Evening Star Newspaper, September 4, 1931, Page 8

T A8 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C FRIDAY......September 4, 1931 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor 1t St hicago Office: lropean Office: 11 Regent Enslanc Rate by Carrier Within the City. .45¢ per month "g0c per month "5c per month rade 46 ‘ench month, inay Be Gert in by mall or telephone ‘NAtional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Daily. and Sunday.....1yr. $10.00: 1 mo. §8c Daily only ... 1yr. 8 mo., 80¢ Bunday only . 1yr, $ 0c All Other States and Canada. Daily and Sunday...1yr.$12.00: 1 mo. Daily only .........1¥r. $8.00:1mo. Funday only 1yr, HE . Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusi to the “ise for republication of al atches credited to it or not others Red™i This paper and aiso he loc published herein. ~ All richts of publ on ecial dispatches herein are also reserved. No Germanic Tariff Union. Anschluss is dead. On the eve of a prohibitory World Court decree declar- ing Austria in violation of her 1922 in- ternational loan agreement, that coun- try and Germany jointly have declared their abandonment of the whole enter- prise. Their renunciation was pro- claimed at yesterday's session of the Pan-European Union in Geneva. Tt fell to the sad lot of Dr. Johann Schober, the Austrian foreign minister, to sound the death knell of the ill- starred project. Austria, he said, “will not pursue it further.” ‘Thus collapses ingloriously a grandiose scheme which set all Europe by the ears when launched last March and which has threatened ever since then to precipitate a European political crisis second only in magnitude to the eco- nomie crisis wherefrom the old world has not yet emerged. Undoubtedly the failure of Anschluss is a French dip- lomatic victory. It was France which haled the Teutonic powers before the bar of the World Court on an indict- ment charging them with violation of the spirit, if not the letter, of the pzace treaties imposed upon the conquered states. It was not a mere tariff merger which France, and other neighbors of Ger- many and Austria, opposed or feared. Objections were based on the conviction that a customs union between the Cen- tral European countries which defled the world in 1914 could be construed only as the forerunner of a new pan- Germanic bloc and another thrust to place Germany “over all.” Acting in pursuance of her implacable terror of a revitalized neighbor across the Rhine, France set out to leave no stone un- turned for thwarting Anschluss. The French haa the support of Czechoslo- vakia, one of her “little entente” part- mers, in fighting . the Berlin-Vienna proposition, and Italy, too, frowned upon it. What seems to be the straw that | broke the camel's back was a French refusal to further Austria’s dire finan- cial needs unless the Viennese author- ities threw the tariff plan inlo the dis- card. Not for the first time in this eventful Summer French francs talked an irresistible language. In Berlin itself there seems t> be no inclination to conceal the complete- ness of the Reich's defeat in the Anschluss affair or any reluctance to admit that it was a badly conceived idea in the first place. The Bruening government is accused of putting it forth in an impetuous effort to demon- strate the Reich's political virility, with- out taking into account the gravity of the nation’s real position. Vorwaerts, the German Socialist organ, assails the | now abandoned effort as “a diplomatic cavalry raid,” not only foredoomed to defeat, but destined to do more damage than the economic value at stake was ‘worth. Anschluss was droppsd on the sixtieth anniversary of Sedan, Ger- many’s historic and decisive defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War. One Berlin journal suggests that the humiliation suffered by the Teutonic governments is France's vengeance for Sedan. Germany and Austria one day, no dcubt, will be members of some all- European customs union from which advantages will be derived egual to, if not greater than, any that Anschluss| could have produced, and devoid of political dynamite. ———— e It may be argued that limiting areas | of wheat and cotton cultivation does not | interfere with the law of supply and de- | mand, in whose application the causes of larger or smaller crops do not figure. It may in the cnd preve unwise to prefer , idle land to low prices, but unwisdom | in agriculture has aiways been accepted | as a normal factor in estimating prob- | able grain quotations. R Four Hundred Miles an Hour. The news of the withdrawal of France and Italy from the blue ribbon | event of the year, the Schneider Cup race, is cxceeded only in interest by | the unofficial world’s record just created by a member of ths British team who shot over the course in a trial flight at | the rate of 405 miles an hour. It is particularly unfortunate that the rules of the Schneider Tycphy event do not permit the postponement that the two other netons requested, and the regulations should be premptly revised. No such inflexible rule should b2 per- mitted to govern a contest of this sort, which is no contest at all unless there is more than one competitor. The speed of the British planes has been kept a well-guarded secret and | was only made public after withdrawal of France and Italy. The new record exceeds by nearly fifty m'les an hour the old mark and it is the first time that a human being has ever traveled at better than six miles a minute. To realize the tremendous velocity of this bullet of the air it may be compared to a flight from Washington to Boston in little more than an hour, from ‘Washington to Chicago in less than two hours and from Washington to San T-aneisco in about six hours. In other for the development of fast aircraft. The Britishers have kept everlastingly at it, spending millions of dollars, to 7ain the ultimate in speed. It has not yet been attained. It is even impossi- ble to predict when it will be, but it can safely be assumed that when it is reached England will be one of the first to do it. No nation which has stuck with such dogged determination to the development. of speed until it has gath- ered all the world’s records—405 miles in the air, 110 miles on the water and 245 In an automoblile on land—will be content to rest on its laurels. England has accomplished great things, and more are probably coming. ——e—— The Editors’ Poll. The day of the presidential poll is cgain at hand. The Outlook and In- dependent presents a digest of the opin- ion of Democratic gnd independent edi- tors on the subject of the Democracy’s choice of a presidential candidate next year. The editors, it appears, believe that Franklin D. Roosevelt, Governor of New York, will be the nomince. Those in eleven States favor the ina tion of Gov. Roosevelt, while nine States they favor the nomination of Newton D. Baker of Ohio. Baker have a greater number of dele- gates in the next national conventlon than have the eleven States in which the editors give Roosevelt as their persqnal preference, the poll has been interpreted as meaning that Baker .is the personal cholce of the editors over Roosevelt. The constituencies of the editors, rather than the editors them- selves, are held to be the deciding fac- tors in this poll. However, the editors in only three States—Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama—express the opinion that | the nomination of Gov. Roosevelt can be stopped. Some of the editors replying to the poll favor other candidates. For ex- ample, Owen D. Young is ranked third in the list of preferences, and former Gov. Alfred E. Smith fourth. The fifth place gocs to Melvin A. Traylor, Chi- cago banker; sixth place to former Senator James A. Reed of Missouri, and seventh to Gov. Ritchie of Maryland. Somehow or another the editors seem | | formed. The most conservative thought to have overlooked other presidential possibilities, emong them Senator Robin- son of Arkansas, the Democratic leader of the Senate, and Gov. George White of Ohio, not to mention Senator James Hamilton Lewis, who already has the indorsement of the Democratic State Central Committee of Illinois for the nomination. . The Democratic National Convention | at which the nomination for Prosident wiil be made will not be held until next June. Admittedly and despite the fact that Gov. Roosevelt appears to be far in the lead for th> nomination at this time, the selection of the Democratic standard bearer has not yet been made. ‘The D2mocrats who gather at the con- wention next year will have in mind first of all the picking of a candidate who they believe can win against the Republicans in the general election. Mcst of them be'ieve now that the democracy has the best chance to win a national election next year since the World War. The delegates will not be inclined to take chances. Nor are the celegates likely to be willing to tie the national convention into a bow knot in hope of bringing out a dark horse candidate. For years the party has sought harmony, believing that through harmony victory may b2 attained. The availability of the candidates, therefore. will be carefully considered by the delegates long before they reach the convention city, which is yet to be selected. The political strength of. Gov. Roosevelt in his own State is a matter which will be given the closest scrutiny. ‘The Democrats have far greater chances of success if thoy can put New York in the Democratic column. Roose- velt was elected Governor last year with a lead of more than 700,000 votes. ‘That is_ something about which the Democrats are thinking. Many of them believe that he can carry the State in a presidential election, where Al Smith failed, because of his popularity upstate and because of the favor he may attain with certain elements in New York City which were opposed to Smith in the last presidential cam- paign. ‘The poll of the editors throws the spotlight on Newton D. Baker. Mr. Baker has generally been conceded to be the most likely selection of the Democrats for the nomination in the event Roosevelt does not get it. Ohio has been dubbed a mother of Presi- dents. It is a pivotal State as well as New York, and, in addition, Baker is rated a man of great personal ability, of the type of the late President Wilson. o Even the most experienced observers of the morket have proved unable to | show why Stock Exchange prices shouid move so rapidlv at one time and so slowly at another. B he Channel Afoot. Since Napoleon Bonaparte stood on | the shores of France and looked at the cliffs of Dover, twenty miles away over the sea, longing for a favorabl: wind that would carry his fleet across the Channel—that “wet ditch,” he styled it—much has happened to make | his preblem appear ridiculously simple, however great it was then. Steamsh'ps have been invanted, to replace the sail- | nes | ing craft of Napolson's doy. Airp! have bzen developed to make the cross- ing in a few minutes instead of the hours of his time. The other day, for ex- ample, representatives of the Bank of | England flew to Paris to confer with French bankers about the credit loan to be made by France. Swimmers have paddled ..eir way from shore to shere. And yesterday an Austrian schoolmaster crossed the English Channel afoot. Karl Naumestnik made the passage | from Cape Gris Nez to Stakespeare Béach, near Dover, on a pair of water skis. It took him eight hours, not a remarkable crossing in point of time, but extraordinary for a walker. This methcd of water transport is not likely to become of common use as & method of getting from shore to shore, though if may develop into a sport. Naumestnik did not have an altogether happy time in his nautical pedestrian trip. The seas were hcavy and fre- quently he had to sit down on his skis words, an early breakfast in the Na- tional Capital and & luncheon on the Pacific Coast. And the best part of it is that it will be in the not too distant future that travelers will be able to do that very thing. Ro&nslum must go greasredit to rest and to keep from getting seasick. The straightaway distance from Cape Gris Nez to Dover is twenty miles, but the Austrian had to cover a consider- ably longer route because of the cur- rents, which swept him off course. These skis are shaped like canoes, each | possessed s Because the | .| nine States in which the editors favor THE EVENING STAR, about six feet long and one foot wide. The average “step” is about a yard. Over most of the course the Austrian “walked,” putting one ski ahead of an- other by his leg motion. On nearing the English coast he used a paddle. From time to time during the past century plans have been proposed for tunneling under the Channel to permit direct rail transport between England and France. This project, however, has never come nearer to execution than the making of drawings and figuring of estimates of cost,” because there is a strong sentiment, in England especially, against such a direct link, which might prove decidedly embarrassing in time of war. Yet it seems rather absurd to balk at a tunnel when the air is dotted with planes daily, when steamers make the passage in less than an hour and {when, as yesterday, “pedestrians” can walk the waves in a shorter time than the sailing ships of Napoleons day re- quired to make the passage. Historians have often speculated upon what would have happened a century and a quprter ago if Napoleon had m power to enable him to land his army on English shores. This is anybody’s guess. There are many such speculative possibilities in the range of international contests and jealousies of the past in the days of slow transport. And just so there are many speculations as to what will happen hereafter in view of the rapid development of human arts. et Oysters are shown to be growing scarcer as each September proclaims them again in season. It may be a question of a comparatively few years before the oyster becomes a vanishing luxury like the reed bird and the quail. In the meantime it will remain an cb- ject of scientific supervision, in the hope that the epicures of the future may have at least this point of contact with those of the present generation. It may be more expensive served on the half shell, but grape concentrates will be cheaper than the champagne which frequently accompanied it, = e In discussing & possible increase of income taxes, positive opinions are not freely venturcd by men who are best in- in an economic situation involving so many contingeneies s inclined to sum- marize prospects with the statement that the present is a time when almost anything can happen. = R, 5 Crews in the Chilean navy proposed to strike rather than accept lower wages. By an agreement to maintain the present wage scale circumstances were tactfully avolded which might have suggested use of the word “mutiny” in- stead of “strike.” Racketcers are said to favor cubistic | designs. This may apply to morals as well as art, which involve too many angles of interest to permit them to re- main simply on the square. e—es Beer was once regarded as a drink that made men slecpy. it has the effect of keeping people ner- vous and wide awake. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Price of Prominence. Some day, if you will study hard, oh, little barefoot boy. And go without the pleasures youth's accustomed to employ; If you will not go swimming or attempt to catch a fish, But carefully refrain from gratifying every wish, Perhaps ycu may be President or, more exaltad still, A hero at whose name a grateful popu- lace will thrill Although your bil-of-fare be scant and from a kitchen crude, may bring compensation for & lack of fun and food. Fame Perhaps they'll put up statues to pre- serve your count:rpart And critics will regard you as a menace to true art. ‘The children at their books of fear will never quite be rid; They can't remember how you spelled your name and what you did. The mertal who performs his simple duty day by day May live in swe:t contentment, missing ne’ther work nor play. Though books and statuary may not celebrate his fame, He'll get his little tcmbstone and be happy just the same. Shifted Positions. “You are not making specches now,” said the acmiring constitusnt. “No,” replied Senator Sorghum; “there are o many people out my way wiho went to talk that the man wkho is likely to become popular is the one who is willing to be the audience.” Self-Importance. “What's the trcuble with that movie star? She used to be very pleasant end considerate.” “Yes.” rep'led the studio manager; “but she has gotten so she believes ail the press agent writes about her.” Music of the Day. In days of old such songs we heard As “Listen to the Mocking Bird.” Light melodies their magic lent To grace some tender sentiment. And when they sought a lively key They werbled “Dixie” with great glee. Alas! Their tastes were very slow. Back in the days of long ago. But now such jazzy rhymes they sing That grandma to her chair will cling And say, In accents far from bland. She hopes she does not understand! Some day when fashion brings once more The custom of those days of yore, She may revive the simple charm | Of songs that pleesed and meant no harm. A Commercial Failure. “Is that astronomer successful?” “Not very,” replied the popular scien- tist. “He insists on spending his time staring thrqugh a telescope when he ought to be at a typewriter plunking out articles for the magazines.” “A man kin be too polite an’ oblig- in",” said Uncle Eben. “I know a man dat stood wifout kickin' while his wife dressed him up in a fancy loungin’ coat an' a gorgeous necktie an’ a smok- in' cap. Den. she inspected him an' decided dat she couldn't live wif such & lookin' man, pohow.” WASHINGTON, D.; O, FRIDAY, SHP THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. ‘The days of the tveek have separate characters of their own. The dutics we associate with them are something less, in this feeling, than their sequence. The habits of centuries remain, but somehow Tuesday has a different “feel” than Wednesday. . Time, we must believe, has a great deal to do with it. Time and space—these are the two great intangibles which color the mete- oric career of man, Neither exists at all, in one sense, being but an impalpable nothing, which cannot be felt but which can be meas-. ured, which knows no limit but which strictly limits the life of finite crea- tures. Against these - monsters, time and space, mankind has hurled itself through the ages. Our histories, viewed from one as- pect, are but ceaseless efforts to anni- hilate time and to reduce space. But the faster we go, and the farther, the shorter life seems to become and the farther off stand the boundless walls of the universe. T Only in the days of the week do we | possess some sure measure of the pas- | sage of time. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs- day, Friday, Saturday, Sunday—any child can reel them off, but no philoso- her can say any more p’l‘hey de.ser‘;’re their full spelling, rather than the abbreviations which often they are given, for they are filled with | all that we are and can be. The days of the week, even more than the years, hold the possibility of advancement and improvement. In them we have units of time which I somehow seem more tangible to some {of us than the shorter and longer meas- | ures, the minutes and the weeks, or the seconds or the months. sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednes- day, Thursday, Friday, Saturday—there we begin with the first day of the week, which invariably seems the last to many, It is an old. old dispute, begun cen- turies ago, and still not ended. Sccts have been founded on this difference. It is probably true that Sunday seems 1to most people the last day of the t week. | In gang circles | To such persons Monday always is| { the first day of the week, the day of re- {beginning. Even those who regard | Sunday as a day for recreation cannot | wholly get away from the heritage of it as a day of rest. | On Monday morning, if you listen | carefully to the conversation of family | {men, you will hear mock lamentations | about “Sunday s a day of rest.” with| the full implication that it was any- thing but such for them. In thousands of families throughout ! the United States the Sabbath is the grand automobile day. On that day father loads the family inio the car and | takes it to view spots of historical in- terest Whether he wants to or not, such | tours must be begun, and often a man | who works hard all week spends the first day of the week, which veritably | seems like the seventh and last to him, | acting as chauffeur and guide. R Sundey is the grand loafing time for still another section of humanity. The man or woman who has no chance to slecp late six days a week often takes advantage of the seventh— no, the first day—to do just that. It is amazing how many pcrsons there are who get more pleasure out of lying a-bed than from any other ac- tivity, if one may so call it. | Sir Harry Lauder. in his famous ditty. “I Hate to Get Up in th> Mornin', wrote the theme song for millicns. This scction of humanity loves noth- | ing bett>r than to wake up, look sleep- ily around. ard to go back to sleep again, or, even better, to lie in that WASHINGTC Republican_ rivalries for the speaker- ship of the House now_claim attention. Messts, Snell of New York znd Tilson of Connecticut, veteran regulars, each have strong claims and a large fol- lowing. Compromise talk is now in the air—compromise whereby both stand aside and unanimous support be given to member conservative chough to suit the East and liberal enough to suit the West, i such can be found. Cooper of Ohio, super-dry; Purnell of Indiana, Mapes and Mich- ener of Michigan and Hoch of Kan- sas are some of those mentioned. With seme naviete it is suggested that pos- sibly neither Snell nor Tilson would be able to muster the solid support of the extreme left wing of the party in the House. Mapes looks to have the best chance for the nomination | if Snell and Tilson quit the race. But the opinion is gaining ground that in the final showdown the Democrats will | organize the House and Honest Jack | Garner of Texas will be the Speaker | of the Seventy-second Congress. The | so-called one-vote margin in the House in favor of the Republicans is more illusory than real. There are several | Who are unlikely to support the nominee of the Republican caucus, regardless of whom the nominee may be, and | the defection of a single one will be enough to tip the scales the other way, if the Democrats vote as a solid unit' for Garner, as is expected. * ox % * The original count of the new House was 218 Republicans, 216 Democrats and 1 Farm-Laborite. ‘There have been 11 deaths. Three of the eleven va- cancies have been filled without chang- ing the political line-up. Eight va-| cancies—four on the Republican side | and four on the Democratic side—will be filled before December. The Demo- crats are sure of their four, the Repub- | licens not so sure of theirs. At best the Republicans will do well to hold their own. The Farm-Laborite mem- ! ber—Paul J. Kvale of Minnesoia—had Democratic support and Republican op-| position in his election fight last year. His vote for the nominee of the Re-, publican caucus for Speaker is dubious, | to say the least. There are three other members from Minnesota who bear Re- publican tags, but whose “grogn:sive views” make their support of any reg-| viar Republican nominee equally un-| likely. One member of the Texas dele- gation in the House—Wurzbach—is listad in the Republican column. Wurz- bach is in a duel to the death with the’ Republican organization. If the Demo- crats organize the House, the speaker- ! ship will go to Texas. A single vote| { may decide it. Wurzbach has abundant reasons for voting for Garner. * Lk Plans for the Yorktown Sesquicenten- nial celebration in mid-October are now well advanced and the detailed program presents a_wide diversity of attractions.| Many tablets and memorials will be unveiled, including one dedicated to Gen. Lovd Cornwallis and the valor of the British soldiers. There will be a pleth- | ora of speech-making. Senator Hiram | Bingham will lead off with an address, | followed by Dr. Ray Lyman Wi.bur, Secretary of the Interior. Gov. Pollard | of Virginia will deliver an addrcss and Representative Rcbert Luce of Massa- chusetts, and John Stewart Bryan, and Secretary of the Navy Charles Francis | Adams, and Gen. Pershing, and Bishop | Freeman of Waskington Cathedral, and Secretary of War Patrick J. Hurley, and | Senator Swanscn of Virginia. Not al! lon the same day, however. President Hoover is scheduled to speak at York- town in the forenoon of Monday. Octcber 19. Afterward that much ciscussad pageant depicting the sur- render of Lord Cornwallis will be staged. * ok ok X The President of the National Wom- an's Party, born in Mobile, Ala., before the Civil War, and now residing in France, may well thrill with pride when she surveys the ceaseless activity of | ered | in thousands of hamlets, villages her protege. “At Alva Belmont House, the beautiful national headquarters roll of the tic ot | Bommittee. sty half-doze which many declare to be the only conscious part of sleep, and there- fore the only enjoyable portion. We have said nothing of Sunday as a day of religious meditation, but that is wholly or in part in the back of the heads of the great majority of us. Whether we go to church or not, one may like to think there is the funda- mental aspect of thi ay, the result of centuries of human Iliv and it cannot be obliterated, no matter what is done or not done. e Monday has the particular character of beginning, for most people. There is a brightness, a resolve to do, on Monday morning which perhaps other days of the week lack. In the household it is a beginning 8! all over again of the active task of running a home. Monday still remains the wash day of_millions. Bright and early on this morning a | million feet of clothesline is strung up and ten million garments fluiter in the breeze, drying in the fresh air and bright sunshine. ‘Tuesday 1is nothing-much sort of day, but one still partaking of the fresh beginning. It has the subtle distinction of the man who cannot be caricatured. Such a human being presents to the pencil of the cartoonist no unmistakable fea- ture which sets him off from other men. We heard a famous artist once re- fuse the request of a friend, who had asked that the cartoonist draw his young son. “I cannot do it,” said the artist. “He is too yourg and has no feature | which I can seize cn. Now that man” —and he pointed to an associate— “with all that hair, T can do him easily. But I cannot do a_small bo Tuesday is & small-boy sort of a day, without enough hirsute adornment io set it off, and it is this lack which gives it its character. ok ox % Wednesday is a day without a big ncse, as it were, and so few cartoonists would attempt to draw it. It, too, lacks something of the character which dis- iinguishes Sunday, Monday, and Sat- urday, the three red-letter days of the week. Wednesday, however, is nearer to Saturday, the great quitting day, and so begins to have some cf its atmosphere. Much as March is the low-water mark for the months, so Wednesday is the 1 low point for the week. Wednesday is regarded generally as a perfectly harmless day. There aie more meetings held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings than any other three or fcur evenings of the week. Thursday, tco, is an innocuous day, with a distinct fecling, however, that it is just so much nearer the desirable Saturdesy and Sunday. Friday is the day of anticipation This quality t'nds to dissipate the sinister superstition which has gath- around the name. Even when Frid:y falls on the thirteenth cf the month. It is distinctly felt by all that on the next day the evil combination will be broken. ok o % This leaves us only Saturday. observed small towns end cities, with towns, large { festivities all its own. Usually these culminate in pedes- trian rites at night, when the entire ropulace gathers on Main street, to walk back and forth, back and forth, until 1t o'clock or later. In the metropolitan areas this char- acter of festival is better concealed. but it is there, n-vertheless. Police activi- ties are increased several fold Saturday night, under the reign of this minia- ture weekly Hzlloween. It is well for the world that Sunday follows so quickly. OBSERVATIONS the Woman's party, gift of its presi- dent. Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont. no day passés without definite activity cn be- half of equal rights,” according to a current press statement issued in the nanme of Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley, na- tional chairman, to “commemorate the ! eleventh anniversary of suffrage,” which y is now transpiring. Mrs herself remains “an active viser and coadjutor at every stage of the National Woman's Party’s program and is in constant consultation with in- ternational feminist leaders as to the strategy and conduct of the campaign for an equal world code.” It appears that Alice Paul and Doris Stevens “have stood beside Mrs. Belmont in the van of the international struggle.” L Bucharest, capital of romantic Ru- mania, where King Carol and his loves and Queen Marie and her lovely daugh- ters dispcrt themselves, a few weeks | hence will play host to the Inter- parliamentary Union, which this year stages its deliberations in the heart of the Balkans. The usual distinguished congressional delegation will make the usual European pilgrimage “on cflcial business.” Inciuded in the American party this year arg Connally of Texas, Gore of Oklahoma, Wheeler cf Montana, Sterling Democrats of the Scnate, and Shipstead of Minnesota. Members of the House who are Bucharest bound include Cole of Iowa, Montague of Vir- ginia, Britten of Illinois, French of Idaho, Hale of New Hampshire, Lanham of Texas, Linthicum of Maryland (Mrs, Linthicum is in Paris as an “official hostess™ at the American exhibit at the French Colonial Exposition), McDuffie of Alabama and Sirovich of New York. x ok ok % The Daughters of Isabella have noti- fied th> Pine Arts Commission here of their desire to erect a monument of Queen Isabella of Spain in the National Capital. At the National Circle of the Daughters of Isabella in Boston recent- ly the organization pledged itself to raise $110,000 for this purpose, voting a tax of 2 cents per month on each member until the fund is raised. The Colored Elks at their annual conven- tion in Philadelphia last month voted to erect a palatial national headquar- ters in Washington. The Loyal Order of Moose are going to move from Mooschart, Iil., to Washington and put up a million-dollar building-here. Thus does the city grow in glory. * x ¥ % Those prophecies so often repeated luring the closing days of the Ccolidge administration that Silent Cal would indalge himself in foreign travel when he laid down the burdens of the presi- dency have failed to materialize. Europe has no lure for Mr. Coolidge. Except for his one-time official visit to Havana, he has never been outside of the con- fines of continental United States. Sen- ator Borah is the other great American of the present day who shares this unique distinction. The inference is uncscapable that the front porch at Plymouth, in the Green Hills of Ver- mont, though now overrun by swarms of tourists, is ever 5o much more satis- fying than anything that London or Paris or Vienna has to offer. (Copyrizit, 1931.) —————————— On the Iceman’s Scales. From the Florence (Ala,) Herald. An exchange tells of a new-born baby that weighed 28 pounds—on the ice- man’s scales. - Coffee for Wheat Farmers. From the Omaha Evening World-Herald. ‘The Farm Board has arranged for the wheat farmer to get plenty of coffee to drink. Apparently no one believes the corn grower is ering from thirst. e s Grasshoppers Aid Democrats. From the Mloux Palls Daily Argus-Leacer. Probably the grassh are on the ational EMBER 4, '1931. Finds Our Government Is All Upside Down To the Editor of The Star: “Yes, it is quite true that there are many functions of the Federal Govern- ment that are beyond the comprehep. sion of the average layman.” Sugh was the remark made to me casually the other cay by a man, obviously a Gov- ernment official, when I was_coming out of the old Southern Railroa Building. His remark was occasioned by my statement that it was a peculiar coin- cidence that Col. Woodcock, prohibition director, was *on the floor below and less than 20 feet away from the Federal Farm Board and that, apparently, they were working in direct opposition to each other. ‘This remark struck me so forcibly this did not reflect the attitude of all !Government officials, from the President these officials, considered too dumb to rasp the problems confronting the country and are therefore not entitled to know the reason for many peculiar things that are taking place? If what is going on in our Govern- ment is the right and only way things can be accomplished, gullty to the charge of being dumb. I am inclined to think, however, that this attitude of noblesse oblige has been carried too far and that the real sit- uation is just the revers: Here are just a few of the incidents that are supposed to be beyond our comprehension. We are supposed to take them for filnbed because they is- sue from the thrones of the mighty: ‘The Farm Board loans money to the grape growers to produce grape concen- trates for making wine so that the pro- hibition unit can put the object of the Farm Boerd's benefactions in jail. The Federal Government, as a land owner in Panama, leases land and | bulldings to operators of saloons and bawdy houses and u. the profits from these leases, indirectly, to pay for pro- lion enforcement in the Canal Zone, which is like F street between E and G. The Wickedsham commission hands in a majority opinion in favor of pro- j hibition repeal and a minority decision !in favor of continuing the “noble exper- iment.” obviously as a result of orders from higher up. If Al Caponz were to be tried by a jury like that the judge wouldn’t know whether to send him to jall or recommend him for the Con- 1 gressional Medal of Honor. The astute Attorney General bar- gains with public enemy No. 1 and promises to treat him, respcnsible for more than 500 murders, in a kind and i gentle manner if he will plead guilty 1o law violations, the proof of which in_obtaining. The deliberate manipulation of eco- i nomic figures published by the Depart- | ment of Commerce, with the knowledge { that they were misleading and designed to_fool the public. The refusal to acknowledge the de- {gree of distress and unempioyment un- | der the depression 2nd a suppression of | actual figures on the number of unem- | ployed. A plea for the urgent necessitv of forfeiting over three hundred million dollars to save the German government from econemic collapse and a fiat-foot- ed refusal to allow our Congress to abpropriate $20,000,000 for drought re- An appeal to the cotton growers to destroy every third row of growing cot- ton while people in industrial centers all over the country are destitute, naked and in abject poverty. It is especially incomprehensible how mortgaged pi erty can be destroyed. Why rot gest destroying all money over: for favorable Government bo: Yes. I quite agree with my friend the other day. Such things are beyond our comprehension. Eut instead of being the object of his pity, I think he and his cont>mporaries are o be pitied. They remind me of a little boy sciting out to fish and winding up by getting his line hopelessly tangled in his recl. The more they try to unscramble the mess the worse the tangle gets, There is only one thing to do. Get & big sharp knife and start cutting. When all this mess has been cut away get a brand-new, straight line and start very, very cirefuily to winding up the reel. At the first sign of a kink stop af once and straighten it out. Aftcr a little use, a straight line, properiy jwound. performs beautifully. The first essential of successful gov- ernment is an cfiicial attitude of re- g- the people and not one of domination 2nd condescension, such as the feudal {barons had toward their vassals. The l;;nrrl[l ;vel‘rnrr of the pesple should be omoted instead of dxgemen(. { personab aggran- have absolute confidence in the f1.- herent ability of the American peo}fle pulling through in a pinch. but it looks like they would have ‘s do it in spite of the ‘Government and not because of it. There is somethiug seriously wrong with the existing order of things when the chauffeur rides downtown, majestically ensconced on the rear seat. while his ‘employer sits at the Wwhee] and guides him through the congested traffic. ROBT. F. JONES. e Value of Intervention In Coal Crisis Weighed From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Apparent success of the oil shutdcwn in Oklahoma and Texas under martial law naturally leads to the suggestion that similar tactics be employed to help the coal situation. It is early to Jjudge the final results of this drastic inter- ference with normal economics, but there is promise cf success in the promot rise of the price of oil, with some large companies again quoting $1 per barrel. If the flelds can be reopened under some _satisfactory pro-ration basis it may be possible to prevent the waste that has marked 1ecent operatizns and maintain fair price levels. There are some points of similarity between oil and coal, but it is a mis- take to attemot to draw too close a arallel. Obviously, any artifi~ial re- striction of producticn over the three or four largest bituminous producink States would shortly raise prices, but it would contribute little or nothing to any last- ing improvement of the industry’s trcubles. It would bring additional distress to mining commurities tempo- rarily and would injure some companies f‘l;,l:fll’i flunlothers. nfortunat-ly, those mest seriousl; affected would in many instances bz { the companics which have shown_the ‘mcut efficient operaticn and have treated their men more considerately and fairly than a number of others, ‘This does not mean that the proposal should be barred from any ccnsideration whatever. It may have to with other suggestions that bzen put forward. But it seems that there could be effective, though less drastic, intervention by State or Federal gov- ernments. ‘The response to the invitaticon ten- dered by Secretaries Lamont and Doak for a conference in Washington illus- trates that any governmental actlon will have to be more positive than a mere proffer of “good cffices” if it is to count for much. But the Federal Gov- ernment has certainly not exerted any real pressure to bring about reorganiza- tion or stabilization up to the present moment. Ncr have the States shown any dispesition to sponsor or support any proposal for relief. It is recognized that any govern- mental intervention mignt have unfav- orable political reacticns if, because of faulty planning or uncontrollable factors, it should end in failure. It may be the “safe” thing to dodge it. But that is not leadership, and the public's stake in the emergency is such as to demand some constructive effort, whether or not clitical risks are involve s And Yet Germany Lives. Prom the Janesville Daily Gazette. ‘The Hitlerites failed in Prussia and the Communists were a bad th'rd. Be- tween the two the government still lives. s Remote Control Method. Prom the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Too many parents these days seem to be using remote control on their kids. that I could not help but wonder if} on down. Are we the people, who elect ! then I plead | they have spent.thousands of dollars‘ bs-ribed | cpect and subservience to the will of | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS There is no other agency in the world that can answer as many legiti- mate questions as our free Information Bureau in Washington, D. C. This highly crganized institution has been built up by and is under the personal direction of Prederic J. Haskin, By keeping in constant touch with Federal bureaus and other' educational enter- jprises it is in a position to pass cn to you authcritative information of the highest order. Submit your queries to the staff of e: , whose services are put at your free disposal. There is no | charge except 2 cents in coin or stamps for return postage. Address The Eve- | ning Star Infermation Bureau, Frederic | J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. C. | Q. Are the original Weber and Fields still living?—R. B. { . A These comedians are still living. They have been before the public for about 57 years. . Q. Did Betty Carstairs serve in the | war?—s, L. | A Maricn Barbara Carstairs, who Idi.bllnguishes herself in boat racing, j went to France in 1916 at the age of | 16 and served until the Armistice as an ambulance driver. Miss Carstairs ob- jects t> the nickname, Betty, given her jin ],‘x"lm, saying that her friends call er Jo. Q. How long had the postage rate to Great Britain been 2 cents?—J. L. A. It had been 2 cenis to all parts of Great Britain since 1907. The rate was raised to 5 cents September 1, 1931. Q. In taking the census of the United States is a person counted where he works or where he lives>—R. D. A. The enumerat'rs under the census law were instructed to enumerate per- sons at “their usual place of abode"— that is, at their permanent home or regular lodging places. Thus it happens that the business or industrial popula- | tion of any large city includes a con- siderable number of perscns who are not counted as part of the census popula- tion of the city, their residences or | lodging places being outside the munici- pal limits. Q. Are the Western mountains or Eastern mountains considered mcre dangerous for airplanes?—P. F. G. A. While the Rocky Mountains are ! far higher than the Appalachian Moun- tains, aviators ccnsider the Appalachian Mountains more dangerous, as fogs are | m-re prevalent over this range. | Q What is the oldest tree in the { world>—C. V. B. A. It is said to be a giant ciub-moss, { It was restored, natural size, from the | enly known fossil, found in New York Statc. and is ncw in the New York | State Museum. ! Q. Did any p®ple ever have a law providing that a town or.city had to tore stolen preperty?—K. L. I. A. The Hammurabian code, which |antedated the code of Moses by ahout a [ thousand years. included the following | pro ny one has committed a ry 2nd he is caught. he shall be killed.” 1f the robber is not caught, the man who has becen robbed shall make claim before God to everything stolen ! from him, and the town and its gov- [ernor within the territory and limits of which the robbery took place shall 1g\w back to him everything he has ost.” GQ ‘Was Woodrow Wilson a lawyer?— R. A. He studied law at the University of Virginia, was admitted to the bar and practiced law in Atiznta, Ga., be- fore entering the field of education and Literature. | which flourished in the Devonian era. | BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Q. Where are the Bitter Lakes?— N. M. 'A. These two lakes in Egypt form part of the Suez Canal. | . Q. How many buffaloes are there in Yelowstone Park?—H. G. A. Tnere are now about 1,200. Since this is too many to have proper Winter grazing, the Government is willing to give away 100. These animals cannot be killed and the expense of removal must be borne by the applicants. Q. Which is the better solvent, alco- hol or water>—N. B. V. A. More useful solics can be dis- solved in water than in any other liquid. Q. Were enlistments closed when the draft law went into effect in this coun- during the World War?—S. C. A. They were not. Between April, 1917, and the armistice 877,458 men en- listed. The total forces at the time of the armistice numbered 4,791,172 men, including peace-time organizations and drafted and enlisted men. Q. Had Browning's “How They | Brought the Good News From Ghent” any foundation in fact?—H. T. % A. It was purely an imaginary inci- | dent. Q. For whom was the ampere named? =~C. B. A. Andre Marie Ampere was a fa- | mous French physicist who lived from | 1775-1836. He showed brililancy in | mathematics at an early age and be- | came professor of that study. He later eugaged in scientific researches, partic- ularly in electricity and magnetism. ‘The ampere, the practical unit of elec- tric current, was named for him. 2. \ghlt does white Christmas mean? A. It refers to a Christmas day when |1t is snowing or_when the ground is covered with sno | @ Has the S. 5. Leviathan ever en- tered_the Baltimote harbor?—A. C. A It has not Q. Why is j dotted?>—R. C. A. The consonant j did not appear in the Latin and other alphabets of | Western Europe urtil the 16th century. It had been represented by the letter 1. | In manuscripts the lctter i was carried slightly below the line to indicate that | it was being used as a consonant. This | form crept into the alphabets. er of the last 10 years from that of previous years?—H. J. W. | A. The Weather Bureau says that one year diffe; from enother in the weather it brings. and also in respect to |almost anything else. However, the average of the weather for any consecu- tive 20 years is practically the same as for any other consecutive 20 years. In that general sense, the Weather Bureau says that our wea r is about normal. was the lega cxer rebellion? refer to the American guard?—M. S. A. The guard numbered 24 Marines from the Newark. 25 Marines from the Oregon and 5 sailors. Q. Why s a cross formed by the light of a street lamp when v through a window screen?—A. M A. The Bureau of Standards says that the appearance of fqur light rays from a street lamp when viewed at night from a window is a diffraction phenomenon, arising from the wave nature of light—namely, bending around | obstacles and fering. ion 1 i | Distress in China, believed to be + without paraliel in the history of floocs, is held by many Americans to offer an exceptional opporturity to the world. {and especially to the United States, for prempt and effective service which will be bereficial in the future. Jt is pointed out by the press that the Amer- ican food surplus may well be depended on to lead in the relief. while the credit o background for such action. The San Antonio Express summarizes the conditions with the statement: “Central China evidently is suffering the greatest disaster in all its long his- tory. tributaries have flooded most of four large previnces and driven 30,000,000 from their homes.” 1In regard to relief measures, the Express, observing that “many lands are overstocked with food- fIs. which the Nanking government buy if granted the necessary " feels that the disaster *should move all nations to aid Chi: which is largely unable to help itself. | _“This situation is a major catastro- | phe. even if it does not prove to be the of all disasters caused by na- according to the New London which feels it is “beyond the pow- ers of imagination to figure out the scope of the swirling waters.” and de- clares, “A sad aspect of it all is that the nations cannot be as generous in relief as they would like, but. ny the same token, it may be that the very overproduction which has brought about the dep.ession may be of greater service than first anticipated.” * ok x & Recognizing that the Chinese “have taught the rest of mankind so much rts of life and beauty and cul- worst tur they “must be saved fron asurable greed and lust of hbors ard friends, and aided slough of despond * * * then they must be rescued from mutual slaughters and pillage and starvation, and then they The Walla Walla Daily Bulleiin that, “in its hour of need, China naturally looks to the United States, a friend, for assistance,” and is well worth our while to justi- {fv the confidence which China has in our friendship.” The Bulletin states as to the present situation: *“This Nation cannot send succor for the vast area which just now is flooded. It would take hundreds of boats, working at top speed and equipped with a large amount of supplies to help. There will be need, after the floods in the Yangtze Valley subside, for much relief work.” “A’ catastrophe of such dimensions, in the opinion of the Cincinnati Times- Star, “might well paralyze all human initiative. But the Nationalist govern- ment is working heroically to organize relief expeditions. The Red Cross is already in the field, spurred on by a message from President Hoover, and the United States fleet' in Oriental waters is doing whatever may be done to mitigate the suffering. Meantime, the Chinese government is negotiating for the purchase of American Farm Board wheat 2gainst the probability of famine next Winter. The whole spectacle of human wretchedness enlists the sym- fortunately has never experienced any disaster of such frightful proportions Journal remarks that the wheat in this country should be shipped as flour, pointing to the advantage of “work for Americans, utilization of partially idle mill equipment in the Pacific Northwest and easier transportation over the poor highways and byways of China.” while “ficur is in a form more easily con- sumable than wheai." The Allentown Morning Call suggests that “an impor- tant change in the dietary of an entire people might easily devclop from the present situation in Ch{na” through the American wheat. and that that “the staple purchase of paper points to the f: food for generations as the result duction has as been rice, but of vecexlt warfare the pro- h&n cut.” the Chinese nation furnishes t.h!} The Yangtze River and many | e to find and lift themseives out of the | must be healed of pestilence and ter-! parthy of the Western world, which| Taking account of the world’s sur-| plus of wheat, the Portland Oregon | N;aeds of Chinese Appraised As Challenge to Whole World “Wheat should be moving toward the | famished millions zlong the Yangtze at | the earliest possible moment.” thinks the New York Times, observing that “‘assurances are given that the National government is able to protect the whea: in transit and to make possible its us +ful distribution.” The Miami Da News remarks: “For lack of transpor- tation, once the food is in Chinese rts, it will be impossible to reach a1l of the flood sufferers. Enocugh can be reached to be of very great uSe.” “Not only have the trees been cut down,” says the Rochester Times- Union, “but poor people, anxious to get_every scrap of firewood. have even grubbed out the roots and carried anay the young growth.” That paper adds: | “The Chinese situation carries a lesson for the United States. While we would | mot strip the hills in quite the same | fashion, we, too, have been careless about cutting down trees. And on the | rich uplands of several extensive re- glons thousands of acres are baing gul- | lied and rendered useless.” “In years ct the great floods,” recalls the Chattancoga - Times. * waters | become a v: hungry, destructive force sweeping everything before them as thev pour over vast areas of flat land. Sixty | thousand square miles are covered by 20 feet of water in this year's flood | When such a flood ccmes, the unlucky | Chinese peasant must flee for his life. | He is fortunate to escape, for the wa- | ter spreads over the flat country with | incredible speed. Or perhaps not so ‘(ortunnle. He faces a Winter of utter | poverty: must sce his family herced | with thousands of other refugees in the | cities to which they have fled: sees | them slowly starving to death. while he himself experiences the awful gnaw- ing of an absolute hunger few Ameri- cans ever know.” IS Poor Teamwork Shown In Coffee-Wheat Deal From the Chicago Daily News, . Under the terms of the exchange of wheat for coffee arranged between the Feceral Farm Board and Brazil the lat- ter is to pay all the freight charges involved in shipping large quantities of wheat to the South Arerican country | and large quantities of ‘coffee to the | United States. Consequently, the Farm | Board scents to have assumed that it | was the prerogative of Brazil to decide | to which shipping companies it would | award contracts for transporting the | commodities in question. But the Amer- |ican Steamship Owners’ Association | complains of the Farm Board's failure | to stipulate that American vessels | should carry at least a part of the re- sulting cargoes. Chairman Stone of the Farm Board is frank enough to say that he and his associates gave no thought to the in- | terest cf ship owners in the deal. In | other words, the Federal Shipping Board was not consuited or advised of | the extraordinary negotiations with the Brazilian government. Had it been in- | formed, naturally it would have per- | ceived the opportunity afforded to ob- tain for the A rerican Merchant Marine a fair share of the resulting ocean freight. Brazil presumably would have acceded to a reasonable request of that kind, though it migkt have sought some modification of th~ general agreement because of rates charged by American | shioping companies. | The common feeling that there is no effective co-operation among the Fed- eral Government's business agents is justified. Frequently the right hand of the Government does not know what the left is doing. More systematic tean- work is both desirable and feasible. ———— In the Third Rgw, “R. I. P.” From the Savannah Morning News. The New York Herald Tribune says that the “Farm Board has dug its own ave.” e grave is located, situate, ving and being, if anybody should by chance want to know, in third row. “R. L P.” 3