Evening star. [volume], June 08, 1937, Page A-10, Image 10

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

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THE EVENING STAR
With Sunday Morning Edition.
WASHINGTON. D. C.
TUESDAY...June 8, 1937
THEODORE W. NOYES.Editor
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The District Bill.
There was less disagreement between
the House and Senate Committees this
year over the District bill than there
has been for many years in the past,
and the bill reported yesterday from
the Senate Appropriations Committee
contained few changes of importance,
most of these being confined to the
elimination of legislative riders affect
ing reorganization of the local govern
ment or arbitrarily prohibiting the use
of funds for stated purposes. The Sen
ate committee has been w'ise in elim
inating these riders, for such matters
should be treated by the regular processes
of legislation, and not dealt with in
appropriation bills.
One of the important changes pro
posed in the House version of the bill
and still left undecided, however, is the
transfer of public hospital administra
tion from the Board of Public Welfare
_ to the Health Department. When the
bill is taken up by the Senate this
transfer will be proposed as a committee
amendment. While there is doubtless
much to be said for the transfer, there
are sound arguments against it. Cer
tainly a matter of this importance should
be left to the proper legislative com
mittees of House and Senate and not be
disposed of in the hurried consideration
of an appropriation bill.
The manner of spending the approxi
mately $46,000,000 appropriated in this
year's supply bill becomes of secondary
Importance by reason of the bill's effect
on the local tax burden. As it passed
the House the bill would have required
roughly $6,000,000 in new local taxes.
As it is reported to the Senate, the tax
increase necessary to avoid a deficit—
with the Federal Government confining
Its contribution to an inadequate $5,000,
000—becomes nearer $7,500,000.
Every penny added to the bill by the
Senate committee, in other words, has
meant a like increase of the local tax
burden.
Coincidentally with the report of the
appropriation bill to the Senate yes
terday Chairman Kennedy of the
House District Committee’s special sub
committee on local taxation introduced
the omnibus measure designed to in
crease local taxes. And because the tax
program has been estimated to raise
only $6,000,000, as against an estimated
deficit of $7,500,000, there is danger that
even the burdensome tax program pro
posed by Mr. Kennedy's subcommittee
Mil be made even heavier.
That danger now is chiefly due to
confused and uncertain estimates regard
ing the revenue-raising powers of the
new tax bills plus the proposed segre
gation of weight-tax revenues in the
Highway Department, where there is no
deficit. The District is already threat
ened Mth a blistering increase in local
taxes that Mil make it one of the most
heavily taxed cities in the United States,
and every precaution should be taken to
confine the increased taxes to the min
imum revenue needs. The short time
remaining before the beginning of the
new fiscal year is no justification for
any hurried, slap-dash imposition of
new burdens, without the careful con
sideration so important now. Part of
this careful consideration should lie
in a review of the basis for the estimates
• of new revenues to be produced from
the new taxes.
In this connection, the elimination
from the appropriation bill of a provision
enabling the District to obtain advances
from the Treasury to tide it over until
the time when its new taxes will produce
revenue was apparently done under a
misconception of the situation. Even if
the new taxes were enacted today, the
' District would still need permission to
obtain advances from the Treasury until
the complicated revenue laws can be put
into action and the money obtained. In
declining to grant this necessary per
mission Congress is not holding a club
over the people of the District to assure
the imposition of new taxes, but is merely
complicating its own exclusive responsi
bility of properly governing and ap
propriating for the National Capital.
A British archaeologist says that
civilization already has collapsed. Well,
anyhow, that is off our minds.
St. Bernards Respited.
Yesterday The Star gave front-page
space to a cable from Grenoble, France,
forecasting the destruction of the fa
mous dogs of Mount St. Bernard Mon
astery. One of the celebrated pack,
it was explained, had killed a ten-year
old girl. To prevent the possibility of
another such accident, the authorities
had decided upon extermination of all
the offender’s canine contemporaries at
the Alpine retreat. It was conceded, of
course, that the record of the species
was good. Many a bewildered traveler
in the mountain passes had been rescued
by members of the lifeguard band from
the hoepice kennels.
But, strangely and mysteriously, a
single dog “ran wild,” attacked a child,
mauled her to death beiore help could
come. The beast was executed for the
crime, and, naturally, there was no
protest against that verdict of capital
punishment. When, however, It was
proposed to slaughter the whole breed
public sentiment revolted. This morn
ing the magic of trans-Atlantic teleg
raphy brings word to the effect that
the commandant of the Swiss gen
darmes has reprieved the imperiled
animals. “They are not a public dan
ger,” he is represented to have said.
“It must be recognized that the dogs
rendered a great service to humanity
throughout the ages.”
A problem in logic, it seems, was
involved in the circumstances. The
human family occasionally finds itself
puzzled by a similar dilemma. A man
may commit murder—in madness or
passion, because of fear or hatred or
greed, it matters not—and the instinct
of his neighbors is to annihilate the
tribe to which he belongs. In ancient
and even in later times, when civiliza
tion theoretically was supposed to pro
mote a practical liberality of judgment,
it was no uncommon thing to “wipe
out” whole communities in the interests
of revenge. Yet the notion that the
innocent should suffer for the guilty
was repugnant to the soul. Gradually,
the more merciful philosophy prevailed,
was written into law, established in or
dinary custom. Even dogs now are to
benefit by it. The conscience of thou
sands of people will approve the ex
tension of a principle so patently
equitable.
A Privileged Class.
Men who desire to work in steel plants
are prevented from getting food by
action of strike pickets. Local, State
and National governments pass the
matter up. It is all a companion piece
with the failure of local. State and
National governments to do anything
to prevent or end the seizure of property
by sit-down strikers. The difference,
however, between the manner in which
the State and local governments saw
to it that food should go to the sit
down strikers and the manner in which
they fail to take action to get food to
the workers in the steel plants is a
commentary in itself. The mayor of
Chicago ordered the steel workers to
evacuate their plants, since for them
to remain is a violation of the health
regulations. Did the mayor of Detroit
undertake to evacuate the sit-down
strikers in that area, because health
ordinances were being violated, even
when the sit-downers remained in plants
for thirty days?
Is there growing in this country a
privileged class, which may violate the
law with impunity, and with violence?
It looks very much like it. If employers
violate the law they may be and are
held to strict accounting. Are members
of labor unions to be regarded as above
and beyond the law?
There is something particularly re
pugnant to American ideals in the pre
vention of a man from working if he
desires to work. The country discarded
involuntary servitude, although it took
a bloody war to bring that about. If
law's and union rules are developed to
a degree which tie the hands of men
and women who wish to work, another
kind of resentment will arise in the
end.
une step in lawlessness leads to
another. No firm stand was taken by
Government against the sit-down strike,
except in isolated cases. Recently
police protection was given the Chicago
plant of the Republic Steel Corporation,
when massed strikers and their sympa
thizers marched on the plant to attack
the workers there. Several strikers and
agitators were killed, and many on both
sides of the conflict were injured.
Steel workers are entitled under the
Wagner labor relations act to bargain
collectively with their employers. By
legal means the steel companies could
be compelled to such bargaining. The
union, however, insists that it must be
the sole bargaining agent for the work
ers, and proceeds to set up a unit of the
union where none existed before. It
uses force and intimidation, riot and
blockades to bring about its desires.
Too much violence will arouse violent
public opinion. It has in the past.
Americans are not inclined to sit idly
by and see men and women beaten up
because they continue to work.
President Roosevelt's metaphor about
the woods and the trees does not obscure
the fact that he is beating a retreat on
the "court-bill-as-it-stands” proposition.
The question of whether the Supreme
Court has the right to adjourn for the
Summer does not affect the matter of
its size or the manner of enlarging it.
Third Five-Year Plan.
In the midst of fresh revelations of
widespread industrial and political sabo
tage, Soviet Russia announces a third
Five-Year Plan, to go into effect next
January, immediately after completion
of the current second plan. Of out
standing interest in the new scheme, and
distinguishing it from its predecessors,
is that the U. S. S. R. now boldly sets
itself the goal of “overtaking and sur
passing America.” This is far and away
the tallest order Moscow has yet under
taken, but the Kremlin apparently ap
proaches the task with resolute confi
dence. The minimum hoped for is that
more will be accomplished during the
forthcoming quinquennium than the
combined achievements of the first and
second Five-Year Plans. Soviet ambi
tions apparently know no limit. With the
latest project scheduled for attainment
by 1942, Stalin’s people are already talk
ing about seventh and eighth Five-Year
Plans which would not reach fruition
until, respectively, 1960 and 1965. These
roseate calculations, incidentally, con
template that Russia’s population will
Increase by 125,000,000 during the next
quarter of a century to a total of
300.000,000.
The objective of outstripping indus
trial America is clearly Utopian, in face
of the notorious inferiority of Russian
technical and labor standards to those
of the United States. It is nevertheless
true that the Soviets have accomplished
near-miracles in productivity by super
employment of modern methods under
intensive government drive.
Paramount stress will continue to be
placed on capital goods, transportation,
electrification, waterways, aircraft, auto
mobiles and mining. Russia hopes ere
long to lead the world in production of
gold, coal and steel, in civil aviation and
in agriculture. It already claims primacy
in tractors and farm implements, while
many believe it is definitely ahead in
manufacture of airplanes. In the auto
motive branch, while still far behind
the United States, Russia is ranked sec
ond in Europe, trailing only Great
Britain.
To Judge by late Moscow disclosures,
the fly in the Soviet industrial ointment
is the prevalence of sabotage in various
guises. It is accompanied by the out
break of a new spy mania, based on
allegations that "'Trotzkyists” are abroad
in the land disseminating confusion,
mistrust and disorganization in vital key
industries. The Immediate result is an
alarming lag in 1037 production sched
ules, due to fear and unrest among in
dustrial executives and labor ranks alike,
with marked decline of discipline and
working efficiency. Recrudescence of
drives against spies, saboteurs and po
litical suspects, manifested by whole
sale arrests, “purges" and treason trials,
strongly suggests that beneath the sur
face of Russia's far-flung, skilfully or
ganized industrial structure forces are
at work on a far more subversive scale
than the Kremlin cares to admit. The
opposition that is simmering is perhaps
as yet incapable of upsetting Stalinism,
but unquestionably it is of extent and
virulence that must seriously undermine
Five-Year Plans and jeopardize their
realization. •»
Forest fires are raging In the far
Northwest. If it is not drought and
duststorms and blizzards it is something
else that continues to come along to
bother the descendants of the pioneers.
Moral to be gleaned from California:
Convention delegates attending “whoo
pee parties" should park those large
celluloid buttons giving their right
names.
> p ■ ■- . - — m
If there are many more disasters like
that of the California bus wreck, a de
mand will be made upon the scientists
to evolve a new motor fuel which will
not blaze.
—-> 4 —
A student in the Yale University
School of Music has discovered an en
tirely new note that can be sounded
on the French horn. Well, it might have
been the saxophone.
-— -1 <■—-- ■
In the minds of many people, fem
inine polo players and woman wrestlers
are grouped with "bearded ladies.”
Shooting Stars.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Joy of Survival.
And still we're here!
The motor car
In wild career
Dashed near and far.
Their threats of woe
The horns repeat
Each time we go
Across the street.
Though fortune be
Exceeding small.
Though love may flee
Our pleading call,
We shall be gay
In spite of fear—
I beg to say,
We still are here!
A Bit Old-Fashioned.
"I have heard you accused of being
old-fashioned in your ideas of courtesy,”
said the candid critic.
“Well,” answered Senator Sorghum,
“I'd rather be considered a gentleman
of the old school than no gentleman
and without schooling of any kind.”
Jud Tunkins says when spectators
crowd into a hot room to hear testi
mony it shows how the innocent suffer
with the guilty and somehow seem to
enjoy it.
Strength.
Who battles for the right
Needs strength and will.
He who prevents a fight
Is stronger still.
Modern Housekeeping.
"Of course,” said the bachelor girl,
“I am lonely, but I am afraid marriage
would be out of the frying pan into the
fire.”
"It is more likely,” answered Miss
Cayenne, “to be out of the chafing dish
into the gas stove.”
“We have inventions,” said Hi Ho, the
sage of Chinatown, “that enable us to
speak to one another from great dis
tances, but none, as yet, that enable us
to understand one another perfectly.”
Statesmanship in June.
Somewhere winds are softly calling
Far across the briny deep
And the shadows gently falling
Lure the weary mind to sleep.
Yet the brain goes on forever
Faithful, meeting every test
Of a dutiful endeavor—
But my larynx needs a rest.
When the locust blossoms offer
Sweetest nectar to the bees
And the rose flings from its coffer
Golden pollen to the breeze
Life is fair from early daytime
Till the twilight marks its close.
I would still prolong the gaytime,
But my larnyx needs repose.
“Don’t walk de floor worryin’,” said
Uncle Eben. "You jes’ wear out shoes
without meetin’ anybody datll lend you
money or give you good advice.”
A
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.
The labor situation in this country is
again acute. Instead of striking work
ers refusing to be ejected from the plants
of their employers, as in the case of the
sit-down strikes, striking workers and
agitators from other places are seeking
to eject workers from plants who have
declined to quit. The Federal Govern
ment has declined to be drawn into
the situation—as it did in the sit-down
strikes. When attempts were made to
send food supplies by parcel post—the
United States mails—to the workers
beseiged in the Republic Corporation's
plants, the Post Office Department
ducked. It refused to deliver these
packages. The argument advanced by
the department was that it did not in
tend to mix in the steel strike and that
it was not going to subject its employes
and property to danger of being injured
at the hands of the striking pickets. Not
very much like the attitude of Grover
Cleveland, a Democratic President, in
the days of the big Pullman strike in the
’80s. The strikers in those days Inter
fered with the moving of the United
States mails. Cleveland sent Federal
troops to see that the mails were kept
moving, which they did.
♦ ♦ * *
While the struggle In the Independent
steel mills goes on, the House and Senate
committees on labor are plowing ahead
with the hearings on the administra
tion's latest labor bill—the wages and
hours bill, John L. Lewis, head of the
C. I. O., has given it his blessing, al
though he calls it merely a step in the
right direction. He did not say clearly
what he has in mind for the full labor
program of this administration. And
yet this wages and hours bill proposes
to place in the hands of a board of
five members, appointed by the Presi
dent, the power of life and death over
industries in this country—through the
fixing of arbitrary standards, both for
working hours and minimum wages. Its
proponents wish to hurry the measure
through. This bill is striking a lot of
snags, however, already, and the chances
are it will be a long time before it
finally becomes law. Not all of organ
ized labor favors the measure. William
Green, head of the American Federa
tion of Labor, has attacked the proposal
to leave to a board the power of fixing
hours and wages. Those are matters
which labor can best handle for itself
through collective bargaining. Green
maintains. What will be the situation
if the Labor Standards Board fixes w’ages
and hours and the union members re
fuse to accept them? How far will
labor go in defiance of the Government
or. conversely, how far will the Govern
ment go in aeflance of labor? Judging
from recent developments, the Govern
ment will not defy labor very far.
United Automobile Workers of Amer
ica, an affiliate of the C. I. O., accord
ing to press reports, "seized” part of
Lansing, the capital of Michigan, forced
complete stoppage of business, closing
stores, holding up traffic, in retaliation
for the arrest of eight pickets. The
pickets were charged with interfering
with workers for a wrecking company.
If the C. I. O. can seize Lansing, or
a large part of it, the situation presents
certain possibilities. Is the organiza
tion to be allowed to seize a State, or
the entire country, at the demand of
a labor leader? This is the first time
that a labor organization has taken
command of a capital of a State.
While the strike situation continues
acute, the Federal Government is
keeping its hands off. The National
Labor Relations Board, to which Presi
dent Roosevelt turned over the appeals
sent him by the C. I. O. steel workers,
has pointed out that "no formal action”
has been instituted before the board in
connection with the strike, and there
fore it will do nothing. It looks as
though it were time for somebody to
do something.
* * * *
Three years hence the national po
litical conventions will be getting under
way to pick candidates for the presi
dential office. It would be a hardy pre
dicter who would attempt at this stage
to say who will be the nominee of the
Republican party or of the Democratic
party. President Roosevelt must be a
good deal more specific than he has
been so far to convince a lot of people
he will not be a candidate for a third
term when the time rolls around. He
may yet be a "dark horse" in a White
House. Just as Calvin Coolidge was in
1928. That there will be insistence from
a lot of his followers that he accept a
nomination for a third term seems en
tirely likely at this day and hour. One
thing seems clear. If Mr. Roosevelt
leaves the New Deal Democrats in doubt
—and the rest of the Democrats as well
—up to the time of the conventions, it
is likely to cause much grief to some
of his would-be successors. They may
feel that, until the President has actually
spoken, they would be guilty of lese
majeste If they entered the race for
delegates to the next Democratic Na
tional Convention. When 1939 is draw
ing to a close it will be interesting to
watch the maneuvers of Chairman
James A. Farley of the Democratic Na
tional Committee.
* * * *
In some quarters it is suggested that
Mr. Farley himself may be an aspirant
to succeed the President. Certainly he
has done enough to make himself known
and to make himself friends from one
end of the country to the other. He
has the all-time record for traveling
and making speeches. His candidacy
might raise an issue which many Demo
crats would like to avoid—an issue, in
cidentally, which has no place in Amer
ican politics.
Ridicule is fatal to political aspira
tions, usually. Two men who have been
considered outstanding candidates for
the Democratic presidential nomination
—in the event President Roosevelt does
not want it or have it thrust upon
him—are former Gov. Paul V. McNutt of
Indiana, at present United States com
missioner in the Philippines, and Gov.
George Earle of Pennsylvania. A lot of
fun has been poked at McNutt because
he raised an issue in the Philippines^
the right to be “toasted” first. He may
be toasted in another way because of
this silly dispute. And now Gov. Earle
has sought to impress the people of the
South with a long description of his
own ancient lineage. In fact, the Penn
sylvania Governor has been plainly
angling for the support of the Southern
States when it comes to the next na
tional convention of the Democrats.
* * * *
The woods are full of potential Demo
cratic candidates for President. Gov.
Murphy of Michigan is given a place by
some. Will those Democrats who have
split with the President over the Su
preme Court bill be turned down hard
by the administration? Certainly it
may be expected that the President will
have a great deal to say about who
shall be his successor and that he will
insist upon a candidate willing to carry
out his policies. The last Roosevelt in
the White House—before this one—
picked his successor, but found that his
policies were discarded. One thing is
certain, the longer President Roosevelt
holds off regarding his own possible
candidacy, the more influence he will
continue to have.
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
Sweet rocket Is a fine old flower, some
times called damewort or dame’s rocket,
which does well in almost every garden.
It belongs to a host of minor blooms
which nevertheless are major In what
thev may do to a yard, especially a small
one, where one dislikes to be bothered.
Several books have appeared in recent
months attempting to show the new
comer how he or she may garden on
nothing a year, or do the necessary
work over the week end.
Almost every one today loves the flow
ers, but not every one has the time or
money for it, even when the land is
available.
There is something else, too
Not every one honestly likes to do
the actual work of gardening.
* * * *
The beginner, in the first flush of
release from the city, may think ama
teur gardening all play.
Surely it is that, at first. Perhaps a
few fortunate persons manage to keep
their pristine impressions.
The majority, however, lose them In
time. Their enthusiasm, they say, dies
out.
And no wonder, what with the insects,
the fungi, the plant diseases, the weath
er, the soil, the lack of fertility, the
drought, or the too plentiful rain.
The trouble really goes back farther
than that; it strikes back for years and
years.
Too many persons take up gardening
without prior training.
Nothing in their lives in the past
has fitted them for the real grind of
everyday garden work.
Above all, they lack the knowledge
which makes fun out of it. The other
necessary prior background is that of
the actual work itself in formative days.
Either of these is enough. If both
knowledge and past training are present,
one is likely to become a real gardener.
There are many persons who. at 30
to 35 years of age, rush Into a new
garden with fire and purpose.
How long do they really enjoy the
tasks?
Some go as much as 5 years without
wilting.
Others require a full 10 years to make
them admit to themselves that, honest
ly. the work of the garden no longer
Interests them.
The point is right there: Admitting
it to one's self.
Perhaps the lagging gardener never
will admit it to others, and it may be
just as well; he tells himself, though,
and is thus able to give credit where
credit is due.
* * * *
In the meantime, when the honest
person finds garden inertia stealing over
him, he looks around for a type of
garden which is not so much work.
Just that.
Not quite so much real work.
He wants something which more or
less will “take care of itself," as the
! expression has it.
He wants a yard which has plenty
of evergreens, which he fondly tells
himself do very well without attention.
He wants shrubs to bloom every
Spring, with plenty of perennials to
fill in the Spring and Summer periods.
There can be very little question that
the great popularity of perennial flower*
in modem America is due to the fact
that they are supposed to represent
very little work.
This traces back to the realization
by tenth-year gardeners everywhere that
it is not so much "fun,” after all, work
ing in the yard when the temperature
is 90 degrees in the shade.
Think how hot it is then in the sunny
borders!
* * * *
No, sir, many a person who dug with
relish at first, in time comes to shrink
from the tasks of the flower garden.
Thus one sees everywhere shrubs which
need much pruning, evergreens which
are brown and threadbare, iris which
are so crowded that they have prac
tically stopped blooming.
The careful observer will see lawns
which lack fertilizer, and flowers which
have seen better days.
This blight is simply the result of
too many gardens owned by gardeners
long tired of the game.
No one is to blame.
You cannot take a man out of an
apartment, in middle age, who never
has given flowers or shrubs or evergreens
a thought, and suddenly make him into
a real gardener.
He may be an enthusiast for a time,
but if he is of the type instanced, he
will meet his garden Waterloo some day,
and be perfectly willing to acquiesce
in his fate. (He hires a gardener, or
turns the matter over to some one with
more capacity and energy.,)
* * * *
This is where such good old plants
as sweet rocket come in.
Why, with that alone, one might
make a good garden, a blooming gar
den, one to attract attention, and please
many. One must never forget that
gardening is a fad, in these latter
years, as well as an avocation. Many
persons have been stampeded into it
without really realizing just what has
happened to them. They think they
like the work, but actually do not.
Nothing suits them better than rolling
around the countryside in a car, but
here they are spraying roses and trying
to fool themselves and their friends into
believing that they are rosarians. Look
up a real rosarian. one of the ingrained
type, see the difference for yourself.
♦ * * *
Sweet rocket might well be held up
as the perfect symbol of the independent
gardener.
Once planted, it more or less takes
care of itself, but gives fine results just
the same.
If the yard is sunny, several of the
better annuals may be planted along
with it. The latter will give a wealth
of color and interest. Too little atten
tion has been given the annuals during
recent years. It is true that they de
mand a sunny garden.
Gardens ought to have sun. anyway.
Gardening in the shade, or semi
shade. is not the thing, if one can get
out of it. Under certain conditions one
must resort to it, that is true, but it
is not best.
Sunny gardening is best. That way
there is more growth and greater sani
tation all around.
Even ‘'shady'’ grass grows better in
full sunshine.
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
_ *Y THOMAS R. HENRY.
Man comes into the world crying, but 1
it takes two months to "learn'’ to smile.
Only in the second month of life
can the true smile, as an expression
of pleasure, be observed in the infant,
according to a survey of personality de
velopment in children just issued by
Society for Research in Child Develop
ment of the National Research Council.
Shortly after birth there may be
''pseudo-smiling'’ brought about by a
full stomach or by a light touch on the
cheek, but the psychologists are agreed
that this is not an actual expression
of pleasure. It is Nature's way of
exercising the smiling muscles of the
face so that they will be ready for the
unique human expression. Man is the
only animal that actually smiles.
Observers are agreed, according to
Mary Cover Jones and Barbara Burks
of the University of California, who pre
pared the report for the National Re
search Council, that the first smile cornea
sometime in the second month of the
normal infant as a response to a
social stimulus of some sort—usually
the sound of a familiar voice or the
sight of a familiar face.
This, the report points out, is about
what might be expected. The world
is a strange, hostile environment for
the new-born. The baby is on the de
fensive, protesting about everything.
Only after a considerable period is it
able to sort out the various elements
in its environment into the hostile,
the indifferent and the friendly. The
smile is perhaps the first recognition
by the infant of other creatures like
itself who, on the whole, are helpful
to it.
One must “learn” not only how to
smile, but when to smile. During the
third and fourth months of life, the
observers point out, a baby is likely
to smile at almost any stimulus re
ceived from another person whether
the Intent is friendly or not. The infant
may smile with equal readiness at an
adult whether he speaks soothingly
or scolds, smiles or frowns. During this
period any human being, friend or
stranger may cause this indifferentiated
smile.
During the fifth month there starts
what the observers call a “negative
phase.” Smiles become less frequent.
The baby now stares or cries at the
approach of a stranger, reserving actual
expressions of pleasure for those who are
in constant attendance upon it. Here,
perhaps, is the individual's first dif
ferentiation between persons. For the
five-month-old baby there are two kinds
of human beings—friends and strangers.
Psychologists cited in the report found
that, whereas up to the fifth month the
infants they were studying smiled every
time they approached, from this time
on until the tenth month they were not
again able to elicit these expressions of
pleasure. They were then no longer
disturbingly strange. This may be the
beginning of an attitude that remains
subconsciously throughout life and is
especially notable among primitive
peoples—the fear and distrust of the
stranger.
For the first few months of life the
Infant’s smile itself is undifferentiated.
It Is the same for any sort of pleasur
able social contact. But in the course of
the first year it becomes diversified in
expression and the baby develops dif
ferent sorts of smiles for different
pleasures. The smile then becomes an
expression of what the child is thinking
about.
The first two months of life are
described by one of the observers cited
as the “period of social blindness” when
another human being has no particular
j
-- -I
significance to the child. Only during
the second half year do babies begin to
show an active interest in each other
Some children, it is pointed out, may
pass through the primitive stages in
the development of social consciousness
more rapidly than others and this can be
interpreted as indicating an inborn dif
ference in personality type.
In contrast to smiling, crving is the
form of emotional expression or •'lan
guage, with which the infant is
equipped at birth. It Is essentially a
voicing of protest and an expression
of pain, fear and rage. There is con
siderable doubt, the report points out,
whether these emotions can be dif
ferentiated in the cries of the first
few months of life and it is notable
that even adults, when they go back to
infantile levels in periods of extreme
emotion, may cry when they are mad.
The experiments have shown especially
that both anger and fear apparently
develop out of the same primitive “nega
tive" emotion which is expressed by the
new-born's cries, and this common
emotional substratum may persist
throughout life. One seldom gets very
angry at something of which he is not
afraid.
standardized Speech.
From the Dayton Herald. *'
Prior to -the Civil War the United
States was sectionalized. There was the
Western farmer, discovering the great
plains as a possible agricultural area;
the Southern landowner, the frontiers
man of the Far West and the industrial
ist of the East. These were rather dis
tinct types, with conflicting political
philosophies, different manners, customs
and dress and divergent aspirations.
Some years later, with the extension of
railroads, the expansion of industry and
the increase of educational facilities,
there began a slow process of standardi
zation. Since the advent of moving pic
tures, radios, national highways and
fast automobiles, this standardization of
American dress, appearance and thought
has been considerably accelerated, until
today it is difficult to place a man's
origin except for his accent.
But shortly, alas, even this slight evi
dence of sectionalism, this faint rem
iniscence of one's own birthplace, is
fated to pass from our living speech,
giving way to a sort of composite, or
biend, which will become universal from
Georgia to Cape Cod, and from the
Golden Gate to Manhattan. The twin
villains of this particular reduction to
a common denominator are the radio
and the moving picture, according to
Mrs. Guy A. Farrington, instructor in
public speaking in the University of Cal
ifornia. These national influences are
playing the major role, Mrs. Farrington
says, in making every one, from every
section of the country, "speak a stand
ardized accent, idiom and inflection
which every one else can understand.”
The time is coming when the Southerner
will say a clipped "four” instead of the
melodious "foah"; the native Bostonian
will speak of "bath” instead of "bawth,”
and such homely idioms as "fetch” and
"spittin’ image” will be no more than a
fond memory for those who once walked
in the ways of their fathers. But when
everybody speaks, thinks and dresses
alike—will America be a better place in
which to live? Certainly It will have
become less Interesting.
One Privilege, at Least.
From the Chicago Daily News.
At least the British government can
not prevent Wally from sepding It a
piece of the wedding cake.
ANSWERS TO
QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASK1S.
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 Haw is the name of the card game,
Jo-Jotte, pronounced?—P. C.
A. The accent is on the second syllable, t
with a long o sound In the first syllable
and a short o sound in the second
syllable.
Q. Is “Anthony Adverse" longer than
“Gone With the Wind?”—B. C.
A. It is longer. It contains aboui
754.000 words, while "Gone With the
Wind" contains about 525,000 words.
Q. What elements are necessary fori
plant growth?—F. J. M. j
A. The elements essential for plant
growth are hydrogen, oxygen, carbon,
nitrogen, potassium, calcium, mag
nesium, phosphorus, iron, chlorine and
sulphur. Certain plants make use of
other elements, but they are not con
sidered essential. With the exception
of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen,
these elements are prepared in most
soils in sufficient quantities to meet
the plant's need. Green plants use
carbon dioxide from the air in making
starch. The other foods come normally
from the soil.
Q. How many rodeos are held avery
year?—C. H.
A. Approximately 125 major rodeos are
held in the United States and Canada
annually.
Q. How many rooms are there In
Buckingham Palace?—A. L.
A. About two hundred.
Q. How is the lighting of Niagara Fails
operated?—F. A. K.
A. The Niagara Falls Chamber of
Commerce says that the lights at Niagara
Falls are operated with a carbon arc
which is automatically fed throughout
the period of lighting. The carbon is
good for about two and one-half hours.
As to the power of these lights, each
unit ranges from 80,000.000 to better
than 100,000 000 candlepower. depending
upon the adjustment of the lights and
the concentration of the ray. It is per
fectly possible to step one of these lights
up to 200.000.000 candlepower. The av
erage amount of illumination which is
secured from the entire battery is
1,440,000,000 candlepower.
Q. What is thp name of the Japanese
who discovered the new star?—K. L.
A. Nova Lacertae, the new star, was
discovered by Kazuakai Gomi. a barber
of Tokio He was awarded the Picker
ing Gold Medal of the American Asso
ciation of Variable Star Observers.
Q. Who said: “The state comes into
existence that man may live?—E. H.
A. Aristotle.
Q. Is there an animal called the basil
isk?—W. P.
A. The basilisk is a lizard of tropical
climates. It is so named on account of
a fancied resemblance to the basilisk
of ancient fable. It is about 2'i feet
long and greenish brown in color. The
head, back and tail have serrated crests.
Q Who received this year's special
award of the Academy of Motion Pic
ture Arts and Sciences?—E. H.
A. The 1937 special award was made
to the ‘ March of Time” for ‘‘its signi
ficance to motion pictures and for hay
ing revolutionized one of the most im
portant branches in the industry—the
newsreel.”
Q. Are bridges mentioned in the
Bible?—E. R.
A. Bridges are not mentioned in the
Bible, but according to other records a
brick arch was erected across the Eu
phrates River within the city of Babylon.
Q Please give some information about
Erich Remarque, author of “Three
Comrades."—J. M.
A. The author is 39 years old. As a
child he wished to become a pianist.
At 18 he enlisted in the German Army
and served for two years as an infantry
private on the Western Front. He
was wounded several times, once in the
hand so severely that he had to give up
the idea of becoming a pianist. Later
his hand healed and he was an organist
in an insane asylum. Subsequently he
was an automobile dealer and racing
driver.
Q. Who discovered the circulation of
the blood?—J. R. M.
A. It was discovered by Dr. William
Harvey, an English anatomist.
Q. When was the first ice shipped in
the United States?—L. R.
A. Probably the first ice cut and
shipped as an article of commercial
value was sent, in 1799. from New York
to Charleston. S. C. The real beginning
of the industry came in the year 1805
when Frederic Tudor of Boston shipped
a cargo of 130 tons to the West Indies,
Q. In what country was the mandolin
first used?—S. P.
A. It is of Italian origin, but is now
common in all civilized countries.
Follow European Situation
With a Good Map
With war clouds lowering, do you own
an up-to-the-minute map of Europe?
Epochal news is flashing from the con
tinent every day. Will there be war
soon? Can Europe keep the peace?
Scores of such questions occur in the
news dispatches every day and you will
need this excellent Map of Europe to
follow the news quickly and accurately.
The map, 21x28 inches in size, is in
five colors; shows old and new boundaries
of all countries, and on the reverse side
is a wealth of the latest data, economic,
geographic and political. Offered at a
cost and handling charge of ten cents.
Get your copy now.
Use This Ordei* Blank.
The Evening Star
Information Bureau,
Frederic J. Haskin, Director,
Washington, D. C.
I enclose herewith TEN CENTS in
coin (carefully wrapped in paper)
for a copy of the new MAP OF
EUROPE.
Name
Street or Rural Route
City
State