Evening star. [volume], November 13, 1939, Page A-8, Image 8

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

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fretting gstat*
With Sunday Horning Edition.
THEODORE W. NOYES, Editor.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
MONDAY.November 13, 1939
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Calm Netherlands
Caught between two mighty bellig
erents in a war in which the first
real blow has yet to be struck, the
Netherlanders are preserving a great
er calm than many persons in other
countries who momentarily expect a
Nazi “Blitzkrieg” against the low
countries with the purpose of seizing
the channel ports as bases for a con
certed attack upon England.
Keen displeasure over the volume
of reports in the foreign press that
Holland is on the verge of becoming
a battleground for the warring
powers and irritation over what may
be premature and ill-founded fears
as to Germany’s intentions are dis
played by Dutch officials.
The Netherlands’ confidence in its
position was voiced today by Premier
Dirk Jan de Geer in a radio denial
that there is “a single ground for
uneasiness” and a reminder to the
Dutch that “neutrality requires a
certain state of mind.” He expressed
the view that “acute danger does
not exist any more now than it did
in the first days of September.”
Closest to the scene of possible
trouble, the Dutch are better able
to evaluate their own position than
are those wTho report the progress of
the war from countries engaged in
the conflict, and they note a marked
easing of tension along the frontier
across which it is reported Germany
may strike this week.
The Netherlanders are playing a
close hand, on the alert for any evi
dence of German preparations to
violate their neutrality, but at the
same time anxious to avoid giving
any provocation to Germany. The
reassurances which the Dutch now
give the world that they are not,
as it is feared, on the brink of in
volvement in the war may best be
interpreted as an effort to clarify an
already highly confused situation
and to display publicly their confi
dence in German pledges not to in
vade the low countries, regardless of
what is predicted from allied sources.
The Netherlanders know from the
experience of Belgium in 1914 that
there is a danger, and a very real
one, of German invasion; they also
know from their own experience in
the last war that it is possible for
a small neutral to preserve its neu
trality if it conducts itself carefully.
They are hoping that by rigid im
partiality and discouragement of
mere rumors they can walk the nar
row path between the belligerents in
such a way as to avoid embroilment
on either side of the conflict.
The Dutch have had the word of
the German government—and rely
on it only for what it is worth in
the light of history—that Dutch neu
trality will not be violated. They
have seen tens of thousands of Ger
man troops concentrated on the
Putch and Belgian frontiers, but at
the same time they know that there
are many factors operating to dis
courage a German strike through
the low countries at this time—the
vast impetus it would lend to fighting
all along the western front, and the
vulnerable spot it would open in the
German armor by giving the allies
cause to leap immediately to Dutch
defense and eventually to strike di
rectly at Germany in the north.
The Dutch are displaying remark
able fortitude and their calculations
may not be amiss, but there remains
one factor which neither they nor
any one else can evaluate—the im
pulses of Adolf Hitler, especially if
military reverses or internal unrest
force him into some desperate gam
bit
Arlington's Land
A much-needed agreement as to
the policing of tne “no man’s land’’"
on the south shore of the Potomac
has been reached finally between the
Washington district attorney’s office
and the Commonwealth’s attorney of
Arlington County, even though the
long standing boundary dispute still
remains unsettled. In the future, it
is announced, the county authorities
will police and prosecute any crimes
committed in the disputed territory.
The agreement was reached in the
case of a man accused of stabbing
another at an inn near the Virginia
end of the Highway Bridge. The
District authorities nolle prossed the
case after an exhaustive study of
the facts and conferences with offi
cials of the various agencies involved.
The definite understanding as to
who should afford police protection
In the area will help clear up a rather
ridiculous and potentially dangerous
situation that has existed for years
and which goes back to the much
discussed boundary issue. Some time
ago the owner of the inn where the
stabbing occurred filed suit in Dis
trict Court in an effort to restrain
Virginia police from enforcing alcohol
beverage control regulations at the
establishment. The Arlington Com
monwealth’s attorney then instructed
county officers not to consider the
place within their jurisdiction. Met
ropolitan police likewise claimed lack
of jurisdiction, as did park police.
The cflspute over this “no man’s
land” has had the effect of tying up
court cases for years. Questions of
jurisdiction have been a factor in
many instances, notably the Mary
Baker murder case. But in view of
the agreement just announced, the
public has reason to hope that the
long-standing jurisdictional dispute
will be cleared up and that the area
will receive adequate policing until
such a time las the boundary ques
tion can be permanently disposed of.
Firefighting Economy
Efforts to reduce the cost of fire
protection in Washington, resulting
from definite instructions by Con
gress to the District government, are
rapidly approaching the debating
point. Already a number of citizens’
associations have voiced disapproval
of reducing the number of fire sta
tions merely for the purposes of
economy, a stand which is well
taken. Committees representing most
of the underwriters engaging in
business in the District have offered
their own recommendations to the
special committee which is con
sidering the matter. These reports,
while suggesting some consolidations,
mainly in the interests of efficiency
in protecting certain danger areas,
also point the way to some economies.
They propose, besides the consolida
tions, consideration of the elimina
tion of one rescue squad and replace
ment of the flreboat by a modern
Diesel-powered vessel.
The more economical operation of
the Fire Department is a goal to be
desired so long as the efficiency is
not decreased. Washington has
every reason to be proud of its fire
protection, which holds the annual
loss to approximately sixty cents per
capita. That it accomplishes this as
cheaply as it does is a tribute to the
department in view of the huge
amounts spent annually on repair
and upkeep of antiquated and in
adequate equipment. The flreboat is
merely one case in point. Its annual
upkeep amounts to more than two
thousand dollars, its boilers must be
kept fired the year round to provide
a head of steam in case of a water
front alarm. It was ideal for its
work more than thirty years ago,
when it was commissioned. Today,
with millions being spent on water
front construction and greater in
dustnai development Deing piannea,
the boat is fast falling into the class
of a romantic but expensive relic.
The Commissioners’ Survey Com
mittee is not yet ready to make its
report on possible economies. The
underwriters’ report, based on pro
viding greater protection rather than
economy alone, offers suggestions
which might well be considered in
the search for some means to reduce
the per capita cost of fire protection,
which averages more than four and
a half dollars a year.
The point which should be borne
in mind throughout the study is that
while the present system of fire
houses was designed in the days of
horse-drawn engines, the motor
equipment which replaced the horses
has not been kept up to standard.
If the area covered by each station
is to be enlarged, much of the older
equipment should be replaced, in the
Interest of economy as well as effi
ciency. _
Army Training
In the Southern United States the
Army now is concentrating five in
fantry and two cavalry divisions of
the new so-called "streamlined” pat
tern for months of the most impor
tant peacetime training in the his
tory of the service. Next spring they
wiir be combined into field corps and
later, perhaps, into armies.
These concentrations are, in a way,
the end product of all of the years
of development since the World War,
climaxed by the great expansion pro
gram now in progress under the
threat of foreign war clouds.
These divisions are the emergency
protective force of the United States
and now, for the first time in Amer
ican peace history, they are being
concentrated in the field on a semi
^ 1 n.Vt inti VvTT
next year become permanent. The
change is little short of revolution
ary; throughout most of its history
the American £rmy has been a scat
tered affair of small detachments,
with seldom more than a regiment
at any one place. The traihing of
large units has been an impossibility
except in time of war.
Mechanized warfare contains a
threat of the “lightning stroke”
which makes continuation of such a
policy of decentralization dangerous.
Armies must be assembled and
trained In the units which will take
the field if they are to constitute
the sort of “initial protective force”
upon which nations today rely for
safety. Under the fast-moving type
of modern warfare, teamwork is in
dispensable. Officers and men must
know each other, their methods, ca
pabilities and reactions under vari
ous types of situations. All must
know their new weapons. Teamwork
can be gained only through team
play, carried on regularly and
constantly.
Last summer’s Army-National
Guard maneuvers demonstrated only
too clearly that the American Army
today lacks this essential teamwork.
Officers, particularly pf the larger
i commands—brigades, divisions and
\
corps—simply have not had the op
portunity to function and this lack
showed up as a glaring deficiency in
our national defenses.
The Southern concentrations are
made possible by expansion of the
Army, which has provided troops
beyond the garrison and workaday
requirements of our peacetime mili
tary establishment, and the change
now taking place is one of the most
important in our military history. It
gives promise of a greater security
in these troubled days than we have
known.
Rules for Strikes
* An Important phase of the recent
decision of the Third Circuit Court
of Appeals in the Republic 8teel case
which was almost obscured by other
aspects was the broadened definition
by the court as to what constitutes
unlawful acts by strikers.
This was the only major issue on
which the appellate tribunal differed
with the National Labor Relations
Board in pinning responsibility on
Republic for the bitter C. I. O. strike
of 1937, and an Interesting compari
son is afforded by the court’s view of
offenses which would bar a striker
from re-employment and the more
liberal attitude adopted by the board
on this point.
The board order, which the com
pany unsuccessfully sought to have
set aside on appeal, excluded from
the reinstatement provisions only
eleven men—ten for possessing ex
plosives and one for property de
struction. The court, however, added
forty more, against whom were such
charges as possessing and discharg
ing firearms, interfering with the
mail, and obstructing railroad opera
tions. The court did not differentiate
between felonies and misdemeanors
in extending the ban, being guided
rather by the nature of the offenses
which it was explained were deemed
of sufficient gravity to bar those re
sponsible from re-employment under
the rule laid down in the Fansteel
case by the Supreme Court in out
lawing sit-down strikes.
At the same time, the court held
that fist fights and minor brawls on
picket lines are natural develop
ments of strikes, and while regret
table, are not sufficient to justify a
company in refusing to rehire those
involved.
Requiring re-employment and
compensation for time lost for 5,000
men, at a cost Republic has estimated
would be $7,500,000, the court ruling
is a sweeping victory not only for
the C. I. O. but also for the Labor
Relations Board and Trial Examiner
John T. Lindsay, whose original find
ing that Republic’s anti-union poli
cies caused the trouble, is affirmed.
The corporation, of course, will go
to the Supreme Court for a final de
cision, and a ruling by the high court
will be welcomed, for it is important
that decisions tending to fix the
boundaries of proper and improper
strike conduct should have that
quality of finality which renders
them useful as guides in the future.
Momentous Decision
The movie palace usually makes a
brave show, but no matter how many
gorgeous blonds in gilded cages there
may be in the lobby, or how many
murals, goldfish, and ushers or door
men in uniforms of Ruritanian ad
mirals, all too often there is a deadly
Infestation behind it. Try as it may,
it is almost impossible for the man
agement to eliminate the nuisance
who has seen the picture before and
insists on predicting each coming
event in a voice audible over the en
tire theater, and announcing that
the man in the mask is really Jack
Dalton, the rascally superintendent
of the mine. Somehow this pest
seems to thrive in the dark, and ex
terminator concerns, asked to do
something constructive about it, have
been baffled.
It is not really their fault, because
due to a defect in the law these crea
tures may not be assaulted, no mat
ter how severe the provocation. But
at last, thanks to the courage of
Magistrate Masterson of New York,
some small progress has been made.
In a recent momentous decision, he
ruled against a fair plaintiff who
had seen “Mutiny on the Bounty’'
three times before and had broad
cast every detail in advance, and in
favor of a male defendant who had
given her a vigorous Bronx cheer.
The magistrate, by virtue of his for
mer occupation as Counsel for the
Brooklyn Dodgers, is a recognized ex
pert on the habits of the Bronx
cheer; and if the case is ever appealed
to the Supreme Court it is hoped
that the justices will take judicial
notice of that fact. *
Use of pastel shades for gas masks
is being tried in Great Britain in
order to make them less objection
able to children. There is opportu
nity here for some genius to invent a
combined mask and lollipop.
This country may not be at war,
but it has 8,000 more governmental
employes at its Capital City than at
the peak of the last one in which it
participated. Could this be con
strued as preparedness?
Manual occupational skin diseases
are said to be Increasing In the
United States. Could this be due to
notably curtailed hours per week of
that efficacious skin tonic, honest
perspiration?
Italy has fewer foreign tourists
now than for a long time, it is an
nounced. Just wait; they have not
seen any absent crowds yet.
Some resident of this country may
yet have a chance to buy at a bar
gain a big unused snow-boat to live
In during the winter.
i ■ a
'Alleged Warmonger'
Defends His Views
Says America Has Obligation
To Persecution Victims
In Other Lands
To th* Editor of Tht star:
Few men can abstract themselves
from the whirl of events. Thus It has
frequently fallen to the decrepit and
aged—historically, the “seers”—to fur
nish the race of men with foresight, and
to latter-day historians to provide the
hindsight.
The contemporary scene seems mud
dled to many of us. Actually, it must
be our minds that are muddled. Shar
ing this muddled state Is no less a one
than H. G. Wells, who wrote "An Out
line of History.”
For, consider the first article in his
"declaration of rights,” carried in The
Star of November 6: "1. That every man
without distinction of race or color is
entitled to nourishment, housing, cov
ering, medical care and attention suf
ficient to realize his full possibilities of
physical and mental development and
to keep him In a state of health from
his birth to death.”
certainly the attainment of these
Utopian conditions would appear a de
lightful thing. But many criticisms of
Its practicality can be advanced. “Is en
titled to” reminds me—since Mr. Wells is
a Socialist—of a friend's recent remark
regarding the “persecuted Communists”
in the United States: “Such people,” he
said, "are always loud about their rights
but know nothing of their obligations.”
Mr. Wells himself has been heckling the
British government for its war aims,
implying that it is his right to hang back
from England’s war, whereas he is in
nocent of any feeling of obligation to
his fellow men—to wit, the Poles, Czechs
and French and the unfortunate Jews
of Germany and Austria. The answer
to Mr. Wells’ question “What are the
English government’s war aims?” might
be found in Mr. Wells’ article—namely,
to secure the benefits of civilized life to
as many as possible whether entitled to
them or not.
Thus his right brings into existence
his duty and his obligations to his fel
low men, and though a Socialist or lib
eral or disappointed office-seeker, he
finds he must assist his hard-shelled
conservative government, which has been
striving to do its duty all the time, and
which, in spite of every effort to avoid
it, is now at war with the real war
mongers.
Contemporary critics of Europe have
made much of the defaulted war debts
of our former allies. European spokes
men, including the adroit Adolf, have
more than evened it by criticizing
America s default on its promised sup
port of the League of Nations, a promise
implied through Mr. Wilson’s advocacy
of it. Not only did America default to
its allies. More shameful, it has de
faulted to the soldier dead who, muffled
in eternal silence, must hear the angry
guns again and know that they died in
vain.
rusionans nave said that the Chris
tian nations have been more addicted
to war than any other peoples. It is not
true today. Germany. Russia, Japan,
do not fight under the sign of the cross—
and they are the aggressors. Conversely,
I question the Christianity of the Amer
ican Nation taken as a whole. Who can
call himself a Christian who loves his
neighbor—and yet watch the Ethiopian
slaughter, the Chinese massacre, the
Jewish pogroms in Germany and Austria,
and the slaughter and destruction of
Poland what Christian can live and
see these things in his own time and
say: "Hands off for America”? He is
an ostrichlike Christian who hides his
head in the sands and pretends these
horrors do not exist. He is a "Levlte”
who draws his cloak closer about him
and passes by on the other side. He
sees his neighbor's ox has fallen into a
pit but it is inconvenient, for reasons
best known to himself, to help get the
neighbor's ox out. Now if it were his
ox-? He slngs psalms on Sunday and
pays toward the preacher's salary, but he
is not a Christian.
1 must not pretend to be otherwije
than muddled myself. But my dear
compatriots are—many of them—plainly
more muddled than I-and. oh-so noisy,
Withal! ALLEGED WARMONGER.
East Falls Church, Va.
November 7.
Warns Against Practice
Of European Policies.
To th* Editor of The 8t»r:
You have recently published a letter
from a Kansan urging the completion
of the Pan-American highway, as the
American Continent (he says) is “our
oyster,” and we can through that high
way "push forward the American fron
tier,” etc., etc.
You published this week another letter
about the steel hand In the velvet glove,
which states that the United States
through the ‘‘Monrovlan Doctrine” has
and will continue to dictate the foreign
relations of all of the American Conti
nent, and will continue to dominate this
continent.
« is ratner tragic to contemplate the
shortsightedness of these people, and of
the many like them in our country. Do
they know that there are about 20 in
dependent nations in North, Central and
South America, in addition to the United
States? Do they know that these na
tions have Just as much love of country
and pride In their Independence as the
people of our own country? Do they
know that one of these countries is just
as large in territory as the United States,
excluding Alaska, and that many of
them are much larger than Important
European countries?
Then what are these people propos
ing? That we dictate to these countries
what they are to do, and if they refuse,
fight them?
That is what has left Europe a seeth
ing cauldron of hatred and distrust, so
that it seems as if any lasting peace
there were impossible.
If we have peace within the wide
boundaries of our own country it is be
cause the Government is by consent of
the gpvemed and not by force. Simi
larly, if we want to have peace on the
American Continent in time to come we
must live in harmony with the other
nations on the American Continent
through peaceful means. Whatever bit
terness and distrust and hatred exists
on the American Continent today is the
result of the use of violence and force in
the past. But it is only a shadow of
Europe’s and of what we can make of it
if we fellow in Europe’s footsteps.
A STUDENT OF AMERICA.
. October SI.
k •
¥
THIS AND THAT
By Charley t. Tracewett.
Flowers reach the peak of their ef
fectiveness in the hospital.
Nothing, save a kindly word, so cheers
and comforts the ill, brings a sense of
hope, and a feeling of health.
There has grown up a very beautiful
spirit of sharing the flowers sent daily
to the sick. Some patients have too
many, and send them around to those
who have little; some men, thinking
flowers effeminate, Insist on giving them
away as soon as received; an unwritten
law in most Institutions prevents those
leaving from taking any away with
them.
One falling, a florist tells us, lies in
entrusting the job of arranging bouquets
to the nurses. Those faithful creatures
have their hands so full with their tasks,
that they often cannot get around to
the flowers.
Thus, allowing four hours for delivery,
and as long lying unopened, a box of
flowers is out of water practically eight
hours, or longer.
This means that some wilting occurs.
Florists themselves plunge received
flowers into water the moment received
at the shop, no matter how inconvenient
this may be at the time.
If this could be done in hospitals, or
any place else cut flowers are received,
for that matter, there would be far less
fading, and the bouquets would hold up
better.
* * * *
Most or our florists want to know If
the flowers do not look and last as well
as expected.
They are willing to overlook the pos
sibility of the fault not being theirs, at
all; their sense of service, as well as
pride in their product, makes them
willing to replace any defective ship
ments.
This Is aided by the fact that every
establishment always has a quantity of
blooms which might be termed surplus.
Some of this material will not be sold,
at best, and might as well go out to real
missions of beauty and usefulness.
The florist business is a very complex
one, requiring a knowledge of popular
demands and trends as well as of flowers
and combinations of flowers.
There will always be surplus material,
of one kind, from time to time. At an
other time, there will be too much of
something else. It seems inevitable.
The demand is hard to gauge.
There are always plenty of some
blooms. In replacing a bouquet, the
shops may not be able to send exactly
the same thing, but no doubt the bou
quet will be as effective.
* * * *
Do you know, for instace, that many
of the roses sold in Washington come
from Chicago?
This is a queer angle of an unusual
business.
Local growers may run out of some
popular bloom, and then It Is up to the
local retail shops to get more.
They telegraph to Chicago. That great
city has all of Illinois and Indiana to
draw on, end can ship to the National
Capital In 20 hours, or even less.
The moment these shipments come in,
the boxes are unpacked, despite the hour,
and the flowers plunged Into cool water
up to the blooms.
Not Just a little water, mind you, not
Just the end of the stems, but the com
plete stems, clear to the petals!
Here is a tip for those who receive
flowers, wherever they are.
Pill the vase to the very brim, and
select as tall a vase as possible. Do this
the moment the flowers arrive. The
cooler the air, the better, of course, but
often this factor cannot be controlled.
* * * *
In addition to placing bouquets In
water at once, not permitting them to lie
around for hours, here are some more
sensible tips In handling:
Plunge into water as deep as possible,
and as cool as possible up to the petals!
If the popular chrysanthemums are
received, be sure to split the end of the
stem, splaying it out, in order for more
water to be drawn up.
Most often the failure of ’mums to
last Is from failure to attend to this
splitting process when first put Into
water.
Roses and other blooms do not need
to be split, but should have a slanting
cut made at the end of the stems. This
need not be done every single day
Par more Important than changing
the water every day, is to keep the
r*fllled to the brim, in order that
the blooms may receive as much mois
ture as possible.
* * * *
It Is difficult to tell whether the little
radio or the bouquet of flowers is the
most appreciated in the hospitals today.
As you go along the corridors, you will
see both of these in every room.
The rude sense of strength and health
which comes over the air waves, with
all the pulsating vigor of electricity,
must act as a tonic, in case the patient
can bear it at all.
Flowers have a different message
Gustav Luders sweet old song. “The
Message of the Violet,” is multiplied
here to the messages of the roses, the
chrysanthemums, the violets, the lark
spurs, messages of love and good wishes
from all the flowers, in and out of
season.
No flower is too small or humble for
this good service, whether it comes from
afar or from the smallest back yard.
If you know people in hospitals, send
or take them flowers.
They will say something for you that
your own lips probablv rnrirwit mv i
" " -------r
Letters to the Editor
Discusses Proposal to*
Transfer Ships.
To the Editor of The Star:
It’s too bad Hamilton Fish wasn't here
In Washington when the United States
Lines petitioned the Maritime Commis
sion for permission to transfer their eight
ships, heretofore sailing with cargoes be
tween various ports of the United States
and Europe, to the protection of the
Panamanian flag. He'd know Just why
it was that Cordell Hull Mid, when first
approached, that he thought it would be
all right, and then, following almost on
the next breath, spoke up anc^ said that
after due consideration of full details he
could not lend his approval. President
Roosevelt, at Hyde Park, wasn't certain
either. But he is a far-sighted individ
ual—one who during all his public career
has so obviously kept his finger on the
pulse of both national and international
problems—and probably wasn’t too sur
prised. It would seem odd if none from
the executive or legislative branches of
the Government anticipated such an ob
vious move! Surely they did not expeot
the shipping concerns which had strug
gled since the last war to win back their
share of world commerce, with the
whole-hearted encouragement of the
Government, to Just simply sit back and
complacently await bankruptcy. But the
tempo was a little too fast! A little
more time, some astute propaganda, and
there would be no such public uproar as
has developed in the past few days.
Conceivably some officials were cogni
zant of Just such loopholes in the act—
cognizant even of the need of Just such
loopholes—so that at least a semblance
of American shipping could be independ
ently maintained. Then, of course,
there’s always been the bare possibility
that the English naval and maritime in
terests could be genuinely embarrassed
by the German submarines and air fleet.
And if this faintly possible situation
should develop, and England should hava
to admit she was no longer supreme on
the sea, isn't it most likely that the
United States would wish to be consid
ered as at least an understudy for the
role?
Most oi us realize mat casn ana carry
was considered as really Just a wagon
on which to load “no embargo.” It
worked. The wagon really turned out to
be the coaster type; and now it's appar
ent that a few are beginning to lament
the fact that they once thought the
"carry” part of it was deemed necessary
to put across the “no embargo” phase.
No matter what is done by the Mari
time Commission in this one Instance, it
is regrettable that adequate provision
was not made to care for the crews of the
merchant marine. Surely something will
be done soon. And done as part of our
prloe of peace. It will be so much cheap
er in the long nm that way. And per
haps much cheaper even than financing
another special session of the Congress.
Alexandria, Va., D. D. D.
November 9.
Complains of Change
In Bar Exam Rules.
To tht Editor of The Star:
I have read with interest the series of
articles in your paper dealing with the
inequitable procedure in the Landlord
Tenant Court, and I wish to call atten
tion to another matter which works an
undue ^hardship.
The new rules for admission to the
District Court limit the number of suc
cessive times a candidate may take the
bar examination to three, and are made
retroactive in their application. Xf,
t after an Interval et a year, the candidate
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 brief!
fails on two snore examinations, he is
barred from ever taking another one.
My complaint is not directed to the
provisions of the rule itself, which is
reasonable enough, but to the fact that
it operates retroactively. The purpose
of the rule would be adequately served
if it had been madp applicable to future
examinations only, and not to those al
ready taken as well.
November 8. LAW STUDENT.
Tribute Paid 8chubert
On Anniversary.
To th* Editor ol The Star:
Franz Schubert died on November 19,
1828—111 years ago. During his 31 years
he must have been a very busy man. He
composed over 600 songs.
“My compositions,” he once wrote in
his diary, “spring from my sorrow.” But
time has made up for much of it. No
man of his generation is more alive to
day. His music was never of the honky
tonk variety, blared forth from loud ra
dios today, and forgotten tomorrow.
Schubert was to music its great heart.
Outwardly a simple and unpretentious
fellow, condemned to poverty, he yet
walked with the gods. A beautiful stream
of crystal water may be, to one man.
Just a place where he may land a few
fish; to another, and rarer man, it is a
never-ending source of inspiration and
pleasure. Schubert was a rare man.
Surrounded by many, they understood
little about what went on inside him.
The composer himself was silent on that
score. His own private life was lived on
a high scale. Small wonder the crowd
never understood him. No wonder ..he
failed miserably when he tried to write
music for the concert hall. Sphubert
was too fine an artist to write popular
hits. Rather, his music had lasting
dualities
One hundred and eleven years is a
mighty long time. In another like space
of time enough popular hits shall be
brought forth from Tin Pan Alley to
form a stack of song sheets as high as
the Empire State Building.' But not one
of them will last as long as Schubert's
lovely "Serenade.” The words in it are
well chosen, indeed.
E. HARRY ALEXANDER.
November 9.
Thinks Assassination Plot
Devised by Hitlerites.
To the Xdltor of The star:
The question arises, who planted the
time bomb near Hitler’s sacred self? The
writer contends that the Nazi party it
self was responsible. Hitler's exit being
carefully prearranged so that only aYew
Nazi small fry would be killed or maimed.
And why this apparently fantastic plot?
First, the German middle and lower
classes are certain to be intensely dis
satisfied with the war. Just as much or
more than their French and English
brethren. An attempt on -Hitler’s life
fives the Nazi gangsters an excuse to
purge dissident elements such as pro
ponents of a liberal capitalism and So
cialists still at large.
Secondly, the Nazi economic machine
is being hard pushed by the naval block
ade and has decided on a real effort to
break the allied military forces. What
better way to prepare the German
masses for a blood bath and Increased
taxes to finance a tremendous offensive?
November 10. ROBERT ROMER.
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. Are there many horse-drawn vic
torias still In use on the streets of New
York City?—T. D. H.
A. Sixteen hackmen are licensed to «
drive such vehicles in the city.
Q. What is the Federal tax on playing
cards?—M. E. B.
A. The Revenue Act provides for a
tax upon every pack of playing cards of
not more than 54’ cards of 10 cents.
Larger decks have a higher tax.
»*. xiuw oju is me song ,wnen Irish
Eyes Are Smiling”?—A. R.
A. The composition by Ernest Ball was
copyrighted In 1912.
Q. Who invented the parachute?—
D. L.
A. In 1783 Sebastlen Lenormand prac- ,
tically demonstrated the efficiency of a
parachute by descending from the tower
of Montpellier Observatory, but he
merely regarded it as a useful means
whereby to escape from fire. To J. P.
Blanchard (1753-1809) is due the idea
of using it as an adjunct to the balloon.
Q. What famous book was sold to pay
a landlady?—W. G. H.
A. When Oliver Goldsmith's landlady
had him arrested for failing to pay his
rent, he sent for Samuel Johnson. John
son asked him if he had anything that
would discharge the debt, and Gold
smith handed him the manuscript of
The Vicar of Wakefield.” Recognizing
its merit, Johnson took it to a bookseller
and sold it for 60 pounds.
Q. Where is Tin Can Island?—M
G. H.
A. Tin Can Island is the popular name
of Niuafoo, a small island of the Tonga
group, but detached from the rest of the
archipelago and lying near the center
of the ocean triangle formed by Tonga,
Samoa and Fiji in 15 degrees south lati
tude and 175 degrees west longitude. The
Island is well known to stamp collectors
by the name Tin Can Island because of
the fact that there is no anchorage on
the island and mail has to be delivered
in tin cans offshore.
Q. How much frozen food is sold in
the United States?—L. K. B.
A. In 1939 the output of frozen foods
was 500,000,000 pounds.
Q. At what rate does the heart beat’
—C. J. W.
A. In infancy it beats about 120 times
PS1* minute; in adult life, usually be
tween 60 and 75 times, with a normal of
about 62 for men and 69 for women.
Q. What is the largest public housing
development in the United States’—
M. B. S.
A. It is the Queen.-,bridge Houses proj
ect in the Borough oi Queens. New York
City. The various un'ts cover 47 acres
and will be completed at a cost of $13 -
500.000. Homes will be provided for
3,149 families or approximately li 400
individuals.
Q Has carbon monoxide gas anv
Odor?—v. R. y
A. Carbon monoxide gas is odorless,
colorless and tasteless.
Q When should the title -the honor
able be used in correspondence?—
L. S. J.
A. -The Complete Desk Book” says:
In the United States, the honorable is
used in addressing by name American
Ambassadors, foreign ministers in Wash
ington Governors of States, Territories
and island possessions; high commis
sioners, cabinet officers. Senators, mem
bers of Congress, secretary to the Presi
dent, undersecretaries of executive de
partments, assistant secretaries to the
CouSr?nt* J?ges/except of the Supreme
Court), heads of independent Federal
boards, commissions and other establish
ments; state Senators and Representa
lV:LSeT,ary °f the United States
Senate, clerk of the House of Repre
sentatives, Commissioners, District of
Columbia; Mayors of large cities.”
Q^Is there anjT variety of fish that
builds a nest?—E. T. H.
A. The stickleback builds a tunnel
shaped nest consisting of bits of water
weeds bound together with a tough
white thread which is produced from an
internal gland.
w. Please give the origin of Thanks
giving day.—J. b. H.
A The earliest harvest thanksgivings
in America were observed by the Pil
grim Fathers at Plymouth in 1621. Con
gress recommended days of thanksgiv
ing during the Revolution and in 1784
for the return of peace—as did Presi
dent Madron in 1815. Washington ap
pointed such a day in 1789 after the
adoption of the Constitution and in 1795
the SfJ—2 beneflt and welf»™ of
the Nation. President Lincoln in 1863
proclaims a day of national thanksgiv
ing, praise and prayer. I
Q. Do railroad shops come under the
wage-hour law?—J. s.
fr^,E^Pl0yM 0f railToads are exempt
from the provisions of the wage-hour
Q. 1 should like a word book for a
better command of the English lan
guage.—R. c. D.
A. See Page A-2 of today’s Star.
Giuseppe's Shop
A flash of color In a dingy street—
Swift-changing as a whirled kaleido
scope
When busy, gentle Angers deftly grope
Along the shelves, where cauliflower and
beet,
And peach and pear and plum lie fresh
and neat,
’Mid pots of mignonette and helio
trope—
"Perfumes and flavors fit for king
or pope,” *
Giuseppe jests, with accent quaint and
sweet.
Old grimy buildings frown on either side
The little window’s Joyous, blithe
display,
Like shabby dowagers who would deride
Some maid’s delight In ribbons bright
and gay;
Giuseppe swears he hears them scoff,
the while
The shop lights up the dull street like
a smile.
CHARLOTTE BECKER.
*
*. 1