Evening Star Newspaper, August 9, 1935, Page 8

THE EVENING STA _ WASHINGTON, D \ FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 1935. - AN : THIS AND THAT THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY ................August 9, 1935 S D A S P e A THEODORE W. NOYES...........Editor — e it The Evening Star Newspaper Company. Business Office: St. and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd 8t, Chirago Office: Lake Michigan Buildini Furopean Office: 14 Regent St.. London. Ei Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Editl The Evening Star_ The Evening and Su (when 4 Bundays) Tne Evening and Sundsy Stat (when 5 8Sundays) The Sunday Star. -45¢ per month -60c pes month 65¢_per month -.-b¢ per copy Nigh ht Pinal apd Sunaay Sta 0c per month Nisht P ‘Blar 55¢ per month Llecti de at the end of each month. Orders mey b sent by mail o telephone Na< tional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginis. Daily and Sund, Daily only Sunday onl: All Other States and Ca . ily & unday_.1 yr. $12.00; 1 .. 81, nn; onndlf ih 1 yr. $8.00; 1 mo, 7bc Bunday only. 1 yr. $5.00; 1 mo. B50c Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press fs exclusively entitled to - s Yepublication of all news dispatches e it B 1 i not otherwise credited tn this paper and also the local:news published herein. Al fights of oublication of special dispatches herein Iso Teserved. —_——————————— Local Social Security. The value of the principle represented in Senator Clark’s amendment to the old-age insurance plan has never been in dispute. Most people will agree that private pension plans, more generous to employes than the new, untried Govern- ment plan, should be preserved. The chief difficulty, apparently, was that wholesale exemption, from the law, of private plans which met Government standards would throw the Government scheme out of actuarial balance and that new, private plans would spring into existence, with the main objective, not of pensioning empleyes, but of escaping the tax. The agreement finally reached on what to do about the Clark amendment is reasonable under the circumstances. For the time being it is dropped from the social security legislation. House and Senate committees, however, have been named to work out a compromise which would preserve its valuable prin- ciple without danger of abuse by con- scienceless employers. The tax support- ing the old-age insurance plan does not go into effect until December, 1936. By that time the Clark amendment will doubtless have been revised to meet the objections of its opponents. The social security legislation, at the same time, has been placed in shape for immediate enactment. This clears the Wway for final redrafting and considera- tion of the District social security legis- lation, of which the Ellenbogen unem- plovment insurance bill is of chief im- portance. Senator King's committee will meet n the next few days to put this bill in final shape. The main changes sought by the community, as represented by the Commissioners and those who ap- peared before the Senate District Com- mittee, are these: 1. To begin the local pay roll tax at one ver cent, in conformity with natignal legisiation, reaching three per cent at the end of two years instead of im- mediately levying a three per cent tax on all affected employers. 2. To include a so-called “merit clause” which will reward those employers, by pay roll tax reduction, who succeed in stabilizing their employment. That is now possible under terms of the national legislation. ) 3. To place administration of the local bill, which affects local citizens, under eontrol of the District government, thus preserving in some degree, at least, the principle of local administration of local laws which applies in the States. The anly reason for placing administm'tion of the local bill with the National Social Becurity Board is to give this board an opportunity to experiment in the Dis- trict. That is unnecessary, presenting a possibly disconcerting future for the guinea pigs. 4. To eliminate from the bill the pro- posed contribution, amounting to one per cent of local pay rolls, from the gen- eral tax funds of the District. That is an unusual requirement which does not apply in those State laws so far enacted. The necessity for such a contribution has not been demonstrated. When it is demonstrated there will be time enough to consider it. ‘The employers of eight or more persons under the national legislation are af- fected, while the local bill affects em- ployers of four or more. The local legislation should conform to the na- tional in this respect. The national legisjption excludes domestic servants. The local legislation includes them when there are four or more in a household. Unless all domestic servants are §n- eluded, which is manifestly impractical, the local bill should be amended to ex- clude them, in conformity with the national act. ——————— The best possible apology in individual or public or international affairs is an intelligent and convincing explanation that no offense was intended. ———— Cheering Rioters, At Madison Square Garden, New York, last evening twenty thousand peo- ple cheered for ten minutes six men whose only claim to such vociferous rec- ognition consisted of having participated fn a riot. The crowd had been invited to signify its approbation of a half dozen of the hoodlums who trespassed on the German liner Bremen and tore down a Nazi flag legally flying there, July 26. Passionate hatred of Hitlerism was motive enough, apparently, to prompt a hearty acceptance of the op- portunity to shout appreciation. The chairman of the meeting knew the temper of the audience and catered - to it. But to the citizens of that portion of the United States which lies beyond ,Manhattan the case is not so simple. Rioting is not exactly the American way of solving political or social problems. Granted that it has been tried from time to tinge, it has never been indorsed 7~ by the generality of the population. On the contrary, it contradicts a funda= mental tenet of the American mind— the conviction that disorder spoils an otherwise good cause. John Brown of Ossawatomie may have had the sym- pathy of millions, but his methods at Harpers Ferry met with the approval of only & small minority. The Hay- market Square bomb-throwers of 1886 and the Homestead strikers of 1892 ad- vantaged themselves little by resorting to violence. In England, if not on this side of the Atlantic, woman suffrage was retarded by the extravagances of Pank- hurstism; in Ireland the scars of Sinn Fein terrorism still sting and smart; in France nothing will be gained by civil war between the laborers of Toulon and the police, and in Germany mass fight- ing against Jews and Catholics, trade unionists and Masons will serve no pur=- pose but to stimulate opposition to Na- tional Socialism at home and abroad. Society cannot have it both ways. It cannot approve rioting in one instance and condemn it in another. © High ideals of social justice will be established by the development of a clean and honorable technique of thought and action, not by recourse to anarchistic formulas of agitation. The six men who invaded the Bremen and insulted her flag deserve no applause. They may have had provocation, but that is not the point. The thing they did was basically unlawful. It flouted civilized patterns of progress and re- form. If they are not Communists they acted as if they were. And the cheers of twenty thousand people, they should understand, are matched by the disap- proval of a far larger number of equally indignant but vastly more rational men and women. No Jamboree. Reconsideration of the decision ren- dered last wegk to permit the assemblage here of Boy Scouts from all over the country and some from foreign lands, in celebration of the twenty-fifth anni- versary of their organization, raises at once the question whether the situation with regard to the danger of a spread of poliomyelitis was fully canvassed on that occasion, or has developed mean- while a greater degree of menace. The announcement was made on the evening of Wednesday last week that after a full study of the matter it was felt that there was ‘“‘no reason to believe that the pres- ence of 25000 Boy Scouts here would have any effect upon the incidence and spread of poliomyelitis in Washington or the neighboring States or among the Scouts themselves.” Last evening a statement was issued from the White House to the effect that the President had been advised that health, Scout and local authorities had decided to abandon the plans for the jambo{ee because of the prevalence of the disease in two epi- demic centers in Virginia, within one hundred miles of Washington, and that, “while this prevalence was not consid- ered to be unduly alarming, it would be in the best interests of the Scouts and all concerned to cancel the jamboree.” Cancellation of the plans for the great meeting, attendance at which was at the latest reckoning to be more than the 25,000 estimated a week ago, natu- rally raises the question whether the danger is greater now than it was at that time. There is nothing in the offi- cial statements to indicate that, which suggests that possibly the menace of con- tagion incident to the great gathering was not adequately measured last week. Of course, if there is the least danger of a spread of this disease by reason of & concentration of youngsters at the Capital the latest decision is fully justi- fied. Delay of a week in reaching it, however, has cost a considerable sum, expended by the troops who have mean- while started on their way to Washing- ton. The heavy expenditures for the encampment here have been underwrit- ten, and the loss in that respect will fall upon the insurance companies rather than upon the organization. Some way should be found to recompense those who, on the strength of last week’s de- cision to hold the jamboree as sched- uled, have begun their journeys. It is a matter of great regret that this meeting should not be held. The oc- casion had a special significance as an anniversary. Preparations have been made on a large scale, and the jamboree would have been an inspiration to the young citizenship of America. However, the question of health is paramount and there is nothing to do but subscribe to the final determination and to hope that the cause of this cancellation of plans will not prove to be a grave menace to health and life in this area. ——r——————— Politically speaking, Rhode Island may be regarded s related to the wren, which, considering its small size, is ca- pable of making a remarkably loud noise. Pay Day Coming. Refusal of Rhode Islanders to dig down into their own pockets for money to defray a fraction of the cost of certain public works projects for the State is more significant than ever when viewed in relation to the national policy now pursued on work-relief. Having been not only approved but urged by Secretary Ickes, the projects for Rhode Island would undoubtedly meet the usual tests for soundness; they were projects which, on the whole, would continue to yield dividends of a sort for years to come because of their useful value to the citizens of RhodeIsland. But it is not the Ickes type of work- relief which is being generally provided now for the States; it is the Hopkins type of work-relief. And if the voters would ' not approve the Ickes type of work- relief, what would they say about the Hopkins type of work-relief—such busi- ness, say, as putting thousands of “writers” to work at “writing,” or putting thousands of musicians to work playing symphony music, or putting thousands of others to work making surveys of this, that and the other thing? It is not that some of Mr. Hopkins’ ventures might not be socially desirable. It is socially desirable that people gen- erally learn to appreciate good music. It may be socially desirable that people learn what they may sometimes come to learn through the surveys. But if the question came to paying for their cost, would they approve of Mr. Hopkins’ work after turning down Mr, Ickes' plans? Not by a long shot. The difference is that Mr. Ickes' bill was payable in advance, and payment was refused. Mr. Hopkins’ bill is yet to be presented, but the money is already being spent. And when people realize the extent of the bill and take a look at the items of expenditure there is going to be a roar. There can be no mistake about that! " - ‘Tax plans are innumerable and it is no trouble to show goods. An embar- rassment lies in the fact that no tax plan has been discovered that will thoroughly please every customer. -t Mussolini has a restless nature, but will hardly insist on new commotion simply because of an impression that the world has been too long without serious excitement. ——— s One of the cruelties of Summer is the fact that there shave been so many things to talk about besides the weather, which, of itself, has been sufficient for all conversational purposes. . There are theories that Congress might as well work on through to Christmas holidays, with incidental de- bate as to whether there really is a Santa Claus. — Germany has banned so many groups and organizations that it will be difficult to hold any kind of a parade except for the purpose of saying, “Heil, Hitler.” —————— The smile which Postmaster General Farley wears can be construed unmis- takably as an indorsenfent of White House policies. ) By laboratory experiments linking the human blood circulation with mechan- isms Lindbergh may hope to induce even & machine age to have a heart. e Prosperity is now reported to be turn- ing the corner so rapidly that centrifue gal force may throw several eminent politicians off the band wagon. o Higher education is stills in- demand, although classical style is by no means necessary to the increased demand for competent assessors and bill collectors. - Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, A Provision of Nature. It sho’,is sumpin’ lucky dat dis world is full o' things Dat's free f'um de disturbance dat an education brings. De river keeps a-ripplin’ an’ a-laughin’ in de sun; De birds, dey six:g deir special songs, same as dey always done. De trees goes on a-whisperin’ where de sky is warm an’ blue, An’ de stars is all a-gleamin’ when de busy day is through. Dey seems happy an’ contented, same as what dey used to be, Although dey hasn't got no intellecks, like you an’ me. If de river knew de sorrow dat is lin- gerin’ th'oo de years, It 'ud turn into a freshet an’ de water would be tears. . De birds would stop a-singing’ ef de news was told 'em right An’ de stars would quit deir shinin’ th'oo de treetops every night. But dey goes along all faithful in de way dey's always went, A-leavin’ human folks to bear de grief an’ discontent. An’ it’s lucky in de evenin’ an’ it's lucky in de dawn Dat most of what mpakes up dis world don’t know what's goin’ on. On Second Thought. “Those men for whom you failed to get Government positions were rather indignant.” “Only for a little while,” replied Sen- ator Sorghum. “Since they found how much more they can make in private employment they’re honestly grateful.” Important Consideration. “Every woman ought to learn to swim.” “Perhaps,” replied Miss Cayenne. “And yet it would spoil so many ro- mances if all a girl had to do when she thought she was drowning was to rescue herself.” Improving an Opportunity. Let's go walkin’, Mandy, . An’ bredthe the air that's free; Luxury is handy Here fur you an’ me, Pity fur to waste it As it swiftly flows. Take big draughs an’ taste it; It’s as good as grows. One man, so they tell me, Bought up all the wheat; Others kin compel me To pay their price fur meat. An’ I hear ’em talkin’ ©Of coal men who agree— Mandy, let’s go walkin’ An’ breathe the air that's free! A Theory. “What causes the scarcity of money in this section?” asked the investigator. “Well,” replied Farmer Corntossel, “my guess is that it’s partly due to standin’ around an’ discussin’ the high cost of livin’ instid o’ hustlin’ fur coin.” Extremes, ©Oh, Summer’s moods are strange indeed. Erratic is its plan. One day an oil stove’s what you need And next you want a fan, “Hard work,” said Uncle Eben, “is de only thing dat helps a man to fohgit his troubles an’ to cure 'em at de same time.” A A Baron Von Steuben’s “Relinquishments” ‘To the Editor of The Star: In the issue of The Evening Star of Saturday, August 3 (editorial page, last column), appeared the following state- ment: “At the close of the Revolutionary ‘War he (Baron von Steuben) was refused pecuniary remuneration which he had asked of the Colonies in the event of their success. To recuperate his for- tunes, abandoned for their cause, he was subsequently awarded several grants of land,” ete. ‘To make clear the whole of the rela- tions between these United States and the Baron von Stuben is too long a story for this place; therefore I shall content myself with the citation of a few facts, sufficient to indicate the error of this statement. That the baron received his full pay as a major general, together with all allowances, both ordinary and extraor- dinary, is completely substantiated by the journals of the Continental Congress. In fact, the treatment accorded the baron by Congress was upon the whole much more liberal than that obtained by other officers, as, for instance, when Congress ordered (December 30, 1782) that he be paid $2,400 “for his present support and to enable him to take the field in another campaign,” and, in addition, allowed him $300 a month “in lieu of his extra pay and of subsistence,” etc. The statement above mentioned refers particularly, however, to what was known as the baron's “relinquishments”; that is, the posts of honor and emoluments in Europe which he claimed to have relin- quished when he entered the service of the United States. Before the close of the war the baron began to petition Congress for compensation for these sac- rifices, and a part of the action of De- cember 30, 1782, already referred to, was an acknowledgment “that the sacrifices and services of the Baron de Steuben justly entitle him to the distinguished notice of Congress, and to a generous compensation, whenever the situation of public affairs will admit.” On April 15, 1784, in response to an- other petition of the baron, Congress voted him a grant of $10,000 “on ac- count,” these last words being nothing more nor less than & bit of face-saving. For by this time Congress had come to have doubts about the extent and gen- uineness of those relinquishments. Nevertheless, when in the following year the baron once again besought Congress for compensation for his relinquish- ments, a proposition to allow him $25,000 was eventually pared down to $7,000, “in addition to former grants,” in full con- sideration of those relinquishments (Sep- tember 27, 1785). Congress may have supposed that that was the end of the chapter, yet a few months later the baron was “up and at 'em” again. Nothing here said is to be construed as derogating from the value of Steuben’s services to this country; the great im- portance of those services in the struggle for independence was freely and fre- quently acknowledged by Congress, and they did not go unrewarded, even before the several grants of lands subsequently made. With regard, however, to those “relinquishments,” Gen. John McAuley Palmer has proved conclusively that most. if not all, of them were non-ex- | istent. EDMUND C. BURNETT. e~ Plan to Solve the Beggar Problem Here To the Editor of The Star: The Washington beggar presents a problem not to be ignored. Hardly & daw passes when a person is not ac- costed by one or more of these unfor- tunate individuals. Most of them pro- fess to lack the means of purchasing even the most simple food. Does such a state of affairs have to exist in the midst of plenty? Pray, what are the charitable agencies for, if they cannot render “first aid” to those in danger of starvation? Moreover, when a person is urgently in need of a meal tion such as these agencies usually make. As a reme I suggest that the smaller restaurants be made authorized agencies for immediately supplying food to any one who asks for it and claims to be penniless. It would be easy to check up on such individuals to prevent im- position by persons not entirely indi- gent. It might be advisable to deny a second meal unless the card is pre- sented explaining the cause of the hold- er’s indigence and his presence in the city. These cards could be supplied by an authorized charitable agency to per- sons who, without cards, have already been fed. Proprietors of restaurants naturally should be compensated, if they desire to be. It is appalling that so great a quan- tity of palatable food, rejected by pa- trons of restaurants and untoucheq by them, is being wasted. Perhaps some of this could be supplied to the needy, if health authorities would permit it. HENRY LEBACH. Criticizes Action of Juvenile Court Judge ‘To the Editor of The Star: I noticed in your issue of August 2 the item about the case of one of your delivery boys who was stabbed by a 15- year-old Negro boy, and that when he was brought into court he was put on 7uspended sentence by Judge Fay Bent- ey. It seems from her mild lecture to the boy that she considers the stealing of a few papers to be more serious than the fact that the colored boy stabbed the other in the back. This was just a little stabbing practice for him and he will probably do better next time and kill his victim. Then Judge Bentley will scold him for a murderer, and again place him on pfobation. 't this the same Judge Bentley who sentenced two white boys to the Na- tional Training School a few months ago? And what was the serious charge against them? It was that they had gone on a joy ride in an auto which didn't belong to them. Was she not the judge who said no one should be allowed to hold a court job unless they were college graduates? Didn't she dis- charge all the court attendants and hire others? The writer believes such judges should be taken from the bench and suppressed. PERD L. CAIN. Questions Site of the Proposed Civic Center To the Editor of The Star: Concerning the proposed Civic Center on the flats opposite Washington, I have seen that whole littoral under 15 feet of water and the sand is 40 feet deep. Before locating there the Con- gress, under its constitutional power to legislate “in all cases whatsoever” for the District, should enact a statute pro- hibiting fioods in the Potomac, though I fear the river would prove unconstitu- tional. With a friend I came down from the Great Falls on that freshet in a canoe; only a single crag was above water and we had only half a yard clear- ance under the leaky old Aqueduct Bridge. The current over the flats was about 8 knots. Nature will some day repeat itself; vide Vermont, Ohio and New York. ~ T, J, JOHNSTONE. New York City, there is no time for scientific investiga- | BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Life is largely a matter of proportion. In few things is this better shown than in an aquarium, populated by flashing beauties qf the tropics. It will found in time that a 5- gallon tank, properly stocked, can be quite as beautiful and interesting as a 50-galion affair. It is all a matter of proportion. Consider meals and sleep among human beings. He who eats breakfast at 6 o’clock will eat lunch at 11 o'clock, in all probability. He who breakfasts at 7 a.m. in all like- lihood will take lunch at 12 o'clock noon. ‘Yet the chances are very decided that the second man will find something de- cidedly “queer” about the fellow who dares to eat at the unorthodox 11 o'clock. The time between the meals, however, is exactly the same in both cases. * X x x In regard to stocking an aquarium, it will be found that proper selection of small animals will give exactly the same effect in a small tank as the choicé of larger fishes in a much larger aquarium, Thus it is actually possible, in a 5- gallon tank, to secure all the pictorial effects possible in one of very much greater capacity. Not only will the picturesque be real- ized, but the entertainment value kept the same. The interest will be just as keen. And the management much easier. ‘This latter fact has not been regarded half enough. - When one begins the collection of tropical fishes, usually the start is made with a 2-gallon tank. Now this size is not enough, then or ever. But an aquarium of 5 gal- lons is another matter. The longer one keeps fishes, the surer he is to agree with this dictum. The newcomer, however, soon out- grows the size. He collects more,and more fishes and soon comes to look down even on & tank holding 10 or 15 gallons. In time he graduates proudly to tanks of 30 and 50 gallons, weighing between 250 and 450 pounds each when filled with water, * ok x % ‘There will come a day, however, when his enthusiasm cools, and he will admit, at least to himself, that a 5-gallon tank can be made into a mighty pretty affair—if you select the proper fishes. Selection is the secret of it. All the larger cichlids, including the picturesque angel fish, all the barbs, all the bettas, must be ruled out. And many more. 8 Anything longer than 1 inch must be reserved for other tanks, not the 5-galloner which you wish to make into an epitome of fish life. Such creatures as the guppy, mosquito fish, pearl danio, the zebra fish, the head-and-tail-light fish and the medaka are candidates. Of these select one pair of each. This will give the enthusiast an even dozen. Lo, it is enough! ‘There will be plenty’ of swimming space for one and all. The relationship between water and fish will be practically the same as the relationship jbetween water and larger fishes in a very much larger tank. These little fellows will be lively at all times, because there will be plenty of oxygen for each. A Eel grass and anacharis should be selected to plant it. The sand ought not to be any deeper than necessary to root the plants. An inch and a half at the rear is sufficient, slopéd gradually to the front, where it ought not to exceed a quarter of an inch to begin with. Natural water move- ment will tend to level it out all over the tank. If an inch in depth can be made to hold the stalks tightly, so much the bet- ter, for it must be kept in mind that when the tank has its quota of sand and plants, almost a gallon of water will be displaced. A 5-gallon tank, in other wonds, with sand and plants, and not filled deeper than an inch of the top, will not hold 5 gallons of water. A 10-gallon tank will not, hold much over 8 gallons, and so on. All the care of such small fishes is easier than that of larger specimens. The larger they are, the more the prob- lems connected with them. The more experienced the fancier, the more he realizes this. . There is in Washington one tropical fish enthusiast who has such a very large animal in one tank that he is afraid to attempt to move it! This creature, a fighting cichlid, popu- larly known as a “Jack Dempsey,” grew in his 7-gallon tank from an ineh to almost 8 inches long. When he is side- ways in the aquarium his nose and tail touch glass walls. His vigor is such that, when his owner | attempts to net him, he flops and | splashes water all over the room. The result is that, although the en- thusiast has a very fine large het, one which holds him with room to spare, he lets him alone, to save splattering the walls of the entire room. ‘When his tank needs cleaning up, as it does often, the water is taken down to just enough to cover him, and fresh added. Of course, he never has a spick- and-span aquarium. ‘ * oK K % Any one who has fooled around with this sort of fish, will gladly admit that the smaller ones are easier to handle, | and, all things taken into consideration, Just as satisfactory as any. Now there are a great many persons but who do not know where to begin. Let them invest in the animals named above, after setting up the tank as in- structed. Let them de the thing right, by adding a pair at a time, taking at least two weeks to put in 10 or a dozen fishes. Ten is better than 12, 8 better than 10. If they should not happen to like the appearance of one of those named, they might substitute a pair of pristella, shin- ing beauties which are almost trans- | parent, and more entitled tp the name of “glass fish” than the real glass fish. After the tank has been running along nicely for a month, the crown of the | aquarium may be secured, a pair of dwarf gouramis. This little fellow is one of the most intriguing of all the tropical specimens, | but it will never grow large enough to be out of place in a 5-gallon aquarium. It is not called dwarf for nothing. If any one thinks this aquarium does not have enough fishes in it, let him | realize that he is still in the ranks of the amateur. The desire for an over- crowded aquarium is a sure sign of the i beginner. When you come to the point where just a few fishes, swimming around, seem right to you, know for a surety that, piscatorially speaking from the standpoint of the home aquarium, at | least, you have grown up at last. So | why not start that way? WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS One of the most interesting historic celebrations which the United States has ever witnessed, and one which prom- ises also to be extremely picturesque | and colorful, will be the Texas Cen- tennial oY its independence to be ob- served throughout the whole of next year. Curiously enough, as the Texan War of Independence was all crowded | into the short space of a twelvemonth, it will be possible to commemorate in chronological order the successive battles and other events as they occurred dur- ing the year. It will be a literal un- folding of the pages of history from the memorable battle of the Alamo on through to the crushing defeat of the Mexicans at San Jacinto. President Roosevelt in the appointment of Cullen F. Thomas of Dallas as commissioner general of the centennial gave deserved recognition to the man whose dream this celebration has been for years. With impressive eloquence he urged it before committees of Congress, which has ap- propriated $3,000,000 for Federal par- ticipation and appointed a commission composed of Vice President Garner and Secretaries Hull, Wallace and Roper to aid. P S % Going back into American history 50 years farther, Congress has made provi- sion for another epochal series of moving events to be fittingly celebrated. In doing so, Congress declared in its reso- lution looking to the observance of the 150th anniversary of the adoption of the ordinance of 1787 and the settlement of the Northwest Territory, that “there is an indicative analogy between the national problems of 150 years ago and those of the present day, making a study of the accomplishments of those early days of value to dur people today.” The famous ordinance, passed by Congress, sitting in New York only a few weeks prior to the completion of the Consti- tution in Philadelphia, formed the basis of government not only for the North- west Territory, embracing what is now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wis« consin and part of Minnesota, but for each succeeding territory acquired by the United States. * k x % In the person of Theodore A. M. Stauning, premier of Denmark, who is planning to visit the United States in the near future, although his arrival has been, delayed from this month until early * October, Washington officialdom will have the pleasure of meeting &nd greeting . & man—impressive, dominant, picturesque—who has been an important figure in the life of his nation for many years past. He desires a closer com- mercial accord with this country. * K Rk Precautions are taken by the Gov- ernment to guard much information vitally affecting the public welfare against premature, or immature, publi- cation, but these precautions, amplified to the nth degree, reach their climax in the impenetrable veil of secrecy thrown around the assembling and tabulation of the reports received and the resultant announcement by the De- partment of Agriculture of the first an- nual cotton crop estimate. There is good reason for the unusual care with which the Government cloaks this inestimably valuable secret, because a “leak” on America’s initial estimate of its cotton crop would “set the world by its ears,” and within a few minutes after that news had been flashed to New York, Liverpool and other marts of the trade a wild wave of speculation would start which might be disastrous in 1ts financidl fo! | and economic consequences. Double lock and heavy key, therefore, keép | | prying eves from getting even a “squint” at any' part of this knowledge, gleaned through reports from thousands of agents in the field, until the releasing | gong sounds. Then the news flashes | “smash to smithereens” Puck’s long- | standing speed record of putting “a | girdle round about the earth in 40 minutes” by reducing the time to less than 40 seconds. * % ¥ * The honor once proudly claimed by Boston of being the “musical center of the Nation” must now come to Wash- | ington, for in no other city of the coun- | try is such a constant round of concerts [ —all attended by appreciative audiences —furnished freely for the enjoyment of | the citizens. This unrivaled privilege arises from the fact that the United States Marine, Army and Navy Bands are “at home” in Washington. For- tunately, countless thousands of Ameri- | cans elsewhere are enabled through the | happy medium of radio to enjoy many | of the excellent programs furnished here, through both the Summer and Winter seasons, by the Government's skilled | | Army and Navy musicians. | A Magazines which correspond to “house | organs” of trade, are published by asso- | ciations in a number of Government departments. The War Department, for instance, has field and coast artillery .and cavalry journals; a quartermaster's review, and others covering the ordnance and engineering branches of the service. Similarly in the Navy. Among these publications none is more attractive in its material and make-up than the American Foreign Service Journal, issued by the association bearing that name in the State Department. With striking illustrations and color to brighten its pages, it approaches the best in magazine typography. The | August issue, just off the press, leads. | off with a timely and handsomely illus- | trated article on “Ethiopia,” by W. Perry | George, the American charge d'affaires | to whom was delivered the recent appeal of Emperor Haile Selassie for invocation against Italy of the Kellogg-Briand anti- | war pact. * K K % | The role of a diplomat in Washington | has undergone considerable change in recent years. In earlier days the for- eign envoys would “board up” their embassies and legations and hie off to the seashore or mountains for a com- fortable Summer, rarely interrupted by the necessity of business to be transacted in the Capital. It is quite different to- day; and these officials, as has hap- pened in a number of instances already this Summer, are obliged to “break in” on their vacations for hurried trips to Washington. Fis * * President Roosevelt, although unable to visit Pine Camp, N. Y, this month and personally witness the two-day “pattle” to be staged between opposing armies, will be able to “see” the en- gagement, if he so desires, as it is de- scribed by radio outfits traveling with | the troops. Perhaps some day it may be possible to “witness” a real war in this way. (Copyright, 1935.) ——— et Some Chance, Perhaps. From the Danville (Iil) Commercial News. A flying automobile has been tested successfully in Los Angeles, so now we may fullfill our ambition to pass a road without endapgering our iives, A | encourage ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS By Frederic J. Haskin, A reaser 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. Are slaves held in Ethioria?— F. M. M. . A. Slavery existed in Ethiopia until very recently, when it was abolished by imperial decree on the entrance of Ethiopia into the League of Nations. The Ethiopian slaves were members of Negro tribes of Ethiopia or adjacent territory. Q. Had Vanity Fair been made into a motion picture before the version of Becky Sharp now being shown?—R. P. 8. A. There have been three previous productions. The first was in 1915, the second in 1923, and the third, in which Myrna Loy played the part of Becky Sharp, was produced in 1932, Q. Where is the Italian wine made which is called Est-Est-Est?—V, 8. A. It comes from Orvieto. Various legends account for the name, which agree on the fact that it was so named because of its excellence. Q. What is the correct inquiry made by a sentinel or guard?—H. J. W. A. According to Army regulations the correct inquiry of a sentinel on guard is, “Halt! Who is there?” Q. Is Mexico encouraging tion?—H. W. H. A. The Mexican Government does not immigration, except in the case of Mexicans who have come to this country, and who will return to Mexico. In this ‘plan for repatriating former Mexicans certain lands are being irri- gated. However, emigrants from this country who have 20,000 pesos which they will actually invest either in manu- facturing or agricultural lands may be accepted by the Mexican Government. immigra- [* Q. On which side of the academic cap is the tassel worn by a B. A. graduate?— who would like to keep tropical fishes, | T. C A. The Collegiate Bureau of Academic Costume says that the tassel should be worn on the left side for the doctor’s, master’s and bachelor's degrees, and also by students without degrees. There are several colleges that have made a local ruling in accordance with which the students wear the tassel on the right side and upon the conferring of the degree, change it to the left. This is a matter of local concern. Q. How many men left C. C. C. camps this Summer because they got employ- ment?—V. N. A. In May, 9,744 received private em- ployment, and in June 12,709, Q. At what airport did the DO-X land when it came to New York?—L. A. H. A. It landed in the New York Harbor and not at an airport. Most of the time it was in the East River of the New York harbor, near the Brooklyn Bridge. Q. What is a collimator?—H. W. C. A. A fixed telescope with spider-lines in its focus, used to adjust a second tele- scope by looking through it in a reverse direction with the latter, so that images of the spider-lines are formed in the focus of the second telescope, as if they originated in a distant point. Q. Is the banana a berry?—M. T. A. In botany, the term berry refers to any simple fruit having a pulpy or fleshy pericarp, as the currant, grape, cran- berry or banana. Q. Is there any liquid or acid in which | silver and copper coins may be dipped to_clean them without damaging their nimismatic value?—D. L. B. A. A coin catalogue says that one should “never attempt to clean, polish or improve a coin. Cleaning always de- tracts from. the value and has been known to make a good coin practically worthless.” Q. Has a memorial been planned for Lawrence of Arabia?>—E. G. A. A bronze head of Col. T. E. Lawrence will be placed in St. Pauls Cathedral, London. Under the memorial the words “Lawrence of Arabia” will be cut in the wall, Q. How many Union veterans of the Civil War are still living?—W. W, A. As of June 1, 1935, there were 13,584 on the pension roll. There are also 101,245 dependents of this war on the pension roll. Q. Who invented the dance called the lancers?—W. C. A. It was probably invented about 1819, either by Joseph Hart, who pub- lished the following year, Les Lanciers, | or by Duval of Dublin, who also at this time published a set. The lancers was first danced in Longpn in 1850, but had been introduced in Paris by Laborde in 1836. Q. To whom is credit given for origi- nating the United States Railway Mail Service?—T. J. C. A. The honor is given to William A. Davis of Hannibal, Mo. Davis was born in September, 1809, somewhere in Barren County, Ky. When he was still a young boy he went to Charlottesville, Va., and helped the postmaster. After he reached the age of 21 he was given work in the postal service and from that time gave practically his entire life to the service. In 1855 he settled in St. Joseph, Mo. On July 26, 1862, he ariginated and estab- lished the Railway Mail Service on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. He made drawings of railroad cars showing how mail could be handled and sent other memoranda to the postal authori- ties at Washington, D. C. Q. What office is in charge of secur- ing buildings for Government use for the new agencies in Washington?— HTA 3 A. This is handled by the Division of Government, Space Control of the Na- tional Park Service, Department of the Interior. A Rhyme at Twilight By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton The Beloved Within the sweltering town I toil, The one I love is by the sea. The concretes are my daily soil, The one I love is cool and free. I smoke alone at end of day, Perusing post cards brief and gay, Checking the many bills to pay, The one I love is by the sea. My evening hours are warm and slow, ‘The one I love brings dreams to me. I shun my reading-lamp's hot glow, The one I love my poetry. Another night. Another morn Of good-by kiss and laughter shorm, My dog left at my gates forlorn, ‘The one I love is by the sea.