The Mena weekly star., 1920-08-12
WAR OVER, LAZY CAPITOL SLEEPS
Washington, Short While Ago Bee Hive. Once Again Has Its Rest Washington Almost De-
 serted City.
CBy International News Service,

tDg iuttFUdtiOudi 4NeWS -tEAlCe.l !
 Washington, Aug. 9.--The blister ing sun beats down on Pennsylvania avenue, the thermometer in the kiosk mounts higher and higher, few pc destrians dodge in and out of the shady places, street cars drone along and taxi drivers sleep at their wheels in the parking places.
 The national capital is Sleepy Hol- low'' once again. Washington is Zen toying a normal summer.
 For four long summers Washington has been ablaze with war excitement. In 1916 there was always the question of whether we would get into the war, and the war heat made Washington forget the summer heat. In 1917 we were in the war and preparing in such heat that Mir. Farnheit's little instru- ment secured small attention. In 1918 the reports from the front and the casualty lists drew attention away from climatic conditions. In 1919 we were at peace, but the League of Nations debate in the Capitol made summer but thing of passing men, ton. In 1920 "Old Sol" reigns once again and Washington is all but de- serted, and those unfortunates who have to stay here have plenty of time to realize that fits a hot day.'
 After four years of the glamour of war, streets filled with uniformed men of every nation, noted foreigners in the hotel Hobbies, distinguished commissions parading through the streets, war heroes holding the cen ter of the social stage, and thousands of pretty girl war workers to catch the passing eye. Washington is again back to a pre-war summer.
 Ennui is Washington's chief stock in trade these days. The President stays bravely on in the White House. Cabinet officers do their best to stay in town but they are mighty hard to find in their offices or their homes. Congress has fled. The distinguished visitors are no more. A uniform is infrequent the little second lieuten- ants of the polished boots and spurs no longer delight the feminine eye.
 Washington is a deserted city and within the city limits lies a deserted village, just as deserted as that of which Oliver Goldsmith wrote.
 Down through Potomac Park, stretching picturesquely over many acres in the deserted village with it's rows of buildings and it's well-laid-off streets, and the grass is growing thru the cracks in the pavements, while spiders spin their webs uninterrupt- edly in the doors of the buildings, swallows build their nests on the lodges and mischievous young "Davids" practise with their sling shots on the windows as they pass by on their way to the "old swimmin' hole' on the Potomac.
 The deserted village two years ago was bee hive of activity. It was the center of war activity The buildings housed all sorts of important war of fees. To-day they are no more, these war offices. A few caretakers, who have plenty of time to sleep, and a few clerks who are still striving to wind up the war business pass in and out of the buildings every day, but the village is deserted
 Little by little Washington has re- covered from the war, but 1t was not until his summers heat became au- thoritative that the recovery became so rapid.
 One merely has to step out into Pennsylvania avenue any day now to realize that so far as Washington Is concerned the war is over.