Evening Star Newspaper, January 3, 1930, Page 8

K-8 THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 193 THE EVENING STAR [town chiefs of police and balliffs, who | utility, Par better would it have been With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY....... January 3, 1030 THEODORE W. NOYES. ...Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company .u‘anfiflggi ia_Ave. ot e el oifu:ngc epent’ 8L London. Rate by Carrier Within the City. nine Star. . .45c Ler month and Sunday ‘Star ndays) ... .. 60c per month ) 't may be sent Rational $o00; Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and_Virginia. Dally and Sunda: 1 yr.. $10.00: 1 mo. DA i ily only $6.00: 1 mo. Sindayon1y 1yr., $400: 1mo. All Other States and Canada. Dally and Sunday..l 12.00: 1 mo.. $1.00 ily only 1 38.00. 1mo.. 13 Bindas"ony C1yel $5.00i 1mo. 50c | Member of the Associated Press. " e s paper and also the local new: published herein. All rights of oublication o special dispatcheés herein are also reserved. 5| The Boston Mass Meeting. A dead rum runner, killed by United | States officers in the fulfillment of their duty, is scarcely comparable to the men who died under a rain of British bullets at Boston in 1770. Yet in historic Faneuil Hall in Boston a mass meeting has been held to denounce the men of the United States Coast Guard who fired on and killed three rum runners near Newport while ‘they were in the act of violating the law. One of the speakers referred to the killing of the Tum runners as the “Newport mas- sacre.” Following the meeting in the hall the crowd poured out upon Boston Com:mon and there tore down recruiting posters of the Coast Guard and kicked the metal frames about the sidewalk. Joseph Walker, former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representa- tives, addressing the Boston meeting, is Teported to have said: “The Constitution commands our re- spect, but the eighteenth amendment is inconsistent with the Constitution and deserves no respect whatsoever.” Mr. Walker is at best a loose talker. He knows, and the whole country knows, that the eighteenth amendment to the Constitution is a part of the Constitu- tion and as sacred as any other por- tion of that document as long as it stands there unrepealed. Mr. Walker knows that the eighteenth amendment was adopted by the States in accordance ‘with the method prescribed by the Con- stitution itself, by an overwhelming ma- Jority of the States, including his own State. Yet Mr. Walker and other promi- nent citizens of Massachusetts advocate & “rum rebellion.” This country has seen in the past a rebellion against the Federal Government because of the de- sire of certain individuals to have their rum without paying an excise tax. But it is not of record that the rebellion succeeded or was an affair of which the country is particularly proud. “We are not here to defend rum runners,” Representative John J. Doug- lass is reported to have told the crowd in Faneuil Hall. If Mr. Douglass be- lieves that the mass meeting in Faneuil Hall will be interpreted in any way except as a defense of rum running, he is mistaken. And former Mayor John P. Pitagerald of Boston asserted that the rum runners knew, as they brought their eargo of illicit liquor along, that *“it would be consumed by governors of States, mayors of cities, selectmen of towns, judges of the Supreme Court, Jjudges of the Superior Court, judges of the municipal court—in fact, by public officials everywhere.” A remarkable in- dictment of the officials of his own State by one who is said to be a candidate | for the senatorial nomination in Massa- chusetts this year. The interpretation that will be placed upon the Faneull Hall mass meeting is that many of the people of Massa- chusetts, and some of them prominent in official and public life, are deter- mined to have their grog, law or no law. | And that is the only interpretation that | ‘will be placed upon it. The mass meet- ing will reflect no credit on Boston. ————— Santa Claus has base imitators who - send dynamite disguised as gift pack- ages. Like most imitations, its tendency is toward brutal degradation ———— Prince Georges Police. Tt is unfair to jump to the conclusion that Prince Georges County authorities are not taking adequate steps to ap- prehend the murderer in the Seat Pleasant bombing outrage. The county authorities are working on the case and, with several clues in their posses- sion, are not to be charged with failure because no arrest has been made two days after the crime. But The Star joins the Baltimore Sun in its belief that the nature of this revolting crime and the outraged public sentiment Tesulting certainly justify extraordinary efforts on the part of the State of Maryland that might be ex- pressed by Gov. Ritchie in offering the county authorities all the police re- sources at his disposal. ‘Whether or not the county author- ities are able to discover and arrest the murderer, this crime sheds light on a condition in Prince Georges County that more than once has been made the subject of comment by the county’s grand fury. The county is inadequately policed. In addition to that fact, archaic organization leads to an over- lapping and decentralized authority that offers an immediate obstacle to the detection of crime and the enforcement of the law. Assigned to the bombing case in Seat Pleasant is one county policeman. Working with him and directing his efforts is the State’s attorney for the county. The lone policeman is an effi- cient and courageous officer, But he Tnas neither the training nor the ex- perience that ordinarily would fit him to deal with the elements of this un- usual crime. This policeman consti- tutes exactly one-third of the county's police force. This force of three coun- ty policemen is responsible to a deputy sheriff and the sheriff. In addition, there is the county constabulary force, consisting of one constable for each of the county's twenty-one districts. These are appointed by and responsible 1o the county commissioners, but work e | stations and a police headquarters in | employed in mass scenes, the acreage work part time. These also constitute an independent police force. Available to the county authorities are the State police, well trained and efficient men. Their efforts, however, are confined wholly to traffic law enforcement, un- less deputized for special service by the county authorities. The October grand jury recommend- ed a comprehensive study of the polic- ing situation in the county. More than one other grand jury has recom- mended an increase in the county police, responsible now for patrolling a territory of 468 square miles. Noth- ing has come of these recommenda- tions. Montgomery County, Prince Georges' next door neighbor, took active steps in police reform several years ago. It gave the sheriff jurisdiction in civil cases, but set up an independent county police force with exclusive criminal jurisdiction. ‘There now are four sub- Montgomery County, with a force of 18 privates—recognized as being too small. But with such a nucleus it will not be long before Montgomery County's police force will attain the traditions and experience of a regularly organized city force. The foundation for further extension and development is there, which is more than can be said of Prince Georges. Maryland counties are jealous, and correctly so, of the privilege of attend- ing to their own business. The people of Prince Georges should make the best use of the powers that lie within their own hands. e to use a single plane, and, if the film was not satisfactory, to repeat the stunt and to keep on repeating until the de- sired result was secured. But, after all, what was there of such exceptional interest or novelty in a parachute leap to warrant extraordinary camera service? Such things have been filmed many times in the past and without the use of double pianes. It all seems to have been unnecessary and therefore the more deplorable. ————————— Salary Boosts and Charity. There is a law In New York State forbidding the self-boosting of salaries by State and municipal officers, but there is no law against official bodies, such as boards of aldermen and other municipal councils, from voting in- creases of compensation to their suce cessors in office. Thus it is possible for & “retiring” aldermanic or councilmanic body to decree new scales of pay even though they are to be their own suc- cessors in office by virtue of elections just held. That has been the case in New York City, where just before the close of the year 1929 the board of aldermen voted substantial pay raises to the mayor and the members of the board of estimates and to the aldermen themselves, to take effect upon the change of the calendar and to benefit the bank accounts of the officers to be, regardless of the fact that there were few changes in personnel. When Mayor Jimmy Walker, elected for a second term of four years, came to the point of signing or disapproving these enactments, one of which raised his own pay from $25,000 to $40,000 a Taxicab Regulations. With certain desirable changes and modifications the new regulations drawn up by the Public Utilities Com- mission for control of taxicabs in ‘Washington will go into effect on Feb- ruary 1. Principal among the im- provements to take place under the new code will be that which provides the public with assurance that every taxi- cab operator is financially responsible for any damage to person or property that his negligence may cause. Other regulations in the code are designed to draw tighter the control of taxicab traffic by the Public Utilities Commis- sion. The new regulations were drawn up after a study of practices in other cities and public hearings were held before the commission’s announcement that everything was in readiness to make the law effective in a month's time. It is gratifying to the people of Wash- ington that this question, so long in dispute, has been finally settied. Public Utilities Commissions of the past have apparently believed that they did not have the necessary power to enforce a strict code for taxicab operation and, despite vigerous attempts to secure action, nothing was done until the present commission adopted its new rules. It has long been recognized that there is no justice in permitting reckless and financially insolvent taxicab operators to run free on the streets. Buying a cab on time and in many cases holding only a small equity in the vehicle, an operator was involved in a serious ac- cident. When the victim of the driver's recklessness sought redress he almost invariably found that the driver was without assets, the automobile manu- facturer still owning, of course, the tax- icab which figured in the collision. While this condition only applied to the individual operator or small companies, the larger companies being capable of meeting financial demands, the growth of the taxicab industry in Washington made it imperative that these classes should be brought under control. ‘The new code should work hardship on none. While it is rigid in its re- quirements, it is in line with public wel- fare and the practices of other cities of comparable size. Unquestionably, it will ald the business, for the public henceforth will have the knowledge that every taxicab on the streets is mechan- ically perfect, in so far as strict regu- lations can make it, and that every driver has not only passed rigid tests as to his ability, but is financially ca- pable of satisfying judgments levied against him. Such conditions, it would seem, are botind to increase the patron- age of public vehicles in the National Capital. Motion pictures are in the same situ- ation as the legitimate drama. The de- mand for superproductions is greater than the supply. Economic conditions are reflected in entertainment as well as in commerce. oot Tragic Stunt Photography. Yesterday a tragedy of the air was enacted off the California coast that seems to have been utterly needless. Two airplanes, each carrying five per- sons, engaged in the photographing of a “stunt” for a motion picture, collided at about 2,000 feet above the sea and fell in flames, all ten occupants, pas- sengers and pilots, perishing. There may have been some technical reason for sending two planes into the air for the purpose of “shooting” the film, but it does not appear to the pub- lic mind as adequate. Certainly only one film was required, and one plane should have sufficed to take it. The use of two planes, each with a full equipment of cameramen, would seem to be somewhat in the nature of “pub- licity” enterprise. Motion picture making has become a business, and yet there is an undue amount of elaboration and ostentation and prodigality in the making of the pictures. The exaggeration of salaries paid to stars, the numbers of people of building construction designed for settings for briefly appearing scenes, the | cost of costumes and accessories—all | these are supposed to be evidence of thoroughness and artistry and consid- eration for the entertainment of the public. As a matter of fact, there is a great deal of what is in the vernacu- lar called “blah” about these procla- mations. Picture making is becoming simplified, even with the new feature of sound reproduction, and the public is no longer interested in the lavishness of the production or the cost of settings. year, he was, it is said, greatly embar- rassed, which is an unusual predica- ment for him. A protest had been voiced against what was styled a “salary grab,” particularly as it had never been au- thorized by popular vote, and added considerably to the burden made upon the taxpayers, already heavily loaded. But the mayor finally took pen in hand and signed the ordinances, justifying his action on the score that the bene- ficiaries of the pay boosts deserved the money. After this action the protests continued, and now Mayor Jimmy an- nounces publicly that he il not take any of the increase of salary, but will turn it over to charity during the next four years—a contribution of $60,000 in all. This, he naively says, will save the City of New York that amount of money. This, however, does not quite satisfy the mayor's critics, who still feel that the voters might better have been asked regarding a $60,000 municipal contribution to charity. According to reports, the mayor's as- sociates on the board of estimates and the members of the board of aldermen will not follow his example and pay their increases over to charity. There seems to be a striking unanimity of sen- timent among them as far as they are quoted to the rather familiar effect that “charity begins at home.” —— e After a President has shaken hands with six or seven thousand admiring citizens he might be excused for sus- pecting that an extra holiday vacation should be one of the privileges of his position. ———————— Berlin reports the discovery of a dis- ease which parrots may communicate to their owners. Science may yet con- sider a theory that the sufferings of the bird are what promote its tendency to profanity. —_————— Experiments in coalition often indi- cate that it is likely to put a hard knot in what is already & serious tangle. ——————— - Alcohol has the reputation of mak- ing men reckless. This applies not only to those who swallow it, but also to those who peddle fit. —————.—— It is to be assumed that a very large number of this year's First of January resolutions related to margin trading. —————— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Ordeal “Readin’, 'Ritin’, Cipherin'* In the schoolboy days! “Readin’” some applause would win, “‘Ritin’ " claimed much praise, But of joy there was no gleam At another call; “Cipherin’” would always seem ‘The hardest of them alll “Readin’, 'Ritin’, Cipherin'|" In the later years, Oratory raised a din ‘That allayed our fears. Till for tariffs we would move— Make them great or small— Cipherin’ would always prove The hardest task of all| ‘Wetness Inevitable, “Are you a ‘wet’ or a ‘dry'?” “Wet,” answered Senator Sorghum. “Out my way whether you speak for or against prohibition you are, figura- tively speaking, in hot water.” Jud Tunkins says it's inconsistent to wish a man Happy New Year and then try to break him in a poker game. The Great American Handshake. He shook hands like a statesman great and wise, ‘With manner frank and breezy. The ordinary daily exercise Compared to this seemed easy. More Comfortable. “Is your new motor car making you more comfortable?” “In a way,” answered Mr. Chuggins. “My wife permitted me no peace of mind till I bought it.” “An imitation,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “is the distorted shadow THIS AND THAT —— BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Ashamed of courtesy, but still mot willing to give it up—is not this the keynote to modern American character? Some young people, home from col- lege for the holidays, were making merry on the pack seat of a bus. One of the girls asked their escort to put down a window through which the wind came sharply. ‘When he had complied the girl cried out, gayly: “The usual thanks.” And there you have the keynote of modern character. How much better it would have been if she had thanked him gravely, courteously, as women used to do. “The usual thanks!"” Yes, usual; so it must be sneered at, but not omitted, for the queer, old- fashioned.customs somehow have a grip on_one, Not having kept abreast of the “col- legiate” during recent years, we won- dered if “the usual thanks” was the latest slang or a bright piece of repartee coined for the occasion. One look at the young lady put our mind at rest. Out of that flip-looking head could come no original thought. She had heard the phrase some place or read it in one of the smart-aleck magazines devoted to such chatter. ‘The usual thanks! * K ok ok It is difficult to explain to the full the note of sadness resident in such a phrase as “the usual thanks.” It is something one must feel. ‘The whole decadence of manners is contained in it. Even the word itself has gone out of style. “Manners” used to mean something. ‘The “manners” of a child were no less watched than the deeds of its hands, or the words of its mouth. “Child, where are your manners?” “Have you no manners?" Such sentences, greeting children of yesteryear, probably made those chil- dren Tesoive that when they grew up their own would not be met with such savings. In the old days manners meant habits indicating good breeding. They talked less about etiquette in those days and really had more of it. Politeness not only was a thing in itself, it stood for the recognition on the part of every one that good breed- ing stood for something. * oK ok K Even the poorest parents made an effort to inculcate into their little ones the essentials of good habits in soclety, as they had grown up through the centuries. Custom had a great deal to do with it, had everything to do with it, in fact. If the United States had not been made up as it was, of peoples from all races, it presumably might have had other customs, other ways of thought. The two dominant traits of early America were to get ahead in worldly 8oods and to get ahead in a social way. ‘These desires, although perhaps not sharply defiped, were clear cut enough to make every one realize the necessity for manners in the daily lite. A perpetual feud went on between the’| rough-and-ready ways of a ploneering people and the decrees of civilization, as it was growing up in the towns. Charles Dickens, on his first visit to this country, could see nothing but hardy men !})ltfinl tobacco juice. The expert aim of tobacco chewers filled the landscape for him, Americans, to him, seemed to have no manners at all. * ok ok ok The growth of the cities and of educational institutions of all sorts led to fairly well defined American culture. It is fashionable nowadays to brand that culture as “Victorian,” but when one contrasts a simple “thank you" with “the usual thanks” he is inclined to wonder if the sneering is not mis- placed. Even the old fermal “I thank you” was better. Almost any one whose col- lege days are behind him (or his younger days, if he didn't go to col- lege—it doesn’t make much difference, after all) can recall hearing some one say “I thank you" in a beautiful way. Perhaps the speaker was lowly in rank, as soclal distinctions go, but still there was something infinitely appeal- ing .in the way he or she uttered the perhlups too formal phrase, “I thank you.” It was beautiful, and no “smart young thing” can hope to improve it by add- ing “as they used to say.” ‘The usual thanks, indeed! * K ok ok Genuine courtesy, one may feel, is something definite, so far above mere phrase that the best phrases of the past need not be changed. Thus a simple “thank you” may be held better than a newer sophisticated line of chatter, not because it is old, but because it is good in itself. If a modern miss really wants to be “chic” in such matters (relating to manners), she would do better to give them up entirely and be as natural as an untaught child. It is natural for a child, when pre- sented with a piece of candy, to seize and cram it at once into the mouth. Left to its own sweet will, a child will never say, “Thank you.” Why should 1t? Hasn't it got the candy? Manners are not natural. The purely animal is the natural. Man, centuries ago seeing the need for something else, deviszd certain taboos, certain forms of conduct, certain manners. The ready psychological patter of to- day does not unloosen one of the old taboos, but merely gives a few of them & good jolt. The demands of sophisti- cation scarcely dent the edge of good manners. Etiquette is seen by all to be what it is because it meets certain de- mands of human beings. I If one decides not to observe the old rules, perhaps it would be better to forget them entirely and make no compromise with them. A young lady who does not care to thank her escort when he puts down a window for her had better remain silent than gayly chirp “The usual thanks!” ‘This ridiculous phr: must be ad- nd in that ase, it mitted, is a sort of thanks, respect better than none at all. But we are thinking of the young lady. Wphat is going to happen to her? Or do we take her far 100 seri- ously? Perhaps. She was, Indeed, “showing off,” as the unnecessarily loud voice made evident. She wanted every one in the vehicle to hear her, to realize that she was bright, peppy, snappy, sophisticated. Sitting firmly in the present, she some- how had the idea, as so many young people have, that she must do some- thing or say something to make good her claim to being “modern.” So she sald, may heaven forgive her, “The usual thanks.” WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS It is obvious that prohibition will plague the Hoover administration for many months to come and that once the tariff is out of the way prohibition 1 Will occupy the center of the congres- sional stage. The President is properly agitated over the situation and is using all his personal and official influence to stem the tide of criticism. The White House finds itselt with few champions and many critics on Capitol Hill. But as between Congress and the President in the prohibition controversy, Wash- ington observers for the most part in- cline to the view that in the long run the country will sympathize with Mr. Hoover. The administration stand for adequate and impartial law enforcement is clear and unequivocal. The President is ready with concrete legislative pro- posals, which, as far as they go, are on the constructive side. Congress seems likely to find itself in the position where it must either “put up or shut up;” at least that is likely to be the judgment of the country. Yet judging the future by the past is not apt to do either. * x ok x ‘The movement to draft Mr. Coolidge for the seat shortly to be vacated by Senator Gillett of Massachusetts died aborning. The silent Calvin was in- scrutable as always, but managed with- out saying a word to convey the very positive notion that he did not'choose to run. Nor is he mixing in any way in the political affairs of his home State. His detachment is absolute. The latest manifestation in this respect was incident to the testimonial dinner tendered this week to the retiring mayor of Boston, a Republican. All the Repub. lican bigwigs of the State were in at. tendance. Mr. Coolidge was invited. His note of declination was in the best Coolidge vein, laconic but not without the touch of what ‘is customarily labeled “Yankee” humor. “Dear Mr. Mayor,” wrote Coolidge, “sorry I can't attend your dinner. I hope you enjoy getting out of office as much as I did.” Since it is thoroughly understood in Massachusetts that the mayor retired from office only because & provision of the Boston charter precluded him from being a candidate for another term, and since, stating it mildly, he is entirely agreeable to taking the Massachusetts senatorship if it comes his the Coolidge note was fairly subtle. * ok ok X Senator Gould of Maine accompanied the formal statement of his decision to make his first term his last and to retire a year hence with some high- ly spiced comments on men and affairs. Seldom do Senators speak their minds so freely for publication, particularly with respect to their colleagues. “The most poisonous tongue in the Senate is that of Norris of Nebraska, with not a good word for any one,” Gould de- clared, “and then there is Walsh of Montana. He has not a kindly thought in his system.” Such_utterances are hardly “clubb; servers are waiting to see what notice, if any, Gould's clubmates will take of his personal remarks when the Senate reconvenes next week. * ok ok k Secretary of Interior Wilbur this week addressed the National Student Federation in convention at Palo Alto, Calif., without leaving his desk 1in Washington. Dr. Wilbur’s talk was not transmitted by radio, but shipped of truth.” Willing to Oblige. A politician should not be All obstinate and disagree. If you like not his views, you'll find That he can always change his mind. “It is easy to forget a friend,” sald Uncle Eben. “It's too bad he can't force hisse'’! on yoh recollection as easy as an enemy.” r—o——. We Give Up, Why Not? From the San Antonio Evening News. Two planes engaged in photographing a parachute leap would have to be under the most skillful management to avold collision. They would have to be independently of the county police, ob- taining their remuneration through fees. Por the towns in Prince Georges sxtra police protection is afforded by close together, operating on & small circle spiraling downward to get re- sults. That in itself was & “stunt” of dangerous difficulty and for a doubtful Why hasn't some institution or so- i clety proposed fitting honors for the master politiclan? Indeed Not. From the Pasadens Star-News. il ‘The t of the country n not sneere just because Wall Street akes across the continent in a small tin container and delivered to the con- vention audience via the talking pic- ture, which visualized the speaker at the same time that it reproduced his spoken words with all the naturalness of expression and delivery that goes with individual habits of oratory. Gen. Charles P. Summerall, chief of staff, in similar fashion, recently addressed a reunion of his famous war-time 1st Division, in New York, on the same |Hill date that the general himself was in Chicago on urgent Government business. Paramount Sound News was the mechanical medium in both in- stances. rapid advance toward rfection in the art of sound pictures ids fair to revolutionize the business of official speechmaking, always an onerous burden upon the shoulders or high Government officials. Just as the radio broadcasting has largely sup- " and Washington ob- | Washingtol Members of Congress have not had their salaries raised for nearly five years, and their present stipend is only $10,000 per annum, so it is not surpris- ing to encounter talk that it is high time there was another pay boost to help them better to do their part to maintain prosperity by plentiful spend- ing. Senator McKellar of Tennessee is prepared to blaze the trail and has a bill ready to make congressional sal- arles $12,000 instead of $10,000. If this is done, it will add only a million dollam to a three-billion-dollar budget—cer- tainly the proverbial drop in the bucket, as far as the Treasury is concerned. It was in 1907 that Congress raised its pay from $5000 to $7,500 and in 1925 that the $10,000 rate was established. * K ok X 3 Here's an anecdote of the Christmas eve White House fire. Its authenticity is not vouched for, but it is an incident which if it didn’t happen might have. In either case it's & good story. A cub Teporter on & Washington ~morning newspaper, who chanced to be in his city room when the alarm came in, was ordered out on the story and was early past the fire lines and close on the scene. Intent on observing the blaze at close range, he was taken unawares when a voice from behind said, “You will have to move away from here.” Whereupon he discovered Mr. Hoover and Secret Service escort had arrived his particular vantage spot. “That's a right,” the reporter retorted, “I'm a Secret Service“man myself.” “Oh, all right,” the President’s guard is alleged to have replied; “I will stand this side and you stand the other side.” And so, according to the story, the cub remained at Mr. Hoover's elbow all the while the latter was watching his offices go up in smoke and was an auditor of the desultory presidential comments, some of which later found their way into the reporter’s fire story. * ok ok ok The luster is somewhat dimmed on the presumed prestige heretofore en- joyed by those Washington motorists who were privileged to carry unlettered number plates on their cars, thereby advertising to their little world their social or political importance. Hereto- fore unlettered numbers ran from 1 to 1000, and diplomats, Senators and cab- inet officials nccounted for most of them. In 1930 the unlettered series runs up to 10000, and that lets in 9,000 lesser lights, so obviously the for- mer exclusiveness is largely lost. (Copyright, 1930.) - oo Washington Memorial Urged in New York Prom the Albany Evening News. The New York State Commission for the celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of George n has been considering many suggestions for this State's contribution to the Nationwide tribute to the first President. It is gratifying that, aside from the celebration itself, the com- mission has in_mind a permanent memorial to the Father of His Country. It is reported that it will recommend construction of a large Washington memorial museum. It will also recom- mend provision in the State education system for instruction of every child in the relationship between State and child and for scholarships in history and clvics, to be known as the George Washington scholarship. A State museum would be & per. manent memorial of real worth. It will appeal to the public as an excellent sug- gestion. That memorial should be in Albany as the capital city of the State. It should be part of the general plan for the seat of Government on Capitol A movement for a memorial to the New York State men who fought in the World War is under way, but that need not interfere with the Wash- ington memorial, nor need the Wash- ington memorial interfere with the other proposal. Among_suggestions for the celebra- tion in 1932 is a pilgrimage following in the footsteps of Washington and Gov. Clinton from Newburg to this part of the State, with inclusion also of a naval planted. the old-time political rallies and stumping tours, so the sound plc- ture is the e for con- ‘vention and banquet speechmaking, without requiring attendance of tnc speaker in. the fiesh,. pageant on the Hudson River. The New York State Commission, headed by Charles J, Tobin, has much and has given serlous thought to the State’s part in the cele- done | tus Enforcement of Dry Amendment Is Urged To the Editor of The Star: ‘The undersigned read an article on your editorial recently from reader recommending that the eight- eenth amendment be enforced. It is aid of this country that its citi- zens enjoy what is known as individual freedom. ~ Ex-President Coolidge in his memoirs states that he found the Amer- ican people interested in their own pri- vate affairs and were little interested in the National conTreu 50 long a&s it pre- sented no unusual issues. In the National Government there can be no such thing as individual freedom. It is necessary that it be a thing of leadership. Individual freedom in fgcv~ ernment would be disastrous in itself, as happened during the Civil War when the Confederate States affirmed their rights to slavery, majority or no 'ma- jority. Such a thing is not unlikely to happen in the prohibition question if States are allowed to follow their in- dividual inclination. In speaking of individual rights I am applying them solely to government. As it ‘applies to the individual I believe that he is entitled to freedom that ap- plies to his personal interests. Individ- ual freedom has always been a source of general interest, naturally, but I am sorry to say that it is something that the law can take very little cognizance of. It will, of course, protect the in- dividual's right and redress his injury, but outside of that it is largely a mat- ter of his own welfare, But, getting back to the eighteenth amendment, it is essential and necessary that the integral parts of these United States conform to and help enforce the Natlonal Constitution. Whatever may be the differences of opinion on the prohibition question, it should be set- tled as it was created by the majority vote of the Nation. In the meantime let 1t be enforced. PERCY GILLESPIE. ——— Advocates Cash Bonds To Put End to Warfare To the Editor of The Star: I note by the press that France.is not dssirous of entering the f coming London Naval Conference for the consideration of reduction of naval armaments, unless sufficient guarantee of national security is }(lven them. France also states that the Kellogg anti- war treaty is not sufficient guarantee for them in that regard. Further, it appears that a naval re- duction is not a peace move but merely a slight reduction of armed force. It only means that there would be less ready material of small consequence to wage war with. However, if war was desired, the countries would still have sufficlent implements for modern fighting and more could be obtained. For a real guarantee of national security and a sincere plan to elimi- nate war, I desire to offer to the na- tions my world peace bond plan for international peace which provides for nations putting up a financial peace bond (similar to court peace bonds) guaranteeing other nations that they will not remrlt"w war under a huge ancial penalty. o ave ‘my pian in printed world peace bond contract form (in legal phraseology) for free distribution to all persons who are vitally interested in ridding the l'lmrlg of the hideous and ridiculous folly of war. é'ny'o LOUIS BREMERS. Sympathizer Decries Cruelty to Bird Here To the Editor of The Star: A recent article in your paper Spoke of the cruel treatment of a dog which had its lips fastened and was left to starve. Reading this has spurred me write of an incident hnpfen{nl just a few days ago. A live bird was tied up in tape from a stock ticker machine and hung from the roof of an office bullding in this city. The tape had caught on & telephone wire, either blown by wind or more likely so fixed by the cruel ingenuity of the perpetrator that it could not be easily reached. When finally removed, after complaints, the little creature was dead. Only & bird, but one of God's crea- tures and worthy of our protection. 1 am naturally of a gentle nature, but if T knew this person I'm sure I could see him trussed and hung in midalr, if not to starve, at least long enough to make him more reluctant ]';Ih‘pr.clitel:e cruelty in future on a living - ::lc': i MARY E. LONGON. ot Minnesota Gag Law Snuffs Out Press From the Hartford Times. 7 thod Again in Minnesota the gag la that;! State has been sustained by its courts, and this time by its highest court of appeal. The statute permits a judge permanently to sup) any newspaper which he may find regu- larly printing “malicious, scandalous or defamatory matter.” Although Minnesota appears to take this decision calmly, much opinion in the country at large regards it with apprehension, believing that it stands for subversion of the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of the press. The Chicago Tribune, speaking as do many other newspapers of the West, so holds. ‘The New York Times, typical of sound comment in the East, concludes, “The remedy is worse than the disease. In effect, Minnesota’s law has de- clared & malicious, scandalous and de- famatory newspaper to be a public nuisance and permitted the courts to deal with it as such nuisance, per- emptorily after complaint in the form of a bill in equity. The constitutional- ity of such a law should depend upon whether the facts constituting the nuisance are reasonably and accurate- Iy defined, and upon whether the pen- alty imposed, or the restraining order issued, is reasonable. If the latter constitute a confiscation “ot hwd(ul property without compensation or de- prive any person of his rights without due process of law, unconstitutionality is manifest. We are inclined to think that when a court has ordered cessa- tion of a public nuisance it has gone as far as it can go in this concern— that is to say, it would have no right to prevent a newspaper from reform- ing its matters of publication. An analogy might be furnished if we should imagine that in an urban locality a man had used his house for & pigpen. The court could order that the plg business in that house shall be ended. But it could not lawfully order the man to board up his house and never use it again. The absurdity of the latter order would be apparent. But it 1s no more absurd than that a court should kill off a newspaper because it has been misbehaving. We do not know whether this point has been raised in the Minnesota court of ap- peal. It should be the occasion of an obvious ruling, if the case reaches the Supreme Court of the United States. Corn Husking Joins Big Money Classics Prom the Oskland Tribune. The old-fashioned husking bee moves up in the scale of things with the an- nouncement a prize of $1,000 has been offered for next year's national cham- plon. The suggestion was made by the Secretary of Agriculture and carried out by an Oklahoma oil man. Other citizens who may retain memories of corn-husking days, with a knowledge of the skill, fortitude and deft movements necessary to make a champion, have the opportunity to donate the second and third prizes. Then we shall see corn husking become a fine art, or sporting event in the big ‘money class. It is time, no doubt, the boys who crack the corn against the bangboard given a larger recognition. They are experts in an old cause which re- Irns values as they work and here- tofore they have labored for that un- certain reward which comes with the ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. The resources of our free Informa- tion Bureauy are at your service. You are invited to_call upon it as often as you please. It is being maintained solely to serve you. What question can we answer for you? There is no charge at all except 2 cents in coin or stamps for return postage. Address your letter to The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, ‘Washington, D. C. Q. Was the Summer of 1929 a pros- perous season for base ball?>—S. M. A. It was a disastrous season finan clally. Only eight clubs among the ma- Jors showed a profit, and it was small. ‘The Chicago Cubs was an exceptiol | having an excellent season. The Pa cific Coast was the only minor league which made money. Q. What are the extremes of tem- perature in Hawail?—M. E. H. A. The temperature of Hawall is very equable. The average in the lo lands 15 70 degrees for January, 78 d grees for July. The extremes are 89 degrees and 51 degrees F. At Honolulu the rainfall averages only about 32 inches per year, but the humidity 1s considerable. On the whole, the cli- mate is considered healthful anc equable, Q. Is steam classified as a liquid or a gas?—I. L. A. Steam is an invisible gas. Q. Which city is larger, Naples or Milan?—J. R. A. The latest figures are for 1926. ‘The population of Naples, Italy, was 857,720, and that of Milan, 877,843, Q. Why are there no fish in the Dead Sea?—D. S, . No animal life can exist in the Dead Sea. The bitter taste and polson- ous qualities of the water are due to the presence of certain minerals. Q. Was the island of Sark English or Norman in 1750?—B. W. A. A. The Island of Sark as well as the other channel islands came under Nor- man rule early in the tenth century. They were Norman and English after 1066. After 1204 they were the only ;nré of Normandy remaining to Eng- and. Q. Where is the center of the for- eign-born_population in the United States?—D. A. C. A. The 1930 census may show some change, but in 1920 the center of the foreign-born population was about six- teen miles east of Fort Wayne, Ind. The center of the entire population is also in Indiana, near Spencer, Q. Who was known as “the faultless painter"?—B. C. W. A. Andrea del Sarto was so desig- nated. Q. Please give a short biography of Thomas Mann, winner o!hga Nobel A. Thomas Mann, winner of the last Nobel Prize for literature, was born in Lubeck, June 6, 1875. During his school days in a North German nasium he did not distinguish himself particularly as a student. He was more interested in the publication of a magazine called Journal of Art, Literature and Philos~ ophy. When his school days were over, Mann went to Munich where he worked in a fire insurance office. His novel, “Gefallen,” written during his spare time, first attracted attention to his talent. In 1903 appeared his book, “Buddenbrooks,” which went through 50 editions in 10 years. A large part of the novel is saild to be autobiographical. German Vote The overwhelming defeat of the Ger- man monarchists in the vote on the Young plan is accepted in America as evidence of the stability and responsi- bility of the Reich among the world's republics. “The essence of the ‘liberty law,’ " says the Atlanta Journal, “was that the government should undertake no further financial obligations resting upon an assumption of German responsibility for the World War. This would mean that no agreement on future reparations could be entered into unless the allies formally absolved Germany from war guilt; and ministers of the Reich who signed a pact on any other basis would thereby become liable to prosecution for high treason. The unreasonableness and the cunning of this proposal lay in the fact that it linked the urgent question of feparations with the moot issue of responsibility for the war.” The Jour- nal points out that the measure was ";d'et!filted overwhelmingly on the final * K ok K Summarizing the situation, the Lin- coln State Journal remarks that “Ger- many is probably not entirely satisfled with the Young plan, nor are the allies, Just as neither France nor the United States was entirely satisfied with the debt agreement. But the plan is the most satisfactory likely to be arranged for years, and it is time that some set- tlement be made, so that compromises on both sides are in order.” “The German people must have caught the tenor of the Nationalist propaganda that by a stiff resistance they could free themselves of the Young plan’s obligations,” suggests Baltimore Sun, with the added state- ment: “That they did not support this wild doctrine, even though it expressed their inner desire, is evidence of their mental stability, and augurs well for the maintenance of foreign negotia- tions with Germany on a reasonable basis beyound the “reach of extreme emotionalism.” The Lynchburg Ad- vance concludes that, “fortunately, the German people are not willing to sacri- fice national prosperity in order to strengthen political groups which hate the republic.”" The Advance holds that “the German people are not going to be led astray by a group of politicians who are attempting by every means to overthrow the republic.” I Hugenberg, whose bill was defeated, “has already been forced,” in the opin- lon of the Salt Lake Deseret News, “to recognize that his agitation against the Young plan has proved less damaging to the plan than to his own following,” and that paper thinks that “to the humiliation of defeat were added the ridicule and contempt attached to a campaign which was regarded as too nonsensical to be taken sériously.” The Louisville Courler-Journal observes that “it has left the reactionary element ma- terially weaker than before the mis- chievous proposal was launched.” “The supporters of the government,” records the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, noting that they accepted the Young plan as the best possible under the cir- cumstances, “showed their ition principally by abstaining from vote, treating with contempt the forces that brought about the referendum. * * * It confirms the belief that the German Republic has passed the stage where it needs to have much fear of the reac- tionary monarchists. At the same time, of course, it is a tribute to the merit of the revised reparations plan.” Kok “As a majority of the 42,000,000 electors would have been necessary to override the ," states the Richmond News-Leader, “the National- ists falled by 15,300,000 votes.” The News-Leader adds, “Unless Germany runs counter to fhe experience in France after 1870, the Nationalist cause will decline steadily.” The Birmingham News declares, “After 12 years of Na- tionalist outbreaks like this latest one, Germans ask nothing better than to be free of this grandstand performance and be allowed to get down to the busi- ness of practical living.” “Obviously,” according to the New York Times, is now the settled be- lief of the German people that if reparations are ever again to Mann's greatest work, ‘“The Magic Mountain,” was published in this coun- try two years ago. ‘What event does the next World's Fair in cme-c:e commmemorate?—R. P. A. 1t will be held in celebration of the city's one hundredth anniversary as a chartered mllnlclflllty. It is planned to open June 1, 1933. Q. Are there any nightingales m the United States?—M. W. A. A dozen nightingales were im- ported from England for the Mountain Lake Sanctuary in Florida. These are belleved to be the first nightingales in the United States, Q. Whose was the largest estale ever appraised in - the United ~States?— A. Payne Whitney's estate was the largest. He died May 25, 1927, leaving an estate which had a value of $194,- 328,514 gross. The death tax, $20,000,- 000, was the largest ever collected. Of this, $15,000,000 went to New York State, $400,000 to other States and $4,000,000 to the Federal Government. Q. What were the Berry trace and Whitzel trace?—N. M. A. The Berry trace was the principal path of white travel northward from the Ohlo River into the interior and it was merely an improvement on the pre- existing Indlan trail extending north- ward through Ohio to the White River. The Whitzel trace was really created by the white men. Whitzel and several companions cut down the forest and cleared a roadway for passage of a train. This trail was used by incoming white men from the East until 1826, Q. With what organization did Ro- land Hayes sing before he became a noted soloist?—C. B. A. It was as a member of the Fisk Universtly Jubllee Singers that he first attracted attention. Q. How much rain falls on the earth T minias ot verage . estimated world a: raine fall is 16,000,000 tons per second. Q. Who is to portray Abraham Line coln in the talking film of that title? —@. T. D. A. It is stated that Walter Huston is to enact the role of Abraham Lincoln in D. W. Grifith’s forthcoming picture based on incidents in the life of the President. Q. What country is Arthur Vernay, gne big game hunter, exploring now?— A. Arthur 8, Vernay sailed the last of December en route to Pretoria, South Africa, where he will travel through Jjungle and desert in of rare Specimens for the American Museum of Natural History, the Field Museum and the British Museum. He is to cross the Kalahar] Desert, which was first crossed by David Livingstone in 1844. Four specially equipped trucks will carry wa- ter for the men in the expedition. In crossing the desert Mr. Vernay hopes to find in addition to his animal specimens one of the rare wilwisha plants, the leaves of which are 10 feet long and 5 feet wide. The roots of this plant shoot gow to great depths in search of mois- ure, Why is a tandem airplane so catiear op. ¥, lane the rear mo- A. In a tandem al tors push and the front motors pull. Since they are arranged one behind the her, the name tandem is used, as it ot one behind the other. Stability of Reich Revealed In on Young Plan Germany ever to be rescinded, the change must be brought about by the operation of the spirit of good will among Germany's former The Schenectady Gazette is impressed by the fact that “one event after-an- other in the last half-dozen years has proved conclusively that Germany seeks peace and the friendship of its sister countries.” ‘Phe advantages to be de- rived from such a course are empha- sized by the 8t. Louls Post-Dispa while the New York Evening Worl “fi' “The ideals of Dr. Stresemann abide with the German people and his successor has a mandate from the - ple to carry on the enlightened po’rao of the dead statesman.” The Charleston Evening Post sees “s gratifying demonstration of the readi- ness of the new Germany to accept the war settlement arrived at by the na- tions and proceed to the task of meet- ing the terms.” The Cleveland Plain Dealer finds that “the test has proved the German democracy unmistakably safe and sane.” The Wheeling Intel- ligencer sees ‘“no better example in modern history of the principle, ‘Give the people light and they will find their way.’” The Providence Bulletin is con- vinced that Dr. Hugen! and his fol- lowers ought to realize now that Germany intends to remain a republic, and that the German people would rather work out their world problems on the basis of conciliation than by threatening gestures.” Castle Appointment Meets Commendation From the Cincinnati Times-Star. The appointment of Willlam R. Castle, jr., to be Ambassador to Japan is quite in the best traditions of the State Department and is recognition of one of our most efficient career men, For several years Mr. Castle has been associated with the State Department in Washington as Assistant Secretary and is a deep student of the problems of the Pacific. He was bbrn in Honolulu, as was his father, who was attorney general of Queen Liliuokalani, and later was the Minister of the Hawatian mon- archy to Washington. He took a lead- ing part in the annexation of Hawall to the United States. Mr. Castle accepts the ambassador- ship to Japan for the duration of the negotiation of the five-power Naval Conference in London. He is familiar not only with the naval problems that would be presented to the conference, but with the economic questions that have provoked complications in the Far East. It is undersiood that he accepts the ambassadorship merely that he may contribute out of his knowledge and ex- perience to the solution of the many difficult questions which confront our State Department at the conference, and will then resign to resume his place in Washington. Mr. Castle's ability to step into the breach caused by the resignation of our recent Ambassador to Japan, Charles MacVeagh, is at least a partial justifi- cation of the career system in the State Department. Where special knowledge is required we must turn to specialists in our foreign relations. Some of our most successful Ambassadors have been men ukeig from p:llv-w ll“‘ :‘:‘d with- out previous experience in olm:i like James Russell Lowell, Joseph N, Choate, Myron T. Herrick, Walter Hines Page, John W. Davis, Alanson B, Houghton and Charles G. Dawes, but they were active in our relations with European countries with which the in- telligent Jayman is more or less familiar, ]Our nrolbleml lr: :hek Pacllgde‘:ndwm. ly require special know] . and the availability of Ambassador Castle is a fortunate circumstance for our Govern- ment. ) But What a Value! be re- | those From the Altoona Mirror. A business of $200,000,000 a year has been bullt up out of materials dum, into wastebaskets. There's a value in gflu people send to newspapers,