Evening star. [volume], January 13, 1932, Page A-8, Image 8

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

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THE EVENING STAR
With Sunday Morning Edition.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
WEDNESDAY. .January 13, 1932
THEODORE W. NOYES-Editor
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published herein All rights of publication of
apeclal dispatches herein are also ltserved.
M. Laval’i Troubles,
When Pierre Laval decided the other
day to submit the resignation of his en
tire cabinet as the result of War Min
ister Maginot's death and M. Briand's
failing health, the French statesman
recently in Washington thought it
would be a purely pro forma transac
tion He would cross the street frcm
his own ministry of the Interior to the
presidential palace and. in perfunctory
fashion, return the oombined Laval
portfolios to M. Doumer as the mere
forerunner of reappointment as premier.
But the best laid plans of mice and
men. including Frenchmen, sometimes
do not pan out. M. I-aval's arrange
ments were subjected to almost im
mediate disarray yesterday. M. Edouard
Herriot. leader of the Radical Social
ists, declined to accept the foreign
ministership in a reconstituted cabinet.
M. Laval had hoped, by inviting the
Herriot faction group into his govern
ment, to enlarge the representation of
the political parties and form a new
cabinet more reflective of all shades
of opinion. He projected that sort of
a “national union" government which
Rene Vlviani composed at the outbreak
of the World War In 1914 and Ray
mond Poincare formed in 1926, when
the French financial structure hovered
on the brink of collapse. Laval's pur
pose was to have the republic repre
sented at the forthcoming Lausanne
debt conference and the Geneva dis
armament conference by a government
typifying both a strong and a united
France.
M. Laval’s tactics In this latest and
audden cabinet crisis, now assuming an
Importance it gave no signs of having
only a week ago. suggest that he be
lieve* a new tension is gripping Europe.
The German government’s flat-footed
refusal to go on with reparations is
largely accountable for a stiffening of
the situation, as far as France is con
cerned. The end may be the summon
ing of an even stronger Nationalist than
Pierre Laval to the premiership. Andre
Tardieu. apostle of the Poincare strong
hand school of French politics, would
bound Into the picture If political align
ments in the Chamber continue to make
It Impossible for Laval to form a coali
tion government.
M. Herriot’s Radical Socialists, a mili
tant group of eighty deputies, refused
the seductive proffer of the foreign
ministership for their chief on the
ground that no such "crisis’’ confronts j
Parliament as would Justify the party’s j
abrogation at its principle not to serve
in a union government. Should the
foreign situation become as critical a*
M. Laval's maneuvers suggest, M. Her
riot's friends intimate that they might
be persuaded to enter a cabinet com
bination, but would want a considerable
hand in building it.
There is unmistakably more of strat
agem than meets the eye in this unex
pected turn of the French political ka
leidoscope. That It is designed to make
Germany sit up and take notice on the
eve of the Lausanne reparations parley
cannot be doubted. Paris is a past mis
tress in the solution of cabinet crises,
and she will And the key to this newest
one in due course. At best a new gov
ernment could hardly hope for more
than four or five months of life, as the
French general elections in May would
In any event bring a fresh deal.
According to the latest aviation rec
ords. airway travel is four times as
safe as it was three years ago. Fine,
but it will have to becohfe about forty
four times as sale as it is now before
some folks are interested.
Oen. Dawes may think that he is
going to rest. But his type of Ameri
can, as in the case of Ellhu Root, can
never get far from the harness peg in
Uncle Sam's bam.
Some people are already wondering
how many comic valentines Uncle Sam
will get from debtor nations he has be
friended
The King's Coin.
Discovery recently in the mails in
this country of infernal machines, two
of which exploded with fatal results,
revealed a plot by ahtt-Fascfsts against
officials of the Italian government sta
tioned in America and nthrts friendly
to the present regime in Italy. It was
doubtless on that account that when
a few days ago several packages ar
rived In Italy from America addressed
to the King and sojnp others of high
rank that suspicion was, immediately
aroused lest they be /Of a murderous
character. The head of the customs
service at Naples,- where the mail ar
rived, boldly took It upon himself to
open the suspected parcels. They
proved to be of fvn eijtiyejy .Innocent na
ture. One of them held some rolls of
oilcloth sent from a New York depart
ment store. Two of them contained
albums of photographic scenes of Cali
fornia. The fourth,‘a small box mailed
from Newark, contained nothing more
dangerous than an old American coin.
It was that which had been addressed
to the King. It now proves to have
been sent by a barber In Newark, N.
I j., Italian by birth and a devoted ad
(tntrer of King Victor Emmanuel, who
to one of the world s moot enthusiastic
namtsmattets. Probably by now theeotn
lection, perhajw the more prized be
cause of the rumpus it raised at the
customs office in Naples. This half
dollar was paid in for a hair cut at
the barber shop three years ago and
had been laid aside because of its date,
1832.
It is perhaps not generally known
that for many years King Victor has
been collecting coins and medals and
also stamps. It Is not known Just how
many Items there are, but It is under
stood that it is one of the largest and
richest assortments in the world. The
King, as a youth, was slight and frail
of health. His father. King Humbert,
was greatly concerned over his condi
tion and Imposed a rigid regimen upon
him to build up his constitution. He
did not look favorably upon the some
what studious nature of the lad, but
did permit him to engage in collecting
odds and ends of materials such as
boys always love to assemble. In time
this research, as it became, grew to be
the dominant interest in the life of
the young prince, and when he ascended
the throne, upon his father's death, he
continued. Numismatists of various
countries have corresponded with him
and he has received gifts of rare coins
and medals from all over the world.
Doubtless he will prize the old Ameri
can coin, sent by the Newark barber,
even though it may not have any par
ticular value, because of the peculiar
circumstances of its discovery and de
livery. Kings are quite human in their
hobbles and pastimes and unofficial
pleasures.
Mr. Justice Holmes.
. . But the time has come, and
I bow to the inevitable.”
Thus Justice Holmes sums up and
disposes of the reasons w’hich prompt
him abruptly to terminate, without fuss
or feathers, a service of more than
twenty-nine years in the United States
Supreme Court; a service marked by
notable contributions to the science of
the law. to the art of living and to
the wellbeing of his fellow citizens.
"No man," he once said, nas earned
the right to intellectual ambition until
he has learned to lay his course by a
star which he has never seen—to dig
by the divining rod for springs which
he may never reach.” And possibly
the greatest of the tributes that can
be paid to this distinguished American
is the fact that his life has given to
countless men of this and coming gen
erations a pointer in the direction of
the star that shines in the Truth. More
than once, when it has seemed obscured
by eai^hly hare, he has policed it out
just over the horizon. His mere retire
ment from the bench does not mean
the loss of this guidance.
If it requires a certain amount of
intellectual grace to "bow to the in
evitable,” the test of genius is to recog
nise the inevitable. One of the many
distinguishing characteristics of Justice
Holmes has been his ability to discern
the inevitable and to hold on to his
conception, expressed in words that
command respect, against the opin
ions of those whose wishful thinking
has led them to believe otherwise. He
became known as the great dissenter,
not because ot the number of his dis
senting opinions, but because of the
manner in which they were proclaimed.
And many of his best known dissents
were based on his belief that no mat
ter what his own or, the opinion of
others might be as to the wisdom or
the righteousness of various laws en
acted in due form by the people and
expressive of their striving toward what
they believed to be higher things, the
right of the people thus to strive should
not be infringed. Some of his opinions
on laws relating to social welfare in
ject a personal doubt whether the ob
jectives sought are worth the cost. But
that doubt he never held to be Just
cause for Interfering with the right
of the people to try it out for them
selves. It is only by such trial and
error that any progress is made. The
really great men are those who help
others to seek the star, wherever it
may lie, and among them is numbered
Mr. Justice Holmes.
The new President of Spain is de
scribed as a very nifty dresser. How
ever, a King is about the only ruler
who can wear a beret and get away
with it. And did not Alfonso do Just
that?
Reno, Nev., is to have a new cathe
dral. Possibly it will some day enjoy
Nation-wide recognition as "The Big
Church Around the Corner.”
The New York Deficit,
President Hoover has found it im
perative to take the lead in bringing
about increases in Federal taxes to
balance in part a huge Treasury deficit.
And now, it appears, the Governor of
New York, Franklin D. Roosevelt,
recognized as the leading candidate for
the Democratic presidential nomination,
faces a parallel financial problem in
the Empire State. Gov. Roosevelt has
submitted his annual budget bill to the
State Legislature calling for a one hun
dred per cgnt increase in the taxes on
incomes, a two-cent emergency tax on
stock transfers and other taxes. The
Democratic Governor of New York is
not likely to find his Increased taxation
program any more popular in that
State than the Republican President
has found his proposals for increased
Federal taxes are popular throughout
the entire country. But increased taxes
are necessary in New York State to
meet the *124,000.000 State treasury def
icit, just as they are in the whole United
States to meet the estimated *2.000,000,
000 deficit which the Federal Treasury
may face at the end of the next fiscal
year unless there be a change in reve
nues and expenditures. The New York
State deficit may be materially Increased,
too, by the close of the next fiscal year
unless step# are taken to bring In great
er revenue.
The Governor of New York, like the
President of the United States, in his
budget message also has recommended
considerable reductions In the govern
mental expenditures. Gov. Roosevelt
apparently has antLipated criticism ol
the fiscal program, for he has asked
for constructive rather than destruc
tive criticism, for the production of
substitute plans to accomplish the pur
pose he has in mind, the ultimate bal
ancing of the budget. Falling such
constructive criticism, the Governor be
lieve* the critics should keep their
mouths shut. Perhaps he visualizes a
retort to his own recent attack on the
Federal administration, when he com
plained of lank of leadership Perhaps
might suggest that in the great State
of New York, which has had a Demo
cratic chief executive for years, there
has been a lack of "proper leadership,"
and from that lack the State now finds
itself in a position where it is neces
sary to increase taxes and cut govern
mental expenditures.
The business depression has hit the
revenues of New York State hard, just
as it has greatly reduced the revenue of
the Federal Government. The business
depression has been felt greatly in New
York. But the depression has been due
to economic causes beyond the control
of either the Federal or the State gov
ernment. If the Federal Government—
the Congress and the Executive—failed
to trim sail in the face of this on
coming storm or even after the storm
broke, as it has been charged, then it
appears that the same boot fits the
New York Etate government—the Legis
lature and the Governor. Gov. Roose
velt, like kls predecessor, Alfred E.
Smith, had a hostile Legislature, politi
cally, on his hands, and still has such a
Legislature. But the President of the
United States has been similarly placed,
with a coalition of Democrats and in
surgent Republicans in the Senate
dominating in that body.
New York, like the Nation, faces a
condition and not a theory. It needs
more revenues and must increase taxes
if it is to maifttain a stable government.
The wise thing is to levy the increased
taxes in a manner which will spread the
burden and bring it upon those who
can best bear it. The House Ways and
Means Committee in Washington is be
ginning its hearings on a tax measure
for the whole country and^ a similar
committee of the State Legislature in
Albany will soon be undertaking a
comparable task. A minimum of poli
tics and a maximum of real statesman
ship is needed.
—— -> « ■■■ -■ —
German leaders have been debating
the advisability of retaining in office
President Paul von Hindenburg. A lot
of people who may not know the exact
ins and outs of Teutonic politics are still
of the opinion that If the said leaders
do not agree to this program then they
do not know a good thing when they
see it.
Billboards are blots; certain radio
broadcasts are abominations. But the
form of advertising that most quickly
brings a low growl to the masculine
throat is that long, intimate and en
tirely unnatural Imaginary letter of
praise or persuasion.
If "Hack" Wilson, sometimes slugging
outfielder, will only take a cut at the
ball as potent as the one his owners
have taken at his salary, he may again
be featured in headlines which will be
pleasant reading to himself.
The streets of Berlin are to be disin
fected. All know a few, lettered, num
bered and even named in honor of
States, right here in Washington, that
would be much the better for it.
Great Britain has refused to follow
the lead of the United States in invok
ing the “nine power treaty” in the Man
churian conflict. Just what did she
sign it with, a lead pencil?
"That’s all there Is—there Isn't any
more.’’ This Is not Miss Barrymore
speaking, but Chancellor Bruening. And
he appears to get as much pathos into
it as Ethel ever did.
SHOOTING STABS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
In Lieu of Greater Things.
Some of us are fashioned strong
Great rewards to win,
An' some of us must trudge along
An’ do best we kin.
If you can’t philanthropize
Millions at a time,
Help some stranger that applies
Merely for a dime.
If you can’t put out a song
That will thrill the earth,
Help to make the chorus strong
With a note of mirth.
des’ a few is born to teach
Lessons old or new.
If you can’t make up a speech,
Jes’ say “howdy do!”
A Simple Request.
"What are you going to tell the
people when you get home?”
"Nothing,” replied Senator Sorghum.
“And all that I ask is that they'll re
ciprocate and not start telling me
things.”
Improving.
"Do you think your husband's taste
in music is improving?"
"Oh, yes. I can't break him of the
habit of going to sleep at a concert.
But he doesn’t snore as much off the
key as he used to.”
Demoralizing Influence.
A man by nature doomed to fear
All harmless might his way pursue.
Did he in terror not draw near
And terrify the others, too.
Exceedingly Conscientious.
"I wouldn’t marry the best man on
earth,” said the exacting young woman.
"Neither would I,” relied MiS; Cay
enne. "I should be afraid of the re
sponsibility. I might spoil his disposi
tion.”
Perpetual Puzzle.
The sage bids us have a care,
Nor lightly live and shiftily,
That we may build a fortune fair
By guarding pennies thriftily.
But when the fortune is attained.
What course will you pursue with It?
How many ask In accents pained,
"What am I going to do with H?”
They , also say that wisdom great
Is more than riches glittering;
Yet scholars often cultivate
Frivolity and frittering.
When wondrous knowledge Is man’s
own.
He takes on toil anew with it,
And asks in a discouraging tone,
"What am I going to do with it?”
"De mule has mean ways,’’ says Uncle
Eben, “but he’s useful in taken de con
ceit out'n de man dat thinks all he has
to do to be a good driver is to flourish
a whip an’ talk bossy.”
Uncle Sam Gets Break.
Prom the Philadelphia Ermine Bulletin.
Sometimes Uncle Sam gate.a braak
fie doesn't havetomake gooAtp peo
pte WD0M Mt kteemaa ar® issa
» . . 1 — 1 11 ' —
| THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
__.___
How many readers are what Emer
son called "natural readers”?
"I am a natural reader,” said the sage
of himself, "and only a writer in the
absence of natural writers. In a true
time, I should never have written.”
A glance at any of the philosopher's
works, still very much read throughout
America, will show any one what he
meant by “natural writer.”
His sentences do not flow. They
jerk along, each beginning and ending
suddenly.
A certain amount of flowing charac
ter is essential in the natural writer, i
Emerson had three times as many
thoughts as he put down on paper; that
is why each sentence seems jerky. The
other -sentences artf left out.
In a few portions of some of his writ
ings, notably his essays, he managed
to overcome this handicap. They move
easily, harmoniously, with the sure
touch of the great natural writers.
Mostly, however, his work has an
abrupt character, which most readers
feel but perhaps do not stop to analyze.
He reads him best who is able to put
in the two extra thoughts which Emer
son had. but which he almost invari
ably omitted.
The so-called natural writer puts
them in. Shakespeare put them in.
Many a man of lesser reputation, who
nevertheless has the gift of the ready
writer, puts down on paper all three
thoughts as he thinks them. He does
not leave out one or two of them.
Thus he comes to be called facile, and
this Is praise, more often than not.
Clarity Is not a fault, but a great mat
ter, and sometimes a mass performance
is necessary.
* * * *
It is more difficult to explain what
America's great early philosopher meant
by the term "a natural reader.”
Is not every one who reads a natural
reader?
The question must be answered in the
negative. In the first place, there are
thousands upon thousands of persons
who read because they were taught to
do so.
In and of themselves they do not en
joy the exercise. In fact, it is perhaps
true that many thousands of these per
sons have given up reading entirely,
and never touch a book from one year's
end to another.
They plead business, or social en
gagements, or what not, but the real
reason is that reading becomes tire
some to them at about the age of 30
years, after which they give up the
habit, just as many another man gives
over bowling, or bicycling, or playing
the mandolin.
* * * *
The natural reader never gives it up.
His reading habits may change with
the passing years, but he reads assid
uously, largely because he enjoys read
ing.
Recreation he has never found time
to be ashamed of. He knows that any
thing which interests him wholesomely
and decently is entertainment.
Thus he is saved that curious hypoc
risy which makes many claim that they
read for "improvement.” Of course
they read for improvement! Honest en
tertainment always improves one, unless
he is a dunce.
The natural reader may know him
self, and be known to others, by his
aridity for any sort of printed matter.
The only requirement is a certain
standard of decency.
Within this tremendous latitude the
books of the entire world are the nat
ural reader’s field of action. Nothing
is strange to him. He is a roamer,
when it comes to his books, just as
Emerson roved through the literature
of the East.
The natural reader (natural in the
same way that John Henry was “nachal
man”) finds something to interest him
m the holy books of the Hindus. Dis
carded books of his own religion he
reads, to see why they were discarded.
He turns naturally to a catalogue, if
one happens to be at hand, without
feeling the slightest trace of embarrass
ment at the sudden transition. He is a
natural reader, and nothing that is hon
estly printed is strange to him.
* * * *
The natural reader differs from the
artificial in another large particular.
He wants his own books. The natural
born fisherman would not be content
to use another fisherman’s tackle all the
time. He wants his own.
The natural reader finds a genuine
satisfaction in purchasing, in handling
and in possessing books which he is
happy to call his own.
He is not content forever to read
bocks belonging to other people. While
he recognizes the place of the lending
library and is happy to see it fulfilling
its mission, he realizes that this mis
sion is not for him except at rare inter
vals.
He thanks Fate that me nas piacea
in his hands enough means to satisfy
his taste for good books, if not to the
extent which he would like, at least to
the point where he is able to acquire
books of his own from time to time.
His selections thus are tempered by
discretion, always an excellent thing.
Not being able to squander money on
his books, he ts forced to select as
wisely and as well as he is able.
This makes practically sure that he
will read the best books.
* * * *
What a pother there is made about
the best books, in some quarters, when
all the time they really are a very sim
ple matter, after all!
There is no mystery about a good
book to a natural reader—the man who
likes to read because he likes to read.
It is all as simple as the ABC.
A good book is a book which a suffi
cient number of natural readers have
declared to be a good book.
If any one wants to know just how
many of these readers constitute “a
sufficient number," we reply that no
one in the world knows.
It is not so much a matter of sheer
numbers as of the implication of those
numbers, as of the weight which intelli
gence gives to Itself in the mass.
This may be interpreted as-meaning
that a natural reader will know a good
book .upon reading it, often merely
by looking at it, and that ether natural
readers, in their turn, will realize the
sanction of his judgment.
Natural readers everywhere, in time
and space, constitute a club or order
of their own. There are no dues, no
formal initiations, no silly ritual which
attempts to disguise its essential buf
foonery by calling itself “solemn.”
Reading is a gay, happy activity. If
c-ne does not find it so, he is not a
natural reader. That is a test. Arti
ficial readers are bored because they
make poor selections, then find them
tiresome. Natural readers naturally
make good selections and find their
books treasures.
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
✓
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE.
Unless President Hoover continues
the process of rejuvenating the Su
preme Court bench many insiders
wouldn’t be surprised if he appoints
Chief Justice Arthur Prentice Rugg
of the Massachusetts Supreme Court
to succeed Justice Holmes. The re
tiring veteran occupied that post in the
Bay State when Holmes was brought
to the United States Supreme Court
by President Roosevelt in 1902. Presi
dent Coolidge once had Rugg under
consideration for the highest Federal
tribunal. Though nearly 70, Chief
Justice Rugg is virile and vigorous. A
chip of the old block, Charles B. Rugg,
is an assistant attorney general at
Washington. If Democrats are con
sidered for the Holmes successorship,
Judge Benjamin N. Cardozo of the
New York Court of Appeals will be
among the conspicuous possibilities
along writh Newton D. Baker and John
W. Davis. Naming of Attorney Gen
eral Mitchell or George Wharton Pep
per would mean more youth on the
bench like the Stone and Roberts ap
pointments, but might be ‘'geograph
ically” barred, both Minnesota and
Pennsylvania already having repre
sentatives in the Supreme Court. Judge
Wilkerson of Chicago, A1 Capone’s
nemesis, is being discussed. Illinois
has not had a man on the bench since
Chief Justice Fuller’s days. * * *
* * * *
No one who remembers Justice
Holmes’ plaintive radio talk in March
a year ago, on the occasion of his
ninetieth birthday anniversary, is
astonished by. the veteran’s desire to
end his great public career. There was
the sad ring of resignation in Holmes'
voice—an unmistakable confession that
he realized the sands were running out
and that his active days were rapidly
growing fewer. Yet in the intervening
nine months the dean of the Supreme
Court showed, in his work, few signs |
that his powers were in any way less j
virile than they have been for the past
decade. His opinions continued to
breathe brevity and brilliance. A little
less duty was assigned him by Chief
Justice Hughes as the months wore
on and Justice Holmes himself became
more and more of a recluse, being seen
away from home and the Supreme
Court hardly at all. Everybody who
has had contact with his personal
charm and towering intellect at Wash
ington agrees that those immortal lines
from ’'Hamlet” will apply for all time to
Oliver Wendell Holmes: "He was a
man, take him for all in all. I shall
not look upon his like again.”
x w ^ ik
President Hoover selected the man1
who is probably his closest personal
friend in the Senate. Frederic C. Wal
cott Republican, of Connecticut, to
sponsor the $2,000,000,000 Reconstruc
tion Finance Corporation bill, which
the Upper House has just passed by an
overwhelming majority. The White
House considers this project the most
important item in its whole economic j
relief program. Senator Walcott is not
only the President's friend, but ids ten
ant the Connecticut solon's family hav
ing’ leased the Hoover mansion on S
street northwest three years ago. Wal
cott's comradeship with the President
dates from their association in the
World War Food Administration. He
was chosen as Mr. Hoover's assistant in
1917, and remained with him until. 1919
Mr. Walcott's hobby is conservation of
forests, water resources and wild yfe
He has been active in those domaihs for
years in Connecticut.
* * * *
Politically-minded Washington, , oper
having taken a notion about a thing,
clings to it like a hungry dog hangs
on to a bone. Therefore, strange 'a* It
may seem, the Capital contains doubt
ing Thomases who think Charley Dawes
left a loophole in his statement about
President Hoover, through which he
might still crawl into a receptive mood
for the G O. P. presidential nomina
tion. Nobody knows Gen. Dawes' mind
through and through as thoroughly as
E. Ross Bartley, his private secretary
of vice presidential days. Bartley is in
Washington this week, laying wires for
his new work as director of promotion
for the Chicago "Century of Program,"
the great 1838 World Fair, which k a
good deal of a Dawes show. The gen
eral never meant anything more in his
life, according to Ross Bartley, than
he did in his statement indicating that
Pt 1Ptl DOC Vf !WOTU, WWful flfTO
impede Herbert Hoover's path to re
nomination. Dawes will be in Chicago
when the Republican convention is
holding forth in June. His friends are
confident he’ll be on hand, whooping
it up for Hoover all along the line.
* * * *
Current sartorial notes in the Senate:
Jim Ham Lewis has restored the white
vest cult, which disappeared with Tom
Heflin last March. Wesley Jones of
Washington State is sporting blue shirts
with collars to match—a subtle tribute,
the wets say, to the color of laws he
sponsors. Mrs. Caraway, who continues
to belie her sex’s reputation for talk,
hasn’t made a single speech. She is
listening and attending faithfully. Mod
estly clad in black silk, topped off these
chilly days with a lace scarf, the widow
from Arkansas apparently considers a
neck covering a useful precaution
against the drafts which sweep into the
Senate chamber from the adjacent
Democratic lobby and cloak room. Sen
ator Caraway’s seat is the latest addi
tion of the "Cherokee strip,” allocated
to new members.
* * * Jr
Secretary Stimson will be the guest
of honor of the State Department Cor
respondents’ Association at dinner on
Saturday evening, January 16. Many
foreign Ambassadors and Ministers as
well as other State Department officials,
will be present. The affair is a tribute
to the scribes’ appreciation of Col.
Stimson's efforts to keep them and,
through their writings, the country ac
quainted with the "low down" on Amer
ica's foreign affairs. At no time since
the present Secretary took office has he
had to keep his eye peeled in so many
directions. Reparations and war debts
in Europe, disarmament at Geneva,
Japanese machinations in Manchuria,
incessant curiosity on Capitol Hill about
our external relations—these are some,
though not all, of the things that keep
the squire of Woodley anxious and oc
cupied these distressful days at home
and abroad.
* * * *
The Capital’s newest guessing contest
concerns the personnel of the board of
seven men who will direct and control
the Reconstruction Finance Corpora
tion. Actual loan operations are not ex
pected to begin much before February
1. Insiders are speculating on the ap
pointment of Owen D. Young. Bernard
M. Baruch. Silas H. Strawn, Harry M
Robinson, Melvin A. Traylor, Rudolf S.
Hecht (of New Orleans) and Edward
N. Hurley—a pretty virile combination.
Gov. Eugene Meyer of the Federal Re
serve Boarjl wiU,, In. any event, 'tis
thought, be a dominating factor in the
corporation. Nominations will require
senatorial confirmation, and fireworks
in that direction are probable whoever
is named.
* sir * W
Apart from the territorial authorities
in the Interior Department and Navy
officials, no one in Washington is more
interested in the Hawaiian crisis than
Senator Bingham. Republican, of Con
necticut or Undersecretary of State
Castle. Both of them were born in
Honolulu. It was Bingham who this
week Introduced the Senate resolu
tion for Investigation of conditions In
the Islands by the Department of Jus
tice. The Senator's father was a mis
sionary In Hawaii 60 years ago. Bill
Castle's father, vrtio is still alive, is
one of the territory’s American pio
neers, I laving himself been born at
Honolulu in 1849. Since Queen Lilluo
kalanl’s departure the Castles have
been known as Hawaii's ruling family.
They are pre-eminent in the islands'
commercial and agricultural affairs
nnd rendered yeoman service in their
development.
tCoeyrlaht. 1932 )
l.iiiika l ike U. S. Vi ilf Win,
Frum the tt.ichr..itl RraUler-Republic.
Banker* l.anumt and Mitchell make
the Kind statement that the huge hold
ing* of foreign bonds in this country do
nut peril tlie Nation. The United States
can lake a lot of punishment. The
lighter that can take it is the fighter
that wtna.
...*
Training Morie Ushers.
From Mi* Artiland Dtily Independent.
But after you go to Europe and torn
to bow from the waist, trtb*t good does
u~1uy3fc.^eaa *1 a
Admiral Attacks Plan
To Cut Federal Wages
’’o the Editor of The Star:
In this moot question of reducing the
salaries of employes of the United States
Government the most important point
has been entirely overlooked. During
the past decade and a half of so-called
prosperity the pay of artisans through
out the country was raised by 100 per
cent to 150 per cent, the Congress raised
the pay of its own members 33Vh per
cent, as well as that of certain other
high officials of the Government, while
in commercial life the salaries of execu
tives rose to untold heights. During
this boom period the salaries of civilian
employes of the United States Govern
ment and also of the Army and the
Navy were either not raised at all, or, if
raised, then only by a small amount,
relatively speaking, and then generally
in special cases.
Now during this defunct boom, whose
obsequies we have all recently attended,
$5 shoes went up in price to from $12 to
$15. and all rents, food and clothing
followed suit. Those who had received
a commensurate raise in pay were able
to meet this gouge more or less com
placently, but the employes of the Gov
ernment, civil, military and naval, had
awfully hard sledding. At the present
time prices of commodities necessary to
life are coming down to a fairer figure,
and the heretofore neglected Govern
ment servants, the humbfe ones, whose
voices have heretofore fallen upon deaf
Governmental ears, are beginning to
have a square meal and some clothing
to keep out the cold. And now on
many sides is heard the suggestion that
these salaries, which were never raised
in boom times, be reduced.
me uovernment. employes unques
tionably are loyal to the United States
of America and always have been, but
they will not stand for injustice from
legislators or others. Let the Congress
first reduce its own pay by 33V'3 per
cent, where it was before the boom, so
that all may start on the same level
once more, and then, thereafter, let any
reduction that may have to be made
in the interest of necessary economy be
applied in equal percentage to the mem
bers of the Congress themselves, and
then the patriotic employes of the Gov
ernment will loyally respond if and
when a general reduction becomes nec
essary.
It behooves the employes of the Gov
ernment to scrutinize the proceedings of
their representatives in the Congress
very closely, lor the recent passage by
the House, of Representatives of unjust
tax laws to burden the helpless in
habitant* of the District of Columbia
show* ft total disregard of first prin
cijjlfts of justice, and almost anything
may therefore be expected. Govern
ment employes should jealously guard
their right to vote in their respective
States, and those who have carelessly
lost the privilege should take prompt
steps to regain it.
The Republican party elephant will,
need to do some tall hustling to indicate
his real usefulness in order to soothe
public opinion, and the Democrats will
also need to look sharp as to where
the feet of their donkey wander between
now and next November.
SUMNER E. W. KITTELLE,
Rear Admiral, U. S. Navy (Retired).
-. <
Military Government
Proposed for Hawaii
To the Editor of The Star:
The controlling reason for our acqui
sition of the Hawaiian Islands was that
they are the key to the Pacific and
are indispensable to our national se
curity, particularly the defense and
protection of our Western coast and the
Panama Canal. Unless they are to
serve these ends there is little justi
fication for our possession of them.
They are territory of the United
States and in the matters of govern
ment and control are entirely subject
to the jurisdiction of the Congress.
But in a moment of exalted altruism
and without any vision of the future,
which has characterized all our ven
tures in territorial government, we very
unfortunately and mistakenly made
them practically self-governing and
autonomous, the effects of which have
but recently manifested themselves
most painfully.
The islands are populated with a
heterogeneous lot of all nationalities.
The greater number, however, are the
Kanakas, who are the aborigines, and
were cannibals within the memory of
living man, and a very low class of
Japanese. To have given these islands,
under such circumstances, autono
mous local self-government is ridicu
lous, but for the grave potential danger
it involves for the United States. Con
trast, if you will, such an act with
the denial of the right of suffrage to
the residents of the District of Co
lumbia, whose av age of character and
intelligence is the highest in our
country.
In view of the present situation In
the Orient and the lawless and de
moralized conditions in Hawaii, Con
gress should lose no time in making
these islands strictly a military and
naval outpost, which they are by na
ture and geographical situation and
were intended to be when we took
them over, and put them without de
lay under a military form of govern
ment. If this is not done the time
will come when they will prove to be
a disastrous liability to us instead of
an asset, which could be easily dem
onstrated if space permitted.
The writer feels that he can speak
with some little authority on this sub
ject, as he spent five years in the
Orient and has often visited the Ha
waiian Islands.
ALEXANDER SIDNEY LANIER.
Bona Fide Deaf Persons
Do Not Beg for Charity
To the Editor of The Star.
In The Star of January 8 there ap
peared a headline which said "Police
Probe Deaf ’Begging Racket.’ ” Dr.
L. M. Lucas had complained to the
police of being approached several times
recently for funds to help "self-styled”
deaf mutes to go to school to learn
a trade.
It is certainly a "racket,” and this
writer is anxious to have it understood
by the public that the deaf do not
beg, and absolutely not for such pur
poses as these men who approached
Dr. Lucas.
To use a curious yet perhaps per
fectly legitimate description, a bona fide
deaf person never begS'fbr fUfidS for tih
education, because every State in the
Union and the District of Columbia
have free schools for these people. This
is, however, a favorite plea with im
postors. The National Association of
the Deaf prosecutes such impostors
wherever apprehended. The last thing
any one of these impostors desires is
to be confronted by a bona fide deaf
person.
The writer wishes to thank Dr. Lucas
for bringing this matter to the atten
tion of the police, realizing the harm
and misrepresentation such racketeers
do to the deaf people as a class.
He does, however, wish to correct any
erroneous impression caused by Dr
Lucas saying that he “understands the
District provides agencies to care for
these unfortunates without the neces
sity of door-to-door canvassing.” In
the first place, deaf people are not "un
fortunates,” although admittedly handi
capped. Secondly, there are no agencies
in the District nor anywhere else to
take care of them in that sense of the
expression, because the deaf are as .a
class as self-respecting and self-sup
porting a body of citizens as any. Most
of all, a bona fide deaf persons does not
Deg. FREDERICK H. HUOHES.
Immune Only in Court.
From the South Bend Tribune.
An “immune” New York gangster is
murdered. His Immunity, of course,
was effective only in court.
Safe Without Government.
From the Well* Walls Bulletin.
Many will wonder It China without a
government, as was the ease when the
entire national cabinet resigned. Would
siaKsma m wr
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC ]. H ASK IIV.
__ _1
Washington is the world’s greatest !
storehouse o£ all kinds of knowledge, i
You can draw on it free of charge
through our bureau here. Any ques
tion of fact you may ask will be an
swered promptly in a personal letter to
you. Be careful to write clearly, give
your full name and address and Inclose
two-cent stamp for reply postage. Send
your inquiry to The Evening Star In
formation Bureau. Frederic J. Haskin,
Director, Washington, D. C.
Q. In contract bridge, does the fact
that a small slam or grand slam is
made when only game is bid point to
the conclusion that the players did not
value their hands properly?—A. L.
A. Approximately 75 per cent of
slams made are not biddable. Oppo
nents play differently against a slam
bid. Also there may be a fortuitous
lead or misplay on the part of an op- j
ponent.
Q. Which horse of the progeny of
Man o' War has most nearly ap- j
proached him in physical appearance
and track performance?—J. A. E.
A. Miss Elizabeth Dalngerfleld, who
managed the horse after his retirement
from racing, says that American Flag
most nearly resembles his sire. At
Faraway Farm the son was often mis
taken for the sire, and vice versa, by
horsemen and other visitors. Miss
Daingerfield thinks that American Flag
also came nearest to reproducing Man
o’ War’s qualities as a race horse, al
though Crusader was more famous and
more successful, due to the fact that
he was a sounder horse.
Q. Will filling up the brick wells i
around trees with dead leaves injure '
the trees?—C. B. H.
A. It will injure them. Wells should
be kept open, so that the bark will stay
dry and healthy. The reason for these
wells is that the bark above the ground
does not readily adapt itself to moist
(such as underground) conditions.
Q. How much per square foot does
a complete janitor service in a modern
office building and medical building
co't?—P. S. W.
A. According to a report of the Na
tional Association of Building Owners
and Managers, strictly for cleaning
costs, all cities give the average for
1930 as 20.5 cents per square foot. A
small group of medical buildings re
ported a cleaning cost of 23.7 cents per
square foot. Cleaning is but one of the
operating costs in an office building—
the other groups of strictly ^operating
items being electricity, heating plumb
ing, elevators, general expense and
power, which show a total operating
cost of 62.3 cents per square foot for
office buildings and 77.25 cents per
square foot for medical buildings.
Q. What are bilboes?—C. H.
A. This name Was given to a bar of
iron with sliding shackles once used to
fetter prisoners.
Q. How much money was paid out
last year in salaries by Harvard Uni
versity?—M. E. L.
A. Harvard paid nearly $5,000,000 for
salaries and research work. Harvard’s
total income was about $13,000,000.
Q. What size are crimson clover
seed?—D. K.
A. About the size of a pin head.
Q. Please give recipe for salting
nuts —N. M.
A. Blanch almonds and filberts.
Use raw peanuts and remove skins.
Use whole pecan nut meats. For each
cup of nuts, heat, in a small frying pan,
one-half cup olive or cooking oil or
half lard and half clarified butter.
Put in enough nut meats at a time to
cover bottom of pan and stir over fire
until delicately broWned. Remove with
spoon or small skimmer, taking up as
little oil as possible. Drain on brown ;
paper and sprinkle lightly with salt. ;
Avoid cooking nut meats (especially ;
pecans'* too long, as they darken after
being removed from fat.
Q. Into how many languages has
“The Rosary" been translated?—M. T.
A. Into eight.
Q. How was the chief clerk or read
ing clerk of the Senate appointed?—
A. McC.
A. John Crockett, the present chief
clerk of the Senate, who acts as read
ing clerk, was chosen in 1903., The
Senate at that time directed the sec
retary of the Senate to select a read
ing clerk. A number of people were
tried and Mr. Crockett was chosen.
Q. How small are submarines mad??
—K. M.
A. The 330-ton submarines of the H
class are the smallest listed at the
present time.
Q Why did the automobile industry
locate in the Middle West?—W. F. M.
A. The Middle West was the home
of most of th? early automobile build
ers. and for this reason the automobile
industry located in that section of the
country. Buick was from Ohio, Haynes
from Indiana. Ford from Detroit. Win
ton from Cleveland, White from Cleve
land and Studebakcr from Indiana.
The Middle West Is also conveniently
located as to both coal and Iron. Which
are necessary in the automobDe in
dustry.
Q. When was the first G. A. R. en
campment?—J. B. S.
A. November 30, 1866, In Indian
apolis, Ind. •,
q what is the origin of the name
for the Sam Browne belts?—G. C.
A. Gen. Samuel Joseph Browne was
an English officer prominent in the
early Indian campaigns and the Indian
mutiny. He served in India through
out the great Indian mutiny and Sepoy
wars, during which he was twice
wounded and lost an arm at the Battlt
of Seeporah, which nearly cost him
his life It was the loss of his arm
which caused him to devise a new sort
of saber belt, which was later gener
ally adopted by the British Army, and
also by other military forces. This a
the belt which, with some modifica
tion, is today known as the Sam
Browne” in the United States Army.
The proper designation of the w°r<i.
according to the War Department, »
• Belt, Officers Model, 1921.
q What ham does it do to auto
mobile tires to carry too much or too
llCTo little pressure breaks down tha
side'walls of the casing, while too much
pressure reduces the tire area placed
in contact with the pavement and
bumpy riding and greater tire wear
result. .
O What is the day upon which
every one in Hawaii wears a lei?—^G. M.
A. May day is Lei day in Hawaii.
On May 1 every one in the is anas
wears a flower garland in special ob
servance of the friendly custom of giv
ing leis.
Q. Why was the city of Newport
News given that name?—H. R. C.
A. Newport News received its name
in honor of two men—Cap;. Chris
topher Newport and Capl., or Sir, Wil
liam Newce. The word News is a cor
ruption of the latter name.
Q. What form of government has the
Gold Coast, West Africa?—A. G. D.
A. The Gold Coast is a British col
ony divided Into the Gold Cjoast Co'.ony
proper and the two dependencies,
Ashanti and the Northern Territories.
The governor, who is at' present His
Excellency Sir Ransford Slater, has his
seat of government at Accra.
Q. Why are bats of value?—B. K.
A. They are great destroyers of in
sects and furnish gUano, which is a
valuable fertilizer.
No Evidence of Revolt Seen
In Comment on Third Party
Study of the fate of third-party move
ments in American politics has con
vinced most commentators that the talk
of a third party in the coming national
campaign is unlikely to produce tangi
ble results.
"It is a certainty that the next Presi
dent will be either a Republican or a
Democrat,” declares the South Bend
Tribune, voicing the thought that "the
radicals are deriving enjoyment from
the idea that their opposition is feared
by the Democratic and Republican
managers,” and the conclusion that
"thus their self-esteem is fertilized ap
parently without serious damage to the
Nation.” The Harrisburg Telegraph
feels that "the wild talk may not be
without its benefits,” for, in the opin
ion of that paper, “very likely it will
bring about wise concessions and useful
compromises,” for "the Republican leadr
ers are in no position to be arbitrary."
“So far as the principle of public
favoritism for the safer and usually
more conservative prospects can apply
to the present situation," according to
the Springfield (Mass.) Union, "it
would indicate that the effect of a
radical third party would be to draw
from the Democratic rather than the
Republican party, and would be more
likely to help President Hoover than to
hurt him.” This view is held also by
the Abilene Reporter, which recalls that
••La Follette polled almost five minion
popular votes in 1924, but the only effect
wes to emphasize the Coolidge victory.
An obstacle which is pointed out by
the Oklahoma City Times is in the fact
that "there is no leader in sight of
such magnitude as to hope to lead a
third-party ticket to victory in 1932.
The Times adds: "Unless they blunder ;
tremendously, the Democrats have an
excellent chance of electing the next
President, But it will be true in 1932,
as it always has been, that a third-party
movement will weaken the old party
whose leaders sponsor the new organi
zation. Democrats, with the best
chance in years before them, owe it
to themselves and the country to avoid
such mistakes."
“A third party may be useful as a
violent stimulant to an older party,
advises the St. Louis Times, "but as a
successful organization it stays on the
track about once in a whole flock of
blue moons. It's easier and more prac
tical to remodel an old party than to
build a new one from the ground up.
especially in view of the fact that there
will never be more than two kinds of
voters the liberal and the conserva
tive ” The Rock Island Argus empha
sizes the fact that "it is a matter of
history that only one third paity has
ever been successful. That was the
newly organized Republican party,
continues the Argus, "and Its nominee,
Abraham Lincoln, received only 40 per
cent of the popular vote. Mr. Lincoln
was elected by a split in the dominant
party, the Democratic. * * * A third
partv received 27 Vs per cent of the pop
ular’vote In 1912 and 16>2 per cent in
1924. What might prove to be a deter
ring Influence to organizing a third
party is that possibly about 65 posts
the Republican radicals now hold ch
House and Senate committees might be
forfeited.”
• Differing from some other observers,
the Sioux City Journal maintains that
"a third party movement next year
would result in the election of a Demo
crat to the presidency," and that "the
third-party ticket would not get far i
except to divide votes between itself i
and the Republicans and permit the
Democrats to win the electoral vote* of
States that they otherwise could not
carry.” The Journal charge* that "if
the Independent progressives do put a
ticket in the field it will be for revenge
upon the Hoover administration and
nothing else.”
“If these insurgents ware reallgte.
if they were equipped with a Rid!
measure of oourage. intellectual Integ
rity and devotion to the common good,
argues the OmaAs Woiki Meralri "tha&j
WM WflwfcrlRWSi rawN
long ago." That paper adds a£ to their
history: "It is because these insurgent*
have called themselves Republicans, ac
cepted honors and emoluments at the
party’s hands, co-operated with it at
election time, though ineffectually op
posing It between elections, that the
Republican party has been made dom
inant qnd prjvijeee has been enthroned.
There has not been, since the first
campaign of William J. Bryan, a Dem
ocratic platform with which they were
not more greatly In sympathy than with
the Republican platform, except pos
sibly those of the Roosevelt campaigns.
The purposes and ideals of the Dem
ocratic party have been more nearly
their own than the purposes and
ideals of the Republican party. Yet,
through all the years, they have done
their. utmost to weaken, rather than
strengthen, the Democratic party, and
so to discourage its Idealism.”
♦ * * *
As to Senator Norris, who has been
mentioned for the third-party nomina
tion, the Little Rock Arkansas Demo
crat believes that "he and his party
couldn’t find the financial backing to
win an election.’’ That paper als> ad
vises that Senator Borah is "too much
given to heading back for the reserva
tion when in doubt,” and makes the
comment on Senator Johnson: "Could
he win? Not in six geologic ages, for
the simple reason that his national
political sun has set. He retains his
old genius at getting on the first page,
but that will not carry a party to vic
tory." Similar judgment is voiced by
the Davenport Democrat, with the
added statement: "It is questionable If
Gov. Pinchot would consent to run on
this ticket. He will probably be a can
didate at the Chicago convention and
abide by Hs results, unless It should be •
characterised by such hard-boiled,
steam-roller tactics as marked the con
vention which renominated President
Taft and resulted in the bolt led by
Theodore Roosevelt.”
Noting that Alfred 15. Smith is not
excepted from the list of possibilities
for "standard bearer for a new third
party,” the Hartford Times states: "No
matter what Mr. Smith’s ambitions may
be and no matter how they fare, it is
wellnigh impossible to envision him in
the role of heading a revolt against
the party which has done so iruch for
him and of which he has been for so
many years such a shining ornament
in positions of various degrees of im
portance.”
There is no outstanding idea, prin
ciple or issue around which the inde
pendent forces in the United States
could rally unitedly. * • • At this
time there is neither an outstanding
personality nor an outstanding issue to
rally the Independents,” asserts the
Jersey City Journal. The Colorado
Springs Gazette-Telegraph maintains
that “it would be a good thing for Re
publicanism if the insurgents were com
pelled to oppose itoni the outside to
assume their real role as Independents.
Treating the matter in a humorous
vein, the San Francisco Chronicle re
marks: “Why talk about a new third
party? The country has one already.
Completely equipped with a platform
and almost everything required, it was
launched a little while ago bv J S.
McHenry of Glasgow, Mont. McHenry's
party is called the 'National' party. In
keeping with that name, its platform is
broad. Declaring for sound money, he
is for the gold standard; but is not at
all hidebound about it. Any other metal
that will do will also be acceptable. On
the tariff the National party is equally
liberal A hasty reading of the plat
form gives the impression that It would
encourage protection for those who
want it and free trade for those who
lean in that direction Other lasues
»re disponed of with equal facility."
Swggeats No AKwpsNrtfrwe.
Pr*m th* TslMo Mad*.
Oermanv «av* she can't par urrftar
Use Voting Plan hut tot not ggaa
€^aPnST«iH!w which w» tan