Evening Star Newspaper, December 19, 1929, Page 8

8 THE EVENING STAR, WASHIN iTON, D. €, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, %%, [ e ——————— e T ditions . there were chaotic, sent its|skeleton force on board to keep the ship THE EVENING STAR .__With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY.. .December 19, 1029 THEODORE W. NOYES. ... Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office 11th St and Pennsvivania Ave, New York Office. 110 East 42nd St Chicago Ofice: Lake Michigan Bullding. European Office; 14 Regeat st. London. ngland. Rate by Carrier Within the City. The Evening Star . .45c ver month The Evening and Sunday Star (when 4 Bundays 60c oer menth Evening and Sunday Star (when 5 Sundays) 65¢ per month The Sunday Star ... .\ . "5c per copy | Collec'on made af the erid of each mon'h. | Qrders §iay be sent In by mall or telephone NAtiogg 5000, Rz#; by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sund; 2 1 mo.. 85¢c Daily only : 1 mo., 500 Sunday only 00: 1 mo.. 4cc All Other States and Canada. Daily and Sunday $12.00: 1 nio.. $1.00 Daily only $8.00° 1 mo.. 7S¢ Sunday only Member of the Associated Press. The Assoclated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news cis- \hie local rews rein special dispatches herein are also reserved. The Unkindest Cut of All There have been some unkind cuts in the exchange of compliments over blame for failure of the five-year build- ing program for the schools, but the unkindest cut of all lies in these words from Representative Simmons: ‘The schools have used portable build- ings in Washington ever since I have had anything to do with the Washing- ton schools. They are what one mem- ber of the committee termed “propa- ganda buildings.” They are held out as an exemplification of the con‘ention that the District of Columbia is not fully equipped with school buildings under the present system. ‘Washington parents who have been sending their children to unlighted and flimsy portable schools since the crowded days of the war have thowght all along that the temporary buildings were being used to accommodate the overflow of pupils from the permanent buildings and to serve for the time being in sections where the num- ber of students did not warrant the construction of permanent schools. But for the first time they now learn that the portables, as a matter of fact, are “propaganda buildings.” They are made to serve the purpose of the corpus delicti when discussion arises as to who killed t1Nagdhool building program. Such use of M} portable schools, if one correctly interprets the spirit of Mr. Simmons’ remarks, is unfair and mis- leading. Propaganda, according to the dic- tionary, is an effort directed system- atically toward the gaining of support for an opinion or course of action, and the propaganda buildings, therefore, are buildings which might be construed as being used continuously since the crowded days of the war for the pur- pose of gaining support for the con- tention that Washington’s school sys- tem is behind in meeting the demands of the city. If this is so, has the propaganda been good propaganda or bad propa- ganda? If results are to judge the facts, they have not been particularly good propaganda, because the number of portables is only eight less than ten years ago. There are seventy- one of them in use now, and in Febru- ary the number will be reduced by four or five, but, according to Mr. Simmons, they will never be abandoned altogether, as long as the city of Wash- ington is a growing city. If they are bad propaganda, against ‘whom has the propaganda been direct- ed? Has it been against the citizens of Washington, who have nothing to say either as to how much money they will pay in taxes or how their taxes will be spent? Has it been against the school children who sit and strain their eyes in these propaganda buildings? Or- has it been against Congress, responsible for the government of the District and the provision of an adequate school system? Regardless of whether the propaganda 1s good or bad, how or against whom it has been used, Washington parents will be only too glad to cease the use of this particularly obnoxious type of propa- ganda as soon as possible. If the port- able schools are being used to accommo- | dent of the United States, this is Marines into Haitl at the earnest re- quest of representatives of the British and the French governments who asked protection for their families. The Ma- | rines have remained in Haiti ever since. Under the present treaty they are to be withdrawn by 1936. They may be withdrawn at an earlier date. President Hoover, in his annual mes- sage to Congress, was emphatic in his desire that American armed forces should be removed as soon as possible from all foreign soil and especially from | the soll of other American republics. This country is not seeking additional territory in the Western Hemisphere or anywhere else. It has no imperialistic policy. It does not look with acquisitive eyes at neighboring republics, although efforts have been made from time to time to make it appear that the United States is seeking to extend its boun- daries and its possessions. Nothing is farther from the truth. The immediate withdrawal of Ma- rines from Haiti might result in dis- turbances in that republic demanding intervention again. The President does not intend to act precipitately. It is for that purpose that he has asked for the appointment of a special commis- sion to examine into conditions in Haitl. When he has that information, he will make his recommendations to Congress, if such recommendations are needed. It is clear that the President himself cannot make a personal investi- gation of conditions in Haitl. It is his purpose to send a commission, unbiased in its attitude, to Haiti. The resolu- tion adopted by the House gives the commission six months in which to make its report. The commission will face a difficult task. It must sift the truth from a great number of facts and alleged facts, with passion and preju- dice dictating much of the testimony it will take. o The Ethies of Friendship. Some political sage remarked once upon & time that he could defend him- self against his enemies if he could only be protected from his friends. Current events at the Capitol seem to suggest that President Hoover is in need of such security. ‘There is no hint that any of the sugar tariff revelations before the Sen- ate lobby committee disclose illicit prac- tices, or conduct that cannot be fully justified in law. But it is fairly clear that there was at least a breach of good taste and a sore strain on an influential friendship when a foreign government, vitally interested in legislation before Congress, engaged as its representative the “perscnal attorney” of the Presi- afloat if possible. In this accident not a life was lost, not a scratch was inflicted upon any person. There was no confusion. Per- fect discipline prevailed on both ships. In point of security of the ship's com- | panies it was a model collision. This | may have been due to the fact that the accident occurred in the daytime, but | the transfer of passengers was effected | after dark. There was no lack of help, iinasmuch as the collision came within a short distance from shore. This disaster, fortunately so innocent | of harm to the passengers and crew of the two ships, was due distinctly to the fog. The mist was so thick that the nose of the colliding ship was not | visible until it was less than twenty- five feet distant. The crash came | within ten seconds after the first warn- ing. Although sirens were blowing on both ships, nobody could tell in what direction danger lay. The ship that sank was stopping to drop the pilot as she was going to a foreign port. The 'nther ship, a coastwise vessel, had' no i pllot and therefore was continuing’ on its way, having changed course just a few minutes prior to the collision. Here is a situation that seemingly cannot possibly be cured by any meas- ure of precaution. Ships must move in order to leave port or make port. Short of anchoring when the fog is so thick that dangerous conditions cannot be seen within a margin of safety, there is always peril of collision in the crowded waters of a busy harbor. The only question in this present case fs whether these ships should have been sent out of port, should have left their piers, while the fog prevailed. Spe—— ‘The game of “craps” is of humble origin, Like jazz music, it has pro- gressed into circles of higher standards and dice that used to rattle for two bits now sound the suggestion of castanets to the tune of hundreds and even thou- sands of dollars. e A thirteen-month year has been tried out with satisfaction by some large bus- iness concerns. The idea, at first sur- prising, may prove as easy to become accustomed to as daylight saving was. ——————————— Alabama in barring Mr. Heflin and Judge Locke from the Democratic ticket demonstrates a belief that something ought to be done to discourage certain tendencies to stampede to Hoover. ————————— ‘Whatever happens in Wall Street, the broker's small charge on each transac- tion is always reliable. The value of & seat on the Stock Exchange is always secure. dent of the United States. That the lawyer was expected to deliver the goods is manifest from the statement that he was engaged on & retainer of $75,000 for roundly & year's services, the exact salary of the dent himself. Correspondence produced before the lobby investigators contains frequent references to the importance laid by his employers on the capacity of “President Hoover's personal attor- ney” to achieve results. Whether the lawyer tried or fafled to exploit his White House “contact” for professional purposes is rather be- side the mark. He asserts that he did not. But it is not seriously contended from any quarter that he was engaged for any other reason than his supposed “pull” in exalted quarters. In accept- ing the job of piloting through Con- gress a sugar tariff favorable to his clients he must have known that his high legal abilities were not the sole occasion for his employment. He can doubtless justify his retainer as a strict matter of legal practice legitimatized by custom. But he is on far thinner ice when he skates across the ethics of friendship. In the case of the Presi- very thin and tender ice. The President is entitled to be pre- served from friendships which do not with more thorough thoughtfulness take into consideration how easily the good name and high repute of his office may be compromised by actions utterly be- yond his control. . Futile Store Deliveries. The Merchants and Manufacturers’ Association asks that when customers direct a store to deliver merchandise to their homes during the Christmas shop- date children who otherwise would have no desk room in permanent school buildings, Washington will endeavor to prolong its patience, already sorely stretched, until the happy day when the school building program is an accom- Pplished fact, But if they are merely “propaganda buildings,” let us abandon this form of propaganda altogether and at once! No one would be more happy to do so than the parents of children who are unwilling victims of this peculiarly vicicus system of “propaganda.” R Pecuniary advantage comes easily to Al Smith, and Mayor Jimmie Walker has | no difficulty in securing a liberal salary raise. A victorious mayor or a defeated presidential candidate is assured of financial comfort so long as they permit themselves to remain in the hands of their friends. et The Haitian Situation. ‘The House has acted, granting the request of President Hoover for a com- mission to study conditions in Haiti and the policies of the United States in that republic. Prompt action by the Senate should follow. The President is anxious, as Chief Executive of the United States, to have the fullest and most accurate information regarding Haitian conditions as may be obtained. Such information is necessary in de- termining the future policy of this coun- try toward the Republic of Haiti. Much misinformation and much exaggeration of conditions in the island have been spread broadcast. President Hoover made it clear in his message to Congress at the opening of the present regular session that in his opinion the United States should bring its Marines back home from foreign soil as speedily as possible. He referred particularly to Nicaragua, to China and to Haitl. He admitted that the Haitian situation presented a problem that re- quired close attention. Almost simul- taneously with the delivery of his mes- sage to Congress disturbances broke out in Haiti and it became necessary to send additional United States Marines ping rush they be sure to arrange for its reception when the delivery truck arrives. There may be occasions and circum- stances in which it is impossible to as- sure reception of delivered goods. But those are exceptional conditions. Many customers order deliveries without mak- ing any provision whatever for recep- tion, indeed without giving thought to the question of whether there will be anybody to recelve goods. In apart- ment houses reception of goods is al- ways possible, even though there may be “nobody home” in‘the apartment itself. In the case of separate dwellings, however, it is unsafe to leave parcels save in the hands of a responsible re- cefver, At this season of the year merchants | cannot be sure of making schedule in deliveries so that definite hours cannot be appointed for reception. It is really | up to the purchaser to insure reception — Complaint may yet be made that a man cannot, as & congressman, pass the time of day without being accused of lobbying for a watch manufacturer. oo In attacking administration ideas, Hiram Johnson makes it obvious that as a Californian he is one of the most unneighborly of statesmen. - Oklahoma is not at present so much concerned with deadly gas as a possible war device as with its elimination from mining industry. THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. “As-I came down the Highgate Hill, The Highgate Hill, the Highgate Hill, As I came down the Highgate Hill 1 met the sun’s bravado, And saw below me, fold on fold, Gray to pear] and pearl to gold, This London like a land of old, ‘The land of Eldorado.” —Henry Bashford. Emerson wrote in one of his journals: “When I bought my farm, I did not know what a bargain I had in the blue- birds, bobolinks, and thrushes; as little did I know what sublime mornings and sunsets I was buying.” If we of Washington, as 1929 draws to a close, can sce some of Bashford's ‘bravado,” or keep our eyes open for Emerson’s sublime mornings and sun- sets, we shall be all the better. We saw a great full moon the other evening, apparently sitting on top of a house in the next block. It was a great dishlike moon, not exactly yellow, nor \(‘}}fle nor silver, but just a good moon color. It took a second look to see that it was not reposing in a sort of cclestial siesta on the tin roof, but was in reality so many thousands of miles away. ‘That is one thing the world has al- ways liked about the moon, it is such a friendly, close-in sort of body, not dis daining to mingle—at least it seems— with our trees and houses. Babies reach out their hands for it, especially these modern infants, who never go to bed, and dogs insist on bark- ing at it, never learning anything from generation to generation. * k& It is difficult in this age to keep alive In one the poetical aspirations which men of the elder generations had by birth, at least if we may judge from their writings. Especially is it hard for the poetically inclined to see the beauty in the every- day. We become so used to seeing the Washingtc 1 Monument, and the Capitol, and Rock Creek Park, that we forget just how good looking they are. Coming down the Massachusetts ave- nue hill in the early morning, one may see the sun’s “bravado” shining down over Washington, and no doubt the sight has warmed many a motoring heart, but few there are to ever speak of it, and, so far as is known, no one ever has burst into a lyric over it. Lord Byron saw London, to get back to Bashford's Eldorado, as a gray, dirty place of low houses, confused streets and bridges. To him it was not a thing of pearl and gold, nor did it resemble a land of old. bl ke e ‘The mental attitude must be permit- ted to play a part, then, even in things of beauty, but we are convinced that the thing itself plays more. In other words, it is not so much the mental attitude of the gazer, or his own temperament in regard to beauty, as the simple quickness of "eye which instantly recognizes the values of color, line, perspective. One need not make the mistake, how- ever, of thinking that one must be an artist. There is a bit of the artist in all of us, ready to jump out when a big new moon pushes the electric but- ton. Every one responds to & moon or a rainbow; not every one by any means sees beauty in the flat gray day which clamps down over a city like a cloud. * ok %ok ‘The city resident does not have to buy a farm, as Emerson did, to get stib- lime mornings and evenings. His may be bird songs without price. What he must do is to keep on the lookout for them. He will not hear his birds as easily as the sage cf Concord did his, nor will he so readily get his fill of fine sunrises and sunsets. There is one thing that even the wealthiest man in the world cannot see unless he gets up in time, and that is the sunrise, heralded in this vicinity by the boom of a cannon from Arlington. ‘The sleepy private who is uncere- moniously hauled out of bed through force of military discipline to fire that gun probably sees little beauty in the spectacle of Nature, Maybe he fires his cannon and goes back to bed—we don't know—but the fact remains that if any one wants to see the sunrise he must get up in time to see it. The precise moment is not to be com- pared with the gradual approach of Dawn, The ancients, who had more sense in their mythology than some- times we are willing to grant, pictured Aurora 8s a beautiful lady sweeping along with white, pearl and gold back- grounds. ok Perhaps there is no city in the world with more beautiful sunsets, at least upon occasion. The National Capital often enjoys colorations in the Western sky which would cause a painter to be branded as Nature faker if he put them on canvas. Even the calm days of Summer some- times produce clear sunsets which have a peculiar power to make grass and foliage unusually green, or at least seem unusually green to the beholder. The necessity for thought in keeping alive the sense of beauty was never greater than in this age, when com- merce in general and mass production in particular tend to take the accent off beauty for itself and place it on beauty for the sake of sale. This is not to be imputed a fault of business, but rather an inevitable result, against which the beauty lover must be on his guard—that is all. It takes determination nowadays to see beauty in the little things of every day, to see the grace and beauty of the dancing child before everything else, and not be drawn away by an insiant deduction that 10 years from now she may be making thousands of dollars on the stage. City beauty is everywhere clouded by the ugly. Drab aspects crop up at every turn. When Athens was in its glory no doubt havels could be seen with the same eye-sweep which took in the Acropolis. * k ok k The thing to do, to see Washington as an Eldorado, is to look for the Eldo- radish things and concentrate om the kc)?e“s which Nature has built around em. Emerson's bluebirds and bobolinks and thrushés are still singing in the National Zoological Park, although most of us haven't visited there is a coon's age, as they say back where we come rom. The great dullness of perception comes through the clogging effects of the ordinary. It is really a mysterious thing—the effect of the every day upon the average temperament. Most of us go plodding to work with- out seeing a thing along the way, not because there aren't plenty of things to be seen, but because we have got used:sh,ee' Car Passen"crs i senge to going that way, and nothing less than an accident will stir us out of our apathy. Select something unusual—say a house that resembles a castle, not all over, but in some one portion. Ask 100 persons who go that way if they have ever seen it. Prohably not 10 of them have. There is a sunken garden at a turn in a road and thousands pass that way every day, but only a few have ever noticed the flowers; not because they would not appreciate them, but mostly because they have become unhabituated to beauty. Poke a flower under their noses and they will grant it is beauti- ful, but if they have to raise their heads to see it they have something else to do. ——— . ‘The phrase “Shop early” has become almost as well recognized a feature of the holiday season as “Merry Christ- mas.” ——— A little time will tell whether tax re- duction is as practical as it is popular. ) SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. ‘The Mellowing Hagze. T prayed for vision clear ‘To view the scene with a contented mind, As light came sparkling through the at- mosphere ‘To make all plain and leave each doubt behind. And then a haze at morn; ‘The outlines brought strange and shadowy grace— ‘This world would be & spot, indeed, for- lorn, ‘With nothing left for Fancy’s thought to trace. Humor Practically Applied. “You have a fine sense of humor.” “I need it,” answered Senator Sor- ghum. “The only way I can hope to get away from certain embarrassments is by laughing them off.” Jud Tunkins says the nearest some women ever get to having the last word is the line “to be continued.” Durability of the Jest. Few are the jokes a man can see! ‘With perseverance and with nerve, If you can learn just two or three, For a whole lifetime they will serve. In the Motor Car. “No woman is willing to take a back seat nowadays.” “My wife is,” declared Mr. Chuggins. “She drives from it.” “He who uses many words,” sald Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “squanders not only his own time, but that of those who listen.” in such conditions. In some cases three and four attempts are made to deliver before the goods are finally placed in proper hands. Every trip counts in the cost of service whether the goods are delivered or not. Yet there is no charge for fruitless calls. Perhaps if such a charge were made there would be more care on the part of purchasers to have somebody home to take in the goods ‘when the wagon arrives. o Millionaires and movie stars achieve divorces with picturesque publicity. However, divorce is not necessarily & privilege of discontented opulence. Vari- ous cities have placed it within the reach of moderate as well as affluent in- comes. —r————————— Fog and Collision. In the dense fog that prevailed off the port of New York yesterday after- noon two liners, carrying about seven hundred persons, passengers and crew, came into collision near the Ambrose Lightship. One of them was rammed amidships and so badly injured that she sank three and a half hours later. All the passengers of the stricken ship were safely transferred to the pilot it to the island to assure order. Nothing could have been a clearer indication that some study of conditions in the :nd republic was needeg: . The United States, in 1915 when con= within an hour after the collision, in fact, within ten minutes after the order had been given to abandon ship. The crew, quickly. followed, Jeaving only s shopping tip may, find Reducing Risk. To Edison we must allow ‘Thanks for electric lights, because ‘We need no fireproof whiskers now ‘When we are playing Santa Claus! “Lissen, chillun,” said Uncle Eben. “Don’t eat yohsefs into state of mind whar you's wishin’ foh a doctor harder dan you did foh Santa Claus.” ———— That All Depends. From the Miami Daily News and Mefropolis. Detroit busses are being equipped with radios, and when the operator tunes in on “The Star Spangled Banner" it's a question whether to be patriotic or hang on to your seat. o Some Went Back Fast. From the Philadelphia Inauirer. Eddie Cantor says the recent stock market jamboree sent a lot of men from their sweethearts back to their wives. A policy of economy, we take it, rather than a bid for consolation. .. Ought to “Boll” ’Em Over. From the San Bernardino Daily Sun. ‘The farmers ought to put out a little hate propaganda to stir up the boll weevil against the corn borer. —— If He Finds Himself. Prom the Harrisburg Jelesraph. Even s tall after a Christmas ahorty Phonograph Fails to Improve Rounding South American Caps BY JUNIUS B. WOOD. MAGALLANES (formerly Punta Are- nas), Chile.—In the dining salon a pho- nograph was playing “My Old Kentucky Home” when our good ship made a sharp right turn around Cape Virgin and entered te Strait of Magellan. When Ad- miral Magellan, properly Hernando Magallanes and pronounced ‘“Maag: yan-ees,” arrived here on the Spring morning of October 21, 1520, he chris- tened the turning point, which now has a lighthouse, “Point of Eleven Thousand Virgins.” That even part of the name has survived is surprising when_the number of explorers, whalers and sheep herders who stopped here in succeed- ing centuries is considered. Whether the Portuguese explorer was the discoverer of the strait which bears his name is doubtful, as he di- rected his course by a map of Martin de Bohemia which showed its exist- ence, while another map of the geog- rapher Schoner showed it in 1515. However, he was the first to go through and reach the Pacific, which in these tortuous windy passages is a feat sail- ing ships do not attempt today. The local historian, Manuel Zorrilla, starting with one which Magellan lost, enumer- ates 349 ships which have been wrecked in this perilous crossing, most of them since the first steam vessel went through in 1840. * koK K ¢ Magellan had a phonograph which played a tune of sunny Spain, there is small wonder that one of his ships de- serted when this inhospitable coast was reached and sailed for home. Cold ap- ple-green water shut in by damp olive- green plains or barren snow-streaked hills without a habitation or sign of life does not mkie the place of either cky or Spain. Kellgltl‘exrloy St. J‘Lllan, 250 miles up the coast, with its tin houses and big, empty streets, is drab and peaceful now, but in the three months that Magellan wintered there that year it had lots of excitement. His sailors talked of going home then, but after one captain had been carved into quarters, another lead- er beheaded and another buried alive with a priest, they were more guarded in expressing their opinions. Sir Fran- cis Drake, the English pirate, had the same trouble in St. Julian in 1578, took similar measures to_enforce silence, and continued through the strait with warm- er weather. St. Juliap, even today, would make anybody homesick, but with a phonograph the Strait of Magel- lan is worse. * K Ok K Both these doughty mariners crossed to the Pacific, each losing a ship in the strait, and many others followed them. An occaslonal steamer goes through now. One comes from the United States With tourists every year, and coastal lines to Buenos Aires and Valparaiso have fortnightly sailings, but the Pan- ama Canal opened a new route for world commerce. A late afternoon sun is breaking through the slaty clouds and Magallanes, in the distance a blotch of dark before a background of snow- speckled hills, seems silent and deserted. Hulks and a half dozen little ships are bobbing at anchor in the bay. No for- eign flag flies from any masthead in the harbor which once sheltered the trade between Orient and the West. Squeak- ing gulls are the only sign of life, a city sleeping in the haze with black, straight streets running back over the hill. Until February 1, 1928, Magallanes was Punta Arenas. Then Chile changed the name of the province, which is one- fourth the total area of Chile, from Magallanes to Patagonia, and to pre- serve the name gave it to the city. Commodore John Byron, English ex- rlorer. christened the spot Sandy Point n 1761. In 1849, when Chile founded a city and prison cagp here, the name was retained, only changed into the Spanish — Punta ‘Arenas. The nine women in the colony were all married and, as :tm governor reported, “for the has a population of 40,000, most of them in the single city, and officlal reports omit details of domestic felicity. * K kX A white Jaunch speeds out with the medical and immigration officers. Mag- allanes has all the formalities of a great port and with three first-cabin passengers aboard it took longer to land than from an ocean liner in New York. What looks like a two-masted schooner puts out from shore and slowly pro- ceeds shipward. Closer inspection dis- closes that it is propelled by an ancient motor and its deck covered with stand- ing passengers, holding on_ to ropes, masts and each other to keep from failing overboard as it rolls on the waves. It was worse returning. Ship pas- sengers and baggage were added to the visitors. ‘Though piracy is frowned on in other parts of the world, Magallanes port authorities grant a monopoly to these ancient Austrian bumboatmen and ships are not permitted to land their passengers in safety. Taking up col- lections for the widows of persons drowned in the harbor is a local activ- ity, but the unseaworthy, overloaded craft are not stopped. * ok ok K Customs formalities are perfunctory, conducted in a round kiosk which looks like an ice cream stand in a Summer garden. It is too small to take much baggage inside and as afternoons are usually rainy and muddy the venerable inspector is satisfied to look at one handbag and take the new arrival's word that no contraband is in the others. Magallanes once was a free port, center of trade for the south on both Chile and Argentina coasts, and the old habit persists. Magallanes is the southernmost city on the American continent, 53 degrees 12 minutes south of the Equator. South of it, across the straits, are only islands, about 100, of which Terra del Fuego is the largest, 28000 square miles, of which 11,000 belong to Argentina and the rest to Chile. It has a villags, Ushuaia, and an Argentine prison camp on the far side, 100 miles farther south than Magallanes. And, while straightening geography, it may be explained that the world-famous Cape Horn, which shows on maps as the tip of South America, is only a high unlighted point on Horn Island, a bar- ren speck of an island about a mile in diameter, 70 miles south of Ushuaia. Dutch _explorers named it after their city, Horn, in 1661 and North Ameri- cans who think it has some relation to a “hol and South Americans who write it “hornos” and think it relates to a furnace, are both wrong. It marks the line between Atlantic and Pacific, and_windjammers remember the weeks or months they have passed beating around it into the west, but Diego Ramirez islands are 59 miles farther south and still part of South America, (Copyright, 1929.) ] Santa Runs to Catch Car. From the Detroit News. Having learned from a statistical par- ent that there are 600,000 reindeer in Alaska alone, Junior was not a little shocked this morning to see Santa Claus running to catch a car. ——— Gift Styles Stick. From the Muncle Star. Styles change and invention revolu- tionizes our mode of living, and yet through all the years there has been nothing more acceptable than the socks and handkerchief combination, Hotel for Working Girls, From the Butte Daily Post. . A new million-dollar hotel in New York for working girls will provide a room and brefikfast in bed for $1.50 a week—or just_about the cost of shak- f “Mystery of Arlington” | Is Somewhat Dispelled To the Editor of The Star: In the magazine section of The Sun- day Star of December 15 there appears an interesting article from the pen of Enoch Aquila Chase entitled, “The Mystery of Arlington.” Mr. Chase tells us that at a short distance to the north of the old Custis mansion there is a small brick vault with a marble slab. The inscription on tHis slab informs the stranger that there lies Mrs. Mary Randolph, who was born at Ampthill, near Richmond, in 1762, and died in Washington in 1828. It is also stated that the monument is the filial tribute of her youngest son. Had that son intended purposely to conceal the identity of his mother from future generations, he could not have devised a more confusing inscription. No wonder the quartermaster general is concerned over the identity of this woman! As pointed out by Mr. Chase, Ampthill Was an ancient seat of the Cary family, having been built in 1732, and became the home of Archibald Cary, a noted patriot of the Revolutionary era. Just across the James River from Ampthill stands Wilton, an old Randolph man- sion, but Mr. Chase’s efforts to find & Mary Cary who married a Randolph of Wilton were doomed to fail. Never- theless it is true that Mrs. Mary Randolph, who rests in Arlington Cemetery, was born_at Ampthill, but she was born Mary Randolph and she married a Randolph. Mary’s mother was a Cary and it would appear that Mary was born while her mother was visiting her parental mansion. Wilton does not enter into this story. Willlam Randolph, 1651-1711, the founder of the great Virginia family of that name, came to America in 1673. He married Mary Isham and settled at Turkey Island, which is on the James River but is not an island. From this couple are descended more pre-eminently great men than from any other in our | g annals. Among them might be men- tioned such men as Peyton Randolph, first president of the Continental Con- gress; Thomas Jefferson, author of the Doclaration of Independence and President of the United States; John Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Gen. Robert E. Lee. One of the sons of William and Mary Isham Randolph was Thomas Randolph of Tuckahoe, a fine old place on the James River and situated a few miles above Richmond. He in turn had a son, Willlam, who married into the Page family and had a son, Thomas Mann Randolph of Tuckahoe, a noted man in his day. The latter married Ann, daughter of Col. Archibald Cary of Ampthill. They were the parents of Mary Randolph, who was born the 9th of August, 1762, married David Meade Randolph and died in Washington on the 23d of January, 1828. She rests in Arlington Cemetery—the grand- daughter of a Revolutionary patriot, the widow of a Revolutionary soldier. Mr. Chase thinks that, with the possible exception of some slaves, Mrs. Randolph was the first person to be buried at Arlington. It is well to re- mind him that three of the children of G. W. P. Custis, the builder of Arlington, failed to live to maturity. C. G. LEE, Jr. —_— ey Urged to Move Forward To the Editor of The Star: ‘There is a practice prevalent in this city that is surely a handicap to the best transportation that the car com- panies might render. It is the fact that people will not move to the front on cars when moving forward would mean that the car could accommodate many more people. ° To give you an illustration I will cite a case out of my own experience. On Friday, December 13, a one-man car leaving Fourteenth and B streets south- west at 4:32 p.m., bound for Brookland, The resources of our free information bureau are at your service. You are in- vited to_call upon it as often as you please. It is being maintained solely to serve you. What question can we an- swer for you? There is no charge at all except 2 cents in coin or stamps for return postage. Address your letter to The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washing- ton, D. C. Q. How old is Patrick J. Hurley, the new Secretary of War?—C. N. A. Secretary Hurley will be 47 in January. Q. What aviator from Ohio waited until he had fallen over 8,000 feet be< fou:r g}ming his parachute cord?— H. T. A. Tt is said that Rex Harker of East Liverpool stepped from a plane 11,800 feet high and waited until he had shot down 9,600 feet before pulling the rip cord that released his parachute. Q. What is the correct name of the little wcoden musical instrument com- monly called a sweet potato?—B. T. A. Its correct name is ocarina. Q. Is_Chief Two-Guns-White-Calf 1iving?—H. K. A. Chief Two-Guns-White-Calf, mod- el for the face on the buffalo nickels, is living and spoke over the radio not long ago. Q. How s the fact that a runner gets his second wind accounted for?—B. D. A. The Public Health Service says that by “second wind” is meant an ad- Jjustment of the heart rate to the intake and outgo of air in the lungs. Qfi How long is the Grand Canyon?— A. The Grand Canyon is more than 200 miles in length, divided into four divisions known as the Kaibab section, the Kanab section, the Uinkaret section and the Sheavwitz section, Q. Of what fraternity was Joyce Kil- mer a member?—L. B. B, A. The poet was a member of the Co- lumbia Chapter of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity. Recently his mother pre- sented to this chapter a fireplace in his memory. Across the top is inscribed “Sit by the fire and let the world spin by.” At the presentation Mrs. Kilmer read her son's poem, “Trees,” and John Erskine, a member of the chapter, said, “If still alive Joyce Kilmer would be the greatest poet in the world.” Q. Why aren’t deer brought from the West to replenish the big-game popula- tion of Eastern forests?—J. T. . This has been tried without marked success. However, transfer of game from parts of the country which are overstocked to places where it is wanted is being done wherever prac- tical. z Q. What place is popularly known as the Venice of America?—D. S. . The term is frequently used to describe the Thousand Islands, lying between Canada and New York in an extension of the St. Lawrence River. Q. Are toys considered necessary for the modern child?>—C. T. A. Authorities on child guidance find that toys are important in the early education of a child. They teach the child to use his hands and brain, and aid in forming desirable habits if prop- erly directed. PQJ. N?f what is antipasto made?— ‘A It is made of anchovies, small sardines, bits of pimento and onion, canned in a sauce of olive oil. Q. Please name some of the latest contributions to scientific knowledge?— was so crowded at the front door that E. P. C. the “starter” had to ask a man to get/| off the step, saying “There is another car just behind,” so that the car might move on. I looked in the car and the people were huddled together in_ the front end of the car no farther back than three seats, and the rest of the car was absolutely empty as far as the standing space was concerned. Of course, every seat was taken, but at least 25 more people could have stood in the back of the car if they had been given an opportunity to get on. This same condition exists on other lines and at_other times of the day. I realize that the cars are especially crowded from 4:30, on every day, and particularly at this time of the year when every one is in a hurry and the crowds are large. But how much quicker the crowds could be moved if the full capacity of each car could be carried each time the car moves from a loading point! The starters and motormen or conductors cry in vain “Move forward, please,” but the “standpatters” in the car will not budge. Cannot something be done to make people see their selfishness in this mat- ter? Any help will be certainly appre- clated, not only by the writer but by all those who have to ride day after day on the crowded cars. Sometimes when we are fortunate enough to edge our way on and elbow through the jam at the door until we reach the vacant por- tion of the car, what do we get? Why, those people look daggers atus and you hear such remarks as “Well, don’t knock me down,” “Take my arm off,” “You can't get through here,” etc. You would think we were at fault because we are trying to make a little more room at the entrance to permit others to get on, too. BESSIE LEIMBACH. Home for Incurables Renews Fund Appeal To the Editor of The Star: ‘The appeal you so kindly printed for the Home for Incurables has brought in many pleasant and gencrous re- sponses, but, so far, only $306. For this sum the board wishes to express its most sincere thanks. But surely there must be more than 119 persons who can and will give a trifle, even, to help the board to pay off the small out- standing debt of $4,694. There are many appeals at this sea- son, but with a little more careful choosing gifts for well, happy and pros- perous people the public is planning to glve to, many a doliar could be saved for the Home to pay this debt before New Year. This would lift a very heavy burden from the hearts of the board, who in this letter speak for the inmates, 108 patient suffering souls. ‘The executive committee of the Home for Incurables: MISS JULIA D. STRONG, MRS. FREDERICK HICKS, MRS. ROBERT S. CHEW. —— Market Site Urged Near Patent Office To the Editor of The Star: When Center Market is torn down to make way for Government buildings, I for one think that there should be a centrally located market to take its place. As a site for such a market I suggest the present Patent Office square, bounded on the north by G street, on the east by Seventh street, on the west by Ninth street and on the south by F street northwest. This lo- cation is served by street cars on all four sides and is in the heart of the retail district of the city; more conven- ient on that account to more people than any other available location— available because the Government owns the property. The Patent Office could be located elsewhere and serve its pur- pose just as well as, if not better than, where it is. Now, while changes and developments with reference to Gov- ernment buildings are being made, would be an appropriate and opportune time to consider this matter. If we are to have the beautiful Washington we all hope for, then a suitable Center Market, ideal as nearly as possible in its arrangement, modern and up to date, is a necessary part of the development. ‘The public, ugecmly the women who do most of the marketing for their ramilies, should have first consideration, i to the life of a cowboy. He earned his A. Some of the important contribu- tions to science of recent years were reweighing the earth by Dr. Paul R. Heyl; the study of atoms and electrons; of the ether drift; the nebulae; an im- portant contribution is the Einstein theory of relativity, also the unitary field theory. Transoceanic telephone and television have also made rapid ad- vance. In medicine and surgery the use of ultra-violet rays has been dem- onstrated. There have also been valu- ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. able contributions in the fleld of en« gineering and aeronautics. Q. Was Knute Rockne born in America?—A. N. A. Knute Rockne was born in a small town in Norway a little more than 40 years ago. He came to the United States with his parents when he was 2 years old and grew up in and near Chicago. Q. Please name some of the famous carillons in Canada.—H. E. T. A. Five modern carillons in Canada include Simcoe of 23 bells, Guelph of 23 bells, Toronto University of 23 bells, ‘Toronto Metropolitan Church of 23 bells and Ottawa of 53 bells. This last carillon is the Victory Tower in the Parliament buildings, which represents Canada’s memorial to her 53,000 sons who died in the World War. A caril- lon comprising 53 bells has been placed in a memorial chamber, from where re- citals are given. Q. How long after Amundsen reach- ed the South Pole did Scott arrive? B. 8. A. Amundsen reached the Pole on December 14, 1911, and Scott arrived on January 18, 1912. Scott and his ;‘m‘rty lost their lives upon the return rip. . Q. When were iron spikes or nails invented?—L. D. G. A. They were known to the anclents ¢ and are mentioned in the Bible. Q. How much is irrigated land Egypt worth an acre?—C. E. N. A. The better irrigated land is valued as high as $3,000 an acre, Q. Is the use of natural increas- ing?—C. M. . e A. In 1922 725,000,000,000 cubic feet of natural gas were produced in the United States. The value of this nat~ ural gas was $196,000,000. In 1925 the production had increased to 1,164,000,- 000,000 cubic feet, having a value of $255,000,000. In 1927 the production had increased to 1,445,428,000,000, which was an increase of 132,409,000,000 cubic feet over 1926, arci chn'a lazerDiey the.fouer 1'Be cn:‘foll;:w fl:@m "‘m? person who one in which he holds other cards. Q. How many people in the United States use toothbrushes?>—R. W. A. No more than an approximation can be made. Dr. J. H. Kaufman es- timates that about 15 per cent of the population uses toothbrushes and that 4‘(‘1’.’900,000 toothbrushes are used annu- Q. Did Edwin Austin Abbey, the ar- ) tist, become a British subject?—M. A. A. Although Edwin Austin Abbey. lived in England for many years, and dled in London, he never gave up his American natlonality. Q. Does the Department of Agricul- ! ture get many letters on account of its radio broadcasting?>—M. B. S. A. The department says that the re- sponses amounted to about 80,000 let- ters in a year. Q. What is meant by the “honor sys- mf' Elnh!cl}llools?—ntfy, D. 9 e honor system as applied to schools is a phase of student govern- ment whereby the students pledge them- selves to handle their own affairs and be responsible for good deportment without the constant attendance of a professor. This is particularly true at examination time, when the students promise not to cheat, even though a professor is not in the room. Q. Why has Charles Lindbergh the title of colonel?>—W. L. W. A. It was bestowed by special act of Congress. He is now in the Air Reserve. oue Q. How is the word led that re- fers to a Y-shaped ’unc’!?:x‘x of rallroad o The etier S 18 . The letter “¥” is used to describe & portion of track consisting of two diverging tracks diverging caused by a cross- “President Hoover has a faculty for picking good men, and this is demon- strated again the selection of Patrick J. Hurley of Oklahoma to suc- ceed the late James W. Good as Secre- tary of War,” says the Albany Evening News, which describes him as having a “colorful and positive personality” and as being “active and forceful.” This opinion is strikingly typical of the whole range of comment on the appointment. The enthusiasm of the people of Okla- homa over the appointment moves the Kansas City Journal-Post to note that “not only is he the first Oklahoman to receive a place in the presidential cabi- net, but he is a native of the new State, born in the old Choctaw Na- tion and educated in the Baptist College for Indians near Muskogee, in the Creek Nation.” This paper finds it ro- mantic that, “born and brought up in the Indian country and denied the right to vote for any office higher than mayor until he was 24, Mr. Hurley at 46 is made Secretary of War.” * ok ok % In his career the Danbury Evening News sees an answer to those who whine that they have had no chance, for * ‘Pat Hurley' never had a chance” to make anything of himself, of course. A mule driver at 11 years of age, to help support his mother and sisters, he early be- came a miner, and from the mines took way through college. In fact, he has ‘earned his way’ everywhere he has gone since that time.” By his efficiency in his position as Assistant Secretary of War he really earned the right ‘to his elevation to his present cabinet office, in the opinion of many papers which are particularly pleased at his “promotion.” The Raleigh News and Observer notes that “the law of promotion was observed by President Hoover,” a gratifying rec- ognition of this “young man of enter- prise and ability.” ‘The Manchester Union also sees the appointment as “a promotion—which meets popular ideas of the proprieties, as due recognition of capacity and good service.” The Providence Journal approves President Hoover's following “a sound policy of promotion” and considers that he has secured “an able and popular official,” whose future “carecr will be watched with sympa- thetic interest.” ol ok By indicating “his belief in promoting efficient men,” the Cincinnati Times- Star thinks “Tthe President has main- tained the morale of officialdom in Washington,” while the Evansville Courier, noting that “the next man in the department was moved up,” de- clares that “Mr. Hurley in his brief ex- perience as Assistant Secretary has demonstrated the ability that merits a promotion.” Interpreting his elevation as a “re- ward for work well and faithfully done in a position more responsible, perhaps, than the title would indicate,” Springfield Illinols State Register cred. its him with having “shown unusual organizing and administrative ability, a factor which undoubtedly attracted the President’s attention.” In this con- nection, the Kalamazoo Gagzette points out that “the tendency, indeed, has been to slight the well trained and hard-working subordinates of the va- rious Government departments in favor of men who have no real claim on the posts of honor and distinction. The Hurley and Hoover Praised ) As War Secretary Appointed - Mel.m"' glmlng' -!ao‘h to th: South, de- ! any of e country’s papers. The Houston Chronicle sees Hoover “strengthened in the Southwest, espe- clally in Oklahoma, which feels great pride in the fact that a young and growing State can produce men of emi- nence when more ancient common- Wealths are barren of statesmen,” and “Hurley's selection will also appeal to Texas. His mother was a Texan, and the Lone Star State is glad to see her sons in the seats of the mighty.” “The President in this choice of a comparatively young man who is both Southerner and a Roman Catholic,” ac- cording to the Fort Wayne News- Sentinel, “has given new proof of his continued interest in efficiency in gov- ernment without regard to either the creed or the sectional origin of men charged with governmental commis- slons.” A Some voices are raised asserting that Oklahoma is not a Southern State, but this in no wise detracts from their approval of Mr. Hurley personally. As far as being considered representation from the South in the cabinet, the Lynchburg Advance says that in the ap- pointment “of an Oklahoma lawyer he has no more met th.t demand than if he had named some one from Massa- chusetts.” And the harleston Evening Post, while declaring that the appoint- ment of Mr. Hurley “needs no justifica= tion, was logical and proper, and a fair recognition of service well rendered,” adds that “if it is to be given political significance something more plausible should be ascribed to it than recognition of the South.” A sentiment which the Asheville Times echoes in the remark that “Oklahoma as a Southern State possibly will pass wherever approxima=' tion replaces accuracy.” Another angle of approval comes from the military establishment, as the San Antonio Express points out, for Mr. Hurley has had a notable career, both in the National Guard and later in the World War. The Express calls atten- tion to the fact that “Col. Hurley was cited for gallantry in action in general orders, and was awarded the Distin- guished Service Medal.” ““His interest in things military is not an undue one” says the Lexington Leader, for “he is not strictly a civilian, but he is by no stretch of the imagina- tion a militarist.” The Detroit Free Press adds that “while he is at its head the War Department will be directed by & young, able executive who knows the difference between the muzzle of a rifle and its butt, who can read an Army report intelligently, and who has more .fl;;nt & hazy idea of what it is all ut” “From every consideration the Presi- dent has made a good choice,” in the judgment of the Los Angeles Express, an opinion which seems to be very widely held. B The Insurance Question. From the Haverhill Gazette. The only kind of insurance to have, apparently, is all kinds. Consider the case of the California man who was insured against a horse's hoofs and & bull’s horns and then was kicked to death by a cow. —swa On Careless Driving. From the Buffalo Evening News. appointment of Mr. Hurley is a gratify- ing exception to the rule.” * X ok Careless driving isn't a matter of temperament. It's just the result of that another scratch