SEEN
and
around the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL
py Carter Field •*)
Washington.—A horde of medio
cre, irresponsible, yet well-dressed
and smug people is an unatural
sight to behold. For, outside of
Washington, men and women are
known by their looks. The stamina
of the laborer is written in his
weathered face and t>n his hard
hands. How the banker gets his
living show's in his prudent eye.
The store girl’s ability to endure
monotony and an ill-manered pub
lic is told by her weary smile. The
preacher, the ticker lounge cam
bier, the petty thief, the college pro
fessor—all look their ability to make
their way.
But in Washington, as nowhere
else, you see the dull, unworried tax
leeches by tens of thousands, smug
in futile security. From half past
three on, just as the workers in
competitive life are buckling down
to make hay of the day’s effort, the
capital crowd swarms out of its mar
ble palaces, gaily Jamming the poky
street cars and two-bit taxis, head
ing for cocktail lounges or more
hours of indolence at home. If it’s
winter they’re muffled up in wool
ens and furs. In summer they're
arrayed in white linens, marred
only on the scats by chair varnish
melted in the capital’s steamy heat.
Massed faces show not a trace of
the alert concern that marks men
and women who sail under their
own steam.
Along miles of corridors in the
Departments of Commerce, Agricul
ture, Interior, Post Office, you see
them going through the motions of
work earlier in the day. But much
of the work is mere motion, for by
gesture and voice the worker re
veals that it doesn't matter much
whether the task turns out good or
bad. Many don’t even make mo
tions; they lean back in swivel
chairs, powder their noses, or sit
staring at the electric clock. When
the gong rings they spill out of the
buildings like gravel from a dump
truck.
Not All Are Drones
How many of these jobs are nec
essary to the nation’s welfare no
body knows. Probably more than
half are justifiable, maybe three
quarters. But generally speaking
two out of three of the jobs could
be held dtiwn by any bright person
who wanted to try. The workers
are not sought for the jobs; the
jobs are piled up for the workers.
Every five or six people must sup
port one for government. Nothing
will be done about it.
But there are happy exceptions
in this city of drones. Most con
gressmen, doubt it or not, are fairly
devoted to toil. The post office su
perintendent of air mail, for exam
ple, works like a musher dog. The
chairman of the maritime commis
sion is a demon for labor and he
keeps the whole outfit on its toes. A
young fellow in the machinery di
vision of commerce drives ahead
just as he would in a private firm—
or get fired. The young woman as
sistant to one ambitious brass-hat
goes home too late and tired to eat
dinner five nights a week.
There must be thousands who do
their honest best. A big order from
the chief in the White House re
verberates along the Ionic colon
nades and thousands must lay to,
whether they like it or not. Some
times ambitious effort gets govern
ment workers ahead. But not ofjen,
and they know it. They can see
plainly enough that even many of
the leaders of government are not
chosen on merit
Wants Labor Law
One of President Roosevelt’s
greatest ambitions, a labor stand
ards law to give the unorganized mil
lions of workers a minimum wage
of about 40 cents an hour and a
maximum work week of 40 hours,
has gotten exactly nowhere in a
two-year battle of words.
The President’s total program di
vides the United States into three
big groups. They are industry, la
bor and agriculture. That includes
the bulk of the population. He be
lieves that industry exploits and op
presses labor and agriculture,
thereby causing most of the coun
try’s ills. So he started out to get
laws to regulate the country’s in
dustries, and laws to assist labor
and agriculture.
How far has he gotten with his
program? Pretty tar. To cite a few
examples, the securities exchange
law put a severe snaffle bit in Wall
Street’s mouth. The labor relations
act forbids business to interfere with
the formation and functions of la
bor unions. His bill to liberalize
the Supreme court was beaten but
the battle changed the make-up of
the court. The social security act
Is an overwhelming victory for the
common man—if it works, years
hence, when it’s supposed to. In a
few weeks Mr. Roosevelt will sign
his crop control law, which limits
production and gives millions of
farmers stable prices and at least a
living—if it works.
But there is now considerable
question whether the wage-hour
chapter of the Roosevelt program
can be realized. A mighty effort
will be made in the latter part of
this session of congress to enact it
into law. A wage-hour law is such
an important factor in the whole
scheme that if it isn’t passed the
New Deal must be considered as
having failed to cross over to the
land of milk and honey.
Unorganized Labor
For after all, only a small per
centage of American labor is or
ganized and able to demand high
wages through collective bargain
ing. The rest arc scattered, help
less and unable to make themselves
heard. Families by thousands sub
sist on such weekly incomes as $14,
$18, $25. Mr. Roosevelt and his fol
lowers contend that people living in
such conditions are not of much use
to society and are not good custom
ers for business.
Why has the wage-hour bill made
no progress? Because only the ad
ministration is fighting for it. In
dustry is against such a law be
cause it fears the government, giv
en an inch, would take a mile and ;
clamp more irons to its leg. The
C. I. O. and A. F. of L. say they
are for it, but they do nothing. Bar
gaining for labor is their particu
lar business, and they don’t want
the government muscling in. The
South put up the bitterest fight of
all, because it pays as low as ten
and fifteen cents an hour and thinks
its small industries would go broke
paying 40 cents.
Besides the administration, of
course, the millions of common
workers want a minimum wage.
They can vote, and it would seem
that congress would respond to
them. But congress responds pre
cisely as pressure is brought to
bear. And the lower third, which
Mr. Roosevelt says is ill-fed, ill
clothed and ill-housed, can’t afford
to hire lobbies and print propa
ganda.
If the President and his support
ers can enact a 40-40 wage-hour law
they can hoist their banner, stack
arms, and wait for the morning
sun to show what manner of country
they have captured.
Take Up Dirigible*
Next summer another German
airship, much like the giant Hin
denburg which burned 36 people to
death at Lakehurst, N. J., last May, j
will cross to the United States. Its
first passengers back to Europe will
be a few adventurers willing to risk
anything for a thrill. In time a
second German ship will enter the
transatlantic service. If no acci
dents befall, more and more travel
ers will blimp the Atlantic. Mean
while the United States will get
into the dirigible business and, if
successful, eventually will outdo
Germany. For this country owns
about all the helium there is, and
Germany must buy it from us.
Probably never again will passen
ger airships' be inflated with hydro
gen, the highly inflammable gas
that turned the Hindenburg into an
inferno.
But though the United States has
a monopoly on helium, Germany
seems to have all the skill in build
ing and flying dirigibles. German
dirigibles bombed London during
the war, kept the British people
and the war office in constant jit
ters. Count Hugo Eckener’s flight
around the world and recently his
regular runs to South America in
the Graf Zeppelin were feats equal
to Pan American Airways’ pioneer
ing around the world trips in flying
boats.
Meanwhile the United States
failed dismally in lighter-than-air pi
oneering. Why? While Germany
studied lighter-than-air as a distinct
science, this country treated it
merely as a sideline for the navy.
Critics say we sent sailors, not aero- ^
nauts, aloft in our dirigibles. That P
is why we came to grief. If our
ships had been owned by private I
interests, depending on successful j
enterprise for earnings and reputa-!
tion, we would have done better, j
For certainly it cannot be assumed
that the Germans have some super- i
natural knowledge or secret formu
la. No, the critics say, the Ger
mans just worked hard at the job,
that's all.
Ask Financial Help
Right now three or four American
companies are asking this govern
ment for financial assistance in 1
building airships. One of them has
what seems to be sufficient achieve
ment behind it to justify federal
aid. If congress passes a bill now
before it providing subsidies for
oversea aircraft as well as for sur
face ships, the United States will
be in a sort of loose dirigible serv
ice partnership with Germany.
Out of our association with Ger
many, we shall learn all the Ger- I
mans know about building and fly
ing lighter-than-air craft. Certainly
this country is acting in entire good
faith toward Germany. But in case
Germany went to war against us,
or, under our neutrality law, against
any country, we would stop her
supply of helium. Even continued
German aggression in South Amer
ica despite our Monroe doctrine,
which says that Europe must stay
out of the western hemisphere,
would be sufficient cause for keep
ing our helium at home. In fact, if
Germany creates any considerable
advantage for herself with helium,
military or commercial, the supply
will be stopped.
Of course scientists in all mech
anized countries are trying to de
velop a gas to substitute for helium.
The best of them say it's a pretty
hopeless task—but so it seemed be
fore the Wright brothers was man's
attempt to fly.
£ Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service.
Night View in Washington.
Visitors to the National Capital
Find an Infinite Variety of Sights
Prepared by National Geographic Society.
□Washington, D. C.—WNU Service.
HATEVER the visi
tor’s particular curi
osity may be, the na
tion’s capital seems to offer
something to satisfy it.
Residents of Washington
are amazed by the variety of
sights their visitors wish to
see. More news and photo
graphs originate here than in
any other city and pilgrims to
the capital usually have their
own ideas of where they
would like to be taken. Show
ing the home folks the infinite
variety of sights, scenes, and
dignitaries is a major form of
entertaining out-of-town
guests.
Long propinquity has made Wash
ington residents accustomed to the
presence of the famous and near
famous. If a man prominent in pub
lic affairs grows weary of the adula
tion of hero-worshipers, he has only
to retreat to Washington to enjoy
virtual anonymity.
A rather shy-appearing elderly
gentleman used to walk four times
each day, to and from work. Among
other pedestrians he passed unno
ticed, though in most cities he would
have attracted a queue. He was
Andrew Mellon, then secretary of
the treasury, the man who quietly
presented to the United States one
of the finest collections of paintings
and other works of art ever assem
bled, and added to the gift a $10,
000,000 gallery in which to display
them!
People everywhere are familiar
with the government departments
through the extension services that
reach all parts of the country. For
information on almost any topic
within reason, one has only to call
the proper office.
Great Place for Students.
Thousands of students come here
not only because of excellent uni
versities and colleges but also be
cause government agencies and pri
vate institutions afford unparalleled
opportunity for research. If it is
necessary to ascertain the names,
nature, or classification of rare spe
cies of flowers, for example, they
carry the question to the Depart
ment of Agriculture or to the United
States national herbarium, where
an expert quickly supplies authori
tative data.
If a question arises concerning
trade practices in a foreign land,
accurate information is available in
the Department of Commerce. For
human-interest material and statis
tics on other countries, there are the
embassies and legations of those na
tions. The Library of Congress and
the archives of the United States
furnish a wealth of material on his
tory. The national bureau of stand
ards is a mine of scientific informa
tion. There is not a government
department that does not stand
ready to help the serious inquirer.
Almost everyone is amazed to dis
cover how much really unspoiled
natural country remains in the na
tion’s capital. There still are many
tracts of perhaps a hundred acres
of woodland and meadow where
wild blackberries and strawberries
grow, where coveys of quail scuttle
to cover at anybody’s approach,
where youngsters build concealed
huts and defend them against all
rivals.
District is a Bird Haven.
The District of Columbia wel
comes more than 300 species of
birds each year, perhaps 150 of
them casual or rare visitors, but
many of them year-round residents.
Since the passage of a protective
law in 1932, the District has been a
veritable wild-bird haven.
The bald eagle, the turkey vul
ture, the wood duck, the pheasant,
the black-crowned night heron, the
quail, the starling, several kinds of
owls and hawks, and about 25 other
birds are permanent residents.
Within the city it is not unusual to
hear the song of a wood thrush or
sight the bright flame of a cardinal.
Theodore Roosevelt listed more
than 90 kinds of birds seen in the
White House grounds or near by.
and 17 of them nested there. Wrens,
chickadees, finches, orioles, swal
lows and sparrows are perhaps the
most numerous, but bluebirds, ce
dar wax-wings, juncos, golden
crowned kinglets, and even cuckoos
are not uncommon.
There are five kinds of wild squir
rels here, the gray fox squirrel and
the red most numerous; also cotton
tail rabbits, woodchucks, muskrats,
and chipmunks. Beavers and pine
martens, which used to inhabit for
ested districts, are virtually gone,
but occasionally a red or gray fox, a
raccoon, or an opossum may be
seen in woodland areas.
Of snakes, the District has 23
kinds, only one, the copperhead, poi
sonous. It is a comparatively short
time, however, since rattlers lurked
in some of the wild blackberry
patches.
Rock Creek park is a constant
source of delight, with its more than
1,800 acres of natural woodland and
its pretty stream breaking into foam
over scattered bowlders.
There are more than 30 miles of
bridle paths in the park, and hiking
trails climb cliffs and hills steep
enough to give the enthusiast a taste
of mountaineering. When motor
ing through this recreation area,
one has choice of many winding
roads totolfcg more than 25 miles.
In one of the most restful spots
in the park, old Pierce Mill has
been restored exactly as it was in
the half century before 1897, when it
closed down because a shaft was
broken. A white-haired miller
proudly superintends the grinding of
corn and wheat, and the visitor may
purchase water-ground cornmeal, or
graham, whole - wheat, or white
flour. The surplus is sold to the cafe
terias in government buildings.
The National Zoological park has
been greatly enlarged and devel
oped since 1925 by Dr. William M.
Mann, who recently was in Sumatra
at the head of the National Geo
graphic Society-Smithsonian Institu
tion East Indies expedition, obtain
ing new specimens. It ranks as one
of the most extensive and interest
ing in the world.
Some Zoo Inhabitants.
In the up-to-date birdhouse and
the flight cages near it live Andean
condors and flightless cormorants
from the Galapagos, besides hun
dreds of more familiar species.
About 100 wild black-crowned night
herons have made their permanent
home near the largest flight cage,
apparently to keep their captive rel
atives company.
Separated from the public by
glass screens in the reptile house—
the last word in comfortable quar
ters for serpents—are cobras (six
varieties), rattlesnakes, water moc
casins, African puff adders, coral
snakes, and other poisonous kinds.
Boa constrictors, pythons, and ana
condas live in compartments which
resemble their habitats.
So far as possible the zoo dis
plays other specimens in their nat
ural surroundings. Flight cages con
tain miniature mountains and crag
gy heights; tropical animals are
housed in realistic jungle scenes.
Washington loves outdoor sports,
and the city provides full opportuni
ty for their enjoyment. In the pub
lic parks alone there are 89 tennis
courts, 32 baseball diamonds, 10 golf
courses, 35 horseshoe courts, 26 pic
nic groves, 23 playgrounds.
Among the recreational highlights
are polo, the equestrian drills at
Fort Myer. and the army, navy, and
marine band concerts held in Wash
ington parks in summer.
Botanic Garden Ranks High.
Last spring the National Botanic
garden displayed 1,700 azalea plants
in full bloom. This show was fol
lowed by one of rhododendrons, to
gether with Easter lilies, hyacinths,
and other flowers. Under the di
rection of the Congressional library
and the office of the architect of the
Capitol, the Botanic garden has
gained recognition as among the fin
est in the world.
In one part of the new million
dollar building the visitor finds him
self literally transported to the trop
ics. Exotic plants from mysterious
jungles thrive amazingly under sci
entific care. Here are the finest arti
ficially grown specimens of the long
stemmed Peruvian plant from the
fibers of which Panama hats are
made.
Another room contains a bewilder
ing collection of cacti, ranging m
shape from the spherical bisnaga
to the wandlike ocotillo, and in size
from tiny spikes half an inch tall
to 20-foot giants from the Southwest.
To the newcomer by train Wash
ington is a delight, particularly if
he has come from a crowded city of
skyscrapers and industry. He steps
out of the Union station to look
across a charming plaza to the Cap
itol. An elaborate fountain plays
above a large reilecting pool, and
ne little suspects that beneath it lie
a vehicular tunnel and a subter
ranean garage for 270 congressional
automobiles
Here is real spaciousness, room
to breathe. The sky is clean. There
are no skyscrapers thrusting spear
heads at it
ADVENTURERS’ CLUB
HEADLINES FROM THE LIVES
OF PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF!=__
”Death Spits Five Times''
By FLOYD GIBBONS
Famous Headline Hunter
Hello, everybody:
Here, boys and girls, is the doggondest story you ever
read in your life—the story of a lad who was called “yellow”
and didn’t like it. The story of a lad who, to show that he
wasn’t yellow, sat unmoved while they put up a wreath of
flowers in his lap—a lily in his hand—while death darted at
him five times across a theater stage.
His name is Philip Luongo—this lad who faced his maker rather than
be called a coward—and he lives in New York city. And if you have
ever got a job to do that calls for real courage, just get Phil to do it. After
what he went through six years ago, in that crowded theater up in the
Bronx, there isn’t anything in the world that is going to scare him.
Phil Didn’t Like to Be Called “Yellow.”
It was a dare that started Phil Luongo off on his big adventure. A
famous French sharpshooter was appearing at a vaudeville theater
on Tremont avenue, and every night he called for volunteers to be his
human mark—to wear a headgear with five small glass balls on it
while the Frenchman shot them off one by one. Other lads who had seen
the show dared Phil to go up there and be shot at. And when Phil said
he didn’t like the idea they called him “yellow.”
Phil didn’t want to be short at any more than you or I do. But
they couldn’t call him yellow and get away with It. With his
friends he went to the theater, ready to make them eat those
sneering words of theirs. They took seats in the first row of the
orchestra and waited for the Frenchman’s act to come on.
The fourth act had just ended and the Frenchman was due next.
He came out suave and smiling—made a short talk about his war record
and showed a short moving picture of himself flying a plane in action
Phil Was Scared to Death.
on the Western Front. Then he went into his shooting act, performing
with every kind of gun imaginable, and never missing a shot.
Volunteered to Be Human Target.
As his act drew to a close, he warmed up to his big stunt of the eve
ning. He stepped to the front of the platform, asked for a volunteer to
put on the headgear. But at the same time, he warned the audience that
anyone who did put on the headgear would be doing it at his own risk.
It was Phil’s moment to speak up, and darned if Phil wanted
to do it. He kept thinking of what would happen if the French
man should miss. But suddenly out of a daze, he found him
self holding up his hand—crying to the man on the stage that he
would volunteer to be his human target.
The Frenchman seemed to look surprised—then he smiled. Phil
was ushered to the stage by the Frenchman’s assistant seated in
a chair over by one of the wings. He was scared to death, but he tried not
to look it. Only his heavy breathing betrayed the fact that the inside
of him had gone ice-cold and that his heart was pounding so hard that
he felt sure it must break through his chest.
Nobody tried to make it any easier for Phil. In fact, it seemed as
though they were deliberately trying to scare him out of it. They put a
wreath of flowers in his lap—a lily in his hand. The orchestra began
playing the Funeral March. The audience laughed. Apparently they
were getting a great kick out of it. But Phil wasn’t. He hung onto the
sides of his chair, fighting off the desire to get out of it, to run off the
stage and back to his seat in the orchestra. But always when he thought
of quitting, there came before his eyes the picture of those pals of his,
sneering and calling him yellow.
Suddenly the orchestra stopped playing. The Frenchman pushed a
trunk to the middle of the stage, lay down on his back and began sighting
at Phil’s head along the barrel of his rifle. A new fear gripped at
Phil's heart. He hadn’t known the Frenchman was going to shoot at
him from any such crazy position.
Found Himself a Hero.
The Frenchman’s smile disappeared. His brow knit, and little
veins stood out like ropes in his forehead. There came a sharp
crack, and the first little glass ball on ^hil’s headgear fell to
pieces. Another crack—and another. Then Phil’s courage came
back to him. He sat calm and unafraid while the Frenchman
shot off the other two balls and came toward him smiling, with
outstretched hand.
The theater roared in thunderous applause. Phil suddenly found
the spotlight focused on him. He tried to go back to his seat, but again
and again he was brought back to take bows. It might have been the
big moment of Phil’s life, but it wasn’t. The real thrill came when the
Frenchman stepped forward to make a little speech.
He congratulated Phil on his courage in facing his gun—said
it was the bravest thing he had ever seen done. And then he
made a confession that surprised Phil himself. In all his years on
the stage, the Frenchman said, this was the first time anyone
had had courage enough to take such a chance. Usually he admit
ted, nobody volunteered, and he had to use his assistant for his
final feat.
And what a look Phil gave his friends down in the front row when
the Frenchman said those words.
Copyright.—WNU Service.
Famed Tower of London
Not one, but many towers compose
the famed Tower of London. Nor
mans built the fortress on the ruins
of another fort constructed by Ju
lius Caesar’s legions. It has served
since as the royal palace, a prison,
and, finally, as sort of an historical
museum and resting place for the
crown jewels. Until 1834 it also
housed the royal menagerie.
Though many persons believe it still
is an impregnable fort guarding
London, its chief weapons are an
cient swords and armor of historical
value.
Brick Used in Longfellow House
The brick used in building the
Henry W. Longfellow house at Port
land, Maine, was brought by boat
from Philadelphia. A mansion of
the formal type, it was built in 1785
by Gen. Peleg Wadsworth.
Human Race Blamed
“Human misfortune,” said Hi Ho,
the sage of Chinatown, “cannot be
cured by censure. The human race
has only itself to blame for all the
unpleasant things that have hap
pened to it.”
Dolls of the Ancients
“All the world loves a doll”—
though what passes for a doll in
some places wouldn’t be recognized
as such elsewhere. In part£ of South
America it’s a bone, wrapped in a
blanket if a boy, and in a petticoat
if a girl. Boys and girls in Asia
Minor play with pillows as “dolls.”
Ancient Greek dolls were sometimes
made of wax. Those of old Egypt !
had clay beads for hair. Cortes, on
his first conquest trip into Mexico, j
says the Washington Post, found
Montezuma and his Aztec court \
playing with elaborate dolls.
Mules in Missouri
Missouri, famous for its mule®,
was almost unacquainted with the
animal until the Santa Fe trail to
the Spanish settlements in New
Mexico was opened in the early part
of the Nineteenth century.
Why Sherman Lost Speakership
In 1859, John Sherman of Mans
field, Ohio, lost being elected speak
er of the national house by two
votes. It is said he lost because
of his opposition to the extension of
slavery.
Applique Swans Lend
Fresh Note to Linens
What more delightful needle
work could there be than luring
these graceful swans across the
ends of your towels, scarfs and
pillow cases! And mighty little
coaxing they need for you cut
them out and apply them in a
Pattern 1581
twinkling (the patches are so sim
ple). Finish them in outline stitch
with a bit of single stitch for the
reeds. You can do the entire de
sign in plain embroidery instead
of applique, if you wish. Pattern
1581 contains a transfer pattern of
two motifs 5l/z by 15 inches, two
motifs 4 by 15 inches, and the ap
plique pattern pieces; directions
for doing applique; illustrations
of all stitches used; material re
quirements.
Send 15 cents in stamps or coins
(coins preferred) for this pattern
to The Sewing Circle, Needlecraft
Dept., 82 Eighth Ave., New York,
N. Y.
Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Pellets made of
May Apple are effective in removing
accumulated body waste.—Adv,
Recreation in Its Place
Make thy recreation servant to
thy business, lest thou become a
slave to thy recreation.—Quarles.
ARE YOU 3/ lilir-0
ONLY A 74 WIFE?
Men can never understand a three-quart*,
wife—a wife who is lovable for three weeks of
the month—but a hell-cat the fourth.
No matter how your back aches—no matter
how loudly your nerves scream—don’t take it
out on your husband.
For three generations one woman has told
another ho^w to go “smiling through" with
Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound. It
helps Nature tone up the system, thus lessen
ing the discomforts from the functional dis
orders which women must endure.
Make a note NOW to get a bottle of
Pinkham’s today WITHOUT FAILfrom your
druggist—more than a million women hav*
written in letters reporting benefit.
„ Why not try LYDIA E. PINKHAM’S
VEGETABLE COMPOUND?
Personal Burdens
Life’s heaviest burdens are
those our own hands bind upon
our backs.—Grace Arundel.
LUDEN'S
Menthol Cough Drops 50
contain an added 1
ALKALINE FACTOR |
The Will Makes the Giver
For the will and not the gift
makes the giver.—Lessing.
Many doctors recom
mend Nujol because
of its gentle action on
the bowels. Don’t
confuse Nujol with
unknown
products.
WNU—U 8—38
Personal Architects
Every man is the architect of
his own fortune.—Salter.
To Get Rid of Acid
and Poisonous Waste
Your kidneys help to keep you well
by constantly filtering waste matter
from the blood. If your kidneys get
functionally disordered and fail to
remove excess impurities, there may be
poisoning of the whole system and
body-wide distress.
Burning, scanty or too frcqusnt uri
nation may be a warning of some kidney
or bladder disturbance.
You may suffer nagging backache,
persistent headache, attacks of dizziness,
getting up nights, swelling, puffiness
under the eyes—feel weak, nervous, all
played out.
In such cases It is better to rely on a
medicine that has won country-wide
acclaim than on something less favor
j ably known. Use Doan’s Pills. A multi
tude of grateful people recommend
Doan's. Ask your neighbor]
