Evening Star Newspaper, December 31, 1929, Page 8

8 "THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. TUESDAY....December 31, 1929 'THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The .:,'::‘:(‘ .s“|‘-r ".;'n:-" Company in E and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd 8t. icago Office: Lake Michigan Building. - European Office; 14 Regent St., London, 45¢ Ler month per month Sc ver copy Orders may be sent in b; A orletshore e or NAtional 3000 i G * Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. - Maryland and Virginia. 1yr.. $10.00; 1 mo.. 85c yri. "$6.00: 1 mo.. 80c | 1yr., $4.00; 1 mo., <0c } All Other States and Canada. ily and Sunday..l iday only s0c A Unique Investigation. Senator Sackett of Kentucky, whom President Hoover has chosen to repre- Sent his country in Germany, will leave behind him fond remembrances for his manner of handling the proposed in- vestigation of local police and of condi- tions in the United States attorney’s office. The subcommittee of the Senate District committee, of which he served &8s chairman, distinguished itself in a way that, for Washington, has been | unique. Given a resolution from the Senate which directed the subcommittee to go on a general fishing expedition for trouble in the law enforcement agencies of the Capital, the investigators have declined to indulge themselves in the accepted manner by sitting as a court- ‘martial and summoning anybody and everybody who knew or thought he knew something shady. Instead, the subcommittee has begun its investiga- tion by formally inquiring for specific information from the agencies involved in the inquiry. The reports thus re- ceived will enable the subcommit to decide what course to pursue in bringing into the open anything wrong, together with such remedies as may suggest themselves. There has never been any .objection to investigations of local conditions by B e time to time and it is natural that Congress, charged with the responsi- bility of governing the Capital, should undertake them when there is any hint of suspicion that they will be useful. ‘The objection has been to the manner in which these local investigations ordinarily are conducted. They usually become sensational orgies of half-baked charges and counter charges. Names and reputations of respected men are bandied about on loose tongues, the accusers are protected and shielded from ordinary responsibility, and when the smoke clears and the debris is femoved the only casualities are apt to conducted itself with a dignity that commands respect. If it finds any ‘dirt, Washington wants it swept out. “But in the process there is no good rea- son to raise a lot of dust that will settle again as soon as the mood of the moment wears off. * ———— St. Nicholas and Nicotine. . As an afterclap of Christmas comes ‘an item from Battle Creek, Mich., an- nouncing a protest by the superintend- ent of the Calhoun County Council of Religious Education against advertise- ‘ments showing St. Nicholas enjoying & cigar. The dispatch asks the broad Question if Santa Claus smokes and requests any one having authoritative information on that point to communi- cate with the local city officials. “To mislead children into believing that the symbol of the Christmas spirit should smoke is to flaunt the sacred memories of childhood,” declares the of- ficial of the religious education or- ganization. He probably meant to say “flout” instead of “flaunt,” and if he had added the word “cigars” he would Have been in a strong position. It happens that the personal ap- pearance of good Saint Nick has been forever crystallized in the minds of all Americans by Clement Moore in his immortal poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” from which are hereby quoted two lines that ought for all time to settle the question: “The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke, it encircled his head | like a wipath.” Mr. Moore, so far as known, is the only American ever to have actually glimpsed Santa and talked with him; every child who can understand Eng- lish has been brought up on his de- scription, and what he says goes and will continue to go. The Battle Creek man’s point as to cigars is a good one; cigars and cigarettes, never; a short pipe, always! 3 et ~.The “Anti-Noise Association” finds nothing to hope for in the dinner party waiting to welcome in the New Year. e China’s Courts. An important aspect of the abolition ©of extraterritoriality by the government of China is indicated in the course of & dispatch from Tientsin to the effect that foreigners long resident in China and familiar with the Chinese disposi- tion believe that the decree of the Nanking government will encourage “continued apathy toward reforms in the judiciary.” In other words, it is feared that this mandate putting an end to “extrality” in foreign courts will remove all incentive for the develop- ment of a competent, honest and de- pendable judicial system. If the government at Nanking can, with one sweeping action, actually abol- ish extraterritoriality and international .courts there will be no particular reason to carry on the movement for a reform of the judiciary, which is one of the most vital necessities of China today. Chiang Kai-Shek, the President at JNanking, may in his forthcoming pro- c£i2m of reform include the courts. He may proclaim with the full authority of the Nationalist government changes in the metheds of selecting judgss and the subject. For it is a far cry from procla- mation to enforcement. Nor is there likelthood of success in the effort to reform the judiclary by placing a date for the attainment of the ideal. That is & favorite practice in China—programs are set in terms of years, even as in this country, and ful- fillment is regarded as assured by the mere fact of setting the date. The chief inducement to bring the courts in China up to the point of dependabilify for the security of foreign interests is to make the abolition of extraterritorial- ity dependent upon that accomplish- ment. ‘The most progressive and affiuent of Chinese business men, especially those in the “treaty ports” where extraterri- torlality prevails, do not wish the aboli- tion of extraterritoriality for they them- selves are under its protection to a large degree. In the native courts they find scant justice if their opponents are influential or unscrupulous. Judgments in their favor may be postponed of exe- cution indefinitely through “cumshaw.” It will be a difficult procedure to re- form the Chinese judiciary. The Amer- ican court system is none too effective 7 | atter nearly a hundred and fifty years of independent establishment. The Chinese court system virtually is only about thirty years old under the new dispensation. The most sincere friend- ship for China prompts the hope that this recent mandate of the Nanking government is merely a gesture, ex- pressive of the entirely laudable aspira- tion for complete territorial integrity and national independence. U. S. A. and “No Neutrals.” New Year eve surcease has been brought to the palpitating and patrictic | hearts of American isolationists by Secretary Stimson. The British white paper, proclaiming that in future wars there will be “no neutrals,” has been formally interpreted by the State De- partment and pronounced non-dele- terious, as far as America is concerned. In future, as in the past, at least in 50 far as the British foreign office mani- festo is concerned, Uncle Sam will re- main at liberty to carry either arms or olive branches, as he pleases. Our hands, says Secretary Stimson in effect, are and ever shall remain free. Specifically the chief of the State De- partment points out that the white paper is merely an elaboration of obli- gations created by the League of Na- tions. As the United States is not a member of the League, Downing street’s dissertation on the subject of League commitments neither interests nor af- fects this country. Nor is there any- thing in the white paper, Col. Stimson reminds us, which is contrary to the United States' position as a signatory of the Kellogg-Briand pact. ‘Timorous .American commentators read into the British documient the contention that in any future war there could be no neutrals. Col. Stimson says that it had apparently “been as- sumed here that this assertion had been made by the British government as a general fact, without any limita- tions, and that the British government contended that this situation followed as & result of the execution of the Kellogg-Briand pact.” Having carefully digested the white paper, the Secretary of State comes to the conclusion that the assumptions just mentioned, as to the position of the British government, are unfounded. London is addressing itself exclusively to its fellow-members of the League of Nations. 1Its argument, based on the sanctions articles of the covenant, is simply that “as between League mem- bers there can be no neutral rights, because there can be no neutrals.” And then, to reassure all whom it may concern in the Senate and else- where, Secretary Stimson gives this| parting pledge: “The British govern- ment's argument thus does not apply to the position of the United States as & signatory of the Kellogg-Briand pact. As has been pointed out many times, that pact contains no covenant simi- lar to that in the covenant of the League of Nations providing for joint forceful action by the various signa- tories against an aggressor.” ‘There would seem to be no cause whatever, now, why the hardest-shelled irreconcilable on Capitol Hill should not contemplate a happy New Year, —_————— ‘It has been demonstrated that the possibilities of size in airplanes is ex- traordinary. Conservative flying experts declare that increased size means in- creased weight and more danger in case of motor trouble. The demand for the Ppresent appears to be better rather than bigger planes. Opportunity “Knocks” But Once. Arthur Shires, that shrinking violet of the diamond and the ring, has jusi about decided that as s pugilist he is good base ball player. Shires, it may be recalled, came into the American League last year as first baseman of the Chicago White Sox. He was a good prospect and soon was appointed cap- tain of the team. This honor did not diminish his confidence in himself in the slightest—in fact, it vastly increased it, due perhaps to his misinterpreta- tion of a captain’s duties. Evidently imagining himself the president, gen- eral manager, secretary-treasurer and, in fact, the possessor of all the titles on the club, he proceeded to demon- strate his hitherto latent pugilistic abil- ity by twice blacking the eyes of Man- ager Lena Blackburne, Delighted with his prowess in this line, Mr. Shires decided that it was only a step for him to bring Gene Tunney out of his retirement and fiatten him on the mat before the idolatrous gaze of thousands of fight-fans who would be lustily shouting *’Attaboy Shires.” Accordingly, he picked a manager and the manager picked a nice set-up for him in his initial encounter. This youth, as “set-ups” generally do, grace- fully succumbed before the “fury” of the onslaught of the Great One, and the battle light flamed anew in the Shires optics. But, alas and alack, his manager matched him against a pro- fessional foot ball player—and foot ball is a notoriously rougher game than base ball. And it was here that Shires met his Waterloo and became so punch- drunk that the ring, according to all reports, holds no further allure for him, at least with fighters of ability. It seems a pity, in a way, that just because Shires was knocked out once |he is forswearing the art of pugil- ism. Unquestionably there are many T2ihods of conducting trials. But that WIl not of ftself cure the evil to which the Chiness judiciary l.y#em is fessional foot. bell player. In fact, it porters will - ’ others who would take exceeding pleas- ure in emulating the feat of the pro- THE EVENING ST lommnur.hnu!hln-.l(han-' tires, is passing up the opportunity to participate in another “battle of the century.” Think of the drawing card that would be furnished by a bout be- tween Shires and “Bossy” Gillis, mayor of Newburyport, Mass., who attained his office mainly by punching the then mayer in the eye. Both of their claims to pugilistic prominence were made, it would seem, in much the same way. A citizen punching his mayor is very little differ- ent from a ball player punching his manager, and unquestionably the pub- lic would enjoy seeing them punch each other. ) Dogs and “Cats.” Many readers of the daily newspapers may have happened to notice items ap- pearing on successive days which started up in their minds a logical train of thought. The two items in question emanated from points far apart. The first, from St. Louis, Mo., told of the merciful execution of a dog which had been found with its lips firmly sewed together with stout thread and, conse- quently, almost starved. The second, from London, told of the revival of the old custom of using the cat-o’-nine- tails on male perpetrators of brutal crimes. Magistrates at Leeds, Liverpool and other points, not to mention Old Balley in London, have not hesitated recently to impose sentences of flogging on of- fenders of whose crimes brutality has been the outstanding feature. These are all men, of course, for since 1791 it has been illegal to flog a woman, no matter what the offense. Citizens having in mind the intense sufferings of this St. Louis animal have pledged rewards for the capture of its tormentor running into hundreds of dollars. What his punishment may turn out to be, when and if apprehend- ed, is not stated, but there must be many persons ardently wishing that in this particular case the penalty could be an old-time flogging, with lashes laid on by & brawny and dog-loving minion of the law. ———————— India is engaged in a political up- rising. Some of the princes with tre- mendous fortunes are probably being studied as possible contributors to cam- paign funds to be handled by & new line of bosses. A traffic officer finds the streets al- most deserted on a holiday and is able to wish the motorist a Happy New Year without chalking his tire or handing him a ticket, A A S ST A certain philosophy distinguishes the expressions of Senator Borah which makes him appear ever hopeful of hu- manity even when sometimes disap- pointed in it. —_— e 1t is still difficult for Paris to under- stand Americans because so many visi- tors from this continent appear to be chiefly interested in a drink or a di- vorce. ———e Students of market fluctuations are about unanimous in the opinion that “1930” may be relied on as a lucky number. ° For a long time the Chinese had the reputation of being extraordinarily hon- est. Of later years they appear unable to trust one another or anybody else. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Same Old Year. Ringing in the New Year morn, With a joyous chime! Skies are gray and all forlorn In a frosty clime. In a day of two we'll find ‘With a sense of cheer It's like what we left behind— It's the same old year. Same old sorrows, same old joys, That we used to know. Same old girls and same old boys, In life’s merry show. Recollection now awakes Bygone hope or fear— Same successes-—same mistakes— It's the same old year! Delicate Data. “Statistics are valuable in a political discussion.” “Usually,” said Senator Sorghum. “But when you are telling about diffi- culties of prohibition enforcement, it isn’t always in the best taste to be ex- plicit about dates and names.” Jud Tunkins says the big doin’s on New Year's eve are going to make him wish he hadn't gotten that alarm clock for a Christmas gift. More Variety Requested. The gayeties to music set. Have a familiar cheer. 1 hope a few new tunes they'll get. To sing, another year. No Self-Delusion. “You have a number of young men always anxious to call at our house.” “Yes,” sald Miss Cayenne. “We have by far the best radio set for miles around.” “It would be happier for the world,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “if writers of laws could be as well re- membered as poets and romancers.” Brotherhood. T value his successes new ‘Which Pame is happy to discuss. And his mistakes I value, too— They prove he’s human, just like us. “Happy New Year!” said Uncle Eben. “An’ dat’s one blessed remark you kin make wifout risk of startin’ an argu- ment.” And No Counting. From the Little Rock Arkansas Democrat. Now that the new golf ball is larger all that is needed is to make the clubs bigger, the fairways wider, the distances shorter and the holes twice as big. ] Doesn’t Need It. Prom the Topeka Daily Capital. South Australia has offered a bonus of $25,000 for discovery of oil. But it isn't the man who discovers oil who needs any bonus, e A Tip to the L. C. C. From the Des Moines Tribune-Capital. The Interstate Commerce Commission can do all the allocating of railroads wants to, but the palms of Pullman lock as large as ever, ! it ! rights, BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. The New Year will bring to amateur gardeners of the District of Columbia another opportunity, not to do any- thing pmfml-rly new, but to do the old in the way it should be done. ‘This includes the keeping of pretty terraces and lawns, a feature of the landscape which does more than an other to make a community look well It may be laid down as an axiom of neighborhood developments that no community can look any better than its grounds, including terraces, if any. ‘Yet some persons, under the pretense of permitting children and dogs un- hampered play, save themselves the trouble and work of helping keep a neighborhood up to the mark. The fallacy of their position is shown by the beauty of other neighborhoods, where children are just as lively but much better behaved, are just as healthy but have respect for property, play all day long but do not find it necessary to make public nuisances out of themselves. Children and dogs, unrestricted, are the two worst enemies of home grounds. The fault lies not with the children and dogs, but with their parents and own- ers, who are satisfled just so long as they are out of the house and not bothering them. ‘The effect of this selfish attitude may be seen in muddy terraces, show- ing no spears of grass, and in gen- erally unkempt grounds in a neighbor- hood. If the New Year means any- thing at all, in a garden sense, it might well function to change such condi- tions as these, * K %k % Just how some people can be indif- ferent to the appearances of the ap- | proaches to sheir homes is & mystery to those who are interested in keeping house and grounds up to the mark. If an unwary visitor might judge from the attitude of some property holders, it is the queerest thing in the world for any one to want to have a house in order, a neat lawn, grassy ter- races, pretty flowers. Yet this attitude has been that of so many hundreds of thousands of home owners that the careless indifferent person, including both owners and Tenters, is seen to be the unusual, in the final analysis. When one contrasts the indifferent attitude with that of the home owners imbued with the real spirit which has made America a country of homes, he sees at once that some real missionary work 1is needed. The sad truth is that a few indif- ferent occupants in a neighborhood can give an entire community a “run down at the heels” appearance, and absolute- Iy nullify the time, money and labor spent by those :/hg k‘no: how to live. Surely it is a question, in essence, of knowing how to live. Those who are indifferent to the appearance of home grounds and thcse of their neighbors may be judged, in all likelihood with certainty, as persons who have come from ill-kept, ugly homes, “Don’t know nothin’ and never had nothin—" such is the descriptive slang phrase of yesteryear which fits them very well. “The problem of this type of person in a neighborhood has been complicated by the close packing of modern cities, and obscured by the varnish which many persons today manage to take on. These sloppy livers dress flashily, maintain motor cars, and pride them- selves on being very histicated, but if you stop to take a look at their front lawn you will find it mostly mud. And it is the children of such peo- ple, and the dogs of such people, who and which make other people’s lawns lcok exactly the same way, so that it would be impossible for a stranger in the neighborhood to tell the she from the goats. One look inside the houses, however, and all doubt would be put at rest, for those who keep untidy lawns have dirty living rocms, too. This is another neighborhood axiom! * Kk ok The New Year, then, offers another chance for neighborhood reform. It is the same old chance that each year has brought, and probably will be over- looked, or sneered at, by those who in the past have overlooked it. But may- be one here and there, miraculously stricken with remorse, will change for the better. In this matter, as in most others, “every little bit, added to what you got, makes just a little bit more.” There is not much use in making resolutions. Those who ought to make them never even think about them, and those who think about them do not need to make them. The time-honored “New Year resolution” is mostly bunk. What is needed is a miracle! The nearest approach to it nowadays is the transformation wrought by Spring. At the present writing this annua] event is in the distance, leav- ing only hope to us, and a desire to profit by the opportunity to be. Home gardeners, including those who like well kept lawns, whether they gar- den or not, will find January the ac- ceptable month to make pians, look over the new seed catalogues and brlshhn up their enthusiasm, after the dull months of Fall and Winter. (Dull, of course, from the garden viewpoint.) ‘The bright catalogues will, as usual, play the major role. Who that loves flowers can resist the appcal of the gay covers, the pictures within, the pages of glowing descriptions? Yes, all flowers and vegetables are ‘wonderful—in the seed catalogues. But no one can blame the seedmen for be- ing enthusiastic about their wares. ‘Those seeds, well grown, will turn out just as big and glowing as their boost- ers say they will. If they do not, the fault is ours, not theirs. * x ok % A survey of seed catalogue advertise- ments shows that many growers are of- fering booklets on the making of an “outdoor living room.” The small gar- den is peculiarly suited to this sort of treatment, since its scope is limited, like a room, and may be bounded by fences or hedges on all sides. What we like about the term, how- ever, is the idea. Every garden ought to be an outdoor living room, not cnly in arrangement, or, better, not <o much in arrangement as in the ability of drawing people into it during the Sum- mer. To achleve this result, two things are necessary, or perhaps three—a good garden, the desire to stay in it, and some amount of privacy. The second often follows on the first, but not nec- essarily, although it follows that no one will want to go into an unattraciive garden, even those persons who are least interested. It is notorious that those who keep the worst grounds are never to be seen out of doors around the home. The desire to live in the garden, as much as ible, often hinges on the amount of reasonable privacy to be se- cured there. To feel one's self under the battery of the neighbors’ eyes will not add anything to the enjoyment of the garden or of gardening itself. Some arrangement of shrubs and plants, therefore, to give privacy is a part of any good garden treatment. Just what to do will depend entirely upon the in- dividual situation. The particular prob- lems are but part of the main one, to make 1930 a better garden year than Was 1929, India, With H uge Population, Plans Federation Like U. S. BY VISHNU R. KARANDIKER, Editor, ‘Indian. STRONG federated union of 320,000,000 people, composed of various states or mlms of states small and large, with different constitutions for each state, will soon be formed and become a vital link of the British Empire, if efforts toward this end continue as smoothly as they have been during the last few weeks. will be the strongest federation in With its vast resources, 99 per cent of which are as yet un- tapped, India will then be able to wield powerful influence in the world, both political and economic. It is significant how the tradition of the United States has influenced Na- tionalist India. Even in the early days of the Indian Nationalist movement the main political organization was called the congress, and the founders of that body declared that it would be like the Congress of the United States. * K % X ‘The Indian National Congress now is & recognized body whose opinion is be- ing invited to the solution of the con- stitutional problem of India. When, later on, the political struggle became keener and g more than mere resolutions was in demand, boy- cott of British by American col- onists was the method that appealed to the masses. It became a national weapon after the ill-fated partition of Bengal of 1906, when Lord Curzon, then viceroy, tried to put down the dominating influence of Bengal by di- viding it into two minor provinces. Boycott of British goods has become the most promising weapon in the na- tionalist armory,” second only: to its more extreme counterpart, on spiritual force, the non-co-operation movement, started by Mahatma Gandhi. In essence it is more negative and pas- sive, but in effect it is more construc- tive and active. B on one’s faith in one’s own case, in the justice of the claim of one’s national aspirations, it is strong enough to withstand failure. About 250,000,000 people are directly under British rule in India, divided into & number of provinces. The rest, consisting of about 70,000,000 people, are ruled by Indian princes, maha- rajahs, nawabs and khans, both Hindu and Mahometan. British Indian prov- inces are more or less divided in a hap- hazard manner, ever since the time of the East Indian Co. There is a strong movement on foot to divide the country more or less on & linguistic basis, grouping together people who speak the same vernacular. * ok ok ‘The idea is to have complete autono- mous provinces, linked together in an All-Indian Federation, with defense, communications and finances as com- mon _interests. Even now the central legislature is a bicameral one, like that of the Congress, with its Senate and the House of Representatives. There is the Council of State and the Legis- lative Assembly. The original demo- cratic constitution for the villages, known as the village Panchayats, a council elected by the people of the vil- lage and responsible for its government to the village people, will be revived, removing, it is hoped, much administra- tive work falling on the district officers. The most important problem is that of the Indian princes. "If the whole of India is to be brought under a single constitution, the question remains, how are the princes going to come in? The problem is made still more difficult by the fact that all Indian states are not considered to be on same level, There are some with whom treaties of equality have been concludad, their sovereign power being limited only in the sphere of foreign relations. Roughly, the states can be divided into two parts, one whose rulers only a certain percentage of a salute of guns, and those whose rulers possess only a certain percentage of sovereign . There are 120.in the first class and 442 in the other. There are some states as large as Italy, while there are others which have about 40 to 100 in- habitants, with an area of less than a square mile. question rises as to how these are to come into the federation. It is stated that the official view of the labor cabinet is to apply trade union principles to the princes, ask them to organize, join in small groups in va- rious areas with representatives of their central body, the chamber of princes. The first difficulty that arose was that the membership of the chamber was optional, and many important states felt that they would lose their dig- nity and prestige if they joined the chamber. Many rulers also received support of this view from officers of the political department of the government of India, who were, up to now, little czars glving orders to the rulers under the guise of advice, and who felt that their power was slipping away as the princes began to get more influence by coming directly into touch with the govern- ment of India and the viceroy at Delhi. In order to overcome this difficulty, the viceroy, it is believed, will exert his influence during his tour in the southern Indian states to induce the rulers to join the chamber. When all the states are grouped together in one assembly, then it will be easy to devise ways and plans by which the chamber of princes can work with the central Indian legislature and frame a federa- tion constitution. ‘This federation must constitute a still smaller body, with proportional representatives of both Indlas, who will deal directly with all-India subjects, the central legislature being responsi- ble for British India and the chamber of princes being representative of the whole body of Indian princes. * kX x It would be necessary to strengthen the hands of the representatives of the Chamber of Princes. It is evident that certain limitations would be placed on the complete sovereignty of the various Indian states in order to conform to the general policy of the federation. Also, the representatives of the states in the All-India Constitution should have the power to enforce the decisions in the various states. This will be one of the main functions of the round table conference which has been called by the present government for next Summer. The leading Indian princes and leaders of Indian political thought are holding conferences in order to settle the differences that now exist. The maharajahs of Patiala, the chancellor of the Chamber -of Princes and of Bikanir, an ex-chancellor, have opencd negotiations through V. J. Patel, presi- dent of the Indian Legislative Assem- bly. The leaders of the all-parties con- ference, which has brought out & com- plete dominion constitution for India after two years of labor, have sent invi- tations to the standing committee of the Chamber of Princes to meet to dis- cuss the future of Indian states. The chamber will make an important deci~ slon in the matter at their meetings in February. March and April will be spent in preliminary negotiation in In. ia. By that time it is hoped that the Simon commission, which has been re. viewing the work of the reforms act of 1019, will have made its recommenda- tions s to the princes. * x x K Among all these conferences and ne- Botlations that are going on at present, V. J. Patel, president of the Indian Legisiative Assembly, is perhaps the leading personality. It Was he who was invited by the Viceroy to see him on his return to India and it was he who conveyed the word of the declara- tion and the invitations to a confer- ence of Indian leaders. Mr. Patel sent invitations to the leaders of all the parties in the assembly and the meet- ing was held in his house. The ma- harajahs of Patiala and Dholpur con- ferred with him and, as a matter of fact, it was his influence that weighed with the Indian m in & cordial NGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1929. NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM THE RAVEN: A Btognyhy of Sam It is readily imaginable that Marquis James set out upon the enterprise of “Sam Houston” with no solider reason at the start than that his imagination had been captured by this spectacular figure., It would be. Sam Houston was that kind of man. The pursuit once begun, though, broadened and deep- ened until, having caught up with his quarty, Mr. James discovered that an important period of American history stood revealed afresh by way of the personality and power, by way of the public career of this eccentric citizen of the United States. More of a job than it had looked— not only to project the man himself, but to reset him validly in the big matters that eneomgcued him. Mr. James, however, got himself “good and ready” for it, as the children say. He searched, and researched, every avail- able source of authentic fact concern- ing the 70 years of Sam Houstons stormy Buu}fe from there to yonder. He weighed Houston's public life in the fair scales of national service, or dis- service. And all this was only ma- terial, only a d):rt of the getting ready— facts unassailable, the recorded judg- ments of time, James' own hold on historic values, Months and years went into this business of collecting and weighing. ‘These preliminaries over, then only did the actual work begin. Nothing less, this, than that of recreating a man, that also of setting this man down, alive, in the midst of events destined to stand as part of our na- tional foundations. And these events, as well, were to be re-embodied in their true substance, in their true signin- cance. A very special plece of Work, calling for a very special sort of man. Here he is. A student first. dramatist next, advancing from minor climax to the great finale by way of a climbing serles of incidents and events—pause, suspense, then on again. A keen sense of fitness also is a part of this writer's equipment. And this implies, along with weightier effects, a feeling for humor, for the many humors, and for the pathos also, that persistent- ly ran along beside the main course of Sam Houston's life. , . James has a way of his own with words—a way that fits the spirit of topic and theme, much to the reader advantage and delight, Clipped talk; the swift turn; the smiling satire upon some special absurdity of the man in the case; the ready running out to meet oncoming incident or event with sympathy and gusto; the line of sound judgment, the point of firm decision. The whole rounded to vitality and sus- tained interest. EE mAPd' 50, readers—meet Sam Hous- n! A man out of the past century whose personal and political alliances, whose ey and whose vuhe&fii‘ identify im as a component part of the period in which he lived—a period that is set off, sharply, from our own. Sam Hous- | this new republic; d ton died while the Civil War was yet unfinished. The war and its immedi- ate settlements closed, in effect, the ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC ). HASKIN. ‘There is no other agency in world that can answer as many legiti- mate questions as our free information bureau in Washington, D. C. This highly organized institution has been built up and is under the personal direction of Frederic J. Haskin, By keeping in constant touch with Federal bureaus and other educational enter- prises it is in a position to pass on to you authoritative information of the highest order. Submit your querles to the staff of experts whose services are put at your free disposal. There is no charge except 2 cents in coin or stamps for return postage. Address The Eve- ning Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. C. Q. What is the nationality of John glll:fi, the motion picture star?— A 'He is an American of English descent. He was born in Utah. Q. Do the girls at Smith College ride bicycles?—W. C. M. A. This form of is very popular at Northampton. It is sald that at least 211 bicycles are in daily use by the students of Smith Col- lege. Last Spring a fete called a “Bicyclio” was held on the campus, Q. That Woolaroc is an Indian word is a coincidence. The following explanation of its adoptjon as the name for Goebel's plane is herewith sub- mitted—N. E. K. A. Art Goebel, pilot of the Woolaroc, says that the name of his plane is a coined word, & combination of woods, lakes and rocks. It is the name of the estate of the man who financed his Pacific fiight. Q. Why is the Arctic Ocean so named?—S. T. A. Arctic’is from the Greek arctos, & bear, the reference being to tion of the Great An ic means “opposed to Q. Do the male or female beavers buzd the d;umn_nto' H. The Bureau of Biological Survey says that both males and females work on dams and houses, as far as is known. Q. Is the blood really thicker than water?—J, K. A. The Public Health Service says that blood is really thicker than water, Q. Why are the letters on the key- board of a typewriter arranged as they ;rerlnmsd of in alphabetical order?— A. The keyboard of a typewriter is So arranged that the letters which are most, frequently associated may be most easily reached by the fingers. Q. Please state how large Stone Mountain is?—J, C. 8. A. Stone Mountain is a massive dome of muscovite granite, in De Kalb County, Ga., and is said to be the larg- est in the world. It is about 16 miles east of Atlanta. It rises about 700 feet above the comparatively level surround- ing , and its bulk has been esti- ;nl{fd as more than 7,000,000,000 cubic ee Q. Are !&er portable cameras sold now than were 10 or 20 years ago?— original pioneer age of this country.|J. W. ‘The new age, ours, is also of the pioneer spirit, but its fleld is in the domain of science applied to the miracle of mod- ern existence. The older ploneer day fought the wilderness, tamed the abounding wild life, conquered the In- dian, formed political parties and enun- clated theories to meet the need of the time, was earnest and impassioned as the present is, but from a different standpoint and outlook. Sam Houston ‘was part of that earlier breed of pioneers And what a figure he cut! How intensc were the hatreds that he inspired! How deep the loyalties that he drew to himself! Repesentative; Governor of Tennes- | see; oft to Texas as a soldier, Gen. Houston, taking to his heart, and arms, the political cause of Texas; hero of San Jacinto and, thereby, the deliverer of that great Commonwealth; president ‘g! volce of the people when the Civil War put the question of union or secession up to the head of the State. Died in—well, no matter. Everybody dies. Few, how- ever, lead up to that incident of in- dividual life anything like the career that Sam Houston won from time and chance. * ok ok ok “An old man under an cjfjtree, smok- ing and thinking, still on "une bourne of the dream-world that had drawn him into the forest, a boy with & book and a rlfl&m: ll:nll‘t mystic, half showman; halt , hal 9 little nkmnfi near the end of the story makes vivid again the youthful days of Houston. Couldn't get along with regular schooling. Plenty of boys couldn’t, and can't. Liked to read, to sprawl and read all day long and half the night. So young Sam Taking his beloved book, the Iliad, and his rifle, he went off into the woods to live. He came into camp of the Cherokees and stayed there. He liked them. They liked him. He took on their language, their ways of life, their dress. No half measures with this lad. And always, because dressed and thought and behaved in character, any character that he had adopted, correct people called him the “showman,” the masque: , the actor. Well, he was of theatrical stripe—but what of it! A mere external that nothing to do with the man’s patriotism or fundamental good intent. However, these “queer” ways piled up enemies for Sam Houston's undoing when the tide of popularity began to ebb. Then, too, he damned himself with the deadly sin of being unconventional, different from the common run. That first marriage of his, so suddenly and speedily repudiated, left a mystery of sinister implication around the man_who, never by word or look, satisfied the ravening curiosity of the public concerning it. Then, too, when Houston had become a full- fledged Cherokee he took to himself Tiana, the squaw wife. Unthinkable! That all his life, this daring and au- dacious man, fought the cause of the and fleeced them ' on every hand, seemed hardly to count at all, when set off against the sheer degrada- tion of being & squaw-man. It is terrible for a wicked man to try to live even in a world of righteous- ness. So Sam Houston found it. A good friend, faithful to death, he was deserted by those for whom he had labored. A man of ability and political acumen, he was avoided use, for- sooth, he liked to parade in gaudy or bizarre attire, , maybe, with the secret ambition to have a kingdom of his own, he was openly execrated by noble statesmen of less soaring spirit. In that day national ideals were vague, as national lines were also. Had Hous- ton succeeded in what was alleged against him, it would have been no great sin then, not if he had succeeded, and he would for a day &r & year have been & truly-i ki recelving homage like the T mightinesses of this little world. But he failed—failed in so many things. And, like the rest of us, he failed out of his own in- capacity. But what a figure of ad- venture he cuts! How dauntless and right, how short-sighted and wrong he was! Nowadays not much seems to be known about Sam Houston. Pity! Even as spectacle, or as warning, he is almost unsurpassed. Read about him, for nowhere else will you find the man 50 set out to life as he is here. I noticed that the brilliant Claude Bowers in his admirable study of the politics of the Jackson period gives this man exactly three words—‘“the swaggering Houston.” Well, he swaggered sublimely once, when he refused to recognize secession, declaring that he loved the South, of course. It was his South, but better even than this did he love the " A.There has been no decline in pop- ular demand. It is now many times what it was 10 or 20 years ago, Q. Are sweet potatoes hurt by storage in a cold place?—M. P. A. After digging, the sweet potatoes should be kept at a temperature of 70 or 75 degrees until they are cured- if they are to be palatable. Allow a sweet potato to become chilled, even after | the | the cus stage, and the delicate flavor is demn;]‘ed. Q. What is the derivation of the word “wop"?—T. F. A. It is shortened from “wappa- rousa,” a Sicilian localism for a good- for-nothing fellow. Q. What States have training on school ships for the Navy?—H. A. B. A. There are only three States in thc United States which maintain school ships which train men for the Navy. These are Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. Only resi- dents of the State can apply. Q. What use can be made of left- over cooked cereals?—A. J. A. The cooked breakfast foods may be sliced and fried when eool. may be served either with a couple of strips of b?m or i& the 'o;:;u i some people prefer them & sweet, such as molasses, sirup or jelly. . Does m:n n?mmr-nymm A. Flying fish have long winglike fing, and are capable of leaving the water and moving some dista through the air. motion of the tail before they entirely leave the water that the momentum for these flights is acquired. Whether it is increased by the vibrations of the pectoral fins is a matter of dispute. Q. How. many languages are there lm:n%heflu?—?. D. F. 08 one age from easternmost Greenland ht:“;lr- thest Alasks, as do also a few hundred people in Siberia, on the other side of the Bering Straits. In order to get reasonably well, an Eskimo must have at the tip of his tongue a much larger active vocabulary than that.of an average business man who speaks the | English. Why is there so fra s A. It is believed that, because of the immature judgment of school students, high school fraternities and i o, us defeat the spi thi should prevail, - Q. What is the record for driving rivets>—M. W. A. The Worden-Allen Co. in Mil~ waukee, Wis,, which handles all kinds of work where rivets are driven, tells us that the record for 1 man, 8 hours a day, is around the 2,000 mark, although in one case, where all arrange~ ments were made for the man inside, it reached 2,200. The 2,000 recore mldelnthe" g It is our under- standing that the average run of rivets :%; 1 man, working outdoors, is about Q. What causes ofl to flow from ofl Ta Thelgaain heioll e b of the sand through the well 1f e as fiel Ll‘:rf-ureonl leld is lost, the well Q. Are wages for women in this country on an equal basis with pay for men?—A, N. A. The practice still obtains to women at a wage standard below it paid to men. Q. What is the “May walk” take; Antioch College?—R. '3. H. 8% A. Horace Mann began this custom in the early days of the college. It is ::rl\"xnnnun T::Ik through the glens to 3 scenc Lo ery 18 unusually Although Charles E. Hughes, as spe- clal master, has reported in favor of the States which complain of the di- version from the Great Lakes of an excessive amount of water, there is gave up|'mp. had | facts, of course, are mr%{' posed to hole count his own undivided ;nlnn Mm"th this declaration he lost, . but reading here you will find out that Sam Houston never strong opinion that the City of Cl cago will seek more favorable con tions through an appeal to for action. The decision requires ma- terial reduction in the amount of water used within m of years. On the question th Daily Tribune states: dered to complete its sewage W in nine years at a cost of $176,- 000,000, The court is to retain juris- diction’ over the matter indennitely. Mr. Hughes leaves no doubt that it within the power of Congress to author- ize greater diversions for the service of the Lakes-to-Gulf waterway than specified in the decree for maintaining navigation in the Chicago River, * * * cost of building the treatment plants tlh.e (ntn“le to be : xl'xee.-‘vyulmrden upon yers 3 if gra and incompetence are allowed to add their percentages to the total bill, the Iload may prove a crushing one.” 'The Tribune points to the necessity that competent men be selected for the sanitary district board, and argues: “The whole case against Chicago and the Lakes-to-Gulf waterway is based on the premise that lowered lake levels have interfered with shipping. The this line of argument, evels are not low: they are unduly high. They have seldom been higher.” * ok ok In reply to this contention, thé In- dianapolis News points out that “in the last year, as a result of heavy precipi- tadion, the stage of all the Great Lakes has been higher than in a long period,” and that “It was recognized that this condition might be d that, in any case, the natural resource ;"Emn'm‘ kept from m‘gnlmu(m as a Toute for ips of deep draught.” The News concludes that “the opinion of laymen is likely to be that Mr. Hughes has performed a diffi- cult duty in a wise fashion, both from flu standpoint of public policy and the w." t is true,” adds the Toledo Blade, “that Lake Erle levels were abncrmally high during the navigation season just closed, and that shore property was damaged by high water. It is likewise true that, two years ago, Lake Erie levels were so low that navigation was hampered seriously and many ships were grounded. The Hughes decision is based, evidently, on average lake- level conditions, which is exactly as it should be.” Kalamazoo Gazette belleves that “in the end, it is quite wa.ble that Chicago will tself as the chief beneficiary of the program now recommended for enforce- ment.” That paper also takes the post- tion that the m¢ is “will have plenty of time in which to build a sound, adequate sewage-disposal sys- tem—one which would be based upon a principle far more modern than that of flushing waste matter into other people’s lzmwr.y."‘ il are | all ft | enough to permit Chicago Exppcted to Renew Row Over Water in Congress to complete the works, and why have not much greater funds been availabl to finance their more Clved‘l‘flallll wnl’ struction?” its own h ?ound of how wateriiapen 'm.lhu been thor- s Mg graft and cor- think iy e I ed e “Chicago will Ohio, Evening Dispatch. now make a desperate effort to get from Congress an apparent_authority to do what the Supreme Court of the country has Xoxmbldden. J‘ " * We do not 3 ever, that she can succeed.” The Cleveland Plain Dealer also con- tends, “Chicago’s next battle will, lon sought permit- ting a perrhm extraction of water from the lakes, nominally for Dposes of navigation, but in volume large the city to continue her present slovenly habit of disposing of se by floating it down the battle will be transferred: to _'lr';‘mgh t.he‘ Milwaukee forget! about the health m of 1.!::“;‘1:11:!13 cal racket known as the sanitary dis- trict. The Mississippi Valley will be told, as it al is being told, that if it wants a Lakes-to-Gulf waterway, it will have to fight for more water. The Lake States, which know that there will be enough water for this barge canal in the allowed 3,000 cubic feet & second, will not be caught napping.” The Detroit News, also foreseeing a leg- islative battle, says: “It may be merely tra; from the Supreme Court to Congress. Chicago has apparently been successful in lining up some of the Mississippl Valley States and will count on the help of New:York's opponents to the St. Lawrence waterway. The Supreme Court’s order thus may mercl; clear the way for a greater battle.” * ok ox X “To all lake cities and States, as as the Canadian cities and o along the St. Lawrence River,” in the opinion of the Cleveland News, “the long-awaited report ne: means unqualified satisfaction and relief, since it promises just such defense against selfish drainage of the lakes as the injured communities and interests have long needed and sought in vain,” The Madison, Wis,, State Journal ealls it “a decisive victory for the States bordering the Great Lakes,” an opinion in which the St. Paul Pioneer Press concurs. The Hamilton, Ont., tator, speaking for Canada, says the report “is, at any rate, an improve- ment over the former document, it recognizes the right of Vhich 15" strong wl s platnants.” Picturing the situation that the St. Louls Globe-Democrat re::‘:r‘:‘. had | “So the shipping,” Journal, o, Sl n k - wealths of M “Chicago is too big and progressive.” | s pey according to the Lexington Leader, “to 80 on injuring the varied and important interests jeopardized by such heavy di- version, and at the same time pollut- E‘ impo| 't lG .dmd'h:nb“"lnm completely of by scientific EoD TG ury to any one.” News uk-nywhy has it taken so long did play fast and loose with whatever engagement he might for the time have on_hand. Well, here it is, a brilliant story, drawn in essence from a single charac- ter of the past century. And by way of this personal story h-re i35, too, & vivid panorama of the ~aay of American history—the yesior which produced the today of our own national | Press outlook and ideals and_ performances. recommendation Hughes is workable. Em) g the dela that has been :&’2: "Uhlmn:h l:ll:: % price of its folly,” while the Llnco"{n State Journal and the Green Bay benefits in_compl. of Mr. Hughes. It is called Bmmh: It is life itself, in and promi- concentrate nent figure, e