Evening Star Newspaper, December 12, 1929, Page 8

THE ENING ST/ R, WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1929. .8 . 'THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTUN, D. C, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1923, ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY...December 12, 1929 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Ofce. 110 East 42nd St. icago Office: Lake Michigan Building. uropean Office: Re&tnl §t.. London. 8 Rate by Carrier Within the City. x Star.. . .45c Ler month and_Sun ar (when 4 Sundass) ‘60c per month The Evening and Sunday Siar (when 5 N ) Orders NAtional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. ally and Sunday. 1yr., $10 00; 1 mo., 8¢ Elflx only . 60; 1 mo.. 50¢ junday only . yrio88 1¥r. $4.00: 1 mo. 4tc All Other States and Canada. Dally and Sunday..}yr. $12.00; 1n0., & . 1 $8.00° 1 me Dally only .. Bunday only 1yr. $5.00: 1mo., Member of the Associated Press. The Assoclated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of ail news Gis- patches credited to it or not otherwise cred- ited in this paper and also che local Lews published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches nerein are also reservea. Senator Jones' New Assignment. Indication that Senator Wesley L. Jones of Washington will succeed the late Senator Warren as chairman of the committee on appropriations is given by his statement that he will ask to be relieved from duty as a member of the committee on the District. This an- nouncement causes some degree of con- cern and much regret on the part of the people of the Capital, who have come to regard Senator Jones as one of their best friends and most helpful advocates in the upper house of Congress. If it be in any way possible for Senator Jones to continue gervice on the District com- mittee while chairman of the appropri- ations committee the Capital community will urgently petition that this com- bination be arranged. If service in this dual committee capacity is impossible ‘Washingtonians will hope and believe that with his departure from the Dijstrict committee he will not lose his helpful interest in District af- fairs and that his duties in the new chairmanship to which he is about to be advanced will not so fully absorb his time and energy that he will not be able to carry on as legislator for the Capital community. The honor that befalls Senator Jones in his promotion to the appropriations committee chairmanship, which is now apparently assured, Senator Smoot, the immediately ranking member, having elected to retain the chairmanship of the committee on finance, is highly de- served. It assures to the Senator from the State of Washington, who has now completed thirty years in Congress—ten years in the House and twenty in the| Senate—increased power which is cer- tain to be exercised judiciously and for the benefit of the national welfare. His friends in the District are all gratified at his new opportunity for valuable service, even though it involves the loss to the Capital of his direct service in respect to the details of local legislation. Senator Jones' sound judgment and high purpose in dealing with District affairs have been characteristic of his ‘work on the side of national legislation. He has, in the course of many years of service on the appropriations com- mittee, become thoroughly familiar with that branch of the Senate's work, and he brings now to the chairmanship a Mpe experience that will mark his assignment with success. It seems likely that, in pursuance of the same policy of concentration upon the duties of the general chairman- ship, Senator Jones will be compelled to quit the subcommittee on District appropriations. It is especially to be regretted that this is the price that must be paid for the honor that now befalls the faithful friend of Washing-| ton, who has gained such an intimate | knowledge of the Capital's fiscal affairs through his membership on both the District committee and the appropria- #lons subcommittee. But with him as @hairman of the full committee it is assured that there will be no slackening of interest on his part in the welfare of the Capital community, even though he may not be able directly to participate in the detailed handling of the budget. — e — New inventions are announced that will render motion pictures even more effective than they are at present. So many inventions are designed to kill human beings in war, that a few in- tended to entertain them should find especial encouragement. e Prison Revolts. Tt is easy to say that something must be wrong with the prison system in this country when so many desperate out- breaks of revolt and attempts at whole- sale delivery, with numerous fatalities resulting, have occurred in a short space of time. It is not easy, however, to say what is wrong, what remedy is to be provided—indeed whether any remedy can be provided for the evil condition. It so happened that almost simul- taneously with the latest of the long list of 1929 prison riots, that at Auburn, N. Y. yvesterday, a meeting was being held in New York City, under the chairmanship of the municipal com- missioner of the department of cor- rection. It was attended by a number of eminent psychiatrists, psychologists and crime experts, who were asked to discuss a plan to establish a ‘“crime clinic” to treat physically and mentally incapacitated criminals and correct human defects that now prevent their return to society. Naturally they com- mented on the Aubur: tragedy. But there was no agrecment in their con- clusion, save, it would seem, to one effect, that most of the trouble in the prisons arises from the fact that the inmates are not sufficiently occupied. They are too idle for their own gocd and for the maintenance of discipline, which means submission to restraint. At Auburn the comparative idleness of the prisoners, some of whom yester- day rebelled, with the loss of nine lives, ‘was due to the fact that the institution had not been fully repaired since the disastrous blaze of last July, when the buildings were fired in an attempt to break and several lives were lost. But there had been no lack of equipment, on this particular score, prior to the July trouble. The fact seems evident that taken altogether there are too many prisoners for the opportunities afforded for thelr occupation. This is » said to be the case in almost all of the large penal establishments in the coun- Study of the methods of the revolting convicts in the various escapades of this current year, the worst which was at Canon City, Colo., in October, when seven guards and five convicts died in the course of a two-day fight, discloses that despite the strictest precautions short of the absolute barring of all visi- tors weapons ar: smuggled to the in- mates, who use them to obtain their first foothold and to enlarge their armament. That being so, it may be necessary, to reduce the chances of outbreak, to deny the inmates of penal establishments all direct communication with the “outside.” So long as men are pent up for terms of years because they have broken the laws just so long will they plot and scheme and fight and kill, if necessary, to escape. Very few of them do escape. Most of those who try to break through 1.00 lose their lives in the attempt. But that fact does not deter others from plotting and scheming and finally trying for a liberty that, if gained, is in its perils even worse than confinement. ‘The state cannot lower the bars and clear the jails because of this disposi- tion, this virtual certainty of murderous enterprise for the sake of escape. It cannot lighten the burden of prison discipline in the hope of softening the | hearts of unwilling inmates and render- ing them complacent and docile. It must go on with measures of surer and of ever surer detention and with stricter ond ever stricter penalties for violation of prison rules unless it is to surrender to crime and its perpetrators. ——— Preparing for London. American preparations for the Five- Power Naval Cenference in London are now formally under way in this city. At the State Department yesterday Secretary Stimson, who will head the TUnited States' delegation, assembled around the council table for the first time the American representatives who are in this country besides himself— Secretary of the Navy Adams, Ambas- sador Morrow and Senators Robinson and Reed. These five, together with Ambassa@prs Dawes and Gibson, com- prise the mission which will speak for the Republic at the historic naval meet- ing on the Thames. After Secretary Stimson had explained to his colleagues the purely diplomatic status of the con- ference, Admiral Jones, who will be chief technical adviser to the delegation, elucidated the naval aspect. Secretary Stimson made public after the delegation’s meeting one gratifying and significant fact—America's spokes- men are going to London “with open minds.” They are not committed in advance to any “hard and fast plan.” ‘The United States has its views as to what should be done in the fields of both naval limitation and naval reduc- tion, but our delegation apparently will have no mandate to fight through to the bitter end for the uncompromising ratification of our standpoint. Inter- national intercourse since time began has been a process of give-and-take. Arbitrary adherence to an attitude is generally the mother of dissension. That applies in special degree to a five-power conference dealing with legitimately controversial matters, on which each conferee nation has require- ments, traditions and susceptibilities of its own to consider. It sugurs well for success at London that there has been exhaustive com- munication between the United States and Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan ever since the British govern- ment ccnvened the conference. As far as is humanly possible, the ground for it will have been prepared well in advance, An extraordinary opportunity to iron out differences between our own Government and the Japanese will be afforded by the presence in Washington next week of Japan's delegates. A strenuous program of official hospitality awaits Messrs, Wakatsukl and Takarabe here. But there will be ample chance for thrashing out the thorny questions of Nippon's demand for a 10-10-7 cruiser ratio and for 80,000 tons of sub- marines. President Hoover has selected an uncommonly strong and sagacious dele- gatlon to speak for Uncle Sam in Great Britain next month. The country may rest assured that, while no vital Ameri- can interest will be surrendered, the Republic's representatives will ignore no occasion to pave the way to concilia- tion and agreement. For on the con- ference’s deliberations depend the future peace and contentment of the world. e Haiti enjoys many natural advantages. It is a mistake, however, to con:ider occasional combat as a means of pre- venting people from depending on soil and climate for too leisurely an exist- ence. ———— In announcing that he will run again Mr, Vare is evidently confident that Mr. Grundy's senatorial tenure will be lim- ited to considerably less than a half portion. . Fire Runs. Press accounts of the recent disas- trous fire and panic at the Pathe Talk- ing Studio in New York stressed the fact that many more lives would have been lost if it had not been for the prompt arrival of firemen, who with characteristic energy and efficiency soon brought a semblance of order out of the chaos that existed. ‘Washington, some weeks ago, suffered from an explosion in a downtown store which cost the lives of six persons and resulted in the injury of more than a score. Four fire alarms 'were turned in. And yet despite the i.ct that as in the New York tragedy it has been demonstrated time and again that speed 1s essential for the life-saving and prop- erty-saving apparatus no one witnessing the runs of the engines was at all im- pressed with motorist or pedestrian co- operation in getting the heavy vehicles to the scene of the explosion. In other cities with far more con- gested traffic conditions than obtain here fire apparatus is almost invariably accorded a clear right of way. This makes Washington's record that much worse. With wide streets and gen- erally uncongested conditions District firemen must dodge and swerve and slow down and take their lives in their hands every time they encounter the particular breed of indifferent motorist who apparently takes an unholy delight in finding out how much trouble he can make. Twenty years ago it was a common with the charging steeds which drew the apparatus. Today motorists not only follow close behind the engines, but others attempt to lead the pro- cession. The vanguard and the rear guard combined with the languid ac- tions of drivers who casually cross at intersections despite the shrieking sirens destroy to a large degree the efficiency of the National Capital's fire-fighting department. All blazes or explosions need the expert services of the men of the departments and that need is im- mediate. It is apparent that a much higher degree of civic consciousness should be cultivated by those in Wash- ington who are motor car drivers. e The Merger Is Up to Congress. Timed almost to the day when the railway companies, their pleas to the fare having fallen upon deaf ears, took their troubles into court, the commis- sion forwarded to the Senate and the House a rewritten merger agreement for which the approval of Congress is asked. That approval should be given and as quickly as it is possible to complete the necessary examination of the plan and to make the changes that Congress considers wise. This is desirable for two reasons. The first is that the people of Washington are compelied to put up not only with the inconveniences but with the waste- ful expense of maintaining two inde- pendent and competing street railway lines, when one line under one manage- ment can offer better service at lower cost. The second is that the railway com- panies have adopted the attitude that until Congress gives its approval to some form of merger, it is utterly futile for them to discuss merger plans and altogether beyond the question to con- sider merger as an alternative to higher fare, Congress, correctly reserving the sole right of approval of merger agreements, will not allow that power to become the handicap to merger negotiations that the corporations have sought to picture it. More than once the companies have argued that to obtain necessary con-| gressional approval of a merger project is & hopeless undertaking. They stand aside now, waiting for Congress to act and plainly indicating that hope of congressional action is one of those rosy bubbles of optimism that float only in the minds of dreamers. Washington asks that Congress make | the proposed merger the subject of immediate consideration, The Public! Utilitles Commission has done its part ably and well. It has laid the merger | plan, neatly clothed, on the congres- slonal doorstep. Congress must take it in and nourish it until it can speak for itself, ———— 1t 1s widely doubted whether there is | a Santa Claus. Fortunately, the letter | carrier, who does most of the real Santa Claus, is of unquestioned authenticity. r————— A professional lobbyist boasts of his friendships. But his business does not pin him down in all cases to the pro- | duction of credentials, [ A true politician stays in the game, even when he does not need the salary. sight to see a flock of youngsters onl bicycles pedaling furiously to keep up! It is doubtful if the lawns of Wash- ington ever looked any beiter at this season of the year than they do right now. ‘The recent cold spell not only did not hurt the grass, but seemed to do it good, such is the mysterious action of Nature's forces. In this case the saving factor was the thin coat of ice. Sticking fast to all vegetaticn, it protected it; when the thaw came, it led directly to nice days again. ‘Thus, save for the five-day interval, grass has known only the mildest sort of weather and everywhere has taken advantage of it to keep on growing. With Christmas almost at hand the city is carpeted with green. Public parks and lawns of private homes Public Utilities Commission for higher | gleam with fresh green, in keeping with the spirit of the season. * K kK Gardeners, therefore, have more than ordinary inducement not to forget their gardens. Perhaps there are hardy chrysanthe- mums still in bloom. We know a gar- den where rosebuds would have un- folded if it had not been for the sub- freezing days. In this garden buds still show red. A continuance of warm days might even bring some fresh ones into being, ready to_open on Christmas day. Mostly home gardeners must rely on the florist at this season. What a pleas- ure it is for such to wander into a flower shop and treat his eyes to the sight of gorgeous rescs and chrysan- themums grown under ideal hot house conditions. Especially does he marvel at the of the latter. Chrysanthemums will last from one to two weeks as cut flowers. Even the most_tremendous ones will look bright and fresh for a full week and often will last much longer. And this in a warm house; in a home where the tempera- ture was not allowed to exceed 68 de- grees no doubt te2y would do even better. * ok %k Specimens of the cactus family are to bc purchased in bowls at most florists. ‘While inspecting the prickly crea- tures do not insist on touching them, for their spines are sharp indeed, and seem to possess almost human in- genuity. One can draw blood easily on the innocent_cacti reposing snugly in orna- mental flat bowls. Nature did not give the members of this family spines for nothing. It is n‘o wonder that they manage to sur- vive. it is said, lies in too much water. They should not be watered very often, and then only a tiny amount, about half a teaspoon or so of water. Those who have tried other plants with Il success, owing to the heat of modern living rooms and the dryness thereof, might find it profitable to in- stall a few of these. If there are children in the house the cactus bowl should be placed well out of their reach, as the thorns are mean both in appearance and use. * ok ok % Coral berry bushes are looking nice now, but we have yet to see a bird eat them. ~ Always one reads that birds are very fond of coral berries. This is one The great danger of losing & cactus, | form of the snowberry. Such of our bushes as are supposed to be the gen- BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. uine snowberry persistently refuse to have any berries at all, so we cannot praise their waxen beauty. The snowberry is regarded by some as too common for use, but as for us we like it very much. Perhaps it would sult people more if they would take the tro\;x?lc to trim it back severe- 1y every Spring. The “annuals have been gone for many weeks, of course. Only bare stalks of zinnias and snapdragons are left.. Just before the cold spell there were some petunia plants, growing green and husky in a sheltered spot. These are gone Now. The one specimen of canna was tak- en in just a few days before the freez- ing weather. It seemed in good shape and we were cheered by reading in a gardening book that most people take them in a great deal too early. Some gardeners pack canna roots in sand, but this is not necessary, if one has a basement, attic or closet where they will not get too hot. They may be stored in ordinary paper bags. If mice are present, an inspection shouid be made every month or so. * ok kK Gladiolus bulbs may be stored simi- larly with the best results. It is not necessary to go to extremes in_caring for such things during the Winter. Nature has placed a large tolerance in them; they are like dogs, they do not need sweaters unless one insists on pampering them. Friends of the gladiolus were inter- ested recently in reading about the warfare which is taking place among the Oregon growers. Millions of bulbs have been destroyed as the result of clandestine firing of storage barns. ‘Those ho love the gladiolus must regret the destruction of so much incipient beauty. ‘Those millions of gladlolus bulbs destroyed by fire might have gladdened millions of hearts and eyes. As fuel they were very poor, but turned into flowers at the wand of Summer they would have come into their birthright. It is difficult for the flower lover to realize that his precious beauties are not beautiful to some except for the money they bring in. To him their beauty is their sole reason for being. He forgets that other human beings use them for bread and butter. The flower lover must regret, in his heart of hearts, that this is true. He would like to feel that those who so carefully raise the gladiolus bulbs, for instance, do it out of love for beauty and for nothing else. * ok ok ok Yet the same situation exists in all things sold. The man who sells them may or may not love them. Again, he may unite in himself both the appre- clation of the amateur and the keen business sight of the seller. ‘The ramifications of modern business are so great that no man can say to another, “Here, you must not sell this, because you do not love it!” Such command in the market place might astound some, but it would cause more to laugh. Beauty Is as beauty does, it has been said. Perhaps this may be translated one way or two ways, or even three ways, and no one can say that any translation is wrong. A gardener, even in Winter, takes his flowers as he finds them and is glad even if the grass keeps green. Afterall, what is more beautiful than the grass? President Hoover's appointment of Willlam R. Castle, jr., Assistant Sec- Vindication is the big stake to be played for. cmem e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. All for Love. She grabbed a hatchet from the block And dealt a deadly blow. We heard her reason with a shock— “Because I loved him sol” Another lady had a gun ‘That laid her husband low. She told us that the deed was done Because she loved him so! A lady farther down the street Performed with poison slow. And still the same excuse we meet— “Because I loved him so!" O Jealousy, your eyes of green ‘With baleful luster glow. Each day some tragedy is seen, “Because she loved him so0.” Intelligent Interests. “Is your wife interested in politics?” “Yes, indeed,” answered Senator Sor- ghum. “She has developed a wonder- ful gift for putting an explanation into things I say that I didn't fully under- stand myself.” Jud Tunkins says he's waiting for | some statistician to tell us how much telephone time per year is used up on the word “hello!” Unworkable Theory. Where trouble in this world we see One constant cause would seem to lurk— Source of most evil seems to be Some theory that wouldn't work. Need of Training. “Is that man a trained singer?” “I shouldn’t say so,” answered Miss Cayenne. “He is vocally expert, but personally he still needs a lot of train- ing to keep him from being classified & a wild man” “He who asserts that he never takes a holiday,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “is likely to be found idling so much of the time that he needs none.” Request to Santa Claus. Each night I hear the radio sing A jazz bit or a croon. Dear Santa Claus, I wish you'd bring | A brand-new style of tune. “It's de fault finder's hard luck,” said Uncle Eben, “dat he always finds more of what he was lookin’ for dan he knows what to do wif.” —————————_ The Show’s the Thing. From the Des Moines Tribune-Capitul. It is 2 bit difficult to understand why the public puts up with the theaters raising the price of seats without mak- ing the seats more comfortable. ——— Medicine Ball in Need? From the New London Day. | ‘The Hoovers had six turkeys for ‘Thanksgiving. That calls for a iot of medicine ball practice on the White House lawn. r——— Horses and Trade-ins. From the Dayton Daily News. retary of State, as special Ambassador to Japan during the London naval con- ference, is & highly significant act. It denotes, first of all, an earnest de- sire on the part of the administration to remain in closest contact with the Tokio government during the confer- ence, At present, the United States is rep- resented in Japan only by a diplomat of charge d'affaires rank (Edwin L.! Neville). The Japanese lay considerable stress on “representation” and Wash- ington recognizes the desirability of having a spokesman of ambassadorial status in Tokio on naval conference matters. It is a compliment to Nippon, which, it is felt at the White House and the State Department. will not fail to be appreciated at Tokio. * K %k Mr. Castle, who enjoys the confl- dence of both President Hoover and Secretary Stimson in high degree, will leave for Japan immediately after the Japancse delegates, Messrs. Wakatsuki and Takarabe, finish their three-day visit to Washington on December 19. It is planned to have the special Am- bassador arrive in Tokio before the London conference opens, in order that he may “orientate” himself about the Japanese viewpoint as thoroughly as possible. Mr. Castle will, of course, take an active part in all the discus- sions to be held here next week be- tween Messrs. Wakatsuki and Takarabe and the Hoover administration. Apart from the wish to establish as close working arrangements as_possible between the American and Japanese governments during the conference, there is other significance to the Castle mission. It reveals a recognition on Washington's part that Japan has raised certain important questions on which at present the United States does not see eye to eye with her. There will be considerable giving-and-taking on both sides, in all probability, before these differences are wiped out. ‘The American attitude will require careful presentation, Ordinarily it would be done by exchange of diplomatic notes. But President Hoover and Secretary Stimson attribute so much importance to the naval issues about to come up for decision that they prefer to have these submitted and, if neces- sary, elucidated and defended by an American_spokesman fresh from the scene at Washington. * ok ok K That is the long and short of the Castle special ambassadorship—a step designed in the hope and belief that it effectually will pave the way to a more rapid understanding between the Amer- ican and Japanese governments on all controversial questions, Japan has put forward, more or less formally and officially, three proposi- tions, which she will support in London. One of them co} Britain alone—. desire abandonment of the great British naval base at Singapore, on which the Mac- donald government recently ordered work suspended pending the outcome of the London conference. ‘The other questions raised by the Japanese concern both the United States and Great Britain. One of these ques- tions is Japan's demand for & 10-10-7 cruiser ratio instead of the 5-5-3 ratin in battleships fixed for the United States, Great Britain and Japan, re- spectively, at the Washington confer- ence of 1921-22. The second Anglo- American-Japancse question concerns submarines. The Americans and the British would like to see submarines abolished altogether. The Japanese in- tend to ask for 80,000 tons of subma- rines at London. * % ¥ X Mr. Wakatsuki, chief Japanese dele- gate, stated on the eve of his recent de- parture for the United States: “We do not consider that a 70 per cent cruiser ratio can be regarded as a menace by any other country. Our hope is that it will be accepted not only as & reason- The livery stable business might still be thriving if some smart person had conccived the idea of trading in the old horse on & new ene. able, but as a moderate, standard.” Mr Wakatsuki would not indicate whether the 10-10-7 demand is an irreducible minimum_or not. As to submarines, he said that having Choice of Castle Indicates Desire for Japan’s F riendship accepted less than parity in other classes of ships, Japan could not dispense with submarines. “Qur submarines are not for attacking food ships,” the pri.n:ign] Japanese spokesman explained, “nor for preying on commerce. They are all of moderate tonnage and we are quite will- ing to restrict them to a reasonabl We want submarines to supple- ment our surface craft in keeping enemies out of our home waters.” W.W. (Copyright, 1920.) Five and Ten Fares Are Not Appreciated Prom the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, ‘The consistency of the 5 and 10 trolley and bus fares which the public Utilities Commission of New Jersey has fixed as an “experiment” for the public service system_across the river is not appreciated. It is estimated that 10 per cent of the riders will pay the 10- cent rate as transients, while the other 90 per cent, as regulars, will enjoy the us: of tokens at 5 cents, or the present rate. The line of differentiation will not be as between daily, or otherwise more or less regular, trippers and occasional riders, as is the preference afforded in commutation rate schedules in railroad service, but rathet between those who for any reason are willing to buy their transportation by advance payment and those who ride for cash. The company wanted a dollar advance purchase as a prerequisite to a 5-cent ride. ‘The only consideration in any way sustaining the proposed schedule is dis- covered from the company's point of view, in that it affords an opportunity to make a 100 per cent boost in the fare taken from a considerable percentage of its patrons, with the hope that their protest will be drowned by the assent of satisfaction from the greater number who will buy their tokens in advance and retain the benefits of the nickel fare. From the public point of view the new schedule is lop-sided and cannot stand on its own merits. _— T Co-Operative Marketing Benefits Are Hailed From the Portland (Oreg.) Journal Formerly the live stock growers of Idaho found that they were not receiv- ing enough for their product. They found that part of their losses were due to hodge-podge marketing methods. Thereupon they created a co-operative association and since have been dis- posing of their live stock through that medium. The new method is saving them 20 to 75 cents per 100 pounds, says a report of the Department of Agriculture, Almost equal “benefits are recorded in practically every State where associations have been formed,” continues the report. Other benefits cited by the department report, and which have a part in the savings to producers, are closer contact with mar- ket trends, shipment of stock when is ready for market and better terminal facilities. What the co-operative association has done for Idaho’s and other cattlemen it has done in other industries. The properly organized and operated asso- clations have saved hundreds of thou- sands of dollars to producers in other industries through reduced costs, better marketing facilities and _increased prices. They have pald for themselves many times over. The Farm Board is asking for more co-operatives in its effort to aid the farm problem. It is prepared to sup- port them financially and otherwise. The Idaho record is evidence that sound co-operatives are effective in helping meet some of agriculture’s problems. o Peace at Any Price. Prom the Escanaba Daily Press. Henry Ford resigned the other day from his membership in the Dearborn board of education. Mr. Ford really cherishes the ideal of peace. S, What Are They? From the Miami Daily News and Metropolls. Now that they have raised the tarift on hay, why not increase the levy on hitching posts? t | cipation that ever lived. Urges International Manning of Cruisers To the Editor of The Star: ‘The copyrighted article by Paul Scott Mower of December 7 appear] in your valuable paper is along the iines I long have been thinking. It seems to me that if the nations do not want war they must submit them- selves to some authority and let that authority have power. This authority should first of all control the oceans and international waters. The ships necessary for this should not be subject to any nation. They should be manned and officered with many nationalities on each ship. Training colleges should be international, with instructors and pupils from many nations at each insti- tution. There is no more sense in al- lowing nations to send heavily armed ships out of their ports than there is in allowing individual citizens to send out machine guns and artillery on the highways to protect their interests or police the highways. A private corpo- ration having factories in different parts of the country may just as well claim the right to keep the highways open by its own armed forces between the dif- ferent factories as a country that has possessions in different parts of the world may claim to keep the highways open between these possessions. If we want peace we must submit to the au- thority of God. P. HANSEN. Will Free Text Books Keep People in Scheol? To the Editor of The Star: Every few days we read in the papers that Congress will pass the free high school text book bill at this session. ‘Well, if they have made up their minds to pass it, it will pass. But why should it pass? What urgent reason can be nced for the passage of this bill? per cent or more of an entering s in high school drops out by the time the fourth year is reached. 1Is it the cost of text books that causes this enormous decrease? If not, why do so many quit? If there are any who are compelled to give up their course on account of the cost of text books, what is the number? Will free text books keep the 60 per cent in school until they graduate? ‘Text_books cost a high-school pupil about $14 a year—an average of $1.17 per month. This amount can be re- duced by the purchase of second-hand books. Can it be that this small sum is the cause for a 60 per cent loss in attendance? Who can answer? B. J. COLLINS. e Urges Endowment Of Homes for Aged To the Editor of The Star: “Those who are in control of wealth are now making a scientific study of methods by which it may be made available for the needs of general humanity.” Apropos of the above item, clipped from a recent issue of The Star: A good, permanent use of wealth, it seems to me, could be of much benefit to humanity by the endowment of numerous homes for the aged through- out the United States—homes similar to this one—the John Dickson Home, which was endowed by the late Henry Dickson and established in 1911. Its benefits, in general, are numer- ous and permanent. H. ZENAS TILLOTSON. Indian Pupils Outstrip Whites in Classwork From the Portland Oregon Dally Journal. Indian children stand higher than white children on the honor roll, where the two races attend the same schools, according to facts brought out at Top- penish, the headquarters of the Yakima Indian reservation. On the honor roll in the Toppenish grade schools the Indian and part- Indian children scored 16 and the white children 9.4 per cent. The honor roll of the Toppenish High School was not in the count, but Inspector Gray of the Yakima reservation is confident that the relative percentages in favor of the Indian pupils would not be changed if the high school honor roll had been included. In working out the percentages all pupils in the schools were classed as “whites” who were not Indian: ‘This classified Japanese pupils as yand the inspector finds that, with the Japanese pupils not so classed, the per- centage of the Indian children over the whites would show at a still better advantage, There are 564 Indian children from the Yakima reservation in the public schools, chiefly in the Toppenish, Wapato and White Swan districts, according to the Toppenish Review. Only 12 of the Indian children went into the list as truants last year. The policy of sending Indian chil- dren to the public instead of Indian schools was inaugurated seven years ago. The statement of Inspector Gray to the Toppenish Commercial Club is that the plan is working out much better than was anticipated. Attend- ance by Indian children at Indian schools is in effect chiefly at Chenawa, Creg., and the Haskell Institute, Law- rence, Kans, Indian parents opposed the plan when the policy of sending Indian children to the white schools was first inaugu- rated. They feared that their lands would become liable for taxes if they sent their children to the white schools. Moreover, they had become accustomed to the Indian schools and preferred to have their children attend them. But all that is changed. Indian mr- ents now see their children make bet- ter progress in the white schools, and almost without exception they are work- ing with Indian agency officials to keep thelr children in regular attendance. ‘The Federal Government pays the tuition to all of the districts on the Yakima reservation where Indian chil- dren are in attendance. The tuition fees paid by the Government to the three districts on the reservation last yvear were: Toppenish, $3,796; Wapato, $3,956, and White Swan, $8,427. . Christabel Pankhurst Is Tired of Politics From the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Christabel Pankhurst is now lectur- ing on religious subjects to American audiences. Asked why she did not stand for a seat in the British Parlia- ment, Miss Pankhurst replied that such : career would be an anti-climax for er. “The great thing,” she explained, “was breaking down the barriers.” Christabel is the daughter of the late Emmeline Pankhurst, the most daring warrior for woman's political eman- Mother and daughter fought and smashed windows together for years. Cordons of police could not stop them and jailing did no good. The highest moments in the career of these remarkable women came in 1912 when liberalism was fashionable even in America, what with Roosevelt standing at Armageddon and Wilson proclaiming the new freedom and Gene Debs rolling up a tremendous vote. The women won_their political freedom in America and Great Britain. After the war the Armageddon fever subsided. Some of the radicals found themselves in jail. Others were frank- ly tired. Normalcy with Harding and the Tory reaction in England brought respectability back into fashion. The fashion appears to be as persistent as short skirts. Miss Christabel Pankhurst is now weary of politics. Having helped to “break down the barriers,” she is willing to let her sisters make the best of their freedom. She prefers to lecture on re- ligion. She is undoubtedly right in her belief that life in Parliament would be dull after the thrilling years she has passed. Life almost everywhers is dull for rad- icals these days. conformity are highly comforting, but not particularly exciting. i cents Respectability and * is is a special department devoted w'x'}:e hlndlh‘::c of inquiries. You have at your disposal an extensive organiza- tion in Washington to serve you in any capacity that relates to information. Write your question, your name, and your address clearly, and inclose 2 in coin or stamps for reply. Send to The Evening Star Informa- tion Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, di- rector, Washington, D. C. Q. What movle is Charles King mak- ing at present?—H. T. H. A. Charles King of “Broadway Melody” fame has returned to vaude- ville. Q. Are stocks sold on stock exchanges taxable?—L. L. P, A. The seller of stock always has to pay the State and Federal tax of 2 cents per share. There are no other taxes except an income tax on the earnings of the holder and as to owner- ship, such as a tax on tangible property. Q. Is the automobile travel of Ameri- can cars in Canada increasing?—M. 8. A. This year has seen more American cars in Canada than cver before. Q. How many pairs of ribs do hogs have?—F. M. C. A. The number of ribs varies in hogs. They have 14 or 15 pairs. Q. Why was the Pictorial Review so named?—E. C. G. A. The Pictorial Review was named by William Paul Ahnelt, organizer and president of the company. Mr. Ahnelt had planned a sort of review with lots of pictures, hence the name Pictorial Review. Q. What causes the curl in curly maple? How is the tree distinguished? —J. McG. A. The Forest Service says that the continuously for about two weeks. At the Arctic and Antarctic Circles there are some years when for a few days in each month the moon -does not set, and & few days when it does not rise; otherwise at these circles it rises and sets daily. In the polar regions, during the Winter months, the moon is generally above the horizon when it is full and below the horizon when it is new, and the reverse is the case d ..g the Summer months. Is the lemon erop short this L:ar?*—R. H. 8. A. Less than half the normal crop is available this yea Q}.[ ‘What causes the pitch of volces?— A. The pitch of voices is the result of the length of the vocal cords. These cords are shorter in women than in men; hence the women have higher voices. The longest vocal cords are those of a deep bass. Pitch, however, is not the only trait which determines the title of a voice, for tone quality must be considered. Tenor and bari- tone voices of exactly the same range exist, but the character of the tones is different, voice quality being modified by resonance and muscle action, Q. Are there any musk oxen in Can- ada?—M. M. A. There is but one herd upon the Canadian mainland. There are about 250 animals in the herd, which is now kept in the Thelon game sanctuary near Great Slave Lake, Q. Is there any race or tribe of people that has no conception of & supreme being or after life?—R. D. C. . A conception of a supreme being has been found among almost all prim- itive peoples. Sclentists have found certain of the aborigines of South Aus- caus> of curly maple is not entirely known. It appears to be an accidental phenomenon and it is believed that it is not hereditary. Curly maple is se- cured from occasional white maple (sugar maple) trees among the stands of white maple trees throughout the Lake States. In the curly maple vari- eties the bark curls inward, forming a notch or depression. Experienced per- sons can identify curly maple trees by cutting into the bark. In the curly maple varieties little dimples or de- pressions will show in the wood. Curly maple can also be identified from the ends of the logs. Q. What is the height of the Na- tional Pilgrim Monument at Plymouth, Mass?—F. M. S. A. The statue of Faith of the Na- tional Monument to the Pilgrim is 36 feet high and is mounted on a granite base 45 feet higl Q. Where was the original Standard Oil company organized?—E. B. A. The original company was or- flxgolzed under the laws of Ohio in 70. Q. Must an allen become natural- {z2d?—A. V. M. A. There is no law compelling an alien to become naturalized. This is a privilege and is not compulsory. Q. How long has sauerkraut been eaten by the French people?—P. D. A. It was introduced into France by the German Princess Elizabeth, daugh- ter of the Elector Palatine, who mar- ried & brother of Louis XIV. Q. In the Arctic regions is the moon above the horizon when it is full?— J. K. C. A. The Naval Observatory says at either Pole the moon is above the horizon continuously for about two weeks, and then below the horizon tralia, such as Bushmen, certain of the Patagonian natives and one or two isolated families of Negritos, who ap- parently have no conception of & su- preme being, a higher life, or a super- natural agency in human affairs. Q. What is the origin of the use of the number “30” as it is employed by telegraphers and newspapers?—W. P. H, A. Charles Payne Smith recently gave the following information in the Typographical Journal regarding the origin of “30" as used by newspaper men and telegraphers: “The first press assoclation organized in Civil War times was composed largely of morning papers published near the Eastern sea- board. Each paper sent into the cen- tral office items of local interest, which were there edited and telegraphed to all members. It happened it the first message sent to the association to- taled 30 words and this figure, with the words ‘Good night’ and the signature of the sender, was placed at the bottom of the sheet by the operator. At that time piecework was the rule on all papers. The daily grist was usually set up, corrected and in the forms by 10 o'clock, but the compositors were compelled to wait around at their own expense until the foreman announced that ‘30" was in. So ‘30’ became a by- among printers, symbolizing the Q. Are diamonds noticeably brilliant when found? Could they be set With- out cutting and polishing?—T. L. D. A. Diamonds as they come from the ground have epproximetely the same color as when they are cut, except that they are rough and do not have & pol- ished surface, although some are un- usually smooth. They generally have a greasy look, like pieces of glass cov- cred with vasaline. To give them their characteristic appearance it is always necessary to cut them into the proper shape. But Few Can Suggest Method ‘There is plenty of emphatic senti- ment in America in favor of settling the Hzitian situation, if press comment may be taken as an indication. But there are few solutions offered. While agree: ment is general as to improvement in sanitation and education under Ameri- can intervention, there is much con- demnation of the bayonet as a stimulus toward civilisation, on the one hand, jand stern reminders that we are re- sponsible for Haitian good behavior, on the other. 2 ‘The Richmond News Leader, for in- stence, reminds us of the occasion when we first “interviewed” and the natives cast thelr votes under military chaper- onage. The choice of the present President, the paper believes, was vir- tually dictated and while “conditions in recent years have been bitter. Al- though the American administration has not done nearly as much for edu- cation as propagandists pretend, there has been improvement in sanitation and in public order. But the ugly back- ground of force and imperialism re- main. The occupation continues a humiliation. The sooner it is ended, on any terms short of civil war that will bring chaos in Haiti, the better for democracy. America cannot preach Pan-American peace with a Marine's bayonet.” 5 * K K X ‘The Loulsville Courier-Journal has less to criticize. “President Hoover was not easy in his mind about Haiti before this latest disorder broke,” it says re- ferring to the message to Congress and the request for a commission to in- vestigate. “Commissions are handy pleces of machinery with Mr. Hoover,” it adds. “He resorts to them to solve for him his puzzles and perplexities and he hopes a commission will be able to find a way out of our Haitian predica- ment. However, the problem is not as difficult as he represents it to be. It should not require a commission to con- vince so thoroughgoing an American as the Courier-Journal believes Herbert Hoover to be that the way out of the Haitian situation is to get out and stay out.” “We have a clear responsibility for President Borno,” avers the New York Evening World. “We have supported him and he, in_turn, has been sub- servient to us. His re-election by the 21 members of the council of state, all named by himself, is not conclusive as to the attitude of the people toward him. The jeering that accompanied him to the water's edge when he came here immediately after his re-election is an indication of the popular feeling. His harsh rule, which may surely be described as tyrannical, accounts for the hostile sentiment. Thus we have a very clear responsibility for what is happening in Haiti today, and it is time that we make an inventory of our successes and failures there and seek a new policy that will more nearly con- form with the desires of the people there while safeguarding all legitimate American rights.” * Kk k% “As President Hoover says in his message,” according to the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, “the American inter- vention has accomplished signal re- sults in the improvement of the mate- rial condition of the people of Haiti. That has been notably true in respect of education, of sanitation, of road building and of the maintenance of public order and suppression of ban- ditry. The administration knows it has ample justification for its present policy in Haiti and it cannot scuttle from its responsibilities there.” Holding that “the trouble lles in the utter unfitness for self-government of a large majority of the Haitian popula- tion,” the Petersburg, Va. Progress- Index argues: “A commission composed of capable men disinterested and un- biased should be able, in a short time, to put the President in possession of the essential facts necessary to the formulation of the proper policy to be pursued by this country in dealing with Haitl. Such a commission might be | quarter of the world. Personally, w: > convinced that neither the Haitle: {nor the Dominicans have reached the point where they are able or willing to establish and maintain stable, efficient and honest government.” . “President Hoover recommends as the ultimate aim of this Government,” states the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, “with- drawal from Haiti as soon as a responsi- ble native government can be set up. , Our first duty then is to restore order and suppress insurrection. That duty may have to be discha the cost of further bloodshed, though it is to be earnestly hoped that calmer counsels will prevail among the insurgents and induce them to abstain from challeng- ing the Marines and the police. The ¢ establishment of a strong and rmfl- ble native government is a ult problem, but it must be faced.” Declaring that the problem in Haiti is one that Mr. Hoover inherited—“an unwanted diplomatic child left on his doorstep,” the Cleveland Plain Dealer comments: “The Coolidge-Kel ad- ministration showed little zeal in wind- ing up the various American military ‘receiverships’ in Latin America. Our Marines have been 12 years in Haiti and far too long in Nicaragua. These episodes have given good arguments to those who set up the bogey of American imperialism. They encou our South American neighbors to ‘Gringo’ d laugh at his claims * ok ok K It is the opinion of the New York Evening Post that the President has acted firmly and promptly in the pres- ent emergency and that as to the Haitlan responsibility, “if we had not taken it, if we had dodged it, we might Euombw have expected to see a land- an tal 'We have done pretty well with it. We have cut short much of the cruelty and op~ pression, we have prevented shang- haiing of the poor blacks. We have restored order and made life more safe. We have bullt roads, a great system of ;)n;nspormuon, where none had existed ¢ efore.” ‘The Jersey City Journal concludes as to the situation: “In the meantime, the process costs us money, costs us 1 of Marines, may cost us {ll-will throughout small nations of Latin and South America, and certainly provides substantiation for President Hoover's plea that Congress name a competent commission to investigate and refort. and that Congress then attem to provide the nation with a tter thought-out program for the future ;;3!7;(10 of the United States with a: e e . There Are Dry Figures. Prom the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. ‘The total value of a human body is estimated at not more than $16 on the basis of its chemical materials. This must apply only to total abstainers. ——— e Not That Boy. From the Tcledo Blade. Solomon was lucky, living when he did. Seven hundred charge accounts might have worried him. London Poker. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, ‘Three queens are dof their Christ< mas mo&pmg in London, and full houses will likely follow their visits. oo Piker! From the Tulsa Daily World. Professional politiclans will read with* disgust that a Tammany leader who died recently left an estate of only $1,500. = - Some Truth to This. From the Arkansas Democrat. ‘Whether a prohibition officer is justie fied in shooting a bootlegger depends a; empowered to look into the affairs of Santo Domingo while down in tha lot on what kind of liquor the 'legger it sells. v '