Evening Star Newspaper, December 18, 1934, Page 10

_THE EVENING STAR | With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON,D.C. TUESDAY. ..December 18, 1934 its monumental Capitol, its Washington Monument and its Lin- | coln Memorial. A nation, theoretically at least, may live without art. !flt somethind deep in its heart under- ! stands why it does mot choose so to Ameriza conceivably might have fore-| lane jumping and other faults that lead to accidents become habitual. A dangerous driver rarely learns from the consequences of his faults and corrects his methods, Competence consist merely THEODORE W. NOYES..Bditor | g "\ *% 0 0 b happler by|the machine, The Evening Star Newspaper Company 11ty 8 S04 Benoivivinis Ave New York' Ofiice: 110 Esst 42nd t. hicago Office: Lake Mich/gan Building. opean Office: 14 MJIIII 8t.. London. England. Rate by Carrier Within the Uity. Regular Edition, T T Cohen 4" Sundays) - gin0 per month when 5 5¢ per month The Sundav 5¢ per copy Night Final Edition. = Rleht Final and Sunday Star. g%: :5!:::?:: e monihe Orders nt by mail telephome NAtional 5000 Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dafly and Sunday. .1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo.. 85¢ Daily only 1yr. 86 mo., 50c Sundav only. All Cther States and Canada. Daily and Sunday. 1 yr.. $12.0 Dally only. ... '1yr " Sunday oniy.’.. 1yr.. $5.00: Member of the Assoclated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively en- titled to the use for republication of all aews dispatches credited to it or not other- wise credited in this paper and also the local news published herein Al rights of publication of special dispatches here! are also reserved. Star or Increase of the Army. America’s military man power in case of a national emergency would not, of course, depend upon the size of the Regular Army of the United States, but that establishment is the foundation and mainspring of our land defense system and its maintenance at adequate strength is of primary and fundamental importance. Viewed from that standpoint, the annual report of Secretary of War Dern, just submitted to the President, is of unusual sig- nificance. Chief among the recommendations contained in the report is that the Army should be increased to 14,000 commissioned officers and 165,000 en- listed men, or by about 2,000 officers and 50,000 enlisted men. Secretary Dern and his military advisers, the general staff, are persuaded that the requirements of the Army within the continental United States, the Canal Zone and our outlying possessions can be met only by the proposed addition ©of 52,000 personnel. . Besides that expansion of its physi- cal equipment, the Army has need of housing, both at home and abroad, and Secretary Dern urges prompt al- location of funds to complete a build- ing program that has been too long delayed. The War Department itself needs better housing and there is merit in the proposal for construction of a building to shelter all its activi- ties under one roof instead of in seventeen buildings distributed all over Washington, as at present. With the increasing stress now- adays laid on aviation throughout the world, particular attention will be paid by Congress to the War Depart- ment’s recommendation of the pur- chase of 600 airplanes over a period of three years, to give the Army Afr Corps 2,320 serviceable “ships,” as urged by the board headed by Newton D. Baker, which investigated the corps and its needs. A human note in Secretary Dern’s report is his approval of increased pay for officers, especially in the lower grades, as soon as Treasury conditions warrant. The United States Army, compared | with the other regular armies of the world, is almost puny in size. It is conceived and it exists purely as a de- fensive establishment. Its main pur- pose, besides being kept in a state of readiness for instant and effective action, to the extent of its capacity, in a moment of sudden emergency, is to serve, within the framework of the national defense act, as a nucleus for the full force the United States might have to organize, arm and equip. No one in this country or elsewhere ever thinks of the United States Army as an instrument of aggression. But its powder must be kept dry and its sword sharp for use in eventualities which no man can foresee. Those charged with responsibility for the Nation's land defense have now put forward concrete recommendations Which deserve the sympathetic con- sideration of the country and of Con- gress. ——o—. The American Federation of Gev- ernment Employes has introduced an- other hard calculation in inquiring Wwhether AFGE + NRA = O. ———— Supreme Court Sculptures. The new Supreme Court Building, naturally enough, afforded an espe- cially notable opportunity for sculp- tors and it*would seem that they have made the most of it. Such of the carved ornamentation as has been completed is so distinctively noble and beautiful as to justify a verdict of unreserved approval. And it is good to think that for generations to come the magnificent edifice will speak to the people through these esthetic Iruits of contemporary genius, telling the story of justice to all who have eyes to see. No one knows when or where or how men first began to cultivate the plastic arts. But it cannot be questioned that the Creator implanted in the human soul an instinct for imitation, in- vention and interpretation which, slowly, through a long course of time, was to develop power to make and to appreéciate loveliness and grace be- yond the capacity of words to repro- duce. The miracle of it lies outside analysis—it cannot be explained; even the artists themselves cannot say ‘whence their inspiration and their skill arise. Plainly evident, however, is the glorious fact that art links man- kind with its providentia) origin. And therein may be found the ex- planation of the impulse which multi- tudes feel to construct, to decorate and to enjoy “more stately mansions.” ‘The Athenian democracy and the Ro- man oligarchy, it might be supposed, could have done without the Parthe- non and the Pantheon; France and England, likewise, might have sur- practicing a spiritual aspiration. Cass Gilbert did not survive to wit- ness the final flowering of his dream, but doubtless he aled grateful for his chance to frame its lines. And the men he called to his aid—particularly Robert Aitken Herman A. MacNell, James Earle PFraser, Adolph Alex- ander Weinman, John Donnelly and the Plecirilli brothers — must be abundantly conscious of the honor which they have had in sharing in the labor. Plain and unpretending men they may be, but it has been their privilege to express a people’s char- acter. Consider the Cost. Thomas N. McCarter, president of the Edison Electric Institute, has sub- mitted to President Roosevelt a plea that the Government sit down with the representatives of the electric in | power industry and discuss the prob- lem of adequate, eficient and cheap electricity for the people. Mr. Mc- Carter argues that more real progress can be made in this way than through governmental competition or strangu- lation of the electrical industry by the Government. And, further, he pledges the industry to “any co-opera- tive effort along these lines.” When Mr. McCarter and his associates talk of government competition and stran- gulation of the electrical industry they refer to the probable—sure, rather— results which the Government's entry into the electrical business through the Tennessee Valley Authority and other Government power projects will have upon the private power industry. In a memorial submitted by him to the President Mr. McCarter very properly suggests that it would be as well for the Government to count the cost to the people of the wipirg out of the privately owned and operated electrical industry and that this cost be set alangside of any possible gain to them that might come from a Government owned and managed elec- trical industry. There vested in the electrical industry about $12,000,- 000,000 and this investment is directly made by millions of the people. In additior, many millions of indirect investors among the people are found in those who have interests in life insurance companies, savings banks and cther corporations which hold power company securities. What is to replace the savings and holdings of these millions of people if the Govern- ment, through competition, strangles this industry? That is the purely concrete and physical side of the strangulation of the electric power industry. There are others. Among them is the fear ! of other great industries of the coun- try that the Government will step in and take them over, through com- petition in their lines of endeavor. That kind of fear will do much to re- tard recovery in this country. An- other side to the problem of Govern- ment ownership and control of the electrical industry is the possibility, and even probability, that politics will become a dominating factor in its | management. The sole reason advanced for Gov- ernment competition and eventual ownership and operation of the elec- trical industry is to reduce the cost of electricity to the consumer. Mr. McCarter asserts that the average bill of the domestic consumers of elec- tricity is $3 a month, less than ten cents a day. If through Government ownership and operation this cost could be reduced a few cents—because the Government-operated concerns | would not have to pay taxes—would the gain be commensurate with the losses to millions of the people in the event of the wiping out of the pri- vate electrical industry? Mr. McCarter and his company have challenged the constitutionality of the Government’s T. V. A. operations. They have obiained opinions from eminent constitutional lawyers that the Government is overstepping its powers. The suggestion is made that this question be determined through the courts as early as possible. Why not? The power trust has been held up to the American people for years as an evil. On the other hand, State socialism is not exactly an ideal con- dition from the American point of view. Some plan for making the trust behave without going to the extent of Government ownership and management of a great industry should be found. A war on crime has at least gone far enough to develop some dis- tinguished and sincere boards of strategy. —————— The One Sure Solution. Regardless of how wide the streets are or how efficient the system of signals for the governance of traffic, there will always be accidents as long as there are incompetent or reckless drivers at the wheels of motor cars. The solution of the problem of safety lies in their elimination. This can be done only by denial to them of the right to drive. In practically every traffic accident there is some one at fault, some one who is driving too fast, driving un- skillfully or driving without regard to the rights of others. It should be possible, it should not even be difficult, to determine who is at fault. Usually the circumstances of an accident answer the question. Im.nediate in- quiry and investigation by the police is supposed to be made and probably is made in most cases, perhaps in all When a driver is found to be culpable, no matter how serious the accident or what the consequences, his privilege of driving a car—and it should be regarded as a privilege and not as & right—should be suspended pend- ing final findings. For bad driving, steer and con! regard for the safety of others. Sup- pos¢ ninety per cent of the drivers using the streets and roads #f the Dis- trict are competent, the remaining ten per cent being incompetent. That minority will make the casualty rec- these incompetents continue to drive cars. Rare Opportunity Neglected. The President’s executive order on the Christmas holidays means that fludmn.muwulapennnthaw Mondays preceding Christmas and New Year day, closing at 1 o'clock. If left to the employes, they might have prefgrred a full holiday on the Mon- day preceding Christmas and the full working day on the Monday preced- ing New Year to the arrangement ordered. The full holiday on Monday would have given them the rare op- portunity to close their desks Satur- day afternoon not tc open them again until Wednesday morning. As it is, the Christmas and New Year holi- days mean a short day on Saturday, followed by a short day on Monday, which will probably cost the Govern- ment more, in janitorial service and heating, than the other arrangement. Another plan which might have proved more acceptable to the Gov- ernment employes would have been to eliminate the regular half holi- days on the next two Saturdays and permitted the employes the full holi- days on the next two Mondays and Tuesdays. No test of sentiment was invited in the Government departments, and the executive order was doubtless the result of routine decision rather than a careful weighing of all considera- tions involved. If the interests of the Government are as well served under one plan as under another, it would be relatively simple and far more satisfactory to the employes themselves to have an informal poll conducted among the chief clerks, for instance, to determine what ar- rengement would best suit the ma- Jority of employes. —_——— Munitions experts say war may be made so terrible as to be impossible. Nobel believed this, but his fund still awards prizes for achievements that may be so managed as to be useful in future combat. ———— One of the best old age insurance plans was that devised by G. B. Shaw when he equipped himself to go on writing smartly, regardless of the pass- ing years or the cruel criticism of Charles Gates Dawes. A “red” uprising in Argentina was suppressed by the simple method of putting the rioters in jail without waiting for formal classification as to who should rank as “public enemy number one.” —_————— Government is accused of compet- ing with private capital and, inci- dentally, of making taxation a means of compelling contributions to the competition fund. One of the new tax slogans, with possibilities of historic survival, is, “The man who earns a dollar is the only one not entitled to it.” —_——— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Recollection. Indian Summer came and went— ‘Who shall say just how and when— Interrupting discontent With a sunbeam now and then! 'Mid the shadows and the snows And the clock’s relentless chime Memory glimpes will disclose Radiant Indian Summer time. Big Figures for Relief. “What comes after a billion?” asked the girl who was copying statistics. “Everybody,” auswered Senator Sorghum. s Jud Tunkins says he never asked for a political job because working hours are already so short that he doesn’t need the rest. Carries His Own. The politician gayly speaks In any way whatever. And every one who favor seeks Assures him he is clever. Enthusiasm will survive Througout & listening Nation. By patronage he can contrive To hire his own ovation. Good Wishes. ) “I hope that little girl whose for- tune is in litigation finds & way to health and happiness,” said the sym- pathetic friend. “Don’t wish her too much health,” sald Miss Cayenne. “A touch of aphasia may enable her to forget the testimony she has heard.” Getting Rough. Down in good old Looziann ‘We found a joyous dancing clan, ‘With wit and melody arrayed To make a merry masquerade. Alas! The prospect seems to change, ‘The scene grows ominously strange. Once Mardi Gras was going strong, But now they hand us Huey Long! “It's hard to be entirely idle,” said Uncle Eben. “De man dat won't work uses & heap of energy dodgin’ and vived without their cathedrals, and' speeding, dangerous corner turning, 'gettin’' in de way.” h \ why it adds such a charming note to & city, wherever found. * ok K X It will seem to the water enthusiast that perhaps not enough use has been made of its decorative possibilities in ashington. Aside from the fountain over by Union Station, and the reflecting pool at the Monument, and one or two oth- er instances, the city somewhat lacks water scenes, which might be added easily enough throughout the city. There is a field here for future in- vestigation. It is true that water deco- ration is a trifle expensive, but when its possibilities are rightly considered it does not seem so much so. We would like to see, for instance, more use made of small pools in the clty squares and circles., For a com- paratively limited expenditure a shining little tract of water could be incorporated in spots not much used at present. . ‘These places then would become centers of interest. Planted with lilies in season, and stocked with a few gold- fishes, in time they would become things of beauty, adding a true note of water beauty to our often too drab- appearing parks. The one danger of such pools, of course, would be that of small chil- dren falling into them, and this is always a danger and must be guarded against, as even the shallowest pool offers a hazard to the littlest children. The Potomac offers Washington a water possibility which it has not yet used. Some day, without a doubt, a more complete use will be made of its great decorative possibilities. One has but to view the water front to see that this has not been done to date. It may require some governmental action. * % % ‘The private individual who owns even the smallest plot of ground has an opportunity to build a small pool, and thus have something of these decorative possibilities for his own. Many residents have found out in the past few years how easily a pool may be constructed by &ny handy man, and how shortly it becomes the keynote to the entire garden. The incorporation of a waterfall, and a small fractional horsepower pump to keep the water flowing, has giver a few local gardens something out of the ordinary. ‘The best pool is the enough. This permits it to remain full all ‘Winter so that the seasonal changes may be observed. one deep —10 ) ) D. s TUESDAY! DECEEER 18, 1934, i ANSWERS TO QUESTION It will not be necessary to do.this, however, if the pool is deep enough. A pool 36 inches deep, for in- stance, is not very liable to freeze solid in this climate. L Even the apartment house dweller need not lack water decoration. Those most ideal apartment house pets, tropical fishes, offer every one the opportunity to experience the decorative possibilities of water. A nice aquarium, with green plants and bright fishes, is a beautiful addi- tion to the well decorated modern home. Notice that we say one aquarium. The temptation is to have more than one, and with this increase lies danger to interior decoration. The truth is that if several aquaria are | desired, they should be housed in a room of their own. The fish room is the thing, in such a case. Care will be easier, in every way, and their ap- pearance better. One aquarium, however, especially of moderate size, say 10 to 20 gallons, will make a most charming addition to any living room. It will give the owner a true water | note, displaying in miniature some of the charms of the tropical streams from which the fishes, or their an- cestors, came. * * x *x Lacking this, one still may realize something of the decorative possibili- ties of water by watching for them in rain und snow. One of the charms of the older novels, now slightly out of fashion, | lay in their descriptions of rainy days. The French novelists often made the rainy day, especially in Paris, a sort of keynote for somber episodes. A rainy day view of the great city over the rooftops is one of the high points in Emile Zola's “Page of Love.” The way pain glitters on tin roofs, for instance, may be watched in ‘Washington as well as elsewhere. This is a sport open to any one, and only fair powers of imagination are neces- sary. It is better to be able tc see the beauty in a rainy day than to growl about the weather. A rainy day, or a snowy day, is, in truth, a marvelous display of Nature's beauty. Every downspout then, however humble, is turned into a veritable cas- cade, a fountain, a geyser. Every gut- ter becomes a little brother to the mighty river, as it flows on to join the ocean, water's ultimate. U. S. Is Far Behind in Development Of the Social and Political Seiences | To the Editor of The Star: Your editorial of December 15 cap- tioned “Endowment for Science,” has set up in my mind a long train of taoughts. I am in favor of a six- year program of scientific research, all right; but I am disposed to en- large upon the program suggested by Dr. Karl T. Compton, president of Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology, and approved by your edi- torial. To be sure, public works, new industries, public health and a more economical and efficient use of lands are objects worthy of research underwritten by either State or Fed- eral Government. But I would remind you and, through your paper, the public, that we are far behind in two sciences in pardicular and that something should be done about them without further delay. ‘The mechanical, physical and chemical sciences are about a century ahead of the social and po- litical sciences, and I use here the term political science as including political economy. Unless there is a delay in the progress of the me- chanical, physical and chemical sciences until the social and ‘po- litical sciences can catch up, rea- sonably at least, we are likely to be literally undone by the accomplish- ments of the former group. As an illustration, I submit the record of accomplishment within the past three decades in transportation by land and air. The automobile and air- plane are the products of the me- chanical, physical and chemical sciences, and they stand without parallel in known history. But we have not developed correspondingly our social science, without which the continued use of the automobile or airplane may become a hindrance rather than a help to mankind. The indiscriminate ownership of the au- tomobile has aelready bankrupted- its thousands, and hundreds of thou- sands of such will follow, while the reckless operation of the automobile is causing the slaughter of other hundreds of thousands upon our streets and highways. But the thing that baffles me most is the chaotic condition of our polit- ical science. I have stopped all study of the sciences of which the automo- bile and airplane are products, for they are so well developed that we can let them rest for a season. But here are some of the nuts of the political science that I can’t crack, speech over a Nation-wide hook-up, argue that the reduction of the cost ‘Well, I found myself in complete ace cord and sympathy with such argu- ment. But I had hardly got com fortably seated with idea that are really getting somewhere in government E £ | g Ei ; z E i i § £ a8 g i 1 i i i gfiii; i g g : % i 8 E : ,€§§§ i Yissee has changed his mind and attended a pep meeting in which tHe injection of a little life into the expiring N. R. A. organization was attempted. Sc after all I have had to revise my con- viction. We are still moving in a cir- cle and of a shortening radius, too, I verily believe. But if an increased consumption of electricity will follow a reduction of cost of service, why will not an increased purchase of clothes follow a reduction of the cost of clothes and in turn help the cotton and wool growers? I submit it will; S0, also, does the head of the Power Commission, if he is logical and con- sistent. But he and I are in a poor minority. However, I can't under- stand why it would not be in the in- terest of national welfare to have three million men employed at $3.33 per day rather than one million at $10 per day. But the heads of labor contend otherwise, and they represent the numbers. So my views and those of the head of the Federal Power Commission are relegated to the limbo of the discarded except, of course, his views will prevail in the power field, in which the number opposed thereto is not of convineing magnitude. But let’s apply a little sense to this situation. Sophistry is all right in its | place, but it has no place at this junc- ture of affairs. We may be able to reabsorb the unemployed in this coun- try upon the restricted, high-cost-pro- duction basis of the N. R. A., with its freezing of the status quo, but I do not believe it. How can we add to the pay rolls of the country in face of the restricted consumption that inevitably follows the increased cost of produc- tion? It can't be done, and the sooner we recognize the fact the better for all concerned. # Yes, sir, let's endow a six-year re- séarch program, but do not omit to in- clude in the program both social and political science. Physics and chem- istry may wait, but to longer neglect the social and political sciences may result in the collapse of this American governmental structure. JOHN W. HESTER. Pedestrians and The Traffic Lights To the Editor of The Star: ‘Your editorial lest Sunday in ;v;l‘l:!h you noted the confusing effect of - fic lights on pedestrians was a great source of satisfaction to me. You also made the statement that the purpose of traffic signals was ostensibly to fa- cilitate the movement of trafic and utterly disregarded the safety of the pedestrian. I wish to thank you for your candor at a time when the director of traffic is accusing pedestrians for being re- sponsible for a very high percentage accidents. of automobile . HENRY LEBACH. War Debts and Foreign Liquors To the Editor of The Star: For the fitth time France defaults to the United States on her World ‘War debt, and, like England, France replies to our Secretary of State: “Sit- uation unchanged.” American tax- “Graduation” the Only] Way to Check Drug Habit To the Editor of The Star: I get an appreciated grin out of ev- BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. A reader can get the answer to . | any question of fact by writing The any the Proof for the statement lies in fact that the Department of Justice records are full of names of “nar- cotic repeaters” who, every so often, are picked up, convicted of both sell- ing and using morphine, and sent away to the Federal prison at Leaven- worth, Kans. The reason for this lles in the es- tablished practice of Federal doctors | giving “narcotics” the “iron bar” treatment. In short, regardless of how long the convict has used dope, the moment he enters prison (unless indeed he is a bad heart case) his dope stops. And unless a man has cold-bloodedly “kicked” a three-grain morphine habit, 'till his dying day he will never know what it means to be really sick. Neither yet will he know real sick- ness if he “graduates himself off of it.” Graduating a man off of mor- phine, too, is the only sane way to do it with any hope of him staying off of it for any undetermined length of time. In strictest fact, the doctors’ practice of the “iron bar” treatment infuriates the most of dope-heads, and when they get turned loose they take revenge by building up a real habit again, sometimes as much as 20 grains per 24 hours. By graduating them, however, the cure is easy, in that the patient does not really know just when the “med- icine” was stopped. To illuminate: We'll say that the patient takes three grains per day, one grain per shot. Solutionize 1.80 grains of morphine in a bottle, measuring it at the rate is a full 60-day treatment. Then, every time you give the patient a shot, replace the quantity in the bot- tle with 15 drops of sterilized water; thus, every shot reducing the amount of the narcotic day by day until all he gets is plain water for the last few shots of his treatment, in which he has never missed a meal, or a night's sleep, and in many cases he is so satisfied with the “cure” that he taste of the poppy again. But break him by the “iron bar route” (lock him up), and in ninety- nine cases out of a hundred you've Jjust created a sure-enough dangerous dope head out of what could have been converted into an appreciative man, had you used common sense and kindness in his case. WILLIAM MEYERS. Weather Forecasting Over Sixty Years Ago To the Editor of The Siar: I am reading with interest the re- publication in The Sundgy Star of Frank G. Carpenter’s articles of “Half Century Ago. I notice in the last republished ar- ticle his statement that “it rained at the second igauguration of Grant. This was a fhistake on Carpenter’s part, as the 4th of March, 1873, was a clear and very cold day with a strong northwest wind or gale which chilled the applauding crowds viewing e inaugural procession. At that time I was one of the sal- dier clerks who translated the weather reports, received thrice daily by tele- graph in cipher at the Army Signal Office on G street, into symbols and figures on the weather maps used by the forecasters in making the weather predictions, and on the 4th of March | map of 1873 I noted the Washington | morning temperature at four degrees above zero. The gentlemen who wrote | the weather reports at that time and | with whom I worked were Prof. | Cleveland Abbe and Prof. Thompson {B. Maury. Prof. Abbe wrote the first weather predictions, beginning | with January 1, 1871. These he | termed “probabilities,” and he was | referred to by some of the newspaper | men as “Old Probabilities,” as you may recollect. While the weather office continued under the Army Signal Service the | clerks and telegraphers in the weather office, excepting the chief clerk and chief telegrapher, were all enlisted | men in the Army, and some had the | rank of “observer sergeant,” a desig- | nation originated, I think, by Gen. ! Albert J. Myer, then chief signal offi- cer of the Army. We had Regular Army pay, with “extra duty” pay and certain commu- i tations of quarters, rations and cloth- '\nz and had no military duties. | HENRY CALVER, | Formerly Sergeant, Signal Service, U. 8. A Large Navy Alone Not An Adequate Defense To the Editor of The Star: An evening or two ago, I heard a prominent radio commentator upon public affairs state that he had been assured upon the highest authority that the United States would proceed to build a Navy second to none and one which would insure the safety of this Nation in the event of war. A large Navy alone cannot insure the safety of this or any other nation. There is one cther thing that is equally as requisite as an efficient Navy, and that is a loyal and patriotic people back of the Navy at home. Japan, for example, will have both the navy and the loyal and patriotic people. If this Nation were to become involved in a war with a major power, the enemy that we would have to fear would be the ones with!n our gates rather than those outside. In the event of war, our Govern- ment would be hamstrung by the on earth that would tolerate what this Government tolerates from peo- ple of this sort. If an American citi- zen were to go into Italy or Russia B3gigE glitee i | of 15 drops of water per grain. Th's | ; Washington Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washington, 3 Q. What per cent of the farm crops are raised on reclamation areas?— M. P. ‘ A. Less than 1 per cent of the farmed land of the whole country. Q. When Germany's currency was inflated just after the war, how great a volume did the circulation reach?— T.S. M. A. In 1922 the circulation of marks reached 2,274,000,000,000,000,000,000. Q. Has any year been set aside as national parks year?—J. V. E. A. The Secretary of the Interior proclaimed the year 1934 a national park year. Q. Has Dr. Samuel Parkes Cadman a church?—D. J. A. In addition to his other activi- ties he has been pastor of the Central Congregational Church at Brooklyn since 1901, Q. Is there an easy and inexpensive way to fireproof children's clothing?— G. T. D. A. Dr. C. F. Pabst of Brooklyn, N. Y, says: “There is an easy and efficient method of fireproofing the clothing of children which every one should know. Dissolve ope pound of ammonium phosphate in two quarts of cold water and a clear solution is formed, in which the fabric to be fireproofed should be soaked for five minutes. The garment then can be taken out and allowed to dry, after which it may be worn with perfect safety, as it is absolutely fireproof. The solution produces no more harm to the material than would the same quantity of ordinary water. It will keep indefinitely, is non-poisonous, and can be used for several suits, Ammonium phosphate is a common white crystalline powder, not patented in any way, and sells for about 25 cents a pound at any drug store. Any article fireproofed by this method will remain non-inflammable until washed or drenched with rain.” Q. How did the English police come to get the name of bobbies, and who invented the English police system?— | will maybe go years before he will | H. H. A. This slang word is derived from the first name of Sir Robert Peel, who remodeled the London metropolitan police force in 1828. . Q. In what year was Queen Victo- ria’s jubilee celebrated?—A. M. A. Queen Victoria celebrated the fiftieth year of her reign, the golden jubilee, in 1887, and in 1897 celebrated her diamond jubilee of 60 years' reign. Q. Has the Government made a new loan to Belgium?—F. D. A. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has advanced $25,000,000 to the National Bank of Belgium to pay for gold being shipped. The term of the loan, or advance, is only the length of time required for the actual gold to cross the Atlantic. It is not a Government loan. Q. What is lager beer?—O. M. P. A. Lager beer, or lager, is a kind of beer made originally in Germany, but now also made in other countries. is so called from its being laid up or stored for some months before use. Q. How soon wiil the planes of the miwllnd the ecliptic coincide?— H. A. The angle of inclination at which B. C., and was then nearly 23 degrees 53 minutes. until about the year 6600 A. it will be at its least and degrees 54 minutes. Q. What is & coracle?—C. B. A. A coracle is a boat made of bas- ketwork covered with leather, oilcloth or other waterproof material. Q. What was the inscription which Thomas Jefferson wrote for his own tomb?—D. R. A. Jefterson desired that on his tomb should be recorded what he considered as his greatest achieve- ments: “Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of American Independence and of the statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and father of the University of Virginia.” Q. When was the term, “birth con- trol,” first used?—A. B. A. The term was probably first used by Mrs. Margaret Sanger in “The Woman Rebel,” April, 1914. Q. When was the Great Pyrami: of Egypt built?—J. P. A. Cheops, or Khufu (c. 3000 B. C.), King of Memphis in Egypt, belong- ing to the fourth dynasty, built the largest of the existing pyramids. Q. To see anything does it have to have color?—A. J. G. . A. Not necessarily, The National Bureau of Standards says that in order to see a colorless object it must present some contrast with the back- ground. This contrast may be pro- duced by a difference in color, shad- ows, etc. Q. Who first introduced the base- ment bargain department into depart- ment stores?>—J. 8. W. A. Edward A. Pilene of Boston is credited with being the originator of this plan. Q. Of the ten best plays chosen by Burns Mantle for the theatrical year 1934, how many were written and pro- duced by Jews?—J. W. A. Of the ten plays chosen by Mr. Mantle, nine were produced by Jews, three written by Jews and five were directed by Jews. Three of them used sets created by Jews and one of them, “Men in White,” was played by a largely Jewish cast. Q. Is the Federal loan to the rail- roads as large today as the loan it made them following the World War? —F.C.A. A. The loans in the present emer- gency are only about one-third of the total amount of those made in the period following the World War. Q. Does & person weigh more or less after a period of exercise?—P. G. A. The Public Health Service says that a person loses weight during ex- ercise. This is brought about by the passing off of water through the skin It | in the form of perspiration and also by the general using up of energy in the body tissues. Firm Stand on Navy Building Is Urged for United States A majority of newspaper observers are convinced that the present unset- tled state of world affairs leaves the United States with no other alterna- tive than to build up her Navy at least to treaty strength. At the same time they deplore the thought of a world armamef.t race and hope that some solution of the problem will be found. “There is no implication that the mere collapse of the present conversa- tions will lead to a race in arma- ments,” comments the New York Sun, “for the United States is prepared to go ahead on the basis of the Wash- ington and London treaties as at pres- ent, until other powers are more in the mood for reduction in accordance with those treaties.” The Atlanta Con- stitution agrees that “there is nothing in the situation that threatens the launching of another armament race.” On the other hand, the Portsmouth (Ohio) Times says that “there prob- ably will be a naval race,” adding that “it will be vigorously contested and very expensive.” To the Stamford (Conn.) Advocate, however, it seems that “the mood of our country cannot be interpreted as favorable to a race in armaments.” This paper adds: “Only Japan and Great Britain have naval strength suf- ficient to cause us alarm, and our Navy need not be nearly so large, as it is to do such policing jobs as are re- necessary for the maintenance of peaceful conditions among the Car- ibbean countries—a duty we seem to have imposed upon ourselves. A gen- eral agreement to Japan’s demand for parity, with large reductions among all the powers, might from all stand- points be an excellent proposition for the disarmament negotiators to enter- tain." “It is easier to build navies than to pay for them,” points out the New York World-Telegram. “It is easier to start an armament race than to win or stop it. It is easier to loose suspicion than to turn it back again into good will.” The Dayton (Ohio) Journal takes the position that “no further general reduction being in sight, the United States cannot afford to neglect the requirements of its first line of national defense.” Elaborating upon this point, the New York Times declares: “There can be no doubt of the President’s sincerity in striving to limit arma- reduction H 3 W g g il Els ',r §§§!§ sl armament limitation, and, if possible, substantial armament reduction, is evident.” The Pittsburgh Post Ga- zette, however, thinks that “the Navy is being put back where it belongs, and Secretary Swanson deserves much credit for his part in the im- provement,” while the Manchester (N. H) Union sees “ground for en- couragement” in the fact that “for the first time the Navy is able to report definite progress toward the goal laid down four years ago by the London naval treaty.” Adequate defense is the aim of the Los Angeles Times-Mirror, which states: “We are passing through troublesome times. There is war talk, | too much war talk, in the air. The best way to silence it in America is to be strong enough to ignore it.” “We want a Navy for defensive purposes only,” concludes the Newport News Daily Press, “but such a Navy, in order to meet our need, must rank with the best.” Two Types of Drivers Make Streets Unsafe To the Editor of The Star: While the speed maniacs are being classified I wish to nominate as King Kong of them all the individual who, becoming impatient of the speed of the machine in front of him in the roadway, detours and dashes betwben the car-loading platforms. His ob- ject is to beat the light. I believe most motorists hate the lights and their constant endeavor is to get by before they change. Another public enemy is the driver who dashes around corners close to the curb. I do not look for any improve- ment in our deplorable traffic situa- tion, as all of our officials charged with its regulation drive cars and are “motor-minded.” A. B. DRISCOLL. Inquisition Did Not Persecute Galileo To the Editor of The Star: 1 desire to call your attention to a