Evening Star Newspaper, January 25, 1932, Page 8

ASHINGTON, THE EVENI With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C MONDAY January 25, 1832 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor| | The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office ennsyivania At e 1 A 42nd St D Lake Michigan Bullding n Office 14 Regent #i... London, Eneland Chicago Europeal Rate by Carrier Within the City. ] The Evening 45¢ per month | he Evening and Sunday Siar I en 4 Bundass) 60c per month Suniday Siar 5 ste per mon°h e Bunday Sie < er copy T oilection made at the enid 6f each montn Orders may be sent in by mall or telephone National 5000 Rate by Mall—Payrble in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Sunday.... 137 §10.00: 1 mo. Bc | . 130 '4607 1 mo’ $oc $4.00: 1 mo . 40¢ Daily Daily unday Daily and Sun Daily only fanday only A Member of the Associated Press. The Associnted Press is exclusivels 0 the use for republication of il news dis- Aiches credited fo it or not otherwise cred- (ed in this paper and also the local rews published "herein. - All rizhts of publication of Epecial €ispAtches herein Are Also res No Real Voice. In his adcress Saturday evening at! the University of Michigan Club dinner Repres-nta Mapes contribuied an interesting addition to the growing col- Jection of preposterous statements cbou Washington when he said I know of no other place | fn the United States where th: people have as much voice in thelr Govern- ment or influence it as much as they do right here in the District of Colum- bia. They are invited to appear, and do appear, before the committees of | Congress to be heard on every piece of | Jegislation of importance affecting the | District, the same as the people of the | States; in fact, much more than the people of the States are heard before the committees of their State Legisla- tures, not to mention the social lobby in the District, which has no equal or anything that comperes with it any- where else in the United States. Fur- thcrmore, there is & concentrated pub'ie iment of opposition here in the District of antagonism, approaching bitterness, against any step which Con- gross may contemplate looking toward anv increase in taxatim, unequaled anywher Inasmuch as the House, of which Mr Mapes in a member, has recently passed | an income tax bill. a gasoline tax bill, an estatc tax bill, a motor vehicle weight tax bi'l and a bill repealing the 60-40 provisions cf the District’s organic act, without referring ttese measures to the Legislative Committee, without holding a single hearing on any of these specific bills, and without the for- mality of referring them for report to the Commissicners, the speaker presum- ably intended his remarks as a pleasant | after-dinner jest, though the people of | the District mey have some difficulty | in seeing the point. It is, of course, impossible for any | one to compare the voteless, unrepre- sented and impotent condition of the people of the District as taxpayers with the condtion of the people in the sov- ereign States and other municipalities, nd after this comparison to reach the conclusion that residents of this city have a greater “voice” in their Govern- ment and “influence it more” than the Americans who vote. The members of Congress represent every municipality in the United States except the District of Columbia. Each of these municipalities or districts has gelected for itself from an imposing list those forms of taxation that it con- ceives most reasonable and falr, the Jeast objectionable or hurtful, and which will create necessary revenue for | # specific purpose. The District of Colum- | bia suffers constantly from what seems to be the irresistible impulse of this or that member of Congress to insist that | the taxes in the same form and amount gelected by his own constituents be applied here. And if these insistencies were successful, as sometimes threat- ened, the District would be plastered with every known form of taxation, NG STAR l1y o its performance qualities. — the | states. One of the chief difficulties of applying Diesel principle to an aviation motor ¥as in devising & way to throtile it down to a sttisfactory idling speed to permit slow landings. This prob- lem, however, has been solved in the new mtor, fts chief characteristic is econ-my As In Dlescl-powered boats, in compai- fron with gasoilne engines, it reduces the cost of opcration by fully third'. Ordinary inexpen-ive fuel oil is burned, which mekes it by far th> checpest motor {o run. For many years it was eonsidered doubtful whether a Diesel could ever be con- structed light enough for use in a plane, but the present motor weighs almost pound for pound tie same as a gasoline motor of comparable horse- pewer. Although mcking its debut only two years ago, the Diesel motor already holds one of the five major records of aviation, that of non-refucling endur- ance. In Florida, it was taken aloft by two fivers, who rode through the twn minutes before descending, which bettered by nearly twenty hours the previous reccrd. With an aviator of | Chamberlin’s ability handling it there 1s reason to believe that new and as- tonisting marks are just around the corner for this revolutionary type of motor. [ No New Appropriations. Speaker C- ner has eall:d upon the | Democratie eha‘rmen of the standina committses of tro House and their committees to keep down governm'ntal expenditures this year by the prastical means of not proposing lezizlation for additional appropriations. The Speaker ts much to be commended. Literally hundreds of bills have been introduced in House and Senate already authoriz- ing new projects of one kind or an- other, calling fap the expenditure of billions of dollars. With a Treasury Geficit staring the country in the face end increased taxes about to be levied economy is the cssence of common cense. §riss. govirnmentel expenditures s put thrcugh that body and is finally en- acted Into law, either with or without the approval of the President of the United States, the expnditures follow Authority of luw then cxists for these cxpenditures and the Budgst Buresu is called upon fcr estimates for them The present large governmental budget of expenditures has bren built up over here and there of new appropriations for new projects. The Foderal Gov- ernment has undertaken to perform functions that shculd be assumed by the States for the people within those But advocates of various re- forms have not been content to leave the matter to the States; they have insisted that Uncle Sam himself under- tae them. In so doing they may have obtained & short cut to the end they sought. But at the same time they have added enormously to the struc- ture of the Pederal Government, cen- tralized in Washington, and have piled millions upon millions of doliars of expenditures on the backs of the tax- payers. In his letter to the chairmen of com- mittees of the House Speaker Garner said: “It is our sincere hope that no bill authorizing additional appropria- tions will be reported at this session unless very compelling and urgent rea- sons can be shown therefor.” The House Committee on Appropria- tions already has slashed the budget | estimates submitted to Congress in pre- paring the first deficiency bill and the agricultural appropriation bill, redue- ing the total for the two measures by about $20,000,000. That committee is prepared to make reductions below the estimates submitted when they con- sider other bills. But the Appropria- tions Committee cannot do it all. There must be co-operation on the part of two- | es for eighty-four hours and tiirty- | Economy has to begin in the Con- | If legis'stion authorizing new | a long period of years by the addition | each representing the maximum amount | the legislative committees of the House. possible under those forms. | The voting constituents of these members of Congress d> not tax them- seives because they lke it. Nobody loves taxes. They tax themsclves only when and if there is a demonstrable | nead to raise money for a specific and | popular purpose. They do not seek application of the greatest number of fcrms of taxation in the largest amount. They zealously hold themselves to the fewest forms of taxation in the mini- mum amount. The oot of the “antagonism” here to the higher taxes, so deplored by Mr. Mapes, is imbedded in thé obvious fact that the only need for higher local taxes is to reduce the Federal contribution to | the District. The Mapes Committee dexonstrated that in its report, which advocated the reduction of the lump sum concurrently with a corresponding increase in local taxation. And an-| tagonism becomes inevitable when by a | contestable method of manipulation of ! figures the District is made to appear as a privileged and undertaxed com- munity of grudging grumwblers, when any fair comparison, undertaken in the spirit to be expected from a taxing body which in theory is supposed to act with | as close approximation as possible to its natural procedure had it been elected by the taxed community, would show the District as bearing a fair and rea- sonable tax burden compared to tax burdens elsewhere. famous “Tammany Hall” was nearly & eentury ago as a benevolent and soclal or- ‘The founded “patriotic President Hoover has declared again tures must be pared down wherever possible without injury to the Govern- ment sérvice and the country itself With Congress and the Chief Executive both working toward this end, tre situ- ation looks more and more hopeful Nevertheless, eternal vigilance is the price of economy, for great pressure for additional appropriations for vari- ous projects will come from many well meaning groups of citizens during the present session of Congress Incidentally attention may well be called to the fact that far more ef- complished through tbe denial of new appropriations than through a reduc- tion of pay of the Federal employes and officials, a reduction which would be a signal for wage and salary siash- ing in private business and industry the country over. ——— Still another sign of sge: That wistful wondering as to just what Theds Bara is doing With herself these day: ——r——————— Seabury Reviews Graft Evidence. After six months of investigation into the affairs of Greater New York, dom- inated by the political organization known as Tammany Hall, the Legis- Iative Committee acting as a board of injuiry has laid before the State Legis- lature without comment and without recommendations & report made to it by the chief counsel, former Judge Samuel Seabury, which makes a sweep- ganization.” Well, sometimes it is zather social - ——— The Diesel Airplane Motor. ing Indictment against the municipal management and lays the basis for rec- ommendations for changes in the sys- tem of city government. This state- and again that governmental expendi- | fective work for economy may be ac-| ment, or report, will be considered by the Legislature in connection with the pending proposal for the extension of the life of the investigating committee In the capable hands of Clarence Chamberlin, who flew the first “pas- senger” across the Atlantie, soon safter Col. Lindbergh made his epochal trip to Paris, the new oil-burning Diesel airplane motor, sclence’s Iatest comtri- bution to aviation, is setting up en- viable records. Yesterday over New York in freezing temperature he put his standard plane to an altitude of more than twenty thousand feet and for another year. No specific recom- mendations are mad~, but indications are given that certain definite proposals will be made later that, if adopted by the Legislature, will work great changes in the method of administration. One cf these, it is deduced, is the substitu- tion of some form of city manager or a few days before, in an economy test, he covered the distance between New |cOmMIssion form of government. An- York and Washington at a total out- |other is tl® adoption of a system of Jey of seventy cents for fuel—ordinary | preportional representation and pref- furnace ofl. erential voting to protect the interests While still more or less in the ex-|of minorities “and shake the power of perimental stage, the Diesel airplane political bosses upon party nomina- motor has proved a great success. The | tions.” Another is the obliteration of present motor 15 of two hundred and ‘lines between borough and county gov twenty-five horse-power, and aviators ernments, the elimination of unneces- | ik have ridden bebind it speaf high- sy and overlapping depertments and \ ! burcaus which now add unnecessarily | the 1 'to the burden of the taxpayers, elim!nation of uscless and unnecessary public offices and the removal from po- | litical influence of the Board cf Educa- tion, the Folice Department and “other egencles vital to the welfare of the poo- iple.” In the courre of this report, covering | nearly two hundre ! printed prges, Judge | Seebury reviews the evidence pointing to an rmazing system of personal graft, practiczd by municipal officizls and po- litfeal hangers-on in the munictpal gov- | ernment. He cites the evidenre of the {1arge personal “picking:" enjoyed by I public officers and their sp-nsors. He notes as examples the “wonder box" of { Sher'ff Farley and the taking by that ' tre im- | same official of interest on pounded funds of litigents. He 1 the flight of the mayor's financial & and essociate, whos testimony rts the c-mmittee sought and whose departure | ! trom the juriediction of the committee preventcd the pursuit of an laquiry into ! the financial doings of the municipal | executive, who was not called as a wit- ness because of the absence of his agent. Hr notes the intervention of Tammany ters. He points to the swelling of the roster of the unemployment relief rolls by the eppointment of partisans to the exclusion those of other political effillations. Trere ere only & few of the revelati ns that have becen made beiore tke Lezi-lntive Commitice, | of which vere revisted by the D-mo- members of the committee, whose tion throughout the inquiry has bean one of re-istance and obstruction. This is not a matter of political par- | tianship. Judge Seabury himself is a Democrat of the highest standing. In his service as chief counsel of the Legislative Committee he has acted [ strictly with the view that the welfare | of &ll the people of Greatgr New York iu at stake and that it can be safe- guarded only by a divorcement of the municipal management from the cor- rupt end corrupting dominance of a private organization that gpas gained ! control. | - - Why Not Reduce Gas Rates? When the gas companies voluntarily | reduced their rates after a change in | ownership, and these rates were modi- |fied and put into effect by an order of the Public Utilities Commission, the | gas tompanies estimated that the re- duction might cost them some $400,000 in revenue. Of course, they did not be- |lieve the rate reduction would cost | that much. They believed that popu- larization of gas for heating, coupled with the lower rates, would increase business and yleld additional revenue. Such has been the case. The net profit by the companies for | expected to show an increase of some $350,000 over 1930. What about a re- duction of rates? ‘The only possible barrier might be the extensive and in- tricate ownership of the gas companies outside of Washington that undoubt- edly needs every penny it can drain from the local plants. Cannot People’s Counsel Keech and the about hurdling the barrier? In none of Admiral Byrd's explora tions has the food supply come any. where near running out, it i an- nounced. Nor, it might have been | added, the vocabulary either. SRS T All will soon know the precise strength of the Navy; it is only neces- sary to walt and see whether the stub- born sallor does or does not shave off | his beard. of | e Not a bad broadcast plan would have been to alternate one word by Gen. Honjo and one by Floyd Gibbons. That might have throttled the latter down. e ING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. SHOOT: A Plea for the Teacher. If T were & youngster and were going back to scheol, er, as & rule; For teachers have a serious time. They're busy day by day Discovering the shorter cuts that lead to Wisdom's way. And sometimes when you hold tomor- row's lessons in great dread, Your teacher's working hard upon the lesson just ahead. She's always striving earnestly her duty to fulfill And hoping you'll all like her—which I'm confident you will. Remember that her feelings may be very much like yours Regarding the restraints which every studlous mind endures, She'd very much prefer a vastly longer s holiday, No doubt she's fond of skating or of riding on a sleigh. Don't picture her a tyrant with & hard and haughty heart, She'll try to help you like her if you'll only make a start. Don't bother her with mischief and with foolish little jokes, A teacher values kindness just the same a5 other folks. Evidences. “Why are you so sure that man has wasted a large portion of his life?” “Because,” replied the merciless ob- server, “he plays the violin by ear and has & dog that does tricks.” A Kentucky Protest. “So your wife has a conservatory?” “Yes,” replied Col. Stilwell; “but what's the good of it? My wife fills it 50 full of palms and ferns that there isn't room for a mint bed.” Uncertainty. Oh, & Janusry Summer is & most per- plexing thing, One moment it's as joyous ss a bird upon the wing, And pext it runs to cover as the wind comes walling by And scaring all the sunbeams from the January sky. The Unappreciated Racomtewr. “Do you mean to say you don't con- sider Bliggins a man of his word?” “I do. No man of his word" could come around as often as he does saying he has the funnlest story you ever heard.” Dame Rumor now rays that the rea- son Miss Pansy Pyetin intends to get married is that she wants to discharge har mother and hire s regular dress- makes, . ... e = | Leader Curry in these and other mat- all | 1931 s | Public Utilities Commission set | THIS AN A welk without incident s the best so.t. Nothing should happen on it to ob- soure the beginning or the end This is necessary In orde: intact the spirjt of appreciation which { must accompany one all the way. Happenings of any sort are not so much to be desired as sights and sounds | and_colors. The appearances of things count more on a walk than they do most places Let the beginning and the ending be the incidents, and reserve the walk it- relf for what onc & and what one thinks. P The year 1932 s far has been & splendid one for taking walks. | There 15 rauch new color to see, and the best way to see it 13 afoot Teke the downtown Government constructions. Several profitable hours I may be spent by any one, resident or visitor, in visiting the varlous sites, and wotching this interesting work. History may rank the building project greatest accomplishment of th | administration. Some day the economie pother in which the United States and the world is involved at present will be_forgot. _ When that day comes the splendid buildings. now up and to be up by that time, will stand amid a bsautiful eet- ting as an cxample to the world. P One may hope that none of the visi- tors t» the city during the ensuing monihs will forzet the vicion of the | future, in the mud holes and wide open spaces of the present. Nor will they, onc may fecl con- vineed, for there Is plenty of sound and color to be heard and secn. as one wanders on the borders of the gigantic constructions. Therc are steam shovels at play (in reality they ere not “steam shovels” at all. but gasoline shovels): there are great motor trucks, coming | and going; there are ramps and various kinds of engines, there are men and materials, there are miles of wooden fence painted white. resembling old- time fairground fencing, there are glimpses of palace-like structures, al- ready completed It one stand & few feet east on the sidewalk at the northeast corner of Twelfth street and Pennsylvania avenue, one may see more of the Wachington Monument than hes been visible from that point for many, many years. % x % There is more pleasure in walking around Washington proper, as the taxi | drivers call it, than for a long time. Strange sights, strange sounds, new colors—these fill the expectant eye. Perhaps the best walking, however, is done in_the suburban and country dis- tricts. Whatever lure the city has, it is artificiel. There still remains something su- reme about nature, in so far as filling he ear with sound and the eye with color and_wonders. Nor is this strange. The eye and the ear are the veritable children of nature. Such things as appeal to them by natural right, as it were, are their very own. S0 much must be granted, we sup- pcee, to the superiority of a sunset to & peinting of & sunset. While the artistic nature of man enjoys the fine portrayal of a natural | | | { The short shrift given by the Senate | last week to the Bingham resolution appertaining to a prohibition repeal referendum brought jubilation from the dry oohoris. In one breath the drys anded the Bingham resolution &as BY CHARLES E. D. (., MONDAY, D THAT TRACEWELL. spectacle, it all the more appreciates tke real thing. Otherwice no one would cver travel, * ok % o4 It any real incident happens on a walk. such as a dog fight or an auto accident, the stirring qualities of the thing drive all other thoughts cut of the walker's head Too, if he selects a road which is too well traveled, he will find that the necessity for dodging will take all other thoughts from his mind. To dodge an ern question. Hamlet would have found it more necessary than his famous colloquy. O maybe it is just saying it another way. Do not go for m walk along a too- traveled road, therefore, where the signs plainly state in large letiers that no car must exceed a speed of 25 miles, but where, in fact, every car runs be- tween 40 and 50 miles at the least. This is one of our modern puzzles— why road signs say one thing and speeding cars say another. No doubt this will be worked out some day. Until it is. it is safest to select coun- try roads which have nice tidewalks, or, at the worst, good jumping places, Those who do much roadside walking will be familiar with these at a glance. There should always be enough space h E'.h(' first of the Democrais to make an . off the “shoulder” of the roadway to | permit an expert jumper to make a good getaway. Ore w-rd of warning: Some people have a foolish idea that it would be a good plen in cas of an emergency to Jeap bodily into the air and attempt to core down squarely on the hood of the r ““An expert has informed us that this plan is not feasible, 55 we hope those who harbor it will take his warning and not_attempt it The best thing to do, the expert said, is to jump as quickly and as far as possible. Common sense tells one that he is right. Sometimes common sense is just as good as engineering ability. kX * It the walk happily contains no such incidents, the pedestrian will be In & much better position to appreciate what he sees and hears The color of the Winter landscape, exceptionally green, will come home to him better than if he had to jump for it If he has a companion (and that is the best way to walk) he will find time for the beneficial conversation Which is the joy of similar minds Fedestriansism on the lone is not the best sort. Usually when one walks by himself he is merely going somewhere. The walk is efficient Now the proper sort of walking. both for exercise and for sheer enjoyment. must not be efficient. It merely should be_enjoyable 1t is safe to say that 8 out of every 10 persons are fitted for no other type of ‘walking. They need companions Occasionally one meets some one who is able to go rambling away into the woods by himself, to wander around, or read or perhaps sketch. Most people cannot do that, any more then they can enjoy the opera with no one to speak to occasionally or to ex- change significant looks with. So be sure to select your companion well. when you go for & walk on one of these unusual Winter afternoons. It is not every vear that this scason so resembles Spring. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS called upon to do so, in the person of former Gov. Harry Flood Byrd, if Demo- cratie fates should so incline. Senator Borah's personal passports to Russia continue to be in demand. It is said that Borah'’s name and fame is btter known throughout the Soviet JANUARY d how—that is the mod- 25, 1932. | [The Political Mill By G. Gould Lincoln. Well, which one of the Democratic opponents of Franklin D. Roosevelt for the presidential nomination this year is willing to take him oa for a round |in the North Dakota presidential pref- crential primaries? Perhaps some one | of them will come forward, “Alfalfa Bill" Murray, for example. The North Dakota Democrats, in State conven- tion, have already indorsed the candi- dacy of Gov. Roosevelt of New York. One swallow does not make & Spring nor does one State delegation mean a | presidential nomination. But the North Dakota sifuation is rather typical. It is in line with the Democratic situation |in many other States, where much work for the nomination of Gov. Roose- | velt already has been accomplished. Out in the State of Washington, for example, where Roosevelt has a lot of boosters; in Montana, and farther | East, in' Wisconsin, the Roosevelt s timent has been running strong for long time. * X X X Gov. Roosevelt has finally come out into_the open as a candidate for the presidential nomination, replying to the request of the Democratic State Com- mittee that he run and enter the North Dakota primaries. His hat's in the ring. Gov. Albert C. Ritchie of Miryland wes announcement of his candidacy. Gov George White of Ohio, it has been ar- ranged by the Democrats of the Buck- eve State, is to have the support of the Ohio delcgation at the national con- vention on the first ballot. But Gov. White eppeas to be rather strictly a “favorite son” c’ndidate. Former Sen- ator “Jim" Reed of Missourl has said that he would be glad to h:ve the Mis- souri delegation vote for him. But his candidacy, too, is more or less local. ok ok X What is Al Smith going to do? It | scarcely seems possible that he can delay much longer making some state- ment of candidacy if he is to be & candidate and make a real showing at the Democratic National Conven- tion. Up in New Hampshire Smith Democrats have asserted their inten- tion of placing a slate of Bmllh-(nr-' | President delegate candidates in the fied. Is the former Governor of New York to lock horns with the present Governor? There are still those who !insist he will not become a candidate. But it looks as though there would ‘The answers to questions printed here each day are spicimens picked from the mass cf inquiries handled by our gre-t Information Bureau main- {tained iIn Washington, D. C. This valuable service §8 for the free us> of the public. Ask any question of fact you may want to know and you will get an immediate reply. Write plainly, in- close 2 cents in ccin or stamps for re- turn postage and address The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. | Haskin, Director, Washington, D. C. | Q How many automobile fatalities | were there in 19317—W. D. M. | "A. They are estimated at 35,000. Q. What does the title of the pla “Mourning Becomes Electra,” mean?— Tt 'A. Eugene O'Neill says that the title means just what it says, that it is fit- ting that Electra should mcurn. Q. Where was President Hoover dur- ng the campaign of 19162 Did he upport Wilson or Hughes?—B. F. P A. In 1916 President Hoover was en- | gaged in European relief work and did not vote in the Presidential election cf that year. His first vote was cast for President Harding in 1920. Q. How many radios are there in use in this country?—F. L. I. A. A “nose count” of radio receivers, made by the Census Bureau in April, 1930, as a part of the decennial popula- tion census, revealed that 12,078,345 homes had radio sets when the popula- tion census was taken. Since that date, | nearly two years ago, the industry esti- ' mates that some 3,700,000 more receiv- | ers have been sold. 1 ) I Q. How many of the men in the | Navy resenlist?—M. W. |" A The percentage of re-enlistments [or an enlisted men in the Navy for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1931, was 1185, Q. Are there any true wildi horses left in the world?>—N. E. A. The only true wild horse at the | present time is the Mongolian wild &horsb, which exists in large numbers on the plains of Central Asia. This is the ancestor of the domestic horse. ! Q. In what State is the Humdinger | mine, and whet kind of a mine is it?— M. P. | A. The Humdinger mine is in Orcgon. {1t is a small gold mine. be some kind of a showdown in Newl! @ In Cicero's cay were they many Hampshire on this subject before 10ng.| privately-owned labraries in Rome?— Already some prominent Democrats in| p w, that State have announced their can-| A" 'W. W. Fowler says that every didscies for delegate to_the nationalleducated man owned a library snd | States to Initlate an opinion referen- | “ridiculous procedure” and in the next | Empire than that of bl breath characterized its turn-down by | cnnp and that his mzna‘x:flrgfl‘x:r“:el\‘::_ the Senate as “refutation of w2t claims | tom of a letter of introduction prov.des of large accession to wet strength in | poth protection and authority for its | the present Senate” The resolution pearer. At any rate, Americans who sought to have the Senate record itself | 3¢ bound for Russia continue to call as “welcoming” any steps that might | st the office of the Senator from Idaho be taken by the Governors of the| for g testimonial and a “safe conduct” dum on the elghteenth nmendment‘:{;figeme Suaor o Bully e within their respective Commonwealths. |~ ©° On roll call only 15 Senators voted for | | | convention, pledged to Roosevelt. On the other hand, Representative Wil- | llam N. Rogers, Democrat, recently | elected to represent the first New Hampshire congressional district, is re- | ported to have declared that he would rt Al Smith if the former Gov- became a candidate for the nom- ination. ERE I | “Alfaifa BIl" Murray, Governor of | Oklahoma, may have his name filed in {the North Dakota presidential pri- maries and thus provide a contest for | Gov. Roosevelt. Gov. Murray's brother, it is said, is merely waiting “Alfalfa | Bil's” permission to do so. But unless | the political wiseacres of the State are | entirely at fault, Roosevelt will make a runaway race sgainst Murray, if the | iatter goes into the contest. The anti- | Roosevelt forces among the Democrats, !which include all the supporters of other aspirants for the presidential | nomination, would be glad to cee Mur- ray make a good showing against the New Yorker. They might even try to throw some support to Murray in the North Dakote primary. But that is a difficult feat to accomplish. * k k X The latest estimate of the Roosevelt strength in the Nationai Convention is 676 delegates out of a total of 1154 Lnder the two-thirds rule of Demo- cratic National Conventions it will take 770 votes to nominate, with every dele- gate present and voting. If the esti- mate of Roosevelt strength is correct, then the Governor already is only 92 votes shy of the number necessary to nominate him on the first ballot. ‘The Roosevelt managers place 190 votes for other candidates, including Ohio's 52 for Gov. White, and 286 votes are put down as “doubtful.” Despite the boom the Bingham propositon, but 25 Sena- tors were recorded as not voting and at least 5 were paired on the affirma- tive side. So the wet bloc are by no means downhearted. Purthermore, the | preponderant dryness of the present | Senate has never been disputed. The most interesting and illuminating test | votes on the prohibition issue are | ahead and now at last in sight on the | House side. The leaders of the wet| forces are reserving tueir comments | until after a roll call is taken in the ‘Washington’s Community Chest goal for 1932 is $2,601,000, one-third—$650.- 000—more than the 1931 subscription total, but contrastcd with many other cities large and small in these trying times, Washingtonians have reason to rejolce that their bill this year for re- lief of unemployment and to sustain th> multiplicity of yvear-in and year-out charitable activities carried on by the 65 soclal agencles now participating in the Community Chest is so moderate. It bespeaks skillful budgeting. efficicncy of management and low overhead—only | for Speaker Garner of Texas, the Tezas | delegation i3 listed as doubtful. As for Pennsylvania’s delegation, Roocevelt is given 38, or one-half of the total, in . the estimate and 38 are placed in the Coubtful column. | The table of Roosevelt strength put | out by the Roosevelt managers follows: | State. Ro« velt. Others. Doubtful. { Alabama 4 . | Arizona | Arkansas . i Califorria Golorada |+ | ‘wished to have the last book.” Q. What is hydrotropism?—P. S. A. Positive hydrotrcp:sm is the prop- erty in growing organisms cf turning | toward a molst surface; negative hydro- tropism, Away from a moist surface. Q. How large a box would it take to hold 1,000,000 siiver dollars?—E. D. | A, The Department of the Treasury | says that 250 cubic feet are required to ! store 1,000,000 stlver dollars. Q. Can any one who has the re- [ sources build a rallroad in the United | States>—M. W. A. Not if it is to operate in inter- state commerce. The promoters of a railroad must obtain from the Inter- state Commerce Commission a certifi- cate of convenience and public neces- sity before they may sell stock or begin ccnstruction. The commission holds hearings to determine if a demand for a railroad exists through the territory in which it is planned to build, and whether the prospects are favorable for profitabie freight loadings. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. | Q. What }s . a “Garrison finish"?— A B | 4 | A, It is a hairbreadth finish, whereby | the winner ‘comes from benind to win | at the last moment. It is so called be- cause Garriscn, & well known American Jjockey. usually won his races in this | fashion. Q. What becomes of the ashes taken up by city ashmen>—A. A. They are usually used to fill in low ground and to make temporary roadbeds. | When was the slave trade at its | helght between Africa and America?— |B. G. A. The period during which the greatest number of slaves were intro- | duced into this country from Africa was | 1804-08, the last four years before pro- hibition of the slave trade by Congress. | Q What was the sale as to number of cigarettes sold in 1930, and what s the Government and import tax?—H. F. A. In 1930 there was a total of 119.- 638,841,560 cigarettes sold in the United States. There are usually about 20 cigarettes to a package. On each pack- age there is about m 6-cent tax. Last | year there were 6,000,000,000 stamps used from the department for a tax on cigarette packages. One stamp is used on each package. Q. Where should the title “esquire” be used?—S. N A Sarah Taintor says “The title ‘esquire’ is used with the following Gov- ernment officials: Chief clerks and chicts of burceus of the executive de- partments, the District Commissioners, mayors, American dipjomats below the rank of minister, American consuls, clients of the Supreme Court. Q. Wren playing progressive auction, if the bid is tbree diamonds and the bid is doubled and made, is the bidder eA:unlcfl to 125 points for game?—F. . M. A. The bidder is entitled to the game bonus of 125. It is for this reason in- advisable for an opponent to double | when the contract would not give the bidcer a game unless he is very sure that his side can defeat the contract. Q. Are there any skyscrapers in Switzerland?>—D. P. A. The first is nearing completion in Lausanne. It will be 20 stories high. The ground floor will be occupied by a motion picture theater, the other floors being given over to business cffices and apartments. | Q@ In the Prench and Indian War did all the Indians fight on the side of the French?—K. L. A. Had all the tribes thrown their weight to either sice, the other side would doubtless have been defeated. | But it happened that they were divided. | The majority of the Indians, however, | were with the French. Nearly all the Algonquin tribes were French in thelir | sympathies. But the very notable ex- | ception is found in the fierce, warlike | Six Nations, or Iroquois, of Northern New York, who cast their Jot with the | English. Q. How much does crime cost this country in a year>—J. H. 8. A According to the Wickersham re- port, recently made to President Hoover, the cost of crime to the Nation exceeds $1,000,000,000 a pwar. Q. Why was the name of the Scarlet Topper tomato changed?—R. D. A. This wilt-resistant tomato was developed by Fred J. Pritchard, inter- naticnally known tomato breeder of the Department of Agriculture, who died in January, 1931, As a memorial to him, the name of this variety has been changed to Pritchard. Accepted Announcement by Postmaster General Brown that President Hoover will be a candidate for re-election produces no surprise, statements in national com- ment generally taking the stand that no other candidate in his own party is likely to qualify as an oppenent. It is also pointed out that his record in office, his economic policies and political tra- | dition combine to make him the logical | choice of the party, with developments | of the next six menths the major factor in Republican success in the next cam- pa‘gn. “Mr. Hoover has a practically clear road to renomination; and the election | is 10 months away,” states the Boston | Transcript (independent Republican), | with the estimate: “The truth is that | Mr. Hoover is supplying the only leader- | ship the country knows, aside from en ; | demands that the Government borrow Renomination of President as Logical Step “Hoover is the logical candidate of the Republican party,” says the Ann | Arbor Daily News (independent). “The | two-term tradition, if nothing | else, makes him so. It is the party’s duty | to Support him through thick and thin. As for his chances to be re-elected, the developments of the neer future wil tell the story. Let conditions oW worse or remain as they are, and he will have a tough time. Give him one good break and his prospects will be mmensely improved. Incidentally, the carly announcement of his candidacy may be accepted as good news in con- tidering the prospect” of better times. It is a kind of wager on the next six months. They will be im t months for Hoover—and for practically everybod! “Th> man behind the only construc- House. They expect to have occasion for jubilation then | 6 cents out of every dollar is absorbed | |in the expense of collectine and _di and fork over $5,000,000,000 to be hund- | I don’t believe that I'd annoy the teach- * % % X There is growing suspicion that when the new tax bill makes its apperance {in the House it will but faintly ap- proximate the recommendations of Sec- | retary Mellon. The opposition that has ! developed among the constituencies of House membcrs to the adoption of a {tax on automobiles, radios, bank checks and theatc: ndmissions and opposition | | to the props-ed lowering of the exemp- | |tions of the income tax is said to be | having very telling effect on the con- | gressional mind. The array of protest- ants from the industries against which | I a sales tax is proposed to be levied has | | been formidable. Their arguments have | all centered upon the contention that the imposition of taxes will retard busi ness recovery and add to unemploy- ment. So just where and how the in- creased tax revenue is to be obtained is sorely perplexing Chairman Collier, | Democratic chairman of the House | | Ways and Means Committee, and his colleagues * ox ok % Former Gens. Fechet and Mitchell of the Army Air Corps are going in for | alarm viewing. Gen. Fechet told a chap- ter of the D. A, R. the other day that five nations surpass the United States in air force and that another may pass us in the near future. Within 24 hours of a declaration of war, he sald, our lead- ing citles might be laid waste by an in- vading air armada. Gen. Mitchell, on the same day, published a magazine article saying that war with Japan is inevitable, but that Japan is in “deadly fear” of our air forces and that we could attack Japan by al Hawali or Alaska. D Huey Long of Louisiana, who will be | " only 39 on August 30 next, is sitting on | the top of the world. His hand-picked | gubernatorial successor, who will preside | over the affairs of the State as Long's | proxy while the latter is busy with his senatorial duties in Washington, and| the rest of the Long ticket through the | State has just won & smashing victory | all along the line. The Louisiana courts | have thrown out suits brought to oust| Long from the governorship on the | ground that his election as Senator | either from | were so tremendously increased. The i tributing a two - and - a - half - mil'ion- | dollar fund from upward of one hun-| dred thousand sub-cribors. More than that, it bespeaks the fact that Wash- | ington has felt th> heavy hand of the depression less than her sister cities. (Copvright, 1932.) o Five Reasons Given Against U. S. Pay Cut To the Editor of The Star: Permit me to state in your columns the following reasons, among others why Government salaries should be cut: 1. Present salaries are but a recogni- tion and In redress for the wrong dont the Government employes whn they were denled increases during the period ' s of infletion when salaries in indust creases given were not all in propor- tion to those given by industr; | 2. ‘The saving t> the Government by the propssed cut would be but a baga- telle so far as the Government's deficit is concerned. and would be far mo than offset by the demoralization t would ensue in the service. The effici- ency of the clerks would inevitably be lowered for no worker can be efficient whose mind is upset and harassed by financial stress and uncertainty. 3. Most clerks have already had what is tantamount to a salary cut by being denied, by order of the President the promotions and salary increases ex- pressly provided for by law and the three days' pay they were practically required to subscribe to the Commun- ity Chest. g 4. Upon the assumption that their salaries would at least remain stable for a period of time many clerks have incurred obligations that must be met. or defaulted at great personal 10ss Their budgets have been arranced on the basis of present salaries. and upon the falth and credit thereof many of them have undertaken the purchase of homes, the better education of their children, and have in many instances been compelled by the general depres- sion to assume obligations toward the not | N Tene volded his title, O. K. Allen, the Long | assistance of indigent and unfortunate henchman, will not be inaugurated relatives. These they will be com- Governor until May 1. But Huey him- | pelled to curtail if their salaries are self is now venturing to quit the State | reduced, resulting in the suffering and long enough to rush to Washington | privation of others as well as the Gov- and to be sworn in as a full-fledged | ernment employes. member of the Senate and thereby 5. Congress should bear in mind that achieve the unique distinction of hold- | the Government is profiting at small ing simultaneuously the office of Gov- |Cost by the services of many very su- ernor and Senator. | perior men, who through force of clr- s cumstances have becn compelled to That of the 31 men who have held enter its service. Instances could be the office of President of our Republic | cited of professional men, who in times elght were Virginia born is & circum- | past have made very large incomes, but stance of history seldom recalled to who through untoward circumstances memory. The eight Virginians were have had to accept Government em- Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Mon- | ployment for the time being at least roe, Harrison, Tyler, Taylor and Wilson. | There are many $10,000 men working { Advence notices are now out of a book | for the Government at salaries rang- to be published, appropriately enough | ing from $3000 to $5.000. The im- on Washington's birthday, February 22, | mediate and long-time effect of salary in which the biographical sketches and | cuts would be to the detriment of the estimates of these eight Presidents are | Government's business, and it would brought together between the covers of | have far-reaching repercussions in # single volume, “Virginia-Born Presi- | many directions that, would greatly re- dents.” It is compiled under the aus- | tard the economic recovery that we are e of Virginia's present Governor,|all so much concerned about at this rd. Virginia tim ohn Garland Polla; e. beady to furnish ALEXANDER BIDMEY LANIER. . Mis-ourd Montana Nebraska Nevada ; w Hempshire. | 26 Ivinia T<land Carolina Dakota. . tah U Vermo: At the same time that Gov. Roose- velt's letter agreeing that his name be entered in the North Dakota primary was being made public Chairman John J. Raskob of the Democratic National Committee was sending out his formal call for the national convention, which is to be held in Chicago June 27. The call is the usual routine call, setting forih the basis of delegate strength for each Stite and Territory and the Dis- trict of Columbia. A feature of the call, however, is the recommendation of the National Committee that the States as much representation in their delcgations to women as may be pose sible. The call says in this connection: “In order that opportunity may be af- forded the various States to give ade- quate representation to women as dele- gates at large without disturbing pre- valling _party custom, there may be ed around among the people vithout re- se.” The Roanoke Times (Demo tic) suggests that “probably the se- vere criticlsm _and_the succession of tough breaks that he has encountered throughout his first term have but in- tenvified his ambition to be re-elected and show the country that he really is a first-class. executive.” “The announcement, thus early,” ac- cording to the Cleveland News (Repub- lican), “will help to smoke out party opposition, if there is to bz any, to the | Prasident. Rivals for the nomination there may be in the form of favorite sons, as usual, but thus far. determined ! opposition has not developed and does {not apear as a probability. The Demo- crats, on the other hand, have been busy for some time trotting out candi dates who will figure in the party & fairs right up to the convention.” “It is the general expectation, ac- cording to the Rock Island Argus (in- ependent), “that the response to the ennouncement will make it plain that the influential party leaders will pro- claim their allegiance to the Hoover standard.” Asserting that the eandi- dacies of Senator Johnson of Califor- nia and Senator Borah of Idaho “are not to be taken seriously,” the Roches- ter Times-Union (independent) advises that “we have the admission from his strongest political opponents of the op- posing party that the President is not to blame for these trying times,” and holds that “he has shown strength and constructive ability of high order.” Observing that the announcement is made in connection with queries about the North Dakota primaries, the New Orleans Times-Picayune (Democratic) offers the statement as to the situa- tion: “Word comes that the North Da- kota Senators have been urging Senator Johnson of California to try his politi- cal luck by contesting for North Da- kota's delegates to the Republican con- vention. They are not themselves ‘sold’ on the Hoover candidacy, and eppar- ently believe that their constituents will vote their disapproval thereof if a suitable opposition candidate will enter the North Dakota primary. That State’s | delegation in the national convention is not large, but the fact that its presi- elected four delegates at large for each | gontial primary leads all the others Senator in Congress with one-half vote | gives the primary result some value as each in the national convention, and|g preliminary test of Republican senti- further, it is recommended to thelment If North Dakota Republicans are States 'that one-half of the delegates |5 strongly ‘anti-Hoover’ as some reports at large shall be women.” ‘The Smith - Raskob and Roosevelt camps of Democrats have competing proposals for planks in the national platform dealing with prohibition. The Smith-Raskob plank is to pledge Demo- cratic members of Congress to vote for the so-called “home-rule referendum’— the submission of a constitutional amendment providing for home rule in have pictured them, the President’s in- decision about entering their State pri- mary needs no other explanation. But Senatcr Johnson also is ‘undecided,’ according to report, so maybe all hands ere awaiting clarification of North Da- kota's political atmosphere.” “It is simply too bad,” in the opinion of the St. Louis Times (Republican), “that any weaknesses in thc Hoover connection with the manufacture and | candidacy are due to circumstances not sale of liquor. The Roosevelt plank islat all local to this country. No one 1eported to be a pledge merely to sup- | government could hope to avert from port a referendum in each individual |jts people the penalties of bad economic State on_the subject of national prohi- | conditions which many nations had bition. The Smith-Raskob plan would | created. This is not a job for any one mean something. That &mpoud by the | nation and much less so for any one Roosevelt eamp would meaningless | man. Mr. Hoover will be credited with Congress cannot order the States to|having made a noble effort, but will hold a referendum under the Federal | have to stand or fall upon actual re- Constitution. But the Roosevelt plank sults shown. The inevitable necessity tive pian for relief anybody has as yet offercd deserves the support of the party whos: leading exponent he is,” comments the Harrisburg Telegraph (Republican), while the Chicago Daily News (independent), in the course of & discussion of ths prospects, declares: “The President has stuck to his job through all seasons of his tollsome years in the White House. He has taken no Summer rest, as former Presidents have done, save for his scant Rapidan week ends, yet he has grown physically stronger and more wholesomely philo- | sophical at his grueling task. He is making his fair share of mistakes along | with successes, for which history, if not | his contemporaries, will give him credit. | He is upholding the power and the | dignity of the United States in its some- | what hectic foreign relations. If he is deplorably lacking in a sense of the | dramatic and suffers in consequence by failing to advertise himself successfully, he has at least the dubious satisfaction of knowing that in the nast he has been egregiously overadvertired through the | strange workings of an ironical fate, | He asks for another term of office. It | is & common saying that every Presi- | dent is entitled to a second term. No | President, however, is entitled to re- election unless he’ deserves it on his official record. If the Nation now has a. better man than Mr. Hoover for the job, the American public will welcome his Lt‘;l’ggld:cy. ‘Trhir: is, however, at this painful sc: iy arcity of available ——r———— Corrects Impeachment Statement by Writer To the Editor of The Star: Is s surprising to see stated | able a writer as Mark Sullivan mh’;o:g Sunday issue that a President had teen impeached. I see this statement made so frequently that I think attention ought to be drawn to it. President Johnson was tried for impeachment, but was acquitted after it was found that there was not a two-thirds vote in the Senate for conviction. Chief Justice Chase directed a verdict of ac- PN sy r. Sullivan also states that no of the Supreme Court has ever diml‘n‘-‘ ished respect for it. What about the Dred Scott decision and the Tilden- Hayes election? HARRIOT T. COOKE. e President Was Right, Prom the Worcester Evening Gazette, Congress seems to be bent upon prov- ing the President was right in not wanting to call it in special session, —_—————— | Congress Unlike Dog. From the Toledo Blade. A dog sometimes succeeds in mak- ing both ends meet by running around ‘n‘*‘lci circle. But Congress can't do the ——————— Costly to Talk Back. From the Meridian Star We understand that an unknewn might be, and probably would be, less for explanations is not an el pffensive to the dry West and South. strength.” e g writer recelved $10 a word the day, He talked back to & judge, oo