Evening Star Newspaper, November 16, 1935, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1935, A e e R e, THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL, THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C, SATURDAY .........November 16, 1935 —_— THEODORE W. NOYES...........Editor ey The Evening Star Newspaper Company. Business Office: 11th 8¢ “and Fensyivania Ave. Criag Sice. Lok Michigan Buds agn. Office: Lake Mt BuroTian Omae 4 Rehent St London. Engiand. Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Edition, The Evening Star... ~=-43¢ per month The Evening and Si 600 por month Ul Bundays) 85¢ per month -5¢ per copy ‘ght Pinal and Sunday Star, oection made AL ihe Shd_of, sach mont Orders may be sent by mall or telephone Na- tional 5000. Payable in Advance. nd and Virginia. $10.00; ., R £6.00; 1 mo., 50c $4.00; 1 mo.. 40¢ ally and Sunday. aily only _.. Bunday only_. fly and Sunday. '”d' only.. 1 yr, unday only. $12.00; 1 mo. $1.00 $8.00: 1 mo, 75¢ $5.00; 1 mo. 50c Member of the Assoclated Press. ated Press 1s exclusively entitled to e ention ot all mews dispatches eredited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the local news published herein. fl” rights of publication of special dispatches erein are also reserved. —_— Communism and Salaries. The situation with regard to the “teaching” of communism in the public schools is not materially changed or affected by the ruling just made by Con- troller General McCarl that salaries will be paid only to teachers who sign state- ments each pay day to the effect that they did not, during the preceding pe- riod, “teach or advocate communism.” That ruling is merely a statement of the method to be followed in carrying out the law which was enacted last June providing “that no part of any appro- priation for the public schools shall be available for the payment of the salary of any person teaching or advocating communism.” The controller general, faced with a prohibitory clause in the law, had no alternative but to state the conditions upon which salaries will be paid. As to the question in chief, whether there is a difference between “teaching” and “advocating” communism in the course of public instruction, that remains where it now stands, with the adoption by the Board of Education of the ruling by the corporation counsel that there 45 a difference, that “teaching” and *advocating” are not identical and that *teaching” is simply exposition or state- ment, without an attempt on the part of the expositor to create a favorable opinion on the part of the student. That ruling, which the Board of Education has made its own, remains subject to later consideration by the Congress which enacted the law with its prohibitory clause. Controller General McCarl does not undertake to define “teaching” in con- nection with the statement of com- munism to students by the instructors in the schools. He takes the words of the law as they stand. It may be that only by the medium of a test case, with @ teacher denied salary and seeking to recover through suit in court, could such 8 question be determined satisfactorily. But such a test would be difficult and protracted. Meanwhile, Congress will assemble and the matter may be con- sidered anew in that quarter and the law be more distinctly stated, if any prohibitory language is used. The whole case turns upon the ques- tion of whether there shall be any men- tion in the course of the school cur- riculum of communism or kindred the- ories and practices of government, as opposed and hostile to the system of Government in this country. The broad view is expressed in the ruling of the corporation counsel, which the Board of Education has adopted as its own, that a statement of all forms of government and all doctrines of rule must be stated end expounded or explained to give the * student a complete knowledge of civics and of history. The contrary view is that pernicious and subversive methods should not be mentioned in the hearing of stu- dents lest they become infected with such doctrines. T Flaming youth always has to watch its step to ascertain exactly what ideas smoldering maturity may be putting &cross, with an eye to new fuel. An American Shrine. One of the persuasive arguments for the legislation providing for a mewy home for the Supreme Court of the vEniLed Btates was that the space in the Capi- tol so long occupied by the highest tri- bunal was needed by the Senate for office rooms and committee rooms. Now the allocation of the space just vacated by the court has been effected, and the chambers, with one exception, have been distributed among members of the Upper House of Congress. The court room itself has not been assigned. ‘Nor will it be. It is to be preserved as it has appeared for years as an historic shrine. This is appropriate. For that room has been the scene of American history. It was the arena of great legal battles, Its walls have resounded with the eloquence and the logic and the argumentation of the greatest legal lights of this country. In that chamber have been pronounced judicial dictums of vital consequence to the Nation. In fact, it has seen the building of the Nation through the interpretation of statutes in their relation to the funda- mental law, the Constitution. To turn the old court chamber into a Benate committee room, perhaps into several small work offices, would be little else than sacrilege. To leave it as it is, without change in any manner, will not be in any sense a waste. It will be rather & contribution to the American concept of nationality, & stimulus to the pride of the American people in the success of the preat experiment of self-government. It would be well indeqd if the official guides who escort visitors through the Capitol and identify its features and tell the story of its use during these many decades were to be especially trained in & comprehensive and cg‘rect history of the Supreme Court as it sat in that old room for three quarters of a century. It would not need to be & long drawn re- cital. It might be so condensed as to hold attention and yet cover the high points of the legal lore given utterance there. Across the park in the new white marble temple of justice where the court now sits will in time doubtless be dis- played portraits of the men who have constituted the court during these years of its great service. There is no space in the old room for such a display. The memories of the nearly fourscore who in the course of these years have interpreted and sustained the Constitution in its in- tegrity will dwell in the scene of their labors, now established for all time as a shrine. ————e—. Ending an Anomaly. After the signing of the Canadian- American reciprocal trade treaty at the White House on Friday the President observed that it places commerce be- tween the two countries on a basis of mutual agreement for the first time since 1866. Mr. Roosevelt declared that he was happy to have a part in removing this “anomaly.” The two great North American democracies, he indicated, are united by too many “bonds of friendship and common heritage” to permit the indefinite continuance of unnatural and unnecessary trade barriers. Similar sentiments were expressed by Prime Minister Mackenzie King and Secretary Hull as they exchanged signa- tures which translated into international law the give-and-take pact Wwhereby Canada and the United States hope measurably to restore the volume of trade which existed before high tariffs and depression reduced it to present dimensions. From Secretary Hull's lips fell words of special significance. They refer to currently unsettled conditions overseas due in large part to trade causes. “While many other parts of the world are slip- ping in the direction of economic sui- cide,” the Secretary of State said, “the trade agreement between our two coun- tries marks an outstanding step in the direction of economic sanity.” The bar- | gain with Canada brings justifiable sat- isfaction to Mr. Hull, for it typifies his theory that economic nationalism is wholly out of place in the closely inter- locking world of today. Prime Minister Mackenzie King struck yet another note in acclaiming the conclusion of the treaty. Fore- shadowing that it will “beyond question” produce a marked and prompt increase in commerce and thus help both coun- | tries to make more rapid progress toward recovery, the Canadian leader empha- sized that the agreement will not benefit North America alone. All the world, he contends, will gain from greater trade on this continent. It is probable that in this particular utterance Mr. King had Great Britain in mind. There have been suggestions that the “mother country” looked askance, in view of the Ottawa empire trade agreements, at the Domin- ion’s overtures for a tariff alliance with the United States. The prime minister seems to say to Britannia that increased Canadian prosperity, as & consequence of more favorable opportunities in the American market, can only result in greater Dominion buying power for empire wares. Exactly what mutual tariff concessions the new treaty contains remain to be disclosed. They are to be made public Monday. Hints that the United States has agreed to substantial reductions in rates on Canadian lumber and dairy products have already aroused protest in this country. There is likely to be little patience in the Nation at large with remonstrances from group interests against a program that envisions the advantages to the American people as a whole that will accrue from a new and square economic deal with our neighbors to the North. All concerned with its consummation deserve the country’s gratitude. It strikes a blow for business and for peace. It is an example which governments far from these shores would do well to emulate. ——r—e—s ‘When “Aida” was produced to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal there was no astrologer present to inspire a song to anticipate the future and put in an “Old Man River” number about the Nile. R The question is being asked, “Should women be allowed to work?” Women have always worked. A change in human affairs that would prevent them from doing so would be truly a new deal. e Italy’s War Progress. It cannot be denied that there pre- vails a sentimental partisanship in this country for the Ethiopians, based some- what on the under-dog feeling and also upon the belief that Italy has no jus- tifiable cause for war against them. Nor can it be denied that from the outset the hope has been entertained over here that the Ethiopians would admin- ister a sound beating to the invaders of their land. And finally it is unde- niable that there is a general feeling of disappointment at the performances of the Ethiopians thus far in the con- flict. It was Known that they were wretchedly armed and that their general supplies for warfare were far below their needs, owing to the difficulties of transportation, their lack of means and the shortness of the time in which they could prepare for war. But somehow there was a feeling that the tribesmen, flerce and intensely patriotic, would give a much better account of them- selves than they have given so far in the campaign. The defection of Ras Gugsa, son-in-law of the Emperor, was an early blow to the hopes of the par- tisans of Haile Selassie. Now it seems to be symptomatic of the indifferent nationalistic sentiment of the Ethiopians. They are apparently not as unified and loyal to their ruler as was thought, The war has now been in progress for six weeks and all reports indicate that it has developed in accord with the plans of the Italian leaders. They have taken their ub}lcfivufi regularly and with seemingly small losses. The Ethiopian resistance has been futile. The sup- posedly insurmountable natural obstacles have been overcome with little derange- ment of the schedule, There have been reports of heavy losses from disease, but these lack confirmation. Doubtless, in the calculations of the Italian high com- mand as to progress, allowance was made for this element. Otherwise the adven- ture into Ethiopia weuld have been reckless. 5 No superiority of mere man power, without adequate modern equipment, can possibly give Haile Selassie an advan- tage in this campaign. The larger the forces of opposition the heavier the losses from concentrated modern-weapon attack. A greater mobility is effective only with an equality of armament. The Ethiopians are almost wholly lacking in aerial weapons, in tanks and in long- range fleld guns. They are short of ammunition. They are, comparatively, an unarmed nation seeking to resist a well organized, well equipped and well directed force of sufficient size to carry out a series of advances to a succession of positions. And whether there is a lack in individual quality or in loyalty or in fighting spirit, the enemy’s advan- tage of armament and supply is telling against them. Unless some now unfore- seen turn in the tide of war comes Ethiopia will be a beaten nation. - Current references to Senator Norris suggest that there is a certain qgnount of palpable nonsense in the idea of a man’s being due for retirement at sixty. Old Gov. Bill Allen of Ohio used to say “Use- fulness is not a question of how long a man has lived. It is a question of what is left of him.” e As prosperity advances more govern- mental assistants show a willingness to take their chances in private employ- ment. Colleges are good training for Government service, which in turn pro- vides valuable training for general en- terprise. —————————— It might seem a little helpful if homi- cides could be left to the coroners and the psychiatrists, while public attention is concentrated on economic and social conditions that made them possible. e r——————— ‘The Philippines are assured that they will have freedom. Incidentally they have learned a lot and secured a friend in Uncle Sam not to be lightly forgotten. ————— Laval is said to be playing closely with England. The lyrical sentiment may be revived, “Somewhere in France is the 1ily, close by the English rose.” T Straw votes are so numerous that they et eed in retiring the t of | Ay, yel suco i o Bisidagl fortable their patrons are. the electoral college still further into the realms of perfunctory formality. e Italian military operations in Ethiopia are described with vivid effect, though admittedly not so important as diplo- matic operations in Rome. e Some of the arguments brought up in spectacular debate should have been settled long since by the book reviewers. ——— e Sob sisters do not replace the poets. Murders seemed far more romantic when Shakespeare wrote about them. Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Myths Work Both Ways. Oh, Santa Claus is nearing. You can hear 'most anywhere A whisper of the cheering That is trembling in the air. And again our faith we're testing, And again we struggle with The gossip, still unresting, “Santa Claus is just a myth.” There are insinuations That some men of evil fame Have acquired bad reputations ‘When they don't deserve the blame. And perhaps dictators soften Now and then in kindly mood, Being only myths when often They are called exceeding rude. Guidance. “Are you willing to leave our national cares for youth to solve?” “No,” said Senator Sorghum. “Ex- perience still teaches. And much de- pends on whom youth means when it says ‘Ang so’s your old man’.” Leagues. “Sectarian Religion makes Work for the gloom dispeller, Since still more argument it makes,” Remarks J. Rockefeller. ¢ And since a League of Nations may Assist Earth’s contemplations, Perhaps we'll have a League some day Of heavenly aspirations. Placements. “Do you think woman’s place is in the home?” “Yes,” said Miss Cayenne, “so long as man holds his place on the doorstep to keep the bill collectors at bay.” “My ancestors have written much his- tory,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown. “But we are unfortunate in the fact that they lacked the modern alphabetic arts of putting its incidental precepts into modern circulation.” Tribal Customs. The Ethiopians move us ‘Most to the point of tears; We wish it might behoove us To welcome them with cheers. In spite of all endeavor ‘Through many, many moons, They can’t be very clever At performing Verdi tunes. ‘We hope the times are bringing An hour of joyous glee, ‘When each Ethiope will come singing With his banjo on his knee, “I don’t ask no turkey for Thanks- giving,” said Uncle Eben. “A pork chop is all I ask, wifout no questions by de m"fi Some of the Causes Of Traffic Accidents To the Rditor of The Star: ‘There is no doubt much rejoicing on the part of all law-abiding citizens that there is an earnest drive to make people, whether operators of automobiles or street cars or what not and the pedes- trians, have some sense of responsibility for the rights of others. In connection with this there are several things I de- sire to call to the attention of the Police and Traffic Departments and find if there is not some way by which the con- ditions might be remedied. First, while waiting recently for a car at Thirteenth and G streets, the street car sign was literally surround- ed by automobiles and a motor cycle. Not leaving the required distance for the_ fire plug, there was another automobile ending at the corner of Thirteenth street. In front of the sign was a District of Columbia car. Cross way of the engine was a motor cycle of the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police and back of the District of Columbia car was a Pennsylvania State car. Second, on another occasion I ob- served, in front of the car sign on Seventeenth street above H were two commercial trucks, and parked to the corner were cars, not leaving the pe- destrian four inches of space to get to the loading platform. Third, at the bus signs for the Chevy Chase coach line the would-be rider fre- quently has to edge, sidewise between the cars, to the middle of the street to get the bus, and this is particularly true at the stops at Thirteenth and E and Thir- teenth and H streets. At the same time there are signs “No Parking to Corner.” The bus driver is not even able to see if any one is waiting for him. At Thir- teenth and G streets the bus space js filled with parked cars of theater and supper patrons. Fourth, when the light is changing to red, unless the vehicles are on the in- tersection and have started to cross, it seems to me that when the yellow light appears all machines should be made to stop and not “try to go through” before the light completes its change. Fifth, if the motorist is kept off the street car track, perhaps the cars might be able to make better time. Street cars are often held up way back of the stop because the autos block the track. Why not make the driver have some respect and consideration for the rights of the pedestrians who, the regulations inform us, “have the right of way where no traffic light or police is stationed.” Have you ever been “cussed out” be- cause you have tried to cross a street when you have the signal to go, because some driver, and his name is Average, wishes to make a right-hand turn, and informs you you have no right to be walking? Or have you seen a man liter- ally drive through a crowd of people because he desired to make a right-hand turn and the “walking delegation” was rather heavy? Don't you think it would be a good thing if every official and business man should be made to be & pedestrian and a rider of the transit company’s busses and cars that the ma- jority of the riders have to use, espe- cially the type recently put on the new P street route? Too bad the president of that company is not made to sit in | one of the busses and find how rough the motormen are and how uncom- M. P.BARR, o “Be-Kind-to-Teachers” Week Might Lift the Fog To the Editor of The Star. Not daring to rush in where learned lawvers are making the fur fly over the complexities and ramifications and tor- tuous interpretations defining the verb teach, we wait with bated breath and anxious hearts for some genial soul who will loosen the screws on nerve-racked operatives in our hair-trigger mechanism. Why not a “Be-Kind-to-Teachers” week? Of course, the excited protectors of youthful thinking were themselves graduated when education was thought of as a pouring-in process, when in each class room was a platform from which “Teacher” harangued by the hour on subjects more or less interesting to teacher, while Johnny made spitballs or drew caricatures according to his taste, talents and opportunities, But all that changed long, long years ago. Teacher now is spelled with a very small “t” and ranks only as big brother or big sister in a junior republic, and Johnny, who realizes his oats, knows just what ques- tions to spring when he would like to see “her” turn red in the face and say with dignity: “We will excuse Jonathan from the room. Don't come back, please, till you can bring vour father.” A penalty for “teaching” an ism that never was in the curriculum any how and can never by any chance get in as a subject to be taught, is like spiking the warning, “Please don't fall down this well,” with the baleful sanction: “Fine and imprisonment if you do!” ANNA J. COOPER. R Character Building and the Community Chest To the Editor of The 8! ‘There has been considerable complaint abput the character building organiza- tions obtaining funds from the Com- munity Chest. Others think that the Chest raises funds only for charitable organizations. Both groups have a rightful place in the Chest, which was employed to make one drive serve for all. Before the police started their boys’ clubs throughout the country the train- ing schools were filled with boys. I remember that at one time there were over 700 boys at the school on Bladens- burg road. I have been all my life in boy work, field organizer for the Boy Scout movement for 21 years. I remember talking to a bunch of boys about scouting, and requesting the boys to make buddies of their own fathers. When! I was. through I noticed a boy standing beside me, his little face, hands and legs black with dirt, but two little marks that were white from his eyes to his chin caused by tears. I asked him if he cared to talk to me. “Yes, sir, Mr. Plant. If my father was a man like you I might make a buddy of him, but not my old man.” I put this chap in scouting in a troop in Washington. The scout master had no children, so he took this boy and treated him like his own son. He called on the boy's family the next day, and as he explained to me, it was the dirtiest place that he had ever seen. In six months cleaniness instead of .filth prevailed through the example of the boy. The father had also become the buddy of his own son. Is not this enough to prove that character building should be a part of the Chest? JOS. PLANT, The Way Back. * Prom the New Haven Journal-Courier. “Roosevelt Says We Are on Our Way Back”—Headline. That’s just the trouble, according to the Office Tory, who thinks we've got to turn around and go forward pretty soon. —_—————— 11 Duce’s High Rostrums. Prom the Kansas City Star. It is explained that the reason Musso~ lini makes so many speeches from 75-foot balconies is that those are where he dis- mounts from his high horse. /< ‘The naming by their owner of pet fishes seems to be the last straw to per- sons not interested in our finny friends of the aquarium. Yet nothing is more natural, for the creatures almost name themselves, the very best way for names coming into being. Every one knows how dogs get such & name as Spot, and cats that of Boots, owing to some physical peculiarity. 1t is just the same with fishes, especial- ly goldfishes. The latter, rather than their tropical cousins, seem to come by their pet nam naturally, owing to differences of colora- tion, structure, etc. There is an individuality to the gold- fish which may not appear on first acquaintance. One must keep them for several years before realizing their worth. Persons who become interested in exotic, or tropical, fishes, of which some 200 species are now available in the United States, tend at first to look down on the faithful goldfish. If they keep a few of the latter, how- ever, in a separate tank, adequate for their needs—and they need much more water per fish than the tropicals—they will find in time that their interest Brows. For the sheer picture, one to make a splotch of colorful life at a cool window, there is no type of indoor aquarium to vie with the goldfish tank. If one observes the two main rules, keep ’em cool, and give 'em plenty of room, there is not much trouble experi- enced in handling goldfish, unless one has purchased poor stock to begin with. Even then a great deal can be done by giving each fish sufficient water. Those who complain that they “cannot keep goldfish” will be found, in almost every case, to be attempting to house 5 or 6 fishes in a gallon of water. One gallon of water is sufficient for one fish one inch long, exclusive of tail. If this standard is checked against average conditions it will be realized how woefully inadequate is the amount of water usually afforded the average fish. Better two gallons per inch, but that is a standard of perfection not often achieved. The ideal to be aimed at, with gold- fish, is two gallons of water per fish, meaning anything from an inch to two inches, exclusive of tail. It is scarcely necessary to say that fat, egg-shaped fish need a little more water, since their weight is greater. If the water is kept between 60 and 70 degrees, rather than 70 and 80, and the fish not overfed, these strict rules may be violated within reason. At the most, however, not over four fishes ought to be kept in an average five-gallon aquarium. A three-gallon one ought to have not more than three fishes; two would be better. * k¥ ¥ ‘These creatures differ in disposition so widely that their names seem to suggest themselves. No two are alike. One is greedy, another. mild, another angry in appearance, one bold, another very timid. It must be kept in mind that there are many distinct kinds of goldfishes, differ- ing so much in appearance that one not acquainted with the subject would scarce- ly know they are related. ‘Though they all are called “goldfish,” one may be black, another mottled in STARS, MEN red and blue, another bright silver with red, and so on through a scale of colora- tion really greater than anything the famous betta, or fighting fish of Siam, knows. When “flash” is desired in a tank there still is nothing so good as the old gold- fish. This is mainly on account of its glistening scales, whatever their colora- tion. Among the tropical specimens there are only a few which possess this same metallic brilliancy. One of these is the so-called rosy barb, which belongs to the carp family, of which the goldfish is a charter member. Those who honestly are interested in the goldfish find in time that each crea- ture in the home tank just naturally takes unto itself a name. ‘This always astonishes the uninitiated, because to them all fish look alike. Physical appearance is not all, how= ever, by any means. As we have at- tempted to show, the temperament of each fish is distinct, and from this often comes the individual name. Here is one fish so mean that he has been placed in a small tank by himself. Constantly he races backward and for- ward. His name is Buckaroo. Here is a little golden fellow, not more than an inch long, sporting a very fine and elaborate tail. His name is Little Companion. He is known and spoken of as Little Companion. How come? It is easy. He was purchased to go with Buckaroo, but the latter constantly nibbled his fins. His very small size made the title, Little Companion, appropriate, so that when the larger and meaner fish was removed he still went by the old name. Such a name, for a fish, is no more queer than My Own on Time for a champion dog. * ok ok % Many fanciful names of legend and story can be affixed to goldfish with no stretch of the imagination, owing to their queer patterns of color, and shapes, vary- ing from the straight, typical fish form of the “comets” and common goldfish to the elaborately egg-shaped creatures of varied colors and goggle eyes. It is really too bad that the tropical fish craze had to hit America just when the goldfish fancy had elaborated the latter to such a pitch, because it seems to be part of the exotic fish “fancy” to mildly sneer at the goldfish fancier and his fish. Yet any one may breed guppies in a | 10-cent bowl, whereas real knowledge and equipment are necessary to breed the goldfish in an aquarium, although it may be done easily enough in an out- door pool. There are so many good points about goldfishes, however, that there seems little question that they will enjoy a re- vival at an early date. Then there will be no need for thermostatic heaters, often so essential with the tropical speci- mens. In fact there are many fanciers who have never given up goldfish, but have kept a tank or two of them along with their dozen to a hundred tanks of small tropical specimens. After the novelty of fish keeping on a large scale wears off one may be con- tent to handle just a tank or two, and when that day arrives what will be more beautiful than a fine aquarium of goldfish, sparsely populated to the un- initiated eye, but just right to the ex- perienced? AND ATOMS Notebook of Science Progress in Field, Laboratory and Study. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. Antarctica—earth's coldest continent upon whose high central plateau is lo- cated the South Pole—is losing its blanket of ice because it is so cold. The inland ice is waning, according to a report by Laurence Gould, geologist of the Byrd expedition, just issued by the Geological Society of America, and one hypothesis is that the continent is in the midst of a long, cold interglacial period. ‘When it gets warmer the ice will get thicker and great glaciers will be built up again. Here is how it works: An increase in the heat received from the sun would not result in an imme- diate increase of the temperature, but would bring about a quick rise in the rate of evaporation. This would fill the air with moisture which would be pre- cipitated in the form of snow. The in- creased snow cover would result, over many years, in thicker ice. Then if the sun continues to get warmer it would bring the glaciation to a standstill, pos- sibly melt away the ice already accumu- lated and the result would be a warm, wet interglacial period. But when the heat from the sun diminishes there is less evaporation, hence less snow fall. Hence there is no accumulation of the ice cap, which gradually diminishes. This is approxi- mately the condition of the continent today. Dr, Gould presents this hypothesis in an effort to explain the structure of the great Ross Ice Cap—the great wall of snow and ice 500 miles long which serves as a barrier to the continent. In an- other report on the geology of the Queen Maude Mountains, Dr. Gould presents evidence that Antarctica is a single land mass instead of two great, ice-covered islands, as some have maintained. One island, it has been claimed, is represented by the great ice-covered pla- teau of East Antarctica, while the other is represented by the high mountains of West Antarctica. These, it has been held, constitute an extension of the Andean chain of South America which goes completely around the bottom of the world to appear again in the mountains of New Zealand. Dr. Gould's studies indicate, however, that the Andes complex comes to an end in the islands north of Antarctica and .that the entire continent represents one geological system. Examination of the surface rocks of the Antarctic mountains gives little evidence of a South American relationship. * % % % A new type of apparatus has been devised by Dr. O. H. Gish of the Car- negie Institution of Washington for measuring the electrical conductivity of the atmosphere many miles above the earth’s surface. Although the air usually is considered as a non-conductor of electricity, scien- tists have known for many years that a feeble electric current can be caused to flow in it. This conductivity is due to the presence of ions—that is, air molecules that have become electrically charged. As the ions move from one place to another under the influence of convective air currents or electric forces, they carry their electric charges with them., This movement of electric charges constitutes an electric current. Near the earth’s surface the conduc- tivity of the air is a thousand million million million times smaller than the conductivity of capper, At greater heights the ions which carry the current are more numerous %m to the lower pressure, can travel farther with- out being stopped by colliding with un- charged air molecules. For this reason the conductivity of the air increases with height. T6 measure the conductivity of the atm_osphere on the National Geographic Society’s next stratosphere flight a large tube about a foot in diameter will be attached on the outside of the spherical duraluminum gondola and air will be forced through it by means of an electric fan. As the air passes through this tube it will carry ions with it. Some will be caught on a metal rod attached inside the tube to an electrical instrument which will measure the charge carried by the ions. A device similar to this has been used by Dr. Gish for measuring air conduc- tivity near the earth's surface. The rod inside the tube which catches the lons ordinarily is attached to an elec- trometer to measure the electric charge. Mr. Gish, in the new apparatus, has eliminated the conventional type of electrometer. He uses instead a small metallic fiber which, when it becomes charged with the ions collected by the rod, jump_s over to a metal plate like bits of paper jump to a comb which has been electrified by rubbing against the hair. Each jump of the metal fiber is recorded on a sheet of paper which is rotated by clock work. The better the conductivity the more frequently the metal fiber be- comes charged and the more frequent be- come the marks on the sheet of paper. Another advantage of the apparatus devised by Dr. Gish is that it can be sent up in a balloon with a radio set. Each jump of the Qber would cause a signal to be transmitted, thus permitting a record of the air conductivity to be ob- tained, even though the balloon and all its equipment should be lost. A Rhyme at Twilight By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton The Night It Rained. The preacher of a widespread rural parish, . When asked to pray for rain in a long drought, Promised to voice petition for his people I n‘;ey btcould prove a faith free of all loubt. The evening that he set for the prayer service They filled the rustic temple to the door, To take part in the fervent supplica- tions They felt their earnest pastor would outpour. He smiled and sighed, and said to them: “My people, Though you have come from valley and from hill, I do not find in all this congregation The hre“:thfl.l that bade the stormy waves “You've come to ask rain of your Heav- enly Father. The prayer you wish will not be voiced by me. For, though you've gathered here by tens and hundreds— Not one umbrella in the church I see!” 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 is the immigration quota for Ethiopia?—M. T. A. Immigration quotas are based on a percentage of those of the same stock already in the United States. In case there are none or very few of any given nationality, a fixed quota of 100 a year is allowed. The State Department says that 100 is the quota for Ethiopia. Q. What colleges in the United States have the bulldog as a mascot?—J. A. 8, A. The Foot Ball Manual lists Yale University, University of Georgia, Drake University, and the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. Q. How much canned dog foed is sold in this country?—I. G. A. The National Canners’ Association says that approximately 252,000,000 one- pound cans of dog food are now sold annually, having a value of about $25,000,000, Q. What is the totaler?—J. 8. G. A. Teetotaler, noun, is formed by add- ing “er” to the adjective, teetotal. This word was coined from the word total by Richard Turner in 1833, derivation of tee- Q. How far below the Hudson River is the Holland Tunnel?>—M. G. A. The top of the Holland Vehicular Tunnel under the Hudson River at New York City is 72 feet below high water. The roadway of the tunnel is 93 feet below high water. Q. Who discovered South Africa? -~G.C. 8. - A. The early Portuguese navigators were the first to reach the vicinity of South Africh. In 1486 Bartholomew Diaz rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and 11 years later Vasco de Gama made the same voyvage. The first vessels to anchor in Table Bay were those of the expe- dition headed by Cornelius Houtman, a Dutchman, in 1495. In 1648 a Dutch ship was wrecked in Table Bay and all on board safely reached land. They re- mained there five months until the next vessel arrived. This was the beginning of the idea of colonizing the country, The pioneer settlers in Cape Colony ar- rived in three Dutch ships on April 1, 1652, Q. Does an egg weigh more when freshly laid or just before the chick is hatched?—D. 8. A. The Office of Poultry Husbandry says that the baby chick weighs con- siderably less than the egg when fresh, and the egg just before the chick hatches weighs approximately 40 per cent less than when freshly laid, Q. What was the nationality of the first settlers of the 13 original colonies? —L. B. A. The first settlements in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia were English; New York and New Jersey, Dutch, and Delaware and Pennsylvania, Swedish. Q. What is bootleg gas?—W. K. A. It is of two kinds. One is gasoline bought in the open market in one State and surreptitiously trucked into another to avoid payment of the gasoline tax. Another kind is good gasoline openly purchased, or otherwise, but adulterated with kerosene or other low-grade fuels to increase the volume. Q. How many bears are there in the national forests of California?—J. 8. A. About 10,000. Q. When are the leaves harvested for making bay rum?—J, F A. The leaves of the bay tree which are employed in the bay rum industry of the West Indies are harvested in the Spring, generally in April. Q. How many employes has the T. V. A?—C. L. S. A. On October 19 the total number of employes in the T. V. A. was 13,295. This includes every one, those in the field service and in Washington, D. C. Q. Who is the author of the state- ment: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”?>—H. S. R. A. It is credited to Samuel Johnson. The remark is quoted by Boswell in his biography of Johnson. Q. Does chivalry carry the idea of being warlike?—A. P. A. The word chivalry is defined as the medieval system of military privie leges, with its peculiar honorary titles and aristocratic limitations of honorable position to the possessors of those titles, founded upon the several degrees of military service rendered on horseback. It also means the usages and customs pertaining to the order of knighthood; the ideal qualifications of a knight, col- lectively, as courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms. Q. Can you give the history of a lan- tern-lighted gra t York, Me.?—E. M. A. Thirteen-year-old Albert Parmeter, & Boy Scout, died in 1928. Because he dreaded the dark, each night a member of the family lights a lantern at his grave. Q. What is the extent of American su- premacy in Machine Age development? —H. 8. A. As the wheel is the basic instru- ment of machinery, a good measure is to state that five-sixths of all the wheels in the world are in the United States. Q. What is the best method to preserve an autograph written in pen and ink on unpainted wood?—E. J. C. A. The National Bureau of Standards says that the best way to prevent the fading of writing is to keep it in the dark, and where it will not be exposed to very damp air. Under these conditions writing with almost any kind of ink should last for decades. Q. When scales are inspected what is looked for?—A. V. W. A. A periodic examination is required to see that all parts and weights are intact, that the levers are free in their movements, and that the scales are clean, Inspectors also examine knife edges, bearings, check rods, anchor points and foundations. Q. About how many players are work= ing in Hollywood?—J. P. A. About 1900, but there are many hundreds in Hollywood seeking employ~ ment who have as yet been unable to obtain contracts. Q. What was Queen Mary's name be- fore her marriage to King George V of England?—L. B. A. Queen Mary, before her marriage, was Princess Mary of Teck. The family name was Hohenstein. During the war, the name Teck was changed to Cam- , s