Evening Star Newspaper, August 13, 1937, Page 8

A—8 THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Editien. WASBHINGTON, D. C. FRIDAY ___ ____ ____ _ August 13, 1937 THEODORE W. NOYES The Evening Star Newspaper Company. 11th St and Pennsylvania Ave New York Office: 110 East 42nd 8t. ©Onicago Office: 435 North Michigan Ave. Rate by Carrier—City and Suburban. Regular Edition. dav Star T e bt month or 15¢ per week The Evening Star e S 45¢ The Sunday Star ___ ~bc per copy Night Final Night Final and Sunday Star--..70¢ per month Night Final "Star 27 _55c per month Collection made at the end of each month or each week. Orders may be sent by mall or tele- ohone National 5000. per month or Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance, Maryland and Virginia, Daily and Sunda; .. $10.00: 1 mo. 8¢ Dafly oniv $6.001 1 mo., b0c Sunday $4.00; 1 mo., 40c All Other States and Canada, Daily ang Sunday. 1 vr. $12.00; 1 mo. §1.00 Daily only____"_7 1 yr "$%300; 1 mo. 75c Sunday anly” - 1 yr. $5.00: 1 mo., B0c Member of the Associated Press. ‘The Associsted Press Is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the local news published herein, All rights publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. The Court Appointment, In the light of the advisory opinion of the Attorney General that the President could with legality make a recess ap- pointment to fill the vacancy on the SBupreme Court bench though Congress was in session when the vacancy oc- curred, the nomination yesterday of Sen- ator Hugo Black of Alabama indicates that the President did not accept that Judgment and chose to take the surer, safer course which the logical reading of the law dictated. It may therefore be questioned why he contemplated a recess appointment. And this especially when his choice fell upon a member of the Senate, whose confirmation could be reckoned upon without the slightest doubt, in view of the traditional fealty of upper house membership for their own fellows in office. ‘Whatever the motive for a recess ap- pointment, which might have been held invalid despite the advice of the Attorney General, the selection announced yes- terday was a distinct surprise. Senator Black's name had not previously figured in this connection. There was no inti- mation that the President would pass over the numerous possibilities of emi- nent legal and judicial ability who had been suggested and that his choice would fall upon one who has never had any Judicial experience and whose legal prac- tice has been confined to a relatively narrow fleld. Other considerations than those of definite qualifications for the high po- &ition of associate justice of the Su- preme Court must have dictated this selection. Was one of those the fact that throughout his second term in the 8enate, which coincided with the Pres- ident’s first term in the White House, Senator Black has been a consistent and at times a vigorous advocate and sup- porter of those measures of government which have been the subject of Supreme Court consideration and in some cases the objects of its rejection as unconsti- tutional? In view of this record of the newly named associate justice, to flll the vacancy caused by the resignation of one of the conservative members of that court, it may be accepted as quite as- sured that there will be no more im- mediate retirements from the highest bench on the part of those who do not hold with the constitutionality of certain types of New Deal legislation. Yet of course it was naturally to have been ex- pected that the choice would fall upon one whose mind “ran along” with that of the President in his concept of the functions and powers of the Federal Government. So definitely was this the case when the President on February 5 last asked for legislation enlarging the 8upreme Court by six additional mem- bers, the instant reaction of the country ‘Was one of apprehension, indeed virtual certainty, that all of those new members of the court would be disposed toward if not pledged in advance to the validation of such further legislation as might be enacted in the development of the New Deal. In short, if there was to be any “court packing” under the act proposed in Feb- Tuary, the present selection of Senator Black is a clear indication of the char- acter of the appointments which would have been made to fill up the increased ranks of the court. ————. 1t looked for & while as if John Nance Garner would refuse to mingle in society. But a Vice President has his responsibili~ ties and cannot always disregard them. e Edith Wharton. When Edith Wharton died in France &t seventy-five, much more than a great novelist passed from the world. By grace of inborn kindliness and gentleness, she was a noble personality; and, because of rare and beautiful giftsof spiritual distinction, she was a character of whom her country and the race to which she belonged justly could be proud. Let be mentioned at once that Mrs. Wharton never ceased to be an Amer- fcan. She resided abroad during the larger portion of her adult career, but her heart stayed at home. The scene and the people to which she was native remained the principal concern of her art from first to last; and the books for which she will be remembered prove her patriotism. Also, though it often was alleged that “ghe wrote like & man,” she consistently preferred to look at life through feminine eyes. Perhaps it may have been true that she followed Henry James in her literary patterns of expression; but she was not merely his “pupil,” as some eritics gratuitously supposed. Rather, she reflected Jane Austen—especially in her conceptions of human problems per- sonified in individuals. It must be admitted, of course, that Mrs. Wharton's creations moved in a narrow circle. They reflected, naturally enough, her own experience. In brief, THE EVENING STAR, “sophisticated aristocracy” in which she was born and nurtured and to which she still was loyal at the end. But her best novel, “Ethan Frome,” published in 1911, demonstrated the uni- versality of her interest. She might not know everybody; yet she sympathized with all sentient creatures. Mercy was the keynote of her philosaphy, the major tenet of her religion as a writer and as an active philanthropist in a troubled time. She saw war and social strife, turmoil and tumult; but, bravely, she maintained her faith in gardens and children, the power of the infinite and the capacity of mankind to triumph over every loss and sorrow. France gave her the Legion of Honor for her charities. Her own dear land had nothing to offer except its admiration and respect. She dies, but she lives—because she was so much and did so much immortally worthy of fame. e e Subscription by Coercion. Denial by the House Committee on Rules of a recommendation of a congres- sional investigation of the manner in which the Democratic National Commit- tee has conducted the sale of copies of a “vear book,” demanded by Representative Snell, minority leader of the House, was quite to have been expected. It would, indeed, have been astonishing if the Rules Committee had acted otherwise and set in motion an inquiry that would prob- ably have disclosed a scandalous if not an illegal transaction. For the circum- stances of the “circulation” of these books—there have been in all three sep- arate issues of different compilations— have been such as to constitute a grave charge of impropriety if not illegal requisition. Representative Snell in his brief sub- mitted to the Rules Committee in support of his demand for an investigation charged that in so far as these political enterprises have brought in campaign funds from corporations they have been in violation of “both the letter and the spirit” of the Federal corrupt practices act. or more openly in direct statement, it | would seem from the evidence presented by the House minority leader to the com- | mittee that those to whom the solicita- tions for subscriptions were addressed were given to understand that subscrip- tion meant favorable consideration by Government agencies for those who “took” and expected to continue to trans- act business with the Federal and in | some cases with the State authorities, with almost explicit threats of reprisals. in case of refusal to subscribe. The legal question raised by the House minority chairman as to the propriety of these transactions has not been an- swered by the Rules Committee's declina- tion to move for a hearing and investi- gation. If these subscriptions were *sold” to corporations doing business with the Government, through any agency, bu- reau or commission, they were susceptible of the interpretation that they were actually contributions to campaign funds in violation of the act which forbids such dealings and relationships. The suggestion hes been made that the enterprise was conducted upon | the basis of liberal agents’ fees. It would be interesting to ascertain the rate of | the commission thus paid out to the high- pressure salesmen, who were apparently in all cases supplied with detailed memo- randa bearing on the business dealings of the “prospects” with one or more of the numerous “recovery” activities of the administration. According to one of the affidavits presented to the Rules Com- mittee by Mr. Snell the agent or solicitor in one instance frankly stated that he had been “sent” by the Democratic Na- tional Committee to secure a subscription purchase of $500 worth of the campaign books—one hundred copies at five dollars each, first promising that two and later that five copies of the book would be autographed by the President. Thus it would seem that the rate of the “pros- pect’s” purchase was fixed, not by him, | | But Bill and Jim—they understand, but by some one higher up. In this affidavit were interesting details | to disclose the manner in which the “pressure” was applied to the reluctant prospect. Nor was there any attempt at concealment, according to the affiant, on the part of the solicitor, in respect to the varieties of “pressure” that might be applied. The magnitude of the operation is in- dicated by Representative Snell's state- ment to the Rules Committee that the public records in the office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives show that something more than $1,000,000 has already been collected by the Democratic National Committee by these practices, more than nine hundred corporations having contributed “illegally,” and that to date under the corrupt practices act fines aggregating $18,000,000 might have been collected from those participating in this practice, but that not a single prosecution has been initiated by the Attorney General. These. figures show that this has not been a petty business. It is big business, conducted upon a big scale, with as yet unmeasured possibilities for the extortion of funds, some of which go to the solici- tors, some to the between-campaign ex- penses of the National Democratic Com- mittee and some saved for use in the congressional campaign of next yu'r and perhaps some put aside for the presi- dential compaign of 1940. Apparently there is no limit to the enterprise of the book makers or to the demands upon the unwilling but seemingly helpless “subscribers.” B Farewell to Mudie’s. Mudie’s, as thousands of people know, was the largest circulating membership library in the world. The firm was founded in 1842 to carry on a tradition already established by the sponsor’s father when he kept a bookstore in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, for the accommo- dation of such literary characters as Charles Lamb, Willlam Haxzlitt and Fanny Burney. For the privilege of borrowing, a sub- scriber paid & guines annually, By 1863 Whether in subtlety of insinuation ‘| three-quarters of & million volumes. Half London and hundreds of families in the provinces depended upon the library for their opinions about authors and their works. Charles Edward Mudie himself was an uncrowned king. If he wished, he might ruin a writer by de- clining to consider his effort. On the other hand, he could and frankly did “make” Lest-sellers. When Disraeli’s “Endymion” appeared, he bought three thousand copies. The news of this trans- action guaranteed the success of the pub- lication. It was a glimpse of heaven to a Grub Street hack to be mentioned, even critically, in Mudie The library was an institution in New Oxford Street, just around the corner from the British Museum. William E. Gladstone, Samuel Butler and Cardinal Manning were but three of the famous persons who might be seen there of a morning. It was an unforgetable ex- perience merely to enter the building and to behold the endless rows of over- burdened shelves. When Mr, Mudie died in 1890, his son Arthur kept the name a living influence for another four decades. Twilight began in 1930; night finally fell last December. The ultimate shutters now have been put up. For explanation, consult the changes in human behavior which have followed upon the invention of the cinema and radio. Also, take into account the de- velopment of the daily, weekly and monthly press and numerous outdoor games and indoor pastimes of infinite variety. B e — Perhaps President Roosevelt made a mistake in not attending the Democratic | harmony dinner if only to indicate that the harmony was free from Jjazz inter- polations. His attitude toward Mr. Alben Barkley was cordial and friendly and it is difficult to understand why he should forego a meeting which must carry such earnest assurance. Perhaps the end of warfare as it used to be known has come. The unassisted | airplane accomplishes an amount of slaughter to content even a sense of | human enmity. More killing should scarcely be regarded as necessary in cir- cles of civilization. o “When will Congress adjourn?” has | become another of those trick questions whose answers may require a great deal | of figuring. What Einstein may think about this new and interesting problem has not been disclosed. e One great advantage enjoyed by a well established member of the Supreme Court lies in the fact that others may assume to discuss his business, without the ability to demonstrate any authority to interfere with it. e Kentucky is across the river from Cin- cinnati, but that fact is not giving Ohio ! an authoritative word concerning the | disposition of Government gold that has been intrusted to its care. ——r———— Women make politics better, excepting when they are persuaded to accept advice concerning it from some able but con- scienceless masculine personage, Shooting Stars, BY PHILANDER JOHNSON, My Friends. “My friends seem ever close at hand," Said Hezekiah Bings. “Though they may seek a distant land, My memory to them clings. When something happens, grave or gay, I think of Bill or Jim And wonder what he'll have to say When I tell this to him. “The strangers who are at my side, As strangers oft must be, Might dwell across the ocean wide, For all they mean to me. As thoughts afar take wings, That friends are always close at hand—" Said Hezekiah Bings. Process of Elimination. “There are two sides to every question,” said the conservative man. “That's true,” replied Senator Sorghum. “But there is only one side to the right answer.” Impressed, but Not Stimulated. “Your boy Josh gives orders to the hired men in a very impressive manner.” “Yes,” replied Farmer Corntossel; “but they don't do much work. They seem to think they're gettin’ paid for bein’ Josh’s audience.” A Summer Day. T wished that lifé were all A Summer day. I dreamt some elfin small Made it that way. The morn was bright and fair The noon too warm. Then came to fret us there A thunderstorm. We trembled in our fear. A rainbow glowed. The moon o'er skies so clear Serenely rode— 8o passing seasons call From grave to gay, And life is, after all, A Summer day. Jud Tunkins says there's nothing puts a man into an irreligious frame of mind 80 quick as quarreling about religion. “Reforms,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “often lead us to change our expressions of opinton without departing from our usual course of conduct. The Decorative Scheme. The bonehead has a happy time, ‘Though neither useful nor sublime, He dwells in comfort and content sane ivory’s deemed an ornament. “When a man gits to be his own boss,” said Uncle Eben, “he’s mighty liable to find dat his business an’ pleasure leads they belonged to her class—the so-called | he might haveshis choice of more than ! him te freat hisself rough.” WAS HING! THE POLITICAL, MILL BY G. GOULD LINCOLN. FALMOUTH, Mass., August 13.—The conflict between President Roosevelt and Congress has jumped overnight to major prdportions. It began, of course, with the fight over the President’s plan to in- crease the membership of the Supreme Court. But all the time there have been other matters in the background. Among them were the demand of the conserva- tive members of the Senate and House for economy and the antagonism to the President’s plans for tremendously cen- tralized power through his bill for the reorganization of the executive depart- ments and independent governmental agencies, * ok % % ‘When the session opened last January, there was not a cloud in the sky on Capitol Hill. The President had been re-elected by a tremendous sweep, which left only two States, Maine and Vermont, to his Republican opponent, Landon of Kansas. In both Houses of Congress, the Democrats had majorities more over- whelming than ever. And now look at it! Harmony parties at Jefferson Island, and the harmony party this week for the Democratic members of the Senate, turned out to be mere surface affairs, Underneath there had been a deadly row among the Democrats. The situation was not helped when the administration un- dertook—although declaring a hands-oft policy—to dictate the election of a new leader of the Senate Democrats. A great deal of the President's trouble with Congress is found in the attitude of Democrats from the South. They have hesitated to break with him first over the fallure of the administration to take a stand against the sit-down strikes last Winter and then with the administra- tion’s failure to make real strides toward governmental economy. Then came the court bill contest, in which Democrats from the West and North joined with the Southern Democrats to upset the apple cart. And more recently, the South- ern Democrats attacked vigorously the wages and hours bill demanded by the President. They believe that it will mili- tate against their section of the country, * oo x Still further under the surface is the antagonism growing in the South against the manner in which the New Deal Dem- ocratic party has become the party of the Negro. In no administration, Repub- lican or otherwise, since reconstruction days, has the Negro been given the favors and the prominence he has been given by the Roosevelt administration. The effort now to put through a Federal anti-lynch- ing bill, supported by many of the New Deal Senators, as well as by Democrats from the North, is bearing fruit. The Southern Democrats in Congress feel that if such a bill is passed it will be only a forerunner to attempts by the | administration to compel the States of the South to permit the Negroes to vote when and as they will. It is abundantly clear that if an anti- lynching bill can be brought to a vote in the Senate, it will pass by a very large majority. The Northern Democrats are thinking of the large number of Negroes who vote in New York, in Pennsylvania, in Illinois and in a great many other States of the North and West. They want the support of these colored voters next yvear in the congressional elections. It is equally clear that if these Northern and Western Democrats in Congress go through with it, they may be able to enact laws which will make it a crime to prevent Negroes from voting in South- ern States. The Southerners do nof in- tend to see the Negroes dominate polit- fcally in their own States if they can help it. * o ok % The President was warned months ago that if he persisted in his demand for the court bill and the “packing” of the Su- preme Court, he would have a difficult time with the rest of his program. The President and his aides, however, ignored the warnings. They believed that Con- gress could still be made to jump through any hoop the President held aloft. Jhey were wrong in this particular case. Now the President has undertaken to put pressure on the Democrats in Con- gress by threatening not to allow crop loans, loans to the cotton, wheat and other producers, unless he is given right away his crop control legislation. The Democrats caught their second wind, however, and they are threatening to tie up the whole legislative program, includ- ing the hours and wages bill. There are ! so many conflicting interests that the outcome of the fight is difficult to foresee with any degree of clarity. * kX ok The President sent to Congress, even before his bill for reorganization of the courts, a drastic proposal for the reorgan- ization of the executive departments. The plan left to the discretion of the Presi- dent the decision as to what should be done in the way of consolidating, elim- inating or establishing Government agen- cies. It was not intended as an economy measure, it was explained, although some economies might materialize. The re- organization bill would of itself have raised considerable row in Congress—par- ticularly as it does away with the office of the controller general. But it was almost immediately dwarfed in public interest by the plan for adding new jus- tices to the Supreme Court. It appears now that Congress is not goirg to do anything about the reorgan- ization of executive departments until next session of Congress. That is, unless the present session runs right through the Summer and into the Fall. The re- organization bill has almost as many foes on Capitol Hill as had the court bill. Among the most active is Senator Harry Flood Byrd of Virginia. There are two reasons why the Virginia Senator does not like the bill. In the first place, he believes that any bill for the reorganiza- tion of the Government should be written with the distinct purpose of saving money, cutting down the number of Gov- ernment agencies. In the second place, he is convinced that the measure as pro- posed by the administration would place undreamed of powers in the hands of the President. * ok Kk X In the House, & bill has passed already giving to the President the six executive assistants for which he asked—at $10,000 a year each. There is talk of passing still another bill following out some of the recommendations of the President for departmental reorganization, though by no means as drastic as the administra- tion measure. The Senate remains balky, however, over these reorganization plans. Senator Byrnes of South Carolina is now of the opinion that the whole matter probably will have to go over until next Winter. Not even the six assistants of the President may be provided now. Some of the members of Congress are begin- ning to feel that if these six new jobs are provided and filled, the President will have just six more assistants to journey down to Capitol Hill to work among the members of Congress for legislation de- sired by the administration. * x x x The C. I. O. seems to be going into politics in a big way. It is planning to elect as many city and State officials as possible in the elections this Fall, and then go into the congressional elections next year. Democratic primaries in Can- ton and Akron, Ohio, turned up C. I. O. indorsed candidates as the victofs. They RIDAY, AUGUST THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. The wife of an eminent Shakespearian scholar once declared that her idea of heaven was a place where there would be no books behind books. Booklovers everywhere understand this. She referred to the family with more books than cases to hold them, and to the common practice of dropping a few of the older ones behind the rows to make way for new volumes. The books thus deposited literally drop out of sight. Soon they drop out of mind, too, until some day in the future the owner begins a frantic search for a suddenly desired book. Subconsciously he looks where it ought to be, where it once was, but unfortu- nately does not recall the change he made. Nothing disquiets a friend of books more than this. What is the use of having bookcases, he wants to know, if he cannot find what he wants when he wants it? * o % x “Maybe you loaned it?” some one says. No, it wasn’t loaned, nor given away— which usually amount to the same thing. He knows just where it was, and why isn't it there now? “Maybe you dropped it down behind the books?” Tt is a good suggestion. But finding a missing book in that sit- uation is not so e The room behind is not very large. Therz is just room enough for the book edgewise. Once down, nothing of it shows. The row prevents one from seeing title or author. Even the size or color is unknown in the dark where it fs, * ok % ox This makes it doubly hard to locate. But the joker lies in the fact that a few more companions occupy the space along the shelf in the rear. The only way to find out which book is which is to solemnly take out three or four in the row, reach behind, and drag forth the culprit to the light of day. It would be strange, indeed, if it hap- pened to be the very book desired. That wouldn't happen more than once in a lifetime, would it? Every one knows how it is with old papers, magazines, documents. If one has a stack of old papers, and suddenly wants the copy of July 17, the pile will give July 16, and July 18, but never July 17, If a magazine for December is wanted, every other month of the year will be thete. but never December. This perversity of inanimate things especially applies to documents. It was this feature of the document wanted but not found which led to the modern filing case, document as against the rest. * ok % K It is peculiarly disquieting to know a book is behind there somewhere, and not be able to find it Books are pulled out, in order to get at _the lurking volume. A blue cover. No, that is not it; it has a bright red leather cover, did it not? One is not quite sure. Well, must go on. WASHINGTO When the suggestion was made to Con- gress by President Roosevelt, through Secretary of State Hull, that some of the over-age destroyvers of the United States be “leased™” to other American republics, with Brazil as the immediate and par- ticular beneficiary in mind, it was not realized that a hornet's nest of opposition would be aroused, especially in Brazil's neighbor, Argentina. Germany, too, has taken offense at the proposed action, con- sidering that it was a left-handed blow at her alleged ambitions to secure com- mercial advantages in the South Amer- ican country. This was emphasized by the statement of Secretary Hull in his letter to Senator Walsh, chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee, who introduced the resolution for carrving out the plan, that the government of Brazil had “in- formed this Government of its increasing concern with certain tendencies of the world political situation.” While Amer- ican Ambassadors and Ministers in many | of the Latin American countries have re- ported to the State Department that there was generally favorable reaction to the proposition, it is now believed in well-informed quarters that the proposal may be “pigeon-holed.” for the present at least, in order not to create any fur- ther iil feeling among the Southern republics. * ok ok X Senator Black. who has just been nom- inated by President Roosevelt to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, is a deep student of history. Naturally a man with a very serious trend of mind, the Senator for many years past has delved into Greek and Roman history, and also that of other periods. This he has done with the purpose of gaining an insight into the broad aspects, social as well as polit- ical, of the particular periods about which he was reading. This fundamental knowl- edge of world tendencies and movements will stand him in good stead, it is believed by his colleagues in Congress, in helping to solve many of the problems which will confront him as a member of the high- est court of justice in the world. In spite of the fact that he is still a comparatively young man, his legal knowledge also is broad, his eleven years of service in the Senate, where he has been a member of many important committees and where he has taken an active part in investi- gations and other work which gave play to his legal talents, having added much to the legal lore which he had acquired previously as a county solicitor and as prosecuting attorney in his home State. * ok ok Xk With gold having been poured into the United States in vast quantities during the last year, a very acceptable addition has been made to that accumulation. This is in the form of a presentation to Secretafy Morgenthau of a complete series of the new gold coins just issued by the French government for use at home and in the colonies. These coins have not yet been placed in circulation in France; and the gift to this Govern- ment, through the Secretary of the Treasury, was in the nature of a good will offering and token of friendship be- tween the two countries. In the absence of the Secretary, who is on his vacation, the coins were accepted on behalf of will have to run against Republican nom- inees in the Fall election. C. I. O. leaders are jubilant. The New York City election, for Mayor, in November, probably will hold the keenest interest of any in the elections this year. The interest at present cen- ters in the Democratic primary for the mayoralty nomination. It would be a most distressing thing for the Roosevelt Democrats to have Senator Copeland win the nomination. Senator Copeland, to whom the President recently referred as “Doc” Copeland, has no use for the New Deal and the New Deal President has no: use for the Benl'okr. hwh-z happens to “Doc” make ’lwry the “Doc” may K Some of the Before one knows it. the floor is cov- ered with volumes. BStill the missing one is not found. No doubt it was dropped out of sight behind that row on the bottom shelf. More books out, more groping, more disappointment. Perhaps one loaned (gave) it to & friend, after all. By this time, books are everywhere, and one's temper nowhere. Days later one discovers the missing book serenely posing on a shelf in full view. Its cover was part-red, part-green, that was what fooled one. IR Books behind books are a real offense to the tidy housekeeper. In an attempt to corral the one | | after all? First the searcher hauls forth one with They are, of all things, dust catchers. This i8 & phrase not heard so much nowadays, but you will find it in good standing still where dust is regarded as dust, and not just something to be ignored. Books behind books seem to gather more dust than the other volumes. They offer complications, too, in the necessary cleaning of the cases and their contents. Even in closed cases with glass doors a certain amount of dust gathers on the tops. Rows in the popular open cases offer the most dust, and should receive the most frequent cleanings. A good way is to remove the books one by one, smacking the covers together carefully, then re- moving the dust that remains on the tops. Another fault of books behind books lies in the fact that even one volume, so placed prevents the pushing backwards of the row. Some persons are very cranky about this; they wish the entire row pushed back as far as it will go. Others prefer them as far forward as possible, * ok % The great basic trouble with such an arrangement is that the booklover never really knows what he has and what he hasn’t, or where any particular volume is. He has books, but some of them are out of sight. The very purpose of keeping books in cases is defeated. The real reason is not protection, but availability. Many ways have been worked out for holding volumes, but the bookcase, in its various forms, remains the best by such a large margin that scarcely any other way is used, except in small places, such as a row between book ends. The bookcase, in the average home library, is the only feasible method of storing books so that they are available. If certain books. now and then, are dropped out of sight. they are remem- bered as being kept, but the owner does not know where they are. In many in- | stances he might as well give them away and be done with it. Just how far an average booklover should go in ridding himself of old books is a question. The average person will never have enough of them, why should he get rid of any he has? That he will ever re-read most of them is question- able, but what difference does that make, There is a companionship to books that extends far beyond the read- ing thereof. In life, in general. it may | be true that one only keeps what one the search | gives away, but in bookland it is far different. \ OBSERVATIONS the Government by tary Taylor. Assistant Secre- * ok ok ok Effort to resolve one of the last boundary disputes between nations on this hemisphere is now being made in Washington, but has run into a sort of “stalemate.” This is an attempt to de- limit_the boundary line between Peru | and Ecuador. A protocol was signed by | the two ccuntries several years ago under which they agreed to send commissions to Washington to discuss this problem, with President Roosevelt as the final arbiter in the case. | missions have been here for almost a vear, they have not yet been able to reach an agreement ax to the exact status of their negotiations. Peru suggested recently, therefore, that they refer the “juridical aspects” of the case to the In- ternational Court of Justice at The Hague, but Ecuador has rejected this proposal and in a reply to the Peruvian delegation has made the counter sugges- tion that one portion of the disputed territory be assigned to Peru, another portion to Ecuador and that direct nego- tiations be continued as to the final dis- position of the remainder of the territory, with President Roosevelt as the arbiter under the terms of the protocol; or that, failing to settle it in this manner, the question as to possession of the entire territory be submitted to the arbitration of the President of the United States. * ok ok K Preparations are being completed rap- idly for the sesquicentennial celebration of the signing of the Constitution of the United States, September 17, which will be signalized not only by an elaborate program in the Nation's Capital in which the President will participate, but by appropriate ceremonies in many cities, towns and villages throughout the United States. A number of foreign nations, it is reported, have planned to issue this year a special stamp in honor of the oc- casion, coinciding with the issuance of one by this Government. Representative Bloom of New York, director general of the Sesquicentennial Commission, has recommended through the State Depart- ment that representatives of the United States abroad should arrange for celebra- tions throughout the world on that day, through the organization of local com- mittees of American citizens for that purpose. He has also recommended that arrangements should be made for the flying of the American flag not only from all diplomatic and commercial posts of the United States, but also for its dis- play on that day by foreign nations themselves. The celebration of the sign- ing of the Constitution will be followed by a commemoration of a series of his- toric events, such as the ratification an- niversaries of the original States and the birthdays of the signers of the Con- stitution, up to the 150th anniversary on April 30, 1939, of the inauguration of George Washington as First President. x X x X ‘When Edward Yardley assumed his duties as chief clerk of the Department of State a few days ago, he found him- self “back home” and he was busy greet- ing old friends whom he had known when he was a member of the staff there some years before. A native of Kansas, Mr. Yardiey took his law degree at°| Georgetown University, also doing post- graduate work there, as well as at Amer- ican University here. Resigning from the department in 1921, he was an attor- ney for seven years with the interna- tional law firm of Lansing & Woolsey, and for three years a member of the firm. His latest service before returning to the department was as attorney with the United States-Mexican Claims Com- mission. * * % X Introduction by Senator Hattie Cara- way of Arkansas of a resolution providing for the presentation of & painting of the late Senator Joseph T, Robinson, to be placed in the Capitol, is considered by his friends as & graceful gesture of ap- Although the com- | ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN. A reader can get the answer to any question of fact by writing “'he Eventng Star Information Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin, Director, Washington, D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply. Q. How long is the duck hunting sea« on?—G. 8. A. Thirty days. The country i= di- vided into three zones. In"the northern zone, the season is October 9 to No- vember 7; in the intermediate zone, No- vember 1 to November 30; in the southern zone, November 27 to December 26. Dates are inclusive, Q. Where are the airplanes carried on the U. 8. S. Lexington?>—M. T. A. They are carried below the deck in the hangar. When the planes are ready to take off they are raised to the deck on elevators. Q. When do the teeth begin to de velop?—S8. S. A. The temporary or first teeth begin to develop five months before birth. The permanent teeth begin to develop one month before birth. Q. What newspaper pays its managing editor the largest salary?—D. N. A. According to a list in the Editor and Publisher, the New York News leads. Harvey Deuell, managing editor, receives $64,188 a year The Cleveland Plain Dealer is second, paying its managing editor, Paul Bellamy, $61,841. Q. Where will the American Legion National Convention meet this year? —R. B. A. In New York City, from September 20 to 23. This is the first time that the American Legion has held its convention in New York City. Q. How many varieties of edible mush- rooms are there in this country?—E. H A. Of the hundreds of varieties o edible mushrooms, only the Agarir campestris has been successfully do- mesticated in this country. Q. How many hiking?—K. F. A. Hitch-hiking is tolerated by law in thirty-one States. Q. What intelligence test is used mo-: extensively in <the public &chools?— C.J. H. { A. Terman's Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale is tne standard intelligence test in this country for school children. States allow hitch- Q. Is a male black widow spider as large as a female?—H. J. A. The male spiders seldom grow larger than three-quarters of an inch and are generally about a fourth as large a8 the female. Q. What is the name of the 1937 Harper Prize novel>—E. W, A. “The Seven Who Fled." by Frederic Prokosch, has been awarded the Harper Novel Prize for 1937-38. Q. When were the first stockvards opened in Chicago?—C. R. A. The first stockyards for handlinz cattle and hogs on a commercial baci were established in 1848 on West Madi- son street near Ashland, and were known as Bull's Head. Q. Who invented tuning in radin? —W. s. A. Marconi introduced the art of tun- ing under his famous patent No. 7777 and proved that no matter how many stations were on the air the messages could be separated without interference by tuning the circuits. Q. Where is the monument to Rear Admiral Richard Byrd?—E. H A. The Byrd Foundation Committee has laid the corner stone for a monu- ment to the flyer at Ver-sur-Mer, France. Q. Has California any of the youth hostels?—R. T. A. At the beginning of the Summer California had six hostels and more are expected to be in use before Fall. These hostels form a loop from Oskland to Santa Cruz. Q. How long is the tobacco used in making cigarettes aged?—J. W. A. Cigarette tobacco is aged approxi- mately two years. Q. What is meant by the salt of the Orient?—E. C. A. Curry is often so called. It is used with rice, meat and a variety of other foods. Q. Who was Neaera?—A. H. A. This is the name of a girl men- tioned by the Latin poets, Horace, Virgil, and Tibullus. The name is sometime introduced into modern poetry as mean- ing a mistress or sweetheart, as in Milton's “Lycidas. Q. Please give a list of the plays that have been given at the Central City, Colo.. Play Festival each year—S. L. M A. Since the first revival in 1932 the list is as follows: “Camille.” with Lillian Gish; 1933, “The Merry Widow.” with Gladys Swarthout, Richard Bonelll, and Natalie Hall; 1934, “Othello,” with Walter Huston and Nan Sunderland; 1935, “Central City Nights™: 1936, “The Gondoliers”; 1937, “A Doll's House,” with Ruth Gordon, Sam Jaffe and Dennis King. Q. How many times has Jerusalem been rebuilt?>—J. 8. D. A. Jerusalem has had about eightern reconstructions and two periods of desn lation. - Q. Please give the names of Kirste Flagstad's husband and children.—E. W A. The Wagnerian soprano’s husbanc i Henry Johansen, a Norse lumberman She has a 19-year-old stepdaughter named Anna. A Rhyme at Twilight By Gertrude Brooke Hamilton. Into the Shadows 8wift and dark as a flight of swallow: Twilight shadows flew, Hovering over dusky hollows In a ghostly crew; While in their wake my sad heart follow! SBeeking, seeking you. Into their depths I saw you vanish Long and long ago; You, beloved, who seemed to banish Every shade of woe— Now with shadows I grow clannish, Longing for you so! preciation. Following his thirty-six year of service in the House and Senate, the picture will be a noteworthy addition te¢ the large gallery of portraits alread) hanging there. - (Coprright, 1987.)