Evening Star Newspaper, October 31, 1929, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Editien. WASHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY.....October 31, 1020 THEODORE W. NOYES. . ..Editor The lvmh..shr Newspaper Company ana Pennsylvanis Ave. Sffce: 110 East 420 d Lake Mi ilding. 14 e 62;"'2.’“1“’661 Eng Rate by Carrier Within the City. 1 43¢ per month "ne per month 85¢ per month 2d Sc ner copy at'the ent ach month. nt in by mail or telephone wew Dotk icago rovean Ofic Rate by Mail—Payable in Maryland and Vir, atly and aily only junday only Advance. nia. All Other States and Dally and Sunday..1 yr., $12 3! all unda; Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is cxclusively entitied to the use for republication of &il rews dis- atches credited to it or not otherwise cred- ted in this paper and also the local news published herein. All rizhts of publication of pecial dispatches hereln are also reserved. _— A Conference Failure. ‘However partisans of either the Army or the Navy may feel about it, the public 1s distinctly disappointed by the news that a conference between the heads of the respective service academies re- garding the resumption of foot ball re- lationship has failed. Meeting in Gen. Pershing's office yesterday, Rear Admiral 8. 8. Robison of the Naval Academy and Maj. Gen. Willlam R. Smith of West Point tried in vain to reconcile the differences which have disrupted athletic contests between the two schools. The Army's position is that any student at West Point who is proficient in his studles should be al- lowed to play on the gridiron, regard- less of his earlier collegiate competition. ‘The Navy has insisted upon a three- year eligibility rule, which is now in effect in the majority of colleges throughout the country. The confer- ence broke up without an agreement being reached and with no time set for & future meeting. Unquestionably merit exists on both sides of the controversy. Under the ‘West Point regulations a man may play many years of college foot ball, possibly three years before he enters the academy and three years .after- ward, This results in older and more seasoned players than the Navy can muster. The Army's contention on this point is that there are seven hundred less students at West Point than there are at Annapolis and that this fact should be taken into consideration. The Navy's stand is that all other colleges with which it engages in foot ball combat have the same eligibility rules and that despite. peculiar condi- tions existing at West Point in regard to the age of the student body the Army should follow the lead laid down by the majority. The Navy can see no fairness in sending its young team forth.to do battle against a team that may be composed of players of sev- eral years' experience on the gridiron. Despite all of the pros and cons of the argument public sentiment demands & resumption of this significant an- nual contest. While there may be over- whelming justice on one side or the other of the controversy, the public can- not forget the fact that these are Gov- ernment institutions and that the s#me considerations do not epply as o pri- vate colleges. The Army and Navy game is a spectacle that has thrilled thousands year on year. It stirs the patriotism of all who witness it and it furnishes the players who participate with that clean competitive spirit that is so essential in the building of character. For this reason another attempt, or several more, if necessary, should be made to patch up a quarrel that is as distressing to the public as it prob- ably is to the cadets themselves. President Hoover has indicated that he desires that the two teams resume their schedules. The public has given emphatic evidence of the same desire. No stone should be left unturned there- fore on the part of the two academies to settle their differences. An Army and Navy game should again be played at the first possible moment. ——————————— “Sol” and “Luna” have both been proposed as names for the new thir- teenth month under the calendar re- form plan. Their brevity recommends them, but why not have it agreed that no bills will be rendered on its first day and call it “Moratorium”? —_— ———————— Bonds With Belgium. The recent opening of the Belgian Art Exhibition in the Corcoran Gallery of Art here in the National Capital has proven as pleasing an international event as could be imagined. Arranged for some time ago by the Belgian Am- bassador, and happily spousored by & President and a King, it will uadoubt- edly prove another bond between two already friendly peoples. It is a genu- inely amicable international gesture and worthy of emulation, for the more one racial group knows about any other, whether it be its politics or its art, the better friends they will be. Not the least gratifying aspect of the affair is that it is but the first of several simi- lar foreign showings scheduled for both sides of the ocean by the European and American Art Committee, under whose auspices it is presented. The United States will return the compliment in the near future. Following an extensive showing here the display in question will tour other art centers, with the result that resi- dents of this country interested in art will gain an adequate idea of the recent artistic progress and the ar- tistic tendencles of a people with whom they feel more than ordinarily sym- pathetic. - A remarkably large proportion of the paintings presented are exceedingly modernistic—more so, perhaps, ‘than any hitherto shown in Washington. Some of them, to the person of av- erage intelligence and imagination, are practically inexplicable. The sculptures and specimens of graphic art are, how- ever, much more conservative and, it may be frankly sald, much more beau- tiful. The question arises as to why 80 large & proportion of paintings of such character were included, and if the present showing is truly reflective of the relative importance of conserva- tive and of radical art in Belgium. Those who should know state that it is; that no country has gone further in its enthuslastic adherence to mod- ernistic standards, and that out of & hundred pictures no other ratio could be hoped for, because in Belgium the conservative artists are today as little esteemed as they are few in numbers. ‘This is a pity, on the principle that any sort of one-sidedness is a pity. Without in the least seeking to de- tract from the importance or the gra- clousness of the idea underlying an in- ternational courtesy of this sort, it may safely be said that the selectors of the paintings might, through slightly less enthusiasm for an art which appears to have nq kinship with any art of the past, have availed themselves more fully of & remarkable opportunity. To the majority of those viewing this dis- play the underlying motives and the mode of expression of such an art must prove as little understandable as would be the canons and the creations of some newly discovered primitive tribe. Notwithstanding all this, there does exist today a strong modernistic and radical tendency in art which has gained more or less impulse all over the world and which can in no way be ignored. To Americans is now of- fered ample opportunity to view what are considered outstanding foreign specimens thereof and to learn some- thing, if possible, about what it all signifies. Those who visit this exhibi- tion may not like it; may fail to un- derstand it, but will come away better informed. It needs must be a far more inexplicable collection which could alter the esteem we feel for the Bel- glans, oo Halloween—1929, *Tis the night of ghosts and witches. For several generations Halloween fes- tivities have taken the form of a noisy, spirited burlesque of ancient supersti- tions. But recently a strange phenom- enon has been Qudgr way in the United States, described by the late Dr. Edwin E. Slosson as “a revival of witcheraft.” During the past year three “witches” have been murdered in widely separated parts of the United States. ‘This revival does not always go under the name of witchcraft. If we could resolve the confusion of nomenclature, it. is likely that the belief would be found far more fundamental and wide- spread than is generally supposed. The violent acts of a few psychopathic in- dividuals are merely surface indications. A witch may be defined as any person believed capable of exercising a super- natural, malevolently potent control over the welfare of others. Witcheraft, according to the above definition, is fundamenta! in most culture patterns, especially in times like the present, when the human mind is in a state of phil- osophical confusion. The characteristic picture of the witch changes, of course, in accordance with the culture pattern of which it forms a part. In one generation it is that of an old woman riding the storm on a broomstick. In another it may be that of a gentleman in evening clothes lecturing to a gathering of pscudo-in- tellectuals. ‘The belief in witchcraft, or, rather, the complication of beliefs from which witcheraft evolves, is not confined to the poor and ignorant. It is a phenom- enon of crashing realities, a transfer- ence of confusions. Such influences as the new physics of Einstein and De Sitter, presuming, as they do, a reality transcending the senses, have contrib- uted much to the philosophical confu- sion of the age. The same may be sald for psychoanalysis, with its intangible libidos, complexes and conflicts. Philos- ophy has broken loose from its moorings in the sheltered harbor of the five senses. ! The result is a great number of cults | whose relation to witchcraft is danger-} ously close. Belief in the ability of the individual to wield a supernatural be- nevolent control over others—such as is exemplified in the pow-wow cult of Central Pennsylvania—is only a logical step away from bellef in the ability of some other individual to wield a malev- olent control. Given a slightly disor- dered mind, and this belief becomes pure and simple witchcraft. ‘The present witchcraft revival seen by Dr. Slosson apparently results from a union of two intellectual currents. One flows out of the past from isolated communities, such as are found in the ‘West Virginia mountains, where the old beliefs have never entirely broken down. Finding its way through the mountain passes, it joins the great current of phil- osophical confusion. The result is the new witcheraft. ] Canada is naming lakes in honor of lost Canadian, British and American transoceanic flyers. The Dominion has plenty of lakes, but she will come down to bays and inlets yet. ————. A Meritorious Public Servant. Unheralded as they were, because of their unobtrusive character, the services rendered to this country by Judge Ed- win B. Parker, who has just passed away in Washington, deserve grateful public recognition. It fell mainly to the lot of the Texas jurist, as umpire of the Mixed Claims Commission, to liqui- date the aftermath of the World War, as far as the United States and Ger- many were concerned. He acquitted himself in that task with conspicuous capability. The Ger- man Ambassador to the United States, Herr von Prittwitz, pays Judge Parker a deserved tribute when he says that “a great and successful protagonist in the cause of international arbitration and understanding has departed from us.” No eulogy of Judge Parker’s judicial qualities could testify more eloquently to his talents than the manner in which he became the head of the Mixed Claims Commission. Ordinarily former belligerent governments choose their respective members to serve on such bodies, and these, in turn, =elect & third or neutral member, who custom- arlly functions as umpire. Judge Parker had been appointed to act for the United States. Germany had desig- nated one of her nationals to represent the Reich. But later on, having ex- perienced his uncompromising impar- tiality and fair-mindedness in adjudi- cation, the Germans moved to have the American made umpire of the commission. He served in that post for more than six years. Judge Parker probably will rank as the foremost American arbitral author- ity of his day. He was taken from the busy scene while acting not only as umpire of the United States-Germany commission, but also as commissioner of the Tri-Partite Claims Commission of the United States, Austria and Hungary and as arbiter under the war claims settlement act of 1928. After the armistice, eleven years ago, Judge Parker was chairman of the American Liquidation Commission, which had the highly delicate duty of settling allied claims against the United States for ‘war materials. Now and then a hero of peace passes. Parker of Texas was one of them. ———— Skill and Caution. A thrilling story of escape from death has been added to the history of aviation in the United States by the safe return to civilization of the five occupants of the tri-motored Western Afr Express, which had been marooned in the New Mexican. wilderness for nearly thirty hours. On its regular scheduled run eastward the big plane, with two passengers and three of the crew aboard, encountered a heavy snow- storm. All visbn was cut off and it was apparent that a landing must be made if disaster was to be averted. The pilot, with more than two thousand hours in the air to his credit, searched warily for a place to set the big ship down. Eight, inches of snow covered the ground and it required skill of the highest order to make a landing. This accomplished, the party, by this time cold and hungry, contemplated the sit- uation with dismay. No habitation was visible. Finally, two members of the crew volunteered to seek aild. A short distance away they discovered an aban- doned cabin and soon a roaring fire was bringing comfort to the marooned alr travelers. The next morning the storm abated, a take-off was made and the Western Air Express slid down to the landing fleld at Albuquerque just thirty hours from tigy time it was re- ported lost. ‘Thus by sterling airmanship the pilot saved his ship and its occupants and by this exhibition showed the way in wisdom to all transport pilots. Caution should be the watchword of the air. Sometimes it is not, and fearful risks are taken to reach a destination on schedule. No passenger will object if a pilot leans to the side of safety, even though it means unexpected delay. To James E. Doles, therefore, must go credit, not only for expert handling of his ship, but for caution of a high de- gree. It is such as he who promote the cause of aviation. ) A Prench composer has promised that his next symphony will be called “Rugby,” and that therein he will put inte music the scrimmaging of a foot ball match, expressing in music the action, rhythm and color of one of these contests of brawn and strategic skill. He does not say whether a sour note will stand for a fumble or a bum chord for some of the actions of the officials. e Certain Marines are now eligible for a new decoration to be called the “Sec- ond Nicaraguan Campaign Badge.” ‘Those who do not get it should not be- come discouraged or depressed; there will undoubtedly be a fourth, a fifth and a sixth, and so on, and eventually every “Leatherneck” will have his chance. ) A Kansas lad fearlessly attacked a full-grown wolf and captured the beast alive with no othe: weapon than his overcoat. Those mothballs are terrible weapons. ——————————— Some may wish they had lived back in the stirring days of Alexander, Caesar, or even Napoleon. But to be a contemporary of Mme. Curie and T. A. Edison ought to be plenty for anybody. e o It is stated that a beautiful young Southern girl served as model for the figure of Victory which leads Gen. Sherman in Saint-Gaudens’ equestrian statue. It is wondered just what the sculptor told her she was posing for. A SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, ‘The Impossible. An old-time actor whispered to a statesman who had made His exit without usual applause, There’s a little bit of wisdom which, T'm very much afraid, ‘You overlooked amid the old hurrahs, ‘Though the public may receive you with & loud and joyous roar, And Fortune hold the ladder while you climb, You mustn’t think you've got things where you want them ever more. ‘You can't keep taking encores all the time. \ Although the spotlight marks you at the center of the stage, And the world may seem exclusively your own, ‘There must be some intermission if you ‘would remain the rage, Even for the best performer ever known. It is true of simple singers. of tragic folk. It is true of things in reason or in rhyme. You may voice your thund'rous message, you may tell your little joke, But you can't keep taking encores all the time. An Impression Corrected. “Did the audience weep while I was singing?” asked the temperamental soprano. “No,” replied the music director, “you were making that noise all by yourself.” It is true A Very Little. Thanksgiving is again renewed, And those who meet reverse May show a little gratitude Because it wasn't worse. An Even Exchange. “I have a system for beating the races” said the confidential stranger. “All right; T'll trade you my method of positively forecasting elections for it.” “One of de problems of dis life,” said Uncle Eben, “Is how to be kind, con- siderate an' generous to everybody wif- out circulatin’ de rumor dat you is an easy mark.” Kindly Intentions. * ‘The man who enjoys seeing a woman in tears is a brute.” “I don't know about that,” replied Miss Cayenne. husbands I know takes his wife to see all the emotional plays.” J Suspicion is a good thing for & human being s0 long as it saves him from something bad, but when it keeps him grom something good it must be sus- ‘We often have wondered—as no doubt most persons have at some time or other—at the suspicious attitude which many people seem to take toward life. If a prominent man is mentioned in their presence, they declare his motives are different from what they appear on the surface ahd mostly seifish and bad. If a great inventor is instanced, they immediately say that some one told them that the man had stolen the thing somebody If some heroic deed is recalled there is always some person around who is willing to assert thet the hero had a selfish motive; that he simply “lucked out” on being a hero. In almost every gathering there s some one who is able and willing to throw cold water, as the saying has it, on everything which seems to be good, or brave, or decent, or sweet. If fine qualities cannot be run down in any other way, they must be re- garded as effeminate or unmanly, the very words held unfit for public utter- ance among real “he-men.” * ok % % Suspicion is at the bottom of all such attitudes. X In a world where man must earn his bread in the sweat of his brow, with competition often at its keenest, despite heroic attempts to gloss over inimical factors, he has been forced to retain some mistrust of others. ‘The urbanization of civilzation has, played its part in keeping alive this essentially hostile attitude. As towns grow into cities and as cities become larger every man loses contact with his fellows, except in certain groups. He no longer knows the man at his elbow. He cannot tell by dress or appearance, because often- the worst scoundrels are the best dressers. The “slick city feller,” bane of country peo- ple years ago, today worries the honest city man. A certain amount of suspicion, there- fore, would seem to be an essential protection. It is a far cry from the abounding hospitality of colonial days mn America, when the wide-open door was the standard, to the modern home with its’ select circle of friends. Those ‘who come to the door and knock must first tell their business before it is opened. Even then they may not get in, and often they do not deserve to get in. Yet the essential thing is that this point of view, if it may be called such, must not be confused with a general- ized suspicion which is forever search- ing for hidden motives. The former type of suspicion may be called com- mon sense, at its best; the latter is nothing but a very poor way of looking at life, a bad way of living, from the standpoint of many who feel that they would rather be cheated now then than go along feeling that all hands were against them. ‘Thus we are brought close to the bor- ders of optimism. Certainly a hearty belief in “God's in His Heaven, all’s right with the world,” would prevent any human being from feeling that he could trust no one. Sometimes, at least, he believes in face values. If he is “taken in” for trusting oth- ers, to a ceftain extent, he is willing to pay that price, rather than permit sophistication to denude him of the clearness of vision and cleanness of heart which make life worth living. * koK Kk Let us look at suspicion for a while. Often the dictionary helps give a good else no one ever| BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. photograplwr Webster's International defines this word as follows: “Suspicion—Act or fact of suspect- ing: imagination or apprehension of something, especially of something wrong or hurtful, without proof, or on slight evidence; also, the mental un easiness aroused in one who suspects; mistrust; doubt.” Our modern word is derived from the Latin “suspicio,” meaning mistrust. The following illustrative quotation is given from the old master, Bacon: “‘Suspicions among thoughts are like bats among birds, they ever fly by twilight.” It will be seen that the very essence of suspicion is lack of proof or slight evidence of what one suspects. One | often suspects some one because of cir- cumstantial evidence, which too often turns out to be no evidence at all. At the time the “evidence” seemed real enough, but afterward one saw it for what it was, a crass suspicion, built on_fear. - g Fear still holds a mighty place in our everyday actions. We fear the future, we fear people, we fear lightning, we fear what people will say, or what they may even think. We are afraid of so many things that we willingly adopt ways of thought which blind us as much as we can be blinded. If a personal belonging is mislaid, we are sure that some one took it. when all the time we misplaced ourself, but were unwilling to admit— even to ourself—that we might have been to blame. This unspoken ‘“passing the buck” goes on_every day in thousands of minds. Most people are so used to it that they accept it as a normal thing in their lives. Even when they fight hard to forget their suspicions they retain them all the more. It seems as if the harder they argue with them- selves that the thing is not as it ap- pears the more certain they become t:-mht their reason is directing them right. ‘Then, all of a sudden, out of a clear sky comes proof positive that they were all wrong, that the fault lay elsewhere. They keep “mum.” Instead of admit- ting their false suspicions, they keep their mouths shut and fondly believe that no one is the worse. * ok kK Well, possibly no one is. But one who has observed the workings of sus- picion in others will still think that it is better not to be suspicious in so many matters. Surely it is better for one if he can walt for proof before jumping to con- clusions. This happy attitude is largely a gift, but it may be cultivated to some extent. So simple an expedient as tell- ing one's self that one is wrong in thinking so-and-so helps a great deal. There are two phases to suspicion as commonly indulged in—the act of sus- pecting, which often is unconscious and cannot be prevented, owing to heredity, and the mental uneasiness aroused in one who suspects. It is in this latter phase that the individual may argue with himself and often get the better of himself. He can tell himself that his black suspicions are indeed like bats among birds, ever flying by twilight. The sun- shine of the soul, real or simulated, will banish them to the dark lairs from which they come. \ ‘There is plenty of time. No one need feel in a hurry about his suspicions. If they are well founded, they will keep coming back without his prodding them. In the meantime he should recall that he is thinking something wrong or hurt- ful, usually without proof or on slight evidence. If he has proof or real evi- dence, he no longer harbors suspicion, but he knows—he is in possession of the truth, ugly thought it may be. Until that time comes let him be careful that his suspicions are not hurtful to him- self. Forty years ago South Africa was noted for its big game. Forty years ago Rider Haggard, who was then a magis- trate in Pretoria, capital city, used to spend his Sunday afternoons seeking lions in the bush not many miles from his own court. Today South Africans are making a strenuous effort to retain what remains of the country’s wild game. There is still some good shoot- ing to be had in the lowveld of the northern Transvaal, but over the rest of South Africa the great beasts of prey have been eliminated. Before the World War the govern- ment of the Union of South Africa realized that big game, a national asset, was in danger of extinction, and so & great natural reserve was created in the lowveld district of Sable. This is now known as the Kruger National Park, in many ways one of the greatest parks in the world. Now South African farmers are raising a cry, “Blot out the game,” and even the Kruger sanctuary is threatened by the big gun of the white Attraction for Tourists. The farmers acknowledge that the game park is @ great attraction for tourists, It is the mecca of almost every United States citizen who comes to the Union. But the farmers find their stocks harried by the deadly tsetse fly which is known to carry the osome of nagana from wild game to the cattle on which it settles. Hence the slogan: “Wipe out the game and nagana will be no more.” This view is hotly disputed by scien- tists, who have pressed the government not to take any drastic action until the full results of an investigation now in progress are made known. R. H. Harrls, noted entomologist, who did invaluable research into the life, habits and evo- lution of the tsetse fly some years ago, has established a camp on the banks of the Umfolozi River, a tsetse control “One of the kindest i camp, and he is convinced, after in- v tions lasting over a month so far, that the campaign for the destruction of game is an ill-inspired one. Mr. Harris mllec::“?emmflu. He hundreds in captivity. ys are :‘;touzwmumthelhmmme stunted trees just as cattle would do. They are attended by native servants armed with butterfly mets and gauze cages, and as the tsetse files settle on the donkeys they are netted and trans- ferred to the cages. Mr, Harris’ present work on the fiy has been on the lines of killing it. He scouts the idea of eliminating the fly killing off the game. g the fly the domes! ki upo! 1 tory and on a small field scale. If he can extend that ctice to the eld as & whole he will have conquered ans. 50,000 Cattle Lost Yearly. The importance of his task will be when it is stated that white South African farmers alone are esti- mated to lose over 50,000 head of cattle early through nagana. The losses of {uuve farmers ;flnt be very much greater. One of the donkeys used by Mr. Harris is treated with one of the prepa- rations the entomologist has evolved. This is rubbed into the hair on the o whith U, tacise 87 s pons 1 upon ly is pone settle. The donkey may lick his hide and his He alms at| through its own attack | tic animal n iments have been successful in the | South Africa Fights to Save Wild Life From Extinction by Farmers and Hunters at will and the greplnuon does not. pear to affect him. All the flics caj tured on the treated donkey have been as dead as mutton within a few hours. The flies alighting on the treated donkey are unable to bite him, being affected by the preparation before they can exercise their probosces. A strong group of farmers have be- come impatient of sclentific experi- ments while their cattle are dying, but Mr. Harris has won a respite for the game by his argument that given no game, the fly would make an even more ;lumroul attack upon domestic ana arm s Multiplicity of Crim Probes in U. S. Found From the New York World. After carrying through a notable sur- vey of surveys, the Johns Hopkins In- stitute of Law announces that the United States now has under way ap- rroxxmnuly 1,200 investigations into jaw, law enforcement, crime repression and related subjects. Sixty-eight uni- versities ane engaged, 67 foundations, and national, State and municipal com- missions galore. This is striking evi- dence of the painful way in which the prevalence of crime, the slowness of Justice and the ineffectiveness of law have impressed the American people. It is as if we realized some cancer is eating at the national breast and were making desperate efforts to find a cure. Probably no other subjects in American life today are being investigated so thoroughly and expertly. ‘To Mr. Hoover’s Commission on Law Enforcement, which rises in importance above all these bodies, the news that 1,200 investigations are under way ought to carry a special warning. The chief danger this col faces is that it will thresh over a lot of straw that is already being flalled and re- flailed by others, and in so doing will neglect the one subject which the lesser bodies unanimously surrender to it— ibition. The enforcement of other ws and the general improvement of Justice are getting plenty of study. But the enforcement of prohibition and the more vital ?lle!uon ‘whether prohibition is really enforceable or not are for Mr. Wickersham and his associates to deal with. They will lose their best oppor- tunity if they do not make these topics their chief study. Ohio River Becomes Big Commercial Factor From the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Ohio River points from Pittsburgh to Cairo are celebrating the completion of the chain of dams and locks that will keep the river open to transportation all year round. For the first time in its his the river is navigable both up and down for the entire distance. The works just completed are intended to keep it so. In 1910 this mammoth project was undertaken with the expectation that it could be completed in ten or a dozen years and at a cost of approximately $63,000,000. The cost to the Government now that the work is completed was close to $150,000,000. ‘The Ohio will now re-establish itself as one of the leading waterways of the Nation. With the uninterrupted service that is now assured, it will be- come & hi hlf important factor in the commercial life of a g;en industrial and agricultural area. the last year or two the steel industry in and around Pittsburgh has shown a new interest in water outlets for its ucts. The Ohio improvement will boon to it and to other industries as A it “National Honor” And Armament Curb To the Editor of The Star: Sir: President Hoover and Premier Macdonald are doing their utmost to take all diplomatic red tape and politi- | cal pomposity out of international af- fairs and treat them with outspoken good sense and business ability. Both evidently believe that the Paris pact to outlaw war is to be taken seriously and | must compel real disarmament by all signatories. The honor of every nation is involved in their adoption of that course. . In the past it has been customary for any nation signing an arbitration treaty to exclude “vital interests” and ‘“na- | tional honor” from the operation of |such treaty. National honor, however, is something that no nation can lose except by dishonoring itself. A nation, like an individual, can only be dishon- ored by its own action. I may be in- sulted, injured or killed, but no one can dishonor me unless I dishonor myself. ‘What the vindication of national honor demands is that the nation fulfill its pledged promise or bond. Dueling be- came obsolete because, instead of vindi- cating individual honor, it put the bully and swashbuckler on top. ‘The international duels we call “war” similarly prove nothing as to any na- tion’s rights, but only which nation can do most damage to the other. Or, as Abraham Lincoln put it, “After much loss on both sides and no gain on either, the identical old questions as to terms of intercourse are again upon you. We shall only succeed by concert.” We fought a “war~to end war,” we have solemnly promised to “outlaw war,” yet President Hoover tells us the world is today spending more money on naval and military preparations than ever before in peace time, while Europe has now more men under arms than at any period in its history. Surely if national honor means any- thing real it means not only moral and verbal disarmament, but real cutting down of alt armament—naval, military, aerial and chemical. EDWARD BERWICK. —————————— Way to Bar Canned Heat As Beverage Suggested To the Editor of The Star: A phase of the prohibition question which is attaining alarming proportions is the widespread traffic in the sale of so-called lotions—bay rum and canned heat—to a certain element for beverage purposes. These concoctions are readily for sale in most 10-cent stores through- out the country. The extent of this traffic can be judged by the fact that, not Iong since, one of our Western communities, aroused over conditions, gathered a truck load of empty canned heat tins and paraded same about the streets, displaying a placard reading, “This is what becomes of the dimes that you give to the beggars.” ‘The question arises, is there any pro- cedure by which this state of affairs can be abolished? Yes, there is a way, in theory at least. Enact a law requir- ing that these external preparations, most especially canned heat, contain a certain percentage of ipecac. ftrong and lyez hfnmlte}s:! emhue n no way lessening the pi of these products, would immediately pro- hibit their use for beverage purposes. Yours truly, T. H. SIMPSON. Hoover’s Waterways Views Are Praised From the Great Falls Tribune. The railroads and associated interests in the East, which are so usl; opposing the development of the BSt. Lawrence seaway and certain inland waterways, will find little solace in President Hoover's speech at Louis- ville, Ky., upon the occasion of cele- brating the completion of the 9-foot channel of the Ohio River from Pitts- burgh to Cairo. In his a the President _reiterated his eanviction that 1t is the Federal Govermuent’s duty to assist in the “modernizing of every part of our waterways which will show eco- nomic justification in aid of our farm- ers and industries.” He emphasized that the waterways so far developed “are not competitive but complementary to our great and efficient railways.” Then he called at- tention to the fact that it is the history of transportation that “an increase of facilities and a cheapening of transpor- tation increase the volume of traffic.” ‘The most persistent opponent of the development of waterways is E. E. Loomis, president of the Lehigh Valley Railway. He is endeavoring to make the public_believe that waterways will divert traffic that rightfully belongs to railroads, with the result that the roads be forced ultimately to charge higher rates or sustain losses that will put them out of business. Such a view, of course, is unduly pes- simistic. It does not square with mod- ern economics. Volume of traffic is no longer a fixed quantity to be fought for. Rather, it is continually expanding and increases in proportion to our increased production, which, in turn, is depend- anc. to a degree, on cheap transporta- jon. Gen. W. W. Atterbury of the Penn. sylvania Railroad recently said: “Look- ing back over the past 35 years of rail- road history, no fact stands out more stantly increasi tation service. of reduc railroad ~usefulness, automobiles an better highways have enlarged it. The bettering of transportation facilities of every sort has meant a constant wth of prosperity, with more travel and greater business, and in that prosperity, with its greater amount of travel and business, the railroads have played their part and secured their share.” President Hoover’s attitude on the waterways question is based on the same broad national outlook exp! by Gen. Atterbury. War Against Credit y Crooks Is Favored From the Miam! Herald. One reform that will benefit, all con- sumers of goods that are sold, and that just about includes all the population, is being attempted by the National As- sociation of Credit Men. A fund of $1,750,000, to be spent in five years, is being raised and will be used in prose- cuting credit crooks. ‘This form of thievery has increased tremendously in recent years, Crooks have been buying stocks of goods on credit, disposing of them at cut rates and then disappearing or going through fake bankruptcy proceedings. The losses have amounted to millions. Four years ago the National Association of Credit Men began prosecuting these crooks, and already 777 convictions have been ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKI . Did you ever write a letter to Fred-| eric J. Haskin? You can ask him any| question of fact and get the answer in a personal letter. Here is a great edu- cational idea, introduced into the lives| of the most intelligent people in the world—American newspaper readers. It is & part of that best purpose of a news- paper—service. There is no charge ex- cept 2 cents in coin or stamps for re-| turn postage. Address Frederic J. Has- kin, director, The Evening Star Infor- mation Bureau, Washington, D. C. Q. What tax is placed upon gasoline in the various States?—W. J. F. A. Illinols, New York and Massa- chusetts have no gas tax. Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington and ‘Wisconsin have a 2-cent tax. All the other States have either a 3-cent or 4- cent tax, except Utah, which has a tax of 3! cents, d the following States, which have a tax of 5 cents: Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, New Mexico and Virginia. Q. Do worms attack bananas?—S. N. A. We find no one who is an author- ity upon such matters who has ever seen a worm inside of a banana. ‘Whether this is due to the tough, thick skin of a banana or because the fruit is not palatable to insects is a moot question. Q. What is the difference between a screen-grid radio tube and an ordinary radio tube?—J. A. G. A. The Loomis Radio College says & screen-grid tube has a fourth element surrounding the plate and given a high positive potential. This increases the amplification factor of the tube without additional filament and plate power. In other words, it overcomes the space charge. Q. When is the sun visible at the North Pole?—E. A. R. A. The sun shines at the North Pole from March 19 to September 25. All d above the Arctic Circle may be called the “Land of the Midnight Sun,” ;rtnoe the uml T‘ly bt.h ’:een g?: m}dmzht om any point in region for pe- riods of time that vary with the lati- tude. Thus at North Cape, Norway, the sun may be seen at midnight from May 16 to July 28. Q. ;Imt is the meaning of Fidac?— A. F. I D. A. C. represent the initial letters of the P-ench words Federation Inter-Alliee des Anciens Combattants, meaning Inter-Allied Federation of All . ‘This is an ex-service men’s organization. Q. When and where was the Ameri- .i-n Aal,hmobfle Assoclation started?— "A." 1t ‘'was started in 1902 in Chicago by the grouping together of local motor groups in existence at that time. Q. When will the Department of Agriculture have its annual chrysan- e oot wather con pent upon weal T CO! - tiom,z the show will open November or 2. Q. In the plan for seadromes to be placed along an air lane across the Atlantic how many such landing places are contemplated?—N. P. S. ject which is about to be are to be 1,100 feet long and 400 feet wide. Q. What is necrophilism?—P. F. 8. A. This pathological term is defined as an insane fondness for dead bodies. Q. For whom was Peru named?— D. A. Biru was the name of & chief who ruled a part of the South American country in the sixteenth century. Peru is an adaptation of his name. Q. How many family lighthouses are there on the Maine coast?>—N. H. P. A. The Bureau of Lighthouses says that there are 70 lighthouses in Maine with resident keepers. Q. When will the Mardi Gras cele- bration be held in New Orleans?>—R. B. A. The New Orleans Association of Commerce says that the New Orleans Mardi Gras will take place from Febru- ary 27 to March 4, 1930. Q. Can the color of an amethyst be restored?—F. H. A. The Smithsonian Institution says that genuine amethysts do not lose color unless they have been heated. If the color has been lost, there is no way of restoring it. Q. Are the conditions under Which wheat is raised in Argentina to those of the wheat belt in the United States>—R. 8. A. Argentina is a coun extent, and wheat is raised conditions similar to the wheat belt of the United States and Canada. The weather conditions, rainfall, etc,, are much the same. Q. How many Jews are there in the United States?—S. R. A. The Jewish Year Book of 1929 gives the Jewish population of the United States as 4,228,029, Q. Is the number of libraries in the United States sufficient to serve the whole population?—A. G. W. A. The American Library Associa- tion says that only 56 per cent of the population of the United States and Canada enjoys library 2 Q. What is the significance of the name “Prospice,” the title of one of Browning’s poems?—L. M. A. It is interpreted as meaning “Look forward.” Q. If cellar windows are left does it take more coal to keep the - m;le Et 5 temperature to heat a house? A. In severe weather it will take from one and a half times to twice as much coal. In mild weather the differ- ence in coal will be very little. Q. Please give a_brief biography of ‘Thornton Wilder—J. V. B. A. Thornton Wilder was born April 17, 1897, in Madison, Wis. He spent his early years in China, where his father was consul general, prepared for college in California. He was graduated from Yale in.1920, after which he spent two years at the Amer~ ican Academy in Rome. His first novel, “The Cabala,” grew out of his experi~ ences of these two years. After this he taught at Lawrenceville, then spent some time studying and writing at the Princeton Graduate College. A play, wrote “The Bridge of San Luis and is now back again at the scene A. The gro launched is for El«l%ht seadromes at 400- mile intervals. ese floating airports his college days. Louvain Library Architect Stirs ‘American Protests How long the inscription “Destroyed by German fury, restored by American generosity,” will remain on the facade of the rebuilt library of Louvain seems an open question to American com- mentators. Fanning war hatreds at this late date is viewed as a futile gesture, but Whitney Warren, the American architect whose insistence won the legal right to place the inscription, is not held responsible for its vengeful mes- sage. Seeking to correct an erroneous im- pression on the part of many that Mr. Warren phrased the inscription, the Decatur Review says: “It was com- posed b; the famous Cardinal Mercier. It was handed to the American archi- tect, who designed the building that was to replace the burned structure, with the request that it should be placed prominently on the facade of the new library as a safeguard against future happenings of the same sort. He be- lieved it would be a spiritual lesson.” The Chattanooga News also touches upon this subject, saying: “We regret that the news dispatches make it appear that it was Whitney Warren wh thought of the inscription. It was nof says the News, as it explains further: o distinguished Belgian committee which accepted America’s gift did so with the express stipulation that the in- scription be included, although they of g pledge to a dying man,” concludes this paper, which, however, agrees with others that “the building is a better monument without the inscription.” “The inscription is a true one,” says the New York Evening Post, and “had it been put in place just after the War, backed by the authority of Cardinal Mercier’s living presence, it would have been a vivid and an interesting record of war feeling,” but this paper doubts that “such an indictment of German ruthlessness might be beneficial to the future education of humanity.” In tune with this is the thought of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, which says: “Ger- man madness and American generosity are terms which might have been ac- ceptable during the World War or im- mediately afterward. Today they sound " Siating that -t ng t “the original library was destroyed by the German guns beyond question,” that it is “an historic fact and a most regrettable one,” the Ann Arbor Dally News still contends “that is no reason for Americans to sponsor the carving in stone of an insult to the German Republic and to every man, woman and child dwelling in that country.” That the words echo “a war bitter- ness that must be abandoned for the cause of peace” is the opinion of the Richmond News-Leader, and the Roa- noke Times declares “it will not serve the ends of international friendship to obtained and goods worth $1,315,000 have been recovered. Losses suffered by wholesale houses have to be made up in some way, and this way is the increase in prices and a wider margin of profit. This means higher prices all around to be paid by the ultimate consumer. All honest men can wish more power to the credit men. Any reform that they effect will be felt in time by the buyers of all the luxuries .3;1 necessities that pass through retail stores. e Can He Understand It? From the St. Louls Globe-Democr: Author Andre Maurois of Paris com- mends the French spoken in the Le- vant, in Canada, at various capitals and especially in England, but doesn’t say a word about our high school French. R It’s Make or Break. From the Toledo Blade. P?::m flights u:ror the Atlantic are dangerous. Fallure leaves no oppor- tunity for trying again. et e Quite a Few Knew of It. From the Topeka Daily Capital. But for the Carnegle reports foot ball, the Wall st.ree:'eruh -mfl"mb. ably have attracted considerable notice, flaunt such an inscription in the faces of all who visit Louvain.” That “prob- ably Germany is now ashamed of the destruction of Louvain” is the sugges- tion of the Albany Evening News, which thinks “surely the old feeling should best be left under the ashes of the old library.” ‘That “mature public opinion does not want war’s hates and discords accen- tuated and perpetuated” is the conten- tion of the Danbury Evening News, and the St. Louis Times protests that the inscription “is offensive. The Great War is over. The balsam of forgetfulness is mending fts wounds. The world is growing into accord and true amity with steadfast purpose. It would be an incredible, enduring insult to a great nation to let the wonderful new library at Louvain perpetuate its discord,” con- cludes this paper. “The wording, indeed, is as offensive to American taste as it is to Ger- man pride,” says the Ithaca Journal- News, as it declares that “American generosity needs no written advertise- ment on the facade of a building. If American t; indeed, make fi‘;’"’" the ary, the good deed Teb of the Louvain fact will 5 for itself—a needs no to pro- Savannah Press, which hope that “since the en- inscription on the edifice which would indicate the unforgetfulness of the gen- erous giver.” That the Americans who responded to the call for funds for the restoration of the library “did so in & spirit of generosity and not as a rebuke to the German people” is the declara- tion of the Asbury Park Evening Press. ‘Though the charge of such wanton destruction “will flame in all throughout the ages,” in the opinion of he Columbia State, it agrees that it hould not remain on the library.” “All nations in war have done things they cannot defend” is the thought of the Charleston Daily Mail as ex- claims, “God save the day when we | dare not admit the reality of things!" and suggests that while “there should be no objection to stating the exact facts in an inscription, there is no need to add an insulting epithet.” ‘The Baltimore Sun sees in the ob- jections raised to the inscription $he realization that it was “the expression of a spirit which has no place in a great library nor in a new and, as so many hope, more decent world,” while the Duluth Herald, noting that, though “the inscription will go up, there is nothing to prevent the university su- thorities from removing it the néxt day,” expresses the hope that they will do that very thing, “and put in dts place something t fits this time . | rather than the hateful days of 1914 to 1918.” e Lawyers Are Blamed For Jury System Evil From the Chajganoogs Times. ‘With every convention of lawyers and from almost every bench in the country the public is treated to a discussion of the need of “jury reform.” So ineffec- tive, however, has been the effort to secure it by mere wordy declarations that some heedless publicists have ad- vocated the abolishment of the system altogether. Like most of the things that afflict soclety, the abuse of the system is the direct result of a lack of united and co-operative effort on the part of official and lay leaders in im- pressing the people by the presentation of a plan of reform that will meet their ne.c;;smes. e jury system is all right and its principle is so firmly fixed 1!% the minds of the people as the best guarantee of Justice and protection to them in their rights and privileges that any attempt to substitute any other method of ap- plying the laws—especially in criminal cases—would be resented and would create conditions worse even than they “"But there 15 h ut there is no reason why laws not be passed that will elll’nlnlhmflllz worst features of the present method of selecting and installing jurymen. As has often been declared and rarely de- nied, it is next to impossible to secure men of intelligence, of open minds and of unselfishness for jury service. ‘Therein is perhaps the prime reason why justice so often fails in the courts of law. Lawyers are largely, if not altogether, responsible for the most offensive failures of the system. With a bad case on thelr hands they do not want intelligent and open-minded Jjurymen: rather do they prefer the op- posite kind And under the laws as now obtaining they can generally secure & panel they can count upon to defeat the ends of justice. Technicalities and legal complexities are more to blame :::nt;,leélulé:;e of juries to do justice in stances, therefore, than quality of the personnel. o ————— It Can’t be Done. From the Lansing State Journal. The papers have been telling in recent days of a mother who kidnaped her son and rode 1,000 miles in a taxi to take him home. We don't believe any one has so much money. Cleaned—and How! From the Beloit Datly News. ‘The law of equilibrium is always at ‘work and some of those who cleaned up betting against the Cubs in the world expresses tire undertaking is an American ven-' ture for muds‘;lp there should be no series got cleaned out f¢ the bears In Wall Street. - 8 against