Evening star. [volume], January 01, 1922, Page 2, Image 18

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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THE EVENING STAR,
With Sunday Morning Edition.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
SUNDAY January 1. 1922
THZOSOBB W. NOTES Editor
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A Tear of Promise.
A year of promise opens today,
promise of better things for all human
ity, of better times for the American
people. The prospect for 1922 is one of
peace and understanding. Much prog
ress has been made in the closing
weeks of 1921 toward agreements be
tween the major nations that will
render war less likely and less terrible
if it should occur. The disappointment
felt by many at the close of the year
that complete success could not be
scared by the conference on the limita
tion of armament before the New Year
is softened by the reflection that these
great accomplishments are not speed
ily attained. Much will have been
gained even if the full program of the
conference is not effected. If there are
latent elements of contest between any
of the nations it is better that they be
brought into the open. No surer step
toward peacc could be taken than by
the uncovering of suspicions, the ex
pression of doubts, the exchange of
views. And so as 1922 opens it is with
a clearer atmosphere in which peace
can be seen more definitely than be
fore, not the peace succeeding war,
but the peace of agreement that per
sists and endures.
In the foreign field there remain
many troubles, economic, social and
political. Some of the peoples of the
earth are waging war. Some are suf
fering terribly from the consequences
?f war. Despite the charitable en
deavors of the American people Rus
sia is in a distressing plight through
famine and disease. Vet conditions
?re improving. Even the political situ
ation in Russia grows better as so
vietism relapses from its extremes and
sounder and more humane govern
ment succeeds the tyranny of the pro
letariat.
Despite the most tremendous diffi
culties the wi#rld has ever seen, the
countries lately at war are regaining
their economic balance. Industry is
reviving. The devastated regions are
being restored. Reparations problems
continue difficult, and failure of pay
ments is predicted with possible evil
consequences. But this threat has
been passed before without ill results.
With every readjustment there has
come a better condition. In Austria
alone is there no apparent progress to
ward rehabilitation.
A little more than three years have
passed since the last shots were fired
in the war. Considering the magnitude
of the catastrophe tho recovery accom
plished in that period has been re
markable. At the rate of the past
three years the year to come will
bring Europe close to normal status, if
ne disaster occurs.
In one respect particularly there is
reason for rejoicing at the benefits
gained for peace and betterment dur
ing 1921. The agreement effected be
tween England and Ireland, which it
is now claimed will be ratified by the
latter, as it has been already by the
former, will solve a problem that has
been a perennial source of anxiety and
trouble for a long period. The year
just opening will probably witness a
flnal adjustment in that quarter that
will place Ireland in a position of great
prosperity and happiness.
In this country a return to normal
conditions has progressed during 1921
steadily with little interruption. Seri
ous industrial conflicts have been
averted. The readjustments from the
war-time scales of costs and wages
have been effected much more easily
than was feared. There remain some
rough places to be smoothed out, some
asperities to be softened. But the tide
of employment is rising, industry is
thriving as it has not thrived for two
years past, and there is more content
ment throughout the country than a
year ago. The problems that remain
are all solvable by time and hard en
deavor.
This year just beginning will wit
ness the first political expression of
the people since the great wave of No
vember, 1920, which carried into office
the republican party in record man
ner. Politically this may prove a most
important year, possibly a year of re
action. During the next twelve
months, indeed, an interesting record
will be written.
The Washington conference may
prove to have had considerable stra
tegic importance as a warning to na
tions against drifting into unprepared
neas.
The chief objection to the prohibi
tion Joke Is Its liability to slip from
humor into pathos.
Orer a Say in the Air.
American flyers Friday at
Mlneela broke the world record for
endurance by remaining in the air
tweaty-slx hours, nineteen minutes
and thirty-five seconds, or two hours
Ml thirty-three seconds longer than
had aver been scored before in human
flight. This remarkable performance
w*a ? teat not only of the machine
they used, but of their own skill and
nerve and resourcefulness. They flew
under difficult conditions. In a freezing
temperature with high winds. Their
badl?s were numbed and the fingers of
ape ef them were frozen. Owing to
tk* egtreme cold the engine failed at
ana Stage to function properly, and it
WQ0 necessary, with the thermometer
rflftftarlnr several degrees below ztro.
twvttm to feed the motors with fuel
an operation which subjected
them te extreme discomfort and suffer
ing. Only by dint of such efforts did
they exceed the record.
These long-time flights are of no
utility in themselves They are but
tests and demonstrations. The true
endurance flight should be across
country, to attain the longest possible
range. But there is still value in the
circling flight for time record in the
trying out of machines and men, the
development of weaknesses and de
fects in order that planes may be
brought more nearly to perfection and ,
ion per cent dependability.
The commercial airplane has ar-1
rived. The heavier-than-air machine is
in use in many ways as a business
agency, as a package carrier, a pas
senger carrier, a surveyor, as a guard
against forest flres, for watching great
herds and flocks of animals on the
great ranches in the west. The ex
perimental stage has been passed. Yet
much remains to be done to increase
the safety and, capacity factors, and to
bring the machine within the reach of
the people. These tests such as that
at Mineola yesterday are helping along
this line, and should not be regarded
as merely sporting events to satisfy
the desire for new records.
The Treipauiaff War Buildings.
Lieut. Col. Sherrlll, superintendent
of public buildings and grounds, at a
hearing before the House appropria
tions committee, has noted the need of
funds for cleaning up the park grounds
still covered with debris from the
temporary war buildings, lie .might
have gone further and noted the pres
ence of the remaining temporary build
ings as blemishes and obstructions
which should be at once removed to re
store the parks to their primary pur
pose and former condition. This ques
tion must be considered very soon by
Congress, not only with respect to the
wooden structures, but in regard to
the more substantial ones of the west
ern group, within the bounds of Poto
mac Park.
It is greatly to be deplored that the
Army-Navy group of "temporary"
buildings was constructed of concrete.
They were more convenient and com
fortable than the "lath and plaster"
structures of the Mall group, and they
are still in good condition, a fact
which gives rise to some anxiety on
the part of those who hope to see the
parks soon cleared of them.
If these two great buildings lay
anywhere else they could be tolerated
as permanent features of the govern
ment building outfit. But they are in
truders upon the park and can never
be regarded otherwise. They not only
take up actual park space, but they
trespass upon an area which is defin
itely part of the Lincoln Memorial
approach. That inspiring structure
can never be completed while these
buildings remain. Their removal must
be viewed as assured. Certainly the
memorial will not be moved, and cer
tainly also the government will not in
definitely house itself in such make
shift quarters, however convenient
they may be for the time as to loca
tion and arrangement.
But these ? buildings are not, as a
matter of fact, convenient in point of
location. They are at the edge of
things. All of the access to them is
from the north and east and slightly
from the west. To the south there is
nothing but park and river. It is as
though they were placed on the north
ern edge of the city, or the eastern
edge, save that their front doors are
within five or twenty minutes' walk
ing time of the main government of
fices of the White House group. They
are. in short, wholly out of relation to
the official city. i
In the shortest possihle time com
patible with Treasury limitations ap
propriations should be voted to begin
work on the neccssary buildings to re
place those that now are obtruded
upon the park. The government can
not perennially postpone the construc-1
tion of new quarters. It needs them
urgeptly. It should have a State De
partment building, a new Navy De
partment building and several other
structures, especially homes for the
departments that are now housed in
rented quarters which, however for
the moment adequate, are still but
substitutes for the permanent equip
ment which the public service requires.
The fact that he did not attend the
parley enabled Mr. Lloyd George to
avoid wasting some valuable conversa
tional resources which were needed
elsewhere.
The record of the submarine asserts
itself as a sinister reminder that a na
tion like an individual is known by
the company it keeps.
The air torpedo, dirigible and deadly,
threatens to assert Itself as a menace
more to be feared by non-combatants
than the submarine.
Some of the delegates will be obliged
to go home without even being able j
to report progress.
Motor "Reciprocity."
District motorists are greatly inter
ested in the proposal of the so-called
reciprocity between Maryland and the
District of Columbia. They are, how
ever. in a Missouri attitude. They must
be shown what is expected of them in
return for the removal of any part of
the Maryland license tax. la the pro
posed gas tax in Maryland to be dupli
cated in this District? If the gas tax
is Imposed in Maryland must the Dis
trict motorist conttnue to pay a road
tax in the form of a license fee? In
short, to what extent will there be real
reciprocity?
It is stated that Maryland now has
a deficit of $1,200,000 on its road ac
count, and that the gas tax Is to sup
ply this deficiency. On account of the
deficit the state cannot remit 'the
license taxes. Is this $1,200,000 a
shortage on the construction account,
or the maintenance account? If it is
on the former It ia a capital charge,
and it should not be met out of a gen
eral tax or the current income from
motors, either through licenses or con*
sumption charges. It should be raised
by capital means, by state-wide spe
cial taxation bearing upon all, and not
upon motorists alone, or by a bond Is
sue. If it is a maintenance deficit
it should be met out of current
revenues, such as a gas tax or a
license tax.
The problem of motor reciprocity be
tween the District and Maryland i*
one ?C lent standing. It cannot be
settled now on any such basis as that
immediately proposed, of the omission
of part of the Maryland license tax
while a gas tax is imposed in both
jurisdictions. The pistrict motorist
surely should not be required to pay a
license tax here and one in Maryland
and a gus tax as well, wherever he
buys his fuel, for the purpose of
enabling: Maryland to meet lis deficit
on its road account.
District motorists Vise the Maryland
rnads, and Maryland motorists use the
District's roads and streets. They huve
been paying mutually the license
taxes of the opposing jurisdictions for
years, while the Virginia and District
motorists have enjoyed real reciproc
ity of tax remission. Maryland has
much better roads than Virginia. The
latter needs motor tax revenues today
even more urgently than Maryland.
As far as results go the District motor
ist would prefer to contribute to the
road building of Virginia through
license taxes or gas taxes in order to
help build up the highway system of
that state.
With motor reciprocity prevailing
between all of the states and motor
reprisals only between the District
and Maryland, it is surely time for
some method to be found which will
with equity to both sides give as free
access to the roads of both jurisdic
tions as there is throughout all the
rest of the country.
Is the Earth Off Center ?
Astronomers in session at Swarth
1 more, Pa., are hearing reports from
observers which suggest that the earth
I is shifting on its axis. One scientist
declares that the observatory where he
is stationed has moved northward at
the rate of a foot a year during the
period from 1900 to 1317. Others say
that they have evidence to show that
the north pole does not remain in the
same position exactly with reference
to the stellar landmarks, but describes
a circle. In other words, that the earth
Is off center and wobbles. Any motor
ist knows just what this means. The
cbild who spins a top always regrets
to see the knob at the top begin to
shift, for he knows it is running down.
But there is no reason to worry about
the world running down at present, or
within a conceivable range of time.
Maybe, after all. the pole is not the true
pole. Perhaps the right axis lies some
where else, ajid the orbit described by
the Imaginary spindle of revolution is
due to the fact that it is set wrong
by the astronomers and mapmakers.
Or. again, it is within the range of
imagination that it is in the nature of
things for a planet to wobble. It
would not be surprising. A great ball
of matter suspended in the ether of
space without "hearings'' is subjected
to various influences. Nobody has yet
measured the various pulls of the
greater spheres. Nobody knows, for
instance, just how much of a jolt a
comet causes. It may take several
years for the earth to get l>ack to
normalcy after such a visitation. May
be the steady ryorthward movement of
the western observatory at the rate of
a foot a year for seventeen years is a
reaction from one of these swooping
visitants. Truth is, however marvel
ous the science of astronomy, it has
yet much to discover, to measure and
to identify.
If Maryland can go as far in im
proving gasoline as she has gone in
improving roads a tax of 2 cents a gal
lon will be cheap enough.
Japan's fear that she might not be
able to keep the Mutsu without creat
ing: ill feeling proves to have been en
tirely groundless.
The District of Columbia may now
turn its attention from the 5-5-3 naval
ratio and get back to the 50-50 pay
ment plan.
His inordinate liking for brass-band
concerts in the open air may sooner
or later get Eugene Debs into trouble
again.
The German mark has slightly re
gained consciousness, but is far from
being a convalescent.
The superstitious will be relieved by
the passing of a year whose figures
added up to thirteen.
Europe Is running the risk of sacri
ficing a large and profitable tourist
clientele.
SHOOTING STARS.
BT PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Instinctive Optimism.
It's Happy New Year just the same,'
Whatever may go wrong.
The children play the merry game
And join In gentle song.
Though weary problems fret the
throng
And theories go lame.
Each New Year, as it comes along.
Is happy, just the same.
Difficulties of the Dove.
"You are In fevor of peace, of
[course?"
"Of course," said Senator Sorghum.
"But how are you going to live peace
ably with a man who invariably
threatens to start a fight unless he
make* you take the worst of every
bargain?"
Jud Tunkins says he thinks maybe
Europe has made a mistake in gettln'
the reputation of bein' a fine con
tinent to travel In, instead of bein' a
comfortable continent to live in."
Jacques Up to Date.
"The world's a stage," quoth Avon's
f son.
Its art has sadly shrunk.
The tragedy is overdone.
The comedy is punk.
Ivoohitig Forward.
"I understand yotl have raised your
cook's wages again."
"Yes," replied Mr. Crosslots. "May
be we can make her so rich that she
will undertake to hire me and the
missus. And then we will get even."
"I like a mule mo' dan I does a
flivver," said Uncle Eben, "because
ht's mo* sociable. When a mule balks,
you kin at least entertain de hope dat
he's ftotar take an interest to de con
versation."
%
v ??!.
Politics at Home
This Year and the Issues.
Organization work, with this year's
campaigns in view, is In hand in both
parties. Neither party has the "jump"
on the other. Both are well officered.
Chairman Adams has capable men
around him, and Chairman Hull, but
recently chosen himself, is choosing
capable men for his assistants. Neither
chairman is likely to overlook a bet.
It is early, however?much too
early?to speculate, as some of the
politicians are doing, about campaign
issues. Who may say at this time
whether the line-up will be on foreign
affairs or domestic affairs? Whether
the republicans are to challenge or be
challenged on the way in which for
eign affairs have been conducted un
der their leadership, or on the record
composed of tariff, tax, transportation
and merchant marine legislation?
Nobody may safely say, for the sim
plest of reasons. Everything today is
in an untried, or an unfinished, slate.
A new tax law is on the books, but is
yet to be tested. The tariff, transporta
tion and the merchant marine are yet
to be acted on.
As for foreign affairs, they will nec
essarily rest upon the work of the
armament conference, which is still in
the shaping. And, even when shaped,
will that work lend itself to |iartisan
purposes? It is not proceeding on
partisan lines, and the Senate will not
be asked to pass upon it in a partisan
spirit. In this case, as in all cases,
politics, it is contended, should stop
at the seashore.
For the present the thing to do is to
convince the voters that next Novem
ber's result will have a far-reaching
cffect. and that the polling should be
heavy everywhere. Time will develop
the issue or issues, paramount and
other. And time has a masterful way
of doing that very thing, as the record
abundantly shows.
Senator Reed.
It was the Paris peace treaty that
cost Senator Reed his popularity at
home in 1920, and caused his discom
fiture at San Francisco that year. He
had fought it with vehemence: and as
it was sponsored by a democratic
President the democrats of Missouri
in large numbers resented his attitude
as a species of party disloyalty. The
senator was warned that he would
meet his record when he came up for
re-election, and was denied his seat as
a delegate to his party's national con
vention.
Mr. Reed's successor is to be chosen
this year, and he wants to succeed
himself.
The senator raises the same objec
tion to the four-power pact that he
raised 10 the league of nations feature
of the pact Mr. Wilson had submitted.
Again he protests vehemently against
entangling foreign alliances, and reads
them as plainly in the later pact as he
did in the former.
The sponsor of the later pact, how
ever. is a republican. Mr. Harding is
the man Mr. Reed is now holding to
account, and will hold to account in
this year's campaign. When he takes
the stump at home and asks the voters
to send him back to Washington, his
target will be the republican party
and its leader in the White House.
Will this serve to rehabilitate Mr.
Reed in the good graces of the demo
crats of Missouri? Can he "show"
them that he is all right now and en
titled to their support? Will they for
give him the performance of 1920 for
the stand he has now taken? Can the
subject which cost him so heavily two
years ago be made the vehicle for re
storing him to favor this year?
As yet there are no democratic can
didates against Mr. Reed in the field.
But there is plenty of time for an
nouncement; and should heads be put
out. the campaign for the democratic
senatorial nomination in Missouri
may prove to be one of the liveliest of
the year.
Tennessee.
An alert and stirring city is Mem
phis. And not alone in a business way.
In a political way. also.
Consider this: Tennessee elects a
United States senator this year, and
Memphis has three candidates. Mr.
McKellar, now in commission, wants
to succeed himself, and former Gov.
Patterson and G. T. Fitzhugh are look
ing in the same direction.
And what is the matter with Gen.
Luke Wright? He resides in Memphis,
and only a few years ago was very
much in the picture. Is he not still all
right? He is of senatorial size. Maybe
he will announce later.
Of course, Memphis will not be per
mitted to "corner the market." It is
to be assumed that in good time other
communities will be heard from. Scat
tered here and there through the Big
Rend state are some very competent
men, well entitled to lift their eyes as
high as the Senate.
And this brings to mind the fact
that, shortly now, Benton McMillin
will be back from South America,
where for the past eight years he has
been holding down a diplomatic job.
Maybe he will announce. Years ago he
saw long service in the House, and
made a race there for Speaker. He
was for one term Governor of Tennes
see. He has made one or two unsuc
cessful attempts to reach the Senate.
His long absence from home has kept
him free from all factionism. He is
seventy-six years old, but his age is
not a weight.
Tennessee stands, and has always
stood, well in the Senate. In the past
half century she has sent such men
there as Isham S. Harris, W. B. Bate
and Howell Jackson. The last named,
it will be remembered, though a demo
crat. was transferred from the Senate
to the United States Supreme Court
by President Harrison, a republican.
She must maintain her reputation,
and, fortunately, has plenty of ma
terial suitable for the purpose. The
announcements start well, and the
primary is not until August.
The city council of Milwaukee is
prepared to plead for the reopening of
breweries. This shows a sense of
gratitude. Old-time advertisers did
not hesitate to assert that it was beer
that made Milwaukee famous.
When a diplomat returns to face
public opinion at home he often misses
the atmosphere of extreme courtesy
that pervades a conference.
. . . ' . ..J;-.-'- ' _
The New Year Offers to All
Chance to Start Race Anew
RY THOMAS R. MARSHALL,
Former Vice President of the tolled
Slate*.
THE saddest eye, if it will but
look, may see the stars
shining: through the hem
look trees. Everything
comes to an end, and everything
has an opportunity to start over
again. There is no such thing as
finality In the affairs of mankind.
The wise man looks for hopeful
signs. Only the fool sits back in
rsackcloth and ashes. Of a cer
tainty life runs in an orbit and not
on a straight line.
This New Year finds us again
lined up before the starter and
ready to run the annual heat In
the derby of life. In the last
twelve months many of us broke
at the first quarter, lost shoes at
the half-mile or were pocketed on
the home stretch. Business w;i^
bad and. try as we would, we could
not strike a steady, speedy, pace.
The more desire lashed us the more
desire lashed us the more restive,
restive we grew. . We were handi
capped with national problems and
international conditions. The track
was new and heavy. We did not
know its rough places. We sus
pected unfair practices all along
the way on the part#of contending
jockeys.
* * * *
So it was that many of us never
finished, and it was natural that
some should feel that they had
been Jockeyed out of prize money
and even out of place. But the year
is over, the race is won, the deri
sion of the judges from which
there is no appeal stands, and if
we have any confidence in our
selves we will ask the stable boys
to rub us down and to prepare us
to ride once again the very best
we can.
The year's end finds many a man
doubting the goodness of Clod and
the justness and fairness of his
fellows. The world and all its
work and all its ways has been un
kind. unfair, cruelly relentless, lie
had not even hope of winning in
the race of life. The years gone
by. filled with the fever of specu
lation. had left him with the fixed
idea that so long as the price of
gasoline kept up there was no
other way then to let the children
go unclad by day. unfed to bed.
With bitterness of soul he may
wonder without thought of his
own blameworthiness why he
should longer hold to an order of
things that tempts him with lux
uries and then fells him ihat he
must earn them, an order that ex
acts of him a choice between ne
cessities and luxuries if his labor
will not suffice for both.
* * * *
What sort of government is this
of ours, he may ask. that will not
by some legislative act rain down
upon me the manna of necessity
if I will have the courage and
strength to work and earn for
myself the luxuries 1 long for.
His reverv may carry him to the
conclusion that he had gained
nothing in the years gone by save
heartache, failure, despair. Could
any order of things be worse than
the present order? he asks. Should
he join Ishmael's band and pil
lage and ravage at his own sweet
will, or should he just throw up
his hands and sink beneath the
waves of adverse circumstances?
Happy is that unfortunate soul
who has his bitter dreams inter
rupted by the good angel of the
republic touching his feverad -brow
and cooling his mind with the
thought:
Despair is never half so deep,
In Pinking as in s*om4nc.
Despair is hope just dropped to ?.Ieep
Fur better chance of dreaming.
* * * *
Too often the world has wakened
only to ask, '"Watchman, what of
the night?" and then sank back
?into its sleep of faith or hope or
despair when answer came, "All
is well." Through the long cen
turies battle cries and peace cries
have been evolved out of the dark
ness of ignorance and superstition.
Surely the fullness of time has
come to pass this New Tear when
men may ask of their consciences
and nations of their rulers, "Watch
men, what of tli? day?" The old
order is gone. It is not night; it
is day, a New Year day. A new
system has been set up. Equity
and fair-dealing have entered eco
nomic life. Justice and charity
and peace and good-will mark the
relations of races and nations.
* We all are about to start again.
We will not, of course, come in at
the end of the year neck-and-neck.
Some are handicapped by years,
environment, heredity, early edu
cation. Some are jumping with
the excitement of youth; some are
sick; som$ are sullen, and far too
many are entered in a class too
fast. But whether we pin our
faith on Christian Paul or heathen
Pandora, each may start out, if he
will, with the strength of hope and
the red badge of courage.
* * * *
Success comes sometimes through
remembrance, somethings through
forgetfulness. It was one of the
fathers of the church who warned
against too long mourning for
one's sins lest thereby lie cast a
doubt upon the mercy and good
ness of Clod. The finest human
utterance is the call of the Salva
tion Army, "A man may be down,
but.never out.," So Jong as a man
wastes time wondering whether
he fell or whether he was pushed
or tripped he is quite likely to
stay down. It Is of little moment
how he happened to get down.
True, he may point a moral an^l
adorn a tale, but while he lies
there wondering he is still down.
Wisdom, prudence, safety, all
urge him to get up and go on.
And as he goes let him remem
ber only that which will give*
courage and strength. Let him
fix within himself the idea that
110 one can really hurt him save
himself. Let him seek no re
venge, for revenge is a sword
which does not find its way to an
enemy's heart without piercing
also the heart of the man who
wields it. Let him look around
and observe that the happy war
riors are those who. forgetting
the things that are behind, press
forward toward the prizes to be
won.
* * * *
I do not bear that ghastly gos
pel of consolation doled out by
some churchmen. "It might be
worse." My message is, "It may -
be better" and "It will be if you
will." >,"0 one eventually can lose
anything that is worth having if
he wjll only believe that he is the
captain of his own soul and will
vow not to order it to enter any
fight which is not worthy of the
highest manhood.
The New Year greets you nei
ther as conquerors nor slaves. The
New Year knows you all and
knows that none of you is free
with an incumbered title to life,
success or immortality. It has a
wisdom and a vision far beyond
the common ken of humankind. It
knows that all of us have mort
gaged the passing years to usurers
who had no heart in demanding
both principal and interest at ma
turity. It knows that we have
given our notes to wealth, to
pleasure, to honor, to pride, to
hatred. It understands that our
lives, which are God's gifts, have
l?*?en recklessly pledged by us to
every passing whim and fancy. It
appreciates that we collectively
have floated bond issue after bond
issue, not to keep the spirit of
brotherhood alive, but to entail for
all time national pride and vain
glory.
* * * *
But though this new year knows
you. it is not an avenging angel,
nor is it a judge summoning you
to answer in foreclosure proceed
ings at the bar of divine justice.
It is rather a friend who comes in
love and humility to tell you that
in the economy of God. back of ell
these incumbrances there is for
each of us an equity of redemp
tion. Men may come and men may
go, nations may rise and fall, plen
ty and famine may succeed each
other, the races of life may be won
or lost, but the new-born year
comes whispering these words of
hope into every human ear:
"Be not mistaken in what you
call fortune. Be not dismayed by
what you think fate. All of you
come "into the race again, each
with his own incumbrances. The
world will not pay them for you.
It could do so only by exchang
ing mortgages. You must pay for
yourselves. And you can. For I
come to you as the aj>otheosis of
that equity of redemption out of
which you can if you will free
your lives from the sins that do so
easily besert and from the sorrows
that depress. You may not know
it. but I am for you that equ4ty of
redemption. I am faith and hope.
But as I lift you out of the dust
or mire of last year's defeat and
bid you believe and hope, it is
needful for me to warn that fool
ish faith is worse than none, that
idle hope is no better th?n despair.
It is for you to fix the boundaries
of your faith and mark the limits
of your hopefe."
* * * *
Yes. it is a new year, laden with
hope to.humankind if humankind
will only strive for that worth
having. Have not the years taught
us either in bitterness of heart or
loss of fortune that honest toil is
man's allotted task, that charitable
judgment is man's unending duty,
that brotherhood and peace the
world around mark real life, that
all may have these blessings, and
that they adorn with like
content the man in purple
and fine linen and the man in
hodden gray? Will you not let the
new year make of you a real man?
Will you not help to make of the
world a real brotherhood?
(Copyright, 1921. by Thomas U. Marshall.)
Digest of the Foreign Press
Another Version of the Czar's
Death!
The Abo L'ndcrraettelser of Fin
land brings an interesting article on
the murder of the czar and his family
in Jekaterinburg, written by an in
habitant of the town who lived near
the house where the royal family
spent their last days.
He relates that the czar and czar
ina arrived with Dr. Botkins in April,
1918, the other members of the royal
'family coming a month later; that
| Ipatiew. to whom the house belonged,
was turned out and a high fence was
built all round. What went on be
|hind this fence was very difficult to
find out. "Russians," he says, "have
in such cases an extraordinary imagi
nation. 1, who lived quite near, heard
a number of contradictory reports,
all supposed to have come from eye
witnesses.
"One thing we do know is that the
crown prince died of shock. A bomb
! exploded in a neighboring house with
such a terrible noise that the
I poor weak little fellow died of fright.
"Nothing is known with certainty
of what became of the royal ladies.
It Is possible that they were mur
dered, but there is no proof of it. If
It were true that the whole family
was shot down at once, as was re
lated, we who were quite near must
have heard it. We did now and then
hear a shot, but a Russian who has
[cartridges in his hand can never re
sist shooting them off in the air. We
never heard a volley of shot.
"At the time that the murder took
place the bolsheviks were in a great
hurry. Koltschak was pressing for
ward, and every minute was valua
ble. It is difficult to believe they should
have carefully burnt the bodies un
der these circumstances, when the
[ murder would certainly have be
come known to the people in such a
case, even if we take into considera
tion that we ?re speaking of Rus
sains who always do just what oc
curs to them, that is to say, things
that nobody else would think of.
''It was said that the bodies ware
partly bur Bad, partly th^'wn into an
old pit. We examined the ashes very
carefully, even chemically, but with
out finding the least trace of human
remains. The only thing that was
found was some metal articles, dia
monds and lead bullets. The latter
would have, of course, melted if they
had been in the fire; as they were
whole then, they evidently had been
thrown there later. The old pit was
pumped out and carefully examined,
but here also nothing: was found ex
cept signs of a bomb which had
knocked against a piece of iron and
exploded.
"Thus the search did not lead to
the hoped-for result. No actual proof
has been found that the royal ladies
suffered that fate which the search
! was to prove. That, of course, does
not exclude the fact that they were
murdered all the same. But we can
just as well think that for some un
known reason they were taken away
secretly. In this case it would nat
urally have been necessary to destroy
everything that would betray the poor
things. If they were spared they are
greatly to be pitied, for their fate in
the wilds of Siberia at the mercy of
impudent men must have been terri
ble.
| "The marks of a motor car could
be traced from the place where the
bodies are supposed to have been
burnt to a train which bad been
I waiting there on a side line for some
j days before this event.
"Most of the members of the Kolts
j chalk examining committee were of
j the opinion that nothing could be
I known of the royal ladies. Indeed,
I this search came to a very extraordi
nary end. The committee-began its
i search very energetically. But as the
result was not what they expected
from the ash heap, they became care- I
less. This is very Russian. It looked j
almost as if they did not want to j
search further. Moreover. Kolts-!
chalk's oosition had to be given up.
"Of course, there are a number of!
people who know the truth. But j
they have not vet dared to speak.
Here it is generally believed that the
ladies were not murdered in Jekater
inburg. ,
"We shall only know Something
positive about the fate of the esar
family," concludes the writer, **wtien
it will no longer be dangerous to
know It*
Heard and Seen
An elderly man. holding a canvas
bag between his feet, failed to at
tract any particular attention aboard
a local street car recently. The bag
jostled heavily on the floor as the
car went over a crossing.
To learn what the man had in that
bag we will have to go back a IVw
days, to the time when the gentleman
sold a building across from the Capi
tol. He received a check for $24.681)?t
a tidy suin indeed. * j
Jle took tiie check to his bank and}
asked for gold, but was informed [
that, the institution could not cash
the check in that fashion, and was
advised to apply to the Treasury De
partment.
Accordingly, the man took his check
to the Treasury, where officials in-?
formed him that in order to issue
gold pieces it would be necessary for
him to present gold certificates. The
man went back to his bank, where
lie had the check cashed for twenty
four $1,000 gold notes and the neces
sary number of smaller gold notes.
Hitli these in his waliet, he moved
back on the Treasury. Upon presenta
tion of the notes, the gold coins were
counted out. Five bags were filled
with them.
"Can I have a bag to put them in?'
asked the gentleman.
A larger bag was secured and the
five bags of gold placed in it. The
gentleman slung the bag over his
shoulder and went out.
He boarded a New York avenue car.
getting on one of those side-seat cars
uith the long seat running the length
of the car. The bag was heavy, and
he was glad he had no farther to go
with it. He deposited it with a thump
on the floor between his feet.
He and his bag. the latter plainly
lettered "LT. S. Treasury." arrived
safely at the corner where he got off
to go to his home. He shouldered
his bag of gold, and had gone a block
or so when he found it too heavy for
him.
"H*lp me with this bag!" he called
to a young man.
The youth complied willingly, tak
ing hold of one end of the sack while
the owner held to the other end.
"What you got in this bag?" asked
the young man.
"Just some castings,*' replied the
elder.
At the man's home he thanked the
youth for his assistance, mounted
his own doorstep, entered his house,
and proceeded to the dining room.
There he opened the large sack and
took out the five small sacks. In turn
he emptied the contents of each sack
upon the table. He shortly had as
fine a mound of gold pieces as ever
graced a dining or any other table in
Washington.
Just then his wife came in.
"For heaven's sake!" she exclaimed.
"Why have you got all that monev
here? Why. men would kill us all for
that much money!"
The gentleman feasted his eves
upon the gold.
"I tried to make a pile in the Klon
dike when I was a young man,'' re
plied her husband, "and I lost all I
had?a sum almost equal to this. And
I have been wanting to see real gold
ever since. Here it is at last!"
#
* *
Christmas spirit took a sad slump
in one man on Christmas live.
A man hopped on the front end of a
street car and offered a token, the
inotorman refusing it.
"You took those transfers." replied
the man.
"<'an't accept the token," said the
motorman.
"I won't get oflT."
"Then we won't start."
After a few seconds, during which
the other passengers began to get
tngry, the man wilted.
"I'll get off." he said, "but I'm
going to report you for taking those
transfers."
The motorman had not thought of
that.
No sooner had the man whose
token was refused got off the car than
the motorman proceeded to eject the!
two men who had given him transfers.
These two worthies joined the other!
man on the curb, and said it would ;
give them great pleasure to put him
in a condition which would require
hospital treatment.
CHARLES E. TRACE WELL.
Fifty Years Ago
in The Star
Observance of Christmas fifty years
ago was considerably different from
that of today- It
How Christmas :i n,u< " *ui**r
occasion, with tn?
Was Observed.. x|>|UJ4ioi, 0f fire
works and. sad to relate, much evi
dence of overindulgence in spirituous
liquors. In The Star of 1 December -'??
1871, is tiie following comment on the
occasion:
?*<'hristmas was very generally and
as a rule very appropriately observ? ?1
yesterday, though, we regret to sa>
an unusual amount of drunkenness
was visible on the streets-and there
was little or no falling off Tri the dan
gerous and foolish use of firecrackei s
and pistols. The practi<* ??f giving
presents seems t*> he growing ?'vei>
year, both in extent of observance
arid extravagance in the cost of gifts
This latter feature is to he r? ^rette-t.
since it places many persons in tn
predicament of taxing themselves be
vond their means if they undertake u
remember all who feel that t.heyougn
to be thus remembered. ?>r of !?? nit
considered miserly or selfish if they '!?.
not do so. Resides, the fashion of g-v
ing costly presents often leads the.:
recipients to esteem them according
to their intrinsic value and sometimes
to indulge in comparisons which an
as unjust as they are improper. f<?
getting that liberality is not at all a
matter of quantity, but purelv one of
proportion. Far better the good o!?i
times, when gifts were few and sim
ple. when they were valued for tl ??
giver and not because they were hand
somer than some one else's, or repr*
sented so much in dollars and cents ??n
the invoice books of the dealer.
*
* *
The prospect of the early establish
ment of the merit system in the mak
ing of appoint
Sudden Hush for puhl:'
office seems to
Patronage.
have had the ef
fect fifty years ago of stimulating the
patronage seekers, according" to the
following in The Star of lumber
26. 1871:
"The pressure for appointment to
positions in the government service
before the first of January has neen
much greater, it is said. ??"??' Y***
adoption hv the President of the rui .
prepared by the <'ivil Service < om
mission than at any time jn?
memory of men now living. Not th?
the numerous applicants will not n*
able to stand the t.sts impos d ??
those rules: oh. no* hut it would he
such a nice thing, you know, to com
mence the new year with an appoint
ment safely in one's pocket, I'.esiacs.
it would gratify 'their member a:.o
generally "their senator' also to know
that thev have been successful w it i
out his being obliged to come down
personally to see about it.
w
* *
The tendency toward indulgence in
strong drink on ?*hristmas day fif>>
years ag?? was fol
Drinkine on *?'*"" ,Uyfi u" r
unn s bv H vi*ry wl<l..?rre?'l
New Year.
degree of intoxication
on New Year day The Star in its- i?
sue of December 3'i. lfc~l. said:
"From what we hear, then if a prertv
general disposition on the pail "i in
ladies prominent it. A 0f
cietv to diwounlenati.-e the
tiuuoi s at l lie receptions on Monday
There is absolutely nothing to he said
in favor of dispensing intoKnating
drinks on that day. and when ? ' ' ""V
to look at the matter elosely ther ..
something almost shocking in th?
idea of wives, mothers and sistei.
holding out to youngmenlhe 'empta
tion to become drunkards in a form
so much more dangerous and "etlii
ive than that presented t>> th? .
narv grog shop Th? great suffe >
bv intemperance ate women. It ifc tl
wives and mothers who spend th.
annious midnight hours and shed <h
bitter tears while th-ir husbands an
softs are abroad wasting
destroying health in drunken "iu.>
? , he a bitter refleel .on to so
wi'es and mothes that the taste and
thirst for drink may hav. been a
quired from the teinpta ons yf h
Sew Year refreshment tallies, offei. <?
by themselves or, ,;H.r ?;^s ^
mothers. l.et the ladies tak. t
in reforming an evil that e?.inet> 10 1 .
so diree.tly to thein
Who'S WhO Conference
XXXVIII?Senator George Foster Pearce
SEXATOR George Foster Pearce.
who is the Australian repre
sentative on the British empire
delegation to the Washington
conference, is the type of man that
Americans are wont to admire and
respect, because his career from boy
hood has followed so closely the lives
of so many of America's outstanding
figures, who started in humble cir
cumstances and, with only such op
portunities as they carved out for
themselves, succeeded in reaching po
sitions of great prominence and honor
in the service of their country. A list
of those who have made the history of
:the United States, headed by Abraham
Lincoln. who started life with the
same chances as did Senator Pearce.
I would be as long as it is esteemed.
| Starting as a carpenter and joiner in
j a small town in West Australia, he
I has made of himself a great national
| figure, one of the leaders of tlie com
monwealth parliament of Australia,
! the right-hand man of Premier
I Hughes and a historical personage in
the world war. |
There was nothing particularly un
usual about Senator Pearce's boyhood.
He was born in the small town of
Mount Baker, in South Australia, in
1870. the son of James and Jane
Pearce, who had migrated from Eng
land. He showed no particular genius
as a youth?just an average, normal!
boy; going through tlie public school |
at Redhill, and from there becoming |
an apprentice to a carpenter and work- j
ing up in that trade. Along with many
others of his sort, he was taken in by |
the visions of participating in thei
easy acquisition of fabulous wealth
and took part in the gold rush in 1894,
tramping 400 miles, from Perth to the.
Coolgardie district, undergoing many;
hardships, having narrow escapes |
from the bushmen, living an uncer- |
tain existence in a wild country and (
finding no gold.
On his return from this fruitless ex
pedition he again took up his occupa
tion as a carpenter and it was at this I
time that he began to shape his po- i
litical career. He organized and be- I
came a leading figure in trade unions!
and political associations, gaining
more and more prestige among the
| working classes, until, in 1899, he was
j made president of the Trade Union
Congress, and two years later, at the
| inception of the commonwealth, he
; was sent to parliament from Western j
Australia, and has held his seat ever
since, beihg one of the few men who
have served in the Australian senate
since it has been in existence.
Since 1916 Senator Pearce has been
minister of defense, and was instru
mental in instituting universal mili
! tary training in Australia, which aided
so materially in the formation and
brilliant success of the Australian
army in the war. The naval agree
ment under which the Australian fleet
was built also was one of the great
movements in which Senator Pearce
had a leading part and proved himself
a capable statesman.
About the time this fleet was being
planned, the senator drew up and put
through parliament one of the biggest
measures that had ever been framed
in Australia, the navigation bill, and
it made him famous throughout the
laad. The bill was extremely techni
?
Ste\ ATOIl (.KOm.K FOSTKR
PHAIUK.
cal, and went into the most minute de
tail, involving: a subject that he had
been totally ignorant of previously, he
having had no connection at all with
a seafaring life. It so happened that
the leaders of the opposition fightinu
the measure were all skilled experts,
among them the head of the seamen's
union, and it has always been consid
ered an astonishing feat of statesman
ship that Senator Pearce could frame
so accurate a bill dealing with strange
factors and win against men who had
an advantage over him of years of ex
perience.
Besides dealing with army and navy,
marine and commercial mat?*r? in par
liament. Senator Pearce elso takes a
keen interest in all agricultural meas
ures that are brought, up. because lie
is interested in such things personal
ly. Although he lives in Melbourne
with his large family, where he has a
tine home with extensive gardens, he
also owns great orchard ranches In
Western Australia, in which he takes
! much interest.
Senator Pearce for many years now
| has been one of the leading statesmen
! In his Dominion. For a time in 1916
! he was acting prime minister. He has
I held one of the most responsible port
folios half as long as the common
i wealth has been in existence. But with
i all these honors, and this great rise in
'station lie has always remained un
j pretentious and unassuming. He is
[dignified and quiet but genial, and
withal a good mixer and pleasant com
panion. His success has been due to a
great strength of character and a de
termination that would never admit
the possibility of defeat.
- i - ? . . .