Evening star. [volume], January 31, 1940, Page A-10, Image 10

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

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With Bandar Morning Edition.
THEODORE w7 NOYES, Editor.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
WEDNESDAY.January 31, 1940
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Degree of Security
In view of the progressively serious
international situation .abroad, it is
difficult to follow the line of reason
ing advanced by members of the
House Naval Affairs Committee in
support of a drastic cut in the Navy’s
proposed warship construction pro
gram. The principal arguments
voiced by proponents of the slash are
that shipbuilding facilities at present
are inadequate to care for the
twenty-five per cent expansion asked
by the Navy Department, and that it
is best to wait until the ships already
authorized—and perhaps a score
additional—have been built before
providing for any more. If world
conditions then warrant further
construction, the opponents of the
administration’s full program assert,
the remainder of the ships urged by
naval experts can be authorized.
Secretary of the Navy Charles
Edison and Admiral Harold R. Stark
have answered these contentions
quite forcefully in appearances be
fore the committee this week. Even
as Chancellor Hitler was shouting
new threats for the whole world to
hear and ponder, including a warn
ing that “nothing any longer will be
able to defeat us,” Secretary Edison
significantly was reminding Con
gress that in gauging its future re
quirements, the Navy must consider
“the possibility of the defeat of
either side” in the European war.
“The strength of friendly nations
might even be turned against us if it
should fall into the hands of con
querors,” he stressed. Authorization
of the whole $1,300,000,000 program
requested by the department, Mr.
Edison said, would “serve notice on
all possible aggressor nations that
the United States intends to protect
itself and its interests powerfully
and effectively.” Herr Hitler’s latest
challenge to democracies in general,
and Great Britain and France in
particular, lends force to the Navy
Secretary’s warning that the United
States cannot afford to ignore the
trend of events in Europe. The en
tire authorization sought by the
Navy now, Mr. Edison pointed out,
will give the country only “a fair
degree of security” against possible
combinations against us.
While it is undoubtedly true that
existing yards could not work simul
taneously on all the seventy-seven
chips contemplated under the new
program, it is not too early to start
the preparation of designs and of
detailed working drawings for future
ships. It frequently takes a year or
more to complete on paper the plans
and specifications which must be
made before a keel is laid down.
Admiral Stark testified that such
careful planning makes not only for
better vessels, but for greater speed
in actual construction and for all
round economy. Chairman Vinson
of the House Naval Affairs Commit
tee is quoted as commenting that if
world conditions a vear or so from
now “are as they are today” Congress
can “go along and authorize” the
other ships wanted by the Navy. But
world conditions a year or so from
now are not apt to be as they are
today. They probably will be much
better or much worse. If better,
there can be no harm in having a
few extra ships on paper. If worse,
the Navy would be fortunate indeed
to have its plans all ready for an
immediate start on construction
when Congress gives the signal.
Certainly it is not asking too much
of Congress to authorize this “fair
degree of security” at the earliest
possible moment.
War and Tobacco
Among the American groups hard
est hit by the European war are the
tobacco farmers. Almost a third of
their crop normally is grown for
export, and the foreign markets are
gradually closing. This is a matter
of concern for the whole population.
In 1938 alone ,$10,133,000 in public
money gathered from us all by the
Federal tax collector was distributed
among the tobacco growers to im
prove their economy, injured by hard
times.
The chief contributor to the to
bacco problem is Great Britain,
which, confronted with necessities
of war, first placed restrictions
on foreign exchange, which limited
tobacco purchases here, and then
reached an agreement with Turkey
providing for greatly increased Brit
ish purchases of Turkish tobacco.
Turkey’s friendship is of great mili
tary importance to the allies. United
Kingdom flue-cured tobacco pur
chases from the United States in
*
September, October and November,
1938, amounted to $45,825,000, $53,
385,000 and $29,999,000. For those
three months In 1939 the purchases
came to $20,433,000, $11,367,000 and
$3,421,000. The total exports of
American flue-cured were cut in half
in November, 1939, as compared with
November, 1938.
To be sure, the total of British
purchases of goods in the United
States shows an upward trend be
cause of heavy buying of military
supplies. Great Britain has not cut
down on its imports of American
tobacco because of any animus to
ward the American grower. In fact,
Turkey’s whole tobacco crop would
not supply the normal British need.
Realization of the absence of British
ill will, however, does not help the
grower’s plight. Nor does it ease
[ Secretary of Agriculture Wallace’s
lot, and he may be expected to devote
much of his time this year to looking
for means of improving the tobacco
man’s income.
Economy in Earnest
Whatever may be the ultimate fate
of the twenty per cent cut in the
President’s farm appropriation esti
mates which was recommended to
the House yesterday by its Appropri
ations Committee, the action clearly
suggests that the economy tide is
running more strongly than had been
generally believed.
In the past, farm appropriation
measures have been far beyond the
reach of congressional economy ad
vocates, and it is something of a
surprise, therefore, to have the
Appropriations Committee urge a
$154,530,000 cut in the budget esti
mates after refusing to recommend
any appropriation for parity price
payments.
During the last two years parity
price payments have been added to
the appropriation bills, in each case
by the Senate with the House finally
concurring. So strong was the farm
lobby last year that the Senate voted
$225,000,000 for the parity price pro
gram in the face of its previous
rejection by the House and despite
the fact that President Roosevelt
had specifically opposed this item
unless tax increases were provided to
offset the added outlay. Needless to
say, the additional taxes were not
forthcoming.
There have been some Indications
that the fight for the parity pro
gram—again not recommended by
the President—would be pressed less
vigorously this year. For one thing,
the Department of Agriculture index
shows that farm prices since mid
December have advanced three
points to ninety-nine per cent of the
1910-1914 level, the latter being the
goal of the parity program. With war
in Europe, there is also a prospect
that farm prices will continue to rise.
If the recommendations of the
Appropriations Committee are ap
proved in whole or in part by the
House they will still have to face
formidable opposition in the Senate,
which is more vulnerable to pressure
from organized farm groups. At that
time, however, the reductions, if
voted now by the House, would be
extremely useful for trading purposes
to ward off any drive that might be
made to write into the bill a parity
program item.
It is only reasonable to suppose
that the recommended slash in the
farm estimates reflects the growing
realization that Congress must choose
between real economy and the alter
natives of levying new taxes or
increasing the debt limitation, and
either of the two latter courses is
politically dangerous in this election
year. If the House decides to stand
by its Appropriations Committee, and
it is to be hoped that it will do so, it
can defend its action by pointing to
the fact that Congress has been more
than generous to the farmers during
the past seven years.
Sales Tax Decision
The Supreme Court, in upholding
the constitutionality of the two per
cent sales tax through which New
York City finances relief, appears to
have given the States a free hand to
impose this type of levy on articles
which move in interstate commerce.
Customarily the sales tax, passed
on to the consumer, applies only to
what might be described as over
the-counter transactions. The high
court, however, dividing five to three,
says there is no constitutional
reason to prevent it from being
assessed against merchandise which
is ordered through local agencies and
delivered from distributing centers
in other States.
Attacked by three industries doing
business in New York under these
conditions, the tax assessed against
the trio was set aside by the appel
late division of the New York Su
preme Court, which declared it
placed an undue burden on inter
state commerce and thereby violated
the commerce clause of the Constitu
tion. *
Reversing this finding, the Su
preme Court, in the opinion by Jus
tice Stone, defines the nature of a
State tax which would discriminate
against interstate commerce, but
says that the levy under considera
tion is free of such implications;
that “equality is its theme.”
“Forms of State taxation whose
tendency is to prohibit the com
merce or place it at a disadvantage
as compared, or in competition, with
intrastate commerce, and any State
tax which discriminates against the
commerce, are familiar examples of
the exercise of State taxing power
in an unconstitutional manner be
cause of its obvious regulatory effect
upon commerce between the States,”
the court added. “But It was not
the purpose of the commerce clause
to relieve those engaged in lnter
state commerce of their Just share
of State tax burdens merely because
an Incidental or consequential effect
of the tax is an increase in the cost
of doing the business.”
The vigorous dissent read by Chief
Justice Hughes rejects the theory
that the tax acquires virtue because
of its “equality” and questions the
right of a State to levy on interstate
commerce simply because it may tax
its own commerce in a similar way.
The tax, he declared, is open to
the same objections as would be a
“tariff” levied by the State against
the products of another State, or a
State tax upon the privilege of doing
an interstate business, “and in my
view, it cannot be sustained without
abandoning principles long estab
lished, and a host of precedents
soundly based.”
It is not feasible for the layman to
attempt to pass judgment on the
respective constitutional contentions
of the majority and minority of the
court, but there can be no doubt that
Justice Stone and the justices ap
pointed by Mr. Roosevelt have opened
the door to the imposition of new
burdens on big business for it may
reasonably be supposed that other
States will lose no time in availing
themselves of the source of tax reve
nue to which the New York levy is
Utl WVLUUi
The Same Old Stuff
Warning for at least the half
dozenth time that “it will now be
the turn of England and France to
see what war is like,” and that Ger
many is conducting an invincible
struggle forced upon her by those
bent upon her “full destruction,”
Chancellor Hitler celebrated the
seventh anniversary of his accession
to power by another characteristic
diatribe against the Reich’s foes. It
has the ring of frustration about it.
The Sports Palace address last
night was accompanied by the usual
protestations of Germany’s blame
lessness for the grim contest she is
now waging for the mastery of
Europe.
Hitler’s harangue, which boils
down to a “Gott strafe England” out
burst of familiar ferocity is thus only
the latest example of the dialectics
to which he has accustomed his sub
servient and fanatical Nazi followers.
It will be searched in vain for a new
idea, except perhaps the grotesque
charge that "the true aim of old Mr.
Chamberlain is the complete destruc
tion of the German Reich.” The
speech reeks with threadbare dam
nations of “the fruits of Versailles”
and describes Germany as “a nation
of have-nots surrounded by those
who have all, but refuse to surrender
what is vital to us.”
Adolf Hitler knows perhaps better
than any other man in Europe that
this is bare-faced untruth. He knows I
that British and French statesmen
repeatedly, in one form or another,
have offered to reconsider the un
statesmanlike “peace” imposed upon
Germany in 1919, and even to discuss
colonial restoration. But he also
knows that the allied powers are
unwilling to discuss a new deal with
a Germany which comes to the con
ference table with pistols pointed at
allied heads.
The western powers,are not unfa
miliar with “Mein Kampf.” They
have read there that the avowed
purpose of Nazi Germany is to take
by force what she cannot obtain
through* the peaceful processes of
international intercourse. They have
seen a Hitlerized Reich which brazen
ly and systematically has molded
its policy along that line, beginning
with the remilitarization of the
Rhineland. They have not forgotten
that Hitler thundered to his puppet
Reichstag last September that Ger
many had spent ninety billions of
marks in military^, naval and air
preparations during his six years
in office. The allies know that during
the year and a half ended in Sep
tember, 1939, this colossal war
machine had enabled the Germans
in turn to annex Austria, Czecho
slovakia, Memel and Poland. Who
could doubt that other victims were
next on the Nazi list?
But what the allies realize most of
all is that Germany’s repeated pledges
of peaceful intent and territorial
satiety long since came to be worth
neither the paper on which they
were written nor»the breath in which
they were uttered. Prime Minister
Chamberlain had the evidence of
demonstrable fact on his side when
he said, the day Britain declared
war on Germany over the Polish
invasion, that “no word of Hitler’s
can be trusted.” It is because Britain
is resolved to “finish the intolerable
situation” which Nazi-ism has cre
ated by its tactics of aggression and
untrustworthiness, and not because
she craves the “full destruction of
Germany” that the British Empire’s
people are now prepared to give their
last.
One wonders what Moscow thinks
of Hitler’s allusion to the “atheistic
state of Stalin” in a passage gloating
over his success in coming to an
understanding with the Soviet Union
where the English failed. Hitler says
that in consequence he “no longer
has anything to worry about from
that direction.” Is he perhaps re
ferring to Finland’s achievement in
showing up the Red Army to be noth
ing but “a lath painted to look like
iron?”
Through the whole Sports Palace
speech runs an unconcealable note of
blasted hopes—the hope of separat
ing France from Britain not being
the least of them—and a realization
that it is no longer the spirit of the
Munich surrender that pervades Lon
don and Paris, but a will and a power
to thwart German purposes to ter
rorize even powerful neighbors into
submission.
Sees Lasting Need for
League of Nations
4
Praises Work Accomplished
Without Support of
United States
To the Editor of The Bter:
I want to congratulate you for The
Star’s editorial In December on '‘The
League’s Success,” and also for your pub
lication on December 18 of the excellent
letter by Melvin D. Hildreth concerning
this subject. To those whose faith in
the ideals and efforts of the League has
not failed, these timely articles come as
a tonic par excellent.
Mr. Hildreth’s letter vividly sets forth
the necessity of the League and why its
work must go on. While it is true that
the League has acted feebly at times, we
will do well to keep in mind that It has
labored without the support of our own
great Nation. Viewed in the true light
of its objectives and organization, this
enterprise stands out as a landmark in
the history of the civilized world. When
compared with the time honored and
savage method of settling international
difficulties by force, the League is really
an amazing thing. There are some who
contend that the objectives of the League
are too difficult to attempt. The fact
that its idea is difficult to work out
should not result in abandonment of
effort. We are fast approaching a con
dition when a consultative parliament
ot the world must be ipaintained. This
is no longer a dream; it is the convic
tion of every civilized nation. In the
light of this conviction, failures of the
League to live up to all its obligations, or
lapses on the part of some of its mem
bers, are in a degree trifling.
Only those who have closely followed
the proceedings of the League can be
aware of its vitality. A few years ago,
while in Geneva, I watched from the
gallery the Assembly of the League in
action. Here were representatives from
more than half a hundred different na
tions (nations large and small) discuss
ing ways and means of co-ordinating
the economic and political work of the
world. There must be few Americans
indeed who can witness this serious at
tempt on the part of so many nations
without a sense of feeling that our own
beloved America was much like an un
co-operative child, refusing to Join hands
in the greatest organized attempt ever
made to develop world order and peace.
It recalls the memorable words of Wood
row Wilson in his last days: "I have no
fear of the League of Nations; it will
take care of itself. My only fear is that
the American people will not understand
it, and support it.”
According to Mr. Hildreth: “It perhaps
is true that only part of the world pays
heed to what is being done at Geneva,
but it is to our everlasting credit that
somewhere in the world the flame of
human progress is being guarded.” It
has been guarded by the intellectual co
operation of men of faith and good will.
Alfred Zimmern, professor at Oxford
University, gave vivid expression to this
thought when he said: "I look to intel
lectual co-operation of men of faith and
good will for the future guidance of the
world.”
If the League fails, it will have to be
built up again. Another attempt toward
world order and peace will have to be
made. If we believe in co-operative
methods in dealing with domestic prob
lems. then we must believe in some or
ganization for international co-operation
in dealing with problems arising between
nations. WARD M. KEESECKER.
Berkeley Springs, W. Va.
January 26.
Protests Receiving “Ticket”
During Storm Period.
To the Editor of The Star:
On January 24 Maj. Brown of the
Police Department issued orders to the
various precinct captains to exercise
“discretion” in ticketing automobiles
where the regulation involving the 18
hour period was violated. On January
26 all cars parked in the block on which
I reside, which have not been operated
since the storm, were the recipients of
the bad news, inserted under windshield
wipers.
Persons of good judgment, which
should also include our traffic officers,
must realize that an automobile can
not be operated, with the same degree
of safety when our streets are covered
with ice and snow as under more favor
able conditions and that each car being
driven on our highways during the
present glacial period is a potential
menace to life and property. If, in the
estimatioil of our Police Department,
the streets were in a safe driving con
dition on Friday, January 26. then I
agree to eat the proverbial hat, including
the feather.
Instead of compelling every car parked
at the curb beyond the limit prescribed
to keep "rolling” and thereby adding to
the congestion of the downtown streets,
the Traffic Department should appreci
ate the fact that every car not operated
relieved the flow of traffic of streetcars
and cars of outlying districts, where
the use of vehicles was essential.
The decrease in the accident rate
during the last week unquestionably
was attributable to the fact that the
greater portion of the District automo
biles were not operated, due to the com
mon sense manifested by the various
owners.
You guessed it. I also received a
ticket. A. S. N.
January 29.
Indorses Mrs. Roosevelt’s
Criticism of Blue Plains.
To the Editor of The Star:
I would like to add a little bit to what
has already been printed in Sunday’s
Star, on page B-l, regarding “The Story
Behind the Blue Plains Story.”
I am no one of importance, but I have
traveled and stopped at most of the im
portant cities in the United States, and
have lived in many important centers in
Europe. It has always been of interest
to me to know how the other half of the
world lives; so about two years ago I
drove out to Blue Plains to see what kind
of an institution it was that housed the
poor and indigent of the District of Co
lumbia and adjacent oounties. To say
that I was amazed is expressing it mildly.
I trust that something will be done to
relieve this deplorable situation, and feel
that since Mrs. Roosevelt has taken a
hand in the matter, conditions will be
better. IDA ALLEN KEFFER.
January 29.
A
I THIS AND THAT
By Charles E. Tracewell.
A wild creature seen best in the “dawn’s
early light” is the rabbit, the common
brown bunny still plentiful in the coun
try and nearby suburbs.
There, is no time to get the feel of
rabbit life quite like the early morning,
say Just before 7 a.m„ when real light
is first coming on.
The person who is out then has an
added Interest if he likes animals.
As he walks by a hedge, he is startled
by a noise at his feet.
There, only a step away, sits a wild
rabbit.
Perhaps “it was sitting” would be. a
better way to put it.
In a flash it lopes across the lawn
with that easy stride for which the
species is famous.
But for a second, before flight, it had
coolly surveyed the passerby.
The instinct of its tribe was too much
for it.
It fled—but the pedestrian felt sure
that the animal really was not afraid of
him.
Rabbit technique was to flee, and tun
it did, but the creature seemed to have
a twinkle in its eye, almost, which said
as plainly as words, “No, I am not really
afraid, but it is a cold snowy morning,
and it is fun running across this snow.”
* * * *
This particular specimen is quite small.
In the neighborhood are some veterans.
The observer wonders where is that ex
bicmiiy migc uhc wmtu campea oy tne
garage during the heavy snow about a
year ago.
All during light, as long as any one
could see, except an owl or a cat, this
big rabbit had stretched out between the
altheas and the wall of the garage. There
was a slight depression there, just about
right for a rabbit. Into it the creature
huddled, paying no attention to the
scores of wildbirds which ate not far
away.
What did the rabbit eat? What could
it eat? It was hard to say, impossible to
see. Maybe It could gnaw the barks of
trees and shrubs, but there w7ere no signs
of such rodent activity.
It would be a nice thing, one had
thought, to provide some food for this
big rabbit.
That day, while one was passing a pet
store, the opportunity seemed to offer.
Surely they would know inside what rab
bits liked to eat.
Yes, they knew. They had some very
nice special bunny food, with plenty of
chopped alfalfa in it.
Surely it had a delicious smell.
Wild rabbits, the man said, were ,sim
ply wild about it.
* * * *
That evening the food was sprinkled,
rather poured, along the rabbit trail. The
creature had absented itself, but no doubt
would be back in the morning, to hide
out for the day.
Sure enough. Just before 7 o'clock here
It came stealing.
Across the back of the yard It came,
heading squarely for Its favorite retreat.
It was an exciting moment.
Would it eat the famous rabbit food?
Carefully the big fellow entered, but if
it even smelled the food, it gave not the
slightest indication of it.
Advancing out of the food zone, it lay
down behind an althea, and went to
sleep.
* * * *
Later in the day, the kindly house
holder looked out to see the rabbit gone,
and in its place some two dozen English
sparrows, which were eating away vigor
ously at the rabbit food.
So if any reader wants to attract spar
rows, let him buy some good alfalfa
how nice it smells—and put it out. He
may not get rabbits, but he will do well
with English sparrows.
* * * *
The life of wild animals in long con
tinued freezing spells must be intensely
difficult. But they have been given
excellent digestive systems, which get
the mor‘. out of such food as they find,
the finest wool coverings, and a generally
warm internal system.
Humans, so subject to "colds,” must
look with awe on the ability of the wild
things to live at all under such con
ditions. And that most of them seem
to manage it in good health is a matter
for real wonder, so many are the dangers
with which they are beset, and so diffi
cun uieir iooa to come by.
The wild rabbits have two most excel
lent aids, their senses of sight and smell.
Those sensitive, wriggling nostrils tell
a rabbit when food is available, as well
as Inform him of the approach of
enemies.
Those big rectangular eyes, looking
in all directions, can see food even
farther than they can danger.
The construction of the rabbit’s eye is
surely unlike that of any other eye on
earth. It is so protruded that it looks
squarely behind the animal as well as
front and both sides.
These big eyes help immensely in
giving the rabbit the special look of
innocence which it has enjoyed among
all peoples.
The literature of the rabbit is large,
in all languages; almost always the
creature is a beloved hero, outwitting
other and larger animals.
In an artistic sense, there are few
animals more symmetrical, or possessing
more of that especial “rightness" with
which some living creatures have been
endowed.
The artistic mind, that mind which re-T
joices in a glorious sunset, or good book,
or fine song, or splendid painting, will
find a wild rabbit in the snow in the
early morning a sight very much worth
while.
Letters to the Editor
Sees Modern Parallel in
History of Torpedo.
To the Editor of The Btar:
Now that we have “progressed" to
the stage where the torpedoing of any
vessel under 10,000 tons has less news
value than an automobile wreck, the
following quotation from an article in
Harpers Magazine may be of interest:
“The history of the adoption of the
torpedo as a recognized implement of
warfare is not unlike that of gunpowder
or of shells. Each in its turn was met
by the cry, ‘Inhuman, barbarous, un
chivalrous.’ But the genius of modern
war requires the use of those weapons
which shall inflict the greatest possible
damage in the shortest possible time,
and hence the once-despised torpedo
now occupies a place in the front ranks.”
60 thought our grandfathers, for the
article referred to appeared in the
June issue of Harper's New Monthly
Magazine in the year 1882. The moral
isn’t clear, except possibly to indicate
that the frightfulness of yesterday is
the commonplace of today.
The same article concluded with the
following cogent observation:
“The torpedo, once regarded with such
horror, has now fully taken its place
among those legitimate weapons by
which hostility is made so expensive
that nations will be forced to think
whether arbitration may not solve their
difficulties, and to hasten slowly at de
claring war. That nation which is
most fully prepared for war is the most
certain to be able to maintain its peace."
This has a strangely familiar ring, has
it not?
The "torpedo” in current favor with
our Navy at that time consisted in es
sence of "a bag of powder on the end
of a pole,” with which wooden torpedo
boats like the Lightning, dashing in
with the unprecedented speed of 24
miles an hour, would attempt to tag a
hostile craft. Meanwhile, the celebrated
self-propelling Whitehead torpedo had
been perfected to a point where the
Inventor "reaped a great harvest, nearly
every European government having pur
chased the secret at a heavy price.”
We are then informed that: "Our own
Government, however, has not yet
deemed it advisable to make any pur
chase, though it has been pressed upon
the naval authorities at various times.”
Mr. Jay Franklin may feel that this,
too, has a familiar ring! D. D. D.
Alexandria, Va.,
January 29.
Discusses Student Union
Vote on Russia.
To the Editor of The Star:
I would like to clear up many mis
conceptions of the American Student
Union circulated after its convention at
the University of Wisconsin a month ago.
First of all, I want to make my part in
the convention known. I represented
no local school. I was a member of
the minority group at the sessions and
was elected to national office as such.
The main issue at the convention was
whether or not Russia should be con
demned for her invasion of Finland
in the peace resolution, which passed
unanimously. Because an amendment
condemning Soviet action was defeated,
322 to 49, the A. S. U. is called a Com
munist organization full of Russian
agents. If this vote Is used as a basis
for that contention, then the 49 may
well be considered agents of Finland
and the allies. If many of our critics
really think we .are Stalin’s stooges,
why do they resort to misstatements to
prove their point? do they refer
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!
to purges of minority leaders that didn't
exist? As a matter of fact, Joe Lash
and Molly Yard, national leaders who
had announced their intention of re
signing a year ago, spoke for unity and
progress in the organization after de
clining national offices again because
they felt younger people should take
over. If the press thinks the convention
decision was bad enough, why do cer
tain papers say that a resolution okay
ing Russia's action was passed? Why
haven’t they clearly represented the
Issue as discussed at the convention,
or why, instead of merely criticizing,
don’t they actively help those of us who
are trying to get the decision reversed?
The issue was not the merit of Rus
sia’s action. Both the majority^ and
minority are united, as are most of the
American people, in their opposition to
the entry of the United States into the
European wars. The 322 said that to
condemn Russian invasion would be
to add to the tremendous anti-Soviet
propaganda which would lead first to
official material aid to Finland and
then active United States participation
as during the years immediately fol
lowing the World War. This is a period
of history slighted by our schools and
press, although Winston Churchill, then
the. leader of the allied forces, and
the American Army official who led our
troops through Finland and into Rus
sia, in their writings authoritatively tell
of this episode. The 49 said that in order
to combat this pro-war propaganda our
stand on Soviet action would have to
be made clear. Therefore, we called for
a condemnation of the attack on Fin
land. Thus the vote was not to condone
Russia's action but to avoid being duped
by the unneutral persons who are using
Finland to create a war hysteria. Many
of the 322 were not in sympathy with
the attack.
A national liberal caucus was or
ganized to work for a vote of the entire
membership of the A. S. U. on the
rejected amendment. This has prac
tically been won. Now we are trying to
rally all students into the A. S. U. who
will support the peace resolution con
demning all war propaganda and un
neutral acts, although they are not in
sympathy with the Soviet attack and
want the peace resolution to voice the
sentiments. BOB BIALEK,
Member of the National Executive
Committee of the American Student
Union.
January 27.
Condemns Ickes for Opposition
To Dies Committee.
To the Editor of The Star:
I see that Mr. Ickes has made some
very unfavorable comments on the Dies
Committee, but I for one am glad it will
be given an extension of time.
In the recent investigation of Harry
Bridges of the C. I. O. on the West
Coast it was obvious that he had the
sympathy of the Secretary of Labor,
ahd yet we all know that many aliens
are earning good salaries, sending their
money back to the old country, while
numerous American citizens and tax*
payers cannot get a Job. In a recent
magazine article the Secretary of Labor
upholds and defends such foreigners.
Mr. Ickes and Miss Perkins have not
been much help to this administration.
January 25. P. A. P.
Haskir/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 Please give the number of the "Little
Green House on K Street” mentioned in
Samuel Hopkins Adams’ book "Incredible
Era.”—N. S.
A. The "Little Green House” is located
at 1625 K street N.W., Washington, D. C.
Q. How much larger than the sun is the
star known as Betelgeuse?—L. H.
A. As measured at Mount Wilson Ob
servatory by Pease and Anderson in De
cember, 1920, the diameter of Betelgeuse
is 260,000,000 miles—in round numbers
300 times the sun’s diameter.
Q. What is the name of the bird that
climbs trees?—R. W. H.
A. The hoatzin is a South American
bird which lives in trees near water. The
young birds have well-developed claws
on their wings with which they can climb.
Another peculiar feature is their eye
lashes which are set in a bare space
around the eye. In British Guiana, hoat
zins are called stink-birds.
Q. Please give the origin of the word
magnolia.—R. s. T.
A. This genus of plants is named in
honor of Pierre Magnol, a French botanist
of the 17th century.
Q. Who was the first woman to receive
the Nobel Prize for literature?— G. H.
A. The award W'as first made to Seima
Lagerlof, the Swedish novelist, in 1909.
vc. ricaoc uic names 01 me mem
bers of the Federal Communications
Commission.—P. E. C.
A. The commissioners are as follows:
James Lawrence Fly, chairman; Paul A.
Walker, Norman S. Case, T. A. M. Craven,
George Henry Payne, Frederick L
Thompson and Thad H. Brown.
Q. What is the height of the Southern
Pacific Railroad bridge over the Pecos
River near Del Rio, Tex.?—E. E. J.
A. The bridge rises 326 feet above low
water level of the Pecos River.
Q. How bright is the light of a firefly?—
T. D.
A. The actual light from a single fire
fly is very minute, averaging little more
than twrenty-five-thousandths of a can
dle power. The iasect will sometimes glow
steadily with a light as low as two
hundred-thousandths of a candle power
in intensity.
Q. What is the most perfect example
of Grecian architecture in the United
States?—E. L. H.
A. The main building of Girard Col
lege at Philadelphia, which was de
signed by Thomas U. Walter, is regarded
as the outstanding specimen of Greek
architecture in this country.
Q. Please give some information
about an organization called Alcoholics
Anonymous.—H. T. S.
A. This is a group of former alcoholics (
who meet in Steinway Hall, New York
City, to strengthen one another’s reso
lutions and help other alcoholics to re
form. They have recently published a
book entitled “Alcoholics Anonymous.’*
Q. What is the largest inland city in
the United States?—E. C.
A. Indianapolis, Ind., is the largest
city in the United States not on an im
portant river or waterway.
Q. Please list the ships lost by Eng
land in the battle of Jutland.—R. B. S.
A. The British losses in the battle of
Jutland were: Battle cruisers—Queen
Mary, Indefatigable, Invincible; ar
mored cruisers—Defence, Warrior, Black
1 __1_ m_1_»_A
* * »MVV , AIVSIAIIU iVUUV-.J iuiwuicm, 1 ip
perary: destroyers—Nestor. Nomad, Ar
dent, Fortune, Shark and Sparrowhawk.
Q. What was the name of the moving
picture John Dillinger went to see the
night he was killed?—E. T. B.
A. John Dillinger was killed as he
emerged from the Biograph Theater in
Chicago after having seen a film called
“Manhattan Melodrama.” Clark Gable
and William Powell were starred in the
picture.
Q. Who discovered Victoria Falls?—
E. J. H.
A. This large cataract in South Africa
was discovered by Livingstone in 1855
and named by him in honor of Eng
land's Queen.
Q. Please describe the memorial to
Father Duffy, the famous soldier-priest.
—T. N. Z.
A. The memorial to the Rev. Dr.
Francis P. Duffy is in the form of an
heroic-size statue of the priest, the work
of Charles Keck, sculptor. A 12-foot
Celtic cross serves as a background for
the bronze figure, which is 9 feet tall
and weighs nearly a ton. The <ross
weighs 8 tons and the entire memorial
about 21 tons. The memorial Is in the
triangle formed by Broadway, Seventh
avenue and West Forty-sixth street.
Q. How many times did Mickey
Walker and Harry Greb fight?—R. B.
A. Harry Greb only fought Mickey
Walker once. The bout was at the New
York Polo Grounds on July 22,1925. Greb
won the decision after 15 rounds.
Q. How many children of Civil War
veterans receive pensions?—E. C. K.
A. At the present time 2,406 children
of Civil War veterans are receiving
npnslnn* frntn FoHoroi rtAvammant
Let Us Not Forget
Today I passed a shumac bush aflame,
Beneath the golden arches of a wood,
And thought of long ago how Moses
' stood
Before a burning bush to which God
came.
The place was holy ground—and now
today
Men find God out of doors apart from
men—
Beside a lake, a stream, in woodland
glen,
God comes to each in His appointed way.
And yet we find God still within the
church
Or great cathedral, with bright gilded
dome.
Upon the street, beside the hearth at
home,
If we are true and earnest in our search.
And let us not forget where two or three 1
Are gathered in accord, God hears their
plea.
MONICA WILLIAMS.
A c