Evening Star Newspaper, March 30, 1930, Page 32

& THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., MARCH 80, 1930—PART TWO. (THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. BUNDAY........March 30, 1930 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor Rate by Carrier Within fl an ‘when ndays) 60c per month Whe Evening and Sunday Star —- (when 5 Hundays) . 66¢ per month @he Sunday Star . ... B¢ per copy [Ational 5000, i i Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. flv and Sunday.... 1yr.. $10.00: 1 mo., E:uy nly S v : o 808 junday only 1 ; .. 80C 00: 1 mo.. All Other States and Canada. nd Sunda: 40c fly 1yr. 812, 1mo.. §i 1] only ... 1 . $8.1 1 o Bl 3o, {0 e e 1mol Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Associated Press is exclusively entitled $o the use for cepublication of all news Piches credited to it or mot otherwise ¢ ted in this paper and also the local ne puiblished ‘nerain. - All rights of publication of Epecial dispatchés herein are also reserved. the City. 45c per The Count of the People. A news article printed in yesterday's Btar telling of preparations made at the Bureau of the Census for the safe- keeping of the individual returns of enumerators in the decennial count of 1930 serves as a reminder that the house-to-house canvass of the people of this country will begin on the first of April, next Tuesday. This enormous undertaking of individually counting more than 120,000,000 people will, of eourse, not be all accomplished in one day. It will take many weeks. Theo- retically the census is as of the first of July every tenth year. Between the $ime the count begins and the time it s finished there are numerous changes, but the reckoning is correct for all practical purposes. American census taking is not merely @ matter of counting the number of the people, although such a count is the specific purpose of the undertak- ing, which is prescribed by the Consti- tution of the United States as a means of assuring proportionate representa- tion in Congress. Not only is there a tally of all the persons, but a great many questions are asked respecting thelr occupations, their possessions, their affiliations. The census becomes & great economic sociological research. In no other country are so many in- quiries made at census time, or 15 so | house. We also plan to build cages for gratulated on having apparently brought definite action in centralizing school purchasing machinery that should have been taken by the school authorities themselves, was all of this condemna- tion of the officials a necessary accom- paniment? One other point should here be men- tioned. Alleged extravagance takes on plcturesque significance when it is men- tioned in the same breath with District needs that go unmet for want of money and of citizens who bombard Congress with requests for new projects. But how many taxpayers passed res- olutions and how many memorials were received by members of Congress in support of the plans outlined by Dr. William Mann? He spoke as follows: ‘The amount remaining from this ap- propriation is needed to provide places for the eagles and the vultures whose had to be torn down in order to free the site for the new reptile house. In addition, the partial grading of the same time. laday—This is to take care of your owl proposition? Dr. Mann—We had to take down the old eagle cage to make room for the cag ing around the new bird our owl collection in this area. Building Site Changes. to transpose the allocations of site for the Archives Building and the Department of Justice is now under consideration by the Public Buildings Commission and the Treasury board of architectural consultants. The original plan placed the Department of Justice structure on the Center Market site with the Archives Building occupying the space bounded by Pennsylvania avenue and Ninth, B and Tenth streets. It has been found, however, that the market site will not yield sufficient space for the building for the Justice Depart- ment as planned, with an adequate setting, and 30 it has been suggested to place it in the larger area immediately to the west. In the announcement recently made by Secretary Mellon regarding the next group of structures to be started, the Department of Justice Building was not included in the list, its place in effect being taken by the newly proposed home for the Public Health Service. Explanation of the omission of the Justice Building was that delay was desirable in view of the uncertainty of the future of Center Market, a plan much information collected. Yet with all this inquiry into the per- sonal affairs of the people there is no disclosure of facts save in the broadest way in the form of aggregate statistics. The individuals become merged in masses of figures. The returns are translated into punched cards and these cards in turn make up the tabulations, and by the time the reports are printed Sdentities are passed into safe deposits, there to be kept for years, kept in cold storage as it were, until, the Census Bureau puts it, they have become data. One of the most difficult tasks in the census teking is persuading the people to answer questions. To the doors come men and women with blanks and pens and penclls and long dists of inquiries, the mere reading of which seems to be 2 most inquisitive intrusion into the private affairs of the people. These enumerators, however, are, as far as the confidential information given is concerned, mere automatons, recording machines, to whom one individual is simply an item to be checked off from the official “calling list.” ‘The statistical and economic value of the census depends upon the fullness and accuracy of these personal replies given to the enumerators. If people are reticent or resistant or inaccurate or untruthful in their responses they lessen the worth of these raw materials in the great research. Not many people appreciate the fact that the census tables, compiled with such pains and at such cost by the Government, are the bases of legislative plans for the benefit of the country. This check-up of ac- tivitles and resources, origins and num- bers, this survey of the Nation, is nec- essary in order to determine what is best for the community. Enumerators are instructed to make all this plain to those upon whom they start their calls | next Tuesday. It is to be hoped that more than ever before the quemmu[ will be answered fully and correctly. —_———— A vice aquad is not only exposed to physical attack, but gets a view of life that is likely to result in some degree of demoralization. B Extravagant Spending. ‘Taxpayers of Washington are in- debted to the members of the House subcommittee on District appropria- tions for the painstaking examination given expenditures and proposed ex- penditures in the District bill. They are likewise indebted to the Board of Education and school officials for the explanations advanced for some of the expenditures that have been at- tacked as indicative of gross waste and unpardonable inefficlency. There are two sides to every story. Sometimes the other side puts the matter in a new light, Buying a push-ball at a cost of $375, nine climbing ropes at $12 each, three horses at $180 each, can easily be regarded as gross extravagance, when class rooms are so crowded that portable schools are in use. Purchase of an electric hat stretcher at $25 sounds like foolish waste of money to those who were taught that “reading, riting and rithmetic” are the basis for all senzible curricula. And the contem- plated purchase of an ironing board &t $25, when they are avallable at 63 cents, tempts one to call the police. But such purchases must be examined ‘with the thought in mind that a school gymnasium in a $3,000,000 school should be equipped with gymnasium furniture, and that an appropriation has already been made for that purpose. The electric hat stretcher was intended, it is stated, for students In a millinery class, and the ironing board, with a sleeve pressing attachment, for use in another vocational class. Doubtless there have been unwise for the replacement of which elsewhere being now under consideration. If de- cision is reached in favor of the trans- position of site suggested, with the De- partment of Justice going to the Ninth- Tenth-B streets site, there will be no occasion to postpone operations, pro- vided all of the land lying within this area has been acquired by the Govern- ment. In the execution of the public build- ings program, covering & period of sev- eral years, there must be some maneu- vering and dovetailing of plans to in- sure & continuous performance with the least possible delay on any single unit. Congress is allocating the funds in an- nual installments, which will insure an unbroken series of coerations. It would be possible to spend more money each year and thereby carry on a larger number of units of work at the same time. But reasons of economy and Treasury protection operate to make the installment system more desirable. It is difficult to determine which of the building needs of the Government 1s the most urgent. All of the depart- ments not now housed in permanent quarters are cramped for room. Some of them are scattered in several build- ings each, some rented, some publicly owned, some “temporary.” the necessities of the service go, every one of the projected buildings of the program should be under present con- struction simultaneously. That, how- ever, cannot be without undue strain on the Treasury. —————————— It is » long time since the war. The word “Zeppelin,” once odious, can now convey a meaning of esteem and even of affection. —— v Various authorities insist that while & man's house is his castle, the fact does not justify him in turning it into & wine cellar. Defining a “Doo-dad.” Recently attention was called to the use by Representative Simmons of Ne- braska in the course of the hearings on the District appropriation bill of a word which lacks dictionary authority and is of somewhat uncertain signifi- cance. Protesting against the embel- lishment of school buildings, he scored the adoption of “doo-dads” by the archi- tects. The Star, commenting upon this usage, noted the fact that it was lack- ing in parentage or specification. The other day Mr. Simmons, in the House, thus referred to the comment: During the hearings, I used the ex- pression “doo-dad” in reference to the school buildings. Learned editorial writers have found themselves unable to interpret its meaning. After some search the Library of Congress has delivered to me a definition of “doo-dad,” and here it is. I am quoting now from page 352 of the publication called Amer- ican Speech, in its issue for May, 1927, where 1 find this, under the head of “Dialect Words From West Virginia": “Doo-dad is & noun and means any ar- ticle for which the name is unknown.” Sufficlent now to say .that as I used it it means extravagant ornaments, em- bellishments and useless equipment and luxuries built into school buildings in order to satisfy the vanities of an archi- tect and the comfort of a public school ?‘?emm wllghouc comld:;auon }z‘:l the cost e taxpayer or the ts of the school cmmref i Passing for the moment the question of architectural niceties and the broad issue between plain utility and beauty, it may be suggested that “doo-dad” has some well recognized synonyms, both in and out of the dictionary. There is, for an example, “gim-crack,” which is defined by one authority as a “pretty, useless thing.” And there is also “‘gew- gaw,” identical with "gim-crack,” in- deed used by the same authorithy as an equivalent. Once more, there is an old word that lacks dictionary recog- nition but that will be remembered by many, “fal-lal” A “fal-lal” is & “gew- gaw,” just as a “gew-gaw” is a “gim- crack.” And then there is that most purchases by the school authorities. ‘The point is that the counts do not sustain the wholesale indictment of extravagance, waste and inefficiency. While the subcommittee is to be econ- useful word “jigger,” which means almost anything that is practical, almost any kind of mechanical device that gets re- sults and is also frequently applied to something “quite non-utilitarian, alto- gether extraneous and supposedly orna- mental, like the tassel hanging from the top of a golf stocking. Closely akin to “jigger” is “gadget,” with more than mechanical significance, denoting some- thing added beyond the scope of necessity, Jiggers, gew-gaws, fal-lals, gim-cracks, gadgetsand doo-dads! Andothers,indeed, if one were to rack the memory for quaint terms that have had their vogue and passed. All meaning the fripperies of life, the fancy-work decorations. They are the things that brighten up exist- ence, that enliven the home atmosphere, that stimplate the higher emotions and —of course—cost additional money. Strip away all the gew-gaws and the gim-cracks and the doo-dads and the fal-lals and the jiggers and gadgets and existence would be drab and dull and depressing. And it does not make a particle of “@ifference how they are spelled or how they are defined or how they originated, these words are mem- bers of the family of American speech in good standing and of good repute. May they long continue to express the desire of man for something beyond the barest needs! e A Titular Change to Honor Taft. Far from being without merit is the movement already announced to rename the Connecticut Avenue Bridge across Rock Creek Valley in honor of William Howard Taft, late Chief Justice and ex- President. The Women's City OClub, sponsor of the ides, has already adopt- ed resolutions to submit such proposal to the proper authorities, and the Dis- trict Commissioners have expressed their “hearty sympathy” with the plan. True, this great viaduct was not be- gun during the presidential term of Taft, nor is there any direct official connection between the man and the structure. None the less, it is definitely associated in the minds of the local public with his personality. He resided not far from its southern terminus. It was a favorite walking place of his. Many & motorist headed homeward in the late afternoon was cheered by the sight of his beloved ample figure, char- acteristic gait and placid smile, as, en- Joying the sunset glow, he strolled along one of the footways, or stopped to chat with the children, all of whom he loved. “The Connecticut Avenue Bridge” is & mouth-filling title. “The Million Dollar Bridge” is & most repellent one. More than two decades ago a million dollars was a good deal more impressive | Da! than it is today and the title, in poor taste to begin with, has become there- by weakened. “The Taft Bridge” is|or short and, in many senses, to the point, It is one of the more impressive struc- tures in and around the National Capi- tal. It needs a better name. Mr. Taft deserves an immediate memorial. .And let it be said here that any. recom- mendation that the proposed change in name be effected must not militate in the slightest degree against the estab- lishment of some future, different and possibly more worthy local memorial in his honor. —_——e— Standard Ofl is said to have afother merger in contemplation. Theodore Roosevelt's memory remains in high esteem, although some of the things he sald about trusts are now classified largely as campaign eloquence. Raskob’s resignation from the Demo- cratic national chairmanship is de- manded by Josephus Daniels. The fact that both gentlemen are at present out of the political running does not pre- vent old antagonists from being ‘active in a personal way. —————— Invitations are being extended to Al Capone to become the guest of one or “THE HOUSE OF THE SOUL” BY THE RIGHT REV. JAMES E. FREEMAN, D. D, LL. D, his body.”—St. John, #.21. of the most appealing writers in nd is Evelyn Underhill. Under the above caption she has written a most engaging little book that in a very graphic and picturesque way deals wlg the human y as “The House of the Soul.” The physical care of it is necessary. She descril the body as having two floors, the ground floor and the upper floor. To keep the ground floor fit and in order means to conserve the man physical. | “A well ordered, natural life is the only safe basis of our supernatural life.” The upper floor is man in- tellectual and spiritual. ‘With most of us the larger consid- eration is given to our physical well- being. We try to fulfill Huxley's great dictum, that “one of the high attain- ments of life is to become a perfect 4nimal.” We employ every legitimate means to this end. One can conceive of a physical dgvemmt that attains ‘well-nigh to perfe , even approxi- mating the ideals of the superman. ‘What would this attainment be with- o:fim'n £ Again, nat wouid this at- v enf W] at- tainment be without & corresponding spiritual development? There have been men and women in this world small of stature, weak in body, who have been m’ its greatest benefactors. The very fact that ered physical accentuate they suffe I.mpnlrmmt but served to have written his great allegories had he not been blind. One wonders whether Bunyan would have written his immortal work had he not been restricted to the area of Bedford gaol. In both instances these lofty souls re- garded their bodies as temples. The: evidently it more of brain and soul development than they did of bod- ily devel t. Tt has been said of late that our col- leges and universities have placed un- due emphasis upon the place of ath- letics. Thw Chief Jult::le. Taft concern over more wnwhm of academic life. Many Bishop of Washington. Tezxt: “He spake of the temple of |books have been written on the art of living. The latest of these that com- mends itself strongly to us was written by the brilliant English author, Ar- nold Bennett, whose little on “Twenty-four Hours a Day” is singu- larly suggestive. In this little book he deals with the development of life in a precise and practical way. He sets forth bes | & time-table for physical, mental and spiritual development. He reckons with man’s greatest needs and gives them all their due consideration. Another dis- tinguished author, a great surgeon, makes his contribution in the book, “What Men Live By,” in which he di- vides the hours of each day and allo- cates them to four purposes, “Work, play, love and worship.” There is little doubt that our age is placing a fresh emphasis upon work and play. giving large consideration to man's physical well-being. Is it giving like nsideration "’In(? intellectual and devolves that of to their children a right under- nn'::gnx of the meaning and value of life. Fewer boys and girls would mis- carry and cause heart-breaking disap- pointments if they were taught to recog- nizge their bodies as temples, the sacred repositories of divine qualities and gifts given them for development and en- richment. To come to realize that the Joy of life is not dependent upon things external, but rather upon & right ap- praisal of life's true values, that outlook is determined by a right point of view and understanding of those gifts and qualities we possess within ourselves, affords a degree of satisfaction, a tran- quillity and serenity of mind that the world cannot give or take away. “My mind to me a kingdom is,” said a great thinker. He had within himself such stored-up resources that he had become independent of environing conditions and circumstances. What significance there is in those words of St. John, “Now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shal be”! ‘With such a consciousness we come to reverence our bodies as holy temples capable of the highest development. Consultative Pact Plan Originated Not in London, but in United States BY WILLIAM HARD. In the dense fog surrounding the | 1y emnarie: problem of a so-called “consultative pact” at the London Naval Conference two tiny specks of light are at this week end in Washington thought to ve emerged. 1. The idea of the adoption of a “consultative pact” did not in any way te from the French delegation e British delegation or any othef foreign delegation at London, or, for that matter, from the American dele- but essentially and | g James G. McDonald and Mr. Raymond L. Buell of the Foreign Policy Associa- tion of New York. These gentlemen and others of a similar way of think- 3 h determined efforts not on side of the Atlantic but through associates and allies of theirs on the other side, have been spec- tacularly able to make a “consultative American part in the dhrmullm. whlleu w. in fut.h n: proposal for a “consultative pact” ha ever been addressed to the American delegation by any foreign delegation whi ver in the conference. It is to be doubted if any more startling suc- cess in ' international has ever been achieved by rr ite_citizens acting on their own private initiative. * ok * % 2. The of the gentlemen in question has been only partly the fa- cilitating of the reduction of naval armaments. It has been largely and lar even dominantly the further- of American participation in the consequences of the system for the or- ganization and perpetuation of peace set up"w the League of Nations covenan! These two facts ther explain why two small towns in the Far West. As & student of a new and ambitious com- munity, Capone might have valuable ideas. His moral ideals might not be beneficial, but there is no doubt about his being an alert business manager. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Start and Finish. Ben Franklin! Ben Franklin! You sent up & kite And brought the spark that now glitters each night In billions of lamps as electrical light. Ben Franklin! Ben Pranklin! You stood in the storm, When you might have been home in your library warm. You captured the lightning and made it perform. Ben Pranklin! could gaze On a night club where mirth is ablase, Your serious sense it would surely amaze, Ben Franklin! Ben Franklin! quently see A student who starts things with erudite glee, But never knows just what the finish will be! The Mechanical Face. “Why don’t you talk over the radio?” “The microphone disconcerts me,” answered Senator Sorghum. “It has the cold unresponsive expression that I have recently noted on the faces of #0 many of my.human auditors.” Beri Franklin! If you We fre- Jud Tunkins says he never reads a doctor’s prescription, because it re- minds him that Latin is one of those dead languages. Strictly Selfish. It is a sorry business line That at misfortune jokes, And says, “So long as I get mine, Who cares for other folks?” ly hideous?” “It's easily explained,” answered the rocking-chair explorer. “Most of them are cannibals and they want to appear as unappetizing as possible.” “Indifference to fear,” sald Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “is not creditable to one who sleeps on while his house burns.” Shifting Sentiment. A bootleg bandit gathered fame ‘Which made good people tired. He made a fortune at the game And now he’s much admired. “Don't tell a friend his troubles might be worse,” said 'Uncle Eben. “Dat's jes' whut he's affgid o' findin' out by esperience.” the American administration at Wash- ington and the American delegation at London are approaching a “‘consultative pact” with the same amount of en- thusiasm with which they would try g:nuwn & red-hot rivet with bare ds. The Americans, this writer learns, if they see themselves on the verge of gett! forced into a ‘‘consultative t” do their best to fill it so full of reservations and revolving doors and easy and rapid exits that the amount of consulting ever done will be reduced to a minimum. For instance, it is proposed in re- legation at London that the pact should rfl)vlde in so many words that the United States, though it commits itself to consultation, does not in any ‘way commit itself to the outcome of the consultation. It is further proposed in responsible quarters in Washington that the t should also provide that no consultation held under it should ever in any way include any consulting on the matter of the application of “sanctions” or the use of joint military or naval force for the repression of tie alleged “aggressor” or alleged “bandit * ok ok If these ideas were adopted, the pro- posed ‘“consultative pact” at London would be immensely weaker than the “consultative pact,” otherwise called the four-power treaty, between the United States and Japan and France and Britain, that was adopted at the Washington Naval Arms Limitation Conference of 1922. The four-power treaty does not in any way exclude a consultation regarding the use of force against an “aggressor” and it does not in any way explicitly declare that the United States will enter a consultation wholly free from any concern regarding participation in the outcome of it. It is true t the Senate added to the four-power treaty a declaration to the effect that it contained “no commit- ment to armed force.” There was to be, that is, no definite obligation be- forehand to use armed force. But there remained, in the treaty itself, a full opportunity to consult regarding armed force and to agree to use it if it seemed desirable. Moreover, and finally, Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, f a delegate to the Washington Conference, stated on the floor of the Senate that the joint consultation pledged in the treaty was a prologue to an implied ultimate joint action. * ok ok * If, then, the “consultative pact” at London should expressly rule out the idea of the discussion of “sanctions” and should also expressly rule out the idea of any implied ultimate participa- tion in joint action, it would be so much weaker the four-power treaty that its defenders on the floor of the Senate would be abundantly able to make attempting to prove that the new London treaty meant really almost nothing at all. At that point, however, a remarkable phenomenon now arises. The outright opponents of such a ‘“consultation” treaty at London and the original pro- posers and are in col agreement on at least one point. Both sets of gentlemen agree that a ‘“consultative pact,” no matter how much it might seem to mean noth- ing, would really mean something and mean-a dot. - U * . At this moment no “consultative pact” could go through the Senate, be- cause just now more than one-third of the members of that body think that & consuitation ren:rdinl a European war would irresistibly take the United States into first expressing an opinion and then adopting some policy regard- nation. ?omlhle quarters in the Americam | el rotagonists of such a treaty | o the ing the war. This veryhnll‘nfdvlew,‘r ly happens, eld by the ‘consulta- xponents of the “ tive-pact” suggestion; such as Mr. James G. McDonald and Mr. Raymond L. Buell, who in a recent statement to say that consultation between the United States and Euro- powers would tend to > m:mma B'«lrlu“ 1&'.9 being a o League of Nations peace system. Their words are: A i “The _League members, Great Britain, having cunxul:%ecwlhg the United States as to which state in a war was the ‘aggressor,’ would feel to tp apply an economic ds, .' _In_other tance by the United States of the ciple of consultation reduces the probability that the United States will interfere with a League e.! ‘With both sides thus agreeing that & consultation pact would bring the United States more into co-operation with the League, it would seem likely, if a consultation pact is adopted, that be” conicted argely o the Food wid on the o League issue. (Copyright, 1930, e March of Year 1930 Regarded as a Failure From the Ann Arbor Daily News. The month of March must be marked down as a failure. It never quite gives satisfaction. Year after year it makes gaudy promises, and always it follows them up with perfectly atrocious per- formances. Something, obviously, will have to be done about it. In other months you know what to expect. In January, for instance, you look for mean weather, and when it comes you are ready for it. And In June the ?roml.ue of a bright dawn is generally fulfilled. But March—March gives you a day that begins well and ends badly. It follows a Spring momn- ing with a Winter afternoon. It is al- ways raising your expectations and then letting you down. It is, in short, a month that contents itself with giving hints. Every now and then it produces a day that shows what Spring, when it comes, is going to be like, The householder, astir after his Winter’s hibernation, sets out gayly and mutters in his beard about garden seeds, lawn fertilizer and such; but he does not get his soliloquy finished be- fore the sun vanishes and & cold blast from the vicinity of Greenland turns his backyard into an Arctic tundra. All of this is hardly fair. Surely we have a right to know what to expect. March is neither one thing nor the other. If this new 13-month calendar can abolish March, by all means let's have it. However, it is probable that March was devised for our education. For it is more or less our fate to be buffeted about, March-fashion, all our lives. We get great hints, every now and then, ut they seldom bear fruit. If life is always to promise things and then withhold them, perhaps it is a thing that we should have one month in tl year to remind us of it. It keer us from getting vainglorious and cocky. Y- Of course, it won't do to get too profound about it. As a general rule it is safe to beware of any writer when he starts tossing “life,” “man” and “fate” into his sentences. That indi- cates, generally, a disordered liver or a disappointment in love. Still, there is no ?nw against drawing deductions; and it really is possible to make some- thing out of March. For if March gives us a distant glimpse of earthly wonders without ever really letting us taste them, that is also the way of the world generally. It is prodigal of dazzling surmises. There are many mountain peaks from which the promised land can be seen. Reaching it is another matter, possible only to the surpremely lucky. Disap- pointment is all most of us can e: t. Still, we know it is there. We have our glimpses, and they are something. For_the bright mumln? of March let us know that the earth is capable of better things, even if a raw, rain-laden wind does follow after. And that, in the month of March and in the rest of life generally, is what keeps us go- ing. T N World Scientists May Own Antarctica From the Buffalo Evening News. Rear Admiral Byrd says that he has no intention of claiming for the United States the new lands that he has dis- covered in Antarctica. His conception of the frozen continent is that it be- longs to the world. Acting in that spirit, it should be easy for the nations to agree that Antarctica shall be held perpetually as a great sclentific laboratory under the direction 'm_lde leading scientific societies of the While an uninhabitable area never is likely to become a subject of national- istic rivalry, the status of no man's land always presents certain dangers. Minerals or fisherles may be found to tempt exploitation. It is better that a definite governing authority be estab- lished in advance of need than to wait ticipated event has cre- ated conflicting needs. Antarctica well might be turned over to science under some international plan which would give to scierica’authority to see that its claims always are paramount. U. S. to Build Two New Monster Ocean Liners ‘BY HARDEN COLFAX. (Copyright, 1930, by the Consolidated Press.) American shipyards within the next few weeks will be engaged in the con- struction of at least two great modern high speed liners. The building of these vessels and others like them has been spurred in the last few days by the breaking of the Atlantic speed record by the liner Europa amd the estab- lishment of a working agreement be- tween the North German Lloyd and the Hamburg-American Lines. The United States Navy finally has certified to the Shipping Board its approval of the plans and specifications for the two new “super-Leviathans,” construction of which is proposed by the United States Lines, Inc., for operation in conjunction with the Leviathan. The Shipping Board is expected to approve the plans in the very near future and to sanction a loan to the P. W. Chapman Co., which controls the United States Lines, for three-quarters of the construction cost of the vessels. The two new ships are estimated to cost $30,000,000 each. ‘The building of these new vessels and others like them is ed here as of extreme importance from the view- point of international armaments as well as in a trade sense. London Naval Conference has shown that the trend is away from the great battleship con- struction program. All of the nations are turning their attention to the build- ing of vessels which might be converted into naval ai es under stress of necessity. * ok ok ok The United States is woefully behind in this matter. William Prancis Gibbs, naval architect, who reconditioned the Leviathan, points out that that nation controls the sea which has the great- est number of vessels upon it, whether they are canoes or battleships of tre- mendous size. Germany has centered her entire naval program on the construction of merchant marine vessels since the sign- Versailles treaty. Under the terms of that treaty, Germany can- not build more than six 10,000 ton war- ships, but there is no limit to the mer- chant tonn: she This the matter of merchant tonnage. France is the construction of the “super-Leviathan,” or Bremen and Europa and so is Italy. England now has under way vessels which she hopes will regain the speed record of the At- lantic. The entire foreign trade of the United States is involved because of the mail contracts which are to be & . The S S, & S ER and vessels capable of must be built, since there are not enouzhncvror‘m‘:vurm. oo It is admitted that ships of the Bremen, Oceanic and Leviathan types are not ideal auxiliaries from a naval standpoint. The Navy itself certainly would not have constructed vessels of this type for use as auxiliaries. They are built for speed and do not have the bstan lines required in into aircraft carriers, but n Navy is not enthusiastic over carriers h tonnage. In fact, the ly 100 airplanes each, have been some- what of a tment because of their ‘They are of 33,000 tons heavy to maneuver handily vulnerable target for and are too and present & too aircraft. LR The two new American merchant ves- sels to be built in the near future will be in excess of 50,000 gross tons and have a length of 962 feet and a beam of 107 feet 5 inches. They will have & susfained sea speed of 2815 knots. Thé United States has the greates! tanker tonnage of any nation. This has reduced the importance of coaling stations for the Navy in flung quar- ters of the world, since American ships readily could be refueled from the tank- er fleets, It has nullified to some ex- tent the advantage held by Great Brit- ain, Germany and PFrance in foreign coaling stations and naval bases. In the last 10 years approximately $2,600,000,000 & year in American for- eign trade has been carried in American ships. This is only about 35 per cent of the total. Expansion in foreign trade has shown a substantial increase and the addition of further merchant ma- rine tonnage is expected to produce still greater growth in exports and imports, as well as provide outlets for materials and manufactured products and give employment for many thousands of workers. (Copyright, 1830.) ——— |Mrs. Shepherd’s Passing Evokes Rich Memories To the Editor of The Star: To those of the residents of Wash- ington who were the cotemporaries of Mrs. Alexander R. Shepherd, who died on the 10th of this month, it seems strange that her passing from this life should have occurred with so limited comment. For many years she was the outstanding figure in the social life of this Capital, and exceptionally so for at least four of those years, both by the merit of her own accomplish- ments and grace of character and as the wife of the executive member of the Board of Public Works and later Governor of the District of Columbia, under whose leadership the physical civic aspect of the National Capital was transformed from the primitive status of a sprlwlm¥l town to & munici- pal condition worthy of its talented “projectors. During that period Mrs. Shepherd was the unrivaled social leader of this Capital, whose benevolence and tact were recognized by a general acquies- cence in that distinction. Her name deserves to be associated in the his- toric fame of her husband, to whose civic efforts she provided the support of a social influence that in an ex- ceedingly large measure was essential to their success. How necessary was that support can only be duly appre- clated by those who then knew and felt the bitterness of the opposition to which the governor and his supporters, including among the most important Mr. Crosby 8. Noyes and the other lead- ers of the local press, were expos>d. ILLIAM TINDALL. ——————— Nature Lovers Laud Kentucky’s Decision From the Baltimore Sun. The long-drawn-out fight between power interests and advocates of pres- ervation of Cumberland Falls, l_l(.g., seems to have been finally ended. e Kentucky Legislature has passed, over the governor’s veto, a bill to accept the gift of $230,000 from former Senator T. Coleman du Pont of Delaware, with which to buy 2,300 acres of land at the | Falls, with ownership by the State, so as to protect them perpetually from ehcroachment. The controversy over one of the most beautiful spots in the East has aroused nature lovers throughout .the country, Kentucky that they have turned down a E‘mpoklyal to develop the river at this point for power, accompanied by la; expenditure, a promise of industrial ac- tivity and other inducements. have taken the far-sighted view. Wha they lose in the near future in hypo- thetical new industries will be amply compensated in time to come by preser- vation of & waterfall, the scenic beauty of which is comparable to that of Niagara. THE COST OF BROADCASTING BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN. ‘Whatever the business index may say or Pullman smoking car gossip have to proclaim about the depression of the times, mmufdllcturen and ur:::; chants are spending an en amount of money in radio advertising, and, presumably, the general public is buying in suficient quantities to justify the expense. Otherwise, it scarcely would continued; certainly would not continue to increase as it does. At the same time there has been no marked falling off of newspaper and e advertising space purchased, and even the wayside billboards continue to dec- orate both urban and rural scenes with their claims of superiority for some product or other. The sums paid for radio advertising are huge, beyond the comprehension of the everyday man. Yet the trade attracted from the everyday man what keeps the radio going. There are several large companies | broad which have regular features on the air. Some of them are weekly, some semi- or tri-weekly, and some daily, except, perhaps, Sunday or some one day.|radio There are two it broadcasting com- ies, the Nad and the Columbia. national hook-ups are through these concerns. Both are com- mercial and both charge ad for the time they use. The amount of that charge is the amazing feature. Qhiree. of ust ander 35000 an. a cl of just under $5, for the use of its network for adver- tising purposes. cl for half an hour is over $3,000 and for a mere 15 minutes nearly $2,000. To employ an example so generally cited that it is used by Government officials, it costs | sold. the manufacturing company Which puts Amos ‘n’ Andy on the air six nights a week not far short of $2,000 for each evening or in the neighborhood of $12,000 a week. Additional Expenses Are Heavy. Now this, it must be remembered, is the first cost. It is comparable, in a way, to the {enc vI’uch nmm-wt.:l?-} com] must for & eal o o wyioducunn. All other expenses addition. Indeed, the whole financial weight of broadcasting advertising matter falls on the advertiser and the fact that he is Fifty Years Ago In The Star Pifty years ago the House of Repre- sentatives was in _a wrangle over the N tarift bill and, as hn%; House in R Troce. times betors, 0se es before Deadlock. 40 hion o the “Reed rules” for counting & quorum, it was in deadlock. The Star of March 25, 1880, thus tells of scenes at the of the night before: “Some of the scenes during last night's session of the House were of & farcical character, with one episode of a more serious nature. It appears that Mr. Coffroth of Pennsylvania, who is & high tariff Democrat, happened to be under the voice of Congressman burn. The latter was denouncing Speaker Randall. He said that he was a traitor to the Democratic party and that it would be much better if he would move, bag and baggage, into the Republican camp. Coffroth interrupted Blackburn in his denunciation of the Speaker and said: ‘I will not stand idly by and allow you to thus speak of my colleague, and if you persist in doing so I think I would feel justified in you ‘Well,' returned Blackburn, ‘you have heard what I said and if you mean to say what I have said is not true you are a liar’ At this Coffroth made a menacing gesture toward Blackburn, but a demonstration between the two was averted by friends. As Coffroth moved away he sald: ‘You say, Col. Black- burn, that the Speaker is a traitor to the Democratic party. There is one charge you cannot impute to him, and that is that he ever was a traitor to his country.” “Of the amusing Scenes there was one particularly comical. Mr. Frost of Missouri, who is the youngest member of the House, was arraigned at the bar and asked what excuse he had to offer for his absence. The sergeant-at-arms had dragged him from a dinner party and he was arrayed in dress. His excuse was that he did not think his presence was necessary. He had long sought to catch the Speaker’s eye, but had never succeeded. It grat- ified him, however, be placed in a position where he could get such recog- nition at last. “At one time Secretary Robeson and several members who had been driving with him were brought up in a group. The ex-Secretary made an excuse that he thought the good sense of the gen- tleman from Kentucky would have constrained him to give up the fight and let the House adjourn long ago. The others said they had been. more agreeably employed than in either fili- bustering or watching filibusterers. Mr. Hellm: of Pennsylvania, who was asked what his excuse was for his ab- sence, made answer in the German lan- guage, which provoked heary laughter. At 20 minutes past 12 o'clock the House adjourned. With the exception of the Blackburn-Coffroth scenes, the best of feeling prevalled among the members.” - * % “We hope there is no truth,” says The Star of March 27, 1880, “In the report that the committee on Monument pub1 alx ¢ building h-‘nfl i un roposes ring Design. % bill o appotnt joint committee, th sit during o rocass'ot Congress, for the purpose of ‘selecting a plan’ and making arrangements for the completion of the Washington Mon- ument. A step of this character is hos. tile to tion willing to pay such high rates is ree garded as a sure indication that radia advertising pays. There is no indicas new form of advising the blic of wares and services for sale decreased the buying of newspaper space. In fact, the reverse is nearer the truth. The advertiser who is putting out & large sum of money for a fine musical program does not want it wasted. So he frequently buys space in newspapers to announce that on such and such an evening, at a given hour, his broadcast may be heard. This, of course, is in addition to the advertising space bought by the radio industry itself, by the manufacturers, and local dealers Expenses of ¥tations. It must not be thought that the broadcasting companies give nothing in is | return for the $5,000 an hour they col- lect from adve rs. Indeed, the casting companies themselves are not in the business to make money and actually are not profitable. Their stock is owned by manufacturers of instruments. In effect, they are subsidized by these manufacturing companies. These manufacturers are well aware that they cannot sell radios to the public unless something is con- stantly over the air to be re- celved. For t reason they can well afford to keep the air filled with mat- ter worth list to. They look for their real profit, not to the broadcast- , but to the sale of the machines. expense of broadcasting is very great. Actually, the $5,000-an-hour rate is not much above cost; not any above unless considerable time is In the first place the broadcaster must have powerful electrical equip- ment. Transmission stations are mar- vels of electrical science. They are costly to build with all their para- phernalia of delicate machinery. Then, in order to the voices of artists through the ether, electrical current must be consumed in considerable quantities. Every broadcasting head- quarters must have a considerable staff of technical men always on the job to keep the station in operation. A large broadcasting company must have these stations in cities in order to es- tablish & national network. §3ieE e s should become time. Their failure to do n} mlkflu tg;m a :lwubmk:e to millions of people who want to sleep. To meet this demand the broad- programs.” These are not paid for by advertisers. When gaps come in the course of the £ g s are troduced. The salaries of the musi- clans are pald by the broadcasting of them are very broadcasting companies, of course, must maintain studios from wh“:cthbehmldm are '::de. gh:‘t. m specially constructed = ford the best acoustics and usually are richly appointed. Two Water Streets Call for Renaming To the Editor of The Star: We have in Washington two promi- nent streets of the same name, Water street. This should not continue, as it always causes confusion, especially to strangers visiting here. ‘Water street in old Georgetown no doubt is the oldest street in the Dis- trict of Columbia. ‘Water ':t"% southwest. ofil as moh} l;’s ashington; older, in fact, on the first map for the that was before Washington was born. ‘We have in the District avenues named for each of the States, excepl California. Water street southwest lies along the river front, much the shape of the State of California, as it fronts on the lc . This made one of the street is soon to be show streets of the city by the expendi- ture of large sums of money. 1 t it be renamed California avenue. The State, I am sure, would be g:“" humor, I new avenue to be constructed from Pennsylvania avenue near the Peace Monument to the Union Station be named Ohio avenue. This will be a short avenue, but, oh my, over no pavements of any city in the world will there roll more splendid equipment carrying the most honored le from all lands. All the avenues the world will lead up to Ohio avenue. The citizens of the State as they enter their Capital City will feel a great thrill of pride as they roll or walk over the pavement of the avenue named in honor of their State, This will complete the naming of ave- nues for the States and for ka. A. M. PROCYOR. Heavy Fines Given Traffic Violators From the Oakland Tribune. Denver is experimenting with traffic regulations by following the advice of those who say the higher the fines the lower the number of violators. In one week a university professor ot prominence was fined $50 for exceediny the limits by a smali margin, and $2: was the regular fee assessed against all whao ignored the stop signs. A boy was released only when the court was as- sured he would not drive a car untl he became 16 years of age. Offending Ppedestrians escaped no easter. Denver debates the subject of fines and punishment, some holding the court is too severe, others applauding. The proof will come when the campaign is carried on for a few weeks and the sta- tistics of accidents are revealed. If the plan has saved lives, it will have been worth the money. Necking and Necking. Prom the Loutsville Times. It is not an uncommon thing nowa- days to see two roadsters running neck and neck with the occupants of both of them doing the same thing. to five million dollars—it is quite cer- tain that none of them will be adopted. “The determination to complete the National Washington Monument was settled by Congress in the act of Au- gust 2, 1876, m%y not. or;:’ of the nu- merous reports, special or regulee committees in either branch of Con- gress, from the time the corner stone of the existing structure was laid to the resent moment, has been adverse to its completion. “We have personally examined the work now gqing on uj the Monu- delayed work, is a_reflection upon the committee for the District of Columbia and it is creditable to the people of |in the sion of present operations and a :mn.; into the sea of rival designs and most costly monuments, with the hopes of They bnn:ingoup from the deep some other design take the place of th's impos- ing obelisk. It means that no effort is to be spared to prevent the completion of the present Monument, or of any monument whatever, for from the well known ive cost of the archi- tectural 5:11.! suggested—from three ment and are convin that every ob- stacle to the successful completion of joint commission having charge; and we feel sure if the general sentiment of v.hwople of the country could be cons it would insist upon p the shaft to completion with as 1t delay as possible. Certainly the people who selected the design for nd have built what is now existing of this Monument would not be inclined to stultify themselves by pulling dowh their work or by covering it with an Italian campanile.”