Evening Star Newspaper, May 28, 1930, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C ‘WEDNESDAY.....May 28, 1930 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor Rate by Carrier Within the City. venine Star . oy siapic PeFmonth 60c per month 65¢ per month e Sunday Star ... - - -8¢ per c Collection made at the end of each month. c) rders may be sent in by mail or telephone Ational Rate by Mail—Payable land L. Daily and Daily only ... Sunday only . g All Other States L1 Baily andSun iy only . Burday only in Advance. reinia. 10.00: 1 mo., 83¢ §6.00: 1 mo.. 80c $4.00: 1 mo.. 40c and Canada. 12.00: 1 mo.. 3300: 1 mo. 73c 35.00i 1mo. 50c Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively vntitled to the use for republication of ail news atches credited to it or net otherwise ted in this paper and also :he lo vublished herein. All righis of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. Jones Challenges the Wets. Benator Wesley L. Jones of Wash- ington, ardent dry, has announced that if the people of his State should vote, in a referendum, for repeal or modifica- tion of the eighteenth amendment, he would vote for the submission of such an amendment to the States. It is quite true thet Senator Jones asserted his firm bellef that the people of the State of Washington would overwhelm- ingly defeat any proposal looking | toward legalizing the sale of liquor if it were submitted to them in a refer- endum. Nevertheless, Senator Jones' declaration that he would vote “wet,” although such action would not con- form to his personal views on the liquor question, provided a majority of the voters in his State favored repeal or| modification of the prohibition amend- ment, will scarcely be satisfactory to the dyed-in-the-wool “dry.” The Jones statement is really, however, a challenge to the wets. ‘The attitude of Senator Jones in this matter is in conformity with the basic principle lald down when the United States Government was created. That principle is that the people shall rule through their elected representatives in the Senate, the Housq and the White House. Thosg representatives are chosen by a majority vote, directly by the people in senatorial and congres- sional elections and by a majority of the electoral college in the case of the Chief Executive. The underlying prin- ciple is majority rule, first in the choice of officials and then in their action as representatives of the people. ‘The eighteenti ~ amendment was adopted in complete conformity with the rules lald down by the Constitution. If it is to be repealed or amended, that action, too, must follow the rules. The people and their representatives, how- ever, have exactly the same right to amend the eighteenth amendment ss they hads to adopt it. It is no more sacred than any other part ¢f the Con- stitution. On the other hand, efforts to nullify the eighteenth amendment in any other way are clearly reprehensible. It is against nullification that Senator Jones, Semator Borah of Idaho and other members of the Senate and House have taken a firm stand. The control of the liquor traffic by the Government is an age-old problem. The most ardent wet will not now ad- vance the theory that the liquor traffic should not be controlled. None of the leaders of the wets today propose the Teturn of the corner saloon as a dis- penser of alcoholic beverages. The problem has been and continues to be thefinding of the best method of con- trolling the liquor traffic. Only those Ppersons who wish to close their eyes to existing facts will deny that the prob- lem of the control of liquor traffic still exists. It is an illicit liquor traffic, to be sure, but it is a traffic of huge pro- portions. In more than a decade of _ experimentation with national prohibi~ tion the Government has not yet been able to control this liquor traffic. Dwight W. Morrow of New Jersey, candidate for the Republican senatorial nomination, has taken the stand that control of the liquor traffic should be in the hands of the States alone and not of the Federal Government. It is not his contention that there should be no control of liquor traffic. To him it is merely a matter of government—which government, Pederal or State. Mr. Morrow is entitled to his view, just as iz Senator Jones, who believes in na- tional prohibition. In the end, however, both must submit to the decision of the people themselves in this matter, ———— ‘The Congrezsman who says he does not like the dial because it compels him to serve as an unsalaried telephone operator has probably dug up as good a reason as any for raising congressional pay. oo Big-Time Loot. An amazing trail of crime has just Been unearthed in New York constitut- ing Police Commissioner Mulrooney’s debut in that office. Monday evening five persons were arrested in one of the leading hotels as they sat around & table on which were piled jewels valued 2t some $300,000. Then, following up a clue furnithed by this raid, another man was arrested as a receiver of stolen property and in safety vaults in four different banks additional jewels worth between $800,000 and $800,000 were found. All of this jewelry is believed to be, is indeed obviously, the loot of a gang of thieves. None of it has vet been identi- ed as to ownership. The holder of the safety boxes denies any knowledge of its origin save that much of it that was in his possession was handed to him as collateral security for loans made mostly at the race tracks and that he had no reason to suspect that it was stoleri. This ingenious but scarcely plausible defense against the charge of receiving stolen goods has not yet ef- fected his release. An interesting and as yet unsolved feature of the haul is that on Monday night when the hotel room was entered by the police one of the men present tossed a package out of the window which it is believed contained currency in $1,000 and $500 denominations. Bills amounting to $23,000 have been recov- ered, but it is not known how much more was in the package. The only rplausible theory for its presence in the hiotel room and its hasty discarding is that somebody who had been dickering for the return of the jewels had paid over the money just before the detectives entered and that the prisoners suspect- ed a trap and wished to get rid of pos- sibly marked bills. Evidently this story is not yet fully told. Indeed the recovery of the jewels is only the first chapter of what may | be a long and complicated tale. The thieving has been on a large scale. The loot includes entire cases and trays of \gems and ornaments clearly from store stocks. These were no pikers who con- ducted this illegal enterprise. They were six - and - seven - figure operators. Question arises whether the gentleman who rented safety boxes in several dif- ferent banks was in the habit of keep- ing his “collateral” for long periods and how he disposed of it when it was forfeited. Despite his plea of being merely a lender of money, he looks strikingly like a “fence.” The full un- ravelment of this case may -bring to light some amazing facts regarding the jewelry trade as well as criminal enter- prize in America, ————— The Baker Murder Case. ‘The detention by military authorities of & man who has confessed. repudiated his confession and then offered other details pertaining to the atrocious mur- der of Mary Baker presents a situation that is apparently no less baffing to the authorities than the actual solution of the crime itself. Leaving aside the question of the guilt or innocence of this suspect, which is of course a matter that only the courts may determine, the Washington police hold the theory that if certain evidence now lacking came to light that unquestionably linked the man with the murder, their only recourse would be to seek a warrant for his arrest on a charge of assault. The murder, they believe, was committed out of their Jurisdiction. ‘The Arlington authorities, on the other hand, have stated publicly that there is insufficient evidence against the man, despite his confession, to war- rant bringing him before a grand jury. An indictment, much less a conviction, would be hard to obtain. Meanwhile the military authorities, after examining the man to determine his sanity, are holding him for further questioning by civil police. He may have committed some breach of military regulations, relatively trivial, but it has been stated that unless the civil author- ities demand his arrest, he cannot be indefinitely held. It is obvious that the case is one where the Federal Government should decide its own course, regardless of the actlon of the local authorities. The De- partment of Justice, already interested in the case, may well take it over with the determination to see it through to a finish. No clash of local jurisdictions must be allowed to interfere. There is enough evidence that the murder was committed on Pederal property to war- rant exclusive Federal jurisdiction. The man held may be innocent, and his “confession” the ravings of a depraved mind. But of this there is doubt, and no stone can be left unturned if the public is to be satisfied that the deten-| tion and confession of the soldier are clues to the jdentity of the murderer that have been found utterly worthless. . The National Conference. ‘Washington extends a welcoming hand to the delegates to the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety, who are meeting here to dis- cuss traffic problems this week. Traffic is one of the major questions of present- day civilization, and the importance of the work of the conference cannot be overemphasized. Brought into being by President Hoover when he was Secre- tary of Commerce, the organization has with characteristic energy drafted a model traffic code, tQe principles of which are suggested far use in every city in the country. Men who are rec- ognized as experts along traffic lines compose the delegates, and each year, as conditions dictate, new recommenda- tions for reform are made. Washington is indeed fortunate to be the scene of these meetings and should profit thereby. ——— e ‘The world's most spectacular politi- cal star does not imitate the theater favorite. Mussolini does not say he is going to give his public what it wants. He decides personally on what it ac- tually needs. s U. 8. Help for “Abroad.” Some exceedingly arresting statements in reference to the financial status and foreign trade of the United States were made in Washington this week by Charles 8. Hamlin, one of the vice governors of the Federal Reserve Board. They turn & significant’ light on the country’s economic position and one which deserves attention. Based on the assertion that, as a result of the “bold” manner in which President Hoo- ver met last Fall's “crisis,” it is now possible to “see the dawn of normal activity,” Mr. Hamlin launches a con- crete suggestion for the employment of surplus American capital. He declares, roundly, that the people of the United States should “purchase foreign securi- ties in order to enable our friends abroad to continue their purchasing of our exports.” ‘The veteran Federal Reserve official says that “enlightened self-interest” ought to impel us to this course. Mr. Hamlin is a sound and seasbned econ- omist, and he reasons logically. ‘Trade nowadays is no parish-pump affair. Its ramifications are world-wide. The pros- perity of one nation is the good of all. If Uncle S8am wants to market his ex- portable surplus of industrial and agri- cultural commodities, it is obviously his duty to do all that lies in his power to facilitate their sale. Gov. Hamlin does not. specifically refer to the high tariff wall which Congress is by way of rearing around our already well protected shores and frontiers. But he must have the Haw- ley-Smoot rates in mind when he pro- Jjects his plan for enabling “abroad” to become and remain good customers. It is plain as a pikestaff that foreign con- sumers must be furnished with the means of paying for American pur- chases, if American tariff laws hamper the flow of foreign goods into the United States. The Hamlin proposal is that we supply these other means by buying foreign securities. He argues that it is “the only method left to us” in the domain of export promotion. We have dene this to & very large ex- tent in the past, but recent speculative activities at home greatly diminished the vclume of these investments abroad. _THE EVENING “We must now resume,” Gov. Hamlin says, speakirg with the full authority of his eminent position as a member of the Federal Reserve Board. In sup- port of that counsel, he discioses that the Federal Reserve banks alone have “more than a billion dollars of free lk\)ld, over and above their deposit and note liabilities.” The suggestion that this vast hoard of spare cash' could now be usefully employed in foreign investments is unquestionably worthy of serious thought by those who have it in their power to direct and influ- ence the ebb and flow of fluld American ‘ capital. — vt Victory at Last! Buccess of retirement liberalization legislation at this session of Congress is virtually assured, as the President’s ap- proval of the new Lehibach bill is taken for granted. The Federal employes, to whom the delayed enactment of this legislation meafis so much, are in- debted’ primarily to four men who worked long and hard te bring it about. Senator Dale, chairman of the Senate Civil Service committee, gracefully vielded his position as author and champion of his own measure, previous- 1y passed by the Senate, and zealously plloted the new bill through conference and final approval. Chairman Lehlbach of the House Civil Service committee took’ the responsibility, at the last min- ute, for shelving the old bill in favor of & new and more complicated measure and saw it through the House. Luther | Steward, president of the National Fed- eration of Federal Employes, and R. H. Alcorn, chairman of the Joint Confer- ence on Civil Service Retirement, both have worked for many years for the success that appears in sight today. To Mr. Alcorn, especially, congressional ac- tion on the retirement bill culminates a Jong period: during which he has fajthfully and efficiently fought for the principle of adequate retirement law for the Government workers. His ready knowledge of the points involved, his unfailing courtesy and tact and his daily persistence may be counted among the most effective weapons in the hands of the Federal employes who have won the victory. The fight for adequate retirement law has been a hard one, The apparent improvement represented in the new bill and the ready acquiescence of Congress make the victory more pleasing. v e The status of the United States Su- preme Court as a calm deliberative body cannot be disturbed by the highly con- troversial preliminaries that may arise in connection with an appointment to its membership. ) Another great aircraft demonstra- tion will be in evidence next Saturday. It may offer suggestions as significant as those developed by a naval confer- ence, as to how battles of the future, if any, are to be fought. ———t—— Many harsh comments were ad- dressed to the late Boles Penrose when he spoke with decisive authority in Pennsylvania politics. Yet it cannot be denied that his direct methods tended to simplify the situation. oo Fine musicians are disappointed when they go unheralded into a street crowd and test their popular appeal. Critics are resented; yet as alds to genuine artistry they have their practical use, —_———— Broadway appears to be faltering in plans for diversion in spite of the fact that tariff discussion is leaving the tired business man more weary than ever before. ———— It is the impulsive generocity of “Vox Populi” that sometimes causes “Tax Payer” later on to protest in the news- papers. —ors China 1s proud of being able to re- spect ancestral tradition which holds that it is entitled to carry on wars re- gardless of outside epinion. ————te— It becomes evident that a certain amount of religion has asserted itself in politics. No greater test of religion's reformatory influence has yet arisen, s In addition to being legally held less guilty than the vender of bootleg liquor, the purchaser retains the unmistakable advantage of being harder to catch. e SHOOTING STAR! BY PHILANDER JOHNEON. ‘The Willing Workers. When arguments throughout the land Are coming up anew T often do not understand— But there are folks who do. And so I don't allow my mind To take a gloomy view Of things I don't explain. I find ‘That there are folks who do. They may pe right. They may be wrong. I'm thankful for the few ‘Who know just how to guide the throng— At least they say they do. Rehearsal. “Why do you rehearse your speeches to me2” “Because,” answered Senator Sor- ghum, “in addition to having a critical sense you are a competent poker player. You have a cold, expressionless face like that of a microphone.” Jud Tunkins says he likes crime fic- tion. It shows you how much worse human nature could be if it honestly tried, Haughty Chill Queen of the May! Your garlands gay Are radiant in device. Yet diamonds bright are your delight. You seem to long for ice. For Love. “She says she would marry only for love.” “Yes,” answered Miss Cayenne, “She encourages only wealthy suitors.” “She loves money.” “He who is easily cheated,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “is often flattered by the shrewd, but never trusted by the wise. Censorship. From every evil of tod: ‘The laws provide release And when temptation comes our way STAR, WASHINGTON. D. C. WEDNESDAY. MAY 98. 1930 THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Are plants grateful for attention? Human beings call flowers “'grateful” when they respond to sunshine, water, fertilizer, When proper growth succeeds upon proper nourishment, molsture and the sun’s ultra-violet in the right quanti- ties, it seems fitting to say that the plant is grateful. ‘The grass, then, is the most grateful of ‘all growing things. A little water, either from the skies or the hose, will cause a plot of grass to set up a veritable hymn, ‘The sensitive can hear it. R e The song of the grass is not in sounds s0_much as in waves of color. Light green blades take on a darker color, a tone which mankind has be- come accustomed to call “healthy” in grass. This response is one of the most satisfying in the plant kingdom to the beholder, and surely it must be to the grass itself. Here 1s the humblest of weeds, yet the one upon which every garden, large or small, elaborate or modest, depends for beauty, in the last analysis. Far too many householders forget the true place of grass in the garden picture, Without it no garden can be a real success; with it no garden can be called a failure, * ok % If we had to choose between flowers and no grass or grass and no flowers, we would take the latter without hesita- tion, although we love the bright beau- ties 'of flowering things as well as most people. What makes up the garden picture, after all? Grass, trees, shrubs, flowers, sky, clouds—these are the essential natural elements. Many small gardens only have grass and flowers, with the eternal sky thrown in for good measure. One cannot always be sure of the clouds. Trees often are lacking. Except on roof gardens there ought always to be grass. Thegrass is the one essential ele- ment every garden can have. We have seen pictures of Japanese gardens made by a composition of sand and rock, with shrubs: they may be picturesque, espe- cially in their natural setting, but one scarcely can call them as appealing as a grassy garden with flowera. n going around a great city and its suburbs, one is struck by the number of bare places where grass could be grown as easily as not. Sometimes these places are covered with vines, or other ground cover, as they are called. Often these are no improvement upon plain dirt, since they are unnatural in city settings. Every one has seeng railroad em- bankments converted fhto things of beauty by the planting of climbing roses. The certain rough effect secured is ex- actly right for the situation. In most home grounds, however, grass is the only true ground cover. The very situation calls for grass, as nine hundred and ninety-nine out of a thou- sand persons would admit. ‘Why not, then, have it? * K K % The reason most persons do not have good grass, we are convinced, is that they forget that grass is the one nat- ural ground cover. In other words, they come to look upon it, under certain conditions, as difficult of growth, when all the time the grass is bursting to grow right there. But one must know his grasses. There | are scores of varieties of grasses, some |for sunny places, some for old-time meadows, some for shady spots, some for golf courses and other places which receive much trampling. ing as the dog family, which has trans- formed itself into scores of shapes, forms, colors, abilities, to please the master, man. One would not say that the various grasses were designed, either by the Creator or themseives, to please man- kind. Golf is a comparatively new game and the world is very old; but at Jeast it is fortunate that greens keepers are able to find seeds that will grow into tough grass for their pe- culiar purposes, * ok k% One cannot look upon grass, theres fore, as just grass and expect to suc- ceed. One must think of grasses. And the average person must be more generous with his space to be covered: in other words, he must loosen up with his pocketbook and double, triple or quadruple the amount of seed which he thinks cught to be just right. The birds, for one thing, insist on eating up as much seed as they can find, and those who know their birds also know that they are good seed seekers. ‘The wind also takes its toll of grass seed. No matter how carefully one puts it in, a certain percentage of it will blow away. | Just how big a centage will not | germinate is difficult to state, but it is | probably larger than the seedsman would be willing to admit. Often lack of moisture is responsible for this, so it will not do to ‘blame the | sellers thereof. Lack of success often results, not from failure of the seed. but more from a certain niggardliness of | mind and pocketbook. | * kK ok Reseeding as a_yard demands it is another matter of which many house- holders never seem to have heard. They imagine that because they put in a pound or two of grass seed in the early Spring, nothing more remains to be done, ‘The vigilant lawn enthusiast knows that no matter how carefully he makes his first seeding. either of new or old lawn, spots will develop in it. Often these result from stones which have worked their way near the sur- face. Now not even grass will grow on rock. In such cases the removal of the underlying stones is the first step. The second is a reseeding, as soon as it is definitely established that the first seeds are not germinating properly. ‘Too little, rather than too much, watering is the essential care during the first month after seeding. Grass | will grow in the heat, but it cannot get a foothold if washed out by too vigorous sprinkling. > * ok ok Back of all these points, however, lies the one essential —the desire for real grass, The mind rules here as elsewhere. Once given the desire, any one can get grass, good grass, but without it he will have only the half-bare terraces and spotty lawns which are observed all too often. Courses in Appreciation of Grass might be given profitably in our sec- ondary schools and in the colleges and universities of the country. ‘There is many a boy and girl brought up to appreciate great paintings, who might be taught that there will come opportunities to paint pictures with lawns, WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Ambassador Dawes is leaving London on June 7 and will arrive in the United States prospectively just about the time the Senate i8 tackling the naval treaty in special session. Officially, Gen. Dawes is coming home on leave and on Chi- ;l!o ‘World’s Fair business. Actually, ‘esident, Hoover very much desires his presence on American soil while the Senate is milling over the London pact. ‘There's small danger ‘that the anti- ratificationists can ever muster any- where near enough votes to torpedo the treaty. But the administration is anxious to bring it into harbor by as large a ma- jority and with as little rough weather s poesible. Dawes is immensely. papu- lar in the body which he began by scolding and ended by loving, even though, when he bade it farewell on March 4, 1929, the retiring Vice Presi- dent thundered, “I take back nothingi™ As a lobbyist for ratification, the White House could wish for no more potent pleader than Dawes, who helped to ne- tiate the treaty. He was canspicuously f:commcuoux during the conference at London, but played a powerful role be- hind the scenes. * X Charles S. Hamlin, one of the vice governors of the Federal Reserve Board, gave some impressive figures about Uncle Sam’s hoard of gold when address- ing the visiting European journalists in Washington Monday night. He said that America's stock of the precious yellow metal amounts to a tidy $4.000,~ 000,000, which represents about 45 per cent of all the gold bullion in the world. A quarter of this sum, or $1.- 000,000,000, is “free gold” of the Fed- eral Reserve banks—i. e, the amount they have on hand over and above the gold required as resources against their deposits and currency note liabilities, which' aggregate $3,000,000,000, Gov. Hamlin added, evidently to uqnvinu the overseas visitors that we've all the gold we need, that the United States could part with $500,000,000 of its stock practically without feeling it. lncxdenu\?y, the Federal Reserve vet- eran paid a warm tribute to President Hoover's part in quelling economic mis- trust, last Fall. Hamlin foresees “the dawn of normal activity” and believes that “the sun will soon rise.” >k 1 The age of chivalry is not gone—at least in Washington and among its motorists. A State Department offi- cial, while parking his car in front of the State, War ‘and Navy Building one day this week, observed that an auto rked 8 couple of spaces ahead of his ad & tag on the seat wholly dissimilar from the kind the cops are accus- tomed to distribute. He took a look at it. It was & card on which was writ- : “My name is———. My address My telephone number is I bumped into your rear right fender while parking. Will you kindly have it repaired at my cost and mail me the bill?"” - is * x ok Senator Morris Sheppard, Democrat, of Texas, designer of the water-wagon on which Uncle Sam is more or less firmly seated, faces a three-cornered Elrimlry fight for renomination in July. is principal opponent is Robert Lee Henry, who served in the House of Representatives, from 1897 to 1917, Henry is running on a wet platform against the author of the eighteenth amendment. Senator Sheppard's other antagonist is a man named Mitchener. The chief issue on which he is seeking the Lone Star toga, according to Shep- pard, is & Government cow for every citizen, especially Texans, o e Senator Hiram Johnson, Republican, of California, doesn't like the World Court any more than Representative Ruth Hanna McCormick does. The implacable irreconcilable from the coast was commenting in the Senate cloak room not long ago about one of our dis- tinguished internationalists who is 100 per cent pro-court and telling of a radio speech the latter had just delivered. “He devoted his first 1. minutes to sup- porting the court,” said Johnson, “the next 15 minutes to ing the court, ‘We call for the police. “Worryin' 'bout another man’s busi- ness,” sald Uncle Eben, “is a sure sign dat you ain’ pervidin’ yohse'f wif enough business of yoh own.” opposi and the last 15 minutes to rebuttal.” * ok K % Gifford Pinchot is a rangy cuss, stretching 6 feet 4 inches in space. ‘When he was Governor of Pennsylvania from 1922 to 1926, he had himself built a special bathtub in the executive man- sion at Harrisburg, so that he could take his morning's ablutions without tying himsel! into a knot. His suc- cessor, Gov. Pisher, is not nearly so tall | as Pinchot, 80 the former had the elon- gated tub removed. Asked what his first administrative act at Harrisburg next Winter would be, Gifford replied, “Put- ting back that tub.” * kK K About the middle of June the British expect to evacuate the old embassy on_ Connecticut avenue, where John Bull has pitched his tent at Washing- ton since 1868. A couple of ministers inhabited the rambling brick structure in the earliest days and until 1893, when Sir Julian Pauncefote Brif ain’s first accredited Ambassador to the Yankee court. When the establish- ment was bullt, it was on the remote outskirts of the Capital. Representa- tive Henry Allen Cooper of Wisconsin, who remembers going to one of the first solrees ever given there, comment- ed on the legation's isolation. The British Minister retorted that he was “fond of the country” and had selected the site on that account. Now, in 1930, Bri ia is leaving Connecticut avenue, becdquse the ‘“country” of 62 years become one of the cen- * o %ok Col. Dodge, curator of Mount Ver- non, where George Washington lived and is buried, has just entered uj his forty-sixth successive year in office. He says he's the champion “resigner” of the country, as it's been his unfailing custom to retire formally from year to year, only to have the Ladies' Mount Vernon Socfety, which owns and ad- ministers the beautiful estate, as reg- ularly plaster his commission with a visa indicating its prolongation for another twelvemonth. (Copyrisht. 1930.) ————— e Poor Car Service Cause Of Loss of Patronage To the Editor of The Bta Referring to the loss of patronage by the street car companies to the 35-cent taxicabs, it is likely that some loss was inevitable, but I wonder if much of it is not due to the street car companies themselves. If they would devote more of their time to rendering an adequate service and less to trying to soak the public for a 10-cent fare they probably would not have sustained so great a loss in passengers. This morning I had to wait about 20 to 25 minutes for a downtown car from Columbia road and California street. Yesterday I waited on Seventeenth street half hour for an uptown car. These long Wwaits have caused me, as well as many others, to take the cheap taxi. The poor schedules and inadequacy of serv- ice of the street cars are in my opinion largely responsible for the extensive use of the 35-cent taxis. Beoause of the overcrowding of the cars and the utterly inadequate and undependable service rendered by the companies I am frank to say that I would never ?.elrd a street car if I could afford the X1, ALEXANDER SIDNEY LANIER. e oo, . Congratulates Byrd On Kindness to Dogs To the Editor of The Star: ‘The Evening Star of the 22d stated that Admiral Richard E. Byrd had been awarded a gold medal for kindness to his dogs that were used in the Antarctic exredmon, which, I think, was wonder- ful. If only more would be like him and show the poor dumb animals & little humane treatment! I know some folks where I live who, if a dog or cat comes to their doors, instead of giving it something to eat or a kind word, will kick and beat it away, and if it doesn't| 0 will kill it. I congratulate Admiral yrd for the kindness he showed to his dogs, and may God bless him and give him the best of luck! MISS ELLEN HIGGS. ———t— Fleas and Fleas. Prom the Plorence (Ala.) Herald. A court has gravely decided that fleas cannot be trained.” Those we have met needed no training. hy ters of metropolitan life in Washington. ; Dignify the Dogwood By Group Planting To the Editor of The Star: It is gratifying to see increased effort this season toward protection of the dogwood trees. The Wildflower Preser- vation Society, the Garden Club of America and newspapers and maga- ! zines take pains to remind the people that these trees should not be mutilated by breaking branches from them, these articles being especially aimed at city people who drive to the country places and load branches from these trees into their automobiles. That practice is especially to be condemned because those flowers wilt before the people reach their homes, the branches then being thrown awa; State Senator Saxon W. Holt of New- port News, Va,, is urging strict enforc ment of a State law which provides * ty for cutting, breaking or pulling up shrubbery or blooming things on the lands of another without the owner's consent in writing. But let us not limit our efforts to telling people not to mutilate these trees. Shall we not go beyond that and take aggressive steps to promote and dignify the dogwood trees? Is it not apparent that all our people need to be made to have a real esteem for these beautiful trees? It is my be- lief that such esteem can be produced by giving these trees public treatment in a dignified way. That can be done by giving the dog- ‘wood such treatment as we have given to the splendid Japanese cherry trees in Potomac Park. For this a suitable place should be found for planting large numbers of dogwood trees in the man- ner the Japanese cherry trees were planted. The location should provide environment which will display the trees to best advantage relative to back- ground and contrasts. Furthermore, the location should be easily accessible to the general public. Such a place can be found where hundreds or many hun- dreds of these trees can be given highly advantageous setting. ‘When such a display of full-grow well formed dogwood trees has been arranged, that dignified treatment will give the general public such an appre- ciation of those trees as is now lack- ing and as will prompt protection in- stead of destruction wherever dogwood trees are found, Now, during the blooming of the cherry trees, our Washington people, and people living at long distances, crowd into Potomac Park to see the wonderful display. Such a planting of dogwood as I have suggested can be made an equally attractive counterpart of the Japanese cherry trees, the dog- wood blooming coming a few weeks later than the cherry blossoms. When we have such a dogwood displa: will make such appeal to*our Washing- ton people and others from distant places as has been made from year to year by the wonderful cherry trees. ‘When this grand dogwood display has become a reality it will prompt the planting and preserving of dogwood trees on private grounds in and around Washington and in distant places. But let our location and planting” be on a scale so large and of such good quality that other localities throughout the Na- tion will have to do well indeed to equal our accomplishment. In_selecting a suitable location for this large display the nature of soil best suited to these trees must be considered. ‘To obtain a strong strain of trees seeds for starting a nursery should be procured during this season from the strongest trees to be found around Washington and in distant States. I venture to sugefl, that persons who can contribute in this way communicate with Mr. P. L. Ricker of the Depart- ment_of Agriculture and president of the Wildflower Preservation Society, Washington, D. C. CYRUS KEHR. lnllngibl; Property of U. S. as a Fund Basis To the Editor of The Star: Like a majority of the taxpayers of the District of Columbia, I am inter- ested in the matter of assessing and fixing the tax rate which must be gov- erned by the obligations imposed upon the District by Congress after taking into consideration the amount or ratio, fixed as the Federal portion thereof. Consaquently I have read from time to time the numerous statements and arguments such as ap) in your issue editorially May 22, 1930. Of course, the idea of arriving at the Fed- eral proportion toward the cost of run- ning the District government by an ap- proximation of the taxable valug of real and personal property owned by the t« | Federal Government in the District of Columbia is an absurd one, but if Mr. Simmons, or any other member of Congress, or the whole Congress for that matter, desires this method of de- termining the Federal proportion, then please be governed by the whole tax Jaw and include in the estimate in- tangible personal property. Instead of the $7,000,000 to $8,000,000 estimated by Mr. Simmons, there would be approximately $55,000,000 additional annually. The Federal Government owns and holds in the District of Co- lumbia securities covering the funded debts of forelgn governments approxi- mating $11,000,000,000, besides other securities which under the law would be taxable if owned by citizens of the District of Columbia. This should close all argument with respect to using the taxable values of the Federal Gov- ernment in the District as a basis for arriving at its just and reasonable pro- portion toward the cost of maintaining the District government, or else open up a new field for thought and argu- ments which seems to have been en- tirely overlooked by the Bureau of Efficiency, Mr. Simmons, and The Star as well. GEO. B. KENNEDY. ———— Food Relief Organization Saved Hungary in Crisis To the Editor of The Star: In his very interesting address over the radio Sunday afternoon the Hun- garian Minister spoke of the apprecia- tion felt by the people of his country of the activities in Hungary of the Ameri- can Relief Administration after the Bol- shevist regime at Budapest had been averthrown. 1In this connection there is an incident which contributed in no small measure to that end which has not received the attention it deserves. During those momentous four months of gangster absolutism in Hungary the group then in power in Austria scarcely concealed their sympathies for the Bol- shevist_cause, and at onec moment gave unmistakable evidences of an intention to convert Austria into a Soviet state. Mr. Hoover's organization was rush- ing food to the starving citizeps of Vienna. On learning, however, of the imminence of those already hardly tried people being subjected to I greater sufferings, inspired, as al to re- lieve the starving, without regard to political creed, as evidenced later dur- ing the famine in Russia, Mr. Hoover, I am credibly informed, caused the Viennese authorities to be warned that such a step would automatically cause the flow of foodstuffs to cease. ‘The news spread. The masquerading Red officials did not dare publicly to assume responsibility for plunging the Austrian proletariat into hopeless star- vation. The country was saved from a reign of terror. Boishevist HUNgary re mained isolated, and Communist sym- pathizers in neighboring countries took note. ‘What All,‘tndl, lndmp%u,:?ly all ltlx; Tope, esca ue to that messa, hepfml(mepd{ U. GRANT-SM! b o Why Not Candles for ‘Senate Illumination? ‘To the Editor of The Star: tants £ el Referring to the recent action of cer- in Sena! 'nwmhhe.mng dial telephones, 1 would like to suggest that they remove all electrical wiring from the Senat chamber and go back to tallow candles, but I suppose most Senators are too busy to scratch a match if they had the intelligence to grasp that that was the 3 way to light u.. B. STURGIS. !various nations, outlining his scheme ite | be obtained ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY«FREDERIC ‘This is & special department devoted solely to the handling of queries. This paper run at your di the serv- ices of an extensive organization in ‘Washington to serve you in any capac- ity that relates to information. This service is free. Failure to make use of it deprives you of benefits to which you are entitled. Your obligation i only 2 cents in coin or stamps inclosed | with your inquiry for direct reply. ‘Ad dress The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, ‘Washington, D. C. Q. Please give a blography of Paul Oliver—M. F. 8. A. Frank Munn, known over the radio as Paul Oliver, was born in New York City in 1896, educated in the New York public schools and gradu- ated from the high school and was| trained in mechanical engineering. He did not train his voice until he was 25 years old. After a few appearances in small concerts he was persuaded to abandon his engineering career and take up professional singin He has made & number of appearances as a concert artist, and his voice has been recorded many times. Q. When will the Old Spanish Day: Fiesta be held in Senta Barbara? SA, ‘This year it will be held on Au- ust 7, 8 and 9. This celebration is eld to portray the romantic happen- ings of tm early days in California. Q. At what time of day is it best to take exercise?—M. A, A. Prof. Dudley Sargent has said the best physical and mental results may, be attained from exercise, when cir- cumstances permit of it, between 10 and 12 o'clock in the forenoon,,and the mext best results between 4 and 6 in the afternoon. When these hours are not convenient, good results may be attained by exercising in the morn- ing before breakfast, or the last thIl’l? at night, just before going to bed. Ii a person, however, for any reason does not sleep well and awakes feeling tired in the morning, exercise before break- fast 1s not advisable, except perhaps a few minutes’ walk in the open & 1 is much better for such & person to ex- ercise at night, not violently, but gently and persistently, for 15 or 20 minutes, in view of getiing the excess of blood out of the head and inducing a good night's sleep. For most persons the hour before breakfast is & preferable one for home exercises. . Has salt water ever been used in Nsv York City for fire fighting?—A. K. A. There are five high-pressure fire service stations in New York City, two in Manhattan and three in Brooklyn. Both stations in Manhattan and two of the stations in Brooklyn have salt water connections. In more than 20 years of operation salt water was never pumped on a fire by the two Manhattan stations nor by one station in Brooklyn located near the East River. Salt water has been frequently pumped at the station in the Coney Island section of Brook- lyn. Whenever the fire demand exceeds the capacity of the first pump started, the additional pumps operate on salt water. Q. How were the old dower chests made?—A. M. A. The hope chests of a former day were in this country usually made of pine. Some examples are in existence made of finer wood. Usually the chest contained a till with a lid of its own. In this the silver was kept. The main body of the chest was designed to hold blankets, comforts and linens. Some chests had a drawer beneath, some had two drawers, and an occasional chest contained three drawers. Q. Is a pharmacist considered a pro- fessional man?—G. D. A. Pharmacy is essentially a field of J. HASKIN. and dispensing drugs as its important function. Pharmacy is. however, & profession; as such it is closely as- sociated with the medical profession in the responsible duties of dispensing the agents used in curing disease. It re- quires integrity, a special knowledge and skill, and is practiced in accord- nece with a code of ethics accepted by the organized members of the profes- sion. The practice is regulated by the State; the pharmacist is registered by @ State board especially appointed for that purpose. The situation in phar- macy today is similar to that in medi- cine 15 years ago with too many fll trained and unqualified practitioners and too few who are well trained and highly qualified. Q. In what country have machines taken the place of human labor to the greatest extent?—D. L. A. The mechanization of industry has been more rapid and intensive in the United States than any other country in the worl Q. Where did Jane Addams receive her education?—A. B. A. She was graduated from Rockford 3eminary, now Rockford College, in 1881, She spent several years studying economic and sociological questions in both Europe and America, Q. Is there through train service from South Africa G. L. N. to Cairo, Egypt?— A. The Cape-to-Cairo Ralilroad has never been finished. However, there is through train service regularly between Capetown and Port Franqui in the Belglan Kongo and from Cairo to El Obeido. Q. Who said “There is no such word as_impossible in the French language”?—T, C. A. The familiar quotation s “The word impossible is not in my dic- tionary” and is attributed to Napoleon, Q. Is it true that cows give more milk than formerly?—A. P. . A hundred y g0 the best cows did not give to exceed 2,000 pounds of milk & year, whereas the best dairies today average 5,000 pounds per cow. Q. What and where is the “Chosts’ Wood"?—M. V. W. A. The Ghosts’ Wood is in Mecklen- burg, near Heiligendamm, and is so called because the trees are spectral and white, as if they had been bleached. Q. What mark _distinguishes the early willow ware?—S. J. L. A. The name willow ware is givem to several reproductions of the Cantom china of the eighteenth century, dece orated with a landscape and willow trees. It was first reproduced ‘Thomas Turner of Caughley, Englane in 1780, and later by several other Eng~ lish potters. One distinguishing which is found on much of the early willow ware is three small dots in the clay itself in' pyramidal form, Q. What was Gen. Jackson's last order on the fleld of battle?—T. W. A. “Gen. Pender, you must hold on to the fleld; you must hold out to the last.” Q. What is Elsie Singmaster's mar- ried name?—L. A. A. She is Mrs. Harold Lewars. Q. When were investment trusts first formed in this country?—H. G. A. The first American investment gu‘t’ ,?1 important size was organized How_old was the composer Ed- ward MacDowell at the time of his death?—M. M. A. He died in 1908, when only 47 science with the art of compounding years old, Briand’s Federated Europe Studied as Answer to Italy - Aristide Briand's memorandum to for a “United States of Europe,” is re- ceived in this country with some skep- ticism, although some comments reflect a hope of reducing tariff barriers among European nations. The belligerent at- titude of Premier Mus.ol'ni in Italy is taken into account, though opinions differ as to whether he is, likely to force other nations into a union or offer an obstacle to any mild federation. “The Briand proposal,” according to the Roanoke World-News, “is an ambi- tious plan to set free restrictions that now hamper trade on the continent, by scaling down tariffs, providing for inter- change of currency, and for thorough transportation with less regard to na- tional ~boundaries. * * * National jealousies and national pride stand in the way of immediate accomplishment. But the pressure of stagnation and un- employment may yet force the nations of Continental Europe into an economic federation such as only a degade ago would have been considered as an im- possible and fantastic dream.” * % % % “The obvious t] , of course” ac- cording to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, “is to contrast Briand's gesture of in- ternationalism with the swashbuckling tirade that Mussolini delivered. Quite apparently the Duce and the veteran French statesman do not see eye to eye. Europe, while inclined to take the war- like Italian premier with a large grain of salt, is somewhat alarmed at the number and virulence of his recent apostrophes of to warlike nationalism. But the impetu- osity of the Italian premier may be counted a good argument for the Briand lan. An economic federation with po- itical influence, such as Briand sug- Seats, might be an effective curb to pre- vent any European dictator from infect ing the continent with virulent nation- nlfzm. * ¢ * The Briand plan is bold. But it has promise. Mussolini and his kind may force Europe into it.” “Within a_few hours of the presenta- tion of the Briand plan to the govern- ments,” says the New Orleans Item, “Mussolini ends a triumphant tour of ‘Tuscany in Florence and addresses 100,000 Fascist militiamen amid scenes of enthusiasm.’'" The Item quotes from reports of Mussolinl's “warning to France” and his statement that “PFascist Italy is ready for all comers” and that “right 1s a vain word without might.” ‘That paper concludes, “So much for the present chance of a United States of Europe.” The St. Paul Pioneer Press also remarked: “Briand's mumrtlon that Europe is willing to dispose of ni tional boundaries is not in line with pre vailing tendencies. It ignores such po- tent factors as a Mussolini deflantly thundering Italian nationalism.” e A conclusion more favorable to Briand is drawn by the Newark Evening News, which, after noting that “Briand hopes to guarantee the balance between strong and weak states,” continues: “Mussolini’s bellicose speech is pointed to as an indication that Briand will not get far toward a political union. & tenable thesis, however, that Musso- linl’s speech proves the, necessity for such a political union as Briand sug- gests, and that it is useless to talk of an economic union until the states of Europe have reached a political under- standing. Briand is commended by the Schenec- tady Gazette because of “his wisdom in not expecting and not advocating too muclt at the outset.” and that paper adds: “If his assoclation can once be formed, it will find with passing years added reason for continuance. While racial and llntulge barriers probably will make impossible forever anything like our Nation, with its 48 - speaking commonwealths, lumg: may be the nearest approach to it that can eration “Hlnwwbfle bse":ui:numn‘“. of the abroa the Milwaukee Sentinel and the San An- tonio Express, while the Providence Journal feels that “it is possible to per- ceive that it will tend wml and healthy the spirit of ition It 18| try. and co-operation which has contributed s0 much to the economic reco and political stabllization of Europe during the last five ox;l fl.x zn{lfi‘ ent of conflict with the League of Nations, the Louls- ville Courier-Journal contends, *‘The fact that the Briand plan is patterned after the League makes the dream of & United States of Europe a feasible proposition.” Calling Briand “the most e statesman of the Old World," neva Daily Times refers to the fact that “this country is admitted to have fur- nished him with the idea and and holds that “we may thanl for the compliment and wish her well.” Blow progress toward the Briand ideal is seen by the Youngstown Vindicator, the Uniontown Herald and the Rich- mond News Leader. The Ithaca Jour= nal-News concludes: “If Briand can perform the miracle of uniting all the sross-currents of Europe into one stream, he can probably orm the miracle by holding it stri to its own ecourse without dange: interests of the rest of the world.” “There are difficulties in the way of a unn{ed mlm:);e. -:mt:m are in fitu; way of empire free le.” u«;gin the Hamilton, Ontario, Spectator, "hut to declare, as some observers have done, that either is an impossible dream is to g0 too far. Progress does not necessa- tily mean revolution, “8o far as a federation of Europe may be employed legitimately for the pur increasi European _ prosperity,” states the Buffalo Evening News, “it will be an advantage to the United States. It might reduce markets for some ar~ ticles, but the general volume of trade Wwould increase with the improvement in buying r.” -The Port Huron Times- Herald believes that “it ought to be & good thing for Europe, and if it is a good thing for Europe, certainly it would selp bring prosperity and well-being to the rest of the world. Obstacles in the way of such a union, particularly the rivalries and prejudices of the several nations, are emphasized by the Syracuse Herald, the St. Louls Times, the Springeld Union, the Phila- delphia Evening Bulletin and the Cleve- land News. European antagonism to- ;lll‘d h}l’nce ls!';mlud the Fort ayne News- and the Detroit Free Press, et Answering the Muscle Shoals Action Prompted by Merger From the Buffalo Evening News. The prospect of a merger of South American and European nitrate inter- ests to control the world production of | the basis of fertilizer and explosives should move Congress to action with regard to Muscle Shoals, over the dis- E“mm of which the Senate and the %:l:e are in conflict. e government of Chile is reported to have drafted a plan for a cun‘l’:ln . tion of nitrate producers of the coun- . With all the companies brought together, it is expected to move for an agreement with the producers of artifi- cial nitrates. Such a combination of interests will make heavy exactions on the United States—that is, unless steps are taken at once to produce artificial nitrates on a large scale in this country. With the abundant hydroelectric power at Muscle Shoals, the nitrate plants there, thoroughly modernized, could be made to render large service to the farmers. for the fix- atlon of atmospheric nitrogen for ferti« lizer have been developed abroad with marked syccess. The opportunities at Muscle Shoals for a similar development great. If the of foreign ml:‘ureelm olm supply. Y pen m two houses of Congress to * mp};fl: ir difference on the the! ques- Muscle Shoals should be . Government or ‘The w ated—whether = etk by - the L