Evening star. [volume], June 29, 1932, Page A-8, Image 8

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,ΤΗΕ EVENING STAR
With Sunday Morning Edition.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
WEDNESDAY June 2Θ. 1932
THEODORE W. NOYES Editor
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«-■ · 1 1
Still Some Hope for Remedy.
"The differences between the Senate
end House on this measure could have
been ironed out in further confer
ences." Senator La Follette said yes
terday in a final futile protest against
Btnate agreement to the conference re
port on the economy bill. "Instead, we
yield to the House threats of inaction
snd accept a hit-or-miss, hodgepodge of
economy legislation. The next Congress
«111 have to spend much of its time
straightening out this 111 considered
measure."
So it will. The next Congress, or
rather the short session of Congress
which convenes in December, will prob
sbly have much to do in correcting de
fects in this measure that are not ap
parent at this time, as well as those al
ready obvious. What interests the Gov
ernment personnel, however, is what
will happen during the interim, while
the members of Congress are in the
hustings mending their fences against
the contingences of November.
There is uncertainty on this point.
(Some comfort lies in the verbal as
surance of the Controller General to
Senator Jones that the sections of the
Jaw relating to retirement will be
liberally construed by his office, and
that employes who have not yet com
pleted the fifteen years in service, which
makes them eligible for retirement, *.11
not be placed within the category of
superannuated employes. There are
also unwritten words to the effect that
the enforced furloughs and resultant
impounding of money saved, on top of
me ten per cent, appropriation unis iuw,
Will not result in as many dismissals
from the service as at first feared. And
Senator Bingham has proposed a joint
resolution that would serve to nullify
the effects of that other controversial
section relating to the possible dis
charge of married persons, when hus
band or wife is also employed in the
service. This resolution should cer
tainly be adopted by both houses as a
face-saving measure wiping out a pro
posal so illogical and absurd that its
Inclusion in Federal legislation is a
reflection on the whole Congress.
While the executive branch of the
Government, through administrative
officials in the various departments,
will not have made all their plans for
carrying out the economy scheme for
several days, it should be their under
standing at the outset that the appli
cation of unjust and plainly Inequitable
provisions of the law should be post
poned until the last part of the fiscal
year that begins Friday. Congress will
have returned before that time, and
with the campaign and other pressing
matters out of the way will be more in
clined to take the immediate and cor
rective action denied now by the de
mands of expediency. It is doubtful if
evei in the history of the Government
has such responsibility for fair and just
administration of the departments, as it
relates to the working personnel, been
placed on the shoulders of the execu
tive officers.
If references to services deserving of
knighthood continue, the party now in
convention may be referred to as a
democracy in process of evolution to
ward an aristocracy.
Up the Hill and Down.
For the sake of the future historian
of American politics it Is to be hoped
that a complete record has been kept,
and will be available ior research, of
the maneuvers for thn abrogation of
the two-thirds rule at the Chicago Con
vention now in session. The effort to
displace this century-old fundamental
principle of candidate «election in the
interest of Governor Roosevelt of New
York, the outstanding aspirant for the
nomination, has been marked by a
series of advances and retreats without
parallel in the records of these great
poltical meetings. The final outcome ol
the attack upon the two-thirds tradi
tion is a retreat. The s;.gnal for aban
donment of the assault was given b>
the candidate himself, but the exact
terms of that signal are yet to be made
clear, as there is still a disputation ovei
the message from the Governor to hi!
campaign manager calling off the fight
However, the fact stands that aftei
nearly five days of preparation for t
charge over the breastworks erected ir
1832 the majority rule cohorts wen
halted and the prospective bitter fighi
flattened out into acceptance of thi
rule that has been in force for a hun
dred years.
A verse in OM Tarlton's Song, print
ed in London in 1642, has become fa
miliar to millions. It runs:
The King of France went up the hil
With twenty thousand men;
The King of France c.me down the hil
And ne'er went up Again.
It remains now to te seen whethe
the King of France of antl-majorit;
rule assault will, in fact, never agaii
go up the hill. In this present retreat
ι In fact, is a token of a disposition ti
carry on for nomination by a majority
The Committee on Rules at the Chi
cago convention made the followin
recommendation, which was adopte
by the convention without debate ο
dissent:
We recommend to the next nation·
convention of the party that it sha
consider the question of changing th
two-thirds rule now required for th
nominations of the President and Vic
President of the United States so as t
wake the nomination by a majorit
vote of ihe delegate* t ·> th? ronvi n'.toi
Ml* the further de-li»rf>tiou that thi
convention is to be the sole Judge of
its own rules.
This recommendation, of course, his
no binding effect upon the convention
of 1936. It is a Question. Indeed,
whether the convention of 1936, if it
should adopt the majority rule, could
without a furious fight do so in terms
to apply to the proceedings at that
time. And it is a further question
whether it could bind future conven
tions by a declaration in favor of ma
jority rule procedure.
The two-thirds rule is a part of the
Democratic party's code by force of
tradition, which is sometimes more
binding and lasting than any statutory
enactment It is always resented by 1
candidates for the nomination who !
have a full or a near majority of dele- ;
gates on the eve of voting. It is cher- j
ished by candidates who have less than i
a majority, but who hope for accès- j
sions. When there are two outstand- j
ing candidates, or three, a deadlock
is in prospect. The Democratic party j
has now run into three such deadlocks, j
protracted and bitter—in 1912, in 1920 >
and in 1924. From but one of them I
has it emerged with a victorious ticket. I
the first of this series, when ■ victory
was possible only through Republican
division.
In the minds of most Democrats the
two-thirds rule is a liability. It breeds
dissension and factional strife. It does
not insure the nomination of a win
ning ticket—l'oes not. in fact, insure
the nomination of the most efficient
or effective candidate. Perhaps the
definite recommendation which has
just been adopted at Chicago for its
abandonment after a century of appli
cation may lead to a change. Certainly
the lesson of this latest effort to change
it on the eve of the balloting is that
it is dangerous to try to stop a buzz
saw in motion.
Nearing the End of the Session.
With the controversial economy bill
out of the way, Congress will make
rapid headway in clearing up the re
maining appropriation bills before the
end of the fiscal year tomorrow night.
Of these there remains only the second
deficiency bill to be acted on by the
Senate. The Army and Navy, in
dependent offices, Treasury-Post Office.
Agriculture. State, Justice and Com
merce bills have been reposing in con
ference to await the outcome of the
economy measure, appended as a rider
on the legislative supply bill. Today
and tomorrow will witness the adop
tion, in quick succession, of the con
ference reports.
The most uncertain piece of business
is the Wagner-Garner relief bill, now
in conference. But the disposition of
the conferees on that measure is to
meet each other half way. The prob
lem of distributing the $300,000.000
loans to the States for direct relief of
suffering has apparently been solved by
! combining the two methods proposed,
making a part of the money imme
diately available to the States on the
basis of population and giving the
President authority to dispense the
balance on the basis of need. The
conferees have yet to iron out the dif
ference» between the Garner and Wag
ut ι unie υιι uic μυυιιι uuiiuni^ H1V/ ·
gram, condemned by the President as
"pork." Certainly the Wagner bill's
safeguarding provisions in connection
with that item are far preferable to those
of the Garner bill, and the chief dif
ference between the President and Sen
ator Wagner seems to be a point of
view regarding the financial soundness
of the borrowing feature at this time
and the actual employment that would
result from the Federal Government's
building activity. It seems probable,
however, that Senator Wagner's plan
has enough advocates in Congress to
assure incorporation of its major fea
tures in the final form of the bill. That
agreement should be possible in time
to realize the hope of leaders for ad
journment by the end of this week or
the first of next.
The relief measure will constitute the
major effort by this Congress to relieve
distress and suffering. What it ac
tually will accomplish in this respect
nobody knows. If there is any last
minute disarrangement of present plans
for adjournment, it will be due to the
relief measure. No member of Con
gress will be willing to go home until
it has been enacted.
Every large city desires a national
convention, although the most it
usually gets out of it is widely circulated
publicity concerning the flcrce sum
mer climate.
The invocation yesterday referred to
"diffidence, hesitation and fear." None
of these characteristics was in evi
dence among those immediately pres
ent.
The Buzzards Point Improvement.
I As a result of legislation just enacted
a section of Washington that has long
been a sort of no man's land is about
to be improved and put to use in the
public Interest. This is the develop
ment of the area known as Buzzards
Point as a site for a new plant of the
Potomac Electric Power Co. Two biils
were required of Congress to permit this
improvement. One was to enable the
Commissioners to close certain streets
that were marked out in the area but
not actually established. The power
company will pay the District for this
portion of the site as well as for the
rpmainder purchased from its owners.
The second bill was to enable the Penn
sylvania Railroad to run a spur track
into the site in extension from its ex
isting line. With this legislation ef
fected the improvement, which will in
volve the expenditure of upwards of
$5.000,000 for the power plant and about
$125,000 in addition for the railroad
extension can proceed. Work is to be
I started at once on the laying of the
track, and the construction of the power
i plant, for which contract has already
1 ' been let will progress promptly.
Ever Vince the establishment of the
Capital in the District of Columbia the
area styled Buzzards Point has been
veritable waste land. A sluggish stream
known as James Creek ran through it
in part to the Eastern Branch of the
Potomac, or Anarostia River, this
stream later being transformed into ι
canal which ultimately degenerated
Into an open sewer comparable to the
Tiber Creek Canal, running from the west
ern front of the Capitol to the Potomac
For a long time James Creek Cana
was a menace to the public health. It
was finally filled in, to the great bene
fit of the southern section of the city
® though the area itself on the river froni
ι was η-ver d^-eloped. it was sparie'j
,t settled and for years It h«i mi unsavon
f
reput* m part of the territory locally
known m "Bloodfifld." «erne of many
furious battles between disorderly
groups.
With the development of Buzzards
Point, κ name that «-ill probably pas*
as the area le Improved, a territory
that has never been of any utility will
be put to good use. The enterprise will
give immediate occupation to a Urge
number of now Idle workmen. At one
time It was feared that on account of
legislative jealousies In the House of
Representatives the necessary enact
ments could not be secured at this ses
sion The blockade that threatened the
defeat of these measures was broken,
and now the District Is to experience an
enterprise that Is decidedly for the pub
lic benefit In all respects.
A Bootblack's Fortune.
Decision bv a court at White Plains,
Ν Y., for the appointment of a com
mittee of relatives to look after the
property of Pietro Ierardi revives mem
ory of an institution that has almost
passed In this country — has, indeed,
quite ceased in the larger centers of
population. That Is the bootblack with
his box which serves as both a foot
rest and a carrier for his tools of trade.
Pietro Ierardi sailed for New York from
Italy fifty-two years ago with just about
enough money to pay his passage and
with no job in prospect. With the little
cash that remained from his transat
lantic adventure he bought some boot
blacking supplies, fashioned a box to
hold them and began a business career,
that is now ended through his mental
deterioration, which necessitates cus
todians for his fortune of nearly $200.
000. When Pietro set up in business
with a box. a tin of blacking, a dauber
and a brush the standard price of a
shine was five cents. Profits were
small. It took a good many shoe shines
in the course of a day to leave enough
to provide food and shelter. But there
wes always a margin, and that margin
Pietro saved. After some years he heard
that a bootblack was wanted at the
Grand Central Station—it was not
then dignified by the name "terminal."
He applied for and got the job. More
years passed and his savings fund grew
with increased patronage. Then came
an opportunity. He applied for a con
cession to.run a stand in the station
and secured it. More nickels came in
and mere profits were put away. Then
Pietro began to invest shrewdly in real
estate, being always careful in his
choice and always paying cash. He
became a capitalist, untroubled by stock
fluctuations. «Perhaps he has kept his
little bootblacking box which was the
corner stone of his fortune, and though
his mind is clouded he may recognize
it and cherish it to the end of his days.
There was no reason for assuming
that Huey Long was due for the kind
of treatment which, according to
tinmclv troHitinn llu'nitV th#» "γαΗ-ΗρλΗ
ed stepchild."
It is now considered possible to ar
range a program with so much accuracy
that a political forecaster is listened
to with more respect than he enjoyed
in the old days.
Chicago grand opera may have in
fluenced the musical performers in as
suming that if artistic sound effects
were attained, the words did not par
ticularly matter.
A demand-for a poll enable* a dele
gation not only to get into the spot
light but also to have its complete
cast of characters mentioned.
A remarkable achievement i* to be
noted when a temporary chairman is
able to turn over to the permanent of
ficial an uneplintered gavel.
Memories of W. J. Bryan are recalled
with a sad suspicion that in the evolu
tion of politics the convention stam
peder has become extinct.
Old campaign funds are still men
tioned. Even politics has red ink pages
in its ledgers.
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Safety Valve.
Though dangers threaten from afar.
In fancy or in fact,
The big considerations are
The ways that we react.
Though shocks surprising may abound.
We venture still to chaff.
Our Uncle Sam is safe and sound
So long as he can laugh.
Cutlery.
"Of course you don't believe the story
of George Washington and his hatchet."
"No," answered Senator Sorghum,
"but I like it. Great men today are
so busy looking for one another's scalps
that I prefer the hatchet to the toma
hawk."
Jud Tunkins says conventions would
work faster if delegates parading the
aisle* were provided with roller skates.
To the Tune of Radio.
My Radio! My Radio!
You take another chance.
■ A-marchlng round the aisles they go
Where once folks used to dance.
Neglected Husband.
"Does your wife ever find fault with
I you?"
! "Not now." answered Mr. Meekton.
"Since Henrietta went into politics, she
i has found any number of men with
j worse shortcomings to talk about than
I mine."
"Words are important," said Hi Ho,
j the sage of Chinatown. "To reach the
! people a man must be more than in
telligent. He must be intelligible."
Adjustment.
Finances in affairs of state
Display a mighty change.
A billion dollars, once so great.
Seems only Just small change.
"I never kin be sure," said Uncle
Eben. "whether a big p'lUical speech is
instruction or entertainment."
Apartment* Available at
Reasonable Rents
To the Editor of The Stsr:
Saturday's Star had three full pagei
of apartment ads, renting for $25 tip
to as much as you want to pay. If on<
cannot afford to pay $85 for an apart
ment, why not get one at $40 or leas?
There are numbers available.
The law of supply and demand it
Immutable and applies to house rent
as well as commodities.
JOHN T. MEANY.
THIS AND THAT
fll' CHARLES E. TRACE1TELL.
Templeton Jone* buttonholed us the
other dey on F utreet and wanted to
know :
Why doe* anybody went to march in
a parade?
Put hi* arm around a girl In public?
Oo to a theater on a hot night?
Join a lodge?
Or. If a woman, wear fur* in Sum
mer?
Or wear one of those funny hat*
with holes in tliem?
Daftly we evaded the first five ques- i
tlon». but thought we had the solution
to the sixth and last.
Women wear the so-called mesh hat*
on the back of their heads because
somebody started doing it!
It is the fashion, that is all.
You sec. Jones, the arbiters of fash
Ion have been busy pawing over the
ancient records showing dreas styles
down the centuries.
Not satisfied with reviving the Em
press Eugenic hat. which tilted absurdly
over one eye, and which made nine of j
ten women look somewhat silly, they j
have raked out an old Venetian lace
cap and set it on the heads of at least
half of the American women of 20
years old or less.
Mostly less.
As with so many of these ressurrected
styles taken more or less bodily from
foreign lands and past centuries, they
are modified, but, niai, far from encugh.
No doubt the fair Juliet, when she ]
stood on the balcony and listened to ]
Romeo's plea, wore one of the original
real mesh affairs.
No doubt It bccame her. too.
Thoee who remember Julia Marlowe
in the role know it did.
Take that cap, however, turn It out j
on a machine, and put It squarely on j
the back of a million feminine heads. \
without a single thought as Jto the in
dividual woman, and the result is far
from what one might have expected.
Those hat* are surely cool.
If placed as far back on the head as
possible, so as little of them shows in
front as possible, they are not bad look
ing—on some girls.
We actually saw an entire girl on
F street who looked rather stunning
in one of 'em.
She was the sort of creature, of
course, who would have looked well in
a gunny sack.
There are such people.
Most often they are the type dis
tinguished by two sheer beauty fea
tures we have never seen mentioned in
any cf the beauty articles.
They have that "just bathed" look.
And they have the knack of wear
ing clothes.
The first type is rather unusual.
Such people always look as if they
had just come out of a hot bath.
They ha\e a certain skin texture
which Just ordinary folks cannot boast
without resorting to some sort of ex
ternal stimulation. .
Such people, especially women, are
to be congratulated.
The second type, those who have
the knack of wearing clothes,, usually
will be found to be rather slender.
Hence it is no wonder that the
"reducing" vogue long ago hit the
world, especially the American world.
Men, too, profit from slendernees
when it comes to the wearing of
clothes.
The hang, the drape, perhaps the
main essential In style, works out as
well for the slender man as the slender
v.eman, although he must be content
with drape of less material.
Temp Jones happened to see a friend
In a neat, new seersucker suit.
This old favorite is "going over in
» big way" this Summer and this
friend of Jones' got one.
"I happened to be talking with a
portly friend," went on Jonee, "and I
said to him. 'Let'» get us one of those
Suite ' "You muet remember.' said he
to me, 'that neither one of ue has that
voung man's figure.' " Jones' figure Is
nothing to boast about. Just between us.
The fat man ought to receive an ex
tra vote of pity in hot weather, not be
cause he Is fat. but because his clothes
fit him so tightly.
It is the tightness that hurt*.
Especially around the waist!
No one who ha* not been burdened
( truly that) with a few inches of ex
ress fat larded over the abdomen can |
have any idea of the misery they cause.
One feels exactly as if he had a pil
low stuffed in between himself and his :
belt.
Something that doesn't exactly be- !
long to him.
Thin people—they would have been I
called "skinny" in the so-called Vic
torien age—never have the proper
amount of sympathy with fat folk.
"Oh, vou could get rid of that, If
you waited to."
What they don't know is that fat
over the stomach is the very last fatty
tissue to leave, no matter how stern a
reducing program one co-operates with
one's self in inflicting on the physical
being.
Surely such a program is a co-oper
ation with one's self! Let those who
have never tried it keep still, and say
nothing, for this is something they will
know nothing about until they try it.
The older one grows the more
amazed he becomes at the vast number
of people who are willing to talk loud
and long about matters concerning
which they really know nothing.
They think they do, that Is all.
Cflve us the man who knows what he
is talking about, really and truly, from
his own experience, and we will listen
until the cows come home, even If we
do not agree with him.
But these fine fellows who talk out
of theory, who insist on rushing in
where angels might fear to tread. Just
to hear the sounds of their own voices,
well, they make most of us rather tired,
do they not?
You can't theorize about excess fat—
you have to try to get rid of it before
you can talk about it honestly, and with
some real knowledge of the matter.
What the theorists never know, and
won't believe, is that you can wave your
arms and legs until you are blue in the
face, that you can do calisthenics, and
"bending exercises" and "setting up"
exercises, and lying down exercises, for
weeks on end, and in rows, without
once touching those extra-fat layers
which incumber the abdominal regions.
There they are and there they stay,
resisting all efforts to dlelodge them
Starvation works well, until evening,
when lack of food makes one have a
very hearty appetite for supper. The
old dinner gong wafta pleasantiy on the
fat ear.
The fat man's trouser* have no drape,
because the draping point is out of all '
proportion, and takes up material which
should be going into length.
Fortunate was Nero, and the rest of
the fat Romans, who wore clothes made
on a model far removed from this day
and age.
If Rome's obese fiddler wore a belt, it
doesn't show in the pictures.
And that belt!
It is the belt which takes the Joy out
oi the life of the fat man.
And all fat fellows insist on wearing ;
belts.
Why they do is another mystery.
The next time we see Templeton
Jones we are going to ask him about
that. ι
CHICAGO OBSERVATIONS
FY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE.
CHICAGO, 111.. June 29—Can *
phalanx of 600-odd delegates hold out
against a combination of 600-odd In a
convention of 1,100-odd and eventually,
turn a mere majority Into a two-thirds
majority? That is the simple problem
in political arithmetic now presented
by the situation on the Roosevelt battle
front in Chicago. The skirmishing
operations are over. They demonstrated
the Roosevelt forces to be in firm,
though not yet full, command of the
situation. On the issue which the
forces allied against the Governor chose
to make the acid test of their strength
—the election of Jouett Shouse as
permanent chairman—the Roosevelt
lines held fast. The alliée, up to within
an hour of the fateful roll call, were
confident they had Senator Walsh
beaten. But they succumbed. «26 to
528, almost 100 short of their goal.
Earlier in the day the anti-Roosevelt
ians had lost the Louisiana contest by
a majority of 124 and the Minnesota
contest by 165. The latter represented
Roosevelt ascendancy at its peak—
658'ι votes, 121:l 4 short of the two
thirds necessary to nomination.
* * ♦ *
Now in a national convention, like in
other matters, you can do almost any
thing you like with figures. Depending
on what you want to prove by them,
you can twist them into meaning any
thing you please. That is the favorite
indoor sport at Chicago today. On the
celebrated theory that the wish is
father to the thought. Roosevelt lead
ers end anti-Roosevelt leaders are gayly
and busily interpreting yesterday's three
test votes to denote what looks best for
their respective purposes. The Gover
I nor's generalissimo. Jim Parley, stands
ι pat on his original Chicago claim that
F D R. will have 691 delegates on the
: first ballot and (hat band-wagon ac
; cretions. before the resuit is announced,
will do the rest. Frank Hague, mayor
of Jersey City and captain general of
the Smith-allied group hostile to Roose
velt, retorts that 632 votes represent the
absolute high-water mark the Governor
will attain on any balloting. And there
you are. If one makes a reduction of
anywhere from 10 to 12 per cent in the
respective Roosevelt and anti-Roosevelt
claims, the probability is that something
approaching the actual present-hour
state of affairs would be arrived at. The
rest is utterly on the knees of the gods.
Not a man or woman in Chicago at
this hour can predict with certainty
! whet is going to happen from this
j time on.
Platform matters—by which is under
stood the exclusively prohibition mat
I tcrs, for nothing else arouses any in
I terest—have the right of way today.
That is to say, they take precedence
' on the convention program. In cold
actuality the dramatically acute and
; wholly incalcuable nomination fight is
the only thing the convention cares
about. The Roosevelttans and the au't
Roceeveltians are maneuvering fe\ * -
ishly for advantage. The favorite-sen
delegations, holding the balance of
power, are the objects of incessant at
tack. which takes various forms—
Intrigue, cajolery and bribery. The
Roosevelt strategy aims to lure enough
favorite-eon delegates away from their
present moorings to build the required
770 votes for a two-thirds majority.
The vice presidential nomination is the
bait which Manager Parley is mainly
dangling. In at least two favorite-con
quarters, so It is alleged, there were
no nibbles. Speaker Garner's repre
sentatives are said to have spurned
a trade with Roosevelt on the basis of
a second place for the Texan. The
Ohio delegation Is also reported to have
cold-shouldered a proposition which of
fered to make Gov. George White the
Roosevelt running mate. Second-place
bait Is bring wafted in the direction of
, Melvln Trailer of Illinois, too. but
Mayor Cermak thinks his fellow-Chi
cagoan Is still too promising a presi
dential dark horse nominee to war
rant bargaining with Roosevelt Just
now.
♦ * * *
Oov. Ritchie of Maryland unques
tionably commends most attention In
tlie 'al'i'laMcn- b-'f-i rn * dead
locked ' c.j p. ι - ·· am woin.lv
candidate. ' The Kite State * pulchrltu
dlnous idol evoked a significant demon
stration at one stage of Tuesday's pro
ceedings. He had been invited, along
with Gov. White, Jim Reed and other
party dignitaries, to occupy a place on
the platform. Ritchie preferred to re
main on the floor in the midst of the
Maryland delegation, which hoistsd him
to a standing position on his chair and
unloosed a storm of cheers which spread
through the convention like wildfire.
The racket rose to the dimensions of a !
stadium-wide din as the handsome |
Marylander, easily ' recognizable be-1
cause of his snow-topped crown, waved
aloft the State's standard.
* * * *
Ritchie, beyond the shadow of a
doubt, sits pretty if Roosevelt demon
strably cannot make the two-thirds
grade. In nearly every delegation
there is a leavening of Ritchie second -
choice strength. The Roosevelt rough i
riders themselves, once they find the
road to victory barred against them,
are extremely likely to turn to Gov.
Ritchie. The Smith contingent looks i
with equal favor in his direction. He
has made no enemies and nothing but
friends at Chicago. When the black -
and-gold banners of the Calverts are
unfolded in the convention, following
the placing of Ritchie's name in nomi
nation by Senator Tydings, a tumult is
certain. It will be a straw showing how
the wind may blow before the week is
over.
* * * *
It would be impossible to exaggerate
the depth of hostility rampant in the
Roosevelt camp against Newton D.
Baker. Whether the Ohioan deserves
it or not, he is plastered with the
power label, and the Rooseveltians are
hanging it on him with a vengeance.
They would almost prefer to help nom
inate Alfalfa Bill Murray than to se<»
the little giant of Cuyahoga walk off
with the bacon. This observer will not
be surprised to hear some perfervid
Roosevelt nominator or seconder para
phrase William Jennings Bryan in such
terms as these: "You shall not crucify
mankind on a cross of power. You
shall not press down upon the brow of
labor a crown of public utility thorns."
It will be Baker the spellbinder will be
shooting at.
* * * *
John W Davis was shoved into the
breach as the last hope of the Shouse
faction in its attempt to stem the tide (
that soon was to sweep Senator Walsh |
into the permanent chairmanship. The
Democrats' silver-tongued 1924 stand
ard-bearer pleaded for Shouse on the
simple ground of gratitude. "To elect
him." said Davis, "would be merely η
fitting reward for faithful service well
rendered." Shouse was on the platform
while his fate was being decided. He
took defeat in sporting fashion, keeping
his own tally sheet and realizing, as
the ballot tapered to a finish, that he
was licked. He probably will be inac
tive in the campaign if Roosevelt is
nominated.
* * » *
Senator Huey Long is held on nearly
all hands to be the buffoon and dema
gogue. His Louisiana fees so declare
him to be. but he emerges from his
first combat in the national arena an
undeniably effective politician. Red
headed and tousel-halred, the self
styled Kingfish handled himself adroitly
on the platform as he conducted his
own case for seating his hand-picked
delegation. You can hate Huey all ycu
please—and almost everybody does—but
he seems to have the goods.
* * * *
Two nationally-known Democrats ex
perienced the novel sensation of being
trapped in a Chicago speakeasy just as
a troop of Col. Woodcock's Pederal pad
lockers seized the joint. It took the
politicians three-quarters of an hour
to establish their identity and contrive
ι their liberation.
---
Long Throw·.
j Prom th« Altoona Mirror.
"How far is a stone's throw?** asks a
reader. Well, It you've ever rented one
1 r( those "stone's-throw-from-the-ocean"
< -atages you'd probably say about two
mile·.
One Job to a Family
Is Urged as a Slogan
To the Editor of The Star:
Let "One Government Job to One
Family" be the slogan of the Federal
Government.
Of courae there will be opposition
from those whom It hit*, not only hus
bands and wives, but also ether mem
bers of the same home who are drawing
several salaries from the public Treas
ury. Perhaps, too, certain organizations,
with more zeal than real knowledge, will
imagine discrimination against their
members and don their war paint.
But, honestly, how can a democratic
government justify allowing one family
to have two or more salaries from the
public Treasury and other Just as worthy
families to starve because of no work ,
at all? Effort is made to raise the
public funds in an equable manner.
Shouldn't they be spent in as equable
a way as possible, giving It back to the
greatest number of Americans, not a
few favored families?
The writer knows of one family, all
living together, the father of which is
a department chief, the two sons hold
ing high-salaried Government positions
and the daughter is a District of Co
lumbia public school teacher. Their
combined income from the Government
is over $20,000. This amount would
support 10 families.
Why should Congressmen getting
$10,000 for part of a year's work employ
as their clerks and secretaries members
of their own families?
Why should officials in the District
of Columbia public schools who get
above $4,000 permit their wives to draw ;
additional salaries?
Why should three sisters, living in I
one home, draw three different Federal
salaries?
To excuse this condition on the ground I
of "efficiency" and "the gcod of the
service'' is the weakest of arguments, be
cause three-quarters of the Government
work is of so routine a character that
12-year-old mentality could do It.
• Another meaningless, recently often
repeated, term is "outlawing marriage."
Wouldn't it be better to emphasize the
present disgraceful condition of "out
lawing children"? Find out how many
children the working wives under 40
years of age have produced and then
ask what is to be the future of the race.
And should the Federal and State
governments reorganize their personnel
In the interest of economy and unem
ployment on the basis of "one job to
one home," the following benefits would
ensue :
1. More employment of the jobless.
2. Young wives would have oppor
tunity for their first duty—the home
and children.
3. Public funds dispersed in a more
equable manner.
4. The Government setting an ex
ample of a more democratic procedure.
MARVIN E. WILLIAMS.
Erskine Called Unfair
In His Bonus Article
To ι hf Editor of The Star:
It is unfair articles, such as the one
published in The Sunday Star by John
Erskine, that keep the so-cal'ed bonus
question an active one. Mr. Erskine
should have started off honestly by
t η titling his article "The Bonus
Should Not Be Paid Now."
There is one way in which the sin
cerity of Erskine and his followers ;
may be tested. Just draw up a petl- i
tion reading as follows:
"To η-embers of Congress and the
Senate:
"We, the undersigned, believe that
during war time it is the patriotic
duty of all citizens to serve in what
ever ccpacity they are placcd by cir
cumstances. We feel that $30 per
mcnih Is a sufficient payment for these
tervices. both military and civilian.
We therefore petition Congress to
rriuso to paca any bonus bill adding to
tli-j compensation of veterans of the
late war, and further petition Congress
to pass legislation which will collect
refunds from us and from all citl
rens of all sums which we received in
salaries, dividends, etc., during the late
war In excess of $30 per month."
If a person will agree to the passing
of the above suggested legislation, then
he is honestly against the bonus. If
not. he is just another fellow looking
at it in his own selfish way or. perhaps,
the way he Is paid to look at it.
This letter is not meant as an argu
ment either for or against the payment
of the bonus. It is merely an expres
sion of opinion to the effect that if it
were not for Gen. Harbord's "tin cup"
speech and articles such as the one
referred to there would be no agitation
in favor of the bonus. If, on the other
hand. Gen. Harbord, Erskine and oth
hutrble opinion that they will so
ers insist in the unfair tactics, it Is my
solidify the veterans as to make the
passage of a bonus bill a mere skirmish
in the next Congress.
JOHN ARTHUR SHAW.
Cheap Amusement Tax
Would Help, Not Hurt
To the Editor of Tilt Star:
When Congress needs a friend so ;
sorely, it seems a pity no one has ad- I
vised the one painless method of rais- j
ing a considerable revenue from a j
source at. present exempt.
A tax on bank checks is hard on
business, big business or little business;
discourages thrift and the free use of
banking facilities, with the Inevitable
result for small means to dodge Into
hoaiding for settling debts by cash pay
ments instead of the more convenient
and intelligent checking system. But
In taxing amusements why the low
priced variety is exempt Is not easy
for a poor man to appreciate. Since
I can afford only a 15-cent show, I
should feel rather elated to blow in
5 cents more to help Uncle Sam get,
out of the fix he is in. It appeals to
my patriotism. Who would grumble at
a nickel for such a cause? Make it
Nation-wide. Exempt none. Don't
have the 50-cent theaters ducking to
35 cents to escape the 40-cent dead- j
line. Treat all alike. A uniform 5-cent :
tax on all sorts, sizes and conditions of ι
amusement tickets—movies, talkies or
what have you—from the happy-go-1
lucky bemused crowds throughout the
country may brinB just the nickel Uncle
Sam is looking fcr to tip the scales on .
the right side of his budget.
ANNA J. COOPER.
Star's Editorial on
U. S. Employes Praised
To the Editor of Tli« Star:
Your editorial in The Saturday Star
is a classic on the subject of Federal
employes. ι
It is unbecoming of grave and de- '
liberate bodies to act hastily and rath-1
ly in matters affecting the livelihood
and destiny of employes. The pro
posed economy bill is a menace to in- '
dividuals and to families.
The married woman's provision is
absolutely beside the aim of economy
and it would not save 1 cent for the
Government. The jobs that women
hold, for the most part, are not jobs
that men would hold. Plans have been
made and lives have been adjusted ι
under the present practices, and it
would be demoralizing and disastrous
to many happy and unified families
to have to give up their homes and
their standards. Marriage is not a st*p
that merits discrimination. The pro
posal. on (he whole, will save nothing
and it will simply add a little more
misery to a panic-stricken people. The
provision should be stricken out.
The enforced retirement provision Is
equally wrong. Why should a penalty
be placed upon age? We all grow old
involuntarily and the handicape of age
deserve no positive acts to make them
more keen. It is unthinkable that the
Government would insist on saving a
few dollars at the expense of old
servante.
Neither lack of time nor expediency
should prevail over plain justice. No
bill should be pasaad with these out
of-date and unfair provision*. They
are out of place la a Government bill
and no emergency will excuse them.
The Star Is to be congratu'ated on
Its honest and intelligent stand.
JOHN AXTON.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS *
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIX.
This great service is maintained by ι
The Evening Star I or the benefit of its
readers, who may use It every day with
out cost to themselves. All they have
to do ii to ask for any information de
sired and they will receive prompt ans
wers by mall. Questions must be clearly
written and stated as briefly as poasible.
Inclose 3-cent stamp for return post
age and address The Evening Star In
formation' Bureau, Frederic J. Haskin,
Director, Washington. D. C.
Q. How much does it cost the vari
ous countries to send their representa
tives to compete in the Olympic Games?
—E. J.
A. Approximately $1 000.000 will be
expended by the United States and the
49 other countries to send their athletes
to Los Angeles and to house and feed
them during their stay In the Olympic
city.
Q. What sort of an insurance com
pany is Lloyds, the famous British In
stitution··—S. W
A. Lloyds is not an insurance com- '
pany at all. It is an insurance ex
change. It is the meeting place of in
surance brokers and is comparable in a
general way to a stock exchange. When
it is stated that Insurance is taken out
at Lloyds the statement means that
insurance has been placed with one or
more brokers or companies dealing at
Lloyds.
Q. At what age do hens begin to lay
eggs?—Ε. H. T.
A. While there are records of pul
lets which laid e?gs earlier, the time
when they should begin to lay is be
tween the ages of 5 and 6 months.
Q. Has an estimate been made of the
expense of supplying daily newspapers
with the news of the Republican Con
vention In Chicago?—W.
A. In a special story to Editor and ,
Publisher. Marlen Pew states that the j
press spent about $200.000 a day in
covering the G. O. P. Convention. He
said there were 726 reporters present. I
and that they constituted 38 pv cent of
the floor assembly. A number of inno- ;
vations were Introduced to keep pace
with the high-pressure demands of the
times. The Mayor of Chicago put twoj
ambulances at the disposal of the news
paper photographers, and these were j
used to rush the photograph plates from ;
the Convention Hall to the airports, !
where speedy planes were waiting to
carry them to various cities. The best
time seems to have been made by one
plane, which went from Chicago to New
York in 4 hours and 16 minutes, allow
ing the afternoon papers of Manhattan
to print photographs of the. convention
taken in Chicago the same morning.
Q. If a person leaves more money
than he disposes of in his will, what !
becomes of the remainder?—O. W.
A The residue remaining after all
of the provisions in a will have been !
compiled with is divided according to i
the laws ol descent of the State.
Q. How long has It been since Inde
pendence Hall was opened to the pub
lic as a museum? what sort of collec
tion does It have?—H. I.
A. Independence Hall was formally
thrown open as a public historical mu
seum July 4. 1876. The collection eon- I
stsU of furniture, manuscript·, musical
instruments, water colors, missiles,
mips, coins, currency, weapons, metals,
prints, wearing apparel, utensils id*
books.
Q. Was Judah P. Benjamin, Secre
tary of State of the (Confederacy, a Sen
ator before or after the Civil War?—
Ν. T.
A. He was a Senator from Louisiana
when the war began and withdrew to
Join the Confederate cause. After
war he left the country, established
himself in England, and was called
within the bar as a queen's counsel in
1872. He moved to Parts In 1883 and
died there in 1884.
Q How msny State banks and na
tional banks closed last year?—Ε δ
A. The total number of State bank
suspensions in 1931 was 1,256: national
bmts, 229. During the same year there
were 21 national banks and 258 Stat*
banks that reopened.
p. What Is the favorite character in
"Alice in Wonderland" of the original
Alice?—A. H.
A. Mrs. Harfreaves stated on her re·
cent visit that she always had a spe
cial fondness for the Cheshire Cat. On
selling, the Cunard Co. had a special
flag mide for her with the smiling cat
on a background of white.
Q. Where was the first brick build
ing constructed weet of Pittsburgh?—
W. H.
A. At Kaskaskia. 111. It housed the
first Legislature of Illinois Territory.
Q. Who was Nlcarsuga Walker?—
J w
A. William Walker was a San Fran
cisco newspaper man who. In 1855. took
advantage of an insurrection in Nica
ragua. He put Rivas, a native. In the
presidency, retaining command of the
army himself. Rivas absconded and
Walker succeeded. Known as a South
ern sympathizer. Walker was joined by
adventurous Southerners from the
United States. He repealed all anti
slavery laws. A native insurrection
overthrew him. He had expected sup
port from the United States, but did
not obtain it. He was captured and
turned over to the American naval
forces and returned to the United
States. He continued his plotting and
finally, while operating In Hondurai,
was shot. He is known to history as
Nicaragua Walker.
Q. How should a thermos bottle be
cleaned?—H. T. R.
A. Crush an egg shell in small pieces,
place them In the bottle and then add
warm water and washing soda. Shake
well, then rinse with clear hot water.
Q For what purpose was Lamenta
tions written?—S. N.
A. It was a book composed for pro
fessional mourners to use in leading the
walling of the faithful over the fall of
Jerusalem.
Q. Why is the month of May con
sidered unlucky for marriagea?—Ε. B.
A. Thif superstition is a survival of
Roman custom which made the month
of May the occasion of the Lemurla,
the festival of the unhannv dear!
Borah Rated as Lone Figure
In His Prohibition Protest
The country la agreed that Senator
Borah, while Influential as a cam
paigner. appears to be a lone figure
In threatening to refuse support of the
prohibition plank in the Republican
platform. No expectation that he will
support the Democrats is voiced and
there is speculation as to whether he
«ill keep out of the campaign or bat
tle only for dry candidate» for Con
gress. Some believe a return to the
party might be dependent on the stand
taken by President Hoover.
Refusing to consider the issue as
important, the Detroit News (inde
pendent) remarks that "an anomaly
of our times is found in the great
number of our politicians, posing as
political leaders, who apparently ar·
wholly unaware that the American
people would rather eat than drink."
The News believes that "the political
party which will restore thla country
to a state of prosperity, so that none
need be hungry, can do anything it
,j»1"1 the liquor question and
still hold the approval of the country "
The Rochester Times-Union (inde
pendent) comments: "The Senator
incicated that he would not support a
third ticket, and no one imagines that
ne will support a Democrat. Time will
rhew whether he will sulk, like Achillea
m hlg tent, for the duration of the
campaign, or finally come forth to
battle." The Hartford Daily Times
'independent Democratic) thinks it
possible that his statement "is in
tended to be construed as a notice to
Mr. Hoover of the termi on which Mr
Borah's support is to be had."
"No one can be surprised." thinks
the Youngstown Vindicator (indeoend
ent Democratic), "at anything Borah
may do. He is famous as the 'lone wolf
and the 'solitary horseman.' He goes
his own way without consulting others
and without considering the political
effect of his actions upon his partv "
The Columbus Ohio State Joumil (in
dependent Republican) declare» that
his is the lone voice erying in the
wilderness, and if he gets any consola
tion out of this, who is there to criti
cize?" The Providence Journal (Inde
pendent) remarks that "it might falrlv
xi.Sw? îhat he glves every evidence of
delight in pursuing a solitary trail "
The Roanoke World-News (indepenediit
Democratic) atteste: "Those who keep
a close eye on such matters do not be
prf?s h!s objections
to the point that would endanger his
Republican standing."
* * * *
Believing that the Senator "reduced
to smithereens the pretensions made in
behalf of the Republican plank that it
proposes an amendment which would
protect dry States," the Jersey City
Journal (independent Republican) yet
holos that 'it is quite evident that
Democrats are not going to be able to
take votes away from Republicans «ο far
as the wet issue Is concerned in this
campaign. The Pr>rt Worth Star
relegram (independent Democratic)
h?m«Uif6V f The Beruitor didn't paint
himself into a cerner while he wac
giving the platform a going over. He
has an exit of his own preparation. If
the President glosses over the situation
properly in his speech of acceptance
the Senator reserves the right to shed
his recalcitrancy. His normal record is
three and one-half years of adminis
tration antagonism and six months of
wheei-horae stuff during the campaign."
The Charleston (W Va.) Daily Mall !
(independent Republican), arguing that
' he doesn't belong properly to the
party," adds that "he will get plenty of
publicity out of the bolt,' end this may.
after all. be the chief thing he desires "
The Oklahoma City Oklahoman (inde
pendent) advises that "the mo»t that
can be said of his vehement decoration I
of personal Independence is that he
actually believed what he said when he !
was saying It." That piper, however !
contends that "not since the Wicker
sham Committee indorsed the rerwai
individually, and retention collectively
£i.,ny^. * *** as the Re
publican liquor plank been presented to
the country." I
* * * *
"The man who has usually limited1
his insurgency to the period between
campaign* now makes good hi*
that the collar of regularity la not for
a neck aa proud as his," says the
Τ1»" 'Democratic), while
the Salt Lake Dee ret News (independ
r,»L "Many dry, whoheve
b?f.eved !n Senator Borah1· sincerity
ι A-ί Uitl the Republican formula;
ι» not worth fighting for. it seems to ι
be now Senator Borah's duty to propos·
something better." The situation cre
ated by the Senator and by protesting
wets in the party inspires the state
ment by the Boise Idaho Statesman
(Republican): "The Republican party
seems to be between two hot fires. The
wets are mad as biases because the anti
firohibition plank is not wet enough and
he drys are mad aa blues because the
plank ia too wet."
"There is an element of humor."
states the Cincinnati Times-Star (Re
publican), "in the fact that Nicholas
Murray Butler and Senator Borah, who
haven't another thing In common, are
\ ociferously united in their opposition
to the dry plank. With extremists on
the liquor question feeling as strongly
as they do, moderates who want sane
progress out of the prohibition mew
will probably find themselves looking
with more and more friendly eyes on
the Republican declaration/' Taking
into account the wet stand of Senator
Bingham, the Chicago Daily News (in
dependent) concludes that "the Indi
cations are that the revisionist policy
of the party will be strengthened ma
terially by the neutralising onslaughts
of the doughty rival leaders of the
extreme wets and the extreme drys."
Recognizing these two extremes, the
Nashville Banner (independent) feels
that "there are still others who insist
the plank oilers the American people
a fair chance to express themselves."
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazett: (inde
pendent) concludes that "diametrically
opposite views of the same thing are
just another reminder that when party
leaders, for mere purposes of ex
pediency, undertake to please every
body they please none."
* * * *
"Republican votes are good on elec
tion day," warns the Milwaukee Senti
nel (Independent), "and Mr. Borah's
madness isn't the kind that makes him
forget that. Hell be back and he'll
be glad to be back. And for that mat
ter, the Republicans will be glad, too.
Gcod old BUI! Allow a little for his
peculiarities and you'll find him a
splendid vote-getting fellow, wet or
dry." The belief that he will return
to the party is expressed by the In
dianapolis News (independent Repub
lican), while the importance of his
action is minimized by the Chicago
Tribune (independent Republican», and
the Sioux Palls Argus-Leader (inde
pendent Republican), while the Min
neapolis Journal (independent Repub
lican) call his position "mostly pose,"
the Spokane Spokesman-Review (Re
publican! refers to it as "petulance,"
and the New York Sun (independent)
dismisses the matter with the state
ment that "the Senator from Idaho in
vented dissent." The Des Moines Trib
une (independent Republican) states:
There is a sort of 'heads-I-win,
tails-you-Joee' atmosphere around that
Borahesque performance. Aesop once
fixed up a fable covering such situa
tions." The Buffalo Evening News
(independent Republican* avers: "The
plank is a return to the fundamental
American principles of rule by the
will of the peop.e. If Borah does not
lit* that, the party is better off with
out him." The Ann Arbor Daily News
(Independent) holds that he ' bslongs
our of the party" and the Harrisburg
Telegraph (independent Republican)
is convinced that he "is as unreasona
ble In his dry pretensions as are those
ardent wets who demand repeal and
cnaos rather than opportunity for
change through the orderly processes
of law." The Topeka Daily Capital
(independent Republican ι thinks that
"however many admire him for some
of his qualities, they can hardly be led
by a leader who has nowhere to go,
no destination and no terminal facul
ties."
That Senator Borah's stand Is a loss
to his part" is the opinion of the
Duluth Heiald (independent Repub
lican), the Morgan town Dominion
News (independent Democratic) and
the Charleston (S. C.) Evening Post
(Democratic). Announcing that It will
"put its cheers into cold storage," the
Omaha World-Herald < independent
Democratic) adds: "We know he U
right, and know he knows he is right.
Sut will he know It in October as he
does In June?" The Akron Beacon- ,
Journal (Independent Republican) ap
plauds "the logic of his attack on po
litical cowardice." aad the Baltimore
Sun (independent Democratic) up
holds his "honest analysis " The New
Orleans Times-Picayune (independent
Democratic) believe, that "he telMM
utterance to a widely held opinion
The Columbia <»■ C.) State (demo
cratic» sees "a real monkey wrench In
the vitals <Λ the machine."