Evening star. [volume], January 01, 1940, Page A-8, Image 8

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

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V\itb Sunday Morning Edition
THEODORE W. NOYES, Editor.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
MONDAY.January 1, 1940
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herein a'so are reserved. j
A Happy New Year
To plain and humble people every
where, especially to those who
through no fault of their own are
heavily burdened and perhaps dis- 1
couraged by the circumstances of
their lives; to young men and women
most particularly as they seek to es
tablish themselves in a world not
over-friendly to youth; to boys and
girls at the start of their careers; to
the aged and the very old as they
bravely face their evening hours.
To the innocent millions of na
tions at war; to the thousands of
helpless victims of aggression and
intolerance; to still other multitudes
in lands devastated by the forces of
nature not yet amenable to human
control; to all who with sensitive
hearts respond to the sorrow of their
neighbors in distress.
To those who courageously labor
on farms or in fields, upon the sea,
in mines, in mills and factories, in
all the crafts and trades that man
kind may be fed and clothed and
housed; to honorable merchants who
deal in the exchange of goods; to
professional workers of every sort,
physicians and nurses, lawyers,
teachers, artists who seek to pre
serve romantic beauty in a time
made ugly by a realism crass and
crude.
Tn nhilnsnnhers and Doets: to
preachers of religion; to those who
study problems of social significance
and seek new cures for ancient ills;
to the officers of states; to all who
serve in the defense of the Flag and
such others as devote themselves to
ideal ends without thought of re
ward; to dreamers and to doers
whose motives are selfless; to all who
are generous and gentle of mind.
To those who, learning from ex
perience, have come to understand
that nothing prevents human prog
ress and satisfaction in a planet rich
with opportunity and the promise of
unlimited fulfillment save only fear
and greed and the violence which
accrues from these evil powers still
uncorrected.
In brief, to all who strive to live
usefully, helpfully and without of
fense and to make the world a peace
ful place of habitation for the race,
a Happy New Year—twelve months
blessed by the restoration of justice
and mercy to the governance of hu
manity under a beneficent sun by
day and guiding stars by night.
Soviet Censorship
Russia has re-established censor
ship of all outgoing news dispatches
for a rather obvious reason. The
explanation may be found just across
the country’s northwest border, where
news of an extraordinary, almost in
credible nature is being manufac
tured; news, albeit, that does not
lend itself well to incorporation in
official communiques from Moscow’s
harried war office. Dictator Stalin’s
communique formulators have been
having a bad time of it lately, with
the Lilliputian Finn Army chasing
the Red Colossus on several fronts
and the Russians reportedly chasing
themselves by mistake every once in
awhile. Small wonder that recent
communiques have been grimly curt,
like this one issued Friday: “There
were no events of importance at the
front December 28.” It has been
many days since the Russian war
office issued any claims of substan
tial success on the Finnish front.
And, meanwhile, dead and dying sol
diers of the much vaunted Red Army
continue to pour into Leningrad and
Moscow from the allegedly inactive
front and reinforcements continue
to be sent to the scene of inaction.
Foreign news correspondents in
Russia are not so blind as to fail to
observe the steady stream of casual
ties, nor so gullible as to swallow the
capsules of “official information”
concocted by the commissar of
propaganda. Hence, there have
come from Russia within the past
few days some uncensored, although
carefully worded, dispatches telling
of hospitals filled to overflowing with
wounded soldiers, of shake-ups in
the Soviet war staff, of mumblings of
dissatisfaction in official quarters
and among the populace over the
way things are going in the north
west sector. It is not greatly sur
prising, therefore, to learn that a
strict censorship now has been
clamped down on news dispatches to
the outside world. Censorship is an
old Soviet custom. It was first estab
lished in Russia immediately after
the 1917 Bolshevist revolution and
had been constantly In force until
last May, when Foreign Commissar
Molotoff took office. Mr. Molotoff
placed “full responsibility” for ail
dispatches on the foreign corre
spondents, with the warning that
any who wrote stories “hostile” or
“prejudicial” to the Soviet Union
would be subject to expulsion. The
Foreign Commissar probably re
garded the recent dispatches as both
hostile and prejudicial, but to have
expelled the senders would have
meant the expulsion of most of the
foreign correspondents in Moscow.
Censorship would provoke less
criticism. But Mr. Stalin and Mr.
Molotoff cannot censor the news that
is coming out of Finland, news writ
ten by unbiased newspapermen on
assignment with the Finnish Army
at the very front which the Russians
would have the world believe is so
inactive. These dispatches will more
than make up for the dearth of un
censored news from the ruffled Reds.
One Life Saved
The Star today publishes on pages
A-12 and A-13 a detailed summary
of the city’s traffic record for the
past year. It is not a record in which
great pride can be taken, although
the number of deaths is eighty-five
as compared with eighty-six in 1938.
Saving that one life undoubtedly jus
tifies the tremendous amount of co
operative effort which was expended
throughout 1939 to make the streets
of the city safer, but the cold figures
demonstrate conclusively how far
short of success the safety campaign
has fallen. That there has been a
steady decrease from the one hun
dred and thirty-five lives lost in 1934
is gratifying, but a wide margin for
improvement remains.
Of the 1939 total, sixty-six were
pedestrians. Most of these were
struck down crossing between inter
sections. Of all drivers involved,
sixty-nine were found blameless and
twelve cases still are pending.
One of the survey's most striking
showings is that while officials have
made only sporadic attempts to en
force pedestrian protection regula
tions outside the congested down
town section, all but seven of those
fatally injured were struck down
outside the congested area. This
bears out strongly the contention,
which was opposed by many citizens
and some officials when the pedes
trian regulations were unjler con
sideration, that the greatest danger
lies on the busy streets Between the
congested district and the quiet resi
dential areas from two to three miles
away.
Interesting also is the disproof of
a popular fallacy as regards taxicabs.
The Star has urged the limitation of i
taxicabs not only to iPlieve the con
gestion caused by cruising, but to
better the economic relationship of
remaining cabs in the public inter
est. However, from a safety view
point, cabs have the best record of
any class of vehicles. In 1939 they
were involved in only two fatalities,
far less in proportion to their num
bers than other means of transpor
tation. On the other hand, .streetcars
and buses were involved in eight
deaths, the greatest number pro rata
of all types of conveyances
Conclusions to be drawn from The
Star’s survey are simple and direct.
They are conclusions which have I
been urged before, but the record is
one which makes their accomplish
ment at the earliest moment impera
tive if the city’s accident toll is to be
brought within reasonable bounds.
There must be a continued, constant
and intelligent educational campaign
carried on by all means available.
More safety aids must be provided
for pedestrians, principally through
the installation of walk lights and
additional safety islands on wide
streets. Broader planning must be
carried out including a modern, ac
curate system for the investigation
of all accidents, more stringent
regulations for the issuance of
drivers’ permits, and a concentration
of engineering aids in the belt sur
rounding the business district.
Greater enforcement efforts must
be made, particularly in areas where
accidents are known to be most fre
quent, and they must apply with
particular reference to the pedes
trian regulations. Judges of the
Police Court could contribute large
ly by adopting a procedure of greater
uniformity, and by handling all traf
fic cases involving basic safety in a
manner less routine.
A broad field for improvement lies
ahead of the officials of the District.
Each citizen has the onnortunitv to
assist in making the streets safe,
but primarily the Commissioners,
the Traffic Department, police, and
the courts must lead the way. Every
person using the public thorough
fares must be strongly impressed
with the fact that it is unsafe to
disregard safety.
Robert Fechner
A good and useful citizen de
parted this world when Robert Fech
ner died. He was, by common con
sent, the ideal director of the Civil
ian Conservation Corps from the mo
ment of its organization.
By what processes of experience
he attained to the wisdom which
qualified him for the appreciation of
his countrymen may remain un
known, but there will be no ques
tion about their efficiency. Few of
his contemporaries were so well
equipped for a monumental task. He
was endowed with earnestness, sin
cerity, fixity of purpose, a lofty con
ception of public duty, a natural
modesty which made him agreeable
to all who came Into contact with
him, a trustworthiness which never
failed, a basic honesty in dealing
with all classes of people which
everybody valued.
Strangely enough perhaps, he was
unschooled in conservation effort
when President Roosevelt appointed
him to administer the C. C. C. His
background was that of the organ
ized labor movement in which for
many years he had represented the
machinists’ trade. He was not a
professional politician, neither was
he known to possess any particular
skill in the management of business.
But he justified the Chief Execu
tive’s confidence in all these differ
ent fields. He made himself a
master of his job, he proved himself
competent to protect his work from
partisan interference, he raised the
enterprise he headed above criticism
and kept it free from the danger of
just complaint.
If the Civilian Conservation Corps
becomes a permanent establishment
of the Government, Mr. Fechner will
deserve a large share of the credit.
He has gone too soon, but he will not
be forgotten. His high example is
certain to continue to benefit his
country and its people, most notably
its youth.
Mr. Bell's Appointment
President Roosevelt’s selection of
Daniel W. Bell as Undersecretary of
the Treasury deserves the warmest
approbation, both for its non-politi
cal character and because of Mr.
Bell’s demonstrated capacity for the
work which awaits him.
This worthy successor to John W.
Hanes, who has resigned to return
to his private business, is a product
of the civil service system, a man
who has served in the Treasury for
twenty-eight years, and who, on one
occasion, refused appointment as di
rector of the budget because he did
not want to lose his civil service
status.
Beginning as a seven-hundred
dollar-a-year clerk in 1911, Mr. Bell
has advanced steadily under both
Republican and Democratic admin
istrations. “Mr. Bell’s career as a
civil service employe,” in the lan
guage of the White House statement
announcing his new appointment,
“is a story of hard work, gradual
promotions and years in which he
became the trusted confidant and
adviser of manv Secretaries nf the
Treasury.”
In thus extolling and rewarding
Mr. Bell’s earnest efforts and un
doubted abilities, the President has
indicated the surest method of
building up an expert Government
personnel, the urgent need for which
will become more apparent as. the
complexities of operating the Gov
ernment increase. And. at the same
time, the appointment should be an
encouragement to other faithful and
able Federal employes who have
witnessed too many abuses of the |
civil service system during the years
in which Mr. Bell has risen to the
top.
Predictions
New Year Day by tradition is de
voted to good resolutions, eggnog,
and predictions. In the last field,
The Star’s prediction department,
after going into a huddle with the
past performances of 1939, comes to
bat with the following forecast:
The Soviet Union again will insist
upon conferring the benefits of Com
munism on a neighboring nation.
It will accomplish this by occupying
some entirely unpronounceable vil
lage a quarter of a mile over the j
border, about the size of six blocks in
Alexandria, Va., and recognizing its
police constable as the head of j
the official friendly government. I
Strangely enough this act of altruism
will be unappreciated, and quite a
fracas will result, which Russia will
insist is not a war. Unarmed civil
ians are requested to remember this
just before being blown to pieces by
aerial bombs.
The Allies will corner another Ger
man battleship, and by superior
seamanship batter it to pieces, but
will not be quick enough to sink it
before the crew does. Herr Goebbels
will let out another wrap on his
imagination and turn it into at least
a moral victory. He probably will
think up a new gag, and not repeat
the statement that the rations were
ruined by illegal poison gas.
prime Minister cnamoenain, in
specting the British front, created
a sensation by refusing to take time
out for tea.. There are no lengths to
which this former apostle of ap
peasement will not now go to win
this war.
Various organizations are urging
that the government of Eire give
Irish girls dowries in order to arrest
the great decrease in marriage. Some
of those nice sweepstakes tickets
might help correct the evil.
Governor Dickinson of Michigan
asks women to cut their smoking in
half in order to aid charity. Easy
enough, Ethel; smoke them shorter
and try not to drop them in the
consomme.
Russia i* confronted with a num
ber of perplexing questions these
days, including the following: Where
are those airplanes we ordered from
the United States of America?
Speaking of fights, the one many
of us would greatly enjoy seeing,
from a safe distance, would be a
set-to between the Deutschland and
either the Hood, Repulse or Renown.
New toys are as much fun for
grownups as for children, runs a
recent pre-Christmas bulletin. What
do you mean, "as much”? Usually
more.
Russia seems so far to have been
staging a sort of "Ice Follies.”
t
Believes Allies Share
War Responsibility
Injustices of Versailles Are
Blamed for Current
Disorders
To tHe Editor of The Star:
“Of all the words of tongue or pen
The saddest are these, ‘It might have
been.' ”
More than 20 years ago the bloodiest
and most costly war In history ended.
The nations involved sacrificed the lives
of more than ten million men—most of
them under 25 years of age. Perhaps
thirty million more were wounded or
among the missing. Very few of those
who survived in the civilized world were
left uninfluenced in their conceptions of
morality and ethical standards. The
cost in material values totaled the stu
pendous amount of two hundred bil
lions of dollars. The cost to civilization in
the premature destruction of millions of
its young men, and the blighting of the
lives of millions of its children and de
fenseless men and women, is beyond
computation.
Following the Armistice, many cf the
v»vvuv UKUiVL'mvu 1>11C WUIiU, tliuilg |
with many of the foremost experts in all
the great fields of human knowledge, '
gathered in France for the Versailles
Peace Conference. Into this conference i
went the high hopes and noble aspira
tions of a suffering humanity. Into this
conference, also, went the dark forces
of national greed and avarice, bitter
hatred generated by four years of ti
tanic struggle, and a determination to
wreck a fallen people. Woodrow Wilson,
the noblest and most far-seeing states
man of the World War period, led the
forces of justice and humanity. The
forces of national greed, selfishness and
unremitting hatred for a defeated na
tion, were led by such men as Clemen
ceau, Tardieu, Poincaire and Foch.
After many months of hard labor, !
with compromises on some of the most
vital and most controversial issues, the
peace treaty was presented to the world.
Some parts of the treaty were very
drastic and harsh toward the enemy.
There were some grave mistakes and
injustices in it. Woodrow Wilson fought
valiantly to prevent most of these in
justices from entering the peace treaty. :
To rectify these mistakes and injustices
by means of international co-operation
and agreement, and to create machinery
for international co-operation and col
laboration in preventing the recurrence
of such another human catastrophe, the
League of Nations was founded and the
Covenant made an integral part of the
treaty of peace. This achievement, due
principally to the influence and leader
ship of Woodrow Wilson, will place his
name among the immortals of world
history.
Our refusal to enter the League of Na
tions and take an active part in
oliximcimiery lor inter
national co-operation and collaboration
for the maintenance of peace and jus
tice throughout the world, was, with
the exception of the World War itself,
the greatest and most costly political
mistake made by any great nation thus
far during the 20th century.
Now another war is being fought in
the great struggle for supremacy among
the powerful nations of Europe. Eng
land and France are concerned about
the political and territorial existence of
the small nations only insofar as they
can help them in their determination to
prevent Germany from becoming a
strong nation. England sent the Runci
man mission to Czecho-Slovakia to help
prepare the destruction of that republic.
She and France gave Poland a guarantee
which they knew could not be ful
filled—a guarantee to maintain an un
just and unnatural situation. They tried
to incite a war between Germany and
Russia in order to strengthen and con- i
Solidate their position in Western Eu- i
rope.
I am not defending the cruel and
brutal policies of Germany and Russia
toward minorities within the boundaries
of their respective countries or their
ruthless aggression against small nations,
but if this is the purpose of England
and France in the present struggle, if
it is their policy to deny justice and
fair consideration to the German people,
as well as the Russian, if it is their plan
to try to prevent Germany from having
access to the resources of the world and
a fair opportunity for the enjoyment of
the common products and benefits of
civilization, then here is one American
who hopes that Germany and the forces
on her side will defeat England and
wreck the British and French empires.
In your editorials and special articles
you have severely condemned Germany,
Russia, Italy and Japan, but you have
failed to consider the basic and funda
mental reasons responsible for the de
velopment of this condition of "interna
tional chaos” which confronts humanity.
Are the other great powers entirely
guiltless? PAUL A. HILL.
December 24.
Says Roosevelt Family
Graces White House.
To the Editor ol The Star:
Leaving all political considerations
aside, where in the United States could
we find a family who would grace the
vvxiitc nuuac muic uciigxiti uny man uic
Franklin Roosevelts? Where could we
find a family more vividly alive, keenly
intelligent, intensely human, progres
sively interested in everything and
everybody? Certainly the Roosevelts
give out a world of inspiration and are
the “royal family” of the United States!
December 27. ISABEL MOORE.
Defends Beggars
Against Critic.
To the Editor of The Star:
A writer to the Star who signed him
self E. H. M. is peeved because at
Christmas time the poor, blind, cripples,
afflicted and unfortunate, out in the
cold wind and rain on Washington’s
streets cast pitiful glances at him to
buy pencils and whatnots.
Many of these beggars are pitiful to
look at, but those who drop pennies in
their tin cups seem to be thinking a
prayer of thanks to God for making
them perfect in mind and body that
they may enjoy all the blessings be
stowed upon them.
E. H. M. should give a thought to
Bobby Bums’ verse which says, “When
we are dead and laid side by side with
fifty years to back it, who can tell by
shaking the sod which wore the ragged
Jacket?" JOHN RIGGLES.
Bradbury Heights, Md.
December 38.
THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Tracewell.
me oiros unnsimas amner was sec
ond to the birds’ Christmas drinking
party.
Pure, fresh water is something the
songsters find with difficulty when the
temperature goes down below freezing
and stays there several days.
Many people who feed the birds regu
larly never stop to think of this, but if
they could have seen the birds in our
yard Christmas Day, they would never
forget again.
A hundred sparrows, cardinals and
others did full justice to the pounds of
mixed seeds and grains which had been
put out for them, with a special amount
of sunflower seed added over the usual
quota.
* ★ * *
But the pie pan of water, placed in
the grass not far from the feeding place,
was the ‘‘hit’’ of the day.
Attention to this want had been called
by the continued flying of the feeders
to the bird bath in the corner of the
yard.
Several at a time hovered on the rim,
peering down into the empty basin.
It is not wise to fill concrete baths
when the temperature is in the 20s.
Even when they are guaranteed not
to crack, they sometimes will do so. Wary
gardeners either take the bowls in, or
turn them upside down in the grass.
* * * #
Hence the pie pan..
This simple utensil has many uses.
, As a drinking place for the birds it
has real advantages.
It is just the right size to permit them
to drink easily as they perch on the rim.
It would be ideal, too, for bathing,
but none bathed.
Flvirt pn fr 1V thpv nocrloH nro for inri/ln
them more than they did outside.
This was a surprise, because we had
anticipated they would do more bathing
than drinking.
But it was just the other way around.
* * * *
What they wanted was something lo
> drink.
The afternoon - long demonstration
proved anew what we all know, but what
we sometimes tend to forget, that the
birds which winter with us often find it
extremely difficult, if not impossible, to
quench their thirst.
A diet of dry grains and seeds makes
them thirsty, just as it would us.
The need for a bath is far less impera- ■
tive with them than drinking water dur- I
ing months when it is hard for them to
find water for any purpose.
* * * *
It was fun to watch the small fellows
hop across the grass from the feeder to
the pan of water.
The pan had not been in place more
than a few minutes before two sparrows
found it.
jno sooner naa tney taken a drink, and
hopped back to eat, than three or four
more birds detached themselves from the
crowd.
This went on all afternoon.
There was always a line of birds com
ing to and from the pan.
At no time was there any crowding or
Jostling, but simply a well-bred gather
ing of half a dozen to take a drink.
* * * *
A fixed drinking place in the yard
is either kept filled or allowed to remain
emtpy. If empty, it is of no use to the
birds; if kept filled, it freezer, up in
really ccld weather, and likewise is use
less to the songsters.
The good point about carrying a pan
of water out to them in the middle of
the afternoon, if feasible, is that the
water does not freeze, especially if there
is sunshine, before it is consumed.
One pie pan filled to the brim will
suffice for an entire yardfull of birds,
and by this we mean between 50 and 100,
approximately, as well as they can be
counted.
It is a good idea to place the pan not
far from the feeder, but still at some
little distance, say 10 or 15 feet.
If possible, put it in the sunShine.
* * * *
Another good point to the pie pan is
that if it should freeze up, it is simply
carried in and allowed to melt.
It can even be plaied on the stove
and a fire lit under it without harm, in
the case one happens to want to make
a pie in a hurry. In such an event, we
would suggest a thorough scrubbing of
the pan. A better way is to reserve one
pan for this purpose, and use it for no
uuier purpose, wnere can you get a
better bird fountain for 10 or 15 cents?
It is possible to pay much money for
a fountain, with a statue of St. Francis,
toward which the birds bow as they
dip their heads to drink. A novel idea,
but really the birds bow their heads
just as prettily at the pie pan.
* * *. *
Food, water and dust—these are the
three which the friend of birds may
supply his feathered guests.
They are neglected in reverse order—
probably not two people in a city think
of the necessity for affording the bir'ds
dust baths, not enough think of their
need for water, whereas many thousands
try to feed them.
A selected spot beneath some shrub
not far from the feeder will do very
nicely for the site of the dust bath.
Dig the soil for an inch or so, and
then cultivate it finely,' until it ap
proaches what we usually understand
as dust.
It will become very dry, a real dust,
through the action of the cold, and will
be used by the birds in the sunny after
noon.
Letters to the Editor
UrPM P.iSMrp nf I" -- -
Presidential Primary Bill.
To the Editor ol The Star:
As author of the presidential primary
bill for the District of Columbia I wish
to take issue with your Mr. Jesse C.
Suter for his rather slighting reference
in his weekly column of December 17 to
this bill.
‘‘An attempt is being made to arouse
interest in the Capper bill for the elec
tion of delegates to the national politi
cal party conventions,” he says. Cer
tainly a feeble effort to truly chronicle
the facts, for during the past week the
Stanton Park Citizens' Association that
for 16 years has sent as a delegate to
the Federation of Citizens the man who
is now its president, Mr. Harry N. Stull,
urged the passage of this bill in reso
lutions adopted. And this but adds
another voice to the innumerable as
sociations, civic leaders, political and
fraternal organizations that during the
past five years have sponsored this vital
ly needed legislation. Again he says:
“There has been a lack of interest in
this proposal because of the absence of
election machinery in the District.”
Since its introduction in the Senate by
Senator Capper and in the House by
Representative Ambrose J. Kennedy,
Mr. Suter’s column alone has shown a
peculiar lack of interest in this bill.
Most of the local dailies have persist
ently, in their columns, news stories,
cartoons and editorials urged its pas
sage. And the bill which incidentally
has been indorsed by the Bar Associa
tion of the District—giving it some de
gree of legal efficacy—adequately pro
vides for the necessary machinery to in
sure to the bona fide residents of the
District of Columbia their free choice in
the election of delegates to the national
party conventions, with an accompany
ing penalty clause for violation of its
uiuviaiuiio. •
Finally, in apparently dismissing as
unworthy of further discussion this pri
mary proposal, he states: “Then there has
been a feeling that, not being able to
vote for the candidates after their nomi
nation, it would not be worth the ex
pense.” I am confident there are not
many who share that same feeling with
Mr. Suter. For is not a voice in the se
lection of delegates who would ostensibly
represent the voteless bona fide residents
of the District of Columbia at the na
tional party conventions at least an in
direct expression of choice in the ulti
mate election of our Presidents? Cer
tainly it would correct a condition in
local party politics that has long been
odious to every decent-minded resident.
And the bill provides for a poll tax which
would amply take care of the expense
of conducting these elections.
This proposed legislation is not to be
confused with local suffrage. It is ab
solutely distinct and apart.
We have delegates now and for years
we have had them—such as they are.
What we want is delegates of our own
free, untrammelled choice, who because
of their regular election will carry with
them to the respective conventions the
authority and prestige that duly elected
delegates from the Nation’s Capital
should carry.
It would not only give an opportunity
to the residents of the District to prove
that they are politically minded men
and women, jealous of such poor civic
rights as have been vouchsafed to them,
but would serve to remind the rest of
the country that there are more than
half a million people here—more than
populate many a State—whose dele
gates to national conventions are their
only elective representatives.
That he who is faithful in little will
i
Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the writer, although the use of
a pseudonym tor publication is
permissible. Please be brief!
be faithful in much is the essence of an
old saw. If it should become evident
that the people of the District were
content to remain acquiescent to the
sort of misrepresentation they now have
in the councils of the great parties,
what ground would they have to stand
on in their fight for representation in
the legislative halls of the Nation? So
let it be remembered that, indirect as
our representation is by delegates to
the national conventions, ana by na
tional committeemen and women, it is
the only representation that we have, as
all others holding positions of authority
in the District are either appointed or
elected by constituencies which have lit
tle knowledge of, and less interest in the
residents of the District of Columbia.
The Commissioners, the District Com
mittees in Congress, may and often do
listen to the expressed wishes of Wash
ingtonians in many matters, but the
voice of the people is in no way manda
tory upon them. Whereas national com
mitteemen, chosen at a fair, open and"
legally conducted election by the people
of the District, would certainly feel ob
ligated and find it to their best interest
to obey that voice.
That they have an opportunity to ex
ercise much influence is obvious and
well known, as even the few votes al
lotted to the District in the national con
ventions may be vital in a close contest,
and it is also well known that where the
District delegation has aligned itself
w'ith the successsful candidates it has
been rewarded with the distribution of
norfnn o rro
Finally, it would give the residents of
the District of Columbia opportunity
to demonstrate their political responsi
bility as well as their interest in the
ballot and, I feel sure, would be a step
ping stone to ultimate suffrage in all its
entirety. JOHN P. MULLEN.
December 24.
.'raises Column by
Charles Ross.
To the Editor of The Star:
Charles G. Ross’ article on the unem
ployment situation is to be commended,
for its clear-cut analysis Political aspir
ants give the people glowing accounts of
what needs to be done, but do they ever
tell us how to solve the intricate prob
lems that exist in our economic ma
chine?
It is inconceivable that our potential
powers are stymied by lack of brains.
What is the force holding back man’s
natural evolutionary progress here? We,
the people of America, are a force that
cannot be denied the right to natural
expressions instead of artificial projects
or doles. We not only expect, we demand,
that Government and business give us
a constructive and efficient program to
solve our domestic problems. We are
tired of intrigue and subterfuge, let us
bring it out into the open.
December 12. G. w. COLGIN.
Answers Mr. Ickes on
Ohio Situation.
To the Editor of The Star:
As a daily reader of your paper, may
I ask that you answer Mr. Ickes for me?
Let’s take the Ohio situation. I happen
to be a bom New Yorker, who lived 12
years in rural Northwestern Ohio. We
have had mostly Democrats in office in
that time. Tell Mr. Ickes to think that
over! ANNE D. PURMORT.
Van Wert, Ohio.
December 12.
i
Haskin's Answers *
To Readers' Questions
By Frederic 3. Haskin.
A reader can get the answer to any
question of fact by writing The Eve
ning Star Information Bureau, Fred
eric J. Haskin, director, Washington,
D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply.
Q. What is the highest speed ever at
tained in a 500-mile race at the Indian
apolis Speedway?—H. H. K.
A. The highest average speed of
117.200 miles per hour was made by
Floyd Roberts in the 1938 race. The
highest speed attained in one lap around
the speedway was 130.757 miles per hour,
which was made in 1939 by Jimmie
Snyder. ,
Q. Who was the royal personage who
once traveled under the alias of Mr.
Smith?—R. C. D.
A. In ,1623, the Prince of Wales, after
ward King Charles I of England, went
to Spain incognito with the Duke of
Buckingham. The Prince traveled as
Mr. smttn ana tne Duke as Mr. Brown.
Q. Is there any radio station which
has the same call letters as the name of
the town in which it is located?—E.
D. M.
A. Station WACO at Waco, Tex.
Q. Please give the titles of some of the
latest books selected by the various
book clubs —W. J. B.
A. A few current selections are as
follows: Book - of - the - Month Club—
“Verdun,” by Jules Romains; “The Star
Gazer,” by Zsolt de Harsanyi. Catholic
Book Club—“Bernadette of Lourdes,” by
Margaret Blanton. Literary Guild—“No
Arms, No Armour,” by Robert Henriques;
“No More Gas,” by Charles Nordhoff
and James Norman Hall. Religious Book
Club—“The Knowledge of God,” by D.
Elton Trueblood. Scientific Book Club—
"Excursions in Science,” edited by Neil
B. Reynolds.
Q. Who first issued the order to close
the banks in 1933?—H. H. C.
A. An epidemic of “bank holidays” in
the United States began on February
14, 1933. in Michigan, when Gov. W. A.
Comstock ordered all banks in that
State closed for eight days. All banks
in the United States were closed by
proclamation of President Roosevelt be
ginning on March 6, 1933.
Q. Was Margaret Illington the real
name of the actress who married Maj.
Bowes?—M. E. L.
A. Her maiden name was Maude Light,
the name Illington being a combination
of the names of her native city and
State, Bloomington, Illinois.
Q. Does a baby 's heart beat as rapidly
as a grown person's,—M. D.
A. A baby's heart beats about 120
times a minute, while an adult’s heart
beats only about 72 times.
Q. What great war was depicted in
needlework?—H. T. P.
A. Many incidents of the Battle of
Hastings (1066;, together with the cos
tumes and weapons of the fighters, were
pictured by Norman needlewomen on
the famous piece of embrodierv known
as the Bayeux Tapestry. This interest
ing relic of the Middle Ages is still pre
served in the public library at Bayeux,
France.
Q. For whom is Kelly Field in Texas
named?—J. J. K.
A. Kelly Field is named in memory of
Second Lt. George E. M. Kelly, who
was a member of the 30th Infantry, as
signed to the aviation section of the
Signal Corps for flying training. He was
killed at that field near San Antonio,
Tex., on May 10, 1911,
Q .What proportion of taxes paid by
the railroads goes to school funds’—
M. E.
A. Approximately 30 per cent of the
taxes paid by the railroads of the United
States now goes to support of the public
schools.
Q. Is Turpinite the most powerful ex
plosive?^. F. P.
A. Turpinite is the name given to pic
ric acid by Turpin, who was the first
to propose its use as a bursting charge
for high explosive shells. It Is not the
most powerful explosive known, being
only slightly more powerful than TNT.
Q. How many songs are copyrighted
annually?—W. S. V.
A. Approximately 25.000.
Q. What animal perspires blood?_
M. D.
A. When excited or in pain the body
of the hippopotamus is covered with
drops of reddish fluid, which gives rise
to the saying that the animal “sweats
blood." Blood, however, forms no part
of this reddish exudation.
Q. Where is the largest dry dock in
this country?—O. I.
A. According to Lloyd’s Register
(1939-40), the largest dock in the United
States is the graving dock located In
South Boston, Mass., and known as the
Commonwealth Drydock. It has a
_ r i nnn t_i. . i i . _
*v4*!>w* a,aw iccu at top aiiu i,i7i ieer
at bottom.
Q. What foods contain vitamin K, the
anti-hemorrhage vitamin?—R. w. M.
A. Spinach, cabage, kale and other
greens, cauliflower, tomatoes, alfalfa,
cereal grasses and fish are rich in vita
min K.
New Leaves
Time is my friend. Each year he brings
to me »
A gift, one volume of eternity.
Artistically illustrated here
Are all the shining pages of the year.
Its frontispiece: bare trees against the
sky
Like fine black filigree on lazuli.
Riffle the leaves and clear limned pic
tures show
Blue shadows staining February snow.
See here where April’s first faint willow
green,
Sunny forsythia, and lilies’ sheen
Brighten the pages. Open it half over
To wheat in sunshine, June, and bees,
and clover;
Next, Autumn haze and leaves like Jew
eled rain;
Then stars and holly, pine, and snow
again.
No other book contains such priceless art,
Beauty so rich to satisfy the heart.
What of the theme? Is It despair or
glory?
Time gives the volume—I must write
the story.
NELLIE GRAY BOURDKAUX