Evening Star Newspaper, April 29, 1933, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY, .APRIL 29, 1933. THIS AND THAT .THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Edition, WASHINGTON, D. C. SATURDAY......April 29, 1033 THEODORE W. NOYES....Editor tal llection made at th Pt Rl Rale by Mafi—Payable in Advance. Maryland and nia. :::dy Bunday day onis L All Other States and Canada. y Sunday. 12.00: 1 mo.. $1. &w y . : 1mo. 7 only . Member of the Associated Press. Associated Press is exclusively entitled %o the use for republication of sll news dis- Palehes eradited to it or not otharwise ered- ted in d also the local news nflM Herat All rights of bublication of opec ispatches herein are also reserved. The Era of Experimentation. Benate approval late yesterday of the farm bill, containing the inflation amendment—or maybe it would be more accurate to say the inflation amendment containing the farm bill— practically completes congressional ac- tion on one of the administration's ma- jor experiments in trying to force ‘economic recovery. ‘The House passed the farm bill more than & month ago. At that time in- flationary schemes were in the wind, but none of them had assumed tangible proportions. The Senate began debate of the farm bill with the possible no- tion in the minds of its sponsors that this measure as then written would represent the most radical experiment in the history of our Government. Its fundamental purpose was to tax ome part of the population, the consumers of basic farm commodities, in order to pay the farmers a bonus for taking ateps that would raise prices paid for basic farm commodities by these same consumers. It would transfer funds from one segment of the population to the other. But it was not long before there was demonstration of the fact that, inas- much as there is to be experimenting, & larger and more adequately equipped laboratory should be provided for the experimenters. One of the important additions al- . $10.00; 1 mo.. 88c 17 Ne8: 1 men 3o yr. $4.00; 1mo. 40c ture the suthority to fix by law the farm products, that price cov- e “cost of production” of the plus a profit for the producer. ‘This experiment may never be made. It would be, in truth, a revealing ex- periment, and if workable in the case of agriculture, would doubtless be workable in the case of industry. It And about this time the Senate de- Seated, by the narrow margin of 43 to 34, another amendment for remonetliz- ing silver at the ratio of 16 to 1. This brought the inflation issue squarely to ¢he fore. The President countered by Proposing an amendment of his own— edding, as it were, still another wing $0 the farm bill laboratory for experi- ments in currency inflation. The his- tory of this amendment is now familiar, ‘How much the laboratory wing for cur- rency debasement will be used remsns & matter of doubt. Enthusiastic experimenters were anx- fous to add a separate chamber for experimenting in currency inflation through paying off the soldiers’ bonus. But, perhaps weary of experiments, and sssured by Senator Robinson that the President was firmly opposed to it, the Senators decisively defeated the sol- diers’ bonus amendment. ‘The farm bill now goes back to the House, where it will be sent to confer- ence. Senator Robinson’s move in ask- ing for a conference is expected to ex- pedite the measure’s consideration. It will probably go to the White House in practically the same form that it passed the Benate. The House has already pessed, as a separate measure, the mortgage refinancing bill ‘This is the era of large-scale legis- lative experimentation. It has been eaid, of course, that all legislation is experimental. But experiments are ususlly guided by experience. People no longer experiment with the leaves of poison ivy, for instance, for they know by experience the results. There is ex- perience to indicate that the farm bill's experiments are hazardous and un- certain. What they will actually re- weal remains to be demonstrated. [ESE——————— ‘The New York stock market is show- Mng vitality such as may warrant ref- erence to its values as firm but not frogen. Save the Orchestra! Por the lack of the relatively small sum of twelve thousand dollars the National Symphony Orchestra may have to disband. The fate of the organiza- tion will be settled within the next few days. No one who has appreciated its fine endeavor, its excellent per- struggle to continue to exist ¢an view the prevailing emergency ‘with equanimity. It is & pathetic spec- tacle. QGranted that conditions are difficult In Washington, it does not seem possi- ble that the cultivated inhabitants of the city can be willing that “finis” written to the orchestra’s . Only two seasons old, it has to the full its claim on the favor dren of the community. In point of fact, its range of influence has gone beyond the natural boundaries of its fleld, and it has reached out to those who, perhaps, do not have superior taste and who customarily do not at- tend concerts, but who, nevertheless, are not immune to understanding of the value of a worthy musical institu- tlon of its kind in the Nation's Capital. Perhaps it s to the latter class that special appeal now should be made. If it had no other significance the or- chestra would be pardoned if it called attention to its pragmatic utility to Washington as an advertisement. It is a credit to a town to possess such a fine group of co-operating players. Wherever the orchestra goes, wherever its name is mentioned, the city is benefited by the implication that it is competent to maintain and to enjoy the labors of trained and experienced interpreters of the compositions of the great masters, past and present. Other cities are proud of their orchestras. The business men of Washington would be following ex- cellent precedent if they came to the rescus of these artists who have so abundantly deserved such aid. Have they thought of the matter at all in this particular light? It seems unlikely. Probably they have not realized that every concert occasion promotes the ex- penditure of money in the city—the audience buys and the musicians them- selves spend their wages here. Endow- ment of the orchestra would be endow- ment of its business value. It may be that there has been some confusion: regarding the privilege of helping. It may have been supposed that general assistance is not wanted. Of course, the contrary is true. Any one may contribute; any sum, however small, will be welcomed. The Star wholeheartedly indorses the effort to save the orchestra. It should not be allowed to fail. It has earned the right to go on with its good and useful work. —_—————— A Fruitful Week. Now that Messrs. MacDonald, Herriot and Bennett have quit the busy acene, it is permissible, as well as happily possible, to record the fact that tangible and substantial progress was achieved through the conversations held with the British, French and Canadian states- men by President Roosevelt and his ad- visers. Behind them all lies & week of fruit- ful accomplishment. For the moment that accomplishment is not expreasible |in definite terms of formal agreements on specific things. That never was the purpose of these conversations, or of | the ensuing talks the President is about to have with spokesmen of Italy, Ger- many, Japan, China, the South Ameri- can ABC states and other. countries. Mr. Roosevelt projected nothing but air-clearing, difference-removing con- ference, a heart-to-heart exchange of views, as it were, with understanding on both sides that it was an “explana- tory,” rather than a negotiatory, en- terprise in which he and his visitors from abroad were engaged. The statements which have been is- sued by the President and concurred in by the British prime minister and M. Herriot are necessarily very general in tone, and, in spots, even vague. But they do register one unanimous note, the significance of which is not to be under- estimated. That is the revelation that on all broad, fundsmental points Amer- ica, Britain and France are in agree- ment. They commonly recognize the urgency of making the World Monetary and Economic Conference & success. They are at one in the consciousness that a fallure among the great powers to unite in measures for international financial and commercial restoration means world disaster in the wake of what is now merely world distress. ‘There is realization that the dollar, the pound and the franc bear an in- dissoluble relationship, one to the other, and to currency conditions everywhere, and must therefore be brought into some semblance of uniform stabilisa- tion. There is acknowledgment that a “tariff truce,” such as is about to be proclaimed between the United States and France, is & pre-essential to the success of the London conference. There is consensus that the debt struc- ture merits readjustment. There is universal concession that an economi- cally unsettled world cannot hope for equilibrium while budgets are burdened to the breaking point by the cost of excessive armaments. And finally, transcending all these concrete issues affecting the lives of the peoples, is an overpowering con- viction among the American, British and French nations and their responsi- ble leaders, that the world needs peace— peace in the sense M. Herriot did not fail to emphasize at Washington, which rests on security and on respect for treaties. The former French premier likewise did not ignore while here the opportunity to plead for the French thesis of a consultative pact whereby the United States under certain condi- tions would agree to hold confab with other governments when peace is en- dangered. American public sentiment will need education on this score, to make it wholly palatable to a people reared in the no-entangling-alliances school, but it suffices for the present to know—and there is nothing alarm- ing in the knowledge—that this week in Washington has paved the way to progress in this, as well as in other vital directions. Details may safely be left for the future to develop and work out. ————————— London thieves robbed a motion pic- ture president’s wife of 5,000 pounds’ worth of jewels. It was a transaction of no benefit In advertising. A jewel robbery would create interest in & mo- tion picture star, but for the president of the company it must figure in the family budget as & dead loes. ——————— Base Ball Justice. Penalties for the fracas at the Wash- ington base ball park last Tuesday have been meted out to the trio of players who, according to the high command of the American League, were chiefly re- sponsible for the trouble. Those three have been each suspended for five days and fined $100. They will be eligible for play. next Monday, which, in con- sequence of the schedule of the clubs’ activities, will mean that they will re- sume their services at the opening of the first Western trip. Had & less lenient view been taken of their doings they might have been lost to their teams for a month and been fined & thousand dollars aplece. ‘This mergiful treatment is good news of the music lovers and the chil- | to the faithful fans of the Capital, who have feared the loss of two of the most valuable players on the local team for the entire span of the first visit to the ‘West, where it is hoped that the banner of the Washington representation in the American League will be advanced to a high position. It indicates, fur- thermore, & disposition on the part of the league president not to quench too positively the “fighting spirit” of the players, which he recently urged in an :dpmmfn to play the game aggres- sively. . This affair, which has ended for the present with few scars and light pun- ishment, reveals the employment of tac- tics of play that have been in vogue for many years. The base runners try to block the base players, especially at second base and particularly when dou- ble plays are in train. It is no new thing for runners to go into second base with spikes “fiying,” for the pur- pose of intimidating the guardians of the sack and preventing effective throws to other bases. Certain players have developed a technique’in this matter that defles the rules and evades the umpire. Feuds haye been the order of the diamond for season after season. Particular players “lay for” certaln other players. * These animosities are well known to the fraternity and to some degree to the public. There is always the possibility of temperamental outbursts that will enliven the game. |sands of Perhaps this is part of the attraction of the sport, for the spirit of the old Roman days of gladiatorial combats is not extinct, by any means. It is held by some that these indi- vidual animosities, particulacly between members of teams that are close rivals for league leadership, add mest to the games. But a player who succumbs to the temptation to fight as an indi- vidual risks his status as a player and his worth to his team. It may be be- leved that in the future encounters between these particular teams this season there will be careful avoidance of overt happenings resulting in heavier penalties that might affect the cham- plonship chances. —————— Perhaps Senator Borah's assertion that & man has a moral right to hold on to his gold is correct in theory; but as that distinguished Democrat, Grover Cleveland, once emarked, it is a condi- tion and not a theory that confronts us. —_————— Up to the present time the democracy has avoided any difficulties sufficlently serious to prevent it from being in the terms beloved by old-time theater folk a8 “just one happy family.” —_—————— ‘The discovery of earthquakes in Alaska excites no great interest in the present crisis that a gold strike would create. There is no money in earth- quakes. ————————— If Mary Garden goes to Greece to speak her mind to Sam Insull, Athens will hear one of the greatest orations since the days of the classics. Good feeling has been restored among base ball players at least to-the extent that will permit the game to go on by innings and not by rounds. e — Some of the legislators on the hill fiave so little real say in affairs that they may be hearing how some of those lame ducks used to feel. —_———— In certain farm circles of Iowa con- tempt of court may be magnified to form that gives it the effect of assault and battery. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Appreciation. ©Oh, de sunrise shine across de lake, De noon is warm and bright; De sunset’s fine an’ no mistake, An’ I loves dem stars at night. Let de sun keep rollin’ F'um de east to west; Any time o’ day it is Is de time I likes de best! Spring wif beauty is complete; We loafs in Summer’s shine. Autumn make de melon sweet, An’ de Winter sports is fine. Let de sun keep rollin’ Roun’ de sky so free— Any time o’ year it is Looks mighty good to me! Sense of Humor. “Do you think a public man ought to have a sense of humor?” “Yes,” replied Senator Sorghum; “if it’s the kind that enables & man to see 8 joke in advaice and avoid inad- vertently making himself ridiculous.” Couldn’t See This Far Ahead. “Those forefathers of ours were won- derfully far-sighted men.” “Yes,” replied the Government clerk; “they were all right in composing up documents of & general character, but they couldn't see this far into the future in framing up a pay roll.” Ostentations ‘The man of mood the proudest May have little cause to boast; ‘The man who talks the loudest Isn’t always thinkin® most. Comparisons. “When I was your age,” said the re- proachful father, “I worked hard and saved my money.” ““Well,” replied the irreverent youth, “that was because you didn’t have a family whose mode of life led you into frivolous associations.” Remorse is something that many peo- ple claim to experience after they are hopelessly caught. Ferocious Appetite. His forage Mars declines to cease. He's always on the job. He wants to grab the Dove of Peace And eat it for & squab. “Some of us,” said Uncle Eben, “takes most partic’lar pleasure in tellin’ de truth when it's sumpin’ unpleasant.” Short Messages a Boon. T Another daylignt _saving An da; 84 ,Rowm. Thanks to Mr. ‘we are not ving to barge through long presiden- hat tial messages. —————————— Waitress and Waiter. Prome the Butte Montana Standard. A pedometer, what of a fad in -Butte, the waitress walks, but it does not record the “ , tells how far | proper_outline. which hag -become some- | the BY CHARLES E. Now that almost all the shrubs, with the exception of the honest, unappre- clated altheas, have put on their new leaves, the world of men is aware once more of the debt it owes them. 2 1t ‘'would be a different physical world it there were nothing but trees and grass, with no bushes to flll in the gaps, to soften down entire landscapes, to put the finishing touches to the green symphony of the season. No matter how beautiful the flowers a shrub bears, the lcaves are the real charm, since they give the bush its More than that, how- ever, they contribute a lasting loveliness Spring and Summer through, many of them well into the Fall. For half a year or more the sturdy shrubs, with their woody stems, their fine leaves and their various blossoms, play a very major part in the beautifi- cation of the lives of all of us. ‘The finest edifices are adorned by them, as well as the most humble dwellings. Stately governmental build- ings do better with them around. There 18 no bit of human construction too large or too small for them, none too costly nor to cheap. BN It is well to appreciate the shrubs, for despite their widespread use they might be used a great deal more than they are, with plain benefits. ‘Those who are interested in gardening often wonder what becomes of the thou- shrubs of various sorts sold every Springtime all over the land. Somehow one's city looks no partic- ularly different, one year from another, yet it is well known that mapy thou- sands upon thousands of lilacs, Spiraeas, ‘Wiegelas and the like have been planted during the past ten years, during which a renewed interest in gardening has taken place in America. What becomes of it all? At first thought one is inclined to feel that about half of it dies, lost be- cause of improper planting, or lack of subsequent care, or because of poor stock in the first place. Undoubtedly these causes take their annual toll. Not only fools rush in where angels fear to Gardeners, and would-be gardeners, make an annual rush where the angels (real or “dirt” gardeners) tread lightly. ‘They think to put shrubs and plants into the ground without taking the trouble to inform themselves of the right way, and the difference between 1t and the wrong way. * X % % They plant too deep, or they fall to spread out the roots. | They dig a tiny hole in the earth, cram the roots in, in a sort of mass, and then fail to water the earth thor- oughly as they put soil in. ‘The result is that actual air pockets are kft in the ground, in which the | FTUniE & irup ReCCISh MU and | Toots tend to wither and die. Added to this mistreatment (and all the time when they are wanting to do it so properly), they commonly fail to trim back, or prune, the branches of the shrubs they set out. No doubt more bushes of all sorts are lost through lack of pruning at this time than from any other one cause. ‘We are all in such a hurry, in this America of ours, that we dislike to wait two or three years for amything to grow for us. * K ok % ‘The home gardener (by his thou- sands) secures a fairly good specimen of lilac, let us say. It is about three feet high. He wants a “nice bush,” he says, and he has it, but what a struggle those old roots are going to have to carry all TRACEWELL. those boughs, and especially all thosc )ml,umamwdmum a . The lilac will come through, if any shrub will; it is hardy, with a ve 3 But even the lilac, at times, succumbs to this sort of treatment; the leaves come out only at the tips of the branches, and the bush becomes “leggy,” as the real gardeners say. 1t should have been trimmed vigorously, in the first place. Even where a shrub seems to do well with- out this pruning after planting the chances are:that it w have done better with it. * X % % ‘The writer here had an edifying ex- perience with an althea a year ago. This is one of the toughest of all woody shrubs. If any can stand mistreatment, this one can, it is so filled with the ele- mental vitality of the raw universe. Out of half a dozen specimens planted, each some three feet high, five leafed out nicely along the entire lengths of the branches, but one re- fused to put forth a single leaf bud. An entire month in the ground was given it, yet its slender boughs re- mained as bare of leaves as Eve before she ate the apple. Then each branch was cut off about 4 inches from the ground. ‘Within two wecks leaf buds red, to turn shortly into leaves. Te- sulting “bush” was about half a f high, of course, a rather diminutive shrub—but that was not all, by any means. Within two months it had caught up with the others, or almost reached up with them, so that no one who had seen it in its lowly form, hi g tae earth, would have believed it the same shrub. * k%% We would like to speak a word for the sturdy, unappreciated althea, some- times called the Rose of Sharon. While |1t is true that many gardeners like it, and use it freely, unfortunately there are thousands who do not, affecting to- ward it a sort of garden snobbery, as if somehow it were a poor relation in- truding among its betters, so-called. No one would gainsay the fact that there are more beautiful and certainly there are more expensive shrubs to be had nowadays. The nurseries are filled with wonderful things, for those for- tunate enough to be able to buy them. The althea remains, however, along with the lilac, among the genuinely lovely and always useful plants for the average home garden, Wi it flour- ishes like the green bay tree of Scrip- ture. If we could have no other shrub, we think we would take the althea, and would make no apologies to any one for our choice. * k% X% Our personal bellef is that the less pin a shrub receives after it has the more beauty it lends to its sur- roundings. Wmun!e lhe;e ‘;&e ‘cslomle im- rtant exceptions, an vidual cases Phake rules, most of our woody shrul need to be left alone. To shorten their branches, as is com- monly done, to prevent that over-grown look, is precisely the wrong sort of pruning, if they must be trimmed. But to prune them at all, most cases, is to remove the picture le sprawl which is their chief beauty. Nature takes care of these things, and above all, arranges them in harmonious masses which the average landholder cannot duplicate. It is in the garden as in the home aquarium, plants W~ ing naturally and luxuriantly hieve an effect no amount of conscious can secure. When we have to thin out, we invariably lose something. Wide Range of Views Shown On Arms Power to Executive Comment on the proposed gnnflng{’ to the President of the right to de-| clare an embargo on shipments of arms to other countries is provoked by the | passage of the measure by & large mar- gin In the House. There are wide dif- | ferences of opinion as to the wisdom of such action, one side, emphasizing | the need of authority to act in concert | with neutral nations, while the others | insist that by constitutional provision | Congress should share in such acts as | might lead to belligerency for the United States. “The danger of giving a President so much power,” according to the Bir- mingham Age-Herald, “was envisaged ntatives when they argued | by that it would enable a Chief Executive to plunge the Nation into war. Such | arguments are just exercises in ration- alization. If, under the Kellogg treaty, | we are not to be in a position to make | ourselves felt when a conflict threatens, then that fact is of little consequence. If such readiness for adequate action | cannot be conferred on the President| because he might misuse it, why do we | permit him to continue as commander | in chief of the Army and Navy, and so concelvably capable of flinging us inm#“’ war on his own initiative? If the value of an arms embargo is infinitely multiplied by an understanding with | cther powers, we need not be disturbed by the yelping of the isolationists.” “The powers that it vests in the Chief Executive,” in the opinion of the Buffalo Evening News, “are nceded by the Government to make effective cer- tain outstanding foreign policies of the United States.” Answering the argu- ment that “it will lead to war,” that paper holds that the contention “is clearly absurd,” at the same time pointing out that “even if it had any validity, the resolution does not give the President power to declare a uni- lateral embargo, which, of course, would be not only ineffective, but also dangerous.” The Evening News con- tinues: “The measure simply gives power to the President to negotiate an agreement with the other arms-pro- ducing nations. The Government that is singled out as the treaty-breaking state would, therefore, be faced with the opposition of many powerful coun- tries, and might, therefore, be forced to revise its policies. The idea that it would go to war against all of them is too fantastic for belief.” “Unified action on the part of all ammunition-producing countries,” is declared by the Hartford Daily Times as “indispensable to practical rexulrf. The Times further comments: “A truly effective embargo pelicy, once it became established as a universal rule, would remove one alleged factor from the warathmm:h njtnu(atlu;, n(unely, fl:e supposed _sel erest of ammuni- tlogx manufacturers in armed conflict anywhere in the world. The difficulty about the legislation lies in its en- forceability as a universal policy. Short of that, it is bound to fall far short of accomplishing its purpose as a deterrent to armed conflict.” “The hideous power of profits as war makers,” declares the Portland Oregon Journal, “was exemplified in the World War, when big _chemical-makers in France sold to Germany trainloads of chemicals for phosgene gas with which to destroy French soldiers. That hor- rible power was demonstrated again mmu!wturenmsold ner sees in the measure “a definite and practical declaration that the United States does not propose that a profi- teering spirit in this country will be | tp rmitted to place an obstruction l& Ee path toward international peace. | The Lincoln State Journal expects “temperate use of the power.” The Houston Chronicle sdvises that co-op- sration with other countries *“shouid commend itself to & peace-loving people.” Among those who e em- oppose th | bargo resolution, the position that its |use would be an act of war or tend toward war is taken by the Chicago Daily News, the Springfield (Mass.) Union, the Port Huron Times-Herald, the Goshen News-Times and the Bos- ton Transcript. The Cincinnati Times- Star upholds an amendment “to em- power the President to declare arms embargoes against all parties to a con- flict or against mome.” The Rutland Herald feels that “a President wise enough to use the power Wisely and without abuse or error must be a sort of superman.” The Lexington Leader calls the proposal “a surrender of the right of Congress to declare war and to regulate commerce with foreign na- tions.” The New York Herald Tribune sees power conferred on the President to “bring the United States into com- bination with the League powers with- ut joining the League.” Such action, in the judgment of the Yakima Daily Republic, “breaks down an industry here at home which will be appropriated promptly by some other country and which in a day of needl might be of vital imj ce to us. Pacifists don’t want an industry in the United States which may be useful in connection with military undertakings of our own or any othér nation. They are against it and against the sale of instruments of war abroad. Pacifists and their dread have not done much to reform the morals of the world and they have done a great deal to build up the cost bills of our Government and to destroy its influence. Vesting arbitrary power in the President to de- clare an embargo on arms in special instances is wrong and probably will make trouble if it is done.” —— Skyscrapers Under Attack. From the Asbury Park Evening Press. ©Of late the tall building—now not uncommon in the smaller cities—has come in for no little discussion, both favorable and unfavorable. Some con- demn it and others give it a clean bill of health. There is pretty general agreement, however, that even the sky- scraper is here to stay. In a measure high buildings assist the processes of city-making. Econo- ‘mists may insist that man is not a gre- garious animal by nature, but they must admit that he has become one by necessity. Human beings like to draw together, and find f“”“ in doing some kinds of work in close proximity. Sky- scrapers help them by brinking to- gether under one roof, or in one block, all sorts of conveniences and interre- lated business that never could have been brought together so well or ad- ministered so cheaply on the basis of ons. in the wake of| i, the many-storied building. At first the public was concerned simply with pre- venting it from shutting t out of streets and windows. It is only within recent years that outspoken critics have centered their attack on the skyscraper as & c:ul:: of traffic and lon ) THE LIBRARY TABLE BY SARAH C. BOWERMAN. THE PHILOSOPHY OF A SCIENTIFIC MAN. By Paul R. Heyl. New York: The Vanguard Press. Dr. Heyl, distinguished physicist in the United States Bureau of Stand- ards, edlwr.'l:vénwr. finds 2:;0 lc!mcew no enemy y poetry. His own mind is able to entertain and harmonize all three. To him the uni- verse of sciénce is the basis for a sys- A A 's , “New Frontiers of % great changes in pl in the knowledge of it, This ive in_human life, the adventurg of death. The mys- tery of evil, of the varieties of suffer- ing, which seem almost diabolical, to be found in a world to be under the control of & supremely good Being, is considered, but no adequate answer is found. Dr. Heyl, however, absolutely agrees with Voltaire's epi- would be necessary to invent one. The chapter on the cosmic soul is at the same time closely reasoned and ideal- istic. He finds reason one of the latest developments of evolution, and the ethical feeling of man another, per- haps a latex one. In this moral sense of humanity are, possibly, to be found of a cosmic soul. the intimations It 8 cosmic soul, then perhaps also a just and benevolent cosmic reason. reason, in the time that is yet to be, shall have reached the end of its tether, and we peer ahead into the fog that lies beyond, it is our hope, our belief that reason, as its last %to us, may yet enable us to sense through the cloud the vague outlines of the reality in which we are imbedded.” TRUE NORTH. By Ellott Merrick. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. After graduation from Yale, Mr. Mer- rick faced the world about him and wanted to get away from it. He is not a misanthrope, but he does not love all his fellow men, and especially he does not love all the modern developments of American life. He wanted to escape, not realities, but conventionalities, trivi- alitles and standardization. He went to Labrador and was for a time with the Grenfell Mission. There he met his wife, & woman of vigorous body and spirit, as averse to crowds and the weights and measures of average so- clety as he is himself. Together they went with the trappers up the Grand River on both the Winter and Spring hunts. “True North” tells the story of these two journeys and all the things they learned about the Far North, near the fifty-third parallel, and human na- ture as it exists there. The ethical standards of the trappers and their kindliness were found to be at least no lower than those of dwellers in Man- hattan. Their code outlawed whining about cold, hunger, weariness, injuries, unexpected difficulties. It caused each to keep off the fur paths of the others, he in spite of the absence of courts, law- yers and laws of ownership. Nature the Merricks found entirely satisfying beyond the frontier of civilization, ‘where the forests and streams were un- spoiled and the frozen world an unspeakable beauty. The joys of their explorations are, of course, only ; for youth or for toughened middle age, such as the trappers possess, but the | pleasure of reading Mr. Merrick’s story is for every one. * x ok % ‘The American Library Association has Jjust issued a new booklet, in its Reading With a Purpase series, entitled “Russia, the Soviet Way.” In it six books that give a real picture of Russia today are C. Brooks of Swarthmore College. Brief comment on the bcoks and the reasons for their selections, as given out by American Library Association headquar- ur_‘:_hln as follows ‘ hisireatiey e pul of T g guide in the year that marks the end first five-year plan is in answer public’s interest, as shown by Tecords, in this nation of 160,000,000, covering almost one-sixth of the land area of the world. From many books considered for recommended Treading ese six books were chosen because of their freedom from undue bias, because they were published recently enough to give a picture of Russia today and be- cause they concern themselves mainly with the people and how they live {rzher than with government and poli- cs. “New Russia’'s Primer,” written for the Russian school child from 12 to 14, by a Soviet engineer, 1. I. Marshak, shows how factories, mines, mills, state farms, manned with new machines and hard work, must contribute to the suc- cess of the five-year plan. Prof. Brooks points out that the Communist author regards the United States as an exam- ple of technological success and eco- nemic distress due to “planlessness.” For those who have time to read one book on Russia, “Soviet Russia, a Living Record and a History,” by Wi liam H. Chamberlain, is unqualified] of the to the library recommended. Even for those who have read a six-foot shelf of “the best books" on the country, this same volume is needed, acco to Prof. Brooks, to check scattered mformation and con- flicting misinformation. Because Mr. Chamberlain is & newspaper man, who lived for nine years in peasant villages, as well as in large cities, in all parts of Russia, he shows a more varied ple- :l:‘l’; than can a specialist in any one Peasants tell their own gabb! sto- of life on the state rn.r‘ms lig‘"md 'ad,” by Maurice Hindus. Handker- chiefs, school houses, mud, machinery, new beliefs and old superstitions are vividly brought together in these “fv'fifi"xm about workers’ insurance, banking, defreciated paper money, Co-qperati: trusts and syndicates, salarics of offi: clals are found in “The Economic Life of Soviet Russia,” by Calvin B. Hoo- ver of Duke University. The author be- lieves that as simple a thing as the need for food fats may prove the breaking point in this 17-year struggle. New teaching methods, youth organ- izations, children’s books featuring a fairyland of machines and socia ants and bees, are described in * Minds: New Men?” by Thomas Woody, professor of education at the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, who visited more than 500 Russian schools to see how the future Communist citizen is being molded. Values and flaws in the So- viet way of education are pointed out %nm'zxkliflnh book chosen by Professor For a_background oog;cture of the country Professor Br recommends “Russia,” a thorough study by Hans Von Eckhardt of the University of Heidelberg. This German author says Dression upon the Soviet union both on_upon viet un spiritually and economically.” A study outline based on the one used in Swarthmore College honor courses, covering such stimulating topics as revolutions and their justification, lib- erty under the Soviets, and home life, arfd atheist propaganda, is appended. Pl Margaret Deland allowed some years pass without writing a novel, and her “Captain Archer’s Daughter” adds 1 author of “The Awakening Ritchie” and Capt. Archer retired, of Helena gram, that if there were no God it| the selected for comment by Prof. Robert | Berlin, little to the literary reputation of the | al re- Q. In the Navy, life boats manned before they are lowered or after they are in the water?—S. L. A. They are manned before being lowered. Q. How many states are included in e German Republic?—E. 8. A. The German Republic is a fed- eration of 17 states, all of which, ex- cept Waldeck, were principalities of the old German Empire. This state was annexed by Prussia on April 1, 1929, There is also the Saar territory whose future political status has not yet been decided. Q. What are the bank clearings for a year in New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia?—J. M. - ibe bank clearings in New York City reached $263,270,394,- 000; in Chicago, $19,201,221,000; Philadelphia, $19,701,000,000. Q. In base ball parlance, what is meant by saying that a certain pitcher has a rubber arm?—T. H. A. The name is given to a pitcher who can work often. Q. Is there a story back of the “Stop, Look and Listen” slogan?—H. 8. E. A. Various accounts are given of the origin and adoption of the sign. Col. J. C. Fuller, vice president and manager in charge of construction of the old Gettysburg and Harrisburg Rallroad, now part of the Reading, in looking over & court decision in a suit brought for injury at a crossing, found that the judge stated that “it is the duty of every one to , look and listen before crossing a .” He at once adopted it for use at crossings on h: line in Pennsylvania on July 23, 1891, mowh its origin was prior to that Q Why did the people in Enterprise, Ala, erect a monument to the boll weevil?—L, V. A. It marked the appreciation of the citizens because they had been forced to diversify their crops. Peanuts, par- ticularly, had brought them prosperity. Q. What kind of barley is the best to make malt?—B. L. A. The six-row type is preferred by s in this country. The two- row varieties make cloudy beer, which is acceptable in Eurcpe, but not in . The best varieties for use in this country are Oderbrucker, Wiscon- sin 38, Velvet, Manchuria and Odessa. Q. Where did Prancis Lederer, who is playing in “Autumn Crocus,” receive his stage training?—R. L. M. A. Mr. Lederer started playing in the ensemble at the New Theater equipped him for small parts, and be- fore six months had elapsed he was given his first important chance, play- ing with a visiting German star. , playing Romeo opposite Eliza- WAR CRY, London.—The cupation, 2,000 years ago, has been | taken as a happy symbol by the little group of Salvationists working with the young men at “House o' the Trees.” Calling there last Monday, the British commissioner, to his great pleasure, discovered them hard at work in the mud transforming their barren mountainside into food-producing fields, and, of far more importance, forging sound ters at the same time. * X k¥ Reich Centers Have Smaller Crime Ratio. Neus Wiener Tagblatt, Vienna.—Al- though in some cities in Germany it is only | computed that an infraction of the law, in some greater or less degree, is per- petrated at the astounding rate of one ly | per minute, possibly in such centers as In the course of the year end- last October 1, there were but 64,000 out entalling fines various district. Many of these penalties were imposed, it should said, for nominal or technical evasions of the law, but, lumping together all the offenses which seemed to merit the attention of the magistrates and judges, it is discovered that crimes and mis. demeanors occurred in Cologne that year not much more frequently than one every eight minutes. So, at least, we have been told. We have not taken the trouble to figure out the ratio our- selves. And if the convictions were equally as numerous as the offenses, then Cologne is, indeed, in a very favor- able position as regards the discourage- of trespasses against the public * K kX Flemish Milk Peddlers Leave for United States Fair. Le Sofr, Brussels—There have just embarked on the American ship Penn- land some Flemish milk peddlers, with ic | their characteristic cart of small di- ee_dogs, | bl mensions and a team of thre their destination announced to be the exposition at Chicago, which opens early in June. convoy will fur- nish part of the color and tradition for the national exhibit, to be known as “Picturesque Belgium.” Another ke i als’ be very” Iirieting 10 sure very the Americans is the one-legged milk- ing stool which farmer boys both here and in Switzerland wear as part of their costume at the hours for milking the cows. L Reckless Horsemen Deplored in Palestine. Palestine Post, Jerusalem—To the Editor: I don't want to be thought of as just another one of those in- sufferable people who are always saying when two young le, reckless blond lsds go galloping on :mnebu:: up George avenue right throug] H buh'o:lmwleflo‘ e ), lous! ent mg and limb of out for a ful Sabbath morning stroll, then 1l I can say, very humbly, is: Some- thing ought to be done sbout it, or even “There ought*to be a law.” ROBERT MANN. *x xw . Urge Arms Right For Polish Jews. South African ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. the fez was passed November 2?‘w that year. - Q. What material is used in making tunnels for tcy electrical trains?—A. P. A. Toy electric-train tunnels in the popular priced class are made from pler-mache. The more expensive els are made of steel. Q. What is the history of the ers doors at the Capitol menticned rz:.the inaugural broadcasts?—C. M A. The Rogers bronze doors, com- pleted in 1861, were modeled in Rome Randolph Rogers in 1858, the sculptor receiving $8,000; cast in Munich by F. von Muller at a cost of $17,000. After some controversy regarding their location, they were first erected in the passageway connecting the old Hall of Representatives (Statuary Hall) with the House wing. They proved, however, & serious obstruction in a corridor which at best was none too wide, and in 1870 the House voted to have them trans- ferred Y.(; &::lr msem. position in the center of portico on the 0l of the Capitol. S Q. During the World War did Ger- many ever transport and confine cap- tured English officers to and in Hol- land barracks or towers or parole them out on the estates cf Holland noblemen in| on their own honor to remain there as prisoners?—A. M. A. Germany did not during the late war transfer British prisoners of war from Germany to Halland. On the other hand, a considerable number of British officers and other ranks were interned in Holland during the war as & result of their crossing the Dutch frontler. These included, for instance, aviators who were forced down in Dutch territory. No doubt a considerable number of those interned in Holland were allowed to go out on parole within & certain distance of their place of in- ternment. Q. For what purpose, in con witn the fair in Chicago this Summmu:rl: dAg{ goncgun appropriate $1,000,0002 A’ It was for the erection or rental of a bullding and for the preparation and display of exhibits pertaining to the work of the Federal Government. The money is administered and the work is being done under a Govern- ment commission appointed for this purpose. | Q. When were horses introduced into w;;(l;e:—al. G. . early as 1700 B.C, they seem to have been used in the mn:{m of 1E¢ypv. by an Astatic tribe. Q. For whom was the dirigible Ma- con named?—N. N. | A It was named for the city of Macon, Ga. This city received its name in honor of Nathaniel Macon, who at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War was a studont at Princeton University who signed up as a private in a com- pany of volunteers. He continued as & private, although numerous offers of c were tendered him. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1801 to 1806 and served in the Senate from 1816 to 1826. Q. How many native species of bam- hooP are there in the United States? —P. J. C. A. Only two. They grow in the In | States south of Virginia, westward to cee “There ought to be a law,” but really Southern Missouri, High Lights on the Wide World Excerpts From Newspapers of Other Lands of the inasdequate manner in which the Polish government has been able to deal with the rioters, has been sub- mitted to the Polish consul general by the executive of the students at the Hebrew University. A delegation of Polish Jews also visited the consul to ask for greater protective measures on behalf of their relatives in Poland. The consul declared that Polish pub- lic opinion condemns the riots, and assured the delegation that the guil will be severely punished. * k k% Pleads for Sympathy Between United States and France. Le Matin, Paris—M. Paul professor in the College de France, has Just returned from a three-month so- Jjourn in New York as the guest of Co= lumbia University. At a breakfast given a% the American Club of Paris M. Haz- ard delivered a discourse upon the mis- understandings between France and the United States. “It i ne that each one,” he , “of his own volition and in his own sphere, commence again to explain to his compatriots the point of view of the other country. It is almost impos- sible to estimate the prodigious igno- Re | rance which exists concerning these matters among the bulk of the two pop- Glations. It is necessary that each one struggle with himself to present to his fellows a true and unbiased picture of the real situation and refuse to take as in any sense real and authentic the sensational and dramatic appeals to prejudiced minds so constantly dissemi- nated in articles, caricatures and slo- gans intended, on both sides of the Atlantic, to influence public opinion for private advantage. “Enough enemies among other nations are already adding fuel to the smolder- ing fires of their mutual resentments without us adding to their perils. ‘It is far better,” as once said a French trav- eler to America, Francols Rene Chateau- briand, ‘to encourage the fruitful com- parisons of services and kindnesses than the sterile criticisms of defects and de- faults, and to defend, in the face of all opposition, the genuine and undeniable g8 constantly exchanged between the two countries.” e Her Penalty. From the Portland Oregon Daily Journal. What in human life could be more awful than Winnie Ruth Judd at the hearing as to her sanity! Thus, in a hysterical outburst, she shrieked, “They are all degenerates—all of them!” Her eyes blazed and her pale face was gaunt with tension. A matron tried to grab her, but the screaming er struggled free. At other times, though the question of whether or not she was to hang was on trial at the hearing, she sat listless and in complete indifference to the pro- Sane or insane, crazy or rational, the ‘woman is despair exemplified, is agony incarnated. She took human life. It was deflance of moral and statutory law. It went beyond the pale and turned life into death. The ity is her torture at the hearing. Or it is the poison and the nightmare in her blood-ridden thoughts. Before her is the picture of her body dangling from a scaffold, a sight to stagger the dead, a spectacle to horrify she is paying the terrific price. Never kill—that is the mighty mor: this bloody-handed woman. y kit —_— e Inflation. Prom the Indianapolis Star. Inflationary tendencies may be help- {ful to America’s ghances in this years balloon races.