Evening star., 1926-09-30
John Marshall Was Not
the First Chief Justice
To Tho rAitor of rha Star.

| 10 t0o kSUltOF Oh Inc otaT.
In reading the papers recently |
have wondered how much of ~'hoWl
would go up in this country II. when
Valentino died, picture of him had
appeared In the papers with a nota-
tion to this effect under 1t, Valentino,
the great base ball player"
If such an error had occurred the
paper which made 1t would still be
explaining and apologizing to the
public. How strange 1t seems. then,
that in last Saturdays Star the pic
ture Of a statue of John Marshall, &C
knowledged this greatest 5urist this
country has ever produced, and prob
ably one Of the greatest which ever
lived, had the following notation under
1t, 1.-THE Statue Of the First Chief JUS
tice of the United States"
beg to state that John Jay was
the first Chief Justice Of the United
States, John Marshall being the third
Chief Justice, and the reason for the
erection Of so many statues to his
memory is not because he was the
first Chief Justice of the United
States" but because to his very great
legal learning and understanding the
Constitution owes it's strength, the
decisions he rendered in its early In
depreciation making it the greatest or
all written constitutions.
We have, indeed, reached a peculiar
age in our country. Almost any one
today can tell you the life history Of
any pugilist of note. with whom he has
fought, where, when and all about IT,
The same is true Of the motion pic
ture artists, base ball players and
others who win distinction through
their physical prowess.
But the accomplishments of the
mind seem no longer to be appreciated
nor respected, although an old Greek
adage has it THAT the mind Of man
is mistress of the world"
AS further illustrating the length
to which our people have gone in for
saking the greater for the lesser and
forgetting that the lesser can never
so we'll serve them nor continue TO
preserve the country and it's inst1tu-
tions, in Sunday mornings Star an
account was written of Chief Justice
Taft's presence in Philadelphia and
that while the crowd were running
wild over Tunney, Chief Justice Taft
and Mrs. Taft paced, unnoticed, up
and down the station platform at the
exposition grounds.
Another illustration Of the length to
which we have gone can be had by
looking at the papers shortly after
Valentines death, which was proml-
nently displayed on the first page,
while the death of President Eliot of
Harvard University was given a small
place on the last page.
While there are those among us at
the present day who would have us
believe that the world is improving,
and 1 hope it is, as l have not as yet
quite lost faith in 1t, don't think, nor
do 1 believe any one can think, that
the great fuss we are making over
physical prowess at the expense of
mental greatness can ever lead to per-
manent Improvement.
Now, do not wish to be misunder-
stood. I am heartily in favor Of diver
sions and healthful recreations and
exercises Of all kinds. I am not op-
posed to prize fighting, base ball nor.
moving pictures, but 1 do deplore the
modern tendency. which is placing the
lesser things in life above the greater,
and 1 also deplore the modern tend
ency toward lack Of modesty. When
I was a young man, men who went to
gayety theaters and variety shows
were obliged to keep it strictly to
themselves, and yet at none Of these
performances has any one ever seen
as much exposure or immodest dress
ing as is met with at the present day
upon our streets. There is law on
the statute books of the District
which prohibits the posting of bill
posters in public places displaying bal
let dancers in tights. Does not the
present-day dress which we meet with
on the street put this law to shame?
1 am writing this letter with no de-
sire to find fault, but simply to en-
phasize the length to which the mod
ern tendency for the neglect Of the
higher ideals has carried us, in the
M Ia
which, to some extent at least. may
serve to correct it. Let more space
be given to events and achievements
of our great men who have, by hard
mental work, self sacrifice and eX-
ample, contributed something by their
lives to the sum total of human hap
piness and prosperity. and less, If nee
essary, to the accomplishments of ath-
letes and others not nearly SO well
entitled thereto.
F. S. KEY-SMITH.