Evening Star Newspaper, September 14, 1935, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition, WASHINGTON, D. C. SATURDAY .September 14, 1935 THEODORE W. NOYES «.Editor —ee The Evening Star Newspaper Company. Business Office: 11th St. anc Pennsylvania 'AVG. Nevko Office. Lake Michigar Butiding Burooean Ofmce: 14 Keent St.. London. Engiand. Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Editl -45¢ per month =-60c per month 5¢_per month --5¢ per copy tght Pinal and Sunday Star_.__70c per month i “55¢ per month ight Final S ber month Collection T encl ders may be sent by mail or telephone Na- Ore tional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. v ard Sund yr. $10.00; 1 mo., 85¢ E:}R Solysndar Yo T38.00; 1 mol. S0c unday only yr, $4.00; 1 mol 400 All Other States and Canada, ily and Sunday. $12.00: 1 mo. 81 00 aily only_ R.00: 1 mo., 75¢ Sunday only. 5.00; 1 mo. B0c Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news disphielas eredited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the local news published herein, 1P ights of publication of special dispatches erel Iso reserved. —_— France Links Up. World unity against Italy's designs on peace in general and on the inde- pendence of Ethiopia in particular is completed by the decision of France to stand shoulder to shoulder with Great Britain in “collective resistance” to Mussolini’s pretensions. In a ringing utterance before the assembly at Geneva yesterday, Premier Laval banished all doubt of his country’s attitude in the pending crisis. “We are all bound by & solidarity which fixes our duty,” he declared. “Our obligations are in- scribed in the covenant. France will not evade those obligations.” Thus the French categorically align themselves with British determination, as voiced by Sir Samuel Hoare in the same forum two days earlier, to uphold “the rule of law in international affairs.” Clear as it is, M. Lav statement does not actually pledge France to join in imposing sanctions against Italy, once the League Council defines Musso- lini as an aggressor, but it is impossible to read into the premigr's words any other meaning than France's full readi- ness to do her part if the situation reaches a point where article 16 must be immediately applied by all League members. Sanctions, in the grim con- ditions which have arisen, are the es- sential “obligations inscribed in the Covenant.” To their fulfillment, unless M. Laval intends merely to do lip serv- ice, France is now irrevocably com- mitted. With the two principal pillars of the League prepared for action, other member nations are certain, virtually without exception, to fall into line. The United States has just spoken in terms that admit of no doubt of American moral support of Geneva's program. The isolation of Italy, for all practical pur- poses, is one hundred per cent effective. Rome dispatches disclose that while Ttaly is stunned by the last blow to her hopes, just delivered by France, Mus- golini is adamant in his purpose to re- eort to military violence. M. Lavals Assembly address held out vague hope of the continuing prospect of concilia- tion. He indicated that he himself is at work on a plan for peaceful settle- ment of the controversy, designed to satisfy Italy’s legitimate demands in so far as they are compatible with the sovereignty of a League state. But there 1s ground for the gravest doubt that the imperious Duce will be found in any mood for concessions short of military and political domination of Haile Selas- sie's realm, Italy may temporize and wait a while before either withdrawing from Geneva or invading Ethiopia, but her determination to employ her army {n East Africa is apparently inflexible, That the Fascist dictator would dare to fly in the face of the formidable forces now ready to be arrayed against him—in the first instance, in the way of sanctions like the closing of the Suez Canal to passage of Italian troops and munitions, and later, perhaps, in the form df armed international opposition— seems sheer madness. The great Italian people deserve to be preserved from its devastating consequences. —_— e It is not necessary to go back to horse and buggy days for antiquated examples. There is in modern remembrance a time when “September Morn” was admitted with apologetic reluctance to pictorial publication. oot Night clubs are filled with music, but the melody does not linger on into the police court the morning after, Old- fashioned persons who prefer to dine without music still have their argument. e More Police Needed. Major Brown will be able to add thirty- five new policemen to the force during this fiscal year because the Senate Appropri- ations Committee came to his rescue on the final day of hearings on the ap- propriations bill and approved his re- quest for 140 new officers. Thirty-five policemen, needed to replace vacancies created through the economy program, was the compromise between 140 new officers proposed by the Senate and no new officers proposed by the House. This year the Commissioners have ap- proved Major Brown's request for 110 new men, The fate of that request depends, of eourse, on the Budget Bureau and the eommittees of Congress. But, as demon- strated early this year, Major Brown and the Commissioners are acting fully in accord with local public sentiment when they attempt to increase the force to the strength that conditions in Wash- ington demand. That demand is particularly pressing in connection with enforcement of the trafic laws. Automobile registration has increased far out of proportion to in- creases in Police Department personnel. When Major Brown assumed command of the Police Department in 1932 there were 1,341 men on the force. This num- ber was reduced by fl* economy act, and 14 THE not until the current fiscal year will it be possible to bring it back to the 1932 figure, In the meantime, ‘Washington'’s population has increased rapidly; over twenty thousand more sutomobiles are on the streets today than there were in 1932. The maintenance of an adequate police force is a form of insurance that no city can neglect, and Major Brown hps demonstrated that the present force is too small. - Funds theoretically available for dis- tribution cannot fail to interest the De- partment of Agriculture in scientific analysis of & situation which appears to be mostly pork parrel and no pork. e r—e————— According to Elizabethan poetry one of the earlier race problems presented itself when Othello addressed the Vene- tian Senators. The D. C. As A Taxpayer. Annual reports of the collector of internal revenue provide the effective rejoinder to attacks by unfriendly mem- pers of Congress on the lump-sum appropriation for the District. The tra- ditional form of such attacks is to treat the lump sum as a gratuity wrung from the hard-pressed voting constituents back home, and from this point to argue for its reduction or elimination. Unin- formed readers of the Record might form the opinion that the people of the Dis- trict pay neither local nor Federal taxes, but are supported as pampered wards of the National Government. As a matter of fact, local residents now pay about eighty-five per cent of National Capital maintenance and de- velopment expenses through their local taxes. To the remaining fifteen per cent they conl.nbgte heavily as national tax- payers. How heavily they contribute is indicated by the report of the collector of internal revenue for the fiscal year, 1935, just released, which shows the Dis- trict paid $12,638,144.67 during that period in internal revenue taxes—a little more when processing taxes are included. Comparison of the District payments with similar payments made by the States shows the District paying more than any one of twenty-three States— Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Towa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West' Virginia and Wyoming. The District’s payment exceeded the combined payments of nine States—Ari= zona, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, | Vermont and Wyoming. The District's | payment was over fifteen times that of | North Dakota, twelve times that of New Mexico, ten times of Idaho, nine times each of Arizona, South Dakota and Wyoming; eight times that of Vermont, six times that of Mississippi and Nevada; four times that of Arkansas and Utah, | three times that of Montana and New ! Hampshire, two and one-half times that of South Carolina, twice the payments of Alabama, Maine and Oregon, one-half greater than Nebraska and one-fourth greater than Kansas and West Virginia. When the agricultural adjustment taxes are included the comparison shows only a slight change. In this set-up the District ranks thirty-first | among the States, with the District pay- ment exceeding that of any one of eighteen States. Here the payments of the District exceeded by a million and & half the combined payments of seven States. The District is a far more substantial contributor to the lump sum, or other Federal expenditures than are many of the States; a matter which is emphasized not in the spirit of slurring these States, but in defense of the District against malicious criticism as a tax dodger. These States all have representation in the Government which taxes them. The taxpaying District has none. Some adroit statisticians might sup- ply Mr. Hopkins with a few figures in billions showing how many people, delvers and artisans, must be employed to produce materials for permanent work. —— ] Italy mentions October 10 as the date on which Ethiopia may expect to take into its calculations a considerable boom in graveyard real estate. e Nearly all the world is now in favor of the League of Nations and wishing it an unhindered opportunity to perform at its best. et Hitler sneers at the expressions of Woodrow Wilson, rejecting with special emphasis the idea of keeping anybody out of war. - o One way to discourage millionaires with art galleries is to encourage young painters who boondoggle in colors. ———ee ‘The boondoggle game appears to be related to what old whist players re- ferred to as “bumblepuppy.” R See the Constitution, Next Tuesday will be Constitution day, and the people of Washington might observe the occasion by making a pil- grimage to the Library of Congress to view the immortal document itself, en- shrined there by formal act of the National Legislature, Thousands of men and women, boys and girls, it is true, already have inspected the basic law of the land in its physical aspect of written parchment, but a much larger number, it may be supposed, never have treated themselves to that experience. The value, however, of any such contact with history requires no argument. Knowledge of the past is a form of power which every citizen should have for his own and his country’s good. Certainly it may be contended that because of the constant presence of con- stitutionalism in the theory and prac- tice of government in America the spirit of the document frsmed by the found- mu-chmfluutmmm of every EVEN STAR individual under the flag. Nor need that thought be debated exhaustively. Rather, it may be conceded that the people are affected both directly and indirectly by the system of organized democracy in which they exist. What is wanted, though, is & more intense and passionate apprehension of the principles of freedom and fellowship which the Constitution attempts to correlate aund immuuonll‘u for the benefit of all. The humblest, the least consequential of souls, has a right to a share of the flame which was de- signed to warm every heart. But the citizen must reach out to the blaze if he would feel its cheer. Like other forms of eternal truth, it has to be sought, has to be desired, longed for, deeply and desperately appreciated. [ It was with some such thought that Congress made the Constitution avail- able for public inspection, and the sig- nificance of the action ought never to be forgotten. The people’s representa- tives placed the people’s charter where the people could view it so that the people could know of its meaning as a living instrument for the people's pro- tection and welfare, Never to have taken advantage of the chance to add it to the memories of one’s journey through the world is to be poor in a form of spiritual prosperity which is to be had for the taking. Children especi- ally should not be denied the privilege of being able to declare: “I am an Ameri- can. I know the Constitution. I have seen it.” - Schoolbook publishers do not hesitate to compile literary selections and copy- right works which the authors meant 10 give to the world free of charge. Even a communist would resent such an arbitrary assertion of exclusive privilege. —————- \ Early railroading is mentioned in con- nection with aviation enterprise. The trail back to horse-and-buggy days, though not & very long one, is full of adventure. i .o It is to be hoped that business will continue to improve so rapidly that the Ickes-Hopkins debate can be prolonged in a way to prevent depletion of relief funds. R Clearing off lawns should not permit boondoggling to associate itself with the idea of a rake-off. e Wet weather makes war difficult in Ethiopia. Devout Abyssinians will con- tinue to pray for rain. = S Mussolini has a political machine which he is determined shall not be allowed to rust through inaction. —rar——————— Tt will not be the same old bouquet, but the Lily of France may again be tied up with the English Rose. o Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. ‘The Wild Warrior. When a statesman hits a state of in- dignation There's no limit to his bitterness of hate; He will presently provide vituperation And for reasons not exactly up to date. | He'll endeavor to revive some ugly story | From a jungle where the vegetation’s thick And perhaps he’ll do the trick With a gesture that is quick— For he always chooses some one he can lick. It's to punish mortal sin that he's pre- paring To gather tanks and shells in his garage; TS go upon a quest of profit sharing While employing ardent speech for" camouflage. He grows more garrulous concerning glory And seeks with industry to raise Old Nick, But before he heaves a brick Made of concrete rhetoric He always chooses some one he can lick. Ancestral Hope. “I have a device to make war so0 deadly that it will be impossible.” “I give you a chrysanthemum and a Nobel prize,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “yet I must remind you that my ancestors said the same thing when they invented gunpowder.” Jud Tunkins says it would promote understanding if all foreign politicians actually used broken English as they do over the radio. Alchemist. I'll make an experiment. If it goes wrong I'll make many more while I'm singing a song. Some promising perfumes may seem rather good; Some odors may punish the whole neighborhood. A compound unstable will cause no dismay. I'll make my experiments day after day. Ingredients new in my mixture I'll drop Until an explosion blows up the whole shop. Moral Repose. “Where have you been for the last ten years?” asked the cop. 3 “In prison,” said Bill the Burg. - “Do you resent the experience?” “Not altogether. It was something to have a clear conscience that long.” Taxpayer Takes a Ride. “Where are you going my pretty maid?” “I'm going a-marketing, sir,” she said. “will you buy pork chops and bread and cheese?” “I'll spend my pennies just as I please.” “May I go with you, my pretty maid?” “Far as you like if you're not afraid.” “What must I do to journey thus?” “Pay all expenses and make no fuss.” “Riches have wings,” said Uncle Eben. “It takes money to wear ostrich l.fil;l-" « < ASHINGTO Communism Is Spurned As Ideal in Schools To the Editor of The Star: Your editorial in Tuesday’s Star on the subject of academic freedom in the public schools of the District of Columbia was safe, sane and sound in tone and tenor, as your editorial opinion always is. You stand four square, as all genuine Ameri- cans do, for freedom of thought and utterance as part of the fundamental creed of democracy. Any other policy would reverse the traditions of 150 years; but freedom of speech must not be allowed to degenerate into license which would jeopardize the foundation of free institutions. It is especially dangerous to have such heresies inculcated upon the impressionable minds of youth. It was the clear and unmistakable in- tention of Congress to prevent Com- munistic propaganda in the public schools of the District of Columbia. The corporation counsel has interpreted this act with sane judgment and common sense. Pupils in the public schools must be indoctrinated with the spirit of in- tellectual freedom in harmony with na- tional security, but they must never be taught to tolerate any wild and untried theory of government calculated to dé- stroy American ideals and traditions. Communism is a fact which looms large in the world today. Every teacher of social science in selhools of every type must bring Com- munism to the attention of his students or be confronted by them with it. It would be as absurd to try to prevent its presentation as to interdict the multipli- cation table. But there is a world of difference between presenting Com- munism objectively as an object of study and understanding and teaching it sym- pathetically as & program of action. Communism is the mdst militant branch of Socialism and is imbued with the missionary spirit to carry its mes- sage and mission to the nations and supplant democratic institutions. Com- munism and democracy are antithetical terms. Every theological faculty must recognize the existence of atheism and agnosticism as® objective facts which must necessarily be brought to the at- tention of inquiring students; but they would not dare dream of inviting atheists and agnostics to present such topics. On the other hand, men of ma- turity of thought and judgment and tested soundness in the Christian faith and doctrine would present these here- sies only as examples to be avoided. Crime, murder, lynching and kidnaping are facts which force themselves upon the attention of every student and teacher, but the antidote must be given along with the poison. We cannot present the claims of vice and virtue to youthful minds and allow them to decide according to their own will and judgment. Communism cannot be given an equal chance with democracy to gain the favor of American youth. Congress has determined that no known Communist who avowedly be- lieves in its mission to supplant democ- racy shall be placed on the pay roll to teach and preach this insidious doctrine. Wherever Communism is objectively presented it must be held up like all other vices as an object to be shunned and avoided. This is no infringement upon the freedom of speech. If any one wants to advocate Communism he is at perfect liberty to do so within the al- lowed limits of the law; but it must be | done outside of the school room and without Government support. Any other policy would be suicidal and would spell the end of patriotism. KELLY MILLER. Suggests Dumfries, Va., As Site for Abbatoir To the Editor of The Star. Citizens of Alexandria view Wwith justifiable alarm the project for estab- lishing an abbatoir and huge packing plant within the city limits, and utiliz- ing for this purpose the port of Alex- andria, the fate of which has been un- decided for almost a century. This proposition is short-sighted and does not allow for the development, now well under way, of the scenic and his- toric possibilities of the Mount Vernon Boulevard, and the preservation of me- morials dear to the heart of the Amer- ican people. Neither does it allow for the expansion of greater Washington, in opening the door to a vast project which must cumber the Potomac with shipping, pollute its waters and increase trafic dangers in Alexandria by the increased numbers of trains which might use the open railroad crossings to the south and north of the city. Below Washington on the Maryland side of the river is an undeveloped sec- tion, which could be connected by a railroad bridge with the Virginia shore, which below Mount Vernon is equally undeveloped. Any one who has visited the site of the old port of Dumfries, now a wilderness, is impressed by the pos- sibilities of this region. It might be practical by reclaiming the wide extent of marsh land to develop the natural harbor which exists here and make of it a site for such a vast project as that contemplated. The railroad to Fred- ericksburg and Richmond runs directly through this country. There are also possibilities in the development of the Occoquan River, the muddy waters of which would not be sullied by the opera- tions necessary to the maintenance of an abbatoir. Such a development as this would en= tail the employment of hundreds of men, and the Government might well take a hand in it. It is hardly as consider- able as the Tennessee Valley project and would open to development a wide extent of country and further the in- dustrial development of Virginia. CATHERINE LEWIS, - Wants Something Done About Abused Horses To the Editor of The Star: I want to thank you for supporting the Animal Rescue League through your contribution to the Community Chest. To illustrate what some people who do not live in the District think of “animal” conditions here, I will quote one of the letters which was received a day or two ago from Mr. William L. Jackson of Hartford, Conn.: “During a recent visit to your city I was shocked to see frequently saddle horses, numbering about a dozen, ridden by Negro women and men, early and late, going through the streets in a con- dition which s a disgrace and a shame. They were nothing but skin and bones and must be starving. It is no credit to your city or your organization and should be stopped. Many times the poor beasts were wet and lathered from be- ing raced by their riders. They were going morning and night in the vicinity where I stopped—namely, near Wash- ington Circle and Twenty-first street.” In answering Mr. Jackson's letter I told him that we are doing everything in our power tg get these poor old horses off the streets, and that I should like to see an adequate law enacted that would prevent such horses from being driven on the streets, but that the people in voteless Washington have no represen- tation in Congress and are dependent on the men from the States to make their laws, and whether they like them or not they must accept them. If possible I should like to have this gentleman'’s letter given publicity, as I chmkmnyuzhvwldhlluwud the league in work if realized b 3 THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. ‘The real wonder of the world is not some great building, but the intolerant conversationalist. How any supposed intelligent being can be intolerant while discussing some- thing—anything-—will remain a mystery to many. The whole genius of talk lies in give and take. Without thrust and counterthrust there is no contest. Yet the intolerant talker, who bursts into anger when any one differs with him, is a very natural sort of person after all. When he is licked he gets angry! * % ¥ % Say what you will against natural emotions, they are supremely natural anyway, Anger is bad, anger is everything you want to call it, but as long as the physical body remains in this world it will be subject to reactions which we term anger, ire, choler and so on. Modern research has shown something of the manner in which anger operates. It is not, we are told, a spontaneous combustion in the mind so much as a building up and sudden releasing in the system of certain substances which cause what we call “anger.” Anger flares, we say, and that is about right, but the combustion is in the body more than in the eyes and mind, as di- recting as those forces may be. Anger is a protective device set up by Nature through countless hundreds of thousands of years. It is the prod of fighting and running. It it as primitive a thing as we know, yet we are told, and rightly, to over- come it as well as we may in order to be as civilized as we can. * x x x Talk is dear to the heart of every American. The phrase freedom of speech is not an idle thing here. The intolerant talker, whoever he is, who will not permit others to differ with him without becoming red in the face is an enemy of all we love then. He will not tolerate a difference of opinion, primarily, we believe, because he feels pretty certain that he cannot argue the thing through. It is this very argument, however, this “argufying” so dear to Americans, which is the real test, both of intelligence and of Americanism. While we have not been free from intolerance in this respect, being an essentially human Nation, composed of s myriad facets, it is the glory of our history that the common man has main- ly had his say. * & ok x The right to talk things over, the abil- ity to do so, the joy of doing so—these are three most important things guar- anteed both by the Declaration of Inde- pendence and the Constitution. More than that, they are inherent in the mind and soul of every free man. Free men preceded all constitutions | guaranteeing the same. They were the great men in the his- tory of the freedom of thought. There are all sorts of thoughts. little thoughts, big thoughts, little subjects, | | big subjects. The right to differ—it is a precious one, very young, after all, in the history of mankind. Just a few centuries only have seen it in any way near complete a form. Even today everywhere, for intolerance of thought 1s as old as mankind—and as perpetually in the most fortunate | country in the world it finds enemies | | your best to uphold the traditions of new. Read Ellen Glasgow's new novel, “Vein of Iron,” to see what happened to & man who didn't think as his neighbors thought. * x ¥ % ‘The solution of the red-faced man, of course, is not to talk to him. But that is & vast shame in some respects, be- cause he needs the opinions of others most. It is very unfortunate that such persons invariably run off their mental an- tagonists. They want to reduce antagonism to a form they better understand—the physical, It is impossible to learn as much from any one else as from the mental an- tagonist, the man or woman who does not agree with you! Granted, of course, sincere. ‘Whether they are right or not is an- other matter, and one which, after all, does not matter so much as is com- monly thought. The world has put too much stress, from one standpoint, on being right. It is not much pleasure in being right in a great many instances, even when one is! “I told you so” is a bitter phrase, and reacts mostly against the one who utters ft. Commonly there is little real rejoicing in being right about anything. Beforehand one thinks in the secret places of the mind that it will be a great deal of pleasure to be proved right about something, but when the time comes and one is triumphantly right before all eyes it is others who may re- Joice, but not one’s self. ‘The thought-for happiness turns ashes in the mouth. It is otherwise than one believed, One almost had rather been wrong. that they are L Sincerity is the real thing, and if an opponent have that we can ask for nothing more—but let him at the same time not grow red in the face and glare if our opinions are not his opinions. ‘We offer to him in little a complete education, and he in effect refuses it by glaring and growing red and daring us to say something contrary to what he says. We, the great and composite we of the opposition, would not be human, of | course, if we did not accept the challenge. As for our own production of muscle- toning ingredients, that is almost out- side our control. It would be wholly so if it were not for the human will, God bless it. As long as man is dowered with will power it is up to him to attempt to make some good use of it. One of the very best uses is that of exerting will to overcome anger when one of these red-faced fellows begins to | foam at the mouth the moment you dare differ with him. He has not learned the value of will as manifested in self-control. Rather he glories in getting “fighting mad” over nothing much. Well, let him. He cannot help it, evidently, and you can. That is the difference, and your glory. Remain true to the great traditions. Realize that a diamond is still a dia- mond, though it be dragged through the mire. The intolerant conversationalist is so afraid he is wrong that the chances are he is. The only triumph, however, lies in being tolerant on your side and doing free speech and equally free ideas. how important it is to the citv. About a week ago we were able to get two of these old horses. They were in a de- plorable condition, undernourished. cov- ered with sores and abused, one was blind in one eye and had shoes on only three feet. A newspaper photographer took a picture, but the editor refused to print it because it was such a ter- rible-looking sight. EDITH MANN MOSES. President. e Protection to Public Seen in Utility Law To the Editor of The Star: Probably the utility holding company executives have ample ground, as has been stated, for their apprehensions as to the effect of the recently enacted public utility act of 1935. But is not their situation similar to that which confronted the executives of the stock exchanges and their broker members a little more than a year ago, when the securities and exchange act was passed by Congress? There was a great hubbub then, as now, but it soon subsided. and a very large part of the opponents of the legislation, including the best intel- ligence of the exchanges and brokerage houses themselves, have now come to believe that the law which they con- demned so earnestly and measuredly will actually prove not only a protection to the public but & boon to the legiti- mate trading in securities in the stock markets. At this time we find the holding com- panies, if one can judge by the public utterances of some of their executives, in an attitude of stiff resistance to the new law. They are calling in the best legal talent of the country, not, ap- parently, that they shall be advised as to how the law may be observed, but as to how it may be circumvented and de- feated. Some of the executives have gone so far as to declare that a vigorous cam- paign for an amendment of the law is to be waged in the country prior to the beginning of the next Congress; and this means, if it means anything, that an_ attempt is to be made to inject the holding company issue into the presi- dential and congressional campaigns of next year. ‘When one recalls that Mr. Hopson, directing head of the Associated Gas & Electric system, recently advised a committee of the Senate that he would gladly spend five or six billion dollars to kill the utility bill, it is easy to imagine the calamity of such an eventuality. In such a fight, under such circumstances, a victory might be such as John Dryden described as, “a funeral victory “At whose sad pemp the conqueror must die” ‘The public utility act calls for a some- what radical readjustment of the hold- ing company system of controlling, and sometimes exploiting, local utility com- panies. Such a readjustment, impelled by forces outside the system, naturally 1s disturbing, but it need not be wholly demoralizing or wholly destructive. It is likely that not a single operating company in the entire country will be destroyed or even impaired by the law. It is safe to say that, with the law fully in force, all operating companies will still be producing their products and will still be increasing the number of their customers. Many of them, per- haps all eventually, will be materially benefited by the enactment. Basic values, which, after all, have foundation in the operating companies and not in the holding companies, will remain just about as they were before the industry a3 & whole was drawp, into the uproar . | petuate situations of that kind. that was created by the paid propa- gandists and the paid lobbyists. Of course, if it happens that a holding company has permitted itself to be sold | to the public on a basis other than the | actual or revenue producing value of its units—that is a horse of another color. The law has not been passed to pe The law, as I apprehend it, was passed with a distinct and determined contemplation | that such situations shall not be per- mitted to continue and that no new situ- ations of similar character shall ever again be created in this country except with dire consequences to those who are responsible. ROBERT K. WILLIAMS. oo Fears New Busses Are Worse Than Cars To the Editor of The Star: According to a recent article pub- | lished in The Star, the Chevy Chase Citizens' Association is apprehensive as to the quality of the bus service which the Capital Transit Co. proposes to fur- nish in place of the present car service. The action of the association is timely in view of the short time left to con- sider the matter. Foresight is much more effective than hind sight and any action taken must of necessity be taken before the change is made. It is quite unlikely that after the rails are removed from the street they will be replaced and car service restored, regardless of how unsatisfac- tory the busses prove to be. During the recent hot weather the writer had occasion to try out the so- called de luxe 20-cent bus service, which operates between the downtown business section and Chevy Chase. The decided lack of ventilation made the interior of the bus uncomfortably warm and the sickening odor of gas fumes added to the discomfort. The ventilation was entirely inadequate. Compared with the old street cars, I should say that the busses have from a third to a half the window opening of the cars and the cars have no gas fumes to assail the passengers and driver alike at every stop. If these busses are a fair sample of what is to be expected and if this serv- fjce is the much touted improvement, representing the latest progress in trans- portation, then the writer does not know the meaning of the words prog- ress and improvement. In all fairness, it must be said that the conditions noted are not confined to the Capital Transit busses, for the large busses everywhere have generally the same difficulties, I feel sure if President Hanna, his officials and Board of Directors and the North American crowd had to ride the busses daily, as we Chevy Chase folks will have to do if the change goes through, the appeal of the bus would be ronsiderably lessened. As a long-time resident of Washing- ton, I personally feel that President Hanna is too good a transportation executive to believe in the change him- self, which many of us feel is being forced over by the holding company. If the Chevy Chase and Connecticut avenue folks are forced to accept the busses, and I am afraid they will be unless the citizens' associations con- cerned take action before it is too late, the blame for the inferior transporta- tion service contemplated will rest squarely on the shoulders of not only the dilatory citizens’ associations but also upon the District Commissioners and people’s counsel, who are paid to look after the interests of the people. L K. R. M( . | States Army ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS By Frederic 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 proportion of sales made are on credit?—J. R. 8. A. It has been found by statistical studies, carried on by different retail credit authorities, among whom are Mr. Guy Hulse, secretary of the National Retall Credit Association, and Mr. R. Preston Shealey of the Washington, D. C., Bar, that sales on credit are normally somewhat less than half of the total volume of sales during a given period of time. Dr. Wilbur C. Plummer, econo- mist of the United States Department of Commerce, as a result of studies car- ried out under his direction for one year, found that credit sales were 47 per cent of total retail sales. Q. Where is the Hay Fever Club of America?—E. M. A. It has headquarters at Duluth, Minn. . Q. Please repeat the names of the countries which formed the Roman Empire.—A. B. A. The Roman Empire included the present countries of Italy, Great Britain France, Spain, Austria, Hungary, the Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor, Palestine and Northern Africa. Q. Is there an island in the Pacific Ocean upon which it is impossible to land?—T. K. A. There is no island within the realms of possibility where there exists such a combination of wind and current as would permanently prevent access to its shores. Many small islands in the Pacific are so small that it is difficult to find a safe lee, and many islands are so steep that landing places are diffi- cult to find. Some islands also are fringed with reefs, making access except in small boats difficult or impossible. But it is safe to say that any island of suffi- clent size and importance to warrant a visit can be landed upon at some time | or other, Q. What was Emmy Destinn's real name?—H. P. A. The family name of the operatic soprano was Kittl. She studied with Mme. Loewe-Destinn, whence her stage name, Q. In the skull and crossbones, what bones in the human anatomy form the crossbones?—G. J. M. A. They are the thigh bones or femurs Q. In what years of the nineteenth century were there the greatest famines? —C.G. L. A. From 1870 to 1872, from 4,000.000 to %Ogo.oooppenshed in Persia. In 1877, in ina, 9,500,000 perished; in Indi 500,000. > ik Q. How many pictures of George Washington did Gilbert Stuart pain from life?—E. 8. A. Stuart painted three portraits of George Washington from life. The first he rubbed out, the second is the full- length portrait painted for the Marquis of Lansdowne, the third is the so-callec Athenaeum Washington. Of the fir several versions exist, one is the Gibbs- Channing picture; of the second Stuai made several copies. The Athenaeum Washington is in the Museum of Fin- Arts, New York. With tMe aid of thi portrait Stuart produced 79 replicas, gen- erally of the dimension of 25x30 inche and a series of full-length large size portraits with the figure in oratorical bust now known as the Lansdowne type Q. Who won this y race’—F. P. A. The Bendix Trophy race from Bur- bank, Calif., to Cleveland was won by Benjamin O. Howard, airline pilot. In 8 hours 33 minutes 16 3-10 seconds hc made the 2,042 miles. r's Bendix Troph; Q. What languages did Lawrence o! Arabia speak?—G. A. L. A. Several Arabic dialects, Latin, Greek, French, Dutch, German, Italian Spanish and Norwegian., Q. What is the Comintern’—E. G. A. The Comintern or Communist In- ternational is a federation of the Com- munist parties of the world. It was founded in March, 1919, and has head- quarters in Moscow. Q. What was the minimum height and weight for American soldiers in the World War?—W. S. R. A. The minimum height of men who entered the Army of the United States in the World War was 60 inches; the minimum weight was 110 pounds. he average height of men in the United during the World War was 67.49 inches; the average weight was 141.54 pounds. Q. What is the lightest known liquid? —C. G. A. Liquid hydrogen is the lightes known liquid and is in the liquid con- dition only at a very low tempersture. Q. How many male nurses are therc in the United States?—J. 8. A. The 1930 census enumerated 5452 male trained nurses. Q. Please give a biography of Ann‘ Lee, founder of the Shakers—G. W. A. Ann Lee (1736-1784) was born in Manchester, England, where she worked in factories, later becoming a cook. In 1762 she was married to & blacksmith. Her four children died in infancy. Con- vinced of the holiness of celibacy, after her association with Jane Wardley and the Shaking Quakers, she preached in the open and was imprisoned. Claiming revelation that the second coming of Christ was fulfilled in her, in 1774 she led eight others to America, where as Mother Ann she won many converts. In 1776 at Watervliet, N. Y., the first Shaker settlement in America was formed. A Rhyme at Twilight By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton The House Wreckers They are wrecking a house today On my own familiar street That many a night I've seen alight For dancing youthful feet. Prom the house they are pulling down I've watched a bride go forth, And in twilight I've seen firelight When winds blew from the north, I've seen on the door that today Is only a shattered frame A sheaf of flowers for mourning hours, Marking a passing name. Skeleton windows and doors, Falling plaster and brick; Tearing it down for space in the town, . Wrecking it stick by stick! At the end there is little left to see— an old hearth slipper in the debrig.