SEEN and HEAR)'
around the [$
NATIONAL CAPITAL A
By Carter Field
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT J
Washington.—It begins to look as
though President Roosevelt’s Su
preme court enlargement proposal
might grease through congress
something much more nearly ap
proximating what the President
wants in the way of a neutrality
law than would probably have been
the case otherwise.
Interest in the Supreme court is
sue has so completely blanketed the
arguments over the neutrality
measure that senators and repre
sentatives so far have not really
heard enough from back home. It
was the hope of the extremists
among the senators, notably Ben
nett Champ Clark, Homer T. Bone,
Gerald P. Nye, etc., that there
would be a deluge of demands from
the various states and congressional
district* to the effect that their sen
ators and representatives go all the
way, allowing the President no dis
cretion whatever.
Fear of this demand, which most
observers agree would probably
have come had it not been for the
public mind being so centered on
the Supreme court legislation, actu
ally played a considerable part in
making the formal committee (Sen
ator Key Pittman) draft more
drastic than it might otherwise have
been. This fear, by the way, had
nothing to do with an appraisal of
the merits of the case. It was based
on the thought that it would be easy
to convince the milkman in Omaha
that this country could build a wall
high enough to protect us from en
tanglement in a foreign war. Espe
cially as it is difficult to convince
this same milkman in Omaha that
stopping international trade is even
seriously important — much more
difficult to convince him that it
would almost inevitably be taking
sides
Present indications are that the
Supreme court fight will continue to
hog the lion’s share of popular at
tention for months to come. The
entire administration publicity ma
chinery is devoted to that. Every
time an outstanding Democrat op
poses the President it is front page
news. Just to maintain the fiction
of presenting all sides, the news
papers have to give more space
than the arguments are worth to
speeches by those favoring the Pres
ident's side. All of which relegates
stories of the neutrality bill to the
inside pages of the newspapers, and
tends to prevent the inflaming of the
very fierce but for the moment al
most dormant desire of the coun
try to do anything and everything
to preserve peace.
Peace at Any Price
In fact, “Peace at Any Price”
would not be an inaccurate descrip
tion, except that the peace advo
cates and the freedom of the seas
champions are devoting most of
their attention for the time being to
preserving the ark of the covenant,
as far as the Constitution and high
nine are concerned, or blazing the
path of progress over a road
smoothed by a flfteen-man court, if
they feel that way about it.
All of which of :ourse is subject to
change, almost without notice. It
is just possible that there may come
a week in which there are no de
velopments in the Supreme court
fight—possible though not probable.
It is possible that in that week a
few fiery speeches by such senators
as William E. Borah and Hiram W.
Johnson, on the freedom of the seas
side, may shove perfunctory news
less stories about the high court
situation to inside newspaper pages.
Or that blasts from Senators Nye
and Clark against permitting the
President to take sides in a Euro
pean war by deciding which com
modities are to be barred from ship
ment in American bottoms will
bring the homefolks up standing.
In short, such a situation would
bring about what everyone expected
to happen before the President
sprang his surprise message about
enlarging the Supreme court It
would produce such a storm of pub
lic reaction that the extremists just
might force amendments to make
the act more drastic.
It is scarcely likely that anything
could happen to swing the measure
the other way—toward giving the
President more discretion—as be
tween belligerents, for instance,
especially as the entire strength of
the President must be kept on his
very tough fight to get his way in
the court battle. He cannot spare
any steam at the moment for much
else, certainly not for so difficult a
fight as getting more discretion
would be in view of the extremist
bloc in the senate.
Quezon Popular
Army and navy officers who have
had much contact with Manuel L.
Quezon, Philippine commonwealth
president, either in the "days of the
empire," or since, agree that he
is an extraordinarily clever person.
Hence all predict that he will go
back to the Philippines with the ba
con cm the proposed reciprocal trade
treaty with our former possessions.
It was rather an astonishing thing
to some observers, that Quezon
should have been the chief speaker
and guest of honor at the recent
dinner of the Carabao—the famous
organization of army, navy and ma
rine officers who saw service in the
Philippines either during or right
after the Spanish-American war.
Not only was he an old enemy, so
to speak, but his political activities
ever since have been for precisely
the objectives that the great major
ity of these officers think highly in
imical to the best interests of the
United States.
Incidentally, freedom for the Phil
ippines in a way cheapened what to
these officers was an important part
of the service they had rendered
their country—made their own lives
just a little less important.
But Quezon in his speech to the
veterans showed the same sort of
political Intelligence that has char
acterized most of his adult life. He
made two strong points, one purely
sentimental, the other very practi
cal indeed, to these men who be
lieve in adequate national defense.
The sentimental appeal justified
the importance of this chapter of the
life of the United States army and
navy.
Pleases Army Men
It was Just a little war, more like
a game. Quezon began with a broad
smile. It sounded like an insult,
and many stirred uneasily in their
seats. “Why should Quezon belittle
what his hosts had done?" one whis
pered to his neighbor.
Whereas, look at the World war,
and American participation—what
it cost in lives and treasure.
But every objective stated in ad
vance by United States spokesmen
as to the Spanish-American war is
now attained, Quezon rushed on.
Cuba is now free. The Philippines
are en route to freedom.
Whereas, what became of the ob
jectives stated by American spokes
men as the United States entered
the World war—to make the world
safe for Democracy, etc.?
He really made quite a case for
the glory and honor of the men
who had participated in the Spanish
American war—and for the place in
history the results of that war would
hold despite its military insignifi
cance.
Having warmed the hearts of the
veterans with this tonic, Quezon
played another string. He told them
why he had forced universal mili
tary training in the Philippines.
When some other nation should
come to those islands, the Filipinos
would not only know how to die,
which they had proved in the revo
lution. but they would know how to
fight, he stated, and the cheers were
thunderous from his old enemies. He
did not mention Japan, or that em
pire's alleged ambitions to take
over the Philippines, but he painted
a picture which left no one in doubt
what he meant them to understand.
It was universal military train
ing. however, more than the Japan
angle, that appealed to the old sol
diers and sailors. How they want
to see it brought to this country,
how helpless they are about accom
plishing that at the moment, and
how they loved his arguments for It!
“We are teaching our citizens,”
he said, “their duties to their coun
try firs., before we teach them what
are their rights.”
The applause could have been
heard at the White House, two
blocks away!
Amusing Situation
When young Henry Cabot Lodge,
Jr., the thirty-four-year-old “baby”
senator, was running against James
M. Curley, Massachusetts’ political
war horse, last year, Curley’s back
ers were constantly insisting that
Lodge was too young, and stressing
the importance of age. Now Lodge
finds himself involved in his first
big senate battle, and the chief idea
of his opponentc is that Supreme
court justices are too old!
All of which is amusing, but then
so is the discussion of age of the
justices at all in this connection.
For, as senators opposing President
Roosevelt point out, his plan would
not remove the older justices—It
would merely put additional justices
in with them—and that there is noth
ing to prevent a court of fifteen
Justices, all of whom might be over
eighty, at some future day.
Not that the President desires
this, but there is no legal way of
forcing Justices—even the six new
ones who may be appointed if and
when the President wins his fight—
to retire at any given age. The only
way that can be accomplished is by
constitutional amendment, to which
of course apply all the objections
the President has to solving the
other problems by constitutional
amendment—it would take too long
and be too easy for a militant mi
nority to block.
One of Senator Lodge’s closest
political advisers during his cam
paign. inc.dentally, was more than
eighty years of age. But friends,
in snickering over the paradox pro
duced by the attack on his youth
during his campaign and the attack
on age in the first big fight he en
countered in the senate, point out
that age is different in Massachu
setts! Jrstice Louis D. Brandeis,
the most liberal member of the
court, is more than eighty, and was
appointed from Massachusetts. Jus
tice Oliver Wendell Holmes, the idol
of the Progressives during the years
he was on the bench, was also from
Massachusetts.
C Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
BUSY BEES
Bees at Work in Smithsonian Institution.
Prep*red by National Geographic Society,
Washington, D. C.—WNU Service.
C C T X USY as a bee” has real
I—^ meaning, for bees lit
) erally work themselves
to death. Young bees
perform manifold duties in main
taining a colony, which, being a
self-sustaining community, imposes
upon each individual certain health,
sanitation and protective duties. A
temperature of about 93 degrees
Fahrenheit must be maintained in
that part of the hive where the
queen lays her eggs and where all
the young bees are reared. This is a
concentrated area near the center
of the hive, spherical in shape, its
size depending upon the population
of the hive and the season of the
year.
After a cell has served as a cradle
for the birth of a young bee, it is
thoroughly cleaned. Abnormal lar
vae are not permitted to mature
as deformed adults, but are re
moved from the hive. Sick and ail
ing bees are also encouraged to
leave and to die outside. Any bees
that die while at work are imme
diately carried out and consigned
to the winds.
When they are from a week to
ten days old, the bees venture into
the outside world for the first time,
usually on short flights of only a
few feet in front of the hive. Dur
ing these so-called play flights, they
learn to use their wings and no
doubt also note the location of their
homes. Toward the close of their
duties within the hive young bees
appear more often at the entrances
until they eventually take over the
duty of defending the colony. Sev
eral dozen may assume this re
sponsibility.
On their first trip to the field,
young bees gather water or propo
lis. The latter is a resinous, gum
like material called bee glue, gar
nered largely from the buds of va
rious plants and trees. It is used
to close the cracks in the hives,
to smooth over rough places, to
cement the combs securely in place,
to regulate the size of the entrances
the better to guard the hive, and
to control the temperature.
Work Themselves to Death.
The next duty is that of gather
ing pollen and. finally, nectar. In
an emergency the field bees can re
sume nursery duties again, but
when a bee becomes old enough to
work in the field it usually dies in
its boots, literally working itself
to death.
A newly emerged bee ss covered
with fluffy golden hair. After four
weeks in the field it is darker, much
of the hair has been worn from its
body, and its wings are tattered and
torn. Eventually it will no longer
be able to sustain itself in flight.
Thus its life span is measured large
ly by the amount of work done.
Whenever plants are in blossom
and it is warm enough for the bees
to fly, they go forth at daybreak
and continue until nightfall, or un
til it becomes too cold or rainy
to work. Drop by drop the nectar
comes into the hive. The storage
of more food than the colony can
consume for its own needs seems
an incredible task, yet in a favor
able locality strong colonies have
brought in as many as 25 pounds
of nectar in a day.
In gathering nectar and pollen,
the bees do not fly aimlessly, as
butterflies do, from one species
of flower to another. If a bee
starts working on dandelions, for ex
ample, it will continue throughout
the trip to visit only dandelion blos
soms, and in all likelihood it will
continue working on dandelions as
long as it can obtain a modicum
of nectar or pollen.
Effective in Follinizing.
Such constancy makes the bee a
dependable pollinizing agent. If
it collected indiscriminately from
the flowers, its work would be less
effective. The pollen of the apple
would not benefit the blossom of
the pear, and vice versa. Changes
in atmospheric conditions, or in the
plants themselves, may cause a
wholesale change in the work sched
ule'.
Some plants secrete nectar only
a few hours a day, while other
plants may continue throughout the
day; and. since bees wisely seek
the richest source of nectar, they
may suddenly desert one plant for
another that proves more tempting.
The richness of this sparkling drop
of nectar, which the blossom offers
to the bee in exchange for the pol
len from another blossom, causes
the bee to accept the highest bidder.
Although bees invariably effect
pollination in the blossoms from
which they obtain either nectar or
pollen, the latter is so indispens
able to the welfare of the colony
that the bees are compelled to visit
countless numbers of flowers which
secrete little or no nectar but which
do furnish them with pollen. Thus
the bees pollinize numerous vari
eties of plants.
The worker bee is particularly
adapted to gather pollen. Almost
every part of its body is covered
with hair. Many of the hairs are
long, lacy, and branched; spikelike
hairs even grow between the facets
of its compound eyes. When a bee
alights on a flower that has abun
dant pollen, the pollen grains be
come entangled in its numerous
hairs, and in gathering a load to
carry back to the hive, the bee
brushes over the stigma of the
blossom, inadvertently transferring
to its sticky surface grains of
pollen. For this act the blossom
lives and offers its alluring per
fume and enticing nectar.
Pollen Stored in Cakes.
Upon reaching the hive, the bee
inserts its hind legs into a cell and
pries off the two pellets of pollen.
There a young bee, with its head,
rams the pollen into a compact cake
into the bottom of the cell. Pollen
is not mixed with honey. It is stored
in separate cells close to the brood
nest, where it is readily available
to the nurse bees.
The pollen furnishes the fat and
protein in the diet of the honeybee,
while the nectar supplies the car
bohydrate.
Early in the spring, when the al
ders and willows are putting forth
their fuzzy catkins, the bees go
forth to search for food so that
the queen may start egg laying.
From then on, progress depending
upon the weather and the amount
of food available, brood rearing con
tinues at a constantly accelerated
pace. Within a few weeks the hive
becomes so populous that there is
no more room where the queen can
lay and no more space in which to
store honey.
With food available from myriads
of flowers, but with no place to store
it, the bees prepare to relieve the
congestion. The time has come
when some must go.
The first indication that swarm
ing may be imminent appears when
thousands of bees cluster at the en
trances, literally loafing. The hive
boils over with bees. Inspection
within reveals the presence of sev
eral pendulous peanut-shaped queen
cells, an almost infallible indica
tion that the hegira is about to take
place. Each queen cell holds a
prospective heiress, possible suc
cessor to the old queen.
How the Bees Swarm.
The reigning queen and her
daughters do not wait until the heir
ess actually arrives, however, but
on the first bright warm day after
the queen cells are sealed a mighty
commotion heralds the issuance of
the swarm. This usually takes place
from 10 to 12 o’clock in the morn
ing. Most of the bees that have
attained flying age (and this in
cludes virtually all the field bees)
rush out of the hive, tumbling over
one another in their eagerness to
taste the thrills of the great adven
ture.
Back and forth in front of the
hive, in sharp straight flights, they
take wing until thousands are in
the air, the queen with them. Likely
as not, this flying entanglement will
shortly move toward some tree or
fence post. A few bees settle, and
then a few more, until within 10 to
15 minutes all have alighted in a
tightly packed mass.
Shortly after the swarm settles,
scout bees fly in all directions to
search for a new abode, or, being
foreminded, they may have attend
ed to this duty several days be
fore. If a place already has been
located, the bees may take to the
air again within a few minutes. As
suming a formation that looks like
a hazy smoke ball 10 to 20 feet in
diameter, the swarm gradually
works its way through the tree tops
and, clearing all obstructions,
seems to float like an enormous
soap bubble, making a “bee line”
toward its new home.
If the scouts fail to find a hollow
tree or a cozy nook in someone’s
attic, the bees will continue to hang
at their first stopping place for sev
eral hours, or even for several
days. Should the scouts fail entire
ly in finding habitable quarters, the
bees may decide to “camp out”
and build their comb in the open
air.
Spring - Fashions - Sewing
A RE the robins showing interest
** in real estate out your way—
and have the kiddies been hinting
that it’s about time to go bare
foot—have you been trying to get
a little house cleaning done—and
have you noticed a few of the
town’s rabid sportsmen out poking
around on the fairways—have you
had any knights of the road stop
by for a hand-out or seen any gyp
sies—in short, is it Spring out your
way? That, of course, brings us to
the omnipresent subject of fash
ions, and this in turn to the
ubiquitous topic of Sew-Your-Own.
One in Silk; One in Cotton.
If you’re a devotee of trim lines
and real comfort make this new
all-occasion dress for yourself
(Pattern 1973) in two versions: a
silk print in which to greet the
bright new season; a cotton one
for day in, day out service.
There’s no daytime occasion too
auspicious nor a household task
too menial for one or the other of
these versions. For completeness,
then, and simplicity as well,
there’s no substitute for this styl
ish number. It is designed for
sizes 36 to 52. Size 38 requires 3%
yards of 35 inch material.
Two Versions From One Pattern.
And see what the Chic Twins
have, two lovely blouses with but
a single purpose—to make you
look your very veriest. They’re
combined to make Pattern 12fl
the biggest hit of the season.
You can wear the notched lapel
model with casual sports outfit*
and the ruff-collared style with the
more tailored suits. Puff sleevae
and saucy peplums are particu
larly intriguing features of both
blouses. Either is available for
sizes 12 to 20 (30 to 38 bust). Size
14 (top model) requires 2 yards
of 39 inch material or 214 yards for
the other. Remember, both are
included in Pattern 1271.
Sewing Easy; Frock Charming.
Pattern 1259 is truly an Ode to
Spring—one that’s fit for print,
too. A bright nosegay, for in
stance, will be just the thing to
promote your charm and grace.
The far-reaching collar and gro*
grain ribbon tie will indeed be
come your pretty face. The puff
sleeves and smart cuffs fairly
snap with chic. Simple to make,
delightful to wear, this frock de
serves to be called an Ode to
Spring. It comes in sizes 12-20
(30 to 40 bust). Size 14 require*
514 yards of 39 inch material plu*
% yard contrasting. The bow re
quires % yard ribbon. In full
length size 14 requires 614 yard*
of 39 inch material.
New Pattern Book.
Send for the Barbara Bell Spring
and Summer Pattern Book. In
teresting and exclusive fashion*
for little children and the difficult
junior age; slenderizing, well-cut
patterns for the mature figure;
afternoon dresses for the most
particular young women and ma
trons and other patterns for spe
cial occasions are all to be found
in the Barbara Bell Pattern Book.
Send 15 cents today for your copy.
Send your order to The Sewing
Circle Pattern Dept., Room 1020,
211 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IB.
Price of patterns, 15 cents (in
coins) each.
© Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
TRADE^L
}T MAJIK
Glad news indeed for the millions and millions of people who
like the famous Smith Brothers Cough Drops:—
Smith Bros. Couoh Drops are the only drops containing VITAMIN A
This is the vitamin that raises the resistance of the mucous
membranes of the nose and throat to cold and cough infections.
<5twey look too blamed happy/ ■?*
^ARE Wfe GOING) TO STAND FOR ITj^J
S>'H
ONf
is..
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SB
*1
what's that? You want to get
MARRIED? WELL—I SHOULD SAY NOT/
GRACE —GO TO YOUR ROOM / AND YOU, >
YOUNG MAN —GET OUT AND STAY J/
---
ED MERRILL,
DO YOU REALIZE \
THAT you'VE BECOME ) /
THE MEANEST OLD /
GROUCH /N SEVEN / V
COUNTIES?
/ HUH'Z what's
'THAT'? SAY
IF YOU HAD MY
INDIGESTION
AND COULDN'T
< SLEEP NIGHTS/
\ YOU'D BE
GROUCHY,
^YvToqY/
YOUR INDIGESTION AND SLEEPLESSNESS
ARE CAUSED BY COFFEE-NERVES,
And you know it-— because
THE DOCTOR TOLD
WHY DON'T YOU \
QUIT COFFEE AND 1
Switch to postum )
FOR 30 DAYS, L
LIKE "THE
DOCTOR. 7~^
ySAlD ? /
/^alaTright^X
All. right/ \
HAVE IT VOUR- /
OWN wav/ y
30 DAYS
LATER*
T-i-r-'iiT1
/well-- I've S
/DECIDED TO
1 GIVE YOU TWO J
i LOVE-BIRDS my/
/BLESS/NG'/A
^/hSsachanged^
u MAN SINCE HE \
GOT RID OF HIS
X INDIGESTION AMD
'YSLEEPi.ESSNESS/j
p£yep.~i
)/SWlTCH/NCn
> TO POSTDM
SURE WOPX£D
WONDERS.
^FORHiwjj
f YOUR MONEY BACK - - - \
IF SWITCHING TO POSTLM J
DOESN'T HELP YOU/
y7" If you are one of those who cannot safely
""■* drink coffee.. .try Postum’s 30-day test.
Buy a can of Postum and drink it instead of coffee for
one full month.
If...after 30 days...you do not feel better, return
the top of the Postum container to General Foods,
Battle Creek, Michigan, and we will cheerfully refund
Copr. 1987, Kina Feetaies Predicate, 0. F. Corp. Licensee
the full purchase price, plus postage! (If you live in
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Give Postum a fair trial...drink it for the full 30 days!
Postum contains no caffein.lt is simply whole wheat
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(This offer expiree June 30,1937.) _j
