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