Evening Star Newspaper, July 1, 1937, Page 8

THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON, D THURSDAY D. C. July 1, 1937 THEODORE W. NOYES The Evening Star Newspaper Company. 11th St and Peansylvania *Ave, New York Office: 110 East 47nd St. ©Chicago Office: 435 North Michigan Ave. Rate by Carrier—C Regular E ’ The Evening and Sunday Star 65¢ per month or 15c per week The Evening Btar S e c per month or 10c per weel "The Sunday Star ___~ ________"__5c per copy Night Final Edition, ieht Final and Sunday Star tar 0c per month ight Final S per month each month or Orders may be sent by mall or tele- Phone Netional 5000. Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. 1 mol, aoc 1 mo.. 40c All Other States and Canada. Daily a Sunday. 1 yr, $12.00: 1 mo., $1.00 Dally “only o 13e, Ts500; 1 mon 356 Sunday only_ _ $5.00; 1 mo.,, 50c Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press fs exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited 1o it or not otherwise credited in this DADer and also the local news published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved _— Happy New Year! On this first day of the new fiscal year the District of Columbia lies financially sick abed with Dr, Senate sharpening his saws and scalpels and preparing sterilized dressings for what looks like an emergency operation. The patient does not know exactly where the cutting will begin or where it will end. "All he knows is that it is going to hurt. For he has been around doctors before. About this time last year, he remem- bers in his lucid moments, Dr. Senate and his colleague, Dr. House, decided that what the patient needed was an expert diagnosis at the hands of a group of specialists. The fee to be charged— $50,000—was & pretty stiff one, as such fees go, but the doctors and the patient agreed that if the cause of that con- stant pain fn the neck could be located, the money would be well spent. Well, the specialists were called in. They set up a laboratory and they made various tests, examined the patient’s insides and made him hop up and down on one foot to see if his heart beat any faster—if at all. At last they sub- mitted a report, advising, in highfalutin language, that the patient was suffering from loss of blood and what he needed was to be bled. The diagnostician’s report was sub- mitted to Dr. House, who turned it down after a brief examination of the diag- noticians themselves. Dr. House seemed to suspect that the diagnosticians were under the impression that it was the doctor, not the patient, who was in need of treatment and he would have none of it. The patient found that his money had been thrown down another rat hole, which made him feel worse than ever. 8o Dr. House took him in charge and advited & number of possible operations, ranging from beheading down to the less drastic processes of physiotherapy, naturopathy and chiropody. He turned the choice over to an istant who called in Dr. District Building, an old friend of the family. The assistant and Dr. District Building having con- fined their practice in the past to pre- scribing pills, and knowing nothing of surgery, grew panicky over the thought of an operation and spent much of their time running rapidly in all directions and threatening the patient with all the tortures perfected by tax experts since their forefathers of the Spanish Inquisition. Dr. District Building, in 4act, became quite bloodthirsty, for- getting entirely his friendly relationship with the patient and regarding him merely as another guinea pig. The operation by Dr. House may have been successful, from the doctor’s point of view, but it was rather hard on the patient. To keep from cutting himself the good doctor adopted the novel ex- pedient of standing away from the operating table and throwing his knives at and into the patient. And In a weakened condition the patient now awaits Dr. Senate. This naturally well intentioned gentleman asked for advice and received it. Some consultants advised cutting off the feet, in order to protect the head. Others argued heatedly that the amputation should be performed at the neck, thus saving the lower extremities. Some ad- vised the pain technique, with the thought that it does not matter where you cut, just so it hurts. Others were for anything, so long as the patient could be fooled into believing he was never touched. So Dr. Senate decided to go to work on his own and see what he could find. Under these circumstances about the only thing to do, as the patient is rolled into the operating room, is to wish him & Happy New Year and the hope that it may bring to him the realization that the time has come for him to work a miracle on himself, take up his bed and walk and, if need be, begin operating on the doctors. —————— Jefferson Island Sequel. The success of the Jefferson Island party having been so widely hailed on all sides because of the beautiful restoration of party harmony which it accomplished, there should be a sequel. And the only fitting sequel is a “get acquainted” party on this same Jefferson Island at which the members of Congress will be given the opportunity to meet the men who write the New Deal laws. Members of Congress, after all, are human beings like the rest of us. They have a natural, healthy curiosity over the identity as well as the personality of the men who write the laws they pass and are asked to pass. Why not permit them to meet each other amid the salubrious surroundings of this en- chanted isle—shake each other by the hand, pat each other on the back, learn to call one another by first names and, 1f they choose, by other names? One may visualize the scene. The members of Congress will be ferried to ~ the island and placed in a receptive mood. At a given signal a submarine will rise from the depths off Bloody Point and proceed to the Jefferson Island dock. The hatch will be removed and a white-clad officer, with mega- phone, will stand by. “Gentlemen,” he will shout, “I give you Mr. So-and-So. He wrote the gold legislation!” As the applause from the assembled members of Congress shatters the quiet of Jeffer- son Island, Mr. So-and-So will walk the planks of the dock and join the happy group. One by one a new head will pop from the hatch of the submarine, an unknown hero will be presented to the admiring legislators and will be received in their loving, outstretched -arms. This will not be, strictly speaking, a government or even a party affair, Many of the authors of past laws have left the Federal service to write columns in newspapers, edit magazines, go into the molasses business or engage in other sticky but lucrative pursuits. These, of course, should be invited, for the alumni are entitled tq the respect and even the affection of undergraduates. They, too, were once only amateurs. But the real guests of honor will be those heroes whe are yet to win renown at earning a living for themselves and are still toiling away in Washingtor offices, unsung and un- honored, merely writing the laws for Congress 10 pass. What an opportunity for making acquaintances! What a chance for new friendships, comrades all, working shoulder to shoulder! oo Co-Operation With Europe. Belgian Premier Van Zeeland's recent exploratory visit to Washington, as it turns out, coincided with suddenly crit- ical developments in the French mone- tary situation. Gold payments were suspended in order to arrest the flight of capital, the Paris Bourse was closed for the purpose of checking specula- tion in francs, and the Chautemps government obtained dictatorial finan- cial powers until August 31, Mainly responsible for these vigorous stop-gap measures is M. Georges Bonnet, who quit the ambassadorship at Washington only a few days ago to plunge straight- away into the fiscal maelstrom as finance minister in the new cabinet. With the solid backing of the Popular Front majority in the Chamber of Deputies, he has moved with boldness and celerity along lines that promise to rescue France from the brink of dis- aster on which she plainly hovered. M. Bonnet's herculean task is to restore public confidence, curtail government expenditure, replenish a depleted treas- ury and defend the gold reserve of the Bank of France. To that end. as a major recourse, the franc will be un- pegged from gold and permitted to find its own level with respect to sterling and the dollar. The United States’ primary interest in France’s vicissitudes is our partnership in the stabilization agreement, originally sealed with Great Britain and France, and later adhered to by the Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium. It is promptly revealed at Washington that even should France require temporarily to withdraw from the combination, the five other powers will still act in unjson for the common international good. Undoubt- edly it was with the French situation conspicuously in mind that President Roosevelt and M. Van Zeeland, on the eve of the premier's departure, joined in a statement from which is manifest the United States’ continued intention to take part, “within the framework of traditional American policy,” in rehabil- itating the world economic structure by helping to rebuild trade, by joint action in monetary matters and by seeking arrangements “whereby the burdens and dangers of overwhelming armaments may be reduced or the method of their employment safeguarded.” Without in any way pledging the United States to fresh commitments, Mr. Roosevelt thus clearly reflects its readi- ness, in future, as in the past, to pool American influence and resources for promotion of ‘co-operation and sta- bility in the monetary sphere.” The President acclaims the satisfactory re- sults of the currency agreement as “an example of what can be done where fear, hostility and aggressive intention are absent.” Such expressions of our sym- pathetic interest in the solution of world economic problems apply particularly to France at this time. They are coupled in her case with the cordial good wishes of the whole American people that under M. Bonnet's constructive leadership the republic’s flnances may be speedily steered again into safe waters. An eco- nomically sound France is one of the pillars of peace in Europe. — The young gentlemen who honor Washington with a brief visit are mak- ing themselves at home in a confident manner. A Boy Scout's impressions of the world's greatest Capital will be worth having. ) Career Appointments, Because of the importunities of New Deal spoilsmen under the benevolent re- gime of Jobmaster General Farley, it is always news—and good news—when high Federal appointments are withheld from merely deserving partisans and made exclusively for merit. In the case of the foreign service, and especially at a time of incalculable international ten- slon like the present, the country has cause for self-congratulation on the fact that place-hunters nowadays ap- parently aim in vain at key diplomatic positions. While the exigencies of the party system require consideration of the claims of presidential supporters for ambassadorial and ministerial plums, the Roosevelt administration has on the whole made a successful effort to guard the foreign service against political ravages. Two late announcements signalize afresh the program of keeping politics out of our external relations and pre- serving the career principle. Hugh R. Wilson, Minister to Switzerland for the past ten years, has been appointed to THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY JI:'LY 1, 1937 THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. the vacant assistant secretaryship of state. From Havana comes word that Cuba has expressed approval of J. Butler Wright, now Minister to Czechoslovakia, as Ambassador Caffery’s successor. Both men are typical career officers of the for- eign service. Mr. Wilson looks back upon twenty-six years of association with in- ternational affairs, having begun as pri- vate secretary to the American Minister to Portugal in 1911. Meantime he has served throughout Europe, Asia and Central America and recurrently in the State Department. As Minister at Berne he had constant contact with activities of the League of Nations, including suc- cessive Geneva conferences in which the United States participated, acting fre- quently as Washington’s chief spokes- man. Through his League experience, Mr. Wilson acquired a wide acquaintance with European statesmen, affording him & background which should be of in- estimable value to the départment in the work he now assumes there. Mr. Wright, whose formal appointment to Cuba is doubtless imminent, wears foreign service stripes representing a span of twenty-eight years. His career has em- braced duty at various posts through- out Europe and the Western Hemisphere. Uncle Sam’s relations with Cuba, always of important and sometimes of delicate nature, will be in seasoned hands in the care of Ambassador Wright, for he has long specialized in Latin American affairs. Not the least of his qualities is fluency in the Spanish language. As Minister to Uruguay from 1930 to 1933, Mr. Wright rendered eminent service in paving the way for the seventh con- ference of American states at Monte- video. Cuban-American friendship should flourish anew under his mission at Havana, — ——oes Jefferson Island is remembered as a beautiful spot, but that reputation is not supposed to cheer the gentlemen of the press who waited at the Annapolis dock to ascertain whether Mr. Maverick was really as reliable with extempore wit as tc make John Garner genuinely sorry that he had to miss the party. —— reee == Spaniards are recipients of much sym- pathy, regardless of their precise situa- tion in a war which is now regarded as contributing nothing to even the selfish purpose in promoting the joy of living, — Some one was needed to take the re- sponsibility for opening the works and it might as well be Tom Girdler, who has a habit of trying to settle one thing at a time. e Youngsters are here in abundance. They are bent on having a good time and will have it in a clean fashion that may afford an example worthy of the attention of their elders. R Shooting Stars, BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Watering Places. A tiny child so pallid Upon a Summer day Drew near a house of blossoms To watch the garden spray. She came sometimes at twilight, Sometimes at early dawn, So see the wiggle water Sprinkle, sprinkle on the lawn. Some seek the ocean billow, Some seek the mountain stream, When Summer days grow weary And bid us rest and dream. And some who live uncherished In patient joy are drawn Just “to see the wiggle water Sprinkle, sprinkle on the lawn.” Close Occupation. “Where are you going this Summer?” “My family hasn't decided.” answered Senator Sorghum. “I won't be with them.” “They will miss you.” “Not much. I can spend little time at | home anyhow, and they can hear me | over the radio as often as ever.” Wear and Tear. “For how long do you guarantee this watch?” “It depends,” replied the jeweler, “on whether you live in a daylight saving neighborhood and have to wear it out resetting it.” A General Policy. When Summer’s persistence Leaves no one exempt, A passive resistance Is all I'd attempt. Worrying Less. “What became of that No Worry Club you used to belong to?” “It took up a more practical form of development,” replied Mr. Dustin Stax, “and resolved itself into a credit men's association.” “It needs & wise man to be a good leader,” said Hi Ho, the sage of China- town, “and a still wiser public to follow & good man faithfully.” Summer Song. 8Bongs of Summer everywhere! Songs of birds, and roses fair. { with Dr. James J. Jeffries. Yet, despite this fond renown, ‘What’s the matter with the town? Here at noon no roosters sing, Here no wasps or hornest sting, Here no swift mosquitoes score Nightly in their quest for gore. Sing of moonlight if you will, With its beauty white and still, But remember how each night Brings the old electric light. Here we meet in urban ease ‘Where the fans insure a breeze. ‘When you sift the question down, What's the matter with the town? “A man wif more money dan he knows what to do wif,” said Uncle Eben, “looks like a dyspeptic dat has saved up a cupboard full of pie.” 7 Laments the Passing Of The Literary Digest To the Editor of The Star: Your editorial of June 24 concerning the disappearance of the Literary Digest awakens a resonant chord in the minds of the older generation of readers. I have been a more or less constant reader of the Literary Digest since its first issue in 1890. I therefore regard its disappearance with a sense of personal loss and deep regret. The Literary Digest had a place among American magazines that was at once unique and pre-eminent. The his- tory of American magazines is an event- ful one. When I was a college youth, the Princeton Review was considered the last word in magazine literature. It soon passed out of vogue for want of an appreciative reading public. The North American Review then came into prom- inence as a leading organ of public opinion conducted on a high intellectual level, but for the same reason it. too, had its day and ceased to be. When the Century, which at one time was the most influential and widely circulated magazine in America, merged with the Forum, its identity was lost without trace. Then came the Outlook, the Independ- ent, the Older Forum and the Arena, as journals of public discussion on a high intellectual level. But these ‘in turn fell by the wayside for want of a sustaining clientele. The Forum after- ward reappeared under a modified plan and policy. Thomas Lawson of “Frenzied Finance" fame quickly destroyed a well-known magazine with his brilliant contributions after increasing its circulation with un- canny suddenness. Harper's Weekly for many years en- joved the reputation of being the lead- ing publication in its class, but when under the editorship of George B. M. Harvey it became a violent, political partisan, it soon passed out of existence, The Atlantic Monthly, which is con- ducted on both a high-grade intellectual plane and literary tone, has survived most of its rivals. Unlike the British magazines, Amer- ican periodicals do not seem to thrive on discussions set forth in essay style without the novelty of instant news value, the fascination of the short story and profuse pictorial illustrations. Let us all hope that the Literary Digest. Phoenixlike, will rise from its own ashes and regain its former influ- ence and prestige in its own name and in its original character. KELLY MILLER. Negroes in History of The Prize-Fight Ring /To the Editor of The Star: Molyneaux and a “Bill” Richmond made a great reputation for themselves | in the English prize ring around 1810. Both American ex-slaves, they were wined and dined. Richmond went into the liquor business and got rich. Moly- neaux became a bar customer and died broke. In this country there was no scientific fist fighting theu, and not up into the forties, when the rise of Tom Hyer stimulated the game. By defeat- ing the imported “Yankee,” Sullivan, he became the first American champion. After that the sport started on its upswing, but, strange to say, we don't find any Negroes represented until the eighties of the last century. Then, up in Boston, a certain George Godfrey (“Old Chocolate”) gradually rose to the heavyweight championship of his race. He fought also whites, but John L. Sullivan drawing the color line, those two never met. Jake Kilrain, though, took him on and defeated him (44 rounds). Around 1890 “the great Peter Jackson” came on from Australia. I saw him. He was all man. He licked George and then got busy on the whites. Sullivan being “too proud to fight.,” he disposed of the rest of the headline Joe Mc- Auliffe (the “Mission Boy “Denver Ed” Smith, “Patsy” Cardiff (the man that Sullivan broke his arm on), Frank P. Slavin (in London), Peter Maher (in Dublin, 1 round). But with James J. Corbett he didn't do so w 61 rounds to a draw (“no contest”). Dissipating in England, he returned a wreck, and James J. Jeffries put him away in 3 rounds. Shortly after he died of consumption. Jack Johnson, of course, was the first colored man to make the heavyweight title. After passing his preliminary exams with Prof. “Tommy” Burns, he did some remarkable post-graduate work He didn't have to extend himself. Swapping wi: cracks with Corbett, who was in Jeffries’ corner, kept him busier than the fistics, “sputifying and angrifying” with “the comeback.” Other black heavies of renown whom old-timers may still re- call were “Bob” Armstrong. Joe Jea | nette, Sam McVey, Sam Langford, Ha Wills, George Godfrey (the second), “Young Peter Jackson.” “Kid Norfolk.” In the lesser divisions colored men were seated at the first table quite soon: George Dixon became featherweight king as early as 1890. Later there was Joe Gans (the old master, lightweight), Joe Walcott (Barbadoes Demon, welter). Siki, the Senegalese, and Tiger Flowers (light heavy). And now we have the “man from Alabama,” who is “Horatius at the Bridge,” who defies them all. It is claimed that Joe Louis is inclined to be lazy. Well, he conquered his laziness until he had what he wanted. Now he can afford to sleep late. He “has it.” FRED VETTER. Rudyard Kipling a Friend Of Dr. James Conland To the Editor of The Star: Those who enjoy seafaring pictures and stories and who have recently had their emotions stirred by “Captains Courageous,” may be interested in a further story which was the genesis of Mr. Kipling's inspiration. Back in the 1850s a man from New England named Conland joined the rush for California. He was somewhere lost in that dangerous adventure and he was never heard from again. His wife, through the necessity of support for herself and small son James, became the housekeeper of Civil War Governor An- drews of Massachusetts. She died while in his employ. Through some circum- stances not known but no doubt inter- esting the orphan drifted into the fish- ing schooner Lucy Holmes of Kingston, Mass., and went to the Grand Banks. This vessel was skippered by Capt. Elisha M. Eldridge of Chatham, who became attached to young James and took him into his family. Here he lived and went to school when not at sea. The boy was provident and ambitious, two elements in his character which, backed up by the inspiration he got from his association with bank fishermen, started him on a professional career. With money saved he was able to enter Wilbraham Academy, in the western part of the State. This, with much diligence and outside work, was the stepping stone to a medical degree. Dr. Conland settled in Brattleboro and was practicing there when Mr. Kipling married a Vermont lady and lived for a time in that town. The doctor became his physician and devoted friend. It was on the long drives around those beautiful hills with Mr. Kipling accom- panying him that Dr. Conland enthused ’ Grass remains the most pegverse thing about the average garden. Two weeks ago one’s lawn had big bare patches in it. The gardener was spurred to the pur- chase of fresh seed, many and large bags of diversified fertilizers. Along came the rain—and within a few days, without the use of seed or fer- tilizer, the grass was almost perfect. What to do, then, with the fertilizer? ‘Why, use it anyway, you fool! So says the gardener to himself. He realizes that what most gardens lack is fertility. No matter how much one understands the theory of garden fertility the per- fectly human thing is to neglect it. The leaves grow nicely on trees, shrubs and flowering plants; the flowers come along in due time; even the poor lawn suddenly takes a spurt forward, as related. Why should one worry about giving them something to eat? * X ok K The question of fertilization is a large one in the average garden and can be answered, in Inost cases, by a plain negative, ‘There is no fertility. Grass, plants, trees, shrubs—these are living on borrowed capital, some of it coming down through the centuries In the best sense, there is no fertility present. All that is left in the soil is a sub-fer- tility, but it seems sufficient to carry the plants through. That is why so many persons, even those who know better, seldom if ever give their gardens any real food. They think it is a good policy to let well enough alone. ok K % It would be better policy, of course, to give all living vegetation the benefit of food. What the average gardener fails to keep in mind is the modern urge for super-cleanliness. Hedges are cleaned of the leaves which blow against them; fence corners are raked clean; no litter is left on the lawn. This means that all natural methods of fertilization are stopped; leaves which might decay are swept up too soon; all bits of plant life, which, acted upon above and in the soil, might turn up a complete fertilizer in the course of time are ruthlessly removed. The result is that there is no chance for natural fertilization of the soil around most of our trees, evergreens, shrubs, flowers, vines. * ok % ok If the gardener insists on super-clean- liness he must make up for it by buying and distributing manufactured fer- tilize Must—that is, if he wants the maxi- mum from his plants. Otherwise, he-must be content with less. and no doubt will get less. Need it be added that this less often is very good. It is because this is so that many per- STARS, MEN —_————— sons refuse to fertilize their gardens as they should. Why should they bother with the ex- pense of fertilizer and the trouble of putting it around when Nature will give them a certain goodness of plant life with or without added materials. o % % “Hope springs eternal in the human breast,” said the poet. Perhaps the average amateur garden- er’s breast holds more hope than any one else’s. He is forever believing that things will turn out all right. The joke of it is—they often do! The spotted lawn, without one ounce of fertilizer, suddenly and almost over- night, grows thick and green (after a heavy rain). A change in the weather and the rust on the phlox plants begins to lose ground; the plants which happen to like hot, dry weather begin to pick up; every- thing has its turn. There is a hopefulness in gardening which rests solidly on the foundation belief that Nature more or less knows what she is doing. Even without our help she brings good grass, fine flowers, trees in good health. * x x X The point seems to be that man's help is very much appreciated by her, never- theless. It excellent fertilizer is used, whether natural or artificial, the plants are only too happy to use it. One must not expect miracles, how- ever. The average amateur has a hidden notion that all he has to do to get gigan- tic flowers in his garden is to sprinkle on a few handfuls of some fertilizer whose manufacturer claims great things for it. Often the user will note, if pushed to It, that the manufacturer urges the use of far more than the average user is willing to put on. There can be no doubt that the average gardener is extremely niggardly when it comes to plant food. He expects a little to go a long way. Often the result is simply no apparent result—there is little question that some good, although unseen, is done by even the smallest amount of good plant food. Bone meal, for instance, is an old and tried fertilizing element. There are two camps in regard to its use even among the professional horticulturists. Long and heated verbal warfare rages among them still. The average home gardener will find it a safe and dependable fertilizer, if he does not expect immediate and astound- ing results. In time he will come to be- lieve that this material does give a cer- tain stability to the plants in his garden. Two points are to be remembered in the use of almost any type of fertilizer, complete or incomplete; to run a rake over the fertilized area, in order to knock the material off leaves, and, second, to use plenty of water immediately follow- ing the application. There is some dan- ger in using any sort of fertilizer and waiting for a rain to do the washing in and dilution. AND ATOMS Notebook of Science Progress in Field, Laboratory and Study. BY THOMAS R. HENRY. Making rats right or left “handed” at will by operations on the motor area of the frontal lobes of their brains has just been reported to the American As- sociation for the Advancement of Science by Dr. George M. Peterson of the Uni- versity of New Mexico. The animals normally are ambidex- trous—that is, they use both front paws with equal facility. Dr. Peterson cut out portions of the brains of 27 such rats and observed any changes in the preferential use of the feet. He foupd that “a small region in the contralateral frontal lobe is essential for the control of handedness by the cerebral cortex.” This area of gray matter, which he lo- cated with great exactness, is buried in the cortex in the part devoted to volun- tary movements. When it is cut out of the right side of the brain the rat be- comes right-handed. Extirpation from the left lobe makes the animal left- handed. Injuries to other parts of the frontal lobe, he reported, also seem to influence the preferential use of the hands, but less markedly than destruction in the critical area. Injuries in the occipital and temporal lobes have no such effect. “In fact,” Dr. Peterson reported. “if these regions make any contribution to control of this trait it is an opposite one to that expected. The animals use their contralateral hands more often after such operations. That they con- tribute nothing to the control of the habit is clearly seen in the failure of these occipital injuries to produce a “more-or-less” effect as some of the frontal injuries did even when complete transfers did not result. The effect obtained from such occipital injuries as were influential can be attributed to invasion of the critical area of severance of the fiber tracts which descend from this area. From the results obtained the conclusion is drawn that the trait of handedness is under the control of a highly localized mechanism in the frontal region of the cerebral cortex and large cortical destructions outside the frontal lobe are ineffective in pro- ducing changes in this trait. The re- sults support a localization theory and are in opposition to current non-locali- zation theories.” * ok K ok The belt line is a barometer of longevity, acording to an analysis based on thousands of cases, just issued by statisticians of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. They find that statisti- cally body girth and length of life vary inversely with each other. The statisticians report that men who are 35 per cent or more above the average weight have a mortality one and one-half times as great—even among policy holders where obese persons are given particularly strict examinations. Higher than average mortality prevails among overweights generally, they find. Men from 25 to 34 per cent overweight have an excess mortality of 45 per cent, while among those from 15 to 24 per cent overweight the excess is 30 per cent. “After maturity underweight is a fa- the great story writer with the adven- tures of his youth on the Grand Banks. Mr. Kipling became determined to write a book about those fine seafaring men. He persuaded the doctor to take a vacation and together they journeyed to Gloucester. The doctor, “talking the language,” was able to introduce Mr. Kipling into the heart of seafaring ro- mance. They even made a short run to Boston in the fishing sloop Venus, but this was all the background Mr. Kipling had for his immortal story. Young Conland pulling cod lines in the 70s would have been astonished had he been able to peep into the future some 60 years and see millions of people stirred deeply over that humble task which he helped go vitally to faithfully dramatize, GERSHOM BRADFORD. v vorable factor in longevity,” says the re- port. ‘The best weight for long life va- ries according to age, as follows: Up to age 30, slight overweight; ages 30 to 39, average weight; ages 40 to 49, slight un- derweight; ages 50 and over, an appre- ciable degree of underweight. “Among overweights the so-called ‘pot-belly’ variety has the highest mor- tality. Overweights whose abdominal girth was more than two inches greater than chest girth at full expansion were found to have an extra mortality of approximately 50 per cent, over and above the excess mortality associated with overweight itself. Tall' over- weights, with relatively long trunks and short legs, did better than other tall overweights; but among medium height and short overweights the reverse is true. The big-chested overweight showed up less favorably than those with smaller chest girths, while the large-boned overweight, as a general thing, was found superior to the flabbier typ High blood pressure, the study showed, is more than two and a half times as common among overweights as among persons of average build. Most of the important diseases of adult life are amorng the specific hazards of the over- weights. Their mortality from cerebral hemorrhage is nesrly one and a half times that of average weights and nearly twice that of underweights. For angina pectoris the mortality of overweights is more than twice that of average weights and two and a half times that of under- weights. The diabetes toll of the fat ranges from 2 to 13 times that of the lean, depending on the degrees of fat- ness and leanness. Overweights also are more susceptible to fatal accidents and are more inclined to suicide than those of average weight. The statisticians place the blame for overweight on the “machine age.” “Americans,” they say, “are relatively big eaters. Machines reduce the energy requirements in labor. Even in sports ‘we are too often spectators rather than participants. The result is that increase of weight with age is common. Although the per capita consumption of food has not increased, and may actually have decreased, it has not kept pace with the decided reduction in the food require- ments of the average individual.” ————————— Proposed Chain Store Tax An Equitable Imposition To the Editor of The Star: I read your editorial June 25 lament- ing the chain store tax. If these chains are not the proper ones to pay taxes, pray then, who are? Their method of business has destroyed both small busi- ness and farming, especially small or nearby truck growing. In destroying small business they add to the relief burdens, so why not pay taxes? Their method of turning down fresh nearby produce to buy distant half-ripe stuff in car-load lots grown with cheap labor may appeal to some folks, but if they will reason with them- selves they must understand this buying away from home certainly must weaken home purchasing power. There are nearby farms where a dozen hired hands might find profitable employment were it not for the chains and who should pay the tax to give relief to the ex-farmhand if not the chain stores? I'm reliably informed that local merchants could take care of all neighborhood relief were there no chain stores to clean up the cash in Summer from those who have little regard for their credit honor. Were it possible to take the market control out of the grasp of the chain monopolies and put it back in the hands of the producers, prosperity would be assured overnight. PERRY F. SKINNER. { now 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. What was the date upon which the social security act was declared valid?— w.cC. A. This decision of the United States Bupreme Court was handed down on May 24,1937. At the end of May, 1937, a tntal of 27,704 396 social security account nume bers had been consigned. Q. Do irises bloom more than once af year?—H. T. A. Most. irises do not, hut there ars twice-blooming varieties on the market. Q. Why do some trains display green flags on their engines?—W. D. A. Green flags show that the train is running in more than one section. All sections except the last have two green flags by day and two green lights by night. Extra trains display two whita flags. Q. What actors and actresses zot their start in Gus Edwards’ “School Days?"'— W. F. A. Among those who played in that production are George Jessel, Groucho Marx, Joe Laurie, jr.; Lila Lee, Eddie Buzzell, Georgie Price and Eddie Cantor, Q. Of what kind of material is Camp’s transparent woman made?—H. N. A. The material is a secret of the Ger= man government, which subsidized {t5 creation for the Hygiene Museum Dresden. The “skin” is 23 per cent m transparent than glass. This life-size figure, which shows all the internal structure of & woman, is now on an exe hibition tour in this countr; Q. What kind of products are advere tised most extensively?—H. P. A. In 1936 food. automotive and tobace co products led in advertising expendie ture, Q. Who wrote the first Crimefile mys= tery?—H. W. A. The first Crimefile was written by two Englishmen, Dennis Wheatley and J. G. Links. It was originally entitled Murder Off Miami.” but the name was subsequently changed to “File on Bolitho Blane.” Q. Is it believed that cannibalism was universal before people became civil- ized?—E. T. A. Early and widespread abhorrence of cannibalism leads to the conclusion that it was never a general custom. There is no conclusive evidence that it was practiced in the Old Stone Age, Q. Do insects have red blood?—C. W, A. The blood of insects is either green or yellow. Q. Where were schooners first built?— H A. In Gloucester, Mass, in 1713, by Capt. Andrew Robinson. It is a fore- and-aft-rigged sailing vessel, with from two to seven ma used extensively for fishing off the Newfoundland coast. Q. Where is the largest log house in the United States?—A. G A. It is the Forestry Building at Port= land, Oreg., which contains one million feet of timber. It is the last of the buildings of the World's Fair held in Portland in 1905. Q. Who invented the process of San- forizing?—W, H. A. Sanford L. Cluett, head of the re- search department of Cluett, Peabody, invented the machine which shrinks cloth without washing it. Q. What will prevent sun glare com- ing through a sky light?—C. B A. Two coats of white paint will help. Q. How many persons are killed in transporting dynamite by rail?>—E. W A. No one has been killed in the trans- portation of dynamite by the railroads %zlhe United States and Canada since v Q. Why was Cape Hom given that name?—H. P. L. A. It was first rounded in 1616 by a navigator from Hoorn, which is the Dutch name for Holland Q. When did the late Dr. Charles Le Roy Goodell begin broadcasiing his ser= mons?—W. R. A. In 1928 Dr. Goodell began his radio ministry in Sabbath Reveries. In a sin- gle Summer, in answer to personal re- quests, 40,000 copies of his radio sermons were sent out. Q. Is Miami, Fla, Summer?—W. H. A. Miami's average Summer temper= ature is 81 degrees. Q. Please give some information about Tony Sarg.—J. L. A. Tony Sarg (Anthony Frederick) was born in Guatemala. Central Amer- ica, in 1882. Educated in Germany, he served as an officer in the German Army until 1905, when he went to London as an illustrator. He came to the United States in 1915, becoming naturalized in 1921. He is the creator of Tony Sarg's Marionettes and has written and illus- trated a number of children's books. very hot in the Annual Events in The United States You will like this unusual booklet, which tells about the big annual event in each State in the Union. It contains a page for every State and the District of Columbia, with beautiful tinted illustrations and ample descriptive text. It will be interesting to learn about the celebrations of the various States, as nothing portrays the personality of a people more than the events which bring them together. Send in your name and address, with 10 cents in coin, care= fully wrapped, to The Evening Star In- formation Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, die rector, and your copy will come to you promptly. s Use This Order Blank The Washington Evening Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washington, D. C. I inclose herewith TEN CENTS in coin (carefully wrapped) for a copy® of the booklet, ANNUAL EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES. Street o7 Rural Route