Evening star. [volume], August 21, 1939, Page A-8, Image 8

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

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With Sunday Morning Edition.
THEODORE W. NOYES, Editor.
WASHINGTON. D. C.
MONDAY....August 21, 1939
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Critical Week Ahead
Europe has passed the first in a
new series of critical week ends
without the lightning attack which
is expected from Chancellor Hitler,
but it goes into a period filled with
grave prospects.
Europe’s next two week ends are
likely to be jittery ones with Hitler
speaking this Sunday at Tannen
berg in commemoration of the
twenty-fifth anniversary of the bat
tle which turned the tide of Russian
invasion, and which is considered the
greatest German victory of the Great
War. One week later the Nazi party
congress will open at Nurnberg.
But before these two events occur
Europe will go through tense and
expectant days. The German Army
is strung out along the Polish border
from the Baltic to Eastern Slovakia,
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Bide Poland is calmly prepared,
adamant in its refusal to recede an
inch from its opposition to reunion
of Danzig with Germany and de
termined to defend, even against
heavy odds, its independence, which
it believes is the real target of Ger
man attack.
Tomorrow the British inner cabi
net, composed chiefly of Prime Min
ister Neville Chamberlain, Foreign
Secretary Lord Halifax, Chancellor
of the Exchequer Sir John Simon
and Home Secretary Sir Samuel
Hoare, will survey the European sit
uation, and will have before it the
question of Britain's course in the
developing crisis, particularly as it
concerns possible efforts to compro
mise the Polish-German quarrel by
arranging some Polish concession to
German demands which will remove
the threat of immediate hostilities.
The decision as to whether the
Danzig issue will be solved peacefully
or by war does not now rest in British
hands, however. Britain has care
fully refrained from any open move
ment to settle German-Polish issues,
and the extent of underground efforts
to satisfy German demands, indeed
whether there have been any such
efforts at all, is a moot question.
Whether Poland will fight is a ques
tion which will be decided exclusively
by the Poles, and will not depend, as
in the case of Czecho-Slovakia, on
whether Britain and France honor
their obligations under the mutual
assistance agreement with Poland,
which significantly is now being
formalized, and thus strengthened.
That fact should warn Hitler that
his foreign minister, Joachim von
Ribbentrop, is ill-informed if he
maintains that Britain and France
will not fight.
The essential point cannot be es
caped, however, that Hitler has not
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press the Polish question to a con
clusion at this particular moment,
although he Is rapidly approaching
that point and may so commit him
self either in his Tannenberg speech
next Sunday or at the opening of
the Numberg congress the week fol
lowing.
All the evidence still points to the
eagerness of the German people to
avoid war, and Hitler, as bellicose as
he sometimes becomes, must be ex
pected to weigh in the balance his
own popularity with the German
masses if they are led into war, par
ticularly one in which lightning at
tack might not prove successful, with
the result that the conflict would re
solve itself into another war of attri
tion in which Germany’s chances of
ultimate success are doubtful.
Auto Railer Finis
One of the most interesting ex
periments in suburban transporta
tion in this vicinity apparently is
about to be abandoned. The auto
railer line established in nearby Vir
ginia a few years ago has petitioned
the Interstate Commerce Commis
sion and the Virginia Corporation
Commission for permission to dis
continue service on September 1.
The line, one of the first of its
kind in the United States, began
using the auto railers with high
hopes a few years ago. Theoretically
It was and is a sound proposition.
The cars, with retractable running
gear enabling them to operate both
on rails and highways, attracted con
siderable attention at first. Many
felt, and still do feel, that the two-in
one vehicles could afford a solution
to many transit problems. Rails
laid at tremendous expense and now
being used less and less, could gain
more traffic, it was believed, if the
vehicles that used them also were
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capable of going beyond the rail
terminus.
But in the Virginia auto railer’s
case, the line never was able to ob
tain permission to run into down
town Washington. That undoubtedly
was largely responsible for its failure
to carry the traffic anticipated. Now
the firm admits it is in default in its
obligations and seeks permission to
cease operations.
From the company’s standpoint the
commissions which must pass on its
applications could hardly take any
action other than to grant the
abandonment plea. The question
arises, however, as to how the public,
particularly in the area between West
Falls Church and Vienna, is to obtain
transportation. Citizens in the area
feel that the facilities which will re
main if the auto railer is abandoned,
will be wholly inadequate. Some sug
gestions for substitute service have
been made, but the present patrons
of the line may consider themselves
fortunate if, unlike those of many
other traction concerns, they are not
greatly inconvenienced by the demise
of the auto railers.
A Necessary Change
The District Bar Association’s
Committee on Relations with the
Municipal Court adopted a resolution
last week which deserves to be
brought to the attention of those
who are interested in simplifying
the processes of justice so that all
persons, rich and poor alike, may
stand on an equal footing before the
law.
During recent months important
steps have been taken in the direc
tion of modernizing the District's ju
dicial machinery. A Small Claims
Court was established and has
proved eminently successful; the
United States District Court has
adopted new rules of procedure
which are expected to expedite the
trial of cases by eliminating many of
the old legalistic formalities, and in
the past few weeks the judges of the
Municipal Court have approved in
principle certain changes in pro
cedure of the Landlord and Tenant
Court which should prove of sub
stantial benefit to those involved in
litigation in that busy tribunal.
There is, however, one further
change in the procedure of the Land
lord and Tenant Court which ought
to be made, but which has not yet
been approved by the judges.
Because of limited space, landlord
and tenant matters are heard at 9:30
a.m. in the Small Claims courtroom,
the latter tribunal opening at 10:30
o’clock. That means that only an
hour or less each court day can be
devoted to the landlord and tenant
cases, of which there are some 4,000
a month. To correct that obviously
inequitable situation until such a
time as the new Municipal Court
Building writh its additional space
is ready for occupancy, it has been
proposed that landlord and tenant
matters be heard at 2 o’clock, after
the small claims business has been
disposed of.
In considering this proposed
change in time, the Bar Association’s
committee pointed out that it w'ould
work a considerable inconvenience
to lawyers accustomed to handling
their trial work in the mornings and
their office work in the afternoons.
Despite this objection, however, a
majority of the committee took cog
nizance of the fact that a "tre
mendous improvement would un
doubtedly result” in the administra
tion of justice in landlord and ten
ant proceedings by changing the
trial time, and voted to approve the
change on the ground that the law
yers as a matter of public service
"should be and will be willing to
suffer whatever inconvenience may
result from the change and to accept
that inconvenience in the public
good.”
That same unselfish sentiment was
voiced by Sefton Darr, president of
the Bar Association, who, in recom
mending that the change be made,
called attention to the fact that such
organizations as the Washington
Housing Association, the League of
Women Voters and the Family Serv
ice Association—all organizations
having experience with landlord and
tenant problems—are among the
vigorous proponents of the afternoon
court time.
In withholding favorable action on
this recommendation, the judges of
the Municipal Court have advanced
no reason why the landlord and ten
ant cases should not be heard in the
afternoons until such time as the
new court building becomes avail
able. Before making any final de
cision, it is to be hoped that they will
give earnest consideration to the
views of the lawyers and other pub
lic-spirited citizens who believe that
the welfare of the thousands of
financially distressed persons who
must use the facilities of the court
should be considered ahead of any
inconvenience, regardless of upon
whom it may fall.
Palestine at the League
Refusal of the League of Nations
Mandates Commission to approve the
present British plan for Palestine
set forth in the May 17 white paper—
excites the hopes of the Zionists to
be able to defeat it before the
League Council, which meets Sep
tember 8 in Geneva, but in no way
deters England from her purpose of
carrying out her policy of creating
an Arab state in Palestine within the
next ten years in which the Jews
would comprise a one-third minority,
immigration after five years to be at
the discretion of the Arabs.
The plan, which provides for re
striction of Jewish immigration to
15,000 annually for the next five
years, is “not in accordance with the
interpretation which, In agreement
A
with the mandatory power and the
Council, the commission had always
placed upon the Palestine mandate,”
according to the Mandates Commis
sion report. On this point all seven
members who participated in the
commission’s work agreed.
The commission divided, however,
on whether the mandate might not
be open to a new interpretation
which, while respecting its main
principle—the establishment of a
national home for the Jews in
Palestine—would be flexible enough
to be in accord with the white paper.
Four held in the negative; three took
the position that existing circum
stances justify the white paper policy,
provided the Council is not opposed
to it.
Now the whole matter is dumped
into the lap of the League Council,
which is more fully empowered to
deal with it than the Mandates Com
mission. The Council will have
before it the question whether the
British plan as now laid down con
flicts with the mandate, the point on
which the commission was unani
mously in the affirmative.
If the Council finds in the light of
present political conditions—a factor
which the Mandates Commission did
not attempt to weigh—that the plan
is not contrary to the mandate, Eng
land will have full authority to pro
ceed with its execution. If, however,
the Council finds that the plan is
contrary to the mandate, then one of
two courses is open: The Council
can accept the view of the commis
sion minority that existing circum
stances justify a new interpretation
on the mandate, or Great Britain can
apply to the Council for modification
of the mandate to cover the British
plan.
In the latter event the whole
Palestine question will be dup for
another airing in Parliament, which
last May approved the government’s
white paper policy. Whether Parlia
ment would approve a request for
would appear to Zionists and their
sympathizers as a direct attack on
the principle of the national home—
depends upon the decision of the
League Council.
Whether Britain is given a clear
path to settle the Palestine question
in her own way or whether the entire
question is thrown back into chaos
is conjectural.
Political Corruption
The city of Waterbury, Conn.,
has demonstrated that it is pos
sible for a community to conduct
a successful fight against official
corruption without aid of the Fed
eral Government. Last year an
extraordinary grand jury indicted
more than two-score prominent resi
dents of the manufacturing city on
charges of conspiring to defraud the
municipality of more than a million
dollars by means of graft, juggled
accounts and other forms of venality.
The grand jury named as the leader
of the “ruthless and corrupt band’’
the city’s Mayor, Frank Hayes, a
powerful politician and erstwhile
lieutenant governor of the State.
After a trial lasting almost nine
months, a jury of nine men and
three women has convicted Mayor
Hayes and eighteen other defend
ants of the grave charges against
them. Another was convicted by a
judge without a jury trial, two plead
ed guilty and still another defendant
pleaded nolo contendere—in effect
similar to a guilty plea.
The investigation which led to the
disclosures of cheating and stealing
on a grand scale began in January,
1938, when the city elected a new
controller, who proceeded to delve
into 'the city’s fiscal affairs. State's
Attorney Hugh Alcorn of Hartford
County took over the prosecution
work and carried it through vigor
ously to a conclusion. Almost simul
taneous with the announcement of
the jury’s verdict in Waterbury, a
Federal judge in Texas was casti
gating the neighboring State of
Louisiana anu ns uiggesi tnj, new
Orleans, for leaving to the Federal
Government most of the burden of
ridding Louisiana of political cor
ruption. At a hearing on the re
moval of a defendant in a Federal
“hot oil” case, the judge declared
that graft would not be suppressed
in Louisiana “so long as rubber
stamp men hold the seal of State
and put an O. K. on the crooks that
happen to be over and above them.”
He referred to the fact that certain
municipal and State officials who
have been named in the various in
quiries are still in office. It was the
Federal Government which lifted the
lid from the pot of venal politics not
only in Louisiana, but in the baili
wicks of “Boss” Pendergast in Mis
souri and Jimmy Hines in New York.
The victims of these bosses were
the citizens—yet these same citizens
went to the polls year after year and
perpetuated in power the machines
on which the politicians fattened. It
is just as dangerous for the voters
to be “rubber-stamp men” as for
public officials to be. But, as has
been demonstrated in Waterbury,
it is possible to clean house in
State and local governments with
out necessity of calling on the Fed
eral Government for aid.
Judging from descriptions of Car
dinal Innitzer’s latest pastoral trip,
being a Prince of the Church in the
Reich is rather like umpiring in a
class D baseball league. About the
only difference is that the Nazis do
not throw pop bottles.
An educational expert recommends
the reduction of American voting
age to include school children of
eight years. The “lollipop vote” may
yet swing a national election.
n
Good Neighbor Policy
Wins Cuban's Praise
Mr. Roosevelt Commended
For Fair Treatment of
Latin America
To the Editor ot The Star:
Were the American people as a whole
aware of the unfriendly feeling that pre
vailed against them throughout Latin
America for years past (official repre
sentation to the contrary),* they would
then be able to recognize the magnitude
of the reaction brought about by the
unique “good neighbor policy” of Presi
dent Franklin D. Roosevelt.
When Mr. Roosevelt took hold of your
Nation's affairs, there were countries
south of the Rio Grande where the
bitterness and hatred seemed implacable.
Each was nursing some sort of grievance
of its own, but all were in perfect accord
that they had one common enemy.
This lack of close international under
standing had its inception immediately
after the Spanish-American War, when
some war reporters, drunk with the glory
of victory, boasted of the great conquests
and far-flung dominions of the North
American empire. The word “empire”
alone served as a warning and to this
day one hears of the “imperial designs”
of the United States over its neighbors.
A new empire was, in fact, being born—
an industrial empire.
The corporations, following in the wake
of the victorious army, established them
selves mainly in Cuba, with a formidable
power of absorption of land and wealth
and human rights in general. They be
gan playing politics, too, controlling
legislation in many ways, breaking immi
gration lawrs, retarding all legislation
that might regulate hours and wages or
raise the laborer's level from the beast s,
until they succeeded admirably in plant
ing distrust where there had always been
good faith; resentment where friendli
ness had been won for all things Amer
ican.
Thus, the corporations made them
selves disliked and wrecked the construc
tive wnrk done by that other great.
Roosevelt, whom we Cubans have held
in the highest esteem, because he stood
for the highest ideal—freedom from all
types of oppression.
Thincr<: wpnt frnm h«H tn ucnrcp a* nnp
country was set against the other. This
chasm widened as new mistakes WTre
made in economic policies and as tariff
laws were passed and commercial treaties
disregarded during the last two decades
of Republican administration.
For the benefit of the uninitiated, let
me say that we should not be deceived
into thinking that because the size ana
military strength of a country is neg
ligible, that these unfriendly situations
are of no consequence. For the bonds
of race, history and ideals are strong.
The Latin countries are most sympa
thetic with one another and unity sup
plies power in more ways than one.
If people lose one friend, they cast
about for another.
Wise are the men, then, who have
been seeking to remedy these evils
through a genuine love of peace and a
keen sense of justice—who, by the
adoption of the "good neighbor policy”
have sought to make amends and suc
ceeded in producing a favorable spiritual
reaction throughout the two Americas,
recapturing that close friendliness and
co-operation of the Spanlsh-American
War time, while laying the foundations
for economic reconstruction.
It is no secret that when President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected.
Cuba was one the verge of an industrial
collapse. He saved her. Temporarily,
maybe, but he spared the population
from ruin and even famine, not suspect
ing the happiness and joy he was bring
ing to millions of hearts.
Today, this people stand firmly for
him who has become, simply, the symbol
for unselfish service to the cause of
peace—peace based on justice.
JOSEFA A. DE McCORMACK.
August 17.
Wants Married Women
Returned to Homes.
To the Editor ot The Star:
Women are demanding bigger political
jobs for themselves; they have been
."making their noise” since they were
given the ballot. Many say they have
been "freed from slavery.” But where
have they attempted to place men—from
statesmen down to the “white-collar"
worker on relief, or the small grocer, or
fruit vendor? And where are the un
fortunate sons and daughters of these
"emancipated” women drifting to? I
aucm auswcx xxx<y unn 4ucouuxio xui itai
the “beclouded minds” of some have not
been able to think clearly, or see the re
sults of thousands of babies, children
and young boys and girls confined in
Government - maintained institutions—
from day nurseries to foundling homes,
asylums and prisons. Often this has
been the result of neglected home care,
inadequate training by mothers who
really feel no deep devotion for home,
children or husband. Many of these
mothers become businesswomen or poli
ticians for "gain”—usually for more
money—sometimes from sheer love of
publicity, but their “motives” at first are
to help improve politics or some phase
of welfare work.
If all women could realize the impor
tance of training their sons in the qual
ities which make honest and trust
worthy men they would not feel the
urge to enter every phase of business
life and politics.
If I were President I would issue an
order dismissing all married women from
the Government service and replacing
them with married men (as far as it wras
wise), or capable single men.
Until married women are made to feel
that they are "slackers” in holding jobs
which they do not need they will con
tinue to desert home, husband and chil
dren, and the Government will have to
enlarge the budget to provide more
asylum room for these wifeless husbands
and motherless children.
I realize that there are many cases
where women must bear the burden of
home and family, that there are many
unworthy, incapable husbands and
fathers. But it only takes wisdom and
justice combined to balance the scales
and the quickest way to secure this bal
ance is to get corrupt politics out of our
governmental affairs and women out of
politics and back to home and children,
while the Government pays the husband
and father a decent salary to maintain
an honest, comfortable and secure home.
This will solve the tragic unemploy
ment problem and restore man to his
true position in life—the self-respecting
supporter of his family. JUSTICE.
August 16.
a*.
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Tracewell.
Where is the bird lover who has not
wished to be present when the fledglings
fly from the nest the first time?
Many ardent watchers nevertheless ft il
to see this highly interesting spectacle,
owing to the fact that living has mary
other duties. > ^
An East Palls Church, Va., observer
has just witnessed the first flight of a
family of young wrens, and was so stirred
by the process as to send this column a
letter about it, as follows:
"Dear Sir: I submit the very latest of
my observations on birds, which sight
was offered me yesterday morning, and
which is doubtless the last, since it is
about the end of the nesting season,
which has been full of interest for several
months.
"Since I have been catering to the
wild birds for four years by erecting suit
able houses and furnishing proper foods
for the various birds, I have waited
these many years to witness the exit of
the baby wrens, who made their de
parture Sunday morning shortly after 8
o'clock while I breakfasted a short dis
tance away.
* * * *
“The first signs I noticed of their
mother's preparations for their de
parture was her reluctance to release
the last two or three morsels of food
she brought: although bringing it within
reach of the fledglings, she would fly off
to a nearby branch, which I interpreted
to mean ‘come and get it.’
"They were not slow to take the hint.
The first one emerged partially and went
back into the house, but came back im
mediately and perched for several min
utes on his front porch, before taking
off to a nearby limb and finally with fal
tering wings to nearby bushes.
"The second and third followed closely,
each resting on the porch a few minutes
before making their unsteady flight to
the bushes.
"The fourth, however, seemed to take
a nose dive and landed safely on the
soft thick grass, where it paused for a
time.
"The complete departure of the four
fledglings was accomplished in about 20
minutes, although I noticed in the early |
afternoon the mother wren returned, and
looked into the house, presumably to
see if every one was safely out.
“What fine instincts these little birds
have! "Sincerely, O. E. C.”
* * * *
Sometimes young birds go back to the
nest after their first flight, sometimes j
they do not.
In any case, they give it up very ;
quickly and no doubt gladly, for a lim- i
ited confine is not to the liking of
winged creatures.
Birds share with man a dislike of be
ing caged, but, like man, many specimens
suffer exactly what they do not like.
Man can cage himself, in addition,
through mental bonds, something un
known to the feathered two-legged crea
tures of the air.
A fair observer, therefore, might say
the birds are much better off, In some
respects.
* * * *
Young birds have yet to acquire the
timidity which marks most of their
elders.
They have yet to learn through per
sonal experience the number of enemies
which wait for them at every turn.
Especially are they unafraid of man.
Young of English sparrows, for in
stance, will remain at a feeding station
long after their elders have flown away,
on the advent of a human.
One young sparrow remained in the
trough until the grain was poured in
upon him, when he condescended to fly
away.
* * * *
Observation of fledglings is .made diffi
cult by the fact that they are so large.
At some feet they look for all the
world like their elders, in fact in some
species are even larger.
If you see robins on the lawn, quite
evidently feeding their young, feel sure
that the very large, fluffy ones are the
babies.
This will be apparent in a moment,
not only from the piercing cheeps which
come from those bills, but also from
the fact that into them are popped the
worms dug up by the smaller birds, the
parents.
* * * *
The nest is a cradle, not a home.
Many people refer to it as the birds’
home, but that is not so—a bird's home
is the air everywhere.
It is as much at home one place as
another. Fledglings want to leave the
nest, naturally enough, and do so the
moment they can get up enough nerve.
Once they are out, they seldom return.
Nor have the older birds any further use
for it. It is not often that they use a
nest a second season, and no other
species will use it, either. This is rather
queer. Many nests are beautifully built,
good for several seasons. The observer
might think, off hand, that almost any
species, at nesting time, would be glad
to find a ready-made nest. But no, they
want to build a new one each time.
This is instinct, as we call it, the bundle
of actions and reactions which are the
result of centuries.
Wrens return to the same house every
spring, but at once began to clean out
the nest.
It is likely that sanitation is at the
bottom of this. Without words or scien
tific knowledge of any possible kind, the
birds nevertheless do know1, in their own
way of knowing, that once-used nests
are likely to have lice and other inimical
types of crawling life in them, including
mites. So the birds w-eave an entirely
new nest, or cradle, each season, out of
fresh clean grasses, and other natural
fibers, chosen with rare discrimination,
just about as well as if they could talk
It all over beforehand, probably better
because they can't.
Letters to the Editor
| Union Member Replies to
i Justus Letter.
To the Editor of The Star:
In a letter published in The Star of
August 16 Inez Justus makes an attempt
to place the blame for the failure of re
tirement legislation on Luther C. Stew
ard.
In his conference report Representative
Ramspeck had inserted in full two let
ters, one from William Green, president
of the A. F. of L., and one from Luther
C. Steward as chairman of the Legisla
tive Committee of the National Legisla
tive Council of Federal Employe Organi
zations. The letters were addressed to
Mr. Ramspeck as chairman of the House
conference committee.
Mr. Green stated in his first para
graph: "The American Federation of La
bor and the organizations affiliated with
it which are directly affected by the
measure favor a 4 per cent deduction in
this retirement bill.”
Mr. Steward stated in his second para
graph: "The National Legislative Council
of Federal Employe Organizations is
strongly in favor of S. 281, particularly
the following provisions: • • • Five per
cent deductions from employes’ salaries.
According to Inez Justus an organiza
tion that favors a 5 per cent deduction
would be opposed to a \\'3 per cent de
duction. Is it not more logical to sup
pose that the organizations that wanted
a 4 per cent deduction would be the ones
that would balk at an increase? Espe
cially when Mr. Green's letter dealt with
that subject alone?
Mr. Ramspeck had something else to
say: “In more than 100 speeches deliv
ered to groups of Federal employes dur
ing the past two or three years, I have
stated to them frankly that I could not
and would not support legislation reduc
ing the optional ages of retirement un
less the contribution of the employes was
substantially increased. In the face of
the opposition of certain groups the Sen
ate conferees declined to yield in the
matter of contributions, and as a result,
the agreement was reached to eliminate
the lower optional ages.”
August 17. HENRY G. NOLDA.
Star Praised for
Soap Box Derby.
To the Editor of The Star:
As I was listening to a broadcast of
the National Soap Box Derby yesterday
It occurred to me what a fine piece of
work your paper did In promoting the
local Soap Box Derby held In Washing
ton last month.
I have heard a great many favorable
comments on the vigorous way in which
you handled the affair and on what
must have been on your part a great deal
of co-operation with the American Le
gion and others Interested in the event.
I hone you will continue It next year.
August 15. ARTHUR P. COE.
Suggests Forty-Eight-Hour
Suspect Law.
Tto the Editor of The Star:
Kindly grant me space in your paper
to advocate that the Police Department
be granted the authority to hold all
prisoners, witnesses and other pickups
for investigation for 48 hours or longer,
when the occasion may warrant The
present limit of six hours is far too short
a time for the police to make a thorough
checkup and learn facta. The Board of
Commissioner! should be clothed with
Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and. address of
the writer, although the use of
a pseudonym for publication is
permissible. ■ Please be briefI
the power to promulgate regulations
governing such matters.
I think the authority the Police De
partment now possesses should be in
creased and broadened, not curtailed.
Our city is due for a cleanup of the un
desirable classes, hence my espousing
such legislation required to do a good job.
August 18. HENRY F. ASH.
Recalls Decision
Of Judge Gould.
To the Editor of The Star:
Your editorial in The Star of this date
on the civil liberties of suspected crimi
nals recalls to my mind a decision by
Judge Gould concerning the six-hour
law. He held that the law applied to
citizens of good standing free from crim
inal records and did not apply to a man
or woman who had a bad reputation or
to habitual criminals.
I had gone to him in a case of about
the same nature as the one giving rise
to your editorial and I thought he
summed the law up exactly right. A man
who continues to live a suspicious life
cannot claim the same protection and
damage due a man in good standing.
August 18. E. E. DUDDING.
Shifting of Taxation Seen
As Urgent Need.
To the Editor of The St»r:
The recent setback given by Congress
to the New Deal spending-lending pro
gram is a sign of beiated recognition of
an economic reality that was apparent
to many in advance of its adoption. It
is beyond human ingenuity to devise any
method of taxing wealth that will not
operate to discourage its production.
Hence increasing such taxation directly,
or prospectively, by borrowing, for pur
poses of relief to the needy and subsidies
to failing industries is in reality merely
drawing on a diminishing supply to
spread over a broadening surface.
It is interesting to note that while our
“economic royalists” have been barred
from participation in the New Deal pol
icies, their kind have been very much
in the saddle in England, and yet the
internal policies here and there have
been as twin brothers and with like re
sults. Hence a question as to who are
our real “economic royalists.”
With all the New Deal's urge for con
structive action, it is matter for concern
to many of its well-wishers that it has
not cast even a squint at the possibilities
of diverting taxation from its present de
structive effects to constructive uses.
One effect of New Dealism more certain
than if “planned that way” has been to
turn large blocks of capital from indus
trial enterprise to investment in com
paratively unproductive land holdings
as farthest removed from onerous taxa
tion and giving most assurance of ulti
mate profit without risk or labor.
The situation calls for a general shift
ing of taxation from wealth to the social
values in land as the source of all wealth,
which, in effect, would be a process of
untaxing, as the so-called land-value tax
really means collection of individual in
debtedness to society—the taking of so
cial values for social uses, as advocated
by Henry George and a century before
his time by the “physiocrats" of France.
WALTER N. CAMPBELL.
August 12.
Haskin's Answers
To Readers' Questions
By Frederic J. Haskin.
A reader can get the answer to any
Question of fact by writing The Eve
ning Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Haskin, director, Washington,
D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply.
Q. What is the origin of the Pekingese
dog?—E. J. H.
A. The origin of the breed is lost In
antiquity, but it is known that these
dogs were regarded as sacred and kept
closely guarded in the palaces of Chi
nese rulers for many centuries. In I860,
at the time of the looting of the summer
palace in Peking, five of the dogs wers
seized and carried to England, where
they became the progenitors of the
Pekingese of today.
Q. Where is the largest church in the
United States?—L. S. B.
A. The Episcopal Cathedral of St. John
the Divine in New York City is the larg
est church on the American Continent.
Q. When did the Gold Star Mothers
organize?—S. B.
A. The Gold Star Mothers’ Association
was organized in Washington, D. C., June
4, 1928, and incorporated January 6
1929, in the same city.
Q. Who designed the new G. O. P. *
elephant?—M. M. M.
A. The streamlined elephant was de
signed by Thomas H. Reed of Berkeley,
Calif.
Q. Is Rosa Bonheur s famous painting
called "The Horse Fair’’ in the United
States?—R. B
A. The original painting is in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New
York City.
Q. Who discovered Puerto Rico?—T.
5. R.
A. Puerto Rico was discovered in 1492
by Columbus. The first settlement was
made at Pueblo Viejo in 1508 by Ponce
de Leon.
Q. Who originated the com-.husking
championship?—N. R. B.
A. County and sectional champion
ships have been held for many years, but
the first national tournament was insti
tinea in wzi Dy Henry Wallace, editor
of Wallace's Farmer.
Q. Why are artesian wells so called?—
B. S. R.
A. They are named after Artois, a
French province, where this type of well
was first popular.
Q. Are the Panama Canal locks large
enough to accommodate any ship?—E.
M. J. >
A. Only the Queen Mary and the Nor
! mandie are too large to pass through
, the locks, which are 110 feet wide and
j have a usable length of 1,000 feet.
Q. What makes a green persimmon
pucker the mouth?—E. M. S.
A. It is the tannin in the fruit that
makes it so astringent.
Q. Is there anything besides the Bib
lical quotation inscribed on the Liberty
Bell?—L. G. S.
A. Under the Biblical quotation are
inscribed the names of the men who
recast the bell. Pass and Stow,- the ab
breviation Phila., and the date of its
casting, 1753.
Q. Which members sit on the Presi
dent's right and left in a cabinet meet
ing?—M. P. H.
A. The President sits at the head of
the table with the Secretary of State at
his right. At his left is the chair of
the Secretary of the Treasury, and the
other eight members are seated in the
order of seniority of their departments.
Q. What is the oldest race track in the
United States?—M. B. R.
A. The oldest race track still in use
is that in Saratoga, N. Y., where the
inaugural meeting was held on August
2, 1864.
Q. How old was King George's brother
John when he died?—D. W.
A. His majesty’s youngest brother,
Prince John, died on January 18, 1919,
at the age of 13.
Q. What town in the West is named
for the original John Jacob Astor?—
J. H. D.
A. Astoria, Oreg., which he founded
in 1811.
Q. How many Cherokee Indians are
there in North Carolina?—P. G. S.
A. The Cherokees in that State now
number over 3,000. They live on the
eastern slope of the Great Smoky Moun
tains with their capital at Cherokee
N. C.
/"> TIT1_ _ .
nao V/UIUliry, 115 01
! Thee,” first sung?—L. W. D.
A. The song, "America,” was first used
In 1832 at a children's Fourth of July
celebration in Boston.
Q. What Is the Excalibur sword’_E
M. R.
A. In Arthurian legend. Excalibur was
King Arthur's wonderful sword which
was given to him by the Lady of the
Lake.
Q. What was the first great mystery
story?—T. M. H.
A. The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic "
Romance.” by Horace Walpole, publish
ed in 1765, was the forerunner of mod
ern mystery stories. Its influence was
even manifested in the work of early
American writers, including Charles
Brockden, Edgar Allan Poe and Na
thaniel Hawthorne.
Q. What is a salmon called after its
return from the sea to fresh water’—M.
J. H.
A. It is then known as a grilse.
Q. I should like to learn some of ths
better methods of canning.—S. F. D.
A. See Page A-2 of today’s Star.
Like Harps of Gold
(Rondel.)
Like harps of gold, are mother-hearts—
While each child plays upon the strings:
And one selects strong, martial parts,
Another—sweet and tender things.
This one a joyous cadence brings—
That gift surpassing all the arts—
Like harps of gold, are mother-hearts,
And each child plays upon the strings.
But at one's touch, a hot tear starts
From weary eyes—for peace takes wings;
His theme thru strident measures darts,
And soon the air with discord rings ...
Like harps of gold, are mother-hearts.
And each child plays upon the strings I
D. A. O.
k A