Evening star. [volume], November 20, 1939, Page A-10, Image 10

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
gening plat"
With Sunday Morning Edition
THEODORE W, NOYES, Editor.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
MONDAY..-November 20, 1939
The Evening Star Newspaper Company.
Main Offlre: 11th 8t and Pennsylvania Ave
Near York Office: 110 East 42nd St.
Chicago Office: 435 North Michigan Ave
Delivered by Carrier—City and Suburban.
Regular Edition.
Evening end Sunday R5c per mo. or 15c per week
The Evening Star. 45c per mo. or 10c per week
The Sunday Star __ . 6c per copy
Night Final Edition.
Night Pinal and Sunday Star ... 76c ner month
Nirht Final Star _ _. flOc Per month
Collection made at the end of each month or
each week Orders may be sent by mail or tele
phone National 5000
Rate by Mail—Payable in Advance.
Maryland and Virginia.
gaily and Sunday_1 yr. 810.00: 1 mo., 85c
aily only _1 yr . 86.00: 1 mo.. 80c
Sunday only_1 yr.. $4.00: 1 mo,. 40c
All Other 8tates and Canada.
gaily and Sunday..1 yr.. $12.00: 1 mo., $1.00
aily only -1 yr.. $8.00: 1 mo.. 75c
Sunday only-1 yr. $5.00; 1 mo.. 50c
Entered as second-class matter post office.
Washington. D C.
Member of the Associated Press.
The Associated Press is exclusively entitled to
the use fo. reoublication of all news dispatches
credited to It or not otherwise credited in
*Ti i ana aiso l‘»e local news published herein
AIj rights of publication of special dispatches
herein also are reserved.
Defense and Relief
Senator Norris, Independent, of
Nebraska takes an untenable posi
tion when he opposes increased na
tional defense appropriations on the
theory that the money should be
used for relief of unemployment and
agriculture. Domestic distress is an
important problem that merits the
most serious consideration of the ex
ecutive and legislative branches of
the Government, but national de
fense certainly is of equal importance
—and in time of great emergency it
could become paramount. Unemploy
ment and farm relief are but two
evidences of an ailing economy,
whereas national insecurity in a
world threatened by totalitarian ag
gression is an evidence of weakness
that might well invite attacks im
periling not only the whole economy
but the Nation itself.
Actually, domestic problems and
the question of national defense are
not rivals for the attention of ad
ministration officials and legislators.
They are separate subjects requiring
independent studies. Although both
involve large expenditures, neither
should be ignored for the other.
Money spent to protect the people
from internal dangers, as a matter
of fact, would be an investment in- !
volving great risk were not other
money spent to defend the very
homes and lives of those people from
possible external dangers. Of what
avail nnw is thp mrmpv Tirv,ir.v>
Czecho-Slovakia and Poland ex
pended on relief of the unemployed,
of the peasants and of other victims
of economic depression? Neither
nation was strong enough to defend
itself from external enemies, and
each has disappeared. It is a far
cry, of course, from land-locked and
foe-besieged Czecho - Slovakia and
Poland to the United States, but be- ;
wildering world events of the past
few months have tended to shrink
our ocean barriers, to make less fan- !
tastic the possibility of attack. We j
have recognized these foreign dan
gers by calling our ships from cer
tain war zones and by taking other
drastic protective measures. As ;
Senator Norris says, these neutrality
measures have lessened the possi
bility of entanglement in the Euro
pean war, but the United States
could ill afford to relax vigilance in
the slightest degree. A vigilant na
tion is one adequately prepared to
deal with any threat. Secretary
Woodring points out that we have
had for several years a “skeleton
Army, with motorization at, say, fifty
per cent of requirements; modern
armament at thirty-three and one
third per cent and modern anti-air
craft defense at twenty per cent.”
Similar conditions have prevailed in
the Navy. Adequate preparedness
will mean an increase in these de
fensive arms to their full efficiency
and effectiveness. There is little
doubt that Congress will see to it
that this vital external protection
Is provided without further delay.
Mr. Arnold's Warning
Belated though it is, the announce
ment by Assistant Attorney General
Thurman Arnold that the Depart
ment of Justice will adhere to a
policy of prosecuting labor unions
under the anti-trust laws for certain
activities which have no reasonable
relation to legitimate labor objec
tives is a welcome step forward.
Th /-w nUuonr. n.Ui.U W It..
V.UVU UQU1AAVJU 1*11 a
Arnold’s statement was aimed are
notorious and of long standing. They
flourished at a time when the New
Deal was lashing out in all direc
tions at businessmen, while main
taining a discreet silence with re
spect to the indefensible practices
of labor unions. These practices
reached an all-time high during the
construction period of the New York
World’s Fair when union leaders re
sorted to tactics—illegal tactics under
Mr. Arnold's definition—'which at
one time threatened, to bring about
the cancellation of several foreign
exhibits.
Perhaps the most significant fea
ture of the Assistant Attorney Gen
eral’s announcement lies in the fact
that it amounts to a rejection of
contentions by both the A. F. of L.
and the C. I. O. that the activities
of labor unions do not come within
the scope of the anti-trust laws. The
arguments advanced by labor in sup
port of that position have never ;
been convincing, and they will be j
less so in the future in the face of 1
0
the stand which the Department of
justice has taken.
It should be noted that Mr. Arnold
exercised a great deal of restraint in
delimiting the scope of the anti
trust laws’ application to labor or
ganizations. He has not gone so
far as the Supreme Court, even in
its dissenting opinions, and he as
serted, with ample justification, that
the anti-trust laws should not be
used “to police strikes or adjudicate
labor controversies.”
Despite these reservations, how
ever, the policy now enunciated, if
vigorously enforced, should elimi
nate some of the more flagrant labor
abuses, particularly in the housing
industry. If still further restrictions
on union activities are found to be
necessary or desirable, they should
be set up by Congress in legislation
designed to serve that specific pur
pose.
Real Need
Too often has it been supposed that
no tragedy is involved in a partial
failure of the annual Community
Chest campaign. But Coleman Jen
nings yesterday affirmed the solemn
truth when he declared: “Every dol
lar less than our goal would withhold
from some man, woman or child help
that they so greatly need. None of
Ilfs nmilri fQPP 'TVianlrcO'txrinar T'laTr nrifV\
a happy heart and an easy con
science, if we let them down.”
Expressed in other language, the
challenge of poverty and its attend
ant ills in Washington might be sum
marized as a threat to the entire
city, not merely to a few Individuals
resident within its borders. If the
whole community is to be protected
against the dangers which naturally
develop from unrelieved distress,
each of the several agencies of the
Chest must be endowed to function
with the fullest efficiency. One can
not be neglected without peril to all
the rest. They are correlated, in
effect, for a single purpose and any
compromise inevitably would repre
sent a hazard for that end.
But it has been suggested that the
budget requirements sometimes are
exaggerated. The agencies, it is
hinted, ask more than they actually
must have. For answer, let any
skeptic “check up” for himself. He
will find that each budget stipulation
has been pared to a minimum. Also,
he will discover that two million dol
lars is a paltry sum when measured
against the appeal for help. People
do not seek assistance casually.
Rather, it is only when they are des
perate that they ask for aid.
Herbert L. Willett. jr„ director of
the Chest, has explained that this
year’s goal is the least which will
enable the agencies “to continue the
multiple daily services which are so
iicGcooai,y iu uic wniare oi an oi US.
He speaks with the authority of in
timate knowledge of the work, and
The Star urges its readers to heed his
warning.
Japan's New Drive
After the severe drubbing General
Chiang Kai-shek’s reinforced armies
gave the Japanese several weeks ago
in Hunan and Hupeh Provinces, re
pulsing an offensive from the Jap
anese-occupied Yangtze River basin,
Nippon’s military chiefs have changed
their tactics to strike at the most
vulnerable point in the Chinese
armor—the routes over which Gen
eral Chiang is supplying his troops
with war materials from abroad.
The Japanese last week began an
offensive into Southern China after
a landing west of Pakhoi, strategic
Chinese port north of Hainan Island,
which Japan seized last February.
Latest reports place the invaders
within the borders of Kwangsi
Province, fourteenth in China to.be
invaded since the war began in 4937,
and well on their way toward Nan
ning, important point on railway and
motor road routes which connect
with the Burma-Chungking highway,
which was constructed by tremendous
human effort when the Chiang gov
ernment was forced to flee to Chung
king.
. Capture of Nanning, for the de
fense of which the Chinese are wag
ing a stout fight, would cut off from
General Chlang’s armies the south
ern Chinese ports through which they
have received, according to report,
about a quarter of their supplies.
But before the Japanese take Nan
ning they must dispose of the famous
1932 defenders of Shanghai—General
Tsai Ting-kai and his Nineteenth
Route Army—who are being rein
forced by troops rushed from Kwang
timer Qnrl «£ rr__
-C - --P1** “U iXYVOlJgOi
Province.
Beyond Nanning lie two other
strategic lines which are now within
Japanese striking distance, by air at
least. First, and most accessible, is
the railway line which runs from
Haiphong, French Indo-China port,
to Yunnan, connecting there with
the Chungking highway. Operations
against that line would bring the
Japanese into close proximity to
French Indo-China and their success
would injure seriously the economic
condition of the Indo-Chinese port
of Haiphong, a large part of whose
trade is with China.
Assuming that the Japanese are
able to penetrate through Kwangsi
Province the possibility also exists of
a direct thrust at the Burma-Chung
king road northeast of Yunnan,
which might cut this vital lifeline of
Nationalist China, leaving it depend
ent upon tortuous and uncertain
motor roads through the northwest
to Russia. The Soviet’s dependability
as a supply source for General
Chiang has been placed in serious
doubt by recently reported differences
between General Chiang and the
Communists, who have supported the
resistance to Japan, as well as by a
growing disposition on the part of
the Japanese to come to terms with
Russia, in which presumably it would
be agreed that Russia should cut off
its assistance to General Chiang,
whom the Japanese insist is the only
object of their operations.
There is little present basis for the
expectation that Japan will succeed
in cutting the Burma highway, for
the ground is extremely difficult for
military operations and the Chinese
have followed their usual practice of
destroying all bridges and roads in
the path of the invader. But the fact
that Japan now is striking directly
at the heart of General Chiang’s re
sistance indicates the urgency which
speedy wind up of the China “affair”
holds for Toklo.
An Unmet Highway Problem
Over a period of more than twenty
years the States, with the aid of
Federal grants, have co-operated in
laying out a fine system of nationally
planned highways. , *
Lying in the path of these modern
boulevards at regular intervals, how
ever, are cities—large and small
in which through traffic adds to and
is slowed down by the tangle of
local vehicles. Anyone who has
moiorea ior any considerable dis
tance across country will recall the
difficulties encountered in getting
through some of the large metro
politan areas.
There should be wide interest,
therefore, in the recent reports from
Capitol Hill that the next session of
Congress will be asked to consider
an amendment to the next Federal
aid highway authorization, under
which R. F. C. loans would be made
available to assist States and mu
nicipalities in developing belt lines
around, or depressed highways
through, these congested urban
areas.
The Federal Public Roads Admin
istration has found that, except in a
few instances, cities have been slow
to provide these facilities because
they call for condemnation of land
for wider rights of way, involving
immediate financial outlays which
the cities find it difficult to assume.
While the Federal agency will match
State funds for highway construc
tion,, its present authority does not
extend to the acquisition of land.
Under the amendment drafted by
Senator Hayden of Arizona and Rep
resentative Cartwright of Oklahoma,
R. F. C. financing for such projects
could be repaid to the Govern
ment over a period of not to exceed
forty years.
There has been talk in Congress of
developing new transcontinental su
perhighways, on a toll basis, but the
public roads agency, after careful
study, advised the House and Senate
mat tons would not be feasible as a
means of recovering the entire cost
of such facilities.
Inasmuch as traffic can proceed
without unreasonable delay over the
existing highway system except in
the congested cities, the wiser course
for Congress would seem to be to
defer the super, toll highway idea,
which would involve huge outlays,
and concentrate on the alternative
proposal of aiding the States to open
up the traffic bottlenecks through
the cities. Speaking of this latter
proposal, the public roads agency
has this to say:
“Because of their urgent need to
facilitate highway transportation
where it is now most seriously ham
pered, and because of the impetus
that through them may be given to
needed changes in the central plan
of our cities, the construction of
transcity connections of the main
rural highways and other express
routes into the center of the cities
ranks first in the list of highway
projects worthy of consideration by
the Congress. Possibly no other work
that might be done would so profit
ably provide employment coincident
with the centers of present unem
ployment.”
Feline Defense
In these troublous times it is up to
the inventive genius of the Nation to
devote its best efforts to the pressing
problem of home security. The Navy
Department in particular welcomes
suggestions for improving the effi
ciency of our first line of defense,
and are especially gratified at the
volunteer offer of a contributing
amateur, whose name must be kept
secret lest he be kidnaped by a cer
tain unmentionable foreign power
and tortured into developing his de
vice to be used against the land of
the free.
According to Mr. X, one of the
most annoying things that can hap
pen to a naval officer is to have a
large, expensive torpedo, launched
o i n rr frv fViO Hocf. •nrnfoccirmol
advice, suddenly develop a slice or
a hook in midflight, get off the fair
way and go foul by inches. Our
anonymous patriot proposes to score
a hole-in-one every time by training
cats to ride the torpedoes and guide
them to where they will do the most
evil. They will not be asked to ride
bareback. on slippery surfaces, ex
posed to the rigors of weather, but
will be furnished on their last mile
with comfortable cabins complete
with bowls of milk and steering gear.
Various annoying details have to
be perfected before the Navy adopts
the plan, one of the most important
being what to do if some thoughtless
gob should absent-mindedly call out*
“Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.” War is a
grim and dignified business, and in
time we may yet see Mr. X.’s patri
otic cats setting out on their dan
gerous missions and regretting that
they have but nine lives to give for
their country.
Japan has declared an annual six
month closed season on rabbits. If
only she would be that considerate of
the Chinese.
A k
Urges Instruction in
Ordinances for Boys
Maryland Judge Says Many
First Offenders Are
Ignorant of Law
Ts the Editor of The Star:
The topic of conversation in nearl;
every American home today is crime, it
cause and cure. I pause for a momen
to suggest a possible solution.
In all public schools practically ever;
subject is taught with the exception o
an intelligent interpretation of loca
ordinances and laws. I realize, of course
that to include this subject in the cur
riculum would entail a larger appropria
tion for schools.
The American Automobile Associatioi
has been for many years a valuable in
stitution for the education of youth
Boys, equipped with belts and badge
furnished by this association, are as
signed to schoolboy patrol duty, am
although they are carefully instructed ii
their duties, their efficiency is often im
paired by children who are not made t
realize the importance of this safet;
measure.
So many provisions for the safety o
our children have been neglected. Fo
example, we find parents who, havin
found it necessary to purchase a bicycl
for a child as an economical means c
transportation to and from school, rarel
ever take the time to see that the chil
understands the laws which were mad
fnr hfc rtrntgaofir»vi tKie mntfnv ctoni
ing rides on the rear of moving vehicle;
on skates and sleds as well as bicycle;
is a serious violation. A knowledge c
the laws would probably eliminate traged
and a source of great anxiety to Mi
Motorist.
Police records contain altogether to
many names of boys whose parents pur
chased air rifles for them as a rewari
for meritorious work in the classrooir
These well-meaning parents, lackin
knowledge of the laws, gave the rifles t
their sons and admonished them to b
careful. Later, officers found the boy
on the streets with the rifles in thei
possession and as a result they wer
taken to Juvenile Court, the parent
censored by the court. Here we have th
sad case of boys with minor police rec
ords which, in later years, may prov
embarrassing, particularly should thesi
boys desire to take a civil service exami
nation for a Government position. Ig
norance is no excuse for a violation o
the law, but how in Heaven's name cai
a child observe laws he has had no op
portunity to study.
Many young men and women ar
criminals serving time simply becaus
they did not understand the ordinance
of the town in which they lived. Afte
the first offense they became hardenei
j by their experiences in the cell and con
| tinued on the downward path, outcast
| of society.
I recommend that, if and when m;
suggestions are taken seriously, th
Board of Education, upon the advice o
i the assistant corporation counsel of th
j Juvenile Court, cause to be published ;
! section of each article of the police regu
lations to be given* school children alom
with other class books, which are return
able, and that one assistant corporatioi
uuunaei ior me uistrict oi Columbia b
designated whose duty shall be to in
struct school children during schoo
hours in all laws and ordinances en
acted for their welfare. In addition
there should be a trial board of schoo
officials designated by the Board of Edu
cation to try first offenders, and all pa
tience should be exhausted before invit
! ing police action.
VINCENT A. OSTERMAN.
Associate Judge, Orphans' Court,
Prince Georges County, Mdr
November 15.
Naming of Murphy
To Supreme Court Opposed.
To the Editor of The Star
It appears to be the consensus c
opinion that Attorney General Murph
will be appointed by Mr. Roosevelt t
succeed Justice Butler on the Suprem
Court.
Should this happen the radicalism c
the court wrill have become an accom
plished fact, and the respect for an
confidence in the court, which has al
ready declined, will cease to exist alto
gether among the people. The Const!
tution will cease to exist as the shiel
and protector of our rights and indi
vidual liberties and will become a mer
relic, and evidence of failure of th
noblest experiment of mankind ifc self
government.
It is further suggested that Mr. Mur
phy will be appointed because he is
Roman Catholic. This is neither a rea
son for his appointment nor for with
holding the appointment from hiir
Chief Justice White was a Roman Cath
olic, and there never sat upon tha
bench a finer or more able man. T
consider a man's religion or churcl
affiliation for such a position run
counter to the spirit of our institution!
if not in direct conflict with the Consti
tution.
Senator Minton is also mentioned fo
the appointment. How his colleague;
who should know him, could vote for hi
confirmation is beyond comprehension
He was an ardent advocate of Roosevelt'
court-packing bill, which, as every on
of ordinary intelligence knows, wouli
have destroyed the independence of thi
judiciary and subjected the liberties o
the people to the whims and caprices o
the President and of a Congress sub
servient to mm. it is doubtful whethe:
Mr. Roosevelt could find a man mon
unfit temperamentally and intellectuall;
for this appointment.
ALEXANDER S. LANIER.
November 17.
Protests Cruelties
Of Hunters.
To the Editor of The Star:
Always at this time of year I am deepl;
depressed by the thought of the terro:
and anguish inflicted upon the will
creatures by man, the hunter, who find;
pleasure in injuring and killing. It i:
not alone the slain bird or deer, but thi
mangled and bleeding ones that are no
killed, but who creep into the brush ti
lie there for days or hours of sufferinf
before death relieves their agony. Anc
it is not only those who die that suffer
Animals love each other. A flock o
birds is a huge family. Animals protec
their young with more courage and en
durance often than man. And animal
grieve for those slaughtered so heed
lessly by the sportsman
MRS. H. D. ALBIN.
Takoma Park, Md.
> November 10.
i
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Tracewell.
Cool days In November still see flow
ers In bloom in many local gardens.
Roses, yes, roses, provided protection
has been given against west and north
’ winds.
> Most? of the blossoms you will see are
t of Radiance and Red Radiance, those
sturdy twins of the rose world.
We can recall one Christmas Day,
f many years ago, when there was one
1 single red rose in bloom at the front
, door.
The bush was own root, and in its
• season produced hundreds of flowers.
This was the original, or pink Radl
1 ance, Baltimore's gift to rosarians.
• * * * *
A lady .canvasser, or agent, or nuisance,
3 whatever you choose, happened to be
• going by. ,
1 What she had to sell has long been
i forgotten, but the look of astonishment
- which came over her face when she saw
j that single rose in bloom in the snow is
r gladly remembered to this day.
The situation at that porch, one may
f feel, was ideal. The bush was planted
r about 18 inches from the house wall,
; which fronted south. So the rose was
} sheltered by the house from the north
f and from the west wind by a large shrub,
i? This rose seldom got rain on it, unless
i the downpour blew in from the south,
5 thus it never got black-spot, that bane
. of all roses in this country. We have
;, often wondered .if roses in other lands
i, had this scourge to contend with. Prob
f ably they do, as well as with bombs,
f surely not an enviable situation for any
, living thing.
* * * *
5 Other garden flowers to be seen now
ATP thf» Npu r TTrifrlanH o rf
j chrysanthemums, and scarlet sage.
Garden 'mums still hold forth. They
5 are not the easiest plants in the world
, to raise, and they have a bad habit of
» running out after a few years. Many
5 flowers do this, including the favorite
r tulips.
Much discussion has gone on in the
plant world about this behavior, espe
cially of the tulips. Some people, who
perhaps are not as observant—or as
truthful—as they might be, insist that
their tulip bulbs go ahead, year after
year, yielding the same big blossoms.
Others'will tell you that within three
f years, or four at the most, they must
i replant with fresh new big No. 1 size
. bulbs, if they want their tulip beds and
borders to.be all that they have been.
> * * * *
It is now believed that the reason
tulips "run out” is that they get too
much fertility.
( Here is one bulb which, according to
the latest opinion of experts, gets along
. | best in absolutely poor soil.
Even the moderate fertility of the
. average garden plot causes the bulbs to
, j split' and within a few years the flowers
' ; are either non-existent or quite small.
; j Tile tip we can take from this is not
to fertilize tulip bulbs when they are
placed In the ground, and to plant them
in the poorest soil we have.
Some agricultural lime may be used,
sprinkled over the soil, in order to keep
the soil alkaline. This is said to be a
good thing. But in the main, the less
fertility, and the less fertilizer of any
kind used with tulips, the better the yield
of flowers in the spring and the longer
the bulbs will flower if left undisturbed.
If bulbs are to be lifted after blooming,
they still do best when the leaves are
permitted to wilt down naturally.
* * * *
New England asters, with their height,
good foliage and good blooms offer a
note of color to the yard for many weeks.
The old-fashioned scarlet sage stands
up well against the advancing season
and the cold. Of course, none of these
flowers has good foliage at this time. It
looks as if it were cooked, to use the old
garden expression. But the flowers are
decidedly worth having.
Marigolds are not always given the
credit they deserve. Blooming late, they
tend to stay in bloom a great deal longer
than many believe possible. Here again
the leaves are not much at this time,
but the yellow blooms add a certain
touch to any yard.
The comparative warmth of the sea
son to date has made all these outdoor
flowers possible, and given those who
wish to plant tulip bulbs a very long ex
tension.
Tn thio U i_a._ * • .
--- *W lUbtlCOtlilg LU
note that some expert gardeners never
think to put in tulip bulbs until De
cember, and assert that bulbs planted
that late do better than those put in
earlier. They will tell you that some
times they have to break the frozen
earth with a pick before they can plant
their bulbs. The moral ft>r the average
gardener is simply this: Don’t despair
if you cannot get tulip bulbs in until
later. There really is no time too late,
evidently.
* * * *
In addition to the colors of the flowers
mentioned, there are other autumn col
orings which must never be overlooked.
Foremost are the colors of falling or
fallen leaves, perfect fall colors.
Then the grass remains more or less
green. And green is, after all, the one
perfect garden color, although some
times we tend to forget this.
The bark of trees and shrubs also de
serves attention, along with the paren
nial beauty of the evergreens. Here we
have two colors, or rather many colors,
which stay with us all through the
winter.
While we tend to think of trees as full
of leaves, they are just as much trees,
truly, when their branches are bare.
Then their symmetry is easily seen of
i everY eye. If the green of some ever
! green is close, a tree stands forth both
i for what it is and what it promises to
[ be next spring.
I
Letters to the Editor
1
i Commends Article on | r—-- .
; ; .MuiiHip.ti ooii courses.
• | To the Editor oI The Stir:
1 I have read with interest the excellent
article on public links golf courses in
, Thursday's Evening Star.
As a player on the public courses for
I the last 10 years, I think that the article
’ | gives a very clear picture of public golf
■ ! conditions. Washington should have a
model public golf course. One which
would serve as an example for the con
struction of courses in other cities of the
| country.
As a member of the Golf Committee
at the Department of Agriculture, I
know that a large majority of our play
ers use the public links. More would
f use them if the week-end congestion
i could be relieved.
j | I think it could be easily proved that
„ Washington has more golf players per
capita than Baltimore. Yet Baltimore
f has the Mount Pleasant golf course, one
of the finest courses in this section of
j the country.
At both East Potomac and Rock Creek
. there is no further room for expansion
. of the golf course. At Anacostia, how
j ever, there is available the land com
prising the Fort Dupont area. This is
5 now being cleared for construction of an
2 additional nine holes by C. C. C. workers.
There is another 18-hole course proposed
at Fort Hunt, but this is but a plan for
the vague future.
, It has been shown that there is suffi
cient land for the construction of
additional golf courses.
Why is it not then possible to complete
‘ this construction in the near future, so
‘ that Washington may begin at last to
enjoy adequate golf facilities?
Nov. 18. WILBUR W. SEAY.
I _
uvuvi a turn Ling n.iii a mliiu
Tells of “Fixed Determination.”
" To the Editor ol The Star:
I recently have received from a friend
in England a letter which so reflects pub
> lie opinion among the British people that
5 I believe it would be of interest to your
• readers. The text is as follows:
3 “You know sufficient of what is hap
* pening over here to render it unnecessary
* for me to state that we are living under
! conditions which are a complete trans
[ formation of what they were up to Sep
■ tember 2. We feel, however, deeply con
vinced that the action which has been
taken by this country and its allies was
! the only one possible to prevent a con
r tinuance of crises, leading probably to
some greater disaster which would irrep
arably hurt the lives of future genera
tions. There is no self-righteousness in
this. The temper of all the people in
this country at the moment is one of
fixed determination, without the glamour
which usually is associated with the
' beating of the drum and the sounding
• of the bugle.
I “Under the circumstances, life is only
i tolerable in so far as one's time and en
i ergies are so absorbed as to ensure that
! there will be that measure of exhaustion
; which will enable one to secure a little
i unbroken sleep.
; “We are all sympathetic to the diffl
l culties which present to your adminis
tration and to your people generally, in
the attitude which they should adopt
; toward the belligerent powers. I have
■ no doubt, however, in my mind, that,
i among that section of your people with
which it has been my privilege to have
contact, where there is a case so clear-in
its demands, we shall certainly sense the
attitude of friendship which in such
times gives a great measure of support
&
setters to me zanor must
bear the name and address of
the writer, although the use of
a pseudonym for publication is
permissible. Please be brief!
to bear the undoubted burdens which lie
i}pon us at present, and in a greater
j measure as time passes.”
The writer was a soldier in the World
I War of 1914-1918; his sons now are at the
front in France. K. M. R.
November 17.
Tribute Paid to
D. J. Kaufman.
To the Editor of The Star:
The announcement of the passing of
D. J. Kaufman, old-time Washington
merchant, may mean just that to new
comers who did not know him, but to
Washingtonians of the past two gen
erations it has a saddening significance.
"Uncle Dave,” “Pop,” “Dad,” and
other endearing appellations were used
in addressing D. J. Kaufman by those
who have esteemed him during a life- |
time.
And so. as a boy years ago, my father
sent me down to “Uncle Dave” on
Eighth street S.E. to see what he could
do about furnishing me with an “iron- i
clad” pair of new short pants, the
“iron-clad” referring to the staying and
wearing qualities of the seat of the
pants. “Uncle Dave” would invariably
inquire as to how I had busted out the
seat of the pants he had supplied me
about two months previously. My an
swer was never convincing, but “Uncle
Dave” knew boys, and never pursued a
harsh indictment of them. He would
say, i'Uw, jimmy, uiese are me closest
to ‘iron-clad pants’ on the market,
and if you show up here for another
pair in six months, your dad should
consult an armor-plate concern rather
than a clothier.” All of which im
pressed me only moderately for I con
tinued to abuse and destroy woolen
fabrics, despite the fatherly admoni
tions from “Uncle Dave” and the more
severe fatherly tannings from my dad.
“Uncle Dave” has passed on, but to
one who knew him, his memory will
oe a long, long time in passing.
November 15. JAMES NORTH.
Knee-Hi Commended
By School Faculty.
to the Editor of The Star:
The principal and teachers of the
Giddings-Lincoln School thank you for
the safety demonstration given by Dr.
Brunson and his remarkable Knee-Hi.
Our children heartily enjoyed seeing
the actual situations which have been
talked about in our safety lessons at
school. We are sure that this outdoor
demonstration has made a lasting im
pression.
The intelligence which Knee-Hi
showed during the performance Inside
the building will inspire the children to
be more obedient, to be more attentive,
and to remember better what they are
taught, so as to compare favorably with
Knee-Hi. '
Again we thank you for strengthening
the safety habits of the children in our
school, and we hope that accidents in
our community will be greatly minimized.
S. E. GRAY,
November 17. Principal.
Sinking Funds
From the Winston-Salem Journal.
With the submarine playing the role
It does, naval expenditures have now be
come sinking funds.
v
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. Who was the first Speaker of the
House of Representatives?—E. W. K.
A. Frederick Augustus Conrad Muh
lenberg of Pennsylvania served as Speak
er of the House from 1789-1791.
Q. How long has the New York Time*
had an electric news bulletin board?—
C. D. H.
A. The electric news sign was inaugu
rated on November 6, 1928.
Q. Has Paris a memorial to American
aviators?—E. T. R.
A. One of France’s most beautiful war
memorials is a white marble temple in
the Parc de Villeneuve-l’Etang, Paris,
commemorating 67 American aviators
who died in French service during the
World War.
Q. How thick are the hairs in a man’s
beard?—J. B. H.
A. There are about 160 hairs to the
square inch on a man’s face.
Q. Please name some of the movie
stars who have adopted children.—E.
T. R.
A. A partial list includes Miriam Hop
kins, Gracie Allen, Ruby Keeler, Joe E,
Brown, Wallace Beery, Frederic March,
Harold Lloyd, Constance Bennett, Gloria
Swanson, Zasu Pits, Jack Benny and
Barbara Stanwyck.
Q. How many colors are distinguish
able to the eye?—M. T- H.
A. An expertly trained eye can recog
nize something like 100,000 different hues
and colors.
Q. When were horseshoes first made
by machine?—R. H. M.
A. Henry Burden of Troy, N. V., in
1835 made the first horseshoes by ma
chine.
Q. What is a mangel-wurzel?—L. T. H.
A. This is a large, coarse variety of
beet, extensively cultivated as a cattle
fodder.
Q. Please give the name of a good
book on writing for the radio — C. J. H.
A. A recent book of this kind is the
“Handbook of Radio Writing,” by Erik
Barnouw, published by Little, Brown.
Mr. Barnouw is an instructor in that
subject at Columbia University.
Q. What makes flowers fragrant?—M.
T. H.
a. ine iragrance 01 nowers is due to
special compounds of only two elements,
carbon and hydrogen, and are known as
volatile oils, since they escape readily
into the air.
Q. How often do squirrels bear young?
—M. J. R.
A. Gray squirrels have two litters of
four to six young a year, the first usually
being bom in March or April. The squir
rel is a devoted mother and if the nest
is disturbed she will at once carry the
young to some safer retreat.
Q. What color is the uniform of the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police?—R.
C B.
A. The dress uniform is a scarlet tunic
and blue trousers with a yellow stripe.
The every-day uniform is of khaki.
Q. What United States mint has been
in operation the longest?—C. B. H.
A. The mint at Philadelphia, long
known as the parent mint, which has
been in continuous operation since its
establishment in 1793. Its coins bear no
mint mark.
Q. Who gave the first Marcel wave?—
C. D. F.
A. The late Francois Marcel Grateau
of France, who invented this hair-wav
ing process in 1872.
Q. Please give some information about
the author of “In Flanders Fields.”—H.
S. F.
A. John David McCrae was born at
Guelph, Ontario, in 1872. He was edu
cated at the University of Toronto and
also at McGill University, where he be
came a lecturer in pathology and medi
cine. He was appointed surgeon of the
Alexandra Hospital in Montreal and
contributed to Osier and McCrae's “Sys
tem of Medicine.” He served as a lieu
tenant in the Boer War and in the
World War was second in command of
the McGill University medical unit. It
was during the battle of Ypres that he
wrote the famous lyric “In Flanders
Fields.” He died in France in 1918.
Q. Which ranks highest, a duke, an
earl or a baron?—C. M. T.
A. The British nobility ranks in the
following order: Duke, marquis, earl,
viscount, baron.
Q. Where is the Perkins Memorial
drive?—S. F. D.
A. It is a scenic drive to the top of
Bear Mountain, a memorial to the late
George W. Perkins, who served from the
year 1900 as the first president of the
New York Commissioners of the Pali
sades Interstate Park. Work on the drive
was started on November 21, 1932. It
was dedicated October 31, 1934.
A Landscape by November
November paints with brushes firm and
sure,
Catching the tempered brightness of
a mood
Inclined to quietness and solitude.
.me master roucn is nere, restrained,
mature.
See how his landscape holds the mellow
light
And how he plays the changes on each
tone
Of bronze and ochre, grays of bark and
stone.
See in the sky one dark bird’s lonely
flight.
You find no vagueness here, no mists of
spring,
And on the woods no blurred monotony;
Sharply he limns the beauty of each
tree,
Each twig where brown, reluctant tatters
cling.
For genre touch—the farmer plodding by
Laden with pumpkins for his autumn
feast;
You glimpse a bit of road that rambles
east
And drifting hearthfire smoke against
the sky.
INEZ BARCLAY KIRBY.
t • K- v*
* 1