Evening Star Newspaper, March 29, 1937, Page 8

A—S8 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D. C. MONDAY ______ ___.March 29, 1937 THEODORE W. NOYES The Evening Star Newspaper Company. 1.tn St and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd 8t. Chicago Office: 435 North Michizan Ave. Rate by Carrier—City and Suburban. Regulsr Editton. K venine and Sunday Star he gta5C PET mODth or 160 per week ne Star S 45¢ per month or 10c per week The Sunday Star .__ ¢ Der copy Night Final Edition. .o Pnal and Sunday Star. Nigit Tl 280 _55¢ per month Collection made at the end of each month or each week, Orders may be sent by mail or tele- phone Natlonal 5000 70¢ per month Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia, Daily and Sunday.. 1 yr. $10.00 ally oply . 1 Snnday only 1 All Other States and Canada. Datly and Sundas. 1 sr. $1200; 1 mo. $1.00 Daily only_. 1 3. 8§00 1 mo.~ 75c Sunday cnly - 3 yr.. $5.00! 1 mo. 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 Daper and al:o the locai news published herein All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved Realistic Reasoning. William Green, president of the Ameri- can Federation of Labor, leaves academic discussion of the legality of the sit-down strike to others and addresses himself directly to the realities involved in con- tinued use of this new weapon by Ameri- can labor. He pronounces the sit-down seizure of property as illegal. But he condemns its use mainly on the ground that its continuation will create a strong public sentiment which inevitably will be reflected in legislation antagonistic to some of the traditional principles of the American Federation of Labor. He speaks with some vision and on good authority. England's abortive gen- eral strike brought a strong back-wash of public sentiment that created stringent regulation of labor unions, sharply de- fined the use of strikes and enforced accountability and responsibility in use of labor funds. American labor has en- countered few such restrictions. While Federal regulation of labor unions may interpose the same difficulties already encountered in making Federal regula- tion effective in other fields, an in- creasing amount of discussion is being given to the proposed incorporation of labor unions, prohibition of campaign contributions by labor unions and other moves designed to couple regulation and responsibility with the right to organize for purposes of collective bargaining. The sit-down strike has given new force to such proposals and, as Mr. Green says, “there is involved in its application grave implications detrimental to labor’s interests.” " Aside from his stated reasons for op- position to the sit-down in the form of a declaration of A. F. of L. policy, Mr. | Green has chosen the opportunity, of course, to drive another wedge and make wider the split between his own organi- zation and the Committee for Industrial Organization. The success of the sit- down strike in the hands of his rival, John L. Lewis, and the C. I. O. affiliates, carries potential danger to the A. F. of L. Prospective union members are not going to debate the legal theories involved or the possible consequences of the sit-down strike as long as they have before them the immediate picture of tangible suc- cess. No one can dispute the effective- ness of the sit-down up to this time. And each success of the C. I. O. has been & blow to the A. F. of L. Public sentiment against the C. I. O.'s use of the sit-down will strengthen the position of the A. F. of L. It seems probable that the same thought has impressed Mr. Lewis and the C. I. O. affiliates in Detroit and that the con- ferences between the union heads and the Chrysler corporation now in progress reflect public sentiment against the sit- down as much as they do Governor Murphy's efforts as a peace-maker, o It is apparent in every plane crash that there was some one concerned somewhere in the work of construction or direction of flying that did not know his business. There has been a disposi- tion to regard an aviator as a spectacu- lar performer on his own account that may easily have interfered with author- itative discipline. ———— Plato on Tyranny. Plato has been dead more than two thousand years, yet as Emerson has said: “His strength is like the momentum of a falling planet and his discretion the re- turn of its due and perfect curve.” Thou- sands of people who never have heard his name repeat his doctrines. For ex- ample, it is to him that the theory of mankind “made happier by being made wiser and more virtuous” traces back. He was the first of the rational altruists, the earliest of the pragmatic visionaries. But his power derives from his genius for the understanding of values which are timeless. He thought and wrote about everlasting things. Even the political and social problems to which he refers are undated—perhaps because they are immortally constant in the experience of the race. Consider, for instance, his views of the nature of tyranny. “What,” he asks, “is the manner in which tyranny arises? It {5 almost plain that it is a change from democracy.” The “greatest and fiercest glavery,” he finds, develops on occasion “out of the highest degree of liberty” when that freedom degenerates “by its very licentiousness.” Greed on the part of citizens “who have little property, but are yet the most numerous” pro- vides the tyrant's opportunity. “Are not the people always used to place some one in special presidency over them- selves, and to cherish him and promote him to great power? They are. And this Is plain that whenever a tyrant arises, it is from the fact of thus presiding, and nothing else, that he flourishes. This is very clear. How, then, begins the change from & president into a tyrant? Is it not when the president begins to do the same as is told in the fable about | the temple of the Lycean Zeus, to whom the wolf was dedicated in Arcadia?” The beast, Plato explains, tasted blood, waxed avid for power. Similarly, “hav- ing to deal with an extremely compliant multitude,” the president is launched on his despotic career. “Does he not, in the first days, and for a brief season, smile and salute every one he meets * * * and promise many things, both in public and private, and liberate men from debts and distribute land both to the public and those about him, and affect to be mild and liberal toward all? He must.” But when he has consolidated his positiof and taught the people to “be in need of a leader,” he will “purge the state.” The sage continues: “A fine purging in- deed! The reverse of what the physicians do with regard to animal bodies, for they take away the worst and leave the best, but he does the contrary. Because, it seems, if he is to govern he must neces- sarily do so.” Yet the end still is distant. “Whatever sacred things there be,” he “will despoil * * *.” The citizens gradu- ally are reduced to “the most rigorous and bitterest captivity of actual slaves.” To their sorrow, they discover that they have elevated “the man among them who has within his soul most of the tyrant.” Their plight is “the most intense and general misery.” Plato paints the picture in faithful colors. And history, as many have noticed, has a tendency to repeat. In at least five separate nations today dictators of the Platonian type rule the destinies of millions. The contemporary philosopher, however, is not disturbed. He knows the answer to the question. Patrick Henry put it into language in 1765. ————— Japanese in China. When Naotake Sato, new Japanese foreign minister, early this month pledged “equality” with China and dis- avowed territorial designs, Nippon's militarists were sorely aggrieved. They attacked Mr. Sato so violently for re- pudiating their policy that doubt arose whether either he or his conciliatory program would weather the storm of protest. Developments at Tokio during the past week end indicate that modera- tion has won the day. In a spirit of enlightened self-interest, a group of foremost business men, bank- ers, economists and military men, after canvassing the situation from all angles, decided that Japan must remodel her ambitions, especially in North China. This conclusion was reached after a report was made by an economic mission dispatched to investigate Sino-Japanese conditions at close range. It found that army-inspired plans, looking to progres- sive reduction of Northern Chinese prov- inces to the status of a Japanese pro- tectorate, “have many deplorable points which should be corrected.” In light of that discovery the Council of Tokio leaders consider that it is useless at this time for Japan to push her North China aims, lest Chinese hostility only be in- tensified. Because China is determined to adhere to demands for “equality,” even at the risk of war with her power- ful island neighbor, commercial and military authorities now unite in the view that Japan's salvation lies along the path of restraint and square dealing which Foreign Minister 8ato has mapped out. There are, it goes without saying, other than altruistic reasons at the root of Tokio’s beneficent change of heart. Great Britain's revived interest in the Far East, accompanied by her rearma- | ment project, gives Japan's imperialists pause. Another deterrent is the fear that China would support Russia in a Soviet-Japanese war. Finally, there is the renaissance of Chinese national spirit, exemplified by the effective mili- tary resistance to recent attempts to bring Suiyuan Province, west of Peiping, under Japanese domination. It is said that Tokio’s moderation will be seasoned with “watchful waiting” and “firmness.” But it is clear that brow- beating of China is to be abandoned in favor of friendship, based on the sen- sible theory that no economic penetra- tion is possible that is not bulwarked by political good will. If the militarists give that policy a fair chance, it should redound to the benefit of China, Japan and other powers alike. Optimism is needed to justify faith in that prospect. Belated consciousness among responsible Japanese of the direction in which the empire's true interests lie affords hope that it will materialize. ——rae— Americans are famous for a fondness for reading about themselves. The arts of superficial publicity have been so in- dustriously employed by best seller experts that the wise and searching remarks of Ambassador Bryce on the American Commonwealth appear to have no interest for “book of the monthers.” e Hollywood does not hesitate to distort standard literary products for the pur- poses of current film diversion. The script teaser is another influence that “Czar” Will Hays is expected to super- vise. Accuracy in Stamps. The current controversy about the four-cent Army stamp may appear to some to be & teapot tempest. But it happens that the critics have justifica- tion. Even the officials of the Post Office Department agree that the engraving is inaccurate. But it also is fair to say that no single individual is responsible for the error. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, acting in its usual role of contractor, reproduced the portrait of General Robert E. Lee supplied for the purpose. Omission of the stars and laurel wreath showing the great Confederate leader's rank did not seem an important detail to anybody immediately concerned. It remained for the philatelic public to dis- cover the mistake. Then, of course, only tardy correction was feasible. A principle, however, is involved. Stamp designs should be accurate. Post Office Department officers have the duty to see to it that they are properly faith- ful to the truth. Btruggle to avoid the 4 THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, obligation as they may, it still remains a fact that it is their business to be care- ful of history. If they themselves lack the necessary knowledge, they should consult authorities who are competent to advise. At either the Smithsonian Institution or the Library of Congress, they might have the help they need for the solution of such problems. Moreover, they could enlist the as- sistance of the stamp collectors of the land—keen students as they know them to be. The philatelic fraternity in- variably pays the Lill, in any case. It therefore is entitled to consideration, if only to head off its protest against being ignored. The one attitude which the Post Office Department administration cannot af- ford to assume is that of pretending not to be interested. In the present in- stance, it is an indefensible blunder to insist that it does not matter whether the stamp is accurate or not. The con- trary position would be much wiser. Having admitted the mistake, the offi- cials who have power to correct it should take steps to that end at once. —————— Local effort was diligently engaged in protecting the cherry trees so highly prized, not only by the District of Co- lumbia, but by the entire Nation. It may be unfortunate that the distin- guished and ubiquitous Secretary of Agri- culture cannot spare time to take per- sonal charge of so important a job. e e Mr. Sirovich might be heard from again in a situation which provides too many dramatic critics and not enough stage drama. The talented New York statesman admits having a number of plays up his sleeve, but has evidently never persuaded the W. P. A. troupers tn give them a tryout. e e Popular Dr. Byrd of the Maryland Uni- versity may not get all the funds he requires, but he will at least be spared the necessity of taking sides in the col- legiate phase in the argument before the Senate Judiciary Committee. e Herbert Hoover might possibly have been re-elected on his simple slogan “Hands off the Supreme Court!” if cir- cumstances had brought it to his atten- tion under circumstances that rendered it suitable. s An appointment to the supreme bench under a specified or implied agreement to resign after a few years would create question as to the political propriety of having resignations filed in advance. — - Announcements from Taft head- quarters in Cincinnati indicate that the famous city has recovered from flood disaster and is prepared to resume its political business at the old stand. —_— e Germany used to refer with confidence to “der tag.” Even when translated the phrase has not found an explicit place in the calendar of sensible life. o Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Occupation Provided. Wheneger Jabez Jones takes hold Of anything at all We find he cannot be controlled In matters great or small. - He hollers and he waves his hands And sometimes he gets cross While issuing his loud commands. He has to be the boss. He isn't much at chopping wood Nor with a rake or hoe. His judgment isn't very good And his results are slow. But time is precious. It is clear We shouldn't risk its loss. So long as he can't interfere, ‘We just let Jabez boss. Paradox. “You say that all you want to do is to talk plain common sense?” “Yes,” answered Senator Sorghum. “The trouble is that the kind of sense referred to as ‘common’ is at times so exceedingly unusual.” Always More to Learn. “After all these years you ought to know all about finance.” “Be fair!” protested Mr. Dustin Stax. “Nobody pretends to insist that after all these years farmers ought to know all about agriculture.” Pride With Courage. The egoist has gentle pride Whose courage cannot be denied. Unto George Washington he’ll raise The voice of eloquence in praise. But if by chance George may have shown Opinions differing from his own, Hell say, “In writing wise advice That tells about peace and its price, Some of the work I could have done Better, I think, than Washington.” “Quietude is to be desired,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown. “He who re- mains silent must think or sleep, and either is beneficial. Circles. “«What is meant by the phrase ‘diplo- matic circles'?” “Possibly 1t refers to the lines of reasoning sometimes pursued in inter- national discussion.” Golden Rulings. Gold is the stuff with which we buy. We must not be its slave. That it may hold its power, well try To teach it to behave. “When any one tells me he never makes mistakes,” said Uncle Eben, “he’s makin’ one right there in thinkin’ I's gineter believe him.” Spain’s Nick Altrock. From the Macon Telegraph. The Spanish miner who went to war dressed in a top hat and long-tailed coat probably figured on being the Nick Altrock of the affair and no doubt was worth as much to his side as a good sharpshoof D. C, Walt Whitman Neglected By the City He Honored To the Editor of The Star: In a recent editorial of The Star the subject of “Literary Shrines” was treated with distinction. It suggested the value of a nurtured and affectionate interest for former homes and haunts of past creative geniuses who may have lived in the community. Memory, in this way, is kept fresh and green. Abroad such deference is usual, here not so frequent. Hewever, New England has remem- bered sympathetically Longfellow, Em- erson, Hawthorne, and Philadelphia has interceded for a Poe residence. Fordham cottage, near New York City, another Poe home, is consecrated to Poe and “The Raven.” Walt Whitman, American poet and humanitarian, lived in Washington. So far as remembered there is here no marked shrine to his memory. Whitman was a notable figure in Washington, unique stature, virile personality, pic- turesque in dress, as he sauntered along. In his letters, the city streets, parks, environs are intimately mentioned. He loved Washington, as he is casually re- membered. As a poet, “Leaves of Grass,” growing through accretion, is prophetic of broad Americanism and democracy, enveloped in elemental ruggedness and grandeur. Our world pageantry and other world systems pass before us, all bound to- gether in love and solidarity. The poet is well known. The book has crossed the waters. As humanitarian, Whitman is only dimly remembered. Significant, how- ever, are deeds of sacrifice and devotion during Civil War times for the wounded soldiers, in camps or hospitals in or near to Washington. During three years 80,000 soldiers were so visited. The approach was practical, with gifts and individual needs remembered. But beneath all was a deep compassion for suffering, a touch, tender and maternal. Gratitude and love were returned to ‘Whitman from these lonely sufferers. The poet speaks of such hours as the most gripping and impressive of his life. Whitman lived in different homes and lodging houses in Washington—fre- quently with friends, but not always. Through inquiry the following resi- dences have been found: 394 L street northwest (new number 1407, north side of L street, a few doors west of Four- teenth), 456 Sixth street, 502 Pennsyl- vania avenue, 472 M street (new number 1205). From the L street home, near Vermont avenue, Whitman would frequently see President Lincoln, during the Summer months, coming from Soldiers’ Home. Whitman writes: “Mr. Lincoln, dressed in plain black, somewhat rusty and dusty, generally rides a good-sized, easy- going gray horse. Cavalrymen surround him. Sometimes he comes and goes in an open barouche, accompanied by Cavalry with drawn sabers—the equi- page of the plainest kind, two horses, and they nothing extra.” Whitman frequently tells us of the look of unspeakably profound sadness in Lincoln's face that no portrait could reproduce The time may come when some of these homes of Walt Whitman will be marked by tablets, or where, through purchase, perhaps, one may be dedi- cated to a great poet who lived happily among us and is admired for an appeal- ing humanity. OTTO T. SIMON., B N Jefferson an Advocate of Classic Architecture To the Editor of The Star: I have been following with interest the various comments published in The Star about the proposed Thomas Jeffer- son Memorial. Two criticisms in Pri- day’s article prompt me to offer a word in protest. One objector to the design is so vague it is difficult to answer him. His oppo- sition seems based purely on a clash of personalities and the Fine Arts Com- mission. The other objectors, a group, are quite specific and it is their incom- prehensible statement which rouses me particularly. First I should like to refer these gen- tlemen to a very good work, I. T. Frary’s book, “Thomas Jefferson. Architect and Builder.” It does not require even a smattering of architectural training to leaf through these pages and to arrive at the acknowledged conclusion that no other but Jefferson himself was re- sponsible for the classic revival of archi- tecture in this country. The spirit of Jefferson must recognize his own hand work in the masterful and sympathetic design of Mr. Pope. There is no doubt Jefferson would be its chief proponent. In my mind there is but one other architectural firm, also from New York, who might have been intrusted with this project, and it is doubtful if they could have achieved a monument more in keeping with Jefferson’s “own true spirit.” If Lincoln can sit solemn and sad in his Doric temple and Washington rest in the shadow of his obelisk, Jef- ferson must surely soar that so perfect a setting is created for him. The “Imperial Character”—Roman, I take it—needs but a reminder that Rome was a democracy longer than our States have existed. All the architectural forms were fully developed under liberty, and only carried on into the empire. Jefferson himself felt the style particu- larly suitable for our public buildings. After all, from the trend of events, one might add the so-called “imperial character” is much more up to the spirit of the times than may be realized. JAMES W. ADAMS. ———— Honor to Courageous Dog No Desecration of Flag To the Editor of The Star: In your paper of March 25 I read an article where a Mr. Metcalf of the Cissel-Saxon Post, American Legion, feels that our flag is being most terribly desecrated by being placed on the grave of a little dog who served with the 1st Division through the war—wounded and gassed. I was in that pet animal cemetery yesterday and saw the little grave marked by two American flags and, as the wife of an Army officer who has followed the flag for nearly 40 years, I saw nothing to desecrate the flag in being placed upon the grave of a dog that had brought cheer and comfort to soldiers in the trenches. I did regret that among those many beautifully kept graves marked by head stones that no Army unit had placed & monument to honor Rags. L. B. REED. ——oe—s. Gags. From the Grand Rapids Press. About the only way to keep a radio comedian from stealing a gag is to write a gag about a radio comedian stealing 8 gag. R Benefactor. Prom the Jacksonville Journal. Crusader Dewey is stamping out the restaurant racket in New York and de- serves the thanks of any diner who has ever tried to outshout an orchestra. e Mob on the Bench. Prom the Indianapolis Btar. If three's a crowd, 15 would be a mob on the supreme bench, ‘ MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1937. THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. “He pursued the even tenor of his ways.” That i an old phrase, which often meant nothing at all, but today it may mean a great deal. Changing the tenor of one’s way, even for a second, while crossing the modern street, may lead to disaster. Everybody has a natural pacé. As long as one sticks to this tempo, and is not in a hurry, one gets along very well. It is when the pace is altered, especial- ly hurried, that the accidents occur. This is seldom realized. 1t is natural to hurry, when one is trying to catch something or get across the street, but it is highly unnatural, with many persons, including all those who have adopted one pace, or tenor. “Settled,” they used to be called. Often age has little to do with it. There is a natural pace, movement, tempo, tenor, whatever one chooses to call it, for practically every one. Some of us are slow motioned, others quick paced. There are all degrees between, of course, but it is safe to say that every one has just one natural rate of move- ment which is best in the everyday life. The moment this is increased the in- dividual is as completely out of his normal state as if he were suddenly thrown into water. * K Ok % Every one would recognize the danger of the latter situation; not so many that of the former, evidently. Every day we see persons suddenly altering their pace, through a desire to get across the street, or avoid accident. No matter what the cause, the moment the natural pace is changed danger im- mediately enters the picture, not only from the physical, but especially from the mental side. When he who seldom runs starts to run he is at once an intellectually changed person, although he may be the last on the street to realize it. The spectator sees it easily. The man lowers his head, for one thing. It is a natural thing to do, but wrong in the situation. More than that, however, he starts to think differently. It may be that the simple change from calm pedestrian to dog-trot runner makes him stop thinking altogether. * Kk Kk ok Else how is it possible to explain some of the very silly things people do in our streets? Not all changes of pace are from slow to quick, however. There is one section of the populace which adopts a slowed pace in crossing at an intersection. One wonders why. Yet there they go meandering, when they ought to be stepping right along. The solution of this and other pedes- trian traffic faults is conscious thought. There is no other solution. It is an in- dividual matter, because it depends upon each person’s mental and physical pace. He or she may have to be very careful, depending upon just what the walking pace is, in each case. The greatest danger lies in changing from the slow walk to the swifter one. The greater the increase the more the danger. If you must hurry, in a given situa- tion, keep your head up. ‘Take your hat off if necessary. Don't stop to look around, or to wave to some one on a diagonal corner. Such precepts as these, based on solid experience of watching, are of no use at the time. They must be got in mind beforehard, so that they will be put into action without conscious thought. It is possible for even the least careful person to realize his own leanings toward traffic dangers. Every one has some pet situation wherein he is liable to be careless. One very common situation is that of stopping at the corner to wait for a change of lights, falling into a semi- daze, starting to think about something eise, then stepping out into the street without looking to right or left. Only the individual may realize whether this situation is personal to him, whether it offers any particular danger to him. It is here, as in all situations in life, what is one man’s meat is another man'’s poison, as the saying has it. Just as there is no accounting for tastes, so there is no realizing what situation in our streets is most dangerous to the in- dividual, except by a process of taking thought, going over all possible situa- tions, and realizing in advance what one should not do, rather than what one should do. Modern traffic is a case in which the “shall nots” loom considerably larger than the “shalls.” This is particularly true of the indi- vidual pedestrian. He alone knows what is the bent of his own mind. He alone realizes the state of his own vision, the co-ordination of his own mind and muscles, or lack of the same. * X X X ‘The natural pace, whatever it is, is the one to keep to in traffic. The slow walker should keep on walk- ing slow, the fast walker fast, the medium-paced pedestrian at his best gait. This means that the slow and medium paced individuals must allow themselves more time. They must, in other words, be willing to wait, rather than hurry themselves out of the gait at which their eyesight, judgment of distances and general perceptions, as well as their muscular co-ordinations, are at their peak It is as unnatural, and as dangerous, for a medium-gaited person to slow down to a crawl as for him to suddenly emu- late the speed of a sprinter. his best. The slow-motioned person. above all, must stick scrupulously to his slow mo- tion. For him there is no possible change of pace. He cannot go slower; and as for going faster, all of a sudden, that is suicide. Let him be sure, therefore, that he remains true to himself by the simple process of refusing to hurry in traffic. If this means he must be more than any way you look at it, for death lurks in the streets these days, and seems | especially willing to pounce on him who suddenly steps out of the even tenor of | his ways. WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE. How the political times have changed! It is exactly four years ago this month that the New Deal was swinging ir- resistibly into action, with the huge Democratic majority in Congress work- ing overtime to rubber-stamp any and everything batted its way by President Roosevelt., March, 1937, presents a vastly different picture. It finds the legislative machinery virtually stalled, as the result of revolt within Democratic ranks against the most far-reaching project yet submitted by the present administration and with no sign that the log-jam caused by the judiciary crisis will be broken for weeks to come. Even when the court bill is out of the way, F. D. R. faces another contest with Congress destined to be hardly Jess bitterly fought—his plan to re- organize the executive branch of the Government. Indications already are mounting up that reorganization will be combatted on the same grounds as the judiciary program—namely, that through it the President seeks enlarge- ment of powers that make for one-man government. Republicans will not be alone in fighting the plan to abolish the independence of various quasi- legislative and quasi-judicial agencies and subject them to executive authority. But Democratic insurgency is not ex- pected to be as voluminous or violent as party protest against the court- packing scheme. * k X x Capitol Hill's S-men—the Silent Six- teen of the Republican Senate minority— are outsphinxing the sphinx in their studied reticence on the Supreme Court issue. Their strategy to the last.is to permit the Democrats to conduct the controversy as a purely family row. Sir Willmott Lewis,. Washington cor- respondent of the London Times, re- cently cabled his paper the following comment on the vow of taciturnity taken by the elephant. “As for the Republican party, or what is left of it as an organi- zation, it prefers to let the conservative Democrats do what normally should be its duty. It smells something burning, and while it doesn’t care to be a second Nero, it is willing to be second fiddle.” * Xk ok Xk Republican eyes, peering wishfully into the future, cast longing glances in the direction of a brand-new white hope, Thomas Edward Dewey, the New York City special prosecutor who has just capped his brilliant record as a racket-killer by convicting the gangster group which bled Manhattan restau- rant-keepers to the tune of $2,000,000 a year. Following his triumphs in sup- pressing loan sharks and vice racketeers, Dewey, who has just celebrated his 35th birthday anniversary, now looms as a star to which the G. O. P., both in New York State and nationally, might well hitch its wagon. His admirers fore- shadow for him the same sort of climb up the political ladder that marked Charles Evans Hughes’ career, which also began with prosecution of public wrong-doing, when he conducted the celebrated New York gas and insurance investigations. Dewey is now talked about either as a Republican candidate for Mayor of New York next Fall, or as a 1938 gubernatorial nominee, and, if he makes either or both of those grades, as a later presidential possi- bility. Forthcoming prosecutions of rackets in the bakery, electrical and brick industries will keep Dewey in the limelight and pave the way to further honors. * K K K Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney, Demo- crat, of Wyoming is taking time out from the judiclary fight to educate people in the pronunciation of his name. He says the correct Irish of it is O'Mah-ony, not O'May-honey. “H-o-n-e-y on any tongue,” he says, “spells ‘honey,’ not ‘hone-y,’ and every ! child knows how to pronounce ‘Ma.'” The Senator adds that his father, born in County Cork, when trying to ex- plain the proper rendition of his name, used to repeat the following rhyme: “Oh, the bleat of the lamb And the fruit of the Spell the name of the man Who is talking to thee— O'Ma-honey.” LR bee Secretary Hull now has on duty in the State Department a new special ad- viser on Japanese affairs—Joseph Wil- liam Ballantine, who has just transferred to the Far Eastern division, where he will serve under its expert chief, Dr. Stanley K. Hornbeck. Ballan- tine was recently brought home from Mukden, Manchukuo, where he has been Consul General since September, 1934. He was born at Ahmednagar, India, of American parents. After gradu- ation from Amherst, he entered the foreign service as a student interpreter in Japan and has had more than 25 years of experience at various important Far Eastern consular and diplomatic posts, including Tokio, Yokohama and Canton. Mr. Ballantine succeeds in the Far Eastern Division Eugene H. Dooman, recently appointed Counselor of Embassy at Tokio. * Kk kX Administration fleld marshals in charge of the President’s court reform project determined to lose no time in bringing up heavy artillery to reply to the opposition barrage to be let down by Senator Carter Glass over a Nation- wide network tonight. Over the same Columbia hook-up tomorrow evening Senator Joe Robinson, Senate Demo- cratic majority leader, will address the country for 45 minutes. His subject will be “Congress, the Constitution and the Courts.” It will be the first time that the Arkansan has taken to the air on behalf of the President’s pro- posal. * ok kX Despite incessantly attempted inroads of spoilsmen, the United States foreign service has contrived to retain an im- pressive number of officers who now have long terms of duty to their credit. The list was submitted recently to the House Appropriations Committee. It includes the following veterans and respective periods of service: Julius G. Lay, Minister to Uruguay, 42 years; Hoffman Phillip, Ambassador to Chile, 36 years; Charles S. Wilson, Minister to Yugoslavia, 36 years; Joseph C. Grew, Ambassador to Japan, 33 years; Paul Knabenshue, Minister to Irag, 32 years; Maxwell Blake, diplomatic agent in Morocco, 31 years; Nelson T. John- son, Ambassador to China, 30 years; William Dawson, Minister to Colombia, 29 years; Pred M. Dearing, Ambassador to Peru, 29 years; Hugh S. Gibson, Ambassador to Brazil, 29 years; Ralph J. Totten, Minister to South Africa, 29 years; J. Butler Wright, Minister to Czechoslovakia, 28 years; Leo J. Keena, Minister to Honduras, 28 years; George T. Summerlin, Minister to Panama, 27 years; John V. A. MacMurray, Am- bassador to Turkey, 26 years; H. F. Arthur Schoenfeld, Minister to the Dominican Republic, 26 years; Frederick A. Sterling, Minister to Bulgaria, 26 years; Cornelius Van H. Engert, Minis- ter to Ethiopia, 25 years; Hugh R. Wilson, Minister to Switzerland, 25 years; Leland Harrison, Minister to Rumania, 24 years, and Nelson Armour, Minister to Canada, 21 years. Of 55 present Ambassadors and Ministers, 28 are career appointees—highest percent- age on record. (Copyrisht, 1037.) Each pace is one in which he is not at | extra careful, well, that is a good thing, | | Rougon-Macquart Fam been | 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. How many boys belong to model airplane clubs?—C. R. W. A. It is estimated that 500,000 boys are enrolled in various model aircraft clubs. Q. How many subjects has George VI?—N. M. D. A. The total population of the British Empire is about 486,734,000. King Q. Where did “White Horse Inn"” have its premiere?>—K. L. A. The musical show opened at the Grosse Schauspielhaus in Berlin in No- vember, 1930. Q. In cremation is the casket burned with the body?—B. N. A. It is. The casket is never opened after the funeral service. Q. Where in the West is the Argentine Pass?—F. W. A. This is a mountain pass in Colo- rado, not far from Denver. It attains an altitude of more than 13,000 feet. Q. What was Houdini's real name?— J. W. H. A. The magician was named Ehrich Weiss. Q. How many people in the United States are handicapped by stuttering? —J. Z. A. According to Edwin Burket Twit- meyer, Ph. D, chief of the Corrective Speech Clinic, University of Pennsyl- vania, there are more than 1,000.000 stut= terers in the United States. Of this num- ber approximately a quarter of a million are children. Q. How many skins are required for a mouse coat?—L. P. 1. A. About 400 skins are used in making a full-length coat. Q. Who erected the enormous crucifix on the road between Washington, D. C and Richmond, Va.?—J. D. H A. The Historical Committee, Cath- olic Woman'’s Club, Richmond, Va., was responsible for the erection of the cruci- fix on the roadside of the Jefferson Davis Highway at Aquia Creek, 14 miles north of Fredericksburg, Va. The site of the crucifix is that of the first English Catholic settlement in Virginia. This heroic-size crucifix is bronze, 30 feet high. and weighs nine tons. The cost was $7,500. Q. Where is the largest collection of outdoor water lilies in the United States?—K. R. A. The collection at McKee Jungle Garden, at Vero Beach, Fla, is sald to be the largest. Q. Which of Emile Zola's works was modeled after Balzac's “La Comedie Humaine”?—H. J A. His famous series known as “The Q P]ea\gne the particulars of the Astor House riot—M. R. L A. This disturbance occurred in New York City on May 10, 1849, when Wil- liam C. Macready, English actor, was billed to play Macbeth, and supporters of Edwin Forrest, the American actor, endeavored to rush the Astor Place Opera House. The 7th eRegiment was summoned to the assistance of the police and 22 persons were killed and 36 wounded. Q. What is the average cost of edu- cation per pupil in the United States? —H. L. A. The average cost per pupil of edu- | cation in the United States for 193¢ was | $73.58. Q. Who said it is easier to be critical than to be correct?—O. P. H. A. Disraeli. Q. In what year did Neal Dow. the temperance reformer, run for President? —E. G. A. In 1880 he was the candidate of the National Prohibition Party for President. Q. Are the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bridge the same?—O. K. D. A. They are two different bridges. The Golden Gate Bridge spans San Francisco Bay and connects San Francisco with Marin Peninsula. The total length of the bridge is 8940 feet; width, 90 feet; single arch suspension, 4200 feet It was constructed at a cost of $32,000,000. The San Francisco-Oakland Bridge is a suspension type of bridge stretching across the bay and connecting San Francisco with Oakland. The length of that bridge is 22,720 feet and the cost was about $75,000,000. Q. What country has the most in- ventors in proportion to its population? —C.B. W. A. Switzerland claims first place in demands for patents in proportion to population. Germany is second and the United States third. Q. What —L. B. A. Tt is a United States Government publication, distributed daily, Tuesday through Saturday, that contains the of- ficial texts of all current presidential proclamations, executive orders and all other orders, regulations, certificates, codes, licenses, notices or similar docu- ments having general applicability and legal effect, issued or prescribed by the President of the United States, executive departments and other agencies of the executive branch of the Government. is the Federal Register? Q. How much do trees reduce wind velocity?—F. T. A. The Forest Service says that an effective windbreak reduces surface wind velocity 10 to 50 per cent for a distance of thirty times the height of the trees. Trees 65 feet high reduce the ground wind 10 per cent or more for a third of a mile. A Rhyme at Twilight By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton. A Late Frost. Every bough and twig, every blade of grass, Even my porch rail, edged with rime; And it crackles under the feet that pass Crisp and clear, with & hint of chime. At my open window I stand and drink Life-giving drafts of frosted air; It stiffens my lashes and makes me blink, Lays crystal fingers upon my hair. ANl my being of drowsiness shorn As I lean far out in the silver morn. 4