Evening Star Newspaper, September 7, 1936, Page 6

A—6 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D C. MONDAY __ __-September 7, 1936 fe b e i S SRR e T e THEODORE W. NOYES..........Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company. Business Office: 11th St and Pennsylvania Ave. ko’ Ofice’ Lok ihichigan Bt ce: Lake B Burcpecs Omee: 14 Resent St London. Engiand. Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Edition, The Evening Star__ .45c per month The Evening and 3 when 4 Sundays --00c ver month per month 5¢ per copy ight Pinal and Sunday Star.._70c per month 1Eht Fina Star o 3¢ er month 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. ily and Si aily only. junday onl. All Other States Daily and Sunday..1 yr. Daily only_ Sunday onl! Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to 1t or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the local news published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. = Premier Blum’s Dilemma. ‘While civil strife rages in Spain, leav- ing the issue of victory for the govern- ment or for the rebels still hanging in the balance, France is suddenly con- fronted by conditions growing out of the conflict that may easily plunge the republic itself into grave class turmoil. French Leftists consisting of the Com- munist Metal Workers’ Union have served notice on Premier Blum that unless he lifts the embargo on arms for the Madrid Socialist-Communist govern- ment a general strike may be called. As a curtain raiser for that threatened action the metal workers ordered a one- hour cessation of labor in their trade for today, coupled with the grim warn- ing that if the government remains adamant on the arms embargo, a whole- sale walk-out in French industry may be precipitated. In justification of the insistence upon aid for their Spanish brethren, the French Communists assert that German Nazi and Italian Fascist arms and muni- tions are notoriously being supplied to the rebels through Portugal, and that there is therefore no reason why France should adhere to a neutrality which the insurgents’ foreign sympathizers are not observing. Premier Blum, assailed by inter- national misgivings and distracting do- mestic political pressure from all sides, has so far declined to yield to the en- treaties of the Communist supporters of his Popular Front government. He is conscious that direct French interven- tion might immediately ignite a Euro- pean conflagration. Le Temps, epito- mizing moderate opinion throughout France, observes: “Our intervention in the Iberian peninsula would be the signal for war, a war which nothing Justifies, neither the defense of our frontiers, the national interest, nor even the defense of liberty in the world, for one does not bring liberty to a people at the bayonet’s point.” M. Blum clearly finds himself astride a dilemma. With France taking the lead in an international agreement, to which Germany has just assented, for preserva- tion of neutrality, the Paris government cannot consistently give heed to the Communists’ appeal. On the other hand, the Blum cabinet is in vital need of their parliamentary support. Some observers are persuaded that the Red extremists will hesitate to press their demands to the point of wrecking the Blum regime and are raising them primarily to gain a greater voice in it. At present no Communists are in the cabinet. The Leftists can hardly hanker for an up- heaval that woflld replace the Popular Front with a conservative government. The next few hours seem destined to produce grave decisions in Paris, already sorely perturbed by the fear that Madrid’s defeat is imminent and that the day is not distant when democratic France will be ringed on yet another side by a Fascist-ruled state taking its cue from Berlin and Rome. —_— e ————— Everybody celebrates Labor day with- out distinction between employer and worker. The automobile road crush and the delayed train schedule recognize no difference in power or position and call for intimate human understanding in enforcing the elemental law of self-pres- ervation. ——t————— Opysters are again in season and are the ‘subject of scientific supervision. The Department of Agriculture has nothing to do with them. They may grow scarcer and more expensive, but they cannot be plowed under. Labor Day. Labor day this year, it seems, stands in some danger of being misunder- stood. With a national political cam- paign in progress, the occasion is apt to be put to partisan uses. Also, with organized workers divided by inter- necine strife, it is subject to group ex- ploitation. But the basic significance of the an- nual observance cannot be altered in the interest of any selfish purpose. The perennial celebration of the part which toil plays in civilization was inaugurated by the Knights of Labor in 1882 and was designed to demonstrate a funda- mental unity, a fellowship, which al- ways has been the high ideal of good craftsmen themselves as well as of those leaders who have aspired to represent them. ' If less worthy objectives momentarily attract attention, the loss, of course, is to be deplored. Justice and equity for the plain people of the world never can be won by class opposition, The only pragmatic program for the attainment of that goal is the policy which was best expressed by the Carpenter of Galilee—a philosophy of brotherhood which bars no man from the right to work and the concomitant right to enjoy the fruits of his effort. Other theories are legion in number, but they A THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON yield a bitter harvest. The verdict of history is a condemnation of dogmas whose effect is to split society into iso- lated and antagonistic factions. What is wanted is a new conception of solidarity. President Benjamin Har- rison, a Chief Executive whose memory should be better appreciated than it is, once summarized the problem in these words: “When the Golden Rule be- comes the law of human life all this will be changed.* * * The working people, if we give the term its proper scope, are the civil bulk of the Nation. Every- thing—government, social order, pro- duction, commerce—is borne up and along by them. * * * Why cannot they be called comrades?” : Christ entertained the same view, practiced the same inclusive charity. And where, it may be demanded, can any individual be found possessed of the hardihood to contradict Him? The concept of elemental fraternity which He preached may be “sentimental.t It has been so described by some who have preferred Marx and Lenin. But it hap- pens to be practical to a degree which socialism and communism, diversive in- fluences, are not. It follows, then, that there some time may be a Labor day which will be a festival for the whole population of an earth emancipated from the curse of struggle, a world co- operating for prosperity and peace such as the sun never hitherto has looked down upon. e Developments in Spain. Coincident with rebel capture of Irun after the bloodiest and most pro- longed battle of the Spanish civil war, the Madrid government has undergone sweeping change, which may have im- portant effect upon the fratricidal struggle. If contiguous San Sebastian's fall follows victory at Irun, the in- surgent forces will have achieved strategic successes of magnitude in the Biscay coast region, because it will then be possible to utilize for decisive attack on Madrid in the area north of the capital large bodies of Gen. Mola's men who for a month have been occu- pied in the Irun sector. In the south and northeast Franco's armies still have plenty of work ahead of them before they can join forces with the troops menacing Madrid frem the victorious fields around Irun. Loyalist soldiers continue in favorable positions on the Aragon front, includ- ing the claimed capture of Huesca along the route to Saragossa. Possession of the latter city would enable the gov- ernment to maintain communications between Barcelona and Madrid, per- mitting dispatch of vital reinforce- ments from Catalan. Bilbao, the north- ern industrial and commercial metrop- olis, remains lowal to Madrid and is not yet endangered by rebel threats, while in the south the insurgent garri- son in the Alcazar at Toledo is holding out against desperate odds. All in all, military fortunes continue to fluctuate from hour to hour, now favoring the rebels, and now the government, leav- ing the final outcome still hanging uncertainly in the balance. The only assurance is that far-flung and ruth- less fighting on both sides seems in indefinite prospect, as the kaleidoscopic conflict rages with unabated fury. It is amid these mercurial beattle conditions, accompanied by savage de- struction of life and property in town and country, that new leadership has taken the helm at Madrid. The out- look is for more intensified and united effort to cope with the rebellion. The cabinet reorganization, which mzkes concessions to all political elemeats, savors of acknowledgment that the loyalist- military position is becoming worse and that to stay the rebel onslaught more forceful methods are required. At the head of the reconsti- tuted regime is Francisco Largo Cabal- lero as premier and war minister. He is one of Spain’s most effective organ- izers and administrators, with a power- ful personal following among dominant trade union groups. A pronounced left wing Socialist, Senor Caballero may be expected sooner or later, if the govern- ment surmounts its vicissitudes, to attempt to convert Spain into a Social- ist state. Twelve of the reorganized ministries are now headed by Socialists and two by Communists. One, air and navy, will be in the hands of Indalecio Prieto, influential right wing Socialist leader. The Caballero cabinet is pledged to suppress the revolt with all possible vigor and unify the masses. It ad- mittedly pins its principal hopes upon securing the maximum support of the working classes, from which loyalist fighting forces are mainly recruited. The new regime faces colossal tasks, but its chief is a personality of re- sourcefulness and pugnacity, and, unless the rebels receive overwhelming support from interventionists sympathetic with their cause, he may prove to be the iron man capable of salvaging some vestige of democracy from the ferocious Fascist effort to obliterate it from the Spanish earth. ——————————— A new feature of travel is the tourist camp. It gives the campaign caravan an opportunity to “see America first” from a strictly modern viewpoint. Progress and Huck Finn. In dedicating the Mark Twain Me- morial Bridge at Hannibal the President referred to the fact that “The old candles and the oil lamps which Tom Sawyer had to fill are gone. In their place you have one of the most successful munici= pal electric light and power plants in the country.” A lot of things are gone, along with the candles and the ofl lamps that Tom Sawyer probably had to fill, but which he doubtless bribed his little brother to fill for him. And the thought some- how suggests a fantasy—Huckleberry Finn under the New Deal. What would have been Huck’s fate? His father, of course, would have been on relief. In his sober moments the old man would have graduated from F. E. R. A. to C. W. A. and would now be a member in good standing of W. P. A, class of 36. 4 And Huck? What a case record that would have been for the experts in'child guidance and family welfare to mull over! 7 ‘This boy is the son of a drunken father and his home environment is not con- ducive to good citizenship. He makes practically no progress in school, his bearing toward his teachers and his studies indicating total indifference. He has refused to become identified with the Boy Scouts, despite the co-operation of the troop leader. When the social worker visited his home a disgraceful c::dltlon was discovered, which, etc, ete. Poor Huck! One of the transient camps, which used to bloom like the flowers in Spring, but now are gone, tra la, might have got him. He doubtless would have Been brought into Juvenile Court, and maybe “placed.” Not old enough for the C. C. C,, he surely would have been picked up by the N. Y. A. Lucky Huck! He lived in a day be- fore the economic royalists and the privileged princes had destroyed liberty in this country. He never knew what a municipal electric light plant was. But what a swell time he had! Power Congress. The Star joins whole-heartedly in Washington’s welcome to the delegates attending the Third World Power Con- gress, convening today. It seems obvious that the destiny of the whole human race is involved in the development of energy. With the in- habitants of the globe constantly in- creasing in number and the struggle for existence consistently becoming more intense, new and better methods for the generation and distribution of power amenable to social uses is seen to be a problem imperatively necessary to solve. And such a gathering of experts as that which will be met this week should be competent to deal with the issue. Perhaps among other achievements the congress will serve to halt loose and foolish talk about power. For years the subject has been abused—both by those groups which favor public ownership and by those groups which are opposed to it. The international public is weary of propaganda pro and anti. Facts, soberly expounded, are what the people want. If the speakers who address the conven- tion will bear that in mind, they will merit universal gratitude, The foreign delegates, especially, are assured of an attentive hearing. Strang- ers to America, it may be presumed that their views will be detached, scien- tific and realistic in character. The congress is certain of success if it does nothing more than to provide them with a forum. —————— Hollywood 1is showing pictures of American history which give a wivid idea of how this city might have appeared if statesmen had been endowed with the personality gifts of film stars. ———— So many initials figure 1 the New Deal that it has become as difficult to score a political play as it is to calculate losses and winnings at contract. Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Important Discovery. Oh, de laziness season, it came in de May, When de rainbow was smilin’ so bright an’ so gay; It drifted th'oo June, when de roses so fair Was sendin’ their fragrance along on de air; An’ I say to myse'f, to work I won’ try Till dis laziness season gets time to pass by. But dat laziness season hung ‘roun’ th'oo July, An’ it hadn't departed when August passed by. Each day dat came shinin’ an’ smilin’ slong Seemed to sound free from care like a piece of a song; 8o I jes’ settles down to my comfort an’ cheer, ’Cause it's laziness season de mos’ of de year. An Observation. “What says the voice of the people?” inquired the oracular alarmist. “My personal observation,” replied Senator Sorghum, “is that the voice of the people is, as a rule, too closely occu- pied in giving three cheers for somebody to articulate anything very distinctly.” Sometimes a man is regarded as good- natured merely because he has reached a point where he realizes that kicking won't help. Says a Patriotic Citizen. Admiration ne'er relaxes For the greatest land on earth. It’s a pleasure to pay taxes ‘When you get your money's worth, Making Allowances. “Our government,” said the man of in- tense idealism, “must keep faith. It must fulfill every promise to the letter.” “Oh, come now!” protested the patient person. [You can’t expect the weather bureau to make good on every predic- tion.” The Trouble Maker. Nothin’ only carelessness, Said Hezekiah Bings, Is causin’ all the world’s distress An’ disconcertin’ things. For years the fields have blossomed gay, For years the sun has shone. This world would go its placid way If it were let alone. But as it blossoms and it thrives For mortals to enjoy, Man with his strange ambition strives To make the world his toy. Through hurt and horror man will trace His pathway to a throne, Yet earth would be a pleasant place If it were left alone. 1 “Some men,” said Uncle Eben, “gits 80 far ahead of deir times dat dey’s sumpin’ like de drum major who traveled 20 fast dat he didn’t look like he belonged to de parade.” t THE POLITICAL MILL BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. Appeals to American labor to vote for presidential candidates are being made all over the country today. Both Presi- dent Roosevelt and Gov. Alfred M. Landon of Kansas, the Democratic and Republican nominees, stuck up their lightning rods. The President sent a message to labor on the eve of the national labor holiday. He pledged him- self to work for “a national economy which is so finely balanced that the worker is always sure of a job which will guarantee a living wage.” He also delivered a “fire-side” talk, particularly to the workers, over the radio last night. In fact, the appeals of the Roosevelt New | Dealers to labor are becoming more and more pronounced as the campaign pro- ceeds—some of the Republicans say these appeals are more and more frantic. For thé Republicans say, and some of them believe, that the G. O. P. will have its share of the labor vote. * ok ok % As Governor of Kansas, Landon issued a Labor day proclamation to the workers in his State. He makes a Labor day speech at the American Legion State Convention at Wichita. The efforts of the New Dealers to make it appear that Landon is unfriendly to labor are not getting across to the extent the New Dealers had hoped. The Kansas Gov- ernor, in his Labor day proclamation, pointed out that it was a Governor of Kansas who 50 years ago first estab- lished “Labor day,” and that the Nation had later accepted the holiday on a country-wide scale. He had several sig- nificant paragraphs in his proclamation, in the light of the Roosevelt campaign, among which were the following: “We should remain steadfast in the belief that the concern of labor is the concern of all; that labor should be free to organize for fair consideration; that this right to organize and promote such con- sideration must remain forever free from governmental or any other form of co- ercion. * * * This day has no room in it for class divisions and prejudices. No good citizen would contribute to them.” The Socialist candidate for President, Norman Thomas, spent his time telling labor that the New Deal was a sham and that labor derived no real lasting benefits from it, and that, of course, the G. O. P. was no better. Thomas attacked those labor leaders who are promoting the New Deal candidates, declaring that they are misleading labor. And there you have it. * Kk ok ok While the political candidates were making these bids for the support of the voters who labor, organized labor found itself divided on this Labor day as it has not been divided for years in this country. The parting of the ‘ways between the American Federation of Labor and the Committee for Industrial Organization had come. One-third of the membership of the A. F. of L., the 10 unions which have affiliated with the C. I. O, have been declared no longer members of the A. F. of L. William Green, president of the federation, has declared the C. I. O. a “rival” labor organization, a rival of the federation, and that there is to be war in the field of organization henceforth. John L. Lewis and his C. I. O. followers are still contending they have not been read out of the federation and that there is some way for them to get back. Lewis has been the fair-haired boy at the White House during the Roosevelt administration. And Lewis took his union, the United Mine Workers of America, into the Roosevelt camp at the outset of the presidential campaign this year without waiting for an instant to see whether the American Federation of Labor would cling to its traditional non-partisan political position. Green is a Democrat. He has declared himself for Roosevelt. But the American Fed- eration of Labor has stuck to its old policy of not indorsing formally presi- dential candidates, up to date, The shout has been started in some quarters that a vote for Roosevelt is a vote for John Lewis; that if the New Dealers are put back in command of the Govern- ment, all the cream will go to the C.I. O. and that the A. F. of L. will become a back number. That is something mem- bers of the A. F. of L. who are still faithful to the old organization are thinking about quite a bit these days, as some of them frankly admit. * X X X Labor’s Non-Partisan League, which is working hard for the re-election of Roosevelt, has as one of its foremost members and officers John L. Lewis. Lewis is to make a radio address, with a national hook-up, tonight. It will be interesting to see how he deals with the row between the C. I. O. and the A. F. of L. in this address, or if he leaves it entirely out of the picture. The league is out to make a big political day of Labor day, for the benefit of the New Dealers if it can be done. It looks more and more as though the Roosevelt New Dealers would have to bestir themselves in the great farm States of the Union if they are to win a victory this year. Not many months ago it seemed as sure as death and taxes that the farmers would all fall in line for the re-election of Roosevelt. They may, in the majority, do that very thing. But it does not look so sure by any means. Take the case of Towa. That State has received tremendous sums of money for complying with the A. A, A, program. It has gone Democratic in 1932 and 1934. But the straw votes there today give Landon a lead. Many of the Roosevelt leaders do not believe, however, that Landon will be able to pry the farmers away from the New Deal, particularly when the checks for soil conservation begin to roll in, as they will from now on. And these checks to the farmers will go into all the other big agricultural States. It is true that the drought has put & crimp in the farm situation in many of the States. But there again the Roosevelt administra- tion has had an opportunity to come forward with large sums of money to give to the farmers. * K K X ‘Will President Roosevelt deal out a lot of plums before the election—plums in the shape of important Federal jobs—or will he wait until the election is over? Two of the most important jobs in the country are vacant—the office of con- troller general of the United States and that of Secretary of War. There are also the offices of Undersecretary of State, Undersecretary of the Treasury, Second Assistant Secretary of Labor, director of the budget, a Federal Reserve Board governorship, five maritime commis- sionerships, Ambassador to Russia, a ‘White House secretary and others. There are two ways of looking at the matter of immediate appointments or of waiting until November 3. If the President makes the appointments now he will dis- appoint & lot of candidates for these positions, for there are always a large number anxious for such jobs. Further- more, if he holds up these appointments, D. C, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1936. THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Twenty-five robins in one back yard may be seen by the careful bird watcher these days. They v}l,m be migrants, on their way South. They may alight for only 15 minutes or half an hour, but they will constitute a multiple reward for the T, Ob:vl;vx; one who likes the birds should be on the lookout for the robins end others. The above flock dropped down in one garden exactly at 4 o'clock last Wed- nesday afternoon. The temperature stood at 72 degrees, and a light rain had begun. The observer was pleased with the first half dozen robins, but as one after an- other began to drop down from the trees, he was pleased no end, as well he had a right_to be, for the birds made a beautiful picture in the grass. There is no bird sight in the world exactly like that of a robin redbreast catching worms. He leans forward, anticipation written rge. l.'Ighen he cocks his head to one side, very far to one side, listens intently— there can be no doubt he is listening— then suddenly strikes his bill into the earth. He has missed! But only by half an inch, evidently, for he dives forward again, this time coming up with food. * X Xk X The migrating robins were spread out like a skirmishing party which, indeed, they were, over the entire yard. They were about equally divided be- tween older birds, which could be told by their larger bodies, and youngsters mak- ing their first migration. On most of the latter the light gray thrush-like spots on the chest could be seen. These spots give the best evidence in the world that the wood thrush and the robin do belong to the same family, one of the most delightful bird families in the world. By 4:20 pm. more than half of the birds had flown away, and by half-past all had gone. It was just a little breath- ing spell, a stop for refreshments in a journey. Many birds are taking this flight, and are to be seen by careful watchers. *They will not linger long, however, so the lookout must be sharp, and the watcher ever alert. Along with the robins were a dozen, more or less, of stubby speckled birds. These had darkish heads, and were inclined to fight among themselves. Obviously they were young birds, but which? * kK x ok They were identified at last assmale starlings going into their first Winter. These fledglings lack the stubby tail of their elders. Their distinguishing features are the aggregation of white spots along the wings and sides. If you see such a bird in your yard, from now on, especially a number of them together, do not think you have “something new” in the bird line. The probability will be that they are youngsters of the starling tribe. Interesting birds they are, capable, well built. Half a dozen blackbirds and a blue- jay made up the complement of birds in the garden during the interesting half hour. But hold—how about the two dozen English sparrows? They were at their regular feeding station, consuming chick feed at a lively rate. . Mostly they paid no attention to the battery of robins, nor did the members of the battery pay any particular atten- tion to them. Occasionally a blackbird would hop up, chasing away the band of sparrows, the members of which taen sat at a respectful distance, waiting for the large bird to get through. This he did shortly, evidently not finding cracked corn much to his liking. Immediately the sparrows went back to feeding. * x X % A semi-albino is a mentber of this sparrow band. The albino is familiar, of course, but probably few persons have seen even a half-albino English sparrow. Its tail and wings are pure white, but there can be no doubt in the world that it is a real English sparrow. Not only does it look the part, but it hangs with the band all the time. We wish we could say that it is the leader of the group, of perhaps two dozen, but the truth is that it is just one of the members. The remainder do not persecute it in any way. This is often done by the creatures, when one of their comrades happens to be abnormal. The same trait may be seen in humans. They say that penguins kill all-white speci- mens. Bird watchers must keep such facts in mind, and not be stampeded when they cannot identify some peculiar-looking bird which alights in their yard. It may be an off-color specimen of some well-known species. If it pals around with English spar- rows, for instance, feel pretty sure that it may be a sparrow, and even an Eng- lish sparrow. There are many variations, in Nature, sometimes called “sports.” These are just enough off the normal to throw the watcher completely off the track, unless he bears well in mind these possibilities. * ok ok % Migrating birds will find feeding sta- tions helpful from now on. Most of them, it is true, are not seed- eating birds, in the main, but even these are able to utilize seeds and grains at times. Birds beginning the annual trek this month are enabled to go at a leisurely pace. Some of them even fly at night, and feed during the day. Night flying probably is safer for them in many ways. But they owe most of their well-being to the fact that out of every thousand persons, 999 pay no at- tention to them whatever, not being interested. And the thousandth is likely to be a bird lover. * %X X X Robins are not supposed to migrate until October 15 to November 15, at which time the wood thrush and many others fly away. Yet we cannot gainsay the evidence of our own eyes® Those 25 robins—count’ 'em—we did— were on their way somewhere. It is true that there always are a few robins which stick around. Reports come in of robins at feeding stations in the Winter. ‘Well, maybe. All we can say is that we had no robins among the 300 or more birds which daily helped themselves all last Fall and Winter. Ther a peculiar niche in every bird friend’s heart for this confident, happy creature. Its friendly presence spells Spring, its absence Winter, Let us wish it well while it is away. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Party observers of all prides and prejudices are agreed that President Roosevelt's expedition into the drought country, whether so intended or not, has unquestionably redounded to his political benefit. Human nature being what it is, his opportunities to display interest in the plight of the stricken region will almost inevitably result in New Deal votes on November 3. F. D. R. apparently was at pains, during his flight through the dust bowl, to soft- pedal anything that savored of cam- paigning, but rear-platform talks and innumerable other informal occasions provided constant and intimate con- tacts with thousands of voters. It is reasonable to eéxpect that the President in consequence left behind him every- where memories that will accrue to his advantage when Midwesterners troop to the polls. The trip happens to have taken Mr. Rooseveit into half a dozen States which rank as close or doubtful. despite the Farley claim of a New Deal mortgage on the farm belt, and the impression prevails that the Democratic nominee, unwittingly or otherwise, ren- dered his cause invaluable service throughout the parched areas. * x x ¥ Delegates to the great World Power Conference in Washington this week assemble at a moment which finds the United States’ use of electric power at almost unprecedented levels. The fig- ures constitute an indisputable barom- eter of recovery. For the week ended August 29, actual production, as reported by the Edison Electric Institute, was 2,135,598,000 kilowatt hours, the highest output ever recorded. A year ago pro=- duction was 1,809,716,000 kilowatt hours, or 18 per cent under that for the similar period of 1936. Near-capacity opera=- tions in the steel industry, augmented need of power for irrigation in the Western drought area, and abnormally hot Summer weather were joint factors in causing record-breaking power con- sumption. With the 1929-30 index taken as 100, current 1936 power production works out at 117.4, an all-time peak. * kX % President Roosevelt’s recent presence at Indianapolis for a drought conference with the Governors of Indiana, Michi- gan, Ohio and Kentucky revives specu= lation over the - possibility that Gov. Paul V. McNutt of Indiana may be chosen to succeed the late George H. Dern as Secretary of- War. Apart from ant Secretary, former Gov. Harry Wood- ring of Kansas. This would be a bid for support in Kansas, the home State of Landon, the Republican candidate. Or he might name Gov. McNutt of Indiana, which is a pivotal State, to the Jjob of Secretary of War. ‘The office of controller general is con- sidered of great importance. It is a 15-year appointment, at a salary of $10,000. But the job which the con- troller has to do is a tough one, and of vital consequence to the United States Treasury, and more particularly, to the taxpayers of the United States. Among those mentioned for this post is F. L. Yates, attorney conferee, who has been with the accounting office since it was created 15 years ago. Yates, a Demo- crat from West Virginia, a veteran of the World War, has many friends among members of Congress and Chairman James A, Farley has admitted m:h“ Yn{m is an outstanding figure in race for this position. ? McNutt's administrative capacity and other acknowledged qualities for the vacant portfolio, some Hoosier Demo- cratic leaders are urging the Governor's appointment on the ground of 1936 political expediency in Indiana. They represent that the State, while trend- ing toward Roosevelt, is by no means 100 per cent safe for the New Deal. All | doubts of Democratic victory, as well as some factional unpleasantness, Mc- Nutt's friends say, would be removed if the Hoosierland were to be honored by drafting the Governor into the cabinet. The former American Legion national commander has hitherto been credited chiefly with senatorial ambitions. i Members of the National Press Club look forward to & field day next Thurs- day, when Republican National Chair- man Hamilton will be guest speaker at their weekly luncheon forum. The G. O. P. generalissimo is headed for a siege of plain and fancy heckling when he faces the Washington scribes, if he undergoes the recent experiences which Dr. Townsend, John L. Lewis, William Green, the Rev. Gerald Smith, William Lemke, Earl Browder and others under- went on the occasion of their respective appearances in the same interrogative arena. At press conferences Gov. Lan- don’s campaign manager has shown that he can take good care of himself, so this week’s ordeal probably conjures up no terrors for him. * X X ¥ Returning Washington vacationists, who have been circulating in parts of the country where men are men and women vote, too. almost universally comment om the conspicuous absence of those traditional trappings of a presi- dential campaign, buttons and auto- mobile stickers. They found notably fewer partisan emblems in evidence than in 1932, when such tokens were displayed nearly everywhere. The con- clusion reached by wayfarers is that, despite the theory that 1936 is witness- ing the political battle of the century, popular’ passions as a matter of fact, at least so far, have not been churned to the boiling point. Party managers are hopeful that apathy will give way to excitement as November approaches. * x X X Despite the tales told by straw polls, the conviction persists that until elec- tion day is just around the corner, nobody will be able to tell which way the presidential cat is going to jump. Many electoral experts are persuaded that the independent vote once again will play the decisive role. As a rule, men and women comprising this ele- ment don't make up their minds until the eleventh hour. President Roosevelt himself throughout his long political career has acquired a healthy respect for the independent voter and his caprices. Visitors to Albany at this stage of the 1932 campaign found the New York Governor, while confident of victory, admonishing friends to keep an eye on the independent vote and not count chickens before they were hatched. Many conditions suggest that the fence-sitters hold the balance of power in 1936. P Chile's Ambassador to the United States, Senor Don Manuel Trucco, who heads his country’s delegation to the World Power Conference, has other accomplishments besides diplomacy to bis credit. Well known as an-engineer not only in Chile, but throughout Latin ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. A reader can get the answer to any question of fact by writing The Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washington, Please inclose stamp for reply. Q. How much money is deposited in national banks? In all banks in the United States?>—G. M. Am On June 30 deposits in national banks totaled $26,000,000,000. On that date the deposits in all banks amounted to $58,000,000,000. D. C. Q. Are the State regulations govern- ing trailers strict?>—H. M. A. They are for the most part lenient. Reciprocal licenses are required in only a few States; some require a special permit for camping longer than 30 days. Others allow trailer tourists to remain as long as they wish. A few States, including New York, stipulate that trailers shall have brakes operat= ing independently of the towing car. Q. How many caskets inclosed the mummy of Tutarfkhamen?—T. P. W. A. It was inclosed within three ornae mented coffins, placed one within the other, the innermost of solid gold, deco= rated with remarkable workmanship. The mummy was covered with objects of personal adornment of great value and wore on the face a mask of gold, golden sandals on the feet and golden tips on the toes and fingers. Q. When was the colored parente teacher organization started?—E. H. J. A. The National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers was established in 1926, Q. Which comes first, the hunters’ or the harvest moon?—H. D. V. A. The harvest moon is the full moon occurring nearest the date of the autumnal equinox, on or about Sep- tember 22. The hunters’ moon is the full moon immediately following the harvest moon. Q. What happened to the large alli- gators in the lobby of the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Va.?—S. M. A. The New Jefferson was opened about 40 years ago, and during most of the time since then there have been alligators in a pool in the main lobby. Two of these saurians attained larg. size and great age. Their names were Oscar and Pompey, and both are dead of causes not entirely understood. It is believed that Oscar swallowed a terrapin and was unable to digest the shell. Pompey expired as workmen were doing over the lobby, and it is supposed that he succumbed from the fumes of the paint or was overtaken by age. Q. Which is correct, “different from” or “different than"?—E. G. A. “Different from” is the correct form. Q. What was the origin of the Re- 1 v?—M. B. A. It started in 1854 as a third party. Farmers of the Northwest, who did not see eve to eve with either of the major parties of that day—the Democratic and the Whig parties—organized a third-party movement and called it the Republican party, after the original party of Thomas Jefferson. The Free Soilers and the Abolitionists indorsed the idea and, while not at first strong, the party began to attract so many groups that it achieved a position of fme portance that it never again lost. While the young party's first presidential candidate, John C. Fremont, was de feated, it was successful with its next one—Abraham Lincoln. Q. Was there another weekly called the New Yorker many years ago?— W.-H G A. In 1834 Horace Greeley founded the New Yorker, a literary weekly paper, Q. What is the amount of the yearly radio tax in England? LR, B A. A license of 10 shillings a year is paid on every radio in England. This is at present equivalent to approxie mately $2.50. Q. What is Boris Karloff's real name? —S. W. A. He is an Englishman named Charles Henry Pratt. Q. What is the symbolic meaning of red in Chinese art?—J. J. A. Alone a color means nothing. In combination with other colors only does a color have meaning in Chinese art. Q. How many presidents has the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint had?—G. V. A. Seven. Joseph Smith was the first president. Following in order are Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow. Joseph F. Smith and Heber J. Grant, the prese ent incumbent. Q. How large was the Mount Vernon mansion when George Washington went there to live?—A. M. A. It consisted of two stories and am attic, with four rooms on each floor. Q. Why was Colon, the port of Pan- ama, formerly called Aspinwall?— o A. It was named for the originator of the Panama Railroad, William H. Agp- inwall, who completed it in 1855. Later the city was named Colon after Christo= pher Columbus. Q. What is meant by “crusted port”? —E. W. A. When argol, a crude variety of cream of tartar, forms a crust in the interior of wine vats and wine bottles the term “crusted port” is applied to the wine. ————————— Sporting Insurance. From the Alton (Ill.) Telegraph. The trend toward safeguarding pedes= trians could well be linked up with Federal game preserve projects. America, he is the designer of an earthquake-proof railway bridge, which has enough “give” to sustain a consid- erable shock without damage. Senor Trucco is a former director of the national railways in Chile and for some years was dean of the School of Math- ematics and Engineering in the Unie versity of Chile. His tour of duty in Washington has been concurrent with the New Deal. xS Little birds whisper that the next organized group to hoist the flag of opposition to the Landon candidacy may be the school teachers of the country, on the alleged ground that the Govers nor has practiced thrift and budget- balancing in Kansas at the cost of public education and those dependent upon it for a livilhood. There are also suggestions that Kansas economy in provision for the insane has made the Nation’s mental hygienists anti-Landon minded. [} 1 (Copyright, 1936.)