Evening star. [volume], February 25, 1936, Page A-8, Image 8

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
THE EVENING STAR (
With Sunday Morning Edition.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
TUESDAY.February 25, 19S8
THEODORE W. NOYES.Editor
The Evening Star Newspaper Company.
Buslnese Office:
11th St '*nd Pennarlvanla Av#
New York Office: 110 Eaat 42nd Bt
. Chicago Office Lake Michigan Building.
Turopean Office: 1« Recent St. London England.
Rate by Carrier Within 'he City.
Begalar Edition.
The Evening Star._,_.--_._45e oer month
lte Evening and Sunday Star _
(When 4 8undara)_.__60c oer month
The Evening and Sundar 8tar ..
(whan A Sunders) .———_65c oer month
The Sunday Star____-..-6c oar copy
Night Pint! Edition.
Night Pinal and Sunday Star... 20c nar month
Night Final Star,___—.66e par month
Collection made at the end of each month.
Orders mar b* tent br mall or telephone Na
tional 6000 _ (
Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance.
Marrland and Virginia.
Dtlly and Sunday...) rr., SIQ.OQt 1 mo. *5e
Dally onlr_1 rr. M.wj: 1 mo.. 6oc
Sunaar onlr._1 rr.. *4 00: 1 mo. 40c
All Other States and Canada.
Oallr and Sundar..! rr.. *12 00: i mo. *1.00
Dally onlr_...) rr. *g (lo: j mo., JS®
Sunday onlr.—.—! rr.. #5 00: 1 mo., 60c
Member of the Associated Preae.
The Associated Presi u gseiuatvely entitled to
the use for republlcatlon of ell news dispatches
credited to It or not otherwise credited In this
paper end also the local news published herein
All rights of Duplication of special dispatches
herein ere also reserved.
Little Red Riding Hood.
Once upon a time a group of well
intentioned gentlemen put their sage
heads together and sent a Little Red
Rider with a basket full of goodies for
Old Granny, who lived all alone in a
tumble-down cottage in the middle of
the deep, dark woods.
The idea was that Old Granny, living
as she did in the middle of the deep,
dark woods, was urgently in need of
protection from the big, bad wolf, known
to some of them as “communism,” and
that Little Red Rider, with her basket
of goodies, would supply the protection
and chase the wolf away and everybody
would live happily ever afterward.
Well, it seemed that the minute Little
Red Rider started on her way, tripping
merrily along through the deep, dark
woods and picking nosegays as she trip
ped. another group of well-intentioned
men and women got their sage heads
together and urged that she be recalled.
Their argument has been that Little
Red Rider is a relatively small and weak
little thing in the first place and could
not help Granny much under any con
ditions, if Granny really needed that
sort of help. In the second place, they
argue that Granny is not as helpless as
she might seem. She is attended, for
Instance, by about 90,000 children, all
of whom have parents decidedly Inter
ested in what she is doing and how she
is getting along. Being in constant
communication with their children, it is
argued that these parents would grab
the nearest shotgun and proceed to a
united assault upon the big, bad wolf
the minute he poked his head in
Granny's doorway. And Granny her
self, it is to be remembered, lives not
alone—as the well-intentioned gentle
am cenf T.iftlo Rpri R.iripr t.hrnuoh
the woods seemed to believe—but is
guarded and protected by a corps of
teachers who have sworn to uphold
Granny with the Constitution of the
United States. In addition, a Board of
Education sits by her bedside night and
day. constantly on the lookout for big,
bad wolves of every description.
But what they seem to fear most is
that en route to Granny’s house, just
as she is stooping over to sniff a violet
or pick a dandelion, a big, bad wolf
of another color will sneak up and grab
Little Red Rider from behind, gobble
her up in one swallow, quickly change
from sheep's clothing to the cute frock
w orn by Little Red Rider and skip gayly
up to the tumble-down cottage of
Granny and knock softly at the door.
“Who is that?’’ Granny will ask.
“Little Red Rider,” will come the
reply in a deep voice.
“What makes your mouth so big?”
Granny will ask.
“The better to eat you with,” growls
Little Red Rider, proceeding to gobble
up Granny, the children, the teachers
and the Board of Education. There
upon it will be found, after an autopsy
(for indigestion will surely be fatal),
that there is more than one kind of big,
t*id wolf—and this one happened to be
known as legislative tinkering with edu
cation, sometimes known as political tin
kering frdth education, a wild and woolly
beast that has gobbled up more than
one school system and Board of Educa
tion in his time and should be shot on
eight.
Com and potatoes are prominently
discussed. Suggestions of a reversion to
greenback finance may cause “spinach”
to be mentioned as worthy of con
sideration.
The Japanese Elections.
Elements representing “liberalism” in
Japanese politics triumphed in the
recent quadrennial elections for the
lower house of the Imperial Parliament.
The Minseito party, with which Premier
Okada Identified himself, substantially
Increased its strength, so a continuance
In office of his “national government” is
assured. Seiyukai, the conservative
party, lost heavily, but retains a suffi
cient number of seats to remain a vig
orous opposition.
Although Premier Okada is a former
admiral, his ministry has rated on the
whole as a moderate influence in Japan’s
foreign relations. In face of the aggres
sive tactics of the militarist-imperialist
clique, the Okada cabinet, to the extent
of its restricted ability, has espoused
peace, conciliation and international co
operation. The Mihseito group especially
sought to oppose excessive appropria
tions looking to a naval building compe
tition with the United States. Ever since
the Manchurian adventure began live
years ago, successive Tokio governments
have been swept along by waves of
patriotic emotion into acquiescing in the
army’s aggressive program on the main
land of Asia, though now and then they
made a pretense of restraining the
maneuvers engineered by the Arakis and
the Dotharas. In recent times the Okada
cabinet sought to concentrate on domes
tic issues looking to economic recovery,
ri
a 1
and the Minseito party went to the
country mainly on that platform. The
Seiyukai also advocated certain internal
reforms, but supported the Manchurian
and Mongolian programs.
Political alignments being what they
are, the election results on their face
hint at something like a popular revolt
against military and reactionary pre*
dominance. Premier Okada and his col
leagues had refused to sanction the seiz
ure of the five northern Chinese prov
inces. The voters would appear to have
approved that attitude. Informed foreign
observers at Tokio warn nevertheless
against the temptation to conclude that
Japanese liberalism is now ascendant
and that the sun of the militarists has
set. The Okada government recently
authorized the uncompromising demand
at London for Japanese naval equality
with Great Britain and the United
States. That circumstance alone sug
gests that the influences which favor
steady expansion of Japanese power are.
by no means extinct.
Current developments on the Mon
golian-Manchukuoan border clearly
establish that despite the swing of the
political pendulum, the island empire’s
ambitions in the Far East are far from
suppressed. No matter what label may
be worn by the party temporarily in
power, Japan's longings for mastery of
Asia are a factor with which the western
world is likely to have to reckon for the
immeasurable future.
More Insubordination.
Maj. Gen. Johnson Hagood spoke his
mind about W. P. A. expenditures before
the House Appropriations Committee.
What he said was not complimentary.
He complained rather bitterly that Uncle
Sam did not put his money into perma
nent improvements, including Army
housing. W. P. A. money he called ‘‘stage
money.” ‘‘You can t get anything out of
it in the end,” he said by way of explana
tion. And now Gen. Hagood has been
relieved of his command of the 8th
Corps Area, with headquarters at San
Antonio, and ordered home. No one has
yet admitted that Gen. Hagood is suf
fering a reprimand for what he told the
House Appropriations Committee—for
lese majeste. At the time his testimony
was published there were cries of “in
subordination” from several members of
Congress.
, Just about the time the order to Gen.
Hagood was going forth, the Senate was
adopting a resolution that in certain
quarters might also have been termed
“insubordination* It was a resolution
offered by Senator Byrd of Virginia. It
calls for an investigation of Government
expenditures. Further, it proposes to
learn why something is not done to pre
vent overlapping of expenditures in the
Government, and why there has been no
consolidation of Government agencies.
Senator Byrd, a Democrat, has been a
more severe critic of expenditures by the
present administration than Gen.
Hagood. It is not yet possible, however,
for the head of the executive branch of
the Government to order the Virginia
Senator back home.
Gen. Hagood is an officer of the Army
of w-hich the President is commander in
chief. It is not for a soldier ‘‘to reason
why.” It was on the cards that his out
spoken comments on the administration
policies of spending money would be
resented. It may be that he will suffer
iurmer ior mem.
The Senate committee which has been
allotted $20,000 to investigate Government
spending has a considerable job on its
hands. Probably the author of the reso
lution has ideas that conform somewhat
to those of Gen. Hagood. It is well
understood that the Virginia Senator
proposes to look into the use of Govern
ment funds for P. W. A., W. P. A. and
other projects. Even though Senators
who believe in going along with the
administration, whatever it may do, may
not have been in sympathy with the
resolution, they did not raise their voices
in opposition. The resolution was per
mitted to go through without a dissent
ing vote.
It is Senator Byrd’s contention that
the President has been given complete
authority by Congress to go into the
matter of preventing overlapping of ex
penditures and of consolidating and
lessening the number of Government
agencies. Bu^what has happened during
the past three years? Instead of fewer
Government agencies, they have been
multiplied. Who remembers the days
when the Hoover commissions were the
target of Democratic invective? The de
mand that the commissions be abolished
and Government agencies reduced was
an almost daily occurrence then.
The customary thing, after the Senate
has adopted a resolution calling for an
Investigation, is to name the Senator pro
posing the resolution chairman of the
investigating committee. Senator Byrd,
therefore, is in line for the chairmanship
of the new committee of inquiry. If he
be appointed chairman, a thorough in
vestigation of what the Government has
been doing with its money will doubt
less be in order. It would be a salutary
thing.
President Roosevelt has received
among other honors that fall thick upon
him a membership in the “Fly Club”
of Harvard. What a Fly Club is* few
precisely understand. It is new evi
dence that Harvard is modemly pre
pared to teach much not limited to the
requirements of horse and buggy days.
Hospitality Gone Astray?
Thousands of boys in their teens are
smitten by the urge to wander, and
thousands of them run away from home
every year. But the story of Robert L.
Cohen, Western High School boy, aiho
left home last May and was located only
this month, in South Dakota, produces
a new chapter in such sagas. Young
Cohen tells how well he was treated at
the various transient camps, established
by a beneficent Federal Government in
its efforts to deal with the tragic problem
of lost youth. The remarkable fact about
his experience in these camps is the
apparent lack of any co-ordination be
tween the transient camp authorities
and the police investing lost boys and
{/
*
seeking to persuade them to go back
home.
Theoretically, at least, all the police
in the country were hunting for the
Cohen boy. His picture and his descrip
tion were broadcast from Washington
shortly after he left. But while the
police were making their search the
transient camps turned out to be the
best of possible “hideaways.” In the
camps no questions were asked, no efforts
made to check up on the Identity of boys
or to find out why they left home.
The transient camps were established,
of course, in the highest of motives.
From young Cohen’s description of his
treatment, they have succeeded admi
rably in giving temporary aid to home
less wanderers. But the camps are not
making the best of their opportunities
if they do nothing to turn the boys away
from a hobo’s life or use their best efforts
either to persuade them to go back home
or to notify frantic parents where they
are. As young Cohen suggests, the camps
encourage boys to stay away from home.
They make the hobo’s life easier. And,
while they may perform the humane
function of supplying food and shelter
and even money to the wanderers, it is
a debatable question whether their
efforts are really sociably desirable in
the end.
It is useless to disparage the “wise
crack” as a means of molding public
opinion. Even the personage who
assumes supercilious disdain cannot be
£ept out of the competition to determine
who can produce the best one. The
Nobel Prize plans might have produced
more enduring results by establishing a
series of rewards for the year's greatest
wise cracK.
Shrewd politicians figure on the possi
bility of a United States Supreme Court
appointed under a single domination.
The court is blamed for dissenting
opinions. Yet there are forebodings con
cerning any arrangements which would
make its announcements systematically
unanimous.
Debunkists who have shown how easy
it was for George Washington to throw
a dollar over a river may now call on
Walter Johnson to show that with the
assistance of a base ball manual it would
be easy to write a United States Con
stitution.
-—. .<w --•
It is reported that Dr. Hanfstaengl of
the Nazi Press Bureau compares Adolph
Hitler to George Washington. Nobody
ever heard of Hitler’s tossing away 6ilver
money or any other kind for the fun
of it.
While in Topeka, Postmaster General
Farley did not fail to intimate that good
Democratic hay is just as nourishing to
an elephant as to a donkey. Kansas
has figured in history as a State with
a variety of political appetites.
A good statesman may feel that he
has enough to do in supervising the
United States Constitution without
being compelled to memorize such docu
mentary details as traffic regulations.
The radio orator is given an unfair
advantage. The marvelous invention
will not be complete until the vast
audience is given a few seconds to “boo"
or heckle after each expression of per
sonal opinion.
Shooting Stars.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
A Campaign Query.
The candidates come trooping
And nearly every one
Is mentioning George Washington
Or Thomas Jefferson.
Ben Franklin is a model
And Jackson is admired.
Resemblances which oft are claimed
Are much to be admired.
One man of cherished glory
Most moves them to enthuse.
While throwing hats into the ring,
They reach for Lincoln’s shoes.
Historic imitations
Are splendidly displayed—
Shall we elect a President
Or hold a masquerade?
Unreliable Ammunition.
“You have the reputation of being
quick at repartee.”
“I hope I can lose it,” answered Sen
ator Sorghum. “Smart answers don't
decide serious arguments. A wise
cracker is no more good in a real fight
than a firecracker.”
Says Hezekiafa.
“Folks waste their time in callin’ names,”
Said Hezekiah Bings.
“It irritates and never tames
The mood for reckless things.
“The word that is in anger spoke
Occasions much distress.
It’s worse than any foolish joke,
An’ much more meaningless.
“Better than one whose temper flames
Is he who smiles and sings.
I don’t believe in callin’ names,’*
Said Hezekiah Bings.
Jud Tunkins says he wonders how
much of a college education you’re
supposed to get by reading the jokes
in a college magazine.
Seeking Both Benefits.
“Contentment is better than riches,**
said the readymade philosopher.
"True,” replied Mr. Dustin 8tax; "but
my observation is that a man who is rich
has a better chance of becoming content
than a man who is contented has of be
coming rich.”
_ Neglected Leap Year.
Two months of leap year have gone by.
In sympathy we’ve met
Some men who pause, to breathe a sigh
Because they’re single yet.
"A man dat’s too smart,” said Uncle
Eben, "ain* gineter git along so very
good. It’s too easy foh him to think
up mean things to say. offhand.”
4
v ;
Courtesy and Helpfulness
Accorded Strangers in Cuba
To tht Editor of th« Star:
There have been so many conflicting
tales and erroneous statements about
the unsettled conditions existing in Cuba
that I think it would be of interest to
describe the true status of affairs as I
found them. Everybody knows that Cuba
is replete with a militaristic system, but
it is just this element of militarism
which Insures the safety of natives and
foreigners alike. I have traveled ex
tensively, but in no country have I
observed the efficiency and courtesy
which seem to be the Inherent qualities
of every policeman and soldier through
out the island.
Just before my return home I had
occasion to make use of this efficiency.
Certain valuable papers were stolen from
me which, if they were not recovered,
would have necessitated my staying in
Cuba. Mr. Antonio Sanchez Ferrer, com
mander of the National Police, together
with a sergeant named Jose M. Valdes
Machado, in conjunction with others who
freely offered their services, made it pos
sible for me to obtain a document which
would allow me to take certain of my
possessions from the island.
It happened that the day I left was
a national holiday, with a result that it
was particularly difficult to obtain legal
documents of any type. Despite this
fact, these men gave freely of their time
and efforts and, as a consequence, ob
tained the necessary papers for me. The
amusing, or rather I should say, dis
gusting point about the whole affair was
that the American consul was celebrating
the Cuban * holiday and could not be
located, but the natives, holiday or no
holiday, were sincerely glad to be of
assistance. I have always heard that
if one is in trouble in any foreign coun
try, he should go to the British consul.
This statement has certainly been proved
in my case, only I should like to aug
ment it by saying that one should try
the Cuban consul, too!
I have mentioned the names of the
policemen involved in this matter be
cause I am sincerely appreciative of their
efforts in my behalf and I hope that the
proper authorities will give them the
recompense which they justly deserve.
It is due to these men, their superiors
and their associates that the streets of
any Cuban city or town are just as safe
(or more so) as any American city.
MARTIN F. RHEINHARDT, JR.
Baltimore, Md.
Plea for an Invention to
Record Listener’s Opinion
To the Editor of The Star:
The writer, in common with many
other residents of the community,
passes his leisure time in reading The
Evening Star and in listening to the
radio, and from both derives much In
formation and entertainment.
A few days ago. however, I hastily
turned off the radio in order that we
might be delivered from a program,
usually attractive, but which on this
day was a disappointment. The reason
for silencing the instrument of torture
was that the performance resembled a
hog-calling contest in which the whole
population of a community, presumably
near Chicago, competed simultaneously,
and for all I know may be still con
testing, though I hope not.
As may be conjectured, I was mad
when I commenced to write this, but
my feelings soften considerably when I
recall an experience which was related
of a young fellow traveling in the hill
country around Uvalde.
Being responsive to amusement, he
was attracted into a dance hall from
which emanated sounds of turbulent
voices mingled with a semblance of
music. The occupants I need not de
scribe, nor the hall, except to say that
at the end of it was a platform some 7
feet high, and on it was stationed a
pianist and a fiddler. Above the plat
form, for all to read, was painted in
large letters:
“Don't shoot the musicians, they are
doing the best they know.”
Seriously, if inventors could give us a
contrivance which, by throwing a switch,
would knock down the heinous offender,
and then inform him why he was
stricken, don't you think we would
have fewer and better radio perform
ances? A. T. PARKER.
Adequate Funds Urged
To Meet Health Needs
To the Editor of The St»r:
Health is wealth not only to those who
can go to the different climates during
the year, but also to those who are not
in a financial position to do so. Some
times we do not weigh and measure the
reasons that cause more sickness In
different cities, towns and rural sections
of our country.
When you are undernourished from
lack of the right*kind of food, take a
child, for example, can she play like
other children? No, she cannot. When
you live in a city, with its closely con
gested areas, where the largest percent
age live in apartments, houses that only
have a front and a- rear exposure, you
cannot get the proper light and sunshine
unless you go outside—the average per
son needs plenty of fresh air. On the
other hand, the person who lives in the
suburbs and outside of the dense popu
lation has a better chance to fight off
disease. In other words, it is a proven
fact that those who live on a farm in
this country are the healthiest people.
What the writer wants to bring out to
those most interested is that if any one
is against helping those who have not
the money to live where it is more sani
tary and healthy, then something must
be done to keep disease down to the
lowest possible point by providing
enough funds to administer to those
who need a health clinic and hospital
service.
If those who are in a position to help
the City of Washington from a health
standpoint would stop to realize that
where they live, they no doubt have a
home with plenty of frontage and depth
to their lawn, with flowers and shade
trees, with a house with four exposures
—which means plenty of fresh air and
sunlight, and that is what is most needed,
no matter where you reside, for better
health, happiness and which means a
longer and a contented life. The Dis
trict of Columbia needs all the co-opera
tion possible for the sake of not only
their children, but the grown folks,
as well. FELIX A. URY.
Punishment, Not Mercy, Is
Cure for Drunken Drivers
To th« Editor ot The Star:
In The Star of February 16, under
“Traffic Convictions,1” I gained the fol
lowing information. During the past
six months M person^ were convicted
of the crime of driving while drunk,
35 of whom were placed on probation.
Just why these personfc who had de
liberately endangered the lives of inno
cent persons on the streets and high
ways received no more severe penalties,
Z fall to see.
Any person who is convicted of this
crime should be deprived of his license
for at least a year and obliged to serve
the maximum jail sentence.
There can be no extenuating circum
stances for a person who deliberately
| partakes of any alcoholic bever^p and
: I THIS AND THAT |
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
; ..._:_
A single mourning dove is tho latest
addition to the number of birds which
dally partake of seeds and grains at
the three feeders in the garden.
Great excitement was caused behind
the dining room window, when the speci
men flew down and begrn to eat as if
it had always been there.
No excitement was created at all in
the garden; the other birds, including
the multitudes of English sparrows,
went right ahead with their exacting
business of transferring food from out
side to inside themselves.
The dove was accepted, as a friend
and equal by the birds, but he was a
mystery to those on the other side of
the window pane.
At first he was proclaimed some sort
of aquatic bird.
Look at that long tail, and at that
curious hump on his back!
The hump, however, shortly disap
peared, and closer inspection revealed
exceedingly short legs. The creature
seemed, in fact, to have no legs at *11.
* * * *
Recourse to glasses showed small black
spots, or blotches, on the cheeks below
the bill.
More blobs of black were on the wings.
Other markings tallied with those in
the illustration of the mourning dove,
Carolina dove, turtle dove, take your
choice of popular names.
This fellow walked around in a most
sedate fashion, nor was afraid to roost
for several minutes on the roof of a
feeder on a stake.
He was quite sedate about it.
He even rested for a time on top of
the fence amid the branches of the Dr.
Van Fleet rose.
This widespread climber, by the way,
has been vastly favored bv all the birds,
especially the sparrows. ;
Any time there is an alarm in the
yard, the sparrows fly up and into the
vine, usually arranging themselves into
veritable sprays of bird life.
Several oi me canes aruup »uum me
front of the feeding device, and the
birds love to perch on them, before hop
ping to the trough.
The best place to put a feeder, where
the birds feels the safest and the most
at home, is in a flower border, prefer
ably backed by a fence, on which vines
clamber.
A few evergreens also help to make
them feel very much at home.
With these additions to the border,
the birds will have most of the things
they like and not feel inclined to fly
far, when anything disturbs them.
* * * *
The markings on the mourning dove
do look a great deal like those on a
turtle.
As for the mournful quality of its
voice, it does not strike this ear as any
more so than the average pigeon.
The four "steadies” of the pigeon
family at the feeders did not in the
least resent the presence of the dove,
but accepted him without question, mov
ing around in their curious way.
For all their weight, pigeons are most
graceful flyers, and this dove even out
does them at this favorite outdoor sport
of the birds.
We are convinced that all birds get
a great deal of pleasure simply out of
flying around, else they would not do so
much of it.
* * * *
Pigeons and sparrows, if too many of
them, tend to keep other varieties away
from feeding stations.
The way the English sparrows
gradually take possession of a garden
where feeding is going on is a most
interesting thing to watch.
Day by day, in every way, they grow
in numbers, until’ one fine day the
human agent in the feeding wakes up
to the fact that he has more of these
little fellows than he might desire.
This is true, even in the suburbs, where
many more varieties of wild birds come
than to feeders in town.
Yet the lover of birds can say nay to
nothing that comes, so accepts the spar
rows with the best grace possible.
It is not very difficult for the English
sparrow in an engaging bird personality,
after all.
Despite the far-flung accusations
made against him, this sparrow knows
how to get along and never misses a
chance to find ready food in a cold
Winter.
While woodpeckers and the like refuse
to come, except their favorite dishes are
put out for them, the sparrows wre not
particular and will take anything which
will go down.
After several months spent watching
vast numbers of these sparrows, we can
see nothing really bad about them, at
least not to the extent that they are
inimitably portrayed in some books we
have read.
No doubt they do oust bluebirds from
homes and indulge in other despicable
tricks, but as far as we can see at this
time, beneath the feeders in the garden,
they are as decent little fellows as the
rest of them.
* * * *
There can be little doubt, however,
that when the English sparrows come
every day in large numbers, the other
and more desirable birds tend to stay
away.
Not the cardinals, fortunately. These
finest of Wintering birds here seem to
like to be with the sparrows and will
eat with them all day long in the great
est of harmony.
These redbirds teach human observers
a valuable lesson. If we were an early
American poet, one who specialized in
watching Nature, and then drawing
••lessons” from what he saw, as Bryant
did, we might attempt a poem on the
redbird and what he teaches us by being
so chummy with the English sparrows.
All persons interested in feeding the
birds at last come to a very practical
philosophy, that one must accept the
birds and other creatures that feed at
the stations as they come, and for what
they are, not become obsessed with the
idea of driving away any one creature
in order that some other one may eat.
According to one’s temperament, this
will be an easy or a difficult lesson. There
are some who resent the squirrels greatly
and even go to the extent of snowballing
them out of feeders. This is wasted
energy. The squirrels think it is a game.
* * * *
We take them as they come, now, nor
rim out after squirrels, or pigeons, or
even hawks.
Some of the most heralded birds are
not so "hot,” as the young people say.
Woodpeckers, for instance,
i Actually, woodpeckers are not so de
siderable, but it is almost lese majesty to
say so.
English sparrows are better!
One of the real interests of bird feed-.
ing is to see what comes, and how they
come, and when.
Today we have the mourning dove
and tomorrow probably its mate. Spring
is on the way. Day by day new birds
will arrive. Spring will be here before
we know it. The birds have told us so.
What is the use watching birds unless
they tell you something?
I STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study,
BT THOMAS R. HEXRY.
Division of children into mind-func
tioning types as an aid to education is
proposed by Dr. Hariett Babcock, direc
tor of research in abnormal psychology
at the Woods School at Langhorne, Pa.,
in the proceedings of the Institute on
the Exceptional Child, just issued.
Children, regardless of their degree of
intelligence, fall into at least two—prob
ably three—reaction types, she says,
and she has devised a test technique
which will properly classify them. When
they are studied without consideration
of this factor of mind-functioning, she
claims, little headway can be made. The
way of using the intelligence is just as
significant as the degree of intelligence.
The two types, Dr. Babcock claims,
persist through life. The characteristic
reaction tends to become crystallized
with age and form the basis of two fun
damental types of human beings which
are found in every sort of society. Each
type may be further subdivided into
minor types.
-j Nearly everybody falls on one side or
another of the line, and only when there
is considerable divergence from the
hypothetical average is the individual
apt to be considered peculiar. As soon
as the divergence becomes pronounced,
however, a person has greater and
greater difficulty in adjusting. A pecu
liarity is that one type has very great
difficulty in understanding tl^e other.
The first group is characterized by Dr.
Babcock as the “impulsive type.”
It is composed of children with quick
associations and a tendency to respond
to a question before enough associations
can function to give meaning to what
they hear and to bring about a pertinent
response. They usually learn quickly,
in a superficial way, but because of over
nnlclc interfering association and over*
readiness they tend to fail repetition
tests and to make many eyeless errors.
Such children score high on tests of
mental functioning up to a certain point,
but if their speed of association becomes
too great they pass a critical point, lose
control, and from sheer inability to hold
, their associations in check long enough
for pertinent ideas to function before
they answer score lower than children
of inferior intelligence.
"Children of this type,” says Dr. Bab
cock, "are usually socially attractive.
They give an impression of great alert
ness and better Intelligence than they
really have. Because of their speed and
hitting-the-high-spots method of doing
tests, timed group tests of intelligence
often overrate them. They are apt to
be promoted and pushed beyond their
real capacity in school.” .
Children of the other major type, she
found, are slow in associations and
learning. They are apt to seem uninter
ested and stupid even when they have
an excellent ability to grasp scholastic
work. They are said to be Inattentive.
If they deteriorate in later stages, the
deterioration is interpreted as due to
their inner thoughts, which inhibit their
expression.
Says Dr. Babcock: "Children of this
type get credit for greater concentration
than they are capable of, Just as the
other type gets credit for undue mental
brilliancy. It is not true concentration,
then drives a car, thus deliberately mak
ing of himself a public menace and po
tential murderer. He deserves no mercy.
H. ^NICHOLS.
but is due to the fact that they keep an
idea because of lack of other interfering
associations. Being wrongly judged
stupid, these children often are not given
sufficient opportunity to satisfy their
intellectual interests. They either are
scolded for not keeping up with their
classes, or they spend too much time in
study because it takes them so much
longer to learn things than it does others
of the same intelligence.
“These two types of children, in their
scores on the tests we are using, show
two distinct and opposite tendencies.
The group which has quick associative
functioning gets very high scores on easy
timed tests. They also score high on
easy learning tests, but they score low
on repetition tests, such as digits. The
other group is slower in understanding
the questions and in warming up to the
examination as a whole. They may do
worse on the first easy test than on the
next one which is harder. They fail
learning tests and are high in digit and
sentence repetition.’
These two groups. Dr. Babcock points
out, show the basic trends of mental
functioning which, when exaggerated in
later life, result in ihe manic and de
mentia precox types of insanity. This
comes, however, only with extreme ex
aggeration. Nearly every one falls on
one side of the line or the other.
Evidence is emerging, she says, of still
a third group which thus far has not
been studied separately. Children of
this group are at their worst on easy
motor tests and on learning tests. This
is apparently due to a difficulty in trans
ferring an idea into action.
“Children of this group,” says Dr. Bab
cock, "may have functional incapacity
greater than that of any other group
without its being detected. They show
that they have understanding, but they
awa pi iwnw( cinnlir Iamu in HninflP thinOC
They may respond to some very strong
stimulus, even getting up very early of
their own accord to try to get work, and
yet fail to be interested in much of any
thing else. They get scoldings and
naggings when they really need help.
These children can be so incapacitated
without their parents or teachers know
ing that there is anything wrong except
‘lack of will’ that they can scarcely score
at all on standard tests to which there
must be some limit. They are usually
brought to a clinic because they are
■stubborn.’ When this condition of not
being able to carry over an idea into
action is very bad we recognize the con
dition as catatonic dementia precox.”
It often has been the practice in the
past. Dr. Babcock points out, to classify
these children primarily as "emotional
types,” the characteristic emotional re
action being considered the cause of the
divergent mental function. Actually, she
says, the characteristic way in which the
'mind functions is in the cause, not the
effect, of the emotion, for emotional re
sponses usually are made when there
is no other adequate response to be made
to a situation. She urges that the edu
cational method used with each child
be selected in accordance with the sub
ject’s mind-functioning type.
A Tip to Al.
Prom th* Beaton Tranacript.
If Mr. Smith wants New Englanders
to take a walk, he’d better ship up some
sand and
ANSWERS TO |:
QUESTIONS
By Frederic J. Haskin.
A reader can get the answer to any
question of fact by writing The Evening
Star Information Bureau, Frederic J.
Haskin, Director, Washington, D. c.
Please inclose stamps for reply.
Q. How many people are living and
traveling in motor car trailers?—R. n.
A. It is estimated that about 300.000
Americans are living in this fashion.
Most of these auto campers have retired
from active pursuits and are following
their inclination and the weather from
place to place, seeing America while liv
ing “at home.’*
Q. How jnany times has Mussolini
been arrested?—J. W.
A. Altogether, in Italy and Switzer
land, Mussolini has been arrested 11
times.
Q. What Is the costliest metal?—E. M.
A. It is protactinium, which is worth
$1,000,000 an ounce.
Q. How many drug stores in the
United States have soda fountains?
—M. M.
A. In 1930 there were.34,265 drug stores
in the United States equipped with soda
fountains.
Q. When did the late King George
first start racing in his own name?—
E. H. K.
A. It was in 1911 that King George V
began racing in his own name, fiis first
winner was Pintadeau, a colt by Florizcl
II, out of Guinea Hen.
Q. Who wrote the play, "Our American
Cousin,” which President Lincoln was
witnessing when he was assassinated?
—S. S.
A. The comedy was written by Tom
Taylor, in 1858.
Q. Please locate and describe Death
Valley Scotty’s castle—F. P.
A. Located near the mouth of Grape
vine Canyon and built by Walter Scott,
ex-cowboy of Buffalo Bill fame, and his
partner, A. M. Johnson, the castle is an
impressive sight. Massive gates block
the bridge that gives entrance to the
grounds over the wash. The house is of
concrete construction and Spanish-style
architecture, with towers, gardens, pools
and plazas.
Q. What is the origin of the Cincinnati
music festivals?—E. H.
A. In 1873 Cincinnati held a festival
conducted by Theodore Thomas. The
idea thus engendered led to the regular
biennial May festivals held there since
that time.
Q. What was the first town in the
United States to be named for George
Washington?—E. R
A. The town of Washington, N. C<
which was named in 1776.
Q. Who is president of the Interna
tional Poe Society?—J. G.
A. Richard Gimble is president of the
organization, which has headquarters in
Philadelphia, Pa.
Q. Where are the oldest landscape gar
dens in the United States?—E. H.
A. They are the Middleton Gardens. 15
miles from Charleston, S. C. These gar
dens were completed in 1750.
Q. How many holds are there in ju
jutso?—C. T. S.
A. In jujutso or its modernized form,
judo, there are 250 holds. This art of
self-defense is compulsory in all Jap
anese schools.
Q. How much money has been raised
for infantile paralysis victims by the
President’s birthday balls?—H. T. T.
A. In 1934 the balls netted $1,015,000,
in 1935 the amount was $1,071,000, in
1936 it is believed that the sum will reach
$1,500,000.
Q. Do ranchers who are raising beef
for market breed their own stock?—
J. McH.
A. Ranchmen raising beef cattle for
the market rarely breed their own stock.
»They buy what are called stockers and
feeders, steers, from cattle breeders.
When the steers are grazed to weight for
the market they are shipped and more
young steers bought.
Q. Is more than one Sabbath or Sun
day observed in Palestine?—M. B.
A. The Christians observe Sunday, the
Jews Saturday and the Moslems Friday.
The Turks are changing their “day of
rest” to coincide with the Christian Sun
day. as a business expedient, not as a
religious observance.
Q. Was Edw'ard L. Doheny ever a pros
pector?—C. M.
A. He spent 20 years prospecting for
gold, silver and. oil. In the years fol
lowing 1892 his efforts were rewarded by
the discovery of several oil districts in
California and Mexico.
Q. When Spain was a monarchy, what
position was signified by duenna?—J. R.
A. The chief lady in waiting to the
Queen was so called. The word is also
used to designate an elderly woman who
acts as guardian to a younger woman in
a Spanish family.
Q. What is an esker?—M. W. C.
A. An esker is a low, narrow, winding
ridge of gravel and sand, examples of
which are found in Scandinavia, North
America and other countries formerly
covered by ice sheets. Eskers are from
1 to 20 miles long and are often from 40
to 80 feet high. It is believed that these
deposits were formed by the action of
streams underneath the glaciers which
existed in the glacial period.
Compulsory Idlers.
From the PhlUdelphl* Evening Bulletin.
When J. P. Morgan defined the leisure
class he forgot to include those who be
long to it of necessity rather than choice.
Proposed Amendment.
From the Roanoke Time*.
If they simply must amend the Consti
tution, why don’t they submit an amend
ment providing Congress with a good
lawyer?
A Rhyme at Twilight
By
Gertrude Brooke Hamilton
Day Dreaming
Though city bred I often yearn
To tackle life anew,
Tramping along thru open roads
Under Cod’s friendly blue;
Sleeping beneath some sheltering fir,
Breathing the pine-fllled air,
Rising to breakfast on wild fruit,
Dining on quail or hare;
Free of four walls and man-made streets;
Free of the daily grind ... »
Yet when even comes I seek my home
In cgpunon with all mankind. —,