irony, and full of a zest, a joy in life, which are of priceless value to him. This zest, this eager interest, is em bodied in hundreds of terms and phrases of good-natured contempt and humorous _vituperation; in_expressions of surprise and amazement and wonder: and it is owing to their irresistible good spirits and rude energy, the rollicking way they have with them. that so many ‘low' words find their way into our drawing rooms " It is interesting and wholesome to be reminded of the fact that both peasant and the literary artist employ much the same kind of language. It is true. The purpose for. which they employ it is different, and the way they use it is different. but the language is much the same. “Both are concerned more with life and idiom than with dictionaries and the rules of grammar.” Here we have a clean distinction, which all who worry much about being ‘“correct” might take to heart. Life and idiom go together, and to get the one a few mistakes, now and then, are easily tolerated. “A writer cannot create his own lan- guage.” He must take it as he finds it, and is a fortunate man if he carly gets the idea firmly planted in his mind that life is greater than the dictionary and idiom than the rules of grammar. would be at_any what Prof. and the mock thing. He who writes with gusto, though he make mistakes, is to be preferred to the dant who is so careful to get every “which” and BY FREDERIC Gen. Herbert M. Lord, whose res- ignation as director of the budget takes effect today, has received the following letter from President Hoover: My Dear Gen. Lord: T regret intensely to accept your resignation as director of the budget. I realize, of course, that it is not possible for men to continue in Gov- ernment service at the remuneration the Government affords, and that I have no right to call on you for fur- ther sacrifice in the face of the op- portunity that has come to you to provide some savings against old age. I do wish to take this occasion to voice the debt owed to you by the country for your devoted and able service and the high appreciation you have won throughout the Gov- ernment in the conduct of your office. Yours faithfully, HERBERT HOOVER. Gen. Lord will enter the service of Arthur S. Kleeman & Co., New York investment bankers, as chairman of the board of one of their new subsidiary organizations. Perhaps they'll call him “Dr. Lord” in Wall Street, for Tufts College is about to confer its honorary LL. D. upon him in token of his meri- torious career in making ends meet for satisfaction in a friendship that is due | Uncle Sam. o ke President Hoover and the Republican organization of the voteless District of Columbia have made peace. The White House henceforth will recognize the local G. O. P. central committee's right to recommend appointees for Federal offices in Washington. Throughout the Coolidge 27 ministration and to date in the Hoover regime Republicans resi- dent on the Potomac have found no Hoover this week was the fact that, dis- franchised though they may be, Dis- trict Republicans come handsomely to bat with the sinews of war in presi- dential campaigns. In 1916 they put up some $25000 to help elect Hughes and their contributions in subsequent campaigns ran to as much as $55,000 or $60,000. In 1928 District of Colum- bia Republicans maintained at their own expense headquarters that cost $10,000, exclusive of the money handed over to the party's national war chest. More than 50,000 men and wome! visited the headquarters and 30,000 were supplied gratis with registration blanks and notarial service enabling them to vote in home States by mail. * Xk # Distinguished European journalists in Washington this week as guests of the Carnegie Endowment for Interna- tional Peace were much interested in the crusade of Washington newspaper men to abolish secrecy in Congress. Such things as executive sessions of European parliaments, the visitors de- clare, are unknown in the old world, and would not, they are confident, be tolerated. In France, once or twice during the war, the French Chamber and Senate met behind closed doors, but in piping times of peace the legis- lative affairs of European countrics are transacted, without ekception, amid pitiless publicity. * % % Well, bedtime stories and church bells are going to be cheaper under the Hawley-Smoot tariff act, anyhow. Among the few revisions of the Ford- ney-McCumber law downward are low- er rates on children’s books and caril- lons. Fairy tales for the kiddies are to come in at a 15 instead of a 25 per cent duty, while chimes will pass the customs house at 20 instead .of 40 per cent. One of the most vociferous kicks likely to be put up over the skyrocket ing effects of the Hawley bill cancerns the increase from 45 to 70 per cent or surgical _instrument “Words and Idioms.” | terms is often tiresome, and they reluct | The | difference is just that of the real thing | place at the patronage pie counter. | One of the things they laid before Mr. | : ; This_inevitably | They stiil think every reason to consider prohibition almeans dearer operations for appendi- ,, cius aad longlitis, mmwm@;wwwmwum THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. ] “whom” and verb correct that he has no time left for anything else. e There can be no desire in such re- flections as these to uphold poor gram- mar, or vulgarity, or clodhopper Eng- |lish. The sole idea is to point out what |is not so commonly understood, that learned men who have made the largest | investigations of the components of | English speech have the largest toler- ance for variations. They do not | “throw a fit” over the split infinitive, as many school teachers do, but show you | where the split infinitive was a favorite truction with some of the greatest ers. They will show you, if you are inter- ested, that “it's me” is mot incorrect, use. Of the latter Prof. Smith points out that “with an interposed noun (as |in_‘this man here’) it is still current | colloquially, though rare in literature; |it appears in Comus: ‘And first behold this cordial julep here’” We hope no reckless reader will Tush awav to talk about “this here man,” or “this here | automobile,” but if he does he may at {lcast put up some defense for his | conduct. | " “It's me” was mentioned in this col- umn last week. with the comment that popular usage in millions of homes is sanctifying it. “It's I” has always seemed pedantic to us. We are there- | fore happy to be able to give the fol- |lowing _(through Prof. Smith) from Prof. Sonnenschein's English Grammar": It’s me’ is not incorrect, although it is uncertain what the explanation of the usage is. Perhaps the form ‘me’ may due to the same reason as leads the nch to use ‘mol’ in sentences like | ‘Crest moi.” Both the French ‘moi’ and | the English ‘me’ were originally ac- cusitives, but ‘moi’ has come to be used as a special form of the pronoun in va- rious constructions, sometimes for the | nominative, sometimes for the accusa- tive, and sometimes for the dative. And | the’ same may be true of the English ‘me’.’ We do not know how the reader feels about it, but it makes us mighty hap- | py to read ‘such a defense of our old friend “It's me!” When some one calls “Who is that?" our old-time preference is for “It's me!” To use “It's I" always makes us feel almost as absurd as we do when we crawl into a rumble seat or out again. “New S Did you know that “fun.” “clever’ and “stingy” were considered as “low’ words in Dr. Johnson's day? Prof. Smith points this out: at the | same fime he shows how the accepted language, the English familiar to the educated classes, is never absclutely uniform, but is in reality four different kinds of languages at any one given | time. There is the language of colloquial talk, the vernacular of good conversa- tion, the language of written prose and the language of written poetry. - Slang words come from the lowest rung, that of colloquial speech. “Sports- men pick them up from grooms and gamekeepers, children learn them from servants, masters from their workmen; they drift from stables and gardens into drawing rooms: and wherever the edu- cated and the uneducated meet and talk | together on easy terms new words, {resh from the popular speech, are add- ed to the vocabulary of the educated classes.” Such words at first are regarded as vulgarisms, Prof. Smith points out, and shock the ears of the polite, but soon undergo a sifting process. Some of them push their way through talk to familiar letters, then into easy prose, and a few at last into poetry. The gist of it all, it seems to us, is that there is no telling what an honest word may be some day, so let us withhold our frowns and ac- cept it if it is forceful, picturesque and colorful and reasonably free from utter vulgarity, | | WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS WILLIAM WILE House was boosting the cost of surgery, the national committee on the cost of medical care was holding its biennial meeting in Washington under the chairmanship of Dr. Ray Lyman Wil- bur, Secretary of the Interior. The committee is in the midst of a five-year inquiry as to why it costs Mr. and Mrs. Average Man so much to keep well or get well in America. The House has given one of the reasons. * ok ok % If the Democrats of the twelfth dis- trict of Pennsylvania can have their way the widows’ bloc in the House of Representatives will receive another ad- dition in the person of Mrs. Sarah C. Casey of Wilkes-Barre. She has been nominated to succeed her late husband, Representative John Joseph Casey, who recently passed away. Organized labor has taken up the cudgels for Mrs. Casey, especially the union miners and the railroad brotherhoods. The miners have declared a holiday on June 4 in order to get out a big vote for the widow. Thomas M. Pierson, senior vice pres dent, retired. of " the Telegraphe: Union, has taken charge of Mrs. Casey's campaign, which has been indorsed by the Pennsylvania Labor Party. The late Representative always looked upon_his wife as his cloest coadjutor in Con- gress. * k¥ % Senor Don Alejandro Padilla, Span- | ish Ambassador to the United States. | has a unique hobby. He is a collector | of rare pipes. The Madrid envoy’s study in the embassy at Washington is filled with scores of pipes from all countries in the world, each with a history and a value of its own. Some of them are of priceless material. Senor Padilla prizes most highly of all, he tells Amer- ican friends, a couple of underslung pipes presented to him by Ambassador Charles G. Dawes, the man who made up-side-down smoking fashionable. The Spanish Ambassador has another foible. He's trying to make the Washington embassy as Spanish as possible in atmosphere. He has succeeded admi- rably in one respect—in building a patio out."of tiles manufactured in Spain and arranged most artistically. ¥ gy When the senior Senator from Cali- |fornia_and Mrs. Hiram W. Johnson took dinner at the White House the other night, along with the rest of President Hoover's home State delega- tion in Congress, something more than an official pleasantry passed into his- tory. It marked publicly the apparent end of the ancient Hoover-Johnson feud which began in 1920. Senator and presidential candidate formally buried their differences early in the 1928 campaign. Johnson was a candi- date for re-election; Hoover, for snomi- nation as President. Their respective forces entered into a sort of tacit un- derstanding that no knives would be used on either side. Now peace reigns between the two Californians, though. perhaps, not of the brotherly love brand. | (Copyright. 1920.) et And Poor Puns. From the Helena Montana Record-Herald. And among the poor that are with us always is poor coffee. - For a Year, at Least. From the Toledo Blade. Al Capone says he “is willing to live and let live” The sentiment seems to be satisfactory to his jailer. FRIDAY, MAY 31, 19 Sugar Tariff Raise | Is Held Unnecessary | To the Editor of The Star: 1 have read your very interesting edi- torial in The ‘Star of May 20 on the subject of “Sugar Dutles” and I wish to call your attention to one phase of the sugar schedule as prepared by the ways and means committe, which so far has not called for much general attention from the public. I refer to the “little joker” in said measure, which. apparently, has been inspired by the large sugar refining ir- terests—"sugar trust” and affiliated in- terests—of this country. In addition to the proposed import duty of 3 cents per pound on raw sugar of 96 test, there also is to be calculated | the one-half cent per pound “addition- al” duty to be placed on sugars of 100% purity (refined granulated sygar). This to protect the poor refiners of the United States. When Europe in general and Germany in particu a few years before the World War, pro duced a surplus of sugar and exported some refined sugars into this country, an added duty was placed on same, io | nrotect our refiners, which was only | fair; but at this time Europe does not | produce sufficient sugars for its own | requirements, and practically all the | 1efined sugars now entering this coun- | try, in amount negligible, are produced in Cuba in one refinery. which belongs | to the Hershey Manufactiging Co. of Hershey, Pa.. most of sald ‘ugar being used in their own chocolate manu- facturing business, therefore, the pres- ent differential duty above mentioned. and which still obtains as a_protection to the refiners, is more than ample without the proposed addition. If the new sugar schedule is adopted, the American housewife will find her- | self in {he following position, when she buys 100 pounds of granulated sugar: One-hundred and six pounds of 96 test raw sugar is required to produce 100 pounds of refined. Cost of 106 pounds of raw sugar at 21; cents per pound in Cuba Freight on same United States at 11 cents ... Proposed duty of cen per pound on raw—106 y | $3.19 re- Total import duty.. $3.71 Cost of refining, _including present large profit Cost. and profit of grocer in distribution of today . 1 $9.64 In other words, the housewife will have to pay more than 91; cents per pound of sugar which today costs her about 7 cents, and today the refiner demands $1.42 for refining and profit, when $1.25 would be ample. If imported sugars were free of duty the housewife would save nearly 3% cents per pound of sugar. The housewife and friend husband doubtless will be willing to contribute something Teasonable toward protect- ing the legitimate “home sugar pro- ducer.” but will they willingly pay a additional bounty to the “sugar trust” when knowing that it is making large profits with the duties as now ruling? American sugar 6 per cent bonds now are quoted at $103, so the producer apparently is not suffering very badly. GEORGE P. ANDERTON. e Destruction of Birds By Humans Deplored|r To the Editor of The Star: Should cats be made to wear bells? I think this is a dangerous and cruel punishment to a cat, as often in trying to wash themselves they get their teeth caught in the string and suffer untold agony. To save birds must we exterminate cats? Boys destroy more birds than cats do. They are encouraged in this by their parents allowing them to have guns and air rifles, calling it clever for them to go hunting, killing and destroying the ! mother birds, leaving the little helpless babies in their nest to die. Others rob the nest of the eggs and the young ones. Men, too, enjoy shooting and trapping the little, helpless creatures, calling it sport. No one dares fo interfere with this, but let a poor, hungry cat catch a bird | to eat and they will go so far as to stone or shoot and kill her—for the very thing they would be guilty of. Cats have been domestic animals and assoclated with man for at least two thousand years, and this fact should de- cide the question. Birds are plentiful and happy where there are trees and shrubs enough left for their nesting places. It is only in the towns where most of the trees have been cut down and they have no places provided for them to nest that they are scarce. So, to begin with, T would say that for the protection of birds more should be done in the way of preventing boys from robbing nests and from owning air guns and from getting licenses to shoot. In this way much harm and suffering could be spared the innocent little crea- tures, EMMA C. PAYNE. o Scientists to Search For Unspoiled Feet| BY E. E. FREE, PH. D. Two leading American institutions are sending a scientific expedition all the way to Africa partly to find a bare- foot boy. The kind of boy that science needs is one who is a boy no longer, but who has lived all his life without being anything but barefoot. Such a person cannot be found in America. Young children may go barefoot here, but before they reach adult years cus- tom or pride intervenes and they put on shoes. Even the wearing of shoes for only a day or two a week is likely, the scientists belleve, to alter the struc- ture and relations of the muscles and ! bones in the foot. For that reason anatomists suspect that very few of them, if any, have seen or studied a human foot in absolutely natural con- dition. In_Africa, on the contrary, there are large tribes of natives io whom footwear of any kind is utterly unknown. There it will be possible, the leaders of the expedition expect, to find, photograph and measure thou- sands of natural human feet, these measurements being expected to prove valuable in interpreting the evolution of man and his relations to apes and other animal species. The expedition, which will sail this month, is being sent Jjointly by Columbia University and the American Museum of Natural History, both in New York City. Dr. Henry C. Raven of the latter institution will be the leader. The foot studies, together with other scientific work, will be di- rected by Dr. William K. Gregory, also of the museum. s, Foolish Question No. 1.276.023. From the Sioux Falls Daily Argus-Leader. President Hoover acquired a black eye while on a fishing expedition. It'5 a safe bet that some one has already asked him, “What does the other fellow look like?” e e Button, Button! From the Muncie Morning Star. The State fox hunters have chosen the site for their annual session, noth- ing remaining but the little detail of finding a fox. vt It Could Be, All Right. From the Cleveland Ne Business man and his stenographer were found shot dead in an automobile. But, then, bandits might easily have done 1t. v It's Expensive Either Way. i the Asheville Times. vs Possible. From the Worcester Evening Gazefte. The German position on reparati to be that they haven't the mark: cash payment and that installmen: gt ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERI This is a_special voted to the handling of inquiries. You have at your disposal an extensi or- ganization in Washington to serve you in any capacity that relates to infor- mation. Write your question, your name and your address clearly. and inclose 2 cents in coin or stamps for reply Send to The Evening Star Information Bureau. Rrederic J. Haskin, ‘Washington, D. C. Q. Arc Olive Palmer and Jessica department de- | Dragonette one and the same?—H. A. A. The National Broadcasting Co. says Olive Palmer and Jessica Drago- | neiie are two different persons. Q Why was Eddie Rickenbacker call- ed the “Hat-in-Ring A —C. N. A. Rickenbacker belonged to the 9ith Pursuit_Squadron, 1st Pursuit Group, which had as its insignia a hat in a ng. This mark was first used by sident Roosevelt. Later, his son was a member of the 94th Pursuit Squadron which took this emblem. Q. When entering a British port. does an American cargo ship fly a British flag?>—F. T. A. Morchant ships fly two flags. On the foremast is the flag of the port to which the ship is bound. and on_the stern mast the flag of the ship country is flown. When was the church at James- Va., built>—W. O. H. A. The cxact date of the erection of the church in Jamestown, Va.. is not recorded. It was probably finished in the year 1639. Q. How large is Pokagon Park?—N.C. A. This State park in Steuben County Ind., was created in 1925 and contains { 700 acres. Q. What 1s the average height of men and women in the United States? —J. G. A. There have been no statistics com- piled as to the average heights of men and women in the United States, but the Public Health Service states that approximately 5 feet average height of a man, and 5 feet 4 inches is the average height of a woman, Q. Does Chicaga lead in number'of murders .committed?—H. S. A. In 1928, Chicago stood first in number of murders committed—498. But Detroit, with 228 murders, has among our largest cities, a higher rate per 100,000. There the rate is 16.5, while in Chicago it is 15.8: Clevelan 13.3; Philadelphia, 8.8; New York, 6. Los Angeles, 4 Q. What are the Sinclair oil interests worth?>—R. W. A. The Sinclair oil interests are worth about $500,000,000. Approximately 18,- 000 people are employed. Q. When did the censorship of pub- lications begin?—P. P. A. Probably in 1503, when the Ve- netian Senate charged Musurus, “the greatest scholar of the age,” with the task of exercising a censorshif® over all Greek books printed in Venice with reference particularly to the suppres- sion of anything inimical to the Roman Church. Q. Did our earth have the same movements 500 million years ago?— M. F. "A. The Naval Observatory says that it is believed that the solar system has director, | 8 inches is the | C J. HASKIN. existed in approximately its present form for many millions of years: but from |our present knowledge on this subject we cannot state what may have been its condition at any definite period in |the remote past, such as 500 million | years ago. A recent estimate, found |in “Astronomy,” by Russell, Dugan and Stewart, gives the earth’s age as po: some four or five billion years. but ubject to future revision if other in the problem become known supposed that the day was fo merly some ter, and the mo nearer the earth than | Q. If a man rides in an open car at the rate of 20 miles an hour against a 40-mile wind, would the resistance be the same as a 60-mile wind against the car standing still>—E. D. S. A. The Bureau of Standards that the resi: ce will be the same, What is the difference between | distilled water and boiled water?- A M A | Distilled water is water that is nearly pure. The water is turned to vepor and the vapor condensed. Prac- tically all of the salts and chemicals are left behind, so that the condensed vapor is nearly pure. Boiled water con- ins the same chemicals in solution hat it contained before. Q. What is smoke?—W. F. C. A. When materials burn they give off a certain amount of gas. This gas | becomes visible by the presence of small particles of carbon, products of the combustion, and is known as “smoke.” Q. Is Louis Bromfleld married>—B. A. A. The novelist is married and has two young daughters. | @ What was the debt owed by this {country at the close of the American Revolution?—L. H. A. The national debt was $80.000,000 | when the United States Government | was formed and the debts of the col- onies brought together. | @ what is the area of Chicago?— | 3. McC. Its area is 198.997 square miles. Q. In what State are the most an- | imals grazed on national forests? S. | In 1928 Colorado led for caitle | and horses. 289.302 grazing on national | forests. while Idaho led for sheep and | goats with 1,321.980. Q. Having no food. would a person keep alive longer on wine or water?— T. CEE A." The Public Health Service says that a person can Jive longer on water than on wine. because wine, unless di- Juted with water, would not satisfy his thirst. . Did any horse ever win both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness? —P. B. A. Sir Barton. the 1919 winner, is the only one which has won both Derby and Preakness. What caused the pottery and sutuaay of ancient cities to be buried? A. The burial of pottery and statuary of ancient cities has resulted from vari- ous circumstances. In many cases the city has merely decayed from age and collapsed. Destruction by war has been a frequent cause. Natural events, such as earthquakes and storms, etc., have also played an important part. Uncertainty Still Surrounds Effect of Rail Valuation Case Far-reaching principles and possibly many millions of dollars involved in the decision of the St. Louis and O'Fallon Railroad valuation case caused the sub- ject to attract the attention of the entire business world. The initial in- terpretation of the United States Su- preme Court’s opinion was that it re- quired valuation of railroad properties to be based on cost of reproduction, and this caused widespread fear of general increases in freight rates. Later, when it was found that cost of reproduction was to be only one factor in valuation, different views were expressed, With many analysts taking the position that the question of the decision’s possible effect on rate-making is still very much in doubt. One section of the press suggests the possibility of.congressional action. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says: “With the Interstate Commerce Commission now reversed by the court, on the declaration that in its valuation it erred in not taking present costs into con- sideration along with other pertinent facts, there is consternation among some. They fear that the railroads have been given a free hand for mak- ing their own valuation, with the effect of putting up rates. But there are two common-sense views that must prevail. Regrettable as it would be if the large volume of work done by the commis- slon in valuing railroad properties should be lost, it obviously is para- mount that right principles be followed. If an error was committed, there is nothing left to be done but to correct it. The second consideration is that if the situation demands it. Congress has a simple remedy for dealing with it through amendment or revision of the transportation act.” * ok ok ok The prospect of intervention by Con- gress is suggested also by the Chicago Daily News, the Buffalo Evening News and the Rock Island Argus. The Littie Rock Arkansas Democrat maintains that “rates already are at the very top of what the traffic will bear,” and the feeling that there will be no change in rates on account of the decision is veiced by the Seattle Daily Times, the Indianapolis Star and Columbus Ohio State Journal. “Rates never can be based on more than the traffic will bear,” declares the St. Louis Times, -while ‘the Brooklyn Daily Eagle argues that “an effort at this time to bring about a general in- crease in railroad rates would work to the detriment of the railroads.” The Flint Daily Journal points out that “the commission’s work in making the valu- ation must be brought up to date, and this, it is estimated. will require at least three years.” What is more, the Louisville Courier-Journal feels that “it is not probable that the Supreme Court intends that there shall be a severs upward revision of the rate structure.” “No formula with physicial valuation as its dominating factor, whether it be of original cost or of reproduction cost” says thé Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, “has ever produced a satisfac- tory result. The Supreme Court has at no time said that either is to be reco nized as a controlling and positive fa tor. It is axiomatic that other factors must be taken into consideration. In the final analysis, the determination is as to a reasonable return on investment and that basic factor can most properiy be determined by the records of original paid-in capital, of bond issues, and of earnings plowed back into the enter- prise instead of being distributed as dividends.’ It is assumed that there must be further appeals to the court in the val- uation problem, by many papers. among them being the Madison Wisconsin State Journal, the Fort Wayne New Sentinel, the Kansas City Journal-Post, the Richmond News Leader and the Cleveland News. R “It is not expected,” in the opinion of the Fort Worth Record-Telegram. “that any serious economic disturbance will follow the verdict, because of the latitude covered. The Interstate Com- merce Commission will merely be com- Mr., Dawes’ pipe and picturesque vo- | cabulary, it seems, are not the onlv( means by which a' Vice President can &4 into the news, pelled to broaden its scope of inve gations to permit of the points down, after whi~h the right of appe: 8s usual” Ll “The court has not required higher valuations,” thinks the New York Times, “but merely full observance of the lJawful method of ascertaining them; its judgment that the commission had not adequately observed the law in that regard is based on formal statements by the commissioners themselves.” The Baltimore Sun, however, contends: “The chief concern of the public is that the carriers shall be maintained on a finan- cia: basis that will attract to them what capital they need to enable them to take care of the transportation inter- ests of the country. If the result of the O'Fallon decision is to expedite the scheme of railroad mergers, urged 8s an essential step in accomplishment of this aim while giving the public the benefits of better and more economi- cal service, it will have done something to solve the railroad problem.” The Charleston Evening Post asks: “What guarantee is there that the rail- roads will not seek to take advantage of the decision to improve their earnings, or why, for that matter, shouldn't they?” A similar position as to possi- bility is taken by the Omaha World- Herald with the added suggestion that “the decision stands as an eflective barrier against future demands for 19“" er rates, and against the ‘recapture’ of excess earnings by the government. The finding of the court, in the judg- | ment of the Portland Oregon Journal “will recall the Hoover proposal and pelicy for improvement of inland water- way transportation lines.” o Lifl]:l{ope ¥s Seen For Army-Navy Foot Ball From the New York Sun. The report that Representative Hamil- ton Fish has lald before Secretary of War Good a compromise plan for the renewal of relations between West Point and Annapolis foot ball teams should not inspire any hope of an Army-Navy game this Fall or even in the Fall of 1930. Foot ball schedules are drawn up too far ahead to permit that to happen. There is, in fact. no reason to believe that this move will mean much more | than_any of those that have preceded |it. The board of visitors on the occa- | sion ‘of their recent visit to the Naval Academy deplored the break between the two service schools, but. as has been the rule since the break came, the wish that it might be healed was expressed in such a way as to imply that West Point must eventually vield to An- napolis. There has been no disposition | at the Point to abandon the Army posi- tion on eligibility; indeed, it has been s0 completely taken for granted that it would not be abandoned that there has been no discussion of it since the Army- Navy games came to a halt. The Army-Navy game used to be re- ferred to as a “classic of foot ball” and the “most colorful spectacle of the year” and the like. In retrospect, how much have cadets, midshipmen and the public Jost? Few from the last mentioned group ever managed to get tickets for the game: if there was public enjoy ment of the game it was largely vicar ous. Army and Navy now meet many strong rivals on the gridiron; the in- tetest in the Army-Notre Dame for one example, is just about as ds interest used to be in the Army- Navy game. A generation ago Wrst Point had a superintendent who de- claimed against the service games: this was the first known jeremiad against “overemphasis.” Whatever the present feeling at Annapolis is, there apparently is strong sentiment at West Point in favor of consistent support of the old position on_eligibility. This does not encourage the present faint hopes of reconciliation. ———————— Champion of Champione. From the Boston Globe. The champion in_self-control is the man who laughs at his own jokes when some friend tells them to him. A Wonderful Opportunity. From the Wo:cester Evening Gaze Why docsn't some Broadway producer take a leaf from the past and put on & “Ten Nights in a Night Club’2