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8 .THE EVENING STAR With Sunday Morning Edition. WASHINGTON. D. C. FRIDAY May 17. 1929 THEODORE W. NOYES. .. .Editor The Evening Star Newspaper Company Business Office: , 11th St. mid Pennsylvania Ave. New York Office: 110 Best Und St. Chiraao Office I.sks Mlchtaen Bmldina. European Office 14 Resent St.. London. Enslsnd. Rate bv Carrier Within the City. i The Eventnr Star 45c rer month j , The Evening and Sunday Star (when 4 Sundays' 60c per month The Evenine and Sunday Star (when 5 Sundaysi 65c per month The Sunday Star 5c per copy Collec irn made at the epil of rach month Orders may be sent In by mall or telephone Main 5000. Rate by Mail —Payable in Advance. Maryland and Virginia. Dally and Sunday . .1 jr.. $10.00: 1 mo . BSc < Dally only 1 yr„ *6 00: 1 .no.. 50c , Sunday only 1 yr.. *4 00: 1 mo.. 40c 1 All Other States and Canada. ; Daily and Sunday .1 yr . *l2 00: 1 mo .11 m Dally only 1 yr.. J»nn; 1 mo., 75c 1 | Sunday only 1 yr.. 15.00; 1 mo., 50c j Member of the Associated Press. The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to the use for reptihlicatim of r.ll rews dis patches credited to it or not otherwise rr*-d --l‘ed In this paper and also the local news published herein All rmhts of nubliretl.an of Special dispatches herein are also reserved. The Bus Terminal Impasse. 1 The new Public Utilities Commission j %ill inherit the problem of seeing to the i “ establishment of a centrally located bus 1 terminal for Washington. It is to be j hoped that it will find a solution. The matter, so far. has been allowed to take j care of itself. The Public Utilities Com mission has conducted two trips of in- 1 spertion to other, cities far ahead of j J Washington in the matter of bus terminals, and while these trips have ’ produced interesting information regard- ( tag the efficiency and general utility of j bus terminals they have apparently ( done nothing to expedite the building of a terminal here. The result, is that the ( bus-riding public is inconvenienced and f the public in general loses the use of a j generous portion of the streets upon which the bus companies enjoy free { parking privileges. A recent hearing before the commis- t slon developed several suggestions from , real estate men as to the location of a t bus terminal. The rc3l estate men were ( present as interested parties with prop- ( erty to sell. The bus companies were ( interested spectators, but apparently are ( not in the market for downtown real f estate. The Public Utilities Commission. f of coursp. cannot buy the property and j erect a terminal. There the matter f ended and there it stands. j The Public Utilities Commission has ] %ken the attitude from the beginning j that its authority in the matter is re- ( stricted to its right to order busses to } make use of a terminal, if and when it j is built. It has left the construction of , such a terminal to private interests , which might find the venture commer- j clally attractive. As no such interests have presented themselves the terminal remains unbuilt. j How long can such a condition be ( allowed to continue? Do the bus com- , panics bear no responsibility? Increas- , tag in numbers and in use, paying noth- ( tag above a nominal license fee for their use of the streets, but competing with other transportation lines that do, they are permitted to sit idly by while the public and the Public Utilities Commis sion hopefully await the appearance of seme third party who may want to build a terminal and rent it to the companies. If this problem does not solve itself. Washington wants a Public Utilities , Commission that will solve it. One Field Firit. Representative Frederick Zihlman. chairman of the House District com mittee, predicted at a meeting of the Board of Trade that recommendations would be made soon by the joint con gressional airport committee for two fields for Washington, the largest to be a model for the world and located in the suburbs, and the smaller as near the city as possible. This prediction is doubtless predicated upon Col. Charles A. Lindbergh s advice to the committee when he appeared before it to point out J that Washington was the only city of j its size in the United States which did ! not possess adequate airport facilities, j All Washingtonians hope that Mr., Zihlman’s prophecy will be fulfilled , The National Capital in the not too dis- j tant future will probably need two air- j ports, and perhaps three or four. The immediate concern, however, is not with two or more fields. It is with only one. It may be all very well to talk of the time when this area will be completely j equipped with airports, but as long as j such flights of fancy arc substituted for , action little progress will be made in j securing what Washington needs most, | a single adequate airport. There should j be no dilution of the effort to require a model municipal fie'.d, situated as near the city as possible. After that has been done, then talk of suburban fields or supplementary airports will be In order. Rome is a famous and revered old j city which may prove content to hold j Its own without depending on Mussolini to restore ancient grandeurs. Mitigating Passport Nuisances, j Reduction from ten to two dollars of i passport fees for Americans visiting : France and for Frenchmen visiting the United Slates is an act of practical in- , ternational amity. It strikes at a nui- • sance which has been both costly and ! irritating to the ever-growing commu- ! nity of globe-trctters. The French treasury surrenders an i estimated annual revenue of some two j million dollars, while Mr. Mellon's in- j come will be beggared to the extent of j a relatively paltry one hundred thou- j £3nd. In what nations call comity, and in diiect financial return—in this case,; particularly, to the French tourist in dustry—the s)a;fh in passport costs is destined to be worth many times its actual extent in money. To the individual Yankee innocent abroad a State Department tax of ten dollars is not a considerable item. But as nowadays he usually takes liis iamily with him to foreign parts, passport fees mount up, especially when, as hitherto, the cost was doubled as soon as appli cation to enter Fiance was sought. The United States for five years has been trying to reduce the high cost of travel by bringing about lower prices for passports. Net every country is willing to concede because of the consequent loss of revenue. Another kind of hindrance was raised by the British .jgmtaamnt, which refuses .to cut its visa tax because the United States declines to exempt British immi grants from passport fees. We appear to draw a distinction between visitors and immigrants. John Bull thinks they should be treated alike, as far as an entry head tax is concerned. Denmark. Belgium. Esthonia. Finland. Germany. Italy and Sweden have abolished visa charges. Other countries, like France and the United States, have made sub stantial reductions. Why passports at all in piping times of peace? They had their virtues in war. but nowadays they are practically useless. Prior to 1914 only Russia and Turkey required them from foreigners. An international passport disarmament conference should be convened. Its agenda should call for gradual llmita- j tion, steady reduction and eventual j obliteration of the pretty parchments. which have ceased to be of any practi cal importance to the family of nations except to make dents in the family’s budget, and cramp its style when on mi gratory missions beyond the immediate family circle. Universal Draft. Unless there is a great change of, sentiment ameng members of Congress j no bill for universal draft of men to 1 serve in the armed forces of the United States during war-time can be enacted unless the same measure contains some provision for drafting the remainder of the male population for work at home and for drafting “capital.” The subject lias been brought before the Senate In recent days by the introduction of a bill prepared by the War Department which seeks to write into the permanent statutes a draft law similar to that which was put through at the time of the World War. The purpose apparent ly is to prepare for war in. time of peace; to make it possl#st for the President to put into effect a draft call ing men to the colors without waiting for further action by Congress. If there be war, admittedly the uni versal draft for military service is the fairest method of recruiting the forces. The whole citizenry owes the country military service in time of emergency. There are other kinds of service in war time that are necessary to the welfare of the country. To put millions of men under arms and into the field at a daily stipend which in no measure compensates them for their service, and at the same time permit those who re main at home to obtain wages vastly in excess of peace-time wages, is not a fair preposition on its face. But prof iteering by capital in time of war is less justifiable than profiteering by labor. Enormous prices charged the Government for materials and sup plies needed for prosecuting a war must in the end be paid by the people through taxation. It is a practice which makes millionaires at the ex pense of the multitude. The next draft law-*tf there be one —will provide for a measure of relief from the conditions which arose in this country during the World War: condi tions which sent prices of materials soaring and wages for necessary labor to unprecedented heights. Making money out of the blood and sufferings cf nations is as old as war Itself. The stay-at-home profiteers have been found in every country that has been at war. The American Legion has gone on rec ord in this matter forcibly. Senator Reed of Pennsylvania, chair man oi the military affairs committee, who introduced the bill in the Senate at the request of the War Department, served overseas in the Army during the World War. He is in full accord with the American Legion's position that there shall be no such profiteering at home In the event of another war in volving the United States, and has so announced in the Senate. The next draft bill which is put through Con gress will provide not merely for con scripting men in time of war, but for conscripting material resources, includ ing labor and capital. When such a measure is taken up for consideration Congress should have plenty of time to deal with it, for there is likely to be a roar from a number of quarters re garding it. “Don’t gamble,” unless, of course, you can afford a broker’s margin, and re main immune to disciplinary interfer ence with a penny ante game. A Sixth Great Art Treasure. In the history of the Capital to date, without taking into account any physi ; cal municipal developments, such as es- I tsblishment or revision of parking and : other plans and the construction of i handsome and monumental buildings, j there have occurred five outstanding j events having to do with the world of ! arr. These are the establishment here of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. the Na tional Gallery of Art, the Freer Gallery of Art and of the Phillips Memorial Gallery, and the acquisition of the W. A. Clark art collection. Today there is eVery reasonable pros i pect that the Nation, through its Na j tional Capital, will acquire within a > few years a further famed collection, i that assembled by John Gellatly of | New York. This public-spirited citizen I has offered to turn over to the Govern ■ ment of the United States his art ; treasures, culled from many parts of | the world and representative of many I periods and phases of art, the National Gallery, acting under the Smithsonian j Institution, to serve as custodian of the I I ollection. | Officials of the Smithsonian Institu tion, of which the National Gallery is j a component part, are quoted as being j highly enthusiastic over the prospect ! that this assemblage of priceless paint ! tags, sculptures, prints, tapestries, jew j els, glass and woodwork will even ! tually be permanently exhibited here, j They may well be enthusiastic and Washingtonians generally should be 1 and will oe, correspondingly so. Wash j ingtnn will one day be the arknowl j edged art center of the Nation, just as it is the administrative center. Every ' thing, including this latest generous j gift, points steadily to that fa> t. The j Capital will rejoice, with justice, not i only in the possession, or trusteeship, of ! such an aggregation of collections of J the excellence of the Corcoran. Freer. National Gallery’s, the Phillips and the : Gellatly, but will rejoice doubly in the i 1 propriety of their being here of all other ; j places. • Evidcn'c is apparent that, as in the • esse of th- Clark roll*- tion, N-vv York ' might have retained these Gellatly i .treuuiCA .Metropolitan .newspapers THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, T). C., FRIDAY, M'ATET, 1D29. state that it has been for some time privately known that their donor had offered them to Columbia University on the assumption that this great insti tution would provide a building there for. The inference, later verified through faculty members, is that Co lumbia had encountered difficulties which prevented her acceptance of the 1 gift. New York's loss is, however, the '• Nation's gain. Things are as they ■ should be. ( The assembler of the collection spent | half a century and several million dol lars in bringing it together. Only as j recently as last May numerous items of great beauty and value were added to it. That it compares favorably with any 1 other in the country seems an admitted fact. The most superficial catalogue of its items and their authors is high ly impressive. The thanks of the Na- ; tion to which Mr. Gellatly desires to , become benefactor should be amply, en- : thusiastically and promptly expressed 1 by the earliest possible co-operative ac tion on the part of the legislative body i which is selected to govern that Nation. The Senate has already done its part. There is little likelihood that, long be fore the expiration of the four years for which the collection must yet re main housed in New York, the House ' will have failed to function similarly. Senator Blaine’s Quest. As chairman of the subcommittee on banks and insurance of the Senate Dis trict committee. Senator Blaine of Wis- , cousin will seek the advice of Corporation Counsel Bride as to the drafting of necessary legislation covering the sale of , securities, regulation of the r&al estate business and procedure in mortgage foreclosures. This step is evidently con templated for the purpose of securing such legislation for the District of Co lumbia. One wishes Senator Blaine all possible good fortune in the task he has under taken. A great deal of water has flowed under all the bridges across the Potomac since the beginning of discuislon in Congress as to the need here of that type of legislation generally referred to as “blue sky" laws. But while the water has reached the ocean the discussion has come to nothing. Washington's brokers and bankers have been con sulted. and with their help bills have been drafted which would provide a curb, at least, upon the sale of worth less or fraudulent securities in the Dis trict. The real estate men have been consulted and have given their help in the drafting of legislation relating to licensure of real estate salesmen and brokers. But the District remains with out such protection, although the ad joining States have long since put gen erally similar laws into effect. Congress is the judge of what type of legislation Is found most effective In the States and best suited for the DJs trictf The opinions of those to be af fected by the legislation should be sought and their co-operation pledged in draft ing the laws. But If these opinions dif fer and controversies arise, Congress is the court of last resort, which should make its own decision. It should make a decision, however, Instead of merely planning to do something some day. No one questions the need of legislation in the matter. Social recognition has become so highly valued that even the law may be invoked to straighten out its complica tions. The simple, friendly gathering where “a good time was had by all" Is evidently a thing of the past. It may be found that A1 Smith is hopeful of leading the country Into paths of righteousness while leaving Tammany to its own wicked ways. The cameraman deserves more wel come. The report of a fishing catch should not be left merely to idle gossip. It has been said that Senator Borah is a politician every four years. He may have to extend the time limit. The tariff runs true to form In developing a new question every time it assumes to settle an old one. SHOOTING STARS. BY PHILANDER JOHNSON. Learning. Say, Traveler, have you learned to Laugh While journeying on your way? Do you go leaning on a staff, Or Is your footstep gay? Do you bring smiling to relieve Misfortune’s cruel gaff? 'Most any fool can learn lo grieve— But have you learned to Laugh? Visitors. “Do you wish to see any visitors?" asked the secretary. “Os course,” answered Senator Sor ghum. “In public life when visitors cease lo arrive, a man may decide that his influence is about gone.” Jud Tunkins says his troubles used Jto keep him awake at nights. Now it's the radio. Habituation. The World has sung the same old song, On “Culture” still intent. We say that something must be wrong, Because it's different. • Heroism. “Wliy have you never married?” “I wanted a hero,” answered Miss Cayenne. “And you could not find one?” “None who was brave enough to pro pose." "Our ancestors,” said Hi Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “with all their wisdom, leave us to meet new conditions. They thought demons of unrest could be eliminated by the use of fire crackers." > Fish. The Fish t Is served up In a dish; And with a flippancy so gay, We say, i “Poor fish I" The Man The rainy skies will scan; And fish that may In safety stray Will say, “Poor manl” “Dar Is tw r o kinds of voters out our ; wpy,” said Uncle “dem dat votes how dey thinks an’ dem dat votes how i dey THIS AND THAT BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL. Professional and amateur patronlzers ] of art in its various forms are neces sary adjuncts of the body politic. If it. were not for the dear lady who thinks she must see every opera that. ! comes to town there probably wouldn't be any opera at all. If it were not for the blithe young j man who simply must read every new book that comes out there might not be such a mighty stir among the pub- j Ushers. In all branches of artistic en deavor these trusting persons comprise the shock battalions, upon whose ac tions tlie success or failure of any ven ture depends. There is something mighty comical, however, in their sublime faith in themselves that without their aid somehow everything good would go to pot. Take the stirring Mrs. Chester ton Claverhouse Cheyne. Mrs. Cheyne makes it a point—a very large point—to attend every opera, dramatic performance, lecture, etc., which permits the community to at tend. Mrs. Cheyne is bound and de termined to be a part, of the attend ing community. To her vivacious mind, the urban population is divided into two parts, those who go and those who do not go. The first comprise Gods elect, if you want her real opinion. The second really do not count. She will not put it so bluntly, of course; the proprieties must be fol lowed, after a fashion. She does not mind in the least letting the crude world know that her honest belief is j as follows; She does not see how any one could sit at home reading when tlie opera Is in town. Tlie opera! Why. the opera is the opera! There is a divine necessity that compels attendance. What if you have seen “Carmen” on 13 different occasions, and are rather tired of hearing the dark-eyed ciga rette girl sing about, love and its crass resemblance to a wild bird? Mrs. Chesterton Claverhouse Cheyne puts no stock in another's having seen anything. She has witnessed this par ticular opera but once before, and honestly does not comprehend how any one could have outdistanced her in such a cultural matter. Frankly, she rather disbelieves you. if she pays any attention at all to your statement. For the most part she is too busy outlining the plot to listen. To be familiar with opera plots is a great, sign of culture in itself. Huge! What an advantage it is to know how Alfredo bit Tonio on the ear. and how Tonio flew into a noble rage, and how Santuzzi nearly sang her head off in despair! How charming to realize that Um berto stabbed his best, friend in the back because the aforesaid best friend attempted to prevent him from run ning away with his best girl! Speaking from a common-sense American standpoint, the plots of most of the operas are the veriest rot. It is nothing but preposterous to imag ine Egyptians posturing around as Verdi has them do in "Aida." The blame, of course, cannot lightly b? put on that great music master: it be longs to a French writer by the name of Locle. whose libretto was translated by an Italian gentleman by the name of Ghislanzoni. Candid judgment of the opera plots tells any one that they are reeking with blood, that such ' action” as they possess is of the old-fashioned melo drama type, and that the words are often silly. Mrs. Cheyne thinks all opera “grand,” in both senses of the adjec WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS | 9 RY FREDERIC VILLI AM WILE. One encounters a pretty general im pression on Capitol Hill that President Hoover is the architect of his own troubles in connection with the farm relief mess. Politicians, including those who are friendly as well as others who are hostile to the White House, say all the existing turmoil would have been avoided if the President had indicated at the outset exactly the kind of bill he wanted. Mr. Hoover took the other turning. He decided to do nothing that would savor of big-stick tactics. The result was that both houses of Congress ran wild and mapped out the kind of agricultural legislation they respective ly prefetr*!. “early everybody beneath the dome believes that the Chief Engi neer could have killed the debenture plan in advance by proclaiming his op position to it. Administration spokes men argue that Hoover’s position on farm relief was made sufficiently clear, both In the St. Louis campaign speech and in the message to .the special ses sion last month. But this contention is denied on the hill. Here and there the President's alleged lack of leadership is bitterly assailed, even in the quarters where his friends predominate. ** * * Presidential proclamation of increased duty on flaxseed is an ill wind which blows no good to Argentina, but is a zephyr that brepzes agreeably across North Dakota. The commonwealth of Frazier and Nye produces about 65 per cent of all the flax grown in the United States. This year, in order to combat surplus production of wheat, North Dakota farmers planted 20 or 30 per cent less wheat than ever before, in stead. they sowed flax. Now% with Argentinian flaxseed practically shut out by the higher American tariff. North Dakota farmers are assured of a full and profitable market for their flax. Hitherto this country's flax require ments, including the by-product of lin seed oil —essential to the paint and varnish industries—have been in excess of the domestic supply. With North Dakota and other Northwestern farmers "diversifying” their crops so as to grow’ more flax, they expect to be able to ful fill the home demand in future. ** * * There drifts into Washington from Minnesota a report that Walter H. New ton of Minneapolis. President Hoover's man Friday in connection with con gressional and departmental affairs, has senatorial ambitions. Newton has just resigned from his seat in the House, in order to devote himself exclusively to his secretarial duties at . the White House. The story goes that he may contest next year's Republican sen atorial nomination with the present in cumbent. Senator Thomas D. Schall, the blind member of the Upper House. Schall was one of the troublesome 13 who voted the debenture plan into the Senate farm bill ten days ago. It has been understood in Washington that it is Gov. Theodore Christianson, not Secretary Newton, who intends to fight Schall in the 1930 Minnesota primaries. * W Mabel Walker Willebrandt has joined the othpr ladies who want to banish booze from private social affairs. The Fortia of prohibition has just sent a letter to the Republican Women of Pennsylvania—the militant organization j headed by Mrs. George Horace Lorimer of Philadelphia commending women who entertain without dispensing liquor. "They set standards of social habits," said Mrs. Willebrandt, “and are doing a thing fundamental to prohibition en forcement. They are relieving some of the economic pressure that produces bootlegging by taking away much of the profit and alleged respectability of the trade. President Hoover has un dertaken to reduce crime. Women who refuse to patronize the fruits of crime are rendering sportsmanlike allegiance to the President which true patriotism dictates.” ** * * F. Trubee Davison, Assistant Secre tary of War, is in the midst of a cross country Inspection trip by airplane which will have covered approximately 7. f*nn miles by the time he returns to Washington. He has been gone since .May 8 and expects to fly ns jJMtf | tive. She is determined to like it, and ; she does like it, so great is her own j trust and confidence in herself. “Oh, I am going to the opera!” she ; gurgles. “I wouldn't miss it for any- j ! thing. Any one who would be willing j to miss it is—well, perhaps I had better J not express my opinion too frankly.” . j Mrs. Cheyne only says the first two j j sentences, of course. The remainder of j ! her dialogue Is what she thinks, but j she puts the first two sentences so I ' pointedly that any one can see the gist j of the rest of it without half trying. | ** * * Then there is Duddington St. John ! Beauchamp, a fine fellow who just i wouldn't miss a new' Galsworthy novel for anything. Mercy, no! Galsworthy somehow' depends a great deal on Dud dington St. John Beauchamp. To hear the latter tell about it, no i sooner does a new Galsworthy appear on the tables at the book stores than he must straightway hie himself there and get himself a neat copy. The reading thereof need not be done so precipitately. Once Beauchamp gets the book home, he can take his time j about it.. The main thing, it seems, is to actually get possession of the novel. This permits one to ask others. “Have you read Galsworthy's new one? No? ! You should. I got it the other day." There is a wealth of meaning in that | questioning “No?” Even he of the ! toughest epidermis understands that j what Mr. Beauchamp says Is as follows: "I did not expect that you would have j read it. You are essentially a crude | fellow, one to whom the best literature is a stranger. 1 "No doubt you have read ‘Grimms’ ! Fairy Tales,’ and ’Alice in Wonderland.' and maybe Robinson Crusoe,’ but your education along strictly literary lines has been sadly neglected. “I merely asked you if you had read it to see if you Vould attempt to throw a bluff. I am glad, at least, that you are honest, and admit to the world your j ignorance.” The comical thing about this lady and (his gentleman, it seems to us. is their j intense belief that in some mysterious manner they are the guardians of I culture. Neither one of them —nor any one of I their scores of brothers and sisters t.he | world over—ever gives the other fellow credit for having seen anything, or heard anything, or read anything. They do not know, and do not want to find out, whether another has read a new- book, or heard an old opera, or I been to Europe, too. All these things may be old stories to i him, but not to them. They are so | new ; to them that they cannot resist I talking about them, and so they give ! themselves aw'ay. It Is an axiom of human conduct that ! most conversation is about the new. ; Men and women everywhere are in the j same boat with the men of Athens, who Faul found did nothing but dis- j ! cuss new tilings. Whenever you hear somebody stating | that they "would not miss the opera for anything” you can set it down for a fact that this same somebody is a newcomer to the cultural fields. Whereas the truly cultured take their i culture with a grain of salt, and are i willing to miss any numbea of fine ! opera performances, having heard many j i as good or better in the past, the new- I comer to the medium finds himself or herself engrossed. This wholesome interest, let us be quick to say. Is their good point. They | are to be commended for having it. ! We wish, however, that they would not j be so quick to look sneeringly at those ! who for one reason or another do not 1 feel as heatedly about it as they do. as Spokane, Wash. Secretary Davison is flying in the new Army C-5 transport, piloted by Lieut. Lester J. Maitland, one of the heroes of the Hawaiian flight, who is Davison's executive officer at the War Department. Almost with out exception the Assistant Secretary, who has Army Air Corps affairs in charge, travels by plane when making inspection trips. Since his appointment i in Julv, 1926. he has flown something over 50.000 miles, visiting or flying over nearly every State in the Union. Dur ing March. 1928, Davison made an in spection trip by air to the Canal Zone and return via Central America. He frequently breaks the monotony of long flights by taking his turn at the con trols. ♦* * * Former Representative Meyer Jacob stein. Democrat, of New York, was in town this week seeing the Treasury in connection with the banking affairs at Rochester, which now' engage his at tention. He was calling on J. W. Pole, controller of the currency, and had turned up somewhat out. of breath, hav ing run the length of a corridor in order to be on time for an appointment. As Dr. Jacobstein bolted through the controller’s swinging door, he ran plumb into J. W. Mclntosh, former controller, who ejaculated: “You must want a i charter for a branch national bank." | Permits for such institutions, let it be j explained, are in keen demand and hard | to get. ** * * “Kansas avenue” is the name now j applied to a corridor on the second floor of the Senate Office Building. It's i been so christened because along it. in I almost uninterrupted proximity, are the j offices of Vice President. Curtis and of ' Senators Capper and Allen of the Sun -1 flower State. Mr. Curtis’ palatial suite | —by far the most stunning official quar- J ters in all Washington—is numbered : 201. A few yards down the corridor | is suite 206, occupied by Senator Cap per. and the next suite, 210, is the habitat of Senator Allen. Kansas ave nue is one of the swagger residential streets of Topeka, the home town of Curtis and Capper. (Copyright. 1929.1 Noise As Noise Cure Is Novel Prescription BY E. E. FREE, TH. n. Making more noise to cure the nerv ous effects of some noise is the para doxical prescription offered by Dr. L. Carozzi in a report on the harmfulness and control of noises in offices or fac j tories, presented recently to the League , of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Carozzi agrees with other experts that the harmful effects of noise on human beings are complex and are not meas urable by the mere intensity of the noise. Monotonous noise may do harm, he believes, by its deadening effect on the persons who work in it. On the other hand, loud noises which burst out suddenly at irregular Inter vals may have even more disagreeable and disturbing effects. The most dis ; turbing of all noises. Dr. Carozzi also 1 r.Rrees. are apt to be those which in- J sistently attract attention and which | thus prevent mental concentration on anything else. When such distracting noises cannot be prevented, it may be advisable, he suggests, to create new and more nearly continuous noise in the same neighborhood: for example, by placing a revolving electric motor on a resonant box like the sounding board of 1 a piano. This will produce a more harmonious and agreeable noise and may drown out the disturbing one or counteract its effects. Similarly, the nervous effects of monotonous noise may be counter acted, Dr. Carozzi suggests, by placing close at hand some machine which pe ■ rlodieallv makes a .much louder, bang ing noise. Although this increases the i total amount of nois”, the monotonv is ■ lessened and the harmful nervous effect i mw !& niftsL Assessment on Benning Road Is Protested To the Editor of The Star: In regard to tlie widening of Benning road, I think the assessment unjust and unreasonable. I live three blocks from the road and am assessed sl6. and all on our side of F street about the same, but nobody on the opposite side of the | street has received a notice of such an i | assessment. ! I cannot see where I will reap any j | greater advantage from the improve-; | ment of Benning road than my neigh j bor acros the street or those North j west, or any other part of the city. Neither can I see why I should be I assessed for tha: road, when my own street is unpaved: I am more interested | in having my street paved than the ■ widening of a distant road. Resurrection Chapel, two old frame ' houses on the corner of Fifteenth and ; Gales, is assessed $93.42 for this road, j We have just paid $l3O for the paving] of Gales street, a hold-up in the long t struggle to get money to build the i I church, and are still a long way from' I our goal. I think the assessment on i that property is highway robbery, and cannot see what benefit will be derived by the church for the widening of the road, a block distant I do not see any justice in assessing some people in the neighborhood who j are not on the read for what either the Government or the whole city ] should pay. The people from Maryland ! and those using the road to Maryland j and these located on the road are the ] only ones In my estimation who will I benefit by the improvement. VIRGINIA D. FITZHUGH. J Gibson's Speech Held ‘ Tine Start for Peace Prom the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The preparatory disarmament com mission has made an impressive start by reason of the address of our Arneri j can Ambassador to Belgium, Hugh Gibson. As Mr. Hoover’s spokesman, Mr. Gib son made it plain that the United States w-as ready for drastic reductions, that it was wedded to no particular formula, but was prepared whole heartedly to enter into any equitable program. Substantial results are what are wanted. Methods are secondary. The old notion of "gun-for-gun and ton-for-ton” is discarded. The special necessities of different nations are to be recognized. Within the tonnages agreed upon the signatories are to be allowed broad freedom of judgment as to the size and number of units in j the various categories. Mr. Gibson’s address was a declara tion of peace. Reference was made to the Kellogg pact. The renunciation of war as a national policy has, it was argued, cleared the atmosphere and made effective accomplishment possible. The nations can now undertake dis armament on the basis of prospective friendliness rather than of prospective ! hostility. Old fears and suspicions may jbe junked. The most striking para . graph in the American's speech was this: ‘‘lf we are honest, If the solemn promise of our pact means anything, there is no justification for a continu j ance of a w’ar-taxed peace. Great j armaments are but the relic of another ; age, but they will remain a necessary j relic until the present deadlock is broken, and that can be accomplished only by a decision of the powers pos sessing the greatest armaments to initiate measures of reduction.” There is sincere good will in Mr. Gibson's words. Optimism is war ranted. The cause of disarmament has been given momentum. The dream of peace has taken on the outlines of logical reality. Canadians Make Good In U. S. and Elsewhere From the Ottawa Journal. Many epic tales have been penned about men who came to Canada as penniless immigrants and proceeded to reach the summits in politics and fi nance. Less has been told of Cana dians who, lured to other lands, have risen to great eminence in their adopt ed countries. Yet Innumerable cases could be cited. Recently, for example, the press carried an announcement that James Couzens, senior United States Senator from Michigan, had given $10,000,000 for the promotion of child welfare. How' many know' that he is a Cana dian—a product of Chatham, Ontario? Then there is Arthur Cutten. Chicago wheat king. Cutten was born and reared in Guelph, his father being a law' part ner of the father of Hon. Hugh Guthrie. And only a few weeks ago Ottawa en tertained Prof. Shotwell, the man who wrote the Kellogg peace pact and a dis tinguished son of Ontario. The truth is that United States uni versities and finance teem with Cana dians. You will find them holding chairs in the republic's. great seats of learning, as captains of industry, as masters of finance. Some —as witness the late Franklin Lane—have risen to eminence In politics. And as in the United States, so In Britain. Very few Canadians have emi grated to the British Isles, but the pro portion of that few' to achieve success has been extraordinary. In politics, in journalism, in finance: in all of these walks and in others, Canadians in England have been a brilliant success. Some time, perhaps, when we again come to commemorate some anniver sary of confederation, we should have an Old Home week for the whole of Canada—a week when all our exiles abroad might return for a visit to the land of their birth. It would be a memorable, an illustrious gathering. Tennessean Strike ‘ Significant in North From the Utica Observer-Dispatch. There Is significance for New York and New England in the strike of 2,000 men and women in a rayon corporation at Elizabethton, Tcnn. The strike *s for an increase in wages ranging from 15 to 30 per cent. This is significant because textile mills have been moving or establishing branch plants in the South where labor conditions, it has been explained, are more favorable than in the North. These favorable conditions include lower wages, longer hours, lack of State laws designed to protect workers from lire hazards, unhealthy working condi tions und other evils. Some of the labor laws of the North are reasonable and some of them are needlessly ex pensive and unjust, but the South is notable for the lack of laws of either kind. So the mills have been moving South. This strike Is one Indication that the history of the rise of industry In the South will repeat the history of the North. If wages are decidedly lower in the South than in the North, it is nat ural to expect that, the' workers will seek to bring ihem up comparably with those of the North. Reports from the South indicate also that labor legislation, such as work mens compensation laws, is being agitated. Probably such legislation will rome much quicker in the SoutH than it did in the North, because of the ex perience and example of the North. Factories and mills had no such legis lation of consequence in the North for many years. It will probably be differ ent in the South. It need not be surprising, therefore. If the lubor advantage of the South will be wiped out within a rather short period of years. If the South can still talk of its nearness to the raw product, the North can speak of Its presence at the great markets. As for power rates, the North, with the St. Lawrence and with coal, need not be at any great disad vantage. Moreover, the history of man has al ways said that, the most and best work is done in climates which are not too JUEO* s ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS BY FREDERIC J. lIASKiy. This 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 | rapacity that relates to information, j Write your question, your name and your address clearly and inclose 2 cents in coin or stamps for reply. Send to the Evening Star Information Bureau. Frederic J. Haskin, director, Washing ton, D. C. ** Q. What is the national anthem of Russia?—K. A. A. Among the national airs of various countries is listed "The Hymn of Free Russia." published by the State Pub lishing House, Moscow, Russia. Q What is the tallest building in the j Biitish Empire?—C. T. A. The 23-story Royal York Hotel, in Toronto. Canada, is said to be th** tall- 1 ! est. Prince Henry is to be present at | its official opening in June. Q. What purpose do eyebrows serve? —R. K. A. They prevent perspiration from falling into the eyes. Q. What per cent of the money spent in maintaining a college is paid out in salaries? —D. K. A. Expenditures for salaries of teach ers amount to approximately 75 per cent of the total current expenditure for elementary and secondary’ schools. In colleges and universities it consti tutes a somewhat smaller part, or ap proximately 60 per cent of the total ; spent for operation and maintenance. Q. What boundaries were given in the | treaty with France when the Louisiana | Purchase was made?—A. C. A. In the treaty providing for the : Louisiana Purchase there was no deft- i ration of the boundaries of the terri- , tory. When the American commission- j ers insisted upon a definition of the I extent, they were informed that the, boundaries were the same as they had j been when the land was in the hands of the French, that is. according to 1 Barthier's original treaty of retroces sion. It included Louisiana west of the I Mississippi, Arkansas. Missouri, lowa, | Minnesota west of the Mississippi, the ‘ Dakotas, Nebraska. Wyoming. Montana, most of Kansas. Indian Territory and Colorado east of the Rocky Mountains. Q. Is emery cut from stone or is it a . manufactured product? —C. W. A. Emery is a mineral. It is a com- , mon dark granular variety of corundum, j j containing more or less magnetite or i hematite. On account of its great hardness, it is used in the form of pow der, grains or larger masses for grind ing and polishing. Q. Why is it not practicable to run automobiles with natural gas?—M. T. A. The Bureau of Standards says! that automobiles could be run success-1 fully on natural gas. but the gas wou’d j have to be compressed into steel cyl inders which would add considerable weight.. The amount of natural gas equivalent to five gallons of gasolin" would require enormous containers if it j were not" compressed. Q. How fast does the brain grow? j —W. J. A. At birth the brain weight is j about one-third of the weight at ma turity. The increase is very rapid dur- ; ing the first year, quite rapid dur ing the next seven and eight years; after this it becomes very slow. The maximum weight is attained in man between the fiftieth and sixtieth years, and in woman between the fortieth Lessons Drawn by Press From Picture of Sinclair in Prison Since Harry P. Sinclair began serv ing 90 days In the District of Columbia jail for contempt of the Senate the press again has reflected the satisfac tion of the public over finding that “a hundred million dollars actually can be locked up.” Through the comment, too, run suggestions that the oil magnate has done himself no harm by the way in which he is taking his punishment. “In an era when we fear a rot at the roots of character." say.s the Detroit News, “it is encouraging that the Harry Sinclair of today feels the abasement. Probably ho would trade it all in power in the oil world and ths SIOO,- 000,000 —to be the old Harry again, i young, free and clean. As to the public side, the time to be vindictive about it has passed. Not only a million, a hun dred million, has been convicted in this country! Let it go at that.” “When he arrived at the District of Columbia jail.” the Kansas City Journal- Past observes, “ne rode in a limousine, preceded and followed by a retinue in . automobiles. But he could not hire j anybody to do his bit in jail. For once there was no substitute who would be acceptable to the authorities, although | there were doubtless persons who would willingly have offered them* selves, either for hire or out of pure spirit of toadvism. But for once the doctrine of equal rights to all and special privileges to none withstood in- j sidious assaults. Harry F. Sinclair and he alone must serve in jail. * * * He was assigned to assist the jail druggist. There is no elaborate soda fountain, and the serving of refreshments is no part of the duty of the jail druggist. It is an old-fashioned sort of place, which dispenses simple but effective drugs to jailbirds. But it beat? a rock pile as a means of spending 90 days. Harry Sinclair is lucky, even in the hour of his gloom.” ** * * “But Mr. Sinclair,” advises the Hart ford Times, “is not a prisoner like John Bunyan, exactlv. or the ‘Man in the i *! Iron Mask.’ There is a disgrace con- ! nected with his plight, which weighs j heavily upon him and always will. He i : feels it keenly, ajid the countiv thinks j i the better of him because he does.” The i Chattanooga Times, viewing the oil i case as a whole, suggests: “Whether the i result of the criminal trial would have been different if he had not defied ths « Senate committee can never be known. ; But it may be reasonably assumed that • Harry F. Sinrlair. ns he lies upon his cot or walks the floor of his cell, spends much time trying .o understand how ;t ! happens that he alone of all that oily t bunch happens to be in prison, it may i also be assumed that a great many other people are thinking similar thoughts and are coming to the con clusion that the Government labored and brought forth a mouse.” I ** * * “In the public mind.” as interpreted by the Buffalo Courier-»Express, “Sin clair has come to be a symbol rather than a man—a symbol of corrupt rela tions between big business and politics, a symbol ot arrogant confidence in the power of money to prevail over law and justice.” The Little Rock Arkansas Democrat, addressing the prisoner from j its editorial page, says: “Maybe, when j you get out you will have learned that | there is just a bit of justice left in this j world. If you have learned that, then j your martjTdom’ will not have been in vain.” I “It is not always, perhaps not often,” [ declares the Omaha World-Herald, j “that the sms of powerful and promi- j nent people are so severely punished i and the public right and interest so j handsomely served. But there does come a time, now and'then, when Truth is saved from the scaffold and Vice is kicked off the throne. Such occasions, especially when they are so notable as this one. bring encouragement to old fashioned folk who retain their faith in the theory that crime Is crime, no mat ter who commits it, and that govern ment is dedicated to honest and faith ful service.” “Sinclair was 44,” Tecalls the Santa Barbara Daily News, “W’hen he defied the Senate's authority, to protect him self and fibers who, like him. had a feAAd & tfd crab J& KitiPSft OM, 14- and fiftieth years. A prrmaximum of 13 to 15 for males and of about 14 for females indicating a too vig | orous growth seems to be the most important cruse of death at this age. At the end of the eighth year when the bram has almost, completed its growth, the body has reached to a third of its mature weight. At birth the brain forms 12 per cent of the total weight of the body, while in the adult it forms 2 per cent or less. Q. What is the largest city in Africa?—P. D. A Cairo, with a population of about ! 800,000, is the largest city in Africa. Q. Where was Tara? —£. P. A. Tara is the name of a hill in ! County Meath. Ireland. It was here j that the triennial convention of the ' Irish kings was established by Oilam Fodlah, about 900 B. C. According to tradition the palace of Tara was 900 feet square, containing 150 apartments and 150 dormitories. The early kings of Ireland were said to be crowned here and tradition further states that Tara at the time of the advent of St. Patrick to Ireland was the principal seat of Druidism in Ireland. I’ is said, to have abandoned through the curse of St. Ruadan, 450, on account of its idolatry. Q. Are the people of Finland of Mongolian ancestry?—C. M. A. What are popularly called the Finnish people are actually three divi | sions of a mixed race, the eastern Finns j inhabiting parts of Russia and Asia j exhibiting strong Mongolian traits. The western Finns appear almost entirely i Caucasian with slight traits of Mon | gulian or Tartar ancestry. The Finns j of Finland show a mixture of Caucasian j and Mongolian blood. All Finns are | classed as white people. - Q. How many tanks ere there In the New York Aquarium?—D. H. A. This aquarium in Battery Park has 7 large floor pools. 89 large wall ] tanks and 30 smaller tanks. There are also 26 reserve tanks containing speci ; mens not on exhibition. Q. What Is the weight of the Statu ,> ; of Freedom which tops the Capitol at Washington, D. C.?—D. G. T. A. This statue weighs 14,985 pounds. Q. Was Pocahontas baptized into the , Christian religion?—S. M. E. A. She was baptized in the Episcopal ! Church at Jamestown some time before j she became the wife of John Rolfe. Q. Wh n n the subject of a sentence ! cent?ins two pronouns such as “He or I” what should the verb be?—F. P. A. When two nouns or pronouns eonnected by a disjunctive pronoun <or> form the subject of a verb, the English idiom requires agreement with the sec ond or last. Such constructions are j awkward and can often be avoided. Q. How high can a boy pole vault?— T. M. A. It denends on his ability and training. The record of pole vaulting in intercollegiate athletics is 13 feet 6 I inches. The junior outdoor champion- I ship pole vault is 13 feet 3 3 * inches. I Q Is it difficult to send a boy to ; Eton? —L. M. I A. Boys in England are registered for Et"n almost from the date of their | birth, and the registration is usually full for years in advance. Q. Is Avery Hopwood living?—B. A. A. This American playwright died in France, July 1, 1928, at the age of 46. serves. At 50 he finally reaches his place on a prison cot. It is a sad re flection on the legal machinery of th° United States that it should require more than half a decade to bring the termination of a case of this sort.” The Anniston Star wonders whether Sinclair will get out before the 90 days have ex pired and whether “his stay there be made comparatively easy?” However, the Utica Observer Dispatch remarks that “his punishment is the disgrace that attaches to his imprisonment.” —— » «w • Survey of War Gains Made on Anniversary I Prom the Terre Haute Star. The twelfth anniversary of America's entry into the World War passed with little notice. Among the references to the date down at Washington were assertions by two members of Congress that the great conflict was fought in vain. George W. Norris. Senator from Nebraska, was one of the La Follette group which voted against the declara tion of war. He is the lone Senate survivor of that band. He stated that i he had no regrets ovrr his attitude in 1917 and that he would adopt the same course again. Representative Britten of Illinois, chairman of the House naval commit- I tee, said that the war had been fought in vain, since the world had not been made safe for democracy. He predicted that it will require 500 years to over come the disaster of the war. That estimate, of course, is nothing more than on? man’s guess. Mr. Britten, it will be recalled, sought to ignore diplo matic precedent by writing directly to the British premier about naval arma ment. Many attempts have been made to gauge the results of the war in the light of world peace and a permanent order of self-gpverning states rescued i from the patchnvork of Europe's auto | cratic regime. The conflict was not a j success if weighed by the assurances of j guaranteed peace, or gauged by the | number of men now under arms or the cost of armament budgets. It was not successful in automatically assuring the full rights of citizenship, of free speech and religious worship to all minorities. On the other side of the ledger, how ever, are movements toward the goal of peace scarcely dreamed of before the guns began to roar in th« late i Summer of 1914. The League and the World Court may be controversial sub jects in the political field, but they mark a step never attempted before. International hatreds and jealousies may remain, but experience has dem onstrated the terrible price of war. and thus the world conflict acts as a partial deterrent. The will for peace exists now as never before, and it must be respected in those nations where popular opinion still finds expression. Dictatorships of the type which governs Italy may create perils to peace, but they will pass. Limita tion of armament is discussed and some progress has been achieved. Science has made the prospect of another war so terrible that countries must pause to , weigh the possibilities cf arbitration. ; The pessimist ran find arguments to i support his contention that the same [ hatreds are sowing the seeds of the j next war. The last one left its f ail - ! ures. But it was by no means entirely | futile. He Almost Has 1 Cup! ! Prom the Toronto. Canada. Daily Star. I Sir Thomas I.lpton again challenges | for the America's Cup. but whether this denotes courage or merely a habit firmly acquired is a matter of opinion. Nature’s Laws Have Teeth. Prom the Long Beach Sun. Explosion of a still wrecked a fine home in Hollywood. The laws of nature, as well as the Jones law', have teeth. Talking Movies Still Young. Prom the Kalamazoo Gazette. The talking movi»s are still in their InXancjQp Perhaps ths* 4 why they Uspt