Evening star. [volume], February 09, 1937, Page A-8, Image 8

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

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THE EVENING STAR
With Sunday Morning Edition.
WASHINGTON. D. C.
TUESDAY...February 9. 1937
THEODORE W. NOYES.Editor
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Red Rider Compromise.
Unqualified repeal of the red rider
was sought chiefly on two grounds: First,
removal of an intolerable condition in
the Washington public schools under
which the teaching of facts about as
well as the advocacy of communism was
prevented: second, the removal of an
undeserved slur on the patriotism and
loyalty of the fine body of men and
women who compose the administrative
and teaching personnel of the schools.
The compromise measure adopted by
the House would presumably remove the
first condition. The compromise seeks
to get rid of the ambiguity of the present
law by substituting for the confusing
phrase “teaching or advocating com
munism” the more intelligible prohibi
tions against “advocating communism or
treating any such doctrine with favor or
support,” and it abolishes the require
ment for a special declaration of non
violation, imposed by the controller
general. But it does not remove the
opportunity for badgering of the teach
ing force by zealous critics who may
seek to split hairs over the meaning of
“treating any such doctrine with favor
or support.”
Unfortunately, the compromise re
pealer does not completely remove the
slur which has been cast upon the
teachers and officials of the school sys
tem. The red rider grew out of unproved
allegations that communism, under one
guise or another, was being advocated
In the schools. The failure to repeal
the red rider outright may be interpreted
In some quarters as still leaving the
teachers suspect.
On the other hand, the overwhelming
House vote in favor of the substitute
measure was due. not to any ration
ally expressed fear of the future
advocacy of communism but, as
some members expressed it in de
bate, to a desire to avoid the “phycho
logical” effect of repealing a ban against
the advocacy of communism. In reality,
the vote was a formal gesture against
communism, with the local school sys
tem the unwilling and incidental vehicle
for that expression.
Outright repeal of the rider remains
the sensible method of disposing of the
harmful bitterness engendered by the
red rider dispute, which has beclouded
and will continue to becloud the far
more important Issue of adequate sup
port for needed development and im
provement of the school system. Com
promise may be, as a practical matter,
preferable to continuation of the red
rider in its present form. But if com
promise is the only method of getting
rid of the red rider, the compromise
should be in the form of substantive
law—not through indefinite perpetuation
of a legislative rider on an appropria
tion bill, coupling payment of salary
with its prohibitions. Nor should Con
gress invite further disruption of the
morale of the teaching force by leaving
to the interpretation of opinionated in
dividuals the phrase “treating any such
doctrine with favor or support.”
These are points which the Senate will
consider in deciding between insistence
on outright repeal or the adoption of
some form of compromise.
The pay of Supreme Court justices is,
relatively speaking, not large. Even if
disposed to athletics, dignity would pre
vent the high court from breaking into
the big money by Issuing challenges as
a base ball nine.
A Diamond for Relief.
Anonymous givers of funds for char
itable purposes are not rare. In every
case of appeals to the public for means
to promote some worthy work, to provide
for the rescue of sufferers from disaster,
there are many responses without names,
the gifts of those who do not desire
public acknowledgment. This is indeed
true charity, worthy of emulation and
of the highest praise.
Rarely, however, is such a gift received
for a beneficent purpose as that which
came to the Red Cross fund through
The Star yesterday. A diamond, doubt
less long kept and treasured for the
sentiment attached to it, came through
the mails from Charles Town, West Vir
ginia, without name or address of sender.
It was accompanied by a note which
read:
“I haven’t the money I would like to
have to give to the Red Cross for flood
relief. For the inclosed stone get what
money you can and give to the Red
Cross. Thank you for helping me in
this way.”
That was all. No name, no address,
no clue to the sender, beyond the post
mark on the inclosing envelop. It was
In every respect an anonymous donation,
the sender wishing no thanks or ac
knowledgment. It was true charity.
In the course of the collection of funds
for war relief purposes, twenty years
ago, a slogan was sounded, "Give until
it hurts!" That meant to give until
some personal need was affected, until
some personal loss was suffered. And
many gave thus, gave of their cash that
would otherwise have gone to provide
even necessities, as well as luxuries.
In the present case without doubt it
“hurt” the sender of this diamond to
part with it, not pecuniarily, but senti
mentally, deeply hurt the memory of
some fond association, perhaps some
long-past romance, possibly the recollec
tion of some one very near and dear.
And that was charity in very truth, in
the noblest form.
It is to be hoped that this gift will
not only make a generous contribution
to the funds that are so sorely needed
to rehabilitate the sufferers from the
floods, but that it will stimulate others
to give, in cash or goods. The fact that
the crisis of the flood has passed and
that there is now far less danger of
wholesale losses of life and destruction
of property in the Mississippi and Ohio
Valleys does not signify that the neces
sity of contributions to the relief fund
is no longer felt. The survivors of the
disaster are in urgent need of succor.
They have lost their homes, their live
stock, their possessions. They must be
aided toward rehabilitation.
The proceeds from the sale of the
diamond sent from Charles Town will
perhaps restore a family to well-being.
There are many families needing succor
in this crisis.
The Court Fight.
The late President Woodrow Wilson
eighteen years ago was the most influ
ential figure not only in the United
States but in the world. Rightly or
wrongly, he sought to commit this coun
try to adherence to the League of Na
tions. He was defeated by the Senate
of the United States, backed by a grow
ing public opinion that the entry of
the country into the League would mean
entanglements In foreign politics. A few
years later the presidential candidate of
President Wilson’s party, James M. Cox,
and his running mate, now President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, were defeated at
the polls, running as proponents of
League of Nations adherence.
Today President Roosevelt, the most
influential man in the United States, and
perhaps in the world, faces a fight in the
Senate over his proposal to increase the
membership of the Supreme Court, a
fight which promises to be as bitter as
that over the League of Nations. It is
a fight which transcends party lines,
and, indeed, it must, because of its very
importance. The President is in better
case from one angle than was Woodrow
Wilson in the League fight. He has back
of him an overwhelming party majority
in both the Senate and the House.
Moreover, his bill can be passed by a
majority vote, whereas President Wil
son was faced with the necessity of ob
taining a two-thirds vote for the League
of Nations and the Versailles treaty. On
the other hand, the contest over the
Supreme Court begins with a huge public
sentiment against it, whereas President
Wilson had supporting him in his con
test with the Senate a great wave of
sentiment in favor of the League of Na
tions—at the start.
Had President Roosevelt's proposal to
increase the size of the Supreme Court
come in ordinary days and when there
was no contest between the Chief Ex
ecutive and the highest court over in
terpretation of the Constitution, the
situation would have been vastly dif
ferent. Now it is regarded—and un
avoidably so—as an effort on the part
of the President to pack the court with
judges who will support his legislative
proposals, including a new N. R. A. and
an A. A. A. with powers to curtail agri
cultural production. He proposes to
amend the Constitution without going,
as Senator Borah demands, to the people
for consent; he proposes to amend the
Constitution by placing judges on the
bench who wdll interpret the funda
mental law in accordance with his own
ideas. That is repugnant to those who
believe in an independent judiciary, even
though they may support the views of
the President with regard to business
and labor and agriculture.
No more trenchant Interpretation of
the President’s recommendations regard
ing the judiciary has been advanced than
that by Senator Hiram Johnson of Cali
fornia, who said that, stripped of its
verbiage, the President’s proposal is:
“Shall Congress make the Supreme
Court subservient to the presidency?”
The California Senator is as hard
hitting today as when he attacked the
proposal to put the United States into
the League of Nations.
If vacancies arise on the Supreme
bench, Senator George William Norris
would be regarded as a natural appoint
ment but for the fact that the candles
on his birthday cake are so glaringly
numerous.
Split in British Labor.
Stanley Baldwin operates under a
lucky star. Only a few months ago,
virtually until the abdication crisis, his
official days seemed numbered. King
Edward’s prospective coronation was
fixed as the outside limit of the Baldwin
tenure. The prime minister emerged
from the constitutional turmoil with
rehabilitated prestige. Now comes an
other development designed indefinitely
to prolong the Conservative govern
ment's life—a split within the ranks of
the Labor party, "his majesty’s loyal
opposition.” Disruption is the result of
a decision by the Socialist League, led
by Sir Stafford Cripps, the Independent
Labor party and the Communist group
to join forces for creation of a popular
front on French lines, which would chal
lenge the Parliamentary Labor party.
The issue is thus joined between the
moderate and extremist wings of British
workers.
To date, the radical drive has proved
abortive. Its only result has been to
shift the forces captained by Major
Attlee, official Labor leader in the House
of Commons, toward the eenter and
strengthen their resolve to proceed on
evolutionary lines. The backbone of the
Parliamentary Labor party is the trade
unions and the co-operative societies.
These powerful, non-revolutionary or
ganizations are resolved to seek im
proved wage conditions and social better
ment through the existing parliamentary
regime. The Labor party, too, hanker
ing for another term of office, knows
that its aspirations would be jeopardized
by any crusade which stamped British
labor with the red brand of Moscow.
While the moderates now hold the fort,
Crlpps has raised the flag of rebellion
and declared open war on Attlee’s co
horts. The issues at stake are more
definitely political than anything in
volved in the conflict within the Amer
ican labor movement between the Fed
eration and the Committee for Industrial
Organization, but the Attlee-Cripps duel
is not unlike the contest for supremacy
which William Green and John L. Lewis
are waging. Cripps, ablest parliamen
tarian in the labor movement and at
torney general in the second MacDonald
cabinet, is supported by the Leftist in
tellectuals of the British economic school,
including Laski, Bertrand Russell,
Brailsford, Haldane, Maxton and Pollltt.
The Labor party has the organization,
the money and the votes. So long as
the trade unions continue allegiance to
it, there is slight prospect that the
radicals will prevail.
A. G. Gardiner, writing from London
in The Sunday Star, points out that
British labor meantime is torn into ir
reconcilable factions, with “Attlee in the
role of Kerensky and Cripps in that of
Lenin.” The consequence is the destruc
tion of any hope of the party’s early re
turn to power and a corresponding
tightening of the Tory grip in Downing
Street.
John L. Lewis is quoted as saying,
after Tennyson, “Let there be no mourn
ing at the bar when I set out to sea.”
The word should be not “mourning”
but “moaning.” In the complexities of
the industrial situation are some in
accuracies as to law, but the poetry
record might at least be kept correct.
It has become customary to mention
Felix Frankfurter as an able lawyer. In
a time of gloom when any kind of a
jest is welcome, he might be useful in
reviving the reference, generously en
joyed by Newton Diehl Baker, as “the
hot dog of war.”
No support can be grudged the Red
Cross. It offers the most profound argu
ment against the inhumanity of war, as
it recalls the immortal words, “the quality
of mercy is not strained.”
--> ^ -« — —■
Anthologies are promised with mate
rial from old scrap books. Some of the
recitation material for convivial occa
sions would probably give an unexpur
gated edition a merchandise appeal.
The less effort required in the way
Qf elucidation of communism, the easier
life will be for both teachers and pupils.
One of the terrors of war is its danger
of connecting a responsible military title
with a political job.
1 1
Shooting Stars.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Great Public Question.
There is one question which, as yet.
Remains unsolved to bid us fret.
Though scientific queries range
To realms of thought exceeding strange,
Or while we anxiously await
Decisions on affairs of state,
What really sets our hearts a-throb
Is this: “Who's going to get the job?”
Our bright idealistic way
A specter shows whom men call "Pay.”
Into the most unselfish mood
That shadow grim will oft intrude
And point with an unwavering touch
To boldly written words, “How Much”?
And that’s why patriots often sob
And ask: "Who's going to get the job?”
Cheerless Literary Tendency.
"Posterity will raise a monument to
you,” said the admiring friend.
“Maybe so,” answered Senator Sor
ghum. “But I would rather do without
the monument if I can persuade pos
terity not to write unpleasant books
about me.”
Higher Criticism.
“Do you think women have improved
politics?”
“Beyond a doubt,” answered Miss
Cayenne. “A man is sure to be more
careful how he casts a ballot if he
knows that his vote is going to be
criticized by all his feminine relations.”
No Difference.
My Radio! My Radio!
The evening speech for which I call
Will put me fast asleep, I know—
The same as in a lecture hall.
“We travel faster than did our an
cestors,” said Hi Ho, the sage of China
town, “yet we find no better lessons at
the end of each journey than those they
taught at home.”
Self-Execution.
“Crimson Gulch has buildings twenty
stories high!” exclaimed the tourist.
“They assist in getting rid of our des
perate characters,” answered Cactus Joe.
“Instead of following ’em with the
sheriff and his men, we let ’em drink
all the liquor they want and take a
chance on falling out of a window.”
Capitalized Giggle.
The toiler’s future is not sure,
But a comedian’s wiggle
A million dollars will secure
Because he made us giggle!
“It's easier,” said Uncle Eben, “to
forget a friend dan an enemy. De
friend will be forbearin’ when you turns
yoh back on him, but de enemy will
welcome de chance to give you a kick.”
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY C. GOULD LINCOLN.
The earnest prayer of those who are
opposing the President’s recommenda
tion that the number of Supreme Court
justices be increased is that the propo
sition be kept out of partisan politics.
There is no desire to make it a Repub
lican issue, in opposition to the Presi
dent. The opposition, up to date, has
been as strongly expressed by some of
those who supported President Roose
velt for election as it has by some of
those who opposed his election. The
administration and its leaders on Capitol
Hill will make every effort to make
President Roosevelt’s judiciary bill a
party affair, and to line up the Demo
crats in House and Senate in support
of it. The vast influence of the Presi
dent will be thrown back of the measure.
It remains to be seen how many of the
Democrats are willing to buck the ad
ministration in a matter which the
President has clearly indicated is of
utmost concern to himself.
* w w
Among the Democratic members of
Congress who so far have come out flat
footedly and openly against the measure
as it relates to the Supreme Court are
Senators Van Nuys of Indiana, King of
Utah, Bailey of North Carolina, Byrd of
Virginia and Burke of Nebraska. There
are many other Democratic Senators
who are withholding their decisions re
garding the bill. Senator Hiram John
son of California, who vigorously advo
cated the election of President Roosevelt
in 1932 and supported New Deal meas
ures during the President's first term of
office, has joined with great definiteness
and clarity the opposition to the Presi
dent's bili. The California Senator is
no mean opponent, as has been demon
strated many times in the past. He has
been credited with having lost the presi
dency to Chief Justice Charles Evans
Hughes in 1916, when California cast
the deciding vote as between Woodrow
Wilson and Hughes. Now, it seems, he
is to be aligned with the court of which
Mr. Hughes is the Chief Justice against
the man whom he, Johnson, supported
for President four years ago. The Sen
ator did not go to California during the
last presidential campaign and took no
active part in that struggle. If he did
not come out for Roosevelt, neither did
he. on the other hand, help in any way
his opponent, former Gov. Landon of
Kansas.
* * * *
The administration is lining up the
Democratic leaders of the House and
Senate to support the judiciary reorgan
ization bill. If they have any mental
reservations in regard to the measure
they are saying nothing about them, and
they may be expected to go down the line
for the President in this matter. Al
ready the Democratic whip of the House
has estimated that the bill will pass that
body with a lead of 100 votes. How well
justified that prediction is. it is diffi
cult to say at present. There are others
who insist the bill will have a much more
difficult time in the House. No one has
yet made an estimate for publication
regarding the bill's chances in the
Senate. The President, however, will
have as ardent supporters in the upper
house as he will have opponents. Many
of the Democrats there have already
openly championed the measure, among
them Senator Morris Sheppard of
Texas and Senator Guffey of Pennsyl
vania. Senator Robinson, the Demo
cratic leader, has predicted that the
Senate will take lavorable action on the
bill, although he has not mentioned the
majority by which he expects it to pass.
A A A a.
On? of the interesting side phases in
this Supreme Court fight is the appar
ent determination of some of the mem
bers of the House and Senate to press
for a constitutional amendment which
would give the Congress authority to
enact laws regulating commerce and in
dustry, labor and agriculture, or perhaps
for an amendment curtailing the powers
of the Supreme Court. The National '
Conference on Constitutional Amend
ment. which has headquarters in the
Mills Building here, has announced that
a conference of “distinguished men and
women” will be held in Washington
March 18 to 20 “to consider means of
adjusting Government powers as be
tween legislatures and the courts.” Sen
ator George W. Norris of Nebraska,
strong supporter of President Roosevelt,
is to preside at the conference. Some
of those members of Congress who are
demanding a constitutional amendment
rather than any attempt to change the
personnel of the court so as to get more
liberal Interpretations of the Constitu
tion are expected to participate in the
coming conference.
* * * *
How widely divergent are the views of
those seeking “means of adjusting Gov
ernment powers as between legislatures
and the courts” is clearly indicated by
a few paragraphs from the statement
announcing the call for the conference,
which say:
“While the denial of democracy by
judicial veto or suspension of legislation
is recognized, there is disagreement as
to remedy. Some contend that the con
stitutional grants are sufficient but are
unduly restricted by the Supreme Court.
They maintain that in the process of
time the court will be made more liberal
through new appointments, will reverse
its restrictive interpretations, and con
cede adequate powers to Congress and
the States.
“Others urge that a decision invali
dating a legislative act should be by
more than a majority of the court. Still
others * say it is only necessary that
Congress restrict judicial review by reg
ulating the Jurisdiction of the inferior
Federal courts and the appellate juris
diction of the Supreme Court.
“Another group Insists that the en
largement of the constitutional grants
as well as restrictions on judicial review
is necessary.”
* * * *
A table, comparing the powers of the
highest legal tribunals of the principal
nations of the world with those powers
of the Supreme Court of the United
States has been issued by the United
States Constitution Sesquicentennial
Commission. This table shows that the
courts in 14 of the nations have powers
comparable to those of the Supreme
Court in declaring legislative acts un
constitutional; 17 have limited power in
this regard, and 21 have none at all.
Most of those countries in which the
courts have these powers are found in
the Americas. They are Argentina. Bo
livia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba,
Haiti, the Irish Free State, Liberia,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Rumania
and Venezuela. Those nations in which
a limited power is given to the courts
to pass upon the constitutionality of
legislation are Austria. Canada, Czecho
slovakia, Dominican Republic, El Sal
vador, Estonia, Greece, Guatemala, Hon
duras. Norway. Panama, Switzerland,
the Union of South Africa, the Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics and Ura
guay. The principal limitations on the
powers of the courts in these countries
are: Only piutles designated in the con
stitution may institute legal proceedings
to determine constitutionality, or only
laws of a particular nature, usually those
Involving individual rights, may be tested
in the courts.
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
Pish are among the most interesting
forms of animal life.
Next to birds, in which more, persons
are Interested than other living things,
there is nothing surer to stir up con
versation than a fish.
When a wealthy Chicagoan wanted
to do something with his money he
called in experts and asked them which
sort of building attracted the most
attention.
He was told a public aquarium. Hence
the world has the great Shedd aquarium.
One of the live topics in Winter is
whether the goldfish may be frozen and
still live.
Some say “yes,” some say “no.” de
pending upon their personal experience.
A correspondent sends a clipping from
a New York paper, telling of experiments
of a scientist in freezing goldfish in
liquid air without subsequent injury to
them.
“Surprising, to say the least,” says the
correspondent. ,
* * * *
Another clipping tells of keeping
frozen fish alive.
“Keeping frozen fish alive is one of
the advances made in the science of
freezing by Prof. Schmidt of Leningrad,
Russia. Prof. Schmidt found that if fish
were frozen under water they never
recovered, but if taken from the water
and put in an atmosphere of 6 or 7 de
grees of frost they could be revived.
“While in this condition five sturgeon
were taken by barge from the Volga
fisheries to Astrakhan, a journey of 28
hours. Although they had ceased to
breathe or move, they were placed in
water and revived.”
* * *
Those persons who have had goldfishes
freeze in aquarium or pool and then have
watched them thaw out again and swim
around as lively as ever will not find
anything surprising about the above
stories.
Those who may have watched their
pets freeze and then discovered that
they did not come out of it, but were
undoubtedly dead, will think just the
other way.
It all depends, according to the scien
tist upon whether the fibers of the
heart are frozen through, and just how
long this condition prevails.
It is believed that if the great heart
muscle itself Is not frozen the fish will
pull out of it with no untoward after
consequences.
Perhaps that accounts for the differing
experiences of different persons with the
hardy goldfish.
This favorite of the home aquarium—
and it is still that, despite the inroads
made by exotic specimens in the last six
years—seems able to stand very great
extremes of temperature, with freezing,
if necessary.
In most cases goldfishes in pools are
frozen solid only in extreme years, such
as last, but not this to date in this
locality.
The goldfish in pools become sluggish,
as befits a cold-blooded animal, when
the water temperature goes to 40 degrees
and lower.
They simply lie on the bottom, in a
sense hibernating.
They become as cold as the water
all the way through. Most of their
animal functions continue, except when
they become frozen solid. The stoppage
of the kidney functions alone in com
plete freezing would kill them after a
certain number of days in ail proba
bility.
In most cases the complete freezing
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS R. HENRY.
Nature jumbled together all her left
overs when she made the sea-horse.
Perhaps in no other animal have been
packed together so many anomalies as
in this little animal, a systematic study
of which has just been completed at the
Smithsonian Institution by Isaac Gins
berg of the United States Bureau of
Fisheries.
It is a fish with the head of a horse,
the tail of a monkey, the shell of a
beetle, the pouch of a kangaroo and a
creature that reverses the ordinary way
of nature in that “child-bearing" is ex
clusively a function of the male.
These fantastic animals are almost
world-wide in their distribution through
ocean waters where there are growths
of sea vegetation. They have provided
the models for some of the nightmare
monsters of the human imagination.
Actually they are small, feeble, almost
defenseless creatures.
The head unquestionably is quite simi
lar to that of a miniature horse in gen
eral outline. The neck, however, is not
a neck at all. Fishes have no necks
and hippocampus is no exception. What
looks like a neck is the front part of Its
abdomen, considerably contracted.
The body of the animal is covered with
a jointed, chitinous shell, like many of
the insects. This feature left early
naturalists in doubt as to whether it
actually was a fish or some sort of mon
strous water bug. It is, of course, a true
fish, with no insect affiliations.
This hard shell makes it a feeble, In
efficient swimmer. It can bend its body
only sideways. It is able to swim at all
only because of a large air bladder so
delicately adjusted to the specific gravity
of the animal that if a gas bubble the
size of a pin head is let out by a puncture
the sea-horse sinks to the bottom. There
it can only crawl clumsily until the
wound is healed.
Since it is so poor a swimmer the
hippocampus must have other means of
adjustment to its salt water environment.
This is afforded by a prehensile tail
which it ean wrap around the stems of
water plants. This kind of a tail is
found among a few mammals, notably
the smaller monkeys. So far as known,
no other fish has anything of the sort.
The animal is most frequently observed
In a state of rest, its tail wrapped around
a plant and its body standing nearly
erect in the water.
Its food consists of tiny crustaceans
and other sea organisms, usually minute.
Because of its poor powers of locomotion
it must wait for those that come within
reach of its jaws, which work with light
ninglike speed, or on those which will
accommodatingly wait for it to come and
get them.
Hippocampus can move its eyes inde
pendently of each other, thus looking
backward and forward at the same time.
It would be rather difficult for a preda
cious organism to take it by surprise,
but on the other hand, it would have
little ability to fight back or flee if
attacked. Some species, at least, have
considerable power of color change to
blend with the environment. Specimens
which were bright red, pink or yellow
when caught faded rapidly to the normal
mottled grey.
Probably the greatest anomaly of the
hippocampus family Is its way of re
producing the species. The male actually
"gives birth” to living young. The pro
cess, so far m is known, la unduplicated
does not last very long, mostly only a
few hours at the outside. When they
begin to thaw out the necessary func
tions of life resume.
* * * *
There is an African fish which lives
in shallow pools, and when these pools
dry up the fish dries up with them and
becomes as hard as the baked clay in
which it is embalmed.
These mud fishes may be cut out, along
with their natural sarcophagus, after a
number of years of drying and trans
ported across the ocean, put in water
and “thawed out” in reverse. It is ex
plained that even in the dried state there
continues a certain rudimentary func
tioning, at least enough to keep the
strange creatures alive.
It is a far stretch from such oddities
of Nature to the humble goldfish in
everybody’s pool, or aquarium, but the
cessation of natural functions at the
touch of extreme cold is very much the
same.
Many persons have had the experience
of coming down in the morning on some
extremely cold day and finding the gold
fish bowl, probably a small one, frozen
clear through, the fishes along with it.
If the bowl is thawed out not too
quickly the fishes come along with the
water and soon are swimming around
freely.
In most cases there are no bad after
effects.
In cases where the fishes do not sur
vive such freezing it may be deduced
that for some reason the animals were
less hardy in all their functions, and that
their hearts, before all, could not “stand
the strain.”
* * * *
Average goldfishes, on the other hand,
are able to stand warm water easily.
By warm, of course, one means up to
about 80 degrees.
An aquarium placed directly in front
of a radiator of a home heated by hot
water *not steam) will show a tempera
ture of around 78 degrees, almost ideal
for exotic or "tropical” fishes, but equally
so for goldfishes, which may surprise
some persons. It is commonly said that
goldfishes do best between 60 and 70
degrees, but our belief, after four years
of experimentation, is that they live
better between 70 and 80 degrees, along
with most tropical fishes which are kept
in the home.
The goldfish, although a cold-water
animal, is a very adaptable creature,
and there seems little doubt that the
tank which shows a temperature above
70 degrees wrill also have less likelihood
of fungus on goldfishes than the aquar
ium which perhaps is placed at a cold
window away from a radiator.
In placing an aquarium for warmth
and light near a window with a radiator
it always should be set in front of. and
not on. the radiator. In this situation
the water is wrarm enough and the plants
not too warm. It is believed that too
much warmth is harmful to some of the
species of aquatic plants commonly used
in the aquarium. The situation atop a
radiator, especially a steam one, would
be much too warm for the best function
ing of plants. Also the undue warmth,
at least in theory, would foster inimical
water conditions.
A fish is an interesting animal,
wherever you find him.
He may be only a goldfish in a quart
bowl, but he is capable of being frozen
clear through and coming out of it un
hurt. He will have a better chance, of
course, if he is in a gallon bowl. Every
goldfish ought to have at least two gal
lons of water. Thus, no more than two
ordinary goldfish in a five-gallon tank.
in nature. Unfertilized eggs are laid by
the female. She places them, a few at a
time, into a pouchlike organ on the
underside of the male's body. In some
manner, still unknown to biologists, they
are fertilized in the transfer.
Within this pouch the eggs are incu
bated and remain for some days after
they are hatched. Then the living young,
fully equipped to take care of them
selves, are expelled into the water. So
far as ever has been observed, there is
no further parental interest in them.
This male pouch might be considered
as filling the double function of the womb
of a placental mammal and the pouch
of a marsupial like the kangaroo.
The sea-horse also has the distinction
of being one of the fish that ‘ talk.'’ It
makes almost inaudible, snapping noises
with its jaws which seem to serve as a
means of communication.
In his exhaustive systematic study of
the sea-horses Dr. Ginsberg has distin
guished several new species and sub
species of this peculiar animal.
America Secure.
Prom the Grand Raoidi Press.
This country never will have a revo
lution. The thing that brings about a
revolution is mass hate of superiors.
and where can you find even one Amer
ican who thinks he has any superiors0
Nature's Eternal Balance.
Prom the Milwaukee Sentinel.
Scientific note: An apple aided New*
ton to discover the center of gravity. A
banana peel has helped others to con
firm the report.
Art and War.
Prom the Lowell Leader.
It is reported that the most important
of Madrid’s art treasures are safe. Yet
the capacity of the people to enjoy them
will be impaired for some time to come.
Remedy.
Prom the ShreveDort Journal.
London physicians report the strange
case of a man whose heart is turning
to stone. Why don’t they try reading
to him the conversion of Old Scrooge?
A Rhyme at Twilight
By
Gertrude Brooke Hamilton
Human Existence.
Time moves along, no pause, no rest,
In years that come and go;
Though some are sad and some are blest,
Some moving fast, some slow,
Yet on and on they flow
Till youth, before it is aware,
Finds threads of silver in its hair,
Finds the desire for quiet stronger
And knows that it is young no longer
Still the years move on, creeping by
Till, like perfected rhyme.
With half a smile and half & sigh '
Age gains the lasting clime
Beyond the realm of Time.
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. H ASK IN.
A reader can get the answer to any
question of fact by writing The Evening
Star Information Bureau. Frederic J.
Hatkin, Director, Washington, D. C.
Please inclose stamp for reply.
Q. Where was Sonja Henie, the figure
skating champion, born? How old is she?
—E. W.
A. Sonja Henie was bom in Oslo, Nor
way, on April 8, 1913.
Q. How many aliens are fighting in
the Spanish armies?—E. N.
A. No more than an estimate is possible.
It is generally believed that there are
more foreigners in the rebel army than
in the loyalist ranks. One commentator
estimates 55,000 aliens with the rebels
and 28,000 with the government forces
Q Has England recognized the claim
of Italy to Ethiopia?—H. R.
A. Only to the extent of replacing her
legation at Addis Ababa with a consulate.
Q. How many people can be served at
one time in the cafeteria in the new In
terior Building in Washington?—?. P.
A. It is planned to serve about 1,200 at
one time, but at first will serve only 968
it a time.
Q. What per cent of the West Point
Cadets graduate?—P. H.
A. About 60 per cent of the students
admitted finish the course.
Q What rivers in the United States are
canalized?—W. J.
A. The chief canalized rivers are Hud
son (Waterford-Hudson), Ohio <Pitts
burgh-Cairo). Mississippi River, Missouri
River to Minneapolis, Tennessee, Cum
berland. Kentucky, Ouachita, Coosa;
Black Warrior. Warrior and Tombigbee;
the Monongahela 'Pittsburgh - Pair
mount, W. Va.), the Alleghany (Pitts
burgh - Mosgrove), Kanawha River
(Point Pleasant-Montgomery Waterway).
O. How high is the wall around Sing
Sing?—R. R. J.
A. It is 30 feet high and has nine guard
towers.
■
Q. What business man in the United
States is a director in the largest num
ber of companies?—E. W.
A. According to Poor’s Register of Di
rectors for 1937. John Tanney Willcox
is the largest holder of directorships,
being listed in 109 corporations.
Q About how- many airplanes use an
airport such as that at Newark in the
course of a day?—P. L. H.
A. On the average, about 150 planes
land or leave Newark in a day.
Q. What is the average age at mar
riage of men and women?—W. O. A.
A. At the present time the average age
of a bridegroom is 25 and of a bride, 22.
Q Please give some information about
Lake Itasca.—E. F.
A. This is a small lake in North Cen
tral Minnesota consisting of three long
narrow arms from the northern one of
which emerges the Mississippi River. The
region surrounding the lake, embracing
about 35.000 acres, has been made a State
park. The waters of the lake abound
in many kinds of fish.
Q. Has "Tovarich.” the play now on
Broadway, been produced abroad?—J. W.
A. “Tovarich" ran for some 800 per
formances in Paris, and has since been
produced and reproduced in virtually
every city and town in Europe.
Q. Is any one seat in an automobile
more dangerous than others in case of
accident?—C. E. H.
A. It is believed that the seat beside the
driver is most dangerous. This passenger
is most likely to come Into collision with
instrument board or windshield if an
accident occurs.
Q. Is the number of people who. al
though owning property, fail to make
wills before they die very large?—L. P.
A. Less than 40 per cent of persons
owning property make wills, it is said
by probate and other authorities.
Q. What is the source of the quotation.
“Each age is a dream that is dying, or
one that is coming to birth," used by
President Roosevelt in his inaugural
address?—W. F.
A. The quotation is from “An Ode•
by Arthur William Edgar O'Shaughnessy,
an English poet and naturalist.
Q What is the purpose of Brotherhood
day?—M. T.
A. The observance will last two days,
February 20 and 21. The slogan, "Make
America Safe for Differences." explains
the purpose of this alliance for justice,
amity, understanding and co-operation
among Catholics, Jews and Protestants
in America.
Q. What fruits contain citric acid?
—E. W.
A. Citric acid is found in blackberries,
blueberries, cranberries, currants, figs,
gooseberries, grapefruit, guavas, lemons,
limes, loganberries, mangos, muskmelons,
oranges, papayas, pears, pineapples,
pomegranates, raspberries and straw
berries.
Q. What is “Ducks Unlimited"?—A. N.
A. This Is the name of a national or
ganization of American duck hunters
Just incorporated in the District of Co
lumbia as a non-profit foundation. The
objective of “Ducks Unlimited" is the
preservation and restoration of Canadian
duck breeding grounds.
Q. How many steps are there in the
Bunker Hill Monument?—W. F.
A. The ascent to the top is made by a
flight of 294 steps.
Q. How many lakes are there at Or
lando, Fla.?—E. W.
A. There are over 20 lakes within the
corporate limits of this resort city.
Q. Why were the pyramids of Egypt
built in this form?—S. F.
A. It is believed that the Egyptians
considered the pyramid a symbol of
human life. The broad base was sig
nificant of the beginning of life, and
the point its termination in this plane
of existence.
Q. What is the standard system for
printing for English-reading blind in
this country?—L. H.
A. Braille. It was officially adopted
in 1917. It has a great advantage in
that it may be written as well as read
by the blind. Braille also is adaptable
to every language that has an alphabet.
Too Hasty.
From the Macon Telegraph.
The fellow who shot a Chicago night
club jasz musician because he didn't like
his music was entirely too Impetuous.
Another drink of Chicago night club
liquor and he eould not have heard the
music.