Evening star. [volume], December 25, 1939, Page A-10, Image 10

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

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THEODORE W. NOYES, Editor.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
MONDAY.-..-December 25, 1939
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Christmas, 1939
Mankind approached Christmas
this year with sorrow deeply felt. To
many sensitive men and women it
seemed that something akin to sacri
lege would be involved in joyful
celebration of the birthday of the
Prince of Peace. The three wars
raging abroad prompted in more
than a few American hearts a dread
of the occasion—a dread of the con
tradiction which they sincerely be
lieved that it would constitute. Every
brave ideal for a world enfranchised
from conflict had been flouted, every
xiupe iur uie ueveiopmeni oi a prac
tical community of nations had been
contemned. The race, it appeared,
could find no solution for the prob
lems which the greed and the vio
lence of tyrants had created. Noth
ing remained but the hideous threat
of an ultimate, all-consuming dis
aster.
But there were two courageous
leaders who did not despair. Togeth
er, they have made Christmas worth
celebrating in 1939. The one, speak
ing for the citizens of the United
States, has proclaimed his faith in
the power of religion to save what is
left of civilization; the other, repre
senting as he does the greatest re
ligious organization on earth as well
as the sacred traditions of his holy
office, respected for centuries, has
announced a five-point program for
the liquidation of the carnage.
President Roosevelt certainly never
was more definitely inspired than
when he called for “united expres
sion” of common aspirations for “a
spiritual rebirth”—the rediscovery of
“some guiding principle and some
trust in a divine plan” for “the re
building of the world.” He voiced
the longing of “thousands of humble
people, living in scores of different
nations” for “friendly association be
tween the seekers of light and the
seekers of peace everywhere” that
“the forces of evil” may be “over
come.” Specifically, he urged “a
closer association between those in
every part of the world—those in
religion and those in government—
who have a common purpose.” "I
trust,” he said in a manner the rev
erence of which cannot be doubted,
“that all of the churches of the
world which believe in a common God
will throw the great weight of their
influence into this great cause.”
Pope Pius XII, “a good friend and
an old friend,” replied immediately.
The Christmas assembly of the cardi
nals residing in Rome provided him
with an audience for the answer
which he desired to send to the Presi
dent. It was a frank and open in
vitation to the warring nations to
submit themselves to a discussion of
concessions which, if offered and ac
cepted, would terminate the ghastly
strife on terms reasonable to “men
of good will.” The independence of
siai.es large anu small, uie ic-csiau
lishment of institutions of equity and
justice for the arbitration of quarrels
arising between governments, general
disarmament, the fulfillment of “the
true needs” of nations and of ethnic
minorities, the solemn reaffirmation
of the sanctity of obligations—these
were the pontiff’s proposals. Rus
sia, Germany and Japan may choose
to ignore them. The price for rejec
tion, however, would be heavy beyond
the capacity of words to tell. At
Christmas this year the conscience
of mankind is stirred to its pro
foundest depth. If the wars go on,
it will be because Christ is mocked
by traitors to God. These are bitter
thoughts, but they are demanded
by the horror of the prevailing spec
tacle of mass murder in a time when
the prayer for peace is universal,
even among men and women who
perhaps had supposed that they had
forgotten how to pray.
Begni del Piatta
To Ernesto Begni del Piatta has
come that ultimate wish of most
men, the parting from life while in
harness, toiling in a good cause.
The final months of the life of this
young Italian-born sculptor, who
died last week in New York, were
spent, as had been the recent years of
his life, in working for the comple
tion of his greatest opus, the Navy
and Marine Memorial on Columbia
Island—the only memorial erected by
the great maritime American Nation
to its heroes of the sea.
Mr. del Piatta up to the time of
his death had cherished the hope
that Congress during its coming ses
sion would appropriate the funds
necessary to complete the foundation
of his memorial, which has been
characterized by a fellow artist, Gut
zon Borglum, as “one of the few
beautiful unique conceptions in all
America.”
Those who knew Begni del Piatta
during the latter part of his life real
ized that his one great wish was to
see his memorial completed—not
alone because of the great satisfac
tion which would have come to his
artistic soul in seeing the fulfillment
of his greatest work, but also be
cause of his strong feeling that the
people of the United States owed
this tribute to the sea-faring sons of
the Nation who have made its flag
great and honored on the sea lanes
of the world.
Mr. del Piatta came close to wit
nessing the realization of his wish
during the past session of Congress.
Legislation authorizing the appro
priation of $100,000 for completion of
the memorial was enacted by Con
gress, at the request of President
Roosevelt, largely as a result of the
untiring efforts of Mr. del Piatta.
But Congress, adjourning, permitted
the appropriation measure to remain
on the calendar as unfinished busi
ness. Had this measure passed, Mr.
del Piatti could have had in his last
moments the solace of knowing that
the final work on his beloved monu
ment was in progress.
Now, more than ever, there is rea
son for speedy action by Congress to
complete the Navy and Marine Me
morial, at a time when the Nation’s
maritime affairs are becoming of in
creasing importance. It should be
completed, not only as a national
offering of gratitude to those Ameri
cans who have given their lives at
sea in the service of their country,
but also as a recognition of the zeal
of this young sculptor who devoted
the closing days of his life to this
worthy cause.
"Peace on Earth"
History will have to write its tally
before the full aspects of President
Roosevelt’s latest act in the cause of
world peace are realized—an effort
on his part in which he appeals for
the co-operation of Catholic and
Protestant, Jew and gentile, recog
nizing, as he does, the common ob
jective of each and every spiritual
group. The President’s appeal is
designed to unite for the benefit of
mankind, and to consolidate the ef
forts of the two last remaining great
forces of world-wide import—organ
ized religion and the United States
of America. With nearly two-thirds
of the people on the globe living in
a state of war, and with every other
major nation involved, it is fitting
that the full power of these two
should be united in the effort to
bring about a new world.
•Appointment of Myron C. Taylor to
a post equivalent to Ambassador to
the Vatican will have its own place
in the political history of the
Nation. It is one of the important
factors in the co-ordination of the
major religions in the cause of
peace. While the designation of Mr.
Taylor may well be looked upon as
a recognition of his outstanding work
in the past in the cause of human
betterment, the present is not the
time to consider rewards and ac
colades. It is a time for action and
effectiveness. For this purpose the
President made a wise choice in the 1
selection of his personal representa
tive to the papal court.
Religion in the American sense,
consisting of the practice of a living
doctrine and the recognitioh of the
right of one’s neighbor to worship
his God according to the dictates of
his own conscience, has been denied
within the past generations to com
bined populations far greater than
that of the United States. Whole
populations see their future men and
women offered a substitute consist
ing of a mixture of paganism and
atheism. With the United States,
so powerful as a world political force,
and the free Christians and Jews of
the world representing the spiritual,
a new hope arises this Christmas
Day for a rebirth of the ideal of
“Ppqpp rtn ITart.Vi ”
Budget Balancing
Protests by returning members of
Congress against continued deficit
spending foreshadow new demands
for a balanced budget in the session
which gets under way January 3.
Until the President’s budget mes
sage is transmitted about ten days
hence, the discussion will remain in
an academic stage, but it seems un
likely that this Congress will be able
to do more than take a modest step
toward bringing income and outgo
closer together, for at least two
reasons.
First, on the eve of a national elec
tion there will be no great en
thusiasm to vote heavy tax increases,
and second, because the war clouds
that hover over other parts of the
world make it imperative that this
country strengthen its national de
fense forces.
With the public debt approaching
the present statutory limit, it is
proper that Congress should scruti
nize proposed expenditures carefully
and weigh the relative merits of
specific projects. With world condi
tions as they are, however, it would
be shortsighted policy for the House
or Senate to apply the economy knife
to the recommendations of the
country’s national defense experts.
It is safe to assume that the Amer
ican people do not want any more
armament than is necessary to insure
their own national security, but re
cent naval incidents show that too
much reliance cannot be placed in
the width of the oceans that flank
the United States as a defense wall.
Granting the desirability of balanc
ing the budget as soon as conditions
make it possible, it is well to consider
also how little consolation a bal
anced budget would be if an unfor
seen emergency should find the Na
tion inadequately prepared to defend
itself.
But the latest budget-balancing
plan, put forward by Senator Tyd
ings of Maryland, rests on a prin
ciple to which Congress should give
serious consideration. It would not
prevent Congress from appropriating
more than the estimated revenues
when necessary, nor would it compel
the levying of taxes sufficient to meet
the excess within the ensuing year.
It would, however, require the Con
gress and the administration which
incurs a deficit to assume a definite
responsibility for its amortization by
authorizing tax schedules calculated
to retire the bonds within not more
than fifteen years.
Safety Zone Protest
Now that the twenty-one Ameri
can republics have formally pro
tested recent violations of the “safety
zone” doctrine enunciated in the
Declaration of Panama, it will be
necessary for them to reach a de
cision as to what measures they will
adopt in an effort to persuade the
belligerent nations to comply with
the request that they refrain from
“warlike acts” in a neutral area ex-_
tending some 300 miles out to sea
around this hemisphere. The pro
test, which has been sent to the gov
ernments of Great Britain, France
and Germany, was couched in re
strained language, but it carried a
clear implication that stronger meas
ures may be resorted to if naval
vessels of the powers now at war con
tinue to ignore the “safety belt.” De
termination of what these punitive
measures will be must await “con
sulation” among the American gov
ernments, but the note of protest
suggested one—the closing of Ameri
can ports to individual vessels of
belligerents which commit any war
like acts in the zone of security.
There has as yet been no definition of
just what is meant by "warlike”
The officials charged with the duty
of implementing the Declaration of
Panama are to be commended for
making haste slowly at this time.
They are exploring a new phase of
international law, and there is noth
ing in the experience cl the past or
in the situation confronting us to
day which calls for drastic action.
Even in our own country there is a
difference of opinion as to the need
for and wisdom of the safety zone
doctrine which cannot be disregard
ed.
Eminent critics of the State De
partment’s policy in this respect feel
that there is no foundation in in
ternational law for an attempt to
assert jurisdiction over waters ex
tending 300 miles out to sea, and
that a serious effort to enforce the
principle of the doctrine might
needlessly expose this country to a
risk of war, contending at the same
time that this Government faces a
loss of prestige if it is merely assert
ing'a supposed right which it does
not intend to enforce.
There is no reason to suppose, how
ever, that the State Department, as
well as the governments of the other
American republics, have not fully
considered these matters. In all
probability they do not expect to ob
tain full and literal compliance with
the doctrine at this time. Even a
partial acceptance of the principle
by the present belligerents would
mark a gain for the peace of this
hemisphere, and a start would have
been made toward the establish
ment of a doctrine which might prove
to be of great value in the future.
The fact that the naval battle at
Montevideo did not threaten the
peace of the Americas does not mean
that such a threat will not arise ten
or twenty years from now. And it is
well to remember that, generally
speaking, new principles of inter
national law are not promulgated and
accepted by the nations at any given
time. Their growth and acceptance
often extend over a period of many
__ 1.1__i j_i*_•_
jtaio. vviKii viivoc Lunoiuciauuua ill
mind, it can be said that the Ameri
can governments are to be com
mended for approaching the first
test of the Declaration of Panama
with extreme caution. Hasty or
rash action at this time might well
doom this latest experiment In
American neutrality before it has
any kind of a trial. *
The Premier of the Netherlands
declares that his government “has
complete faith in Hitler’s pledge to
respect Dutch neutrality.” It may
be that he is also a firm believer in
hoop snakes, sea serpents, Santa
Claus and the statement that porcu
pines shoot their quills.
It is announced that since the be
ginning of President Roosevelt’s first
term he has issued no fewer than
2,358 ‘‘executive orders.” The one a
lot of us would like to hear is, “As
you were!”
They have invented non-steaming
spectacles to go with gas masks over
in England. Such might also prove
useful for older gentlemen who like
to read the afternoon newspaper in
a Turkish bath.
. —i——iA——
What with the recent beveling of
the edges of downtown traffic “safe
ty islands,” come heavy snow or ice,
a number of Washingtonians are
likely to do a little unpremeditated
ski-jumping without skis.
“Double Pay Envelope Desirable
But May Endanger Marriage” ran a
recent headline. Exactly, my dear,
and also how that double marriage
endangers the pay envelope.
Add “streamlined” to the list of
words so overworked they now have
come to mean little, and sometimes
nothing.
Urges 'Maginot Line'
For Western World
Writer Advocates American
Isolation From Conflict
Of Government Theories
To the Editor ol The Star:
We are witnessing today a great world
wide conflict supposedly between two
theories of government, theories which
have stimulated on the continent fear,
suspicion, frantic demonstrations and in
ternational conflict. These theories are
supported by those on the one hand
who are in favor of rule by a clique,
oligarchy or some titular head, and on
the other by those who believe in rule
by many, the masSes or, to use the more
popular term, the democratic way. Both
factions seem very earnest in their en
deavors and no doubt conscience to a
great extent is molding their decisions.
We in America are prejudiced in favor
of democracy. We have a right to be,
for is it not our heritage, even our way
of life?
Since time immemorial mankind has
progressed or retrogressed, whichever the
case may be, from one form of govern
mental rule to another. We are told
by historians that the nucleus of
that great drama called the evo
lution of the state” is the early pa
triarchal family and, of course, this form
of organization existed really before there
was any kind of government in the mod
ern sense of the word. The next step in
political organization was the tribe, ruled
over by a chieftain and sometimes as
sisted by advisory councils. Here we
notice that as society increased there
was a tendency to add to the adminis
trative end.
The next chapter in this metamorpho
sis of the state was the ancient Oriental
empire under which flourished the civil
izations of Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, In
dia and China. We are told that these
empires were not strongly centralized,
but were made up of subordinate units
obliged to furnish soldiers and to pay
tribute. Our next form of government
was the first real attempt at democratic
rule known as the Greek city state. Here
t-uuuie ana eaucauon aoounaed and rep
resentative rule worked out favorably,
due in part to the small geographical
size and unification of thought. The
following acts in this never-ending drama
may be mentioned briefly. They were
the Roman empire, with its bureaucratic
and despotic rule; the feudal state, with
its interlocking form of government, with
each noble a vassal to the other with
the King at the top of a continually
shaky pyramid, and the new national
states in which individualism, nourished
by the industrial revolution, new inven
tions and the factory system, became the
dominant factor. The old philosophy of
“the divine right of kings," so exem
plified by Louis XIV when he said,
upon question, that he was the state,
gave way to the more radical and popu
lar theories of free speech, free press
and the right to peaceful assemblage.
It might be interpreted, therefore, in
certain schools of thought that a num
ber of the governments of the world are
in reverse, going back to the pagan in
fluences of barbaric policies. This in
terpretation, no doubt, is prevalent
among London and Paris circles, hence
the present crusade and war cry of
“Down With Hitlerism!” We in the
States must remain aloof, play the role
of watchful waiter, and do everything in
our power to unite the 21 republics in
this hemisphere. We cannot altogether
isolate ourselves from the realities of
the present day. China believed at one
time that she had reached the zenith
of cultural perfection, and what hap
pened? She built a wall. Gradually
stagnation and degeneration set in and
she became the footstool of every other
progressive nation in the world. America
cannot afford such a luxury. She can
not become a hermit Nation, for a hermit
most always dies a pauper in spirit. But
she can protect what the Western
Hemisphere holds, the torch of uncen
sored intelligence to light the way out
of the Cimmerian depths for all those
who will follow.
Again I say, let us build a Maginot
Line from Bering Strait to Cape Horn
and up the east coast to Baffin
Bay. Protect what America has and
we save for the world a treasure of
inestimable value. Vox populi, vox Dei—
the voice of the people is the voice of
God. BENJAMIN R. STICKNEV, Jr.
December 23.
Demai^I for Payment
Of Debts Approved.
io me tauor oi Tne Star.
I give my immediate and full indorse
ment to the committee which has just
been organized to make our European
debtor nations pay their debts to the
United States. It seems to me that there
has been no more sensible and reasonable
demand made by any civic group. More
power to the committee, to its fearless,
fighting chairman, Senator Lundeen, and
to its dynamic office chiefs, Dennett and
Gale.
Twenty years is a long time to wait for
reimbursement. It strikes me that a
demand for the settlement of these ac
counts is very apropos. Moreover, I can't
understand why we Americans haven’t
insisted many years before this on get
ting back the money that we turned over,
so carelessly, to the kings, czars and
other potentates across the ocean.
The demand appears to be a fair and
well-balanced one. It involves cession
of the West Indian Islands as settlement
of the debts due from Great Britain and
France, but it also involves assignment
of German, Italian and Russian bank de
posits in American banks—and it is an
open secret that there are plenty of those
deposits in the financial institutions of
our country.
Probably some, with a cockeyed vision,
will think this is a move to help Hitler.
They are in grave error, for the transfer
of German-Russian-Italian bank depos
its in American banks would probably be
as irksome to the respective governments
involved as the loss of the West Indies
would be to Britannia and France.
Success to Senator Lundeen, Gen. But
ler, Dennett, Gale, Griffin and the rest
of the committee!
December 20. VERNA PHILLIPS.
Comments on Blow
To Russian Prestige.
To the Editor of The Star:
If what the newspapers have said
about the Russian Army in Finland is
widely believed, Russia must fight and
win a major war to regain prestige.
THOMAS McMORROW.
December 19.
THIS AND THAT I
By Charles E. TraceweU.
Building a program as you go, either
by playing an instrument or a phono
graph, requires a certain amount of
musical memory.
Many proficient musicians have very
poor musical memories. It is probably
a deficient sense of the linear qualities
of music.
Which way do you see melodies in
your “mind’s eye?”
Some regard them as horizontal, some
as vertical, and still others as perspec
tive, that is, from front to back.
It is probably that the music lover
with a really good memory sees composi
tions of all sorts as more horizontal
than anything else.
* * * *
The best memory sees music in all
dimensions, the mind becoming a sort of
musical loom.
Although written music is not really
music, but merely the symbols of music,
to the questing mind it becomes some
thing very like it. Beethoven, deaf, had
music when he composed, when he wrote
down what came from mind and heart.
The intricate weaving of mind and
emotion in music is what makes it great.
What makes it enjoyable may be very
childlike. Many of the world’s best
loved folktunes are so simple a young
ster might have evolved them. In music,
too, we are dealing, often, with pre
cocious children; Mozart, at 8, composed
works which would have done credit to
grown men; in fact, very few of his
elders could have touched them.
* * * * •
To build one's own program is per
haps the height of musical enjoyment.
It means that both improvisation and
variation, two of music’s most lovable j
“stunts,” if one may call them so, are I
brought into play.
Here it is not at all necessary to be a
genius, although in the past the geniuses
showed most at these games.
It is astounding to realize that per
fectly unlettered modem musicians have
brought these arts back into circulation.
Old rag-time players started it, newer
“swing” musicians continued it. They
could not read music, hence made a
virtue out of a necessity.
Their improvising (which is really
“swing,” or the swinging away from
music as written) was an interesting re
turn to the days of Bach, as strange as
it may sound.
Those who deprecate “swing" music,
or refuse to understand the good in “hot
jazz,” are turning their backs on some
thing good in music. It is a helpful sign
of freshness and spontaneity, and from
it will grow a freer and better musical
America.
* * * *
The player at the piano, or phono
graph, may Improvise, in a sense,
through selection.
In this same way he may make varia
tions. The instrumentalist, of course,
has a complete opportunity, since he may
join his selection by real improvisations,
if no more than cadenzas.
The player of the phonograph is more
limited, but still he can gain benefits
which are unrealized by most persons
who simply throw the latest record onto
the turntable and let it go ’round.
There can be more to it than that.
If we see music as line and movement
in any direction, or in a combination of
directions, if it has something of the alti
tude of mountain peaks'in it, or the
straight-away of a race track, we are
able to remember it much better than if
it is just a succession of notes one after
the other. The latter is the mechanical
way of knowing and playing music, and
usually gives only a mechanical appre
ciation. The fortunate thing is that
often this attitude gives way to the bet
ter one, as the notes and rests and beats
and so on become a veritable part of
the playing.
The odd fact about seeing music as
pictures in line and movement, in direc
tion or in all directions, lies in the fact
that picture lines are all in motion, but
never running away from the center, or
player.
He is at once actually at the begin
ning and at the center, at exactly the
same time, explain it if you can.
If he sees music as horizontal, sweep
ing from left to right, it does not sweep
away from him, but he ever stands
watching it come up and go by.
Scientific sound “pictures” would ex
plain this to any doubter.
They would show why the music,
though motion, never runs away from
him.
It is this ability to hold onto what is
fleeting which constitutes the backlog of
the musical memory.
Here it is impossible to tell why one
composition leads on to another. Per
haps it is no more than two notes, in the
first, which call up a picture of two
notes in the second.
It may be atmosphere, and here is
where mind and spirit enter, along with
emotions. The experienced musician is
an expert at this, and the experienced
conductor of a phonograph may be, too.
It is good for the phonograph en
thusiast to realize that he is a real con
ductor, in the best sense.
He selects, he uses his music judg
ment and memory, he coheres lifeless
discs by what he know's of their content.
He is the core, the very heart, of the
good mood, the changing mood, the
mood which is, in the final essence,
music.
Letters to the Editor
Suggests Questions for
Hitler’s Consideration.
To the Editor of The Star:
Can it be that Hitler at last is taking
cognizance of the uneasiness prevalent
in Germany? Does he attach sufficient
significance to the bomb explosion at
Munich? Does he read between the lines
of Daladier’s recent speech in which
Mussolini is lauded with that finesse I
peculiar to the astute French Premier?
And what can he think of the simul
taneous orders coming from the govern
ments of France and Italy withdrawing
considerable forces from their fortified
frontier? Can it be that he himself is
at last growing suspicious of Stalin, and
is now ready to make overtures to Mus
solini in a desperate attempt to convince
II Duce that while Russia is busy with
Finland, Germany and Italy should join
their forces and settle the Balkan ques
tion?
What conclusion has he drawn from
the recent, noticeable disintegration of
the Nazi party in Hungary? How can
he explain to the Nazis in Germany the j
recent Hungarian election which turned
out definitely anti-Nazi? Does he fear
that Hungary may take the lead in or
ganizing all the Balkans into an anti
Nazi bloc which will abrogate all of the
barter trade agreements which Germany
has built up during recent years? And
perhaps establish more profitable trade
relations with Italy and the allies?
Wha't is his reaction to Stalin’s loss of
prestige resulting from the abortive
Finnish invasion? Can it be that be
cause of the turn of events in Finland
Hitler is desperate to find any excuse
to come back to the company of his
old bed-fellow; and what will be Mus
solini’s answer if Hitler should propound
such a proposition? Does he realize that
only the extremely credulous in Germany
now give ear to his contention that the
axis is as strong as ever? How would
Germans react if he should try
to convince them that Mussolini will
join with both Soviet Russia and Ger
many in a plan to divide the Balkans?
Does Hitler realize that thinking Ger
mans know that Mussolini's heart
softened toward the allies when the
Turkish Government chose to line up
with France and Great Britain? What
can Hitler do now to put Turkey in her
proper place for the way she treated Von
Papen? If it should get rumored about
among the masses of Germany that
Italy has sent airplanes to Finland,
would they reason that H Duce figures
to keep Russia occupied in Northern
Europe while he convinces the Balkans
that they should make at least some
gesture toward assisting Turkey and
Italy, and perhaps even the allies, when
it finally does come/to his showdown
with Soviet Russia and Germany?
If Hitler should make bold overtures
to Mussolini and fail, what then? Would
there be revolution in Germany? Hitler
has so many questions to answer these
days! His nights must be long and filled
with tormenting doubts.
December 20. D. D. D.
Says Concessions Essential
To Trade Agreements.
To the Editor of The Star:
Recently the Argentine government
announced that its policy of ex
change control would be continued for
the sake of maintaining stable foreign
trade. In order that the belligerents
may buy from them, Argentina must
Import goods from Europe. In order that
the normal trade will be disturbed as
little as possible, the Argentine govern
ment announced that “it is necessary for
the sake of our export trade that we
take care that our import requirements
continue to be satisfied from our normal
sources of supply, and that we avoid
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!
unnecessary deflections to other coun
tries.”
Since the allies are pressed for funds,
the Argentines realize that “there are
very clear indications that the impor
tance of our sales to the allies will de
pend very closely on the value of the
merchandise that we continue to take
from them.”
The Star In an editorial indicated that
this pronouncement is likely to create
apprehensions in Washington. Argen
tina is accused of profiteering in the
war-created market in Europe and of
breaking the spirit of the trade agree
ment negotiations now taking place. But
what must be Argentina’s viewpoint on
the matter? A delegation is sent down
to take advantage of the conflict in Eu
rope to open the market for our manu
factured goods. A block of Senators
who succeeded in closing our doors to
fresh meat from Argentina on sanitary
grounds are now going to make the trade
agreements act as a thorn in the side of
the administration during the next session
of Congress. The agricultural group will
fight any concession in farm products in
which Argentina is most interested.
Apprehensions may well be aroused
among our neighbors. When there is
talk of letting the Trade Agreements Act
lapse until after the next election, how
can faith be put into this trade program
that is being threatened by the repre
sentatives of special interests? How can
Argentina expect any worth-while con
cessions when the incident involving the
purchase of corned beef for our Navy
caused such an uproar? I do not believe
that the editorials in our papers criti
cizing Latin American countries can
further the good neighbor cause. Let
the editorials in The Star giye construc
tive criticism; let our people be made
aware that concessions must be made by
agriculture and industry alike; show
how benefits to one will Indirectly accrue
to the other. Then explain that careful
consideration is given each concession
granted by our Government and that
the welfare of every group of this coun
try is borne in mind.
To achieve success in the reciprocal
trade program, our people must be made
to realize that the pressure of special in
terests will only serve to block the efforts
being made to promote a sound foreign
trade structure.
December 20. A. KELLY SHELTON.
Urges Public Contributions
To Arm Pinland.
To the Editor of The Star:
I’ve just noticed the "poll of legis
lators” on loans to Finland for the pur
chase of arms and munitions, also your
editorial “Beating the Devil,” in which
you suggest a loan of $25,000,000 to $50.
000,000.
Why not do what we should do and
yet be consistent? America Intends to
keep out of war—but we do have our
personal viewpoints—and, I hope, our
consciences are active. So what?
Well, why not Individual subscriptions?
The newspapers can carry the campaign
through to a successful conclusion. There
ought to be enough Americans able and
willing to make the necessary contribu
tions.
That may involve us as individuals,
but not as a Nation.
At any rate, I think the idea might
be put to the test. Personally, I cant
do much, but I’ll do what appears to be
my share, and would try to stretch tha
point later, if necessary. D. D.
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 football game has drawn the
largest crowd?—C. W. D.
A. According to Prank G. Menke s
“Encyclopedia of Sports,” the largest
single game crowd was 112,912 persons
at Soldiers’ Field, Chicago, 111., on No
vember 16, 1929, when Notre Dame
played Southern California.
Q. How many rats are there in the
United States and what is the extent of
their damage?—D. B. L.
A. It is estimated that the rat popu
lation is approximately equal to the hu
man population (130,215,000) and that
each rat does about $2 worth of damage
every year.
Q. Where is the highest road in the
United States?—C. C. B.
A. It is said to be the recently com
pleted stretch of road leading to the
summit of Mount Evans in Colorado,
14,259 feet high.
Q. How long did William Jennings
Bryan serve as Secretary of State?—G.
D. R.
A. Mr. Bryan was Secretary of State
from March 4, 1913, until June 9, 1915,
when he resigned.
Q. What is meant by Boston Com
mon?—J. F.
A. Boston Common, situated in the
heart of the city, has an exterior bound
ary of 1j/b miles and is unique among
municipal public grounds. "Boston, a
Guide Book” by Edwin M. Bacon, says:
“Its integrity rests primarily on a town
order passed in 1640 reserving it as an
open ground or common field. This was
strengthened by a clause in the city
charter forbidding its sale or lease. Sub
sequent acts prohibit the laying out of
any highway or street railway upon or
through it or the taking of any part ef
it for widening or altering any street,
without the consent of the citizens. It
dates actually from 1634, four years after
the settlement of the town, w-hen it was
laid out as ‘a place for a trayning field*
for 'the feeding of cattell * * *.’ its
present extent is 4825 acres exclusive of
the old burying ground on part of its
south side at Boylston street.”
Q. Were the Hawaiian Islands ever
known by another name?—W. A. H.
A. The Hawaiian archipelago wras for
merly known as the Sandwich Islands
after the Earl of Sandwich. After the
native name came into use the najne
Sandwich w’as discontinued.
Q. Where is the monument erected to
an amiable child?—T. F.
A. On the stone marking the grave of
St. Clair Pollock, near Grant's Tomb on
Riverside drive. New York, is inscribed:
“Erected to the memory of an amiable
child.” The boy died on July 15, 1797,
at the age of 5 years.
Q. What kind of an animal is a grivet?
—C. W. A.
A. It is a monkey of the guenon group,
allied to the green monkey, and common
throughout equatorial Africa. The chin,
whiskers, a band across the forehead,
and the under parts are white and the
head ar.d back are olive-green.
Q. Who discovered Pikes Peak?—L.
L. S.
A. Pikes Peak was discovered in No
vember. 1806, by Lt. Zebulon M. Pike.
In 1819 it was first ascended by the ex
ploring party of Maj. S. H. Long.
Q. Is it true that automobiles gen
erate more power than electric utility
companies?—A. M. T.
A. Passenger cars in the United States
generate 33 times the power of all elec
tric central stations operated by the
untility companies.
Q. Is Dearborn, Mich., a part of De
troit?—R. C. M.
A. Although Dearborn is included in
the metropolitan area of Detroit, it is
a separate city and has a population of •
50,358 (1930 census). It is approximately
10 miles from Detroit.
Q. When were Dutch belted cows first
brought to the United States?—D. H. S.
A. The first importation of Dutch
belted cattle was made in about 1838.
The first importation of importance,
however, was made in 1840 by P. T.
Barnum for show purposes.
Immutable
ir Paul were here, I think that he
would say,
“These trees are like the trees I used
to know;
Their leaves unchanged: the winds
which through them blow
Sing now as they sang on Ascension Day.
All evil things will fall Into decay;
But always on some green, sun-lit
plateau
You shall And spruce and gleaming
mistletoe;
As beauty is now, so it was yesterday.
“These happy, ringing voices which I
hear
Are like an echo from a time long
past.
For joy wears not the mask of age
or youth,
But always young, and always very near
To love, it is among the things which
last;
Changeless as pine, and changeless aa
the truth.
“O let us sing the timeless verities:
The sun which never falls us In our
need;
The tenderness which offsets sinful
greed;
The grand Immutability of trees.
O let us ponder gracious words like
these:
Sweet Motherhood (whose hallowed
cause I plead);
Charity, kindness, and the generous
deed;
The noble thought, the small felicities.
“And let us watch the ever-silent, white
Unalterable stars which gild this hour,
Casting a radiance on the somber
earth,
Making a pathway through this Holy
Night . . ;
Unalterable Word, we pray for power
To banish hate, and lead men to
rebirth.”
H. P. STODDABB