Evening Star Newspaper, May 24, 1932, Page 8

A8 THE EVENING STAR | \he pressul race of Atricss and In-{ With Sunday Merning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. TUESDAY. .May 24, 1932 THEODORE W. NOYES The Evening Star Newspaper Conp‘sni Rate by Carrier Within the City. The Evening Star ... . 43¢ ver nonth The Evening and Sunday Sar (when 4 Sundava) .. 60c per month The Evening and Sunday Star (when S Sundays) .. 65¢ per month | The Sunday St , . Se ver copy | Coliection mads »t the eid of each month. | Orders may be sent i by mail or telephone NAtional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. ! Daily end Sunda. vr.. $10.00: 1 mo.. 8¢ nly °' Daily on $6.00: 1 mo . 50c Bindas onty © 400 1mo.. 40c All Other States and Canada. Daily and 1yr.,$1200: 1 mo.. $1.00 Daily orly ... 00 1yr. $8.00: Imo. 75 &unday only .. 1yr., $3.00: 1 mo., Member of the Associated Press. patches cred ited i1 this oaj Modifying Tax Burden In compariscn with what other mu- nicipalities pay it has been demon- strated that the local community is and adequate tax burden. heavy in relation to the tax burdens of the largest cities in the country, heavier than the tax burdens of cities most closely approximating it in 2rea and population. Injustice to the local tax- payer is threatencd when there are temps to lift his burden of taxation to the level of the most highly taxed cities. As a matter of fact, there are found reasons why the local burden of taxation should be rcla low. Some | of these reasons are discussed in the | ing clse- | They | s that 1 Ted in connection | local tax | at- ere amo equity h any appraisal of the that lacks the ial tax rescurces self-supperting lity. Its indusiries | are only the 1. clean industries that are admissible in a city set apart e Capital of the Nation. Its 1 and comr age, largs, | dian pachyderms. Work is under way in Rome in the continuation of the excavaticns under the streets and structures of the modern lcity to the east of the Forum Romanum. It is expected to bring to light the foundations and perhaps some of the structural materials of -an even more wonderful group of buildings than those thet stood in the area that hasnow been laid bare. The glories of ancient Rome are only partially revealed, and these patient, skillful explorations will, it is hoped, bring forth much material that will permit a “reconstruction” of the imperiel city of two thousand years ago. But the giant elephant puts these prospective finds somewhat in the shade. It may lead to a different line of re- search. It may add richly to the store cf knowledge concerning the history of life in Southern Europe. —— e Borah and the Campaign. Unless Senator Willlam E. Borah of {Idaho changes his mind he will not at- tend the Republican National Conven- tion in Chicago next month. Ifis pres- ent determination will quite naturally be regretted. Always a colorful figure, the Idaho Scnator was a strong force in himeelf in the 1928 coniention, where he hati much to do with drafting the I party platform and where he supported the nomination of President Hoover. Since the Hoover administration took charge, Senator Borah has been “off the reservation.” The first plit came when President Hoover de- | for farm relief. which Senator Borah ardently supported. There have been many other clashes since then. Months 2go Mr. Borah was strongly urged by Prograssive Republicans to maks a race { for the presidential nomination of the Republican party against Mr. Hoover. He declined to be drawn into such a contest, everring that the renomination of President Hoover was in-vitable. Senator Borah has been widely pro- claimed a ' foremost cefender of the cighteenth amendment. His posit something “better” than the eighteenth vided anything beiter could be de- veloped. So far, Mr. Borah contends, nothing better has been proposed. It has become increasingly apparent that the wet group in the Republican party would make a strong bid at the con- industry, the Federal Government, cc- cupies a large part of the limited total area of the District, and that part,| ing increased by new ac- | ] of property, is tax-excmpt Washington's total tax-cxempt arca is| larger, in re than | in any other cit couniry. Th Bureau of Efficicncy’s 1928 valuation of this tax-exems: ea occupied b |hvJ National Government, the Municipal | Gov e property of foreign nations, pr ¢ of tax-exemnt institu- s ch hes, showed that in value nted to more than half of the ta area. Yet ccmparisens of Washington's total asssssment, total tax levies, tax receipts, etc., with those of other cities, show that the portion of Washington that is taxed is made to yield revenues comparable with those in citics where, relatively speaking, every square foot of property produces its part of the total payment of taxes for sup- port of the municipality. There is the additional consideration that while other cities are at liberty to extend their boundaries to embrace new taxable resources, the area of the Dis- trict is fixed by the Constitution itself and cannot be extended a foot beyond existing limits. That part of the tax- paying population moving beyond those boundaries to the adjacent States is lost, as are the taxable areas of realty taken over by the Federal Government, or its agent, the Municipal Government, for its own use. These and other factors require that when there are comparisons of tax bur- dens between Washington and other cities they be reduced, at the outset, to comparisons between tax burdens rep- rosenting current city maintenance. With cthers, clements that go to swell the size of a tax rate in other cities are the payments of interest on munic- ipal indebtedress and the payment of State toxes. Such payments should be eliminated when comparisons are sought between the significant cost of current city maintenance. Cities borrow money for investment lic service enterprises, for the Immediate realization of programs of public works or because they are un- wigely enticed ints extravagant spend- ing. As Wachington's legislators have, wisely or unwisely, prevented local in- debtedness and have pursued a strict | pay-as-you-go policy, it is unfair to| include the clement of municipal in- debtecness elsewhere in comparisens with Washington. Inclusion of the debt element is misleading, under any cir- cumstences, whether or not Washington figures in the comparison. As the Washingtonian enjoys none of the benefits received through pay- ment of a State tax, State ta:es should be eliminated when tax burdens of other municipalities are compared with his. The comparison is between city tax burdens, not between city and State | tax burdens. The comparison is be- | tween the taxes paid by contributors substantially in the same area, to b2 distributed to the beneficiaries in the same area and for the benefit of that| area alonc. Until th» Washingtonian | the benefits of taxes paid to a! . it is illogical that his city taxes | be compared with the city and State taxes paid in other municipalities. — st Marvelous stories told by Boat is may bring him into court. ssion is that his lawyer might as well proceed with the routine pre- liminaries of bargaining with the psycho- analysts. Older Than Rome. Just as if it were not enough to find temples and forums and palaces of the pre-Christian era in the cxcavations at Rome, relics of the civilization of two| and three thousand years ago, the dig- | gers of a ditch betwcen the Coliseum and the Temple of Peace, standing near the banks of the Tiber, have just un- covered the fossil remeins of a cclossal prehistoric elephant which it is esti- mated died some twenty or thirty thou- sand years ago. Its size may be gauged by the fact that its teeth were nine feet in length. The remains lay under five varying strata about fifty feet deep. An eminent Italian paleontologist is quoted as expressing the opinion that this ) in the party platform. | formed. that such a party would turn to Borah | vention for a “moist” if not a wet plar The Borah voice would be potent in the convention if such a fight came to the floor. hreats have been made by the drys that if the Republicans write into their party platform a plank on prchibition even for a referendum” on the wet and dry issue, and the Democrats not only include a wet plank in their platf but also nominate a wet for President a dry, independent third party will be Suggestions have been made for leadership. It is not believed, how- ever, that Senator Borah hss given the drys encouragement. Yet the rumor of a third party continues. One of the questions over which Senator Borah has differed strongly with the Hoover administration is the part the Federal Government should play in relief for the unemployed. He has maintained that the Federal Gov- ernment should contribute out of the Federal Treasury for support of the distressed. President Hoover has taken a strong stand against such a proposal His most recent utterance has favored no more than loans of Federal funds to States to be used for relief work and to be repaid by the States to the National Treasury. The Idaho Senator recently declared that there should be no recess of Congress for the conven- tions, while relief legislation was still pending. Republican and Democratic leaders in House and Senate have agreed to this proposition. The Idaho Senator's probable course in the coming campaign is still a mal ter of speculation. He has never fol- lowed & Democratic candidate for Pres- ident. He is not likely to do so mnow. ‘Two years ago he was re-elected to the Serate for a six-year term. He may take his ease and become a mere ob- server during the campaign. But such a course for a man as definitely a~d in- tensely interested in the welfare of the country, for & man as active as Senator Borah, does not seem probable. If he should enlist in or lead a third-party movement, it would be foreign to his course over a long period of years. ————— The Senate s said to resent adverse criticism by presidential candidates. Criticism of an actual President is re- garced as zlane worthy of its dignity. -—oms ter artist may under- stend the cost of taxes but is manifestly without appreciation of the value of time. e Women as Drivers and Flyers. Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam, who thrilled the world the other day by flying alone across the Atlantic, has explained in London her motive for undertaking this perilous venture in terms that will appeal strongly to the sympathies of her sex and will evoke the applause of others. The driving urge behind her ocean flight, she said, was feminine resentment of all the “catty things men say about women ers and women pilots.” She went on: ‘When there is a traffic jam on Fifth avenue men always commeni, “Oh, it's a woman driving.” I have gone up with a mechanic who doesn’t know the controls from the altimeter and when I have come down I have heard people say “He probably did most of the flying.” So I determined to show them. And, outside of demonstrating that a_woman can fly the Atlantic alone, I don’t see that I have added anything to aviation, science or any- thing else. ‘There is no doubt about the su- periority complex of men in such mat- ters. They undoubtedly look upon the feminine driver in a spirit of, at best, tolerance, if not of pity or irritation. Yet some of the most skillful drivers in these days of crowded streets and jammed highways are women. They gauge distance quite as weil as men, they maneuver their cars as expertly outward | on., | | however, has been that he would accept amenément and the Volstead act, pro- | clined to accept the debenture plan | d i | Hervard THE FE sense” that differentiates the true fiyer from the groundling. There is no physlological or psychological disbar- ment of women from such perform- ances. The transatlantic flight calls for stamina and nerve in addition to skill and judgment in handling the plane. Mrs. Puinam has long since proved pos- session of these qualitizs. There are many others of her sex who are flying efficiently and safely, though nenc h:s achieved so distinguished & record as that which she hoes just mace. But now that Mvs. Puinam has made the flight and demonstrated for the sake of her sex that a woman can do this thing there is no occasion for oth- ers to emulate her just for further proof of feminine efficiency aloft overseas. She has proved that a woman can fly alene over the Atlantic. Let that be accepted as settling the question. There is plenty of work for the women flyers to do in land service. Aviation is de- veloping rapidly in America and pilots are in demand. Thus far no women are handling the long-distance commercial planes or the postal pianes, but there is no reason why they should not be so engaged if they can prove their capa- city. — Harvard Peeved at Wees. vard University authorides are much annoyed at Donald Wees, who has been travelng through th» wilds of Paragua auspices of that msti ter of spacimens. At Bu'nos Aires Mr. ve out the statement about the tics and dangers he had red in his zoological researches in the wilderness. This was all right Nobody could object to the explorer telling ebeut his trcubles, but when he went on end spoke of finding white Indians in the jungle the Harvard autherities simply could ot restrain themselves. So a statement has been given out at Cambridge which, after explaining the relati X ously inex i Ha Comparative Zoology. cn to say: mpl-tely inexperienced, Mr. in a most ex- y th> inevitable and though by no means incensiderable, discomforts of journeying in the backwoods of South America We have been svmpathetic almosi as 1 as annoved at the pub’ re- ding bis sufferings in gen ral. But on top of thM for him to revive the white Indian hoax is more than flesh can bear. The museum has cabled him at Buenos Aires The white Indien hoax, a: Hlarvard authorities put it. has been brousht forth a number of times in recent vears and it is rather surprising that away with it. Mr. Wees must bz given some credit if he did suffer the dangers discem!o of the Paraguayan wilds for gel at all and in shape to tell kind of a stery Evidently the volunteer explorer who goes Into the strange places un whatever auspices must first get acquainted with the records, so that | he will not proclaim commonplaces znd impossibilities as sensational ences and discoveries. experi- e ‘When important mail goes wrong it is not nearly so easy to locate the blame as it seemed to be when the much abused Mr. Burleson was Postmaster General. ) An admirable example of self-control is shown by Col. Lindbergh at a time when popular indignation is seething in a manner that might easily call for a victim on suspicion. — - Beer, once regarded as the solace of an idle hour, is now permitted to in- trude, merely by name, into some of the busiest congressional days. r———s SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Grand Ideas. “Some grand ideas come to me,” Said Hezekiah Bings, “Of changes that the world should see In various sorts of things. But some of them, I always find, Which I feel certain should Be of some help to all mankind Are for my private good! I seek to show a generous grace And yet I must confess Some grand ideas show a trace Of personal selfishness. A grand idea needs some care, For should it go to smash, Bystanders nearly everywhere Get mixed up in the crash. A need of caution I foresee Before I give them wings ‘When grand ideas come to me"—— Said Hezekiah Bings. A Bit of Boasting. “You don't refer to the idle rich any more.” “They are not so numerous,” replied Senator Sorghum. “Nobody gets busier than some of the representatives of opulence every time I start an investi- gation.” Jud Tunkins says he doesn't know exactly what & Communist is. But it all seems fair enough. As far as he can understand, neither does a Com- munist. Masquerade. Mercy for cynics let us ask, Remembering that the sneer May only be a fuiile mask ‘That’s meant {o hide a tear. Vanished EleYance of Outlawry. “I frequently wish for good old comic opera.” “So do 1" said Miss Cayenne. "I remember with the greatest pleasure the days when the public’s idea of an outlaw was a man who sang baritone and carried a bow and arTow instead of & machine gun.” “Wealth,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “is the golden key to youth’s Castle of Dreams, where tco often abide sad memory specters.” The Hair Cut. The girls declare they'll bob their hair In spite of Faschion's call. and in crises they are, as a rule, as calm ; They climb into the barber's chair, and efficient as their stronger fellows. As a matter of fact, most drivers who figure in traffic mishaps are men. That may be because there are more men driving than women, but percentage figures show that relatively the men contribute more heavily to the damage and casualty records. In aviation success comes to R ‘The large ones and the small. A lady bold in days of old To Samson gave a trim. His spirit walk’s abrcad, we're told, To give what she gave him. “T used to be told,” said Uncle Eben, “I needn't believe all I hears. At pres- ent I can't expect no such luek. De en-- | inroads, and it is a sort of game, after| ith the| plorer shou'd expect to get | FON, D O, TUESDAY,. THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. One of the finest points about gar- dening is that it withdraws from the human mind the temptation to sneer and criticize. Adverse criticism outside the garden mostly is accempanied by a sneer. It comes natural for thousands of human bings to spend a great deal of time daily in this gentle occupation. But & garden takes it out of them, day by day, so that in a few years they end up by laying aside their oral vhile gardening. praise in the garden. iece s scarcely a growing thing | which meets the adverse saafts of the enemy. ‘There every flower has its place, and one is as good as the next. The lordly iris blocms in the border, the tiny rock plant in its special place, and one is as fine as the other. gardens. Even if he is of the most after awhile, tempering his critical fac. ulites with appreciation in large and healthy dcses E:en the enemies of the garden, the hundred and one insects, worms, E eases, come to b2 fought without malice. They are part, too. of thls interesting thing lumped off by mankind as na- ture. The garden must recognize them, whethe will or not. Often he is surprised at the lack of rancor in h's recognition. Yes, th “bugs” are playing havoc with things but there are ways of meeting their all Ants in the lawn are terrible pests? Of course, but many a gardener works up real interest in these bits of anima- tion, and sometimes surprises himself by his lack of real feeling against them, considericg the trouble tb cause’ him Extermination, or a‘tempted extermi nation. is necessary. but he may come 1 that he coes as a rath on them. and wish they €0 away of their cwn accord. Consider those neat little jars of poisoned sweet sirup, which repose in the borde Sweet-eating ants im- mediatcly become aware of them. Here comes one big fellow, hot on the scent He runs around the brim of the jar, attempting to find a way to get in. Ah! he triumphs! He discovers a little hole, lonly big enough for an ant to get through, and which only an ant could discover. | 'He congratulates bhimself. without doubt, on his perspicacity. He has no way of knowing that a higher creature | in the scaie of life purposely made the search difficult for him, so that he would be thus tempted to pat himself on_his rather rough back. The ant is terribly out of his ele- ment, but he doesn’t know it. How could he know it? H.s trusty old in- stinct, which has stood him and his ancestors in good stead for a_million | years. goes back on him now. The in- sunct knows nothing about this trick. | Al it tzlls the ant is that here is | something sweet, scmething good to eat l Now that it is inside the jar, the | ant looks around for a way to get down | to the delectable lake of sweet stuff | below him. { A whole lakeful—and he the ounly | ant in the world who has discovered it By George, I am a smart ant! He sees a small piece of wood. leading down into the liquid. Just the thing! Down it he goes, wiggling his sensitive antennae, or whatever it is an ant wigzgles when he smells food. He samrl it. It tastes good. “I'll take some home to the folks,” he smiles to himself, drawing up a bagful. p the stick he goes, out the tiny tl ERLINER TAGEBLATT. — The city of Spandau is celebrating the 700th anniversary of its founding as a corporation. A grand festival is being partici- pated In by all the people. An im- mense parade of the military, sporting youth and veterans' organizations will march past the new City Hall. recently erected and opened in honor of the oc- aasion. It will also be a great time for the school children and the police, as participants, witnesses and supervisors. However, little trouble is anticipated, as the whole affair will be in charge of Oberstleutnant (Lieut. Col.) Bush, who well knows how to handle such mat- ters. Spandau does net claim to be any older than the world! Only about the same age! are all that they have kept any de: tailed record of, since most of the mor important events fall within that epoch. occasion for the men’s choruses to ex: ercise their voices in unison, formally and informally. be some individual renditions, on and off key. A feature of the celebration will be the renewal of Spandau's troth to Ber- ilm. That Berlin were always as loyal to Spandau is to be the pathetic re. 'frain, we understand, of one of th Brandenburgian love songs. Visitor: and natives are expected to mail out posteards by the ton, a special serie: having been prepared showing new lews of historie “Schlosskaserne” (“Castle Barracks”), the “Nicolaikirche” (“St. Nicholas’ Church”) and the “Juliusturms” (Ju- lius Tower). During the evenings a festival stage production will be shown in the “Bismarck-Saelen” (Bismarck Hall), exhibiting the mutations in Spandau's life, history and external semblance down through the ages. Though old, Spandau is yet young. With 700 years behind her, she insists tnat she is just beginning to grow into her possibilities. Our felicitations upon her near approach to vigorous maturity. * ok ok X Advertising Need Stressed in Britain. The Evening Times, Glasgow.—“Ad- tertisers must preach that advertising is an essential part of the trade and in- dustry of this country,” said Mr. F. P. Bishop, the advertising manager of the Lendon Times, in en address to the members of the Publicity Club of Glas- gow today. _ Bpeaking on the enemies to advertis- ing, Mr. Bishop said that the trade de- pression appeared to be the worst. He was of the opinion, however, that this same depression might be a_blessing in disguise. Advertising had been grow- ing for years, growing and advertisers throughout the country were able to take stock of the progress made and also of the difficul- ties and enemies they had still to face. They would have to covercome the distrust and hostility that existed in the minds of the public, caused chiefly by quack and disreputable advertising. They had to fight these enemies within their own camp. He instanced a clause in the town and country planning bill, which was before Parliamen: at present, and which if it were passed, gave the local au- thorities complete power to ban any display in their districts. He added that the advertising association had fought egainst this, and that if the bill wore passed there would be some modificg- tion of this clause. * %k * Cubans Urged to Sheive Pessimism. e no compariscns in degree, | ‘This is borne home to every one who | critical temperament. he finds himself, | Highlights on the Wide World Excerpts From Newspapers of Other Lands However, the last 700 years | This is besides a particularly suitable | There is also likely to | buildings — the | It had now stopped | 4 hole, down the side of the jar, off across the lawn to his lair. He is a Successful Ant. ‘The little beggar doesn’t know that he has poisoned himself and is now on his way home to poison his entire fam- ily. He has violated a law he never heard of, a man-made law, that you can't get something for nothing. And he has infringed on another, that ants must not bring up their sand out of their runways to spoil the appearance of lawns. And yet it is a dirty trick, after all Without malice the gardener regards them and the hundred and one other insects which do so much to keep grow- ing plants on their vegetative toes. ‘They are here because they are here, t as he is. They are a part of the arden picture as much as he is, maybe more. The home gardener accepts them as a part of the picture. He knows that gardening is a sort of composition, in which every compo- nent is not equal, perhaps, but at least ha: its essential part to play. A small line is often as necessary as a long one. The application of this rule accounts for the utter lack of human sneering the garden. In politics there is & great deal of it. In art circles, espe- cizlly among musicians, subtle and cos ered sneering often is heard. Daily life is full of it. Only in the garden will you find an lutter lack of it. Gardeners in time come to work up a real enthusiasm even fcr weeds. In ardinary terms, the weed | garden Js a vacant lot. Utterly without human care it grows housands of plants of the finest, dar st green, whose color would be a joy in the cultivated garden, could the gar- dencr induce his plants to take it on They are weeds—that is, plants not wanted—but they secure a tribute of acmiration. There is no tendency to! sav anything but good of them. After @'l. are they not admirable specimens of what they are supposed to be? They re like the sturdy, fat children of the . which one cften sees. The same powers of appreciation which can distinguish _between the | blooms of the peony Le Cygne and the | peony Solange are now brought to bear | appreciation of a fife weed 5 twist the peon and the so-called weeds were cultivated flowers, perhaps this, ong. green grower here, with great, wide leaves. would receive a rat- | ing of 99, or practically perfect, too. There is no rocm for adverse crit- icism in & garden. because there is room for every plant. At the worst one can but say that he likes sumething else better These lilies of the valley will do well where few other things would, hence | their place on the north side of the house, beneath the acid-loving rhodo- | dendrons. It is difference among plants which silences human criticism, where: with strictly human subjects difference makes for criticism. No one dares to be different among human beings exc ain of crit- | icism, and if the diff is decided enough. the inflict of real pain, | either mental or physical st diference s no- ssented or cummented upon in a search for critical material If any optimist doubts this, let him put 2 smail blob of red-staining antiseptic | on the back of his hand. applied three times, with drying allowed between each application, as some physicians advise. Nine out of ten persons he meets will | spot it instantly and cry out ** the matter with your hand? did you do to your hand?” in a fight?” or “Who hit y The quick. roving animal eye sees all—misses nothing. But in the gar- | den the plants have no eves and, thank | God. no tongues. Atter all, they can't talk. Perhaps that is why there is little snecring in a garden. since a gar- dener wb}:.() feels sorry for his ants would scarce berate a poor plant not talk back. 2 S foald ticed and e “Were you | ment not remote. Such confidence ap- Ppears 1o longer to sustain our people. and & more pronounced dejection has a | tendency still further to retard economic | improvement. We must all remember that Cuba is in no worse state than other countries. | Instead, in many respects oyr position | 1s relatively better. We have not the | same radio of unemployment as obtains, for instance. in the rich and powerful | Nation of the United States, whereas. in Germany, Russia, and nearly all cf South America. money has almost ceased to circulate or function. Wages are Ppaid in bread, when they are paid at all. Under the old Spanish regime we were little better off than we are now, but having had an interval of peace, prosperi and especiaily liberty, we feel ourselves very much aggrieved and afflicted when we must. for a space, discard some of our useless and ener- vating luxuries. Like the other nations, we are merely making the final pa: ments for our imbecility and extrava- gance and for the deliberating ease to which most of us were so little used and accustomed. ‘When we have fully submitted to our wholesome disciplining _ conditions will improve and there will be work, and there will be money again for those who deserve these benefits. We are learning at last that work and money re blessings. not amusements or play things. Let us hope that we shall not. {in future, forget this severe but saluta | lesson. Sure of the spirit of progress which animates our country. let us all be optimists and forget our pessimism. e Traffic Rules Violated In Early Morning Hours To the Editor of The Star: May I through the columns of your valued paper call attention to the fla- grant violations of the traffic regula- tions in the early hours of the day? My business calls for me to get up around 4:30, and for a long time I have observed the utter disregard for most every traffic regulation in the book. Stop signs mean nothing: driving on the wrong side of the streets, parking 50 as to obstruct the easy flow af traffic, excessive speeding and utter disregard for traffic regulations in general. Street cars are another violator of trafiic rules in the early hours of the morning by obstructing the crossings so as te endanger life and property. I call attention to these matters for the purpose of making the strects safe in these carly hours, as accidents. fires and other emergency happenings do not pick the time of day to happen. They are fust as liable to happen at 5 o'clock in the morning as they are at noon- Y. I trust those who use the streets in the early hours will realize that it is just as important to obey traffic rules early the morning as it is at any other e of the day. G. HOWARD DUNNINGTON. + oo The Humor of Toil. From the Harrisburg Telegraph. “Carpet beating,” writes Eph Keljoy of Newport. “is almost as good fun as carrying out the ashe:.” A Believer. From the Los Angeles Times. ‘The oytstanding optimist of the times is the wife who goes through her husband’s pants pockets. ———r—ee— Bean Funds. From the Los Angeles Times. ‘Traffic offenders at Marion, Ind., pay their fines in garden produce, which is to the indigent. That is to |in a separate world of his own.” | mare, the gross error * MAY 24, NEW BOOKS DARE THE SCHOOLS BUILD A NEW SOCIAL ORDER? By George 8./ Counts, author of the American ! Road to Culture, etc. New York: The John Day Co. A little book of prime significance, The body of it derives from important proncuncements, made within the cur- rent year, by authority of education it- self. By the Progressive Education Association, the Department of Super- intendence, the National Council of Education. ‘The primary tmportance of this study | rises from the fact that education as an institution now recognizes the immi-; nence of a new social order. In theory, | at least, it accepts itself as proper co- | operative agency in the movement. It| realizes fully the unreadiness of the | commonalty to meet and to support the | impending change, by reason of its own essential ignorance of the situation. ‘Tacitly, education admits its own culpa- bility toward such general incapacity to | meet the revolution that is already well | upon its way. Political notions imported from revo- lutionaty Europe by the colonists have worn pretty weil upon the foundation of democratic theory, tinkered through the years to suit the ultimate party di vergences of free trade and state 1ight on the one hand, of protective tariff and Federal supremacy on the other. But government by politics has moved cu. In its stead science is imposing an economic world to take its place, Under science time has gone. Distance has gone. Needs are common the world over. The earth itself, under the search- ings of science and its uncanny con- trivances of invention, is proving to be an inexhaustible source cf supply for mankind everywhere. Industry. manu- facture, distribution, finance “are now ruling the world, mismanaging it at many & point, while the confusion of fundamental and unrealized change goes on. The people remain in igno- rance of the primary lesson set out every day. They spend themselves in condemnation of an outmoded political rule whose leaders are as untaught, in effect, as the pecple themselves a: It is upon the new day that educa- tion, by way of this book, fronts in con- the amazing ligation toward . and the future, by way of the distinct re- shaping of its own forces and activities The school. sourced in home and church, is, with these, the prime con- servative force of society. —Cautious, like its two progenitors, education is not ardent toward change till change has proved itself. And, indubitably, this is right, up to a certain point. Not to the point, however, where inertia and routine take the place of a con- structive march along the line of prog- ress. And the school has lagged. That is beyond question. Here the fact is recognized by the authors of this study. who, under “fallacies.” define the trend and extent of designed leadership | turned to a self-satisfied fcllowing In the rear of events, I I us, for a minute, look at the! “follacies” named and deprecated by awakened leaders of education:l thought “There s the fallacy that man is, born free. As matter of fact, h= is born He achieves freedom as a race an_individual through culture.” illuminating paragraph that.| Another mistake “that the child is born | good by nature’—and so on. Again, | the wrong notion that “the child lives | Once that education Is some pure and mystical essence that remains unchanged from everlas@ng to everlasting. That it must be divorced from politics. must live apart from the play of social forces.” Here is a point to bear down upon for immediate use in this outlook upon an im ant matter of immediate and daily cancern. “Therce is the fallacy that the school is £n all- powerful edueational agencv.” Not so as even the teacher out of the lessc hour itself readily admits. Again. thi is the mistake that “ignorance rather than knowledge is the way of wisdom.”| A reference, as it turns out. to the fa-| | | miltar hocus-pocus of method and proc- ess that so commonly obscures the open, and joyous, approach to some new fact, or facts, calculated to open the earth a little wider to the questing and | cager youth. Everybody Who knows | schools at all knows well this withhold- ing of knowledge in the interest of aca- demic performance. So, in running| mention, the confession of authentic | education stands. Not a summation of | serious weight and portent. That is, it | is not in any sense given out in the| spirit of hopeless condemnation. Rather, an inventory of material on hand for the setting out upon a new venture. Upon the venture of preparing educa- tion to be a distinet, consclous. prepared | instrument for meeting a social change that is inevtiable, that is already on its way. that is calculated to make de- mands upon every citizen now being | fashioned in the various institutions of | learning throughout the country and | the world. That changes are not taking place | in the school, that advances are not| being made, is no part of the declara-| tion of this study. There are advances. | ‘There is progress. But, upon the whole, | these are sparadic in character. They are. in the main. not headed upon the essential idea of the world in its present direction and rate of advance. En- thusiasm on the part of teachers is abounding. New methods, new free- doms, are in common evidence. But these do not reach the lang objective, do not inform the daily outlook of the teacher in the school room, or the in- spiring superintendent in the main| office. radiating spirit and world knowl- edge translated into terms of the school hours, of the street, of the home, of small social units—all expanding in personal seizure and personal respon- sibility from kindergarten to universit There is still too much of idolatry of old cultures. too much of a passion for the husks of learning. so these author- ities tell us in effect, while the great and important drama of the day is un- regarded, unrealized. Much the larger part of this study is engaged with the open and obvious mistakes of education. At the last, however, a short outlook upon current matters in their obvious charge upon schools generally contains tentative points of departure and hope for the future of those who are dependent upen our system of educalion for an intelli- gent readiness to that which is before them. They must be taught that democracy as a political theory is pass- ing. But that a democracy of eco- nomics, the forthcoming power. must enste. To understand such equality is the first business of the people and of the schools in their educative mission. Just now economics partzkes of the nature of ancient political tyrannies. ! The few against the many, in great| accumulations of wealth. But the next| point of understanding must be the system of accommodations, of equitable adjustments that will in good measure shake wealth and opportunity out from the close fist of the capitalist down toward the level of the great com- monalty, increasing its capabilities and understandings and req '“';fl,"" medium of an an ly pnglnux tion that ought to step ahead of the movement itself in its various applications to the common life. A courageous outlook upon the school as the foundation and bulwark of a government like our own. Frank with ! its own shortcomings, the proponents of public education outline a c: | tive plan uvon the actuaiities of the present znd its near future in the industrial outlook of America and the world, as this outlook bears definitelv | and pointedly upon the obligations of the school to the citizens of a free country. No, the schools will not “dare” to build a new social order. That is not their job. Rather will they, day by day, sedulously create the ! values calculated to receive order in understanding, in competency of judgment, in breadth of out! in toward changes that are e, st T ol e e new | Information Bureau. iritual | time ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC ‘What do you need to know? Is there| some point about your business or per- sonal life that puzzles you? Is there/ something you want to know without | elay? Submit your question to Frederic . Haskin, director of our Washington He is employed | to help you. Address your inquiry to The Evening Star Informition Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washing- ton, D. C., and inclose 2 cents in coin | or stamps for return postage. Q. Are most of the accidents caused by automobiles which are not in good condition?—C. D. G. A. The Travelers’ Insurance Co. re- ports that mcre than 90 per cent of the motor vehicles which in 1931 were in- volved in personal injury accidents were in apparently good condition at the! time of the accident. The ratio is 95 per cent as respects total vehicles in | accidents, 92 per cent as respects ve- hicles in fatal accidents and nearly 96 per cent as respects vehicles in acci- dents resulting in non-fatal injuries. Q. What are the land, sea and air speed records?—L. R. A. For one mile they are: 14.1757 seconds, automobile, Campbell, 19: seconds, motor boat, Wood, 19: seconds, airplane, Stainforth, 1931. (3 I8 bmboo a tree or a grass?— A. It is classified as a grass are more than 200 species of genera of these perennial, me: like, tropical and subtropical There bout 20 tree- Q. How much have real estate values gru'gpcd In the last few years’—E A. The National Association of Estate Boards savs that it doubts :(F:es‘ information along this line is availab) Urban real estate values have been re- ceding since 1926. Farm land values have been receding since 1922 In spite of this fact aggregate totals of value as shown by tax valuations have consist- ently been increasing. due to growth in population and urbanization. Q. Has the use of wooden pegs been discontinued in constructing frame buildings? -A. K A. They a extent 1 use where wood is plentiful and labor cheap. Q. What is the difference in alcoh weight and Prohibition savs that the differ hlic conte velume, cohol by vol cent alcohol by weight per cent beer by volume w 247 per cent alcoholic content by weight and 4 per cent beer by volume would equal 3.6 per cent beer by weight. Who wrote the poem which be- gins “On the dusty earth-drum beats the falling rain">—C. C. M A. It is called “Rain Music” and was written by Joseph S. Cotter, jr, the colored poet. Q. Hcw much money is invested in r works in this country?—M. E. A. The present day water works dustry, with more than $5.000.000.000 invested edpital. serves zbout 80.000.000 customers and employs regularly 54000 workers who are not engaged in con- struction projects. | Q. Some time ago you stated that early Californians sent their lJaundry ta China. Dces history furnish any other | such long-distance ~arrangements’— E M A. Up until 100 yea iron’s Voyage J. HASKIN. people of Russia and East Prussia sent thelr laundry once a year to Holland. Shiploads and wagon trains hauled the linen in the Spring to Holland and re- turned it during the Summer. Q. Please mention some well known scientists who were Roman Catholics.— J.F.R. A. Among others, such a list would incluc: Lavolsier, Mendel, Louis Pasteur, Abbe Breuil, Father Obermaier. Ampere, Volta, Father Tendorf and Marconi, Q. What was the average height and weight of the American soldiers in the World War?—L. J. D A. The average height was 6749 inches and the average weight was 141.54 pounds. This s determined by the examination of over 800,000 men. Q. When was the first ice boat built in the United States?—S. G. ‘The first of which there s authentic record was built by Oliver Booth at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1790. It was a square box mounted on thres runners, shod with rough iron, with a rudder post and tiller of wood. Q. How do the waters of Lake Supe- rior and Lake Michigan enter Lake Huron?—G. T. | A. Lake Huron receives the waters of Lake Superior through St. Marys River and the waters of Lake Michigan through the Straits of Mackinac. Q. What is meant by a premiated | design?—-W. W A. It refers to a design for which a reward or prize has been given. | @ was Justice Olver wenden | Holmes wounded in the Civil War?— S. F. { A. He was wounded at the battles of Balls Bluff, Antietam and the sec- ond battle of Fredericksburg. He entered the Army in 1861 as a lieutenant and was mustered out in 1864 with the rank of brevet lieutenant colonel. | Q Do Shanghat and Tckio have the B same time?—M. A. It is one hour later in Tokio than in Shanghai Q. What statue is the first equ statuc cast in the United States? 2 A The statue of Jackson in La- fayette Square, Washington, D. C. The culptor was Clark Mills, who built a foundry in Northeast Washington. in what is now Mills avenue, for the pur- pose of casting this statue. Q. On what principle does the house- hold electric clock work?—L. H ‘The master clock, which makes practicable the use of electricity for accurate timekeeping. regulates the fre- Quency of the alternating current so that there is a definite number of alter- nations of current per second. The electric household clock has neither springs nor escapements, but in their stead is a tiny synchronous motor, the speed of which determined by the rapidity of the alternations of current The motor is connected by a train of gears o the hands of the clock. In effect, the electric clock counts_the alternations of current and translates them into seconds. minutes and hours. How large are the sand dunes in San Luis Valley, Colo ?—R. L. They rise above the valley floor |to a height of several hundred feet, and probably reach a thousand feet, maximum height. They are among the largest and highest, if not the great- est. of any sand dunes in the United States. and the claim has been made | for them that they are the largest ago the wealthy ' shifting sand dunes in the world is Declared Unusual Test of Its Value ng unsettled weather conditions 1720t most of its coast-to-coast voyage and conquering severe storms over Texas. the United Stales Navy dirigible Akron landed safely in Cali- fornia to prove its airworthiness under the most trying circumstances of wind and weather. That there have been tremendous improvements over the earlier types of this form of aircrat| and that this performance proves that its use is being made safe and reliable | is recognized in press comments on the Akron’s trip, but doubt is expressed that the huge airship has great value as a weapon of war. The death of two of the ground crew trving to bring the ship to earth, while creditad to unusual cireumstances. is held to dem- onstrate the unwieldiness of the great craft. In addition to its place in the Navy, the Oakland Tribune feels that “the Akron has brought much nearer the util- ization of the airship for commercial op- erations.” The San Francisco Chronicle hails her “superb defiance of lightning, wind and rain.” while the Milwaukee Sentinel states that “the trip is a dem- onstration that the lighter-than-aircraft have been astonishingly developed, and that this form of air navigation will soon be about as safe and reliable as any other kind, ff, indeed, it is no so already.” The Cincinnati Times Star holds that “the Akron's triumph over & long conspiracy of the elements | should be a suffic answer to her critics.” The Hazleton Standard-Sen- tinel calls the test “a victory for ship and skipper.” while the Lima News 1s convinced that the craft cated the faith of its builder: Discounting any formerly _existing anxiety “over the stress of lightning, fog. sand storms and high weathe, Akron Beacon Journal concludes Graf Zeppelin is making steady from its Priedrichshafen base to Brazil | and return and the world is never fed with narrative of emergencies met along the way. But when a Navy ship crosses our own continent every stage of its progress is marked with awe and a shade of apprehension. It is time for ‘sirminded’ America to be of better fortitude in this matter and acquire the calm that marks the staff and crew of an airship when it sets forth on a trip to a port which it is more than confi- dent of reaching in good order. The fact that the Akron met this latest test is all the more tribute to its airworthi- * ok % ok A less favorable estiggute is given by the Charleston (S. C.V Evening Post, with the statement tnat “the United States is the only nation which still puts faith in the dirigible. with the ex- ception of Germany, where the legend of Count Zeppelin is still powerful. de- spite the disappointing experience with his invention during tne World War." ‘The Evening Post also comments: “Running into & heavy storin over Texas, the Akron wore through with come difficulty, but well enough, on the whole, but was unable to make a land- ing. Attemping to moor at its destina- tion in California, the big airship could not be controlled by the ground crew of 60 men, darted upward, carrying 3 o the crew dangling from the ropes, an 2 of these fell to their death. ex- perience reveals the instability of these enormous metal balloons and the hazard into which they are so easily plunged. Especially, however, it demonstrates again the unwieldiness of the dirigible and its excessive requirements for mak- ing a descent to a mooring. While mancuvering over Texas to find a land- ing, the ship sent out a call for 500 men to make it fast and. when an atiemp! | was made in California to control it with a crew of 60. it tore awav from their grasp with the fatal results re- corded. Obviously an alrship whicl cannot be brought down to an anchorage this class, of the few who from time to hecome temporarily dominant and ma: 3 A fine message to the lchool) them- selves from their own body of authority and outlook. A sf cal Clated o spesd U scholastie. ought ol actiom, e without the services of scores of men on the ground cannot be regarded as a practicable vessel.” * x % o= “Whatever may or may not have been the responsibility of static,” ac- cording to the New York Sun, “it is at least clear that a perilous journey was dangerously terminated. The faults of the Akron are the faults of all her kind, made more conspicuous because her size is greater than that of any predecessor. The folly of placing de- pendence in the military effectiveness of such a clumsy machine becomes all the more apparent. There can be no guaranty that in time of war a naval attack might be delayed by the enemy until the weather was suitable to allow the Akron or any other giant gas bag to come up, or until days were so cool she could land if landing became necessary.” “The assumption that aircraft of the Akron type are in the experimental stage,” says the Long Beach Sun, “is borne out by the unhappy experiences of the transcontinental flight, which was marked by many difficulties and yesterday with tragedy at San Diego. It was unable to make its way through storms in Western Texas for nearly & day and, after sneaking through a oophole in the storm area, it finally reached the Pacific Coast. only to find a successful landing impossible. Both fragile and cumbersome, the dirigible, in comparison with the swift and ef- ficiently operated airplane, strikes the public as being little better than one of the mistakes of aeronautics.” Success of the experiment is attested | bv the Altoona Mirror. the Lincoln State Journal, the Providence Journal and the Springfield. Mass, Republican. “A place in the scheme of air con- | quest for the big ships” is conceded by he Dallas Journal The Columbus Ohio State Journal declares: “Air su- | premacy of the United States, as exe emplified by the size of present exist- ing dirigibles, is established beyond a doubt. The country will now look forward with more satisfaction and great deal more confidence to the ulti- mate suecess of the Akron's sister ship, the Macon, now under construction, an air liner that will eclipse in size even the Akron, which took this honor away from the Zeppelin.” R Installment Taxpaying. Prom the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin According to Rochester reasoning, | there is no sound argument against | permitting the bedeviled real estate taxpayer to discharge his obligations | to the municipality piecemeal if his | situation is such that he cannct make geod in large lJump sums. The munici- pal treasury is over three millicn dol- ’]Ll'j behing in current and delinquent | tax collection.” Division of current pay- | ments into three installments of 25, 125 and 50 per cent, respectively, hav- ing falled to stimulate receipts suffi- ciently, it is now announced that pay- ments on account of $5 and upward will be acceptable. ‘The Philadelphia tax bill may now be d in two installments. it to the older struggling with a cur- tailed income even half of his normal tax is likely to look Mke censiderable money to pay out at one time. Though the Federal income tax of the average home owner is considerably less than his local property tax, he is given the option of quarterly payments. There is no good reason why the nunicipality should hear down harder upon him. Installment tax payment would in- | volve more baokkecping. There can be | no logical other objection to it. The | Rochester idea may be carrying the | matter to extremes, but the basic prin- | ciple deserves consideration as a means | of getting in more money into the | public Treasury. ——— Piano Movers. Prom the Keokuk Daily Gate Oity. Congress in trying to balance the B e o B too far {h o\