Evening Star Newspaper, May 31, 1940, Page 12

‘The Foening Star With Sunday Morning Edition. THEODORE W. NOYES, Editor, WASHINGTON, D. C. A May 31, 1940 The Evening Star Newspaper Company. Main Office: 11th St and Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 East 42nd St. Chicsgo Office: 436 North Michigan Ave. Delivered by Carrier—City and Suburban. Reguiar Editlon, Evening and Bunday 75¢ per mo. ot 18c per week The Evening Star __ 45¢ per mo. or 10¢ per week The Sunday Star % & Night Final Edition. ight Final and Sundsy Star. _ 85¢ per month ight Final Star __ 80¢ per month 10¢ per copy Rural Tube Delivers. The Evening and Sund; 85¢ per month The Evening Sta: 53¢ par month The Sunday Star _ 10¢ per copy Collection made at the end of each month or ench week. Orders may be sent by mall or tele- phone National 5000.1 Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. Daily and Sunday__1 yr. $12.00; 1 mo. Datly only ~__ 1 8.00: 1 mo. Sunday only_. 1 $8.00: 1 mo. Entered as second-class matter post office, Washington. D. C. Member of the Associated Press, ‘The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it cr not otherwise credited In this Daper and also the local news bublisned herein. A0 rights of publication of svecial dispstches herein alsc are reserved. Getting Down to Work Even as it is getting organized for active duty, President Roosevelt’s new Advisory Commission of the revived National Defense Council is finding its task growing in size and gravity. The President’s request to Congress today for another billion dollars for planes and tanks and guns will mean an approximate doubling of emergency demands on industry and will create more bottlenecks for the commission to worry about in the fields of raw material supply, manufacture, skilled labor and trans- portation. With the clarification by Mr. Roosevelt yesterday of the spe- cific duties of the commission and the completion of arrangements for getting down to work, there is good evidence that the commission has been promised the freedom from bureaucratic and political interfer- ence which it must have if it is to function effectively. And, the Presi- dent assured reporters at his press conference yesterday afternoon, the group will have the full legal status provided by the 1916 National De- fense Council Act, with such author- ity as that act confers. The commis- sion’s powers will not be of a dicta- torial nature, but the group will have standing and prestige in its efforts to co-ordinate industry and Govern- ment. It is not easy to forget, how- ever, that a similar setup twenty- four years ago failed to get desired results until authority was central- ized in an industrial “czar.” It might save time and trouble to take that further step now. Mr. Roosevelt’s assertion that the Advisory Commission will be respon- sible to the President rather than to the cabinet will help to allay the fears of many persons that depart- mental discord and red tape might nullify the best efforts of the co-or- dinators to put the defense program on a businesslike production basis. There is no member of the cabinet at present qualified to direct so gigantic a production job as has been turned over to Stettinius, Knud- sen and company. Mr. Stettinius and Mr. Knudsen, the only full-time partners of the firm, will set up offices in the Federal Reserve Build- ing and Mr. Roosevelt said they are “rarin’ to go.” These experienced Industrialists will list requirements of the Army and Navy, arrange schedules of production and super- vise and speed up deliveries of raw materials and finished products. Sidney Hillman, labor’s representa- tive on the commission, will have the heavy responsibility of mobiliz- ing workers for the varied non-com- batant jobs incidental to the defense program. This will be largely a prob- lem of rounding up and training men for special jobs. The President has shown good judgment in seeking to make use of the Civilian Conserva- tion Corps, the National Youth Administration and similar agencies as sources of this non-combatant man power. Public opinion is wholeheartedly behind the President and Congress in the eleventh-hour race to prepare America for the worst that may hap- pen. The cost will be appalling, but the American people gladly will make whatever sacrifices are required, pro- viding they have confidence that their dollars will be converted quickly and efficiently into the implements of self-protection which have be- come so indispensable in this dark hour for civilization. Housing Needs President Roosevelt is concerned, and rightly so, with the need of con- tinuing and expanding the program of the United States Housing Au- thority, especially in connection with the national defense. In recent conferences with con- gressional leaders and the press he has reiterated his desire that Con- gress do something before it adjourns to give the U. 8. H. A. additional lending capital to help alleviate the acute shortage of decent housing for low-income families. In normal peace times the administration set the seal of its approval on the public housing and slum clearance pro- gram. Now, with plans being rushed to expand the military personnel and speed up the wheels of industry to turn out the needed implements of defense, a co-ordinated housing pro- gram is even more necessary than before. President Roosevelt said at his press conference last Friday that he feels funds should be provided to continue the program in rural as well as in urban areas. As an ex- \ ample, he said, establishment of new fi plants in connection with the na- tional defense program undoubtedly would require additional housing fa- cilities in many small communities, This expansion, he pointed out, could well be handled through & continued U. 8. H. A. program. Nor are the needs of factory work- ers all that must be met at this time. To increase the personnel of the Army creates a housing problem for every military post. Local and Federal housing experts could render effi- cient service in planning this phase of the defense needs. At present they are insignificant, as are the civilian requirements, compared to the huge cantonments which a gen- eral mobilization of America’s man power would necessitate. The U. S. H. A. has signed away and contracted the $800,000,000 which Congress authorized it to loan to local communities. It has re- quests pending for a billion dollars more, indicating the widespread need and demand. Its till is empty. A bill providing another $800,000,- 000 in loans has been pigeon-holed in the House since last June, when it passed the Senate. The social and economic values of improved housing are recognized by Republicans in Congress as well as by Democrats. But there are differences concurred in by some on both sides of the House over the policies of the United States Housing Act and the costs and methods of financing projects. These differences are now being ironed out by the substitution of remedial amendments which are said to have the approval of President Roosevelt. For many months officials of the U. S. H. A. have shown every willing- ness to co-operate with critics in Congress to reduce the housing pro- gram to a more reasonable basis. With regard to the actual lending | capital to be authorized, they are satisfied that half a loaf is better than none at all. Placing the Blame Reporting on a two-year study of the factors responsible for the stag- nation of the capital markets, the Brookings Institution disagrees vig- orously with the theory that the United States has reached a stage of “economic maturity” and its corol- lary that there must be extensive supplementing of private by public enterprise. Dealing with capital expansion in relation to employment and economic stability, the study finds the possi- bilities of further development of private enterprise are sufficient to absorb the Nation’s capital and labor resources for many years to come, provided that stabilization is brought about by removal of unnecessary im- pediments to the flow of funds into constructive capital developments, and restoration of confidence in the future of private enterprise. This forthright declaration from so reputable an agency, coming at a time when the public has been told repeatedly that the era of private industrial initiative has run its course, should serve a most useful purpose. If it accomplishes nothing more than to cause our economic | planners to pause and recheck the | validity of their own defeatist doc- trines it may lead to significant results. Proponents of the public spending school have rested their case on the assumption that our economic fron- tier has disappeared, that American industry has “grown up” to the point where attractive opportunities for private investment no longer exist on a scale adequate to take up the slack in unemployed men and cap- ital. Consequently, they argue, the Government must step in and spend vast sums of public moey to provide the job opportunities that formerly resulted from private investment. From that proposition the insti- tution’s analysts emphatically dis- sent. They grant that the flow of private capital into constructive developments has slackened, but in their judgment this is the direct cesult of recently adopted govern- mental policies. Outstanding among these, accord- ing to the report, is the existing system of taxation, which has been developed without thought of its evil effects upon the capital market and which has encouraged invest- ment in tax exempt bond issues while discouraging investment in the types of securities which must be sold by new or expanding indus- tries. Other governmental policies which were criticized by the insti- tution include the excessive regula- tion of security issues which has raised the costs and increased the risks of capital flotatjons, continued heavy deficit spending which has impaired confidence in public credit, and the development of a number of Government lending agencies which have narrowed the field of private investment outlets. Implicit in this report is a well- reasoned plea for abandonment of those New Deal policies which are demonstrably harmful, to the end that private industry may be given a reasonable freedom to work out its own salvation. This appeal comes late, but perhaps not too late if its hopeful promise for the future can be weighed impartially against the dismaying consequences of seven years of public spending. County Juvenile Court The current discussion of the need for a Juvenile Court in Prince Georges County gives rise to the hope that some action finally is to be taken on this matter. Certainly it is plain that a county of more than 70,000 persons, and which requires not one but two police court judges, could use a Juvenile Court to advantage. In the present discussion, it has been suggested that the Police Court ) THE EVENING STAR, justices, who also handle juvenile cases at this time, might sit in a Juvenile Court if one is created. To authorize such procedure would be only a half-hearted attempt to mod- ernize the county’s method of deal- ing with juvenile offenders. The experience of Montgomery County and of many other communities indicates that a large, fast-growing jurisdiction such as Prince Georges, needs the better atmosphere which a Juvenile Court gives to those who have offended society at an early age. Such a court will fulfill its purpose best if presided over by an inde- pendent judge able to devote ample time and energy to a sympathetic study of the problems of youth, with the assistance of a staff of skilled probation officers. Capture of Narvik Receiving but little attention, in contrast to the news from Belgium and Northern France, the Allied cap- ture of Narvik is an offset—if small— to the disaster which the British Ex- peditionary Force and a portion of the French Army has suffered in Flanders. Expulsion of the Nazi garrison, which now is seeking refuge in the mountains east of the once-impor- tant ore port, marks the successful conclusion of an Allied siege in which two naval battles were fought and a land attack was carried on for nearly eight weeks. From the standpoint of morale, the Allied victory at Narvik has a certain importance, not only in Britain and | France, but among those Norwegians who continue to resist the German invader. The official Norwegian gov- ernment still exists in hiding in Nor- way, and the retention by Allied arms of at least one stretch of Arctic coast may be a stimulus to King Haakon's hopes. But the importance of Narvik from a strategic military, naval and aerial standpoint is even greater. Its seizure signifies that the Allies are holding one flank against the Ger- man positions in Norway, a flank to which the Germans must continue | to give a certain attention. It also means that Germany will continue to be denied—as it has been since the start of the Narvik siege, April 9— the use of the Narvik port for ore shipments. . Narvik provides the Allies with a potential base for air operations against Nazi-held Trondheim, four | hundred miles south, a base from | which an assault upon Trondheim may yet be launched if the German offensive on the western front bogs down and operations there become stabilized. The war for Norway is not over as long as the Allies continue to hold a portion of Norwegian territory, and if the tide ever turns against the Reich, possession of Narvik may assume greater significance than is | now the case. More important for the future, however, than the potentialities of Narvik for a renewed assault on the German position in Norway is the | route it offers into Sweden, whose | fear of German invasion is abated for the moment but not removed. Germany, at grips with the Allies in the west, is requiring additional | supplies from those nations which remain free within its orbit. The | Swedes have displayed a willingness | to co-operate with Germany, but such co-operation may not be suffi- cient if Germany finds it necessary “to replace the huge quantity of ma- terials lost in the western front fighting. If the Swedes should ever determine to resist a German inva- sion, Narvik would become a vital railhead for shipment of Allied troops and war materials to the relief of Sweden. Bridge Static A radio bridge game took place between teams of Kansas University men at Lawrence and Wisconsin University co-eds at Madison on a “ham” or amateur hookup. Along about the first finesse static de- veloped, and so it took an hour and a quarter to complete the hand. The teams seemed convinced that this ‘was something of a record. Miss Gabb, secretary of the Ladies’ Afternoon Bridge Club of an uniden- tified locality, was indignant at their presumption. What, she said, did these callow youngsters know about bridge static? At her club, she /in- sisted, it takes more preliminary preparation to get the first rubber under way than is required to start an offensive on the western front. But overlooking that, and counting only from the play of the first card, their record was still unchallenged. The lead of a dtamond, for instance, reminds second hand of her niece’s engagement and involves a lengthy discussion. When dummy goes down, she insists on seeing declarer’s hand for a criticism of the bidding. Just as the first trick is taken after eighteen minutes of snappy play, the hostess has to tell the maid, for the thousandth time, to take the ice cubes out of the refrigerator tray. There are frequent armistices in the hostilities to discuss absent members or powder shiny noses. “And if that is not enough for us to win by six lengths,” added Miss Gabb, “here is the clincher; the telephone is sure to ring once or twice, and even my reason would totter at guessing how long it takes to end one of these conversations.” Cowboys and cowgirls from both the United States and Canada are taking part in rodeos In far-away Australia. They may be there for some time. A machinery factory in Leningrad claims that it now has no fewer than 180,000 volumes in its plant library, Fine and dandy; but is it making any machinery? WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1940. THIS AND THAT By Charles E. Tracewell. Denounces Empty Defense Criticism Opponents of Administration Program Urged to Make Constructive Suggestions To the Editor of The Star: Well, the ordinary “man on the street” has again been listening to the radio and reading papers. “Hysteria,” “money down the rathole,” “think of home affairs” “against whom are we preparing?” “mongrel foreign pol- icy,” etc, ad infinitum, as the lawyers say. Not one constructive idea in all the criticism, and that is what is getting tiresome! Ye gods, are there those who still trust that wild man, Hitler? If he signed a non-aggression pact with us tomorrow, would that stop him? Suppose Hitler wins this war! any one of these “master-mind” critics know what Hitler's. next move would be? Could we assume, for example, that Nazi victory would not mean the end of the British fleet and the advent of Ger- man control of the sea? And if Hitler then made a play for Russia, or the Bal- kans, or Bagdad, and even beyond, could we assume that Nazi soldiers and tanks wouldn’t be landed in Canada? Can we assume that Canada or Mexico wouldn't look better to Hitler than African col- onies? Are there really no “jumping off” places for Nazis in the Western Hemi- sphere? If some of these “wiseacres” could tell | America just when and where the ag- gression against us would start, of course, | those in places of responsibility here | might be able to plan directly against | the known thrust; but if they do know, they are certainly not giving the country | any light. The average person isn't getting hys- terical. He is becoming fearful, however, that America might be turned into an- | other Belgium, Holland, Norway or Po- land. After all, there between us and Mexico, nor between us and Canada, and even if we had two Maginot Lines there, planes and tanks could move over or around them. It is being done, we hear and read. Of course, we have 5563 aircraft to protect these very limited borders, and the Panama Canal is only a few hundred miles away. Frankly, some of us would prefer to get some idea of the number of Nazis now in this country. That would relieve our minds much more quickly than all of this carping criticism. Some of us don't believe, for example, that putting Fritz Kyhn behind the bars killed off the bund—not by a long shot! beautiful opportunity for “fifth column” sabotage this country would afford! May 25. D.D. Says Widow's Mite ‘Worth One-sixth of Cent. To the Editor of The Star: In your Questions and Answers col- umn of today’s issue I note a very bad error. You state that the widow’s mite had the value of one-third an English farthing or two-thirds an American | cent. Since the English coin is worth only one-half that of the American coin it follows that the mite should therefore be worth only one-half of one-third or one-sixth of a cent. May 27. ALEXANDER WATSON. Presents Problems That May Arise. To the Editor of The Star: Let us take an analytical look at this war and its portents. I have not given up hope for an Allied victory. Some- how I am convinced that the Allies will prove more potent than they have thus far. However, unpleasant though it may be, we must admit that a German vic- tory is more likely, as the war now stands. So let us proceed on that dis- tasteful presumption. Economically speaking, England it- self is not particularly valuable, it is the empire that causes her wealth. In the event that England and France are conquered there will certainly be a wild scramble for their colonies. What atti- tude should we then assume? Should we take possession of Bermuda, the Bahamas and Canada? That would naturally invoke the i1l will of Hitler. Isn’t it already invoked? Does it need to be? Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Holland did nothing to arouse him, yet look at their present state. ‘Well—should we leave thess posses- sions exposed so that Germany may gradually dominate them by a clever series of steps, no one of which would be sufficient to arouse us to the extent of declaring war? Unfortunately I think the answer is a militaristic one. If the time comes when we will have to make that decision, we should assume control of those strategic possessions, especially if the inhabitants of them are willing. If, on the other hand, at that time we dare not challenge German because of our unpreparedness, then the answer is obviously to the contrary. These are just a few of the questions that we should be considering now so that if the time comes we will be able to act unhesitatingly and wisely. However, there is no cause for alarm and hysteria. We are all united on our one purpose, viz, to get prepared just as fast and as well as we can. That is our main objective. We should assume that remote atti- tude somewhere between being passively calm and frantically worried—let us call it a firm determination to face any eventuality with confidence and wisdom. May 27, G.R.G. Stresses Importance of Spiritual Revival. ‘To the Bditor of The Star: This reader was favorably impressed by the emphasis on spiritual revival necessary to a revitalized democracy in articles on the editorial page of The Sunday Star. It was a belated but powerful recognition that only by a return to God and a will to sacrifice can we get back an appreciation that free- dom, born in travail and labor, can only be kept that way! “Where there is no vision the people perish.” May America, to which much blessing * has been given, regain its spiritual vision, go forward in unity, de- fend the right (within and without) and in serving God help bring salvation to & bereft world. May 21. JOSEPH D. KAUFMAN. A isn't a fort | | good. His first idea, that of ereeping up as | And what a | Many years ago three interesting books on chess were issued, dealing with the minor, major and grand tactics of the game. The premise of the author was that chess is exactly like war, on a miniature scale, and that the same rules of battle which apply to the latter apply to the former. We had an interesting view recently of the way an animal teaches itself the arts of animal war, or the chase, which is much the same. A small cat, confined to the house for three years, suddenly was let loose. He had never chased a bird, never been chased by & dog, never fought one of his | own kind. Does | * X X ¥ The cat’s chief interest, from the first, | lay in catching a squirrel. He did not pay much attention to the birds which frequented the two feeding stations on the ground beneath the maple tree. What interested him almost solely were the rodents. These were bold, waggish fellows, as most of them are, with fixed rights at the feeding boxes along with the birds. In fact, the squirrels, of which there are five adults and three young ones, probably get more sunflower seeds than all the birds put together. s x x % g ©One or more of the active rodents may be seen humped up over the seed all day long. These were the animals which in- stantly attracted the attention of Hops, the cat. His name was given him on account | of his ability at suddenly leaping into the air from a standing position. Would this feat be of any use to him in his new activity? The cat had to learn “how to do it,” as far as we could see, from the first | that is, instinct did him little jump; slowly as possible, he soon proved to be a snare and a delusion. This first of animal instincts, to creep up inch by inch, on the prey or enemy, | proved much too slow and useless, to bool. | | steadily to this method of campaign. After Hops spent 10 minutes inching up on the squirrels, to have them run | up a tree when he was at least 20 feet from them, he changed his strategy. His “minor” tactics seemed a failure, and he realized it. «x % Now he was ready for his “major” | tactics, as it were. He speeded up his creeping, stopping stock still only when the intended vic- tim looked squarely in his own direction. | After he had gone forward no more | than § or 6 feet in this manner, he made & break for the squirrel, running di- rectly at it. At no time did he manage to get closer than 4 feet of the rodent. Now Hops showed his ability to think. Some people say cats can’t think, but how about this? And it must be remem- bered that this cat had not spent one day in the open before. Here is what the cat did: Instead of running directly for the squirrel, when he made his break, Hops ran for the tree! ? He realized that the squirrel would have to go up the tree in order to get away, so instead of making a straight line for the prey itself, then 4 or 5 feet from the tree, the cat drew his straight line to the tree. This was exactly the same trick used by Nazis in making for the French Channel ports, to cut off the British Ex- peditionary Force from taking to the boats, rather than attacking them di- rectly. The Germans made for the Brit- ish “tree,” the ports and vessels. % k% In the case of Hops, this maneuver failed. The squirrel always made the tree first, although now only about 2 or 3 feet ahead of the cat. It must be kept in mind that squirrels really love this play with cats. They know they are faster, and do not seem in the least to be afraid. After each attack, the cat would re- main at the feeder for a few minutes, | then withdraw, in order to give the | squirrel an opportunity to come down | again, which the rodent always did, not really being afraid. L ] ‘What would Hops do next? We do not know whether his next move was “grand” or just “major,” but | Lea & Perrins families of Worcester, at any rate here is what he did: sought the aid of the cover afforded by a perennial flower border. In this way he was able to get within 6 feet of the enemy before making his dash into the open. At the latest date, Hops was holding He seems to be quite confident that, in time, he will get his squirrel. The squirrels seem equally optimistic that he won’t. As for this watcher, we are betting on the squirrels, for we know their speed and general all-around ability to take care of themselves. Hops, you see, being quite new to the outdoors, has a great deal to Jearn, both as to squirrels and the minor, major and grand tactics of squirrel catching. Letters to Cuban Ambassador Denies | “Fifth Column” Is in Cuba. | To the Editor of The Star If I were not used to the amazing lack of information manifested by certain | sections of the American press with regard to Cuba and to the Latin Ameri- can republics at large, I would assuredly have reason to be surprised on reading the column “This Changing World,” by Mr. Constantine Brown, published in | | yvesterday's issue of your esteemed news- in which he discusses the in- “fifth column” activities in paper, creased to the case in Mexico, that the situation in Cuba “is reported to be even worse,” | an | 8nd conveyed it to our Government, the | | present desire for immediate action will where thousands are preparing | underground revolution with the aid of | German resources, arms and money. ‘These charges by Mr. Brown are not true, and create an alarm which is of no help to an understanding of the real situation in Cuba. The attitude of the Cuban people is properly reflected in the statement made by the presidential candidate of the Democratic Socialist Coalition, Col. Fulgencio Batista (retired), to the foreign newspaper correspondents at Havana, and which was transmitted to the United States under date of May 24 by the Associated Press and the United Press, among other news services. This statement affirmed that the interests of Cuba will be those of the United States whenever any danger should menace the democratic policies of the Western Hemisphere. The curious stetement of Mr. Brown may be attributed, no doubt, in this case, to a lack of information which the reading of the words of Mr. Batista should correct. PEDRO MARTINEZ FRAGA, May 25. Ambassador of Cuba. (Editor's Note—Mr. Brown did not question in his column the loyalty of the Cuban people nor of Col. Batista. He spoke of the subversive elements which have made their way into Cuba during the past few years and are abusing Cuba’s hospitality.) Suggests Study of Military Textbook. To the Editor of The Star: Every one today is more or less inter- ested in news from abroad, and particu- larly in its effect upon us as a Nation. ‘What to do about the war in Europe is no longer an academic discussion con- fined to points of national and interna- tional law. But it is a dynamic issue as important to us as any we have faced. From the general who directs the movements of a million men to the corporal who leads his squad of eight on a scouting assignment, all military action is based on a procedure of logical thought which may be found in mili- tary textbooks under the heading of “Estimate of the Situation.” In the case of a very complicated situation such as would confront s commander of an army, “The Estimate of the Situation” would be prepared in writing after great study. The corporal might make his estimate mentally and in a few moments. Thus, this standard process which be- gins with “My Mission” and proceeds in logical sequénce to “My Decision” is the impetus for all military action. We of America are in need of an “Estimate of the Situation.” Why not then tear a page from our book on military science and begin, as all able generals must, with “Our Mission”? From every newspaper and radio sounds the advice that we must act. ‘The voices are hysterical, calm, fiery, cool; the words are cautious, they are reckless. Some would have us send our entire armed forced to & foreign shore, South America, and says, after referring | 7 the Editor Letters to the Editor must bear the name and address of the writer, although the use of a pseudonym for publication is permissible. Please be brief! others would have us abandon the world Haskin’s Answers To Readers’ Questions By Frederic J. Haskin. A reader can get the answer to any question of fact by writing The Eve- ning Star Information Bureau, Fred- eric J. Haskin, director, Washington, D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply. Q. How does the weight of a gorilla's brain compare with that of a human brain?—M. K. B. A. The lightest normal human brain weighs 1,100 grams. The average brain of a young gorilla weighs about 319 grams. The brain of a 3-year-old African gorilla that died in 1934 at the National Zoological Park, Washington, was found to weigh about 486.6 grams, Q. Please give the number of Federal prisons in the United States—W. P. K. A. The Department of Justice says that there are now 24 Federal prisons in operation, including the National Industrial School. In addition to these, there are six Federal prisons now une der construction. Q. What are the names of the songs from the motion picture “Ecstasy?”— C. E. A. The musical selections from the picture are entitled “Love Awaken in the Spring” and “Lost in Ecstasy.” Q. Is it essential for the groom to wear the conventional morning coat and striped trousers at a June high- noon wedding?—R. G. A. At a summer wedding it is in good form for the groom to wear white flan- nel trousers and a dark blue coat. Q. How many women in France are engaged in war industries?—H. T. A. There are more than half a million women employed in that country's war industries. Q. When was Worcestershire sauce first made?—J. T. S. A. According to the tradition in the | England, the recipe for Worcestershire Instead of attacking in the open, he | sauce was brought to England from | India by Sir Marcus Sandys prior to the year 1835. They acquired the recipe from him and commenced manufacture of Worcestershire sauce about 1835. Q. Has an all-blind flight ever been made in an airplane?—E, R. A. The first all-blind flight in history was completed on April 6, wlen Maj. Carl B. McDaniel, Army Air Corps, landed a four-motor 22';-ton Boeing B-17 bomber, after a 300-mile trip from Mitchel Field, New York, to Lang- ley Field, Virginia. The flight, which lasted a little over two hours, was made with & canvas screen around the pilot, shutting off everything but the instrue ment panel from his sight. Q. What are 'thezdimensions of & graduation mortar board?—N. T. A. The standard size of the top of | | graduation caps is 9'z by 914 inches. Q. When was the Galveston (Tex.) flood?—F. J. H. A. The great Galveston flood, caused by a West Indian hurricane, occurred on September 8, 1900. Over 6,000 lives | were lost. | for a state of isolation. No wonder then | that we feel uncertain, bewildered: and confused. Our chosen political leaders are our generals who make “Our De- cision,” but they must first know what we, the people, set forth as “Our Mis- to have it so. Until public opinion has crystallized upon a definite objective be as aimless as that of a great army whose leader forgot what he wanted to do. “Our Mission” is paragraph one, “Our Decision” is paragraph five. May 27. JOSEPH B. BARNWELL, Strengthening of Puerto Rico Area Urged. To the Editor of The Star: g It has been established as a basic part of our foreign policy that the United States will defend the Western Hemisphere from foreign aggression. We are increasing our Army to repell any invasion and are expanding our Navy to guard our coasts and to serve as the first line of defense. However, no foreign foe is going to cross the Atlantic and hurl its forces at our defenses. Any aggressor must have bases and sources of supply. The Germans have blazed the way across the Atlantic from Africa to Brazil with their lighter-than-air ships; this base would also accommodate warplanes after & mere 1600-mile flight from the Old World to the New World. & short hop to the oil fields of Venezuela and another hop to the Canal Zone. To combat this inevitable method of attack, the United States is handi- capped. Although with a formidable air force, our nearest air base to the east coast of South America is Puerto Rico. And a round-trip flight from Puerto Rico to the nearest point in South America is greater than the range of & heavily laden bomber or a fast pursuit ship. But there are potential air bases all along this route. They are the islands of the Lesser Antilles, belonging to the British, the French and the Dutch. As our neutrality is definitely pro-Ally and since there is strong talk of re- pealing the Johnson Act to allow credit to the Allies, no better means could be devised of rendering them aid than to allow them credit for the purchase price of their respective holdings in the Caribbean. To free this hemisphere from European possessions now would remove the possibility of their becoming trouble spots later should the outcome of the war change their sovereignty. This move could not be looked upon as imperialistic on the part of the United States. It might be found that several South American countries would like to procure islands near their shores. There might also be found some solution to the Argentine claim of the Falkland Islands, an issue that has existed for a long time. ‘With the present war as an example, we cannot be too well prepared. Upon realizing that our defense of the Carib- bean and South Atlantic depends upon the meager facilities available in Puerto Rico, it is urged that Congress take ac- tion on this means of strengthening our security in this vital zone, A. KELLY SHELTON. San Juan, P. R. May 22, It is then only | Q. Which is the most northern State in this country?—E. L. A. The Lake of the Woods, a projece | tion from the .State of Minnesota, ex= | Conference, | to October, 1918. tends to latitude 49° 23’ 04.1” at longie tude 95° 09° 113", making Minnesota the most northern State of the United States. It is our privilege as a democracy | Q. Please give the date of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.—H. M. A. The annual Bread Loaf Writers’ sponsored by Middlebury College, will be held at Middlebury, Vt., | from August 14 to 28. Q. What do the three feminine figures on the purple 3-cent stamp represent?— B B A. They are “The Three Graces” from the painting “Primavera” or “Spring,” by the Florentine artist, Botticelli. This stamp commemorates the 50th year of the Pan-American Union. Q. Has Charleston, S. C., ever observed daylight saving time?—M. S. A. Daylight saving time was inforced in Charleston, 8. C., from March, 1918, It was revoked some time during 1919. Q. What is the meaning of sieg heil?— K.C A A. The German phrase means hail victory. Q. In what play did Frank Daniels, the comedian, say “Am I a wiz"?— T. G. H. A. This was his catch line in the lead- ing comedy role of “Kibosh” in the Victor Herbert comic opera, “The Wizard of the Nile.” It was first produced at the Casino, New York City, on Novem- ber 4, 1895. Q. Please give some information about the famous old Warner House in Ports- mouth, N. H?—L. 8. C. A. The house was begun in 1718 and completed in 1723 by Capt. Archibald Macpheadris, a wealthy iron merchant, who married Sarah Wentworth, s daughter of Geov. John Wentworth, Built of brick, with walls 18 inches thick, the house has been restored grad- ually by the Warner House Association. Recently, under the direction of Wil~ liam G. Perry, architect for the res- toration at Williamsburg, Va., further work has been done and it will be opened to the public on June 10. Q. Is there a building at the Univer- sity of Virginia designed by Stanford ‘White?—W. W. A. Cabell Hall at University of Vir- ginia was designed by Stanford White to harmonize with the original "Jeffer- sonian buildings. It was completed in 898, Q. Has Mme. Chiang Kai-shek written any books?—K. H. D. A. She is the author of “This is Our China.” Q. Who is the patron saint of cabinet makers?—R. H, A. St. Anne, the mother of the Ma- donna, Q. What were Nero’s last words?—R. G. D. A. At the approach of horsemen who came to drag him to execution Nero commanded an attendant to stab him to death, exclaiming, “What an artist dies in mel” !