Evening Star Newspaper, December 3, 1930, Page 8

THE EVENING 'STAR Editien. WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY. .December 8, 1930 THEODORE W. NOYES. ...Editor The Evening Star per Company 1 ivania Ave. i 1 Sand . q‘% 4l b “'.ge-f ‘month ""é:k?m e f the énd of euch menth: m sent 0 by mall or telephone Rate by Mall—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia, %’lnf 19r..$10.00: 1 mo.. 88¢ only . only 1yr. $6.00: 1 mo.. 80c 1yr. 34:00: 1 mo.. 40 Canada. 00: 1 mo.. ufig 00 1 mo.. .00: 1 mo-s to the A 0 u&n‘:fi'&n"'fi.u?‘h?-" e ST s #.,fll (W: ation o ke viso reserved. siirsa The District Budget. ‘The District budget for 1932, sent to Congress today, contains a gratifying number of new school, street and bridge- budget policy adopted by Di- use on the Municipal Center, if and ‘when the compietion of plans, etc., by municipal architect, permits use of money in the fiscal year appro- the tax yleld estimated rates plus last year's sum contribution of $9,- lump sum is, of course, a legislative duty that lies outside the jurisdiction of of the total cost of the Municipal Cen- ter would only be fair. As long as lump sum practice is the accepted practice, and until Congress returns to the self-imposed mandates of an unrepealed statute, the lJump sum should be increased, either on the basis recommended by the Bureau of Effi- clency, which is to take into account the extraordinary amount of expend- {tures occasioned by the fact that this is National Capital, or by singling out special financing those national or semi-national projects, such as the widening of B street and the building of the Municipal Center, the nature of which in simple justice demands an in- crease in the Federal contribution above the 20 to 25 per cent represented in the inelastic Jump sum. e A Proper Course. The Senate yesterday recognized the potency of the credentials issued by a “sovereign State” to its elected repre- sentative. By a vote of 58 to 27 it voted, in effect, to permit James J. Davis to be sworn in as a Senator of the United States, after his credentials of election had been presented in due form. This action by the Senate will be applauded generally. The applause will not, how- ever, indicate that the country approves large expenditures in senatorial cam- paigns, either to win nomination or election. It does mot. But there is a sane manner in which to deal with prob- lems of large expenditure on the part of senatorial candidates, without en- croaching upon the rights of a State to send to the Senate the Senators it may choose at the polls. The Nye Committee, appointed by the Senaté’ to investigate senatorial cam- paign expenditures, has served a useful a 1 THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1930. THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. in our direction, was the report that America had joined the allied powers in informing Germany that, under the treaty of Versallles, she is compelled to disarm, whether her conquerors do 0 or not—as the treaty contemplates that some sunny day, they should. - To that yatn, too, Col. Stimson entered a prompt dementi, after, as it appears, compre- hensibly nervous telephone calls had reached the State Department from the German embassy. ‘Then & trial balloon, involving & third European country, took the air. Its purport was that Italy is seeking a $100,000,000 loan in the United States. ‘This particular rumor doubtless owes its , origin to the fact that Count Volpi, for- mer Italian finance minister, is now in the United States on a financial mission for Italian public utility interests of which he is at the head. The loan bal- loon, as far as Mussolini's government is concerned, was pricked by Ncbile Giacomo de Martino, the Italian Am- bassador at Washington, who categor- ically disclaimed his country’s intentions of borrowing money here. Geneva, where the League of Nations® Disarmament Commission is winding up one of its usual talkfests, is nowadays Europe’s chief source of trial balloons. Ambassador Gibson's presence at the commission session gives rise almost daily to some new and fantastic plan to which he is said to have committed, or to be about to commit, the United States. Geneva's very latest achieve- ment in the realm of diplomatic gasbags is a circumstantial tale of an impending Anglo-American agreement on the free- dom of the seas. This, too, would be important, if true. The trouble is that trial balloons seldom are filled with the hellum of fact. Their usual content is hot air. purpose. It has brought to the atten- tion of the country huge expenditures by some of the candidates who sought office. Doubtless it has acted in other instances as & restraining force upon other large expenditures which might have been made to influence elections this year. When the chairman of the committee, acting presumably with the approval of & mafjority of the commit- tee, yesterday requested Senator Davis to stand aside and not take the oath of office until the committee had more time in which to investigate supple- mental reports of campaign expenditures in the Pennsylvania primary held last Spring, there was an overstepping of the bounds of authority and good judg- ment. ‘To stand aside, as requested by Sen- ator Nye, would have been an admis- sion on the part of Senator Davis that the credentials which had been trans- mitted to the Senate by the Governor of Pennsylvania were in some way un- ‘worthy of credit. It would have been a yielding of th= rights of the State itself. To follow such a course would scarcely Mrs, Keith Miller had a narrow escape as a gale swept the course of her flight and dropped her airplane near the Bahamas. Woman being more courageous in some respects than man, we may expect this sky expert to go on flying regardless of masculine pro- tests that she ought not to force her luck. Denmark has become involved in political controversy relative to its in- ternal affairs. The decision to eliminate battleships with a view to avoiding for- eign entanglements could not go so far as to provide assurance that local dis- sensions would not receive their usual measure of consideration. ————————— As 2 labor leader, Mr. Doak has been active though not identified with the formal procedures of the A. F. of L. As Secretary of Labor it will be his busi- ness to represent the interests of labor as a part of the Nation’s economic force, regardless of established affiliations. ——t—— have been worthy of an elected repre- sentative of that State. The Senate, in the cases of William 8. Vare and Frank L. Smith, elected Senators in Pennsylvania and Illinois, respectively, in 1926, went to the very Hmit of its authority when it denled th | them the right to take the oath of of- Virginia avenue. They divide the cost of this project, which has been linked from the beginning as one of the and equity, the B street. item is in keeping with the law and the Here the District is belng committed to the building of a grand array of monu- mental and costly structures wholly be- hood of $25,000,000. One of the finest and costliest office bufldings in Wash- ington is the Southern Railway Build- ing, erected at a total cost for site and city government, could be erected for less than a fifth of what is going to be spent on the Municipal Center to make it meet the high symboMe standard set for the Federal bulidings. ‘This is not to be interpreted as de- bating the wisdom or attacking the idealism represented in the Municipal Center project. It does show the utter inconsistcney, the inequitable point of view and the increased burdens to local taxpayers that result from the hap- hazard method of financing the Capital under the iniquitous lump sum method. It emphasiz:s the duty of Congress to recognize the specific semi-national nature of the Municipal Center project by appropriate legislation that will commit the Federal Government to & fair share of the cost. Representative Simmons of Nebraska has introduced a construction, the sum of $5,000,000. But in arriving at the total Federal contri- bution toward the Municipal C:nter, the balance should be struck between this sum _plus some amount representing the normal cost of an adequate addition to house the growing agencles of the government and the total Municipal Center when com- balance would excess cost to cost of the pleted. Tepresent payers is the Na tribution of fice. At the time the Senate had be- fore it reports from a former Slush Fund Committee headed by for- Senator Reed of Missouri, stat- ing that excessive sums had been expended in their primary cam- paigns. The reports had been submit- ted in advance of the appearance of the Senators-elect. In effect, charges had been made against these Senators by a duly constituted committee of the Sen- ate. Yesterday, when Mr. Davis pre- sented himself to take the oath of of- fice, nothing had been submitted to the Senate charging him with excessive ex- penditures, although at the same mo- ment Chairman Nye read to the Senate a special report setting forth a state- By observing the recent career of James J. Davis, Mrs. Ruth McCormick may get an approximate idea of how much anxiety she would have had to experience had she been elected to the United States Senate. i st ‘The expert accountant in politics used to devote his calculations to campaign prophecy. Now he finds far more elab- orate figuring required to get data about the sums expended in a campaign. b Intimations that New York capital contemplates practical ownership of car lines in Washington, D. C., may en- courage famnt hopes that the New York custom of a nickel carfare may yet be locally established. —————— Having “stormed the Capitol,” the so- called Communists did not create enough storm to destroy hopes based on predictions that it will be a mild Winter. ————————— ment of expenditures in the Pennsyl- vania primary. Mr. Davis has been seated. It is entirely proper that the committee of the Senate continue its inquiries into the primary election in Pennsylvania and if it discovers that the Davis nomination was the result of fraud or purchase by excessive expenditures of money, to report the facts to the Senate. That body is always able to deal with cases of illegal elections of its members, whether the accused mem- bers have been seated or not. Admittedly large sums of money were expended in the Pennsylvania primary last Spring. It is generally understood that the great bulk of this money was thrown into the campaign to nominate a Governor and other State officials, rather than to nominate Mr. Davis. Doubtless the Senate committee and the Senate itself will bear this fact in mind in the determination of the case in the future. ——————— Men who have been meeting in the United States Capitol for years form strong friendships. They display ag- gressive eloquence in differences of opinion, but leave any truly tempera- mental asperities to the general popu- lace that does not understand how voting can be taken otherwise than seriously. Trial Balloons. European diplomacy has undergone many changes of trend and method since the World War, but in one notable | respect the leopard has not changed its spots. 1t is still addicted to sending up I trial balloons. In less aeronau ical lan- guage, trial balloons mean the practice 16' governmenis—in this case, forcign ‘omces»—ln launching suggestions for the sole purpose of observing their effect abroad. If the eflect is gcod, the sug- gestions usually eventuat: in definite projects. If they are mot coidially re- ceived, the sugge:tions are unceremo- miously dropped. During the past week half a dozen of these trial balloons have been in the air, each of them headed in the direction of the United States. Secretary Stimson counted that day lost whose low de- scending sun witnessed no puncturing denial by the State Department done. ‘The most Interesting balloon ascension was in Paris. There, under M. Tardleu’s highly official auspices, a proposal was made that France and the United States Ishould ally themselves, as the world's two nrincipal “gold powers,” to place an embargo on future loans to foreign gov- emments that might use the money for “non-productive,” ie., military expan- 1 sion, purpsses. Washington knows no‘h- ing of such a Franco-American scheme, and, of course, would not become a party to anything of the sort, even the tax-|though both the Coolidge and Hoover occasioned by the ! administrations practically laid down such a policy for the United States. Another Buropean trial balloon, aimed ing. A lame duck cannot fly; and, in fact, does not desire to do so. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Change in the Country Store. I think upon the days of yore ‘When in the good old country store ‘The words of wisdom we would hear ‘With now and then a song of cheer. A touch of hunger no one knew, For we had cheese and crackers too, But that was several years ago Before they got a radio. We give attention most profound As words of wiser men resound. Our gift of eloquence and song And now put back where they belong, ‘While men accounted truly great Instruct the people of the State. We simply keep the fire aglow And listen to the radio. Approaching an Agreement. “I have forgotten more about states- manship than you ever knew,” said | the rude visitor. “I don't know how much you knew in the first place,” answered Senator Sorghum; “but there is no doubt in my | mind about your having forgotten it.” Jud Tunkins says he is sorry Einstein couldn't bring his violin along because | he believes he would have enjoyed that | more than his theory. Ineffectual Power. Money becomes a force, they say, When energy is great or small; The dollar we keep hid away Is just the same as none at all. Taking No Chances. | “Why did you refuse an offer to go into moving pieturcs?” 0 on,” sald Miss Cayenne, “imagining what a great star I might have been, rather than risk realiz ng what a flop I actually was.” “ “Men who were truly great centuries 2go,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “are not esteemed s great as the pa- | tient scholar who succeeds in spelling out their names on old monuments.” Obstruetionist. Thought can't be successfully led By one with words direct, Whose speech is largely limited ‘To saying. “I object.” “Unemployment,” said Uncle Eben, “is a word dat ain’ g'ineter fool nobody if you tries to use it to _disguise plain loafin".” ———— Suggestion Inspires Thought. | the wealth, Just how this", is arrived at we do not know: Just how such gen- eralities get into circulation is some- thing of a mys a Take the statement, which once had wide credence, that there are more tiger-striped house cats in Washington than any place else in the United States. Such a statement .is impossible to prove, since there is no feline census. Perhaps it arose in th¢ mind of some bold writer who believad it, and who wrote it. Once written, it was accepted by others, who found it easier and more pleasing to keep it in cirfulation than to attempt to disprove it. . As a matter of fact, therp are certain sections of ‘his city, whith we once passed through daily on a bus, where black and white cats far outnumber all other types. Probably scme worthy sire once in- habited the neighborhood who strongly marked his offspring. At any mate, one sees black and white cats sitting all hunkered up on doorsteps, slee] calmly in windowsills out of dogs’ way, or taking their lives in their paws as they cross streets. e e Generalities always are dangerous, yet they offer a great temptation, both to writers and speakers. ‘There is something satisfying, sooth- ingl,‘in a broad statement which lumps things off. With a good generality there is no hemming or hawing, no going around in circles, or beating around the pro- verbial bush. A generality permits one to make a point, and, what is more, to make it with vigor. Writers, as a rule, are less inclined to make them than speakers, for they must put the thing down in al‘nck and white, where it stares up at em. It stares up at the reader, too. ‘The speaker, on the other hand, can say in flowing numbers what he be- lieves, as a broad assumption which seems to include all mankind, and, un- less his hearers are unusually astute, the re d that he will “get away with it.” word “‘general” means completely or approximately universal, including or affecting all, c= nearly all, parts. A gen- erality means the applicability to a whole class of instances. Alexander must have had the generality in mind when he wrote that “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” A generality, about anything, is danger- ous, largely use it s, in most cases, an untruth, or at least not proved. Mostly the generality is untrue be- cause it is arrived at so easily—and so hastily. Man is by nature inclined to jump to conclusions. Let him happen to notice three or four red-headed women, immediately he proclaims that “there are more red- l';:rlded girls in Washington than ‘ever ore.” The truth may be that there are, by actual count, a thousand fewer red- heads this year than last, but just be- cause he happened to see three or four of them in a row, he generalizes on his' findings. * ok x % ‘The more sweeping a generality is,; as a general thing, the more pleasing it is to the one who proclaims it. A short the verld'-‘hen loved slogans are mere more inexperienced & person is, the surer he is to fall for generalizing. Nor is this to be wondered ;t..‘ The xu M&d knows—for he has e 'nce—that few men posse the x.fifuu for proving what they say. To make sweeping generalities is easy simply because no one can prove that what one says is wrong. It works both ways. If it is difficult to prove that your generality is so, it is even harder to_prove that it is not so. Politics and legislation are a fertile field for generalities. Whole campaigns are based on statements which later prove to be little more than words. If to err is human, so is making generalities. It is difficult—nay, imj sible—to resist the to make a generality, for all of us are truth- seekers, in the last analysis. And the earnest, ioned man who may be wrong, but who thinks he ::e s':!ux;‘ghthe trut.h,u:aurvu ourhre- ct. perhaps true (and we this is not a mere generality) ng: some of the greatest achievements among men have resulted from gener- alities which are suspiciously incapable of proof. Well, what difference does it make, after all? Results are what count, in many instances, and happily for man- kind it little matters whether they are arrived at through the truth or through & mistaken assumption of truth. ‘There is a Greater Truth, after all, in most matters in which man is in- terested. Oftentimes this escapes the most earnest advocates, to be discovered by & humble seeker, Sometimes the loudest shouter is found to be the farthest off the track, ‘whereas the man who says nothing but wood” arrives at the exact who “saws truth long in advance of his fellows. * % ok % ‘The generality, the broad assumption, usually fools no one, because even the least critical hearer discounts it. We are a canny crew, we human be- ings, and hundreds and hundreds of years have taught us not to believe all that we hear or read. Whole sections of us, as reasoning creatures, work on the opposition plan— that is, we instinctively question every- thing we hear and tend to . ‘This is why the word “criticize” comes to have a universal meaning of finding fault. “I'm mnot criticizing you.” some one says, when all the time that is what he is doing. He means that he is not fault just to be finding fault. But the latter is exactly what is n essary in a world such as ours, whe geperalities often fly the flag of Truth. and make claims which should be left to God Almighty. ‘The critic is he who knows the fail- ure of generalities, and is not afraid to point them out. He, in his turn, may be mistaken, but at least he has caused the thoughtless to stop, look and listen. The critic has a high function to per- form. As all men who endeavor to stem the unthinking tids of thoughtless thought—which must be carefully dif- ferentiated from thoughtful thought— he_runs a risk. But life itself is a risk—that is why it 48 so interesting, perhaps. He who risks all sometimes gains all, except when he loses all. The critic must take his chances, along with the rest of us. He helps to keep the generality in its look over history shows that many of' WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. On her trial spin in the Senate yes- terday, U. S. 8. Co-operation sprang several significant leaks. The attempti of Skipper Robinson of Arkansas to keep the Democratic mempbers of thes crew at their post of harmonious duty! was not a glittering success. Nineteen | of them stood with Senator Robinson and the Republican majority in favor of seating Senator-elect Davis of Penn- sylvania. Seventeen Democrats ignored their Steering Committee’s steer and voted to keep Davis on the waiting list. Of course, if Senate Democratic strength is similarly or approximately so divided when other administration propositions are at stake, the Repub- licans will enjoy all the co-operative help they need. Some authorities think Robinson’s refusal to march with the Norris ives is of .greater emen than the unwillingness of many Demo- cratic Senators to pull administration chestnuts out of the congressional fire. ‘The two-fisted Arkansan is likely ere many hours to find himself a storm center within the ranks of his own co- horts. All the ingredients for a mutiny against his leadership are at hand. * % % x Senator “Dave” Reed and Senator “Jim” Davis of Pennsylvania claspe hands fervently and smiled soulfully as the camera man “shot” them for publi- cation, yet all and sundry know that one of these days there'll have to be a reapportionment of the situation where- by both Keystone solons hail from Pittsbuigh. Practically for the fir: time Pennsylvania is now represented N the Senate by two men from the wastern end of the State. Philadelphia has no liking for that condition. If Mr. Vare continues to boss the ahow where the Delaware and the Schuylkill converge, he may be expected to apply remedial measures as soon as possible, Senator Reed is said to contemplate re- tiremeut from Capitol HUl with' equa- nimity, provided he is appointed Amer- ican Ambassador to Great Britain. If and jvhein Gen. Dawes tires of life at King" Geoxge’s court Reed ranks 8s an | avowed caindidate for the job. He has wife to fill it\capably. PR Another of Uncle Sam's diplomatic hens home to 1post on leave is Abra- ham C. Ratshesky, American Minister to Czechoslovakia. ¢‘Cap” Ratshesky, as he is familiarly knowa! in Boston, whe:e he has long been actiw* in the financial and philanthropic woyp'ds, is now in ‘Washington checking up Wwith the State Department on our relakons with the Prague government, While in Massa- chusetts last month M3 Ratshesky made a couple of speeches for his old friend William M. Butler. The Bay State business man-diplomat Jfor years has been a crony of Calvin &'oolidge. While the Vermonter was in Eaiton as a State officlal Ratshesky was ¢Cal's clzcest counselor on all affairs, ' and private, which involved d | for the purpose. charm, the skill and the | Dropel;‘&lsca which is the seat of the intere: g but unproved. in | among farmers. He is at present the Far West and is interesting big audiences of dirt farmers throughout the wild jackass regions in his conocep- tion of agriculture’s future, * ok ok One of the former members of the Senate who exercised his eternal floor; privilege this week was Walter E. Edge of New Jersey, American Ambassador to France. He turned up for the Davis debate and the reading of President Hoover’s message. Before settling him- self in ope of the cozy corners of the chamber the debonair Ambassador was the center of a buzzing group of old senatorial cronies. Edge drove to the Hill in a squiffy new automobile with a license tag that made the Capitol cops scratch their . ‘They'd never seen anything Nke it before. It was about a foot square, with a series of white letters on a field of brown. They - and no number was ry of the chauffeur dt:e- ignation for “corps diplomatiqus he couldn't clear up the “RD. Ambassador bought the car the other day in Atlantic City and affixed the tag, which he'd brought over from Paris . ‘The buggy will ac- company him back to Paris this month. E R “Tom” Shipp, who once was a Wash- ington newspaper correspondent and private secretary to Albert J. Beveridge | and is now ‘one of the barons of the | publicity racket, gave a unique beefsteak dinner one night this week. A client of | Shipp’s is one of the big Chicago pack- ing firms. As a token of special esteem, they notified “Tom” they were sending him the finest steak ever hacked from the side of a cow. In order that it might not deteriorate in _ordinary transit, it was dispatched to Washing- ton by airplane. “Tom's” guests found | the steak all it was carved up to be, and | big enough for a regiment. * ok % Senator Robert J. Bulkley, Democrat, | of Ohilo, gets most of the limelight in | the newly convened Upper House. For | [ -shouldered husky, over 6 feet tall, the man who rode into office on the crest of the recent Buckeye wet wave turns out to possess a voice almost | as gentle as a woman's. (Copyright. 1980.) Convict Labor In U. S. Highway Work Is Cited | To the Editor of The Star: | In your paper of November 27, 1930, page A-8, second column, third para- graph, you express an opinion in .Emmcgn the second sentence, that needs The sentence is a follows: “The embargo applies to goods turned out by convict hands in any country.” To which should be ad ‘Except Freguently between 1923 and 1929 and Mrs. Ratshesky were White guests. Hous® il Speaker Longworth, who counts just as many pals on the Democratic side of the House aisle as he does among his fellow Republicans, is the incessant butt of good-natured razzing about the pre- cariousness of his existence cn the rostrum after March 4. “It depends entirely upon God,” says Nick, in all seriousness and in all truth, for upon the question whether death or iliness robs either party of its full strength on any given day depends the political | 4, complexion of the House organization. If Providence does také away a mem- ber or two between now and the assem- | bling of the enty-second Congress, Nick makes no bones about hoping that the bereavement will occur in a district which went Democratic last month, but in which the Republicans normally win. * * ok X Arrangements are under way for a joint session of the Senate and House Committees on Agriculture, at the end ), the famous Ir/ ' writer and painter, will appear. “AE is now Fiom the St. Louls Times. Missouri is to lose three Congress- men and California is to gain nine, | the which will be when we are a loss for us iecturing in the United States on rural life and the desirability of aric.iing mad march of met ,ilanism before the country wholly suiienders to the town. Russell is an eathu | remedy at which Ge: ge William | ded, |ours.” For example: The Baltimore | Boulevard beyond Hyattsville to Laurel | was canstructed this Summer. Any one ng the size of the job would jump » the conclusion that it certainly must | fix Dish employment to a number of idle hands. 1t did. But the idle hands | thatt found occupation in building the road, in the vicinity of Hyattsv at least, % ‘ere the hands of convicts, with a few exceptions. The foreman and, I understaa 4. the few men gt the concrete mixers wen'® not convicts. These were white menm, The colored workers I talked witlz were from a reformatory up the road. | Their pay was 50 cents n‘ y. This s nof & complaint from a “workingman” w10 might have secured a job. R. U. MacDUFF. — s Also Cn]m?\ the Nerves. From the Fort Wayne 1%s Ws-Sentinel. It's & ce world. Scarcely does the nation-wide anti-noise campaign get under way than we @re informed that celery is -an excclent practical for rheumatism. —————— % —— “Ham” Lewis ‘Inflwe,ce. From the Jackson Citizen Patriot. It is said that whiskers are'\ coming back into po;ruhrity this year 1t the University of Kentucky. "We &ould exponent of the co-operati.e mcvement ink they would be quite a haid) Cap, to the quarterback. Urges World Center Campaign for D. C. To the Editor of The Star: Beldom has a matter of such weight been covered so briefly as was done by your correspondent, Willlam A. Ryan, in his eight-line letter of last Wed- nesday on a proposed “United States of ;l!\ewwofld." wu!:el;g;wnd by the city In Mln'.h.n“lm. ‘The Sunday Star printed an article of mine on this sub- Ject, and since then the idea has been treated from many a A monu- mental work was p Christian Andersen of Rome, Italy, in the year 1913, entitled “A World Cen- ter of Communication,” the prepara- tion and printing of which is sald to have cost well-nigh one million dol- lars. ‘Three ponderous volumes are on deposit in the division devoted to rare books in the Library of Congress. This is the English edition, and others are said to have been published in French and Italian. “This amazing work, gotten up in the best style of the printing art, goes into detall as to what such a world center must be. There are imposing designs for an international bank or clearing house, & temple of religions, interna- tional court of justice, of arts, sciences, industries, agriculture, sports, etc. A “Fountain of Life” is a prom- inent feature, as is also the great “Tower of " looming many tundreds of feet into the air, and there are many commercial museums and exhibition buildings and a “Palace of Congresses.” The author remarks in his introduction that “the more rapidly the creation of a world center of com- munication can be pushed forward by public agitation the more swiftly and surely must a true means be found for establishing peace.” The economic fea- tures of such a center are dealt with at length by Prof. Jeremiah W. Jenks of Cornell University, a well known authority on the subject. In the year 1912 a serious effort Was made by certain parties in the Nationai Capital to launch a “world- ‘Washington” movement, and the Board of Commissioners at the time appunted a_committee of 100 members to look after the local interests, while lead- ing financial and other authorities, as well as governors and commercial or- ganizations in most of the States, re- sponded favorably to invitations to par- ticipate in its fulfillment. The fact seemed to be realized by American peo- ple as well as a number of the diplo- matic representatives here time had arrived for such a develop- ment and that Washington was the logical world center of communication. Lack of means and leadership caused failure of the movement, ‘Were it not for the natural human tendency to jealousy and suspicion there mi be a fighting chance for ‘Washington to realize this dazzling goal. 1t is possible that with a “United States of the World” and its center at Wash- ington, designed on lines following the dream of Andersen, picturing the most daring coneeption of achievement since John of Patmos dipped his pen in fire, | ebon blackness and rainbow dews and wrote the “Revelations” a new era would dawn upon mankind, and that wars, panics and evils of kinds would disappear or be remedied to a great extent. There is plenty of money, plenty to eat and wear in the world and enough honest work to keep all able-bodied people busy, and what is most ‘needed is knowledge and under- standing of principles and conditions. A world clearing house at Washington would have a better chance of ful- filling this purpose than any other con- ceivable institution on the planet. Our course in the World War and in all public and international matters has been such as to create practically uni- versal confidence in our good faith. The political lines of countries have heretofore been written in human blood; possibly enough of that precious fluid has been spilled to enable a “United States of the World” to be established. I€ so, there is only ome imaginable center for such a world unit—Washington, D. C.—and 1032 is good time to start the ball rolling. Y S. PERI Hard Times Traced To Injustice to Some To the Editor of The Star: 1 thank you for printing the able and interesting letter of Mr. F. Giaich and him for writing it. But he misunderstands the single- tax position. o Countless millions of men have lived without money. No man ever lived without land. Labor applied to land creates all wealth. This goes to land as rent, to capital as interest or profit and to labor as wages. ‘When one of these three factors gets an undue portion the others get less than they should. fiAnd therein is the root cause of hard mes. Where land is free and no capital used, the entire product goes to labor. Where capital assists, it gets interest or_profit. ‘Where land is owned and rent arises, wages are fixed by what labor can earn on the best land open to it without paying rent, ‘Where accessible land is all monop- olized, advancing rents absorb a con- stantly increasing portion of the prod- uct. This reduces both wages profits. Where land values are highest, as in New York and London, there exist, eide by side, flaunting luxury and piteous destination. Thers gunmen lurk in the shadow of churches, starvation stalks amid full granaries, abject poverty exists where the few are surfeited. Rents rise till stores and factories are forced to close; unemployment arises, though there has been no ecrease in productive power or in po- tential demand; but increasing rents | devour both wages and profits and men anxious to work face enforced idleness and the horrors of hard times. Land values increase as population increases, as new inventions multiply human powers, as there is improvement in morals, transportation and govern- ment. ‘The cure, and the only cure, for un- employment and these recurring pe- riods of depression—far more horrible and more destructive than even war— is to take in taxation these increas- ing land values, which are created by 1l the people, and abolish all other 2 | taxes. All other taxes punish thrift, indus- try and enterprise, prevent production and retard recovery from hard times. | Let us stop punishing men more severely for planting orchards or building chicken houses than for rob- bing either. This remedy merely takes for the common uses of the community the values which the community itself creates and leaves to every individual all that he earns. Briefly, hard times are due to injustice—to permitting some to take what others earn, The only remedy for injustice is to! ‘WILL do justice. ATKINSON. Theatrical Producers Get Bishop’s Warning From the Los Angeles Evening Express. ‘Theatrical producers the country over will do well to give serious thought to the warning by Bishop Manning of New York that if there is not an im= mediate house-cleaning from within there will be from without which will put an end to thev‘orgy of filth, de- generacy and corruption” on the stage. The bishop spoke at the memorial serv- ices of the Episcopal Actors’ Guild, thus giving his warning first-hand. There is menace to public taste and public morals in the plays of the kind that have become -'‘ogether too common, those of “dull, disproportionate and in. artistic_dwelling upon matters of sex,’ which Bishop Manning says are a sin against art as well as against decency and God. While there are less of such pms in Los Angeles than New qurk still there are more than enough them hare, ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. it gives free on . Often, to be accurately is to be beyond the need of advice, advice may not be. this serv- ice be sure to write clearly, state your inquiry briefly and inclose 2-cent stamp for reply postage. Address The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. Q. Will Bobby Jones be barred now from playing in the big golf tourna- ments?—G. H. A. Mr. Jones has announced his re- tirement from tournament play because his acceptance of a motion picture con- tract might lead to a questioning of his status as en amateur. The question of his being barred would not be decided unless he scught to enter an amateur tournament. He can, of course, play in any open tournament. nor would that necessarily constitute him a professional unless he accepted a prize in event of winning. Q. What is the extent of the forest lands in Brazil>—L. K. J. A. Brazil has a forest area of ap- proximately one billion acres. . What is the highest price ever paid for & painting by an American artist”’—R. T. Y. Records in private sales are not complete. The highest price ever paid at a public sale for a painting by ar American artist was $29,000, which Samuel Waldo's portrait of Andrew Jackson brought last year. Q. Who finished the Washington Monument?—J. G. C. A. Gen. George W. Davis was the engineer who completed the Washing- ton Monument. The total cost was $1,187,710.31. Of this, $300,000 was raised’ by individual free-will offerings and the remainder was aj ted by Congress. DQS. WhmA was the harp first used?— 'A. The exact date has not been de- termined, but there are records of the harp prior to 3000 BC. body. However, wearing quality of Q. Some years ago I heard a humor- ous story about Theodore Roosevelt’s falling down in an attempt at a recita- tion in school. Can you refresh my memory?—R. E. W, A. Perhaps you refer to the New York Bun's story it Rooseveit's attempt to recite “Marco Bozzaris.” Roosevelt got as far as “Greece, her knees——" when his memory faled him. He re peated in a louder voice, “Greece, her knees——" and again stopped. The teacher, after a second cr two, came to his rescue with the suggestion, “Grease her knees once more, Theodore; per- haps she’ll go then.” Q. Please tell me why there is no lift on the wings of an airplane when it is in a 90-degree banked turn.—H. T. T. A. When an 2irplane is on a 90-degree banked turn in a bank. there is no lift upward on the wing. There is a lift inward toward the center of the There is some speculation as to an alternative to prohibition which might be found if the country were sufficiently imy the vote of the Am% a“;&‘"‘ 5 ‘:'s“uquua in comment, but query is s en! the resuit is looked upon as offering an important contribution from 8 pro- fession which deals with law. Three- quarters of the membership of the asso- ciation participated in the vote, which showed 13,779 to 6,340 in favor of repeal. ‘The announcement is accepted by the Times-Picayune as “ most important block of evidence as to the land’s wishes in the matter that has thus far been presented.” That paper holds that “certainly the legal protes- sion cannot be accused of business self- interest in its attitude, for one of the unchallengeable facts arising from the prohibition effort has been the tre- mendous congestion it in our courts, thro“gu::l multiplication of law violations. & professional standpoint,” continues the Times- Picayune, “there will be, indeed, much ‘moaning at the bar of justice when the dry ship puts out to sea, as put she will when other professions and groups show the same courage of their convictions.” “So intelligent & group as the Ameri- iation,” advises the New- usefulness by help ternatives from which the most effective method of r_regulation can be 'he News feels that this group “is in close contact with human tions. Pointing .to the training of the mem- and | bers of the bar, which causes them to lly susceptible to the force of the legalistic arguments which, on the anti-prohibition side, have magnified the nce of the doctrine of State rights, the liberties of the individual and most of all the questionableness of placing in the fundamental law a sumptuary decree,” the Hartford Times also urges that the association address itself to the finding cf a solu- tion which, in the public mind, “would real | give some practical promise of hrlngins about an alternative constitutiona! amendment.” * ok Kk “The bar poll suggests,” according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, “the de- sirability of a nation-wide referendum on the question. In the last analysis, the suceess or failure of any law depends on the measure of ‘g:bl!c approval which it commands. If rank and file believe rohibition, their view will prevail in the long run. If, on the other hand, the eighteenth amendment and the Volstead act are widely regarded as un- wise and unsound, they can never be effectively enforced. Polls of special groups, like straw votes preceding po- litical electicns, may indicate a trend, but they fail, also like the straw vote, | to reach enough people to reflect clearly what the majority is thinking.” The Rockford M?}ng Star concludes: “The poll is simply a judgment by a group of professional men on an existing law. It is an important judgment, however, bacause its cource is in the profession from which most of our legislators come.” “An interesting speculation” is pre- Baltimore Sun “as to wyers of the country might have done to stay the country from embarking upon the prohibition experi: ment, which has proved so tragic a fail- ure, if they had thrown their weight in the various States against the proposal.” Recalling that “the great majority were hands off,” the Sun concludes that the 1 present attitude “should mean that the | effort being made to return control of ‘This bureau does not give advice, but | circle, however, information wmb—lo lormed , and information is always valuable, whereas | words, the plane A. It is estimated that the average individual consumes 1,355 pounds of food in a year. Q. How many copies of McGuffey's nm‘mmmmm?—- T. P A. Estimates range from 70,000,000 to 80,000,000 and upward. The American Book Co. officials combined sales of McGuffey's Readers, Primers and Spelling-bcoks between 1836 and 1920 at 122,000,000. Q. Where was BSarah Bernhardt buried?—F. A. B, A. She died in Paris, March 27, 1923, at the ©f 78. Her funeral service 6. Prancols Q. How does Germany rank in po- tential military power?—G. S. A. The total military man-power of Germany is estimated at 8,700,000 Four nations rank ahead of her in actual number of soldiers available. The e of military man-power of Germany as compared with the pop= ulation is 13.73 per cent. Sixteen na- tions rank ahead of in per- centage of military man-power. Q. How many homes in the United ifl:m are wired for electricity?—H. D. A. The total number of homes for electricity in the United States in 1929 was 19,012,664. There are 24,351,~ 676 homes in the United State: Q. How long does it take a ship to thro the Panama Cal A. 1t Takes trom 10 1o 33 hours' 15 Tiis Wt D mfl:muh ki e time of passa e is three hours, & off the roots of the hairs, which grow deeper than the fur. The hairs are then pulled out, and the fur, originally & rusty brown, is dyed black, the process requiring seven dippings. these processes are trade secrets, and they require great care and Experi- and work at bles the value of the skin. In a series of words should the ‘once dou- the | J nature,” as an element in its qualifica~ | ge Q word before the “and” be followed by & comma?—A. E. D. A. When a series of nouns, ad- verbs or adjectives precedes the com- junction “and,” the last adjective, ad- verh or noun before the conjunction is separated from the conjunction by & comma. Dagiero By, B, "%.o It has an enrollment of about Bar Members’ Wet Verdict Studied as Voice of Experts handling of its most pressing social problem.” In the extent to which the members of the association v the tical merits and demerits.” “This is no hurried verdict,” in the t of the Providence Journal, Tt nts the calm conclusion of most of our one the learned profes- slons, & profession intimately concerned, not only with the practice but with the results of the law, and eager for the maintenance of orderly conditions throughout the Republic. The la of the country are well to reach a sensible decision in such a mat- ter, and their wisdom in declaring themselves by 80 overwh a ma- against the amendment cannog v }m » of Jority .\t of the hon b5 non-voting 25 per cent,” gl the (i‘l:ehn Daily mmfimfl-‘ deratio) purely essional questions, a view we are very glad is not shared by mnjortty‘ of the bar accepts its larger responsibility ¢ b- lic lgadershlpnln the field o’k ova ment the administration of law, a Serloanty Sy e post. legae pay u prestige of the profession and ref: a service the Nation greatly needs rightly expects from it.” The Columbus Ohio State Journal ull!lutgzn\'%t: one that “i ts the concl 8 representative group of thinking Americans.” ? Sets French Conservatism Above Fascist Radicalism From the Indianspolis Star. 1t is reassuring to note the supremacy of conservative sentiment for peace in France in comparison with the militant tirades of Premier Mussolini in Italy and the radical nationalism of Fascist groups in Austria and Germany. The French Parliament has shown a cred- itable desire to abjure petty politics in behalf of a constructive diplomatic and financial program. Attacks have been launched against the Tardieu regime, but the Premier and his Ministers have been sustained in all formal votes of confidence. This showing is remarkable in view of the frequent predictions that M. Bfl;ndm b :lheml’renclh Foreign Minister, woul A survive growing political opposition. Criticism resulted in the resignation of the FPinance Minister, but with that exception the Tardieu cabinet seems fairly well intrenched. It is French sentiment for peace which has upheld M. Briand at a time when Fascist gains and Italian threats are adding to the difficulties of the dis- armament conferees at Geneva. The French Foreign Minister’s pro= posal to create a United States of Eu- conservative circles. part; were somewhat tightly drawn whe.: the Chamber of Deputies proceeded to & vote of confidence, the Foreign Minister emerged with a personal triumph. One of the Deputies paid him a tribute in ¢ “You will | the liquor question to the States, where it belongs, will have the vigorous sup- port of the organization, and with a ?el?nlte program to make its influence The lawyers who expressed their op- to tion are declared by to be “plainly of the opinion that the amendment is an intrusion of tion in the organic law, and that its attempted en- 1 t is & detriment and a danger to all law.” The Transcript holds that % “their opinion i& worthy to be heeded.” § » k¥ Not th ‘they saymothing regard- ing tl 1nfiutur: of substiti ‘mperance le on, if a Press continues: ly general one, but it more forceful on thay sccountys SR AT | R 18 | been cut. lmn’:.‘! For Whom? From the Columbus Ohlo State Journal. Although fines mh:x ‘have running a -unwndn-t_ ) 3