Evening Star Newspaper, July 19, 1929, Page 8

8 THE EVENING STAR th Sunday Morning Edition. -— el il ol T WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY...........July 19, 1829 THEODORE W. NOYES. ...Tditor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: 11th St. and Pennsyivania Ave. New York Office .gr,: East 43nd St. Chicago Office: Lalke Michizen Buildine. Furopean Office’ 14 Resent St., London, Enriand: cay 40¢ per month r 60c per month " 88c per month .3¢ per copy de of each mwanth. Oréers mav be sent in by meil or telephone National 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. 1 yr.$10.00; 1 mo.. U1y 36000 1 mo 8¢ \ 80c 11 yrl $4005 1 mo’, 40c 1mo, 50¢ | part such conferences may play in| Member of the Associated Press. » sociated Press is exclusively er titled f0 the nee far veplieation of Al news dis- Celieg evediied 1o it or oot etherwise cred- Papar and nisn tha soral news A1l viehtz nf publication of e nlzo reserved The Tyranny of Propaganda. Mr. Coolidge concerns himself with en uncommonly- timely topie in his latest magazine contribution .to the eum of his country's knowledge. There 4= slender reason to suspect that the former President and Senator Caraway put their heads together for a united frontal attack on lobbies and lobbylsts &t Washington—for the Vermonter ard the Arkansan are not accustomed to see eve to eye. But it 1s a striking colnci- dence that at the very moment Mr. Coolidge tilts vigorously at “fanatical minorities” and their “intimidation of Congress” Mr, Caraway should be Jaunching his drive against lobbylsm en Capltel Hill. The statesman who recently quit the White House launches the arresting thesic that Congress “in its hours of timidity becomes subservient to the im. portunities of organized minorities. TMecause of this situation, Mr. Coolidge ¥olds that “the President comes more #nd more to stand as the champlon of the rights'of the whole country.” The dnevitable result, he points out, is the weakening of political parties, the loss of confidence in Congress and cor- responding growth of executive power. Jn the bosom of such a system; as Mr. Coolidge plainly inttinates, are carried the seeds of a presidential dictatorship, violative of the fundamental principles ©f American Government. Every Washingtonian knows how government by propaganda is progres- gively becoming an outstanding aspect ©f Federal life. The malls are choked with the endlessly flowing stream of pro-and-con literature. With few ex- ceptions the purpose of this Niagara of ballyhoo is to organize minorities, which, Mr. Coolidge rightly explains, “has come to be a well recognized in- dustry at Washington.” Organized minorities are capable, when astutely led and copiously caparisoned with cash, of making Congress believe that they are the voice of majorities. It is yarely that this is 0. All they do is to make more noise, spend more money and emit more mimeographs than Jethargic majorities. Both majorities and minorities have rights, including the right to organize for the influencing of public opinion. The first amendment to the Consti- tution guarantees the people in this privilege “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” But it is not difficult to envisage a situation st Washington in which the intrinsic merits of a cause or a policy will be lost in the shuffle and din of rival propaganda. The basic idea inspiring propaganda presupposes that members of Congress are incapable of thinking for them- _sclves and need to be dopedson high- pressure lines with the merits and de- merits of a given question. It con- jures up a state of affairs in which our national legislators would have no minds except those which were made up for them. P “Who Could Say ‘No'?” Mayor “Jimmy"” Walker's confidently ipredicted acquiescence to run again lgurprised the 682 “non-partisan com- mitteemen” only in the ingenuousness of his nonchalant expression—'"Who could say ‘No'?” Of caurse, a greater statesman than INe disappointed a much larger group of ron-partizan admirers concerning much higher office than the New York mayoralty when he declared—"I do not choose to run.” But then there was considerable doubt for some time whether Calvin Coolidge really meant that under no circumstances would be accept the | nomination—that s, in the public’ mind, if not in his own, But New York's “Prince Charming” leaves no doubt in any one’s mind. . This little act of offering himself ranks Mayor Walker with Cariolanus. w30, in asking for the consulship, urged it extinguishes a blaze. There could not have been even a small decrease in the 1929 fire loss, with the increased number of alarms, had not the Fire Department been efficient. Thus, the reduction in theblast fiscal year in the total fire damage is strikingly im- pressive. It is the aim of Fire Chief Watson to bring Washington's annual fire, loss under $500,000. He has been striving toward that goal since he was appointed head of the Fire Department in 1920. The records show he is making con- siderable progress, but he needs the co- operation of the public to succeed. Carelessness in the handling of matches, cigarettes and other causes of most | fires will not help. e ——— Governors in Conference. There is now in session what may well develop into a supplement to Con- | gress to round out our form of Govern. ment—a conference of governors. In- creasing Tecognition of the valuable reconciling confiicts between Federal and State authority, has been observed ; during the past twenty years. Tt will be recalled that the dynamic President Roosevelt transmitted some of his characteristic force in a con- ference of governors which he called together in 1908 to consider the tre- mendously important subject of con- servation common to all the States, ‘While the conference of governors meeting annually at various places throughout the country appears| through press dispatches to be a round of entertainment in evidence of hos- pitality and in the interests of giving Nation-wide publicity to some particular area, 1t has a really serious purpose of great moment in getting “common counsel” of the executives of each State on Interlocking problems. It affords an opportunity for breaking down sectionalism. and gives the gover- | nor of any one State a first-hand oppor- | tunity to learn the policy and opinlon | | of the governors of other States. It makes easily possible an agreement on general policles without doing damage | to the “State rights” so that there may | be & union of action on vital issues af- | fecting the whole country regardless of State lines. ‘This does not mean in any sense fathering standardized or “fabricated” legislation, but a more understanding, co-operative administration through ex- ecutive authority during the period | of proverbial “legislative delay.” It makes for brotherhood and mutual helpfulness among States. Especially are such. conferences help- ful in combating the network of pro-, tection spun over the entire country | by, organized crime. Some States huve: a uniform extradition act—and the | governors might agree on some com- | mon rule in this respect. It was with | such & view of the governors' confer- | ence that Gov. Roosevelt of New York | addressed his fellow governors on “Co- operation on Crime Problems.” There are also problems of conservation, power development, interstate commerce, flood relief, irrigation, waterway development —important economic problems of gen- eral benefit that can best be solved by talking them over across a round table, and then centering upon them united action., The conference of governors has an | open opportunity to make for itself an| important place in our form of self-| government. e New Twist to an 0ld Trick. "An’old game of soliciting contribu- tions from generously inclined citizens for the alleged rellef of the “Newspaper Artists’ Assooiation,” a body that exists only in the dreams of the clever solici- tors, has been worked with success in ‘Washington during the last few days. ‘The method is simple. The prospective contributor is approached with the con- fidential plea that several newspaper artists, having reached the heights of success in their chosen field, are begin- ning to feel the weight of accumulated years, and if relief from outside sources is not forthcoming they must soon pack together their mean assortment of worldly goods and start over the hill to the poorhouse. The generous impulse to give help where help is needed is followed by & check, and the solicitor leaves with the contributions, while the innocent artists | go unrelieved—a fate that is not alto- gether black, as they did not ask for re- lief in the first place. ‘The only moral of this little tale is that before one invests, even in human kindness, one should investigate. Frauds perpetrated in the name of charity are common. The ease With which they are accomplished is astonishing. Why any one should be intrigued by a story of suffering on the part of newspaper art- ists, who suffer no more than any one | else in these days of weal and woe, is padsing ‘strahge.” Why a contributor would write a fat check—as many of them have—without investigating the | .state of artists and verifying the extent | of their suffering, is stranger still. ' —mo————— Reeping American films out of the “Mine own deserts, ay, and not mine.| own desire.” e Pictorial enterprise has become so famillar that the cameraman and his eminent subject are both liable to look equally bored. Free to visit through Rome, the Pope 15 likely to find nothing more beautiful than his own palace and gardens, e ‘Washington’s Fire Loss. ‘Washington's fire loss in the fiscal year ended June 30, last, reached a total of $1,088,809, a decrease of $12,355 under the preceding 12-month period, according to a report issued recently by Fire Chief George S. Watson. ‘The record, the fire chief pointed out, would have been $200,000 lower but for the destruction by fire of a naval sea- plane last November near Giesboro Folnt, just far enough from the Mary- land boundary to have the loss eharged up-to the District. Such is the frony of fate. ‘Washington, however, rejoices with ‘Watson in the reduction, though in cold figures it appears small. But con- market, will be a difficult undertaking for any European film producer who | proclaims an effort to give his public what it wants. Washington Monuments. Many ‘years ago & small boy was brought to Washington, and during his stay here he saw the Washington Monu- ment, as all visitors do, Today there stands in the city of Minneapolis a great office building with a tower bearing a striking resemblance to the shaft in honor of George Wash- ington. The inspiration of that boyhood visit remained with the man who built that Western building. From the center of the main structure arises a gigantic tower, making the entire strudture at- tain a height 447 feet, worthy of com- parison with its model. Atop the tower is an 8,000,000-candle- power aviation beacon. As that great light beams into the sky it will be a per- petual tribute, not only to Washington, 'both man and city, but also & continual reminder of the power of great things to influence childish minds. 3 Small boys and girls see and hear and THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1929. a future great work of literature will not arise at last from the brain of some youth who stands mute before the Lincoln Memorial? Such influences are never gaudy; they do not arrive with brass bands playing, or with shout and tumult., Such in- fluences are silent influences, yet none the less mighty for their lack of noise. Perhaps the Japanese cherry trees will call forth some unexampled work, begun in a sort of dream by an Imag- inative boy or girl here on a tour from the home town. Already the “Wash- ington Monument of the West” has shown what such influences may do. = ———————— The Moon Rocket. Prof. Robert H. Goddard’s “moon rocket” is in the headlines once more, as the result of an explosion in one of the test shots, This device, upon which the Clark Uniyersity professor has worked for the past fifteen years and which has the backing of the Smithsonian Institution, is by no means a fantastic bid for pub- lic attention. It embodies a sound sclentific principle, which 1s likely to prove of Increasing importance, onee the practical difficulties in its applica- tion have been overcome, The real object, of course, is not to shoot & rocket o the moon. That has been advanced merely as an outside possibility. It might be done, at an enormous cost. Little would be gatned by such a sensational exploit. But the principle embodied in the rocket does offer a tangible prospect of shooting a projectile equipped with recording devices into those regions of | ‘The human voice is slowly but surely i gaining ascendancy in the radio broad: cast programs. The era of the blabber mouth has come. Turn on & receiving set any night, tune in any station, and the chances are 10 to 1 that you will hear a volce, either singing, announcing or making a speech. Now there are many radio listeners who like this sort of thing, and there are many who do not. The writer here lines up with the latter group. ‘We feel that one hears human speech enough every day in the various activi- tles of ordinary life without wanting to listen to it as entertainment. ‘We believe that the human voice re- soupds in so many ways throughout the daf that ho one is under the necessity of listening to songs after dinner, * K K % Songs to us who do not like them are and always have been something of & nuisance. A song must be sung, that is where the trouble comes in. It every tenor were a Caruso and every soprano a Bori, perhaps the thing might not, be o bad. Unfortunately for those who must listen the world is full of tenors who insist on pronouncing “hill” as “hee- yull” and “kiss” as “kees.” Not only are their ideas of words not ours, but they are possessed by positive yearnings to waver and quaver when they should hold the note steady. And then, too, most songs are absurd. ‘There is only one song out of every 1,000 which is about anything but love, :;u: love does grow tiresome, as a steady et. Affection is betler than love, but you would never know it by listening over the upper atmosphere close to the edge | radio. of Interplanetary space. These belong to our own planet, but less actually is known about them than about condi- tions on the face of the moon itself. Some say that they are hot and some say they are cold. There is little agree- ment on the nature of the forces at work there creating the conditions which make the earth a habitable planet. 3 Such an exploration is the primary purpose contemplated for the giant sky- rocket. It seems to offer the only prac- tical prospect of obtaining certain information. But something of even greater impor- tance is involved. The rocket principle is one of the two known methods of propulsion. ‘These are propulsion by pushing against something else and pro- pulsion by pushing against the pro- pelled object itself. The first is illus- trated by almost every type of move- ment known from the wriggling of an earthworm to the fiight of an airplane. | The second is fllustrated by the kick- back of a gun. Experiments with the rocket consti- tute an effort to solve the practical diffi- | culties involved in making use of this last principle of propulsion—admittedly much more efficient than the first—in actual transportation. It holds vast possibilities for the future, — vt ‘The last of the Forepaughs is dend. | The name is familiar in the circus and | its absence calls for some one who will restore the romantic charm of trained animals and the tinsel and the sawdust of the athletic ring. “Big top” merg- ers have given us more, but not always better, circus. vt There may be diplomatic shrewdness in the ability of Ambassador Dawes to concentrate attention on the kind of | pipe he smokes and the sort of trousers | he wears. ———me— After all, Trotsky may be safer off in some corner with his typewriter than he would be in active participation in | the demonstrations Sovietism is pre- paring to make, —— When Thomas Edison propounds a questionnalre he at least gives the pub- lic something more important to think about than a cross-word puzzle. ——————— Regulating theater crowds in New York calls forth plaintive query from some of the producers as to where they are going to get the crowds. ———— Caraway thinks Wickersham ought to resign. As a matter of fact, Wicker- sham is apparently just beginning to enjoy himself. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, New Year, ‘The New Year on a frosty day Came as Old Winter went his way. And so the calendar we've read, Belleving everything it said. In a relentless, hot July ‘We coynt the days, which, passing by, Bring promise of a gentle cheer— This is, perhaps, the true New Year, Getting the Measurements. “Are you a wet or a dry?” “Which are you,” asked Senator Sorghum cautiously, “an accommodat- ing bootlegger or a political worker?” Jud Tunkins says the comic plctures ought to quit holding a spite against the | farmer because he can't always appear well dressed and handsome, Evolution in Business. On Evolution, in repose ‘We pause to think. “The Chain Store system will disclose No “missing link.” Motoring. “Do you ever try to drive from the back seat?” “No,” answered Mrs. Chuggins. simply shut my eyes and hope for the best.” s “We give advice to youth,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, * find its preciousness squandered along with youth itself.” ~ Relgning Influence. They- tell me what I ought to eat With erudite persistence. ‘The advertising that I meet Now governs my existence. “I's. gettin’ mo’ respect foh de old- fashioned straight ragor,” said Uncle Eben, “when I hears ‘bout de way & rough party kin be broke up by a sawed- sideration must be given to the fact |realize much more than they are given | off shotgun.” that the loss for the entire year was fower than the 1928 fiscal year, despite credit for by their elders. There is no telling just what will influence a child o One More Move Left. @ large increase in the number of fires. | that is why only the best examples| prom the Waterbury Républican. The real gauge of fire-fighting ef- |should be familiar to them if possible.| The Ku Kilux Kilan's: headquarters ciency is in the promptness with which . the Pire Department to an alarm and the effectiyeness, which ‘The National Capital possesses many noble and gigantic influences of this sort. 'Who is there who can say that have moved from Washington to At- “I| who To hear the singers sing, one might think that all young ladies were turn- ing down their sweethearts. Love—in songs—is invariably tire- some, heart-rending. Lovers long, pine and yearn; they are always separated, or about to be separated. Only the man in the moon sees the young lady, and he is so far away that he _couldn’t kiss her if he wanted to. Besides, he doesn’'t want to. He is a hard-hearted Moon Daddy, or some rot and drivel, which no respectable moon would want to be at all. %% And talks! —somebody else is talking. Every afternoon the air fairly bolls with base ball. Now base ball is a great sport. No one would say a word against base ball. No one does, at any rate. This is & sports nation, at the present writ- In% and base ball is the major sport. ven golf hasn't quite overreached it as vet. ‘To be forced to listen to base ball every afternoon, whether the radio own- er wants to or not, from every one of | the three local stations, we must submit, is wrong. A radio {sn't like a newspaper, a book | or & magazine, which one may read or not read. just as he pleases, or in which | | the rest go. | ._Over the radio the listener takes what | 1s coming in. or he must turn the whole thing off, or tune to another station. | And every radio “fan” knows that often | as not, especially duripg hot weather, the only stations he can get satisfac- | torily are the locals. | General in the cabinet of ard ‘Taft, of whom Theodore Roosevelt sald on & famous political nccasion that Taft “meant well, feebly.” i monest comment on Law Enforcement | Wickersham's prohibition i is that he “means well, | Nobody—wet or dry—is will- ing to take the witness stand and say just what Mr. Wickersham is driving at. Another criticism of the encyclical to the governors' conference is that the | suggested division between Federal en- forcement and State enforcement is as old_as the hills. What may be de- scribed as a universal “reaction” to Wickersham’s proposal is that it can, and will, get exactly nowhere. Merely mention the word “modification” of the stead act, as Congress is now consti- tuted, and you encounter on all hands the conviction that any tampering with the liquor .laws is about as remote a probability as an sirplane landing on the moon—even more 0. * % 2k One of Congress’ most distinguished and potent drys, who became a Hoover fm!lgonus'. in 1928 largely be- cause of his confidence in the Cali- fornian’s proHibition views. is disap- pointed that Chairman Wickersham didn't tilt straight at what the states- man in question holds to be the Ethi- opian in the enforcement woodpile. He thinks that what is fundamentally wrong with enforcement is the inactivity of United States attorneys in the various Pederal districts. He goes further, and affirms that with few exceptions district attorneyships in the States are not in the hands of the right kind of men, for prohibition purposes. They are far from being fired, he declares. with the evangelical zeal necessary. He does not think they should be prohibition fa- natics, or take their cues from the Anti- Saloon League catechism. But he is convinced that in countless jurisdic- tions, where liquor-law violations are chronic and unchecked, the fault can be traced to district attorneys’ offices. * ok ok % It's an open secret that a good many of President Hoover’s dry supporters are chafing under the failure of enforce- ment to be speeded up. They can be heard lamenting that.conditions are no better than they were under the Cool- idge administra . They acknowledge that Mr. Hoover has really only got going, and that his first four months in the White House have found him pre- occupied with a variety of trials-and tribulations. But time is flying, from the drys’ impatient standpoint, and the prediction can be hazarded that sooner or later they'll be clamoring for ‘re- sults” at Mr. Hoover's hands. Some of them haven't forgiven him for under- rating the importance of prohibition in his lated Press speech at New 1af ceoun cant 8 per cent of ok k o There’s & tiny blue-eyed beauty of 4 tender years over at home of “’r% 3d e iens. & cheistentng | distinetion nly to | Faf 10| and one absence & If somebody isn't singing—over radio | he may read what pleases him and let | ‘The' com- | eighteenth amendment and the Vol- | Myer, | 1 Cavalry, U. 8. A, hington, THIS AND/THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL, Picture a tired business man who manages to get home early some after- noon. Instead of going to the golf links, he thinks he will go home and listen to a little good music over his new radio set. It i= a good outfit. All music comes in well on it. but especially orchestras ‘n?d l;m ‘The organ, too, comes over gentlemen, Gooseé Goslin is now com! to bat. He swings at it—one strike. high, wide one. One ball. One strike on the Goose—" ‘The business man in search of music turns to another station. Evidently the telegraph service feeding that station is slightly slower, because he hears the same thing over again: “The Goose walks up to the plate. He swings at the first one, and misses. That's one strike. Now he is waiting— here comes & high one—it’s a ball. One strike and one ball on Goose. Hopefully he turns to the third sta- tion. “Goslin hits the ball for & long fly to center field. The side is out.” Now this is fine. But the business man happens to know that there are at least 50 radio sets within hearing, and that “o'rl\‘)y m}_: L-lrl :wh"r; of them are turned on. om 18 a! perspiring descrip- tion being put on the air !org 5 He wonders. * k% % After dinner, he believes, things will begin to pick up. He has not reckoned, however, with the.demand of the great mass of the populace for songs. The people want 'em, and what the people want the radio managers will give. Yes, sir. Yes, ma'am. More and | more songs, until every other number is vocal. It would only appear snobbish to de- clare that the taste for songs is more elemental than the liking for instru- mertal music. Just as popular music of various types floods the ether, so the song, in solo, quartet or larger combination, fills the air channels. ‘Try it tonight or any night and watch |the songs come rolling in from East, West, North and Seuth. Even the old standard “hours” have falln for this tall talk menace and | are varying their program—that is what they say—by interpolating vocal offer- ings between their instrumental num- TS, Well, so be it. These things go in waves. But before we forget—this is not all of it. Announcers gradually have been talking more pointedly and lengthily about ’ the products which have bought time on the air. Recently we listened to an excellent | dissertation on salads between Drdla's “Serenade” and one of the Strauss waltzes. We Jearned that the women of America are turning more and more to | salads and that nowhere can salad es- | sentials be bought more becomingly | than at the stores behind this program. Well, 50 be it. When the American | people get their ears full of songs. hurled into them nightly by bassos, baritones, sopranos, contraltos, quar- tets, choruses, etc., they will be glad to return to the great moving orchestras, | the mighty bands, the ingratiating trios, | to the piano, the violin and the cello. In | the meantime, we who like instrumental music, because it better answers the need of the human heart, mind and | soul, will bear quietly with the spout- ings of talk and song until this edu- cational period is over. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. George W. Wickersham was Attorney | throwing up a $50,000 law practice on | William How- | Manhattan Island for a $5,600 job in | Washington. * %% It won't be long now before the | faithful among the Democratic women of the country will be reorganized into a phalanx of battling Amazons for the 1930 congressional election. The | missionary work is to be resumed under | the direction of Nellle Tayloe Ross, | former Governor of Wyoming, who was | in charge of women's activities at Ras- | kobian headquarters in New York dur- | ing the late unpleasantness. Mrs. Ross will work in eo-operation with, if not under the direction of, Executive Com- | mittee Chairman Jouett Shouse in | Washington and the potent peddler of | Democratic publicity, now so effectively on the job, Charles Michelson. Mrs. | Ross_hopes to make vast thunder with the Republican tariff's designs on the household budgets of every lady in the land. | * * * K Nearly evervbody in Washington, and presumably just as many out in the | United States, are smiling over the | free “ad” which the new baby $10 bill is giving a popular brand of automobile. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, when it designed the 10-spot, denuded the Fifteenth street side of the Treasury Building (which picturizes the reverse of the $10 note) of the street car tracks which are in the street, and sub- stituted in the foreground an unmis- takable 1920 model of a certain buggy. Treasury officials are quoted as saying it was sheer accident. * ko ok Representative Florello H. La Guardia, independent Republican, has rolled-up his sleeves in New York in an intensive effort to the Republican-Fusion nomination for mayor. His fate will be decided at the city convention on August 1. The stalwart, black-haired. scrapping Congressman is just back from Hot Springs, Ark., where he re- cuperated from an operation for re- moval of his tonsils, and reports him- self in top-hole fight trim. La Guardia formally opened p.lfl.ln a banquet speech at the Re- publican Club of New York this week. cam- Champion Commuter Missed Train Twice From the Providence Evening Bulletin. Chiapman of Katonah—now that he’s famous the place that helped make him Kitchener of Khartum or Casey of Mudville—has done s brave thing, lay- ing claim as he has to the world's com- muting champlonship with 1,046,938 miles of travel to his credit. There will. be mighty commuters by . [ the dozen right around him to arise from the worn plush seats and push him from the place of honor. For this is the commuting age wherein hundreds tient, sedentary gentlemen devote thelr lives to travel. Chaj of Katonah has devoted al- 0st four solid collecting cinders in his ears and think- ing about things. He could have been to the moon and back twice, and would at this very moment be half way back there had duty called him thither. He is. & slave of duty, a most faithful servant, -averaging but two tardinesses year. ‘We have no doubt that his record cely. He turns on one station. “Ladies and I | | | .| Public Should Guard 8o is justly afixed in his title, like = !'basis. Just how much the development {of the mail service has never been de- Intense Rdys of Sun Swell Codfish Crop BY E. E. FREE, PH. D, What is probably one effect of the unusually intense uitra-violet rays re- ceived from the sun during tWe’ three years between 1925 and 1927 is now bringing happiness to Norway. The happiness is over an unusually large catch.of codfish, expected to prove the largest made in 8 decade. It is prob- able, 100, that the percentage of vita- min D, which gives to cod liver ofl its recognized value in medicine, will be high in the oil obtained in this year's fish. This vitamin is known 'to be created by the ultra-violet rays. The codfish are supposed to obtain it from the myriads of tiny plants and animals which grow in the ocean and on which the fish live. Ultra-violet rays are be- lieved to stimulate the growth and mul- uguumm of the microscopic plants which live in the upper levels of the sea water and manufacture food by absorb- ing sunlight, just as the larger plants do on land. There are millions of these tiny sun-catching plantlets in each glassful of surface sea water. ‘Their numbers increase when the sunlight is intense, especially when it is well sup- plied with the invisible ulera-violet rays. During the three years when these rays were plentiful the sea pastures were probably Juxuriant also, so that the growing codfich had ample food. That accounts for the heavy catch of fish this year, as well as for the plentiful supply of the vitamin presumably now inside the livers of the codfish and on its way into this year's crop of ol Postal Accounting Is Urged to Aid Hlls From the Kansas City Journal-Post. ‘There are doubtless several reasons for the large postal deficit, aside from | J. the Tetroactive Increase of pay to the raflways. ‘The bill to shorten the hours of mail employes, passed over President Coolidge’s veto, was another factor. The air mail is not yet on & remunerative of the parcel post has added to the cost termined with exactitude. There have been necessary increases of pay through- out the service. Nor has: there been such a readjustment of rural free de- livery contracts as improved condition of the roads would seem to warrant, in Whis age of motorization. But there is one flagrant failure, for which Congress is to blame, which pre- vents a satisfactory atudy of the facts. Reference is made to the Government franking and the lack of detailed facts as to the extent of this free service. It may well be argued that every service done by the postal system is proper and necessary. But there is no defense of the lack of accounting which prevents a study of all the facts to a de- tremination of just what causes the deficit. Until there is a real accounting. there should be no contenancing of a roposal to raise postal rates, either on re!ter! or on other classes of mail. Here is a situation which should ap- peal to the efficiency experts. Th should not seek to find either new pot tal revenues or new economics until the facts are ascerfained. Much revenue has been lost. through changes in sec- ond-class mafl rates. Tons of matter are distributed by freight and express and then nm-ue«if because of these changes. ‘The country suffered much from un- wise economics practiced by Postmas- ter General Hitchcock and his successor, Mr. Burleson. It will not stand for any more penny wise and a pound foolish ex- periments. The mails are a public service, with no attempt to base charges on the exact amount of service rendered. But until the costs are ascertained and distributed. the deficit cannot be dealt with intelligently. e Close Fuel Estimates Held Risky to Flyers Prom the Schenectady Garette. Partial success of the flight of the Pathfinder to Europe impresses again upon us one of the essential needs in undertakings of this nature. Time after time we read of aviators forced down because of lack of fuel. It is to be assumed that most. if not all, of the flyers who have started on | transoceanic voyages have estimated in A& scientific manner the amount of gasoline needed. To do this they would | figure the distance, with so many gal-| lons required for each 100 miles. As weight is a big factor, they would | naturally keep this down as much as possible, although probably taking an extra supply as a precaution. | Herein may lie a solution of some of the failures, of the mysterious disap- | pearances of airmen seeking to span i the ocean. y took a Treasonable | supply of gasoline, which proved to be | inadequate. Far from land, with mno ! <hips at hand. they fell into the water | and_ultimately sank. Williams and Yancey took enough fuel, they supposed, to carry them to Rome. Instead, they were forced to land a thousand miles from their goal. On the same basis, had they planned on a flight to Spain, they might have been forced down a thousand miles at _sea. | It would seem that, in the interest of | safety, arrangements should be made to carry enough fuel, in addition to| liberal eestimates of the amount re- quired, to carry them at least 1,000 miles. This may call for larger planes or for the discarding of other things to_counterbalance the added weight. | But obviously it would be merely the precaution of the man who does mnot wish to risk his life unnecessarily. The following the custom are certainly tak- ing needless risks. - Against Forest Fires Prom the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. ‘With the most severe forest fires in years raging in the Western timbered areas, resorted to the extreme measure of rigidly restricting the privilege of camp- ing in national parks. In five States for areas owned by the Government have been closed to campers, with only pproved permanent camps excepted. Thus much of the freedom of the na- tional forests is taken away and much of the public opportunity for enjoying the of refreshment and recrea- of the carelessness | J of a few. ‘The action of the national parks de- partment carries & threat which should drive home to the American public. More and’ more we are getting into the outdoors in the Summer months. lions of automobiles carry city folks out into the great park for a very valuable “return to nature” every the National Parks Service has|be ANSWERS TO QUE STIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. ‘What do you need to know? Is there some point about your business or per- sonal life that puzzles you? Is there something you want to know without delay? Submit your question to Fred- eric J. Haskin, director of our Wash- ington Information Bureau. He is em- pioyed to help you. Address your in- quiry to The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, ‘Washington, D. C., inclose 2 cents in coin or stamps for return postage, Q. Has a Democratic President en- tertained a Negro at the White House? A. Karl Phillips, 8 commissioner of conciliation in the Department of La- bor, says that Grover Cleveland enter- tained Frederick A. Douglass and C‘.,l H. J. Taylor during his terms of office. . Q. How made? R, 3 A. The Bureau of Standards says that waterproof drawing ink is a sus- pension of carbon black in water in which is dlissolved shellac and borax. The followipg formula may be used In 1,000 parts by weight of water dis- solve by gentle heating 28 parts of shellac and 7 parts of borax. Let this cool and filter off ‘the wazx and sediment. The solution is colored, but this will not be noticeable in a thin film. Bleached shellac does not dissolve well unless freshly prepared. Q‘.l W’hm is Robert E. Lee buried?— 'A. 'The tomb of Gen. Robert E. Lee is in the chapel of Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va. n, Q. Does the statute of limitations define the time from a time a note is given or from the time & note is due?— . M. T. A. A statute of limitations begins to run from the date on which the note becomes due and not from the time or date from which the note is given. Q. If a glass skylight Is painted green will it reduce the temperature of & room?—W. F. K. A. Painting the skylight with a highly reflecting paint. such as white, will_reduce the temperature. White would be more effectve than green. Q. How old are the catacombs of Rome?—E. A. P. A. They are long underground gal- leries which have existed certainly for more than 2,000 years. They have ex- cavations in the sides for tombs, or. in many cases, ledges or niches, in which human bones were stacked or piled. Q. What is Bon-Matsuri?>—M. C. A. _One of the most important of the Buddhist festivals is that called Bon-Matsuri. This is in honor of the spirits of the dead. It commences in the middle of July. is waterproof drawing ink S. H. Q. Please give me the official loca- tion of .the so-called corner stones in our survey system. Were the originals just placed on section lines or were they closer together?—E. K. A. In the regular plan of surveying the public lands, corner monuments | were established on the section lines at intervals of 40 chains, ur one-half mile, for section and quarter-section corners, alternately. Corner monuments were not established in the interior of sec- tions, but the sections were subdivided by protraction on the approved plat, in accordance with well recognized rules and regulations under the governing acts of Congress. In certain instances the sections were subdivided in the field, and corners were established to identify the various legal subdivisions. ‘This procedure was followed in the sur- vey of the lands within certain Indian reservations. Due to local conditions, corners have been established at inter- mediate distances on the section lines to function as witness corners, witness” points, meander corners, etc. @ What does & firc cater tise o keep" | his tongue from burning?—s. W, A. Different methods are used by fire" eaters to keep the tongue and hands’ from burning. Some rub the skin of the parts to be affected with hard soap, the tongue included, and over that a layer of powdered sugar is placed. Others use - 2 solution of 2lum, or liquid storex. i | Q. How is the age of a turtle B | mined?>—H. E. F. £ ree dete A. There is no sure way in which to determine the age of a hard-shel] tur- ,Ue. In most instances the plates are examined closely with & microscope and {on these plates there can be noticed | scale expansion. This scale expands as | the turtle grows, leaving a ring .of growth. These gs are counted the same as those of a tree, Q. When did education become com- pulsory in the United States?—L. G. A. Compuliory education | United States occurred first | chusetts. As far back as 1642 the sel | men were enjoined to compel par 1 teach their children themselves or to procure teaching for them. The fol- | lowing list shows the dates at which ;’;‘ several States enac ucation legislation: Massachusetts, | 1852; District, of Columbia, 1366+ ves: mont, 1867; New Hampshire, Michigan, Washington, 1871; Connecticut Mexico, 1872; ; Kansas, C: 1874; ersey, 1875 Wyoming, 1876; 'Ohi 1877; Wisconsin, 1879; Rhode ' Island Illinols, the Dakotas, Montana, 1883 Minnesota, Nebraska, Idaho, Colorado, regon, . 1885-1890; - most all States. STy Augel Q. Should an apostrophe s the word hers?—P. E. ik G . An apostrophe is never used with the possessive pronouns, < 3 TR , its, ours, hers, Q. What will th e Pair' in 1933 celebrate? e 5" £ e A. It will celebrate the 100th anni- versary of the incorporation of the place. It was Incorporated in 1833 ag a town with 550 Inhabitants. Q. Do key?—B. A. The song of birds, like the notes of most, if not of all, other 1 in a minor key. e 9 What 1s best for chigger bites? Maine, New birds sing in & major or minor 0lm‘;n' otlh ch;ggvr wounds ¥ ed in e destruction -of the flea while imbedded in the wound. | This was done by applving various in- secticldes or pticking with a needle, the | dead insect being removed after ul- ceration. A much better method is to | enlarge the entrance hole of the fiea and remove it at once. The wound chould be dressed and protected. A good ointment consists of 215 grams salieylic acid and 10 grams ichthyol in 10 grams of vaseline. BathiAg of in- fected areas with kerosene is also rec- ommended. Q. How is the word comptroller pro- nounced?—D. C. 2 s A. The “m” has the sound of “n" | This 15 the usual official spelling. but {originated in & false derivation from eompt. ‘Postal Deficit Is Attributed Largely to Abuse of Franking Discussion of President Hoover's de- | it can be made virtually seu-motunz‘ cision to investigate the Post Office De- partment deficit discloses pride in the efficlency of the department and eral feeling that the official g privilege and political handicaps are responsible for its failure to be on & self-supporting basis. Speaking of the franking privilege, the New York Sun say “If Congressmen had a postage allowance, like their sta- tionery allowance, instead of frank, we should have less of this legalized graft. Let the President investigate the frank- age waste and try to do away with it. After that it will be easier 1o deter- mine whether or not new postal rates are needed to end the annual defi- ciencies.” “Postmaster General Brown estimates that from now on until 1935,” explains the Indianapolis News, “the shortage in regular receipts, measured with bursements, will average $85.000,000 each 12 months, not including expendi- tures planned for new post office bul ings. ~An allowance for them is pected to bring the annual deficit up to $120,000,000. President Hoover has di- rected that & survey be made, with a view to economy. It is to be hoped that the examination also will include a fair and lucid report on archalc auditing practices. Hundreds of thousands of tons of matter are handled each year without any charge. The avalanche of franked documents includes the output of Congress and other Federal agencies. None of these divisions make an allow- ance of money to offset the cost. Stranger yet is the fact that those su- pervising the postal machinery are not permitted to take credit for the gratu- itous service..* * ¢ Heretofore there has been too much loose talk about the advisability of raising charges to post office patrons.” “Announcement of the President's purpose,” according to the Waterbury Republican, “reopens the long-debated question whether or not the postal service should be made self-supporti The fact that in practice it has been made 8o suggests that the stronger opinion inclines to the belief that the burden of its support may not unjustly spread more widely than it is pos- sible to spread it by compelling imme- diate users of the mails to bear its whole weight. The postal service is a vast national asset, responsible in very large measure for the general prosperity of the Nation. Millions of people share in this prosperity who contribute but trifles to the support of the service. That they should help to support it through general taxation is not un- jusf ‘A remarkable sample of efficiency” is seen by the Richmond News Leader, That paper reminds the public that “it is rarely that a man fails to receive a letter addressed to him” and that “the average man feels that he is getting his money’s worth in his dealings with the mails.” The Willlamsport Sun ad- vises the Government to “make the de- partment pay for itself if it be pos- astic emasculation éarns | sible, but not by dr: years of his to travel— | to four solid years riding day and night, | the destroyed nor to have them become a menace to private timber property through the carelessness of those for whose pleasure they are designed. areas, own L ‘The timbered es of I ,| able” showing are mention San Antonio Express: upward the postal workers’ wage scale; the air mail service, operated at a loss by the Government, was expanded greatly during the year.” The believes that “evidently the Pres! intends no radical departure from time-honored practices. Reorganization efforts will be directed rather toward and be operated without a defbit, that will be something accomplished, but should not be achieved at the expens of good service.” As to {bilitles in this direction the Detroit Pree Press offers the judgment: “The ablest busi- ness man in the country could not make a success of the mail carrying with his hands tied by a political body | that dictated what he mlggg charge for | carrying other people’s mail matter and forced him to carry its own for nothing. Congress can make or break the postal service, as a business enterprise.” Forecasting efforts that may be made, the Spokane Spokesman-Review holds | that “it is hoped, first, effect econo- mies wherever possible; second, to in. crease, if possible, the volume of mail handled, and third, to secure cheaper contracts for the transportation of the mail.” The Spokane-Review expects | the President to “demand all the facts first,” and advises that “until these are organized in a systematic manner, it is impossible to work out any sort of & solution.” The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle also is convinced that “the hope seems to lie in the elimina- tion of waste, in greater efficlency and in details of management for which the President’s trained mind is especially ui] L N“I?rémx;mlbly the old question of rais- ing rates will come up again,” says the Cleveland News. “There should be very little objection, provided the additional charges are put on the parcel post or other patrons o long given more gerv- ice than they pay for, rather than on newspaper or magazine traffic, long ago subjected to rate raises or zone systems expensive enough to make it avold doing business with the Post Office De~ partment as far as possible. Such sec- ond-class traffic is already charged all it will bear. Number of Lynchings Decreases This Year Prom the Anniston Star. Alabama citizens interested in the preservation of law and order should note with gratification that this State continued on the honor roll of States with no lynchings during the first six months of the year. It has been some’ time since Alabama has had its record stained by a mob murder, and let us hope that we shall for all time in the future remain free from the humiliation of a lawless act of that kind. ‘The four lynchings recorded last year occurred in Southern States, which we regret. -We wish that we might have been told that there had been no un- lawful killings of this kind in the South this year, but we have not attained that ideal condition as there was a decrease of one this year in’ comparison with ffih:d &m}:};{ -r:‘; e I e e reoora of 1025, 1826 and 1927. g Jordan’s Book on Descent Is Viewed as Huge Joke i Prom the Dos Angeles Evening Express. eral| eliminating waste and increasing effi- | recentl: clency.”