Evening Star Newspaper, May 10, 1935, Page 10

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1935. JA e THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C FRIDAY.........May 10, 1935 9HEODORE W. NOYES. . . Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company 1 N : 110 East 42nd 8t '::a'm“o' ik Michiean Buildine. ropean Office; 14 Regen Londen. England. Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Edition. 5 . ening Btar_. . . . 45¢ per mont! . d Supday’ Biar E(- wgg;n:m "r'ldalsvned‘.’ » :u: per month o Evening and Sun . 5 month il e - SBomrmeny Night Final E inal and Sunday Bta: RIEDt S Blar 0t I8 58C Der m llection made at the end of T"h month. ders mnz be sent by mail or telephone National 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Bflh and Sunday .1yr. $10.00: 1 mo. 85¢ | al RS &/ N | Iy ,on 6.00: 1 mo., 50¢ Bunday only.. .00: All Other States and Canada. ally and Sunday 1 r. $12.00: 1 mo. ally oo yr.. $8.00: Sunday only yr.. n. 70c per mont| . b5¢ 4 cntg A | 5.00: 1 mo.. e Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively en- titled to the use for republication of all atcl-es credited fo it or not other- ‘Dublication of special dispatches herein or reserved. . Welcome Home! Washington acknowledges with pleasure and pride the honor of wel- coming home today Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd and his gallant band of fellow explorers. The some- what set and formal arrangements for their trilumphal return to - native land, carefully staged as to time and place, do not detract one whit from the real warmth of the greeting which | is extended to these brave conquerors. The more the pomp and circumstance in the symbolic welcome extended to them this afternoon by their Presi- dent and the representatives of their countrymen the better. For the color and the fanfare of their voyage end battles, the flag-waving and the | music, have been reserved for the | little moment this afternoon that will | mark their formal setting foot again | on native soil. There has been little of it during the long, dark months of risk and privation which began more than a year and a half ago. And| safe home again, this afternoon, the brave company will quickly disperse, never, perhaps, to be together again. For the leader of the second South | Polar expedition, Admiral Byrd, the joys of home-coming today may be tempered by the thought that there“ are few remaining worlds for him to conquer. It was nine years ago today | that he returned to Spitzbergen from & fiight that had carried him over the North Pole. And in the nine the technicality which has vitiated the act of the Btate Legislature, which undoubtedly would have received the approval of the Governor, snd to accept the mandate as though it were a law and proceed now to correct the condition which gravely imperils the public safety by reconstruction of the line to conform to the estab- lished grade and removal of the poles from the center of the highway, or to abandon the line altogether, replac- ing it with an efficient bus service. N The Banking Bill. ‘The banking bill of 1935, sponsored by the' Roosevelt administration, is divided into three parts. The first sets up a permanent system of bank- deposit insurance. The second gives the Federal Government direct con- trol over the credit system of the country, placing in the hands of the Chief Executive greater control of the Federal Reserve Board. The third makes & number of minor changes in the national banking laws. To the first and third parts there has been no particular opposition. The sys- tem of deposit insurance, which has | been in operation for a couple of | years, has gained in popularity and has given the people a greater meas- ure of confidence in their banks. The | permanent system of deposit insur- ance provides for insurance of indi- vidual deposits up to $5,000, It is the second part of the bill which both its friends and its opponents consider the most important piece of banking legislation since the establish- ment of the Federal Reserve System, and perhaps more important even than that. It was over that title of the bill that the House fought for days before it finally passed the measure by & vote of 271 to 110 and sent it to the Senate for its consideration. The argument of the supporters of this legislation is that the control of the credit system of the country should be in the hands of a central board, which is dominated by the Govern- ment, rather than by private banking and financial interests, To this the opponents of the measure reply that production without delay, with a view to concentration upon government contracts. Not only industry, but the general public, is affected by the cabinet's plans to make Britain invulnerable in the air. While aircraft factories are being mobilized for increased output, the people of the country are to be systematically educated in measures against the dangers of air attacks, probably through the medium of com- pulsory drills or air-raid rehearsals such as the Germans recently staged in Berlin, Munich and other cities. ‘The proclamation of these extensive plans at this moment has a definitely timely purpose. It precedes by a week the speech on international affairs which Hitler is scheduled to deliver. It constitutes a final warning to the Nazis that unless the Fuehrer presents & conciliatory face to Europe Germany can reckon with ocertainty upon & rearmament race with Great Britain in the air, as well as an equally firm determination to. outmatch the Reich at sea, in the category of submarines and all other forms of naval power. ‘The world will not have long to wait for official avowal of British purposes. The cabinet has postponed until May 22, five days after Hitler's forth- coming address on foreign policy, the long-planned defense debate in the House of Commons, If the Fuehrer reaffirms aggressive German purposes in the form of large-scale rearmament on land, on sea and in the air, there is now every indication that Britain will serve notice upon the Nazis that such a threat to the peace of Europe will provoke a competition in which the Reich inevitably would be out- stripped. vt ‘The bus driver is held responsible for a railway crossing accident and | & grand jury seeks to hold the aff- plane pilot for a low-flying cata trophe. Neither bus drivers nor air- plane pilots should be burdened with sole responsibility when definite in- struction by superior authority is available, oo to place the control of the credit | system in the hands of a politically | ® Worthy example by asking only fair controlled body is not only unwise, but and orderly procedure as to how the an inroad upon the liberty of the |funds are to be expended, without people themselves, District of Columbia taxpayers set representation in Congress to offer | Is the Government wiser or less °XPert suggestion. selfish, and will it be either, in the control of the credit system of the country? Political governments rarely fail to do the thing which seems most likely to keep them in power. ‘Their opponents feel the heavy hand of government or know that it hangs over them. Just how does the banking bill of | 1935 centralize the power over the credit system in the hands of the Federal Government? It increases the Intervening years he flew the Atlantic | with three companions, flew over the South Pole and successfully conducted power of the President over the Fed- | eral Reserve Board since it provides two explorations to hitherto unknown lands of Antarctica. He has written his name indelibly on the brief list | of brave men who have dared the unknown to bring back the known.| He has made a fine name imperishable. | Other explorers have dared less and ‘ demanding that the chief executive | have brought back word of more spec- tacular discoveries, more capable of | stirring the imagination. But the trophies that Admiral Byrd and his men bring home are less tangible, less easily understood and grasped by those who stayed at home to venture | Which are members of the Federal There is | Teserve system. And finally, it gives with him only in spirit. little in the mass of data relating to | ocean currents, seismic soundings, aerological and meteorological obser- | vations, maps and charts that can be | singled out and epitomized in a| breath-taking sentence. But to the | scientific knowledge of man Admiral | Byrd and his company have added | immense treasure. For years to come | men throughout the world will be | sorting it and studying it and, with parts of it. piecing together some of | the mysterious puzzles of the universe. The debt to Byrd and his men can never be measured and never be paid. | Their own satisfaction lies in hav- ing dared and conquered And this is i something that men everywhere ap- | preciate and understand, to which they are ready to pay tribute. Wel- come home, Admiral, and well done! —_— e Antiquarians are ceasing to refer to the dodo and other prehistoric fowl and making & study of the in- fluence that the “lame duck” lonce exerted on civilization. ——.— A Type Error in Legislation. A trifling typographical error in the official print in the bill which passed the Maryland Legislature at its recent session providing for the correction of conditions of the street railway line on Wisconsin avenue be- yond the District boundary, which is now before the Governor for approval, appears to have nullified the action of the Legislature. This bill, if ap- proved and in valid form, would re- quire the transit corporation to share the cost of improving the highway. The Legislature having adjourned, it is too late to correct the enactment, 80 there will be no immediate legis- lative compusion to lead to the early abatement of the dangerous nuisance now prevailing on this artery of traf- fic. Further conferences, however, are to be had between the citizens’ organization which is pressing for this improvement and representatives of the corporation, and it is to be hoped that an adjustment will be effected without delay and without recourse to legislation. Occupation of the public space for the maintenance of a privately owned traction service does not absolve the corporation from the requirement to maintain its line in accordance with already or later established grades and levels. The paramount interest is that of the highway user, with the corporation enjoying the privilege of the use of the highway for its own purposes subject to the necessity of conforming to changes which be- come essential with the increase of trafic. That - principle should be maintained in the suburban area as it always is in the urban section. The proper attitude of the cor- poration in this llmnug is to ignore for the first time that the governor and vice governor of the board shall serve only at the pleasure of the Chief Executive. Next, it increases the power of the Federal Reserve Board over the Federal reserve banks, efficer of each of these twelve banks shall be subject to the approval of the board. The Federal Reserve Board, acting through a bare ma- jority, may change at will the re- serve requirements of the banks the Federal Reserve Board the right to force the ¥ederal reserve banks to participate in “open market oper- ations,” meaning, in simple language, the buying and selling of Government and certain other types of obligations. | | ————- The -e:fin for golf is at hand. Statesmen may derive much advan- tage from the opportunity to meet confidentially on the links, unless the caddies decide to become reportorial listeners-in. ——ee—s. A political address by radio at least relleves the public of any haunt- ing fear that the future of the world depends on tooth paste and shaving cream. —————— When & big rellef project is launched there is a necessary argu- ment as to how much money shall go for salarles and how much for philanthropy. . Farmers who want better roads to get their crops to market refuse to be solaced by reminders that crops | have been plowed under. N A Supreme Court decision may be so close that the public will go on choosing sides, even after it is defi- nitely rendered. ——— e SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. ‘What Is Wha The right to change reserve re- f We need somebody now and then quirements means the right to cur- tail or to halt normal banking func- tions. At the same time it is the right to lower reserve requirements which might easily endanger the de- posits of the people in their banks. The control of open market opera- tions holds many possibilities. The Government today is financing fits deficits through the issuance of Gov- ernment securities. If the Govern- ment has supreme control of open market operations it may force the purchase by the banks of its securi- ties. The banks have only the money of the people, in form of deposits, to make such purchases. Such an oper- ation would be neither more nor less than & forced loan by the people. ‘Those who favor the bill say that the financial collapse and depression of 1929 and subsequent years were due to the fact that there was tremendous inflation and nothing was done by the Federal Reserve Board to halt it; that the board did not have the necessary power. But if the board had such power as now proposed and had the control of the board been vested in the Federal Government, 8s now pro- posed, would anything different have happened? Very few persons in the country foresaw the crash. What gov- ernmental administration would do anything so unpopular as to halt a boom? —t— There can be little doubt on the part of Herbert Hoover as to the respect shown to his soldier bonus attitude as an administration policy. ——.— British Air Power. Preoccupations of Silver Jubilee week in London have not deterred the British government from bestowing serious attention upon the paramount problem of national defense and par- ticularly the menace facing the Brit- ish Isles at the hands of the new German air fleet. On Thursday, soon after King George had sounded a strong note for peace before Parlia- ment, assembled in special session to pay him jubilee homage, & three-fold government program to match the German air peril was disclosed. It calls upon the British aircraft in- dustry to be prepared for an intensive construction period covering the next two years. Government orders will be available to keep all factories working at full pressure. The air ministry promulgated a decree forbidding Brit- ish manufacturers of planes and en- gines from accepting foreign business and calling upon tiem to speed up | sayin' To tell us what is what; To choose one of our fellow men And put him on the spot ‘Where glory shines with such a blaze | That methods he must find To stand forth in the public gaze And plainly lpuk'hu mind. He may be wrong, he may be right, He may be shrewd or dumb; He may be suave or impolite When he is going some. But honest words by tongue or pen May help the world a lot. ‘We need somebody now and then To tell us what is what. Out in Front. “Are you a political leader?” “How do I know?” asked Senator Sorghum. “I'm out in front, but maybe I'm only being pushed from behind by a stampede.” Jud Tunkins says “Sidewalks of New York"” was a good song, but what he wants to know is what the State Roads Commission will do for the rough going in the back lands. The Caravan. The Shriners soon will come to view And with a faith sublime Proceed to leave some footprints new Upon the sands of time. And each will go upon his way To cheer our mortal lot, Though some may say from day to day \ “These sands are kind o' hot.” On With the Dance. “Didn't you say let's get together and get somewhere?” “I did,” answered Mr. Dustin Stax. “But when I requested a grand march the bank struck up a waltz and we Jjust kept on going round and round.” Deep Stuff. Once & professor was showing his stuff, Which he said had mysterious merit. He told us if we would but go deep enough New wisdom the world would in- herit. He told how each man must revise the old plan And be of his brother the keeper. His deep stuff we follow the best that we can, But we just get in deeper and deeper. “De man da® pertends to know mo’ dan he does,” said Uncle Eben, “has to be a genius foh lookin' wise and uma’” | personal peace with the universe. It 18 » curious thing how human beings never seem to be able to profit {rém lessons unless they are brought directly home to them. One might think that the great droughts and duststorms of the West would prevent any one in the East from grouching over the rain. Yet no sooner does & week of rainy weather descend upon the city than every one begins to complain, just as if no one had ever heard of the dust visitations. It is the same with traffic deaths and maimings. One might think, off-hand, that the day after a serious accident motorists would run a little bit slower, with % Dbit more care and consideration, both for themselves and others. But no, mostly they seem to run faster, more recklessly, than ever, spurred on by the fact that they, themselves, were not involved. oo % No doubt there are some who profit by simply reading about accidents, but they are lost in the crowd of those who just rejoice that “it wasn't them.” Many persons, too, are glad when it | rains, but they are few and far be- tween as compared with the number of persons who lament the downpours. The gardener, the Nature lover in general, will find rainfall supremely acceptable, not only on account of his plants, but also because it is part of the picture. Personal inconvenience caused weighs little with such a person. He finds whatever is, in the weather line, what ought to be, This is the wisdom of the universe. Many search for peace, but they do not know that it comes in these little | ways, He who strives too much will gain too little. | Acceptance, which is just another | form of obedience, is at the basis of & | While man has been unable to cept peacefully certain extreme mani- festations, such as earthquakes and | the like—including the duststorms— he easily meets rain and sun and the other meteorological changes. Because these, in the main, are easy to accept and the extreme forms are | not, is all more reason why one s! greet them happily. { * ok ox % ! Let no one assert that these small | “grouches” of the everyday. these per- | ennial lamentations over the stat the weather, do not amount to much, after all. As far as mere words are concerned, | they do not, of course. “I wish it would stop raining that is nothing to wreck a life, cer- tainly. “Don't you hate this weather—" | trepidation. | Yet the sum of these trifling wails | may be large, especially when one | each one serves up this old, stale formula. A garden-minded person can give a | | distinct shock to those who ceaselessly | lament rain, without any particular enthusiasm, | “Oh, I like the rain.” Arched eyebrows, supposed to be ex- pressive of great surprise, will greet the simple statement. If she is a woman, who fancies she has eyes resembling those of some | If and when President Roosevelt bonus legislation on the eve of the| 1924 presidential election, mindless of visers feared would serlously endanger | the prospects of his remaining in the White House. Democratic party man- They reflect no alarm that it will un- ! dermine Mr. Roosevelt's 1936 fortunes, | Long and Father Coughlin that F.| D. R. is “too good a politician” to | risk incurring the veterans’ disfavor. | The so-called soldier vote, incidental- | 1y, is by no means solid on the bonus. Even though the American-Legion and | the Veterans of Foreign Wars are pro- | bonus as organizations, there are nu- | some who are in Congress, who have | never favored legislation of the cur- | rent type. On account of his Re-| publican presidential aspirations, first prize for exhibition of intestinal in- vestiture on the bonus goes to Sen- ator Arthur H. Vandenberg of Michi- gan, who voted against it. * ok ok % Gov. Phil La Follette of Wisconsin, after transacting the immediate busi- ness that brought him to Washington last week, spent several days hobnob- bing with friends in official and po- | litical quarters, and giving the New Deal, especially with respect to re- Uef, a close-up. If the young Badger State executive and his brother, Sen- ator Bob, are contemplating linking their Wisconsin third (Progressive) party with a national independent movement next year, no indications of such plans have leaked out in Wash- ington. Both La Follette brothers figure periodically in the gossip about & third party candidate for President. The Wisconsin Progressives' could probably easily form an alliance with Minnesota Farmer-Laborites and other Midwestern and Northwestern left- wing groups, comprising an organized nucleus stronger than either Senator Long's share-the-wealth movement or Father Coughlin's National Union for Social Justice. Gov. La Follette's pres- ence in Washington is the forerunner of expected visitations by many State executives anxious to keep abreast of relief developments and determined to see that their respective Common- wealths get a square deal at the $4,000,000,000 pie counter. * X * %X Railroad executives and holders of railroad securities are highly gratified by, the Supreme Court’s decision de- claring the pension law unconstitu- tional. Ever since President Roose- velt branded the law as ‘“crudely drawn” rail ates were confident that the highest tribunal would seal its doom in due course. 1If the statute had been validated, it would have cost the railroads sbout $30,000,000 in ad- ditional annual expenditure. In other days such a burden would have been easily borne. While the smashing of the law saves the carriers considerable money, it adds nothing to their reve- nues. To this fact Wall Street at- tributes the failure of the market to sustained advances in rail prices after the Supreme Court’s ac- '7"‘ President Roosevelt has decreed that ‘White House press THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. famous motion picture actress, the arch will be great, indeed. R Rain from the north, south, east or west, or straight down, makes a gar- den picture known only to those who love the growing things of the earth. There is something different in the appearance of flowers, trees, shrubs, grass, during a heavy rain, something vastly pleasing both to beholder and the growing things. Water is their life, of course, Next to warmtb, it means every- thing to them. In & way a rain is a stream of food, for without moisture the plants will not be able to dissolve the nutrition out of the soil. Some little of their food comes from the alr, but most of it via the roots. Sunshine plays a most important part in plant health and growth, by keeping alive the function of photo- synthesis in the green parts. * %X X % Owing to the replenished “water table” in this vicinity, as the result | of heavy snows and rains, plant life | hereabouts perhaps could get along ! very well with far less rain than we | are having. | This is no reason, however, why we should not welcome more. Plant roots are able to strike down- ward, even in dry weather, toward | moisture, even when the surface soil is baked. ‘This ability is what enables them to | survive, even in droughts, but it will do nothing for the eye of the beholder. The spectator wants rain, from time to time, purely as a material luent in creating garden pictures. There is no aspect of an average garden more delightful than when everything is thbroughly wet. , Then bare places in the lawn dis- appear, as if by magic, the grass itself takes on a wonderful green, flower colors are at their brightest. £x ¥ Darkening of clay solls by rainfall is one of its most pleasing actions, Too often the home gardener fails to take into account the plain ugliness of clay. Since most of the yards in and around Washington have clay as their basis, perhaps more than ordinary care must be taken by the gardener | who dislikes the appearance of clay in dry weather. Its light red color is scarcely a good background for flowers. or even the | green of rosebushes, evergreens and the like. He who keeps this in mind will take of | particular pains to cover portions of | ry | beds and border not entirely covered | | by flowers with some portion of peat | moss, humus, or other substance to darken the clay. Care put on this feature of garden- ing will go & long way toward giving the owner the sort of place he likes to see, yet most often this litle chore nothing there, it is true, to cause |is forgotten, with the result that there | is something lacking in an otherwise nicely kept yard. If your garden, especially in dry meets many persons in a day, and to spells, gives you an uneasy feeling, | look around and see if it may not be | due to too much ugly red clay show- ing. Then darken it up. In the meantime, a good rain does by simply declaring, | this job every time it falls, at least | for a day. This is one of the reasons why you seldom hear the garden-minded per- son lament local rains. He has taken the lesson of the vast duststorms to heart: he knows that almost any amount of rain is better than that. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. are faithfully reproduced in the press. | vetoes a bonus bill he will take a leaf | one reporter made the pertinent ob- | out of the note book of Calvin Cool- | servation at the White House that | idge, who withheld his approval of /members of Congress have only to | To the Editer of The Star: read their papers in order to keep abreast of Rooseveltian sentiments on the point is well made. * * & % It's just become known that Gov. special committee of the American Bankers' Association, appointed to 1935, which has stirred up such a furore in financial circles. The com- mittee has come out strongly against certain of the bill's provisions sup- posed to have been written by Gov. Eccles. The Reserve Board chief pre- sented his views to the bankers in intensely interesting fashion and, merous ex-service men, typified by | ®lthough he did not overcome their | gioner), opposition, they admired his frank- ness. They were impressed, too, by the fact that an eminent Federal offi- | cial was willing to travel hundreds of miles by plane and devote two whole | business days to the sole purpose of | answering every sort of question that | could be fired at him. The bankers | call that “real public service,” prob- | ably rendered in such a manner for | the first time, * ok x % Apropos the plaudits now being showered upon King George V for| faithfulness to duty as a constitu- tional monarch, there's recalled incident of the late Theodore Roose- velt’s visit with King Haakon of Nor- way in 1010. Addressing T. R., Haakon, like George V., also a con- stitutional soverelgn, said: “I envy Presidents of the United States. They rule for four years. I am only a king for life.” * ok ok Representative Hamilton Fish, jr., of New York, attains the distinction of being the first Republican to throw his hat formally into the 1936 presi- dential ring, as he has just done at | Omaha. Mr. Fish has admirers, in- | cluding colleagues in the House, who tell you that he possesses assets that will progressively establish his “avail- ability” as the G. O. P.'’s search for & white hope proceeds. One novelty about a Fish nomination would be the fact, assuming Mr. Roosevelt's Tenomination, that both the Repub- lican and Democratic candidates would be not only from the same state, but from the same county. Representative Fish pins his hopes on Western support, without which, he suggests, he will not enter the pre- convention race. * Xk ¥ Col. William D. Herridge, Canadian Minister at Washington, is expected to play a prominent role in the impend- ing general election campaign in the Dominion, just as he did in the con- test which five years ago brought the premiership to his brother-in-law, the Conservative party leader, the Hon. Richard B. Bennett. It is commonly understood in Canada that it is Col. Herridge who “sold” to Mr. Bennett the idea of a New Deal for Canada on semi-Rooseveltian lines, and on the basis of which the Bennett party will this year seek retention of power. (Copyright. 1935.) A Recurrent Ailment. Prom the Kansas City Star. The high school boy who suffered 5o much from the fact that you can’t have measles, mumps, etc., but once, has now discovered that sunburn is useful for keeping one out of work, and you can have it as many times as you wish, b | permanent residents. Speeders the Cause of City’s Traffic Perils ‘To the Editor of The Star: Regarding the campaign beginning this week for safer driving, it occurs to me that the whole question resolves ftself into one word, “speed.” Drivers, male and female, are going at a rate far in excess of the ful rate and entirely too fast for a car to be under control, the answer being that sooner or later, even with good brakes, these speedsters drive into a smash or knock down and kill some pedestrian. A car is supposed to stop within 40 feet at a rate of 20 miles per hour. This sounds all right, but how very few are going at that rate or even &t the legal rate? From the tire marks on the streets showing where cars have skidded for many feet, although the brakes lock the wheels, it is evident that the high momentum of the cars carry them away beyond the 40 feet mentioned. These tire (skid) marks are frequently accompanied by glass and blood, showing that although the brakes workegl there has been a smash- up and a fatality. The boulevard streets are among the dangerous highways. The maximum speed on Thirteenth street is 22 miles per hour, vet cars pass (on either side) of the Takoma Park express busses at a rate making it appear the latter are standing still, yet the busses go from Rittenhouse street and Fifth to U street and Thirteenth (a distance of about 48 blocks) in 15 minutes flat, 80, just how fast are the passing auto- mobiles going on that street? Inci- dentally, the front gangways of these express busses are jammed with pas- sengers, preventing the driver from seeing to his right at intersections and jeopardizing himself, his passengers and any crosstown traffic he may meet, It is evident that the wonderful “pick-up” and “superbrakes” now to | | be had on automobiles have increased | | the traffic hazard, causing many people | to “take a chance” instead of driving | in a sane and safe manner. | The “Live and Let Live” campaign is all right in its way, and success is | Wished for it, but it is doubtful whether any lasting good will come of it. The only practical way of reaching the dangerous driver is through his “pocket nerve.” A good stiff fine (and I see Judge Hitt has hiked up the reckless driving penalty from $10 to $20) im- posed on those who will not proceed | at & safe speed will do more than all | the speeches, broadcasts and sticker: | combined. This brings up the question as to who will bring in the speeders and reckless drivers? To my mind it is | far more important to have traffic officers (and osher police) get out on the highways and nab these dangerous | drivers than to have these officers | | spend time after *he over-time parkers. A car at the curb, while it may be violating regulations by overstaying its time there, is not a potential danger, and for the time being we can well | afford to pass them up and go after the reckless speedsters. Congress has been begged ,to allow | | addltional police, but they have not yet | granted them, consequently considera- tion should be given to securing com petent traffic police some other way. | Are there not a lot of policemen with “cushy” jobs at the several precincts, | headquarters, bureaus and District at- torney's office who can be replaced | with capable civilian clerks, thereby | releasing sworn officers to help make | | the streets safe? This did nct come up | before the Crime Commission, but it | | should have, as these men were hired | to police the city, not to hold down desks. If they cannot be pried loose from their desks, how about a public | subscription to hire more police (not | | desk men), or add 50 cents to the tag | tax and raise the‘required sum? We | | | have just got to have something more | effective than some ‘pledges” and “appeals to reason.” There is little reason in a “nut” at a steering wheel. OVERTON C. LUXFORD. ———— Maj. Brown H Praised as Efficient In my opinion, now is the time for | the citizens of this city to raise their political consequences which some ad- | given occasions. The President thinks | voices in the present controversy re- | | garding our superintendent of police. { Maj. Brown. I strongly believe that | 90 per cent of the population of Wash- Such a man of tence, executive ability, strict dflsc)p-: | linary doctrines and pleasant mien is, | despite prognostications by Senator | study the proposed banking act of | in the opinion of most of us, the best | fitted to head our police force. | It seems to me that this position | carries so heavy a burden that its oc- cupant should be directly responsible | only to the President of the United | States and not hampered by super- | vision of the Commissioners (an opin- | jon expressed by a former Commis- | | ‘With all due respect to said | | Commissioners, the position of super- | | intendent of police in this city is of an importance and responsibility com- | parable to that of Commissioner itself and it should have a free rein. Looking back through the years I find no past superintendent of police whose work eclipses that of the pres- ent superintendent, and I sincerely believe such a sentiment would be subscribed to by thousands of our It would be a great injustice to the man and to our city if all of us did not take the pres- ent opportunity to defend and strongly dvocate the regime of our present superintendent of police. B. EISENBERG. Dime Chain Letters a Stimulant to Pleasure To the Editor of The Star: ‘Who is this purist in the Post Office Department who seeks to end the dime delusion? After years of oppressive gloom, the first opportunity for hilari- ous fun has arrived. The chain may breed rackets. So does every other enterprise. Let them be hunted down | and stopped. Don’t, don't throw a wet blanket on the whole clever scheme. 1t requires no brain truster to detect the stimulus to recovery of millions of dimes being suddenly thawed out and circulated around the country. Nor does it need any professor of psychology to recognize the heightened morale: I have spent $1.43 cents in postage and dimes, and have charged it all to pleasure. Then think of the acute thrills of anticipation, which in my case are yet to be realized. What does Mr. Farley think of a subordinate trying to prevent added postal sales of hundreds of thousands of dollars? What if the postal clerks are swamped with work? Since when has too much work been a burden? Hire some more clerks, and, by Bac- chus, let the poor, pestered people play. C. R. THOMPSON. Law-Making Preliminaries. From the Minneapolis Star. Legislating is slow business. States- men must talk a lot to save their dig- nity before doing as they are told. ——— e Parity in Plights. From the Okiahoma News. The plight of the Southern share- croppers must be nearly as bad as that of the Northern shareholders. —————— Post’s Motto. From the Helena (Mont.) Independent. Wiley Post has the right motto, anyway: “If at first you don't succeed, A reader can get the answer to) any question of fact by writing The | Washington Evening Star Injormation Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, | Washington, D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply. Q. How long has Sam Gumpertz, general raanager of Ringling's Circus, been in the circus business?—H. A, A. He is now 57 years old and has been connected with circuses “off and on” since he was 9 years old, when he started as a top-mounter in an acrobatic act. He has been an actor, sheep herder, ranch foreman, circuit estate magnate and circus executive. Q. Where does the United States | Army Band give the concerts which | are broadcast over the radio?— F. R. A, A. The band broadcasts from the agent, amusement park owner, real| ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. near Keller, Va. The festivity will be staged by Accomack Post, No, 23, of the American Legion, Q. Who were the Ebionites?—A. E. A. This is a geaeral name given to Jewish Christians who remained out- side of the Catholic Church from the apostolic age down to the time of Jerome, Q. When did_Abraham Lincoln's father die? Where was he buried? | —E. C. A. Thomas Lincoln, father of Abrae ham Lincoln, died January 17, 1851. | HeN\Vu buried near his Coles County cabin. Q. How long has it been possible to |talk by telephone from New York | City to San Prancisco?—H. 8. 8, | A, Transcontinental telephone serv- ice was inaugurated in 1915. | lege in Washington, D. C. It is open Q. What islands are called the | Isles of June?—M. 8. | | A. The Bahamas are sometimes | | given this poetic title. | auditorium of the Army War Col-| | to the public. | Q. What church is called the Ace of Clubs Church?—H. L. N, A. Old St. George's Church at | Pungotague.,, Va, built in 1652, is called the Ace of Clubs Church be- cause of its pecullar form. Q. How old is George Bernard | Shaw?—H. B, A. Heis 78. He will be 79 on July 26. | | | Q. For what purpose was the Fabian Society organized?—G. 8. B. | A. It started in London and was organized for the advancement of | socialism in England. | Q. Why is the tide in the Delaware River so much higher than in Chesa- | peake Bay?—J. H. B. st;mnmnl about Sumo wrestlers—C. E. W. A. The first Japanese Sumo wres- Q. Please tell | tiing match took place in 23 B. C. and the winner was Sukune, who has ever since been regarded as the titu- lary deity of Japanese wrestlers. Sumo is the national sport of Japan and A. The Coast and Geodetic Survey says that this difference in the tide | is the result of the difference in the | size and shape of the two bodies of | water. In Delaware Bay the shores | converge toward the mouth of the river and the tide wave as it vances up stream actually increases from & mean range of about 4 feet at the entrance to the bay to a range | of about 6 feet in the vicinity of | Stony Point. On the other hand, Chesapeake Bay widens out into a large area so that the tide wave is more or less dissipated as it passes into the bay and the range of tide is reduced to 3 feet and less inside he bay, Q. Are there any Chinese sororities in American colleges>—S. M. B. | A. A new sorority, Sigma Sigma Phi, the first Chinese organization of its kind in the United States, has been established at the University of Michigan, Q. Has the birth rate in Italy in-| creased with Fascism?—M. N. J. A. Since Ttaly adopted Fascism the ! birth rate has dropped from 12.2 to 10. Q. Why are there no toads in Madagascar?>—M. B. A. The Smithsonian Institution ad- vises us that the supposition is that Madagascar was separated as an island before the toads in their dis- tribution arrived that far. Hence the absence of toads in Madagascar. Q. Is Clara Kimball Young, for- merly a star, now plaving in the movies?—A. W A. Miss Young appeared as an ex- tra in the production of “The Cru- saders.” Q. Why is the earth tilted at an angle to the plane of its ecliptic? | —P. T. A. There is no consensus among astronomers as to the reason, Q. When is the Potato Blossom Festival in Virginia>—E. S. M. | A. The Eastern Shore of Virginia will hold its first Potato Blossom Fes- tival on May 29 and 30 at the East- ern Shore Agricultural Fair Grounds, | | Logan never felt fear. for nearly 2000 years Japanese wrestlers have been carefully bred. The daughter of a wrestler is allowed to marry noné but a wrestler and a wrestler is allowed to marry none but the daughter of a wrestler. This has resulted in” a breed of very large and powerful, though fat, men, Sumo wrestlers of 5 feet 8 inches in height often scale upward of 300 pounds It is considercd a great advantage in this type of wrestling to be so large around that the opponent cannot get his arms completely around one. Q. Where is the world's largest wis- taria vine?—S. B. A. It is believed to be at Certosa di Pavia in Italy, where much of an entire cathedral and monastery are covered with the vine, Q. Please publish the address of Logan, the Indian chief—F. L. A. Logan's address follows: “I ap- peal to any white man to say if he ever entered Logan's cabin hungry {and he gave him no meat; if he ever came cold and naked and he clothed him not. During the course of the last long bloody war Logan remained idie in his cabin, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites that my countrymen pointed 2s they passed and said, ‘Logan is the friend of the white man.’ I had even thought to have lived with you but for the injuries of one man. Col. Cresap, the last Spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan, not even spar- ing my women and children. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. I have killed many. I have fully glutted my vengeance. For my country, I rejoice at the beams of peace. But do not harbor the thought that mine is the joy of fear, He will not turn on his heels to save his life. | Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one!” Q. When was the salary grab’— G. 8. A. The salary grab was the popu- lar name for the general increase in Pederal salaries in 1873, ighly !Prcsidcnt’s “Fireside Talk” Appraised by Friend and Foe Estimates of President Roosevelt's| latest “fireside chat,” in which he dis- | cussed the present and future of the | the commentator toward the policies | of the administration. ! ~-“Never, since his inauguration,” | avers the Wall Street Journal, “has the President put recovery so far to ! the front among administration ob- jectives. Never before has he gone so far in describing such things as the utilities and banking bills as recovery measures. It is a possible inference that President Roosevelt now begins to distinguish in his own mind be- | tween recovery and the administration | conception of reform. The country has entered upon ‘a great national crusade to destroy enforced idleness,’| but ‘it is obvious that we cannot con- tinue to create governmental deficits for that purpose (work relief) year | after year. We must begin now to make provision for the future. That is why our social security program is an important part of the complete | picture.’ That is how it becomes, from | the administration point of view. a re- | covery measure. But whether or not | he realizes the difference between re- covery and what he has regarded as reform, or the inevitable obstruction of the one by the other, he leaves no room for doubt of his conviction that the country’s first need is recovery. And recovery can mean only the re- vival of legitimate private enterprise.” “The evident purpose of the Presi- dent,” says the Connellsville (Pa.) Courier, “was to have the people understand and approve his work- relief program, exert their influence | in support of his program in Congress and give further co-operation to his administration.” The Rock Island (I1l.) Argus states that “we may differ about some New Deal measures, but most are agreed that Mr. Roosevelt in all sincerity is taking a course that appeals to his conscience and judg- ment.” The Haverhill (Mass.) Gazette concludes: “The President spoke like a man trying to convince the people of their ability to solve their problems in terms of the principles laid down | by the founders of their Republic.” The Indianapolis News recognizes “both a declaration of faith in demo- cratic government and a plea to the people to turn away from visionary for seeking to seize’ the property of one group for division among the members of another.” “Again he displayed quglities of | leadership,” according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, which feels that “success of his program depends upon the strength and firmness of the President’s will.” The Times-Picayune adds: “To those who still doubt, the answer may be that many of us, for- tunately, did not know how badly off we were until we began measuring our previous plight by our gradual prog- ress upward.” “More confident than ever of recov- ery through planned economy,” says the Wichita (Kans.) Eagle, “the Pres- ident has not surrendered a hair's breadth of his initiative.” The Austin (Tex.) American calls it “a direct- from-the-shoulder address; a message of cheer as well as confidence; from the heart as well as the brain of a statesman-leader.” The Monroe (Mich.) News finds evidence of his belief “in the public’s ability to sift wheat from chaff.” Refegring to the President's figure ut'unm of 8 ship, the Charles- ‘share-the-wealth’ and similar schemes | ton (8. C) Evening Post skeptically asks: “Can the President himself tell what kind of boat he is building and describe to another marine architect agers have had ample opportunity | Marriner S. Eccles of the Federal | ington are more than satisfied with New Deal, viry with the attitude of what it will be like> Many billions during the present session of Congress | Reserve Board flew down to Pass| his administration. to assess the cffect of a bonus veto. | Christian, Miss.. to appear before a | great personality. integrity, compes | have been spent already. and where are the ways upon whi the noble ship will rest? When five billions more have vanished, by July 1, 1936, will the keel have been laid? Is the President really building a ship?” ‘The Philadelphia Inquirer also voices interest in the course to be taken when the billions are spent, and con- tinues: “It is earnestly to be hoped that by that time he will have ar- rived at the only sound conclusion that private enterprise can alone build up business and industry, and that | business and industry should be en- couraged instead of discouraged.” The San Francisco Chronicle ob- serves that the President evidently | “deemed it necessary to appeal to the Nation,” and the Reno (Nev.) Evening | Gazette also sees him “on the de- fensive.” | e Advocates Change in The Capitol’s Center To the Editor of The Star: | Please cast my vote for the change in the central part of our Capitol. Now is an opportune time to do it. It will be right in line with our new | Government buildings along Penne |sylvania and Constitution avenues, | not only bringing the long contro- versial thing to a successful conclu- | sion, but really finishing the United | States Capitol as it should look. And may I add that I advocate a change | on the west side, cutting down some of the trees, so the grass will have a | chance to get some sunshine; also | take away the dirty-looking wall and | have something in keeping with the landscape. Our wonderful Capitol is a beauti- | ful sight for any patriotic American, | and we all should feel very proud to | live in a country like the United States, the greatest in the world. Let | us all take our hats off for the Stars | and Stripes, FELIX A. URY. | o Caution Needed. | Prom the Columbus (Ohio) Citizen. | In trying to keep the East's “open door” from closing Uncle Sam should be careful not to put his foot in it. Wealth Sharing. FProm the Marshalltown. (Iows) Times-Rep. When we actually get around to sharing the wealth what are you go- ing to take, bank deposits, cash, & big farm or a brick block? A Rhyme at Twilight dee; By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton. The Town Was Mine Last night my city seemed to me As if each fragrant flower and tree Had flung faint perfume everywhere To lend enchantment to the air. ‘Though I may know another clime, No hour can be more sublime Than when I caught its rhyme last fi’ night In my twilight. b