Evening star. [volume], March 20, 1928, Page 8, Image 8

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

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8
THE EVENING STAR
With Sunday Morning Edition.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
TUESDAY March 20. 192?
THEODORE W. NOYES... .Editoi
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of *peciat dispatches herein are also reserved.
A Good Start.
Yesterday s hearing before the House
committee on the civil service was an
impressive demonstration of the need
es the passage of the proposed legisla
tion for a horizontal Increase in the pay
of the Government's employes. From
various points of view the Welch bill
was approved, in terms which should
have made a deep impression on the
members of the committee. An eminent
specialist in the field of industrial rela
tions. Prof. Paul H. Douglas of the Uni
versity of Chicago, presented a state
ment which showed clearly how the
Government has. in effect, stood still in
the matter of compensations, while all
other employers in this country have
gone ahead Members of Congress ap
peared in behalf of the hieasure and
testified to their knowledge of condi
tions and expressed their hope that the
bill may become law.
Prof Douglas' statement gave a clear
view of the relative status of the Gov
ernment workers and those in private
employment. During the past thirty
years, he said, and particularly since
1914. the workers in nearly all lines of
American industry have appreciably im
proved their position. The Government
employes, however, have actually, save
for the reclassification under the act of
1923, remained stationary, and the ad
vancement effected by that measure
was only slight and unimportant. Rela
tively. considering the rise in the cost
of living and the shortening of the
working day in private employment*, the
Federal service workers have fallen be
hind.
This is perfectly well known. It re
quires no actuarial research to demon
strate that the clerical and custodial
workers for the Government are in less
favorable position now than they were
belore the general movement in ad
va ice of wages in the United States
began. The test of the matter lies in
the purchasing power of the dollar. The
dollar of the employe in Industry and
private business buys more today than
the dollar of the Government employe,
which barely covers the necessities of
life, leaving little or nothing for the
emergencies and for the luxuries.
This pending measure, the Welch bill,
will not render the Government worker
affluent, if enacted Into law. It will
not even place him on a par with the
corresponding class of private employes
In the industries and in business But
K will narrow the gap that now pre
vails between the pay scales and will
remove from the Federal force the anx
iety that now marks the entire body of
the Government's working force.
Economy is the order of the day in
Government affairs. Efforts are being
made to prune excessive costs, to trim
the Mils, to eliminate useless positions.
in pare the edges of expenditures. Heavy
saving* have been effected by these
measures, and the country rejoices over
the application of business principle* to
the Federal administration. But there
Is no demand for continued parsimony
in the matter of paring the force. If
the Welch bill costa the Government
thirty or forty million dollars more a
year in eWsrk hire, the betterment in the
aervice through the Improvement in the
morale of the force will have been
cheaply purchased Moreover, this
legislation will eradicate a stain upon
the record of the United Btate* Govern
ment. which te today known as the poor
e»t paymaster of all in America.
Flood due to Ineffectual dam eon
*♦ ruction may yet be studied as a crime
wave.
Anglo-American Stage War.
War has been declared bet seen Eng
land and America and the first guru
have been fired It will be a bloodies.-
contest It may last for years or it
asay be quickly settled It is being
waged between Use Actors' Equity As
aorta lion of this country and the Brit
ish stage producers Recently an Amer
ican actress went to England Bhe ha<J
no contract for stage appearance being
as the theatrical phrase run*, "at lib
erty * Bhe was engaged for a part lr
a London production, but waa latei
dfopped from »he cast because of pres
sure brought to pear upon the pro
ducer of *he phy Srj British theapians
who regarded this invasion of their
territory with apprehension yester
day »he Actors' Equity Association met
in New York and adopted resolution!
in retaliation The n*- v. rode triay ta
it jus summarised
hqoUy will lot interfere with tie
entry of <oinplri* companies of ah'-i
au tore *no should tome here to piaj
and leave at unit* before tneii at
rival hourly in us t rorlvt live name o
«re production and the cat* and if r
repertory «n«np*ny 'to- nsrnei- of tru
play* 'lav Intend to presen* upon ar
rivai 're anemtoerr of these com pa rite
muet jntf) Equity any individual sllej
IMS* wtM m a partlmrtw p**' **> <
sne''fed play and may remain for tin
tntratlon *»f Ha run at Hi* exptratlm
of whicto its mos* return to hie oatlvi
country or »em *i»i inactive her sh
nemUi* alien actor* wito siiali hayi
played 100 week* in this country be
«wm, January J, isr/'t and January 1
itrcS are to be tor-sio-red at letidrn
a tor* uuar prim to ituiusiy I,
ot in unit t ornpatile* not Ur tee n
oroiited tnrsc reg(ira(i<mk are to appt
lii future wheftid siien actor* en*e
under lb immiyis<ton rrno'a or no*
but ifamr alien acUrrr u<rw here wh
* F
> have already come In under the quota
are to be considered as resident actors
_ In this contest the American thes
plans will have the decided advantage.
Inasmuch as this country Is a far more
® Inviting field for British actors than
- the British field Is for Americans,
r Many more English performers have
- found employment on the American
r j stage than Americans who have been
; engaged on the British boards. The
i Equity ban will not prevent the ap
j pearanee of all-British companies from
touring the States. They may come
here for Indefinite periods, but must
’ remain, as the regulations state, in
i unit form. Nothing is said about the
, replacement of members of these com
t panies by American actors while on
' tour in this country.
Undoubtedly comparisons, which are
usually odious, will be suggested as to
the relative merit* of British and Amer
ican dfiatiatic abilities. Equity main
tains that the average American actor
is fully the equal of the British per
former. It is interesting to note in
thts connection that several of those
, taking part in yesterday's proceedings
in New York, outstanding members of
Equity, are of English birth and dra
. matic training, notably George Arliss.
I Unquestionably American stage art has
been greatly enriched by British infll
! tration. doubtless to a greater extent
than the British stage has been aided
by importations from thts country.
There is nothing in the Equity code
to prevent a continuation of this proc
ess. but British aspirants for inclusion
in the American stage family must in
effect naturalize themselves by acquir
ing • residence" here under well defined
rules. In view of the allurement* of
the American dramatic field. It is quite
probable that the British actors who
have precipitated thts contest by their
boycott will be soon disposed to ask
for an armistice and a treaty of peace
Snappy Ball Games.
E S. Barnard, new president of the
American League, is determined that
if faster ball games can be played the
eight clubs in that circuit are going to
play them. Mr. Barnard is now mak
ing a tour of the clubs in training to
impress upon managers, players and
umpires that the new slogan of the
j league is to be "Fast games and snappy
ones!" Pitchers, under the new rule,
are to be penalized for stalling, batters
must not step out of the box except
for a legitimate reason, base balls are
not to be thrown promiscuously around
the diamond between innings or after
a play, and the next batter must take
his place in a specially designed box
and not wander aimlessly around be
hind the plate. Two-hour ball games
is the aim of the new league head, and
by his vigorous tactics it looks as if he
will succeed in reaching his goal.
There is no question but that the
average base ball fan desires a snappy
game. and. inasmuch as the nerves of
the average wife are sorely frayed when
hubby returns late for dinner from a
long-drawn-out contest, it appears that
there will be little disagreement with
Mr. Barnard's plan. Os course, some
of the ardent "booers" who have been'
in the habit of exercising their vocal
chords when Ty Cobb leisurely strolls in
from the outfield to confer with a har
ried pitcher, or when Babe Ruth steps
I out of the batter's box to disconcert the
i hurler, may be a little disappointed.
Considering the fact, however, that for
■ every “booer" perhaps three or four ear
drums are strained, its advantages
, should outweigh it* disadvantages.
It is probable that only under one
| condition does Mr. Fan approve of dila
tory tactics on the ball field, and even
then he doe* not approve voluntarily,
j It is when an exceptionally tight game
1 i* being played with a rally in pros
; pect and the pitcher in a hole that
{slowness of play adds the dramatic
touch which makes the spectator sit
stiff a* a ramrod In his seat, specu
lating on the potentialities of the situa
tion. Then, and then only, does he for-
{ get time, money, wife, business prospects
i or the sweltering heat of the Summer
lay. His eyes are glued on the diamond
' * and his mind is occupied in conjuring
up vision* of a base hit or a strike
■ i out, according to the way his sympa
i { thies lie.
Under the new regime, however, there
■ is no reason to suspect that the game
’ will lose any of it* color. At crucial
: periods the play will naturally be more
l deliberate, but there will be no kick
; j with this if the waste motion can be
• i eliminated from the rest of the game,
i j The American League base bali world,
i j therefore, Is anxiously awaiting the bell
i for the first game to see Us favorites in
• action in well conducted and speedy
- contests.
{ Much of Herbert Hoover’s future de
pend* on whether he can find as wise
j and conscientious an organizer a* him
self to conduct hie campaign for him.
There is a limit to what wealth and
engineering can do. A dam requiring
. years to construct may be wrecked by
t a ten-minute cloudburst.
, The copybook motto, "Wealth does
" not bring happiness," may still be writ
ten in ink, but not in oil.
A Novel Sentence.
0 A novel sentence has Just been im
f posed on John Vokubones, sixteen years
‘ old, of Muskegon, Mir h., by Judge
u Ruth Thompson for running down and
f killing Floyd Torrey with his sutomo
. bile last month. Instead of being sent
. ' Vi jail or fined heavily for his ad
. mittediy careless driving. John, by the
r order of the court, will assume the role
of "big brother" to the two son* of hi*
, t victim He ha* been placed on proba
tf ] tion for two years and will not lie al
* lowed to drive an automobile during
Lai period Further in- is to pay four
t tiundied dollar* and the insurance due
n lor Wee support of lice «limited
> . he dispiit.lhg of U»e case iu this
\ unique manner «l»* judge asserted that
k alt* found nothing of the criminal in
e John but that she believed that he
Would oe made to pay for his careless
jf near Accordingly, ah* acted on the
a theory that John s Incarceration would
c probably do no one any good and might
£ : do harm in distorting Ms outlook on
* { life Fsee »o aid Hi* children of hli
ie victim. John would develop character
' by Wee new rule lot would play,
This is simply another caac which
j drmonaUaues u.e dash ability of turn
puiauiy automobile Insurants John
■ and hU fatnei are said to have pooled
~ * ihelr aavioge lo buy »he autornoblli
vr which the former ass driving the
THE'’EVENING STAR. WASHINGTON. T). r„ TUESDAY. MARCH 20. If>2«.
a sumably. the four hundred dollar* will
1 be difficult for them to secure, and If
- It was not at the specific order of the
] court. It is doubtful whether the money
e would ever be paid. Two children are
n made fatherless by the careless driving
!. of a youth of sixteen. Is there any
e warrant for Johns and Dicks and
i Harrys all over the country going scot
i free under these circumstances? There
e is not. But unless they come before a
- judge such as Miss Thompson, or are
i operating their automobiles under a
f financial responsibility law, they will
t get off easily to continue their mad
, careers regardless of the suffering and
, deprivation they impose on helpless
. persons.
Erie C. Hopwood.
» In the sudden death of Erie C. Hop
> wood, editor of the Cleveland Plain
- Dealer, the profession of journalism
. loses one of its outstanding figures.
Mr. Hopwood started his career in
. the educational field and joined the
i news staff of the Plain Dealer in 1902.
For eighteen years he served in various
s editorial capacities, including the pasts
’ of assistant city editor, city editor.
ni?ht editor and managing editor. In
. 1910, at the age of forty-three, he be
i came the editor of Cleveland's great
newspaper and was actively engaged In
his duties until his death Sunday night.
I His loss, in the prime of his life, is
a heavy one lo the profession he loved
, and adorned. No one in the ranks of the
modern newspaper fought more con
, sistently. courageously or effectively for
the establishment of and adherence to
, a lofty code of Journalistic ethic*. In
his control of the Plain Dealer and in
’ Ms capacity first as secretary and then
as president of the American Society
of Newspaper Editors he fought with an
| enthusiasm which was at once Idealistic
and practical for the standards upon
which his career was founded. The In
spiration of his leadership will con
tinue both in Cleveland and in the field
of national journalism.
Arrangements are already being made
for a far-reaching hook-up to carry re- j
ports of national conventions. In the !
meantime the public eagerly seizes upon j
every rumor and suggestion and refuses
to "please stand by.”
The man who “had more money than
he knew what to do with" ha* often j
been mentioned in fiction. Harry Sin- ;
clair appears to present him in fact.
Aviators start with brilliant farewells
and in a few days are forgotten. It
may be asked whether the public grows
cold-hearted or only dazed.
—-" + -«
Peace negotiations have had con
spicuous value in assisting an analysis j
of impulses that might possibly lead to
another war.
The next holiday on the list is "April
Fool." It never quite succeeds in equal
ing the joke played on Ground Hog day.
The March blizzard is erratic as to
date. But it always has its day.
r SHOOTING STARS.
i
[ BT PHILANDER JOHNSON.
From Comedy to Tragedy.
J He flipped a lighter for his cigarette,
With lightsome Jerk.
; We see him in confusion and regret.
It wouldn't work.
j i He planned a hop-off In an aeroplane,
Where dangers lurk.
. |ln tragic measures comes that same
refrain:
i It wouldn't work.
■ As plan* both great and small are going I
wrong,
Come griefs we cannot shirk.
This i* the burden of the sorrowing 1
song: J
"It didn't work."
*
The Inquiring Mind.
"We have some Important political
s problems to work out."
"We have," answered Senator Sor-
I ghum. "But what are you going to do j
, about economic problems when so many
, voters prefer cross-word puzzles?”
Scattering Wealth.
Thi* world 1* growing funny.
'■ i I tremble more and more.
* Some one might slip big money
I Beneath my chamber door!
k ] —■— .i
I I Jud Tonkins says no harm could ever
, ; come to any part of the world if every
j boy was a* smart a* hi* mother think*
he is.
Home Relief.
1 "Woman’s suffrage,” said Mr. Meek
ton. "ha* brought happiness to our
j home.”
"So you and your wife always agree
in politics."
( "No. I make it a point to disagree.
Bo far as our happy little home 1* con
cerned, our vote* represent a stand
off and it Isn’t necessary for either
' of m to go to the polls.”
'• "A false friend,” said HI Ho, the
, sage of Chinatown, "does not stop until
he betrays even himself."
i:
Bill, the Hard.
Old Shakespeare stuff with constant
Joy we quote,
Though repetition savors of banality.
I'd rather stick to what that old boy
‘ I wrote
Than take my chance on mare ortgl
| naJlty.
"Mebbe machinery Is takln’ de place
t of man power," said Uncle Eben. "but
- It took four men, not countin’ a hosa,
t to git my flivver out o’ de ditch."
s Moral Tiir|)itii<le Strong.
* rram (lie riavelsud
- British authorities are reported as
. Lairing an American actress front ap
pearing In a new play, but Iheie seems
1 : to be no question of moral turpitude.
* j,. « - - - » # „
Just Hale lo ('foil.
| root) lb* ialiiUl Nvwa
1 Another stirring sight, at this time,
ii : is the gallant crew of the rioollrlge band
, ' wagon remaining aboairi afiet Calvin
nan removed Hie magneto,
rJ ! Will Know Himself Now.
From Oik ltiehmomf Timm luiiiitolt
Wheiher he wins or loses a pres!-
’ dentlaJ campaign la esaenilal to Hno
* var a education He has lived too long
r wiUiout having heard a syllable of dis
approbation
j —~——— » -»•» ——
Southern Chivalry.
(i ! fltrtu l!>« * iiit*b«lbi«wu Mew*
(1 A Bowling (4ican peiaonal item men
! Uon* a formal KUo>le Uilown iadv as
* ' having her mother as h<*i "house guest "
' Up tout *« never lake ein to Hie bam.
\
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
Don’t be afraid to buy useless things.
Too many people are working under
what might be called a spending in
feriority complex.
And. besides, you never can please
your friends, anyway!
There seems to be a sort of belief
held by many otherwise intelligent, per
sons that every article purchased in the
daily life should be for utility, either
something to eat or to wear or to
I otherwise use.
In this list they normally include
amusements of various sorts, so that
they do not regard themselves as ex
travagant when they go to a show, or
to a movie, or buy gas for their cat;.
If one of their associates, however,
dares to spend some of his own hard
earned money for a pair of fancy book
ends, they look upon him as an extrava
gant devil who really ought to have
a guardian.
The curious part of it is that they
are so pathetically eager to tell some
one else how he ought to spend his
own money! Or her own money, for
no doubt women meet this sort of men
tal oppasitlon even more than men,
since many men seem to harbor the
idea that no woman has any right to
earn money of her own.
A gentleman with artistic leanings
was much struck recently by a pair of
book ends which he saw in a shop.
Thejßwere made in the image of the
Egyptian cat Mish, curious, conven
tionalized figures, with their forelegs
stiff and straight before them, their
long ears pricked up. their faces round
ed until the eyes were almost lost.
The finish was in a soft, very dark
green, beautifully done, a veritable
patina, so exquisitely did the surface
harmonize with the spirit of the sub
ject.
The gentleman wanted those book
ends the moment he saw them. Being
a cat fancier as well as a book lover,
he rightly felt that no more appropri
ate figures could grace a certain row
of books on a table in his home.
He resisted their appeal, at the time,
but all that morning the twin cats kept
floating in the back of his head, in ,
i that tantalizing way a desired object
I has.
j In the afternoon he made a special
i trip to the store and purchased the
j two cats. He went away happy. He
j even boasted of his purchase to a
; friend.
; "What!” glared the other, outraged.
I "Do you mean to tell me you spent j
i seven dollars and a half for those
things?”
j "Certainly I did.” returned the other, j
j "Did you think they were going to give
them to me?”
j ”1 can't see seven dollars and a half
for thase things.” commiserated the
friend, as If (he money had been forc
ibly extracted from his own pocket. j
4** ♦ * |
The spending inferiority complex is
a little cousin to the straight "inferi
ority complex” about which most per- ,
sons have heard in recent years.
The psychologists tell us that prac
tically every person in the world is
| bom with some touch of this "com
-1 plex." or set of inhibitions which makes |
for restraint.
| We are forever abashed, not only be-
I cause of the teachings of the down- j
fall of man but also because of human
trait*, because of lack of position, or
money, or power, or something or other
So the world is full of “yes-yes” men, j
"timid souls.” gentlemen who laugh ,
louder at the bass' jokes than at thase i
of their associates, thase who use an
entirely different tone of voire in speak
ing to one whom they secretly regarded
a* "above” them, thase who will put up
Fight Over Eseh Nomination
Is Viewed From Many Angles
Published comment on the case of
John J. Esch of Wisconsin, whose re
appointment as a member of the Inter
state Commerce Commission has been
rejected by the Senate, discloses the
effect of conflicting sectional interests,
sharp differences of opinion as to the ;
power of the commission to make the
i equalizing of economic conditions a sac-
I tor In freight-rate decisions and equally (
I pronounced differences over the right j
j of Congress, on the one hand, or the
President, on the other, to Interfere with
Vhe quasi-judicial functioning of such
a body as the Interstate Commerce
' Commission.
i The St. Paul Pioneer Press Unde- j
! pendent) calls Mr. Esch ‘the goat" in <
a situation In which it sees "Southern
railroad and coal companies, with
Northwestern coal consumers as their
allies, lined up against Pennsylvania
and Ohio railroads and coal companies,
with both sides denouncing the Com
merce Commission for its conflicting
decisions."
"Esch Is being punished.” declares
the Louisville Courier-Journal (inde
pendent), “for his change of attitude
in the Lake cargo case. He may be
honest, though his course in this case
does not prove it. but there are many
fully as honest whose service on the
Interstate Commerce Commission would
not be provocative of suspicion and who
would exert a more wholesome influ- j
ence. Meanwhile, the matter of the
confirmation of Esch becomes of sec
ondary importance, because the coal
operators of the Southern States have j
decided to take their case into the Fed- j
eral courts, where they will resist the
unfair decision of the commission, with
good chances for success ''
“The difference of opinion Is deep-'
sealed. Lately Mr. Esch and Mr Atch- j
Ison shifted their position, and now |
they favor what the Pittsburgh oper- j
ators have long demanded and what the j
Southern operators say means gross in- i
: justice to the coal field.” says the j
j Raleigh News and Observer i Demo-1
cratic), while the St. Isiuls Post-Ids-.
patch (Independent) asks. “In the
| commission's coal-rate ruling are we
' seeing bureaucracy arrogantly dispens- |
i lng special privilege, its company man- ;
ners roughly tossed aside?”
** * *
In the opinion of the Huntington Ad
vertiser (Democratic), commenting on
the committee vote, which was upheld
by the Hcnate, the action “is a sweep
ing victory, moral and otherwise, for
those who have espoused the cause of j
the Southern bituminous com I fields in
ihelr long fight for industrial freedom
and Justice, Mr. Each personifies that
vicious theory, adhered to by a majority |
of his colleagues, that the commission
is not only a freight-rate-fixing body,
but an equalizer of economic conditions
as between Industrial sections.”
Hut the Pittsburgh Pout-Gazette (Re
publican) insists that It must “be born*
In mind that it Is not the holding up
of a new appointment, but an attempt
to punish a member of the commission
for giving a decision in accordance will)
his convictions a decision that III* - ;
presses those who go into Hie case j
impartially as right. Proposing to re- j
Jet*l such an upiioudmeid and on aiuhi
gioutuU," declares lire I*ll L,burgh papd
"Is akin to iutimUialtun of a court ”
'Hie File Irl puli h-lit-ruld (Republican)
maintains that “in passing judgment on
Mr Each the Henutors have no right to
go behind Hie record, which shows that
H»e later rulings weie based on new 1 evi
dence, reinforced by recent anlhott'a
Hon from Congress to consider sectional
economic conditions in using freight
rates ”
As summarized by the Harrisburg
Telegraph (Republican!, the situation
appeals lo lie ' bipartisan politics, pro
longation of Hie mine strike in Hie
competitive Pennsylvania field, low
wages paid workingmen In their own
non-union mines linully Hie opposition
lo a presidential appointment Rinse
me the weapons Used lo *««k a tual
might dlff(-feudal dial would enable
the West Virginia and Kentucky mini's
i lo ship three limes Hie distance to lake j
ports with Hit'll ear* returning cipply 1
for less than tire Penn shtuilw mines
Vlth a great deal more from a friend
with a great, deal more money than
they, than they will from a friend whom
they regard as more of an equal.
Through centuries of struggle to
"make both ends meet.” thousands of
persons have come to possess, in addi
tion to this general Inferiority com
plex, a feeling of inferiority when it
eomes to spending money.
Especially is this true In America,
where many men and women of lowly
ancestry have managed to better their
conditions but have not been able to
get away from the mental viewpoints
which they received by constant asso
ciation with thetr parents.
Although they now may he well able
to afford a luxury, too often they are
held back from purchasing :ome beau
tiful. although perhaps foolish, thing,
simply because they can see no utili
tarian use for It.
Thus they deny themselves much of
the rare Joy which comes with the ac
quisition of some article which would
feed their soul, or their heart, or their
mind. The sad part of it, in many
cases, is that these are people who
have a real longing for Just such
things.
The desire of their heart may be for
paintings, or for fine music, or for rive
books, or for rare tobaccos, or for fine
soaps—it makes no difference what the
object may be, the longing is one and
the same.
*& * *
There Is a very feminine expression
which exactly fits the case. "Nice
things” constitute the cream on the top
of the milk of everyday living.
Every person, whether man or wom
an, has some real need for nice things
in the daily life. Nor need he or she
deny themselves' if a little common
sense is used along with such pur
chases.
i It is perhaps true that even the poor
est persons might well afford some'
little luxuries if they once got the idea ;
into their heads that they might. And <
j certainly those who are in w'hat Is !
termed "comfortable circumstances" I
might loosen up far more than many!
of them do.
There Is scarcely a home where a !
visitor will not see some old piece of :
furniture that should have gone to the !
; junk heap a long time ago. but which ;
is retained because the householders
feel that as long as it is usable it should
be used. While there is acute logic in
their belief, from one standpoint it is
! no logic at all from the viewpoint which
| we have tried to elucidate here.
Every person's taste is different from
that of every other, and he owes it to j
himself (as much as she owes it to!
j herself ) to make sensible purchases j
now and then of some article which 1
one's neighbor might regard as gross ;
i foolishness, but which to the purchaser I
seems the quintessence of beauty, or
| interest.
One can never satisfy one's friends.!
anyway, even in the big purchases, >o '
why bother about what they think as !
to the trifles? Any one who has asked i
! the advice of his friends as to the pur-'
chase of a home, or an automobile, i
will recognize the futility of such a
course.
"Be sure you're right, then go l
ahead." is as fine a motto in this mat- i
ter a* in most others. If a fine etch
ing in a window intrigues your fancy
|so that you cannot forget it. bv all !
means buy it, even if you have to go 1
: without dinner to do so.
Read Sir James Barrie's description !
of how he purchased the twin meer-1
j schaum pipes in "My Lady Nicotine" j
i and be forever free from the spending I
inferiority complex. ‘The fault, dear
Brutus, is not in our stars, but in our- i
selves, that we are underlings.”
could ship with the cars returning;
loaded with ore.”
“What effect such a persistent sena- t
toriai attitude such as the committee j
has taken toward Mr. Esch.” suggests
the New York Times (independent),
j "would have on the willingness of men j
of high position and ability to accept 1
the office is an unpleasant constdera- I
j tion.” The Times feels that “it is not j
j difficult to imagine a weak commlvsion
losing its independent judgment under
such coercion, and a strong commission i
| progressively weakened through the j
elimination of its conscientious mem- j
bers as their terms expire,” The In- :
dlanapolis Star (independent Republi- j
i cam contends that “it would be just i
as reasonable to expect the Supreme |
Court to cater to political opinion in- j
stead of acting on facts and justice.”
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Hndepend- j
out) .suggests "an investigation of the j
question where the commission gets |
the authority for any discrimination be- I
i tween competing economic sections of j
; the country,” that the question is "of!
more importance than the future of i
any aspirant for public office.”
The position taken by the Cleveland i
Plain Dealer (independent Democratic) ’
is that "for several years a group in '
Congress has been attempting to under- j
mine the rate-making power of that
body.” and concludes: “By every one!
j conversant with the history of rail reg
; ulation and the long fight which pre- j
ceded the legislation extending to the
commission the power to regulate rates ;
! this activity in Congress is regarded as j
! unfortunate. Experience before 1910 ‘
j demonstrated that regulation of rates
I was essential to the best interest not
! only of the shipper, but of the carrier
as well, and the highly technical char
acter of rate problems lias long since
. rendered regulation by any but a spe-
I dally trained group impractical.”
“The people can't be sure that the:
j game should la- played at all, but they j
i would far rather have it played by the |
I legislative than by the executive branch ,
jof the Government," asserts the Hous- |
, ton Chronicle (Democratic), which re- i
J calls that "Mr. Cooltdge announced in
I so many words that the various com
i missions • • • were in reality ,
! agencies of the executive branch of the
< Government and In duty bound to ran- !
resent administration opinion and poli
cies. Needless t« say," continues the
Chronicle, "the Benat* Is not going to
concur in any such view. If the Presi
dent apiHhnts men to commissions for
i the purpose of doing his will, then it
may lie taken for granted that the Sen
ate will assume the same prerogative
j tn so far as It has the power.”
UNITED STATES
UN WORLD WAR
Ten Vein* Ago Today
Gen Pershing approves the award of
: three Distinguished Service Crosses for
extraordinary heroism, the first to be
j presented * • * hoists dan
| gerously near Becietary Baker while j
lie is inspecting Trout line trenches. !
Talks with privates, peers into no I
man's land, and later makes an ad- j
dress to the soldiers of the Rainbow
Division, * ♦ • President Wilson
orders the Secretary of Hie Navy to
hoist American flag on all Dutch ves
sets In territorial waters of the United
HI a tea, deilaitng further pat ley use
less, inasmuch as German pressure
pi event* Holland from exerting its own
tree will hr Hie matter * * * Ad
miral Geddas, First lord of the Ad>
miraity, in House of Commons speech,
says German ll*boats during 1 tit7 de
stroyed «.000 000 ions of allied ship
ping Allien are replacing it) Pei cent
of then losses and, together with lien
tint nations, have (iJOtHMiuo urns lett in
service * * * Ambassador Francis
says he Will not leave Russia until corn
(ailed by force to do so lit spile of
I treaty tust made with Germany tie*
United states i. still Russia's rally.
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
I. G. M.
THE ESTATE OF OEOROE WASH
INGTON, DECEASED. Eugene E.
Prussing: Little, Brown St Co.
Original In conception, substantial In
purpose, admirably balanced and round
ed in projection—such, it seems to me,
must by general agreement among Its
readers stand as fair appraisal of this
study by Eugene Prussing.
I leave it to you. Is it not a strik
ingly novel plan to offer a “last will and
testament” as definite and distinct con
tribution to a period of national history?
This is what Mr. Prussing has done
with the subject in hand. To meet such
significant purpose the instrument
under examination must, to be sure,
represent character and service of the
highest, must connote Influence of a
quality to persist actively far beyond
the limit of any one man's personal
existence. George Washington stands
behind this study, giving full warrant
for the high worth of the author’s de
sign.
** * *
Since here Is so unusual a course of
research, historic or personal, let us
step aside for a minute in order to
look more closely into the general char
acter of any last will and testament.
When a will comes formally into the
open the occasion becomes a matter of
atmosphere rather than one of actual
fact. Here is solemn ceremonial, a
ritual of respect toward a presence not
seen. In effect this formal “reading of
the will" is but a continuation of the
funeral. Such is the mere outside of
the matter. For, in its essence, this
document is vibrant with the life of
him who made it. It is packed with
personal revelation. It is an account
ing of true conditions. First, it em
bodies formally and completely the sum
of its maker's possessions, often a care
fully guarded secret. It is an exact
measure of material success, or the lack
of it.
Again, this document so carefully !
withheld during the lifetime of its
author, is made in the face of the final
exit, in the consciousness, too, that
when it becomes public he. its author,
will be beyond the reach of blame or >
any other sort of Judgment. By vir
tue of these two conditions it becomes j
the frankest of all personal revelations
of character, temperament, and habit j
of mind Fears and distrusts and jeal- |
ousies find place in it. no less than I
gratitude and justice, than love and j
friendship and fair dealing Read here
and there as you have the chance. You I
will discover that these ultimate docu- :
ments are sometimes the means
of pure reprisal, just a? much more
commonly they prove to be instruments
of protection and beneficence. The
; point is that a "last will and testament"
is not an article of sheer legal aridity
with the savors of death upon it Rather
| is it a thing alive and vibrant with the
personality and character of the one j
who made it.
** * *
And so It Is here. George Washing
ton himself, benign and wise, walks
these pages devoted to an exhaustive
study of his will. Here you come upon
i him. big with the vision of his country
l expanded greatly out into the West, an
expansion that he will not see, but
which, nevertheless, he in this docu- j
ment makes the subject of his deep !
interest and forward-looking practical
suggestion. Here, again, you find him
standing beside the pressing problems
of his own day, problems toward whose
solution he sets down formal devlse
ment and convincing advice. At this
point you see him, with mind and pen
at pause beside the negro—his own
! negroes specifying the terms of their I
advancing freedom and expressing the
hope and belief that freedom wiil be
the ulUmate lot of all negroes in
America. Education. Industry, enter- !
prise, the opening of roads, the develop- j
ment of the Capital—these and in- !
numerable other Interests considered in !
this document come out to meet the :
spirit of the present in a vividness of 1
i effect that counts no Intervening vears ;
that presents none of the implications
of death and separation and personal
; oblivion.
Understand that, vivid as is this
effect, it is produced by documented
material throughout. The triumph Is
that it has maintained lustily the
breath of life even under the exacting
| operation of documentation.
|** * *
! To the reader of this book living
here in Washington there are certain
, chapters that greatly emphasise the
I nearness of Washington himself. This
i happy effect is due in large part to
I the living quality of Mr. Prussing s
I work. Here Washington is seen acquir- j
• ing property in the Capital, buving lots
! on the river lront to stir interest in
| that quarter, “to encourage others to
j huv there.” Acting much as the
! booster and go-getter of the present
j does, the great man also built two
houses on Capitol Hill right where the '
| passing Government Hotels now are.
| And exactly like the man of the hour.
I he found himself "greatly astonished,”
| and no doubt grieved, over bills run- 1
1 ning so much higher than he had
j"thought they could."
There are here, besides, tentative
i provisions for a national university, I
j w ith bequests for minor institutions of ’
j learning. "Mount Vernon" In its final
j disposition Is subject of arduous and
I painstaking study. Most revealing and
i interesting is this point My land at
i Four Mile Run" opens another familiar
waymark of the Washington holdings. ;
Certain Maryland farms move into the
j action, farms that I am going to hunt
, out and visit for a back reach into the
{ vivid reality portrayed here, for the
j reminiscent joy that must wait upon
| tin* adventure. Here is due notice of
the possession of shares in different
j companies, notice that reads like points
j in the financial page of the datlv paper
I Shares in the "Dismal Sw amp I .and
Company"- foreboding name and in
I the Potomac Company." This last is:
i the first of its kind organised in Amer
i lea. It, is the very company, also, in
j name and something of purpose,
about which we are reading to
day In the agitation over develop- I
mg and utUtatng tile water pow- j
’er of Great Kails Sounds very im
mediate, doesn't it! Here is careful at- ;
tenttou to the promise and possibilities
I of "Oiitlving lands" and the record of
1 what, if anything, lias been done in this i
I direction These lands reach to the
| Ohio and the Great Kanawha Rivers. '
proving W&shingtop to be not only a
I seer but a practical expansionist as 1
I well Indeed, these various accounts,
j clothed in formal legality of term and
process, read exactly as similar oper
| ations of tile kind do today. B,v virtue
! of tlie quality of the central figure in j
these transactions and by virtue also
of Mr Prussing's work the whole mat- !
ter becomes a living thing, with history j
and biography and business affairs
stepping out before one as both romance
and adventure It is plain that lawyers
will find both enjoyment and profit in
the volume that Mr. Prussing here
turns over to them Historians will
seise upon it as one of Hie finest of the
(lowers of tlie modern outlook ipion his
tory Hut above and beyond these II is
I ihe great mas. of general readers that
j willi but a tag oi Imagination will j
'plunge Into this book tor a new ac
quaintance with one of the greatly in
still mg men of their country of any
country.
aa • a
The leading accomplished. Hie enjov- !
ment lasted again and again l find |
myself centering (or the moment upon
I ilie author of this book rather than j
upon Its great subject Promptly, 1 am
sure, there wIU pass over to the credit
side of Mr PiuaMnf’ft account reeog
nil lon. heart v and free, of a big and I
ItlboiloUN task seditiously pursued to its
ltinmohant completion To him must
go (nil a> knowledguieiit lot palteut and
exhaustive reseaivii along every clue met
litre by Hit fotiuoua (tali of Hie law in!
its dealing* with the ownership and
iiaiotteieiiee of property To this »idr !
t.r the task lie ha* given lime, interest .
ItaliihiK and an enormous amount of'
work Well many i*eopir iould do that,
I ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. UASKUS.
Thi.i Is a special department devoted
to the handling of Inquiries. You have
at your disposal an extensive organiza
tion in Washington to serve you In
any capacity that relates to Informa
tion. Write you question, your name j
and your address clearly and inclose a
2-cent stamp for reply. Bend to The i
Evening Star Information Bureau.
Frederic J. Haskln, Director, Washing
ton, D. C.
Q. When one finishes a meal, where
should the napkin be placed? How
should one dispose of knife and fork
when the dinner plate is removed? —
W R
A. When one has finished a meal,
the napkin is laid at the right or the
left of the plate, preferably the right
side. The knife and fork are laid a
little to the right of the center of the
plate. The tines of the fork point up
ward. The sharp edge of the knife
faces the center of the plate.
Q. What does "Sequatchie" mean?—
G. C. B.
A. It Is an Indian word meaning
1 "Hog River."
Q Is it an offense to advertise an
article as patented which has not been?
—P. C.
A. It is Illegal for any one to ad
vertise an article as patented which
has not been granted patent rights
through the medium of the United
States Patent Office. Any one found }
j manufacturing articles so advertised is
; liable to severe prosecution by the law.
Q. Why is a person who is fooled
on April 1 called an "April fish"?— I
N. G. L.
A. This is a literal translation from
the French. An April fish is. in other
words, a young fish and therefore easily
caught.
Q Who opened the first public
| dance hall?—C. M.
i A. It was opened in 1788 by an
Englishman named Tickson. The first
1 shelter soon proved inadequate and he
built a large hall known as the “Grande
Chaumiere."
Q What kinds of seals are found
in Antarctic regions?—S. K. B.
A. Six kinds of seals are found
namely: The Weddell seal, the white
! crab-eater, the Ross, the sea leopard,
the southern fur and the sea elephant.
j Q. When a meteor falls to the earth.
1 to whom does it belong?—N. J. S.
A. Courts have decided that me
! teorites belong to the owners of the
land on which they are found.
Q Who discovered electrons? —
! E C.
A. The discoverer of what is now
called the "electron'’ was Sir J. J.
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PUL V. COLLINS.
It Li generally agreed that the most
i vital element in abolishing war. whether
j "aggressive” or defensive, consists in
j “the will for peace.” How soon public
| sentiment throughout the whole world
, will achieve that "will toward peace is
in question, and only the foolhardy
pacifist is ready to proclaim that un
preparedness on the part of a part of
some of the nations can advance the
cause. In the meanwhile, however, it
Ls encouraging to note the increasing
popularity of advocacy of peace mrih
> ods among the world leaders of gov
ernments. but it is pointed out. even at
Geneva, that "all Ls not gold that glit
ters” in the flashing of peace pro pa-
I ganda. _ .. . . .
For example, at Geneva the Sot let
representatives, upon their first appear-
I ance in the meeting of the preparatory
t disarmament conference, advocated
• immediate disarmament” of all na
! tions. even while it Ls notorious that
' the Soviet government is pursuing a
policy menacing all estabUshed gov
i ernments, and is itself building up the
strongest possible army. The proposal
was presented, according to the corre
spondent of the Christian Monitor, "in
a truculent tone.” which provoked the
other members of the conference to re
ceive it in complete silence. Proposing
world peace with a threatening manner
< appeared to the representatives as
somewhat incongruous.
*a ♦ *
"The will to peace” owes its possi
bility to the meaning of the word
"will” rather than to any specific
methods of compulsion, according to
advocates of defensive preparedness.
Other loopholes in paclflstic plans are
noted in the difference of proposals
I coming from Premier Briand of France
and Secretary of State Kellogg. The
former has been clinging to the pro
posal merely that the United States
and France should agree not to resort
to war. but to submit all differences
not capable of adjustment by diplo
macy to the arbitrament of neutral
decision. Secretary Kellogg has urged
that the agreement should be broad
ened so as to Include other great pow
i ers. and to abolish war as a national
• policy. This would not forbid reason
able preparedness for defense against
attack, for it is recognised that all
diplomatic, agreements become "scraps
of paper" In the hands of a would-be
| world conqueror, and that means of
i defense cannot be provided after an
enemy appears at the gate. It takes
: years to construct a navy and years to
organize and equip an army of defense.
! The will toward peace is no substitute
for common sense, however influential
| it is toward restraining junkers.
** * *
Merely crippling our own defense
has never failed to enhance our proba
bility of being attacked, that is the
I familiar argument of advocates of pre
paredness.
It is noteworthy how the nations t
are maneuvering in the development
of their diplomacy upon this subject. *
When Secretary Kellogg undertook to
broaden Premier Krtand s arbitration *
agreement by applying the same to all
j the great world powers. Instead of ltm- !
; iting it merely to France and the
United States, so that war should be
j denounced as a national policy bv them
all. the French position was main
■ tatned flrmty that that would be tm
, possible, since it would conflict with
France's obligation to the l eague of :
Nations, requiring all member nations
i to join in repressive measures against
j any "aggressive” nation But the
1 latest report from France indicates a
I surrender of that refusal to bar war
as a national policy, not merclv to
quibble upon that word "aggressive ”
Nevertheless, there appears to tv a
catch in Premier Hvtaud'a alleged eou
: cession to the Kellogg proposition, for
: now he undertakes to go Secretary Kel
! logg one better by including not oniv
! the great powers but all the little na
l turns of the Western Hemisphere It
jis contended according to dnpahlu *
from Geneva, that that is a siv attempt
i to trap the United states into a wan
| ure y>f the Monroe Doctrine which in
j volte* protection of the peace ot Uus
i hemisphere against any act of aggres
sion from Europe Ju*t a* soon as the
I Putted States entered into a pledge not
j to guard this hemisphere against Ku
j ropean aggressors t»v armed tone ts
mwessarv the Monroe IVctrtne which
I has protected the little nation* ot
America in maintaining then tnfle
i penrtence tor a century, would tv aur
: ivrhaps I. however do not sey atvy
one right at hand who could so present
the whole tremendous matter so legal
in It* sum ot implication* with trie
pint of adventure upon it with the
tomame of a great country cointug to;
' llte under the vision of this great
American who went hU way Lmg u ,
, tore realisation hr even a small degree
I was t<* be discerned Fine wolk liotu
everv peiut id view.
A
Thomson of Cambridge. England He
called it a "corpuscle." The name "e]*>c
tron" is credited to Sir G. Johnstone
! Storey.
i Q. Exactly what is meapt by a Gen
tile?—B. P.
A. The term "Gentile" has different
i meanings among different peoples. To
j the Jews, it is one of a non-.lewish
' nation or non-Jewish faith, with the
! Christians, one neither a Jew nor a
Christian—a heathen; in India, non-
Mohammedan; among Mormons, non-
Mormons.
Q. How can a person Judge whether
a tablecloth is all linen? —R. E. T.
A. Linen absorbs water iminediately
| and feels heavier than cotton. Linen
! if freed from dressing, becomes trans
| lucent when treated with olive oil: cot
ton remains opaque. If torn quick!v
linen threads will be smooth; cotton
threads will curl.
Q. At what period was the Roman
Empire at its height?—A. N,
A. The rule of Trojan, 98 to 117
A D., marked the height of the Roman
Empire. The rule following, that «•/
Hadrian, was memorable for its peace
fulness and for the fact that it ws
the most splendid era of Roman arch.-
tecture.
Q. Was a parasol ever carried by
i men as well as women?—G. H
A. It is only since the eighteen*h
century that the use of the parasol has
been confined to women in Europe r n
Astatic countries it is used today by
members of both sexes.
Q How many paid firemen are then
in the fire departments in the Unite |
States?—H M. M.
A. At the time of the 1920 census
there were 50,771.
Q. Did Staten Island ever belnni
to New Jersey?—W. J. C.
A. Staten Island was properlv *
part of New Jersey until 1668. at which
time the Duke of York decreed tha:
all islands which could be circumnavi
gated within 24 hours should belon't
to New York Capt. Christoph”-
Billopp made the trip around Staten
Island in the required time and re
ceived a reward of 1,163 acres at th*
south end of the island, and State-
Island was thereafter considered a pare
of New York Territory, which later be
came New York State.
Q Should "son" or "Sidney” tak»
the possessive in the sentence. “My
1 son. Sidneys, credits have been ac
cepted"?
A. When two words are in apposi
tion the sign of possession is usually
added to the latter.
! rendered, and the wrhole hemisphere
would be Involved in the complications
of European leagues and balances of
power.
In his recent New York speech Sec
retary Kellogg made emphatic declara
tion that this Nation would never enter
into any military alliance requiring
America to join other nations in wag
ing war not defensive of our own
rights and Interests. In that he was
referring to the League of Nations,
which pledges all Us member nations to
join against any nation adjudged to be
the "aggressor" in a war. And the
League of Nations would decide when z
nation became an aggressor.
** * *
| As further demonstration th3t ai."
( that is important in maintaining the
peace of the world—or at least ol
America—-lies in the "will to peace" an *
nothing substantial Ls'embodied eithei
in crippling our own national defense,
i it is noted that even the six great
powers of the League of Nations ar-'
now inclined to concede the Kellogg
attitude as most effective. A Geneva
, dispatch says:
"It is announced that the Kellogg
proposition, with certain limitations
and according to a formula yet to be
worked out. will probably prove ac
ceptable to the States who are members
of the League of Nations, without
thwarting their obligations to the
League."
What is meant by "according to a
formula yet to be worked out"? Has
the League of Nations so little of the
"will to peace that it must main
tain the right to combine in making
world war when it so decides as neces
sary to world peace? The famous
declaration of Pa; that he "would have
peace if he had to fight for it” seems
to tv* repeated.
"For example ” says the Geneva dis
patch. "one can imagine a formula
which would bind the comracunts until
the pact was broken by one of them,
whereupon everybody would tv re
leased. Doubtless such a solution
would not possess great practical value
for security, but it would conserve the
moral character of the Kellogg
projects." In the language of the
Orient, it would ' save h»s face.”
*a * #
The question returns, then, as to what
is meant by aggression ‘ and what ■-
to be understood by an act breaking
the peace Mobilisation of the Russian
army is given by the defenders of the
German Empire u an act of war. m
1914. although the Russians had no:
trespassed upon Germany nor fired a
shot.
Pertinax. the leading political writer
of France "thinks that the United
States will be embarrassed if \l. Briand
suggests that everv country tv* allowed
i to subscribe to the Kellogg pact, in
stead of only the six great powers, as
t proposed by Secretary Kellogg, for he
; construes tha* as meaning that the
! I atin American States would tv there
jby given the means of asserting their
position offensively with impunity **
Secretary Kellogg, in his New York
j speech, made u very clear that he vs
j not dreaming of the impracticable in
organising for world peace He de
clare*! "War cannot be abolished by a
mere declaration in the preamble of a
treaty.” Especially would this be
folly." he added, "if the preamble limit
i the war to 'aggressive wars.' ”
The famous Sr van treaties to abolish
war. it must be recalled were con
summated in tilt just before the out
break of the most terrible war in the
world's history,
** * *
Secretary Kellogg asserts that sorb
trat ion caiUK'l cov or a*l questions
dispute between nation* \\> - *
can vxvnsent to refer question* of o -
tv domestic policies to foreign arc -
tratKvn. however neutral He said
"A political question cannot tv »■ b
Staled because there ts no law bv vv > v ■.
it can be decided unless there are
i tea l V provisions requiring consi’th
thm No nation can .ague so ob
purely doUicsiw oucukuo hkc >. ■
taxatkxu »u immigration * * * H
seems to me Hu, yve must rx'AlL'e that
' *o loilg a- the vwuid Is O’lmosd >!
separate. sovereign nation* only ;:k*w
question* can tv property submitted to
arbitration which being u.-tHsab- r
their nature ate MwejvtiWr of deter
tnmaUvvn by itve application ot reexq •
hi ed tales ot la" >i •'quuv
But until all nation* surrender thru*
- individual anveietgntv to some world
iwvwer, putting all peoples the
same level regain W* of their dtdei
encea tn education and h teals of mstve
tlvero will noi exist tntetnational law
such a* Mi KeUoga contend* vs the
: prune requisite of universal aetikuvni'
ny International universal ailui alKui
jof even domestic queatkvu*. lire League
ot Nation* ha* vxuue no nearer a *e-u
--• «t"U of world peace than to form an
; alliance Involving world war against an
- "Sifwwwr;' with no anting native drft
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