Evening star., 1923-09-05

Kipling will be contradicted in the
world sympathy. with Japan. and the
world readiness to do all in its power
to relieve the distress incident to
the great earthquake.
And never the twain shall meet"
is false prophecy, for from an points
of the compass the fleets of the ma
| tions are focusing toward the dew
astated island. Here In Washington
the seismographs of Georgetown Uni
versity--already famous throughout
the scientific world. gave telltale rec
ord of the earthquake-its direction
and distance. instantly and accurately,
long before the news came from Asia
by cable or Photograph.
In the great San Francisco earth
quake only 500 fatalities occurred.
yet because of it's nearness to the
American public. it's horror made a
greater impression than does this
with it's death toll of probably a
quarter of a million. Only once be-
fore in historic times has there been
d
That, too, was in the orient. The
earthquake of A. ID. 1856. in China,
killed 100000 victims. One in Japan
in 1903 killed 100000. The nearest to
those. which has occurred in the
occident. was that of italy in 1908,
with approximately 10000 victims.
r.
Have the bootleggers conquered
Washington with their smoke screen
and tear gas? 1t is foolhardy and vain
for motor cycle officer to plunge into
the smoke barrage sent out behind a
bootleggers' fleeing automobile, for
the fugitives have all the advantage
over their pursuer. Races of that kind
through populated streets, with shots
flying between pursuer and pursued
endanger citizens far more than they
do the bootleggerS. Two men, sitting
quietly in their yards at home, were
shot last Monday by a policeman's re-
volver, whose shots were aimed at
the bootleggers he was chasing The
District Commissioners intend to ask
Congress for special laws against the
use of smoke screens. but Congress
Is three months away. Only once have
the police captured their quarry against
the, defense OF the screen. and that was
due to the bootleggers' trapping them
selves in a blind alley.
k*k
In Mexico City the police system
places a patrolman with a rife at
every intersection of the business
streets. The officers need not give
chase-they simply signal to the next
officer down the street. who stands
ready for the oncomer. The rife does
the stopping. IL the fugitive fails to
take the hint.
The police have all the advantage
il they are in front of the fugitive.
instead of behind; the smoke screen
trails behind. The awaiting officer in
front of the oncoming bootleGger may
give him such reception as seems
safest for the public and most effective
in making an imperative stop. 1t may
be a tear bomb or a shotgun, de-
liberately aimed. At all events. the
fugitive finds himself surrounded, in
blinded police.
1t has long been a favorite theme
the poor Indian" who was being
wiped out of existence by the greed
|of the white man. Statistics have
been quoted showing how the mill
lions of red men supposed to roam
the forests and plains of this happy
mundane hunting ground have
dwindled to but a mere remnant.
Now the Department of the Interior,
Through its Indian bureau, gives out
IA statement that shows the increase
|of it's wards from 271, 900 to $4,000