Evening Star Newspaper, February 4, 1942, Page 10

A-8 = @he Foening Kb With Sundsy Merning Editien. THEODORE W. NOYES, Editor. WASHINGTON, D. C. bruary 4, 1942 5 o sfh !ZN d Pe lvania AVL. Main ce: 11| . AN nnsylvan! : 110 East 42nd 8t. RS BheTE5s Rbg Sk S Delivered by Carrier—City and Suburban. Regular Edition. d Bunday. 75 Der mo. or 18c per week Evenind and Sunday 5 per 8 Evening Star . 45¢ per mo. or 10c per week The Sunday Star er copy ight Final Edition. ight Pinal and Sunday Star. 85¢ per month ight Pinal Star 0c per month The Eventng and Bundes Stat < 8¢ per month e Evening an e Evening Star 55¢ per month e Sunday Star “10¢ per copy Collections 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. d .. $12.00; 1 mo.. $1,00 7 ang,oundey_——- 1. 832.00: § men Sh00 Sunday only :00i 1mo &0c Entered as second-class matter post office. ‘Washington. D. C. Member of the Associated Press. the uce for republication of all news dispatches ted to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and siso the local news published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein also are reserved. Workers Without Work The disclosure that scores of young men and women are being brought into Washington for war work and placed on the payroll until jobs are available for them is a striking com- mentary on the chaotic conditions attending our transition from a peacetime to a warfime basis. This situation, as reported in The Star yesterday, seems to be particu- larly acute in the War Department, although it can hardly be doubted that it prevails elsewhere in the war agencies. It is difficult, because of the refusal of officials directly involved to discuss the matter, to ascertain fully the facts pertaining to this condition, but the picture appears to shape up about as follows: The War Department, to take this agency as an example, concludes that a certain number of employes will be needed by a particular date. Upon receiving this notification the Civil Service Commission canvasses the country until the specified number of workers have been secured, and then turns them over to the War Department. There they are assigned to a pool until the jobs are ready for them. Of the girls assigned to the large pool visited by a Star reporter yes- terday, one had been on the pay roll here three weeks, another two weeks. Yet they had been' given nothing to do. They report for duty at 8 am., read movie magazines, write personal letters and exchange bits of gossip. At quitting time they go home, only to repeat the performance the next day. Ultimately, no doubt, they are assigned to a job. It is to be expected, of course, that & certain amount of confusion and lost motion should be in evidence in any such transition as that now tak- ing place in this country. But the fact that some confusion is inevitable does not excuse a failure to hold it to a minimum, and it is becoming in- creasingly clear that no adequate effort to bring order out of chaos is being made here. On the contrary, it is difficult to escape the impression that the various agencies are fran- tically clamoring to the Civil Service Commission for employes before the Jobs they are to fill are ready for them. On the one hand Federal employes already established in Washington are being ordered away, in such haste that those responsible for the order have not assured themselves that adequate provisions in housing and office space in other cities are made. In several cases orders transferring agencies to certain cities have had to be canceled because the designated cities were having their own war expansion problems and could not accommodate the newcomers. Yet there is no slackening of pace in the disorderly process of sending estab- lished employes away to make room for those who are coming in. No one, apparently, is giving any thought to the possibility of assigning the work- ers already here to war jobs, inso far as that might be possible, and then moving the agencies to be transferred to places where they could be re- staffed with new workers. That would be a relatively orderly pro- cedure, and possibly for that reason it is taboo. It is not possible to say how much longer these conditions can prevail before the whole incredible business collapses of its own weight. But of one thing there can be no doubt—the entire lopsided structure is going to come tumbling down unless some- thing is done promptly to inject a semblance of rational direction into this chaos which has become the order of the day. Parking Agency Only House approval is needed to gend the so-called fringe parking bill on its way to the White House and final enactment. The bill, which previously had passed the Senate, has been reported to the House with the unanimous indorsement of the House District Committee. A sub- committee of the House group had recommended the measure somewhat half-heartedly, holding to the belief that underground parking and trans- portation facilities offered the best hope for ultimate solution of Wash- ington’s traffic difficulties. While this may be so, the Senate and House District Committee, in approving the parking bLill, have recognized the wisdom of an intelligent approach to solution of the parking problem. Sight should not be lost of the fact that the pending bill is more than an authorization to create municipal parking lots on the outskirts of the downtown section. It would set up an overall motor vehicle parking sgency, with power to seek and apply gemedies for parking troubles gen- A | of any responsibility for restrictions | State when it competes with milk THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1942. THIS AND THAT erally in Washington. Thus, the agency would not be limited solely to the establishment of fringe park- ing places, but would be required to develop and operate on-street and cff-street terminal facilities of va- rious kinds. The parking problem as we have known it may solve itself gradually as tires and automobiles wear out. But this fact should serve to spur the effort to provide for the future. Some day, tires and automobiles in abundance will be available again. Cities, especially Washington, should profit from experience of the past, and prepare while they can for the traffic of the future, when peace has come again. Placing the Blame In Senate debate yesterday Senator Barkley aptly described the condition which prevailed in this courtry at the time of rejection of the Guam and wire-tapping proposals as “a certain smugness on the part of the American people and of Congress.” That about sums it up. The blame for our unpreparedness cannot be placed fairly on any individual or group. Our unpreparedness reflected the national state of mind and it is useless and time-wasting to go back now into the record to show who was right and who was wrong. But the record, at least, should be kept straight. And it is surprising that Chairman Walsh of the Senate Naval Affairs Committee should seek to vindicate Congress in connection with the failure to strengthen the defenses of Guam. He expressed the opinion that the Navy ‘“never really asked for its (Guam’s) fortification.” Yet every member of Congress knows that the Hepburn Naval Board in 1938 urgently recommended the forti- fication of the island, stating that “so long as Guam existed as a strong air and submarine base, hostile opera- tions against the Philippines would be a precarious undertaking” and that its existence would “greatly simplify our naval problem should the fleet ever be called upon for operatipns in the Far East”; that isolationists in Congress vigorously criticized this proposal as an “affront to Japan”; that when the Navy came forward in 1939 and 1940 with far less drastic proposals for improvement of the harbor at Guam for air and sub- marine operations, the House killed the project—again for fear of offend- ing Japan; that all the while Japan secretly was building air and naval bases in her mandated islands, close to Guam and within striking distance of Pearl Harbor. Nor are the efforts of Senator Tru- man of Missouri to acquit Congress which hampered our counterespio- nage system at Pearl Harbor very persuasive. The Roberts Commission declared that the F. B. I. and Army and Navy intelligence agencies were prevented from conducting effective counterespionage by restrictions pro- hihiting interception and use of tele- phone and radio messages passing between Honolulu and Tokio. The restrictions referred to grow out of the failure of Congress to enact so- called wire-tapping legislation, under which our agents would be permit- ted to tap wires and intercept—for possible use in court or otherwise— radio and cable communications sent by spies or saboteurs. And while Senator Truman defended Senator Wheeler of Montana from published and broadcast charges that he blocked wire-tapping legislation, the record plainly shows that after the House had passed a wire-tapping bill in 1940 the committee of which Senator Wheeler is chairman per- mitted the bill to expire in a pigeon- hole. It should not be necessary, more- over, to remind Congress that the restrictions condemned by the Roberts Commission still are shack- ling our counterespionage services— eight weeks after Pearl Harbor. Milk Decision The power of Congress to regulate commercial activities that are purely of intrastate character if they have any relation to interstate transac- tions is re-emphasized by the unani- mous decision of the Supreme Court affirming the right of the Secretary of Agriculture to fix the price of milk produced and sold entirely within a moving in interstate commerce and therefore subject to the Agricultural Marketing Act. In thus broadening the scope of the marketing law, the high tribunal reversed a decision of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in which three judges, including former Sen- ator Minton, held that Congress could not confer such a grant of authority under the commerce | clause, even though inability to do so undermined the milk-marketing regulatory scheme. The Federal regulation was chal- lenged by the Wrightwood Dairy Co. of Chicago, which purchased milk from Illinois producers and processed and sold it in the State. The fact that this milk competed with the 40 per cent of the Illinais supply which came from other States did not serve to bring it under the law, the company argued, adding that if the reverse were true the Federal Government could exercise power over countless activities centered | in a State. Brushing aside this contention, Chief Justice Stone, delivering the opinion of the Supreme Court, said that the right of the Federal Gov- ernment to regulate milk in inter- state commerce had been established, and that Congress had “every power needed to make that regulation effective.” “The commerce power is not con- fined in its exercise to the regulation ), | ferent wars—1824, 1852 and 1885— of commerce among the States,” the Chief Justice amplified. “It extends to those activities intrastate which so affect interstate commerce, or the exertion of the power of Con- gress over it, as to make regulation of them appropriate nieans to the attainment of a legitimate end, the effective execution of the granted power to regulate interstate com- merce.” Struggle in Burma The fate of the world will be de- cided at those places where the Axis powers can be defeated. One such locality, it would seerm, is that of the coast of Burma between Rangoon and Moulmein. The former is the terminus of the famous road by which supplies have been carried to embattled China, while the latter is a gateway to Thailand, now held by Japanese troops. ‘fo comprehend the problems of the Burma campaign it will be neces- sary to know the character of the terrain over which the fighting is likely to move. At present the Brit- ish Imperials are holding the west bank of the Salween River. The town of Martaban is in their hands, but Jap patrols are supposed to be active farther up the stream, as far north as the village of Paan. If the rail line to Pegu should be cut, the British forces opposite Moulmein might be isolated. They therefore may march north toward Thaton during the next few days. Meanwhile, it must be the part of wisdom to prepare to defend Rangoon at any cost. The United Nations currently have as vital an interest in the Burma road as the Chinese ever have had. In order to estab- lish an Allied front on the Yangtze from which to operate against Japan proper, the artery constituting the “back door” to China must be pro- tected. The country through which it runs is in itself a factor hostile to the invaders. High mountains, deep valleys, narrow gorges, sudden ava- lanches, torrential rains, exhausting heat at one season and blood-freez- ing cold at another, fogs, ferocious wild animals including man-eating tigers, poisonous snakes, leeches, clouds of mosquitos: All these com- bine to make the Japanese advance a difficult enterprise. The native Burmese soldiers, the Indians and the Australians are accustomed to the country and know how to adjust themselves to it. A similar observa- tion may be offered with respect to Chinese veterans under General Liu Kwanlung, recently arrived in Bur- mese territory with their light artil- lery and ammunition on their sturdy backs. What role the hill tribes of Burma may play in the struggle is as yet un- known. The native races are pre- dominantly Mongolian, and the Karens, Shans, Kachins, Chins and Palaungs—all upland dwellers—can fight with a passionate bitterness when they wish. British domination of the mountains never has been complete, and there is little reason to expect that the Japanese could accomplish in a few months what English military genius in three dif- did not altogether achieve. It is true, of course, that there is a “fifth- column” element in Rangoon —to which Prime Minister U Saw belongs —but even the most ardent “inde- pendents” have no desire to jump out of the frying pan into the flames. Arlington Plan ‘The master zoning plan now before the Arlington board contains fea- tures of interest and concern to the entire Washington area. Outstand- ing provision of the plan, which re- quired two years to prepare, is a population-density-control arrange- ment that has attracted the atten- tion of municipal officials of several large cities. Although many jurisdic- tions have had legislative authority to take such steps for some time, Arlington claims to have pioneered in the population-density-control movement. Under the plan, the number of living units that may cccupy speci- fied land areas would be limited by the zoning classifications. For exam- ple, the classification designated as R-20 would be restricted to one sin- gle-family dwelling for each 20,000 square feet of land. The most densely populated residential zone permitted” under the proposed ordinance would require 700 square feet for each one- room apartment unit, ranging up to 1,600 square feet for each unit of four or more rooms. Another major feature of the mas- ter plan is a limitation on the height of buildings to ninety feet. This limit, corresponding to the building “ceiling” in Washington residential apartment districts, would produce a desirable uniformity through- out the Metropolitan Area. Only re- cently the National Capital Park and Planning Commission objected to two proposed apartment hotels in Ar- lington because they would exceed the ninety-foot limitation. Of wide interest, too, is a feature of the plan which would require off- street parking facilities in the future in all the proposed zones. This would eliminate even the loading or un- loading of commercial vehicles on the highways through the creation of park and shop districts in all commercial zones. Hearings will be conducted on the plan so that the opinion of the pub- lic will be obtained on the proposals, which resulted from careful study by County Zoning Administrator Donald R. Locke and Planning Engi- neer Frank L. Dieter. When they are completed the County Board will be able to decide whether modifications | are needed in the program designed | to guide and safeguard the future of Arlington for many years to come. 1 ¥ Says Jap Propaganda Affects Opinion Here Writer Tells How Tokio Uses ‘All Languages’ In Radio Campaign By Howard W. Blakeslee, ‘Wide World Science Editor. NEW YORK, Feb. 4—If you ask “Where is the United States Navy?"— you are repeating Japanese propagands, a question they picked up in America and want you to keep on asking. If you ask whether Secretary Knox, Becretary Stimson or President Roose- velt may have made some slips—again it is Japarese propaganda. It makes no difference, either that your question is sincere and original or, if a repeated phrase, that its source is proper—it is still pa#t of Japanese propa- ganda. For it is one of many the Tokio short- wave radio is suggesting to Americans every day. Often the questions are selected from ideas spontaneous among Americans. The Japanese choices just at present concentrate on those which might, Tokio hopes, spread doubt, distrust and dissen- sion, This does not mean that honest opin- fon should be barred, but that it is well for Americans to realize the nature of enemy propaganda. There are about 9,000,000 American radio sets equipped for short wave listening. How many tune in is not known, but the number is Pprobably small. The number, however, is not so im- portant. Agents and sympathizers can listen, take the cues, spread them as catch phrases. Careless patriots make assists. ‘To scorn these propaganda ideas is to risk a mental Pearl Harbor, for some- times one of them sweeps the articulate world. The threatened invasion of Australia may be a sample. Tokio's short wave began saying that Australia was isolated, that she should put all her fighting forces in position for a Japanese inva- sion. Along with the military situation in the South Pacific this was dynamie. The talks in the House of Commons, the Australian official statements, the discussion of American assistance, all may have a different origin. The fact remains that they parallel the Japanese propaganda of the moment, It might be considered unusual for Tokio to broadcast important military information of this sort. That particular angle of suspicion about reports of what is usually secret is one Japan is playing to counteract President Roosevelt’s announcement of our forthcoming huge air armada. If true, says Tokio, he has given vital in- formation to Germany and Japan. Therefore, again says Tokio, consider the figures a bluff. The interviews, real or not, with American prisoners are good propaganda from the Japanese viewpoint. So are the Japanese claims of captured officers who are purported to mention inade- quate American preparations in the Pacific. Prisoner officials, missionaries and bishops are quoted as wishing to co- operate with Japanese forces. The four freedoms are ridiculed. One phrase with a nostalgic allusion is that if Americans are fighting for freedom, why don't we battle the Soviets? Another —if our press is free, why isn't it per- mitted to report the sinking of the air- craft carrier Lexington? United States officials have said that the aircraft car- rier sinking reports are Japanese ate tempts to get information, Some of our recent isolationists be- come, in the Tokio propaganda, a rap- idly vanishing group of American pa- triots whose words fell on deaf ears. The billions we now are appropriating are declared to be merely to fill the void left by our wasting previous astronomical sums. Tokio speaks all languages. It tells the Chinese they shall share the riches for- merly enjoyed by the Europeans. But the word to the Filipinos is that they shall be allowed to take over the business for- merly owned by Chinese; to the Chinese merchants in the Dutch Indies, that if they co-operate with the Dutch the Japanese will destroy all their property and the sacred burial places of their ancestors. The Dutch are asked not to destroy their oil but to play safe by recognizing the Japanese control already declared to be a fact in the Western Pacific. The other Indies inhabitants are admonished not to destroy the oil which lights their homes and brings them food. Latin America is & continual target. These Americans are asked to ponder whether the North Americans still think the Navy can protect the United States. The United States was pictured as try- ing desperately to get help from the Rio conference. North Americans were said to be hysterical; American women were even about to wear cotton stockings and g0 shoeless. America’s well known short- ages were enumerated—and chewing gum was added! South Americans are told Japan has absolutely no territorial ambitions. But South America is said to be in no posi- tion to protect itself from Axis powers and is warned not to break diplomatic relations. The propaganda runs on endlessly in & pattern fixed by experts in Germany. Interprets War As Struggle For Racial Equality. To the Editor of The Star: Dorothy Thompson certainly shows common sense when she tries to make us aware of the Nazi influence still in posi- tions of power. Because of Pearl Harbor and the Japs we seemingly became a unified country, but nobody who believes in what Hitler stands for can be ex- pected to have been converted to anti- Naziism over night. Once the Japs are on the run the writer expects to see the whole tribe of American Fascists beat the tom-toms again for a peace of ap- peasement. Let us remember Pearl Harbor but never forget that this is a world struggle to kill the theory that some men and races.are inferior. We are at Armaged- don. It is a battle of light and libes against darkness and paganism. E. B. HENDERSON. Expresses Appreciation For Those Who “Stood By.” To the Editor of The Star: May I offer a word of thanks to the men who, through all the weather, have so faithfully stood Dimes”? Theirs measured in s real friend of | sistently stuck up for the jay, and has heard. because few birds §F ; “A few days ago I was walking in the ‘woods and I had a few loose peanuts in my overcoat pocket. I saw two magnifi- cent jay birds fly into a group of spruce, or hemlock trees—at least the trees were evergreens—and I watched them closely. “The male bird flew to the ground and began slinging dead leaves about with his beak. He was on a staep bank about 50 feet above where I was standing watching. I selected the largest, heaviest peanut I could find and, steadying my- self, I heaved it as far as I could toward him, considering my heavy overcoat. “At the motion of my arm he was off the ground and into the lower branches of the tree, but the peanut had hardly touched the ground before there was a streak of blue and he had pounced upon it, pronto. He flew back into the tree and proceeded to eat the nut, holding it with his claw and striking at the shell with his beak. “I selected another large nut and again hurled it with as much strength and aim as I could musfer, and this time the female jay streaked to the ground and grabbed it and flew back into the tree and proceeded, likewise, to peck at the nut. “I then proceeded to divest myself of the remaining peanuts in my pocket, throwing one after another as far as T could send them toward the evergreen trees on the side of the hill. “I felt quite certain that with their keen eyesight they would surely find them and have a feast all to themselves, and I have no doubt but what they did, too; although I did not linger to see the final score. “As & boy I remember that I did not rate the blue jay very high in my esti- mation; he With his raucous cry and impudent ways. But now at maturity I estimate him as one of America’s finest wild birds; and that he is smart—well, there’s not the slightest doubt about that. “What a lot people miss who never see a beautiful bird!” This column for many years has con- had the satisfaction of knowing that many persons, as & result, have been t around to & like way of think- fifiségg In the main, however, they mind their own business very well, at the same time they provide a lot of amusement and enjoyment to fair-minded observers who are willing to recognize sterling gquali- ties when they see them. Above all, at this time, let us recog- nize the true Americanism of the blue Jay. Probably no other bird is quite such & good American as this one. He is forever flying into the face of danger with a yell and a whoop, deter- mined to cut a figure in the world or know the reason why. Just a bit of a brazger, too, is he, with as much impudence as will please, and with enough color to make himself seen by all. He is a “go-getter,” and was for hun- dreds of years before the term became popular. We have not heard much of “go-getters” in recent years but surely their quality, in reason, is a good thing still. Among birds, the jay exemplifies it well, as our correspondent points out. It usually gets what it goes after, pea- nuts or whatnot. Its variety of noises is amazing to any one who listens fairly, and who identifies the sounds he hears as coming from yonder jay in the tree. These cries range all the way from flerce shrieks which are called “rau- cous” by most persons, through soft little cries amazingly sweet, to a sort of wooden rattlelike sound few persons would believe the bird capable of making. Persons who get in the habit of look- ing for and expecting the blue jays in their yards find themselves missing them very much when they do not show up. This, let us submit, is a test of friend- ship anywhere. Letters to Proposes Certificates to Show Purchases of Auto Tax Stamps. To the Editor of The Star: T have read with natural interest how red tape complicates the problems of re- placement of the lost or stolen auto- mobile tax stamp. The collector of in- ternal revenue in Baltimore states that, on receipt of adequate evidence, a letter would be sent the luckless driver show- ing that he had paid, but that a checkup on the postcards sent in at the time of purchase must consume weeks and, in the meantime, the car owner is at the mercy of any skeptical policeman. I offer the suggestion that when the next stamps are placed on sale, the post- cards be so constructed or arranged that the internal revenue officials promptly can mail back to the sender a portion certifying that stamp purchase has been made. This card or tag could be carried along with the driver’s permit and would save embarrassment, argument and pos- sible penalty. K. W.E. Discusses Future of China In Relation to Other Nations. To the Editor of The Star: ‘The crescent militarization of the Sons of Han, imperatively required for the vindication of China’s independence and no less for the maintenance of universal interests in eastern Asia and the regions of the Pacific, is creating a potential of immersurable significance for a future to be controlled by respected law or by militaristic lawlessness, an earth of qui- etude or of chaos. The genius of the most Promethean of Oriental peoples is for conciliation; social friction is near an irreducible minimum in Cathay, and to suppose that the industrious and in- genious Chinese, when they achieve a legitimate prestige in the concert of na- tions, will labor for spheric pacification is reasonable. An unknown factor that must be determinative will be the atti- tude to be assumed by the Chinese as the consequence of a belated realization of the nation’s nearly limitless might. Liberated from foreign dynasties that for ages suppressed the nation’s spirit and that tore at its vitals as the vultures at the bound hero of the Greeks, the Chinese ethos will be formidable in the earth’s economy and politics. Possibly a better representation would be to assert that China is in travail, the new nation being born an adult from the ancient Jupiterian race as was Minerva from the brow of Zeus. When this war is ended, the decisions respecting China will incline her to cre- ative contentment or to vengeful wars; and if the rational claims of China are recognized, a concern of neighbors East and West will be the possibility that in the triumphant nation, resurgent and effervescent, a crafty politician will be to China as was the adventurous Pericles to Athens. He, by precipitating the Pelo- ‘War, unsceptered and devas- tated the most majestic of Greek repub- lics. The nations individually and as a community can be enlightened by the life of Pericles, which illustrates the fate of a people when the law is deprived of supremacy and concupiscence or expe- diency is dominant. When the supreme court of the republic would not acquiesce in Pericles’ unconstitutional measures, he persuaded the citizens so to increase the personnel as to make the forum an in- the Editor Letters to the Editor must bear the name and address of the writer, although the use of a pxeudqm/m for publication is ermissible. The Star reserves he right to edit all letters with a view to condensation. e thesis that a permanent peace agreeable to the nations can be founded only in leg- islative and judicial processes. At best the hostilities will end in an indefinite truce if a court be not established for the ad- judication of interational controversies. To this end the right of conquest by force must be renounced and the law of nations radically revised and reduced to formal statutes. These would be en- acted by a congress, not by a league of nations, with defined limitations that would meet at intervals. In such an international society the regenerated China could be an inspira- tion to and a guardian of the oriental races, a glory that Japan's war lords Tejected. When the lethal thunders of this war cease, the revivified China will sheathe, not relinquish, her sword and might not ‘These nations deeming themselves to be the mandatories of civilization and so esteemed, must devote the trust to an exaltation of law or forfeit the confi- dence of men. Justice must be funda- mental in the reorganized international relations to demilitarize China, which will be in a position as an equal to nulli- fy any injudicious and so ephemeral project. EDWARD CONN. Calls Attention to Inevitability Of Mistakes in “Business” of War. To the Editor of The Star: ‘Thoughtless criticism of the activities of others comes easy to most of us and usually is of little value. Such eriticism of the administration’s handling of our war efforts is no exception. Thoughttul, constructive criticism on the other hand is valuable, We are a Nation of peace lovers. War is not our lifework. On the other hand it is the lifework of the German leaders. They have studied it and prac- ticed it for at least 2,500 years. “The national name ‘German’ given to the ‘whole race by Caesar and Tacitus, means ‘shouters in battle’ and is parallel to Homer’s favorite epithet of Menelaus, ‘good at the warcry.”” When we feel disposed to criticize our leaders because they do not at once carry on successfully against those whose major industry is war, I think we should bear the above in mind. For a limited time, we hope, we must change our busi- ness to one of waging war. At first it should be expected that we shall make mistakes and continue to make them until we have perfected ourselves in our new business and we must expect disappointments and heartaches. As we go along and it becomes evident to the people that our mistakes are being recog- nized and corrected by the administra- tion we shall feel better about it. However, because we have been launched into, for us, the unfamiliar business of waging war, s business necessitating much loss of life, there is much reason why only the most capable men should he selected for its direction. Selection for any other’ reason, it appears to me, Haskin’s Answers To 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. Which is the southernmost eity in the world that has any commercial im- portance?—P, D. O. A. Magallanes, on the Straits of Ma- gellan, is the southernmost city of Chile and the most southerly city of gommer~ cial importance in the world. Q. Is the president of an organization by virtue of his office a member “ex officio” of all committees?—O. T. A. Not unless the byrlsws specifically 80 state. Where this is done he has the privileges of any other memher of the committee, but is not obliged to attend th2 meetings. Q. What countries are included in the region known &s the Levant?—G. M. A. It refers to lands washed by or near to the Eastern Mediterranean, in- cluding the coasts of Syris and Asia Minor. Q. How many kinds of angels are there?—N. A. J. A. Angels are classified in three hier- archies, each having three orders. They are as follows: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones; Dominations, Virtues, Powers; Principalities, Archangels, Angels, ————————————— Map of Africa—Africa is one of the major continents of the world. It is an active news center, with the warring nations trying to pro- tect their interests or usurp the rights of others there. What do you know of this continent— enough to understand the news dispatches from there? If not, order our MAP OF AFRICA in full color, 21 by 28 inches in size. Re- verse side carries a vast amount of statistics of wide interest. To se- cure your copy inclose 10 cents in coin, wrapped in this clipping, and mail to The Star Information Q. What is the new figure for the dis- tance between the eatth and the sun?— A.L.O. A. It is 93,003,000 miles, according to the more accurate solar parallax deter- mined from observations of the 1931 opposition of Eros. The probable error is only about 8,000 miles. Q. When was the earliest English dic- tionary published?—W. M. F. A. The first dictionaries of English words were' not meant to be complete, but were limited to hard words, such as those derived from foreign languages. The first complete dictionary was made by Nathan Bailey and published in 1730, Q. What animal is known as the lv- ing Teddy bear?—F. O. A. The koala or Australian bear. It is a soft bundle of fur with a tailless body about 3 feet long. The koala never drinks, obtaining enough moisture from the young eucalyptus trees upom which it lives. Q. How long has the Legal Ald So- clety been in existence?—T. T. A. The soclety was organized in 1876 in New York. Q. Who was the American artist who named his sons for famous painters?— N. V. A, Charles Willson Peale had 11 chil- dren, all of whom were named after famous artists. Q. Is it proper to stand up when in & restaurant if the National Anthem comes over the radio?—J. McL. A. When one is in a restaurant and the National Anthem is played over a radio broadcast it is correct to rise and stand at attention. Q. Who made the request that after his death his ashes be scattered over the Slerra Mountains in California?—G. M. N. A. Joaquin Miller, the Poet of the Sierras, Q. Was Gasparilla the real name of the pirate? When did he die?—E. S, A. Gasparilla was Jose Gaspar, native of Spain. He was an officer of the Spanish Navy. He participated in the operations against Gibraltar. He turned pirate in 1783, Gasparilla’s headquarters were on the Florida coast. He cap- tained a crew of marauders until his death in 1821, at 65. Q. Is a creek smaller or larger than & brook?—P. M. A. In the United States a creek is a tidal or valley stream between a brook and a river in size. Q. What is meant exactly by the term “tropical disturbance”?—G. E. A. The name is used by the Weather Bureau for a cyclonic system of the tropics that is not known to have suffi- cient force to justify the use of the words “storm” or “hurricane.” Q. Where did Erasmus publish his edition of the New Testament?—G. L. P, A. Erasmus of Rotterdam published his New Testament at Basel, in Switzerland, where he had settled after his retum from England. Q. In what fight did Jack Dempsey win the heavyweight title?—H. W. T. A. Jack Dempsey won the title by defeating Jess Willard at Toledo, Ohio, July 4, 1019, Listen to the Needles! Listen to the needles In the hands of February: She is knitting silver drapery For all the slender trees; : She has woven threads of crystal Into lace for bush and briar; She has made a dress of silver For every one of these. Listen to the needles In the hands of February! Hear the click and clack of needles As she knits the night away— Sits there knitting, hunohed and heedless J Of all eiss but haste and fashions Rare traceries in silver Sy