Evening Star Newspaper, December 9, 1936, Page 10

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. December 9, 1936 THEODORE W. NOYES. The Evening Star Newspaper Company. 11th St. and Pennsylvanis Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd 8t. Chicago Office: Lake Michigan Bullding. Rate by Carrier Within the City. Regular Edition, The Erenine Star ---45¢ per month vening_an ("hen 4 Sundays)._ -60c per month ™ uri 65¢ per month —-BC per copy Night Final Edition. Star—__70c per month Nisht Final &nd Sunaer. ~55¢ er month Collection made at the end of each monih. ders may be sent by mail or telephone Na- onal 5000 Rate by Mail—Payable in Advanee, Marviand and Virsinia, 35 $10.00: 1 mo.. 88¢ 1. "$6.00: 1 mo.. yr. $4.00; 1 mo. 40c All Other States snd Canada, .. $12.00; 1 mo., $1.00 g gn.on: 1 mo. 75c yr. $5.00; 1 mo. &0c Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the local news published herein. 1l rights of publication of special dispatches erein are also reserved. day oniy Rift At Buenos Aires. Proceedings at Buenos Aires today may produce a show-down destined to deter- mine whether the Inter-American Con- ference is to achieve positive arrange- ments for Pan-American isolation from European war or be doomed to wind up in a blaze of that platitudinous ineffec- tiveness, against which Secretary Hull s0 earnestly inveighs. Clearly defined differences have arisen over the question as to the precise brand of neutrality to which the sister Americas should pledge themselves. The specific issue at stake is whether the conference should erect definite barriers against American em- broilment in trans-Atlantic conflict or indulge in innocuous resolutions con- fined to confirming the New World'’s plous passion for peace. Argentina is believed to incline toward & position which would not completely sever the Western democracies from as- sociation with European peace ma- chinery, notably the League of Nations. ‘The accomplished Argentine foreign minister, Carlos Saavedra Lamas, only recently presided over the Assembly at Geneva and later received the Nobel peace prize. In consequence, his coun- try enjoys deserved rank as a new factor in international politics. The chief arbiter of its foreign affairs, who is also president of the conference, is correspondingly unsympathetic with projects that would seem to minimize the enhanced status in world affairs which Argentina has just attained. Moreover, sixteen of the American re- " publics, or roundly four-fifths of them, are members of the League, though they are inspired with varying degrees of enthusiasm for that enfeebled institu- tion, ranging all the way from Argen- tina's fervent loyalty to the lukewarm- ness of the Central American group which favors the creation of a purely American league as a mutually defensive slliance. Secretary Hull, supported by Brazilian Foreign Minister Soares, espouses a pro- gram designed effectually to immunize the Western Hemisphere from Old World war and to solidify Pan-American self- sufficiency. Both General Justo, Presi- dent of Argentina, and Senor Saavedra Lamas, in their opening addresses to the conference, reflected hostility to any- thing savoring of isolationism. They were at pains to reassure Europe that nothing would be done at Buenos Aires to burn the ancient bridges which have traditionally united Latin America with governments and civilizations across the ocean. Nowadays in certain cases these ties are strengthened by economic rela- tions which there is a comprehensible wish not to undermine, It is thus obvious that diametrical differences have arisen, and there is no gainsaying their gravity. On their solu- tion may well depend the question of conference success or failure. Filled with & common desire to avoid a rift, Argen- tina, Brazil and the United States are Jointly taking the lead in attempting to iron out the pending divergence, and to that end are in restless communica- tion among themselves and the other republics. Only in quarters outside this hemisphere would there be rejoicing over the demonstrated inability of the American states to bury their hatchets. Because of the immeasurably unfortu- nate consequences of discord, it is un- thinkable that harmony at Buenos Aires will not finally prevail, but the good neighbor spirit is clearly face to face with an acid test on a fundamental proposition. Progressives Old and New. What to do with the La Follettes, the Norrises, the Johnsons and other pro- gressives has been a frequent topic of discussion for years among Republicans of the more conservative stamp. The present Senator La Follette and Senator Norris have solved the problem by be- coming independent of the Republican ‘party. Now that they, and many other progressives, have taken themselves out of the party, the conservative Repub- licans are trying to think up some way of getting them back into the G. O. P. ‘They are giving the question serious consideration today. «When the Senate meets—and the House, too—on January 5, the question of party organization rises. It will rise, to be sure, in party caucuses even before that date. What is to be done with the La Follettes, the Norrises, the Ship- -steads and the Lundeens, for example? Fa Pollette is a Progressive, and, with his brother, Governor La Follette, is the head " of the Progressive party of Wisconsin. Norris was elected as an independent, without party stamp. Shipstead and Lundeen are members of the Farmer- Labor party of Minnesota. They and tlie people they represent have been Re- publicans in the past—not Democrats. There is talk of asking them to join, so far as organization of the Congress iz concerned, with the thin line of Re- THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGION, D. C, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER: §; 1938 ; THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. publicans still left in that body. And yet these gentlemen supported President Roosevelt in the past compaign—and even in the campaign of 1932. Is the tail finally to wag the dog—is the group of “regular” Republicans to go over to the progressive wing of the party? It is not likely that anything of that kind will happen openly and on the surface. Yet there is every indication that some of these regular Republicans are bent on shaking from themselves the old conservative label—any inclusion of them in the ranks of the “Old Guard” brings cold shivers. Republicans of the conservative school, even those who survived the recent elec- tions, are today wondering what is to happer. to the Republican party. They sadly wonder what there is left. Prob- ably they will acquire their second wind and begin to breathe more easily after a few months and take courage from the fact that the party polled about 17,000,- 000 in the presidential election. For the present they are badly shaken. They might, if they would, regard the Demo- crats. The Democrats have finally bloomed forth in almost incredible ef- fulgence. For years, during the period since the Civil War, the Democrats were impotent, crushed—except in the “solid South.” They refused, however, to re- main crushed. In the last half dozen years the Democrats turned more and more to the ideas of the La Follettes, the Norrises, the Johnsons and the pre- gressives generally. Thev leaped aboard the progressive bandwagon, in fact. Some of the Republicans are wonder- ing if they did not miss an opportunity— are asking themselves whether, instead of undertaking to read the late Senator “Bob” La Follette of Wisconsin and the late Senator Ladd of North Dakota, for example, out of the party back in 1925, they should not have taken a leaf from their book. The pendulum of politics swings—but rarely does it ever swing as far back as it has been in the past. It will swing again, depending probably on economic conditions or on some issue not now dis- cernible. In the meantime there is a growing demand among the Republicans in Congress that the party become mbre liberal. Hence the talk of affiliating with the lost progressives, United Front. On many past occasions the birthday dinners of the Association of Oldest In- habitants have become forums for the discussion of Washington problems and topics relating to the betterment of the Capital City. The seventy-first dinner of the association on Monday evening was especially notable in this respect. Proper emphasis was placed by repre- sentative speakers on the two objectives of such prime importance now to the community, fiscal equity and political equity. But, perhaps more by accident than design, chief emphasis was placed on the interrelation of the two object- ives in & manner that merged them as a single goal—fiscal and political equity for Washington. The close connection between the two has always been apparent to students of both questions. Present circumstances serve to make the connection still more apparent, as shown in the theme of the discussions Monday evening. Commis- sioner Hazen suggested two rough formulas for measurement of the na- tional obligation, either of which would substantially increase the Federal pay- ment. Mention was naturally made of the present efforts of the President's special committee in pursuit of an equitable and workable formula for di- vision of fiscal responsibilities. But ex- perience has shown that the discovery of a formula is a waste of time and money unless Congress chooses to adopt it. As Mrs. Harvey W. Wiley, one of the speakers, suggested, “The best way to get proper fiscal relations here is to get the vote.” Certainly the greatest hope for fiscal equity lies in political equality for the people of Washington. Mr. Lesh, who has already distin- guished himself in his presentation of the cause for national representation, char- acterized the present situation as re- gards adequate maintenance and im- provement funds for the Capital City as & “new all-time low,” and Mrs. Doyle, chairman of the Board of Education, spoke feelingly and effectively of the needs of the schools, dangerously neglected in the period of fiscal un- certainty. But if there was common distress over inadequacy of national sup- port and the resulting disproportionate burden placed on the local community, there was cause for general satisfaction over the united front, represented in the list of speakers and guests, that is gain- ing strength in the renewed campaign |. for fiscal and political equity. A pre- cedent for Washington's oldest civic body was established Monday evening when the ladies were invited to the anni- versary dinner. But this breaking with an old tradition was not only eminently successful, as far as the charm of the gathering was concerned, but symbolized the increasingly important part that the women’s organizations of Washington are taking in work for the community welfare. Their continued support is one of Washington's assets. A Permanent P. W. A, Secretary Ickes’ presentation, in his Star Radio Forum address, of the case for & permanent P. W. A. was helped by the recent findings of the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding the employ- ment results of P. W. A. construction project3. One of his handicaps, removed by the statistics now available, has been the lack of specific information relating to the number of jobs provided by P. W. A. construction. Compared with the more immediately visible employment affected under Mr. Hopkins’ W.-P. A., for instance, P. W. A. was placed in a rela~ tively poor light. For the only direct- ly ascertainable employment resulting Jfrom P. W. A. construction was the work furnished on the site of the construction. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has now come forward with the figures re- b} sulting from two years’ research, show- ing that for every man employed on the site in construction work, two and a half men receive employment in the fabrication and supply of materialss P. W. A. thus furnishes not only sub- stantial improvements from which com- munities will tontinue to receive benefits long after the depression is forgotten, but in their construction the employ- ment benefits are widely distributed, the benefits going into varied lines of industry. Mr. Ickes has used the results of the Bureau of Labor Statistics research to strengthen his case for establishment of a permanent P. W. A. He does not mean a P. W. A, maintained at its present strength, advocaiing that re- trenchment, in view of recovery, should be undertaken “all along the line.” He does believe that the nucleus of P. W. A., representing the efficient organizaticn built under his direction, should pe re- tained. With such a nucleus, the coun- try would be prepared. in time of pros- perity, to utilize an effective recovery instrument in time of adversity. This nucleus, or a “public works general staff,” Secretary Ickes points out, would have prepared a “reservoir of well- considered, carefully planned” projects which coyld be undertaken immediately with the appropriation of necessary funds. The idea of planning for depression in time of prosperity is not new, but Secretary Ickes gives it timely and prac- tical emphasis. P. W. A. has accumu- lated a wealth of valuable experience that should not be lost to the Nation by total disbandment of the organization. Even in times of relative prosperity there are a number of functions which P. W. A. could perform, through making available Government credit and pos- sibly grants, in the assistance of States and municipalities. And as the statute creating P. W. A. expires next June 30, the next Congress will have to reach some decision on P. W. A.’s future policy or its abandonment. Regardless of its permanent status, P. W. A. should be continued long enough for the completion of projects now under way and which will not be finished by next June. One of the best epigrams of recent times is the reference to relief distribu- tion with the warning, “you can not shoot Santa Claus.” World trade is protesting in a not entirely different spirit, “It is dangerous to defy a prime minister.” —_——t—————— Lloyd's Insurance Co. always man- ages to take a little publicity out of any great political dilemma, but it has been revealed in many recent instances that preliminary betting odds do not really mean anything. Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. The Last Laugh. Old man Stubbles has a face That seems always out o’ place. ‘When he hears a merry quip, Never winks or moves a lip Toward a smile. Hell sit an' stare ‘With a stern, forbidding air Till he’s all alone. an’ then Laugh again an’ yet again. When a hard-luck tale drew nigh He was never known to sigh Sympathetic-like an’ nice, ‘With a chunk of good advice. But when he’s alone he’ll take Pen in hand fur old time's sake An’ write out a check or two, Helpin' some poor feller through. Those who meet him stand aside Talkin’ 'bout his sordid pride An’ his domineerin’ way. “Cold an’ cranky,” they all say, 'Cause his good deeds rest unknown, An’ that's why, when he's alone, He is laughing at the jokes That he plays on all us folks. Initiative Not Required. “It is always & mistake to start a quarrel,” remarked the cautious friend. “You dont have to start quarrels these days,” answered Senator,Sorghum. “You can always find one ready made whenever you feel like mixing in.” Intellectually Aloof. “My boy Josh is a great scholar,” re- marked Farmer Corntossel. “You must find his conversation very agreeable.” “Well, the only trouble is that the things that interest me Josh doesn’t consider important enough to know any- thing about.” Optimism, It’'s fine to be an optimist With sunshine everywhere; With only pleasures on your list And not a word of care. The world is like a picture bright ‘Where colors are arrayed To fill us with sincere delight ‘Mongst joys that cannot fade. It's fine to be an optimist— But he who takes the part From thought and care may not desist With languid brain and heart. His pictures are but hopes so proud And glorious to the view. He has to hustle with the crowd ‘To make his hopes come true. Study in Seriousness. “That ponderous person takes himself very seriously.” “No,” replied Miss Cayenne. “He doesn’t take himself seriously. He is mmwmemwm s0.” Seasonal Change. ‘The man who in mendacious ways With fishing rods would run A different style of game now plays— He goes out with & gun. “Anybody tellin’ & story,” said Uncle Eben, “wants to make it interestin’. Dat’s why & hard luck story is allus Mable to make things seem wuss dan dey Us." A NEW BOOKS AT RANDOM MARGARET GERMOND. NIGHT OUTLASTS THE WHIPPOOR- WILL. By Sterling North, New York: ‘The MacMillan Co. Out of a small town in Wisconsin comes a story which makes those of us who belleved twenty years and less ago that we were of sound and reasoning mind hang our heads in shame as we remem- ber the hatreds and passions which min- gled with and warped our thoughts and too often misguided our actions. Most of us have not needed to wait for a good novel to give us a true interpretation of our behavior during the most critical period in the history of the world, for long ago came the rather appalling reali- zation that at a time when it was most needed we dumped overboard our ballast cargo of common sense and permitted ourselves to founder for four long years in a treacherous sea of emotionalism. Experience is a hard but thorough school. Collectively and individually we were taught many grave lessons about the deadly four horsemen and how they can be forced to ride. We learned also that no matter where they ride, the ef- fect of their devastating blight may be felt in the most remote corners of the earth. And no great piles of marble such as those which mark the blood-drenched battlefields of France and Belgium com- memorate the sacrifices of those of us who fought on American soil, in the mills and factories, on the farms and in the small towns. Rather are ours the invisible, intangible scars of memory, re- minders of the mania which possessed us, of our incapacity to separate prej- udice from reason, of our unwillingness to believe that our money, our sym- pathies and our vast expeditionary forces were being poured into the bot- tomless pit of a lost cause. Milestones along the road to knowledge are these invisible monuments which mark the slow progression of normal thought through the aftermath of the hysteria produced by the world’s most colossal experiment in wanton slaughter. One recalls our awakening to the fact that the ultimate benefit of the weekly day of sacrifice, suffered gladly by those to whom it meant genuine hardship, was reaped by the profiteers. Another is a reminder of the shocking realization that statesmanship faltered and died before the onslaught of politicians. Still others bring to memory the prejudice and suspicion which we as individuals di- rected toward tried and trusted fellow townsmen and the brutal persecution which we practiced upon innocent, kindly neighbors. Memory, in fact, is crowded with the unpardonable cruelties commit- ted in our American communities as we were caught in the wave of emotionalism which swept through the land on a stead- ily mounting tide of patriotism. We have learned many other things about ourselves since the tide subsided and the solid earth is again under our feet, but are we far enough advanced in our ability to appraise issues at their true value and to apply these hard- earned lessons of experience if we should again be faced by a similar crisis? Mr. North'’s story may not rank as the outstanding novel of the age upon this particular subject, but it is just the type of romance that the majority of fiction readers like, and for the good of the race there cannot be too many of them. For it gives us an even better understanding of ourselves and of our limitation: it mirrors the bed-rock of America in 1917-18 and is of that much needed sub- stantial character that helps to clarify and to mold serious thought. Brailsford Junction, Wis., is symbolic of the thousands of small towns which are the homes of the American people and the small theaters in which their joys and their tragedies are enacted. It is a community predominantly German in population. Its young men of all classes, creeds and races go off to war, leaving behind them a typical group of women, the usual assortment of men exempt for one reason or another from military service, and a scattering of in- determinate individuals who never were intended to fit into any community or to serve constructively in any capacity. Peter Brailsford is among those who go off to France, and it is around the figure of his young wife, Early Ann, that the story centers. The town characters are familiar to all of us who are ac- quainted with small communities. There is Carlton Ellingsworth, the banker and hypocrite, and his fashionable wife; the kindly and gentle Reverand Schiffelbein, pastor of the Lutheran Church; Christo- pher Ellingsworth, unhappy son of the banker and in love with the butcher’s daughter; William Kaiser, the honest, patriotic butcher; Paul Revere Fox, edi- tor of the weekly newspaper; Spicky Springer, the community’s lone police- man; Marie Vandeewalker, lovely lady with a reputation; Early Ann's young son and others of less notable mention who are caught in the maelstrom of hysteria and emotionalism and flung about by circumstances which dump them all into the front line trenches on the home town battlefield. - It is a familiar story to most of us. Yet the romance and sentiment packed into this series of episodes in the lives of good people and bad, strong characters and foolish ones; generous souls and selfish ones, gives‘us & clear-cut picture of our- selves and of the unreasoning passions which deprived us of the power to think clearly, to lend a sympathetic ear or to open an understanding heart to those who disagreed with us or upon whom we felt inclined to cast susplc!"on. ‘whether they were ity or innocent. Itis good‘\;{olr us to read stories of this nature, and outstanding among those which have come to hand is this stirring and convincing novel by Sterling North. Abolition of Dollar Pass Will Decrease Revenues To the Editor of The Star: + According to the local papers, the Pub- lic Utllities Commission is without au- thority to prevent the Capital Transit Co. from committing financial suicide. $1 pass, it was done to meet the com- petition furnished by the cheap cabs. Have conditions in that respect changed? they putting $100,000 a depreciation fund, and and paying interest on mo! pay for cars, busses and repairing and replacing tracks, etc? Probably listening to their master’s voice, the holding company that- controls them, which always looks out Second strongest trait in cat nature is love of home. Hence the common name, house cat. Tigey is a free-born, roistering tom, but when it comes to a demand for a home, he is on a par with his tribe. ‘When his family deserted him, leaving him locked in the attic, he was sorely put out. * Being in the attic probably was his own fault. Tigey was taking his daily nap when the movers showed up. A night in the open makes a fellow very sleepy. p The minute Tigey saw these strange men he streaked it for the scaircase. ‘The men came on. Tigey fortunately found the attic door open. Up he went. And got shut in. * % % % The desertion, however, rested securely on the shoulders of his owners, so- called. It is & nagty little habit some persons have deserting pet animals, leaving them behind to find food and shelter. ‘The cat was discovered, it is true, and given to another family, but the trans- planting didn’t seem to “take.” Tigey roamed the neighborhood, 1dok- ing for a house which suited him. It's the house, not the family, of course, with these strange animals. It's the familiar, as contrasted with the un- familiar. It's habit, it's anything you choose, so long as it is the usual. * Xk % Ever since kittenhood Tigey had his eyes on the Templeton Jones home. The Joneses liked cats, and not only had several of their own, but were friends to all strays. A plate of salmon on the back porch was the order of the evening. Wandering cats partook of it often, save when a dog managed to get there first, which one often did. Dogs are the true garbage can hounds; cats resort to this method of feeding only in an emergency; dogs, however, out of preference. Many persons do not realize that the short intestinal tract of the dog enables it to eat food which is tainted, or even definitely on the bad side. Cats, on the other paw, are very easily harmed by such discarded foodstuffs, especially in the warmer months. * ¥ ¥ X Even before Tigey's folks moved away, Tigey had his eyes on this house. He would have come around earlier, only Mutsie, another wandering tom, beat him to it. Mutsie was a fine big fellow with watermelon stripes. He loved to dominate the neighbor- hood. Might was right with him and his world. They knew no other right. Mutsie knew this law so thoroughly and was so experienced in its application that he drove the Jones' cats indoors and kept them there at the risk of various wounds. He drove poor Tigey, kitten, completely away. ‘The Jones family was ready to acquiesce in this dictatorship. At that time they had just taken up bird feeding in a large way, and soon saw that wild birds and cats do not mix. Fortunately, Mutsie did not offer to harm the birds. He would sit on the porch, watching them for hours at a time, but make no offer of harm to them. ‘This was better behavior than that of the Jones' own cats, so Templton Jones cut the famous knot by keeping the cats in most of the time. PR R Mutsie kept Tigey completely off the scene. R But one day Mutsie failed to show up, and thereafter never appeared agairn. By this time Tigey had grown into a big fellow. . Now was his chance. Deserted by his own fagily, houseless in Chevy Chase, he came roaming over to find what he «could find. The kind-hearted Jones fed him. Tigey purred. Then, to reward them, he made straight to a bird-feeding station and showed them how prettily he could leap. “Here,” he seemed to say, “see what a fine catcher I am!” ‘The Jones family was now faced with one of those famous dileminas one reads about so much in the papers. They tried every known method of keeping their new friend away from the birds. Tigey didn't realize it. but he was breaking up something into which the Jones family had put time, money and interest. LR I Harm to the cat was out of question with the Joneses, so the only thing left was to give him away, since he had no home, or shut him up somehow. The garage! It was a bright idea, and, best of all, it worked splendidly. No sooner was the door opened then Mr. Tigey, lured by a platter of good beef, entered with tail held high. He ate his dinner, looked around him, selected an old bushel basket for a bed and dropped asleep. A night in the open makes a fellow both hungry and sleepy. * % % % Outside the birgds by the score flew from feeding station to feeding station, while inside the cat lay asleep. Sometimes in his dreams he would hear the flutter of wings, powerfully beating the air, as 50 sparrows rose mightily in the air at one time and of one accord. In time the cat came to look forward to his voluntary incarceration. A plate of meat or salmon, placed on the driveway outside, would not be touched while the garage door was being unlocked. “This way,” his waving tail would seem to say, “this way for my little house.” Into it he would march. It was his home. Tigey had a house at last. He was a house cat once more. Small, but plenty big enough, with no one to pester him, with two windows and a very fine big door and a neat roof and an old basket—it was his Iittle house. “A swell house,” purred Tigey, from the depth of his cozy basket. WASHINGTON: OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC li'lLLlAM WILE. It's a long, long way to Tipperary, but Republican leaders are already scratch- ing their heads over the burning issue of who is to lead the elephant out of the wilderness in 1940. That dilemma will be out in front, though not openly discussed, when the national committee meets at Chicago on December 17 to decide Chairman Hamilton’s fate, and again when party magnates foregather in Washington four days later during Gov. Landon’s presence in the Capital. Republicans concede their immediate need is to formulate future policy at least in broad outline—to decide whether it should adhere to the conservatism of the past or be liberalized to match the needs of the era typified by the New Deal. Whatever the trend, it's agreed that no unnecessary time should be lost in picking a leader capable of mobilizing public sentiment in the name of the 17,000,000 men and women who cast Republican ballots in November. Until such a man is found, G. O. P. supporters fear the party will flounder and drift hopelessly, while laboring under the dual handicap of lacking both a destination and a pilot. * x x x Admission is universal that in this new Winter of its discontent the Republican party is without a pre-eminently out- standing personality of presidential pro- portions, with the single exception of Senator Vandenberg of Michigan. In consequence, certain Republican eyes turn once again to the Supreme Court, in the direction of either Justice Roberts or Justice Stone, notably the former. His boosters think that if Roberts could be persuaded to re-enter law practice and politics, he weuld be far and away the party's best bet. There’s lively in- terest in the records young Senators- elect Lodge of Massachusetts and Bridges of New Hampshire mey chalk up in Congress. Should either capture the popular imagination, he would have dis- tinct 1940 possibilities. Senator McNary of Oregon is not disregarded, nor is Gov. Landon’s renomination considered alto- gether out of the question. President Frank of the University of Wisconsin and President Dodds of Princeton are being honorably mentioned. Charles Evans Hughes, jr., former solicitor gen- eral of the United States, is thought to possess some availability. * * % ¥ One of Uncle Sam’s private grudges against John Bull, in connection with the British constitutional crisis, is that it has been crowding the Inter-American Conference at Buenos Aires off the front pages at the very moment Washington craved the maximum of limelight for the New Deal’s most ambitious venture in the realm of foreign affairs. There may be less remorse on this score if proceedings at Buenos Aires, as momen- tarily threatened, do not turn out to be quite the love feast that was expected. Edward’s romantic tribulations ican and European press, but reduced the Spanish revolution to relative insignifi- cance, along with two other great events which ordinarily would rivet world at- tention—the Pope’s illness and the im- an bring home the bacon from Buenos Aires, in the form of an inter-American pact to keep the Western Hemisphere out of trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific war, Hull's name will be one to reckon with, despite the fact that hell be 69 years of age in 1940. The other Democratic eligibles just meniioned are of younger vintage. * ¥ % % Anti-Nazi elements triumphed at this week’s convention of the Amateur Athletic Union of the Uunited States at Houston, Tex., when former New York Bupreme Court Justice Jei¢miah T. Ma- honey was re-elected president of the organization. It was Mahoney who vigorously but unsuccessfully opposed American participation in the 1936 Ber- lin Olympic games on anti-Nazi grounds, succumbing to forces led by long-time President Avery Brundage. At Houston the latter backed the losing candidacy of Maj. Patrick J. Walsh of New York. One of President-elect Mahoney's first acts was to include Commodore Ernest Lee Jahncke of New Orleans, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy, among A. A. U. delegates at large for 1937. Jahncke opposed holding the Olympics in Germany and was dropped from membership on the International Com- mittee at its meeting in Berlin, Brund- age heing elected to the Louisianan’s place. * k %k Current resignations from important Government posts present no novelty in ‘Washington. For years tliere has been a continuous exodus of specialists and experts to more lucrative jpbs in private life. Big business was never keener than today to commandeer the sérvices of men of wide experience with the inner work- ings of the Federal machine, especially the quirks and innovations that have come into vogue since 1933. Treasury lawyers and others who have had op- portunity to learn the tax and revenue ropes are in special demand. It’s an open secret that a lot of top-rank cogs in the New Deal machine continue to function at heavy pecuniary sacrifice only out of idealistic devotion to the Roosevelt cause. But the fat incomes waiting on the out- side are tempting bait. * X k% Although the American body politic doesn't get excited over the election of a vice president, a contest for that office is the red-hot feature of the National Press Clyb's annual political battle to be decided on December 19. That situation arises mainly because Charles O. Grid- ley, correspondent of the Denver Post, now vice president, is practically un- opposed for election to the presidency. He has been an able adjutant of retiring President George W. Stimpson of the Houston Post, who rendered notable service as leader of the club’s weekly luncheon forum, in which speakers of national renown regularly appear. The vice presidential combat rages between Harold Brayman of the Philadelphia Public Ledger and Lorenzo W, Martin of the Louisville Times. Both popular candidates, they are running neck and neck and no landslide is in sight. (Copyright, 1936.) Tammany a la Mode. From the Illinois State Journal. ‘The most fashionably dressed men in New York, declares George Ross, are found at Tammany Hall. So, after all, it wasn't Al Smith who went high hat. The Hardest Task. Prom the Sioux Palls Argus-Leader. Of all the hard tasks allotted to man- kind we can think of none worse than for a defeated candidate to s cam- paign expenss statement—or pay the expenses. 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. v Q. How do the children celebrate Christmas in Mexico?—K. M. M. A. The festival dear to the Mexicans is the Pasoda, which means “inn.” In their homes the children form in groups and march upstairs and down singing hymns. All doors are shut and the sing- ers knock at each in turn, for they rep- resent the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Each room is supposed to be an inn, and as they knock, some one from inside shouts, “No room in this inn. You cannot enter.” When the little pilgrims are tired out, some unexpected door is jovially opened, and they behold upon a table a doll, representing the Infant Jesus around which are arranged Christmas greens and toys. Q.. How much money 1n bonuses has been given since President Roosevelt's re-election?—W. R. 4 A. A survey shows that more than $180,000,000 in bonuses and salary in- creases has been given by employers to workers since election. Q. What places are to be visited by the American Seminar next Summer? —W. E. A. The party will proceed to Berlin, Warsaw, the Ukraine, Moscow, Lenin- grad, Helsingfors, Sweden, Denmark, London, Canterbury and Paris. Q. How many people have learned first aid through the American Red Cross?, —C. E. D. A. More than 1,100,000 men and women have received first-aid training. Q. How many grade crossings at rail- roads have'no warning signs?>—E. W. A. Of the 235,000 railroad grade cross- ings in the United States, about 207,000 are unprotected by gates, warning signals or watchmen. Q. How much do the bicycles cost that are used in the six-day bicycle races at Madison Square Garden, New York? —H. W. A. The bicycles which weigh only 19 pounds cost $100. A team uses six dur- ing a race. They are composed of 1.400 different parts and the cord racing tires used on the wheels cost $5 a pair. Q. What is the official language of Finland?—S. R. R. A. It is officially bilingual, Finnish and Swedish. About 89 per cent of the people speak Finnish, and 10 per cent or more use Swedish. Q. How many originals has the Ring- ling Museum at Sarasota, Fla.?—J. 8. F, A. It has over 700 original art works. Q. How did the expression, “to pull the wool over his eyes,” originate?—E. 8. A. It is an expression said to be traced to English courts, the judges of which wore wigs. Literally, if a wig is lowered over the eyes, one cannot see the situa« tion clearly. Q. How many persons of the Christian faith are there in the Philippines?— C.R. M. A. About 90 per cent of the inhabitants of the Philippines profess Christianity, - Q. How does the number of telephones in New York City compare with that in London?—L. M. A. London has 1,000,000 telephones and New York City has 1,506,100 Q. What proportion of the coal supply of the United States has been consumed? =H. G. A. Only about 1 per cent. However, it is the high-grade coal which is being used first. Q. What is Jack Benny's real name? —H. G. A. The screen and radio comedian is named Benny Kubelsky. Q. What is the circulation of the Reader’s Digest?—W. W. A. It has the astonishing circulation of more than 1,800,000 copies, an attain- ment that is most striking because it was . accomplished without the use of fiction, pictures or advertisements. Q. Do all animals have mouths?—A. 8. A. Not all animals have mouths, for certain parasitic forms, notably the tape- worm, lack a system for digesting food. In such cases, the food is absorbed through the surface of the animal. Q. Do many writers and artists g0 to Capri?>—E. G. A. The Isle of Capri is a favorite resort of both writers and artists. J. R. Green, the historian; Lord Leighton, artist; Elihu Vedder, illustrator; Joseph Conrad, Norman Douglas, Francis Brets Young, Compton Mackenzie, E. F. Ben- son, Booth Tarkinton and D. H. Lawrence Ke among those who have sojourned ere, Q. Are there many very long rivers in Europe?—J. G. A. Of the European rivers, only one, the Volga, is more than 2,000 miles in length. Of the others, only the Danube, the Dnieper and the Don exceed a length of 1,000 miles. Ambitious Arizona. From the New York Sun. The Arizona House of Representatives has asked the United States to buy , enough Mexican land to give Arizona a seaport. Somebody in Arizona must have i“u:hhurd about the seacoast of Bo- emia. Italy’s Food Names. Prom the Ashland (Ky.) Independent. English names for foods are being purged from the Italian vocabulary for political reasons. Calling spaghetti “lib~ erty noodles” would be a dreadful re- A Rhyme at Twilight - B Gertrude Bmyrke Hamilton Duek Dreams. My dream castle is so fair, so fair, Built of marble as light as air, All the interior snowy white, All the adornments starry as night, The foundation laid in gray twilight. And in my castle there waits for me All the delights of Arcady; Lilies to freshen like fall of dew, Balsam of pine breathing health anew, And in the soft gloaming, you, love, you. Sowhznthel\mhunmkg;mwm