Evening Star Newspaper, August 20, 1935, Page 8

" A—8 THE EVENING STAR,” WASHINGTON, D THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, b. C. TUESDAY ..............August 20, 1935 THEODORE W. NOYES...........Editor St e PR S s The Evening Star Newspaper Company. Bustness Office: th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. No‘wlank Office: 110 East 42nd 8t. \rago Office: Lake Michigan Building. Burcoman Sme 14 Hesent St London. Engiand. Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Editios The Evening Star 45¢ per month 60¢ per month en 65¢ per month The Sunday Star_. -5¢ per copy Night Final Edition. Night "Collection made at the end of each month. Orders may be sent by mail or telephone Na- tional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. and Sunday_..l yr. $10.00; 1 mo. ¢ only yri. “S600i 1 mo.. ble s, $400i 1 mol. 40¢ Daily All Other States and Canada, =1 2 a v s1 1 mo.. $1.00 o: %he B0c Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispaiches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this Paper and also the local news published herein All tights of publication of special dispaiches herein are also reserved On the Brink of War. Ttaly's apparent determination to pro- ceed with the war against Ethiopia, in the face of the efforts of Great Britain and France to effect a settlement with- out conflict, reproduces the situation of twenty-one years ago, when Austria, backed by Germany, rejected the good offices of those same powers and Russia and blocked every move for paciiic adjustment. There was then no League of Nations, which, indeed, grew out of the great war that resulted from the failure of diplomacy to effect a peace- ful settlement. Today the League, created for the very purpose of adjust- ing differences between its member na- tions, is apparently impotent, though both Italy and Ethiopia are such member nations. Yesterday what is regarded as the finishing touch to the futility ot the latest Geneva proceedings and to the collapse of all negotiations was given. It was hoped that the conciliation com= mission would find a way out of the situation without war. But the fifth member, who was to be chairman and in effect arbiter, was not named—though he had been chosen in the person of Nicolas Politis, Greek Minister to Paris —because Italy declined to agree to his appointment as not immediately neces- sary. The commission thereupon ad- Jjourned without date, thus completing | the failure of all negotiations. Memories of 1914 are revived. to the last moment Lord Grey, British foreign secretary, strove to avert war between Austria and Segbia. It was well assured that if war came Germany would enter it as Austria’s ally, and that this would almost certainly involve other nations, particularly France and Russia. The crash came, war was declared, Bel- gium was invaded, France and Russia entered the conflict and in a few days | officials to go thoroughly into the local virtually the whole of Europe was in- volved in the greatest struggle in world history. Eventually the United States was drawn into the conflict. Today England and France are united in opposition to the Italian program of war. The situation is precarious. British cabinet has been called in spe- cial session for some day this week, prob- ably Thursday, to consider the ecrisis. It is possible that it will decide to lift the embargo on the shipment of arms to Ethiopia. Emperor Haile Selassie has cited the provision of a treaty nego- tiated in 1930 which binds Great Britain, France and Italy to “allow the Emperor to obtain all the arms and munitions necessary for the defense of his terri- tories against external aggression.” The condition precedent would seem to apply to the present case, even though the | ageressor is a treaty signatory. A de- cision by the cabinet council of Great | Britain to recognize this obligation and to raise the embargo would doubtless be resented by Italy with the probable result of the involvment of Great Brit- ain and in the present alignment of Frarce as well. Thus the situation of twenty-one years ago is duplicated. —————— Business is on the mend sufficiently to prevent the Summer resort reporters from having a monopoly of cheery in- formation. e Much is being said about conditions, and the impression increases that it is no idle whispering campaign. ——— The Other Side. Thousands of Americans who knew and loved Charlotte Perkins Gilman have heard with sorrow and regret the news of her death; and the poignancy of their grief is enhanced by the report that she chose to close her great career by an act of her own hand. Certainly, there will be generous sympathy for her suffering and it will be realized that she was physically weakened and spiritually discouraged by pain. But few are apt to agree with her doctrine of “justifiable suicide.” Something innate in human character rebels against such a philosophy. A common phrase of the people, as it happens, sums up the instinct of the race. Men and women in distress are expected to be able to “take it,” to endure whatever ordeal fate may dictate, There is a kind of honor in the ca- pacity to suffer in silence, to be pun- ished without complaint. Even hard- ened criminals on their way to execu- tion have been known to win the admiration of their jailers by the cour- age of their bearing. Wounded soldiers, the victims of fields of brutal carnage, have earned the plaudits of history by the manner of their acceptance of their lot. The chronicle of mankind is filled with anecdotes illustrative of triumph over misfortune. Probably it is not too much' to say that the vast majority of individuals are tempted at one moment or another to self-destruction. Yet the number of those who surrender is rela- tively small. & Mrs, Gilman's faith was in human service. She labored jor more than half ] Up | The | | during { tion in District appropriation bills. a century to advance the cause of hum progress. But in the end she was mis- taken. She erred in supposing that she was bereft of “any power of service.” One ultimate demonstration of the for- titude of her chivalrous soul remained to her—she might have preferred to fight. Shakespeare could have given her sustenance in the soliloquy of Hamlet and in Lear’s appeal to the “ever-gentle gods ‘Let not my worser spirit tempt me again to die before you please!” Granted that ar incurable illness is fearsome to contemplate, it nevertheless cannot be conceded that it is the “sim- plest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one.” Were civilization to ad- mit such a sophistry the results would be treason against life itself. The indi- vidual never ceases to have a duty to society, and that obligation precludes causing pain to others. Any defense of suicide must be egoistic, a contra- diction of social responsibility. When Mrs. Gilman was in normal health she surely would have advised against the course which, under the influence of agony of body and mind, she now has recommended to others. Those who knew and appreciated her best, it may be expected. will join in asking the pub- lic to disregard her example. They will realize that there are two sides to the problem and will urge the side whiclf their friend forgot in her last hours. ———— Local Budget Discussion. Most of the citizens who meet with the Commissioners tomorrow for tenta- tive discussion of the 1937 budget will appear in behalf of specific improve- ments or projects in which they or the communities and organizations they represent are chiefly interested. From their recommendations the Commis- sioners will learn of the backing and the desirability of certain undertakings and weigh them against others for in- clusion in their budget estimates. Last year a similar meeting of citi- 7ens in preparation of budget compila- tion taxation, assumed the role of interrogators along this line: You say you want this im- provement. To get it will require an | increase in the local budget, and an increase in the local budget means higher taxation. What form of higher taxation do vou prefer? Are you in favor of a gasoline tax increase, a local income tax or an increase in the real | estate tax? Everybody knows that city improve- ment projects mean money; that the money requires additional revenues. And when the citizen is asked to specify the sort of tax he favors to furnish the revenue he is apt to recommend the tax that will be least burdensome to | himself, although it may be burdensome to somebody else. That is human nature. This year the Commissioners have appointed a committee of municipal tax situation and to submit recom- mendations regarding the merits and | demerits- of the manifold schemes devised by office holders since the be- | ginning of time to separate taxpayers from their money. The Commissioners will doubtless take the opportunity, the forthcoming hearings, to question the prospective victims about the sort of taxation they would prefer to see shouldered by themselves or somebody else. In this connection, the citizens will | do well to remember that while death and local taxes may be more inevitable | than ever, the matter of increasing local taxation is not the fundamentally im- portant element in the confused prob- lem of local finances. The important consideration is the fair and equitable method of dividing costs of Capital City maintenance and development between the community and the exclusively con- trolling National Government. The amount and the proportion of | local revenues for such purposes have increased in the past, and with recovery and the imposition of new liquor taxes the amount and the proportion are continuing to increase. The failure of certain needed improvements is not attributable to the inadequacy of local tax revenues, but results from the con- tinued diminution, under arbitrary and capricious methods of arriving at the lump sum, of the national appropria- As local revenues have increased the lump sum has been decreased. And there are indications that a program of local tax-boosting would not result in giving the city desirable improvements, but would merely eliminate or further cur- tail the lump sum. Such action would make more hopeless than ever adequate Capital development. Discussion of increased local taxation, therefore, is premature until Congress has demonstrated its readiness to re- afirm the wise policy of jointly financing, on an equitable basis, the needs of the Capital. Another Experiment. Under the spur of prodding by Presi- dent Roosevelt, the House has passed the Guffey-Snyder coal bill. Unless the Senate declines to put the measure through, it will become law before the present session closes. To the minds of many members of Congress of both Houses the bill is clearly unconstitu- tional. But beyond that, it is a measure which is likely to raise the price of coal, and to put its control in the hands of the producers. Nevertheless, the bill, having been placed on the “must” list of legislation by President Roosevelt, has been shoved through an tnwilling House, and the chances are that the Senate—which has been more sub- servient than the lower house—will also pass the bill! The bill sets up a bituminous coal commission in the Department of the Interior with a supplementary “con- sumers’ counsel.” There is also created in the Department of Labor a bituminous coal-labor board, to settle labor disputes in the soft esl flelds. The coal com- | developed a discussion of local | in which the Commissioners | mposed of five mem= bers, and with the counsel for the con- sumers makes a total of six new $10,000 jobs. The labor board is to have three members, each &lso to be paid a salary of $10,000. There is no telling how many minor jobs will be set up under the various commissions, nor how large the salary rolls will be. Could anything be nicer? President Roosevelt, in a letter writ- ten to Representative. Hill of Washing- ton, head of the suhcommittee in charge of the Guffey coal %ill, urged that it be passed notwithstanding any reasonable doubt which members of the House might have of its constitutionality. One of his reasons was that it would afford an opportunity for the Supreme Court to pass on the matter. Another ap- parently impelling reason for the pas- sage of the bill is the demand that has been made for it by the United Mine Workers. Assurances by the adminis- tration that the Guffey bill would be passed have, it is said, caused postpone- ment of strikes in the soft coal fields. A strike for September 16 s still threatened. As the bill passed the House the oper- ation of the proposed law is for four vears. It is another of the so-called New Deal emergency acts. Under it a code for the soft coal industry, similar to codes under the N. R. A, is to be set up—a little N. R. A, if has been called. The soft coal business is declared to be “affected with a national interest,” and for that reason the Federal Government is to take over its regulation. Representative Martin of Colorado, Democrat, addressing the House on the Guffey bill in its favor, remarked that the Guffey bill was all of a piece with other New Deal legislation. He was entirely correct in his statement that the Guffey bill is on all-fours with other New Deal legislation. with the N. R. A, already declared to be unconstitutiona! by the Supreme Court, to the dismay of many of the New Dealers. The demand of the New Deal- ers is that the Federal Government con- trol or operate, or both, industry in this country. That is the ultimate end. - Social security is planned—not neces- sarily the kind which will prevent tea table character discussion. ———— A baby without a brain was born in New York City. Its life could not be saved long enough to ascertain whether in controversial life a loud voice could | not be substituted. ——o— Housewives in Detroit are devoting so much attention to discussion of meat | prices that they have little time to join in the chorus of “Home Over the Kitchen Range.” ————————— American people are fond of so-called “drives.” Adjournment week in Con- | gress will prove one of the most inter- esting of them. o The Guffey coal bill will help to relate N. R. A. to the carboniferous era in po- | litical geology. —— Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Answer. Ef I done stop to figger out Each question dat I sees, 'd fret myse’f in gloom an’ doubt An’ never live at ease. I'd stow myse'f into a brig An’ run away to sea Ef I supposed dem questions big Was all put up to me. I's tempted almos’ every day To shun all words of cheer, An’ think ten thousand miles away Instid o’ workin’ here. I'll leave de questions to de men Selected to control, An’ simply answer, “Present,” Old Duty calls de roll. when Moderated Assumption. “When you are running for an office,” said the student in politics, “you are supposed to assume that you are su- perior to people, are you not?” “No,” replied Senator Sorghum; “it is becoming customary to be satisfied with convincing people that, whatever your faults may be, they are nothing com- pared to those of the other fellow.” Too Much Sunshine. “Your boy Josh says he is the sun- shine of the household.” “Yep,” replied Farmer Corntossel. “But there’s such a thing as too much sunshine. Josh's perpetual cuttin’ up around the place gets to be about as cheerful as & drought.” Changing the Subject. Remember, when with dire dismay You scan the skies aglow, You are not called upon to pay For shoveling off the snow. As you step out you have no fear Your feet will fly unbid. Now ice is scarce and rather dear Where once you freely slid. No more the hailstones large as eggs With terror we may view; No more the famished coal bin begs For just a ton or two. So, as the Summer climate wrings The moisture from each brow, Let's think about the various things ‘Which we're escaping now. Sooner or later the clock stops for the man who goes on the theory that there is a sucker born every minute. On With the Dance. At what a pace this world would move, With ease and grace complete, If people’s brains should ever prove As agile as their feet! “I'll bet dar wouldn’t be nigh so much war,” said Uncle Eben, “ef befo’ each battle ev'ybody had to stan’ up an’ give a sensible explanation of whut he was fightin} about.” “p a 1t is on all-fours | Cab Driver Says Transit Charges Are Excessive To the Editor of The Star: It seems to me that it’s about time for some, if not all, of the local civic organizations to “wake up” and find out why the Public Utilities Commis- sion has done nothing toward forcing the local car and bus monopoly, known as the Capital Transit Co. to reduce the notoriously high prices it is charg- ing for the very inadequate transporta- tion service it is giving the people of this city. As I pointed out in a letter pub- lished in The Star recently, the at one time almost bankrupt transit mo- nopoly has been spending money re- cently as recklessly as a “drunken sailor” is supposed to do. Now it appears to be a sure thing that the present personnel at the P. U. C. will do nothing to force the transit monopoly to reduce its high prices unless they are forced to do so. As a matter of fact, in its recent cab rate order the commission plainly sought to ruin the little that is left of the once prosperous local cab industry, and to _increase street car and bus profits. %It ordered all cabs to operate on the zone and rate basis used by the rental “cab companies,” the system of cab operation that has pauperized the cabmen and enriched the car and busmen. The only difference between the P. U. C. rate and the rate used by the rental cabs is that the commission or- dered all cabs to charge extra for exces- sive baggage and to charge 10 cents each for passengers if more than two people rode in the cab on any kind of a trip, short or long. The result of this order—if cab drivers comply with it—will be to antagonize short-trip riders. Extra passenger charges have been tried in this city many times in the past. They have always resulted in cabs losing popularity. The P. U. C. extra passenger charge, T believe, has already greatly decreased | the number of three, four and five pas- senger cab trips. On my last 80 trips I have had more than two passengers only twice. Other drivers tell me they are having the same experience, The reason for this condition is very. simple. Under the P. U. C. rate plan a ride of only one block would cost five people 50 cents. For instance, from the Raleigh Hotel to the Columbia Theater, one block, four people, 40 cents: five peo- ple, 50 cents. The old taximeter rates were 15 cents and 25 cents. The same condition will exist all over the city. That type of rate charg- ing is bound to increase car and bus patronage and decrease the number of short-trip cab riders. The transit mo- nopoly—already apparently making too much profit—will get the benefit. The way the once almost bankrupt local transit monopoly has been spend- ing money recently indicates that it is making enormous profits. If an outfit that was claiming it was too broke to make badly needed track repairs five years ago can now spend hundreds of thousands of dollars making track re- pairs, buying new cars and busses, pay- ing dividends to stockholders, giving each of its carmen a bonus of $100 and almost $1 each day more in pay, can now hand out money in the foregoing manner, is that not positive proof that it is making too much profit? I think it is Therefore, T think some effort should be made by the local civic organizations to force the P. U. C.—apparently very ! much under the influence of the transit monopoly—to do its duty and force the car and bus monopoly to furnish ade- quate service at more reasonable prices than the notoriously high prices it is charging at the present time. BERNARD L. HENNING. R Corporations and Gifts to Charity | To the Editor of The Star President Roosevelt is quite right in | condemning the practice of public utility corporations’ contributions to charity. These corporations are supposed to pro- vide necessary service to the citizens at minimum cost and have no right to donate any part of the cost of this serv- ice to charity. They are monopolies and usually function under a guarantee of 8 per cent earnings above all expenses. Many of these contributions to local charities are without question paid un- willingly by conscientious utility man- agers who would be glad to have the practice stopped. That the respbnsible heads of three great religious denomina- tions in New York City should protest against interference with these dona- tions is an indication of the moral ob- liquity which all too frequently is to be found in ecclesiastic circles when money is a consideration. b The case is entirely different. however, when it comes to appropriations for charity which may be made by corpora= tions with the consent of their stock- holders. These corporations are not monopolies and are, therefore, under the competitive system, which protects the public with minimum cost. It is no con- cern of the public what the expenses of a corporation may be, provided the man- agement offers merchandise at cost which secures the business against com=- petition. It is the use of public utility money in politics as recently revealed at Wash- ington and as takes place in every city and village in the country where public utilities are privately owned that con- stitutes the strongest argument for pub- lic ownership. For, other things being equal, private operation of any business is far more economical than public man- agement. HENRY WARE ALLEN. Wichita, Kans. Capital’s Streets Are a “Mess of Stalled Cars™ ‘To the Editor of The Star: After reading an article in the paper about the people’s abuse of this city's streets, allow me to say that never in all my* travels, which have been wide— all over Europe, Asia, Africa and Amer- ica—have I seen a city where the people are permitted to make such a complete garage out of its streets. It surely does ruin the looks of the city and it is unsafe. The parks down by the Mall are nothing but a lot of cars and not parks. Every street is filled on both sides and at least 20 per cent are unfit to be driven on the streets. They may call it the finest city we have, but it looks like one mess of stalled cars. I know of one case near my apartment where a car stood for 10 days last year without being moved, full of snow. ‘This car parking on the streets 24 hours a day is indeed & serious matter and should be taken up by the city heads. HARRY BRAINARD. They Got Their Man. From the San Antonio (Tex.) Evening News. Oklahoma detectives trailed a robbery suspect for a week and finally found him in jail—but thev got their man. —e—————— Fast Growth. Prom the San Antonic (Tex.) Evening News. A naturalist says that bamboo will grow 5C feet in six weeks The fish at the ‘end of a bamboo pole often grows faster than that. & ©.~ TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, S S — THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Red flowers are favorites with many home gardeners. So Lobelia cardinalis stands high with all who are acquainted with it. Surely there is nothing redder, in the ordinary sense of the word, than these small flowers on their leng spike. A drift of it along a woodland path, its natural setting, is a sight long to be remembered. = ‘Wordsworth did well to commemorate a field of daffodills, but an equal ex- panse of lobelia would be even better. This is one of the most satisfactory of wildflowers, growing and blooming well in shady places where few other things flourish. ok ok % Wildflowers are plants with an ex- ceptional intellectual interest. This is a curious feature of some plants. Most of the ornamentals are interesting, but many lack just the cer- tain something which distinguishes the true wildings, especially the medicinal plants, One must go toward wildflowers, other- wise they are overlooked, even by those who may think themselves ardent gar- deners. The interest one puts in them is repaid with interest on the theory that one never gets out of a thing more than he puts in. Wherefore plant materials commonly called “wildflowers” demand something of the planter. This primary interest, usually worked up by reading, is a happiness in itself. It would be perfectly possible for any one to become tremendously interested in these plants without setting out a single one of them. Their uses, in many cases, put them apart. Many ordinary garden ornamentals, as we have come to know them, also have added incre- ments of interest, owing to their use. Who can help look twice at the foxglove after learning that digitalis comes from it? * & o ox Red tones, inclining to pink, are found in morning glory blossoms, which came into flower unusually early this Summer, Perhaps this forecasts an exceptionally early Fal At any rate, the morning glories are very profuse with clear tones. This is another of the flower we like to think of as old fashioned, but, as a matter of fact, there are many flowers a great deal older. A fence, of course, is the best place for these vines. We wonder why. Is it because we have seen them there mostly or really are they best on fences old, new, picket, wire, etc.? Any attempt to train these vines is rather futile. They take care of them- selves well. overrunning gates, posts, climbing roses, lilacs and other shrubs planted close to the fence. In thus “taking the place,” however, | | they seldom do other things any harm. There is something picturesque about them, when let run as they please, wherever they please. A gardener is fortunate if he finds | such growths genuinely to his liking. Some profess to find them “messy,” and there can be no quarrel with that. One is fortunate, no doubt about it, who does not mind such sprawlly growth, for he is one with Nature, at least in that respect. * % % x The desire to dress up Nature to fit | the orderly ideas of man is ever with STARS, MEN us. Up to a certain point, no doubt it is an effort worth while. The smooth- ness of a rock is natural, but so also is the twining and intertwining of & morn- ing glory vine, The mediumly trimmed garden is better than the too fussy garden, or the one in which everytbing is let run riot. As the individual's temperament is along suca lines, so will be his views in this regard. There is little doubt that some pruning is healthful for most plants, including shrubs and trees, and that the gardener who does this work, from time to time, saves himself a larger job in the end and all at one time. Any one who has attempted to prune an old climbing rose, such as Dr. Van Fleet, after five years unrestricted growth, knows what a job it is. We recall a neighbor setting out on such a task, He worked steadily for an hour and found he still had many long canes whipping in the breeze. In despair he cut every one off an inch from the ground. “He's killed it, now,” we thought. The rose grew luxuriantly that Spring and Summer, making plenty of growth. The next Spring it bloomed with such & wealth of flowers as it never had before. * x * % The friend of common flowers is in his glory this month. This is the blooming time of zinnias and marigolds, surefire annuals in every man’s garden. Now that we have had the oppor- tunity of seeing them once again, in the procession of the seasons, we rejoice in | their fresh, healthy beauty. be remembered for a long time. His institution gave away for many years packets of zinnia seed. No doubt he introduced this flower to thousands of persons who may have thought it com- mon, in an inimical sense. Many a garden would be the poorer this month for lack of the zinnia and | marigold. The former in its various shades and the latter in its clear tones | of yellow combine to give color at a time of the year when the average yard | is likely to have very little in flower in it. Aside from a mildew or rust which | | visits zinnias from time to time, these two trusty annuals are the friepds of | all persons who desire flowers, but do not care to fool around with those which | demand too much care. The “week end gardener,” in particu- lar, finds them unsurpassed. Even the | mildew may be ignored without par- ticular harm. This is another case of finding the mean between too much care and too little, weather, succeed in making unsightly some of the zinnias, usually the sun- shine of subsequent days will tend to | cure most if not all of them. Fortunately, there are enough good plants and surely enough flowers to cover up the blighted ones. If there | were only a few, in all, this would not | be so, but the profuse blooming of the zinnias keeps all but the captious from too much criticism. Marigolds are even more surefire than zinnias. Their follage is beautiful and will remain green until killing frosts. Even if there were no flowers the mari- gold plants would be well worth grow- | ing for themselves. AND ATOMS Notebook of Science Progress in Field, Laboratory and Study. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. A three-in-one star is being studied | by astronomers of the Carnegie Insti tution of Washington. This unique object in the constella- tion of Aquarius appears like a circus side-show freak of the heavens, an in- explicable hybrid of three varieties of | celestial bodies. First and foremost. it is a red star, a little more than half as hot as the sun on its surface, whose brightness increases and «decreases over a wide range in a period of approximately 387 days. Secondly, it acts like a gaseous nebula, presumably an enormous ball of gas associated in some way with the red star. | Thirdly, it displays characteristics of a blue star belonging among the hottest bodies in the universe, with a surface temperature about five times that of the sun. It has the spectra of all three of these bodies, but, as reported by Dr. Paul W. Merrill, Carnegie Institution asfronomer, “the three spectra have always ap- peared to originate in a single stellar object.” The triple nature of the body was revealed by continuous observations | from 1919 to 1934. Stars of different types can be distinguished by their char- acteristic spectra, but in this case lines peculiar to all three appeared from time to time, with no apparent relationship | | is subdued. But there is no rule govern- Sometimes the | popged. The male has a characteristic between them except that they cam from a single source of light. 5 * x x x This star, far below the limits of naked eye visibility, first was discovered in 1811. It soon was found to vary greatly in brightness, with brief periods of maximum luminosity and long, flat periods of minima. It ran through its luminosity cycle in a little over a year and hence was classified as a long-period variable. When astronomers reached the stage of classifying stars this one fell easily into the so-called M type of cool, red stars and was so registered at Harvard University. It was of essentially the same type as the great star Antares, one of the most conspicuous in the heavens, g0 far as its spectrum classification was concerned. In 1919 Carnegie Institution astron- omers at the Mount Wilson Observatory observed, in addition to the normal spectrum of a cool, red star, several lines characteristic of a gaseous nebula. This in itself was unusual, although other examples were known. But during the following year a long series of photo- graphs of the combination showed that the nebular lines, instead of sharing the chariges of intensity exhibited by the spectrum of the variable star as its magnitude rose and fell in the regular light cycle, remained at appreximately constant intensity. In later years the nebular lines became fainter and prac- tically disappeared at times, but still no connection could be traced between their intensity and the fluctuating brightness of the red variable. Here was an extraordinary phenome- non—a constant source of light and a regularly fluctuating source of light in what was apparently one and the same object. Thus it continued until 1922, when a third element of the same com- plex first was observed. This was still another spectrum, totally different from the other two. It was a spectifum pe- cullar to stars having an enormously high temperature, marked by bright lines of hydrogen, helium and iron. It mmwmm‘unwm blue stars, with absolute surface tem- | peratures of from 20,000 to 25.000 degrees. | Moreover, it was found that this blue star apparently had very great fluctua- tions in brightness, but they did not appear to be associated with the changes either of the nebula or the red star. The normal deduction would have been that the blue star was a smaller | companion of the red star, a rather unusual combination. But only a single object was discernible. Spectroscopic observations have continued ever since | in an effort to solve the enigma of the | | strange object. Sometimes the blue star seems to dominate the complex and the red star spectrum can barely be discerned. At other times the spectrum of the hot blue star is almost non-existent and the whole celestial object appears to be a cool. red star. Sometimes the nebular lines are easily discernible and some- times they cannot be detected. * ox ox X It may be, says Dr. Merrill, that there are two stars, so close together as to be indistinguishable, vet largely independent | of each other. There doesn't seem to be any sort of co-operation. Sometimes the hot star is brightest when the cool star is least luminous and sometimes the cool star is brightest when the hot star ing the relationship. characteristic spectrum lines of both are most intense at the same time. Another possibility, he points out, is that there is only one star with small areas of extremely high temperature within the outer limits of the tenuous | red variable. Neither explanation disposes of the third member of the combination, the gaseous nebula. Its light source appears to be neither the cool star nor the hot star, since it varies independently of both. “There may be,” says Dr. Merrill, “a casual association of a normal, long- period variable with a variable planetary nebula having a variable, high-tempera- ture nucleus.” The gas of this nebula appears to be under higher pressure than is usual for nebula gases. Whatever may be the nature of the strange hybrid, the Carnegie report stresses, it is certainly one of the most extraordinary objects in the universe and solution of the puzzle it presents may go far to bring about a clearer understand- ing of other astronomical problems. A Rhyme at Twilight By - Gertrude Brooke Hamilton . Playboy in the Clouds He ran away for a year and a day With heart as light as a feather To purchase a plane for pleasure’s gain And follow the trail of fair weather. He saw the twilights from faraway heights Above fog and cloud, and at dawning Tasted strange air in the azure fair— Played Mercury many a morning. At the end of his way with only a day Left for his lonely sky roaming He bought for his love a homing dove mm:ammmdngmm. | established | 1s 22 to 24 carat. | carat; inlay gold, 18 to 22 carat, and 1935, . M pubiaittomass a3 4 T ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS By Frederie J. 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. What action is taken against a wrestier for hitting the referee’—W. B A. He is disqualified and loses the match. No other action is taken, as a rule, unless the referee complains. The wrestler can be suspended by his asso- ciation, or can be fined by court for assault. The referee can also bring civil suit for damages, Q. What records has Bill Robinson the Negro actor and dancer, made for running backward?—H. N. A. He holds the following records—50 yards in 6 seconds; 75 yards in 8 1-5 seconds; 100 yards in 13 1-5 seconds. Q. What is the maximum altitude at which an airplane is visible to the naked eye on a clear day?—H. P. A. A person with normal eyesight can observe an airplane at about 13,000 feet, Q. What do the letters, D. E. M. L, on a National Guard transfer mean? —C. M. A. They stand for Detached Enlisted Man's List, Q. What percentage of the woman school teachers in the United States | are married?—E. H. W. A. In 1930 there were 853967 female school teachers, 186 per cent of these in small elementary schools were mar- { ried; 16.5 per cent in larger elementary There is & man in this town who will | schools were married: 10 per cent of the junior high school teachers were married, and 13.2 per cent of the senior high school teachers. Q. Were the Wars of the Roses par- ticularly cruel and bloody?—F. M. B A. They were marked by a ferocity and brutality practically unknown in the history of English wars before and since, Q. Is it correct to use colored wine- glasses?—E. B. A. Except for Rhine wines which ma: be drunk from pale yellowish-green glasses, it is better to use clear glass in order to show the color of the wine. Q. How many mental defectives are there in the United States?>—M. D. P A. The total number of mentally de- fective persons in the United Statr | has been estimated to be over 900,000 Q. Where is the Great American | Desert?>—M. R. Even if light rains, in extremely hot | A. The Great American Desert lies in the northwestern corner of Utah reaching over into Nevada. Q. Please give the early history of the symphony.—G. S. C. A. The origin of the modern sym- phony goes back to the beginning of opera early in the seventeenth century when the name Sinfonia was given to the short instrumental prelude which preceded the opera. The early history of the symphony is that of the overture. The three parts of the older overture were entirely detached and became separate movements at about the middle of the eighteenth century. Havdn in- troduced a fourth movement, the minuet, which he inserted before the finale. He also adopted the sonata form for the first movement. By in- dividualizing the separate instruments and grouping them in families Havdn the symphony orchestra. Beethoven extended it. Q. What is submarginal land?>—V. C A. Submarginal land is land which cannot be profitably cultivated. It is land, which taking into consideration its value, does not produce sufficient crops to pay for the work. Q. How many people are employed in the Bureau of Engraving and Print- ing?—T. M. A. As of August 1, 1935, there were 4,177 employes. Q. What carat gold is used by den- tists?—D. 8. A. Dental gold varies considerably in percentage. That used for foil fillings Crown goid is 22 that used for bridge work for me- chanical strength is all under 18 carat. Q. When Italy and Tutkey were at war, how far did Italy invade Tur- key?—F. O. A. The Italo-Turkish war did not involve a campaign in Turkey. It was largely & naval affair and resulted in the loss to Italy of the 14 Aegean Islands, centered about Rhodes. and of the colony in North Africa called Libya. Q. Please grouse —S. B. A. The ruffed grouse is a rusti color with mottlings of black, g white. The tail is cross-barred angd describe the ruff of feathers just in front of the shoulders and a crest. Q. What proportion of lemon juice should be added to fruit juice to make good jelly?—W: 8. A. A tablespoonful of strained lemon | juice to a cup of fruit juice—blackberry, red and black raspberry, ripe Concord grape, plum or quince—helps the jelly- ing and improves the flavor. Q. How is the Canal erned?>—R. F. A. The Canal Zone is a Government reservation administered by the organi- zation known as the Panama Canal. This is an independent organization in the Government service, whose head is the Governor, directly under the Presi- dent. As a matter of executive arrange- ment, the Secretary of War represents the President in the administration of canal affairs. Zone gov- Q. What is the name of the book which Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Hoover translated?>—P. M. A. It is “De Re Metallica,” from the Latin of Georg Agricola, 1556, Q. When will the San Francisco- Oakland Bridge be completed?—B. T. A. It is scheduled for completion in October, 1936. It will be 7'; miles long, have two decks, six traffic lanes and two interurban lines, A Q. What percentage of the nickel used is produced in Canada?—H. C. M. A. Canada supplies ‘approximately §0 ge’:k:lem of the world’s production of Q. Who taught Mary Hoerger, Na- tional A. A, U. fancy diving champion, to dive?—E. L. R. A. Her mother, Mrs. Fred Hoerger, who is swimming instructor at the Miami Biltmore Hotel, began teaching hzsdlvewhen-hemdyennol& A