Evening Star Newspaper, November 11, 1931, Page 8

A—8 THE EVENING STAR i With Sunday Morning “)""fj WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY, November 11, 1931 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor ‘The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office 11ty St and Peansylvanis Ave New York Office: 110 Eas st 42nd St Chicago Office: Laite Michigan Building. European Office 14 Regent ndon. England. iate by Carrier Within the City. The Bi.zine Stor 45¢ per month The Evening and Sunday Star Tig Evening and. Bundey Siar e Evening and Sunday &i hen 5 Sundaye) 65¢ per month The Bunday Star e per copy Cotlection made at the end of each month | S mas be sent tn by matl of telephonie Bal 5000 60c per month | Order: NAtior Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Bafly and Sunday.... 1. 51000} mo. g3 iy Shiv RN I R o Bindas onty 135 #4001 mo. 46 All Other States and Canada. ally and Sunday.. 1yr. 517001 mo.$1.00 nday only . 1y, 8 3 Member of the Associated Press. ssociated Preas is exelysiveiy entitied to Tt e o Fepin leation of Al ews Gi:- 1 1 vublished herein All righis of pub! Epecial dispatches herein are mo.! imo. A Troubled Armistice Day. There could be no more tragic side- light on the anxious atmosplere in which Armistice day. 1931, is celebrated than the laconic news that Japan is sending to America $30,000.000 in gold | for the possible purchase of munitions | in the event of war with China. Inj countless other directions there are in- | dications enough that the Far st/ may at any hour flame into a confla- | gration which could embroil the whole | world. So far, and no farther. have | the nations marched since.tte “Cease | firing!” was oun‘ed on the Western .front thirteen years ago this morning at eleven o'clock. Superstition-ridden souls doubtless read omen into the cir- cumstance trat on the thirteenth an- niversary of the first World War's end another. conflict menaces mankind. The disquieting prospect across the Pacific does mot and should mot blot from our memory that which will al- ways enshrine Armistice day in Amer- jcan hearts—eternal gratitude for the deeds of valor performed by our sacred and heroic dead on land and sea in 1917 and 1918. To them, recur- ring elevenths of November will be consecrated as long as the spirit of American patriotism endures. Over and over again, while the war raged and afterward, men said that the youth of the world, who gave their all, fought to end war. The generation that sur- vives them has thus far contrived to prevent another holocaust. : It will not escape the damnation of history if it does ot also prove capable of holding back Japan and China from a sanguin- ary settlement of their quarrels this Winter. Leagues of Nations, foreign offices, State Departrents and Ambassadors say there is no war in Manchuria. If what is going on around the Nonni Bridge and Tsitsihar is not war, then philologists would better bestir them- selves to invent a word to describe op- erations of troops who destroy life and property and occupy territory of an- other country into which the way has been 'blasted by field artillery and bombing planes. The plain people of the world, who have to pay with life and treasure, may soon become as im- patient with the supine efforts of states- manship to avert war in Asia as they are with the evident determination of the Asiatics to irk themselves into it. The Geneva disarmament conference 15 scheduléd to open in February, 1932. That is less than three months from now. World conditions being what they are—in Eurcpe as well as in Asia—the | outlook for substantial progress in arms | reduction is far from bright. If the| Geneva meeting were to assemble amid | the din of war in the Far East, 1t would. ! of course, become a travesty. Ind:e(‘lv it is extremely probable that even dip- | Jomats, who dote on international con- | Serences, would feel the expense of a trip to Switzerland not worth while if | Mars once again Were enthroned over the destinies of puny man. r——————— | Communists are observing the con- tentions of China and Japan with close dnterest. The old American schoolbook story about the boy who settled a dis- pute over a nut by giving each con- tender half the shell and keeping the kernel for himself appears to ha'e. made its way in some form into Soviet literature. ——oe—e A novelist in the Kentucky coal fields solemnly announces that the conditions ought to be investigated by Congress. Even a novelist cannot be expected to show marked originality all the time. ———— Burying the Farm Board. Representative James M. Beck of Pennsylvania, speaking to the Chicago ' Board of Trade on the subject of the Federal Farm Board, said: “I have come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.” Nor did Mr. Beck laud the Farm Board. His tactics had none of the Mark Antony about them. When he had completed his remarks the Farm Board and iis supporters had been completely excoriated. The Boird and its operations were pictured as abject failurcs. Mr. Beck insisted that the law of supply and demand wili slways continue to operate; that the Farm Board was only a glaring in- stance of the menace of bureaucracy. | “This greatest failure in the history of our government,” he said, 1l not be wholly in vain if it teaches the American people that even the opulent purse of Uncle Sam cannot stabilize the price of a world staple. It should not have required the expenditure of $500,000,000 to teach us this obvious lesson.” In his attack upon the futile effort of the Farm Board to stabilize wheat and c:tton prices by the expedient of buying up surpluses i is easy to agrce ith Mr. Beck. But his wholesale at- i ph 3 | tailures greatest possible profits, was willing to pay for labor. American labor has been successful, as it has in Britain in a lesser cegres, through organiza- tion, in obtaining more adequate re- iurns for iis effort. What the Government has proposed to do in the Federal Farm Marketing Act is to enable the American farmers, through their cs-operatives, to protect themselves when the time comes to market their crops. Would the grain trade. to which Mr. Beck delivered the fureral oration of the Farm Board, welcome the success of farm co-opera- tives, organized without Government 2!d? Rather not Ever since the creation of the Fed- eral Farm Beard ths dealers in grain have boen hostile to it. If reports are true they have undertaken t> dis- credit the board in every possible way with the farmers themselves. The sit- uation which has existed in this coun- try and in the world practically since the establishment of the beard has 4 into the hands of the trade. And where is the brilllant success of the private inZustries in this country dur- ing the pericd of the depression? There was no bureaucracy there, but the and cost to the American people have been o many times great- er than the cost of the Federal Farm | Board that the opponents of the Farm ive those failurcs ider: The same law of supply and cemand that Mr. Beck ex- tols has worked in the case of indus- just as inexorably as it has in the case of the Farm Board stabilization operations The grain trade is unalterably op- posed to co-operation among the farmers to sell their own produce at the highest prices they may obtain Perhaps the farmers will never be able to perfect their selling organizations. If o, the grain trade will coniinue to reap its millions from the efforts of the farmers. But the effort to give the farmers a better “break” in this matier of selling has not yet been ended, nor is the Farm Board likely to remain “burled”—not yet. —— o The War Memorial. Healing time has softened in some degree the sharp pain of those blows that severed heart strings thirteen! years ago &s casuglty lists brought home grim tidings of how the battles fared. Hevth grief has given way to sweet memory and thought of those who dled no longer is obscured by the dust and turmoil of angry battle, but shines white and clear, like the first star of & calm Summer evening. Some of this purity and dignity of death for A cause has been expressed by the skilliful artisans who conceived and fash- joned the District of Columbia War Memorial, dedicated by the President of the.United States on this the thir- | teenth anniversary of the signing of | the armistice. ‘The exercises today crown the efforts of these thousands of Washing- tonians who, through generous sub- scription and unselfish service, have made the memorial possible. More than any of the splendid monuments in this city of monuments, its erection Tepresents the achievement of Wash- ingtonians. Carved in the solid stone of its base are the honored names of those sons and daughters of this city who lost their lives in the war. In- closed in its firm foundations, sealed against the ravages of age and decay, are the names of those who answered the call of duty sounded by the war. And the completed work itself, stand- ing in a grove of friendly trees in West Potomac Park, is testimony of the success of the members of our Wash- ington community who labored to build the memorial. Not s> long ago the ground upon which now stands this memorial was treacherous marsh. Now it is solid and firm underfoct. We build, and leave the still unfinished work for those who follow us to accomplish. It is a pleasing thought to belleve that when | many, many years have rolled over the hill and the children of our children | pause a moment over the names carved on this memorial they can look about | them at the things that men have sought to do and say, “They built well.” e——— American literature has in several gratifying recent instances produced authentic biographical works which ake immediately popular, though dignified and veracious —_———— Armistice day was a success in put- ting a welcome end to the fighting, even though it did not come anywhere near terminating the argument. —_—m————e Campaign Funds. The “Minute Men” of the Democ- | racy, designed to be a permanent or- ganization by Chairman John J.! Committee, is the latest challenge w] the Republicans. Not long ago the Democratic Committee launched a drive for a “victory fund” of $1,500,000, to wipe out the committee’s deficit and to provide money for opening the 1332 presidential campaign. The “Minute Men” are to aid in raising this fund and to act as advisers of the national Democratic organization, keeping their cars always close to the ground for the trend of political sentiment While the Democratic National Com- mittee was busying itself with the de- tails of its newest organization the" “Smith Stickers of America” made their appearance in New York City. The and concentrated. They are to create | such a demand for former Gov. Alfred |E. Smith of New York for President | that Mr. Smith will be assured of re- | nomination by acclamation at the | Democratic National Convention next | year. The organization in its letter |says: “We want every voter who favors | Al Smith for President to say it with ,‘Smith Stickers.’” The plan was to have these stickers used on all Jetters, motor | car windows and everywhere they would stick. The former Governor of New York, however, has taken cognizance THE EVENING S1AR, well as the Demacratic national or- ganization. The National Prohibition Board of Strategy, adopting a slogan that “Dry Dimes Will Beat Wet Dol- lars,” is seeking a million dimes from a million people. It argues that such a contribution reaching Washington will ba more impressive than a contribution cf $100.000 made by a few wet million- alres to the enti-prohibition cause. Perhaps the community chest idea might b2 applied to political organiza- tions, giving the long suffering c an opportunity to subscribe once for all, & gigantic pot of money from which the Democrats and G. O. P, the prohibitionists and the anti-prohibi- | tionlsts might all draw the needed sus- | tenance for the coming year. Alloca- tion of such a national political fund | might be difficult. But those big in-| terests which feel that it is necessary to make contributions to all political | parties in order to have anchors out | in case of storm probably would heave | a sigh of relief If they could make just | one donation to a central organization ! and let it go at that. Senator George W. Norrls of Ne- braska and others who do not feel th» | party yoke or who wear it lightly have | suggested in the past that all separate | naticnal campaign funds be wiped | out and that such publicity for candi- | dates for national office and their plat- | forms as may be fiecessary to inform | the people be handled impartially by the Federal Government. But so far cuch proposals have not taken hold of the imagination of the politicians, and millions of dollars continue to be expended in political campaigns. This year and next these funds may help, after all, to reduce unemployment. ———— Japan is far from being one of the countries concerned with any need of outlet to the sea. Her economists ale frank in asserting that her require- ments are not more water, but more land. B~ By stepping out in a new and strik- ingly handsome costume, Mayor Jimmy Walker gladdens old acquaintanees with every possible assurance that his trip | to Europe was precisely what he needed for his health. ——————— It is no more than discreet for Rep- resentative Garner of Texas to with- hold deteils of his program. What may happen in Capitol conditions is as hard to forecast as the weather itself. ———— The child, neglected and hurt until it has forgotten how to smile, presents a problem more worthy of the psycho- analyst than that of complling pseudo- scientific defenses for precocious crim- inals. —————— China in surveying the list of rail- roads that are in trouble calls attention to the South Manchurian line as con- spicuously in need of expert attention. . Ledgers should be regarded as ac- curately reliable financial history. It i inexcusable for those who write them to get mixed up in their dates. — oo SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Old Man Worry. Old Man Worry is a-steppin’ out in style. He seems to learn most anything—ex- ceptin’ how to amile. He talked in classis languages, Iohg since out of date, And in more modern accents his facil- ity is great. ©Old’ Man Worry keeps us goin' ‘round the map. ‘When we escape him once, he simply sets another trap. He sent us through the lexicons, the Russian and the Greek, And from Spain to Scandinavia still playing hide and seek. ©Old Man Worry, when seeking our un- rest, We disobey the maxim and go East in- stead of West. We've followed through Siberian snow, ‘where phrases seem to freeze And next it looks as if we'd have to study Japanese! For Remembrance. “A man in your position has to under- stand human nature pretty well to make so many unfulfilled promises without losing every friend!" “There is only one great principle of human nature" answered Senator Sorghum, “that you have to understand. A citizen likes a souvenir of esteem and even if you can't give him a job, a promise is at least something to re- member you by.” Jud Tunkins says a racketeer, in spite of the fancy photographs, once he gets in jail, looks just about like the |Raskob of the Democratic National Yest of the boarders. Gargantuan Thanks. He truly doth deserve to starve— ‘That over-reaching sinner Who thinks the world is his to carve For a Thanksgiving dinner. Monotony. “Why did you tell him not td come to see you again?” “He talks of nothing except himself,” answered Miss Cayenne, “But he has had interesting experi- ences.” “Very true. It's none the less tire- some to feel as if he had mistaken you | for a stenographer and was dictating | purpose of the “Stickers” is more simple his autoblography.” said Hi Ho, the sage of , “is often a work of the imagination which sees happiness where there is none.” Sad Sufficiency. 1 know they will investigate, Discovering much that’s new, And call the world to contemplate Things that are sad, yet true. As feelings get another twist By the disclosures rough, 1 murmur sadly, “Please desist! I've really heard enough!™ tack upon the agesncy set up by the of the plan, declaring he has given the | Government to aid the farmer in the sticker organization no authority to use | “When prosperity gits in full swing, better marketing of his crops 15 a dif- his name or his photograph and threat- | 58id Uncle Eben, “you's gineter have ferent matter. hes always suffered from the fact that, an unorganized unit, he has been com- pelled to sell his produce, not for what he offered it, but for what the gralm trade was willing to pay him. To follow Mr. Beck to the ultimate conclusion of argument for stark in- dividualism would leave the American | campaign persists, ‘The campaigners are “rarin’ to go.” It the same enthusiasm continues throughout the coming year, it looks as though the United States was in for an intensive political contest, which will keep the country stirred up for a twelvemonth. Wet and dry organisa- The American farmer | ening to take legal action if the sticker Some men mentionin' dese times when dey had to stay unemployed as ‘de good old days. e Hunting Season. Prom the Milwaukee Sentinel. Now come the pleasant Autumn days, when sportsmen from the great cities | his peopls will demonstrate that they can't tell laborer entirely at the mercy of what tions have launched drives for raising the difference between & guide and & snjggmployer, seeking fo ke the funds in every part of ths country, N8 Jeokrabblh - WASILIAGLUN, e b WS pAY, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Secds of a great lily, held in the hand, were nothing but small brown squares, almost as thin as paper. They had been neatly packed in one of the finest protective wrappings we were ever privileged to sec. The pod was a_thick, tough mem- brane, inside of which the square, flat seeds were placed ride to side, so that as many as possible might be put into it. Here was Nature's pack unrivaled by man. In this pod the seeds would keep as | long as necessary, which was, of course, | until the package would burst of its own accerd, and the seeds fall out Scattered by the winds of Autumn, most of them would be lost. Only a few would fall on soil where hey would get a chance to survive Nature, being very old, knew that, and so put a hundred seed into her package. not to get a hundred lily plants later on, but to get one, or may- be two, at the most. * ok %k & Suppose mwan helped Nature and cerefully plented all of the sceds for | her? This was the thought that came to the amateur gardener as he stood look- ing into the mystery of the lly seed pod. But lilles are difficult to raise from | sced. Nevertheless some of them shall be planted at the rear of the garage, where it makes no particular difference whether they grow or not. They cannot begin to Spring, at any rate ¢ urge to collect flower seed comes to_every gardencr at this time of vear. It is a natural desire, sure encugh, but one which ought to be resisted. Be sure that if you collect your own you will not have as good sexd to plant next Spring as if you purchased fresh s2ed from some professional grower. This comes absut because the seed- men make it their life work to grow good seed, and the average amateur | gardener coes not. There is just that much difference. * k k% e, as yet grow until To the secdsman, the lovely flowers are nothing, the seeds are all. To th® amateur gardener the flowers are everything. He scarcely thinks of the seed until he happens to see some withered pods in the Fall. Then he becomes very enthusiastic over his discovery. It is too late, “however, Enthusiasm will not take the place of_care. It will not make up, all of a sudden, for a plan. The professional pursued his plan, which was to get first-rate sted, from the beginning to the end. He planted with good seed, crammed | with vitality, and he grew with the ideal of good sexd in mind. He fertilized and watered to get big- | ger and better reed. v Py Now the amateur comes along, and, with one glance a‘ a seed pod, thinks that he is quite a grower of seed Surely he would do better to leave all that to those who have made it their business. Of course, if he insists, he can put his own home-grown seed into the ground and he will get reasonably good results. | iny | through exactly But not the best results. This judg- ment is the result of personal experience and the oft-given advice of horticul- tural experts. After all the amateur ought to be glad to leave this matter t> the pro- fessional. Growing good seed is alto- gether different from growing good flowers. It r>quires, as we have af tempted t5 point out. an entirely differ- ent aim, and a culture which trarssends that which the average home grower can give his plants. * x % ‘There are. in lif>, a great many situ- atlons in which only the exceptional person is honest with himself. One of these lies in the field of horti- culture. Every amateur plants bulbs, for in- stence. and confidently announces that |he will reap a great harvest of new bulbs. He is fond of expatiating on the enor- mous increases in his bulb crop. Wrat _he seldom points out is that | the bulbs are small amd unhealthy locking. What he never points out is, at the blocming time of those same home- grown bulbs, that he is disappointed with the size of the flowers Only the one man in a thousand ad- mits as much, even to himself. R o We have seen home gladiolus growers, to take but one class, who have gone ound bragging to their assoclates out their great gains in bulbs, or corms, as they somctimes insist on call- them. ever do they go around afterward stating the plain fact—that the spikes from the bulbs, especially the old ones. were not half as tall as they had ex- pected and the flowers nct one-half as beautiful. If an honest gardener who has been the same cxperience dares to announce the truth as to such home growing, the other gives him the lie at once and suddenly magnifies the | size of the increase and the length of the spikes. The honest gardener says nothing— loud. To himself he sets the other down as the llar he is and forgets about the incicent. Let the other fool along with his own bulb; as much as he wants to, the initlated gardener will purchase well grown, large bulbs every year if he wants the best spikes of the type which makes the gladiolus the king of flowers. * K x * Tulip bulbs are queer-looking fellows, which somehow seem to do better than | most in growing their own new bulbs under amateur supervision. Even these tend to “run out,” how- ever. Often this is due to permitting the bulbs in the ground to lie undivided for several years. ‘Therefore, it will be wise on the part of the home owners to divide their bulbs at this time, if they have not already done so, and replant them. There is still time, although the job should have been finished long ago. Experts declare that new bulbs set out this Autumn should be given a thorough watering, owing to the drought which has prevalled, although few have stopped to realize it. The advice may be extended to include the ever- eens, which should be heavily watered fcre freezing sets in. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Hail the “Beer Bloc,” the gallant 171, who purpose taking their stand in the| House of Representatives as soon as| Congress assembles and fighting it out on the foamy line till 27 per cent stuff | is guaranteed them by enough of their | fellow members to make it legal. No formal organization of the House wets has yet been announced, but it is cir- cumstantially reported to be an accom- plished fact. The “Beer Bloc's” strate- gy, which seems to be in the hands of a general staff just like the directing board formed by the Anti-Saloon League and its dry cohorts, will serve notice on other interests that it is ready to do business with them. Evidently the busi- ness will be of the log-rolling variety, not unknown on Capitol Hill. The “Beer Bloc's” slogan, in effect, is: “Yo\l[ scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.” | It is not suggested that the 27;-ers will hold up the legislative program until their thirst is quenched. They do seem determined to utilize their strength to the limit and trade on it without stint. Speaker-to-be “Jack” Garner is to be invited to a war council with “Beer Bloc” leaders. They may have some very definite suggestions about the organiza- tion of the House. * ok ok % President and Mrs. Hoover are taking more than ordinary interest in the stir- | ring events now transpiring in Tientsin. It was 31 years ago, when the Boxer Reb:)lion was raging in China, that the young American mining engineer and his wife were living at the port which is once again the scene of disorder and bloodshed. The Hoovers found them- sclves in the very taick of things. The present President of the United States was put in charge of defensive opera- tions in the American quarter, with special duties in the direction of pro- viding safety, rations and shelter for the little colony of American men, women and children resident in the city. Before allled forces had the situa- tion at Tientsin in hand, ths house in which Mr. and Mrs. Hoover lived, to- gether with a party of fellow Yankees to whom they had offered refuge, came under a raking fire from the Chinese guns which were trained on the “foreign devils.” There is unforgettable story about Mrs. Hoover's refusal to interrupt a game of solitaire just because a shell had crashed through her roof and all but wrecked the establishment! * ok ok ¥ | Eugene Meyer, jr., governor of the |’ Federal Reserve Board, who is soon to receive his “Y” from the Montclair, N. J., Yale Bowl Club for “making good in life,” has just heard of the similar honor the club is going to pay his favorite teacher at New Haven—Prof. William Lyon Phelps. When Meyer wa: an undergraduate at Yale in the middle nineties, the one member of the faculty | with whom he struck up a friendship | was the then young instructor in Eng- lish literature, “Bill” Phelps. Now the | Montclair sons of Ell are going to have Meyer and Phelps with them for the purpose of bestowing “Y” on the Blue's famous English scholar and Uncle Sam's brainy financier simul- taneously. * x X Rivalry between the ::?n%er:‘::‘;fm;l casting systems grows for radio o wm:?uw. Between the by prevails. Recent roadcasting ., n, rushed his small daughter to Children’s Hospital for treatment which required a blood transfusion. The father, of courss, offered his own ruddy gore. The hospital surgecns said blocd might | have to be taken from an_ additional person, whereupon Harry C. Butcher, the Columbia Broadcasting System Washington director, volunteered to furnish a supply from his veins. As| things turned cut, the transfusion from the little girl's daddy sufficed, and she is now well on the road to recovery. * % ox % “Bill” Hall, who acts in an advisory capacity at Washington for the Ameri- can Railway Executives' Assoclation, was in New York the other day when e were holding a luncheon con- ference with representatives of '.hgt Na- | by the president of the association, who said: “Two of our guests can't be here. Without them we'll be 13 at table. beaven's sake, hurry down here and break the jinx!" Just the same, the railway executives have called a meet- ing in New York for Friday, November 13, to discuss the freight rate situation as it's been left by the Interstate Com- merce Commission's decision. The Cunard line has ordered the Aquitania m.pm at New York this week y, the 13th, has passed off ‘Taxation in all its varied and vexing forms is to be the theme of a series of radio broadcasts over a country-wide network of 77 stations, beginning in December and continuing until June. ‘There will be one talk a week. The scheme is sponsored by the American Taxpayers' League, with headquarters at Washington. Former Senator James W. Wadsworth of New York is chair- man of the committee which is organ- izing the radio program. Speakers al- ready scheduled for talks include Mr. Wadsworth, Senator King of Utah, Rep- resentative Wood of Infl{lnl and Rep- resentative Beck of Pennsylvania. “Tax- ation Without Representation,” the story of voteless Washington’s humiliat- ing political disabilities, is to be dis- cussed by Theodore W. Noyes, chair- |man of the Joint Committee on Na- tional Representation for the District of Columbia. * ok ox Edward Everett Gann, brother-in- law of Vice "President Curtis, was re- cently calling on a brother lawyer in Baltimcre. While in the latter's office, Mayor Jackson blew in. “Meet Mr. Gann,” sald the Baltimore attorney, presenting his Washington visitor. “Glad to knew you, Mr. Gann,” quoth his honor, adding, with a chucklé: “Only Gann I ever heard of before is Dolly’s husband.” * ok ok Brig. Gen. “Happy” Glassford had a date the other day to lunch with Tom Brahany, Gridiron Club minstrel, in connectior. with tonight's Armistice day frolic at Washington Auditorium. The statuesque new District of Columbia superintendent of %ollee couldn't find a parking place within a block of the restaurant, even after driving arcund it half a dozen times. Finally he mo- tored back to the hotel in which he lives, near Union Station, called a taxi and reached the luncheon half an hour late. “You see,” Glassford exclaimed, haven't got a pull with the traffic cops yet.” (Copyright, 1821.) e Fish and Thomas Debate Discussed To the Editor of The Star: ‘The big debate scheduled for Novem- ber 19 at Masonic Temple Auditorium between the reputed multimillionaire Congressman, Representative Hamilton Fish, and that aggressive fighter for restoration of American equality of | opportunity, Norman Thomas, recent Socialist presidential candidate, prom- i ises to be a rather exciting event for Washingtonians. Seldom do they have the opportunity of hearing two such able exponents of their respective fol- lowings in the political world. The question to be discussed “Is Capitalism Worth Saving?” is a very imrzru.nt one at this time. The writer believes that the present system is not worth saving unles we build upon it at once as a superstructure a 100 per cent Soclalist commonwealth. In recent elections in our large cities it has been clearly shown that the crime interests are 5o intertwined with the Republican and Democratic city administrations hat these corrupt interests can per- petuste their own rule forever, regard- less of majority vote, by the simple ex- pedient of “counting out” from 10 per cent to 90 l'&el’ cent of the opposition vote! Thi of it. A Congressman elected in Philadelphia (or any other city) by a 17-to-1 vote. Any one not a moron knows that this could not have been a fair election. democracy that cannot insure honest elections is most certainly on the downgrade and will not long en- dure unless a radical change takes place. The situation in New York and other citles is fully as ‘The time 1s ripe for C! people to abandon the c(:runt old‘p‘r\h- and .l.l'il up next year commonwealth; other- Wise communism will come| = R. RANDELA. NOvrusER 11, 1931, Zones for Street Car Fares Suggested To the Editor of The Star: Inasmuch as the taxicab war has been instrumental in bringing the haughty and heretofore unreasonable street car corporations to their knees and beg for mercy and relief, it seems to me that mow is the time to talk business straight from the shoulder. In the Thursday (November 5) is- sue of The Star, Mr. Roberts, the as- | sistant counsel for the Public Utilities | Commission, is hitting close t> the cor- | rect solution. Then R. B. Keech, peo- ple’s counsel of the District of Colum- bia, in the Sunday issu> (November 8), in an outstanding. masterly dis- cussion, clearly and forcibly presents ject, 1. e establish and operate a § and 10 esnt zone. All_persons interested must remem- ver that justice and fair dealing from | both sides must prevail or the result | will be piffie. ; If the street car corporations will put their property in good condition, ren- | der first-class service and establish a | 5 and 10 cent fare they will have no more worries about dividends and peace will reign throughout Washing- ton. Now let us consider those three requirements. First, the condition of the property. In front of my home, situated at 1340 Pennsylvania _avenue southeast, the street car tracks are like unto a moun- | tain trail or a rolling sea wave. Low joints and flat wheels make the pas- sengors sea sick. A ride on the Sev- enteenth and Pennsylvania evenue | southeast cer from Eighth to ven- | teenth streets southeast will prove this statement. Second, the service is worse than the roadbed, if that can be possible. If we are uptown and want to come heme, and that situation confronts us at least once a day, sometimes oftener, we have to stand and wait in the mid- dle of the street anywhere from 10 to | 30 minfites, cuite often in the broiling | sun or pouring-down rain or piercing cold wind, while traffic of every de- scription is rushing by within inches of us and not one thing to protect us but the kindly regards of the traffic drivers. When our car does come rambling aleng down the avenue, it is like as not to have a sign displayed saying “car full” and pass us by. Then we have to walt all over again until a car does come along on which W& may be able to climb, and after being held up by the conductor for a token or a dime we have the privilege of hanging on to a strap if we are tall enough to reach one and also provid- ing there are enough straps. Can the street car operators blame the pas- sengers for seeking some other means of_transportation? Third, the fare should be based upon the service rendered by the street car. 1f a passenger travels 10 miles it stands to reason, without any argument, that he should be made to pay :nore than the passenger who only travels 5 miles. That is an axiom. Do the street car corporations of Washington practice that system? The street car corpora- tions demand that the taxicabs install | meters.. Why not let the street cars install meters also? It would be quite easy to install a system whereby the conductor would know, when a pas- senger wanted to get off a car, just how far he had traveled and how much money he should pay for the service he had received. A system of this kind would insure honesty on the part of the employes, increase the number of patrons and guarantee a profit to the operating company. C. G. DEGMAN. - Man Flays U. S. Report On Plight of Musicians To the Editor of The Star: Two years after the beginning of the depression and three years after re- placing musicians by vitaphone pat- ents the Bureau of Labor Statistics condescends to investigate the plight of the local victims of a double ca- tastrophe. As usual, . where statistics are con- cerned, nothing was discovered that every one didn't already know. A small percentage—by hook or crook— manage to work professionally; a large percentage are either employed on greatly reduced pay at some trade they don’t understand or not working at all. This Labor Bureau, it seems, isn't concerned with eliminating the basic cause of losing a life profession, with all its ironical consequences: it merely puts off to the last possible moment admission that such things exist! Now where can a starving musician go for help if he can’t even get sym- pathy from the very department whose charter states that its duties shall be “to acquire and diffuse among the peo- ple of the United States useful infor- metion on subjects connected with labor in the most comprehensive sense of the word, and especially upon its relations to capital, the hours of labor, the earnings of laboring men and women and the means of promoting their material, social, intellectual and moral prosperity”? Some might contend that & musician is not a laboring man. Be well assured, however, that he often shatters his nerves and loses his health by consclen- tious application to his instrument. His musical “playing” is “work” in every sense. But now he can save his nerves by starving his stomach. Would it be altogther absurd for the Department of Labor to live up to its charter? And would it not be in order for this branch of the Government to investigate the financial branch—the Treasury Department—and find out why it is necessary for all interest pay- ments to be made religiously; why the sanctity of all bonds, mortgages and “securities” must.be protected to the death; why interest payments during the depression have actually been hllherl | ning Star Information Burea the only solution of this vexatious sub- | s. BY FREDERI What is your question? Whatever it may be, unless it be a request for legal, medical or financial advice, it will be answered without cost to you, and you will receive the reply in a personal letter. Write your question for return postage and address The Eve- Pred- gric J. Haskin, director, Washington, Q. Why was the weight of the Akron inc::rrd cver the original estimate?— A. Rear Admiral William A. MofTett, chief of the Bureau of Aeropautics, tays: “The Akron has been splendidly B ucted—better than any dirigible within our knowledge. The slight ex- cess in her weight as originally esti- mated by the contractor is a direct conversion into increased safety and military factors.” Q. What is meant by a sustaining program on the radio?—G. S. A. Broadcasting companies deliver two types of programs to their assos'- ated stations, sponsored and sustain- ing. Sponsored means that a client of the company has engaged the facilities for a program. Sustaining means that it is furnished by the studior Q. What are the student publica- W. C. E. A. The Pointer is published fort- nightly by tha Corps Cadets. The Howitzer is the West Point annual. At the Naval Academy, the Log is pub- lished weekly: the Trident. quarterly, |and the Lucky Bag, annually. Q. What cities are the leading to- bacco markets of the United States?— F A. Wilson, N. C., and Lexington, Ky. The former had a total of 77,788,682 pounds of tobacco sold in 1930-1931, while the amount sold through Lexing- ton was 67,285,835 pounds. Q. From what language is the word “sesquicentennial” taken?—P. M. C. A. From the Latin. “Sesqui” means one and one-half. Centennial is de- rived from “centum,” meaning one hundred. Q. Who was first _to take action against slavery?—E. F. Y. A. Practical action against the slave trade was first undertaken in England by the Quakers, following the lead of their founder, George Fox, who as early as 1671 had expressed himself as opposed to slavery. Q. Is it correct to use “pretty” in the .sgmesol to a considerable degree? A. This use of the word is sanc- tioned, as “pretty well,” “pretty sure.” Q. Where was earth taken from the Holy Land in order to put it in & ceme- tery?—D. A. H. A. Fifty shiploads of earth were taken to the Campo Santo in Florence, Italy, in order that the dead might lie in sacred ground. g. }v;vnsn is the derivation of Russia? A. The name is derived through Ros- siya from Slavonic Rus or Ros, & name first given to the Scandinavians who founded a principality on the Dni in the ninth century, and afterward ex- tended to the collection of Slav states nucleus. The word Rus is probably de- rived from Ruotsi (a Finnish name for the Swedes), which seems to be & cor- ruption of the Swedish rothsmenn, rowers or seafarers. clearly and briefly, inclose 2-cent stamp | of the company and associated stations | tions of West Point and Annapolis?— | ly €pej | when the of which this principality formed the|—S. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS C J. HASKIN. ' Q. Of what disease did Ann Rutledge die?—C. 8. A. Aan Rutledge, financee of Abra- | ham Lincoln. died of general debility, probably incipient tuberculosis. Q. Why does Minnesota extend across a straight line into Canada?—H. A. A. Under the treaty with Great Brit- ain of 1842, the commissioners, in run- ning out the line when they reached the Lake of the Woods, traced the line to the most northern point of the lake | In latitude 49 degrees 23 minutes 55 sec- onds, longitude 95 degrees 14 minutes 38 secords, thence south to the forty-ninth parallel, thence west along the forty- ninth parallel. Q. Was Corinth an important city at the time the Apostle Paul visited it>—B. V. T. A. It was, although it had not fully iecovered its grandeur or the import and export traue which it enjoyed be- fore it was despoiled by the Romans in 146 B.C. In 46 BC. Jullus Caesar repeopled Corinth with Italian freed- men and dispossessed the Greek popu- lation. Augustus Caesar made it the | capital of Achaea Q. How many periodical publications | were ‘there in this country in 17757— ™M . B. A. The total wes 37. Q. Why is there no Vice Pre: case his office is vacated?—W. A. Because the Constitution makes no provision for the filling of the va- | cancy. One of the functions of a Vice | President is to preside over the Senate. In the case of his death or disability the | Senate elects a President pro tempore | from that body. sident in A W Q. What per cent of the diamonds mined comes to the United States?— R. LD, B, A. It is estimated that 80 per cent of the world's diamond output comes to America. Q. Please name the various kinds of ornariental hedge—B. M. A. A. The types of plants most com- monly used for hedges in this country are as follows: Deciduous—Privet, - e orange, barberry, box elder, locust, buckthorn, cockspur thorn and Rose of Sharon; evergeen—Arbor- vitae, juniper, boxwood, hemlock, | spruce and holly. | @15 it ever to cold to snow?— R.C. C. A The Weather Bureau says the greatest number of more or less heavy snows come from southerly to easterly winds—ie, in what is known as the “rainy” portion of the cyclonic or storm area. These winds generally are relatively mild. As the storm passes the winds come from the northwest, roughly, and are relatively cold. In short, precipitation comes with rela- tively warm easterly to southerly winds, and clear weather follows with relatively cold northwest winds. If, then, the Winter wind is from the northwest, it is cold, and from the wrong tion to give much snow. ‘This, presumably, is the origin of the saying “It is too cold to snow.” This statement, however, is not literally true, for light snows can occur at any temperature and, indeed, it occasion- all; ns that heavy snows occur surface air is quite cold. Q. gvhsn were false teeth first made? A. False teeth were made as early as 1710 by a Frenchman named Guil leneau. In 1728 Fanchard, also a Frenchman, developed a porcelain and a technique for making artificial teeth. Activity In wheat, with substantial increases in price, by ter cotton and oil conditions, have im- pressed upon the country the fact that there has been a turn in the direction of the restoration of business confi- dence. It is also observed that plan- ning for the future on the part of in- .dustry adds to the effect produced by the staples. Eulogizing the ‘“cheer leaders of prosperity,” the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin observes a change from the condition under which “the masses watching the game have been sitting with their coat collars half over their eyes,” and concludes: “When the peo- ple stop nudging each other to exclaim, “This is a rotten game our side a; ing,’ the score may change. Winning a bet on depression costs the wager and the next game, too. Prosperity’s cheer leaders are out front, pleading: ‘Come on, now, we're winning! Let's cheer like Americans!’"” “It will be necessary for some time, no doubt,” advises the Fort Worth Star- Telegram, “to discriminate between conditions under foot and those over- head, tetween the aftermath of the passing storm and the fairer sky, but, with the sun breaking through the clouds, the work of economic and social repair can go on with greater zeal” ‘The South Bend Tribune points to the record: “In four weeks’ period the value of American wheat was enhanced by $67,000,000, corn value had increased $216,000,000, oats, $40.000,000 and rye, $5,000,000,” and adds, “That brightened the immediate outlook for millions of American agriculturists.” The Janes- ville Gazette says: “Nothing could do more now to get business under motion than dollar wheat. The pulse every- than before, whereas wages, salaries and just profits are cut and altogether dis- continued! Isn't it, at least, the bounden duty of the Labor Department to serve the common people—even if all the other departments choose to serve only th_er;llsurel;s of Wall lsunt? ere is a reason for everything. even if the trail of investigation lhcA;::g lead straight to advocacy of an entirely new financial system, it is up to this department, rather than the Treasury Department, to point the way to three meals a day! The Treasury Department is by nature conservative. The Labor Department is by nature exactly the op- posite. H. C. DE V. CORNWELL, Man Opposes Proposal To Ban Sale of Weaponai To the Editor of Th~ Star: ‘The talk of pas.ing laws to rastrict the sale of firearm: here is only a boost for their free sale r.cross the river and by mail order houks. A “lean shark law” was passed here by our city coun- cil (Congress) and a thriving business is now_done across the river along that live. If our homes have no firearms, burglars and robbers will be the bene- ficiaries of such acts, because when offi- cers arrive in response to calls by tele- phone or otherwise there is no telling where“the;:bb%u will be.d Mail order houses and out-of-f places to purchase such things 'mwmwn be the beneficlaries. The loan office was an aid to those needing it, and it aided the officers of the law in locating stolen property. When such goods are pawned in another jurisdiction it han- dicaps the local officers on such cases. Then the metes and bounds of the District should be extended across the river, as originally intended, for Gov. ernment improvemerts znd divers other bonefits that work hardships on the t-xpayer to accomolish by taxation ane: H. T. McCONVEY. —————————— Abide by Dry Law. om the Goshen Daily News-Times. ‘Those Brooklyn Leglonnaires who are tlamoring for beer apparentl aren’t men about town. g paad et Our “Depression” Desirable. From the Charleston (8. C.) Evening Post. T Pengee, Gy e = » few W o 155" now'tound tn S soutey, Fr where would be quickened over such a market.” Noting better oil prices, the wheat improvement, returned confidence in banking power and credit, railroad or- ders for steel and gains in boots, shoes and motor cars, the Loulsville Courier- Journal declares that “obviously the skies are clearing.” Enumerating simi- lar developments, the San Antonio Ex- press remarks: “All these are highly hopeful signs. While they should not raise too great expectations, they do indicate a trend in the right direction.” * % Recognizing the “prospect of better times,” the Newark Evening News ar- gues: “The simultaneous emergence of a world spirit of closer co-operation on major international prcblems with the appearance of an acute world need to obsorb basic farm surpluses is a combi- nation the importance of which cannot be missed.” The Atlanta Constitution fincs a “general opinion that we are headed out of the ‘River of Doubt’ to- ward the broad bay of business activity and security.” The Altcona Mirror gets evidence “from all sections of the coun- try, all of the most encouraging na- ture, indicating business is on the up- turn.” The Akron Beacon-Journal ob- serves: “The task of starting the stalled train of industry has not been easy, but that it is at last under way and gather- ing momenl.;xm nwm be a source of atification to all.” i"r'fl'flt the depression “has run its length” is the conclusion of the Oak- land Tribune, while the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette fincs that “there is nothing about this depression to indicate that it will not respond to the same old treatment.” The Pasadena Star News contends: ‘“There is se2n a number of very good reasons for expecting a defi- | nite turn in industrial and business for- | tunes. * * * Not all of the obstacles heve been overcome, but recovery may | be cxpected to be rapid cnce the tide sets in in definite fashion.” “It looks as if the peticnt is going to get well” announces the Omaha World-Herald, with the - comment: “Wall Street has been quite as gloomy as the President. But now an inves- tigator who has' made an intimate canvass of its leaders reports that the Street is sure of world recovery.” The Charleston (8. C.) Evening Post offers the explanation: “If wheat is going up and will stay up at a price at w?:lch it brings a reasonable return to Wheat and New -Confidence Point Way to Better Times currents of trade will swell and move bet- more swiftly and there will be a real stream of prosperity. It would be a mistake to too strongly on such results yet, but the watchers in the towers had better keep their eyes on the wheat pit rather than on the Stock * ox x “It is still to be determined ” in the judgment of the New York Times, “whether staple prices in general will follow the lead of wheat and cotton. In that regard the unmistakable change in the financial atmosphere, the reports from numerous sections of the country that return of confidence is bringing greater courage in plans for trade and growing realizaticn that, after two years of extreme retrench- ment, ‘replacement purchases’ by mer- chants with exhausted stccks must some time become inevitable, give some indication of the course which events may take.” “It has been discovered, all of a sudden, that, in addition to the famine in China, there is something like a shortage in ,” says the Port Huron Times-Herald. The Columbus Ohio State Journal observes that “the shift in market conditions has brought agricultural relief unexpectedly and in the most generous manner the country has seen in recent years.” The Cin- cinnati Times-Star comments: “De- pleted stocks of commodities seem to call for activities all along the line. At least two steps remain to be taken. One is some plan further to improve railroad credit, and to this ths Presi- dent is to give his attention. The other is the cll'rgn‘ of the Nation-wide movement for unemployment relief, launched a few days ago, to the triumphant Thanksgiving day finish which the country desires and circum- stances call for.” Emphasis is given by the Sioux City Journal to the point that “the world estimate at this time is that the supply of wheat will just about mect the mand, and that means good prices.” The Worcester Evening Gazette sees as a result: “Give the farmers money to spend and the Western merchants and bankers would begin to see day- light, and the business pick-up would be reflected to other sections.” The buying power of the farmers also im- presses the Goshen News-Times and the Ogden Standard-Examiner, while the greater confidence in business ecir- cles is attested by the Rochester Times- | Union, the Buffs Evening News, the Chattanooga Times, the Times and th> Springfield Unior. | | e Bill for U. S. Taxation Of Land Is Anticipatea To the Editor of The Star: Congress’ probably will have a Federal land tax bill to consider in the next session. I would like to suggest that instead of taxing the holder of a deed to & farm which is heavily mortgaged, :gxcy hxor hh“ficg:fd in fs b:ndwtl;d farm e holder of W’:hwu be taxed for Also, I would -\u‘m that a law be enacted so that the holder of mortgage could charge only a fair rate of inter- est, and he should be barred from making any bargan with the holder of deed to reimburse him for taxes he paid on h's mc-rigage, with a heavy penzlty for so dcing. The interest and penzlty charged by some States for failing to pay taxes on time are out- rageous and should ke changed. THOMAS KELLEY. ——o—— Amateurs, Indeed! Prom the Fort Worth Star-Telesram. Those highwaymen who held up 8 college professor in must have been rank amateurs. e Watchers and Workers. From the Hamilton (Ohio) Evoning Journal Even the man who watches the clock SRR incronsed, the does more work the man Wwho Waiches the et