Evening Star Newspaper, December 22, 1929, Page 38

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THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, DECEMBER 22, 1929—PART TW e e e O A A e ey e S e e A L N O e ————— -_— smese e e e _ m _ _ e —_—______————_—_—_———— THE EVENING STAR |citement in one of the subways under|What popular imagination, ever in- With Sunday M Editien. - With Sunday Merning | WASHTENGTON, D. C EUNDAY......December 22, 1020 THEODORE ‘W. NOYES. . . . Edite: The Evening Star N Compan: e "! '.ul ‘nnluv pany Rate by Carrier Within the City. o . Star. _45¢ Ler month “iai .. .Bc per copy d of each monh. or telephone s A All Other a!lnlu and C; ere; Al rights of pubis .lln'g al dllb“eg"u h.r:l: are :l:l‘:m::l:. —e District Building Purchase. Representative Simmons has intro- duced his bill for the purchase of the the Ewst River, when a short circuit caused the sudden stoppage of = crowded train with the emission of the fumes of burning insulation and fusing ‘metal throwing the 1,500 passengers into & panic. This misadventure, though not productive of fatalities, caused the hos- pital treatment of nearly twoscore, with as many more greviously discommoded by either gas or crushing. That hap- pening was still being actively discussed when a third accident occurred. A North River ferry boat bearing over seven hun- dred passengers was rammed in mid- stream by & heavy car float. All the pas- sengers were taken off the sorely stricken ferry and nobody was lost or injured. It was rather remarkable that no casual- ties occurred. About half of the people were newly arrived immigrants who had a'short time before been released from Ellis Island. ‘These three mishaps, two on the water and one under the water, involved altogether over 3,000 people, and save for the comparatively inconsequential gass- ing of about forty of them and & few scratches and bruises they are all as well today as before this strange sequence of misfortunes. It is to be doubted whether such a combination has ever before occurred in the modern history of New York, or whether it would be likely to trigued by the mystical, adds to the facts. A bear, a hog or a tac is transformed into a demon the story grows in horror as it passesfrom mouth to mouth. Folks still have fears for which demons are appropriste sym- bols, and the material from which de- mons may be created is everywhere in the woods and in the darkness; ‘The excitement in the New Jersey community will die a natural death in a few days. At the worst, it will have a limited spread to other com- munities. The rest of the country, which has no particular and immediate need for a demon, will laugh at the story. But one is tempted to recall the words of Sir James George Frazer in his classical study of superstition and magic, The Golden Bough: We seem to move on & thin crust which may at any moment be rent by the subterranean forces slumbering be- o e nto. the i tells of what 18 going on bencath our feet. The excitement over the Jersey devil seems just such a “hollow murmur un- derground,” warning us that reason is far from securely enthroned in the human mind. — e Inadequate Illumindtion. occur again, Usually the metropolitan happenings that call for big headlines Municipal Building, a measure dis- cussed last Spring with the Secretary of the Treasury and which evidently fits in with the Federal Government's own buflding plans in the Avenue triangle. As far as the purchase of the build- ing is concerned, Mr. Simmons’ plan is fair to the District and to the United States. ‘The cost of the Municipal Building, including the site, was approximately $2,500,000, shared equally beiween the District and the United States. Recent estimates of present-day fair value of the building place it at about $5,500,000. Under the Simmons bill, this value ‘would be determined by a board of ap- praisal composed of the architect of the Capitol, the supervising architect of the ‘Treasury and the District assessor. As soon as the necessary legislation is en- acted, the amount of the purchase price of the Municipal Bullding—say, $5,500,000—will be placed to the credit of the District in the Treasury, its use being restricted, however, to meeting the cost of the proposed new municipal center. In the interval between the transfer of ownership of the bullding to the United States and the time that new quarters are to be occupied by the municipal government, the present building will continue to be occupied “rent free” by the city and the city will continue to pay the maintenance costs. It is in consideration of the new municipal center project asa whole that one realizes that the United States siands. to gain through its purchase of the Dis- trict Bullding and that the taxpayers of the District are threatened with a disproportionately heavy share of the burden of financing this great under- taking. According to' the plans for purzhase of sites and construction of buildings in the municipal center group the Dis- triet will spend-about $11,510,000 be- tween the fiscal years 1930 and 1934, inclusive. |The amount should cover the cost of all the land and pay for the erection of the proposed courts bullding. After that the District will undertake the erection of the adminis- tration bullding, cost of which is esti- mated at $10,000,000. This makes 'a” total in Tound numbers of $21,500,000 now planned for ex- penditure on the municipal center and the final cost will probably exceed that amount. The United States contribu- tion, under the Simmons bill and under the present system of appropriations, will be, as now estimated, the $5,500,000 paid for the Municipal Bullding, plus a fraction of the lump sum annually contributed by the United States to the general revenues of the District. ‘The District’s equity in the present Municipal Building, however, is half of the present fair value, or $2,750,000. In purchasing the Munjcipal Building for $5,500,000, therefore, the United States ‘would be merely transferring its two-and-three-quarter-million-dol- lar equity from the old bullding to the new project, effecting a like transfer of equity for the District and leaving & balance of $16,000,000 to be paid out ©f the general revenues of the District. ‘To continue that fair policy sdvo- cated by Mr. Simmons in his bill for the purchase of the Municipal Butlding, the United States should increase the contribution that it ordinarily would make 1o the general revenues eof the District toward helping to defray the enormous expense to District taxpayers in building the gigantic and inspiring municipal center as planned. ‘The scale upon which this new project is planned is commensurate ‘with the size and design of the bulld- ings to be bullt by the Federal Gov- ernment to house its own offices and to beautify its own Capital. The munic- ipal-center project is out of proportion and beyond the reasonable reach of the pocketbook of an American municipality of the size and resources of the Wash- ington eommunity. The municipal center is not designed merely to care for the needs of the municipality. It is designed to conform to the Federal Government’s own plans of beautifying the American Capital. This is right and proper. To assure its success without burdening local tax- payers with a load that should not rightfully rest upon their shoulders, the Federal Government should increase its contribution to the municipal center and pot restrict it to the arbitrary and inadeguate lump sum that now goes toward the provision of the essential needs of the Capital community. ———o—— Selling in the stock market is attribu- ted to a desire to report losses in income tax statements. It is a practical ex- pedient but a melancholy satisfaction. —————— Three Close Shaves From Tragedy. New York has had several thrills dur- in the newspapers are tragedies. Some- times the losses of life are reckoned by the dozen. This time, in circumstances that might have made any one of these three accidents a ghastly tragedy, all that resuits is the loss of some clothing and some cuticle and a few cases of sore throat. ——— A Reminder of Valley Forge. Barring & couple of ice storms Wash- ington has enjoyed comparatively mild weather thus far this Winter. Doubt- less, however, plercing cold—even lower temperatures than at present—and uncomfortable snow, sleet and slush will be ha'® in the not far-distant fu- ture. At sucn times there is much com- plaint e¥e: automobile radiators that fail to fusction; over the necessity of ‘wearing arctics; over inefficient heating | plants and tardy deliveries. ‘The cumplainants are reminded—and, at tas same time, urged to cheer up— that last Thursday, December 19, marked the 152nd anniversary of the occupancy by George Washington and his faithful little army of the famed Winter-quar- ters camping ground known then and today as Valley Forge, and now pre- served for all time as a park wherein Americans can renew their patriotism. ©Of the 11,000 Continental soldiers who accompanied Gen. Washington to that spot, not far from the City of Brotherly Love, whence a good watch could be maintained on Gen. Howe, wintering there in perfect comfort, no fewer than 3,000 were unfit for duty when they arrived, due either to com- plete lack of footgear or to other de- plorable causes. As rapidly as possible they felled trees and constructed several hundred inadequate and wooden huts, chinked with clay and thatched with twigs. In these poor shelters, often for long periods fireless, and often with lit- tle or nothing to eat, they spent the ex- traordinarily severe Winter. Gen. Washington himself lived in & tent until Christmas eve, on which date he occupied a small house vacated by its owners for his use. His wife joined him in Pebruary and spent the re- mainder of the Winter. Doubtless he deplored being housed better than his men, but he realized the necessity there- of for his household and his aides. “Naked and starving” were the words he used in writing of his men in Feb- ruary. As a result of their privations and of the outbreak of infectious dis- eases, 50 many died or were invalided that the command at one time is thought to have included few more than 5,000 effectives, and of these many left bloody footprints on the snow as they drilled. The Army stuck it out; accomplished its purpose of checking Howe; emerged in the Spring, through absorption of the teachings of Baron Steuben and others, & more efficlent, although perhaps no better equipped force. On May 6, 1778, No one who has occasion to visit the Union Station can contend that it is & well lighted public structure. Contrast- ed with the Pennsylvania Terminal or the Grand Central Station in New York, it suffers greatly by comparison in this respect with either, and doubtless does with similar great terminals elsewhere. ‘The great central inside waiting room is lighted to a degree of insufficiency whereby those who, waiting for trains, purchase newspapers are put to it to read them. Practically the only way in which news print can be readily perused is for the reader to stand some- where along the wall; most of those seated on the benches, wherever placed, without serious eyestrain. ‘The outer concourse, which provides ccess to the numerous train gates, is 760 feet in length by 130 feet in width. Its dimensions are truly noble. Yet its vaulted ceiling is lighted by only about seventy electric bulbs. Their individual power may be great, but so high are most of them and so sparsely placed that they seem to give but pin pricks of light. 1t should be remembered that o many thousands of persons this outer con- course and the waiting room beyond offer their first glimpse of their Na- tional Capital, and few will deny that it is not an uplifting one. On the con- crete floor of the former it is difficult to recognize a Trelative, let alone a friend, at a distance of fifty feet, which militates against both incoming pas- sengers and the friends who are on hand to meet them. Not only is the inner chamber Insufciently illuminated, but it is often kept at too high a tem- perature. On an unseasonably warm night recently & wall thermometer therein, situated at a distance of many feet from the nearest operating radia- tor, registered seventy-seven degrees. ‘The {llumination behind the decora- tive statues that stand high as an inside frieze is beautiful, impressive and. prob- ably adequate. There are cestain par- ticular utilities, places and objects which are well lighted. But the general degree of brilliancy in and around this vast and handsome building is trequently and justly criticized. That the oficials in charge thereof may take steps to remedy this regrettable situation is a hope frequently expressed, but so far unfulfilled. ———t————— Holiday cheer has to be suspended among news men and photographers called in the course of duty to study an airplane wreck. For them there is not even a “Welcome” on the door mat. Yet, in spite of petty obstruction the public always gets the news. e ‘The stock market is sure to swing to different figures in the course of time. Yet any system for beating the game is as reliable in Wall Street as in Monte Carlo. o the troops were reviewed and, with many & cheer, news of the Prench al- liance, turning point of the war, was celebrated. Next they joyously repos- sessed Philadelphia. ‘The necessity for any such camp as Valley Forge has probably passed for- ever as far as American troops or Ameri- cans in general are concerned. The need for Americans to meet situations full of discomfort and privation will probably never pass, and the spirit of their forefathers is commended to them Most men, confronted by the alternative of & bloody battle or five months to be spent as these courageous volunteers spent theirs, would unhesitatingly choose the former. ——r - 1t is & long time till the “first robin.” Information that the light days will now grow longer is at least assurance that neither theories nor prejudice can interfere with the normal and hopeful course of events. e The Jersey Devil. ‘The police force of Woodbury Heights, N. J, assisted by an armed posse, is combing the nearby countryside for a mysterious “shaggy black monster with & pig’s snout” which has a strange moaning cry, kills swine and chases children—in short, for a demon. The town is in an uproar, says an account in the New York Times. It seems that a number of farmers have been losing their hogs and have found tracks of a four-footed, four-toed crea- i Business men are expected at the present time to broaden their studies s0 as to include applied economics as well as the science of immediate profits. SR e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Salesman de Luxe. Friend Santa Claus, with seal immense, Helps to assuage our cares, And hold & helpful influence In practical affairs. The Christmas saint our praise must win Upon each annual trip, Old Santa is & leader in The art of salesmanship. Reliable Inspiration. “That was an excellent speech you made on the tariff.” “I am glad you liked it,” said Senator Sorghum. “While opinions may differ 88 to detalls, everybody must concede that every tariff is of inestimable value as an oratorical inspiration.” Jud Tunkins says & man who has s whole lot to say is pretty apt to be one of the chaps with nothing to do. Roasting the Lamb. A turkey on a holiday ‘Will make & pleasant dish. Says Wall Street, “In the good old way, ture leading from the pens. And a few days ago two school children, in- vestigating & moaning cry in a thicket, were chased by the mysterious creature described above. Many in the town, says the correspondent, are convinced that a creature of the Prince of Dark- ness has been let loose in their midst— that the famous black-winged, fire- breathing “Jersey devil” of more than & decade ago has returned to haunt them. ‘What actually has happened probably could be explained simply enough. Per- ing this past week, quite exciting experi- ences, with great possibilities haps a black bear is loose in the woods. for | During the past few years roadside re- tragedy, but by a remarkable coinci-|freshment stands have used bear cubs dence of chance not costing a single life. to attract trade and wild animal deal- ‘There was first the collision just off the | ers have done considerable business in lightships of two steamships, bearing|this line. That one of these should altogether more than seven hundred | have escaped and even grown to matur- persons, all of whom escaped without | ity in the woods without being observed injury, though one of the ships was lost. hitherto is by no means impossible. Then a few hours later came an ex- The difficulty comes in explaining Roast lamb is all I wish." Partial Success, “Was the aviation flight & success?” “Only partially 30, sald the gate- keeper. “The plane crashed. But we managed to keep the newsmen and photographers from getting a look at the wreckage.” “Loud laughter,” sald Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “denotes little in the way of happiness. It is only the expression of & boisterous disposition.” Veciteration.’ In politics he made his way. His influence grew strong. Though he had nothing much to say, He said it loud and long. “I don’ like dem Santa Claus whisk- ers,” sald Uncle Eben., “Pears ltke de old gemman was a friend to everybody on earth, ‘ceptin’ de parbers,” cannot possibly accomplish the feat| graj “PEACE AND GOOD WILL” BY THE RIGHT REV. JAMES E. FREEMAN, D. D, LL. D, Bishop of Tezxt: “Peace to men of good will.” St. Luke, ii.14. At the outbreak of the World War a distinguished American bishop asked me the pertinent question, “What are you going to preach about on Christmas day? It will certainly not be the theme of the angels’ message.” I assured him that even In the face of a world catase trophe I would still adhere to the cen- tral message of the greatest day in the Christian year. ‘The great World War has passed ana is now but a memory. The intervening 11 years have certainly registered some progress, notably this past year, in the direction of peace to men of good wii. Good will is one of the essentials ot peace, whether in the family, the worla of industry or in the larger sphere of international relationships. It has taken nearly 20 centuries to compel men to recognize the intimacy of the ties that bind them together. Hitherto | graphical boundaries, racial peculiarities and .other points of difference have seemed to render impossible that kina of comradeship that issues in better understanding and a finer agreement. witnessed at times the expression of that which tended to separate men and com- munities into antagonistic groups. We are by no means without these elements in our corporate life today. There are those whose insular ways and habits ot thinking and living contribute to di« visions and classifications that are un- worthy and inimical to our largest interests. Now and again a situation arises that compels to realize more fully our solidarity and our essential unity. Christmas day more than any other In the calendar stands for the high and holy things of peace. The coming of Him who was heralded as “the Prince of Peace” ushered in a new conception of human relationships. His whole ministry and teaching were designed to effect better conditions. ve men a new vision of that which lies beyond the outmost horizon, He dealt specifically with life here now. To His mind the terms “alien” and “forelgn” were unknewn. He saw life in its fullness, and He was unrestricted in His teaching and philosophy by geo- hical, racial or other boundaries and limitations. Born into a Jewish household and accredited to a people distinguished for its insularity, He brought a message and presented an outlook upon life that was inclusive end timeless in its designs and pur- poses. Christmas day has come to mean one of merry-making and the expression of a fine generosity. It is & Even within our own borders we have |} ‘While He | P8 Washington Even lives that have become hardened, like that of old Scrooge in Dickens’ Christmes Carol, are rendered soft and res) ive, increasingly men be- come more and more responsive to an extended practice of charity. That this spirit reflects that of the great Master of men is quite evident. Unlike other holidays in the calendar, it is not na- tional but universal in its observance. It was during the critical days of the World War that contending armles re- fused to carry on the struggle on Christ- mas day. While in & fine sense it is & family day and marks the closer knit- ting of domestic ties, in a larger sense it stands for that universal family that comprehends all races, kindreds and peoples. Good will is its supreme de- W will that dicloses itself in man relations, whether at home or abroad. There should be no strife between such. There may be differ- ences in traditions, backgrounds, habits and methods of living, but these do not preclude that good will that issues in understanding and peace. Most of the world’s ills, whether in the narrow cir- cle of our immediate family and social ife or in the broader sphere of our world action, grow out of an unwilling- ness to_exercise good will or to recon- cile differences through an effort to see the other’s point of view. We can trace most of the tragedies of life to this cause. If this latest Christmas day could be distinguished by the forgetting of old differences, old rivairies and ani- mosities; in fine, if we could clean the slate and begin all over again, we should solve many a domestic, social, industrial and international difficulty and begin upon a new basis that would guarantee 10 us happiness and peace. The follow- ers of the Nazarene have never been so urgently called to stand for His high claims as in this present age. With the memory of the great struggle still in mind we must put behind all our per agreements, however valuable they may be, the spirit of will, ‘We must begin to set forward, and set forward persistently, those prinel- nd | ot ife that Ha. prociatmaed sad for which He gave Himself even unto death, spirit of good will that shall make the whole world live in the atmosphere of a continuing and unbroken Christmas- tide. We give our greeting with all our heart: “A merry and blessed Christ- mastide, rich with the favor of a selfless generosity and distinguished by a new great holiday and its spirit differs from that of any other day in the year. expression of good will to men the world over.” Japan Shows Traditional Spirit Of Agreement BY WILLIAM HARD. The Japanese delegates to the Lon- don Naval Conference have gone away from Washington and there is only strict accuracy—and no “propaganda’— in the outgivings of the State Depart- ment to the general effect that the visit of the Japanese delegates here has for- tified our Government in hoping for & successful issue of the conference at London next month. Our authorities are impressed with two things about the Japanese. In the first place, the Japanese seem to have a genuine desire not merely for the lim- itation of naval srmaments, but also for thelr actual positive reduction. This fits in admirably with the policy of the United States. The United States is making it clear, for instance, that it is willing to go to almost any length in the downward revision of the total of crulser tonnage if the other naval powers will accompany it in the downward move- ment. It appears now that the Japanese in a considerable degree share this sen- timent. In fact, without mmaking any comparisons for any hostile or in- vidious purpose, it would seem today that of the five governments which will assemble at London, the American Government and the Japanese govern- ment will be the two that will be most devoted to the reductionist point of view. * xR In the second place, the Japanese have again made it fairly certain that their historic policy of going along with the great ?nwen of the world and of avoiding being responsible for the break- ing up of conferences is still in vogue and in effect among them. It is recol- lected here that the general rule is that the Japanese present demands frankly and present argumenis forcibly, but then show a spirit of accommodation and are ultimately willing to sign a com- promise even when the compromise fails to give them entirely what they may think to be their rights. That has been the general rule with them, as was shown clearly in the conference at Portsmouth, which concluded the Russo- Japanese war in 1905 without conced- ing to Japan their reiterated demands in the matter of an indemnity from Russia, and was again shown clearly in the naval arms conference at Wash- ington in 1921, when the Japanese got far less than they desired in the matter of the recognition and perpetuation of their acquired rights in China. * K K K It seems to be fundamental to Japa- nese foreign policy that Japan should wot put itself in the position of being re- garded as a stubborn and fatal obstacle 1o international agreement. That doc- trine, in the view of the most intimate observers here, seems to be on its way to being carrled to London by the Japanese naval delegates, whose dispo- sitions were studled here by their of- | ficial hosts. It is thought at the same time that & part of the moderation displayed by the Japanese here toward the end of their visit was due to their enlarged realization of the basic fact that the United States Government is seriously prepared to spend hundreds of millions of dollars upon expansion of its fleet if it fails to gain naval security through international agreement at London. ‘There is on this point no reason what- soever to doubt the resolution and de- termination of the administration now in office in Washington. The present administration will get security for the United States through the limitation or reduction of the naval forces of the world or else it will proceed to get se- curity by beginning to build a fleet which overwhelmingly will need to fear no rival. * ok ok X ‘The United States, by reason of its physical and financial resources, is abundantly able to outstrip all other countries in the achievement of security by an immense outlay on naval arma- ments. The United States Government. is therefore able to go to London offer- ing in the one hand an agreement for reduction and cffering in the other hand the prospect of an American fleet superfor to anything that any other country can produce. ‘The Japanese realized here that our President, though a Quaker, meant what he said when he recently declared that he did ot belleve in disarmament by example. He believed only, he intimated, in disarmament by general co-operative action. It is reasonable to suppose that his utterances had been thoroughly studied already by the Japanese at home. Here, however, they had every opportunity to understand more com- With Great Powers ardently desires economy. It would look with dread upon an ambitious Ameri- can naval bullding program, which would in turn oblige the Japanese gov- ernment to do & lot of building in an- swer to it. In other words, the Japa- nese do not want and could not endure an untimed financial competition with the United States. It remains true, of course, that Japa- nese will not yleld to the British and American idea about the abolition of the submarine. British and American officials tend to maintain that the sub- marine has been rendered almost use- less for combat inst armed naval fleets. On this point our Government and theirs will continue to differ. They will also continue to differ somewhat on the point of battleships. The Japa- nese tend toward disparaging the per- manent need for battleships. It is thought here that they might some day be willing to give up battleships alto- gether. We, on the other hand, it is thought, will never consent to give up battleships as long as the British mer- chant fleet of large ships is so much | greater than ours. There are differences then between the American naval point of view and the Japanese naval point of view, but our officials are considerably more op- | timistic now than they were a week ago | 88 to the possibllity that the two points | of view can be made to arrive at a mu- tual adjustment in a treaty. (Copyright, 1929.) - coms Highway Safety Program Records Progress in Year BY HARDEN COLFAX. Santa Claus and his hardy reindeer will find their long journey a little more safe from the hazards of traffic Tuesday night than at any time since the highways have presented their mul- tiple dangers, and next year it is hoj they will discover an even greater provement. Some nine committees and subcom- mittees of the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety, which func- tions under the chairmanship of the Secretary of Commerce, met in Wash- ington last week to survey the work accomplished and outline plans for a more intensive effort to bring about order in _the movement of urban and rural traffic and to increase the margin of safety. A meeting of the conference itself is to be called for some date in May or June. The first conference was held in 1924 and the second in 1926. Testifying to the widespread interest in this subject,the committee meetings here last week attracted more than a hundred business and professional men from 38 States in all sections of the country, who gave their time and paid their expenses. * kX % Efforts are to be made to induce more States to adopt and put into prac- tice the uniform code promulgated by the conference in 1926, the principles of which were reaffirmed by the commit- teemen here last week. There are sev- eral sections of this code and some parts have been adopted by 25 States. The unhappy record of 1928, when more than 27,000 lives were lost in street and highway accidents in the United States, and a hundred thousand 1 other persons were injured, will be ex- | ceeded by 1929, it is indicated by pre- liminary " reports. Some part of the !increase may be attributed to more accurate reporting of accidents, but the curve actually is also upward. Traffic accidents now are costing the Nation more than a billion dollars a year, it is estimated by the Department of Commerce. Yet physical hazards have been reduced. * * x x Several steps have been determined upon by the committee on protection of raflway grade crossings and high- way intersections, which had four sub- committees in session last week. Spokesmen for the outdoor advertising assoclation volunteered at meeting to have a survey conducted by that organization with the object of remov- ing to a proper distance any advertis- ing signs under its control which may obstruct the view of either a railroad grade crossing or a highway intersec- tion. It was recommended that rafl- road section gangs and the road crews of State and county highway depart- ments take advantage of the Winter months to remove brush and other obstructions which prevent a clear view of crossroads and grade crossings, To eliminate the ralroad grade cross- r tely that he is thoroughly in earnest n maintaining that the chief end in view for the United States is necessarily the simple one of security and that, if security cannot got by common counsel and common sense in interna- tional engagements, it must then be got for the United States by the United States itself. LR ings in the United States by subways or viaducts would cost more than $35,000,- 000,000, and would require many years n}ll continuous Ilmk.uhlnmtnll. on the program only with a relatively f points, otherwise improvement oxyc:.: ditions to reduce the hazard is the aim, The railroads spent more than $31,000,- 000 last year in grade crossing elimina- tion and improvement, and the 19329 Now Japan, of all the five countries to be represented next month in the con- ference at London, is the one least dis- yued to incur extravagant nditures or naval or other purposes. t 18 with- out the resources for extravagance, It record of similar expenditures & comparable figure. Wi L Bo far as grade crossing is concern, much depends upon warning mw:.‘ Capital Sidelights BY WILL P. KENNEDY. ‘Washington is the great national center from which Christmas and New Year greetings of good will and inter- national amity are golng forth into every State in the Union, the outlying dependencies and to the nations of the world far and wide, ‘With all of the more important na- tions of:the world maintaining em- ibassles and legations in the National Capital, the season's greetings of peace on earth, seod will toward men, are going forth in every tongue and ac- cording to the peculiar traditions and customs of the various nations. With the population of Washington garnered from every State in the Un- fon, and with each of the Government of havi wide circles of political and personal friends by the thousands, even by the millions, Christmas greet- ing cards are being sent throughout the forty-eight States. But it 18 at the Capitol Building that the real broadcasting station for Christ- mas is established. For more than three weeks the post office of the National House of Representatives has been working day and night to keep abreast with the deluge of Christmas mail. Prank W. Colller, the postmaster, is unable to make any estimates of the number of Christmas cards that his office is handling, but they run into many millions. An av of 15 sacks of mall every hour is shipped through this one small post office, and by keep- ing the force at work until 10 o'clock each night he has been able to keep cleaned up to the minute on getting the mall out and making deliveries of incoming mail. The members of Con- gress are the only people in Washing- ton who are to have a mail delivery on Christmas day. With 435 members of the House and 96 members of the Sen- ate, each one of whom has several office employes, it is easy to realize that the lc:rmmu mail for Congress reaches Fooably quantities. the largest number of cards sent out by any single member of Con- gress is 26,000, which are being mailed by Representative Robert Bacon of New York. Most members of Congress each year specialize on an illustration which shows some one of the most attractive views in the -National Capital. This season Mr. Bacon's card is an unusually 'oodt picture of the Washington Monu- ment. As usual, the most elaborate of the Christmas cards from the Capitol, and the one on which most thought has been ex’pended, is being sent out by Ed- mund F. Erk, secretary to Representa- tive Stephen Porter of Pennsylvania and clerk to the House committee on fore! affairs. These cards cost ap- proximately $1 apiece and Mr. Erk is malling more than 15000 of them. ‘This is about the average number that he msils annually. Each year Mr. Erk's card, which is really a beautifully en- graved booklet, emphasizes some impor- tant feature of our national life. Two years ago it contained reproductions of the tundamental documents of our Gov- ernment. Last year it emphasized home, as the corner stone of the Gov- ernment. This year Mr. Erk realized that greater strides toward peace on earth, will toward men, had been made during the past year than during the preceding 50 years in our national life, and that the United States Gov- ernment has taken leadership toward international peace. He thought it would be a good idea to tell the people about this, and so he has gotten out a beautiful booklet that is both historical and educational as well as an example of beautiful photoengraving work. In this booklet points out that more than 20 treaties have been signed with Latin American countries, some of which have been under consideration for' scores of years. He calls attention also to the epochal flight of Col. Charles Lindbergh as international ambassador of good will and to the Hoover good will to South American countries. Con- tions of the Kellogg-Briand multilateral treaty. He calls attention also that the forthcoming conference in London, the Dawes pls ind the debt-funding legis- lation are all distinct efforts toward the promotion of intérnational peace. ker - Longworth is sending out from his office 1,100 engraved cards bearirig his personal signature and one of the most attractive views of the Capitol Building. In addition to this he .is mailing at least as many more personal greeting cards to his intimate friends. Representatlve John B. Clarke of New York is sending out at least 10,000 L‘llfld.l which carry a silhouette of him- self. Representative Harry A. Estep of Pittsburgh is sending out 5,000 Christ- mas greeting cards. Representative Allen T. Treadway of Stockbridge, Mass., dean of the Massa- chusetts delegation in the House, has mailed approximately 2.000 cards, Last year Mr. Treadway's Christmas greet- ing card carried a colonial New Eng- land picture of the Elms, his home in Stockbridge, Mass. This year his card bears a picture of the Capitol Building. ‘The majority room in the House Of- fice Building, through which most of the members get out the documents and circulars which they send in large num- bers throughout their districts, is this year handling more than 150,000 Christ- mas greeting cards, according to N. W. Pickering, who is in charge of this work. Mr. Pickering's own greeting card, which is belng sent to every living former member of Congress and to hundreds of his friends in official life throughout the 48 States, carries an actual photograph of the Lincoln Memorial. Another Interesting Christmas greet- ing, which is also artistically beautifu), is being sent out by the hundreds by Robert H. Alcorn, chairman of the Joint conference on civil service retire- ment, representaing the various organi- zations of Government employes. It reads as follows: 1929, My Christmas Wis¥ ™ You. May the bells on Christmas Morning bring you happiness And cheer, and the Star of Bethlehem be your guide through A hanny, gladsome year. Peace On Earth and Good Will to men. ‘This is my wish to you, my friend. True and Sincere Greetings. and education of users of the high- ways to observe caution. Nearly 40 per cent of the fatalities at railroad grade crossings last year were due to motor- ists driving their cars into the side of trains; in one case, s man drove into the thirty-seventh car of a passing freight train. ‘Wig-wag_or flashing signals are fa- vored by the conference, it was devel- oped last week, with proper- distance, Warning signs in the middle of wide highways supplemented by a sign on each side were favored. Improved statistical reports also were urged by committeemen so that causes of accidents may be analyzed in order to evolve preventive measures. There is & woeful lack of sound statistical data on accidents at highway inter- sections; information from steam rail- roads is complete, but from electric lined it is meager. * ok ok % One of the matters stressed by the committees last week was proper in- spection of vehicles by their owners or operators. Too few motor cars are inspected at regular intervals to dis- cover developing defects, it is believed. A large proportion of accidents are due- to mechanical collapses which could have been avoided by an inspection. The confusing differences in regula- tions as to signaling, turning, speed, etc., continue a major problem, and for this reason new emphasis is to be put on the. uniform trafic code as well as other features of that set of principles, The conference, which has offices with the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, was asked last week to distribute coples of the code ind model municipal 3 try sldzmale space is devoted to reproduc-:| POLAR TEMPERATURES BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. The triumphant flight of Lieut. Comdr. Richard Byrd over the South Pele has set the world talking anew about the polar regions and has brought forth the usual misconceptions concern- ing the climatic conditions encountered at the top and bottom of the earth. Most of the population of the world lives on the Northern Hemisphere, and 80 it is no more than second nature that the word “north” should seem to be almost synonymous with “cold.” ‘It requires an instant’s thought to realize that by every meteorological rule it is theoretically just as cold at the South Pole as at the North Pole, both being equidistant from the Equator. As a mat- ter of fact it is considerably colder at the South Pole, as the Antarctic con- tinent is elevated. Comdr. Byrd's latest reports of his flight over the South Pole show that the mountains are 10,000 to 12,000 feet high. Even in the Temper- ate Zones, mountains of that elevation are often snow-clad in the Summer- time. Obviously, then, it is much colder at the South Pole. There are mountains in the North, too. On Greenland the ranges rise to a measured height of 9,000 feet, but at considerable distance south of the North Pole. The Pole itself is situated in the midst of a sea which, obviously, is at sea level, and normally warmer than the elevated Greenland's icy mountains to the southward. But, aside from this difference of temperature at the North and South Poles, the necessary effort must be made to keep in mind the wide variation of temperature in Summer and Winter within the polar regions, if one is to keep intelligently abreast of the prog- ress of polar explorations. The very names Arctic Circle and Antarctic Cir- cle have a frigid ring about them which suggests glaclers, icebergs, illimitable snow and all that goes with the frozen reglons. The idea of Summer within these icebound circles is at first difficult to assimilate, ‘Warm Days in the Arctie. Many meteorological observations have been made by representatives of different countries. " On our own terri- tory careful records have been kept and officially reported which show how wide a variation of temperature exists in the Far North. Point Barrow s situated at the north- ernmost point of Alaska, well within the Arctic Circle. Official figures show a low record Winter temperature of 55 degrees below zero and a Summer tem- perature of 75 degrees. Point Barrow is on the coast, where it is warmer in ‘Winter. Further inland is Shungnak, where 61 degrees below zero has been registered in the Winter and 90 degrees in the Summer. Candle, in the same general region, shows a mark of 60 below zero for the Winter and 85 for the Summer. When the thermometer gets up around 85 to 90 degrees in ‘Washington, New Orleans, New York, Chicago or any other American city people stop each other and ask, “Is it hot enough for you?"—a rurely rhetori- cal question and one which has led to blows from people too hot and bothered to_control their tempers. ‘The reason for this extreme heat within the Arctic Circle is not difficult to understand. In the Summer season the sun swerves north and circles about the upper portion of the earth, casting its rays down steadily for weeks on end. Far enough north there is a season dur- ing which the sun never sets. Purther south there may be an hour, two hours, three hours of night. In the Temperate Zone far to the southward the sun goes down at 8 o'clock or so and the dew-drenched night follows. There are hours of relief from the op} 24 blaze of dawn returns. Arctic Circle the beating down of the sun is incessant, with no interval for cooling. ~ Thus the heat becomes cumulative. At 72 degrees of latitude the sun shines continuously from May 9 to August 4—88 days—according to ob- servations of the United States Weather Bureau. Conversely, in the Winter season the sun departs utterly and there is continuous night from November 18 to January 25—69 days—according to observations which have been reported from actual experience. Absence of Flora and Fauna. ‘The re] from Comdr. Byrd indi- cate that at the South Pole there is no life, either animal or vegetable. At some considerable distance northward from the South Pole life is found, the most noteworthy being displayed by the unique penguins. . But the actual South Pole is guarded by ranges of towering mountains, eternally frigid, where no life can subsist. The topographical as- pects are strongly reminiscent of the imaginary cold mountains of the moon. Indeed, all that Comdr. Byrd and his associates have described reads more like a tale of Jules Verne or Edgar Rice Burroughs than the report of a sclentific exploring expedition on this earth, ‘The northern polar regions, however, are endowed in a more friendly man- ner. Flowers of gorgeous hues and in- finite variety grow luxuriantly well up toward the North Pole itself. Food crops cannot be raised, as the season is too short for vegetation to flower and fruit, too. But there is time for blossoms to appear in great abundance. Animal life also is abundant to & point far north. Definite data have not yet been re- ceived from the Byrd expedition re- garding temperature readings, and, in- deed, meteorologists would not regard such readings as Byrd may have taken on his flight over the South Pole as very conclusive. They insist on a rec- ord of readings covering a period of years before venturing an opinion or setting down an official mean tempera- ture. However, members of the Byrd expedition have intimated that it is cold there. Southern Altitudes Colder, On the basis of observations at points some distance away from the Poles, theoretical mean temperatures . have been worked out by scientists for the Poles themselves. Germans do that sort of thing. There is a peculiarity about the Antarctic mountains, arising, it is believed, from wind action, whereby the high elevation does mnot intensify cold to as great a degree as elevation in the Temperate Zones. Thus the mini- mum mean Arctic temperature for the North Pole in January is given as 41 degrees below zero, while the minimum mean at the South Pole is 33 degrees below for June. However, the Antarc- tic Summer is colder, the elevation pre- venting the temperature from coming down. The Midsummer mean at the North Pole is 1 degree below zero, while at the South Pole it is 6 degrees below. The lowest temperature ever officially recorded in the neighborhood of the South Pole is 66.8 degrees below zero, noted by the Discovery in 1903, Lieut. Barne, commanding. Any glance at polar temperatures and their variations shows that the Arctic regions are much more habitable from every point of view. The very place- names in the Antarctic reflect its for- bidding aspect, as, for example, Mount Erebus and Mount Terror. Chicago Crime Laboratory Has Big Case as Task BY OLIVER SHERWOOD. CHICAGO, December 21.—For its first task the Chicago Crime Labora- tory, affiliated with Northwestern Uni- versity, has put itselt on the trail of the most desperate and murderous gang of criminals now operating in the country. ‘The laboratory, just starting to func- tion, is seeking to establish whether machine guns found in the St. Joseph, Mich,, home of the notorious Fred Burke are the same g;ns that perfo- rated the bodies of the seven Moran gangsters, slain in Chicago's Valentine day massacre. Preliminary examina- tions indicate that they are. Now the laboratory’s department of ballistics will decide definitely. Chicago has had its suspicions about responsibility for that affair ever since it happened, but up to the present it has no evidence of consequence. Only recently Jack McGurm, chief ma- chine gunner for the Capone gang dur- ing its time of power, was freed from charges growing out of that wholesale killing. The town still is interested, and would not be surprised to learn that Burke and his gang of desperadoes extraordinary had committed the crime. * ok ok X ‘This killer came back into the lime- light this week when he was alleged to have killed in cold blood a police- man in St. Joseph, Mich,, who sought to question him about a minor traffic accident. As a result of this killing police found $319,000 in stolen bonds in Burke's home in addition to & Teg- ular arsenal of weapons. It then came to light that this man was directing an outfit that made the Jesse James gang of post-Civil War days look almost like pikers. Detroit wants him for killing two men in a machine-gun encounter dur- ing 1927. That city also claims that Burke and his confederates were re- sponsible for four kidnapings that net- ted them $200,000 in ransom. ‘There is a $200,000 mail robbery in ‘Toledo charged up to him, in addition to a $60,000 bank robbery in Cadillac, Mich, and a $93,000 bank robbery in Peru, Ind. Much of the recovered loot was taken from the bank at Jeffer- son, Wis, during a recent hold-up. ‘The Valentine day massacre in Chi- cago would have climaxed the activ- ities of this group, which numbers among its members some of the most desperate of the former Egan's rats of St. Louls, and some of Chicago's toughest. Rewards totaling over $70,000 for Burke, dead or alive, are spurring de- | tectives to an intense hunt for him. | Once he is cornered, a battle without | quarter is expected. | * ok Kk % ‘The record of this man and 'his gang is =0 notorious that the Chicago crime laboratory is particularly interested in tracing the history of the guns they have used in their depredations. The Valentine day massacre was featured ! by the use of machine guns, pistols and sawed-off shotguns. Maj. Calvin Goddard, who s working on the problem, says that the labora- tory just being set into motion will be one of the finest in America, and will be comparable to the crime laboratories in Germany. “T will be in chlr{e of and person- ally supervise the ballistics,” Maj. God- dard said. “There will be a general chemist who will also be assistant direc- tor of the laboratory. He will handle | the the examination of blood spots, inks in the matter of forgery, poison, etc. There also will be an assistant chemist, an expert photographer and the regular laboratories’ clerical force. “There will be an outside staff of ex- perts who can be called in on occasion to handle such matters as h.lndwrltln‘.l pathology, toxicology, m|mflow|.| raphy and anatomy. We will able to handle and help identify such vary- ing traces as tireprints, fingerprints. footprints, in fact, the least trace left by the criminal.” This work will dovetail with that be- ing carried on at the University of Chi- cago by Chief August Vollmer, former head of the police department at Berk- toleley, cgf.. and famed for his scientific police k. " (Gopyrishi. 1000 | If the Pos! fied tha [Fifty Years Ago In The Star Half a century ago the Louisiana | State Jottery, which had flourished for isi a good many years as a ‘Lon"“n‘ powerful financial institu. Lottes tion, was under fire in TY: campaign that lasted long time before the great organized gamble was driven out of the United States. The chief weapon of the Government, which was conducting this warfare against the lottery, was the law forbldding the use of the mails for unlawful enterprise. After much maneuvering a direct move was made against the lottery in 1879 in the holding of letters addressed to it. Thereupon the lottery management countered with a suit to compel the Postmaster General to deliver this mal. ‘The case was heard before the District Supreme Court. In The Star of De- cember 15, 1879, is a report of the proceedings, in part as follows: “Today in the Supreme Court of the District, sitting in general term, Chief Justice Cartter and Judges James and Hagner, the case of M. A. Dauphin, secretary and agent of the Louisiana State Lottery, against Key, Postmaster General, was heard. Senator Carpen- ter, Judge T. W. Bartley, Hon. M. I Southard, W. C. Moulton and E. B. Hay, for the petitioner, and Hon. A. A. Freeman, solicitor of the Post Ofice Department, and Maj. Ray for the re- spondent. This is a bill for an in- junction to enjoin the enforcement of an order of the Post Office De ment prohibiting the delivery of letters ad- dressed to the petitioner, on the ground that the party is engaged in an un- lawful calling.” ‘There was a complicated argument regarding the legal status of the case, and finally representatives of the two sides presented their respective cases, Senator Carpenter of Wisconsin mak- Ing_the chief argument. The report in The Star of the day following, De- cember 16, 1879, thus summarizes: “The case before the court was one in which evidently the President could not act. The lotteries may be wicked and those engaged in them sinners; but they were not always so looked upon. The very bullding—City Hall— in which the court sat, was erected through the aid of lotteries and he had been told that other buildings in this city had been erected in the same way. This lottery in Louisiana was not & scheme; it was organized and operated under a contract with the State and the latter is paid $40,000 for permitting it to continue in opera- tion. The law granting the charter was voted for by both Republicans and Democrats in the State Legislature and there could not be any political sig- nificance charged with its creation. He argued at some length upon the juris- diction of the court and maintained that an unconstitutional act was invalid. tmaster General becomes satis- f it & man is engaged in an un- ifwful business, as matters now stoop, be could make an order that woufd deprive him of the right guaranteec to every citizen. Without charge, wi*h- out trial, without jury, without notice the Postmaster General could do this and the first thing the man knew of the entire transaction was that he was de- prived of one of his righte~ In 'his argument for the Postmaster General, Solicitor Freeman questioned good taste of reference to the fact that the City Hall had been erected from the proceeds of the lottery, He referred to the Legislatures of New York and Pennsylvania, which had declared lotterles tc be nuisances and penalties were provided, the lotteries being con- sidered a species of gambling, and such & character had been put on them by the civilized world, In late years they had secured existence only by paying tribute to some charitable organization. The court took the papers and held the case under advisement for several days. finally dismissing it to permit the counsel for the lottery to file an amend- ed bill. After severai years of litigation the lottery was finally denied the use of the malls and was compelled to r.;m%vo from t&ofl . Unned’ States u; onduras, eventually passing out o existence. $ 2

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