Evening Star Newspaper, October 28, 1936, Page 10

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THE EVENING STAR ‘With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY. THEODORE W. NOYES....000....Editor The Evening Star' Newspaper Company. 11t 8 T s Ave. PR T i o European Office: 14 Regent St.. London. Ensland. Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Edition. nllh! Pinal and Sunday St ight Final Sta Collection ders may onal 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. All Other States and Canada, Dafly and Sunday__1 sr.. $12.00: 1 mo. $1.00 aily only-___. 271 yr $800: 1 mo. 75c 50¢ Sunday only... $5.00; 1 mo., Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to 11 ne dispatches Baper and also the local news published herein, 4UI rishts of oublication of special dispatches erein are also reserved. 1 yr. Hitler and Britain, Amid the melting pot conditions omini- present in Europe, no single situation is of vaster possibilities than Germany’s bid for the favor of Great Britain. Over- tures in that direction have just been launched with the arrival of Joachim von Ribbentrop, Hitler's new Ambassa- dor to the Court of St. James. Laurel- crowned as the negotiator of the Anglo- German naval agreement in 1935, Herr von Ribbentrop, a special confidante of Der Fuehrer, has the specific ‘mission of developing the ties then established, along lines that will lead to further aggrandizement of Germany’s interna- tional influence. In his opening state- ment on British soil, the Nazi diplomat loud-pedaled the note on which Hitler now harps on all possible occasions— communism as Europe’s paramount danger, He confessed Germany’s hope of British collaboration in grappling with it. It is evident that Herr von Ribbentrop is under orders to concen- trate on building an Anglo-German front against the Soviet. Under the circumstances, the time does not seem distant when Britain will have to choose between yielding to German blandishments and devotion to the entente with France. Despite Hitler's periodical affirmations of good will, in- cluding the late suggestion of a non- aggression pact, the isolation of France, or at least her destruction as a dominant power in Europe, unquestionably con- tinues to be the latent ideal that Hitler bluntly proclaimed it to be in the Nazi bible, “My Struggle.” While the Ger- mans, too, have been making a good deal of noise about colonies, the dream of a Nazified Central Europe, extending from the North Sea to the Mediter- ranean, still fires the Reich’s imagina- tion. The fact that the Soviet Union, particularly its alliance with France, is a bar to the realization of that aspiration inspires in large measure the sleepless German crusade against communism, in ‘which Hitler would enlist Britain’s sup- porf. Ambassador Ribbentrop’s counsel is understood to be against irritating the British by stressing the colonial is- &ue, obviously with a view to “selling” them the red peril, which is of major importance in the Berlin scheme of things. Hitler’s projected comradeship with John Bull synchronizes with the new Italo-German understanding and with Berlin's recognition of the Ethiopian conquest. Soon after Herr von Ribben- trop lays his cards on the table in Downing Street he is sure to be asked to what extent the Nazis support Mus- solini’s longings for a larger place in the Mediterranean sun. Conditions in fear- ridden Europe were never riper for large- scale diplomatic horse trading., Nazi ambitions, coupled with German re- armament, are bound to command ear- hest attention from a Great Britain vul- nerable to attack by formidable air fleets such as Hitler and Goering are now fgshioning. Reversal of Policy. The astonishing letter from Mr. Wood- ring, Acting Secretary of War, to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board not only reverses the stand of the Army doctors against sale of liquor in the vicinity of Walter Reed, but reverses the traditional policy established many years ago against sale of liquor in the vicinity of all military and naval reservations in the District. The effect of Mr. Wood- ring’s uncalled for interference in the policy of the liquor board and of the hos- pital authorities should be a matter of some concern, Before prohibition the areas in the District where sale of liquor was per- mitted had been gradually cut down by Increasingly strict provisions, some of them based on proximity to naval and military reservations. Saloons in the vicinity of such reservations were the source of continued difficulty and were gradually outlawed. Since repeal the liquor board has adopted a policy of discouraging liquor sales establishments near Walter Reed and has had the affirmative support of the authorities at the hospital, who made the point that the hospital supplied any alcohol needed for patients,- It would seem to be a good policy, not only in the interest of the patients themiselves but in the public interest. Liquor sales- establishments near such institutions as Walter Reed, Soldiers’ Home, St. Eliza- _beth’s Hospital, etc, are not to be placed in the same category with liquor sales establishments in the vicinity of private hospitals. The problems are Dot the same and are not to be compared. Certainly the Acting Secretary of War should give adequate explanation for having deliberately overridden the policy of the hospital authorities, in & far better position than the lay officials of the department to decide such matters. That the Acting Secretary of War has I illoved u‘mmry to the v-llshea and be- liefs of hospital and other institutional authorities has been made abundantly clear in their own expression of views. Liberty. Every individual, it may be supposed, has his own definition of liberty. The word signifies much that cannot be captured in a net of language. It repre- sents an imponderable factor in the evolution of the race; it cannot be weighed nor measured nor perfectly resolved by analysis. President Garfield, however, glimpsed its principal charac- teristic when he declared: “Liberty is no negation. It is a substantive, tangible reality.” And the thought cannot be repeated too often. Liberty exists, pros- pers, is protected, maintained and em- ployed for the advantage of the people of the world only in L}le ratio of its comprehension as a positive force. Hence the necessity for constant effort to understand its nature. To Patrick Henry life itself was a synonym for liberty as he visioned it. Denied its possession, he proclaimed his willingness to die. And Abraham Lincoln was in substantial agreement with the attitude of the great Virginian expositor of independence when, in quantitative terms, he wrote: “Where slavery is, there liberty cannot be; and where liberty is, there slavery cannot be.” Yet Edmund Burke, to whom Americans are forever indebted for the inspiration of his exam- ple, appreciated the fact that “liberty must be limited in order to be enjoyed.” Reluctantly, he was obliged to concede that “liberty, without wisdom, is license.” And license, as he remembered Sir Philip Sidney had called it, is & “many- headed tyrant.” But the thinkers of the present age are concerned to know what the fate of liberty will be in the immediate future. That, it seems, is the question which President Roosevelt will have in mind today as he rededicates Bartholdi's monumental statue in New York harbor. He is interested in the problems of eco- nomic freedom and social security, and it may be expected that he will refer to those issues in his address. Perhaps the sentiments of John Ruskin will appeal to him as worthy of quotation: “Wise laws and just restraints are to a noble nation not chains, but chains of mail— strength and defense, though something of an incumbrance.” Or he may recall Charles Kingsley's doctrine: “There are two freedoms—the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where a man is free to do what he ought.” ‘The moment, obviously, is imperatively consequential. Whatever Mr. Roosevelt may elect to say will be examined with searching care both abroad ard at home. ‘The ancient concepts of liberty are at a discount in the present universal crisis. sIndeed, in more than half the earth they are mocked by prophets of expediency and flouted by apostles of coercive reform. And the electorate of the United States stands on the eve of rededicating itself to its ideal of human dignity and human happiness. It may choose the President’s party or another. But in neither case will it be faithless to its aspirations for a land made bright with hope, —_————— ‘The manner in which former Presi- .dent Hoover has learned to enjoy his microphone would warrant him in applying to former Governor Smith for permission to use the initials “H. W.,” meaning Happy Warrior, It Should Be Thorough. Indications now point to a thorough cleaning up of the alleged "racket” in Prince Georges County, by which police and professional bondsmen are repre- sented as having victimized motorists charged with serious violation of the traffic laws. The grand jury’s recom- mendation that a skilled investigator be retained has been approved by the county commissioners, who have author- ized necessary expenditures. The selec- tion of the investigator is apparently up to the State’s’ attorney. The people of the county, through their constituted representatives, would do well to press the investigation to the limit, It is not enough that the racket may already have been broken up by the publicity and the threat of investi- gation. What is needed now is an examination of the system under which both private citizens and the county government could be swindled, provided the charges are true. And if the system is weak because of faulty personnel, the guilty should be named and removed. Street Car Replacement. Owners of .the Capital Transit Com- pany should heed the call of Chairman Riley E. Elgen of the Public Utilities Commission for the prompt adoption of an annual program of replacement with modern equipment of worn-out street cars. Common sense suggests that the com- pany would be doing its stockholders a distinct favor by starting a program of elimination of the out-of-date, slow- moving cars which the company still attempts to use in heavily congested modern traffic. Certainly many of them should have been replaced long ago. In the past, the excuse has been that the street car industry was in financial straits. Its path still may not be smooth, but if the company is to continue to hold its franchise—certainly if it hopes tocvnunnebcfinmmcreuemput- ronage—it must, perforce, keep in step ‘with modern demands. - It must be granted that since merger of the two old street car companies, late in 1933, the new company has spent- millions for track changes, for busses and other improvements. The company has been granted concessions, however, in the form of substitution of busses for street car lines, where expensive track replacements were long overdue, and in the form of extension of the fleet of one-man Cars. ¥ i On the other band, the number of pay passengers has increased, which suggests that modernization of the street VHNING STAR, car rolling stock would further aid the company. The cost of maintenance of new equipment would be less than for the old cars, which, in addition to their expense, continue as & source of dissatis- faction from the public. The commission chairman suggests the company replace the old cars at a rate of not less than fifty per year, the first fifty to be available not later than the middle of 1937. The Federation of Citizens’ Associations recently suggested immediate purchase of 300 new cars. Re- gardless of the number to be purchased each year, there can be little dispute over the wisdom of early adoption of a defi- nite annual program. The larger the program of annual replacement, consist- ent with company financial ability, the better for all concerned. As to financial ability, Washington cannot forget that the company is controlled by the North American Company. Surely, a means can be found. Soviet Russia has munitions for Spain and dancers to scatter the world over. In spjte of reports of desperate poverty, it is evident that somewhere in the Stalin administration a cash register is being overworked. ——————— So many men after distinguished serv- ice in official life turn to Washington as a permanent residence that a liberal estimate of Uncle Sam’s share of Dis- trict maintenance would seem only an evidence of intelligent foresight. —_———— Efforts to make war so deadly that it will be considered impractical may bear fruit. No proletariat, however reckless, would consent to destroy cities merely for the fun of paying taxes to rebuild them. ———— One of the questions asked by Al Smith is “where did Tugwell blow in?” “To blow in” is white light vernacular sig- nifying a spectacular expenditure of money. ————— ‘While W. P. A. undertakes many enter- prises Mr. Hopkins does not encourage inquisitive accountants to believe it can be called upon to function as a bigger and better business college. —_————— Airships are bombing Madrid suburbs as a reminder that & good airship is like a good dog, friendly and serviceable as a pet, but a source of peril in case of rabies. In bringing forward trade reciprocity as a prominent consideration, Secretary Hull has succeeded in identifying himself with an idea that has not been over- punished in the argumentative mix-up. —_————— Democratic campaigners are class con- scious to an extent that makes some of them contemplate politics as a fine art and others as a philanthropy. —_—————— Pacts are still in contemplation with no present need of running through the diplomatic deck to look for mere scraps of paper. Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. . P. E. Oh, Precious Ego, still we find A sense of conscious pride Bupreme, in just a state of mind That is self-satisfied. The empires that of old were great No longer boldly thrive, I'm stronger than each ancient state, For I am still alive. I wave my scepter. It's the pen That writes my signature, And notify my fellow. men Of what they shall endure. Oh, Precious Ego, source of joy ‘That every one may see, "Mongst the initials we employ The mightiest are P. E. So Fast They Follow. “Are you glad this campaign is nearly over?” “No,” said Senator Sorghum. “I was beginning to get used to it. As soon as the election is over a new campaign will start which may be even fiercer.” Barbecue! Had a little barbecue, Sirloin roast and Brunswick stew. Noble animal was there ‘To prepare the bill of fare. Men of eloquence and grace Occupied the speakers’ place; Others viewed the creature slain ‘Who had passed a plate in vain, Still of admiration full, Murmuring “Is not that the Bull?” Father Worked. “Why did they call George Washington the Father of His Country?” “I don’t know,” answered Mr. Meekton, “unless it was because it seemed to be his especial duty to worry about the bills and try to keep the family in order.” “My ancestors conducted many revolu- tions,” said Hi Ho, the Sage of China- town. “The fact that war was conducted without modern improvements did not diminish their political and social significance.” . Bird to Bird, A crow once heard a mocking bird And was to indignation stirred. He cried, “Why should it be your choice, So oft to imitate my voice?” ‘The mocking bird replied, “Your song ‘Was heard amid the radio throng; The imitation you prevent T thought & personal compliment!” When the Blue Eagle first I heard I thought it was a swanlike bird. Its dying strain of beauty great ‘Was what I tried to imitate. “De prodigal son deserves some praise,” said Uncle Eben, “foh comin’ home by hisself and not tryin’ to work off his gold brick friends on de family.” 4] WASHINGTON, D. C, NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM MARGARET GERMOND. THREE-WHEELING THROUGH AFRICA. By James C. Wilson. In- dianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill Co. Two young men, one of them seven and the other five years out of college, disillusioned at last of the gilded philos- ophy of the theorists and shocked by the knowledge, born of painful experience, of the cold, bald fact that education for a life of usefulness cannot be acquired by Degrees, decided to remove themselves from the scene of an economic order in which there was no opportunity for the exercise of their talents, and to make a trip around the world in an effort to add something of practical value to the mass of “book larnin’” that had failed to qualify them for the common privilege of earning a living. These two had traveled together in earlier days, one time dish-washing their way to Alaska and sailing down the Yukon in a rowboat. By the familiar old methods of “going places” they set out on their journey on the basis of working the world on their way around. Leav- ing Lincoln, Nebr. they trudged down the highway, minus coats, one of them bearing the burden of a small, shoulder- slung camera and a banjo, the other swinging a red, two-gallon gasoline can. “Outa gas?” asked the driver of a car headed in the same direction. “Yeah, outa gas.” “Tough luck. I get that way myself sometimes. Climb in.” A lift—the first fruit of the scheme to work the world on their way around! The gasoline can, hinged at the top, contained two toothbrushes and two pairs of socks. Jim Wilson and Francis Flood were on their way! Across country to New York, where a big freighter, about to sail for West Africa, offered an oppor- tunity for the second lap of a trip that turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences in adventure in which any two soldiers of fortune ever participated. By the time the freighter docked at Lagos both young men were bored by life on board ship. A few days on shore resulted in the germination of & new idea. For no sane reason or purpose they decided to cross Africa from west to east by motor cycle over & route never before traversed by & motor vehicle. Some ten or more years ago a motor train, equipped with caterpillar tractors, crawled & bit to the north of Lake Chad, but it remained for two incredibly self-reliant Americans to hatch the hare- brained ambition to engage in a motor cycle expedition over thirty-eight hun- dred miles of jungle foot paths, caravan trails and military road, one-third of the distance lying through territory in French Equatorial Africa, which no American had ever entered, and six hundred miles of it through a desert over which no wheeled vehicle had ever been driven. Every outpost commander along the route received them with the greeting that their performance was incredible and endeavored to persuade them that it would be impossible for them to reach the next post. Five months later, how- ever, they jolted down from the Eritrean hills on the remnants of their sidecar cycles to Massawa, on the Red Sea. Red-eyed, grimy, bearded, their machines falling apart under them, but still un- daunted by experiences which few pos- sess the endurance to survive, they reached the end of a fantastic journey that rivals the monumental achieve- ments of the heroes of mythology. A picturesque and amusing map dec- orates the inside covers of the volume, which is in keeping with the breezy, light-hearted style- of the narrative. Three-wheeling through Africa, with no equipment, no interpreters, nothing upon which to rely except their own wits, courage and determination, proved to be a comedy in many acts with tragedy lurking at every turn. Let James C. Wil- son tell you about it in one of the best narratives of a modern adventure expe- dition that has been written in a long time. The book is profusely illustrated with photographs and is filled to over- flowing with thrills that are real and laughs that spring from that extraordi- nary sense of humor that is the eternal blessing of the American race. * X ¥ X THE COURT OF FAIR MAIDENS. By Wilhelm Speyer. New York: Simon & Schuster. In a foreword to this novel of warriors, plotters and lovely ladies Mr. Hendrik Van Loon writes: “To publish a Mozart minuet at & time when concert-goers will sit uncon- cernedly through a composition of Com- rade Shostakovitch, or to recommend a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape when the customers clamor loudly for prohibi- tion gin, these are things that require an extraordinary degree of courage.” The implication, of course, is that some especially fine brand of courage was re- quired to produce a novel of fine texture in an age which has little appreciation of the superior arts. He also says that when he took the volume home to read he hid it behind a famous book which he felt sure would never be touched, and that he saved it to enjoy alone at such times as he was assured of uninterrupted pleasure, ‘Well, Mr. Van Loon may be right, but considering the wealth of untouched ma- terial available for fictional treatment of historic eras and events, it is not easy to muster any exceptional degree of enthusiasm over an imaginary duchy in the Napoleonic period which was famed throughout Europe for its beautiful women. Europe in the early part of the nine- teenth century is in a state of war, and the young Duke Johann Christoph, ruler of Reuthe, yearns mightily to join the revolutionaries and share their lot in the turmoil. Necessity has made him shrewd in the management of his small kingdom, however, and he is determined to preserve its neutrality at all costs. One of the costs is an arrangement for the marriage of his sister to a Russian grand duke, and another is the necessity of marrying one of his princesses to the favorite general of Napoleon. But he makes the very serious mistake of fail- ing to reckon upon the women he plans so-easily to dispose of. - With this situation as a working basis for the plots, counter-plots, love affairs and political intrigues, Mr. Speyer weaves a story that is undentably entertaining as a bit of a sideshow on the times and con- ditions of Europe at the turn of the cen- tury. It apparently was not intended ta be anything else. Capital Congestion. From the Kansas City Star. - Complaints come from Washington of so much congestion about Government buildings that there is no place to park a car. Another argument for balancing the budget, which would thin out the cars of Federal jobholders. A Differentiation. Prom the Winston-Salem Journal. He's a diplomat if he pours oil on the trouble waters, but only a politician if he dashes ditto on the troubled voters. Insomnia. Prom the Grand Island Independent. Nellie says her insomnia is s0 bad she can't even sleep when it's time to get up. WEDNESDAY, OCTOB THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Why did people sneeze all over Tem- pleton Jones, president of the Anti- Sneezing Society? Jones wanted to know. Wherever this worthy gentleman went, somebody was sure to sneeze. Usually the sneezer, within a few feet of President Jones, made no attempt to sneeze in a downward direction or into & handkerchief. He simply sneezed into the air. uullompl};t germs floated around the head of Templeton Jones, who, through his resistance, escaped their il At last it came to him—he actually was attracting sneezes, not through any mystical aura, but solely because of his resistance. PR He had so built up anti-bodies, as they are called, in his own system that they were able to go forth into the air, though invisible, and set up a symptom of the common cold in others. Not every one who sneezes, of course, is coming down with & cold, but in the majority of cases the simple sneeze de- notes the coming cold. As president of the Anti-Sneezing Bo- ciety, Jones had been forced to make himself a model of resistance. Over the years he had done pretty well by himself, in this respect. Yet all the time he could not help but wonder why other people so often sneezed in his presence. He would be standing on a street cor- ner, for instance, and as people walked by, one or more would sneeze exactly when passing him. Not up the street, or down the street, but right at hand. * x % % Some persons of whom he asked an opinion gave it out as theirs that it was because he feared colds. This mystical idea has persisted over the centuries. ‘What we fear comes upon us—so says the wisdom of the past. Almost every one has experienced this in some form or other, or heard about it as applicable to others. Some years ago there was an article in the public print telling of an old lady who spent her life fleeing from the measles, only to die from them at last. Most often no mention is made, in this - sort of recital, of the simple fact that the person involved knows his own fail- ings better than any one else. If he is susceptible to colds, for in- stance, he ought to know it just a little better than any one else. If he flees from people who sneeze, he is doing a sensible thing. More people ought to put this wisdom in practice, according to the precepts of the Anti-Sneezing Society. This would mean that pressure would | be brought to bear at last, if enough per- sons became interested, to help put a stop to private sneezing in public places. * % kX Fleeing from the public sneezer, if gen- erally adopted, might or might not have anything to do with any one catching a cold, but at least it would put the finger of public displeasure upon the practice. President Jones, as head of his organi- zation, had to follow its precepts, of course, d hence had to make a show of fleeing. Being a sensitive fellow, with a high regard for the feelings of others, he never shrank visibly from the : sneezer, but simply held his handkerchief up to his nose, or moved to another point. ‘This, he felt, was pointed enough for all practical purposes. It was not long after assuming the presidency of this o tion that Jones began to notice that wherever he Wwas some one was sure to sneeze. For a long time this puzzled him. Had his position been known, there was little doubt that some persons would have sneezed just for the “fun” of it. This idea of “fun” is very widespread, and perhaps is partly responsible for some of the features of our vast land which are not so laudable. It is difficult to tell. Jones was acquainted with several persons who, had they known of his con- nection with the Anti-Sneezing Society, would have found nothing more to their liking than to have faked a set of most hearty ker-choos for his express benefit. This, such persons would have thought, was terribly “funny.” The basis of such fun, in all ages and countries, has been savage. It shows itself by the baring of the teeth, or fangs. It is first cousin to the form of humor which delights In watching some one else—always—slip on the ice, or in other ways injure them« selves physically. * Kk kX President Jones realized that there must be some tangible connection be- tween the fact of his own semi-immunity from colds and the sneezing of many other persons in his vicinity. That they sat around in cold, chilly houses, at this time of year, rather than start their furnaces, could account for the fact that they sneezed, but scarcely for the” unmistakable fact that they sneezed upon him. It was not until he read a translation of Hahnemann's “Organon,” dealing with the rational art of healing, that he began to believe that he was, in some way, sending forth substances, undoubt- edly invisible, which acted acccrding to Hahnemann's theory of cure, by giving the person one of the symptoms of a “cold.” “Like cures like,” such was the theory. Thee originator worked it out with the aid of “provers,” as he called them, persons in good health who were willing to take various substances, and note the effeets. If the substance, in most cases herbal, set up one or more symptoms of a certain disease, it was held to be a | cure of that disease. The theory is complex, but seems to be, at least as Jones got it, that only one disease can exist'at a time, and the arti- ficially introduced ailment cancels}jout the disease for which the medicine is taken. * x x * President Jones of the Anti-Sneezing Society pictured himself as sending forth the curative bodies of the common cold. These invisible things, winging to a person about on the verge of sneezing, immediately make him sneeze, but shortly cure him. - Thus Jones felt himself a benefactor. ‘The sneezes he set up were not genuine sneezes, but curing sneezes. He was willing to believe—at least until some one told him otherwise—that those who sneezed in his presence were not so much coming down with colds as getting cured of them. This was a helpful belief. Now helpful beliefs are always good, especially to the one who holds them. Templeton Jones, once he got this idea into his head, rapidly lost his fear of sneezers. Instead of picturing himself as in danger of catching cold, he saw himself in the light of a benefactor of mankind. A fanciful picture? Undoubtedly. Templeton Jones is a fanciful fellow. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. Despite indications of an all-time high popular vote of 45,000,000, a 6,000,000 in- crease over 1932, the stay-at-home vote promises once again to be disreputably big. If, as an Associated Press analysis has just shown, there are approximately 55,500,000 eligible voters, the “slacker” vote would be in the neighborhood of 10,000,000, representing about a fifth of Uncle Sam’s enfranchised children who prefer golf, motoring, bridge, the movies or other pastimes to performance of their duty at the polls. The actual num- ber of persons of voting age is between 65,000,000 and 170,000,000, or 10.000,000 to 15,000,000 in excess of the number quali- fied for the ballot. box on November 3 by registration. So the chances are that roundly a third of the Nation's electors will play hooky next Tuesday, thus main- taining the American people’s record for wholesale indifference at election time. Several foreign countries, notably Ger- many under Hitler, where non-voting is virtually a jail offense, far outstrip the United States in balloting percentages. In the Nazi Reich more than 90 per cent of the electorate has been polled on several occasions. Now and then American get-out-the-vote advocates suggest that the best way to make our people election-minded might be to im- pase fines or taxation as a penalty for staying at home. *x % % By general consent, the third party threat has proved to be the supreme flop of the campaign. Father Coughlin was once credited with believing he would roll up 9,000,000 votes either for Lemke or Coughlinite congressional candidates, or both. That claim did not seem so tall when the Townsend-Gerald Smith forces decided to make common cause with the radio priest and Lemke. But on the eve of battle there’s no political authority of consequence Who expects third party strength in any formidable degree to cut into either Roosevelt or Landon. In this connection you hear two things—that the situation might have been different (1) if Huey Long had lived, and (2) if Coughlin had re- frained from personal vilification of the President. *® %% Gov. Landon is far more effective in his attacks on domestic phases of the New Deal, especially in the constitutional realm, then when he tackles foreign affairs, After both his Minneapolis speech assailing reciprocal trade agree- ments and the Indianapolis address on external relations in general, the Gov- ernor took some pretty severe wallops even in quarters favorable to his cause. Although hamstrung by the isolationist shackles of the Cleveland platform, many thought Landon might have advanced his prospects by assuming & bolder leadership in foreign policy than the Borah-bossed convention Committee on Resolutions was willing to sponsor. It is one thing, in these interlocking international times, to talk about Uncle Sam “minding his own business,” as Landon advocates, but quite another to be able to adhere to that laudable purpose. L Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, sr., has just come out eloquently for Gov. Landon. So far as yet publicly known, none of the other surviving former first ladies has emulated T. R’s widow‘ tt‘n fnrn!utnll‘:.r declaring her political position. taken for granted that ardently Demo- cratic Mrs. Woodrow Wilson is for Roose- velt and that Republican Mrs. Taft, Mrs. Coolidge and Mrs. Hoover are no less devoted to their party’'s nominee, x x o*x % For the first time in three years the State Department has just completed its formerly annual examinations for the foreign service. A total of 131 candidates, including four women, underwent the rigorous written and oral tests to which aspiring diplomats must submit. There were 27 applicants who qualified for the exams through connection with the serv- ice in minor positions. Candidates who pass muster are automatically assigned to duty in the department or in field positions abroad. The foreign service attracts increasingly large groups of serious-minded voung Americans bent upon entering it for career purposes. The fine account of themselves recently given by State Department representa- tives in Spain has won Nation-wide praise, especially among persons givan to scoffing at the spats and 5 o'clock tea habits to which the foreign service is supposedly addicted. * X ok % Miss Melinda Alexander, Republican nominee for the House in the twenty-first congressional district, in New York City, strikes a brand-new note by announcing that she “chose God as a campaign man- ager.” Claiming that she has no political financial resources except for a few shekels put up by close friends, Miss Alexander, described as tall, pretty and blue-eyed, says “the hosts of heaven are working for me.” The fair lady, who is running in the Harlem area, declares she has been inspired by the high political ideals of the colored people among whom she is campaigning. A native Nebraskan, Miss Alexander in private life conducts Sunday forums at the Waldorf-Astoria. In 1927 she was the only woman member of a delegation sent to study Soviet conditions. Rex Tugwell was a member of the party. The Harlem candidate’s electioneering slogan is “Relief from relief.” * X ¥ % Visitors to Washington include one of America’s distinguished veterans in for- eign journalism, Elmer Roberts, for many years chief of the Associated Press bureaus alternately in Berlin and Paris. A native of the Wabash country in Indiana, whence so many of our literati have sprung, Roberts spent his early newspaper life in Florida and now lives in retirement at Jacksonville. He joined the A. P. in 1897, covered the Spanish- American War as its correspondent in London, and then was stationed suc- cessively in Germany and France, with incidental special missions all over Eu- rope. Roberts was in charge of the Associated Press staff at Paris during the Peace Conference. (Copyright, 1936.) —_——r—————— Betting Morals. Prom the Kansas City Star. Some States sanction race-track bet- ting on the ground that some of the money is used to improve the breed of race horses. Perhaps election betting shouldn’t be regarded as such a sin, after all. The Umpires’ Preference. From the Humboldt Times. With the end of the 1936 base ball season, umpires are said thoroughly to lpp:love the substitution of cans for beer bottles. 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, D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply. b Q. Is it true that Maryland has since 1892 returned a vote for the man whoe. won the presidential election?—H. R. A. This is true as to the popular vote— * as to electoral vote, there have been exceptions. Q. How many airplanes have been built in the United States?>—B. W. A. The Bureau of Air Commerce says that, roughly speaking, the total number of airplanes manufactured in the United States from the beginning of the in-¢ dustry through 1935 was 49,000, Q. What section of the country has the heaviest automobile travel? What route has the heaviest travel?>—A. M. A. The American Automobile Associa~ tion says that the area around New York City has the heaviest traffic in the Unjted States. The entire length of route No. 1 carries the greatest volume of traffic in this country, . Q. What kind of lifeboats has the Queen Mary?—R. H. C. A. The Queen Mary is equipped with 24 unsinkable motor lifeboats made of steel and having a capacity of 145 per- sons each. This is the largest fleet of lifeboats carried on any ship. Q. How did Halloween originate? —V.T. A. Halloween and the ceremonies that formerly attended it long antedate Christianity. The chief characteristic in the ancient celebrations of Halloween was the lighting of bonfires. The ancient belief was that on this night, the oné night in the year, ghosts and witches were abroad. The main celebration of Halloween was, no doubt, Druidical, be- cause the Druids held great Autumn fes- tivals on or about the date of November 1, and lighted great bonfires in honor of the sun god as a thank offering for the hagvest of the year. The Druids also supposed that the wicked souls that had been condemned to live in the bodies of animals were allowed to come forth on the eve of the festival. The custom of lighting bonfires on Halloween night sur- vived until recent years in the highlands of Scotland and in Wales. On the inva- sion of the Romans, certain character- istics of the celebration of Pomona, sucl as offering of apples and nuts, were in- troduced into the celebration of the Druids. Q. What is a sweet wine?—J. K. A. Sweet wine is wine in which the alcoholic fermentation has been arresied and which contains, in 100 cubic centi- meters, not less than one gram of sugar and for sweet red wine not less than thirteen-hundredths gram of grape asi. Q. Where was the first tunnel in the United States built?>—D. G. A. It was the Schuylkill Navigation Canal, above Auburn, Pa. It was com- menced in 1818 and was opened to traffic in 1821. It is no longer in use. Q. What is the origin of the office of poet-laureate of England?—H. M. A. There is no authentic record of tie earliest office. In the reign of Henry II1 (1216-1272) there was a Versificator Regis who was paid 100 shillings & year. Geoffrey Chaucer (1328-1400) assumed the title of poet-laureate and in 1389 got & royal grant of a yearly allowance of wine, Q. Will the creation of Boulder Dam Lake effect the climate of the region? —H. 8. A. The Weather Bureau says that the creation of this reservoir cannot exert any appreciable influence on the general climate and weather of the region, al- though, of course, slight effects on tem- perature and humidity will be produced in the immediate vicinity. No noticeabld climatic effects were observed due to the formation of the Salton Sea. Q. Who is the oldest member of the Supreme Court?—R. W. H. A. Justice Brandeis, who is 79, is the oldest. Q. When was the first professional marionette performance in this country? —W.R.H. - ) A. The first production was at the Chicago Little Theater, in 1915, under the direction of Maurice Browne and Ellen von Volkenburg. Q. Wasn’t the Arnold Rothstein mur- der mystery ever solved?—F. R. A. It has not been solved. Q. How many men are in the New York City Fire Department?—K. R. . A. The New York City Fire Depart- ment consists of 6,802 men. Q. Is the State flower of Tennessee the passionflower or the iris?—M. A. A. The passionflower was selected by the school children of Tennessee fol- lowing a resolution of the General As- sembly of the State of Tennessee, Senate joint resolution 13, January 23, 1919. Later in some way this fact was over- looked and Senate joint resolution 53, April 19, 1933, adopted the iris as the State flower. The resolution begins by saying, “Whereas the State of Tennessee has never adopted a State flower * * =" As to whether or not Tennessee has two official State flowers now, Mrs. John Trotwood Moore, State archives, says that the attorney general decided that the new law repeals the former law and that the iris is now the State flower. Q. What kind of fish is scrod?—W. W, A. It is a young codfish split and pre- pared for cooking. Q. What is a paddy bird?—F. E. A. This is the name among English« speaking persons in the East for various birds frequenting rice fields, especially several kinds of small white egrets, Q. What State passed the first teacher tenure law?—J. W. A. New Jersay, in 1909, was. the first state to pass a teacher tenure law. A Rhyme at Twilight B Gertrude Bro:kc Hamilton Vesper Paean, I was a long while on my knees, But I forgot to pray; My heart was full of gratitude, Things had gone well that day; And as the sun set in the West With God and man I felt at rest. The star of evening came alight, It seemed an angel’s eye That looked with sanction down on me From out the tranquil sky; Rejoicing that in twilight calm I had no plaint, only & psalm.

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