Evening Star Newspaper, October 2, 1936, Page 10

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. Y. October 2, 1936 THEODORE W. NOYES...........Editor e The Evening Star Newspaper Company. Business Office: 11th 8t and Pennsylvania Ave. Cheneo Ofhce Lake Michign Buliding icago : Buropean Office: 14 Regent St.. London. Ensiand. Rate by Carrier Within the City. e Evening Star Re Di;nlnl and Sunday Star (when 4 Sundays) ‘The Evening and Sund. (when 5 Sunda: The Sunday Star_.. Night ight Pinal and Sund: t the en L o o b“:‘seent by mail or telephone Na- 60c per month 65¢ per month b per copy --70c per month Orders may tional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Bally oo ily only Sunday onl All Other States and Ca {ly and Sunds Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches eredited to it or not otherwise credited in this Paper and also the local news published hereln. Il rights of publication of special dispatches erein are also reserved. Who Took a Walk? Last January Al Smith told the Lib- , erty League and the millions who heard his Washington speech that if the Demo- eratic National Convention indorsed the present administration he would “take a walk” Figuratively, his walk began that night. But there has been much discussion and conjecture over definition of terms. What was a walk? Did the “Happy Warrior” imply that by taking a walk he would merely absent himself from proceedings which long since had lost his sympathy and support? Would he merely stroll around the block, to return after the hullaballoo in the old homestead caused by dissension among the relatives had quieted down and all was peaceful once again? Al Smith kept walking—but in silence. Last night he reached his destination. His walk ended in crossing the threshold of the Landonites. He entered, wearing the brown derby. High hats are for the man who “goes to a wedding or a fu- neral.” But in announcing himself at the door he introduced himself as an American. “I am an American before I am a Democrat, before I am a Re- publican, or before I am anything else.” And in that manner he justified an act which in other days the Al Smith of old would have dubbed treason. For, according to Al Smith, he is not the man who has taken a walk away from the Democratic party. The Demo- cratic party has walked away from him " and the men and women who agree with him. He named some of his spiritual companions last night. He has gone further than most of them. “I have never in my long public career ducked, dodged or pussyfooted. I have never found fault with anything unless I was prepared to suggest a remedy. * * * I firmly believe that the remedy for all the ills that we are suffering from today is the election of Alfred M. Landon.” The climax was dramatic. Was it a happy ending? For Al Smith it could not have been. He was not the “Happy Warrior” who spoke last night. There was both bitterness and anger in his words which no formal disclaimer could shield. But if there was bitterness and anger there was no indecision or waver- ing in breaking with his past, throwing behind him most of the traditions of party loyalty that he once revered. He went the whole hog. He took with him those who in fair weather and foul have stuck to Al Smith. There are not as many now as there were in 1928. But behind Al Smith there still are many. Was he right? In his own mind he was right. That may be enough. Was he right in the sense of moving as the people are moving? It is too early to know. The election will not decide. Only history, in some day now far distant, ean write whether it was Al Smith or the Democratic party who really took a walk, ———. There .was a reminder of feminine genius in the peroration which Al Smith declaimed from “Rienzi’s Address to the Romans.” Miss Mitford was the author who, by this one effort, could establish & claim to rate as one of the most pow- erful literary artists known in the Eng- lish language. A Third Class. Howard Scott, inventor of “tech- nocracy,” has declared: “Every Ameri- can is aware that there are only two classes—chiselers and suckers. It's the secret ambition of every sucker to become & chiseler.” All of which constitutes an Interesting, if vulgar and libelous, theory of society in the United States. The sentiment is flashy enough to attract attention; it may be applauded by dis- appointed sophisticates. But it is pat- ently untrue, For example, “every American” is not *“aware” of anything. In no other coun- try in the world is there such divergence of opinion on everything under the sun. Variety is the outstanding characteris- tic of the democratic mind. Perhaps the Nation is afflicted with too much in- dividualistic intelligence. ~There are those who argue for greater unanimity and solidarity. Some would have the masses regimented into complacent silence, as they are in Russia, Italy and Germany. Yet the contrary condition prevails. If Mr. Scott ever has served on a jury, he must realize that the only point on which twelve average citizens can agree is that of disagreeing. Also, the number of professional chis- elers is not large. The business of cheat- ing one’s neighbors is too dangerous to enlist a majority. Indeed, only & tiny minority ever has been competent to make a success of trickery and decep- tion. The penitentiaries and the poor- houses are full of fakers who have tried in vain to “get rich quick.” Ask any circus barker, and he will testify that the public is not nearly so gullible as p THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. O, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2 THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. it formerly was. President Roosevelt would not now be out touring the hinter- land if the electorate had believed the “applesauce” dispensed these past four years by Messrs. Farley, Michelson, Tug- well, Hopkins and Creel. The difficulty is that the suckess will not stand hitched. When they are “stung,” they resent it. Abraham Lin- coln was correct in his judgment that: “You can'’t fool all of the people #il of the time.” He likewise must have been familiar with the fact that Americans have the habit of translating their anger into action. Tar and feathers are but mild symbols of their wrath. The wild and woolly West is not the only section of the country where the graves of sum- marily executed sharpers may be dis- covered without exhaustive search. Even in the East it is perilous to be caught with too many aces. Mr. Scott’s dictum overlooks the third class. It consists of those millions of plain men and women who live decent and self-respecting lives and never dream of exploiting others nor of permitting themselves to be exploited. Compromise Wins in Paris. To Americans familiar with the kalei- doscopic eccentricities of their own con- gressional scene, and especially to us Washingtonians closest to it, there is a distinct reminder of things here at home in what has just taken place at Pgris. The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate were in seemingly irreconcilable dead- lock over the program to effectuate the Anglo - Franco - American stabilization agreement. The Chamber, more responsive to the cabinet’s will, promptly approved Premier Blum's plans for devaluation of the franc. When the bill reached the Sen- ate it was amended in vital form—by deletion of the provision empowering the government to fix prices—and, thus mutilated, was returned to the Chamber. Early on Thursday the deputies defiantly re-enacted the measure in original form and tossed it back to the recalcitrant upper house. There the parliamentary tangle seemed destined interminably to block the currency “equilibrium” pro- gram. Happily, compromise has won the day. France will now proceed with its monetary réforms along lines of the Anglo-American arrangement. Violent as animosity to the Blum re- gime is in the conservative-minded Sen- ate, there is universal realization that Prance is on the brink of a political and financial crisis that could easily lead to disaster. The moment was never less propitious for partisan bickerings or the avenging of governmental grudges. De- valuationists and anti-devaluationists alike are convinced that reduction of the franc's gold content is no longer avoid- able. There was another point of resem- blance between the embittered situation on the Seine and the American political arena. Charges of “dictatorship” filled the Parisian air. Sensator Caillaux, a former premier, fought the cabinet’s demand for authority to control price levels on the ground that it would hand over autocratic power to the govern- ment, which the Rightists accuse of catering to the working class at the expense of other groups. In rebuttal, M. Blum contended that unless the peo- ple can be protected from the effects of devaluation—skyrocketing of living costs —social peace would be upset by a “struggle,” an ominous suggestion of catastrophic events in Spain. After rejection of the government’s price-control plan, Premier Blum decided to accept the Senate’s substitute meas- ure, whereupon that body adopted the compromise after desultory debate. As finally approved, the clause concern- ing decree powers to prevent price in- creases provides for obligatory arbitra- tion and settlement of labor disputes arising from higher costs of necessities or wage conflicts. In case of strikes, the government could force both sides to submit their grievances for solution. It is gratifying to Americans that the spirit of conclliation, evidently after some such “conference” procedure as prevails on Capitol Hill, has won the day in Paris. It would have been a deep disappointment if the world-wide hopes engendered by the stabilization agree- ment had been wrecked on the French parliamentary shoals. Economists may experience surprise that after such display of confidence in ability to manage American money, France should find so much difficulty in managing her own. ————————— As he declared for Landon, Al Smith did more than cross the Rubicon. As he took his walk he made a jump across the North River that landed him away over in Kansas. “The Smear Department.” One of the most notable phrases in Al Smith’s Carnegie Hall speech was that concerning “the smear department.” The erstwhile “Happy Warrior,” still fighting for what he believes is Fight, warned his audience that it might expect to be vili- fled by New Deal propagandists. Such is the fate of any individual or group possessed of courage enough to disagree with President Roosevelt and the brain trust. But it may be doubted that the whole public enjoys the spectacle. Fair play, as it happens, means some- thing to Americans. That is one reason why the so-called “Good Neighbor Policy” has been applauded by members of all parties. But Mr. Smith is correct when he demands that the rule be applied universally. There is no special merit in being nice to one’s friends. What really counts is being at least polite, if not charitably kind, to one’s And the New Dealers have merciless in their handling of their opposition. The President himself has set the fashion of vilification. He never has spared anybody who presumed to cross him. Also, Mr. Roosevelt is responsible for the activities of Charles Michelson, his spokesman as chief of the Democratic Publicity Buresu and & genius in the i® practice of the art of traduction. The combination wrecked the administration of Herbert Hoover “because we planned 1t that way.” It likewise has committed the sin of teaching class hatred to mil- lions of people who formerly had be- lieved that democracy implied tolerance. But the tragedy in the circumstances lies In the fact that the example they have fyrnished has been adopted by others. Father Coughlin, for instance, has foliowed in their footsteps. Dema- goguery has become a fashion. Mr. Smith was well advised to quote General Johnson’s picturesque description of his former messiah as “a rabble rouser.” It appears, then, that a fundamental issue of the present campaign is whether or not the electorate will be deceived by the appeal to passion. Theoretically, intelligence is supposed to govern the Republic. The people should go to the polls with rational patriotism in their minds. But it remains to be seen If encugh of them will. Confidence in the New Deal connotes approval of its methods, including the “smear” tech- nique with all its cunning efficiency and arrogant insincerity. Mr. Smith has served his country by naming it for what it is. The postal service has been more sat- isfactory than ever since Susan B. Anthony’s portrait was put on a stamp. So many fields of usefulness are open to the energetic and competent Mr. Farley, that even in the event of his political success there may be deference to demands for & woman as Postmaster General. It has become a custom to refer to Professor Felix Frankfurter as an emi- nent lawyer without depending on him for any law that applies to current situ- ations in a convincing and authoritative fashion. The voteless District of Columbia will watch the coming election convinced that it would know better what to do with votes than many communities that enjoy them as a natural and recognized right. —— Jack Johnson has an engagement as a super in a perfcrmance of “Aida” in New York. He will impersonate an Ethiopian warrior and will guarantee a good fight if he can be given choice of weapons. — s A base ball player's native residence makes little difference in defining his fame. His business affiliations count for more than old home town sentiment, which, after all, is nothing very unusual. S S The United States Constitution faces interpretation by various shades of opin- lon‘ Even attorneys for adjacent milk producers are prepared to show that it is being misunderstood. e The sincerely lamented Admiral Sims is another man whom it would have been deplorable to retire from opportun- ity for public expression at an age of 60 or 65 years. ————————— Some new ideas of his own are to be given publicity by Ponzi. On inspection they will probably prove old ideas very slightly disguised. Orators last night demonstrated that politics is a greater game than base ball. Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Squabs and Squirrels. The pigeon promenades the lawn, ‘The squirrel climbs a tree. In spite of what has come and gone, We're as we used to be. The fashionable Peacock’s call Awakes us from our doze. The Dove of Peace may, after all, Restore us to repose. As changing seasons bring the day When snows begin to drift, The nuts again are laid away, Promoting greater thrift. In fascination we are drawn Famillar sights to see. The pigeon promenades the lawn, ‘The squirrel climbs a tree. Practice and Theory. “Are you a practical politician?” “No,” answered Senator Sorghum. “I'm trying to rate with the intelligentsia and be a theoretical statesman.” Red Ink. Red is a color we avoid In most of our transactions. Too often have men been annoyed By some of its reactions. To shun red ink we seize the chance, Yet boldly folks distil it; ‘Why do we blot it from finance And in our statecraft spill it? A Farmer Admits Doubt. “Do you think you would be able to run the country?” “I dont know,” said Farmer Corn- tossel. “Some of us farmers seem to have gotten the idea that most every- thing ought to be plowed under, includ- ing the United States Constitution.” “We imagine great men,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “and are most fortunate when we select strong and good men to give visible expression to our ideals.” Crop Study. The gentle farmer is remiss, His duty he deserts. What now we have to face is this; The need of more stuffed shirts. Sometimes & speaker has to bluft Where chests expand s0 gay. And with so many shirts to stuff, ‘What shall we do for hay? “Patience an’ perseverance will do wonders,” said Uncle Eben, “but when you hits a losin’ streak in secrap game dey only makes it worse.” NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM BY MARGARET GERMOND. UNCLE SAM'S FARMYARD. By Owen R. Washburn. Green River Publish- ing Co, Brattleboro, Vt. In his exhortation to the sons of men to know wisdom and to perceive the words of understanding, the great wise man of the ages simplified the whole course of human instruction in the acquirement of knowledge with the ad- vice to “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways and be wise.” This homely counsel, which was perhaps thou- sands of years old before Solomon re- corded it for posterity, is but one of many incitations to man to consider the crea- tures of the earth in his quest for en- lightenment, 'The modern sage whose booklet is herein being noted may not have plumbed the depths of profundity reached by the ancients. He has, indeed, no admonition that is vital to the sur- vival of the intellectual superiority of the race. He has merely a dozen or so fables, predicated upon these extraor- dinary times of chaotic thought and confused action, in which the farm animals “speak plainly from that wis- dom which nature has given even to mules and roosters” upon those things about which man has shown a disposi- tion not to reason. Uncle Sam’s Farm is just like any other farm, inhabited by the animals and fowls familiar to’ all such home- steads, with the exception of an elephant. Many things happen on and around this farm. The animals and fowls are sym- bols and speak as oracles for the edifica- tion and instruction of all. * x ® X Here is part of one of these delightful satires, in which some strange birds and a singing clown pass Uncle Sam’s farm. 1t is entitled: Animals Enjoy Circus Parade. ¢ ¢ * “‘That sounds like a steam piano, there must be a circus parade coming,’ said the Mule to the other animals in Uncle Sam’s Farmyard. “They all went over to the side of the yard toward the highway as the first band came in sight. Leading the pro- cession was an over-sized bandwagon. The road was rapidly filling with people running to get into it. The musicians were playing ‘Down on the Farm.’ Be- hind them walked an Elephant twelve feet high. Seated on its head was a beau- tiful woman, a Goddess of Liberty, wav- ing a great American Flag. The Ele- phant was trumpeting loudly and show- ing himself to be very proud and happy as the people cheered. “Just then the Hired Man from the farm ran out, set up a little table and began to cry: ‘Peanuts! Peanuts! A Full Dinner From a Five-Cent Bag! Peanuts!’ “Next came a cage of birds that squawked and scolded, a regular Con- gress of crowlike creatures from all over the country. They had once belonged to the Hired Man. He had called them all ‘alligator birds.’ He called to them as they went past, and flung them a bag of peanuts. “‘Do they eat anything besides pea- nuts?’ the White Hen inquired of the Game Rooster. “‘They live on pork most of the time,” was the reply. ‘What a lot of monkeys!’ he exclaimed, as a long line of monkey trucks was passing. Each animal had a nice new bureau in its cage and was hopping around, opening and shutting drawers and scribbling on papers that could be tied with red tape. The mon- keys made faces at any one who mno- ticed them. “A Tiger broke out of its cage, ran up to Uncle Sam’s Farmyard and showed its teeth and growled at the Game Rooster. Then it went back to the Ele- phant in the parade and pretended to bite him. After that it ran under the band wagon and trotted along inside the wheels. The Farmyard Rat squealed at him and the Tiger only waved his tail and went on. The Elephant turned its head a little, looked at the Game Rooster on the fence, winked an eye very solemnly and marched away. The band played ‘The Sidewalks of New York.’ *“‘What is that strange-looking crea- ture being carried on a bed?’ asked the ‘White Hen. “The Mule answered at once, with much feeling: ‘That is the American Guinea Pig that has been experimented upon for three or four years and is now almost dead. It has been fed dough, had its Constitution taken out, part of its backbone removed, had most of its skin taken off, been dyed pink and stood on its head. for long periods. It was forced to swallow dangerous tacks, has been kicked by its foreign relations and been deprived of its liberty. The Hired Man intended to try fiew experi- ments upon it, but the bandwagon driver thinks it has suffered enough. “A clown came along. He stopped and imitated the Hired Man at the pea- nut stand and cried: ‘I am the finan- cial redeemer of the nation!” Then he sang: “ ‘All will be right as right can be ‘When what is yours belongs to me!’ “‘A noble sentiment!’ cried the Farm- yard Rat and the Hired Man clapped his hands. “As the parade disappeared a Gypsy fortune teller stopped to tell the Hired Man’s fortune. ‘Beware of tigers’ she said, ‘and of a Cruel Mule. * * *'~ And there are other admonitions for the Hired Man from the fortune telier as the parade passes out of sight and the farm animals turn from the fence and g0 back to their occupations as the Rat raises his voice and sings: “*‘All will be right as right can be ‘When what is yours belongs to me!’ " * % kX One fable concerns the problem of unemployed bees. Another relates the sad plight of the White Hen trying to find a place to lay an egg. There is one in which the barn burns and one in which the Hired Man falls into a Money Hole. Each one of the collection is a delightful, pungent satire in which the symbols are recognizable and the situa- tions applicable to events that are of general knowledge. A small booklet, yet one which gives pleasure and entertainment as well as wisdom. Read aloud to an audience, or lous Prom the Joplin (Mo.) Globe. ‘When a passerby attempted to stop Pkt Caw, were ot ghting. . “Aw, ne % one of them said. “We're just defending ourselves from each other.” And that’s the explanation of countries that go to Number of robins in the back yard at one time must be revised sharply upward. Fifty of these red-breasts were present Monday at exactly 5:30 pm. They were deployed across the lawn as one might 2xpect a foraging party to be. NowSOrobmlmonpmdenlznvreu sight, one worth watching carefully to sea if necessary. So solemn, so fat, so intent on worms, these favorite birds put in a busy half hour before gathering darkness made them fly away. Dusk comes early these days. It is the surest sign of Autumn. All around flow- ers and shrubs remain in full leaf. Trees, too, show scarcely a lost leaf. First frost will be necessary to take them down. * % ¥ ¥ In the meantime the birds are having a feast in local gardens, stopping on their way South. Ol:tley rvers of thllh\;l‘l mmh‘l‘&p because their ;’::E}xu orunobolln Hood and his merry men, came to believe that this group is fiying around the city in a band. Ordinarily robins are not so gregarious. Possibly that is their way when migrating. Several weeks ago we spoke here of watching 24 robins in the yard. The augmentation of the number prob- ably is due to t;o;e .ind more migrating birds joining lock. It may be that in flying from North to South they decide that in numbers there is strength, especially as to the location of food supplies. * % x x As far as we can recall&nl;obh't\a are this arious only at this time of year. xrlc]gl the Spring, when they first appear among us, they come by two and three, but seldom more. We recall vividly the appearance of the very first robin this year. It was one of the early first warm days, and there he was on the front lawn, hop- ping along as if he had never been away. Large, important looking, but in no sense boastful in appearance, tife robin i | quickly when it does arrive, a habit at red-breast is a favorite with all. ‘With the sparrow and the starling, he is one of the few birds which city people get to see yearly. There is no depth of the urban areas to which he will not come, though no doubt he prefers the wider lawns of the outlying sections. He is a member, as most people know, of the thrush family, which includes some of our most beautiful and inter- esting songbirds—true songbirds, these, | with remarkable musical powers. Even the robin, though not regarded as the most excellent singer of the group, is nevertheless a remarkable musician. It has been said of him that no bird can | give as many shades of meaning to a | single note. Although his nest is a dirty affair and poorly constructed—we have seen them fall out of a tree before completion—in it the mother robin lays her beautiful eggs of the famous “robin’s egg blue. * ok ok X ‘The eating powers of this bird also are remarkable. Some one has estimated if a human ate at the same rate as a robin, which easily consumes 14 to 16 feet of worms a day, that he would have to eat almost 70 pounds of meat and drink 6 gallons -of water. 3o it 18 no wonder that when the birds are flying South they find it helpful to go together in order that all may have their eyes open for possible grub in the grass. To watch the 50 robins—count ’em— seeking their food iz really an experience, Say as much as we please that numbers do not count, really, and that one robin Is as good as & hundred, that one morning- glory blossom is equal to a whole fence full, there is little gainsaying the plain fact that large numbers of anything do often make a difference. ‘Those 50 robins had something, ad- mittedly, that just half a dozen would not have had. % xx It was noticeable that the flock spread out, and kept spread out, as if each bird had a little territory of its own it was working over, which must not be in- fringed. Yet only one fight developed, a pretty good standard, considering all of them were equally hungry, without doubt, and in & small yard, after all. ‘This battle was the usual bird affray, a great deal of jumping into the air and clashing of bills, but no harm done to either combatant, as far as could be seen, It was particularly interesting to watch the numbers of robins increase. When first seen there were only 19 of them, but shortly one by one the remainder dropped down from the trees, whose overspreading branches afforded rest from the search to those which wished to fly up. The whole battalion made a pretty sight, and one never seen before by the particular observers. They wondered if, in past years, the yard had seen similar robin inroads, but they, the observers, had not been suffi- ciently interested at the time to keep watch for them. As stated here before, these robin bands never stay more than half an hour, or perhaps a little longer, at any one time. The best time to 1ok for them is just before dusk, when there is still plenty of light, but when darkness will come this time of year. *xxx The problem of where birds go to sleep is made acute by the sight of 50 robins, each and all of which fly away at dusk— | but where? Certainly they do not remain where they were feeding, in this case in one small garden. But where do they go, and why? Nearby were plenty of roosting places, but these red-breasts flew away as dark came, one by one, one after the cther, all going in the same direction, which was due south. Fellows which may be on their way to Mexico, of course, ought to keep their direction in mind. From the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico— Such is the theme song of the robin. The curious thing is that a robin, here and there, will forget his ancestral song, and stick around all Winter! Some people swear that robins from time to time Winter in this vicinity, but that is something we will believe when we see one. For the present we are satisfied with | half a hundred of these fine birds, a truly noble sight in the Autumn garden. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. After the New Deal, the new Roose- veli—at least, the new, belligerent cam- paigner Roosevelt. With nearly every- body who heard the President fire his opening volley at Syracuse this week the distinct impression was left that he now reveals himself in manner, tone and mood hitherto undisplayed. In his open- ing shafts, devoted to repudiation of the Communist charge, F. D. R. sounded to many of his invisible audience as if he were both angry and anxious over the situation provoked by enemy allegations of his red inclinations. As the President abandoned the defensive note and as- sumed the aggressive, he became the warrior unafraid and divested himself of one of the most politically masterful and effective speeches he has yet broad- cast. At one point, unintentionally or otherwise, he caused some of his lis- teners to think he was mockingly simu- lating Gov. Landon’s radio style. It was while *he was epitomizing the blessings the G. O. P. intends to bestow “with- out costing anybody anything.” On the whole, Mr. Roosevelt contrived to make a lot of people feel that the Communist accusation, unfounded as it is. has got under the presidential hide. The issue has been advertised far more than it would have been if he'd ignored it, but it has undoubtedly led him to pitch his campaign henceforth in a key of flerce militancy. From now on the President is unlikely to pull any punches, let the jabs light where they may. * ¥ ¥ x There'’s little prospect that the last has been heard of the Communist indict- ment. The Republicans are harping on the theory that even though the Presi- dent personally cannot be tarred with the red brush, New Deal policies are “leading directly toward a collective economic society in the United States,” whereby Communist support of Mr. Rosevelt's candidacy, however unwelcome politically to him, is natural and in- evitable. It is along these lines that the attack apparently is to be conducted. According to the G. O. P. argument in this connection, the outstanding issue in the 1936 national election is “whether or not we shall set up in America a Government with vast and centralized authority over the economic life of the Nation.” Republican spokesmen assail New Dealism as “governmentalism on the rapid path toward collectivism.” * % ¥ % Support of Mr. Roosevelt for re-elec- tion by the New York Times is one of the most welcome breaks that have come the New Deal's way. Though long friendly to the President’s cause, the Times' outright indorsement largely compensates, in Democratic estimation, for the defection of three other great independent Democratic newspapers— the Omaha World-Herald, the Baltimore Sun and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Rooseveltians seem reasonably sure of carrying Nebraska, Maryland and Mis- souri, but are far less serene about New York. That makes the adherence of the Times of vital importance from their standpoint, particularly because of its strong following among the “economic royalists” not only of pivotal Manhattan Island, but of other regions East and North. New Deal hopes of capturing New York’s 47 electoral votes are im- mensely raised by the decision of the great metropolitan daily to rally around Mr. Rosevelt's flag. * ok E x Government insurance of insurance (life policies) may be one of the rabbits Bemre New Deal hat color to Col. Knox's talk about the in- security of life insurance and savings accounts. What appears to be in the wind is a Federal corporation to do for insurance what the F. D. I. C. does for bank balances. * ok ok % All's not well at Madrid, but the em- bassy at Washington still lives. The establishment has taken a brand-new lease of life, as far as publicity is con- cerned. Throughout the civil war a tower of silence, the embassy is now issuing press bulletins and has invited newspapers to furnish addresses to which material may regularly be sent. Information just released deals with Spain’s monetary situation. It points out that the strife-torn republic ranks fourth among the gold-holding countries with a reserve in excess of $700,000,000— United States Federal Reserve Board figures—a hoard outstripped only by the United States, Prance and Great Britain. * ¥ ¥ % President Roosevelt's reference to the “evanescent passions” of politics, which led Chairman John G. Winant to resign from the Social Security Board, in order to repel Republican attacks, suggests that Winant’s departure is itself “eva- nescent.” In the event of New Deal vic- tory next month, his return to the job is widely expected. Sooner or later the social security act may face the con- stitutional guns in the Supreme Court. Though Winant's career has not been at the bar, he might be drafted for service in connection with the legal de- fense of the l]aw. Presumably that task will fall mainly to “Tom” Eliot, general counsel of the Social Security Board and architect in chief of the statute. He is a grandson of the late Charles W. Eliot, celebrated president of Harvard. * x % % Housing is one of the fields in which recovery has been relatively slow. Resi- dential construction at the depth ef the depression had declined 89 per cent. During the past three years there has been a steady but only gradual increase in building operations. For the eight months ended August 31, 1936, residential construction was still 65 per cent bulow normal, representing a change from 1ii per cent of normal in 1933 to about 33 per cent. the accumulated deficiency is Nation- wide. Until early in 1938 mortgage ioaus were not readily obtainable. Nowadeys banks and other lenders srs reported to be offering money at favorable in- terest rates, and home building in con- sequence is headed for a definite upward trend. < * ¥ x % Adolph Augustus Berle, jr., who ranked as brain truster No. 1 during the 1932 Roosevelt, campaign, will take the stump this month for the re-election of the President and of Gov. Lehman. Berle, (Copyright, 1936.) Cupid and Cupidity. FProm the Ohicago Daily News. . Mayor Youkey of Crown Point, Ind., In the supply of dweliings | 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, Diregtor, Washington, D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply. Q. How does the health of men in C. C. C. camps compare with those out- side?—A. 8. A. The occurrence of disease among enrollees in the C. C. C. during the past fiscal year has been kept at a remark- ably low figure, and the surgeon gen- eral’s office states that the death rate was lower than that occurring among men of similar age groups throughout the registration area of the United States Q. How is the name of the author of “The Last Puritan” pronounced?—A. R A. Santayana is pronounced as though spelled Sahn-tah-yah-na with the ac- cent on the third syllable. Q. How many States require teachers’ loyalty oaths?>—M. E. M. A. Twenty States and the District of Columbia. Q. How many distilleries are there in Scotland?—L. T. A. There are 117 distilleries in opera- tion in Scotland and 1,535 different labels are now used by them. Q. Are there any counties in the United States that have no Negroes?—J. L. M. A. There are 245 counties with nho Negro population. Q. Please give a biography of La Argentina—M. R. A. Antonia Merce, better known under her stage name of La Argentina, was born in Buenos Aires ahout 1895. Her debut was made at the Madrid Opera . House when she was 5 years old and six years later she was a premiere dan- seuse with its ballet. After sensational appearances in Europe, she took New York by storm in 1928, being proclaimed the first Spanish dancer of her time The French government made her a chevalier of the Legion of Honour. From the Spanish government she received the rosette of the Order of Isabella the Catholic. She died near Bayonne, France, July 18, 1936. Q. Where is the eastern part of United States highway No. 2?—S. D. A. This east-and-west highway, which skips the Great Lakes region between { Michigan and New York, extends in its eastern section from Rouses Point, N. Y., down Lake Champlain to Burlington, Vt., and then eastward across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine to enter New Brunswick beyond Houlton, Me. Q. How many food tasters are there in the Department of Agriculture at Wesh. ington?—J. M. A. This department employs 30 food tasters. Q. When did the Leviathan make her last trans-Atlantic voyage?—H. J. A. The ship made her last round-trip passenger crossing in September, 1934 Since then she has been lying at the Hoboken pier. Q. To what family does okra belong? What- kind of flowers has the plant? —C. R. A. Okra (hibiscus esculentus) is an annual of the mallow family, closely re- lated to the shrub althea. It bears sul- phur-colored flowers. ?. GWhlt are the Arundel Marbles? A. They consist of a collection of 250 inscribed marbles, including the Parian Chronicle of Ancient Greek History, ac- quired by the Earl of Arundel in 1624 Of the original pieces, 163 were presented to the University of Oxford by his grandson. Q. How many Sears-Roebuck stores are there?—E. M. A. There are 400. Q. What type of airplane has Col. Lindbergh purchased abroad?—J. M. A. He has ordered a monoplane two- seater with specially designed cabin, range 2,000 miles, powered by a super- charged six-cylinder 200-horsepower motor. The plane has a top speed of 190 miles an hour. Q. Did the late Adolph Ochs ever own the Philadelphia Public Ledger?—H. J. A. Mr. Ochs owned the paper from 1902 to 1912 when he sold it to Cyrus H. K. Curtis. Q. How far up the Thames is London situated?—J. R. A. It is about 60 miles from its mouth. Q. What are the various sizes of com- mercially canned peas?—J. W. A. Six sizes, ranging from the smallest to the largest, are known as petit pois. extra sifted, sifted, early June, marrow fat and telephone. Q. Can a person tell that a train is approaching a railroad crossing by fts whistle?—M. M. A. All railroads in this country use the same signal for grade crossings—two long and two short whistle blasts. Q. Why are running lights on small boats inclosed in ribbed glass rather than plain glass?—E. E. G. A. The Bureau of Navigation and Marine Inspection says that it is re- quired by law because ribbed glass in- creases the visibility of the light with regard to distance. Q. Please give the history of a monu- ment in the Mall just west of F Build- ing. It is surrounded by a circular picket fence and carries an inscription ! which is now illegible—J. L. L. A. It is a memorial to Andrew Jackson Downing, the landscape gardener who prepared a plan for the improvement of | the entire Mall. Rattlers. Prom the Glendale (Calif.) -Press. Among the “rattlers” being driven to cities by the drought are too many with four wheels. A R_Tl;me at Twilight By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton Her Grace A charming gesture, one of woman's graces— T've it with both plain and pretty faces— Is the swift lift of a hand divinely fair ’romnnw quite sure no errant strand of Has m;.‘ku a-wandering; gone perhaps to Lignt contact with a witching neck or cheek. hh:mmmmemmm In its light lifting seems & falry wand' A -