Evening star. [volume], June 02, 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.
WEDNESDAY__...June 2, 1937
THEODORE W. NOYES--Editor
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herein are also reserved.
Local Tax Pitfalls.
The botched-up local tax program
finally prepared at the District Build
ing for consideration tomorrow by the
full House District Committee is the
product of much aimless tinkering. It
Is not a logical program of taxation nor
a fair one. It represents a hopeless if
good-natured effort—at the expense of
the unrepresented people of the District
—to incorporate in such a program the
tax whims or predilections of a large
number of persons, none of whom seems
to have given much thought or study
to the tax problem as a whole. It needs
drastic revision.
In the face of manifest difficulties and
uncertainties of administration the local
Income tax has been included in the pro
gram. That in itself is indicative of an in
comprehensible failure to appreciate the
peculiar nature of the problems involved
in a local income tax as well as unwise
disregard of the evil of double or dupli
cate taxation as between the national
end local governments. But if in spite
of the manifest faults of a local income
tax such a tax is favored, then it is in
conceivable that the tax will be enacted
on top of the existing tax on intangibles,
or that, as suggested, its provisions be
tnade retroactive. The worst enemies of
the District never proposed any such
thing. Are we seriously threatened with
it now by our friends?
The only rational defense of a local
Income tax has been that it is preferable
to the intangibles tax. That is a matter
of opinion. But certainly the income
tax can never be seriously considered
except as a substitute for the intangibles
tax.
The proposal to retain the intangibles
tax while experimenting with a local in
come tax Is grotesque and should be
abandoned immediately. If the intan
gibles tax Is retained, with more strict
provisions of enforcement, there is no
need for a local income tax.
The only excuse for an automobile
weight tax has been as a substitute for
the personal property tax on automobiles.
But by a curious process of abstruse
reasoning at the District Building, auto
mobile owners are apparently to be
plastered both with weight taxes and
personal property taxes, though the most
ardent tax boosters )n Congress never
proposed the weight tax as anything but
a substitute for personal property taxes.
And while the weight tax was origi
nally proposed to raise revenue to avoid
a general fund deficit, the proposal is
now to segregate It with the gasoline
tax fund, where there is no deficit. Con
gress has failed to appropriate all funds
now raised from gasoline taxation. Such
eegregation means that for every dollar
raised by the weight tax, another dollar
must be raised by some other tax for the
general fund.
The House District Committee's spe
cial tax subcommittee has apparently
been anxious to include every conceivable
form of tax In Its program, In order to
give full room for final selection. The
people of the District hope for wise
leadership from the full District Com
mittee in the avoidance of the tax pit
falls so carelessly dug for them up to
this time.
May thirty, observed in honor of
those who laid down their lives for their
country, annually becomes a “Memorial
day” for entirely too many non
combatants.
John L. Lewis’ middle initial stands
for Llewellyn. Is, not that the name of
another famous breed of setter?
Hayashi Cabinet Falls.
On the same day that found the
Western world trembling in alarm over
developments in Spain, which involved
the peril of precipitating the long
feared European war, Japan was the
scene of events destined to promote
peace on the other side of the globe.
The army bossed cabinet of General
6enjuro Hayashi, which had stubbornly
retained office despite overwhelming
defeat at the polls on April 30, resigned
In a body. Its fall was directly brought
about by the firm demands of the two
leading political parties, the Minseito
and Seiyukai, which won roundly 400
of 466 Diet seats at the last general
election. The party leaders had un
ceasingly contended that in view of its
rebuke by the nation, the Hayashi min
istry, which had truculently threatened
to govern without Parliament, was guilty
of usurpation. Even the hint that the
premier would enact electoral reforms
designed to replace parliamentary con
trol with a near-Fascist regime did not
deter the political leaders from insist
ing that General Hayashi quit office
and make way for a government repre
sentative of the people’s will. That he
has finally retired under this relentless
fire is an undeniable and epochal vic
tory for the Japanese constitutional
A
system, even though It would be pre
mature to suppose that civilian ascend
ancy over army influence is now defi
nitely established.
Emperor Hirohito is expected, on the
advice of Prince Saionji, surviving mem
ber of the elder statesmen group,
promptly to select a new premier. Un
less the cabinet now to be chosen in
cludes members of the powerful political
parties, its life is not likely to be pro
longed much beyond the four-month
tenure of the Hayashi cabinet, which
had the second shortest term In the
island empire's modern history. The
civilian parties command strength
enough in the Diet to defeat legisla
tion which they oppose and force out
a cabinet which seeks to govern under
army control. The probability is that
a national coalition ministry will suc
ceed the late discredited ministry. From
such a cabinet the civilian interests,
including industry and finance, as well
as the political parties, will ask for
drastic administrative reforms, a strong
foreign policy and an adequate army
and navy. But there is every prospect,
now that the anti-militarist elements
have demonstrated their ability to
checkmate and upset an army domi
nated government, that moderation will
supplant the spirit of aggression which
has latterly characterized Japanese
policy, especially in China.
That is a harbinger of tranquillity in
the Far East, which is more than ordi
narily welcome throughout the world at
this gravely anxious hour in Europe.
Tax Dodgers.
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Morgenthau of the Treasury Depart
ment have revealed to the country an
amazing story of tax avoidance. The
agility of the tax dodgers and the
lengths to which they have gone are
worthy of better aims and end The
creation of personal holding companies,
of corporations, either domestic or for
eign, are some of the methods adopted—
apparently on the advice of legal counsel.
The story is one that doubtless will
rouse the indignation of American tax
payers—those who meet their tax obliga
tions without avoidance—the country
over. As the President very well points
out- in his message to Congress, the
failure of this ‘minority of very rich
individuals'’ to meet their tax obliga
tions makes the burden fall more heavily
upon those taxpayers who do meet their
obligations.
The writing of an income tax law
which does only justice to all concerned
is a difficult task. If the law7 is written
so as to give relief to persons who
really deserve relief when they have
sustained losses, there is the group which
immediately takes advantage of tech
nicalities to avoid the payment of just
taxes. It is easy to argue that if a
taxpayer “keeps within the law” he is
entitled to avoid as much taxation as
he can. Yet some of the devices turned
up by the Treasury Department investi
gators appear, as the President says,
“unethical” and “immoral.” The law
yers, with whose aid these devices have
been developed, could use their talents
to better advantage in some other field
of endeavor. The President charges
that lawyers of high standing at the
bar have not only helped the tax
dodgers with these flimsy devices, but
also have made use of these devices
themselves. If the President be correct,
it is a sad commentary upon the legal
profession as well as upon human
nature.
The array of cases mentioned by Sec
retary Morgenthau, involving large
sums of money which should have been
paid to the Government in taxes, Is
impressive. At the same time an effort
to make the avoidance of taxes an
other major crisis in this country—
as the administration seems bent on
doing—is something else. If all these
taxes have been paid into the Treasury
the revenue might have been $100,000,000
greater, it is said. A hundred million
dollars would not wipe out the deficit—
not by many hundred millions of dol
lars. A hundred million dollars of
wasteful expenditures by the Govern
ment, or unnecessary expenditure, is
just as hard on the great mass of the
taxpaying American people as is the
loss of $100,000,000 of revenue through
tax evasion.
The President in his message said:
“What the facts set forth mean to me
is that we have reached another major
difficulty in the maintenance of the
normal processes of our Government.
We are trying harder than ever before
to relieve suffering and want, to pro
tect the weak, to curb avarice, to pre
vent booms and depressions—and to
balance the budget. Taxation necessary
to those ends is the foundation of sound
governmental finance. When our legiti
mate revenues are attacked, the whole
structure of government is attacked.”
Tax evasion is not to be condoned; it
should be stamped out, but it is by no
means all that ails the finances of this
Government.
F. D. R.’s recent outstanding catch
of tarpon was, it appears, a mere prelude
toward getting his hand in for a very
much larger haul of tax evaders. That
species, it may be remarked, is also a
gamey fighter.
The Refrigeration Code.
It is altogether appropriate that the
public hearing on the proposed new
refrigerator and air conditioning code
for the District, held yesterday at the
District Building, should be postponed
for a period to permit irritations
aroused by the processes of preparation
and consultation to subside. A cooling
off interval is quite in order. The pro
posed. code, affecting a large number of
property owners, proved to be a surprise
to those who attended the hearing,
representing those whose interests were
directly involved. An attempt to limit
each speaker to five minutes was re
sented. Furthermore, it was alleged that
the code had not been properly ex
plained. Fortunately wise counsel pre
vailed and the hearing was adjourned to
a later date.
While expedition is desirable in general
in matters of local administration, there
would seem to be no urgent reason for
haste in the preparation and adoption
of a code of this character. It is a new
proposition. It will involve a heavy
expenditure and in some cases will seri
ously affect the business welfare of
property owners. It would be unreason
able to expect to adopt a code in time
to apply to the warm season which is
just beginning.
There is no doubt of the need of a
system of inspection and a standard
of workmanship and installation cover
ing equipment of this character. Here
tofore there has been much laxness in
this respect. Danger to life is involved.
This is admitted by property owners
and doubtless if sufficient time is given
for the thorough study of the matter
and the preparation of reasonable rules
of supervision there will be general co
operation with the Commissioners by
the public. The objections voiced at
yesterday’s hearing were mainly due to
the lack of time for such a study. For
tunately a spirit of reason prevailed
finally at the hearing to effect a post
ponement until the voluminous docu
ment embracing the proposed rules can
be fully studied, and presumably when it
is resumed sufficient time will be given
for the full presentation of views. That
is in the line with sound administration
in municipal affairs, a course that should
always be followed whatever the subject.
Carl Hubbell is a philosopher as well
as a great base ball pitcher. When his
winning streak of twenty-four games,
spanning last season and the present
one, was broken the other day, he
merely remarked that his luck had “run
out.” If this attitude were always taken
by favorite public performers, with fewer
“alibis” for failure, the prima donnas of
the diamond would be held in higher
esteem.
The coming Boy Scout Jamboree has
been insured against every contingency
from pestilence—which necessitated can
cellation of a previous celebration—to
hurricane. How about failure of wood
to ignite when the bow-drill is in opera
tion?
In the pre-depression days of the
knee-length skirt some wag pointed out
that a knee is “a joint, and not an
entertainment.” In this era of shorts
for all occasions, appropriate and in
appropriate, it has become practically
a pageant.
Amelia Earhart is assured of a good
press whether she succeeds or fails in
her attempt to fly around the world.
Whatever her route or destination, she
is always first-rate "copy.”
Good Americans: Persons who delight
in contributing toward the erection of
historic and sentimental markers, then
go out and ring the first undamaged
roadside white birch tree.
One retirement plan, well known in
the National Capital decades before the
present crop: That of starting the Wash
ington pitcher along about the fifth or
sixth inning.
Shooting Stars.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Severe Science.
"The old swimmln’ hole”
That Riley made charming
Has need of control,
Its ways are alarming.
Though it may display
A group that is merry,
Stem science will say
It's not sanitary.
Though science may bring
A click from Arcturus,
The cruel old thing
Prom joys will immure us.
Here on our own earth
We are told by some college
Each moment of mirth
Shows a sad lack of knowledge.
Studied Superficialities.
"There were some things in your speech
that I didn't quite understand.”
"Probably,” replied Senator Sorghum.
"Those were probably the topics I re
ferred to in a confident, offhand way,
so as to avoid disclosing that I don't
understand 'em either.”
Freedom.
High on the Capitol a statue stands—
A figure with tobacco in her hands.
This same old weed in ancient times
was made
To circulate as currency in trade.
Since changes now we easily effect,
New tokens may be easy to select.
And let us, as we join in festive song,
Make up our money as we go along.
“It is mysteriously difficult,” said Hi
Ho, the sage of Chinatown, “for a man
or a nation to perceive the possibility of
injustice in a bargain which is to the
disadvantage of another.”
A Satirical Gardener.
"Do you read much fiction?”
“Yes. I take a lot of magazines that
tell me what a fine garden I can make
in my backyard.”
Jud Tunkins says good Rotarian sense
causes a town to make the “Welcome
to Our City” sign more conspicuous than
“Keep Off the Grass.”
Varying Figures.
About a debt you have to fret
When billions are involved. And yet
I’m told by credit men I’ve met
Ten bucks are ’most as hard to get.
“Some men can’t take a joke,” said
Uncle Eben, "and, considerin’ how bad
some of de Jokes is, I ain’ blamin’ nobody
foh bein’ kind o’ shy,”
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET GERMOND.
REMEMBER THE DAY. By Kenneth
Horan. New York: Doubleday,
Doran & Co.
Family life in Michigan back in the
days when McKinley and Roosevelt were
administering the affairs of the Na
tion is the subject of the collection of
memories herein recorded by a gay
mannered writer whose photograph on
the back jacket cover gives evidence
that she Is as engaging in person as
she is in print. Though she bears a
masculine name she states that she
possesses the feelings of a woman, says
that she has a perfectly gorgeous time
because her garden—in which she does
all the work—is fairly successful and
because she is so busy reading and re
viewing books, giving lectures and writ
ing stories. She has been a newspaper
woman, has edited a poetry anthology,
written two books for children and two
long novels, one of which became a
screen success.
Remembering the outstanding events
which in childhood emphasized the
dramatic, the near-tragic, and the comic
crises of family life will ever be a
source of pleasure in the adult years
that follow'. And it is the memories
of such occasions in the O'Donnell family
that Kenneth Horan recalls in this col
lection of stories. Her father owned
several newspapers in Michigan, was
a stanch Republican and leader of his
party in his State and was designated
by all comers as Governor.
As party leader and speechmaker,
Pappa received all the political and
other notables who visited Michigan
and he and Mamma necessarily en
gaged in an almost ceaseless round
of entertainment. There was seldom
a time when the house was minus
guests, and these are stories about the
occasions w hen President McKinley, Wil
liam Jennings Bryan, Andrew Carnegie,
Lyman Abbott. Jane Addams, Henry
Ford. Sarah Bernhardt, Jo Jefferson,
Richard Mansfield, Uncle Joe Cannon,
John Philip Sousa and a host of other
notables touched the family life of the
O'Donnells, with the two little girls, the
author and her pretty sister Kathie, as
animated and oftentimes inquisitive
participants.
Mrs. Horan tells the stories as she
remembers them, and her memory is
keen and accurate. She remembers how'
Mamma looked and how she handled the
important post of being hostess for her
prominent husband. She remembers the
family jitters attendant upon the prob
lem of providing a bath for Miss Jane
Addams in the newly painted mahogany
bathtub. She remembers Pappa's beau
tiful speech introducing President Mc
Kinley, and also the occasion of William
Jennings Bryan's “Cross of Gold” speech,
which brought tears to Pappa's eyes and
drew from him the comment: “He's all
wrong, but can’t he talk?” She re
members that Republicans were dis
tinguished from Democrats by whether
or not Pappa shook hands with them.
Mrs. Flynn, the rook; Cot, a trusty
from the penitentiary who acted as
coachman; Madamoiselle, tutor and
caretaker of the children, and numerous
neighbors are a part of these adven
tures of childhood in a Michigan home,
recounted from a child's point of view
and told with the brisk humor and
vivacity that is characteristic of a
good story teller possessed of an Irish
heritage.
* * * *
MY COLONEL AND HIS LADY. By
Archibald Rutledge. Indianapolis:
The Bobbs-Merrill Co.
This volume is the tribute of a de
voted and gifted son to his father and
mother, of whom he says:
“Though they have gone into the
World of Light, they never seem to
leave us, those friends of our mortal
pilgrimage who were loved and lovable.
It is so with my Colonel and his Lady.
• * * Peace of heart and gratitude and
reconciliation to life the memory of
my beloved Colonel brings me; and
though he recedes into the past, for me
the vision of him continually brightens,
touched with a tender radiance. * * *
Here was a real man, the personification
of a great era in American life. * * •
Why should I not give what I know to
be an authentic picture of him, one
that I trust may be convincing!
"The long shadows of life obliterate
too much that is memorable and charm
ing of the human scene. I don't ever
want my Colonel to be hidden in those
shades. There are too many people
living today who would appreciate him
and love him. even as his son does.”
Henry Middleton Rutledge was the
youngest colonel in the Confederate
Army and one of the most valiant. He
and his sharpshooters were participants
in most of the major battles of the
Civil War, and when that bloody conflict
came at last to an end he returned to
his two-thousand-acre estate in South
Carolina to take up the burden of
maintaining an existence. Only twenty
four years old, with one shoulder per
manently drooped as a result of wounds
at Malvern Hill and Antietam. im
poverished and defeated, the colonel held
no bitterness in his heart, but carried
on through a long life, gallant, gen
erous, just and exemplifying in his daily
life his faith in the ideals which stood
for those things that were best in the
old South.
A close companionship existed between
father and son and it is through this
association from childhood along the
years to manhood that the son of the
picturesque and gallant colonel in
terprets the character of the man whose
life and interests were too fine to be
hidden in those “long shadows of life”
which “obliterate too much that is
memorable of the human scene.”
In recounting the life of his mother,
the same fine appreciation of char
acter and idealism is present. As his
father was superior among men, so also
was his mother superior among women,
living largely in loneliness and isolation,
managing the plantation and its people,
meeting with resourcefulness and in
fearlessness the many emergencies of
illness and other crises involving not
only her own family, but the entire
plantation neighborhood.
Mr. Rutledge is a gifted writer, and
in this tribute to his parents he has
expressed with poetic beauty the loveli
ness of a memory that can never be
hidden in the long shadows, and that
may bear the germ of a revival of faith
in the principles and ideals which char
acterized the journey upon this earth
of the Colonel and his Lady.
A Michigan Problem.
Prom the Ann Arbor New*.
Senate action at Lansing appears to
have destroyed all hope of dog racing
In Michigan during this legislative ses
sion, at least. But of course the Gov
ernor could call a special session to han
dle such an important problem.
Precocity.
Prom the Philidelphi* Evening Bulletin.
Moline, 111., brags that a 10-mlnute
old baby had a tooth pulled. At that
rate, it will lose its tonsils, appendix and
get glasses before kindergarten days are
finished,
r
THIS AND THAT [
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
There’s going to be a marathon race
here soon, one of the primitive athletic
events which retains its grip on the
imaginations of men despite all the new
fangled competition.
No one now needs to run miles without
stopping, perhaps, but it is a good thing
to have the runners in the race, so that
if the necessity should arise there would
be a trained personnel to do it
“Of the 23 ways of getting out of
trouble,” say the Chinese, “the best is
to run away.”
Good lungs and good legs still serve
mankind in many ways.
One must have both to run in a mara
thon. Not the motion picture type of
beauty, by any means. It is notorious
that long-distance runners often are
thin and bandylegged.
The stuff is there, however; those bow
legs carry their owners over the terrain
in excellent style.
* * * *
As to why any one wants to be a
marathoner, that is another question,
but we believe the explanation runs
this way:
Man is divided into two groups, the
slow-motioned, and the quick-motioned.
Men in the latter classification in
athletics “go in” f6r tennis, the dashes,
basket ball.
Those in the former class prefer golf,
the weight events, long-distance run
ning.
One may suspect, whether rightly or
wrongly, that long-distance men are
more philosophers than athletes, at
least mentally.
* * * if
They are the kind of men who love
books, pipes and old clothes.
There is in the Middle West a re
tired manuhoner who is a landscape
architect by trade and a book collector
by avocation.
Landscape architecture is a pleasant,
slow-motioned way of earning a living,
we would suppose.
Maybe all marathon men do not col
lect old books, but it wouldn't surprise
us a bit if most of them do, for this
one was and is typical of the lot.
A long, rangy fellow', probably not so
rangy bv this time, since we remember
him as he was before the war, who star
red only in distance runs, although he
tried all other forms of college athletics.
It was a college noted for its basket
ball teams, in particular, but with good
teams in all other branches.
* * * *
Another thing the majority of long
distance men shine in is talk.
They love a gabfest like dogs love
hamburger.
Probably not public speaking, al
though we have seen some of them shine
there, too, but mostly two and three, or
at most four, together, at a table with
something on it.
Then plenty of good talk, one thing
after another, one topic leading on to
the next, with that natural, unforced
progression which is the joy of all good
conversationalists.
It s that slow-motion temperament
which makes a good distance man. and
this whether he seems fussy and fidgety,
or not. It isn't the superficial character
istics of a man which really count, In
the long run or short run.
Most men waste most of their lives
seeing only the superficial character
istics of others. They see his hair is
long, and they ask him why he doesn't
have it cut. If it is curly, they demand
that he put stickum on it, which he
loathes.
So it goes all along the line, men
wasting their time and energy noting
things not worth the noting or saying,
too often failing to say anything about
the good and the beautiful in life, wear
ing a shamed expression if any one else
dares.
* * * *
Slow-motioned people, in essence, like
to think deeply, as deep as they can; they
like to run as long as they can; they
fancy old hats, we are convinced, and
old friendships.
Running!
We are so used to rolling on wheels,
in this day, that many of us forget
that legs were and remain the original
form of transportation.
They are Just as useful today as they
were in the stone age, and if any one
asks where are the pterodactyls and
other monstrous and fearsome creatures,
let us reply that the streets are full
of them, monsters breathing gas and
defiance, and maiming and killing more
j than those old bluffs ever did.
* * * *
Yes, one needs to be able to run today
as much as ever.
Of those famous ways of getting out of
trouble, running remains one of the very
best, after all.
We can do long distance with our
minds, if we want to, and work out some
other old proverbs of note, including “A
soft answer turneth away wrath.” That
is a sort of marathon, isn't it, based
solidly on the universal appreciation of
the slow-minded man as opposed to the
quick-motioned, wise-cracker type.
Mental slow continued “running” re
quires patience and applied good will.
It demands some thought for the other
fellow.
There is something particularly ap
pealing to the mind about the long-dis
tance run. Not every one is agreed on
the exact spectacular value. It is much
the same with regattas. Some love them,
others regard them as bores.
When it comes to the mental side of
long-distance running, there can be
little divergence of opinion. It takes all
the energies of the human body, and
puts them to work carrying that bodv
over the ground. It unites the ancient
of days with the very palpitating second
of today. It gets right down to the bed
rock of human nature. The marathoner
doesn't have to beg a lift; he lifts him
self over the ground any time he wants
to, for as long as his lungs and legs
hold out.
He is his own man, in a wav pecul
iarly pleasing to the unfettered human
mind as it should be. but as it is, alas,
very few times under modern condi
tions.
If the revolt of the "yes man” ever
occurs, we believe it will be led by a
marathon runner, aided and abetted bv
marathon runners. Maybe thev will ail
bring modern resentment to a'head, so
that this century can get going again
where it left off last.
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS |
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WILE.
Politicians wonder whether Franklin
Delano Roosevelt is now a victim of
those adversities which traditionally
overtake a President of the United
States in his second term. Usually they
don't bob up thus early in the return
engagement. In F. D. R.s case, cur
rent events, especially his Supreme Court
woes, indicate that the second-term jinx
is already making itself felt with a
vengeance. Anti-administrationists, with
whom the wish is, of course, father to
the thought, are convinced that the
slump in Rooseveltian fortunes has only
just begun—that their progress down
the toboggan, in Congress and in the
country at large, will be cumulative from
now on. To a realization that White
House stock nearly everywhere has fallen
among the folks back home is attributed
the readiness of both Senators and
Representatives to exhibit a spirit of
independence unknown hitherto during
the New Deal. A year ago there was
hardly a Democratic candidate for Con
gress who dared to risk the reputation
of being anti-Roosevelt. As things are
going, to be against the President may
by 1938 become almost as much of an
■asset as clinging to his coattails was in
the campaigns of ’32, '34 and '36.
♦ * * *
Talk persists, despite lack of any
White House intimation to justify it,
that the high command knows the jig is
up on the six-justice court enlargement
scheme and that the measure may never
be brought to a vote. The reasons al
leged for this prospect are twofold—first,
that Senate votes are lacking to pass
the bill, and, secondly, that Roosevelt
leaders are aware that the opposition,
if necessary-, is prepared to filibuster
till the crack of doom. Meantime, there's
no doubt that certain friendly elements
desirous of preserving the President from
the embarrassment of defeat are moving
heaven and earth to bring about an
acceptable compromise. Many authori
ties are persuaded that if additional
retirements from the high bench were
to ensue at a relatively early date—a
possibility insistently reported—Mr.
Roosevelt would jump at the chance to
proclaim that his liberalization objective
had been practically attained and that
legislation looking to that end could
now be quietly laid away in lavender
without loss of face.
* * * *
After more than 48 hours of alarm
and anxiety, Washington officials whose
bailiwick is the international situation
have survived the jitters caused by the
German-Spanish bombardment crisis.
There’s now a pretty definite feeling
that the storm will blow over without
leaving another European war in its
wake. Uncle Sam's representatives at
all the capitals involved in the latest
unpleasantness have st-essed America's
eagerness to see things quiet down be
fore they drift from bad to worse and
end In catastrophe. That was the bur
den of Secretary Hull's urgent repre
sentations to the German and Spanish
Ambassadors. Also, it may be taken for
granted, all concerned “over there” have
been emphatically reminded that the
United States does not intend to be
entangled in their scraps and squabbles.
Incidentally, there's lively speculation in
Washington international quarters as to
the underlying object of Germany’s
action in shelling Almeria. Some diplo
mats opine that Hitler relished the op
portunity to distract the German peo
ple’s attention from Internal conditions,
like the Nazi war on the churches, by
creating a foreign “diversion.” That's
an ancient ruse of Old World govern
ments in times of domestic turmoil.
* * * *
Presumably in tribute to His gallant
leadership in the fight to preserve an
Independent judiciary, Senator Burton
K. Wheeler. Democrat, of Montana Is
in his home State this week to receive
an LL. D. degree from the famous Col
lege of Mines at Butte. Its expected
that the Senator’s address of acceptance
will concern itself with current contro
versial events at Washington, in which
he is so conspicuous a figure. Wheeler
is a native of Massachusetts, but began
his career in Montana when he was
admitted to the bar at Butte in 1906.
* * * *
Another recognition of distinguished
Federal public service was awarded in
New York last night, when Senator
Carter Glass, Democrat, of Virginia re
ceived an LL. D. from Columbia Univer
sity. The veteran Virginian, who is
himself not university educated, is be
coming one of the Nation's most copi
ously degree-decorated statesmen. He
had previously been honored by Lafay
ette. Washington and Lee. North Caro
lina. Yale, Princeton. Dartmouth. Wil
liam and Mary, Wesleyan and Tufts.
Glass also is a member of Phi Beta
Kappa at William and Mary. Yet an
other well-known Washingtonian about
to receive an LL. D. is Willard M. Kip
linger, editor and publisher of the
Kiplinger Washington Letters, a weekly
news service distributed privately to
thousands of subscribers throughout the
country. Mr. Kiplinger will be honored
by his alma mater. Ohio State Univer
sity, on the occasion of the silver
jubilee of his graduation in 1912 as one
of the earliest products of its School of
Journalism. The Kiplinger Letters rep
resent the work of reporters marketing
their own "stuff,” especially of interpre
tive character, directly to readers in
stead of through the media of news
papers. An Associated Press veteran,
Mr. Kiplinger was co-author in 1935
with Frederick Shelton of a highly re
garded volume entitled "Inflation
Ahead.”
* * * *
Baron von Steuben, General George
Washington's famous German drill
master. is the subject of an extensive
biography written by General John
McAuley Palmer, U. S. A., retired, who
has devoted much of his time since
he left the Army 11 years ago to as
sembling material for his forthcoming
book. It will be published next Fall.
One of General Palmer's previous lit
erary products is "Washington. Lin
coln, Wilson—Three War Statesmen.”
* * ♦ ♦
Treasury officials are licking their
chops in anticipation of the substantial
windfall expected to accrue from in
heritance taxes on the estates of the
late John D. Rockefeller and George
F. Baker, two of America's richest men,
who passed away within the same week.
Some estimates as to total Treasury
bounties from their vast fortunes run
as high as $250,000,000, more or less.
Such figures would represent far and
away the biggest inheritance revenue
booty on record at Washington.
* * * *
Add "Caballero de la Fiesta” (Cavalier
of the Festival) to the growing array
of titles rampant in New Deal Wash
ington. It has just been conferred by
Mayor Angelo J. Rossi of San Francisco,
apropos the gala opening of the Golden
Gate Bridge, upon five resident Cali
fornians—Senators Johnson and Mc
Adoo, Representatives Welch and Hav
enner and Dr. Cyril Wynne, chief of
the division of research and publica
tion at the State Department. As
gorgeous as a Kentucky colonel's com
mission. the caballero sheepskin Is signed
by Mr. Rossi in his capacity of "Alcalde
de la Ciudad de San Francisco.”
(Copyright, 1937.)
Drawback.
Prom the Nashville Banner.
The only drawback about fresh air Is
that It develops so many fresh-air fiends.
/
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. H ASK IN.
A render 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. What was the beginning of the mo
tion picture industry in Hollywood?—
F. S. H.
A. In 1907 Selig opened the first Cali
fornia studio in Los Angeles. The first
picture was the “Count of Monte Cristo"
in 1,000 feet. Soon after that time other
motion picture studios in New York
opened California studios.
Q. Is there any relation between the
size of the crop and the size of oranges
and grapefruit?—H. P. M.
A. The larger the crop is, the smaller
the fruit.
Q. What ingredients are used in mak
ing lipsticks?—D. L.
A. Among the materials used in high
grade lipsticks are beeswax, dye, ceresine,
petrolatum, perfume, spermaceti, paraffin
and lanolin.
Q How many Christmas trees are used
In the United States?—C. J. H.
A. About 10.000,000 Christmas trees are
used in the United States each year.
Q. How many people have their lives
insured?—E. J.
A. There are 64.000.000 life Insurance
policy holders in the United States.
Q. Why was Columbus anxious to find
another route to India?—V. W.
A. The capture of Constantinople bv
the Turks seriously affected the trade of
the other Mediterranean countries, par
ticularly that of Italy. The Turks put a
fleet of ships at sea, which constantly
handed the vessels of other nations. Since
a large volume of their trade was with
Asia and the accustomed routes were cut
off, it was necessary for them to try to
find some other practical route to the
Indies. This no doubt influenced the
decision of Christopher Columbus.
Q. Is there a flower called butter
and-eggs?—E. R.
A. Butter-and-eggs or yellow toadflax
is a common wayside weed with yellow
and orange flowers. In Colonial times
it was planted in gardens and sometimes
was boiled with milk for a fly poison. It
is sometimes called wild snapdragon.
Q. What percentage of the income
should be expended for rent, clothing and
savings?—E. M.
A. Most domestic economists agree that
rent should not exceed 25 per cent, nor
clothing 15 or 20 per cent, while a sav
ing of 10 per cent is necessary for finan
cial security.
Q. In olden times was there such a
thing as tourists' camps?—E. W.
A. The idea probably had its incep
tion in the caravansary which was a
structure for the accommodation of trav
elers in Eastern countries. Cooking quar
ters were provided and storage space for
the property and merchandise of the
traveler. The caravansaries were located
on important routes and were built by
rulers or wealthy individuals as public
benefactions or else were a municipal
enterprise. They remained open from
dawn until night and had caretakers.
Small, unfurnished sleeping rooms were
provided and a space for the beasts of
burden.
Q, Who was the first woman minister
in this country?—C. H. M.
A. Olympia Brown (1835-1926) was the
first woman in America to be ordained
for the ministry. She was a graduate
of Antioch College and studied at the
theological seminary at St. LawTence
University.
Q. Did Beau Brummel die in poverty?
—J. W.
A. He died in a hospital for the mendi
cant insane.
Q Is there a complete collection of the
literary works of the late Amy Lowell?
—H. W. R.
A. The complete memorabilia of the
poet has been presented to Harvard Uni
versity by her literary executrix.
Q. What is the most common cause of
hay fever?—T. M.
A. Ragweed pollen cause more than 90
per cent of ordinary hay fever.
Q. In Karel Capek's play. "R. U. R
what do the initials stand for?—E. H.
A. The title of the play is "Rossom's
Universal Robots."
Q. How much advertising is carried
in the American Weekly?—H..W.
A. Reports of the Publishers’ Informa
tion Bureau credit the American Weekly
with $9,468,127 of advertising in 1936.
Q. What was the greatest number of
men transported on one ship from the
United States to Europe during the World
War?—H. A. C.
A. The Leviathan made the record trip
in August, 1918, carrying 11,307 men.
■- *
Q. When they talk about the enormous
sum of money lost at gambling in this
country even- year, don’t they mean the
amount that is gambled, and not the
amount lost? Somebody must win every
time there is a loss.—F. T. R.
A. The annual turnover in gambling
in the United States has been estimated
at about five billion dollars, and of this
the players get back approximately 80
per cent. The loss to the players is thus
far less than the total sum gambled.
However, the losses of the amateurs or
"suckers" are far greater than that of
the professionals.
Q. What is the origin of the Carnegie
Hero Fund?—W. J.
A. When a great mine disaster occurred
at the Harwick Collieries in 1904, several
miners died while try ing to rescue friends.
Andrew Carnegie decided then that
heroic deeds should be recognized not
, only by medals but with financial help.
He turned over a $5,000,000 trust fund
for the purpose to a commission of 21.
A Rhyme at Twilight
By
Gertrude Brooke Hamilton.
Earth in Bloom.
In city parks the queenly rose is blooming,
All the smoke-laden air of town per
fuming.
In country lanes, ’mid cloistered leaves
abiding,
Shy as a nun the violet is hiding.
In forest depths, red sap through its
stems flowing,
The bloodroot petals white as snow is
showing.
In park and lane and wood deft Nature'*
fingers
Nurture the beauty that all Summer
lingers. „ _