Evening star. [volume], February 27, 1937, 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.
SATURDAY.February *7, 1M7
THEODORE W. NOYES.Editor
The Evening Star Newspaper Company.
llth Bt and Penntylvanla Aye.
__New York Office: 110 East 42nd Bt.
" Bhlcago Office: *35 North Michigan At*.
hftate by Carrier—City and Suburban.
Jm" Regular Edition.
The Evening and Sunday Star _.
66e per month or 15o par weak
The Evening Star . „ _
*5e per month or IQe per weak
The Sunday Star_Be per copy
Night Final Edition.
Nlgut F'nal and Sunday Star-70c per month
Night Final Star__._66c per month
Collection made at the end of each month or
•ich week. Orders may bt gent by mall or tele
phone National 5000.
Rate by Malt—Payable in Advene*.
Maryland and Virginia.
ally and Sunday.. 1 yr. $10.00: 1 mo.. gBe
liy only -1 yr.. SB.00; l mo.. 80c
Sunday only...— 1 yr. $4.00: X mo. 40c
All Other States and Canada.
Dally and Sunday. 1 yr.. $12.00: 1 mo.. *1.00
Dally only_1 yr. *8.00: 1 mo., 75e
Sunday only____ 1 yr.. $5.00; X mo.. 60c
Member of the Associated Press.
The Associated Press a exclusively entitled to
thp use for republieation of all news dispatcher
credited to It or not otherwise credited In this
paper ano also thr local news published herein.
All rights of publication of special dispatches
herein are also reserved.
The Borah Amendment.
If interpretation of the Constitution
rather than the Constitution itself has
created the "No Man's Land” in which
neither the Federal nor the State gov
ernments may move with any certainty,
especially in social welfare and regula
tory legislation, Senator Borah's pro
posed amendment would go far toward
re-establishing ownership of this terri
tory by placing it squarely with the
States. Administration objectives lie
In other directions, toward extending
the powers of the Federal Government
beyond those specifically enumerated In
the Constitution rather than in clarify
ing the powers of the States. The Borah
amendment, therefore, will fall to fit
the President's bill. But it is at least
honest and forthright. It represents a
direct method of dealing with the cause
of a condition, rather than superficial
and inherently dangerous treatment of
some of the effects.
The Borah amendment probably adds
nothing to the Fourteenth Amendment
which was not in the minds of those
who wTote it. His important addition
becomes significant in view of condi
tions and trends arising since the Four
teenth Amendment's ratification. It lies
in the sentence: "Due process of law
as herein used shall have reference only
to the procedure of executive, adminis
trative, or judicial bodies charged with
the enforcement and execution of the
law.”
Those who borrowed the due process
of law phrase from the Fifth Amend
ment for its use in the Fourteenth
probably had no other thought as to Its
meaning than its assurance to citizens
that they would not be deprived of their
lives, their liberty or their property
without fair trial or proper legislative
and court procedure. But the lack of
definition in the Constitution of “due
process of law” or of standards by
which to determine when a law is
arbitrary' and unreasonable in its effect
upon property or property rights grad
ually led to the assumption of respon
sibility for definitions and standards by
the courts, with resulting disagreements
among the jurists themselves as to their
application. The substance of a statute,
as well as the process by which it was
enacted and enforced, became a matter
for judicial determination. A statute
that the courts held to be unduly harsh
or arbitrary thereby infringed the due
process guarantee in its effect on prop
erty rights.
Senator Borah would return the re
sponsibility for the substance of such
laws -to the Legislatures and the people,
leaving to the courts the examination of
the procedure by which they are enacted
and enforced. The condition which Sen
ator Borah attempts to remedy is said
to be peculiar to the United State6. It
has exposed the judiciary to effective
criticism in the past, and if it is re
sponsible, as pictured, for blocking prog
ress in a new' order of society. Senator
Borah has suggested a direct and rela
, tively simple method of removal.
. As the Supreme Court has invoked
the due process clause in decisions affect
ing State legislation infringing the con
stitutional guarantees of free speech, free
press, assembly and petition, Senator
Borah has been careful to restate these
portions of the BUI of Rights in his new
amendment, with specific reference to
the States.
Hie next grand festival Is April 1,
popularly known as “all fools’ day.”
Many a citizen would gladly don a dunce
.cap and Join in a movement to stop the
argument if it were not necessary to pay
for follies in the past and some still in
' the making.
Buttons and Safety.
Late last Summer after a young mother
had been struck down and killed in sight
of her son by an out-of-town motorist
on Wisconsin avenue, traffic officials
worked out what appeared to be a very
effective street car loading safety zone.
The principal feature was the liberal
use of button markers in addition to the
customary painted lines. There was
come grumbling on the part of a few
motorists anxious to “hit it up” when
they reached this principal artery on
their way home in the evening, but the
tank and file were' pleased that at last
goihething had been done to make it
safe for a person to wait for a street car
On Wisconsin avenue.
; The zones had been down just about a
fnonth and a half when Traffic Depart
ment crews began their wholesale re
moval and in a few days only a faint
yellow line was left, practically invisible
4m c rainy night. This ha* been the sit
uation all Winter. Replying to protests,
the Public Utilities Commission, which
(or some reason seems to have jurisdic
tion over the zones, declared it had or
■bred them removed during the Winter
months because they interfered with
anew removal and anyway the snow
A
crews usually tore them up. So during
the entire Winter, for the sake of a few
cast Iron traffic buttons and the removal
of one five-inch snow, the residents of
this area have been literally taking their
lives in their hands when they walk out
into the street to board a street car.
Fortunately only one serious accident
has resulted.
It is to be hoped that these markers
will be restored soon and that by next
Fall some of the engineering talent of
the District government can work out
a "year around” method of protection.
When to Retire.
Within a brief period justices of the
Supreme Court of the United States will
have the privilege of retirement after
the age of 70 years and ten years’ service
on the bench. This statement is predi
cated on the belief that President Roose
velt will sign the voluntary retirement
bill which has now passed both the
House and the Senate. There is every
reason to believe that he will approve
the bill, first, because it merely does
justice to the members of the highest
court, and second, because in his mes
sage to Congress recommending reorgan
ization of the Federal judiciary, he fa
vored such an amendment to the laws.
The question is, however, whether under
the conditions the President has built
up through his proposals regarding the
Supreme Court any of the Justices will
feel willing to make use of the privilege
of retirement.
It is one thing to grant a privilege
which is entirely Just and fair, and
another thing to hold over the heads
of the members of the Supreme Court
the threat of a measure to “pack” the
court because none of the older mem
bers—six in number—have failed or may
fail to remove themselves from the
bench. No one knows precisely how the
members who have reached and passed
retirement age will feel. The invitation
to retire is obvious. Such action on the
part of several members of the court
would make it possible for the President
to appoint their successors—to inject
into the court “new blood,” which he
has demanded; to appoint new members
who would be inclined to support the
kind of legislation which the New Dealer
par excellence desires.
The country has the highest respect
for the Supreme Court of the United
States. And well it may. It has a great
record over its long history. The present
members of the court have shown
themselves to be fully as able as
have the members of the court in
the past. Nothing has more aroused
the country in recent years than
the patent attempt of the President to
have his own version of the Constitu
tion adopted by the proposal to increase
the membership of the court to fifteen.
Such a proposal is absolutely contrary to
the ideas of the founders of the Govern
ment of the United States, who provided
the method of amending the Constitution
through submission to the people of aU
proposed changes.
The President’s effort to bring about
constitutional amendment through the
appointment pf new members of the
court does not fit well into the picture.
A distinguished Democrat, a former in
fluential member of Congress, Swagar
Sherley of Kentucky, delivered an ad
dress on the floor of the House almost
thirty years which not only described
the function of the Supreme Court
but also showed how ably that function
had been performed. “The thing,” he
said, “which makes our Constitution
unique *from every one in the world Is
the fact that the 8upreme Court of
the United States is given power to say
whether the other branches of the Gov
ernment have exceeded their power.” To
this power and its use by the Supreme
Court the American people owe the
stability and grandeur of the country
more than to any other provision of the
Constitution. This is heresy, of course,
to the New Dealers.
Mr. Sherley said that there have been
times when decisions of the Supreme
Court aroused great excitement and in
dignation, as after the Civil War. De
cisions of the court, he admitted, have
at times seemed temporarily to thwart
the will of the people. But in their
final analysis the decisions of the court
have made for orderly government, for
government of laws and not of men.
Surely Mr. Sherley was correct. It is a
judgment that will be reaffirmed by the
country, even. though today there is
rancor in some quarters against the
court and its decisions.
A new court will have a hard task if
it is required to start over and referee
the old quarrels between Thomas Jeffer
son and Alexander Hamilton.
A Non-Entangling Alliance.
During the week that has witnessed
many references to George Washington’s
farewell address admonition against en
tangling alliances comes news that the
small nations of Europe are seriously
considering the virtues of a non-alliance
policy. Concerted action to that end
is expected at a meeting shortly to be
held at The Hague, nominally for dis
cussion of tariffs and trade barriers. The
movement Is the outgrowth of rising
revulsion among the so-called satellite
states against great-power politics and a
growing realization that their safety is
to be sought in a non-alliance neutrality
program based on self-reliance.
The countries identified with this sig
nificant trend include Belgium, the
Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway,
Finland and Switzerland. Among each
and all of them there is a disinclination
any longer to incur the risk of becoming
entangled in conflicts resultant from
the hatreds, suspicions and rivalries of
strongly armed neighbors, whether dic
tatorships or democracies. Belgium, with
painful memories of how she was con
demned, through no fault of her own,
to become the cockpit of the World War,
naturaUy is in the forefront of the plan
to immunize the little states against
embroilment in wars of no direct con
cern to themselves. King Leopold ap
parently provided the lead in this dire©- j
tion when, several months ago, he an
nounced that Belgium Intends to recover
full independence of action, especially
with regard to military commitments,
and In future conflicts to act exclusively
as her national Interests dictate. It if in
line with the same policy that the
Netherlands recently rejected Germany's
offer of a guarantee of neutrality. Thus,
all the way from the Balkans to the
Baltic, Europe's minor nations display
a cumulative purpose to attend to their
own knitting as the best assurance that
they will not be eruneshed in the skeins
of intrigue which would draw them into
the maelstrom of war for the selfish
Interests of more powerful states. Even
among countries which do not possess
mighty armies, navies and air fleets,
there is strength in union. A league of
suc^ peoples united against partnerships
that breed war is a definite gain for
peace.
It is along kindred lines that Secre
tary Hull has just addressed the Council
on Foreign Relations in New York.
"What a boon to humanity it would be,”
he said, referring to the inter-American
peace agreements negotiated at Buenos
Aires, "if other groups of nations were,
at this crucial stage in world affairs, to
give their plighted faith to a similar
undertaking—if they were, in a spirit
of peace, unity and moral consecration,
to reassert and revitalize the law of
nations, international morality and
treaty obligations, and to pledge solemn
observance of the doctrine of the
equality, the sovereignty, the territorial
integrity and the liberty of all nations.”
Mysteries of India have asserted them
selves powerfully in English literature
despite the fact that a highly decorated
local despot would probably have been
described oflhand by Theodore Roose
velt as evidently "a malefactor of great
wealth."
An effort may yet be made to readjust
the Government in a manner which will
not suggest too frequently an impression
that the Department of the Interior has
more than a reasonable share of the
trouble.
If strike disorders develop on lines of
thoughtless impetuosity, this country
may have no munitions left over from
local demands to supply a foreign market.
A sit-down strike implies long weary
vigils. Among the possibilities that may
arise are demands for folding beds for
use in case of economic emergency.
Selassie hears the bad news about
Ethiopia while remaining in England,
which has so often proved a safety zone
for fugitive politicians.
Shooting Stars.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON
Extinct Political Animal.
We feel the loss.
It is acute.
That old “dark horse,"
A noble brute
Of bygone years.
With gait serene,
No more appears
f Upon the scene!
Now every man
Who talks aloud
Thinks that he can
Persuade the crowd
That it must see
His merit great
And let him be
A candidate!
A bit of song,
A step of dance,
May bring along
Some sort of chance.
So spread your fame,
If you are wise,
And try to claim
A statesman's prize.
Don't stand aside
And think mankind
In modest pride
Your worth will find;
But come across
With boasting great.
That old “dark hoss"
Is out of date.
When the Hard Work Comes.
“What will you do with your spare
time?''
“I won’t have any,” answered Sena
tor Sorghum. “It’s when a statesman
isn’t keeping office hours in the Capitol
that he has to work hardest holding on
to the office.”
Jud T unkins says those old photo
graphs are liable to look ridiculous. It’s
all right to be proud of your ancestors,
but don’t try to show ’em off in the fam
ily album.
Early Education.
“Do you enjoy going to school?”
“Very much,” replied the bright little
boy. “Of course, the school isn't very
entertaining. But the ride there and
back is always pleasant.”
"To speak the truth,” said Hi Ho, the
sage of Chinatown, “requires only a
moment of utterance, but years of re
search in order to ascertain it.”
' Paper Profits.
His “paper profits” made him rich,
And then went to the bad.
He lost a lot of money which
He never really had.
Regular Caller.
“That young man has been calling on
you every night this week,” remarked
the mother.
"That doesn’t mean a thing,” answered
Miss Cayenne, "except that he enjoys
the radio, and the one at his house is
In the shop for repairs.”
War Always Unsuccessful
About “another war” they speak.
It’s what some men appear to seek,
And, from their cravings, you might
guess
Tha previous war was a Mcaesil
I 4.
Supreme Court Proposal a
Stimulant to Lawlessness
To the Editor of The 8ter:
Some of the critics of the Supreme
Court who support the President's plan
for getting favorable decisions are point
ing to the Dred Scott decision as the act
of an aged Jurist who had outlived his
usefulness on the bench. They assume
that the decision was a principal cause
of the Civil War. It no doubt had an
exciting influence, but as it was in favor
of the South and the South nevertheless
seceded I am unable to understand how
the effects could have been any better
if the decision had favored the North.
Further, it is wrong to charge the Dred
Scott decision to Chief Justice Taney,
since it was concurred in by six other
members of the court. At the time it was
rendered the Chief Justice was a little
less than 80 years old, and was therefore
younger than is Mr. Justice Brandels at
this time.
It is not for me to decide whether or
not the court should have held the other
way, but it is obvious that the circum
stances were then quite different from
those now confronting the President and
his party. No constitutional amendment
abolishing or restricting slavery could
have secured either submission or ratifi
cation at that time. Now, however, there
is no sectional division. Whether or not
the President has a “mandate,” he car
ried 46 of the 48 States, and there is a
very general sentiment in favor of the
enactment of so-called social legislation.
I can see no ground whatever for resort
to questionable methods. On the other
hand, the proposal, in my opinion, tends
to stimulate the lawlessness that is now
sweeping over the country.
C. V. BURNSIDE.
Pedestrian Co-operation
Is Not a Major Problem
To the Editor of The Ster:
There appeared in your paper on Feb
ruary 7, if I remember rightly, an article
on the automobile page headed “Pedes
trian Control Urgent.” Apparently this
article is an indorsement of that one
appearing in The Star of January 16, by
Betsy Caswell, with the heading going
entirely across the page, as follows:
“Pedestrians Must Co-operate With Those
Who Drive.” I am wondering if either you
or Miss Caswell believe that co-operation
on the part of the pedestrian is lacking
or anywhere near it. It is true that there
are those who walk carelessly, and I sup
pose we will always have that class with
us. What about proposing that “motor
ists must co-operate with those who
walk”? Until the people who drive are
compelled to be careful about protecting
the pedestrians there wUl be no improve
ment in the traffic mess in Washington.
There are careful and considerate motor
ists. and always have been, but there are
plenty in the other class. I have always
understood that it was a rule of society
when it was possible to avoid an accident
it is one's duty to do so, but an excep
tion seems to be made whenever a
motorist and pedestrian are involved,
the exception always being in favor of
the motorist. And how about the effi
ciency rating of lots of the drivers being
very high when it comes to stopping on
the crosswalks, thus compelling us to
go outside if we cross the streets at all.
I have always thought that people
should cross at the street crossings and
be encouraged to do so. but I am vigor
ously opposed to any law compelling
them to do it. HENRY J. HALLAM.
Merit System Plans Lead
To Wholesale Spoils Raid
To the Editor of The Sttr:
The fact Is steadily gaining recognition
that the real object of many of the
schemes for "extending the merit sys
tem" is to throw open the entire Fed
eral civil service to a wholesale spoils
raid.
In all the discussions of competitive
vs. non-competitive examinations for
conferring civil service status on political
and other favorites now being cared for
in non-civil service positions, one pre
caution has been consistently, not to
say studiously, avoided:
Whenever the holder of a non-civil
service position is given competitive civil
service status therein, by any means ex
cept open, non-preferential. competitive
examination, why not prohibit him from
using that status as a basis for trans
ferring into any other civil service posi
tion for at least four years thereafter?
Such a restriction would not interfere
in the slightest degree with the ostensible
purpose of any of the plans for "ex
tending the merit system" into the New
Deal agencies without disrupting the
work of those agencies by too abrupt a
turnover—but it would prevent the foun
dering of the entire competitive civil
service by an overload of favorites
brought into it by non-competitive
methods. T. J. MEAD.
Racing and Gambling
Not Wanted in District
To the Editor of The Star:
Kindly grant me space through the col
umns of your valuable paper to express my
hearty approval and indorsement of the
editorials appearing in The Star relat
ing to race tracks, horse racing and
gaming of various forms in the District
of Columbia.
The District of Columbia being the
seat and Capital of the United States,
in my opinion should lead and set the
example for clean, good and efficient
service; also control and see that reg
ulations and laws are adhered to and
obeyed in every respect, manner and
way. I think It behooves our law
makers and the people of the United
States to rally to the support of legis
lation that will prove beneficial and
advantageous. Such legislation as will
promote crime and corruption is unde
sirable and unwanted. It invites reck
lessness, wastefulness and disgrace. I
might add with emphasis it makes
spendthrifts and loafers out of some
classes of our people, in many instances
those least able to take such risks and
chances as gaming and horse racing.
Those who follow the game regularly
meet with dire results. Why add such
distasteful and unwanted, legislation
upon the people of the community? The
Commissioners, the courts, the Police De
partment seem powerless to cope with
the vast amount of crime that now
exists. Why confront the District of
Columbia with legislation likely to cause
more disruption and possible disaster in
the District of Columbia. Crime, in my
opinion, is on the increase, instead of
being on the wane. I trust the law
makers in Congress and the people of the
District of Columbia and elsewhere will
band together and defeat the proposed
race track, horse racing and gaming
legislation. HENRY P. ASH.
Hindoo Magnificence.
From the Sasinaw News.
An Indian potentate, reputed to be
the richest man in the world, led a
parade in a 1911 car. But just try to get
an American Mayor to do It.
1 1 1
Escape Etiquette.
From the Cleveland News.
Sixteen political prisoners tunneled
their way out of a Brazilian prison with
soupspoons. My. bow we hope they
dipped the earth away toons them.
■ T
THIS AND THAT 1
BE CHARLES B. TRACEWELL.
Benjamin Franklin was a wise man,
but one of bis greatest aphorisms al
ways has puzzled many readers.
“Early to bed,
And early to rise.
Makes a man healthy,
Wealthy and wise."
Obviously, that Isn’t true. Many per
sons go to bed early who are far from
wealthy.
Many persons with chronic illnesses
are ordered to be early by their physi
cians.
While there may be legitimate dis
pute about the wisdom of staying up
late—“night life,” in other word*—there
can be little doubt that going to bed
early does not make any one wise, in
itself.
Was Franklin just making a pretty
rhyme?
We think not and believe this Is what
he meant:
Early to bed,
And early to rise,
Makes man healthy (enough),
Wealthy (enough).
And wise (enough).
a a * *
Once that modifying word is put in,
the saying becomes easy enough, does it
not?
Franklin was too wise a man to ex
plain all he meant in anything he said.
He paid a compliment to his readers,
by expecting them to see into his mean
ing, and to modify it as necessary.
Even his most Jingling maxims had
something in common with the sage
paragraphs of Emerson.
There was something between the
lines. It Is Interesting to take a page
of Emerson and see how much you can
“read between the lines.” He was that
sort of a writer. His mind took in so
much, as he went along, that necessarily,
being an artist, he had to leave out
much, else his essays would have re
sembled women's letters.
So, too, with Ben Franklin. Special
izing in shrewd, homely observations,
he managed to put many of his thoughts
in easily remembered form, as above.
Even In the simplest of these, however,
he no doubt expected hus readers (and
rememberers) to think a little as they
read and to put in what he had left
out.
* * * *
It is not o'er weening, thus to change
the words of the great, for they expect
ed them to be modified.
It is easy enough to read between the
lines:
Early to bed.
And early to rise.
Makes a man healthy
'Enough)
Wealthy
'Enough)
And wise
' Enough).
It all boils down to the plain fact,
that if one goes to bed early, he will
get the necessary rest.
It may or may not be the legendary
eight hours of sleep, but he is much
surer of getting the essential rest, if he
goes to bed early—enough.
* * * *
This getting enough rest is held by
science as essential both for the mind
and body.
i 1 -■■■■-.—
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS R. HENRY.
The outer atmosphere of the planet
now is getting an exceptionally heavy
bombardment of corpuscles from the sun.
fired into space with speeds approaching
that of light.
The sunspots, now increasing rapidly
In number and tempestuousness as they
approach their 11-year maximum, serve
as the sun's heavy artillery for this
constant shelling of the region nearly
200 miles above the earth’s surface.
Some of the effects are described by
Dr. L. V. Berliner of the department of
terrestrial magnetism of the Carnegie
Institution of Washington.
Under the action of radiations coming
from the sun the atoms and molecules
of the atmosphere at these heights be
come electrically charged, or "ionized,”
enabling the region to conduct electric
currents and to reflect back to the earth
radio waves which otherwise would
escape into outer space. By sending
short pulses of radio waves of various
frequencies into this region and observ
ing the time required for their echoes to
return to earth—an interval of a few
ten-thousandths of a second—it is pos
sible to determine the exact number of
charged particles at the various heights.
Around midday in the Summer at
Washington three well-defined regions of
electrification now are known to exist.
The lowest of these is at a height of
about 65 miles, where the number of
electrified particles or ions is about
2.800,000 per cubic inch. This is called
the E-region. A second region is found
at a height of about 130 miles, in which
the ion density reaches about 5,300.000
per cubic inch, while a third, at a height
of 190 miles, has an ion density of 16,
000.000 per cubic inch or more.
The lower two layers are ionized by
the ultra-violet light from the sun. There
is much evidence that the highest region
is ionized by corpuscles projected from
the sun and bombarding the outer at
mosphere. The heights and ion intensi
ties of these layers change from day to
day and hour to hour. In June, when
the sun reaches its greatest height in
the sky, at Washington the upper two
layers of the ionized region are dis
tinctly separated, while in December,
when the sun does not climb so high,
they are merged. The reverse situation
obtains at the Carnegie Institution sta
tion in Western Australia. There the
two regions are merged in June, the
Southern Hemisphere’s Winter. .
Changes in the lower two regions which
are ionized by ultra-violet light from the
sun reveal clearly the effect of the in
creased intensity of sunlight from season
to season in epch hemisphere, the more
intense the sunlight the greater the ion
densities. The ultra-violet light and
corpuscular radiation which create this
electrical condition in the outer atmos
phere are completely absorbed there. It
was known from mathematical calcula
tion that such radiations must be pres
ent, but because they were not visible
on the earth little was known about
them. Now that their effect on the
outer atmosphere can be measured,
knowledge of the sun’s radiation is
greatly enhanced.
It long has been known that when
sunspot activity was high, fluctuations
in the earth’s magnetism were more fre
quent and intense. The manner in
which these changes affect the earth’s
magnetism now is becoming clear. One
of the most striking changes which has
been revealed is an increase in the ion
density of all the regions during the
past two years. This change amounts to
about 50 per cent in the two lower re
gions and to more than 300 per cent in
the highest region. It is attributed to
the Increase in the number of sunspots.
Xha change, Dr. Berkncr points out,
a
It means that on# will have some
what settled habits, another good thing
for health. Life Is habit, which, in turn,
is rhythm.
These rhymes are good, or bad, sel
dom Indifferent.
And who shall judge, whether good
or bad, except common sense?
* * * *
The person who gets enough rest, '
whether he goes to bed at midnight and
arises at 8 a m., or retires at 8 p.m. and
gets up at 4 in the morning, is pretty
sure to be healthy.
What, healthy?
Well, healthy enough.
He may not be a Hercules, or an Ein
stein, but, after all, who would want to
be?
There is a certain human satisfaction
in being fairly well satisfied with one's
self, not as the conceited fellows are, but
simply as a decent fellow with some
amount of common sense may be, if he
looks around him and sees how much
worse off thousands of others are.
This is an old wisdom which yet many
seem to lack. They are forever trying
to keep up with those famous Joneses,
so that they never have time to 6ee
themselves as they really are.
* * * *
Regular habits, as typified in the un
derstanding and practice of enough
sleep, no doubt will give any earnest
man—at least it used to be thought so,
and until long after Franklin’s time
enough wealth.
Probably all one ought to have, any
way!
Sometimes It is hard to understand,
also, that one about money being the
root of all evil.
Too often it seems the very flower of
existence, not for itself, but for what it
brings.
Yet any one. by looking around him
carefully, will see that oftentime money
has a thorn attached to its flowers, that
sometimes too much money—for the
person involved—is far worse than too
little.
It is easy to see this, in striking cases;
not so easy, perhaps, in the majority of
cases, especially involving persons of
whom we know nothing personally, see
ing only the glitter.
Regular habits, as involved in proper
rest, will bring, or at least ought to
bring, wealth enough, perhaps. Let us
devoutedly hope so.
* * * *
And surely enough repose will bring
wisdom enough, probably more than any
one person can use.
Most of us know far more than we
can put to use.
Knowledge and wisdom are not syn
onymous. as the Bible so often tells us,
but one thing is certain;
We are wise if we do not think we
know too much, if we are willing to be
lieve that others may know more than
we do, if the ready sneer is withheld
now and then when it might be exer
cised. if we possess the bravery to say
we do not know when we do not.
He who is wise (enough) to get the
real rest daily his system needs, will be
wise enough for all the practical pur
poses of this life, with a little left over
for artistic and esthetic purposes. What
more could one ask?
is of considerable practical importance.
For example, police radio stations in
stalled a few years ago and operating on
high radio frequencies could be received
only 30 or 40 miles away. Now they can
be heard on the opposite side of the
Atlantic. When the stations were first
established the high frequencies used
penetrated the ionosphere and were lost
in space. Now. owing to the increased
I ion-densities of the ionosphere, they are
reflected back to the earth so that the
echoes are received at great distances.
* * * *
The ground hog is unique among ani
mals in its ability to live for as long as
a month with both kidneys removed.
This discovery was made by Dr. Sidney
W. Britton and Dr. Herbert Silvette,
University of Virginia physiologists, in
connection with a study of how death is
caused by poisons formed within the
bodies of mammals that have lost their
kidneys. Ground hogs from whom both
kidneys had been removed continued for
two, three and even four weeks to eat
and drink freely, and to have occasional
fights with their cage mates, just like
normal animals. In several cases food
was eaten within a few hours before
death, but the animals always died, show
ing in the end the usual symptoms of
uremic poisoning.
This behavior. Drs. Britton and Sil
vette report, is strikingly different from
that of other animals without kidneys.
Rats, guinea pigs, cats and dogs all show
severe effects and survive only a few
days. The University of Virginia physi
ologists also found that ground hogs
from whom the kidneys had been re
moved in Winter survived much longer
than those operated upon in Summer.
This is not due to hibernation, however,
for in the warm air of the laboratory
the animals do not go into their cus
tomary Winter sleep, but remain active
through January and February. Ground
hogs whose kidneys were removed in
Winter lived an average of 20 days, while
those operated upon in the early Summer
lived only a week or less.
-» l —-— - —
City Manager Government.
Prom the Charlotte Observer.
As unlucky as Cincinnati has been in
its experiences with the flood, it has been
exceedingly fortunate in that, when the
waters overspread the city and precipi
tated a crisis without precedent, that
city had a city manager form of govern
ment and an exceptionally efficient one
man executive control.
C. A. Dykstra was that man. He di
rected all municipal activities focused
upon relief; his orders were never ap
pealable; his commands had to be car
ried out by those to whom they were
given.
How the emergency might have been
met otherwise can well be imagined by
those who continue to live in communi
ties governed by the ancient and cum
bersome aldermanic form in which au
thority Is scattered and important func
tions of municipal government are in the
hands of committees, usually appointed
on the basis of political considerations.
The city manager form of government
has been put to critical tests in times of
normal and ordinary conditions and
come out unscathed.
In this instance, it has been com
pelled to face an unprecedented situa
tion and emerges from that with all the
argument and credit for efficiency on Its
side.
A High Scholastic Standard.
Prom the Indianapolis Star.
Yale’s new president naturally will be
expected to maintain his predecessor’s I
0ns loot ball record. I
A
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 stamp for reply.
Q. Who owns the Hialeah race track
at Miami, Fla.?—C. N.
A. The controlling Interest la Jointly
owned by Col. E. R. Bradley and Joseph
E. Wldener.
Q. Is It true that Negroes are not wel
comed in Italy?—H. S.
A. Mussolini has ordered contract*.
ended for all Negroes—mostly entertain
ers—who are now in Italy, and their con
tracts are not to be renewed. No figure
on the number of Negroes in Italy is
available.
—■
Q. How often did the “8unshine News
paper" give away its home edition last
year?—H. F.
A. The St. Petersburg, Fla., Inde
pendent gives away this edition on any
day when the sun does not shine in St.
Petersburg. In 1936 there were only six
free editions. Previous to that, there
were 546 days without one on which the
sun did not shine at all.
Q. How much cotton is used in making
bags in the United States?—W. J. R.
A. Bags and bagging require approxi
mately 500,000 bales of cotton a year.
Q. How many windows has the Wash
ington Monument?—E. W.
A. It has eight, two on each side, from
which the city and nearby countryside
can ve viewed from the observation floor.
Q Please explain the No-Man’s Land
in Colorado —M. M. S.
A. It is a tract of about 1,300 square
miles in the north central part of the
State, about 50 miles from Denver. Ly
ing between lands included in the
Louisiana Purchase and in the Texas
Panhandle purchase, it is not part of
either, but was obtained in the cession
of the Ute Indians under the treaty
of March 2. 1868. It was included with
in the boundaries of Colorado when that
State was admitted to the Union in
1876 On August 9. 1936, at Brecken
ridge, Colo., Gov. E. C. Johnson pro
claimed American sovereignty over this
land.
Q. Is black aniline dye suitable for
dyeing silk goods?—H. J.
A. Aniline black is not nearly as suited
for printing on silk as it is on cotton,
and while it still finds use in silk print
ing, it has been replaced to a consider
able extent with certain acid blacks.
Q. Does Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's son
believe in spiritualism? If so, does he
communicate with his father?—C. J.
A. The author's son, Denis Conan
Doyle, claims to be in constant com
munication with his father. He is quoted
as saying: ‘'Mv father has never failed
to advise me on my personal and busi
ness relations. Not once since he died
six years ago has he advised me wrong.’’
Q. What is the largest ranch in
Oregon?—W. J.
A. The Hay Creek Ranch near Madras,
Oreg.. is the largest in the State. It is
owned by Frederick Warran Wichman
and consists of 200.000 acres.
Q. Where is the model of the New York
World's Fair of 1939?—E. H.
A. A model of the fair is on display
on the eightieth floor of the Empire
State Building in New York City.
Q. Does the establishment of a free
port in New York mean that foreign
goods can be sold in this country with
out paying duty?—M. B
A. Establishment of the port will in
no way breach the American tariff walls.
All goods leaving the free port for an
American destination must pay full im
port duties. American coastwise ship
ping will be protected by requiring that
no goods can be moved from the free
port to any American port except in
American ships. Operation of the free
port is expected by shippers to elimi
nate many costly duplications of charges
as well as irritating delays in trans
shipment of goods. The principal func
tion of the port is expected to be to
supply a convenient place, served by all
principal shipping lines from every’ part
of the world, for trans-shipping foreign
goods for delivery to some other foreign
port than the port of origin.
Q Where was Eleonora Duse born?
—W. H.
A. The famous actress was bom in
Vigevano, Italy.
Q Is there an association of plastic
surgeons?—F. B.
A. The Society of Plastic and Recon
structive Surgery is such an organisa
tion.
Q. How many American motorists have
visited Mexico since the new highway
opened?—H. K. K.
A. More than 20.000 American motor
ists have visited Mexico since the open
ing last Summer of the new highway
between Laredo and the Mexican capital.
Q. Is it possible for a boy handicapped
by some physical deformity to become
a Boy Scout?—H. J.
A. If a Boy Scout is physically unable
to meet the required tests, he may be
come a member through what la known
as Achievement Scouting. He fulfills
whatever requirements he can and for
tests he cannot meet he may substitute
others of his own choosing which will
show Scout spirit.
Q. What Is the largest piece of coral
found In recent years?—W. B. R.
A. In Formosa. Japanese fishermen
found the largest piece of coral on
record, weighing more than 350 pounds.
Q. Why is the cantaloupe so called?
—J. W.
A. It Is named for Cantalupo. Italy,
the town in which it was first grown.
The Catch.
From the Albuquerque Journal.
The main drawback to this social se
curity program is that you have to pay
for It.
A Rhyme at Twilight
By
Gertrude Brooke Hamilton
Young Feet.
Skiing out where the hills are steep,
Under the Winter sky.
Where high winds blow across the snow
As we go sailing by.
The stars become like meteors.
Each In a shining flash.
The moon hangs low, a silver bow,
As down the slopes we dash.
High speed, high spirits, flying feet.
Who would such fun restrain?
For all must know, though fast ws ft,
. Youth will not come again,
a