Evening star., 1925-04-12
Capital Sidelights

detic Survey, under whose direction
charts OF the great delta OF the Mis-
sissippi River have been made from
photographs taken while flying over
this region.
Heretofore engineers have done this
work at a great expense of time and
physical misery, by wading about
mosquitoes and the deadly moccasin
snake. Often they have worked all
day in water up to the hips and
camped at night in a damp, clammy
fiat.
But-enter the airplane-and the
scene is changed. The marshes and
swamps become no more than small
puddles crossed via the highway Of
the air. Flying at 10000 feet above
the delta, photographs were taken
every five seconds. The control point
was first snapped and then the pho
tographs taken so that they over
Tapped each other. There was no
chance for possible error; every out
line was perfect.
The Navy furnished the planes and
flyers and the Coast Survey has done
little over 80 hours of actual flying
same work with a planetable would
have necessitated. In this time an
area of 500 square miles was charted.
Details were obtained that would
have been possible in no other way.
Chart making from the air opens
up an entirely new subject and Is an
ideal method, Col Jones says, out OF
his extensive experience. of mapping
coastal lines and rivers. Since the
dfSC0VnrV M n
possibility of the airplane both for
construction and destruction has
steadily increased. It's supporters will
now find in the charts made by the
Coast Survey another argument as to
its usefulness in peaceful construc-
tive pursuits.
Thomas Riley Marshall, erstwhile
Vice President and now a special
writer for The Star, Is dyed-in-the-
wool Hoosier and a great admirer of
men who have made their own lives.
He likes to search them out and pin
a flower in their buttonhole while
they are yet alive. 1t is in such
spirit that he says:
Whenever / grow bilious and pessi-
mistic and wonder whether the high
ways of life in America are not about
to end in cul-de-sac look around me
to see whether opportunity has fed
with no hope OF anybody ever putting
salt on its tail. And whenever / do so
the pessimism disappears even If the
biliousness remains. In nearly every
walk of life l can find a man who has
fought his way from the Nations pow
erty TO at least the Nations temporary
pantheon"
And by way of illustration he points
out one Of the most sincere, hard work
ing, friend-to- man fellows in the Capt.
tol press gallery, when he says: I'm
that fine galaxy at Washington there
shines out for me the features of Louis
Ludlow, tall. gaunt Hoosier, who, when
first knew him, did not know where
he was going but did know he was on
his way. He seized opportunity by the
forelock, and with a nose for news and
conscience for justice, he firmly es-
tablished himself as a great writer. Who
does not read his books of recollections
has lost much of interesting reminis-
cence, but he has lost more in not be-
coming acquainted with q real man
the author" Ludlow has just gotten
out new book, I'm the Heart Of
Hoosierland," illustrated by Clifford K
Bergman, cartoonist for The Star and
originator of the Teddy Bear"
Consider the humble pen point. The
reesnt announcement of the Post Office
Department that II was purchasing
5000, 900 of these nibs for it's years sup
ply brought the subject up, empha-
sized by revival OF many ancient
wheezes. Then Postmaster General
New came TO the defense of the post
office pens declaring them to have as
many good points as those used in banks
or schools.
In these days of the typewriter's s
ascendancy the pen has suffered some
relapse from the days in which it was
"mightier than the sword" but 1t still
serves where no typewriter dare to fol-
low, and holds a place in the hearts
and confidence of men and women that's 8
all its own.
In the field of romance the type
writer may click and clack off thrillers,
but what are they: The vjsionings of a
Paul Pry, third party peepster who
recounts all in one COB the beginning
and consummation of one romantic epi-
sode, and generally OF one stereotyped
pattern. The susceptible young maiden
may day dream over a romance that
tr1ckled forth over the typewriter, but
she will insist that her own love letters
be hand-done. She wants no machine
work on her billet-doux. Unlike the
romantic novel thrown open TO all, she
wants the closer clandestine privacy of
the condolences and endearments from
only one to his only one. He may ink
blot with an unaccustomed pen, but
these are but rose drops on the / of
loving" If he properly pours out his
grand passion" in individualistic Chi
Biography. Abas the typewritten novel
that delivers the romance In bulk, COM
plete, 1t lacks the sweet, delicious tor
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trepidation. So, We must still retain
the humble pen for transmitting the
thrills of lifetime.
Who would accept typewriter
signed check on a bank? Where con-
fidence in the will and intent of an
Individual is required, the autograph
is required, no matter how clumsy or
disfiguring the signature may come
from beneath the pen guided by an
unaccustomed or ungraceful fist. Mil
lions of dollars pass from one owner
ship to another in a large city in one
day, because the pen welded by hand
leaves a trusted if not infallible rec
ord of individual intent in world
that is daily growing more mechan-
ical, more standardized, more jig
made, all alike.
Think again-each act of CONGRESS
must be pen-signed by the highes
authorities before it becomes a. law.
1t Is individuality that makes char
acter; individuality of thought and
persistent action, human initiative
that has made for great deeds and
progress throughout all history The
pen has recorded these visions and
essayals, and handed the record on to
posterity. The pen has thus been
the instrument of the men who have
Ia hai
flourish, though from lack Of con-
l. L..