Evening Star Newspaper, September 1, 1931, Page 8

T HE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 198y, Y. - N — s e R e ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C TUESDAY. ....September 1, 1831 . Editor THEODORE W. NOYES. " st s . New York Office: 110 E: 42nd 8t. T Cake Michigan Bullding. EhIC e Bfice L4 mrgent AL Londons Enslaud. Rate by Carrier Within the City. ... 43¢ per month 60c per month | 65¢ per month | gy | - l‘:.h;nlflllf or telephone NAtional Rate by Mall—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. $10.00: 1 mo., 85¢ Baily and Sunday. $8.00; § ma’ 20¢ i 5 Bidayony " 00: 1 mo., 40c | All Other States cnd Canada. Datly and Sunds: Rully only - nday only . Member of the Associated Press. | Press 1s exclusively ectitied Thve Ve Tor Fepubication of ail news dis- | hes credited to it or not othewise cred- b the ,ocal news | Red Rerein of Bublication cf | Sispatch $1.00 H 8¢ mo’. $5.00: 1 mo.. and also ] All right herein clso 1eserved. An International Mortgage. ! On the eve of the annual assembly of the League of Nations at Geneva, an- other ingenious European scheme for preservation of world peace is broulhc; forth. It emanates from Joseph Paul | Boncour, chairman of the Forelgn Af- | {airs Committee of the French Cham- | ber of Deputles. e proposes that the | armed forces of every natior. s placed | unreservedly at the disposal of the League of Nations to put down wars of aggression. Under the Boncour plan the League Council would exercise “an international mortgage” on the forces of all countries in the event of a war erisis. The sovereignty of each of them would automatically vanish and the con- trol of their respective destinies trans- | ferred, horse, foot and dragoons, to the | super-state headquartered at Geneva. It is only twelve years ago that the selfsame issue, though not quite as, concretely stated, was threshed out and, as far as the United States is concern- ed, flattened out in the Senate at| Washington. There were other rea- sons why that body, disregarding the | fervent counsel of President Wilson, de- | termined to “break the heart of th world” by refusing to ratify the treaty | of Versailles. But the governing and all-influential reason was the unwilling- ness of the Senate to wipe out the con- stitutional right of the Congress of the United States to say when the Repub- M should, or should not, go to war. Al year later, at the presidential election | of 1920, the American people by an overwhelming majority approved the ac- tion of the Senate in rejecting the League covenant. M. Boncour is to be one of France's “Rockville Pike,” as Wisconsin avenue|a compromise between the first proposal, lis still popularly known, habitation is|which was for a closed season, and for ifor the greater distance to the county |other suggestions that would have ef- seat of Montgomery County virtually|fected minor limitations on the season | continuous, Steadily the construction |or on the bag. The Blological Survey of dwellings continues and in & very|threw out the original suggestion of few years this entire stretch will be |closing the season altogether. There occupled, with only a few vacant spaces | were many protests, generally based on of land included in large estates. the effect on employment that would Underground construction for the |resuit from closing the season. Thou- burial of all wires is most cheaply to|sands of guides, boatmen, owners of | be made now, while the ssction is com- ! blinds, etc,, would be thrown out of | paratively open. The ideal of city plan- | work, and the loss to retall dealers in | ners, and, in fact, of all wire-using cor- | arms and ammunition was figured as t porations, 1s the laying of condulis in |high as $50,000,000. But nothing much { which the conductors can be most read-| was said about the ducks. And con- {ly reached and from which they can be effectively connected for house serv- ice. Eventually all wires will be thus {1aid. It is perhaps even now within the contemplation of the' telephone com- ! pany to proceed to the study of this matter with the view of a continua- tion of the conduits from the District area all the way out to the limit of local ! management jurisdiction. Such a project ' and hoped that there was no com- is desirable from all points of view. Tco Many Directors. The director general of the United States Employment Service having lost his job in this period of widespread un- employment, chief interest centers in the reason. While the candid exchange of compliments between the resigning Francis I. Jones and the Secretary of Labor indicates a long standing dispute over policies, one believes the explana- tion lies even nearer the surface. It is a self-evident fact that when an or- ganization is headed by a “director general,” who, in turn, is headed by a “supervising director,” something is go- ing to snap from the sheer weight of titles alone. Mr. Jones took over the director gen- eralship of the United States Employ- ment Service in 1921. He takes full advantage, in his pointed letter of resig- nation, of the now ironical fact that his services during the ten years of his incumbency were held to be eminently satisfactory. Ope of the explanations of the President’s veto of the Wagner bills, which would have set up substi- tute employment agencles for the estab- lished service, was the fact that “if I would prevent a serious blow to labor during this crisis, I should not approve the bill,” which, “unfortunately abolishes the whole of the well developed Federal Employment Service,” and Secretary of Labor Doak informed the President that “the existing employment service Is fortunately in possession of funds with which to carry forward the work in which it has been efficiently engaged and which assure that the interest of the wage earners will be well protected.” ‘The row which has culminated in the Tesignation, by request, of Mr. Jores presumably had its inception when Mr. | Doak appointed John R. Alpine to the office of supervising director, and in- structed him to carry out new policies. In his letter of resignation Mr. Jones mentions his inability consclentiously to carry out some of these policies. The y e principal delegates at the 1932 @eneral|, .y 000 upshot of the affair is the disarmament conference at Geneva. In servation is supposed to be applied scientifically, regardless of economic consequences. It is fair to presume that the Blological Survey recommended the step finally ordered by the President after due consideration of the neces- |sity for more drastic measures of pro- tection for the ducks. It is to be trusted promise because of economic conditions. ‘There can be no successful policy of conservation if it must be linked with the immediate economic effects. The “economic effects” would win every time. —oe— Mr. Rover Decides. United States Attorney Rover has set at rest all discussion of who will pre- sent the police cases to the grand jury and possibly prosecute them in court by announcing that he will do it him- self. This is the courageous decision, made in the face of the reasonable alternative choice of action that lay in | the oppostenity to request that the De- partment of Justice assign a special prosecutor. Under the circumstances Mr. Rover would have been amply justi- fled in adopting that alternative course. It would have immediately removed his office from any taint of suspicion of partiality toward the police, no matier how unjust such suspicion would be, and, in view of the fact that the De- partment of Justice already has taken over the Investigating work, would merely have completed the steps to re- move the matter entirely from local hands. Mr. Rover presumably argued that if he is not capable of conducting his part of the investigation he is not capable of holding his present office. He can count in advance upon the sup- port of the community in his fulfill- ment of a self-imposed task. e Gifts continue to be lavished on Lindbergh, who has more than any other man realized the wish of the average small boy that life might be the occasion of a perpetual Christmas tree. Modestly at ease in receiving un- stinted praise, Lindbergh must suffer some embarrassment—the embarrass- ment of riches. 2 e Frequent reference to Capone as a general in command of a criminal army calls attention to the fact that, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. l-iere is a situation every one likes to e ‘To be at a meal or show or in general conversation with two other persons, each of whom talks to the other about a subject one knows absolutely nothing about. ‘This, of course, is bad manners, un- doubtedly, but it is very common, and likely to happen among people who ought to and do know better. You chance to be with one friend, when an acquaintance of his comes along whom he has not seen for sev- eral years. "w talking about the “folks ‘They get back home.’ The first thing you know, you are en- tirely out of the conversation, forgotten in the stream of reminiscences. Per- sons you have never heard of become the center of conversation. Happenings utterly unknown to you suddenly become of amazing importance to these others, who k and smile as if they had found a perennial mine of conversational material. * % x ‘The worst form of this bore, perhaps, lies in shop talk. It might seem that when three per- sons are together, any two of them might refrain from talking about some- thing or other in whic! not interested. Perhaps women are the worst of- fenders. One of them invites two others to go to a movie with her. It happens that one of these has a husband whose line of work is the same as that of the husband of the lady issuing the invi- tation. The third girl's husband is in a to- tally different line of activity. No sooner do the three get seated at the theater than the two start in on their mutual subject, making the third wish that she had not come at all. This is an all-too common occurrence, as most people know from having ex- perienced its il effects at some time or other. Occaslonally it is difficult for the victim to feel that the thing is not intentional. At least, no particular pains were taken to refrain from fit; the one-sided conversation is.a sort of insult, * ok x ok It is an insult, because it leaves one out in the cold, when one is actually sitting in. It inflicts the pangs of soli- tude on a perfectly innocent person. It literally gives the unoffending third person the cold shoulder. Mostly this two-way conversation is not done maliciously, let it be admitted. It arises because two people have some- thing in common which the other does not possess with them. Ordinary courtesy. however, would dictate that they hold such material in abeyance, or at least explain enough of it to the other to parmit him an in- telligent grasp of the situation. This latter course is seldom successful, it must be admitted. The matter under discussion, 'being personal between the two, is not of the sort which a third person can dis- cuss sensibly, e of the fact. ‘Why are you so quiet?” one of the guilty may ask.' If the third person were as rude as he, he would reply: “Because you haven't any manners.” But that, of course, would be im- polite! * k% % ‘The person who gets caught in one of these two-way conversations, will the third 1s| sometimes even in the home circle, the man or woman who is an expert at ch:dr{lnz the conversation deserves a al. m It must be c: ne naturally, however. Like so many conversational tricks, if the fine hand of effort is visible, that fact alone ruins the enterprise. Women are the real experts along this line. ‘They are past masters at turning the conversation to something else, direct- ing it into another channel, taking it away from some dangerous or unpleas- ant trail. * % * Should two people, then, refrain from talking about a matter which interests them, just because a third is present? Perhaps it does seem unjust to im- such a restriction upon them, but that is forgetting the ends of conver- sation. General conversation is & pleas- antry of life; it should not be for gain or for personal ends. ‘When one and one are walking along the street, and one sees a third party with whom he wishes to talk about some matter, he excuses himself to the other, and returns to him as quickly as_possible. Yet at table or theater or in general society many make no effort to con- sider the feelings of the third party, but at once fall into personal conversa- Uon with a second on some matter un- interesting and often unknown to the third. If the latter were as indifferent as the others to the usages of polite society, he would turn on his heel and walk away. But no, he must sit and take it, just | because it would be rude of him, and perhaps absurd of him, to get up and | leave, * ok ok After all, no one can be responsible for the “bringing up.” as the good old hrase had it, of all the pecple one nows. Even if one were perfect in such | things, which one seldom is, one would | find it inadvisable to set up as general | mentor to mankind. | Every civilized man must be inter- ested in good manners, however, and often such will find himself nonplussed |at the actions of other persons who | Jooked to be quite as well “brought up” as_himself. Small courtesies which one man will extend to another are totally over- |Jooked by a third. And the first, while | perhaps wondering at the other, would \l;f h'.he last to charge him with being 111 bred. | Even manners are in flux today. Men Ino longer get up to give their seats to | unknown women in public vehicles, al- | though they commonly do it for women with whom they are acquainted. Many men refuse to take off their hats in | elevators, claiming that there is no sense in the custom, that the hat held in the hand tends to crowd an already | overcrowded vehicle. | * * * = 1 ‘There can be no doubt, however, about the status of this thing of one and most people are and one talking before a third about | | something with which he is unac- | quainted. Such an action is a plain discour- tesy. | It shows a certain narrowness of | mind on the part of the perpetrators. Often they are so self-centered, so scutely interested in themselves, that they find it impossible to converse on | general topics. NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM 1 G M. AMERICA’S PRIMER. By Morris L. Ernst. Illustrated by Walter Cole New York: E. P. Dutton & Co. Look like twins, the two primers. Not a drop of common blood between them, however. The likeness is only skin deep. Any comparison is altogether that of contrast. The famous and now fairly familiar “Russian Primer” is a rogram, nothing but. A plan, ex- pertly devised and rigidly imposed, to transform a great despotism, ingrained as such by centuries of oppression, into a communistic industrial state. And to do this within a “five-year” stake. “America’s Primer” is, on the other hand, a search—at points something like & scramble—for any stable, cefi- nitely organized or solidly supported project for bringing the United States through to its present status as a pow- erful nation, Democratic in principle, representative in operation. A truly Republican form of government. In Russia, at bottom, a huge mass of humanity, 150,000,000 peasant mass, born to submission, bred to blind com- pliance. In America 130,000,000 free citizens, each holding fast to his owni “riohts.” A huge spectacle of pure in- | dividualism, rampant, so to speak. ‘The “Russian Primer” stands as mere suggestion, I take it, to Mr. Ernst for a vigorous and pointed overlooking of this country in terms of kindergarten simplicity, in_easy primer words and open ways. Looking for the naticnal pattern, for the fundamental plan, to see in what measure—provided one be found—it has shaped the national thought, framed a national policy, out- lined a national future in fair sequence to its past. ‘The sturdy undertaking sets off like this: “Have We a National Pattern?” | It ends like this: “The Unplanned Pat- tern.” In between, lie survey, expo- sition, argament. The whole, fairly set out, resembles & sample of slatternly housekeeping on & national scale. A job which, save for climate, natural re- sources and the grace of God, would, long ago, have led to a clean-up from the outside in common interest to the | world at large. Here are some of Mr. Ernst's ulti- mate findings as he closes the door upon America's misdoings and no- doings so far in its great career: “We are a people of confusions.” “We are the richest nation in the world, | with the longest bread lines.” “We do| lip service to competition, but form | unions and mergers to defeat it.” “We |ere daring gamblers, but timorous of | new ideas in government. So timcrous that we reject any planning of life'— and 50 on, with a few other conclu- sions concerning the planless plight of | the great country. | Along the way this study makes in- | teresting disclosures as to the wealth cf the United States and as to the div sion, the unequal division, of this! wealth. Mr. Mellon, Mr. Rockefcller Mr. Morgan, Henry Ford and a few | others are made to stand here—as they so frequently are made to do—for all the “malefactors of gain.” All the rest of ws represent a modest competence or no competence at all, candidates for the bread line or the dole. It is an old ' story—not a very solid one at that.| Excellent chapters here on the subject ! of “Work.” These in a measure glorify work, and should. Why do we work? Oh, for many reasons. Primarily to live. Then above that is the margin of work for fun, for power, for praise, 1 | Happenings of the day, events of vow never to let himself get caught past ages, great discoveries, literature. again, if he can help it. | music, morals—thiese and a hundred Often_he cannot help it. | other ‘interesting topics move them not. the success of that conference the Gov- ernment and people of the United | States are profoundly interested. Next to ameiioration of the unemployment crisis and correlated distress here at home, no project lies nearer the heart of President Hoover than the one to which Geneva will address itself next year. It requires no stretch of the imagination, no access to the secret counctls of the administration, to fore- shadow that the American delegation, at no stage of proceedings in Switzer- land, will lend ear to any such enter- prise as M. Boncour has hatched. He cannot be unaware of the currents of public opinion in this country in 1919 and 1920. If he has forgotten them, he can only be reminded that the United States is as uncompromisingly opposed today as it was then to “mortgaging” its rights and its re- sources to any international organization. | The candidate for the presidency, no matter what party label he mizht wear, who campaigned in 1932 on the Bon- cour platform could save himself the trouble and expense of a contest. Hé would be beaten in advance. M. Boncour's proposal for “an inter- national mortgage” on the military, naval and air forces of the nations is based on Article XVI of the League covenant. ‘This article provides for the severance of all trade or financial re- lations by members of the League with a state which has committed' an act of aggression. It also authorizes the League Council to recommend to the various governments what effective military, naval or air forces they should eontribute to the general pool for sup- pression of aggression. It is well within the realm of possi- bilities that American public sentiment, expressed through the Congress, might favor doing some or all of these things in the name and for the sake of world | peace. The point is that Uncle Sam | would of necessity retain the inalienable | right of saying from case to case if, when and where they should be done. ! He would never relinquish outright that privilege to any other nation or com- bination of nations, however idealistic and altruistic such a surrender of our unusual bitterness that marks the cor- respondence over the resignation. It indicates that for the last several months at least the United States Employment Service, which should have been going full speed ahead under forced draught, has been running more or less in circles while the skippers argued on the bridge. The details which have so upset Mr. Jones and the Secretary of Labor are unimportant, as far as the people as a whole are concerned. There are no clear-cut specifications, and the points of view of both sides are too opinionated to amount to much as briefs in support of decisions made. One may hope that as a result of Mr. Jones’ resignation, which leaves Secretary Doak unembarrassed in the administration of the reorganized em- ployment service, the Nation will be able to form an opinion, on the basis of the facts, as to whether this service is really accomplishing anything worth while as a practical job-finding ma- chinery, or whether it ought to be scrapped and g substitute found. Some of its statistics have been widely criti- cized as being misleading propaganda to support the service’s right to exist. No such propaganda is necessary, as no one expects the employment service to perform miracles. R The Hoover Turnm. As the time draws near for the change from the rotary left-hand turn to the inside Hoover turn, it behooves motor- ists to give the matter some thought. For on September 15, two weeks from today, the change is scheduled to be made and confusion will ensue if drivers of automobiles are not prepared in their minds for the different system. Habit is a hard thing to break, but the rotary turn habit is so opposed to all good driving principles that it should be comparatively easy for local motorists to return to normaley. Aglance at the diagram printed in The Sunday Star will show the simple opera- tion of the Hoover turn. As can readily be seen, it is & time-saver to motorists. If there is no traffic coming from the opposite direction no delay need occur like a few other generals, he has been compelled to sacrifice subordinates in order to maintain his command. Sher- man’s monosyllabic and vivid descrip- | tion of war is universally accepted as correct. Gang war intensifies the signifi- cance of the metaphor. S SR On his arrival in London, Gandhi ! | may be surprised, even a little amp-‘ | pointed, to find the British public com- pelled to think hard about so many | matters which it regards as even more important than East Indian affairs, s There might be a little less of the justifiable indignation against third- degree methods if courage had prompt- ed its more frequent use in interview- ing the genuine bosses among the racketeers. Sy SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Man of Bygones. But scant is my concern about The ‘roubles of today; My mind reverts unto the shout Of battles far away. Whatever topics may unfold I feel that duty calls For comment on the days of old When Caesar fought the Gauls. Now, though mankind plays many parts Of righteousness or greed, The angry tear unbidden starts As of the days I read When splendid warriors met the fate ‘That cruelly befalls The brave, and there was valor great ‘When Caesar fought the Gauls. Back, back through centuries I turn And breathe a sclemn vow; { The stories of the past I'll learn, | Ner heed the needs of now. The chariot's rattle and the ring Of steel in ancient brawls Thrill me, as to those days I cling When Caesar fought the Gauls. The Man and His Party. “Do you think that man can convirce | for a person wishing to make a left turn | people that he is greater than his party?” | at an intersection. All he must do is| The third person enters, and the day | is lost. Then all he can do is try to look indifforent, perhaps drum on the table, or_attempt to change the conversation. Turning the conversation is one of the great delights in life. More time ought to be put on learning it. No doubt & helpful book could be written about it, for there are many situations when knowledge of this art comes in mighty handy. In those embarrassing _situations which arise at times in all groups, and No, they must recall Nellie Jones, who used to live in the third house from the corner of Elm street. |ried now. (You never heard of Nell before, but you try to look interested.) Remember how her father chased the boys out of the watermelon patch? (No, you do not.) He was a great friend to Bill Smith, who lived in the house on the corner, etc., etc. You begin to wish Bill Jones and | Nellie Smith, or whatever their names are, at the bottom of the sea. If they | would talk about Lindy, now. Highlights on the Wide World Excerpts From Newsp: T icnickers to the atrocious habit they av> of breaking milk bottles and leav- ing them lying until some unwary per- son comes along and steps on a jagged plece of glass. Of course, there are others who are not so careless, they do break their bottles, naturally, but they are careful to cover the broken pleces with abcut three or four inches of sand, con- HE HONOLULU ADVERTISER (letter to picnic season in full swing it would seem advisable to draw sequently what might appear an inno- | cent portion of sand is teeming with unknown dangers. This is a_matter which deserves more publicity than may be had through “Letters to the Editor” and it might not come amiss if you could give it the at- tentlon it merits. Yours very truly “SAFETY FIRST. * ok ok % Fven Buenos Aires Has Taxicab Rebbers. La Naclon, Buenos Aires—There presented himself at_the forty-fifth po- Iice station, Lorenzo Fernandez, a Span- iard, 35 years cld, married, and domi- ciled at 3124 Zamudio street, who re- ported that a moment before, when he was_driving his automobile “for hire,” at the corner of the streets Heredia and Garmendia, it was occupied by two in- dividuals who directed him to drive to the Calle Jose Cubas, between Llavaliol and Campana. As soon as the car arrived at this | destination, ¢nd while Fernandez was waiting for his pay for the trip, the two strangers leaped from the coach, brand- | ishing revolvers, and under threats of death ccmpelled him to turn over all the money which he carried on his per- son. apers of Other Lands tem, but it has long been known that editor) —With the |a total absteiner has more endurance | in the daily task or on the march than | the one who keeps his system in a state the attention of some of the|of solution with beer, or even with! water, | "If it is true that such outstanding beer drinkers as Goethe and Bismarck lived to be more than 80 years old; it is |a lamentable fact that many thousands less noted similarly given over to the |use of alcoholics in so-called modera- |tion do not attain anything like that !age. Alexander the Great, who con- quered the world, but not himself, was fond of wine and died at the age of 33. Dr, Vollmann argues that regardless of the immediate effects of beer for | good or for ill, insofar as the human | system is concerned, there are questions |of ethics and morality involved which | makes the scale descend in favor of | abstinence. If jt is good to drink, it is_certainly better not to drink, for where one can point to an individual now and then who is apparently none the worse for his indulgence, it is never difficult to match him with a score who are much the worse from the same cause. While this debate is ebbing to and fro, poor Dr. Buchert, on whose de- cisions depend the tightening or the loosening of the reins on alcohol, listens first to one polemic and then another, unable to determine to which side he will throw his influence. How the battle about beer will end only that authority has so far the least idea. * Kk K % Sells Farm, Lives In Cave Because of High Tax. Le Soir, Brussels—They report the existence, at Zele, of a sufficiently sin- gular “parisioner,” who, to reduce his | taxes to a minimum, dug for himself a subterranean habitation, in which he lives like an animal in a cave. This man, up until a_few years ago. She is mar- | for all those things that expand and exercise and train the self—the body- and-spirit self. ‘Then, of course, Mr. Ernst shows, though we knew it be fore, that too many things accrue out of so much of effort, too much of power and the abuses of power. Yet there is much of beneficence issuing from great power, but nobody appears to take note of this. I wonder why? A graphiz and illuminating point of this primer is the picture of our 48 States, each a huge laboratory, a factory for the making of | things, for distributing these and most tenaciously jealcus of its individual rights” in the materfal enterprise of | life. Toward ideas, th creat on and spread there is lassitude and laxity— save when these become of marketable value. The radic, the moving picture. | the newspaper and all other agencies of infcrmation and pleasuring are sec- cndary in this great country overridden | by “things.” Like other enthusiasts of | lusty and forthright habit, Mr. Ernst is committed to his own side of the big story. Most of the time he is impres- sively right. Some of the time his work is cut on the bias. Now and then not deep-seeing enough to be altcgether | fair to good intent., to the nature of | things, to the diversities of capacity and arhievement. But nobody is fair to the successful man. I wonder why? In the main, an excellent picture of prosperity {in spite of itselfe—of this huge “un- planned pattern” of the United States. | * ok ok % SOCTAL SCIENCES. The ings Institution, 1930-31. Washing- ton: The Brookings Institution. Some day somebody will tell the story {of the Brookings Institution. Estab- lished here in Washington less than five years ago, it has already performed public service of high quality in more than one direction. Its sponsors and officers are men of recognized achieve- ment in useful fields, scientific. literary, political, economic. ' Its purposes are, | primarily, two. One, to give construc- jtive ald in support ‘of sound national | policies, Two, to offer training of super- | graduate character to students along lines contributory to the aims of the in- stitution itself. Already plans are afoot | to maintain co-operating institutes of research. Each year a seminar is given for the benefit of its staff and research fellows. The book in hand is a report upon the seminar of the past vear. The social sciences in their outstanding problems cover the work of this period. Less exact than tne natural, the physical, sciences, yet quite as close in their applicability "to community lite, the social sciences are approached here by way of definition and illusiration, of lectures that eminer itself and projected them finally into the open field by way of this volume. Under these special studies and ex- pert investigations the social sciences open out to a wider understanding and Brook- ESSAYS ON RESEARCH IN THE | The BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Expert researchers, who can get you any information on any subject, are at your command without charge to you. A 2-cent stamp will bring you a per- sonal answer to any inquiry of fact you may make. ids of newspaper readers use this great service. Try it today. Make your inquiry easily read and easily understood and address The Evening Star Information Bureau, Pred- ;)flcc J. Haskin, director, Washington, Q. Why are so many first basemen left-handed?—E. T. H. A. It is the only infield position that aleft-handed player can piay effectively. Q. How long have Julia Sanderson | ;nd};‘rlnk Crumit been on the radio?— A. They have been broadcasting reg- ularly for the past two years and as guest artists for the past four years. | Miss Sanderson has been on the stage for 18 years, Crumit for 16 years. Q. Who won the national miniature glider championship?—W. K. | A. Elliott Hood of Elmira, N. Y. broke the world endurance record at the contest held at Elmira, N. Y. | Q. How often are from ostriches?—J. D. A. Every nine months. A prime bird | yields about 20 ounces of feathers at a | clipping. | feathers clipped | 5 | Q. What are the dutles of the royal | Canadian mounted police?—A. H. | A. They patrol the international frontier, keep peace and order in the | sub-Arctic region and maintain posts on the shores of Hudson Bay, in the Yukon, on Herschell Island and on some of the Arctic islands. They rep- resent Canadian authority among the | , native Eskimos and their record in the prevention of crime has established their fame throughout the world. | Q. 1Is it true that the bells of St.| gc!il;l are no longer rung by hand?— | ‘A, Blectrical controls for the bells | have been installed at the Pope's order. | Q. How long did the longest filibuster | last in the Senate of the United | States’—L. S. K. | A. The longest on record was the one | conducted by Senator La Follette and others in 1917, March 3 and 4, lasting approximately 27 hours, on the question of “arming merchant ships.” Q. How many men did Great Britain | lose in the war?—R. C. A. According to a recent volume of the ritish “Official History of the Wa British casuaities numbered 11,- 096,338 This includes npt only those who were killed in action or died of | disease cr injury, but men who were missing. prisoners of war, sick or injured. Q. What percentage of the_ popula- tion of the Virgin Islands is Negro?— M. C. R. A. About 90 per cent. Many of the Negroes speak English, but some still speak Danish. Q, How old is Sigmund Freud?—R. ‘wounded, A. He is 75 years old. | Q. Should headlights be turned on in the daytime when taking a long trip by motor?—C. B A. It is advisable to turn them on for a few hours daily <o that the bai- tel be overcharged Cbgfee-&’heat Tra | not been thrown open to travel. | 1 President von Hindenburg of Germany?—S.8.F, Q. When was the Church of the Ree« deemer in Moscow built?—H. N. A. This magnificent church was buflt between 1815 and 1837 to commemorate the failure of the Ften:h}n their Rus- sian campaign in 1812-1814. Tiz church is now being demolished. Q. Can a man's war pension b2 ate tached for a debt?—J. H. A. The office of the Director of Pen- sions says that no one cen attach the pension of an individual pensioned by the United States Government. Q. How fast do freight trains travel? —G. F. Y. A. They average about 20 miles an hour. Some fast freight trains make the same schedule as passenger trains, [‘:{lrtlcu!lfly between Chicago and New ork. Q. How does a family organization function?—M. O. A. Many family organizations are regularly incorporated bodies. Re- unions are held regularly and on spe- cial dates to celebrate events connected with the family history. Regular offi- cers are appointed and business meet- ings held. A genealogy of the family may be compiled and papers or pamph- lets prepared on prominent members of the family or events of special in- terest with which they were connected. The lhx'n\ly gatherings are also largely social, Q. How was the term horsepower de- rived? What is its equivalent?—R. D.P. A. It originated ip the eighteenth century whep the mechanical force of expanding si:am in engines was replac- ing the force of horses in hoisting and pumping in the British mines. One horsepower equals 33,000 pounds lifted one foot in one minute, or 550 pounds lifted one foot in one second. Q. Has the road to the top of Mount Evans, Colorado, been completed?— B. M. K. A. The construction of the road to the top of Mount Evans was completed in 1930, but before it was put into use a serious slide took place and it has A relocation around the slide is now un- der way, and it will probably be n to the public toward the end ot Tl season. Q. Are teachers in the public schools compelled to instruct pupils in the effects of alcoholic beverages upon the human system?—D. E. A. Forty-six States have laws requir- ing such instruction. Arizona and Wyoming are the exceptions, Q. How many children has it . A. Three—one son and two daugh- ters. Q. What is the name of the Weshington Bicentennial song?—S8. T. A. It is “Father of the Land We Love” George Cohan wrote it, and 1§ is t be distributed without cost when printed. Q Should peonies be transplanted in the Spring or in the Fall>—C. M. A. Peonies may be transplanted while they are dormant, late in the Fall or | early in the Spring. Unless peonies are artificially cultivated or forced they usually should not be expected to bloom until ‘the year following their trans- planting. Q Who was the first man to make the passage the Colorado River | Canyon>—M. K. A. The first known to have made the passage of the canyon is Maj. John vesley Powell in 1869. of K nsaction Fires American Imagination Great differences of opinion have de- veloped as to the deal of the American Farm Board for an exchange of 25,000,- 000 bushels of surplus wheat for 1,050, 000 bags of coffee held by the Brazilian government. Economic value of the exchange is a subject for argument. Unprecedented barter, however, appeals to the American imagination, and leads to the query as to how far the exchangz of commodities is likely to go. “Brazil’s purchase, China's bid for a vast amount on credit and other un- disclosed negotiations do not come as a surprise to any one who has not been suffering from hysteria.” declares the St. Louis Times, with the predic- tion: “Wheat s not going to remain at its ‘low.’ It will increase in price as other less favored lands come here to make up their depleted stores. If all of our potential customers come up to Uncle Sam's counter it may be that flapjacks will be a luxury for breakfast along about the middle of January." Rochester Times-Union suggests ‘good results in the future,” offering the explanation: “Brazil has not been a large importer of American wheat; this country has always been a large importer of Brazilian coffee. We have opened new trade relations with that country. This plan does not require payment of money by Brazil to secure our wheat. And the amount of coffee which we receive from Brazil will re- duce the amount of coffee that we would pay for in cash if this barter had not been made.” ER “The gigantic swap seems eminently | qq, wise, It should prove mutually bene- ficial,” in the opinion of the Chicago Daily News, which states further: “The success of the ingenious device by which two great nations mitigate the effects of their economic Aflirtations with the law of supply and demand perhaps will lead to similar arrange- ments with other countries embar- rassed by commodity surpluses. In the case of China, impoverished by civil war, communist insurrections and dis- astrous floods affecting millions of peasants and city dwellers, barter ap-| pears to be out of the question. China needs gratuities, not loans, to allevia the suffering in its starving provinces “At a time when international e change and domestic exchange are not working satisfactorily with money and credit as a medium,” remarks the To- peka Dally Capital, “the Farm Board | of American wheat are to be sent into | Brazil, displacing to that extent wheat { ordinarily imported from Argentina, & | corresponding amount of Argentine wheat will be freed for competition | with American wheat in European mar- kets. Prices in this country will not thereby be made higher.” S “Maybe the bLoard, as the largest holder of coffee in the United Stlrl‘e:‘:" ording to the Charlotte Observer, 1l be able to supply the organized trade with coffee on a cheaper basis then it could have secured from the Brazilian dealers, for the coffee com- ing in would be as cheap as the wheat that was swapped for it.” Holding that “one white elephant is to be swapped | for another,” the Lynchburg News con- tends that “exchanging the wheat of me nation for the coffee of another does not change the world situation as re- gards either commodity.” The Mor- | gantown Dominion-News predicts that “the Argentine grower will not mect | this loss of a market with inaction,” | but will “enter into competition with | American growers in other world mar- kets.” The Charleston (W. Va.) Daily Mail, considering the effect on flour ex- ports to Brazil, believes that it would | be “something like cutting off the end of a stick and adding something to the other end.” | The Scranton Times adds the com- iment: “The trade stirs interest not |only because of the novelty, but from | the possibility that it opens up similar exchanges with other countries. Should such trades follow our Farm Board ma: sily become the proprietor of a great country store with huge stocks of staple commodities—wheat, cotton, coffee and tea. The idea fires the imagination.” | _“In recouping some of its loses next | year.” says the Springfield (Mass.) Re- | publican, “the Government may sell its | coffee in the American market with the |less trepidation because no one in the United States grows coffee. _ Porto | Ricans grow it, and thev would have a | grievance against the Washington ad- | ministration, but Porto Ricans do not | vote in our presidential elections. The political skill displayed in the whest- | coffee deal surpasses the commercial shrewdress of it.” —————— |As to Republicans in Democratic Primaries “Perhaps,” replied Senator Sorghum,| Frightened at the menaces, Fernin- dez drew purse, containing $30, futs cross lots and performs its difficult | To the Editor of The Star: lived on a farm. He sold it on account |to the inclusion of many parts not Sabcna ovessignity Sk Be GGt | T T o B e Suts the panper | The American people are not ready 0, jogition—that is, into the lane nearest give anybody a “mortgage” on thelr|ine center of the street—and from that S point complete the turn, It is simple, i rect in It is unforunate for the best mmds;“:_‘:z’;pl:“d s g ) of a natlon to be compelled to con-y IR o prning of the fteentn, | centrate periodically on crime condi-i 8% 90 LR EIC M Lok e mot ! B ] “but the only way he can do it is to! make his party look exceedingly small.” from his pocket, and gave it to the malefactors, who then put themselves | | on the march, and quickly disappeared A Children’s Party, “Why is the little girl weeping®” “The socially important family on the next block is giving a children’s tions when the great questions before! the world are those involving states- | manship and philanthropy. o Wires in the Suburbs. swing out to the right to make the left turn. To do so may result in a serious accident. A period of grace will natu- rally be allcwed by the police to those who offénd, but it is for the motorist's part; “Was not the little girl invited?” “Oh, yes; but she cannot go becausc her mother has nothing to wear.” H Sense and Sound. Announcement is made that the local| cwn protection that he should co-{ In empty sound we still rejoice telephone company is about to erect a new pole line at a cost of $44,660, to carry a storm-proof aerfal cable betwe:n Bethesda and Rockville, Md. In order to astrengthen the existing line scme fifty- six new poles will be planted, while; upon the completion of the work more than sixty old poles will be taken out, with 1,900 cross-armas and approximate- 1y 420 miles of open wire. This is a highly commendable enter- prise, in keeping with the forward-look- ing policy of the telephone manage- ment. It provides for future growth along an important highway, with its rapldly increasing population. It in- sures continuity of service against the stress of the elements. But it is to be regretted that in the judgment of the corporation the time is not consid:red to be at hand for a burial of the wires in a candudt systers “The suburban development around the District is rapid, centering upon the warigs main routes of travel. 'On the cperate to the fullest degree. - Gangsters are now referred to as “pirates.” The use of the word under such abject conditions of outlawry as exist at present seems almost an un- just reflection on some cf the old sea-going adventurers who used to vary the monotony of high-handed depredation with interludes of fighting in a patriotic cause. et The Short Season on Ducks. 1t speaks well for the sportsmanship of duck hunters that the presidential order limiting the season this year by a full month and a half and reducing it to & month has been received with general approval. As noted by the President, the only opposition has come from six organizations, three of them being the manufacturers of arms and ammunition, while forty-three other organizations favored the limited season. ‘With feelings strangely proud. ‘The man who hes the biggest voice Can reach the largest crewd. Judicious Estimate. “Bliggins takes himselt very serl- ou: ¥ “He's right. He has gotten himself into so many different kinds of trouble that he i perfectly excusable for being afraid of himself.” Somelimes it's an opportunity that knocks. Oftener it's only a man. Summer Relief. This world is but a fleeting show. When days grow warm some of us think That we would much prefer to go For pastime to a skating rink. “After & man has loafed awhile,” said Uncle Eben, “he generally decides dat he'd rather go to work dan be so lone- ‘The final decision has been billed as soma® in the darkness, * * erman Physicians t Odds Qver Alcohol. Berliner Tageblatt—Two German doc- tors have a fast grip in each other's hair. A great fight is being wagad between an adversary of alcohol and one of its friends. Dr. Buchert, pre- siding officer of the County Court for Berlin-Mitte, a very worthy gentleman, appears to be the arbiter in the con- troversy. and is expected to determine some future district policies by deciding which of the conflicting views of two other well known physicians, those of Dr. Frederich Vincenz von Hahn of Hamburg or those of the publisher of. the German Medical Journal, Dr. Wil- helm Vollmann of tha Berlin Health Board, are to be preferred. Dr. von Hahn delivered a lecture at the International Health - Conference at Dresden last Fall which provoked a storm of criticism. Drinking was more important than eating, according-to Dr. von Hahn. Drinking beer was espe- cially beneficial. With each liter (1.05 liquid quart) of beer, one increased his daily energy one-fifth. Beer is good, even for bables, the opinfon of Dr. von Hahn. A little beer given an infant at bedtime insures a sound repose, and a liter or two im- bibed by an adult have the same ef- fect. These and many more benefits of beer were cited by Dr. von Hahn. Simultaneously, however, and pretty much all the time since, Dr. Vollmann has contested these views: Beer is ‘weakening and deadening. It is partic- ularly undesirable for children. Hard- working men who drink with a certain amount of intelligence and moderation may be able to throw off some of the toxics engendered by beer in the sys- * % G A of the high tax and then, on a little | hitherto recognized by the general plot he still possessed and which he | reader as of direct social significance surrounded with a barbed wire fence, |and importance. One lecture considers he commenced to live in solitude in the | social study as a science, establishing its dugout. Two great big police dcgs guard | status as such. By one and ancther of this property of an aspect little in- |these professionals in social research triguing. The people of the village do [and findings methods already applied not concern themselves very much with | efficlently in other prime interests are this citizen, though other people, much | shown to serve equally well in this farther away, wcrk up quite a curiosity about the voluntary recluse, and come long distances to contemplate the * mitage” and also the ‘“hermit, chance they get a glimpse of him. Better Lighing of Streets For Bicentennial Urged To the Editor of The Star: The Evening Star seems to be the first to sponsor good, useful projects, so I am writing to suggest one which I feel will be of great service and help not only to our citizens, but to the great crowds which the city is planning to handle in the great Bicentennial celebration in 1932. Why not have a new system of street lighting of such brilliancy that the names of each street, at every intersec- tion, can be easily discernible, not only in | to pedestrians, but to the moving traffic in_general? I am sure if a plan such as this could be worked out the public would greatly benefit by the same. ‘This Is simply a mere suggestion from an interested citizen and one who comes daily in contact with the masses and knows their desires. MRS. MAYME E. MASON. ———or—. In Great Numbers. Prom the Port Wayne News-Sentinel. Go to a meet the an tcnic, thou sluggard, and and the promise of ) relatively new field. Methods applied to political science belong here as well. The ways of approach and trzatment of economics, the research in psychology, both have direct bearing upon the mat- ter in hand. History in its scope and treatment sets a path for the social scientist to consider and, at points, to emulate in its ways and means of hu- man disclosure and of associated effort. And by way of yet other sciences, further advanced in both substance and method of unfolding, light is thrown upon this latest and, iIn many respects, imost difficult and elusive department of knowledge, upon this most vital and pressing matter of increased well- being of the human from every con- siderable point of view. Grouped and pointed upon a specific purpose, the 10 lectures of this volume offer to students outside the seminar itself a line of direction, a way of ap- proach, a method of pursuit hardly ob- tainable elsewhere. The subject itself is one of steadily increasing importance, one of many and varying aspects newly entering the fleld of scientific interest as one of its deepest concerns. To stu- dents in this field the volume will in itself become an institution of learn- . & fleld of research. the general reader—even to the intelligent and interested reader—the lectures, almost without excegkm,l wear the insignia of laborious effort; | fail, in :fl to lighten the effect 2 measure, lifficul ith the of disco S The. tromise of & peticred world Just a little heavy function by return to the barter sys- fem. That paper asks: “Are nations | to exchange surpluses, thereby not only | avoiding the use of money, but credit | charges and interest on money?” The| Duluth Herald concludes that “the exi- | gencies of this mad period, when people | are hungry because there is too much | food, seem to have driven us back to| the primitive.” The Wheeling Intelli- gencer, suggesting that “more deals of this character could be undertaken to advantage,” and calling the exchange “the most sensible step yet taken to help straighten out the tangled snarl of world supply and demand,” asserts: “It is doubtful if there exists a world overproduction of the necessities of life. The trouble is with distribution. If such exchnn?es as are now under way can be carried on without disrupting trade, they should be encouraged.” “There is & six-month supply of cof- fee for the American farms already on the shelves of the stores or in the whole- sale warehouses of this country,” avers the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, with the suggestion: “Maybe Brazil can use the American wheat. We hope so. It is too bad if trading on such a colossal scale contains nothing more than grief for both traders” The New York Times asserts: “If 25,000,000 bushels —_——————————————— with the newness of the load being car- ried and delivered. This is not a criti- cism. Without doubt these.various lec- tures, counting the purpose of delivery, had to be just exactly what they are. But to the average, deeply interested, they are little overweighted with per- sonal difficulties of the individual in- vestigator. Science, in any and all of its aspects, simply must get into the open. This new project is l"sood place to start or to help in the inevitable dif- fusion of learning that is to be used every day by everybody, In connection with the criticism di- rected at certain Republicans in Ar- lington County, Va., who voted in a Democratic primary involving only the office of State Senator, I submit the following observations: Over the period of the last 25 years I have several times asked political | candidates, public officials, lawyers, etc., as to the requirements for voting in | party primaries and invariably the re- sponse was the same: “All that is necessary to entitle you to vote in the primary is that you agree, thereby, to vote in the general election for the candidates chosen in the primary.” The foregoing is the commonly ac- cepted understanding among the voters of the county. If it is incorrect the political leaders have falled over & very considerable period to make the matter clear, Although I have been a voter for more than 20 years I have always un- derstood the foregoing to be the rule. 1 think it was natural that when the Republican _convention declined to name a candidate for the State Senate, every voter, Republican and Demo- crat felt free to cast a vote to choose between the two Democratic candidates as long as such voter stood ready to vote for the winner in the eral elec- tion. Consequently, I feel that it is not just to eriticize the action of certain Republicans in supporting a local man in connection with an office for which the Republicans have no candidate. A great many Republicans holding the foregoing views and ani- mated by local pride, voted in the Democratic primary, and it is my un- derstanding that local Democrats ously urged them to do so. i FRANK G, CAMBBELL, .