Evening Star Newspaper, February 6, 1930, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sundsy Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, N. C. President before appointment time, or may be settled by the Senate at con- firmation time if the appointment is made, is whether, as a soldier, he quali- THURSDAY. . ..February 6, 1930 | fles within the spirit of the law as one of the Commissioners named “from THEODORE W. NOYES. ... Editor | ¢ivil life.” e Submarines. The London Naval Conference is to discuss submarines at a plenary ses- slon on Tuesday. Each of the five nations represented is expected to state Rate by Carrier Within the City. & its position with regard to t,r;; t‘:xnd:: R i verwonth [sea craft at that time. Br! een s Bubdars) oo oro 60c oer monts | taken the lead in the effort to abolish nl'-h'e'nmom ;52:5" . ’F"“epumemn the submarine. In this, largely for pic Pt | humanitarian reasons, the United States Sunday Star ... llection made at the ach gzu may be sent wm by mall or telephone | has been willing to go along Wwith the British. Business 3 1! 8t [ ve. Ny ¥k ST B il pean ) ent St.. London. Englan Ational 5000. Rate by Mall—Payable in Advance. Marymad and Virginia. Ball> and Sundey. .. 1yr.$10.00: 1 mo.. g8c Sindas”ohiy [ R TR All Other States and Canada. y and Sunday..}yr.$12 00: 1 mo.. $1.00 only ... l1yr. $8.00'1mo. iS¢ %n only 135 3800 1 mos sac submarine on the ground that it is the most effective naval defensive weapon. Under the circumstances, there seems not the slightest possibility that the London Conference will agree to do away with the submarine. It is pos- sible, however, that the nations may find 1t possible to limit the size and tonnage of submarines, and to adopt & set of rules humanizing the use of sub- marines in war. Indeed, it is already intimated that France will propose such Gen. Crosby’s Selection. a set of rules. Announcement by President Hoover | mw submxa‘flne :};oblem :;ns bere‘n c‘::- that he has chosen Maj. Gen. Herbert ever since the Washingto e B. Crosby, now chief of Cavalry of the ference on naval limitation in 1921-22, 4 vhen the British recommended doing Army, for appointment as District Com- | * away with the undersea craft. France missioner upon his retirement has raised & question as to the propriety, if not the | *t that time was strongly opposed to the legality, of such a selection. Objection | ProP9%! And nothing came of it. Wheh has already been voiced, in anticipation | ¢ London Conference was suggested, of this appointment, by the Board of the submarine again was in the fore- Trade and the Chamber of Commerce, | 70URd for discussion. The plenary ses- It is contended that Gen. Crosby is not | 0 0 Tuesday ought to settle definitely qualified as a civilian member of the the question of abolition of the subma- Board of Commissioners. [ s o oap st The act of 1878 to provide a perma- | Mined the impossibility—if it is impos- nent form of government for the Dis- | Sible—of doing away with the subma- trict of Columbia provides as follows | iNeS by treaty agreement, it should for the administrative body: be pomible to make more apeed. The President of the United States| The demand by Great Britain for the by and with the advice and consent of | abolition of submarines, following her m?n ESetr::ou pi:ml‘:g;eb:hnuut:}fl;’m.: tgmncg; experience in the World War, when Ger- po , W many launched an unrestricted subma- g:,l: cm?’,wfigifir ::;kvg;’t:ud rine campaign on British and neutral be above that of captain, shall be Com- | merchant ships carrylng supplies of e o e e Colum- | any kind to Britain, is entirely natural. from civil life shall at the time of their | It WS felt at the time that the subma- appointment_be citizens of the United |Fine was the greatest menace to the Gents’ of ‘the. Districs of Cotombin Tor | mesen horonct of the war by the ish, notwithstanding the fact that et Jent Bave, Pesore fhelr 3PPOINt” |1n the end the British Navy, with the Theroicat et of 33 Commmisioners | Srouch 1 o o e S0 i oo mmissioners ugh this contest for supremacy mm from civil life shall be three | or tne gens. The British now advance the idea that the submarine is not really effective and that its unrestricted use is merely an inhuman attack upon non- combatants. The French, the Italians and the Japanese, who do not expect to have allotted to them equality in tonnage of naval vessels under any agreement that is entered into for naval limitation, on the other hand, cling to the undersea craft as a real weapon of defense against a foe with a more powerful navy. It is not unnatural that they should do so, The United States, with its vast coast line and many harbors to defend in case of war, might well find the sub- marine useful in defense. This coun- try, unlike Britain, is not compelled to depend upon a continuous line of ves- sels carrying foodstuffs to its shores. The Assoclated Press is exclusively entitied to the nse for republication of ull news d patches credited to it or not otherwise cred- ted in this paper and slso the local news ublished berein. All riehts of publication of soecial dispatches herein are also reserved —_— It is plain that the law of 1878 pro- vides for and contemplates two “civil- fans” as Commissioners to serve with one officer of the Army on the active list. Gen, Crosby is now an officer of the Army on the active list, and, it is pointed out by the critics of this selec- tion, will not be a civilian in the spirit if not the letter of the law when he retires in March at the completion of his present assignment as chief of Cavalry. He will then be a retired of- ficer of the Army, subject to call to duty in emergency, amenable to mili- tary discipline and in receipt of retired Ppay as an officer. There is no objection to this selec- tion on the score of the personality of Gen. Crosby. The objection raised identified with the local community, nos merely by official residence but by actual participation in its affairs, for at least three years. biity of being shut off from its food supplies, with starvation a possibility that might arise in the event of an effective submarine blockade if the The President is entitled by virtue of | country had to depend upon incoming his power of appointment to choose | vessels for food. whomever he wishes for this or any) If the French, the Italians and the other official duty within the law. He Japanese are sincere in their insistence has stated that he regards Gien. Crosby | that the submarine is to be used espe- as qualified under the letter of the law, | clally for defensive ‘warfare, it may be or that he will be so qualified when he possible to limit the size and thereby retires and reverts to what may tech- | tne cruising radius of the undersea nically be considered in justification | craft. A submarine of 3,000 tons, such of his selection as civilian status. But | as the French Navy is now constructing, there is point to the objection that | capable of carrying 11-inch guns and air- has been raised against this selection | craft, and having a cruising radius that that it is prompted by a wish to give [ would carry it half around the world, is the District the services of a former | something else. It is a weapon of Army officer to have particular charge | offense. The debate on ‘Tuesday in the of the Police and Fire Departments, one | naval conference should be enlighten- 8t least of which is now in some quar- | ing as to the real aims of the nations in ters regarded as requiring a strong |regard to the use of submarines. hand in administration. T S The law creating the offices of Dis- Efforts to interest Einstein in “per- trict Commissioner recognizes no dis- petual motion” are not likely to suc- tribution of responsibility, contemplates | ceed. Many people do not understand no particular assignments to duty. It | his theory of relativity. Unlike per- has from the beginning been considered petual motion, it offers no opportuni- that the organic law created a |ties for unscrupulous promoters to per- board acting collectively and not | suade susceptible clients to invest in it. an association of three individuals, P ——— gl each charged with a specific, per-| It is now said that illicit alcohol does haps self-assigned, line of duty. The |not invariably kill. The census figures Army officer provided for in the law |show no startling decrease in popula- of 1878 as District Commissioner was | tion. There is an element of protec- to represent the Federal Government |tion in the fact that even the wetly in the administration of District af- |inclined citizen realizes that bad liquor fairs. He was to be an officer of the | is far worse than none at all. Engineer Corps and as such would be TR qualified to care for material projects, A Good Example. constructions and physical develop- Voluntary co-operation with the Na- et Tequiring technical supervision, | yong) - Capital Park and Planning ::: ::e:‘ :h!“th:sf::] x:::‘h;‘;‘;m lbe "“3 Commission by the owners of two sites on the north side of B street near the tration, educational supervision, welfare ding ‘the pl 1 management and all of the municipal | C2Pltol regarding the plans for new buildings to be erected there is com- responsibilities and duties. If the civil- 1an task were to be segregated and then | Mendable. It sets an excellent example subdivided to call for military experi. |{OF the fortunate owners of buildings ence for supervision, as in the case of | that later will be constructed in Ahis the Police and Fire Departments, the |neighborhood, facing the Government’s representation of the local community | CaPitol plaza development, as well as upon the Board of Commissioners would | f0f the owners of other private struc- be reduced to a third. tures that will face or adjoin the Gov- Commissioner Crosby would not mere- | ernment’s triangle group of office butld- ly as a Cavairy officer deal primarily | n8s. with supervision of the police. He In the case of one of the new build- would, though a Cavalry officer, bear | Ings to be erected on the north side of the burden of one-third of the powers| B street, between Second and Third and responsibilities of executive man- |Streets, it is understood that upon the agement of taxation, sanitation, educa- | advice of the park and planning com- tion and other like municipal functions | mission original plans have been in & city of over half a million people. | changed and the new development will He would also be one-third of a body |be undertaken on a larger scale in THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1930. there 15 danger that some bullder, more intent upon carrying out his own schemes than in co-ordinating them Wwith the Government's plans, will per- petuate in stone and mortar some freak that will stand for many a long day as & grim reminder of congressional delay. The Fine Arts Commission, the Na- tional Capital Park and Planning Com- mission and the organized builders themselves have gone on record in favor of restrictions, such as those gen- erally set out in the Shipstead bill. Its passage by Congress should not be beld Up. Any day now and its purpose may be defeated and permanently lost. e The Chief Justices. Charles Evans Hughes, whose con- ‘The French, the Italians and | firmation by the Senate as Chief Jus- the Japanese, however, cling to thel tice will undoubtedly occur next week, Will be the eleventh man to occupy that position. His predecessors have been John Jay, John Rutledge, Oliver Ells- worth, John Marshall, Roger 8. Taney, Salmon P. Chese, Morrison R. Waite, Melville W. Puller, Edward D. White and William H. Taft. One of these, John Rutledge, served only a very short period, a few months during the recess of Congress, and his nomination was not confirmed by the Senate owing to the failure of his health. Thus there have practically been only nine pre- ceding Chief Justices, in a span of about one hundred and forty years, John Jay having taken the robes of the office in 1789. That would indicate an average period of service of be- tween thirteen and fourteen years. The longest service was that of John Marshall, who presided over the court from 1801 to 1834. His was not only the longest but, in respect to the char- acter of the services rendered, the most important term of office. Marshall's third of a century of judicial duty cov- ered a period of vital questions sub- mitted to the highest court for decision. He and his associates of the court wrote American history in their rulings upon issues of a fundamental character. The second longest term was that of Roger B. Taney, who succeeded Marshall, and who presided over the court for twenty- eight years. Thus these two men offi- clated as Chief Justice from 1801 to 1864, and between them they compassed nearly half the span of the court’s ex- istence, to this date. Taney, like Marshall, was called upon to participate in and perhaps to determine the rulings of the court in cases of the highest im- portance. The pre-war issues affecting slavery fell within his range of service. Justice Fuller scored the third longest term, twenty-two years, and Justice White the fourth, eleven years. John Marshall had retired from active duty when he died. Taney, Chase, Waite, Fuller and White, five succeeding Chief Justices, were still in active service when they passed away. Judge Taft’s resignation breaks this sequence, he leaving the office on account of his health. His successor takes office at the age of nearly sixty-eight years, ————— Business men are not showing any desire for the kind of profits that war makes available. There is no pecuniary advantage which, even in mercenary opinion, can offset indiscriminate de- struction of life and property. In the stress of world affairs Paris does rot neglect details. The decision that skirts shall be longer has been made effective in the realms of fashion without an argument. ————— The fact that liquor is legally and morally disapproved does not prevent & sense of indignation when the pro- prietor of a private cellar asserts that he has been robbed. A Community Chest affords opportu- nity to contribute to a campaign fund with an object to which no economist, however jealous of money's use, can possibly object. ——————— Effort is being made to discourage speculation in cotton. Like other mon- archs of the earth, “King Cotton” is having his anxieties. Intelligent Chinese are frankly ex- pressing doubt as to whether Soviets are seeking to convert people or de- moralize them. ——t———— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Lindbergh's Birthday Cake. O aviator, strong and great, With birthday gifts you celebrate. Please listen, for your country’s sake— Be careful of that birthday cake! For many & day in tempting cheer Its Juxury will linger near, And through the night keep you awake— Be careful of that birthday cake! ‘We do not fear when forth you ride, To speed a motor or to glide; And yet your health may be at stake— Be careful with that birthday cake! Sign Language. “It is sald that you are always talk- ing politics.” “I fear,” rejoined Senator Sorghum, “that the habit is very strong.” “But you sometimes shake hands by the hour without saying a word.” “Very true. But in this great game, even shaking hands is a sort of sign language.” Jud Tunkins says that real authority is bound to be respected. Electrical invention shows that even & streak of lightning can be '.lmed.‘ Sorapping. Away from fighting moods we'll slip ' And shun all methods rough. Some one will scrap a battleship, And that is scrap enough. Argument Avoided. “Do you regret eating the apple I performing semi-judicial functions in }order to conform to the Government's enacting certain municipal regulations. | plans. It is to be hoped that the final “There is no such thing here as a Police | drawings will not be adopted until Commissioner. they have been submitted to and have President Hoover has conscientiously | received the approval of the park and sought for several weeks for the best|planning commission and the Fine Arts possible material for the reorganization | Commission, 5 of the Board of Commissioners which he| The plans for the two structures, one regards as desirable. He has, it is|of them a hotel and the other an office known, tendered these positions to a|building, with a gasoline filling station number of Washingtonians of high | connected, draw attention to the urgent qualifications and merit who have, how- | need for congressional action on the ever, not felt that the call to duty was | Shipstead bill, providing for the ap- strong enough to overcome their objec- | proval by the Commission of Fine Arts tions to holding office, and perhaps|of the architectural appearance of pri- these particular offices, in view of small | vate bulldings facing or adjoining compensation and heavy responsibility | Government buildings or reservations. and exposure to unjust and relentless| The voluntary submission of building criticism. He has now chosen an excel- | plans by the owners of the B street sites lent man, who has announced that he|is fortunate and indicative of the right his orders as & soldier. The spirit. But as long as the submission which may be settled by the of plans remains merely voluntary, handed you?” asked Eve, “Yes,” answered Adam. “But there is one comfort: We managed to get through a meal of historic significance without starting any question of social precedence.” “Envy,” sald Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “cannot easily be escaped. Even they who ask only the affection of their fellow men will be envied be- cause-of their popularity.” Unfailing Rule. The world forever has in hand A new supply for each demand. Even when great men fade from view, Others step forth their work to do. “De text,” sald Uncle Eben, “is most times better den de sermon. It shows what & heap o’ real meanin’' kin be put in a few words.” 18 THIS AND THAT “Dear 8ir: A good many folks are apt to talk about the ‘scrapping of tradi- tions’ as though it was something to be proud of. “Some traditions no doubt are all the better for being scrapped. But in a luxdemunu r:; mmstt be sald that ul:ese traditions represen nent values and eternal truths, R “What I think is, that the term ‘tra- dition’ is the synonym for ‘ideals’ Are we animals or pagans, that we should desire to cast away the ideals of life? “Let us have your arguments. Sin- cerely. A. B” We are sorry to see our correspondent taking such an unmerited poke at the poor animals and pagans, ‘The former, of course, have neither traditions nor ideals, except in the form of those unconscious res, called instincts. Certainly the brute creatures cast away none of their own traditional instincts. As for the pagans, so called, the very fact that they held tightly to their tra- ditions is what gave them their names. The Christian religion, as an institu- tion, made its first conquests in the Latin “pagus” means “country,” hence the paganus was a countryman. The term “pagans” was applied to the rural residents of Italy who refused to give up the worship of the old gods. When first used, therefore, it meant simply & countryman, a simple man who had been brought up in the cult of Jove and Venus, and who still wor- shiped at their shrines. Succeeding centuries gave the word the meaning it has today, with the con- notations built up through the years. But it must never be forgotten that the original pagans, if one may so them, were men and women who be- lieved in their old ideals. * kK K A tradition is an opinion or belief or custom handed down from ancestors to posterity. A tradition may be an ar- tistic or literary principle based on ac- cumulated experience or _continuous usage. Traditionalism, so called, usually means excessive respect for tradition, especially in religion. An ideal is something answering to one's highest conception, or something existing only in idea. The extreme form is the visionary. Tradition and ideal may be regarded as loose synonyms, but that is about as far as one may go. Most ideals are traditions, but not necessarily so—that is, they need not have been handed down. They may be, in fact, genuine ideas, and new ones, at that, for the world does move, after all. Traditions need not necessarily be ideals in any sense of the latter word. Superstitions of all sorts come under the definition of tradition. One must know his traditions before assuming that they represent permanent values and eternal truths, and even then he may be mistaken. ‘We think we can explain this no bet- ter than by reprinting a poem sent in by one who was interested in the use in this column recently of the quota- tion, “Snow, snow, the beautiful snow.” There is a tradition (yes!) that this famous old poem was written by a “fall- en woman,” who died in a_ Cincinnati hospital, but we notice that Hoyt’s bool of quotations gives its author as James . Watson. “The Beautiful Snow” is as follows: Oh! the snow, the beautiful snow! Filling the sky, and the earth below, Over the house , over the street, Qver the heads of people you meet, Dancing, flitting, skipping along, Beautiful snow! it can do no wrong. Flying to kiss the fair lady's check, Clinging to lips in a frolicsome freak, Beautiful snow from the heavens above, Pure as an angel, gentle as love! Oh! the snow, the beautiful snow! How the flakes gather afid light as they go, Whirling about in their maddening fun; 1t plays in its glee with every one, ‘Chasing, , laughing, hurrying by, ! BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. It lights on the face and sparkles the eye. And playing dogs With a bark and & bound t the crystalsthat eddy around; -‘R:pr.:wn is alive and its heart's in'a glow To welcome the coming of the beautitul SNOW.. How wildly the crowd goes swaying along, Hailing each other with humor and song. How the gay sleighs like meteors pass by, Bright for a moment, then lost to the eye; Ringing, swinging, dashing thy 3 Over zgtlxe crest of the beautiful m'éfl Snow so pure when it fell from the sky As to make one regret to see it lie To be trampled and tracked by thou- sands of feet, Till it blends with the filth of the hor- rible street. onceanl?uwmuth.nw,m 1 fell, Fell ngeua snowflake, from heaven to oIl Fell to be trampled as filth in the street, Fell to be_scorned. to be spit on, and eat; Pleading, cursing, dreading to dfe, Selling my soul to whoever would buy. Dealing in shame for a morsel of bread, ‘Hating the llving and fearing the dead. Merciful God! Have I fallen so low? And yet I was once like the beagtiful Ssnow. Once I was fair as the beautiful snow, ‘With an eye like a crystal, a heart like its glow, Once I was loved for my innocent grace, Flattered and sought for the charms of my face; Father, mother, sister and all, God and myself, I have lost by my fall. The vilest wretch that goes shivering by Will make a rrl_lde sweep lest I wander too nigh; For all that is on or above me, I know, ‘There’s nothing so pure as the beautiful snow. How strange it should be that this beau- tiful snow Should wml on the sinner with nowhere 80; How strange it should be when night comes again If the snow and the ice struck my des- perate brain; Fainting, freezing, dying alone, Too wicked for prayer, too weak to moan. To be heard on the streets of a crazy wn, Gone mad with the joy of the snow coming down; To be and to die in my terrible woe, With a bed and a shroud of the beau- tiful snow. Helpless and foul as the trampled snow, Sinner, de.zgfl.r not, Christ stoopeth low ‘To rescue the soul that is lost in its sin, And raise it to life and enjoyment again; Groaning, bleeding, dying for thee, The Crucified on the accursed tree, His accents of mercy fell soft, on thine ear, Is there mercy for me? Will He heed 2 my prayer? O God! in_the stream that for sinners did flo w, k| Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Tradition and ideal both are ugh, especially at the lines about the snowflake falling “from heaven to hell” Quite a journey for a snowflake, it must be admitted. The idea of pure womanhood is one thing, but. the tradition of the “fallen woman” has recelved something of a Jolt in this age. Men (and women, too) are beginning to see that the fall is not quite that bad, and to thank Heaven that the world no longer looks upon any woman in Highlights on the Wide World Excerpts From Newspapers of Other Lands L. DICTAMEN, Vera Cruz—Re- cently & new postal tariff went into effect in Mexico, chiefly revising the rates for air mail. I E ‘While rates for this service are naturally more costly, there is great need of a reduction in postal fees for | the the regular service throughout the re- public. Compared to the United States, our interior rates are exorbitant, al- most prohibitive for ordinary mail. The general post office should immediately take under advisement reduction in rates to make the mail service more useful and available. Business and social correspondence in Mexico should not be punished with high postage rates. With cheaper postal fees we will write more letters, * K K K Bull-fight Plea Starts Small Riot. A. B. C, Madrid—In the Cham- ber of Deputies at Mexico City the member Luis Sotelo presented his prop- osition for the future prohibition of bull- fights throughout all the territory of Mexico. During the reading of the resolution, the other deputies made outcries and demonstrations t _him, shouting “Outside, Sotelo!” and other derisive ob- Jurgations. It became necessary, in fact, to suspend the reading of the bill on account of the uproar, the matter thereupon being referred to the mittee, The confusion was great and the noise stupendous. For a few minutes Mexican Congress itself resembled a real Plaza de Toros. * ok % % Women Work Throughout Germany. Cologne Gazette.—About one-fourth of the employes of factories and other industries in are women. Since the war and for a decade before, women have been taking the places of men in trade and manual labor to an extent never known before. This is due in large part to the predominance of in Germany, particularly since the war. There is too much = tition in the work they formerly per- formed in the domestic lines, such as employment as nurse girls, cooks and housemalds. Of course, in hotels and restaurants the majority of the em- loyes are women, but they are becom- g an essential factor in the work of commercial houses and in the lighter kinds of manufacturing. As yet they have not obtained executive positions in business to any great extent. Says Criminals Have Clear, Quick Minds To the Editor of The Star: Apropos of the subject of crime and criminals that fills the daily press now- adays, let me correct an impression that seems to enjoy a certain vogue that criminals are stupid, that they are morons who need operations on their heads to_eradicate their criminal tend- encies. Nothing could be further from the truth. Criminals are perhaps a shade brighter than all but the very brightest of men. There is nothing the matter with their heads. Sometimes even their hearts are in the right place. Their trouble is that they are throwbacks to times when members of the human race were little removed from animals. Crim- inals steal as dogs steal bones and mag- ples . They don't feel that they are doing wrong. Outside of their thieving and some- times murderous tendencies which con- stitute criminals as criminal types, c are pretty much like other men, and have good and bad in them like other men. If criminals are essen- tially bad, why did Christ say to the thief on the cross, “Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise”? If we had the spirit of Christ, we, too, could re- form criminals. In the course of my soclological studles, I suppose I have talked with and met intimately over a hundred | tions criminals of all kinds. There was noth- ing the matter with these fellows' heads. I remember one dcchllp. ‘who fl;“ a bur- glar, yeggman and clever confidence man, recount how he had purloined I don’t know how many dollars from a girl cashier by paying his bill with a gold plece and in some inexplicable way drawing a large amount of cash from her by confusing her over the change. Set a thief to catch a thief. This old saying means that to catch criminals one must know their ways. The trou- with our police and detectives is p our heads buried in the sands all the time. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Dollar-Basis Plan For Peace Proposed To the Editor of The Star: Since by setting many things on a “dollar basis” this great country of yours has efficiently succeeded in the glorious achievement of solving politi- cal and social problems by thorough business methods, I am sincerely won- dering whether what has been applied here, on a national plan, could not be extended to the international ways of “doing things.” And as the problem of peace is the chief concern of all civilized nations —for it concerns nothing else but tha very future of civilization—I will, with your permission, present the sketch of a plan, working along the lines of busi- ness methods which would, I believe, lead to the “abolition of war.” In the different peace controversies disarmament has always been ered the main factor, the ‘“plece de resistance,” s0 it is absolutely impor- tant that the very first measure taken against war must be to realize disarma- ment In other words, limitation of armaments, then reduction of arma- ments, For the automatic limitation of armaments, such steps could be taken as the figuring between concerned na- of a financlal pact stipulating that each time a natlon increases her war and navy budget she is under obligation to provide financially and at her expense a proportional increase in the other nation's budget—and this as long as the increase will be maintained in her budget. As for reduction of armaments, a similar plan could operate, stipulating that any nation reducing her arma- m:nu budget. :vlll‘ be entitled to re- celve an amount of money represen the proportional reduction in the o&.fi nations’ armament’s budgets; unless a proportional reduction is made in their ‘respective budget. The budget df the signatory nations will be placed under control of an in- ternational commission. The n;:ltom being ph;;ed mlg this manner 'ween _prosperif Tuin will not have any trouble to cl E. DE LA RUFFINIERE, Panther Hunting By Amateurs Unwise To the Editor of The Star: Your editorial entitled “Perilous Pan- ther Hunting” is most timely. Like the average fellow, I guess I, too, have had an itchy desire to get my old blunder- buss down and go big-game hunting, but in exercis! my better judgment I feel with you there’s far more danger in a bunch of excited, inexperienced hunters than in any wild beast. I'm inclined to think it’s nothing more than a stray hungry dog. Just a few years ago stray dogs at- | tacked my cattle in pasture, one night going into stalls after them. I'm sure they had other intentions than play. I think it was hunger in that case, but I know of another case where I believe it was only the inherited killer desire. A friend of mine had a bulldog that seemed to delight in teking an ear or leg off a hog. Of a lot of brood sows, I think 20, I don’t belleve there was a whole hog in the lot. During a deep snow he killed two cows before we killed him. I know it wasn't hunger. b ‘woul around as though he knew he was an outcast. Possibly he would get enough blood to carry him from one killing to the next. Speaking of what may happen with a jumpy hunter in the dark, I'll tell what I did, and I wouldn't liké to be called & jumpy hunter, at that. This same friend just spoken of was a “muskrat- ting” pal of mine, and some one report- ed seeing an otter on our marsh down the Potomac. Neither of us had killed any big game, so0 we got busy, each anx- ious to outdo the other in the big-game line. " One night we went in opposite directions to await incoming mallards. About daylight, about the usual time for calling off the hunt, while drifting out of a small stream to a wider one, all at once across the wider stream the ot- ter's head popped out of sedge. It no sooner 80 than I fired. Then I could see a bit more of it. Then I red again. After that shot it seemed Evening Star Information | quiry to The Evening i fi to stand up and seemed so much alive I fired again. Just as I fired & third time it dawned on me that I was wast- ing ammunition on my shadow. A full moon coming up over the had thrown my shadow, just as otterlike a8 you please. Well, suppose that had been & man emerging from the sedge. Yes, I quite agree with you, it's about time to call the hunt off. Very few want to kill a dog anyway. PERRY F. SKINNER. Mrs. Speel’s Statement On Ragetz Challenged To the Editor of The Star: The statement of Mrs. Virginia White Speel as quoted in The Star of January 31 that the teaching of Prof. L. D. Ragetz of the George Washington Uni- v‘e‘rslty ::t th‘e euul:e; °§ the World War “is & part of a plan of a cam) to minimize the sacrifices we st md‘n in the World War”—and that he is Ppropagandist and “his name sounds like he is a Russian”—should not be al- lowed to go unchallenged. That statement smacks too much of the zeal of the discredited mayor of Chicago, William Hale 'l‘honl:gmn. in his perfervid patriotism to rid the historles taught in the Chicago schools of the influence of King George of Great Britain. Mrs. Speel should be sure of the nationality of Prof. Ragetz and just What he is teaching before making such lmmzélfil. If he is a l;‘ . tha does not necessarily mean a propa- dist our Government. There & chance that Mrs. Speel has been formed. Personally, I prefer to ting of text books and teachers to those qualified to judge on such matters. It has been a quandary with me just why the doings of the Council for Na- tional Defense should bue‘ clvz!ra l&::cl; more newspaper space than of the Conference for the Cause and Cure of War. The latter is made up of or- nnl.htl?:.:l of lm representative of organizations. D. A. R. is conces board decides what shall troversial matters. It seems to me very undiplomatic of the Council for National Defense to go on record in the usual drastic way lessening in any way our prepa- tion “to insist on proportional parity ship ship,” when our Nation is joining wif four other nations in a conference to settle the subject of lessening the burden of lve armaments and bring about & more confident feeling between nations. ADA HUTCHINS cDAVIDSON‘., , Va. Holds Hatless Heads Are Not Conspicuous To the Editor ef The Star: Anent your recent editorial regardin; “Hatless Shelks,” permif 3 regularly goes “hatless” and further- more one who has never been consid- ered in the sheik class a word in your columns. The editorial failed to point out that the or of Wilkes-Barre, Pa, desired to “stimulate the sales of hats”"—not Summer hats, mind you, for the “famous resolution” to which you refer concerned itself with the wearing of Winter hats! Note the P, 8. to the resolution to the effect that it is O. K. to go “hatless” in Summer. But sup- pose the straw hat “interests” come along and ‘“resolute” us lunatics if we bare our “domes” in Summer? The “patriotic” mayor of Wilkes-Barre pro- B;leu to keep the “home fires burning” stimulating the sale of home prod- ucts; no doubt saild mayor is counted among the 100 per centers, boosting the old home town, even though it takes liberty away from “free citizens.” The g.h‘:mc:,mml ly does not belong in this The writer has gone hatless for the past flve years—it is not a sheikish fad with him—nor with many others—as your editorial wrongly insinuated. As & matter of fact, respectful, dignified, elderly gentlemen have adopted this convenlent custom. Hatless heads are S0 common on the streets that they are no longer conspicuous. Even bald pates may be seen thusly “undressed.” (But alas and alack, it is too late for them; too late to save their crowns!) ling attention to this “healthful tless, habit,” I hope, will make the sensible zualgom "g.l’fll‘e pohp.uur - “'So, t00, our hat is off e young- sters who dare the falling snowflakes 2 | the membership and i | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN, What ,do y%: ngedt hmkgo“y nrthere some point about your ess_o! - sonal %‘s).u that puzzles you? Is tg:e ‘sioxlnennng hyu:: want to kux;:wmwnhon elay? Submit your quest Fred- el'lc‘y J. Haskin, director of our Wash- ington Information Bureau. He is em- ployed to help you. Address your in- Bureau, PFrederic J. , director, ‘Washington, D. C., and inclose 2 cents in coin or stamps for return postage. | Q. How does the number of words in a talking picture compare with the number of words in & ?hw—n. V. It is estimated that the average talking picture has only about 5,000 words of dialogue, while the average lay is from 35,000 to 40,000 words in fengtn: A. Q. How old is Sonja Henle, the ice skater?—T. N. A, Miss Henle is 17 years old. De- spite her youth, she will be competing for her fourth consecutive world’s fig- ure-skating championship in February. Q. What is the Federal tax on cig- ttes?—E. A. "eA. It is $3 a thousand, or 6 cents on a package of 20. Q. olfn:hlt v'slg:u:wu t,.he fimlc)ovennu of the o a?—H. D. A, m":;um of Caligula which were restored are specimens of naval antiquity nearly 1,900 years old. Aside from the value of the galleys themselves there were objects of artand other val- uable mllflll‘:.l'gl‘ fltlle‘m. 'Bu?:ag .;l;e rocess of bri g these ~ }’nce and lowering the level of the lake, an opportunity was afforded for ex- ploring the aubmerfed banks, which was of great archeological interest be- cause of the magnificent Roman villas that formerly lined them. Q. How long did Napoleon live after his banishment to Elba?—D. H. A. The boat bearing Napoleon drop- ped anchor at St. Helena October 15, 1815, and Napoleon died May 5, 1821, about five years and a half later. Q. How long has a quail been known to live?>—D. R. 8. A. Observations have seldom been made. One case is led, however, in which & quail with a leg band bear- ing the date of 1901 was shot in 1919. It then weighed 16 ounces on the drug- gist’s scales, Q. is there more static on a moonlight night?—E. A, T A. The Weather Bureau says that to the best of its knowledge this is not generally true. There is more static when thunderstorms are prevalent than at other times, and thunderstorms im- ly more or less cloudiness; and cloud- Euns implies absence of moonshine— at le:l!t dae kind that can be seen below lou Q. When did Queen Alexandra of England die?—A. J. D. A. She dled at Sandringham, Novem- ber 20, 1925. Q. How many miles of coast line has Alaska?—IL C. J. A. Alaska has more than 26,000 miles of coast. Q. How many classes had been grad- uated from Leland Stanford before President Hoover’s class?—T. P. A, Herbert Hoover was a member of the first graduating class in 1895. John A What was the maiden name of g}l’,’ll wife? Of Joseph H. Choate’s? A. John Hay married Clara_Stone. Joseph H. Choate married Caroline Dutcher Sterling. Q. Please name some famous com- re | Was defeated by Johnny Buff tained in the ball room of the BSt. . The room possesses no color, its walls and ceiling being painted a dead white, relieved only by & series of panels, insets and triangular “flutes’ like halves of square organ pipes. The colors, vivid and varied, are provided solely by concealed electric lamps divided into scores of separate its. and tinted red, blue and green. 3; gvhg first condensed the classics? . Dr. Rossiter Johnson, author, edi- tor and president of the le’s Uni- versity Extension Society of New York, is said to be the first person to ment with abbreviating famous noveis. It is stated that as early as 1876 he startled critics and booklovers by mak- ing abbreviated editions of standard novels, omitting passages not necessary to the action of the story. Dr. John- son_recently celebrated his ninetieth birthday anniversary. Q. Did tune?—A., ., A. The famous prima donns, who died September 27, 1919, at her castle in Wales, left a gross fortune of £116,000. She bequeathed her entire property to Baron Rolf Cederstrom, her husband, with the exception of special bequests of jewelry to Alfred de Roths- child, Marianne Eissler, Clara Eissler and Mabel Woodford, Pope Leo XIIT and Herbert, Vaughan, Adelina Pattl leave a for- M. F. Q. What use is made of geometry after one leaves school?—L. P. A. Geometry is used extensively in the professions, principally in all branches of engineering, architecture, astronomy, as well as in mechanical drawing, carpentry and building. Q. Where was the first bank along modern lines established?>—M. B. A. A modern banker is a dealer in credit, while in ancient times the so- called banker was a mere custodian of other people’'s money and a buyer and seller of foreign money. The Bank of Venice is regarded as the first in date in the history of modern Europe. This bank was established in the year 1587. 1t was absorbed in 2619 by the Banco del Giro. This bank survived until 1805, when its affairs were liquidated under @ decree of Napoleon. Q. Who was called the Expounder of the Censtitution?—T. T. C. A. Daniel Webster was given this nickname. What was the original name of Point, Md.?—J. E. M. This parcel of land lying in St. Marys County on the bank of the Po- tomac River was originally called Buter's Fancy. It has for many years been a favorite Summer resort for Washing- tonians. Q. Has the Hebrew University in . The rew Univers Library has 213,000 volumes. W Q. Piney A, Q. How long has there been a fly- weight division in boxing?—J. C. A. The 112-pound division known as the flyweight class was established about 1910. During the Jeffries-Johnson bat- tle in Reno, Nev., in 1910, spo; ‘writ- ers of America and other ccoun met and a new set of weights, making the bantamweight limit 115 pounds and suggesting a new class be- low that. Soon after Zulu Kid of Brooklyn, N. Y., claimed the flyweight title and for the time was recognized as such. Then came Frankie N. Mason and Johnny Rosner. Mason was finally recognized as champion, and held the crown until Fébruary 11, 1921, vl:er):‘he at New Orleans in 15 rounds, on points. . Has England a safe - '-an'_"l‘;l a safety first organ: in such Q. How is the lovely color effect ob- Resignation of Gen. Primo de Rivera as dictator of Spain and his failure to achieve the reforms that he had promised cause some hopeful specula- tion on the beginning of the end of the era of dictatorships that followed the World War. Mussolini is mentioned as perhaps the next to be engulfed as the tide of democracy again rises. There is disagreement as to where King Al- fonso stands, and doubts as to the future of Spanish politics. Tribute is paid to the record of De Rivera in his six years of control, by the Atlanta Journal, which is satis- fied that during his season of confi- dence and power he was an instru- ment of much good for his country. Certainly he leaves Spain more pros- perous and more progressive than he found her. Roads have been built, in- dustries strengthened, trade quickened, schools multiplied; and, whether by his aid or no, the fires of Spanish genius in its every native art have waxed in a splendor that is the world's admiration. ~After De Rivera, what? Only the event can tell. The hope is the others will build more ably and more liberally on his foundations.” * koK ¥ “With a less resolute man in control of the government there is little doubt that Spain would have gone down to ruin through civil war years ago,” ac- cording to the Seattle Daily Times, while the Scranton Times maintains that he “performed a real service,” for back in 1923, when he stepped in, “there was wide dissatisfaction with economic conditions, not to mention the many scandals growing out of the war between Spain and African tribes- men, making the country a fertile field for Reds and those intent on over- throwing the monarchy.” “The six years have seen more of his promises redeemed than his enemies are willing to admit,” declares the Richmond News Leader, suggesting that ‘“perhaps the most substantial achievement, industrially, has been the re-establishment of sympathy and the with uncovered heads.” EDWARD MULLINS. Shorter School Day Appeal Is Indorsed To the Editor of The Star: May I add my indorsement of a shorter school day for children under 9 years to the sensible letter of Mrs. F. P. White, wi appeared in The Star January 31? I agree with every word she said. ltle-mntamathntneg. - ents of these small children should have something to say in this important mat- ter. Pive hours of school are too much for children 6, 7 and 8 years old. There are still a few parents who desire to prolong rather than shorten the all-too. rief period of childhood. As one of those, I strongly urge that children un- der 9 be t in school only three or three and a half hours a day, and that they have the rest of the time free for out-of-door ‘The mchmy'o{ these lower grades need more time for relaxation, and also : for preparation of material for the chil- dren's use, My 6-year-old daughter h uhu' t na hoh in'- ‘many hours in prepa- ration for m?'a'ifl activities. I don’t know who was responsible for o rades. DU 1 Dolevs 3 leve istake wtgih should be as possible. ADA H. COE. jtoo strong for Ri expansion of trade between Spain and her former children of the Latin Amer- ican world.” The Chattanooga Times thinks he appears “to have lifted Spain measurably out of the bog into which it had sunk through parliamentary wrangling and incompetence.” * ok ok % His failure is emphasized by Hartford Courant, with the statement: “Opposed by the intellectuals of Spain » | from the first, he subsequently lost the support, of the students, then of the workers, next of the 3 army declined to rally to his support the time had plainly come for to go, as he had threatened several times during the past two years.” The| Indianapolis Star explains that “it is a striking commentary on the low estate to which the country has fallen that he has been sustained chief- ly by the power of milit leaders’ that “when the source of gan to crumble, the dictator realized his days were numbered.” “Army and navy heads are said to have reported republican sentiment was cords the N L : mm‘: power,” re e Newarl News. “If Rivera had been overthrown by violence, it is likely the King would have gone, too. So far, the suspicion is strong that King Alfonso has acted to save 11" The Buffalo Evening News, however, holds that the | Sun. When the | in, A._It has an organization known as e, e oo o 1o Victoria sireer, a London, 8. W. 1, England. Failure of Spain’s Dictator Raises Hopes of Democracy influence that is likely to be most help- ful if Spanish prestige is to be revived.” * ok ok % “A bungling democracy is preferable to a benevolent despot in the minds of the people,” concludes the Oklahoma City Times. The Schen states that ‘“dictatorships are frankly dependent on force for their existence"; that “either dominating qualities of an individual or of the army are their basis; Jbopllllr desires recelve scant con- sideration; hence their tenure is un- rtain, their continuance for any long period of time practically impossible.” One element which is recognized by the Boston Transcript is that “King Alfonso is tired of being a rubber stamp,” and that paper sees of freer days for Spain, with the probable return of such exiled men of genius as Blasco Ibanez and Prof. Unamuno,” as well as promotion of “the influence and credit of a noble nation in the affairs of Europe.” The Roanoke World-News credits Alfonso with decision “to reas- sert himself.” . “Many things may hnf;m." com- ments the Hamilton, Ontario, Spectator; and the effect of any major changes is bound to be left in other countries, especially Italy, which so far has man- aged to maintain the iron hand of d! tatorship without serious challeng ‘The end of other dictatorships is pre- dicted by the Texarkana Gazette, though the Bangor Commercial finds “little in- dication that the administrations of these dictators are approaching the end.” The thought that Italy may be affected "lhs volcgud byp“ u;e Le: n ler, e Asbury Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer and the burg News, e ‘The Wheeling Intelligencer quotes former Premier Nitti of Italy to the effect that “the present economic con- dition of Italy is very uncomfortable.” The Oakland Tribune believes that “this break in the Big Three of dictators may have far-reaching consequence.” The Memphis Commercial-Appeal, on the other hand, thinks that “the eight other countries under the sway of military or kingly dictators can take for themselves some reassurance for the future.” The St. Louis Globe-Democrat senses an “‘ominous flavor for surviving dictators."” ‘The growing power of democracy is observed by the New Orleans Tribune, the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, the Du- luth Herald, the Minneapolis Star, the Jersey City Journal and the Baltimore “Gen. Primo de Rivera stepped down and out from his autocratic rule of Spain,” says the Charleston Evening Post, “as Jauntily as he stepped and He gave a good demonstratfon of ictator should retire. ‘There was no fuss about it and no disorder and no hard feeling, and indeed no ap- parent jubllation. The 1 is a good sport and takes tI as they " The Columbus Ohio State that De Rivera took charge “he was beset with opposition, was kept busy suppress- ing revolts, and at no time active support of the country”; that N found he could Gepend g Tonger on ol gune obey_his orders.” ;”?‘" e “The Spanish e,” as appraised by the Grand Rapi e not greatly concerned as to who rules—un- til some terrible catastroph cannot be regarded It democracy that one them, e tory for tion Touses as & vic- will have to move uuuou:g‘ln order to avoid an uprising,” and - ham News believes that “it is the King's | rari De Rivera, who originally acquired power through use of the forces u;qfl“n hbp&m- atalonia,"A mand as captain general of Ci