Evening Star Newspaper, June 5, 1940, Page 10

The Foening Htar With Sunday Morning Edition. THEODORE W. NOYES, Editor, WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY _______.____ June 5, 1940 The Evening Star Newspaper Company. 3 h St d Pennsylvania Ave. M ek Omer: 110 Eoas dond 8t Chicsgo Office: 435 North Michigan Ave Delivered by Carrler—City and Suburban. Regular Editlon. ening and Sunaay 756 per mo. ot 18c per wee| 6 Evening 45¢ per mo. or 10¢ per weel e Sunday ¢ Night Final Edition, Jieht Binal and Sundsy Star &5c per month ieht Final Star Z 60¢ per month Rural Tube Delivery. ® Evening and Sunday Star e Evening Star e Sunday Star _ 10¢ per copy 5c per month _~_Bc per month ~10c per copy Collection made at the end of each month or | ch week. Orders may be sent by mall or tele- one Natlonal 5000 Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance. fly and Sunday_ 1 sr. $1200: 1 mo. $1.00 ily only 15yrs B0 u z $8.00: 1 mo. 7 nday only_. $5.00: 1 mo.. 80c Entered as second-class matter post office, ‘Washington. D. C. Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is sxclusively entitled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited 10 it or_not otherwise credited in this Paper and also the local news published here! Al rights of publication of svecial dispatches herein also are reserved. The Will to Win Prime Minister Winston Churchill's grimly frank report to the House of Commons yesterday on the Allied retreat from Flanders was cloaked with no rhetorical camouflage to spare the feelings of the British peo- ple. Yet, with all its solemnity, it was an inspiring message of deter- mination and hope, rather than of despair and defeatism. From the heroism of the British and French and Belgian soldiers on the bloody flelds of Flanders the regimented forces of totalitarianism have learned | something of the indomitable brav- ery of free peoples forced to bear | arms in defense of their principles and of their homes; from the delib- erate words of England’s Prime Minister the dictators could learn much. Certainly they are finding that it takes more than dive-bombers and tanks and machine guns to crush the spirit of free men. Mr. Churchill’'s address provided answers for many of the questions which have been swirling in the minds of Americans and others who have been shocked and confused by the cataclysmic rush of events in | Europe. He has left no room for doubt as to these important facts: That the Allies have suffered a “colossal military disaster”; that, despite this catastrophe, they enter- tain no thoughts of vanquishment | nor of surrender; that the truly miraculous escape of the British ex- and Belgian Allies from the “jaws of death,” which only yesterday succeeded in snapping shut at Dun- kerque, paves the way for recon- struction and consolidation of the Allled front; and that the subjuga- tion of England would not mean that the sun had set upon the British Empire. The crisis which confronts the Allies—and, indirectly, the world's remaining democracies—is so grave that no good can come of avoiding the facts, of indulging in further wishful thinking of the type to which | Britain and France and the other democratic nations have clung so hopefully and so futilely in recent years. Aggression in its mightiest, most fearsome form is march—and is flushed with victory. Totalitarianism has ceased to be | merely the bombast of blatant dic- tators; it has materialized into a mechanized monster that threatens to devastate all who dare oppose it. Britain and France have accepted the challenge and they are paying a frightful price—but the epic with- drawal from Flanders, the gallant sacrifices of the garrisons at Calais and Dunkerque, the near-incredible salvation of more than 300,000 brave men who had been virtually given | up for lost—all these things have given the Allies and their friends new heart for the even darker days which loom ahead. The trials and tribulations of Brit- ain and France are far from over. As Mr. Churchill succinctly put it, “Wars are not won by evacuations.” Sterner and more ferocious blows, aimed at the heart of these two great nations, are just starting. If America can ease those blows, or turn them to the disadvantage of the attackers, it behooves us to do so with the utmost speed. We have procrastinated too long as it is—and with every day's delay the threat of war is being brought closer and closer to our shores. It is a matter of inestimable im- portance to our own security that we should instantly remove all restrictions on the rendering of realistic, material aid to the Allies, while there remains some hope of their eventual triumph. And there will be hope as long as there prevails in England and France such an unquenchable spirit of fortitude and such a “will to win” as Allied soldiers and statesmen have exhibited in recent days. Patriot From Texas A Texas Democrat, Chairman Mar- vin Jones of the House Agriculture Committee, has voluntarily relin- quished an appointment to the Court of Claims, after his nomination had been confirmed by the Senate, so that he might continue to serve his country in Congress during the crit- ical days that lie ahead. This unselfish move on the part of Mr. Jones, made at the request of the President, prevents him from realizing at this time a life-long ambition to serve on the bench. But his natural disappointment on that score will be tempered, it is hoped, P by the knowledge that the Nation will benefit from his sacrifice, and: by the realization that he has earned the admiration of his fellow Americans. The Representative from Texas has set an example of unselfishness which should serve as a model for all citizens, both in private and pub- lic life, for our democracy was built by sacrifice and it cannot be pre- served by putting personal consider- ations ahead of the national welfare. Warning to Germnny Secretary Hull’s indorsement of a joint congressional resolution which, in effect, serves notice on Germany that she must keep hands off the Western Hemisphere if she wins the war in Europe merely gives formal expression to a policy to which the United States mmust adhere as a matter of sheer necessity. From time to time there have been efforts made to give the impression that this country has no definite plan in this respect, that we have not decided whether we should un- dertake to defend the entire hemi- sphere or merely the United States proper. But thoughtful Americans have long understood that we have no real choice in this matter. They have known that our defense pro- gram has been formulated with a view to hemisphere defense for the simple but vitally important reason that we cannot in any other way Insure the security of the United States. But the instruments of defense in being and those in contemplation are two entirely different things, and the sorry fact is that we are not by any means prepared to defend the vast reaches of North and South America. And yet, despite this serious weak- | ness, with its accompanying threat to our own national safety, there are | Americans, some of whom occupy high positions in this Government, who persist in their avowed refusal to believe that there is any emer- gency confronting this Nation. General George C. Marshall, Army | Chief of Staff, told the House Military Affairs Committee yesterday that we are faced with dangers that “might be serious, specifically with relation to the Panama Canal.” In this con- nection he intimated that it might become necessary to send National Guard detachments to Latin Amer- ica and, in an executive session, he elaborated on the reasons which may make such a move imperative. The Chief of Staff has made it clear that he would draw on the Guard with reluctance, but that it may be- come urgently necessary to do so is plainly indicated by testimony he peditionary force and of its French | gave to Congress several weeks ago, the Regular Army and stressed the great importance, from the stand- point of national security, of having available more “seasoned, trained men who can use the new weapons effectively and immediately and with | a state of discipline that makes them completely dependable.” The Regular Army has men of this | | caliber, but our standing forces are not large enough for a real emer- gency. Trained auxiliary troops must come from the National Guard. .It was primarily to insure this timely training that the President last week | | asked for authority to call the Guard on the | to active duty should occasion arise in the absence of Congress. But, de- spite the clear reasonableness of this request, it evoked a storm of criti- cism in Congress, and when General Marshall issued an explanatory statement he, too, was attacked, with Senator Wheeler describing his re- marks as “propaganda to stampede J| the people of this country into a war hysteria.” Such a statement, coming from a | responsible public official, is not only foolish but it is dangerous as well. | It is no light matter under any cir- | cumstances to accuse the Chief of Staff of trying to goad the country into war, and when such a charge is made, as in this case. with appar- ent intent to forestall vitally neces- sary defense preparations, it merits the severest condemnation. Fortunately, the picture of the dan- ger we are facing and our lack of preparation to meet it is becoming clearer each day. As the facts of our situation become known, there is less and less excuse for short-sighted criticism, from whatever source it may come. And it is to be hoped that the time is at hand when obstruc- tionist tactics will be abandoned in favor of the whole-hearted co-oper- ation which the existing emergency demands. Class of 1940 Hundreds of thousands of young Americans just now are being gradu- ated from universities and colleges in which they have been prepared for life and work in a world admittedly imperfect. These youthful citizens have known from early childhood that their prospects for success were not bright. It has been explained to them by their elders that they are the children of a period of economic and soclal dislocation, a period of revolution and of war. The earth is in turmoil, and the only peace which currently can be imagined is that to be had exclusively by processes of compulsion. MearfWhile, the strife necessarily must continue, be the cost what it may. The boys and the girls of 1940 are invited to do their part that civilization shall not perish utterly. Of course, it is a cruel mischance which brings this year’s graduates a choice so bleak. They have excuse for thinking that their parents have made a sorry mess of things. If they ask why the troubles of a quarter A THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1940. THIS AND THAT By Charles E. Tracewell. century ago were not lquidated equitably, the answer must be a confession of fault. But the expla- nation is obvious. Each era has been more or less definitely “an age of confusion,” an epoch of change and violence. Consider for a moment the Trecord of a typical American family: Its members have served in the Army and the Navy from 1776 onward; they have defended their country in six different conflicts; meanwhile, they have labored consistently for humane ideals which theoretically should have brought serenity to the race, but which unfortunately still are unful- filled. 8tudy of the experience of such a group suggests that every time has been the worst of times; also, provi- dentially, the best. The class of 1940 will find its path stony and hard. Its opportunities will be limited, its triumphs over circumstance will be few. But it will not be discouraged. Appreciating the fact that the world 1s one vast jungle, it will expect little ex?ept sorrow and be joyfully disap- pointed when its pessimism is con- tradicted by events New Murder Law A Dbill to remove an ambiguity in the District’s law defining first-de- gree murder, drafted after more than a year’s work by law officers of the Federal and local governments and a committee of the Bar Association, has received flnal approval by Con- gress and is before the President for signature. Through the clarification, a homi- cide which occurs in the course of the perpetration of certain other felonies would fall in the category of first-degree murder even though it may have been unintentional. Under the law that is being replaced, a jury | must determine that a homicide in such circumstances was committed “purposely” in order to return a first-degree verdict. In the past, this has given rise to difficulty and con- | fusion in the conduct of prose- cutions. The new legislation provides that | homicides need not be intentional to constitute first-degree murder when they take place in tite course of any arson, rape, mayhem, robbery, kidnaping or armed housebreaking. When they result from felonies out- side this group it still will be neces- sary to prove intent to secure a first- degree conviction. The amended law was recommended to Chairman Ashurst of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1938 by At- torney General Cummings, who said that Ohio alone of all the States had 8 murder statute like that in the | District. Elsewhere, he said, purpose | Is not an element to be considered | which has just been made public. | In that testimony General Marshall | warned Congress that there is a | “tragic shortage” of manpower in | when commission of a felony brings about a death. The new law would recognize the very obvious fact that an armed criminal is, under any circumstances, a potential killer Park in Arlir;gtan Of utmost importance Natlonal Capital and nearby Virginia is the bill introduced in the House | at the request of the War Depart- ment and the National Park Service to preserve the present site of Wash- ington Alrport and surrounding areas for the benefit of the community. | Under the proposal a broad program of development would be carried out isting airport and uniting it with present Arlington Experimental Farm and adjacent park tracts. Several months ago part of the farm was turned over to the Army to establish an infantry post. Tem- porary structures have been erected, but eventually permanent housing must be provided for this important unit of the garrison of Washington. At the same time the Department of | Agriculture has been trying to find another site for its experimental work, looking forward to abandoning the present farm. If the program outlined in the present bill is aaopted, provision would be made for moving the greenhouses and workshops from the Washington Monument area, lay- ing out a much improved tourist camp, erecting a model military post and establishing a new and impor- tant unit of the park system. The area of the Washington Air- port—the future of which is uncer- tain with development of the Gravel- ly Point Airport—is zoned for light industrial and some of the surround- ing sites have been put to such use. If it should become necessary for the present owners to sell in parcels for further factory construction irreparable damage would be done In the area which virtually lies in the heart of the finest of the Capital’s show places, Lincoln Memorial and Potomac Park, Arlington Cemetery, the new airport and Mount Vernon Boulevard. While the time remaining for Con- gress to adopt such a program at this session is short, every effort should be made to grant the authori- zation as soon as possible in order that unsightly and expensive private development may not make the plan impossible or too costly within the near future. Announcement is made of a device whereby colored photographs of op- erations in progress may be made. Some day, perhaps, instead of using the old preamble, “Speaking of operations,” one may put his or her ordeal on the home movie screen for the edification of friends. The Turkish government has is- sued an official decree to the effect that the nation is in “a state of emergency.” Heck! Aren't all of them, more or less? If the Allies win out eventually, it 1s wondered how the King of the Bel- glans will feel. | Great to the | through Federal purchase of the ex- | England’s Strength Held Underrated Lessons of History Cited to Refute Widespread Fears of Today To the Editor of The Star: “England is fast losing alPits prestige, and the empire is doomed.” Once again that refrain is widely chanted, and not alone by those who wish the British cause lll. Many who are convinced that England’s cause is on the side of decency and fair play (even though, humanly enough, not utterly unselfish) also seem to find in recent and current events the seeds of incurable decadence, If they are correct it would be tragic~ ally unfortunate, for whatever faults are inherent in the British system (and there are not a few) and whatever lacks there may be in the British character, it can- not be gainsaid that England's contri- bution to the art of government, juris- prudence, literature and in a host of other fields, including that of science, has immensely and permanently en- riched the world. Whatever the shortcomings of the British system and the British character, each has the vital virtue of standing up under extraordinary stresses and strains, And it is that virtue that has been the despair of the many who, in every gen- eration, have been certaln that “Eng- land s fast losing all its prestige; and the empire is doomed.” And there is another essential factor which conti- nentals (especially dictators) have never been able to understand, and that fs England’s seeming unconcern as to the status of its so-called prestige. Not for many centuries has England gone to war simply to save face. But the point of all this is that the history of England reveals that the de- cline of its prestige always has been lamented; the doom of its empire always has been prophesied as being just around the corner; and that from the ashes of apparent defeat and destruction new life ever has been taken. A few instances should be cited. A host are available. During the War of the Roses, when many of England'’s lead- ers fell in a bitter civil strife that cost thousands of lives and blackened count- less fair acres and thriving towns, it was freely predicted that the days of the island's independence were over. Weak- ened, it was said, she would fall easy prey to invaders from the continent. But two generations later, in the reign of Henry VIII, England met on even terms with Francis and the Emperor, and in the time of his daughter, Elizabeth, she be- gan building her far-flung empire, Yet even in Elizabeth's day, England was being “doomed.” How could her fleet stand up against that of Philip, the melancholy Spaniard who had vowed that he would spare no man and no treasure to destroy the island kingdom? England’s prestige in the world never was lower than when Philip launched the Armada. But contrary winds, skill, daring, unity of purpose (and a few fire ships beside) wrote a different end to the story. England was “doomed” again when Charles I was tried, found guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors against the state, and beheaded. Throughout the period of Parliament's flerce struggle with the stubborn son of James, men were fearful that the strife would mean the end of everything. When the Stuarts Tesorted to arms, they felt certain thht it would. Yet the successor to Charles, Oliver Cromwell, raised the prestige of England to a point higher than it had ever before attained. On the continent But England quickly demonstrated that she wanted liberty, freedom, the Joy of living far more than prestige. She put Charles I1 on the throne—and within a few years it was possible for men once more to lament the loss of prestige and power. And this time both sank to a sorry state indeed. Charles was un- ashamedly on the pay roll of Louis XIV; the Dutch fleet sailed up the Thames and burned English men-of-war; and Mr. Evelyn, stanch patriot though he was, viewed the future gloomily. For the finances were in a hopeless state; and behind Charles there loomed the figure of the grim-visaged Duke of York, and there was no doubt that if he ascended the throne even greater trouble lay ahead. And the Duke was crowned, and there was a revolution, and the King of France did finance an attempted restoration, and things did look bad. But this storm England also weathered; even though while the winds of revolution were blow- ing it seemed clear enough that this one might be the last. Yet it was not. England's prestige took many more hard bumps during the years that fol- lowed. When the embattled American colonists whipped George III decisively there were many who felt that Eng- land's prestige on the continent would not, could not, survive such a devastat- ing blow. Indeed, Napoleon later de- clared that he could clearly discern the seeds of disintegration, and he meant to deal the coup de grace. Not since the days of Philip had Eng- land been in such case; Napoleon was sweeping everything before him, his revolutionary armies seemed irresistible in their might and spirit, and his de- cision to invade the island seemed to many to be certain of quick realization. The funds dropped to a new low; the world watched breathlessly for the im- pending debacle. But Nelson finished off the French fleet at Trafalgar, and Na- poleon reconsidered. And in 1815 the Little Corporal, so admired by today’s two far smaller corporals, was aboard the Bellerophon bound for St. Helena. ‘Then, when George IV and William IV died, and the young Victoria came to the throne, there were more misgivings. For the sons of George III had made a laughing stock of the court and few be- lieved that the hands of the girl who was next in line of succession were strong enough to hold the reins. In that coro- nation year one could search diligently for England’s prestige without finding much to reward one for the search. Then when she married Albert there was more dissension which seemed to be lead- ing only to dissolution of the empire. And it was Victoria herself who de- clared that England’s conduct in the in- volved affair of the Duchies (Schleswig- Holstein) was indefensible and that her country’s prestige was evaporating. And the old cry went up often after that—in 1870, when England permitted Germany to inflict a smashing defeat upon France and to lay the ground work for 1914, and when the Mahdi's men massacred Gen. A resident of nearby Maryland has made & discovery. It is simply that fresh air and sun- shine will increase the appetite! He had known about this all his life, of course, but had never stopped to put it into practice. Some one ought to have invented a way of reading in the outdoors which would have been pleasant. They tried it with the old hammocks, but there' were always insects crawling down the neck. Our discoverer put an universal truth into personeal application, which is the thing we all must do when we want to get results. * % 8ok It is one thing to have a theoretical knowledge of the benefits of fresh air and sunshine, and quite another to actually bathe in those elements. Somehow, fresh air which gets in- doors does not seem to have the same benefits as outdoors where it belongs. The electricity, the elan, the vital principle, call it what you will, seems lacking in the air pumped indoors, or tricked indoors. It is only out in the very air itself that the supreme qualities manifest themselves, as sung for all time by Walt Whitman. He was mad, he satd, to breathe the fresh air, to “taste” it. *x %% Afr, uncontaminated by man, has a taste all its own, a perfect “smell” sweeter than all the distillations. Even the most studious person realizes this, at those rare moments when he take in a good deep breath of “fresh air” as he steps from door to car. People pack themselves in so, now- adays, that it is difficult to get really fresh air. If you want really fresh air, you have to go where there aren't s0 many people “The People, Yes—" they spoil almost anything, if too many of them get together in packs. The birds and the animals and the trees and the flowers and the grass— these never spoil anything, at least they never contaminate the air. The afr is everywhere fresh and clean where these help each other. ok ox % ° Just how great a part is played by alr, and how great a part by sun, in the magic tonic labelled “Outdoors Life,” is a matter for conjecture. Our Maryland resident, who had his luncheon bill increased from a meager | 10 cents to 45 and 50 cents, all through | the simple expedient of remaining in the sunshine for two hours a day, is iInclined to believe that the sun plays the greater part. Is this true? We are inclined to differ Perhaps the fresh air, itself, is the best in- gredient. If this is true, then being outdoors even at night would help a great deal, which is fortunate for all persons whose duties confine them while the sun is out. The great common knowledge of the people has acted on this always. People love to sit out in the evening, when the weather is nice, as we say. LI The modern urge toward “sun tan” seems based on universal apprehension of truth; it is good for the skin, the blood and the general health, to sop up & great deal of sunshine. The finest thing is that the sun cannot be secured without the air, too. Get the one, get the other. You may get fresh air, at night, without sun- shine, but if you get the latter, you get fresh air as a part of it. Therefore, from some aspects, the sun worship may be regarded as the more likely to bring benefits. It is the personal application which counts, here as elsewhere. To those who are accustomed to exercise in the open, nothing will seem more absurd than that any one could go so long without realizing its bene- fits. The studious life has both its charms and its drawbacks. Love for books and music draws one indoors, and thus in time the indoors becomes a habit. The sedentary life inclines to make one slow and clumsy, afraid of trying one’s hand at sports. Modern ballyhoo has built up the idea, that about all one can do outdoors is to be on the move, either in active sport participation, watching the same, or gardening. * X x x It is really a discovery, then, for a sedentary person, to find out that he may still have the comfort of a chair while basking in sunshine and fresh air. He does not have to roam over the sward, he does not have to bend down | over plants in a most uncomfortable | pose. All he has to do is be quiet, which suits him to a T. As the days go by, he finds himself with a tan as good as that of any golfer. He has as many mosquito bites as any gardener boasts. * ok ok % And what an appetite! It reminds him of old days at the seashore, when he ate everything on | the bill of fare The cashier at his down-town restau- rant raises her evebrows in pleased sur- prise at his 50 check, whereas 10 cents —a roll and a cup of coffee—had been the peak before, An appetite increase then, measured in money, of 500 per cent in a month! Not bad. It is a prescription which doctors often give, but which few patients take. Doctors are always giv- fng good advice. Perhaps one reason they have so much to give away is that so few of their patients ever take any of it. Letters to Veteran Outlines Needs Of Armed Forces. To the Editor of The Star: Through the past several months 1 have followed the trend of military | events in Europe and have given con- | | sideration to the needs of our Army to | they frightened mischievous children by | mentioning the coming of his Ironsides. combat successfully any invasion of this country that may be made by a mech- anized force. I feel that the greatest needs in our armed forces will be not only for an increase in our mechanized forces but also for a tremendous increase | In anti-mechanization guns. I am informed that the anti-mechani- 2ation weapon that we now have is the 50-caliber machine gun and that this is a splendid weapon with which to op- pose the lighter mechanized vehicles. Our infantry and cavalry, however, in my opinion, should be furnished with & heavier machine gun, about 110- caliber, in sufficlent numbers in every company or troop. I believe that I am entitled to voice my opinion in this matter. I was one of those who successfully assaulted San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War and I have spent approximately 40 years in the United States Army, five of which were in the cavalry service. I have great faith in the ability of our infantry and horse cavalry, but I be- lieve that their efficiency will, like that of the Polish, British and French, be considerably diminished unless the proper anti-tank weapons are provided in goodly quantities to them. May 30. JOHN KELLER. Labor Urged to Oppose Mobilization Plan. ‘To the Editor of The Star: It is interesting to note that recently the Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, of Washington, D. C., passed a reso- lution opposing the industrial mobiliza- tion plan and American involvement in the present war through the grant- ing of loans or extension of credits to any belligerents, through the trans- fering of ships, or through any other means by which the United States might be led into war. The mobilization plan is, in'a few words, a Hitler-like regimentation of labor. Under this plan all labor both skilled and unskilled would be forced Gordon and thousands of others at Omdurman, and when the English could not seem to beat old Paul Kruger and his Boers, and then again in 1914, and at Munich; and now, once more. But, if one reads history aright, it would seem that today as in the past, England makes no fetish of prestige; and defeats and blows which would de- stroy nations that do seem but to give her added strength and to call up latent powers of dogged resist- ance. And what better example than the brilliant retreat from Flanders, and today’s determination that the war has Just begun? ‘The prophets say that all things must come to an end. They affirm that just because England has squeezed through many a tight spot before, there is no as- surance that she will do so again. But the record of the past woyld seem to indicate unmistakably that while there have been many willing pallbearers In the past, reports of the death have been decidedly premature. June 4. HERBERT HOLLANDER. ihe 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! to take a reduction in wages and a lengthened working day. Under this | plan, military rule of labor would be- come a certainty. Trades unions and other organizations. who regard the common good above mass murder, would be outlawed and destroyed If the citizens of the United States are to remain a free and independent people and maintain their socigd gains, they must loudly proclaim their ab- horence of war and enforced labor, and they must pass resolutions similar to those passed by the typographical union. JOHN E. TAFER. May 31. Unstinted Help For Allies Urged. To the Editor of The Star: A movement is under way to repeal the Johnson Act, which forbids the sale of war munitions to belligerents except | | for cash, Itisa praiseworthy movement, | but it does not go far enough. The United States, straining its productive capacity to the utmost, should supply England and France with all the mili- tary and economic resources they need to prosecute the war, without thought of payment. If this sounds fantastic, remember that one month ago a forecast of what Hitler has accomplished in three weeks like- wise would have sounded fantastic. My contention rests upon the premise that England and France are fighting our bat- tle. If that premise is sound, the rest follows. If the Allies are indeed fighting our battle, it would be shameful to do other than to aid them to the full. Once we grant’ that, it becomes principally a question of how we can aid most effec- tively. All, here and abroad, join in declaring the sending of American troops both un- wise and unnecessary. From their col- onies England and France can draw upon inexhaustible reserves of man pow- er. Their desperate need is rather for food, planes, mechanized equipment and munitions—happily, things our agricul- tural and industrial Nation is best able to supply. If American-grown food nourishes a soldier who holds the line of civilization against the ferocious onslaught of bar- barism, does it matter what nation’s uni- form he wears? If an American machine gun opens gaps in advancing totalitarian columns, does it become a less valiant weapon for democracy because a French finger pulls the trigger? Will swarms of American planes play a less decisive role in nullifying German air supremacy if British pilots fly them? If we can give thanks that, under ex- Isting circumstances, the most effective contribution we can make to the salva- tion of world democracy does not call for the shedding of American blood, let our contribution of material resources to that end be, for that same reason, the more unstinting. Human freedom is in perfl. English- men and Frenchmen are laying down their lives in its defense. It ill becomes the world's wealthiest democracy to count the cost in dollars. Alford, Mass., HARRY STARK. May 30. 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. Please give the names of the Presi- dents who have refused a third term and their reasons for doing so—J. L. S. A. George Washington was weary of service, believed he was not needed and that he was entitled to seek the repose of Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson feared the Presidency might degener- ate into an inheritance. Andrew Jack- son sald that he was old and tired; and Calvin Coolidge did not choose to run. Q. Did Gen. Jan Smuts assist in plan- ning the League 8f Nations?—L. C. E. A. After the armistice (1918) Gen. Smuts wrote his “The League of Nations: A Practical Suggestion,” which received the support of both President Wilson and Lloyd George and in substance became the Covenant of the League, Q. What actress starred in the first production of “No, No, Nanette!"?7— COF. By A. Louise Groody had the leading role in the musical comedy which opened in September, 1925. Q. In which direction does the Christ of the Andes face?—K. B. A. According to a description of the statue, “the figure is facing the north- west, as though sighting the boundary between Argentina and Chile.” It is located at the Uspallata Pass, 300 feet below the summit and 13,780 feet above sea level, Q. What are the qualifications for entering a horse in the Kentucky Derby? PR A. To qualify for the Kentucky Derby, an entry must be a registered 3-yea old filly, colt or gelding: must pay a | subscription fee of $25; and must pay | 8500 additional to start. The entries are made several months before the race 15 run. The entries are checked by the | Churchill Downs, Inc, Jockey Club. Those starting are named through the box the day before the race is All entries are passed upon by the i racing secretary, and by the stewards or | judges presiding at the meeting. The owner must name the jockey to ride either at the time of entry or not later than 9 am. the day of the race. | Q. Should an usher at a church wedding offer his arm to elderly ladies? | =GP A. It is customary for an usher to offer his arm to each lady as she ar- rives. regardless of age. If several are together, he may give his arm to the oldest and request the others to follow. Q. How often does Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone Park erupt?>—J. K. E. A. Eruptions of hot water occur on | an average of every 66!; minutes and | each one lasts about four minutes. Q. Please explain the difference he- tween critical and strategic matertals in war time.—C. W. M. A. Strategic materials are those essen- | tial to national defense, for the supply of which in war dependence must bs placed in whole, or in substantial part, on sources outside the continental limits of the United States, and for which strict conservation and distribution con- trol measures will be necessary. Critical materials are those essential to national defense, the procurement problems of which in war would be less difficult than those of strategic materials either because they have a lesser degree of essentiality or are obtainable in more adequate quantities from domestic sources, and for which some degree of conservation and distribution control will be necessary. Q. Who said “An honest man's the noblest work of God"?—T. D. E. A. This quotation is from Alexander Pope’s “Essay on Man.” Q. How many double plays did the Cincinnati Reds hit into last year?— A. M. A. The Cincinnati Reds hit into 110 double plays during the season of 1939. Q. Please give the first message sent by cable—L. D. A. The first cable message sent from Queen Victoria to President Buchanan on August 15, 1858, was as follows: “To | the President of the United States, | Washington: The Queen desires to con- gratulate the President upon the success- ful completion of this great international work, in which the Queen has taken the deepest interest. The Queen is con- vinced that the President will join with her in fervently hoping that the elec- tric cable which now connects Great Britain with the United States will prove an additional link between the nations whose friendship is founded upon their common interest and recipro- cal esteem. The Queen has much pleas- ure in thus communicating with the President and renewing to him her wishes for the prosperity of the United States.” Q. When was “Peck's Bad Boy" writ- ten?—B. T. A. The book by George W. Peck was published in 1883. Q. Is the first Howe sewing machine in existence?—F. E. K. A. Elias Howe's first complete ma- chine which was made in 1845 and patented on September 10, 1846, is in the National Museum at Washington, D, C. Q. What do the initials M. A. 8. M. E. stand for?—T. L. S. A. Member of the American Soclety of Mechanical Engineers. R May Night—1940 There is an utter silence in this park; The trees, dark-etched against a mid- night sky, Are budding quietly; a vague perfume Of lilacs creeps upon the dew-hung grass. Two persons have passed by. I watch them fade From outlined shadow into darker shade. No noise . . . the rush of cars, Far on the avenue, seems like a thousand Sleepy, monotonous summer bees. Silence is thought. The quick mind runs Now, at this time, within the walls Of silence, and in the spring night hears Faintly, as if eastward, the vague sound of guns. JOHN CLAIBORNE DAVIS.