Evening star., 1928-11-18
BY MARGARET B. DOWNING.


Japan's emperor, recently so bril-.
liantly ehthroned and now set down In
the annals as opening the era Of
"Showa" or radiant peace. is a figure
Of deep significance in the scientific
world and. despite the young rulers
loyal adherence TO the traditions of his
ancient race. he nevertheless lives in an
up-to-the- minute contact with the
twentieth century. AS prince regent,
Emperor Hirohito's busy day began at
IN the morning. when after an hours
deHotions and athletic exercise, he
plunged into the reading of the mail
ard of some 25 newspapers from every
country in the world. He intends to
maintain this routine whenever pos
sible. although his heavy duties as
sctual instead of acting ruler will cur
tail many of the happy hours he for
n1erly spent in his laboratory. This
long rambling building is set down in
tbs immense rice fields which surround
the detached sylvan palace of Akasaka.
This laboratory is marvelously equip
ped. and there the emperor has pursued
his search into the improvements of
ths rice seed and into various biological
problems which are part of this study
Rice being the staple food in the is
land domain. TO enlarge the grain and
increase its food content is a scientific
achievement which Hirotito hopes soon
to announce to the agricultural experts
He is giving special study to many other
agricultural problems and after he has
fully recovered from the fatigue and
mental strain of the elaborate cere-
monies Of ascending the throne, he in
tends to spend several DAYS at the
Akasaka palace and all of his waking
hours in his laboratory.
Mr.. Gilbert Grosvenor. president Of
the National Geographical Society, and
his associates will no doubt ponder
thoughtfully over the proposed change
Of the name West Indies to something
not founded on an error and more in
conformity with the influences and ira
ditions associated With the voyage of
Columbus. The great discoverer believed
until his death that the half world he
had brought under the dominion of
Spain was part of the mighty East In
dian continent. hence the name West
Indies and calling of the ahorigines In
dians. Since Columbus is to be so
signally honored in Haiti through The
agency CT the giant lighthouse and in
many other WAYS in the Caribbean Sea
Latin geographers each year consider
the wisdom of casting aside the term
West Indies and calling the beautiful
Spanish main for the illustrious
Genoese navigator. This would be more
logical, but It would cause vast confu-
sion for a long time. and all &c gtogrsphical
societies, while convinced of the truth
underlying the argument, hesitate in
recommending the change. It is deemed
an utter inpossihility to eliminate the
name Indians in describing the red race
which dominated when Columbus came,
60 lngrained IL it in history and letters.
x ::
Mrs. Coolidge has this Autumn en-
loved one of the rarest pleasures pos
sible to the mistress of the White House.
that of cutting flowers in the beautiful
garden which lies along the east wing
and arranging them to her taste in the
small dining room and in her private
rooms Hitherto this lovely section of
the White House grounds has been
kept in the formal way which the first
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson designed the first
year she occupied the White House and
before the fateful malady which caused
her death had developed. 1t followed
the Italian lines and was indeed a rest
ful spot in Spring and opening Autumn
But flowers were a secondary consid-
Grafton, and only low-growing blooms,
like forget-me me-nots and bedding pc
tllnias of deep blues and purples, filled
the beds, while in the Summer stately
lilies blooned for a few weeks, and
than the garden became a mass of
green showing vividly against the white
marble benches and the low graceful
fountain. This spring, however. some
Of the most effective dahlia bulbs were
planted in the outer edges of the east
garden, and when the President and
Mrs. Coolidge returned they were in
full glory. At the delightful tea which
the FIRST lady gave In the last days of
October for the newspaper women the
gorgeous Red Hussars, one of the most
satisfactory types of dahlias, and the
soft yellow and pink of the Countess of
Lcnsdale came from this border, and
Mrs. Coolidge and Miss Randolph. her
secretary. arranged them In the tall
crystal vases which so abundantly
adorned the table and the drawing
room.
Mrs. Hoover has q corner of her IL
brary In the Palo Alto home given over
10 the works of Californians and a cor
responding side to books on California.
II Is marvellous to her how these special
collections grow and that these volumes
continually encrOacn on the space given
to the general library. It is possible
that these loved books will accompany
the incoming Chief Magistrate on his
return to Washington in February and
will be given chosen spot among the
possessions which each occupant brings
TO the historic mansion. In recent years
President and Mrs Harding. who had a
home in Wyoming avenue, had more of
their personal belongings in the White
House than had any others. Mrs. Wood
row Wilson the second had housed all
the furniture she wished to keep in a
part of the attic. and this she moved
after the new occupants were in resi-
dence. But little of 1t was placed in
the public part of the mansion and the
Coolidges have confined all that they
own in their own personal apartments
Mrs. Taft had some large pieces of sill
yer in the State dining room. but nc
furniture of any sort in the mansion
From the gifted pen Of Cynthia
Asquith has come a charming sketch OF
the life Of the Duchess of York. ao-
mittedly the most popular member OF
the reigning family. Now that Princess
Elizabeth her daughter, is beginning tc
read, that present day successor Of
Lewis Carroll. A. A. Milne. has
dedicated his first fairy tale TO the
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