Evening Star Newspaper, December 31, 1934, Page 6

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON,D.C. MONDAY....December 31, 1934 THEODORE W. NOYES. .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company ‘Business Office: 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicago Office: Lake Michigan Building, European”Office; 14 Regent St.. Londoa. zland. Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Edition. The Evening Star. .. . 45 The Evening and Sun (when 4 Sundays). The Evening and Sun (when 5 Sundays) The Sunday Star.... Night_Final Edition. Night Final and Sunday Star, 70¢ per month Night Pinal Star.. .. . B3¢ rer month Collection made at the end of each month. Orders may be sent in by mail or telephone NAtlonal 5000 Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Daily and Sunday. .1 yr., $10.00; 1 mo., 85¢ Daily only. . 1y £6.00: 1 mo., 50c Sunday only. yr.. $4.00; 1 mo.. 40c All Other States and Canada. 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All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved Fiscal Equity for Washington. ‘The articles in editorial correspond- ence concerning “Piscal Equity for ‘Washington,” appearing each day on page three of The Star, have com- pleted today the discussion of the equitable obligation of the Nation to- ward the maintenance and upbuilding of the Nation's city and will consider tomorrow the obligation of the Cap- | ital's taxpayers in connection with the seat of Government. ‘The national obligations include | those incurred by the Federal Govern- ment as by far the largest District| owner of untaxed real estate; as the despotic controller of the seat of | Government and as the recipient of more in national taxes from the Dis- trict of Columbia than from any one of twenty-four of the States. It is hoped that recognition of these equities will be followed by some measure of reim- bursement, as by increasing equitably and substantially the annual lump- sum payment, if that appropriative practice is still retained. In ensuing discussion of the local taxpayers' obligation to the National Capital, it is urged that in comparing Washington’s tax burden with those of other cities certain considerations be taken into account. First, the yardstick of measurement should be per capita tax levies, and not evaluated or adjusted tax rates Second, that due consideration should be given to the higher standard | and greater thoroughness of assess- | ment in the District. | Third, that interest and outlay ex- penditures in comparisons between city costs for maintenance are con- fusing and misleading and should be eliminated from such comparisons, and, fourth, that State taxes should not be considered in these compari- sons, since the District enjoys no State | benefits. Washington Is adequately taxed, | and, in view of its peculiar disabilities, heavily taxed. P e a— Jimmy La Fontaine says he will go to Atlantic City. He shows courage ! in selecting a town where Mickey | Duffy met his fate at the hands of | fellow gangsters without waiting on the law’s delays. Travelers say that Russigns mani- fest an inclination for silence, which is not surprising when the penalty for an inadvertent phrase is being shot at sunrise. oo Clearing Weather. Secretary Roper of the Department of Commerce, speaking as the weather prophet of business, makes a happy prediction for the coming year. Bas- ing his forecast on what has developed during the twelve months now closing, Mr. Roper described -the situation as “clearing, with fairer weather ahead.” In his analysis of conditions he par- ticularly stressed the fact that in the business world of the country confidence again prevails. Business men have be- come convinced that the Roosevelt administration is not opposed to the “profit system” and that it is not antagonistic to nor does it intend the destruction of the capital strue- ture. This is not the first time that the Secretary of Commerce has dwelt upon the question of the profit system in his statements to the public. Indeed, he has been a foremost spokes- man for the administration on this subject and always aléng 2 line to allay fears that the Government, swinging further to the left, intends to do away with the profit system to & very large extent. The Secretary of Commerce gave praise to business men on the whole as high-minded, courageous and pa- triotic, He declared that informed business men have sought to aid in the recovery plans, and he mentioned the aid rendered by the Business Ad- visory Planning Council, set up through the Department of Commerce, The picture of improved business conditions presented by Mr. Roper includes increased industrial produc- tion, which, during 1934, was up twenty-five per cent over the low year of the depression. The production of automobiles increased forty per cent over this low, iron and steel thirteen per cent, cement twenty-two per cent. Construction was up fifty per cent, due undoubtedly in large part to the ef- forts of the Government and its pub- lic works program. The gains have been material. Nevertheless, there is a long way to go from the business of the low year of the depression before it will be possible to say that the country has recovered. As Mr. Roper points out, there are many encouraging signs. The trade in durable goods is, he says, distinctly tion, he says, was never sounder, de- spite the huge national debt and the prospect of heavy governmental ap- propriations for relief and other measures during the coming year. In the publication fleld, Mr. Roper finds that more and more persons are sub- cals, that the advertising of goods is advertising unless the outlook is op- timistic. Retall trade, Mr. Roper comments, has been larger during 1934 than during any other year since 1929, so large dur- ing the Christmas holidays as to strip the shelves of the stores in many of the cities. With so great a turnover of goods and money, the country should be able to look forward to more and more employment of labor and production of goods. In the final analysis, prosperity and recovery—the terms have become interchangeable in modern parlance—depend upon the creation of goods, upon wealth, and not upon its restriction. ————ee— Japan Voids the Treaties. Secretary Hull voices the senti- ments of the entire Americhn people in expressing “genuine regret” over Japan’s action in terminating the naval treaties, and in evidencing the hope that during the two years be- fore the pacts actually expire new limitation agreements can be con- cluded. In filling his government's notification in Washington on Satur- day, Ambassador Saito sprang no sur- prises. Japan's intentions were pro- claimed long ago. That they would be carried out became certain as the recent London conversations took their futile course. Nor do the statements presented by Mr. Saito and the Tokio foreign office offer any new agreements. The island empire stresses that its pur- poses are pacific; that in demanding naval equality it is actuated purely by motives of self-defense and national prestige, and that the Japanese are ready to reduce their sea establish- ment drastically, on condition that so- called “offensive” arms are abolished —in particular, battleships and air- craft carriers. “We want other powers,” explains Mr. Saito, “to be free of any anxiety regarding us, and we want to be free of any regarding them.” Stripped of diplomatic terminology, Japan’s purpose is to make herself | invulnerable against any challenge to her mastery of the Far East. Secre- tary Hull does not discuss Nippon's ambition to be supreme in Asia, but he reaffirms the theory that if equality of security is what Japan craves, it is guaranteed to her today, as it was when she assented to it in 1922, by the 5—5—3 ratio which she is now formal- ly denouncing. “Experience teaches,” says Secretary Hull, “that conditions of peace or measures of disarmament | cannot be promoted by the doctrine that all nations, regardless of their varying and different defensive needs, | shall have equality of armaments.”' The Secretary of State adds, with note- worthy emphasis, that the objectives which existed “along certain defined lines” when the Washington treaties were negotiated “are still fundamental among the objectives of the mreign; policy of the United States,” and that | “to this high purpose the people of this country, in a spirit of sincere friendship toward all other peoples, will continue unswervingly to devote their own efforts and earnestly invoke like efforts on the part of others.” Thus, without bluster or provocation, the United States will proceed to build up its Navy to the limits pro- vided by existing treaties. Congress has taken the preliminary steps to that end and they should not be halted. While thus engaged in taking advantage of our rights, this Govern- ment is certain to utilize every oppor- tunity to pave the way to perpetuation of the limitation system. No American hankers for resumption of costly com- petition in naval armaments. It can be prevented if Japan comes to realize that no single one of her legitimate interests or aspirations in her own part of the world is menaced by the Western powers, and that the ratio of sea strength she has enjoyed during the past thirteen years is adequate to safeguard her against aggression, as it has amply proved itself to be since 1922. —_—————— There are pacifists in colleges who talk about “fighting” and “victory” only when the glee club is cheering on the foot ball team in behalf of that good old myth, “alma mater.” Tablet From China. An exceedingly kindly and gracious gesture is that of the presentation of an inscribed tablet to the Library of Congress by the National Library of Peiping. The plaque symbolizes a tie of friendship between America and China, the West and the East. It also to paint great landscapes either. The same ink, the same brush and the great pictographs and to delineate the subtle moods of the orchid in Summer and Autumn or of the bam- boo in moonlight and in rain. Perhaps the basic difficulty is that concerned with such poetical things angle. Good penmanship, among fountain pen and typewriter users, is not exactly a liability. In- deed, there still are numerous busi- ness executives who, considering ap- plications for employment, might agree with the Oriental dictum: “As & man’s language is an index of his nature, so the actual strokes cof a man’s brush in writing or in painting betray him and reveal the nobility of his personality or his meanness.” ———————__ Last Day. Calendar divisions, of course, are entirely arbitrary. Life does not pause at any special date in the year. One twenty-four hour period is very much like any other. The race, in- cluding all the innumerable individ- uals who have part in it, moves al: most indifferently from sunrise to sunrise. Few are conscious of varia- tion in successive weeks or months, few notice even the mutation of the seasons from Spring through their annual course to Winter. The process of alteration is so gradual as to be practicably imperceptible. But scientists, beginning ages ago, have formulated & pattern of chrono- logical measurement which, for ob- vious reasons of convenience, gen- erally has been adopted, with the re- sult that now a particular significance attaches to the final quotidian frac- tion of the earth’s perennial journey around the sun. People have formed the habit of glancing backward over the recent past and of adjusting themselves, much as a runner does for a foot race, to the business of the immediate future. They “watch the old year out.” and “welcome the new year in” and the occasion cus- tomarily has an aspect of congenial Joviality. And somehow, for causes not very clearly defined, December 31, 1934, seems curiously but notably important. Looking back, millions appear to be grateful for the year that is passing; and, looking ahead, the same multi- tudes, it may be observed, are cheer- ful in anticipation. The psychology of the moment is optimistic. A cer- tain confidence is perceptible. What the explanation is, no one has both- ered to decide. Perhaps it is simply that men and women are tired of being fearful and nervous. The plain fact, regardless of motivation, is that humanity is happier than it was a dozen months ago. A philosopher may rejoice in the circumstance. It is not 2 social liability, he understands, for the masses to be unafraid. - The frightful number of deaths in times of peace cannot yet support any theory that human life would be safer under conditions of actual war- fare. ————— SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, The Year, Old and New. Happy New Year comes to view. T'll say “Happy Old Year!” too. Since a share of happiness Lies in memories we possess. ©ld year, we cannot forget Duties that were bravely met, Nor the courage that was taught When the hours with doubt were fraught. Old year, 'mid the shades of guile You have offered many a smile, Like the sunshine, clear and warm, That must conquer every storm. Be the future what it may, Pioneers have shown the way. Happy New Year comes to view— T'll say “Happy Old Year!” too. Myths. “Are you looking forward with joy to the new year?” “I am hoping,” said Senator Sor- ghum, “that it will complete my edu- cation. I have become convinced that there IS a Santa Claus. I'm now ex- pecting to be shown that Happy New Year is no ephemeral myth.” Jud Tunkins says one form of patriotism confuses folks, who get an idea that it's a means of getting jobs for their friends and relatives. ‘Winter Chances. We're gamblers all, both great and small. Though Willie's sled may show A joyous promise—after all We trust to luck for snow. And Johnnie's skates hang in the hall, A decoration nice. specifically constitutes a recognition of the beneficent influence which the Congressional bibliographic establish- ment, under Dr. Herbert Putnam’s management, is exercising in a world- ‘wide field of cultural enterprise. T. L. ‘Yuan, who was responsible for the gift, receied his training in library work in Washington and still majntains a regular correspondence with Dr. Arthur W. Hummel, chief of the Division of Orientalia. But the tablet is interesting likewise for its calligraphic value. Richly and beautifully carved and colored, it re- produces the handwriting of Hsu Shih-chang, President of China from 1918 to 1922 and one of the most emi- nent of living Chinese scholars. And it happens that in the East the calli- graphic art has a position of honor which in the West unfortunately it has not. Dr. Hummel, summarizing the difference, has said: We Westerners once cultivated the art of writing, too—until the fountain pen and the typewriter took away from most of us our and then robbed us of our appreciation. Calligraphy is still an art in China on the upgrade. If it continues, it will mean employment to many work- ers who have been without work for a long time. The credit of the Na- “+ because it is inseparably linked with painting. The Chinese scholar knows that when he forgets how to use his writing brush for the making of ideographs, he will no longer be able For merry sport we hope they'll call. We trust to luck for ice. Paying Up. “Is business on the road to Te- covery?” “Certainly,” answered Mr, Dustin Stax. “Like any other patient, it must meet the doctor bills, and the old busi- ness doctors have created expenses that are still to be cared for.” “I am advising our tongs to appeal to your courts,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “lest they be submitted to the indignity of classification as mere gangsters.” Theories and Thrift. There were some things I didn't know That Dr. Einstein tried to show. On some of them I'm proud to find That Einstein thinks he'll change his mind. His theories may come and go Without increase of human woe, For each in learned contemplation Involves no burden of taxation. “Sometimes a man is prevented f'um doin’ what he kin do,” said Uncle Eben, “because somebody wif a politi- cal pull insists on Wy’ to do what he can't.” BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Gardening is an inexhaustible theme scribing to newspapers and periodi- | in America people no longer are much | 1or those who enjoy it. - Right here at the beginning of greatly increased, and his comment is| as “subtle moods.” But the problem Winter, with the ground and trees that merchants do not increase their | might be argued from a practical | everywhere bare, and even the hardy €VeD | evergreens so often brownish, there is something exciting to think about in relation to the garden. ‘The garden catalogues! Pretty soon, if not already, they will come drifting in, by the hands of the same estimable gentlemen who recently brought so much happiness to_the land. Postmen everywhere will be deliv- ering pamphlets of medium and extra thickness, called seed catalogues, re- plete with pictures and descriptions of all the new and old things to plant next Spring. * ok Kk X Next Spring! Itsis not very far off, now, it is pleasant to think. Just around the corner, as it were, but, unlike the much-heralded pros- perity of a few years past, not forever dodging. No, Spring always comes. The planets in their revolutions take care of that, and it makes no differ- ence to the planets whether any one particular human being is present to see their handiwork or not, they go right ahead revolving just the same. Fortunate man, any man, to be able to see this vast display, to under- stand a little of it, for a few years! * X x * To be a gardener, even in a very poor way, helps put onz in tune with | the universe. ‘What a universe it is, to be sure— one needs all the assistance possible to come into remote tune with the thing, it is at once so large, so non- understanding, so remote, though we tramp upon part of it, so nou-m-uielu‘I standable, although we breathe part of it as air. We breathe air, yes, but the very air is composed of several gases, some of them in such minute quantities that they were discovered only a few years ago. Yet living creatures had been breathing them all these centuries. Sp it makes no difference, from one way of looking at it, whether we know or do not know; the very air is curiously combined as by most subtle chemistry, indeed, to have what air ought to have evidently. Bt Yet to know a little about this awe- ful, monstrous universe, that is some- thing, something very much worth while. There is no better way than Nature study, in any of its branches. Of this study no department is more embracing than the garden, for here one runs into the real children of earth from tiny seeds not as large as grains of sand, to the gigantic trees, from the invisible microbes which help in soil chemistry to the very dogs and cats which like gar- dens, too. At this time of year, when snow may or may not be on the ground, but when it is very likely to be cold enough for all practical purposes, far to0 cold for many of us, there might seem to the unobservant to be nothing doing at all in the ordinary yard, poetically and practically called a garden. Much is going on there, however, some of it visible to the inquiring mind. The best thing that goes on there, no doubt, is hope, which rises like a miracle of white frost on & cold morning. * k¥ % Beed catalogues, for all their pro- saic business intent, are heralds of They bring quite fresh visions of delectable tomatoes, of cabbages and sweet corn, Does every one know that a big book of several hundred pages has just been published, each and every page, and all of them together, de- voted to the enchanting subject of sweet corn? ‘There was & time in America when sweet varieties were little esteemed, but, through the work of various hybridizers, some of them now famous, the sweet variety was brought ahead of the older sorts. * ok kX ‘These catalogues, prosaic selling in- struments, bearing the subtle lure of enticement, well understood in all lines, have about them something of the enchantment of the earth itself. And of the earth, be it marked, at its lovellest times. Let some sing of Winter, brave season of skis and the common cold. Many pretend to rave over Winter, but we have never been able to join the chorus of praise. Winter costs much, in sickness and money, and our hearts are not in it. Spring and Summer are the seasons we love best, despite the fact that they are never perfect, from the human standpoint. Few things are. ThePolitical Mill By G. Gould Lincoln. ‘The eyes of the Nation focus on ‘Washington this week. Congress opens and—perhaps more important— the President will send his annual message, containing a general outline of his program for the coming year. Admittedly, the congressional session carries with it certain potentialities, There is the chance that the legisla- tive body may run to excesses. The administration, however, has turned its back on excesses in the matter of currency inflation and on expenditures of huge sums of money which are not ear-marked for relief. It may be ex- pected that a struggle, which is as old as the National Government, will come between the executive and the legisla- ture. It may be expected also that the executive, which never loomed stronger than it does today, will be the victor in this struggle, although the legislative branch of the Government may make breaches in the wall here and there. Particularly is this likely to be true in connection with the cash payment of the soldiers’ bonus. x ¥ & % The time is at hand for the selec- tion of the Democratic candidates for Speaker of the House and for floor leader. A great deal of preliminary skirmishing has been under way for many weeks. Representative Joseph W. Byrns of Tennessee, who has been floor leader in the present Congress, is destined to becone Speaker. The opposition, which gave the appear- ance of being strong at time, has Humanity is so constituted that it | Sifted away, leaving him the only real has a very narrow margin for perfect enjoyment. All above and all below that is something to be avoided, or dreaded, if we are honest with our- selves, which as a race we seldom are. * kX X Therefore, let us give all praise to the street car company, which, though it permits its motormen to de- cide whether or not we want to get aboard its cars, nevertheless keeps its Spring signs up in the vehicles for us to see when we manage to get aboard at the club house. “Spring’s rains—sweet smell earth—lambkins gamboling of | parks—" or words to those well- known effects. The sign looks rather silly, as one gazes out on a snowbound avenue until the passenger stops to realize that the company must be a Nature lover, too. ‘The unknown genius who fashioned this brave sign evidently wanted us, one and all, to keep well in mind the merits of the loveliest season of all, gentle Spring, when the rains do fall and the little l]ambs and things do go caroling their teeny-tiny way across the Ellipse or somewhere. L In this good aim the sign is alded by the seed catalogues, now pouring from the presses of the Nation, if they have not already poured. By the time these words reach the light of day, otherwise known as print, catalogues will be arriving at homes throughout the land. ‘The wrappers will be removed with more than ordinary caution, for all Spring enthusiastis love the seed catalogues, the garden books, the leaflets and brochures, which tell of so many delightful ways to enliven the new year, One book of this sort enables a gardener to indulge in what is rather widely called fireside gardening. It is a good phrase. Yes, it is garden- ing, in a real sense, since planning must precede planting. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. ‘While recovery, relief, budget, bonus, housing, power and other domestic issues will be given the right of way by President Roosevelt and Congress, international matters will clamor for consideration as the session proceeds. Naval policy, in light of Japan’s ac- tion in scrapping limitation treaties, will be to the front. The amended St. Lawrence waterway treaty with Canada, entry into the World Court. arms traffic control, reciprocal tariff treaties, America’s neutrality in war, war debts, silver stabilization, freedom of the seas and the open door in China are among the foreign affairs which in one form or another will engross attention. The President's message will probably indicate which of these international items are to be tackled, and when. Capitol Hill will not con- fine its attention to Uncle Sam’s home grounds. * XK % F. D. R. resisted to the last the im- portunities of the White House press conference to loosen up on his im- pending report on the state of the Union. Scribes thought the President could be cajoled at least into lifting the veil on relief, but, adamant to all entreaties, smilingly but firmly said there would be “no news” until his message is released. The President evidently is bent upon such political and psychological advantage as ad- heres to the element of surprise. Also, by holding up the next cards he means to play, he gives the opposition noth- ing to shoot at in advance. Some authorities doubt the value of personal delivery of presidential messages. Mr. Roosevelt shares Woodrow Wilson's view that the practice has definite and decided advantages, especially now that radio enables Presidents to talk to the entire country instead of the mere couple of thousand who wedge their way into the Capitol on joint- session occasions. * kK K Addressing the American Associa- tion for the Advancement of Science at Pittsburgh during the week end, Claudius T. Murchison, director of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com- merce, reeled off figures that tell the tale of recovery during 1934. Factory employment for the first 10 months of the year averaged 17 per cent above 1933 levels. Factory pay Tolls were 32 per cent higher. Construction activi- ties, though still only a third of the volume of the 1923-25 average, showed a gain of 50 per cent over 1033. Freight-car loadings, sure-fire trade barometer, gained 8.6 per cent. De- partmeqt store volume is up 13 per cent, Chain stores improved by roundly 8 per cent. Holiday business was better than last year's by approx- imately 30 per cent. Foreign trade shows 36 per cent increase in exports and 153 per cent increase in imports. Combined figures of 290 companies show a rise of 112 per cent in net profits for the first three quarters of the year, compared with 1933. Such statistics, together with bank deposit increases of roundly $6,000,000,000, virtual cessation of bank failures, and about a billion dollars more of farm income, depict the march of reco in convineing terms. . * ok ok x Believe it or not, there are politi- clans who suggest that among those who should not be left out of consid- eration as President Roosevelt’s run- ning mate in 1936, if Jack Garner is to be supplanted, is none other than Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins. ‘With the prominence of women in the SEe e calculations, it's argued e could do worse than set the precedent of a “co-ed” presidential ticket, with A the first woman cabinet officer in sec- ond place. There's little doubt where the women's vote would go, if that should come to pass. * * x % Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg's letter to Chairman Mellen of the New York County Republican Committee sounds like the platform on which the Michigan Republican is ready to be- come a contender for the 1936 presi- dential nomination. Mr. Vandenberg calls for a G. O. P. that shall be lib- eral, “neither floundering to the re- actionary right nor staggering to the radical left.” He thinks the liberalism of Lincoln a safe compass to steer by, and identifies himself with the Lin- colnian view that “labor is prior to and independent of capital and de- serves much the higher consideration.” Warmly does the Wolverine statesman espouse the Lincoln theory that “we must lean upon the heart of the great mass of the people, satisfied to be moved by its mighty pulsations.” While Senator Vandenberg is not an avowed candidate, his acts and utter- ances in Coagress henceforward are likely to be viewed as those of a man who is at least in receptive mood. No Republican at this writing is farther out in front. * x ok x When the United States Indian Service appointed Miss Gladys Tan- taquidgeon to make a survey of the Indians of New England, she was de- scribed as being about the last of the Mohicans. Now comes news that there are still some 175 members of her tribe extant in the Northeast, of whom 30-odd live in a settlement in the Thames Valley, near Norwich, Conn., where Miss Tantaquidgeon and her brother make their home and maintain a museum of relics of the Eastern tribes. The purpose of the New England survey is to determine the number of persons of partial or full Indian blood in that region who, under the Wheeler-Howard act, are entitled to Government aid in obtain- ing education. x X ¥ ¥ Those in charge of next month’s second Roosevelt birthday ball to raise funds for relief of infantile paralysis sufferers believe the pro- ceeds will be materially higher than the $1,000,000 raised last year. base their expectation on the fact that this time 70 cents of each dollar will be spent in the locality where each birthday party is held. The re- maining 30 cents will be allocated to the national commission which is paralysis, Former Representative Richard S. Aldrich, Republican, of Rhode Island, evidently no friend of the New Deal power program, takes pleasure in pointing out that Groton, Mass, where President Roosevelt and two of his sons “prepped” for Harvard, vou;id %‘ wulc_“.)‘lnrn a mu]; nic; plan . Aldric! obviously thinks Groton is & highly intelligent community. (Copyright. 1934.) A Sure Cache. Prom the Helena (Mont.) Independent. Another nice thing about having neighbors “is that where to find your ———r————————— Britain’s Peace Prizes. Prom the New York Sun. ‘The Nobel peace prizes for 1933 and ‘cornered by 193¢ have been the British, who ought to be able to keep out of sily trouble with such a record. you always know tools. 1 l contender for this high office. Once he is nominated, his election to the speakership on Thursday, when the House organizes, is only a matter of form, in the light of the heavy Demo- cratic majority in the House. The Republicans are expected to put for- ward Representative Snell of New York as their candidate for Speaker— an empty honor, except that it will carry with it the minority leadership of the House. There has been an insurgent movement among some of the progressive Republican members of the House against Mr. Snell, but it is not likely to assume dangerous pro- portions in opposition to his leader- ship. The Democratic caucus of the House is set for Wednesday, at 1:30 p.m., in the House chamber. This will be the first time that the 322 members elect- ed to the Seventy-fourth Congress have met together. There will be more than 100 new faces among them, men who are not members of the old Congress. This is a very considerable proportion of new blood in the House, particularly when it is remembered that there is no change in the political control of the House—the Democrats merely having strengthened their hold on that body in the November elec- tions. The contest for Democratic floor leader may bring a real fight in the caucus, although reports are to the effect that Representative Bani- head of Alabama has the inside track for this office. * * * % On the Senate side of the Capitol the Democratic organization is intact. Senator Joseph T. Robinson of Ar- kansas, veteran leader of his party in the Upper House, will continue in that role. Senator James Hamilton Lewis of Illinois, Democratic whip and as- sistant to the leader, will again call for quorums when the Senate meets and see to it that his party colleagues are on hand when important votes are to be taken. Senator Key Pittman of Ne- vada Is expected to continue as Presi- dent pro tempore of the Senate, presid- ing over that body when the Vice Presi- dent is absent. The Democratic mem- bership of the Senate has been in- creased by the elections to unprece- dented limits. A. gain of nine seats was made by the Democrats and they failed to lose a single seat in the elec- tions. This gives the Democrats more than two-thirds of the entire member- ship of the Senate and puts them in a position to do pretty much as they please. The Republicans have shown no disposition whatever to unseat their leader, Senator Charles McNary of Oregon, and he will continue to func- tion as the G. O. P. chief during the coming session. * ¥ X ¥ There is a distinct movement on for a presidential boom for Senator Wil- liam E. Borah of Idaho. Senator Borah, be it well understood, is not promoting this boom himself. But certain members of the Republican party believe that in him they find the ideal champion to put forward for the presidency in 1936. He is regarded as the most potent voice in opposition to President Roosevelt, who is to be the Democratic choice for the presi- dential nomination beyond a doubt, unless he himself should decline, and there is nothing in the cards today that would indicate the President will not be a candidate to succeed himself. Two years more is a comparatively short time in which to put through ‘the program which has already been outlined by . the administration for permanent recovery in this country. Furthermore, it will require several years to put the various measures into efficient working order. * ok k% ‘The Idaho Senator has been an out- standing opponent among the Repub- licans of some of the New Deal pro- gram. He has fought for a long time against the features of the national recovery act which permit a waiving of anti-trust laws, on the ground that they tend to huge business monopoly and to place unwarranted burdens on the consuming public. He is not of the school which believes that Amer- ica’s agricultural population will gain drastic restriction of produc- tion. Rather does he believe that in the end the peoples of other countries will be the winners, with the American farmer finding his markets more and more restricted. Senator Borah, it is true, has called for a reorganization of the Republican national without delay. And this might well make him persona non grata to some of the older leaders in the party whose political scalps he has sought. But Senator interests, has come to an end, or that if it has not, then the Republican party is on the sive and at the same supporter of the Ameri tion. He has served in House of Congress 27 years. It frequently been said in the past had he halled from one of the great populous States—for example, New York or Illinois—he would have been a presidential nominee on .the Republican ticket long before this. Try a Bigger Bait. From the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. Before reaching any conclusions the man who mailed a $1 bill pinned to & post card ought to repeat the ex- periment with a $100 bill. Seemingly Perennial. Prom the Worcester Evening Gazette. A Broadway music publisher believes many songs of today will last forever. of them do last forever, don't they? 3 » ANSWERS TO .QUESTIONS \ e o oot Wa .3.%., Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washington, D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply. Q. Where does the amusement in- dustry rank?—N. G. A. Measured by income, the amuse- by ment fleld is the fourth largest indus- try in the United States. Its annual | O. receipts are estimated at a billion and a half dollars. The important branches of the are motion pictures, theaters, amusement parks, fairs and outdoor shows, such as circuses, car- nivals, rinks, etc. Q. How far will it be possible to see with the new 200-inch telescope lens? —L. Z. A. Accounts of the light-gathering possibilities of the new 200-inch lens differ somewhat, but several authori- ties seem to agree that objects more than a billion light years distant will be brought within range of observa- tion, Q. What architecture is Arlington House in the Arlington Cemetery?— F. M. A. It is classic Greek, said to be a copy of the Temple of Theseus in Athens, Q. How much money did the Car- negie Corporation of New York spend on adult education last year>—R. P. A. It spent $299,750 in the year ending September 30, 1934. In America it conducted specific projects and studies, co-operative projects, and promoted general adult education in- terests, and in New Zealand and Australia co-operative programs and adult education libraries. Q. Since we cannot destroy energy, is the earth getting hotter and does it possess day by day more energy be- cause of the sunlight which it is re- ceiving continually?—S. F. W. A. Dr. Abbot of the Smithsonian In- stitution says that the earth emits to space all of the energy it receives from the sun. The process is this: Solar energy absorbed becomes heat. Heated surfaces emit radiation nearly propor- 1 tlonal to the fourth power of their ab- solute temperature. Hence, the tem- perature of the earth takes such a value as to emit radiation equal to that which it receives. * Q. Did the Pilgrims bring cows to this country with them?—D. R. A. No cows were brought by the Pil- grims to the United States in 1620. The first cows imported were in 1624, | by Gov. Winthrop, according to Albert S. Bolles in the Industrial History of raised primarily for hides, secondarily milk. Q. What color are the hair and eyes of the Duke of Kent?—G. T. N. A. His hair is dark brown. His eyes are blue. oy Q. Are American diplomats and soldiers permitted to accept Grand Ribbons from foreign governments— J.E. B. A. A Grand Ribbon is simply a decoration of honor conferred upon a citizen of the United States by a foreign government or foreign ruler. The Department of State says that any decoration of this kind may not be received by any person holding an office of profit or trust under the United States as provided in a sec- tion of the Constitution. When such honor is conferred by a foreign gov- ernment it is held by the Department of State for the recipient until such time as he may give up his position. the United States. These cows were | for meat, and only incidentally for | BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN. Any exception to this rule must be by special act of Congress, as in the case of the situation which existed during the World War. At this time the United States Congress gave blanket permission for decorations by foreign governments to United States citizens, whether officenolders or not, who were engaged in war work. Q. What is goid stone jewelry?— C. P. A. 1t is a very inexpensive type of material which is now quite out of date. It is made out”of a common mineral called pyrites, which is also known as fool's gold because of its resemblance to real gold. Jewelry made out of this sort of material was quite popular 20 years ago and is still to be met with in small towns. Q. Who discovered that a ship could be made of iron?—W. R. H. A. It is not recorded who first dis- covered that an iron vessel would float as casily as a wooden one. It is re- corded that an iron boat was built and launched on the River Foss, in Yorkshire, England, as early as 1777, but the date of the invention of iron as a ized material for ship con- struction is often given as 1818, when the lighter Fulcan was built on the Monkland Canal, near Glasgow, Scot- land. Q. Who first used the expression “mental hygiene"?—A. R. A. The term “mental hygiene” was suggested by Dr. Adolf Meyer of the Johns Hopkins Medical School and ‘Hospim. | Q. How many times in this century | have iynchers been convicted?>—C. P. A. Although nearly 2,000 mobs have lynched men suspected of crimes, in only 12 cases have there been con- victions of any of the lynchers. The | Costigan-Warner bill which will be | introduced in Congress again this ses- sion seeks to remedy this situation by trying lynching cases in Federal courts. Q. Is Siam a member of the League | of Nations? How large is her army?— H.T. M. A. Siam is a member of the League of Nations. She has an army of 16,000 men, - In the expression, “by jingo,” what does jingo mean?—E. E. A. The origin is not definitely | known. By some authorities it is be- lieved that it is a corruption of St. Gingoulph or Gingulphus; by others, that it is from the Basque Jinkoa, God. By jingo is used as a mild oath. Q. Where is Goat Island?>—H. B, A. Goat Island, or Yerba Buena, is located in San Prancisco Bay. It is near San Francisco, being about half way between San Francisco and Oak- land Mole. It is used as a naval sta- tion and training school. Q. For what purpose were the first buildings put up on Manhattan Island?>—S. T. A. The first buildings were probably huts set up in 1613 “to house for the Winter the crews of Adrian Block's ships, of which one, the Tiger, had been burned.” Q. What is the rule of laches?— O. W. A. In law it refers to a case of neg= lect to do a thing at the proper time; undue delay in asserting a right, or in claiming or asking a privilege, Q. Who is playing Ophelia to John Gielgud's Hamlet?—R. P. A. Jessica Tandy. This perform- ance is said by critics to be “perhaps one of the greatest in English stage history.” Government Credit Report Is Met by Countercharges Renewal of old charges that the Government is partly responsible for lack of adequate borrowing facilities for industries is the chief result of the report of two Treasury experts, Dr. Jacob Viner and Charles O. Hardy, who studied the subject for Secretary Morgenthau. that there is “a genuine unsatisfied demand for credit on the part of solvent borrowers, large enough to be a significant factor. in retarding busi- ness recovery.” The resulting debate raises numerous questions as to Gov- ernment policies. “The need continues to be for more confidence, rather than for more credit,” says the Philadelphia Eve- ning Bulletin, while the New York Sun declares that “business still sees question marks dancing before its eyes,” and that “business may be per- suaded to borrow more, to assume new bank loans, to invest in new ma- chinery or construction on an effective scale when some of its questions are answered definitely by the adminis- tration.” It is explained by the Kansas City Star that “the controversial problem of long-term credit to industry in- volves comparatively small loans for capital purposes—loans that cannot conveniently or economically be financed through the issue of securi- ties.” The Star concludes: *“While the investigators find the unsatisfied demand for credit is ‘considerably smaller than is generally believed,’ they believe the Government must continue to lend to industry until the banks loosen up or until a new inter- mediate credit system is set up—pre- sumably through the R. F. C. or pri- vately. The question is of great im- portance. While there may be no great demand for this long-term credit under existing conditions, possible borrowers may be deterred because they do not like the idea of borrowing on short-term notes that may be called. In any event, the report in- vites attention to a deficiency in the banking system that ought to be Temedied.” As the investigation was conducted largely in the Chicago district, the Milwaukee Journal points to the fact that “bapk deposits in that district increased $888,000,000 in the first eight months of 1934, but loans fell off $67,000,000.° The Journal thinks “this is not a heaithy thing,” and adds: “This is a concrete illustra- tion of what Jesse H. Jones, head of the Reconstruction Finance Corp., has repeatedly that the banks &re not making industrial loans. The answer is the same which the banks have just as repeatedly given, that the Federal examiners were clamping down on them, marking sound loans ‘slow,’ thereby virtually forcing banks to liquidate them or write them off. The committee found | :ersely only when they are ‘doubte | “It seems to be an open question.” according to the New York Herald { Tribune, “‘whether there is sufficient genuine demand for this type of credit to justify the establishment of an entirely new banking mechanism. Many students of- the question say ! that there is not such a demand; the | Vifer committee apparently believes that there is. It seems to us that this question of fact should be the deter- mining one in shaping our banking policy. If there is a really serious need for this sort of credit, then by all means let us provide the machin- ery fer it, but if there are, as some say, only a handful of discontented would-be borrowers, it would seem a useless extravagance to go to this trouble and expense. But in any event, let us cease blaming our com- mercial banks for having learned something about sound practices from the events of the '20s; and let us stop trying to drive them imto bank- ing flelds and into banking practices where they do not belong.” “Bankers are more eager today than ever before to lend money, but they demand adequate collateral,” says the Yakima (Wash.) Herald, while the Owensboro (Ky.) Messenger refers to the bankers’ position that “credit will expand as the depression passes,” and the Jackson (Mich.) Citizen Pa- triot advises that “any banker who liberalized credit while Washington demanded liquidity and conservatism would be inviting closure.” The Okla- homa News comments: “Recent ac- tion by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Federal Reserve Board, reducing the maximum interest on time deposits to 214 per cent, may ac- complish more than all the admin- istration’s pleas to bankers for easier credit, since it helps to turn idle capital into productive channels.” ‘While finding “some recommenda- tions of merit” in the report, the Wall Street Journal advises: “It must be regretted that the investigators stopped short of any consideration of reasons why the normal supply of permanent capital in industrial and mercantile enterprises is not func- Honing. They may have regarded such questions as outside their terms of reference. But it is impossible to consider their proposal to revolutien= ize the foundation of deposit banking without the same time considerinz all the circumstances which persuade them of the necessity of such a change.” ————— The Leaf in the Sandwich. Prom the Kansas City Star. visitor doesn’t under- An English stand the lettuce leaf in the American club sandwich. That's to give the sandwich substance and body. Other- wise some customers might demand meat. ————— Skurrying for Shelter. Prom the Milwaukee Sentinel. Some day an unemployment cure will be found. Tell It to Bossy. Prom the South Bend Tribune. A cell block in Sing Sing Prison, in- vestigators report, is “unfit for cows.” ‘We trust that this will convince all cows that honesty is the best policy. F