Evening Star Newspaper, December 19, 1936, Page 8

THE EV 3 STAR, WASHINGTON D. C, SATURDAY, DECEMBE R 1 A e e e THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. SATURDAY. - ..-December 19, 1936 THEODORE W. NOYES i e ot ot v e P 1O The Evening Star Newspaper Company. 11th 8t and lennlyl.'l:lllflA‘V‘t. New York Office: 110 East 42nd 8t Chicago Officc: Lake Michigan Building. Rate by Carrier Within the City. ‘The Even!ng Blldr _45¢ per month T hen 4 sincays). _--60c per month 65¢ per month ~5¢ per copy Night Final and Suni 0c per month ht Final Star __ ~55¢ per month N eciion made at the end of each month. Orders may be sent by mail or telephone Na- tional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Marsland and Virginia. 1] 2 da 1 yr, $10.00; 1 mo., 88c 1y as Sunday---3 Yo $3800: 1 mo. 0o Sunday only. 1 yr. $4.00; 1 mo, 40c All Other States and Canada. ily and Sunday..1 yr. $12.00: 1 mo. $1.00 g\:fly only__. 1 yr. $R00: 1 mo. 78¢ Bunday only’ $5.00; 1 mo, &0c =51 yro Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press i3 exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this Daper and also the local news published herein Al rights of publication of speclal dispatches herein are also reserved e Naval Limitation Ends. Current developments in London and ‘Washington denote afresh the approach- ing end of naval limitation, despite fif- teen years of persistent effort to per- petuate it by international agreement. ‘With expiration of the London treaty of 1930 at the close of this month, there will be no more quantitative limitation on either building or possession of war- ships. All that is salvaged from the Washington treaty of 1922 and the London pact of 1930 is qualitative limita- tion, The formerly contracting sea powers are once again at liberty to build without restriction, as far as numbers are concerned. They are restrained only by the capacity of their respective na- tional purses. Great Britain has determined to re- tain five cruisers which were scheduled under the London treaty to be scrapped at the end of 1936. In announcing this program, Sir Samuel Hoare, first lord of the admiralty, has just informed Parlia- ment that it is due to “the deterioration of the general international situation.” It is obviously not a moment, he ex- plained, when any power would wish to discard serviceable vessels. Britain ey- changed views with both the United States and Japan before reaching this decision and received assurances that it meets with no objection in either Wash- tngton or Tokio, despite the fact that it runs counter to original treaty terms. In line with the American policy of maintaining parity with the British Navy, the United States plans, on its part, through resort to appropriate pro- visions of the London accord, to retain destroyer tonnage. It was at first in- tended to keep only 40.000 tons due to be scrapped, in order to match correspond- | ing British purposes, but, in consequence of Britain's decision also to keep five old cruisers in commission, it is understood | that the United States will maintain an extra destroyer strength of 19.000 tons, or 59,000 altogether. As on December 81 there will be a 73.000-ton shortage in completed light cruisers in the United | States Navy below its full allowance, the additional destroyer tonmage becomes permissible under the classification transfer conditions of the London treaty. The final result will be a complement of 209.000 tons of completed destroyers, though many will be over age. The British will have 190,000 tons. Japan was enabled under the 1930 pact to re- tain a 28,000-ton excess of destroyers, to hold its ratio in line with that of Great Britain. Tokio has preferred to keep only some 11,000 tons of destroyers and to add roundly 16,000 tons to its sub- marine quota. Nothing could more ‘graphically f{l- lustrate the nervous tension prevalent throughout the world today than these measures looking to maintenance of naval strength at the fullest permissible treaty limits. Conditions both in Europe and Asia amply justify Great Britain and the United States in taking them. Until war psychology and actual threats of conflict disappear or are substantially diminished, there is slender hope that either limitation or reduction of naval armaments will again become practi- cable, Indeed, with the restriction prin- ciple now scrapped, and the interna- tional horizon beclouded as it has not been since 1914, there is reason to fear that a new era of competitive building may be just around the corner. It is a disquieting but inevitable prospect. - - Improvement of business cannot be re- garded as idle gossip when the dividend check and the pay envelope are made the means of announcing it. ———— o ‘The day for more New Year resolutions will soon be due. A few of them are quite likely to read like good old planks grom political platforms. Tragedy in Packages. If, as a father, you are playing Santa Claus this Christmas to boys of your own, it is likely that your memories may take you back to a Christmas morning many years ago when you found, among the packages under the Christmas tree, the very thing you had set your heart on; the very thing you had been dream- ing about for so many long, tedious weeks—a brand-new rifle, smelling pleasantly of oil, its burnished barrel and polished stock reflecting the glow of the candles on the tree. Such memories, and the natural de- sire that other little boys will enjoy similar memories many years hence, may lead you to the purchase of just such & rifle. If so, there are certain other things to remember. One of them is that a rifle—air rifle or “22” or any other gun—in the hands of & boy in a crowded city is an exceedingly dangerous instrument. The use of such & rifle in the city is against the law. A boyish impulse, momentary carelessness or mere lack of skill m'y easily eause the tragic death or the lifelong injury of some other child. Last year, accord- ing to the National Safety Council, 580 children between the ages of five and fifteen died from the injuries inflicted by toy guns and real guns. And the re- sponsibility for these deaths rests, not with the children, but with the un- thinking parents who put death-dealing weapons into the hands of their children. Air rifles and other rifles are doubtless being sold by the thousands this Christ- mas—as they always are. On Christmas day tragedy will darken many homes as a result. If, as a parent, you are willing to assume the risk of such a dangerous gift under conditions im- posed by modern city life, it is worth- while to remember the danger of acci- dent and guard against it, first, by strict supervision of the rifle’s use and, second, by seeing to it personally that it is never to be used except under your supervision. That may be the means of saving Some other child's life, if not the life of your own child. ———— Hamilton Retained. Incipient revolt against the chairman of the Republican National Committee, John Hamilton of Kansas, seems to have been nipped in the bud. Hamilton sub- mitted his resignation to the National Committee, and that body, by a vote of 74 to 2, declined to accept it and ex- pressed its confidence in Hamilton's leadership. The Republican party is in a tough spot. Its future will scarcely be made easier by intraparty rows. If the party fails to hanz together, if it splits into more and more factions, chances for victory at the polls will be dimmer and dimmer. Representative Hamilton Fish of New York, backer first of his own presidential candidacy in 1936 and then of Senator Borah's, demanded the scalp of Chairman Hami!lon‘. declaring that the G. O. P. “must liberalize or die.” His idea was that Hamilton's usefulness as national chairman was at an end because of the overwhelming defeat on November 3. It is a fact, however, that on that day seventeen million voters supported Governor Alf M. Landon, whose campaign manager was John Hamilton., After all, it is the start of rebuilding to retain what the party still has. It is difficult to understand how the Republican party can become strong by driving out the so-called conserva- tives. It would be difficult, too, to con- vict Landon, or his campaign manager, of old guard conservatism. Hamilton has been given a vote of confidence by the National Committee. It is a mandate to carry on the work of organization, of publicity and of advice to Republican leaders throughout the ountry. Two members of the committee wished to postpone action on the resig- nation of the chairman. Presumably this demand for delay was to give the committee a chance to look around for a new chairman, if it did not wish to continue with Hamilton. Such a period of delay, however, would have left the affairs of the National Committee in a chaotic condition. The Republican chairman, too, was clever in bringing the issue to an immediate head. As a result of the vote of the committee he occupies an almost impregnable position. The hours of debate in the National Committee meeting prior to the vote on | Hamilton were indicative, however, of the differences of opinion existing among Republicans as to the future atti- | tude and future policies of the party. Mr. Fish’s demand that the party “liberalize” has much support. There was bitter criticism of the attitude of the G. O. P. toward labor and the farmer. Without the support of labor and the farmer no political party can get far in this country. Policies, however designed to help certain classes of the people, may not always be helpful to the American people as a whole. The need of the Republican party is a set of principles and policies that will be to the interest of the whole people, including the farmer and the laborer. < Some of the committee members were emphatic in their charges that the Demo- crats had “bought” the election with their use of Federal relief and other funds. What the Republicans have lost and what the Democrats have taken over is the old “full dinner pail.” Until the G. O. P. has something to offer, some substitute for the full dinner pail, or until the Democratic party loses its grip on that issue, the path of the Republican party is likely to continue thorny. The new shillalah brought by James Aloysius Farley straight from Ireland is not to be regarded as a weapon of re- prisal. In the pleasure of the dance the skilled twirler of a shillalah may com- mand more admiration than the most expert of drum majors. The shillalah should, if Admiral Grayson can make arrangements, by all means be included in the inauguration parade. ————————————— Motorists sometimes complain of rigor- ous treatment in police courts. When the Supreme Court itself is discussed with s0o much freedom a rural police court cannot reasonably hope to escape cen- sure. The Income Taxpayers. Close to half a million more Ameri- cans filed income tax returns up to Sep- tember 1 of this year than filed returns for the whole of last year. And they haye paid close to a hundred and fifty millions more in taxes than they paid during the whole of last year. The re- cently issued preliminary statistics for incomes and income taxes for the year 1935—on taxes being paid in this calen- dar year—show encouraging increases all along the line, with a few rather sig- nificant changes over the year before, Up to September, for instance, there were forty-one taxable incomes in excess of a million dollars, as against twenty- one for the year before. About thirty- six thousand individuals have reported incomes in excess of $50,000, as compared with about eight thousand individuals the year before. #me_qqun of small income taxpayers on incomes of less than $5,000, the returns this year show an increase, so far, of about 320,000 over last. ‘The total number of returns this year —4,473,426—does not indicate, of course, the number of income taxpayers. More than half of the returns, or about 2,400,000, are made on incomes where specific exemptions exceed the amount of income, thus rendering them non- taxable, There are only 2,068,000 actual income taxpayers this year out of the number so far filing returns. And, as always, the distribution of the tax load among these taxpayers is interesting. Those reporting on incomes under $5,000, for instance, constitute about 89 per cent of the total who file returns, but these 3,992,627 individuals account for only 6.8 per cent of the total taxes paid. Those filing returns on incomes of over a million dollars constitute only .001 per cent of the number filing returns, but these forty-one individuals account for 6.3 per cent. In other words, the 3,992,- 627 individuals who filed returns on in- comes of less than $5,000 paid in taxes only slightly more than $3,000,000 in excess of the forty-one individuals who reported incomes of more than a mil- lion dollars. The taxpayers who yield the Govern- ment the largest amount in taxes this year are those who pay on incomes be- tween fifty and a hundred thousand dol- lars. These 7,878 individuals contributed 169 per cent, their nearest competitors being the group immediately below, the twenty-five to fifty thousand group, com- prising 25,623 individuals contributing 16.1 per cent. The figures indicate the relatively small number of individuals who might qualify for titles in the eco- nomic nobility as well as the relatively heavy demands made on them by Uncle Sam as tax collector, ————————— ‘When Hollywood broadcasts a Sardou play the essential importance of the re- lation of actor to author is emphasized. ‘Without a Bernhardt or a Rejane it may have been doubted whether there would have been any Sardou worth mentioning. —_— e Suburban police want more pay. The extent to which gangsters infest the sub- urbs should entitle police service to rate among the most highly compensated forms of skilled labor. S More puritanism has been suggested as & means of correcting conditions. How to correct puritanism has been a subject of much research. —_— “Yes, there is a Santa Claus!” And there has never been a successful attempt to line him up with any political party. e Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. In Advance. Apology I'm offering. For what, I do not say, But a provision now I bring Against a future day. For as events are going now Some utterance unwise T shall be guilty of, somehow— So I apologize. Some hasty word is sure to sound In sorrowful mischance. And there my regret profound I offer in advance. Things must occur to spoil our bliss And bring a sad surprise. Something is sure to go amiss— So I apologize. If words on injudicious larks I'm tempted to let fly, Perhaps I shall use ditto marks To strengthen the supply Of deferential forms of speech Which I must advertise. Into the future I must reach— So I apologize. Great Device. “Do you feel comfortable when talk- ing to the microphone?” “Yes,” answered Senator Sorghum. “I can go clear to the finish confident that nobody is going to throw things. The microphone is the greatest safety-first device ever invented.” Art. “Are you fond of pictures?” asked the man who is interested in art. “I should say so!” answered Broncho Bob. “Give me jacks, queens or kings every time. I always did hate to fool with ten spots or less.” True Philosopher. A little boy will write a note To Santa Claus. He will devote Pages in telling his desires; Then wait for what he so admires. Now Santa is & busy saint; Letters in memory may grow faint. But nonetheless, the gifts hell find ‘The boy greets with a joyous mind. He thinks of benefits received. By what he missed he is not grieved. If men could be, they’d gain new joy, Philosophers, like the small boy. Jud Tunkins says nobody does any- thing so well that somebody doesn't think he could do it better if he was to take the trouble to try. “Some men,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “are so envious by nature that they are jealous even of misfor- tune if it is exceptionally conspicuous.” Mysterious Purpose. When Winter brings the gleaming That calls the world anew To an enchanted dreaming Of beauty fine and true, A spot that angels visit Earth seems to mortal sight, All glorified—or is it Just one big place to fight? “Some men,” said Uncle Eben, “uses sech big words dat dey crowds de talk an’ don’ leave room foh any inf tion” A P. W. A. Loans to Subsidized Power in Bush Territories To the Editor of The Star: One of the biggest issues today that comes before the Supreme Court is the question of the constitutionality of the ‘T. V. A. and the right of Federal agencies to loan P. W. A. funds to further expand the program of subsidized power in the bush territories. ‘We hear a lot these days of the titanic growth of holding companies and are called to witness Uncle Sam as the cham- pion of the poor. Yet gas and electricity have never been so cheap nor has any other fuel successfully competed with these two. Is it not possible that the financial practices of these companies should come under criticism rather than their sales practices? It isin Wall Street and not in Main street that corrective measures should be taken. If we carefully examine the two we find that the question of constitutionality of T. V. A. and of P. W. A, loans closely parallels the case of the now defunct A. A A ‘Without a doubt the triple A was un- constitutional on the ground that it taxed the people as a whole for the sup- port of the few. The farmers were to re- ceive cash awards for the raising of no potatoes, no wheat, no hogs and no cane for sugar. In truth, it was a bribe to raise no political cain, as it was soont discovered. But who paid the A. A. A. tax? It was the city consumers everywhere. In the densely populated East the millions poured out to pay idle farmers. It was a sales tax on the consumers’ pocketbook, and that tax ran as high as 100 per cent. Now where is the parallel between power expansion in the South and West under Federal funds and the now illegal A A A? It is just this: These funds that go to build huge dams in the South and West come from the centers of population and wealth. These cash allotments come from New England to further disrupt in- dustry. Every dollar New England con- tributes to T. V. A. and similar loans is a subsidy to the removal of industry from the North to the South. If manu- facturing is cheaper in the South it may be that Northern taxes collected from these centers of population and wealth 80 far to relieve Southern taxpayers, who at least know how to distribute P. W. A. funds even if they make no such con- tributions. Now the T. V. A. must be illegal if it taxes the majority of the people to en- rich the minority, for most of these dams for power are built in undeveloped areas, If the A. A. A. was found unconstitu- tional, then T. V. A. and the P. W. A. “loans” must also be found illegal. What- n of the Supreme Court, one thing we must know in advance: That any decision that is unfair to the majority must, in the end, be revoked. This Federal subsidy for the con- struction of power dams is illegal. It is a sop to the South that no manufacturer in the North can ignore. What is now going on in New England will soon go on in the Middle West. Factories will be forced to move South in order to com- pete. But if we are looking to stabilize in- dustry, then such migration of industry must be checked. And to check it we must see to it that those who contribute these taxes for T. V. A. have something to say about the expenditure of such taxes. Can the Supreme Court decide otherwise? J. L. TURNER. Lack of Democracy in Europe Retards Progress To the Editor of The Star: The lack of democracy in the authori- tative states of Europe is the cause of the retardation of civilization in those coun- tries and the present war crises. When the dictators of these nations came to power, they immediately suppressed all liberal and progressive thought, causing the imprisonment and exile of many out- standing scholars. Due to their anti- semitic and economic policies, a large number of famous scientists, musicians and artists have fled their native land, an exodus which has resulted in a great decline of culture in their former coun- tries. As their countries were in economic dis- tress, which was caused by the last war, the dictators instituted an economy based on war. This would result in a greater catastrophe, as with the aid of modern scientific war inventions an entire civili- zation could be wiped out. Their reason for this drastic step is that they need more territories, as the lands they now possess are not large enough to accom- modate their large populations and do not contain the necessary natural re- sources to make their nations prosperous. As a result of this attitude democratic countries on the European continent and in the Western Hemisphere have con- solidated themselves for their mutual defense and security, Had democracies prevailed in these war-minded countries the situation would be different. They would not tolerate racial hatred, but encourage the friend- ship and exchange of ideas and discover- ies among all races of people. If their land did not contain the materials needed, they would obtain them peacefully by making reciprocal trade treaties with nations who do have them—a method which would gain the friendship and con- fidence of other peoples. These policies would greatly promote civilization and world peace, but because of the selfish ambitions of a few individuals in power they cannot be realized. ALBERT PRUSS. Commodore John Barry Neglected in Ceremonies To the Editor of The Btar: Very recently on, Navy day here in Washington visits was made to and wreath placed at the Decatur Monument. No visit was made to the statue of Com- modore John Barry, made the first com- modore of the United States Navy by Washington and so confirmed by Con- gress. No visit to the statue of the sea- merchant-sailor and Revolution Naval hero, John Barry, who fought, captured and brought into American ports more than one English fighting ship during the American Revolution. How many English ships of war were fought, captured and brought into an American port during the American Revotion by any Decatur? Why was the Barry statue ignored on Navy day? Now on January 16 there will be issued by the United States Post Office Department, “Army-Navy Commemorative Series,” & new 2-cent postage stamp “commemo- rating naval heroes.” These stamps will depict Stephen Decatur and Thomas MacDonough as “naval heroes,” but not Commodore John Barry, General and President George Washington's Ameri- can Revolution naval hero, and not a Decatur or & Thomas MacDonough. Not one citizen out of 100,000 of today can tell who Thomas MacDonough was. As to having been a “naval hero” of the Revolutionary War, or since, not one American out of 1,000,000 today knows. What is the studied bar sinister these days against Washington's acknowledged, made commodore, real naval hero? Every true patriotic American would like an answer from those who select the -Navy commomorative series of paval heroes” and ignore Washington's Sand and plants, even inner glass walls, often mitigate against a clear aquarium after the tank has been “run- ning” for several years. The enthusiast seldom suspects this, though he may be an expert in the man- agement of the small home aquarium. He has read somewhere that tanks in public aquaria have been known to exist “without change,” so the account said, for 10, 20, even 30 years. ‘What he is not told, and what he seldom stops to realize, is that these cases are exceptional. The truth is that even the best kept tank, handled by an enthusiast who puts real brains into his management, will in time begin to run down. Let him potter over his plants as much as he likes, let him be a “nut” as to clear water and healthy fishes, never- theless subtle changes take place, in the end resulting in an aquarium which is far from the picture he would like to have it always. * * % ¥ The tank without plants, let it be stated, is no tank at all. A dealer, with his daily sales, may keep fishes that way, but in the home tank, where the same animals may live under ordinary and average circumstances for from two to four years, or even longer, growing plants are essential both for water con- dition, fish health and appearance. Nothing in the world is more drab in the home than a bare aquarium hold- ing only water and fishes. Especially, it may be stated, if there are other tanks nearby properly planted and managed Then the unplanted aquarium is seen to be what it really is—just a container. The properly planted tank, on the other fin, is a perfect picture of Nature in little. Those who are best acquainted with the fact never fail to marvel at it, that a perfect slice of aquatic life may be set down intact, to the last grain of sand, in a living room. This applies to the goldfish tank as well as to the aquarium holding the exotic fishes such as have become the vogue in recent years, As long as it's planted, agquarium. its an * ok k¥ Nothing is surer, however, than that | this beauty will not last unless periodic cleaning and care is given the whole. Nothing is surer, further, than that even this care is not adequate, after water has laved inner walis of the tank over a certain period of years. There is, above all, that matter of sand. This is little suspected as the culprit when an otherwise good tank goes wrong, but it might easily be revealed as the chief villain, in many an aquarium tragedy, if a little honest detective work were carried out. Sand, in the first place, either the fine or coarser variety (we do not refer to pebbles) is not as impervious to chemical action as it seems at first glance. Over the months it will become coated with certain elements, extracted from the water, in joint tion with small food particles. In a sense porous, sorbs some of these inimical elements, which are constantly stirred over by the action of the fishes rooting for food which has fallen to the bottom. x ok k% Such old sand forms an almost perfect | cultural medium for certain microscopic bacterial life which builds up in any tank, no matter how well which fairly piles up if the affair is STARS, MEN sand actually ab- | kept. and | not handled with the maximum of knowledge, In time a deposit forms on the inner glass, subjected to the action of the water and the chemical formulae formed as the result of reaction of fish on water, water on fish, fish on plants, plants on sand, etc. There is a whole string of these chemical actions and reactions. Some of the products formed actually enter the bodies of the fish through the ac- tion of osmosis, or the passage of sub- stances through a thin membrane. In such a chemical laboratory, so confined, so restricted, much damage re- sults inevitably, The inner sides of the glass walls receive deposits, some of which can be removed, some of which are removed with great difficulty, or not at all. Growths of algae, minute plants, re- sulting from the action of light, aided by tiny food particles in the water, may be cleaned off the glass at first with a piece of absorbent cotton, later with a razor blade. But the chemical deposit from the water itself is another matter entirely. At first even these may be taken off by the sharp safety razor blade. As time goes on, however, they harden to a de- gree which makes them almost a parl | of the glass. Enough of this deposit may be re- moved to give the enthusiast the idea | that he is getting rid of it entirely. Even if he takes the entire tank down | and cleans the walls with salt, he fails to remove the last vestige. * % % H Such deposits tend to give the tank a run-down aspect. When this is com- bined with ill effects of old sand, the | result is an altogether unlovely aquarium, What can be done about it? ‘The main thing is to give up the idea that one should try to make a given tank, and a given “sei-up,” last as long as possible. The next is to realize that aquarium sand, as commonly used, is a material which needs renewing completely at least every two years. It is possible, by washing it in boiling | water from time to time, to get it as clear, seemingly, as the new, but this 15 mostly deception. There is a deposit there, not only on the surface, but even back in the very pores of the grains. Once it is put back in the water ii tends to set up the same old reactions and to be that last straw which breaks the well-known camel’s back. ok ok % Since sand is almost the least paratively inexpensive hobby, it is only the part of wisdom to purchase new sand every now and then, especially if | vou feel that the tank is going back but at the same time you do not know exactly why. When tank, fishes, sand and water all grow old together, there is every reason to feel that an entirely new tank may be needed. too. An average good aquarium shoula last for years. but in practice it is often found that the best of them, constantly inhabited by per- haps too many fishes, need to be dis- carded in about four years. There will be exceptiohs, of course. If fishes are kept well enough to enable them to live long, they should be given a brand-new tank every three or four years, with completely fresh sand at least twice in that time; once & vear would be better, with fresh plants whenever the old ones do not seem up to standard. Keep your eve on the sand. That way aquarium wisdom lies. AND ATOMS Notebook of Science Progress in Field, Laboratory and Study. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. ‘The billions of tons of reck which now constitute the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Valley of Virginia were transported northwestward during 300,000,000 years of geologic time from an hypothetical highland which now probably is partially covered by the Atlantic Ocean. Such is the picture reconstructed by Charles Butts, geologist of the United States National Museum, after many years devoted to the study of Virginia’s geological history. Mr. Butts reported his findings at a recent meeting of the Virginia Academy of Sciences. The story begins approximately a half billion years ago, at the very dawn of life on earth so far as it can be known from the fossil record. At that time the area covered by much of the eastern United States was a low, flat land, mostly of granite rock and utterly barren. It still was a long time before vegetation would start to cover the earth. About this time something started to happen on a titanic scale. A vast area of this land began to sink. The axis of this sinking can be located roughly to- day as starting in the northwest high- lands of Scotland, extending across the Atlantic, and running through NeW- foundland, Quebec, the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Blue Ridge of Virginia and thence probably southwestward into Arkansas and Oklahoma. The subsidence presumably extended to equal distances on each side of this axis. With this subsidence the land was pushed up—probably to some extent on each side, although the chief uplift seems to have been on the eastward. Sea waters rushed into the trough, as is evidenced by the fossils of very ancient marine fauna. It was, however, a very shallow embayment, Mr. Butts believes. Erosion started from the higher lands, filling this shallow trough. It continued to sink and the eroded material continued to fill it up. Probably there were islands in the embayment. There are still rem- nants of the original granite base left which in some way escaped subsidence. The most notable of these, Mr. Butts points out, is the St. Francois Mountain range, in Southeastern Missouri. The granite base also has been struck by deep wells near Dayton, Ohio, and in Eastern Kansas. Altogether, Mr. Butts estimates from extensive measurements, in the present area of the Valley of Virginia alone a total of approximately 60,000,000 cubic miles of material was deposited. All the time the subsidence was continuing. There are now 16,280 feet of deposited rock—a little more than three miles, be- tween the present floor of the valley and the ancient granite basement. The process was extremely slow. At the present rate of discharge the Mis- sissippi River would deposit 60,000 cubic miles of the material in about 1,200,600 years and the Ganges in less than half that time. This was a lazy old earth through the vast stretch of paleozoic time and the slow rivers loafed at their titanic Jjob of mountain moving. The question then arises as to the di- rection from which the sediment came. Theoretically it might have flowed in from both east and west of the subsided area in approximately equal amounts. The process, however, was very compli- cated, Mr. Butts points out, and the vari- ous elements of the ical HOWN” directions. The fossil record shows, how- ever, that for long pericds the western areas were submerged under the sea. “It seems evident. therefore,” says Mr. Butts, “that most of the valley rocks | were derived from the region southeast | of the Blue Ridge. The exact location. topographic character and extent of this southeastern land are interesting subjects for speculation. The rocks of the valley, if piled up equally over all the area of Virginia southeast of the Blue Ridge, some 4,000 square miles, would make & mass of uniform thickness nearly 7,000 feet high. If probable inequalities were postulated, mountains 10.000 feet high could easily be conceived ” Unfortunately, Mr. Butts finds, no such simple reconstruction is possible. Fossil- iferous rocks show that at least one mighty arm of the sea extended through parts of the present Virginia Piedmont during paleozoic time. This makes it necessary, he says, to move the source of the sediments further eastward and to postulate an elevated area extending out into the region now covered by the waters of the Atlantic as far as the edge of the continental platform. There is another possible interpreta- tion, however, to which the arrangement of rock strata gives considerable sup- port. The area of the present Piedmont of Virginia may have been of moderate elevation and slowly rising during the whole of the paleozoic period. but subject to spasmodic oscillations which from time to time placed parts of it under the sea. Thus there would have been a series of erosion cycles. All this stopped about 200,000,000 vears ago. Then, for some urknown reason, there was a great “buckline” on the sur- face of the earth in this area—possibly connected with the cooling of the planet. The new rocks formed by dissemination were weakest and gave way, while the ancient rocks held fast. The result was that the Blue Ridge was pushed up like & wrinkle on the earth’s face, and erosion started flowing the other way. —_— e Intuition. From the Humboldt Times. No one dares to laugh at a woman's “intuition,” of course, even when one city says that 10 women reported their cars stolen in a single week, only to dis- cover that they had forgotten where they parked them. Numbers. From the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. Many a man who can't recall the figures on his motor license tag will have no difficulty in remembering the number of his social security account. Strike Styles. From the South Bend Tribune. The “lay down” strike is competing with the “sit down” strike for space in the news columns. Is the “standing on one foot” strike just around the corner? Inspect Home Supply First. Prom the Pond Du Lac Commonweaith. Uncle Sam evidently believes that his diplomatic and consular employes should look around at home before seeking ex- | pensive material which enters this com- | whales and water life | first. it is probable, it came from both | Hemisphere the people who correspond 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. Q. Is it true that Christmas gifts of liq];or cannot be sent through the mail? —D. B. A. All spiritous, vinous, malted, fer= mented or other intoxicating liquors are not mailable. The law was passed in 1909 and has never been repealed. Q. What is the largest city south of Mason and Dixon line?—G. L. A. Baltimore, Md., with a population of 805,000 Q. How is Alaska governed?—M. W. A. Its Governor is appointed by the President of the United States and the citizens elect their own Territorial Leg« islature and their delegate to the United States Congress. Q. Do soldiers guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier throughout the day? —J. 8 A. The guard is on duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington National Cemetery from sunrise to sun- set. Q. How many kinds of work are done by the C. C. C. boys?>—W. R. M. A. Over 150 major types of work are carried on by C. C. C. enrollees, includ= ing forest culture, forest protection, ero- sion and flood control, irrigation and drainage, transportation and structural improvements, range development, wild life, landscape and miscellaneous activi- ties. Q. In what colleges has Rexford Tug- well taught?—K. H. 8. A. Dr. Tugwell was an instructor in economics at the University of Pennsyle vania from 1905 to 1917, assistant pro- fessor of economics at the University of Washington from 1917 to 1918, ine structor of economics at Columbia Uni- versity from 1920 to 1922, assistant pro- fessor from 1922-1926. associate pro- fessor from 1926 to 1931, professor from 1931 to 1933. Q. What famous author on landing in America said to the revenue officers, “I have nothing to declare except my genius"?—N. B. A. Oscar Wilde made this remark when he came to the United States to lecture in 1882, Q. How many clergvmen accompanied the party of settlers to Jamestown in 16072—W. L. A. There was only one clergyman in | the party of settlers who landed in Jamestown in 1607 under Capt. John Smith. This was the Rev. Robert Hunt, who celebrated the first holy communion on American soil by the Anglican faith, on the third Sunday after Trinity, 1607, Q. In letter writing should one use st. nd, rd, d or th aiter the date?>—H. J. A. This is unnecessary. The correct form is January 1, 1937, Q. Who gave the Saint-Gaudens statue of Lincoln to England?—E. G. H. A. The Saint-Gaudens statue of Lin- coln in London is a replica of the statue in Lincoln Park, Chicago, and was pre- sented by the American people in 1920. It was placed in 1920 in Parliament Square between Westminster Abbey and houses of Parliament. The bronze statue is directly in front of the Middlesex Guildhall or Sessions House. Q. Are there any people near the South Pole who correspond to the Eski- mos in the Northern Hemisphere? —F. B. G. A. Antarctica is desolate and unin- habited except for penguins, seals, In the Southern most nearly to Eskimos are the Tierra del Fuegians of Southern Argentina and Chile. The Yahgans on the southern island live under conditions of extraor- dinary hardship. In order to obtain food, they venture naked with small canges into the tremendous seas. Life is a constant battle with starvation and | & severe climate and their number is being rapidly depleted. They have no higher social unit than the family. Q. What is a Faust slipper?—W. H. A. This is & high cut house shoe similar to a Romeo with V-shaped cuts at the sides and no goring. Q. Has & musician ever committed a crime in New York State for which he was hanged or imprisoned for life?— L. E. N. A. Musicians have been given life terms and also hanged. Q. What is meant by marline rate in advertising?—M. P. A. It is a new yardstick for advertising. It is the cost per line per billion dollars of retail sales. The milline rate is the cost per line per million circulation. Q. Does New York City have any gypsies?—J. L. A. The largest gypsy setilement in the city is Maspeth Village in Queens. It is estimated that about 10,000 gypsies pass four or five months of the vear in this and other shack settlements border- ing the city. Q. Where is the largest irrigation proje ect in Canada?—W. F. B. A. 1t is located on the Bow River, south of Calgary, Alberta, and includes about 400,000 acres. Q. What places besides Bermuda ban automobiles?—W. F. A. Mackinac Island, Venice and Sark prohibit automobiles. Q. What is narcotin?—J. W. A. It is one of the organic bases or alkaloids occurring in opium, in the proe portion of 6 to 8 per cent. Q. When will Winston-Salem, N. C., discontinue the use of street cars?—R. N. A. The electric street car system will be supplanted by motor bus transporta- tion on December 29, 1936. A pageant will mark the change. A Rhyme at Twilight By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton Tramping. On a frosty eve, 'neath sunset’s sky, We foot-tramped together, you and I. Though the woods were bare, with gay leaves gone, Still fairy wood-things around us shone; Bright partridge berries, white mistletoe, All roseate in the sunset glow; Gray lichens, sprayed by a silver rime; And whistling winds keeping rhythmic time To the song our hearts sang, sweet and I clear, Of Mve'on earih and Christmas cheer.