Evening Star Newspaper, April 29, 1937, Page 12

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON D. C, THURSDAY, APRIL 29 1937. ———— ey e S AV Yy ST ey A0 THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Editien. WASHINGTON, D. C. April 29, 1937 - Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company. nd Pennsylvania Ave. New' Tork OMce: 110 East 42nd St Chicago Omce: 435 North Michizan Ave. Rate by Carrier—City and Suburban. Regular Edition. day Star The Evening and Bures fohth or 16 per week The Evening Star oo e The Sunday Star __. -5¢ per copy Night Final Edition, ght Final and Sunday Star-. 70c per month ight Final Star. -55¢ per month Collection made at the end of each month or euch week, Orders may be sent by mail or tele- phone Natlonal 5000 Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia, {ly and Sunday $10.00; 1 mo.. &bc ily “only 007 1 mo., b0c Sunday on) $4.00; 1 mo.. 40c All Other States and Canada, Daily and Sunday. 1 yr. $12.00; 1 mo. $1.90 Daily “only_. ~ 1 yr, 8K 1 mo.,~ 78c Bunday only._ceee 1 ¥r.. $5.00; 1 mo., Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press 1s exclusively entitied to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the iocal news published herein, All righs of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. A Cultural Protest. ‘Three of the foremost English-speaking citadels of learning have just joined in administering a striking rebuke to Hitlerism and the negation of democratic and academic ideals which it typifies. ‘The occasion is the bi-centenary cele- bration of the University of Goettingen. That famous and venerable institution invited the leading colleges and uni- versities of the world to join in com- memorating its 200th anniversary in June. Several American universities, including Harvard, accepted the invita- tion, despite widespread belief here and in other countries that the festivities are designed primarily to propagate the Nazl faith in the universe of arts and sciences. This week Oxford, Yale and Princeton almost simultaneously rejected the pro- posal to send delegates to Goettingen. Ox- ford tardily follows the example of prac- tically every other important British university in boycotting the affair. The governing council had tentatively ac- cepted the bid, but finally decided to rescind that action. Not the least sig- nificant aspect of the final decision is that the Oxford authorities are so con- scious of Nazi unpopularity in Great Britain that they hesitated to take a step which would have hampered cur- rent plans to raise a £1,000,000 endow- ment fund. The council’s reversal was partially due, too, to a threatened pro- test revolt among both undergraduates and faculty members. The university will now content itself with dispatching a formal letter of congratulation to the German institution, as has already been done by other British universities and as Oxford itself did on the occasion of Heidelberg's 550th aniversary last year. Yale determined to follow Oxford’s example—to send felicitations, but no delegate, to Goettingen. The message of the New Haven officials expresses mere “regret,” without entering into any discussion of the underlying reasons. ‘These reasons are well understood, not only by the American people but by those of all countries in which intel- lectual freedom, political liberty and inalienable spiritual rights continue to be venerated and exercised. For such nations to join in any glorification of a system which has ruthlessly suppressed the most sacted human aspirations in the realms of government, culture and conscience would be grotesquely incon- sistent. A regime that condemns an Albert Einstein and a Thomas Mann to exile, and bans and burns the products of their genius, has no claims on the sympathies of men, women and insti- tutions which incarnate the Anglo- Baxon spirit of culture. ———e— ‘There is some prejudice against “white #les and tails” at a banquet which is more or less of a political nature. Cus- tom, however, will not be denied and the florist is always generous with bloom- ing fragrance which will quench any gentle reminiscence of moth balls. American formalities are still content to omit knee breeches from the require- ments of state occasion. The statue of Alexander Hamilton south of the Treas- ury Building stands as a reminder that ancestral attire recognized the propriety of a disclosure of a gentlemanly calf. — e “Tidal basin” is a term recognizing a hydraulic principle for the control of floods and back wash. In discussing a filled-in site for a Jefferson memorial it may be found proper to call in the plumbers as well as the architects. oo Coast-to-Coast Road. Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes on several occasions has suggested & national highway running from coast to coast across the continent over the shortest possible route. The project is ome which appeals to him in his role of P. W. A. administrator and represents the useful variety of “make work” de- velopment which he favors in aid of recovery. But, somehow, there never has been much public consideration of the pro- posal. Possibly it was submitted to the people at a time when they were pre- occupied with immediate difficulties and could not pause to think of it construc- tively. In any event, the idea has suffi- cient merit to warrant revival. The Nation’s Capital, surely, should be in- terested, if only because it is indicated that it would be the Eastern terminus of the highway. A glance at the map shows that a straight line drawn from Washington to Ban Francisco would pass through or at least conveniently near Cincinnati, Kansas City, Denver and a number of smaller but perhaps not less important communities. The main trunk, also, as Mr. Ickes visions it, would have connect- ing branches running north and south to accommodate such cities as Pitts- burgh and Savannah, Toledo and At- lanta, Indianapolis and Birmingham, St » 4 Louis and New Orleans, Minneapolis and Little Rock, Salt Lake City and Tucson, and Carson City and San Diego. In effect, a gridiron traffic system would be established. Existing boulevards, of course, would be correlated into the design. But Mr. Ickes includes in his philosophy a certain concern for housing progress which likewise should ke noted. He sees the creation of a transcontinental series of new communities, laid out in harmony with modern concepts of town-planning and constructed in agreement with cur- rent policies of architectural and build- ing trade advancement. If a migration of population followed, he believes it would be nothig to regret. Within the next half century homes will have to be found somewhere for an estimated in- crease of forty million people. It seems wise that natural expansion should be anticipated and prepared for, and the coast-to-coast road deserves attention in that relation. ] Census of Unemployed. President Roosevelt's cold shoulder toward a census of the unemployed in this country seems unjustified. It is based on the assumption that it is im- possible to write a definition of “un- employed” and also on the assumption that there are already sufficient data on hand to estimate correctly the number of unemployed. It should be possible to find a definition to cover those with- out jobs—although not so easy to define those who desire jobs different from those they have. After all, the effort is to ascertain the number of those who are at a given time unemployed. The figures on hand on which the President now relies are fragmentary to say the least, consisting of the number of those who have been given work-relief jobs, those who are on direct relief, and those who are listed by the American Fed- eration of Labor and other organizations as being out of work. Many of these figures are mere estimates, A census of the unemployed, if car- ried out for the entire Nation, would give valuable information regarding the problems which confront the country, labor and industry. Politically, it might be disconcerting to an administration that has claimed it is righting the un- employment situation if the census showed a very large number of persons without gainful employment. On the other hand, it would give Congress much needed data when it comes to making appropriations for work relief or other kinds of relief. Congress now is about to be called upon to make such an appropriation and the President has recommended a lump-sum appropriation for work relief of $1,500,000,000—based presumably upon the figures which he holds are at hand. For months there have been varying claims as to the extent of unemploy- ment in the country. The attempt to cut the President’s estimate of appropri- ation by $500,000,000 for the fiscal year 1938 is Indicative of the uncertainty about the number of men and women out of work. Industry has had a big up- turn in recent months. Many more Jobs have been provided in private em- ployment. Why continue to guess about the size of the army of unemployed? The Census Bureau is well qualified to make a count of those who are without regular employ- ment. Senator Vandenberg of Michigan has suggested that it would be possible to obtain a correct estimate of the unem- ployed overnight by the simple process of having the unemployed g0 to the post offices all over the country on a given day and register. Whatever method may be decided upon, a census of the unem- ployed could and should be had. R Georgetown’s Gardens. Do gardens and children mix? Senti- mentally, perhaps. But practically, no— all the sweet little verses to the con- trary notwithstanding. Small feet have a fine disregard for small plants. Small hands lack a certain sense of discrimi- nation in what to pull off, or what to pull up, or where to select the best earth for the best mud pies. Merry little boys and girls do not a garden make. Ask any gardener or any mother with gardening ambitions. But for nine years now certain people in Georgetown have perfected a most practical method of mixing gardens and children, with great benefit to both. Once a year Georgetown’s Garden Pil- grimage offers opportunity to visit the proud handiwork of some of George- town’s most capable gardeners. This year’s pilgrimage will be on Saturday. Visitors may not only peek over mys- terious walls, but locked doors swing open and visitors are made at home—even to the extent of a cozy cup of tea. And the children? The proceeds of the sale of tickets to the garden pil- grimage go to the Georgetown Chil- dren’s House, a nursery school for the children of mothers whose employment takes them away from home. So long as Georgetown’s gardens—and pilgrim- ages—flourish, the children are taken care of. And this seems to be a pretty practical way of mixing gardens with children. Less Relief and More Taxes may bring L. R. M. T. into prominence in connec- tion with current economic eondition, Natural Heroism. If the recent local floods were respon- sible for little loss of life, the explanation must be that where people were endan- gered there also were people ready and willing to effect their rescue. The list of heroes reported in the past few days includes: Marvin Poole, Marshall Dailey, Claude Hayes, John Williams, H. M. Borger, Val Wilson, K. L. Burdette, Henry T. Magarity, a man known only as Campbell and two boys who refused to give their names—eleven individuals who bravely risked their own existence to preserve that of others. Of course, such fellow-feeling is ex- pected of civilized human beings. It Tepresents a basic element of character without which soclety eould not endure. LY Moreover, it furnishes a key to the riddle of the ultimate destiny of the race. Gradually, through thousands of years perhaps, but steadily, the instinct of mu- tual aid develops. It may be a slow process, yet it is sure. The professional psychologist beholds in it the evolution of a natural endowment. It is a power which is spiritual in origin. Let it be granted that it cannot be analyzed with perfect accuracy and that its source cannot be comprehended by finite intelligence, the value of courage is too self-evident to stand in need of labored argument. Every living soul ap- plauds it, doubtless on occasion feels it. It is the elemental democracy of the species. Take it away, and the founda- tion of human survival is gone. Help it to prosper, and the future of teeming millions of men, women and children is assured in terms of the only life more abundant worth having. — e Some of the congressional agitators.in favor of the presidential plans and speci- fications for a new Supreme Court should be permitted time off to go home and see whether their constituents are sufficiently impressed by an example of docility to stand hitched on their own account. History has very recently shown how easily a stampede may be started. e Lecturers frequently call attention to the cultivation of a sense of humor as a desirable feature of education. Base ball has been taken so seriously that colleges should join in commending the alert and irresistible Mr. Nicholas Al- trock for a few honorary degrees, ——— It is not fair to assume that it is time for a Supreme Court justice to re- tire merely because congressional con- versation occasionally causes him to yawn, o Politics has such a hold on the popular imagination that the question “Who is your publisher!” might be rationally in- cluded in a civil service questionnaire., —— . “De mortuis nil nisi bonum” is an- other old maxim liable to go into the discard when a best seller is prepared for distribution. ——re————— Virginia has an old-fashioned way of sticking to patriotic discussion without being overwhelmed with curiosity as to what the pari-mutuels are producing. —_———— After Senator Ashurst gets through with the spotlight he will be regarded by many kind friends as entitled to some kind of an endurance medal. ———rae— Competent politics smiles on, in recog- nition of the plain fact that a smashed camera is no argument. R Shooting Stars. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Weeds and Wishing. I'm glad, when rainbow skies are here And weeds and flowers, too, Come forth, that dreams I once held dear Did not at last come true. When, as a small, knee-panted boy, My hopes would drift afar, I thought what I would most enjoy Would be to drive a car— A plain horse car—no motor gay— I longed in state to sit Like old Joe Dagget did and say, “Giddep! Gol darn ye! Git!" And later on I scorned old Joe. I thought I'd like to be A sailor singing “Yo heave ho!"” ‘While pirating at sea. Then I devotedly longed to play A big resounding drum. So change my dreams and—well-a-day— I still am dreaming some. As onward through the years we drift Our fond ideals change, We smile as the conditions shift At wishes crude and strange. Therefore some thanks are due Unto the fate that shelves Our cherished hépes—if all came true, How we have bunked ourselves! No Appeal to the Imagination. “Do you take your public thoroughly into your confidence?” “I'm obliged to do 8o,” answered Sen- ator Sorghum. “But it's embarrassing. I sometimes feel like a magician who is expected to explain all his tricks as he goes along.” Utilization. “When a tree is dying,” said the forestry expert, “we sell it immediately to a paper manufactory.” “How marvelous!” exclaimed Miss Cayenne. “The tree that made this comic supplement must have died in convulsion.” For the Sake of Contrast. There must be competition fair The waiting public to amuse. Monotony is hard to bear. Sometimes the home team has to lose. There must be night as well as day, For contrast jazz requires the blues, ‘We cannot be forever gay. Sometimes the home team has to lose. Jud Tunkins says he’s not complain- ing because his boy didn’t get any medals in school, but he thinks the teacher who put up with him so long ought to have one. “When you would drown sorrows,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “beware of the danger of swallowing still more of them.” Old Habits and New. ‘The girl who smokes a cigarette Long since has banished all regret. She says she would be sad to learn That the old fashions must rGum, For she considers it quite rough The way great-grandmama used snuff. “If nobody paid attention to what wasn't strictly his own business,” said Uncle Eben, “dar wouldn’ be no fun in watchin' & base ball gamss.” Disregard of Merit System Not Limited to U. S. Ranks. To the Editor of The Star: ‘The article of April 25 by Frederic J. Haskin, “Antiquity of the Spoils System,” is certainly an interesting presentation and worthy of every thinking person’s reading. While Mr. Haskin gives the history of the spoils system he omitted to make the point that it has broadened out into the large corporations and is not confined to the Federal and State governments. I once worked for one of the very larg- est corporations and found that most every one who had a decent position had some political connection; that is, polit- ical in the sense that merit was disre- garded. Some of those having good posi- tions had a relative with the company; others had a father who knew one of the higher officials; some were connected through the influence of their wives; others would be sponsored by some na- tional organization because of their prominence therein, and some come into the better positions because of fraternal organizations, and so on down the line. Perhaps this corporation politics is the result of imitating the Federal Govern- ment, but the point I am making is that. 1t exists in almost all organizations. Be- cause of my own experience in this re- spect I oppose those business men of the large corporations who complain of poli- tics in the Government, however bad it may be, when they foster the very same thing in their own companies. When the executives of the larger corporations clean out their own system of politics, then it is time for them to attempt to reform the Government. ELMER C. CROWELL. —.e—s Governor Nice’s Veto of Gambling Legislation To the Editor of The Star: I have read with interest the com- ments in the Maryland and Virginia section of the Washington Evening Star as of April 23 on Gov. Nice's proposals for relief taxes as hit by delegates at the special session of the Maryland Legisla- ture, now held at Annapolis. As a Democrat and lifelong resident of Prince Georges County I am very grate- ful to Gov. Nice for vetoing such a relief bill that would sanction book- making establishments. It appears as though Gov. Nice in vetoing such a bill, with the rider attached that permitted bookmaking establishments, has higher ideals for the county and State of Mary- land than some give him credit for. Representative White's remarks as ap- peared in The Washington Star are as follows: “That if Nice had a sincere desire to do his part in bringing about adequate legislation to meet relief needs, as he claims, he would not have vetoed the old bill without giving it an oppor- tunity to prove its worth.” He further said, “The time seems to have arrived when bookmaking should be legalized and the tax money used for welfare pur- poses.” In reply, let me state first that it would never have proved itself except as being the greatest curse ever brought on the residents and property holders of Prince Georges County by sanction- ing a menace on us that Washington City will not tolerate, and secondly that money raised in this manner does not promote welfare or progress. If Repre- sentative White wants to do a construc- tive job I would suggest that he and other politicians help eliminate the famous place that is in operation just across the District line in Prince Georges County and which is so near his home in Hyattsville. J. W. ROBERTS. B Eight-Hour Law for Crews Of Inland Water Vessels To the Editor of The Star: For the past several months I have been trying to bring before our House of Congress the necessity of providing an eight-hour day for crews on vessels op- erating on inland waters, but so far I have been unsuccessful in my attempt. I have been a tughoat captain for the past 30 years and have manned crews in the New York Harbor and vicinity, the Long Island Sound to Providence, R. I.; the Hudson River and the Erie Canal. The crews are worked 12 hours a day and often seven days a week—or 84 hours a week. There is no law providing us with the privilege of demanding an eight-hour day and that s what I am trying to get Congress to do for us. There are two unions covering this line of work here in New York Harbor, but they are not doing anything toward helping our work- ing conditions. I have written to the President and several Representatives and my letters have been referred to several bureaus and the Committee on Labor in the House of Representatives. The Bureau of Ma- rine Inspection and Navigation seems to control this line of work. I have been advised there is no legisla- tion pending before the Labor Commit- tee, but my letters would be filed for fu- ture consideration. Can you, by printing this letter, bring this matter to the attention of Congress at once? CAPT. BERNARD L. YOUNG. Elmsford, N. Y. Congress Should Be Driver Of New Three-Horse Plow To the Editor of The Btar: The Judiciary Committee has finished hearings for and against “packing the court.” After a number of committee meetings a report will be made to the Senate. I wish to call the attention of the members of Congress to the fact that F. D. R. in a speech likened the three branches of the Government to three horses. His request to “pack the court,” so that he can control their decisions, has indirectly demanded that the legis- lative and Supreme Court horses be at- tached direct to the plow and the execu- tive horse attached as the lead horse. As 95 per cent of the laws declared un- constitutional were written by the execu- tive the fight is between the executive and Supreme Court. Close to 100 per cent of the laws originating, -drawn and passed by the legislative branch have been declared constitutional; therefore there is no fight between these two branches. I suggest that the legislative branch reharness the three horses and attach the executive horse direct to the plow and attach the Supreme Court and legislative horses as lead horses, where they can pull together in the right direction. F.D. R. stated that the people are to sit in the driver's seat. As the legislative branch represents the people it would be well for that branch to accept the invitation and hereafter occupy the driver’s seat. EDWARD P. HUBBELL. Chance for Regulation. Prom the Indianapolis Star. If the Government intends to run everything, why doesn’t it establish a legal minimum of berries on the straw- berry shortcake? Frost Damage. Prom the Yakima (Wash.) Republic. People who intend to. worry about the damage the Spring frosts are likely to do to the fruit will do well to get busy soom. They haven much time left. “Dear 8ir: The annual revival of the best act in our woods has begun, and is hereby given top billing. “I don’t know what the birds call it, but this appreciative audience calls it ‘Something to Live For. “There is nothing, once wrote Dan Hicky, the young Atlanta poet, like music—‘to mend the heart, and give it flight again.’ “And every year, with the return of the wood thrush, I think of that line. “Life seems so exacting, at times, in the matter of seeing to it that we develop either a philosophy of life or else an immunity to it. And I declare, if listen- ing to the song of the thrush doesn't give one a headstart on a good workable philosophy—or an incentive to try for one, at least—I don’t know what will. “An immunity must be a little like dying by smothering. A most uncom- fortable thing, I should think. “But a philosophy gives one a little breathing space, and room to expand, after awhile. * %k % x “At the close of business yesterday I drove out to my home in Arlington County, Va., to pick up a parcel which had been forgotten in the morning rush. “Upon approaching the front steps of the house I heard a rustle in the oak leaves. A flash of a certain shade of brown there in the leaves stopped me dead in my tracks. “Then I saw a speckled breast, and a bright eve peering at me. “My heart sang—my spirit soared. “Not just one wood thrush, but a pair of them. And on the 22d of April. Incredible. * Kk ok Xk “The parcel was forgotten, with no effort at all, and suddenly the only thing that really seemed to need doing at the moment was to transplant those purple violets on the east side of the house that have been waiting to be moved all this Spring. “This gave me a good view of the thrushes, and I watched operations of the brown-coated pair as they looked over the housing situation in the vicinity of last year's nest in the old forsythia bush. “They were just as curious about what I was doing, I might add. They are like the mockers, in this respect. “While not one liquid note have they uttered as yet, anyhow, theyre here! Very truly yours, P. B. G.” * X X X% The day referred to above was last Thursday. Precisely at 5:05 a.m. Saturday morn- ing the writer here heard his first wood thrush of the season. He had seen one (dead), as told here recently, about two weeks previous. He had given April 28 or thereabouts as the usual date for the return of this thrush to nearby Marvland gardens. Last Saturday morning the first true wood thrush notes came through the air. The bird was perched in a tree about 20 feet from the window. He gave only a few of his loud, clear notes, not more than four groups of three notes. These were heralded by the curious clucking noises with which this beau- tiful bird accompanies his true song. STARS, ME Those who love the wood thrush al- ways have their ears attuned for its song. No soconer had we heard those first notes than we listened breathlessly, so as not to miss a single one of them. Some robins had begun to tune up for the day. They were making consid- erable noise near the rear of the yard. A white-throated sparrow sent his quavering notes through the crisp air. High above them all soared the triolets of the thrush. Then silence. We listened in vain thereafter for the thrush’s song. He gave it no more, but was content with a few harsh grating noises, all un- mistakably thrushlike. * Xk X Kk At T o'clock we thought we heard the song again, but it was not he, Mister Thrush, but Old Man Mockingbird, who had heard him, too! Not once before had this particular mocker tried to ape the song of the wood thrush. He had tried the cardinal’s music with rather good success, and many of the other birds, but at no time had he attempted the difficult measures of the wood thrush. Having heard the real thing, however, he evidently was put in mind of some- thing— Was he not now, in rather a gro- tesque fashion, trying those beautiful strains? He did not succeed very well, but there was no doubt about what he was trving to imitate. He had heard the song, and was try- ing his “hand” at it. * X X * One may feel safe in saying, therefore, that the mockingbird must hear songs before he can imitate them. No doubt this could be proved posi- tively by keeping track of the birds as they arrive in Spring, and also of the songs imitatdd by a good specimen of mocker, ‘We have never heard a mockingbird give a really credible performance of a wood thrush’s song, but that is not to be wondered at; few humans, unless specially gifted, can whistle it properly, owing to the double stops required. Then the matter of key is difficult, and the scope, from high to low, especially that top note of the third triad, calls for the capacity of a soprano. Thrush music has been put on the piano successfully, but, of course, a piano is not a thrush. The quality is entirely different Perhaps the violin would do a better Jjob of it, or a flute, but do you know the instrument which we believe might imi- tate a thrush most successfully? Nothing less than the humble ocarina, that po- tato-shaped instrument of clay which in- trigues the fancy of small boys. Two of these, in different sizes, might be used by two performers to give both the notes and the double stops of the thrush’s song, bringing some sense of the chime effect which distinguishes it. No instrument made by hands, how- ever, can 7Juite duplicate the glorious music of the wood thrush, whose strains proceed from the heart of Nature, bring- ing solace and happiness, volcing that perennial hope of man, “The best is yet to be; see all, nor be afraid.” AND ATOMS otebook of Science Progress in Field, Laboratory and Study. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. Discovery of a “gene of change,” the like of which may play an important part in the process of evolution, was reported to the National Academy yesterday by Dr. M. Demerec of the Carnegie Institu- tion of Washington. It leads to the paradoxical hypothesis that change is hereditary. Dr. Demerec worked with strains of fruit flies, the favorite subjects for ge- netic experiment. Variations from the parents occur frequently in the offspring from generation to generation, but near- ly all such variations are such as prove fatal to the individual. These “mutations,” he found, occurred much more frequently in some of his fly families than in others. He discov- ered that in at least one of the strains they were due to a single gene located in a specific chromosome in the germ plasm. It was the seat of an here_ditary organic discontent which manifested itself from generation to generation, not in the direction of some specific char- acter, but in a general inclination of the body state to change things—usually with lethal results. 8 This may indicate why some animal and plant lines have remained un- changed almost since the beginning of life on earth, while others have varied continuously both in the direction of extinction and of development into new and more fit forms. The adventurous gene, Dr. Demerec found., is a “reces- sive,” which tends to become submerged when the stock is bred with a line which does not contain it. This tends to bring about a saving stability in life forms. The gene, Dr. Demerec said, is very specific in its action. It increases the rate of change only in embryonic tissue, so that an individual is born with the changes already accomplished. * K Ok X One’s breathing pattern changc}d markedly with different types of vocali- zation, it was reported to the academy by Dr. Walter R. Miles of Yale Univer- sity. He reported: “In oral reading the respiration rate is about half as fast as in silent resting, the amplitude is approximately twice as deep, the inspiration is quicker, and shallow supplementary breaths are in- terspersed at irregular intervals between the deeper inspirations. There is fre- quently a very conspicuous change in me level of breathing accompanying vocali- zation. “The average expiration level, known to be usually quite stable, falls in sing- ing below that for normal resting. In contract oral reading, conversation, and, still more strikingly, impromptu speak- ing, all tend to show a marked increase in the reserve air, amounting frequently to as much or more than the value of the tidal air in the same persons.” * Kk ok X A new technique for detecting radium in the body was reported by Dr. Robley D. Evans of the Massachusetts Insti- tute of Technology. In cases of chronic radium poisoning several micrograms of radium element are stored in the bones. The usual metabolic exchange of calcium and other elements between the bones and the blood stream includes the removal to the blood stream of a small fraction of this radium. Said Dr. Evans: “By increasing some ten thousand fold the sensitivity of the detection apparatus previously used in our studies of the radium eliminated daily in the body wastes we are able to determine the radium content of five cubic centimeter specimens of blood. Combination of these two experimental results ylelds information on the effi- clency of the eliminative organs in re- moving heavy element impurities from the blood stream. “In human beings the daily elimina- tion, in the case of radium, is more than ten times the total amount of radium impurity contained in the blood stream at any one time. With appropriate chanzes in radioactive detection tech- nique. these same principles may be em- ployed in studies of the rate of trans- fer from the blood stream to the intes- tine of a number of chemical elements, through the use of their artificially ra- dioactive isotypes as chemical indi- cators.” * kX X The fat man must pay. Experimenting with fat geese and fat mice, Drs. Francis G. Benedict and Robe ert C. Lee of the Carnegie Institution of Washington told the National Acad- emy today they found that the total production of body heat was in almost direct proportion to the increase in weight. This indicates that the fat person must use more energy to live. There is less left for extraneous activities. There must be more calories in the food to sup- ply the energy. Hitherto, they said, it generally has been supposed that fat was “metabolically inert” and played no di- rect role in heat production. S Protesting Jay Franklin’s Statements on Puerto Rico To the Editor of The Star: Please insert in the lines of your illus- trious newspaper what undoubtedly serves the purpose to answer the article entitled “We, the People,” written by Mr. Jay Franklin on April 3. With due respect for Mr. Franklin I consider he falls flat in many of his ill- prejudiced assertions, His information this time, whatever source it be, has deceived him. Perfect in form, elevated in spirit, but, unfortunately, tremendously unjust. To blame Dr. Gruening and Gov. Winship for present conditions in Puerto Rico and to emphasize that the tragedy in Ponce is the responsibility of these two gentlemen is to be out of common sense, We are receiving the benefits of Fed- eral legislation which might be seen in projects, construction of various kinds, etc. Thousands of people are having work every day. Moreover, we are to have soon the beneflt of other Federal laws through the initiative of Dr. Gruening and Gov. Winship. There are other points in Mr. Frank- lin’s article that can be answered, but the one mentioning Dr. Gruening and Gov. Winship deserves my attention. Be it known these two gentlemen are true are sincere friends of Puerto Rico. M. R. A, FORTIER. Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. The Universal Tie. From the New Orleans Times-Picayune. We note that the French “popular front” government adopted an unbal- anced budget and as a result was said to be entrenched firmly. One touch of unbalanced budgets makes the world akin. ——oe—s. Just Wait Till 1938! From the Cortland (N. Y.) Standard. ‘When the next campaign rolls around can’t you visualize some of the dema- gogic politicians promising the sit-down strikers arm chairs and meerschaum pipes? 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. Did some organization choose the white birch to commemorate Mother's day?—F. W. A. The American Forestry Association chose the white birch as a commemora- tive tree for Mother's day, May 13, 1923, Q. Has any moving picture company bought the rights to Hector Bolitho's “King Edward VIII"?—K. S. A. Because of the censorship imposed on anything dealing with the former King the motion picture companies have refused to consider the film rights for this biography. Q. Will the hotel rates in Parls be exorbitant during the exposition?—F. M. A. A new bill adopted by the French Chamber of Deputies provides a scale of prices running from approximately $2 for room and three meals in the small, modest hotels to more than $12 a day for room and table d'hote board in the finer hotels. Between these two extremes there are 14 distinct classes of hotels, so accommodations at all prices will be available to tourists. Q. How many strikes have been averted by the National Labor Relations Board?—F. M. A. In the short time during which it has operated the board has averted by its intervention 101 threatened strikes involving 30,067 workers, Q. Were the men who framed the Constitution of advanced years?—C. W, A. Fourteen were 50 or over, 21 were under 40. Franklin, the eldest, was 81; Dayton, the youngest, was 26. ' Q. Are there more than four words in the English language which end with “dous”?—S. C. A. A contest conducted by Correct English brought to light more than 40 more. Needless to say, they are not words in common usage. Q. Who is the boy with the X-raj G. H. | eves?—C. A. Pat Marquis, a 13-year-old boy of Glendale, Calif, is so called. He is not only able to see with his eyes blind- folded, but can play ping-pong, and take part in other sports. Q. Did Hetty Green's son have a leg amputated?—E. J. A. The late Edward H. R. Green was in a coasting accident as a child which eventually necessitated the amputation of one leg. Q. Is jo-jotte a new card game?—N. S, A. It is a very old game. It has been modified and adapted for present-day play by Ely Culbertson. Q. How much money was spent on the construction of roads last year?—G. R. A. According to figu compiled by the American Road Builders' Associa- | tion, highway construction expenditures in the United States exceeded $600,000,- 000 in 1936. Q. Is the letter of condolence writte to Mrs. Lincoln by Queen Victoria still in existence?—G. A. G. A. It is in the Library of Congress, upon exhibition there. It was written to express sympathy after the death of President Lincoln. Q. What park in the United States is the farthest south?—H. G. A. Everglades National Park, in Florida, is farther south than any oth section of the United States and 3 miles farther south than Cairo, Egypt. Q. Will the Rogers Memorial, on Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado, have a perpetual light?—H. M. A. The tower of the Shrine of th Sun will be floodlighted at night and from its tip a sodium light, sim t those used on the San Francisco-Oa lard Bay Bridge, will be lighted to burn forever. Travelers from the East will be able to see the light for 125 miles. Q. How many music records are sold in the United States?—K. F. A. A recent estimate of record sales in this country places the number at three million a month. Q. Where is John Burroughs, naturalist, buried?>—W. H. A. His grave is on a farm overlooking the village of Roxbury, N. Y. the Q. What is a Rhodes scholar?—L. B A. A Rhodes scholar is one who holds a scholarship from the Rhodes Founda- tion, which was established in the w of Cecil John Rhodes of South Africa. By means of this scholarship 132 st dents each year are enabled to carry on advanced research and study. Q. Where in Mississippi is the p where starch, sizing and adhesives a made from sweet potatoes?—E, F. A. It is located at Laurel. Q. How much gold has been taken out of Alaska?—F. R A. Since the discovery of gold in Alaska, in 1880, the territory has pro- duced more than $434,765,000 in gold, with nearly two-thirds of this from placer mines. Q. Will you kindly give the relative benefits from exposure to the sun in February or March, as compared with July and August?—M. J. K. A. The intensity of the ultra-violet rays is about eight times as great in August as in January. It increases rapidly from sunrise until noon, when it again decreases rapidly until sunset. The intensity is almost twice as great at noon as it is at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. R Closing Out Business Will Not Stop Heavy Taxation To the Editor of The Star: The case of the friend of Frank G. Campbell doesn’t mean a thing to me. The man himself says that he could have continued in business and made money. But he simply didn’t want to be bothered with “all this tax business.” He had his, and so he pulled up stakes. Such a bum argumentll never stop Congress from piling Ossa upon Pelion. In England, in Edward III's time, thera was some sort of taxpayers’ rebellion, but that was aided and abetted by Parliament itself. Then the King “went forth with armed men and gathered in all the geese and chickens that he could lay his hands on.” Let some one invent something that1l handle the situation in regard to taxes, Just a lot of moaning and groaning, and nothing done. All that I can see is that organized workers secure more out of the bosses than circumstances warrant, and thosq who are not organized, naturally, hold the bag. FRED VETTER.