Evening Star Newspaper, July 11, 1935, Page 10

A—10 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Editien. WASHINGTON, D. C. THURSDAY .....c.........July 11, 1935 THEODORE ‘W. NOYES..........Editor The Evening shr New'p.lper Company. offce: lvania Ave llth 8t. lnd Pell}nulvl ATehe Ch\cl 0 Oflet Lake Michi h nuflfllnl European Office: 14 Regent St.. London. Engiand Rate by Carrier Wlthln the City. Regular Edition. The Evening Star ‘The Evening lnd Sunday Star n 4 Sundays) and Sunday Star undays) . , ‘The Sunday Star... Night Final Edition. Night Pinal lnd Sunday Star .. 70c per month Night Final Sta 55c per month Collection made at the end of each month. Orders may be sent by mail or telephone Na- tionai® A000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Vlulnll. 45¢ per month 60c per month 6! 2 per munth Ec per copy : 1 mo.. 8&5¢ 23500 T mo: Boe iy . aly. ooy $400; 1 mo. 40c Sunday only All Other States and Canada. Dllly and Sunday l yr.. $12.00: 1 m Daily “only .. yr. T $8.00: 1 mo.. Sunday only. ... 1 yri. $5.00: 1 mo Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches rredlted to lv. or not otherwise credited in this ru nd aiso the local news published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved What Is Capital? 1t is a curious fact that although, if one were seeking in two words accurately to define the politico-economic system which has resulted in the Nation we love and respect, we could probably find no $1.00 75c Buc better phrase than a capitalistic de- | mocracy, one half of that designation has a sour sound to a great majority of Americans. “Democracy?” Ah, yes. “Capitalistic?” Is there not some other word that would fill the bill? Without going into what lies behind this complex, it is perhaps timely, in view of certain trends in current affairs, to delve a little into definitions. An adequate one for capital would be “funds available for the promotion of addi- tional production.” Capitalism means *the power and influence of concentrated capital” A capitalist is one “who has large means employed in productive en- terprise.” The adjective capitalistic al- ready loses something of its harshness upon the ears. dn its true economic sense capital is money usefully employed. It is, to use a trite phrase, “the blood stream of in- dustry.” Without its employment fac- tories do not and cannot operate, nor ‘mines, nor railroads, nor stores, nor any other of the hundreds of enterprises upon which the prosperiiy of this Nation and its people depends. Do away with capital or capitalists or capitalism and the only alternative is pure socialism and communism, or, impossible of re- alization, a reversion to entire self-suffi- ciency on the part of each American family. Capital, per se, is more important to the interests of every wage earner in the United States than any other factor in his or her picture. Upon its existence actually and truly depends his ability to earn his daily bread, to say nothing of those other daily needs recognized as part of American life. Any surplus above his living requirements, any sav- ings, investments or insurance he may own is of itself capital. If capitalism—the use of money for the promotion of new production—is to live, it is obvious that such employment of money must repay its owners. There 1s today nothing to prevent the owner of a million or ten million or a hundred million excess dollars from putting it | into tax-exempt bonds or a big iron box or the industries of another nation. America, if the lifeblood of its indus- tries is to flow, cannot encourage such courses, save at the cost of every citi- zen of the land. Capital in its genuine sense, despite the slurs cast upon it by canny dema- gogues, needs no defense. It needs, more than anything else, the encourage- ment and impetus of every American, whether his shadow be long or short. Selfish capital, greedy capital, ruthless capital is another thing again. But so is selfish labor, greedy labor, ruthless labor different from labor per se. There is work of regulation still to be done on both sides and understanding of each other still to be achieved, but the essential partnership between the maker of a job and the seeker of a job will, if the theor- ists and more deliberate trouble makers can be persuaded into retirement, endure for many happier years of healthy Americanism. ———r——————— ‘Helen Jacobs says she is going to keep trying to defeat Helen Wills Moody with- out regard to purses. Hats are again off to women for setting an example in true sportsmanship. Hard on Mr. Prettyman. Representative Virginia Jenckes’ charges against Corporation Counsel Prettyman for alleged failure to enforce the existing small-loans statute present en ironical commentary on some of the processes of legislating for the District of Columbia. Beyond that they are not important. The existing statute was enacted in 1913, aimed principally at the pawn- brokers. While it confines the interest rate on small loans to one per cent a month, the spirit, if not the letter, of the law is and always has been evaded by the various subterfuges represented in fees for this, that and the other thing. A good many poor people who could not afford it have been taken for a ride by the sharks, but every corporation counsel has considered the law a pain in the neck as far as its enforcement is con- cerned. Mr. Prettyman has shown more interest in the subject than most of his predecessors and has labored faithfully in behalf of & new act which would fix the rate of interest at two per cent, but close loopholes in the old measure. He told the Senate committee considering this new bill that he would await the pleasure of Congress. If the bill passed, he would undertake its rigid enforce- ment; if it failed, he would do the best he could with the old act. The Senate committee reported the pu! | to naught. THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, some time ago, but its passage has been blocked on objection. The bill reposed in a subcommittee of the House District Committee for many months, was finally reported two weeks ago to the full com- mittee, and then, after Mrs. Jenckes’ remarks yesterday, was sent back to the subcommittee for further “study.” The activity of the so-called loan sharks in fighting the bill may be a matter of con- jecture, but the Russell Sage Founda- tion’s attempts to have another bill enacted—with interest rate at three per cent, and designed as the well-known “model” for the Nation—are well known, At any rate, the new bill has been suc- cessfully blocked this year, as it has been blocked before. The need for revision of the law re- lating to small loans is generally ad- mitted. But every revision meets objec- tions which the friends of the people, possessed of exclusive legislative author- ity over the District of Columbia, are unable to reconcile among themselves. So, why blame Mr. Prettyman? —————— The Approach of War. As in the fateful Summer of 1914, this July finds the world face to face with the apparently inexorable cer- tainty of war. All efforts to avert strife between Italy and Abyssinia have come Direct negotiations between the two governments are deadlocked. | Rome charges the Ethiopians with a new set of provocative incidents. Haile Selassie retorts with an appeal for con- vocation of a special session of the Coun- cil of the League of Nations. Mussolini lets it be known that renewed attempts to project Geneva into the controversy are useless. He implies that nothing less | than complete submission to Italy’s de- mands can settle matters to Fascist sat- | isfaction. Barring the Ethiopians’ read- iness to yield on Rome’s terms, they face the definite prospect of hostilities. It is a disheartening outlook and a | grim commentary on the futility of Eu- ropean statesmanship, with its League, its | | bill's administration be placed under the Locarno, its Stresa, its ententes, its bal ances of power and all its other con- trivances for preserving peace. The Old World sees things drifting as hopelessly into war as they did twenty-one years ago. The vision and wisdom which statesmen of the 1914 era lacked are just as conspicuous by their absence in 1935. Nor are the immeasurable eventu- alities a whit less. Few realized that | Serajevo was destined to set alight a conflagration that would embroil the | world before its fury was spent. Today war threatens to involve only Italy and the territory in East Africa which is the | object of Mussolini’s impending cam- paign of conquest. But the statesman does not live who can predict the full extent to which the conflict may finally spread. Begun as a war in Africa, it holds the distinct prospect of under- mining the peace of Europe because of the incentive it may provide to certain states to fish in troubled waters under | Ralph Given as he is retired summarily circumstances conceived to be favorable. If Mussolini runs into hostilities in Africa, that absorb the military and economic resources of Italy over a pro- tracted period, two situations loom as menacing possibilities. could not indefinitely stand the strain of fruitless and costly colonial war. The | other contingency is that with Italy con- centrating her energies in Africa, Ger- many might be tempted to annex Austria before the Hapsburg restoration, now ! definitely threatened, is accomplished and Nazi hopes thus blasted, while there ! is the additional chance that Yugo- slavia may think the hour has struck for her to square acrimonious accounts with the Italians. From either adven- ture vast complications would inevi- tably flow. All in all, Mussolini’s determination to make war on the Ethiopians is capable of producing international repercussions of incalculable magnitude. ship must watch its step if it is not to be 1914 all over again. ———— Red Cross preparations for another | It was a grim | war are already active. old Indian who inquired, “If they are trying to cure me, why did they hurt me in the first place?” —_— et There was a time when the domina- tion of a Puritanical spirit was deplored. The prudist is now less in evidence than the nudist. ——————— More Swimming Pools. Every Summer has its natural quota of drownings. The warm weather sends thousands of people to convenient water, and accidents are a resultant inevita- bility. But the toll of death can be cut. Yesterday’s tragedy—the loss of two children and their gallant would-be res- cuer in the current of the Anacostia River—might have been avoided had the projected swimming pool in the South- west section of the city been completed in time. The plans are ready, the money has been allocated from Public Works Administration funds and work will be started on the selected site as soon as the requisite Treasury Department war- rant has been received. there will be no occasion for the boys and girls, men and women, of the South- west neighborhood to risk the perils of a treacherous stream in quest of relief from the blazing sun. The needed pool, to be constructed near the Hoover Play- ground, will be available for their use. But there are other portions of the city for which no such provision as yet has been made. The matter, certainly, has had consideration. Georgetown, it has been agreed, is to have a pool, and the costs of its building are included in the same allotment as that which covers the Southwest. Also, some seventeen additional pools have been suggested by the National Capital Parks Office and the National Capital Park and Planning Commission for approved locations in an equal number of different residential areas. The philosophy of the problem, it seems, no longer merits argument. All parties are agreed that public bathing places are necessities, not luxuries, and the only question is that of when final action will be taken, Obviously delay is costly—the three ~ manner that conferees reconcile differ- ! although the Senate bill has not even | by pay roll tax reduction, who stabilize | | the Commissioners said, | 1ocal community. | locally administered? | it on the dog? | responsibility is an inherent principle | from service. On the one hand | is the danger that the Fascist regime | Statesman- | | Where each conducts himself with pride A year hence | lives paid yesterday were precious lives, and no one willingly would have con- sented to such a price for procrastina- tion. Unhappily, the story is apt to be duplicated again and again during the next few weeks; but, if so, the repetition should have the effect of prompting an adequate swimming pool program, to the end that the Summer of 1936 may be exempt from a like record of sorrow. e Other Changes Needed. Work on amending provisions of the local unemployment insurance bill to eliminate unnecessarily harsh require- ments is proceeding satisfactorily through a rather unusual but possibly effective method. Mr. Ellenbogen, who sponsored the bill in the House, has been in daily conference with Senator Copeland, who has been placed in charge of the Senate measure for the Senate District Committee. They are working on the bill in much the same | ences of opinion between the two Houses, been reported. When they agree, and the bill is later sent to conference, its enactment will probably be expedited. Thus far the proposal to inaugurate the pay roll tax at three per cent has been changed to conform with the na- tional bill, which begins the tax at one per cent and increases it in three years to three per cent. There are other essential changes which should be made. The unusual requirement for a con- tribution from the general tax funds of the District, augmenting the employers’ contribution, should be eliminated. No such provision exists in any State meas- ure. If found essential later on, the tax | can be added. The proposal for rewarding employers, their pay rolls should be written into the | bill. This provides a tangible incentive | to maintain steady pay rolls. | And the Commissioners’ plea that the Commissioners should be heeded. As | it affects the | Why should it not be | The only argument in favor of na- tional administration of the local meas- ure is that it would give the national authorities opportunity to see how the business will work out in the States. But is this not merely another way of saying that the real purpose of national administration of the local bill is to try The States will administer their own | laws, working in conjunction with the National Social Security Board. Local of the national legislation. Why should that principle not apply, as far as pos- sible, in the District of Columbia? e T One satisfaction remains to Judge No man has a higher rec- ord of efficiency. Boy and man he has been in training for his job and has | managed to perform the most exacting services without loss of friends. — e - ‘The possibilities of flood in Ithaca, N. Y., have existed since the glacial period. It is regrettable that modern science had | not the foresight and skill to provide against disaster by expert forestry work. e gl New York has in contemplation a war on vice—which may prevent so many butter-and-egg men from being kidnaped | from night clubs. e e Stock exchange activities prove that business is undaunted and will be able to provide an abundance of ticker tape for the next hero parade. = el Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Evolution of Talk. A conversation ought to be An interchange of thought, Where each express opinions free, Each eager to be taught. A conference is more dignified, ‘With no one ill at ease, And all desire to please. Then a convention comes around, ‘There is a grand display Of oratory most profound And wit from day to day. But when the crowd uplifts the shout Concerning life and law, There’s not much left to talk about Except just “rah! rah! rah!” Striving to Please. “Some of you statesmen threaten physically encounter,” said the friend. “The world’s a stage,” replied Senator Sorghum. “We're kind of running short of pathos and humor and may have to give a boxing exhibition to keep ’‘em interested.” Jud Tunkins says he doesn't disapprove of rich folks. What the tax collectors need is more of 'em. First on the List. When nations boldly disagree And threaten dire disaster, The biggest you expect to see At last declared the master. But in preliminary zeal, While waiting a commander, The earliest victims will reveal The innocent bystander. “Do you intend to rebuild your private fortune?” “Not exactly,” said Mr. Dustin Stax. “As times are going, there’s mo such thing as a private fortune.” April Fool Encores. Though practical jokes are uhpleasant, ‘We'd like to see more just at present, And learn we've been tempted to tremble By some one who chose to dissemble, And, letting our terrors diminish, Exclaim “April Fool!” at the finish. “I's charitable enough to believe,” said Uncle Eben, “dat mistakes will happen, but some folks has a way of hurryin’ ‘em.” | preted by the Supreme Court. D. C, THE POLITICAL MILL By G. Gould Lincoln. ‘The Roosevelt New Dealers appear to have won their fight over the bill ex- tending the powers of the Tennessee Valley Authority. In the House yester- day amendments proposed by the Mili- tary Affairs Committee seeking to pre- vent the sale of electric power by the Government below cost of production and to give the controller general of the United States definite authority in connection with the expenditures made by the T. V. A. were defeated. Another effort to prevent the T. V. A. from build- ing transmission lines paralleling exist- ing private lines was unavailing. But while the Roosevelt forces won, it was noticeable that a very considerable num- ber of Democrats turned their backs on the administration in this fight and stood by the House Committee. * % Kk ok The administration leaders, however, are taking heart. They were rather jit- tery after the real defeat which they met at the hands of the House more than a week ago, when the President’s “death sentence” clause was voted out of the public utilities holding company bill. They knew they had another hurdle ahead of them in the shape of the T. V. A. bill, which had been re- ported from the House Military Affairs | Committee with amendments distasteful to the administration. The leaders breathed more freely today. They be- lieve that the temper of the Democratic House is perhaps after all not so strongly anti-New Deal and anti-dictation from THURSDAY, the White House as they feared it was becoming. Plans are being made to rush the President’s tax bill through as speedily as possible, judging from the way in which the hearings before the House Ways and Means Committee are pro- ceeding. But whether these plans will be successful remains to be seen. There will be a lot of argument both in the committee and in the House over this measure. ok ok ok One of the measures which the Presi- | dent has demanded—the Guffey coal bill—is likely to run into trouble, either in the House or Senate or both. The President’s letter to Representative Hill of Washington, chairman of the House | ‘Ways and Means Committee Subcommit- | | tee in charge of that bill, has had its | repercussions. In his letter the Presi- dent said that he wished Congress would go ahead and pass the bill even though | it had reasonable doubts of its consti- | tutionality. In many quarters there is a growing suspicion that the President is intent upon a war against the Con- | stitution as it is now written and inter- If the Guffey coal bill is held unconstitutional by the court after it shall have been enacted into law, the President may say, as he said after the Supreme Court ! had declared his N. R. A. law uncon- | stitutional, that under the interpreta- tion of the Constitution it was impossible JULY 11, 1935. THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. One of the things a timid, modest per- son ought most to learn is how to re- frain from answering questions. It will be found that all such persons think it necessary to answer each and every question fired at them, by whom- soever asked. Nothing could be more to their hurt than this feeling, for more often than not they prefer not to make any reply, vet find themselves under a sort of in- vicible necessity to say something. It is this very saying something which worries them, for often it leads to trouble —a chain of conversation not at all to their liking. The easiest way, of course, to end such unwanted talk is not to begin it in the first place, nor to permit any one else to start it. * * k *x Not alone the modest person could | learn this lesson aright. Most people, in fact, might profit from acquiring the ability to refrain from answering all questions put to them in the course of the day. We refer to those hundred and one questions which form part of the every- | day life. They vary with the person, and often have nothing behind them except sheer | curiosity. Often they are motivated by nothing more than an idle effort to keep con- versation going. The question, whatever it may be, is perfectly all right; where the mistake . and many will think it a mis- take, is in the immediate answer. » ok x how to parry a question by not reply- ing to it. This is so simple, indeed, that one might think it the very first thing such a person would think of. Often enough he thinks of it, but does not know how to achieve it. Something within him compels him to reply. This something, doubtless, is past training. Training of this sort is partly from others, partly from one’s self. 1t is one’s self, in a sense, after a time, that is why the victim, if such he may be called, finds it hard to do otherwise. & * %% Yet nothing will do him so much good as a determined effort to break himself | of the habit of replying to every ques- tion asked him. He must remember that a large per- centage of such queries is utterly need- | less. There is no point in replying to them, anyway. They are but part of the social game. For all their practical good they might as well be statements which need no direct reply. They are not asked to be answered. really, and the person who finds himself under a compulsion to answer must keep | this in mind. for the Federal Government to come to | the aid of the people in vital economic and social matters. =k ‘There are other signs, too, that the + President is seeking for a widespread demand from the people, business and the workers and the farmers, for some change in the Constitution along these | suggested lines. The demand has not come yet. But suppose wages are cut generally, now that the N. R. A. is “out,” and suppose that business begins to feel again in substantial fashion the burden of unfair business practices by a minority ' of those engaged in business? That seems to be what the President is bank- present laws to prevent unfair trade practices, through the Federal' Trade Commission, and through the co-opera- | ing on. A lot could be done under the | tion of the N. R. A. still in existence. | But what is being done? Voluntary agreements by business might yet be effective both as regards trade practices | and wages. * % x % The House Committee on Rules and its lobby inquiry, fortunately during this hot weather, has a chairman with a sense of humor. Chairman O'Connor, however, is quite ready at all times to In the second place, an answer often is needless. The one who asks does not expect to | be answered. He, too, would feel re- lieved if no answer were forthcoming. is caused by needless, even senseless, questions, which, once answered, neces- sarily lead on to more and more. * ox % x Then there are hundreds of questions asked, simply by way of politeness, which | somewhat lose their effect if much STARS, MEN | to talk about something else. | was under a sort of evervday compulsion, Tt seems that many persons never learn | | in a vein of inferiority, shown by | and has followed her instructions. palaver follows. They were never put to receive replies, but simply by way of saying something. The modest person who feels the neces- sity of answering, in order to be polite, should keep this in mind. He may find that the greater courtesy would be to let the question go unanswered. Yet it is a fact that almost every one goes on the theory that a question, how- ever made, must be answered. There seems to be a great fear of the unanswered question. A few may even regard it as en insult. Hapnily, not many do. To save their own faces, if their questions are not replied to instantly, they prefer to believe that you did not hear them, or that you are somewhat deaf, or even are too dumb to answer. Just as mankind has managed to find a rational explanation of almost every- thing that is not to its liking, so it is able to explain away the unanswered question. * % * % Wherefore the timid, modest soul, who | feels the compulsion in his very bones, ought to feel that all mankind is on his side. The very person who puts a question 1s not expecting it to be answered. Do not rush forth a reply, therefore, | | as if the thing were a sort of foot race. Let the question dangle in air. Often it will answer itself, or the per- son who put it will forget all about it, as his restless mind darts off on another | tangent. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS By Frederic ]. Haskin. A reader can get the answer to any question of fact by writing The Washing- ton Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washing- ton, D.C. Please inclose stamp for reply. Q. Have many Federal laws been held unconstitutional?—F. T. A. Of the 24,016 public acts and resolu= tions enacted by Congress in 146 years of legislative history only 59 have been held unconstitutional, in whole or in part, by Supreme Court decisions. Q. What substitute does Russia have for Sunday?—J. C. _A. In Russia at the present time every | sixth day is a rest day. For the most part, this falls on the same day, but in some industries which operate contin- uously the workers’ days of rest vary. Q. How many islands are there in the | Bermuda group?—S. E. D. A. It consists of about 360 islands, | Only six are of importance. Many are rocky islets, uninhabited and unnamed. Q. In the early years of the Cambridge (Mass.) Press, how many books did it turn out each year?—L. H. A. In 1639 the Freeman’s Oath and an almanack, were printed. The next year came the Bay Psalm Book, and a book appeared yearly for the next 21 years. Q. Whnt kmd of liquor is Berlin Often he will thank you for starting | He, 100, in asking a question, perhaps, when he might as well have kept still. Suppose a clerk, obeying instructions, comes up to vou in a store and asks, “Is there anything I can do for you?” Do not reply instantly, for you de not know whether there is or not. Often the modest person answers, “Oh, I am just looking around.” That is bad, because it is an answer the use of “just.” “Just,” as an adverb, is one of the several words in the language which ought to be used with caution. Especially in all such utterances, “I am just so-and-so.” or “I am just look- ing around a bit,” it might as well be left out. “I am looking around” is enough, if one feels compelled to reply. Why reply? The clerk is simply trying to be polite One had better say “thank you” and let it | go at that, Perhaps no reply at all is better. Simply signify by a smile that she has been heard. There is no need for reply. - %ok % There is the basis of it all—there is no need for reply. There will be many occasions for the use of words before the day is over, suppose we save some of them. TLe wise person invariably at some time in his life decides that he talks | too much. It may be believed that many a quarrel | Well, a good way to begin to reform in this matter is to stop replying to every | fool question asked during the day. After a little practice one will realize how many words he has been wasting, how much wordage he has caused, with- out rhyme or reason, by invariably answering simply to be answering. AND ATOMS Notebook of Science Progress in Field, Laboratory and Study. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. “Mind fights” of the Mission Indians of California, which still take place in isolated villages, are described by Dr. | | John P. Harrington, Smithsonian Insti- deal firmly with both witnesses and the | members of the committee. The charges | of administration lobbying on the public i utility holding company bill so far have come from but one witness, Represent- ative Brewster of Maine, a Republican. Whether the committee will have any testimony from Democratic members of the House or Senate that the adminis- tration sought to coerce them to vote | for the death sentence clause in the holding company bill is another matter. One story passed around the House lobby | was that a Democratic member had been told some of the banks in his district might be closed unless he could see the | true light. But this member has yet to come forward with any such testimony. * k x x The Cleveland Republican “sectional conference,” which had neither the blessing nor the opposition of the Re- publican national organization, has con- cluded its labors with the adoption of a set of “principles,” liberal in the main. The conference appears to have been rushed off its feet in the last minutes into adopting a declaration fa- voring the immediate cash payment of the soldiers’ bonus. It had been planned to adopt among the resolutions of the conference a recommendation that the bonus be paid as soon as the Treasury could afford to put the money out for that purpose. One thing the Cleveland conference did which was largely miss- ing from the set of principles and creed adopted by the Springfield “grass roots” Republican conference of the Midwest. That was a hard “swipe” at the A. A. A, the Roosevelt farm program. * % % % The Cleveland conference of Republic- ans passed off without party ructions, although there were speeches in which strong demand was made for liberalizing the party and less of the “Old Guard.” ‘The national party organization made no attack on the Cleveland gathering, which has been described largely as a per- sonally conducted affair by George H. Bender, one of the faction leaders in | Cleveland. Indeed, Chairman Fletcher of the National Committee wished the gathering well in a telegram. The adoption of the bonus cash payment resolution is likely to stick in the craw of some of the Republicans around the country, however. As at the Springfield: conference, efforts were made to keep away from presidential booms. How- ever, one of the speakers at Cleveland declared that the Republican standard bearer should be Senator Borah of Idaho in the campaign of 1936. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of Republicans around about the country who would be glad to see the veteran Senator nomi- nated for President next year. Mr., Borah himself is not seeking the nomi- nation. If it should come to him, the G. O. P. could be sure of having a nominee who could talk to the people. Talk. From the Toledo Blade. If you don’t know that talk is cheap, Matthew Prior of the early centuries thus explains: “They never taste who always drink; they always talk who never think.” tution ethnologist, who has spent many years in the intensive study of these Ppeople. They are literally knockout contests in which no weapons are used and there is no contact between the contestants. The gladiators are medicine men. Crowds, says Mr. Harrington, watch the performances with all the breathless in- terest of spectators watching evenly matched prizefighters. The fights usu- ally are held at village fiestas and usu- ally are attended with considerable secrecy. ‘When a village decides to hold such a fiesta, runners are sent to the neigh- boring rancherias to tell the date of the event and invite the neighbors to be present. An outside medicine man, how- ever, is not accepted as the professional | equal of the medicine men of the village holding the fiesta unless he can demon- | strate his abilities in one of these wierd | psychic contests. The “home-town talent”—usually four or five of them—meet the visitor and | If he agrees, a | line is drawn in the center of the road. | invite him to a match. The local shamans line up on one side of it. All the visitor needs do to be ac- walk across that line. He retires to his “dressing room,” a nearby ravine. clothes and adorns himself with the elaborate feather costume of his craft. He then pronounces various magical in- | cantations, the nature of which he keeps secret. Then he comes striding straight towards the medicine men who are to | contest with their power his crossing of the line. It is a wierd performance. As he ad- vances he goes through the motions of catching invisible balls from the air. He is accumulating the spiritual forces by which he hopes to conquer. When- ever he makes a “catch,” he presses his hands to his heart, thus supposedly | pushing the magic strength into his | bod; 2 y. These invisible balls, to judge from the acrobatics the contestant goes through in chasing them, are hard to catch. It may look ridiculous to the uninitiated, but to the man himself and the spectators it is a very serious matter. Meanwhile the “home-town boys” are doing something—just what is a dark secret since they go through no move- ments. line drawn in the dust the spectators are breathless. Sometimes he falls, strug- gles and even froths at the mouth as in | | Like your fresh soul with younz love an epileptic fit, rises, falls again, and finally struggles over the line with every evidence of tremendous exertion. Some- times he falls in a coma, as from a real knock-out. There have been instances in the past, Mr. Harrington says, of the “knock-out” ending in death. In such & case the man was given an elaborate funeral, which formed part of the fes- tivities of the fiesta. Sometimes, however, he walks over the line without difficulty, to be re- ceived as the champion. He is, indeed, looked upon as a very great cham- pion, his psychic strength having proved superior to thaf of four or five other “champions.” Mr. Harrington ven- tures no explanation of what actually happens, beyond the fact that the visit- ing shaman himself is firmly convinced that his opponents have the power of striking him dead unless he can resist There he takes off his | As the visitor approaches the | their influence with still greater powers. This, coupled with his extraordinary physical exertions in pursuit of the in- visible balls, might explain the occasional serious results of the contests. » RN Dr. Harrington returned to Washing- ton recently from an intensive study of the Indians of the San Juan Capistrano Mission on the coast of Southern Cali- fornia, where he was led by the dis- covery of the Spanish original of a | treatise written by a missionary, Father Jeronimo Boscana, in 1822 In the course of this study he gathered a large body of notes on the mythology and folklore of these isolated people, much of which, especially the creation chants, which tell the story of the world | since its formation, he describes as very beautiful. few years. Among the legends he obtained was | that of the tribe’s elder culture hero— | | Woyoot, the moon. ! person who died, the Indians told Dr. | Harrington, and the signs of his long | sickness—due to bewitchment brought | He was the first upon him by a frog girl—can be seen in the pale, haggard face of the orb. Dr. Harrington made a special effort cepted as their equal or superior is to | to locate some of the places mentioned prominently in the Indian legends in the wierd Elsinore Desert, the barren basin of a dried-up lake, which lies over the mountains to the eastward, and where the tribe believe that the first human beings were created out of the mud. He also visited various “painted caves” whose walls.are covered with symbolic designs painted by the medi- cine men, many of which are quite ancient. He obtained many of the plants used in the medicines and in the ceremonial life of the Indians, some of which sup- posedly have wierd effects. They are | now being studied and identified as to species and variety. e e——— A Rhyme at Twilight By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton Century-Old Love Letter Beloved—At dawn I sought the wood- land hill That I might pluck and with this missive fi 11 Some violets all drenched in morning dew shining through. Ah, like your eves widened to life’s bright dream, So blue! so rare! these fragile flowers seem! And should, my sweet, they lose in reach- ing you Their verdancy and their refreshing dew, Place them within the lovely mounds of Snow Of the slight breast whose purity I know— Let them revive upon the heart of you To dewiness and more impassioned hue! And till again my weary head shall rest Upon the snow and passion of that breast Accept these blossoms as my fond en- deavor To plant love in your heart of hearts forever. Some of this mythology is ! | retained only in the memory of the very aged inhabitants, who will be dead in a | . s n coarv whisky, made chiefly | of beet root, potatoes, etc. Because of its cheapness it is largely used in the | making of brandy and for mixing with weak wines. Q. Why was Lily Langtry the actress called the Jersey Lily?>—G. L A. She was born on the island of Jer- sey, and Millais gave this title to the portrait of her uhxch he painted. Q. How is a lanu.m made?—C. K. A. Lanolin is a fatty substance ob- tained from the grease of sheep’s wool and consisting chiefly of cholestrin. The wool grease is saponified by means of caustic soda and the resulting emulsion is diluted with water. The lanolin then separates into fine particles, which, by the aid fugal parator, may be obtained in a creamy mass. It is widely used as a ‘base in salves and | ointments, since it not become ran- ! cid and is somewhat antisej ptic. Q. What weight atiain?—S. B A.In the United States the golden | eagle rarely attains a weight of more than 10 or 11 pounds. The female is | slightly heavier than the male. The same species sometimes sh a weight of 16 pe for adults. does the golden eagle un Q. What was the last honor bestowed by Queen Victoria?—G. T. A. The earldom and the Garter, con- | ferred upon Lord Roberts January 1901. Q. Where is Elmoma“——.! A M. A. Ethiopia is the present official name for the empire in Northeast Africa which was formerly ralled Abyssinia. Q. How many ph,\sxclans are there in Canada?—H. N. A. The American Medical Association lists 10,807. In the United States there are about 161,000. Q. Is it po«xhle to see the wind? If 50, how?—E. C. A. A. The Weather Bureau says that to see the wind, hold any flat, smooth sur- face having a straight edge (a straight- backed hand saw is excellent for this purpose) against the wind, but inclined to the vertical, with the straight edge uppermost and leaning with the wind, then sight along this straight upper edge toward a white object. If the wind is moderately strong one will see it pour- g over the straight edge like water over a dam. This phenomenon is owing to irregular densities in the air, which in turn cause irregular refractions of the transmitted light. Q. What is the instrument called which is used to push food down the esophagus of a choking or reluctant animal?—R. C. A. It is a probang. ! Q. What was the full name of the en- gineer who erected the Eiffel Tower? —A. G. A. Alexandre G\1<la\P Eiffel. Q. On what day of the month was Beethoven born?—E. B. A. It is not definitely known. He was baptized on December 17, 1770, and it is assumed that he was born on the pre- ceding day. Q. Please tell something of the youth of Maj. L'Enfant, who planned the City of Washington—A. P. M. A. Maj. Pierre Charles L'Enfant was born in Paris August 2, 1754, the son of an academician who was “painter in ordinary to the King in his manufacture of the gobelins,” with a turn for land- scape and especially for battles. Trained as a French military engineer, young L’Enfant at thesage of 23 obtained a commission as a volunteer lieutenant in the French colonial troops, serving at his own expense. He preceded Lafayette to America by a month, arriving in 1777, whereupon he entered the Continental Army at his own expense. Q. Was there a famous tavern called The Mitre?—L. M. A. This was a tavern in London, where Dr. Samuel Johnson, Boswell and other celebrities met. It stood on Fleet street. Q. Please give some information about King’s Chapel in Boston—T. F. L. A. This religious edifice, in Tremont street, was built in 1745 on the site of an older church. During the Revolu- tionary War it was for a time forsaken by its loyalist congregation. In the burial ground adjoining, which has been | in use since 1630, many of the early | Puritans, including Gov. Winthrop, are interred. Q. When was the celebration of the day of the Kingdom of Christ inaugu- rated in the Roman Catholic Church? —A. I P. A. On December 11, 1925, Pope Pius XI published his encyclical letter on “The Establishment of the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ as King.” The feast is to be celebrated every year and in all the world on the last Sunday of the month of October—that is, the one just preceding the celebration of all the saints. Q. Who was Jane Thomas?—G. T. A. She was the wife of John Thomas, colonel of the Spartan Regiment of South Carolina. She distinguished her- self by aiding in repelling an attack upon her house by the Tories. Q. In what play did Viola Allen make her debut?—H. H. A. She made her debut at the age of 15 at Madison Square Theater, New } York, in “Esmerelda.”