Evening star., 1922-12-15
CAPITAL KEYNOTES
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

systems OF laws-laws nevertheless
based upon the recognized righty Of
men and property.
The most important Of these new
Avs Ha rs that controlling ether waves
Tor wireless messages. Secretary
Hoover of the Department OF Com
merce calls for the regulation of the
etner so as to protect the use of tho
radio service for the government de-
partments--the post once, the coast
guard. the Treasury. This service is
seriously hampered by a certain pri-
vate broadcasting company. when
Secretary Hoover. upon the expi. a.
tfon OF the license of the Interfering
company. refused to renew 1t. SO as
to protect the government service
the court. acting under laws OF 1912
issued writ Of mandamus compel
ling the reissuan e of the license re-
gardless OF the public interests. The
laws OF 1912 are AZ far obsolete TO
ling ox-cart trafic would be on an
automobile thoroughfare. It all goes
to show how fast the world of sci
ence Is progressing.
When President Harding listened in
on the radio a day or two ago. he
heard a strange voice. saying in sub
stance: ".
Hello! Is this President Harding?
am r. Lopez Gutierrez. President OF
Honduras. I called you up to say that
I hope this new means OF communi
cation will bring the peoples OF our
two countries into still closer re
lationship, and will result to their
mutual advantage"
President Harding responded with
some tremendously big words. but the
system took them. and so. any mo-
ment, II the two presidents want to
consult with each other-each has
the other presidents number. and
there is no danger that Central will
answer Lines busy" OF course; they
talk right over the head of Presi
dent Obregon Of Mexico. but he can't
tap the wire. for there amt no
wire" The funny part Is that the
waves talk Spanish as well as
American.
1t is notorious that the governn M
does not adequately pay its scient!h"
employees. For the honorable oaiceS
Of representative and senator, the
honor supplements the money com
pensation. but such is not true OF
such men Of science as work in the
bureau of standards and Department
of Agriculture. The result is that
when a specialist Is Offered niehe-
pay by a private frm. he is justihed
in accepting. and the government
Is constantly losing its most raluanie
scientif1c workers. This does not re-
fer to the young men fresh from col
lege. but II does concern such meH
as Dr. Stra.ton. who for TWENTY-FIVE
wears has been the head ~ the bureau
of standards, the most responsible and
influential scientific position In the
world
DR.. Stratton has been receiving for
wears the very moderate salary o.
IS 600 a year: he now leaves the gov
ernment service to become the head
Of the Massachusetts, Institute OF
Technology. where he VIII stu a,.e be
said to be $4,000 or higher.
The government OF the United
States ought not TO be unable to meet
competition IN employing and paving
| for the best scientific researcn taienI
in America Some neutral official: or
board. ought to be qualified to adjust
salaries of ecientists Lesser men. too.
are being tolled from the government
almost monthly by salaries two or
! three times what the EoNerh @
| paws. and this is not due I" their
| carrying away any trade secrets OF
the government. but to the ability
to earn larger pay.
X + ~
That is a novel and interesting de-
fense set up by the Capital Traction
Company in a suit against II by
young woman who was injured In
runaway street car about a year ago.
and asked the court for 100000 DAM
ages. She complained that she was
thrown so violently In the accident
! that she has been paralyzed from the
waist down ever since. The defense
| is that she was really not seriously
| injured but. due to hysteria. she mas
| only thought she was. and as soon az
| she changes her thoughts she Will
| cease being paralyzed. II Is just IKE
Boston-not real. but only state OF
mind"
| Recently a Frenchman has intro
! duced a new cure. which ought - be
! tested in this case. 1t consists solely
! in the patients repeating to himself :
! daily and earnestly: Il am gettine
better in every way" Presently the
psychology begins TO believe tt-and
a. cure follows: II would be worth
big sum for any one to demonstrate
such surgery"