Evening Star Newspaper, May 4, 1940, Page 10

@he Foening Ftar With Sunday Morning Edition. THEODORE W. NOYES, Editor, WASHINGTON, D, C, SATURDAY..___________.__May 4, 1840 The Evening Star Newspaper Company. Office: 11th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. M ork Oer: 170 Bennsylvania, Chicego Office: 436 North Michigan Ave, Delivered by Carrier—City and Suburban., Recular Edition. ening and Sunday 75¢ per mo. or 18c per week e Evening Star 43¢ ber mo. oF 106 ber Week The Sunday Star - -~ 10c per copy Night Final Edition. Night Final and Sundey Star Night Final Star Rural Tube Delivery. The Evening and Sunday Star g _Star - e D The Sunday Star _ 85¢ per month 80¢ per month 5¢ per month 5¢ par month 10¢ per copy Collection made at the end of each month or each week. Orders may be sent by mail or tele- phone National 5000. ~ Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Daily and Sunday 1 2 Daily only ~ 1 $8.00: 1 mo. Sunday only__"__ "1 $5.00: 1 mo. Entered as second-class matter post office, Washington, D. C. Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press s exclusively entited to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it cr not otherwise credited in this DAper and also the local news published hercin, Al richts of publication of svecial dispatches herein also are reserved. War Memorial On May Day, for the fifth consecu- tive year, an impressive service of rededication to the ideal of Ameri- can democracy, particularly as those principles apply to the future gener- ations of citizens, was held at the District of Columbia War Memorial. Participated in by leaders of many patriotic organizations and civil offi- cials, the ceremony was a dramatic demonstration of Washington's own application of its spirit of Amer- icanism. Certainly no better locale could have been chosen for such a pro- gram. Sheltered deep in its grove of evergreens between the banks of the Tidal Basin and the Reflecting Pool, the classic Doric temple of white marble, which perpetuates the mem- ory of those Washingtonians who gave their lives for their country, is the natural focal point for the com- munity’s formal patriotic activities. Its convenient location, with its set- ting of almost complete isolation from distracting trafic and other disturbances of urban life, offers unusual opportunities for programs of importance and solemnity. Throughout the year on innumer- able occasions groups of Washing- tonians conduct memorial or patriotic services. It was for these that the community raised this memorial, and it is through such use that the tem- ple will grow in importance as a meeting place for the Americans who reside in the Capital of the Nation. — River Regulations Approval by the District Commis- sioners of a new set of regulations | governing the operation of boats of all types in the waters of the Poto- mac adjacent to Washington opens the way to a greater utilization of the river by pleasure craft. These new rules, ordered drawn up by Con- gress in 1934, already have been approved by the Park and Planning Commission, the National Parks Service and the War Department. In order to give strength to their enforcement, they have been incor- porated in the local police regula- tions. Washington’s channels always have been ideal for operation of power boats, and within the past five years an enormous increase in the use of sail has been brought about by the discovery that the broad ex- panses of the river below Hains Point offer many opportunities for such craft. Less than ten years ago many veteran sail enthusiasts regarded the closed waters of the Potomac, whose breezes sweep down from the border- ing hills, as unsuitable for competitive sailing. But each year’s increase in the number of sailing entries in the President’s Cup races has been proof enough to the contrary. Under the new regulations, still greater safety and opportunities for sailing will be possible, but the rules by no means are confined to foster- ing one type of use of the river. They cover all phases of safety for all types of boats, they offer greater guarantees of pleasure through such rules as those prohibiting prolonged Or unnecessary noise and contain safeguards against recklessness and undue speed. Use of the Potomac by pleasure craft of all kinds has grown rapidly, and as an assisting factor the new rules are a fitting complement to the work which is nearing comple- tion along Maine avenue, where the two yacht basins with modern facil- ities for servicing small boats have been built. Not only has the Cap- ital's water front been beautified in this area and additional interest added to the Potomac, but new recreational possibilities, an im- portant civic asset, have been opened. — Unfounded Fears It is unfortunate that some Prot- estant churches of this country have not accepted President Roosevelt's appointment of Myron C. Taylor as his personal representative to the Vatican for what it was—simply a move to facilitate “parallel endeav- ors for peace and the alleviation of suffering,” in the words of the Presi- dent. There has been too widespread a tendency among Protestant bodies to read into the appointment a men- ace to the traditional separation of church and state in this country, and to ignore the President’s objective of seeking “united expression” of com- mon ideals for peace. ‘The latest development of this na- ture occurred when the General Con- ference of the Methodist Church, meeting in Atlantic City, passed a resolution asking Mr. Roosevelt to recall Mr. Taylor because “his ap- pointment, has created a spirit of uneasiness and resentment in the minds of a great number of people.” Such “uneasiness and resentment” can arise only from a rlsunder- standing or a misconstruing of the actual facts in the case. Certainly there can be no quarrel with the de- sire for maintenance of the separa- tion of church and state, but that issue is not involved. There is serious danger that protests against the appointment, arising from unfounded fears, may wreck what might well be the greatest single step this country could make for establishment of peace and Christian principles in a disordered world. Mr. Taylor’s service at the Vatican already has demonstrated practical value that this Government could ill afford to lose. The Catholic Church, with its connections throughout the world, collects at the Vatican inval- uable information on international affairs—much of it unavailable through other diplomatic channels. And Mr. Taylor now is in position to relay that information to the State Department, where our policy mak- ers need all the knowledge they can get to steer a safe course for the United States. The importance of preserving this contact, and of en- couraging in every other way possible a closer association among all gov- ernments and all religions with com- mon ideals for peace and justice, cannot be overemphasized. — Italy’s Status The only definite conclusion that may be drawn from official state- ments following the highly significant series of Italo-American diplomatic conversations of the past few days is that President Roosevelt is con- vinced that Italy dces not intend to take an active part in the European war for the time being, at least. Be- yond that there is a wide field for speculation. It is unlikely that American Ambassador Phillips’ talks with Premier Mussolini and Foreign Minister Ciano in Rome and Italian Ambassador Colonna's conversations with Mr. Roosevelt and Acting Secre- tary of State Welles here were con- fined to mere exchange of informa- tion. There may have been discussion of some general peace project; more likely, there was a specific appeal to Mussolini to keep Italy a non- belligerent and preserve her influ- ence as a neutral in the peace settle- ment when it comes. President Roosevelt’s only com- | ment on the conversations—that he | was continuing his efforts to prevent extension of the war to new areas or to other nations—was broad enough to cover almost any con- ceivable development. From Italian sources in Rome came sured Mr. Phillips he did not intend to get into the war at present. Mr. Welles has declined to confirm or | deny that report, or reveal any de- tails of the conversations. Belief in such an assurance was implied, how- ever, in Mr. Welles’ assertion that this Government is giving no consid- eration whatever to warning Ameri- can citizens in Italy to get out of the take if it had reason to believe Italy was going to jump into the war any time soon. The extreme caution of officials here in discussing the Italian situation publicly is dictated, in part at least, by a fear that, with all Eu- rope nervously apprehensive, a care- less word might precipitate a new explosion. It can be assumed that they are doing everything they can behind the scenes to keep the war from spreading. This country has a distinct self-in- terest in keeping Italy from becom- ing a new theater of war. It now is the chief avenue of evacuation for Americans endangered in Northern Europe, since our ships are forbidden to enter the combat zones around most of the rest of the continent. Italy’s entrance into the war would close this avenue and also throw into immediate jeopardy the more than 19,000 American citizens resident in that country. Aslong as they are not warned to get out, President Roose- velt must feel that there is no immi- nent danger. Maryland’s Almshouses After an exhaustive survey, the Maryland State Department of Pub- lic Welfare has concluded that the county almshouses should be abol- ished. In their place the department suggests the erection of several hos- pitals which would house about three- fifths of the more than 500 inmates of the present poorhouses. The re- maining two-fifths would be divided about équally in mental institutions and boarding homes. Of the latter group, a large percentage would be eligible for old-age pensions. The survey, made for the State Legisla- tive Council, will be used as the basis for proposals to be presented to the next session of the General Assembly in January, 1941. Those who have the welfare of the unfortunate alms- house inmates at heart hope the re- port will inspire action. At intervals for the "past sixty- three years the county almshouses have been investigated. The reports have termed the institutions “shock- ing,” “terrible,” “intolerable.” Gov- ernors have said the situation called for correction. Yet few of the insti- tutions were closed or improved. Residents of the Free State for the most part forgot their almshouses except at Christmas time and when they read grand jury reports about them. The latest and undoubtedly the most thorough investigation of them pictures a large group of un- fortunates, most of them' bedridden or at least suffering from seri- ous chronic diseases or mental hand- icaps, spgnding thelr last years amid THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C,, surroundings sometimes lacking in the comforts which might be found in the cell of a life-term peniten- tiary prisoner. Governor O’Conor has pledged his support to the effort to abolish the almshouses. Evidence of his sincer- ity and: concern is apparent in his decision to appoint a State survey group to determine methods of financing the proposed chronic hos- pitals and the most practicable num- ber to be built. Humane considera- tlons should rally substantial support for the Governor in his efforts. - —— ‘Prisoner in the Baltic’ A menace to Sweden’s independ- ence plainly results from Germany's domination of Southern Norway and the prospect that Nazi sway over the whole of that unfortunate country may be only a matter of days. The allied abandonment of virtually all Norwegian territory from the Skag- errak to a line running north of Trondheim eastward to the Swedish border places Hitler’s forces in posi- tion to invade Sweden almost at will. It requires only a passing glance at the map to understand why American newspaper observers at Stockholm are beginning to describe Sweden as “a prisoner in the Baltic” and to report the country's fears that it is gravely imperiled by the allied retreat in Norway. Von Rib- bentrop’s recent assurance to the Swedes that they are in no danger from the Reich seems to have terri- fied rather than reassured them. Indeed, Sweden sees In the situa- tion just created in the north the imminent peril that she may be the next to be drawn into the maelstrom. The Swedes are bitterly conscious from events of the past month that nothing but Nazi necessities stand between them and such a fate, and this, they also know, is a slender reed to be leaned upon by peace-craving neutrals who stand across the path of German military convenience or economic imperatives, . Sweden is now virtually cut off from the sea and is more or less in Germany’s hands. It is said she can- not operate her industries for two weeks without German coal. Even if Berlin were to demand that the Swedes extend the dock and railroad facilities required to augment the shipment of iron ore from the Kiruna mines via Lulea through the Gulf of Bothnia, or even ask for the passage of German troops from the port of Lulea to relieve the Nazi gar- rison at Narvik, the Stockholm gov- ernment might find it unwise to | refuse either “request.” Events in Norway have just shown the futility | of relying on allied military aid to help Sweden maintain her neutral- ity. The Stockholm press, stunned | Norway, is freely discussing the causes which led to it, primarily their “balf-measure” aspect, impliedly warning Swedes to in- dulge in no illusions as to Anglo- French capacity to come to their aid should the emergency suddenly arise. King Gustaf commands a well trained and equipped army of five hundred thousand men and a good ! little navy and air force. They would country—a step it undoubtedly would | resist valiantly, though perhaps not for long, even Hitler's seasoned war | machine, but that Sweden could ulti- mately escape the fate of Denmark and Norway is none too bright a prospect. The United States has an espe- cially sympathetic interest in what may betide for the sturdy Swedish people. Not only have they given in our time a leadership to the whole world in the domain of social and economic progress, but it is barely two years ago that the two nations were commemorating together in Washington, Wilmington and Phila- delphia the tercentenary of the founding of “New Sweden” in the Delaware River Valley in 1638—only eighteen years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. If Sweden is overrun by the Nazis, there will be one more reason why the American democracy—neutrality laws to the contrary notwithstanding—will view with horror and repugnance Hitler’s assault on such a civilization as Swe- den so pre-eminently typifies and which has made notable contribu- tions to the upbuilding of this country. Job Wanted “Next!” As the cry rang out, a Memphis judge peered majestically and magis- terially down at the latest catch brought in by the forces of the law— a man charged with vagrancy. The defendant vigorously denied the accusation, declaring that he was merely unemployed, temporarily, he hoped. He was, he said, a profes- sional man, but that, possibly due to the war or the New Deal or some- thing, there was at the moment a regrettable lack of demand for his services. It seems that he was a pro- fessional glass eater. Sensing doubt in the mind of the court, he offered to prove his case by eating an electric light bulb either alone as an appetizer or as a sand- wich between panes from‘the win- dows. While the judge was pondering whether he should in the interest of justice be panestaking, and dismantle the courthouse and allow the prisoner to demonstrate, court attendants advised him that it was not necessary. Just before he came to trial, they had seen him fortify- ing. himself for the ordeal with a fairly hearty - meal consisting of broken bottles. : In consequence the judge, while privately admitting that there was only a hairline distinction between a vagrant and a jobless glass eater, gave the defendant a glassy stare and the benefit of the doubt, and let him go. A and | Of Stars, Men And Atoms Notebook of Science Progress In Field, Laboratory And Study ° By Thomas R. Henry. Experiments with a powerful new chemicd]l medicine which already appar- ently has proved a cure for the chronic stages of a serious human disease for which no adequate treatment has been known now are under way at the United States Public Health Service and Johns Hopkins University. The chemical is sodium sulfanilyl sul- fanilate, known for the past half cen- tury as the base for certain textile dyes. It adds a fourth to the group of related substances which have brought about in the past four years one of the greatest revolutions in history of medicine. Sul- fanilamide, first to be introduced, is a powerful agent against a large group of bacteria responsible for some of the most dreaded human diseases. Sulfapyridine attacks the pneumonia germ and sul- fathiazol, the latest to be announced, another large group of bacteria. o None of these, however, have proved unquestionably to have much effect on the most deadly of all enemies of man- kind, the extraordinarily minute filter- able viruses. The malady for which a cure has been reported by Drs. Arthur Hebb and S. G. Sullivan of Baltimore and Dr. Lloyd D. Felton of the Public Health Service staff is lymphopathia venereum, one of the venereal diseases. Like syph- ilis, it has three stages with intervening periods when the patient is apparently well. Until recently, however, it has nearly always recurred in a worse form than before and the third stage has been almost hopeless. Unlike the more common venereal dis- eases which are due to microscopically visible organisms, this malady is caused by one of the elusive viruses, as are in- fluenza, poliomyelitis and encephalitis. Attention was called to the dye base, which had not been considered before as a medicine, by reports which later turned out to be premature of its suc- cessful use against distemper in dogs. This disease is due to a virus, supposedly related to the influenza virus in humans. No two diseases could be farther apart than lymphopathia venereum and the dog malady, except that both belonged in the virus class, and sodium sulfanilyl | seemed to have a specific action against a virus. The results were impressive from the start. Up to date, they report, 14 cases of the tertiary stage of lympho- pathia venereum have been cured or | greatly improved with the disappearance of all symptoms. In some of the cases surgery, the only known treatment of any value in the past, had failed. This particular disease is not very common and the value of the new rem- edy is lessened by the fact that recent experiments show a vast improvement | when it is treated with other chemicals | and alarmed by the allied retreat in | the report that Mussolini had as- % in its primary and secondary stages. There is no reason to allow it te reach the point where sodium sulfanilyl is necessary The significance of the treatment is in its implications in other fields. Lympho- pathia is characterized by progressive chronic ulcers. These are cleared up in a few days to a few weeks, depending on their severity. Other ulcer condi- tions are suspected to have a virus back- | e | Suggests Giving Germany ground. Thus a whole new field may be opened to chemotherapy. Compared with either sulfanilamide or sulfapyridine, the new medicine has | a very low toxicity and can be prepared | and taken by mouth in a liquid form. * x ¥ % A total of 180 Indian tribes still exist in the United States. Such is the conclusion of Dr. Herbert W. Krieger, Smithsonian Institution cu- rator of ethnology, in answer to a con- gressioral inquiry. All hinges, Dr. Krieger says, on the definition one wishes to give to the word “tribe.” “Among the North American Indians,” he says, “a tribe is a socially. politically and religiously organized body of per- sons bound together by ties of kinship, dwelling together, occupying a definite territorial area and speaking a common dialect.” Following this strict definition, he says, the total would be considerably reduced. Some of the historical tribes have only a few individuals left alive and others have so merged with nearly related bands that they have lost their identity. This is particularly true, he points out, of the Indians of Oklahoma, who now are more or less tribally disrupted. Mak- ing a special check on this area he found there were remnants of 35 historic tribes still extant there. They are the Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Semin- ole, Seneca, Quapaw, Modoc, Ottawa, Eastern Shawnee, Peoria, Miami, Wyan- dotte, Osage, Pawnee, Ponca, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Apapaho, Iowa, Potawatomi, Kickapoo, San and Fox, Comanche, Caddo, Kiowu-Apache:_Fort Hill Apache, Wichita, Otoe, Kaw, Tonkawa, Delaware, Tawakoni, Waco and Ioni. Some of these still remain powerful groups, speaking a common language and maintaining tribal unity. Others can be said to be extant only because a few old persons scattered among the other Indians still speak the tribal lan- guages. The greatest conglomeration of “tribes” is to be found in California. It would be impossible today, Dr. Krieger says, to make up any statistical total of tribes which would be generally acceptable to ethnologists. The classifi- cation depends too much on the point of view of individuals. Even when the Indians had the North American continent to themselves, he points out, it would have been rather difficult to have made a strict tribal classification because of the borderline -cases. In the final analysis, it prob- ably would have depended on the opin- fon of the Indians themselves. Plane Mass Production For Allies Advocated. To the Editor of The Star: Wwith all the different suggestions be- ing offered every day on how to stop the war, it occurred to me that if all the ~eutomobile manufacturers in the United States would tool up their equip- ment to produce 100,000 airplanes per week in place of 100,000 autos, we wouldn’t have to send any of our boys over there to teath Hitler & Co. a lesson. \ FRED 8. GICHNER. May 2. SATURDAY, MAY 4, 1940, THIS AND THAT By Charles E. Tracewell. ] “FAST FALLS CHURCH, Va, “Dear sir: - “I have read with much interest the editorial comment on the experiences of C. J. O. of Hoban road. My gardens, now alive with spring flowers, are located in a two-acre clearing amd surrounded by enormous pines and dogwoods. “For over a year a family of rabbits have made their home under my front porch and during the recent and very severe winter after all of the natural vegetation was frozen for weeks, their source of food supply was reduced to a minimum, “I made an examination of my gar- dens and found they had not only chewed the tops from the Madonna lilies, Oriental poppies and nibbled a few per- ennials, but had accomplished a perfect Job of pruning the rosebushes. “At first I was hurt, until I realized that it was a service, rather than an in- jury, since the freezing winds could do nothing but harm to the longer stalks. “I bought a roll of wire and extended it with wickets around the lilies, which are again coming forth, and the roses are sprouting new branches from the base and appear t{o be none the worse for their experience. “Recently I have seen two young rab- bits feeding on the lawn, since the grass became plentiful within the week. Chip- munks, squirrels and other wild creatures are equally welcome to my hospitality as are the wild birds, all have added so much to my erstwhile lonely residence in the woods that I actually feel they are my very own. “My towhee and others who winter in the South have all returned and now my picture is again complete. “Sincerely yours, O. E. C.” * % ¥ % One of the dangers, which our corre- spondent has successfully surmounted, of feeding the birds, is that one will come to resent the presence of other creatures. But these others, as so well pointed out, are as much guests as any, and a perfect part of a perfect picture. Some amateur gardeners at first think that only flowers should be allowed in a garden. Some extremists even resent trees! But that is an “apartment” atti- tude of mind, which soon gives place to 8 better realization that nature is large, she contains multitudes, as the poet said. one-plant bore. turns it into & nuisance by pretending that no other material is worth while, We do not mean, of course, the rose en- thusiast who just ‘likes roses best of all, That is O. K. Every gardener has a right to his hobby. But the real rosarian | | will have a place in his heart, too, for the | interfere very little. gladiolus and the peony and the pansy and many another. L Even the most obtuse gardener sees in time the large and happy role the birds play in his yard. He realizes that they not only add im- mensely to the picture, but do a real service to him by keeping down the in- | sects. 8o he becomes a bird enthusiast, too, but if he does not watch himself, he will find himself going through the human activity of liking and hating. Now these are natural psychological reactions, but it is man's psychology, or mind, which has brought him to the pretty pass he has arrived at today. He has permitted the hating side of the picture to over- balance the liking side. You scarce can .kill something when you like it, but it may be easy enough when you hate or think you hate it to permit some one to tell you that you hate it or at least ought to hate it. In your own yard, keep the likes and dislikes balanced, with the accent heav- ily on the liking side. This way lies garden sanity. It is none too common an attainment, as most persons know. The bird lover resents the pigeons and even certain species of birds. Wild animals which wander in come within the scope of his hating and may we say hateful tactics. He resents too much and does not admire enough. . Admirations are only possible, we be- lieve, if we haye artistic minds. That is, we naturally try to see something picturesque in everything. This is not hard, at all, provided you love lines and angles and harmony and circles -and color and perspective. We do not mean that you must be a painter or sketch artist, but at least you must have some- thing of their own relish for the way things look. Too many people go through the world without realizing this beauty of line and form. They take for granted too much. If you are artistic, you have the whole garden world, not just a part of it, at your finger tips, and this means eye tips, too. If you are artistic, you like more; if you like more, you become more artis- tic. Persons who narrow themselves by set hates and dislikes cannot be said to be artistic. They are the world's true and only plebians. * ok %k Rabbits seem to do a great deal of damages It is easy to look at one ruined stalk and think of an entire spoiled garden, but he or she who does this fails to give credit to nature for much and long range | knowledge. She, in other words, does not permit things to be ruined so easily. The rab- | _ | bits gnaw, but often, as our correspond- | The worst of all garden bores is the | ent found, the animals are merely prun- | He takes such & fine | ing the rosebushes! thing as the rose, for instance, and | we have heard so much. Undesired guests at the feeding sta- | tions often contribute amusing and hap- py pictures. It will be found that the animals in the garden get along very well, if let alone. Man is called upon to If he lets alone, and watch better comprehension of nature. Since a garden, large or small, is a portion of nature, if we will just let it alone and not interfere too much with it we get the whole picture by admiring to the best of our abilitv. It takes patience, but pa- tience adds to understanding. Letters to Dose of Own Medicine. To the Editor of The Star: Not long ago we had a Dillinger who was killing and robbing indiscriminately, and finally our Government authorities had to hunt him like a wild beast of prey and put an end to his lawless oper- ations Without our police force no home or individual in the City of Wash- ington would be safe from molestation. Now, we have a great family of na- tions—some orderly and others disor- derly. Just how long are the “law-abid- ing” nations of our world going to toler- ‘ate others of this great family becoming outlaws and carrying armed invasions and wholesale slaughter into peace-lov- ing and liberty-loving nations about them? Only until these same liberty-loving nations form a “League of Nations” with some backbone and power to enforce the right, can we be free from such horrors as have disgraced our century: Japan— China, Italy—Ethiopia, Germany—Aus- tria, Czecho-Slovakia, Poland and Nor- way. Is the world to experience, every gen- eration or so, an example of war’s in- sanity by the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of men, the destruction of millions of dollars’ worth of property and the development of bitter hatreds among these warring nations? To allow such nations as Japan, Italy and Germany to re-arm, when once dis- armed, would be about the same as our freeing our life-termers and arming them to do what they pleased among our people. Germany wants her colonies back. If she had behaved hegself she never would have lost them. If her country is ever treated as she has treat- ed Poland she will lose her taste for despoiling her neighbors. She needs an overdose of her own medicine. That would really have “curative value.” May 2. OBSERVER. Thinks Socialist Aims Fall Short of Goal. To the Bditor of The Star: In today’s issue of your paper the sec- retary of the Young People's Socialist League lists his reasons for attacking things in general—production for profit, inequalities in income and lack of eco- nomic democracy—the last of which he claims will be cured by the trade unions. (He does not mention the power of trade unions o throw men out of work as well as put them into it, but I suppose that’s beside the point.) ‘Well, perhaps he is right. It may be that all these panaceas we hear about really will work out. Who knows? How- ever, not being as optimistic as your correspondent, I personally have my doubts. Unless, of course, the Socialists and Communists and Government con- trolists, etc., can figure out a scheme for real equalization—the equalization of brains—a more just distribution of tal- ent—with just a dash of genius perhaps to carry each one of us along. Now if they can frame up something like this I'm all for them—for it would the l;-;ditor Letters to the Editor must bear the name and address oy the writer although the use of a pseudonym for publication is permissible. Please be brief! true distribution—right down to the fundamentals. After all, why confine all this to a money basis? Wwhy so mate- ral? In the meanwhile there's a point that these social uplifters seem to miss. It's probably of no importance to them any- way, but this is it, that before a man is a member of any class or group—capital- ist, Socialist or Communist—he is first an individual with an individual con- 2 God-given right to exercise them, in so far as he respects the rights of | others to do the same. Whatever mate- rial benefits may come from these schemes to those of little ability at the expense of those who have much, they must all pay one common price—the sur- render of individual freedom to the rule of the masses. And the record of mob rule in the past has usually been a sorry one. D. RUSKIN. May 1. Community Chest Support Of 1. V. N. §. Emphasized. To the Editor of The Star: I have read in the local press of the 40th anniversary of that stalwart service agency, the Instructive Visiting Nurse Society of the District of Colum- bia. It is a fine thing for the people of the District thus to have brought before them such undramatized but day-in-and- day-out heroic efforts in human service. | I could wish that other long-standing welfare agencies would have similar anniversary observations. The only thing I failed to see reported in any Washington paper was the fact that the funds from the Washington Community Chest (contributed by the more than 190,000 givers) constitutes the financial backbone supporting the activ- ities of the Instructive Visiting Nurse Society. I think this should be brought out and trust you will use this letter to do so. JOSEPH D. KAUFMAN, May 2. Veterans’ Pension Bill Arouses His Ire. To the Editor of The Star: The latest proposed war veterans’ pen- sion grab is now before Congress. One more sop to be thrown to a minority Ppressure group. Under present conditions of Federal finances, the only way known to the writer to secure the millions of dollars necessary to pay these proposed pension increases would be to rob our children and grandchildren. Would that be hon- orable or patriotic? Congress should defer consideration of Ppension increases until they can be in- cluded in a balanced budget. The November election should weed out every member of Congress who votes for the Rankin bill. JAMES EMERY BROOKS. Glen-Ridge, N. J. April 26, | mon in France. | United States in 1853. | tive operation in Cleveland, Ohio. Answers To Questions By Frederic J. Haskin. A reader can get the answer to any question of fact by fvriting The Evee ning Star Information Bureau, Frede eric J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply. Q. Who wrote the official song of the Army Air Corps?—S. F. A. The composition, entitled “The Army Air Corps,” is by Robert Crawford of Coscob, Conn. Mr. Crawford is a mu= sician and vocalist of note. He is a grad- uate of Princeton University, where he organized and conducted the first or- chestra at that institution. Q. How many of our Presidents are buried at Arlington?—I. G. A. William Howard Taft is the only President buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Q. Who is the patron saint of the press?—B. F. A. St. Francis de Sales is the patron saint of journalists. Q. Are camel’s hair brushes made from the hair of a camel?>—M. W. A. A camel’s hair brush is usually made of the tail hair of Siberian squir« rels. Q. Is there such a word as snide? —E. B. A. Snide is an adjective meaning tricky, spurious or deceptively inferior. Q. Has anything been invented to re= place wooden railroad ties?—M. S. K. A. Although more than 2,500 patents have been granted in the past 50 years on schemes to replace wooden ties, not one of the devices has been as cheap or as satisfactory. Q. What book won the 1939 contest, of the Julia Ellsworth Ford Foundation? —E. T. A. The winner of the $2,000 award for the best children's book was Elinore Blaisdell, who wrote, “Falcon, Fly Back.” Q. Who said, “Thank God I am an American”?—J. J. G. A. The quotation, “Thank God I—I—- also am an American,” is from an ad- dress of Daniel Webster at Charlestown, Mass., June 17, 1843, at the completion of the Bunker Hill Monument. Q. What kind of tennis racket does Don Budge use?—T. J. R. A. The player uses a special model called the Budge Ghost, a T-piece racket, meaning that 7 pieces of wood | are used to make the head. The racket This is the economy of nature of which | is extremely heavy, weighing about 16 ounces, and has a 5 or 515 inch handle. Q. Has Stalin any physical deformi- ties?—W. H. S. A. Eugene Lyons, in “Stalin: Czar of All the Russias,” says that he was born 1 with one arm partially paralyzed and , he not only has more and | better looking, in pictures and situations, | or moving pictures, but he has a far | two toes grown together unnaturally. Q. Please give a brief history of refrig- eration—J. B. - A. 1t is said that both the Greeks and Romans packed snow in underground pits and that Nero established icehouses in Rome. By the end of the !7th cen- tury dealers in ice and snow were com- The manufacture of ice as an industry was begun as early as 1866, but only reached a degree of com- mercial importance about 1880. The be- ginning was in the Southern States, Prof. A. C. Twining of New Haven, Conn., patented an ice machine in the In 1855 he pat- ented another, which was put into ace In 1857 Dr. John Gorrie of Florida, patent- ed an ice-making machine. Q. Is it true that more men than women are color blind?—J. McG. A. Congenital color blindness occurs in from 3 per cent to 4 per cent of males | and in only 0.3 per cent of females. Q. How manyv Gold Star Mothers made pilgrimages to Europe?—W. M. W. A. The Gold Star Mothers made their | pilgrimages to Europe from May 1, 1930, R | to October 3, 1933. Nineteen parties of science and will and intellect and with | mothers were sent across by the Govern- ment. The total number of women who visited the European cemeteries was 6,674. Q. What is the highest point in Vir- ginia?—J. E. F. A. Mount Rogers, a peak 5719 feet in height, in the Jefferson National Forest, is the highest point in the State. Q. Please describe the stairs and ele-- vator in the Eiffel Tower.—B. T. . A. Two sets of elevators are employed in the Eiffel Tower, the first taking pase sengers to the first and second floors, while the second takes them on to the top. Each cabin, holding 65 persons, is | suspended by five steel cables: even if four of them should break, the fifth would still be capable of sustaining the car. There are 347 steps to the first floor, 327 more to the second floor, with a total of 1,710 to the very top. Q. Who holds the major league base- ball record for runs batted in a regula- tion nine-inning game?—J. W. A. The record of 12 runs was made by Jim Bottomley of the St. Louis Cardinals on September 16, 1924. Q. How many students graduated from high school last year?—K. S. M. A. It is estimated that in 1939 1,170,000 students were graduated from high schools in the United States. Q. What are tfiWestem Islands?— C.B. . A. The term Western Islands is applied to the Azores. Q. Please give the origin of the name America—C. J. R. A. The word is derived from the name of the Italian explorer Amerigo Ves- pucci. It was first proposed by Waldesee- muller, a teacher of geography in the College of St. Die, in the treatise called “Cosmographia,” published in 1507, Q. Is George Peabody, the philan- thropist, buried in ‘Westminster Abbey? —F.D. A. A public funeral was given him in Westminster Abbey and his remains were brought to the United States and buried at Danvers, Mass, Ry Q. Is “The Bells of St. Mary's” song?—M. W. D. A. “The Bells of St. Mary's,” Adams, was published London firm of an old i by A. B, 1919 by the Ascherberg, Hopwood